BYTE Vol 15 06 1990 06 Windows 3.0

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COUNTRIES JUST GOT TOGETHER

When computer publications from nine countries got together and voted for the best 386'" computer, it marked a major shift in power.

They chose the Dell System® 325 head and shoulders over every other system in the world. Turn the page and find out why.

DELL

COMPUTER

CORPORATION

800'365'1480

FOR NETWORK OR UNIX INFORMATION, CALL 800-678-VMX. For Dell m Cancda. coE 800-387-5752. In CarWa 800-387-5752 /n t/ic U K. 0800 4]4535 ;nGei™mO6i3/70J-0 ;nFrance(l)05.00.33.55 MSueden 0760-7)3 50

THE CREDENTIAI AWORLDLEAE

EDITOR'S CHOICE

2-14-!

Before the Dell System 325 was named the top 386 personal computer by the rest of the world, it had quite a following at home.

Winning both the PC Magazine Editor's Choice and PC World's Best Buy awards.

And most recently, it was rated number one for overall customer satisfaction, in a PC Week poll of corporate volume buyers.

One reason for this unprecedented popularity is that Dell deals directly with every Dell customer in the world.

Custom configuring each computer. Responding to the needs of each user. BB^B So when you call Dell for a System 325, you get more than the exhilaration of running the world's top rated 386 computer, you get something called satisfaction.

With a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee, self-diagnostic software and toll-free expert technical support. As well as next day on-site service provided by Xerox Corporation^ And you can get it starting at $3,999. With leasing plans as low as $145 a month.**

Call us toll-free. And Dell will custom configure a System 325 for you.

After all, that's what the world is coming to.

The best combinacion of performance and \-aW in its class.

STAND.ARD FEATURES:

• Intel S03S6 micropaxessor running at 20 MHz.

• Scandaid i MBof RAM. optional 2 MB or 4 MB of RAM* expandable to 16 MB (using a dedicated high speed 32-bit memorv slot).

• Ad\-anced Intel S23S5 Cache NiemoH' Controller with 32 KB of high speed static RAM cache.

• F^ge mode interleaved memor\architecture.

• VGA systems include a hi^ performance 16-bii video adapter.

• Socket for 20 MH: Intel 80387 or 20 MH:\VE1TEK 3167 math coprocessor.

•5.25"1.2MBof3.5"!.44MB diskette drive.

• Dual diskette and hard drive controller.

• EnhaTKed IO!-ke\* ke\-board.

• 1 parallel and 2 serial ports.

• 200-\vact power supply.

• 8 industr>- standard expansion sbis (6ai.-ailable).

• 12-month On-SiteSen.-ice Contract prD\'ided b\- Xerox;"'

**Commercial Lease Plan. Lease for as loii'as Sl23i'month. "Xemx ExieruJed Sen-ice Plan pricing sums at S251. 40 MB TTL Monochrome S\-srem S5.299 40 MB VGA Color Plus System S3,799

laUIB VGA Color Plus System S4.399 IW MB Super VGA Color S>-stem (800x600) 54.499 Prices listed reflect 1 MBotR.AM. 80,150and 322 MBharddrive configuratior^s also a\'ailable.

THE DELL SYSTEM* 3i6SX 16MH:3S6SX. The pertect Ic*^- profile mainstream computer, combining 3S6SX power and compaibility with unprecedented \alue and support. STAND.ARD FEATLIRES:

• Intel S0386SX microprocessor running at 16 MH:.

•Standard 512 KB of RAM.optional 640 KB. 1 M B or 2 M B of RAM" expandaWe to 16 MB (8 MB on s^-stem board).

• mode interleaved memorv architecture.

• LIM 4.0suppon tor memon- over 640 KB.

• Integrated diskette and high performance I6-bii VGA viifco controller on system board.

• Socket for Intel S0387SX math coprocessor.

•5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette dri\e.

• Integrated high pertortnatKe hard disk intertace on s>-stem board.

• EnharKed 101-kev keyboard.

• 1 parallel and 2 serial pons.

• 3 full-sined 16-bit AT expansion slots a\:ailable.

• 12-month On-Site Sen-ice Contract provided b\' J^rox.

**Commercial Lease Plan. Lease faraslou asS72'morah. ■ Oiervx Excended Senice Plan pricmgstarts at 5196. 20 MB\'GA .Monochrome S\'stem SI ,899

40 MB VGA Color Plus S%^tem S2,399 40 MB Super VGA System (SOOxaX)) $2,499 100 MB Super VGA S>-stem (SOOxaX) S3.099 Prices reflect 512 KB of RAM. 640 KB \-ersions of the above s^-stems are available for an additional $50, 1 MB versions for an additional $150. and2 MB'.-ersionsforan additional S300.

SO and 170 MB configurations also a^-ailable.

; .T.T THENE>X'

i ! i DELLS\STEM''316LT

: an 16MH:586SX.

^ This new full-featured, ^" batter,- poivered 3S6SX laptop costs less than most 1S6 laptops.

STANDARD FEATL'RES:

• Intel 803S6SX microprocessor running at 16 MH:.

• Standard 1 MB of R.AM, optional 2 MBof RAM* expandable to

8 MB (on the s\scem board using IMBSIMMsl.

• LIM 4.0 suppon for memor\- o\-er 1MB.

• Adjustable and detachable 640 x 480 VGA Liquid Crystal Displa>-.

• One industry starxlard half-si^e 8-bit expat\sion slot.

• Socket tbr 16 MH: Intel 80387SX math coprocessor.

•3.5" L44 MB diskette dnve.

• S3-key ke>-board with embedded numeric ke>pad and separate cursor control keys.

• 1 parallel, 1 serial, and external VGA monitor port.

•Connector tbr 101-ke\' keylvwd or numeric ke\-pad.

• Tw Removable and rechargeable NiCad batter\' packs utili:ing Dell's "Continuous Fbwer Batter.S\:stem'" (patent pending).

•AC .Adapter

• 12-month On-SiieSer\-ice Contract provided b\- Xerox.-^

""CommerdaJ Lease Plan. Lease for as low as Sl27irrwnth. -Xerox Extended Sentce Plan pricing starts at S3Q3.

20MB.IMBR.AM 20MB.2MBR.AM 40 MB. 1MB R.AM 40MB.2MBR.AM

S3.499 S3.699 S3.799 S3,999

THE DELL 5^"STEM'2lO 12.5 MH: 2S6. The price says this is an entry-lesel system. The [>;rtorm ance says it's a lot more. STANDARD FEATURES:

• 80286 microprocessor 12.5 MH:.

• Standard 512 KB of RAM. optional 640 KB. 1 MB or 2 MB of RAM*expandable to 16 MB

(6 MB on the system Kiard).

• Page mode tntertea\-ed rrvsmoiv architecture.

• LIM 4.0 support tor memor^* o>.-er 640 KB.

• Integrated diskene and high performance 16-bit VGA video contrcJIer on system board.

• Socket for Intel 80287 math copaxiesfor.

•5.25"1.2MBor3.5"I.44 MB diskette drive.

• Integrated high peformartce hard disk interface on s>-stem board.

• Enhanced 101-key ke>-bo3rd. •! parallel and 2 serial ports.

• 3 full-si:ed 16-hil AT expansion slots a\:ailaHe.

• l2-TTK>nth On-Site Ser\'ice Contract prov ided b>' Jtrox.-^

**CommeTcial Lease Plan. Lease for as iou- as S6l/morah. -Xerox Extended Sen-ice Plan pricing starts at $179. 20 MB VGA MorKHrhrome S\-stem $1,599 20 MB VGA Color Plus System 51,899 40 MB VGA MonochnMne Svstem 51,799 40 MB VGA Color Pius System $2,099 Prices listed reflect 512 KB of RAM. 640 KB \-ersions of the abo\-e syv tems are a\3ilable for an additional 550,1 MB versionsforanadditional $150, and 2 MB versior^ for an additional $3irO.

80 and 100 MB hard drive configuratioris also a\ailable.

THE DELL SYSTEM' 325 25 MHz 386.

An even better \ alue at these low prices.

STANDARD FEATURES:

■ Intel 80386 microprocessor running at 25 MH:.

• Standard 1 MB of RAM, optional 2 MB or 4 MB of RAM* expandable to 16 MB {using a dedicated high speed 32-bit memory slot).

• Adranced Intel 82385 Cache Memor>" Controller with 32 KB of high speed static RAM cache.

" F^ge mode interleaved memor>architecture.

• VGA systems include a high performance 16-bit \"ideo adapter.

• Socket for 25 MHz Intel 80387 or25MH-WEITEK3167 math coprocessor.

•5.25" 1.2MB or 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette drive.

• E>ual diskette and hard drive controller

• Enhanced 101-key keyboard.

• 1 parallel and 2 serial ports.

• 200-watt power supply.

• 8 industr>' standard expansion slots (6 available).

• 12-month On-Site Service Contract provided by Xerox.

**ComiTierciaI Lease Plan. Lease for as knc as S145fTnonth. "Xenw: Extended Service Plan pricing starts at S370.

40 MB VGA Monochrome System S3.999

100 MB VGA a-.lor Plus System $4,899

100 MB Super VGA a^or System (800x600) $4,999'

150 MB Super VGA Color System (800x600) $5,499

Prices listed reflect 1 MB of RAM. 80,150 and 322 MB hard drive configurations also available.

CAD users: 7134010 Graphics Accelerator,

Hi^ Resolution Graphics. (1024x768) $899

■Pferformance Enhancements: Within the first megab>ie of memorv. 128 KB (3I6SX, 316LT and 210). 384 KB (325 and 310) of rnemor\' is reser\-ed for use by the s«lem to enhance performance. Can be optionally disabled on 316SX and 210. 4MBconfigurationsa\-ailaUeon all sv-siems.Call for pricir^..-Ml sv>icm.'.areF!xitograrheJ*nh opiK'tvikxiras..■Mlpnce^anJspecifications are aibiea tu change "ilhciut iwoce. Ctll canni't be rcjponsibfc k« envies m tvpographycr photogrj^y. ' "feTHent based on 36-month, c>pen-end lease. Leasing airanged K- Leasing Group, Inc. In Canada, configurations and prices ma>- i-an-. LINIX is a nigistered trademari; ot AT&T in the United States and otherciiuntnes. DELL SVSTEM is a registered tiademartofDellCompwterCotroratiun. Intel isategistered trademari; and 3S6tsa trademari:o! Intel Corporation. Other trademarlaand trade narnesate used to iiennly (hecntiticsclaiming the tn^ and names or their pojduccs. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any pfopoetary interest in ttadema tits and trade names other than its csi-n. "On-site ser\'ice ma>' not be ai-ailaWe in cerrain areas. Si 1990 Dell Computer Corporation. .■\11 rights rescr-vd.

I ADCODEIIE15 |

]apan United Kingdom

Circle 81 on Reader Service Card

1

Years From Now,

standard Features at $5995... EISA

33-MHz 386 64-KB Cache 5-MB RAM 106-MB Hi WhatmOi could yoLUS/ant

An Honest, Affordable Upgrade Path.

You know what you want from a 386™ PC. ALR's PowerVEISA 33/386

delivers. Cached 33-MHz performance, plenty of RAM to run even the bulkiest of today's applications, a choice of high performance hard disks, and EISA compatibility — all at a price that puts many similarly equipped ISA systems to shame. So what more could you want?

How about the future?

ALR's PowerVEISA 33/386 offers you an honest, affordable upgrade path to

AIR PowerVEISA i486/33 Module

25-MHz, 33-MHz (available second quarter) and future i486™ processors.

ALR PowerVEISA i486 /25 CPU Module

ALR PowerVEISA 386/33 CPU Module

ALR PowerVEISA System Board

Prices and configurations subject to change without notice. Shown with optional monitor. Prices based on U.S. dollars.

It's still What You Want...

Introducing the ALR PowerVEISA 386/33

TM

e modular design of this system lets you change processors in about five minutes. More importantly, you can change the CPU module without having to replace cache or system memory, saving you hundreds of dollars when compared to some compet-itive upgrade schemes.

Engineered for the future, the floor-standing chassis of the PowerVEISA 386/33 can accommodate a total of 49-MB of memory and up to 1.2-GB (gigabytes) of fixed disk storage. Its EISA capabilities let you take advantage of the

ALR

AST

PowerVEISA 386/33

Premium-386/33

Model 110

Model 115V

i386 33-MHz CPU

1386 33-MHz CPU

5-MB RAM

2-MB RAM

64-KB Cache

32-KB Cache

106-MB Hard Drive

110-MB Hard Drive

EISA

ISA

Optional VGA

VGA

add $295

$6,290

$8,495

i486 25-MHz Upgrade

i486 25-MHz Upgrade

add $1995

add $2995

EISA Standard

Optional EISA Upgrade

add $1250

$8,285

$12,740

PowerVEISA costs $2200 less today; over the

years, It can save you more than $4400 !

latest in 32-bit I/O and bus mastering technology, while remaining compatible with 8 and 16-bit "AT^" boards.

Even the PowerVEISAs innovative FlexCache+ memory architecture was built for the future. Based on ALR's award-winning FlexCache architecture, this 64-bit dual-bus design incorporates an advanced "read and write back" 64-KB cache. FlexCache-i- has been fine-tuned for optimum efficiency, especially when combined with an i486 processor upgrade.

Add ALR's one year factory warranty, on-line technical support, and optional on-site service from Intel™ to round out one of the best PC investments around.

The PowerVEISA 33/386 ready to meet today's needs and tomorrow's challenges.

For more information on the PowerVEISA 33/386 and ALR's complete line of sustems. please

call 1-800-444-4ALR

ALR

.,\—Advanced ho0c Research. Inc.

9401 Jeronimo Inlne. California 92718 (714)581-6770 FAX: (714) 581-9240

ALR is a registered trademark and PowerVEISA is a trademark of Advanced Logic Research, Inc. AST and AST Premium are r trademarks of Intel Coiporation. AT is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

gistered trademarks of AST Research Inc. Intel. 386. i386. and j486 are

Circle 20 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 21)

Contents

June 1990 Volume 15, Number 6

COVER STORY

First Impressions: Three's the One page 122

Will Windows 3.0 be the death or salvation of OS/2?

NEWS

19 MICROBYTES

Late-breaking technology and industry reports from the BYTE news staff.

42 WHAT'S NEW

Product snapshots of

recent hardware and software

announcements.

FIRST

IMPRESSIONS

116 SHORT TAKES

Magellan 2.0, Lotus expands its intelligent DOS shell

PageMaker 4.0, a nearly perfect program from Aldus

Ergo Model 1: The Brick,

truly transportable computing

Turbo Debugger and Tools 2.0,

Borland's beefed-up toolkit

FulIImpact2.0,

Ashton-Tate adds features

132 Cheetah's Golden Performer

Cheetah's new 33-MHz 486 machine is one fast cat.

136 Sun's Low-Cost RISC

A powerful diskless version of Sun's SPARCStation.

Windows 3.0

REVIEWS

142 PRODUCT FOCUS Networks of Peers

Low-cost alternatives to dedicated server LANs.

164 Two to Grow On

CPU-upgradable systems from AST and ALR.

170 Window Wonderland

VideoLogic's multimedia board turns VGA screens into video playgrounds.

174 More 16-Million-Color Fireworks

SuperMac Technology's ColorCard/24 and Spectrum/24 Series III video boards.

178 Da Vinci Does It Penlessly

Da Vinci's speedy RasterPro 720 delivers design-quality plots, with color printing on the side.

184 Fast Fonts:

PostScript Gets Turbocharged

HanZon's RISC-based controller turns LaserJet printers into PostScript hot rods.

186 Small Footprint, Big Impression

Emerald Computers' LANstation— small size, big price.

188 Just Add Water

Rational Systems' Instant-C 4.0 promises instant software gratification.

190 Thoroughly Totable Tandy

The Tandy 1100 FD offers all the necessities—and then some.

193 The Zen of Symbolic Math

Theorist takes the low road to equation solving by leading you to the right answer on your Mac.

STATE OF THE ART

200 NETWORKING Introduction

203 Growing Pains

Buying a LAN is kid's stuff compared to the problems you can encounter trying to expand it and connect it to other networks.

212 The Latest GOSIP

Sooner or later, the federal government's new profile for procurements, called GOSIP, will affect us all.

217 Want to Catch Some Z's?

Zero-slot LANs are a proven way to provide file transfer and peripheral- and file-sharing capabilities.

224A On the Radio

A wireless LAN can

provide a flexible alternative to

its earthbound cousins.

233 Need More Fiber?

From FDDI to HDTV to broadband ISDN, fiber-optic technology is changing data communications. Are you ready to make the move to fiber?

241 Primed for Performance

Balancing the need for resources against a changing environment is a shared problem. Can the solution be a shared one as well?

252 Making Connections

Your source to networking products and information.

4 BYTE- JUNE 1990

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS © 1990

REGIONAL SECTION begins after page 64

Images from the Deep/256

The Unix /bin/97

EXPERT ADVICE

65

COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR A Tale of Three Conventions (and Two Cities)

by Jerry Pournelle A look at CD-ROMs and a report

on the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

256

Images from tlie Deep

6

Spotlight

Using a fiber-optic network

and oceanographic vehicles.

10

Editorial: Taiwan, the Soviet

Woods Hole scientists are probing

Union, and You

the wonders of the ocean.

34

Letters, Ask BYTE, and Fixes

269

Consortia: High-Tech Co-ops

Why the Micro Craft Dimension

Computer and chip consortia

was an Edsel.

are working hard to give the U.S.

an edge over foreign technology.

PERSPECTIVES

281

DOS and Unix:

On Speaking Terms

326

CHAOS MANOR MAIL

A productive link between

DOS and Unix systems begins

380

The Father

with an understanding of Unix

of Computer Graphics

network basics.

The roots of graphically oriented

computer systems stretch back

to World War II, MIT, and a

HANDS ON

visionary graduate student.

297

UNDER THE HOOD

382

PRINT QUEUE

The Evolution of ESDI

In Darkest Self-Similarity

One increasingly popular

Hugh Kenner surveys the

alternative to the ST506 interface

literature on fractals.

is a descendant of ST506, ESDI.

384

STOP BIT

311

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

The Flight of the Bee Wolf

Cloaic and Data

A bee-hunting fly performs

An explanation of secret codes

navigational feats that put

and a puzzle to test your skill.

man's computers to shame.

READER SERVICE

PROGRAM LISTINGS

371

Editorial Index by Company

From BIX: See 308

372

Alphabetical Index to Advertisers

From BYTEnet: call (617) 861-9764

374

Index to Advertisers

On disk: See card before 145

by Product Category

Inquiry Reply Cards: after 376

85

DOWN TO BUSINESS Who, What, When, and Why Not?

by Wayne Rash Jr. A business scheduling package can restore your sanity.

91

MACINATIONS Rising from the Ashes

by Don Crabb Don hauls out his crystal ball and predicts Apple's near future.

97

THE UNIX /bin Free Software!

by David Fiedler When it comes to user-developed Unix programs, there is such a thing as a free lunch.

103

OS/2 NOTEBOOK OS/2 Marries DESQview

by Mark J. Minasi The latest version of OS/2 lets you run multiple DOS sessions, a la DESQview.

109

NETWORKS A Natural Match

by Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings Sharing CD-ROMs over a LAN seems like a natural idea. So why isn't it easier?

B/TE (ISSN 0360-5280/90) is pubJisned monthly wiin an additional issue in October by McGraw-Hill Inc u S subscnber rate S29 95 Der year In Canada and Mexico S31 95 per year Single copies S3.50 m the U S S3 95 in Canada. Executive. Editonal. Circulation, and Advertising Offices. One Phoenix Mill Lane. Peterbofougn. NH 03458 Second-Class postage paid at Peterborough NH ana aooiiional trailing offices PostagepadatWinnipeg. Manitoba Registration number9321 Pnntedinthe Unitea States of America Postmaster: Sena acaress changes. USPS Form 3579. and fulfillment duestions to BYTE Subscriptions. P O Box 551. Hightstown, NJ 08520

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 5

Circle 40 on Reader Service Card

6.0 AND COUNTING!

Integrate sophisticated features into your Microsoft C and QuickC applications with

C TOOLS PLUS/6.0™

C TOOLS PLUS version 6.0 is filled with many advanced routines for developing high-powered C appUcations, including: virtual, stackable menus and windows with full mouse support and optional "drop shadows"; multiple virtual pop-up help screens; a miniature multi-line editor for gathering user responses in a robust fashion; a single function call which can move, resize, and promote a window menu on top of all others; the ability to update covered windows automatically when they are written to; support for EGA, VGA, and MCGAtext modes including 30-, 43-, and 50-line modes; support for the enhanced (101/102 key) keyboard.

All this and more for only $149!

C TOOLS PLUS/6,0 also contains

functions for writing interrupt service routines; creating pop-up memory resident applications; general memory "peeks" and "pokes"; access to the DOS PRINT utility; as well as many other general utility fimctions and macros.

COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL PACKAGE.

Blaise Computing's function libraries oflfer easy to use solutions to your programming needs. You get source code, complete sample programs, and a comprehensive reference manual with extensive examples. Supports QuickC and Microsoft C 5.0 and later.

30 DAY GUARANTEE.

If during the first 30 days you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund your money.

Other powerful products from Blaise Computing

C ASYNCH MANAGER™ $189

ASYNCHPLUS™ i;i89

VIEW232"' S189

POWER SCREEN™ i;i49

Turbo C TOOLS™ {!149

POWER TOOLS PLUS^^' $149

Call today for more information

(800) 333-8087 BLAISE COMPUTING INC.

2560 Ninth Street, Suite 316 Berkeley, CA 94710 (415)540-5441

CSfc^FAX (415) 540-1938

Trademarks are property of their respective holders.

H

The News in Reviews

A redesign for the reviews section and a look at yesterday and today

We have made a couple of changes in our product reviews this month. Most obviously, we've redesigned the reviews section. Less noticeable, unless you read magazine mastheads, is that all staff involved in reviewing products are now part of the BYTE Lab.

Our redesign goals were simple: Make the reviews appear as their own section rather than as individual articles, saving precious column inches in the process; and allow more flexibility for photos, figures, text boxes, and other means of enhancing the basic evaluation. Art director Nancy Rice and assistant art director loe Gallagher deserve credit for achieving those goals.

Placing what was previously called the BYTE reviews department under the BYTE Lab moniker emphasizes the importance and seriousness that BYTE places on the product evaluation process. We use the same tried-and-true review procedures we did before, and that has always involved everyone who is now part of the BYTE Lab. The name change makes that clear.

You'll also notice the BYTE Lab logo appearing in each review. That logo means that the product has been evaluated by BYTE Lab standards. It also serves to distinguish BYTE reviews from

our Short Takes and First Impressions, which are not full evaluations but early looks at upcoming products.

You are the beneficiaries of these changes. We hope you'll find BYTE's reviews more useful and enjoyable as a result. If not, drop us a note telling us why.

The Father of Computer Graphics

Today, we take the idea of a graphical user interface for granted. But 15 years ago, the technology was restricted to advanced research and military systems. And 15 years before that, the idea that a person could use a computer interactively was unheard of. Then, an MIT student came up with an innovative doctoral project, a system that laid the foundation for today's interactive computer graphics. This month's fifteenth anniversary special tells the intriguing tale of Dr. Ivan Sutherland and his trailblazing graphics system. Sketchpad.

R&D Consortia

Computer technology is one of the few areas where the U.S. holds an edge over its global competitors. But that lead is in danger of slipping away in the face of Japanese enterprise and a united Europe.

As in other high technology areas, a few U.S. companies are "circling the wagons"—joining together in R&D consortia that aim to provide them with a competitive edge. Technical editor Janet J. Barron takes a look at the current state of computer consortia in her article "Consortia: High-Tech Co-ops" on page 269.

—Michael Nadeau and Kenneth M. Sheldon

6 BYTE • JUNE 1990

Integrated Software for Sctiematics & PCB Artwork

Introducing HiWIRE^PIus

Wintek's smARTWORK* pioneered low-cost printedcircuit-board CAD. Then HiWIRE set the standard for productivity and ease-of-use in schematic capture. Now Wintel< introduces HiWIRE-Plus, integrating HiWIRE's schematic features with a powerful printed-circuitdesign facility.

Creating Schematics

With HiWIRE-Plus, simply connect library symbols with wires and buses. Creating and changing symbols is fast and painless. Produce your drawing using a dot-matrix printer, laser printer, or pen plotter.

Circuit-Board Design

HiWIRE-Plus gives you all the design freedom you want: you choose the grid size, trace widths, and pad shapes. The board size and number of layers are virtually unlimited. HiWIRE-Plus is perfect for surface-mount, microstrip, and ECL applications.

Current Versions

HiWIRE-Plus V1.3r0 smARTWORK V 1.4r6

HiWIRE-Plus Advantages

□ One tool for schematics and printed-circuit artwork

□ Easy-to-learn menu-driven operation; complete documentation and tutorial

□ Schematic libraries with TTL, CMOS, ECL, ladder, microprocessor, and discrete components

□ Netlist and bill-of-materials utilities included

□ Circuit boards up to 60x60 inches and 256 layers

□ Variable grid size, trace width, and pad size (.001" resolution)

□ PCB library with DIPs, SIPs, SMDs, PGAs, TOs, and edge and D connectors

□ Schematic-to-layout crosschecking

□ Design-rule checker

□ 800 number for free support

I

"HiWIRE'. "smAFITWORK", -Wintek", and the Wfntek logo are regtstered trademarks ol Wintek Corpaation.

Circle 400 on Reader Service Card

System Requirements

□ IBM PC, XT, AT or PS/2 with 512K RAM, printer port, color monitor, and CGA, EGA, or VGA graphics card

□ Microsoft Mouse

□ IBM ProPrinter or Epson dot-matrix printer, and/or

□ Houston Instrument or Hewlett-Packard pen plotter

Higher Performance Better Value

Still only $895, HiWIRE-Plus delivers quality schematics and PCB artwork. You don't need to guess if HiWIRE-Plus is right for you—we guarantee it! Try it for 30 days at absolutely no risk. Call toll free today and put HiWIRE-Plus to work for you.

Wintek Corporation

1801 South Street

Lafayette, Indiana 47904-2993

(800) 742-6809 or

(317) 742-8428

FAX: (317) 448-4823

Telex: 15-624-6480

Europe: RIVA Ltd., England,

Ptione: 0420 22666, FAX: 0420 23700

Australia: Wintek Software

Phone: (08) 2720028, FAX: (08) 3733145

Qitil nov^ fliis is h

andwordpnocesso

! ^1 |H Use Microsoft' graphics. You see, they were designed to

^1 ^1 Excel and Microsoft work together Which means they share

Word for Windows^ a good deal more than a name. H H you'll no longer Like data for instance. Now you

^1 be saddled with the can cut and paste words, tables, charts

f Hf problem of combining and numbers to your heart's content

!_.^H B^^words, numbers and From any document, in either program.

For more information, call (800) 541-1261, Dept. L6. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call (206) 882-8661. In Canada, call (416) 673-7638. ©1990 Microsoft Corporation.

ow spreadsheets rs worted together.

With Microsoft Excel and Word, you can make a cliame in a spreadslieet and auUnmtimll)/ update any Word documents mu'm linked Or vice versa.

What's more, these products are based on the Microsoft Windows environment, an approach that's not only inherently easy to use, but rapidly becoming the industry standard.

It is this environment that allows for complete and total WYSIWYG. Or,

what you see is what you getTrdmshit^di that means the image on-screen looks precisely like the final document.

Something that will save you more than a few trips to the printer

Beyond sharing the same overall physical appearance, these applications also share similar commands. So when you've mastered one, you'll have a solid understanding of the other as well.

And surprisingly using Microsoft Excel and Word together requires very little brain power All you need is a 286/386 computer with 2 megabytes of random access memory Also known as RAM.

For more information on how smoothly these products work together, call (800) 541-1261 Dept. L6.

Before you get roped into buying the wrong product.

Microsoft

Making it all make sense

All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Making it all make sense and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

EDITORIAL

Fred Langa

TAIWAN,

THE Soviet Union^

AND You

These countries may be a major factor in your computing options for the 1990s

Taiwan and the U.S.S.R. are about as different as can be. Taiwan is only three times the size of Connecticut. The U.S.S.R. is the largest country on earth. Taiwan has a tropical, marine climate; the U.S.S.R. has many climate areas, but it tends toward the cool temperate and colder. Both countries are becoming increasingly important players in the world of computers.

For example, it's an almost certain bet that major chunks of your desktop system came from Taiwan—and not just chips and small parts. Taiwan is the world's number-one supplier of monitors and is number two in producing terminals and number three in building complete microcomputer systems. It's also a major source of disk drives, add-in cards, printers, and other peripherals.

In 1988 (the last year for which I have export numbers), Taiwan's computer products exports reached well over SI.2 billion (in U.S. dollars), double what it was just two years previously. And that figure is still climbing.

Each year, the Taiwanese government sponsors a huge computer trade show called Computex. The show is roughly the size of Comdex here in the U.S.—but when you consider the relative sizes of Taiwan and the U.S., you see that proportionally, Computex is staggeringly large.

I'll be attending Computex in June, and spending a week meeting with officials of the government and the leading computer companies there. In a future issue, I hope to tell you what new products and technologies I've learned of,

and what impact this Asian powerhouse is likely to have on the computer industry and on the range of products and prices available to us.

Back in the U.S.S.R.

At the other end of the computing spectrum, the U.S.S.R. isn't the number-one supplier of anything. Or the number two. Or the number three... .

But the Soviets do have a vast hunger for computer products and a tremendous untapped resource of world-class programming talent.

In an earlier editorial ("The Russians Are Coming," October 1988), I wrote about one of the earliest efforts to export Soviet business software to the West: Members of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences toured the U.S. looking for interest in their generic "software factory."

The "factory" is a collection of modules ranging from a natural-language database to equation solvers to financial modelers. With a minimum of programming, you can customize modules in the factory to solve a very wide range of problems: Feed data—almost any data— into the system, select and program the appropriate modules, and get your answers out the other side.

The factory was creative, innovative, cleverly done, and quite unlike anything I'd seen before. The Soviet programmers had produced an amazingly complex problem-solving environment from the ground up—despite a lack of access to the tools we're familiar with, and despite the forced necessity of working with relatively underpowered hardware. For example, they needed a better way to build and manage the modules, so they created a new language that's sort of an objectoriented Prolog.

Along the way, they needed a Cyrillic word processor, so they wrote a program that easily equals many that are in use in the West. And all their code had to be tight and efficient because it had to run

on, at best, 12.5-MHz IBM PC AT clones.

Of course, Soviet programmers work on more than just large-scale projects: Alexey Pazhitnov has become the U.S.S.R.'s first (and so far only) software cult hero on the strengths of his Tetris and Welltris game software.

Clearly, there's plenty of software talent in the U.S.S.R.. and if the obvious economic obstacles can be removed, the U.S.S.R. could become a world player in software by the middle-to-late 1990s.

But the obstacles are severe. BYTE columnist Jerry Pournelle (who recently was voted the most popular computer columnist in the U.S.S.R.) visited the U.S.S.R. this April, just before the Lithuanian economic blockade, and reports that "there are lots of business opportunities, if only you can figure a way to get your share of the profits out of the country." You can't take rubles out of the U.S.S.R., nor readily convert them to another currency.

Besides discouraging outside involvement and investment, it makes things hard on the Soviets, too. Jerry reports that the academicians and other professionals he met in the U.S.S.R. all make about 300 rubles a month. At the "official" rate of about 6 rubles to the dollar, or the real-world rate of about 20-to-1. this salary works out to somewhere between S15 and S50 (U.S.) per month. You can see why so few Soviets have ready access to personal computers, and thus why their talents lie mostly fallow.

That may all be changing—although events in the U.S.S.R. are fluid and very hard to predict. Assuming that conditions still allow for travel from the West. I'll be spending a week in Moscow as a guest of the International Computer Club, at its first post-glasnost meeting in mid-June.

It should be a fascinating trip. Stay tuned.

—Fred Langa Editor in Chief (BIXname "flanga")

10 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Be Objective.

Turbo Pascal,® the world-standard Pascal compiler, adds Object-Oriented Programming with our new version 5.5. We combined the simplicity of Apple's Object Pascal language with the power and efficiency of C+-I- to create Turbo Pascal 5.5, the object-oriented programming language for the rest of us.

It's easy to extend yourself

If you're already programming with Turbo Pascal, it's easy to extend yourself from structured programming to object-oriented programming. And, Turbo Pascal 5.5 is the only compiler that is 100% sourcecode compatible with your existing Turbo Pascal 4.0 and 5.0 r

programs.

Afast object lesson

Object-oriented application programs more closely model the way you think. Objects contain both data and code. As in a spreadsheet cell, the value and the formula are together. Objects can inherit properties from other objects. For example, a Porsche Carrera inherits most

Inheritance provides powerfui modeling capabilities by allowing objects to inherit attributes from other objects.

Turbo Pascal 5.5 Features

■ Inheritance

■ New integrated environment

■ Static & dynamic objects

tutorial

■ Constructors &

■ Hypertext Help with copy and

Destructors

paste

■ Object constants

■ Enhanced smart linker &

■ Compiles @> 34,000

overlay manager

lines/minute

■ Support for 8087/80287/80387

■ Integrated source-level

debugging

attributes from the base model 911, but it also sports a whale tail.

Turbo Pascal 5.5's object-oriented extensions give you code that's easier to change, extend, and support.

Turbo Pascal 5.5 Professional with Turbo Debugger® and Turbo Assembler

The award-winning Turbo Debugger now includes an object inspector and hierarchy browser. And Turbo Debugger can debug any size program.

Upgrade objectively

Pascal owners: J Upgrading from Turbo

I Pascal 5.0 to 5.5 is only

$34.95 plus $5 shipping and handling ($75 plus shipping and handling for owners of Turbo Pascal 4.0 or earlier). And upgrading from Turbo Pascal 5.0 and earlier to Turbo Pascal 5.5 Professional is only $99.95 plus $10 shipping and handling. To order, CALL (800) 331-0877.

TURBO PASCAL

TURBO

i

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PROFESSIONAL^

BORLAND

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Mail upgrade orders lo: Borland. P.O.Box 660001. ScoUs Valley. OA 95066-0001. For orders outside tie U.S., call (408) 438-5300. Turbo Pascal. Tmtio Debugger, and Turfio Asserbblei are fegisteretl trademafks of Borland International. Copyright ©1989, Borland Internationai. Inc. All rigtil reserved. Bl 1324

Circle 41 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 42)

All the monitors you'll need for

What you see is the remarkable MultiSync' 3D color monitor from NEC. What you don't see is how this one monitor can accommodate not only the broadest range of current mainstream standards, but also the

next standard to become

mainstream—8514/A, with

its brilliant color resolution

of 1024 X 768.

Built around our award

winning multiple fre

quency technology, this

one monitor automatically adjusts to frequencies from CGA all the way up to 8514/A. Which means even if you haven't moved up to

MuiliSync IS a fegjsiefeO ■.naemt'f of NEC Tecunoiogies, he

8514/A yet, you have the opportunity to purchase a monitor through

IBM PCXT.AT. PS'2 ana a5t4/,

foresight, rather than hindsight.

Mkciniosh is ■ tegistareO itademani o< Aoo'e Compui

CbC

Computers and Communications

all the resolutions you'll need.

Especially since the MultiSync 3D also has a microprocessor-based digital control system that provides automatic screen configuration, lets you select the ideal resolution for your software, and even has a

memory that recalls your

preferred screen settings.

And it's also compatible

with the IBM PC/XT/AT,

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Now, since NEC is ready

to accommodate even the newest graphics standard to emerge, maybe the real question is: Are you?

-aie-iar- o! NEC Co-c

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5 1989 \EC Tecnr<3rog.e!

Circle 208 on Reader Service Card

BVTE

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Frederics. Langa

MANAGING EDITORS

Operations. Glenn Hartwig

News: Rich Malloy

BYTE Lab. Michael Nadeau

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New York: Managing Editor Rich Malloy Associate Wetvs Editor: Andrew Reinhardt Peterborough: Sen/or£c'//0'", Microbytes: D. Barker

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Mitchell, Tom Yager

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Senior Editor. Jane Morrill Tazelaar Technical Editor. Robert M. Ryan

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Member

Audit Bureau of Circulation

14 B YTE • JUNE 1990

Just when Power Seekers thought they had nowhere left to go...

IBM RISC System/6000"family.

With the most powerful desktop workstation on earth.

No matter how big the job vou're setting oft to conquer, the new IBM RISC System/6000 family of PO^'ERstations and POWERservers is forvou. The desktop P0\^ ERstation 320 puts more than 7 MFLOPS and over 27 MIPS at your command—power that soars as high as 13 MFLOPS and 41 MIPS in other models.

What makes it possible is POW ER Architecture—Performance Optimization ^ ith Enhanced RISC—IBM's second generation of RISC technology. It delivers up to four instructions per cvcle and has the most powerful CMOS microprocessor in the business.

MFLOPS

MIPS

SPECmark'"

POWERstation320'*

74

275

22.3

DECstation"'3100*

1.6

14.3

10.1

SPARCstation'" 1*

1.4

12.5

8.4

tWFLOPS are trie results of ine double-precision, all FORTRAN unpack test 100 X100 array suite. The Dhrystone Version l.l test results are used to compute RISC System; 6000 Integer MIPS values where 1.757 Dhrystones/second is 1 MIPS (VAX 11 /780). SPECmark is a geometnc mean of ten benchmark tests.

^Performance data are based on published benchmark information

Micro Channel makes bottlenecks ancient history. .\li RISC Svstem/6000 models feature a new implementation of the IBM Micro Channel bus with I/O throughput of up to 40 megabvtes per second. .\nd the Micro Channel Architecture can accommodate a doubling or even quadrupling of this data transfer capacity, making traditional, nonexpandable architectures seem primitive bv comparison.

Solid support for all UNIX® applications.

These svstems arc all based on the industrvstandard UNIX operating svstem. And they'll run hundreds of applications in such diverse fields as engineering design, fluid dvnamics. molecular modeling, securities trading, technical publishing and geophvsical modeling, plus a wide selection of commercial applications.

•The POWERstation 320 comes v/iiri SMB of RAM. 120MB oi disk. l9-incn grayscale display and graphics adapter, keyboard mouse. Ethernet " adapter, AIX operating systen. user interface envrronmeni. NFS ' and hypenexi cJocumentatior> search arto retnevai capaDiiity

A brave new world of 3D graphics. All our

POWERstations are built to deliver high-speed, high-resolution graphics. Our 3D processors offer an almost unimaginable palette of 16 million colors. .4nd our new Supergraphics POW ERstation 730 gives vou 3D graphics capabilities that are rcallv out of this world, performing nearly one million 3D vector transformations per second.

AIX brings different worlds together.

Everv model can come preloaded with AIX Version 3, IBM's version of the IINIX operating svstem. It supports major industrv standards, like POSIX and TCP/IP. plus the programming languages C, FORTRAN, COBOL and Pascal. And AIX allows the RISC System/6000 family to fit into vour installed I'NIX base, as well as vour IBM SA.4 environments, giving you the best of both \\orlds.

Supercomputer speed at a workstation price: $12,995. Our entry desktop P0\^ ERstation 320 starts at $12,995 complete.* And everv member of the RISC Svstem/6000 family comes with software ser\ ice at no e.vtra charge and a 12-month warrant\.

The worldwide support of IBM. Then, of course, there's IBM service when vou need it. 24 hours a dav. 365 davs a vear.To find out more, call vour IBM marketing representative or Business Partner For literature, call 1 800 IBM-2468. ext. 225. And find out \vhv it's the beginning of a new world for Power Seekers.

For the Power Seeker.

Circle 153 on Reader Service Card

IBM rs a registered trademark, and RISC System/6000, Micro Channel. AIX, and SAA are trademarks of international Business Machines Corporation. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Inc. Ethernet is a trademark of the XEROX Corporation. POSIX is a trademark of Institute oi Electrical and Electronic Engineers. DECstation 3100 and VAX are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. SPARCstation 1 and NFS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems. SPECmark is a trademark of Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. HAGAR THE HORRIBLE Char3Cter(s) * 1990 King Features Syndicate, Inc I IBM Corp. 1990 al! nghts reserved.

DR DOS.

THE NEW VERSION.

... DR DOS is fester and cheaper and offers more features than its big-name counterparts.

PC Week United States May 8,1989

^With DR DOS in ROM,...No disc drives have to be accessed, so the battery suffers less of a drain. [It] also frees memory for use by applications.

PC Magazine United Kingdom June 1989

It has all the equivalent features of PC/MS-DOS 3.3 and most of those of version 4.0, plus... partitions larger than 32Mb, on-line help, a larger TPA, and other neat features.

Computer Shopper United States December 1989

More than an alternative.

0

c

c P

cr

CHIP Germany December 1989

THE OBVIOUS CHOICE JUST GOT BETTER

WITH EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE. The new version of DR DOS offers MemoryMAX,. (the fast way to get 620K) and disk caching (for throughput faster than DOS 4.x).

WITH DESIRABLE FEATURES. Use DR DOS' FileLinL. and a serial cable to retrieve or transmit data between systems. The CUA-compatible shell is easy to use—with mouse or keyboard.

WITH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY BatteryMAX™ increases the battery life of portable systems by two to three times* and runs with standard DOS applications.

ROM- or RAM-executable, the only choice is DR DOS. OEMs and System Integrators call Digital Research at (800) 443-4200.

DR DOS.

Digital Research.

WE NUKE CO.MPLTEBS WORK

Digital Research offers a full line of operating systems from single-user DR DOS.: multitasking, multiuser Concurrent- DOS; to real-time, multitasking, multiuser FlexOSt..

•Baliery- savings depends on OE.M implemeniation. Digital Research is a registered trademark and the Digital Research logo, DR DOS. Memor\-MAX. FileLink, Batter\MAX. Concurrent and FiexOS are trademarks of Digital Research Inc. Copyright © 1990. Digital Research Inc

Circle 88 on Reader Service Card

MiCROBYTES

Research news and industry developments shaping the world of desktop computing

Edited by D. Barker

NCGA Report: Great Graphics Coming Down

NANOBYTES

"Locomotion," generated by Pacific Data Images, was a winner in NCGA's computer animation competition.

Scanning the big picture at the recent National Computer Graphics Association show, it was clear that personal computers are becoming more popular as tools for producing dramatic, highquality graphics. Workstation makers were there in spades, but they were outnumbered this time by vendors

with products that enable personal computers to quickly generate sharp and colorful images.

Powerful graphics processors and display controllers are helping turn relatively low-cost computers into machines that rival more traditional dedicated graphics systems. Perhaps the most bodacious of the new, inexpensive graphics coprocessors is Texas Instruments' 34020, which the company says is three to 20 times faster than its predecessor, the 34010, at on-chip graphics operations. Even more powerful than the TI chip is Intel's i860, a RISC processor torqued for graphics functions. Evidence at NCGA showed that hardware designers are now picking up on the i860, and products using it will become prevalent soon.

Photo-realism is no longer the province of computers that only defense contractors and movie studios can afford. Although they're still very expensive, tools like RenderMan and HOOPS are empowering users with capabilities to generate realistic, three-dimensional images.

Judging from comments from users and the size of crowds at certain exhibits, this year's NCGA made it clear that people want sharp, colorful, and realistically rendered graphics. As the following stories report, vendors are responding with the necessary tools.

NCGA

For Realism, Developers Calling RenderlVlan

Creating photo-realistic images requires tools for simulating surface textures and lighting effects. If Pixar (San Rafael, CA) has its way, "appearance libraries" of fabric, cement, stucco, wood, plastic, and other materials, as well as "shaders" for specifying lighting effects, will become standard tools for architects and artists who require photo-realism in their computer-aided designs. And all these tools will be based on the RenderMan specification for scene

descriptions, in much the same way that the PostScript standard is used for defining characters in desktop publishing. Pixar will soon release a sample appearance library and is working with third-party developers to produce more catalogs.

At the recent National Computer Graphics Association show, there was evidence that RenderMan is starting to catch on. Pixar introduced its first enduser implementation of RenderMan,

continued

Is NewWave gaining momentum? Hewlett-Packard (Cupertino, CA) has recently licensed its Windowsbased graphical enviroimient to several major companies, including AT&T, which is using it with the Rhapsody workgroup package. Lotus said that it will work with HP to get 1-2-3 release 2.2 running under NewWave. NCR, Data General, and Canon have also signed licenses to use NewWave. And any day now, quite a few developers say, companies will start shipping applications that work with NewWave, including a graphics package and some multimedia authoring tools from Aimtech, a database program from Palantir, an E-mail program from Da Vinci Systems, development tools from Glockenspiel and Candlelight, communications packages from HP and MicroView, and a version of Ami Professional from Samna.

NeXT users have been wondering when something like HyperCard will come to the cube. It should be later this year. Thoughtful Software (Fort Collins, CO) hopes to ship its "HyperCard-like" HyperCube software during the fourth quarter, our sources say.

Despite having created CP/M and the GEM operating environment, Digital Research (Monterey, CA) has an identity problem. "Despite our best efforts, there are still people who haven't heard of us and who don't know what we do," says company president Dick Williams. He wants to make DR into a "more friendly and approachable" company and to focus more on applications software, including programs for Windows, OS/2, Unix, and the Mac. One of DR's biggest hits is DR DOS, an enhanced and ROMable version of MS-DOS; the company says that it has licensed more than 3 million copies.

JUNE 1990 • BYTE 19

MICROBYTES

NANOBYTES

U.S. software houses saw sales go up 12 percent last year, according to a new report from the Software Publishers Association (Washington, DC). Fourth-quarter sales totaled $916 million, the SPA estimates. Word processors were the biggest seller. The North American applications software market was worth about $3 billion last year, according to SPA reckoning.

U.S. software companies also had a good year overseas, with aggregate sales up 46 percent over 1988, the SPA says. The biggest growth rates were in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The SPA bases its figures on data submitted to the Arthur Anderson accounting firm by 20 prominent software companies, including Borland. WordPerfect Corp., Lotus, Ashton-Tate, Claris, and Persoft.

Aox (Waltham, MA) will work with IBM to develop bus-mastering products for Micro Channel systems. Aox already offers busmaster upgrade boards for Micro Channel PS/2s. The MicroMaster boards turn a 286- or 386-based PS/2 into a 386- or i486-based system and assign the original CPU to handle low-level tasks. IBM is investing money in Aox, as well as buying a "substantial" number of MicroMasters for internal use, Aox says.

Structured Query Language has

been a quasi-standard in the relational database world. Although the syntax is fairly standard between different companies, the semantics can vary. The SQL Access Group has completed its ! initial technical specification for what it hopes will be a standard SQL that all database vendors could use. If their proposal becomes established, programmers will be able to write to a common interface for almost all SQL systems. Group members include Oracle, Informix, Ingres, AshtonTate, and DEC. One of the group's focal points is the communications involved in distributed databases. An ANSI committee is also working on a standard SQL.

called MacRenderMan, and several companies showed Macintosh programs that support it, including MacroMind (Three-D) and Paracomp (Swivel 3D). Until now, RenderMan has been available only as a developer's toolkit, requiring knowledge of C programming.

MacRenderMan ($795) will allow images generated with those packages to be given visual attributes such as texture, shading, blurred motion, and other special effects. The resulting image is stored in a standard file format called the RenderMan Interface Bytestream. In theory, the user should be able to change attributes—wood to marble, for example—as easily as a PostScript user can change fonts. According to Dan Ahlberg, product manager for MacroMind Three-D, RenderMan is "analogous to going from a LaserWriter to a Linotronic [typesetter]. You get higher quality and extendability."

Other companies supporting RenderMan include Levco, which at NCGA had RenderMan running on an accelerator board; CADkey, which announced CADkey Render for its eponymous CAD program; Evolution Computing, which has a new version

Judging from news at the National Computer Graphics Association show, Intel's i860 RISC processor is finding its destiny in the demanding world of three-dimensional and highresolution graphics. Giving Intel one of the best testimonials yet for its chip with the built-in 3-D engine, HewlettPackard (Palo Alto, CA) announced that it will develop new graphics technologies using the i860. The company demonstrated an experimental i860-based "graphics transform engine" installed in an HP-3000 workstation, handling full-color antialiasing, contour mapping, ray tracing, and other graphics functions. This engine, which HP says will show up in future workstations, will include hardware support for some of the most difficult 3-D algorithms. The graphics engine will connect to the workstation's main CPU and memory via a 30-MBps link. HP says that this new hardware will perform most operations either in real time or so quickly that the user will hardly have to wait. Perhaps the most interesting

of FastCAD, called FastCAD 3D, that's bundled with RenderMan; Strata, which plans to have its StrataVision 3D software work with RenderMan; and Sun Microsystems, which announced a "visualization" product, called SunVision, that has a RenderMan-compatible interface for rendering images.

More companies are expected to go with RenderMan this year. According to Pixar's Tom Porter, Autodesk plans to release a version of AutoCAD that supports RenderMan. NeXt has said that it will support RenderMan on its color computer, to be introduced later this year. IBM endorsed RenderMan and is likely to offer products based on the specification.

Although RenderMan is gaining popularity, rendering is expensive. RenderMan requires at least 4 MB of memory, and it prefers 8 MB. On top of that, you need vast amounts of diskstorage space and high-resolution color graphics. And to achieve acceptable performance, you need either a personal computer with a graphics accelerator or a workstation such as the Sun SPARCStation or Silicon Graphics Personal Iris.

—Nick Baran

part of HP's approach is the degree to which difficult rendering operations will be moved from software to hardware.

Matrox (Dorval, Quebec, Canada) displayed working prototypes of an i860 parallel processing board designed to speed up floating-point operations. The board is built for computers with the Extended Industry Standard Architecture bus and makes use of EISA's bus-mastering capability to operate independently of the host system. The MP-860, which holds one 40-MHz processor and 2 MB of memory (expected price: $6300), can run floating-point and computationally intensive applications up to 100 times faster than a 386based system with an 80387 coprocessor, Matrox claims. You'll be able to connect as many as eight of the boards in a single system and have them operate concurrently. To communicate, the boards use their own highspeed bus, called the TransMemory bus, that can transfer 100 MBps

continued

NCGA

Intel's i860 Engine Picking Up Steam

20 BYTE . JUNE 1990

You dorit have to be a rocket scoitist to pmgram in BASIC

Granted, with Microsoft's BASIC Professional Development System, rocket scientists can work wonders every day of the week.

But if you want to work better in this stratosphere, Microsoft® QuickBASIC is all you need.

Instead of an I.Q. test, you get a step-bystep printed tutorial that guides you through a complete working program. And our handy online electronic manual lets you put your finger on anything you want to know instantly or copy and paste sample code into your program window.

Meanwhile, our on-line training and Easy Menus make you feel at home in your new environment in minutes—not hours. And to simplify things even more, our intuitive interface offers context-sensitive help. Plus a debugger that gets your program up and running in record time.

Miciosdi-QuickBASIC

Naturally, this BASIC also turns out code at record speed —150,000 lines per minute. Not surprisingly, PC Magazine called it"... perhaps one of the greatest software programs ever written" and gave it their Editor's Choice Award.

All of which only goes to prove one thing: you don't have to be a rocket scientist to conquer new frontiers.

Just smart enough to get a hold of our Microsoft QuickBASIC.

Microsoft

Making it all make sense

CustOTners la'thin the 50 United Slates, call (800) 426-9400. Customers in Canada, call 1416) 673-7638. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call (206) 882-8661. © 1990 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved Microsoft and the Microsoft are registered trademarks and Making it all make sense is a trademark of Microsoft Corporatioji

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Pull Up a Chair Ad Weil Tell You Why.

Ted Wain, President

Ted: OK, we're putting together another ad for the magazines and you should be the ones to write it. Todd (laughing): Hey, Ted, I'm no writer. Ray: Me neither. Don't you s'pose we could hire somebody to write our ads? (Laughter.)

Ted: No, because we've always been straight forward in our advertising. I've analyzed the market and I can't understand why anyone would buy a computer from anyplace except Gateway. Now I know you all agree with me, so I want you to tell the world what you can do for them. Just straight talk from a friend in the business. I'm recording this — Troy: Is this legal?

Ted: — and I'm gonna give the tape to word processing for a transcription. And that's going to be our ad.

Norm: This oughta be good! (Laughter).

Ted: Todd, you're on. I'm looking for a computer system. Why should I buy from Gateway 2000?

Todd: Because Gateway has the best value. We lead the market in price, quality and service. It's that simple. You wanta get the best system for the best price from a company you can depend on? Then buy from Gateway 2000.

Troy: Yeah, shop around. But don't be fooled by stripped-down systems. Compare Gateway feature for feature and we blow the competition away.

Norm: And read the reviews. Our systems «ut-perform machines that cost twice as much.

Ted: Troy, you're on. - You run the plant so you tell me what kind of quality I can expect. ' ,

Troy: Well we use a component that's not very common today — pride. Each machine that goes out the door is custom-built by one person. That person's pay is determined by how satisfied you are as a customer. We use only top-of-the-line components. You combine that with the midwest work ethic and you've got an unbeatable combination.

Ted: OK, Gateway's got great prices on quality systems. But we can't

Ray Kayl, - " Technical Support Manager

Norm Wain, Vice President

Troy Miller, Plant Manager

guarantee everyone that they'll never have a problem. Ray: If we could, I'd be out of a job. (Laughter') ___ Ted: Yeah, Ray. Tell me about your job. What

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Ted: Kathy — bet you thought I forgot you — what about.customer service?

Kathy: Customers get very personal service here. When you call Gateway, you'll be assigned to one customer service representative who will follow your order from start to finish. Your personal rep will make a special effort to get to know you and make sure you're completely satisfied.

Norm: Hey, this sounds almost too good to be true. Ted: Some people think that. But our customers don't ask them. They know Gateway 2000 is the best value in the industry. Norm: Do we have an ad yet? Ted: Yeah, I think so. All I have to do is cut some prices on our systems. Then get ready for a really hot summer..> ^

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Trying to give computer makers a way to build more highly integrated and less expensive systems, Chips & Technologies (San Jose, CA) has developed a new chip set for implementing a complete AT compatible on a motherboard. The Entry-Level Enhanced AT set provides complete system logic, I/O, mass storage, and VGA control in either a three- or four-chip set. Company officials say that a typical 1980s-style AT uses about 95 ICs (excluding RAM). The ELEAT set reduces that number to 44 and cuts the cost of the silicon from $179 to $105, they say. The company plans a 386SX version for the third quarter.

Advanced Data Servers (Boise, ID) claims that its new dBASE Query Accelerator ($1995) speeds up database queries by

as much as 100 times. The ATbus board is a SCSI disk drive controller and database coprocessor rolled into one. When the CPU issues a database query to the disk drive, an Advanced Micro Devices RISC chip on the board intercepts the request, processes it, and returns it to the CPU. The RISC chip is optimized for database work and can select and project records faster than a host processor, ADS says.

At the recent Interface show in Dallas, IBM showed its version of TCP/IP for OS/2. IBM's brand of the standard internetwork protocol will run on top of IBM's Extended Edition of OS/2 1.2 and have an icon-oriented E-mail application.

Market researcher American Business Information (Omaha, NE) interprets changes in the marketplace by compiling changes in Yellow Pages listings. Fewer listings for a particular service or industry means business is down in that area, ABI says. According to the researchers' findings for 1989, computerrelated categories were down. Data systems consultants and data-processing services were in the top 20 categories of decline.

without affecting processor performance, Matrox says. Company representatives demonstrated the MP-860 with a Matrox 8514/A-compatible graphics board; a system with a single MP-860 was calculating and drawing 400- by 400-pixel areas of the Mandelbrot set with 2000 iterations per pixel in 2 seconds.

Truevision (Indianapolis, IN) introduced a 33-MHz i860-based graphics processor for IBM AT compatibles. The new Horizon860 "single-card computer" ($6295) incorporates a high-speed bus, called the HorizonBus, that Truevision claims has a peak data transfer rate of 264 MBps. Truevision did not

Autodesk will incorporate the HOOPS Graphics System from Ithaca Software (Alameda, CA) into future versions of AutoCAD, the prominent CAD package. HOOPS is an integrated library of software routines that developers can use to create interactive three-dimensional

AutoCAD image put through HOOPS.

graphics applications. Autodesk will use HOOPS to improve the performance of AutoCAD, in particular when working with solid 3-D models.

The HOOPS library is written in C and can be called from C or FOR

LSI Logic (Milpitas, CA) says that it will soon ship the first complete chip set for the SPARC architecture pioneered by Sun Microsystems. Availability of a complete chip set for such a workstation could spur the development of SPARC "clones" from other computer manufacturers. LSI Logic is one of several

announce any products that are able to take advantage of the bus, but a product engineer said that those will show up later.

Hyperspeed Technology (San Diego, CA) introduced a board that can support one or two i860s and up to 16 MB of RAM. Like the Horizon860, the Hyperspeed board (which costs about $7000) has a 64-bit high-speed bus but no products that can use it yet. Hyperspeed promises a frame buffer in the near future. Spectre Corp. (Woburn, MA) announced a board that uses single or dual i860s but did not have units on hand to demonstrate. —NickBamn, Owen Linderholm, and

Tom Yager

TRAN programs. HOOPS is currently available across a wide range of platforms, including extended DOS, OS/2, Mac II, and Unix workstations. HOOPS is completely source code-compatible across all these platforms and automatically works with the window managers associated with each system.

The agreement with Autodesk will help HOOPS become established as a standard set of tools for 3-D imaging, says Gary Wayne, Ithaca's executive vicepresident.

The boom in graphics display systems based around processors like the Texas Instruments 34020 will mean that within five years, Wayne says, entry-level desktop computers will be able to manipulate 3-D images in real time. HOOPS is an ideal way to create applications for such systems, he claims. The competing PHIGS (Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics Standard) is not sufficiently compatible across multiple platforms, Wayne says.

—Owen Linderholm

suppliers of SPARC microprocessors (integer units and FPUs) and provides both the microprocessor and seven application-specific IC chips used in Sun's SPARCStation 1 workstation. But, as LSI Logic's Kim Alfaro points out, "an instruction unit and a floatingpoint unit do not make a chip set.

continued

NCGA

AutoCAD to Jump Through HOOPS for 3-D

LSI Logic's Chip Set Could Spur SPARC Clones

24 BYTE • JUNE 1990

New FoxPro

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■ FoxPro gives you choices instead of limits: use a mouse or a keyboard: type commands or use the object-oriented interface: run in one window, or hundreds.

■ FoxPro is so efficient, it runs in a 512K PC-XT. yet it's able to take advantage of the speed, expanded memory and extended video modes of the most advanced machines available. You don't even need a graphics card or special windovi ing software.

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NCR is the name and mark of NCR Corporation. Micro Channel is a trademark of IBM Corporation. 486,386, and 286 are trademarks of Intel Corporation. •Sources: TO CompMinf, Alarch 1990. BYrEWEEK,\V\lli9. C1990 NCR Corporation.

MICROBYTES

NANOBYTES

While trying to change its "mailorder" image, Dell Computer

(Austin, TX) is also trying to change the image of Unix as

being slightly more baffling than Sumerian runes. The new Dell Station series of 386- and i486based computers come preloaded with Unix operating-system software and application programs: System V 3.2, the X Window System, OSF/Motif, IXI's X.desktop, and the Uniplex suite of office automation programs. With these packages installed, says Dell's Bill Zastrow, the machine is "ready to go out of the box, and you never have to see the command line."

Now that the personal computer revolution is "over," Lotus Development is "fixated on end users in an organizational context." That's what company president Jim Manzi told his fellow executives at the recent symposium of the Software Publishers Association. Manzi said that personal computers have helped individual productivity but have done little for organizations. He hailed the new era of organizational computing as the close of the "great divide between the MIS world and individual personal computer users."

Keyboard king Key Tronic (Spokane, WA) is going to start making laptop computers. The keyboard manufacturer plans to build lightweight 386SXs for OEMs. The first will be a notebook-type model, slated for release this summer, that will weigh less than 5 pounds and run on A A batteries.

While America waits for ISDN, Costa Rica waits to have the world's most advanced fiberoptic-based telecommunications system. The Central American country plans to install the Personal Xchange System, from First Pacific Networks (Sunnyvale, CA). PX is a distribution system for transmitting digital phone, voice, data, cable TV. and fuU-motion video over a single fiber-optic line.

Clone manufacturers would have to reverse-engineer the rest of the architecture."

The SparKIT chip set consists of seven devices: the integer unit; FPU; memory, cache, and standard I/O controllers; and DMA and S-Bus controllers. Just as an IBM PC doner can buy a complete set of support chips from Chips & Technologies or Headland Technology, for example, SPARC doners will be able to get complete chip sets from LSI Logic, which also supplies the microprocessor.

The SparKIT set will be available in 25- and 40-MHz versions. The 25MHz version will cost $1327 each in 1000-unit quantities and will be

Quarterdeck Office Systems (Santa Monica, CA) plans to offer later this summer a software product that "brings the power of X Windows to DOS," as well as a new graphical version of its multitasking DESQview environment. Unlike programs such as Locus Computing's PC Xsight, which turn Intel-based PCs into X Window System servers and let users "hot-key" to a dedicated DOS environment, the new Quarterdeck software will use the company's multitasking DESQview technology to allow both DOS and X Window System sessions to run simultaneously in separate windows on the same machine.

It isn't fair to knock Apple for not having a lower-priced Macintosh, Apple Computer chief operating officer Michael Spindler said at a recent press conference. If Apple targeted the low end of the personal computer market, it couldn't "afford an organization of 10,000 people," he said.

In the IBM PC clone business, "the cost base is minimal, and in four years [PC done makers] do something else," Spindler claimed. But Apple needs larger profit margins to pay for additional R&D and "much more aggressive marketing," he said.

Spindler admitted that Apple "has

available soon, the company says. The 40-MHz version will be available later this year for an undisclosed price. Asked whether the $1300 price tag for the 25-MHz chip set is a bit expensive, Alfaro responded, "We actually think it's quite competitive. Of course, any price is negotiable." Alfaro declined to comment on what manufacturers are candidates for introducing machines based on the chip set. "Let's just say that we expect to see some takers in the Pacific Rim area." Tatung and Datatech, both of Taiwan, have said that they'll start selling SPARC clones by the third quarter, but they would not confirm if they'll use the SparKIT chips.

—Nick Baran

DESQview with support for the X Window System will likely require a 286 or better CPU and at least 2 MB of RAM. By using Quarterdeck's QEMM, the PC will be able to run several DOS applications locally or from a server, while concurrently acting as an X Window System server to Unix applications running on a remote client.

Quarterdeck president Therese Meyers says that users tired of waiting for Windows 3.0 have been turning to DESQview in record numbers: Sales of the package in the first three months of this year equaled those of the entire year 1989.

—Andy Reinhardt

holes" in its product line, particularly at the low end. But he disagreed with the oft-repeated claim that the Macintosh is overpriced. "We just don't participate in certain aspects of the entire market today," Spindler said. "But where we do, we're pretty much competitive."

However, Spindler did say that Apple plans to become "more aggressive in market pricing" in the future by creating a careful balance between pricing, profit margins, and company costs. Chief executive John Sculley has also declared similar intentions recently.

continued

Spindler Defends High Price of Apples

Quarterdeck's Software Will Allow

DOS and X Window System Sessions on a PC

28 BYTE • JUNE 1990

our customers expect software that works. All the time. The key to software quality is exhaustive testing. It's also an engineer's worst nightmare. But it doesn't have to be. Because now you can automate your software testing. Introducing the Atron Evaluator. The first and only non-intrusive automated PC-based software testing tool.

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A new study by Frost & Sullivan

(New York) estimates that the total market for "smart house" automation systems could reach $2 billion by the year 2000. For this to happen, manufacturers and industry groups will have to agree on standards and make long-term strategic commitments to the market, as was the case in the factory and office networking sectors, the report says. Favorable developments have included the December 1989 draft publication of the CEBus standard by the Electronics Industry Association and the growing role of the Smart House Limited Partnership, a consortium of vendors, utilities, and trade associations.

Good news, price cuts: IBM

buzzed PS/2 prices by anywhere from $300 to $2000; the Model 80-111, for example, fell from $8995 to $6995. AST Research reduced retail prices of its 286based Bravo and Premium computers by as much as 20 percent; for example, a Premium 286 with a 40-MB hard disk drive is now $2395. E-Machines lowered prices of its color Mac monitors by as much as $500. And as the market gets more competitive, NewGen Systems trimmed prices of its TurboPS PostScript laser printers, which are built around Intel's i960 processor; the TurboPS/300, for example, is down by $1000 to $4495. NEC Technologies cut $1000 off the price of its Silentwriter LC890XL PostScript laser printer, which is now $5995. And QMS lowered its JetScript PostScript controller for HP's LaserJet II by $300, to $2195.

As NASA's Hubble Space Telescope goes where no telescope has gone before, its 600pound Planetary Camera will be sending back photographs of heavenly bodies. Inside that camera are eight image-sensing chips from Texas Instruments. These tiny charge-coupled devices will record the images of such things as stars, planets, and black holes and zap them back to earth for processing.

Apple needs to focus on becoming a "global player" in the 1990s, Spindler said. According to Spindler, who formerly headed Apple's European operations, Apple must evolve from a U.S.-based computer company to a true multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets its products all around the world. Two years ago, he said, his goal was to make Apple's nondomestic sales total between 30 percent and 35 percent of the company's total sales by the end of the 1980s.

AU.S. House of Representatives subcommittee has begun hearings on a bill that could drastically change the telecommunications industry by allowing telephone companies to get into electronic information services. The bill, which will be the Telecommunications Policy Act of 1990 if it becomes law, is currently in the Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on telecommunications and finance.

Under the bill as now written, telephone operating companies (e.g., New England Telephone or Mountain Bell) would be allowed to provide information services, including electronic publishing, advanced network services, electronic Yellow Pages, and customer network management services outside their home states. Within their home states, they would be restricted from operating information services other than those already running when the new law goes into effect.

"Electronic publishing" is defined by the proposal as the provision of any information service that the operating company "has, or has caused to be, originated, authored, compiled, collected, or edited" and that is disseminated outside the company by some electronic means.

"We were absolutely wrong; by this year, the outside business is 45 percent," he said. And in a couple of years, Spindler believes, outside sales will exceed those inside the U.S.

As part of its global efforts, Apple now has a product development laboratory in Paris. Even though the "largest talent pool of the computer industry" is in Apple's Silicon Valley backyard, the company can't assume that all the innovative ideas are here, Spindler said.

—Jeffrey Benolucci

Some newspaper publishers have opposed the phone companies' getting into electronic information, afraid that they will take away the mainstay of classified ads. Terry Maguire, a spokesperson for the American Newspaper Publishers' Associadon, said that his group considers the draft a "step forward." But, he added, the ANPA sees "some changes that need to be made" before it could support such a bill. He said a basic problem is that the draft "fails to recognize the basic problem is the telephone company control of the local loop." He said that the solution to this problem is competition at the localloop level, just as there is now competition at the long-distance level.

"We support ... the provision of electronic telephone directories," he said, "but we believe no case has been made for why the telephone companies need to control information [other than telephone number listings]."

The FCC "cautiously" supports the proposal, said a subcommittee press aide.

Capitol Hill insiders and telecommunications-industry watchers give the bill little chance of passage this session but consider it a good indicator of the mood of Congress.

—George Bond

AIN'T NO CURE FOR THE SUMMERTIME BLUES? Sure there is. All it takes is a call to the BYTE news staff. If you, your company, or your research group is working on a new technology or developing products that will significantly affect microcomputers and the way people work with them, we'd like to hear about it. Phone the BYTE news department at (603) 924-9281. Or send a fax to (603) 924-2550. Or write to us at One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Or send E-mail to "microbytes" on BIX or to "BYTE" on MCI Mail. An electronic version of Microbytes, offering a wider variety of computer-related news on a daily basis, is available on BIX.

Telecommunications Act Could Change the World of Electronic Information Services

30 BYTE • JUNE 1990

One step closer to a maindBrame of your own.

Hard to believe? Take a look at the benchmarks.

The STEP 486w breezes past both an IBM 3083 mainframe and a CRAY-X-MP/48 supercomputer as if they were standing still.

The primary reason is Everex's proprietary Advanced Memory Management Architecture. We were the pioneers in bringing this write-back technology from the mainframe to the desktop.

AMMA" enhances the i486 " embedded cache—a combin

ation we call "Two-Tier Caching." It makes the STEP 486/5 one of the fastest 486 PCs available today.

And AMMA is scalable from 64K to 256K. In small cache architectures, performance can suffer when main memory increases. AMMA cures this problem.

The upshot of it all? The STEP 486/5 will not only take you into the next generation of software, it'll run today's 286 and 386 software with scorching speed.

But users of STEP" 386

machines can still keep up. The STEP 386/20 and 386/25 can easily be upgraded to a STEP 486/5 simply by replacing the CPU with an IN STEP "486 daughterboard.

Which means the next step |26.o«. closer to your own mainframe is not that big a step at all.

CRAY-X-MP'48

Dhryslone Benchmark Scores

Call 1-800-334-4552 for more information and the name of your nearest Authorized Everex Reseller.

EVER lor BUcettende

! inlei Corp. STEP. STBP -JSfr.s. .AMM.J,. IN STEP and Everei. are iradenwfcs of Evmx Syst

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Circle 115 on Reader Service Card

Texas Instruments you really want in 286-'

Model 12: All the power — half the weight

Weighing a remarkable 6.7 lbs. — including battery and 20 MB hard disk drive — TI's TravelMate LT286 Model 12 delivers all the processing power of a desktop PC in a laptop. It's the perfect choice for professionals who need to work on-the-go.

With the Model 12, you don't sacrifice performance for small size and weight Business software runs fast, thanks to a 12 MHz 80286 microprocessor. There's plenty of storage tor all kinds of software applications, since the internal hard disk drive comes standard, and MS-DOS 3.3* and lAP-LINIC^' are in ROM. Plus, you get 1 MB of RAM, expandable to 4 MB, a feature many other laptops can't match. The Model 12 can even be a member of your local area network.

Not only does the Model 12 perform like a desktop PC, it feels like one, too. The AT - -style keyboard provides fullsize, full-travel keys that give your fingers plenty of room and great response.

Other ad\'antages include an easyto-read, backlit LCD screen tliat your eyes will appreciate. For additional flexibility and com'enience, snap on a 3.5" highdensity' floppy disk drive, or remove it and travel light Then send work to your office with just a phone call, thanks to an optional internal modem.

The Temtntii^ 3.5" high-tiemicj dtsiwEce time ami intenwl modern are optional.

66047 ©1990 TI

TravelMate is a trademark of Texas Instruments. AT is a registered trademark of Incemarional Business Machines Corporation. lAPLINK is a registered trademark of Traveling Sotrw'are, Inc. Excel is a trademark and MS-DOS 3.3 is a registered trademark of Micaisott Corporation. PageMaker is a registered trademark oi Aldus Corporation.

offers two things class laptop computers.

Models 25 and 45: Dazzling display for windowing and graphics.

If you want portability and an exceptional display for graphics, you'll appreciate the bright side of this solution. TravelMate LT286 Models 25 and 45 feature a brilliant black-on-white VGA display that rivals that of most desktop PCs.

You'll love the terrific text and crisp graphic images generated for applications that use MS*-Windows, like PageMaker® and ExceF^'. The VGA screen is perfect for presentations to clients and prospects, plus your own personal use.

Not only do you get a superb display, you get superb performance as well. Like standard AT-compatible desktop PCs, the Models 25 and 45 operate with a 12 MHz 80286 microprocessor for quick and powerful processing. You also get a 20 MB or 40 MB internal hard disk drive; an internal 3.5" floppy disk drive; 640K of RAM, expandable to 3.64 MB; an AT-style keyboard with full-size, full-travel keys; and an internal battery.

As with the Model 12, an intelligent power management system turns off the screen and hard disk drive during periods of inactivity to extend battery life, allowing you to use the laptop longer.

Considering all these features and the performance and versatility they deliver, why would you ever need a desktop PC? For the names of the dealers nearest you,

call l'800'527'350a

Texas Instruments

Circle 311 on Reader Service Card

Letters

and Ask BYTE

Micro Craft Dimension Remembered

Kenneth M. Sheldon's article "Micro Edsels" (February) mentioned the Micro Craft Dimension, of which hardly anyone has heard. The reason for this probably lies in the letter to Micro Craft from BYTE telling the company that its fullpage color ad brought greater response on the reader service than any other ad. The story is far more interesting as an experience in modern company funding and lack of focus. For instance, all those reader service cards ended up in a closet and were not used.

I have a Dimension in my garage. It has the Z80, 8086, and 6512 coprocessors. I have it because the company had no cash to pay me for programming the Apple "slot 7" interface to CP/M-68 disks. I used it as my only MS-DOS machine for several years.

Sheldon said that it "would supposedly run Apple, IBM PC, TRS-80, CP/M, a«^/Unix programs... .It didn't." It did. It did not run all the software for all those machines. But what it did run, it ran well.

Originally, the machine was designed to be an OEM fast replacement for the Apple in a specific color graphics application, while including the ability to add coprocessors. PC capability was added early. The OEM base income was abandoned when funding was obtained from a company in the long-distance market. This company pushed for selling it retail and for the color ads. Little distribution work was done. Too much money was spent on good-looking offices for the wrong people.

The Dimension's problems were complex. The IBM PC coprocessor worked well until programmers began using scan codes rather than the ASCII codes. The designer chose an ASCII keyboard, so hot-key combinations such as ControlShift never reached the computer.

The Apple II emulation worked well as long as you stayed with II Plus or were careful with He emulation. But for some odd reason, the programmer for the 80column card created neither a pure He card nor a pure old-style card. The machine read Apple II disks on standard drives with special interface lines on the expansion bus; an eerie thing about using the Dimension was being able to move

mn

MICRO EDSELS

AtoaktKKkmlS-^vaizafthegootl.thehad^imd the ma/kenng bombs tf Ihe mcrocompuitr nnrilittkin

KenJiethM. SMdm

data from a CP/M-68 disk to an Apple disk or vice versa using one drive.

The CP/M Kaypro emulation worked flawlessly. Of course, the people who wanted to run Apple CP/M disks were out of luck, even though everything they needed was sitting right there in the box. My experience with Micro Craft poisoned me for combo machines.

Mike Firth Dallas, TX

Thanks for filling in some of the details for us, Mike. Your comments that "the Apple II emulation worked well as long as..." and "the IBM PC coprocessor worked well until... " are indicative of the Dimension's problem. While it may have run some Apple, IBM PC, TRS-80, CP/M, and Unix programs, it certainly didn't run all of those, as the ads implied. As I said in the conclusion to the article, many of the machines mentioned were

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Please double-space your letter on one side of the page and include your name and address. Letters two pages in length or under have a better chance of being published in their entirety. Address correspondence to Letters Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

Your letter will be read, but because of the large volume of mail we receive, we cannot guarantee publication. We also reserve the right to edit letters. It takes about four months from the time we receive a letter until we publish it.

sunk by circumstances or poor marketing—no fault of the designers. The Dimension may have been one of those.

-K. S.

MacXLNoEdsel

I thoroughly enjoyed "Micro Edsels." Kenneth M. Sheldon writes that Apple's tactic of renaming the Lisa as the Macintosh XL and dropping its price didn't work. In fact, it worked all too well.

Apple's strategy was to provide an interim hard disk drive-based machine for the Macintosh Office until the Mac itself could be reengineered to serve in this capacity. Based on the Lisa's sales history, Apple believed that it had enough parts on hand to shut down Lisa parts production. To the company's surprise, sales took off so dramatically that the product was canceled after only a few months due to a lack of parts, not lack of demand. Had parts production not been canceled, the Lisa/Mac XL might not today be considered one of the industry's Edsels.

Tom Eisenmenger Winston-Salem, NC

The "Father of ASCII" Speaks

Rip Collins suggested in the January Stop Bit that many aspects of ASCII made it unsuitable for the brave new PC world, as opposed to those old fuddyduddy mainframes. 'Tain't so, folks.

First, let me correct the impression given by Collins that I created ASCII. It is true that my license plate says "ASCII" and that the frame says "Yes, I am the father of ASCII." It gets some laughs. I did contribute six characters to ASCII, most importantly Escape and the backslash. I did as much as anyone to promote a single, common interior and exterior character set for computers. One of the early versions of ASCII was called Bemer-Ross Code (mostly in Europe). Finally, I have written the bulk of the public articles on ASCII.

But it is not correct to say that I created ASCII. To say this insults many people who dedicated years of their lives working out compromises between dozens of existing codes for the resultant single code. I have never demurred at being called the "father of ASCII," as it is the "mother" who creates.

Also wrong is the statement that

continued

34 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Great Moments in C-Programmer History

On tlie tfard day> He idknUfiedihc need for an advanced produciiviiy tooL

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You'll enjoy interactive development widiout the limitations of 4GL's. When die extensive capabilities of Vermont Views don't meet special needs, attach your own processing functions to menus, forms, fields, and keys. We've designed it so you won't run into dead ends.

A Better CASE

Rapid prototyping is die latest CASE technology. But, with most systems, you must throw the prototype away when coding begins. With Vermont Views, the prototype becomes die application. Menus and dataentry forms are usable in die final application without change. Names of functions for retrieving, processing, and storing data can be specified as the prototype is created. Notes can be attached to forms and fields to help you complete and document die application. Vermont Views objects are checked for validity when created, so integration and testing go more quickly.

Endless Benefits

Screen generators for most C libraries require you to modify generated source code to create a fully functional interface—after which you must work with the source code. Not so with Vermont Views. Designer forms and menus can incorporate die special capabilities of Vermont Views and still be revised interactively. You'll reap productivity benefits throughout the software lifecycle.

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LETTERS

ASCII was created in 1965. Some of its origins were at IBM in 1959, and the nationwide effort began with the ANSI X3 committee in 1961, leading to approval in 1963. President Johnson's order in 1964 made it the first federal Information Systems standard.

With the history straightened out, I'll try to remedy Collins's complaints. He started off with collating (ordering) sequence, showing that you cannot order a file very well by using the binary sequences for character representation. Of course you can't! The New York Telephone Company, if asked, might send you its multipage set of rules for ordering the names in telephone directories. To think that characters should be grouped in a set by their usage (e.g., all arithmetic operators) is as futile as thinking that all vowels should lie next to each other on a keyboard, or that keys should be laid out in alphabetical order. No way!

Why else did IBM buffer the key-toCPU interface with scan codes, if not for myriad variations in usage, including national languages? ASCII, being worldwide, must serve those different languages, not all'of which define the ordering sequence the same.

Next, Collins takes compound delimiters to task, not for being composed of two characters, apparently, but because the designers and standardizers of the various computer languages cannot agree. Blame them, not ASCII. I proposed in 1962 that the character sets of several programming languages each be assigned a unique escape sequence for identification. Then you type that sequence to commence the program, and your compiler knows what each combination means. Just like scan codes, hey?

Enough. There is a registry book for code sets, each set of which has its own unique escape sequence to identify it (I'll take a little credit for that, too). The Japanese 8- and 16-bit sets of TRON are registered there. So are videotext, computer graphics, Arabic, Chinese, bibliographic controls, astrology symbols— you name it. And, of course, PCs, contrary to mainframes, reach to the bit and pixel, allowing creation of single graphics for any discrete character (so the compound delimiters can disappear).

Finally, ASCII has been set up to be marvelously flexible, through both extension (i.e., alternate sets defined by escape sequences) and expansion (i.e., larger sets, 8 bits and up, also via escape sequences). The scope that I drafted for X3 in 1961 was to develop "a single standard for logical representation of characters and character format in the media

used for interchange of instruction, data, and control information between data processing equipment, together with orderly provision for expansion and alternatives."

I say that we met our goal. ASCII is now embedded in billions of dollars' worth of equipment—so much so that I don't believe that people will spend that much money to replace it. If anyone really finds something that ASCII needs, address the standards bodies formally, not the casual user informally.

R. W. Bemer Phoenix, AZ

Systemantics Author Responds

As the author of Systemantics, I was delighted to find my book reviewed in Hugh Kenner's Print Queue column (January). However, the review failed to specify where Systemantics can be obtained. The address is: General Systemantics Press, 3200 West Liberty, Suite A, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. The price is $17.95 paperback, $21.95 casebound.

Readers' initial responses to Systemantics tend to be either strongly positive or strongly negative. A typical positive response is along the lines of: "Yes! Yes! This is what happens to me all the time! Thank goodness someone has finally brought it out into the open!"

Negative responses tend to be like this: "Why does this guy keep harping on the bad stuff? So mistakes happen. Is this any reason to dwell on them?" Negative responses are more interesting than positive ones because they indicate that learning could be about to take place.

Just before a dolphin actually gets to the point of a new routine, it gets more and more irritable, swims in circles, and finally loses its temper, leaping out of the water and splashing its trainer. Psychologists call this "cognitive dissonance"—that irritating feeling that something just doesn't fit. Karen Pryor, the Dolphin Lady, whose animal-training methods are used worldwide, calls it the "learning tantrum."

Down through history, the learning tantrum recurs at moments of crisis. When Darwin proposed his new theory, the Establishment had a collective fit. Sigmund Freud had to set up his own press in order to get published. And the new breed of scientists around Einstein recognized sadly that new theories in physics prevail only as the previous generation of physicists dies off.

The realization that human beings operate cybernetically—that is, by feedback and error correction—is a major advance. Gregory Bateson once called it

"the biggest bite out of the apple since Eve."

It is also a difficult idea to grasp. But error correction is what we do. We notice the difference between our expectations and our actual sensory feedback. When we notice it, we register it as an error, a defect, a failure, a shortcoming—something to be corrected. If, instead of recognizing the discrepancy, we try to shut it out and proceed as if it weren't there, then we have the bizarre, funny, sometimes excruciating results cataloged in Systemantics.

Anyone who struggles to take in this hard and humbling lesson—that error is our existential situation and that our successes are destined to be temporary and partial—deserves our sympathy. Systemantics is an attempt to make the experience bearable by means of humor and irony. Those are the qualities that people have called upon through the ages to enable them to cope with the permanently provisional human situation.

I'm glad that Kenner found Systemantics disturbing, because there is, after all, a deeper, more serious side to it under the humor. There really are unknown and perhaps unknowable aspects of the world around us, and awareness of that fact is a very necessary part of any significant approach to human knowledge. Kenner may be right in suggesting that there are "demons" in Systemantics. But they were not put there by John Gall. They reside in the material itself—or perhaps they are projected there from the mind of the observer?

John Gall Ann Arbor, MI

"Mistakes happen. " Sure. Murphy said so. An instance is Gall's misrepresentation of Murphy. Mistakes are not cosmic flaws; it's humans who are error-prone (although amid the titters it's not easy to be sure what he's saying). I'll go on affirming that he's drawing laughs by letting us confuse human with cosmic flaws. He's found a good racket. Erma Bombeck has worked it for years at the bestseller level; cf. her famous claim that washer-dryers eat socks. —H. K.

February Was a Good Month

The February BYTE was for me a strong winner. I was perusing the 1989 annual index to see if any topics looked interesting, and, sure enough, I ran across "Modems" and "Protocols." I whipped out the appropriate copies of BYTE and flipped right to the information for which I was looking. Excellent!

continued

36 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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* Bernoulli drive and 20" color monitor shown are optional.

CircU 86 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 87)

ASK BYTE

David Fiedler's Unix /bin column, "Dealing with Devices," also had information that I can use. I have limited access to a Unix machine, and Unix /bin will be especially useful in making the most of that time.

I had recently considered allowing my subscription to lapse because I thought that BYTE wasn't particularly useful with the machines I work on. This issue has totally destroyed that misconception. Great magazine!

Richard E. Lafleur Rochester, NY

Ray Tracing, Micro Style

Owen F. Ransen's article, "The Art of Ray Tracing" (February), was informative and thorough, but very misleading. It concentrated solely on ray tracing done by Inmos transputer-equipped machines, paying only passing tribute to popular microcomputers. Contrary to the statement that ray tracing on microcomputers tends to take hours per image, many images can be produced in a matter of minutes.

Ray tracing has been popular on the Commodore Amiga since its introduction, and more recently on the color Macintoshes. The faster Amigas with 16- or 25-MHz 68020s and 68030s with equivalent math coprocessors can render complex images in mere minutes. Images produced on these machines are no less spectacular than those produced using the Inmos transputers.

At least a half-dozen commercial and public domain ray-tracing programs are available for the Amiga, and at least one for the Mac. Both these systems are cheaper and more widespread than the Inmos T800 machines, making raytraced quality available to the general public.

Charles E. Hill Orlando, FL

ASK BYTE

Not Enough Ports

How can I access more than two communications ports on an IBM PC? Procomm uses ports COMl,2,3or4. Can a mouse be configured to work with COM3 or COM4? It seems that using modems and a mouse and connecting to a host all require more and more communications ports—and there are only two available in the DOS environment.

Stefaan Dupont Menen, Belgium

Because of the limitations of PC-DOS and the PC BIOS, you are limited to just two communications ports. Certain versions of MS-DOS can handle four communications ports. However, these four communications ports still use the two interrupt request lines: Int3 and Int4.

Most mouse software is configured to use COM2. Of all the mice I've checked (Logitech, Key Tronic, and Microsoft), all use COMl or COM2.

My only suggestion to you is to use a serial switch box if you have more peripherals than ports. —S. W.

No Warm Boot

My 20-megabyte Seagate hard disk drive won't successfully do a warm reboot anymore, even if I try it soon after I start it up. I'm no power user, so I can't determine whether it's a software or hardware problem. I wrote to a number of companies that produce hard disk utilities, but I got no guarantees. So before I shell out some money for a hard disk repair package, is there any help you can give me?

Joseph A. Bligh Lakewood, CA

If I read your note correctly, it implies that your hard disk drive does execute a cold boot (i. e., when you power the machine up) properly. This leads me to suspect your hard disk drive controller card. Either the BIOS ROM on the card has gotten corrupted, or whatever circuitry that reads the RESET line has gone south.

Your first repair attempt should be to reseat any socketed chips on the card and your motherboard (be very careful!). If that fails, try locating someone with a similar controller card, swapping it for yours, and seeing if the problem follows the card.—R. G.

Switching Fax

In your December 1989 Ask BYTE, one of your readers inquired about devices for switching telephone lines between phone, fax, and modem. I would like to inform your readers that we have designed and are marketing a complete line of such devices. Interested readers should contact TSX Products Corp. (450 Washington St., Suite 103, Dedham, MA 02026, (800) 879-7706 or (617) 329-1779.

David A. Vogel Dedham, MA

Thanks.-BYTE Lab Staff

Shopping for Print Shop

At our office, we recently purchased Broderbund Software's Print Shop and

Print Shop Companion.

On our first purchase we acquired the 5 V4-inch floppy disk and attempted—unsuccessfully—to install the software from a Sysgen external 5 U-inch floppy disk drive onto our IBM PS/2 Model 50. After losing one of our four shots available on the Print Shop package, we contacted Broderbund's technical-support people and were informed that it was not possible to load from a B drive. They suggested that we wait until a non-copyprotected version of the software was available.

Having learned our lesson, on our second purchase we procured 3 '/2-inch floppy disks. After a successful installation onto the same Model 50, we tried the Print Shop Companion. After the first attempt, for unknown reasons we had only two installations left, as opposed to the three we should have had.

Everything appeared to be working rather well—until we tried printing a calendar on the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 500-1- printer. (We followed all instructions to a T before finally despairing and calling for help.) One telephone call to Broderbund confirmed our worst suspicions—that although the Special Printer Set-Up instructions list the HP LaserJet Series and compatibles, it could not run successfully on our LaserJet 500-1printer.

Perhaps we read too much into the phrase "and compatibles." In any case, is there anything we can do to make this software package run smoothly on our equipment? We now have two copies of what could be some very useful software, but we can't use it where we would like to.

Pam Gray Terri Baston Internal Revenue Service Cincinnati, OH

Your installation problem is one of the many reasons that the marketplace has overwhelmingly rejected copy protection. In spite of what the copy-protection industry may tell you, legitimate owners are frequently inconvenienced by these schemes.

I called Broderbund and asked about the LaserJet 500+ compatibility. Apparently, the LaserJet support is for Series Il-compatible printers only, not the original series. There's nothing you can do to fix either the software or your printer. You might try calling the company's customer service department at (800) 5216263. It sounds as though the people there are more than willing to help you

continued

38 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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B12, 8 FL . BLCXK B. TONIC INDUSTRIAL CENTRE, 19 LAMHING ST., KOWLOON BAY. KOWLOON. HONG KONG

TEL: 305-1268 FAX: 796-8427

FLYTECH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. (HEAD OFFICE)

2 FL.. NO. 8. LANE 50. SEC. 3. NAN-KANG RD., TAIPEI. TAIWAN. R.O.C. TEL: (02)785-2556 FAX: (02)785-2371. 783-7970 TELEX: 22233 FLTCO

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Programmer's Paradise

®

•••

C^SgeciajT^

Microsoft C Professional Development System Version 6.0

New features:

• The Programmer's WorkBench: a new approach to development-integrating all tools into one environment

• Source Browsing: interactively see any part of the project with the revolutionary project database, which can tell you where anything is located

• CodeView 3.0: third generation of the industry-leading debugger. Allows developers to use as little as 15K from DOS's 640K space. Completely redesigned User Interface.

List: $495 Ours: $349 Special $329

We'll Seaf The Competition's Advertised Prices!

386 CONTROL PROGRAMS

DESQview386 190 169

Microsoft Windows/386 195 139

VM/386 245 209

VM/386 Multiuser 895 839

VM/386 Multiuser Starter 395 339

386 DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

386 ASM/LINK 495 435

Lahey F77L-EM/32 (w/OS/386) 1090 979

Lattice C 286 (w/ extension) 495 395

Lattice C 386 (w/extension) 895 715

Novell C Network Compiler/386 995 799

Paradox/386 895 629

WATCOM C 8.0/386 Prof. 1295 1099

WATCOM C 8.0/386 Standard 895 719

ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE

Advantage Disassembler ASMFlow ASMTool

MS Macro Assembler OPT ASM ReiSource

Sourcer w/ Pre-Processor Turbo Debugger & Tools Visible Computer: 80286

BASIC COMPILERS

MS BASIC Prof. Devel. System Power Basic QuickBASIC True BASIC

BASIC LIBS/UTILITIES

db/LIB 159

DiaLogic 79

CraphPak 79

GraphPak Professional 149

P.D.Q. 99

ProBas 135

ProBas Toolkit 99

ProMath 99

QBase and Quickscreen 149

QuickComm 139

QuickMenu 59

QuickPak 79

QuickPak Professional 149

QuickPak Scientific 79

QuickScreen 79

QuickWindows Advanced 149

C COMPILERS

C Network Compiler 695

Lattice C 6.0 250

Microsoft C 6.0 495

MS QuickC 99

MS QuickC w/QuickAssembler 199

Top Speed C 199

DOS Professional 399

OS/2 Professional 495

Turbo C 150

Turbo C Professional 250

WATCOM C 8.0 Professional 495

WATCOM C 8.0 Standard 395

295 99 90 150 125 150 140 150 100

495 110 99 100

279 89 80 105 109 129 125 105 89

349 99 69 69

121 70 70

125 89

125 94 94

125

125 55 70

125 70 70

125

559 189 329 69 139 179 359 445 105 175 419 335

C++

LIST OURS

C++A/iews

495

419

Guidelines C++

295

269

NDPC++

495

479

Zortech C++ Debugger

150

129

Zortech C++

200

165

Developer's Edition

450

399

Zortech C++ Tools

150

129

Zortech C++ Video Course

500

449

C-COMMUNICATIONS

Breakout 11

125

99

C Asynch Manager 3.0

189

139

Essential Communications

329

299

Greenleaf Comm. Library

299

249

Greenleaf ViewComm

559

489

SilverComm C Async Library

249

209

View-232

189

149

C-FILE MANAGEMENT

AccSys for dBASE or Paradox

395

335

w/ source

795

675

Btrieve

245

185

Btrieve for DOS 3.1 Networks

595

449

C-lndex Plus

195

175

C-ISAM

225

209

Codebase IV

295

219

CQL w/ PASS

395

349

c-tree

395

315

dec III

250

229

dec III Plus

500

439

db_FILE Bundle

295

249

Essential B-Tree w/source

198

149

FairCom Toolbox - Prof. Edition

1095

789

FairCom Toolbox - Special

695

509

Informix Products

CALL

CALL

Xtrieve PLUS

595

459

C-GENERAL LIBRARIES

C TOOLS PLUS/6.0

149

109

C Utility Library

249

199

Greenleaf Functions

229

209

Greenleaf SuperFunctions

299

239

Power Search

149

109

Turbo C TOOLS/2.0

149

109

C SCREENS

Greenleaf Data Windows

395

339

Hi-Screen XL

149

129

JAM

595

529

Panel Plus

495

395

Vermont Views

395

CALL

Vitamin C

225

169

VC Screen

149

139

C-UTILITIES/OTHER

Clear +

200

169

C-Terp

300

219

Code Runner

149

135

Heap Expander

80

70

HyperWindows

99

90

PC-lint

139

109

PCYACC Professional

495

469

TimeSlicer

295

279

w/source

1000

899

COBOL LANGUAGE

Micro Focus:

COBOLy2w/Toolset

Personal COBOL MS COBOL Realia COBOL SCREENIO

CODE GENERATORS

Logic Gem Matrix Layout 2.0 PRO-C

DATABASE DEVELOPMENT

Clarion 2.0 Clipper 5.0 dBASEIV dBFast/PLUS dGE

FlashTools! FoxPro Magic PC R&R Report U'riter R&R Code Generator Say What?!

SilverComm Library 2.0 Tom Rettig's Library U12 Version Two

DEBUGGERS (DOS)

MultiScope OPTDEBUG Periscope 1/512K Periscope II Periscope ll-x Periscope III Periscope III PLUS Periscope IV/16, 20, 25 MHz Pfix86plus Sherlock

Turbo Debugger & Tools

DOCUMENTING/ FLOWCHARTING

Clear+ C-Cleariy Flow Charting 11+ Interactive Easyflow Paginate Source Print The Documentor Tree Diagrammer

EDITORS

BRIEF 3.0 Edix EDT+ EMACS Epsilon KEDIT4.0 MKS Vi

Multi-Edit Professional Norton Editor SLICK Editor Sage Professional Editor

w/ Mouse SPF/PC VEDIT PLUS

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Link & Locate -(-+ Link & Locate -f-+ Extended Paradigm Locate

FORTRAN LANGUAGE

Grafmatic Lahey F77L

Lahey Personal FORTRAN 77 MS FORTRAN Plotmatic RM/FORTRAN

GRAPHICS LIBRARIES

Baby Driver Essential Graphics Font-Tools Font V^indow Graf/Drive Plus Personal Graf/Drive Plus Developer's Graphic 5.0 Graphics-MENU

Data Entry Design

Data Entry Module GSS Graphics Devel. Toolkit HALO

HALO Window Toolkit Icon-Tools/Plus Menuet Meta Window MetaWindow Plus PCX Effects

PCX Programmer's Toolkit PCX Text

Turbo Geometry Library

LINKERS/LIBRARIANS

Plink86plu5 PolyLibrarian II .RTLink .RTLink/Plus

1800

1499

149

129

900

629

995

849

400

375

99

89

200

169

399

339

iENT

695

499

795

519

795

489

345

295

195

179

89

79

795

635

299

249

150

129

50

45

189

165

100

80

595

479

179

135

150

129

495

429

175

125

145

105

1395

1069

1795

1519

CALL

CALL

295

259

195

175

150

105

200

169

130

115

229

185

150

125

100

79

99

89

^99

^89

199

CALL

195

165

295

275

325

265

195

138

150

125

149

129

179

159

75

59

195

175

295

249

395

335

245

199

185

CALL

395

329

479

395

295

259

135

119

595

535

95

89

450

299

135

119

595

499

250

199

399

349

150

119

125

109

149

135

299

269

395

319

195

175

99

89

59

53

595

525

395

279

595

419

150

119

250

199

250

209

325

289

99

89

195

175

149

135

200

179

495

395

149

135

295

265

495

419

MACINTOSH

FoxBASE + / MAC MacFortran/ 020 Smalltalk/V MAC Think C Turbo Pascal

MODULA-2

LOGITECH Modula-2:

Compiler Pack

Development System TopSpeed Modula-2:

B-Tree Toolkit

Communications Toolkit

Compiler Kit

DOS 3-Pack

OS/2 TOOLS

Brief

CASE:PM for C Epsilon

MS OS/2 Pres. Mgr. Softset

MultiScope

PCYACC

Smalltalk/V PM

Vitamin C (OS/2)

PASCAL LANGUAGE

Asynch PLUS

B-tree Filer

MS QuickPASCAL

Object Professional

Power Tools PLUS/5.0

Topaz

Turbo Analyst

TurboMAGIC

Turbo Pascal 5.5

Turbo Pascal 5.5 Professional

Turbo-Plus 5.5

Turbo Professional 5.0

PROTOTYPING

LIST OURS

495 299 495 445

200 249 100

99 249

149 149 100 200

199 1495 195 150 449 395 495 225

169 165 75

75 199

135 135 89 179

CALL 1420 159 105 345 359 395 165

149 125 99 150 149 75 99 199 150 250 199 125

115 109 69 109 109 67 89 179 105 175 159 109

Dan Bricklin's Demo 11

195

159

Grasp

199

129

Instant Replay III

150

135

ProtoFinish

300

269

Show Partner F/X

350

319

Soft Demo

80

70

SMALLTALK

Smalltalk-80 (386)

595

535

SmalltalkA/

100

85

SmalltalkA^ 286

200

169

Smalltalk/V MAC

200

169

Smalltalk^' PM

495

399

WINDOWS (MS) TOOLS

Actor 2.0

695

559

Case:W

795

759

C-Talk/Views

450

375

dBFast/Windows

395

335

DialogCoder

499

435

MS Windows Development Kit

500

349

MultiScope

379

289

ProtoView

595

535

RFFlow

79

69

Whitewater Resource Toolkit

195

169

WindowsMAKER

595

535

WinTrieve

395

339

NEW RELEASES

C-tree™ by FairCom®

Affordable, ultra high performance, multi-threaded, transaction processing server. Intermediate transaction saves points. Audit logs allow data and index restoration to any previous state. True on-line recovery. High level of user concurrency, individual record locking, and automatic deadlock detection. List: $395 Ours: $315

CASE:PM for "C" 2.0 by Caseworks

A prototyping, code generating, and maintenance tool that monitors the SAA guidelines to let programmers develop SAA compliant applications for the OS/ 2 Presentation Manager more quickly and easily than ever before. List: S1495 Ours: $1420

Data Junction

by Tools & Techniques

Universal conversion tool that translates to and from all popular database, spreadsheet, ASCII and binary files. Logic available to extract, rearrange and edit records, fields and characters. Batch mode option. Standard List: S99 Ours: $89

Professional List: $199 Ours: $179 Advanced List: $299 Ours: $269

Programmer's Paradise 445^899

Don't let the bugs take over!

MULTISCOPE DEBUGGERS for

Windows, OS/2, and DOS will help you fight the nastiest bugs!

EVTE

DISTINCnON

INFO WORLD

1989

+ * *

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

The three time award-winning MuUiScope OS/2 Debugger technology has now been tailored for the Windows 3-0 and DOS environments! The MulttScope Debuggers for Windows and DOS provide full support for the debugging of Windows 3-0 applications, in addition to advanced debugging capabilities for debugging DOS programs.

The MultiScope Debuggers provide easy to use, IBM SAA standard Windows, Presentation Manager, and character mode user interfaces. The Debuggers are 100% CodeView information compatible, and provide support for register parameters. C 6.0 support. The package includes both Run-Time and Post-Mortem debuggers: the Run-Time debugger allows you to dynamically step through and examine the operation of your program; the Post-Mortem debugger allows you to examine the state of your program after a crash. Special TSR programs included in the package allow

you to monitor the execution of your Windows 3.0 programs, and provide a dump of your application's memory after a Run-Time exception. The MultiScope Debuggers support complete expression evaluation for C, Pascal, and Modula-2. They also include complete 80386/486 watchpoint support, virtual machine DOS debugging, advanced data browsing capabilities, graphical representation of data structures, LAN and serial remote, and dual monitor debugging. With all this and more, the MultiScope Debuggers will help you fight the bugs as you fight the deadlines.

The 15 MultiScope Views

Source Log Output Thread Call Help Breakpoint Watch

Memory Module Graphic Data Procedure Register Data Assembly

Won t leave you hanging in a Palm Tree!

What's beiimg said aboiafc MmltiScopel

"If you want an extremely powerful OS/2 Debugger, RUN, don't walk to your nearest "Programmer's Paradise" for Logitech's MultiScope Debugger, which makes debugging a real snap." BYTE 2/90

"MultiScope OS/2 Debugger Is the debugger that should have been included with the Presentation Manager." PC Magazine 10/89

"MultiScope lets you focus on the problem to be solved rather than the tool used to solve it." IEEE Software 11/89

PRICE LIST

MultiScope for OS/2 List: $449 Ours: $345

MultiScope for Windows List: $379 Oiirs: $289 MultiScope for DOS List: $179 Oiirs: $135

"I haven't seen any other debugger that has the power and flexibility, as well as being user friendly.' PC Week

MultiScope, Inc.

(a Logitech company)

mm

Circle 242 on Reader Service Card

Guaranteed Best Prices!

(800) 445-7899.

Our Guarantee...

Products listed here are

backed by the following guarantee*:

Should you see one of these products Usted at a lower price in another ad In this

magazine, CALL US! We'll beat the price, and stiU offer our same quality service and support.

LIST OURS

XENIX/UNIX

Epsilon

195

169

Interactive 386/ix Complete

1239

929

Interactive 386/ix Comp. NVU

1735

1299

Interactive (All other products)

CALL

CALL

JAM

1050

839

JAM DBi

975

779

LPI-BASIC

695

569

LPI-COBOL

1495

1199

LPI-FORTRAN

995

799

tPI-PLTI

1995

1599

MKS RCS

395

335

MKS Trilogy

119

105

Micro Focus VS/COBOL Comp.

2495

2119

Panel Plus II

795

639

RM/COBOL 85 (Unix 386)

2250

1909

SCO 286 Complete

1495

1193

SCO 386 Complete

1595

1275

SCO (All other products)

CALL

CALL

Terminal Control

995

849

VEDIT PLUS

285

249

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS

APfPLUS

695

549

Janus Ada/Compiler System

300

269

Lattice RPG

1600

1285

Meridian AdaStudent

50

45

Meridian Ada Developer's Kit

1095

985

MKS AWK

99

85

Personal Rexx

150

139

SMS

495

445

Softprobe 86/TX

395

CALL

Spellcode

99

89

APPLICATION SOFTWARi

b

COMMUNICATIONS

BLAST II

250

225

Carbon Copy Plus

199

129

DeskLink

170

129

Laplink III

150

99

PC Anywhere III

145

99

Procomm Plus

75

50

SideTalk

120

90

DESKTOP PUBLISHING

Adobe Illustrator

695

409

Corel Draw!

595

399

Gem Desktop Publisher

299

183

HALO DPE

195

139

Lattice HighStyle

375

319

MKS SQPS

495

479

PageMaker

795

509

Ventura Publisher

895

525

MATHEMATICS

Derive

200

179

MathCAD

495

315

Mathematica 386

695

625

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

AutoCAD Release 10

3000

CALL

AutoSketch

150

95

ChiWriter

150

129

Control System Toolbox

495

375

CSS

495

469

DADiSP

895

759

Design CAD 3-D

400

292

Drafix Windows CAD

695

CALL

EXACT

475

380

* Terms of Offer:

Offer good through June 30, 1990 Applicable to pricing on current versions of software listed; June issue prices only. Offer does not apply towards obvious errors in competitors' ads.

LIST OURS

SriENCE & ENr.lNEERING

Generic CADD Level 3

300

179

LABTECH Acquire

195

179

LABTECH Notebook

995

779

MICRO-CAP III

1495

1269

Oread PCB

1495

CALL

PC TEX

249

229

SCHEMA li-l

495

449

STATCRAPHICS

895

586

Tango PCB Series II

595

559

TECH-GRAPH'PAD

395

319

T^

595

479

SPREADSHEETS

Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.0

595

389

Lucid 3-D

149

99

NAicrosoft Excel

495

319

QuBttro Professional

495

329

SuperCa Ic5

495

319

UTILITIES

386 MAX

75

66

386 MAX Professional

129

115

above DISC

119

84

DOS Partner

99

89

Dr. Switch DeveloperPak

89

FASTBACK Plus

189

109

HeadRoom 2.0

130

109

Help Build

249

179

MACE GOLD

149

129

Magellan

195

CALL

Memory Mate

70

47

MKS Toolkit

249

199

Move'em

89

79

Norton Commander

149

98

Norton Utilities

100

65

Norton Utilities Advanced

150

99

PC Tools Deluxe

149

95

Pizazz Plus

149

79

Software Carousel

90

72

SpinRite I]

89

75

XTreePro

129

109

WORD PROCESSING

Ami

199

129

Microsoft Word

450

279

WordPerfect 5.1

495

CALL

WordStar

495

23

SOFTWARE FOR SUN

WORKSTATIONS

NEWT

Basmark QuickBASIC

CALL

CALL

C Programmer's Toolbox/ Sun

495

449

Edix

425

339

EMACS for Sun

395

369

Eroff

CALL

CALL

Informix

CALL

CALL

Lotus 1-2-3 for Sun

695

CALL

Lotus 1 -2-3 for Sun Server

995

CALL

Lotus 1-2-3 for Sun Node

495

CALL

Mathematica for Sun

CALL

CALL

NeuralWorks Professional 11

4093

CALL

Panel Plus (Sun 3)

1595

1355

WordPerfect for Sun

495

CALL

Programmer's Policies

Phone Orders

Hours 8:30 AM-7 PM EST. We accept MC,Visa, AMEX. Domestic shipments, please add $5 per item for shipping/ handling by UPS ground. For domestic COD shipments, please add $3. Rush service available.

Mail or FAX Orders

POs are welcome. Please include phone number.

International Service

Phone number required with order. Call or FAX for additional information.

Dealers and Corporate Accounts

Call for information.

Unbeatable Prices

We'll beat the competition's advertised prices. (Subject to same terms and conditions.) Prices subject to change without notice.

Return Policy

30 days. Due to copyright laws, we cannot take back software with the disk seal broken unless authorized by the manufacturer. Returned product must include R.A. number.

ATTENTION CORPORATE CUSTOMERS, Call Your Corporate Hotline (800) 422-6507

Select from over 4,500 titles-and we special order too! Get quick delivery at great prices on Microsoft, Borland, Lotus...etc. (We buy software directly from all the major publishers, and keep plenty of stock on hand.) Ask about volume purchase agreements, contracts, and personally assigned inside and outside sales representatives (CORSOFT Division).

ACTOR 2.0- -New Version-More Memory

Actor® 2.0 is a significantly enhanced version of Actor, the most productive way to write programs for Microsoft Windows. Actor is an interactive, object-oriented programming system, featuring a large class library and sourcecode debugging. Since its release in T987, Actor has enabled thousands of developers to learn object-oriented programming while creating MS-Windows applications in half the time it takes in C. This new version breaks the 640K barrier with automatic memory swapping. It also includes support for user-detined primitives, as well as advanced objectoriented programming features.

List: $695 Ours: $559 ^ The Whitewater Group® HALO Window Toolkit: The Windowing Alternative

The HALO Window Toolkit is a graphical user ir\terface tool that speeds development of graphics and imaging applications.

Extensive memory management facility detects and uses internal, extended, expanded and disk memory as needed Includes HALO graphics toolkit Supports wide variety of graphics displays (including high resolution), imaging devices, printers and scanners Practical time-saver for Microsoft C Programmers

Provides a source code compatible develop

rMFDlA P^'^ '° target both the DOS and OS/2

r-VDCDMiTTir-c operating environments

LYBhKlNtllLb List: $595 Ours: $419

Lattice 80386 C Development System

Full 32-bit power programming tools let you create the fastest programs in the shortest time. You get the complete Lattice C Development System for DOS & OS/2 with the Optimizing Lattice C Compiler, Lattice 80386 DOS Extender, CodePRobe debugger. Assembler, and all libraries and utilities performancetuned to take advantage of the 80386. All your existing source code is upwardly compatible with the new Lattice 80386 C Compiler. Simply recompile your DOS applications and have them automatically optimized to take advantage of 386 32-bit power. List: $895 Ours: $719

International: 201-389-9228 Customer Service: 201-389-9229 Fax: 201-389-9227

Corporate: 800-422-6507 Canada: 800-445-7899

Call or Write for Latest Free Catalog!

1.800.445-7899

A Division of Voyager Software Corp

1163 Shrewsbury Ave., Shrewsbury, NJ 07702

Programmer's Paradise

(800) 445-7899

BLAISE

C Asynch Manager ASYNCH PLUS C Tools PLUS/6.0 EXEC Key Pilot Pascal TOOLS Pascal TOOLS 2 Pascal TOOLS/TOOLS 2 Power Search Power Screen Power Tools Plus RUNOFF Turbo C TOOLS View 232 1.0

BORLAND

Eureka; The Solver Paradox 3.0 Paradox LAN Pack Paradox OS/2 Paradox 386 Quattro Professional Reflex V. 2.0 SideKick

SideKick for OS/2 SideKick Plus Sprint

Turbo Assembler/Debugger Turbo Basic

Database Toolbox

Editor Toolbox Turbo C 2.0

Turbo C 2.0 Professional Turbo Lightning

Lightning Word Wizard Turbo Lightning and Lightning

Word Wizard Turbo Pascal 5.0 Turbo Pascal 5.0 Professional

Database Toolbox

Editor Toolbox

Gameworks Toolbox

Graphix Toolbox

Numerical Methods Toolbox Turbo Pascal Developer's Library Turbo Prolog

Turbo Prolog Toolbox

DIGITALK

Smalltalk/V

Communications

EGA/VGA Color Extension

Goodies #1, #2 or #3 Smalitalk/V 286 Smalltalk/V MAC Smalltalk/V PM

189 189 149 95 50 125 100 175 149 149 149 50 149 189

167 725 995 725 895 495

139 139 115

75

39 109

89 135 109 109 109

45 109 149

117 507 697 507 625 329

250 175 85 60

250 200 200 150 100 100 100 150 250 100 70

150 150 250 100 100 100 100 100

175 139 139 105 69 69 69 105 175 69 49

105 105 175 69 69 69 69 69

395 279 150 105

100 50 50 50 200 200 500

85 45 45 45 169 169 399

FAIRCOM

c-tree 395 315

w/ r-tree 650 519

w/ r-tree, d-tree CALL CALL

d-ttee 495 395

r-tree 295 239

FairCom Toolbox Prof. Edition 1095 789

FairCom Toolbox Special Edition 695 509

GREENLEAF SOFTWARE INC.

Greenleaf Business MathLib 395 339

Greenleaf CommLib 299 249

Greenleaf DataMath Interface 75 69

Greenleaf DataWindows 395 339

Greenleaf DataWindows, OS/2 395 339

Greenleaf Functions 229

Greenleaf MakeForm 125

Greenleaf SuperFunctions 299

Greenleaf ViewComm 559

209 119 239 489

ICC

VM/386

VM/386 Multiuser

VM 386 Multiuser Starter

VM/386 NetPak

LAHEY

A.I. Developer's Kit OP/SYS Lahey F77L

Lahey F77L-EM/16 (w/ OS/286) Lahey F77L-EM/32 (w/OS/286) Lahey Personal FORTRAN 77 w/ Toolkit

245 895 395 150

495 595 895 1090 95 119

209 839 339 129

459 535 799 979 89 105

My diredT'source for Mkmsoft products

Programmer's Paradise offers the complete

software product line for publishing giants such as Microsoft, Borland, Lotus, and Software Publishing, as well as dozens of other important software publishers. Most of these products are stocked items.

Call for immediate delivery!

LIST OURS

LIST OURS

LATTICE

MICROSOFT (^contmued)

68000 C X-Compiler

900

769

MS Mach 20

495

329

Curses

123

109

MS Macro Assembler

150

105

dBC III

250

229

MS Mouse Bus or Serial:

dSC III Plus

500

439

w/ Paintbrush & Mouse Menus

150

105

HighStyle

375

319

w/ Paintbrush & Windows

200

149

Lattice 80286 C Develop. System

495

395

MS Multiplan

195

136

Lattice 80366 C Develop. System

895

715

MS OS/2 Presentation Mgr. TIkt.

500

349

Lattice C Compiler 6.0

250

189

MS Pascal for DOS or OS/2

300

209

Lattice Communications Library

250

209

MS Presentation Manager Softset

150

105

RPG 3.0

1600

1285

MS Programmer's Library-CD

395

277

SecretDisk II

125

109

MS Project

495

329

SecretDisk II Administrator

500

429

MS QuickBASIC 4.5

99

69

SideTalk

125

109

MS QuickC 2.0

99

69

SSP/PC

350

299

MS QuickC w/ QuickAssembler

199

139

Z80 C X-Compiler

500

449

MS QuickPASCAL

99

59

MS Sort

195

139

LOTUS

MS Windows

99

69

Agenda

395

299

MS Windows/386

195

136

Freelance Plus

495

347

MS Windows Development Kit

500

349

Lotus 1-2-3 2.2

495

329

MS Word

450

279

Lotus 1-2-3 3.0

595

389

MS Word for Windows

495

349

Magellan

195

CALL

MS Works

149

105

Manuscript

495

326

Symphony 2+

695

499

MORTICE KERN SYSTEMS

MKS AWK

99

85

MEDIA CYBERNETICS

for OS/2

179

159

Dr. HALO III

140

99

for DOS & OS/2

199

179

HALO DPE

195

139

MKS LEX:YACC

249

199

HALO

395

279

for OS/2

349

295

HALO for OS/2

695

489

for DOS i OS/2

399

339

HALOvision III

495

349

MKS MAKE

149

129

HALO Window Toolkit

595

419

for OS/2

249

199

HALO for Microsoft Developers

595

419

for DOS i OS/2

299

259

MKS Programming Platform

665

565

MICROGRAFX

for OS/2

995

839

ClipArt Collections

250

189

for DOS & OS/2

1149

989

ClipArt Special Editions

150

109

MKS RCS

189

159

Designer v3.0

695

455

for OS/2

289

245

Draw Plus vl .0

395

258

for DOS & OS/2

339

289

Graph Plusvl.3

495

324

MKS Software Mgmt. Team

299

255

XPort v1.0

395

258

for 05/2

449

399

for DOS & OS/2

499

429

MICROSOFT

MKS SQPS

495

479

MS BASIC Prof. Devel. System

495

349

MKS Toolkit

249

199

MS C 6.0

495

329

for OS/2

349

295

MS Chart

395

277

for DOS & OS/2

399

339

MS COBOL

900

629

MKS Trilogy

119

105

MS Excel

495

319

MKS Vi

149

129

MS FORTRAN for DOS or OS/2

450

299

for OS/2

199

159

MS Learning DOS

50

35

for DOS/OS/2

229

199

Btrieve Single-User

245

185

Btrieve for DOS 3.1 Networks

595

459

595

459

Btrieve for XENIX

595

459

C Network Compiler

695

559

C Network Compiler/386

995

799

NetWare C Interlace tor DOS

295

239

NetWare MHS

100

79

NetWare MHS Interface Guide

145

129

NetWare RPC

950

749

NetWare RPC for OS/2

1700

1359

Netware SQL

595

459

NetWare System Calls for DOS

195

159

XQL

795

597

Xtrieve PLUS

595

459

Xtrieve PLUS for OS/2

595

459

SAGE SOFTWARE

C Beautifier

50

42

PFinish

295

259

Pfix86plus

295

259

Plink86plus

495

399

99

85

OS/2 Version

199

179

PolyBoost II

80

72

PolyDoc

199

169

PolvLibrarian

99

85

PolyLibrarian II

149

125

PolyMake 3.0

149

125

PolyShell

99

85

PolyXRef

99

85

Professional PVCS (Corporate)

495

419

w/ PolyMake for OS/2

695

589

PVCS/MAKE for OS/2

395

335

Sage Professional Editor

295

249

w/ Mouse Support

395

335

SOFTWARE PUBLISHING

Harvard Graphics

495

339

Harvard Graphics Draw Partner

149

99

Harvard Project Manager

695

489

Oft'iceWriter

495

339

OfficeWriter LAN (3 users)

995

699

PFS:Fir5t Choice

169

105

PFS:First Choice LAN Pack

475

325

PFS:First Graphics

149

99

PFS:First Publisher

129

89

Professional File

299

199

Professional Plan

99

69

Professional Write

229

149

SOUTH MOUNTAIN

Breakout-II

125

99

C Utility Library

249

199

Essential B-Tree

199

149

Essential Communications

329

299

Essential Graphics

399

349

w/ source code

1398

1119

Hold Everything

129

109

/•resident CV w/source

249

199

TURBOPOWER SOFTWARE

B-tree Filer

125

109

Multi-user w/ Network Support

175

145

Object Professional

125

109

Turbo Analyst 5.0

99

89

Turbo Professional

125

109

THE WHITEWATER GROUP

Actor

695

559

Language Extensions 1

99

85

Whitewater Resource Toolkit

195

169

WinTrieve

395

339

ZORTECH

Zortech C Video Course

300

269

Zortech C+-^ Compiler V2.0

200

165

w/source

300

259

Zonech C++ Debugger V2.0

150

129

Zortech C++ Developer's Edition

450

399

Zortech C++ Tools V2.0

150

129

Zortech C++ Video Course

500

449

ASK BYTE

out. Maybe if you promised not to audit them ?

In any case, you're not stuck. You could always sell the LaserJet 500+ and buy a new printer, or sell your copies of Print Shop and look at some other software. Print Shop is a nice package, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding someone to take it off your hands.

-H. E.

The Limiting Factor

I have a Tandy 1000 TX with two 3'/2inch floppy disk drives, a 286 processor, a 32-MB hard disk drive card, a 2400bps modem, a mouse, and 640K bytes of RAM (expandable to 768K bytes on the motherboard). I am using two of my 10inch expansion slots, which leaves me three slots not in use. The question is, can I add memory boards? Can I add an external drive? Is my power supply the main limitation to my expansion capabilities? If so, does anyone produce a power supply unit that will fit into my computer?

One problem that I have occurs when I use PC SHELL from memory-resident PCTools 5.5:1 find myself out of memory. I usually use WordPerfect 5.0 and Reflex 2.0. I have problems with anything that requires 640K bytes (and some programs that require 512K bytes). I plan on expanding to 768K bytes as soon as I can get the chips, but I would like to expand past that point.

L. David Morris Milan, TN

You 're absolutely right: Your power supply is a serious limitation. The 1000 TX came standard with a miniature 67-watt power supply. Tandy does not support an upgraded power supply for that model; in fact, the company seems to frown on the very idea. Most Tandy Computer Centers don't suggest a second hard card for the 1000 TX for fear of blowing the power supply.

Your troubles are compounded by the small physical size of your present unit. Perhaps the people at PC Power and Cooling could help you (31510 Mountain Way, Bonsall, CA 92003, (619) 7239513). They specialize in power supplies. I found a 200-W supply with petite dimensions (5y,o by 5'/2 by 3% inches) and standard motherboard connections, but I'm not sure of the exact size you require. Measure your power supply and give PC Power and Cooling a call.

That's not your only limitation, however. The 1000 TX is a bit of a hybrid. Although it sports a 286 processor, it runs on an 8-bit bus, so it is really an XT

compatible model. Also, as you mention, it will not take full-length cards. I looked through a JDR Microdevices catalog and found some memory-expansion boards and disk drive controller cards that would fit in your computer, but a technician at JDR told me that Tandy compatibility is a hit-or-miss proposition. Fortunately, JDR has a 30-day money-back guarantee. I suggest ordering the card you want, testing it in the 1000 TX, and returning it if you have any problems. To order a catalog from JDR Microdevices, call (800) 538-5001.

Intel has no memory-expansion cards less than 10 inches long. AST Research does, but a technician there also warned me about Tandy's hardware incompatibility. Tandy machines run PC software without a problem, but the hardware does not strictly follow IBM specifications. The AST technician suggested that I stick with Tandy products.

Tandy does offer some solutions. The company sells an expanded memory board specifically for the 1000 line. For reasons only Tandy would know, the folks there call it the Micro-Mini Mainframe. They also sell a 20-MB hard disk drive card for the 1000 TX that supports a second external hard disk drive. The external drive should house its own power supply. If your hard disk drive card is not the standard Tandy model, call the vendor who sold you the card and ask if it supports a second external drive.

I suggest that you work around your memory limitations. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to run WordPerfect and Reflex with the hardware you now own. First of all, I would avoid memory-resident software. You should run PC Shell from the command line, not as a TSR program. The only thing you lose is hot-key access to the program and the ability to cut and paste to the clipboard from external applications. That is a small price. Any time that you need your PCTools utilities, you can just type in poshell for PC Shell or desktop/or PC Desktop. You can also add the pcshell command to the end of your AUTOEXEC file so your computer will load PC Shell each time you turn on your computer.

I would not run your application programs from the PC Shell user-defined menu, either. You would still have the shell stealing precious RAM. Instead, simply exit from the shell and fire up your application. It should run within 640K bytes without any hassle. If you really must run PCTools in resident mode, use the /RTINY switch (shell/RT) to cut the kernel size down to 9K bytes or so. The program will take a bit more time to acti

vate, but you 'II have more memory for those hungry applications.

For more tips on working within the 640K-byte memory barrier, see the In Depth section of the March BYTE—Life Within 1 Megabyte. If you acquire expanded memory and insist on running resident software, you should get a copy of PopDrop Plus or another utility that keeps your TSR programs organized.

-S. D.

Manual Labor

I have purchased a used TEC serial printer whose model number is F10-40.1 am looking for a source to find an owner's manual or a photocopy of one. My local computer store can't help me. Can you?

Dave Grunewaldt Eau Claire, WI

I'm a little confused. The model number that you mention is a C. Itoh printer, manufactured by TEC. If that's true, the printer should say "C. Itoh " on it somewhere.

Assuming that you in fact have a C. Itoh printer, owner's manuals are available directly from the company by calling (800) 347-2484 and asking for Customer Service at ext. 6105.—H. E.

FIXES

• The correct price for Lotus Manuscript, mentioned in Wayne Rash Jr.'s Down to Business column (January), is $495. Also, WordPerfect has a screen capture utility called Grab.

• The proper reference to the Super VHS connection in Phillip Robinson's "The Four Multimedia Gospels" (February) should have been " Y/C," rather than yellow/cyan. The Y/C refers to the separation of the Y (luminance) and C (chrominance) signals.

• The contact point for the Interlink network mentioned in "State of the BBS Nation" (January) is Andy Keeves's Executive Network BBS, the international host for InterLink, which can be reached at (914) 667-4567.

• Regarding the January Short Take on the Opus Portable Mainframe, the correct maximum data transfer rate for the AT bus is 6 megabytes per second.

• Novell does offer upgrade options to NetWare 386 ("NetWare 386: Less Pain, Great Gain," March). Prices range from $2495 to $7580, depending on the version of NetWare you want to upgrade. ■

40D BYTE* JUNE 1990

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WHAT'S New

HARDWARE • SYSTEMS

Dell Introduces

a Faster SX

in a Large Chassis

Dell's 20-MHz 386SXbased system includes 1 MB of RAM, a 40-MB 28ms hard disk drive, and a monochrome VGA monitor.

The motherboard features room for up to 8 MB, embedded floppy and hard disk drive controllers, embedded I/O with one parallel and two serial ports, and a socket for the new 20-MHz 80387SX math coprocessor. Price: $2899. Contact: Dell Computer Corp., 9505 Arboretum Blvd., Austin, TX 78759. (512) 338-4400. Inquiry 1121.

Low-Priced Unix Workstation Features i486

Standard features of the PWS/425C, a short-tower Unix system, include 4 MB

of RAM (expandable to 16 MB), a 105-MB SCSI hard disk drive, and a 16-inch color monitor with 1024- by 768pixel resolution. Also included are a 101-key keyboard, a mouse, a 16-bit Ethernet controller and TCP/IP support, and your choice of a 3 '/2- or 5V4-inch high-capacity floppy disk drive.

The motherboard has one parallel and two serial ports, a socket for a Weitek WTL4167 math coprocessor, and slots for two 16-bit addin cards. Bundled with the

PWS/425C are Interactive Systems' Unix V 3.2 and version 11.3 of the X Window System.

The PWS/425C measures 8 by 12 by 16 inches. An optional 9- by 18- by 24-inch full-tower version has room for eight half-height 514-inch disk drives.

Price: $9995; with eight-bay tower, $10,490. Contact: Mobius Computer Corp., 1717 Embarcadero Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303. (800) 662-4871 or (415) 493-7777. Inquiry 1120.

The Sharp PC-6220 is a notebook-size 12-MHz 286 machine that features a backlit LCD screen.

It has a footprint the size of a standard piece of paper (8'/4by 11 inches), and it's only 1-/5 inches thick. The system weighs 4 pounds, including an internal nickel-cadmium battery that will last for 2 hours.

The 20-MB 23-ms hard disk drive is internal, and you can upgrade standard memory from 1 to 3 MB. The 10

inch screen features Sharp's "triple supertwist" LCD technology to give high contrast.

An optional expansion unit has room for AT-compatible add-in cards and a 3'/2-inch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive. Price: Under $4000. Contact: Sharp Electronics Corp., Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, NJ 07430, (201)529-8974. Inquiry 1122.

Arches Come in Two Shapes

Arche Technologies has introduced two inexpensive 25-MHz 386 systems: the Rival 386-25 desktop system and the Pro-File 386-25 tower system.

Both systems include 1 MB of RAM (expandable to 8 MB on the motherboard), a

5 W-inch 1.2-MB floppy disk drive, a controller that supports two floppy and two hard disk drives, a 101-key keyboard, an I/O card with two serial and two parallel ports,

a 200- or 275-W power supply, and Arche's own BIOS.

The Rival desktop system, which measures 16'/2 by 17 by

6 inches and weighs 28 pounds, can house two additional disk drives (one internal) . It also can hold one additional 8-bit card and five additional 16-bit cards.

The Pro-File tower system, with the more powerful 275-W power supply, measures 24 by 5 V2 by 19'/2 inches and weighs 52 pounds. Price: Rival 386-25, $2655; Pro-File 386-25, $2955. Contact: Arche Technologies, Inc., 48881 KatoRd., Fremont, CA 94539, (800) 422-4674 or (415) 623-8100. Inquiry 1123.

42 BYTE' JUNE 1990

HARDWARE • PERIPHERALS

IBM's $1495 Laser Printer E is PostScript-capable.

Color Your Projected Images

The Proxima Data Display VersaColor is a fullcolor LCD projection panel with its own microprocessor. It is capable of displaying 512 simultaneous colors from a VGA format or from your Macintosh.

The panel makes colors by using three separate LCD panels, one each for red. yellow, and blue. Each panel can display several levels of color using proprietary coloring techniques.

The panel has a maximum resolution of 720 by 480 pixels and provides VGA compati

bility in text and graphics modes and high-resolution compatibility with the Macintosh in 640- by 480-pixel modes. For faster displays of simple graphics and text, the panel can be toggled to an eight-color binary mode.

The panel measures 12'^ by 12 by 1% inches and weighs 6 pounds. It has controls (some of which are programmable) for things like positioning the display and altering tint. You can also control the panel with an infrared remotecontrol device. Price: S6499.

Contact: Computer Accessories Corp.. 6610 Nancy Ridge Dr., San Diego, CA 92121, (619) 457-5500. Inquiry 1130.

IBM Targets LaserJet IIP with New $1495 Laser Printer

The Laser Printer E, which prints at 5 ppm, is much like the 10-ppm printer that IBM introduced last fall. Both feature five portrait fonts, five landscape fonts, and an optional PostScript module.

Standard equipment includes a 200-sheet paper tray and 512K bytes of RAM (expandable to 3.5 MB).

The user-installable PostScript module includes 17 resident outline fonts. Another option lets you serially connect up to six personal computers. Upgrading the new model to a 10-ppm system involves replacing the printer's motherboard. Price: SI495; PostScript module. S499; 10-ppm motherboard, SI099. Contact: IBM Corp., National Distribution Division, One Paragon Dr., Montvale, NJ 07645^ (800) 426-2468. Inquiry 1131.

NEC Introduces New CD-ROM Drives

Two SCSI-based CDROM readers called the Intersect CDR-72 and CDR82 are external and internal (respectively) 514-inch units that read multiple formats of 650-MB CD-ROM cartridges.

NEC says that the readers support IBM High Sierra, Apple Macintosh HPS, and ISO 9660 formats. They're also compatible with Apple's HyperCard.

Data transfer rates are 150K bytes per second in continuous-read mode and 1.5 MB per second in burst mode. Typical seek time is 350 ms. The external model measures 9'/4 by 2'/4 by 9\ inches and weighs 7% pounds. Interfaces are optional.

Price: Intersect CDR-72, S999; Intersect CDR-82, S899; XT/AT interface, S249; PS/2 interface, S299; Mac interface, $99; ProSpeedLTX interface, $199.

Contact: NEC Technologies, Inc.. 1255 Michael Dr., Wood Dale. IL 60191, (708) 860-9500. Inquiry 1127.

continued

SPREAD THE WORD

Yournewproduct is important to us. Please address information to New Products Editors, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Better yet, use your modem and mail new product information to the microbytes.hw or microbytes.sw conferences on BIX. Please send the product description, price, ship date, and an address and telephone number where readers can get more information.

JUNE 1990 "BYTE 43

WHAT'S NEW

HARDWARE • ADD-INS

Award Software's ROS Card is just the operating sxstein DR DOS ordered.

DR DOS on a Plug-In Card for Diskless Boot-Up

The ROS (ROMed Operating System) 8-bit plugin card for IBM PC compatibles lets you boot Digital Research's DR DOS operating system without a disk drive.

Until now. Award Software has offered DR DOS in silicon or as software modules of object code. DR DOS is a version of MS-DOS developed to be put in ROM and used in laptops and other systems. It offers all the standard features of MS-DOS plus capabilities added by Digital Research.

Award Software says that booting from the new halflength ROS Card saves your hard disk drive about 41K bytes of RAM. ROS comes with 256K bytes of RAM, which includes the operating system and bundled software utilities. The company also says that ROS removes some of the problems of booting MSDOS from disk drives, such as the possibility of accidental file corruption or deletion. And it should provide some level of protection against computer viruses.

Another way to acquire DR DOS is to buy the ROS System Builders Kit, which includes DR DOS and software to build ROM images for your own EPROM software. ROS can be set up to always boot from the DR DOS EPROMs or to boot selectively from a disk drive or the EPROMs.

Price: S199; ROS System Builders Kit, S299. Contact: Award Software, Inc., BOKnowles Dr.. Los Gatos. CA 95030. (408) 370-7979. Inquiry 1140.

Would You Like a DOS System with That Mac?

The Mac/DOS 286sx, a 12-MHz 286 coprocessor card for your Mac II's NuBus slot, lets you take advantage of DOS applications, including networking.

It includes 1 MB of RAM, a serial and a parallel port, and support for Apple's FDHD

The InfoChip Expanz! is a compression coprocessor card with a proprietary chip that compresses data on random-access data storage devices, such as floppy and hard disk drives.

Expanz! offers transparent compression and decompression and does not slow your access to the stored data, the manufacturer says. The method of compression is "lossless" as compared to video compression, where a certain amount of data can be lost but is not noticeable when you look at the compressed and decompressed video.

The 8-bit half-length Ex

Superdrive, which means that the Superdrive can read from DOS-formatted 3'/2-inch 1.44MB floppy disk drives.

Features include support for Dynafile 5 Vi - and 3 '/2-inch disk drives and external SCSI drives, plus the ability to transfer and convert files from one format to another. Price: $1295. Contact: Univation, Inc.. 513 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035,(408)263-1200. Inquiry 1134.

panz! will work with any DOS 3.x application and averages a 2.5-to-l compression ratio. That means that your 20-MB hard disk drive will hold about 50 MB of data, and your 100-MB SCSI drive will hold 250 MB. The overhead for compression on a hard disk drive averages 3 percent of the size of the original hard disk drive, or less than 1 MB in the case of a 20-MB drive.

Once you have Expanz! installed on your XT or AT and you are ready to compress the files on your 20MB hard disk drive, the compression process takes about 10 minutes.

Dictating to the Dragon

Dragon Systems recently upgraded its DragonDictate system to recognize 25.000 spoken words. You can also now dictate as fast as 40 words per minute, and you can teach DragonDictate an additional 5000 words, including names, parts numbers, and legal and technical terms.

The system consists of an add-in card for 386 machines (20- or 25-MHz recommended), software that handles word recognition, and a headset microphone. You need at least 8 MB of memory.

The voice-recognition hardware, based on a Texas Instruments 32010 digital signal processor, digitizes the speech and checks each word against its 25,000-word database. Price: S9000. Contact: Dragon Systems, Inc., Chapel Bridge Park, 90 Bridge St.. Newton. MA 02158, (617) 965-5200. Inquiry 1136.

continued

Thereafter, Expanz! will compress and decompress files as you use your computer. And because you are then reading compressed files (e.g., three sectors of the disk now map to one), the read time is somewhat faster than it was with uncompressed files. The time will not be substantially less for hard disk drive reads, but floppy disk drive reads are said to be about three times faster.

Price: S199.

Contact: InfoChip Systems, Inc.. 2840 San Tomas Expy.. Santa Clara, CA 95051,(408) 727-0514. Inquiry 1133.

Double Your Data Storage Capacity with $199 Card

44 BYTE' JUNE 1990

C Programmers Talk About Their DBMS

if

erformance ^'-''^^ times faster than any other DBMS."

Bruce Kyle. Software Consultant. Wyatt Software

"We're staggered by the speed of db_VISTA III, which remains constant regardless of file size. This feature, plus impeccable integrity made db_VISTA III an easy conclusion to months of market research."

Stephen Meehan. Programmer/Analyst, Seaboard Life Insurance

Flexibility

" Nobody else gives me the flexibility to manipulate my DBMS application like db_VISTA III. And db_QUERYand db_REVISE provide powerful tools for querying and restructuring the database...no other product compares!"

Mark Thomann. Senior Analyst. Taco Bell

Portability | "db_VISTA III with source code allowed us to port our Airport Automation System from MS-DOS to StratusA^OS quickly and painlessly."

Jon Stephenson, President, ICCI

Source Code "db_VISTA III with source code gives me outstanding flexibility and is the best form of documentation money can buy."

Paul Cadaret, President. Unicon

"We chose db_VISTA III because it's royalty-free and written in C. We were able to create a product so much better than anything else on the market that it was selling by word of mouth before the promotional literature went out."

Jeff Bean. President, CWC Software

"db VISTA III on the PC is the only DBMS that I have found sophisticated enough to do the kinds of access tracking we require, and do it quicker and cheaper than the way it is now done on a large VAX cluster system."

Larry Desonier, Member of the Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories

db VISTAm

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Database Management System

Raima Corporation 3245 146th Place S.E., Bellevue. WA 98007 USA (206)747-5570

FAX:(206)747.|991 Telex: 6503018237 MCI UW International Distributors: Germany:07127/3244 France: (1)46 092784 U.K.:{0992).3009I9 Smteerland:(01l725O4l0 Netlierlands:(0215yM68l4 Sweden:(013)124780 Denmarli: (2)887249 Italy: {»5/58471l Nomay: (02)44 88 55. (3)89 2240 Austria:02243-81861 U.Sii.R.:(812l292-l9-65. (OI42)43-79-52. (0132)35-99-08 Australia: 024197177 Japan: (03 rt73 7432 Taiivan:(02)511 3277 Mexico: (83) 57 35 94 Central America: 2807 64 Argentina: 1 313 5371 Chile: 26964308 Uruguay: 2 92 0959 Brazil: 011 5-32 1689 ©Copyrighl 1990 Raima Corporation

C programmers around the world are talking about db_VISTA III from Raima. Call today to discuss your DBMS requirements, and ask for our Lit-Pac that contains technical specifications, benchmarks, and DBMS success stories.

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Like your friendly neighborhood And, quite frankly, we're not the

mailman, you can always count on only ones who think so. Microsoft to deliver Because no matter Word for Windows^ our graphics

what kind of based PC program, was rated the best

system you're word processor by InfoWorld. While its

currently us- character-based counterpart. Word 5.0,

ing, we offer was given Software Digests highest

the best word rating. There's a Word 5.0 for XENIX,

processing too. And last, but not least. Word 4.0

application, for the Macintosh; which also received

Customers inside the 5() United States, call (800) 541-1261. Dept. L02. In Canada, call (416) 673-7638. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call (206) 882-8661. © 1990 Micmsoft Corporation All rights resenvd

nviiDmnents is our motto, too

Software Digests highest overall rating.

But while they're considered superior individually, few people realize how well our Words work together They not only read and write to each other, but to other programs as well. So file sharing couldn't be easier

And switching from your existing program is also painless, thanks to context-sensitive, on-line help and

complete file conversion capabilities.

For more information about the Word family, including our soonto-be-released OS/2 version, call us at (800) 541-1261, Department L02.

We'd ask you to write, but mail carriers work hard enough already.

Mkmsoft

Making it all make sense"

Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks and Making it all make sense is a trademark of Microsoft Corporalion.Macinlosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc.

WHAT'S NEW

HARDWARE • OTHER

Replace That Old Power Supply with a UPS

The InnerSource 2210 internal uninterruptible power supply from PC Power & Cooling is a power supply with a maintenance-free 12V battery. It runs for 5 to 10 minutes when the power goes down, sounds an audible alarm, and puts out the equivalent of 300 W of power.

The drop-in replacement power supply comes with Power Watch software from RE Limited. When you leave your system, you leave the floppy disk inserted in the drive. Then if the power goes down, a TSR program boots the floppy disk drive and does an automatic save.

The power supply measures 8% by 5%o by 5^o inches and weighs 14 pounds. Price: $449.

Contact: PC Power & Cooling, Inc., 31510 Mountain Way. Bonsai 1, CA 92003, (619) 723-9513. Inquiry 1141.

Step on It

Brown & Co. has upgraded the PC-Pedal to let you duplicate any keyboard key on an XT-, AT-, or PS/2-style keyboard with the press of your foot, the manufacturer claims.

The system consists of a foot switch with a 6-foot cord and a parallel-port adapter that includes its own parallel port, so your printer won't be left without a parallel port.

The (older) standard version duplicates the Shift, Alt, or Control keys and changes the space bar to a Backspace Delete key when you hold the pedal down. The enhanced (new) version lets you duplicate any keyboard key. For ex

ample, an Alt or Control key can be assigned as a macro. Price: Standard version, $59.95; enhanced version, $79.95.

Contact: Brown & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 2443, South Hamilton, MA 01982, (508) 468-7464. Inquiry 1142.

lOtech Introduces IEEE-488 Interface for the NeXT

The SCSI488/N is an IEEE-488 interface plus software driver that lets your NeXT Computer control up to 14 instruments. Data rates are 900K bytes per second through the SCSI connection.

Included in the thin, rackmountable SCSI488/N is a software driver that links to Objective C, NeXT's development language. The software includes mouse-compatible IEEE commands and automatically assigns names to instruments, thus eliminating the repetitive details of bus addresses, bus terminators, and data formats. Price: $1495. Contact: lOtech, Inc., 25971 Cannon Rd.. Cleveland, OH 44146, (216) 439-4091. Inquiry 1143.

Track the Weather with Your PC

WeatherTrac is a PCbased weather satellite receiving and display system. The software included is geared for marine, agricultural, aviation, utility, educational, and military use.

The system comes with an audio interface peripheral, an acquisition and control card, a VGA card, and software. You need an antenna or dish (or WeatherTrac will sell you one) that can receive satellite feeds.

With WeatherTrac, you can receive information from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Geosynchronous Orbiting Earth Satellite (GOES), Weather Facsimile (WEFAX), European and Soviet satellite transmissions, and High-frequency FM Naval Facsimile (Hf-FM NAFAX). WeatherTrac's receiver and decoding software then displays the information, which can be manipulated with menu-based image-analysis software.

Other features of the software let you manipulate VGA images with up to 64 gray scales and 256 colors. You can

also display NOAA Automatic Picture Transmissions on a latitude/longitude grid. Temperature calibrations add earth-positioning information and scene temperatures to the NOAA imagery.

Options include a scheduler for automatic operation, a drawing and graphics package to develop complete weather maps or enhance images. National Television System Committee broadcast-quality output, printers for hard copy, and a directional antenna.

WeatherTrac recommends at least an XT with a hard disk drive.

Price: $3995; with antenna and an XT, $9995. Contact: WeatherTrac Industries, 860 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701, (508) 879-4425. Inquiry 1146.

Scenario Offers Handwriting Recognition Tablet

The DynaWriter is a handwriting recognition system that includes a 10- by 6-inch flat-panel display, an attached stylus, and an 8-bit add-in card with a 6-foot cable.

Scenario claims 98 percent recognition by DynaWriter for any user through neural network technology and some training. LCD resolution is 720 by 400 pixels, and stylus resolution is 100 dpi. The standard system includes applications and some development software. Price: $1995.

Contact: Scenario, Inc., 260 Franklin St., Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110, (617) 439-6611.

Inquiry 1144. continued

48 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Instant Workstation. Just Add Open Desktop.

Take a look at the vast majority of graphical workstations developed over the past decade and you'll see something they all have in common:

An integrated UNIX® System environment.

Now take a look at the vast majority of businesses that have put computing power directly onto their office desktops over the past decade, and you'll see something they all have in common:

Industry-standard personal computers.

It doesn't take a computer to forecast the platform that's going to put graphical workstations on the vast majority of business and engineering desktops in the next decade:

An integrated UNIX System environment for industry-standard personal computers.

And that's what Open Desktop™ is all about.

Open Desktop is the complete graphical operating system that's built on the most popular UNIX System platform of all time—SCO'" And it lets you create your own networked, icon-driven workstation environment using the industrystandard 386 or 486 computers and peripherals of your choice.

I

n a single, easy-to-use, fulh' supported—and completely integrated—package, Open Desktop delivers:

• the full 32-bit, multitasking computing power of SCO UNIX System \7386

• compliance with POSIX'" and X/Open® standards

• an OSF/Motif'"-based, Presentation Manager-compatible, graphical user interface

• distributed SQL database management services

• compatibility with existing DOS, XENIX*, and UNIX System applications and data files

• NFS'" TCP/IP, and LAN Manager networking facilities And all at an unbelievably affordable price.

Discover the complete graphical operating system that leading companies worldwide are choosing as their development platform for the '90s—and using to turn their 386 and 486 PCs into instant workstations today

Open Desktop from SCO.

niii OPEN

^Udesktor

The Complete Gmphiail Opemtinti Syslem

SEE US AT COMDEX/SPRING, ROOM 270

SCO

THE S-\NT.\CRLZ OPER.ATION

For more information, call SCO today and ask for ext. 8400 (800) SCO-UNIX (726-8649) (408) 425-7222 FAX: (408) 458-4227 E-MAIL:... !uunet!sco!info info@sco.COM

SCO.ihe.SCOl(is<i. Open Deskmp, and ihe Open Ikskiiip l{>gi) art'(rademarks i)f TneSanta CruzOperaiinn. Inc. UNIX baregiMerediradtmari^iif AT&T in iheHSAanditthercouniries. POSIX is a trademarknfThelnsiiiuieof tlecirical and Elecironics Engineeri (IKKK) X/Openi.sa regu-iiered irademark (if X Open Ciimpanv Ud. OSF'Moiif is a irademark of The Open Sntmare Fiiundaiiitn. Inc. XtMX is a regislered irademark of Micnisofi Qirpiffalion NFS is a trademark «f Sun Micros>-siems. Inc. 1l>'**9 ©1989 The SaniaCru7 Operation. Inc. All Rights Reser^ed, The SanuCruz Operation. Inc., 400 IjicinalSiree!, KG B<i\ 1900. SamaCr The SaniaCruz Operation, lid.. Cro\le>Cenlre, Halier> Lane, WaitordW 1)1 SVN. Ureal Britain, -m (0)923 XIM-tn.

FAX: (0)9>5Sr~81,TELbX:9r7372SCOU)Sti

Circle 276 on Reader Service Card

WHAT'S NEW

CONNECTIVITY

New Menu-Driven Crosstalk Emulates Its Predecessor

Infrared and Radio Transceivers Replace Cabling

Two companies recently introduced transceivers that bypass Ethernet and Token Ring cabling yet remain compatible with the IEEE-standard networks.

The Wireless LAN from Untied TeleCom is networking hardware with infrared transceivers that aid in Ethernet and Token Ring intraoffice transmission (including 4- and 16-Mbps Token Ring networks), the company claims.

PC coaxial cards for either networking hardware (IEEE 802.3 Ethernet or IEEE 802.5 Token Ring) are hardwired to a transceiver, called the Satellite, for LED transmission (800 nanometer wavelengths) of up to 80 feet to a transceiver/server, called

An infrared transceiver from Untied TeleCom connects you with Ethernets and Token Rings.

Version 2.0 of the Crosstalk Mk.4 communications software can emulate Crosstalk XVI, and it makes frequent use of menus, a feature that has become almost commonplace in other software packages. Users can now choose whether to use a new menu-style "dialing directory," the old two-letter command-line interface of Crosstalk XVI, or the more powerful command-line interface of Crosstalk Mk.4 version 2.0 with its extensive script language. The new version is memory-resident and takes up 300K bytes of memory.

the Sun. Satellites can support up to four PCs each with Token Ring and up to 31 PCs each with Ethernet.

With Ethernet. Suns can support up to the Ethernet limit of 1024 PCs. Token Ring Suns can support eight Satellites. Communication between the Satellites and Suns is full-duplex (bidirectional). And Suns and Satellites can detect optical collisions. Price: Ethernet Satellites, $1000: Token Ring Satellites, S1250; Ethernet Suns, $2000; Token Ring Suns, $3000.

Contact: Untied TeleCom, Inc., 100 Mechanic St., Building 8L, P.O. Box 280, Southbridge, MA 01550, (508) 765-0776. Inquiry 1150.

Anew pair of Ethernet transceivers for the handheld Agilis 8088- and 386based computers lets them communicate at data rates of up to 230,000 bps, the company claims.

The range is 100 meters indoors and 1 kilometer outdoors from one mobile Agilis to another or to an Ethernet backbone. The main bus on the Agilis works at the Ethernet speed of 10 Mbps.

Crosstalk Mk.4 is known for its ability to support synchronous communications with mainframes and the ability to support multiple communication channels at the same time. Digital Communications Associates has expanded these capabilities by adding more terminal emulation capabilities to version 2.

Price: $245; Mk.4 upgrade, 565; Crosstalk XVI upgrade, $85.

Contact: Digital Communications Associates, 1000 Alderman Dr.. Alpharetta, GA 30201,(404)442-4987. Inquiry 1157.

The 8y5-by 7'/2-by 1-inch mobile Network Module plugs into the hand-held Agilis like any other "'slice'" or module. On the Ethernet backbone, you need another Network Module and an optional thincoaxial adapter that converts the data rate from 230,000 bps to Ethernet rates.

The Agilis system comes with Radio Manager software, which allows you to select from a total of 16 different channels.

Price: $2495; wiring adapter, $125.

Contact: Agilis Corp., 1390 Shorebird Way, Mountain View, CA 94043, (415) 962-9400. Inquiry 1149.

Telecommute the Easy Way

AboveX is a file transfer program for DOS and OS/2 users who don't have access to a data communications network but need to send files electronically. A text editor that lets you send cover memos with your files and a simple database for addresses are also included.

The program provides a log of incoming and outgoing calls. When receiving files, you can view selected files. And when you send files, the calls sent during off-time business hours are tracked and the savings calculated for you.

If data security is important, you have 10 levels of security available, and you can encrypt the data in three ways.

AboveX includes a selfconfiguring installation procedure, automatically initializes the modem, and dials numbers and answers calls with auto-redialing in the foreground or background.

AboveX runs on the IBM PC and compatibles running DOS 3.0 or higher or OS/2. You also need a modem. Price: $495.

Contact: Above Software. Inc., 3 Hutton Ctr., Suite 950, Santa Ana, CA 92707, (714) 545-1181. Inquiry 1152.

corniinied

The Agilis CPU sits atop a wireless Ethernet transceiver.

50 B YTE • JUNE 1990

Logitech's foolproof desktop tools let anyone turn out smart looking documents. And now with Logitech's special prices, there's never been a smarter time to buy them.

ScanMan ' Plus. Scans images up to 4" wide into any document instantly. Works witti all major applications. Adjusts to 400 d.p. i., 32 shades of gray, with three photo settings. Suggested Retail Price (SRP): $359.

CatchWord ' Intelligent O. C. R. Lets you use text scanned with ScanMan in applications, just as if you'd typed it in. CatchWord accurately recognizes type from 6-20 points in virtually any typeface at speeds of up to 2,000 characters a minute. SRP: $249.

Finesse ' Desktop Publishing lets you design brilliant documents effortlessly

with direct scanner support, predesigned page formats and automatic text wraparound. The only inexpensive DTP software to include Bitstream* Fontware " absolutely free (a $545 value). SRP: $179.

Logitech " Series 9 Mouse. Awarded rave reviews for its comfortable shape, adjustable resolution and ballistic drivers for flick-of-the-wrist control. Includes Pop-Up DOS" and mouse menus to mousify almost any application. SRP: Serial-$I19, Bus-$I39, PS/2-$ll9, Serial & PSI2-$I49.

TrackManl' Ingenious thumb-operated stationary mouse offers comfort and precision without desktop motion. Guaranteed compatible with all PC applications supporting Logitech or Microsoftmice. SRP: Serial-$I59, Bus-$I49.

SAVE A BUNDLE ON A BUNDLE!

Until the end of July, save up to S99 on these product bundles, at participating dealers.

Logitech Mouse (serial version) and Finesse DTP software

Suggested bundled price: S199 CSave S99 on suggested retail price!)

ScanlVlan Plus and CatchWord O.C.R. software

Suggested bundled price: $499 CSave $89 on suggested retail price!)

For more information call: 800-231-7717Ext 346.

In California: (800) 552-8885 In Canada: (800)283-7717 In Europe:

+ +41-21-869-9656

W:

mm

© 1990 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "THE THREE STOOCES" is a trddemarlf of Norman Mourer Productions. Inc.-I" trademarks of registered owners.

Circle 176 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 177)

WHAT'S NEW

CONNECTIVITY

File Management for NetWare

LAN Director is a file management software package that works with up to eight servers and 208 logical devices (drives) that are connected by NetWare.

LAN Director helps you accomplish file management tasks such as file copying, moving, browsing, and editing. It also offers a complete graphical tree that helps you navigate through the files by identifying which drives are local to the node, which are file server drives, which are mapped drives, and which are search drives. (Mapped drives are a function of NetWare that provides you with virtual drives, and search drives are Novell's answer to the path command.)

And if you lose a file, 11 different search algorithms locate files by file specifica

File locate

Percent Bytes Usei

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LAN Director logically displays your NetWare network and helps you direct files across multiple servers.

tion, creation date, byte size, keywords, and text contents. Special features include an editor, ZIP and ARC searches and listings, and support for VGA graphics. Price: $295.

Contact: Athena Software, 4915 Twin Lakes Rd., Suite 19, Boulder, CO 80301, (303) 530-0693. Inquiry 1151.

Finding LAN Faults at Half the Price

Cabletron's new LAN diagnostics tool, a protocol analyzer called LANview, offers 80 percent of the functionality of other protocol analyzers for half the price. The Ethernet LAN analyz

Device IDs Phone Callers, Links Them to dBASE Files

The Caller ID-H Plus is a DOS-based TSR program and a 2-inch-square serial adapter that work in conjunction with the telephone company service Caller ID. When you get a telephone call, Caller ID 4- Plus not only identifies the telephone number of the person who's calling, it also automatically pops up your dBASE III file on the caller, according to Rochelle Communications.

When the call comes in. Caller ID-hPlus needs at least two rings to identify the caller and to display the dBASE III file. Once the dBASE III file is displayed, two other windows also pop up: One is a call-history file maintained by Caller ID-l-Plus, and the other is basically an editor for notes

about the caller.

The Caller ID-(-Plus device measures about 2 by 2 by 2 inches and has two ports: one for your computer's serial (9- or 25-pin) interface, and one that's an RJ-11 phone connector. The software is a 30K-byte memory-resident package that operates in the background on a PC with at least 512K bytes of RAM.

A line-status monitor detects whether an incoming call is answered, allowing the PC to measure the duration of the call and keep track of unanswered calls so you have the caller's telephone number handy when you decide to return a call. A diagnostic and installation feature lets you verify whether your selection of COMl or COM2 is appropriate.

Caller ID is available today only to Bell Atlantic and BellSouth customers. But its roots are in the latest version of telephone company testing software called Signaling System version 7 (SS7), so many more phone companies will at least have the technology to offer Caller ID in the near future. Today's Caller ID services are offered by the Bell Operating Companies only within the Local Access Transport Areas and can therefore identify callers only from within LATAs. LATA borders are usually synonymous with borders for area codes. Price: $185.

Contact: Rochelle Communications. Inc., 8716 North Mopac, Suite 200, Austin. TX 78759. (512) 794-0088. Inquiry 1153.

er tests and monitors network activity with filtered packet analysis, traffic generation, and a time-domain reflectometer. And it reports bandwidth utilization, transmission errors, and failed nodes.

LANview runs on a PC and decodes all major protocols (including TCP/IP and AppleTalk). It uses optional transceivers that can work with cabling and optical fiber. Price: SI 1.995; transceiver, SlOO to S250.

Contact: Cabletron Systems, 35 Industrial Way, Box 6257, Rochester. NH 03867, (603) 332-9400. Inquiry 1147.

Make Dumb Terminals Smart

The DataLink 286 is a slave processor card for your NetWare server that provides intelligence, in the form of a 286 microprocessor, for your ASCII. ANSI, or PC terminals.

With the DataLink 286, local and remote terminals are transformed into diskless LAN workstations. Or you can use DataLink 286 with modems for remote call-ins to your LAN database, for example.

Each DataLink 286 contains two ATs. Each AT has three serial ports (for terminal connection, modem, and serial printer), one parallel port, 1 MB of RAM, one Hercules controller, and one socket for an 80287 math coprocessor.

NetWare workstation drivers and terminal drivers for a variety of terminals are included with each DataLink. Price: 12-MHz. S2295: 16MHz, $2450; 20-MHz, S2595. Contact: Data/Voice Solutions Corp.. 16842 Von Karman. Suite 200, Irvine. CA 92714, (714) 474-0330. Inquiry 1148.

continued

52 BYTE' JUNE 1990

"So, this punk comes up to me and says, 'Isthereaivthiigyou won'tdofora buck?

Andlsay/Sure. Iwon'tpliginmyPC without a Rroxima product to prot^ it.'''

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Wi ^^mj f j^^^^g- ^^^^n ^^^^^^1

"I may be crazy, but Fm not stupkl."

"When people tell me I take foolish risks, I say to them: 'At least I assess the risks, and I always take steps to protect myself. Do you?'

"Take many microcomputer users. They're cool and calm, just cruising along until - wham.' - they've crashed. Lost all their data, maybe even burned out a motherboard. Yet they sit there, stunned.

Wtetlier you're operating a home computer or a technical mAs\sim, there's a stateK}f-the-art ?mm\a Proline to mAtin your needs.

They had no idea they were at risk.

"Or maybe they just thought it would never happen to them. Yet studies indicate that everv AC outlet in America has a 97% probability of incurring at least one svstem-damaging event each year.

"Whether it's a Proxima® Proline'" Surge Suppressor that clamps down on incoming surges and spikes - or a Power Director* that protects against power problems and acts as a power control center - your micro needs ultra-reliable protection against the 101 power problems that threaten it.

"So check out the entire range of innovative Proxima Power Protection Products. And ask about the Proxima Lifetime Equipment Protection Policy. With the purchase of a Proline 20 or 30, or a Power Director, it guarantees the survival of your hardware from a power problem - for life."

PROXIMA

Want to hear more about how to save the life of your computer? Just write, and I'll send you, free, five Ways to Stop Being a Computer Daredevil.' Or call 800/582-2580 (800/582-0852 in CAl.

Name

Address. City

State.

-Zip.

Return to: Computer Accessories Corp., 6510 Nancy Ridge Dr, San Diego, OA 92121 619/457-5500.

by Computer Accessories Corporabon

Power Director and Proxima are registered trademarks, and Proljne e a traden^rK of Computer Accessories Corp.

There's

Now, Quarterdecfe^s new

Memory is gold.

And like gold, some of it is hidden away inside your computer For years, we've been working toward putting it all under your control. And now we can.

Now you can make today's more powerful programs run without giving up network and mouse drivers and TSRs.

Introducing Quarterdeck Manifest , —the memory analyzer |

Many PC users know there are nuggets of memory sitting unused in most PCs. But those little pieces of memory can add up to 130K!

That's why Quarterdeck Office Systems, publisher of DESQview, developed a new utility that helps you find and use this memory. It's called Manifest. And it does for memory what PC Tools does for disks. For under $60.

Quarterdeck's seven years of memory expertise made Manifest

Manifest guides you deep inside your PC.

It locates unused (or underused) memory and suggests where you could load networks, buffers, mouse drivers, TSRs and other utilities to increase performance. It even analyzes what type and amount of RAM you have available, and which portions of your memory are faster

stem ROM

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506K Available for l|Programs

Network Driver

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590K Available

for Programs

1024K

640K

Administering a number of PCs? Manifest's diagnostic and reporting capabilities reduce tedinical support time. It not only identifies problems but helps to solve them.

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Your current memory is full of holes. Our tools can fill blocks of unused addresses between 640K and 1024K to free up memory your programs can use.

Manifest shows you the contents of AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONHG.SYS files. That can be a big help when diagnosing problems. Manifest tells you all about your hardware, too —from your cpu type to what boards you have installed. Manifest even tests memory speed. And it runs benchmark tests on expanded memory boards so you can make informed buying decisions. You won't need a PhD to understand what you're doing. Manifest has an interactive 'manual' that tells you how to use the program and what benefits you'll get. And unlike a lot of hot new software. Manifest works on virtually any PC: 8088,8086,80286 or 80386. It's a productivity breakthrough fi-om the memory experts at Quarterdeck.

BEST IN rTSCl-A88

Deo -le. 1383

Manifest shows you how your memory works. Here's the first megabyte of RAM, showing unused areas.

Introducing QRAM—the Quarterdeck memory optimizer

End RAM aam in your 8088,8086 or 80286 PC once and for all. QRAM (pronounced cram), is a package of utilities that gives you unprecedented conhol over memory letting you set up your

memory the way it will work best for you.

If you have EMS 4.0 or EEMS boards, QRAM can find unused addresses and 'map' memory to those addresses. Then it looks at your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONHCSYS files and figures out what TSRs, network and mouse drivers and DOS resources can be loaded high and where.

And, like all Quarterdeck memory products, QRAM is compatible with the Miaosoft XMS specification used by Windows 286, Y 2.x.

If your PC has 'shadow RAM,' there's even

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QRAM optimizes your memory performance by moving utilities and drivers out of the area between OK and 640K — freeing it up for your programs to use.

more gold in your PC. QRAM finds the unused parts and puts them under your contiol.

And if you have an EGA or VGA-equipped PC and don't need graphics at the moment, QRAM will make an additional 96K 'nugget' of memory available! When you need graphics again, QRAM will svidtch you back to graphics mode! Think how helpful that will be for those big dBASE files.

It can't work miracles, but if there's memory available anywhere, QRAM lets you use it to increase your PCs speed and performance.

QRAM is available bundled with Manifest for just a few dollars more than Manifest alone.

Manifest and QRAM—two more examples of Quarterdeck's commihnent to mining the most productivity out of the PC and software you own today

in your PC.

tools can mine it for yoiL

Introducing QEMM 50/60

VersionS.O

QEMM (Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager) 50/60 is the gold standard in memory management for the IBM PS/T" series 50 and 60. It works with IBM's Memory Expansion Option, Expanded Memory Adapter/A and compatible memory boards.

It supports all three specifications for expanded memory: EMS 4.0, EMS 3.2 and EEMS memory so you can run all expanded memory programs.

And it also works with Microsoft's XMS specification, in case you want to use Windows.

QEMM lets you use memory locations between 640K and 1024K to run TSRs, mouse and network drivers, DOS resources and MCA adaptors. That means you can gain up to 130K of memory space below 640K for your programs.

Best of all, QEMM is designed to be easy to use—even for those new to the PC. Just install it and type 'optimize/ and it looks at your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONHG.SYS files and loads whatever it can in high memory Automatically

QEMM 50/60 is priced economically It's the biggest boost you can give your PS/2 for under $100.

System Requirements

Manifest: 8088,8086,80286 80386 and i486 PCs & PS/2S

QRAM: 8088,8086,80286 PCs. Use of high memory is only available when PC has EMS 4 or EEMS expanded memory or Chips & Technologies shadow RAM.

QEMM 50/60; 80286-based PS/2s and compatibles with IBM PS/2 80286 Memory Expansion Option, IBM PS/2 80286 Expanded Memory Adapter/A or compatible.

QEMM-386:80386-based PCs and PS/2s and PCs with 80386 add-in boards.

Ihdemarks: IBM. PS/1 IBM Corporation; PC Tools: Central Point Soteare; 8 i4S6: Intel Corporation, Chips ana Technologies: Chips and Technologies

QEMM and DESQview let you multitask and window with the programs you know and use today.

Introducing QEMM 386 VersionS.O

QEMM 386 can expand the memory of all 386-based computers, including PCs with 80386 upgrade boards. It makes your memory compatible with EMS 4.0, EMS 3.2 and EEMS memory vdthout having to add special hardware. It's compatible with protected-mode programs (like 1-2-3 Release 3, IBM Interleaf and Paradox 386) using DOS extenders compatible with the Quarterdeck/Pharlap VCPI spec.

QEMM also works with Microsoft's XMS spec to extend memory for Windows users.

QEMM gives you maximum control over your memory between 640K-1024K. It can find unused memory nuggets as small as 4K and use them to free up room for programs to use.

QEMM 386 even monitors how your programs use memory while they're mnning. Then it shows you where there's additional memory you can use. It even measures which parts of your memory are fastest and 'decides' how to use them for better performance. In action, it's easy and fun—abnost like having an artificial intelligence program to help hme up your PC.

AH these capabilities add up to greater performance at a very low cost. And QEMM lets you go for the gold without having to become an expert on the PC memory puzzle.

Like all (Quarterdeck products, it works with your current PC and favorite software.

A few words about DESQview

What's the smartest thing to do with all that additional memory? Run DESCQview and multitask your favorite programs in windows. Use a mouse or keyboard and you can nm graphic and text-based programs side-by-side. All without hamg to invest m a bigger hard disk or more memory.

From Manifest to QRAM, QEMM and DESQview, Quarterdeck helps you mine the most from the software and PC you have today

PRODUCT O F T H E

YEAR

Best Opt-rali-ii; ]

DESQview's recent awards.

150 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (213) 392-9851 Fax: (213) 399-3802

"^v^^ ( I need inaeased productivity Xt^9* on my current PC!

Payment □ Visa □ MasterCard

Expiration /

Card#| I I I I I i I I I I I I M

I I I I I

I Name

I Address_ I City

Otv Product

5-'/4 3-1/2 Each Totals

Manifest 1.0

ORAM and Manifest 1.0

QEMM 50/60 5.0 (with Manifest*)

QEMM 386 5.0 (with Manifest')

S59.95

S79.95

S99.95

S99.95

State

_Zip_

Shippings Handling S5 in USA/SIO outside USA California Residents add 6.5% Grand Total

'Introductory offer extended to 6/30/90

I J

©1990 Quarterded: OfBce Systems

Circle 263 on Reader Service Card

WHAT'S NEW

WINDOWS 3.0 PROGRAMMING TOOLS

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Program Manager

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Ttic fastest way to develop MS-Windows applications

WindowsMaker, here running under the Windows 3.0program manager, lets you debug an application as it executes.

Windows 3.0 Arrives

We've all heard by now about the development of Windows 3.0 (see this month's cover story, "Three's the One"). According to Microsoft, about 1500 developers have been working with beta versions of the new Windows, and many applications and tools have been finished for some time. Here are just a few Windows programming tools that are shipping now or will be released within the next month.

Two Application Environments for Microsoft Windows

WindowsMaker, Candlelight's environment for Microsoft Windows programmers, includes a WYSIWYG application generator and a quick-start menu that gives you access from any screen to the Microsoft Software Development Kit and other tools. WindowsMaker lets you design an application's user interface and automatically generate commented C code that you can link to an existing dialog box, custom code, or other Windows applications. If you need to modify a screen's appearance, you can place custom code into protected modules so that only the code that you've modified is recompiled. Candlelight says. Price: $595; WindowsMaker for Windows 3.0, $795. Contact: Candlelight Software, 2375 East Tropicana Ave., Suite 320, Las Vegas, NV 89119,(702) 456-6365. Inquiry 1158.

ProtoView's Screen Management Facility includes a WYSIWYG screen painter, a code generator, and a macro

language that lets you incorporate automatic field verification into your data-entry applications without writing a line of code.

ProtoView contains a dynamic link library of over 150 C language functions for business applications and a second library with nine types of editing controls, including source code. Price: $595.

Contact: ProtoView Development Corp., 162 Kingdom Ave., New York, NY 10312, (718) 948-5195. Inquiry 1159.

A Visual Command

Language

for Windows

ObjectScript, a visual object-oriented programming language for Windows, lets you turn any graphical bit map or metafile image into a button that can integrate and automate Windows applications and access dynamic link libraries. According to Matesys, the language lets you link a Windows word processor, database, spreadsheet, and other applications without having to struggle with the Dynamic Data Exchange facility of Windows. With ObjectScript, you

can convert a graphical image such as a map into a button so that, by clicking on a specific section of the map, a user can access spreadsheet or database data that pertains to that region. You can also use ObjectScript to dynamically link applications with communications programs. Price: End-user version, $150; programmer's version. $300.

Contact: Matesys Corp.. 2001 L St. NW, Suite 801A, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 785-0770. Inquiry 1162.

Combine Business with Reasoning in Kappa

The new version of Kappa, a programming environment that lets you add intelligence to a business application, offers improved performance. It also offers a revised syntax for its programming language, which resembles interpretive C, its developer reports.

Written in C, Kappa includes graphical tools for examining rules and how they relate to other rules, a debugger, and interfaces to applications such as Lotus 1-2-3 and dBASE.

Kappa is now distributed by IntelliCorp, which recently acquired Kappa's original developer, MegaKnowledge. The version for Windows 3.0 is expected to ship sometime this summer.

Price: $3500; run-time versions, $450.

Contact: IntelliCorp, Inc., 1975 El Camino Real West, Mountain View, CA 94040, (415) 965-5500. Inquiry 1164.

continued

With ObjectScript, you can convert any image into a button.

56 B YTE • JUNE 1990

PCterminal/286

PCterminaU286

IGINOVEIL.

SAMSUWG/NOVELL.

PCterminal/286

JVIASUNG/t40VELL

C\ern\\na\/286

SAMSUNG

PCteiminal/286

SAMSUNG/NOVE

PCtermina;/286

SAMSUNG/NOVELL

386AE FILE SERVER

How to plan your LAN.

You'll need a pencil.

That's to write down the telephone number on the bottom of this page. Which will connect you with Samsung's nationwide network of resellers. And the Samsung/Novell colabeled line of LAN hardware.

With one call you can plan on substantial savings over the big name computers which, despite high clock rates and even higher price tags, are not really optimized for networking.

And you can plan on 100 percent compatibility with all versions of Novell's NetWare® because Samsung's LAN hardware was codesigned by Novell.

THE TESTING WENT IN BEFORE THE LABEL WENT ON.

Samsung's 386AE and PCterminal/286 have been tested exhaustively and certified by Novell for compatibility with all popular networking products. In fact, Samsung's 386AE is one of 3 fileservers certified by Novell to run NetWare 386.

Novell's engineers successfully tested the PCterminal/286 in 1200 network configurations...with 50 units running at once! No other computer manufacturer can make that claim. =£i

NETWORKING VS. NOTWORKING.

What's the difference? Take our 386AE Fileserver. It includes Novell's Advanced BIOS and 8 expansion slots to accommodate multiple network interface cards and disk controllers. Plus an oversize power supply for driving dual high capacity hard disks and tape backup system. Plus 4 megabytes of memory for disk caching.

Then there's Samsung's PCterminal/286 Diskless Workstation with a built-in Ethernet interface and Remote Boot EPROM.

And not to be overlooked is our 16-bit SE2100 Ethernet Interface Card which provides up to twice the throughput for the price of an 8-bit card.

CALL TODAY.

For the name of the Samsung reseller nearest you, call us today at 1-800-624-8999, ext.851.

WINNER OF

READERS CHOICE

SAMSUNG NOVELL, PCterminal/286

The 386AE and PCterminal/286. More than affordable.

^ SAMSUNG

Circle 274 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 275)

WHAT'S NEW

SOFTWARE • BUSINESS

The outline processor included with CA-Cricket Presents for Windows lets you organize thoughts and automatically generate presentation frames.

Desktop

Presentations Made Easy in Windows

CA-Cricket Presents, a desktop presentation program for Microsoft Windows, lets you organize ideas with its outliner, select a style template, and—using the Auto Presents feature— quickly generate a presentation complete with consistent text, graphs, and background graphics. The program, which includes drawing, graphing, and table tools, lets you explode graphical files so that you can move elements of electronic clip-art files to best suit your format. A Virtual Memory Manager lets you include up to 985 frames per presentation, depending on the amount of system memory.

When working with a graph or table template, you need only enter numbers. The graph will change to reflect the numbers, but the colors and general layout remain the same. An electronic light table lets you rearrange and resequence slide frames, sort by title or image, and reuse frames from other presentations.

The program works with most graphics formats and business application data, can generate speaker's notes, and supports manual or automatic frame advance. Price: $495.

Contact: Computer Associates International, Inc., 1240 McKay Dr., San Jose, CA 95131, (800) 531-5236 or (408) 432-1727. Inquiry 1165.

Manage Portfolios on the Mac

Professional Investor is for stockbrokers, financial planners, and portfolio managers who want to track their clients, portfolios, and transactions on the Mac. Based on HyperCard, the program maintains a history of all transactions for each client's portfolio(s). Each portfolio can have its own central asset account and margin account. The program keeps track

The new memory-resident financial analysis program from Timeslips is aimed primarily at lawyers, bankers, accountants, and financial planners. But you can also use it as a personal finance tool by entering known values for loans or investments and letting the program give you the calculated payments, dates, total interest paid, and more.

PercentEdge lets you analyze mortgages, amortization, present value, and vari

of each tax lot (for calculating capital gains) and lets you sell partial lots. You can access margin accounts for stock and bond transactions.

The program logs calls, and you can dial from within the program if your Mac has a modem. Other features include a database of securities and a quote downloading function. Price: $349.95. Contact: Balthrop, Brader, Wood Associates, 5659 Glacier Dr., Springfield, OR 97478, (503)741-2225. Inquiry 1167.

able-rate transactions. You can pop up the program without exiting your current application, and PercentEdge files can be exported to spreadsheets and databases. A pop-up calculator and calendar are available.

PercentEdge runs on the IBM PC with at least 320K bytes of RAM. Price: $99.95. Contact: Timeslips Corp., 239 Western Ave., Essex, MA01929, (508)768-6100. Inquiry 1166.

File Converter Added to PC-File 5.0

For users of older versions of PC-File who want to convert their database to PCFile 5.0, Button Ware has added a utility called Fconvert. The utility asks you a series of questions, at the end of which you have a new PCFile 5.0 database. PC-File 5.0 has more than 50 new features, including mouse support, telephone dialing and phone log, improved dBASE index compatibility, multiple input screens, and a maximum of 128 fields.

PC-File5.0runsonthe IBM PC with DOS 2.0 or higher and 512K bytes of RAM.

Price: $129.95. Contact: Button Ware, Inc., P.O. Box 96058, Bellevue, WA 98009, (206) 454-0479. Inquiry 1168.

Accounting Program Tracks Inventory and Cost

One-Write Plus, a customizable accounting program for small businesses, now includes a SuperTrack feature that lets you track hours and costs per job, income and expenses per inventory item, and other unique aspects of your operation.

Other new features include budgeting, bank reconciliation, and speed search.

One-Write Plus 2.06 runs on the IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM. Price: General ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, $299; payroll, $149.

Contact: Great American Software, Inc., 615 Amherst St., P.O. Box 2066, Nashua, NH 03063, (603) 889-5400. Inquiry 1170.

continued

Estimate Optimal Financial Solutions in Minutes

58 BYTE • JUNE 1990

need to work on several jobs at once.

OS/2 can do!

Until now, working on several jobs at the same time was next to impossible. But with OS/2 ; you don't have to wait for vour computer to complete one job before starting another.

While vou're recalculating a spreadsheet or printing a document under OS/2, vou can also start a communications session with another office. \our

computer can work on those jobs in the background while vou do something else, like run a DOS application or work on an unexpected request.

\ou can take OS/2's multitasking ability even further with IBM's Micro Channel Its multiple lanes can handle the heavier flow of information and make vour computer one of the most reliable and versatile business tools you

can get vour hands on.

Want to juggle several things at once? With OS/2, the solution is IBM.

Find out more about OS/2. Contact your IBM Authorized Dealer or marketing representative. For a dealer near you, call 1 800 IBM-246a ext. 107.

IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks and Micro Channet is

a trademark of Intemational Business Machines Corporation. © 1990 IBM Corp.

T3200SX: 17.0 pounds. 16MHz386SXwith 80387SX-16 coprocessor socket, 5 built-in ports, 40MB hard disk with 25msec access, 1MB RAM expandable to 13MB, gas plasma VGA display with 16 gray scales, 1.44MB 3li" diskette drive. IBMis a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. 386 is a trademark of Intel Corporation.

For more information call 1-800-457-7777.

Two IBM-compatible expansion slots (one full-length and one half-length) arid an internal modem slot let you connect to LANs, mainframes and more. Plus, three dedicated internal expansion slots let you increase memory up to 13MB.

*300

REBATE

With purchase of PageLaser6 laser printer and T3200SX. See dealer for details. Expires 5/31/90.

At first glance what you see is a sleek, 17.0-pound portable.

But looks can be deceiving. Because with a powerful 386™SX microprocessor, 6 internal expansion slots and 5 built-in ports, our newT3200SX easily replaces desktop computers.

Which means it does every

thing a bulky desktop computer can do. Like networking computer aided design, data bases or even complex spreadsheet analysis — anywhere you can plug into an AC outlet.

It has a built-in VGA gas plasma display system that lets you connect an external color

monitor. And it can even accommodate an optional 101-key enhanced keyboard.

So you can take advantage of today's and tomorrow's most powerful new 386 applications, wherever you think best.

The new Toshiba T3200SX. Take it. See how far you can go.

In Touch with Tomorrow

TOSHIBA

Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.. Computer Systems Division Circle 314 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 315)

WHAT'S NEW

SOFTWARE • DESKTOP PUBLISHING

Pre-Press Software for the Mac

Color Access is a color separation program that helps you deal with the realities of color impurities and varying ink standards by letting you calibrate all output characterisics to yield consistent color.

You can calibrate the program (optimized to work with BarneyScan's 3510 or 4520 scanners) to work optimally on different types of output devices, paper, and ink and then set up defaults that are individualized for each customer or account. A scanning acquisition module called QuickScan lets you manage the size of a file at input, specifying its orientation from within Color Access.

Gallery, a program that works with Color Access, is a database for indexing and cataloging scanned images.

Color Access runs on the Mac II with a scanning device and any image-setting device that's PostScript compatible. Price: Color Access, $1995; Gallery, $695; 3510 35mm scanning system, $9495; 4520 Multi-format Scanning System, $27,995. Contact: BarneyScan Corp., 1125 Atlantic Ave., Alameda, CA 94501, (415) 521-3388. Inquiry 1171.

Desktop Publishing with No Jaggies

Unison World says that its Avagio Publishing System gives you PostScript quality without a PostScript printer. The program comes with scalable LaserJet outline fonts and 150 PostScript graphics. It's also compatible with LaserJet-format soft fonts from any vendor, and you can

Gallery, an image database program, relies on 8-bit color thumbnail images to achieve rapid image searches.

print them to any printer— from dot-matrix to Linotronic.

The WYSIWYG program includes four typefaces in nine styles (available from 6 to 500 points in increments of 1 point). Unison World says the program's font manipulation feature lets you compress or expand fonts while retaining the smooth edges—thus, no jaggies.

A Mingle feature lets you specify how objects, both text and graphics, mingle with each other when they overlap. For instance, you can define

the black or white portions of any images as black, white, clear, or inverse.

Avagio will import PIC, PCX, TIFF, and Unison World graphics as well as ASCII, WordStar, and WordPerfect text files. It runs on the IBM PC with a 20-MB hard disk drive, 640K bytes of RAM, and a mouse. Price: $299.95. Contact: Unison World, 1321 Harbor Bay Pkwy., Alameda, CA 94501, (415) 748-6670. Inquiry 1175.

Rotate Text to the nth Degree with Quark

The latest version of QuarkXPress features free-floating measurement and page palettes that let you perform operations such as text kerning or picture rotation adjustment interactively, without having to access a menu command or open a dialog box. You can group text, graphical items, and rules for simultaneous manipulation, and a polygon tool allows you to wrap text around an arbitrary shape or image.

With QuarkXPress 3.0, you can rotate text and graphics in 0.001-degree increments. Quark says that it has improved the color sep

aration abilities of the program by providing more sophisticated color trapping, allowing you to adjust color overlap manually.

Other features of the program include a document layout palette for arranging pages, a pasteboard that acts as an adjacent work area, and a library for frequently used items.

QuarkXPress 3.0 runs on the Mac II. The company recommends 2 MB of RAM. Price: $795.

Contact: Quark, Inc., 300 South Jackson, Suite 100, Denver, CO 80209, (303) 934-2211. Inquiry 1174.

Two Image-Capture Programs for Windows and PM

SymSoft has improved its HotShot Microsoft Windows and Presentation Manager image-capture program to let you save a full or partial screen, or a single window, to the clipboard or another file. HotShot Graphics 1.7 consists of three modules for capturing DOS, Windows, and PM screens, plus an image-editing module that runs under DOS or the DOS compatibility box.

The program can import and export PCX, TIFF, IMG, WPG, MSP, and MacPaint files, import GIF files, and export EPS files. You can also convert captured images to other formats.

The program requires 512K bytes of RAM. Price: $249.

Contact: SymSoft Corp., 924 Incline Way, Call Box 5, Incline Village, NV 89450, (702) 832-4300. Inquiry 1172.

Tiffany Plus, a Windows application that lets you capture any part or all of a Windows display, can conserve RAM by operating directly to disk files when exporting to another application. The program works with all Windowscompatible display adapters, according to the company. The program supports Microsoft Paint, Microsoft bit-map, TIFF, and PCX formats.

Tiffany Plus is not a TSR application and runs under all versions of Microsoft Windows 2.0 and higher. Price: $89.

Contact: Anderson Consulting & Software, C-7-3 Cascade Dr., P.O. Box 40, North Bonneville, WA 98639, (800) 733-9633 or (509) 427-5335. Inquiry 1173.

continued

62 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Develop It Once And For All

Software developers can now use their PCs to create even the most sophisticated database applications and then run them unchanged on virtually any major computer system.

Everything from a standalone PC to a cHent-server configuration on a LAN, iiom a minicomputer to the largest IBM mainframe.

In fact, applications developed with ORACLE* tools and database run unchanged on over 80 different computers.

ORACLE tools give PC programmers an integrated set of application development tools including a powerful 4GL, a screen

generator, a reportwriter and a menu generator

ORACLE tools can access data distributed over multiple ORACLE databases as well as

Call right now and gefSO days uif free phone support.

l-800-ORACLElext.49Al

ORACLE is portable. It works with virtually every vendor's hardware.

data stored in other vendors' software such as IBM's DB2 and SQL/DS and DEC's RMS.

Oracle backs all of its products with the largest service, support and consulting group in the world.

And if you order now, Oracle will provide 30 days of fi-ee installation support plus a 30day money-back guarantee.

Buy the Professional ORACLE tools and database for $ 1299, or you can buy just the tools for $799.

Call 1-800-ORACLEl, ext. 49A1 right away and see just how quickly and easily things develop.

DEC VAX

ORACLE is opeii. It works with virtually every vendor's software.

ORACLG"

Compatibility • Portability • ConnectabUity

WHAT'S NEW

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

With PC Linear from Swanson Analysis, you can test various types of material before constructing a prototype.

Swanson Brings Ansys to the 286

Swanson Analysis, known for its finite-element analysis programs that run on mainframes and 386based computers, now has versions of Ansys-PC for the IBM AT. The family consists of static and dynamic analysis, heat transfer analysis, and design optimization. PC Linear, the linear static and dynamic analysis program, features energy norm calculation for indicating where mesh refinement is needed for increased reliability.

All three programs are also available for 386-based PCs, plus a program for solid modeling and postprocessing. Price: Prices start at S300 per month.

Contact: Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc., Johnson Rd, P.O. Box 65, Houston, PA 15342, (412) 746-3304. Inquiry 1179.

Vertex Makes Detail Drawing Easier

Vertex Design Systems' program for architects takes the headache out of an unglamorous but important facet of building design—detail drawings.

The Vertex Detailer, which runs on top of AutoCAD, integrates the design, management, and production of detail drawings, the nuts and bolts of an architectural document that describe areas where different building materials join or change direction. The program provides an alternative to producing detail drawings by hand or using the patchwork approach.

A DBMS lets you search for details in several ways, including by product name, type, or location in the building. The program lets you

preview in DOS a selected drawing instead of listing only the drawing's filename. This lets you make certain you've selected the correct drawing before you start working with it in AutoCAD. You can also modify the drawing in DOS and compile it on the fly before you pull it into AutoCAD.

The program uses components, not primitives such as circles and lines, as the basic building blocks for creating a detail. Instead of drawing the detail from scratch, you can assemble it by selecting a component, indicating its size, and snapping it into the

drawing. Nested reference symbols let you jump between floor plans and other drawings and the referenced detail drawing.

The Detailer includes more than 25,000 types, sizes, and views of building products. You can also purchase groups of details.

The Detailer runs on the IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM and a hard disk drive. Price: $1995; preassembled groups, $595 each. Contact: Vertex Design Systems, 140 Second St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105,(415)957-2799. Inquiry 1132.

Integrate Analysis and Graphics on the Mac

Systat, the statistical analysis program for the Macintosh, provides links between the data editor and the graph window, allowing you to instantly see the relationships between your data and graph. Systat 5.0 can plot standard graphs and plots, plus contour plots, triangular coordinate plots, and others.

With the program's scatterplot brushing tool, you can click on any point in a graph and display its case or click a case and see its point.

The program runs on a Mac with 4 MB of RAM. Price: $795.

Contact: Systat, Inc., 1800 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201, (708) 864-5670. Inquiry 1180.

Process Control for Your Lab Instruments

TA Engineering, a developer of DOS-based factory automation software, has released a program for monitoring lab instruments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can use the program's graphical display builder to represent your lab setup or convert an existing AutoCAD file into Aimax format, while maintaining object orientation for editing, the company says.

Aimax-Plus/Lab runs on the IBM AT with 640K bytes of RAM, a hard disk drive, and a PC-bus I/O card. Price: $995.

Contact: TA Engineering, 1605 School St., P.O. Box 186, Moraga, CA 94556, (415) 376-8500. Inquiry 1176.

64 BYTE* JUNE 1990

EVTE

Regional

Southern

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE; ALEX PIETERSEN © 1989

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 64SO-1

REGIONAL

WHAT'S New

SOUTH

Alamo PC Sees a Demonstration of CatchWord

At the March general meeting of the Alamo PC Users Group, a Logitech representative demonstrated CatchWord, an intelligent optical-character-recognition program for hand-held scanners. Logitech says that its program is an improvement over other OCR programs that work awkwardly with output from hand-held scanners.

CatchWord, which was shown by Cynthia Colmenares-Frost, director of new channel development at Logitech (Fremont, CA), provides omnifont capability, which means it can read most standard fonts and styles without

requiring you to load a specific recognition library. However, CatchWord doesn't require much memory because it uses efficient algorithms, Logitech says. The program requires about 500K bytes of RAM.

Plans for the June 14 meeting include a demonstration on how to build a 386-based IBM PC from scratch using components only.

The Alamo PC Users Group usually meets on the second Thursday of the month in Room 3.102B or 3.104A in the Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., in San Antonio.

Contact: Alamo PC Users Group, P.O. Box 65180, San Antonio, TX 78265, (512) 231-8497.

The Washington, D.C., Apple Pi Garage Sale

If you're shopping for a bargain in Mac accessories, peripherals, and systems, you might want to go to Washington Apple Pi's garage sale on June 16. This event, which is open to the public ($2 will get you in), is tentatively scheduled for the Woodward High School.

Later this summer, the Apple Pi plans to hold a seminar with a federal computer users group in the area.

Washington Apple Pi's general meeting is usually held on the fourth Saturday of the month at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Contact: Washington Apple

Pi, Ltd., 7910Woodmont Ave.. Suite 910. Bethesda, MD 20814, (301)654-8060.

Triangle Society to Tall< Object-Oriented

The Triangle Computer Society says that its June program will cover objectoriented languages. The meeting will be held on June 26, probably at the 1920 Deli on Hwy. 55 north of Interstate 40.

The TCS supports a number of operating systems and provides several seminars and tutorials for its members. Contact: Triangle Computer Society, P.O. Box 3588, Chapel Hill, NC 27515, (919) 968-4292.

continued

One day of computer down-time can cost more than the cure.

If your computer goes down just one day a year, we will save you money. Independent tests have shown that approximately 80% of computer failures and down-time are directly attributable to power line fluctuations and blackouts.

Our computer "Careware" is like a magic box filled with electronic components that eliminate damaging power line fluctuations, and batteries that provide an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to your computer.

Take your problem by the tail, plug your computer into a UPS from Computer Power Inc. and eliminate power-related computer down-time today.

We manufacture and service over 190 models from 400 VA to 400 kVA to solve your computer power problems.

Protect data and expensive hardware. Call our tollfree number or write for assistance in choosing the right power at the right price.

COMPUTER

^.j^ 124 West Main Street 800-526-5088 Ext. 170 (201) 638-8000

POWER INC. High Bridge, New Jersey 08829 FAX: (201) 638-4931 Telex: 847481

Since 1966

64SO-2 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 486 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 487)

286-40 KEY

• Landmark speeds: 10/16MHz

• 1MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 40MB Hard Drive, 33ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Color Monitor

• 16-bit VGA-800x60aw/256K

• 2 Serial/1 Parallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• 8-In-l Integrated Software

• Dexxa Mouse w/Paint Program

• Desktop Case

$1,695.00

3 8 6SX-68 PRO

• Landmark speeds: 10/20MHz

• 2MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 68MB Hard Drive, 21ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Monitor - 1024x768

• 16-bit VGA-1024x768 W/512K

• 2 Serial/lParallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• Super Tower Case

$2,195.00

286-65 KEY

• Landmark speeds: 10/16MHz

• 1MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 65MB Hard Drive, 33ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Color Monitor

• 16-bit VGA-800x600 w/ 256K

• 2 Serial/1 Parallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• 8-In-l Integrated Software

• Dexxa Mouse w/Paint Program

• Desktop Case

$1,745.00

386-68 PRO

• Landmark speeds: 25MHz

• 2MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 68MB Hard Drive, 21ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Monitor - 1024x768

• 16-bit VGA-1024x768 w/512K

• 2 Serial/lParallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• Super Tower Case

$2,695.00

386SX-65 KEY

• Landmark speeds: 10/20MHz

• 2MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 65MB Hard Drive, 33ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Color Monitor

• 16-bit VGA-800x600 w/ 256K

• 2 Serial/1 Parallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• 8-In-l Integrated Software

• Dexxa Mouse w/Paint Program

• Desktop Case

$1,995.00

386-120 PRO

• Landmark speeds: 25MHz

• 4MB RAM Installed

• 1.2MB 5.25" and 1.44MB 3.5"

• 120MB Hard Drive, 28ms, 1:1

• 14" VGA Monitor - 1024x768

• 16-bit VGA-1024x768 w/512K

• 2 Serial/lParallel/1 Game Port

• MS DOS™ V4.01/GW BASIC

• Super Tower Case

$2,995.00

BET ON A DERBY WINNER

• 100% IBM Compatible • Full One Year Warranty • 30 Day Money Back Guarantee

• Toll Free Technical Support • Built and Assembled in U.S.A. • 72 Hour Bum-in Testing

Circle 496 on Header Service Card (DEALERS: 497)

^'X 1-800-24-DERBY J'X'

^"•mpuitt* 718 - 15th Avenue / East Moline, Illinois 61244 / (309) 755-2662 '^Ompui«

REGIONAL WHAT'S NEW

SOUTH

Apple Selects Area Community Colleges

pple recently selected the Central Piedmont

Community College of Charlotte, North Carolina, and the St. Petersburg Junior College of St. Petersburg, Florida, as two of 10 charter members of the Apple National Community College Alliance. According to Apple, the purpose of the alliance is to develop and encourage the use of the Macintosh. Selected colleges were among the most accomplished in using Mac technology for instructional and administrative applications, the company says.

Each college in the Alliance receives a major equipment grant, plus technical

and support services. Contact: Apple Computer, Inc., 20525 Mariani Ave., Cupertino, CA 95014, (408) 996-1010.

North Texas Makes Demographics Report Available

At a recent meeting of the North Texas PC Users Group at the InfoMart, Dallas-based Videotex Systems demonstrated its color image capture technology on the IBM AT. The company's T-BASE image database program lets you bring color images into a dBASE or Clipper application. Two other companies were on hand: Ashton-Tate showed MultiMate 4.0, and Microsoft showed Word for Win

dows. The group conducts its meetings, along with many other users groups, during the so-called Super Saturday sessions.

In addition to product demonstrations and user assistance, the group periodically conducts internal surveys of itself to monitor trends. The group just finished the latest of these surveys and has made it available to those interested in the results. For anyone who's wondered what kinds of people join a users group, this report provides a good clue, although president-elect Jim Hoisington stresses that the report provides a glimpse of one specific group and doesn't represent other groups. Contact: North Texas PC Users Group, P.O. Box 780066, Dallas, TX 75378, (214) 746-4699.

Odesta Shows Double Helix to Gold Coast Group

Julie Lyon, product manager for Odesta's Double Helix relational database manager, recently traveled to the Gold Coast Macintosh Users Group in Miami to demonstrate the program. During her demonstration, she created a database without having to write any programming code.

The Gold Coast Macintosh Users Group usually meets on the last Wednesday of the month at the Museum of Science Auditorium, 2308 South Miami Ave., in Miami. Contact: Gold Coast Mac, P.O. Box 452305, Miami, PL 33245, (305) 447-7888.

Customer Support BBS

...for the IBM PS/2, XT, AT and compatibles.

Support your customers via modem. Electronic mail between your customers and you gives them the answers they need, 7 days a week!

• They can upload questions and problem reports to you

• You can download updates and product information to them

• Multiple users may be online at once, on one computer

• SIGs, teleconferencing, and questionnaires too

• Very easy to install and configure, works under MS-DOS

• Works with COM1/COM2/COM3/COM4, or multi-port serial cards or multi-modem cards

Only $59 for the complete 2-line software! Call our "demo" system with your modem: (305) 583-7808

0GALACTICOMM

© 1990 Galacticomm, Inc. • 4101 S.W. 47th Avenue, Suite 101, Fort Lauderdale FL 33314 • Voice: (305) 583-5990

64SO-4 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 502 on Reader Service Card

EXIMA AND EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING

GO HAND IN HAND At Centcircuit International we take pride in our quality products and service, continually striving to bring you the very best in products to assure your complete satistaction. As many customers already know, Excellence In MAnutacturing has become well recognized with EXIMA, our parent company,That is why we are proud to announce that in addition to the O.E.M, work we currently do, EXIMA has introduced various computer components, Initially, we are introducing the following VGA Cards and Motherboards, and will continue to offer additional items as we broaden our line. We offer a thirty day evaluation period as well as a one year warranty with all our products,

VERAVIEW 16 BIT VGA CARD 256K

Supports 1024x768 in 4 coiors Supports 800x600 in 16 coiors Supports 640x480 in 256 colors

VERAVIEW 16 BIT VGA CARD 512K

Supports 1024x768 in 16 colors Supports 800x600 in 256 colors Supports 640x480 in 256 colors

CLOSELOOK 8 BIT/16 BIT VGA CARD 256K

Supports 800x600 in 16 colors 100% hiardware connpatible with IBM VGA in all modes Supports both digital and analog monitors

386SX P9 MOTHERBOARD(above)

Fully IBM PC/AT compatible Supports AMI, Phoenix, and Award Bios 8 low profile SIMM socket for maximum 8MB on board memory and expandable to 16MB using I/O slot Eight expansion slots: six 16-bit and two 8-bit

See us at Comdex/Spring '90 June 3-6,1990 at the Georgia World Congress Center booth -4843

CENTCIRCUIT INTERNATIONAL. INC.

3400 Corporate Way, Suite F, Duluth, Georgia 30136 (404)623-3937 Fax(404)623-3941

IBM, IBM PC/AT, AMI, Phoenix, Award Bios and EXIMA are all registered trademarks.

Circle 484 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 485)

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-S

Circle 500 on Reader Service Card (Dealers: 501)

Ammunition to conquer your biggest problems!

V-EMM Classic V-EMM Utilities

V-EMM Classic is for applications that support expanded memory (EMS).

• EMS Simulation

if you don't already have an EMS board, V-EMM Classic provides EMS simulation using a combination of conventional memory, extended memory, and your hard disk.

Virtual Memory Management

If you already own an EMS board, V-EMM Classic provides additional "virtual memory" using your hard disk.

in either case, up to thirty-two megabytes of expanded memory are available to your EMS applications.

EDITORS CHOICE

V-EMM Utilities is for applications that suffer from RAM-cram.

' EGA/VGA Memory Management

V-EMM Utilities transforms up to 96K of EGA/VGA memory into conventional memory. When you don't need graphics, it's as though you have a 736K DOS machine. When you do need graphics, a simple command restores DOS to 640K and restores all graphics capabilities.

Upper Memory Management

V-EMM utilities turns up to 192K of EMS 4.0 memory into upper DOS memory. And it turns up to 184K of PS/2 80386 memory into upper DOS memory. Upper DOS memory can be used to load TSRs, device drivers, and DOS BUFFERS, thus freeing conventional memory.

1 Gold

Combining the award-winning V-EMM Classic (still only $89.95) with the new V-EMM Utilities (also only $89.95), V-EMM Gold provides EMS Simulation, Virtual Memory Management, Upper Memory Management, EGA/VGA Memory Management, and more. All at a very special price!

Only $129.95-hs/h. 30-d3y money-back guarantee.

Fort's Software P. 0. Box 1295 Loveland, CO 80539 (303) 663-5629

QUALITY SYSTEM AND PARTS AT BEST PRICE

25MHz 286 VGA System Mother Boards

80286-2 Processor a^/s/s/* 286/12 Turbo $140

2 Mega RAM $1990 386SX-16 $340

1.2 Meg 5V4" Drive 386-20MHz $590

1.44 Meg 3V2" Drive 386-25MHz $650

40 Mega 28ms Western Digital Drive 386-25MHz $975 16 Bit VGA with 512K

14" 1024 X 768 VGA Monitor Dot Pitcti Coses

0.28nnm Flip Top w/180W $80

2 Serial, 1 Parallel, 1 Game Ports Mini Tower w/200W $115

101 Keyboard Big Tower w/250W $180

DOS 3.3 or 3.41 Standard AT Case w/200W $90

On-Site Contract Service,

286/12 $1690 386/20

286/16 $1780 386/25

286/20 $1850 386/33

386/16SX $1970

One Year

$2195

$2595 cactie add $350 $3580 64K cache

Dallas PC i^r^Ss (2i4) 250-3355

64SO-6 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 492 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 493)

5 YEAR PORTABLE EXPERIENCE,

ALL SYSTEMS RUN UNIX, XENIX LAN OS DOS AND OS/2.

LIGHTEST & SMALLEST CRT PORTABLE

100%

COMPATIBLE

WITH

DESK-TOP

VGA COLOR CRT PORTABLE 100MB AT

386-20 60MB SYSTEM (Desk Top)

• 386-20 MHz CPU, 1 MB Memory (To 8MB)

• 200W P/S, 110/220V

• 101 Enhanced Keyboard

■ 1:1 Interleave Cent. Card

• 1.2 MB or 1 44 MB FDD

• 60MB. 25ms Toshiba Hard Drive

■ Serial/Parallel/Game Port

• Mono Graphic Card w/Printer Port

• 12- Amber Monitor (720x348 Res.)

AT 12MHz 20MB SYSTEM (Desk Top)

• AT 12MHz System, 640K Memory

• 200W P/S, 110/220V

• Enhanced 101 Keyboard

• 1.2 MB or 1.44 MB FDD

• 20MB Hard Drive

• Mono Graphic Card w/Printer Port

■ 12" Amber Monitor (720x348 Res.)

■ AT I/O Card (Ser/Par./Game) + $30

(To 4MB)

• Built-in SONY 8.5" Color VGA Monitor 0.26mm Dot Pitch, 800x600 Resolution

• Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays

• 220W P/S 110/220V. 4 Exp. Slots

• 85-Key Detachable Keyboard

• AT 12 MHz System, 640K Memory (To 4MB)

• VGA Graphic Card (256K, 800x600 Res.) (512K, 1024x768 Res. -i- $50) External Monitor Adaptor

• 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD

• 100MB 25ms HDD (To 345MB)

• Serial/Parallel/Game Ports

• Carrying Bag. Weight 27 Lbs. Dimensions: 17.5(W) x 14.1(D) x 6.8(H)

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

20MB

2209

2469

2729

2829

40MB

2299

2559

2819

2919

100MB

2669

2929

3189

3289

150MB

3069

3329

3589

3689

200MB

3569

3829

4089

4189

EGA COLOR CRT PORTABLE 60MB AT

■ Built-in 9" Color EGA Monitor. 0.28mm

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

386/33

40MB

939

1159

1439

1579

1999

60MB

1069

1289

1559

1699

2119

80MB

1239

1459

1789

1929

2349

100MB

1259

1529

1839

1979

2399

150MB

1619

1889

2159

2299

2719

338MB

2729

3079

3219

3639

• Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays

• 220W P/S 110/220V. 7 Exp. Slots

• 84 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30

• AT 12 MHz System, 640K Memory (To 4MB)

• EGA Graphic Card (640x350 Res.)

• 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD

• 60MB 25ms HDD (To 345MB)

• Serial/Parallel/Game Ports

• Carrying Bag. Weight 34 Lbs.

• Dimensions: 17.3 (W) x 8.2 (H) x 16.9 (D)

■ (CGA 1- $160, EGA + $330, VGA -i- $370) • Mini Vertical Case -i- $50 ' Regular Vertical Case $100

PORTABLE

SKD KITS AND 386SX BAREBONE SYSTEMS sse^^o AVAILABLE 386 25

CALL FOR PRICING 386 33

386-25

MOTHER BOARD ON SALE

286 12 MB SI 25 '

386SX MB S305

386-20 MB S520

38625 MB S650

386 33 MB 31.030

386-25 MB S2 880

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

386/33

20MB

2009

2269

2529

2529

3089

40MB

2099

2359

2519

2719

3179

60MB

2229

2489

2749

2849

3309

100MB

2469

2729

2989

3089

3549

150MB

2869

3129

3389

3489

3949

200MB

3369

3629

3889

3989

4449

VGA AMBER CRT PORTABLE 60MB AT

NATIONAL SALES REP.

WANTED!!

PLEASE CALL

BSi

• Built-in 9" Amber VGA Monitor

• Speed Digital Display. 3 Drive Bays

• 205W P/S 110/220V. 4 Exp. Slots

• 86 Keyboard, Detachable Keyboard + $30

• AT 12 MHz System, 640K Memory (To 4MB)

• VGA Graphic Card (256K. 800x600 Res.) (512K, 1024x768 Res. + $50)

Run 48 Grey Scales VGA Internally Run Color VGA Externally

• 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD

• 60MB 25ms HDD (To 345MB)

■ Serial/Parallel/Game Pons

• Carrying Bag. Weight 26 Lbs

■ Dimensions: 17.5 (W) x 14.1 (D) x 6.8 (H)

9440 Talstar Ave., »4, Et Monte. OA 91731

For Order Only Call Toll Free 1-800-872-4547 1-818-442-0020 Calif. I

Customer Support: (818) 442-7038 I

All order will be shipped by UPS COO cashier's check. Company checl<

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

20M8

1559

1819

2079

3179

40MB

1649

1909

2169

2269

60MB

1779

2039

2299

2399

100MB

2019

2279

2539

2639

150MB

2419

2679

2939

3039

200MB

2919

3179

3439

3539

EGA AMBER CRT PORTABLE 60MB AT $1.559 MONO AMBER CRT PORTABLE 60MB AT $1,429

1 approval IBM PC XT/AT are registered trade marks ol IBM Inc.

VGA PLASMA PORTABLE 60MB AT

• 640x480 VGA Plasma Display

• Detachable 86-key Keyboard 101 -Key Keyboard Model Optional ^l'

• 180W P/S, 110/220V. 3 Drive Bays

• AT 12 MHz System. 5 Exp. Slots.

• 640K Memory (Up to 4MB)

• 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD

• 60MB 25ms HDD (To 345MB)

• Serial and Parallel Ports

• External Monitor Adaptor

■ Carrying Bag. Weight: 24 Lbs.

• Dimensions: 16.1"(W) x 9.1"(D) x 7.5"(H)

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

20MB

2079

2339

2599

2699

40MB

2169

2429

2689

2789

60MB

2289

2549

2809

2909

100MB

2529

2789

3049

3149

150MB

2889

3149

3409

3509

200MB

3359

3619

3879

3979

CGA PLASMA PORTABLE 60MB AT

■ 640X400 CGA Plasma Display

• Detachable 86-Key Keyboard

• External RGB Monitor Adaptor

■ Others the same as VGA Plasma Model

HDD

286-12

386SX

386/20

386/25

20MB

1479

1739

1999

2099

40MB

1569

1829

2089

2189

60MB

1689

1949

2209

2309

100MB

1929

2189

2449

2549

150MB

2289

2549

2809

2909

338MB

2759

3019

3279

3379

CGA LCD PORTABLE 60MB AT

• 640X200 Res. Backlit LCD CGA Display 640x400 Res. CGA Display$120 .^^

■ 200W 110/220V P/S. 6 Exp. Slots

• Detachable 86-Key Keyboard

• AT 12MHz System. 640K Memory (To 4MB)

• 1.2MB or 1.44MB FDD

• 60MB 25ms HDD (To 345MB)

• Serial/Parallel/Game Ports ' External Monitor Adaptor

■ 16"(W) X 9.5"(H) X 7.5"lD). 23Lbs

HDD

286 12

386SX

386:20

386/25

20MB

1249

1509

1769

1869

40MB

1339

1599

1859

1959

60MB

1459

1719

1979

2079

100MB

1759

2019

2279

2379

150MB

2119

2379

2639

2739

200\'3

285S

3119

3219

•EGA LCD PORTABLE GENOA Model + $340

•EGA LCD PORTABLE YAMAHA Model + $210

Prices subject to change without noTice. Coll for return policy.

Circle 482 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 483)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 64SO-7

FRANCHrSE

ZENITH SHARP PACKARD BELL

MITSUBISHI DAUPHIN OGIVAR POQUET PANASONIC PSION INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY CORR CHICONY SAMSUNG

FREE

INVENTORY FINANCING

CO-OP ADVERTISING REIMBURSEMENTS

TERRITORIAL EXCLUSIVITY

CORPORATE OVERVIEW

LAPTOPS, etc. is a franchising organization specializing in laptop and portable computing. We will approve only one location per major metropolitan area. We are seeking technically competent and financially capable applicants.

Next day delivery on all Zenith, Toshiba, NEC and Sharp laptops as well as over fifty other laptop and accessory manufacturers.

There is NO upfront franchise fee or charge for the privilege of the franchise. All fees are paid as you receive product. Interested parties must demonstrate financial capability of an absolute minimum of $100,000 with a high degree of preference to those applicants with closer to $250,000. To begin operations, it is necessary to purchase a wide variety of demonstration equipment, as well as necessary inventory, accounting software, and advertising.

FRANCHISE STRUCTURE

All locations are independently owned and operated. Every LAPTOPS, etc. franchise will be factory-authorized sales and service for Zenith, Toshiba, NEC, Sharp, and several smaller laptop manufacturers. All outlets are also manufacturer-authorized by about thirty laptop accessory manufacturers. In addition to the laptops available through the franchise, franchisees may purchase a variety of desktops and printers in order to offer complete system solutions and provide a complete product line to customers.

There are several services and tools which are available to each franchise. Among these are: advertising reimbursements, free inventory financing, free stock rotation, sixty-day price protection, discount demonstration equipment, technical training and support, business planning assistance, sales management assistance, sales training, service training, and administrative management support.

LAPTOPS, etc. Towson, MD 21204{

64SO-8 B YTE • JUNE 1990

OPPORTUNITY

TOSHIBA TEXAS INSTRUMENTS NEC

HYUNDAI MITSUBA HITACHI SANYO LEADING EDGE ARIMA AMSTRAD BONDWELL DATAVUE COMMAX GOLDSTAR

TECHNICAL SUPPORT SALES & SERVICE DIRECT MANUFACTURER HOTLINE TRAINING ^^^^ SUPPORT

WHY A LAPTOP SPECIALIST?

There is a substantial lack of technically qualified sources available to meet the requirements unique to the laptop buying community. The laptop buyer does not have any place to go for expert technical assistance, complete systems solutions, service, or competent purchasing advice. It has been the basic goal of LAPTOPS, etc. to be this comprehensive source of expert advice and assistance to the laptop community.

There are several trends driving the laptop and persona! computer industry. The strongest of these trends are the following: a) Lack of Standards:

Unlike the desktop market there are not standard internal expansion interfaces for most of the laptops. Even among products by the same manufacturer. The screen handling used in many laptops does not utilize standard system conventions

and graphics protocol. This lack of standardization has created a substantial lack of accurate information available to the consumer, b) Proliferation of Models and Manufacturers: Since January, 1989, there have been close to one hundred new laptop models introduced to the market. Since January, 1989, thirty-four different manufacturing companies have entered the laptop market.

Existing LAPTOPS, etc. locations have captured and maintained a commanding market share in laptop sales by keeping over thirty laptops on display, maintaining a commitment to quality technical information, consistent inventory, and the highest standards of service and customer support in the industry.

TO BECOME PART OF THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE MICROCOMPUTER INDUSTRY, CALL OR WRITE:

FAX NUMBER: (301) 825-1507

(301) 527-8677

Circle 506 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 507)

JUNE 1990 • BYTE 64SO-9

REGIONAL WHAT'S NEW

SOUTH

Ecotech used Halo to help do the device drivers in its Modeller CAD software.

Halo for the High-End Graphics Spectrum

The new version of Halo, the library of graphics subroutines for DOS for creating graphics-intensive applications, provides links to the Canon IX-30 scanner, the Hewlett-Packard ScanJet Plus, the Kyocera A-800 scanner, and Willow's Publisher VGA. Version 3.0 of the toolkit, which you can use to develop graphics, mapping, and gray-scale applications, supports more than 250 graphical display, input, and hard-copy devices, and it includes more than 200 subroutines. Media Cybernetics reports.

A version for OS/2 takes advantage of multitasking but doesn't support as many devices, the company says.

The program requires a compiler for a Halo-supported language from Microsoft, Borland, or Lattice; 640K bytes of RAM; and a hard disk drive.

Price: Halo 3.0, S395; Halo for OS/2, $695. Contact: Media Cybernetics, Inc., 8484 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910, (800) 992-4256 or (301)495-3305. Inquiry 1006.

Save Time on Research Projects Using Box-B

Box-B is a statistical program for designing experiments using the BoxBehnken experimental system, a less time-consuming alternative to the factorial design technique. Box-B is based on the three-level design (i.e., high, low, and medium) of variable parameters and can investigate three- and fourfactor response surfaces, its developer reports.

After you've performed the experiment, you enter responses. If during the experiment a value other than the one specified in the Box-B worksheet is carried out, you can use the actual experimental values. Box-B provides statistical analysis of results like Fisher's F ratios, analysis of variance, and others. The program runs on the IBM PC with 384K bytes of RAM. Price: S295. Contact: Statistical Programs. 9941 Rowlett. Suite 6, Houston, TX 77075, (713) 947-1551. Inquiry 1009.

Assets 2.0, a stand-alone database tool for tracking fixed assets and their associated costs and depreciation, lets you make subsets of any combination of fields so a main office can keep an inventory of several departments without resorting to an auditor. With the program, each department updates its inventory on an electronic form, which is sent back to the main office for updating. The program can also generate cost totals on any combination of fields.

The program can import and export dBASE, Lotus

Point-of-Sale and Inventory Control for the PC

The new version of SalesPro, a point-of-sale (POS) and inventory control program for the IBM PC, supports up to 999 line items per transaction and user-defined reports. It gives you the option of sending invoices to one address and packing slips to another, Hi-Tech Advisers reports.

The program is available in many versions. Sales-Pro

1-2-3, and ASCII format files. You can upgrade each asset as often as you like by keying in the upgrade as a separate entity, instead of as a new asset. The program supports all depreciation schedules and supports bar coding for automated inventory.

Assets 2.0 runs on the IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM. Price: S250.

Contact: Strider Technology, 1019-C 16th St. NE, Hickory. NC 28601, (704) 324-1498. Inquiry 1010.

Plus includes customer file, back order, layaway, accounts receivable, and statement capabilities in addition to the basic POS and inventory control. Sales-Pro Elite includes all the capabilities of SalesPro Plus and adds accounts payable, bill tracking, check printing, and general ledger. Super Sales-Pro adds inventory explosion, a service center module, and add-on accessories.

The program runs on the IBM PC with 640K bytes of RAM.

Price: Sales-Pro, $99; Plus, $199; Elite, $299; Super, $599. Network versions: $199, $399, $599, and $999, respectively.

Contact: Hi-Tech Advisers. P.O. Box 7524, Winter Haven, FL 33883, (800) 882-4310 or (813) 294-1885. Inquiry 1011.

SAS Jumps into AppleTalk

JMP, the program for the Macintosh that combines statistics with graphics, is now available for AppleTalk networks, SAS Institute reports.

JMP Serve lets a network administrator poll the number of concurrent JMP users within a network zone. When the number of users exceeds the licensed number, you can determine inactive users who should be bumped off the system.

The program requires a Mac Plus with 2 MB. Price: Five users, $2500; 10 users, $4500; 15 users, $6750; 20 users or more, $400 per user.

Contact: SAS Institute, Inc., SAS Circle, P.O. Box 8000, Cary, NC 27512, (919) 677-8000. Inquiry 1007.

Track Depreciation

with Fixed-Assets Program

64SO-10 BYTE- JUNE 1990

If You want a Better Image...

THE LEADING COMPETITORS' DITHERED IMAGE ■ NISCAN/GS Trae Gray-Scale Image

Get a Better

SCANNER!

We set our competitors' scanner to 400 DPI resolution and NISCAN/GS to a minimal setting of 200 DPI to demonstrate the remarkable image quality offered by true gray-scale scanning. We would have compared NISCAN/GS to their gray-scale scanner... but they didn't have one. Call 1-800-245-SCAN for more information about NISCAN/GS or the dealer nearest you.

Image output using HP LaserJet Series ir" compatible at 300 DPI. Both images were reduced 90% in Ventura Publistier^".

^"NISCAN/GS

®

NISCA Incorporated, 1919 Old Denton Road, Suite 104, Carrollton, Texas 75006

NISCAN/GS SPECIFICATIONS: 8 Bit Gray-Scale, 256 Shades of Gray, 25 - 400 DPI Resolution Circle 512 on Reader Service Card JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-11

Call for Outstanding Pricing on Tailored Computer Systems

MOTHERBOARDS • XT • 286 • 386 • 486

'.ne. iV, t4C. .fei, 8 Sim, w/BIOS S CPU

" ' ' " "OSSt

SCPU

■;rx !H. 3t. iSOi to, 8 S)05, w/B«S S tni ■ SiB-s, w,'Blt!S S

'I, ■I.^ a, 6*01 ,«oi, 8 Sib:

out UST SaUNG nSI 12iiik motxbkmid

1 Znh; 286,9«s, 10 tab, 8Slot,m BIOS, Maine U9

»1.286'12, BdK Sz, B«, 8k to <mb. N[il CHIP. Ei«S, Skod . 245 »1,286-12, Bolr, Si, B«, Bllo Bmb, NiAI CHIP, [fMS, Skoi 215 «i, 28616, Sobi S;, Bws. el to Bmb, NUI CHIP, E[«S, Shod 269 «1,286-20,8oh Si, 8ws, 81 to Bmb, NW CHIP, i[MS, SkoJ. . . 309 AI, 386-16SI, Boby Si, Bk, Bk to 8mb, »tAI CHIP, SMS, Stud. 365 »1,386-20/25, Boby Si, Bws,» 16mb, 8 Skiis, »«1 BIOS . 679/809 II. 386-25/33,32k Co<te, Boby Si, e«, to limb, 8 Sk)ls,

UllBfflS 1 139/1375

THE FASTEST PC MOTHERIOARDS IN THE WORLD

AI, 486-25,1 Jl Si, Bws, Bk to 16mb, 8 Slots, Opt 128k tit Cube, ai, AI, 486-25, Bob( Si, Bws, 8k to 16mb on Mermiy CotI 4249

CONTROLLERS

FDC-2,360(/ 720HXIOriy 13

LCMSHW Fix:-, 360l;/720i;/l ,2iit/1.44mb, XI/AI 31

I sum fix*, Coort 4 Irnmj OiivK, XI/Al, A] Om Iy;g ,,,, 39 |

COMPAIiaRD I, 4 Olives, 3601/7201/1.2mt/144iib 99

COKPATiaSB II, C^EiBt. Dtk 2 DnvES, All Iy[«s 75

COMPAHUIIB IV, 4 Dmes All lypes, Ci^Eist 01 Srand Akxit,

Bbo" From Aity Dri«, Easy Insfollobon 112

lOSGSHiNE 6)1 OD, Ctk 2 Honl Biivss, MF«, XI Only 43

*tSI[!ll DIGIIAl Xl-tSS, tib 2 Hort Diiw, MM, XI S3

WESII«« KGlIAl 27X, tUs 2 Hold OrivB, (IL, XI 61

WESItSN OIG1IA1I003-M«2,ZFO/2HO. 2:l.Mf»l,AI 102

WESHiK DIGIIAl I006-IUI2.2FD/2HB, 1:1. KfM, AI 116

WESIiiH OIGIIAl I003-S«2,2FI)/2HB, 2:1. (El. AI 142

WESIEiH DIGIIAL 1006-582, 2FD/2HD. 1:1. (El. AI 12?

lOHCSHlHS 6220. 2FC/2H6, XIOHEY 75

lOHGSfllHE 6622,2FD/2H0,1:1. MFM.AI 96

WA-3.2F0/2HB.2:I.«FM,AI 72

WA-6.2FO/2HI), 1:1 lilE,AI 85

WA-16,2Ff)/2H0,l:l,iilFM.AI 77

CIC 7280,2FD/JHD.1:1.MF*(,AT 109

:ic;2e7 2F5/2HB, l:l,ilELAI 131

ASM 1100-5)114,4FB/2HB. l:l,»lfM 105

ASM 110O-SR*,4F0/2HB.l:l,l!lL 129

HIGH PERFORMANCE CONTROUfRS

SPtClAL ASLL; ■ ■ ■ ■■■

-:'ecses DtSe Cwcity by'O'^

TJNT1M£ "e ::x'i-; =lmy/Hofd Bisk Controllet. Sms Atcess I hc-eoses *-x.', Ivease Diss Life, d'ri Mirroring Option, MFM. (EL ! is: Mosels »v: oHe CAIE FO* PKCBG

WER SUPPLIE

1 SOw XT, SlofAmiSrii for Ft/^II Systems 38

ISOwXT. UlAwroved 45

200w XT. Sloniord PImkoI Siie lot fC/XI 48

200w XI. UlAoprwed 52

220w AI. Slondofd Pteitol Siie lor IB« AI 54

220wAT UlAppraieil 62

271)wAI,StondortPhysicol Siie lor IBM AI 69

220» AI, For flom Stond Verti<ol Coses 58

220* AI, LIE A<)[»ov«l, For Floor Siwd Vertitol Coses 65

2B0* AI, For FkjtK Srcnd Vertitol Coses 109

SPKUl 220w Floor StoiiJ lype P/S »rlh Buibi-n UPS, 5-30niin, EMI Fiber, Eednrgeoble Battery, Oprionol S/W 365

FLOPPY DISK DRIVES

lEAC 360X, 5 1/4, f B55B!, 3ki«/ 3«i, iBes-: 68/70

lEAC l,2mt 51/4, FDSSGFi, Beje'Jxi. :Bes-: 81/83

lEAC 720(, 3 1/2, FB235F, wrt* > I/( Ct. B«e On^ 69

lEAC 1,44mb. 31/2. FD235HF. wilb 51/4 XOieje 83

360X,5 (/4,M25SIA,Bloik/B«9e 63/65

FUIIISU1.2mli,Sl/5,M2S53t,Biese 74

FUlllSU 360X 5 1/4, M25SIA, Bloik/B«9e

FUIIISU1.2mli,Sl/5,M2S53t,Bieoe

ICMIBA 7201,3 1/2. IIB3525. »/«lt. Btock/Bieoe 69

TOSHIBA l,44nb, 3 I /2, NB3S6S, «/lSt Bkld/Bieje 82

MINI MICSO I.2mb, 51/4, MMFO-560(, B1E6E, MfgSiraunj 74

HARD DISK DRIVES

40mb. RIE, Mini-Mitio—Mfg. by Sonsunj. 3,25 HH «/5,25 kit.

35ms 239

40/60mb, MFM-SEE, MrSOBISHI MI53S. 5,25 HH, kiss ttot 28ms

Shakmoonted, Voil Coil. Surfoce Mounred lechnokny 399

SEAGATE

20mb.MFM.SI-225.5,25 HH,65ns• Br, On^/,Mi ....205/259

20!tib, MFM. 51-125.3,5 HH w/5,25 kit. 40mi/2!ms 235/280

20,ttb, (U. 51-2251,5,25 HH, 70ms ■ Br, Oo^/ w/tUr ,,,. 199/249 30mb, !U, SI-2381,5,25 HH, 65ms ■ Br, Only/ »/* .,.. 219/282 30mb, (EE, 51-1381,3,25 HH w/5,25 kit. 40ms/28ii5 ,,,, 288/299 30mb, MFM, STUB. 3,25 HH ./5,25 kit, 40m5/28rr5 .... 294/312

40mb, nil. 5I-250li, 5.25 HH, 70ms witb conlrolfer (XII 312

40mb, MFM, ST251.5.25 HH. 40ms/28ms 315

40mb, MFM, ST151.3,25 HH w/5,25 kir, 24ms 394

60mb, 8EL SI-277K-1.5.25 HH. 28ms l6Stnb) 388

BOmb. MfM. 51-4097,5.25 HH, 2«ir5 585

fILWfiYS fiT fl DISCOUNT

MEMORY CARDS

576X Memory Eip Cold From i 28( 10 6401 25

384X MoHifunction Cord, OX, Ser, for. Gome, Ci/Clk 69

EVEHX WM-3000 01 3mb Moi, Uses 2561 Chips 99

EVEHX RAM-IOOOO 0( 10mbMaj.£ip2m6ln(rtmentsMin 149

64( 150ns, 1 X64i;BliAM(4164) 1.85

641 120ns, U64«0liAM (41641 1.95

641 100ns, 1 X64X0ilAM(4164) 2,50

i4( 120ns, 4X641; ORAM (4464) 4.00

641 100ns. 4X641; ORAM (44641 4.50

2561; 150ns. 1 X 256IBRAM 141256) 2.75

256(120ns.lX 256IBRAM (41256) 3.00

2561100ns, 1 X 256K ORAM (41256) 3.50

256K80ns. 1X 256( ORAM (41256) 4,25

Imeg 100ns, IX Imb, ORAM (410001 11,00

ImegBOns, 1 X Imb.ORAM (41000) 12,00

MEMitrmcUii smcT w ami withoutmiia

VIDEO DISPLAY CARDS

BEIAL MONO/COtOR Giaphcs Corll, 2 in One Coir CGA Color Cnjdks Adopter. No Pnnler Port., (GIL ((lorGroiliicsAdami.w/PrMei Port , E¥E8EXEIIHAiraR,64lIi3i0,lloPr ■

MOHOCHIOME GRAPHICS Cc:c, «, hiA ro-. LPIi, Good 22

MOHOtmOME GRAPHICS Cord. PomlW Poii. Eftl-2 or 3 39

BUAL WBEO Cool, Allows 2 Mon to Ron On o Single Cold 75

' 35

31

33

... nfmetxim

EVEREX ENHAHQR^ 6401350, w/ Priitei Pon 119

SUKR EGA 0£M^ toiOO^ Aoto Swittlim 75

VCAGRAffllC5JO0i6OO SUPER VGA 1024x768 16 B9 112

Vlf AII,800i560JBH 256 179

PADABISf VGA *. OfM. 8()0i600.8Bit. 256( 189

PARABISE VGA., OEMJOOi600.16Bit, 2561 185

ATI VGA, OEM. 1024i268.16B», 256IL (VIEW PERFECT) 205

ATlVGA^OfM, 1024X768^ I6Bit, 2561, w/Mojse, (VP) 230

50IAV4a/1«, 1024i76«. 168it. 2S6I(/512( 235

VGA 8001 600 (Ook) 94

m OEM mmoK m mufmm sy smsum

MONOCHROME

12'MMOfM 12S2. 720i3S0.Aiiib.. liltsSwiyel 76

I4'MMOtJll457, 720<350.Aiiib./Wh!,Flol5tr.,.I/S 112

I4-VOEIRONtM-U89J20r3SO.Arob./WilJAt/S 110

14- fVfRVlSIOII,720i3SO, Amb.Jlot S<reen. f/S 130

14- MM OEM mMI 4641;, J40i2to, ,52 Bol. lit S Swivel 229

14-MM OEM MM1464y(, 6401200. .41 Bol, Hit 8 Swivel 244

12; TAXAII.Composite. 640x200, Anter, Woiks w/COA Adp .^96

379 449 575 495

14' MM OEM 1453M, 640x350. .31 Bol. Tih S Sw

14- RELY515 R^5154,640x350. .31 Bol. (BeslVdrie) ..

14' HEC 3BJ024i7j8, .28 Bot,Anolog/nL 1/5

14' VIEW PtRFfO, 1024x768, ,>9 Oot^tOlit Tube, Stoji 14- RSLY515 R^5^55.800x6(f0. .31 Bol. A/Tl, I/S ...

VGA ■ COLOR 14- VIEWPERFECIVT2,640x480, ,29 Bot, Ma, T/S ,31 Dot.AnJog I/r 14" MM OEM 14681, 720x400. .31 Bot. Arolog. I/E

.369 .379 . 379 , 545

4- REltSSRE-9513.720x480. ,31 Dot. An Jog, 1/5.

■ MM OEM 14681, 720x400, .31 Bot. Arxtloo. I/E

■ NEC 2A 800x6fe .31 Bol. Anolog, lih 8 Sw«l

Cad monitors

16' NEC4B. 1024x768 1275

16- HAKAO 90705, 1024x768. 31 Dot. m/ANAlOG. T/S .... 1069

I6' MIISUBSHIFL<605, 1280il024.,.56Bol, Anolog 1375

20' MIISIIBSHI3905, 1024x1024. ,3l Bol. llnokig 1875

20- SEC5C, 1280x11)24 2548

20' M'ISliSHI 6905, 1280x1024, .31 Bot. Arofco/m 2595

INPUT/OUTPUT • MULTIFUNGION CARDS

Sf<!ALCoic. 2 Prm, 2-x rortCpt. COM : 8 2 (ForXT) 13

SE!!ALCoid,2Ports, 2niPonOpi.COM 1-4 (XI/AI) 18/21

SERIAL Cixd. 4 Pons. 3rd 8 4ft fort Opt. COM 1-8 OCI/AD - - - - S9/95 2nd SERIAL =« Opt—CoUe 8 Chip Set—Pin ConneCTx Cordig. Needed

toCoNel 10/15

PARAaEL PRINTER Cord, LPTl Ooly/IPT 1-2-3 (XT 8 AI) 9/lS

GAME CARD. 2 Ports, Alows Atwlmem of 2 loyshcks 11

CLKX Cod, Cotadoi 8 Ckxk Only, fits into A Slot (pdmorily XT) ,,.12

AI ^0 »1.1 Sei. 1 Pot, 1 Gome, COM 1-4. LPI1-2 25

AI I/O «, 2 Ser. 1 Por. 1 Gome,COM M, LPI 1-2 29

AI I/O «, 2 Senol, 2 Pirollel, (iWl 1-2, Lfll-S 35

1/0 Pl»S, Clocl, Cdointo, PoroH, Send, Girne (fei XI) 37

384K MUITI I/O, OK, To lUt, Col, Ok, Stl, Pa, Goim (XII 69

MULH I/O, w/ftpw CA, M, rt. Set, Por, 6oira 0(1) 33

lUlO SW Mono 01 C^A Video, 1!«, 1 poi, 1 lom Oil) 75

SUPER MUin I/O, w/Floppi Clt-C«tofc 360,720X, 1,2 on! I,(4mbFDO,U,ak,Ser.for,SomePtitsO(D 59

BARE BONES

XT

lOmb! Desktop 8»ebone System. XT/AT Ike tose. 101X/B. 1 SOW P/5. Floppy Cdr, 360 Ftappy Ilrm, 2561 Memory ..,,

AT 286

12mlti 286 Desktop Botebone System. 0 lo 4mb M/B. OX. Full Siie AT Cose. 220w P/S. m Enhnnced leylooni, Flofw / Honl Drive Controlter, !,2mb floffry Dsk Drive

1200 GVC, htemd, w«h K lAlX 111 Softwoie 45

1200 EVEREX, kitemd, with BlICOM Softworc 74

1200 GVC, Extemol, «db PC TALK 111 S<<twtre 59

I200GVC, ExtemolPotkttModem 70

2400 OEM, wdh PROCOMM S<<rwoie, U.S. Mode. Com 1-4 75

2400 OEM ;00M, Intemol with PROCOMM Soltwoie 75

2400 GVC, kitemd wdh PC lAII 111 Sdtwoie 98

2400 EVEREX Intemd wdli BlICOM Softwore 138

2400i-IECH,lntCTol,MNPOoss5 319

2400 OEM JOOM, Extemol with PROCOMM Sirftwore 105

2400 GVC, Extemol, with PC TALI III Softwore 109

2400 GVC, Extemd, witb PC TALI III MNP Ctes 5 I!5

2400 EVEREX. Extemol. wdh BlICOM Softwore 199

2400 E-IECH. Eilemjl.MNPCtesS 349

2400 GVC, Extemol, P«ket Siie for Portobles/Liflops 132

ACCELERATOR CARDS

SOIA286iXI/C0MP«O/AI8I/2Bim CACHE MEMORY

SUPPORTLW4,0 NORION51=13,3 Seerpmmoiyme 275

SOIA386rXI/COM»C/AI8I/2EflI)l CACHMfMOff

SUPPORT CW 4.0 NORTON SI =19 7 415

50IA16i Memory Upgrodt For 286i w/OI eip to 8mb totol 275

BACK UP TAPES

COLORADO lUMBO -. Int. 40 - 120mb. 5 1/4 269

C0l0RADOIUMBO-.txt.40-120mb.(lI 389

COLORADO AB-lOComdfer. Co-Exist w/PiesentfOC 89

COLORADO 40/ 80 Io;e (eo) 18

Qior^ 5 85

C0C0RAtX)60/I20Toie (eo) 28

QuonhtyS 135

ARCHIV!0l!-600AIope (eo) 29

IEACCT-600HTope (iol 20

SOFTWARE

MS D05 3.3W/GWBosi(. OEMVe: 59

MS DOS 3.3. Atniol MICROSOFT 84

MS DOS 4.01 W/ 6W Bosk. OEM Vet Slim-No Basic Monud 68

MS DOS 4.01 W. Actud MICROSOFT Slim-«o Bisk Monud 82

CHECX-IT V2.0. XT/AT/3B6 Comdete Oiogomisfic 95

UIILIY SOflWARt lo Ran 1.44-«sed with Hl-Densily Olr 18

SPINRflE - Ihe Bar Refoniitivig/Pie<BEh Pmgrom on the moriiet, NoivOesnjctfie k)w levd forncriTg. -nstr* rtertecve chonge. fulyAofo ondysis, wik witb 4.01 cd 'Otoe t-. 70

PC SUPERXWK B6k Cothrng. (/3 8 Screen Acieteroloi 52

HEABROOM, Memoiy Monogement, Roted Hob by PC MAG 7?

PC XWH POWER PAC« Ubimote in hi Codling, S/W 8 Lllite, Print Spooiei, RAM Disk, Keytoord Aiteleratoi, Screen Acceterotor, Suwioils Lm

3,2/4,0 EMS Monooeis 94

HYFtRPAO.SirmkitoHYPERORDinonAPPlE 99

386 MAX, Unleoiii die Power ond PotenSol ol 386s 43

386 MAX PROFESSIONAL, Enbonced Version 75

TURBO EMS for Ft/XT/AI/386 89

WORBPfRfEO S,(l, lop Roted Word tassot 250

MOUSE • TRACKBALL • SCANNERS

OMOOSE X-30M Sitajm line 2 Button Setfol 24

OMOUSE X-30M Streom bne 2 Bot Ser Bekjxe w/ OR Hokj 31

OMOOSE X-30S Streom line 3 Botton Send 25

OMOUSE X-30S Streom Une 3 Bol Set Bdoie w/ 01 Hdo 33

GENIUS GM-6000, DR. Hdo 111. 2 or 3 Button Opeiotion, 35H050 Res..

9-25 Pin Aduitor 38

GENIUS GM-6X, OR. Holo 25

lOaiEOI C-9, Pi»llp BOS S/W, 50-19,000 Res, Ser/8iis 75/85

n-lOO.MICIiOSSTCoiimttile 59

MIGHTY IRACXBALL OIRMIX. DR. hdo s/». 9-25 port odnitoi 49

lOGIIECH IRAC(MAN. 50-15000- DPI. 3 Bot.. 5/W, Sei/Bos 95

Moase Pocket, Sto-e Yoor Mouse When Not in Use 3,00

Mouse M. Soft or Herd 3.00

Moose Sroge. Paled Shioe Pioced over K/8 for Mouse Use 9.50

PS/2 Mouse Adopter 4.00

GE«IUS GS4SO0 4' Hond Scdiner. (Bsk. Scon Eda S/W,

400 BFl, Di. Genus S/W 195

GENIUS GS45D0 4' Hird Sconne'. w/ OCR Softwore 235

loystick Mogic 909 IBM 8 C:tc-*/Moj[ 909A IBM/Apple .15/17

MATH CO-PROCESSORS

8087-2 Bnte. XT 139

80287-8 Smhi. 286-8/10/12 215

80287-10 10 mbi,28j-10/12 239

80387-16 16mbi, 386-16 349

80387-20 20mbi, 386-20 399

80387-25 25mbi, 386-25 495

80387-33 33mb2,386-33 629

80387SX-1616n*ii, 3865X16 329

KEYBOARDS

MAXl-SWIICH 84 Xey Me Best) SO

MAXI-SWrCH 101 Key (Ihe Best) AI Ody 62

(EYTROWSlOUey(Eicellent) 49

NIC SPfOAL 101XEYBOARB Me/ad 12 S«tioo leys on left Side,OdieiSKl(fcisACPnBS99Xe(tOTtls OsirPrice S65

84«!YXSYB0AR0,Koo<lick 29

84 XiYCHlCOHY,Toe*/Click 45

lOlXEtNonCWCqpodtivelochle 12 Function leys 40

1OUEY XEtBOARD locnie / CM, 12 Fonchcm Xeys 43

IR101 0X-301 MINI (ETBOARB, Soie Desk Sixxe 44

ln-3(ll01/102(IY»itb Moosoft Coitw). (Send oi Bos)

Tlkfoll Moule, 20 Bfl - 6400 VOrill* Resdutioii 95

102 KFf CAT C0M8O wrt Oii:-Mectiinal Mouse, AlPS fey,

Qd c-dloctie Feel 200 BPI 95

DESKTOP CASES

29

XT SUOE, Slnndonl PC/KT, 4 Exposed Bnve Boys

XI/AI Uke, 2 Exp Br. 2 Int Di. LED/Reset/Xey/TuAo

XT/AT Like Fliplop Cose (Some OS Above) 44

BABY AI. 3 Exp Drive. 2 lm Dr. LED. Reset. Key. Tutbo. XI si. t/i ... 50

w/Bigitd Deploy 58

AT Sitl Desktui. 3 Exp / 2 Int Di. LED/Resei/Hey/Iurbo 52

AT DELUXE DI. Some cs Atwve. Heovier Duty. Betlec Oud 54

w/tijitd Dsplcti 62

MM AI BI. Attmchve. w/200w P/S, 3 X 51 /4 8 1 X 31/2 Exp Br. Soys-l lnl31/2HdDrBoy,FdsATSXISiieMotberboonJs ...,109

w/0ig»dD5ploy(Lessint31/2HdBoy) 119

FLOOR STAND VERTICAL CASES

VERT, w/220w P/S. 6 X 51/4 Exp Drives. Hon Boitol 210

w/260w UL Awoved Power Supply ,,: 239

VERI, w/200w PA 2 X 51/4.213 1/2 EXP BR. 2 X 51/4 Inr Hord

Brivt Boys, [igitti tSsploy 199

ViRI. w/i20w P/S. 3151/4 Exp Br. 4151/41 /I ft Intemol

Brives. Bigitol Bisploy 215

w/285wP/S 259

MID Srie VERT. w/200w P/S, 3 15 1/2 8 2 x 3 1/2 Eip Oi.

2 X 3 1/2 Int Bm, Fds XT 8 il Siie M/8. Bigitol 149

MINI Vttl. w/2l)lSw P/S. 2x51/481x31/2 Exp. 2 x3 1/2 INI. Fits XI Siie Molheihoord Only 125

SPECIAL • PORTABLE

LCD Lundi Box. CGA Double Scon, 640 x 400,200w Powet Soprt,

86<ey«/B,Cose,«deoConi, LCOBisdoy 789

EGA Veison, 648 X 350 1185

GAS PLASMA 640x200 CG; ' ■ •::*= : =:!-::!:cv ,,,1100 GAS PIASMA 640x480 V3J< ; i = 3-::.s::y ,...1795

CABLES'MiSC* ACCESSORIES

XT Hold Olive Coble Set, 134 P;r S i 20 P,i Code 3,95

XI Hon!Olive Doisy Cboin Coble, Fot2 HD Connechons 4.95

XI Hod Olive Boto Coble. 20 Pn Doto Cdie Only 3.00

XT Fte[^ Olive Coble. For 2 Flopfri Drive Connechons 3.95

AT Cobte Set. 3 Cobles. 1 foi FOB. 2 For Hord Drive 5.95

Fijnjilel Primer Cdie 6' 3.95

ftridld PnnteiCdie6'. Molded 4.95

PonlelPriBteiCdiielO-, Mokied 5,95

PDraM Printei Cdile, Cenrronic to Cereron'K. 6' 5,9S

Seriol Modem Code, 6', Mde to femote 4,95

Seriol Modem Code, IB', Mde to femole 6.95

AC FOWtR CORD. Foi Fiwei Su!(ily »It Outlet 3.00

YCobte. Adopter To Exf«]ndNo.rfPowerOuIfxjtsofP/S 3.00

Xeytoort Extenlion cS. 6' / lO' 2.95/3.95

Monitor Eiponsim Code. 6710' 3.95/6.95

Seriol Pott Adoptor. 9 Pin Fenxfe to 25 Pn Mok 5.00

Gender Cbongei. Fertklte to Femde 3,50

GeoderCbonget, MotetoMde 5,00

VGA Cdte, 9 Bn to 15 Pin 0115 Pin to 25 P« 10.00

VGA Eminswi Code. Unwrsd fa Sony. NEC 9.00

Soije Ptotettor. 6 Outlet Power snip Id App 6.95

Power Center wbh Surge Piotetlion Sits Uildei Monitoi 18

Botteiy Pock For AT Comwlei, Hold 4 AA Siie Botteiies 3

Spedcet,21/2' 3

SnedceiHokiei 2

AC Powei Ccxd, Connects Between P/S ond AC Outlel 3

AT Roils. Foi Morjbng Floppy / Hurt Drives, Set of 2 3

XI Foce FTotes (BkxU, Covers Empty Drive Boy 2

AB Switch Box, SfBdfy Type of Connedions 14

Dii Drive Cleoning I5t for 5 1/4 Olives 6

Disk Drive Clmilno CI For 31/2 Oifves 6.50

Prinlef, KeytBori. Mcxise Cleodng Xo 6.50

Prinlei Slond, Univeisc-. tits All frmeis 6

Prilrlei SWid Wdh Popei Iioy. Hemy Duty Wiie Const 11

Milei Sued W»h Encbsed ftipei Tniy 17

Mouse Pod. Soft or Hod 3

Mouse Shtge, Poded Stitge Pioced Ovei t/6 for Mouse Use 9.50

CPU Stond. Set Desktop sys on f kior in Veit Posrt 9

Quality ServUe to fhe Smart Mail Order Shopper §or 4 Years

XT* AT* & IBM* Are Registered Trademailcs of Intematlonal Business Machines. • Prices are subject to ctiange without notice.

$1 Rebate per $100 on all phone orders (ex., $5.00 rebate for $500 order)

2115 Old Oakland Road San Jose, California 95131

408-432-7380

TECH SUPPORT 408-432-7557 FAX 408-432-8622

/// /i/|s///C-\\ S///|-|- I'iSfi

\ fiu inht r t>l tin( liamhff ttl ( iminu-irv'.

Call or M i ilc for sliiiiiiiiiii ilclails. I S.^.OO liandliiii; cliai i^c is applied lo all orders plus a iniiiimiim ofS-f.OO frt iiihl. (H:MS will ship ( /'.S. /7.7> /■.".\, (//• any oilier reeoi;iiized freis^lil

64SO-12 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 505 on Reader Service Card

Superior Performance With Mitsubishi

Monitoring the Future

The family of Diamond Scan color monitors by Mitsubishi is the most extensive and reliable in the industry.

The Microprocessor based, auto scanning monitor system offers high resolution color graphics in a variety of 13" thru 37" models.

Horizontal scan frequency, ranging 15.7 to 64 KHz, results in resolutions as high as 1280 x 1024 noninterlaced, producing the finest resolution and the most realistic presentation of your graphics.

Just one more example of Mitsubishi's fine tuning of your business needs.

XC33I0-J3'Color Monitor

AMITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC. COMPUTER PERIPHERALS DIVISION

© 1988 Mitsubehi Etectroncs America, Inc.

Mistubish's a regstered trademark of Mitsubishi Bectric Corp., Tokyo.

For product information call:

Measuring More Than Megabytes

You can measure the breadth of Mitsubishi's line of disk drives which offer OEM's and end users the broadest range of flexible, rigid and optical disk drives in the industry.

Our optical technology produces storage through 90 GB's in juke-box, dual drive configuration.

All Mitsubishi disk drives deliver performance levels among the highest in their class.

Optical Disk Drive Libran- C

THE THORSON COMPANY • Southwest Engineering Representatives

Dallas Austin Houston

(214)233-5744 (5J2) 345-1985 . (713)558-8205

Circle 523 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 524)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 64SO-13

Circle 476 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 477)

Get More Bang From Your Computer Buck

MAKE YOUR BEST MOVE!

Unconditional 30-Day Money-back Guarantee No Credit Card Surcharges We Pay 'A the Shipping

CACHE n 80386.25 MHz With 99% Hit Rate. Where The System Gets its Power

New! $1,899

All of American Leader's Systems have the latest quality micro components that let you enjoy an amazing level of power now, and the ability to expand in the future. Factory Burned in and ready to make your moves.

Our committment to you is simple. . .We realize the demands for your adapatability to today's ever-changing technology so we provide sales, service and support on the latest in the computer industry. Before You Buy.. ._ki_Us Out!

• Intel 32 Bit 80386-25 MHz CPU

• Socket & Support 80387-25 or Weltecti 3167 Math Co-processor

• 6 Layer Board Dry Film PCB

• Chips & Technologies Chipset

• C & T 307 Cache Controller, 32 KB (8K X 8) Cache Memory

• Up to 99% Hit Rate

• 2 Meg of High Speed RAM Expandable to 16 MB on Board

• 256 KB or 1 MB SIP RAM Modules

• AMI BIOS

• Capable of Adjusting Ramsized, CPU Speed, I/O Speed Shadow ROM & Shadow Video BIOS

• Latest Case Design

• 1.2 MB S'/i" Teac Drive

• 1.44 MB SVs" Teac Drive

• 1:1 Interleaved Dual Hard/Floppy Controller

• 1 Parallel & 2 Serial Ports

• Enhanced 101 Keyboard

• Fully Compatible & Tested w/ OS/2 1.03, XENIX 2.2

• Novell 2.15 Certified

• Widest Spreadsheet and Utility Programs Compatable

• Tall Tower Case w/230 Watt PS. UL 110/220 V

• MS DOS 3.3 or MS DOS 4.01

• 14" Flat Mono

Compatability Performance Memory Expandability Built to Take it Value Priced

0 0 0 0 0 0

VISA

^^^^^

Service and Precision Make The Difference

Order Now Toil-Free 1-800-654-4221

American Leader Computer, Inc.

13353 Olive Blvd. • Chesterfield, Missouri 63017 • Prices subject to change (314) 576-0900 • FAX (314) 576-5655 • Tech Support (314) 576-1228

Terms: No surcharge on credit card. COD via certified check. Personal checks: shipment after clearance. We will pay half the freight. Prices subject to change without notice. Return Merchandise: All return items require an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number and must be shipped fully insured and charge prepaid. 1 Yr. Warranty covers items with manufecturing defects.

"We deliver on time."

}/ Your order can be shipped today!

If your phone or fax order is received by 3:30 p.m., we won't go home until it's out the door and on its way to you. More than likely, your order will be in your hands the next day.

V Guaranteed on-time delivery or you get a $50 credit.

If your order doesn't arrive exactly as promised, we'll credit you S50 on your next order of SlOO or more.

Pro-Series PS3204

80386 25Mhz 1Mb RAM 40MB HD

Pro-Series PS3254

80386 20Mhz 1Mb RAM 40Mb HD

Pro-Series PS3164S

80386SX 16Mhz 1Mb RAM 40Mb HD

$1799.00 $1939.00 $1399.00

Pro-Series PS2122

80286 12Mhz 1Mb RAM 20Mb HD

Pro-Series PS1122E

V20 12Mhz 1Mb RAM (EMS) 20Mb HD

$949.00

Pro-Series PS1122

V20 12Mhz 640K RAM 20Mb HD

$749.00

$699.00

Standard Features:

1.2Mb floppy drive (360K for Series 100) HD/FH controller (1:1 int. 386s, 286s) Enfianced 101 Keyboard Mono monitor & card 1 year part & labor warranty

Options and Perlplierals

Video:

• Monochrome monitor

• CGA (Color Graphic)

• EGA (Enhanced Graphic)

• VGA (Video Graphics)

Peripherals

• Modem

• Mice

• Surge protectors

• Memory & add in boards

• Math Co-processor

• Printer: Star, Panasonic

• 720K and 1.44Mb floppy

Hard Drive:

• From 20Mb to 320MB

• MFM, RLL, SCSI, ESDI, IDE

Order: Fax:

800-767-0668 405-525-9154

Comtek Solutions, Inc.

1739 NW 16th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 Excellent service and competitive price since 1979

Government/Corporate/Education P.O.'s accepted

Info: 405-524-0668 Tech: 405-524-0761

Dealer, quantity, purchase inquiring invited

Payment: All prices are cash discounted. VISA, Mastercard, Discover. Personal & Company checks take 10 working days before shipping.

Money order. Certified & w/ired funds get immediate shipment. Net 10 day term with Visa or Mastercard guarantee. Shipping: UPS, Federal Express (customer is responsible for shipping). Please call for any custom quotations. Prices are subject to change

without notice.

64SO-14 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 488 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 489)

Want toSee Something

Remarkable

Remaj;kafli?'nhe

• see the most exciting breakthrough in telecommunlWI^ms that will be aii ffs decade ? Want to review drawings with someone over the telephone in real i •raphics so fast it's like closed circuit television ? Want to display, study andnu drawings on all your desktop computers without CAD systems, or work^ CAD system different than your own ? Want a great archiving and plotf^^KT!£igemeri\ system ? $295.00 ('academic and evaluation packages also available)

Remarkable Shuttle

Want to get your stuff from one computer to another or to a printer with a simple RJ-11 telephone cable at 10,000 characters per second... maybe over 100 feet away ? Software package includes two RJ-11 to DB25 serial adaptors, a 25 foot cable for linking desktop and a 7 foot cable for linking laptops. Additional cable lengths available anywhen telephone accessories are sold. $59.95

Remarkable Fingerprint

Right now can you guarantee with 100% reliability that none of your sofVtVi^ files have been tampered with or been invaded by viruses ? How about tjk'-^t t AO i; you archived six months ago or that accounting data you saved ju^f^st ^-veck : L. Remarkable Fingerprint every day and sleep well every night. Nothing is better than 100^ when it comes to reliability. $59.95

JiSiitaarkable Wine

't'5 automatic, multiple stutionjri' :ved^

Remarkable Timepiece

Or. riccu !i' M Li i:

$29.95

:ywliere ind u f77 seiid 5<

11 Free 24Hrs. 1-800-842-2GET

salifiP licenses are_gnn lect 10 ch

'dp of the world '?\ '\iihle timepiece with y(A

irrently available on DoSj_ and others plannedj

Academic; evaluation package $29.95

Circle 503 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 504)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 64SO-15

REGIONAL WHAT'S NEW

- VOBll RKSmi rUMKIS

,„ c~ I, «fTt» wwto «tct>. tnit, ^ ^

H^/!f« you write a check, the Cheque-It-Out accounting screen looks like your checkbook.

Organize Your Personal Finances witii Cheque-It-Out

Hooper International says that its Cheque-It-Out program lets you manage your money using functions like account reconciliation, reporting, budgeting, check writing, and credit card tracking. Although a doubleentry accounting system, the program is designed for someone with little or no accounting experience, the company says.

In addition to its financial capabilities, the program lets you generate bar, line, and pie charts. You can use the program to balance your checkbook; track assets and liabilities; sort transactions by date, input order, or check number; and set budgets.

Cheque-It-Out runs on the IBM PC with 448K bytes of RAM. Price: $49.95. Contact: Hooper International, P.O. Box 62219, Colorado Springs, CO 80962, (800) 245-7789 or (719) 528-8989. Inquiry 1013.

Writer's Helper Now Available for the Mac

onduit has released a Macintosh version of

Writer's Helper, the educational program that helps you write a paper or document by providing prewriting, drafting, and revising tools. The program is also available in IBM PC and Apple II versions.

In the prewriting stage. Writer's Helper provides several methods for choosing a topic. Using activities such as an idea wheel, a questionner,

and brainstorming, you can get over the initial hurdle of finding a topic. Conduit says. The program also helps you explore a topic from different perspectives and, in the process, generate information that eventually appears in the paper. The outliner, structure guide, and compare/contrast tools help you organize the topic.

The program provides basic editing tools, but for search-and-replace and block move functions, you need to use a full-featured word processor.

Once you've written the paper, you transfer the program back into Writer's Helper, which then analyzes the paper's grammar, style, and structure.

On the Mac Plus, the program requires 1 MB and sup

With It's Legal, you can create several types of legally binding documents (e.g., a will or lease) without having to consult a lawyer. Parsons Technology says. Documents you create are in accordance with your state's laws, including those that pertain to living wills, a type of document that covers the use of artificial life-sustaining support. Other documents that you

ports Microsoft Word and Works, MacWrite, and Write Now. On the IBM PC, it requires 256K bytes of RAM and supports PC-Write, WordStar, WordPerfect, and several other word processors. The Apple II version requires 128K bytes and supports WordPerfect, AppleWorks, and others. Price: $120.

Contact: Conduit, University of Iowa, Oakdale Campus, Iowa City, lA 52242, (319) 335-4100. Inquiry 1016.

A Database

for Nature Lovers

NatureLog is a program for bird watchers and other naturalists that provides information on more than

can create include a revocation of a power of attorney, temporary guardianship certificates, and promissory notes. It's Legal runs on the IBM PC with 384K bytes of RAM. Price: $49.

Contact: Parsons Technology, Inc., 375 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, lA 52402, (800) 779-6000 or (319)395-9626. Inquiry 1014.

2100 species of birds, mammals, and amphibians. With the program, you can store notes on animal sightings and search by name, date, location, habitat, and text. You can also generate checklists, such as all species in a region you haven't seen and lists of all species within a region.

Species are classified by western and eastern birds in the U.S., eastern and western amphibians, and mammals. The classification system complies with Peterson's Field Guide Series.

NatureLog runs on the IBM PC with 256K bytes of RAM. Price: S49.95. Contact: NatureLog, 1580 Ireland Ave.. Akron. OH 44301, (216)773-7343. Inquiry 1015.

A Software Simulator for Intel's 80C196 Controller

LearCom's SIM 196 lets you simulate the functions of Intel's 80C196 embedded controllers and lets you examine the contents of the Content Addressable Memory file, first-in/first-out registers, and the A/D conversion unit, the company says.

With SIM 196, you can simulate all high-speed input and output features. Other features include a built-in disassembler, breakpoints, and support for single-step and block-run modes. You can change values in data memory, code memory, I/O ports, timers, and special function registers.

The program runs on the IBM PC with 150K bytes of RAM.

Price: $400; with cross assembler, $450. Contact: Lear Com Co., 2440 Kipling St., Suite 206, Lakewood, CO 80215, (303) 232-2226. Inquiry 1017.

Put a Lawyer in Your PC

64SO-16 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Waste Not, Want Not. Three great reasons, why not...

ijjito —w

12 MHz '286 AT

16 MHz '386 SX

25 MHz '386 DX

Features:

Features:

Full Size Desktop Case w/200w P/S (as displayed on center system) 6/12 MHz Turbo AT Motherboard 1 Megabyte Zero-Wait State RAM On board Expandable to 4 Megabytes 8 Expansion Slots (5 available) Built-in Setup Configuration in BIOS 80287 Coprocessor Socket 101-Key Enhanced AT Keyboard Serial, Parallel, eind Game Ports 12" Amber Monochrome Monitor Hercules Compatible Graphics 1.2 MB Floppy Drive - 5-1/4" 40 Megabyte 28ms Hard Drive 1:1 Interleave Drive Controller Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup MS-DOS 4.01 w/ GW-Basic Installed Eight-In-One Software by Spinnaker

FuU Size Desktop Case w/200w P/S

(as displayed on above system) 8/16 MHz 80386SX Motherboard 1 Megabyte Zero-Wait State RAM On board Expandable to 8 Megabytes 8 Expansion Slots (5 available) Built-in Setup Configuration in BIOS 80387SX Coprocessor Socket 101-Key Enhanced AT Keyboard Serial, Parallel, and Game Ports 12" Amber Monochrome Monitor Hercules Compatible Graphics 1.2 MB Floppy Drive - 5-1/4" 40 Megabyte 28ms Hard Drive 1:1 Interleave Drive Controher Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup MS-DOS 4.01 w/ GW-Basic Installed Eight-In-One Software by Spinnaker

Features:

Full Size Desktop Case w/200w P/S (as displayed on center system) 20/25 MHz 80386DX Motherboard 1 Megabyte Zero-Wait State RAM On board Expandable to 8 Megabytes 8 Expansion Slots (5 available) Built-in Setup Configuration in BIOS 80387DX Coprocessor Socket 101-Key Enhanced AT Keyboard Serial, Parallel, and Game Ports 12" Amber Monochrome Monitor Hercules Compatible Graphics 1.2 MB Floppy Drive - 5-1/4" 40 Megabyte 28ms Hard Drive 1:1 Interleave Drive Controller Clock/Calendar w/ Battery Backup MS-DOS 4.01 w/ GW-Basic Installed Eight-In-One Software by Spinnaker For a 20 MHz System - Deduct $180 For 25 MHz w/ 64K Cache - Add $287 For 33 MHz w/64K Cache - Add $820 For '486 System Pricing - Please Call!

Only $1,175

Only $1,370

Only $1,945

OUR GOAL

Our goal is to satisfy the customer. Every computer system we sell is backed by a full 3'ear warranty on all parts and labor. We also offer a toll-free technical support Una for your product questions.

Beltron systems are guaranteed to be 100% IBM, Novell, Unix/Xenix, and O/S 2 compatible. We also offer a wide selection of networking software, workstations, and servers to fit your companies needs.

EASY PAYMENT METHODS

We offer individual financing programs and custom corporate leasing. Please ask your salesperson for details. We also accept Discover, Mastercard, VISA, Amex, and UPS COD'S.

For Ordering Call

1 (800) 622-5255

Beltron Computer Systems, Inc.

IBM, Seiko, NEC, Novell, Unix, Xenix, O/S 2 and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Circle 478 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 479)

ADD THESE OPTIONS

to any of the three systems above

Monitors with cards: •ForCGA- $157

• For EGA - $334 •For VGA-$479

• Seiko 1440 w/ 512K Video card - $733 •NEC 3D W/512K Video card - f

Larger Hard Drives:

• For 65 MB - $65

• For 85 MB - $155 •For 111 MB-$440

• For 142 MB - $760

• For 177 MB - $912 •For 320 MB-$2,029

•For Baby Tower Case-Add $25 • For Full Size Tower Case - Add $90

I^BELI^nl

COMPUTER CORPORATtON

CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION On our other add-on products!

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-17

The World's Lowest Price A to D Size Flatbed Multipen Plotter.

■ Now available with a new multipen option that permits you to use any combination of H-P pens—up to 8!

■ Plots any size from A to D+ Maximum pen travel is 25"x34". Preprinted media is easily registered to this plotter.

fl Simplified flatbed construction for durability and performance.

Contains a precision molded zero backlash drive chain embodying two steel aircraft cables. Uses no moving electrical components in the pen carriage. Assures virtually perfect repeatability every time.

■ HPGL compatible ^'^^

Works with all software that drive H-P plotters including AutoCAD, VersaCAD, and DesignCAD. Runs on all systems from IBM PC (and compatibles) to Apple and more.

■ Prints on any media Plots on any size media to Va" thick, including bond, vellum, mylar, posterboard.

■ Fits anywhere Designed for desktop or space-saving wall mount use.

■ Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back If not completely satisfied, return it within 10 days of purchase for full refund.

■ FREE Information kit Phone or write today for sample plot, brochure and name of nearest dealer.

800-323-3283

Mural is a trademark of United Innovations

United Innovations

171 Interstate Drive

West Springfield, MA 01089

FAX: 413/785-1993

Prices start at

o$2495

Come See Us At COMDEX/Spring '9v liooth 7327. Play The Plotter Game And Win Prizes!

64SO-18 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 525 on Reader Service Card

f

LA-3DA

2 Expansion Slots and Battery Operated!

20 MB Part #28-030

n999

40 MB Part #28-031

^2199

. 12MHZ/6MH2 80286-12 Microprocessor, 80287-8 Coprocessor Socket

• 640 X 400 pixel graphics display, connector for external monitor

• Video Mode: MGC, CGA, MDA

• 1.44 MB 3.5" Floppy Disit Drive

• 20 MB 28 ms Hard Drive

• Two Expansion Slots (one 16bit bus and one 8-bit bus)

• 1 MB RAM standard on board (optional 2 MB/5MB) extendable to 16MB, 64 KB ROM with setup utility

• 82-Key low profile keyboard with 12 function keys

• Internal sealed Ni-Cd battery

• External AC power

• 12.8"(W)x3.r(H)x16.0"(D), 14 lbs.

Prices include carry case.

LA-50

^2695

. 80386SX-16 CPU, 6/16 MHz 80387SX Optional coprocessor

. 1 MB/5 MB RAM

• Backlit supertwist LCD, 640 X 480 pixel graphics display

• Video mode; VGA, EGA, Double Scan CGA, External MGA, CGA, VGA, EGA

. 1.44 MB 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive

• 40 MB 100MB optional

• 81-Key low profile Keyboard

• External AC power

LP-286C

LP-286B

^2695

LP-286C

^2795

TTie FORA LP-286C and LP-286B Laptops offer superior features at a much more affordable price than either the Toshiba T3200 or COMPAQ SLT/286.

Nl-Cd rechargeable battery 14.8 lbs.

LP-386SX

^2995

LP-386SX

• Intel 386SX-16 CPU . VGA Display

• 16-bit expansion slot • Concurrent external monitor operation

FORA LP-286C

COMPAQ SLT/286

FEATURES

TOSHIBA T3200

FORA LP-286B

$4195

$5399

LIST PRICE

$5299

$3695

800286

80C286

CPU

80C286

800286

16 MHz

12 MHz

SPEED

12 MHz

16 MHz

1 MB

640 KB

ON-BOARD RAM

1 MB

1 MB

8MB

3.6 MB

MAX. RAM

4MB

5 MB

LCD/32 GRAY

LCD/16 GRAY

DISPLAY

GAS PUSMA

GAS PLASMA

VGiA640 x 480

VGA 640x480

DISPUY

EGA

EGA

20/40 MB

20/40 MB

HDD

40 MB (38 ms)

40 MB (28 ms)

86 KEY (DETACH)

82 KEY(DETACH)

KEYBOARD

85 KEY

84 + 10 FUNCTION

14 LBS

14 LBS

WEIGHT

18.7 LBS

15.4 LBS

13.7-X 8.5" X 4.3

13.5" x 8.5-X 41"

DIMENSIONS

14,6'x3.9*x 15.6

14.8-X 3.7-x 13.4"

1 FORA 1 LP-386SX

FEATURES

TOSHIBA T3200SX

1 $2995

SELL PRICE

$4099

1 $4999

LIST PRICE

$6299

1 80386SX/16

CPU

80386SX/16

1 16 MHz

SPEED

16 MHz

1 1 MB

ON-BOARD RAM

1 MB

4MB

MAX. RAM

13 MB

1 Gas Plasma

DISPLAY

Gas Plasma

1 VGA, 640 x 480

DISPLAY

VGA, 640 X 480

1 40 MB, 28 ms

HDD

40 MB, 25 ms

85 Key

KEYBOARD

91 Key

15.4 lbs.

WEIGHT

17 lbs.

14.8x13.5x3.7

DIMENSONS

14.8 X 3.9 X 15.6

Toshiba is a

registered trademark of

Toshiba of America, Inc. Compaq is a

registered trademark of Compaq

Computer,

Inc. FORA. the Fora logo

and FORA character are trademarks of

FORA, Inc.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS

jjx Texas " Instruments

I Weighs 6.7 lbs.- inc. battery & 20MB HDD

i 12MHz80C286,1 MB/4 MB RAM

' Supertwist backlit LCD display

• Full-size AT-style keyboard MS-DOS 3.3 and Lap-Link in ROM Optional removable 3.5" tiigti-density diskette and internal modem

Model 12.. .$2499

Black-on-white VGA display-defined graohic 12 MHz 80C286,640K / 3.64 MB RAM 20 MB or 40 MB internal hard disk Inlernal 3.5" diskette drive Internal battery Full-size AT-style keyboard Model 25.. .$2499 Model 45.. .$2599

Sales Offices:

Washington D C. area 703/444-0973 Dallas area 214/788-4771

Denver area 303/752-1382 Chicago area . 708/823-9292

64SO-20 BYTE • JUNE 1990

MEMORY

From Aprlcorn...

COMPAQ ....LTE/286 1MB $299

LTE/286 2MB 399

SLT/286 1MB 299

TOSHIBA ....T1600 2MB $399

T3100e 2MB 399

T3100SX ....2MB 499

T3100SX ....4MB 999

T3200 3MB 499

T3200SX ....4MB 999

T5100 2MB 399

From Aprlcorn...

TOSHIBA ....T5200 8 MB

$2099

T8500 2MB

399

ZENITH SupersPort286 1MB

349

LA-30A ...

1 MB/4 MB

$349/$989

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS...

Model 12 1MBLIM

$549

Model 25 a 45 1 MB EMS Extended

749

Model254 45 2 MB

899

AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER: AST, Chaplet, Epson, Hyundai, Toshiba

THE

CORPORATE SOURCE

2-894-0595 F/V<:612-894-6175 COUNTY RD. 42 • #5 • BURNSVILLE, MN 55337

BOFFIN

LIMITED Circle 480 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 481)

DAUPHINTE C H

Introducing Dauphin Tech's NewLapPRO-386SX... A Power Performer That's Priced Just Right!

Only $3,695

(Special introductory offer)

Engineered and Manufactured in the USA

We specialize in custom designed laptops, any configuration. Exceptionally priced 80286-based laptop also available.

/w/- more information on Dauphin s line of laptops including the LapPRO-386SX, LapPRO-286, and future models, please contact: Dauphin Technology Inc. 1125 E. St. Charles Rd. Lombard, IL. 60148 (708) 627-4004

Circle 494 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 495)

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-21

REGIONAL WHAT'S NEW

SOUTH

MetraByte's 28-bit Counter Board for PCs

MetraByte's 28-bit continuous period counter board for data acquisition and control, CTM-PER, lets you measure every period of a TTL signal for frequencies ranging from DC to 80 kHz, the company reports. The board includes software for programmed gate control supporting positive, negative, or no polarity, while the signal can measure from positive, negative, or both edges.

Maximum voltage isolation for CTM-PER is 500 V. Total data accumulation is limited only by system memory, the company says. Price: $349.

Contact: MetraByte Corp., 440Myles Standish Blvd., Taunton. MA 02780, (508) 880-3000. Inquiry 999.

Take a PC Census

Without

a Screwdriver

Anew version of PC Census, the utility that scans an IBM PC's hard disk drive and recognizes installed components without requiring you to open the PC's hood, includes a software-recognition module that collects data on about 60 software applications, including individual versions.

With the hardware and software modules, you can determine what's inside each PC at your site without having to pull components out of the machine. The PC Census administrative module, for storing inventory in dBASE format, features report writing and data export capabilities. To run the program, you

Two BNC connectors at the rear plate of the CTM-PER receive programmable gate and signal inputs.

need an IBM PC with512K bytes of RAM. Price: S6 to S9 per machine. Contact: DTSS, Inc., Buck Rd., P.O. Box 70, Hanover, NH 03755, (603) 643-6600. Inquiry 1000.

CAD Accelerators forTIGA, EGA

Panacea has released two more programs for accelerating the performance of AutoCAD redraws, pans, and zooms, including an accelerator for TIGA (Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture) 34010 and compatible graphics boards. DLDTIGA, which accelerates performance by an average of 200 to 1000 percent over that of a nondisplay list driver, supports boards at 16- or 256

color and gray-scale resolution, the company says. DLDEGA improves the performance of AutoCAD by two to 10 times over that of the existing driver available from Autodesk.

Both programs support color palette selection, a memory meter, and display list storage in expanded or extended memory. Pull-down menus, multiple viewports, and transparent command use are also supported. Both programs work with AutoCAD release 10, AutoSketch, AutoShade, AutoShade 386, and AutoCAD 386. Price: DLD-TIGA, $149; DLD-EGA, $69. Contact: Panacea, Inc., Londonderry Sq., 50 Nashua Rd., Suite 305, Londonderry, NH 03053, (603) 437-5022. Inquiry 1003.

Western Civilization Moves to the DOS World

Cultural Resources, publisher of Culture 1.0: The Hypermedia Guide to Western Civilization, has released an MS-DOS version of the program.

Like the Mac version, the program provides an overview of more than 3700 years of Western culture, with 90 essays and 200 graphics.

Culture 1.0 runs on the IBM PC with a hard disk drive. Price: $175. Contact: Cultural Resources. Inc., 30 Iroquois Rd., Cranford. NJ 07016, (201) 709-1574. Inquiry 1002.

Computer Glossaries for the IBM PC, Mac

The fifth edition of the Computer Glossary, which explains over 4000 computer terms, is available for the IBM PC or a Macintosh running HyperCard, Computer Language reports. Price: S59.95. Contact: The Computer Language Co., 5521 State Park Rd.. Point Pleasant. PA 18950, (215) 297-5999. Inquiry 1001.

Print Graphics Faster on HP Printers

If you're tired of twiddling your thumbs while waiting for a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet to print a document with graphical images. Digital Products says that JetPropulsion is the program for you.

The company claims its TSR utility reduces by up to 500 percent the time it takes to print a document when

printing through the serial port. Through the parallel port, the company claims a 200 percent reduction in printing time, depending on the document's content (the program doesn't affect the speed at which text prints).

The program works with direct printer hookup, over LANs, and through printersharing devices. JetPropul

sion supports the HP LaserJet IIP, the DeskJet Plus, the LaserJet III, and other printers compatible with Printer Command Language 5 and higher. Price: $95 per PC. Contact: Digital Products, Inc., 108 Water St.. Watertown, MA 02172. (800) 2432333 or (617) 924-1680. Inquiry 1005.

64SO-22 BYTE* JUNE 1990

DOS Indigestion^

Do you suffer from DOS indigestion? . . .and find the idea of learning DOS code hard to stomach?

ENTER

The PC Manager

With a menu that will make your mouth water!!

for a more palatable solution

A SELECTION FROM OUR MENU . .

Up to 200 applications with sub-menus up to 5 deep. Apolications can be executable programs, DOS batch files ancj DOS commands. Easy to use, application loader for setting up the menu driver.

The File Manager

Retail Comdex Special until June 30th

Release 2. Single Workstation S95.00 $39.95

Release 3, Single Workstation $105.00 $69.95

including network log In

3Q 1990 Network Server

Call or write for information.

Pop-up utilities

fclete toM Ow toe b| rile (hbf rile rile ulnteu . Ktril^

-nicr...

la.DTE na.wp

Powerful, easy to use, file and directory disk manager with tree-like representation of directories and statistical information of files.

MORS D'OEUVRES

• Address Book

- Private and -Company

- 10.000 Entries

- Import/Export facility

- Label Design and Print facility

- Powerful Search criteria

• Diary

- 10,000 Entries per user

- Multi-User facilities

• ASCII Editor

• Low Memory Overhead

• HELP Screens

• Hot Line Support

• Full Documentation

Personal notepad and reminder, calculator, calendar, date & time functions, auto task function, alarm, system mfo and phone book which can be linked up to either or both address books.

PROJECT MARKETING INC.

475 Northwest 7th Street

Boca Raton, FL 33432

(407) 338-0886 Fax (407) 395-8929

Attention: Marion Robertson

Circle SIS on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 516)

The PC Manager - you'll wonder how you managed without it!

BON APPETIT!

0^^

^'^ vLV-oJC

RESOURCE CONCEPTS COMPUTER OUTLET

MONITORS

12" AMBER MONO NEW 90 DAY WNTY.

$59.95

12" GREEN MONOCHROME NEW 90 DAY WNTY,

$54.95

12" VGA MONO PAPER WHITE PHOSPHORUS

NEW 90 DAY WNTY. $59.95 DEMO 30 DAY WNTY. $49.95

14" VGA COLOR MONITOR .41 DOT . \ ,/I DEMO UNITS LIKE NEW/90 DAY WNTY. \^^^^f^/n4^

$215.00

14" VGA COLOR MONITOR .31 DOT ^ U/Ii^'M^ DEMO UNITS LIKE NEW/90 DAY WNTY. Tl{!jS^ 7>

$225.00

MITSUBISH114" EGA COLOR MONITOR '^/9''/^eo DEMO UNITS LIKE NEW/90 DAY WNTY. /'^'^l/XJ V

$210.00

GRAPHIC BOARDS

EGA 1 - HERC. COMP, AUTO. SWITCH, XT/AT

79.00

EGA MRU - 640X480,16 COLORS, 132 COL, HERC. COMP

91.00

VGA 640 - 640X480 W/256K 8 BIT

103.00

AVGA - AUTOSWITCHiNG VGA 800X600 W/256K 8 BIT

115.00

VGA 800/16 - 800x600 W/256K 16 BIT

128.00

EVGA - 16/256K - 800X600 W/256K 16 COLOR UPGRADE TO 512K & 1024x768

176.00

EVGA - 16/512K - 1024X768 W/512K 16 COLOR

212.00

ML-VSI - 800X600 W/256K-EXP TO 512K & 1024x768, 16 BIT

215.00

ML-ADV - 640X480 FASTEST 8 BIT AVAILABLE XT/AT/PS2

130.00

ADD ON CARDS

MONOCHROME TEXT ONLY CARD (MTO) MGP(PII-143C) CLOCK CARD (PII-146) COLOR GRAPHIC PRINTER RS 232 CARD XT/AT (PII-108) NO SLOT CLOCK ON CHIP XT PRINTER CARD PAR XT/AT (PII-109) I/O PAR, SER, GAME - XT/AT (PTI 209) I/O PAR, SER - XT/AT (PTI 210) FDC XT W/CABLE (PII-101) XT/AT HI DEN FC 1.2/1.44 (PII-151B) XT/AT HI DEN 4 DRIVES (PII-158) 640K RAM CARD XT (PII-129) 386 RAM CARD EXP TO 8M (PEI-301) MS DOS VER 3.3 MS DOS VER 4.01 ETHERNET CARD GAME CARD (PII-116) ELIMINATOR GAME CARD (GRAVIS) AT IDE CONT. WITH S/P/G (PTI-217) AT IDE HD/FD CONT (PTI-215) JOY STICK PC/XT/AT ROC ANALOG JOYSTICK XT/AT (GRAVIS) EMBEDDED H/D CONT. AT (PTI-216) 2400 BAUD INTERNAL MODEM MICROSOFT BUSS MOUSE

DTK BAREBONE SYSTEMS

DTK-ICOO, 8088/10 MHZ, 0 WAIT STATES, OK RAM, 150 WATT P/S, AT STYLE CASE, 1 YR. WARRANTY $180.00

DTK-1230C, 80286/12 MHZ, 0 WAIT STATES, OK RAM, 2 SER/1 PAR, 200 WATT P/S, MINI AT CASE, 1 YR. WARRANTY $380.00

DTK-1230D, 80286/12 MHZ, 0 WAIT STATES OK RAM, 2 SER/1 PAR (full size), 200 WATT P/S, AT CASE, 1 YR. WARRANTY $395.00

DTK-2000, 80386/20 MHZ, 0 WAIT STATES, OK RAM, 2 SER/1 PAR, 200 WATT P/S, TOWER CASE, 1 YR. WARRANTY $1060.00

DTK-2030, 80386/20 MHZ, 0 WAIT STATES, OK RAM, 2 SER/1 PAR, 200 WATT P/S, MINI 386 CASE, 1 YR. WARRANTY $1000.00

DTK-386 SX/16 MHz INTEL 80386SX - 16 PROCESSOR, 200 W P/S, DESKTOP CASE 80387 - COPROCESSOR SKT 0K ON BOARD EXP UP TO 2 MB ON MOTHERBOARD 1 YEAR WARRANTY $540.00

6.00 35.00 22.00 35.00 19.00 20.00 12.00 30.00 26.00 19.00 34.00 47.00 22.00 74.00 56.00 60.00

167.00 12.00 31.33 69.95

100.00 13.33 45.00 47.00 73.95 39.00

RAM UPGRADES

(CALL)

COPROCESSORS (CALL)

COMPLETE SYSTEM

BEST BUY EVER ON 386 SYSTEM

AMSTRAD '386/20 Mhz, 1 MB RAM ON-BOARD, BUILT-IN PARADISE VGA, MOUSE, 1.44 MB FLOPPY, 101 AT KEYBOARD, 1 SERIAL & PARALLEL PORT, 5 EMPTY EXPANSION SLOTS, DOS 4.0/GW-BASIC INCL 1 YEAR ON SITE WARRANTY (IN MOST CITIES)

* ABOVE LISTED SYSTEM (MONITOR NOT INCLUDED) 999.00

* WITH 4 MB RAM MEMORY (MONITOR NOT INCLUDED) 1299.00

* WITH 40 MB HARD DISK AND 4 MB RAM MEMORY

(MONITOR NOT INCLUDED) 1,690.00

SORRY WE HAVE SUCH LOW PROFIT ON THIS SPECIAL THERE WILL BE A SURCHARGE ON CREDIT CARDS

AMSTRAD VGA MONITORS

12" VGA .28 DOT HI-RES COLOR MONITOR 14" VGA .29 DOT HI-RES COLOR MONITOR

1 YEAR WARRANTY NO SURCHARGE

$309.00 $372.00

PORTABLE $419.00

AMSTRAD 8086 PORTABLE COMPUTER, POP-UP LCD SCREEN, 720K 3 1/2" FLOPPY DRIVE, FULL-SIZE AT STYLE KEYBOARD, SERIAL AND PARALLEL, 512K MEMORY, INCLUDES MS DOS V3.3. OPERATES ON C BATTERIES, 12 VOLT CAR LIGHTER OR AC POWER - ALL ADAPTERS INCLUDED. RECONDITIONED. 90 DAY WARRANTY. EXTRA 3 1/2" FLOPPY, $20.00

SORRY WE HAVE SUCH LOW PROFIT ON THIS SPECIAL THERE WILL BE A SURCHARGE ON CREDIT CARDS

SPECIALS

SERIAL MOUSE WITH OR HALO III IBM AT 512 MEMORY EXP BOARD

HAS 512 K MEM. FOR 5170 AT MICROSOFT WINDOWS/386 XT FLOPPY CONTROLLER OEM PK KEYTRONICS 101 KEYBD XT/AT KEYTRONICS 101 KEYBD PS/2 200W POWER SUPPLY AT WD 1007A ESDI CONTROLLER, OEM PK MONITOR TILT & SWIVEL BASE HARD DRIVE MOUNTING KIT 3.5 TO 5.25 MITSUBISHI 1.2 FLOPPY (WITH THIS AD EXP 3/17) SONY 1.44 FLOPPY W/5.25 MOUNTING BRACKET WANGTEK 60M INTERNAL TAPE BACKUP W/

CONTROLLER, SOFTWARE & TAPE

35.00

324.00

MOTHER BOARDS 0K (CALL)

J#9019 CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG P.O.s Accepted from Government, Universities and Fortune SOO Companies Only

WE BUY EXCESS AND OVERSTOCK INVENTORIES!!! SEND LIST OR CALL!!!

15203 Midway Road • 1 Block North of Beltline • Addison, TX 75244 • FAX (214) 386-5642 • Phone (214) 386-5515 • Toil Free (800) 962-7795

TEXAS RESIDENTS ADD SALES TAX . PRICE MAY VARY FROM RETAIL STORE • PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. SOME ITEMS UMITEO TO STOCK ON HAND • TERMS COD, CASH, MC/VISA OR PRE-PAID

64SO-24 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 517 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 518)

AiYODA

• I would like to show our latest laptop xd you at Comdex-Spnng 90 Betherel"

MYODA computers are manufactured by P/O-KU Group, a highy respeaed. pubic-held corporation. The MYODA produa line includes a full seleaion of desktop and laptop computers. Myoda is the one source supplier for costumer looking for qualiiy, service & pnce.

• A serious businessman never lesr/es home without ft,,,'

LT3500 $1 999

• INTEL 80286-12cpu ■ 0 wait state

• 80287 coprocessor socket MB on board (expand

able to 4MB) Gas Plasma 640 x 480 EGA mode, 4 Gray scale

ms)

■ 1.44MB FDD

■ 2 serial, 1 parallel port EGA/CGA/MGACRT

port

Options for LT-3500: Memory expansion board|2MB/4BM| Expansion chassisj4 exiernal expansion sfots) 33 key k^pad External FDD|360KE/1,2MB) Coverter 112V-110V| for use in car 5hr external battery

MD28&-12 40MB VGA

LT5200CD $3799

■ INTEL 80386-25cpu

• 0 wait state

• 80387 coprocessor socket

• 1MB on board(expandable to 8MB)

■ 32KB CACHE memory

■ Gas Plasma640/480

■ VGA mode, 16 gray scale

■ Other configrations are as same as LT5200sx

$2599

LT5200NV

• INTEL 80286-16 cup/0 wait state

■ 80287 coprocessor socket

■ 1 MB on board (expandable to 8MB

• Other configrations are same as LT5200CD (no CACHE memory)

LT5200SX $3099

INTEL 80386-SX

0 wait state

80387-SXcoprocessor socket

1 MB on board(expandable to 8MB)

Gas Plasma640/480 VGA mode, 16 gray scale 40M HDD(28ms) 1.44MB Floppy Drive

2 serial, 1 parallel port

1 VGA/EGA CRT port

2 full size expansion slots 90-260V auto switch power supply

Option for all models: External FDDISWWl .2MB| Coverter 112 V-1 i CV| for use in car 5hr external battery

$1499

MD8088 20MB Mono.

$699

■ INTEL 80286-12cpu

■ 0 wait state

■ 80287 coprocessor socket

■ 1 MB on board (ex panable to 4MB on mothertDoard)

■1:1 interleave HFDC • 1.2 MB Floppy Drive

Price & availabili^ sutsjea K) change without notice

■ 40MB hard drive(28MS)

■ 2 serial, 1 parallel, 1 game

port

■ 16 bit, 512KVGAcard

• 8 expansion slots

• 14" VGA monitor

■ 1 SOW power supply

■ Baby AT case

■ 101 enhanced keyboard

I(IOMHZ) MicroPro

cessor

4.77/10 MHZ Clock Speed 512KB installed. Expand able to 640KB on Board One 360 KB Floppy Drive Four 1 /2 Height Drive Bays

Turbo Switch & LED Reset Switch

20MB Hard Drive{65MS)' Hard Drive Access LED MGP Card

12" Monochrome Monitor 1 SOW Power Supply 101 enhanced Keyboard

■ A streak of HhTech performance, for the praticaiy minded business.

Circle 513 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 514)

MD386SX-16 65MB VGA

$1799

■ INTEL 80386SX-16cpu

■ 80387SX coprocessor socket

■ 1 MB on board (expand able to 8MB on mother board)

:1 interleave HFDC

■ 1.2 MB Floppy Drive

■ 65MB Hard Drive(28MS)

■ 2 serial!parallel,! game port

• 16bit, 512KVGAcard

■ 14" VGA monitor

■ 8 expansion slots

■ 200W power supply

■ 101 enhanced keyboard

■ MS DOS 4.0!

• Mini vertical case

iptions can be changed according to customer's requirments

MD386-25 Super VGA

$3499

INTEL 80386-25cpu 0 wait state

80387 coprocessor socket AMI CACHE386-2B Mark!! 64 KB cache memory 4MB on board (expand able to 16MBj !:! interleave HFDC 1.2 MB Floppy Drive 1.4 MB Floppy Drive ! 20MB hard drive 2serlal, 1 parallel,! game port

!6biL 512KVGAcard 14" super VGA monitor (resolution 1024 x 768) ' 8 expansion slots 220W power supply 101 key enhanced keyboard MS DOS 4 .01 Large vertical ^"^"^5^1 case

Dealer Account Welcome. Please call: 1-800-562-1071

pao-ku international cq, ltd.

053 Shore Rd NapeiviBe IL60563 Tel (7081 369-5199 Fax: |708| 369-6068 JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-25

Buy with

Confidence

In an effort to make your telephone purchasing a more successful and pleasurable activity. The Microcomputer Marketing Council of the Direct Marketing Association, Inc. offers this advice, "A knowledgeable buyer will be a successful buyer." These are specific facts you should know about the prospective seller before placing an order:

Ask These Important Questions

• How long has the company been in business?

• Does the company offer technical assistance?

• Is there a service facility?

• Are manufacturer's warranties handled through the company?

• Does the seller have formal return and refund policies ?

• Is there an additional charge for use of credit cards ?

• Are credit card charges held until time of shipment?

• What are shipping costs for items ordered?

Reputable computer dealers will answer all these questions to your satisfaction. Don't settle for less when buying your computer hardware, software, peripherals and supplies.

Purchasing Guidelines

• State as completely and accurately as you can what merchandise you want including brand name, model number, catalog number.

• Establish that the item is in stock and confirm shipping date.

• Confirm that the price is as advertised.

• Obtain an order number and identification of the sales representative.

• Make a record of your order, noting exact price including shipping, date of order, promised shipping date and order number.

If you ever have a problem, remember to deal first with the seller. If you cannot resolve the problem, write to MAIL ORDER ACTION LINE, c/o DMA, 6 E. 43rd St., New York, NY 10017.

This message is brought to you by:

the MICROCOMPUTER

MARKETING COUNCIL

of the Direct Marketing

Association, Inc.

6 E. 43rd St.,

New York, NY 10017

MMC

MICROCOMPUTER MARKETING COUNCIL

of the Direct Marketing Association, inc.

7

J

P Direct Marketing Association, Inc. 1988 64SO-26 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Large format plotters for designers who want performance, but can't afford expensive.

Best Price Performance

These days more companies are concerned about CAD budgets but don't want to sacrifice qualit)^ or performance. That's why more design professionals are turning to Zericon for large format plotting solutions. At 21 diagonal inches per second and advanced speed up features like look ahead vector analysis, you'll fly through curves as well as straight Unes. When you buy a Zericon plotter, you the best throughput for your dollar the industry today

$1695. - $2995.

Factory Direct Pricing

FEmilES

3610

3620

Z3000

Z4000

MEDU

C/D

C/D

A-D

A-E

PRICE

1695.

1895.

2695.

2995.

8 PEN OPTION

395.

395.

DLVSPEED

"ips

15ips

21ips

21ips

REPEaiABILm'

.004

.004

.004

.004

LCDMENX'

X

X

CUSTOM CABLE

X

X

X

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No Risk Money Back Guarantee

Starting at $1695. for our ValueLine D size, to $2995. for our Designer Series A-E model, we make a large format plotter that's just right for your appUcation.

Call Us Today and we'll send you a luU-size sample plot and tell you about our 1 year rehability warranty and our customer support program which includes complete product satisfaction or your money back within 10 days of purchase. We'd like to win you over as a Zericon customer And we've got the products and service to do it. Give us a call. Zericon, Inc., 40491 Encyclopedia Circle, Fremont, CA 94538.

In CA (415) 490-8380. FAX (415) 490-3906.

00) 727-8380

Japanese Warrior created on the Zericon Z^OOO A-E

Made in USA

Moreplotter. Not more money.

Circle 526 on Reader Service Card

REGIONAL WHAT'S NEW

SOUTH

Share dBASE Without a LAN

MultiBaseS.O, the dBASE compiler and interpreter that lets up to 30 users share the same dBASE application, supports up to 16 MB of extended memory and Clipper's ACHOICE, VALID, arrays, and userdefined functions, Cykic Software says.

With MultiBase, you can attach—without using a network operating system—up to 30 terminals or IBM PCs through serial ports or multiport cards to a PC and run dBASE, Clipper, FoxBase +, and other dBASEcompatible programs as if each user has exclusive use of the application.

Any terminal that supports the PCTerm emulation can now run under MultiBase, the company reports. Cykic's terminal emulation program. Mimic, gives you multitasking capabilities. You can execute a command in MultiBase, exit that screen, and go to another application.

The program requires 640K bytes of RAM and 1 MB on a hard disk drive for the first four users, and 1 MB for the next four users. Price: $499; run-time version, $399.

Contact: Cykic Software, 3944 Third Ave.. San Diego, CA 92103, (619) 297-0182 or (619) 297-0181. Inquiry 1018.

The End of the Business Expense Hassle

Expense It! 1.1 is an upgraded version of an expense management system from the company On the Go Software, formerly TravelSoft. Version 1.1 lets you print directly on company expense

forms. This custom report feature lets you manage up to 14 days of expense records and print up to four pages. You can also print two-sided expense forms, and you can select landscape and compressed print on a page-bypage basis.

Other features of the expense program include a menu-driven database for receipt entry, foreign currency conversion, a subtotal calculator, a repeat function for repeated expenses, and the ability to pop up windows to select payment categories or projects for billing purposes.

The program runs on the

DEST says that the newest version of its Publish Pac scanning software for the Mac supports grayscale display and, when used with the company's text scanner processor board, can convert scanned text to WordPerfect, MacWrite, and Word formats with boldface and other attributes intact. The program can also open and display encapsulated PostScript files.

Publish Pac can do basic editing on a captured file,

IBM PC and compatibles with 640K bytes of RAM. Price: $129.99. Contact: On the Go Software, 330 Washington St., Suite 613, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, (213) 578-9595. Inquiry 1020.

Laser Capabilities for Dot-Matrix Printers

For those who want to emulate font and graphics capabilities of laser printers, Metro Software developed LaserTwin, a TSR translator

such as cropping, rotating in 90-degree increments, and mirroring. Basic drawing tools are included, and you can choose from six line thicknesses. The size of a text file is limited only by system memory, the company says.

The program runs on the Mac Plus. Price: $395.

Contact: DEST Corp., 1015 East Brokaw Rd., San Jose, CA 95131,(408) 436-2700. Inquiry 1021.

program that intercepts output from your application and formats it for your dot-matrix or ink-jet printer. The company says that the emulator gives an existing printer the ability to handle soft fonts and graphics. Version 2.08 of the program includes a smoother DOS interface and support for more printers.

The program comes in versions for the Canon LBP and DEC LN03 series of printers that are incompatible with the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet II series. An all-in-one version works with most other printers.

Metro's SuperFonts 25/1 is a program that bundles all 25 ofHP'sA-Z font cartridges into one program. Price: $179; DEC version, $295; SuperFonts 25/1, $179. Contact: Metro Software, Inc., 1870 West Prince Rd., Suite 70, Tucson, AZ 85705, (800) 621-1137 or (602) 292-0313. Inquiry 1022.

A Keyboard for Unix Users

The NCD 97-key Unix keyboard is 33 percent smaller than a PS/2 keyboard, and frequently used Unix keys such as Escape, Delete, and Tilde are repositioned for easier use. Network Computing Devices says.

NCD sells the Unix keyboard as a peripheral or as a special feature of its X Window System network display stations. Price: $150.

Contact: Network Computing Devices, Inc., 350 North Bernardo Ave., Mountain View. CA 94043, (415) 694-0650. Inquiry 1019.

Gray-Scale Support

Added to Mac Scanning Program

64SO-28 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Crazy Nancy's Computer Emporium & Electronics Resale Shoppes 214-392-1852

3959 Beltline • Addison, TX • 75244 Tech Support 214-392-1852 • FAX 214-385-9044

DTK Quality Boards

Motherboards

TB-IO lOMHz XT board $67

1230C 12MHz 286 board with

2 serial parallel-clk/cal $235

1630 16Mhz 286 board $289

1630C 386SX 16MHz board $375

2000 386-20MHZ with I/O $675

2030 Baby 386-20 w/mem card $695

2500 386-25MHZ w/64K cache $1049

3300 386-25MHZ w/64K cache $1375

Memory Cards

301 386 2/8 mem card $79

303 386 2/8 meg mem mini-bd $99

212 286 2 meg mem card $89

Disk Controller Cards

147 XT Multi I/O w/FDC contr $39

151 XT Hi-density 2 dr. contr $48

158 XT Hi-density 4 dr. contr $58

215 16Bit IDE controller $38

217 IDE HD/FD contr. w/ports $69

213 AT dual HD/FD controller $79

Input/Output Cards

108 Serial port w/2nd option $15

109 Parallel printer port card $12

146 Clock card w/software $15

116 2 game port card $12

144 XT I/O card-clk w/ports $35

209 AT I/O ser-par game $29

207 4 Port serial card $89

Video Cards

143 Mono graphics w/printer port . . . $29 153 Color graphics w/printer port . . .$35

218 VGA W/256K mem (1024x768) .$139

Network Products

001 Arcnet LAN card $79

003 Ethernet 8 bit LAN card $145

002 Arcnet 8 port active hub $159

004 Arcnet 4 port passive hub $21

DTK Bare Bone Systems

FCC Class B Approved

Data 1000-XT-lO system - case, power

supply, board $165

Data 1060-XT-10, PS2 case, floppy

contr., ser-parallel-game-clk/cal

mono/color adapter $279

Tech 1230C-AT-12, mini case, parallel

2 serial-clk/cal-101 kybrd $395

Tech 1230D-same as above but with full

size AT case $405

Tech 1630-AT-16 mini case, 220w supply

101 enhanced keyboard $489

Peer 1630-386SX-16, mini AT case, 200w

supply, 101 keyboard $499

Tech 2000-386-20, tower case, 2 serial,

parallel, clk/cal, 101 kybrd $950

Tech 2030-386-20, mini case, 200w sup.

101 enhanced keyboard $975

Tech 25000-386-25w/64K cache, tower

case, 230w supply, 101 kybrd . . .$1475 Tech 3300-as above but 33MHz . . .$1675

Hard Drive Reference & Specification Guide

Over 300 hard drives & all their specs! All the information to format any drive.

Stk# DREF -$9.95

IBM Error Codes

Listing of IBM error codes & beep messages on a 360K diskette.

Stk# ERR - $4.50

Mono Video Cards

IBM compatible mono video cards made by Sperry, useable in any IBM clone system, no printer port.

Stk#- $14.95 (3pcs/$27)

Serial Cable Sale

10' Male to male $4

25' Male to male $89

30' Male to male $8

Memory Exp. Boards

XT 576K memory card $25

XT/AT 2Meg ems card $29

AT 128 backfill $68

AT 5 meg ems card $89

AT 2 meg ems card $92

PS/2 2 meg memory card $48

Super 286-10 Board

286-10 MHz motherboard; 1 Meg max on bd. (w/o mem) Lim 4.0; 8-8 bit slots, uses all XT boards.

$99.00 AT/XT Keyboards

Keytronics 101 $54

Chicony 101 compact $45

Chicony 101 w/mouse $75

Focus 101 calculator $75

MPI 101 enhanced $39

Mitsumi 101 AT/XT $45

Northgate clone 101 AT/XT $59

$25 Network

Allows XT's/AT's/& portables to communicate thru serial ports, allows sharing of data, hard drives, printers, floppy drives & other devices transparent to all software, cabling required, author provides excellent customer support.

$25.00

JVC lOMeg Hard Drive

Minature drives were removed from Toshiba laptops. Std. ST506 interface complete with wiring diagram.

$39.95

Memory Chips

4164-200 $0.45

4164-150 $1.25

4164-120 $1.85

4164-100 $2.15

412566-150 $2.45

41256-120 $3.00

41256-100 $3.25

41256-80 $3.55

412566-60 $4.50

4464-100 $3.75

4464-80 $4.25

44256-10 $9.00

44256-80 $9.75

lMeg-100 $9.75

lMeg-80 $10.00

SIMM & SIPP

256x9 100ns $29

256X9 80ns $32

lMegx9 100ns $95

lMegx8 80ns $99

PS/2 IMeg SIMM $67

PS/2 2Meg SIMM $129

IBM 128K piggyback chips $3.2=

Eproms

2764-250ns $2.25

27128-250ns $2.25

27256-250ns $2.85

27512-250ns $4.75

MCM68764 $6.50

Networking Products

Arcnet cards $69

Ethernet cards $145

B port active hub $149

4-Passive hub $21

Cables and connectors

3 com cards $99

Genuine IBM Parts

PC motherboard $49

XT motherboard $78

PC case $35

XT case $49

AT case $69

PC 63.5 watt power supply $35

XT 130 watt power supply $49

AT hard/floppy controller $49

AT motherboard w/512K $159

Monchrome card $25

Color card $25

Floppy controller $15

Serial port $11

AT backfill card $79

Printer card $11

128K piggy back RAM chips $3

IBM 360K floppy drive $29

XT hard drive controller $20

XT 10 meg hard drive $89

Circle 490 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 491)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 64SO-29

Circle 498 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 499)

My Dear Watson,

Is getting typesetter quality from your laser printer still a mystery? The Solution to Resolution... is Elementary!

Getting the "tine" facts is most important, no "turbo gibberish," just true quality 600 X 600 DPI resolution from your laser printer. At the heart of the solution lies the LaserPort PS 600 and the critically acclaimed PostScript® interpreter QiMS® UltraScript™ pc Plus (with 47 typefaces).

The facts for the case on LaserPort™ PS 600™ are as follow:

• True 600 x 600 DPI typesetting resolution, no anti-aliasin

it/-< n - _ J^jf . £ _fi L. r

• Print direct from PageMaker®, WordPerfect®, Ventura Microsoft Windows® and others

• Transforms Canon®, Brother®, and HP® printers including the new HP Laserjet IH™, Canon Mark IH™, and LBP-4™

• Retains normal printer operations for complete compatibility

• Affordable for everyone's budget, Om $1195.* ^

The Solution to Resolution... is LaserPort^'' PS

Call us Today Toll Free 1-800-727-3130

LaserPort™ PS 600™ by DP-Tek, Inc., 3031W. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67213

* Infemationai Pricing Available

• Complete product as shown - LaserPort™ PS 600"* with UltraScripf ~ pc Plus - Desigrwd for PC/AT compatibies. Pos6cripE* b 3 trademarit of Adc*e Svswnis, inc. and UltraScripl"' is a trademait of Inc. Other tradtmariis mentioned a

Excellent prices with:

* Fast service

* 30 Day money back guarantee (less shipping)

* Free shipping for Visa & M.C. orders.

80386-33 MHz

64 KB cache RAM 4 MB RAM memory 1.2 + 1.44 floppy 153 MB 18ms ESDI NEC 1:1 lnterleave+ 32K Cache 16 bit super VGA card 512K RAM, 1024 x 768 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 l<ey keyboard

$3999 80386-20 MHz

1 MB RAM memory 1.2 or 1.44 floppy 42 MB 28ms MFM drive 16 bit 256K VGA card 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 key keyboard

$1895

Orders: Tech-Support: Order Status: Fax Orders: Telex:

(708) 628-0344 (708) 628-0304 (708) 628-0323 (708) 543-1859 590369

80386-25 MHz

64 KB cache RAM 4 MB RAM memory 1.2 + 1.44 floppy

65 Meg 28ms RLL Mitsubishi 1:1 lnterleave+ D. Cache

16 bit super VGA card 512K RAM, 1024 x 768 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 key keyboard

$2999 80386-16-SX

1 MB RAM memory 1.2 or 1.44 floppy 42 Meg 28ms MFM drive 16 bit 256K VGA card 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 key keyboard

$1599

80386-25 MHz

4 MB RAM memory 384K shadow RAM 1.2 + 1.44 floppy 65 Meg 28ms RLL Mitsubishi 1:1 lnterleave+ D. Cache 16 bit super VGA card 512K RAM, 1024 x 768 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 key keyboard

$2499 80286-12 MHz

1 MB RAM memory 1.2 or 1.44 floppy 22 Meg 38ms MFM drive 16 bit 256K VGA card 14" VGA color monitor 1 parallel & 2 serial 101 key keyboard

$1399

Micro Image International Inc.

1010 W. Fullerton, Unit G Addison, Illinois 60101

64SO-30 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 510 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 511)

It's hard to be humble when we have so much to offer for so little...

MADE IN THE USA

A higher standard of standard features

TECH™ 386SX

80386SX processor running at 16MHz.

512KB RAM expandable to 8MB on motherboard.

0 wait state page mode memory'.

Built-in dual IDE hard drive interface.

Built-in dual diskette drive controller.

Built-in parallel printer port.

Two built-in serial ports.

Seven expansion slots (6 available).

Socket for 80387SX coprocessor

5.2 5" 1.2MB or 3.5 " 1.44MB diskette drive.

Enhanced 101-key keyboard.

14" flat screen high res. monochrome monitor with

grapiiic adaptor

WITH 40MB HARD DRIVE SYSTEM AND 14'MONITOR

ONLY

1,295

OPTIONS

lOOMB hard drive system ... S1,595 200MB hard drive system .. .S2,095 20MHz version add S 120

MAXTOR™ 769MB I6.5ms.

HIGH PERFORMANCE 5.25" HARD DRIVES

'2,555

Capacity Access Time

85MB' 28ras

l43iMB 27ms

191MB 29ms

179MB 14ms

410MB l-i.5ms

1.2GB 35ms

Model

XT-1085 XT-1140 XT-2190 XT-4170E/S XT-8380E/S Tahiti Optical LXT200A/S(3.5") 202-\IB 15ms

Drive Only

625 1,200 1,370 1,145 1,595 5,925

895

Drive w/Kits 715 1,285 1,470 1,285 1,765 6,075 925/1,035

CONNER™ HIGH PERFORMANCE

3.5" HARD DRIVES

AT/SCSI

Conner 40MB S 375

Conner 80MB S 545

Conner 100MB S 665

Conner 200MB Sl,065

MACINTOSH™ HARD DRIVE SUBSYSTEM

1,049

200MB External Drive

18ms, 3MB/sec Data Transfer Rate, Complete with Formatting Software, Manual, SCSI and Power Cables!

Internal External

40MB, 29ms S 419 S 539

80MB, 25ms S 599 S 719

100MB, 25ms S 699 S 819

200MB, 15ms S 919 SI.049

380MB, 14ms SI,649 SI,739

SYSTEM OPTIONS

512KB RAM upgrade add* 65

2MBR.AM upgrade add * 195

VGA monochrome monitor add * 110

VGA color monitor (720x480) .. .add '410 VGA color monitor (1024x768) . .add '500 Mini tower case version add * 50

TECH CITY

800-828-3U0

(714)385-1219 FAX (714) 937-5414 6 A.M.-6 P.M. PACIFIC STANDARD TIME 1300 E. KATEIIA AVE., ANAHEIM, CA92805

™ BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM TECH CITY™

30-Day .Money-Back Guarantee!

■ 1 Year Warranty

■ Full Technical Support

■ In Business Since 1984

^ No Additional Charges for Credit Card No Credit Card Charge Until Shipment

■ Prices subject to change without notice.

Circle 521 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 522)

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 64SO-31

SIATops The List... Again

64K to 512K cache-memory motherboards sizzle at Landmark 150.2 in 486/33 models

Optional ISA and EISA caching disk controllers run up to 15 times faster than standard

I. I. I. ». I' .» T ■ I" i i 1 f 1.1 ('I T ,_:\ \_ te:■v^■ v ^'','■;•>* \\ V V f

Removable, washable air filter I protects against killer dust I

450 watt power supply and thermostatically-controlled fans for trouble-free operation

AMI BIOS features built-in setup and diagnostics; and 100% compatibility with Novell, XENIX and OS/2

Plug-in motherboard/adapter cage lifts out for fast bench sewice: also available in rack mount version

Ruggedized tower design with hinged and lift off side and front panels for faster maintenance

When you're the industry leader, you've got to stay ahead. So after BYTE magazine named our computer the "world's fastest 386,"' we took on the 486 world... and won again.

SIA's 486/33C just topped the charts in the March 1990 issue of PC Computing.- And no wonder. Our 486 computers feature motherboards with an exclusive high-speed cache design, using 64K to 512K static cache memory for zero wait state and a Landmarl< rating up to an amazing 150 MHz. And they're available with either the ISA (AT) or EISA bus, each in 25-MHz and 33-MHz versions.

But resellers know it takes more than speed to keep ahead. That's why we offer them American-made

components, 50-i- hour burn-in, ruggedized construction, customization, AT hardware interchangability, and AMI BIOS to ensure compatibility and reliability. For the details, just take a look through the tower of our 486/33C.

And we support our resellers. With exclusive channels, area leads, excellent margins, five-color brochures, double boxing, and 12-month warranties.

Our complete line of high-performance 386/486 PCs fits your serious VAR applications in CAD, imaging, publishing and networking. And they're available in the configurations your client requires: desk, tower or rackmount.

So if you or your clients want the top in performance, reliability and speed, call SIA today at (312) 440-1275.

' BYTE Editors, 'Megahertz fbdness," BYTE IBM Special Edition (Fall 1989): p. 13. - PC Computing Editors, "11 Hot 4S6s—.te You Ready For The World s Fastest PC?" PC Computing (March 1990): p. 97.

Systems Integration Associates. The high-performance choice for the serious reseller.

Systems Integration Associates 222 East Pearson Chicago, Illinois 60611

Circle 519 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 520)

EXPERT ADVICE

COMPUTING AT CHAOS MANOR ■ Jerry Pournelle

a tale of three ^ Conventions

(AND Two CITIES)

On the road again, Jerry envisions a lightweight dream machine for doctors

They say that if you swallow a live toad first thing in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you or the toad for the rest of the day. This month has been a bit like that: I sure hope nothing worse happens during the rest of the year.

The month began with recovery from the flu, which put me far behind in my work. We then packed up for the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1333 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20005) in New Orleans. Just before we went, I took my wolf—well, technically he's a husky, but most people who see him think he's a wolf—for a hike in the Hollywood Hills behind the house, where, of course, I contracted a good case of poison oak. Then we flew to New Orleans for the AAAS meeting.

I used to tell the Boy Scouts not to scratch poison oak. It was good advice. I scratched a cut on my ankle, and some tropical bug got in. The result is that I can tell you about the first four days of AAAS, but on the night of the fourth day, I collapsed with a temperature of 104°F and all the classic chills-and-fever symptoms of malaria. Worse, the infection on my ankle wasn't visible under the covers, so I thought I had a flu relapse.

Fortunately Roberta saw it in time to feed me antibiotics and got me to the hospital. The German poet Rainer Mari^ Rilke died of an infection contracted from the scratch of a rose; in my case, the blood poisoning came from something a lot less romantic, and I'd have been embarrassed to have that in my obituary. Anyway, all's well that ends well.

However, I spent the week after the AAAS meeting in bed with Sir Zed, the Sinclair Z88, emerging just in time to get up to San Francisco for the fifth annual CD-ROM conference. We'd scheduled a board meeting of the Lunar Society in San Francisco for the Monday evening before the CD-ROM conference, but we were delayed in driving up.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chapman and Jim Ransom discovered that the Hilton had no record whatever of my reservation, and so gave up waiting for me about half an hour before I got in. Of course the hotel was "full up," and I was hobbling about on a cane, quite unable to go to another hotel and still get to Bill Gates's CD-ROM speech the next morning.

To top it all off, the CD-ROM conference registration people had never heard of me and said, "We're sorry, but we're taking preregistered press only. The conference is closed." My invitation to the conference had come, and I had accepted, by E-mail, and thus I had no paper record. My foot was throbbing, I had missed my board meeting, and the hotel had no room for me. I was literally heading for the Bronco to drive back home to Los Angeles when an official of the conference recognized me and took care of things.

The CD-ROM conference ended on Thursday, which was the day the West Coast Computer Faire began. Both Roberta and I gave presentations at the Faire.

The CD-ROM conference was scheduled for the same weekend as Contact, which after AAAS is my favorite conference of the year; it's a gathering of hard scientists, science fiction writers, and anthropologists, and it does serious tliinking,ahcait_such. things as first contact with aliens, and society in the solar system (without aliens) after space travel becomes routine. (For further information on Contact, write to Dr. Reed Riner, Department of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

86001, or look into the contact conference on BIX.)

Contact is held in Phoenix, and before I got blood poisoning, we actually had the mad scheme of attending both Contact and the Faire. Given my condition, we canceled that and stayed in San Francisco for the week. The end of the week was the end of the month; with any luck I won't have a worse month this year.. ..

AAAS

Since it's about a lot more than computers, my full report on the annual meeting of the AAAS will be in New Destinies, the "bookazine" published quarterly by Baen Books (Dept. C, 260 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10001); the essay has the rather pretentious title of "Annual Message on the State of the Sciences." This marks a revival of my old science column "A Step Farther Out," for those who have been around long enough to remember it.

There are formal sessions at AAAS on computers, particularly on the use of supercomputers. There are sessions on computer science, but there's almost nothing on microcomputers. You don't even see the effects of the microcomputer as often as I'd have thought. In the past, nearly all talks were given with the aid of crudely drawn transparencies for an overhead projector. Most still are. There are a few slides, with neatly done charts and graphs obviously generated by a microcomputer, but nowhere near as many as I expected.

Moreover, although much of AAAS was devoted to such things as economic considerations in the problem of global warming, and the spreadsheet is an excellent tool for doing that kind of work, I didn't see much of that sort of thing at the meeting.

I'm not sure I understand why this is so. It may be that the AAAS tends to attract the highly successful and wellknown, meaning older, scientists, and

continued

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 65

i

CHAOS MANOR

I

always

that generation timply "pYPTifl^^ t*^" knack of small computers. In any event, there was no sessitiil on iiiidrUliUHipHTBrS

in science, but there were several ses-" a a ao

sions devoted to cflmputeixjjid thp.ir COme aWOy jrom AAAb uses. One of tlioSe was (5ir?npeTc~om-" . . ^

puters: describing -some-ef-tfae wuik tlir—-' TtlCCtlTlgS Wltn five National Supercomputing Centers , . / j

are doing and how supercomputers im- TTiy uOttCVlCS VCCfiaVgCCl

The impact is hefty. Exarnplesof some jor me year.

of the work being done: modelmg oi Dio

COntrol of af>rifiiltiiral ppsts r|t^':ipn

pie-—

air-quality-control strategies,-«nd tein models for drug aesignS.

'' My favorite exarf^ple was Pr^f. DeatT" cial bone that will fit exactly to the real Taylor of the Denartment of JVtechaniral hone so that the hip joint is restored, and^efospace'^figineering at Cornell There were sessions on computer viUniversity describing! tho ^oc-uf jupm rases and their prevention; not much on computers to model artificial limbs and AI, because there isn't much to report bones, and the interlace oi' those to living just now; computers in geometry, with tissue in actual p"^'""*" '^'if f'iff^^-^^-^i^- mathematical models in the soputers take x-ray images and tomograms cial sciences (there aren't any good and make a three-airnensionai moaei or, ones); and quite a good session on intellectual property rights. — Of course, A A AS is about a lot of things besides computers. Global warm'ing (which may or may not be happening; _there's more shouting than science); as

say, a patient's Kiphnnp. inrlnHipparancerous area; thgn in fpqI ;|mf th^ surgeons remove"TEe cancerous tissue, the model changes-a^mHruseJ to CUlRiUl

milling machines that make un an artifi

tronomers reporting on the 1987 supernova, the first in several hundred years and billed as "the chance of a lifetime"; advances in understanding genetic factors in mental illness; bats and killer bees; Frank Tipler on the end of the universe; cosmology, microbiology, and education. You name it, if it's science it's probably there. I always come away from AAAS meetings with my batteries recharged for the year; it's good for me to discover there's still a world out there beyond the computer industry.

CD-ROM

The keynote speech of the CD-ROM conference was interesting: George Gilder, now of the Hoover Institution, telling how microcomputers had started a revolution; that the trend is from giant centralized installations to distributed computing; and one act of the Computer Revolution was to help bring down the Soviet Empire.

I found it interesting because I'd heard it before. So have you, right here in this column, as well as in my other column entitled "The Computer Revolution,"

continued

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66 BYTE* JUHE-IOQO

Circle 316 on Reader Service Card

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CHAOS MANOR

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which ran in BYTE's lamented sister publication Popular Computing. That was before the fact. Now it's all history, which is just as well, but it is amazing how many people now say it was obvious.

It was a good thing I got to the opening session of the CD-ROM conference, because if I hadn't seen it myself, I'm not sure I would have believed it: Bill Gates breathing new life into the 286 chip by announcing that it was the basis of his proposed "minimum-standard" muhimedia computer.

Gates is well known for saying that the 286 is "brain-damaged," and for trying to kill it off in favor of the 386 and 386SX for the obvious reason that OS/2 for the 286 is a very clever hack, but no one in his right mind would want to trust his livelihood to it. For a moment there I was reminded of those old movies, in which the mad scientist, accompanied by Igor, digs up Dracula's coffin and removes the stake from the vampire's heart....

Gates's goal remains what it always was: "A computer on every desk, and in every home." The "Base Multimedia PC," which he hopes will become the minimum standard for every home system, is a 286 running at 10 MHz or faster, with at least 2 megabytes of memory; VGA, supporting 8-bit VGA at least; an 8-bit D/A converter; multivoice synthesis with analog mixing; a CD-ROM drive with a seek time of 1 second or better; a 30-MB or larger hard disk drive; floppy disk drives; keyboard, mouse, MIDI, joystick and analog device control support; and DOS or Windows with multimedia extensions.

This, Gates says, can be built today, and over 5 million older PCs can be retrofitted to this standard for under $1000. I don't myself see how; the cheapest CDROM drive is $500, and while 30-MB hard disk drives are pretty cheap, they aren't that cheap. Still, it's a goal to shoot for; if there were even a million machines like that out in the wide world, there would be a strong incentive to develop multimedia software for them, and it's the killer applications that sell hardware. Look at VisiCalc and the Apple II, and later Excel and the Macintosh.

But there aren't a million such machines; there are only about 360,000 CD-ROM drives installed worldwide. This is double over last year, which was double over the year before, so if the trend continues, there will be 1.5 to 2.1 million CD-ROM drives two years from now. The sound-system part of the Base Multimedia PC is pretty cheap; now if the CD-ROM drive would just come down to $250 or so, things would start

moving. Alas, I don't expect that for several years; at the moment, CD-ROM drives fall in price at about 10 percent a year. So it goes.

On the other hand, VGA plus a multivoice sound system will pretty well wipe out any advantage the Mac has over the PC as a multimedia platform. Owl International and others are rapidly developing HyperCard systems for the PC—as well as great improvements over HyperCard. Windows, particularly the widely reported but not yet released Windows 3.0, is at least as easy to use as the Mac OS and has a more solid multitasking base, as does the non-graphical-user-interface (GUI) DESQview (although Apple is moving forward to its own updates). The PC environment is generally easier for programmers to work in than that of the Mac. As a result, we should be seeing some radical new CD-ROM-based multimedia software for PCs within the next year or so.

Having said that, I have to add that the Mac already has the GUI and the multivoice sound system, and some splendid CD-ROM products are already available; moreover. Quanta Press (2550 University Ave. W, Suite 245, North St. Paul, MN 55108, (612) 641-0714) is now delivering CD-ROMs that can be read by both Macs and PCs, and Denon and other true SCSI CD-ROM drives can be moved from PC to Mac and back without alteration.

Meanwhile, the war between CD-I and CD-ROM continues. CD-I is "compact disk interactive," and it is based on a Philips design in which the CD drive incorporates a 68000 chip and thus has a number of computing functions built in. CD-ROM is a data storage and distribution system that requires the smarts to be in the computer that uses it.

Philips, in conjunction with Polygram Records, has the theory that CD-I systems can be sold as upgraded CD audio drives: the customer getting a drive to play CD albums will be induced to pay a few dollars more and get the CD-I system "with a real computer built in." This would put vast quantities of CD-I drives in homes across the country, creating a large potential software market and thus powerful incentives for developers to create first-class CD-I software, selling even more drives, and creating a new industry.

By contrast, the Microsoft CD-ROM strategy was to create the market and let it haul itself up by its bootstraps, albeit with considerable help from Microsoft, which developed Microsoft Bookshelf

continued

68 BYTE- JUNE 1990

If the new Little Board/386 fits in your pock think now It would fit in your product.

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Circle 348 on Reader Service Card

CHAOS MANOR

and Programmer's Library before there was any possible market for them and sponsored the CD-ROM conferences, although there was no demand for them.

The Microsoft strategy is working, as witness the 360,000 drives; after all, four years ago the installed base was zero. Moreover, the Microsoft CD-ROM products are really excellent: Programmer's Library is more than enough excuse for any serious programmer to buy a CD-ROM drive just for the increased

productivity, while Microsoft Bookshelf can be very useful to professional writers. There are also Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Mail for the Mac), Microsoft Small Business Consultant, and Microsoft Stat Pack, all extremely useful. The CD-ROM industry owes its existence to Bill Gates, who almost single-handedly created it and continues to support it.

Philips, on the other hand, continues to talk about CD-I and put money into its

development, but there's nothing shipping. In my judgment, CD-I has missed its opportunity. If the drives had existed last year, or for that matter if CD-I drives costing no more than double a good audio CD player could be brought to market this year, then CD-I would have a good chance to overtake CD-ROM's installed base of 360,000; but so far as I can see, by the time that CD-I has a practical drive in the audio stores, CD-ROM will be thoroughly entrenched with over a million units out there.

For those interested in working with CD-I, development systems are available from Philips, and the Interactive Support Group (21032 Devonshire St., Suite 209, Chatsworth, CA 91311, (818) 709-7387) sells tool packages for software engineering on Mac, IBM 386, and Sun workstations.

CD-ROM isn't just a means for storing information. It's also a means for accessing it; and that, really, is the important part. Whether the smarts are in the CDROM drive or in the computer isn't half as important as that the smarts are there in the first place.

CD-ROM News

When I began writing this column, I attempted to cover every major development in the microcomputer field. I couldn't do it, of course, but in the days before CP/M became the "standard," I could try. Now if anyone seriously claimed to be covering the entire microcomputer field, the men in white coats would come to take him or her away.

It's much the same with CD-ROM developments now. Four years ago I could cover the whole field in part of one column each year. There weren't many CDROMs, and most of those were highly expensive specialized databases like MicroMedex (still an excellent medical reference system). Now if I were to devote most of each column to CD-ROM, I couldn't cover the field.

Every month, the Bureau of Electronic Publishing (141 New Rd., Parsippany, NJ 07054, (201) 808-2700) brings out a dozen new CD-ROM products. Hardly a week goes by that I don't receive some outrageous promotion gimmick—today it was a 7.62-mm ammunition box containing a camouflage headband and a CDROM called Vietnam Remembered from Wayzata Technology. More companies are entering the drive market with true SCSI drives that work with both Mac and PC systems (and, since it's true SCSI, you can daisy chain other stuff onto your PC without using another slot).

continued

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70 BYTE' JUNE 1990

CircU 14 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 15)

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CHAOS MANOR

The price of drives will continue to come down, but even at today's prices, CD-ROM is worth having. By the time you read this, you should be able to get Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia on CD-ROM (hear portions of Kennedy's inaugural, see his picture, and read the text); U.S. history on CD-ROM, including hundreds of documents and commentaries; specialized databases, like all that's known about acid rain; software; games; and, as they say, much more.

There's another way that CD-ROM is changing the world; at the conference, Digipress (2516 River Bend Dr., Louisville, KY 40206) announced their Century Glass Master and Century Disc. Their new process for CD-ROM production replaces the traditional master, father, and mother disks with the Century Glass Master; this reduces manufacturing time. More important, though, disks made with their media will last a hundred years.

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Meanwhile, 3M announced same-day turnaround: get the electronic data to 3M in the morning, and you can have a CDROM that afternoon, guaranteed. For all practical purposes, any data scanned or keyed into electronic format can be made eternal. I'd expect that within a decade the process of putting the entire Library of Congress on CD-ROM will be nearly complete.

The bottleneck in CD-ROM continues to be data entry. Scanners are slow and unreliable. Optical-character-recognition (OCR) technology is still in its infancy; there's no problem scanning in typescript, or text that is well printed on high-quality paper. But for older books on cheap paper, where there are ink runs and malformed letters, scanning is almost impossible.

Neal Schulman's new Softserv Publishing (10944 Strathmore Dr., Suite 21, Los Angeles, CA 90024, (213) 8245145) is publishing books in electronic format. It's a new concept: you pay (with a credit card) to download a book. Example: Harlan Ellison's short story collection The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World. There will be a number of others. This means they're very interested in the latest in scanners and other methods of getting text into electronically readable form. Alex Pournelle is working with them to install the latest and best equipment and OCR software. Schulman has unique assets, including fans who will do some of the scanning work as a labor of love.

A CD-ROM, however, can devour enormous amounts of text, so it's no wonder that this has generated firms whose major business is getting data from printed to electronic format. One of these is Data Development (49 West Flagler, Stuart, FL 34995, (407) 2882773), which not only does scanning, but has arrangements to key in data that isn't really scannable. The Data Development people tell me that when the scan error rate gets to about 5 percent, it's cheaper to send the stuff overseas to be keyed in. I can well believe that, having experimented with scanning badly printed books myself.

Probably the most dramatic exhibit at the CD-ROM conference was Fujitsu's FM Towns System, a 32-bit graphics workstation with built-in stereo sound and speakers, editor, home entertainment center, CD-ROM reader, color scanner, SCSI controller, Japanese-language ROM, and enough other stuff to fill a paragraph. As I understand it, there are no present plans to market this in the

continued

72 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 39 on Reader Service Card

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CircU 191 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 192)

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74 BYTE- JUNE 1990

U.S.; but as a demonstration of what home computers can be like, this thing was magnificent. (For information, contact FM Towns Support Center, Sutter Place, 1375 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105, (415) 928-7270.)

The theme of the CD-ROM conference this year was multimedia presentations. As you'd expect, there's more potential than shipping products there; but that's changing, too. A dozen or more firms offer tools for authoring multimedia products. Organizations like Activision with their older CD-ROM, The Manhole, and the newest one, Cosmic Osmo, demonstrate some of the potential in products you can get now.

I Have a Dream

I see that I'm trying to cover the whole CD-ROM show, and that's not possible. Instead, let me paint you a vision.

The badges for the CD-ROM conference were 3-inch CD-ROM disks. These are nothing more than cut-down CDROMs; they hold about 300 MB. The drives are correspondingly smaller and can be made thinner.

Consider a Sinclair Z88 computer: for those who haven't seen one, it's about 12 by 1 by 8 inches and has a full standard keyboard and an LCD screen. Software, including a spreadsheet, a word processor, and a very powerful BASIC compiler, is in ROM. There are slots for three cards that can hold more memory or more software, and there's a data port. The whole machine is covered by a black rubberized skin and thus is waterproof. I've carried Sir Zed for over a year now, and I'd be lost without him.

Now imagine that machine with a 3inch CD-ROM drive installed. On that CD-ROM you could have, say, the Physicians ' Desk Reference, with complete indexing and access software. Imagine a physician carrying that machine while making hospital rounds. While a patient is being seen, appropriate records are called up. The physician can update the nurse's chart (or plug the data port into the wall to allow the hospital central computer system to do it, but I have in mind a totally self-contained system) and can add observations and conclusions in consultation with the Physicians' Desk Reference CD-ROM.

Back in the office, the physician sets the machine in a cradle, recharging its batteries—and simultaneously squirts observations and data into the hospital central system, where an expert-system program examines what has been done. Seconds later the screen flashes. "YOU HAVE INDICATED TREATMENT

THAT MAY BE NONSTANDARD FOR THIS PATIENT'S CONDITION. PLEASE RECONSIDER AND CONFIRM." Or, more likely, the expert system sees that what is being done is well within established practice and says nothing, but it integrates the data into its memory banks as yet another confirming instance.

Now imagine the liability insurance premiums of that hospital a couple of years later.

One reason to go to conferences is to meet people you didn't know you needed to meet. At the CD-ROM conference, by chance, we had lunch with Richard K. Wertz, M.D., president of Digital Diagnostics (601 University Ave., Suite 255, Sacramento, CA 95825, (916) 9216629), a company interested in CD-ROM medical databases and publications. I put my "dream" to him. He liked it, but he pointed out that physicians have been resisting using computers for fear the machines will make their work irrelevant. Longtime readers of this column will recall I ran into the same sentiments when I talked to medical students in CP/M days.

"Pilots aren't afraid of checklists," I pointed out.

Anyway, it's a dream; but one I think will happen well before the end of this century.

West Coast Computer Faire

There were about twice as many people at the Faire this year as last, so it's legitimate to talk about a comeback. Not much of a comeback, perhaps, but a comeback. Moreover, the Faire still has about the best conferences of any show I know.

What's missing is the exhibitors. I have a couple of observations about that. First, the big boys have stopped coming, and some of them ought to be ashamed of themselves. Microsoft, for instance. This show built Microsoft. Broderbund: you could trace Broderbund's progress from a tiny booth selling games for the TRS-80, to a larger booth selling general-purpose games, to a major player with a big booth up at the front of the hall.

Apple: I recall when the first thing you saw walking into Brooks Hall was a giant Mac. Now Apple thinks it is too successful to come to the Faire.

The magazines used to be at the Faire. Many of them, including BYTE.

Well, all things change; why should these companies care? What's in this show for them, other than nostalgia?

Plenty, I'd say. This is where their customers are. Now, sure, for a big company the customers are dealers, not end

continued

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users, but for that very reason the feedback is filtered through dealers, and I'd say it is important once in a while to talk directly to the users. In particular, it's important for the development staff, the Wizards who hate Comdex, to come to the Faire, where they get to talk not only to customers, but to each other, and get some cross-fertilization. Some of that happens at the Hackers' Conference, of course, but Hackers' is invitational and a bit intense. The Faire is a good compromise, with wizards, dealers, and users all present.

Then there's the Holy Grail of Home Computers. At the CD-ROM conference, Bill Gates said that the goal is still a computer on every desk and in every home. He meant it, too; but when do his people get to talk to those who will be using the home computer? You can do only so much with focus groups and market research—and that stuff costs as much as coming to the Faire anyway.

We're not asking for the big parties like we had in the old days. Do that at Comdex. But I do think it can't hurt to let the people who are designing OS/2 and Windows and DESQview and Apple's new operating system, and multimedia and education software, and all the other stuff, to come to the oldest computer show of the lot and talk to end users.

I fault the Interface Group, the Faire organizers, on one point. Up at the Hilton, half a mile away and one day before the Faire, there were a bunch of start-up companies looking to establish themselves in the CD-ROM field—including in the home market arena. Why weren't they at the Faire? I'd bet they could have sold enough CD-ROM drives and disks to cover most of their cost, and they would have increased their name recognition.

One last point. The West Coast Computer Faire comes during the silly season, between Fall and Spring Comdex, a time when most of the computer press is looking for stories. It used to be that the Faire was a place to announce new developments. That's died away; but the press is at the Faire (and it's not hard to get more to come if there's a reason) and looking for stories.

Tutsim

My Faire speech was Saturday afternoon. I'd crashed Friday afternoon—I hadn't completely recovered from the infection—so Saturday morning I found myself in my hotel room without the foggiest notion of what I should say. Usually that's not a big problem; I scratch out some notes to remind me of major points and speak extemporaneously. This time

I wasn't so sure I could do that, what with residual effects of the high fever I'd had.

Anyway, Saturday morning I sat down at the Zenith SupersPort and fired up GrandView with a view to making some notes, and by golly, within half an hour I had a pretty good speech worked out. There was only one problem. I had no way to print it. Surely, I thought, someone at the Faire will have a printer I can connect up. If not, well, if worse came to worse, I could use the computer itself; it is, after all, a laptop.

I didn't have to do that. One of the first people I ran into at the Faire was Walt Reynolds. I first met Walt back in CP/Mdays, when his company was called Applied I. Now it's Tutsim Products. He had a printer that served nicely.

I've mentioned Tutsim before: it's a simulation program that in effect turns your PC into a series of analog computer operational amplifiers. I don't know just how many BYTE readers will remember the days of op-amp computers, which did multiplication, integration, differentiation, and suchlike; you connected these amplifiers together with precision resistor networks, fed back some of the output to the input for integration, and so forth.

You can do every bit of that with Tutsim, except that there's no hardware; you

continued

76 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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just draw the op amps and their connections, and your PC does the rest.

Back in 1982,1 told Walt that I thought his program was really neat—it lets you do on a PC a lot of the simulations that programs like Extend do on the Mac— but the price was too high. This year he agreed with me: the price for individual users is now under $100 (and there are special deals for students).

Tutsim is fun, but it's also a sound professional tool useful for anyone in en

ou can think ofFracTools as a professional's fractal investigations toolbox.

gineering. I've played about with it for a number of things; the latest was to build a delayed feedback model of the U.S. economy. That's a notion I got from an agreeably thin and surprisingly readable book, Feedback: A New Framework for Macroeconomics Policy by D. A. Kendrick (Advanced Studies in Theoretical Econometrics, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 101 Philip Dr., Norwell, MA 02061). Tutsim works fine for that.

Tutsim can be used with MathCAD. You use MathCAD to write the report and build up the problems and then use Tutsim to solve the ones that require dynamic feedback or difficult integration. Tutsim gives both numerical and graphical answers, and while you need to know something about how to model what you're simulating, beyond that it's not particularly difficult to learn and use.

Old Friends

Fred Cisin of XenoSoft has been a permanent fixture at the Faire since it began. XenoCopy-PC isn't a spectacular program for the PC and compatibles; what it does is read a whole bunch of disk file formats, from Apple to Wang, and if there's any way to transfer files from a strange disk to your PC, XenoCopy-PC can probably manage it. If you've got file transfer problems, you can't really do better than talk to Fred about them; if he doesn't know who can solve your problem, it's likely no one can.

Another familiar group was Bourbaki, an outfit that likes to subtitle itself

"Revolutionary Software," whatever that means. Bourbaki makes two products, IDir-H (pronounced "wonder plus"), a DOS utility shell that competes with Norton Commander (and which many prefer to the Commander), and FracTools, which is a kit of programs and images for playing about with fractals.

Fractal is a term coined by Benoit Mandelbrot to describe objects that are similar to themselves at any magnification. For example, the seashore: from a great height it is irregular, and as you get closer it still is, right down to the level of grains of sand and below. Clouds and trees have fractal properties.

There are also mathematical techniques for generating fractal images. One of these is FracTools. FracTools will draw pretty pictures, generate fractals, help in designing stained-glass windows, and suchlike. The program is designed to work with IDir-h, but it does not need to. You can think of it as a professional's fractal investigations toolbox.

If all you want is to play about with the Mandelbrot set (one group of fractals discovered by Mandelbrot), the simplest way is to get hold of Mandelbrot 3 from Midnight Beach, whose subtitle is "Software for its own sake." At $25 this is the fastest and cheapest way to find out if you like playing with fractals; indeed, Mandelbrot 3 is startlingly fast compared to most such programs.

The program started out as Jon Shemitz's hack for his own amusement and only later became commercially available. Last year I mentioned the company as Emerald City Software. This year the company has changed its name. Mandelbrot 3 is fast, easy to install and use, and cheap. Upgrades are nominal to free.

I found one bug in the program. If you put it on a fast 386 that has a mouse driver but no mouse and attempt to direct the cursor with the arrow keys, two things occur: the image isn't centered properly on the screen to begin with, and as soon as you touch an arrow key, you'll lock the system completely. The remedy is simple enough: install the mouse or dump the mouse driver. In my case, I turned the machine off (it was really locked up), attached the mouse, turned the machine back on, and voila!, it worked perfectly. I should have had the mouse attached in the first place; while you can run Mandelbrot 3 with the arrow keys, I don't recommend it. Use a mouse. It works a lot better.

Mandelbrot 3 requires either an EGA or VGA board and is absolutely gorgeous when used with a Tecmar VGA board

continued

80 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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82 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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and the 19-inch Electrohome monitor. Recommended. ^

Midnight Rescue ^.

While I was writing this, Roberta was playing with a new package from The Learning Company, Midnight Rpsrjie. This is an arcade-type game that involves trying to rescue the school from'an evil madman who looks like a cross between Albert Einstein and Dr. Demento and acts accordingly. Some of the afCade sequences don't seem to work the way you'd expect, and every now and then the program cries "Gotcha!" The error loops say "Wrong, try again," which is unhelpful; as Roberta says, most kids hate it when the program says that.

Her conclusion is that it's a dacent program and might be a fun game for a while. It isn't likely to be the eduifSlional marvel that it claims to be. Tf ki^.s will play this, they'll learn a few things and may have fun at it. It won't change their lives, but then I can't think of-iwaiyKiomputer games that will. ^

Winding Down

While I was on the road, more stup'accumulated here. I'll try to sort some of it out, but I wonder when. —

The book of the month is The Price of Admiralty by John Keegan (19S9, Penguin USA); this is a thoughtfal-history of naval strategy and what maksijiaval power. The game of the month is Harpoon, the computerized version Larry Bond's modern naval warfare board game that provided the major data source for Tom Clancy's seapower novels. The first version had a number of near fatal bugs, but the upgraded versionl?pretty stable, and the publisher is veijugood about revisions. Harpoon modelsJLJ.S. versus USSR actions.

Just after I got the g ame, I^TOCtJi^^cd an invitation to visit the Soviet Unioa,J figure I better go while it's still a Communist country; soon those majHje-OH-the endangered species list. If I don't get back, send over more microcomputers. ■

Jerry Pournelle holds a doctorate iiLpsychology and is a science fiction writer who also earns a comfortablHtvingwriting about computers present aiuLfulure. Jerry welcomes readers' comments and opinions. Send a self-addressed, Slumped envelope to Jerry Pournelle, c/e^EYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. Please put your address on the letter as well as on the envelope. Due to the high volume of letters, Jerry cannot guarantee a personal reply. You eofialso contact him on BIX as "Jerryp. " -..^...i^

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Circle 107 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 108)

^ Who, What, When,

AND Why Not?

EXPERT ADVICE

DOWN TO BUSINESS ■ Wayne Rash Jr.

Using an employee scheduling package can teach you many things about your business

It's 6:30 Thursday evening, and you are busy trying to get the employee work schedule ready so that you can post it tomorrow. You run two shifts in a suburban convenience store, and you have to make sure that the right people are on duty. You look at your list of employees and start to work, knowing that it will take you hours and wishing there were an easier way.

The problem with employee scheduling is that you can't just fill a gap in a given day with a warm body. You have to make sure that you have the right mix of skills and seniority, you have to account for people's days off and personal preferences, and you have to account for such things as vacations. Finally, you have to be sure that you're adequately staffed during busy periods but not overstaffed during slow times.

A closer look at the employee records makes you realize that a headache is in the offing. Your head cashier is heading off for his long-awaited vacation in the Cotswolds on Thursday. He's one of the people who's capable of running things by himself, who's bonded, and who's authorized by the state to sell beer and wine. You have to have an approved person in the store at all times to sell alcoholic beverages. Oh, and Zelda Gonzo has just been called to serve on a federal grand jury that will be investigating the mayor, an activity that will probably take months.

To make matters worse, you have several employees who have strong preferences against the second shift, either for family reasons or because the buses stop

running at night. Then, you have some high school students who are working part-time in the afternoons. Balancing the needs of the employees, the needs of the business, and the requirements of external events makes you hate having to figure out each week's schedule.

Software to Ease the Troubled Mind

Employee scheduling is difficult because it is an iterative process that involves trying to fit many variables together as well as possible. Two of the tasks at which computers excel are handling iterative processes and dealing with many variables. Given the right software, a computer should be a great aid to efficient scheduling. So why aren't computers used for such applications more often? The reason may be that good software isn't widely available. Another reason may be that even good software requires a fair amount of manual work and advance planning.

Fortunately, there is some good software around. While researching this column, I looked at two packages: Who Works When 1.1 from Newport Systems and Schedule Master 2.01 from Schedule Master Corp. While they are quite different, both attempt to take the drudgery out of employee scheduling. To some extent, they succeed.

One of the challenges of scheduling is treating employees as people. They have quirks, sudden changes in requirements, and personal preferences about things like work hours, and they want their employer to accommodate them whenever possible. This means that if you plan to keep your employees, you can't simply assign them a schedule without regard to their individual needs. You also have to consider external requirements, such as labor laws, qualification requirements, and even the availability of local transportation.

continued

ILLUSTRATION: JIM ROLDAN © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 85

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If you are going to make any software package support your business scheduling, you first must determine your applicable requirements. You have to write down what each employee needs, what the business needs, and what the law requires. If you're using a computer, you must have a way for the computer to consider all this information. Thus, you or someone who works for you has to type

0

nee you have all your employee

information in one place, you can learn new things about your business.

this information into the computer.

In addition, the software package has to be able to support the vagaries of the employees and other requirements. If an employee tells you that he or she needs to be off on alternate Tuesdays for a visit to a sick uncle, you need to be able to handle that. You also must make sure that your employees can go on vacation, and that the package can handle other foreseeable business interruptions, such as holidays.

Likewise, you need to be able to define skill categories and shift preferences. If the state requires you to have at least one qualified person on the premises to sell alcoholic beverages, or if you need to have a bonded employee available to make deposits of cash receipts, you must have a way to flag these employees, as well as to tell the software that these obligations must be met.

Most businesses have special requirements such as these. An insurance company may need to have a casualty underwriter on hand at all times, for example, or a hospital may need to keep an emergency room nurse on call. A package that will schedule your employees must be able to handle all these factors.

Helping You Plan

Although Who Works When and Schedule Master will do, a lot to help you figure out when your employees will be working, there's still manual work to do. Your employees have to determine their pref

erences, and you have to determine the requirements for your business and for meeting its external obligations. In addition, you have to define shifts, classes of employees, standard work hours, vacation and holiday periods, and overtime requirements.

Once you have collected or developed this information, it must be entered into the software's data storage so that it can be used to prepare the scheduling. Be sure you have developed a consistent method of collecting the information you need, because this data needs to match the information that the software expects as closely as possible.

Both packages help you with this job. Schedule Master includes a large supply of employee entry sheets. Each form has a place for the employee's personal and preference information, as well as a place to enter business-related data such as skill level, classification and status, and wages. Who Works When includes samples of similar sheets that can be photocopied for the same purpose, but they seem intended for management to fill out rather than the employees.

Despite the work it will save you, no scheduling package will help you much if it's not flexible enough to handle realworld requirements. Both packages let you change work assignments after they have been scheduled in order to meet employee needs that aren't definable by standard rules. You might, for example, define a minimum shift duration as 6 hours, and then manually change the schedule to give employees some extra time off for personal needs or to reward them for extra effort.

Reports

As you can imagine, all this employee and work information can be a gold mine. Once you have all your employee information in one place, you can learn new things about your business. You can, for example, decide if a particular time period is profitable, because you will be able to determine the receipts for that period and compare that figure against the cost of sales for the same period. Since you now will know your staff costs, finding out the other parts of the equation is fairly easy.

Of course, the primary goal of these packages is to produce a work schedule. Both packages do this, although each approaches the job differently. Who Works When prints out the weekly schedule for each employee and lists the work times for each day. Schedule Master prints out a daily schedule or a weekly schedule

continued

86 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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Circle 79 on Reader Service Card

f Monitor & Control The WDrld

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and indicates employee work times with bars that resemble those on a Gantt chart. The actual beginning and ending times are printed along with the time lines, giving you a complete view of the schedule at a glance. Who Works When provides the actual hours scheduled and also indicates when you are understaffed and by how much.

Despite the fact that these packages do nearly the same thing, they seem to be aimed at different types of business. Schedule Master, for example, seems to be oriented to the grocery and retail world, while Who Works When is aimed more at hotels and hospitals. You can probably use either package with just about any kind of business, although Who Works When will handle scheduling for a larger organization than Schedule Master, which has a limit of 300 employees.

Either package will work with most small and medium-size businesses, even those with complex scheduling requirements. You will still have to do some manual work, but the whole process can help you manage your business because it will force you to look at your staffing more carefully. It may even make your employees happier, simply because their time will be scheduled consistently and more efficiently. ■

Wayne Rash Jr. is a contributing editor for BYTE and a member of the professional staff of American Management Systems, Inc. (Arlington, VA). He consults with the federal government on microcomputers and communications. You can contact him on BIX as "waynerash, " or in the to. wayne conference.

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

88 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 288 on Reader Service Card

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EXPERT ADVICE MACINATIONS ■ Don Crabb

Rising from THE Ashes

Apple can regain its prominence if it tackles problenns with both the low and high ends of its product line

So far it's been a tough year for Apple Computer. Yet another reorganization, this time in the company's upper echelons, ushered in calendar year 1990. Nor were the lower levels spared: Layoffs sent many longtime Apple workers to the unemployment line. A lot of analysts, columnists, pundits, and just plain folk have suggested that 1990 is the watershed year for Apple. Well, it's not my style to "suggest" anything. I pretty much bull ahead where other people fear to tread, so let me make my predictions about Apple for this year and next.

Crystal Ball Time

Prediction number 1: This year is the most important year for Apple since the debacle known as 1985. If Apple can't get costs under control and build cheaper computers that fit the real business market out there (not the imaginary Department of Defense budget-style industry dreamed up by the marketing department), it will fail.

Apple must spend its money where it will do the most good: real customer service (beefed-up training and implementation assistance in each Apple operational region) and real customer support (toll-free telephone hotlines as a starter). These are services that other computer companies managed to offer without going broke years ago. Apple has to follow suit.

Prediction number 2: Apple will announce the Macintosh Classic (often called the CheapMac). With its two big

gest top-brass detractors (Allan Loren and Jean-Louis Gassee) now gone, nowreigning chief operations officer Michael Spindler will ram it through the Fremont factory before the year is up.

It will list for less than $1000 and cost much less than that to make, allowing Apple to still make a good buck. It will use a 16-MHz 68000 CPU (Apple hasn't stockpiled 5 million of these suckers for nothing), and it will come with at least 2 megabytes of RAM (so that System 7.0 will run), a built-in 20-MB hard disk drive, and a 1.44-MB FDHD drive. The design will emphasize modular construction and the current 9-inch, 512- by 348-pixel monochrome monitor that the Mac Plus, SE, and SE/30 use.

Prediction number 3: Apple will lower its price line across the board to fit everything in under its most expensive machine, the Ilfx, which was announced in March. The company has to compete better with Unix workstation vendors, who

have taken the high ground from them. The Ilfx is a nice machine—unless it has to compete pricewise with SPARCStations, IBM RISC System/6000s, and NeXT Computers. Then it comes up way too short for the money.

Prediction number 4: Apple will rise from the ashes of slowing sales in 1989 and 1990 and the draconian measures needed to make it profitable again. Next year will be one of rising Apple expectations and profit margins, as Spindler gets control of things and brings some common sense to the company.

Expect to see more Apple CPUs in 1991 that further broaden the product line, improve the Mac's price/performance ratio, and help remove Apple's worst problem, the "not invented here" syndrome. Among these new CPUs will be several new Macintosh Portables, including models that are actually portable and affordable.

continued

ILLUSTRATION: PETER GORSKI © 1990

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 91

MACINATIONS

ITEMS DISCUSSED]

Boomerang 2.0 $30

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Masterjuggler 1.5 $89.95

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Prediction number 5: Apple will release 68040- and RISC-based Macs in 1991. While Apple won't be able to keep pace with Sun's latest SPARC implementations or even IBM's RISC monsters, it will make an effort to remain competitive, especially by off-loading work that burdened the CPU onto application-specific ICs and custom processing chips. Also, Apple will ship its first computer designed as a multiuser system from the ground up, something I call the Mac MultiTower. It will run both multiuser A/UX Unix and a multiuser, preemptive multitasking version of the Mac OS with a zippy new Finder.

Prediction number 6: Even if I am wrong about all the specifics involved with my Apple "phoenix" scenario, I had better be right about the generalities it involves. If not, then Apple's survival, even as a niche computer company, is anything but certain.

Workstations Galore

Workstations are the single most interesting segment of the microcomputer market. Except for laptops, workstations are the fastest-growing portion of a market that has flattened overall sales in the past two years.

The serious workstation vendorsSun, Hewlett-Packard, Apollo, NeXT, Tektronix, DEC, and now IBM—have figured out that higher-powered Unixbased personal computers networked together with Ethernet and Network File System (NFS) and running graphical user interfaces (GUIs) like the X Window System, Motif, and Open Look are where computing is heading.

The hot stuff in computing is workstation technology. More CPU power is now on your desktop. A local disk drive provides storage for some of your data, as well as backup capabilities, but most of your files and all your applications are stored elsewhere on a networked file server managed by the network. If you

need more CPU power than your desktop machine can provide, the networked workstation system can tap the power of a CPU server that's been optimized for your specific needs.

Sun makes such systems, and, in fact, it is the leading vendor. But the workstation revolution is not of Sun's making alone. The fact is that you can build a hybrid networked system of workstations from several major vendors that will work as if they were all from one company. Although the reasons are simple, they bear repeating.

One, the primary operating system for any workstation network is System V Unix with Berkeley 4.3 extensions or some higher-performance variants (e.g., Carnegie Mellon University's Mach). Unix has been around forever, has been significantly enhanced over time, and has a large, vocal group of supporters.

Two, the glue for sharing files is Sun's freely available NFS. More than 78 vendor-specific implementations now exist.

Three, all the networking transport basics are provided by the tried-and-true Ethernet-compatible TCP/IP protocols. TCP/IP, like NFS, is freely available and has become an industry standard.

And four, a GUI that will work across all the workstations you have plugged into this network has been around for a few years in the form of MIT's X Window System, which is also freely available. This gives application programmers a standard interface to write for and makes your desktop look the same no matter what workstation you're on.

Apple has to become a major workstation vendor if it expects to survive. It should extend its Mac GUI into a version for A/UX and other non-Apple Unix implementations and peddle it as an X Window System-compatible alternative to Motif and Open Look. That extended Mac GUI should include the cross-platform development tools that programmers will need. Perhaps Apple should also license NextStep as part of this new workstation strategy (I'm not kidding).

Within five years, virtually all the computers that we place on our desks will be plugged into a network of some kind; in larger businesses, universities, and other institutions, these will be workstation networks. IBM's recent announcement of its RISC System/6000 line of RISC-based workstations points this out more than any other activity by a vendor in the past year. When IBM, a company that derives most of its revenues from large computers (mainframes, minicomputers, and its proprietary networks), says that Unix workstations are

very important, it's time to listen. Apple should be listening, too.

Tip of the Month

Masterjuggler is one of my favorite utilities. A Suitcase II competitor, it lets you load as many fonts and desk accessories as you want without hacking away at your System file. Although its importance once System 7.0 is out is unclear (System 7.0 promises to rationalize DAs and fonts in a way that may make Masterjuggler unnecessary), its capabilities with the current Mac OS make it part of my daily Mac environment.

If you use Masterjuggler and have a Mac Ilci, you've probably run into some intermittent memory problems when using Masterjuggler 1.5 (the latest major release). This seems to be related to the Ilci's ROMs, System 6.0.4, and the way that Masterjuggler gets loaded into memory. According to ALSoft, MasterJuggler's creator, these problems can result in Masterjuggler not loading, an application crashing each time you use it, or aberrant behavior with different applications launched under MultiFinder.

I've run into a number of niggling little problems that mostly relate to not being able to load Masterjuggler at System start-up. I've also run into a conflict with the useful Boomerang shareware cdev. Boomerang adds some additional file management commands to Standard File dialog, making life with lots of files and applications much easier. Unfortunately, I can't run Masterjuggler 1.5 and Boomerang 2.0B9 at the same time.

I've given up using Boomerang for now because of these problems, since I need Masterjuggler more than I need Boomerang. When a new version of Boomerang comes out, I'll install it and see if that fixes this conflict. As to MasterJuggler and its intermittent problems with the Ilci, I suspect that ALSoft will eventually pin down the conflict and issue an update to version 1.5. With MasterJuggler's sound- and FKEY-handling capabilities, I'll likely remain a loyal MasterJugglerist, even after System 7.0 has obviated the need for its font- and DA-handling features. ■

Don Crabb is the director of laboratories and a senior lecturer for the computer science department at the University of Chicago. He is also a contributing editor for BYTE. He can be reached on BIX as "decrabb."

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

92 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Double your work space. Triple your real power. Access 100% of your memory

If you are now using a 286 based system, what ALL CHARGECARD™ will do for you is nothing short of marvelous.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on new 386 equipment, you can upgrade with ALL CHARGECARD™ from as little as $299.

You won't have to disable system board memory to multitask Windows ™ or DESQview ™ under EMS 4.0 ! Plus you'll be able to move memory resident programs, like any. network shell, and Files, Buffers, Lastdrive and Device Drivers, out of your conventional DOS space, above 640K.

You'll be able to load those monster spread-sheets and switch instantly between applications without sacrificing speed or the use of your network. In fact, you'll even outperform a 386 of the same clock speed on some of your DOS programs I

ALL CHARGECARD™ is not a here today obsolete tomorrow idea. It's one in a line of memory management upgrades which have been designed to boost performance and productivity in all your present computers. These include: ALL CARD™ at $395 for the PC and XT, and ALL CHARGE 386™ at $99 for 80386, 386SX and 80486 based systems.

CALL ALL COMPUTERS TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS AND THE NAME OF YOUR LOCAL DEALER.

1-800- MAP IT ALL

1- 800 - 627 - 4825

Available at IBM Authorized dealers, Businessland, selected Computerlands and other fine computer outlets. Also, nationally distributed through Ingram Micro D,

Certified by Lotus, Ashton-Tate, NovelL Banyan, 3Com, IBM, CBIS, TOPS, 10Net and many ottiers. All brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

'ALL CHARGECARD gives AT systems 386power..." - PC week

"ALL CHARGECARD squeezes the last ounce of RAM out of your

286..." - PCMAGAZINE

"The biggest shock of all? ALL CHARGECARD actually works as claimed ...a must buy..."

_ - PC WORLD

See us at Spring COMDEX

Booth mm

ALL

COMPUTERS INC.

of the Year

All you'll ever need lor memory management and upgrade technology

Circle 17 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 18)

This is the time

Adobe Systems ... NCP

^Streamline Windovx ^.O-Converts your bitmapped images to PostScript format. Imports TIFF, FNT, and PCX formats. Exports to EPSj Illustrator, Corel Draw and Micrografx Designer $229.

□ 3V2" format available from us. Specify when ordering.

B package includes both 5V4 " and 3V2" disks.

B 3V2" format available from manufacturer by request. Call us for details.

CP—copy-protected; NCP—not copy-protected.

The four-digit number next to each product is the product's iTEM NUMBER. Please refer to this number when ordering. Thank you.

SOFTWARE

We only carry the latest versions of products. Version numbers in our ads are current at press time.

^^Miiii II '

il

SI:

'Si

S

- ■ 'fi

LaserTools ... NCP

l^iPmtCache 2.2-Get back to work FAST while your printer flies! Not only is PrintCache the fastest buffer available, it saves so much time critics caU it "the best," {PCMagazine, 4190) $99.

Adobe Systems ... NCP

6591 alllustratorWindovi/sl.O $279.

6590 HStreamline Windows 1.0 229.

Aldus ... NCP 1332 DPageMakerS.O 499.

Alpha Software ... NCP

5104 aAlpha Four 1.1 319.

4103 BAIpha Works 2.0 89.

Application Techniques ... NCP 1214 BPizazz Plus 2.0 69.

Ashton-Tate ... NCP 4450 DdBASE IV 1.0 499.

Autodesk ... NCP

4519 DAutosketch 2.0 95.

6119 DAutosketch Animator 1.0 245.

Avery ... NCP 6006 ELabel Pro 1.0 49.

Bitstream ... NCP

HCollections: Newsletters, Flyers, Books

& Manuals, Reports and Proposals,

Presentations or Spreadsheets each 159.

HFontware each 99.

Delrina Technology ... NCP

SPerForm 2. f-New Version! Includes many new features. $30 rebate inside brings your net cost to just $129! $159.

Bloc Publishing ... NCP

6546 BDisk Vision 1.1 45.

1447 GFormTool 2.01 55.

6245 EPopDropPLUS 1.0 59.

6012 BPrint Rite 1.3 59.

Borland International ... NCP 4330 HTurbo C Professional Pack 1.0 ... . 175. 4332 HTurbo Pascal Professional Pack 1.0. 175.

6242 BQuattro Pro 1.0 325.

1514 •;Paradox3.0 469.

Brightbill-Roberts ... NCP 5408 ZHyperpad 1.0 85.

Broderbund ... CP

1434 HNew Print Shop ('WCPj 39.

1433 SMemory Mate 3.01 fWCP; 45.

ButtonWare ... NCP 6419 aPC-File5.0 75.

Caere ... NCP 6004 HOmnipage386 2.1 599.

Central Point ... NCP

5039 EPC Tools Deluxe 6.0 89.

5038 CCopyllPC5.0 27.

Chronos Software ... NCP

4387 ®Who»What«When 1.09 $119.

Concentric Data Systems ... NCP

6575 (ilR&R Relational Report Writer 38 109.

Corel Systems ... NCP 5506 GCorelDRAW! 1.2 329.

Crosstalk Communications ... NCP

2908 □CrosstalkXVI3.7 119.

5611 DCrosstalk for Windows 1.0 129.

Data Storm ... NCP 4798 BPROCOMM PLUS 1.1 52.

Delrina Technology ... NCP 4325 BPerFORM 2.1 ($30rebate!) .... 159.

Delta Technology ... NCP 5829 BDirect Access 5.0 52.

Digital Composition Systems ... NCP 5876 Bdb Publisher Report Maker 2.0 . 185.

Dow Jones ... NCP 5494 BNews/Retrieval Membership Pkg. 24.

6879 EMarket Analyzer 2.01 225.

6880 EMarket Analyzer Plus 2.0 325.

5th Generation ... NCP

2762 DMace Utilities 1990 89.

3950 BFastback Plus 2.1 109.

FormWorx ... NCP 5810 DFormWorx with Fill & File 2.5 85.

Fox Software ... NCP

6188 EFoxPro 1.0 489.

2233 EFoxbase Plus 2.1 199.

Funk Software ... NCP

2228 CSideways3.21 42.

4479 nAllways1.2 115.

Generic Software ... NCP 2265 eGenericCADDLevel3 1.1.3... 225.

Great American Software ... NCP 4880 COne Write Plus Accounting Sys. 2.06179. 5825 BMoney Matters 1.0 55.

Harvard Associates ... NCP 2324 HPC Logo 3.0 59.

Hllgraeve ... NCP 2323 BHyperA3CESS/51.0fDOS&OS2) 115.

IBM ... NCP

6187 BStoryboard Plus 2.0 239.

6599 QCurrent 1.0 239.

Corel Systems ... NCP

[ZCorelDRAW! 12-The world's finest PC illustration software now comes with even more value: CorelTRACE, over 100 r^efaces, over 300 clip-art images, a Pantone license-all bundled in for free '. $329.

for planting seeds

Individual Software ... NCP

2408 GPrefassor DOS 4A $27.

6222 SResume Maker 1.0 29.

irirarrrr-NCP

2426 AQuickenS.O, 39.

LaserTools ... NCP

6882 [S:PrintCache2.2 99.

Lord^ublishlng ... NCP

5191 liiRonstadt's Financials 1.02 75.

Lotus NCP

5417 □1-2-3 3.0 call

5653 □l-^'S-g.a call

5134 BMagellan2.0 119.

4131 sAgerida 1.0 275.

2660 CEtesJaace Plus 3.01 345.

MECA ... NCP

2798 DMarragmg Your Money 6.0 119.

7002 aHome Lawyer 1.0 69.

MfCtocom ... NCP 6234 uGsfteGflCopy Plus5.2 fSreQ.;. . . 115.

Micrografx ... NCP 6294 BDiaWPIus 1.0 289.

Micro Logic ... NCP

2968 nTornado 1^8 55.

6787 ElnioSelect 1.1 55.

Microlytics ... NCP 2731 GGOffcirg.O 45.

Microsoft ... NCP

2860 ZlZearning DOS 2.0 35.

2899 □W!nttows286 2.11 69.

2904 nWorks2.0 99.

2901 CWSrS^O 209.

6195 EWoidjor Windows 329.

2856 SExce\2.1(req. 80286/80386) ... call

6133 EExeeUof OS/2 1.0 339.

5188 DQuickPascal 1.0 55.

2894 CfUUIUHBASIC 4.5 69.

2895 EQuickC 2.0 69.

2853 ECTornpilere.O 339.

Multiset ... NCP

6805 ZPC-J<wik Power Disk 1.0 49.

4925 'DPe-Kwik Power Pak 1.5 79.

Nolofiess ... NCP 2982 nWillMakerS.0 35.

Norton-Lambert ... NCP

4928 nClose-Up Customer 3.0 $135.

4929 DCIose-Up Support 3.0 165.

Paperback Software ... NCP

6358 [:VP-Planner3D 1.0 155.

PC Globe ... NCP

5902 DPC Globe 3.0 39.

5900 nPCUSALO 39.

Personics ... NCP

3126 BSeeMORE2.0 54.

4328 BLook& Link 1.1 59.

4384 HUItravision2.0 79.

Peter Norton ... NCP

3152 HNorton Commander 3.0 99.

3146 BAdvanced Utilities 4.5 99.

6397 SThe Norton Backup 1.0 99.

Precision Software ... NCP 6600 BSuperbase 4 for Windows 449.

Quarterdeck ... NCP

6422 DORAM 1.0 49.

3221 nExpanded Memory Mgr. 386 5.0. 59.

3220 □DESQView2.26 79.

4586 □DESQView386 1.1 129.

6400 DManifestl.0 39.

Multisoft ... NCP

OPCKwik Power Pak f 5-Tremendous performance improvement. Includes award-wmning | Super PC-Kwik, RAM Disks, Print Spoolers, ; Screen Accelerator (with Re View & screen [ blanking), & Keyboard Accelerator... $79. |

Reality Technologies

.. NCP

6572

BWealthBuilder 1.01

145.

Reference Software ..

. NCP

4396

BGrammatiklVI.O. . . .

52.

Revolution Software .

. NCP

4480

BVGA Dimmer 2.01 (screen saver)

. 19.

RightSoft ... NCP

4155

BRigtitWriter3.1

54.

Samna ... NCP

5799

BAmi Professional 1.0

309.

Softlogic Solutions ...

NCP

3546

□Disk Optimizer 4.05

45

1-800/776-7777

liyPIIVIC PC Connection 7308

snHsnsn 6 Mill Street

Marlow, NH 03456 SALES 603/446-7721 FAX 603/446-7791

Microsoft ... NCP

B Word for Windows-Comhincs the power of Word for the PC widi ease of use and WYSIWYG accuracy of Microsoft Windows. Integrate graphics and data from Windows

applications into your documents $329.

3542 ESoftware Carousel 3.01 55.

Software Publishing ... NCP

3499 GPFSiFirst Publisher 3.0 99.

3478 □PFS.First Choice 3.02 105.

3496 BProfessional Write 2.12 149.

3493 □Professional File 2.01 199.

3482 OHarvard Graphics 2.13 339.

6289 B Draw Partner 1.0 (for Harvard Graph.) 59.

Symantec ... NCP

3412 BGrandviewLO 199.

3425 □Q&A3.0 229.

3431 □Timeline4.0 469.

Systems Compatibility ... NCP 6564 CSoftware Bridge 4.1 79.

TIMESLIPS ... NCP

2987 □Timeslipslll3.4 169.

6994 □PercentEdge 1.0 69.

Timeworks ... NCP 6253 BPublish-lt! 1.1 115.

TOPS ... NCP 6675 nTOPS Network Bundle 3.0 159.

MECA ... NCP

®Hom Lawyer 1.0-Ltt Hyatt Legal Services help you through the legalese by using plain English. Contains 16 commonly used documents and guides you step-by-step through each one $69.

Reference, ^f^re ... NCP

®Gramimuk N 10-Checks for grammar, style,

usage,yuiTCRfitIon and spelling errors in one pass! Now^w3fks widiin WordPerfea 5.1, Miaosoft ^lAs.O, Professional Write 2.1, WordStar 5.5, XY Write m & more.... $52.

and checking out

TOPS ... NCP

nNawrk Bundle for DOS S.C-Allows you to quickly and easily share files, electronic mail and printers between your Apple Macintosh, IBM PC and/or Sun Workstation. Now

includes Inbox EMail software $159.

3720 Flashcard 2.1 (AppleTalk network card:

1 year warranty) 155.

Traveling Software ... NCP

4190 Battery Watch 2.0 f3'/2"o/7/yJ 35.

5179 BLapLinklllS.O 95.

True BASIC ... NCP 3561 BTrue BASIC 2.1 52.

Vericomp ... NCP

3765 BSoftBytes2.0 35.

6771 a Memory Master 1.0 45.

WordPerfect Corp. ... NCP

3799 aWordPerfect Library 2.0 75.

3804 □ WordPerfect 5.1 265.

6685 aDrawPerfectl.0 279.

WordStar International ... NCP

2825 DWordStar Prof. 6.0 279.

5000 aUpgrade to Version 6.0 89,

Xerox ... NCP 3812 DVentura Publisher 2.0 529.

XTREE ... NCP 6161 BXTreePro Gold 1.3 75.

Micrologic ... NCP

H/«/o Select 11-Thc fastest most exciting new way to deal with notes, ideas, plans, contacts, and all your RANDOM information. Easy yet powerful. Endless uses $55.

RECREATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL

Broderbund ... CP

5701 nWhere/Time Carmen Sandiego? . . $32.

6295 BThe Playroom 32.

5851 aSimCity 33.

Electronic Arts ... NCP

6436 BHuntfor Red October 20.

4659 aChessmaster 2100 fCPJ 35.

5804 BDeluxe Paint II fEn^ancedj 89.

Microprose ... CP

4454 DF-ig Stealth Fighter 39.

5823 DRed Storm Rising 39.

Microsoft ... NCP 2858 DFIight Simulator 4.0 39.

Parlor Software ... CP 3159 DBridge Parlor 2.3 49.

Sierra On-Llne ... CP

6023 BLeisure Suit Larry III 39.

6796 BCodename: Iceman 39.

5106 aSpace Quest III 39.

TIMESUPS ... NCP

UPercentEdge fO-CalcuIate mortgage rates, present values, aimuities, savings and loan balances, and more. Fill in the blank interface completes die calculation once sufficient data is entered.''Pop-up" mode available .. $69.

Spectrum Holobyte ... NCP

5993 aWelltris 22.

Stone & Assoc. ... NCP

3435 aMy Letters.Numbers,Words (2 to 6)22.

3438 aYoung Math Cages 5 to S; 22.

3439 □2nd Math fages 7 to 76j 27.

True BASIC, Inc. ... NCP

HKemeny/Kurtz Math Series:

10 titles each 45.

HARDWARE

Manufacturer's standard limited warranty period for items shown is listed after each company name. Some products In their line may have different warranty periods.

American Power ... 2 years

6812 200DL (stand-by power source) .. 155. 6811 360SX (stand-by power source). . . 255. AST Research ... 2 years

1299 SixPakPlus384kC/S/P 187.

Boca Research ... 5 years

10Z4 VG/l-Affordable 16-bit non-interlaced graphics with 512K. Perfect solution for

Windows, AutoCAD $219.

SuferVGA-mx600)m-hit 135.

l€/l-(640x 480) 16/8-bit 119.

6795 SixPak 286 512k 209.

4107 RAMpage Plus 286 512k 419.

4105 RAMpage Plus Micro Channel 512k 419.

Boca Research ... 5 years 7001 BOCARAM/AT PLUS fO-S Meg exf.; 135. 7000 TophAT (16-bit backfill 512K to 640K,

with OK) 79.

6998 I/O Board for AT 59.

6999 I/O Board for MicroChannel S/S/P . 109. Brother International ... 1 year

5787 HL-8e Laser Printer 1799.

5788 HL-SPs PostScript Laser Printer . 2949. Compucable ... 2 years

1604 2-Position switch box 25.

Cuesta ... 1 year 1608 Datasaver 400 Watt (powe/-£)acA:up; 429.

Curtis ... lifetime 1694 Emerald SP-2 36.

1707 RubySPF-2('6ouWets; 55.

1708 Ruby-Plus SPF-2 Plus 65.

Datadesk ... 3years

6901 Switchboard 175.

Diconix ... 1 year 5655 150 Plus Printer fPara/Ze/J 359.

Epson ... 1 year

We are an authorized Epson Service Center 1906 FX-850 (80 col., 264 cps, 9 pin) . . . call 1904 FX-1050 (136col., 264 cps. 9pin). . call 5183 LQ-510C80CO/., 180cps, 24 pin). . . call 1930 LQ-850 (80 col., 264 cps. 24 pin) . . call 6765 LQ-1010 (136col., 180 cps. 24pin) call 1917 LQ-1050 (136 col., 264 cps, 24 pin) call 4116 LQ-2550 (136 cot, 333 cps, 24 pin) call

5184 LX-810 C80 CO/., 780 cps, 9 p;r7^ call

1052 Printer-to-IBM cable fe/eefj 15.

5th Generation ... 1 year 3952 Logical Connection 512k 449.

Hayes ... 2 years

2307 Smartmodem 2400 349.

2308 Smartmodem 2400B (w/Smartcom II) 279. Hercules ... 2 years

2318 Graphics Card Plus 189.

Hewlett-Packard ... 1 year 6754 LaserJet III Cw/toner-; 1679.

PC Cultivation,

Silicon sfdad days.

(Or, how we mind our Peas & Cukes.)

Way up north in the fertile crescent of Marlow, NH (pop. 562), we know how to dig down deep. Which is pretty difficult (even for our celebrated 20 mole team) since the bedrock's just inches below the surface and the growing season's shorter than the day is long. But, with the winds of change blowing non-stop through the micro fields, you can't just scatter your seed any which way. You have to put down roots! We ought to know—we were the first company to sell peripherals and software exclusively for IBM personal computers. So when customers call us for product specs, prices, or

technical assistance, they're dealing with a company that has its paws (and peas) planted firmly in the ground. A window-based system you can grow witli.

Up here in Marlow, our imagination isn't the only thing that's fertile. In fact, it's small potatoes compared to our PC Connection Mint Garden which comes complete with soil and seeds for growing a luscious crop of Spearmint, Peppermint and Lemon Balm right on your favorite window. Put a fresh sprig in your favorite beverage and we're sure it will add a delightful je ne sais quoi (which means that we have no idea what it will add—but it'll taste good). It's free to everyone who places an order of $500 or more between now and June 30.

Grow your own in a PC Connection Mint Garden. Offer not available outside the Continental U.S. or to accounts on net terms. One per customer.

what your PC needs.

Intel ... 5 years

khm Mrh-Ym. Quarterdeck ORAM and Manifest with any Above Board or piggyback, now dirough December 31, 1990! see Intel listing for prices.

6582 LaserJet IIP fw/toner) 1039.

6581 DeskJet Plus fw//n/( cartndgej.... 719. Intel ... 5 years

6421 2400B MNP Internal Modem 199.

2352 2400B Internal Modem 2 ffor PS/2; 249.

5119 2400 Baud External Modem 179.

6420 2400EX MNP Modem 229.

2346 Inboard 386/PCw/l Meg (W/»Be/V7i() 519.

4266 Above Board Plus 512k 419.

4267 Above Board Plus I/O 512k 449.

5336 Above Board Plus 8 2 Meg 599.

5342 Above Board Plus 8 I/O 2 Meg . . . 629.

4272 Above Board 2 Plus 512k 469.

5396 Above Board MC 32 Ok 359.

4275 Connection Coprocessor (Vv/Fax-Zy. 529. 4857 Visual Edge 449.

MMH COPROCESSORS

2370 80287-8 (for 8 MHz 80286 CPU's) . 199. 2369 80287-10 ffo/-PS/2 Mode/s 50 <S6Q) 229. 4750 80387SXCfo(-80386SXCPU's;. .. . 309.

2371 80387 (for 16 MHz 80386 CPU's). . 349.

2372 80387-20 (for 20 MHz 80386 CPU's)399. Kensington MIcroware ... 1 year

2587 Master Piece Plus Remote 89.

2582 Master Piece Plus 109.

5697 Expert Mouse (Tractoa//for PS/2; . 115.

Keytronic ... 3 years 4518 101 Plus Keyboard 99.

Kraft ... 5 years

5801 New Game Adapter (2 game ports;. 27. 5800 3 button Thunder Joystick 29.

5802 Trackball 69.

Logitech ... limited lifetime

5464 Series 2 Mouse CC9 for PS/2's; 69.

5151 HiREZ Mouse (C9) 85.

6029 Trackman (Trac/cba//; ser/a/ 85. bus 89. 4297 ScanMan Plus f/iand scanner) ... 185. 6786 ScanMan w/Catchword 1.0 315.

Micron Technology ... 2 years 6669 Intensify 2 Meg Expansion for HP

LaserJet II (upgradeable to 4 Meg). 329. 6013 Beyond Mem. Brd. for Model 50 f572k; 359.

Microsoft ... lifetime 2897 Mouse with Paintbrush 109.

2898 Mouse with Windows 286 2.1 ... $139.

MicroSpeed ... 1 year 6007 PC-TRAC Trackball ser/a/ 75. bus 85. 6010 FastTRAP 3D Trackball sena/ 99. bus 109.

Mouse Systems ... lifetime 5997 Trackball f7 yr wrn/y; ser/a/ 75. bus 85. 4306 PC Mouse II w/PC Paint-I- 89.

NEC ... 2 years

4799 Multisync 2A(VG/^/Won/tor; 499.

5085 Multisync 3D Monitor 689.

6208 Multisync 4D Monitor 1199.

Orchid Technologies ... 4 years 4690 ProDesigner VGA f800 x 600; .... 249.

PC Power & Cooling ... 1 year

REPLACEMENT POWER SUPPLIES 3202 TurboCool 150 f25°-40° coo/er; 129. 3200 Silencer 150 f84%no/sereducf/on; 115.

Pacific Data Products ... 1 year 6779 25 Cartridges in One! (for UII, IIP, IID) .275. 6840 Memory upgrade for LaserJet 2P/III

1 Meg 179. 2 Meg 249.

6833 Pacific Page (PostScript Cartridge for

LaserJet IIP) 379.

Intel ... 5 years

Inboard iSb/PC with Free Samtm Ami-Gives you 80386 processing power, 1 Mb RAM, and Samna's powerful windows-based word processor (regularly at $129). 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. New low price $519.

Practical Peripherals ... 5 years

3101 1200 Baud Internal Modem 65.

3100 1200 Baud External Modem fm/n;; . 77. 3103 2400 Baud Internal Modem 135.

3102 2400 Baud External Modem 179.

5286 2400 Baud Int. MNP Modem fLev; 5; 175. 5285 2400 Baud Ext. MNP Modem (Lev. 5) 209. 4542 2400 Baud Internal Modem for PS/2. 229.

Safe Power Systems ... 2 years 4562 Safe 425WCsfandbypowerb/(up; 329. 6747 Safe400S 409.

SOTA Technology ... 2 years 5111 SOTA 2861-12 ("72/WHzacce/erator; 269.

1-800/776-7777

PC Connection 730B - 6 Mill Street Marlow, NH 03456 SALES 603/446-7721 FAX 603/446-7791

ConnectkmCoPro^so

. » board

I

Intel ... 5 years

Connection CoFrocessor-Send/receive faxes at up to 9600 bps from within many popular applications or transfer files with the 2400 bps modem option. Includes free copy of FAX-it software. New low price .. $529.

5402 SOTA 386i-16 ('76/WHzacce/erator; 389. Targus ... lifetime

7028 Notebook bag 79.

4899 Nylon Laptop carrying case 55.

4902 Leather Laptop carrying case ... . 139. 6037 Premier leather carrying case .... 199.

TheComplete PC ... 2 years 5598 TheComplete Half Pg. Scanner 400 189.

5140 TheComplete Page Scanner 549.

5828 TheComplete Communicator 559.

6797 TheComplete Fax Portable 319.

Toshiba ... 1 year 6432 T1000SE Notebook Laptop f5.9/bs.; . . call 4958 T1600 Laptop ('72/WHz, 20/Weg; . 3249.

Tripp Lite ... 2 years

6199 Isobar 4-6 (4 outlets, 6 ft. cord) .... 49.

6200 Isobar 6-6 (6 outlets, 6 ft. cord) .... 59. 6019 LS 600 Line Stabilizer 85.

Video? ... 7years

5883 1024iVGAf/nc/udes572/(; 289.

4931 VRAM VGA 512k 399.

2400EX Modem

2«)0Bais>:MDilin

Intel ... 5years

The newest modems from Intel provide MNP/ Level 5 suppoit for feste^ more reliable communications. Also operates in Hayes-compatible mode for standard communication tasb. m)EXMNPS229. m Internal MNP ii99.

■ DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY DEFECTIVE HARDWARE REPLACED OR REPAIRED AT OUR DISCRETION.

So let's dig in!

DRIVES

IOMEGA ... 1 year

5116 Bernoulli II Single 44 Meg Internal $995.

5117 Bernoulli II Dual 44 Meg External 1969. 5113 44 Meg Cartridge Tripak fSV^";. . . 249. 2499 PC2 Card (controller required) ... 169.

Mountain Computer ... 1 year

2917 40-60 Meg Internal Tape Drive 379.

5502 83-152M Ext. Tape Drive 799.

5500 83-152M Int. Tape Drive 629.

5190 DC2000 Pre-formatted Cartridges ea. 35.

Pacific Rim ... 1 year

5010 1.2 Meg External ffo/-PS/2'sJ 215.

6602 1.44 External Cfo/-PC/Xr/A7} 239.

Plus Deveiopment ... 2 years

3106 Hardcard 40 Meg fSS msj 599.

6425 Hardcard II 40 Meg fJSmsj 599.

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Note: Axounts on net terms pay actual shipping. Continental US:

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EXPERT ADVICE

THE UNIX /bin ■ David Fiedler

# Free Software!

What is it,

how do you get it,

and how good is it?

Free software: The concept boggles the mind. In this moneyconscious day and age, can there really be anything free that's worth any more than what you pay for it?

In the world of Unix, the answer is a resounding yes. Much of Unix culture is built around the concept of sharing ideas—think of the "group" permissions as only one example—and sharing software is a natural extension of this. Unix itself grew out of a project that (at the time) had no commercial intent or value: The people working on it did it for the pleasure of building something worthwhile. Berkeley Unix came about because more people contributed other pieces of code that they thought would benefit the Unix system. Today, we use vl, uucp, emacs, Usenet, compress, and many other programs whose origins are of this nature.

So what does "free" really mean? There are varying degrees of freedom in software, as in physics. The most free software is public domain, which means the author explicitly relinquishes the copyright, and the software belongs to anyone who wishes to use it in any way. Although it is morally bankrupt to do so, you could legally sell public domain software for stiff fees as if you owned it (to people who presumably didn't know any better). There is a fine line here, wherein there are companies who distribute public domain software for a small profit above their copying costs; this is generally considered a "fair use."

Then there is shareware, which is software written to make money, but which buyers can copy freely for others. The distinction is that anyone who takes a

copy of the software is expected to send a fee to the author. Shareware is quite common with PCs, but it is relatively rare with Unix. Part of the reason may be that PC shareware is almost always distributed in binary form, but Unix software tends to be source code, and most people who are expecting to receive money don't want their source code in others' hands.

In between these two concepts, and where most "free" Unix software falls, is what might be termed/reefy available software. This is software that the author has chosen to make available freely to all, but he or she retains the copyright and therefore the ability to control it. Most software distributed on the various Unix networks is of this kind. A notice states the author's name and copyright, followed by the restrictions, if any, that have been placed on the program's use or further distribution. I've seen at least one program whose author restricted its

use to nonmilitary sites (and always wondered whether that author made use of pcomm, written by Emmet Gray at Fort Hood).

On-Line Archive Sites

I could easily fill dozens of pages with an annotated list of the freely available, useful software that has been posted to Usenet over the last year alone. Suffice it to say that you should try to get access to Usenet (see last month's column) or Internet if you want to keep up with all that is going on.

Even a list of archive sites, whose operators allow other users free access to their file collections, would be far too long, but you can get that list directly from me (see below). BIX itself has a good deal of C and Unix software available on-line, including GNU material, where it can be downloaded by anyone with a modem.

continued

ILLUSTRATION: RANDY LYHUS © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 97

Circle 166 on Reader Service Card

THE UNIX /bin

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What's GNU?

Any discussion of free software would be incomplete if it did not mention GNU, a project of the Free Software Foundation. The FSF was started by Richard Stallman, a computer scientist, AI expert, and visionary who also serves as its president. The GNU project is nothing less than an attempt to create a software package that is upwardly compatible with Unix and will be freely available.

A few years ago, some people treated GNU as little more than a joke—a few hackers in a basement with nothing but a dream. The few have grown to many, and the dream has grown to encompass GNU EMACS, GDB (a source-level C debugger), Bison (a yacc replacement), the GNU C compiler (a full ANSI version better than many commercial compilers), Ghostscript (a PostScript interpreter), and quite a few other complete packages. The GNU kernel itself is not currently being worked on, since it is anticipated that Mach will soon be available freely as a base (there are a number of other alternatives if this doesn't happen).

The point is that FSF's dedication has paid off with software at a professional, not hobbyist, level. Once the GNU system is complete, anyone will be able to run a Unix-compatible system free and have the source code as well. GNU software is protected by "copyleft," a legal instrument that permits anyone to obtain a copy of the software, along with the right to distribute other copies and the ability to modify his or her copy (which implies source code). It also prevents you from denying these rights to others. The idea is that any software based on GNU work must also be freely available in source form.

The FSF is a 501 (c)3 charitable organization under Internal Revenue Service rules and is a very worthwhile organization. While you can retrieve GNU software from one of the many archive sites, those in the position to buy tapes with this software should do so: It's less load on the network, and it provides the FSF with some additional funding.

The 24-page GNU's Bulletin is available directly from the FSF. While it is free, it costs them money to print and mail it, so please send them a couple of dollars if you request one. You can contact them at the following address:

Free Software Foundation, Inc. 675 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 876-3296 E-mail: gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu

continued

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5ee Your Data

THE UNIX /bin

Maplnfo software can find, display and analyze your data geographically. See your prospects, customers, facilities —anything in your database. Find addresses by street, ZIP code, city, etc. (We can even supply the maps.')

Any point or region on the map can have a complete record of data behind it. See your actoa/dBASE data in a vtfindow to view, edit, and print. DravK your own boundaries. Add titles and legends for high quality presentations.

Perform analyses on your data to sum. average, or count your database records by location. Color sales territories by volume of orders, ZIP codes by numbers of leads, countries by your demographic data.

From street-level to worldwide, Maplnfo can merge your databases with maps. Play visual "what if" with your data. See patterns, trends, and opportunities you never Itnew existed, if you need to map your data, Maplnfo can do it.

"Maplnfo now has "TIGER," the most up-to-date and comprehensive library of street maps available on the PC. Prices vary. Maplnfo comes with a map of the world and the LI.S. with all ZIP code locations. Runs on IBM PCs or compatibles with 640K RAM, a hard drive, and graphics.

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Maplnfo is a trademark of Maplnfo Corp. dBASE is a trademark of Ashton-Tale

Free Printout Foundation

A great many people want to access some of this free or freely available software but don't know exactly where to find it, and I'd like to help them out. So if you want a printout of dozens of dial-up public-access Unix systems and archive sites, many of which have such source code available on-line, send a businesssize (#10) self-addressed stamped envelope to me (with 45 cents postage), and I will send you a copy (it's the nixpub list mentioned in last month's column, with a few additions). Outside the U.S., please send sufficient International Reply Coupons to cover 2 ounces. Requests without proper postage will be sadly forwarded to / dev/null. Use the following address only: InfoPro Public Access, P.O. Box 220, Rescue, CA 95672. And please be patient; I'm printing and sending this information on my own time and money, and I'll do it as fast as I can. [Editor's note: The nixpub list is also available on BIX and on disk. See page 5 for details. ]

What Good Is It?

Many people start collecting free software and soon run out of disk space, as well as time to compile and test it all. This is a particular problem endemic to authors who write columns about free software, although almost anyone is susceptible. Thankfully, most software that is found on the various networks is well written, and you almost always get source code. While this doesn't guarantee that you won't get a virus attack (how many people scan every line of a 14-part posting?), it means that you can at least decide to be responsible for your own safety. Some people advocate playing it safe by not running anything until a month after it has appeared, assuming that if it causes problems, someone else will have reported it by then.

My own method involves not even compiling it until a few weeks have elapsed. I often do grep searches for system calls and the letters uld in the code, and I am extremely suspicious of programs that "must" run in setuid mode (which opens up all kinds of potential security holes). But the real reason is that patches to every wonder program usually show up within a few weeks. These patches invariably fix minor bugs such as "will no longer scramble free lisf'or "now functions properly on machines other than IBM PCjr." There's just no sense working madly to get a program running when the patches will come along and wipe out your changes.

Some might say that this is a selfish attitude: If everyone felt this way, who

would submit the patches, or even write the programs in the first place? Well, I've paid my dues by contributing programs and fixes to the network, so I have some sort of moral position, personally. The fact is that there are people who enjoy fixing code, and others who absolutely need these programs for their work, and they derive a definite benefit from it. By all means, feel free to submit your own fixes to the network if they work. You might save someone else a great deal of time.

And time is what you may well need once you get hooked. While there are a few programs that you can just put into a directory, type make, and reap the benefits of instantly, they are actually few and far between. Most packages are not written with portability in mind; they were written to solve someone's problem, and the authors are sharing their work with you. In fairness, I would say that 80 percent of the software on the network will work fine on a more-or-less standard system after 5 minutes of editing the make file and maybe a header file or two. This, of course, presupposes that you know how and what to do. If not, there's often a README file that will give you hints. If that fails, you can always get clues from the C compiler's error messages. Many of the largest programs, in contrast, are so well written that they run through their own configuration by examining your system; Larry Wall's work is especially notable here.

Which brings us to the real question again: Is it even worth bothering with free programs in the first place? My answer is a definite yes. I have more programs in one of my "free" directories than I do in /bin. While quantity is not the ultimate arbiter, I would not even keep the binaries around if I didn't use the programs. Frankly, I wouldn't want to imagine what my computing life would be like without free programs, not even counting things like vi and Usenet.

Next month, I'll go into some programs that I've found to be useful or interesting. And perhaps I'll give a few of my own hints on how to blast through those make files in less than 300 seconds. ■

David Fiedler is executive producer of Unix Video Quarterly and coauthor of the book Unix System Administration. He has helped start several Unix-related publications. You can reach him on BIX as "fiedler."

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

100 BYTE' JUNE 1990

EverythinglM Ever Vted In UNIX.

And Less. M

OK. We know it's hard to believe. So just consider this. Coherent" is a virtual clone of UNIX. But it was developed independently by Mark Williams Company. Which means we don't pay hundreds of dollars per copy in licensing fees.

What's more, Coherent embodies the original tenet of UNIX: small is beautiful. TTiis simple fact leads to a whole host of both cost and performance advantages for Coherent. So read on, because there's a lot more to Coherent than its price. SMALLER. FASTER.. .BETTER.

Everybody appreciates a good deal. But what is it that makes small so great?

For one thing. Coherent gives you UNIX capabilities on a machine you can actually afford. Requiring only 10 megabytes of disk space,

LESS IS MORE!

Coherent For Santa Cruz theBM-POAT Operations and compatibk XENIX 286, 286 or 386 Version 2.3.2 based machines.

No. of Manuals

1

8

No. of Disks

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21

Kernel Size

64K

198K

Install Time

20-30 min.

3-4 hours

Suggested Disk Space

10 meg

30 meg

Recommended Memory 640K

1-2 meg

Performance*

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100.3 sec

Price

$99.95

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•Byte Execl benchmark, 1000 iterations on 20 MHZ 386.

Coherent can reside with DOS. So you can keep all your DOS applications and move up to Coherent. You can also have it running faster, leam it faster and get faster overall performance. AH because Coherent is small. Sounds beautiful, doesn't it?

But small wouldn't be so great if it didn't do the job it was meant to do.

EVERYTHING UNIX

WAS MEANT TO DO.

like the original UNIX, Coherent is a powerful multi-user, midti-tasking development system. With a complete UMX-compatible kernel which makes a vast world of UNIX sotware available including over a gigabyte of public domain software.

Coherent also comes with Lex and Yacc, a complete C compiler and a fuU set of nearly 200 UNIX commands including text processing, program development, administrative and maintenance commands.

And with UUCI^ the UNIX to

UNIX Communication Program that connects you to a world-wide network of free software, news and millions of users. AH for the cost of a phone call. We could go on, but stop we must to get in a few more very important points. EXPERIENCE, SUPPORT

AND GUARANTEES. Wondering how something as good as Coherent could come from nowhere? Well it didn't. It came from Mark Williams Company, people who've developed C compilers for DEC, Intel, Wang and thousands of professional programmers.

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EXPERT ADVICE

OS/2 NOTEBOOK ■ Mark J. Minasi

OS/2 MARRIES DESQVIEW

The kids are called virtual DOS machines

Ihave seen the developer's version of Microsoft's OS/2 for the 386, OS/2 2.0. And there's very good news: It addresses many of the problems with current 0S/2s. Here's a summary of what I learned at Microsoft's rollout demonstration. The headline features of version 2.0 are the following:

• supports multiple DOS sessions, or virtual DOS machines (VDMs)

• requires a 386SX, 386, or i486 chip

• uses the 386's "flat" memory model

• runs version 1.x software—despite radical changes under the hoodincluding, thank heaven, device drivers

Some lesser features of version 2.0 include the following:

• runs more concurrent programs than under version 1 .x

• restructures interprocess communications, particularly semaphores

• makes future ports to RISC more likely, thanks to the flat 32-bit memory model

• supports limited cut-and-paste capabilities for DOS programs run in a VDM

• greatly improves free space for DOS programs

Multiple DOS Machines

I've long believed that one of the major stumbling blocks in the way of OS/2's success is its limited support of DOS applications. Back when "DOS 5.0" was first being touted, IBM and Microsoft led us to believe that it would not only run new protected-mode programs, it would

also run existing DOS programs—and several of them at the same time. OS/2 2.0 will finally redeem that promise: Microsoft showed Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, and Flight Simulator all running simultaneously in Presentation Manager (PM) windows. Each DOS session is called a VDM.

The three programs were all normal DOS applications, not special OS/2 versions. And they seemed to run pretty well, except for the graphically intensive Flight Simulator, which merely crept along on the 33-MHz 386 being used for the demonstration. Seeing several DOS applications all running in PM windows looked a lot like DESQview, with the added benefit that graphical applications could be windowed. Whether or not it is as sturdy as DESQview won't be clear until the final release of version 2.0 later this year.

More interesting are the results when CHKDSK runs. A DOS application gets

about 61 OK bytes of free space, more than under DOS 3.3 or 4.0. VDMs get HMA (high memory area) support, so Windows/286 in a VDM would have a huge amount of all-important conventional memory available to it. (This is becoming less important, of course, as more and more of the big Windows applications move to the wide-open spaces of the PM.)

Like other 386-based DOS multitaskers, version 2.0 can also give a VDM access to a chunk of extended memory, disguised as EMS 4.0 expanded memory. Unlike a DOS program running in the version 1.x compatibility box, a program running on a version 2.0 VDM can swap out of memory.

DOS Multitasking Is Possible

All this is possible, of course, because version 2.0 requires a 386-family (i.e., 386SX, 386, or i486) chip to run, and the

continued

ILLUSTRATION: CURT DOTY © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 103

u

1 \

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©

"1

1

114)

OS/2 NOTEBOOK

^fhe big news is that the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet drivers are finally on Device Driver Disk 2.

Circle 113 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS:

TCP/2"

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• Developer's kit with socket library

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386-family chips include a virtual 8086 (V86) mode that, used properly, can support essentially bulletproof DOS multitasking. The 386 has a page-mapping capability that lets OS/2 hand portions of memory to DOS applications, yet makes each DOS application think it's the only program in the system. The 386 can even support multitasking of most "badly behaved" applications. To see why, here's an example.

Ordinarily, DOS runs in the low 640K bytes of a PC's memory. Just above that area, from 640K bytes to 768K bytes, lies the video RAM (VRAM), which holds the current image on the video screen. Most DOS programs, in order to gain speed, write information directly to that video memory. Such an action is one example of being badly behaved, and it's a headache for a multitasker.

Imagine the mess you'd have when trying to simultaneously run a bunch of programs that are all writing directly to the VRAM. If you ran dBASE while Lotus 1-2-3 was recalculating in the background, you might end up with a dBASE screen with the 1-2-3 "Wait" message flashing in the upper right-hand comer of the screen. (The message might actually be appropriate if you were running dBASE, but that's another story.)

Here's how the 386 avoids this. Its page-mapping capability lets it control what memory each program can see. Thus, a 386 operating system like OS/2 2.0 can, for example, remap 128K bytes of memory actually located in the fourth megabyte of RAM so that a DOS application in the background thinks that memory is the video buffer. The DOS application, running in the background, can merrily write to its virtual video board. When the application comes to the foreground, a change in the page-map tables connects that 128K bytes of RAM to the actual video memory address, thereby presenting the program's screen to the user.

You may have heard of video boards being "register-compatible" with IBM

boards. This refers to I/O addresses, and these too are remappable under the V86 mode. Microsoft has included code in OS/2 2.0 to handle most common I/O devices. These entities are called virtual device drivers. VDDs exist for the basic devices—printers, the screen, and the mouse. And there are also VDDs for some not-so-basic devices. A DOS application running in a VDM will still be able to program DMA and the timer and do low-level floppy disk access.

Of course, some things will not be permitted—most specifically, low-level hard disk twiddling. Imagine what kinds of disasters could happen if you modified the file allocation table with Norton Utilities while an OS/2 application in the background updated a database. You'd have a FAT image in the memory, and then you'd tell Norton Utilities to write it to disk. Once Norton Utilities wrote out the modified FAT, all the work that the background OS/2 program had done would be down the drain. That's why there's no VDD for low-level hard disk access.

Microsoft has even indicated that it has a process in place for letting third parties build their own VDDs to support their own devices. And yes, there will be a development kit for this purpose—called, ofcourse, a VDDDK.

Finally—LaserJet Drivers!

Those people who sent in their IBM OS/2 registration cards will have received from IBM an OS/2 1.2 update. The big news is that the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet drivers are finally on Device Driver Disk 2.

But there's a trick to using the new drivers. You must reinstall OS/2 altogether, or else the Control Panel won't recognize them. If you use Dual Boot, just reboot under OS/2 and install the new copy of OS/2 1.2. Once it's all installed, you'll find that Dual Boot still works and can bring up DOS without any trouble.

continued

104 BYTE • JUNE 1990

Circle 199 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 200) —

COMPLETE SYSTEMS INCLUDE:

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•AMI-80386 33MHz 64K Cache Static RAM |25ns| • 4096K RAM Using 1 MB-70ns • DPT Harddrive ond Floppy CTLR • 318MB ESDI Harddrive (16ms Access Time) • VGA Display Card w/512K RAM • TEAC 1.2MB 5 1 /4"or 3 1/2" HighDensity Floppy Drive • VGA Color Monitor 1024 X 768 Resolution • Keytronics 101 Key En hanced AT- Keyboard "350 Watts Power Supply • Duel Thermostatically Controlled Fans

MMI-386SX16

•MMI-80386SX I6MH2 1MB • VifD 1006 MFM Harddrive ond Floppy CTLR • 30MB-38ms Harddrive • MG 132 Monographic Cord with Parallel Port • TEAC 5.25" or 3.5" •Samsung 12° Monochrome Monitor • KEYTRONICS 101 Key Enhanced AT- Keyboard • 200 V^^aHs Power f Supply

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,j KEYTRONICS 101 Key Enhanced AT- Keyboard

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C ' . '

i

f .

Circle 284 on Reader Service Card

OS/2 NOTEBOOK

TOSHIBA^

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ITEMS DISCUSSED

Brief $199

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Qedit $79

SemWare

4343 Shallowford Rd., Suite C-3 Marietta, GA 30062 (404) 641-9002 Inquiry 984.

Text Editor Update

Before I go, here's an editor follow-up. I've been complaining about the lack of text editors for OS/2, or, more specifically, text editors that can be made to look like my old faithful IBM Personal Editor. PE is not coming out for OS/2, so I've been trying out candidates to replace it. Here are the best two I've come up with so far.

UnderWare's Brief is fantastic, and it's a favorite of many programmers. I've been a bit leery of it only because of its power—I figured I'd never have time to learn all the things that it can do. But I'm working with it a bit at a time and am enjoying its speed and extensibility. I recommend it to anyone needing a powerful editor that will work the same under DOS and OS/2.

I find myself using SemWare's Qedit quite a bit, not so much because of its power as because of its ability to change personality. I've almost completely retrained it to behave like PE. It has many of PE's strengths and weaknesses. For example, the search-and-replace command doesn't have the grep-like power of Brief.

Qedit also can't restrict a search/replace to the marked block, the macro language is spare, and I miss being able to mark a block and fill it with a character. But it has a built-in sorting capability and a box-drawing mode that is nothing short of fantastic. Add that it's memory-parsimonious (48K bytes), fast, and cheap (S79), and it's all in all a good buy. ■

Mark J. Minasi is a managing partner at Moulton, Minasi & Company, a Columbia, Maryland, firm specializing in technical seminars. He can be reached on BIX as "mjminasi."

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

106 BYTE • JUNE 1990

Circle 285 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 230 on Reader Service Card

3X-LINK16,

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As your stomach takes a long time to digest Ineavy meals, so do small workgroups with heavy LANs. Expensive and heavy LANs sold nowadays are hard to install, to use and maintain. They require qualified people and are not suitable for small workgroups.

We offer you a light solution: the 3X-Link16. It's a zero slot LAN, extremely easy to use without any special qualification. It has been specially designed for small workgroups.

3X-Link16 is a small networking system that fits directly into the parallel port, between the computer and its printer, with no need to dedicate a port. 3X-Link 16 can be connected on PCs, PS/2 or Laptops without using a slot and opening the computer. Set-up couldn't be easier.

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now available in two versions: • 3X-Link16 for DOS with file transfer at 500 000 Bps, printer sharing and E Mail. • 3X-Link16 for Netbios which allows to run multiuser applications with 3X-Share16 operating system, fully Netbios compatible.

Both versions are priced at $ 139 per station, hardware and software included. They are delivered with a 30 days money back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction. For further details, call your nearest dealer or 3X USA at: (800) 327 9712 or (201) 592 6874 You may also use the coupon located at the bottom of this page for your convenience.

3X-Link16, PS/2, are registered trade marks of 3X, International Business Machines

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Tell me more about 3X-Link16. Name/Title

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Circle 8 on Reader Service Card

EXPERT ADVICE

NETWORKS ■ Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings

^ A Natural Match

Sharing CD-ROMs on a LAN is a natural idea, but it's still a little harder than it should be

CD-ROMs and LANs are a natural match. Although CD-ROM drives and disks are still too expensive for most desktops, LANs let you spread those costs among many users. Unfortunately, to share a CD-ROM drive, you typically have to do more than just hook the drive onto a computer on your LAN.

The Problem

CD-ROMs pose problems for LANs. The biggest one that CD-ROM disks don't behave like normal disks.

Because the huge capacity of CDROM disks far exceeds the traditional DOS limit of 32 megabytes, Microsoft wrote special software to handle CDROMs. That software, the Microsoft MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions (MSCDEX), is a DOS file redirector that intercepts BIOS read and write requests that involve CD-ROMs and handles those requests itself. Unfortunately, many LANs also use redirectors to provide remote access to shared hard disk drives, so they end up trying to redirect a redirector when they work with a CD-ROM drive.

Server-based LAN operating systems typically can handle very large hard disks, so they could avoid the redirector hassle entirely by attaching the CD-ROM drives directly to the server—but they lack the drivers that they need to make their servers work with CD-ROM drives. Without those drivers, server-based LANs must attach the CD-ROM drives to a microcomputer on the LAN.

Peer-to-peer LANs, which have no dedicated servers, also must work with CD-ROM drives on LAN systems. Each

client system must therefore run two redirectors—the one that the LAN requires, and MSCDEX. That task is certainly possible (it's similar to stacking TSR programs), but it's also easy to get wrong. Some peer-to-peer LANs, such as LANtastic, avoid this approach altogether by providing explicit support for CD-ROM drives.

Software products like Map Assist and Pipes can give peer-to-peer features—including the ability to share a workstation's CD-ROM drive—to server-based LANs (see "Adding Peer Services to a Server-Based LAN" on page 146). We'll concentrate instead on two other types of products that let you add CD-ROM services to your server-based LAN.

Different on the Outside

One class of products uses a dedicated CD-ROM server system that you attach to the LAN. CBIS's combined CD Server hardware amd CD Connection soft

ware goes this route. The dedicated CD Server system, which resembles a towerstyle PC, sits on a LAN and does nothing but let you use its CD-ROM drives. This monolith can house up to seven CD-ROM drives, and you can add up to seven more drives in a second cabinet. The minimal system comes with one CD-ROM drive, a 12-MHz 286 CPU, and 2 MB of memory, for which you must pay a whopping $5300.

If you have many users, however, you'll probably want additional drives, and you'll definitely want more memory. CD-ROM drives are slow, so the more memory you have for data caching, the faster your overall performance will be. With several users, you'll want at least a couple of extra megabytes of memory.

You can run the CD Connection software on any NetBIOS-compatible LAN operating system, and on NetWare's IPX—which lets you avoid the overhead

continued

ILLUSTRATION: GORDON HAAS © 1990

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 109

NETWORKS

of forcing NetWare to run NetBIOS.

The other way to provide LAN access to a CD-ROM drive is to hook a standard single-user CD-ROM drive to any PC on the LAN and then install software that lets anyone on the LAN use that drive. That's the approach of Online Computer Systems' Opti-Net.

Opti-Net handles up to 24 CD-ROM drives at once, and Online Computer Systems sells a four-drive box. We tested the product with a standard external Sony CD-ROM drive. What you pay for Opti-Net depends on how many users you have. An eight-user version runs $795; $1495 buys a 100-user license. Like the CD Connection software, Opti-Net can run on any NetBIOS-compatible LAN or directly on NetWare's IPX.

Opti-Net itself is just software, but to use it you need both a CD-ROM drive and a LAN PC to which you can connect that CD-ROM drive. Fortunately, you don't have to dedicate that PC to the task of providing CD-ROM access. The usual server caveats apply, however: As more users share the CD-ROM, the server PC becomes increasingly sluggish doing anything else.

Alike on the Inside

Although the large tower of the CD Server and the standard, typically small CD-ROM drive of an Opti-Net system look quite different, the two setups are very similar beneath the surface.

On the hardware side, both use DOS PCs (the CD Server's 286 CPU runs its software on top of DOS, just as any normal PC might) and CD-ROM drives.

Their software is also similar. Both start with CD-ROM device drivers. OptiNet adds a second device driver that makes the CD-ROM drives available to LAN users. Both products then run MSCDEX. On top of this base, with both products you must run your standard LAN software. (We used NetWare.)

The next step is to run the software that lets everyone share the CD-ROM drives, but exactly what you run depends on which package you're using.

You first run Opti-Net on the server PC and then mount and name individual CD-ROM disks. To get to those disks, each client PC also has to run special software. After loading MSCDEX and the usual network software, each client system must run a program called ONET

and then specify the disk or disks it wants to use. Those CD-ROMs then look and act like huge read-only disks.

Setting up and using the CD Server is a similar process, but the CD Server does not have a hard disk. You must, therefore, put the CD-ROM driver software, MSCDEX, the network software, and CBIS's CDSERVER program on a 1.2MB floppy disk that you'll use to boot the CD Server. (You run MSCDEX and the CDSERVER program in that disk's AUTOEXEC.BAT file.) To use the CD Server from a client LAN PC, you run the CDREDIR file redirector program and then run CDUSE to mount the CDROM drives.

A Hybrid Approach

Things are different on a Mac: Apple's CD-ROM-sharing technique combines a bit of each of these earlier methods.

As with Opti-Net, you use a standard Macintosh CD-ROM drive. But, as with the CD Server, you must attach that drive to a Mac that is acting as a dedicated AppleShare file server. That Mac can still provide normal AppleShare server

continued

ARCHITECTURE

jOHN L HENNESSY DAVID A PATTERSON

COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE: A aUANTITATIVE APPROACH

Morgan Kaufmann Publishers

, The book of the decade in computer systems... The reason this hook sets a standard above all others and is unlikely to be superseded in any foreseeable future is the understanding, experience. taste, and uniqueness of the authors. -C. Gordon Bell, Stardent Computers

The strengths of the book are many: scholarship, attention to petformance, [the] relationship between computer architecture and other fields, [and] overall system aspects. 1 have decided to read [the hook] page by page. I strongly recommend that eveiy practitioner in the field do the same.

-Jean-Loup Baer, University of Washington

...a new standard [has been] set for books on computer architecture... students and practitioners will find exactly the information they need to understand the current situation and the way it has come about.

-Maurice Wilkes, Olivetti Research (UK)

[The book] will become a landmark in much the same way as Mead and Conway was for VLSI circuits.

-James Smith, Cray Research

Every serious computer system designer should own this book.

-John Wakerly, Stanford University

... destined to become the definitive textbook on computer architecture. Anyone who ever dreamed about designing a computer should read this book. -Danny Hillis, Thinking Machines

... we found the book stimulating, provocative, and challenging-a winning combination for computer engineering education. -Dan Siewiorek, Carnegie-Mellon University

Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach,

by David A. Patterson (University of California. Berkeley) andJohn L. Hennessy (Stanford University). Feb. 1990; 594 pages plus appendices: Cloth: ISBN 1-55860-069-8; S54.95

Now available at bookstores. To order direct, send your check for S54.95 plus S3.50 for shipping/handling (CA residents, please add appropriate sales tax). To charae your order on Visa or Mastercard, send us your card number, name on your card, exp. date and tel. no. to: Dept. 15. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. 2929 Campus Drive. Suite 260, San Mateo. CA 94403, TEL. 415-965-4081, FAX 965-0811.

11 m

110 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 198 on Reader Service Card

Systemizing...

T

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TWO

1 SYSTEM I

TAPE

BYPASS

NEW JOB

COPY

PAUSE

1 PLAY

■ RECORD

■ ERASE

1

•

2

3

4

Several models available. The Systemizer Plus ' shown above is an externally mounted networking module. Because it's self-contained and requires no software in the computer, it can work with practically any computer operating system and application program.

Up to 31 users can: i||

Share Printers l| Share Plotters Share a Modem Exchange E-MAIL Exchange Data M

Or use the internally mounted Systemizer SC, a slot-card version of the Systemizer Plus? For MS-DOS'PC's and compatibles. The SC and Sys+ can be used in the same network, as shown in the diagram below.

Systemizer Pluses

(ertemal modutes)

[Jjptopj

□

Laser

Plotter

re. Network wiring:

• Can use any type of four-wire cable.

• Daisychain topology shown, but star or

branch also OK.

Systemizer SCs

^ ' ^ (internal i t

tpcf|

Sys^ —connects to printer's — parallel or serial input.

PC's parallel or serial output connects to SyS'

(rear view)

Example Systemizer network consisting of 11 micros and a minicomputer, sharing 3 printers and a modem via a mixture of Systemizer Pluses and Systemizer SCs. Note: though not shown here, some of the computers could also be connected to a traditional LAN or WAN.

Systemizing is a distributed processor approach to networking, consisting of internally or externally nnounted modules. It is a time-tested, proven alternative to LANs, and has become the connectivity standard at many of the world's largest corporations and throughout the federal government. Tens of thousands are already in use. Why? Because Systemizing delivers what 95% of corporate computer users want from a LAN, without the costs and complications normally associated with networking.

Corporate computing managers prefer Systemizing over other connectivity methods because it offers:

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Circle 65 on Reader Service Card

NETWORKS

features, such as hard disk sharing.

Installing the necessary driver software is simple: just click on the CDROM installer program, which then drags the necessary CD-ROM driver programs into your server folder. (Apple calls the standard system folder on an AppleShare server the "server" folder.)

The only hassle is that you have to "prepare" each CD-ROM disk that you might want to use by running the AppleShare Administration program on the

server when that disk is in the CD-ROM drive. Once you've done that, however, the CD-ROM is available to every Mac on the LAN. The client Macs don't have to run any special software; it all just works. The PC world still has a long way to go in this area to match the Mac.

One Drive, One CD-ROM

Whether you're using a Mac or a PC LAN, you can't just pop CD-ROM disks in and out like floppy disks.

On the Mac, before you insert a new CD-ROM disk, you have to prepare that disk, which means taking down the server, running the Administration program, and starting the server software again. You can prepare lots of CD-ROM disks at once, but a new one still leads you back to this unfortunate process.

Things are not much better on PC LANs, where to change the CD-ROM in a drive you must first dismount the current disk and then mount the new one.

The bottom line is that it's best to plan on one CD-ROM drive per disk that you plan to share regularly. You can switch disks, but it will be a hassle. We don't much like this working philosophy, but it's clear that you don't want somebody popping out the CD-ROM disk that you are using and sticking in a different one.

A Few Other Problems

CD-ROMs have other problems. The biggest one is lack of speed. While highcapacity hard disk drives are driving access times below the 10-millisecond mark, CD-ROM drives are still battling the 300-ms barrier.

On the PC, memory consumption can also be a problem. By the time you add to your standard LAN software and TSR memory overhead the 23K bytes or so of MSCDEX and the roughly equal (or greater) memory that the CD-ROM LAN-access software requires, there's usually well under 512K bytes of memory left for applications.

Finally, several CD-ROM vendors make you pay something extra for LAN use; Ziff Communications, for example, charges an additional $75 over the base cost of its Computer Library CD-ROM for each LAN user, while Microsoft hits you for $65 per additional LAN client.

Despite these problems, we're still excited about all three of these CD-ROM products in particular, and the CDROM/LAN match in general. We plan to use CD-ROMs on our LANs regularly. But we're not as excited as we were originally. This technology, like much of today's LAN software, is better in concept than in implementation. Eventually, the reality will catch up to the dream; we can't wait. ■

Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings are BYTE contributing editors. Both are also independent computer consultants and freelance writers based in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can reach them on BIX as "mvanname " and "wbc3, " respectively.

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

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112 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 169 on Reader Service Card

Our Printer Sharing Unit Does Networking!

An Integrated Solution

Take our Master Switch, a sophisticated sharing device, combine it with MasterNet™ networl<ing software for PCs, and you've got an integrated solution for printer and plotter sharing, file transfer, electronic mail, and a lot more. Of course you can also share modems, minis, and mainframes or access the network remotely. Installation and operation is very simple.

Versatile

Or you can use the Master Switch to link any computer or peripheral with a serial or parallel interface. The switch accepts over 20 commands for controlling the flow of data. It may be operated automatically, by command, or with interactive menus. Its buffer is expandable to one megabyte and holds up to 64 simultaneous jobs. The

MasterLink™ utility diskette for PCs comes with every unit and unleashes the power of the switch with its memory-resident access to the commands and menus. Other Products

We have a full lineof connectivity solutions. If you just want printer sharing, we've got

it. We also have automatic switches, codeactivated switches, buffers, converters, cables, protocol converters, multiplexers, line drivers, and other products. Commitment to Excellence At Rose Electronics, we're not satisfied until you're satisfied. That's why we have thousands of customers around the world including large, medium, and small businesses, factories, stores, educational institutions, and Federal, state, and local governments. We back our products with full technical support, a one-year warranty, and a thirty-day money-back guarantee.

Call now for literature or more Information. (800) 333-9343

P.O. Box 742571 • Houston, Texas 77274 • Tel (713) 933-7673 • FAX (713) 933-0044 • Telex 4948886

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Smalltalk/V® PM. Think of it as a bold, "seat-of-the-pa?its" solution that aits to the heait of the OS/2 Presentation Manager co?nplexity challenge. Thus unlocking the potential of this poiveiful operating system.

VVitJi the introduction of SmalltalW PM, objectoriented programming

Introducing SmalltalkA^ PM. The to falfill the promise of OS/2.

moves out of the realm of mystery and into a new era of breakthrough appHcations that promises to be of legendary proportions.

OS/2 PM is designed to push

"user friendly" to a whole new level of sophistication. If you compare it to an orchestra, OS/2 has capabilities no ordinary assemblage of instruments has ever dreamed of possessing. Yet to tap its potential, OS/2 PM demands a conductor capable of true genius. That conductor is SmalltalkA-" PM.

You'll find Smalltalk/V PM a perfect language for representing and manipulating high-level information. Because

you go from designing to prototyping to delivering a completed application in one seamless step, you cleanly avoid the old costly "crash and burn" delays so common with languages born in the age of mainframes.

UNLEASHING THE AWESOME POWER OF OS/2 PM

Smalltalk/V PM. It helps stop the natural drift toward vaporware so common in software development today. It lets you dive right in and get to the creative parts without the usual grunt work. For example, if you want to ignore the complexities of understanding OS/2 PM details you can immedi

Is The Most Important Part Of Your Developer's Kit Missing?

OS/2 PM offers you a powerful, rich environment loaded with advantages like a Graphics Programming Interface (GPI), a LAN manager, multitasking, SQL, just for starters. And all of these components are accessible in a standard way using SmalltalkA' PM through D\-namic Link Libraries (DLLs). Combined with DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange), you can call and exchange data with other PM senices or applications. Seamlessly. No«' developers can write truly reusable components, which greatly increases their value. And you'll find SmalltalkA' PM the perfect "glue" between applications written in other languages.

the Great cut through the convoluted challenge with one bold, swift stroke of his sword. This "seat-of-the-pants" solution set in motion the prophec)' that whoever unraveled the knot would one day rule Asia.

"THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DEVELOP APPLICATIONS FOR OS/2 PM. OS/2 PM is a tremendously rich environment, which makes it inherently complex. SmalltalkA^ PM removes that complexity, and lets you concentrate on writing great programs. SmalltalkA^ PM is the kind of powerful tool that will make OS/2 the successor to MS/DOS."

Bill Gates, Chairman Microsoft Corp.

fast, seat-of-the-pants way

THE FIRST FULLY-COMPILED SMALLTALK. Because Smalltalk/V PM is fully compiled it provides you with a more responsive environment than ever before. Now you'll be able to generate stand-alone applications (.EXE).

debugger simplifies application development and gives you instant response when you implement an idea. Our extensive user manuals and tutorials have earned us high praise.

ately start creating without any limitations on your efficiency.

However, if you're the curious type, we have tools called browsers to help you fathom the masterpiece called OS/2 PM. You'll also find our incremental program development capability and push-button

SMALLTALK/V PM. THE TALKING HAS ALREADY STARTED.

"Digitalk's Smalltalk/V PM is a masterful implementation of a classical object-oriented programming language and a state of the art graphical user interface. Any pro

SmaUtalk/V

grammer struggling with the complexities of Presentation Manager should take a close look at this product."

Chat'les Petzold, Contributing Editor.

PC Magazine

"Digitalk's Smalltalk/V PM is dazzling! This product makes Presentation Manager pay off."

JejfDiintemann, Contributing Editor, Dr. Dobbs Journal

"SmalltalkA" PM is an excellent tool for rapid delivery of prototypes which have all the functionality and user interface of a complete PM apphcation."

Richard A. Landsman, System Architea, Lotus Dei'elop?Hent

"Smalltalk/V PM from

Digitalk is the greatest! This is an

incredible product."

^ J.D. Hildebi-and

Editor-in-Chief, Computer Language

THE BEST PM IN\-EST.\IEXT YOU'LL E\TR AL\KE

Smalltalk/VPM $499.95

Prices and information on these and other Digitalk products are available on request:

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SmalltalkA'. A product of Digitalk Inc., 9841 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. For information or to find a dealer near you call:

1-800-922-8255 1-213-645-1082

CompuServe 71361,1636 FAX 1-213-645-1306

SmalltalkA' is a registered trademark of Digitalk Inc. Prices subject to change without notice. Other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Circle 89 on Reader Service Card

Short Takes

BYTE editors' hands-on views of new and developing products

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Magellan 2.0

PageMaker 4.0

Ergo Model 1: The Brick Programmer's Toolkit Full Impact 2.0

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The Second Voyage of Magellan

Conventional wisdom says that you should never buy the first release of any software package. The second release of Lotus Development's Magellan underlines this truism. Not that the first release was buggy; but Magellan 2.0 is a vastly expanded and eminently more capable package that takes "intelligent DOS shells" to a new plateau of functionality.

The folks in Cambridge haven't fooled with the basic Magellan interface. It still presents you with a list of your files (sorted in whichever way you choose) on the left side of the screen and a view of the contents of the file on the right.

In Magellan, the concept of views is a crucial one. Greatly enhanced in version 2.0, Magellan's viewers let you quickly browse through files and view their contents the way you see them from within your application (e.g., a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet looks like a spreadsheet instead of a jumble of characters, and a WordPerfect document is correctly formatted).

There are a bunch of handy new viewers in version 2.0;

and the inclusion of viewers for such venerable applications as Excel, Paradox, and Quattro make this new Magellan even more useful. There's even a viewer that lets you view a deleted file before you unerase it. And what's even more useful is the integration of viewers for graphics files. If you point to a file created by a package like Freelance or PC Paint, you actually see the graphic on your screen—instantly.

What really sets Magellan 2.0 apart from the first version is file compression. Lotus has licensed PKWare's ZIP technology, which does a particularly classy job of archiving groups of files while cutting your file storage space needs by up to 50 percent. In the new Magellan,

you mark files, press a key, and ZIP (compress) them into a fraction of their former selves. And the reverse holds true for the UNZIP (decompression) process.

But wait, there's more. In Magellan 1.0, I could see a directory of the files in my archive, but I couldn't go beyond that. Magellan 2.0's new nested viewers are truly unique. I can call up a ZIPped archive, see a list of the files contained within it, and acmally view the contents of the files, with Magellan figuring out which viewer to use from within the ZIP viewer. Taken all together, this makes archiving files a much simpler process. If your hard disk is getting full, nested viewers can be a lifesaver.

Magellan 2.0 also has a

THE FACTS

Magellan 2.0

Lotus Development

$139

Corp.

55 Cambridge Pkwy.

Requirements:

Cambridge, MA 02142

IBM PC or compatible

(617) 577-8500

running DOS 3.1 or

Inquiry 985.

higher with at least 256K

bytes of RAM and a hard

disk drive.

multitude of additional new features. There's a file/disk/ archive backup-and-restore facility, file verify-and-compare capabilities, and numerous new ways that you can customize how you and Magellan 2.0 interact with your valuable data. And the setup process is slyly intelligent, automatically figuring out essendal details (e.g., the printer you have installed) from the contents of the files already on your drive.

Although Lotus markets Magellan as an all-purpose, always-resident intelligent DOS shell, I've never been comfortable using it that way. That doesn't mean that it's not valuable as a DOS shell. However, I believe that how you interact with DOS is a matter of personal taste.

I've found that Magellan's ability to index and locate all the data on all my hard disks is the shining feature that I can't live without. And it's even better in version 2.0. Magellan took over 60 megabytes of programs and data on my hard disk and created a 2-MB index. Couple the viewers with Magellan's newly expanded "fuzzy search" capability, and it becomes absolutely invaluable for locating data that's tucked away someplace but you don't know where.

What Magellan 2.0 has brought to the DOS world is a unique ability to see your data as an integrated and accessible knowledge base instead of just a loose collection of files. I particularly like the way it treats multiple hard disk volumes as a single entity. And while the basic Magellan interface may not be your ideal cup of tea, the package is versatile and customizable enough to make the voyage enjoyable.

—Stan Miastkowski

116 BYTE. JUNE 1990

PageMaker Never Looked Better

With PageMaker 4.0, the loose ends in the previous versions are almost all cleaned up and several features are added that fans have been wanting for years. The result is a nearly perfect desktop publishing program for the Macintosh.

The Preferences menu selection now boasts a textonly display mode as well as a monofont story editor. Editing story text used to be a pain. The story editor brings up the selected story in a single font and gives you the usual amenities: cut and paste, a full spelling checker, and improved hyphenation. Text import and export filters convert PageMaker stories to and from popular word processors. TIFF support is now expanded to include both compressed TIFF files and 24-bit color images.

There are other additions, too, like the ability to toggle between the selection tool and the currendy selected one by pressing Command-Space bar. Also, you no longer need to be an octopus to capture

Piiprfl«--s Fax

■

i

m

.1

THE FACTS

PageMaker 4.0

hard disk drive with 6

$795; $150 upgrade fee

MB of free disk space.

for registered 3.0 users

Aldus Corp.

Requirements:

411 First Ave. S

Mac SE or better with

Seattle, WA 98104

2 MB of RAM and a

(206) 622-5500

Inquiry 986.

PostScript output. Instead of Command-option-K, the "PostScript" button in the Print menu gives you direct file output.

New font support allows rotating text in 90-degree increments and has drastically improved font kerning and point control. Maximum font size is increased from

127 points to 650 points. New paragraph controls include selectable orphan and widow functions and automatic placement of rules at the beginning and end of each paragraph.

For large publications, the new Book functions let you group multiple documents together into one logical en

tity. It's especially handy when you combine it with the new table of contents and indexing features. The maximum document length has been expanded to 999 pages.

I worked with a beta version on both a 4-megabyte Mac SE and a 5-MB Mac II with a Radius dual-page color display. Before I could run PageMaker 4.0 on the Mac SE, I had to upgrade the standard 1 MB of RAM. Aldus recommends a minimum of 2 MB. With 4 MB, PageMaker 4.0 ran perfectly under MultiFinder 6.0.3 with Adobe Type Manager, leaving 1.5 MB free, which was ample room to fire up Microsoft Word 4.0. Speedwise, the new PageMaker takes a little longer to display text than version 3.0, but it's fast enough to be usable on a Mac SE. Printer output is much improved, thanks to the new kerning and tracking features.

What I'd still like to see added are multiple document windows and more complete "export" tagging. It would be great to save text attributes when converting to or from ASCn documents. Nevertheless, PageMaker 4.0 is almost all you could hope for in a desktop publishing package. —Howard Eglowstein

The Granite-Sided Brick from Ergo Computing: Transportable Technology

The computer industry isn't very creative about product names, so I have to hand it to Ergo Computing for aptly nicknaming its system Ergo Model 1: The Brick. The Brick is a loaded 16-MHz 386SX-based system packed in a S'/s- by 8by 11 ys-inch package that weighs IVi pounds. (A 20

MHz version is coming later.) But the resemblance to a piece of masonry doesn't end there; The Brick comes standard in an eye-catching granite-fmish case. (For the less adventurous, it's also available in boring beige.)

The philosophy behind The Brick is so obvious that I'm surprised that no one has

thought of it before. While laptops are popular, they don't always fill the bill for today's busy computer-literate work force, who need to take work home in the evening. With The Brick you can keep a monitor and a keyboard at each work location, carrying the computer guts (and your own data) between

locations. The Brick takes up less than half of a typical briefcase and is built to travel, easily surviving up to 50-g bumps. Even more than a typical laptop. The Brick is truly transportable computing.

The system I tested had 1 megabyte of RAM (which is continued

JUNE 1990 .BYTE 117

SHORT TAKES

expandable to 8MB), a 3'/2inch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive, and a 40-MB Conner Peripherals hard disk drive (100- and 200-MB drives are also available). There's also a 2400-bps modem, highresolution (up to 1024 by 768 pixels) VGA graphics, a parallel port, a pair of serial ports, and room for a halflength add-in card (or two half-length cards if you forgo the floppy disk drive). You also get a monochrome monitor and keyboard.

Technologically, this is one of the most integrated systems I've ever seen. Packing all this big-system functionality into a tiny case wasn't easy, and Ergo uses the latest cutting-edge technology. Two packed circuit boards contain Chips & Technologies' low-power LEAP chip set and 452 VGA chip. Pack the modem chips, some RAM, and the other necessary support circuitry into the package, and it all fills every nook and cranny.

All this circuitry, of course, generates heat, even though the entire system draws only 28 watts of power. How this

THE FACTS

Ergo Model 1: The Brick

Ergo Computing

$2695; with color

One Intercontinental Way

monitor, $2995

Peabody, MA 01960

(508) 535-7510

Inquiry 987.

heat is dissipated is unique. The Brick's main processor board sits against a flat, heavy-duty plastic "blanket" filled with an inert heat-conducting liquid. This carries the heat generated by the circuits to the extruded-aluminum case, which is designed as a large heat sink. During operation, the entire case becomes lukewarm.

Ergo says that it will soon be offering a Sharp flat-panel VGA display and a compact keyboard. Available this fall for an additional $800, they'll make The Brick a truly powerful portable indeed. Also coming down the pike is a $249 "docking unit" for making hookup of The Brick at multiple locations easier.

Of all the surprises hidden inside The Brick, the bottom line is even more notable. In today's market, $2695 is a skimpy price for a not-at-all skimpy system (including a keyboard and monochrome VGA monitor). In a world of boring and utilitarian PCs, The Brick stands out for both its elegance and its technological sophistication.

—Stan Miastkowski

Borland Beefs Up the Programmer's Toolkit

Too many programmers fly by the seat of their pants, lacking instrumentation with which to measure

THE FACTS

Turbo Debugger and Tools 2.0

$149.95

Requirements: IBM PC or compatible with 384K bytes of RAM.

Borland International 1800 Green Hills Rd. RO. Box 660001 Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (408) 438-8400 Inquiry 988.

software performance. Turbo Profiler, star of Turbo Debugger and Tools 2.0, delivers the data and eliminates

the guesswork. Users of Borland languages—and of other language products, since the Profiler is .MAP

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and CodeView-compatible— will wonder how they ever got along without it.

The Profiler shares much technology with an upgraded Turbo Debugger. Both sport a character-mode graphical user interface, uulize the same .EXE-embedded symbolic information, and, when running on a 386, can operate in extended memory on a virtualized real-mode DOS program.

The 386 support saved the day when I set out to test the Debugger and Profiler on the latest version of XScheme. The real-mode tools could not digest the 210K-byte large-model program, but their protected-mode counterparts worked fiawlessly.

continued

118 BYTE. JUNE 1990

Embedded systems designers have already used CrossCode C in over 577different applications.

CrossCode C comes with four powerful tools to help you program your 68000-based ROMable applications

From C source to final object, each tool takes you one step closer to your finished ROMable design

CrossCode C is designed specifically to help you write ROMable code for all members of the Motorola 68000 family. Four powerful tools take you from C source to object code:

1. COMPILER: To get truly ROMable code, you have to start with a truly ROMable compiler. Here are three CrossCode C features that you won' t find in any ordinary C compiler:

• Compiler output code is split into five independent memory sections that you can assign into ROM or RAM as you please.

• You can optimize the code for your application because voi( control the sizes of data types. For example, you can optimize for speed by using two byte ints, or get maximum versatility by using four byte ints.

• You can easily write assembly language routines that call C functions and vice versa, because the compiler uses simple, well documented parameter passing conventions.

2. ASSEMBLER: CrossCode C

comes with a Motorola-style assembler that has ail the features that assembly language programmers require. In fact,

you could write your whole application with it:

• The assembler features an advanced macro language, conditional assembly, "include" files, and an unlimited size symbol table.

• Detailed cross references show you where you've defined and referenced your symbols.

• After a link, you can actually convert your "relocatable" assembler listings into "absolute" listings that contain absolute addresses and fully linked object code.

3. LINKER: The CrossCode C linker is designed to handle truly huge loads. There are no limits on the number of symbols in your load or on the size of your output file. And you can always count on full 32 bit target addressability, because the linker operates comfortably in the highest ranges of the 68030 "s address space.

4. DOWNLOADER: CrossCode C

comes with a downloader that puts you in touch with all EPROM programmers and emulators. It can convert your load into Motorola S-Records, Intel Hex. Tek Hex, Extended Tek Hex, and Data I/O ASCII

Hex. You can also produce a binary image and convert that image into any format you might want. In all formats, bytes can be split into EPROMs for an 8, 16, or 32 bit data bus.

Why Wait

Once you start using CrossCode C, you may just wonder how you ever got the job done before! It's available under MS-DOS for just S1995. and it runs on all IBM PCs and compatibles (640K memory and hard disk are required). Also available under UNIX, XENIX, and VMS.

CALL TODAY for more information:

1-800-448-7733

(ask for extension 2002) Outside the United States, please dial

PHONE: 1-708-971-8170 FAX: 1-708-971-8513

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS, INC.

DEPARTMENT 22 4248 BELLE AIRE LANE DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS 60515 USA

CrossCode™ is a trademark of SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS, INC. MS-DOS® is a registered trademark of Microsoft. UNIX® is a registered trademark of AT&T. XENIX® is a registered trademark of Microsoft.

SHORT TAKES

The Debugger (but not the Profiler) can also run in protected mode on a 286. That configuration doesn't deliver the advanced in-circuit emulator-like capabilities of the 386 Debugger, but it does solve the RAM cram.

Comprehensive mouse support most visibly sets the new Debugger apart from its predecessor. But there's more power under the hood as well. The Debugger works with Turbo Pascal 5.5 objects and is "C + + ready." It can walk backward within sections of straight-line code. A macro facility helps you reproduce the sequence of events pre

ceding a crash. Best of all, you can now debug TSR programs and device drivers.

A new Turbo Assembler comes with the kit, too. Assembly aficionados will appreciate the new multipass architecture, which optimally encodes near jumps. The new CALL statement simplifies the interface between assembly and C or Pascal. And with the .486 directive, you can deploy i486 instructions.

These enhancements are noteworthy, but the Profiler really steals the show. You begin by specifying areas that you want to watch: These can include all routines in your

program, routines in a module, or even individual lines of code within a routine. You can also monitor file I/O, overlay swapping, and interrupts.

Statistics gathering can take a long time, depending on the number of areas you're watching, but at any point you can do Control-Break to view the current execution profile. The Profiler presents hot spots—the areas in which your program spends most of its time—in a scrollable bar graph and links the graph to code in source and assembly form. If you enable the callers option, you can examine

the code paths leading to a hot spot.

The process isn't effortless—nor could it be. Effective analysis requires skillful modulation from coarse- to fine-grained data collection. And I can think of improvements. For example, while investigating XScheme, I found that the Profiler's interrupt-monitoring and execution-profiling subsystems aren't linked as tightly as they could be. But why quibble? Here's a tool that will help make software engineering a reality.

Bravo, Borland!

—Jon Udell

Full Impact 2.0 Hits a Little Bit Harder

Ashton-Tate's new Full Impact 2.0 has gone three-dimensional and added features, yet it has retained the impressive presentation qualities of the original Full Impact.

An important new feature is the ability to read and write Excel format files. Version 2.0 also has three-dimensional charting abilities, including surface plots, and you can output to color printersmoving Full Impact a step ahead as a leading Macintosh presentation spreadsheet package.

I took a look at a beta version and found the new productivity enhancements a real boon. You can assign common functions to an icon bar and perform them with just a click of the mouse. I also found it extremely simple to enter a complex set of data and start performing analysis on it. Then when I wanted to create a presentation, I could rapidly move the data around, add in text boxes and arrows, and precisely place the charts. It was a bit harder, however, to make the charts appear the way I wanted them to, once they were placed. A dialog box can be accessed to alter the appearance of the chart, and this was very useful for

an overlay chart made by combining three line graphs. However, I had trouble getting a 3-D chart to turn out the way I wanted it to, although I finally succeeded.

Intelligent recalculation is an important addition, especially when considering that Full Impact can handle up to eight spreadsheets at once, each with half a million cells, even on a 1-megabyte machine.

The new feature that I liked best was an addition to the macro capability of the program. Although its macro capability has always been impressive, Ashton-Tate has

now added an Excel macro translation utility, as well as making all the other new features of the program available via macros. The result is that any object on the spreadsheet (e.g., a piece of text like "click on me") can become a button that activates a macro. This makes it possible to create extremely flexible and powerful spreadsheets with Full Impact.

With version 2.0, you can use embedded calculations by customizing numerical formats. You can use this feature to convert values over a range automatically just by applying a new format to that

THE FACTS

Full Impact 2.0

$295

Requirements: Mac Plus, SE, or 11 with 1 MB of RAM; a hard disk drive is recommended.

Ashton-Tate 20101 Hamilton Ave. Torrance, CA 90502 (213) 329-8000 Inquiry 990.

range. You can now zoom in and out of the spreadsheet so that you can see up to 64 pages of the spreadsheet presentation at once. At any level, you can edit and move items so you can see—on-screen—the overall look of a presentation before printing.

Full Impact 2.0 is considerably improved, and it faces a more open spreadsheet market than previously. However, all the Mac spreadsheets are considerably more powerful than they used to be, and Full Impact 2.0 will undoubtedly face stronger competition in the future. ■

—Owen Linderholm

120 BYTE- JUNE 1990

HeresHow^Protect Y)ur Software AndProfitsBetter.

WellNeverm..

.. the world how we protect your hard work. But then, why should we? It's not that we're hard to get along with. On the contrary. We'll show you how our unwordy approach to software protection can actually work better for you. We'll deliver the best balance of guaranteed copy control and cost-effective installation.

Unlike other manufacturers, our hardware is uniquely custom-mred for each da'cloper and supplied widi a specific encrypted interrogation routine iov maximum security.

The precise routines assume responsibility for all hardware, software and timing issues so your time and money isn't wasted engineering protection schemes.

^MICROPHAR

The Products That Protect Your Revenues

► PROTECH KEY Identically reproduced packages.

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Active protection, modular packages, customized packages, serialization, demo control, access control.

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FOR A DEMONSTRAnON PACKAGE OR ADDITIONAL INFORiMAnON, PLEASE WRITE OR CALL. For Europe Circle 246 on Reader Service Card For Americas & Pacific Circle 247 on Reader Service Card

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

COVER STORY

Windows 3.0 carries DOS

into the 1990s

Three's the One

■ Jon Udell

Users of DOS PCs rejoice! Windows 3.0 will breathe new life into your machine. Microsoft has bundled a graphical environment, a suite of desktop applications, a DOS program switcher, a Windows multitasking executive, a V86 multitasker, and a virtual memory manager into a single package.

Windows has long aspired to change the face of DOS computing—not just for Excel or PageMaker addicts, but for the rest of us. A year ago, that transformation seemed unlikely. Today it appears inevitable. Windows 3.0 finally consummates the Windows/DOS marriage. That is good news for the 386 crowd, and it's great news for the silent majority: 286 owners who've lately been made to feel like they have bought an Edsel.

Windows 3.0 runs in three modes: real, standard, and 386 enhanced. When you type win at the DOS command line, Windows scopes out the local hardware configuration and starts up in the appropriate mode: real mode on a 640K-byte XT or AT, standard mode on an AT with at least 256K bytes of extended memory or a 386 with up to 1 megabyte of extended memory, and 386 enhanced mode on a 386 with more than 1 MB of extended memory. All modes share the same radically improved graphical user interface (GUI) and enhanced suite of Windows desktop applications. Standard mode adds the ability to run Windows 3.0 applications in 286 protected mode— that is, with direct access to up to 16 MB of extended memory. The 386 enhanced mode adds more: preemptive multitask

ing of DOS programs running in V86based virtual machines, and demandpaged virtual memory.

You can override the default start-up behavior. For example, you can type win /r to start Windows 3.0 in real mode on a 286 or 386. And to run an existing Windows/286 or Windows/386 application, that's just what you'll have to do. Windows 3.0 is fundamentally a DOS extender. The DOS-extended programs that it can execute—Windows 3.0 applications—must abide by the same laws that govern all protected-mode applications. That means, among other things, that a program can't write to a code segment, perform segment arithmetic, compare segment addresses, or load a segment register with a value other than one provided by the operating system.

Most existing Windows applications— and virtually all the major ones—will require a tune-up in order to comply with Windows 3.0. But the trauma won't be as severe as you might think. In general, even ordinary DOS applications port readily to DOS extenders. Windows programs, written to a far stricter application programming interface (API) that was designed with protected mode in mind, find the transition even easier. Also, Windows developers have been working with version 3.0 for months; many have already completed their ports. At least one shipping application. Word for Windows, won't even require an upgrade—it's already 3.0-compatible.

Although Windows 3.0 costs $150, Microsoft will upgrade existing Windows/286, Windows/386, and Windows

run-time users for $50 within 90 days of its release date. Application upgrade policies should be similarly reasonable in most cases. Through the end of August, users can call (800) 323-3577 to inquire about and order Windows 3.0-compatible products.

The New Windows Desktop ▼

By design, the Windows desktop closely resembles that of OS/2 1.2. And yes, that means that like Presentation Manager, Motif, and NextStep, Windows offers what seems to have become the sine qua non of the modern GUI: buttons shaded to create a three-dimensional effect. But look more closely at the photo at right and you'll discover a far more significant enhancement. Both PM and Windows support child windows that run as windows or as icons within the boundaries of a parent window, sharing its menu bar. You can see two examples of this behavior in the photo. Both the File Manager (similar to OS/2 1.2's File Manager) and the Program Manager (Windows 3.0's primary shell) contain child windows in active and iconic states.

I've yet to see another Windows 3.0 application that exploits this technique (which IBM's Common User Access style guide calls the multiple document interface, or MDI) as fully as the File Manager and the Program Manager do. But the new Software Development Kit (SDK) includes an MDI code skeleton, and I hope many applications will adopt this style. Other GUIs' window systems pale by comparison; they limit you to a single top-level desktop. Windows 3.0 (like OS/2 1.2) supports a hierarchy of desktops. Each records the arrangement of windows and icons running in support of a task. You can collapse the entire aggregation into a top-level icon, thus sweeping away a lot of visual clutter. And you can recall the task and all its associated context with a single keystroke.

continued

122 BYTE' JUNE 1990

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

COVER story;

Running Windows 3.0 on a 386, you can multitask windowed DOS programs along with Windows protected-mode applications.

Even on a 286, Windows 3.0 applications use extended memory. With its powerful new shell, protected-mode capability, color palette manager, and network awareness, Windows 3.0 gives DOS-based computing a powerful shot in the arm.

SCREEN PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS/ILLUSTRATION; CATHARINE BENNETT © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 123

COVER STORY THREE'S THE ONE

Here is a practical way to manage a dozen tasks, each with one or more windows— even on a standard VGA screen.

You interact with Windows and DOS by way of five key desktop applications: File Manager, Program Manager, Task List, Control Panel, and Print Manager. File Manager, like its OS/2 counterpart, views disk drives the way an outline processor does. Its primary child window presents a directory tree; you single-click on nodes to show or hide their descendants. Double-click on a directory node, and File Manager opens a new child window that lists the files in that directory. You can opt for an iconic or a textual display, sorted in a variety of ways. As with the old Windows MS-DOS executive, you can select and launch DOS or Windows applications directly or indirectly by way of documents associated with applications. New conveniences include the ability to copy and move files and subtrees using the mouse, the ability to invoke an application by "dragging and dropping" a compatible document onto its icon, and the ability to search for files.

File and Program Managers t

If you inspect the photo carefully, you'll see that the File Manager knows that the highlighted drive icon represents a network drive. (The same holds true for CD-ROM drives.) But that is just a glimpse of Windows 3.0's network awareness. It goes much further. The product provides extensive hooks for a variety of networks, including MS-Net, LAN Manager, NetWare, and Vines. When you install Windows 3.0 in the presence of one of these networks, it loads a corresponding driver. (NetWare users take note: You'll also need to update your network shell components by way of NetWire or the Novell hotline.)

The network driver provides many conveniences. From the File Manager, for example, you can execute Connect Net Drive. It provides a graphical interface to MS-Net's net use, NetWare's map, or whatever command your network uses for this purpose. With Browse, you can look through the list of available servers and mounted volumes for the drive to which you want to connect. The specific form that this dialogue takes will, again, vary according to your specific network.

The File Manager, like the Macintosh Finder, is fundamentally a disk organizer. The Program Manager works quite differently; it's a task organizer. If you prefer the disk-oriented approach, you

can make File Manager the primary shell; just open WIN.INI and specify shell=winf ile.exe. But Windows 3.0 defaults to the Program Manager, and for good reason. Its elements are groups and program items. Groups are child windows that contain iconic program items that, in turn, refer to applications and optionally to associated documents. But when you create groups, add program items, and copy or move program items between groups, you're not manipulating the applications or documents themselves; you're manipulating pointers to them. The added flexibility takes some getting used to, but it's extremely useful.

You link program items to applications by way of the Program Manager's Properties dialogue. Here you supply an application's command line: an .EXE (Windows- or DOS-executable), .PIF (a Program Information File that tells Windows how to allocate resources for a DOS program), .COM, or .BAT file, along with command-line arguments if required. Unless you declined the offer, the Windows setup program will have scanned your local (and network) drives and created program items for all your Windows applications and for the DOS applications for which Windows provides predefined .PIF files.

Like File Manager, Program Manager can tile or cascade its active child windows and arrange those that are running as icons. You can select and activate any group window or group window icon from a list. And you can minimize any group window, or minimize the Program Manager itself.

Tasks, Controls, and Printing | t

Task List pops up when you double-click on the desktop, press Control-Escape, or choose Switch To from any window's control menu. It can tile or cascade toplevel windows, arrange top-level icons, enumerate tasks, switch among tasks, or kill a task. The several mouse and keyboard procedures for starting the Task List typify Windows 3.0. Like its predecessors, and despite its greater complexity, Windows 3.0 operates quite nicely under keyboard control. No one will want to use the product without a mouse, but power users will appreciate the dozens of keyboard shortcuts.

The Control Panel provides a suite of configuration tools. Some of the tasks you can perform here include resetting the desktop colors, installing or removing printer and screen fonts, attaching to an alternate network server, configuring

communications ports, installing and configuring printers, and specifying multitasking settings for 386 enhanced mode. In the Colors dialogue, you can switch to an alternate desktop color scheme or invent your own. The Ports dialogue repairs a long-standing deficiency: At last, Windows itself supports XON/XOFF flow control.

The Printers dialogue illustrates another facet of Windows' new network awareness. Once you've specified a port (e.g., LPTl) and a printer (e.g., HP LaserJet), you can browse network print queues and connect the port to a queue that supports your selected printer. Windows intelligently offers to bypass the local spooler and print directly to the network queue. With earlier versions of Windows, you had to disable spooling entirely in order to use network queues. Now you can configure spooling on a per-printer basis.

The Print Manager handles both local and network queues. Even when you bypass the Windows spooler and print straight to a network queue, you can use the Print Manager to monitor the job's progress. Local queues display only jobs printed from Windows applications, but network queues—thanks to the intervention of the network driver—list all your print jobs. By default, a network queue won't list other users' jobs, but you can ask to see the complete list, and (again, depending on the specific capabilities of your network and its Windows driver) you can even browse network queues to which you're not connected.

The desktop applications offer extensive on-line help. Like OS/2 1.2, Windows 3.0 documents itself hypertextually and, in its SDK, provides tools and protocols that enable applications to follow suit. The Windows 3.0 applications I've seen take advantage of the help engine, which lends a nice consistency to the environment. I particularly like the way the help system enables users to annotate on-line documentation.

Wide-Open Spaces | t

As I write these words, I'm running Windows 3.0 in 386 enhanced mode on a 20-MHz 386 Gateway 2000 with 4 MB of memory. The Task List repors that I'm running FoxBase (in a virtual DOS machine), Epsilon (in another virtual DOS machine), five Windows 3.0 desktop applications (File Manager, Program Manager, Paintbrush, Terminal, and Notepad), and three additional Windows 3.0 applications (Microsoft's Excel, Sam

continued

124 BYTE* JUNE 1990

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COVER STORY THREE'S THE ONE

na's Ami Professional, and Asymetrix's HyperCard-like ToolBook). CHKDSK, which I ran in each of the two DOS sessions, reported 477K bytes of free DOS memory—scarcely less than the 486K bytes available to DOS after I booted and loaded my network drivers but before I launched Windows. Meanwhile, the Program Manager reports more than 10 MB of free Windows memory. How can this be? DOS multitasking based on the V86 mode of the 386 processor is nothing new. But add protected-mode Windows applications running in extended memory with access to virtual memory, and you're really pushing the envelope.

It's a different story on a 286, but not too different. On the DOS side, you substitute program switching for DOS multitasking and give up hardware protection, and you get somewhat less DOS memory. Running Windows in standard mode on a 1-MB Compaq Deskpro 286e, I found that a secondary DOS session saw 44K bytes less free memory than did the boot session. On the Windows side, you give up virtual memory. Yet although standard mode appears limited when you compare it to 386 enhanced mode, it legitimizes the 286 in a way that no other software product ever has. You can still run multiple DOS applications reasonably, side by side with Windows applications. And those Windows applications, using as much extended memory as you care to install, will really be able to stretch their legs.

DOS extenders come in two flavors. The 286 extenders, such as Rational Systems' DOS/16M, break through the 640K-byte memory barrier and enable programs to run in extended memory on a 286 or a 386. But they still form addresses with 16-bit offsets, so they can't manipulate data objects larger than 64K bytes. The 386 extenders, such as Phar Lap's 386|DOS-Extender, also break the 64K-byte segment barrier. They run only on a 386, but they can form addresses with 32-bit offsets and thus present a "flat" 4-gigabyte address space to applications. Windows 3.0 is a 286 extender. It runs programs in extended memory, but even on a 386 those programs don't see the flat address space that is characteristic of 3861 DOS-Extender, Unix, or OS/2 2.0. To manipulate very large bit maps, for example, Windows 3.0 programs must still resort to the huge memory model that tiles segments.

Although Windows 3.0 offers 386specific features—V86 multitasking and demand-paged virtual memory—the 286 is its true target platform. While the 64K-byte segment limit may be inconve

nient, the 640K-byte limit has been Windows' ball and chain. That's gone now, and both 286 and 386 users will reap the benefits. Existing Windows applications, once converted, will enjoy what amounts to a free lunch. Developers who couldn't contemplate working in realmode Windows will think much harder about developing for Windows 3.0.

Living with Windows 3.0

Like many people, I've always thought of Windows as an application launcher, not a working environment. I'm no fan of DOS shells; the ones I've tried feel like straitjackets. But the notion of a dual environment in which DOS and Windows applications coexist was always alluring. So with each successive version of Windows, I've put the win command into my AUTOEXEC.BAT file, just to see how long it could survive there. Earlier versions of Windows never lasted more than a day. This one's a keeper. For the first time, the Windows/DOS coexistence entails relatively few compromises. DOS sessions see more memory than in previous versions of Windows—in standard mode as well as in 386 enhanced mode. Even more important to me is that access to network services removes what had been a major obstacle to sustained use of Windows. For example, Windows used to simply reject a message sent over a network. Now it fields the message and presents it in a Windows alert box. The only major sacrifice—and this will be a problem for many users—is that you can't use protected-mode memory managers like QEMM and 386Max with Windows 3.0's standard or 386 enhanced modes.

Some of the things I've learned about Windows aren't new to version 3.0. Like Windows/386, 3.0 supports cut-andpaste operations between windowed DOS programs and Windows applications. One evening, while connected to BIX by way of the Terminal accessory (see below), I used the BIX search command to generate a list of messages. The next step was to reformat the message numbers as a comma-separated list and feed that list to the file command. I copied the search output from Terminal's buffer to the clipboard, pasted it into my DOS text editor, built a macro to reformat the numbers, and pasted the result back into Terminal.

What's new—to me, anyway—isn't the cut-and-paste feature itself, but the opportunity to use it. You'd never load Windows just to cut and paste between applications. And you'd never load it just to run one of its accessories: Notepad,

Write, Terminal, Paintbrush, Calendar, Calculator, or Cardfile. But if you establish the Windows desktop as your working environment—and 3.0 makes that eminently practical—you'll find that it has a lot to offer.

I've always used Notepad for quick text-editing tasks in the Windows environment, but now I find Write perfectly adequate for memos and correspondence. Paintbrush, derived from ZSoft's PC Paintbrush, operates in color and improves on the old Windows Paint program in a number of other ways. Since it supports both .PCX and .BMP (Windows bit-map) formats, it serves as a gateway between DOS- and Windowsbased image-processing programs.

Terminal now handles binary file transfers; while it's not a full-featured telecommunications program (it has no scripting capability), it's nevertheless quite useful. The new Calculator adds a scientific mode. It supports trigonometric and statistical functions and can operate in binary, octal, and hexadecimal number systems. Even Cardfile—a sort of Rolodex that can store scraps of text and black-and-white images—turns out to be surprisingly handy. Like the Mac's Scrapbook, Cardfile holds a persistent collection of clipboard items.

Raster Rainbows

Right out of the box and running on a standard VGA display, Windows 3.0 looks more colorful than its predecessors. Tasteful use of color has much to do with that impression. Although you can change the desktop's color scheme, you will be hard pressed to come up with a better one. But there are also more colors to work with. Earlier versions of Windows could use just eight of the 16 pure colors available in the VGA 640- by 480pixel by 16-color mode; Windows 3.0 uses them all.

Behind the scenes, there's a whole new color architecture waiting to be exploited. The new Windows API defines 1-, 4-, 8-, and 24-plane device-independent bit maps. These formats, which are compatible with OS/2 color bit maps, extend the device independence that Windows applications enjoy to the realm of color imagery. Hardware color capability, not Windows itself, becomes the limiting factor.

To support color-intensive Windows applications, the new API also defines a set of palette management functions. These functions facilitate orderly arbitration among applications competing for

continued

126 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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COVER STORY THREE'S THE ONE

the use of a limited supply of colors. An application can define a list of colors that it requires, in order of importance. When it runs in the foreground, the application gets first choice of the colors available in the system palette. Background applications contend for the remaining colors; they receive consideration in reverse order of activation. If the system palette runs out of free colors, Windows maps some or all of their requests to the closest colors already in use, taking each application's specified color priorities into account.

Windows reserves a pool of 20 static colors; that's the default palette used for window titles, menu bars, and other standard desktop elements. That means most applications won't need to concern themselves with the intricacies of palette arbitration. On a 16-color VGA display, it's not even an issue. But as Windows 3.0 drivers designed for more capable video boards arrive, and as Windows applications begin to exploit 256 and more colors, the palette manager will come into its own. Video Seven and 8514/A drivers are included with Windows 3.0, by the way. But most users of better-thanVGA display hardware will have to wait a while to find out what Windows 3.0 can really do with color.

Running DOS Applications »

When you run your DOS programs under Windows 3.0, the standard and 386 enhanced modes correspond closely to Windows/286 and Windows/386. In standard mode, DOS programs run fullscreen and uninterrupted. You can have one or more DOS sessions; each swaps to disk when you switch away from it. Standard mode improves on Windows/286 in several ways. There's more memory for DOS programs because Microsoft has dropped a little-used feature of Windows/286—the ability to window wellbehaved applications. The Program Manager and Task List make it easier to find and switch to your DOS applications. Windows 3.0's 386 enhanced mode, like Windows/386, creates a powerful hybrid environment. The Windows session, within which Windows applications multitask cooperatively, itself

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multitasks preemptively with one or more virtual DOS machines. A DOS program can run full-screen or in a window; Alt-Enter toggles between the two display modes. You can run textual and (with restrictions) graphical displays in windows.

Each virtual machine inherits and can customize the boot DOS session. Since the original TSR memory hit propagates to all virtual machines, it's best to start lean (e.g., with just network drivers) and then load extras on a per-session basis. There is no AUTOEXEC.BAT file for virtual machines, but you can use .PIP files in conjunction with .BAT files to tailor your DOS sessions for specific purposes.

The 386 enhanced mode outclasses Windows/386 in several respects. Virtual memory enables you to run more DOS sessions. And you've got greater control over how those sessions multitask. A Windows/386 .PIP file offers three options. Foreground means run only in the foreground while background tasks run concurrently. Background means run in the foreground or the background while background tasks run concurrently. Exclusive means run only in the foreground and halt all other tasks. Windows 3.0 preserves and extends these options. You can adjust each DOS task's (or Windows' own) foreground and background time slice. A new form of the exclusive mode gives a DOS task all the cycles it wants while active, but it enables Windows to switch away from it when idle. When there's an interrupt pending to a virtual machine, Windows temporarily boosts its priority to maintain crisp keyboard response. In special cases, you can speed up a DOS program by locking its EMS, Extended Memory Specification, or conventional memory.

Virtual machines require virtual devices. Windows provides drivers for the basic ones—disk, video, and keyboard— but you might run into a problem with a less common device. For example, my floppy disk drive controller-based tape drive won't work with Windows 3.0 in 386 enhanced mode, so I can't run tape backups in the background.

What about DOS-extended programs? For now you have to drop down to standard mode to run 286 DOS-extended programs like Lotus 1-2-3 release 3.0, and to real mode to run 386 DOS-extended programs like Interleaf Publisher. But there's hope of better things to come. DOS-extender vendors are working hard to comply with the new DOS Protected Mode Interface, which will enable Windows 3.0 (or any other DPMI

server) to multitask protected-mode applications. It sounds even scarier than the Virtual Control Program Interface, but the current popularity of DOS extenders and the likely success of Windows 3.0 will probably make DPMI a reality.

The OS/2 Killer?

Has Microsoft, which also sells OS/2, committed corporate fratricide? Yes and no. Windows 3.0 addresses, and satisfies, many pressing needs. Rarely does an operating-system upgrade render existing hardware so much more useful. Windows 3.0 will delight longtime Windows fans and win many new converts. Developers are flocking to the platform and, in some cases, shifting their focus from OS/2's PM to Windows. The Windows momentum that has been building is about to become a tidal wave.

But scratch the elegantly polished surface and you'll still find creaky old DOS. OS/2 really is much better. Its multithreaded architecture, 32-bit programming model. High Performance File System, and rich Graphics Programming Interface should eventually earn it the respect it deserves.

Windows 3.0 could be the best thing that ever happened to OS/2. It's ideally positioned to draw huge numbers of DOS users into the realm of GUI-based multitasking. Many will remain happily within the Windows fold. As client/server applications evolve, the Windows 3.0 client workstation—communicating with servers running OS/2 or its competitorsseems destined to become an important industry standard. But power users who yearn for a better foundation under the graphical desktop will find the move from Windows to OS/2 natural.

In the meantime, on both technical and strategic grounds, Windows 3.0 succeeds brilliantly. After years of twists and turns, Microsoft has finally nailed this product. Try it. You'll like it. ■

Editor's note: BYTE's Windows 3.0 coverage continues next month with handson descriptions of specific applications that have been redesigned to work with the new graphical environment. The selection will include applications for word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and developers' tools, among others. In the months beyond, look for articles that tell the Windows 3.0 story in still greater depth and breadth.

Jon Udell is a BYTE senior editor at large. You can contact him on BIX as "judell."

128 BYTE* JUNE 1990

other laser printers play with one standard dot size.

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HP makes it a

ASTRONOMY IS n Fl

lookingEJ

THE HtRSCH REPORT OF THE SKIES

STAR SHOR

Reported by The Star

Every day billions of leor-burst communica

dust paaicles enter in- tion a practical and

to Earth's atmosphere, economical alternative

Now scientists are to the use of teleworking to make me- tcominued on page 2)

You Cant See the Great Wall from the Moon!

Everyone has heard an astronaut, it's diffi

that you can see the cult even seeing comi

Great Wall of China nents. You may be able

from the Moon. Or from to see the Great Wall

Earth orbit. Or even from orbit, but, in gen

from Mars. Certainly eral, it's tiifficult even

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, It was almost e>:actly three years ago that a ceramic material that

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Within days of the discovery, electronics, power transmission, and i

transportation were being redefined in everyone's imagination. Yet j

superconductivity was not a new phenomenon. The effect was first i

obser^-ed in mercury in 1911, and, since then, more than 6000 ele- \

mcnts, alloys, and compounds have been found to superconduct! \ (continued next pagi)

: k device tested may give investigators a glimpse of what an antimat- I

ter world might look like. The device cools antimatter to a temperature '

a few degrees above absolute zero and stores it for several days at >

a time. (continued next page) '.

Rumor has it that before WWII, our chemists were experimenting with I

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Cheetah's Golden Performer

Rob Mitchell and Rick Grehan

The Cheetah 433 AT Gold isn't the world's first 33-MHz 486 PC, but it's certainly one of the fastest. The 433 leaps past today's pack of 25-MHz 486 machines to provide one of the fastest performances of any PC that BYTE has tested to date (see the table).

But a 33-MHz CPU isn't the 433's only unique feature. The machine is the first we've seen that uses 35-nanosecond DRAM chips—the fastest available—as system memory. The company says this eliminates the need for an external CPU cache. The 433 AT Gold also uses hot cycles, a technique that Cheetah says doubles the data transfer rate between the CPU and SCSI hard disk drive controller over the 433's standard 8-MHz AT bus, effectively equaling the performance of the Extended Industry Standard Archi

Fast 35-ns DRAM

eliminates the need

for a CPU cache

tecture and Micro Channel buses.

Cheetah buih the 433 AT Gold around the same motherboard that's in its 25MHz 486 machine (see "Psst! Wanna Buy an 80486 Cheap?," November 1989 BYTE). The 433's CPU (a 25-MHz chip screened to run at 33 MHz in the prototype we saw) and supporting circuitry sit on a separate board that plugs into a proprietary backplane slot; a custom-designed memory board rides piggyback on the CPU board and accepts up to 16 megabytes of 35-ns DRAM chips that are mounted in 1-MB single in-line memory

= m

modules (see photo 1). The board's memory-control logic uses the i486's burst mode to achieve near-zero-waitstate operation on a cache miss.

Hot Cycles

The 433's high-performance storage subsystem includes a 323-MB Siemens MegaFile hard disk drive with Perceptive Solutions' Hyperstore 1600 caching SCSI controller board. The latter comes with a 4-MB cache of 20-ns static RAM. But having a high-performance processor and a hard disk drive subsystem doesn't do you much good if you have to communicate over a slow AT bus.

Cheetah engineers have added two enhancements to make the i486's life with an 8-MHz AT bus easier. First, a bus cycle controller sits between the i486 and the I/O bus (see the figure). The path be

132 BYTE • JUNE 1990

PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL AVIS © 1990

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Photo 1:

The Cheetah 433 AT Gold memory board rides piggyback on the CPU board and holds up to 16MB of35-ns SIMMmounted DRAM chips.

CHEETAH ARCHITECTURE

8-MB 35-ns memory

32 bits

33-MHz i486 CPU

32 bits

I/O bus controller

16-bit I/O bus

Figure 1: The Cheetah 433 AT Gold architecture allows 32-bit writes to the I/O controller. The controller then sends the message over the slower AT bus, freeing CPU cycles for memory accesses.

BENCHMARK PERFORMANCE

The Cheetah 433 AT Gold is, overall, the fastest PC BYTE has tested to date. All the benchmark indexes given here, however, were achieved on prototype units. Final benchmark scores might vary (N/A= not applicable).

Machine

CPU

FPU

Disk

Video

Ctieetali 433 AT Gold

9.06

37.06

12.67

4.25

ALR PowerVEISA 486/33

9.69

37,03

3.48

4.02

AST Premium 486/33

8.21

37.10

N/A

3.40

Cheetah 425 AT Gold

6.94

28.36

22.70

3.20

Note; The AST Premium 486/33 was unable to complete BYTE's disk benchmark suite.

tween the processor and controller is 32 bits wide, but on the bus side, the controller talks along the narrower and slower AT bus I/O channel. The net result: Any adapter card on the I/O bus appears to the i486 as an ideal 32-bit peripheral. When the CPU issues a write to the AT bus, it can write a full 32 bits at full speed to the bus cycle controller. The controller handles slicing the data into 16- or 8-bit chunks and moving it out along the 8-MHz bus.

In a sense, the bus cycle controller lies to the CPU, telling it that the write to the AT bus has completed when it's still in progress. But since the CPU communicates to memory along a separate route from the I/O bus controller, the i486 can converse with memory while past I/O bus write operations are still finishing.

The second enhancement is hot cycles. Essentially, the technique boils down to this: An 8-MHz AT bus cycle is about 375 ns long and is divided into several phases. The phase during which data passes along the bus lasts for about 250 ns. From the perspective of the hard disk drive controller's 20-ns memory, this is a long time. So the Cheetah system recognizes hard disk drive controller accesses and squeezes two data transfers into the time that other adapter cards would ordinarily allow only one. The bus signals that take place before and after this double transfer look the same as an ordinary transfer, so other peripherals on the bus can correctly decode the address signals and ignore the double transfer.

The 433 AT Gold video subsystem doesn't benefit from hot cycles, but it's no slouch. It consists of a prototype 16

COMPANY INFORMATION

Cheetah International, Inc.

1003 West Cotton St. Longview, TX 75604 (214)757-3001 Inquiry 885.

bit Micro-Labs Ultimate VGA board with 1 MB of video RAM and supports up to 256 simultaneous colors on a 1024by 768-pixel display. Our test machine included a Leading Technology multisync VGA monitor.

Growth Factors

Inside the system's cavernous tower case are eight half-height drive bays and eight expansion slots. High-capacity 5U- and 3'/2-inch floppy disk drives occupy two bays; the SCSI and video controllers take up two 16-bit slots, leaving five 16-bit slots and one 8-bit slot available. The 433 AT Gold's two serial and two parallel ports sit on the motherboard. The 450watt power supply should accommodate extra drives and add-in boards.

Cheetah hadn't released availability or

final pricing for the 433 AT Gold at press time, but it expects our base test system with 8 MB of RAM to come in at just under $10,000. A big factor is the cost of memory. At press time, Hitachi was the only supplier of 35-ns DRAM chips, and pricing for 1-megabit chips ran around $19 in quantity—more than twice the street price of 70-ns 1-Mb DRAM chips. Many system vendors will wait for a second source before using the new chips. But prices are already dropping. Hitachi predicts prices of $12 in quantity by the fourth quarter of this year. ■

Rob Mitchell is a BYTE technical editor. Rick Grehan is the technical director for the BYTE Lab. You can reach them on BIX as "rob_mitchell" and "rick_g," respectively.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 133

Why Compaq will never build

Before creating anything, we start with a clean slate, and talk to personal computer users like you.

The way we see it, the so-so, the pretty good and the just plain average are things for someone else. Not for us. And most

certainly not for you.

That's the reason why every COMPAQ personal computer product has been designed to deliver on a simple promise: to simply work better. This approach is what makes our high-performance PCs different from all others.

Working better applies to absolutely everything we do.

It starts with you. Before we design our products, we sit down and talk with computer users like you. To see what you want. And what you need.

Then we take these ideas and combine them with the latest technology and our own innovative thinking.

The result is a line of PCs with the performance for whatever you do. Performance that comes from more than just the processor. It includes features like

high-speed disk drives and VGA graphics. Room to customize with the thousands of available expansion cards and peripherals. And the compatibility to work with the best of industry-standard technology

This attention to detail is one reason why our PCs consistently earn the highest marks for quality from computer experts.

And unsurpassed marks for satisfaction from PC users.

A powerful example of this thinking is the COMPAQ SYSTEMPRO PC System. It brings an unprecedented combination of performance and expandability to connected environments.

Another example is smaller, but just as impressive. The COMPAQ LTE/286 and

COMPAQ LTE laptop PCs fit the capabilities of a desktop into an 8'/2-by-l 1-inch package.

COMPAQ personal computers are designed to fit where you work. Whether you're on the 35th floor overlooking Manhattan or at 35,000 feet somewhere over the Rockies.

COMPAQ PCs earn an impressive number of industry awards. But it's what you can do with our PCs that's really impressive.

COMPAQ, Registered US- Patent and Trademark Office. SYSTEMPRO is a trademarlt of Compaq Computer Corporation. Use of electronic equipment on board commercial aircraft is at the discretion of each airline.

a PC that simply works OK.

It's why Business Week, FORTUNE and Our approach means you'll be able to

other publications named them among the find the ideal PC, for whatever you're doing, best products of the year in 1989. From simple word processing to complex

No matter what you do, you'll find there's a COMPAQ PC system,

You'll find better ideas inside each and every COMPAQ personal computer.

COMPAQ 486, 386,386SX and 286 products are designed to deliver the highperformance difference.

Every COMPAQ product is meticulously designed. Ideas that don't measure up will wind up here, not in your office.

Our rugged laptops and portables let you work on the road, without compromise. And both our desktops and systems help you bring more power to more people.

© 1990 Compaq Computer Corporation. Ail rights reserved.

desktop, portable or laptop that will help you work even better

financial analysis, database management and computer-aided design.

All told, COMPAQ PCs offer the difference between simply working OK and simply working better.

For more information and the location of an Authorized COMPAQ Computer Dealer, call 1-800-231-0900, Operator 117. In Canada, 1-800-263-5868, Operator 117.

comPAa

It simply works better.

A worldwide network of Authorized Dealers is ready and waiting to help you.

Circle 56 on Reader Service Card

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

All the SLC's components are contained in the monitor housing. This eliminates the low, flat, square, "pizza-box" housing found on the SPARCStation 1.

Sun's Low-Cost RISC

■ Nick Baran

Sun Microsystems has taken another big step down the price/ performance curve with the introduction of a low-cost diskless version of its RISC-based SPARCStation. With a retail price of less than $5000, the new SPARCStation SLC is quite a bargain for an office running a network of SPARCStations. This price includes not only a powerful SPARC processor rated at 12 million instructions per second (MIPS), but also 8 megabytes of memory, an Ethernet connector, and a highresolution 17-inch monochrome display.

From a distance, in fact, you might think that the display is the only thing the system includes. Unlike the SPARCStation 1, there is no system unit or "pizza box" (as the appearance of the system unit on the SPARCStation 1 suggested). The entire system is packaged within the

monitor cabinet. An 80-watt power supply, an audio speaker, the system board with RAM and an integrated frame buffer, and a monochrome monitor all fit neatly into a single package (see photo).

The IV2- by 9-inch system board is a shrunk-down version of the board used in the SPARCStation 1 (see "Two Powerful Systems from Sun," May 1989 BYTE). The major difference is that the SPARCStation SLC board does not include the high-speed S-Bus and its three expansion slots, nor does it have a floppy disk drive controller. The SLC board does have one SCSI and one serial port (the serial port can operate two serial devices simultaneously using a Y-connector cable), an Ethernet port, and the same audio and keyboard/mouse ports as the SPARCStation 1.

The board fits vertically into the rear

of the monitor housing and plugs into a separate connector, which contains the I/O ports accessible from the back of the monitor.

The SLC board uses a 20-MHz version of the SPARC processor and a slightly slower FPU than on the SPARCStation 1 (the FPU on the SLC is rated at 1.0 million floating-point operations per second, compared to about 1.5 MFLOPS for the SPARCStation 1). [Editor's note: In conjunction with the introduction of the SLC, Sun Microsystems also announced that the SPARCStation 1 now comes standard with a 25-MHz processor, giving the SPARCStation 1 a performance rating of over 15 MIPS. There is no price increase for the faster-CPU version of the SPARCStation I.]

Sun demonstrated the SPARCStation SLC running Sun's graphical user inter

136 BYTE' JUNE 1990

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.

End users, circle 30; Dealers, circle 31; OEMs, circle 32 on Reader Service Card.

A diskless version

of Sun's SPARCStation

has most of the power

of the original, but with

a small price tag

face, Open Windows. The high-resolution monochrome monitor, which has a resolution of 1152 by 900 pixels with 100 pixels per inch, provided excellent contrast and readability. Since there is no fan, the SLC is totally quiet.

Although the SPARCStation SLC is competitively priced, it does have its limitations. It is clearly designed for use in a networked environment as a node on the network. Although you could use the SLC as a stand-alone system, it would make more sense for most customers to buy the higher-performance SPARCStation 1 for stand-alone use. Here's why. First, as the integral monochrome monitor might suggest, the SLC is strictly a monochrome machine. Even if you wanted to add an external color display, the SLC lacks the S-Bus slots required by SPARCStation color and graphics accelerator boards. Second, the disk storage transfer rates are limited on the SLC. Although you can connect external storage devices such as hard disk drives, tape drives, or Sun's new SunCD CD-ROM drive via the SCSI port, you're limited to the 1.5-megabyte-per-second data transfer rate of the SCSI bus, whereas the full SPARCStation with the S-Bus allows transfer rates of up to 80 MBps. And, finally, there's no option for attaching a floppy disk drive to the SLC.

For networked environments, however, the SPARCStation SLC is ideal and costs about $4000 less than an equivalently configured SPARCStation 1.

Sun representatives acknowledged that terminals running X Window System applications off network servers are a major competitive target for the SLC. The SLC has an obvious advantage over an X Window System terminal, which has no independent processing capability. X Window System terminals promote the age-old minicomputer concept of "time-sharing," or multiple terminals sharing the processor resources of a single host computer or file server. The problem with time-sharing is that it is easy to overload the host processor with too many users running applications simultaneously, resulting in performance degradation for the whole system.

The SPARCStation SLC, on the other hand, offers independent processing power in addition to network connectivity, allowing the user to have access to data and applications on the network in addition to the ability to process these applications and data independently. Although X Window System terminals are priced in the range of $2000 to $3000, the additional cost of the SPARCStation SLC is well worth the advantages that come with it.

Of course, diskless workstations are nothing new. But the SPARCStation SLC offers a new level of processing power at a low price. In addition, the simple and elegant packaging of the SPARCStation SLC makes it an ideal system for an office network of SPARC workstations. ■

Nick Baran is BYTE's West Coast bureau chief. You can contact him on BIX as "nickbaran."

COMPANY INFORMATION

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

2550 Garcia Ave. Mountain View, CA 94043 (415) 960-1300 Inquiry 860.

THE ULTIMATE WEAPON

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JUNE 1990 'BYTE 137

Make your keyboard A Northgate™Ctaz2f/&7™..

Use One RISK FREE For 60 DAYS!

Hands down, Northgate OmniKey keyboards are the choice of experts and users alike! PC Magazine picked OmniKey from all the rest as their EDITORS' CHOICE. Readers of Computer Shopper made it their "Best Buy" selection. In fact, every article ever written about an OmniKey has been a rave review!

Every month, thousands of people abandon their perfectly usable keyboards and replace them with Northgate OmniKeys.

What's all the fuss about? Isn't one keyboard just about Kke another? WeU, until you try an OmniKey you can't imagine how much better a keyboard can be. Here's how you can find out.

Use an OmniKey for 60 days. If it isn't everything we claim, simply return it. We'U refund ALL YOUR MONEY, including ground shipping charges.

You risk nothing! Select your OmniKey keyboard and order it now!

Northgate OmniKey Keyboards have diese Outstanding Features!*

B Unmatched Compatibility; dip switch settings for all IBM type systems and 17 others as well—Zenith, Tandy, AT&T and more; XT and AT compatible.

B Alps Click/Tactile Mechanical Key Switches for a crisp, responsive feel and faster, more accurate typing.

B LED Indicators show scroll, caps and number lock status at a glance.

B Double Injected Key Caps for long life and durabfliry.

B FCC Class B Certified—won't interfere with radio and TV reception.

B 5 Year Warranty—die industry's strongest! If you have any problems due to materials or workmanship, Northgate will repair or replace your keyboard AT NO CHARGE!

Durable Steel BaseKeyboard weighs 5.5 lbs., sits solidly on your desk.

Function Keys on the left where your fingers find them fastest for combination commands widi CTRL, ALT, SHIFT.

Interchangeable CTRL, ALT and CAPS LOCK keys—put them where you want them!

OimiiKeyiWS

Feel the quality ... Hear the precision ... See the results!

Let your fingers dance with OTnniKey/PLUS—you'll wonder how you got along without it for so long! Its keys are crisp to the touch. The sound is precise. The increased accuracy of your typing or data input win astound you!

And, you don't need to "eye check" the monitor to know you've made an enxry. OmniKey teUs you with sound and sensation.

00

OmniKey/VUJS

Another Northgate "Smart Tool For Business"™

ONLY

$119

FOB MINNEAPOLIS, MN

MAGAZINE

EDITORS' CHOICE

"Editors' Choice" says PC Magazine!

OmniKey/?LlJS "... Northgate has mastered the layout that IBM lacked ..."

"Many of us who learned to type on original PC or XT keyboards were thrilled to have the function keys back home where they belong."

|. [. |. J. f' jr j:

|T WY |U I'I wo V P Y

LILEJ

Caps

Num

j Scroll

Lock

Lock

Lock

wa

We've added an unshifted asterisk key on die bottom row to speed Wildcard commands such as *.*■%

Swap die BACKSLASH and ASTERISK keys if you prefer.

Separate cursor and numeric keypads: You can use Diamond Shaped Cursor Keys or the Invened T pattern whichever you wish. Numeric Pad includes added EQUAL key for EXCEL"'users.

Computer Shopper readers vote it "Best Buy!"

"By combining the best features of both old and new PC keyboard layouts, Northgate has created a unique input device and one that carries an industry-wide reputation for quality, design and performance."

Check out these exclusive OmniKey features:

Better typing begins with a better layout! Most people learned keyboarci typing with the function keys on the left for fast one-hand combination commands. Two independent keypads...

Cursor control pad: AH screen controls are on this pad with cursor arrows in a convenient diamond pattern for those who prefer this layout over the IBM"^'Inverted T.

NEW! If you do prefer the Inverted T, the key in the center of die cursor arrows is a down arrow cursor key. INSERT and DELETE keys at bottom of pad are large and easy to hit. Numeric Keypad: No need to use NUMLOCK when you want to enter numbers. Large INSERT and ENTER keys make number manipulation a breeze.

And look, we've added an "EQUAL" key that EXCEL uses so extensively. This little feamre alone is further evidence of how advanced the thinking is that goes into OmniKey Keyboards. Never type U>S>A> again! Lock out these< >. When you want to type U.S.A., you don't get U>S>A>! F13 is the magic key

Instandy change repeat character rate! Press F14 key and you select a repeat rate from 3-120 CPS. Perfect for racing through a spreadsheet. No run-on either!

New-Customize OmniiCey/PLUS! Select CAPS LOCK, CONTROL and ALT locations. Keep them as shown above or put them in the standard IBM enhanced layout positon; CAPS LOCK next to "a" ALT next to space bar CONTROL under SHIFT

You can even swap the ALT and CONTROL keys on the right; Switch die backslash and asterisk keys—it's up to you! Talk about flexibiht)'!

Put OmniKeyfPUJS to work for you—caU for your no-risk 60-day trial today!

Phone for the Dealer Nearest You or Place Your Order Direct

800-526-2446

MTRTHGATE „ COMPUTER SYSTEMS

P.O. Box 41000 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441

Hours: Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central. Fax Your Order! 612-476-6443. Dealer and Distributor Pricing Available! Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate now has TDD capabihty Dial 612-476-6958.

CiTcle 212 on Reader Service Card

Introducing two all-new 101-style models...

...20% smaller footprint and F-keys on top.

OmniKey/m

Why two models..

Model #101-1—Many people have become accustomed to the standard IBM layout with F keys on top, inverted T cursor layout, etc. For you, we've duplicated ... well, nearly ... the IBM layout, but widi a couple changes that improve on IBM.

IBM puts BACKSLASH near BACKSPACE and ENTER keys. By doing so, they must reduce the size of one of the two keys.

Northgate believes the BACKSLASH key is better located on the bottom row next to the righdiand SHIFT key By placing it there, our layout gives you both a double wide BACKSPACE and large L-shaped ENTER key. We believe you'll prefer our layout. If not—send it back!

Model #101-N—Northgate's improvement over the standard IBM. Distinguished primarily by the independent Cursor Pad with diamond-shaped arrow layout. Independent numeric keypad with all the operands grouped around the numbers for faster numeric entry and commands.

More features! ESCAPE Key is positioned next to #L Plus, we added an asterisk key on bottom row to speed v.dldcard commands. Includes Comma/Period lockout feature AND adjustable cursor rate capability.

STANDARD FEATURES ON BOTH MODELS:

■ Size: 18y2"L x 7"W; IBM's 101 is 19%"L X 8y8""W

■ 12 F keys across the top

■ Alps Click/Tactile Switches

■ Switchable CTRL/CAPS LOCK

■ PS/2 Compatible

w/Adaptor New small footprint!

Order now! At this low price, our supplies on hand wiU move quickly'

Your Choice o{ OmniKey/m Models

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Same 60-Day "Try It" Policy

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00

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Original Northgate design with function keys on the left!

The first keyboard to get back to the basics with 12 function keys on the left. A modification most people prefer!

Two separate keypads! One IBM style inverted T for cursor control; second for numeric entry frmctions.

Custom convenience feature! See the control and left caps lock keys? They trade places. Put the CAPS LOCK in the third row right next to "a" key, if you prefer

Non-skid design. OmniKey/lOl has a heavy steel base [ox durability. Weighs 5.5 lbs.—won't slide around no matter how fast you type!

Try an OnwiKey/lOl for 60 days-YOUR SATISFACTION IS FULLY GUARANTEED! The phone call is on us, give us a ring and order now!

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You'll quickly agree Northgate OmniKey Keyboards live up to every claim we make. Use it for 60 days. And if you're not 100% satisfied in every way, return it for a fuU refund including ground freight.

And Remember: Your OmniKey Keyboard is backed by the industry's strongest warranty— FIVE FULL YEARS!

Phone for the Dealer Nearest You or Place Your Order Direct

800-526-2446

J"

MDRTHGATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS

P.O. Box 41000 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441

HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Central. Fax Your Order! 612-476-6443. For Dealer and Distributor Program Pricing, call 800-526-2446. Notice to the Hearing Impaired: Northgate now has TDD capability. Dial 612-476-6958.

©Copyrighi NonhgaK Computer Systems. Inc. 1990. Al! Rights Reserv ed.

Northgate. OmniKeyOmniKey/102. OmniKey/PWS and the Northgate 'N' logo are trademarks of Northgate Computer Systems, Inc. All other produa and brand names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies. IVices and specifications are subjea to change wndioui notice. Northgate reserves the ri^t to subsnmie components of equal or greater tjualit)- and performance. All items subject to avaibbility, CHARGE IT! We accept your Visa, MasterCard or Big "N" credit catd All models are subjea lo occasional inventory shortages.

Circle 213 on Reader Service Card

PRODUCT FOCUS

^■■MAAAHHAAhh^^I Low-Cost LANs

Networks of Peers

Flexible, low-cost LANs do their fair sliare

Jon Udell

and Rob Mitchell

Low-cost, peer-to-peer LAN: You have heard the phrase time and again. But stop and think for a minute. Is there some necessary connection between price and peer capability? No. Unix LANs are always networks of peers, although they're hardly cheap. The peer model—a network in which every node can both provide and use network resources—confers far more flexibility than a network based on a dedicated server.

Why, then, don't all PC and Macintosh LANs work that way? Vendors of dedicated-server LANs argue, with justification, that neither DOS nor the Mac OS can reliably sustain an intensive mix of both server and client activities. So they divide the world into servers (running NetWare, OS/2, or Unix) and clients (running DOS, Windows, or the Mac OS). As true client-server applications evolve—and they're coming fastthat approach will pay off.

But let's focus on budget LANs that you can buy and use today. Suppose your office uses five or six AT-class PCs. Several of the PCs control files or devices (resources) that everyone in the office would like to share: a database, a laser printer, a CD-ROM drive, a tape drive. Take heart: You don't have to spend a lot of money on a dedicated server, Ethernet hardware, or a foreign operating system.

The PC and Macintosh LANs that we examine this month transform collec

tions of PCs or Macs into surprisingly useful networks. Operating-system limitations notwithstanding, they deliver peer services that their high-end, serverbased counterparts typically don't provide. If you're in the market for an enterprise-wide network that will run clientserver applications, these peer LANs aren't the answer. But if you're looking for ways to build small- to medium-size workgroups, read on.

The Products

To select products for this project, we settled on two main criteria. The first criterion was price: For a five-node network, none of these LANs will cost you more than $320 per computer (a list of features appears in tables 1 and 2). (On a cost basis, TOPS/DOS didn't fall into our range, but we included it because of its unique ability to integrate Macs and PCs.) The second criterion was peer capability: Any machine attached to the LAN can share its files or printers and still run its users' programs acceptably. We found six DOS peer LANs that met the cost criterion: GV LAN OS, LANsmart, LANtastic, MainLAN, Net/30, Ready Net, and TOPS/DOS. On the Mac side, we tested Personal Service Network (PSN) and TOPS.

If you've already invested in a serverbased network but need peer services, see the text box "Adding Peer Services to a Server-Based LAN" on page 146.

Tests and Tasks

To test the DOS LANs, we outfitted an office with four PCs—a Compaq 286e, a Dell System 325, and a pair of Gateway 2000s (12-MHz 286 systems). Each machine played a specific role. Equipped with a Mountain tape drive, the Compaq's job was to back up the whole network. The Dell was our database server. One Gateway acted as print server, and the other was our CD-ROM server.

You could load all the shared resources onto a single machine and dedicate it as a

server—nothing prevents you from using a peer LAN that way. But we assumed that our imaginary office couldn't afford a fifth computer and couldn't sacrifice one of the existing four. The idea was to start with four useful PCs, connect them, and still have four useful PCs. So we distributed the resource-sharing load equitably among them.

We ran two throughput tests. The network file I/O test does random reads and writes according to a pattern that's designed to simulate the behavior of typical applications. The database test runs a FoxBase program on four stations concurrently, dumping records from shared databases. The results of these tests appear in table 3, but the numbers don't convey the feel of these networks. As an illustration, load a program (e.g., a text editor) from a remote drive, and then from a local drive. Even on "slow" twisted-pair cabling, the best of these networks respond so fast that remote and local program loads feel about the same.

Apart from performance, what differentiates one network from another? Plenty of things: ease of installation; documentation; memory consumption; cache capability; level of support for multiuser file access; range and quality of administrative, mail, and printer/spooler services; and grace under pressure.

To get to know these networks intimately, we specified a profile for each machine that defined which resources it shared (and to whom, on what basis) and the resources it used. For example, the backup machine needed total read access to the hard disks of all other machines. But the other three servers shared their disks with one another more selectively. We wanted the print server to connect to its locally attached printer through the network, to prevent conflicts between local and remote print jobs.

For each of the networks, establishing each machine's configuration of shared and acquired resources demanded a lot of

continued

142 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Table 1: Not all peer LANs are created equal, nor do they always fit neatly into a table. A few caveats are in order. DOS memory requirements vary with each user's configuration, so we give a range within which most users will fall when configured as a client only or as a client and server. We calculated memory use for a base (640K-byte) system; this didn't include the effects of EMS, shadow RAM, or extended memory support. Our figures include NetBIOS as well as the client and server software. If you plan to use multiuser software such as FoxBase Plus, all products except GVLAN OS and ReadyNet require running the DOS Share program, which adds 6K-12K bytes to memory overhead (•=yes: o=no).

GVLAN LANsmart LANtastic MainLAN Net/30 FteadyNetl.O TOPS/DOS

OS 1.1 2.0 2.57 2.14 1.52 rel. 6.256 3.0

rev. C

$320

$216

$265

$220

$215

$250

$439

HARDWARE

Type

ARCnet

ARCnet

Proprietary

Proprietary

Proprietary

Proprietary

Proprietary

cornpaltuic

Rated throughput (Mbps)

2.5

2.5

2

4

1 B

1

7RR nnn Koc

Cabling

RG 62 coaxial

Twisted-pair

Twisted-pair

Twisted-pair

Twisted-pair

Twisted-pair

Twisted-pair

DMA channel(s)

O

O

O

O

1

O

1 or 3

Interrupts supported

2,3,4,5.7

2,3,4,5,7

2,3,4,5,6,7,

2or3

2 or 3

2,3,4,5,7

2or3

10,15

Diagnostics software

•

O

•

•

•

•

•

Maximum nodes

250

16

120

62

45

24

32

Supports other network cards

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

NETWORK SOFTWARE

Memory use (observed)

Server/client

67K-122K

130K-180K

40K-80K

100K-200K

82K-120K

170K-250K

290K-350K

Client only

67K-122K

70K-I

14K+

60K-200K

62K-80K

66K-I

200K-250K

Network software loads

o

o

o

•

•

•1

to shadow RAM

O

Optional

o

O

0

O

to extended memeory

o

o

o

O

O

o

Server disk cache

o

•

o

o

O

•

o

Interface

Command language

•

o

•

o

#

Menu

•

•

•

•

•

Loadable as TSR?

•

o

o

o

Software unloadable

without rebooting

o

•

o

o

0

•

NetBIOS support

•

•

•

•

•

•

Automatic reconnection

•

•

•

o

o

•

o

PRINTING

View print queue

•

•

•

•

•

•

Modify print queue

•

•

•

•

•

o

•

Set end-of-file time-out

o

•

•

•

•

o

•

XON/XOFF flow control

o

o

o

•

o

ADMINISTRATIVE

Resource auditing

o

%

o

o

o

o

Server reboot protection

•

0

o

o

o

List open files on server

O10

o

o

•

o

Close open files on server

o

O"

o

o

•

o

MAIL

Store and forward

•

o

•

o

•

Broadcast

•

•

•

o

•

Attach files

•

•12

o

o

Edit message

•

•

Save messages to a file

•

mum

I 0

o

MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES

Remote control of other nodes

0

Optional

Optional

o

o

•

o

Diskless workstations

Optional

Optional

Optional

o

•

o

o

On-line conferencing

O

•

O

o

o

o

o

Telephone support

One call

Unlimited

30 days

90 days

Unlimited

30 days

Unlimited

Warranty

90 days,

1 year.

1 year.

1 year,

1 year.

1 year.

1 year.

hardware only

hardware only

hardware only

hardware only

hardware

hardware

hardware:

only

only

90 days.

software

1 Software loads to EMS or extended memay.

2 Loads only to shadow RAM. Optional software loads network operating system to shadow RAM.

3 GV LAN OS has some command-line options but relies on menus for most functions. '* Menu program runs only as a TSR.

5 TSR menu utility is a subset of the main menu program.

6 Pause option halts network operation but doesn't unload software from memory.

^ Partial NetBIOS implementation. Extended NetBIOS version available at no charge.

6 Print spooler not included with ReadyNet. Spooler program is available at no charge.

9 XON/XOFF not needed—TOPS supports serial printers directly.

■'O Software issues warning if files are open on server before allowing reboot.

'1 Procedure requires rebooting server.

^2 Can attach only ASCII text files to mail messages.

144 BYTE • JUNE 1990

PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

patience—and we are relatively savvy LAN installers. If the vendors really expect end users to install and configure these LANs, they ought to improve their documentation. In general, the manuals sorely disappointed us. If you're handy with DOS, batch files, and peripherals, you'll muddle through, but not happily.

We then asked the following questions of each network: Can it run FoxBase interactively on four stations against files stored on the database server? What happens when you shut down a client who is holding a lock on a server-resident database record? Will the server clear the lock? Is there protection against ControlAlt-Delete rebooting a server? Will the network software reconnect to a remote drive after its server has rebooted? What queue control facilities are available? Can you print documents across the network from XyWrite? From PageMaker? Can you access a CD-ROM drive across the network? How does the E-mail system work? How well does the system perform on a multipurpose test, with all stations running intensive server and client tasks?

These are the sorts of questions that you will confront when you move your day-to-day operations onto a LAN. The answers matter more, in our opinion, than raw benchmark numbers.

LANtastic

Artisoft's smart 2-megabit-per-second network adapter, built around a 10-MHz

Z180, helped make LANtastic the smallest network program that we tested. The backup machine used just 14K bytes of RAM, and the servers around 40K bytes. LANtastic's ability to off-load network processing to the adapter accounts for its remarkable compactness. While that coprocessor-based scheme didn't yield outstanding performance, it helps explain why LANtastic was also one of the most reliable networks. DOS can multitask, but the less you expect of it, the better.

Most LANtastic installations today run on 2-Mbps adapters, but the software works identically on 10-Mbps Ethernet hardware. That's an increasingly popular choice, according to Artisoft.

One switch on the 2-Mbps adapter controls the I/O port that the board uses. Software switches (arguments to LANtastic's driver program) control the interrupt request line and the address of the 32K-byte block of RAM shared between the adapter and the PC.

Network adapters come preconfigured with default settings that usually work. When they don't—that is, when the network hardware fights with what's in your machine for interrupts, ports, or memory—something has to give. Then, two factors come into play. What alternate settings can the adapter use? How easily can you change the settings? In all cases, LANtastic provides a wide range of choices. With the exception of the I/O port, you can modify hardware settings under software control. You'll appreciate

that when things don't work right out of the box. For example, on the Dell System 325, the adapter's default RAM address gave Microsoft Windows grief. We easily moved the adapter's RAM to a better location. We didn't notice the Windows

continued

■ MAC LAN OPERATING SYSTEMS H

Table 2: Both TOPS and PSN

support the AppleShare Filing

Protocol (AFP). PSN also uses

the AppleShare client interface.

TOPS

PSN

3.0

1.1

Auto-install/remove

•

•

Desk accessory interface

•

•

Despooler/queue manager •

O

E-mail

•

o

AFP-compliant

•

•

AppleSfiare-compatible

O

•

SInare CD-ROM

•

o

List users of

published volume

•

•

Minimum Mac

Plus

Plus

Minimum Mac

recommended

for server

SE

SE

Memory required

1 MB

1 MB

Memory recommended

for server

2MB

2MB

PC PEER LAN PERFORMANC

Table 3: BYTE's network file 1/0 tests read and write files of random size from a 12-MHz 286-based client machine to 12- and 25-MHz 386-based servers, respectively. Most LANs performed similarly during these node-to-node file transfers, but when we loaded the network during the database tests, GVLAN OS and Net/30 were the clear winners. We timed each network for optimum performance. With LANtastic, better file I/O performance came at the expense of the database speed. In that case, we optimized for the best database performance. Times are in seconds. Not every product could run the database tests. ReadyNet had insufficient memory to run FoxBase Plus, and LANsmart couldn't run the FoxBase tests because of reliability problems.

Network file I/O test Database test

386 server 286 server Compaq 286e Dell 325 Gateway 2000 Gateway 2000

(backup server) (Database (print server) (CD-ROM server)

LAN Read Write Read Write server)

Baseline

(local disk) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 21 N/A N/A

GVLAN OS 16 14 60 21 64 33 79 67

LANsmart 16 10 44 16 N/A N/A N/A N/A

LANtastic 27 17 52 19 123 40 120 126

MainLAN 17 7 43 27 126 112 126 122

Net/30 ^Ump ie 14 55 22 75 85 82 81

ReadyNet 181 63 141 37 N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A = Not applicable.

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 145

-i

PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

Adding Peer Services to a Server-Based LAN

Novell's NetWare, IBM's PC LAN, 3Com's 3+Open, and other leading networks don't implement the flexible peer model that we focus on this month. They require dedicated, central file servers. To move a file from one client workstation to another requires two steps: Copy to the server, and then copy from the server.

Point-to-point file sharing between any two client workstations adds tremendous utility to a server-based network. Tape backups benefit because you eliminate one transfer step and do not need to maintain lots of intermediate storage on the server. CD-ROM sharing becomes possible even on a network that, like Novell's, can'thang CDROM drives on the file server.

Two relatively new products, Map Assist and Pipes Drive, deliver the benefits of a peer network in a server

based environment. Map Assist works only with Novell's IPX transport protocol. Pipes Drive can use IPX or NetBIOS-based protocols.

Both do basically the same job. A TSR program that you load on one workstation turns it into a pseudoserver. You can then publish a drive. To publish a read/write with Map Assist, you use

mahost C: + RW=/

With Pipes Drive, you use the following:

drive public c: as Jon_C

A companion program running on another station mounts the published volume. Map Assist requires the network name of the user who owns the resource. If user Jon issued the mahost

command, then another user can map his or her drive Q to Jon's C, like this:

maq:=jon

And with Pipes Drive, since the resource itself already has a name, you just type the following:

drive use Jon_C as q:

We've used both programs to perform station-to-station tape backups and to share CD-ROM drives. Although either will get the job done. Pipes Drive's protocol independence makes it the more flexible tool. It is built around The Lambda Group's ambitious Pipes NDOS—a "nested distributed operating system"—-intended to support peer services across a variety of operating systems and network transport protocols.

conflict right away. We had already installed the network. Without a software switch, we would have had to pull the card—possibly more than once.

Peer networks subscribe to one of two resource-sharing philosophies. Some consider a machine's disks and printers public, subject to restrictions. Others consider those resources private, subject to permissions. Like most of the networks we reviewed, LANtastic assumes that your machine is private property. You can tell it otherwise by means of net_mgr, a menu-driven utility that creates accounts for users of your machine (a required step) and specifies which directories and printers they can access.

The net_mgr utility manages shared resources as a set of aliases, or namevalue pairs. For example, netbin could refer to c: netbin, and gepson to LPTl. Clients depend only on the names. That means that if a server moves netbin to d:mybin, or @epson to LPT2, clients will not need to change their log-in scripts. Access control lists associated with resources govern who can do what with them. Once you publish a resource, all users have full rights unless you specify otherwise through ACL definitions.

From the client's perspective, the menu-driven net utility (or, from the command line, net use) maps local

drives and printers to published resources. You can specify the server and resource name,

net use f: \\susanna\netbin

or just the server:

net use f: \ \susanna

Omit the resource name, and you associate your local drive with all published directories. The many-to-one relationship between server resources and local drive letters makes it convenient for a server to share just portions of its disk.

LANtastic manages mail and print queues similarly, and that confused us a bit. No "send mail" command exists. Instead, you use the net utility to locate a server with a mail queue, select that queue, and then press the Insert key to signify that you want to make an entry in that queue. Then you can type a quick note or name a file that you want to transmit. On the receiving end, you've got to prowl through the mail queue, notice that entries exist (there's no "you have mail" alert), and then view them by means of the queue manager's read command.

You can use the same methods to insert and retrieve print queue entries. Normally, a printing application inserts entries into the print queue, and the network's despooler removes and prints

them. The print/mail synergy has at least one advantage. The same mechanism that reads mail can also peek at the contents of an entry in the print queue. But it's a quirky setup, especially since some menu choices don't make sense in both contexts. LANtastic won't prevent you from trying to hold a mail queue entry, but it will grumble about an "invalid menu choice."

LANtastic was one of several networks we tested that enable a server to share a CD-ROM drive, but it was the only one that provided explicit CD-ROM support. You can tell net_mgr that a shared resource is a CD-ROM drive—a nice touch.

LANtastic's manual even tells you when in the boot sequence you should run the CD-ROM extensions. That varies from network to network; only LANtastic bothered to mention it.

Despite the valuable CD-ROM tip, though, LANtastic's manual needs a rewrite and an index. We flipped through it countless times looking for things that we remembered reading but couldn't find. Particularly frustrating was the sketchy coverage of performance tuning. LANtastic isn't unique in this regard. Many networks provide an assortment of knobs and switches, but little guidance as to how to use them. We found LANtastic surprisingly slow on our database

continued

146 BYTE • JUNE 1990

At Dover Electronics We Sell Our SIMMs With Five Strings Attached

Because we're a division of Dover Corporation, a Fortune 200 Company known for technical excellence, we attach five important strings to every SIMM we sell.

The Availability String: Our large inventory means unequalled on-time delivery. The Reliability String: Every module is 100% tested for problem-free performance. The Warranty String: We back our comprehensive quality control for the lifetime of your module. The Quality String: We build the machines that build the modules that build customer satisfaction. The Security String: You'll have the confidence that you're working with the strongest SIMM designer/manu&cturer in the industry.

DOVER Dover Electronics — the only SIMM name you need to remember. (800)

ELECTRONICS

MEMORY PRODUCTS

Circle 98 on Reader Service Card 3

PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

test, and we fiddled with coprocessor, server, and redirector buffers to see if we could improve matters. Eventually we did—at the expense of the file I/O benchmark—but strictly by trial and error. Artisoft claims that other database products work better with LANtastic than FoxBase does.

In fairness to LANtastic and the rest, the environment in which a DOS networking program operates—one that can include a variety of disk caches, memory

It's true! We can turn <=^^^ your existing Series II or III printer into a

1000x 1000 - ' " TurboRes™ Plain-Paper —-i^ Typesetter! National TeleVAR™ (Raster Devices Direct) introduces the 1000 Enhancer Kit™ for your HP Series II or III printer.

By using a new imaging technology called TurboRes™ on our PC-based controller, we can transform your 300 dpi printer into a state-of-the-art Plain-Paper Typesetter that gives you print quality previously undreamed of, even on devices costing over $20,000.

Send us your HP Series II or III laser printer and we will do the rest. We factory install a video board and connector in your Series II or 111, and supply a PC/XT/AT or MCA 6Mb printer controller, 135 scaleable fonts, direct driver software for

managers, and ill-behaved applications—defies easy generalization. Still, specific recommendations for tuning a network for popular applications and tools would be extremely helpful.

Despite these quibbles, we liked LANtastic. It's fast enough, and it's robust. On a busy multiple-server network, everything ran smoothly. We thought that client and server tasks coexisted more happily here than on any of the other networks.

ReadyNet

Corvus Systems markets ReadyNet as "the incredible self-installing LAN." In a sense, that's true. With the starter kit, you can get a two-node network up and running with very little time and effort. Just drop in the cards, plug in the cables, install the software, and go. There's no need to create user accounts or even establish connections: ReadyNet automatically maps the client's drive F to the server's C, and the client's LPTl to the server's LPTl.

But when you add nodes and configure for multiple servers, things get complicated quickly. The first surprise was the cabling. Corvus offers 1- and 4-Mbps twisted-pair cabling, running the proprietary Omninet protocol that ReadyNet shares with its big brother, PC/NOS. With Omninet, short cable segments connect interface cards to junction boxes: longer cables tie these boxes together into a backbone.

Unfortunately, the extension cable that comes with the 1-Mbps system does not have connectors that match the sockets on the junction box—only the 4-Mbps version works that way. Instead, the cable ends in bare wires. To extend the backbone, you must pry open a junction box, remove a terminating resistor, lift two clamps, insert the positive and negative leads, and clamp them down. We sympathize with users who must reconcile marketing claims such as "self-installing" and "no tools required" with the reality as depicted in the Add-On Guide. One figure shows a screwdriver prying open a junction box, and another illustrates the removal of a resistor.

Once you have cabled your system, ReadyNet's diagnostic program does a good job of checking out the integrity of the cards and of the connections between them. Now you're ready to install the software. It's copy-protected, and you'll want to label the disks that come with each add-on kit. since they carry unique workstation identities.

The next surprise was that ReadyNet wouldn't install on the Compaq 286e. ReadyNet won't work with the Compaq DOS 3.31 that ships with that machine, or indeed with any version of DOS (including 4.0) that boosts the size of a sector beyond 512 bytes and the size of a partition beyond 32 megabytes. ReadyNet's built-in caching scheme works directly with your hard disk. On a server, ReadyNet bypasses DOS's file system and tracks disk cluster usage directly. This consumes memory in proportion to the size of the shared volume. If some

continued

1000 DPI!

From Your HP LaserJet Series II or III

Windows (such as PageMaker, CorelDRAW!, Micrografx Designer, Word for Windows, etc.), GEM (such as Xerox Ventura Publisher, GEM Artline, etc.) and Word Perfect.

CALL NOW! 1-800-468-1732 (In MN: 612-941-4919) and ask about the 1000 Enhancer Kit for your Series II or III printer. The 300 dpi barrier will fall by the wayside as you experience 1000 x 1000 TurboRes. Note that all your existing PCL functionality remains unchanged, so your printer can live in both worlds—PCL and 1000 X 1000 TurboRes!

National TeleVAR ^"

PrePress Systems Specialists foasfer

^2 DiRecriNc."

©1990. Raster Devices Direct, Inc., NationaJ TeleVAR and 1000 Enhar^cer Kit are trademarks of Raster Devices Corporation. TurtioRes is a licensed technology and a trademark of LaserMaster Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarl<s and registered trademarks of their respective companies. All prices and specifications are subject to change without notice. Please call for current pricing and warranty details.

VISA. MASTERCARD AND AMERICAN EXPRESS ACCEPTED

148 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 269 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 2 70}

■^1 I I g

"As far as EiSA network servers go, speed is a given. But only one offers faster tfiroughiput... and that's what really counts'.

0

ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS INNOVATES AGAIN

With Zenith Data Systems' exclusive EISA Mass Storage Controller, the Z-386/33E increases throughput to drive your PC network beyond existing 386 performance.

J^tS^S^. Any 33MHz 386 system can offer

/3ISSk.

/ =^Mm^rM^ high-speed processing. But if it

can't access multiple data requests equally as fast,

your multi-user and file server PC networks will do

nothing but hurry up and wait. That's why you need

Zenith Data Systems'Z-386/33E.

With its exclusive EISA Mass Storage Controller,

the Z-386/33E can speed up data access rates to as fest

as one millisecond. So you can reduce I/O

bottlenecks and increase throughput faster

than standard 386 systems. And that

means your PC network can operate at

a much more productive pace... at a

fraction of the hardware and support

costs that come with owning a

mainfi-ame or minicomputer

The Z-386/33E also lets

you take advantage of i r m ii f ? f ,r ? if

—^ Mi'V',''.' 'i'','','','','',■ 'L'

tomorrow s 32-bit technologies without abandoning your current investment in 8- and 16-bit boards,

ZENITH

data systems

Groupe Bull

network cards and video cards. And with its four open 32-bit EISA expansion slots, the Z-386/33E can easily keep up with your growing business computing needs.

Zenith Data Systems' Intel386™-based EISA network server also lets you choose from a wide range of operating environments, including MS-DOS,® MS OS/2,® SCO™ UNIX® and Microsoft ® Windows/386.

It even includes a VGA video card to tackle specialized graphics applications, which come brilliantly to life on Zenith Data Systems' award-winning Flat Technology Color Monitor

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mi:,

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UNIX is a registered trademark of American Telephone & Telegraph Company. SCO is a trademark of The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. Intel386 is a trademark of Intel Corporation. © 1990,Zenith Data Systems

Circle 339 on Reader Service Card

PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

compelling performance advantage flowed from this strategy—which also precludes CD-ROM support—it would make sense. But we found Ready Net slower than average.

Additional complications arise when you want to establish new client-server connections. ReadyNet's methods and terminology were among the most obscure we encountered. Plugs, sockets, and modules add unnecessary weight to the syntax that defines connections. Compare LANtastic's

net use f: \ \Susanna

net use LPT1\\Debbi\@Epson

with ReadyNet's

/msdos/F: =/node3/rasdos/C: /msdos/LPTl= /nodel/printsrv/printerl

For starters, Ready Net hard-wires the machine names as "nodel," "node2," and so on, and there's no way to switch to more intuitive names like "Susanna" and "Debbi." Similarly, you're stuck with printers that are called "printerl"

and "printer2"; there's no way to use meaningful names like "Epson" and "LaserWriter." Then, there are the plugs, sockets, and modules. The printer connection, for example, says, literally, "connect the LPTl plug in the MS-DOS module of the local node to the printerl socket in nodeS's printsrv module." The explicit module names impose an engineer's view. The software does in fact comprise such modules, but users need not know that and won't care.

In part because of ReadyNet's disk cache, servers need a lot of memory. You can offset that with EMS memory, so we were able to run FoxBase on the Dell, which (for all the networks) we configured with 1 MB of expanded memory. But the two 640K-byte Gateway 2000 machines, operating as servers, couldn't load FoxBase, so we can't report results for the database test. We did reconfigure one Gateway as a workstation, and we ran FoxBase there against database files stored on the Dell to verify that ReadyNet could handle sharing and locking correctly. It did.

Of the networks that we reviewed, only ReadyNet came with remote control

software that commandeers another station's screen and keyboard. It's a useful feature, but it costs an additional 40K bytes of RAM, and on the 1-Mbps system we tested, it ran slowly. The mail system can store and forward short messages, so you can communicate with users who aren't on-line. We found no evidence of a spooler or queue manager in either the software or the documentation. Corvus told us that there is a spooler module, but that it was inadvertently left out of the 1-Mbps version of the package. We had not received it by press time.

It's quite possible that some users require no more than what the ReadyNet starter kit does—and does painlessly. But we can't recommend the product for larger workgroups or for intensive use in a multiserver configuration.

Net/30

Net/30 wasn't as small as LANtastic, but it ran faster and just as reliably. We did manage to reduce the size of Net/30 on our database server from UOK bytes to 55K bytes by using EMS memory. If your computer is equipped with a Chips

continued

THIS IS NO

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150 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 164 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 165)

We've got the guts, you get the glory.

See us at Booth No.4005 0CemBiM7Spring'9O

June 3-6, 1990 Atlanta, Georgia

Also see DTK products at SED Booth 2850

DTK is a registered trademark and Bare Bone is a trademark of Datatech Enterprises Co., Ltd. Intel 386 is a trademark of Intel Corporation. XT and AT are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation.

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Circle 101 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 102)

Your Left Brain Needs Clipper.

Organization is everything in business. The left side of your brain knows this. It wants order. Economy. Precision. All reasons your left brain appreciates Clipper 5.0, the premier application development system for PCs.

An open architecture programming system, Clipper provides a flexible environment for developing precisely the application you need, not a messy approximation. Its user-definable commands and functions let you configure the Clipper language for your exact requirements. Its compiler generates .EXE files for rapid execution and cost-free distribution. Its new linker even lets you build and run applications larger than available memory! And its elegant network support yields high performance on even the largest systems.

So, if you're charged with coaxing order out of chaos for your business, put Clipper in your programming arsenal today. It has exactly the programming power you need!

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Circle 204 on Reader Service Card

NantucketCofpofaiion.l2555WestJet{ersonBoulevar[l, Los Angeles, CA 90066. 213/390-7923 FAX; 213/397-5469 TELEX: 650-2574125. Nantucket ihe Naniuclcet logo and Clipper are registered trademarks of Nantucket Corporation. Otfier brand and product names are usee for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Entire contents copyright © 1990 Nantucket Corporation

PRODUCT FOCUS

& Technologies NEAT or AT/386 chip set, Net/30 can load NetBIOS into shadow RAM. We did that with the printer and CD-ROM servers and cut RAM consumption from lOOK bytes to 50K bytes. Invisible Software claims that an optional program—which we didn't test—can move much of the redirector and server code to shadow RAM as well.

We ran Net/30 on proprietary 1.8-Mbps network cards and twisted-pair cable. The cards were self-terminating and included NetBIOS in ROM. The ROM NetBIOS saved memory, but it slowed performance and didn't work with PCs at clock speeds faster than 12 MHz. We opted to run NetBIOS from RAM.

Each card requires a unique address that you set by means of DIP switches. One card becomes the master; you must power up that machine before bringing up the rest of the network. A utility program, netpoll, checks out the connections between cards.

Quick-start batch files simplify installation of basic printer- and file-sharing services. But we struggled to configure the network to our specification. The manual wasn't enlightening, particularly on the subject of EMS and shadow RAM. Net/30 copy-protects the software, so, again, you have to keep track of which disk belongs to which machine.

Servers come in small, medium, and large sizes. Each allots progressively more sessions and file handles. Our printer and CD-ROM servers used the minimum version, and the database server—which had to support more open files—used the standard version. We did not use the large version, which creates a dedicated server.

Net/30's default configuration makes all server resources public. Clients use map (at the command line) or menu to acquire resources. With either utility you can view and modify drive and printer mappings, manipulate print queues, restrict access to shared resources, and remotely manage workstations.

Although the documentation didn't mention support for CD-ROM drives, we had no trouble sharing ours with the network. Our network backup test also worked fine. But if your tape backup system won't recognize network drives, Net/30's nw hide command might help. It makes network drives look like local drives.

Net/30 was the only product we reviewed that offered XON/XOFF (software) as well as DTR (hardware) flow control for serial printers. You control printing from two menus: One operates the spooler, and the other controls the

PRODUCT FOCUS

print queue. The spooler menu has the ability to pause, restart, or clear the queue, but you must switch to the print queue menu to reorder or delete jobs. You can restrict access to the spooler and queue manager, but only on an all-ornone basis. Users with queue privileges see all jobs in the queue, not just their own.

Only Net/30 supported remote management. That means you can reach across the network and alter any station's configuration of shared and used resources. This feature can save a lot of foot traffic in an office. But if you don't want other people remotely managing your station, you (or your remote manager) will have to explicitly prevent that.

Net/30's security system was the most comprehensive and most complex that we tested. Unless you want a completely open network, you'll have to battle with this thorny process. You assign an alias to each shared resource, deny access permissions to everyone, and then enable access for selected users. We suspect that many users will follow the path of least resistance and simply ignore Net/30's security features.

With mall, a primitive message program, you can send short (76-character) messages to other users who are on-line and running mall. It's a 5K-byte TSR and isn't unloadable. You can't save or edit messages or attach files. When you receive a message, mall displays the sender's message and waits for your response. You can reply, send new mail, or quit. You can't broadcast messages to multiple users. The mail program works only when the sender's and receiver's displays are in 80-column text mode.

Net/30 lacks some niceties: It won't prevent you from rebooting a server, workstations don't automatically reconnect when a server comes back on-line, and you can't check for open files on a server or explicitly close files left open. Although it didn't offer a server disk cache, Net/30 outperformed other LANs that did.

Overall, Net/30 impressed us. Only GV LAN ran our database test faster. The multipurpose test ran flawlessly. We confidently recommend Net/30 for multiserver peer networks.

LANsmart

Ideally, a network operating system should provide both command-line and menu interfaces, and D-Link's LANsmart does. Menus and commands are just two sides of the same coin; you can use either method without limitations.

continued

Your Right Brain Wants It!

While your left brain duly notes the benefits of Clipper programming, the right half is wild about how you get them! Imagine a programming environment with no limits. The language can be easily extended with your own routines and you can even integrate code from other languages, like C and Assembler. You're always free to configure Clipper to su4t your own programming style.

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

The basic server requires 130K bytes and can balloon up to over 180K bytes. Nodes that don't need to share resources can get by with about 30K bytes. You can shrink the program in several ways, none of them documented. On our database server, an extended memory driver brought LANsmart's RAM footprint from 174K bytes to 115K bytes. Neatplus ($50), an optional program that we didn't test, works with shadow RAM on Chips & Technologies hardware. D-Link claims that it achieves a comparable reduction.

We used D-Link's 2.5-Mbps ARCnet cards and daisy chained them together with twisted-pair wire. The cards had plenty of alternate jumper settings to handle conflicts, but D-Link didn't include a low-level diagnostics program to test the cards.

The LANsmart disks came with an installation program, but the manual did not document that. Instead, it instructs you to copy files manually to a subdirectory. That's not bad in itself. Automatic installers often take liberties with your system in the name of "ease of use." We prefer to do it ourselves, but, either way, we expect documentation to spell out what components go where. Too often, manuals don't tell all; LANsmart's is no exception.

We had our share of problems getting LANsmart runijing. The network software won't coexist with Microsoft's CDROM driver, so you can't share a CDROM drive with the network. Moreover, you cannot use a CD-ROM drive locally unless you unload the network software. LANsmart fought with SMARTDRV .SYS, so we ran our database server without it. We weren't cacheless, though; the program provides its own.

LANsmart's netshare command works with resource names. The connect command maps local drives and devices to names and displays a list of published resources. Tunable options include disk cache, network buffer, and print buffer.

LANsmart handles lost connections well. When we shut down a server and brought it back on-line, workstations reconnected to it transparently. By contrast, some other networks forced us to manually reconnect or, worse, to reboot. If a client crashes, leaving open files or active locks, you can use LANsmart's file utility to close them gracefully. Only LANsmart offered this valuable feature.

We did experience a lot of flakiness, though. Sporadically, machines hung while loading the network software or

crashed when we tried to reboot them. When more than two machines ran network-related processes concurrently, connections tended to break and workstations again hung. That's why the test results for LANsmart include no numbers for the database test: We couldn't consistently run the program on all four stations at once. D-Link's engineers tracked the loading problem to a bug in the new DX-lOO card's driver software and assured us that LANsmart works fine with their other network cards. A

I deally, a network operating system should provide both command-line and menu interfaces.

fix arrived too late for retesting.

With LANsmart's queue manager, users can see and modify just their own print jobs. The owner of a print queue can reorder print jobs or (unique to LANsmart) redirect a job to a different printer.

The mail facility can send a one-line message to an individual user, or broadcast it. Received messages time out after 15 seconds, so a workstation can continue processing if the recipient isn't home. When the recipient presses a key, the message reappears. Most other networks hang the receiving workstation until the recipient acknowledges the message.

Another convenience is chat, a splitscreen conferencing system for up to four users. Users can save a transcript of chat sessions to disk. All participants have to load their own copy of chat.

LANsmart left us with mixed feelings. We liked its symmetrical command/menu interface and its excellent handling of lost connections and open files. But even with extended memory to play with—and that's not an option for many users—a LANsmart server doesn't leave much room for client tasks.

GV LAN OS

With Grapevine's GV LAN OS, there's no need for script files to load NetBIOS, Share, redirector, and server modules.

Just type gv, and you're on the network. From there, GV LAN OS's 122K-byte RAM-resident menu program is just a hot key away. By means of pull-down menus, you set network control parameters, share and acquire network resources, apply access restrictions, and send or receive mail. A menu option saves drive mappings and other configuration information so that you don't have to bother with them again.

To lighten the memory burden, you can run gvsraall. It sheds the menus and frees up about 50K bytes. But then you're left with just a handful of commands. You can change drive mappings and printer connections and see who's online. To send mail, control print queues, or share resources, you have to reload the menu system.

Grapevine's 2.5-Mbps ARCnet cards include interfaces for twisted-pair or standard RG-62 coaxial cable. Our setup included coaxial cable, which we laid out in a bus topology using supplied BNC Tconnectors. The manuals do not provide any information on resolving configuration contentions, but the cards have plenty of alternate settings. An undocumented network-level diagnostic utility helped us check network connections but conflicted with GV LAN OS's installer. After we used it, we had to reboot all machines to install the network software properly.

The installer detects EMS memory and loads about 40K bytes of GV LAN OS into expanded memory. But GV LAN OS won't share EMS memory; running other programs that use EMS will cause conflicts.

Grapevine avoids sharenames in favor of direct mappings to the shared drive and path. Drives shared to the network are either public or password-protected, and they can have read, write, and create access restrictions. There's no facility for publishing shared resources to the network, so each user has to know what's available.

Unlike directories, printers are automatically public—and this confused us. You simply reach across the network and grab another machine's printer port. It took us a while to figure out that the "device installation" menu referred to remote, not local, devices. For example, to reach our print server's Epson from the database server, we had to execute an "install" procedure on the database server, specifying LPTl as the connection. It's a quirky method—the more so since all local ports map to the remote one. We much prefer attaching to an

continued

154 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

abstract name, such as \ \Debbi\Epson. Moreover, funneling all local ports to one remote means that you can't configure applications to print to different network printers—for example, XyWrite to a redirected LPTl and PageMaker to a redirected LPT2. You have to use GV LAN OS's "select a device" option, or run gvprint, to switch to an alternate network printer.

If you try to reboot a server that has files open, GV LAN OS complains. But you can't see a list of the open files or use the network software to close them.

GV LAN OS doesn't use a disk cache, and there's only one tunable parameter: You can dedicate a bit more DOS memory to the program. Nevertheless, GV LAN OS led the pack on our database test. Running the test locally, the server hardly degraded at all under load. It took just 12 seconds longer on average than when run in stand-alone mode. We did run into one snag. One of our tests redirects input to the DOS time command from a file containing a carriage return and a linefeed. For some strange reason, that redirection failed when we were running GV LAN OS.

The manuals that came with GV LAN OS did not mention shared CD-ROM drives, but Grapevine says that the software can do that if you are using version

2.0 of MSCDEX, Microsoft's CD-ROM driver. We had.jhe latest version of MSCDEX, 2.1, which didn't work. Grapevine says that it will support MSCDEX

2.1 by the time you read this. GV LAN OS ran our tape backup and multipurpose tests flawlessly.

The queue manager can pause, delete, or reorder print jobs. Given access to a queue, a user can modify any job.

You can unload the network with gvunload, but that tended to lock up our workstations; Grapevine acknowledged this problem. Also, clients don't always recover properly when servers go down. Normally, the software presents a "retry, cancel" dialog box; sometimes, though, clients just hang. When the server does come back, reconnection is automatic.

GV LAN OS's mail system was more complete than most. You can designate a server that will store and forward undeliverable mail. The program can attach files to messages; edit, forward, or file messages; and send mail to groups of users. An "e-forms" facility works with message templates. When we created a telephone memo, GV LAN OS aut matically filled in the From: and Date: fields each time we created a new message. One drawback is that E-mail messages

aren't private; users can view and delete any message on the mail server.

Only GV LAN OS can connect a laptop computer to a network workstation's serial port. The laptop becomes a slow, but fully functional, network node. It runs the same network software as all other stations. That's a great feature that we almost missed because, like so much else in GV LAN OS, it wasn't documented. To get it to work, we eventually discovered, you have to select dual media (ARCnet and serial, in our case) when

mpevine's GVLAN OS led

the pack on our database test.

installing the software on the bridge machine. Then you install GV LAN OS again, for serial transport only, on the laptop.

GV LAN OS has much to recommend it. We would have preferred a more complete command language, and we'd like see the TSR menu program run from the command line. But it turned in an excellent performance, and its full-featured mail menus and serial port connectivity set it apart from the other LANs tested.

MainLAN

MainLAN, even more than GV LAN OS, depends on menus. Once you've set up your network connections, you can unload the menus to save memory. But while GV LAN OS has a minimal command language, MainLAN offers none.

MainLAN uses more than 200K bytes of RAM on a fully configured server if you run the menu system as a TSR program, or 150K bytes if you run it as a normal program. Servers incur additional overhead—about 2K bytes—for each shared disk resource. The software does not support EMS memory, extended memory, or shadow RAM. But everything is modular, so you can subtract disk, print, or mail modules if necessary. Our three servers used between lOOK bytes and 150K bytes of RAM.

To our surprise, two of MainLAN's 4-Mbps adapters failed spectacularly. Glowing resistors, followed by smoke, prompted a call to U.S. Sage. The com

pany says—although the manual doesn't document this—that you have to connect all cabling and terminators before applying power. This bodes poorly for busy offices where cables can be inadvertently disconnected.

Once we'd obtained new adapters, MainLAN's diagnostic programs made testing the network adapters and twistedpair connections a snap. The diagtest program checks six parameters, including the IRQ line and the RAM address. Then it tries to communicate with respond, which runs on another station. Each node requires a unique name and number that you set during the installation procedure.

To share a disk drive, you assign an alias to a drive and path and then attach a password and access rights (read, write, create) to it. MainLAN didn't recognize our CD-ROM as a valid drive. We couldn't share it, but we could still use it locally while running the network software.

You can view each server's shared resources, but not as conveniently as we would like. Typically, you've got to work through a series of menus to find those resources. Then you have to find the menu where you'll apply what you've learned. That's generally true of MainLAN: Information is available, but it never seems to be at hand. You constantly have to back out two or three levels and then descend along another path.

You can access remote file systems with an interesting facility called files. It bypasses normal procedure; there's no formal network connection. The files facility confers the power to browse directories and to send, retrieve, rename, or erase files—everything but delete MainLAN leaves this back door open until you shut it with netsetup. Since users typically take the defaults that come with a system, files, though useful, could be dangerous.

MainLAN's mail facility designates one machine as mail server—a place to store undeliverable messages. You can send messages, with attached text files, to groups or to everyone on the network. You cannot send binary files because MainLAN puts a header at the top of each file it sends.

MainLAN has trouble with broken connections. When we turned off a server, workstations that tried to access its shared resources hung. The same thing happened when we tried to connect to a resource before the server had shared it. MainLAN prompted us before allowing a server reboot, but we couldn't check to see if other users had files open

continued

156 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

MAC LAN PERFORMANCE

Table 4: In both tests, a Mac Portable acted as the client machine, and a Mac SE was the server. Times are in seconds.

NETWORK FILE I/O TEST

LAN Read Write

TOPS 119 31

PSN 130 35

DATABASE TEST

LAN Duration

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on a server before powering it down.

A MainLAN client can't have multiple connections to remote printers. The divert command redirects that connection across the network; undivert restores local service. MainLAN's manual recommends against using serial printers because the network can send data to a serial device at only 36 characters per second.

When you print from an application, or even from DOS itself, entries in the print queue show up only as numbers. That's inconvenient. To cancel a job, you have to open the print queue menu, note its number, back up to the previous menu, select cancel, and type something like "PRINTJOB 000004." Only MainLAN's own print option attaches readable names to queue entries. Queue owners, like all other users, can delete only their own print jobs. If there's a problem, the queue owner must back out of the printer submenu and go to yet another submenu, local print, to clear all print jobs from the queue.

MainLAN demonstrates how little a network adapter's throughput ratings mean in terms of actual performance. Its 4-Mbps adapters had the fastest throughput rating of the products we tested, yet MainLAN turned in one of the slowest performances on our database test. MainLAN had one setting—number of cache blocks—that improved network performance, but raising it consumed more memory than we could spare.

MainLAN did almost everything that we asked of it. But despite its ability to unload program modules, it was still quite large when configured to meet our needs. It didn't support multiple remote

printers, and we seemed to hang systems too often.

The Mac Side TOPS

Mac-to-PC connectivity sets TOPS apart from the rest. A TOPS network "feels" like a Macintosh network, whether it is made up of Macs only, PCs only, or a mixture of the two. PCs use LocalTalk interface cards; Macs use their built-in LocalTalk hardware. Both speak ALAP, the AppleTalk Link Access Protocol. An AppleTalk network runs at 230,000 bps, but with TOPS FlashCards and FlashTalk drivers, PCs can communicate with one another at triple that rate—768,000 bps. A Mac that's equipped with a TOPS FlashBox and a FlashTalk driver can also go at 768,000 bps.

FlashTalk devices conduct arbitration with communications partners to determine if they're capable of the higher speed, so there's no problem mixing AppleTalk and FlashTalk on the same cable. TOPS can also run on Ethernet cabling, which can link PCs and adapterequipped SE- or Il-class Macs. We built a six-node network: three PCs (with FlashCards), two Macs (without FlashBoxes), and an AppleTalk-connected LaserWriter.

The Mac version of TOPS 3.0 now complies with the Mac OS's "shared environment extensions." That means it supports multiuser applications—notably FoxBase and 4th Dimension—that earlier versions of TOPS didn't.

TOPS, unlike PSN, doesn't use the AppleShare client interface. Both server and client operations flow from the TOPS desk accessory (DA), which displays the volumes that a server can publish (share) or that a client can mount (use). But TOPS and the AppleShare client software that ships with the Mac can coexist happily. We had no trouble mounting Mac- and PC-resident TOPS volumes side by side with AppleShare volumes on a Mac client.

Like PSN, TOPS does something that AppleShare doesn't: It can make a Mac into a nondedicated server. To compare the two networks, we ran our file I/O and database benchmarks on a two-station Mac network. We were able to run FoxBase interactively on both stations against shared databases, but our benchmark program—which hammers on the data—hung both machines several times. (TOPS, however, has been unable to reproduce this problem.) So for the database test, we ran just one station—the cli

ent. The results were practically a dead heat. TOPS was marginally faster on the file I/O test, and PSN was just barely faster on the database test.

The TOPS spooler is another feature that AppleShare lacks. Also implemented as a DA, it captures and stores LaserWriter-destined output. The spooler works only with network printers; you cannot spool to a local, serially connected ImageWriter. Features of the spooler include the ability to delete items from the print queue, reorder the queue, hold or release the queue, and reset the LaserWriter with a specified Laser Prep file.

TOPS/DOS 3.0 improves on earlier versions of TOPS for the PC in several ways. Most notably, it can use Rational Systems' D0S/16M to load most of itself into extended memory on a 286 or 386 PC. That is critical because, although TOPS can make a PC into a file and print server, you won't have room to do much else on a 640K-byte machine.

TOPS/DOS 3.0's support for the Mac's Hierarchical File System (HFS) makes a PC server much more attractive to Mac clients. TOPS has cleaned up its act on the PC, too. Previously, PCs configured as Macintosh file servers found their hard disks littered with hidden files. TOPS/DOS 3.0 consolidates all these hidden files into hidden databases that occur just once per directory.

On the PC, TOPS presents a smorgasbord of options. There are file server, print server, file client, network printer client, remote printer client, and local printer client modules. Each loads separately and exacts its price in RAM. If you load the full set of TOPS services into low memory on a 640K-byte PC, you'll cripple it. In that configuration, TOPS consumes more than 300K bytes.

With 1 MB of extended memory to play with, it's a different story; when you load high, maximal TOPS eats only about 50K bytes of real memory. Watch out for other extended memory managers, though. On the Dell, we had been using both SMARTDRV.SYS, which is the Microsoft Windows disk cache, and QEMM, Quarterdeck's expanded memory simulator. Things worked erratically unless we threw out one or the other. Although both D0S/16M and QEMM comply with VCPI (Virtual Control Program Interface), SMARTDRV.SYS doesn't, and that may have been the problem.

A printer that is connected to a PC and shared with the network is a remote printer in TOPS lingo, as opposed to a network printer, which is a LaserWriter

continued

158 BYTE* JUNE 1990

All the power of The Software Link's PC-MOS operating system. All the benefits of both individual and networked PCs.

All in one high-performance, low-cost, multi-tasking system. With no terminals and no additional PCs — unless you want to optionally use your old XTs or ATs.

The UnTerminal™ UnNetwork.™

It's the ideal multiuser system for personal computer users.

UnTerminal monitor-keyboard workstations cost less than terminals. Less than text-only "intelligent I/O" solutions. Less than fiber-optic graphics solutions.

An independently operating UnTerminal workstation outperforms them all. With faster

UnNetwork.

Inexpensive monitor-keyl workstations replace costly ter minals and PCs on the UnTerminal UnNetwork: multiuser and popular PC p at the same tim with no terminals or PCs—or use any XTs and ATs you happen to have.

The UnTerminal Video Adapter up to 4 compatible

eUnleiminal Video Graphics supports up lor graphics ions-resoluup to 800x600.

erminal Card makes Tinto a ing, multiuser ation.

screen refresh — text and graphics. Instant switching between single and multiuser screens. Running popular DOS applications. And making every user feel like the only user.

Just add PC-MOS, monitors & keyboards.

The Software Link's PC-MOS multiplies the power of your PC. Why pay extra just to get the boxes? You can run up to eight color or 16 monochrome UnTerminal workstations per system — and save thousands.

Distributed by The Software Link, Inc.

For more information, call: The Software Link, Inc. at (800) 451-LINK or (404) 448-5465.

800 X 600 VGA graphics using the UnTerminal (VGNA).

The PC-MOS UnTerminal

Now XTs cind ATs can be UnTermineds, too. Hotkey between local and host applications using the UnTerminal (VCCA).

THE SOFTWARE LINK

PC-MOS MULTIUSER SYSTEMS WITHOUT TERMINALS

The Software Link, Inc., 3577 Parkway Lane, Norcross, GA 30092. Phone: (800) 451-LINK or (404) 448-5465, FAX: (404) 263-6474, Telex: 4996147 SWLINK.

PC-MOS is a trademark of The Software Link. Inc. UnTerminal. Un.Network, Video Network Adapter. Video Connect Card Adapter and Video Graphics Network Adapter are trademarks of Advance Micro Research, Inc.

Circle 312 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 313)

PRODUCT FOCUS

Low-Cost LANs

COMPANY INFORMATION

Artisoft, Inc.

Fresh Technology Group

The Lambda Group

(LANtastic 2.57)

(Map Assist: $349)

(Pipes Drive)

Artisoft Plaza

1478 North Tech Blvd., Suite 101

555 DeHaro St.

575 East River Rd.

uilbert, AZ 85234

San Francisco, CA 94107

Tucson, AZ 85704

(602) 497-4200

(415) 626-4545

(602) 293-6363

Inquiry 1075.

$395 per server

2-Mbps starter kit (two adapters,

Inquiry 1079.

cabling, and software): $525

Grapevine LAN Products, Inc.

Additional adapters: $249

//^ \ 7 T A XT r\C 1 1 \

(OV LAN OS 1.1)

TOPS

Inquiry 1072.

15323 Northeast 90th St.

(TOPS, TOPS/DOS 3.0)

Redmond, WA 98052

950 Marina Village Pkwy.

Corvus Systems, Inc.

(206) 869-2707

Alameda, CA 94501

(KeaaylNet 1 .U)

Five-node site license: $695

(415) /oy-yoby

loU Oreat (Jaks blva.

A ri/^—^* ^.^A (Tine

AKCnet adapters and cable: $295

Network Bundle for Macintosh:

San Jose, CA 95119

Inquiry 1076.

S299 per node

^^ TOOT

(800) 426-7887

Network Bundle for DOS:

(408) 281-4100

Information Processing

$249 per node

ReadyNet starter kit (two adapters.

Technologies, Inc.

FlashCard for PC: $239

cabling, and software): $499

(PSN 1.1)

FlashBox for Mac: $189

Add-On kit (card, cabling, and

5000 North Pkwy., Suite 304

Inquiry 1080.

software): $249 per node

Calabasas, CA 91372

Inquiry 1073.

(800) 233-9993

U.S. sage. Inc.

(818) 347-7791

(MainLAN 2.14)

U-L/ink systems, inc.

Two-server license: $289; four

zuU5 tree rork Lane, Suite 125

/T A XT .

(LANsmart 2.0)

server license: $529; 10-server license:

Longwood, FL 32750

5 Musick

$999; each additional user: $189

(407) 331-4400

Irvine, CA 92718

Inquiry 1077.

Starter pack (two adapters, software.

(714)455-1688

and cable): $499

LANsmart starter kit (two adapters,

Invisible Software, Inc.

Extension pack (adapter and cable):

cable, and software): $495

(Net/30 1.52)

$199

Additional ARCnet cards and cable:

1165 Chess Dr., Suite D

Inquiry 1081.

$195

Foster City, CA 94404

Inquiry 1074.

(415) 570-5967

Model 200 adapter card, cable,

and software: $215

Inquiry 1078.

operating as an independent network node. You attach a remote or network printer to a client's printer port in a way that's reminiscent of the Mac's Chooser interface.

A third variety, the local printer, enables a client to spool to its locally attached printer and to coordinate the use of that printer with other clients that view it as a remote. Thanks to TOPS's network-oriented print services, it delivered better LaserWriter support to PCs than did most of the PC networks we tried. TOPS can even convert a PC text file to PostScript, in case you're working with an application that doesn't come with a PostScript driver.

We configured several machines as clients only, to try our database benchmark (see table 4). We were able to run the benchmark concurrently on a PC server and on several PC clients. When we added a Macintosh client, all four machines locked up. However, on the

less intensive interactive test, all went well. Both PC and Mac clients were able to access and lock records stored on a PC server.

We weren't able to get a PC TOPS server to share our Hitachi CD-ROM drive. But with a Mac TOPS server, we did succeed in sharing Apple's CD-ROM drive. PSN can't do that; it fails trying to write information to the unwritable CDROM disk. AppleShare itself faces the same problem, but it offers a workaround: It can write to the start-up volume instead.

TOPS exhibited several annoying quirks. If you try to unpublish a volume that clients are using, TOPS will warn you, but it does nothing to catch ControlAlt-Delete on a server. TOPS won't automatically reestablish lost connections; you've got to unmount and remount a remote drive if its server goes down. Several times, we found servers and clients in disagreement as to the status of a vol

ume and had to reboot both to clear things up.

You can unload some or all of the TOPS TSR modules, but we sometimes had problems doing so. For example, the tops unload command won't complete if you've got a volume published. But you can't then unpublish the volume. You need the server module for that, which— catch-22—TOPS did manage to unload. In general, TOPS/DOS users need to know more than they may want to about what the TOPS modules are and how they interact with one another.

In the final analysis, TOPS 3.0, although greatly improved, remains a Mac-oriented solution. As such, it's outstanding. There's no cheaper or easier way to network Macs and PCs. InBox, an excellent E-mail program that's now bundled with PC and Mac versions of TOPS 3.0, adds significant value to the packages. One interesting application for

continued

160 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Seagate's Technology

THE FINE ART OF

DISC DRIVES!

-J

0 the naked eye, disc drives haven't changed much in the past few years. While the visible aspects have remained the same, the parts you can't see have improved dramatically What used to be megabytes are now gigabytes. And Seagate is at the forefront of this technological revolution.

We've not only increased capacities, but we've found ways to make drives faster and more reliable. For example, Zone Bit Recording"' is a recording technique that permits higher capacity and faster average data transfer rates than conventional recording methods. Our straight-arm actuator has 60% less mass than most other designs, givmg our Wren"' and Sabre"' families lightning-quick access performance. And by increasing spindle rotation 50% to 5400 RPM, we've significantly increased the transfer rate and reduced the latency in our 1.5 GB Elite™ drive.

As a result of these and other technological improvements. Seagate now offers drives from 20 MB to 2.5 GB in the widest range of form factors and interfaces imaginable, for almost even,' conceivable application. And we"re not through yet.

Like the artist who spends years perfecting his craft, Seagate has spent the past decade mastering the fine art of disc drives. To get a first-hand look at the state-of-the-art, contact your authorized Seagate distributor, or call Seagate directly: 800-468-DISC, or 408-438-6550.

^Seagate

Zone Bit Recording, Wren. Sabre and Eliie are nademailts of a wholly-ouned subsidiary ofSeagateTechnoloEy. Inc.;

Seaeaie and the Seagate loeo are reeisiered irsdemaiks of Seagaie Technolog); Inc. S1990 Seagaie Technolog;-. Inc.

Circle 272 on Reader Service Card

RUPP TECHNOLOGY

presents DPT SmartCache™ Controller for ESDI, RLL or ST506 drives

• 0.5 ms Access Time

• 4.5 MBytes of Cache in a Single Slot

• Cache Expandable to 16 MBytes

• On-board 68000 microprocessor

• Supports All Operating Systems - No

Drivers!

• Fault Tolerance Hardware Disk

Mirroring Option

New release for ESDI also has:

• Floppy controller built-in!

• Optional SCSI adaptor built-in!

Not just a memory cache, but an intelligent controller card with advanced caching features such as: automatic disk read-ahead and elevator sorting during cache writeback.

Created by DPT, the recognized leader in disk controller design and development, this is the most effective performance tool ever available for disk-intensive applications. It looks exactly like a standard AT disk controller to your computer, so it operates transparently -no special drivers are needed. Compatibility with all PC operating systems is assured. Also, with the addition of the Hardware Disk Mirroring option, the controller can write data to two disk drives simultaneously providing true disk fault tolerance for any 286/386 AT system.

M3011/75 Caching Controller $1125

M3011E Hardware Disk Mirroring . .S795

Call:

New York FAX

Colorado FAX

212/517-7775 212/249-8243

303/494-5987 303/494-6084

Dealer Inquiries Welcome Charge Cards Accepted: Amex, Visa, MC Exceptional Computer Products

RUPP

TECHNOLOGY

Rupp Technology 835 Madison Avenue New York City, NY 10021

PRODUCT FOCUS

TOPS would be to implement an inexpensive PC server for an otherwise predominantly Macintosh network. But what once was true of TOPS still is: There are better ways to build an all-PC peer network.

Personal Service Network

If the Macintosh could run AppleShare server software and ordinary applications at the same time, you wouldn't have to dedicate a whole Mac SE- or Il-class machine to lowly file service. Information Processing Technologies' (IPT) PSN does the trick. We installed PSN on a Mac SE, published a hard disk, and went on a tour of the office. LocalTalk cabling connects the Mac to seven or eight other machines. Because they're all AppleShare clients, they could immediately see and mount our volume, side by side with our regular AppleShare server.

Like AppleShare, PSN uses the network client software that comes with the Macintosh. From the client's perspective, PSN servers show up in the Chooser. They coexist with and are indistinguishable from AppleShare servers.

Like TOPS, PSN creates a peer network. But while every TOPS node, client or server, costs S299, you pay for PSN servers only. PSN comes on a single disk configured for two, four, or 10 servers; corresponding prices are $289, $529, and $999. Since any number of clients can connect to each server by means of the AppleShare client software that they already own, PSN will in most cases cost a lot less than TOPS.

The PSN installer ran smoothly, although we wondered why it asked whether we'd like to modify the Mac's boot block. When we launched the server software, we discovered the answer. Weird crashes sent us back to the installer, which we used to boost the size of the Mac's system heap (and, while we were at it, bump up the maximum number of open files). It felt strange, but, let's face it, the Mac has lost its innocence. INITs, DAs, and cdevs have done to the Mac what TSR programs have done to the PC: made a mess. PSN's boot block technique, though slightly scary, guarantees a safe playground for PSN's INIT and whatever else you start up with.

We installed PSN on the same two Macs we used to test TOPS—a 1-MB Portable and a 4-MB SE. IPT recommends 2 MB of RAM for a server, but some applications—we tried MindWrite and HyperCard—can coexist with the PSN server in just 1 MB. As with TOPS, applications multitask acceptably with the server. During times of moderate to

Low-CosT LANs

heavy network use, screen updates become jerky, and applications must often wait for the disk.

Still, everything worked. In fact, PSN, unlike TOPS, successfully ran our database test concurrently on a server and a client. That may have been a result of what IPT calls "loopback mode." When you start up a PSN server, the software logs you onto your own machine. Because the network software handles both local and remote disk access, it can ensure that the two processes mesh gracefully.

If you've worked with the AppleShare server software, you'll feel right at home with PSN. You can grant users the same privileges: "see folders," "see files," and "make changes." Administration of a PSN server is straightforward and uncomplicated.

PSN doesn't do spooled printing or Email, as TOPS does. But if you need a Mac file server and cannot spare a Mac, check this product out. It's a real gem. If a forthcoming PC version of PSN pans out, TOPS could face some serious competition.

The Final Analysis

Every vendor claims that its network is easy to use. In most cases that's true, once you've plowed through setup and configuration. But successful networking—particularly peer networking—requires thought and effort. All these products should acknowledge that and provide task-oriented documentation. Only TOPS, in its Applications Compatibility Supplement, does this thoroughly. We'd like to see a lot less clamor about "ease of use" and a lot more practical advice detailing when, why, and how to apply the tools provided.

Of the PC-only networks, we recommend LANtastic, Net/30, and GV LAN OS, in that order. LANtastic is clearly the best bet for the 640K-byte-and-under crowd; it's also a solid all-around performer. So is Net/30, which quietly handled everything that we asked it to do. GV LAN OS, newly incarnated on ARCnet, runs fast, offers the best E-mail system, and supports laptop connectivity. On the Mac side, we recommend both TOPS and PSN, for different reasons: TOPS to connect Macs and PCs, and PSN for all-Mac, AppleShare-compatible networks. ■

Jon Udell is a BYTE senior editor at large. Rob Mitchell is a BYTE technical editor. They can be contacted on BIX as "judell" and "rob_mitchell," respectively.

162 BYTE* JUNE 1990

If you need disk performance, PSI's got your number..

See us at Spring COMDEX Booth ttI-787

r" GigaBytes of Storage

■ I I '^^^ hyperSTORE supports an incredible 50.4GigaBytes

The hyperSTORE supports on incredible 50.4GigaBytes of high performance on-line storage using today's drive technology. And as drive standards and capacities Improve, the unique controller plus Mediadapfer ™ design protects your investment by allowing you to add new drive interfaces,

Hard Disk Drives

28

2 Q MegaBytes of Cache

The hyperSTORE controls up to 8 MFM, RLL, or ESDI drives, up to 28 SCSI drives, or any combination of drives, each group on an independent interface for Improved performance through frue simultaneous operation. And all drives are cached in the hyperSTORE's on-board cache memory.

Add as little as 512KBytes of RAM to a zero-ZChyperSTORE and enter the fast lone of computing. As your needs increase, simply plug in standard SIMM memory to odd to the cache, After filling the 4MByte on-board capacity, our 16MByte expansion card brings the total to 20MBytes.

4

MegaBytes per Second

Data transfer rates of 4MBytes/second burst and over 2,5MBytes/second susfa/nedmake your diskIntensive applications run amazingly fast. Imagine jobs that used to take an hour, now taking as little as seven minutes. That's the kind of real-world performance the hyperSTORE delivers.

A Interface Standards

2

Medladapters allowthe hyperSTORE to concurrenf//control MFM, RLL, ESDI, and SCSI drives. So you can mix and match to build the ideal controller for /ourapppllcotlon. And when you add a new drive, you can upgrade to the latest technology without throwing away your old drives.

Compatibility Modes

Select WD-1003 mode for 100% compatibility with standard operating systems like Unix, Xenix, and Netware-386. Or switch to native mode and take advantage of the benefits provided by our SSP (Standard Storage Protocol) interface under DOS, PC-MOS, Windows, and Netware-286,

TM

hyperSTORE-1600

Dual-Mode Caching Disk Controiler

©}989byPSi. All rights reserved. hyperSTORS. Mediadapfer. and the PSI logo are trademarks of Perceptive Solutions, inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companiesSpecifications subject to change. Ad Code: PW9001.

Perceptive Solutions, Inc. • 2700 Flora Street • Dallas, Texas 75201 (800) 486-FAST • (214) 954-1774 • Fax: (214) 953-1774

European Inquiries: 415-284-9505 • Fax: 415-284-3238

Domestic inquiries: Circle Reader Service No. 231

International inquiries: Circle Reader Service No. 232

SYSTEM

REVIEW

Two to Grow On

With most personal computers, to get a faster CPU you must replace either the motherboard or the entire system. Two vendors, Advanced Logic Research (ALR) and AST Research, offer systems that let you upgrade their CPUs as your wallet permits. While the two companies offer similar CPU options, their approaches to the CPU upgrade problem are very different.

ALR's PowerFlex gives you a relatively cheap path to a 486. The $1495 base system, the Model 40, starts with a 12.5MHz 286 CPU on the motherboard, a

Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings

socket for either an 8-MHz 80287 or a 12.5-MHz 80C287A math coprocessor, 1 megabyte of memory, a 3'/2-inch 1.44MB floppy disk drive, a 40-MB hard disk drive, a serial port, a parallel port, a disk of system utilities, and a keyboard. All you need to get going is a video adapter (ALR's VGA card, which adds a second parallel port, costs S329), a monitor (ALR's VGA monitor costs S499), and DOS (MS-DOS 3.3 is S85 from ALR). Our evaluation system included these extras and an additional 4 MB of memory ($796), for a total tab of $3204.

The 286 system is just the starting point. You can step up to a 16-MHz 386SX with the $395 PowerFlex 386SX module, or you can choose a 25-MHz 486 with the $1995 PowerFlex i486 module. Our fully equipped evaluation system with the 386SX CPU ran $3599, $5199 with the i486—pretty inexpensive for a complete 486 system with 5 MB of memory. If you purchased a 386SX module, ALR will refund your $395 when you purchase the i486 module.

AST's upgradable offerings cost quite a bit more—but they're also much faster. The base Premium 386SX/16 system costs $2695, for which you get a 16-MHz 386SX, a socket for a 16-MHz 80387SX coprocessor, 1 MB of memory (expandable to 4 MB), 16K bytes of 35-nanosecond static RAM (SRAM) cache managed by an Intel 82385SX cache controller, your choice of either a 5'/4-inch 1.2-MB or a 3 '/2-inch 1.44-MB floppy disk drive, an AST VGA graphics adapter, two serial ports, one parallel port, a disk of system utilities, and a keyboard.

To construct a system comparable to the ALR PowerFlex 386SX configuration, you'd also need a VGA monitor (AST's is $695). a 40-MB hard disk drive ($700 from AST), MS-DOS 3.3 ($95 from AST), and an additional 3 MB of memory ($900). That system costs $5085—$1486 more than the comparable ALR unit. (Our review system included a total of 8 MB of RAM, raising the price by $1700.)

To upgrade this AST system to a 25MHz i486 CPU, you just buy an AST Fastboard 486/25 and replace the 386SX processor card with the new card. The Fastboard 486/25, which includes 4 MB of RAM, lists for $6395, but when you send AST your 386SX card, the company credits you 35 percent of the list price of the i486 card. Thus, you actually shell out $4157 for the i486 card. That brings our comparison 486 system's price to $8342—over $3000 more than the comparable PowerFlex.

The ALR PowerFlex (top) and AST Premium 386SX/16, with processor modules.

164 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Photo 1: The compact PowerFlex CPU cards don't include on-board RAM; both the 386SX and i486 modules access motherboard memory through an AT bus. This design restricts the i486 module's performance but lets ALR price the i486 more aggressively.

Photo 2: The Premium 386SX/16'sproprietary 32-bit memory architecture gives its processor cards a performance edge over ALR's PowerFlex, but at a much greater price. Each card has room for 4 MB of SIMM-mounted RAM; additional memory slots let you expand memory to 16 MB, or to 36 MB with the 486/25 module installed.

Price Isn't the Only Thing

If all you consider is price, then ALR's PowerFlex is the clear winner. But don't judge on price alone; you should also consider performance. That's where the AST systems shine. The AST Premium 386SX/16 beats the PowerFlex 386SX by about 14 percent on BYTE's overall application index. Moving up to the i486 CPU in both machines, the Premium wins on the overall application index by 42 percent (see the table and figure).

If the PowerFlex wins on price and the Premium wins on overall performance, it's natural to wonder which computer wins on price/performance, that muchabused industry-staple catchphrase. Comparing 486 systems, the Premium costs about 60 percent more than the PowerFlex but delivers 42 percent better overall performance—so the PowerFlex has the better price/performance ratio. If you compare 386SX systems, the Premium costs about 41 percent more than the PowerFlex but delivers only about 14 percent better overall performance—so the PowerFlex once again gets the price/ performance nod.

Still, we think that comparing these two systems is something of a mug's game. They're clearly oriented differently—the Premium toward high performance at high prices, and the PowerFlex toward modest prices with similarly modest performance. The dissimilar architectures of these two machines support this claim.

The PowerFlex is basically a midrange 286 with a way to upgrade the CPU grafted onto it. The motherboard uses four of the five standard Chips & Technologies NEAT (New Enhanced AT) applicationspecific integrated circuits; it's missing only the optional C&T EMS mapper. All the memory goes on the motherboard, which uses the interleaving architecture of the C&T memory interleave controller ASIC to avoid wait states. The base 1 MB on the motherboard is in 256K-byte, 80ns single in-line memory modules. You

can add only 4 MB more, courtesy of four SIMM sockets on the motherboard that can hold 1-MB or 256K-byte SIMMs. Because of the interleaved memory architecture, you must add SIMMs in pairs. Ail memory is on the AT-style bus on the motherboard.

While the 386SX is designed to work with a standard AT bus, you really pay for that slow bus when you install the i486—hence the ALR system's relatively poor i486 performance. Both the 386SX and the i486 processor modules use the memory on the motherboard; neither has its own memory. The 386SX module has a socket for an 80387SX coprocessor, while the i486 module relies on the math coprocessor built into the i486 chip.

Both processor modules are small and easy to install (see photo 1). You just plug the card into a special feature connector on the motherboard, and you're in business. You don't have to mess with any DIP switches or software setup options.

The AST processor cards are also easy

to install, but that's where the similarity between the internals of these two machines ends (see photo 2). The Premium 386SX/16 is a member of AST's CUPID (Completely Universal Processor and I/O Design) line of systems. AST designed the CUPID systems to be both expandable and fast. Consequently, all the system memory and CPU support is on processor cards designed to run at full speed.

The CUPID motherboard itself provides all the basic system services aside from CPU and memory. It contains a Western Digital floppy disk drive controller chip, as well as chips that support IDE (Integrated Device Electronics; AST prefers the term AT-embedded) hard disk drives and the I/O ports.

All the interesting action is on the processor cards, which are full-length expansion cards that can plug into any of the three proprietary 16-/32-bit slots on the motherboard. These slots have a proprietary extended connector near the

continued

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 165

REVIEW

Two To Grow On

PowerFlex Model 40 Company

Advanced Logic Research, Inc. 9401 Jeronimo Irvine, CA92718 (714) 581-6770

Components

Processor: 12.5-MH2 286 with socket for 8-MHz Intel 80287 or 12.5-MHz 80C287A FPU on motherboard; 16MHz Intel 386SX and socket for 16-MHz Intel 80387SX FPU on the 386SX upgrade module; 25-MHz Intel i486 on the i486 upgrade module Memory: 1 MB of 80-ns DRAM in 256Kbyte DIPs on motherboard, expandable to 5 MB on motherboard using 1-MB SIMMs

Mass storage: SVa-inch 1.44-MB Teac floppy disk drive; 40-MB 28-ms 3y2-inch Western Digital IDE hard disk drive Display: Optional Nanao FlexScan 8060H multisync monitor Keyboard: 101-key modified IBM Enhanced AT layout I/O Interfaces: 25-pin serial port; two 25-pin parallel ports; one 8-bit and five 16-bit expansion slots (five open)

Price

Base system: $1495

As tested with the PowerFlex 386SX

module: $3599 As tested with the PowerFlex i486

module: $5199

Inquiry 854.

front of the unit and a standard AT-style 16-bit expansion slot near the rear, so you can also use any empty slots for normal expansion cards. As with the ALR processor modules, you can just plug in these cards and get to work; the system recognizes which processor you're using without any effort on your part.

The i486 processor card relies on the SRAM cache and cache controller in the i486, but there's a socket for a Weitek WTL4167 coprocessor if you want to increase your floating-point performance. The card comes standard with 4 MB of memory in four 1-MB 80-ns SIMMs, which supports the 32-bit burst-mode memory transfers of the i486. This card does a good enough job that the Premium 486/25 beat by 4 percent the overall ap

Premium 386SX/16 and 486/25

Company

AST Research, Inc. 16215 Alton Pkwy. Irvine, OA 92718 (714) 727-4141

Components

Processor: 16-MHz Intel 386SX and socket for 16-MHz Intel 80387SX FPU on 386SX/16 processor card; 25-MHz Intel i486 with socket for 25-MHz Weitek WTL4167 FPU on the 486/25 processor card

Memory: 1 MB of 80-ns DRAM in one 1-MB SIMM on the 386SX/16 processor card; 16K-byte35-nsSRAM cache; 4 MB of 80-ns DRAM in four 1 -MB SIMMs on the 486/25 processor card, expandable to 16 M B for the 386SX/16 and to 36 MB for the 486/25 using 1-MB SIMMs on the processor cards (up to 4 MB) and on optional memory-expansion cards Mass storage: SVA-inch 1.2-MB Teac floppy disk drive; 40-MB 28-ms Conner Peripherals IDE hard disk drive Display: AST Premium Display/VGA 13-inch VGA monitor Keyboard: 101-key IBM Enhanced AT keyboard layout

I/O interfaces: Two 25-pin serial ports; one 25-pin parallel port; one 8-bit and six 16-bit AT-style expansion slots (five open; three 16-bit slots have extended connectors that accept a processor or memory card)

Price

Base system: $2695

As tested with the 386SX/16 processor

card: $6785 As tested with the 486/25 processor

card: $10,041.75

Inquiry 855.

plication index of the Dolch-P. A.C. 48625 portable, the only other shipping i486 system BYTE has benchmarked.

In keeping with the high-performance orientation of these CUPID systems, and unlike the ALR systems, you are not limited to the 4 MB of memory on the processor cards. You can add memory by buying an $800 AST memory-expansion card that, like the processor cards, plugs into the proprietary system connectors; thus, the CPU has a full 32-bit path to all system memory. Each memory-expansion card can hold up to 16 MB in 16 1-MB SIMMs; the three proprietary system connectors give you room for two such cards. With two memory-expansion cards, therefore, you could configure a Premium 486/25 with 36 MB.

Getting Along

With all these CPU options, we were wondering if we'd have compatibility problems, so we ran our full test suite of around two dozen programs and several hardware options on both AST processor cards and all three ALR CPU configurations. Both AST processor options successfully ran every program we threw at them, and they worked with all our test hardware.

The three ALR processor options were almost as successful. We uncovered only one tiny problem: When we tested Digitalk's Smalltalk/V 1.2 with a Microsoft mouse driver loaded after NetWare was up and running, all three ALR CPU configurations caused a short beep when we pressed both mouse buttons to summon Smalltalk's menus. The menus still appeared, however, so this is not a big problem. An ALR spokesperson said that the company was not familiar with this problem, but that it would investigate and fix it.

The Rest of the Story

Aside from their array of CPU options, both systems are fairly standard PC compatibles. Both use 3'/2-inch 40-MB, 1-to1 interleave, 28-millisecond IDE hard disk drives—a Western Digital drive in the ALR PowerFlex and a Conner Peripherals drive in the AST Premium. Both vendors offer VGA monitors and 16-bit VGA cards. Both keyboards are reasonable, although the Premium's exactly follows the IBM Enhanced AT keyboard layout, while the PowerPlex's modifies that layout with the common fat Enter key.

The machines even have similar expansion options, although the Premium wins on drive bays: With the 40-MB hard disk drives in both systems, the Premium has three open 5 (4-inch half-height bays to the PowerPlex's two. The PowerFlex has six expansion slots, five 16-bit and one 8-bit; one 16-bit slot holds the video card, and the other slots are open. The Premium has seven expansion slots, one 8-bit and six 16-bit; three of the 16-bit slots have the proprietary extended connector. With processor and video cards, the Premium has five open slots, just like the PowerFlex.

Both units come with system manuals, but here the Premium is way ahead of the PowerFlex. The PowerPlex's small manual tells you what you need to get going with the system, but little more. The Premium's manual is far larger and more comprehensive.

On the service side, both vendors offer a one-year parts-and-labor warranty.

166 BYTE' JUNE 1990

REVIEW

Two TO Grow On

YTE BENCHMARK INDEXES

The BYTE indexes show the AST Premium's performance edge over the ALR PowerFlex. We 've included other systems in the table for comparison. (We did not run the full BYTE benchmark table due to space limitations.)

LOW-LEVEL

APPLICATIONS

CPU FPU Disk I/O Video Word Spreadsheet Database Scientific/ Compiler

CUM. APP. INDEX

processing

engineering

AST Premium 486/25

6.75

28.46

1.78

2.77

5.93

5.58

2.21

9.81

3.83

27.36

ALR PowerFlex i486

4.25

25.47

1.88

3.87

3.90

4.97

1.81

5.89

2.69

19.26

Dolch-P.A.C. 486-25

6.20

28.20

2.48

1.81

5.18

5.35

2.68

8.15

4.94

26.30

AST Premium 386SX

2.36

5.17

1.70

2.06

2.36

2.47

1.85

3.21

2.14

12,03

ALR PowerFlex 386SX

1.80

5.14

1,63

1.79

2.09

2.27

1.60

2.93

1.65

10.55

Compaq 386s

1.86

5.03

1.78

1.87

2.24

2.15

2.06

3.01

2.05

11.51

ALR PowerFlex 286

1.66

1.88

1.38

1.51

1.83

1.73

1.52

2.14

1.43

8.65

Dell System 200

1.60

1.72

4.05

1.09

1.83

2.01

1.31

1.74

1.46

8.34

Note: Benchmark table irxludes index numbers only; full benchmark results are available on request. All results are indexed to show relative performance; for a!i indexes, an 8-MH2 IBM PC AT = 1. For a full description of all the benchmarks, see "Introducing the New BYTE Benchmarks," June 1988 BYTE.

BYTE BENCHMARKS

40

LOW-LEVEL INDEX

30 20 10

APPLICATION INDEX

10 20

30

SI CPU U3 FPU

Disk I/O O Video

AST Premium 486/25 ALR PowerFlex i486 AST Premium 386SX/16 ALR PowerFlex 386SX ALR PowerFlex 286 Dolch-P.A.C 486-25 Compaq 386s Dell System 200 IBM PC AT

27.4'

19.3

12.3

10.6

8.6

26.3

11.5

8.3

5.0

Word Processing mn Spreadsheet CI3 Database [Z] Scientific/Engineering CIl Compilers CZ]

' Cumulative application index. Grapiis are based on indexes above and show relative performance. Longer bars indicate better performance.

with your dealer as the first line of support. ALR also offers on-site service from Intel for an additional fee.

If you need a PC that combines a CPU upgrade option with excellent performance, and if you've got the bucks to pay

for that combination, go with the AST Premium. If you want to be able to move to the 386SX or i486 world someday, but you're on a budget and willing to sacrifice some performance, choose the ALR PowerFlex. ■

Mark L. Van Name and Bill Catchings are BYTE contributing editors. Both are also independent computer consultants and freelance writers based in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can reach them on BIX as "mvanname " and "wbc3, " respectively.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 167

TTie Dell System®316LT laptop. Other laptops pale by comparison. An opinion shared by PC Magazine, which recently named the Dell System 316IT Editor's Choice.

In fact, they called it "fully formed, functional and smacking of solid technology."

Inside this sleek design there's an intense 16 MHz 386'"SX system with up to 8 MB of RAM, a 20,40 or 120 MB hard drive, and a 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette drive.

The 316IT also features an expansion slot that accepts any half-length industry standard expansion card.

And a "Continuous Power Battery System" including two batteries that lets you maintain your screen even while you change batteries.

Everything you now enjoy on your desktop, in a laptop. For under $3500 for a 20 MB system. With leasing plans as low as $127 a month!' TTie Dell System 316LT also comes with support and service rated #1 in 6 out of 6 PC Week polls of customer satisfaction, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and one-year of on-site service. So if you ever have a problem while you're on the road, there'll be a technician from Xerox Corporation, there to service it by the next business day.'^ Anywhere in the continental U.S.

Give us a call and we'll go into the details with you.

$5999

COMPAQ SLT286 12 MHz 80C286 4CMB

640 KB RAM

\'GA

14 lbs.

$5999'

ZENITH SuperSportSX 16 MHz 80386SX 40 MB 1MBRAM VGA 16.8 lbs.

$8499

NEC

ProSpeedCSX

16 MHz

80386SX

40 MB

2MBR.AM

VGA

18.5 lbs.

$5999

TOSHIBA T3100SX 16 MHz 80386SX 40 MB 1MB RAM VGA 14.9 lbs.

DELL

COMPUTER

CORPORATION

So much for business travel being dull.

800-365-1490

For Network or UNIX' Information. 800-678-UNIX.

for Dell m Caimk. coli 800-387-5752

MM

EDITOR'S CHOICE

$3799

DELL316LT 16MH:80386SX 40 MB, 1MB RAM, VGA 15 lbs.

£ 1990 Ml Computer Corporation. Allnghis resen'eii. DELL SYSTEM is a registered rradematl: or Deli CompjcerCorporanon. 'Source: Dataquest Inc. (Spec Check, Winter 1990). 3S6 is a trademark ot irMel Corporaticn. Leasing airanged K Leasing Group, Inc. '"Rjvments based tin a 36-month, open-end lease. In Canada, configurations and prices tnav'N'arv. UNIX 15 a registered trademark of m the U.S. and other coimtries. Other trademarki aivi trade nances are used to identifv the entities claiming the

marb and names or their products. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims anv proprietary-interest in trademarks and rraie tiames other than its own. -KJn-site sen-ice ma\-not be a\-ailable in certain remote locations. Ser\'ice within the contiguous U.S. only.

Circle 82 on Reader Service Card

HARDWARE

Greg Loveria

REVIEW

Window Wonderland

The DVA-4000 videographics board displays real-time video images on a VGA monitor.

For years I've mused about the possibilities of simultaneously displaying live video and standard applications on my VGA monitor. Recently, my musing turned to contentment, thanks to Digital Video Architecture (DVA) from VideoLogic.

The DVA-4000 video-graphics board displays clear, crisp, real-time images of National Television System Committee (or phase alternate line) video signals within resizable "smart windows" on VGA monitors in 640- by 480-pixel, 16color mode. The windows let you freeze a video image or change complete color palettes in the scenes you're viewing.

The DVA-4000 converts real-time analog video signals from TVs, VCRs, or laser disks into digital pulses—no small feat in itself—at a speed of 25 million bps (see the figure). At the core of these conversions is VideoLogic's DVA chip set, with some chips working as the equivalent of a 68000 CPU. The conversions work in much the same way that a compact disk player turns binary data into analog sound, but in reverse and using real-time video at 30 frames per second. The system also processes stereo audio signals from the video source to give you the equivalent of a full-fledged TV and a computer in one display. XT users take note: All this wizardry is from a single 8bit bus card.

170 BYTE- JUNE 1990

VideoLogic's Multimedia Interactive Control software controls how the board displays the video window, as well as all laser disk player motion commands. Simple commands can be sent to the DVA-4000 at the DOS prompt or through batch files via DOS redirection. For example, ECHO EJECT > MIC causes the videodisk player drawer to open. Likewise, commands such as VPOS (to position the video window), FADE (to fade the video in or out), and TRANSCOLOR (which makes a color transparent in the video) all work well. With the MIC software loaded, the DVA-4000 is softwareaccessible in the same manner as I/O devices like the printing and communications ports and the console. This essential software is a $150 addition to the DVA-4000's $2495 price tag. (You'll also need a $95 auxiliary input connector to run a second video window in either Windows or non-Windows applications.)

"Live Action" Applications

The DVA-4000 provides exciting application possibilities. Stockbrokers might use it to retrieve Dow Jones information from a telephone feed in one window, while viewing financial news programs from cable TV in another window (or two).

Working with the board's display section, a frame-accurate videodisk control

system allows you to precisely control what images are displayed. If you enter the keyboard command STILL 1000, the player displays and pauses with video frame 1000 in the video window. The command STEP 20,200 / R will step 20 video frames backward from the current frame, displaying each stepped frame in 2-second intervals. This capability accommodates interactive video applications, including "live action" courseware. Students could use their computers to browse through topics of interest, enter a selection, and watch as the DVA-4000 outputs both real-time video and audio from the videodisk. You can manipulate, search, and display full-motion TV images on the VGA display as easily as working with your favorite database or spreadsheet software.

Strange Karma

The DVA-4000 works on PS/2 Micro Channel architecture and 8-bit Industry Standard Architecture buses (I evaluated the ISA version). A Macintosh board is currently being developed. The DVA4000 is a full-length card that's configured with a top-mount daughterboard that carries the main VLSI video processor chip. The daughterboard was mounted a half-inch off the main board for proper airflow.

My first evaluation board succumbed to some strange karma. After two days, its output started flickering, and eventually the display became too dim to read. A second DVA-4000 fared better. I tested it with an Associates Computer Supply 25-MHz 386 tower unit with 8 megabytes of RAM. Only the 640K-byte base memory was available to the MIC driver software. I ran a Relisys RE-5155 multisync VGA monitor, which I also use with a TARGA board (in RGB mode) for imaging and animation.

The single-slot board's installation is easy; no jumpers need to be repositioned. A ribbon cable connects the DVA4000 to the feature bus of the existing VGA card. This permits the DVA-4000 to work with your VGA card and allows the card to mix digital video signals into VGA analog output. Actual VGA display circuitry is not part of the card. I used the furnished serial output control cable to connect the videodisk player's RS-232C motion-control port to COM2 on the system. Not all videodisk systems are capable of being controlled in this manner. I used a Sony LDP-1550 player, which is both a constant angyiar velocity and a constant linear velpcity unit (straight CLV machines cannot be used in this

continued

VIDEO IMAGE COURTESY OF AUTODESK, INC.

Introducing the Hercules Graphics Station Card. With more features than any card in its class. And more power. The company that took the monotony out of monochrome now puts more zip into analog monitors.

Fast Gfaohics

In today's competitive business world, time is more precious then ever. But Windows applications like PageMaker, Excel, and CkDrel Draw can make you wait whUe they work. Not with the Hercules Graphics Station Card—it'll run Windows up to five times faster than a regular VGA card. At higher resolutions, too.

The secret is the on-board Ifexas Instruments 34010 graphics processor It frees the CPU firom the drudgery of graphics functions and screen memory control so you won't have to wait for your screen to catch up with you.

D

A whole megabyte of video memory lets the Hercules Graphics Station Card offer a full range of modes—from VGA up to 1024 X 768 resolution with 256 colors, and plenty in between. So it vail run all your software—from general business to complex design programs. And as your software needs become even more sophisticated, you won't need to shop for a new video card.

iife-like Imaoes

Computer images can look realistic when software can access more colors. The 16- and 24- bit color modes on the Hercules Graphics Station Card allow any standard analog monitor to display up to 16.7 million colors for high quality photo-realistic images.

And best of aU, you can have all these features for less than you'd think. Call us at 800 532-0600, ext 190 (U.S.) or 800 323-0601, ext 191 (Canada) for the quickest way to your Hercules dealer.

©Copyrighi. 1990 Heicules ComputcrTechnology, lnc..921 Parker Sireei, Berkeley,CA 947ID. Hercules ani Hercules Graphics Station Card are trademarks of Hercules Computer Technology. Inc. All other product names are trademarks of their respectiye owners. Circle 143 on Reader Service Card

REVIEW

Window Wonderland

DVA-4000/ISA

Company

VideoLogic, Inc. 245 First St. Cambridge, MA 02142 (617)494-0530

Hardware Needed

XT, AT, 386, or 486 with one free 8-bit slot, a VGA monitor, a VGA card with feature bus I/O, and 640K bytes of RAM

Software Needed

Multimedia Interactive Control and Applications Management System ($150)

Price

$2495

Inquiry 851.

application). When connected to the computer, the player's manual motion controls are inoperative until you load the driver software.

I had to perform some creative cable patchwork before I could send input to the board from my VCR's "video out" port. But first I purchased a female RCA stereo to female BNC adapter and a 12foot shielded video cable. I also picked up a pair of Walkman-style headphones because the audio output cable only accepts a %-inch stereo miniplug.

Installing the MIC software was confusing. You can easily get lost in the software manual—the installation guidelines don't appear until almost 60 pages into it. The manual mentions previously released VideoLogic boards, but not the DVA-4000. However, if you follow the instructions (disregarding the incorrect

board descriptions), the installation does work.

Batman Meets VGA

With almost every Microsoft Windows application opened and running, the fullmotion video from the VCR (Batman) was as impressive as the images from the videodisk player. Color clarity and resolution were visibly better than the images on my 21-inch Zenith TV, which displayed the same videotape. The slightest delay separated the TV's and the VGA monitor's images. I noticed no flicker or jumpiness. All motion appeared fluid and smooth, and in real time.

The superb resolution stems from the DVA-4000's line-doubling of the 512line signal. Conceivably, you could scale your video window to 1050- by 1050pixel resolution. I set the multisync monitor to PS/2 mode and ran my applications in 640- by 480-pixel by 16-color resolution, while the video window actually displayed full video using a 16-million-color palette. By shrinking and stretching the window, I created strange aspect ratios, where people were either extremely tall and thin or short and fat.

I easily eyeballed correct aspect ratios by grabbing the scaling handles in the bottom-right corner of the video window. Figures inside a window that were stretched to full-screen size looked correctly proportioned. Best of all, I could shrink the video window to a Windows applications icon. Although only a halfinch square, the image in the live-video icon was clearly visible.

When I viewed still frames in the VCR pause mode, the board had problems with signal genlocking (i.e., synchronizing two video devices). This caused the picture to jump and tear at times. Still frames viewed from the videodisk were

VIDEO VGA

DVA chip set

Analog

8-bit bus card

Digital (25 million bps) VGA monitor

A ribbon cable connects the DVA-4000 to the feature bus of the existing VGA card. "Smart windows " can then display real-time video images and allow you to freeze, resize, and change colors in individual frames.

rock solid. The degradation probably resulted from the viewing media (tape versus disk) and my aging VCR.

I enjoyed a demonstration file called DVA1PLR.EXE, which runs under Windows. I opened dual video windows with the same live video input in each, except that in one window I clicked on the ZOOM function. In that window I could freeze and "thaw" movement at will. The FREEZE command did not write a "frame-grabbed" file. At press time, VideoLogic planned to release a conversion utility that would frame-grab a scene and convert the image to CompuServe's GIF and other popular formats.

Script Writer

Included with the MIC package is Applications Management System (AMS) software, which offers a simple point-andshoot menu interface. This package lets you create and save scripts that load your programs and specify where the video window will open inside your application. This is probably one of the most important aspects of the DVA-4000.

But my thrill over being able to watch a newscast on my VGA display while working on this review was tempered at first, because I could only use Windows Write. I had problems loading and executing WordPerfect 5.0 under AMS in a 640Kbyte environment. When building my loader macro scripts under AMS, I was incorrectly reinstalling the MIC driver software, causing WordPerfect to give me a "not enough memory" error. I didn't realize that AMS loads (and unloads) the driver software between applications. With the MIC software loaded, the application program memory available is only 394K bytes.

Since \VordPerfect loads and executes in 384K bytes of memory, having that one extra TSR program loaded can cause program failure when calling WordPerfect from an AMS script. I spent a long evening of experimentation before getting WordPerfect to work correctly. Other, smaller applications, such as XTGold and the Norton Utilities, ran fine. AMS works, but it may not be easy for those who are short of time or patience and working with applications requiring extra memory.

I also looked at Tool Box Plus, a handy pop-up macro and ASCII editor program that works from the DOS prompt as a TSR. Alt-Shift invokes a command-line window for direct control of all MIC commands (including palette and motion) without the need to ECHO or PIPE your output to the board as with the MIC

continued

172 BYTE* JUNE 1990

(

MAGAZINE

EDITORSCHOICE

^ Introducing ^| i ® tt

SumniaSteteh II.

NDvember 28. 1989 SummaSketc^i li

The newSummoSlcefch II fablets were creoted wifh one thing in mind—/ou, the people who use fablefs every da/ You said you

a complete plug ond ploy pacbge, so we're giving you the work—both in PC ond Macintosh® SE ond II versions. A I2"xI2"or 18" X 12" graphics tablet with a 4-button cursor and 2-button stylus, or 16-button New cursor for the PC.

Lifetime The PC version includes interLimifed face cables for the IBM® PC, AT Worranfy ^^^'^ ond compatibles. A utilities

diskette with test and reset softwore, on Autodesic® / Device ir)ter/ face™ driver, \}r\NersQ\ Mouse Emulator™ and a Microsoft® Windows driver And an offer for

a free tablet template {US and Canada only) worth overS245.

The Macintosh version has an Apple® Deslctop Bus™ interface device to connect the tablet to the computer

You'll also get the most software compatibility with over 250 PC programs and all Macintosh SE and II software written under the Apple Software Developers guidelines.

SummoSbtch II tablets have a standard accuracy measurement of ±0.015 inches, selectable resolution of up to],016 lines per inch and high proximity so you can trace from documents up to V2" thick. Add in convenience features such as a power/proximity light, on-off switch, wedge shape design for easy use, lightweight construction for portability—and it's easy to see why SummoSlcetch is the industry standard and the

obvious choice of today's computer professionals.

Best of oil, you get oil of these benefits at on affordoble price. And that's why our new SummoSlcetch II is the easiest buying decision you have to make. Find out more about SummoSlcetch II today Forlitera ture and the name of a local dealer call 1-800-888-2028, Ext. 304. For technical information call 203-881-5400.

© 1989 Summagraphics Corporation. Seymour, CT 06483 • All rights reserved.

Surmagraphics.

Every decision should be this easy.

For IBM/Compatible information circle 297, For Macintosh information circle 298, For Dealer inquiries circle 299 on Reader Service Card.

REVIEW

More 16-Million-Color Fireworks

program. After executing (or modifying) these commands, you simply press Escape to resume working (and watching) inside your application. I preferred to open video windows inside my applications with this program instead of AMS. VideoLogic's Tool Box Plus is an additional $195.

Patience Rewarded

To establish the DVA chip set as a multimedia standard, VideoLogic is aggressively cultivating third-party programmers and developers. In contrast to IBM and Intel, which distribute the Digital

HARDWARE

REVIEW

Video Interactive developer's kit for a price of $16,000, VideoLogic supplies free DVA-4000 and MIC "extendedloan" development packages to programmers and developers.

Aside from my strong recommendation to clarify the confusing documentation, I'd rate the DVA-4000 and its MIC software overall as a superior product in concept and design.

The DVA-4000/MIC system requires levels of patience and programming abilities to implement successfully. I would like to see a lower-priced version of the DVA-4000, possibly without the RS

Tom Thompson

SuperMac Technology's two new NuBus video boards for the Macintosh offer on-board graphics accelerators that overcome the agonizing delays in most 24-bit-color boards displaying 16.8 million colors.

The ColorCard/24 ($999; the accelerator module is a $499 option) and the Spectrum/24 Series III ($4499) aren't the first video boards to optimize screen performance (see "How to Put 16 Million Colors to Work," December 1989 BYTE). But they are the first to offer in

232C laser disk control. Forgoing some of these features could take this product out of the niche market and into the reach of mainstream users and applications. Either way, in the not-too-distant future, I wouldn't be surprised to see the folks at VideoLogic receive an Emmy Award for "Excellence in the Television Technologies." ■

Greg Loveria is a computer graphics and desktop publishing consuhant, animator, and technical writer in Binghamton, New York. He can be reached on BIX do "editors."

tegrated accelerator logic on-board.

SuperMac boosts display performance by minimizing image-data traffic from the Mac's main memory to the NuBus, where the video board's frame buffer lives. The company accomplished this by patching QuickDraw so that many graphics primitives became simple commands rather than a stream of pixels. On the Spectrum/24, a sophisticated state engine receives these commands and manipulates the contents of the frame buffer directly. This minimizes delays because the accelerator doesn't have to arbitrate for bus access before it operates on the frame buffer.

The ColorCard/24 provides a 640- by 480-pixel display suitable for Apple's 13inch AppleColor RGB or 12-inch grayscale monitors. The Spectrum/24 has two oscillators that drive 19-inch 1024by 768-pixel monitors with either 60- or 75-Hz refresh rates. A third oscillator lets the Spectrum/24 support the same monitors that the ColorCard/24 handles. Both boards have user-adjustable screen depths of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 bits, and a spare socket for an optional oscillator to drive a National Television System Committee or phase-alternate-line monitor.

I ran the two boards on a Mac II running System 6.0.3 with 5 megabytes of RAM, an external Rodime Cobra 210e hard disk drive, a 13-inch AppleColor monitor, and a 19-inch SuperMac monitor. Installation was plug-and-play. Aldus FreeHand 2.0, Adobe Illustrator 1.9.3, PixelPaint Professional, and PageMaker 3.0 worked flawlessly. My usual army of INITs, FKEYs, and development software caused no crashes. TMON 2.8.3, which now provides 32-bit

continued

mjici«R ON THE DRAW

Thanks to graphics accelerators, some tasks that ran in 24-bit mode surpassed 8-bit-mode speeds. Times are in seconds, in the format accelerated/unaccelerated.

ColorCard/24

Spectrum/24

DirectColor/24

Scroll within two-page PageMaker document, 24-blt mode

Scroll left 133/171 76/111 59/85

Scroll right 188/248 73/121 109/118

Scroll down 72/105 50/85 27/42

Scroll up 83/116 64/105 33/51

Scroll within 5K-byte MacWrlte 5,0 document

24-bit mode 10/54 11/68 16/62

8-bit mode NA/16 N/V20 N/V18

Scroll 200-dpi 16-blt scanned Image

24-bit mode 7/28 8-bit mode NA/16

5/26 NA/11

5/17 NA/8

Notes: Each board ran on a Mac II with 5 MB of RAM and System 6.0.3. The ColorCard/24 drove a 640- by 480-pixel AppleColor 13-inch monitor, the Spectrum/24 drove a 19-inch 1024- by 768-pixel SuperMac monitor, and the OirectCola/24 drove a 19-inch 1152- by 882-pixel Radius monitor. None of the boards accelerates 8-bit-mode drawing operations. NA = Not applicable.

More 16-Million-Color Fireworks

174 BYTE* JUNE 1990

ARTIST XJS: The Supreme Drawing Machine:

There's never been a graphic controller like the ARTIST XJS. It fuses unrivaled ease-of-use with excep tional power and modularity.

It effortlessly powers graphic displays at three different resolutions (1600 x 1200,1280 x 1024 and 1024 X 768). The ARTIST XJS adapts to any operating system including Xenix, DOS, Extended DOS, and OS/2/Presentation Manager.*

Sophisticated software and the powerful TI34020— a 32-bit 10 MIPS processor—are dedicated to execute every graphic command faster than ever before. Display 16 or an optional 2-56** colors from a palette of 16.7 million.

Its easy-to-use, feature-laden GT display list processing drivers for Release 10 DOS AutoCAD, AutoCAD 386, AutoCAD OS/2* and Xenix AutoCAD ingeniously produce split-second zooms and redraws.

Increase colors and resolution with snap-on modules. Or, add SIMMs for on-board display list memory Build a display list in on-board SIMM or expanded memory. With AutoCAD 386, use on-board display memory, extended memor>' and/or the hard disk.

The aD-new ARTIST XJS includes 5-year warranty when purchased from an authorized ARTIST Dealer. For a free brochure and your nearest dealer, call toU-free: 1-800-6-AIlTIST (1-800-627-8478).

ARUST GRAPHICS

A Control Systems Company Circle 67 on Reader Service Card

ABTIST XJS is an ARTIST Graphics trademarli. ARTIST is an ARTIST Grapliics registered trademarlt. AutoCAD is a registered trademarls of Autodesk. ■Under^elopment. "1600 X 1200 limited to 16 colors. © Copyright 1990 .ARTIST Graphics. .All rights reserN-ed.

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Prescience (pronounced PRE-shence) brings you the complete mathematical solution for the Macintosh: Theorist and Expressionist. Theorist is the symbolic algebra and graphing program that is easy to use and powerful, but only requires one (1) megabyte of memory. You don't need to learn how to program, memorize syntax rules, or read a large manual since Theorist actually displays and interactively solves real equations on screen—step by step—the way you do on paper. 2-D and 3-D graphs, contour and density plots, solids, as well as animation files, are easily created and saved in PICT. EPS, or PICS formats for high quality output. Your equations can be exported to Expressionist, the leading equation editor, for typeset-quality results in your word processing and page layout documents. Both programs are simple enough for the student, yet powerful enough for the professional educator, scientist, and engineer.

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814 Castro Street #111, San Francisco. CA94114

(415) 282-5864

Prescience^^

Intuitive Tools For Mathematics

R E V I E

Spectrum/24 Series III and ColorCard/24

Company

SuperMac Technology 485 Potrero Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 245-2202

Hardware Needed

Mac ll-family computer

Software Needed

System 6.0.3 or higher; 32-Bit QuickDraw needed for viewing 16.i million colors

Price

Spectrum/24 Series III: $4499 ColorCard/24: $999 Graphics accelerator module for ColorCard/24: $499

Inquiry 860.

display support, also worked fine.

To qualitatively compare the SuperMac boards with a Radius QuickColor accelerator working with a Radius DirectColor/24 board, I constructed a 4MB PageMaker document loaded with text and 24-bit-deep scanned images. I also timed how long it took to scroll through a 5K-byte MacWrite document and through a 16-bit-deep 200-dot-perinch scanned image in Adobe Photoshop 1.0b6 (see the table). Since the boards drove different-size monitors, these numbers don't tell which accelerator is faster. But you can draw two conclusions: First, the bigger the monitor, the faster you can work, simply because more of the document is on-screen. Second, acceleration is worth the extra expense. The SuperMac and Radius displays operated faster in their accelerated 24-bit modes than in 8-bit mode.

The SuperMac boards' display acceleration was so impressive that I often couldn't tell by speed alone whether I was in 8- or 24-bit mode while I wrote text or connected to a BBS. Graphics was an exception: In the 24-bit mode, the superior quality of a scanned image or shaded illustration leaped out at me. At $999, the ColorCafd/24 is a bargain, but I wouldn't hesitate to spend the extra cash for the accelerator module. For those with big screens and little time, the Spectrum/24 Series III is an excellent choice. ■

Tom Thompson is a BYTE senior editor at large. You can reach him on BIX as "tomjthompson."

176 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 237 on Reader Service Card

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HH^HllillBHMilll^^^^^l Stanford Diehl REVIEW

Da Vinci Does It Penlessly

Just as I received Da Vinci Graphics' RasterPro 720, a color dot-matrix printer with Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language plotter emulation, laser printers started rolling in for an upcoming BYTE Product Focus. The timing could not have been better. These new laser printers either pack HPGL as a standard feature or offer it as an option, so they could compete directly with the RasterPro for the draft plotter market.

Da Vinci, on the other hand, doesn't see it that way. It markets this customized Fujitsu 24-pin printer as a finalquality A-/B-size color plotter to augment or even supplant the HP 7475A and other pen plotters. A busy workgroup would appreciate the RasterPro's speed, while its output quality should satisfy a discriminating design shop. Da Vinci calls it the Penless Plotter, and the product certainly boasts some notable advantages over the traditional pen plotter, and even over laser printers with plotter emulation. However, you've got to wonder whether the RasterPro's advantages can justify its $3495 list price. By comparison, the HP 7475A lists for $1895, and Brother's HL-8e, our test laser printer, costs $2895.

Read the Small Print

Don't get me wrong. This is a sturdy, reliable, and thoroughly impressive dot

matrix printer. When I passed around a pair of CAD drawings, one from the RasterPro and one from the venerable HP 7475A pen plotter, BYTE editors often needed a second look to tell the difference between the two. While the RasterPro could not match the vibrancy of the HP's pen colors, it did match the plotter's output in almost every other respect (see the photos on page 180). It even surpassed the HP plotter in such critical considerations as small-print clarity.

After your CAD work is done, RasterPro gives you a color printer to play with. Da Vinci does not recommend the RasterPro for business presentations and other applications that require a lot of solid fills. But when I pumped out some Quattro Pro graphs with the RasterPro emulating a color Fujitsu printer, I was pleasantly surprised. I even printed some color graphics from PC Paintbrush and appreciated the results.

Solid fills on the RasterPro do suffer from "banding" (noticeable lines that stripe the filled areas), and the RasterPro did not produce final-quality graphs using its plotter emulation. In Fujitsu mode, however, it held its own against the 7475A. The figure compares the two, along with the Brother HL-8e running HPGL. Each set of bars was produced by the device depicted: HP's pen plotter drew the first set of color bars, the

HL-8e laser printer produced the next set, and the RasterPro drew the draft and final-quality bars in the last set. As you can see, the RasterPro generates credible color.

The Color Crisis

Printing in color did expose some serious problems with the RasterPro 720. The printer uses a four-band ribbon (with red, yellow, blue, and black) to deliver the color. It creates secondary colors by laying down first a track of one color and then a track of a second color—for example, to create green, it lays down a blue track and then a yellow one. I found that during the yellow pass, the yellow portion of the ribbon picked up blue ink from the paper. In a short while, yellows were tinged with green, and reds cast a shadow of purple. I went through three ribbons in short order. However, if you stick to the basic colors and avoid mixes, your ribbons should hold up. In any case, the RasterPro should still command less money for consumables over the long haul than either the laser printer or the pen plotter.

The RasterPro's brightest quality is its speed. The benchmark results in the figure don't take into account the RasterPro's 512K-byte print buffer. Although the RasterPro took more than 10 minutes, 2 seconds to pump out a Vellum CAD drawing, the keyboard became free after only 31 seconds. With the replot feature, you can generate as many copies as you like without bogging down your computer one iota. The 7475A, on the other hand, plodded through the Vellum drawing in 13 minutes, 52 seconds and tied up the keyboard for the lion's share of that time. Clearly, the RasterPro requires less babysitting than a pen plotter. In fact, if you have a lot of copies to generate, you can simply press the replot button as many times as needed and go home.

For our benchmark tests, I plugged the HP 7475A plotter into my serial port, and I cabled the RasterPro to my parallel port. At first this setup reeked of incompatibility. The RasterPro employs HP 7475A drivers, but AutoCAD would not allow me to talk to a plotter through my parallel port. The good news, of course, is that you can send the AutoCAD plot to a file on your hard disk and then whisk it out via the parallel port with the simplest of DOS commands: Copy sample.pit LPTl. For that matter, you could also print to a file from AutoCAD, designate LPTl as the file, and still print directly from the AutoCAD interface. If you

continued

178 BYTE* JUNE 1990

A 486 With Zero Wait

If youVe been waiting for the right 486 system to come along, wait no more.

Configured with either the Industry Standard (ISA) bus or the Extended Industry Standard (EISA), CSS Laboratories MaxSys™ systems are the right choice in multi-user file servers.

Compare our features with anybody else's:

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■ Systems with 5 or 10 halfheight drive bays — enough for the most storage-intensive applications

■ 400 watt power supply and two cooling fans for reliable performance under the heaviest workloads

■ Proven to run Novell* Netwarer SCO Xenixr ISC Unix™ IBM* 0S/2EE™ Microsoft* 0S/2r Quarterdeck » DESQview™

■ Exclusive CSS Silent Memory Bus™ triple-grounded for maximum reliabilitv

■ Up to 64 MB RAM*

■ On-board support for the Weitek 4167 math co-processor

■ Zero wait state cache memory access — plus a special 32-bit Burst Mode memory transfer that outperforms zero wait state in sequential applications

■ 25 or 33 MHz available**

With features like these available today, why wait? Call a CSS representative today for more information on the MaxSys line as well as our other product families, including network B&W and color laser printers, desktop workstations, and

LABORATORIES, A Solid InvestmentJ

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REVIEW;

Da Vinci Does It Penlessly

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180 BYTE' JUNE 1990

sist on using the slower port, Da Vinci offers the plotter with a serial interface for the same price as the standard parallel model.

Penless Possibilities

While the Brother HL-8e laser printer beat out the draft-mode RasterPro in two of the three speed tests, Da Vinci's offering still freed the keyboard sooner. Both

printers pack large buffers, but the RasterPro sucks the data out of your system faster. In the end, that's what really counts: how quickly you can get back to work. Still, if you're considering these two products purely for draft-quality purposes and you're not seduced by the lure of color and enhanced resolution, the less expensive laser printer would be the

continued

Two sample Vellum CAD drawings, one from the HP 7475A pen plotter (left) and one from the Da Vinci RasterPro 720 using 7475A emulation. While the HP pen plotter boasts more vibrant colors, the RasterPro cotnes very close to matching its output. It even drew smaller figures with greater clarity than the HP plotter.

PACING THE PLOTS

1200

1000

HP 7475A Brother HL-8e Draft Final

RasterPro 720

ifi^ Vellum plot K^l AutoCAD plot ^9 Quattrc Pro graph

Speed tests pit the HP 7475A pen plotter, the Brother HL-8e laser printer, and the RasterPro 720 against each other in both draft and final-quality modes. The finalquality RasterPro handily beat the HP plotter, while the draft-quality RasterPro and the laser printer ran a dead heat. In all cases, though, the RasterPro, with its 5I2Kbyte buffer, freed the keyboard sooner. Each set of bars was produced by the device depicted to compare presentation-quality output. Here, the RasterPro emulates a color Fujitsu printer.

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Circle 9 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 10)

REVIEW

Da Vinci Does It Penlessly

RasterPro 720 Penless Plotter

Company

Da Vinci Graphics, Inc. 870 Hermosa Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 737-8800

Hardware Needed

Any PC with a serial or parallel port

Software Needed

Printer drivers for selected emulations

Emulations

Diablo 630; Epson FX-80/100 and JX80; Fujitsu DPL24C (color), DPL24D, and DPL24I; IBM Graphics Printer and Proprinter XL

Price

$3495

Inquiry 853.

sensible way to go.

Most laser printers use a more elegant LCD interface than the RasterPro, which prints menu choices on paper, as highend 24-pin printers and many pen plotters typically do. Using buttons on the control panel, you move the print head over a desired option to select it. This seems awkward and wastes paper, but it does provide you with a hard-copy record of your selections. You can also store four different configurations (two in plotter mode and two in printer mode) and enable the active configuration directly from the control panel, so you shouldn't have to cycle through all the menus very often. The printer emulations worked flawlessly with a wide range of software.

The Penless Plotter has a lot going for it: sturdy construction, impeccable HP 7475A emulation, 720-dot-per-inch resolution, and surprising color for dot matrix. That's a strong combination for design shops that need a reliable draft plotter. For larger plots (D and E size), you can pump out drafts quickly, and when it comes time for some in-house higher-ups to see your work, you can add

a splash of color. For your customer's copies, you have the E-size pen plotter waiting in the wings. An A-/B-size pen plotter would offer better color, but it demands more upkeep, more money for supplies, and constant attention. And a 300-dpi laser printer cannot produce comparable resolution, color, or B-size plots.

If your design shop generates a lot of A- or B-size technical drawings, take a look at the RasterPro. You'll have a viable substitute for an A-/B-size pen plotter, plus you'll have a fast draft plotter for your larger drawings and a 24-pin color printer to boot.

Da Vinci might have hit it big with this product, back when color dot matrix was a hot item. But now laser printers are all the news, and with the new breed delivering full plotter emulation, the RasterPro will face some brutal competition. Still, if the price drops some, you might choose the RasterPro just to put a little color in your CAD. ■

Stanford Diehl is a testing editor for the BYTE Lab. He can be reached on BIX as "sdiehl."

Med

7033

ABRAXAS

Software,Inc.

7033 SW Macadam Ave., Portland, Oregon 97219 USA TEL (503) 244-5253 • FAX (503) 244-8375 AppleLink D2205

182 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 11 on Reader Service Card

Times Change. The Need To Protect Doesn't.

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RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES

9292 Jeronimo Road. Irvine. CA 92718 TEL: (714) 454-2100 ■ (800) 852-8569 (Outside CA) FAX: (714) 454-8557 • AppleLink: D3058

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hether you're protecting frontiers and temples in Manchuria, or software

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Protecting "intellectual property' is the security challenge for the '90s. Which is why Rainbow Technologies builds a little of the Great WaU into every key it makes.

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Software and data protection from Rainbow Technologies. Information on how you can have a little piece of the Great WaU to protect your software and data worldwide is as close as a toll-free call.

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Circle 267 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 268)

HARDWARE

Don Crabb

REVIEW

F^st Fonts: PostScript Gets Turbocharged

The StellarPS full-size controller board holds Intel's new i960 RISC chip. The smaller video adapter board plugs into a LaserJet Series II printer.

PostScript aficionados know how necessary that page description language is for printing numerous fonts, adding special effects, and incorporating artwork and other nontext components into documents. But the trouble with PostScript is its turtle-like speed. Because it relies on many complex data structures and numerically intensive transformation operations, it tends to eat up a printer's processor power.

Enter HanZon Data's StellarPS controller. Install it in your PC and HewlettPackard LaserJet Series II printer, and be prepared to watch PostScript files fly.

StellarPS Company

HanZon Data, Inc. 22032 23rd Dr. SE Bothell.WA 98021 (800) 842-8540 (206)487-1717

Hardware Needed

HP LaserJet Series II printer (Series III support announced); IBM PC, XT, AT, or compatible with a hard disk drive with 1.8 MB of free space

Software Needed

MS-DOS 2.0 or higher

Price

$2595

Inquiry 852.

The StellarPS uses Intel's i960KB RISC chip, an embedded microprocessor that eats PostScript commands for breakfast.

RISC Rewards

At press time, the $2595 StellarPS worked only on the Series II and PCs (HanZon has announced software and hardware upgrades to support the LaserJet Series III printer, which should be shipping by the time you read this). If you are looking to accelerate PostScript from an Apple LaserWriter, StellarPS can't help you. Likewise, the controller fits only into a full-size PC slot; NuBus versions aren't available for the Mac.

The idea behind the StellarPS is amazingly simple, yet its execution is fairly complex. The brains of the StellarPS is the Intel 32-bit RISC microprocessor. It boasts a 20-million-instruction-per-second burst execution rate, with a 7.5MIPS sustained rate at 20 MHz. In the StellarPS, the i960 is clocked at 16 MHz, which cuts performance a bit. The i960 includes an on-chip FPU, has four 80-bit registers, and has been certified by Intel to pump out 4 million Whetstones per second (when clocked at 20 MHz). That is serious floating-point performance. The i960 is the first of Intel's new 32-bit microprocessors to be specially designed for embedded applications, such as accelerated PostScript processing, 32-bit video, image processing, and other highspeed, high-bandwidth applications.

The StellarPS is a two-part controller system. Its full-size controller board, with the microprocessor and 4 megabytes

of RAM, plugs into your PC. You load 1.8 MB of controller software onto your hard disk. Then you install another, much smaller video adapter board (yes, I said video) into the I/O slot of your HP LaserJet Series II printer. Finally, you hook the StellarPS controller to the newly installed video adapter on the LaserJet with the supplied parallel cable. That's it, except for running the installation program that optimizes the StellarPS for your particular environment and makes sure that you don't have any RAM conflicts. The StellarPS requires a 16K-byte memory window (e.g., D000-D3FF).

Now you're ready to roll—and this baby definitely does. Expect PostScript performance three to 10 times faster than an Apple LaserWriter IINTX, which is no performance slouch itself. For example, I printed a one-page Microsoft Word 5.0 letter consisting entirely of PostScript text in just 4 seconds with a StellarPS-powered Series II. The same document took 27 seconds on the LaserWriter IINTX. The figure shows equally impressive results with larger text files and mixed text and graphics files.

Blasting Rasters

The StellarPS is a full-blown printer controller with its own CPU, RAM, and control logic. It's not a cartridge-style PostScript add-on that downloads to the LaserJet at print time. The StellarPS composes the PostScript pages on-board and blasts them as a series of video rasters (see where the video adapter comes in?) across the parallel cable to the video adapter on the printer. There the Canon LBP-SX printer engine renders the rasters and fuses them to the page.

The controller bypasses the LaserJet IPs Motorola 68000-based controller (which uses HP's Printer Control Language IV). You can still print non-PostScript jobs if you leave the original PCto-LaserJet cable connected when you install the new controller. By separating the LaserJet's print engine from its builtin controller, the StellarPS gains part of its dramatic performance improvement.

Unlike competing controllers that do not include their own microprocessors (they are essentially PostScript-download reservoirs), the open architecture of the StellarPS/LaserJet II combo is optimized for maximum page throughput. The StellarPS talks to your PC at its bus speed, which is much faster than the standard serial or parallel interface that the LaserJet II supports. This also helps to account for the added speed.

Overall, the printing architecture defined by the StellarPS/LaserJet II system

184 BYTE" JUNE 1990

Circle 155 on Reader Service Card

REVIEW'

Fast Fonts: PostScript Gets Turbocharged

As the test results show, the StellarPS/LaserJet Series II combination printed text-only (Microsoft Word) and mixed-textand-graphics (Ventura Publisher) PostScript files three to five times faster than an Apple LaserWriter IINTX PostScript printer.

S HP LaserJet Series II printer with StellarPS controller

^3 Apple LaserWriter IINTX

STELLAR PERFORMANCE

14 -|

13

12

11

10

0)

9

0)

3

8

C

7

1

6

me

5

H

4

3

2

1

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5 pages 25 pages 1 page 10 pages

Microsoft Word

Ventura Publisher

Tests were performed with an IBM AT with 4 MB of RAt»l (640K bytes plus EI^S), a 40-MB hard disk drive, a 1.2-MB floppy disk drive, and an Everex VGA card and monitor, ainning MS-DOS 3.3, Microsoft Word 5.0, and Ventura Publisher.

is reminiscent of that used by video controllers (indeed, the i960 microprocessor has video application potential for other embedded environments). All the setup, printer control, status checking, and data transfer occur within the PC and the StellarPS, while the mechanical printing processes are shared between the StellarPS and the LaserJet II.

Real PostScript or Brand X?

An on-board Adobe-licensed PostScript interpreter used to be the definition of 100 percent PostScript compatibility. That has changed. Microsoft has acquired a PostScript-compatible interpreter from Bauer that processes all Adobestandard PostScript commands and works with any Adobe PostScript font (as long as it's not encrypted); it also adds some commands that make text positioning easier in desktop publishing applications. The StellarPS uses this Microsoft/ Bauer PostScript-compatible superset.

I performed "is this thing really PostScript" print tests from Microsoft Word, Aldus PageMaker, Microsoft Windows, and Ventura Publisher. It's really PostScript. Text rotated as expected. Art rendered as expected. It's so close to the real McCoy that compatibility won't be an issue for many applications. There were differences between the StellarPS/LaserJet IPs output and output from my baseline PostScript system (an Apple LaserWriter IINTX), but they were minor and mostly attributable to the fonts involved.

Just as with its "PostScript" language, HanZon did not license its "PostScript fonts" from Adobe (which probably

saved it a bundle). Rather than including the exact 35-font set provided by Apple (11 font families) with the LaserWriter IINTX, HanZon licensed Bitstream's versions of those same fonts. Although graphic designers, keyliners, and editors can tell the difference between an Adobe Helvetica Narrow Oblique font at 15.5 points and the same font Bitstream-style, many nondesign professionals cannot. I could see the differences, but I was looking for them. In no case did I think the Bitstream fonts were uglier or less complete. They were just different from Adobe's, mostly in subtle ways. The design differences between these two font suppliers are dictated by copyright restrictions, not by font design considerations.

If you absolutely must have Adobe PostScript fonts, then you probably can't make do with the Bitstream equivalents in the StellarPS, but most users won't notice the difference. In any case, all 35 fonts are built into the StellarPS; you don't have to download them to the LaserJet. However, if you need to use soft fonts, the StellarPS will accommodate you. StellarPS fonts load into the LaserJet's memory as outline fonts when you fire up the printer and PC.

According to HanZon, the controller can work on a nondedicated Novell network server without any modification or special instructions, other than those needed to start the server and the printer and make sure that the StellarPS/LaserJet is the default network printer. I did not test the StellarPS on a Novell network, but given the way that the Novell

continued

Rack & Desk PC/AT Chassis

integrand's new Chassis/System is not another IBM mechanical and electrical clone. An entirely fresh packaging design approach has been taken using modular construction. At present, over 40 optional stock modules allow you to customize our standard chassis to nearly any requirement. Integrand offers high quality, advanced design hardware along with applications and technical support all at prices competitive with imports. Why settle for less?

r

Rack & Desk Models

Accepts PC, XT, AT Motherboards

and Passive Backplanes

Doesn't Look Like IBM

Rugged, Modular Construction Excellent Air Flow & Cooling

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Designed to meet FCC

204 Watt Supply, UL Recognized 145W & 85W also available

Reasonably Priced

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TELEX 5106012830 (INTEGRAND UD) FAX 209/651-1353 We accept Bank Americard/VISA and MasterCard

IBM, PC, XT, AT trademarks of International Business Machines. Drives and computer boards not included.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 185

REVIEW

Small Footprint, Big Impression

CAPTURE command works, I don't see any potential problems in using it on a nondedicated Novell server. HanZon also promises to provide the necessary information for using the StellarPS on a dedicated Novell server, as well as within other networking environments.

The Bottom Line

Obviously, there's more than one way to add PostScript to your LaserJet II. In performance, the StellarPS goes the high-end route all the way; at $2595, it also costs a significant chunk of cash. If

you don't need to produce your pages as quickly as the StellarPS can pump them out, then you might be satisfied with less expensive alternatives, like Pacific Data's PacificPage cartridge (see "PostScript in the Palm of Your Hand," January BYTE). It's much cheaper, it offers PostScript compatibility, and it's as slow as molasses compared to the StellarPS.

The real question is, do you need the speed? Most LaserJet II users are likely to be from the business ranks and may only print text and line drawings. These users probably don't need PostScript at

SYSTEM

Rob Mitchell

REVIEW

Small Footprint, Big Impression

In today's office, the PC is an indispensable tool—and the single biggest piece of clutter on the desktop. If you're on a LAN, Emerald Computers' 286based LANstation I may be the perfect alternative. At just lAVi by 5% by 10'-4 inches, it's the smallest diskless PC I've seen. It's also one of the most expensive.

The LANstation's display and 85-key AT-style keyboard make it close in design to a laptop. An electroluminescent flat-screen monochrome EGA display and the system logic reside in a molded housing that's sleek and attractive. The machine has one parallel and two serial ports, plus a slot for Epson 256K-byte and 512K-byte ROM cards (Emerald will sell you a ROM burner for S250 or will burn applications into ROM for a fee). Its two AT slots accept the motherboard circuitry and a network interface card.

The standard LANstation comes with a 12-MHz Harris 80C286 CPU and 1 megabyte of memory for SI895. My $2095 test machine included a 16-MHz CPU, an 80C287 FPU ($395), 1 MB of

80-nanosecond DRAM in single in-line packages, and a Tiara 16-bit Ethernet card ($349) with a Net'Ware boot PROM ($40). The total price is $2879. A IViinch 20-MB hard disk drive with a 27millisecond average seek time is $500.

Construction quality was good overall, but my machine had two annoying problems. The power switch tended to stick when pressed, and the single peg leg supporting the left side of the case made the system unstable. Emerald said it was working to correct both problems.

The machine's display was clear and easy to read, which is important, since it doesn't have brightness and contrast controls. The display's aspect ratio, like that of most laptop screens, appears slightly squashed vertically. A jack for an external CRT would help for graphics applications. I also liked the keyboard; it doesn't feel cramped, and it has a good response.

The LANstation that I tested was a fast 286 machine. According to Emerald, the 16-MHz CPU runs at zero wait states, which places it ahead of the 12.5-MHz Wyse WY-212 and 10-MHz TeleVideo TS2 TeleStation, two 286-based diskless PCs that we tested last year (see "The LAN Terminal Alternative," November 1989 BYTE). On the BYTE benchmarks (which rate an 8-MHz IBM AT at 1 for each test), the LANstation posted a CPU index of 2.66 and a floating-point index of 1.57. The 'Wyse WY-212 logged 1.68 and 1.40, respectively, in these tests.

But the LANstation costs hundreds of dollars more than a similarly configured desktop machine with hard and floppy disk drives. Also, security is an issue,

all, let alone from a 7.5-MIPS controller. But if you're in a desktop publishing or high-volume networked environment, a $2595 controller and a LaserJet II (or III) can be a wise choice, especially since the combo will substantially outperform a $6000 LaserWriter IINTX. ■

Don Crabb is the director of laboratories and a senior lecturer for the University of Chicago computer science department. He is also a contributing editor for BYTE. He can be reached on BIX as "decrabb."

LANstation I

Company

Emerald Computers, Inc. 7324 Southwest Durham Rd. Portland. OR 97224 (800)321-5711

Components

Processor: 12- or 16-MHz Harris 80C286; socket for 80C287 Memory: 1 MB of 16-blt 80-ns DRAM chips in 256K-byte SIPs, expandable to 4 MB: slot for ROM disk cartridge Mass storage: None Display: Built-in monochrome, 8y2-inch electroluminescent monitor: 640- by 350pixel EGA graphics: circuitry built into motherboard

Keyboard: 85-key modified AT with RJ-11 interface

I/O interfaces: Two 9-pin serial ports; one 25-pin parallel port: 16-bit AT-bus expansion slot for LAN adapter card

Size

141/2 X 5% X IOV4 inches Price

Base system: $1895 As reviewed: $2879

Inquiry 861.

because anyone with a LapLink package can access network server data via the LANstation's serial and parallel ports.

Like other diskless PCs, the LANstation makes network administration easier by centralizing data storage at the server. But its main appeal is its small size and its styling. It's amazing how much space you gain when you pull an AT-size box off the desktop. You just have to decide how much that extra space is worth. ■

Rob Mitchell is a BYTE technical editor. You can contact him on BIX as "rob_mitchell."

186 BYTE • JUNE 1990

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SOFTWARE

Martin Heller

REVIEW

Just Add Water

Instant-C 4.0 's windowed debugging environment.

Most C programmers don't spend much time thinking about Lisp, but the technical staff at Rational Systems did. They looked at the productivity of Lisp programmers and concluded that C was a clod by comparison. Rational set out to create an environment that would give C programmers all the conveniences available at a Lisp workstation, including immediate execution, incremental compilation, automatic formatting, easy browsing, and built-in source-level debugging. When the wraps came off, Instant-C was born.

Rational Systems' first attempt to boost C programmers' productivity was stymied a bit by a popular misconception: Too many potential users thought Instant-C was a C interpreter. So, instead of touting its unique abilities, Rational found itself in unwilling competition with other interpretive versions of C.

Instant-C 4.0 has come a long way from that first "C interpreter." It's not

Instant-C 4.0 Company

Rational Systems, Inc. 220 North Main St. Natick, MA 01760 (508) 653-6006

Hardware Needed

A 286- or 386-based PC with at least 1 MB of RAM

Price

$795

Inquiry 881.

built on an interpreter (and never was) but rather on an incremental compiler. The difference is speed: Instant-C runs your code a good 10 times faster than C interpreters but a factor of two or three times slower than most optimizing compilers.

Rising Above Adversity

Given that the incremental compiler, the monitor, the debugger, your compiled program, and your source code all have share memory, the 640K bytes available under DOS was a crippling limitation for earlier versions of Instant-C. Instant-C 4.0 surmounts the DOS memory limit using Rational's D0S/16M DOS extender to run in protected mode. For programs that break the rules of protected mode, Instant-C 4.0 offers, in addition to pure protected mode, a mixed mode of operation where Instant-C itself runs in protected mode, and your compiled program runs in real mode.

Instant-C (and DOS/16M) honors the Virtual Control Program Interface convention for managing protected mode. I ran Instant-C from my normal DOS environment, which includes DOS 3.3, 386Max, Super PC-Kwik Power Pak, the Hitachi CD-ROM driver, Microsoft's CD-ROM extensions, and the Logitech mouse driver. Getting all this stuff to work at once is something of a juggling act. Some other protected-mode programs, which do not honor VCPI, forced me to reboot my computer with a simpler configuration before I could use them.

How good is Instant-C's protected mode? I had Instant-C and all of the image-display program (IMDISP), which I will discuss later in this article, loaded in high memory in protected mode. I wrote this article in Sprint running in a real-mode DOS session shelled out from Instant-C. I could even shell out again from Sprint to execute DOS functions; when I finally closed Sprint, I could still go back immediately to Instant-C. That's productivity.

Cycling Around the Learning Curve

At one time, the standard picture of how software is developed was the "waterfall model." In it, software is first specified, then designed, then implemented, and finally tested.

My own development style involves many iterations in the development process. When I write code, I quickly build

up a user interface—sort of an armature—that reflects the design of the program as a whole but doesn't implement too much code that actually does anything. The users get to see the shell and comment while I start to code the most important innards. At weekly intervals, stable versions with additional features go out for testing and comment; I then fold the test results into the next week's development.

Working in this way lets me break the development process into tasks lasting one to five days each. While I work on each task, the task's module is fluid while most of the rest of the program is frozen. I spend a lot of time editing, compiling, linking, and testing. Running the code teaches me things I didn't know when I was designing, so I modify the design as I go.

Instant-C shortens the cycle time once I'm into a project, but it has its own startup costs. With the program, I can make a change in a function and be ready to start testing (with full source-level debugging) in 10 seconds. That's an enormous improvement in cycle time, and I can get much more accomplished. By issuing calls to a new function from the InstantC command line, I can even test out of context.

However, the learning curve for Instant-C is steep. To begin with, I had to build a version of Instant-C with the Microsoft libraries I normally use. The standard version of Instant-C uses Rational's own libraries, but tools are supplied that build versions compatible with the large- and medium-model libraries supplied with Microsoft and Lattice C compilers. The rebuild went smoothly.

Then I had to load my code into Instant-C. Understand that this is code that compiles without error in Microsoft C. Instant-C is a little fussier, however. Since it knows about all the modules of a project, it can combine the checking of a compiler, a linker, a debugger, and lint.

I originally tried to load a project that embodies over 20,000 lines of C code and uses several third-party libraries: ■Vermont Views, MDBS IV, Essential Graphics, The Heap Expander, and TurboGeometry. I have source code for all but MDBS IV. As shipped, the program and its overlays take 600K bytes of disk space but run in a little over 300K bytes of code space.

Rational was able to supply me with support files for Vermont Views, Essential Graphics, and some other libraries that I use in other programs. I could easily have disabled my Heap Expander

continued

188 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Unleash 386 Power on Your Microsoft C Code.

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Supports Phar Lap and Eclipse DOS extenders

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REVIEW

Thoroughly Totable Tandy

code, but I was stuck on the problem of supporting MDBS IV.

Instant-C can load object code and object libraries, but you have to tell it what the object code is doing. To do this, you write an .IC file that looks a lot like C prototypes. I wouldn't have too much trouble converting my MDBS IV function prototypes into an Instant-C file, but I already knew that some of the MDBS IV code registers arithmetic, which is forbidden in protected mode. As I didn't have source code and the project was too large for Instant-C's mixed mode, I was forced to choose another project.

The IMDISP Project

IMDISP, written at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under a NASA contract, is used to display planetary and satellite data. As supplied, IMDISP knows about standard VGA modes, but not about the Super VGA modes of my Video Seven video RAM card. Adding support for my VGA card seemed like a good test for Instant-C, for several reasons: IMDISP includes one assembly module and a lot of DOS- and hardware-dependent code, it's reasonably sized (some 8000 lines of C and 500 lines of assembly), and I wasn't familiar with its code.

When I tried to load IMDISP into Instant-C, I discovered bugs in both. Instant-C helped me find and fix several relatively benign errors in IMDISP, and IMDISP revealed a couple of nasty errors in Instant-C. Rational quickly supplied me with a later version of Instant-C (4.02) in which all the bugs I discovered were fixed. Unfortunately, in the course of working through IMDISP, I discovered a few more problems with InstantC. As of this writing, the folks at Rational were able to duplicate and isolate all the errors that I found; they told me that these errors would be fixed in the next version of Instant-C. By the time you read this, even that version will be history. With any luck, Instant-C 4.1 will be stable and shipping.

Once I got IMDISP loaded into Instant-C and running, my job was quite easy: Instant-C's browsing and cross-referencing features made finding the code that I needed to modify almost trivial. I could have done the same thing using my standard tools and grep, but I would have spent more time doing the edit/compile/ link/test cycles. Instant-C's debugger seemed to give me more control and better diagnostics than CodeView—protected mode isn't perfect, but it sure helps in finding uninitialized pointers and other common problems that can be totally baffling under DOS.

The Instant Conclusion

Was all the pain I went through bringing my code into Instant-C worthwhile? Probably. I'd be more likely to start my next project in Instant-C than to start it with my usual tools. I have learned that moving code from Instant-C to a compiler is as painless as the reverse is painful.

On the other hand, Instant-C can't handle Windows code, which sends me back to my usual tools for Windows programs. Nor does Instant-C help much for programs targeted for OS/2. But InstantC sure helps in developing large (and small) C programs for DOS: It finds errors that seem to elude even hardwareassisted debuggers.

I can wish for more, of course. Currently, Instant-C's editor only handles one object at a time; I would like to have many different functions open at a time, as I can in other DOS programmer's editors. I would also like to see the Instant

SYSTEM

REVIEW

In the battle for the hearts, minds, and dollars of portable computer users, two product camps exist: the high-end, feature-packed, and budget-beating portables like Compaq's LTE/286, and the low-end systems with minimal features and a more affordable price.

Tandy has opted for the low end. Its new 11(30 FD features a price tag of $999 and a list of features that are less than technologically earth-shattering.

C editor integrated with the program's symbol table and its knowledge of C syntax: There is no reason, in principle, that Instant-C could not do truly intelligent template editing and name completion.

At $795, Instant-C isn't cheap. It also won't finish a project for you satisfactorily; you still need an optimizing compiler to generate production-quality code. But as a productivity enhancement tool, even counting an initial week lost to learning time, Instant-C is likely to cover its costs in a couple of months. By my standards, Instant-C is something any full-time, professional C programmer working in DOS will want to have in his or her toolbox. ■

Martin Heller develops software and writes about technical computer applications. He lives in Andover, Massachusetts. He can be contacted on BIX as "mheller."

Stan Miastkowski

At the heart of the 1100 FD is an 8MHz NEC V20 (8088-compatible) CPU. There are also 640K bytes of RAM, a single 3'/2-inch 720K-byte floppy disk drive, and serial and parallel ports. The 9-inch-diagonal screen offers a resolution of 640 by 200 pixels.

Weighing just under 6V2 pounds, the 1100 FD is well within the comfort range for all-day toting. However, I was miffed to find that the outside dimensions (12'^ by 2'/2 by 9y4 inches) make the 1100 FD about inch too long to fit sideways in a standard briefcase.

Although Tandy missed the boat on "fitability," it did an excellent job in usability. The screen isn't backlit, but the system's supertwist neumatic green display is surprisingly easy to see, even in a dimly lit hotel room.

Another surprise is the keyboard. Like every other laptop maker, Tandy has its own peculiar layout. But the 1100 FD's 84-key configuration isn't bad, and the arrow keys are easy to use. I also liked the feel of the short-stroke keys.

Of course, the single floppy disk drive and the lack of a hard disk drive limit you—a lot. But like others, Tandy put the

cominued

Thoroughly Totable Tandy

190 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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R E V I E Wi

1100 FD

Company

Tandy Corp. 1800 One Tandy Center Fort Worth, TX 76102 (817) 390-3011

Components

Processor: 8-MHz NEC V20

Memory: 640K bytes

Mass storage: Internal 3V2-inch 720K

byte floppy disk drive

Display: 9-inch, 640- by 200-pixel,

supertwist neumatic LCD

Keyboard: 84-key

I/O interfaces: One 9-pin serial port; one 25-pin parallel port; internal modem slot

Size

121/8 X 21/2 X 9% inches; 61/2 pounds

Price

$999

operating system (DOS 3.3) in ROM. Also in ROM is the basic shell of Tandy's DeskMate, a character-based graphical user interface. I find DeskMate a taste that I haven't been able to acquire. Because the 1100 FD version kept asking me to swap among three floppy disks, I decided to return to plain-vanilla DOS within minutes.

Although small in size, the system's built-in rechargeable battery lasts for about 41/2 hours—even longer if you don't use the floppy disk drive. For those increasingly common flight delays, this is an important feature indeed.

The 1100 FD certainly isn't the laptop for power users, but it is light. In addition, it works on battery power long enough to make it useful for on-the-road basics, like memo writing and record keeping. While S999 isn't cheap, it is well within the range of comparable systems, especially since Tandy put all the basic necessities (and then some) into the standard package. The only options available are extra battery packs (S30) and a S200 internal 2400-bps modem. With the modem, the 1100 FD is an almost perfect companion for a travelweary journalist.

Now, if I can just figure out how to saw half an inch off the case. ■

Stan Miastkowski is a consulting editor for BYTE. He can be reached on BIX as "stanm."

192 BYTE • JUNE 1990

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REVIEW

The Zen of Symbolic Math

i file tdit Inpm Notebook Murlipulale Gio|iti i'lcl^

Like Mathematica, Theorist plots complex functions like the ones shown here. It can also animate a function based on a range of variables.

Sometimes late at night when I'm solving equations, the paper seems to come alive, and the variables move left and right beneath my pen as a solution evolves. An may jump across the equal sign to cancel out an identical term, or the product of two exponents may combine to make integration easy. Come morning, though, the paper always seems to lose its magic.

But Theorist captures a great deal of this logical animism in the point-andclick world of the Macintosh. The soft

Theorist 1.01

Company

Prescience Corp.

814 Castro St.

San Francisco, CA 94114

(415) 282-5864

Hardware Needed

Mac Plus, SE, or II with 1 MB of memory

Price

$379.95

Inquiry 884.

ware is written by Prescience, which also created the highly regarded equation typesetter Expressionist.

The most revolutionary part of Theorist is its user interface. With Theorist, the mouse is an important tool; you use it not just to cut and paste but to visually manipulate the equations. You can drag variables and forms left and right, and the program will keep the equation balanced and consistent on the screen.

The user interface's flexibility is Theorist's strongest point. The guts of the product, the symbolic mathematical engine, is not as strong as that of Mathematica, Maple, or Macsyma. Theorist relies more on the user for direction, making it a lot more like a fancy sheet of paper than a mathematical oracle. That's not necessarily bad, because automatic symbolic manipulation can be tricky to correct when the mathematics get complicated. In these cases, clever algorithms can generate wrong answers when bugs get in the way. Theorist avoids this problem, for better or worse, by leaving most of the intelligence up to the user.

Mathematical User Interface

Once you've typed the equations to a particular problem, you use the mouse al

most exclusively. You isolate a variable by selecting it with the mouse, and then you can drag it to the opposite side of the equation. Theorist balances the equations and does the simple work of calculations.

You don't have to enter equations exclusively by the keyboard, either. A large palette contains all the different types of operands, such as multiplication and integration, as well as the currently defined variables. If you do use the keyboard, Theorist provides two different input modes. In the first mode, you indicate different relationships, such as subscripts and exponentiation, by using keystrokes to move the cursor. This is similar to the method used in Expressionist. Alternatively, you can use the "FORTRANish" mode in which Theorist accepts equations with all the parentheses—just like a FORTRAN compiler. The system is flexible, and anyone who favors the mouse or the keyboard will not be unduly forced to use the other.

You can manipulate the equations in a window called a notebook. Theorist's notebooks behave differently than the windowed notebooks Mathematica uses. Mathematica's are essentially fancy transcriptions of the commands that the user issues. Theorist's notebooks, on the other hand, are collections of assertions called propositions. Propositions can also be comments, transformational rules, or declarations about whether the e should be treated as a variable or the famous constant.

These collections of propositions hold the system's knowledge. If you enter the proposition z= 100 on a line of the notebook, Theorist will use that value in any later calculations in the window. If you edit the proposition, changing the value of z, you also change the state of the system. The change, though, does not percolate throughout the equations on the page. You need to explicitly redrag the equations to recalculate the new values. This is because Theorist keeps all the old results on the screen and does not erase them.

Theorist's entire format has a feel that should be very pleasing to mathematicians, because it encourages the user to think of the equations as propositions. Mathematica and Macsyma, on the other hand, act much more like answer dispensers.

Manipulation vs. Automation

The questions that the user interface raises are not merely stylistic; they also

continued

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 193

REVIEW

The Zen of Symbolic Math

concern functionality. Theorist can do plenty of the basics, but it cannot make many combinations of them. It can manipulate equations with any combination of real numbers, integers, complex variables, integration signs, derivative operators, matrices, vectors, cases, series summations, and products. The equations or any part of them you select with the mouse can be simplified, expanded, collected, isolated, or integrated by parts. Theorist can also substitute the

equations into each other through combination.

Theorist can also apply rules that are either user-defined or from the selection of basic rules that are provided in extra notebooks. The program comes with an entire notebook filled with rules for integration, and they cover most of the standard tables. In addition, you can add your own rules to the simplifier and the expander routines to affect how these routines work. These rules are, how

ever, the only method for extending Theorist.

There is not much more capability beyond these basic techniques. Theorist is not as powerful as other symbolic packages, and because of this, it will rarely string these basic manipulations together to find the answer for you. This doesn't mean you can't use the system to do more than x+y; it just means Theorist won't do all the work. For instance, you cannot type in a matrix and then get the eigenvalues—you must type in the matrix (ni) and the equation for the eigenvalues (detlm—X/1 =0) as propositions. Then after a minute or so of manipulating the propositions with the mouse and isolating the scalar X, the answer appears on the screen. The bulk of the work that Theorist does is either arithmetic or tracking thousands of details—intelligence is not its forte.

The limitations are not necessarily bad. The manual prefaces one example of how to solve a difficult integral with the remark, "Rumor has it that even some of the high-end symbolic algebra packages have trouble with this one. Using high-level human intelligence and low-level computer algebra, we can solve it." This is not just a coy way of passing the buck, but an intelligent alternative. Symbolic algebra systems can be very dangerous if you don't know what the answers should look like. They can numb the mind and lead to mistakes when communication breaks down.

I made one mistake like this when I was using another symbolic package. I typed Integral[Sin(x) ,x] instead of Integral [Sin [x] ,x]. Using the parentheses around the x instead of the brackets changed Sin from the transcendental function to a constant, and the answer became Sin ((x^)/2). This isjustasimple typographical example of how ambiguities and built-in intelligence can combine to cause errors. In the same way, a super eigenvalue-finding algorithm might be right in most cases, but it can also fail when the user's assumptions don't match the computer's.

Theorist takes the low road and prevents these mistakes by being dumb. It asks you to define everything. Each name must be formally defined as either a constant, variable, function, M-linear operator (an operator that follows associative and commutative rules, like those that govern matrices), or D-linear operator (an operator that is linear but is not M-linear). When you first use a name. Theorist asks you to choose one of these classes for it. It doesn't assume anything

continued

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REVIEW

The Zen of Symbolic Math

about names such as Sin, Cos, or e. This precision can get tiresome, but the notebook lets you set up a section of preferred definitions.

This lack of automation can help when rules are applied. If Theorist finds two different rules in its tables for transforming an equation, it prompts the user to choose the correct path. Other systems, break these ties by choosing the first rule it finds. This is fine if the first rule is the correct one.

Unfortunately, Theorist doesn't put all the power in the hands of the user. Even in the reference manual the company explicitly states, "Trust us that we used the 'correct' algorithm." If I'm doing numerical integration around a singularity, I want to know what the program is about to do so I'll know if a mistake is likely.

Of course, that only points to the basic problem in symbolic algebra software: Developers are hesitant to provide sufficient information about the algorithms because they consider the information to be proprietary. This is certainly understandable, but it is frustrating when errors arise.

Seeing Is Believing

Theorist can, however, make amazing graphs of the functions you define. The system can make full color graphs in two or three dimensions. These can be either simple graphs, parametric plots, or polar plots.

You can select color or black-andwhite shading to add a fourth dimension to any three-dimensional equation, and you can easily define any range of relationships between the color and the function's value. By default, graphs can be either translucent, transparent, or opaque to represent complex values.

The graphing ability is well integrated with the problem-solving apparatus. The root-finding command is located on the Graph menu, and you can activate it only when a graph is on the screen. If you want to find out exactly where a function crosses thcAr-axis, you simply isolate this section of the graph and call up the root finder. You must make sure that you have zoomed in close enough that there is only one root on the screen, and Theorist takes it from there. This is a nice way to combine visual and symbolic representations of functions.

The program can also animate a function graph as one of its parameters ranges between two values. You can even save the animation in a PICS file so another program can use it. This is an easy way to get a visual sense of a graph.

Theorist has one of the most amazing math user interfaces. It actually lets you interact with the equations on the paper. The equations can come alive, but they need you to wield the mouse like a cattle prod and send them to the correct position.

Mathematicians will find Theorist especially comfortable to use, because it treats the entire problem session as successive derivations of propositions. This can be frustrating if you are looking for a quick solution, but it can actually save plenty of time when you need to know how the equations work. Like the oriental Zen masters who never gave the answers. Theorist will not show you the way—it will keep you on track. ■

Peter Wayner is working toward a Ph.D. in computer science at Cornell University. You can contact him on BIX as "pwayner."

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STATE OF THE ART

Networking

203 Growing Pains

by Bill Catchings and Mark L. Van Name The Latest GOSIP by Sharon Fisher

217 Want to Catch Some Z's? by Janet J. Barron

224A On the Radio

by Sarin Davidovici

233 Need More Fiber?

by Sharon Fisher

241 Primed for Performance

by Tad Hogg

252 Making Connections

It began with the "old boy" network—business friends getting together socially and doing a little business on the side. And then it spread. Now, networking has come to encompass all those business and social contacts you can rely on for information, both within the context of your job and "without." (If you're suddenly "without" a job, you can usually rely on them to help you find a new one.) Regardless of how you are connected with people, they effectively end up as part of your network. At least that's the connotation the word has come to have.

Networking with computers has had a similar life cycle. It began with LANs and the communications that they enable. Now it's expanded to global proportions. Growing a LAN and interconnecting it with other" LANs, wide-area networks, and metropolitan-area networks to expand its scope are complex tasks. Bill Catchings and Mark L. Van Name explore the challenges in managing such a network in "Growing Pains." One such growing pain we can all expect to face in the coming years is GOSIP, the government's new procurement profile. Sharon Fisher examines it and the effects it will have in the text box "The Latest GOSIP."

As some people are expanding their LANs, others are just starting out. They don't yet need the advantages of a fullfledged LAN, but they do need to network. Recent improvements in zero-slot LANs (ZSLs) can bring low-cost networking to the small business. Janet J. Barron describes this type of peer-topeer network in "Want to Catch Some Z's?"

One networking solution that is coming out of the small office and into larger application is the wireless LAN. As the

ZSL avoids giving up one of its slots to a network card (hence the name), wireless LANs avoid the whole question of what kind of cable to use. They also provide flexibility and portability in configuring your network, advantages that traditional LANs don't provide. "On the Radio" by Sorin Davidovici leads you through the intricacies of the wireless world.

You can grow a network in many ways. One of them is to increase communications speed. At the same time, you can make data more secure from eavesdropping if you switch to fiber-optic cabling. Expensive, you say? Not if you do it a bit at a time. Some of the improvements in communications expected in the coming years will even require it. In "Need More Fiber?" Sharon Fisher looks at these improvements, some of which are already in place. Two of them, high-definition TV and broadband ISDN, are discussed in more detail in a related text box, "On the Threshold of a Dream," by Richard Jay Solomon.

No matter what size network you have, you'll want to get as much out of it as you can. One way to do that is to fine-tune its method of allocating resources. One approach to resource allocation uses AI techniques to hone its decision-making skills. In "Primed for Performance," Tad Hogg discusses this approach and the balance required to make the most of the resources available.

I used to think that calling a group of business and social contacts a network was stretching things a bit. I don't anymore. The more I know about computer networks, the more I see the similarities. Now, if we can just bring the level of communications between people up to the level computers have reached.. . .

—Jane Morrill Tazelaar Senior Editor, State of the Art

200 BYTE- JUNE 1990

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 201

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STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

Growing Pains

Sherman thought war was hell; he never had to expand a LAN

Bill Catchings and Mark L. Van Name

Remember when the toughest question that you faced concerning LANs was whether to buy one? Well, buying a LAN is kid's stuff compared to the problems you can encounter trying to expand it and connect it to other networks. As LANs have become vital to the everyday operations of more and more organizations, managing their growth has become a prime concern.

You can expand a LAN in two basic ways: by adding more users to a single LAN, or by linking stand-alone LANs into a larger network. Either method can tax your patience and your pocketbook, but you can ease the pain if you understand the issues involved.

Peer Pressure

Many options are available if you want to enable a single LAN to handle more users. Which option you choose depends largely on whether you're using a peerto-peer or a server-based LAN.

A peer-to-peer LAN, like CBIS's Network-OS or Sun Microsystems' TOPS, basically lets everyone share everyone else's resources. Your office mate could be using the printer attached to your PC,

while you might be copying files from a third person's hard disk. Every machine is equal.

The biggest strength of peer-to-peer LANs is that they let you keep your systems physically pretty much as they are. You don't have to move any printers to a special system, nor do you have to store files in any particular spot; everything can stay just as it is. For this reason,

peer-to-peer LANs are often attractive when all you need to do is link a few microcomputers.

However, most organizations that need to put a lot of users on a LAN don't choose peer-to-peer LANs. The biggest reason is that, while a peer-to-peer LAN lets you keep your hardware as is, it makes you change the way you work. Consider performance: You have to sacrifice CPU cycles on your machine to support anyone who wants to use a resource on it. (No one wants their system to be the one running the database that everyone else needs to use.) You can't just turn off or reboot your system anytime you want, because someone else might be using it.

There's also an organizational problem: It can be difficult to keep track of which systems' hard disks have the files you need. Many peer-to-peer LANs also have built-in limits on the number of users. Network-OS LANs, for example, typically have a 32-user limit.

For these reasons, most organizations that expect to need to support many users use server-based LANs instead of peerto-peer systems. If your peer-to-peer

continued

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 •BYTE 203

STATE OF THE ART GROWING PAINS

configuration is getting unwieldy, you may be forced to divide the LAN into two or more smaller ones, or take the expensive and disruptive step of migrating to a server-based network.

Service with a File

Server-based LANs, such as Novell's NetWare, Microsoft's OS/2 LAN Manager, and Apple's AppleShare, dedicate one or more computers (the servers) to the task of providing services to the other

computers (the clients) on the LAN. The most common services are printing, file sharing, and communications.

Whatever the service, the model is always the same: A client computer requests a service, and the server complies. The client and server roles are distinct and unchanging.

Server-based LANs solve the organizational problems of peer-to-peer LANs because all shared resources are on the servers. They also let you go about your

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business much as before, because no one but you is counting on using your system.

Server-based LANs also usually handle many more users than peer-to-peer LANs, but they, too, have some bottlenecks that can trip you up as you increase the number of users. Which bottlenecks you encounter depends primarily on how you use the LAN.

Bandwidth Marches On

One of the most common bottlenecks is the bandwidth of the LAN media itself. Some LAN technologies run at fairly slow speeds. Apple's LocalTalk, for example, operates at only 237,000 bps. It doesn't take many Macs to consume that bandwidth.

The most common PC LAN technologies run faster than LocalTalk: ARCnet clocks in at 2.5 megabits per second, traditional Token Ring at 4 Mbps, and Ethernet at 10 Mbps. These technologies let you add more users to a LAN than LocalTalk, all else being equal. Still, if you have enough machines sending and receiving data over any of these LANs, you can bring them to a halt.

One solution to the bandwidth bottleneck is to migrate to a faster version of your LAN. IBM has been shipping its 16-Mbps version of Token Ring for over a year now, and a 20-Mbps version of ARCnet is in the works. You can even increase LocalTalk's speed to 770,000 bps by using TOPS's FlashTalk. Only Ethernet users have no compatible upgrade path.

In the future, you probably won't look to any of these wire-based solutions to increase the bandwidth of a LAN. The future belongs to fiber-optic cables. For example, an emerging fiber standard, the Fiber Distributed Data Interface, boasts speeds of up to 100 Mbps. FDDI and other fiber technologies (see "Need More Fiber?" on page 233) will greatly alter the way we think about network bandwidth.

Although fiber is the LAN technology of the future, it nonetheless has some important uses today. For one thing, it is far less susceptible to electrical interference than are other types of cabling. For that reason, fiber is good in places like electrically noisy manufacturing floors or elevator shafts, or lightning-prone outdoor locations where traditional cables are vulnerable. There are LAN products available today that can run on fiber. DCA/lONet, for example, currently sells boards that run the Ethernet protocols over fiber-optic cabling. With these products, you can use the media you'll

continued

204 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 59 on Reader Service Card

BAYTECH MULTIPLEXERCONTROLLERS

Bayrech

—

=25

• @ 4

3*5

. « » S

rlONTROL&DATA rlACQUISITION

Enter the picture...the BayTech H-Series Multiport Controllers—stand-alone multiplexers that connect one host computer to as many as 23 peripheral devices. By cascading, the number of devices you can connect is practically unlimited. Full duplex transmission of asynchronous data is provided at speeds up to 38,400 bps. These intelligent multiports will operate with any RS-232C serial computer or peripheral device. (Optional RS-422A).

The H-Series models have been used extensively in each of these areas:

• security and environmental sensing, to improve monitoring capabilities for large and small businesses

Courtesy Honeywell Protection Services.

• medical data monitoring environments, where speedy responses are vital and critical information must reach the host computer immediately

• industrial robotics-control environments, where multiple numerical or assembly-line machines can be centrally controlled

Courtesy Ford Motor Company.

• data exchange among point-of-sale devices, through which a myriad of business equipment can be operated from one computer

Courtesy Siemens Life Support Systems.

Courtesy Hugin Sweda.

cllX MODES OF riMULTIPLEXING

To meet individual needs, these flexible, multifunctional devices are easily tailored by selecting one of six modes of multiplexing: timedivision, port expansion/sharing, and four modes of buffered message muhiplexing. In a typical application, the host port may be connected to a

BayTech

DMA EXCHANGE SYSTEM

• e 0 9 A • •

computer and the peripheral ports may be connected to such devices as: bar code readers, cash registers, fire alarms, numerical machines, modems, plotters, printers, security systems, and terminals (see iilus.).

0RODUCT SUPPORT

BayTech offers unlimited hotline technical support before and after you purchase a unit Designed and manufactured in the USA, the reliable H-Series is UL- and CSA-listed and fully covered by a one-year warranty.

So put yourself into the picture...call us today to learn about the many ways the H-Series Multiplexer-Controllers can benefit your business.

Bay Technical Associates, Inc.

Data Communications Products Division

200N. Second Street, P.O. Box387

Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 USA

FAX: 601-467-4551

Phone: 601-467-8231 or toll-free

800-523-2702

Circle 36 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 37)

STATE OF THE ART GROWING PAINS

need in the future to run the LAN you use today.

Stretching Your LAN

LocalTalk, Ethernet, Token Ring, and ARCnet are all wire-based technologies. Even if you have the bandwidth to add more users, you can run into another fundamental limitation with any one of them: Their cables will reach only so far.

Take Ethernet, for example. It has a limit of 500 meters per cable segment. That may seem like a long way, but running a cable around an office building can consume that much cable quickly. Fortunately, you can get around this limit by using repeaters.

A repeater is a device that repeats the signal it receives from one LAN segment onto another. Ethernet's 500-meter limit is an electrical one based on the maximum distance that a single station's signal will travel. A repeater boosts that signal and, therefore, extends the limit. Repeaters are also nice because they are invisible to all higher-level hardware and software.

However, you cannot use an endless string of repeaters to extend an Ethernet

LAN as far as you want. Ethernet sets a maximum time that a signal can take to reach from the node on one end of a network segment to the node on the other end. This maximum time limits the length of any network segment to 2500 meters. You can therefore use, at most, four repeaters in a line. You can use other repeaters in different spots in a LAN, but you can't have any loops or --end-to-end distances greater than 2500 meters. Distance limitations vary among networks—you should check out the physical limits of your network.

Sometimes distance is less the problem than the difficulty or cost of laying the cable. In such cases, a wireless LAN might be the answer. A wireless LAN sends its data over an FCC-approved limited radio frequency spectrum. Instead of using cables, you connect each system, including the server, to a radio transceiver box.

Wireless LANs aren't quick—the fastest run at around 500,000 bps, and some are slower. They also don't work much over a couple hundred feet. Still, they can sometimes work where nothing else would.

Turbocharging Your Server

Not all bottlenecks on a LAN are due to the underlying media. Another common bottleneck is the server. Its capacity and speed are the two biggest factors in the growth and performance of many LANs.

The most obvious way to get more out of a server is to use a faster CPU. A 286 machine might be fine for 20 or 30 users, but bigger networks require more horsepower. Today, the 386 is the server processor of choice, and i486-based servers are growing in popularity. The user limitations of different versions of Novell NetWare demonstrate the effects of CPU power: NetWare 286 has a 100-user limit (which you'd be lucky to reach before saturating the network), while NetWare 386 can support 250 systems, as Novell demonstrated most recently at the NetWorld '90 show in Boston.

The 386 and i486 also offer more than just processing speed: Their architectures are much better suited to the life of a server than the 286's. They provide larger address spaces, better memory management, and 32-bit buses to speed data transfers. Novell and other LAN

continued

call price

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Circle 138 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 139)

DEVELOPMENT HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

K® P.O. BOX 2310

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PC XT AT f^SrM«>.C>«.<^«

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by Greenleaf

Financial Mathlib, an unprecedented C library, furnishes programmers with hundreds of financial functions, such as amortizations, cash flow analysis, statistical, and Interest calculations. All these are performed without rounding errors, using Greenleafs exact decimal math. C programmers can now write great financial software easily!

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FastFaxts 55-028

386 DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

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386 Max

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FoxBASE+/386

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High C - 386

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Exsys Professional

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Logic Gem by Sterling Castle

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VP Expert

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ARITY Combination Package 1095

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PC Scheme LISP- by Tl

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TURBO PROLOG V2.0

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386 lASM/LINK by Pharlap

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Visible Computer 80 286

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BAS-C Commercial

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MS QuickBASIC V4.5

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Programming Windows

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Running MS-DOS, 4th Edition

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Zortech C++ Video Course

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High C-286 - by MetaWare

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Microsoft C5.1 - w/CodeView

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! PARADOX

ENGINE

I

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by Knowledge Dynamics Install 3.0 is a bullet-proof automatic installation program you can distributeroyalty free- with your product. Features include: 4.4 gigabyte file sizes, windowing/ color interface, C source, hard and floppy disk installation, multiple source and target disks, and multiple sub-directories. LIST Price $250 PS Price $219

FastFaxts1721-001 Circle 358 on Reader Service Card

CLEAR+ forC

CLEAR Software

CLEAR helps C developers understand and document their code by automatically producing these high-resolutions diagrams: program flow charts, multi-level tree charts, formatted source listings, fljnction cross references, and prototype files. While it processes C applications, CLEAR analyzes program's logic and reports logical inconsistencies and syntactical errors. LIST Price $ 199.95 PS Price $169 FastFaxts 873-007 Circle 359 on Reader Service Card

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Genifer builds complete business applications in dBASE, Clipper, FoxPRO, FoxBASE+, dBXL, and Quicksilver. The generated code is very clear, modular, and well documented...Genifer serves as an excellent example of modular design and error handling." - InfoWorld. FREE Demo Disk available!

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Paradox Engine

by Borland

Now the power of Paradox is available to C users. Paradox Engine opens the Paradox architecture to C programs. Manipulate Paradox tables in both a single- and multiuser environment with Applications Programming Interface (API) of more than 70 functions. Comes with a C library that links with any of your applications. LIST Price $495 PS Price $399

FastFaxts 777-070

WATCOM C8.0

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Dan Bricklin Demo 11

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Interactive EasyFlow

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Instant Replay - Nostradamus 150

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Matrix Layout - flow chart

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MetaDesIgn by Meta Software 350

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ProtoFlnish by Genesis

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R&R Code Generator

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Show Partner F/X

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COBOL

MS COBOL V3.0

900

639

Realia COBOL

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ADD-ONS

C Asynch Lib

249

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C Asynch Manager 3.0

189

155

Essential COMM by S. Mtn

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Greenleaf Comm Library

299

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QuickComm

139

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DATABASE MANAGEMENT

Cause by Maxem

295

259

CURION

845

549

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D the data language

395

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Magic PC

499

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PC Plus -Texas Instruments

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Paradox V3.0

725

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R-BASE for DOS

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Tas Lan Support

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Tas Professional

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DBASE

Clipper Summer "87 MU

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db/Fast

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dBASE IV

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dbFAST Windows

395

329

dbFAST/PLUS

345

319

dBMANV

295

275

Force by Sophco

695

395

FoxPro

795

495

FoxBASE + - V2.1

395

279

Quicksilver Diamond

599

399

Sunshow Professional

100

95

DBASE ADD-ONS

AdComm For Clipper

295

279

Artful Lib

200

200

CodeBASE 4

295

279

dGE - business graphics

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dGE 4.0

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dOuery MU

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469

FLIPPER Graphics Library

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MultiScope almost makes debugging in OS/ 2 a pleasure. This sophisticated program offers the most advanced features in any debugging tool: both a PM graphics mode and an OS/2 text mode; 13 different views into a program; multiple execution modes; expression evaluation; remote debugging; dual monitor debugging; child process debugging; and execution of calls to your own code during debugging. LIST Price $299 PS Price $249

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R&R Relational Reportwriter &

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SilverComm Library

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dBX - dBASE III to C

550

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100

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395

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Knowledge Pro's Toolkit

129

119

R&R Relational Reportwriter

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screen/menu

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495

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Dev's Version 2.0

595

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Dis Doc

130

119

Periscope II & III

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345

Sourcer

100

89

sPORT by WHS

80

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200

189

Zortech 0 Debugger

90

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Zortech C-f^ Debugger

150

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AsmFlow

100

89

C Programmers Toolbox

99

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CLEAR + for C

200

169

Codan

395

349

dAnalyst for C

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Documenter

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245

Inside

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119

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419

Knowledge Pro Windows

695

589

MKS Lex & Yacc

249

199

MicrarfiC

Form Publisher for Windows

by FORMWORX

DTP software designed expressly for making forms. Uses unique object-oriented design techniques; incorporate text from other programs; add graphics in PCX, MSP, and TIFF, or scan in your own. Compile forms into HP macros to print from other programs. Over 550 standards forms Included.

LIST Price $249 PS Price $219

FastFaxts 1493 010

Microsoft C 6.0

by Microsoft

The long-awaited C 6.0 Is an integrated system of powerful tools for professional DOS, Windows and OS/2 developers. Compiled programs are smaller and faster than with C 5.1; new Source Browser allows interactive browsing through a project database.

LIST Price $495 PS Price $349

FastFaxts 502-112

MKS RCS 189 175

PolyDoc-SU 199 179

PC-Lint 139 115

Plink 86 Plus - overiays 495 399

PolyMake 149 135

PVCS Personal 149 135

PVCS Professional 695 659

.RTLINK - by Pocket Soft 295 279

.RTLINKPIus 495 419

Sbrowse 245 Call

Source Print by Powerline 99 97

Sourcer w/BIOS Pre-ProC 140 129

TLIB 100 89

Zortech C++Tools 150 135

EDITORS

BRIEF 199 Call

Edix 195 179

Epsilon - like EMACS 195 169

KEDIT - like XEDIT. V/4 150 139

RimStar PM;Editor

195

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SPF/PC - V2.1

245

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Vedit Plus

185

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Btrieve ISAM - V5.0

245

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Birieve/N - multiuser

595

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dANALYST for C and C++ can help you create, debug and document multi-user C source fast with Blocking Diagrams, Var and Function XRef and morel Network ready C source Generator for Relational Screen Painter, Report Writer & Menu Designer. Creates C code for Sequiter Code Base IV, Copia, Raima, Boriand Paradox Engine plus various Video Libs. Meets the Standard C conditions to run on DOS & Xenix/Unix & OS/2 & Novell. Creates Link files for LINK, TLINK, PLINK86, .RTLink & PHARLAP. Compatible with Microsoft C 5.1/6.0, Turbo C & other C & C++ compilers. Additional versions available for dBASE, FoxPRO, Clipper and QuickSilver/dBXL. LIST Price $295 PS Price $269

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by PocketSoft

PocketSoffs .RTLink/Plus is the premier linker for professional developers. Witti typical image reductions of 33-67%, CodeView support, smart overlay caching and optimized source code v»ith built-in CPU profiles, .RTLink/Plus beats the competition. Rated top linker in recent PC Week poll. LIST Price $495 PS Price $419 FastFaxtg 1277-003

FORTRAN

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Fortran Opt. Compiler

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Lahey Personal FORTRAN

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C + O Class Library

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C Tools Plus - V6.0

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209

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Greenleaf SuperFunctions

299

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Turbo C Tools by Blaise

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Codemaster II

289

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399

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Graphic

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319

Greenleaf Makeform-DOS

125

119

GSS Dev't Toolkit (Graphics)

595

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Halo '88-140 + devices

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Hoops

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MelaWINDOW/PLUS

325

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Sunscan

250

229

Sunshow Adv Image Toolkit

250

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Sunshow C Image

250

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I

BRIEF 3.0

by Solution Systems

Power up with the programmer's editor, BRIEF 3.0. New macro language allows macros to be written without switching between C and a macro language. The source level debugger works with original BRIEF, and CBRIEF. Template editing and smart indenting for use with most languages. Save and restore window setups, and create unlimited number of files ■ with up to 4 billion lines per file. LIST Price $199 PS Price $ Call Fa»tFaxts73200S

CASE:W ^

by Caseworks

Announcing CASE:W 3.0 tor Windows 3.0, the new Windows development tool for serious Windows Piogramniers. Interactivitely design your Windows interface and CASE;W generates the required C source code framework. Preserve user added code during interface changes with CASEiW's regeneration facility. No propietary languages or Runtimes requiredll LIST Price $795 PS Price $695

FoHtFaxt* 1502-001

NETWORKS

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Netback

245

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NETmanager

1495

1295

CG:Mail 25 user

695

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DaVinci eMAIL

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595

519

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295

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150

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490

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395

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Smalltalk/V

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Zortech C ++ Dev. Edition

450

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OS - SUPPORT

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130

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Graphics Server SDK

495

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MKS Toolkit - Unix shell

249

229

MS Windows/286

99

69

MS Windows/386

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500

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80

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495

459

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OTHER LANGUAGES

Modula-2 Dev. System

by Logitech

249

229

RPG II Dev. Systems

1600

1469

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150

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OTHER PRODUCTS

386 Max Professional

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Baler

495

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Carbon Copy Plus

199

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CO/SESSION

249

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129

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Fasttiack Plus

189

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File Shuttle by GETC

120

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Flow Charting II Plus

229

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FM-Plus

100

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149

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Hyperpad by Brightbill

149

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LapLInk III

150

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Link & Locate ++ - ROM MSC

395

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Math Advantage

495

475 /i

Mirror II

70

59 (C

Net Lib

249

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Norton Commander

149

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ISO

109

Paginate by Accumatlcs

100

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PC Anywhere III

145

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PC Tools Deluxe

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109

PC Kwik Power Pack

130

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QEMM-386

100

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Recital

995

889

Remote2

195

139

OPTune

OPTune ^

by Gazelle

Got a case of "hard-disk slowdown?" Get OPTune, the fastest, most complete set of performance-enhancing utilities available. It features unmatched file defragmentation, low-level non-destructive interleave adjustment, and in depth media testing. OPTune will, quite simply, keep your disk spinning faster and longer than any other "so-called" optimizer... guaranteed. LIST Price $ 100 PS Price $89

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STATE OF THE ART GROWING PAINS

companies are bringing out versions of their LAN operating systems that take full advantage of these architectural features.

The next step in server processing power is multiprocessor systems. Compaq, for example, plans to offer a twoprocessor version of OS/2 LAN Manager that will work with its dual-processor Systempro.

A faster processor alone, however, is never enough. The rest of the server system, particularly the disk drives, must be fast and large enough to keep pace with the CPU. Many of today's servers can hold over a gigabyte of disk storage, and average access times are falling below 10 milliseconds. Intelligent, caching disk drive controllers, such as Distributed Processing Technology's SmartCache, are improving those times even further. And finally, new technologies like the Intelligent Drive Arrays in the Systempro and the position-sensing disk drive controllers from Zenith Data Systems supply both improved speed and capacity to overburdened servers.

Of course, the fastest processor and disk drives won't do you much good if the data from the server trickles out to the LAN. Today's common, dumb, 8-bit network adapters just won't make it. To get the most out of a server, it should have a 32-bit bus that can support intelligent, 32-bit disk drive controllers and LAN adapters. Bus-master adaptersboards capable of taking over the busoffer the best performance.

A Staff of Servants

You can support a lot of users with the right media and a single, high-end server. If you find that one server doesn't keep up, however, you'll have to investigate multiple servers. Most LAN operating systems can handle more than one server, but the move to multiple servers poses some special problems.

The biggest problem for most people is simply keeping track of files. It's nice to be able to store files on several servers— until it's time to remember where those files are. You also have to remember which printers are connected to which servers.

A LAN operating system can help with these problems, although the quality of support in this area varies widely. NetWare, for example, leaves you on your own (although an upcoming version promises some aid). Banyan's VINES, by contrast, shines in this area. Its naming services let you work only with symbolic names and leave the bookkeeping details to the LAN administrator. The

printer you use may be named "Laserl"; that's all you need know about it. The administrator tells VINES what that name means.

Using several servers can also make it harder to log onto a LAN: You might have to log onto every server you want to use. Some LAN operating systems are improving in this area. LAN Manager 2.0, for example, simplifies this task by using a concept known as domains. A domain is a set of servers that behaves like

T

■ he biggest problem with muhiple

servers is simply keeping track affiles.

one logical server. The servers share the same database of user IDs, so you need only one ID and password to use the resources on all the servers in the domain.

Who, What, Where?

Multiple servers let you support many users, but they can also add administrative work. Every server is one more system to manage. Domains can help somewhat here, because they let you manage groups of servers largely as if they were one. Emerging standards for network management, such as the Simple Network Management Protocol, offer even better prospects for managing networks.

Of course, there's a lot more to managing a large LAN than just setting up user IDs. One crucial issue is, as always, performance. As a LAN gets larger, the number of possible bottlenecks grows, as does the difficulty of finding those bottlenecks. Problem diagnosis is crucial. One faulty network adapter or one workstation with the wrong version of the LAN operating system can sometimes bring an entire LAN, serving hundreds of users, to its knees. The best solution is to have good diagnostic tools. The Network General Sniffer, for example, can show you the traffic on the network so you can see which systems are causing the problems.

The Dance of the LANs

LAN growth problems don't stop within the confines of a single LAN. As more and more organizations are realizing

every day, no LAN is an island—or, at least, no LAN should be an island. It's often not enough anymore just to make your own LAN work; you also have to hook it to other LANs in your organization.

You can link LANs with a wide array of products. Most of these products fall into one of three classes: bridges, routers, and brouters (see figure 1).

Bridges work closer to the LAN hardware than any of the other LAN-spanning products. Basically, a bridge takes packets from one LAN and puts them on another LAN. It is more than a repeater, because it knows enough about the signals it receives to spot the packets. It does not, however, know anything about the structure of those packets. A bridge doesn't care whether you send it information packets from NetWare, LAN Manager, or TCP/IP; it just faithfully passes the packets along.

This ignorance goes both ways, because bridges, like repeaters, are invisible to higher-level software. As far as the LAN operating system is concerned, all the LANs you connect with bridges are just one big LAN.

A router operates at a higher level than a bridge. A router understands not only what a packet is, but also enough of its structure to figure out the packet's destination. That information lets a router make decisions about how and where to route the packets it receives (hence the name).

A router greatly reduces the amount of unnecessary traffic between linked LANs because it only passes on packets from one LAN that are important to the other. Broadcast messages, for example, are usually best kept to the originating LAN, as they often don't matter to the other LAN. A router can also choose the best available path between two points in a complex network that has redundant paths between LANs.

The cost of this knowledge is that a router has to understand a specific protocol before it can route packets that obey that protocol. Routers are thus protocoldependent, although some can route several different protocols. The routers from Cisco Systems, for example, can work with over 10 common protocols, including NetWare's IPX, AppleTalk, and TCP'IP.

The line between routers and bridges is rapidly blurring. Routers are being expanded to understand more protocols so they can compete with bridges. Bridges, meanwhile, are being improved so they perform some functions of a router—but

continued

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LAN CONNECTIONS

(a)

LAN 1

(b)

LAN 1

LAN 1

Bridge

Router

Brouter

LAN 2

I LAN 1 generated, LAN 1 destination

LAN 2

LAN traffic

LAN 1 generated, LAN 2 destination

LAN 2

LAN 1 generated, undetermined destination

Figure 1: (a) Bridges are high-speed LAN connections that pass all traffic from one LAN onto another, (b) Routers are slower than bridges, but they pass on only the packets that are destined for the second LAN. (c) Brouters act as routers for packets they recognize, and as bridges for packets they don't recognize. (Note: The figure shows only LAN 1-generated traffic; LAN 2-generated traffic is handled in an analogous manner.)

at the higher speed of a bridge.

Further, a new hybrid, the brouter, offers some of the best features of both bridges and routers. A brouter routes the packets it understands, and it bridges the ones it does not.

The Long and the Short

Bridges, routers, and brouters can link LANs that are in close proxiinity as well as LANs that are far apart. Each situation has slightly different requirements.

To connect two distant LANs, you need two LAN-spanning devices and a phone line (or equivalent) to link them. You can use normal dial-up telephone lines, but their relatively low maximum speed makes them generally too slow for LAN linkage. Most linked LANs use at least a 56,000-bps leased line, and Tl connections (which run at 1.5 Mbps) are increasingly common.

To connect two local LANs, you need only one LAN-spanning device. Connecting more than two LANs, however, can get tricky because then you need to figure out which pairs of LANs to tie together. Every time you send a packet between two LANs, it has to travel through all the LANs between its source and its destination. It's a good idea, therefore, to locate LANs that have a lot of traffic between them close to one another.

Of course, pairing up LANs isn't always possible when traffic is more evenly

distributed. If you have a lot of traffic between many different connected LANs, the best answer may be a backbone.

A backbone is basically a LAN whose only purpose is to connect other LANs. You link every LAN (with a bridge or router as usual) to the backbone. Thus, you only have one LAN—the backbone— between any pair of LANs. Each LAN communicates with the others via the backbone.

This approach is great for the individual linked LANs, but it obviously can place a huge burden on the backbone, which must carry all the packets that move between LANs. Because of this high performance requirement, backbones often use different technologies than the LANs they connect.

One common backbone technology is broadband, which is basically the technology used for cable TV. Broadband, as its name implies, can carry more traffic than can such baseband technologies as Ethernet or Token Ring. Broadband has many channels, each of which can carry different types of data. Broadband can also span physical distances of up to 30 kilometers, which makes it a good way to link several buildings or even an entire corporation or university campus.

Fiber is emerging as another good backbone technology. Fiber cables need repeaters if you run them more than a few kilometers, but their large band

width lets them handle a great deal of inter-LAN traffic.

LAN-Spanning Complications

While bridges, routers, backbones, and the like are able to provide the bandwidth needed to link multiple LANs, they can't link LANs that use incompatible technologies. Your engineering department's LAN might use Ethernet, while the accounting department uses Token Ring. You need special bridges and routers to link such dissimilar LANs. Ethernet and Token Ring, for example, both use the same Logical Link Control protocols (IEEE 802.2), so bridges and routers between the two must understand the LLC protocols.

Sharing the same LLC protocols often isn't enough, because the LANs you want to link may be running different higher-level network software or protocol stacks. For example, LAN Manager on Token Ring works with a NetBEUI protocol stack, while LAN Manager on Ethernet may use a version of IPX. Even though they use the same operating system, you'd need more than a bridge or router that understands LLC protocols to get these LANs to communicate.

The problem is even worse when you are running two different network operating systems on the LANs you want to connect. Basically, you're on your own here. Whether you're trying to connect LANs that use NetWare, LAN Manager, or the Unix-based Network File System, the mechanisms for linking such highly dissimilar LANs are still up in the air.

Living on a Network of Networks

Once you've connected all the LANs and gotten everything working, you often find that you've got all the same problems that you had with a single LAN, but on a much bigger scale. Finding the printers and files you want can be hard enough with multiple servers on a single LAN; on multiple linked LANs, it can be a nightmare. Obviously, in this environment, such concepts as domains and named services can be vital.

Network management also becomes much more complicated when you have several linked LANs. Not only must you manage the systems on each individual LAN, you also have to worry about the bridges, routers, and phone connections between them. Spotting bottlenecks and failures in a complex network can be a monumental undertaking. Network management systems, such as IBM's Net View, can help somewhat, but often many components of complex networks

continued

210 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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The Latest GOSIP

Sharon Fisher

It's been said that the federal government runs on gossip, but starting in August, that will actually be true. Government agencies will be required to specify communications products that support the Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile, or GOSIP, in new procurements and major upgrades.

If you think that doesn't apply to you, you're wrong. All companies that sell to the government will be required to comply with this standard. Over time, it may well become cost-effective for those companies to support only one standard—GOSIP. Sooner or later, it will affect us all.

What's the Story?

To understand what GOSIP is, you need to know what Open Systems Interconnection is. OSI is a set of communications protocols developed by a group of international users and vendors. Unlike some other communications protocols, OSI is not proprietary; no vendor has control over it. Instead, it's controlled by international organizations such as the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the CCITT.

The point behind developing the OSI standards is to get away from proprietary protocols to allow users to buy systems from different vendors and have them communicate without having to go to a lot of effort. Nearly every major vendor (including IBM, DEC, and Hewlett-Packard) has committed to supporting OSI protocols at some time in the future. However, some vendors haven't been specific about how they're going to do that.

The problems now are that so many protocols have been grouped under the OSI banner that a single product cannot support them all, and that some user organizations don't require them all. That's where profiles come in. OSI profiles, such as GOSIP, are defined by user organizations or governments and consist of a subset of the OSI protocols that the organization says it will use. GOSIP is the OSI profile defined by the U.S. government (see figure A).

Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty GOSIP is actually a series of profiles, not just one. Version 1 was promulgated as a federal information processing standard in August 1988. It went into effect in February 1989, at which time its use was encouraged. It becomes manda

tory in August of this year.

In other words, prior to the mandatory date, federal government users should try to request GOSIP support in their proposals, and vendors are supposed to develop products that comply. After August, government users must specify products that support GOSIP protocols, if they exist.

Microcomputers, however, don't necessarily have to support GOSIP. It's only required for "host" systems, and microcomputers are generally thought of as "local" systems. They can support GOSIP themselves or provide GOSIP functionality through links to a minicomputer or mainframe. For example, you can remotely log onto a minicomputer to read OSI-compliant E-mail or download files obtained through OSIcompliant file transfer protocols.

The main features that GOSIP 1 specifies are the ability to send and receive E-mail using Message Handling Systems (MHS, also known as X.400), the OSI E-mail standard, and the ability to access and transfer files using File Transfer, Access, and Management (FTAM), the file transfer standard.

In addition to basic file transfer, FTAM has several options, such as reading and writing from indexed files, locating and erasing data from indexed files, retrieving complete information on file-storage properties, retrieving file-security properties, and sending and receiving file-directory information.

GOSIP specifies six FTAM implementation profiles:

• Tl—simple file transfer

• T2—positional file transfer

• T3—full file transfer

• Al—simple file access

• A2—full file access

• Ml—management

All FTAM systems must support at least Tl; depending on the function, you can also specify the more complex profiles.

For network technology, GOSIP version 1 supports IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) over baseband or broadband, IEEE 802.4 (token bus) over 10-megabit-persecond broadband or 5-Mbps carrier band, IEEE 802.5 (Token Ring), and 1984 X.25 packet-switched networks. Physical-level specifications (e.g., RS232C versus V.35 for X.25 connections, or fiber versus twisted-pair wir

ing for IEEE 802.3 connections) are not specified, giving you some flexibility in your requirements.

You can also provide these network technologies via others, such as by linking an IEEE 802.3 network to a digital private branch exchange and transmitting the data over the telephone lines, or by using X.25 interfaces and terminal adapters to link to ISDN.

In addition, GOSIP specifies the use of the Connectionless Network Protocol (CLNP) to provide a reliable end-to-end data path between networks. This protocol masks the differences between the network technologies, allowing several LANs to interoperate. It also includes features that limit the number of hops a message can take and the amount of time it takes to reassemble a message, to keep loops from occurring in the network. GOSIP doesn't directly specify LAN bridges, so they can also be used.

Over the CLNP is the Transport layer, which consists of five classes of increasing levels of capability with respect to retransmission of lost data, flow control, and reordering of packets. GOSIP specifies TP 4, the highest level of capability.

GOSIP does not specify programming interfaces or user interfaces. This means that programs can't necessarily be moved from one computer to another and still work, nor will all GOSIP-compliant products have the same look. Instead, GOSIP support can be added to existing products. Thus, you don't have to learn a new way to send E-mail—just, perhaps, a new way to address it, using MHS addresses.

Things to Come

GOSIP 2 is due to be specified this month, with version 3 to come about 15 months later. Each will go into effect about 18 months after specification. The organization that decides which protocols to add to the GOSIP specification is the intra-agency GOSIP Advanced Requirements Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland, chaired by Jerry Mulvenna.

Version 2 adds support for the Virtual Terminal application and ISDN as a new network technology. VT allows terminals or microcomputers to log onto other systems without needing to know their specifics.

The following services are expected in later versions of GOSIP:

212 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Figure A: The GOSIP choices for the various levels of the OSI network model. Version 1 takes effect in August of this year. Future additions will probably begin to take effect sometime in 1992.

GOSIP PROTOCOLS

OSI Model

GOSIP 1

GOSIP future additions

7

Application layer

FTAM, MHS (X.400)

VI. 1 r, some oUNo. EDI, ODA, X.500, new FTAM and MHS features

6

Presentation layer

5

Session layer

lement

4

Transport layer

TP 4

CO

c ta E

Some SDNS

3

Network layer

CLNP

Netwot

Some SDNS

Data-link layer

IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.4, IEEE 802.5, X.25

ISDN

1

Physical layer

Not specified

Some SDNS

• Transaction processing. An Application layer protocol that allows you to enter groups of related data into a database and retrieve the entire group should one transaction fail.

• Secure Data Network Service (SDNS). A set of services, such as authentication, access control, confidentiality, and integrity. Security services can be implemented at layers 1, 3,4, and7oftheOSIModel.

• Dynamic routing. Allows a network to pick the most efficient route from one system to another, based on factors such as congestion, availability, and cost. It includes two separate protocols: one between end systems and intermediate systems, and one between two intermediate systems.

• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI, orX.12). Can be supported as a mail-body type through MHS, a file type by FTAM, or a separate Application layer service.

• Office Document Architecture (ODA). Allows you to exchange two types of documents produced in an office environment: ones that contain just the logical structure (i.e., the contents), and ones that contain both the contents and the format.

• Network management. Consists of three parts: a set of protocols for exchanging management information, a structure for managed objects, and definitions for the objects and their attributes.

• Directory services (also known as X.5(X)). Stores and retrieves information about objects in an OSI enviroimient, along with attributes such as E-mail address, postal address, and telephone number. X.500 could also provide browsing capabilities and a "yellow pages" service.

• Additional features of existing GOSIP protocols. For example, FTAM will support simultaneous reads and writes, the ability to search directories, and specification of different levels of access control on portions of the same file. Future versions of MHS may allow security features such as message-originator authentication, checks against unauthorized disclosure, and verification of content integrity; support for directory services; and message store delivery, which would allow microcomputers to use MHS services without having to support MHS themselves.

Checking It Out

To ensure that different implementations of the OSI protocols are correct, several types of required and optional

conformance testing are specified.

The mandatory testing is done with various testing programs, such as those from the Corporation for Open Systems in McLean, Virginia. As part of its COS Mark program, COS has been testing OSI implementations since April 1989. In December 1989, COS and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards) agreed to work together on testing GOSIP implementations. According to Vincent Roccanova, manager of the COS Mark program, this testing could take as little as a week.

Another form of testing is the test against a reference implementation, in which one vendor tests its product against another vendor's product, which is specified by NIST. This test is mandatory if NIST designates such a reference implementation, but it is not mandatory if the organization doesn't find a reference implementation of high-enough quality, says Roccanova.

The third type of testing is pairwise, which means that two vendors voluntarily agree to get together and test their products. If these voluntary tests work, the results go into a public record that NIST maintains, Roccanova says.

The Proof Is in the Pudding

Government agencies are required to begin specifying products supporting GOSIP protocols, when available, as of August 15 for new procurements or

"major upgrades," an undefined gray area. This is deliberate, according to Mulvenna.

If you wish to use non-GOSIP products when GOSIP products are available, you must go through a waiver process and have some sort of gateway to interoperate the new and old products. Waivers are supposed to be allowed only when compliance would make it more difficult for a federal computer system to accomplish its mission, or if the cost of GOSIP compliance would offset the amounts that the rest of the government expects to save.

But you can't move to GOSIP until vendors ship products supporting its protocols. While a number of products are available now, Roccanova expects many more by August, noting that vendors will probably time their announcements to coincide with the adoption of the GOSIP requirements.

Sharon Fisher is a San Francisco-based freelance writer specializing in computer communications. She can be reached on BIX as "sharonfisher."

FURTHER READING Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile Users' Guide, NIST Special Publication 500-163, NIST, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22181. Copies of other OSI specifications are available from Omnicom, Inc., 115 Park St. SE, Vienna, VA 22180.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 213

STATE OF THE ART GROWING PAINS

don't support these tools. This is obviously an area in great need of standardization, but progress is slow. For instance, the present version of the GOSIP standard (see the text box "The Latest GOSIP" on page 212) doesn't include network management protocols. Future versions, however, are expected to.

The Rest of the World

In most organizations, LANs aren't the only computing resources. Important data often resides on minicomputer and mainframe systems, and LAN users need access to that data. There are several ways that you can meet that need.

If the data is on an IBM mainframe, the LAN must learn how to translate its requests into the mainframe's protocol. Devices that perform such translations— whether they are between a mainframe and a LAN or between two dissimilar LANs—are called gateways.

The most common type of gateway is one that lets LAN workstations pretend to be mainframe terminals, typically some member of the 3270 terminal family. A 3270 gateway lives in a system on the LAN and connects that system to the

mainframe. Any LAN system that wants to use the gateway sends information to the gateway system, which forwards it to the mainframe and transmits the mainframe's reply. A more powerful protocol for LAN-to-mainframe connections is LU 6.2, which lets microcomputer programs communicate with mainframe programs. Gateways that support LU 6.2 are increasingly popular.

Connecting a LAN to a minicomputer entails similar problems, although minicomputers are often already connected to their own LANs. The simplest way to access a minicomputer is via a terminal gateway, which can be as simple as a system with an asynchronous modem and a communications package. The gateway can also be a product that understands the minicomputer's LAN terminal protocol, such as DEC'S Local Area Transport protocol.

Some minicomputers, such as DEC's VAX, can also support common PC LAN protocols. NetWare for VMS, for example, lets a VAX look and work like any other NetWare server. Many minicomputer companies plan to support LM/X (LAN Manager for Unix) on their

Unix systems. Atlantix already sells software that lets Unix systems act as NetWare servers.

More to Come

Even with all the solutions available for setting up and connecting LANs, there is a long way to go before you'll be able to link transparently and manage different kinds of LANs. Still, if LAN users keep demanding such capabilities, the market is sure to respond.

If you use personal computers, you have been hearing about "The Year of the LAN" for most of the past decade. Well, the Year of the LAN has come and gone—although nobody knows for certain which year it was. With luck, the focus of the next decade will be on improving and maturing LANs and the ways you link them. That seems to be the current trend; let's hope it continues. ■

Bill Catchings and Mark L. Van Name are BYTE contributing editors. Both are also independent computer consultants and freelance writers based in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can reach them on BIX as "wbc3 " and "mvanname, " respectively.

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Circle 182 on Reader Service Card (DEALER: 183)

STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

Want to Catch Some Z's?

For many small networks, a full-fledged LAN may be overkill; that's where zero-slot LANs come in

Janet J. Barron

Zero-slot LANs are nothing new; they have been around for a few years now. But this type of peer-topeer LAN now offers some additional intelligence and newly enhanced utilities. Because of these improvements, ZSLs qualify as a proven state-of-the-art option for those who need low-cost, easy-to-install and -maintain file transfer, peripheral-sharing, and file-sharing capabilities (see table 1).

A ZSL is so named because, instead of taking up one of your microcomputer's expansion slots, it can be plugged into a serial or parallel port. Such a peer-to-peer device easily connects computers and peripherals and inexpensively provides capabilities such as file transfer and sharing; drive and printer redirection, allocation, and optimization; automatic file backup; E-mail; print spooling; and other networking benefits. Peer-to-peer networks do not require a dedicated file server; they provide you with access to files on other users' hard disks.

ZSLs come in several forms. They can consist of intelligent hardware switches and adapters, software alone, or a combi

nation of hardware and software. You can usually install one in a matter of minutes. It would take much longer to install a full-fledged LAN.

You can configure a ZSL in a star, ring, point-to-point, or bus topology. You can connect from two to about 30 nodes, depending on the ZSL, configuration, conditions, applications, and type of system. You can then daisy chain

several of these work clusters together with currently available products.

A ZSL can cost anywhere from $75 per node to several hundred dollars per node (see table 2). You can get a basic ZSL for one-tenth to one-half the price of a larger, more powerful type of LAN—the installation costs alone for a full-blown LAN can amount to thousands of dollars. In addition, with a peer-to-peer network, you needn't dedicate an employee to maintaining the system—another benefit that adds to its cost effectiveness. (For some real-world examples, see the text box "Different Strokes for Different Folks" on page 220.)

Peer-to-peer networks are available with features that range from basic (i.e., simple file transfer and peripheralsharing capabilities) to highlevel (i.e., complex file sharing, ports that can be configured as either serial or parallel, software pop-up utilities with some buffer memory, and the ability to tie into other LANs and wide-area networks [WANs]). (For a review of lowcost peer-to-peer networks, see "Networks of Peers" on page 142.) While the numbers vary widely, Pete

continued

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 217

STATE OF THE ART WANT TO CATCH SOME Z'S?

Table 1: Typically, ZSLs provide fewer features than full-fledged LANs, but they also cost less and are easier to install and maintain. This table provides a quick-reference comparison of ZSLs versus high-level LANs.

ZSL

Full-featured LAN

Less expensive per node.

Easier to install and maintain.

Less node capability and more limited

distances between nodes.

Does not tie up computer's expansion

slots.

No need to dedicate one computer as

a server.

Provides sufficient capabilities for lowlevel users' needs but not enough highlevel features for sophisticated users. Easy to move and reconfigure. Most are not powerful enough for power users' needs.

Even using a parallel port, speeds are still relatively low. Difficult to link to minicomputers, mainframes, and other LANs and WANs.

tvlore sophisticated network features.

More node capability and fewer node

distance constraints.

More speed and power for user

applications.

Capabilities may exceed low-level users' needs but are necessary for more sophisticated users. Very difficult to move and reconfigure. Considerable benefits for power users' graphics-handling and storage needs. Lightning-fast transmission. Efficiently links minicomputers, mainframes, and other LANs and WANs.

Peterson, president of Digital Products, a zero-slot LAN firm, has some ballpark figures showing that about one-third of all networked microcomputers are connected via peer-to-peer or low-level LANs, as opposed to server-based LANs. If Peterson's statistics are accurate, these numbers show that a tremendous number of ZSLs (especially the new, higher-speed, increased-capability types) are in place and being used either by personnel in small firms or to connect the work clusters of larger companies.

An Infinite Variety

As the lines between microcomputers and workstations are rapidly disappearing, so are those between some of the latest feature-packed ZSL products and what used to be called "full-featured" LANs. With almost any product or technology that fills a need and gains a following, a variety of iterations (and names for those iterations) come down the pike and either confuse or clarify the issue. ZSLs are no different.

Peer-to-peer networks have various names and work in a variety of ways. Well over a dozen firms offer ZSLs. Among the names these firms use for their products are

• zero-slot LAN (LANLink 5X and 3X)

• sub-LAN (NetCommander)

• peer LAN (LANtastic)

• file transfer/resource-sharing software

(ZeroNet, Brooklyn Bridge, and FastLynx)

• RS-232C network (EasyLAN)

• data-exchange system (Model 24)

as well as a variety of generic terms, such as peripheral-sharing devices and limited-function networks.

Regardless of what ZSLs are called, however, the choice of a ZSL still hinges on what you need a network for in the first place. If your primary applications fall into the areas of peripheral sharing, print spooling, automatic file backup, or shared data, you may find that a full-featured LAN is overkill. And if you tend to move devices around a lot or revise your file- and peripheral-sharing needs often, a ZSL may be your network of choice.

On the other hand, full-featured LANs are ideal for applications using multimachine, application-specific, fast data transfer, number-crunching, and graphics capabilities. You will also find a full LAN appropriate when your main requirements are sharing applications, databases, and expensive peripherals (e.g., hard disk drives and laser printers), and where graphics printing speeds are important. High-level LANs are also better if you need to link to minicomputers, mainframes, WANs, and other full LANs.

Another feature of ZSLs is that, in most cases, they are TSR programs— they run in the background. Thus, you

don't need to dedicate an expensive machine to be used solely as a file server. In addition, ZSL nodes tend to be more resistant than high-level LAN nodes to system failures because, in a peer-to-peer network, each node essentially operates autonomously (it has its own in-place software and hardware).

Trading Places

Typically, ZSLs are the right solution for small installations where the applications are simple and not compute-intensive. But even in these situations, they are not always perfect solutions. Most users agree that ZSLs that use your computer's serial port simply don't provide throughput fast enough for true file sharing. And, as ideal as low-level LANs with high-speed parallel-port transmission may seem, they (and some of the add-ins designed to enhance their features) often have trade-offs.

Naturally, since most peer-to-peer networks are TSRs, you must deal with the usual RAM-resident disadvantages. If your ZSL and the applications you run over it all require a great deal of memory, you will experience a significant degradation in throughput. And, as with high-level LANs, the farther apart you place your networked nodes, the worse this situation becomes.

Also, especially with a ZSL, the more nodes you have, the more you will experience system degradation. ZSLs often have extreme constraints on how many nodes you can run. With some systems, you will experience optimal operating conditions with only two or three connections. In addition, most ZSLs have significant limitations on the number of microcomputer clusters you can daisy chain.

There are ways, however, to enhance a peer-to-peer network's performance. When you want to use a ZSL to connect multiple nodes to a single server while maintaining current printer ports, you can obtain an add-in board called the ParaPort for The Software Link's LANLink 5 X system.

With this PC-compatible four-port parallel expansion board, you can use parallel ports beyond LPTl, LPT2, and LPT3. In addition, you can install up to four ParaPort boards in your computer, providing a total of 16 parallel connections—each of which transmits at 500,000 bps. The ParaPort supports bidirectional data flow and lets each computer function as both a server and a satellite.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Generally

continued

218 BYTE- JUNE 1990

hen it comes to PostScript printers, even our plugs are impressive.

"QMS-PS 810 buyers awarded it the top score in value relative to cost."

PC Week

MACWORLD

"(The QMS-PS 810) is much faster than the LaserWriter IDSfT ... In all, it's a fine printer. A recent price cut... makes it the obvious choice over the LaserWriter IINTX."

Jim Heid - Macworld

Electronic publishing ^Printing

"What sets this 300 dpi printer (QMS-PS 820) apart is speed. QMS has designed a printer controller that pushes PostScript and the Canon engine to the limits of their performance." Electronic Publishing & Printing

'Tf you're looking for a laser printer with a PostScript language controller (and the famous 35 Adobe fonts built into ROM), take a look at QMS's superb PS 810."

Jim Seymour - PC Magazine

The QMS-PS 810

The QMS-PS 820

It's no surprise that both Mac® and PC experts have awarded these Adobe® PostScript® printers rave reviews. After all, both are engineered and built by QMS®, a company femous for introducing cost effective laser printing solutions.

QMS equipped both of these 300 dpi printers with 35 resident PostScript typefeces. So you get near typeset output with the wide-open design flexibility of PostScript. Next, to assure compatibility in practically any environment, QMS made AppldM<®, RS-232 and Centronics® P&rallel interfaces standard.

Then, to give you even more flexibility, they added HP® LaserJet+™, HP-GL® and Diablo® 630 emulations.

And the final touch is QMS's own ASAF-^ technology (Advanced Systems Architecture for PostScript). ASAP decreases page processing time to give you fast first-page-out performance in both the QMS-PS® 810 and QMS-PS 820.

So, if you're looking for a reliable PostScript printer, listen to the experts. Then call for the QMS dealer nearest you. And plug into one of the great laser printer success stories of our time.

1-800-523-2696

The foJwing are trademarks of their rcspectne companies QMS, QiMS-PS, ASAP of QMS. Inc Adobe, PostScript of Adobe Sjstems Incorporated. Appiabik Mac, LaserSVriter of Apple Inc HP LaseiJet+, HP^JL of Hewiett-F^dajd Company Centronics of Centronics Data Computet Inc Diablo of Xerox Corporation. Canon of Canon USA, Inc .Macworld of IDG Communications, Inc PC Week. PC .Magazine of Ziff-Davis Publishing Inc ElecbTinic Publishing & Printing of McLean Hunter Publishing, Inc

Circle 250 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 251)

STATE OF THE ART WANT TO CATCH SOME Z'S?

Different Strokes for Different Folks

In Dallas, Texas, full-time attorney (and part-time computer aficionado) Bill Knight had a problem. He had purchased for his small company a laser printer and two computers—an XT clone and a portable. Besides carrying out billing duties, Knight's office personnel also spent lots of their time creating and printing (and later archiving) forms.

The secretaries had both machines tied up constantly (often redundantly) performing these tasks, leaving the attorneys unable to use them. In addition, when there was a need to print wills or other important documents, the laser printer was always busy on routine billing tasks.

Over the previous 2 years, the computers and peripherals in Susan Post's Cambridge, Massachusetts, financialplanning office had gradually proliferated. Recently, Post realized that she and her associates had become overwhelmed trying to deal with the resultant tangle of wires. They were also frustrated by their inability to connect the company's four computers, laser printer, letter-quality printer, plotter, and communal files, which they all needed from time to time. She knew something had to give.

Knight and Post were stymied. They both had to find a way to address their needs with minute budgets, a minimum of technical expertise, and no funds to pay for even a part-time network person. In addition, the installation and maintenance time and effort that a fullblown LAN required intimidated both business owners.

A SIMPLE ZSL SOLUTION

i!

Laser printer

1 1

1 1

System 1 System 2

Figure A: Knight chose a basic ZeroNet ZSL to connect his two computers and laser printer. He linked his computers with the cable and intelligent serial-port hardware adapters included with the system.

A Many-Sided Solution

At about the same time, the attorney and the financial planner heard the term "zero-slot LAN." Independently of each other, they began to investigate this type of peer-to-peer network to see whether it might meet their needs. Eventually, both Post and Knight decided that a ZSL was what they were looking for.

Knight connected his two computers and laser printer with a simple stationto-station hookup using telephone cable and two intelligent hardware adapters that he plugged into his computer's

serial ports (see figure A). He didn't immediately maximize the use of the ZeroNet system. But he knew he could expand the network (to up to 10 PCs) as he added more machines and memoryhungry peripherals.

Knight had the network up and running in about 10 minutes by connecting a 25-pin intelligent hardware adapter to each of his computers' serial ports and attaching the vendor-supplied cable's modular plug to the adapter. The laser printer was already hooked up to the first system's parallel port. He used ZeroNet's automatic program to install the ZeroNet software. At bootup, the software ran a setup program that defined the peripheral that his PC would share, as well as how he would access the laser printer and how the other computer's remote resources would map to his primary system.

Because Post had more sophisticated needs, she purchased a more complex ZSL system. She opted for a Software Link LANLink 5X network running single-user PC-MOS. To give all the machines access to the server, she installed a ParaPort in the server. A ParaPort is a four-parallel-port card that gives the machine a total of seven parallel ports, three of which you can use for standard print devices such as a printer or plotter. The other four you can use for network connections (see figure B).

Thus, Post obtained an expandable hybrid system providing file transfer, file-sharing, and program-execution capabilities as well as extra speed. With this scheme, she knew that down the road, she could add several new inex

speaking, it is. But be aware that your computer does not see the ParaPort as a standard parallel port. Thus, if your machine has a ParaPort installed in its only parallel port, you can't drive a printer from it; you must use the port for a LAN. If, however, you have two parallel ports, you can run both a LAN and a printer.

Assuming that you don't need all the bells and whistles of a high-level, hardware-based LAN, a basic ZSL is less expensive and more easily installed and maintained. But if you want to connect more than four or five users on a simple

peer-to-peer network or take advantage of the sophisticated benefits that full LANs offer, you'll have to add some system enhancements that run into money and increase the complexity of the network. As you add features to a ZSL, the price per node rises, and your system will soon come close to costing as much as a full-featured LAN that would provide you with more bang for the buck.

Growing by Leaps and Bounds

Advancements in peer-to-peer technology have kept pace with improvements in

LAN technology as a whole. Some of the current ZSLs now furnish tremendously boosted speeds and automatic tape backups of each system machine. Other ZSLs provide enhanced graphics capabilities (e.g., the use of sophisticated printer fonts and cartridges) and ports to minicomputers and mainframes.

Many users can still comfortably meet their needs with a basic peer-to-peer network that plugs into their computer's RS-232C port and transfers data at 115,000 bps. However, in today's information-driven world, others think this

220 BYTE* JUNE 1990

STATE OF THE ART WANT TO CATCH SOME Z'S?

pensive ASCII or unterminal stations, each of which would support a serial or parallel device. An unterminal is a monochrome EGA or VGA monitor with a hard-switch AT/XT keyboard.

By adding a 386 or 386SX system with a math coprocessor, Post's office could produce electronic-publishing output and perform graphical analyses of its client's portfolios.

A MORE SOPHISTICATED ZSL SOLUTION

Modem

Com 1

System 2 node

LPT1

System 3 node

LPT2 5X

5X connection

System 4 node

LPT1

5X connection

ParaPort

4-port paraliei card

System 1 (386 or 386SX nondedicated server)

LPT1

Printer

Com 1

Serial printer

LPT2

Laser

LPT3

All these devices can be shared by the nodes.

Plotter

Figure B: In this LANLink 5X/PC-M0S hybrid network. System 1 is running single-user PC-MOS. To give the nodes access to the server, Post installed a ParaPort card (four parallel ports) in the server. This system provides full file transfer, file-sharing, and program-execution capabilities.

rate is too slow.

One of the most important ZSL improvements has come from the expanded ability of some peer-to-peer products to plug into your machine's parallel port and run at 500,000 bps. LANLink 5X, for instance, can use either serial or parallel ports to connect PCs and peripherals. Up to 16 nodes can be networked to one server PC, which can be either dedicated or nondedicated. Using this system, you can choose either serial or parallel connections for your PCs and peripherals.

You can connect up to 16 PCs, PS/2s, and laptops by using a plug-in parallel port device with 3X-Linkl6. This TSR can securely transfer files in the background at 500,000 bps and provide you with an internal E-mail capability. It can also connect your devices to other workstations or servers on another network and, with an optional program, perform printer sharing and spooling.

ZSLs such as 3X can now fill your heavy-duty computing needs as well, including the ability to access plotters and use optical drives to store large graphics

files. A NetBIOS-compatible version of 3X supports multiuser software packages, provides file and record locking, and allows you to connect single-floppy disk drive workstations.

There are as many ZSL enhancers available today as your finances will bear. Among them are system utilities, gateways, cards, and adapters that a ZSL can use to perform more like a full-featured LAN.

For instance, there are Ethernet cards that offer diskless remote booting and selectable I/O base addresses as well as diagnostic LED displays that let a peerto-peer network monitor real-time cabling signals. With these cards, you can also increase the number of nodes your system can handle and the distances between nodes. Other ZSL options include a variety of protocol converters and Ethernet or Token Ring ports, along with serial and parallel interfaces that let you use peer-to-peer networks as communications servers.

You can also obtain some high-level operating systems for low-level ZSLs that gentrify a network and enable you to run a ZSL in a small amount of base memory. LANtastic's NOS (for network operating system) allows you to use passwords and audit trails for security purposes. Using PC-MOS from The Software Link, you can turn a peer-topeer network into a multiuser, multitasking hybrid network.

The term "sub-LAN" was coined and trademarked by Pete Peterson to refer to a more full-featured ZSL. It means an asynchronous, peripheral-sharing box with smarter firmware and software. You can now take advantage of subLANs, which inexpensively provide fault tolerance by backing up all the PCs' hard disks on the network. In addition, they provide loosely coupled gateways to a mainframe, as well as more architectural flexibility. NetCommander can already support 3278 emulation and will soon be capable of using fax servers.

In tandem with some of the higherlevel peer-to-peer networks, you can now use ISDN to plug into the benefits of using both voice and data at the same time. With LANLink 5X and PC-MOS or an emulation product used with an ISDN terminal adapter, for example, you can now take advantage of available ISDN services on either a DOS terminal or a MOS host.

Under certain circumstances, with this combination of a ZSL, a special operating system, and the enabling ISDN technology, you can perform file transfers

continued

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 221

STATE OF THE ART WANT TO CATCH SOME Z'S?

COSTS: SUB-LANS VS. LAN

Table 2: A comparison of the estimated 5-year operating costs of a typical sub-LAN and a full-featured LAN. In this example, the sub-LAN would cost only about one-sixth as much as a LAN. The figures are per port and do not include automatic backup. (Information is courtesy of Digital Products, Inc.)

Expense

Sub-LAN

LAN

Hardware and software 5-year network support 5-year maintenance

Total

without sacrificing voice capabilities. In addition, without the use of cabling, you can rapidly bring up a database over an ISDN switch, share screens with other users, share peripherals over long distances (either local or wide area), and even carry on a teleconference.

Yes, No, and Maybe

With increased speeds gained from plugging peer-to-peer networks into a computer's parallel ports, ZSLs became more viable alternatives to hardware

$350 $1400 500 5000 175 700

$1025 $7100

based LANs. But because serial-based ZSLs are easier to install and use, parallel-based peer-to-peer networks have not caught on in as rapid or as serious a fashion as industry leaders thought they might.

Some users are now going to another relatively new networking scheme called the wireless LAN (see "On the Radio" on page 224A). Because this alternative cutting-edge technology is gaining in popularity, ZSL developers may decide to create more sophisticated peer-to-peer

networks. They may come out with ZSLs that can combine the use of either the parallel or the serial port and an inexpensive hardware card to provide benefits similar to those currently derived from high-end LANs.

Is there currently a place for ZSLs? Well, yes, no, and maybe. The best answer is yes, because of the new enhancements to this type of peer-to-peer LAN. Most people agree that, for some applications and for some types of installations, there is a niche for ZSLs, and there probably will be for some time to come.

It is possible—even likely—that ZSLs will evolve into a more hardware-like product. This type of hybrid network would provide advanced features and benefits—priced higher than today's, yet lower than full-featured LANs—and require far less support. If that scenario evolves, would this type of peer-to-peer network still qualify as a true ZSL? Probably not. ■

Janet J. Barron is a BYTE technical editor. She can be contacted on BIX as "neural. "

This is as low as fax gets: $195

$195 9600-bps PC fax board! Wow!

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Put the Frecom FAX96 in your PC and get high speed 9600 bps performance that's fully compatible with Group III fax machines. Send faxes quickly. Receive faxes even while your doing something else on your PC. It's super simple! You have total control. Read incoming faxes on your monitor

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Paul Masters, UC Berkeley MBA and Northern Telcom alum, is President of Fremont Communications.

222 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 130 on Reader Service Card

The best 1024x768 monitor you can buy

until Tatung malces something eise:

The chart says it all.

Both the new Super VGA Tatung 98X Omniscan monitor and NEC's Multisync 3D™ monitor offer up to 1024x768 resolution* superior 0.28mm dot pitch, and compatibility with IBM's newest monitor, the 8515™

But the remarkable Tatung 98X Omniscan actually costs $250 less than the NEC 3D.

Today, Tatung performance and value lead the industry.

In a recent comparison of 26 monitors jfrom twenty manufacturers. Byte Magazine ranked another Tatung monitor first in performance.

"A rose among the thorns," said Byte.

"Best buy," confirmed PC World.

See us at COMDEX, Booth #2138 Circle 306 on Reader Service Card

Multisync 2A

NEC

Multisync 3D

Tatung Omniscan CM-1496X

Tatung Omniscan CM-1498X

1024x768 Max Resolution 8514/A Compatible

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Super VGA (800x600)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes ^

Dot Pitch

0.31mm

0.28mm

mm

f 0.28mra

Price t

S799

$1,049

$749

$799

* Interlaced resolulion available with tr.e AT: VGA Wonder'" Genoa Super VGA 6400'" Paradise VGA 1024™and other leading IBM 8514/A'^-standard graphics adaptors.tSuggested retail price and features Februaryl.1990. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

But compare for yourself. Call Tatung at 1 (800) 827-2850, ext. 213. Tatung Company of America, Inc., 2850 El Presidio Street, Long Beach, CA 90810.

Because Tatung monitors are something else.

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Our philosophy of universal cormSCtivit^ccombined with innovative technology has earned the Pocket LAN Adapters industry-wide recognition in a very short time. It all adds up to a faster, simpler LAN solution for laptop users. By connecting through the parallel port, a Pocket LAN Adapter gives you..„;---r the freedom to choose whichever laptop fits your needs. It means no more slot problems, no address or interrupt conflicts, and no jumpers to configure.

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Circle 337 on Reader Service Card

STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

On the Radio

Wireless LANs give new meaning to the term "ether" net

Sarin Davidovici

For all its high-tech glitter, the most important parts of a LAN are the wires that tie it together. Choosing the right cabling is fraught with uncertainty, and installing it can be very expensive and disruptive to an operation. Eliminating the need for expensive cabling is the main attraction of wireless LANs.

Wireless LANs provide a flexible alternative to traditional, cable-bound networks. They let you move network nodes, instead of having to hard-wire your configuration when you install the cabling. They also provide networking where cable installation is too expensive or impractical. Finally, they provide portable nodes for your network, letting you bring the power of the network to bear where it is needed.

While wireless LANs share many features with standard networks, they take many different approaches to the questions of node addressing and network security. The differences reflect the wireless nature of their communications.

Keeping in Step

As on standard LANs, all computers on a wireless network must follow the same

protocol for sending and receiving data. Over the years, various manufacturers have developed and used several protocols. Although computers with different protocols normally can't communicate, all protocols implement similar functions to achieve the ultimate goal: accurate transfer of data between computers.

Major computer manufacturers often have their own proprietary data transfer

protocols. While they work well, they do not allow you to easily mix and match computers from different manufacturers. To remedy this, a set of "open" protocols is emerging that, by being in the public domain, will be available to all manufacturers and will enable all computers to communicate. The International Standards Organization has developed a model for these protocols.

Model Building

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model describes a computer communications protocol in terms of seven layers that provide the major communications functions (see figure 1). Each of the layers takes data from the lower layer, adds value to it, and then passes it to the next higher layer. Wireless LANs are concerned only with the layers that govern channel access and raw data transfer.

The Physical layer of the OSI model addresses the physical transmission of raw data over the communications link. The protocol associated with the Physical layer specifies signal voltages, signaling rates, and other physical quantities to

continued

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 224A

STATE OF THE ART ON THE RADIO

THE OSI MODEL

Application layer

Presentation layer

Session layer

Transport layer

Network layer

Data-link layer

Physical layer

Figure 1: The OSI Model consists of seven protocol layers that allow dissimilar computers and applications to communicate and share data. Wireless LANs concern themselves with the Physical and Data-link layers of the model, which describe the physical nature of the connection between two machines and an error-free method of data transmission over that connection.

ensure that, if you send a 1, all computers connected to the network receive a 1 and not a 0. The Physical layer is the domain of electrical engineers.

The Data-link layer takes a physical connection capable of transmitting raw data and transforms it into a link capable of error-free data transfer. At the sender, this layer breaks messages up into data frames (typically a few hundred bytes each). At the receiver, it processes the incoming frames, acknowledges the frames received correctly, and causes those received in error to be re-sent. The Data-link layer attaches special bits to the raw data that mark the beginning and end of each frame and enable the receiver to recognize the presence of any channelinduced errors in the received frame.

Gaining Access

Point-to-point communications—such as those between a terminal and a computer—are easily handled by the protocols associated with the Physical and Data-link layers. Communications that involve more than two entities sharing the channel, however, are more complex.

For example, consider an office network where several computers share a channel (called a broadcast channel) that they all can access simultaneously. To understand the difficulties associated with broadcast channels, think of a sim

ple telephone conversation as opposed to a conference call. In a two-party telephone conversation, it is usually easy to determine when you should speak and when you shouldn't and, thus, to have an orderly exchange. Contrast this to a conference call where, when one person finishes speaking, several people break in at the same time. In this case, access to the medium requires a more sophisticated protocol. In data communications, the IEEE's 802.x family of protocols is designed to do just that. The most popular is Ethernet, described in the IEEE 802.3 protocol.

The unique features of wireless networks are concerned with the channelaccess and data transfer functions of the OSI model. Basic to wireless communications is the Physical-layer implementation, which allows wireless transfer of data over a broadcast channel. Two major new technologies exist that perform this function: spread-spectrum and photonic communications.

Across the Spectrum

In 1985, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which governs the allocation of spectrum (i.e., frequency bands) in the U.S., allocated several frequency bands to communications systems that use a new form of modulation called spread-spectrum (SS) modulation. Its assigned frequency bands are 902 MHz to 932 MHz, 2400 MHz to 2483 MHz, and 5725 MHz to 5850 MHz.

Ahhough SS modulation is new to commercial communications systems, it has been used in military communications systems for several decades. Simple forms of SS modulation are very similar to the AM and FM systems used in commercial broadcasts.

Piggyback Data

All wireless communications systems, whether they transmit analog or digital data, superimpose the data on an auxiliary signal called a carrier. This carrier enables the receiver to separate the desired signal from many active signals and limits mutual interference. The amplitude, phase, or frequency of a carrier signal is modulated (modified) according to the information to be sent. The receiver detects these changes and recovers the original information. If the carrier signals are appropriately spaced in frequency, the modulated AM or FM signals will not overlap. Thus, even though the input signals share the same frequency band, the modulated signals are separated in frequency. The frequency separation makes it possible to extract the

signal of interest from a multitude of signals active at the same time.

A carrier signal is simply a sine-wave signal. Receivers select specific signals by using a fiher tuned to the appropriate frequency. All other signals, which are simply interference, are eliminated. Once the signal is snatched out of the ether, the receiver extracts the information contained in it in a process called demodulation. If the signal in question originates at a commercial FM station, it most likely carries music and speech that are amplified and played through the speakers after being demodulated. In data communications, the data is extracted by the Physical layer and passed on to the Data-link layer.

Spectral Gains

In addition to extensive use in commercial radio broadcasts, AM and FM have found applications in data transmission modems. Figure 2 illustrates AM and FM signals modulated by a 11010 data pattern. Note that both systems transform data represented by Os and Is into Is and — Is, which are better suited for transmission.

Simple SS modulation is a slightly more complex form of AM and FM. In addition to the carrier, it uses a second auxiliary signal in the modulation process. This signal is a user- or networkspecific digital code with a much higher transfer rate than the data (i.e., the duration of an auxiliary-code bit is much shorter than the duration of a data bit).

SS modulation techniques are characterized by the use of a spreading code as an auxiliary signal. The most popular techniques are direct-sequence (DS) and frequency-hopping (FH) spread spectrum. Simple forms of DS-SS modulation are very similar to AM, while simple forms of FH-SS resemble FM.

Both DS-SS and FH-SS systems multiply the data and the auxiliary code together and then modulate the carrier by the resulting signal. An important attribute of SS systems is the processing gain. The processing gain is simply the number of spreading-code bits (commonly called chips) that fit in a data bit. Figure 3a shows an SS system with a processing gain of 4. It takes the data pattern 11010 and multiplies it by a spreading code (in this case, 1011 0010 1011 1001 0100) that contains four times as many bits as the data signal, resulting in a signal with a higher rate than the incoming data.

Because the spectral requirements of a digital signal (i.e., the required bandwidth) and the signal rate are directly

continued

224B BYTE' JUNE 1990

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Circle 50 on Reader Service Card

STATE OF THE ART ON THE RADIO

Data input

TRANSMITTING DATA VIA RADIO

; Logic level 1

^ Logic level 0

+1

(a)

Voltage

Time

Voltage

(b)

Time

AM signal output

(c)

-V.

Voltage

A A A

Time

FM signal output

Figure 2: (a) Transmitting digital data using AM and FM communications requires that you first transform binary Os and Is into a form that analog systems can use more easily, (b) For AM transmission, you represent the data by modifying the voltage of the carrier signal, (c) In FM transmissions, you represent data through changes in frequency.

SPREAD-SPECTRUM DATA TRANSMISSION

(a) Data input

Data input

Modulation signal (data)

Spreading signals Transmitted AM signal

spreading signals

Recovered signal Data output

Figure 3: (a) To encode data in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum system, you convert the input data to a usable form, multiply this by the spreading code, and send the results to the AM transmitter, (b) To decode the signal, you multiply it by the spreading code and convert the results into binary Os and Is.

proportional, the modulated signal requires four times the bandwidth of the original data. The term "spread-spectrum" is derived from the increase in signal bandwidth indicative of the processing gain. Practical systems use a processing gain of 10 to 1000 or higher, depending on the application.

Figure 3b shows how a system demodulates the combined data and spreading signal. The receiver knows the spreading code and multiplies it by the input signal to recover the original data.

Keep Out

To recover transmitted data, you have to know the spreading code that is used at the transmitter. The code also prevents others from eavesdropping on your communications. Although a processing gain of 4 is useful in illustrating an example, it is not very useful for ensuring data privacy. A would-be eavesdropper could simply use all possible combinations of 4 chips per bit (i.e., 16 combinations) and decode the original data. However, even a modest increase in processing gain to 16 increases the number of possible spreading patterns per bit to over 64,000; the eavesdropper would have a much more difficult task in decoding the data. A processing gain of 1000 makes eavesdropping virtually impossible.

The same mechanism that makes unauthorized reception of a DS-SS signal so difficult makes the simultaneous operation of SS systems possible. In AM or FM systems, you differentiate signals based on their carrier frequency. In SS systems, you differentiate among signals by their spreading code; the carrier frequency of all signals is the same. Different spreading codes let many computers share a common channel. This channelaccess method is called code-division multiple access. With CDMA, all users have the same carrier frequency. What separates the many simultaneous signals at the receiver is the specific spreading code assigned to each one.

Consider, for example, the situation depicted in figure 4. Multiple signals are present simultaneously at the receiver, and all signals share the same carrier frequency. But unique to each signal is its spreading code. The receiver has the same spreading code as the signal intended for it. By multiplying the intended signal by the replica of the spreading code stored at the receiver, you produce a steady high level from the decorrelator. The other signals present at the receiver's input have a different spreading code. Their output appears as

continued

224D BYTE' JUNE 1990

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STATE OF THE ART ON THE RADIO

CDMA: THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF

Output = Desired output

input = intended signal + otiier signal #1, + other signal #2,

+ ottier signal #n.

DS-SS receiver

Will appear as noise

+ other signal #1 + other signal #2

+ other signals

Figure 4: The code-division multiple-access method of data recovery separates overlapping signals on the same carrier frequency. Spread-spectrum systems use the spreading code for this purpose. This ensures that only one signal produces valid data. Other signals produce noise when decoded at the receiver.

noise. Provided that not too many of these signals are present, the receiver will be able to correctly recover its intended data.

FH-SS systems are very similar to FM systems. In FH-SS systems, the spreading code is used to change the nominal frequency of the carrier from time to time. The "hopping rate" refers to the number of times per second the carrier frequency changes.

In an FH-SS system, the data changes the frequency of the carrier by a fixed amount above or below its nominal frequency depending on its polarity. Many FH-SS systems can coexist because the nominal carrier frequencies are continually changing. For as long as any two or more signals do not take the same nominal carrier frequency at the same time, they will not interfere with each other. If the system is properly designed, this kind of interference will occur very infrequently. As the number of active systems increases beyond a threshold, the mutual interference becomes more frequent, and eventually the system becomes unusable.

Networking with Light

You can transmit information using even higher frequencies than those used by the SS systems. One example of this is an infrared TV remote controller. The same principle can be used to send information from any transmitter to any receiver, not just from a remote control unit to a TV. Systems that send and receive information using light are called photonic.

Just as a cable connects all the computers in a conventional LAN, a photonic system must provide unobstructed access to a common reflecting surface (such as a ceiling). This surface provides a broadcast medium that all transmitters and receivers can access simultaneously. Inter

ference in such a system comes from other photonic sources, such as sunlight.

Thus, as with SS systems, the Datalink layer of a photonic system must ensure that the data is received correctly. Because the interference encountered by photonic systems is different from interference in SS systems, the error-detection and -correction mechanisms are also different.

Differences in the technologies employed in SS and photonic devices carry over into their areas of application. SS technology is simple radio communications. It has the ability to penetrate obstacles, such as walls and closed doors, and it links computers even if they are located in different (but not too distant) rooms. Photonic devices need a line of sight; they operate best in large, wideopen areas where they have an unobstructed line of sight to a common reflective surface.

LAN Choices

In an office environment, the important question is not whether you need a network, but what kind of network services you need. The simplest network function is sharing expensive peripherals. You don't need a full-fledged network for this. Cheaper alternatives, such as peripheral-sharing devices capable of connecting from two to eight users, are all you require. The cost associated with these devices generally varies between $50 and $100 per node, and they are capable of transferring data at speeds as high as 9600 bps. Whether the peripheral-sharing devices are the manually operated variety or the more expensive automatic ones, they still need to have wires attached to the computers and the peripheral devices.

Take a basic peripheral-sharing device and add more electronics and some mem

ory-resident communications programs, and you enter the domain of data switches. These offer all the advantages of the peripheral sharers plus the ability to exchange data. You can use them to implement E-mail and file exchange. The maximum number of ports available increases to as many as 48 or even 64, and the data transmission speed is usually 19,200 bps or higher. At $100 to $250 per node, data switches are more expensive than simple peripheral sharers, but they still require that you cable all the devices together.

If, on top of all the above services, you need to share applications software, your only solution is to install a true LAN.

Where do wireless LANs fit in this scheme of things? Most wireless LANs consist of devices that implement the Physical and Data-link layers and use a memory-resident program to provide access to the functions of the wireless device. The memory-resident program serves as a substitute for (and implements a subset of) the functions normally implemented in the upper layers of the OSI model.

In the Field

You can buy wireless networking products from a number of companies. The cost and sophistication of these products vary widely. Undoubtedly, two of the most sophisticated (and expensive) systems are the Agilis system and the ARLAN system.

The Agilis system, available from Agilis Corp. (Mountain View, CA), consists of a small, portable computer you can configure using different modules. The wireless communications module uses an SS technique and operates in the 902MHz to 928-MHz band. The Agilis system's link sustains a data transfer rate of 230,400 bps. The price of the system varies from $2000 to $20,000, depending on the configuration. Note, however, that the wireless data communications system can currently be used only with the Agilis computer; it cannot be removed and used with other computer systems.

The ARLAN system from Telesystems SLW (Don Mills, Ontario, Canada) does not include a computer. It is solely a communications system designed to be used with your computer. It consists of a network controller unit that communicates with several network units and is priced at about $1200 per node.

At the other end of the spectrum, you find LAWN (for local-area wireless network), which, at $500 per node, is one of the least expensive ways to implement an

continued

226 BYTE" JUNE 1990

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STATE OF THE ART ON THE RADIO

SS network. Manufactured by O'Neill Communications (Princeton, NJ), it is about the size of a modem and connects to the serial port of the PC. LAWN comes with a floppy disk containing the memory-resident access program.

LAWN consists of an SS radio operating in the 902-MHz to 932-MHz band, and a microprocessor and a proprietary application-specific IC that implement all the functions of the wireless network without making any processing demands

on the host PC. The effective data transfer rate is 19,200 bps. LAWN operates in one of four channels, A through D. If one network gets too crowded (i.e., has more than about 20 users), you can put up to three more networks on the remaining channels. All four networks can then simultaneously operate at 19,200 bps.

LAWN ensures data security by letting you choose one code from a possible 65,536. You can change this code as often as you like. You identify the net

work nodes by name. The hardware stores your settings in battery-backed memory. Therefore, recovery from a power outage is automatic; you don't have to reprogram the network.

LAWN Operations

Setting up and using the network is simply a matter of activating the memoryresident program. You enter commands (except for setting operational parameters such as channel number, security code, and node name) using menus. You can send mail, transfer files, and route printer jobs to the shared printer.

LAWN uses AX.25 as its link-access protocol. AX.25 is a version of the X.25 packet data communications protocol modified for amateur radio operation. It uses some interesting features that solve problems specific to data transmission in wireless (radio) environments. It allows you to relay transmissions through several nodes, which extends the range of the system. Without using the relay function, the transmission range is about 100 to 200 feet in an indoor environment.

In normal operation, LAWN automatically establishes a link, transfers the user data, and then relinquishes the link. Transfer operations take place in the background and are invisible to the user. However, LAWN does have the ability to manually establish and maintain a link. This is useful when you access a modem via the network. You should take care to relinquish the link at the end of the session. Otherwise, the device will be inaccessible to others.

Growing Up

Advanced wireless technology has come of age. The first generation of wireless networks is already at work in small offices. The results are encouraging; the low traffic volume in a small office lets you add printer sharing and E-mail without the inconvenience of cabling.

In the future, larger wireless, multiple-office networks will need increased range, requiring either a major transmitter power-level increase (unlikely to be permitted by the FCC) or a more sophisticated system design. Thus, you can expect future systems to be grouped into two categories: expensive, fast, widearea systems; and low-cost, slower, medium-coverage-area systems. In either case, you get the benefits of a flexible, wireless system. ■

Sorin Davidovici holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and is currently working with the U.S. Army. He can be reached on BIX c/o "editors."

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228 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 229 on Reader Service Card

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©Gjpyn^E Northgate Computer Systems, inc. 1990. All Rights Reserved.

Northgate. OjnniJCej-and the Northgate Big'N* logo are trademarks of Northgaw Computer Systems. Inc All ether product and brand names are trademarks of their respective companies Miaosoft and Wmdows are registered trademarks oi'Microsofi Corporation. "386" and "i386" are repstered trademarks of Intel Corporanon.

Circle 214 on deader Service Card

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STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

Need More Fiber?

It can transmit more data than copper, and it's more secure

Sharon Fisher

When a company talks about getting more fiber, it's not talking about oat bran. It's referring to a communications medium—fiber optics—that provides higher speed, more capacity, and better security, for not too much more than today's copper cables.

At present, you find fiber in the cabling that some communications companies have strung across the U.S. and under the oceans, and in a few data communications products. In the future, though, you may see a single fiber strung to your home or office that carries voice, data, and video—including cable TV and teleconferencing.

Why Fiber?

Companies are beginning to move to fiber for several reasons. First, it can transmit more data faster than the alternatives. For example, the Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) supports data transmission speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. In comparison, Ethernet transmits data at 10 Mbps, while Token Ring transmits data at 4 or 16 Mbps.

In addition, a fiber-optic network tends to be more secure than a copper

cable network. It's not perfect, but it's better. Copper networks have some problems: They can be tapped, and they tend to emanate electrical signals that people can pick up and interpret. You can't easily tap a fiber cable (and doing so may bring down the network) or monitor emitted signals.

These properties give fiber other advantages, too. Because electrical signals

don't escape, a fiber network can't interfere with any sensitive electrical equipment that might be nearby. And a fiber cable between two buildings won't attract lightning, as a copper cable might.

But these factors also make fiber networks more expensive to set up. For example, according to Nate Walker, product marketing manager for fiber optics at HewlettPackard's optical communications division, connecting a PC to a standard cable network might cost $1000 to $1500 per node, counting the cost of the adapter, attachment, and the network itself. In comparison, connecting an FDDI node costs in the range of $6000 to $10,000. Even the components themselves are more expensive: Where Ethernet components might cost $35 to $40 or less, FDDI components may cost $500 to $600.

Optical cable is also more expensive than standard cable. Some vendors are looking into making fiber-optic cable out of plastic rather than glass, which could bring the cost per foot down to not much more than unshielded twisted-pair cabling. But plastic's characteristics are different from those of glass. According

continued

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 •BYTE 233

STATE OF THE ART NEED MORE FIBER?

On the Threshold of a Dream

Richard Jay Solomon

Despite predictions—and massive investments by a liost of companies—videotex! information services have never caught on with the public at large. The problem may be that an online information service is an idea ahead of its time, or at least ahead of the technology needed to deliver it.

Hypermedia—which combines online interaction and database technology with advanced video, audio, and display technologies—is a natural extension of ASCII-based videotext services. However, hypermedia requires very high-speed communications connections to make it successful. The backbone of such connections will be the fiber-optic broadband networks coming your way in the 1990s.

Service Integration

Unlike videotext, which provides relatively slow speed data (normally via modem on a voice line), hypermedia needs something that's faster to integrate voice, video, and complex data streams. The first step on the road to such integrated services is ISDN, which is fast enough for only rudimentary hypermedia services.

The ISDN standard is narrowband; its basic rate consists of two 64,000-bps "B" channels that run simultaneously with a 16,000-bps "D" signaling channel into subscriber premises. It is available over specially balanced conventional wire pairs. A primary rate of 1.5 megabits per second (2 Mbps in Europe) is specialized for special circuits. Furthermore, ISDN is defined with channels of fixed bandwidth.

While that sounds fast if you use a 2400-bps modem, it's not fast enough to carry and switch certain services, such as high-definition video. Nor is it fast enough to implement certain types of user-shared network control, to interface directly with LANs, or to permit direct memory access to CPUs.

ISDN may be sufficient for residential users who do not require full-motion video or high-resolution graphics, but it simply will not fit the needs of business, education, or industrial processes in the near future. The popularity of ever-faster LANs attests to this. But even for residential voice, ISDN's 2B -I- D makes little sense. The B channel is overkill for a voice circuit; you can buy modems that operate within the range of the D channel for such things as

standard videotext. Getting a second analog loop for another voice circuit is not a major problem in the U.S.

ISDN is best characterized as a carrier-driven intelligent network that emulates today's voice and slow-speed data systems. You would be extremely hardpressed to implement a full-fledged hypermedia network using ISDN.

The Broad Spectrum

Beyond ISDN, the communications industry has proposed a broadband ISDN standard for fiber-optic transmission. B-ISDN isn't simply a bandwidth extension of ISDN; it turns the original ISDN concept upside down. Instead of an intelligent network, the carrier becomes somewhat passive—but with all-important options for variable bandwidths and minimum delay times.

Control of routing and other operations can be shared by the carrier and the user and driven by the user's computers. This is a big difference from today's networks because it permits true virtual networking. B-ISDN may make it impossible to differentiate between the carrier and the customer. In the U.S., there have been proposals for nationwide gigabit-per-second systems (like the earlier ARPANET) to connect universities and research centers.

The promise of B-ISDN technology is so powerful and overwhelming that ISDN may be obsolete before it comes into general use. Optical transmission will permit new forms of broadband switching, as will superconductors and optical processors. For the first time in the history of communications networks, there will be bandwidth to play with. Excess bandwidth permits a large fraction of the digital transmission rate to be used for "overhead" bits to route and keep track of the "payload" bits.

The ratio of overhead to payload is critical. Primary-rate ISDN uses about 5 percent of throughput for overhead data. At the 150-Mbps rate currently proposed for initial B-ISDN deployment, about 10 percent of the channel throughput can be allocated for overhead and still yield a payload of about 135 Mbps. Although B-ISDN overhead is 10 times the size of the entire capacity of primary-rate ISDN, its payload is about 90 times as large.

With 15 Mbps for control and administrative data, you can build different— and potentially superior—flexible net

work architectures. Such order-of-magnitude changes in the ratios of overhead to payload permit complex routing and switching to be manifest on the circuit, instead of only at a node. Junctions can be simpler, networks can be extremely robust, and users can control routing and the level of service.

Packaging Information

Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is the generic name for a subset of the BISDN proposal. It is neither a new form of packet switch nor a mere extension of switching as most people understand it. Rather, ATM packets have the data framed in the form of a matrix envelope. The matrix is constructed as if it were a relational database, with pointers or labels.

This pointer technique is extremely powerful, permitting routing and data massaging as part of the transmission procedure itself. Pointers and envelopes can be contained within other envelopes with additional pointers, expediting the ready, dynamic construction of virtual networks that will be invisible to the carrier. ATM's overhead contains its own signaling as part of its interface framing.

ATM provides a framework that lets you encapsulate many kinds of data. However, coming up with an optimal network architecture, nodal design, and switching system for general use will require a lot of experimentation. There are many questions to be answered as to how B-ISDN will (or can) handle video services, voice, and data—all mixed together. Except for the local loop, such integration may be impractical.

The exact design of standards for future TV and database access may eventually rule the way broadband networks are implemented and operated, rather than the other way around. Experiments performed over the next few years will point the way. The IEEE and U.S. BISDN (ANSI Tl.Dl) committees have agreed on common interfaces to permit linking fiber LANs and metropolitan area networks, or MANs, with B-ISDN systems at speeds of 100 Mbps and higher.

How switching and customer equipment will handle ATM frames isn't settled yet. Standards for the services made available over B-ISDN, especially for remote database massaging and high-definition TV (HDTV), will likely

234 BYTE- JUNE 1990

STATE OF THE ART NEED MORE FIBER?

have to closely match ATM designs. Coordination of such standards has only just begun, and some rethinking of both switched optical fiber and HDTV standards models will be required to make them commercially viable. Fortunately, neither standard has yet been poured in concrete, in terms of investment by carriers and users.

A group of technical experts from the TV, film, computer graphics, telephone, and signal-processing fields has formed the Committee on Open HighResolution Systems. Its purpose is to design a family of "friendly architectures" that would aid the standards bodies in harmonizing work between HDTV, existing transmission and storage modes, and future all-digital broadband transmission systems.

In addition to technical and standards questions, broadband systems engender many institutional problems as well. These range from the ease with which information can be transmitted and duplicated (and hence ripped off) to the difficulties of setting tariffs. For example, do you charge by the bit or by connection time, and what do you do in situations where time can be compressed in arbitrary ways for different services? Most difficult of all, how do you charge equitable rates on a B-ISDN system in which a basic telephone call can use 64,000, or even 16,000 bps (at 5 cents per minute) and a 1-hour HDTV program runs at 100 Mbps? Charging fees of $18,750 per hour won't fly in the TV business.

Broadband Time Line

In one sense, broadband is here today; most U.S. cities are connected by a multitude of fiber-optic trunks, which reach virtually every urban and suburban telephone switching center. New applications, however, depend on going the "last mile"—bringing broadband into homes and businesses.

Because residential use for broadband would center around TV, it comes into competition with cable, directbroadcast satellites, VCRs and videodisks, and plain old broadcasting. Interactive broadband will come to the home when the cost of fiber local loops (and the optoelectronics needed to support them) make broadband an affordable alternative to copper, and when the political problems are resolved.

Shifting Sands

Widespread availability of broadband, in combination with powerful desktop computers, will bring about nothing less than a paradigm shift—a. completely new model—of how you view and use

computer-based communications.

While used extensively in switching, the true power of digital computers has rarely been applied to networking, for reasons ranging from politics to ignorance. While computers that switch circuits permit some interesting new services—caller identification or user-touser signaling, for instance—computers that are linked to fiber-optic-based digital broadband networks will radically alter how you perceive and use networks in the near future.

Why? Although digital computers communicate in a broadband fashion internally, communications between machines have, until now, been many orders of magnitude slower than their internal communications. The computing side has been limited by the communications "choke point." In the future, linking machines at speeds equal to or exceeding their internal bus speeds will let you create radically different network architectures.

Tlie HDTV Picture

The advent of broadband networks and applications such as hypermedia is forcing a merger between communications and data processing. One of the most important aspects of this merger is the concept of an "open architecture" terminal that could act as a generalized interface between users and very highspeed fiber-optic networks, satellite networks, and over-the-air transmission. Such a terminal would be equally suitable as either a computer display or a video display. Specialized subsets would include low-cost TV-only displays, dedicated interactive terminals such as automated tellers, and high-resolution bulletin boards for airports and the like.

This doesn't mean that microcomputer manufacturers would necessarily enter the TV business—or vice versa. It does mean that future TVs and computer monitors will be able to display the same types of moving images. Today, conversion between standard TV images and computer displays is difficult and unsatisfactory.

Any high-resolution display, for TV or otherwise, uses significant computational power, memory, and storage to minimize the bandwidth needed for data transfer over noisy transmission lines. With such built-in digital power, advanced applications for high-resolution displays become feasible.

From the perspective of the computer industry, high-resolution systems that recognize growth and innovation in displaying moving images will benefit by using open architecture based on line

independent representations. Some have called this "PostScript Video," implying a high-resolution standard that includes extensibility, independence from line and pixel parameters, a bus designed to mesh its backplane directly with evolving standards for digital fiber, and the use of modern bandwidthconservation optimizations.

If, due to consumer demand, open architecture terminals become commodities in the next decade, businesses will benefit from the immense economies of scale that consumer electronics brings to bear on the manufacturing and distribution of such displays. Conversely, if business, industry, and the military adopt high-resolution displays first, it could make compatible terminals attractive to the consumer market, where continued bickering about standards for HDTV threatens its timely and widespread acceptance.

Since the existing movie and video plant of 24-Hz, 25-Hz, and 30-Hz (actually 29.97-Hz) systems represents an enormous worldwide investment in programming and equipment, it is unlikely that a complete replacement with new systems will happen quickly. Only the high-resolution designs that are downwardly compatible with these three basic frame rates will stand any chance of success.

Upward compatibility for the future is equally important. The current—and sometimes bizarre—debate over line and frame rates for future TV systems could be laid to rest by adopting a model based on an open architecture. In this case, the interfaces between modules are the only things that need to be standardized.

Harmonic Convergence

The use of hypermedia won't become widespread before the turn of the century. It involves the implementation of a fiber-optic communications network, the promulgation of new communications standards, and the adoption of a digital-based open architecture display technology, as well as advances in AI, database technology, and expert systems used to implement the hypermedia databases.

The road is long, and there are many obstacles to overcome. But the benefits of hypermedia will make it all worthwhile.

Richard Jay Solomon is a research affiliate at MIT's Research Lab on Electronics and is a research associate of the Communications Policy Program at the MIT Media Lab. You can reach him on BIX do "editors."

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 235

STATE OF THE ART NEED MORE FIBER?

to Walker, plastic is easier to connect to, but it has different wavelengths and different bandwidth (see the text box "The Future Is Plastics" on page 256 in the January 1989 BYTE).

The Big Bucks

The major expense with any kind of cabling, however, is installation, mainly due to labor costs. Installation may involve opening up a wall and running the cable to each desk. When companies first installed telephone cabling, they often ran three or four times as much as they needed—unused twisted-pair cabling that can now be used inexpensively for networks. This isn't the case for fiber.

For this reason, according to Walker, a number of companies that are stringing standard cable for other uses—constructing or renovating a building, or adding more capacity, perhaps—are also stringing fiber-optic cable at the same time, even if they don't plan to use it anytime soon. Some companies only string fiberoptic cable between wiring closets, in which case the fiber could be used for a backbone network while twisted-pair goes to the desktop. Others string fiber

optic cabling to every desk. The installation itself is so expensive, says Walker, that the incremental cost of the materials is not a factor.

Moreover, fiber-optic cable can be easier to install than standard cable, especially coaxial cable, says Walker, because it tends to be lighter and more flexible. Local building codes may also be less stringent for fiber-optic cable.

Fiber LANs

When people talk about fiber data networks, they're generally talking about FDDI. (It's also possible to run Ethernet or Token Ring protocols over fiber-optic cable and to use some proprietary networks.) Products that support FDDI have been coming out slowly for several months, and FDDI networks have been featured at a number of recent computer shows.

Like Token Ring, FDDI employs a ring-shaped topology and an electrical "token" to pass control of the network from one station to another. However, FDDI is not compatible with Token Ring. Most FDDI networks today use a double-ring structure where each node is

attached to two separate rings, transmitting data in opposite directions. This improves reliability as well as speed, because if one ring goes down, the other can keep transmitting. Connecting to two rings is more costly, however, so current development efforts are aimed at products that will allow systems to connect to a single ring.

At this point, FDDI is used primarily to connect high-speed PCs or workstations to networks, or as a backbone to link other slower networks—just as a highway links neighborhoods—according to Walker. Workstations that are connected directly are generally performing intensive graphics and imaging applications, massive file transfers, or solid modeling.

Connecting to FDDI is expensive, due to the high cost of the optical components, as well as the cost of the transceiver and the FDDI chip set. For the price to come down, volume will have to increase, says Walker—and volume won't increase until the price comes down. He also thinks that some technology breakthrough may be required before prices come down.

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STATE OF THE ART NEED MORE FIBER?

Broadband Fiber

Beyond FDDI, several standards are under development that will allow you to transmit new types of data much faster than you can now. To begin with, there's FDDI 2, a second version of FDDI that will support voice and video as well as data. Unlike today's FDDI, which has an independent clock rate, FDDI 2 will have a frame rate of 125 microseconds, allowing it to be synchronized with the communications network. Walker says.

The communications network itself will be undergoing a fiber upgrade in the 1990s, says Dan Spears, research manager for advanced transmission switching systems for BellSouth Services in Atlanta. While some transmission is being done now over fiber, a number of data communications companies and Bell operating companies are working on defining Synchronous Optical Network (standardized optical interfaces to the fiber network). SONET would let you put one company's transmission and switching equipment on one end of the fiber and another company's equipment on the other.

SONET could transmit two types of signals: DSl (digital signal 1) and DS3,

which support transmission at 1.5 Mbps and 45 Mbps, respectively—the same rates Tl and T3 leased telephone lines use today. SONET would use what is called STSl, for synchronous transport signal 1, which transmits at 51.84 Mbps. Counting various types of overhead and management data. Spears says that STSl is just right for transporting one DS3 signal or about 28 DSl signals.

In addition, the SONET signals themselves can be combined into larger channels. For example, combining three of them results in a channel with a capacity of about 155.52 Mbps. And that speed will be the fundamental rate for broadband ISDN, Spears says.

The Big Picture

Broadband ISDN is an attempt to support the many different types of communications in use today with one network. These types of communications include

• data, which ranges from low speeds for alarm systems, to 1200

or 2400 bps for terminals, to 10 Mbps for LANs, to 100 Mbps for FDDI;

• voice, which generally uses 64,000

bps but can compress to 32,000 bps or support higher-quality rates of 192,000 or 384,000 bps; and • video, which currently runs at about 45 Mbps. In Europe, it runs at 34 Mbps and might, with high-definition TV, require the full 155Mbps channel. This is where the 155Mbps figure for broadband ISDN comes from.

And those are just the ones we know about today.

Broadband ISDN will be able to transmit information of many different types using a multiplexing and switching principle known as ATM, for asynchronous transfer mode. As with X.25, information will be sent in bunches, called cells—5 bytes of header and 48 bytes of message. The header carries a channel number that tells the receiving node what kind of data the other 48 bytes contain.

This encapsulation will allow one network to support both the old transmission methods and the new ones that come along without having to change the network—and without the standards bodies

continued

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having to agree on how to do it. As it is, these bodies are expediting the standards process for broadband ISDN, so the standard will come out this year rather than four years from now.

The Potential of Fiber

One new service possible on broadband ISDN is switched multimegabit data service, or SMDS, which would link two networks over a public network with equipment supporting the IEEE 802.6 (metropolitan area network) protocol. Today, you generally have to lease a Tl or T3 line to link remote LANs; SMDS will let you connect the two LANs over a public switching facility. This would be more efficient for smaller customers.

The SMDS service might be available from regional Bell operating companies within local access telephone areas, or LATAs, as soon as 1991 or 1992, Spears says. Phase 2, a few years later, will link local SMDS switches via interexchange carriers, the same way that local phone systems are now connected via AT&T, MCI, and Sprint.

A pilot program under way in Heathrow, Florida, also demonstrates what might be available in the future. A fiber cable supporting 435 Mbps goes into each home. Of that, three 108-Mbps channels (i.e., a total of 324 channels) are devoted to video, while the remainder can be used for voice and data (see the text box "On the Threshold of a Dream" on page 234).

Necessary and Sufficient

To get such services, several factors need to come together: standards, equipment from the switching companies, fiber for the regional Bell operating companies, and tariffs (charges) from the local regulatory agencies. The standards bodies are working to speed up the standardization process. Spears says that some of the switching companies will be ready as soon as 1992 or 1993, while others will be ready by 1995. He notes that Southern Bell predicts that it will be all fiber within 20 years. But it's the tariffs that will eventually determine just what services are available, and for how much.

In the meantime, though, if you or your organization plans to use these new services, you need to begin thinking about how you can introduce fiber into your communications diet, and how you can do it as inexpensively as possible. ■

Sharon Fisher is a San Francisco-based freelance writer specializing in computer communications. She can be reached on BIX as "sharonfisher."

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238 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

Primed for Performance

If your network isn 't hitting on all cylinders, tune up the resource allocation, and you 'II have it purring like a Jag

Tad Hogg

How can you manage the various resources that are available on a network for a wide range of tasks? More and more organizations are turning to distributed processing. But managing a distributed system involves balancing a varying need for resources against a changing (and often unpredictable) computing environment.

Resource allocation displays a wide range of behaviors (e.g., oscillations, chaos, and equilibrium) in biological ecosystems and human economies—and in networks, as well. Thus, these behaviors, along with some AI techniques, can provide a basis for designing systems that effectively manage the capabilities and resources of distributed computer networks.

Resource Management

A scheme to manage a variety of tasks must deal with several properties of network resources:

• The available resources continually change as machines are added to the network or become temporarily unavailable. Similarly, new programs and soft

hoA

ware updates aren't installed everywhere at the same time, so the system has to function with multiple versions of software.

• When machines with different capabilities are part of the network, tasks should be automatically assigned to the most appropriate machine. Various machines have different owners and costs, with associated restrictions on the kinds of pro

grams that you can run on them.

• You may have different criteria for managing your tasks than someone else has. These preferences help to determine whether a task should run on a faster, more expensive machine, or on a slower, less expensive one.

• An appropriate management scheme also has to be able to decide what algorithm to use; for example, a simple, fast, keyword match or some more-complex analysis to retrieve text in a particular task. The complex analysis may be more accurate, but it is likely to require more processing time and will therefore cost more to use.

With these characteristics in mind, how can programs started on your personal machine locate the resources they need? One way is to send a task description to a central controller that monitors available resources and matches them with tasks.

Central Control

In most existing computers, the operating system performs the function of central controller to allocate CPU time, disk

continued

ILLUSTRATION: MACIEK ALBRECHT © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 241

Swing Low

Oscillations in performance—or even irregular, chaotic behavior— can occur when the number of processes using particular resources continues to vary. Continued variation means that the system spends relatively little time near its optimal performance. Thus, its overall performance drops significantly. For a typical system comprising many processes with a mixture of cooperative and competitive payoffs, the range of behaviors for various levels of uncertainty and delay is summarized in figure A (see reference 10).

Although this model is highly idealized, it does indicate the range of possible global behaviors for these systems. It also suggests some simple approaches to eliminating the problems. For instance, when the system continues to oscillate, increasing the uncertainty will move it to a stable region. While improving the oscillatory situation, the deliberate increase in uncertainty means that the processes are ignoring some available information.

As an extreme case, if the processes select between two resources by randomly flipping a coin, a large system will reach an equilibrium with about half the processes using each resource at any given time. Thus, it would be quite stable. However, this method completely ignores any real differences between the machines. It would be far from optimal if they differ significantly in capability.

Another approach is for the processes to choose between the two resources more slowly so the information delays are less important. Although this method removes the oscillations, it makes the system less responsive to change (e.g., due to machines going down or new capabilities being added to the network).

A more sophisticated technique is for the processes to use the past behavior of the system to better estimate the respective payoffs of the available choices. This technique is similar to a technical analysis of market behavior. For example, when the system is in a mode of simple oscillation, a process that could determine the period of the oscillations could extrapolate from past information and remove the effect of the delay from its decisions.

This method is quite successful if only a few processes use it (see figure B). Predictive processes dramatically improve their individual performance and, by reducing the size of the system

RANGE OF SYSTEM BEHAVIORS

1.0

C 0.8 o

a

■3 0.6-1 >. c

'I 0.4

<i> u

= 0.2H

Damped oscillations

4 6 Delay (seconds)

10

(a) Stable equilibrium

1.0

20 30 Time (seconds)

(b) Simple oscillations

Ul

20 30 Time (seconds)

(c) Chaos

20 30 Time (seconds)

/ = Fraction of processes using Resource 1.

Figure A: The range of behaviors for a computational ecosystem in which processes choose between two resources. In the unshaded region, the system does not oscillate, but relaxes to equilibrium. Typical behaviors for the fraction of processes using Resource 1 as a function of time are shown for three particular points: (a) relaxation approaching a stable equilibrium, (b) simple persistent oscillations, and (c) chaotic oscillations. The dashed line represents optimal resource allocation.

242 BYTE" JUNE 1990

STATE OF THE ART PRIMED FOR PERFORMANCE

10 PERCENT PREDICTIVE PROCESSES

1.0

0.2

—1—

10

—I—

20

—r

30

—r

40

50

Time (seconds)

100 PERCENT PREDICTIVE PROCESSES

—I—

20

/= Fraction of processes using Resource 1.

—I 1—

40 60

Time (seconds)

80

100

Figure B: The fraction of processes using Resource 1 as a function of time where simple processes give rise to persistent oscillations. In the two plots, 10 percent and 100 percent of the processes, respectively, use simple estimates of the oscillation period to aid in their evaluation of the payoffs. The dashed line represents the optimal resource allocation.

oscillations, slightly improve the performance of the nonpredictive processes as well. Unfortunately, as more processes use this technique, the dynamics of the system change markedly. The results are larger oscillations and lower overall performance.

At the opposite extreme are techniques that originate in game theory, which work well if all the processes adopt them and if they are aware of the

exact resource needs of all the other processes (see reference 11). However, if stringent requirements are not met— and they probably wouldn't be in large networked systems—these techniques fail. Recent studies have shown that a hybrid approach might work in some cases (see reference 12). but the design of general, robust techniques for dealing with oscillations remains an open question.

I/O, and other resources to several different processes sharing a single machine. In a tightly coupled parallel computer, a carefully constructed compiler can provide a reasonable allocation of tasks to the various processors.

For these approaches to succeed, you need to understand the capabilities of the various machines and the particular needs of the tasks. Unfortunately, neither of these criteria is met for large, heterogeneous networks.

For instance, in a heterogeneous network, information about each machine's load and the resource needs of any waiting tasks must be transmitted continually to the central controller. This puts a significant communications load on the system. Then the scheduler must find a good match between the many possible combinations of tasks and machines and broadcast its instructions in a timely manner.

Relying on a single central computer to perform resource allocation places you in an either/or situation. Either the entire system depends on the continued functioning of one machine, or another machine must be set up to detect failures and assume the scheduler's role when a failure occurs. Thus, centralized control of a network is not the most efficient method of allocating resources.

Local Control

Reliability and rapid response to local changes require that resources be controlled locally and autonomously. Decentralizing resource allocation allows tasks to run on many different machines and manage the resources collectively.

While processes can immediately access the load on their own machines, they can't always access other parts of the network as fast. Delays in receiving information that is needed to make decisions can occur, or the information may be incorrect or inconsistent.

On a network, delays can be due to a variety of causes: the time required to transmit signals, a crashed node that forces a search for an alternate path, or other hardware limitations. Incorrect information can come not only from hardware faults but also from computations that use probabilities, heuristics, or rules with a variety of exceptions. Moreover, when a single task uses several information sources, they sometimes give conflicting results.

An individual resource-allocation program must be able to operate in an unpredictable environment that consists of various machines and users. This means

continued

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that many changes will be beyond the program's control and will lead to incomplete, incorrect, conflicting, and changing information. These characteristics present problems for distributed software systems.

Computational Ecosystems

Although the hardware necessary to support a wide range of new tasks is rapidly being developed, major software issues remain. How can large collections of locally controlled, asynchronous, and concurrent processes interacting with an unpredictable environment be programmed effectively?

This practical question raises some more basic ones (see reference 1). How does the overall behavior of such a system relate to the local behavior of its individual machines? Are there any laws that apply to the development of these systems and their adaptability to change?

These questions extend well beyond the task of managing resources in a network. In fact, the problem of designing programs to operate in an unpredictable environment occurs in many AI systems, as well.

AI systems are expected to handle a wide range of problems and rely on various heuristic methods, because direct methods are either unknown or prohibitively slow to use. Novel problems and the occasional incorrect choices that the heuristics make cause the system's individual components to behave unpredictably. More complex cases concern systems that interact with the physical world or where many "agents" must coordinate their activities to adequately address a problem.

Some insight into these software issues is provided by existing systems that also face this fundamental problem: How do you coordinate a large group of independent processes, each of which makes decisions based on its own limited and imperfect view of the world? These existing systems, such as the scientific community, biological ecosystems, and market economies, can be used metaphorically as a design model for a distributed, intelligent computer system. The agents become computer programs, or processes, that interact with each other and with an external environment defined by your requests and sensor inputs. These interacting processes form a computational ecosystem.

A number of computational ecosystems have been studied (see references 2 and 3), including economic models. They rely on individual machines and tasks to make decisions based on locally

available information, combined with a decentralized mechanism to achieve overall coordination of the network.

Market Economies

Allocating resources to competing tasks is a key issue in using computer networks effectively. Examples include deciding whether to run a task in parallel on many machines or serially on one, and whether to save intermediate results or recompute them as needed.

The similarity of this problem to resource allocation in market economies has prompted a considerable amount of interest in using similar techniques to schedule tasks in a network environment. In effect, you can solve the allocation problem by using Adam Smith's "invisible hand" (i.e., organized activity emerges in an unregulated market economy as if a central agency, or invisible hand, were in control; see reference 4). Although it's unlikely to produce the optimal allocation that would be made by a central controller with unlimited computational capability, this approach works well compared to other alternatives (see reference 5).

Using prices provides a flexible mechanism for allocating resources without requiring much information. A single price summarizes the current demand for each resource, whether it is processor time, memory, communications bandwidth, use of a database, or control of a particular sensor.

This summation is especially desirable when resource preferences and performance measures differ among tasks. For instance, an intensive numerical simulation's need for fast floating-point hardware is quite different from an interactive text editor's need for rapid response to user commands. It is also quite different from a database search's need for rapid access to the data and fast query matching.

The Price Structure

A number of market-like systems have been implemented over the years. Most of them focus on finding an appropriate machine for running a single task. 'While this is important, some systems provide further flexibility by also using market mechanisms to manage a collection of parallel processes working to solve a single task.

In the latter case, prices provide a flexible method for allocating resources among multiple heuristics competing for the same problem. This method greatly simplifies the development of programs

continued

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STATE OF THE ART PRIMED FOR PERFORMANCE

that must adjust to unpredictable changes in resource demand or availability.

One such system is Spawn (see reference 6). In Spawn, each task starts with a certain amount of money that corresponds to its relative priority and bids for the use of machines on the network. Thus, each task can allocate its budget toward whatever resources are most important to it. In addition, when prices are low enough, some tasks can split into several parts that run in parallel, thereby adjusting the number of machines devoted to each task based on the demands of other users. Studies with this system show that an equilibrium price can be defined even if only a few machines participate (see reference 7).

Fine-Tuning

You can use market systems to experimentally address a number of additional issues. For instance, they can help you understand what happens when more sophisticated programs (e.g., processes that attempt to anticipate future loads to maximize their own resource usage) begin to use the network: They can destabilize the whole system.

Another interesting area is how diversity, or specialization, can emerge from a group of initially similar machines. For example, a machine might cache some of the routines or data commonly used by its processes, giving it a comparative advantage in bids for similar tasks in the future.

Ultimately, this ability to adjust could result in complex organizational groups embedded in a larger framework (see reference 8). Within these groups, some machines could keep track of which machines are best at handling which kinds of problems and could use this information to match each task to the right machine. Thus, the system could gradually "learn" to perform common tasks more effectively.

In addition, these experimental systems help to clarify the differences between human and computer markets. As an example, computational processes can respond to events much more rapidly than people can, but they are far less sophisticated.

Moreover, you can build particular incentive structures, rationality assumptions, and so on into computational pro

cesses that make it possible to design particular market mechanisms. You cannot do that with people. The irony is that economic theory can predict the behavior of computational ecosystems better than it can predict that of the larger, and more complex, human economy.

These techniques provide the flexibility to respond to many variations of networks, and they are relatively simple to implement. They are also much more robust than central controllers since no one machine is necessary for the network to function.

What's the Payoff?

While existing systems can be useful guides, it's also important to clarify the overall behavior of computational ecosystems, particularly since even simple mechanisms can lead to unexpectedly complex behavior (see reference 9).

At a fundamental level, a computational ecosystem consists of a number of processes that must choose from among various resources to accomplish their tasks. These may be hardware resources, such as execution time on a computer or

continued

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Circk 28 on Reader Service Card

STATE OF THE ART PRIMED FOR PERFORMANCE

the use of a communications line, or software resources, such as using proprietary programs or accessing various databases.

Since decisions aren't centrally controlled, the processes independently select from the available choices based on the perceived payoff for using each one. Payoffs are measures of performance, such as the time required to complete a task, the accuracy of the solution, or the amount of memory required. For example, a numerical simulation might evaluate resources based on how many millions of floating-point operations they deliver. Due to the various interactions that occur among the processes, the payoff for using a given resource also depends on the number of processes that are already using it.

In a purely competitive environment, the payoff for using a resource decreases as more processes use it. As an alternative, the processes using a resource can assist one another in their computations (e.g., by breaking an overall task into a number of subtasks).

If the subtasks need to communicate extensively to share partial results, the processes might do better to use the same computer rather than using faster separate machines and being limited by slow communications. In such cooperative situations, a resource's payoff increases as more processes use it, until it becomes too crowded.

Imperfect information can cause perceived payoffs to differ somewhat from actual payoffs. The difference between them increases as uncertainty in the information increases. This simple uncertainty model captures the effect of many errors, such as program bugs, heuristics incorrectly evaluating choices, and errors in communicating the load on various machines to each process.

In addition, due to delays in receiving information, each process's knowledge of the state of the system is somewhat outof-date. For the sake of simplicity, the following examples involve processes that have the same effective delay and uncertainty and that choose between two resources. However, the same range of behaviors also applies to broader models (see reference IQ).

When the delays and uncertainty are slight, the system performance converges to an equilibrium point that is close to the optimum that a central controller can obtain. However, when the information is more corrupt, the equilibrium point moves further away from the optimum, and it can become unstable. (To explore the effects of this oscillation, see the text box "Swing Low" on page 242.)

An Evolving System

As a computational ecosystem evolves, not only will the processes adjust their choices of resources, but the external environment will also impose changes. For instance, if new machines and databases are added to the network, the relative payoffs of the resources will change.

How readily can the system as a whole adapt to such changes? Processes that use simple competitive payoffs have the ability to determine the benefit of any new resource and use it accordingly. However, a couple of conditions can hamper the transition:

• if the processes are cooperative (i.e., each process is unwilling to

use a new resource unless many others are already using it), or

• if the transition overhead is high (e.g., because previously developed complex organizational structures must be modified).

One approach is for processes to estimate future payoffs as well as current ones. With these estimates, processes could make changes that appear undesirable initially to reap higher payoffs in the future.

Another approach is for groups of processes to develop coordinated plans to take advantage of the new opportunity. Techniques for automatically negotiating such plans form one of the key research issues for distributed AI systems (see reference 11).

Taking Full Advantage

Devising software systems to take advantage of the capabilities that are provided by emerging networks is a real challenge. Such programs must deal with a large, changing environment.

The systems that result are analogous to biological ecosystems and human organizations. A study of these systems' models provides insight into their complex range of behaviors, and it uncovers some general guidelines for network design.

This analogy also raises additional questions. For instance, what is the relationship between the organization of a system and its adaptability to new situations? One interesting possibility is that chaotic systems might actually maintain a higher degree of adaptability than do systems that have fixed equilibriums. Although chaotic systems are further from the optimum, they continually sample different combinations of states.

In addition, the way in which overall performance is distributed among the individual processes might determine how rapidly the system can improve through specialization. Finally, studies of computational ecosystems may also shed light on various theories relating to the

continued

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behavior of their biological and economic counterparts. ■

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research results summarized here come from my collaboration with the members of the Dynamics of Computation group at Xerox PARC, particularly Bernardo Huberman and Jeffrey Kephart, as well as Carl Waldspurger of the MIT computer science department.

REFERENCES

1. Hewitt, C. "The Challenge of Open Systems." BYTE, April 1985.

2. Gasser, Les, and Michael N. Huhns, eds. Distributed Artificial Intelligence, vol.

2. London: Pitman/Morgan Kaufmann, 1989.

3. Huberman, B. A., ed. The Ecology of Computation. New York: Elsevier NorthHolland Biomedical Press, 1988.

4. Smith, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (reprint of 1776 edition). New York: Augustus M. Kelley, 1966.

5. Ferguson, Donald, Yechiam Yemini, and Christos Nikolaou. "Microeconomic Algorithms for Load Balancing in Distributed Computer Systems." International Conference on Distributed Computer Systems, IEEE, 1988.

6. Waldspurger, C. A., T. Hogg, B. A. Huberman, J. O. Kephart, and S. Stornetta. "Spawn: A Distributed Computational Economy." Technical Report P8900025, Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, CA, 1989.

7. Wayner, Peter. "Time and Money." BYTE, April 1990.

8. Miller, Mark S., and K. Eric Drexler. "Markets and Computation: Agoric Open Systems." In The Ecology of Computation. New York: Elsevier North-Holland Biomedical Press, 1988.

9. May, R. M. "Simple Mathematical Models with Very Complicated Dynamics." Nature, vol. 261, 1976, pp. 459-467.

10. Kephart, J. O., T. Hogg, and B. A. Huberman. "Dynamics of Computational Ecosystems." Physical Review A, vol. 40, 1989, pp. 404-421.

11. Halpern, Joseph Y. "Using Reasoning about Knowledge to Analyze Distributed Systems." Annual Review of Computer Science, vol. 2, 1987, pp. 37-68.

12. Kephart, J. O., T. Hogg, and B. A. Huberman. "Collective Behavior of Predictive Agents." Physica D, to appear, 1990.

Tad Hogg is a member of the research staff at Xerox PARC in Palo Alto, California. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University. You can reach him on BIXc/o "editors."

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STATE OF THE ART NETWORKING

Making Connections

As networking and communications become more important in all aspects of computing, the number of concepts and acronyms you need to know seems to grow exponentially. Listed below are many of the products and concepts discussed in this section. Included are addresses and phone numbers to let you continue your investigation into networking issues.

AppleShare

LANtastic Z

OS/2 LAN Manager

LocalTalk

Artisoft, Inc.

Microsoft Corp.

Apple Computer, Inc.

575 East River Rd.

16011 Northeast 36th Way

20525 Mariani Ave.

Tucson, AZ 85704

P.O. Box 97017

Cupertino, CA 95014

(602) 293-6363

Redmond, WA 98073

(408) 996-1010

Inquiry 1059.

(206) 882-8080

Inquiry 1051.

Inquiry 1066.

Local Area Transport (LAT)

B-ISDN(ANSITl.Dl)

Digital Equipment Corp.

Spawn

American National

146 Main St.

Xerox Palo Alto Research Center

Standards Institute (ANSI)

Maynard. MA 01754

3333 Coyote Hill Rd.

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(508) 493-5111

Palo Alto, CA 94304

New York, NY 10018

Inquiry 1060.

(415) 494-4000

(212) 354-3300

Inquiry 1067.

Inquiry 1052.

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Systempro

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Compaq Computer Corp.

Fifth Generation Systems

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P.O. Box 692000

10049 North Reiger Rd.

Armonk, NY 10504

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Inquiry 1061.

Inquiry 1068.

Inquiry 1053.

Model 24

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EasyLAN

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3XUSA

Server Technology, Inc.

200 North Second St.

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P.O. Box 387

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FEATURE

Images FROM THE Deep

David A. Mindell

ceanography is a dark science. Like astronomy, it is the study of a void, overwhelming to behold and hostile to human life. In such fields, improvements in instrumentation often determine the progress of science. The evolution of ocean

instruments able to function in the highly pressurized, corrosive, conductive environment has been a key element in the advancement of our knowledge about the deep.

The Deep Submergence Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution performs research regarding deepocean vehicles and instrumentation (see the photo). Headed by scientist Dr. Robert Ballard, DSL's previous work with deepocean vehicles includes the discovery of the Titanic 3800 meters below the surface, and the Bismarck, 4700 meters down (see "Finding the Titanic," March 1986 BYTE).

Manned instruments, in the form of submarines like ALVIN (a manned research vessel operated since 1964 by Woods Hole), provide exciting insights into the deep-ocean environment. But technology is moving toward remotely operated vehicles. ROVs are safer and less expensive to operate than manned vehicles and can stay submerged for days and even weeks, compared to 8 to 12 hours for manned submersibles.

Most recently, DSL's personnel have designed and built a deep-ocean ROV called Jason (see figure 1), named after the mythical argonaut who searched for the Golden Fleece. It is among the first ROVs designed from scratch to take advantage of the communications and control possibilities created by fiber-optic cables.

The Jason Project

Among other undertakings, DSL employs the Jason ROV in an educational program known as the Jason Project. The program's goal is to expose students to the excitement of the sciences and engineering, hoping to spark their interest in learning about the undersea world.

The Jason Project uses the vehicle to perform an annual series of underwater dives and to televise live pictures from the

ROV to over 400,000 North American students visiting science museums. These are fully interactive shows transmitted over two-way satellite links. The school children watch the research as it takes place and can ask Dr. Ballard questions.

Students participating in the project literally can have handson experiences, actually operating the vehicle from their remote sites. Joysticks and graphical user interfaces are connected over the satellite network directly to the vehicle computers. In this way, pupils can direct their own exploration of televised wrecks. Simultaneously, they can see the results of their actions on real-time data displays.

Woods Hole carries out its Jason Project explorations via a vehicle system consisting of the Jason ROV and a smaller camera sled called the Medea (named after Jason's wife) connected to a surface mother ship (see figure 2). Jason and Medea provide video, data, and sonar images to the mother ship, which houses scientists and engineers who coordinate the vehicles and process the data on computers. The mother ship also contains transmitters that send data from the ocean to remote sites via a satellite uplink.

An electro-optic cable containing electrical power lines and three single-mode optical fibers connects Jason through Medea to its mother ship. The ROV can dive to 6000 meters and move with its own thrusters for extended periods of time. The Medea hangs between Jason and the mother ship to absorb the tremendous loading forces of a long cable connected to a pitching vessel. It also provides lights and video so Jason's operators can monitor its movements.

On-Board Computers

All high-level computation is performed by 386-based microcomputers on the surface ship. These tasks include vehicle control, manipulator control, ship movements and navigation, and data logging. Scientists do not entrust critical computations to the subsea vehicle computers because of their remote nature— they operate under constraints of power, space, and limited

continued

256 BYTE' JUNE 1990

FEATURE

The Woods Hole Jason Project uses a unique vehicle system and a fiber-optic network to transmit data from under the sea

FEATURE IMAGES FROM THE DEEP

JASON'S TWO TELEMETRY OPTIONS

accessibility. Subsea computer tasks include low-level monitoring, hardware control, data collection, and communications handling: "smart multiplexing." With most computers on the surface, software development for Jason can be performed on standard machines separate from the vehicle itself.

The topside Jason computer runs VRTX (for virtual realtime executive multitasking operating system), which monitors the vehicle systems, receives information from the operator's handbox and joystick, and performs control calculations to send the required commands back down to the vehicle. This computer also formats and sends vehicle-monitoring informa

In 1989, Jason surveyed and excavated a fourth-century trading vessel lying 700 meters deep in the Mediterranean sea. Here the vehicle employs a specially designed robot arm to recover an amphora, or large vase, from the wreck. (Photo courtesy Quest Group, Ltd., and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

JASON ROV

Sharps navigation transducer

Syntactic flotation module (1200 lbs.)

Ttirusters (1 of 7)

Fiber-optic tether

Wiring junction box (1 of 2) Altimeter

Computer housing with gyro

Telemetry housing with lasers

Figure 1: Connected by a fiber-optic cable to a mother ship, Jason maneuvers using a set of seven thrusters to perform deep-sea research. Note the extensive array of video cameras, the remote manipulator arm, and other assorted sensors.

r

To ship's positioning/ navigation }™77 system 3—{ 1

Data

Ship

logger

control

(Sun 386i)

computer {386)

Sonar processors

Image processing

10-Mb high-speed serial tines

Medea vehicle

Arm sensors

258 BYTE • JUNE 1990

FEATURE IMAGES FROM THE DEEP

To ship's positioning/ I navigation system

Topside

Topside

Data

Ship

manipulator

Jason

logger

control

control

control

computer

(386)

(386)

(Sun 386i)

(386)

9600-bps serial MUX lllllllllll

T

ProNET-10

Sharps J positioning computer

LAN

Sonar processors

Image processing

Taxi MUX

10-Mb high-speed serial lines

Jason IBC

computer

10-MHz

80C86

VRTX

10-Mb high-speed serial lines

Thruster

Instrument

control

control

Figure 2: Two different methods of telemetry connecting the computer suite on the mother ship through the Medea camera ship to Jason. On the left, standard serial lines connect Jason 's computers, while on the right, an updated scheme uses a LAN to connect system components. Both options use the fiber-optic cable, but the network telemetry shown at right addresses the vehicle as an actual node on a 10-Mbps LAN. This network can then be easily connected to other networks via a satellite link.

tion to a Sun386i workstation, where its Exabyte tape drive logs it, along with sonar and ship data, for further analysis.

Benefits of Fiber Optics

Shallow-water ROVs tend to be tethered to a ship by regular coaxial cables. Power, telemetry, and video are frequencymultiplexed on electrical conductors. When deep-ocean work of several kilometers or more requires such long cables, attenuation severely limits signal bandwidth.

To overcome this problem, scientists use fiber-optic cables capable of faster and higher-quality data and video transmission. Laser-driven optical systems enable transmission rates in excess of 125 megabits per second. Such advanced types of data highways are transforming the science of telerobotics.

The wide bandwidth of fiber optics allows Jason to transmit data from multitudes of instruments and cameras. The ROV carries devices such as a side-scan sonar, an electronic still camera, and laser/sonar ranging systems. In addition, Jason carries two charge-coupled-device color video cameras and a broadcast-quality "three-chip" camera with a separate CCD for each primary color.

Jason video is digitally modulated and then multiplexed onto two of the three optical fibers. The third of the three optical fibers conducts bidirectional data telemetry for these instruments, control commands, and vehicle-monitoring functions. A specialized TAXI (for transparent asynchronous transceiver interface) chip, made by Advanced Micro Devices, multiplexes 10 10-Mb serial lines onto a single 125-Mb signal on the fiber. A TAXI at the other end then demultiplexes the signal back into 10-Mb lines.

Engineers at DSL are developing hardware and software architectures to make efficient use of such fiber-optic communications channels. Research areas include signal processing, imaging, and nonlinear distributed control. Each area requires incorporating the raw bit rate of the optical fibers into a standard, flexible, and reliable network computing environment.

Serial Telemetry

The original Jason system relies on standard serial lines to transmit commands and data. Two high-speed TAXI channels are multiplexed from 10-Mb to 9600-bps RS-232 and RS-422 serial lines. On the vehicle Jason, these lines connect directly to instruments or through control computers for the vehicle and the manipulator arm. Each computer is built around a special instrument bus computer (IBC), a 10-MHz 80C86 machine based on a standard multibus-derived backplane developed at Woods Hole for use in low-power oceanographic instruments.

The subsea IBC that performs primary vehicle control runs a version of VRTX that concurrently handles several responsibilities: vehicle monitoring, data communication, and closed-loop control tasks for piloting the vehicle. The most time-critical controller is a heading servo whose calculations run topside. It

continued

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 259

FEATURE IMAGES FROM THE DEEP

issues commands to the thrusters at about 5 to 10 Hz. This function keeps Jason on a given heading and reduces the human operator's workload.

Communications based on serial interfaces are conceptually simple and highly reliable. All data packets are sent in ASCII form with logical headers. An operator can debug serial streams at any point merely by viewing them on a terminal screen. Heading information, for example, might be contained in a packet of H270, meaning the vehicle is facing 270 degrees. Furthermore, programming tools for serial interfaces are simple and well developed. Each topside machine uses a Star Gate communications coprocessor to handle up to eight serial ports simultaneously.

These serial interfaces, however, become impractical past a certain level of speed and complexity. They might be acceptable in a standard research laboratory where a system is set up once and remains so for a long time. But the Jason system goes to sea three or four times a year, and technicians must set it up and organize it efficiently. The proliferation of point-topoint serial cables complicates such operations because of their sheer quantity.

Furthermore, as the system matures and its capabilities are extended, control and telemetry requirements exceed the 9600bps, or even the 19,200-bps, limits of these serial lines. For example, the current average latency on the heading servo, or the time it takes for the vehicle to react to a disturbance in the environment, is about 180 milliseconds. This speed is adequate but not optimum. If the bandwidth were increased above 5 Hz, operators could control the Jason vehicle more precisely by making quicker course corrections.

Network Telemetry

For multinode environments, a LAN greatly simplifies interconnections. Furthermore, because of a LAN's flexibility and programmability, you can easily increase its capabilities with new configurations and added hardware.

But an ROV at 6000 meters below the ocean surface is far from a typical LAN application. To make a network function in this type of hostile environment, ocean engineers must modify and improve on existing technologies. Jason's requirements include a long cable run with no possibility of repeaters and limited space and electrical power on the subsea nodes. Also needed are high reliability and the capacity to operate in the event of damage to those nodes.

DSL evaluated several network structures to find one that would fulfill the requirements of the Jason application. DSL decided against using the Fiber Distributed Data Interface, because while it is specifically designed for fiber optics, the lab cannot commit the resources necessary to modify and support it. Furthermore, FDDI specifies the needs for repeaters every 2 kilometers. This type of repeater is not available for oceanographic cables. Similarly, standard Ethernet networks have 4km limits.

The ProNET-10 from Proteon provides the nucleus of an appropriate and reliable solution for these problems. It uses 10Mbps hardware and a token-passing scheme to prevent message-packet collisions. If a node fails, it removes itself from the network via a relay, providing good fault isolation.

DSL modified the basic network to suit the Jason application. This work included using Xylinx programmable gate arrays to design a board to fit into Jason's cylindrical pressure housing. The resultant network reduces message latency through the telemetry system from 90 ms to 5 ms. Overall, this system's data throughputs are about 65K bytes per second, an improvement of nearly two orders of magnitude over 9600-bps serial lines.

DSL also developed the software to support Jason's network. Since the VRTX kernel does not support any network interfaces, lab personnel modified a commercial TCP/IP package to operate in the VRTX environment. The use of a standard protocol like TCP/IP allows other computers on the network to use existing software. This network connects the topside computers not only to each other but also to the computers located underwater. DSL has created a flexible system in which any device can talk to any other device.

The Jason subsea computer interacts with the topside controller, and it also logs data to a Sun386i connected through an Ethernet gateway. Furthermore, the topside controller gathers data from the ship and vehicle navigation computers and provides position information to calculate the vehicle's control commands. In another configuration, a microcomputer simulates the Jason node, thus providing a shore-based network for software development. Without complex connection problems, DSL personnel can also arbitrarily add nodes to the network, using standard hardware and software.

TCP/IP also has a global effect. It lets the Jason network connect to other standard networks. For example, TCP/IP allows the use of gateways to satellite networks for transmission of ocean data to the shore in real time. With an additional gateway to Internet, the Jason vehicle could relay data and images from sea in near real time to scientific computing environments all over the world.

Scientific and Social Implications

Scientists will benefit from the inclusion of oceanographic research vessels in national computer networks. By allowing researchers to communicate with each other while at sea, such network connections improve the contribution of oceanographic research expeditions to the scientific community as a whole.

Not only can Jason transmit live pictures of underwater research to students, it could also transmit video and data to an auditorium of geologists, biologists, or historians. The capabilities of an ROV maintain the interactive nature of highly successful manned submersible operations while vastly increasing the opportunities for communication among researchers.

Developments in ocean research are influencing the social structures of communication. The Jason Project uses fiber optics and satellite links to integrate science, technology, and education. Through Jason's satellite link, students in science museums participate in the study of human and geological history on the ocean floor—"telepresence." The communications and networking capabilities of Jason and the Jason Project will make the wonders of the ocean more accessible not only to scientists but also to the larger community. ■

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Thanks to DSL research engineer Bob Weiman for information concerning the Jason network.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Newman, James B. "Fiber-optic Data Network for the Argo/Jason Vehicle System." Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, October 1989.

Yoerger, Dana R., James B. Newman, and Jean Jacques Slotine. "Supervisory Control System for the Jason ROV." IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, vol. OE-11, no. 3, July 1986.

David A. Mindell is a writer and electrical engineer. He is a technical consultant to the Deep Submergence Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. He can be reached on BIX do "editors."

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(Call 1-800-722-7263) In All 50 States FAX* 1-800-722-7392

PC Brand, Inc. 954 W. Washington St.. Chicago, IL.60607 Canadian Fa.x = 312-633-2888 Canadian Voice - 312-226-5200.

We are open Mon. thru Fri.: Sam to 6pm Central Time. MasterCard. VISA, Discover. Checks and Approved P.O.s are Accepted. Prices and specifications subject to change. BYTE 15-6

*TRW-National Computer Maintenance Services

JUNE 1990 - BYTE 263

"The Best Low-Cost Alternative Around!"

-PC Magazine, 25MHz 386 PC's, Feb. 14, 1989 PC BRAND386/20 $1349

20 MHz Clock, Zero Wait Operation, Norton SI 23.0 Landmark Speed26.1MHz, 1024K RAM, 1.2.MB or 1.44.MB Drive, lOl-Keyboard, 2 Serial and 1 Parallel Ports

$1499

PC BRAND 386/25

25 MHz Clock, Zero Wait Operation, Norton SI 28.2-Landmark Speed 33.6MHz. .Nonon SI31-6-Landmark Speed 43 5 w/Cache, 1024KRAM.1.2MBor 1.44MB Drive. lOl-Keyboard, 2 Serial and 1 Parallel Ports

"The PC Brand 386/25 is a fascinating machine. It offers flexible configuration...at a bargain price..."

"and the company backs it all with what may be the longest warranty on the market...PC Brand makes it possible to buy two complete sytems for less than most competitors charge for just one."

- PC Magazine, 25MHz 386 PC's February 14, 1989

standard System Features:

• True 20MHz or 25MHz2 Intel 80386 CPU

Operating with Zero Wait States

• 1024K RA.M standard expandable to 16.MB

using 256k and/or l.MB RAM

• I.2.MB 5.25" or 1.44.MB 3.5" Diskette Dnve

• FCC Class "A", Intended for business use

• High performance l6bit VGA Cards with

optional 1024x768 capability

• 1:1 Interleaving Hard Drive/Floppy Drive

controllers, IMb/Second disk transfer rates on all 100Mb drives or larger

• Enhanced 101-key Click/Taaile Kq'board

• 2 serial & 1 parallel ports on std-configurations

• High Capacity 200Watt System Power Supply

• Real Time Clock/Calendar with 5 Year Battery

• 80287,80387. or Weitek Co-Processor Suppon

• AMI BIOS with full MS/DOS, OS, 2, XENIX,

UNIX, NOVELL, 3COM compatibility

• 8 Slot motherboard design (5 l6Bit & 3 8Bit)

• .Medium foot print case w/6 Disk Drive bays Options:

• Low profile Slim-Line Case w/3 Disk bays

• Full Size Tower ' Case w/8 Disk Drive bays

• Mini Size Tower * Case w, 4 Disk Drive bays

• VGA or CGA Plasma Ponable Case

• Custom configurations w,'Name Brand

peripherals of your choice (Shown in .Medium foot print Desktop Case)

PC BRAND 386/20

with Hard Disk Drive, .Monitor & Video Card

80386 20 .Miiz Systems with: 2,Mb RA.M. VGA Card. Color .Monitor 100+Mb Hard Disk, DOS

56,200

S3.400

52,000

Hard t>ri\-es: .Mb/.Ms

40/19

66/25

100/25

200/19

.No Video

S1779

SI 959

S2099

S2549

.Mono

S1899

S2079

S2219

S2669

VCVMono

S2079

S2259

S2399

S2849

VGA-Color

S2309

S2489

S2629

S3079

SVGA/Color

S2419

S2599

S2739

S3I89

PC BRAlND 386/25

with Hard Disk Drive, .Monitor

& Video Card

Hard !>rives: .Mb/.Ms

40/19

66/25

100/25

200/19

.No video

SI 929

S2109

S2249

S2699

Mono

S2049

S2229

S2369

S2819

VGA..Mono

S2229

S2409

S2549

S2999

VGA.Color

S2459

S2639

S2779

S3229

SVGA/Color

S2569

S2749

S2889

S3339

PC BRAND'S

386/20

386/25...

"FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET!"

-Computer Shopper, Cover Story November, 1988

20MHz FROM $1349

25MHz FROM $1499

264 BYTE- JUNE 1990

386/33 CAOHE.

$2299

33 MHz Clock, Zero Wait Operation, Norton SI 45.9 • Landmark 58.7 MHz, 1024K RAM. 1.2.MBor 1.44.MB Drive. 101-Keyboard, 2 Serial and 1 Parallel Ports

"Here's a price $2799... [Now $2299] Must be stripped to nothing, Right? Wrong...You don't sacrifice quality for low price either. The PC Brand machines are an efficient combination of in-house engineering and top-notch off-the-shelf Parts."

-PC Magazine, 33MHz 386PC's, October 31, 1989

"...great value. Period. ...excellent price performance ratio; high quality."

-Computer Buyers Guide, Product Review, February, 1990

Standard System Features:

True 33 .MHz INTEL 80386-33 CPU operating w/Zero Wait States Delivering up to 58.7 MHz Effective Throughput Intel 82385-33 Cache Processor with 32K 25NS Static RAM Standard

1024K RAM Standard Expandable to 16MB FCC Class "A", Intended for business use High performance l6bit VGA Cards with optional 1024x768 capability 1.2MB 5.25" or 1.44MB 3 5" Diskette Drive 1;1 Interleaving Hard Drive^Floppy Drive Controllers, 1 .Mb/Second disk transfer rates on all lOO.Mb drives or larger Enhanced 1014<ey Click/Tactile Keyboard I/O Pons-2 serial.1 parallel High Capacity 200 Wan System Power Supply Real Time Clock/Calendar with 5 Year Battery 80387 or Weitek Co-Processor suppon Phoenix BIOS with Full MS/DOS, OS/2, XENIX.

UNIX. NOVELL, 3CO.M compatibility E.MS and Disk Cache in ROM 8 Slot motherboard design Medium foot print case w/6 Disk Drive bays

Options:

Full size Tower * Case w/8 Disk Drive bays

(as pictured above) Custom configurations w/Name Brand

peripherals of your choice Factory Installed Ram Upgrades

80386 33Mliz Syslems with: 4 Mb R.\.M. VG.\ Card. Color .Monitor. lOO+.Mb Hard Disk. DOS, I O

PC BRA^fD 386/33 CACHE

with Hard Disk Dri\ e. .Monitor & Video Card

Hard Drives; .Mb/Ms

40/19

66/25

100/25

200/19

No Video

S2679

S2859

S2999

S3-W9

Mono

S2799

S2979

S3119

S3569

VGA-Mono

S2979

S3159

S3299

S3749

VCVCoIor

S32ID9

S3389

S3529

S3979

SVCVColor

S3319

S3499

S3639

S4089

Turn the page for Portables & Peripherals

Call 1-800-PC BRAND

(Call 1-800-722-7263) In All 50 States FAX# 1-800-722-7392

PC Brand, Inc. 954 W. Washington St.. Chicago, IL, 60607 Canadian Fax = 312-633-2888 Canadian Voice ' 312-226-5200, We are open .Men. thru Fri,: Sam to 6pm Central Time. MasterCard. VISA, Discover. Checits and Approved P.O.s are Accepted. Prices and specifications subject to change. BYTE 15-6 f

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 265

Portables With More Power than

Desktops.

512K(286386/sx) or 1024K(386)RAM Serial and Parallel Ports, 1.2MB or 1.44MB Floppy, 86-key keyboard

The power, reliability and performance of our desktop system motherboards combine with our portable casing to make our system technically unique!

We support 3 built-in, externally accessible disk drives, enabling dual (3.5"and 5.25") floppys fortotal media compatibility. Including tape CD-ROM drives or other devices to deliver desktop iiinctionality in a Portable Unit.

Simultaneous internal .■OfD external monitor support, VGA functionality. 2 open card slots and our unique 3 drive support, permit this family to be used as a complete "in the office system" which you can pick up and take anywhere.

Aciual VGA PLASMA Screen Image

Standard System Features:

• All performance and compatibility

features as in desktops featured on previous pages

• 16 Grey Scale 6^0x-480VGA ot

4Grey Scale 640 x 400 CGA/Mono Graphics Plasma Display

Standard Features Continued:

• 3 Accessible Drive Bays for (2) 5.25"

and(l) 3.5" Units

• 2 Available Peripheral Card Slots

• Simultaneous internal & external

displays

• 200Watt Auto Volt^e Switching

Power Supply

VGA Gas Plasma Portables

CGA/MGAGas Plasma Portables

1 Hinppy

-iU I'l

im 19

D^i^L■^

1 Floppy

-iO ic)

HXl 2S

200 19

Mb M>

Mb Ms

286/12

52995

S539T

S3960

286/12

S2i-i5

52^4

53110

286/20

52795

S3195

S3595

5-1160

286/20

S1945

523-15

S27-15

53510

386/SX-I6

5289^

S3295

53695

54260

386/SX-16

52045

52445

52845

S3410

386/20

S3350

S3750

54150

S4710

386/20

S2495

S2895

S3295

53855

386/25

S3550

S3950

S4350

54910

586/25

52695

S3095

53495

54055

386C/25'

S4000

54400

S4800

$5360

386C/25*

53145

53545

S3945

S4505

386C/33*

S-1300

S5100

S5600

386C/33"

S3445

S3845

54245

54805

■32K Cached

•32K Cached

Monitors Cornerstone Technology

19" Dualpage Display/16 level S1950/2795

Imtek/Samsung

14" VGA Color .31DP (friOx4S0) „ S369

14" VGA Color A\V>V (&»03c480) 299

14" SVGA Colordo 1028x7680 - 419

Mitsubishi

1381 14" Diamond Scan (lo 800x6oo) - S499

HL6605 16- SVGA/EGA (to I280xi024) 1195

HL6905 20" SVGA/EGA (to I280ii024> 2095

NEC

GS-2A 14" MuldMono (to 800x600) „ $249

2A 14" SVGA (800x600).._ 479

3D 14" SVGA/EGA (1024x7680 649

4D 16" SVGA/EGA (1024x768) „ 1150

5D 20" SVGA/EGA (1280x1024) 2350

Panasonic

C1391 PanaS>-nc (to800x6oo) 5489

M1500 15" Mono DTP with adapter 1208

M1900 19" Mono DTP with adapter 1498

Princeton Graphics

MaxI5 14" Mono (to 1028x7681) $249

UltraSync 14" SVGVEGA (800x600) 520

UltraSync l6" SVaVEGA (1024x7680 879

Princeton Publishing Labs

Multiview 15" Mono DTP with adapter S690

Relisys

9503 14" VGA Mono (640x480).._ $145

9513 14" VGA Color (640x480) 369

1520 15" SVGA (1024x768) 679

Seiko

1440 14" SVGA (1024x7680 _ $599

Sony

1304 14" SVGA (to 1024x768) S689

GDM-1606 16" CADD (1280x1024) „ CaU

GDM-1953 19" CADD (I280xi024) Call

Zenith

2CM1-J92 VGA Flalscreen (640x480) S6l9

RAM/I-O/Accelerator Boards Intel

Abovcboard Plus 512K $419

Aboveboard Plus I/O 469

Inboard 386PC with IM 595

Inboard 386 AT with OK 859

PC Brand i o Curds

AT 1P/2S.'1G S-*9

-XT IP/lS/lG/Clock/Calcndar 49

Video Cards

ATI

VGA Wonder 256K/512K S245/297

NEC PC Magazine's Editors Choice

Graphics Engine l6 (i024x-6S) S679

Graphics Engine 256 (1024x768) Sf69

Poradise

EGA Autoswitch 480 $99

VGA 1024 with 256K 199

VGA 1024 with 512K 239

8514/A Plus 569

VGA Upgrade 199

PC Magazine's

Editors Choice

Cardinal VGA Cards

I.T.I 1 1 1 1

1 I 1 1

1 ' J ■■

1 1—

1 '

MAGAZINE

EDITORS

CHOICE

April 10, -9S-D

CarC;- = ' VGA60C

VGA 100 8 bit 256k..

$109

VGA 500 16 bit 256k

175

VGA 600 16 bit 512K

199

Fax Cards

Complete PC

Complete Fax 48OO/96OO $249/399

Complete Communicator 549

Complete Portable Fax 96OO 309

Intel

Connection Coprocessor S699

Quadrom

4800/9600 $179/495

Modems

ATI

2400ETC Internal with M.NP5 S165

2400ETC External with M.NP5 205

Hayes

I2OOB Internal with Smartcom $189

2-iOOB Internal with Smartcom 249

1200 External 285 2400 External 359

PC Brand 000% Hayes Compatible)

1200 Internal with software $49

1200 External 70 2400 External 129

2400 Internal with software/MNP5 "^5/129

US Robotics

Courier HST 14,400 External $599

Courier V.32 96OO External 889

Courier HST/V.32 External 995

Courier HST 96OO Internal 579

Tape Backups

Archive

ST6OO Int. or FT60 Ext. 6OMB w/conL $590

FT150I 15OMB Internal with controller 895

\Ti50i 150MB Internal Novell certified 895

\T>150E 150MB External NoveU certified 1175

\'P402 Interfece Board for VT Series 115

VT409 PS/2 Interface Board for \T Series 230

Colorado Memory Systems

DJ-10 Jumbo 4O/8OMB Internal $249

KE IO External Chasis Kit with Interface 139

Moynord

Maynslpeam6O/150MB Portable S889/1395

Maynstream 2200HS 2.2GB Portable 4350

Floppy Disk Drives

36OK 5.25" Half Height Black $75

720K 3.5" Half Height Black 80

1.2M 5.25" Half Height Grey 85

1.44.M 3-5" Half Height Grey 95

Sysgen

Bridge-FUe 5.25" 360K/1.2MB External $229

Bridge-FUe 3.5" 720K/1.44MB External 229

Bridge-File PC/.\T Adapter 59

Hard Disk Drives Compaq/Con rter IDE Upgrades

4OM 28ms S459 lOOM 25ms S679

200M 19ms 1249

Iomega

BI20I 2OM Int. ... S765 B1441 40M InL ... $995

B244X Ehial 5.25 44M External 1995

PC 2, 50 Nonbootable Card 169

PC2B 50 Bootable Card 230

Plus Hardcards

Hardcard 20 8 bit $539

Hardcard 40 8 bit or 16 bit 599

Hardcard 80 16 bit 695

Seagate

2OM 65ms ST225 Half Height $209

20M 35ms STl 25 Half Height 245

3OM 35nis ST138 Half Height 3IO

40.M 28ms ST251-1 Half Height 349

40M 24ms ST151 Half Height 4l9

80M 28ms ST4096 .MFM 590

Add $50 for XT Kit for STl XX, ST2XX

Co-Processors

Video Seven

10241 VGA with 256K/512K $239/299

VRAM VGA with 5I2K 469

Intel

8087-1

S189

8087-2

$129

8028"-10

.229

80387-SX , , , .

309

8038-'-l6

.349

80387-20

399

80387-25

.479

80387-33

639

Weitek

Abacus 20/25/33

Call

266 BYTE- JUNE 1990

NAME BRAND PERTPHERAT.S AND

''/a Hayes Compatible)

SOFTWARE AT THE LOWEST PRICES.

CD-ROM

Amdek

Laserdeck 2000 500MB External Kit S6l9

Microsoft

Bookshelf 1.0 $195 Stat Pack S99

Programmer's Library' 295

NEC

CDR77 ExternalS555 CDR80 Internal.... $499

XT/AT Interface Kit 129

CUpan 3D 285 Im^e Folio 285

Sony

CDU510 Internal Kit $665

CDU1701 External Kit 779

Printers

(Numbers in Parentheses Indicate Drafi/LQ CPS)

Brother

HLSe Laser S1725 HL8PS S2950

Canon

BJ130e 15" $695 LBP4 Laser S995

LBPS-m Laser 8PPM 1650

Citizen

GSX 140 (192) S329 Color Kit S-*9

Epson

LX810 (180/30) S179 FX850 (330/88) $329

FX1050{2&*/f4) 439 LQ510(i80/6o) 319

LQ850 (330/88) 495 LQ950 (264/88) 495

LQlOlO (150/50) 439 LQ1050 (330 88) 669

LQ2550 (400/108) 899 EPL6000 6 PPM 939

Hewlett Packard

Deskjet Plus $710 LaserJet HP $1025

Laserjet D 1720 Laserjet OD 2995

Laserjet m 8PPM 1Mb NEWT l650

LaserJet Accessories Pacific Data Products

Plotter in Cart, for n/nPS249/2^

25 in 1 Cartridge 285

Postscript Cart, for H or IIP 375

IM Memory Card for IIP 275

Turn your LaserJet into a Postscript Printer!

cpi

Superfom Cartridge $295

IM Memory Kit 269

2M Memor>- Kit „ 549

Princ^on Publishing

PS-388 Postscript board $2250

CaU about 400dpi Postscript Compatible Laser I^nters

Kodak Diconix

150Plus(i50 50) S330

NEC

P220XE (192/54) S335 P9XL (400/i90) ...... $1030

LC890 8PPM Postscript 3190

LC890XL 8PPM -iMB 4495

Silcntwriter D Printers Call

Okidata

ML3 20 (300/62) $345 ML321 (300/62) $479

ML380 (180/60) 359 ML390 (270/90) 475

ML391 (2T0,90) 655 ML393 (450/120) 995

OkiLaser 400 4PPM 1010

Panasonic

1180 (192. 30) $189 1191 (240/48) S245

1124(192/63) 299 1624(192/63) „...429

1695 (330/66) 415 4420 Laser CaU

Logical Connection Print Buffers

256K $449 512K S529

Networking Hardware Gotewoy

G/Elhemet AT .... $435 for PS/2 $435

G/^themet (8 bit) 265

Lantastic

2 HBs Starter Kit/Adapter S419/195

Ethernet Starter Kit/Adapter 575/279

Stondard Micro

PSllO Board for PS/2 $439

PC500WS 16 Bit for WS/Server 375/449

PC550WS 16 Bit Tn.-, Pr. for WS/Seirer .... 395/495

PC270E Twisted Pair 139

PC130 .Arcnet Board 135

ARC.NET passive hubs / active hubs 72/359

ARCNET intelligent hub coax 495

ARCNET intelligent hub twisted pair 609

Synoptics

505LTP Tfanscei>-er Sl39

1000 Conc./2500 Workgroup Cone 2575/839

Tiara

■* port hubs $49 8 port hubs S285

Lancard/A 8 bit ARCNET 89

Lancard/A 16 bit .^RCN'ET Board 249

Lancard/E 8 bit Ethernet/Twisted Pair .... 199/329 Lancard/E 16 bit Ethernet Twisted Pair 339

Tops

Repeater $125 Flashcard $155

Western Digital

Ethcrcardt §185 A (PS/2) $285

Ethercard+ Twisted Pair 319

Ethercard+ 16 bit 255

Xircom

Pocket -ARCNET Adapter Coax or Tw. Pr $295

Pocket Ethernet Adapter Twisted Pair 489

Plotters

CalComp

1023 53450 1043DM S5"00

Houston Instruments (Call for Prices)

DMP52 DMP52MP DMP6I

DMP6IDL DMP62 DMP62DL

Imagemaker (PC Maga=ine s Editors CbolCf) Call

Scanners/Digitizers

Complete PC Scanners

FuU Page $499 Half Page S189

Hand Scanner 165

Complete OCR Software for HS/Page 235/325

Kurta

IS/One 12X12 S355 IS/One 12x17 S509

Microtek

MSF 300G $1495 MSF 300Z Call

MSF -lOOG 2-^50 MSF Edge Feed .... 1050

Summasketch W Digitizers

12x12 S335 12x18 S599

Input Devices

CalComp WIZ 1000 DPI $175

Logitech

Hi-Rez C9 Mouse .. S85 with Paint $99

Trackman 320DPI Serial/Bus 99/109

Microsoft Mice

Serial with Pain thrush/with Windows .. $109/139 Bus .Mouse with Paintbrush 105

Novell Networking

(Soveli Authorized Sales and Service)

■* User ELS Le%el I S429

8 User ELS Lev e U 989

.Advanced Netware 1850

SFT .Netware 286/.Netwar« 386 2850/4550

Network Utilities

Brightwork Development

PS-Print 5415

CC: Mail

25 User 5495

Remote 235

Cheyenne Software

Netback $189

Da Vinci eMail servers DOS $849

Lan Systems

Lanspace S310

Norton-Lambert Oose-u

Support 3-0 SI65

Ontrock

Disk .Manager -N ... $99

Tops

NetPrint 2.0 $145

Traveling Software

Desklink 2.2 S95

Unix/Xenix Multiuser Products

Digiboard ImelUgent serial Cards

4 Port, 8 Port $645/795

Wyse Terminals

WT6O S309 WTI50 S305

WT3"0 14' Color 859

(Call on Ke>t>oard options)

WT50/"WT86 (both with Keyboard) 389

Santa Cruz Operations CompieteSys

Xenix 286 S995 Xenix 386 $1150

Xenix Software

Foxbase* 386 S""9 Open I>esktop .... Call

.Microsoft Word 495

\T/IX 1/3+ User 359/629

Xenix-Net 286/386 439/4':'9

Word Perfect 4.2 569

Supplies

Sony 5-25" 360K Ox>x) „ $9

Sony 5-25" 1.2M (box) „ 14

Sony 5.5" 720K (box) „ 13

Sony 3.5" l.-*4M (box) 25

5.25" Diskette Case 9

3.5" Diskette Case II

Toner cartridge for HP Desl^et Plus.

Laserjet II and lip Call

Data Cartridges

DC2000(ea.) . Sl9 DC600(ea.).. $27 DC600XL{each) 29

Power Protection Products Tripplite

SK6 Spike Bar $29 CCI+ Isobar $85

IB4 4 Outlet Isobar 45

LC1200 Line Conditioner 159

BC325 Bancry- Back-up 279

BC450 Baner>- Back-up 349

O.M.M-150 or -iSOLAN Baner>- Back-up 419

BC^SOL^-N Baner>' Back-up 549

O.M.NI1200 Baner>- Back up 795

Queue IT! $119

Expand S445

Gateway- 895

.Monitrox S505

DOS/Windows S1349

Lanspool $259

5

Customer 3.0 $135

Netutils $85

Network Bndil....Sl69 LapUnk m $92

Software

Autoskeich .\nimator $239

Borland Quattro 95 Quattro Pro 279

Caere Omnipage 386 2.1 619

Datastorm ProComm Plus 52

dBase I\" 479 R-Base 489

Delrina Perform 2.0 159

Delta Technology- Direct .\ccess 59

Desk\-iew 386 v. 2.2 125

Fifth Generation Fastback Plus 109

Foxbase + 189

Generic C\DD Lc\el 3 155

Harvard Graphics 329

IBM Display-write IV' 249

Lotus Freelance Plus 329

Lotus 123 r. 2.2 3^9 123 r. 3-0 389

.Microsoft W orks 99 Word 5.0 215

.Norton L tilities Adv 79

Paradox V. 3.0 445 PC Tools 5-5 79

Peachiree -Accig. m/with Data Query.. 149/225

Pro. Write 145 QEMM 5.0 65

Quicken 39 Timeslips m 159

Symatec Q&A 3.0 .. 215 Timeline 3.0 379

Timeworks Publish It! 125

Word Perfect 5.1 249

Wordstar Pro 5.5 225

Ventura Publisher 2.0 499

Windows Software

AMus Pagemaker S-i99

AMI for Windows 129

AMI Professional 319

Corel Draw 329

Microsoft Windows 286/386 ..69''125

Microsoft Excel 2.1 309

Microsoft Word for Windows ..-325 Precision Superbase 2 Windows .. 189 Precision Superbase ■* Window-s.. 395 HOC 'Windows Express or Manager . 49 Crosstalk for Windows 1.0 229

""Free Freight in the Continental U.S.

Free Freight'

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee Toil-Free Service & Support

No Credit Card Surcharges

Co// for Prices on Other Peripherals & Software

^,_,JEMBEH~: 'Oversized Monitors. Plotters. cJ^^O^TS Laser Primers, and Portables excluded from Free Freight

Call 1-800-PC BRAND

(Call 1-800-722-7263) In All 50 States FAX= 1-800-722-7392

PC Brand, Inc. 95-l W.Washington Si.. Chicago. IL. 60607 Canadian Fax» 312-633-2888 Canadian Voice - 312-226-5200. We are open Mon. thru Fri.: 8ani to 6pm Centra! Time. MasterCard. \1S.^. Discover. Checks and .Approved P.O.s are .Accepted. Prices and specifications subject to change. BYTE 15-6

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 267

Introducing DADISP 2.0

i DADiSP Worksheet

DSP

i

«Z: IUIl.l.MiM.06X

V3: T«b1« Vtaw

r2ai ifl.7 i rai 12 3 r?m 7 ^

DADiSP. The Big Picture in

Data Analysis

DADiSP — interactive graphics and data analysis software for scientists and engineers. DADiSP 2.0 delivers unprecedented power, through easy-to-use menus. Choose from hundreds of analysis functions and graphic views — from tables to 3-D. Simultaneously display multiple windows, each with different data or analyses, for unlimited perspective on your toughest data analysis problems. Build your own analysis worksheets — build and display an entire data analysis worksheet, without programming. And DADiSP's powerful graphic spreadsheet automatically recalculates and updates the entire worksheet if you change your data or an analysis step.

Do serious signal processing...the way

you always pictured it! FFTs, digital filter design, convolutions, waterfall plots, and more — all at the press of a key.

Let yoiu" instruments do the talking — use DADiSP 488 to bring data from your instruments directly into a DADiSP window for immediate viewing and analysis.

Flexible, expandable, customizable — annotate your graphs and send them to printers, plotters, or publishing packages. Create your own macros, automate routine tasks, and run any program written in any language from within DADiSP. DADiSP even lets you build your own menus.

A proven standard — already used by thousands of engineers and scientists worldwide, in a whole range of applications like medical research, signal processing, chemistry, vibration analysis, communications, manufacturing quality control, test & measurement, and more. DADiSP supports the IBM PC and PS/2, SUN, DEC VAX, HP 9000 and Concurrent families of personal computers and workstations.

GET THE PICTURE! CALL TODAY 617-577-1133

Ask for our Evaluation Disk. For more information, write to DSP Development Corporation, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, or FAX: 617-577-8211.

DSP

Development Corporation

Australia-Interworld Electronics, 03 521-2952; England-Adept Scientific, (0462) 480055; Biosoft (0223) 68622; France-SM2I, (1) 34810178; Sacasa, 69077802; West Germany-Datalog, (02166) 46082; Stemmer Electronik, 089-809 02-0; Israel-Racom Electronics, 03-491-922; Italy-BPS Computers, (02) 61290221; Japan-Astrodesign, 044-751-1011; Netherlands-Computer Engineering Roosendaal, 01650-57417; New Zealand-GTS Engineering, (09) 392 464; Sweden-Systek, 013 110140; Switzerland-Urech & Harr AG, 61 611325; Tkiwan-Advantech, 2-351-2117

Circle 100 on Reader Service Card

FEATURE

consortia: High-Tech Co-ops

Computer consortia may help U. S. high-tech companies compete on a global level

Janet J. Barron

proposed association of American semiconductor manufacturers called U.S. Memories was still in the formative stages when its director threw in the towel early this year. The ill-fated association was intended to help its members compete in the DRAM market. In the wake of U.S. Memories' demise, it seems appropriate to examine the concept of computer consortia: What are the driving forces behind these organizations? Which ones are working—if any? And what are the implications for America's ability to compete in the international marketplace?

Just what is a consortium? Generally, it is a joint R&D effort (most often nonprofit) between companies, universities, industries, and sometimes a state or national government. The main goal of a consortium is to help companies (and industries) maintain their leadership positions or gain an edge over their international competitors (see the table). The advantages of cooperative efforts between companies include transfers of technology and savings in labor power, time, and resources.

In the U.S., two principal forces drive the current tendency to create and develop U.S. high-technology consortia: the increasing strength of Japanese and European technological advances and America's need to avoid be

ing dependent on outside suppliers for its computer devices and components. The stakes in this struggle are so high that many believe the basic survival of U.S. high technology is in jeopardy. Some believe the fight has already been won—and not by America.

Learning from the East

Japan has been a pacesetter in creating heavily funded and strongly supported consortia and joint ventures. For some 65 years, Japan has used two main vehicles to drive its industrial/

technological push: a governmental agency called the Ministry of International Trade Industry (MITI) and the Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT).

MITI was founded in 1925, with a mandate to "protect and promote healthy development of Japanese industry, trade, and technology." Its purpose remains the same today, and Japan has backed this effort to the tune of billions and billions of yen.

Although neither NTT nor MITI is formally a consortium, MITI has spawned a number of consortia that have made tremendous technological advances: ICOT (Institute for New-Generation Computer Technology), created to study parallel processing; SORTEC (Synchotron Orbital Radiation Technologies), continued

ILLUSTRATION: ROBERT TINNEY © 1990

JUNE 1990 •BYTE 269

FEATURE CONSORTIA: HIGH-TECH CO-OPS

SOME INTERNATIONAL JOINT MICROELECTRONIC EFFORTS

The development of consortia in the U. S. is designed to offset intense international efforts to replace the U. S. as the world's technological leader and to assure it of a reliable source of computers and computer components. Shown here is a sampling of foreign government-supported microelectronic R&D programs.

Country Project Companies Technical focus Timeframe Government funds

(millions of dollars)

Japan

MITI VLSI

5

VLSI manufacturing

1975-79

112

Japan

NTT VLSI

3

VLSI device

1975-79

309

Japan

New function

elements

12

VLSI device and manufacturing

1981-90

140

Japan

Supercomputer

6

High-speed devices

1981-89

135

Japan

Optoelectronics

13

Optical semiconductors

1979-86

80

Japan

SORTEC

13

Synchrotron lithography

1986-96

62*

Japan

Optical ICs

13

Optical semiconductors

1986-96

42*

Korea

ETRI 4-MB DRAM

4

Develop 4-MB DRAM

N/A

80

EEC

Esprit

Many

Commercial computing

1984-94

675

Germany

Mega Project

2

1-MB static RAM/4-MB DRAM

1984-89

150

Netherlands

' Funding from Japan's Key Technology Center includes some private contributions.

devoted to working with x-ray lithography and generation methods; and the OTRC (Optoelectronics Technology Research Corp.), a 13-company venture that carries out optical IC R&D. The Japanese have been extraordinarily successful in their drive for industrial and technological superiority in the areas of chips, chip-making equipment, and other consumer and commercial electronic devices.

Cause and Effect...

In the late nineteenth century, the U.S. became heavily involved in its own industrial revolution. The turn of the century brought big-time progress in steel, railroads, oil, and other major enterprises. Entrepreneurs such as the Rockefellers, Carnegies, Mellons, and Morgans came into prominence as they created monopolies in these essential industries. With these monopolies came unfair economic and labor conditions. As a result, between the late 1800s and the mid-1900s, the U.S. government instituted a number of antitrust laws, the most famous of which were the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts (1890 and 1914).

During the depression years, the U.S. made few industrial or technological advances. Then came World War II—destined to be the first war fought by scientific military tactics instead of sheer brute force. It quickly became apparent that the winner would be the country that could technologically outmaneuver its opponents. Thus, the U.S. began to make use of the consortium concept to play catch-up with its adversaries. Because of the stringent antitrust laws in place at the time, though, U.S. companies were extremely reluctant to take full advantage of this type of collaborative effort.

Japan's recovery from the war entailed major "damage-control" efforts. Along with the restoration of its economy, Japan also began to make significant technological strides. In the 1980s, Japan ramped up its efforts to create a fifth-generation computer. When the U.S. recognized the seriousness of the Japanese threat to its technology base, those in charge of administering antitrust laws became more willing to soften the rules a bit.

In 1982, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it would not initiate an antitrust challenge to the formation of one

of the first computer-oriented consortia, the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp. (MCC), based in Austin, Texas. And in 1984, the passage of the subsequent National Cooperative Research Act spurred approximately 70 consortia to file their intentions to form.

While most consortia are research-driven, some have other goals. Several, such as Unix International, Open Systems Interconnection (OSI), and Common Access Method (CAM), are devoted to creating and implementing standards for emerging technologies. In this article, I'll address only research-driven high-technology consortia.

Mandates and Projects

The firstborn computer consortium, MCC, conducts research in five main areas: advanced computing technology, CAD, high-temperature superconductivity, packaging/interconnects, and software technology and research commercialization. One MCC goal, to make computers easier to use, has led to a human-interface project called the Interactive Work Surface. When completed, this device will allow paper-and-pencil-like communication with a computer (see photo 1).

Another of MCC's active projects is an advanced technology used in chip fabrication called laser bonding. This is a maskless laser direct-write technology that enables much easier, faster, and less expensive customization of prototype chip designs.

One outgrowth of MCC was the founding of SEMATECH (Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology Initiative), an industry/government consortium with 14 semiconductor producers and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). SEMATECH's aim is to develop advanced manufacturing technology that will enable the U.S. to be competitive worldwide and to provide a domestic source of chips.

SEMATECH currently has 54 projects under way, involving R&D in areas such as lithography, strategic materials, multilevel metals, and furnaces (see photo 2). SEMATECH has also, in collaboration with the Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC), established a Centers of Excellence program, which selects outstanding universities and works with them to attract and maintain top-notch faculty and provide graduate students

continued

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Photo 1: As part of one of its current human-interface projects, the MCC is developing an Interactive Work Surface, a device that will allow paper-and-pencil-like communication with a computer.

Photo 2: Research at the Austin, Texas, semiconductor consortium, SEMATECH, centers around ways to efficiently fabricate chips. Here, wafers are being prepared for loading into a furnace chamber.

Photo 3: This visualizfltion is a part of ongoing research into stellar convection, conducted by Cattaneo, Hurlburt, and Toomre at the John von Neumann Center for Scientific Computing. Here is an idealized model of thermal supersonic convection within a star.

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The SRC was created to plan and implement an integrated program of basic research conducted by faculty and graduate students at leading U.S. universities. This research is related to a set of long-range industry goals that reflect the need for improved performance and higher-density ICs.

The Massachusetts Microelectronics Center (M^C) is a consortium created by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in partnership with industry and the state's engineering colleges and universities. It is dedicated to improving the quality of engineering education for students intending to design ICs. M^C's 10 member universities have shared access to the cen

ter's facilities in Westborough, Massachusetts, which include a state-of-the-art CAD center and an IC fabrication facility for the production of student-designed chips. Staff members supply ongoing training and technical support for university researchers and educators as well. M^C was chosen to be one of SEMATECH's Centers of Excellence.

The Consortium for Scientific Computing in Princeton, New Jersey, is composed of 13 major universities and institutions. These entities subsequently established the John von Neumann Center for Scientific Computing (JVNC) at the same location. The CSC is responsible for the overall management of the JVNC, serving 1500 users of the center nationally across a wide range of disciplines. The CSC is funded by the National Science Foundation (the consortium's founder), the state of New Jersey, and industrial participants of the consortium.

The JVNC is dedicated to making the latest and most powerful supercomputers accessible to users in academic, scientific, and industrial communities. Thus, users can conduct computeintensive research projects not possible on smaller systems (see photo 3). At any university, personal computer and workstation users can connect to a regional network and from there to the host supercomputer. The connection to the national supercomputer network is then transparent to any of the host computers on the network.

At least two optoelectronic consortia now exist, with a couple more in the planning stages. The Center for Optical Manufacturing, based at the University of Rochester, was founded in 1989. COM's mission is not to manufacture optical devices, but to support the development of new optical manufacturing technologies. These include precision glass moldings, optical interconnects and packaging, and gradient index lenses. COM is a function of academia, the government, and the optical industry through the American Precision Optics Manufacturing Association.

Another active optoelectronic consortium, composed of a state government, local computer companies, and DARPA, is the Oregon Advanced Computing Institute, incorporated in 1988 and based in Portland. OACIS is dedicated to the development of advanced computing technology through applied research—mainly in the area of parallel-processing technology. One of OACIS's projects is the development of a prototype parallel-programming support environment. Such an environment

continued

272 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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dedicated to making the most powerful supercomputers accessible to users in academic, scientific, and industrial communities.

would automate the design, implementation, and analysis of parallel-processing software.

On the Drawing Board

Building a consortium from the ground up isn't easy, as Sandy Kane, the head ofthe late U.S. Memories, found out. Nevertheless, at least a handful of major consortia are on the drawing board or in various stages of creation.

Under the auspices of the American Electronics Association, about 20 companies have signed up to become founding members of a consortium devoted to researching, developing, and perhaps even manufacturing high-definition TV. This joint ef fort is now being dubbed the Advanced Television Research Consortium.

Scientists at the Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, New Jersey, have proposed a consortium to advance the state of LCD technology. Names of potential group members have not yet been made public.

Two new optoelectronic groups are also making plans tc form consortia—one under the auspices of the Sarnoff Center and the other under the aegis of the University of Southern California's School of Engineering. The proposed Sarnoff-sponsored effort, tentatively called the Optoelectronic Integrated Circuit consortium (OEIC), is having a tough time obtaining commitments from companies to join and support the venture. Founders of the OEIC hope to create a consortium that will build a fabrication facility to produce optoelectronic ICs in volume by 1996. But, says Carmen Catanese, proposed director of the facility, "Computer firms aren't buying into being part of a chip company in the manner we hoped they would."

The National Center for Integrated Photonic Technology is a group to be headquartered at the University of Southern California's School of Engineering. It consists of five universities: use, Columbia, Kent State, MIT, and UCLA. NCIPT seems to be well on its way to reality. In January, DARPA granted an initial $12.5 million to the Los Angeles-based center.

The NCIPT's mandate will be to increase the level of integration currently possible with photonic devices and significantly advance the state of the art in integrating optical and electronic devices on a single chip. Its projects will focus on high-bandwidth and high-functionality devices and systems.

Another collaborative effort in the planning stages is a proposed consortium designed to carry out R&D in superconductivity. This group has the support of major corporate and academic forces such as IBM, AT&T, and MIT. If established, this consortium will concentrate on several areas: advanced devices and ICs, signal distribution and conditioning networks, hightemperature materials and technology, and superconducting quantum interference devices.

One potential hybrid consortium is worthy of brief mention

here. In Europe, the Joint European Sub-micron Silicon Initiative (JESSI) was founded to advance the continent's progress in chip technology through a collaborative six-country venture. JESSI and the U.S.'s SEMATECH consortia are in the talking stages regarding forming an alliance. The mission of this socalled "superconsortium" would be to use the combination of their efforts in a synergistic manner to take on Japan in the chip race.

\ Mixed Bag

Today's consortia are groups that comprise technology compalies, industries, universities, the public and private sectors, the )rivate sector alone, and various combinations of these entities.

MCC, for instance, is a computer research consortium com)osed of U.S. (and, potentially, Canadian) company "sharelolders." One of MCC's shareholders is BellCore, the research irm ofthe Bell companies. BellCore itself has been called an 'internal" consortium—that is, an R&D conglomerate that vorks for several different clients. Both MCC and SEMATECH are members of Semiconductor Research, which is a .'ull-blown consortium in its own right located in Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Most consortia are created as not-for-profit entities, but some, such as MCC, are for-profit enterprises. Not only is MCC considering spinning off start-ups funded by venture capital, it also encourages researchers to leave the lab and participate in translating their experience into products.

Funding and Fees

A complete discussion of the types of funding and member fees for the various technology consortia is beyond the scope of this article. The subject of funding alone is extremely controversial, and neither consortia proponents nor opponents can agree on whether U.S. tax dollars should go to these R&D collaborations. Of course, this diversity of opinion should come as no surprise, since there is no consensus on whether consortia should be allowed to exist at all.

R&D consortia usually calculate member or shareholder fees as a percentage of each of the affiliated organizations' income or sales. Many member fees start in the $25,000 range. SEMATECH, however, has a minimum of about $1 million and a maximum of about $15 million annually.

Other consortia are funded directly from the budgets of the state and federal governments, participating universities, and various grants that come their way. To allow smaller companies to be a part of the action, some of the larger consortia, such as SEMATECH, have created "affiliate" programs. These minimemberships enable companies with budgets smaller than those of goliaths such as IBM, AT&T, and Intel to participate in

continued

274 B YTE • JUNE 1990

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Some industry representatives believe that creating consortia, composed mostly of large, deep-pocket companies, is enormously unfair to smaller companies and start-ups. Obviously, says this camp of believers, most firms don't have the big bucks necessary to join, participate in, and benefit from these usually prohibitively expensive organizations.

Robert Noyce, co-inventor of the IC and head of SEMATECH, disagrees with this premise. According to Noyce, the benefits of consortia-provided training for academics spills over to companies, large and small. Cross-fertilization and technology transfer help everyone, he says.

Consortia like SEMATECH perform very expensive research, notes Noyce. He adds that, by pooling resources, groups of companies can do some things individual companies cannot because of the costs and risks involved. "Consortia are restocking the stream. The benefits of consortia flow to startups just as they flow to other companies," Noyce says.

There are numerous theories as to why U.S. Memories failed to make the grade. The most prevalent assumption is based on the fact that although big-gun computer companies such as Digital, IBM, Intel, AMD, National Semiconductor, and HewlettPackard agreed to support the cooperative venture, others such as Sun and Apple declined to get behind the effort.

Also, U.S. companies, many with near-term profit goals in mind, stopped short of committing funds and support to the organization. And with the recent infusion of previously unavailable chips, several companies decided to trust to luck for future supplies. Bad timing was the major factor in the demise of the proposed consortium, say industry spokespeople.

Strange Bedfellows

The confusion surrounding these issues has led to some unusual liaisons between U.S. and foreign companies and consortia: IBM and West Germany's Siemens; IBM and JESSI; and Intel and NMB Semiconductor.

The first part of this year saw IBM ink an agreement with Siemens to codevelop 64-megabit DRAMs. The prohibitive costs (now running into hundreds of millions of dollars) involved in the process of producing high-density memory chips was given as the reason for the joint venture.

The potential JESSI/IBM collaboration proposes to undertake certain projects essential to the establishment of leading European and U.S. supply industries. Since IBM is a major figure in SEMATECH, the proposed liaison could lead to SEMATECH's inviting JESSI to join its ranks. Currently, SEMATECH does not allow foreign companies or organizations as members.

The partnership that caught many industry pundits by surprise is that of Intel and Japan's NMB. The goal of this joint venture is to manufacture and market high-speed DRAM chips. The new company. Intel/NMBS DRAM Fabrication Co., is planning a factory in Japan to manufacture 1-megabyte and 4-MB DRAMs starting in the mid-1990s, to be followed by a U.S.-based DRAM-manufacturing site. Since that announcement, several other joint U.S./Japanese collaborations have been announced.

The U.S. is forming consortia to try to neutralize Japan's threat to monopolize, dominate, and control the supply and prices of much of its essential technology. Given that, the affiliation of domestic and Japanese companies has indeed created very strange bedfellows. ■

Janet J. Barron is a technical editor for BYTE. She can be reached on BIX as "neural. "

276 BYTE' JUNE 1990

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Circle 76 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 77)

c 1990 Cyrix Corporation. Ail rights reserved. FasMath is a trademark of Cyrix Corporation. IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines. Refer to product warranty and Cyrix Golden Guarantee for details and limitations.

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FEATURE

dos and unix: On Speaking Terms

What could DOS and Unix possibly have to discuss?

Plenty.

Tom Yager

orporate computing isn't what it used to be. Time was, there were one or two mainframes on the raised floor. Only those users with the most obvious need had terminals. Now, many companies suffer with a mishmash of these mammoth beasts, minicomputers, and, of course, workstations and personal computers. Methods for getting the microcomputers to talk to the mainframes have long been known, and making these connections is a big business, since nobody willingly wastes an investment in the heavy metal. But still, many managers have missed seeing a great improvement to their return on investment in Unix hardware: hooking PCs into an existing Unix network.

Why Bother?

For some, the advantages of a high-speed connection between any two computers are obvious. Oddly, many still resort to sluggish serial connections, schlepping data around at speeds as slow as 9600 bps. Granted, there are excellent software packages that make the most of this primitive link, providing file transfer and other network-like services, but when it comes to Unix, there's simply no substitute for the real thing: Ethernet.

Ages ago, a silent consensus was reached among Unix vendors that Ethernet was the way to go, and that has vastly

simplified intermachine connections ever since. As a result, Unix users have been spoiled by rapid mail delivery, remote terminal services with multiple sessions, and file and resource sharing network-wide. To top it off, Unix networks are ridiculously easy to use once they're set up.

The PC: It's Not Just for SideKick Anymore

All this raging connectivity has found its way to the desktop with the graphics workstation boom, but the lowly PC has a deserving role in this pact, as well.

It would be easier if you could think of PC-to-Unix connections in terms of PCbased LANs, but Unix does things differently. The most typical PC LAN is one governed by a central system, the server, to which all the disk drives, printers, and other shared resources are connected. These server-based LANs work well, but they allow only limited access from one desktop to another, and such traffic must first pass through the server. A concept closer to that of Unix is the PC peer-to-peer LAN, where each system in the network is capable of communicating with all the other systems directly, and without the wastefulness of dedicating a single machine to the provision of services. Disk drives, printers, and other sharable continued

ILLUSTRATION: ROBIN JAREAUX © 1990

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 281

FEATURE DOS AND UNIX

s

ince

Ethernet is the Unix network rule of law, to connect to the Unix

network, you must teach your PC to abide by the statute.

resources, regardless of their location, can be tapped by other network members. Most of these PC LANs are incapable of sharing one of the most costly resources, compute power.

A Unix network connection supplies all the services discussed above, and then some. The network wire can be used to set up a virtual terminal connection (through rlogin or telnet), which is fully interactive and (usually) very fast. Files can be electively copied back and forth, using either a variant of a simple copy command (called rep) or a client/server application, ftp, which creates a specialized session during which a user can browse through the directories on someone else's machine and send and receive selected groups of files.

An individual command can be remotely executed on someone else's system (using rsh or rexec), passing its results to the user's display or logging them in a file. Finally, specialized client/server applications can connect across the network to

A MIXED NETWORK

Transceiver

PC

Workstation

Minicomputer

Transceiver

PC

Single-port transceiver

PC

Workstation

PC

Trunk cable Thick-wire Ethernet Thin-wire Ethernet

Connectors Terminators

Figure 1: Through the use of a thick-wire/thin-wire single-port transceiver, machines using both thin-wire and thick-wire Ethernet can all communicate.

converse on any number of topics, from graphical windowed environments (the X Window System [referred to as X Window hereafter]) to E-mail (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol—SMTP).

If some of the terms in the preceding paragraph were unfamiliar, don't be concerned. Every one of the oddly named services described above can be accessed from a PC, and the rest of this text will show that it's not as hard as you might think.

What's Life Without Cable?

If you're like many PC users, you've already got a cable jutting out the back of your computer, trailing under floor or over ceiling to your hallowed server. As I am a certified Unix snob, you might expect that my first instruction would be to sever your ties to the dark DOS ages. Quite the contrary: A Unix connection is no replacement for the services of a good DOS LAN.

Since Ethernet is the Unix network rule of law, to connect to the Unix network, you must teach your PC to abide by the statute. There are dozens of network cards out there, with varying degrees of functionality and price, and selecting one is your first step toward making the connection.

Smart or Dumb, Thick or Thin?

There are two basic classes of cards: smart and dumb. The dumb card simply passes data through to the host, sapping some CPU resources in deciphering raw network packets. Smart cards process the protocol on the card, maintaining intermachine connections and watching over the network with reduced CPU intervention. While it would appear that the smart cards have the advantage, reports of the actual degree of improvement vary. There are some tasks at which faster processors excel, and moving blocks of data to and from I/O boards is among them. If performance is that important, get specifications from a few manufacturers before making your decision.

Smart card or dumb, there are presently two accepted ways to carry Ethernet: thin wire and thick wire. (A third choice, unshielded twisted-pair, is still in the standards development stage and therefore not consistently implemented.) Thin wire is cheaper than thick, the cables are easier to make or buy, and connections are as simple as those for cable TV.

Thick wire is aptly named for the fat, multiconductor cable that carries the signal. Its use is further complicated by the requirement of an external device called a transceiver, which amplifies and passes signals between machines and among other transceivers. Thick Ethernet is something of an anachronism, bulky and inconvenient, and it doesn't blend well with the turnkey environment of PCs. But since it can bridge longer distances, it is the backbone of many existing Unix networks. A compact, single-port transceiver costs about S200 and is enough to get a roomful of machines connected to a thick-wire network through the more convenient coaxial cable. Making native connections to a thick-wire network involves placing a transceiver nearby. Each such unit typically fans out to eight or more sockets, into which are plugged the thick cables that are dropped to the workstations. Transceivers are connected together via a trunk cable or thin Ethernet wire. (See figure 1.)

With thin wire, it's pretty much plug-and-play. Each machine is attached to the network through a three-way (or "T") connector. One side goes into the host's network adapter, and the other two pass the signal through to systems up and down the line. Each system is connected to the network serially, like tying periodic knots in a single length of rope, and the last machine on either end of the "rope" must have the unused side of its T connector terminated with a special resistor.

continued

282 B YTE • JUNE 1990

QNX.

The OS for over-achievers

QNX programmers have a decided advantage.

You see, people who use QNX enjoy the freedom that comes only with a flexible, modular OS. They appreciate the elegance of a message-passing architecture. And they marvel at the fact that QNX runs so lean—under 150K—yet out-performs any other PC operating system.

QNX users never worry about whether their applications will make it at runtime, because they know QNX has proven itself again and again in the real world.

If s no wonder that QNX users have achieved so much since the product was first released for the PC in 1982: over 80,000 systems installed in 47 countries world-wide, in all kinds of appHcations—from making cars to seUing books to handhng online credit card transactions.

One reviewer dubbed QNTC "The multieverything OS." Now, you might expect

multiuser and multitasking, but realtime? And integrated networking? true distributed processing? Best of all, these terms take on a new meaning with QNX.

Multiuser, for instance, means up to 32 terminals per micro. Multitasking cashes out as 150 tasks per machine. Realtime means not only priority-driven, preemptive task scheduling, but also speed: at 6,896 task switches/sec on a 16mhz 286, QNTC is at least a full order of magnitude fester than a typical UNIX system. Integrated networking means you won't need yet another layer of software to set up a LAN, and you can use any mix of Intel-based micros—from vintage '81 PCs to PS/2S.

Distributed processing with QN'X sounds too good to be true. But it is: Any task can access any resource—progwns, files, de\ices, even CPUs—without going through the bottleneck of a central fUe server.

Besides the satisfaction that QNX developers get from using a fest, powerfiil, and flexible OS, did we mention that they also enjoy free technical support?

If you're wondering why you don't akeady know aU about this great OS, you could try asking the over-achievers who are smugly guarding the secret of their success.

Better yet, give us a call. We'll teU you everything you need to know to become an over-achiever vourself.

For more information or a free demo disk, please phone (613) 591-0931.

Quantum Software Systems Ltd., 175 Terrence Matthews Crescent, Kanata, Ontario, Canada K2M 1W8

QNX is a registered trademarli of Quantum Software Systems Ltd. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T. PS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. S 1989 Quantum Software Systems Ltd.

Circle 262 on Reader Service Card

Display this month's BIX activities

BIX gives in to special interest groups.

First it was Mac mavens, followed by IBM-ers. Tlien it was game fans, writers, and our friends, the Amiga aficionados. In less than a year, BIX has established "Exchanges" for each of these large BIX subscriber groups — so people from all over the world can get together to learn, exchange ideas, and simply enjoy themselves.

If you were a BIX subscriber, you could choose from this growing Ust of Exchange offerings: (In each Exchange, conference name appears on left, description on right.)

Amiga Exchange

amiga.user

Excliange ideas, solve problems, compare notes

amiga.sw

Amiga programming and developer issues

amiga.hw

Amiga hardware design, use, and hookup

amiga.arts

Artistry using the Amiga

amiga.int

Developing for the international Amiga

amiga.special

Special guests and events

amiga

BIX Archive: The original Commodore Amiga

conference

amiga.update

Commodore's private conference for certified

developers

amiga. com

Commodore's private conference for commer

cial developers

amiga.dev

Commodore's conference for developers

IBM Exchange

ibm.pc

The venerable PC

ibm.at

The AT series and workalikes

ibm.ps

The PS/2 series

ibm.os2

OS/2 operating system

ibm.dos

PC/DOS & MS/DOS operating systems

ibm.os.386

Alternative 386 operating systems

ibm.utils

Utility software for IBM computers

ibm.repairshop

Garage and Tune-up Shop

ibm.new.prods

New products tor IBM computers

ibm.excliange

IBM Exchange clearinghouse

ibm. listings

An index to all Listings flies in the IBM Exchange

ibm.other

AppUcations, printers, modems, etc.

microsoft

Products from Microsoft

Mac Exchange

mac. apple

The word from Cupertino

mac.business

Macs in the office

mac.desktop

PubUshing with a Mac

mac. external

Information from all over

mac.hack

Technical information about all aspects of the Mac

mac.macappda

Macintosh AppUcations Developer's Association

mac. news

Up-to-the-minute information

mac. novice

For beginners

mac.products

Listings of new hardware and software

mac.sandbox

For off-hours ftin

Writer's Exchange

desktop, pub

Using microcomputers for pubUshing

joumahsm

Reporting and writing news

journalism, pro

Interaction for working press only

marketing

Promotions, sales, public relations, and high tech

new.writers

Getting started in the writing business

poetry.pros

Writing both types of EngUsh

sf

For Science Fiction, Star Trek, and fantasy fans

sfwa

Private meeting place for the Science Fiction

Writers of America

tech.news

Discuss Microbytes news, product reports, and

items

word.processor

Word-processing programs

write, fiction

On writing fiction

writers

The original writers conference

write.fiction

How to write fiction

writers, pros

Interaction for professional writers only

writers.talk

Insights and conversation from professional

writers

Interactive

compu.games dd

encounters

eq

ff

fun.n.games

lexicon

lore

Iworld

mnm

sea snl

snl. preview

Qrcle 450 on Render Service Card

Game Exchange

About computer games, critiques, tips, and more Digital Dungeoning: programs and applications and gaming

The place of all lands and places in space and time ElfQuest (role-playing games in the land of elves) The Fantasy Foundation (role-playing games) Fun, games, group activities Exploring the on-line social Ufe of BlXen About words

Fantasy-related poetry, prose, song, and art Ledinworid (advanced Dungeons & Dragons) Meade & Mirth (fi«e-form games set in the Middle Ages — or fer in the future) Society for Creative Anachronisms Suits & Ladders. By invitation only Previews what can be found in the dosed 'snl' conference

mam

w

Finally. An on-line service that doesn't nickel and dime you.

It's BIX's flat-fee service

BIX is short for BYTE Information Exchange. The on-line information service that's yours for an unheard-of flat fee of just S39 for three months*—an amount you could easily waste in just two to four hours with an hourly rate, on-Une service. (Not to mention the fact that you'd be nickel-anddimed for its monthly minimums.)

And here's another distinction: BIX is strictly for microcomputer pros; it contains no "fluff." As a subscriber, here's what you've got coming to you:

□ All the information and ideas exchanged in more than 150 microcomputer-related conferences—a give-and-talce in which you can participate.

□ MicTobytes Daily—up-to-theminute industry news and new product information.

□ Plus support from hardware vendors and software publishers, access to extensive software libraries, and the use of our electronic mail service—which allows binary attachments.

Subscribe to BIX right now— using your computer and modem

Set your telecommunications program for full duplex, 7 bits, even parity, 1 stop bit. Call BIX directly on our special registrationonly number: 800-225-4129 (in Massachusetts, call 617-8619767). Then hit the return key, and respond as follows:

Prompt:

login (enter"bix"): Name?

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You can charge your BLX subscription to major credit cards, or have it billed to your company

You may also purchase unlimited off-peak access via Tymnet for just S20 per month, or S3 per off-peak hour, in the continental US! * For more information, and your local Tymnet access number, call 800227-2983 (in NH and outside the US, caU 603-924-7681).

'Based on a Sl}6 annual fee, billed quarterly. You may cancel at any time. If you prefer, you may subscribe for a 3-montli trial at just $59. Fee does not include Tymnet connect charges.

' 'No extra charge for 2400-baud access. Tymnet prices are subject to change. International networks access BIX at NUI 310690157800.

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Megamate 2.8 stores eight times as much data as a 5.25" drive at lour times the speed. It handles any 3.5" IBM disk 28MB, 1.4MB, 720KB - and Is a cinch to install on any IBM PC, XT, AT or compatible. Megamate 2.8 comes complete with everything you need. So add 2.8MB ED capahllity the easy way - with Megamate 2.8! Call Micro Solutions today for the dealer nearest you.

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40 to 60 hours of in-depth training per course. Lessons consist of objectives, lectures, examples with detailed explanations, exercises with the presentation of multiple solutions per problem and lesson reviews. Developed by professionals that have taught these courses to thousands of students. Courses currently available include;

• The UNIX Operating System, Utilities and Bourne Shell Programming

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UNIX is a registered trademark of ATST,

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* Video Textbook Training • Video Textbook Training *

FEATURE DOS AND UNIX

A Node by Any Other Name

Without software, even the most brilliantly designed network is only a highway for electrons. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), whether resident on a smart card or running on the host's CPU, does all the work. Every system on a network receives all the packets zipping across the wire. It's TCP/IP's job to decide which ones to ignore and how to deliver the ones it pays attention to. Every packet carries with it the identification of the sender and the intended recipient. Packets are filtered such that only those destined for the current host, and special "broadcast" packets, are retained.

Each network member, or node, must be uniquely identified by a numeric internet address. A hosts file contains a simple translation between the numeric addresses and character-based names. In this file, each 4-byte address is usually expressed as four dot-separated numbers. Depending on how the address is constructed, 1,2, or 3 bytes can be devoted to a node's individual ID. The remaining bytes identify the network on which the node resides. Most installations have less than 255 nodes connected to a single network, so a sensible addressing scheme reserves 1 byte for the node ID, and the remaining 3 identify the network. For example, an address of 192.1.1.17 identifies node 17 on network 192.1.1 (see figure 2). A first byte in the range of 0-127, 128-191, and 192-223 allows for host addresses of 3 bytes, 2 bytes, and 1 byte, respectively. It's also possible to reserve a number of bits in the host address to identify a subnet, or branch off the main network. These schemes let the designer adapt the address to the size of the network or the number of individual networks.

Connecting networks is also part of TCP/IP. To join two networks, you must connect one node, through separate network adapters, to both of the networks to be joined. Once you configure TCP/IP to recognize the node as a gateway, every node on any of the joined networks can transparently communicate with all the other nodes. A gateway simply shunts packets destined for another network through the appropriate adapter. In this manner, any number of networks can be joined together; TCP/IP is smart enough to route packets through several gateways in sequence as needed. Several companies offer selfcontained gateways, but a good application for outdated PC equipment is as a dedicated router.

continued

INTERNETWORK ADDRESSING

Network 192.1.1

192.1.1.1

192.1.1.17

Node

Network 192.1.2

Node

Gateway

192.1.1.6

192.1.2.6

192.1.2.1

192.1.2.17

Node

Node

Figure 2: This example of internetwork addressing shows twonetworks (denoted by 192.1.1 and 192.1.2), each of which has 17 nodes. The networks are linked by a shared node (or gateway) that has addresses on both networks.

286 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 329 on Reader Service Card

Multitaskiiig without tears.

Thank goodness complicated programs like Windows and 05/2™ aren't the only way to multitask and window on the PC.

DESQview runs the programs you know and love in multiple windows, multitasks them and even lets you use a mouse. And it does it all today 1x1 fact, DESQview's been doing it for over four years now.

People all over the world are using DESQview to cut and paste data between programs running in multiple vdndows. They're running sorts and recalculations in the background, and they're operating in text and graphics modes in windows sideby-side. No drama, no fireworks and no huge memory or disk space requirements.

Introducing DESQview 2.26 It gives you greater productivity by multitasking more programs

The latest generation of DOS programs is getting better at using memory Lotus 12-3 v2.2 and Release 3, Metro, Freelance, Miaosoft Word, AutoCAD 386, Ventura Publisher

Professional—all are smarter about using memory And DESQview 2.26 makes them work even better

Mice are steadUy becoming more popular, and v2.26 provides unproved support for mouse menus within windows. At the same time, it also provides much greater flexibihty for assigning and reassigiung special keys within windows.

Our users asked for more support for 3270 and other terminal emulation. DESQview v2.26 has it.

You asked for support for a wider range of hardware: CD-ROM, scanners, comm ports, etc. v2.26 has it.

And you asked for help in handling troublesome TSRs. DESQview helps straighten them out.

DESQview 2.26 Improved to better fit the way you work.

At Quarterdeck, our philosophy has always been to inaease your productivity in logical, economical steps—not to reinvent a system that works for you.

Our estabUshed products, DESQview and QEMM, help you get the most from the software and hardware you own today

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To find out more about any Quarterdeck product, see your authorized Quarterdeck dealer or call or write us at the address below.

nSSQview System Requiiemenb: IBM Personal Computer and 100% compatibles (with 8086,8088,80286, or 80386 processors) with monochrome or coior diblay; IBM Personal Systcm/2 • Memory: 640K recommended; for DESQview itself 0-145K • Exp>anded Memory (Optional): expanded memory boards compatible with the Intel AboveBoand; enhancea expanded memory boards compatible with the AST RAMpage; 4.0 expanded memory boards • Disk; two diskette drives or one

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FEATURE DOS AND UNIX

Poor Little DOS Box

On Unix, TCP/IP is managed by a combination of device drivers, background processes, and user applications that create, maintain, and monitor network connections. They also make file sharing, E-mail delivery, and other services available to other systems on the network. Because Unix is a multitasking operating system, it's possible to have multiple services available to other nodes simultaneously.

MS-DOS is capable of partaking of the fruits of a Unix network, but with limitations (related to its memory and tasking deficiencies). Specifically, TCP/IP software must fit in a memory space small enough to leave room for traditional DOS applications to run. DOS's lack of multitasking makes a DOS machine more a consumer than a provider of services.

One widely used TCP/IP package for DOS comes from FTP Software. Through a mix of device drivers and a TSR networking kernel, FTP's PC/TCP provides all the services familiar to Unix users. To hook up, you bind the hardware characteristics of the network card into the PC/TCP kernel and drivers, along with the internet address and other operating parameters. You also need to fill a hosts file with the addresses and names of those nodes on the network that the PC needs to reach.

You also must supply a Unix user name. Any attempt to execute a command on a remote Unix host must be accompanied by a user ID that is valid on the Unix host.

Once a configured PC/TCP kernel is running, the PC becomes part of the network. PC/TCP's ping utility is the quickest test of a successful network connection. It ricochets a network packet off a selected host on the network and waits for a response. If ping reports that the host or network is unreachable, cabling, hardware, and software configurations should be checked until the problem is found.

Cranking Up the Engine

Getting there is not half the fun; it's the most difficult part of dealing with TCP/IP. Once running, the file transfer and remote-execution services mentioned above are very easy to use, but they are still only the beginning. While DOS and OS/2 network mavens are getting all lathered up over the advent of client/server applications, Unix has been doing it for years.

Being a single-tasking operating system, DOS makes a better client than server. If you know what single service you want from the PC and are willing to dedicate the PC to providing it, it is possible to use a DOS machine as a limited network server. The ftpsrv command in PC/TCP, for example, lets other (multiple) hosts attach to the PC and transfer files using ftp. Similarly, smtpsrv places the PC on alert for incoming E-mail using SMTP. These servers usurp the entire system until you ask them to quit, so they are best for overnight or for other unattended use. They do provide the full set of SMTP and ftp services. Your Unix users will have no idea that they are connecting to a DOS system.

Share and Share Alike

With all this networking, there would seem to be one service that has been neglected: file sharing. PC/TCP provides this service in InterDrive, a package that connects to a server offering connections to Sun Microsystems' Network File System. NFS expands the usefulness of a network by making the disk resources of remote machines appear as local devices to workstations and PCs.

NFS is somewhat slow, partly because it is stateless; even if a server crashes, reboots, and reinitializes everything, a client's session can pick up exactly where it left off. To accomplish this,

continued

288 BYTE* JUNE 1990

Circle 184 on Reader Service Card

up to date. Down to earth.

Changing the world. UNIX is changing the world of computers, the world of business— quite simply, changing the world. It's revolutionizing office automation. It's required for U.S. government computer contracts. It's the backbone of information strategies worldwide.

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state information must be carried with each request rather than cached on the server. The cost is speed. It is fast enough to be useful, however, and hooking up is quite simple.

For NFS to work, the Unix server must "export" any portion of the file system that it shares with other nodes. Each DOS client must have a valid Unix log-in and permission to access the server. The DOS user "mounts" the Unix file system, and it becomes an ordinary DOS lettered drive, which can be used like any other network drive. I've run floppy disk-based PCs as diskless workstations using NFS, and the performance was good enough that I didn't go nuts waiting for programs to load. But it wasn't really up to Novell standards. On the flip side, NFS doesn't cost as much as Novell, and Unix NFS servers can do real work while they babysit the file-sharing system.

Serving Up a Window System

As an illustration of a worthwhile client/server application, consider HCL-eXceed from Hummingbird Communications. This product is a full MS-DOS port of MIT's X Window (XI1 release 3) server. It makes network connections through a set of functions that make calls into the PC/TCP kernel.

An X Window server is a hungry critter, consuming memory for every window, font, picture, client connection, or other resource. The paltry 640K bytes available to DOS, less about 90K bytes for the PC/TCP kernel, and less DOS overhead, is not enough to run a demanding X Window session. Anyone who wishes to port network clients or servers over from other environments can expect to encounter the problem of severe memory restrictions; DOS seems to stand alone in the limits it places on programmers. HCL-eXceed manages to deal with these in a couple of interesting ways.

First, the standard-issue version of HCL-eXceed (which runs on any DOS system) is tuned to reach out for any extra memory it finds available. If EMS memory is found, it will use as much as you choose to allocate. There is also a 64K-byte

continued

290 B Y T E • JUNE 1990 Circle 55 on Reader Service Card

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FEATURE DOS AND UNIX

"himem" area available on most PCs, which HCL-eXceed can use through a device driver. The preferred solution, and one that is growing in popularity, is to run the application in protected mode. In HCL-eXceed Plus, a DOS extender arranges for the X Window server to have access to all of a 286, 386, or 486's address space as a linear unit (just like a "real" computer) and manages the switch between protected and real modes when DOS services are needed. Similarly, since the PC/TCP kernel loads under DOS, each call to it invokes a shift to real mode. On a capable (286 or better) machine, this switch happens fast enough that you'll never notice.

When the HCL-eXceed server is started, it opens a network connection, or socket, and waits for a client to connect. To save you the inconvenience of trotting to another system to start the client, HCL-eXceed can start up a telnet remote log-in session. The DOS user logs onto a remote Unix host and enters the command to start the client program. This client locates the HCL-eXceed server's socket and attaches itself. Once the connection is established, HCL-eXceed switches from text (telnet) to graphics mode, and the session is under way. Even though DOS is single-tasking, a single HCL-eXceed server can support connections with multiple machines, and multiple clients per connection. X Window server commands are queued and processed sequentially, no matter how many clients are generating them.

Because the protocol between X Window servers and clients is a well-documented standard, any server that offers a proper X Window protocol can merge nicely into a network of differing machines. The portion of the application that communicates with the network needn't change in order to bring new functionality to bear. Whether HCL-eXceed runs on a 286 or a 486, in protected mode or real mode, on a VGA or 8514/A video controller, an incoming X Window client won't know the difference. This also frees you to shop for price, performance, and features, in whatever combination pleases you.

The Net Sum

Any good package is the sum of its parts, and connecting a DOS system to a Unix network offers an array of services that can help even the most harried system administrator get more from limited resources. There are other paths to achieving some of the ends described here. Racal InterLan. for instance, offers a card that installs in a Novell server and distributes file transfer and remote log-in services to Novell DOS client machines. Xircom offers a Pocket Ethernet Adapter that attaches to a parallel port to give any machine (even a floppy disk-based laptop) access to a Unix network.

There are also other TCP/IP packages for DOS, and other X Window servers as well. I've limited myself to writing about that with which I have direct experience, but you should examine all your available options. The most important thing to remember is that setting things up is the hardest part of any Unix network. Once it's put together, connecting new hosts—be they DOS, Unix, or what-have-you—is simple, and making use of the new services is downright monkey work.

If DOS has a f uture at all, it lies in the ability to communicate with more capable machines and operating systems. The little effort you'll expend to connect your DOS systems to a Unix network can pay off handsomely, but you need to take that first step. Even if the benefits aren't immediately obvious, you'll be surprised how many useful solutions will spring out of the connection you've made. ■

Tom Yager is a technical editor at BYTE. He can be reached on BIX as "tyager."

in BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 112 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 215 on Reader Service Card

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Northga:e, OmniKey, Elegance. PowerMax and the Nonhgate 'N" logo are registered trademarks of North^^ G^mputer Systems. 80386 is a trademark of Intel Microsoft and Windows are repsiered trademarks oftneMicrosoftCorporation. All odier products and brand names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respecdve companies.

HANDS ON

UNDER THE HOOD ■ Roger C. Alford

THE EVOLUTION OF ESDI

Enhanced small device interface keeps pace with today's fast hard disk drives

In the late 1970s, Al Shugart of Seagate Technology (then Shugart Technology) developed the ST506 hard disk interface. In the spring of 1980, Seagate introduced the 5-megabyte ST506 drive that became the namesake for the interface. Several years later, Seagate introduced its 10-MB ST412 with essentially the same interface.

The ST412's interface, however, included one additional feature that the ST506 lacked—buffered seeks. Most ST.506 controllers and drives today support the buffered seek option; they're commonly called ST506/412 devices.

The ST506 featured modified frequency modulation (MFM) data encoding and could transfer data to and from the hard disk drive at 5 megabits per second. With an eager and widening market at hand, the disk drive industry evolved rapidly. Soon hard disks could handle 10-Mbps transfers, and several disk drive, tape drive, and controller manufacturers saw the need for a faster interface. They agreed that an enhanced, electrically compatible version of the de facto standard ST506 interface made sense.

An ad hoc consortium formed, and the first working document for the new interface—the enhanced small disk interface—appeared in May 1983. The enhanced small tape interface followed, and in October of that year, the group decided to merge the two interfaces into a single document, ESDI (enhanced small device interface). The interface touted a 10-Mbps transfer rate, which is double

that of the ST506.

By 1985, optical disks were coming on strong, and a draft of the ESDI specification that supported them appeared in March of that year. As industry acceptance of ESDI continued to grow, it emerged as a potential American National Standard. In January 1986, an ESDI steering committee formed, and the Accredited Standards Committee X3T9.3 working group held its first meeting in July of that year.

ESDI continued to find favor with manufacturers of high-performance hard disk drives but didn't do as well in the tape industry. In May 1987, ESDI proponents agreed to drop tape support from the proposed standard.

Early this year, ANSI finally adopted ESDI officially as ANSI X3.170-1990. Figure 1 shows a time line for the development of ESDI.

Two Standards: ESDI and SCSI

As ESDI developed and became a standard, so did another interface designed to support high-speed disk drives and other peripherals—ANSI's X3T9.2 committee directed the standardization of SCSI. It became an official standard in 1986 as ANSI X3.131-1986. A secondgeneration specification, SCSI-2, is now nearing completion.

SCSI often competes with ESDI for control of high-performance hard disk drives in today's fast PCs. As I take a closer look at ESDI, I'll point out some of the key comparisons between the two interfaces and try to clarify their applications. (For a detailed look at SCSI, see Under the Hood in the February and March BYTE.)

ESDI now finds wide acceptance in the PC marketplace. Manufacturers including IBM, Compaq, and Dell use ESDI hard disk drive subsystems in their high-performance machines. With Apple computers, of course, it's a different story. Apple chose to make a SCSI

connection standard equipment on the Macintosh.

How ESDI Works

ESDI is a device-level interface. It connects directly to the hard disk drive and controls basic operations, such as seek and head select. SCSI, in contrast, is a system-level interface, or bus, that can connect to any of a wide variety of devices simultaneously (including hard disk drives, scanners, optical disks, printers, and tape drives) and can communicate with them by means of highlevel commands. A SCSI hard disk drive needs intelligent SCSI electronics and a device-level connection for controlling the disk. The latter could, in theory, be an ESDI connection or something similar.

Electrically and mechanically, ESDI looks just like the ST506 interface. A common 34-conductor control cable connects in daisy-chain fashion to all drives controlled by a single controller. Each drive has its own 20-conductor data cable. Even the popular four-pin power connector found on all standard PC floppy and hard disk drives is defined as part of the ESDI standard.

While most of the ESDI signals are single-ended open-collector TTL (a single wire referenced to a common ground), the clock and data signals are differential (a complementary pair of wires, where only the voltage difference between the wires is significant). That design maintains integrity even at very fast data transfer rates. ESDI permits cable lengths of up to 3 meters (a little over 9 feet).

Interface Signals

Table 1 shows the ESDI signal definitions for the 34-conductor and 20-conductor cables. I've included the ST506 signal definitions for comparison. ESDI hard disk and optical disk connections

continued

JUNE 1990 •BYTE 297

Circle 167 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 168)

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HANDS ON UNDER THE HOOD

work in slightly different ways; I'll focus on hard disk applications.

An ESDI controller can accommodate as many as seven drives, ahhough ESDI controllers used in PCs typically support just two. Three drive-select signals determine the active drive, in a binary fashion. When all three drive-select signals are unasserted (low), no drive is selected.

Four head-select signals pick one of up to 16 heads on the active drive. What if your drive has more than 16 heads? That's handled by means of the Select Head Group command. When the drive reaches its operating speed, it sends a ready signal to the controller. It also sends the index signal, the rising edge of which indicates the beginning of each track. The index signal, which pulses once per revolution of the platters, also appears on the data cable.

The function of the sector/address mark found signal varies depending on whether the disk incorporates hard sectoring or soft sectoring. With hard sectoring, drive electronics determine a fixed number of sectors per track. The drive pulses the sector/address mark found line at the start of each sector. You don't find many hard-sectored disks these days—I can't think of any offhand—but, nevertheless, ESDI supports them.

With soft sectoring, the disk's operating software determines the number of sectors per track. Address marks—codes placed on the platter before the sector data—delineate sectors. When the drive

detects a mark, it pulses sector/address mark found.

Finally, the read gate signal enables the selected read/write head for a read operation, and write gate sets up a write operation.

On the data cable, the drive-selected signal tells the controller that there is indeed one, and only one, drive at the specified drive-select address. And the address mark enable signal tells a softsectored drive to write an address mark at the current position of the selected read/write head. Utility programs can use this signal, valid only when write gate is asserted, to change the number of sectors per track.

Moving the Data

Four differential (or balanced) signals affect data transfer between the controller and the hard disk: write data, read data, write clock, and read/reference clock. Data transfer requires both clock and data signals. The clock signal indicates when the data signal is valid. Typically, the rising edge of each clock cycle indicates the start of a new data bit in a serial data stream. In its purest form, data and clock are physically separate signals; this scheme is called NRZ (nonreturn-to-zero) encoding. Figure 2 illustrates NRZ encoding of a serial bit stream.

But to store data on a hard disk platter, you've got to combine the data and clock signals. Encoding methods that can do that include FM, MFM, and run length

continued

ESDI DEVELOPMENT TIME LINE

May 1983: First working document for enhanced small disk interface

March 1985: Support for optical disks added to the ESDI working document

May 1987: Tape support dropped from the proposed ESDI standard

First quarter 1990: ESDI officially granted full standard status as ANSI X3.170-1990

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

October 1983: Tape support added to form ESDI

July 1986: ANSI

The first meeting draft standard

of the ANSI X3T9.3 circulated

committee, to for review,

pursue ESDI comment,

standardization and revision

Figure 1: Seven years in the making, ESDI's ANSI certification finally came this year.

298 BYTE" JUNE 1990

UILDING BLOCK.

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Circle 142 on Reader Service Card

HANDS ON UNDER THE HOOD

limited (RLL). Figure 3 illustrates MFM encoding. If there's a transition at the center of a bit cell, the bit is a binary one; otherwise, it's a zero. Transitions also occur at the beginning of each zerobit cell that is preceded by another zerobit cell.

It's reasonably straightforward to encode these various formats when writing to the disk but a lot harder to decode them when reading the disk. A special circuit called a data separator does the job. It incorporates a phase-locked loop circuit to synchronize with and lock onto the clock as it's recovered from the encoded signal. For reliable data and clock separation, the encoded signal has to be free of electrical noise.

The basic ST506 interface transfers

data between the controller and the hard disk drive in MFM format at 5 Mbps. For several years now, ST506 controllers and drives have also been available that use RLL encoding instead of MFM. That buys a 50 percent increase in the data transfer rate—to 7.5 Mbps—and also boosts storage capacity by 50 percent. RLL encoding is more complex than MFM and requires a more advanced data separator. Nevertheless, most new drives use it.

Since the ST506 controller transfers encoded information to and from the drive, the data separator has to reside on the controller. The developers of ESDI realized that encoded data sent over long cables might not transfer reliably at 10 Mbps. So ESDI transfers NRZ data be

SIGNAL DEFINITIONS FOR ESDI AND ST506

tween the controller and the hard disk drive and uses separate, balanced data and clock signals. The hard disk drive itself has to encode the data before storing it on its platters, and it must also incorporate a data separator to decode the data.

This approach makes the drives attached to an ESDI controller more complex—and more costly—than ones used in an ST506 subsystem. And each drive needs its own data separator; there's no way to share a single, controller-resident separator. But the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The scheme ensures superior data integrity, and the encoding scheme no longer depends on the controller. An ESDI hard disk drive can use one of several flavors of RLL encoding, or

continued

Table 1: ESDI and ST506 use the same connectors. However, ESDI's high-level command orientation differs markedly from that of the older ST506 interface (N/A=not applicable). Head and drive selection bits appear in parentheses.

34-CONDUCTOR CONTROL CABLE, ESDI 34-CONDUCTOR CONTROL CABLE, ST506

Signal

Direction

Signal pin

Ground pin

Signal

Direction

Signal pin

Ground pin

Head select 2(3)

To disk

2

1

Reserved

N/A

2

1

Head select 2(2)

To disk

4

3

Head select 2

To disk

4

3

Write gate

To disk

6

5

Write gate

To disk

6

5

Config/status data

From disk

8

7

Seek complete

From disk

8

7

Transfer acknowledged

From disk

10

9

Track 0

From disk

10

9

Attention

From disk

12

11

Write fault

From disk

12

11

Head select 2(0)

To disk

14

13

Head select 0

To disk

14

13

Sector/address mark

(looped to pin 7

found

From disk

16

15

of data connector

Head select 2(1)

To disk

18

17

on disk)

16

15

Index

From disk

20

19

Head select 1

To disk

18

17

Ready

From disk

22

21

Index

From disk

20

19

Transfer request

To disk

24

23

Ready

From disk

22

21

Drive select 2(0)

To disk

26

25

Step

To disk

24

23

Drive select 2(1)

To disk

28

27

Drive select 1

To disk

26

25

Drive select 2(2)

To disk

30

29

Drive select 2

To disk

28

27

Read gate

To disk

32

31

Drive select 3

To disk

30

29

Command data

To disk

34

33

Drive select 4

To disk

32

31

Direction in

To disk

34

33

20-CONDUCTOR DATA CABLE, ESDI

20-CONDUCTOR DATA CABLE, ST506

Signal

Direction

Signal pin

Ground pin

Signal

Direction

Signal pin

Ground pin

Drive selected

From disk

1

N/A

Drive selected

From disk

1

2

Sector/address mark

Reserved

N/A

3

4

found

From disk

2

N/A

Reserved

N/A

5

6

Command complete

From disk

3

N/A

(to pin 16

Address mark enable

To disk

4

5

of control connector

+Write dock

To disk

7

6

on disk)

N/A

7

8

- Write clock

To disk

8

9

Reserved

N/A

9

+Read/reference clock

From disk

10

N/A

Reserved

N/A

10

11

- Read/reference clock

From disk

11

12

+Write data

To disk

13

12

+Write data

To disk

13

N/A

- Write data

To disk

14

15

- Write data

To disk

14

15

+Read data

From disk

17

16

+Read data

From disk

17

16

- Read data

From disk

18

19,20

- Read data

From disk

18

19

Index

From disk

20

N/A

300 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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Circle 350 on Reader Service Card

HANDS ON UNDER THE HOOD

even MFM encoding. (I don't know of any ESDI drives that use MFM, but it's possible.) It's even possible to mix encoding methods within a multidrive ESDI subsystem.

Decoded data shows up on the data cable as the read data signal. The read/ reference clock signal, which the hard disk drive generates, controls the timing of both read and write operations. When

read gate is active, read/reference clock acts as the read clock, carrying the clock signal that the data separator extracts from the stored clock/data information. When there's no read in progress, the hard disk drive generates a reference clock signal on the read/reference clock line.

The controller uses the write data signal to present NRZ data to the hard disk drive. The write clock signal—derived from the hard disk drive's reference clock—provides the timing clock for the write data signal. Note that the hard disk drive controls both the read and write data transfer rates—it must, since it has control over its own data encoding scheme.

The Serial Command Mode

Five signals on the control cable and one on the data cable communicate commands and status information between the controller and the drive: config/status data, transfer acknowledged, attention, transfer request, command data, and command complete. The controller sends 17-bit command-plus-parity words to the controller serially. It places each bit on the command data line, asserts the transfer request handshake signal to the hard disk drive, and awaits the transfer acknowledged return handshake signal from the hard disk drive. Configuration and status information returns to the controller in a similar fashion.

Two other signals figure importantly in ESDI's serial command mode: attention and command complete. The hard disk drive asserts attention when it wants the controller to request its standard status. That's generally a response to a fault condition on the hard disk. Writing to the hard disk can't occur while attention is asserted.

Command complete is the only serial mode signal on the data cable. The hard disk drive generates it. When unasserted, it tells the controller that the drive can't respond to the interface—typically, because the drive is trying to recover from an error or is performing another internal function.

Commanding the Drive

ESDI defines 12 commands for use with hard disk drives, as shown in table 2. Just five are mandatory. The high-order 4 bits of the 16-bit command word determine the command type; the low-order 12 bits can contain supplemental command information. The commands also include a trailing parity bit. Seek causes the drive to seek to the

continued

NRZ ENCODING OF A SERIAL BIT STREAM

Bit cell

Data transmitted Transmit clock NRZ data

Figure 2: To distinguish bits in NRZ data, you need a separate source of clock information.

MFM ENCODING OF A SERIAL BIT STREAM

; Bit cell I I I i 1 I

I I I I t I f

Data transmitted '0'0'1'1'1'0'

MFM data

Figure 3: MFM encoding (like RLL encoding) merges data and clock information into a single, combined signal.

ESDI SERIAL-MODE COMMANDS

Table 2: The 16-bit command word includes a 4-bit command identifier

(bits 15-12), and it can also include modifier, subscript, and parameter values

(bits 11-0) C=yes, 0=no).

Command Command Command Command Command

number definition modifier subscript parameter

(bits 15-12) (bits 11-8) (bits 7-0) (bits 11-0)

0000 (0)

Seek

O

o

•

0001 (1)

Recalibrate

o

o

o

0010(2)

Request Status

•

•

o

0011 (3)

Request Configuration

•

•

o

0100(4)

' Select Head Group

o

o

•

0101 (5)

Control

•

o

o

0110(6)

* Data Strobe Offset

•

o

o

0111 (7)

' Track Offset

•

o

o

1000(8)

* Initiate Diagnostics

o

o

•

1001 (9)

* Set Bytes per Sector

o

o

•

1010(10)

"Set High Order Value

•

o

•

1011 (11)

Reserved

o

o

o

1100(12)

Reserved

o

o

o

1101 (13)

Reserved

o

o

o

1110(14)

* Set Configuration

•

•

o

1111 (15)

Reserved

o

o

o

"optional commands

302 BYTE- JUNE 1990

PERISCOPE* IV

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ith Periscope Model IV, you can debug your software while it runs at full speed, something no softwareonly debugger can do.

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Circle 234 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 235)

HANDS ON UNDER THE HOOD

cylinder specified by the low-order 12 bits of the command word. Recalibrate sends the heads to cylinder zero and restores the drive's data strobe offset and track offset values to zero. Request Status solicits 16 bits of standard or vendorspecific status information, based on the command modifier bits.

Request Configuration can solicit the drive's transfer rate, number of heads, number of cylinders, hard/soft sectoring information, and much more. The Control command resets certain functions (including the interface attention after a fault), and it can also optionally implement spindle on/off control commands. (I suppose this would be helpful if you're using an ESDI drive in a laptop.)

Optional Commands

Select Head Group supports drives with more than 16 heads. A 4-bit value selects one of 16 head groups, each of which contains 16 heads. Data Strobe Offset and Track Offset address specific regions of the disk; data recovery utilities can use these commands. Initiate Diagnostics tells the hard disk drive to

run its internal diagnostics, if any.

Set Bytes per Sector works with hard-sectored disks; it can adjust the number of bytes stored in each sector. Set Configuration has several applications. It can, for example, set varying transfer rates for different cylinders of the disk, on hard disk drives that support zone recording. It can also support hard disk drives that change angular velocity (rotational speed) at different cylinder ranges to maintain a relatively constant linear velocity.

Putting ESDI to Work

ESDI has capacity to spare. A single ESDI hard disk drive can hold a terabyte of data. Even if you stick to the 512-byte sectors that DOS and OS/2 prefer, the limit is a healthy 137 gigabytes.

And, of course, it's fast. Most ESDI drives today transfer at 10 Mbps, but 15Mbps drives have started to appear. And the theoretical limit, 24 Mbps, leaves plenty of room for further performance improvements.

ESDI expects a 1-to-l interleave; it would make little sense to operate such a high-performance interface any other

way. While some recent ST506 interface implementations can now also operate at a 1-to-l interleave on high-performance PCs, the data transfer rate of these interfaces still restricts the overall performance potential of the hard disk drive subsystem.

If you're familiar with the ST506 interface, you'll find connecting an ESDI hard disk drive to its controller virtually identical. The controller will have a 34pin header connector for the control cable, and the hard disk drive will have a 34-contact card-edge connector to mate with the ribbon cable. Similarly, the controller will have a 20-pin header connector for each hard disk drive it supports (typically two), into which you will plug the 20-conductor data cable. And the hard disk drive will have a 20-contact card edge connector that also mates with the 20-conductor cable. Both card-edge connectors on the ESDI hard disk drive must have a key slot, per the ESDI standard, and any good drive cables should incorporate the key to keep the cables from being connected to the drive incorrectly. The ESDI drive will also ac

continued

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304 B YTE • JUNE 1990

Circle 186 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 290 on Reader Service Card

HANDS ON UNDER THE HOOD

cept the standard four-pin PC power connector.

Standard ST506/MFM hard disk drives are formatted for 17 sectors per track. The higher density and higher data transfer rate of ST506/RLL hard disk drives require the number of sectors per track to increase to 26. With most current ESDI hard disk drives in the PC marketplace operating at 10 Mbps, these drives are typically formatted for 32 to 35 sectors per track; most use 34 or 35.

The Software Environment

How compatible is ESDI with your software? That depends. If you inhabit the DOS world exclusively, all ESDI controllers for PCs will work acceptably. Some have their own BIOS-level driver. Others take great pains to emulate the ST506 interface found on IBM's original AT system. That means the interface can work with the hard disk driver that is already resident in the system's ROM BIOS. If you want to use an ESDI subsystem

under OS/2 or Xenix, things aren't quite so automatic. A WD 1003-compatible controller should work acceptably, but controllers with their own driver could have a problem. If you buy IBM's ESDI hard disk drive subsystem, you can rest assured it will work with IBM's OS/2. Similarly, Dell's ESDI subsystem will work with that company's version of OS/2. When in doubt, verify compatibility with the distributor or manufacturer of the ESDI controller before buying.

You'll also want to make sure that your ESDI controller will operate properly with the drive you select. There have been cases of drive/controller incompatibilities. Although the recent standardization of the ESDI connection has alleviated much of the concern, some ESDI hard disk drives implement special, optional functions; these require matching controllers. To avoid potential mix-andmatch incompatibility problems, you can purchase an ESDI hard disk drive subsystem, including the controller and cables.

ESDI vs. SCSI

While SCSI's parallel bus implementation differs from ESDI's serial transfer approach, both interfaces support highspeed data transfers and require the hard disk drive to incorporate some intelligence. SCSI requires more intelligence, however, and entails more overhead. For this reason, ESDI subsystems often outperform similar SCSI subsystems in overall effective data transfer rate.

SCSI, however, holds an ace. A SCSI drive can accept a command, disconnect from the bus while processing it, and then reconnect to the host controller. That way, multiple SCSI drives can process commands or transfer data concurrently. Network controllers and multiuser systems that can apply this feature will undoubtedly embrace SCSI.

ESDI will continue to grow in popularity, probably at least into the mid-1990s. SCSI will also gain ground. As software standards develop that permit more-uniform use of SCSI controllers with a wide variety of peripherals (e.g., hard disk drives, optical disks, and scanners), it seems likely that SCSI will eventually become the dominant high-performance hard disk drive interface in the PC world. But for now, ESDI thrives. With practically unlimited capacity, plenty of room for performance gains, and an ANSI seal of approval, ESDI and fast PCs will march together for years to come. ■

Roger C. Alford is a computer design engineer and a freelance writer. He can be reached on BIX do "editors. "

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306 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 321 on Reader Service Card

1990 ... The Year for VGA

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In addition to the 14" VGA series, CTX offers a full lineup including CGA, EGA, VGA and multiscanning monitors. For more information and the distributor nearest you, please call CTX International at 714-595-6146 or in the East CTX South at 404-729-8909.

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Circle 73 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 74)

You've read the column, now see the screen version, and more:

■ BIX opens Tojerry Exchange.

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For example, in the 'tojerry' conference, you can discuss all aspects of microcomputers, and cast your vote for the best and worst products of the year. The 'technology' conference lets you discuss everything from hot and cold fusion to interstellar space travel to electronic gadgetry, and the 'sciences' conference covers, of course, science. But the 'space' conference lets you focus specifically on space exploration and habitation. And the 'contact' conference on cognitive psychology brings anthropologists, science fiction ViTiters, artists, scientists, and computer scientists together to explore common ground. You'll also find discussions on natural and man-made disasters, computers in the classroom, and high-level mathematics—in 'disasters,' 'education,' and 'mathematics,' respectively.

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■ Amiga Exchange—If you're an Amiga user, you'll want to visit 'amiga.special,' a conference in which Matt Dillon is discussing his network for the Amiga. Recently, BlXen worked on promoting it from a serial device network to a parallel device network, (join amiga.special/matt.dillon)

BIX

COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUNE 1990

■ Datem Conference—In this conference, Datem Ltd., a manufacturer of BITBUS technology products, is holding discussions on BITBUS network systems and their use. The BITBUS network is a single-master, multiple-slave network topology, optimized for short control messages between a cell controller (such as a VAX or PC) and multiple I/O controllers, (join datem)

■ Science-Fiction Conference—

Every Thursday night, beginning at 6:30 PST, you can discuss your favorite (or least-favorite) science-fiction books and authors, conventions, movies, TV series, Japanese animation, or comic books. You can also visit with guest authors who, in the recent past, have included the likes of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Steve Boyett. (join sf/cbix)

BIX Conference News

■ Read Hugh Kenner's reviews

of books on computers and related areas of high technology—before they appear in BYTE—in a new conference called 'print.queue.' Kenner is one of America's foremost literary critics, and author of the Print Queue column in BYTE, (join print.queue)

■ Bytis Permutatio Informationum

(BIX) omnis divisa est in partes duo, quorum in una, quae nobis cordi est.

Circle 450 on Reader Service Card

nunc de lingua Graeca Latinaque disputatur Quin etiam lectiones Latinae offerantur. (lungite [join] writers.talk/ classix et writers.talk/ learn.classix)

■ Knowledge Systems Corporation has a family of development solutions for your complex software problems ranging from CIM to total product development, (join ksc)

■ How do you write a movie or

TV script? Let professional screenwriter Adam Rodman tell you. (join writers/screenwriting)

■ Do you speak JCL or DCL! VMS or MVS! Or even VM? BlXen speak your language, (join data.center)

■ Foxbase, dBase, and Clipper

programmers and users are invited to share their insights in the 'clipper' conference, (join clipper)

■ Learn the science of weather

and natural disasters from Chicago SunTimes Meteorologist Brendan Larson, (join disasters/weather)

■ Adrian Aylward's postscript

emulator Version I.I will be on the market any day, now, and you can discuss it in depth with AylviQrd himself, (join amiga.special/postscript)

■ Solid Software, Inc.'s Dwight Merriman and Taylor Hutt will show you how to develop with Modula 2, in a CBix session on Tuesday, June 12, at 7:30 PM, EDT. Emphasis will be on Solid Windows Professional, (join solid/cbix)

Meet us in Atlanta or New York!

■ We'll be in the BYTE booth at Comdex, and in Booth 2510 at PC Expo. Be sure to come in and talk with us—in person, for a change!

BEAM YOURSELF TO A PLACE WHERE COMPUTER SAVVY ABOUNDS.

■ Imagine a setting in whicli communal wisdom is on tap. A place that has the fit and feel of a small, friendly town, yet the sophistication and resources of a global community. One which you can visit electronically—to increase your knowledge of computers and their applications, hone your skills, share insights with thousands of other computer pros, and have fun. Such a community would be called BIX.

Subscribe to BIX, the flat-fee, on-line information service.

BIX is your access to industry news. And to many special interest Exchanges—such as our Amiga, IBM, Mac, Writers', and Interactive Games Exchanges—which include thousands of free, downloadable programs. All for just $39 per quarter.*

Subscribe via your computer...

Set your program for full duplex, 7 bits, even parity, I stop bit. Call BIX on our registration-only number: 800225-4129. In MA: call 617-861-9767. International: call NU1310690157800. Then hit the return key, and respond:

Prompt:

login Name!

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You may buy off-peak access via Tymnet at $20 per month or $3 per hour, or you may buy peak access at $6 per hour* *

"Based on a $156 annual fee. billed quarterly. Telecommunications charges are extra. You may cancel at any time without future charges.

'Available only in contiguous 48 states. Tymnet rates subject to change.

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BIX

Unleash Your 286, 386 or 486!

Whether you are running 1 -2-3 or AutoCAD, or porting a FORTRAN application, MicroWay has the solutions that will both speed up your system and simplify your development efforts. These include inexpensive 386 accelerators, a 486 mothertxjard that has twice the throughput of a VAX 8650 when equipped with a Weitek 4167, a family of globally optimized 386 and 486 compilers and 9ie most up to date numerics on the market. These include Intel, Weitek, and Cyrix coprocessors, plus Weitek daughterboards and a Weitek Micro Channel card for the model 70 and 80 — all of which comes with the finest technical support in the industry.

Milt Capsimolis of Ithaca Software, developer of HOOPS, the highly regarded 3D. objectoriented graphics library reports: "We ported a huge C library — well over 100.000 lines — without a hitch, in less than a day!... We liked the enormous advantage NDP C-386 offers through its support of the Weitek coprocessor.'

Fred Ziegler of Aspen Tech in Cambridge. MA : "I ported 900,000 lines of source in two weeks with NDP Fortran-386 without a single problem!" Aspen Tech's Chemical Modeling System is in use on mainframes worldwide and is probably the largest application to ever run on an Intel processor

Our compilers come with the features you need to simplify porting to the 32-bit mode of the 386. including a 99% VAX VMS compatible FORTRAN and a dual dialect C which is UNIX System V and ANSI compatible Also included is a library of 135 character and pixel onented graphics routines that automatically detect and support the full range of PC display adapters Plus we cany a full line of third party libranes and utilities that were ported with our languages For information about numenc coprocessor per formance, call for your free copy of an article by Stephen Fned, "ITie State of PC Numencs in 1990' For more information, please call our Technical Support Dept. at (508) 746-7341.

386 Compilers and Tools

Our NDP family of compilers generate globally optimized, mainframe quality code that runs on the 386 or 486 in protected mode under UNIX, XENIX, or extended DOS. The compilers address 4 gigabytes of memory while supporting the 80287,80387, Weitek, and Cyrix coprocessors. Applications can mix code from all three compilers and assembly language. The DOS versions allow the user to write his own numeric error handlers and interface 386 real mode programs from protected mode. NDPFortran-386™ is a full F77 with F66 and DOD extensions that is 99% VMS compatible. NDP C-386™ runs as a full K&R C with MS extensions or as an ANSI compiler. NDPPa8cal-386™ is a full ANSI/IEEE Pascal, with extensions from C and BSD 4.2 Pascal. DOS 386 versions (NDP tools included) $895 DOS 486 versions (NDP tools included) $ 1195

UNIX/XENIX versions $795

NDP VMM virtual memory manager $295

Eclipse or Phar Lap Tools $495

NDP Link - Incremental Linker $295

NDP C++Version 1.2 $295

NDP Windows™Ubrary: $125. C Source; $250

NDP HOOPS™ $795

NDP Plot™ $325

NDP/FFT™NDP or80x87 version .. ea. $250 NDP to HALO'88 Graphics Interface $100 NDP NAG™ — The NAG Wori<station library is a subset of the NAG mainframe libraries. It contains a library of 172 routines designed to solve differential equations and eigenvalue problems, perform matrix operations, tit curves, do statistics and regression analysis, generate random numbers, and compute special functions and integrals: S895.

NDP Fortran-486™, NDPC-486™, and NDP Pascal-486™ are new releases of our NDP compiler family that have been optimized for the 486. Driven by NDP Fortran-486, the Number Smasher 486, running with a 4167, delivers over 10 million floating point operations per second! The compilers are $1195 each.

PC Accelerators

SuperCACHE-286 12MHz $399

FastCACHE-286 12MHz $299

Parallel Processing

MicroWay's IBM compatible Monoputer, Quadputer, Videoputer, and Linkputer boards work together using Inmos transputers to provide expandable, plug-in mainframe performance for your desktop PC.

Monoputer™— Includes one T800 and up to 16 meg of RAM for parallel code development The 4 fvlWhetstones T800 makes it the ideal FORTRAN engine for cost-effective execution of your mainframe programs. . from$1295

Quadputer™— This board for the AT or 386 can be purchased with 1 to 4 transputers and 1 or 4 meg of memory per transputer. Two or more Quadputers can be linked together to build networi<s of up to 100 or more transputers providing mainframe power from $1995

Linkputer™— Links up to 8 tioards to provide dynamic transputer topologies $1500

Transputer Compilers and Utilities

These parallel languages are designed for use with the Monoputer, Quadputer and Videoputer.

Logical Systems Parallel C $595

3L Parallel C, FORTRAN, or Pascal $895

TBUG —debugger for 3L $330

Parsec Parallel C/dynamic $1500

ParaSoft EXPRESS Package — Includes transputer communications libraries, parallel code devekspment library, C source level debugger, and system performance monitor $1500

Helios PC/8 $1250

Occam 2 Toolset $1500

Nexis Windows File Server — Lets you njn parallel applications under the Microsoft

Windows environment $495

T800/NAG™ — Port of the complete NAG mainframelitirary. CJontains 268functions: $2750

486 Your PC!

NumberSmasher-486™ is a 25 MHz replacement motherboard for ATs and 80386s. This mothertx)ard supports an optional Weitek 4167 numeric coprocessor and up to 16 megabytes of memory. It is ideal for applications such as CAD/CAE workstations, statistical analysis, linear programming, and multi-tasking operating environments, such as UNIX, XENIX, and OS/2. It supports the Phoenix, AMI, or Award BIOS. The Number Smasher-486 with OK is priced at $3995.

Math Coprocessors

WEITEK

4167-25 (Now in stock) $1395

mW1167 Micro Channel-16/20 from S895

mW3167 Micro Channe(-25/33 from $1495

3167-20 $795

3167-25 $995

3167-33 $1295

mW3167/80387 Board $200

mW1167™ and mW3167™ coprocessor boards are built at MicroWay using Weitek components Each includes an 80387 socket

INTEL

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287Turbo-20™This coprocessor board runs a specially qualified Intel CMOS 80287 at 20 MHz regardless of the main CPU speed $450 RAMpak™ - one or four meg 32-bit memory expansion module for Compaq Deskpro 386 20/25 One meg . $240. Four meg $700

CYRIX

Cyrix CX83D87 FasMath™ — Fastest 80-bit Intel compatible coprocessor Performs transcendentals 3 times faster than the 80387 20 MHz: $400 25 MHz: $510 33 MHz: $625

386 Your AT!

NUMBER SMASHER-386™ —A full-sized card ttiat replaces the 80286 microprocessor on your IBM AT or compatible motfiertxiard with an 80386 that ains at 20 or 25 MHz It njns numencally intensive applications up to a factor of 60 times faster, while maintaining full hardware and software compatibility when njnning all 386 applications. Includes sockets to optionally add up to 8 megabytes of 32-bit memory, an Intel 80387. Weitek, or Cyrix numeric coprocessor, and 64K or 256K of high speed cache memory from $895

FASTCache-SX™ — The most cost effective accelerator we have ever manufactured. Plugs into the 286 socket, speeding up all applications by a factor of 2 to 4. Runs all 386 applications. Features an 80386-SX (16 or 20 MHz), a 4-way 32K cache, expandable to 64K, and a math coprocessor socket. 16 MHz:$495 20 MHz:$595

Micro l/ypr/d Leader in PC Numerics

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USA FAX 508-746-4678 Italy 02-74.90.749 Holland 40 836455 Japan 81 3 222 0544

HANDS ON

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED ■ RickGrehan

Cloak and Data

Using secret codes to secure your data from prying eyes

One thing about computers— they keep secrets well. You can keep them up all night under a glaring light, and they won't break. This makes them particularly trustworthy. If a computer wants to conceal something from you, you have to beat the information out of it—mathematically speaking.

Privacy is becoming more and more important in these days of personal computers that are looking less and less personal. Most of the machines at BYTE are on one network or another, and it's not uncommon to find that the route a file has taken from source to ultimate destination leads through more than one hard disk. Fortunately, much of the data we deal with is no more sensitive than next month's columns (embargoed information is closely monitored).

But there are those times when you want information to stay confidential: when you've got to get a file from one end of the country to the other and you really don't know who might "accidentally" eavesdrop, for example. Or you've saved a directory full of sensitive information on your disk just before a week's vacation, and you'd like to be able to sleep at night. It's not that you don't trust anybody, it's just that.. .well.. .you don't trust everybody. So, you encrypt it.

In most cases, the security of a cryptographic system rests on the concealment of a key. Once the bad guys (i.e., anyone into whose hands you don't want the information to fall) get the key, you assume they know how to use it to unlock the encrypted message. (I'll refer to the encrypted message as the ciphertext and the unencrypted message as the plaintext.)

Other systems rely on a trick. There is no key; instead, the plaintext has been concealed by a method that—you hopeis so devious that no one will discover it.

Finally, there are the public-key cryptosystems. These employ two keys: one secret key that you keep to yourself, and another public key that anyone sending a message to you can use to encrypt the correspondence. The public key is derived from the secret key (or vice versa), and you don't care if the bad guys get the public key. Even if they did, cracking the message would involve using algorithms that would take so long to arrive at a solution that the effort isn't worth it. You hope.

Kid Caesar

The simplest of ciphers, and one you probably toyed with when swapping secret notes in the third grade, is the letter substitution cipher. This sort of encryption is often called a Caesar cipher

after Julius Caesar. He used to write his messages down and then encode them by taking each letter and replacing it with the character three letters up in the alphabet. I suppose that way, if his delivery boy got nabbed by Gallic strongarms, the bad guys would be stumped by the unreadable message, and the whereabouts of the next siege would stay a mystery.

Putting together a program to encrypt files using a Caesar cipher is trivial. Of course, it also doesn't require a lot of noodlework to crack a Caesar-ciphered message. My mom used to pick up crossword puzzle books at the A&P checkout line and breeze through the page of coded messages after she'd cleaned up all the anacrostics. Those messages were all done in letter-substitution code, and she didn't have much trouble with them.

The Caesar cipher is a simple kind of monoalphabetic substitution cipher—a

continued

ILLUSTRATION: PAUL SCHULENBURG © 1988

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 311

HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

fancy way of saying that each character in the plaintext is replaced by some other character chosen from a host alphabet. The method guiding the encryption can be as simple as "skip up the alphabet three letters" (the Caesar cipher) or as complex as writing A to Z on one line, writing a randomly jumbled list of letters below it, and encrypting by matching each plaintext character with itself on the top line and writing down the corresponding character from the bottom line.

Unfortunately, no method can mask the letter frequency of the underlying plaintext's language, and a seasoned codebreaker can use letter-frequency analysis to help in cracking the code. This is the greatest weakness of monoalphabetic substitution ciphers—which leads us to mankind's next attempt to keep secrets secret: polyalphabetic substitution ciphers.

Probably the most famous of this type is the Vigenere cipher, developed by the

French diplomat Blase de Vigenere. To encrypt a message, you need a key consisting of as many characters as your plaintext message. Usually, you pick a word and repeat its characters as necessary. As you step through the plaintext message, each corresponding character in the keyword determines the amount by which you shift the plaintext character to get the corresponding encrypted character: A means a shift of 0, B means a shift of 1, and so on. If you end up shifting beyond the end of the alphabet, you circle back around to its beginning. To encrypt FIFTEEN YEARS AGO using the keyword BYTE, you have

BYTEBYTEBYTEBYT (keyword) FIFTEENYEARSAGO (plaintext)

which yields

GGYXFBGCFYKWBEG

as the ciphertext.

Vigenere constructed a large matrix— 26 characters on a side and holding 26 shifted alphabets—to make the encrypting process easier.

The Vigenere cipher does a good job of jumbling letter frequencies, so cracking such a message is harder than with Caesar-cipher codes. One technique used to break a Vigenere message employs any resonance that might take place between the plaintext message and the key. This happens if repeated words in the plaintext message line up more than once with the first character of the key and thus produce identical sequences of ciphertext characters. A codebreaker could use this to guess the character length of the key.

If the codebreaker successfully deduces that the length of the key is, say, n, he or she would build subsets of characters from the ciphertext—the first subset consisting of each nth character, the next consisting of each (n-l-l)th character, and so on. The codebreaker then writes these subsets as rows and attacks each row as a monoalphabetic cipher, watching all the while for recognizable words to form in the columns. Sounds like a pain, but, trust me, there are people who love this stuff.

Suitably Computable

The famous exclusive-OR cipher has been independently discovered and rediscovered by nearly every computer science student that ever banged a teletype. Remember how the exclusive-OR operation works? Here's a refresher in binary:

continued

Scheduling at a major international airline. Resource allocation in a large urban hospital. Herd management on a goat ranch in the Australian outback. The tool of choice for all these software applications: PDC Prolog™.

The reason: PDC's uncompromising commitment to provide a development environment that combines the advanced language features of symbolic processing with commercial-grade speed and reliability.

The result? You can write full-featured, robust Prolog applications that don't need an overstuffed runtime environment and a sizzling 386 with tons of extra memory. And you won't get slow, "ivory tower" performance, either.

Prototyping: Prolog's compact grammar and flexibility let you "storyboard" your program quickly and make changes easily. Unfortunately, other implementations are too slow; too bulky and too hard to maintain to make it past the prototype stage. Our type system and proprietary global flow analysis provide native code generation so tight you're likely to find that your "prototype" is fast and compact enough to be the final version.

Object filing system: Lists, trees, graphs, rules—whatever data abstraction best models your problem—you can store it with our built-in database facility just as easily as if it were a fixed-length record in a conventional database. Maintain as many databases as required and index your objects with our super-fast B+ trees in networked applications.

Multi-language programming: The best kind of tool is one that works well with others. PDC Prolog generates standard object files, so you can easily link your Prolog code to programs or modules written in C, assembler or other languages. And it doesn't matter which language is the "calling" language.

Multi-platform programming: Your PDC Prolog source code runs equally well right now under MSDOS or OS/2. And a compiler for SCO Unix System V/386 is under development.

PDC Prolog: A Tool for Serious Programmers

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PDC Prolog is a trademark of Prolog Development Center. Turbo Prolog is a registered trademark of Borland International Inc. SCO Unix System V/386 is a trademark of the Santa CrtJZ Operation.

312 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 238 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 239)

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Circle 196 on Reader Service Card

HANDS ON SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

1XOR 0 = 1 1XOR 1 = 0 0 XOR 0 = 0

See anything special? Maybe something like a XORb = candcXORb = a? That means that if you XOR a message with a key, you can take the result, perform the XOR operation again, and recover the original message.

Turns out this one's got a guy's name on it. too: the Vernam cipher. Gilbert Vernam was working for AT&T in 1917 and had a bunch of paper tape readers and punch machines sitting around. He rigged three of them so that you fed two paper tapes through a pair of readers and their output was XORed together and sent to a tape punch. You made one tape that was your key tape, punched your message onto a second tape, and ran them both through Vernam's machine. The output tape was encrypted. To decode it, you ran it back through the machine with the key tape.

This was hot stuff. If the data on your key tape was really random, the message on the encrypted tape was locked up solid: You'd have to have the key tape to

decode it. In World War II, the Germans used this technique to create encrypting machines called Lorenz machines. The only real problem with this scheme is that the key tape is just as big as the message tape, so you've got two tapes to transport in secret to your recipient.

A way out of this would be to put together some algorithm that produces a stream of random numbers that you use as the key. The seed for your random number generator then becomes the key. Trouble is, you have to make sure the stream is long enough and the bad guys don't figure out how your random number generator works. It turns out that knowing the length of the key stream opens the door for cracking a Vernamciphered message (see Cooper's book in the bibliography).

The Sir Francis Bacon (SFB) cipher, named after its inventor, should have a particular appeal to regular readers of BYTE. Even though Bacon didn't have a PC next to his inkwell, this cipher is based on the binary number system.

Take each character of a message and look at the binary representation of that character's ASCII code:

B = 01000010 Y = 01011001 T = 01010100 E = 01000101

Now. replace each 1 with an even digit and each 0 with an odd digit. The message is now

76335723 123'44772 92743422 58555236

Of course, the items used to represent the Is and Os don't have to be even and odd digits. They could be vowels and consonants, or whatever your imagination can dream up. It doesn't take a lot of oogling to see that one big problem with the SFB cipher is that it expands the original message—eightfold in my example. Also, this is a trick cipher. The key isn't some string of bytes; the key is a trick, and the security of the system depends on how well you can hide the trick. The giveaway in my example is that the number of digits in the ciphertext is a multiple of eight, which could lead a bad guy to deduce how the code works.

cominued

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314 BYTE - JUNE 1990

Circle 25 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 26)

TOOLS '90

Technology of Object-Oriented Languages and Systems

SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBIT CNIT Paris (La Defense), June 26-29, 1990

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1990

7:30 REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST

8:30 TUTORIALS

Introduction to Object-Oriented Technology (Code: Tl) John Potter. University of Technology. Sydney {Australia) Case Studies in Object-Oriented Analysis (Code: TA1) Jean-Marc Nerson, iSE (USA) Concurrent Object-Oriented Programming (Code: TP) Mario Tokoro, Keio U. (Japan), JP Briol, CNRS (France) Introduction to Object-Oriented Data Management (Code: TD1) Jacob Stein, Servio Logic (USA)

12:30 LUNCH

2:00 TUTORIALS

Managing Object-Oriented Software Engineering (Code: TM) Ivar Jacobson. Objective System AB (Sweden) Dave Thomas. Carleton U. & CBI Systems (Canada) Object-Oriented Design for User Interfaces (Code: TU) Joeile Coutaz, LGI, IMAG. Grenoble (France) Object-Oriented Structured Design (Code: TG) Tony Wasserman. Peter Pircher, IDE (USA) SIMULA for ttie Working Classes (Code: TS) Ron Kerr, Newcastle. (UK)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990

8:30 Developing Quality Software with Eiffel (Code: TE) Philip Huckiesby, SOL (France) Object-Oriented Database Systems (Code: TD2) Francois Bancilhon. Altair (France) Object-Oriented Programming in Smalltalk (Basics) (Code: TK1)

John Pugh & Wilf Lalonde. Carleton U. (USA) HOOD (Hierarchical 0-0 Design(Code: TH) Maurice Heitz. Clsr Ingenterie (France) 12:30 LUNCH

2:00 Introduction to C++(Code: TC) Robert Murray, AT&T (USA)

New Advances in Object-Oriented Analysis (Code: TA2) Peter Coad, Object Internation Inc. (USA) 0.0. Programming in Smalltaik (Advanced Concepts) (Code: TK2)

John Pugh & Wilf Lalonde. Carleton U. (USA)

Problem Solving in Objective-C (Code: TO)

Jon Hopkins, Stepstone (USA) THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1990 TRACK A

Session A1: Introduction & Keynote (Chair: Bertrand Meyer) 8:30 Welcome and Introduction to TOOLS "90

Jean Bezivin. Universite de Nantes (France), Program Chairman 9:00 Keynote Lecture: The Object-Oriented NeXTStep Interface

Jean-Mane Hullot. NeXT Inc. (USA) Session A2: TOOLKITS I (Chair: Ivar Jacobson) 10:30 Knowledge Based Management of Software Objects

J.M. Chauvet. Neuron Data (France) 11:00 A Network Programming Package in Eiffel

M.F. Hillman, Yale U. (USA) 11:30 Object-Oriented Programming and the Design of an Open

System for User Interfaces

S. Koneeni & U I. de Zeghec, BIM (Belgium) 12:00 G++; An Environment for 0-0 Design and Prototyping

G. Menga, M. Morisio, P. Picchiottino, Politecnico di Torino & G.

Lo Russo, SYCO (Italy) 12:30 LUNCH

Session A3: Practical Experiences I (Chair: E. Zamani)

2:00 Genericity, Inheritance and Relations: A Practical Perspective G.C. Murphy, Microtel Pacific Research (Canada)

2:30 Object-Oriented Geo-lnformation Processingf in Modulex S. Alagic & Z. Galic, Sarajevo U. (Yugoslavia)

3:00 An Object Approach ofODA Implementation for Technical Document Production

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Modular Math

The public-key cryptosystems described in this month's article depend heavily on a branch of number theory known as modular arithmetic or finite math. A less formal and probably easier-to-visualize,name is clock arithmetic.

If you restrict yourself to performing math by moving the hour hand clockwise (for addition) or counterclockwise (for subtraction) around the face of a clock, you're sure to observe some obvious patterns. Most important, no matter how complex the problem, your answer will always be some number in the range of 1 to 12. This is the essence of finite mathematics: You are always working with integers, and you're always working within a finite set. You pick the set's upper limit when you pick the modulus. So, if you pick a modulus of 45, the numbers you can work with are 0, 1,2, .... 44; the smallest is 0, and the largest is the modulus minus 1.

As with the clock, results of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division "wrap around" so that they always land in the set defined by the modulus. (Although I won't prove it here, I should mention that division in modular arithmetic is defined only when the modulus is prime. The set of numbers chosen when you pick a prime modulus makes

up what is referred to as a Galois field. There's your party-stopping technical term for this month.) This is nice for cryptography because (1) since the set is ■ finite, you don't have to worry about calculations yielding numbers that grow out of control, and (2) since you're only working with integers, you don't lose any information through round-off errors as you would with floating-point.

The notation you'll often see that indicates modular arithmetic looks like this:

10 -(- 12 = 2 (mod 10)

This indicates that the math was done with modulus 10. You can easily do modular arithmetic on the computer. All it takes is an additional step at the end of each operation: Do the math and then divide the result by the modulus, and the remainder becomes the new result. In BASIC, you use the MOD operator; in C, you use the % operator. Of course, you'll be restricted to the size of the biggest integer your favorite language can handle. (This month's source code comes with a library in 8088 assembly language for performing "unlimited precision" integer arithmetic, as well as some useful subroutines for handling modular arithmetic.)

Transposition Ciphers

So far, I've looked at variations on the substitution cipher theme: Characters in the plaintext are substituted with characters in the ciphertext. An alternative method is to jumble the plaintext according to some algorithm. Such ciphers are referred to as transposition ciphers.

First stop—the rail fence cipher, so named for the configuration the letters take as you encrypt the message. It dates back to the Civil War. To encrypt FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, you would write

FFENERAO I T E Y A S G

and transmit the message as FFENERAOITEYASG. There are minor variations on this theme, but you get the idea. It probably wouldn't take a serious individual more than a day or so working without a computer to decipher a rail fence-encrypted message, but it kept the codebreakers of its day busy.

The rail fence is a single example from a larger class of encrypting techniques known as route transposition ciphers. The varieties of route ciphers are too many to list, but they all use the same principle: Write the message text in a matrix and then copy the characters out while following a predescribed route through the matrix. Here's an example:

FIFTE ENYEA RSAGO

This might be transmitted as FERINSFYATEGEAO (tracing down columns from left to right) or REFSNIAYFGETOAE (tracing up columns from left to right). You might even complicate things further by requiring that a five-digit key be associate*! with the message. The digits of the key indicate the order in which the columns are selected from the matrix. So, if the key were 32514, the

continued

316 B YTE • JUNE 1990

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transmitted message would be FYAINSEAOFERTEG.

Decrypting a message encoded by a route cipher is usually a matter of running the text through all the possible permutations, guided by knowledge of what the target language looks like. In other words, either some poor human sits at a display, watching the characters being rearranged over and over until something makes sense, or the computer rearranges letters in its head and selects likely successes for human approval.

How does the computer tell when it might have a solution? You have to make it aware of the common two-letter and three-letter tuples (known as digraphs and trigraphs) that occur in the target language. Frequency tables for these are easily compiled, so the computer can scan each rearrangement of the text and determine the likelihood of a given permutation's being the plaintext message. The computer places its best bets in a file that a human can scan at leisure.

Going Public

Public-key cryptosystems are often referred to as asymmetric cryptosystems. Most of the techniques I've described are symmetric: You use only a single key for encrypting and decrypting. Asymmetric systems involve two keys: a public key used by the sender to encrypt the message, and a private key used by the receiver to decrypt the message. As I mentioned earlier, if the bad guys intercept the public key, the security of encrypted messages isn't jeopardized.

The best-known system of this kind is probably the Rivest-Shamir-Adleman system, named after its three creators and referred to hereafter as the RSA algorithm. It works like this: Pick a number that is the product of two primes (Call them a and b so that N = a x b). Next, pick a number that will become your public key—call it P; it must be less than A'. To encrypt a message M, you simply apply the following formula:

where C is the encrypted message. (Notice I'm assuming you can represent your message as a number. This isn't hardjust convert each character to ASCII and handle the message in blocks.)

Decrypting the message uses an identical formula with different factors:

where p is the secret key. The secret key is calculated using the frightful formula

Pxp = l(modL)

where L is the least common multiple of (a—I) and {b — \). In mathematical terminology, p is the multiplicative inverse of P in the modulus L. (See the text box "Modular Math" on page 316 for some help with this.) Algorithms are available for computing least common multiples and multiplicative inverses in modular arithmetic. They're too gory to go into here, so you'll want to check the bibliography (many good number-theory texts will help as well).

Considerable research has taken place in and around the RSA algorithm. Breaking the system requires the determination of a and b, the factors of A'. (Since the sender must know A' as well as P, you must assume that A' is publicly known.) Once you know a and b, you can easily calculate L. Knowing L and P, you can calculate p, and you can decode the ciphertext. Of course, this boils down to the task of factoring a number into its prime components, an ongoing popular problem in number theory that continues to occupy the minds and computers of mathematicians around the world.

I've seen reports of people running networked Sun workstations for nearly a month to factor 90-digit numbers. It's been shown that, given a careful choice of a and b, as well as a large enough N, decrypting an RSA-enciphered message in any reasonable amount of time will take more computing power than most of us are liable to see (much less own) in the next few years. Unfortunately, this also means that to make the system secure, you've got to perform math on numbers with more digits than most languages on microcomputers are prepared to handle.

Another example of a public-key system is based on the knapsack problem. This problem is easily described: Someone hands you a bag weighing an unknown amount. You're also provided with a pile of various weights, and you've got to pick the subset of those weights that adds up to the exact weight of the bag. This belongs to a class of problems referred to as NP-complete, which is mathematical shorthand for "really tough." Strictly speaking, this means that the time taken by a knapsack-solving algorithm (at least, any algorithm so far discovered) is proportional to some exponential function. As the problem gets bigger—in this case, as you're handed more weights—the time taken to solve it explodes exponentially.

However, you can create an "easy" knapsack. This is a specific instance of

continued

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Listing 1: Pseudocode for solving an easy knapsack. When the routine terminates, the plaintext will be in M. See the text for the definitions of the other variables.

1:=N; M:=0;

LI:

IF C'>= s(l) THEN BEGIN

SET BIT i in M; C := C - s(l);

END l:=i-l;

IF i>0 THEN GOTO LI;

the general knapsack problem that can be rapidly solved—almost by hand. If you can embed your message in an easy knapsack problem (you'll see how in a moment), the trick is then to turn an easy knapsack into a not-so-easy one, transmit the hard knapsack, and provide some means of recovering the easy knapsack. Bad guys would then be faced with having to attack the ciphertext as though it were a general knapsack.

Here's the recipe for a knapsack cryptosystem using the Merkle-Hellman (MH) system. First, you build a sequence of integers such that each member of the sequence is larger than the sum of the preceding members; this is known as a superincreasing series. Let's say that you choose A' elements to be in the series. Next, pick a prime number—call it P— larger than the sum of the elements of the superincreasing series, and some random integer M less than P. Now you build your public key, which is actually a series of integers with each element defined as

k,=Mx 5,.(mod P) {i = l,. .. ,N)

where i, is the ith element of the superincreasing series. This series, is what you give to someone who wants to send you a message—you have to keep the numbers M and P secret. The A:, corresponds to the assorted weights of the knapsack problem I described above.

Encrypting a message is simply a matter of passing through the binary representation of the plaintext adding the ^jth key element to the final encrypted message whenever the jth bit is 1. If you write this out as a formula, it looks like this:

C = f^kjXbj

where bj represents the jth bit of the unencrypted message, and C represents the ciphertext. As you can see, it helps if the number of integers in the public key is

some multiple of 8 so that you can process the message as a string of bytes.

You decrypt the message by first calculating the multiplicative inverse of M in the modulus of P. This lets you transform the encrypted message as follows:

C = C X w(modP)

where m is the multiplicative inverse of M (mod P): M X m = \ (mod P). You can now reconstruct the message by solving the easy knapsack using C. I've shown the pseudocode for this in listing 1. (Notice that the arrays and bit numbers begin with an index of 1.)

The algorithm in listing 1 solves an easy knapsack problem, which you created when you first picked the superincreasing integers. It is similar to what you have to go through to convert a decimal number into binary. You step down through the powers of 2, testing to see if the number is greater than or equal to the current power. If so, subtract; if not, compare the number with the next lower power of 2 and continue. In fact, the sequence 1,2,4,8,... is one example of a superincreasing sequence.

A big problem with the MH system is that it's. . .big. Messages are typically expanded when encrypted. Moreover, to be of any practical use, the public key is often larger than the message itself. The MH system's designers originally recommended 100-element key sequences, and it was soon evident that 100 elements might not be enough. As an example, a 200-element key sequence would require lOK bytes of storage.

Another big problem is that the system has come under considerable fire from the cryptographic research community. One of the system's creators actually posted a SI000 reward for the first person to successfully crack the MH system. In 1984, E. F. Brickell won the prize by developing an algorithm that could recover the easy knapsack sequence from the public key and that ran in polynomial time (as opposed to exponential time). Of course, the definition of secure depends a lot on how long the secret message must remain secret, how desperate the bad guys are, and what resources they have. Enciphering and deciphering a knapsack is easier than with RSA, so it may be that a well-chosen knapsack cipher would provide sufficient security for noncritical situations.

The DES

I decided not to give much space to the Data Encryption Standard because so

continued

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Listing 2: The problem. The first 10 people to crack this code will win a mention in BYTE. The first five will win a BYTE sweatshirt.

1636742621202E2C7.aj021303079l61C190467322D2C2F313131333V396D67223B2522652F3C746DlF282 42A7A0E3C202A383A6C5D20336118101A0062303AA8471122353F332C2A30362122256.-67610D21232B62 107«42332302428656E3C2D2C7'12224372261372C6E312A3C7423222D252E2D202022623'i31363E20202 '457431800101B1511040C7D4C5044';47672616'i777EiCiD75637C787571545E777D747F786BAA't'i71726A 6072744C4D75687A787C75545E767F7370746C44'i476776C6170744C4D726F7D7C7574545E77787976746 3444476706D5l75754c4D746C70787675545E74737075706B'i4W747l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

many others already have. In fact, you'll find a good description of it in "Secret Codes" (June 1989 BYTE). It's also easy to acquire source and executable DES encryption programs. Two of the books listed in the bibliography contain the complete source code for DES (Seberry and Pieprzyk in C; Katzan in APL), and I've seen several public domain and shareware versions.

In a nutshell, the DES consists of a series of 18 operations—two permutations and 16 product transformations. The permutations are simply predefined bit shufflings. Each product transformation is a combination of substitution ciphers and transposition ciphers garnished with XOR operations. The system also mixes in a 56-bit key (expanded to 64 bits by adding 8 bits of parity).

The DES was actually submitted by IBM in response to a 1973 request by the National Bureau of Standards for an algorithm that would form the basis for a Federal Information Processing Standard. Among other requirements, the algorithm had to provide a high level of security, be completely specified, and be available to all users and suppliers. It also had to be easy to implement on diverse hardware. Since its acceptance, the DES has been the subject of a remarkable amount of research. Some of the more interesting results include the discovery of "weak" and "semiweak" keys that, when used, actually cause the message to be deciphered if you try to doubly encipher it (as might happen if your department uses a master key to encrypt a library of separately encrypted files).

Due to its widespread acceptance, the DES is probably the encryption method of choice for the majority of situations. It is not, however, a public-key system;

parties wishing to communicate under the DES umbrella must find some secure means of transferring the key.

Beale's Treasure

The last cipher I'll present is surrounded by the kind of colorful history that secret codes are supposed to be a part of: buried treasure. It is called the Beale cipher, after Thomas Jefferson Beale. The mechan s of it are absurdly simple, though laboi )us. Take a famous document—a chap r from the King James Bible, perhaps and number its words from 1 to whatever. Now scan through your plaintext message, replacing each letter with the number corresponding to a randomly chosen word from the document that begins with that letter. The result is a string of numbers that you can decipher only if you have the key document.

Now for the glamour. The story goes that, in the early 1800s. Beale struck it rich in Colorado. He returned to Virginia and buried the treasure. While rooming at a local hotel, he encrypted three messages using the technique described above and left them with the proprietor. Beale went West again in 1822 and was never heard from again. Unfortunately, the proprietor never received the documents needed to decrypt the messages: He was left with three lists of numbers.

The first message tells (supposedly) where Beale buried his treasure, the second describes the booty, and the third is a list of people who are to share in the treasure. In the early 1880s, 60 years after Beale's disappearance, a gentleman by the name of Ward was able to crack the second message when he discovered that the key document for it was the Declaration of Independence. Apparently,

continued

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that's as far as anyone has gotten—and it's ironic that the message describing the hoard should be the only one so far deciphered. The last time I heard of the Beale messages was about four years ago, and the first and third messages were still a mystery (you can bet no one's spending much time on the third).

I mention this because it seems possible to put together a kind of Beale cipher on microcomputers. The critical ingredient would be a CD-ROM drive and a

stack of CD-ROMs of famous documents. With the proliferation of encyclopedias and historical documents on CDROM, the available key space—the documents used for encryption—becomes astronomical. Bad guys would have to search through terabytes of information to crack a Beale-ciphered message.

Show Your Stuff

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Take a look at listing 2. Looks like a mess, doesn't it? Actually, it is the hexadecimal dump of a message that has been encrypted using two of the techniques I've described this month. The message contains instructions that, if followed precisely, will net you a modest—albeit special—reward.

The first 10 readers who decipher the message and follow its instructions will have their names (and other pertinent information, such as how they went about cracking the puzzle) prominently displayed in an upcoming installment of this column. The first/zVe codebreakers will each receive—hold onto your hats—a free BYTE sweatshirt. OK, it's no buried treasure, but at least you don't have to go and dig up the state of Virginia.

So get those late-night codebreaking visors on and warm up your favorite CPU. The source code for the programs that I used to encrypt the message (and which you can use to decrypt it) is available from the usual places. The encrypting process took only seconds on a 16MHz PS/2 Model 80, so I'm betting that even those of you with 4.77-MHz XTs can—with some wily programming and a little midnight oil—crack the message in just a few weeks. I'll keep the free world posted. ■

Editor's note: The source code for programs that demonstrate the material in this article is available on disk and on BIX. See page 5 for details.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cooper, J. Arlin. Computer and Communications Security. New York: McGrawHill, 1989.

Davies, D. W., and W. L. Price. Security for Computer Networks. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1984.

Katzan, Harry Jr. The Standard Data Encryption Algorithm. New York: Petroceili Books. 1977.

Lysing. Henry. Secret Writing. New York: Dover Publications, 1974.

Seberry. Jennifer, and Josef Pieprzyk. Cryptography: An Introduction to Computer Security. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall', 1989.

Rick Grehan is the director of the BYTE Lab. He has a B. S. in physics and applied mathematics and an M.S. in computer science/mathematics from Memphis State University. He can be reached on BIX as "rick_g. "

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

324 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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Chaos Manor Mail

Jerry Pournelle answers questions about his column and related computer topics

XCOPY Warning

Dear Jerry,

In your June 1989 column you mentioned a problem with XCOPY in Zenith DOS 3.21. Because both I and the company I work for use it, I had to see what we had. (And yes, I was honest and bought my own copy. I seem to be in the minority with DOS.)

One copy of Zenith DOS had the program you described. My copy, a later copy with the same version number, was dated December 5, 1987.

The programs, however, are the same. You may wish to warn people that any XCOPY that is 5402 bytes long is suspect. If you do an ASCII dump of this XCOPY, you'll find no reference to Zenith and a program version number of 1.0. The only reference to ownership is to Microsoft. Did Microsoft include this release of XCOPY in other OEM versions of DOS?

Dave Pearce Cedar Hill, TX

Yes; the XCOPY that is 5402 bytes long is defective and must not be trusted. Apparently I didn't emphasize that enough. Thank you. —Jerry

Just Another Operating System

Dear Jerry,

I read your column every month, and when it comes to Unix, usually I just tuttut your misstatements, but in your reply to Tony Dean's letter (September 1989), you said, "Unix remains a guru-friendly system that requires wizardry to get and keep it running. If you have access to a wizard, it's probably wonderful."

Jerry, what has your column been since it began if not a chronicle of the various gurus that you have had in your life, helping you to get and keep running the various computer systems that you have used?

Unix is just another operating system, no worse from a system administration standpoint than any networking operating system, and it provides the tools that I have long wanted to have with other systems. The only differences between

Unix and MS-DOS, CP/M, and the other systems (besides its massively increased capability and the number of tools that come as standard equipment) are the names of the gurus.

I don't claim to be a rocket scientist, but I have been successfully administering a six-user Unix system for about nine months without having previously used MS-DOS. I came to it directly from the Apple Sophisticated Operating System environment.

My exposure to MS-DOS (outside of the reading that I've done in BYTE and other PC-oriented magazines) began via VP/ix under Unix. I always feel as if I have cut off three fingers on my right hand whenever I am forced to use MSDOS now on another machine. I miss background processing, and I especially miss being able to press Alt-function key to open another full-screen window while I'm waiting for something to finish processing.

Any operating system short of Unix on a 386 or better machine is a waste of resources. I just can't see what's keeping you from jumping in with both feet. The water isn't really all that deep.

Tom Betz Yonkers, NY

Well, you got me there: I could hardly exist without a lot of help. And, of course, my son Alex went off and learned to be a guru.

I don't jump in because I'm still a user, and the applications software isn't there. Sun Microsystems had me tempted for a while, but the folks there never sent the machine that they said would be so easy to use. —Jerry

Large Print On-Screen

Dear Jerry,

I wonder if you might have some quick suggestions for my cousin, who has multiple sclerosis. His eyesight is failing, and he would like to get started in computing. To be able to read comfortably, he needs letters that measure '/2-inch square.

My first thought was a Mac with a 19

inch black-and-white monitor. Then I remembered your comments about your eyesight difficulties and solutions. Do you have any suggestions regarding the Mac, the IBM PC, or any other machine that will allow my cousin to learn computing?

He has the financial resources to invest in a good system. His main concern is the size of print that is displayed on the monitor. He needs word processing first and a drawing program second.

Arni Fredrickson Bothell, WA

The Mac II will certainly do the job, since you can use nearly any typeface you like; several very large monitors are available, including one good one from Apple.

The alternative is a fast 386 VGA system driving a 19-inch Electrohome monitor. I have one of these, and it works fine for me.

The letters in Q&A Write are almost as large as you describe; that's character mode. You could also load Windows and use the graphics-mode editor.

Another large-type word processor program for PCompatibles, called Eye Relief, is available from Skisoft Publishing (1644 Massachusetts Ave., Suite 79P, Lexington, MA 02173, (800) 6623622) for $295 plus $4.95 shipping. You can edit text that is up to five times the normal size on the screen.

Neither of the systems will be cheap, although you can put together a good 386 system for less than the equivalent Mac system.

As to whether to steer your cousin toward a Macintosh or a 386 system, I pass. I use a 386 and am about to go to a 486; but I have a Mac available, and I'd hate to have to do without it. —Jerry ■

Jerry Pournelle holds a doctorate in psychology and is a science fiction writer who also earns a comfortable living writing about computers present and future. He can be reached do BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, or on BIX as "jerryp. "

326 BYTE- JUNE 1990

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BYTE Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary With A Special September Issue!

BYTE's upcoming September 1990 Issue offers readers an extraordinary retrospective of the past 15 years of computing and a view of ttie future by industry traiibiazers!

The History of Computing Comes Alive through the unique perspective only BYTE editors can offer in their retrospective of watershed events within this dynamic industry

Industry Traiibiazers Share Their Vision of the Future. As we hurl towards the 21st century, BYTE helps you prepare for the future through editorial penned by sonne of the most prominent leaders in the industry such as:

• Mitch Kapor, founder, Lotus Development Corporation

• Gary Kiidoil, Chairman, Digital Research

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• H. John Coulfieid, computer science expert, optical technology

• Ted Codd, developer of the relational database management concept

• Donald Knuth, professor of Computer Science Stanford University, author of several classic computer science books

• Niklaus Wirth, developer of Pascal, Modula-2, and Oberon languages And, several well-known industry commentators. Including:

• Stewart Alsop, editor and publisher of 1^. Letter

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• Brit Hume, anchor, ABC Weekend and Washington Post syndicated columnist

Look for this Landmark Issue on Newsstands in Major Cities, Airports, Train Stations and Bookstores Across the Nation!

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The September issue wiii be one of the most compeiiing and best read issues BYTE has ever pubiishedi Caii your iocai sates representative for more information.

Space Order Closing: July 12 Material Due: July 18

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There are plenty of places to get information in this industry. Too many But if you want the best quality information, there's only one that rises to the top: BYTE WEEK.

BYTE WEEK is a weekly newsletter from the same professionals who produce BYTE Magazine. Each week, the most important news and information from the previous week is presented in a readable and concise manner. WVEWEEK offers you what no other publication can: timely news on the rapidlyevolving computer industry as it happens with the mterpretation and evaluation that only BYTE's experienced editorial staff can provide.

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EVTE

Product Showcase

BUYER'S MART

■ BYTE BITS

■ PRODUCT SPOTS

■ MICRO PRODUCT CENTER

ILLUSTRATION: JULIE E. MURPHREE © 1989

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 331

-The BUYER'S Mart

A Directory of Products and Services

THE BUYER'S MART is a monthly advertising section which enables readers to easily locate suppliers by product category. As a unique feature, each BUYER'S MART ad includes a Reader Service number to assist interested readers in requesting information from participating advertisers. Effective January 1, 1990.

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DEADLINE: Ad copy is due approximately 2 months prior to issue date. For example: November issue closes on September 8. Send your copy and payment to THE BUYER'S MART BYTE Magazine, 1 Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458. For more information call Brian Higgins at 603-924-3754.

ACCESSORIES

RADIOACTIVE?

Know With Ttie RM-60 RADIATION MONITOR For PCs, Serial or printer port. Detects: ALPHA • BETA • GAMMA • X-RAY, MicroR, 1000 times the resolution of standanj geiger counters. Excellent for tracking RADON GAS- Find sources. Plot: • Background • Cosmic Rays • Clouds • Foods Call/Write tor PC MAGAZINE review, • TSR • CM Tube VISA/MASTER Phone orders. Not satisfied? Full i^fund

Tel: (302) 655-3800 Aware Electronics Corp.

P.O. Box 4299, W/ilmington, DE 19807 $149,50

Inquiry 576,

SIMMS DIRECT FROM MFG.

■HP USEFUET SERIES II M0DULE"PS/2 70 8, 80 MODULES' ■U^SERWRITER NTH MODULES-MACINTOSH MODULES" •IBM COMPATIBLE M0DULES"AST MODULES' 2 YR WARRANTY S*E 60% BUYING DIRECT AND RECEIVE A B?E£ FLOPPY DISK HOLDER AS WELL. MFG. IS ALSO AVAILABLE USING YOUR MEMORY CHIPS. CALL NOW FOR MEMORY NEEDS.

BEPHYR INDUSTRIES, INC.

PH: (714) 951-5193 FAX: (714) 951-1541

Inquiry 577.

ACCESSORIES

COMPANION AND EXTENDER

Place a keyboard and monitor up to 600' from your CPU with EXTENDER and COMPANION products. Keep a second Keyboard/Monitor at the CPU with COMPANION. Supports MDA, CGA, EGA, VGA. PS2. Uses single cable.

Prices start at S149.00 for EXTENDER and S219.00 for COMPANION 26 ft. unit complete.

CYBEX CORPORATION

2800-H Bob Wallace, Huntsville, AL 35805 205-534-0011 International Fax #205-534-0010

Inquiry 581.

WHOLESALE COMPUTER SUPPLIES

Diskettes • Computer Tape • Accessories Data Cartridges • Ribbons • 3M Products DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE for export and quantity buyers

DIGITAL STORAGE, INC.

92i Easlwnd Dr #124 Toil Free. 800-232-3475

Westerville OH 43081 Fax 614/895-6705

614/895-6700 Tlx: 9102500898 DSI COL UQ

Inquiry 582.

ACCESSORIES

HEWLETT PACKARD

Buy — Sell — Trade

User Jet II/IID 1400/2400 Color Pro (7440) 550

Genuine HP 2 Mag/4 Meg 400/1200 HP-755a* 1700 Desk Jet 400 Draft Pro DXUEXL 3300/5000

Rugged Writer 800 Draftmaster I/It 5500/5000

Electroslalic PlottersCl600 (D Size)/C 1601 (E Size) 14000/16500 Science Accessories Corporaiion Some Digitizers 36" X 46" (2750) SO" x 72" (3175)

T. E. Dasher & Associates

4117 Second Ave. S.. Birmingham, AL 35222 Phone: (205) 591-4747 Fax: (205) 591-1108

Inquiry 586.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

MANA

Intelligent Computing for 286/386

Transform your PC into an Al-based workstation. Experl systems, Al. knowledge base applications, rapid prototyping, object oriented, multi-tasking, virtual memory, LISP/PROLOG etc. modes in multilanguage compiler, mouse driven, multi-windowed, fully integrated environment.

BMS, Inc.

700 E. Ogden Avenue. Westmont, IL 60559 Tel: (708) 789-9160 Fax: (708) 789-0253

Inquiry 587.

SPECIAL OFFER! CALL NOW!

The new WET RIBBON RE-INKER will re-ink your old printer ribbons up to 50 times.

• Easy to use, compact and efticiem

• Best quality re-inker on the market

• Re-inked ribbons offer better quality tfian new

• Accommodates a wide range of ribbons without purchasing special adaptors

• Powerful synchronous motor and timer

• No assembly required

BLUE RIBBON INK, LTD.

3773 Cherry Creek North Drive #500, Denver, CO 80209 (800) 477-3465 (303) 377-4655

Inquiry 578.

FREE CATALOG

A complete source for all your computer supplies — media, paper, cables, furniture, software, ribbons. laser, cleaning , FAX supplies, accessories & more!! Order Bulk Disks, 100% Warranty, 50 Minimum

5.25" DS/DD 25<^ 3.5" DS/DD 45^ 5.25" DS/HD 45* 3.5" DS/HD 99=^

GAAN COMPUTER SUPPLIES

186 B East Sunnyoaks Ave., Campbell, CA 95008 (800) 523-1238, In Calif. (408) 370-6747

Inquiry 583.

NATURAL LANGUAGE C LIBRARY

Increase your market share! Use JAKE to add a natural language front end to your application. JAKE translates English queries and commands into 0 function calls and data structures. JAKE offers context-sensitive semantic processing: interfaces easily; <64K mem. JAKE S495. INTERACTIVE DEMO S10

ENGLISH KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS, INC.

5525 Scons Valley Dr. »22, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (408) 438-6922

Inquiry 588.

CUT RIBBON COSTS!

Re-ink your printer ribbons quickly and easily. Do all cartridge ribbons with just one inker! For crisp, black professional print since 1982. You can choose from 3 models: Manual E-Zee Inker — S39.50 Electric E-Zee Inker — S94.50 Ink Master (Electric) — S189.00 1000s of satisfied users. Money-back guarantee.

BORG INDUSTRIES

525 MAIN ST.. JANESVILLE, lA 50647 1-800-553-2404 In lA: 319-987-2976

Inquiry 579.

Finally a Better Toner Cartridge for your Canon^ PC Copier: HP- or Apple- Laser Printer

REFILL KIT :S S1995 SAVE NEARLY $250.00 on nerage

or 3 FOR S5000 three rafilli ner 4 new cartridges

Modifiea" Toner Canndges to acceoi refill tats ('f>Oles at ore-dnllec) PC 3-5 Csnndse 58995 HP S AcDie Senes 1, ER CX S10955 PC 6.7 CsnriOge S129.95 HP S AoQle S«nes II, EPS, SX S10955 PC 10-25 Cartndge 59935 many otner Laser Primers iTiat use Canon Engines These toner cartridges are modified to easily tie refilled u: to Wree aOADona/ Smes wit^ our inexpensive Oo-it-yuufse'' tat. Or jse your cwn eiiDty cartridge and rrwoifv ywiiseil witn siriiDle msirucCons in refill Soi. Colors also avajlaBle

Call: Morack, Inc.

9132 Windsor Dr., Palos Hills, IL 60465 Phone: (708) 598-0580 1-800-837-9696 fax: (708) 598-9203

Inquiry 584.

muLISP® 87 for MS-DOS

Fast, compact, efficient LISP programming environment. muLISP programs run 2 to 3 times faster & take to V2 tfie space of other LISPs. 450 Common LISP functions, multi-window editing & debugging, flavors, graphics primitives, lessons & help, demo programs, comprehensive manual.

Soft Warehouse, Inc.

3615 Harding Ave., Suite 505. Honolulu, HI 96816 (808) 734-5801

inquiry 589.

80C31 DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Space for 32K Eprom 2K Scram 8 Bit Latched Outputs 12 I/O Lines RS232 Serial Port 5V Only—All CMOS Components

Can be used for development of microcontroller-based projects. Currently used as the base controller for: display driver, remote scoreboard, serial/parallel convener, thermal printer controller, transmission line buffer, cartridge storage device and many more! S99 WITHOUT EPROM — S109 WITH EPROM CUSTOM FIRMWARE AVAILABLE

COMPUTER ADVICE

515 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA 93010 (805) 482-2002

Inquiry 580. 332 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Printer Buffer: $99.95

256 Kbyte butter controls complete printing function. Never wait for your printer again. Simply activate buffer and return to any computing task while files are printing. Serial, parallel, and convener models available to 2 Megabytes (512 Kbyte: S119.95; 1 Megabyte: S159.95). Liberal 30 day return policy assures satisfaction!

(513) 644-2230

Technologic Systems

18277 Timber Trails • Marysvilie, Ohio 43040

Inquiry 585.

The Knowledge Engine:

Hypermedia for the rest of us!

The Knowledge Engine is an icon-dnven, object-onenled hypermedia pfOgram for MS-[)OS computers. Much more tnan a HyperCard' clone. The Knowtedgs Engine alltws wen non-programmers to create breathtakingly powerful hypermedia appficatbns simply Oy "pointing arxl clicking". Features include: full graphics support for CGA, EGA, VGA, Super VGA. and e514A; PCX file support: memory-resideni graphics snapshot program; graphics painier: animation editor; powerful pnagramming language; aJxJ much more. A runtime library allows The Knowledge Engine to "be embedded into Microsoft and Turbo C programs. Only M95 tor MS-DOS. Versions also available for UNIX and AS/400. Demo disk 525.

Software Artistry, Inc.

3500 DePauw Blvd., Suite 1100. Indianapolis, (N 46268 Phone; (317) 876-3042 Fax: (317) 676-3258

Inquiry 590.

The BUYER'S Mart

BAR CODE

LABELING SOFTWARE

On EPSON, IBM, OKI dot matrix or UserJet. Flexible design on one easy screen. Any format/size. Up to 120 fieids/label. 18 text sizes to 3"-readable at 100'. AIAG, MIL-STD, 2 of 5, 128, UPC/EAN, Code 39. File Input & Scanned logos^ymbols (PCX)—S279. Other programs from S49. 30-day SS back.

Worthington Data Solutions

417-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060

(800) 345-4220 In CA: (408) 458-9938

BAR CODE

PC-Wand Bar Code Solutions

Bar codes are easy with a FULL line of readers & printers. They plug & play with your existing systems, most all makes of CPU/printerfterminal/software in your office, store, truck, factory or warehouse. Our bar code DOS programs print on matrix or laser printers. 30 day refund, 1 year warranty.

International Technologies & Systems Corp.

655-K North Berry St., Brea, CA 92621

TEL: (714) 990-1880 FAX: (714) 990-2503

Inquiry 591.

BAR CODE READERS

For PC, XT, AT, & PS/2, Macintosh, and any RS-232 terminal. Acts like 2nd keyboard, bar codes read as keyed data. With steel wand—$399. Top rated in independent reviews. Works with DOS, Xenix, Novell, Alloy, -ALL software. Lasers, magstripe. & slot badge readers. 30-day SS back.

Worthington Data Solutions

417-A Ingalls St.. Santa Cruz. CA 95060

(800) 345-4220 In CA: (408) 458-9938

BAR CODE READERS Only $285

■ Complete Bar Code Systems Available

• Acts like a 2nd Keyboard for IBM XT/AT, PS/2 and Clones. Macintoshes and any RS-232C Terminal

• Vfend/Laser scanner/Slot reader/Magnetic card reader connectivity

• POS Special Keyboard wfth Bar Code/Magnetic Card Readers

• No software or hardware modification needed

• 30-day Money-back Guarantee

KASCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.

486 Casita Way, Los Altos. CA 94022 Tel: (415) 949-0969 FAX: (415) 949-3814

Inquiry 592.

PORTABLE READER

Battery-operated, handheld reader with 64K static RAM, 2x16 LCD display, 32-key keyboard. Real-Time-Clock. Wand or laser scanner. Program prompts and data checking through its own keyboard. Easy data transfer by RS-232 port or PC, PS/2 keyboard. Doubles as Online Reader. 30-day SS back.

Worthington Data Solutions

417-A InoallS St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (800) 345-4220" In CA: (408) 458-9938

5-YR. WARRANTY AT PERCON

PERCON decoders are now covered by a fiveyear limited warranty. That means you wont spend one cent replacing your PERCON bar code decoder for five full years. That's reliability you can count on!

PERCON

2190 W. 11th Ave. Eugene OR 97402 Phone: (800) 873-7266 FAX; (503) 344-1399

See our ad on page 345

PRINT BAR CODES/BIG TEXT FROM YOUR PROGRAM

Add bar codes and big graphics characters to your program. Print from ANY MS-DOS language. Bar codes: UPC, EAN, 2 of 5, MSi, Code 39. Epson, Oki, IBM dot matrix text up to Vz". LaserJet up to 2". Font cartridges not required. S179-S239. 30-day SS back.

Worthington Data Solutions

417-A Ingalls St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

(800) 345-4220 In CA: (408) 458-9938

PC BAR CODE SPECIALISTS

Bar code readers designed for fast, reliable, cost effective data entry. Looks just like keyboard data! Choose from stainless steel wand or laser interface. Also, powerful Bar Code and Text printing software. Great warranty. Dealer inquiries welcome.

Seagull Scientific Systems

15127 N.E. 24th, Suite 333, Redmond, WA 98052 206-451-8966

Inquiry 593.

BAR CODE READERS

Keyboard emulation for PC/XT/AT & PS/2's, all clones and any RS-232 Terminal. Transparent to your operating system. Available with Steel wands, Lasers, Slot & Magstripe Readers. Same day shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee. One-year warranty Reseller discounts available.

AMERICAN MICROSYSTEMS

(800) 648-4452 (817) 571-9015 FAX (817) 685-6232

BAR CODE READERS

Among the best and most widely used bar code decoders. Reads all major codes (39. I 2/5. S 2/5, UPC/EAN/JAN, CODABAR, MSI). Connects between keyboard and system. IBM, PS/2, MAC. DECVT compatible, OS & software independent. Same day stiip. 2 Year Warranty (pen incid).

Large Reseller Discourits

Solutions Engineering

4705 Langdrum Lane, Bethesda, MD 20815 (800) 635-6533 (301) 652-2738

Inquiry 594.

BAR CODE PRINTING SOFTWARE

• MS/PC DOS SYSTEMS

• 9 & 24 PIN DOT MATRIX

• H-P LASER JET/PLUS/SERIES II

• MENU-DRIVEN or MEMORY RESIDENT

• CODE 39, I 2/5, UPC A/E, EAN 8/13

• BIG TEXT & BAR CODE SOFTFONTS

AMERICAN MICROSYSTEMS

(800) 648-4452 (817) 571-9015 FAX (817) 685-6232

DATA INPUT DEVICES

Bar Code, Magnetic Stripe Readers & SmartCard Encoder/ Reader for microcomputers & terminals, including IBM PS/2 & others, DEC, Macintosti, AT&T, CT. Wyse, Wang. AN readers connect on the keyhoard cable & are transparent to all software. UPC & 39 print programs, magnetic encoders, & portable readers are also available.

TPS Electronics

4047 Transport. Palo Alto CA 94303 415-856-6833 Telex 371-9097 TPS PLA 1-800-526-5920 FAX: 415-856-3843

BAR CODE

VARIANT MICROSYSTEMS BAR CODE READERS DELIVER

WAND/LASER/MAGNETIC CARD CONNECTIVITY

• Keyboard wedges (InternaJ/Ejcternal) for IBM PC/XT/AT, PS/2 and portables.

• RS232 wedges for WYSE, Link, Kimtron terminals

• Bar code and label printing software

• Full two-year warranty

• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

• Extensive VAR/Dealer Discounts

3140 De U Cruz Blvd., Suite 200/Santa Clara, CA 95054/(408} 980-1880 FAX: (415} 623-1372

Inquiry 596.

BASIC CLIP MUSIC

300 Songs & Sound Effects

The fNre/?-fa/rter contains by far ihe biggest S best collection on the market for DOS machines. Play like a jukebox through your PC speaker or use selections in your own programs.

No royalties required—source code Included.

An Excellent Gift!

172-pg. manual. 5,25" or 3.5' disks. BASIC 2.0 or later req'd. Dealer inquiries welcome. S29.95 (S350 U.S. s&h) mca'isa^.o,

(800) 727-4140-Money Back Guarantee

POI Mlsic Softv^re. 1511 48tfi St., Boulder CO 80303, (303) 44CM140

Inquiry 597.

CABLES AND ACCESSORIES

Parallel Printer Cables S3.59 and Up

Serial Cables S4.95 and Up

Switchboxes S11.95 and Up

We can supply ALL your cabling needs. MasterCard & Visa Accepted. Dealer pricing available. Corporate & Government accounts welcomed.

CONNECT-IT

P.O. Box 14337, Arlington, Texas 76094 (817) 461-9400 M-F 9-6 p.m, est

Inquiry 598.

CAD

CAD-DRAWING VIEWSTATION

Allows non-CAD users to view drawings on PCs, print, plot, anach personal notes, and hyper-Iinl< l^etween flies. Change views and layers. Accurate entity representation. Easy to use.

• Slrim VIEW/DWG for AutoCAD DWG files: S295

• Sirlln VIEW/PLUS for DWG, DXF. HPGL and dBase: S395 Developers: ask about linkable Sirlln VIEW/LIB. Dealers welcome.

SIrlin Computer Corporation

225 Lowell Road, Hudson, NH 03051 (603) 595-0420

Inquiry 599.

CASE

INCREDIBLE STATE COMPILERS

Our CASE finite state compilers quickly develop table driven programs in a step-by-step process. A few keystrokes can replace hundreds of instructions in: Ada, BASIC, C, FORTRAN , Pascal, IBM 350K RAM,

Price $200/300 per, lang. Free Denno

AYECO 5025 Nassau Circle, Orlando

INCORPORATED FL 32808 (407) 295-0930

Inquiry 600,

CD-ROM

ALDE CORPORATION

CD ROM players as low as $499 plus selected disc. Choose from many titles. Aide does consulting, joint venture and/or royalty projects for qualified parties. Write, call or fax for complete information. New Ada release.

Box 1086, Glen Lake, MN 55346 1-800-727-9724 FAX: 1-612-934-2824

Inquiry 595.

Inquiry 601.

JUNE 1990 • BYTE 333

The BUYER'S Mart

CD-ROM

COMPUTER UPGRADE

CROSS ASSEMBLERS

Largest Selection and Best Price

Microsoft Programmers Library & Drive S949. Computer Library S695 • Pubiic Domain S/W S49. NEC PC or iMac Drive Kit $749 • Booi<shelf-Best Price!

Drives t:om S499, Hundreds of titles from S29.

MC/VISA/AMEX/COD, Money-back Guarantee. Call or write for free 120-page catalog.

Bureau of Electronic Publishing

141 New Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054 800-828-4766 THE SOURCE FOR CD-ROM

$799 FOR 386-20

$599 FOR 386SX $399 FOR 286-12

Upgrade your computer at a fraction of tfie cost. Send your computer in, we will do tfie wrk. Order now, we will send you a box for mailing your computer Your old parts will be exchanged for labor cfiarge. VJe will put in new parts & charge wholes^e prices for any pans which do not fit the new system. Prices shown are for motherboard and If^lB RAM. New system available at low prices.

ABTECH Inc.

1431 Polrero Ave., S. El Monte, OA 91733 (800) 992-1978 In Calif. (818) S7S-0007

PROFESSIONAL PC SOFTWARE

• CROSS-DISASSEMBLERS

Analytic. Automatic La&el Generation

• CROSS-ASSEMBLERS

RelocalaDle. Nflacro, Universal Linker + Lit]rafian

• C CROSS COMPILERS

• SOURCE TRANSLATION UTILITIES

Support for Intel, f^otorola, Zilog. 11, RCA

Order Today: (408) 773-8465

I ri m e> r\n PO Box 61929, Sunnyvale. CA 94086 L U U I O U r I FAX: (408) 773-8466

Inquiry 607.

Inquii7 613.

COMMUNICATIONS

COMPUTER UPGRADE

CROSS ASSEMBLERS

DATA ACQUISITIONS

CD ROM, Inc.

CD-ROM. WORM. MAGNETO-OFTICAL DRIVES. CO-ROM DISCS FOR IBM AND MAC OFTICAL CONSULTING SERVICES • PUBLISHING • DISTRIBUTION ' NETWORKING DUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AT COMPETITIVE PRICES FREE CATALOG

TEL. 303-231-9373

1667 COLE BLVD.. SUITE 400. GOLDEN. CO 80401 FAX: 303-231-9581, CIS: 720(17,544

VISA/MC/AN(EX/GOVT POs

CROSS ASSEMBLERS

Universal Linker, Librarian Targets for 36 Microprocessors

Hosts: PC/MS-DOS, micro VAX, VAX 8000

ENERTEC, INC.

BOX 1312, 811 W. Fifth St. Unsdale, PA 19446 Tel: 215-362-0966 Fax: 215-362-2404

TLX01A inserts a telex In your PC

Telex interface witli double or simple current (VII. V24/28)

Processor Z180

Battery backup RAM memory

2 auxiliary serial pods

PC-AT-XT. PS/2 30 or compatibles

Complete with communication software

Manufacturing license available

EXOFI Ft&D

P.O. BOX 548. West Chester. OH 45069. USA Fax: 513-777-4817 Phone: 513-777-0570

Inquiry 602.

Inquiry 608.

Inquiry 614.

DATA CONVERSION

CD-ROM/WORM/ERASABLES

WE BEAT ANY PRICE

CALL FOR LOW, LOW MONTHLY SPECIALS

CD-ROM Drives: HITACHI • NEC • SONY • TOSHIBA • PHILLIPS • DENON • CHINON Wlorm Drives: MAXTOR • PANASONIC • PIONEER • TOSHIBA Erasable Drives: MAXTOR • CANON • SONY ENORMOUS STOCK of CD-ROM discs, unmatched anywhere! AMEX/MC/VISUCOD/POS Welcome

CD-ROM SHOPPER

1168 Elm Terrace 24-hr auto order line

Rahway. NJ 07065 7 days a week

CROSS ASSEMBLERS/SIMULATORS

New unique full-function simulators for the 8096 and 600196 controllers, featuring ALL MODES of interrupts, plus ffie HSI, HSO, and A/D functions. We also support the 8048/49, 8080/85, 8051/52. and Z80 controllers with excellent, reasonably priced Cross Assemblers and Simulators.

Lear Com Company

2440 Kipling St.. Ste. 206. Lakewood. CO 80215

(303) 232-2226 FAX: (303) 232-8721

MEDIA CONVERSION/DATA TRANSLATION

More than Just a straight dump or ASCII transfer! Word Processing, DBMS, and Spreadsheet data on Disks or Tapes transferred directly into applications running on Mainframes, Minis, Micros, Dedicated Word Processors, Typesetters, and Electronic Publishing systems. IBM PS/2 & Macintosh supported #1 in the translation industry!

CompuData Translators, Inc.

3325 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1202. Los Angeles, CA 90010

(213) 387*4477 1.800-825-8251

Inquiry 603.

Inquiry 609.

Inquiry 615.

PC SDLC SUPPORT

Use Sangoma hardware and software to provide a cost effective, robust and easy to use SDLC link from MS-DOS, XENIX, AIX, PICK, PC-MOS, etc.

AN real time communication functions performed by intelligent co-processor card.

X.25 support also available.

Sangoma Technologies Inc.

(416) 474-1990

7170 Warden Avenue #2. Markham. Onlario, Canada L3R 8B2

MACINTOSH CROSS ASSEMBLERS

(lASM"*—New Version 3.0! Integrated text editor, assembler, and terminal package. S or Hex output downloads to most EPROM programmers. Macros, cond'i ass'y. iocai & auto labels, symbol table cross-ref, S149.95 each plus S/H. MC/V/AE. Tech. bulletin avail. Most 8-bit MRUs. 30 day money back guarantee.

MICRO DIALECTS, INC., Dept B

P.O. Box 30014, Cincinnati, OH 45230 (513) 271-9100

DBMS/COPY

CONVERTS YOUR DATA INTO INFORMATION Now your favorite stat package can access any database. DBMS/COPY can directly convert any database or spreadsheet file (ORACLE, PARADOX. dBASE. LOTUS etc.) into any stat package file (SAS, SPSS, SYSTAT. etc) and vice versa. The PLUS version allcws sorts, selections, and recalculations. S195. 3t^day guarantee VISA/MC/AMEX/PO/COD. Call for free limiled version

CONCEPTUAL SOFTWARE INC.

P.O. Box 56627, Houston, TX 77256 (713) 667-4222 FAX: (713) 667-3FAX

1-800-STATWOW

Inquiry 604.

Inquiry 610.

Inquiry 616.

COMPUTER INSURANCE

DATA/DISK CONVERSION

INSURES YOUR COMPUTER

SAFEWARE provides full replacement of hardware, media and purchased software. As little as $49 a year provides comprehensive coverage. Blanket coverage; no list of equipment needed. One call does it all. Call 8 am-10 pm ET. (Sat. 9 to 5)

TOLL FREE 1-800-848-3469

(Local 614-262-0559)

SAFEWARE, The Insurance Agency Inc.

Inquiry 605.

CROSS ASSEMBLERS

Relocatable

Macros

PC Compatible

GUARANTEED, SUPPORTED

DEBUG SIMULATORS • DISASSEMBLERS EPROM PROGRAMMERS

MICRO COMPUTER TOOLS CO.

Phone Toll Free (800) 443-0779

In CA (415) 825-4200 912 Hastings Dr., Concord. CA 94518

Inquiry 611.

DISK CONVERSIONS

Media transfer to or from: IBM, Xerox, DEC, Wang, Unier, CPT, Micom. NBI, CT, Exxon, WRDPLEX also WP. WS. MS/WRD, DW4, MM, Samna, DEC DX, MAS 11. Xerox-Writer, ASCII.

FREE TEST CONVERSION CONVERSION SPECIALISTS

531 Main St., Ste. 835, El Segundo, CA 90245 (213) 545-6551 (213) 322-6319

Inquiry 617.

THE COMPLETE XT UPGRADE

The K-311 Upgrade Kit converts your XT to full 32-bit, 20MHz 80386 CPU and high speed disk performance. The K-311 Kit includes 20MHz 80386 w/1Mb RAM. T6-bit Adaptec 1:1 controller. 63Mb 28Ms Mitsubishi disk drive, choice of 1.2 or 1.4Mb diskette drive, Key Tronic 101 Plus keyboard, 200 W PS. new drive cables. Matches or exceeds the performance of a new system but at far less cost. Top quality, easy installation, 1 year warranty. SI.795

5G Corporation

i13t SpicewoDd Springs Road A-4. Austin TX 78759 800-333-4131 512-345-9843 Fax 512-345-9575

Inquiry 606. 334 BYTE- JUNE 1990

6800-Fainily Development Software

Our C Compilers for the 6800, 6801, 6809, & 68HC11 feature a complete implementation (excluding bit fields) of C as described by K&R and yield 30-70% less code than other compilers. Our Assemblers feature macros and conditional assembly. Linker & Terminal Emulator included.

Wintek Corporation

1801 South St., Lafayette, IN 47904 (800) 742-6809 or (317) 742-8428

Inquiry 612.

FROM MACS TO MAINFRAMES.

Our 12 conversion systems support over 1000 formats

DISK INTERCHANGE SERVICE COMPANY

2 Park Drive • Westford, MA 01886 (508) 692-0050

Inquiry 618.

The BUYER'S Mart

DATA/DISK CONVERSION

DATABASE MGMT SYSTEMS

DISK DUPLICATION

BUY YOUR OWN CONVERSION SYSTEM!

With nearly a decade of experience in data conversion, you can work wrth the industry leader in ^rack tape, cartridge tape and diskette conversion systems. Enjoy the convenience of your own conversion system. Call today to discuss your application!

Flagstaff Engineering

1120 Kaibab Lane, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (602) 779-3341

MasterCard - Vsa - American Express Accepted

Inquiry 619.

dBASE file access from 0

Code Base 4 is a library of C routines which gives complete dBASE or Clipper functionality and file compatibility. Use DOS, Unix, OS/2 or MS Windows.

$295 with Source! FREE DEMO

Sequiter Software Inc.

Call (403) 448-0313 Fax (403) 448-0315

See our ad on page 191.

Inquiry 624,

SOFTWARE PRODUCTION

• Disk duplication • Warehousing

• All formats • Drop shipping

• EVERLOCK copy • Fulfillment protection • 48-hour delivery

• Label/sleeve printing • Consultation &

• Full packaging guidance services _ . ,

Star-Byte, Inc.

2880 Sergey Rd., Hatfielb, PA 19440 215-997-2470 800-243-1515

Inquiry 630.

DEMOS/TUTORIALS

EDUCATION

THE #1 CHOICE

in disk & tape conversion

for many leading corporations, government agencies, law firms, and companies in every industry—world-wide. Free test • Satisfaction guaranteed

Graphics Unlimited Inc.

3000 Second St, Nortn, Minneapolis, MN 55411 (612) 588-7571 or (612) 520-2345 FAX; (612) 588-8783

INSTANT REPLAY III

Build Den^.os, Tutorrais. Prototypes, Presentations, Music, Timed Keyboard Macros, and Menu Systems. Includes Screen Maker Keystroke/Time Editor Program Memorizer and Animator Reed Great Revievvs' Simply the BEST. Not copy protected No royalties. 60-day satisfaction moneyback guar IBM and Compatb S199.00 U.S.Chk/Cr Crd Demo Diskette S500.

NOSTRADAMUS, INC.

P.O. Box 9252 Salt Uke City, Utah 84109 (801) 272-0671

B.Sc. & M.S. In COMPUTER SCIENCE

The American Institute for Computer Sciences offers an indepth correspondence program to earn your Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Computer Science at home- BSC. subjects covered are: MS/DOS, BASIC, PASCAL, C, Data File Processing. Data Structures & Operating systems. MS program includes subjects in Software Engineering and Anificia! Intelligence.

AMERICAN INST, for COMPUTER SCIENCES

1704-BY 11th Ave, So,, Birmingham, AL 35205 205-933-0339

Inquiry 620.

Inquiry 625,

Inquiry 631.

DISASSEMBLERS

QUALITY CONVERSIONS

10 or from virluaily

ANY TAPE OR DISK FORMAT!

Horan Data Services converts over 2000 formats inci, 9-track tape. 3480 Cartridge and 8". 5Vj" or 3Vz" diskettes. AN densities & most operating systems supported. Fomiate include EBCDIC, ASCII, databases, spreadsheets, and dedicated or PC word processors.

Call 1-800-677-8885

Hours 8:00 AM to 5;30PM Eastern Time 817 Main Street. Third Floor, Cincinnati OH 45202

Inquiry 621.

fi PROCESSOR/CONTROLLER

805x/804x/680x/Z80 versions available

• Reads HEX or binary file

• Writes assembler-ready' source

• Multiple cross-reference listings

• Line-by-line comment field hex dump

• TAG file allosvs you "o conlrol disassembly Powerful, easy-to-use, PC/MS DOS based Crossdisassembler. Adapt output file format for your assembler.

only $179.95

DLS Development, One Gale Rd.—Brick, NJ 08723

(201) 920-6807

Inquiry 626.

Urgently Required

Be a highly paid computer consultant. We offer a comprehensive training program. Upon successful completion of tfie program, we will offer you a license to operate your own business and introduce your business worldwide through our worldwide network.

As we have limited openings, write us today! Send your resume and evaluation fee of S50. USD payable to;

Worldwide Canadian Management Consultant Inc.

p. 0.B. 639, Pickering. Canada LiV 3T3

Inquiry 632.

ENTERTAINMENT

*** We RENT conversion systems or DO the conversion for you!***

Conversion Capabilities: 9 Tracl< Tape, 8" Disl<, Vi" Cartridge, Word Processors, Optical Disk, 2.3 Gigabyte Backup. Fax Workstations

WE WILL SOLVE YOUR DATA CONVERSION PROBLEMSI

LIONSGATE DATA SERVICES

CALL: (818) 704-5867 OR FAX: (818) 716-5647

80x86 .EXE/.COM to .ASM

• Accurately reconstruct, study & modify [64K-^! programs with a minimum of input or editing of output.

• Assembly language output is MASM 5.x-compatible.

• Exhaustive flow-trace distinguishes code from data.

• Best formats for each. Commented BIOS calls/DOS functions. SEGMENT/PROC/oIher vital pseudo-ops,

PC-DISnDATa (574" disk & manual) $165 PRO/AM SOFTWARE

220 Cardigan Road. Centerville. OH 45459 (513) 435-4480 (9 A.M.-5 PW. EST M-F)

.3 8 6 S P Y S

-386 SPYS, the energy, excitement and superior graphics you've been looking for in an animated arcade game. Written specifically for PC's with a 386/386SX processor, Hi Res EGA graphics, i meg of memory and a hard disk. You will find incredible detail and action throughout. Try a demo disk now for S6.95 or the full game for S49.95. Include S3 S&H.

GENKI SOFTWARE CORPORATION

"Imagination powered by the 386"

(800) 673-9038 Mastercard or Visa (301) 997-6333 P.O. Box 2563 Columbia. MD 21045

Inquiry 622.

Inquiry 627.

Inquiry 633.

IBM PC ^TOm HP FILE COPY

FASTER EASIER TO USE

Update version uses windows: Call for free demo! \BM PC <to> HP nie Copy allows IBM PCs, PS/2, compatibles to interchange files with Hewlett-Packard Series 70, 80, 200, 300, 1000. 9000s.

Oswego Software

Box 310 708/554-3567 Oswego, IL 60543 FAX 708/554-3573

Inquiry 623.

CONVERSION SERVICES

Convert any 9-track magnetic tape to or from over 2000 formats including SVa" 5Vt', 8' disk formats & word processors. Disk-to-disk conversions also available. Call for more info Introducing OCR Scanning Services.

Plvar Computing Services, Inc.

165 Arlington Hgts. Rd., Dept. #B Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 (800) Convert

SOFT-X-PLORE

See "BYTE's Ivlay '88 issue pg. 78." Disassemble 500 kb (■) program at 10,000/min. (■) in any file, ROM/RAM memory up to 80386 instruction set (*). SOFT-X-plore:

■ is for MS/DOS 2.0-*- systems

' uses 20 algorithms and seven passes (*)

■ only S99.95 plus S&H w/30-day guarantee.

To order call (800) 423-2468 or info (203) 953-0236

Or write; RJSWANTEK INC.

178 Brookside Rd., Newington, CT 06111 * best on the market MClVlSA accepted

Inquiry 628.

DISK DRIVES

PS/2 DRIVES FOR PCs ATs

CompatlKlt/PC S279

CompatiKit/AT S219

Built-in floppy controllers—no problem. Supports multiple drives and formats. Lets your computer use IBf^ PS/2 1 AM diskettes plus more! Call for further information or to place an order

VISA/MaCOD/CHECK.

Micro Solutions Computer Products

132 W Lnco!n Hvy DeKalb, IL 60115 815/756-3411 See our ad on page 286.

NEMESIS" Go Master®

Go, a game of strategic elegance, has been a way of life in the Orient for over four thousand years. Many consider Go to be the secret of the Japanese businessman's success. "While chess is a game of war. Go is a game of mari<ei s/Tare"[President of Nikko Hotels]. "If you are interested in Go, buy this program."

Game of the Month J. Pournelle BYTE 7/87 ToyogO, Inc. The Leader in Computer Go. 76 Bedford St. =34-Y. Lexington, MA 02173, (617) 861-0488 1-800-4-TOYOGO

Inquiry 634.

FLOW CHARTS

Flow Charting ll-i

For IBM and compatibles. It will amaze you with its speed, power and simplicity. 26 standard shapes with over 120 sizes — 10 text fonts — 4 line styles. Place text, lines and shapes anywhere on your chart. For only $229 you'll never draw another chart by hand.

Patton & Patton

485 Cochrane Circle, Morgan Hill, CA 95037 1-80D-S25-0082 Ext. 42 (Within U.S.)

408-778-6557 Ext. 42 (Int'l) B1370

Inquiry 629.

Inquiry 635.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 335

The BUYER'S Mart

FLOW CHARTS

WINDOWS FLOWCHARTER

RFFlow is a professional drawing tool for flowcharts & org charts (requires Microsoft^ Windows). 75 shapes automatically adjust in size. Move, copy, delete groups of objects. 7 levels of zoom. Move flowcharts to other applications via the Clipboard. Supports Windows printers, plotters, and cartridge or soft fonts. Call for free trial disk.

RFF ELECTRONICS

1053 Banyan Court, Loveland, CO 80538 Phone: (303) 663-5767 FAX: (303) 669-4889

Inquiry 636.

FREE COMPUTER MAGAZINE

FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS

To More Than 200 Magazines

Don't spend a fortune on computer, communications or business magazines. The SeaBird Directory lists over 200 titles you can get free and runs on any IBfvl PC. For more info, and FREE DEMO DISK,

1-800-782-0194

or fax to: 617-863-8684

Inquiry 637.

GRAPHICS

EGAD Screen Print

Prints contents of VGA, EGA, CGA displays on variety of dot-matrix and laser printers. Prints in gray tones or color Crop box lets you print any region of the screen. Enlarge graphics 1 to 4 times (reduction too). Setup program for picldng printer colors, etc. S25.00 Postpaid. Call or write for free catalog.

LINDLEY SYSTEMS

4257 Benwick Place. Woodbridge, VA 22192-5119 (703) 590-8890

Inquiry 638.

HARD DRIVE REPAIR

DISK DRIVE REPAIR DATA RECOVERY

SALES of new. remanufactured and removable disk drives

FULL TECHNICAL SUPPORT

ROTATING MEMORY SERVICE

1506 Dell Avenue, Campbell. CA 95008

(408) 370-3113

We buy usea drives good or bad

Inquiry 642,

HARDWARE

CHIP CHECKER

• 74/54 TTL + CMOS • 8000 Nat. + Signetics

• 14/4000 CMOS • 9000 TTL

• 14-24 Pin Chips • .3" + .6" 10 widths Tests/Identifies over 650 digital chips with ANY type

of output in seconds. Also tests popular RAM chips. IBMcompatible version S259. C128 + 064 version S159.

DUNE SYSTEMS

2603 V^illa Dr.. St. Joseph. Ml 49085

(616) 983-2352

Inquiry 643.

FREE INTERFACE CATALOG

Interfaces for IBM compatibles. Digital I/O (8255) and Analog input 8 bit resolution (0-255). Control relays, motors, liglits, measure temperature, voltage. Sample interconnect circuits, BASIC programs, and I/O map are included.

John Bell Engineering, Inc.

400 Oxford Way. Belmont. CA 94002 (415) 592-8411 9am to 4pm Pacific Time

Inquiry 644.

HARDWARE/CONTROLLERS

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS CONTROLLERS

SC/FOX^PCS (Parallel Coprocessor System) and PCS32 ate

PC^XT/AT plug-in boards, 16 and 32 bit 15 MIPS average. 50 MIPS burst. PCS uses the Harris RTX 2000' 15-bil Forth CPU with 1-cycle multiplier. K prioritized interrupts. 3 timer/CDuniers. 8-cliannel I/O bus. PCS32 uses the new SC32 32-bil Forth CPU. SC/FOX SBC (Single Board Computer) is an 18 MIPS average. 60 MIPS burst. Eurocard-Size RTX 2000 siand-alone computer, SC/FOX SCSI I/O Plug-on board for PCS cr SBC with SCSI, floppy, 55K-baud serial, 16-bit parallel pons, and software drivers. Forth development software included. Ideal for embedded realtime coniro . data acquisition, robotics, and signal processing,

SILICON COMPOSERS INC. (415) 322-8763

208 California Avenue. Palo Alto, CA 94306

Inquiry 648,

HARDWARE/COPROCESSOR

DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR

DSP products for ttie IBM PC/XT/AT based on the Tl TMS32010 and TMS320C25 up to 12 MIPS operation. Designed for applications in communications, instrumentation, speech, and numeric processing. Offered with 12 bit 110 KHz AID and D/A and continuous-to-disk data acquisition & playback option. From S650.

DALANCO SPRY

89 Westland Ave., Roctiester, NY 14618 (716) 473-3610

Inquiry 649,

hardware/graphics;

CCD COMPUTER CAMERA

The EDC-1000 soliid state camera provides gray scale imaging with IBM PC's. VGA recommended, but not required. The camera gives a live image display and stores images in TIFF and PCX formats. Features such as exposure time control, contrast enhancement, and image arithmetic are included. Resolution is 192x330 pixels. System price with lens is S400.

ELECTRIM CORPORATION

P.O Box 2074. Princeton. NJ 08543

(609) 799-7248

Inquiry 650.

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

IMAGE CAPTURE BOARD

Capture images from any VCR or Cam-Corder Resolution: up to 512 x 480 pixels: 256 Colors or 256 shades of grey. Images may be saved in GIF, PCX, TIFF formats and more. VGA Required. Available for PC/XT/AT and PS/2: S749.00 JLaserS. Increase laser printer resolution to 4800 X 300 dpi w/256 grey scale. PS/2: S599.00 PC/XT/AT: S399.00

PEGASYSTEMS (6i4) 885-1007

P.O. Box 713, Westerville, OH 43081

LATEST AWARD BIOS

User definable tiard drives, 101/102 keyboard and 3.5" 1.44Mb floppy support are now available in Award BIOS Ver. 3.1 for the IBM AT, 286 and 386 compatibles.

KOMPUTERWERK, INC.

851 Parkvieva Blvd.. Pittsburgh. PA 15215 Orders: 800-423-3400 Tech: (412) 782-0384

STOCK-MASTER 4.0

Commercial grade inventory management software at micro prices.

• Supports all 12 • Stocx Status Reporting transaction types • Activity History Analysis

• Trend Analysis • Sill of Materials

• Quality Control • Purchase Order Writing

• Multiple Locations • Order Entry

• Purchase Order Tracking • Material Requirements

• Open Order Reporting • On Line Inquiry

• Serial/Lot = Tracking

Applied Micro Business Systems, inc.

177-F Riverside Ave , Newport Beacn. CA 92663 714-759-0582

Inquiry 639.

Inquiry 645.

Inquiry 651.

PEP Picture Editing Paclcage

Innovative structured drawing software. Fast, responsive, powerful. A free-form drawing tool. High performance even on the slowest PC. Many different applications including business forms, logos, diagrams, labels and graph annotations. For Epson. LaserJet, or Postscript. Introductory price $125 to Feb. 1, then S180. VISA/MC

TVionum Inc.

PO Box 305 Kendall Sq., Cambridge. MA 02142 1-800-TRIONUM

Inquiry 640.

HARD DRIVE REPAIR

HARD DRIVE REPAIR

WE WILL REPAIR YOUR HARD DRIVE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF REPLACING IT FAST TURNAROUND!!! CALL FOR DETAILS.

H & W micro, inc.

528-C FOREST PARKWAY FOREST PARK. GA 30050

(404) 366-1600

See our ad on page 345.

Inquiry 641. 336 BYTE- JUNE

WE BUY • WE SELL

APPLE II & MACINTOSH

SYSTEMS, PARTS & EXCHANGE REPAIRS

SAVE UP TO 55% ON MAC II CPU

CALL FOR A CATALOG 800-274-5343 / 617-891-6851 Pre-Owned Eiectronlcs, Inc.

30 Clematis Ave » Waltham, MA 02154 Inquiry 646.

HARDWARE/ADD-ONS

Call Today

for DRAMATIC Low Pricing on New Slimms"" Memory Modules 1, 2, 4 and 8 Megabyte 72-pin modules available

TermoTrol Corp.

1888 Century Park East, Suite 1900, L.A., CA 90067 213-284-3242 800-365-0045

Inquiry 647.

dFELLER Inventory

Business inventor^' crc-grans written in modifiable dB^E source code

dFELLER Inventory S150.00

Reauires OBASE II or 111. PC-DOS/CPM dFELLER Plus S200.00 with History and Purchase Orders Requires cBASE 111 or dBASE 111 Plus (For Stockrooms)

Feller Associates

550 CR PPA, Route 3. IsliDeming, Ml 49849 (906) 486-6024

Inquiry 652.

LANS

The $25 Network

T17 the 1st truly low-cost LAN

• Connect 2 or 3 PCs, XTs, ATs

• Uses serial ports and 5-wire cable

• Runs al 115K baud

• Runs in background, totally transparent

• Share any device, any file, any time

• Needs only 14K of RAM

Skeptical? We make believers!

Information Modes

P.O. Drawer F, Denton. TX 76202 817-387-3339 Orders 800-628-7992

Inquiry 653,

The BUYER'S Mart

LAPTOP COMPUTERS

Laptop Savings

Laptops: Toshiba • Zenith • NEC • Sharp

• Epson • Mitsubishi • Compaq Also Laptop Accessories: Modems, Fax Modems, External Drives, Portable Printers, Memory, Key Pads, Hard Drives. Batteries, and Auto Adapters.

Computer Options Unlimited

12 Maiden Lane. Bound Brook, NJ 08805 Phone: 201-469-7678 (Fax: 201-469-7544) Hours: 9am/10pm 7 days Worldwide sales

Inquiry 654.

LAPTOP BLOWOUT SALE!!!

MITSUBISHI • SHARP • PANASONIC • TOSHIBA

Laptops are now at their lowest prices ever. We buy direct from the factory, unlike our competition. We guarantee the lowest net prices in the entire country and stock every item specific to laptops. We ship in 24 hours. We also stock over SI million in laptops alone! Always buy from a factory-direct dealer. For your protection we check for stolen credit cards & ship only to your billing address. No COD'S Please.

TOTE-A-LAP

1501 El Camino Real, Belmont CA 94002 (415) 591-1663 ext. 6Q3

Inquiry 655.

New Laptop Products for:

Palmtops: Atari Portfolio. Poquet Notebooks: Compaq LTE. NEC-UL, Tandy 100/102, Tandy 1100, T1-M12, Toshiba SE/XE, Zenith-MS PC-Laptops: All major brands and models Accessories: Auto Adapters. Batteries. Carry Cases. Keypads Peripherals: PortaDle Primers. Hard Disks, 360K.'t.2M Drives. Keyboard Covers. Modems, Barcode Wands. Laptop Software, etc. For a free newsletter & catalogue, please call or write:

ULTRASOFT INNOVATIONS INC.

1 Transborder Drive, PO Box 247, Champiain, NY 12919 Tet (5M) 487-9293 Fax: (514) 487-9295 9-6 EST

Canadian Orders i Dealer Inquiries are Welcome

Inquiry 656

LAPTOP PERIPHERALS

LAPTOP BACKLIGHTS

Factory Installed • 90-Day Warranty Toshiba, Annstrad, Sanyo, DG, Kaypro, IBM, HP, etc, $295 The Portable Peripherals People

Axonix Corporation

(801) 466-9797

Inquiry 657,

8051 SUPERMARKET

Complete family of 12 single board computers fully accommodates any 8051 variant. Power management, plenty of 1/0, full memory map. Optional floating point, PC-compatible RS 232. PC versions reside on PC bus. Peewee's measure 3x5". 8051-optimized D!N52 bus allows stacking or backplane mounting, interprocessor communication. Boards run 8052AH BASIC. Starting at S99. Ouick custom modifications.

MODULAR MICRO CONTROLS

109 S. Water St., Northfield. MN 55057 call or fax (507) 645-8315

Inquiry 658

TOSHIBA LAPTOP ENHANCEMENTS

FAX/MODEMS: 9600/2400 bps, software, acoustic port MODEMS, INTERNAL: 2400 bps, acoustic or serial port MODEM, DEDICATED: 2400 bps (T1200, T1600, T3200SX) SERIAL 10 CARDS: RS232, RS422, SCSI, HPIL. Barcode BATTERY PACKS: 12V external battery + vehicle adapter

Contact us for more information:

PRODUCT R&D Corporation (Caiif).

805/546-9713, Fax: 805/546-9716

Inquiry 659.

MAILING LIST PROGRAMS

ELIMINATE DUPLICATES

Duplicates on your mailing list cost more than embarrassment. You're paying for all tfiat extra postage and for the materials mailed. Invest S149.00 in Dupe Eliminator and say goodbye to your dupes. Dupe Eliminator is easy to use—and it works with your dBase, ASCII, ArcList and other compatible files.

1-800-368-5806 Group 1 Software, Inc.

6404 Ivy Lane, Dept. BIT-5, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1400

Inquiry 660.

YOURS FREE!

"How \o Manage Your Mailing List" ArcList' & AccuMair are two powerful programs for your IBM or compatible PC:

• Duplicate Recognition

• Postal Discount Presorts

• Label Design & Printing

• Carrier Route and Zip+4 Insertion

• Address Correction

• dBase- Compatible

Call 800-368-5806 for a FREE GUIDE Group 1 Software, Inc.

6404 Ivy Lane, Dept. BIT-5, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1400

Inquiry 661.

ONLY A NICKEL A NAME

Now small business owners can reach iheir direct mail prospects easily and economically—with the PC Yellow Page listings: • Online 900 datat)ase wilti millions of U.S. companies available for down loading. • Updated monthly with no minimum order. • Costs only Si/minute—a nickel a name [charged to your phone bill). For a limited time only, get our slart-up kit, the PC Prospector designed to make your direct mail marketing the most resultS-oriented possible. It's yours for jus! the S6 phone charge for ordering the software. Order the PC Yellow Pages or the PC Prospector today by simply calling with either your modem or touch tone phone.

1-900-860-9210

For information call 404-455-8763

Inquiry 662.

MEMORY BOARDS

S.S.T. MEMORY UPGRADES

IBM PS/2

2MB module—Model 50.70

S279

2-8MB expan. bds—Model 55, 70

S643

COMPAQ

4MB module—DESKPRO 386/20E, 25. S

S565

4MB expan. brd^DESKPRO 386/20E. 25. S

S622

8MB single slot module—SYSTEMPRO

S2900

H P LASER JET

2MB upgrades

S279

1.800-688-8993 5 yr. warranty

Inquiry 663.

NETWORK/WORKGROUP

CoordiNet

An unbelievably easy-to-use workgroup package for Novell local area networks. Features include: public and private calendars, electronic mail, telephone messages, project managemeni, document management, Btrieve** database manager, report generator link to the Sfiarp Wizard"*, and much more. Can be used either as a 6K TSR or as a standalone program. Installs in 10 minutes and reads Netware bindery to create user lists. Simple mouse (or keyboard) driven "poimand-click" user interface with full context-sensitive help. Manual included but not needed. Only S249 per server! Demo disk S25,

Software Artistry, Inc.

3500 DePauw Blvd.. Suite 1100, IrdianaDOlis. !N 46268 Phone: (317) 876-3042 Fax: (317) 876-3258

Inquiry 664.

NETWORKING

SHANY NETWORK UTILITIES

PRINT-I-Transforms local printers into Network printers. (14Kbyte Lan Manager Print Server) SPOOLTransforms local printers into Network printers (Redirectsjobs via thefileserver)4(min. configuration) QUEUE-)-Manages LAN printing queues from within an application FILE-t-Transforms local hard disks into Network hard disks. (1 Kbyte LAN Manager File Server) Supported Networks: 3Com 3-(-Share, Xom 3+Open. XNS. NBR Microsoft Lan Manager. Microsoft MS-Nel, IBM PC LMi PROGRAM, IBM LAN SERVER

Shany Computers Ltd.

Tel: (972) 53-333931 FAX: (972) 53-342418

Distributors: Germany Tel: (49) 612-139-7589 FAX: (49) 612-130-4864 USA. Tel: (213) 204-0111 FAX: (213) 287-1817

Eumpe Tel: (213) 287-2444 FAX: (213) 287-2447

Inquiry 665.

NETWORKING

MORE UTILITIES FROM SHANY

DISK-I- Enables centralized backup system to access all local hard disks. CHAT-ACCESS Extensive chatting and message application for networks REMOTE-ACCESS Enables a remote station to control local workstations. (New feature: "DOS workstations may control OS/2 workstations and file servers") CO/RLE-t- Transforms single user applications into network software. Supported Networks: 3Com 3-KShare, Xom 3-i-Open. XNS, NBP Microsoft Lan Manager. Microsoft MS-Net. IBM PC LAN PROGRAM, IBM LAN SERVER

Shany Computers Ltd.

Re:r-e- 3.. 'c ^.g. ■: Sr rs^v S: '.m-^s. :sr=;; J2^32 Tel: (972) 53-333931 FAX: (972) 53-342418

Distributors: Germany Tel: (49) 612-130-7589 FAX: (49) 612-130-4884 U.S.A. Tel: (Z13) 204-0111 FAX: (?13) 287-1817

Eurvpe Tel: (213) 287-2444 FAX: (213) 287-2447

Inquiry 666.

NEURAL NETWORKS

Brain IX/laker:

"The most fascinating computer software I've ever seen. . . learn about this

stuff."John Dvoratf. PC Mag. Pre(jictS Stocks, bonds, sales, inventories. Comprehensive documentation. Menus. Only S195!

Free Brochure: 818/355-1094 California Scientific Software

Inquiry 667.

OPTICAL DISK

ERASABLE OPTICAL DISK DRIVE

SONY 5.25" 600 MB per disk. SONY 4mm 1.3GB per tape. Mac II, SE. SUN workstation, and other SCSI DEC Q-Bus, UNIBUS, and SCSI. 10 to 25 years warranty on Optical media. Higtiest quality in trie industry. Will supply complete Kit to build or Finished product. International and Domestic order or Inquiry within.

BENO SYSTEMS INC 718-921-1200

FAX: 718-748-1676

Inquiry 668.

OPTICAL DRIVES

MASS-STORE COPY"

Don't spend thouSandS on a second optica! drive to make backup copies of optical disks. MASS-STORE COPY"" copies any size file and any size optical disk using one optical drive. Also copies any removable DOS disk: WORM • ERASi\ELt • SERNOUlLI BOX' • SEMCWABlE HARD DRIVES • aOPPV For ISM PC/XT/AT S195^S3 S&H CHK/MO/COD/PO 30-d3y guarantee

Informative Technologies Corp.

1718 M St. .^JW, Suite 292, Washington. DC 20036 Tel: (202) 675-4528 FAX: (202) 675-4529

Inquiry 669.

PROGRAMMERS TOOLS

HYPERINTERFACE™

Menu Creator"" — A program generator for menudriven user interface. Excellent for complex menu systems. S99.95. Advanced Library — Extended capability for data entry and advanced text-display control from your programs. S99.95, FORTRAN, Pascal, C, BASIC supported. HYPERMATH^ - An application of Menu Creator"" and the Advanced Library. FREE

Avanpro Corp.

P.O. Box 969. Pacific Palisades. CA 90272

(213) 454-3866

Inquiry 670.

TUB '' 5.0 Version Control

"TLIB"* is a great system" — PC Tech Journal 3/88. Full-featured configuration mgmt for software professionals. Ail versions of your code instantly available. Very compact, only ctianges are stored. Cfieck-in/out locks, revision merge, brancfiing, more, f^ainframe deltas for Pansophic, ADR, IBM, Unisys, DOS S139 (OS/2 S195). S-station LAN S419 (OS/2 S595)

BURTON SYSTEMS SOFTWARE

RO Box 4156. Gary, NC 27519 (919) 233-8128

Inquiry 671.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 337

The BUYER'S Mart

PROGRAMMERS TOOLS

MULTITASKING TOOLKIT FOR DOS

MuttiTask is a library of roulines for fiscal or "C" programmers, ti allows you to run many procedures concurrently within a program There is NO RESiDENT drrver to toad, the rnuHi-tasking erwifonrrient is lin-ced in your application.

• Keyt)oarci, Serial \!Q and printer support- • Many mechanisms for intertask communication. • DOS non-feentrancy handed intensify • Easy to use and well dxumented. • DistriQuted in source code form Only S99 Visa/MC acceptec]

ITI Logiciel

1705 St-Joseph E- Suite 4. Montreal, Can H2J INI (514) 861-5988

Inquiry 672.

PROGRAMMERS TOOLS

MTASK Professional

BASIC-C-PASCAL Programmers TOOL

• MULTITASK Real Time " 495$ "

• SERIAL COMMUNICATION by interrupt GRATIS: Demonstration diskette

RAMSI France 53 rue Bernard Iske

F-92350 Plessis Robinson, FRANCE International FAX: 33 (1) 46.32,48.37

Inquiry 678,

PUBLIC DOMAIN

SHAREWARE

FOR IBM"- AND COMPATIBLES

FREE 112 PAGE CATALOG

OVER 3000 PROGRAMS

CALL 1-800-245-BYTE (2983) BEST BITS & BYTES

P,0, Box 8225-B Van Nuys, CA 91409 FOREIGN COUNTRIES SEND S4.00 FOR SHIPPING

Inquiry 684.

For QuickBasic programmers

SMART"'""" Cuts your development time by more than 60% by giving you an integrated user interface that easily configures to your applications. Dialogue boxes, pop-up & pull-down menus, as well as "fill the form" type entries. For QB 4.0 or later Library, tools & manual are S69 -t- S&H.

KAL-TEK

P.O. Box 2166. Martinez. CA 94553 (415) 370-1920

Inquiry 673.

Universal Report Generator

Generate reports from ANY file or database! Ttie Universal Report Generator is a programming library tfiat allows you to generate a report from any file or database from within your C or Pascal programs. Features include output to screen, printer, or text files; totals and subtotals: calculated fields: free-form report layout; automatic sorts and query selection; and much more Also includes a "pointand-shool" mouse-dhven report painter that can De used to easily detfne reports, Microsoft C. Turbo C. and Turbo Pascal S349, UNIX version S499, Source code available. Demo disk S25.

Software Artistry, inc.

3500 DePauw Blvd., Suite 1100, Indianapolis, IN 46268 Phone: (317) 876-3042 Fax: (317) 876-3258

Inquiry 679.

FREE CATALOG 1500-I- disks Public Domain - Shareware Software for IBIvl compatibles

$1.44 per disk Canadian Software Distributors

Box 199, Munster, Ontario, KOA 3P0 CANADA

Inquiry 685,

TURBO PLUS SI 99.00

Programming tools for use with Turbo Pascal 5.0 & 5.5. Screen Painter. Code Generator. I/O Fields. Dynamic Menus, Programming Unit Libraries. OOP Support, and Sample Programs included. All routines work in both text and graphics modes! 60-day money-back guarantee! Demo Disk avail. For IBM and compatibles.

NOSTRADAMUS, INC.

RO. Box 9252. Sail UKe City, UT 84109-0252

(801) 272-0671

Inquiry 674.

C and C++ DOCUMENTATION TOOLS

• C-CALL (S59) Graphic-lrees of caller/called hierarchy.

• C-CMT {S59) Create, insert, update comment-biocks for each function, listing functions and identifiers used.

• C-LIST (S39) List, action-diagram, reformat programs.

• C-REF (S49) Local/global/parameter cross-reference.

• SPECIAL (S149) All 4, plus integrated C-DOC program.

SOFTWARE BLACKSMITHS INC.

6064 St, Ives Way, Mississauga, ONT Canada L5N-4M1

(416) 858-4466

Inquiry 680.

FREE CATALOG

IBM SHAREWARE/PUBLIC DOIVIAIN LOW AS S1,25/DISK

1-800-321-4270

CRANSTON SOFTWARE

PO Box 2579, Minneapolis, MN 55402-0679

Inquiry 686.

FREE BUYER'S GUIDE

Programmer's Connection is an independent dealer representing more than 440 manufacturers with over 1200 software products for IBM and Macintosh personal computers. We have serviced the professional programmer since 1984 by offering sound advice and low prices. Call or write today to receive your FREE comprehensive Buyer's Guide.

Programmer's Connection US 800'336-1166

7249 Whipple Ave. NW Canada 800-225-1166

North Canton, OH 44720 International 216-494-3781

Inquiry 675.

SPEED FORTRAN DEVELOPMENT AND CUT MAINTENANCE COSTS

FORWARN—Finds common programming errore sucti as mismatched parameter lists and common blocks, and uninitialized variables. Prints detailed cross-references and call-tree diagrams. S329 FORTRAN DEVELOPMENT TOOLS-indudes Pretty (indents, renumlsrs, changes GOTOs to IF-THEN-ELSES, etc.) and 6 more tools. S129. R)r iBl^ PC. Also for UNlX-ask for details.

Quibus Enterprises, Inc.

106 N. Draper Avenue, Champaign, IL 61821 (217) 356-8876

Inquiry 676.

Auto Function Tester

■ statement & brancti test case coverage ' self-documenting / regression testing ' integrated testing environment Structure and Slandanjize tfie testing cycle Save time producing/verifying test cases

The more you Test the Easier it gets

requires MSC v5-^ / Tur&oC v2-t- S199 Plus S5 s/h (CA. resident add Tax of S12.44)

Talis Computer Service Inc.

P.O. Box 1539. Nevada Dly. CA 95959 (916) 265-5777

Inquiry 681.

PROTOTYPING

Frustrated with Demo II?

You'll Love PROTOSCREENS

Powerful Rapid Prototyping Software Easy to Learn and Use - No Programming Simulate mainframe, mini, and PC systems Training available on rapid prototyping

BAILEY & BAILEY Software Corporation

859 East 2850 North Ogden UT 84414

(801) 782-2345 Credit Cards Overnight Del.

Inquiry 682.

FREE SOFTWARE FOR IBM^ PC's

TRY US! Get 15 disks full of our best selling software—FREE! Great graphics, programmers utilities, desktop publishing, finance, games, education, plus our 1600 disk catalog. Pay only S5.00 for shipping/handling — VISA/MC/AMEX

INTERNATIONAL SOFTWARE LIBRARY

511-104 Encinitas Blvd. • Encinitas CA 92024

CALL TODAY (619) 942-9998

Inquiry 687.

FREE CATALOG

S1 IBM SOFTWARE

For your free 32-page Master Edition catalog featuring the best of IBM Shareware from just SI each, call or write today!

1-800-338-2118

SOFSOURCE

Box 828, East Lansing, Ml 48826

Inquiry 688.

Pascal PrettyPrint

standardize your Pascal source code with this powerful, full featured reformatting and pagination system. This fully customizable program for all PC Pascals (+00P):

• Adjusts indent, font and case to show program structure

• Adjusts case by maintaining a standard identifier database

• Provides menu and command line interfaces; on-line help

• Saves time and improves readability

S29.95 + S5 S8H Visa/MC/Check/MO (717) 383-1188

Qwikware

P.O. Box 222. Peckville. PA 18452

Inquiry 677. 338 BYTE- JUNE 1990

PROTOTYPES FROM CAD

Without the Wait

BoardMakef Systems produces single/double sided, "readyto-stuff' circuit boards up to 22" x 22" in-house. No chemicals or photographic techniques. Line/channel width drwn to 4/8 mite. Accepts standard Gerber HPGL, Quest. Emma formats. Pays for itself after 12 to 20 hoards.

Instant Board Circuits Corp.

20A Pamaron Way, Novato. CA 94949 Tel: (415) 883-1717 Fax: (415) 883-2626

Inquiry 683.

FREE SOFTWARE CATALOG

Low as S1.20/disk Over 1000 quality IBM software On 5.25" and 3.5" format From outside U.S.A., except Canada, please send US S2.00 refundable with order. For fast service, write to

SOFTSHOPPE

PO. BOX 3678. Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3578 313-761-7638

Inquiry 689.

The BUYER'S Mart

PUBLIC DOMAIN

SDK85<8bit) and SDK86(i6bit)

NOW AVAILABLE ONLY FROM URDA, INC. which has an exclusive, world-wide, manufacturing and marketing license from Intel, Inc. The URDA SDK85 and SDK86 educational trainers and microprocessor development systems are now furnished fully assembled and boxed with manuals. Call URDA, Inc. for new low prices and delivery schedules. Other 8, 16 and 32 bit systems are available.

Phone URDA, Inc.

1-800-338-0517 or 412-683-8732

Inquiry 690.

REVIEWS

SECURITY

BIT-LOCK® SECURITY

Piracy SURVIVAL 5 YEARS proves effectiveness of powerful multilayered security. Rapid decryption algorithms. Reliable/small port-transparent security device. PARALLEL or SERIAL port. Complemented by economical KEY-LOK"" and mullifeatured COMPULOCK^ including countdown, timeout, data encryption, and multipfoduct protection. (Dos/Unix/Mac)

MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS

3167 E. Otero Circle, Littleton, CO 80122 (303) 770-1917

Inquiry 696.

SOFTWARE/ACCOUNTING

PC TIME CLOCK

AutoTlme is an Employee Management System that allows you to turn any PC into an Electronic Time Clock. AuloTime provides Time & Attendance, Job Costing, Payroll Interface, and Labor Distribution reporting. Netw/ork compatible. Prices start at S495. Other Business Products: Network FAX, Absence Call-in, db-EDI.

Chase Technologies

1617 Kingman Ave., San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 998-2917

Inquiry 702.

Find "Hands-on" Reviews in Seconds!

PC Reviews is an easy to use on-line database for NOVICES and PROS who need to locate and read "hands-on" reviews. BYTE, Data Based Advisor, PC Today, PC Magazine, Computer Language, Info World and 35 more included. Natural language front-end helps define search terms. A perfect use for a modem. "Wonderful", say users.

Compatible Technologies Group, Inc.

88 Fulton St. -2400. New York. NY 10038 (212) 463-8989 (201) 653-7688 8-N-1 for FREE DEMO

Inquiry 691.

ENCRYPTION/DECRYPTION

Protect your data! Encrypt files using this fast, secure, multilayered encryption program. Decrypt with the same ease, speed and security. 100K files done in under 2 mins. Uses 64 character passwords. fvlS-DOS, 0S2 supported. Specify 5.25 or 3.5 in. disks. Free "wipe out" utility included.

Price S39 US VISA/fvIC, Academic and Student S20 International orders add S10. NY residents add sales tax

M.J. Software Sales

Box 575, Latham, NY 12110 order line: 1-800-727-MJSS support line: 1-518-785-6362

Inquiry 697,

dBASE BUSINESS TOOLS

• GENERAL LEDGER

• PURCH OflD/INVNTORY

• ORDER ENTRY

• ACCOUNTS RECVABLE

• JOB COSTING

• JOB ESTIMATING

■ BILL OF MATLS

• SALES ANALYSIS

• PAYROLL

• ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

S99 ea.

+ S&H

dATAMAR SYSTEMS Cred. Card-Check-COO

4876-B Santa Monica Ave.

San Diego, CA 92107

(619) 223-3344

Inquiry 703,

SECURITY

SOFTWARE/BASIC

FIGHT PIRACY!

Since 1986. companies wortdwiOe riave been choosing Az-Tech security products. If you demand the strongest protection available, why not choose one of these "proven leaders":

• EVERLOCK Copy Proieaion

• EVERTRAK Software Security

• EVERKEY Hardware "Key" Software Security

For IBM and Compat;bles, 30 day money back guarantee. Free inio and demo disk available.

Az-Tech Software, Inc.

305 East Franltlin. Richmond, MO 64085 (800) 227-0644 Fax: ('IJI,'

1st Defense

ANTI-VIRAL

software

Protect your in-/estment by removing that virus before it strikes.

$59.95

1st Defense Anti-Viral Systems

ModaLoglc Incorporated

10474 Broadviev^ Rd., 3r03dv,ev.' hits OH 44147

(216) 838-5238 MS-DOS 2.11+ • Ohio Residents Add S4.20 Specify either 3V2" or 5Vt" disk

BASIC 7.0 TOOLS!

FINALLY! Library and FINALLY! XGRAF (graphics) are now fully compatible with near/far strings and the QBX environment. Call or write for latest information.

KOMPUTERWERK, INC.

851 Parkview Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15215

(412) 782-0384

Inquiry 692,

Inquiry 698,

Inquiry 704.

SOFTWARE/BUSINESS

THE ULTIMATE COPY PROTECTION

• Completely Menu Driven

• Defeats all Hardware/Software Copiers

• No Source Code Changes

• Multiple Layering

• No Dannaged Media

• Full Hard Disk Support

• Unlimited Metering

• FREB Demo Disk STOPVIEW" STOPCOPY PLUS"

BBI COMPUTER SYSTEMS^ (301) 871-1094

U105 Heriiage U., Silver Spnng, WD 20906 FAX: (301) 460-7545

Quite Simply The Best Ways To Protect Your Valuable Software Investment

COPY PROTECTION

The world's leading software manufacturers depend on Softguard copy protection systems. Your FREE DISKETTE introduces you to SuperLock"*—invisible copy protection for IBM-PC (and compatibles) and Macintosh.

• Hard disk support • No source code changes

• Customized versions • LAN support

• New upgrades available (408) 773-9680 SOFTGUARD SYSTEMS, INC.

710 Lakeway Suite 200, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 FAX (408) 773-1405

DATA ENTRY SOFTWARE

Full-featured, heads-down data entry with two-pass verification, edit language, operator stats, much more! Designed for the PS/2^, PC, XT. AT or compatibles. Standalone S395. LAN version available,

FREE 30-day trial

Computer Keyes Tel: 206/776-6443 21929 Makah Rd. Fax: 206/776-7210 Woodway, WA 98020 USA: 800/356-0203

Inquiry 693.

Inquiry 699.

COP'S Copylock II

• Protects on standard diskettes

• Cannot be copied by any device incl. Option Board

• Fully hard disk installable

• Normal back-up of protected programs

• LAN-support

• Creates safe demo version of your software Standard Version S975. Automatic Version S1950

DANCOTEC Computer

in US: 2835 Sierra Ra . Sar. jose M 95132 i08-72*^1S2 rjr 1,80O-3i4-2545 Ini'i: 2BB0 BagsvarO Denman* Pnone -45-44440322 Fax: -44440722

Inquiry 694.

HANDS OFF THE PROGRAM®

OPERATING SYSTEM SECURITY

Secures subdirectories, files, printers and floppies

Keyboard lock — automatic or manual

Log PC boot, program exec, file opens, login/logouts

Prevents DOS FORfvlAT and most viruses

Drive A: Boot Protection / Hard Disk Lock

IBM PC or 100»/c comp — DOS V 3.0+ — $89.95 + Sa75 SIH

SYSTEMS CONSULTrNG INC.

PO BOX 111209, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 781-5280

Inquiry 700,

MILP88—MIXED-INTEGER LP

A general-purpose syste^i 'o' sOiving mixed-: nieger linear programs with up 10 800 constramu and 4000 general integer or noninleger variables. BuikJ MILPS8 into your twn programs wlh compiled Turtx) Pascal uniu. MILPSfl reads/writes Lotus worksheets. Use 1-2-3/ Symphony as a matrix generator or post processor. Other features include interactNe and batch operation, spreadsheet LP display and editing, an equation processor, protslem/branch list storage, file t/0. download/reload, report generator, and sensitivity analysis. SMS with manual and 80S7 support. S299 w.th Turbo Pascal units.

Eastern Software Products, Inc.

P.O. Box 15328, Alexandria, VA 22309 (703) 360-7600

Inquiry 705.

RID YOUR SYSTEM OF VIRUSES FOR EVER VIRUSAFE

Tha most efleetrve ami-virus system availaCle. ■ Recognizes over 70 viruses—regularly updated, ■ Protection against existing and future viruses. ■ Seeks, identifies and removes itnown viruses resident in memory and programs. ■ Checks integrity of specified programs (or virus related changes, ■ Bool operated memory resideni program constantly on guard against new virus attacks.

Price S80. Visa/MC. 30-day money-back guarantee.

EliaShim Microcomputers Inc.

520 V^, Hgwy 436. suite "1160-30, Allamonie Springs, FL 327ia TEL, (4071 682-1537. FAX: (407) 569-1409 See us at PC New tbrk Expo. Booth 2565

HANDS OFF THE BOARD^

1/2 SIZE SECURITY BOARD

Slop floppy boo; — Require passworo to boot PC

Real-time disk encrypt — prevent boot sector virus

Prevent DOS FORMAT/FDISK and low-level formats

Set naro disk READ ONLY or turn ON/OFF

Turn floppies, printers and COM ports ON/OFF

IBM XT, AT Bus — DOS V3.0+ — $149.95 + S5.00 S/H

SYSTEMS CONSULTING INC.

PC BOX 111209, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 781-5280

ASAP!

Automated scheduler, integrates worker availability with schedule requirements. Enter hours of operation, workers' stats.. ASAP! does the rest. Options include status and skill level checking, unlimited no. of depts., 65 workers per dept., flexible displays, menu-driven interface. Ideal for restaurants, retailers, etc. Will virtually pay for itself. Onty S200.00! (+ SaOO SSH). Manual included.

INflux Technologies

PO Box 3318, CartX)ndale, IL 62902-3318 618-549-3018

Inquiry 695.

Inquiry 701.

Inquiry 706.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 339

The BUYER'S Mart

SOFTWARE/BUSINESS

DATA ENTRY

KeyEntry III*, a complete Data Entry System that provides all the capabilities for designing data entry applications, controlling data flow. S monitoring/reporting operator activity & performance. Supports LAN and stand-alone environments. Evaluation copy (all programs & documentation) available. Call today for information!

Southern Computer Systems, Inc.

2732 Seventh Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233 (800) 533-6879/(205) 251-2985

Inquiry 707.

SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING

COORDINATED MULTI AXIS

MOTION CONTROL $199

• Indexer LFT" software converts ordinary printer port into a multi axis step motor indexer.

• Easily used from any language: BASIC. C. Pascal, spreadsheet or database macros, even DOS batch files!

• Full functions for up to six axes, now includes line drawing.

• Why FIGHT with RS-232 and PAY for expensive hardware? Inquire about Indexer LPT today!!!

Ability Systems Corp.

1422 Arnold Ave., Roslyn, PA 19001 (215) 657-4338

Inquiry 708.

Boolean Logic Simulator

• LOGICSIM—a designer's assistant

• f^ake your logic equation vraveforms visible

• Graphic waveform stimulus editor

• Single, multiple, simple & complex devices

• Multiple clocks for registered eqn's

• f=or IBM & clones, XT S up. CGA, EGA, VGA

• S89.95 includes 1 yr upgrade support

• SI 5.00 demo

• VISA, PO, MO. CHK

ARCTOS SYSTEMS CORP.

20 Sandwel! Cr., Kanala, Ontario, Canada K2K 1V3 (613) 592-0947

Inquiry 709.

Affordable Engineering Software

FREE APPLICATION GUIDE & CATALOG Circuit Analysis • Root Locus • Thermal Analysis • Plotter Drivers • Engineering Graphics • Signai Processing • Active/Passive Filter Design • Transfer Function/FFT Analysis • Logic Simulation • Wicrostrip Design • PC/MSDOS • Macintosh • VISA/MC

BV Engineering Professionai Software

2023 Chicago Ave.. Suite B-13, Riverside, CA 92507 (714) 781-0252

Inquiry 710.

The new approach to logistics TAYLOR, THE DYNAMIC ANALYST

Taylor IS the fully menu-dnven factory simulation package t/iat com&nes ease of use with great flexibility. Taylor offers interactive graphical modeiing. numerous modelling opbons. animation, indepth result analysis and the Taylor Language Interface {TLI). Version 4.0 of the easiest-to-use professional simulation package on the market is avalabie now

F&H, Logistics and Automation BV Spoorlaan 424, 5038 CG Tllburg, The Netherlands

Phone: +31 13 366344 Fax: +31 13 427516

Inquiry 711.

SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING

4-BAR SYNTHESIS iN A PC

Lear links is a powerful 4-bar design package with

3 and 4 design position options and many optimization and analysis tools including full animation. It runs on any IBM PC/XT, AT, PS/2, or compatibles with 256K and graphics display. Full package: S475.00. Interactive Demo: S25.00

Lear Com Company

2440 Kipling St.. Ste. 206, Lakewood, CO 80215 (303) 232-2226 FAX (303) 232-8721

inquiry 713.

Personal Software for "What if" Engineering

Cedar fuses mathematics and intelligent geometric modeling and works with geometries the same way a spreadsheet works with numbers. Now you can have the power of a smart drawing system integrated with a scientific calculator and formula solver within one easy-to-use software package. Requires Microsoft Windows. S895

MCAE Technologies Inc.

Tel: 408-748-0334 Fax: 408-748-1915

Inquiry 714.

MICROSTRESS CORP.

NEW MICR0S4FE 2-D/3-D Ret. 3, Structural Analysis Program Finite Element Analysis for IBM PCs and compatibles. Number of nodes, elements and conditions limited by disk space and model bandwidth (11000 d.o.f.) Color graphics support on various display cards (EGA, VGA. VEGA and Hercules) S250. SAFECAD (bi-directional AUTOCAD Interface) S95. GRAFPLUS S55. Plus S/H.

Accept Visa/MasterCard. Send for brochure. P.O. Box 3194, Bellevue, WA 98009 Tel./Fax (206) 643-9941

Inquiry 715.

MIDNIGHT ENGINEERING"

A new publication for entrepreneurial hardware and software engineers that will encourage and challenge you to personally develop and market your cwn products.

• PRACTICAL ARTICLES

• INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEWS

• DETAILED PRODUCT REVIEWS

call or write for a FREE copy of the premiere issue of Midnight Engineering.

Midnight Engineering

111 E. Drake Rd.. Suite 7041. Fort Collins. CO 80525 303-491-9092

Inquiry 716.

SIMULATION WITH GPSS/PC^

GPSS/PC" is an MS-DOS compatible version of the popular mainframe simulation language GPSS. Graphics, animation and an extremely interactive environment allow a totally new view of your models. !f you are contemplating the creation or modification of a complex system you need GPSS/PC to help you predict its behavior. Call now.

MINUTEMAN Software

RO. Box 171/Y. Stow, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (508) 897-5662 ext. 540 (800) 223-1430 ext. 540

Inquiry 717.

SOFTWARE/ENGINEERING

FREE ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

Personal Engineering is a monthly magazine sent free of charge (USA only) to scientists/engineers who use PCs for technical applications. Topics each month include Instrumentation • Data Acq/Control • Design Automation. To receive a free sample issue and qualification form either circle below or send request on letterhead to:

Personal Engineering Communications

Box 300, Brookline. fvlA 02146

Inquiry 719.

SAUNA:

3D Thermal Analysis Made Easy!

• All heat transfer modes: convection, radiation, conduction. • Interactive menu-driven • Powerful edit features • Easy to learn and use • Models: enclosures, heat sinks, circuit boards, plates • Integrated color graphics • 3D thermal analysis

• Thermal parameters library • IBM PC & Macintosh II.

Tatum Labs Inc.

3917 Research Park Dr. B-1, Ann Arbor, Ml 48108 313-663-8810

Inquiry 720.

SOFTWARE/FORTRAN

FORTRAN for Macintosh

Language Systems FORTRAN 2.0 is a full-featured, optimizing compiler integrated in MPW. Full ANSI FORTRAN 77 plus VAX-compatible extensions including COMPLEX'16 and NAMELIST. Arrays greater than 32K. 68000/20/30 and 68881/2 object code. Fast execution, high accuracy. Any Macintosh with 1-2 megabytes, HD required.

Language Systems Corp.

441 Carlisle Drive, Herndon, VA 22070 (703) 478-0181

Inquiry 721.

SOFTWARE/GEOLOGICAL

GEOLOGICAL CATALOG

Geological software for log plotting, gridding/contourtng, hydrology, digitizing, 3-D solid modelling, synthetic seismogram, fracture analysis, image processing, scout ticket manager, over 50 programs in catalog. Macintosh too! Please call, or write, for Free Catalog!

RockWare, Inc.

4251 Kipling St., Suite 595. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 USA

(303) 423-5645 Fax (303) 423-6171 Inquiry 722.

SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS

S E G S 2.1

Scientific Engineering Graphics System

• Logarithmic. Time/Date & Linear Axes.

• Easy Curve Fitting and Data Smoothing.

• 1-2-3 Interface & Numeric Spreadsheet.

• Supports all Video & Device Standards.

• 10 Curves with up to 16,000 points each.

Advanced Micro Solutions

3817 Windover Dr. 405-340-0697 Edmond. OK 73013 800-284-3381

Analog Circuit Simulation

• Schematic Entry [ntusoft has a complete PG

- SPICE Simulator ^ ^^^"^ '^/^'^^i^S every

thing from schematic entry

• Model Libraries through SPICE simulation using

• Monte Carlo Analysis esctended memory to com

prehensive interactive post pro

• Parameter Sweeps cessing. Starting at S95 for

• Plotting/Graphics Output IsSpice. the complete system

. . sells for just S790.

intusoft

The leader in low cost, full P.O. Box 6607, San Pedro. CA 90734 featured CAE software (213) 833^)710 FAX (213)831-3956

Inquiry 712. 340 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circuit Analysis — SPICE

Non-linear DC & Transient; Linear AC.

* Version 3B1 with BSIM, GaAs, JFET, MOSFET, BJT, diode, etc. models, screen graphics, improved speed and convergence.

* PC Version 2G6 available at S95.

Call, write, or check inquiry # for more info.

Northern Valley Software

28327 Rothrock Dr. Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274

(213) 541-3677

Inquiry 718.

CAD/CAM Developers!

You save hundreds of hours of programming and debugging time (and the thousands of dollars this time costs!) when you use the CAD/CAM math and DXF routines in the

QurckGeometry Library

All the routines you need for any type of CAD/CAM/CAE program! 250 ready-to-use routines that construct, intersect and offset lines, arcs, circles, ellipses and even splines! $199 includes C source code and telephone support. Call (617) 628-5217 today for infonmation or to order! Building Block Software, RO. Box 1373. Somervitle. MA 02144

Inquiry 723.

The BUYER'S Mart

SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS

FRACTAL GRAFICS

is a radical new !<ind of drawing program. Create beautiful, richly complex images with ease: plants and nature, dazzling graphics designs, wild lettering, scientific models, and BEYOND...! Extensive Guidebook and on-line tutorial included. For IBf^PC with CGA/EGA/VGA, mouse optional. Only $79, FREE brochure! Cedar Software

R1 Box 924, Hardwick, VT 05843 (802) 472-5503

Inquiry 724.

The Ultimate CAD/CAM Engine

TurboGeometry Library 3.0, The most complete tool box of 2D & 3D routines available today! Over 300 routines. Surfacing, Solids. Hidden line, Volumes, Areas, Transforms, Perspectives, Decomp, Clipping, Tangents & more. 30 day guar, S199.95 w/source S&H Incl. Foreign $225.00. MS/PC DOS 2.0+. Turbo Pascal. Turbo C, MSG, MIX C. Zortec C+ + . VISA/MC, PO, Chk. USA funds only

Disk Software, Inc.

2116 E. Arapaho Rd., =487. Richardson. TX 75081 (214) 423-7288, (800) 635-7760, FAX (214) 423-7288

Inquiry 725.

RAINDROP™

FAST, compact PrtScrn Utility for end users AND developers. Hardcopy as fast as 10 sees. Average binary size - 6 kbyte. 12 video graphic standards. Scale, rotate, colorize and more. 'CALL' from user-written programs. Complete 9- & 24-pin dot-matrix, inkjet, and laserjet library S39.95+S3 s/h.

ECLECTIC SYSTEMS

8106 St. David Ct., Springfield. VA 22153

(703) 440-0064

Inquiry 726.

SOFTWARE/GRAPHICS

GRAPHICS PRINTER SUPPORT

AT LAST! Use the PrtSc key to make quality scaled B&W or color reproductions of your display on any dot matrix, inkjet. or laser printer (incl. Postscript) in up to 64 shades of gray or 256 colors. GRAFPLUS supports all versions of DOS with ISM (incl. EGA, VGA, Super VGA), Hercules, or compatible graphics boards. Linkable/OEM versions available. S49.95

Jewell Technologies, Inc.

4740 - 44th Ave. SW, Seattle. WA 98116 (800) 359-9000 x527 (206) 937-1081

Inquiry 730.

FORTRAN PROGRAMMER?

Now you can call 2-D and 3-D graphics routines within your

FORTRAN program.

GRAFMATIC: screen routines S135, PLOTMATIC: plotter driver 135, PRINTMATIC: printer driver 135.

For the IBM PC, XT, AT & compatibles. We support a

variety of compilers, graphics bds., plotters and printers.

MICROCOMPATIBLES

301 Prelude Dr. Dept. B, Silver Spring. MD 20901 USA (301) 593-0683

Inquiry 731.

VGA ColorWorks"' V2.2

The most advanced image creation and manipulation package available for the VGA. ImporL/export TIFF, PCX, TARGA images. Edit with (?/er 250,000 colors in muftiple hardware resolutions (switchable on-the-fly). Complete set of geometries and patterns. Special effects include tint, shade, blend, mask, founains. cut/paste, hardware zoom emulation.... much more (over 150 drawing controls). Incl, 44 fonts, drivers for PostScript, HP-LaserJet, HP-F^inUet. Epson LQ/FX- Pn>juctng up to 64 grey levels or 4096 colors. S59. Call for our free fully operational demo.

SPG Inc.

PO Box 171008 — Hialeah. FL 33017 (305) 362-6602

inquiry 732.

SOFTWARE/LANGUAGES

DRUMA FORTH-83

Break the 64K barrier without speed/space penalty. Powerful, attractively priced. '83 Standard.

• lMb+ automated memory management

• Full OS interface, extensive utilities

• On-line documentation, ASCII/block files

• Other products: windows, modules, profiler

• IBM PC/XTWT & all compatibles

FREE leam/utility disks offered: INQUIRE

DRUMA INC.

6448 Hwy. 290 East E103. Austin. TX 7S723 Orders: 512-323-0403 BBoard: 512-323-2402

Inquiry 736.

SOFTWARE/LOTTO

PC-LOTTO 2.81 S40 us S45 can

LottoProcessing program for IBfvl compatibles. 10 LOTTO databases included v^ith all numbers since day one. Shareware available from most outlets and PC-Clubs.

PC-LOTTOprInt ver 1.1 S45US ssocan

20 LOTTO BET SLIPS filled out in 10 min. (100-240 tickets!) Send S10 + 5 slips for DEMO

LOTTOWARE — 870 Gladiola Ave. Victoria B.C. CANADA V8Z 2T6 (604) 479-8536 VIsa/MC 24HR

Inquiry 737.

SOFTWARE/MATHEMATICS

Leo Tames TeX

The Leo editor reads and writes TeX files. Displays, adjusts matrices, roots, symbols etc. as you edit. Fast math typing. Draft printer, font editor For AMSTeX or LATeX. S150. Requires PC, 512K, graphics. MCA/ISA, check, or PO.

ABK Software

4495 Ottawa PI., Boulder, CO 80303 (303) 494-4872

inquiry 738.

PEN PLOTTER EMULATOR

FPLOT turns your dot matrix or laser printer into an HP pen plotter Fast hi-res output. No jagged lines. Vary line width, color Works with AutoCad, Drafix, etc. Supports NEC P5/P6, IBM Proprinter, Epson LQ/FX, Toshiba, HP Laserjet, Okidata 29X/39X, Hercules/CGA/EGA/VGA. S64 checWm.o./ VISA/MC

Fplot Corporation

24-16 Steinway St., Suite 605, Astoria, NY 11103 718-545-3505

Inquiry 727.

PC SOFTWARE FOR WORK OR PLAY

$3.00 / DISK

Written by some of the best programmers in the world and delivered to you. From DOS enhancement utilities to adult only, desk top publishing, business/investment, database, word processing, games, etc.. etc.. etc. Our FREE CATALOG contains hundreds of the best software programs on the marlcet. Your complete satisfaction is guaranteed when ordering from;

SILICON VALLEY FREEWARE

P.O. Box 70397 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (415) 965-9700

Inquiry 733.

MATH EDITING for the pc

1 Fds >

= Ef-o (;)l

• MathEdi! constructs math equations to be inserted into

WordPerfect. Word, WordStar, and others.

• WYSIWYG interface—no codes need to be learned.

• MathEdit—S199

K-TALK

30 West Rrsi A«rue, Sune 100 Columbus. Ohio 43201 COMMUNICATIONS (614) 294-3535

Inquiry 739.

DoDOT for Microsoft Windows

With DoDOT, you can:

• Capture screens, wincJws. dialog boxes, and pulkJcwn menus.

• Convert between various file formats:

TIFF. Postscript. PCX. IMG. GIF, MAC, PIC, PCL, MSP, Clipboard, Bitmap,, and more.

• View and edit image with full color support.

• Pfint images to wide range of printers: LaserJet, Postscript, and more.

Wilh each purchase, you receive free upgrade and support. Only S129 - S5 S/H!

Halcyon Software 10297 Cold Harbor Ave. Cupenino, CA 95014 tel: (408) 257-0812 fax: (408) 257-2012

Inquiry 728.

POPULAR HGRAPH

SCIENTIFIC 2D & 3D graphic routines for IBM PC, VAX, SUN and Macintosh. Powerful, easy to use. Multiple fonts, device and machine independent. Uses max resolution. Links with FORTRAN, Pascal, C, Moduia-2 and QuickBasic. S119.00

Custom software development. UGraph—the graphics editor available now!

HeartLand Software, Inc.

234 S. Franklin, Ames, lA 50010 (515) 292-8216

GRAPHICS LIBRARIES for C, FORTRAN, PASCAL & QuickBASIC

• Supports VIDEO, PRINTERS & PLOTTERS.

• Linear, log, polar, smith, bar S pie charts.

• Scalable fonts, line types, markers. ■ Multiple plots on a page.

• Over 100 routines with full source code.

• 240 page manual. No royalties.

$295.00 (713) 491-2088

Sutrasoft

10506 Permian Dr. • Sugar Land, TX 77478

Inquiry 734.

SOFTWARE/INVESTMENT

Compare 1,500 "Equity" and/or "Fixed income'' Mutual Funds on IBM or compatible PC. Simple menu commands search and sort 25 info fields. Contains 10 years' acti\^ty, updated monthly/quarterly. Data transports to Lotus 1-2-3

One year quarterly subscription to either "Equity" or "Rxed Income" Funds diskettes only Si99; both for S299 plus S3 H&P per diskette. Single diskette @ $69.95 plus S3 HSP Call 1-800-553-3575 to order or for Free Brochure, or write to:

Business Week Diskettes

Dept. BY190, P.O. 1597, Fort Lee, N.J. 07024

MATHEMATICIANS-ENGINEERS

Have you ever seen functions of a complex variable? V\/ould you like to realty understand differential operators like div, grad and curl? How about a peek Into the fourth dimension? Call or write for information on our latest PC and Macintosh software.

Lascaux Graphics

3220 Steuben Ave., Bronx. NY 10467 (212) 654-7429

Inquiry 740.

SOFTWARE/MEDICAL

Medical Systems with ECS

PPM offers a conpleie line of medical software ranging from simple Insurance claims processing to comprehensive A/R management. PC CLAIM PLUS-claims processing with ECS lo over 100 major insurance camers-30-(Jay money-back guarantee THRESHOLD-complete A/R. patient billing, comprehensive practice management staQslics

CLAIM NET-NationwKie electronvc claims clearinghouse transmits claims to over 100 insurance carriers

Software prices sian ai SA5900. Dealer iriQuiries welcome.

Physicians Practice Management

350 E. New York. Indianapolis, IN 46204 800-428-3515 317-634-8080

Inquiry 729.

Inquiry 735.

Inquiry 741.

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 341

The BUYER'S Mart

SOFTWARE/PACKAGING

HARD TO FIND COMPUTER SUPPLIES FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS & POWER USERS

Cloth binders & slipcases like IBM's. Vinyl Dinders, boxes, and folders in many sizes. Disk pages, envelopes, & labels. Lew quantity imprinting. Bulk disks. Everything you need to bring ^ur software to market. Disk and binder mailers. Much more! Lew Prices! Fast service Call or write for a FREE CATALOG.

Anthropomorphic Systems, Limited

376-B E. Saint Charles Rd., Lombard. IL 60148

1-800-DEAL-NOW 708-629-5160

Inquiry 742.

SOFTWARE/SCANNERS

Optical Character Recognition

Stop retyping: PC-OCR™ software will convert typed or printed pages into editable text files for your word processor Works with HP ScanJet, Panasonic ard most other scanners. Supplied with 18 popular fonts. User trainable: you can leach PC-OCR'" to read virtually any lypestyle. incl. foreign fonts, Proportionai text, matnx pnnter output Xerox copies OK S385 CheclWISft/MC/AmExp/COD

Essex Pubiishing Co.

P,0, Box 391, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 (201) 783-6940

Inquiry 743.

• SOFTWARE/TOOLS

I.A.B., Industrial Applications Builder

Turns PC Into DAC system

Powerful SW tool kit helps you build IBM PC-based data acquisition and control systems for process and machine applications. Flexible, debugged and reliable. Low cost. Available in source code. No royalties. Request free catalog.

EXOR R&D

P.O. BOX 548. Wesl Chester, OH 450S9, USA Fax: 513-777-4817 Phone: 513-777-0570

Inquiry 748.

SOFTWARE/UTILITIES

DUI (DOS User Interface)

DUI pertorms many o! ne mo5! !reDjen:!y useO DOS com^nfls witnom ine cumMfsome commard line enmes assooaisd wiifi DOS DUI enrances ine caDaWitles 0' OOS Oy afloing r^arry !js;ufes no; founo m Uie DOS ewofimeni. OUI DoasB irie EASIEST TO LEARN AND USE' user miertacft Main commanfls are consiantiy iiSOi? 2nB acMiefl Sj- s<r.g\e i^irokes (the FiSTEST user 'niarlace), or Dy oam and shooi ne^u seiecnon

Included is a 45- page manual Ifial details each command and oqilains Uie comijiexines ol oalfis. wtidcards, and possi&le error coofliuons Requiremenls- IBM/con Ban Die. DOS 2 J/higher, 256 Kbyies memory, S2S95 - S3,00 S&H. CA Residents add 6,5t^E State Sales Tax

Dimestore Software

22731 Via Tercero, Mission Viejo. CA 92691 (714) 454-1550

Inquiry 749.

STATISTICS

JUST RELEASED STATiSTiX 3.1

PC Magazine Editor's Choice!

You can rely 01 STATiSTiX lo gel your work cone EASILY and QUICKLY. Menu-driven, Powerlul yel comoact STATiSTiX otters basic and advanced siaiisiics witfi an easy-io-fottow manual full of examples, "Technical support was excellent

PC Magazine,

Gel ifie qualiiy you want ai a price you can afford. U.S. & overseas price: 5199 Money-tack-guaran!ee

Tel: 612-631-2852 Fax: 612-636-3070

Analytical Software, poboxi30204.si paui.MNssm Inquiry 754.

The BASS System"

Why use up 8 meg and 640K just to run a data step on your PC? Now you can run your data step code and statistical procs with a system that tal<es oniy 1 meg and 400K (and costs oniy $399)! Free information:

BASS Institute, Inc.

P.O. Box 349, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 933-7096 or BB: (919) 968-6755 (N,8,1)

Inquiry 755.

INCREDIBLE OCR

A total solution to all your OCR needs. Recognizes many common lext typefaces, and can quichly learn most olfiers. Supports all the ma)or worcJ processors. Faster and more accurate than systems costing twice as much. Amazingly it works with virtually every brand of hand-held scanner, most full-page scanners, and all PC/fax boards. More (han 15,000 satisfied users.

All for only 5184.00 including shipping' 'International include S25 for airmail shipping Check, money order, VISA. MC, and COD accepled,

PAI OCR

611 Tucker Street, Raleigh, NC 27603 800-762-5542 FAX; 919-828-5196

Inquiry 744,

SOFTWARE/SCIENTIFIC

Chaos/Noniinear Dynamics

DYNAMICAL SOFTWARE I and II $250 / $350 Ordinai7 and Delay Differential Equation Solvers • Bifurcation Diagrams • Basin Boundaries • 2- and 3-D Plotting • Poincare Sections • Return Maps • Spectral Analysis.

Fractal Dimensions, Lyapunov Exponents CHAOS IN THE CLASSROOM Instructional Programs Maps and Bifurcations Si9,95 Fractals and Julia Sets S59,95

DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS, INC.

P.O. Box 35241. Tucson. AZ 85740. (602) 292-1962

Inquiry 745,

free catalog!

800-942-MATH

MicroMath Scientific Software

Inquiry 746,

SOFTWARE/SORT

OPT-TECH SORT/MERGE

Extremely fast Sor/Merge/Select utility. Run as an MSDOS command or CALL as a subroutine. Supports most languages and file types including Btrieve and dBASE. Unlimited file sizes, multiple keys and much more! MSDOS S149. OS/2, XENIX. UNIX S249.

(702) 588-3737 Opt-Tech Data Processing

P.O. Box 678 — Zephyr Cove. NV 89448

EZ-COPY PLUS™

The Ultimate Diskette Duphcaior for tfis PC >i3u already cwn! THIS IS SOFTWARE ONLY — nsfi Fiarflware usually not required! Great for putitishers. developers. MIS directors, etc 2X-!- faster tfien DOS, Read diskerte once, then. quicWy & accurately mass duplicate 5,25" & 3,5" disks on your own PC/XT/AT/eic, Formats. coDies, verifies, ootionally serializes & prints lahels. in 1 smooth operation. Save images to HD, more Replaces dedicated hardvrare wrtti Sl000s-On!y S129+ S&H.S

EZX Pub!., Box 58177-B0690, Webster, TX 77598

Orders (V/MC/AX) & Brochures: 1-800 • US EASY X INFO: 713/280-9900: BBS: 280-8180: FAX: 713/280-0525

Inquiry 750.

SOFTWARE/VOICE

MULTI-VOICE® TOOLS

Multi-MDice Tools is a complete development Toolkit for Pascal or ''C" to access all tfie features of the WATSON or DIALOGIC Speech Boards, It is also a fiigfi level library of procedures to build MULTI-LINE VOICE RESPONSE Systems in minutes, A powerful TELEPHONE ANSWERING program is given as an example witri source code,

DIALOGIC, RHETOREX, VBX S599, WATSON S99, Visa/MC

ITI Logiciel

1705 St. Joseph E, Suite 4, Montreal, PQ, Can. H2J INI (514) 861-5988

We can also write your Voice Response application programs.

Inquiry 751.

SPANISH EDUCATIONAL S/W

SPANISH EDUCATIONAL SOFT

Ry teacfiers. students and pa-^nts. Developed by teachers and programmers wlh years of expenence in educational software,

ARANDU ESCRflDfi CREATMD (2 sm95 Develop your ideas into a meaningful composition. An efficient toot for critica) ttiinking, paired with an easytouse vrord processor in ^Danish.

ARW)U LANGUAGE COOKTON (2 Vof) S4495 ARANDU MATH COUfCTlON (3 \b() S6495 ARANDU MAFH & PHYSICS SIMULATION COL (5 S219S5

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Please call for info/order ARANDU SOFT Tel: (305) 591-3239 722i NW 31 St., Miami, FL 33122 Fax: (305) 591-1940 800-627-3764 {305) 591-3105

Inquiry 752.

SPEECH SYNTHESIS

SPEECH SYNTHESIS CHIP

Want the most advanced phoneme synthesis chip available? One flexible enough to generate speech, music and sound effects., ,yet low cost and remarkably easy to use? The ARTIC-263 is all of this and more,, - a versatile, high-quality, phoneme-based, speech synthesizer circuit contained in a single, monolithic, 24-pin, CMOS integrated circuit.

Artie Technologies

55 Park Street. Troy, Mictiigan 48083 Phone: (313) 588-7370 FAX: (313| 588-2650

SOLO 3.0 from BMDP

Popular statistics and excellent graphics for the PC Quick and easy tc use. For business professionals, researchers, or students. From the leader in statistical software for over 25 years. Top-notch support. Satisfaction guaranteed! Si 99 complete with graphics. Call today. VISA or MC, BMDP Statistical Software, Inc.

1440 Sepuiveda Blvd., Suite 316. Los Angeles, CA 90025

(213) 479-7799

Inquiry 756.

Cover all the bases of design...

with Methodologist's ToolchestT a comprehensive package of five programs to aid in research design and analysis. Specifically, these programs offer assistance in sampling, data collection procedures, statistical analyses, experimental design, and measurement and scaling, S499,95 + s/h, VISA. MC. AMEX, PO, Checks accepted.

The Idea Works, Inc.

100 West Briarwood, Columbia, MO 65203 1-800-537-4866 FAX 314-445-4589

Outside USA 314-U5-4554

Inquiry 757.

Know where you're going?

You will—by using Statistical NavigatorT an expert system that helps you select the best statistic for a problem. Statistical Navigator suggests appropriate analyses and explains how each fits your needs. Version 1,1—S99,95^s/h, VISA, MC. AMEX, PO, Checks accepted.

The Idea Works, Inc.

100 West Briarwood, Columbia. MO 65203 1-800-537-4866 FAX 314-445-4589 Outside USA 314-445-4554

Inquiry 758.

NCSS 5.x Series — $125

Easy-to-use menus & spread sheet. Multiple regression. T-tests. ANOVA (up to 10 factors, rep. measures, covariance). Forecasting, Factor, cluster, & discriminant analysis. Nonparametrics. Cross Tabulation, Graphics: histograms, box, scatter, etc. Reads ASCII/Lotus. Many new add-on modules,

NOSS

865 East 400 North. Kaysville. UT 84037

Phone: 801-546-0445 Fax: 801-546-3907

Inquiry 747, 342 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Inquiry 753,

Inquiry 759,

The BUYER'S Mart

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

PC Compatible File System

All "C, very portable, rommable. Add floppy & Winchester support to embedded systems, or transfer data to-from pc floppies or partitions from your OS. Full, high quality implementation. High quality CD-ROM interface software available too.

etc bin systems

20 Higley St., Groton. MA 01450 (508) 448-9340

Inquiry 760.

UNINTERRUPTABLE POWER

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER

And Make It Last Longer

FREE money-saving lilerature. What you need 10 know about UPS—uninterruptible power supply. How to get complete protection from power line problems. 350VA through 15KVA models from the world's largest manufacturer of single-phase UPS.

Best Power Technology, Inc.

P.O. Box 280, Necedah, Wl 54646 (608) 565-7200 ext. 3855 TOLL FREE (800) 356-5794 ext. 3855 See our Ad on page 358.

Inquiry 761.

UTILITIES

COPY AT TO PC—BRIDGE-IT 3.5

■■CPYAT2PC" RELIABLY Miles 360KB floppies on 1.2 MB drives, saving a slot for a second hard disk or lape back-up. Only S79.00 + S/H "BRIDGE-IT 3.5" is a DEV:CE DRIVER supporting 3'^" 720KB/1.44MB drives for PC/XT/AT withou! upgrading DOS'BIOS. Only $39,00 + S/H BRIDGE-IT 3.5 BUNDLED WITH INTERNAL 1.44MB DRIVE AT S129.00 r S/H VISA^C/COD UPS B/R

MICROBRIDGE COMPUTERS

655 Sky Way Suite 220, San Carlos, CA 94070

1-415-593-8777(CA) 1.415-593-7675 (FAX) 1-514-845-0818 (CANADA) 1-800-523-8777 0908-260-1 ee (UK)

Inquiry 762.

UNIX under DOS !!! Get the Feel & Power of UNIX

Include awk, cb, cp, diff, ed, find, grep, fs, make, more, mv, rm, sed, sort & 17 others. All V.3 and BSD 4.3 options included. Thorough documentation.

THE BEBKELEY UTILITIES S125 order now 800-542-0938 price EFFECTIVE JULY 15 S200

OPENetwork

POWER TOOLS FOR POWER USERS 215 Berkeley PI. (B-2), Brooklyn, NY 11217

Inquiry 763.

Recover deleted files fast!

Disk Explorer now incljdes automatic life recovery. You type in trie deleted file s name. Disk Explorer finds and restores it. Disk Explorer also shows what's really on disk: view, change or create formats, change a file s status, change data in any sector MS-DOS S75 U S. Check/ Credit card welcome.

QUAID SOFTWARE LIMITED

45 Charles St. E. 3rd Fl. Toronto, Ontario, Canada lvl4Y 1S2 (416) 961-8243

COPYWRITE

CopyWrite Removes Copy Protection

No more diskettes, , ,^

manuals or US S'5

codewheels.

lOOO's of products copied.

QUAID SOFTWARE LIMITED

45 Charles St. E. 3rd Fl, Dept B. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1S2 (416) 961-8243 Fax (416) 961-6448

• UTILITIES

OS/TOOLS — THE MISSING LINK

PowertuI OS/2 command line utilities: —Quick Change Direaory —Text Search/Rep lace —File Locaie/Move/Update/Delete —Directory Delele/Rename/Sofl —Change Attributes/Date & Time Siamp —System Information —More

A must for OS/2 users. INTRODUCTORY OFFER! OS/2 S69. MS-DOS S39. ViSA/MC/Check. 30-day money back.

Frontline Software Group, Inc.

P.O. Box 257, Bolivar, MO 65613 (417) 326-6771

Inquiry 764.

Why You Want BATCOM!

BATCOM is a batch file compiler that transforms your ■ bat files to .exe files to make them faster BATCOM extends DOS vi'ith many new commands so you can read keyboard input, use subroutines, and much more. In addition, BATCOM protects your source code. No royalties! Only S59.95. Order today!

Wenham Software Company

5 Burley St.. Wenham, MA 01984 (508) 774-7036

Inquiry 765.

WORD PROCESSING

We can read 130 languages from Armenian to Zulu

Use SPOT OCR Software with an image scanner and your PC to read 130 foreign languages, typed pages, typeset material, magazines and books into standard text files. Flagstaff Engineering can provide any OCR solution. Call today to discuss your application!

Flagstaff Engineering

1120 Kaibab Lane, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

(602) 779-3341

MasterCa'O—Visa—Amer«an Express Accepted

Inquiry 766.

FARSI / GREEK / ARABIC / RUSSIAN

Hebrew, all European, Scandinavian, plus either Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali. Gujarati, Tamil, Thai. Korean, Viet, or IPA. Fullfeatured multi-language word processor supports on-screen foreign characters and NLQ printing with no hardware modifications. Includes Font Editor. S355 dot matrix; S150 add'l for laser; Si9 demo. S/H in U.S. inci'd. Req. PC, 640K, graphics. 30-day Guarantee. MC/VISA/AMEX

GAMMA PRODUCTIONS, INC.

710 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 609. Santa Monica, CA 90401 213/394-8622 Tlx: 5106008273 Gamma Pro SNM

Inquiry 767.

DuangJan

Bilingual word processor for English and: Armenian, Bengali, Burmese, Euro/Latin/African, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Khmer, Lao, Punjabi, Russian, Sinhalese, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Ukranian, Viet, ... Only S109-fS5 s/h (foreign + S12 s/h). Font editor included. For any IBM compatibles with dot-matrix & LaserJet printer. Demo S9-t-S1 s/h. Visa/MC

MegaChomp Company

3438 Cotlman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19149-1606 (215) 331-2748 FAX: f215) 331-4188

Inquiry 768.

YOUR SALES MESSAGE

about the special computer product or service that you provide belongs in print.

THE BUYER'S MART

can help you reach computer professionals and produce valuable inquiries for your company!

Call Brian Higgins for more information 603-924-3754

Inquiry 769.

Circle 368 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 369)

LIQUIDATORS

HiQh TMhnolQsy UqwiMttn la a Mvtsian «< Craftaman ESKtrenica. Inc.

FINAL CLEARANCE!

ZENITH ri

data 5\•stems

TurboSPORT 386 Portable Laptop Computer

ONLY $2,795

SUGGESTED RETAIL S8.499

80386 32-Bit Microprocessor 2MB RAM

640 X 400 Pixel Resolution 25 Liite by 80 Characters RGB Video Suport-Color Serial Port & ParaUel Port Battery & Adapter/Charger Real Time Qock & Calander MS-DOS 3.3 Operating System 3.5" 1.44 Floppy Disk Drive

80387 Math Coprocessor Socket 40MB, 28ms Intemal Hard Drive Intemal 2400 Baud Hayes Modem 12/6MHz (Switchable) Zero wait state

Operating Speed-Land Mark Test 16.9 MHz

"Page White" Flourescait BackJit LCD Screen

1 Year Full Warranty from Zenith Data Systems Nationwide

ORDER NOW & RECEIVE A NOVATEL Transportable Cellular Phone!

(Phone Activation Required) •FREE!! A Retail Value of $595,00 •Subject to Certain Special Terms & Conditions, Credit worthiness of Customer •Installation Not Included

800-336-8011 404-446-8541

M-F: 10 am to 6 pm SAT: 9 am to 6 pm SUN: 12 pm to 5 pm

6555 JIMMY CARTER BLVD. NORCROSS, GEORGIA 30071 DEPT, BYTE

Circle 357 on Reader Service Card

Circle 69 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 70)

AutoCAD® Users

YOU NEED THIS UTILITY!!! FastBreak™

FastBreak™ - Cookie-cut, hatch, 'break' and/or 'trim' thousands of AuioCAD'S> entities: 3DFACES, 3DP0LYLINES, 3DLINES. SOLIDS, TRACES, ARCS, CIRCLES, LINES, POLYLINES, exploded SURFACES, MESHES, and SB-CONSTRUCTION... and ALL within seconds in a single 'window' or 'crossing' point and pick.

YES! YES! YES! - 3DFACES. SOLIDS, TRACES, surfaces, splines, 3D-meshes, and any 2D or SD-construction can be broken and/or trimmed using FastBreak'"!!!

AutoCAD® will not break or trim 3DFACES and other 3D-consiruction.

FastBreak" can do the job - quickly, accurately, and reliably in anv UCS. The drawing shown is SrTE-3D.DWG with four enlarged insert clips added. All four inserts were made on a 386PC using FastBreak in less than two minutes!!!

ClipView™ - is integrated into FastBreak and performs Automatic clipping or trimming of the above entities to create inserts. Options include: Box or Bubble boundaries. Inside or Outside (makes a hole) trim, and borders.

FastBreak"* and ClipView^" are integrated into DOS executeable code, run interactively in AutoCAD shells from 256K. use fast block binary database, virtual memory paging, user friendly AutoLISF® interface, and perform FAST. FAST, FAST in any AutoCAD Re!. 9 through Rel 10-386.

FastBreak^" and ClipView^" are licensed in a single user package. Contact your dealer or buy direct (credit or money order, for UPS Next Day add S6. shpg. fee) from:

BZ Technical P.O.Box 10, Bothell,WA 98041 Phone: 206/258-1568 or FAX: 206/487-1357

Retail price: $399.^^ Demo: $25.**^

NOT Copy protected, NOT AutoLISP® encrypted, FULL documentation, technical support, 3.5 " and 5.25 " media.

"Quality software development located near the home of MICROSOFT® in Bothell's High Technology Corridor."

AutoCAD ancJ AutoLlSP are registered Ifademarks of Aiilodesn.lnc FislBreaV anfl OrpView sre tradBmarks of SZ Technical

VOICE MASTER KEY® SYSTEM II

VOICE RECOGNITION & SPEECH RESPONSE FOR IBM PC/XT/AT/386, PS/2, LAPTOPS, COMPATIBLES

VOICE MASTER KEY" ,

COWK WC

^ ^

FOR PRODUCTIVITY, PRESENTATIONS, SOFTWARE DESIGN, ENTERTAINMENT, LANGUAGE TRAINING, EDUCATION, MORESPEECH/SOUND RECORDING AND PLAYBACK. Desktop Audio sound editing allows you to create custom sound applications. Variable sample rate (to 20 KHz) and compression levels. A four-voice music synthesizer is included also! VOICE RECOGNITION TSR utility allows you to add voice command keyboard macros to your CAD, desktop publishing, word processing, spread sheet, or entertainment programs. Up to 64 voice commands in RAM at once--more from disk. HARDWARE SYSTEM contains built-in speaker with separate volume and tone controls, external speaker and headphone jacks. Enclosure made of sturdy vinyl-dad steel. Attaches to parallel printer port without affecting normal printer operation (U.S. Patent 4,812,847). Headset microphone, printer cable, 9 voit AC adapter (110 volt UL7CSA listed), and comprehensive user manual inc:uded.

QUALITY THROUGHOUT. MADE IN USA. ONLY $21 9.95 ORDER HOTLINE: (503) 342-1271 Mon-Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM PST

Visa/MasterCard, company checks, money orders, CCDs (with prior approval) accepted. Personal checks subject to 3 week shipping delay. Specify computer type when ordehng. Add 35 shipping charge for delivery in USA and Canada. Foreign inquiries contact Covox for C&F/CIF quotes. OEM configurations available.

30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE IF NOT COMPLETELY SATISF/ED.

CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE PRODUCT CATALOG

COVOX iNC.

675 Conger Street Eugene, Oregon 97402

TEL (503) 342-1271 FAX (503) 342-1283 BBS (503) 342-4135

dBASE Data Entry

E

T^'^WHlCfEkH 5 TERMINfll OP. LOy COST DflTfi EHTRV;

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6

DELETE

F3

F4

1

2

3

ENTER

F5

F6

SI

0

S2

SPACE

F7

F8

The TransTerm 5 is a work station data entry/display terminal for on-line shop floor data collection into PC/AT based systems. The unit is one of a family of such terminals which feature LC displays for operator prompting and data entry via a membrane keyboard or an optional barcode wand (Code 39). A multi-terminal polling controller (up to 250 stations) and a dBASE III-f compatible software package are also available. System costs below S300.00 per station. Call for info.

Options—backlighting lor display. RS-422 I/O. 20 Ma current loop I/O. cBASE !S a registered trademark of Asfiton-Tate. Inc.

CQiSPUTfPiVlSf.iNc

302 N. Winchester. Olathe, KS 66062 • 913-829-0600 • Fax 913-829-0810

300-9600bps MODEM $299

$95-2400bps ALL PRODUCTS...30 DAY FREE TRIAL

The SPEEDMODEM ™ is a knock out for value and performance. It features DYNAMIC IMPEDANCE STABILIZATION™, D/S^m, (patent pending). D/S Improves signal quality, assuring maximum speed and data integrity. DIS is renowned for superior performance wfiere other modems fail. All products are internal IBM cards, made In USA, 5 year warranty, you aren't totally satisfied, return within tiiirty days for full refund I DISIslT

' SPEEDMODEM300-9600-tps

• SPEEDMODEM+FAX-9600 ' FAX-9600fullfealuredhighspeedfaxcard

• 2400-4800-bps MNP-5 MODEM

• 2400-bpsMODEMwithSENDONLYFAX

• 2400-bps MODEM

no DIS

with DIS $299 $399 $299

$193 $169 $159

$119 $95

FREE$69EASYCOM™SOFTWAREwithmodeni

CompuCom Corporation

March 89 pi 02 BYTE MAGAZINE* "Real deaL.worked fine...quite a bargain"

CALL (408) 732-4500 (800) 228-6648

344 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 62 on Reader Service Card

Circle 57 on Reader Service Card

Circle 222 on Reader Service Card

Circle 1S2 on Reader Service Card

9-Track?

Just call us.

Think of us as your one-stop 9-Track shop. Whatever your PC and operating system, we've got you covered, even for Novell backup. Our software is powerful and easy to use; DEPOT 4.0 guides you through all its commands right on the screen. And to help you get the most from all our products, we offer the best customer support in the industry. So if you need complete 9-Track solutions, there's only one thing to do: call us. We'll send you a free demo disk just for calling.

1-80afO«1RAK

[XS OUeRLRtID Dflm

San Diego, CA

1 •800-729-8725 US & Can. • 1-619-571-5555 • FAX 1-619-571-0982

AT Portable Computer

Gas Plasma 286 „ ,^

, ^ 1%

• 286 12 MHz Clock Speed

• 1 Meg RAM Memory

• 360K "A" Drive

• 1.44 Meg "B" Drive ' ' '■'^^

• 20 Meg Hard Drive

• 1:1 Interleave Controller $1695 OR:

386 SX Gas Plasma Portable

Same as above except with 1.2

meg floppy and 40 meg hard drive $2195

We Pay Cash

For Your Harddrives!!! Working Or Not!!

H & W Micro Laboratories, Inc. 528-C Forest Parkway Forest Park, Georgia 30050 404-366-1600

Only your imagination limits how you benefit

from PERCON® keyless data collection.

Checking out books or checking in employees—input data quickly and accurately using bar codes or magnetic stripes. PERCON has proven bar code solutions for IBM^, DEC™, and Apple Macintosh®. Call 1-800-8-PERCON.

PERCON

2190 W. nth Avenue. Eugene. Oregon 97402-3503 (503)344-1189 FAX(503)344-1399

; 19 J9 Percon, Inc. PERCON, IBM, DEC and .\pple Macintosh are trademarks.

A COMPLETE 386 SYSTEM

WITH VGA COLOR AND 40 MB HARD DRIVE ;

. Intel 80386-16 Mhz CPU • 1 MB RAM Expandable to 8 MB . 40 MB Seagate Hard Drive . VGA Color Monitor (31) and 16-bit Card . 1.2 MB. Floppy . 1 serial, 1 parallel, 1 game port .101 Keyboard

. mini Tower case with power supply . 2 Year Warranty

Other systems with the same configuration: 286-12: SI.299 / 38'6-20: SI.799 / 386-25: S2.299 ; 386-33: S2,999 .^11 upgrade options are available

FCS 1

SPECIAL SALE

Mother Boards (Ok):

286-12

386-16 SX

386-20 DX

386-25/32K cache . . 386-33/32K cache . . 486

Drives:

ST 251-1 Hard Drive .

ST 225

1.2 Floppy

1.44 Floppy

$129 2400 Internal Modem S 79

S299 2400 External Modem S 99

S575 9600 FAX/Modem S289

S950 16-Bit VGA Card 1024x768 . . . .$115

$1,250 I/O Card (25,1P,1G) $23

CALL Panasonic 1180 printer S175

Panasonic 1124 Printer $285

MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 $65

$295 Case with power Supplies CALL

$195

$ 68 Prices Subject to changes without notice $ 72 Quantities are limited!

First Computer Systems, Inc.

3951 Pleasantdale Road, Suite 224, Atlanta, GA 30340 Tel. (404) 441-1911 Toll Free (800) 325-1911 Fax (404) 441-1856

Circle 233 on Reader Service Card

Circle 120 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 121)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 345

Circle 27 on Reader Service Card

AT BUS DESIGN

At last, here is the timing book for the XT and AT Bus. Detailed text, tables and diagrams tell you what each signal line is for, what it does and when it does it. All the information is compatible with the IEEE P996 Specification for the ISA (AT) Bus. In addition, the 8 and 16 bit parts of the EISA Bus are included. AT Bus Design, by Ed Solari, has over 2(X) pages, with more than 100 figures and tables. Handy 7" x 9" format soft cover, $69.95.

17017'Ih* We'll include a free copy of the ^ pocket-sized XT-AT Handbook by

Choisser and Foster with each AT Bus Design book if you tell us where you saw this ad. Of course, this $9.95 value is also available by itself. Or buy five or more for only $5.00 each.

800-462-1042

In California 619-271-9526

VtSA

Annabooks

12145 Alta Carmel Ct., Suite 250

San Diego, CA 92128 Money-back guarantee

DISC DRIVE REPAIR COUPON

SHIPPING YOUR DRIVE FOR REPAIR

Pack your drive carefully and well protected in a sturdy shipping box. Include with the shipnnent a note with your name, address, daytime telephone number and a brief description of the problem with the drive. If prepaying, allow $9 for shipping and insurance costs.

DATA RECOVERY ■ CALL FOR QUOTE

1 F9rm«tt«d Cud.

Flat Rate

SPECIAL

] 10-19 mb

$99

89.10

1 20-29 mb

$125

112.50

1 30-39 mb

$150

135.00

j 40-49 mb

$175

157.50

j 50-85 mb

$210

189.00

1 86-120 mb

$275

247.50

j 121-150 mb

$325

325.00

] 151-275 mb

$425

425.00

1 276-380 mb

$495

495.00

1 TEST & EVALUATION $25

FLOPPY REPAIRS 5.25" & 3.5" • $45 8"-$135 VAUD THROUGH 7/31/90

COUPON MUST BE SENT wrTH DRIVE

DISC DRIVES SALE - Unbeatable Prices

3.5" \Adth 5.25" frame, nevir, 35ms. Bare 1 year Vi^orrontY., auto park. Drive

PT338 32 1 mb MFM S249.,

PT351 42.8 mb. MFM 289.,

PT357 R 49.1 mb RLL 299..

PT376R 65.5 mb RLL 349.,

Bbit XT Kit

...S299..

339.,

359..

399..

16 Bit AT Kit

...S349

389

399

459

MACINTOSH SCSI SUBSYSTEMS HARD CARDS

HD/SCSI-20 S295 Refurb. New'

HD/SCSI-30 395 20mb/65ms $199 S265

HD/SCSI - 40 495 30mb/65mis 235 285

HD/SCSI-80 895 40mb/66mis 295 335

HD/SCSI-150 1195 48mb/36ms 365

THOUSANDS OF DISC DRIVES IN STOCK — We Feature Technical Support for Everything We Sell — We Specialize in Disc Drives — Ask for Our Brochure

jb

TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

5105 Maureen Lane Moorpark, CA 93021

Phone: 805/529-0908 Fax: 805/529-7712

SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS?

We want to help!

If

J. j you have a problem with your

BYTE subscription, write us with the details. We'll do our best to set it right. But we must have the

name, address, and zip of the subscription (new and old address, if

it's a change of address). If the problem involves a payment, be sure to include copies of the credit card

statement, or front and back of cancelled checks. Include a "business hours" phone number if possible.

BVTE Magazine

Subscriber Service P.O. Box 850 Peterborough, NH 03458-0850

346 B Y T E • JUNE 1990 Circle 158 on Reader Service Card

(DEALERS: 159)

MEMORY UPGRADES!

Circle 122 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 123)

FIRST

URCE

INTERNATIONAL, INC. I

WE ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS

I Barranca Parkway, Irvine, California92

OUTSIDE CA 1-800-535-5892

IBM PS/2

Models 30-286,50,50Z,60

512K Kit 30F5348 S76.50

2MB Kit 30F5360 $270.00

Models 70-E61/121

1MB 6450603 $125.00

Models 70-E61/121,50Z,55SX

2MB 6450604 S240.00

Model 70-A21

2MB 6450608 S250.00

Model 80-141

1MB 6450375 S265.50

Models 80-111/311

2MB 6450379 $359.00

All Models 70 and 80

0-8MB with 2MB

6450605 $575.00

Models 50,50Z,55SX & 60

2-8MB 1497259 $675.20

TOSHIBA

Models T8500,T5200

2MB PC10-PA8304V $399.00

Model T5100

2MB PC7-PA8301V $399.00

Model T3200SX

2MB PC12-PA8307V $399.00

Model T3200

3MB PC6-PA7137V $699.00

Model T3100

2MB PC3-PA7135e $439.00

Model 3100E

2MB PC9-PA8341V $399.00

Model T1600

2MB PC8-PA8302V $399.00

COMPAQ

Deskpro 236

512K Kit 113012-001 $70.00

Deskpro 288-E,386-20/20E/25,Portable 3

1MB 113131-001 $170.50

4MB 113132-001 $440.50

Portable 386

1 MB Kit 107651-001 $325.00

Deskpro 386-16

1MB Kit 108071-001 $250.00

4MB Kit 108072-001 $869.00

Deskpro 386S

1MB 113546-001 $195.00

4MB 112534-001 $495.00

Deskpro 386-33

2MB 115144-001 $320.00

Portable LTE 286

1MB 117081-001 $295.00

2MB 117081-002 $485.00

SLT-286

1MB 110235-001 $325.00

ALL Compaq boards also available!

Model Z248

2MB Z-605-1 $225.00

Models Z386-20/2S

1MB ZA3600ME $149.00

Model Z386-20

2MB ZA3600MG $275.00

Model Z386-33

1MB ZA3800ME $149.00

Super Sport 286

1MB 2A180-66 $199.00

4MB ZAl 80-67 $899.00

ZENITH

LASER PRINTERS

Hewlett-Packard LaserJet II & IID

1MB 33443B $169.00

2MB 33444B $279.00

4MB 33445B $459.00

Hewlett-Packard LaserJet IIP & III

1MB 33474A $169.00

2MB 33475A $279.00

4MB 33477A $459.00

IBM Laser 4019

1MB 1039136 $315.00

2MB 1039137 $449.00

3.5MB 1038675 $670.00

FBI stocks 1M & 4M memory boards for the Apple LaserWriter ll/NTX I

Premium 286

512KKit 500510-001 $70.00

Bravo-286,Workstation

512KKit 500510-010 $70.00

2MB Kit 500510-002 $180.00

Premium 386-16/20C

1MB Kit 500510-007 $95.00

4MB Kit 500510-008 $356.00

Premium 386-20

1MB Kit 500510-003 $175.00

4MB Kit 500510-004 $356.00

Bravo 386-SX

2MB Kit 500510-002 $180.00

4MB Kit 500510-008 $356.00

Premium 386-SX'25

1MB 500718-001 $175.00

Premium 386-33,486-25

1MB 500718-002 $175.00

SIMMS

Also available

IBM TYPE

ADD S10.00 FOR SIPPS 4Mx9-80 .$595.00

MX9-12 .

Mx9-10 .

Mx9-80 .

Mx9-70 . 256x9-12 . 256x9-10 . 256x9-80 . 256x9-60 .

.$80.00 .$82.00 . $86.00 .$95.00 .$25.00 .$30.00 .$35.00 ,$49.00

APPLE TYPE

AODSIO.OOFOB SIPPS MX8-12 ...$78.00

Mx8-10 Mx8-80 256x8-12 256x8-10 256x8-80

..$84.00 ..$94.00 ..$30.00 ..$36.00 ,.$38.00

DRAM

static column

DIP,ZIP,OR SOJ

IMG XI IMxl-10 ....$8.75 IMxl-80 ....$8.95 1Mxl-70 ....$9.00 lMxl-60 ..$CALL

256K X 4 256x4-10 ..$10.50 256x4-80 ..$11.00

256K X 1 256x1-12.... $2.40 256x1-10.... $2.80 256x1-80 ....$3.20 256x1-70 ....$3.45

64KX4 64KX4-10 ..,$4.00 64Kx4-80 ...$4.50

64KX1 64KX1-12 ....S1.49 64KX1-10 ...$1.59

WE ACCEPT PURCHASE ORDERS FROM UNIVERSITIES, QUALIFIED FIRMS AND GOV'T AGENCIES

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

✓ We accepi Mas-ercatO. Visa, AtJo i% on Amercan Express, C.O.D. Cash or CasHier check.

Year warranty on all products.

✓ 20% Restocking tee on non-deteaive returns & relusM orders. RMA» recjuired. returns without RMA# will be refused

irupoifig cnarges non-re'undab!e. Credit only after 15 days,

✓ PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE!

TOSHIBA TIOOO TIOOOSE TIOOO XE T1200 XE T 1600 286 20MB T 1600 286 40MB T3100E 286 40MB T3100 SX 40MB T3200 SX 40MB T5100 386 100MB T5200 386 40MB T5200 386 100MB

$599 SCALL SCALL SCALL S2749 S2999 S2595 S3595 S3749 S4299 $4549 $4945

LEADING EDGE

386SX with 20MB 386SX with 40MB

LAPTOPS

ZENITH LAPTOPS

Minisport 2MB RAM SCall

Supersport 184 $1199

Supersport 184-2 $1695.

Supersport 286 20MB $2499

Supersport 286 40MB $2699

386SX 40MB $3899

NEC LAPTOPS

Ultralite2MB $1695

Prospeed286 20MB $2469

Prospeed 286 40MB $2699

Prospeed 386 40MB $3589

PACKARD BELL 286-20 $ 1765

LAPTOPS

$2095 $2195

SHARP MZlOO $899

♦ 8088-lOMhz

* 640K RAM, 2 720K floppies

# CGA backlit screen

* Serial, parallel, battery SHAEP 4602 $1265

♦ Same as MZl 00 and more SHARP 4641 $1595

♦ 8088-lOMhz

♦ 40MB hard drive

* 3.5- 720K floppy drive

* 640x400 res backlrt screen

800-383-3199

orders only

714-898-8626

customer sen/ice/foreign orders

FAX: 714-891-1202

SHARP

Iaptobci

NOTEBOOK $CALL

♦ PC 6220: 286 with 20 MB & VGA

♦ 8,5-xll"xl.4--4lb

SHARP 386 Color VGA $CALL

* PC 8041 with 40MB SHARP 5541 $2395

* 286-40MB

♦ Back lit VGA screen

* 3.5- 1,44MB floppy

MITSUBISHI

FREE 2400 MODEM/CARRYING CASE

MP 286-210 2 FD S1399 MP 286-220 1 FD 20MB $1695 MP 286-240 1 FD, 40MB $2195

COMPAQ LAPTOPS

LIE 286 20MB $2250

LTE 286 40MB $3250

COMPAQ SLT 20MB $3598

COMPAQ SLT 40MB $3999

EPSON LAPTOPS

Epson 286E with 20MB $2495

Epson 286E with 40MB $2695

Epson 386SX $3999

INTEL COPROCESSORS $CALL

MEMORY ADD ON $CALL

HYUNDAI

Super LT3 286 with 20MB $1695 Super 386S SCcll

TEXAS INSTR.

Model 12 286 20MB S2395 Model 25 286 20MB $2395 Model 45 286 40MB S2495

MORE LAPTOPS

Samsung S2399 Peqot SCall Atari portfolio list $399SCall PSION SCall Bondwell 8200 2 iioppy= $795 BondwellSlO: 286 40MB S2099 LAPTOP ACCESSORIES $CALL AD 600-BT

T.P.C. TELEPHONE PRODUCT CENTER

^ FAX $299

SANYO

SF2U/SF5U $555/$959 SF515 SI 145

RICOH

RICOH RF850 S599

RICOH RF900 $699

RICOH RF920 S899

RICOH Fax 15 S999

RICOH Fax 25 SI 185

RICOH Fax 35 $1395

RICOH Fax 65 $1425

SHARP

SHARP FO 230 $639

SHARP FO 215 $675

SHARP FO 330 $699

SHARP FO 333 $799

SHARP FO 510 $949

SHARP UX 110 S499

SHARP UX 190 S739

FAX CARDS

Quadram JT 9600 $399 Zoltrix 9600 FAX + 2400 Modem card S299 Complete PC Fax board 9600 $399

EPSON FAX (lowest$)

w/cutterFlOOO $599 F200O/F300O $645/895

CANON FAX

CANON Fax 8 $499 CANON Fax 20 $699 CANON Fax 25 $935 CANON Fax 270 $1525 CANON Fax 350 $1795 PANASONIC

KXP 80 Portable Fax S549 KXF 120 $799 KXF220 $1058 PANAFAX UF 140 $699 PANAFAXUF150 $695 PANAFAX UF 250 $1199 PANAFAX UF 260 $1299

MURATA

Murata 1400 S645 Murata 900 $499 Murata F30 $1349 Guis 110/220V $498 Samsung 1010 $399

TOSHIBA

TOSHIBA 3200 $599 T3600 $745 T3750 $855 T.P.C. 12603 Hoover St., Garden Grove, CA 92641

Teims These aie [xe-paynienl pfce5 Disa We accepi Cashers Ctteck, weciiedtfof al sales are final Deleclive items r

over VISAMCCOD,2-9'i ReslockingM^. Slolencredl cards Prices subject to diaiige repared in warranty NO RETURNS

Circle 309 on Reader Service Card

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 347

J

Mail Order Electronics-Worldwide

I®

ameco

ELECTRONICS

24 Hour Order Hotline (415)592-8097

QUALITY PRODUCTS • COMPETITIVE PRICING • PROMPT DELIVERY

Intel Math Coprocessors

8088 or 8086 Systems 8087 5MHz $89.95

8087-2 8MHz $129.95 8087-1 10MHz $169.95

80286 Systems 80287 6MHz $139.95 80287-8 8MHz $209.95 80287-10 10MHz $239.95

80386 Systems 80387-16 16MHz $349.95 80387-20 20MHz $399.95 80387-25 25MHz $499.95 80387-33 33MHz $649.95

SIP Modules

41256A9A-80

80ns. 256Kx9

S54.95

41256A9A-10

100ns, 256Kx9

S44.95

4210OOA9A-70

70ns. 1 Mx9

$169.95

4210OOA9A-8O

80ns. 1 Mx9

$124.95

421000A9A-10

100ns. 1 Mx9

S116.95

94000L-80

80ns. 4 Mx9

S499.95

94000L-10

•00ns. 4 Mx9

$499.95

SIMM Modules

41256A9B-80

80ns. 256Kx9

$49.95

41256A9B-10

lOOns. 256Kx9

$39.95

421000A8B-10

100ns. 1 Mx8

$109.95

4210OOA9B-70

70ns. 1 Mx9

SI 69.95

421000A9B-80

80ns, 1 Mx9

S119.95

4210O0A9B-10

100ns. 1 Mx9

$113.95

94000S-80

80ns, 4 Mx9

$499.95

94000S-10

100ns. 4 yx9

S499.95

%<^-^

NEC V20 & V30 Chips

UPD70108-5

5MH2,V20Chip

S5.25

UPD70108-8

8MHz, V20Chip

$6.95

UPD70108-10

lOMHz. V20Chip

SI 0.95

UPD70116-8

eMHz, V30Chip

S7.95

UPD70116-10

lOMHz.VSOChip $13.49

Dynamic RAMs

TMS4416-12

120ns. 16Kx4

$2.75

TMS4416-15

150ns. 16Kx4

$2.49

4116-12

120ns. 16Kxl

$1.49

4116-15

150ns. 16Kxl

SI .09

4116-20

200ns. 16Kxl

S.89

4164-100

100ns. 64Kxl

S2.75

4164-120

120ns. 64Kxl

$2.39

4164-150

150ns.64Kxl

$2.15

4164-200

200ns. 64Kxl

SI.75

41256-60

50ns, 256Kxl

S5.25

41256-80

80ns. 256Kx1

S3.75

41256-100

100ns.256Kxl

S3.15

41256-120

120ns.256Kxl

S2.95

41256-150

150ns. 256Kxl

S2.59

41464-80

80ns, 64Kx4

$5.95

41464-10

100ns. 64Kx4

S4.95

41464-12

120ns. 64Kx4

S3.95

41464-15

150ns. 64Kx4

$3.59

511000P-70

70ns, 1 Mxl

SI 3.95

511000P-80

80ns, 1 Mxl

SI 2.95

511000P-10

100ns. 1 Mxl

SI 2.35

514256P-80

80ns, 256Kx4

$13.45

514256P-10

100ns.256Kx4

SI 2.95

Static RAMs

6116P-3 6264LP-10 6264LP-15 43256-1OL 43256-15L

150ns, 16Kxl(CM0S) S2.79 100ns,64Kxl (CMOS) S6.95 150ns,64Kxl (CMOS) S4.95 100ns, 256Kxl $10.95 150ns, 256KX1 S9.95

62256LP-15 150ns, 256Kxl (CMOSl$10.95

Niche Tel< 9600 Baud FAX Board

• 9600 Baud Communication Rate

• Unit will turn the computer on. send or receive FAX. then turn off

• Features: Multiple Telephone Directory, Scheduling System and Transaction Log

FAX96 $299.95

Jameco 8MB EMS RAM Expansion Card

• IBM PC/XT'AT CompatiDle

• Doubie-sided, double-density ■ Documentation included

MPF11 SMK 5

Disk Drive.

..$69.95 ...$14.95

A.R.T. EPROM Programmer

• Programs all current EPROMs in the 2716 to 27512 range plus the X2864 EEPROM • RS232 port for connection to computer (required) • Software included

EPP

.$179.95

Metex Digital Multimeters

General Specs:

• Handheld, high accuracy • AC DC voltage. AC, DC current, resistance, diodes, continuity, transistor hFE

• Manual ranging w overload protection

M3650, 36508 & M4650 only:

• Also measure frequency and capacitance M4650 only: • Data hold switch • 4,5 digit

M3610 3-5 Digit Multimeter $49.95

M3650 3 5 Digit Multimeter w Frequency S

Capaciiarce S69.95

M3650B Same as M3650 w Bargraph S74.95

M4650 4,5 Digit w/Frequency. Capacitance anfi

Data Hold Switch $99.95

• IBM AT/286 and compatible computers

• Capable of operating at a bus speed of 12MHz • Expandable up to 8MB us.ng 1 MB SIMM mocjules in increments of 2MB (zeroMB on-board) • Selectable configuration

JE1084 $199.95

Sony 3.5" 720KB Disk Drive

Jameco 12MHz 80286 Desktop Computer Kit

Fully IBM AT Compatible

Free! DR DOS (Disk Operating System)

Software Included

Free! QAPLUS Diagnostic Software Included! Free! WORDSTAR EASY Word Processing Software Included!

512KB RAM Included, Expandable to 4MB on board 8/12MHZ Keyboard Switchable Operation AMI BIOS ROMs Included Fliptop Case w/200 Watt Power Supply Teac 5.25" 1,2MB DSHD Disk Drive Parallel Printer Port, Serial (RS232) Port. Game Port • Fujitsu 101-Key (Enhanced) Keyboard

JE3008 12MHz 80286 Compatible Kit

Shown with EGA Option (not inciuded) JE1059 EGA Monitor and EGA Card....S459.95 (See Right)

$599.95

SEIKOSHA

A SEIKO GHOU? COMPANY

Selkosha Printers

9-Pin IBM Compatible Printer SP2000 $199.95

24-Pin High-Ouality IBM Compatible Printer SL90 $329.95

24-Pin Multi-Font Wide Carriage IBM Compatible Printer SL230 $499.95

9-Pin High Speed Wide Carriage Black & White / Color IBM Compatible Printer SK3005 $469.95

SCK2 Optional Kit a'lov/s Co o' °-irling on Itie SK3005 $149.95

Jameco 16MHz 80286 Motherboard

• Baby size motherboard

• Expandable to 1 MB RAM using 256KB DRAM chips or 4MB using 1 MB DRAM chips

• Additional 1 MB with 256KB DRAM SIPs or 4MB with 1MB DRAM SIPs for a total of 8MB

• Uses 100ns DRAMs . 8'16MHz hardware or keyboard

selectable operation

• AMI BIOS ROMs included

• 16MHz CMOS Harris CPU

• Supports all NEAT^ CHIPSet'" functions including shadow RAM. LIM EMS 4.0 RAM. re-mapping, selectable wait states, memory interleaving, etc...

• Size: 13' X 8.5"

JE3010 $299.95

Jameco 20MI-lz 80386 Motherboard

• Baby size motherboard

• Expandable to 2MB using 256KB SIPs. 8MB using 1 MB SIPs or 16MB using the optional JE3530 memory card

(Please note the minimum RAM expansion is 4 SIP Modules at a time)

• Uses 100ns SIPs

• Includes battery pack

• 8'20MHz keyboard selectable operation

• AMI BIOS ROMs included

. Shadow RAM for fast BIOS and video performance

• Adjustable bus speeds and wait stales

Battery-backed clock/calendar Five 16-bit and three 8-bit expansion bus slots

8 expansion slots - one 32-bit (for optional memory card), five 16-bit, and two 8-bit Size: 13" x 8.5"

$629.95

JE3520 20MHz 386 Baby Motherboard.. JE3530 8MB 32-bit Plug-in Memory Card for JE3520 (Zero MB RAM) $129.95

Partial Listing • Over 4000 Components and Accessories in Stock! • Call for Quantity Discounts

348 BYTE- JUNE 1990

J

Mail Order Electronics - Worldwide

I®

ameco

ELECTRONICS

Request Jameco's 1990 Catalog for a Complete Listing of Components, Test/Measurement Equipment and Computer Products

Jameco 20MHz 80386 Desktop Computer Kit

Fully IBM Compatible

Free! Concurrent 386 (Disk Operating System) Software Included

Free! QAPLUS Diagnostic Software Included! Free! WORDSTAR EASY Word Processing Software Included!

1MB RAM included, Expandable to 8MB on board. 16MB with optional expansion board 8/16/20MHZ Keyboard Switchable Operation AMI BIOS ROMs Included Fliptop Case w/200 Watt Power Supply MiniScribe 3.5" 40MB RLL Hard Disk Drive Teac 1.2MB Floppy DSHD Disk Drive Fujitsu 101-Key (Enhanced) Keyboard

Shown with VGA Option (not included) JE2059 Multtscan Monitor and VGA Card....S669.90 (See Below)

JE3550 20MHz 80386 Compatible Kit $1599.95

Jameco IBM PC/XT/AT Compatible Cards

JE1057

JE104 3 360KB/720KB/1.2MB/1.44MB Floppy Disk Controller Card (PC/XT/AT).. $49.95

JE1050 Monochrome Graphics Card w/Parallel Printer Port (PC/XT/AT) $49.95

JE1052 Color Graphics Card w/ Parallel Printer Port (PC/XT/AT) $49.95

JE1055 EGA Card w/ 256KB Video RAM (PC/XT/AT) $139.95

JE1057 8/16-Bit VGA Card w/ 256KB Video RAM (PC/XT/AT) $199.95

JE1060 I/O Card w/ Serial, Game, Printer Port & Real Time Clock (PC/XT)... $59.95

JE1062 RS232 Serial Half Card (PC/XT/AT) $29.95

JE1065 I/O Card w/ Serial, Game and Parallel Printer Port (AT) $59.95

JE1077 Multi I/O Card w/ 360KB/720KB/1.2MB/1.44MB Floppy Controller (AT).. $99.95

EGA, VGA & Multiscan Monitor Packages

Relisys 14" EGA monitor and EGA card package (720 X 350 max. resolution)

JE1059 EGA Monitor & EGA Card $459.95

Relisys 14" Multiscan monitor and 16-Bit VGA card

package (800 x 600 max. resolution)

J E2059 Multiscan Monitor & VGA Card $669.90

Relisys 14" VGA monitor and 16-Bit VGA card package (720 X 480 max. resolution)

JE2061 VGA Monitor & VGA Card $599.90

JE2061

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

IBM PC/XT/AT Compatible Keyboards

MEI 100-Key Microtype Keyboard

JE1030 JE2012

JE1010 Rp-TopSlandafflP&XTCasc $3955

JE1011 SliJeSlaixWP&XTCaM $3955

JE1030 i50«atiPOXTPow5(S(j(iciy $5955

JE1032 200 «attBab( AT Ptwer Supply $8955

JE1035 OTwati ATPonefSowiy $13955

JE2011 Vertca Case W300W Pwi. Supply $24955

JE2012 MrfVerticaiCasew.'200WPwr.Su[tiy$14955 JE2019 Flp-Tcs Baby AT Case $6955

Customer Service •Technical Assistance • Credit Department • All Other inquiries • (415)

FKB4700

JE2015

84-Key Standard AT Style Layout $59.95

FKB4700 101 -Key Enhanced Layout

with 12 Function Keys $69.95

• IBM PC/XT/AT/386 Compatible

• Saves an amazing 60% of the desk space used by equivalent standard keyboards

MIRU $129.95

Jameco Digitizer Tablet

• AutoCAD 10 template and fourbutton puck • Resolution: up to 1016 lines per inch • Accuracy: =.025" • Emulates three of the worlds most popular formats: Summagraphics MM, Summagraphics Bit Pad One, Calcomp 2000 • EEPROM allows custom configuration

JCAD Digitizer Tablet $199.95 Stylus Two Button Stylus ....$39.95

Logitech ScanMan Plus

Logitech Mice

MSER MBUS MPS2

Serial Mouse & MouseWare

Software.... $89.95

Mouse w/Bus Board & MouseWare Software $99.95

PS/2 Mouse & MouseWare Software $79.95

Modems

External Modems

1200C Datationics 1200 Baud $89.95 2400C Datatranics 2400 Baud $149.95 9600E Prometheus 9600 Baud $699.95

Internal Modems

1200B Jame<» 1200 Baud $49.95

2400B Jameco 2400 Baud $99.95

Modems listed atwve Include ProComm Software

IBM

Compatible Cases and Power Supplies

Floppy

Disk -. Jfc. : Drives

Mitsubishi

MF353B 3.5- 720KB Internal Drive $99.95

Toshiba

356KU 3.5- 1 44MB Internal Dnve .. $109.95

Teac

FD55B 5.25- 360KB Half HI $89.95

FD55G 5 25- 1.2MB Half Ht $99.95

MiniScribe Hard

Drives ^

MFM

M8425 20MB (68ms) S.S'HH $224.95

M8425XT 20MB (68ms) 3.5'HH (Kit) $269.95

M8425AT 20MB (68ms) 3.5-HH (K») $339.95

RLL

M8438 30MB (68ms) 3.5-HH $249.95 M8438XT 30MB (68ms) 3.5-HH (Kit) $299.95 M8438AT 30MB (68ms) 3.5-HH (KB) $389.95 M84 5 0 40MB (46ms) 3.5-HH $329.95 M8450XT 40MB (46ms) 3.5-HH (Kit) $369.95 M8450AT 40MB (46ms) 3.5-HH (KS) $429.95 (Kit) includes Hard Disk Dnve. Controller s Cables

Colorado Memory Systems 40MB Tape Back-Up

• IBM PC/XT/AT/386 Compatible • Back-up 40MB in 40 minutes • Back-up 60 to 120MB with extended tapes and data compression software • Includes 40MB tape cartridge

DJ10 40MB Tape Back Up $299.95

KE10 External Enclosure Kit $149.95

TB40 40MB Tape Cartridge $24.95

TB60 60MB Tape Cartridge $32.95

J

Mail Ofdei Eleclionics -Worldwide

I®

ameco

ELECTRONICS

1355 Shoreway Road, Belmont, OA 94002

24 Hour Order Hotline

(415) 592-8097

$50.00 Minimum Order

FAX'S (415) 592-2503 or (415) 595-2664

Telex 176043 - Ans. Back: Jameco Bimt

Data Sheets - 50c each

For a FREE 48-Page Flier send S2.00 to cover

Rrst Class Postage and Handling

1 1990 Jameco Electronics 6'90

CA Residents Add

6.25%. 6.75% or 7.25% Sales Tax Shipping - Add 5% plus Si.50 Insurance (May vary according to weight and shipping method)

Terms: Prices subject to change without notice. Items subject to availability and prior sale.

Complete list of lerms'warraniies is available upon request. IBM IS a r^islered trademark of Inlernational Business Machines

VISK

MMC

Please refer to Mail Key 1

when ordering

592-8097 • 7AM - 5PM P.S.T.

JUNE 1990 "BYTE 349

Personal ; Computers

Less Monitor CGA MGA Card

14- AMBER 14' 4-Color 14' 16-Color W/ T.1I W/ Ti« W/ Till MGA CGA EGA 720x348 640x200 640x350

12'WtiHe 14'VGA WXVGA

includKl 3'DoiPt 51D0IP! ,31DolPt

VGA

256 —

— Colors

W; Tilt

W.'Tilt

W. Trit

640x480

800x600

1024x768

16 Bit

16 Bit

16 Bit

256K

256K

512K

Personal ' Computers

Less Monitor CGA MGA Card

4- AMBER 14- 4-Cotor 14" 16^olor W. TrIt Wl Tit W/ Tilt MGA CGA EGA

720x348 640x200 640x350

included ^ 5' Dol PI 31 Dot Pi

12-White WVGA 14-XVGA

VGA 256 Colors

W. Ti« w; Tilt W; Tit

640x480 800x600 1024x768

IdBiI 16 Bit 16 Bl

256K 255K 512<

MONO

COLOR

VGA

unnci rncQroiDTtf^u

MUUtUUtoLinlr 1 \\jti

BASE

MONO

CGA

EGA

VGA

VGA

SYNC

88-12

1 / (1) 360K Roppy Drive

$3!/9

(498

$619

$809

$577

$898

$896

2 / (2) 360K Fk>ppy Drives

S469

$569

$639

$878

$689

$969

$1,068

12 MHZ

/ 004iD .ICllll C LjriJ 1 C> ^ / ^i£Mb,40MILb,MrM..i.o

$649

$749

S869

$1,058

$869

$1,149

$1,246

in 1 n-JUQ AUIW C DJ 1 T t' / .J.}Mb, 40MILO, nLL, J.d

S679

$779

$899

$1,068

S899

$1,179

$1,278

Z80-A 1

1 / (1)360K floppy Drive

$45*9

ssee

$719

$8ce

$719

$888

$1,096

1 MB RAM

2 / (2) 360K Floppy Drives

S569

$669

$789

S978

$789

$1,069

$1,168

10MHZ

20 / 22MB,45MILS,MFM.3.5'

S749

$849

$969

$1,156

$969

$1,249

$1,348

30 / 33MB, 45MILS, RLL, 3.5'

$779

$879

$999

$1,188

$999

$1,279

$1,378

286-12

1/(1)12MB Roppy Drrve

$699

$79e

$819

$1,131

$885

$1,198

$1,325

1MB RAM

20 / 45MILS,MFM,1-1,KL320

$899

$999

$1,119

$1,331

$1,065

$1,399

$1,525

1UMHZ

20 / 38MILS,MFM.M,ST125

$979

$1,079

$1,199

$1,411

$1,165

$1,479

$1,605

O-WAIT

30 / 38MILS,MFM,M,ST138

$1,039

$1,139

$1,259

$1,471

$1,225

$1,539

$1,665

Norton St-14

40/6OMILS,IDE.1-1,WD

$1,029

$1,129

$1,249

$1,461

$1,215

$1,529

$1,655

Speed-16Miz

40/38MILS,RLL,M.MS84S0

$1,079

$1,179

$1,299

$1,511

$1,265

$1,579

$1,705

Exp. to 4MB

40/20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONN£RE

$1,099

$1,199

$1,319

$1,531

$1,285

$1,599

$1,725

AWARD BIOS

65 /38MILS,RLL,1-1.PTI

$1,119

$1,219

$1,339

$1,551

$1,305

$1,619

$1,745

Dip DRAM

85 /20MILS,IDE,1-1,C0NN£R£

$1,269

$1,369

$1,489

$1,701

$1,455

$1,769

$1,895

EMS 4.0

120 / 20MILS,IDE.M.CONNER

$1,509

$1,609

$1,729

$1,941

51.695

$2,009

$2,135

200/16MILS.iDE,M.CONNER

$2,179

$2,279

$2,399

$2,611

S2.365

$2,679

$2,805

320 /16MILS.ES0I.MCDC

$2,979

$3,079

$3,199

$3,411

$3,165

$3,479

$3,605

286-16

1/ (1)12MB Roppy Drive

$799

sage

$1,019

$1,231

ffles

$1,298

$1,42S

1MB RAM

20/4SMILS.MFM.M.KL320

$1,019

$1,119

$1,239

$1,451

$1,205

$1,519

$1,645

16 MHZ

20/3eMILS,MFM,1-1,ST125

$1,069

$1,169

$1,289

$1,501

$1,255

$1,569

$1,695

o-WArr

30/3eMII,S,MFM.1.1,ST138

$1,139

$1,239

$1,359

$1,571

$1,325

$1,639

$1,765

Norton SMS

40/60MILS.IDE,M,WD

$1,129

$1,229

$1,349

$1,561

$1,315

$1,629

$1,755

Speed-22Mhz

40 / 38MILS.RLL,1-1 ,MS8450

$1,169

$1,269

$1,389

$1,601

$1,355

$1,669

$1,796

Exp. to 4MB

40 / 20MILS.IDE,1-1,CONNERS

$1,189

$1,289

$1,409

$1,621

$1,375

$1,689

$1,815

AMI BIOS

65/3«MILS,RLL.l-1,PTI

$1,209

$1,309

$1,429

$1,641

$1,395

$1,709

$1,835

SIM Modules

85 / 20MILS,IDE.M,CONNERE

$1,359

$1,459

$1,579

$1,791

$1,546

$1,859

$1,985

120 / 20MILS,IDE,M,CONNER

$1,599

$1,699

$1,619

$2,031

$1,785

$2,099

$2,225

200/16MILS,IOE,M.CONNER

$2,269

$2,369

$2,489

$2,701

$2,455

$2,769

$2,896

320/16MILS,ESDI.M,CDC

$3,079

$3,179

$3,299

$3,511

$3,265

$3,579

$3,705

286-20

1 / (1) 1.2MB Hoppy Drive

$899

ss9e

$1,119

$1,331

$i,oes

$1,388

$1,525

1MB RAM

20/45MILS,MFM.M,KL320

$1,119

$1,219

$1,339

$1,551

$1,306

$1,619

$1,745

20 MHZ

20/3eMILS.MFM,l-1,ST125

$1,169

$1,269

$1,389

$1,601

$1,355

$1,669

$1,796

O-WAIT

30/3eMILSMFM,l-1,ST138

$1,239

$1,339

$1,459

$1,671

$1,425

$1,739

$1,865

Nofton SI-22.5

40/60MILS.IDE,1-1,WD

$1,229

$1,329

$1,449

$1,661

$1,415

$1,729

$1,855

Speed-24Wiz

40 / 38MILS.RLL.M,MS8450

$1,269

$1,369

$1,489

$1,701

$1,455

$1,769

$1,895

Exp. to 4MB

40 / 20MILSIDE,t-1,CONNERS

$1,289

$1,389

$1,509

$1,721

$1,475

$1,789

$1,915

AMI BIOS

65/38MILS.RLL,M,PTI

$1,309

$1,409

$1,529

$1,741

$1,495

$1,809

$1,935

DIP DRAM

85 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNERS

$1,459

$1,559

$1,679

$1,891

$1,646

$1,959

$2,085

EMS 4.0

120 / 20MILS,IDE.M,CONNER

$1,699

$1,799

$1,919

S2.131

$1,385

$2,199

$2,326

Shadow RAM

200/16MILS,IOE,M,CONNER

$2,369

$2,469

$2,589

$2,801

$2,555

$2,869

$2,996

320/16MILS.ESDI.1-1,COC

$3,179

S3.279

$3,399

$3,611

S3.365

$3,679

$3,805

386SX

1 / (1) 12M8 floppy Drive

$999

si.oce

$1,219

$1,431

$t,18S

$1,498

$1,625

1MB RAM

20/45MILS,MFM,1-l,KL320

$1,219

$1,319

$1,439

$1,661

$1,405

$1,719

$1,845

16 MHZ

20/38MILS.MFM,1-1,ST125

$1,269

$1,369

$1,489

$1,701

$1,455

$1,769

$1,895

O-WAIT

30;38MILS.MFM,M,Sn38

$1,339

$1,439

$1,559

$1,771

$1,526

$1,839

$1,965

Norton SI-22.5

40/60MILS,IDE1-1,WD

$1,329

$1,429

$1,549

$1,761

$1,515

$1,329

$1,955

Speed'2SMh2

40 / 38MILS,RLL,M,MS8450

$1,369

$1,469

$1,589

$1,801

$1,555

$1,869

$1,995

Exp. toSMB

40 / 20MILS,IDE,M.CONNERE

$1,389

$1,489

$1,609

$1,821

$1,575

$1,889

$2,015

AMI BIOS

65/38MILS,RLL,M,PTI

$1,409

$1,509

$1,629

$1,641

$1,595

$1,909

$2,035

SIPP Modules

85 / 20MILS.IDE,1-1,C0NNERS

$1,559

$1,659

$1,779

$1,991

$1,745

$2,059

$2,165

EMS 4.0

I20 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNER

$1,799

$1,699

$2,019

$2,231

$1,985

$2,299

$2,425

Shadow RAM

200/16MILS.IDE.1-1,CONNER

$2,469

$2,569

$2,689

$2,901

$2,655

$2,969

$3,095

320/16MILS,ESDI,1-1,CDC

$3,279

$3,379

$3,499

$3,711

$3,465

$3,779

$3,905

350 BYTE- JUNE 1990

-Id

MODELyDESCRIPTION

BASE

MONO

CGA

EGA

MONO VGA

COLOR VGA

VGA

SYNC

386-20

1 / (I) 1.2MB Hcppy Drive

$1,299

$1,388

$1,519

$1,731

$1,486

$1,798

SI ,925

1MB RAM 20 MHZ

0-WA(T Norton SI-22.5 Speed-24Mhz Exp. to 6MB AMI BIOS SIPP Modules

EMS 4.0 Shadow RAM

20;45MILS.MFM,M.KL320

$1,529

$1,629

$1,749

$1,961

$1,715

$2,029

$2,155

20/3eMILSMFM.1-1,ST125

$1,579

$1,679

$1,799

$2,011

SI .765

$2,079

$£205

30/38MILS,MFM,M,ST138

$1,649

$1,749

$1,869

$2,0S1

$1,835

$£149

$2,275

4O;60MILS,IOE,l-1,WD

$1,639

$1,739

$1,859

$2,071

$1,625

$£139

$2,266

40 / 38MILS,RLL,l-1,MS8450

$1,689

$1,789

$1,909

S2,I21

$1,875

$£189

$2,315

40;20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNERJ

$1,709

$1,809

$1,929

$2,141

$1,895

$£209

$2,335

65/38MILS,RLLM,PTI

$1,719

$1,819

$1,939

$2,151

$1,905

$2,219

$2,345

85 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNER£

$1,869

$1,969

S2.089

$2,301

$2,055

$£369

$2,495

120 / 20MILS,IDE,M,CONNER

$2,109

$2,209

S2.329

$2,541

$2,295

$2,609

$2,735

200/16MILS,IOE,M,CONNER

$2,779

$a879

$£999

$3,211

$£965

$3,279

$3,405

320/16MILS,ESDI,1-1,CDC

$3,539

$3,689

$3,809

S4,021

$3,775

$4,089

$4,215

386-25

1 / (1) 12MB Hoppy Drive

$1,499

$1,588

$1,719

$1,831

$1,685

$1,988

$2,125

2MB RAM 2SMHZ

O-WAIT Naton SI-27 Speed-36Mhz Exp. to 8MB AMI BIOS SIPP Modules

EMS 4.0 Shad CM RAM

20/38MILS.MFM,1-1.ST125

$1,779

$1,379

$1,999

$2,211

$1,965

$£279

$2,405

30/3«MILSMFM,l-1,ST138

$1,849

$1,949

$2,069

$£281

$£035

$£349

$£475

40/60MILS,IDE,l-1,WD

$1,339

$1,939

$£059

$2,271

$£025

$2,339

$2,465

40;38MILS,RLL,M,MS8450

$1,889

$1,989

$2,109

$2,321

$£075

$2,389

$£515

40 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNERS

$1,909

$2,009

$2,129

$2,341

$£096

$2,409

$£535

65 / 38MILS,RLL.1-1.PTI

$1,919

$2,019

$2,139

$2,361

$2,105

$2,419

$2,545

85 / 20MILSIDE.1-1.CONNERS

$2,069

$2,169

$2,289

$£501

$2,255

$2,569

$2,695

120 / 20MILS.IDE.1-1.CONNER

$2,309

$a409

$2,529

$2,741

$2,495

$2,809

$2,935

200/16MILS.IDE.1-1.CONNER

$2,979

$3,079

$3,199

$3,411

$3,165

$3,479

S3,605

320/16MILS.ESDI.M.CDC

$3,789

$3,889

$4,009

$4,221

$3,975

$4,289

$4,415

386-25

1/ (1)12MB floppy Drive

$1,769

$1,868

$1,988

$2,201

$1,9S5

$2,268

$2,385

4MB RAM 25 MHZ

O-WAFT Naton SI-36 Speed-44Mh2 Exp. b 16MB

AMI BIOS SIMM

EMS 4.0 32K CACHE

20 / 38MILS.MFM,l-l,ST125

$2,039

$2,139

$2,269

$2,471

$2,225

$2,539

$2,665

30 / 38MILS.MFM.l-l.Sri38

$2,099

$2,199

$2,319

$2,531

$£285

S2.599

$2,725

40 / 60MILS,IDE,1-l,WD

$2,089

$2,189

$2,309

$2,521

$£275

$2,589

$2,715

40/38MILS,RLL,l-l.MS8450

$2,139

$2,239

$2,359

$2,571

$2,325

$2,639

$2,765

40 / 20MILS.IDE,1.1,CONNER£

$2,159

$2,259

$2,379

$2,591

$£345

$2,659

$2,785

65 / 38MILS.RLL.1-1.Pri

$2,179

$2,279

$2,399

$2,611

$£365

$2,679

$2,805

85 / 20MILS.IDE.1-1.CONNERE

$2,319

$2,419

$2,539

S£751

$2,505

$2,819

$2,945

120 / 20MILS,IDE,M,CONNER

$2,569

S2,E69

$2,789

$3,001

$2,755

$3,069

$3,195

200/16MILS,IDE,M,CONNER

$3,229

$3,329

Sj 449

$3,661

$3,415

$3,729

$3,855

320/16MILS,ESD1.1-1,COC

$4,039

$4,-39

$4 259

$4,471

$4,225

$4,539

$4,665

386-33

1 / (1) 1.2MB Roppy Drive

$2,719

$2,819

$2,938

53,151

$2,906

$3,219

S3,34S

4MB RAM 33 MHZ

O-WArr

Norton SI-44 Speed-56Mhz

Exp to sue

AMI BIOS

SIMM EMS 4.0 64K CACHE

20/38MILS,MFM,l-1,ST125

$2,989

$3 KS

$3,209

$3,421

$3,175

$3,469

$3,615

30/38MILS,MFM,1-1,Sri38

$3,049

$3.i4S

$3,269

$3,481

S3.235

$3,549

$3,675

40/60MILS,IDE,l-1,WD

$3,039

$3,139

$3,259

$3,471

$3,225

$3,539

$3,665

40 / 38MILS,RLL,l-1,MS8450

$3,069

$3,139

$3,309

$3,521

$3,275

$3,539

$3,715

40 / 20MILS,IDE,l-l,CONNER£

$3,1(»

$3,209

$3,329

$3,541

$3,296

$3,609

$3,735

65/38MILS,RLL,l-l,PTI

$3,129

S3.229

$3,349

$3,561

$3,315

$3,629

$3,755

S5/20MILS,IDE,1-I,CONNERS

$3,269

$3,369

$3,469

$3,701

$3,455

$3,769

$3,395

120 / 20MiLS,IDE.M.CONNER

$3,519

$3,619

$3,739

$3,951

$3,705

$4,019

K145

200/16MILS.IDE.1-1.CONNER

$4,179

$4,279

$4,399

$1,611

$4,365

$4,679

$4,805

320/16MILSESDI.1-1.COC

$4,989

$5,089

$5,209

$5,421

$5,175

$5,469

$5,615

486-25

1/(1) 1.2MB flcppy Drive

$4,619

$4,719

$4,838

(5,051

»«,80S

$5,119

$5,245

8MB RAM 25 MHZ

O-WArr

NCTlcn SI-44 Speed-117Mh2 Exp. fc 16MB AWARD BIOS DIP EMS 4.0

20 / 38MILS,MFM.1-l,ST125

$4,889

$4,969

$5,109

$5,321

$5,075

$5,389

$5,515

30/38MILS.MFM.1-1.ST138

$4,949

$5,049

$5,169

$5,381

$6,135

$5,449

$5,575

40 / 60MILS,IDE,l-l,WD

$4,939

$5,039

$5,159

$5,371

$5,125

$5,439

$5,565

40 / 38MILS.RLL.1-l,MS8450

S4.969

$5,069

$5,209

$5,421

$5,175

$5,489

$5,61 J

40 / 20MILS.IDE,1-1,CONNER£

$5,009

$5,109

$5,229

$5,441

$5,196

$5,509

$5,63;

65 / 38MILS.RLL,l-l,PTI

$5,029

$5,129

$5,249

$5,461

$5,215

$5,529

$5,65;

85 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,C0NNER£

$5,169

$5,269

$5,389

$5,601

$5,355

$5,669

$5,79;

120 / 20MILS,IDE,1-1,CONNER

$5,419

$5,519

$5,639

$5,851

$5,606

$5,919

$6,04;

200/16MILS,IDE1-1,CONNER

$6,079

$6,179

$6,299

$6,511

$6,265

$6,579

$6,70:

320/l6MILSESDI,1-l,COC

$6,889

$6,989

$7,109

$7,321

$7,075

$7,389

$7,51;

Dear Consumer,

We at NETWORK PC are here to serve you with the highest quaiit/ computer products money con buy. We strive to heip you purchase not just a computer system or component, but the RIGHT products for you. NETWORK PC gives you factory direct pricing over 300 different computer systems to choose from, toli free service and support, and the quality heip that you need. So I invite you to take a test drive and EXCEL into The FUTURE with an ever upgradable computer system. Give us a free call and we will listen to your needs, wants, wishes and we will deliver.

Sincerely yours, Stuart D, Howerter II President

§7Ei>.

EXCEL S8-12 Turbo Barehone Turbo Case. ISOW PS. M£. OK EXCEL 286XT lOMh: Barebone Case. I50W PS. Motherboard OK EXCEL 2S6-I2 l2Mh: Barebone .17" Case. 200W PS. E.xp.4MB. OK EXCEL 286-16 16Mh: Barebone .AT Case. 200W PS. E.xp.4MB. OK EXCEL 286-20 20Mh: Barebone .AT Case. 200W PS. Exp.4MB. OK EXCEL 386-SX 20Mh: Barebone .AT Case. 200W PS. Exp 2MB. OK EXCEL 386-20 20Mh: Barebone .AT Case. 200W PS. Exp.SMB, OK EXCEL 386-25 25Mh: Barebone .AT Case. 200W PS. E.rp.SMB. OK EXCEL 386-2SC 32K Cache .AT Case. 200W PS. Etpl6MB. OK EXCEL 3S6-33C 33Mh: Cache $1799 AT Case. 200W PS. Exp.SMB. OK EXCEL 486-25 25Mhi Barebone $349$ .AT Case. 200W PS. Exp.SMB. OK

$149 $Z09 $X95 $369 $449 $SZ9 $769 $819 JSW99

STANDARD FEATURES OF ALL EXCEL COMPUTERS

101 Key Tronic Keyboard EfO-Wait States 13- 8-Expanison Slots Gr (1) Serial Port ra- (1) Optional Serial <3- (1) Parallel Port cs" (1) Game Port

Battery Backup E' Real Time Clock

Coprocessor Support c? DR DOS 3.41

Eight In One

Integrated Software

Package E^ 10 Year Limited Warranty

Add $50.00 for: Mini Vertical Case Or Slim Line Case

Add $125 for: Full Vertical Case Add $1000 for: Gas Plazma Portable

CALL FOR LATEST MEMORY UPGRADE PRICING

8087-2

$119

8087-1

$159

80287

$IZ7

80287-8

$189

80287-10

$2X5

80387SX-I6

$3*7

80387-16

$319

80387-20

$349

80387-25

$449

80387-33

$585

ARCNEJ LAN CARD Twisted Pair. Coax Bits .ARC\'EJ ACTl\'E HUB S Port Huh

ARCNET PASSIVE HUB

4 Pori Hub

ETHERS ET LAN CARD

5 Bir XT/AT. NEIOOO ETHERNET LAN CARD 16 Bit AT. NEIOOO IBM 327X EMULATOR 3278179 XTiAT Wisofr^-are UNIX!XENDi'

4'port MULTI TERMINAL UNIX;XE.MX

6-porl MULTITERMISAL UNIXiXESIX

S-pori MULTITERM/SAL SETBO.ARD LAN .ADAPTER XTAT. 2.5\{e^abirsJU]I SETBO.ARD LaN ADAPTER 2J4 Megabits. Self Boot Opt

NETV. ORK OS b\ CBIS Inc. IBM LAN MS-NETNO\ELL Compatible Price per node. $XX9

$77 $X59 $18 $145 $169 $359 $109 $Z67 $375 $99 $1Z0

2861386 BOARDS

1.211.4MB Floppy Disk ComroUer Works mlh XTIAT. 2 - Drives <2) Floppy Drive Controller Works mlh Existing Controller 141 Floppy Drive Controller XT or AT. Internal or External .AT 110 Card SerialJ'arallel.Game Ports 2 Megabyte RAM 110 Card Extended MemSP.GPfP Ports,OK 2 J Megabyte R.AM Card. OK Extended Mem. With EMS 3-3 soft. EVEREX RAM 3000 EMS 4.0 3MB Expanded Memory Card, OK 2 Megabyte EEMS Ram Card. OK ^iia LIM 4.0 <S EE.MS Specification (41 Port .AT Serial Card <2) Populated & 12) Optional ill Fori High Speed GA\fE CARD Works great with Fast Compters

PC/XT BOARDS

12) Port Floppy Controller Controls 360K & 720K Drives t2) Internal (2) External Floppy Drive Controller XT Multi 110 Floppy Controller SerialJ'arallel.Gante.Clock Ports PdXT &40K RAM Card Expands up from 64 to S76K. OK $33 EK ERFX 2MB 4.0 EMS RAM Card Upio 2MB. UM 4.0. OK PCIXT Clock Card Balierx Backup W/Softv^'are POXt ClocklSerial Card Battery Backup WIRS-232 Port 12) Port CAME Card PCIXT Half Card 12) Port G.AMEICLOCK Card Battery Backup with Software P.AR.ALLEL PRINTER PORT Set to LPTI or LPT2 RS-232 SERI.AL 12) For, Card (I) Populated &. Ill Optional

MISCELLANOUS

KEY TRONIC 101 KEYBOARD $59 GENIUS GMF303 1000 DPI Mouse $59 GENIUS GM6000 3-Button Moitse $39 EXCEL SUPER JOYSTICK $19 COMPLTER TOOL KIT $l^ MT-Sl Printer 130cpsJ0 NLQ $149 FOR LOW PRICES ON ALL CABLES CALL

I2Mhz XT Motherboard 640KI1MB. OK. SI-4.9 lOMhz 286XT Motherboard IMBShadowDiskcachcOK 286-l2Mhz Motherboatd Upto 4MB. EMS 4.0 2S6-16Mhz Motherboard Upto 4MB on system board 2S6-20Mhz Motherboard Upto 4MB, C & T Chipset 386-SX 16Mhz Motherboard Upto 8MB, C & T Chipset 3S6-20l25Mhz Motherboard Upto SMB. CAT Chipset 386-25C 25Mhz 32K Cacfe$X309 Upto 16MB on molherboara 386-33C 33Mhz 64K Cac/:c$I709 Upto 8MB on Motherboard

$79 $IZ9 $199 $Z95 $345 $395 $7«9

MONITORS

$110 $Z19 $3Z9 $119 $375 $419

GRAPHIC BOARDS

EXCEL 14" FLAT SCREEN Amber Mono witilt swivel base SAMTRON 14~ CGA COLOR 640x200. 16 color. TTL wITilt SAMTRON 14" EGA COLOR 640.X350. 64 color. TTL wITih IMTEC 12" VGA MONO 720x480. paper white. wITih 3Lyn.x Intellisync 2A 800x600. .28DI. Color.wltili 3Lynx Intellisync 1024x768. JIDtSvnc. witilt

MONOGRAPHICS WIPRINTER MG.A. Hercules Compatible COLOR GRAPHICS WIPRINTER Ca.A. IBM Color Standard VGA GRAPHICS ADAPTER 8 or I6bit. 256K. S00.x600 $139 ENHANCED VGA GRAPHICS CARD 8 or I6hit. 5I2K. 1024x768 $199

$Z9 $35

1200 BAUD INTERNAL ^At%W 5 Yr Warranty, 12001300 Baud »^'| 2400 BAUD INTERNAL ^nat

5 Yr Warranty, 240011200 Baud ' '"I 2400 BAUD EXTERNAL «ool 5 Yr Warranty, 240011200 Baud 480012400 BAUD FAXIMODEMbl'Kam Internal.l Yr Warranty 9600 BAUD INTERNAL $459l 5 Yr Warranty. 96001480012400 I 960012400 BAUD FAXIMODEM $Z99| Internal. I Yry^'arranly

1.4 MB Floppy Drive 3-112"

1.2 MB Floppy Drive S-II4"

720K Floppy Drive 3-112"

360K Floppy Drive 5-112"

$89 $89 $69 $69 $275

SALES-800-873-9235

ORDER24 HOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK

SERVICE - 800-666-3440

VISA, MC Money orders and cashiers checks welcome. Company or persona! checks, please allow two weeks. Corporate and Instituiional PO's are welcome. Dealers or VAR's please call. All Shipping. Handling and Insurance costs are exciuded. .Ml Products cam' a 1 yr limited warranty parts and labor ex-factor>'. All Sales DiviaonOfWAAIncorporated.5020N-W.39rhStreet.UncolnNebfaska68524 '^N^^ ^ ^'"^i- Defective items will be replaced at our discretion. Re

-.ncnn-niroT,(-7/1 i^AJi nnvf.ii it. ADrr,ryir^\ ^-!r> ■37-7/1 ^""15 are not excepted wiihout a RMA number. All Items returned

CREDITDEPl(4O2)470-3446-FAXNUMBER(4O2)47Qr2179 must be in orignaf packaging. Prices, terms and information in

NETWORK PC FACTORYOUTL£nOCATEDAT48TH&0$TREET, LINCOLN NEBRASKA 685W ihis advertisement are subject to change without notice.

Circle 209 on Reader Service Card

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 351

PC-LabCard

Compact & Rugged Chassis for PC-Bus Node Computer

PCXX-205

• Passive backplane with 5 AT slots

• Built-in 65 watt power supply

• Supports one 3-5" or 5.25" floppy drive

• Supports one 3.5" hard disk

• Built-in 8 ohm speaker and cooling fan

• Dimensions 4.76" ^ 15.85" ^ 9-7'

• Low cost and easv-to-use

For Your Catalog Call 408-293-6786

A

RAM/ROM Disk Card for "Diskless" PC

PCL-790

• Replaces mechanical disk drive by solid-state disk

• Interchangeable SRAM or EPROM memory module

• Supports up to 4 cards in a single PC with power-on autoboot capability

• Ideal for high speed, heavy duty access and high reliability applications

Advantech

ISA & Canada; San Jose.C^ Tel: -iOS-29?-()'8(J Fav -iOS-29,i-i69Europe & .^ia; Taipei. Taiwan Advantech Tel: 8S6-:-qiSH^(r fix: qiS-iSbd

All-in-One 80286-12MHz CPU Card

PC.V6125

• I2MHz 80286 microprocessor

• Socketed for 80287 math coprocessor

• Popular AMI BIOS assures compatibility

■ L'p to 4 Mb flexible memory configuration

• Built-in HD/FD interface

• Supports 2 serial/1 parallel ports

• MSI CMOS for low power consumption

For Your Catalog Call 408-293-6786

A

Circle 24 on Reader Service Card

Circle 24 on Reader Service Card

Circle 24 on Reader Service Card

EZ-WRITER"

(E)EPROM MULTIPROGRAMMER®

Best Portable (E)EPR Programmer Money Can Buy.

Stand-alone Remote Control 40-pin Micro Option All models with 40 char. LCD GANG SET {E)EPROM Option RAM expandable to 16 Megabit Model KF, with Parallel Port for fast Up/Download Universal (E)EPROM Support including 40-Pin Devices Model K3.'C3. easy 3 key Operation Data !0" Compatibility features

11-800-523-1565

In Florida (407) 994-3520 Fax: (407) 994-3615 ' CA (408) 437-2414 ic5-;-< :■ ^ATA ! 0 CD-x-a:r

VIDEO FRAME GRABBERS

MODEL RESOLUTION

HRT 256-4 256 x 256 x 4 495 HRT 256-8 256 x 256 x 8 795 HRT 512-8 512 x 512 x 8 995 HRT 512-24 512 x 512 x 24 1995

- IBM PC/XT/AT COMPATIBLE

- DIGITALIZE IN REAL TIME

- COMPOSITE VIDEO IN

■ 24 BIT RGB OUT except model HRT 256-4 16 level gray scale out

- SOFTWARE LIBRARY OF IMAGE ANALYSIS ROUTINES

- FREE SOFTWARE UPGRADES TO REGISTERED OWNERS

- FULL CREDIT ON UPGRADE PURCHASE IN FIRST YEAR RETURN OLD BOARD AND JUST PAY DIFFERENCE

HRT

PHONE 416-497-6493

HIGH RES TECHNOLOGIES P.O. BOX 76 LEWISTON. N.Y 14092 FAX 416-457-1988

$120 to repair a hard disk failure!

That same S120 could have paid for breakdown insurance on a basic computer system for an entire year. Insurance against hard disk failures and any other losses. Now SAFEWARE FIX:IT provides insurance for mechanical breakdown, (wear and tear) as well as external losses (theft, fire, power surges, natural disasters and more). All in a single policy, for as little as S100. per year Call free for full information.

ri-800-822-2345

Local 1-614-262-0708

Fax 614-262-1714

SAFEWARE, The Insurance Agency Inc.

2929 N. High Street P.O. Box 02211 Columbus. OH 43202

Not Available in All States

Circle 47 on Reader Service Card

Circle 146 on Reader Senice Card

Circle 273 on Reader Sen-ice Card

DATA ACQUISITION

ALL needs ! ANY computer!

• PC Software Included • Serial, Modem, & Bus • Stand Alone Ability • Laptop & IHandlield . PC & MAC Cards ^ ^ • Inexpensive . OEM & VAR • RTU's

Call for FREE DEMO DISK I

I Specialists in portable and battery backed up I as well as PC compatible modular systems.

Call for applications info: (201) 299-1615

P.O. Box 246: Morris Plains, NJ 07950

ELEYOR

Great Connections!

Tell us the make and model of your computer and peripheral and we will guarantee a cable that works. N-E-D CABLE also stocks standard cables for IBM and Apple as well as switch boxes, gender changers, adaptors, Atlas modems, and related items.

N-E-D Cable

14 Kendrick Road, Unit 3 Wareham Industrial Park Wareham, MA 02571 Tel: (508) 291-2880 Fax: (508) 291-2882

W^9 TRACK TAPE SYSTEM

FOR IBM PC/XT/AT & PS-2

• Mainframe to PC Data Transfer

• High Speed Backup

• All Software. Complete System

• Service and Support, easy Installation

call (818) 343-6505 or write to: CONTECH Computer Corp.

P.O. Box 153 TaRana. CA 91356

Circle 106 on Reader Service Card

Circle 217 on Reader Service Card

Circle 66 on Reader Service Card

Circle 280 on Reader Service Card

Scottsdole Systems

-Since 1980

1-800-777-2369

COMPUTERS SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS

386SX SI655

386-33 MHz S3925

Ctioice of Full Size Deskiop Case ot Fuii Size Tower Case Each Scotlsdaie Macnine Has a i Year Warrants on Parts 8 Labor via Overnighi Service on Warranieed Producis

Altos W/Xenix SAVE

WYSE 386 25 MHz WYSE 286

YearWarraniy S3920 MDGei2-'2 S128-1 WYSE386 16MH; 2214 ?/0Ge2"e 1351 MATH CO-PROCESSORS CALL

TERMINALS/MONITORS

WYSE TERMINALS

30G A-w Keyboaro S299 WY-50 G A w Keyboard 377 WY-60G W A-w Keyboard 405 WY 99 GTA w KeyDoar 468

WY-150GW.A-W Keyboard 367

WY-2l2GW-w.keyboatci.. . .1489

WY Height Adjustable Arm 95

QUME OVT 101 PlusG.AW OVT 119 Plus G A W QVT 203 Plus G AW OVT PCT G A W

S316

443

MONITORS NEC2A3D S499 549

NEC-:D5D S11602385 Miisubishi Diamond Scan 528 Seiko 1440 615 Sony 1303 1302 S577 649

Hitachi Super Scan S1999 Phillips 20" HiRes 2059 WYSE MONITORS

IBM TERMINALS

IBM 3 Year Warranty CALL UnkMCS 405

WY 530 G A

WY 550 AW . .

WY650

WY 700 . .

IMTEC ImTec 1270 U70

ImTec1430 144V

ImTec 1432M

ACER

l-J" Multiscan

14"VGA 640x480. Id" Amber norglare . .

S169 179

459 695

. 348 293 425

S438 349

Authorized Service for WYSE LEASING AVAILABLE iNTERNATIONALORDERS WELCOME

lOLINE

ASD LP 3500 ASD LP 3700 LP-3700-S . . . LP-4000-1 LP-4000-6

Vinyl Cutting Machines Blades i Hoi Tips

S2339 2889 3129 3579 3935 CALL CALL

HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS

iTig Mkr , S982 DMP52 52 2425 2866

DMP6162 2941 3895

DMP61 Dl 3743 DMP62DL 4737 ENTER

SPSOS S599 CALCOMP

10231025 S3715 4519

1043DM 104;! 58598739 5902 5902A 3819 4275

DM52224 11.919

HEWLETT PACKARD CALL

OPTICAL SCANNER & SOFTV/ARE Da;a Cooy CALL Panasonic RS-505 506 S1037 1315 Microtek CALL AMT

AMI ACCEL 500 lr-te;'s-P c: S1699

PLOTTERS

Roland DESKTOP PLOTTERS

Year Warranty

DXY-11D0 S914

DXY 1200 Electrostatic

Paper Hold 1339

DXY-1300 Electrostatic Paper Ho!d 1759 Roland DRAFTING PLOTTERS

■ Year Warranty GRX-300AR . S3229

GRX 400 AR . . . 3890

Roland FLATBED PLOTTERS

1 Year Warranty DPX-2000 8 Pen w Stand DPX-2200 8PenwS!ana

Paper Hold

DPX-2500 Pen or Pencil

w Stand

DPX-3300 8 penwSianc DPX-3500 PGn or Pencil wSiano , ,

Roland THERMAL PLOTTERS

LTX-420 SI 0.495

LTX-320 7499 LTX-120 ... 2246

Roland CAMM MACHINES Sortvvare & Accessories CALL Authorized Service for Rolland Plotters ard Camm Machines

SI 989

3859

CALL

3329

CALL

KURTA

Lifetime lAfarraniy On Kuns ISIS-1 12x12 Cordless4-t)unon Cjrsor pen stylus and interface kit . . S<

IS-1 12x17 Cordless 4-buiion Cursor pen stylus and niertace t

CALCOMP CalComp23120. i2ii Cai ComD9-00Series Cai Como 9600 Senes

DIGITIZERS

SUMMAGRAPHICS

S365 CALL CALL

Cai Corns Wiz 155

Liteume Limned Warranty

i2xi2Summasketchll S355

i2i:i8Professional 620

HITACHI CALL

GENIUS TABLET

i2«i2 Puck. Stylus and Sofiware 3 Year Warranty on Table; S299

Call for pricing on larger digitizers

PRINTERS

Alps Allegro S345

Aips324E 735

Amt Accel 500 1299

Canon BJ-130E 725 Panasonic 1191 237

Panasonic "130 185

OkrdaiaAiiMooeis CALL

OTC All Models CALL

Genicom All Models CALL

Toshiba All Models CALL

Citizen All Models CALL

D-conix150P300P CALL

NECP-2200 315

NECP-5200 505

NEC P-5300 559 NEC LC-S90 3159

Authorized Service For

TriMQtrix'

BOARDS

Genoa Intel CALL

Veriicom All Models CALL

BOCA CALL

Cobra All Models CALL

Paradise VGA Plus S289

Paradise Proi 495

Control Systems NEC CALL

Number Nine Laicomp CALL

MODEM MULTITECH SYSTEMS

models SAVE

U S Robotics a 1 models . . SAVE

N O V E L L

ARCNET

'Coax Sianopoiogy Si 12

■16 61! Coax 360

TIARA ETHERNET

■LancardEPCS-Bit 215

TIARA ARCNET

■-ancarc A PC 91

SYNOPTICS

■2500 25-0 WorkgrOuO CALL

S265

S895 1095

LASER PRINTERS

QUME APPLE i ;BM S3199 H.P LASER II . . . 1699 PANASONIC 3440 1199 PANASONIC 4450 3935CANON LPB-Bl-i SI 795

LPB-4 S959 PACIFIC DATA

25 in 1 .

Plotter pnaCar,ricQe

IOMEGA

Bemouill Box B-120-1 21, 4 MB Internal 144-1 44 MB Internal .

Prices do noi include interlace ALLOY Alloy IMP 2 S IMP 8 Cards . .S Multiware 386 S 286 Versions \ Retriever 60 or 200 E

POWER PROTECTION Datashieic an moaeis S Safe Po^.ver Syste-ns aii moce's \ ^nopLiIe ail mooes .... E

TAPE BACKUPS Emerald Systems all models S Genoa all models ... \ Irwin all models E HARD DRIVES CDC IMPRIMIS

72 MB thru 600 M3 CALL Maxtor CALL

SOFTWARE

CAD SOFTWARE

DESIGN CAD . ... S220

EZCAD 139

TURBO CAD . 69 MULTI USER

SCO Xenix 386 . S510

Concurrent DOS 335 lO User . 310

All software sales are final. Call Service on

Printers. Terminals. Monitors, Computers

Scottsdale Systems • 1555 W. University Dr., Tempe, AZ 85281

'. Prices iisiec are tor casn Discove-y MasterCara ana V^sa ado i 6"-: AZ res'ce'-ts acc 6-'2-; tax acc5-;:o'COD acc5":'G-=' -t; "■^'.l^V warranty Returned products suojec; to 20'^ restituting tee and m new condition in origmai oackagemg. with an warranty cares ma:^„s = a'z : not guarantee comoaiability Personal and company checks take uD to 5 days !o dear Prrces and specifications subject to chanoe ^-zz^z''

602-966-8609 SERVICES (Mon - Fri) 602-731-4742

= c'oers ■.veicome Ai: .■terns are -ew witn manufacturer s" No credit issued after 30 days from date o* shipment. We do r availability an aooiicabie trademarks recognized and on fih

FAX 602-966-8634

Compu$ave International

National Orders (800)544-8302 Arizona Orders (602)968-2939 FAX (602)921-9860

DRIVES

Alloy Call

Archive VP-60E 830

Archive VP-150E ....1150

Imprimis 182 Mb 1340

Imprimis 350 Mb 1645

Imprimis 702 Mb ....2295

Miniscribe 3180 1099

Mteubishi Worm Call

Moutain 4440 555

Panasonic Worm Call

Plus HardCard 20 510

Plus HardCard 40 576

Quantum Proi 501 840

Praim. Iomega. Rodime. Storage Dimensions.

Others Call

BOARDS

A1istXJ10.'16 1914

Boca VGA 640 130

Calcomp Save

Genoa Call

Intel Aboveboardt.... 460 Intel Inboard 386 PC 375

Metheus 1128 1899

Orchid Pro Design ...250 STB VGA EM 512K. 220 Tecmar Classic 512 ..505 Video7VRAM512k 465 ATI. Alloy. Arfst. Number Nine.S Others Call

COMPUTERS

AcerSX 1410

Acer20Mhz 2220

Acer25Mhz 3005

Acer 25/4 3530

Acer33Mhz 4050

ALR 286/40 1295

Altos Save

AST Call

Everex Save

Hyundai WorWST Call

Mitsubishi Call

NecProSpeed Call

Packard Bell Save

RacorWorttST Call

Sharp 4602 1540

Samsung AT 870

Samsung 386 2200

Tl LT286/12 Call

Tl LT286,'45 Call

Toshiba Laptops Call

Wyse2108 665

Wyse 321641 Call

Other Models Call

CD-ROMS

Hitachi CDR360 565

Hitachi COR1503S-605

NEC PORT35 420

NEC CDR-77 560

NEC CDR-80 490

Toshiba Ext 805

MONITORS

Amdek732VGA 425

Amdek738 570

AST Turbovision 1645

Goldstar 1420 335

Goldstar 1430 345

Hitachi All Call

Imtek MulSscan 425

Magnovox14' VGA 395

Mitsubishi 1381A 505

Mitsubishi 1429 410

Mitsubishi HL 6605 1205 Mitsubishi HL 6905 2025

Nanao 9070S 995

NEC Multisync II 610

NEC Multisync 2A.,.. 485 NEC Multisync 3D .^.650 NEC MulSsync4D. 1205 NEC Multisync 5D_ 2420 NEC Multisync XL. 1915

PGS Ultra 16 885

PGS UltraSynch 500

Phillips Call

Samsung 14" EGA. 375

Seiko 1440 590

Seiko 2050 2095

Sigma Laser All Call

Sony 1304 680

Sony 1320 505

TaxanlOOO Ultra ...2445 Zenith 1492 645

DIGITIZERS

Calcomp 12x12 375

Calcomp 36x48 Call

GTC012X12 325

Hitachi Call

HP Call

Kurta 12x12 380

Kurta 1512x17 616

Numonics Save

Scriptel Call

Sleko3503 285

Summa Sketch II 285

Summa12x 18 625

Other sizes are available. Call for current pridngl SCANNERS CaleraTrueScanS2015 CaleraScan IX-12...185

Datacopy 730 1099

Datacopy 730GS 819

Dataa)py830 1695

DPI Handy Scanner.250

Logltec Call

Mitsubishi MS200 725

Panasonic RS307U1050 Panasonic RS505U. 795 Panasonic RS506U1055 SPECIALS

Computone Call

Zenith 1490 Stands ...S5 Mirus Call

Address: Compu$ave International - 4209 S. 37th Street - Dept B6 - Phoenix, AZ 85949 . Order lines open: Mon. - Fri. 7 am - 5 pm.

Prices reflect U.S. currency cash discounts and are subject to change without notice. We do not guarantee compatibility nor do we l-ecommend. Please call or FAX before ordering. Major credit cards are accepted. All products carry manufacturer's warranty only. We do not honor rebates, extended guarantees or promotional programs. International Orders add 5%. "

Circle 344 on Reader Service Card

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 353

TM

'"gives you all the C language routines you need to write an impressive scientific graphing program of your own. Highly recommended.*" - PC Magazine

sinCy]*cos[x-y]

IBM® PC (with source code) $395

Circle 277 on Reader Service Card

Macintosh® (no source code) $295

Circle 278 on Reader Service Card

Licensed for personal use only

DEC® VT100/102/52 & Tektronix® 4010/4014/4105 Terminal Emulator for IBM® PCs

'Hts ease of use, high resolution graphics, emulation, and price make it a more attractive purchase than the other products.*" - MINI-MICRO Systems Only $150 until 3/1/90 $195 thereafter

Circle 279 on Reader Service Card

*Full reprints on request

Scientific Endeavors

508 North Kentucky Street Kingston, IN 37763 USA (615)376-4146 FAX:(615) 376-1571

Intelligent Solutions

NetWare. DOS, OS/2 & Xenix

SCSI

CONTROLLERS FOR ISA & MCA

Novell tested under NetWare 286

Use with NetWare 286 or 386

Use any size SCSI disk drive

Handle large SCSI hard drives and erasable opticals

Phone: (216) 234-6387 FAX: (216) 234-2233

The SCSI Professionals 6801 ENGLE ROAD, CLEVELAND, OH 44130

aUIHOBIIto

TESTED AND APPROVED

NetWare Compatible

Circle 240 on Reader Service Card

SAIVIE DAY SHIPPING

R & R Electronics

6050-X, McDonough Drive, Norcross. GA 30093

(404) 368-1777 • Fax (404) 368-9659

Prices su

bject to change without notice

SIMMs add $2 for SIPP

1 lMx9-80

$82 256Kx9-80

$28 1

1 lMx9-100

$80 256Kx9-100

$26 1

1 lMx8-80

$74 PS/2

Call 1

1 lMx8-100

$70 lMx9-70

$85 1

D-RAMS

256K-70

$3.00 64x1-10

$1.80

256K-80

$2.50 64x4-100

$3.50

256K-100

$2.25 256x4-80

S8.75

256K-120

S2.10 lMxl-100

$8.25

256K-150

$2.00 lMxl-80

S8.50

MATH CO-PROCESSORS

8087

$ 89 80387-SX

$299

8087-2

$115 80387-16

$310

8087-1

$165 80387-20

$355

80287-8

$185 80387-25

$450

80287-10

$210 80387-33

$550

80287-12

$285 80287-6

$135

& 1

80€-736-3644 |

Circle 265 on Reader Service Card

. Intel 8052AH-BASIC CPU

• PROM programmer

9 Now requires 5V.Supply only

• Enhanced memory mapping: Supports 2K-64K devices

to a total of 128K.

Still only $228.00 QTY 1 Call Now! (603) 469-3232

inquire about our PKD5T 8051-8052 proHuci development kit tor the IBM PCAT/AT; S395, and 8051/8052 BASIC compiler: $295.

Binary Technology, Inc.

COMPLETE 68000 ENGINE

ONLY $295

Your PC and an EPROM programmer are the only development system required. On board Ftirtii development language m\\ also launch C applications.

8MHz 68000 • -I-5V only power up req. • up to 128K RAM & 256K ROM onboard

VESTA TECHNOLOGY, INC.»7100 W 44tti Ave.»Su!te 101

Wheatndge, CO 80033 • (303)422-8088 • VISA & MC

Circle 328 on Reader Service Card

SCHEMATIC TO PCLAYOUT $500 INCLUDES AUTO ROUTER ^

EZ-ROUTE Version II Irom AMS for IBM PC. PS/2 and Compalibles is an integrated CAE System wnicn supports 256 layers, trace widtti from 0 001 incti to 0.255 inch, flexible grid, Sf^O components and outputs on Penplotters as well as Pfioto plotters and printers

Scnematic Capture SIOO. PCB Layout S250. Auto Router S250.

FREE EVALUATION PACKAGE 30 DAYS MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

1-800-972-3733 or |305j 975-9515

ADVANCED MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEMS. INC.

1321 N.W. 65 Place - Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309

Circle 33 on Reader Service Card

A MUST for Compute

VmFLE

The Ideal Keyboard coven

Protect your computer and eliminate downtime caused by liquid spills, contaminants, environmental hazards, etc. with VIZIFLEX SEELS ■ the only keyboard cover that:

• Remains securely in-place during the operation of the keyboard and will not interfere with computer performance in anyway.

• IS designed to "form-flt" to the exact contours of the keyboard to provide superior tactile sensitivity & feel for individual keys.

• consists of UltraflexTM material, a transparent, flexible "film" which allows all "markings" to be clearly visible.

VIZIFLEX SEELS are the only keyboard covers for your computer!

V

llzIllFlLlElxl ISlElElL

Si. I 1 iNlC

16 E- Lafayette St., Hackensack, Nj 07501

12O1M87-8080

354 BYTE' JUNE 1990

Circle 330 on Reader Service Card

@ COMPUTER DISCOUNT WAREHOUSE" S

Mountain

MOUNTAIN 4440 Internal

MOUNTAIN 4440 External

MOUNTAIN 150M Fiiesafe

MOUNTAIN 300 Meg External.. MOUNTAIN 2.2 Gigabyte

557.75

...1398.39

IRWIN 145C 40MB Internal IRWIN 2080 80MB Internal ..

IHWIN 445 AT 40MB External

IRWIN 745SP 40MB Extern^

IRWIN 785SP BOMB External

IRWIN 485A 80MB External AT....

IRWIN 6451E 250MB External

IRWIN 787SP 120MB External

II^WIM

...S339.94

442.70

.472.27

499.98

567.05

538.64

....1077.86 592.77

WHY PAY RETAIL?

CDWSeUs

For Less

AND SERVICES YOU BETTER

CDWs TOTAL SOLUTION

SAMSUNG S-3000VE • 10 MHz • 640K

SEAGATE 20MB Harrd Drive w/Controller SAMSUNG Amber Monitor Monochrome Graphic Card CDW Price

PACKAGE

#1

$880.00

PACKARD BELL 686

• Enhanced Keyboard • DOS 3.3

• 285/12MHz MiCToprocessor • 640K SEAGATE 40MB Hard Drive w/Controiler PACKARD BELL VGA Card PACKARD BELL 8541 VGA Montor

CDW~ Price

PACKAGE

#2

$1395.00

HARDWARE, SOFTWARE & PERIPHERALS AT DISCOUNT PRICES

SAMSUNG

S-3000VE. 4.77 10 MHz

S-550 ATComp., 8/12MH2

S-550. 20 Meg. SD700SX

SAMSUNG PC TerminalL/286

S-630 - 286

...S499.11 885.64 .1198.80

.1263.21 835.60

...693.50

PACKARD BBl

PB 686V 12MHz....

PB286.20MegLaplcp

PB286- 40MegVGA Laptop_ PB 38525-...

-179955 -CALL

..-251920

FORCE 386SX. 16MHz 1273.70

FORCE 386SX. 40 Meg 1595.13

TOSHIBA

T-1000SB'XE CALL T5200.40 Meg TOSHIBA

TtSOO CDW T3100e.40Me(!.,.,PRICES!

T1200XE 286 FOR T5200. 100 Meg ALL

T5100,100Meg...THE T3100SX MODELS

T1200,20 Meg LATEST T3200SX AVAILABLE

WYSE

MDL3216 NEW MDL2116 S1027.20

MDL 3225 PRICE

comPAa

286. MDL 1 $1549.95 386S84 $3280.40

286E. MDL1 1899.50 3S6,25MH2.McJ300....8177S9

386-iOE. 100Meg4911.22 386-20E. 40 Meg ...4298.12

386$. MDL 1 2324.49 LTE Laptops CALL

386-25E CALL

■ !IJ.«jJ,»J.I'l:^'lj!r.l:V

1MB Module CPQ ■ 386.386S. 20E SI 65.66

4MB Module CPQ - 386. 386S. 20E 564.50

1MB Exp. Bd. ■ 386S. 20E 221.86

4MB Exp. Bd. ■ 386S. 20E 621.70

2MB Upgrade LaserJet II.' IID 279.36

1MB Upgrade LaserJet IIP ' 111 219.65

2MB Upgrade LaserJet IIP Ill 299.13

4MB Upgrade LaserJet II / IID 521.87

Toshiba Laptop Memory CALL

IBM Personal System II Memory CALL

WYSE TERMINALS ;

DOT MATRIX & LASER PRINTERS

B>sot>r

LX810 CAa LQ510 ALL EPSON

LQ850 CDW"" LCS50 MODELS

FX850 FOR BEST LQ1050 READY

FX1050 PRICE LQ2550 TO SHIP

LQ1010 EVER CALL FOR ACCESSORIES

CDW" stocks all cut sheet feeders and ribbons.

NEC

P2200XE .S344.65 P5300 S685.63

P5200 509.12 LC290 2822.60

CALL FOR ACCESSORIES LC890XL CALL

BllgSIf^lES; by KODAK

1 SOP /300 S339.75 418.17

TOSHIBA

Expre£Swrrter311 CDW 321SL ALL MODELS

ExpresswTlter301 HAS 341SL INSTOCK

351SX ALLTOSHIBA PageLaser6

brother

M-1809 S363.63 M-1909 S457.10

M-1824L 482.95 M-1924L 599.65

HL.8e 1699.90 HLaPS Postscnot 288320

OKIDA1A

ML182Turbo S234.48 ML321 S479.28

ML172 199S5 ML390 475.96

ML3S0 299^5 ML391 639.48

LASER 400 930.00 ML 393 995.90

ML320 329.68 ML393Ckilor 1067.60

Panasonic

1124 S304.49 1592 S409.44

1695 CALL 1191 232.12

1180 193.95 1624 445.32

NOVELL NETWORKING

SOFTWARE STARTER KITS

Entry-Level 286 Staner Krt. 4 Users CALL

Entry-Level 286 Starter Kit. 8 Users FOR BEST

NOVELL Netware 386 NOVELL

NOVELL 286 Advanced Netware V 2.15 PRICING

NOVELL SFT Netvffire V 2.15 ALITHORIZED

NOVELL Netware Assurance SALES & SERVICE

INTERFACE CARDS

3COM ETHERLINK S375.45

ARCNET PC110 LANboard PS/2 343.75

ARCNET PCI 30 LANboard 146.27

ARCNET PCI 3CE LANcoard 165.50

ARCNET SMC 16-Bit File Server Board 369.41

ARCNET SMC16-BS Workstation Board 276.15

ETHERNET Interface Connector (NE1000) 189.25

G-NET Interlace Card wCable... 298.52

NOVELL NE2000 226.40

THOMAS CONRAD 15 Port Hub 699.25

THOMAS CONRAD 8 Pon Hub. 378.65

rr

WYSE 50.'60 Amber or Green...

WYSE 85 7 30 Amber

WYSE 99GT

WYSE 150...

...5373.40/300.16

375.90/294.10

394.82 272.45

IHEWLETT PACKARD

H-P LaserJet Model IID $2497.95

H-P Deskjet PtoH-P Laserjet IIP 679.33'1034.07

H-P Laserjet III ..IN STOCK H-P Deskwrfler 819.22

H-P Paintjet CALL H-P Painljet XL CALL

PACIFIC DATA

PACIFIC DATA 25 in 1 Cartridge S27286

PACIFIC DATA Postscnpt Cartridge 478.60

PACIFIC DATA Ptotter in a Cartridge 247.50

PACIFIC DATA 1 Meg Upgrade for LaserJet II 193.39

PACIFIC DATA1 Meg lor 2P/III 223.94

PACIFIC DATA Headliner 268.28

■ l.'..dB=!.M=l.t.-t:lrf.lj:t.M=(.-W.!=U^

Intel

2400 Internal $149.75 2400 External S176.94

2400B MNP 197.72 2400 External MNP..224.11

PRACTICAL PERIPHERALS

2400MNPInt $169.11 2400 Int S128.88

2400SAMNP 191.22 2400SA 172.97

HAYES

1200 External $278.60 2400B Internal $224.45

1200Blntemal 163.20 2400 PS/2 345.40

2400 External 338.84

OMUntiGS

Courier 1200 S189.60 1200 External $129.10

Ccu-er 2400 279.60 2400B 199.70

1200B 108.45 14,400 HST 586.75

Dual 14.400 HST...952.65

MEGAHERTZ CORPORATION

2400 for ZENITH..S167.10 2400fcrCOMPftaaT.S2S980 2400 for NEC 225.88 2400 for TOSHIBA ...167.10

■:llAJJ:l'J=H.i;<IIJ«.4ll:M3

INTEL Above Board Plus 512K

INTEL Inboard 386 PC

INTEL Visual Edge

INTEL Connection Co-processor...

...5385.68

514.60

448.39

495.67

HITACHI 36000650

NEC External/ Internal 559.10 499.55

NEC XT ; AT/PS^ 138.93

TOSHIBA CD-ROM Externa 79959

TOSHIBA CD-ROM PS2 External 1069.12

1023 $3593.40 12x12...

1043DM 5825.15 12x18

1025 4544.06 36 x 48

...S368.12 719.10 ...3236.15

1212IS1 S349.06 36 x 48 $2891.53

12x17 499.35 4 Button Cursor 75.00

IQCiliCH

Scanman PC / Scanman PS2 .$177.89 / $214.50

INTEL 8087-2 119.90 INTEL 8087-3 95.20

INTEL 80287-6 137.30 INTEL 80287-8 206.55

INTEL 80287-10 ...223.55 INTEL 80387-15...337.60 INTEL 80387-20 ...390.65 INTEL 80387-25...478.92 INTEL 80387.SX...299.82 INTEL 80387-33...575.20 INTEL 80C287.A ..268.50

■ ■ I :Uli =t-m J IJ ■>* 1 :l ■ IcM

, $409.29 627.29

1025.00

1658.92

...998.65/1299.10 ...1990.25/992.80

1619.40

...676.75

Trarkman

93.00

Swnmadachkit'

.=^ijmm= HIP X 19 S*U.40

<^]mma I11? X 18

$5.99.50

HEWLETT PACKARD

HP7575A CALL

HP7475A 1389.89

HP7550A 2926.56

HP7570ALOWEST PRICE HP7576-EXL CALL HP SCANJET-....1086.66

HOUSTON' INSraUMENT

HI DMP-52 DMP-52MP HI DMP-61DL DMP62DL Image Maker/Jetpro

CONNER 40 Meg llOMeg

CONNER 200 Meg

IOMEGA 20t20 External 8

IOMEGA B144l'B144X

IOMEGA B244X/B120X

IOMEGA B220X. External 5.25".

PLUS II80 Meg Hard Card

PLUS DEVELOPMENT 20 Mea 40 Meg $498.44 567.8

STORAGE DIMENSION ALL IJfODELS CALL

SYSGEN 5.25" External Floppy 225.25

WELTEC 5.25" External Floppy 207.77

AMERICAN

AME-1200VX $764.45 AME-520ES $377.48

AME-330XT 257.72 AME-800RT 599.19

AME-150AT 321.82 AME-600LS 449.19

^DataShield

500 Watt $555.05 SS700t S887.90

800 Wan 628.56 1200 Watt %2.75

S100 59.55 S Outlet Surge 27.85

Durant Technologies, Inc.

BPS-300 $314.00 BPS-550 S429.11

BPS-500 399.38 BPS-1200 738.82

BPS-800 648.30

^^^^

^Seagate

ST225Kit20Meg...S25958 SEAGATE409680...$559.95

ST238K]t30Meg 269.32 SEAGATE ST-25M ,317.20

ST4383E 329 MB 1588.10 ST4766E 676 MB...2452.40

ST4182E 160 MB..998.44 ST1126A 111 MB 710.68

ST1162A 143 MB..919.44 ST2383A 338 MB...1864.40

MlCROPnUS

1335 70 Meg S589.40 1355 142 Meg $998.40

1375153Meg 1230.85 1 558 338Meg 1512.52

BC-450 S298.50 4 Outlet $44.25

BC-1200 649.55 LC-1200 158.85

BC-2000 1179.80 LC-1800 196.80

■ I I I I I I I II I M

A-B Switching Box /AB X Box) 539.95/ 44.95

INTELLICONJ Long Unk 119.70

KENSINGTON Masterpiece/Plus 99.99/123.40

KEVTRONICS 5151 IBM or ATST 133.95

KEyTRONlCS 1C1 94.95

5IHGEN. Logical Connectjcr 256K/512K ._447.72 / 51436

Electronk: 4. Way Swrtchbox 99.85

Electronk: 4 to 2 Parallel Box 109.65

XT Power Supply 150 Watt 59.00

CcrTT*6Fax9eC0_S399S0 SHrWR3215230333_CALL JT-Fax9600 52755 CW Fax Mart« CALL

WORDPERFECTS.! 5.25"or3.5" $256.39

ALDUS Pagemaker 487.75

ASHTON "fATE dBase WhI dBase IV 424.00 / 436.30

ASHTON TATE Multlmate Advantage 4.0 288.12

LOTUS 1-2-3 5/25"/3.5" V2.2 349.12

LOTUS 1-2-3 V,3 LOTUS Kelvork 3,0,-415.00 511.20

BORLAND Paradox 3.0 453.64

BORLAND Ouauro / Ouattro Pro 94.52 / 255.60

BORLAND Sidekick Plus 131.25

5TH GENERATION Logkal Con.5.12 514.36

MICROSOFT Excel 299.04

MICROSOFT Windows 386 129.05

MICROSOFT Word V5 214.77

LAN Spool / LAN Space 265.10 /319.00

MERIDIAN Carbcn Copy 119.37

PROCOMM Plus 52.12

SYMANTEC Q8A 227.60

SOFTOARE PUB, Har^/ard Graphics 299.71

XEROX Ventura Software Version 2.0 510.00

■! t.i; t.» ■ J.U.I ' r .1.' lb f .1 tm

CDIV" Cotor / Mono Cards w/P $84.00 / 79.00

HERCULES"" Color / Mono Cards w/P ..146.14 /179.84

AMDEK 410A /1280 149.99 / 679.78

COMPAQ Mono / VGA Mono 167.00 / 209.95

IBM PS 2 8503 209.95

IBM PS 2 8512 / 8513 459.40/545.20

SA.MSUNG 12" Amber 84.10

PACKARD BELL 1472 14" Amber or White 115.35

PGS MAX 12E / MAX 15 139.40 / 258.20

PACKARD BELL 12" Green or Amber 89.95

SAMSUNG RGB Cclor 219.36

MAGNAVOX RGB Color 247.05

VGA & EGA MONITORS

COMPAQ VGA Montor S499.68

MAGNAVOX 943EGA 317.40

MAGNAVOX 9CM062 372.52

MITSUBISHI 1410 360.50

MITSUBISH11381 Diamond Scan 499.80

NEC MuSsvnc 40 5D 1099.36 2189.75

NEC Multisync XL 19-Inch 1778.40

NEC Multisync 2A / Multisync 3D 494.85 / 599.85

PACKARD BELL 8541 V<3A 319.20

PACKARD BELL 8531 369.70

PGS Ultrasync12 469.56

PGS Ull-asvnc 1 i -6 499.66 • 859.77

SAMSUNG VGA .31mm 392.50

SAMSUNG CT4581 Multisync 456.30

SONY Multiscan 1302 /1304 619.95 / 660.52

ZENITH Z-1492 594.80

VGA & EGA DISPLAY CARDS

ATI VGA Wonder 256 / 512 $262.98 / 327.84

GENOA 6100 144.76

GENOA 5300 / 6600 15756 / 309.85

HERCULES VGA Card 199.00

PARADISE -CS-- 272.10

PARADISE VGA / VGA ■» 16 168.70 / 204.30

PARADISE Auto Switch EGA 480 98.70

VIDE07 10241 27210

VIDE07 VRAM VGA 5t2K 456.25

VIDEO 7 Vega Deluxe 187.05

CAD MONITORS & CARDS

M.TS'JBISHI 6905. 19-lnch $2063.90

MrrSUBISHI 6605 CALL

MITSUBISHI 3905ADK 1798.80

SIGMA Lasennew 1687.18

VERMONT Cobra 2777.75

METHEUS 1104 919.80

LOGITECH C9 Serial /P&2

S99.95

LOGITECH BUS

94.99

MICROSOFT Mouse (Bus Verskin)

109.34

MICROSOFT Mouse (Senal Version)

117.25

MICROSOFT Mouse wAWndows

138.37

MOUSE SYSTEMS (Serial Version)

99.55

MOUSE SYSTEMS (Bus Version)

108.77

MOST ORDERS RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M. C.D.T. SHIP SAME DAY

HIGH VOLUME BIDS INVITED

2840 MARIA, NORTHBROOK.IL 60062 FAX (708) 291-1737

PC Maqazine says..."You may find a better deal here than anywhere else."

WHY WAIT? CALL COMPUTER DISCOUNT WAREHOUSE

WE SELL NAME BRAND ITEMS FOR LESS!

CDW-EXTENDED HOURS

Sates 7a)-7aOCDTMo.>m 9fl(M30CDTSal Tech Support 9«>5«) CDT Moofii

(SJV(800) 233-4426

In Illinois FAX I S^Slno, I

^^V^^^^™ ^ ^ sjbmlned until 11 J

time of shipmeni.

NOW! MMC

D60

HEWEEK

IE M B E Rl

Slrie 58 on Reader Service Card

In Illinois (708)498-1426

FAX

(708)291-1737

Apply tor the CDWT Credit Card

Circle 323 on Reader Service Card

YOUK I.e. SOURCl

COLLIMATOR PEN —

(INFRA-RED)

A low power collimator pen containing a MOVPE grown gain guided GaAIAs laser. This coliimalor pen delivers a maximum CW output power of 2.5 mW at 25°. Tliese coliimated laser sources are designed for industrial applications such as data retrieval, telemetry, alignment, etc.

The non-hermetic stainless steel encapsulation of the pen is specifically designed for easy alignment in an optical read or write system, and consists of a lens and a laser device. Tfie lens system collimates the diverging laser light. The wavefront quality is diffraction limited. The housing is circular and precision manufactured with a diameter of 11.0 mm and an accuracy between + and ■ 11 g m.

$39.99

LIST PRICE: $180.00 OUR PRICE: • QUALin COMPONENTS,..LOW PRICES SINCE 1983 •

LASER DIODE

(INFRA-RED)

Designed for general industrial low power applications such as reading optical discs, optical memories, barcode scanners, security systems, alignment, etc.

The gain guided laser is constructed on an n-type gallium arsenide substrate with a Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxial process (MOVPE).

the device is mounted in a hermetic S0T148D encapsulation, (diameter 9.0 mm} The SB1053 is standard equipped with a monitor diode, isolated from the case and optically coupled to the rear-emitting fascet of the laser.This fast-responding monitor diode can be used as a sensor to control the laser optical output level.

LIST PRICE: $38.00 OUR PRICE: $9.99 • WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF COMPONENTS! •

EPROMS

STOCK#

PINS

DESCRIPTION

1-24

25-99

100*

1702

24

256 X a

lus

3.99

3,79

3,41

2708

24

1024 X8

450ns

6.49

6.17

5,55

2758

24

1024 X8

450ns

3.99

3.79

3.41

2716

24

2046 x 8

450ns (25v)

3.29

3.13

2,82

2716-1

24

2048 !(8

350ns (25v5

3.79

3.60

3.24

TMS2716

24

2048 x8

450ns

6.29

5,98

5,38

27C16

24

2048x8

450ns (25V-CMOS)

399

3.79

3.41

2732

24

4096 x8

450ns (2Sv}

3.79

3-60

3.24

2732A-2

24

4096 x8

200ns (21v)

3.79

3.60

3,24

2732A

24

4096x8

250ns (21v)

3.69

351

3.16

2732A-4

24

4096 x8

450ns (21v)

3.19

3.03

2.73

TMS2S32

24

4096x8

450ns (25v)

5.79

5,50

4.95

TMS2532

24

4096 x8

450ns (25v)

1.99

i-89

1.70

27C32

24

4096 x8

450ns (25V-CMOS)

4.19

3.98

3,58

2764-20

28

8192x8

200n5 (21v)

3.99

3.79

3.41

2764

28

8192x8

250ns (2IV)

3.79

3.60

3.24

27G4A-20

28

8192 X 8

200ns (l2.Sv)

3.99

3.79

3.41

2764A

28

8192x8

250ns (12,5v)

3.29

3.13

2.82

TMS2564

28

8192x8

250ns (25v]

6.79

6.45

5.81

27064

23

8192x8

250ns (21V-CM0S)

4.19

3-98

3,58

2712S-20

28

16,384 X 8

200ns (21 v)

5.79

5.50

4.95

27123

28

16,384 x8

250ns (21V)

5,09

4.64

4,35

27128A

28

16,384 I 8

250ns (12.5v}

5.79

5.50

4.95

27C128

28

16,384x8

250ns (21 v)

5.79

5.50

4.95

27256-20

28

32,768 X 8

200ns (12.5V)

5.29

S.03

4,53

27256

28

32,768 X 8

250ns (12.5V)

4,79

4.55

4.09

27C256

28

32,768 K 8

250ns (12.5V-CMOS)

5.29

5-03

4.53

27512-20

28

65,536 X 8

200ns (12.5V)

7.49

7.12

6,41

27512

28

65.536 X 8

250ns (12.5V)

6.99

6.64

5.98

27C512

28

65,536 X 8

250ns (12.5v.CWOS)

6.99

6,64

5,98

27C1024

32

131.072x6

200ns (12.5V-CMOS)

17.99

17,09

5,38

68764

24

8192x8

450ns

13.99

13,29

1,96

68766

24

8152x8

450ns

14.99

14,24

2,82

• CALL FOR A FREE CATALOG! • Q@

€OR]\

ELECTRONICS

10010 Canoga Ave., UnitB-8-Chatsvrarth, OA 91311

KTOiM.*. OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA: (800) 824-3432

ifj c/^LiPORHjlA: 818 341-8833

ORDER BY FAX: 818 998-7975

356 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Little Giant

C Programmable Controller

This shirt pocket sized computer interfaces directly to the outside world. Use it to control anything. Instantly C programmable with your PC and our Dynamic C. ROM and battery backed RAM to 1024k bytes. 8 Channel. 10/12 bit. A^D with conditioning. High voltage/current drivers. Battery backed time/date clock. Watchdog / power fail. 4 serial channels. 24 parallel ports. Timers. Integral power supply. Terminations for field wiring. Expansion connector. Plastic/metal packaging available. OEM versions from SI 99.00.

Z-World Engineering

1340 Covell Blvd.. Davis, CA 95616

(916) 753-3722

Fax: (916) 753-5141

Circle 341 on Reader Service Card

DYNAMIC RAMS

SliVliVI 80/100 1MBIT icons

514256 100ns

41464 120ns

41256 100ns

/ 41256 120ns 51258 80ns

/ 4164 120ns

'For high-speed. Zip, Picc, Simm.

I MATH COPBOCESSORS 60387-33 33-H; S550.00 80387-25 25~Hz S445.00 80387-20 20-Hz S355.00

80387-16 80387SX 80C2S7A 2C87-12 2C87-10 80287-10 8087-1

lernHz S295.00

IprrHz S290.00

12mHz S260.00

12mKz S260.00

lOmHz S202.00

lOmHz S202.00

lOmHz S155.00

I EPROMS

27C101 250ns 27C512 200ns 27S12 250ns 27C2S6 250ns 27256 250ns 2n28A 250ns 27C64A 200ns 2764 250ns I CPU \A30 SmHz VC-20 aflOmHz

I.e. EXPRESS^

15140 Valley Blvd. City of Industry, CA 91744

Customer service (8161 333-S380 FAX: (318) 369-1236

ORDER: (800) 877-8188 (Mon-Fn 6-5 pst)

Call for curreni prices 4 volume discourns. Pricos sfwn tx cash. MasterCanWisa add 3%. Prices am subject U change. Mkmum order SIOOQ Sh^^pmg & Harelng: UPS CiDunO SSDO, Air S7SX3 (1 b) 100% GUARANTEED wrtn prompl flalivery

Circle 154 on Reader Service Card

96 LINE I/O BOARD

For IBM PC/XT/AT 96 input/output/ bidirectional lines 8 interrupts shareable and selectable Dipswitch addressing

(214) 559-7175

ERTRUm RESEARCM

4514 Cole Avenue, Suite 600 Dallas TX 75205 Fax: (214) 528-4638

PC Communications Coprocessors

Ourcommunications coprocessors offload serial and parallel communications tasks from PC's used in dedicated applications. RS232 and RS485 style communications. Easily programmed using G. A memory mapped interface to the fiost PC allows high speed data transfer and simple buffer schemes. From 64kio 512k of memory local to the coprocessor but accessible from the host PC. Used in many industrial and business systems to dramatically improve performance compared to standard PC serial port implementations.

Z-World Engineering

1340 Covell Blvd.. Davis, CA 95616

(916) 753-3722

Fax: (916) 753-5142

Circle 342 on Reader Service Card

Terminal Emulation TEK 4105/4010

• Tektronix 4105

• Tektronix 4010/4014

• VT320 VT220 VT102^'JM

• Picture files ^Ki

• VGA and EGA support

• Higli resolution hardcopy

VT320

• VT320, VT220 VT102 emulation

• File transfer

• 132 column modes

• Color support

• Hotkey

• Extensive network support

■ ■ Diversified Computer Systems, Inc.

3775 Iris Avenue. Suite IB Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 447-9251 FAX 303-447-1406

Trademarks: 77102. VT220 — DEC: Tekt-on:x — Tektroriics inc.

Circle 97 on Reader Service Card

There is a Difference.

Lifetime Free Updates

EP-1140 S895

A programmer is not just another programmer That is why BP Microsystems is commiteid to bringing our customers the liighest qualit)' programmers at an affordable price. This commitment is evident in our EP-1140 E/EPROM programmer supporting thousands of 24-. 2a, 32- and 40 pin dewces. 32-pin model. EP-1132. is available also for S695. kA. all of our programmers include future chip support at no charge and an unconditional money back guarantee.

BP

1

n_n_n_ru

MICROSYSTEMS 800-225-2102

(713)461-9430

Circle 53 on Reader Service Card

Circle 43 on Reader Service Card

ESTABLISHED 1976

ORDER DIVISION

SIMM/SIPP MODULES

4MGx9&1MGx9

dMG X 9 - 80ns . S549 lM6x9-120ns .. S75 ■tMGx9-100ns,.. S85 lMGx9- 80ns,, S90 lMGx9. 70ns.,.S100 ALSO IN STATIC COL

PS-2 PRODUCT

MODEL 70&SO SIMM

ADVANCED MATH CO-PRO

256 X 9 ■ ■r20ns .. 256 X S - 100ns .

255 X 9 - 80ns .

256 X 9 - 60ns ..

APPLE StMM MODULES

MG X 8 ■ i20ns .

6450603

For70e6i , 70-i2i 50Z & 50SX

IMG x9-80ns S120

6450604

'10 or more

S249 S239

IMG X 1 - 120ns .58.00 iMGx 1 - 100ns ..S8.75 iMGxl ■ 80ns .S8.75 IMGx 1 ■ 70ns .59.25

255x 1 - 150ns.. $2.25 256 X 1 - l20ns .... S2.65

256 X 1 - 100ns S2.95

80ns . . 53.25 70nE . 53.95 60ns 54.50

386 25 33 (1MG| 5120

(2MG) 5369

Su'DerPon 236{1MG)5359 ;^WG)S1179

|256 * 9 --sons, S3fiJ 30F5348 iK::-2eai . ..572

.5120 S249

VIDEO RAM FOR VGA CARDS

64x4-150ns 53

64x4 - 120ns 55

64 x4 - 100ns 57

Available In DIP or ZIP

256 X 1 256 X 256 X

256 x4 - 120ns . SII.OO 256x4 - 100ns . 511.50 256xi- 80ns .,.512.00

- 150ns . ...S3.50

- i20ns . . .$4.00

- 100ns $4.50

- 80ns $5.00

|5l4258-100ns . 515 I

51258 - lOOr.s .. . 54.00 51258 - 80ns .54.75 51258- 7Cns S5.50

• Up to 200% Faster

!han Inter'' Matn-Co's

• 5 year Warraniy

F_QB 286 MACHINES

2C87-8 .

SI 85

2C87-10

..$219

2087-12 5

$230

2087-20

S324

FQR386_MACHINES

3087-16

.5305

3C87-20 .

5350

3087-25

5450

3CS9-33.. .

S549

MATH CO-PRO

S087-3(5MHz)

583

a087-2(8MHz)...

$115

8087-1

.SI 65

80237-5

.5120

80287-8

.S183

80287-10

5208

800287-12

5280

80387-15

5305

80387-20

5350

an'i«7.5'; <av\

80387-33

..S549

80387-SX

.5320

CPU CHIPS

8088

S5.00

30365-15

, $180

80386-20

$240

80386-25

S330

V-20 18MHZI

,S7.50

V-20 (10MH2) . .

S12.00

HEWLETT-PACKARD LASERJET MODULES

2&2D

2 & 2D (OK) S 89

2&2D(1 MG) $159

2 & 2D(2 MG) $249

.^,Z&2D(4 MG) $429

2P & 3 (OK) $ 109

2P&3(1 MG) $179

2Pa,3(2 MG) $269

2P&3(4 MG) $449

5 YEAR WARRANTY

IBM LASER PRINTER

MEMORY UPGRADE

MODEL

IMG

2MG

3.5MG

4019/4019E

S299

$399

$529

EPSON LASER PRINTER

WARRANTY - 2 YEARS ON PARTS

MEMORY UPGRADE

MODEL

IMG

2MG

4MG

LP6000

$299

$399

S529

Can also be used in Toshiba & Laser Printers 5 YEAR WARRANTY

Facit

VIDEO ADAPTERS

ATI TECHNOLOGIES

VGA WONDER 512™ i5l2K vdeo memory) High performance VGAgrapniCS. I00%regisierlevel compatibility m VGA , EGA. CGA. MDA and Hercules. Displays Super-VGA 800x500 '.r. 255colorsand 1024x768in 16colors. SwtC- esj insiallaiion. Includes Microsoft compaiible mouse S369

VGA WONDER 256™ (255K video memory, Liser upgraoaDle) Same as VGA wonder 512'". except ivitn 800x600 m 16 colors and 1024x768 in J colors. Includes Microsoft compatible mouse S299

MODEMS

AND

HAYES COMPATIBLE MODEMS

EVEREX Evercom 12 Internal 1200 BAUD S69

EVEREX Evercom 24 Internal 2400 BAUD S129

EVEREX External 2400 S175

UNITEX 12001 Internal 1200 BAUD $59

UNITEX 1200E External 1200 BAUD $99

UNITEX 24001 Internal 2400BAUD S109

UNITEX 2400E External 2400 BAUD S129

SUPER SPECIAL

BOCA RESEARCH

1024 VGA 1024 X 768 in 16 simulianeous colors. 640460 in 256 colors. 132 col X 50. 43,25. 1024 X 768 - 800/600 dnvers' 132 col $269

SUPER VGA 800 X 600 Resol-jlion/ 256K RAM 8 or 16 Oil. 132 col X 50,43,25' LIM Drivers/ 800 X 600 drivers for Wrndows. AuIO CAO $169

VGA 640 X 480 Resolution/ 255K RAM. 8 or 16 bit

$139

Multi EGA 640 X 480 Resolution on multiple frequency monitors- 640 X 480 -r 752 X410/ 256K RAM/Dnvers tor Auto CAD. Windows and Lotus

$119

EGA 640 X 350 Resolution 256K RAM $129

EZ-FAX

The nmst Highly furHTiional. Full> loaded. Cosi elfeciii e FAX board manufaeiurcd. CCITT Group [[I Provides fully concurcnt background operation. .Mlows user 10 Iran.imii. receive and view docuinems on scrtcn.

Once in memoi^. [he transmission.'! may I be ediicd for retransmission, primed, stored for future, or discarded off I your hard dri\e SOFTVV.^RR INCLI DED C.ALOOIF.V (4800 baud) LMTE.X PRICE $199 C.AL 002F\ (9800 baud! LMTEX PRICE S299

MONOCHROME GRAPHICS CARD $39

with PAR port • MGA Hercules COLOR GRAPHICS CARD $39

RGB color with PAR port ■ MGAyCGA'Hercules EGA CARD $119

640 X 480. 16 color, EGAMGA/CGA/Hercijles VGA CARD $149

1024 « 768, 16 color, VGA-EGA/MGA'CGA

SCAN

MAN \^

is complete I) compatible with the Calculus EZ- F\\. Scan man it a 1-400 MultiResolution Scanner. Real time screen image generation while scanning. I'sing this hand scanner makes faxing i>our scanned images a simple wa^e of the hand. , C ALOO:

$389

INCLUDES ICALCULUS EZ-FAX

FRINCEnDN

LS300i;

300dpi His

le\I graphii scanner. .Automaiicsheetfeeder permits up to 5 sheets, provides up to 32 shades of Era>.

CAL OO.'BL

$589

INCLUDES CALCULUS EZ-FAX

We Accept International Orders. We Accept Purchase Orders from Qualified Firms, Universities and Government Agencies

l-(800)-533-0055

FROM ANY WHERE IN THE U.S. & CANADA

MONTHLY SPECIALS

6450604

Module for 70E61 121 50Z&55SX 2MG X 9 - 80ns

1-9 UNITS

$249

10 or more units

$239

1 MG X 1

80ns D-RAM (DIP) $8™ea. (min qty 21 pes)

Call for quantity piicing

IDEA Max/MC

For PS ? MOD 50.60. i 80 Up to 12 MG of extended memory, up 10 8MG

of expanded- ' Supports EMS 4.0. Easy installatron. Software indudedUses256Kor IMG

SIMMs IDI003MB

$219

NO SLOT CLOCK

Clock lor PC and

XT computers Plugs into empty ROM socket on inottiertwaid Accurate to 1.100 sec.

,0«r $25X10.

AST PRODUCT

RAMPAGE PLUS 286

Up 10 6MG Expatxled Memory Uses 256 X 9 or IMGx 9 SIMM Supports LiM4 0 and OS 2 - Up to 12.5MHz bus-for PC. XT. AT or PS 2

with OK $319

wilh2MG $529

ADV/WTAGE

PfoviOes up to 1 5 MG ol ExtertcteU

Backfill to640K-For AT (16 bit bus) Has one senal pon . ooe

optional 2nd serial pott and an optional game port

w.th640K . $175 w.thl.5MG$259

Retail Office

4025 S. Industrial Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89103 Phone:(702) 732-8689 FAX: (702) 732-0390 Mon - Fri Sam - 5pm Sat Sam-1pm

TERIVIS AND CONDITIONS

No Surcharge (or MC or VISA Terms: MC ■ VISA • COD • CASH • AMEX add 4% P(jrcnas9 Orders from qualified firms. 20^'= restocking fee on non-detective rsiums. Prices SLjbject to ctiange.

SEND ALL MAIL ORDERS TO

P.O. Box 19772 Irvine, CA 92713

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: (714) 251-UNTX

(714)251-8 6 89

MEMORY EXPANSION BOARDS

COMPAQ MEMORY I BOCA RESEARCH

ADD-ON MODULES

TOPHAT - Does dackfill conventional memory

from 512 to WOK on AP with SK $69

TOPHAT II - Same as TophAT/ witti 128K S85

BOCARAM,'XT Provides up to 2MG of expanded memory tor 8 cut bus. Operates up lo 12 MHz ■

Uses 256K D-RAM wilh SK $120

Witt: 512K SI 79

BOCARAM. AT Provides up to 2WG LIM EMS d.O andOr 4MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory. For '6 bit bus. Operates opto iSMHz.

Uses 256K D-RAM'with OK $140

with 5l2K $199

BOCARAM-AT PLUS Provides up 10 8MG Of extended, expanded or backfill memory.Ooerates up to 33WHZ and is seiihru software Uses l MG

D-RAM v^itnOK $140

with2MG $349

BOCARAM'AT 10 PLUS Provides up 10 4MG of extended, expanded or backfill memory.For i6 bit bus. Operates up to 33 MHz and is sei thru sofTware. Has senal and parallel pon. Uses i MG

D-RAM/ with0K SI 65

with 2MG S379

BOCARAM 30 Provides up to 2MG of expanded memory for IBM PS'2 model 25. 30 and 3-bil bus PC that utilize 3,5 inch floppy disks. Uses 25SK

D-RAM' withSK $149

with 2 MG S329

BOCARAM 50Z Provides up to 2MG. 0 wait siate expanded or extended memory for IBM PS 2 Models 50,50Z, 60. Uses iMG D-RAM

wiihSK SI 60

with 2MG $379

BOCARAM50/60 ProvidesupIo4MG expanded, extended or backfill memory for PS/2 model 50.

BO, Uses 1MG D-RAI^ witfi 9K $160

with 2MG $379

t/OXT0241 ForB-bit bus.HasdOCk.paraielpon. senal port, and optional 2nd senal port. $49

10 AT For 16-bit bus. Has parallelpon, senal port, and opuonal 2nd serial port. ,,,, $69

I/O SER 2 Add 2nd serial port, to I/O AT or l 0 XT $15.95

BOCA MCA PARALLEL CARD Adds 1 parallel port to PS'2 System $89

BOCA MCA SERIALPARALLEL CARD Adds 2 serial and ' parallel port to PS 2 System$139

MODEL

1M(

4MG

386 20 20E 25 25£ DESK PRO 2665,3853

S18

3

S495

MODEL

2MC

8MG

386 33, ^86 25 S SYSTEM PRO

S32

£2495

1 n-e:,'cr'- £\~a\#io\ boards

MODEL

512K

1MG

2MG

4MG

8MG

386 15

S425

S675

SI 375

S2495

385 20E 25E 386S

S250

S725

Portable 386

SI 250

PonaoieLTE

$219

S325

S495

SLT2S6

S325

1 MEMORY UPGRADE KITS

MODEL

512K

2MG

4MG

Portaole III

S70

SI 78

DESKPRO 386 :6

S250

S795

5 YEAR WARRANTY

ORCHID

RAMOUEST EXTRAThe only Multifunction caro that provides up to 8MG and two senal pons on one board tor the IBM PS 2 Models 50, 50 & SO, GuaranteedEMS4.0andOS2compatjble, Easy to install with only 4-keystrokes. Uses 256 and or IMG SIMM's $229

RAMQUEST EXTRA 16/32 The only 0-8MG. 0 vrait State card tor PS 2 mod 50. 60, S 80 which fully Suopons both 16 and 32-bit memory access. Includes! SERand t PAR port plus a free senal cable. EMS4,0andOS2compaiible. Uses256k and or 1 MG SIMMS $299

ACCELERATORS

TINY TURBO 286 Low-cost, high-speed, hall slot PC XT - Accelerates your PC XT wtih an 8MHz 802S6 microprocessor 80287 math cfiio socket $229

TINY TURBO XT High-speed half slot accelerator for PC XT - Accelerates your PC/XT up Id 4 times fasterwithal2MHz 80286mk;roprocessOf. 80287 math ctiip socket $259

D-RAM TESTERS

UNI-OQIRT $119.00

Tests all parameters except speed 64 X 1 / 256x 1 ' IMx 1 64 x 4 / 256 X 4 / 4M X 1

UNI-002 RT $149.95

Tes-s speed plus parameters 64« 1 / 256x 1 / IMx 1

UN1-003.RT $199.95

Tests Standard SIMM Modules

1YEAR WARRANTY

EVEREX

MEMORYZATION Fits all popular Micro Channel computers including IBM PS 2 Models 50, 50z, 55, and 60. Can provide up to 16MG of extended memory (using 2 ooardsi, LlM'EMS Ver, 4.0 expanded memory - sii 0^ a portion with the latest LlM 4.0 software applications. Supports DOS, 0S/-2- XENIX and UNIX. Simple to install, no swiicf^es to set. SOFTV/ARE included. Uses 256K x 9 or 1 MG i 9 SIMMs $269

MEMORYZATION^ Rts all popular Micro Channel computers including IBM PS'2 Models 70 and SO. Can provide up to 15MG o: extended memory (us;ng 2 boanas). LIM EMS Ver. 4.0 expanded memory - all or a portion with meiatestLIM4.0sofrwareappitcations, Supports DOS. OS'2, XENIX and UNIX. Simple to install, noswitchestoset. SOFTWAREinduded, Uses 256K X 9 or 1 MG X 9 SIMMs S309

CONCENTRATION Rtsallpopul8r286'38e computers including slimline systems like the IBM XT286. Four modes of operation are available: Up to iSMGof AT extended memory. Up to 32MG under the ne LIM.EMS 4,0,0-6i0K conventional memory, or up to '28MG nigh speed ram disk (using four boards). Supports DOS, OS 2. XENIX, UNIX386. V^INDOV^S 386 and OlHer muin-user environments Totally switctiless installation. SOFTWARE included. Uses 256K X 9 andor IMG x 9 SIMMs $389

RAM 3000 DELUXE Up to 3MG Selectable memory addresses. Expanded Memory Speoticatiors (EMS) ■a.O ■ OS'2- Can be used to backfill base memory up to 640K and the rest as expanded and or extended memory. Uses 256K

D-RAM S99

With 512K $139

RAM 8000 Up to 8MG capacity/support to base, extended or expanded memory in any combination Fully compatible with Lotus. Intel, Microsoft, EMS 4,0. EEMS. Supports MultiTasking ana DMA Multi-Tasking in tiarcware. Software configurable (no dip sv^itches to set). Full ';6MG w.noow for future expansion . Zero wai: state, uses IMGD-RAM S279

RAM10000 Up to 10MG capacity/support to base, extendea or expanded memory m any comomation. Compatible with Lotus, Intel, Microsoft. EMS 4,0. Operates witfi no additional waiistates. UseslMG D-RAM $179

3MG Multifunclion - tor AT $109

Exparcs to 3MG- has SER'PAR port 256K DRAM

384 Multifunction Card - for PC XT $89

Expands to 334K-SER PAR CLKGame oort Uses 64K DRAM

LAPTOP MEMORY

TOSHIBA

512K for Toshiba T31OOE SI 69

2MG for Toshiba T1600 S399

2MG tor Toshiba T31 OOE S399

2MG for Toshiba T31OOSX $399

2MG for Toshiba T3200SX $399

2MG for Toshiba T5100 $399

2MG for TbShiba T5200 $399

3MG for Toshiba T3200 $595

SHARP

IMG tor Sharp 5541 $509

3MG for Sharp 5541 S759

ZENITH

ifor 2eniinSS'286 $199

Corporate Headquarters

17222 Armstrong Ave. • Irvine, CA 92714 Phone: (714) 251-UNTX(25l-8 6 8 9) Fax: (714) 251-8943

Mon - Fri 7am - 5:30pm Sal Sam - 2pm

Circle 326 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 327)

JUNE 1990 - BYTE 357

Circle 19 on Reader Service Card

ABus

Data Acquisition and Control

Latched Digital input:Eight

optoisolated inputs. This board will read Inputs and hold them for the computer to read. Catches Inputs which might be missed if the computer is "otherwise occupied". Use for debounced switch inputs. U-157: $85

MicroChannel Adapter: Adapts the bus of a PS/2 MicroChannel computer to the A Bus. Controls up to 25 A Bus application cards. AR-170: $93 32 Channel Multiplexer: Switches up to 32 channels to a single common. Will operate as 16 channel differential multiplexer. MX-155:$83

Popular A-Bus Boards

Fast 12-blt 8-channel A/D converter: lOpS conversion time. Variable gain amplifier for low level signals. Resolution to < 0.001 volts.

FA-154: $179

Single Board Computer: A Bus

compatible 11 MHz CPU board with 8k RAM, 16k ROM. Programmable In BASIC. Optional battery backup and 64k RAM upgrade available. SP-127: $189

12 Bit A to D: Analog to digital converter with variable gain amplifier. Resolution 0.001V. Integrating type. Conversion time 130ms. Expandable with MX-155 multiplexer. AN-146:$153

Relay Card: 8 individually controlled industrial relays each with status LED's (3A at 120VAC contacts, SPST). RE-140: $142

24 line TTL I/O: Connect 24 input or output signals fTTL 0/5V levels or switches). Variety of modes. DG-148: $72

Digital Input: 8 optically isolated Inputs. Input can be 5 to 100V voltage levels or switch closures. IN-141: $65

Counter Timer: Three 16 bit counters/timers. Use separately or cascade for long (48bit) counts. CT-150: $132

Smart Step Motor Controller:

On board microprocessor controls four motors simultaneously. Uses simple English commands like "MOVE ARM 10.2 (INCHES) LEFT". SC-149: $299

The A-Bus works with: IBM

PC/XT/AT & compatibles; Commodore; Apple; TRS-80.

Macintosh and most other computers are supported by our serial adapter.

Call for new 1990 catalog: (203) 656-1806

Mon-Fri 9-5 EST (or Fax 203 656-0756)

^ ALPHA [FmokK^

242-B West Avenue, Darien, CT 06820

358 BYTE- JUNE 1990

PHONE & FAX onl Une!

Limrted time

• Auto, switch

• Voice-guided

• Ck)mpatible w/ all (800) 292-7771

phone &F/\X devices visa.m/c

DEMO

(714)855-0727 Call or FAX

Add On

AMERICA

Dwsion of ROHM Corporation BWnatney, Irvine. W92718

Circle 12 on Reader Service Card

Cross-Assemblers as low as ^.IX Simulators as low as $100.00 Cross-Disassemblers as low as S100.00

Developer Packages

as low as S200.00(a $50.00 Savings)

A New Project

Our line of macro Cross-assemblers are easy to use and full featured, including conditional assembly and unlimited rndude files.

Get It To Market-FAST

No Sourcel

A minor glitch has shown up in the firmwa/e, and you cant find the original source program. Our line of disassemblers can help you re-create the original assembly language source.

Set To Go

Buy our developer package and the next time your bosssays'Get to work.*, you'll be feady for anything.

Quality Solutions

PseudoCofp has been providing quality solutions for microprocessor problems since 1985.

BROAD RANGE OF SUPPORT

• Curreniiy we support the follovfing microprocessor families (with more in development):

Intel S048 RCA 1802.05 Intel 8051 Intel 8096

Motorola 6600 Motorola 6801 Motorola 68HC11 Motorola 6805 Hitachi 6301 Motorola 6809 WOS Tech 6502 WOO 65C02

Rockwell 65C02 Intel 8080,85 Zilog 280 NSC 800

Hitachi HD64180 Motorola 68000.8 Motorola 68010 Intel 80C196

• All products require an IBM PC or compaiible.

So What Are You Waiting For? Call us: PseudoCorp

Professional De\'elopment Products Group 716 Thimble Shoals BW. Suite E Sevpon News. W 23606

(804) 873-1947 FAX: (804)873-2154

Circle 248 on Reader Service Card

How to Protect Your Computer

And Make It Last Longer

FREE mone} -niaking lilerdture. What you need to knou about UPS — uninterruptible power systems. How to get complete protection from power line problems. 500 VA to 18 KVA models from the world's largest manufacturer of single-phase UPS.

Best Power Technology, Inc.

P.O. Box 280. Xecedah. wf .54646

Toll-Free 800-356-5794, ext. 3866 See us at Comdex - Booth 253

CO RTEXcorporahon MASTER COm"ROL

For Industrial Control and Multiple File Server Applications: Control up to 16 CPU's with a single Monitor and Keyboard!

• Units to Control from 2 to 16 CPU's

■ Enclosed Keyboard Drawer and Monitor (5 inch screen)

■ 16 Gauge Steel Rack - mount construction, Double-plated

■ Black Anodized Aluminum Faceplate

CO RTEXcORPORATKW

(612) 894-3354 • Fax (612) 894-2414 12274 Nicollet Ave. S.- Bunnsviile, MN 55337

Circle 68 on Reader Service Card

68HC05 AND 68HC11 IN CIRCUIT EMULATORS

The TECICE-HC05 and TECICE-HCl 1 are low cost real time in circuit emulators for the Motorola 68HC05 and 68HC11 families of single chip microcomputers. Any host computer with a serial port and terminal emulation software can be used with these emulators. Complete development system software is included for MS-DOS based computers. The base prices are S1.195 for the HC05 and S995 for the HCll.

' THE ENGINEERS COLLABORATIVE, INC.

RR#3, BOX 8C Barton, Vermont 05822 Phone (802) 525-3458 FAX (802) 525-3451

Circle 109 on Reader Service Card

5,25- DS/HO 1,2 MB .... DK. BLUE - 59C

WCKED IN LOTS OF 50 V.m m^cC SLEEVtS S. TABS

5,25" DS/HD 1.2 NIB INCL »Mvn & ubs. BLACK Lots Of 50 39t

5.25" DS/DD 360K . INCL Tabs

Lots Of 1,000 - 21C Lots of 100 - 25C

3.5" OS/DD 720K (1MB)

PREMIUM QU.ALITY BULK Lois of 50 - 39c

3.5" DS/DD 720K (1MB) - SONY BULK

Lots of 50 59C

ZOOM 2400 Bd Int. Modem s Wr- ; a S 99.

Extetnal $ 109, (w/Cable: XT ot AT or Mac)

800-288-8025

12132 Sherman Way, N. Hollywood CA 91605 CALL OR rWAIL

Circle 38 on Reader Service Card

Circle 23 on Reader Service Card

* VALUE * QUALITY * SERVICE * MICRO-MAIL * INTEGRITY * SUPPORT INVENTORY *

1545 BOURBON PKWY., STREAMWOOD, IL 60107 FAX 1-708-213-9340

• Expands usage of existing line

• Operates four different telephone devices on one Ime

• Operates on single or multiple line phone systems

' Processes each call after first ring I Automatic switching to fax,

answering machine, and phones I Screens each call for auto-dialmg

fax tones or reverse modem tones I Automatically transfers voice calls

to phone system

• Tone or pulse (rotary) transfer to fax

I Remote tone access to fax and auxiliary device (PC. etc )

Share your FAX, MODEM, PHONE and ANSWERING MACHINE with ONE line.

Brainstorms ASAP

Pays for Itself m less than six months

User programmable features Programmable security codes for auxiliary device and fax No announcements to ^onfuse voice callers ■ Use with or without answering

machine ' Prohibits line access, with busy Signal to extensions, while fax or PC IS II

use

TF 505

How The ASAP TF 505 Works

When the TF 505 Is connected to your telephone line, it will answer each incoming call on the first ring listening for an incoming fax signal (beep tones) transmitted by most fax machines. If the "beep tones" are heard, the call is immediately transferred to your fax without ringing your phone. All other calls, including fax calls without "beep tones" will ring through to your phone(s). These calls can also be transferred to your fax from any extension phone.

When you're away from the phone, a caller can leave a message on your answering machine and also transfer to your fax. If an answering machine is not used, fax calls without "beep tone" signals are automatically transferred to your fax on the second ring.

> Normal phone use IS not inhibited ' No switches to turn on or off

I Automatic ring through to phones

if power fails • Memory retention if power fails » Automatic reset after power surges

► Always on line to accept switching commands

.. .and you save

$800 to $1400 per year!

Dealer Inquiries Welcome

PRINTER HOOK-UP WITH NO CABLES!!

Now connect printers and computers without cables by using existing AC power lines... why pay for cabling that's already there? Equipment can be anywhere in a room or even in different rooms. Add as many computers to the printer network as you want by just plugging in another Cable-Eliminator... No special tools, expensive cables or exorbitant installation costs. Adds another dimension of flexibility and convenience when laying out, adding to or just moving things around in new or existing offices. With Cable-Eliminators, when printers, plotters or computers are in the wrong places, just move them and plug them in. Since special software is not required, Cable-Eliminators operate with any computer or printer equipped with the industry standard Centronics compatible parallel printer port. Additional computers can be added to the Cable-Eliminator printer network at any time and, in addition, two separate and independent networks can operate simultaneously on the same AC power line circuit.

COMPUTER MODEM *159

PRINTER MODEM »159

ONE COMPUTER MODEM AND

ONE PRINTER MODEM »279

TWO COMPUTER MODEMS AND ONE PRINTER MODEM «399

Dealers Inquiries Welcomed

Cable

Eliminator 1

TOVtK

O

PAPER ON BUtY DLTT (.WE ERROR

O O O O

1 1 1 1

• Easy to expand

• Nothing else to buy

• No software to install •All plug-in installation

• Plugs into any AC outlet

• Complete and ready to use

• Hook up several computers to 1 printer

CaMe

Kimtnaior /

POVE3t

O

■UIT

0

u u t

HARD DRIVES / KITS

SEAGATE

lOMB: ST-225 KIT w/WD 8 BIT CONT. S262 NCLUDES CABLES & SOFTWARE lOMB: ST-251-1 HALF HIGH 28ms S367 lOMB; ST-251-1 HALF HIGH 28ms S503 NCLUDES CABLES & CONTROLLERS & SOFTWARE

.8MB: ST-157N 3.5 ", HIGH SPEED 28ms SCSI $415 OMB: ST 296N HALF HIGH, 28ms SCSIS524

CONTROLLERS :

MEMORY CARDS

CARD DRIVES

lARD DRIVES ON A CARD, PC/XT

G124CD-20 21MB, 40ms S283

G 138RCD-30 33 MB. 33ms S345

G 157RCD-50 49MB, 33ms S425

TAPE BACKUPS

RCHIVE

R 5540XL - 40MB INTERNAL TAPE DRIVE, !IC-STREAM SOFTWARE S345 R 5580XL - 80MB INTERNAL TAPE DRIVE, IIC-STREAM SOFTWARE S492

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL - I/O CARDS

)FI 224 MF-100 6-PAK CARD OK, AR-SER-GAME-CLOCK S79 )FI 228 MF 3000-AT EXPANDABLE TO MB S146 '0 CARDS

)FI 244 l,'O-500-AT PAR-SER-GAMEHORT CARD S62

ADAPTEC

DFI 260 MEMO 2000-AT 16 BIT. 2MB

AD1540 16 BIT INTELL. SCSI HOST

ABOVE BOARD WITH OK

S93

ADAPTER 1:1

S303

DFI 264 MEGABIT 2MB. 16BIT EMS 4.0

AD1542 16 BIT INTELL. SCSI/FLOPPY

ABOVE BOARD OK FOR 286 & 386

3125

HOST ADAPTER

S325

WESTERN DIGITAL

MATH CO-PROCESSORS

WD200 AT 16-BIT HARD DRIVE

NTEL

CONTROLLER

S104

80287-lOMHz

S252

WD206 AT 16-BIT HARD FLOPPY

80387-16MHZ

S384

CONTROLLER

SI 25

80387-20MHZ

S424

WD216 AT 16-BIT HARD DR. CONT.

80387-25MHZ

$550

1:1 INTERFACE

SI 25

80387-33MHZ

$667

WD216 AT 16-BIT HARD FLOPPY CONT.

80387-SX

$345

1:1 INTERFACE

S147

•Prices subject to fluctuate

WD252 AT 16-BIT ESDI HARD DRIVE

CONT

S213

VIDEO CARDS

FAX BOARDS

SUPERFAX-CALCULUS w/SOFTWARE S209

VIDEO CARDS

ATI

AT 1307 VGA WONDER 256, 15 BIT, VGA-CGA-EGA-MGA ANALOG & TTL 1024x768

AT 1310 VGA WONDER 512. 16 BIT, VGA-CGA-EGA-MGA ANALOG & TTL 1024x768

$345

PARADISE

PAR 500 BASIC VGA CARD VGA-EGA-MGA 640x480 256K RAM SI 41

PAR 560 VGA PLUS CARD, VGA-EGA-MGA 800x600 256K RAM $177 PAR 580 VGA PLUS 16 CARD. 16 BIT VGAEGA-MGA 800x600 S230 PAR 620 1024-256 VGA CARD, 16 BIT VGAEGA-MGA 1024x760 $250 PAR 660 1026-512 VGA CARD, 16 BIT VGAEGA-MGA 1024x760 $314

US ROBOTICS

SPORTSTER 1200, INTERNAL 1200BPSHALF CARD w/SOFTWARE $83 SPORTSTER 2400, INTERNAL 2400BPSHALF CARD w/SOFTWARE $147

Circle 193 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 194)

I MONITORS

NEC 2A

$494

NEC 3D

$656

1 PRINTERS/LASERS

PANASONIC KX-P1124

$303

BROTHER HL-8 LASER

SI 994

PANASONIC 4450 LASER

$1469

1 KEYBOARDS / DRAWERS

CLICK & NON-CLICK

$52

DRAWERS:

TABLE TOP

$41

UNDER TABLE

$36

1 POWER SUPPLIES

XT 150 W

$60

BABY AT 200 W

$72

TOWER AT 230 W

$79

1 BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEMS [

TRIPP LITE

BC-200 WATTS 2 OUTLETS

$261

BC-325 WATTS 4 OUTLETS

$377

BC-450 WATTS 4 OUTLETS

$419

BC-750 WATTS 4 OUTLETS

S576

BC-1200 WATTS 4 OUTLETS

$891

1 SCANNERS 1

FULL PAGE + INTERFACE KIT ♦

SCANNING SOFTWARE

S835

1 CABLES 1

10 FT. PARALLEL

$14.95

15 FT PARALLEL

$16.95

25 PIN SERIAL - 10 FT.

S12.95

AT & AT MODEM

S9.95

GOVERNMENT & EDUCATIONAL P.O. s ACCEPTED

4% SURCHARGE

1-800-TRY-MICRO

1-800-879-6427 i

4% SURCHARGE 30-DAYS REPLACEMENT

L^J FOR UNDAMAGED PRODUCT

IN ORIGINAL CARTON

WE'RE OVER STOCKED CALL 800-654-7762

CONDITIONS: ALL NEW WITH 6 MONTH WARRANTY-WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD-LIMITED TO STOCK ON HAND

rBED SCANNER

• 300 DPI • 16 Sees per page • 32 Level Gray Scale

• 1 year warranty • Ready to go Interface card and cable included

List 1595 Your Price 799""

OPTIONS: OCR 199»" PC Paint By Z-Soft 1.65

- WANGTEC 60MB TOPE BACKCP=

• 6.5MB per minute • Wangtec 5099EN24 drive

• Wangtec 8 bit Qic60 controller • Softv/are • Menu driven

• DC600 cartridge • Easy installation

List 99900 Your Price 499°''

40M8 backup no controller 249"^

"T"

HIGH SPEED SCANNER

Ready to go for IBM - Type Machine \

'3e

'■eft

by Princeton Graphics

Desktop LS300 _ , .„„„„ ' j^^^^^m

Scanner List: 1095"" Your Price: 499°°

STANDARD FEATURES: 300 DPI - Allows for the creation of high resolution graphics/text. Automatic Slieet Feeder - Efficient document handling, image input ■ Sheet or card (up to 5 sheets can be set with the huilt-in Automatic Document Feeder) Scanning Speed ■ 12 seconds/page (at 300 dot/inch) 6 seconds/page (at 150 dot/Inch) Gray Scale - 32 shades either pattern or 2 shades

OPTiONS: PC Paint By Z-Soft 1.65 79™ PC-OCR Software 199" Super Fax by Calculus 249«"

-SPEGIAl$4

2400 BAUD INTERNAL MODEM ZOOM 12HZ

• Fully Hayes Compatible • Addressable COf^ 1.2.3.4 • Compatible with IBM PC, XT, AT and Compatibles

• Full Duplex Operation with Software • Auto Oial/Auto Answer List 199" Your Price 89"" Each 2400 BAUD EXTERNAL MODEM List 299"" Your Price 109°" VGA 14" MONITOR

• ,31 Dot Pitcf) • 3 month warranty • Samsung • Demo units List 699"" Your Price 279"" EGA CarO 640 X 360 89"" VGA 800 x 600 16 Bit Card 119""

MEMORIES...

ton

1MB Add-on Module 1MB Add-on Module iMB Add-on Module 4MB Add-on Module 1MB Memory Exp. 6d 1MB Memory Exp. 8d 4MB Memory Exp. Bd 4MB Memory Exp. Bd 1MB Memory Exp. Bd 4MB Memory Exp. Bd 1M8 Upgrade Bd 4MB Upgrade Bd

Equiv. Compaq For Your

Part # Modei« Low Price

113131- 001 386/20/25/20e/286E 239"" 113646-001 Deskpro 386S 239""

113132- im 38S/2a/2S/20£/2l6£ 529" 112534-001 Deskpro 386S 529«»

Deskpro 386/20e 469""

Deskpro 386S 469""

Deskpro 386/20e 1149""

Deskpro 386S 1149""

286E 469""

286E 1299""

SLT/286 469""

386/16 1299""

113644- 001

113633- 001

113645- 001

113634- 001

117428- 001

117429- 001 110235-001 108070-001

Description 1S0NS 120NS 100NS SONS 60NS

64 X 9 IBM 19"" 29"" 34"" 39""

256 X 8 Apple 19"" 24"" 29"" 39""

256 X 9 IBM 14»" 19"" 29"" 33»" 59""

1Meg X 8 Apple - 85"" 95"" 99""

1Meg X 9 IBM - 84"" 89"" 94»" 109<i"

4Meg X 9 IBM - - - 799"" 899""

Description

512K Upgrade 2MB Upgrade 1MB Module 2MS Uoduls 2MB Mem Board 1MB Mem. Board 2MB Mem. Board 2MB Exp. 8MB

Part »

30F 5348 30F 5360 6450603 84506114 6450608 6450375 6450379 6450605

Moilei #

30/286

30/286 70-E61 S 121 70-f6I S KI

70-A21

80-041 80-111 & 311

70/80

Low Price ggoo 2ggoD 14900 269" 299"" 369"" 569«" 1249«"

IMeg 189" 2Meg 289"" iHeg 419"

HP ilP 1049" HP LASER JET II 1499"" HP III 1799"" Aii memory boards expandable to 4 Meg.

8087-2 8087-1

80287

80287-8

80287-10

80C287-12 Laptop

Bit

5MHz or less 88'"

8MHz 119'"

10MH2 or less 149"

16 Bit

6MHz 129"

8MH2 189"

10MHz 218"

289"

32 Bit

80807-16 16MHz 80387-20 20MHz 80387-25 25MHz 80387-33 33MHz 80387-SX

Above Piggyback 512K exp 2 Meg «4220

309" 359"" 459" 559" 2ggoD

199"

RAM CHIPS

Description

64x4 iwo^cv 256 X 1 W = fot 256 x 4 OR

ISONS 1" 3" 200

1 Meg X 1

120NS

209 305

250

11"

5"

lOONS 2« 4"

255

12" 6"

5" 2" 12" 6"

495

13" 7"

Data base with forms 8 reports List Price 195" Your Price 79™

80 MB HARD DRIVE KiT BY EVEREX

• 80 MB for MAC II S SE • EMAC 80IO • All installation manuals, cables & software included List Price 1495"" Your Price 749°"

NEC CUT SHEET FEEDER

• Works with 2000/3500 series List 399" Your Price 49"" • Cut sheet 'eed gyide List 99"" Your Price 19°"

■ 512K exp 2 Meg for above board • Part no. 4220 List 545"" Your Price 149°"

PFS SOFTWARE:

PFS PROOF:

• typographical errors

• repeated v/ords

• misspelled words

• irregular captlitaztion

• retains original text enhancements in corrected copy

• allows you to add words beyond its 100.000 word dictionary

• gives you help screens at the touch of a key

List 99«i Your

PFS GRAPH:

PFS GRAPH you can produce bar, line or pie charts of presentation quality in just minutes.

• Values or automatic percent calculation

• Automatic scaling

• Up to 4 compaiable bars and lines

• Automatic date labeling

• Automatic pattern fill or color graphics

Choice 19" each

ITI REAL IBM MEMORY flOARDSt

The Real Tiling ORIGINAL BOARDS

• 512K memory expansion board for IBM AT • Model 6450203 IBM List price 395" Your Price 69"° • 512K expandable to 2 Megs for IBM AT • MoOel 6450343 List price 495" Your Price 89'°

[ff|±^:_^:BOCA=«rj

2 Meg 279"

4 Meg 449"

i Meg 849"

TANDON TMIOO^aai

• 360K full height drive • The original IBM drive List 199" Your Price 79""

MEMnRY CHIP.S, MEMflRY MnftUtfe

='BOC£SSOBS

Ttiousands in stock & lowest pricing available

I I I I I

LOTUS 1 2 3

Buy LOTUS 1 2 3 S Get Always FREE

Version 2.015y< List 495" Your Price 199""

Lotus Metro 1.0 ust 85" Your Price 29°" each

-950■t'-e/?

' V2 card PC, XT AT compatable • Text card only List 69" Your Price 8°"

iiS ROBOTICS 240irPS2-~

• 2400 baud internal for PS2 • For models 50/60/80 ■ Auto dial • 2400/1200/300 baud rate • Auto answer List 399" Your Price 149°°

— te/?^

RAIVIQUEST II:

• Memory card tor PS/2 models 50 S 60

• Comes with 1 Meg of Ram expandable to 2 Megs (uses 256K's)

• EMS 4.0 compatible & OS/2 • Ram disks, disk caching S print spooling software included

List price was 795" Your Price 149°"

DTK SYSTEMS!

8088-10 80286-10 80386-20

256K exp. 640K 640K exp. IMeg IMeg exp. 8Meg S349" S649" 1299"

All systems include 101 Keyboard, Power Supply Case, Motherboard, Drive S Memory

BERNOULLI BOX EXTERNAL

• Two 20 Meg removable drives • Uses 5Va removable cartridges

• Use SCSI interface compatible with all MACS

List 2299" Your Price 999""

• MS Dos 3,1 with GW basic • Packaged with great documentation from AT & T List 99" Your Price 29°° each

By C. ITOH

DAISYWHEEL PRINTER MANUFACTURED Why pay S1149 lor a Clloh

STARWRITER™ F-10

When our 40 cos letter duality daisywheel printer 'rom the same manufacturer is only p^tj i249°" Your Price 399""

OPTIONS

• 6 ft. Serial Cable S 19"

• Bidirectional Tractor 99"

• Serial to Parallel Converter 99"

fcOlOR/MONO Gtofc

• Mono S color graphics • Parallel port • Manufactured by STB List 99" Your Price 29"°

• Full HT • 60 day warranty • 10 Meg 31412

Qty. 1 List Price 199 Your Price 79"

Controller S Cables Add 50"

-4

'wwvm IV w■>*■ ^

IT

• Write or edit text based business reports as documents • Advanced page preview to save time • Organize format & merge info from other software

List 495"" Your Price 149°°

ORDERS ONLY

800-654-7762

TECHNICAL / CUSTOMER SERVICE / ORDER STATUS:

702-294-0204 FAX 702-294-1168

Trademartcs are Regiilered Mith their resgeclije Co s Pnces Suiiecl lo i All Products 90 Day Wairanty unless Stated oltierwise.

SE HABLA ESPANOL

• WE ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS

• NO SOFTWARE RETURNS

NQ SURCHARGE FOR MC/VISA/AE

TERMS: MC • VISA • COD CASH • NET

Purchase Onlers from Qualilied Firrtis Personal Checks • COD add SS.OI) 20Vd Reslocking Fee on Relums Within 15 Days No Refunds After 30 Days

Formerly

Mead

Computer

1000 Nevada Hwy. • Unit 101 Boulder City. NV 89005

360 BYTE • JUNE 1990

Circle 210 on Reader Service Card

IC

PROMPT DELIVERY!!!

SSAME DAY SHIPPING (USUALLY) QLi'.T;-v c\E = = :C = S SI-G'.VN for APRrL 29, 1990

OUTSIDE OKLAHOMA: NO SALES TAX

1MB SIMM

SIMM SIMM 1Mblt 41256 41256 41256 41256 14464 41264

DYNAMIC RAM

COMPDeskPro 386 20 AST Prem386 33Mhz

80 ns 100 ns 80 ns 60 ns 80 ns 100 ns 120 ns 100 ns 100 ns

S295.00I 225.001 90.001 35.001 8.751 4.501 3.50 3.10 2.40 I 3.50 7.50

1Mx9 256Kx9 IMxl 256Kx1 256KX1 256KX1 255KX1 64Kx4 64Kx4

EPROM 128KX8 200 ns 64Kx8 200 ns 32Kx8 150 ns i6Kx8 250 ns STATIC RAM |62256p-10 32Kx8 100 ns 16264P-12 8Kx8 120 ns I6116AP-12 2Kx8 120 ns

OPEN 6 DAYS, 7:30a>i-10pu: SHIP VIA FED-EX ON SAT.

1 SAT DELIVERY 1 INCLUDED ON 1 FED-EX ORDERS 1 RECEIVED BY: 1 Th S-J S&2S 4 ti 1 Tt: ?■^ S1SJ0 1 h

MasterCard VISA or UPS CASH COD MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED. INC.

rE^°&'o;'°;?«r (918)267-4961

No minimum order. = ease -c-.s :■ :5s s.: ^z: -.z ra-js'

Circle 190 o

n Reader Service Card

200 MHz LOGIC ANALYZER

• 200 or 100 MHz max samp, rate (6 channel)

• 24 Channels (50 MHz). Timing and State

• Optional expansion to 72 channels

• 16 Levels of triggering

• 16K samples/channel (6 channel mode)

• Variable. TIL, or ECL threshold levels

• 3 External Clocks and 11 Qualify lines

• FREE software updates on 24 Hour BBS

$1299 - LA271 00 doo MHz) includes $1899 - LA27200 (200 MHz) Pods and Software

^ Call-(201) 994-6669

Link Computer Graphics, Inc.

4 Sparrow Dr.. Livingston, NJ 07039 FAX.(2011994.0730

Circle 170 on Reader Service Card

8031/51

Single Board Computer

A fast and inexpensive way to implement an embedded controller. 8031/32

processor, 8-1- parallel I/O, up to 2 RS232 serial ports, +5 volt operation. Ttie

development board option allows simple

debugging of 8031/51 family programs.

HiTech Equipment Corp

9400 Activity Road San Diego. OA 92126 (619)566-1892

X.25

SDLC

QLLC

HDLC

ADCCP

PAD

C source code ROM-able

Full porting provided No OS required

GCOM, Inc.

41 E. University Champaign IL61820 (217) 352-4266

Specialists in Computer Communications FAX 217-352-2215

Circle 365 on Reader Service Card

UNIVERSAL PROGRAMMER

$475

PAL EPROM GAL 8748/49 PROM 87051... EEPROM EXOTIC'S

5ns PALs

2 Meg EPROMs

Parts added at your request.

FREE software updates on BBS. Powerful menu driven software.

Call-(201) 994-6669

Link Computer Graphics, Inc.

Sparrow Dr.. Livingston. NJ 07039

-AX:(201 1994-0730

Circle 171 on Reader Service Card

Intelligent Disassembler

snOOp II is an intelligent, interactive disassembler that automatically comments each line of code and labels jump targets.

snOOp's tutorial disassembles a specially commented file to explain its workings to you. As you move through the file you learn how to identify data areas snOOp couldn't catch and how to interpret what you see.

snOOp correctly interprets all instructions for the 8086-80386, 8087-80387 processors.

Cat. #SNOO, $49. 30 day money back guarantee. Add $5.50 S&H, OA & NY res. add tax. Visa, MC, Amex, Discover. Order today!!

Now 1-800 •456-4123

CENTRAL

Sen'ing Computer Users Since I9S2

330 Central Avenue Fillmore, OA 93015 FAX (805) 524-4026

Circle 91 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 92)

^

DS-DD^"^"^ Export Quamity Discounts DS-HD V 'tr. BOX . . . . 5,25" 3M Brand Diskettes.... 101? BOX 0 =:R dox .... 3.50" 3M Brand Diskettes.... m BOX

3M DATA CARTRIDGES

DC-2000 14.29 DC-600A 19.95

DC-300XLP 17.99 DC-6150XTD .... 20.95

3M COMPUTER TAPES

777-V2"-2400'-C55 ...11.95 700-'/!"-2400'-C55 ...12.95 777-'/2"-1200'-C55.... 8.95 700-'/2"-2400'-C143.. 13.45 DEC-TK-50 25.95 DEC-TK-52 39.95

5.25" DS-DD 5.25" DS-HO

=..» . 3M HIGHUND DISKETTES ... 6?Lox

BAS

DS-DD Quantity Discounts Available DS-HD BO. .... 5.25" BASF Brand Diskettes.... BOX 7t?Ec. .... 3.50" BASF Brand Diskettes.... 1 5?e?box

22 BASF 5.25" OS-O

witii sleeves, labels 8. Wi P talis

2400' w/tape seal.... 10.95 600' w/tape seal 6.95

1200' w/tape seal 7.95 300' w/tape seal 5.45

M Verbatim DataLifePlus

Teflon/Preformatted

DS-DD Quantity Discounts Available DS-HD 51?BO, .. . 5.25" DataLife Plus Diskettes... 9?e?bo<

ic. 3.50" DataLife Diskettes., BOX

maxell

DS-DD Quantity Discounts Available DS-HD 5?£?=o, ... .5.25" Maxell Brand Diskettes.... 1 0?e?bo. 8l?Box ... .3.50" Maxell Brand Diskettes.... 17t?Bo.

BULK]

COLOR

5 25" DS/DD 5.25' DS/HD 15.25" DS/DD 5.25" DS/HD

.25* .49* .39* .69*

3.50" DS/DD 3,50" DS;HD

.49 1.39

3-50" DS/DD 3,50" DS/HD

.69 1.49

\,';IT^^ SLEEVES. LABELS AND W, P TABS

PRINTER RIBBONS STORAGE BOXES

CALL FOR BEST PRICES!!

TERMS: No surctiarge on VISA, [Mastercard or Af^EX, Order packaging and processing = S2,95 per order, COD orders aod S3,95. PO's accepted from recognized institutions on Net 30 days L/C. T/T and Bank Draft acceptable. Price quoted for case (100 disks or 10 cartridges). For quantities less than 1 case add 10%.

SHIPPING: UPS surface 81,95/5 cartridges; 50,95/50 diskettes, (Prices subject to change without notice. Errors and omissions not accepted. All warranties are from manufacturers,)

Toil Free Order Line:

1-800-523-9681

TLX-9102404712

Information Line:

1-801-255-0080

FAX-801-572-3327

n DISKCOTECH

213 Cottage Avenue P.O. Box 1339 Sandy, Utah 84091

Circle 147 on Reader Service Card

Circle 52 on Reader Service Card

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 361

Circle 94 on Reader Service Card

Diskette Emporium

Box 402, 110 E. Hotchkiss Ave., Hotchkiss, CO 81419 Orders Only: 1-800-322-5254 (24 Hrs., 7 days) 1-303-872-8955 (24 Hrs., 7 days)

Inquiries: 1-303-753-3306 Diskettes

Bulk diskettes are sold in lots (multiples) of 50 for 5.25 disks and lots of 25 for 3.5 disks. These diskettes are sold without sleeves or labels. The minimum is 1 lot. White Box is sold with 10 disks to a box plus sleeves and labels. The minimum is 5 boxes.

CREDIT

PRE

CARDS

COD

PAYMENT

Bulk

5.25 DSDD

S .19

S .18

S .17

Bulk

3.5 DSDD

.55

.53

.41

Bulk

5.25 DSHD

.38

.36

.32

Bulk

3.5 DSHD

1.10

.89

.85

White Box

5.25 DSDD

.26

.25

.24

White Box

3.5 DSDD

.60

.58

.55

White Box

5.25 DSHD

.49

.47

.43

White Box

3.5 DSHD

1.20

1.15

1.12

Sleeves and Labels

Sleeves and Labels are sold in lots (multiples) of 100. The minimum is 1 lot.

CREDIT PREC.ARDS COD PAYMENT 5.25 Paper Sleeves (100 pack) S3.00 S2.88 S2.79 5.25 Labels (100 pack) 3.00 2.88 2.79

3.5 Labels (100 pack) 3.00 2.88 2.79

Ribbons

Diskette Emporium carries over 150 printer and many typewriter ribbons. Please write us or call us at 1-303-753-3306 (the 800 tel. number Order Dept. will NOT have this information).

Tkke the industry by storm!!! Storm Systems—The computer that's lightning FAST! Storm XT-10 Storm XS-12

8088-1 Processor 80286-12 Processor

640K RAM Installed 1 Meg RAM Installed

1 Floppy Drive (360K) 1 Floppy Drive (1.2)

Floppy Controller Meg) 20MB Hard Drive and Floppy Controller

Controller Mono Monitor

Mono Monitor Mono Video Card

Mono Video Card 101 keyboard

101 keyboard 1 Parallel/1 Serial/

1 Parallel/1 Serial/ 1 Game Port

1 Game Port 8 Expansion Slots

8 E.xpansion Slots Software Software 15 Mo. Warranty

15 Mo. Warranty Fully Assembled and

Fully Assembled and Tested

^^^'^"^ -Mfgr. in the U.S.A.

Mfgr. in the U.S.A. Complete System

Complete System

Cr. Card $1024 Cr. Card S880

Prepaytnent S953 PrepajTnent S818

Due to the fact that we bum-in and test alt of our systems for 72 hours, please allow additional time for shipping.

Terms & Conditions

Prices are subject to change. Minimum Credit Card order is S20. Shipping Charges: Add S.015 for each 5.25 Bulk Diskette; S.25 for each 5.25 White Box; S.025 for each 3.5 Bulk Diskette; S.45 for each 3.5 White Box; S.15 for each pack of 100 sleeves; S.15 for each pack of 100 labels; S.25 for each small ribbon: S.45 for each large ribbon (indicated by an "*"); S2o for each computer. The shipping charges refer to UPS Ground shipped in the continental USA. For Parcel Post, please double the shipping charges. The minimum shipping charge is SI. Handling Charge: add SI.50 per order regardless of the order size. Sales Taxes: New York residents, add 8.25%: Colorado residents, add 5%. Payment Methods: We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express: COD is Cash or Certified Check only (add S3.30 to order for COD fee): for Prepayments, Personal and Company check orders are held for 14 days.

362 BYTE- JUNE 1990

YOUR MESSAGE

^VQICE MAIL' TELEMARKETING CALL PROCESSING

Let Powerline transform your PC/XT/AT/386 ^ into a multi-line vojcejirocessing command,^ ^ center. Have your^mputer intelligently 2 process your sales, inquiries and mesg , sages. Complete package.

"i^' Single Line (Kgmouth). .$295.00 s Mufti-Line $895.00

{Deveioper/OEM packages avaiiafile)

z VtSA-MC-AMEX-COD

i Call: (415) 652-9600

J FAX: (415) 652.5311

1 TALKING TECHNOLOGY, INCi^^

^ 4383 PIEDMONT AVE , OAKLAND. CA94611'

Circle 304 on Reader Service Card

Put Your Phone, Fax & Modem on One Phone Line

New microprocessor-based Phone Line Manager will operate 3 units on 1 line, automatically (deciding the correct device for the incoming or outgoing transmission.

• Prices starting from $295 • 5 Year Warranty

In Canada or the USA, call toll-free 1-800-848-8731

Programmer's Odyssey

120 Hudson St., Northborough, MA 01532 USA phone: (508) 393-5560 fax:(508)393-1456

Circle 241 on Reader Service Card

At S495, Wintek's Universal EPROM Programmer is a los-cost and versatile tool for programming most industry-standard EPROMs (2716-27256). Since it can operate with an IBM PC, as well as stand-alone, the Programmer is ideal for use with PC-based microcomputer development software. Credit cards are welcome.

Wintek Corporation

1801 South St., Ufayette, IN 47904 (800) 742-6809 Or (317) 742-8428

IMAGING CARD

• Dual camera inp

• Composite video in/out f

• 256 X 240 resolution

• Digitize/display at frame speed

• 16 Meg, color palette out (DV-02)

• External trigger input option

• PC/XT/AT compatible

• Complete with software & library

DV-02 8-bit 256 gray levels.S849 DV-03 6-bit 64 gray levels. .$549

VISA/MC Demo disk available._

Control Vision #

PO Box 596 Pittsburg KS 66762 800/292-1160 316/231-6647

Circle 364 on Reader Service Card

I FREE CATALOG

m

RS-232CINTEI EQUIPIVIENTC

WRITE or CAU for YOUR mff COMPREHENSiVEBSB ELECTRONICS CATALOG TODAY!

Pages and pages of photographs and illustrated, descriptive text for B&B s complete line of RS232 converters, RS-422 converters, current loop converters, adapters, break-out boxes, data switches, data splitters, short haul modems, surge protectors, and much, much more. Most products meet FCC Part 15J- Your RS-232 needs for quality, service and competitive ^ prices will be more than met by B' ELECTRONICS. Manufacturer to you, no middleman! Money-back guarantee! Same-day shipment! One-year warranty on products! Technical support is available.

Write For Your FREE Catalog Today!

I&n electranicK

MANUFACTURING COMPANV

4002F Baker Road P.O. Box 1040 • Ottawa, IL 61350

Phone: 815-434-0846

Circle 34 on Reader Service Card

New, Gridless, 100% Autorouting

Create schematics and PCBs quickly and simply with HIWIRE-PlusS and your IBM PC. With the new, gridless, multilayer autorouter (AR)for HiWIRE-Plus, creating printedcircuit layouts is even faster. AR and HiWIRE-Plus are each $895 and come with 30-day money-back guarantees. Credit cards welcome.

WIKTKi:

Corporation

1801 South St., Lafayette, IN 47904 (800) 742-6809 or (317) 742-8428

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Circle 93 on Reader Service Card

Infra-Red Remote Control

■Worldwide" Orders Accepted

OCTACOMM®/IR

Change TV channels from your PC. Control DOS programs from a hand-held remote.

Use a PC to send and receive the infra-red signals used by hand-held remote controllers like those used with TVs, VCRs and other devices. Maintains a database of IR signals learnedfrom your own hand-held remote controller. Hardware attaches to the serial port of the IBM-PC. Software for DOS 2.0 and greater.

Pnce: $395.00

Houston Computer Services, Inc.

11331 Richmond Avenue / Suite 101 / Houston. Texas 77082

(713)493-9900

M/C - Visa - Discover - AmEx - COD

OCTACONIM IS a registered trademark of Houston Computer Serv ices, inc.

Circle 151 on Reader Service Card

8051 68HC11

yinTii.'i:, EMULATORS

For info call:

Australia (02) 654 1873

Austria (0222) 38 76 38

Benelux +31 1858-16133

Denmark (02) 65 81 11

Finland 90-452 1255

France (01) 69 412 801

Great Britain 0962-73 3140

Israel (03) 484832

Italy (Oil) 7710010

Korea (02) 784 7841

New Zealand (09) 392464

Portugal (01) 83 56 70

Scandinavia +46 40922425

Singapore 065 743-2086

Spain (93) 217 2340

Switzerland (01) 740 41 05

Taiwan (02) 7640215

Thailand (02) 281-9596

West Germany 08131-1687

U.S.A. FAX (408) 378-7869

NOHAU CORPORATION

51 E Campbell Ave. • Camptjell. CA 95008 (408) 866-1820

Circle 211 on Reader Service Card

THE mmi STORE

m\\i mmm system

The premier system for retail store management. Supports cast! drawers, barcode readers, receipt printers, customer displays, digital scales and complete online credit card authorization. Controls all types of retail stores bQth hardgoods and apparel with complete size/color matrix management and reporting. Easy to Install and use. Field proven for speed and reliability. Provides all the features needed for today's retail merchant at a price far below cornparable systems. Demo system available.

Accounts Receivable Point of Saie Inventory Control ccounts Payable General Ledger Mailing List

...fvluttiuser/Network Ready,..

$995 Complete system Dealer inquires invited.

Crichlow Data Sciences, Inc.

(8041 471-0500 P.O. Bai 6420 - Virginia Beach. VA 23458

Circle 71 on Reader Service Card

Small AT Systems

Complete Single Board Solutions For Rom and Disk Based Designs

CPU Card: V50 CPU. 8086 Code Compalible 1 Meg Ram. 256k Eprom 5 Serial Ports CMOS {2 watt) 4.5" X 7" Expansion; Backplanes for PC/AT cards Piggyback card witti: Floppy. SCSI. Printer. Keyboard Software: DOS and Applications on ROM Debug Monitor. BIOS. Utilities Source code available

Cards $299 Systems $449

303-444-7737

fax 303-444-9983 655 Hawthorn Ave.. Boulder CO 80304

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SuperSound

.11% isteiB

SoundFX'" Editor

""ii'tii ummj

DISCO\^R the POWTIR of SOUND in YOUR IBM-PC or PS/2 from $19.95!

Best Digital Audio Software/Hardware.

30 Day Money-Back Guarantee if not Satisfied

• SuperSound ■ Slereo: SoundFX™ Graphical Edi:ot ir.ii SoundCard"* S?3')

• SuperSound - Mono\irsion software and hardware

• SuperSound - Engr'.ersion special hardware'software for lech. app. H69

• SoundF.VJr- D::;i">3ck editor,wavcfonngeneraloru/SoundBjIes" Si9.95

• SouncUr"" pliiback prin;er port hardw'are module «.■.' SoundBvtes S19.95

• For Business: Traiitins, Poini-of-Sale Shvx% - Works with Grasp. OBasie, C_

• For Engineering: .WfF.M Funoion Gen.. Gear Voice Aiarms. Storage Scope..

• For Fun: Create Vour O* n Mac-like Bool-up Sounds. .Miet Your Voice...

■ Write or Call for FREE PRODUCT CATALOG oflBM-PC sound products. OEM Developers: Send RFQs Tor Custom Digital Audio Soriware, Hardware or ICs. Analog Digital \'LS\ Bipolar/CMOS Inlesr^ted Circuit Design / Production.

Tech:(40SI-446-4521 by SiUCOIl SHack Y\\: (408)-.^74-4412

5120 Campbell A*e. =1 U.San Jose. C\*I51 JO.

Orders only: 800-969-4411 \iSA/MasterCard

Circle 282 on Reader Service Card

flff MflRVMflC

of discounting

2%

^Tandy® computers,

^ Fax and Radio

Shacl(® products

SCO

Tandy*

We will meet or beat.. . GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES

Hlf AAflRVAAflC INDUSTRIES INC 22511 Katy Fwy. Katy (Houston), TX 77450 1-713-392-0747 FAX (713) 574-4567

Toll Free 800-231-3680

Circle 180 on Reader Service Card

HEWLETT PACKARD

LASER CARTRIDGES

SERIES I or II LASERJET IIPLUS

79!a 63

95 ea.

Canon

LASER CARTRIDGES

SERIES I or II ^^LBP-4 CART.

i95 <ri95

:3l^ DS

95

10%

3^2 HD

95

8! 17

Disi?efti

NORTHEAST

1-800-451-1849

|P0 BOX 10247, WILMINGTON, DE. 19580

1-800-940-4600

|P0 BOX 4163. DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33442

1-800-654-4058

|P0 BOX 1674. BETHANY. OK. 73008

SOUTHEAST

MIDWEST

WEST

1-800-621-6221

PC BOX 12396. LAS VEGAS, NV. 89112

Minimum Order S20.00 NO SURCHARGE on VISA / MC COD orders add S3.00 UPS Surface shipping add S4.00 per each 100 Disks ( First Class US Mai! delivery extra ) ( Prices are subject to change without notice )

( 405 ) 495-45981

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 363

PS/2 model 30/286 1895

PS/2 model 50/30 meg 2395

PS/2 model 70/60 meg 3695

PS/2 model 80/40 meg 4395

PS/2 model 70/120 meg 5595

PS/2 model 80/115 meg Call

Call for other models

camPAa

386 S 40 meg Call Call

386 20E - 40 meg 4015

286E 40 meg 2150

386 110 meg/25 MHz 7295

386 60 meg/25 MHz 5895

Portable III 40 meg/12 MHz 3995

CARD & MONITOR EXTRA Call for other models

Macintosh

Mac IICX/80 Meg, 40 Meg RAM 5095

Mac-ll/40 Meg 4095

Mac-SE 30/40 Meg 3595

Call for 60 and 100 Meg

Lazer NT 3495

Lazer NTX 4795

10}N

PRICE

LEADER

SINCE 1983 LAP-TOP

Compaq SLT 286-20/40 3795/Call

Toshiba T1000 659

T1000SE Toshiba Call

T1200HB Sale! Call

T1600-4C Meg Call

T1000 XE/10 MB Call

T3200-40 Meg/SX40 Call

T5100-40/100 Call

T5200-40/100 Call

T3100SX Call

T1200 XE/20 MB Call

Zenith 286-20/40 Meg Call

Mitsubishi 286-20/40 1795/2195

Everex

;VERE9(

Step 286 - 12 & 16 MHz & 20 MHz 1 Meg RAM Set up utility In ROM S/R C/C

Enhanced keyboard 1.2 MB floppy DOS/BASIC

Call! for your configuration

Everex

step 386-20 MHz & 16 MHz & 25 MHz & 33 MHz

Up to 256K cache of very high speed RAM 2 Meg RAM, expandable to 16 Meg S/P, C/C

Enhanced keyboard 1.2 MB floppy

DOS/BASIC Call! Everex 386-33 special of the Month

DISKS

DYSAN S'A HD / 3</2 HD

13/26

MAXELL 5Vi HD / S'/a HD

12/25

Min. 10 Boxes Order

WE STOCK CITIZEN TOSHIBA PRINCETDN GRAPHICS

OKIDATA NEC SONY

EVEREX WYSE ACER

GOLD STAR HITACHI HOUSTON INSTRUMENTS

/isr

AST 486

Call

AST 286 model 70

1190

AST 386 model 300g

2695

AST 386 40 Meg

3095

AST 386SX

Call

CARD & MONITOR EXTRA

CALL FOR OTHER MODELS

AMDEK HAYES SAMSUNG CALCOMP

PC MOUSE MICROSOF MICE LOGITECH MITSUBISHI

IRWIN & ARCHIVE TAPE BACK

TAXAN MAGNOVOX

BOARDS

Paradise VGA-h

219

Vega VRAM

409

ATI VGA Wonder

259

Everex EGA

149

Tatung 16 bit

239

MONITORS

Nec Multisync IIA ..

.499

Nec Multisync 3D ..

.599

Magnavox EGA

339

Nec Multisync 50 ..

.2350

Samsung EGA

359

Sony 1302

619

SOFTWARE SPECIALS

dBase iV 455

WordPerfect 5.1 260

Aldus Pagemaker 495

Ventura Publisher 525

Clipper 435

WordStar 5.5 150

EasyExtra 40

PACIFIC

DATA PRODUCTS

R Page II 459

P. Page IIP 365

R 1-2-4 Mem II 159

R One Meg IIP 180

R 25 in One III 325

R Headlines 245

NOVELL Authorized Dealer

Intel Coprocessors

8087-3 105

8087-2 145

80287-8 225

80287-10 249

80387-16 395

80387-20 425

80387-25 495

80387-33 599

PRINTERS EPSON

LX-810/LQ-510 .. .199/339

LQ-850/1050 545/749

FX-850/1050 359/479

OKIDATA

320/321 359/490

390/391 490/649

TOSHIBA

321-SL/341-SL ...399/595

T311 365

PANASONIC

1524/1624 Call

1124 319

Call for others

LASER PRINTERS

HP Laser IID 2750

HP Laser 2P 995

HP Laser ill 1695

Panasonic 4450 1395

Brother HL-8-E 1895

Nec LC 890 3195

Toshiba Laser 6 1095

MODEMS

Everex 1200 I nt 79

Everex 2400 Int 149

Hayes 2400 B 299

More in Stock Call

EXPORTS

Available

ALL QUOTED PRICES ARE CASH PRICES ONLY.

Visa and MasterCard 3% higher, American Express 5% higher

COMPUTERLANE

HOURS: M-F 9-6 S 10-6

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS WELCOME CALL FOR VOLUME DISCOUNTS CONSULTANTS CALL FOR PRICING

1-800^26^482 (Outside CA)

(818) 8848644 (In CA) (818) 884-8253 (FAX)

22107 ROSCOE BLVD. CANOGA PARK

1/2 BLOCK W. OF TOPANGA

CA 91304

Prices subject to change without notice * Quantities are limited

Compaq is a Registered Trademarl< of Compaq IBM is a Registered Trademarl< of International Business f^achines

364 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 61 on Reader Service Card

9-TrackTape For Your IBM PC/XT/AT/PS-2

Read 1600 bpi9-track tapes from a micro, mini or mainframe in EBCDIC or ASCII as mirror image or by individual files.

Use the 2000 PC" for disk backup, data interchange or archival storage.

PC/XT/AT/PS-2 are trademarks of IBM. 2000 PC is a trademark of Digi-Data.

DIGI-DATA CORPORATION 8580 Dorsey Run Road Jessup, MD 20794-9990 (301) 498-0200 800-782-6395 FAX (301) 498-0771 ;... First in Value

rtlth extremtlv affordablt price [be kit lacludes:

i) .A touch screen . a Qai. uampaicm plate that can be easily installed in the from of a mooitor. This is vety ''"^ta- to the installatioti of an anti.glare siTeen. (Presently a%^ilable are screens for 13 and 14-inch monitors.) .) A ilisketl - prt}>ides a library (for C language) which includes commands that allow the user to easily draw boxed areas and assign these areas to user-defined Spedlic commands, to rettlm the X and Y positions being touched; a ulilltywtuch cahbratcs the touch plate to coimteract the monilor's drift by simply touching the four corners of ihe screen; a demo to wliich play^ lots of funs.

3) A TSCOODl touch screen controller card - add-on to the PC-bus slot. It is only 4'xJ'. The X & Y ciMrdinates can be read from the input pons on the con. trolier card as S-bii data words. Easily access via high.les'el languages.

4, Well written tnanual. instrttcts the hardware setting plate mounting, explains library ftmctions and gises many cotling examples.

Qty.

1-9

10-49

50-199

200-499

500-1

Each

S375

S335

S300

S255

S199

HI-TECH LNSTRUMEVR

P.O- BOX 1509. STAFFORD. TEX-lS 77-497-1509:

vcaU 1713) 9S0-9O40.

_ Stores disk data in

'memory for NO-WAIT access.

- Caches up to 8M bytes in Expanded or Extendea memory.

- Lookahead reads it before you need it.

- Speed Switches tailor caching to your system.

- Compatible with Windows, memory managers. AutoCAD, networks ..

- Needs less than 9K bytes base memory. Vcache 5.0, DOS 2 - 4 $59.95

L S >'b S4. CA add 1.25^f

TOLL-FREE 1-800-284-3269

GOLDEN BOW SYSTEMS 2665 ARIANE DRIVE #207 SAN DIEGO. CA 92117 (619) 483-0901 FAX l619) 483-1924

Circle 90 on Reader Service Card

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REAL-TIME MULTITASKING KERNEL

8086/88. 80x86/88 80386

m Fast, reliable operation

■ Compact and ROMable

■ PC peripheral support

■ DOS fi/e access

■ C language support

■ Preemptive scheduler

■ Time slicing available

■ Configuration Builder

■ Full documentation

■ InSighf Debugging Tool

68000/10/20 Z80. 64180, 8080/85

■ Intertask messages

■ Message exchanges

■ Dynamic operations

— task create/delete

— task priorities

— memory allocation

■ Event Manager

■ Semaphore Manager ~i List Manager

No RoyaitiBt Source Code Included

t2S US

trs us

S3000US

Jlrng 9,

Call for prices for other processors. AMX, AMXae.lnSighrar KADA< PrMucIS Lid

zee s a t'a-:f-fiir> o- Z-z

KADAK Products Ltd.

206-1847 West Broadway Vancouver, B C-, Canada V6J 1Y5 Jfc Telephone; (604) 734-2796 IF Fax (604) 734-8114

TurboSound

DRTLOPER'S KIT

SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS:

ADD VALUE to YOUR PC APPLICATIONS with

REAL VOICES, SOUNDS - but with NO ADDED USER HARDWARE!!!

Digital Audio Authoring Workstation Software / Hardware Kit for PC *$1,280

30 Day Monty-Back Limited CuaranlM

• SoiindFX-lII - Professional GUI Sound Editor for easy sound integration.

• Create A>! Radio Quality Sound - Clear, rich voices and polyphonic music.

• Use Any Language for Voice Messages - Clear phonemes and fricatives!

• Use for Floppy Voice Mail! - send voice, sounds, sound effeos by mail.

• Works ttith any IBM-PC or PS/2 - Corrc« pitch for any type or clock speed.

• Ulde Range of Volume Control for PC's internal speaker by soft»-arc only.

• Advanced Algorithms - Real-Time Sound File Compression / Decompression.

• You have Total Control over creative conlenl - No outside services required.

• Add Sounds to Slide Shows - .Ajiimaior, Grasp, Showpartner. Story Beard, etc,

• Breaks the fr4 Kbyte Barrier - Sound files not restricted to a single segment.

• Rojalily-Free - Any sounds you create or record are jwrs exclusively too!

• Includes Sound Digitizing Card - Easy-to-use, plug-in hardware for IBM-PC.

• 'Plus No-Nonsense TurboSound License Fee Starting at SlO for 2,500 copies.

Tech:(-<Q3)-4-<6-4521 by SiliCOH ShaCk FAX: (408)-374-4412

5120 Campbell .Ave. ffll2, San Jose, CA 95130. undFX ind TurbaSoand art IndtBuHu afSiikan Stuck. Ltd. Odxr producl marki of tbtir uunufjclunrv Price* jnd jpcciflcjlioDi lubjcct 10 chissc -Uh

488

Easiest to use, GUARANTEED!

• IBM PC. PS/2. Macimosh. HP. Sun. DEC

• IEEE device drivers for DOS. UNIX, Lotus 1-2-3. VMS, XENXX & Macintosh

• Menu or icon-driven acquisition software

• IEEE analyzers, expanders, extenders, buffers

• Analog I/O. digital I/O. RS-232. RS-422. SCSI, modem & Centronics conveners to IEEE 488

Free Catalog & Demo Disks (216) 439-4091

lO

BCh

2597! Cannon Rd. • Cleveland. OH 44146

Circle 160 on Reader Service Card

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QUARTERHORSE

High Capacity Tape Subsystems

for Disk Backup, Data Acqulsllion, and Archiving

on IBM PC/XT/AT & PS/2 Everything you need in a single high quality package: Drive, SCSI Host Adapter. Enclosure, and DSI's Backup Software,

• 150 Mb 1/4- CT $1,395,

• 320 Mb 1/4- CT $1,495,

• 1,2 Gb 4mm DAT $3,195,

• 2,3 Gb 8mm HS $3,695,

Optional Application Interface Library (in "C") available. Full Support.

DATA STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.

^ 9020 Capites of Tx. Hwy. Suite 570 Austin, fx. 78769

(512)338-4745 FAX (512) 345-1328

LOWLOWLOW

Laser Printers/Scanjet Plus Interface/Plotters - Call

Memory for Hard Drives, Tkpe Backup for above and Sun & DEC Systems

IBM camnui ^v v ALR -^^VEREX- /ISr & other

XT/AT Compatibles k 386 Computers CALL for LOW PRICES

Gov't, Coi-porate, Schools, Dealers, & E.xport INQUIRIES WELCOME.

5URHH inc.

44912 Osgood Road, Fremont, C.4 94539 Ph: (415) 651-5101 Fax: (415) 651-5241 1-800-543-1001 VISA. Master Card accepted, w/sc

25 MHz 80486 Motherboard

Faster than ttie Everex Step™ 11.4 MIPS! $2,980 (Ok) Qty 1

Features:

• i486™Micropro(^orwith Built-in 8KCache & FPU

• Burst Mode Utilization for Iteimum System Ttiroughput

• External Dual READAVRITE Bacl< Cache Architecture

• E)demal Scalable 64Kr256K Fast Direct-Mapped Cache

• Intelligent Refresh Optimized Scheme

MIPS

Cache

Ok

4M

486/25

11,4

256K

3380

3720

386/33

8,3

64K

1649

1989

386/25

6.2

64K

1199

1519

386/20

4,9

64K

999

1319

Technology Power Enterprise, Inc.

46560 FremcDnt Blvd #118, Fremont CA 94538 Tel(415)623J?162 FAX (415) 623-9462

Circle 78 on Reader Service Card

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Intelligent multiport, supports RS-422

SmartLynx AT™ intelligent 4-port serial adapter for PC-AT and compatibles supports RS-422 and most multi-user operating systems. On-board processor takes burden off CPU. For order info, call:

1-800-553-1170

^ QUATECH

566 Wolf Ledges Parkwav Akron. OH 44311

PC-AT is a trademark of IBM Corporation.

Eight Serial

Ports One Board

Quatech's ES-lOO provides eight RS/232 serial ports in a single AT slot. RJ-11 modular connectors. 16450 UARTS are standard. Optional buffered 16550 UARTS. PC-AT ISA, or EISA compatible. Priced below $500! Quantity Pricing Available!

Call for our PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-5531170

QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkwav Akron. OH 44311

PC-AT is a trademark or registered trademarlt of BM Corp.

RS-422/RS-485 Boards for AT, Micro Channel

RS-422/RS-485 asynchronous serial communication boards from Quatech available in 1 to 4 ports for PC-AT and compatibles and 1 to 4 ports for PS/2 Micro Channel. Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170

QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkwav Akron. OH 44311

PC-AT, Micro Channel, and PS/2 are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corp.

Circle 252 on Reader Service Card

Circle 253 on Reader Service Card

Circle 254 on Reader Service Card

Synchronous Communication Boards for AT

Quatech synchronous/ asynchronous serial boards for PC-AT and compatibles support RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 communication.

Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-553-1170

QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311

PC-AT and PC are registered trademarks of IBM Corp.

Joystick Adapter for PS/2

Quatech GPA4000 works with IBIVI Micro Channel for PS/2 Models 50,60,70, and 80. Connect two joysticks or four paddles. Also compatible with IBM Game Control Adapter for PC-XT and AT Call our toll free order line: 1-800-553-1170

1^ CaUATECH

fjfi6 Wolf Ledges Parkwav Akron. OH 44311

IBM. Micro Channel. PS/2. PC-XX AT and Game Control Adapter are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corp.

Digital I/O Board

Single-slot Quatech PXB-721 for PC-AT has 72 digital I/O lines. Connect three choices of data acquisition modules. Supports Labtech Notebook™

Call for our free PC Interface Handbook: 1-800-5531170

G]l CaUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311

L.abTecfi Notebook is a trademark of Laboratories Tecfinologies Corp.

Circle 255 on Reader Service Card

Circle 256 on Reader Service Card

Circle 257 on Reader Service Card

5218 Printer Interface for PS/2 and AT

Quatech interface cards connect IBM 5218 DisplayWriter printer to PS/2 and AT.* Available now. Hundreds installed. For order info, call: 1-800-553-1170

QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 44311

IBM. DisplayWriler. PS 2, and AT ue irademarki ni IBM Co.rp

2 parallel, 2 serial,! board

Quatech DSDP-402 for PC-AT has two parallel ports, and two serial ports for any combination of RS-232, 422, and 485 communication. DSDP-100, two parallel and two RS-232 ports, available at lower cost.

For order info, call: 1-800-553-1170

^ QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkway Akron. OH 4^311

Wave Form 20MHZ-32K $1290

The WSB-100 Wave Form Synthesizer Board from Quatech has the best set of numbers in the market. With speed to 20MHz and a 32K memory at $1290, it's making waves in more ways than one. The WSB-100 is also a star performer as a digital pulse/word generator with the optional digital module. Call for our free PC Interface Handbook 1-800-553-1170

^ QUATECH

666 Wolf Ledges Parkwav Akron. OH 44311

Circle 258 on Reader Service Card

Circle 259 on Reader Service Card

Circle 260 on Reader Service Card

PROTECT YOURSELF

Screen f^p'"

Electronic limifet of Field Rodiotion

• Reduces hormful effects of Electrosfotic rodiotion

• Revitolizes computer environment with heolttiy flow of onions

• Silent, oir movement witti no moving ports

• Instolls on ony monitor

• One Yeoi Wotronty $7095 plusS4tiondling

// CA residents odd 6.25%

ONLY

a^S^n-800-477-5297

MC and VISA or Checks accepted

Technical reports and info only SM.95 per set credit towords purchase of ELF if ordered wittiin 60 doys

ZENiON INDUSTRIES, INC.

5430 Commerce Blvd. Rohnert Pork, CA 94928

Circle 338 on Reader Service Card

J Laser 5.. .$399

Thinking of buying a

■ LaserMaster

■ Intel Visual Edge™

■ Kofax board

J Laser 5 gives you the functions of all three boards combined Into one, plus EMS:

■ Fast laser printing

■ Halftones on a laser printer

■ Group 4 file printing and display

ay^PU.!. TWEE SYSTEMS

2585 E. Bayshore Rd. ■ Palo Alio, CA 94303 (415) 493-1980 ■ FAX (415) 493-7639

Versions available for HP Series il/lil and Canon LBP-4 laser printers All products are trademarks of their rospectiva companies Artwork for this ad created with JLsser 5 and included software

Circle 305 on Reader Service Card

PAL /PLD SOFTWARE

Sets The Standard

Not Protected

CUPL''PLD complier, the most poweilul language for the state machine logic cJesign, now allows front end design entry with popular schematic capture packages such as OrCAD, P-CAD, Schema, Hi-Wire, PADS or RACAL. CUPL supports all PLDs and carries the most extensive update program. Available on MS-DOS': Apollo" SUNT VAX'and most UI^IX'"based platforms.

LOGICAL

DBVICH, INC.

Fax: (305) 974-8531 1-800-331-7766

Circle 172 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 173)

MULTI-SPEED III 9 TRACK TAPE SUBSYSTEM for IBM PC/AT/386

1 YEAR WARRANTY

> IBM/ANSI compatible at 800*/1600/3200 bpi

> Controller, cables and software included

> Interfaces for PS/2*. Xenix* and DEC*

« SCSI*, AT or MCA* Bus I/O at 25/50/100 ips.

*0PTI0NAL SHOWN W/OPTlONAL CUST COVER

AKSystems Inc

20741 MarillaSt. Chatsworth CA 91311 TEL:818A709-8100 FAX: 818/407-5889

Circle 16 on Reader Service Card

TERABYTE INTL

MOTHER BOARD

38e-33;32K CACHE 1MB $1350 2MBS1450 4MBS1615

38$-2S IMBS 850 2MB$1020 4MB$1105

386SX-16 1MB$ 455 2MB $ 550 4M6$ 750

MODEM 2400 BSP INTERNAL S 69 00

VGA 16Bm024X768 $165.00

EVEREX MFM 1:1 INTERLEAVE HD FD CONTROLLER S CALL

D-RAMS

MATH CORPORCESSORS

256x4

08

S 9.50

80387

■33 S550

llvlEG

08

$ 8.80

80387

-25 S450

64X4

10

$ 3.50

80387

■20 S355

41256

08

SCALL

80387

-16 $315

41256

10

$ 2.50

80387SX

SCALL

41256

12

S 2-00

80287

-10 $210

SIMMS & SIPPS

CACHE MEMORY

1 MEGX9

80

S90.00

8KX8

■20 SCALL

256X9

80

$30.00

8KXS

-25 SCALL

1 CALL FOR CURRENT PRICES VOLUME DISC, j

IN USA 800-688-BYTE ask for teri CANADA 604-263-0988 ask for lch

TERABYTE INTL INC.

17777 CRENSHAW BLVD-, #103 TORRANCE- CA 90504 TEL 213^323^8778 FAX:213-323-8896

PntCE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOL'T NOTICE

VJSA

Circle 310 on Reader Service Card

UNIVERSAL/GANG PROGRAMMER

made in U.S.A.

$695.00 includes One Year Update and

Warranty

HUSKY programs EE/EPROMS, CMOS PLDS. and Micros. It s your best bet when low cost and quality are both important. From the people who make CUPL and ALLPRD.

LOGICAL

DIVICBI. INC.

1201 N.W. 65th Place Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 FAX: (305) 974 8531

1-800-331-7766

Circle 174 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 175)

Circle 343 on Reader Service Card

PC BASED UNIVERSAL DEVICE PROGRAMMER

$695/895

» Programs ELEPROMs. MiCROs, BIPOLA.Rs,PALs. GALs, EPLDs. PEEi^, (curreni libraries support over 900 devices by over 35 manjfacturersj.

» Software driven pin drivers. D/A generated programming voliages (8 bii DACs used 10 generate voltages from 5-25V wih O.IV resolution for all pins).

► Fast device programming/verify; read via dedicated parallel interface.

• Upgradeable for virtually any future programmable devices up to 40 pins.

► Self-subsistent operation. No additional modules or plug-in adapters requ;re<j. I Includes user friendly MEMORY BUFFER FULL SCREEN EDITOR.

Commands include: Fill, Move, Insert, Delete, Search. Data entry can he done in ASCII or HEX form. FLSEMAP EDITOR for Logic devices.

I Friendly .Menu-Driven inlerTace. Device selection by P/N and Manufacturer.

I Supports 8/16/32 bit data word formats.

► Programming algorithms: Normal, Intelligent I & II, Quick Pulse Programming. Automatic selection of fastest algorithm for any given pan.

► VeriS' operation performed at normal & worst case operating voltage. » Functional test: JEDEC standard functional testing for logic devices.

TTL Logic functional test for 74xx/54xx series devices and memory devices. Test library can be updated by the user. User definable test pattern generation. I File formats accepted: JEDEC (full), JEDECfkernal). Binary. MOSTechnnlogv. Motorola Hex, Intel Hex. Tektronix Hex.

► Base price ($695) includes Interface card, cable, Memory + Micro + Bipolar library, TTUCMOS/MEMORY device test capability, one year free updates.

I Complete price (S895) includes all of the above plus Logic Device Library. » Library updates can be received via floppy or B&C Customer Support BBS. » Full 1 year warranty. Customer support via vo:ce line. Fax &. dedicated BBS .

\

UNIVERSAL RS-232 PROGRAMMER

$345/495!

» Programs ELXProms, ZPRams.Intel Micros,Flash EProms.Memory Cards. » Stand-Alone .Mode for EE'EProm and Memory Card Duplication / Verify. » All 24,'28/32 pin EE/EProms to 4 MBits (upgradeable to 32 megabits). » Micros:8741/A.-2/A.-4.-g,-9.-5I,-C51.-C51FAyB,-52..53,-55,-C521.-C541.9761.

► -Model UP]00(S345). Model LP200 ($495) accepts dedicated modules.

► .Memor^'Cards Programming Module (Seiko/Epson,Fujitsu.) - 5145. » GANG Programming Module (4 sockets) - S145,

► Optional built-in Eraser/Timer module - S50; Conductive foam pad.

► On-Board Programming capability; Custom interface modules available.

t User friendly Menu-Driven Interface Program for IBM-PC and .Macintosh.

► Can be operated with any computer containing an RS-2J2 serial port

► OEM open board programmer configurations available (from S24S).

► One year free softw-are updates and Customer Support.

» Customer support via voice line, dedicated BBS or fax; Full 1 year warranty.

INTELLIGENT ROM EMULATOR

$3951

• Emulates 2716 through 27512 EProms (2k to 641: byies) w.-ith a single unit.

• Megabit parts can be emulated with multiple units {Mega adapter required).

• Connects to the standard parallel printer port. Uses standard printer cable.

• F.AST data loading via parallel printer port (Mk bytes in less than 10 seconds).

• Inielligem 'In-Circuit-Emulator" type features irclude: Address Compare (with HALT output). Address Snapshot (for target addr. bus monitoring). Trigger Input (for externa! events monitoring). Programmable Reset Output.

• Powerful Memory buffer editor. Selectable worcsizes (8,16,32).

• User friendly softwa.re. Command set includes: Load, Write, Display, Run, Type. Edit, Fill, Run-Command-File, Monitor, Port. Reset, Help. Calculator.

• Cascadable to 8 units. Includes target cable viith Trigger, Halt & Reset clips.

• CMOS model with NiCad rechargeable 9V battery backup - M9S. (Can be used in stand-alone mode; Built-in battery recharging circuitry.)

• File formats accepted: Binary. Intel Hex, Motorola S.

MC / VISA / AMEX Call today for datasheets!

B&C MICROSYSTEMS INC.

355 WTIST OLIVE AVE., SUNNTVALE. CA 94086 USA TEL; 1408)730-5511 FAX: (408)730-5521 BBS:(408)730-2317

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 367

OVER $2 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF INVENTORY DROPPED IN OUR LAP TO SELL TO YOU AT WHOLESALE PRICES

2014 Mcculloch boulevard, suite a lake havasu city, arizona 86403

(602) 453-9555 • 1-800-752-6016 • Fax (602) 453-9379

FIVE YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL SPREE SYSTEMS

SPREE COMPUTERS!

PLEASE CALL ON SPECIAL CONFIGURATION

286-12 MHZ

80286 12 MHZ AT 1 MEG MEMORY 1.2 or 1.44 FLOPPY DRIVE 40 MEG HARD DISK 101 KEYBOARD w/TRACKBALL VGA MONITOR & CARD w/256K TWO SERIAL PORTS ONE PARALLEL

$1499

m

386-20 MHZ

80386 20 MHZ AT 1 MEG MEMORY 1.2 or 1,44 FLOPPY DRIVE 40 MEG HARD DISK 101 KEYBOARD w/TRACKBALL VGA MONITOR & CARD w/256K TWO SERLAL PORTS ONE PARALLEL PORT

25 MHZ AVAIL- dj-f QQQ

ABLE CALL ^)

1

c

- All Seagates Available _CALL FOR PRICING

BLOW-OUT SPECIALS

(^Seagate

MFM DRIVES DRIVE

DnveOnly

XTKi

ST225

65 MS

21 MEG

$199.

$239

ST125

28 MS

21 MEG

$229.

$279

ST138

28MS

32MEG

$279.

$329

ST251-1

28MS

42MEG

$329.

$389

ST151

24MS

42MEG

$379.

$439

ST4096

28MS

80MEG

$559.

$609

RLL DRIVES

ST225R

70MS

21 MEG

$189.

$239

ST238R

65 MS

32MEG

$219.

$269

ST138R

28MS

32MEG

$259.

$309

ST250R

70MS

42MEG

$279.

$339

ST157R

28MS

49MEG

$369.

$419

ST277R

28MS

64MEG

$379.

$439

SCSI DRIVES

STIMN

28MS

32MEG

$349.

$399

ST157N

28MS

48MEG

$439.

$489

ST177N

24MS

60MEG

$559.

$609

ST1096N

24MS

83MEG

$799.

$849

DTK

BAREBONE AT (10 MHZ) CASE . MB • P.S $299

(Unbelievable)

DELTAGOLD XT

(10 MHZ) 512K • 1 DRIVE • I/O CARD MONOCHROME MONITOR & CARD KEYBOARD ♦ MS DOS • BASIC $449

Panasonic.

Office AutornatPon,^^*Vi\ PANASONIC 1124 $289

EMERSON MONOCHROME

CARD & MONITOR $109

EMERSON

VGA

MONITOR & CARD $399

REPLACEMENT POWER SUPPLY

150 WATT $39 200 WATT $49

MODEM BLOW-OUT

HAYES COMPATIBLE

1200 INTERNAL $39 2400 INTERNAL $79

LAPTOP COMPUTER ACCESSORIES

PRINTERS

TOSHIBA

TIOOO

$ 599

TIOOOSE

$1100

T 1200 FB

$1319

T 1200 HB

$1799

T1600 20 MEG

$2999

T 1600 40 MEG

$3359

T 3100 E 40 MEG

$2819

T3100SX

$3550

T 32001.44 20 MEG

$3299

T 3200 SX

$3779

T5100

$3899

T 5100 100 MEG

$4499

T 5200 40 MEG

$4619

T 5200 100 MEG

$4979

ACCESSORIES

T-1000

AC ADAPTER T-100/1100+

4200

2400 B MODEMS

199.00

CARRY CASE FABRIC

39.99

UNIV. 9 VOLT ADAPTER

CALL

T.1200F/H

2400 B MODEM

199.00

BATTERY PACX

79.00

BATTERY RECHARGER

279.00

CARRY CASE

79.00

T-1000 SE

BATTERY PACK

CALL

2400 B MODEM

CALL

UPGRADES 132 MEG

CALL

T-1600

BATTERY CHARGER

279.00

LOW CAP BATTERY PACK

69.00

FABRIC CARRY CASE

89.00

2400 B MODEM

199.00

2 MB INT. MEM. BRD.

699.00

T-3200

CARRY CASE 99.00

3MB MEM. BRD. 1079.00

T-5100

LEATHER CARRY CASE 299.00

FABRIC CARRY CASE 99.00

2MG MEM BRD. 699.00

T-5200

16 BIT LAN CARD 49.00

24O0B EXP SLOT 179.00

2 MB MEM. BRD. 539.00

FABRIC CASE 99.00

LEATHER CARRY CASE 299.00

UNIVERSAL LAPTOP PARTS:

M.SDOS3.3 99.00

LAPUNK & ALL LAPTOPS 99.00

MS. DOS 4.01 CALL

All prices subject tn rhange

HP DESK JET PLUS

$ 699

HP IIP

Tiet HEWLETT K£J PACKARD

$ 979

HP II

Tigt HEWLETT

$1565

HPIID

Kffl HEWLETT ticM PACKARD

$2750

HPin

Tiflt HEWLETT tiCM PACKARD

$1775

MEMORY & ACCJ

HP II & II D

1 MB S249 2MB S359 4MB S599 TONER $ 79

HP II P

1 MB $250

2 MB S359 TONER $ 59

PACIFIC DATA

FONTS

POSTSCRIPTS $479

SPREADSHEET $110

25 IN ONE $265

PLOTTER $249

HEADLINE $749

368 BYTE- JUNE 1990

Circle 301 on Reader Service Card

Circle 48 on Reader Service Card

for the IBM PC, XT, AT PC DOS' or MS DOS*

SOLID STATE DISK AND DRIVE EMULATORS

• Make PC/XT/AT and compatibles diskless terminals with local DOS and program storage.

• Single or dual disk emulation of 5Vt" or 3'/;" diskettes up to 1.2MB, read/write up to 770K.

• On-tjoard EPROM programmer—simply copy a diskette to program the EPROMs or Flash EEPROMs,

• Flash EEPROMs remotely programmable on LANs.

• Two Autoboot modes, a File (read) and a Programming mode—automatic disk drive designation set-up during booting.

• Hash EEPROM models are electrically erasable. SRAM models are battery backed. EPROM models are ultraviolet erasable.

• Programming utilities included with programmable models.

• List prices with memory ICs (torn S295. OEM prices and models available OEM with or without memory ICs.

mmm CURTIS, INC.

1 —I JB37 Nofth Fitr¥l«w Av«. • St. P»ul. MN 5S113 t i 612/631-9512 Fax 612/631-9SW

Circle 75 on Reader Service Card

LPC Serial/2A HDLC/SDLC Data Communication Controller for IBM PC/AT Bus

Dual Channel Synchronous Controller (Z85C30) Runs 800K BAUD Full Duplex DMA HDLC LapB software option

Computer Modules. Inc.

_ _ m 2348C Walsh Ate.

ri It — Santa Clara. C.A 95051 Tel: (408) 496-1881 Fax: (408) 496-1886

IBM PC7.AT is a trademark of IB.M. Inc

Circle 60 on Reader Service Card

NEW FREE 384 PAGE DATA ACQUISITION & CONTROL HANDBOOK FOR IBM PC/XT/ AT, PS/2 AND COMPATIBLE COMPUTERS

• A/D BOARDS

SIGNAL CONDITIONING COMMUNICATION INDUSTRIAL CONTROL PC INSTRUMENTS IMAGE ACQUISITION

•sfflD TODAY m mt ml m mt nnmm

DATA SCOUISITIOH t COHTSOl HAHDBOOK

KEITH LE\1

METRABYTE

440 Myles Standish Blvd., Taunton, MA 132780 (508) 880-3000 TLX; 503989 FAX-. (508) 880-0179

Circle 162 on Reader Service Card

$295

For IBM-PC's & compatibles, menu-driven AVPROM programs EPROMs upto8x faster than seriallyconnected units (20 J sec. for 2764).

• Programs 2716 thru 27512A.

• 4- and 10 socket gang versions too. Call for prices.

For complete specs, free 32 pg. development tool catalog, call

8QQ-448-8S00.

or 207-236-9055

AVaCET

SYSTEMS, INC.120 Union St.. Rockport. ME 04856

Circle 347 on Reader Service Card

VT240 Keyboard for your PC

Turn your PC into a VAX workstation with the PowerStation."'

• an exact VT200/VT300 layout keyboarti to plug into your PC, and

• ZSTEM 240 or 220 terminal emulation software

3738 North Fraser Way, Unit 101 Burnaby, B.C.. Canada V5J 5G1 Tel: 604-431-0727 Fax." 604-431-0818 Toll Free Order Desk: 800-876-6089

ZSTEM arc Pcwe-Sta: o- a's :raa&-a-vs =' KEA S/s:gms U

Circle 161 on Reader Service Card

9-Track Tape Subsystem

for the IBM PC/XT/AT

Now you can exchange data files between your IBM PC and any mainframe or minicomputer using IBM compatible 1600 or 6250 BP! 9-Track tape. System can also be used for disk backup. Transfer rate is up to 4 megabytes per minute on PCs and compatibles. Subsystems include 7" or IOV2" streaming tape drive, tape coupler card and DOS compatible softn-are. For more information, call us today!

nURLSTRRl

9621 Irondale Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311 Telephone: (818) 882-5822

Circle 261 on Reader Service Card

LOW COST INTERFACE CARDS FOR PC/XT/AT

:RS-485/422 Card [PC485] $95/125;

• Serial As\nc, Communication up to 4,000fl; 2or-lwireK NSlMfll UART;

• Can tte configured as COMI-COM4; Maximum Baud Rate 56KB.

• Flexible configuraiion opiions. RTS or DTR conirol of smjismiwion liireciiun.

• Fotl/Halfduplex operalion. Supports hardware handshaking (RTS.CTS).

• Dual dtivers'teceivers.Handles 64 de\ices:ConipaiiVile mnsi comm. sliwi.

• High speed version Evailable (supports baud raies up 10256KB ) - SI65

Dual-Port RS-485/422 [PCL743] $1751

• Tv-o independeni channels,' L'ARTs; 2 or 4 v.ire operalion. Max, Baud 5(iKB

• Dipswiich configurable as C0M1-- (IRQ^-"). Or hoard lerminutnr resistor.

IEEE-488 Card [PC488A]

$145

» Includes INSTALLABLE DOS DEMCE DRnTRS and support for BASIC, . Additional Support for ASSEMBLE'. C, Pascal and FORTR\N - S 50. I lRQ(l-6). DMA channel 1 or I. Up lo 4 boards per computer. » Compatible with most IEEE-488 Software packages lor IBM-PC (e.g. AS^STANT-GPIB Lolus Measure). Compatible with M s GPIB-PCll.V

IEEE-488 Card [PC488B] With Built-in Bus Analyzer

$3451

• Software Support for BASIC.A. QjickBASIC and GWBASIC.

• Additional libraries for C. Pascal. FORTR.VS, Assembly available-SSOtall) Full range of Talker. Listener. Controller, SeriaLTaralle) Pol!, SRO. etc...

• Powerful menu-driven BUS .VN.\LYZER can be mi; in ibe background while 488 programs or commands are executed; Features Program Stepping, Break points, RealTime Bus Data Capture (4K buffer). Insiani Screen Toggling.

• CompleleController/Talker/Llslenercapability. Based on lis TMS-9914.

• Memorv'-resideni Printer Port Emulation Ulility included. (LPTl-3).

• NEC-7ilO based card (compatible with NTs GPlB-PCri) - S4J5.

DIGITALI/OCard [PCL720] $175]

• Input: 52 TTL compatible channels; Input load is 0,2 tiLA at 0.4V.

• Output: 32 TTL compatible channel5;Sinks 24rnA(0.5V); Sources :5tTiA(2.0V)

• Counter/Tim en DC to 2.6MHz; 3 channels; 16 bit counters; 6 counting modes.

• Breadboard area for prototyping. Dipswilch 1/0 port selection (200-3F8 hex).

LOW COST

DATA AQUISmON & CONTROL

CARDS FOR PC/XT/ATj

IIBFTA/D&D/A rPCL711sl $295

« AD converter-. 8 single-ended channlels; De\ice-. .\DS74-. Conversion nme

less than aStisec; Input range; :5V; Software Trigger Mode only. « D/A converter. 1 channel; 12 bit resolution; 0 to - SV,'IQV Output Range.

• Digital 1/0; 16 Input /16 Output channels; Ail fOs TTL compatible.

• External Wiring Terminal Board with mounting accessones included.

• Utilit\-Routines and Demo,'Saiiip!e Programs for B.\SIC and Quick-BASIC.

12 BFT A/D & D/A [PCL8L2]

$395:

• A/D converien 16 single ended inputs; Device : AD574; Conversion time less than25 jisec; Built-in programmable pacer; Input ranges: =10V, ±5V, :1V.

• D/A converter: 2 channels; 12 bit resolution.; Output Range 0-5V.

• Digital I/O: 16 Input/16 Output channels; Al! I'Os TTL compatible.

• Counter: 1 channel programmable interval counter/timer; Uses Intel 8254.

• DMA and interrupt capability. Utility software for Basic included.

^FASTl2Bn A/D/A [PCL718] $795]

• A/D converter; 16 sinele ended or S differentia! channels; 12 bit resolution; Programmable scan rate; Built-in Interrupt and DMA control circuitryConversion speed 60.000 smpls/sec (standard). 100,000 smpls/sec (optional).

• Input ranges: Bipolar =10V. =5V. =2.5V. :1V, ±05V; Unipolar lO.S^lV.

• D/A converter: fchanncls; Resolution: 12 bits res; Settling time: 5 iisec; -SV

• Digilal U0:160UT, 16IN^ TTL compatible; All l/Os TTL compatible.

• Counier:I6 bit progr. interval counter/timer; Uses Intel 8254; Pacer clock;

• Software: Utiliiv softw-are for BASIC and QuicltBASlC included Supported b> UbD.AS (S195/495). ASYST, LABTBCH. UnkeiScope

6 ChanD^2 bit D/A [PCT.726] ~~$495|

• OutDu: Ranges: Oto -r5V, Oio + lOV, =5V. :10V or sink 4.20m.A.

• Seitline time: 70u,S. Linearity: = l/2bit.Voltage output driung capacity: :5mA

• Digilari/O: J6 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs; TTL compatible.

STEPPER MOTOR CARD

$395!

• Capable of independent and simultaneous control of up to 3 stepper motors.

• Speed: Programmable from 3.3 PPS to 3410 PPS; Built-in acceleration control.

• Output Mode: One clock (Pulse, Direction) or Wo dock (CW, CCW pulses)

• Step position Read-back; Opto-isoiated outputs: Crvstal based timing.

• Includes 3 bit digital inpu^output pon. Order P/N 1PCL-738B)

MC / VISA / AMEX Call today for datasheets:

Circle 49 on Reader Service Card

B&C MICROSYSTEMS INC.

355 WEST OLIVE AVX-, SUN.NTVALE. CA 94086 LSA TEL: (408)730-5511 FAX: (408)730-5521 BBS:(408)730-23I7

JUNE 1990 •BYTE 369

Editorial Index by Company

Index of companies covered in articles, columns, or news stories in this issue Each reference is to the first page of the article or section in which the company name appears

Company, Page #

Inquiry #

A

Above Software, 50 1152 Academic Press, 382 Adobe, 184

Advanced Logic Research, 164 854 Advanced Micro Devices, 256 Advanced Television Research

Consortium, 269 Agilis, 50, 224A 1149 Aldus, 116 986 ALSoft, 91 982 AMD, 269

American Electronics

Association, 269 American National

Standards, 252 1052 American Precision Optics

Manufacturing Association, 269 Apple Computer, 91,184,

252,269 1051 Arche Technologies, 42 1123 Artisoft, 142, 252 1059 1072

Ashton-Tate, 116 990 AST Research, 164 855 AT&T, 269

Athena Software, 52 1151 Atlantix, 203

Award Software, 44 1140

B

Balthrop, Brader, Wood

Associates, 58 1167 Banyan Systems, 252 1070 Bauer, 184

Bay Technical Associates, 252 1062 Bell South, 233 Bellcore, 269

Borland International, 116 988 Bourbaki, 65 995 Brown & Company, 48 1142

Button Ware, 58 1168

Cabletron Systems, 52 Candlelight Software, 56 CBIS, 109,252 Center for Optical

Manufacturing, 269 Cheetah Industries, 132 Cisco Systems, 203 Columbia University, 269 Compaq Computer, 190, 252,

297

Computer Accessories, 43 Computer Associates

International, 58 Consortium for Scientific

Computing, 269 Corporation for Open Systems, Corvus Systems, 142

1147 1158 1065

885

1063 1130

1165

203 1073

D-Link Systems, 142 1074

Data/Voice Solutions, 52 1148

DaVinci Graphics, 178 853 Defense Advanced Research

Projects Agency, 269

Deli Computer, 42, 297 1121 Digital Communications

Associates, 50 1157

Digital Equipment, 203, 252 1060

Digital Products, 252, 269 1063

Dragon Systems, 44 1136

Emerald Computer, 186 Ergo Computing, 116

861 987

Fifth Generation Systems, 252 1053 Free Software Foundation, 97 Fresh Technology Group, 142 1075 FTP Software, 281 1104

Grapevine LAN Products, 142 1076 Great American Software, 58 1170

H

HanZon Data, 184 852 Hewlett-Packard, 203, 269 Hoover Institution, 65 Hummingbird Communications, 281 1105

I

IBM, 42, 203, 252, 269, 297

1061 1131 1133

InfoChip Systems, 44 Information Processing

Technologies, 142 1077 Institute for New-Generation

Computer Technology, 269 Intel, 184, 269

IntelliCorp, 56 1164 Invisible Software, 142 1078

John von Neumann Center for Scientific Computing, 269

Joint European Sub-micron Silicon Initiative, 269

K

Kent State University, 269

Lotus Development, 116 985

M

M&T Books, 382 Massachusetts Institute of

Technology, 269 Massachusetts Microelectronics

Center, 269 Matesys, 56 1162 Microelectronics and Computer

Technology, 269 Microsoft, 65, 103,109,122,

184,188,252 859 993 1066

Midnight Beach, 65 992 Ministry of International Trade

and Industry, 269 Mobius Computer, 42 1120

N

National Center for Integrated

Photonic Technology, 269 National Institute of Science and

Technology, 252 1057 National Science Foundation, 269 National Semiconductor, 269 NEC Technologies, 43 1127 Newport Systems, 85 1103

Nippon Telephone and

Telegraph, 269 Novell, 185, 203, 252 1064

O'Neill Communications, 224A Online Computer System, 109 Optoelectronics Technology Research, 269

P

Pacific Data, 184

PC Power & Cooling, 48 1141 Prescience, 193 884 ProtoView Development, 56 1159

Racal InterLan, 281 1106

Rational Systems, 188 881

Rochelle Communications, 52 1153

Rupp, 252 1055

Sarnoff Research Center, 269 Scenario, 48 1144 Schedule Master, 85 1102

Seagate Tech nology, 297 1103 Semiconductor Manufacturing

Technology Initiative, 269 Semiconductor Research, 269 SemWare, 103 984 Server Technology, 252 1054 Siemens, 269

Software Link, 252 1058 Sony, 109

Springer-Verlag, 382

St. Martin's, 382

Sun Microsystems, 136,203,

269 860 Swanson Analysis Systems, 64 1179 Synchotron Orbital Radiation

Technologies, 269 Systat, 64 1180

TA Engineering, 64 1176

Tandy, 190 862 Telesystems SLW, 224A

The Lambda Group, 142 1079

The Learning Company, 65 994

Three-Sixty Pacific, 65 991

3X USA, 252 1069

TOPS, 142,203, 252 1056 1080

Tutsim Products, 65 996

u

1181 1081

U.S. Marketing, 252 U.S. Sage, 142 UCLA, 269

UnderWare, 103 983 Univation, 44 1134 University of Rochester, 269 University of Southern California's

School of Engineering, 269 Unix International, 269 Untied TeleCom, 50 1150

Vertex Design Systems, 64 1132

w

W. H. Freeman, 382 Wayzata Technology, 65 997 WeatherTraclndustries, 48 1146 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 256

X

XenoSoft, 65

Xerox Palo Alto Research

Center, 252 Xircom, 281

998

1067 1107

z

Zeta Soft, 91

981

370 BYTE' JUNE 1990

caiioti Full Page Scanner-i/398

c„„ r.K^„ c„,—=-„ c„«,.„„ Deluxe OCR Software... '198

Includes Free Photo Graphic Scanning and Editing Software

• 300 Dots Per Inch ■ Fast...? Seconds Per Page

. Automatic Sheet Feeder • Up to 32 Gray Scales . Includes PC/AT Interface Card • One Year Canon Warrantji ■ Software Selectable 300/200/150/75 DPI

JaSe^mputer

Turbo-88

$498

—A PROVEN BEST SELLER—

Monitor Optional

8088 microprocessor ronning at 10 MHi or 4.77 540KB

5.25- 360KB Drive Dual diskette drive controller

. 102 Key enhanced k^board . Parallel printer port . Eight expansion slots . Serial RS232C pert . Game Port . Clock/Calendar . 150 watt povjer supply . 8067 socket . Front panel display

Monitor & Hard Drive Options

"oT 1 Megabyte \ MegaU Complete Monographics System

*598 I *798 I ^848

For Complete Color System add MOO Complete VGA System

*898 M098 1M148

JADE COMPUTER

PRO-286

12 MHz

$698

Monitor Optional

-286 POWERHOUSE—

■ 80286 cfocessor running at

12 MHz or 20MH2» - Zero waft state

■ 1 Megabyte of RAM

. 1.2 MB or 1.44 MB drive . HariJ/flopfy)' controller

■ Six 16-Bit 8 TWO 8 Bit expansion slots

■ 102 Key enhanced keyDoard

• 200 watt power supply

• 80287 socket

. Clock/Calendar ■ Norton SI. 13.7/20.3 * . Landmark 16/25.9 * . One Year Warranty

Monitor & Hard Drive Options (12 iVIHz) Floppy 40 80

Only I Megabyte | Megabyte Complete Monographics System

*798 I M098| M398

Complete VGA System

M098 I M398| M698

•For 20 MHz System Add «298

EPSON Panasonic

KX-1180 , KX-1191 . KX-1124 . KX-1624 ,

.5169 5238

.5428

LX-810 ...5178 FX-850 ... .Call FX-1050 .. .Call LQ-510 ...5328 LQ-850 ... .Call LQ-950 ... .Call LQ-1010 .. .Call LQ-1050 ...Call LQ-2550 .. .Call EPL-6000 Laser Printer....5999

¥/ibI HEWLETT mL/iM PACKARD

New LaserJet IIP 5io98

H.P. UserJet 111 51698

H.P. DeskJet Plus 5593

H. P. DeskWriter/For Mac 5348

Extra Toner 593

Extra Ink Cartridge 5^9

Trippiite Battery Back-up

450 Watt UPS 5393

750 Watt UPS 5498

1200 Watt UPS 5693

S'/a" Disk Drives

720K intemai/extemal 578/178

I. 44 MB internal/external .588/5188 Trippiite Line Stabilizer

600 Watt Line Conditioner .... .593 1200 Watt Une Conditioner .. .=158 1800 Watt Una Conditioner ...5188

No Surcharge for Credit Cards!

8087-2 . 8087-1 . 80287 .. 80287-8

.5118 .5158 .5128 .5198

80287-10.5228

80287-12 .5278 80387-SX .5318 80387-16 .5348 80387-20 .5388 80387-25 .5488 80387-33 .5598

Microsoft DOS

3.3 *78

4.01 _ *88

ITT Co-Processors

Better Thari Intel

2C87-8 5198 2C87-12 .. ..5268

2C87-10 ..,.5228 2C87-20 ....5328

VGA Package

Card $-|48

I Monitor $298

640 X 480 Hi-Res Card

JADE COMPUTER

Super-386

16 MHz (SX)

$898

Monitor Optional

20 MHz 25 MHz

$1398 M498

25 MHz Cache 33 MHz Cache

$1898 $2398

—FIRE BREATHING 386—

. 80386 prccessor running at ■ Full siie case 16 MHz (SX). 20 MHz. 25 MHz . One 32-Bit Five 16-Bit or 33 MHz Two 8-Bit slots

. 1 MB RAM expands to 4 MB ■ 102 enhanced K^board . 384K Shadow RAM • 200 watt powa- supp^

. 1 2 MB or 1.44 MB Drive • Clock/Calendar . M Interleave Hard Disk/ • Norton S.I- 18/23/31.6/31.6 Roppy Disk Controller • Landmark 21/25.5/326/43.5 ■ 80387 Socket Monitor & Hard Drive Options (16 IVIHz SX) Floppy 40 80

Only I Megabyte | Megabyte Complete Monographics System

$998 I H398 |M598

Complete VGA System

M358| M698 |M898

For 25 MHz Cache add '998 For 33 MHi Cache add M798

For 20 MHz add >49S For 25 MHz add '598

Modem 2400 Internal w/Software *74

1200 Internal w/software 544

1200 baud external 533

2400 baud external 5] 28

2400 PS/2 internal 5193

Trackballs

Logitech Tracknnan Serial 593

Logitech Trackman BUS 5103

MicroSpeed PC-Trac Serial 533

MicnDSpeed PC-Trac BUS 593

MicroSpeed FastTrap Serial 5^08

MicnoSpeed FastTrap BUS 51^3

Roland Plotters

DXY-1100 5793

All Roland Models Available

Panasonic vga

PanaSync Monitor

1024 x 768

14' .28 Dot Pitch

$468

HEWLETT PACKARD

{orVouv

Pacific Page PostScript U IIP/II/ 111 '39S POP 25i.nU172Fonts)Ull/IIP..5278 PDP 25 iri 1 (172 Fonts) U 111 .... =398 POP Plotter in a Cartridge llP/ll/lll =248

4 MB Memory Card for LI Without I^AM . =98 2 MB .. . 1 MB =198

I/IID

4 MB .

.5298 .5498

Newl Memory Card for U llP/IH

Without RAM 5148 2 MB =298

1MB... ....5198 4 MB 'S48

Hard Disk Sale

20 MB eOms 20 MB 35ms 30 MB 60ms 30 MB 35ms 40 MB 40ms 40 MB 28ms 60 MB 40ms 80 MB 28ms 120 MB 28ms 150 MB 23ms

Drwe Only

5198 5248 5218 5288 5298 5348 5388 5538 5698 5998

Kit w/ Controller 5248 5298 5268 5338 5348 5398 5448 5598 5768 51098

Logitech

LogiMouse Hi-Rez. Bus 533

LogiMouse Hifiez Serial =93

Miavsoft BUS Mouse

$48

200 DPI w/Elvers Software

40 MB Tape Back-up 5268

150/250 MB Tape 5623/5723

Scanner

Diamond Flower HS-3000 Plus .5198

OCR Software for HS-3000 533

Keyboard

102 enhanced click 553

Keyboard Drawer 534

CaBfomia

Torrance, Costa .Mesa. Woodland Hills Kearny Mesa, Sunnyvale

Texas Georgia Arizona

Addison. Houston Smyrna Phoenix Not all items in stock at our nine retail locations.

JADE COMPUTER

A90-i W. Rosecrans Ave. Box 5046, Hawthorne. CaBfomia 902S1-S046 213-973-7707

Continental U.S.A. 1-800-421-5500 Inside California 1-800-262-1710

|Q||t^f» 10 Day Money Back Guarantee

■*.lfyP^ff We accept checks, credit cards (or purchase orders from qualified firms and institutions.) No surcharge on credit card orders. CA.. TX.. OA. & AZ. residents add sales tax. Prices and availability subject to change without notice. H.QQ nninimum shipping and handling charge.

Circle 157 on Reader Service Card

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 371

READER SERVICE

To get further information on the products advertised in BYTE, fill out the reader service card by circling the numbers on the card that correspond to the inquiry number listed with the advertiser. This index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

* Correspond directly with company.

Alphabetical Index to Advertisers

Inquiry No. Page No.

S 3X USA CORPORATION 108

9 ABACUS SOFTWAHE.INC 181

10 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 181

350 ABOVE SOFTWAHE 301

11 ABRAXAS SOFTWARE 182

12 ADD ON AMERICA 358

13 AGI 177

14 AHEAD SYSTEMS 70

15 AHEAD SYSTEMS 70

16 AK SYSTEMS 367

17 ALLCOMPUTERS.INC 93

18 ALLCOMPUTERS.INC 93

19 ALPHA PRODUCTS 358

20 ALR 2,3

21 ALR 2 3

22 ALTEC TECH.CORP . \. . . 202

23 AMERICAL GROUP 358

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

353 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION . 325

354 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION ..325

25 AMERICAN RESEARCH CORP 314

26 AMERICAN RESEARCH CORP 314

348 AMPRO COMPUTERS 69

27 ANNABOOKS 346

28 ARTISOFT 247

67 ARTIST GRAPHICS 175

29 ATRON CADRE TECHNOLOGIES 29

347 AVOCET SYSTEMS.INC 369

30 AXSYS 137

31 AXSYS 137

32 AXSYS 137

33 A.M.S 354

34 B & B ELECTRONICS 362

343 BSC MICROSYSTEMS,INC 367

48 BSC MICROSYSTEMS,INC 369

49 BSCMICROSYSTEMS.INC 369

35 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 246

36 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

37 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

38 BEST POWER TECHNOLOGY.INC , 358

• BINARY TECHNOLOGY.INC 354

450 BIX 284,285

450 BIX 308,309

• BIX 381

39 BUCKSHIP COMPUTER SYSTEMS , 72

40 BLAISE COMPUTING.INC 6

41 BORLjAND INTERNATIONAL 11

42 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11

43 BP MICROSYSTEMS 356

44 BUFFALO PRODUCTS.INC 211

45 BUREAU OF ELECTRONIC PUB 86

• BUYERS MART 332-343

■ BYTE BACK ISSUES 330

• BYTE PUBLICATIONS 328

• BYTE SUB.MESSAGE 322

47 BYTEK COMPUTER CORP 352

• BYTEWEEK/NEWSLETTER 329

357 BZ TECHNICAL 344

50 CANON U.S.A 2240

51 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 192

52 CENTRAL COMPUTER PROD 361

53 CENTRUM RESEARCH 356

54 CHEETAH INT'L 240

• CLEO COMMUNICATIONS 227

55 CNS 290

56 COMPAO COMPUTER CORP ,134,135

57 COMPUCOM 344

• COMPUTER ACCESSORIES 53

• COMPUTER ACCESSORIES 52A-B

58 COMPUTER DISCOUNT WAREHSE ,355

59 COMPUTER FRIENDS 204

60 COMPUTER MODULES.INC 369

344 COMPUSAVE INTERNATIONAL 353

61 COMPUTEHLANE 364

62 COMPUTERWISE 344

■ COMP PROFESSIONAL'SBKSOC, , 224E-F

63 COMP PROFESSIONAL'S BK SOC 225

64 COMTROL CORPORATION 245

65 CONNEXPERTS Ill

66 CONTECH COMPUTER CORP 352

364 CONTROL VISION 362

■ COPIA INTERNATIONAL.LTD 250

68 CORTEX 358

69 COVOX.INC 344

70 COVOX.INC 344

71 CRICHLOW DATA SCIENCES.INC , ., 363

72 CSS LABS 179

73 CTX INT'L 307

74 CTX INT'L 307

75 CURTIS.INC 369

76 CYRIX 278,279

77 CYRIX 278,279

• DAMARK 318

78 DATA STRATEGIES INT'L 365

79 DATA TRANSLATION 87

• DAVINCI GRAPHICS,INC 236,237

81 DELL COMPUTER CORP Cll.l

82 DELL COMPUTER CORP 168,169

• DELL COMPUTER CORP 168A-B

83 DESCRIBE,INC 209

84 DIGIPRCINC 82

85 DIGIPRO.INC 82

86 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTING 37

87 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTING 37

88 DIGITAL RESEARCH 18

89 DIGITALK 114,115

90 DIGI-DATACORP 365

91 DISKCOTECH 361

92 DISKCOTECH 361

93 DISKETTE CONNECTION 363

94 DISKETTE EMPORIUM 362

95 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH , , 251

96 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH , 251

Inquiry No. Page No.

97 DIVERSIFIED COMPUTER SYSTEMS, 356

98 DOVER ELECTRONICS MFG 147

99 DSC COMMUNICATIONS 229

100 DSP DEVELOPMENT 268

10- DTK 151

102 DTK 151

105 ECOSOFT 180

106 ELEXOR.INC 352

107 EMERSON 84

108 EMERSON 84

109 ENGINEERS COLLABORATIVE 358

164 ESPERT AMERICA 150

165 ESPERT AMERICA 150

112 ESCO SYSTEMS.INC 292

• ESOFT.INC 253

113 ESSEX SYSTEMS 104

114 ESSEX SYSTEMS 104

115 EVEREX SYSTEMS 31

118 EXSEL.INC 250

119 FAIRCOM CORPORATION 99

120 FIRST COMPUTER SYSTEMS.INC , , , 345

121 FIRST COMPUTER SYSTEMS,INC 345

122 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAL , 347

123 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAI 347

124 FLAGSTAFF 244

125 FLYTECH TECHNOLOGY.INC 39

126 FORVAL AMERICA 291

127 FORVAL AMERICA 291

128 FOX SOFTWARE,INC 25

129 FRANKLIN SOFTWARE.INC 238

130 FREMONT COMMUNICATIONS 222

■ GATEWAY 2000 22,23

365 GCOM.INC 361

131 GENERIC SOFTWARE 197

132 GENERIC SOFTWARE 197

133 GIGATREND 271

134 GIGATREND 271

135 GLOCKENSPIEL 277

136 GOLDEN SOW SYSTEMS 365

137 GREENVIEW 68

138 GTEK.INC 206

139 GTEK.INC 206

140 HAMILTON LABORATORIES 98

141 HAMILTON LABORATORIES 98

142 HAUPPAUGEOOMPUTERWORKS - 299

143 HERCULES 171

144 HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIPH 129

145 HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIPH ,130,131

146 HIGH RES TECHNOLOGIES 352

368 HIGHTECH LIOUIDATORS,INC 343

369 HIGHTECH LIQUIDATORS,INC 343

147 HITECH EQUIPMENT CORP 361

148 HI-TECH INSTRUMENTS 365

150 HOOLEON CORPORATION 248

151 HOUSTON COMPUTER SERVICES , , 363

152 HSW MICRO,INC 345

■ IBM-OS/2 59

153 IBM-WORKSTATION 15-17

154 I.e. EXPRESS 356

155 INTEGRAND 185

156 10 TECH 365

157 JADE COMPUTER 371

■ JAMECO ELECTRONICS 348,349

158 JBTECHNOLOGIES.INC 346

159 JBTECHNOLOGIES.INC 346

6 JDRMICHODEVICES 377-379

7 JDR MICRODEVICES 377-379

• JENSEN S PARTNERS INT'L 77

160 KADAK PRODUCTS LTD 365

161 KEA SYSTEMS 369

162 KEITHLEYMETRABYTE 369

366 KILA SYSTEMS 363

163 KNOWLEDGE GARDEN 323

166 LAHEY COMPUTER SYSTEMS 98

167 LASERGO.INC 298

168 LASERGO.INC 298

169 LJ\TTICE.INC 112

170 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS 361

171 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS 361

172 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

173 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

174 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

175 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

176 LOGITECH PC 51

177 LOGITECH PC 51

178 LOTUS 67

179 MAP INFO CORP 100

• MARK WILLIAMS CO 101

180 MARYMAC INDUSTRIES 363

181 MATHSOFT.INC 273

182 MATRIX SOFTWARE 216

183 MATRIX SOFTWARE 216

• MCGRAW-HILL BOOK CLUB 192

184 MEGATEL 288

185 MERRITT COMPUTER PROD 290

187 MEXTEL 214

188 MEXTEL 214

189 MICRO SOLUTIONS COMP.PROD . . .286

190 MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED ... 361

■ MICROSOFT CORP 8,9

■ MICROSOFT CORP 21

• MICROSOFT CORP 46,47

• MICROSOFT CORP 187

• MICROSOFTCORP 198,199

• MICROSOFTCORP 254,255

• MICROSOFT UNIVERSITY 293

191 MICROSPEED.INC 73

192 MICROSPEED.INC 73

• MICROWAY 280

■ MICROWAY 310

193 MICRO-MAIL 359

194 MICRO-MAIL 359

186 MIS COMPUTER SYSTEMS 304

195 MITCHELL PACIFIC COMPUTER 292

351 MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS 239

Inquiry No. Page No.

352 MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS 239

196 MIX SOFTWARE 313

197 MKS 97D

198 MORGAN KAUFMANN 110

199 MULTIMICRO.INC 105

200 MULTIMICRO.INC 105

201 NANAOUSACORP 155

202 NANAOUSACORP 155

203 NANTUCKET 317

204 NANTUCKET 152

205 NANTUCKET 153

206 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Clll

207 NCR CORPORATION 26,27

208 NEC HOME ELECTRONICS 12,13

209 NETWORK PC 350,351

210 NEVADA COMPUTER CORP 360

211 NOHAU CORPORATION 363

212 NORTHGATE COMP SYS 138,139

213 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS 140,141

214 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS , 230,231

215 NORTHGATE COMP.SYS 294,295

■ NORTHGATE COMP.SYS 296

216 NU-MEGA TECHNOLOGIES 75

217 N-E-D CABLE 352

218 ONLINE PRODUCTS CORP 102

219 ONLINE PRODUCTS CORP 102

• ORACLE 63

220 OSBORNE/MCGRAW-HILL 327

221 OUTPUT TECHNOLOGY CORP 41

222 OVERLAND DATA 345

223 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 78,79

224 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 78,79

225 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 81

226 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 81

355 PALINDROME 321

356 PALINDROME 321

227 PANASONIC 207

228 PARA SYSTEMS 90

229 PATTON & PATTON 228

249 PC BRAND 261

■ PC BRAND 262,263

' PC BRAND 264,265

• PC BRAND 266,267

• PC CONNECTION 94,95

• PC CONNECTION 96,96A

• PC CONNECTION 968,960

230 PC POWER & COOLING 107

231 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC 163

232 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC 163

233 PERCON 345

234 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

235 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

324 PIONEER COMPUTERS 125

325 PIONEER COMPUTERS 125

236 POPKIN SOFTWARE 232

237 PRESCIENCE CORP 176

238 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT CTR 312

239 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT CTR 312

240 PROCOMPUSA 354

241 PROGRAMMER'S ODYSSEY 362

242 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE 40,40A-0

358 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208

359 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208

• PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208A

360 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208B

361 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 2088

■ PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 2080

246 PROTECH MARKETING,INC 121

247 PROTECH MARKETING.INC 121

248 PSEUDOCORP 358

250 QMS/THE LASER CONNECTION 219

251 QMS/THE LASER CONNECTION 219

252 QUA TECH,INC 366

253 QUA TECH,INC 366

254 QUA TECH,INC 366

255 QUATECH,INC 366

256 QUATECH.INC 366

257 QUATECH.INC 366

258 QUATECH.INC 366

259 QUATECH.INC 366

260 QUATECH.INC 366

261 QUALSTARCORP 369

262 QUANTUM SOFTWARE SYSTEMS , 283

263 QUARTERDECK 54,55

264 QUARTERDECK 287

265 R S R ELECTRONICS 354

266 RADIO SHACK CIV

• RAIMA CORPORATION 45

• RAIMA CORPORATION 74

267 RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES 183

268 RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES 183

269 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

270 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

271 ROSE ELECTRONICS 113

272 RUPP 162

273 SAFEWARE.INC 352

274 SAMSUNG 57

275 SAMSUNG 57

276 SANTA CRUZ OPERATION 49

277 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354

278 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354

279 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354

280 SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS 353

• SEAGATE TECHNOLGY 161

281 SEQUITERSOFTWARE.INC 191

282 SILICON SHACK LTD 363

283 SILICON SHACK LTD 365

284 SILICON VALLEY SOFTWARE 106

285 SN'W COMPUTERS SELECT 106

286 SOFTWARE ADD-ONS 157

• SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENTSYS, ,119

287 SOFTWARE SECURITY 195

288 SOLUS SYSTEMS.INC 88

290 SPECTRA PUBLISHING 305

291 SPECTRUM SOFTWARE 275

Inquiry No. Page No.

292 STATSOFT 83

293 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE 194

294 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE 194

295 STORAGE DIMENSIONS 71

296 STORAGE DIMENSIONS 71

297 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

298 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

299 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

300 SUPERSOFT 276

301 SUPREME ENTERPRISE 368

302 SURAH.INC 365

303 SYSTAT 215

304 TALKING TECHNOLOGY 362

305 TALL TREE SYSTEMS 367

306 TATUNG 223

307 TECHNOLOGY POWER ENT 365

308 TELEBYTE 238

309 TELEPHONE PRODUCTS CENTER . . 347

310 TERABYTE INT'L.INC 367

311 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 32,33

• TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 32A-B

312 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

313 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

349 THOMAS CONRAD 249

• TOOLS'90/SOL 315

314 TOSHIBA 60,61

315 TOSHIBA 60,61

316 TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS,INC 66

317 TOUCHSTONE 196

318 TOUCHSTONE 196

321 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 306

322 TULINCORP 288

323 UNICORN 356

326 UNITEX 357

327 UNITEX 357

• UNIXWORLD 2e8A-B

• UNIXWORLD 289

• VERMONT CREATIVE SOFTWARE ... 35

328 VESTA TECHNOLOGY 354

329 VIDEO TEXTBOOK TRAINING 286

330 VIZIFLEX SEELS 354

331 VOGON ENTERPRISES LTD 324

332 WATCOM PRODUCTS.INC 189

333 WHITEWATER GROUP.THE 127

334 WIESEMANNSTHEISGMBH 316

400 WINTEK CORPORATION 7

335 WINTEK CORPORATION 362

363 WINTEK CORPORATION 362

336 XELTEK 80

337 XIRCOM 224

338 ZENION INDUSTRIES,INC 367

339 ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS 149

340 ZORTECH.INC 69

• ZORTECH.INC 319

341 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 356

342 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 356

INTERNATIONAL SECTION 64 IS 1-76

No North American Inquiries please.

401 3EST-USA 18-66

402 404 TECHNOLOGY IS-38

405 ADVANCED MICROPROCESS IS-73

403 AGO IS-16

404 ALADDIN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM . IS-22

473 AMERICAN RESEARCH IS-76

474 AMERICAN RESEARCH IS-76

406 ARGOSY IS-44

407 BEHAVIOR TECH IS-69

470 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GRP IS-75

471 BLAST/COMM-RESEARCH GRP ... 18-75

409 BLUE CHIP TECHNOLOGY 18-66

410 BYTE BITS IS-68

■ BYTE PUBLICATIONS IS-74

411 CHERRY .WICROSCHALTER GMBH ,18-72,73

412 CLARION SOFTWARE 18-49

413 CLARION SOFTWARE 18-49

414 COBALT BLUE IS-52

415 COMPUCLASSICS 18-26

416 CUBIX 18-29

417 CUBIX 18-29

418 D-LINK LTD 18-45

419 ELEX INTERNATIONAL 18-59

• ELONEX 18-39

420 ETAPN V 18-33

421 ETAPNV IS-35

422 FAST ELECTRONIC GMBH IS-43

423 FAST ELECTRONIC GMBH 18-43

424 FORTRON/SOURCE IS-13

425 GALAXY 18-68

472 GAMMA IS-34

426 GREY MATTER 18-65

427 HWAHSIN 18-62

428 IX I LTD 18-66

429 INES 18-52

430 INTERQUADLTD IS-5

431 INTERQUADLTD IS-7

432 IQ ENGINEERING IS-67

433 10 ENGINEERING 18-67

434 ITHACA STREET SOFTWARE IS-12

435 JC INFO SYSTEMS IS-19

437 LANDCADD.INC 18-38

438 M3PC 18-14,15

439 MASHOV 18-37

440 MATRIX EUROPE 18-71

441 MAYFAIR MICROS IS-S

442 MEGADATA 18-46

443 MEGADATA IS-46

444 MEGADATA 18-70

445 MEGADATA 18-70

446 MICRO DESIGN INT'L 18-21

447 MICRO DESIGN INT'L IS-21

408 MICROMINT 18-54

448 MOSTLY MICE SOFTWARE IS-58

372 BYTE* JUNE 1990

READER SERVICE

"Correspond directly with company.

Inquiry No.

Page No.

Inquiry ^to.

Page No.

Inquiry No.

Page No.

449 PHOTRON IS-20

451 PROGRAMMER'S ODYSSEY IS-5S

452 SIEMENS IS-25

• SOFTLINE IS-51

453 SOLUTION SYSTEMS IS-47

454 TAPTOCORP lS-68

455 TEACCORP IS-9

456 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-50

475 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-58

457 TOPLINK IS-10

■ TOPS lS-61

459 TRANSTOOL3.0 IS-63

460 TREND MICRO DEVICES IS-57

461 TRIANGLE DIGITAL IS-44

462 TRIGEM IS-2

463 TWINHEAD IS-53

464 UNIVERSAL DATA SYSTEMS IS-11

465 UNIVERSAL DATA SYSTEMS JS-11

466 U.S.A. SOFTWARE IS-31

467 VASCO-SONG CHEER IS-32

468 VEGAS COMPUTER COMM IS-40

469 VEGAS COMPUTER COMM 18-41

INT'L DIRECT RESPONSE POSTCARDS

■ ANDSOR RESEARCH INC IS

• GATEWAY 2000 IS

• GTG.INC IS

■ KEITHLEYMETRABYTE.INC IS

• NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS IS

• REASONABLE SOLUTIONS IS

REGIONAL SECTIONS

Midwest 64MW1-16

527 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP HW-g

528 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP MW-9

529 BSI MW-3

530 BSI MW-3

531 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC MW-6

532 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC MW-6

533 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS,INC . MW-5

534 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.INC ... MW-5

535 EKM MW-2

536 EKM MW-2

537 GALACTICOMM MW-4

538 MEI MW-15

539 MEI MW-15

540 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL. . . MW-6

541 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL . MW-6

542 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD . MW-13

543 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD . MW-13

544 REASON TECHNOLOGY MW-10

545 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC . MW-12

546 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC . MW-12

547 SIA MW-16

548 SIA MW-16

549 STA COMPUTER CORP MW-7

550 TECH CITY MW-11

551 TECH CITY MW-11

Northeast 64NE1-28

375 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP NE-7

376 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP NE-7

377 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

378 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

379 BSI NE-19

380 BSI NE-19

381 CCS:CUSTOM COMPUTER SYS ... NE-8

382 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC NE-ie

383 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC NE-16

384 CONIX ELECTRONICS NE-4

385 CONIX ELECTRONICS NE-4

386 EDWIN SYSTEMS CORP NE-22

387 EDWIN SYSTEMS CORP NE-22

388 GALACTICOMM NE-2

389 GEMS COMPUTERS.INC NE-27

390 HARMONY COMPUTERS NE-3

391 HARMONY COMPUTERS NE-3

392 INFO/OPTICS NE-11

393 INFO/OPTICS NE-11

394 LAPTOPS ETC NE-8

395 LAPTOPS ETC NE-8

396 MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT NE-21

■ MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT . . NE-20A-B

398 MEI NE-23

399 MEI NE-23

■ MICROCOMPUTING MKTG.CNCL . NE-12

770 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD . NE-15

771 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD .. .NE-15

772 PC EXPO NEW YORK NE-24,25

773 REASON TECHNOLOGY NE-17

774 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC NE-6

775 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC NE-6

776 SIA NE-28

777 SIA NE-28

778 TECH CITY NE-5

779 TECH CITY NE-5

780 TRAVELING SOFTWARE NE-9

781 WORLDWIDE SOFTWARE NE-16

Pacific Coast

64 PCI-20

552 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

553 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

554 BSI PC-6

555 BSI PC-6

556 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC PC-18

557 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC PC-18

558 CONVEX RESOURCES PC-14

559 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC PC-7

560 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC PC-7

561 EKM PC-4

562 EKM PC-4

563 GALACTICOMM PC-2

564 INFO/OPTICS PC-5

565 INFO/OPTICS PC-S

566 MEI PC-15

567 MEI PC-15

568 METAWARE PC-11

569 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAI PC-18

570 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAI PC-18

571 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD . PC-13

572 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD PC-13

573 REASON TECHNOLOGY PC-17

574 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC PC-19

575 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC PC-19

370 SIA PC-20

371 SIA PC-20

372 TECH CITY PC-3

373 TECH CITY PC-3

374 ZERICON PC-10

South

64S01-32

476 AMERICAN LEADER COMP .INC SO-14

477 AMERICAN LEADER COMP .INC . 30-14

478 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP SO-17

479 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP SO-17

Inquiry No.

Page No.

480 BOFFIN LTD SO-20

481 BOFFIN LTD SO-20

482 BSI SO-7

483 BSI S0*7

484 CENTCIRCUITINT'L.INC . SO-5

485 CENTCIRCUITINT'L.INC SO-5

486 COMPUTER POWER.INC SO-2

487 COMPUTER POWER.INC SO-2

488 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC SO-14

489 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC SO-14

490 CRAZY NANCY'S 80-29

491 CRAZY NANCY'S 80-29

492 DALL-ASPC SO-6

493 DALLAS PC SO-6

494 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC .SO-21

495 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC . . SO-21

496 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.INC SO-3

497 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.INC ... 80-3

498 DP-TEK.INC SO-30

499 DP-TEKINC 80-30

500 FORT'S SOFTWARE SO-6

501 FORT'S SOFTWARE SO-6

502 GALACTICOMM SO-4

503 GRAPHICS WORLD S/W(GWS)- . SO-15

504 GRAPHICS WORLD S/W (GWS) . . SO-15

505 GEMS COMPUTERS.INC 80-12

506 LAPTOPS ETC 80-8,9

507 LAPTOPS ETC 80-8,9

508 MEI 80-19

509 MEI SO-19

• MICROCOMPUTING MKTG.CNCL .SO-26

510 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL SO-30

511 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL 80-30

512 NISCA.INC 80-11

513 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD SO-25

514 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD 80-25

515 PROJECT MARKETING CO 80-23

516 PROJECT MARKETING CO 80-23

517 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC 80-24

518 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC SO-24

519 SIA SO-32

520 SIA 80-32

521 TECH CITY 80-31

522 TECH CITY 80-31

523 THORSON COMPANY 80-13

524 THORSON COMPANY SO-13

525 UNITED INNOVATIONS 80-18

526 ZERICON SO-27

BYTE ADVERTISING SALES STAFF:

Steven M. Vito, Associate Publisher/V.P. of Marketing, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, -NH 03458, tel. (603) 924-9281 Arthur Kossack, Eastern Advertising Director, Two Prudential Plaza, 180 North Stetson Ave., Chicago, IL 60601, tel. (312) 616-3341 Jennifer L. Bartel, Western Advertising Director, 148S0 Quorum Drive, Suite 380, Dallas, TX 75240, tel. (214) 701-8496 Liz Covman, Inside Sales Director, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458, tel. (603) 924-2518

NEW ENGLAND

ME. .N'H. VT. MA. RI. CT. ONTARIO CANADA & EASTERN CANADA Dan Savage (617) 262-1160 McGraw-Hill Publications 575 Boylston Street Boston. MA 02116 FAX: (617)262-6430

EAST COAST NY. NYC. NJ. DE. PA Kim .Norris (212) 512-2645 McGraw-Hill Publications 1221 Avenue of the Americas— 28th Floor

New York. NY 10020 FAX; (212) 512-3520

SOUTHE.AST

NC. SC. GA. FL. AL. TN, VA, MS. AR. LA. DC. MD. WV, KY John Y. Schilin (404) 843-4782 McGraw-Hill Publications 4170 Asliford-Dunwoodv Road Suite 520 Atlanta. GA 30319 FAX: (4(W) 252-4056

MIDWEST

IL. MO. KS. lA. ND. SD. MN. Wl.NE.lN. ML OH Kurt Kelley (312) 616-3328

McGraw-Hill Publications Two Prudential Plaza 180 North Stetson Ave. Chicaeo. IL 60601 FAX: (312) 616-3370

SOUTHWEST, ROCKY MOUNTAIN

CO. OK. TX,

Alison Keenan (214) 701-8496 McGravi'-Hill Publications 14850 Quorum Drive Suite 380 Dallas, TX 75240 FAX: (214)991-6208

NORTH PACinC: San Francisco NORTHERN CA, OR, ID, MT. WY. NORTHERN NV Roy ]. Kops (415) 954-9728 Leslie Hupp (415) 362-4600 McGraw-Hill Publications 425 Banery Street San Francisco. CA 94111 FAX: (415)954-9786

NORTH PACIFIC: Campbell, CA SILICON VALLEY, HI, WA, AK. W. CANADA

Bill McAfee (408) 879-0371 McGraw-Hill Publications 1999 South Bascom Ave. Suite #210

Campbell, CA 95008 FAX: (408) 879-9067

SOUTH PACinC: Los Angeles, CA LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AZ. N.M. NORTHERN NEVADA Andrew B. Uphoff (714) 557-6292 McGraw-Hill Publications 3333 Wilshire Boulevard *407 Los Angeles. CA 90010 FAX: (714)557-2219

SOUTH PACIFIC: Costa Mesa, CA CA ORANGE COUNTY,

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, UT Ron Cordek (714) 557-6292 McGraw-Hill Publications 3001 Red Hill Ave. Building #1—Suite 222 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 FAX: (714)557-2219

BYTE BITS (2x3) Mark Stone (603) 924-6830 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

The Buyer's Mart (1x2) Brian Higgins (603) 924-3754 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

Regional Advertising James Bail (603) 924-2533 Barry Echavarria (603) 924-2574 Larry Levine (603) 924-2637 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

International Advertising Sales Staff:

Uwe Kretzschmar, European Advertising and Marketing Manager, BYTE Publications,

McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., 34 Dover St., London, WIX 4BR, England, Tel: 44 014931451, Fax: 44 01493 9896

GERMANY

Uwe Kretzschmar

LiNITED KINGDOM

Roz Wevman

McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. 34 Dover St. London WIX 4BR England

Tel: 44 01 493 1451 FAX: 44 01 493 9896

BENEUJX

Frank Tanis Batenburg 103 3437 AB Nieuwegein The Netherlands Tel: 31 34 02 49496 FAX: 31 34 02 37944

FRANCE, ITALY

Zena Coupe. Amanda Blaskett A-Z International Sales Ltd. 4 Ashmount Road. Hornsey Lane Highgate. London N19 3BH England

Tel: 44 1 281 4116 FAX: 44 1 281 8224

ISRAEL

Dan Ehrlich

Ehrlich Communication International

P.O.BoxH297

Tel Aviv 61112

Israel

Tel: (972) 3 449823 FAX: (972) 3 5468168

SPAIN

Maria Sarmiento PedroTeixeiraS. Off. 320 Iberia Mart 1 Madrid 4, Spain Tel: 34 1 45 52 891

JAPAN

Masaki Mori

McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Overseas Corp. Room 1528 Kasurftigaseki Bldg. 3-2-5 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku Tokvo 100, Japan Tcl:'81 3 581 9811 FAX: 81 3 581 4018

HONG KO.NG

Seavex Ltd.

503 Wilson House

19-27 Wyndham St.

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: 85 5 260149

Telex: 60904 SEVEXHX

FAX: 852 810 1283

SINGAPORE

Seavex Ltd.

400 Orchard Road, #10-01 Singapore 0923 Republic of Singapore Tel: 65 734 9790 Telex: RS35539 SEAVEX FAX: 65 732 5129

National Sales

Mary Ann Goulding

(603) 924-2664 Patricia Pavne (603) 924-2654 Jonathan Sawyer (603) 924-2665 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

Outsert Sales Program Scott Gagnon (603) 924-2651 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

BYTE Deck .Mailings Ed Ware (603) 924-6166 BYTE Publications One Phoenix .Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

Computing for Ettglneers Deck Ellen Perham (603) 924-2598 BYTE Publications One Phoenix Mill Lane Peterborough, NH 03458

Peterborough, NH Office

Inside Sales FAX: 603-924-2683 Advertising FAX: 603-924-7507

TAIWAN

Seavex, Ltd.

Thirdw^ve Publishing Corp. 977 Min Shen E. Road, 1-4 Fir. Taipei 10581, Taiwan ROC Tel: 886 2 763 0052

BRAZIL

Ernest McCrary Empresa Internacional de Comunicacoes Ltda. Rua da Consolacao, 222 Conjunto 103

01302 Sao Paulo, S.P., Brasil Tel: 55 (11) 259-3811 Telex: (100) 32122 EMBN

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 373

READER SERVICE

To get further information on the products advertised in BYTE, fiii out the reader service card by circling the numbers on the card that correspond to the inquiry number iisted with the advertiser. This index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

* Correspond directly with company.

Index to Advertisers by Product Category

Inquiry No. Page No.

HARDWARE

800 ADD INS

ia ADD ON AMERICA 358

405 ADVANCED MICROPROCESS IS-73

14 AHEAD SYSTEMS 70

15 AHEAD SYSTEMS 70

17 ALL COMPUTERS,INC 93

18 ALL COMPUTERS.INC 93

19 ALPHA PRODUCTS 358

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

24 AMERICAN ADVANTECH 352

408 ARGOSY IS-44

S7 ARTIST GRAPHiCS 175

409 BLUE CHIP TECHNOLOGY IS-66

51 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 192

53 CENTRUM RESEARCH 358

60 COMPUTER MODULES.INC 369

64 COMTROL CORPORATION 245

364 CONTROL VISION 362

76 CYRIX 278,279

77 CYRIX 278,279

84 DIGIPRO.INC 82

es DIGIPRO.INC 82

95 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 251

96 DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING TECH 251 98 DOVER ELECTRONICS MFG 147

500 FORT S SOFTWARE SO-6

501 FORTS SOFTWARE SO-6

143 HERCULES 171

146 HIGH RES TECHNOLOGIES 352

156 10 TECH 365

435 JC INFO SYSTEMS IS-19

170 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS 361

408 MICROMINT IS-S4

• MICROWAY 280

211 NOHAU CORPORATION 363

231 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC . 163

232 PERCEPTIVE SOLUTIONS.INC 163

234 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

235 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

324 PIONEER COMPUTERS 125

325 PIONEER COMPUTERS 125

240 PROCOMP USA 354

252 OUATECH.INC 366

253 OUATECH.INC 366

254 OUATECH.INC 366

255 OUATECH.INC 366

256 OUATECH.INC 366

257 OUATECH.INC 366

258 OUATECH.INC 366

259 OUATECH.INC 366

260 OUATECH.INC 366

272 RUPP 162

305 TALL TREE SYSTEMS 367

455 TEACCORP IS-9

349 THOMAS CONRAD 249

461 TRIANGLE DIGITAL IS-44

342 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 356

801 DRIVES

84 DIGIPRO.INC 82

85 DIGIPRO.INC 82

446 MICRO DESIGN INTL IS-21

447 MICRO DESIGN INTL IS-21

• SEAGATE TECHNOLGY 161

462 TRIGEM IS-2

802 FACSIMILE

12 ADD ON AMERICA 358

57 COMPUCOM 344

112 ESCO SYSTEMS.INC 292

130 FREMONT COMMUNICATIONS 222

430 INTERQUADLTD IS-5

803 SRAPHICS TABLETS

297 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

298 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

299 SUMMAGRAPHICS 173

804 HARDWARE PROGRAMMERS

347 AVOCET SYSTEMS.INC 369

• BINARY TECHNOLOGY.INC 354

43 BP MICROSYSTEMS 356

47 BYTEK COMPUTER CORP 352

138 GTEK.INC 206

139 GTEK.INC 206

171 LINK COMPUTER GRAPHICS 361

174 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

175 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

363 WINTEK CORPORATION 362

336 XELTEK 80

805 INSTRUMENTATION

68 CORTEX 358

106 ELEXOR.INC 352

288 SOLUS SYSTEMS.INC 88

308 TELEBYTE 238

806 KEYBOARDS/MICE

411 CHERRY MICROSCHALTER GMBH . IS-72,73 150 HOOLEON CORPORATION 248

Inquiry No. Page No.

151 HOUSTON COMPUTER SERVICES . . 363

161 KEA SYSTEMS 369

176 LOGITECH PC 51

177 LOGITECH PC 51

398 MEI NE-23

399 MEI NE-23

508 MEI 80-19

509 MEI SO-19

538 MEI MW-15

539 MEI MW-1S

566 MEI PC-15

567 MEI PC-15

187 MEXTEL 214

188 MEXTEL 214

• MICROSOFT CORP 198,199

191 MICROSPEED.INC 73

192 MICROSPEED.INC 73

• NORTHSATE COMP.SYS 296

212 NORTHGATE COMP.SYS 138,139

215 NORTHGATE COMP.SYS 294,295

233 PERCON 345

449 PHOTRON IS-20

807 MASS STORAGE

16 AK SYSTEMS 367

23 AMERICAL GROUP 358

66 CONTECH COMPUTER CORP 352

78 DATA STRATEGIES INTL 365

90 DIGI-DATACORP 365

164 ESPERT AMERICA 150

165 ESPERT AMERICA 150

124 FLAGSTAFF 244

133 GIGATREND 271

134 GIGATREND 271

446 MICRO DESIGN INTL IS-21

447 MICRO DESIGN INTL IS-21

189 MICRO SOLUTIONS COMP. PROD . 286

222 OVERLAND DATA 345

261 OUALSTARCORP 369

295 STORAGE DIMENSIONS 71

296 STORAGE DIMENSIONS 71

322 TULINCORP 288

331 VOSON ENTERPRISES LTD 324

808 MISCELLANEOUS

• COMPUTER ACCESSORIES 53

• COMPUTER ACCESSORIES 52A,B

69 COVOX.INC 344

70 COVOX.INC 344

76 CYRIX 278,279

77 CYRIX 278,279

109 ENGINEERS COLLABORATIVE 358

155 INTEGRAND 185

185 MERRITT COMPUTER PROD 290

217 N-E-D CABLE 352

467 VASCO-SONG CHEER IS-32

328 VESTA TECHNOLOGY 354

330 VIZIFLEX SEELS 354

338 ZENION INDUSTRIES.INC 367

809 MODEMS/MULTIPLEXORS

36 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

37 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

126 FORVALAMERICA 291

127 FORVALAMERICA 291

388 GALACTICOMM NE-2

502 GALACTICOMM SO-4

537 GALACTICOMM MW-4

563 GALACTICOMM PC-2

503 GRAPHICS WORLD SFTWRE(GWS) . .SO-15

504 SRAPHICS WORLD SFTWREIGWS) ..SO-15

442 MEGADATA iS-46

443 MEGADATA IS-46

444 MEGADATA IS-70

445 MEGADATA IS-70

316 TOUCHBASE SYSTEMS.INC 66

464 UNIVERSAL DATA SYSTEMS IS-11

465 UNIVERSAL DATA SYSTEMS IS-11

810 MONITORS

73 CTX INT'L 307

74 CTX INT'L 307

420 ETAPN.V IS-33

421 ETAPN.V IS-35

148 HI-TECH INSTRUMENTS 365

431 INTERQUADLTD IS-7

351 MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS 239

352 MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS 239

201 NANAO USA CORP 155

202 NANAO USA CORP 155

208 NEC HOME ELECTRONICS 12,13

227 PANASONIC 207

306 TATUNG 223

811 NETWORK HARDWARE

8 3X USA CORPORATION 108

402 404TECHNOLOGY IS-38

25 AMERICAN RESEARCH CORP 314

26 AMERICAN RESEARCH CORP 314

36 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

37 BAY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 205

44 BUFFALO PRODUCTS.INC 211

64 COMTROL CORPORATION 245

416 CUBIX IS-29

417 CUBIX IS-29

Inquiry No. Page No.

75 CURTIS.INC 369

418 D-LINK LTD IS-4S

503 GRAPHICS WORLD SFTWHE(GWS) ..S0-1S

504 GRAPHICS WORLD SFTWRE(GWS) . SO-15 429 INES IS-52

218 ONLINE PRODUCTS CORP 102

219 ONLINE PRODUCTS CORP 102

274 SAMSUNG 57

275 SAMSUNG 57

312 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

313 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

337 XIRCOM 224

812 PRINTERS/PLOTTERS

406 ARGOSY IS-44

• DAVINCI GRAPHICS.INC 236,237

144 HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIPH 129

145 HEWLETT-PACKARD PERIPH, 130,131 221 OUTPUT TECHNOLOGY CORP 41

250 OMS/THE LASER CONNECTION 219

251 QMSfTHE LASER CONNECTION , , 219 302 SURAH,INC 365

525 UNITED INNOVATIONS Sai8

374 ZERICON PC-10

526 ZERICON 80-27

813 SCANNERS/IMAGE PROCESSORS

50 CANON U S A 0224

392 INFO/OPTICS NE-11

393 INFO/OPTICS NE-11

564 INFO/OPTICS PC-S

565 INFO/OPTICS PC-5

176 LOGITECH PC 51

177 LOGITECH PC 51

512 NISCA.INC 80-11

814 SOFTWARE SECURITY

404 ALADDIN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM 18-22

35 BARCODE INDUSTRIES 246

422 FAST ELECTRONIC GMBH 18-43

423 FAST ELECTRONIC GMBH 18-43

246 PROTECHMARKETINS.INC 121

247 PROTECH MARKETING.INC 121

267 RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES 183

268 RAINBOW TECHNOLOGIES 183

271 ROSE ELECTRONICS 113

287 SOFTWARE SECURITY 195

815 SYSTEMS

403 AGO 18-16

13 AQI 177

20 ALR 2,3

21 ALR 2.3

22 ALTEC TECH,CORP 202

476 AMERICAN LEADER COMP,, INC , SO-14

477 AMERICAN LEADER COMP , INC SO-14

473 AMERICAN RESEARCH 18-76

474 AMERICAN RESEARCH 18-76

348 AMPRO COMPUTERS 69

407 BEHAVIOR TECH 18-69

375 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP NE-7

376 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, NE-7

478 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, , 80-17

479 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, , 80-17

527 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, MW-9

528 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP MW-9

552 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

553 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

39 BUCKSHIP COMPUTER SYSTEMS , 72

377 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

378 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

480 BOFFIN LTD 80-20

481 BOFFIN LTD SO-20

379 BSI NE-19

380 BSI NE-19

482 BSI 80-7

483 BSI 80-7

529 BSI MW-3

530 BSI MW-3

554 BSI PC-6

555 BSI PC-6

381 CCS:CUSTOM COMPUTER SYS , , NE-8

484 CENTCIRCUIT INTL, INC SO-5

485 CENTCIRCUIT INTL. INC SO-5

54 CHEETAH INT'L 240

56 COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP , ,134,135 58 COMPUTER DISCOUNT WREHSE ,,, 355

382 COMTEKSOLUTIONS,INC , , NE-16

383 COMTEK SOLUTIONS,INC NE-16

488 COMTEK SOLUTIONS,INC SO-14

489 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC SO-14

531 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC MW-6

532 OOMTEKSOLUTIONS.INC MW-6

556 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC PC-18

557 COMTEK SOLUTIONS.INC PC-18

384 CONIX ELECTRONICS NE-4

385 CONIX ELECTRONICS NE-4

490 CRAZY NANCY'S 80-29

491 CRAZY NANCY'S SO-29

72 CSS LABS 179

492 DALLAS PC SO-6

493 DALUSPC SO-6

• DAMARK 318

559 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC PC-7

560 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC PC-7

494 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC 80-21

495 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC SO-21

Inquiry No. Page No.

81 DELL COMPUTER CORP Cll,l

82 DELL COMPUTER CORP 168,169

• DELL COMPUTER CORP A-B16S

533 DERBYTECHCOMPUTERS.INC, MW-5

534 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS,INC. , . MW-5

496 DERBYTECHCOMPUTERS.INC. ,..S0-3

497 DERBYTECHCOMPUTERS.INC. ...80-3

86 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTING 37

87 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTING 37

101 DTK 151

102 DTK 151

386 EDWIN SYSTEMS CORP NE-22

387 EDWIN SYSTEMS CORP NE-22

535 EKM MW-2

536 EKM MW-2

561 EKM PC-4

562 EKM PC-4

• ELONEX IS-39

115 EVEREX SYSTEMS 31

120 FIRST COMPUTER SYSTEMS.INC . 345

121 FIRST COMPUTER SYSTEMS.INC .345 125 FLYTECH TECHNOLOGY.INC 39

424 FORTRON/SOURCE 18-13

425 GALAXY IS-68

• GATEWAY 2000 22,23

390 HARMONY COMPUTERS NE-3

391 HARMONY COMPUTERS NE-3 142 HAUPPAUGE COMPUTER WORKS , 299

368 HIGH TECH LIQUIDATORS.INC 343

369 HIGH TECH LIQUIDATORS.INC 343

147 HITECH EQUIPMENT CORP 361

427 HWAHSIN IS-62

152 HSWMICRO.INC 345

153 IBM-WORKSTATION 15-17

366 KILA SYSTEMS 363

394 LAPTOPS ETC NE-S

395 LAPTOPS ETC NE-S

506 LAPTOPS ETC SO-8,9

507 LAPTOPS ETC SO-8,9

438 M3PC lS-14,15

396 MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT NE-21

• MANCHESTER EQUIPMENT NE-20A,B 184 MEGATEL 288

510 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL 80-30

511 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL ,SO-30

540 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL , MW-6

541 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAI MW-6

569 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL PC-18

570 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL PC-18 186 MIS COMPUTER SYSTEMS 304

199 MULTIMICRO.INC 105

200 MULTIMICRO.INC 105

207 NCR CORPORATION 26,27

209 NETWORK PC 350,351

213 NORTHGATE COMP.SYS, , 140,141

214 NORTHGATE COMP.SYS 230,231

513 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD SO-25

514 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD SO-25

542 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD MW-13

543 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD MW-13

571 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD PC-13

572 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD PC-13

770 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD , NE-15

771 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD , , NE-15 249 PC BRAND 261

• PC BRAND 262-267

266 RADIO SHACK CIV

544 REASON TECHNOLOGY MW-10

573 REASON TECHNOLOGY PC-17

773 REASON TECHNOLOGY NE-17

517 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC SO-24

518 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC 80-24

545 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC, , MW-12

546 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC MW-12

574 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC PC-19

575 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC PC-19

774 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC NE-6

775 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC NE-6

370 SIA PC-20

371 SIA PC-20

519 SIA 80-32

520 SIA 80-32

547 SIA MW-16

548 SIA MW-16

776 SIA NE-28

777 SIA NE-28

452 SIEMENS 18-25

549 STA COMPUTER CORP MW-7

372 TECH CITY PC-3

373 TECH CITY PC-3

521 TECH CITY SO-31

522 TECH CITY 80-31

550 TECH CITY MW-11

551 TECH CITY MW-11

778 TECH CITY NE-5

779 TECH CITY NE-5

307 TECHNOLOGY POWER ENT 365

311 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 32,33

• TEXAS INSTRUMENTS 32A,B

457 TOPLINK IS-10

314 TOSHIBA 60,61

315 TOSHIBA 60,61

463 TWINHEAD 18-53

468 VEGAS COMP. COMMUNICATIONS 18-40

469 VEGAS COMP. COMMUNICATIONS 18-41

339 ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS 149

341 Z-WORLD ENGINEERING 356

816 TERMINALS

62 COMPUTERWISE 344

374 BYTE" JUNE 1990

READER SERVICE

"Correspond directly with company.

Inquiry No. Page No.

817 UPS

353 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION .325

354 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION .325

486 COMPUTER POWER.INC SO-2

487 COMPUTER POWER.INC SO-2

107 EMERSON 84

108 EMERSON 84

228 PARA SYSTEMS 90

230 PC POWER S COOLING 107

SOFTWARE

APPLE/MAC APPLICATIONSSCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL

237 PRESCIENCE CORP

APPLE/MAC LAN

APPLE/MAC LANGUAGES

290 SPECTRA PUBLISHING

ATARI/AMIGA LAN

558 CONVEX RESOURCES 549 STA COMPUTER CORP

PC-14 MW-7

822 IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS BUSINESS OFFICE

30 AXSYS 137

31 AXSYS 137

32 AXSYS 137

• COPIA INTERNATIONAlXtO 250

■ ESOFT.INC 253

128 FOX SOFTWARE.INC 25

472 GAMMA IS- 34

178 LOTUS 67

• MICROSOFT CORP 8.9

• MICROSOFT CORP 46,47

■ MICROSOFT CORP 187

203 NANTUCKET 317

■ ORACLE 63

• RAIMA CORPORATION 45

269 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

270 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

281 SEOUITER SOFTWARE.INC 191

453 SOLUTION SYSTEMS IS-47

823

79 100 105 181 206 277 278 279 291 292 303

269 270

IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS SCIENTIFIC TECHNICAL

DATA TRANSLATION 87

DSP DEVELOPMENT 268

ECOSOFT 180

MATHSOFT.INC 273

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS GUI

SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354 SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354

SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS 354

SPECTRUM SOFTWARE 275

STATSOFT 83

SYSTAT 215

IBM/MSDOS APPLICATIONS WORD PROCESSING

RASTER DEVICES 2 RASTER DEVICES 2.

148 148

825

IBM/MSDOS CAD

33

AU.S

. 354

558

CONVEX RESOURCES

PC-14

131

GENERIC SOFTWARE

197

132

GENERIC SOFTWARE

197

437

LANDCADD.INC

IS-38

335

WINTEK CORPORATION

362

400

WINTEK CORPORATION

7

826 IBM/MSDOS COMMUNICATIONS

470 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GROUP IS-75

471 BLAST/COMM.RESEARCH GROUP IS-75 • CLEO COMMUNICATIONS 227

97 DIVERSIFIED COMPUTER SYSTEMS - 356

388 GALACTICOMM NE-2

537 GALACTICOMM MW-4

563 GALACTICOMM PC-2

503 GRAPHICS WORLD SFTWRE(GWS) . SO-15

504 GRAPHICS WORLD SFT«RE(GWS) SO-15 241 PROGRAMMER'S ODYSSEY .362

304 TALKING TECHNOLOGY 362

780 TRAVELING SOFTWARE NE-9

321 TRITON TECHNOLOGIES 306

827 IBM/MSDOS GRAPHICS

100 DSP DEVELOPMENT 268

828 IBM/MSDOS LAN

28 ARTISOFT 247

99 DSC COMMUNICATIONS 229

Inquiry No.

Page No.

113 ESSEXSYSTEMS 104

114 ESSEX SYSTEMS 104

179 MAP INFO CORP 100

355 PALINDROME 321

356 PALINDROME 321

• TOPS IS-61

829 IBM/MSDOS LANGUAGES

11 ABRAXAS SOFTWARE 182

41 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11

42 BORLAND INTERNATIONAL 11

55 CNS 290

89 DIGITALK 114,115

113 ESSEXSYSTEMS 104

114 ESSEX SYSTEMS 104

129 FRANKLIN SOFTWARE.INC 238

135 GLOCKENSPIEL 277

140 HAMILTON LABORATORIES 98

141 HAMILTON LABORATORIES 98

• JENSEN 4 PARTNERS INT'L 77

166 LAHEY COMPUTER SYSTEMS 98

169 LATTICE.INC 112

568 METAWARE PC-11

• MICROSOFT CORP 21

• MICROSOFT CORP 254,255

204 NANTUCKET 152

205 NANTUCKET 153

238 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT CENTER 312

239 PROLOG DEVELOPMENT CENTER 312

284 SILICON VALLEY SOFTWARE 106

290 SPECTRA PUBLISHING 305

293 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE 194

294 STONY BROOK SOFTWARE 194

475 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-58

333 WHITEWATER OROUP.THE 127

340 ZORTECH.INC 89

• ZORTECH.INC 319

830 IBM/MSDOS UTILITES

350 ABOVE SOFTWARE 301

29 ATRON CADRE TECHNOLOGIES 29

40 BLAISE COMPUTING.INC 6

52 CENTRAL COMPUTER PRODUCTS 361

412 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-49

413 CLARION SOFTWARE IS-49

55 CNS 290

414 COBALT BLUE IS-52

65 CONNEXPERTS Ill

83 DESCRIBE.INC 209

119 FAIRCOM CORPORATION 99

365 GCOM.iNC 361

136 GOLDEN BOW SYSTEMS 365

137 GREENVIEW 68

434 ITHACA STREET SOFTWARE IS-12

163 KNOWLEDGE GARDEN 323

169 LATTICE,INC 112

439 MASHOV IS-37

440 MATRIX EUROPE IS-71

182 MATRIX SOFTWARE 216

183 MATRIX SOFTWARE 216

196 MIX SOFTWARE 313

448 MOSTLY MICE SOFTWARE IS-58

216 NU-MEGA TECHNOLOGIES 75

229 PATTON S, PATTON 228

234 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

235 PERISCOPE COMPANY 303

515 PROJECT MARKETING CO SO-23

516 PROJECT MARKETING CO SO-23

263 QUARTERDECK 54,55

■ RAIMA CORPORATION 74

273 SAFEWARE,INC 352

300 SUPERSOFT 276

456 TERRA DATENTECHNIK IS-50

317 TOUCHSTONE 196

318 TOUCHSTONE 196

460 TREND MICRO DEVICES IS-57

• VERMONT CREATIVE SOFTWARE ,35

332 WATCOM PRODUCTS.INC 189

333 WHITEWATER GROUP,THE 127

781 WORLDWIDE SOFTWARE NE-16

831 OTHER APPLICATIONS BUSINESS/OFFICE

71 CRICHLOW DATA SCIENCES.INC 363

459 TRANSTOOL3.0 IS-63

OTHER CROSS DEVELOPMENT

248 PSEUDOCORP 358

■ SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT SYS , 119

113 ESSEXSYSTEMS

114 ESSEXSYSTEMS

104 104

OTHER LANGUAGES

119 FAIRCOM CORPORATION

835 OTHER UTILITES

65 CONNEXPERTS Ill

137 GREENVIEW 68

428 I X I LTD IS-66

Inquiry No.

Page No.

836 DESKTOP PUBLISHING

498 DP-TEK.INC SO-30

499 DP-TEK,INC SO-30

432 10 ENGINEERING IS-67

433 10 ENGINEERING IS-67

167 LASERGO.INC 298

168 LASERGO.INC 298

195 MITCHELL PACIFIC COMPUTER 292

223 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 78.79

224 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 78,79

225 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 81

226 PACIFIC DATA PRODUCTS 81

269 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

270 RASTER DEVICES 2 148

837 EDUCATIONAL/ INSTRUCTIONAL

9 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 181

10 ABACUS SOFTWARE.INC 181

27 ANNABOOKS 346

30 AXSYS 137

31 AXSYS 137

32 AXSYS 137

34 B & B ELECTRONICS 362

38 BEST POWER TECHNOLOGY,INC , 358

• BYTE BACK ISSUES 330

410 BYTE BITS IS-68

■ BYTE PUBLICATIONS 328,IS-74

• BYTE SUB,MESSAGE 322

■ BYTEWEEK/NEWSLETTER 329

63 COM? PROFESSIONAL'S BK SOC 225

■ COMP PROFESSIONAL'S BK SOC, , 224E-F 94 DISKETTE EMPORIUM 362

162 KEITHLEY METRABYTE 369

172 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

173 LOGICAL DEVICES.INC 367

• MCGRAW-HILL BOOK CLUB 192

• MICROSOFT UNIVERSITY 293

198 MORGAN KAUFMANN 110

772 PC EXPO NEW YORK NE-24,25

• TOOLS'90/SOL 315

■ UNIXWORLD 289

• UNIXWORLD 288A-B

329 VIDEO TEXTBOOK TRAINING 286

838 MAIL ORDER/ RETAIL

401 3EST-USA IS-66

476 AMERICAN LEADER COMP,, INC . SO-14

477 AMERICAN LEADER COMP,, INC , , SO-14

48 BSC MICROSYSTEMS.INC 369

49 B&C MICROSYSTEMS.INC 369

343 BSC MICROSYSTEMS,INC 367

375 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, , NE-7

376 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, NE-7

478 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP SO-17

479 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP, , SO-17

527 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP MW-9

528 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP MW-9

552 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

553 BELTRON COMPUTER CORP PC-9

377 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

378 BOFFIN LTD NE-13

480 BOFFIN LTD SO-20

481 BOFFIN LTD SO-20

45 BUREAU OF ELECTRONIC PUB 86

357 BZ TECHNICAL 344

415 COMPUCUSSICS IS-26

344 COMPUSAVE INTERNATIONAL 353

58 COMPUTER DISCOUNT WREHSE ,,, 355

59 COMPUTER FRIENDS 204

61 COMPUTERLANE 364

558 CONVEX RESOURCES PC-14

490 CRAZY NANCY'S SO-29

491 CRAZY NANCY'S SO-29

492 DALLAS PC SO-6

493 DALLAS PC SO-6

494 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC SO-21

495 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC SO-21

559 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY.INC , PC-7

560 DAUPHIN TECHNOLOGY,INC PC-7

496 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS,INC SO-3

497 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS,INC ,S0-3

533 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.INC- MW-5

534 DERBYTECH COMPUTERS.INC, . , MW-5

91 DISKCOTECH 361

92 DISKCOTECH 361

93 DISKETTE CONNECTION 363

419 ELEX INTERNATIONAL IS-59

118 EXSEL,INC 250

122 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAL 347

123 FIRST SOURCE INTERNATIONAL 347

389 GEMS COMPUTERS.INC NE-27

505 GEMS COMPUTERS.INC SO-12

426 GREY MATTER IS-65

368 HIGH TECH LIQUIDATORS,INC, 343

369 HIGHTECH LIQUIDATORS,INC 343

154 I.C, EXPRESS 356

157 JADE COMPUTER 371

• JAMECO ELECTRONICS 348,349

Inquiry No.

Page No.

158 JB TECHNOLOGIES,INC 346

159 JBTECHNOLOGIES.INC 346

6 JDRMICRODEVICES 377-379

7 JDRMICRODEVICES 377-379

394 LAPTOPS ETC NE-8

395 LAPTOPS ETC NE-8

506 LAPTOPS ETC SO-8,9

507 LAPTOPS ETC SO-8,9

180 MARYMAC INDUSTRIES 363 441 MAYFAIR MICROS 15-8

510 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL SO-30

511 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL SO-30

540 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL MW-6

541 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL MW-6

569 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL PC-18

570 MICRO IMAGE INTERNATIONAL PC-18

■ MICROCOMPUTING MKTG CNCL NE-12

■ MICROCOMPUTING MKTG CNCL SO-26 190 MICROPROCESSORS UNLIMITED , 361

• MICROWAY 310

193 MICRO-MAIL 359

194 MICRO-MAIL 359

209 NETWORK PC 350,351

210 NEVADA COMPUTER CORP 360

212 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS 138,139

213 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS, 140,141

214 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS, 230,231

215 NORTHGATE COMP,SYS 294.295

■ NORTHGATE COMP SYS 296 220 OSBORNE/MCGRAW-HILL 327

513 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD SO-25

514 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD SO-25

542 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD MW-13

543 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD , , MW-13

571 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD PC-13

572 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD PC-13

770 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD , NE-15

771 PAO-KU INTERNATIONAL LTD NE-15 249 PC BRAND 261

• PC BRAND 262-267

■ PC CONNECTION 94,95

■ PC CONNECTION 96.96A-C

451 PROGRAMMER'S ODYSSEY IS-55 242 PROGRAMMER'S PARADISE 40.40A-C

358 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208

359 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208

• PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208A

360 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208B

361 PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208B

• PROGRAMMER'S SHOP 208C 265 R S R ELECTRONICS , 354

544 REASON TECHNOLOGY MW-10

573 REASON TECHNOLOGY PC-17

773 REASON TECHNOLOGY NE-17

517 RESOURCE CONCEPTS,INC SO-24

518 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC , SO-24

545 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC, MW-12

546 RESOURCE CONCEPTS,INC MW-12

574 RESOURCE CONCEPTS,INC PC-19

575 RESOURCE CONCEPTS,INC PC-19

774 RESOURCE CONCEPTS.INC NE-6

775 RESOURCE C0NCEPTS,1NC NE-6 280 SCOTTSDALE SYSTEMS 353

370 SIA PC-20

371 SIA PC-20

519 SIA SO-32

520 SIA SO-32

547 SIA MW-16

548 SIA MW-16

776 SIA NE-28

777 SIA NE-28

282 SILICON SHACK LTD 363

283 SILICON SHACK LTD 365

285 SN'W COMPUTERS S ELECTRONICS 106

• SOFTLINE IS-S1

286 SOFTWARE ADD-ONS 157

301 SUPREME ENTERPRISE 368

454 TAPTOCORP IS-68

309 TELEPHONE PRODUCTS CENTER 347

310 TERABYTE INT'L.INC 367

523 THORSON COMPANY SO-13

524 THORSON COMPANY SO-13

323 UNICORN 356

326 UNITEX 357

327 UNITEX 357

466 U S,A, SOFTWARE IS-31

334 WIESEMANNSTHEISGMBH 316

839 ON-LINE SERVICES

450 BIX 284.285

450 BIX 308,309

• BIX 381

840 OPERATING SYSTEMS

88 DIGITAL RESEARCH 18

99 DSC COMMUNICATIONS 229

■ IBM-OS/2 59

160 KADAK PRODUCTS LTD 365

■ MARK WILLIAMS CO 101

262 QUANTUM SOFTWARE SYSTEMS 283

264 QUARTERDECK 287

276 SANTA CRUZ OPERATION 49

312 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

313 THE SOFTWARE LINK 159

JUNE 1990 -BYTE 375

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961 962 981 982 1001 1002 1021 1022 1041 1042 1061 1062 1081 1082 1101 1102 1121 1122 1141 1142 1161 1162 1181 1182 1201 1202 1221 1222

963 964 983 984 1003 1004 1023 1024 1043 1044 1063 1064 1083 1084 1103 1104 1123 1124 1143 1144 1163 1164 1183 1184 1203 1204 1223 1224

965 966 985 986 1005 1006 1025 1026 1045 1046 1065 1066 1085 1086 1105 1106 1125 1126 1145 1146 1165 1166 1185 1186 1205 1206 1225 1226

967 968 987 988 1007 1008 1027 1028 1047 1048 1067 1068 1087 1088 1107 1108 1127 1128 1147 1148 1167 1168 1187 1188 1207 1208 1227 1228

969 970 971 989 990 991 1009 1010 1011 1029 1030 1031 1049 1050 1051 1069 1070 1071 1089 1090 1091 1109 1110 1111 1129 1130 1131 1149 1150 1151 1169 1170 1171 1189 1190 1191 1209 1210 1211 1229 1230

972 973 992 993 10121013 1032 1033 105^ 1053 1072 1073 1092 1093 1112 1113 1132 1133 1152 1153 1172 1173 1192 1193 12121213

974 975 994 995 1014 1015 1034 1035 1054 1055 1074 1075 1094 1095 1114 1115 1134 1135 1154 1155 1174 1175 1194 1195 1214 1215

976 977 996 997 10161017 1036 1037 1056 1057 1076 1077 1096 1097 1116 1117 1136 1137 1156 1157 1176 1177 1196 1197 12161217

978 979 980 998 9991000 101810191020 1038 1039 1040 1058 1059 1060 1078 1079 1080 1098 1099 1100 1118 1119 1120 1138 1139 1140 1158 1159 1160 1178 1179 1180 1198 1199 1200 121812191220

INFORMATION

Want More Information About the Products and Advertisers Featured in this Issue?

Circle numbers on reply card which correspond to numbers assigned to items of interest to you.

Check all the appropriate answers to questions "A" through "C".

Print your name and address and mail.

Fill out this coupon carefully. PLEASE PRINT.

Name

Title

Phone

Company

Address

City

State Zip

A. What is your level of

16 Ij Computer Retail Stores

management responsibility?

17 3 Consultants

1 C Senior-level Management

18 m Service Bureau/Planning

2 Z~ Other Management

19 □ Distributor/Wholesaler

3 Z Non-Management

20 3 Systems House/

B. What is your priman job func

Integra lor/VAR

tion/principal area of responsibility?

?1 n Othpr

(Check one.)

NoQ-Computer-Related Businesses:

4 □ Administration

22 C Manufacturing

5 lI Accounting/Finance

23 □ Finance. Insurance.

6 Z MIS/DP/lnformation Center

Real Estate

7 C Product Design and

24 n Retail/Wholesale

Development

25 □ Education

8 □ Research and Development

26 □ Government

9 Lj Manufacturing

27 □ Military

10 i~ Sales/Marketing

28 □ Professions (Law,

11 □ Purchasing

Medicine, Engineering,

12 □ Personnei

Architecture)

i3 □ Education/Training

29 □ Consulting

u ~ nthpr

30 L Other Business Services

C. Please indicate your organiza

31 n Transportation.

tion's primary business activity:

Communications, Utilities

(Check one.)

Computer-Related Businesses:

JUNE

15 Z Manufacturer (Hardware. Software)

IRSD002

31 32 33 34

61 62 63 64

91 92 93 94

121 122 123 124

151 152 153 154

38 39

10

40 41

14 15

□

42 43 44 45

72 73 74 75

95 96 97 98 99 IM 101 102 103 104 105 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 161 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 241 242 243 244 245 248 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 331 332333334335336 337 338339340 341 342343344345 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 461 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 541542543544545546 547 548549550 551 552 553554555 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 601 602 803 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 631632633634635636 637 638639640 641 642643644645 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 B8 699 700 701 702 703 704 706 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 751 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 841 842 843 844 845 846 647 848 849 850 851 852 853 854 855 871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 686 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915 931 932 933 934 935 936 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 966 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 99910001001 1002100310041005 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1028 1029 1030 1031 10321033 1034 1035 1061 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1068 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 10641065 1081 10821083 10841086 1086 1067 1088 10891090 1091 10921093 ltS41095 1111 1112111311141115111611171118111911201121 1122112311241125 1141 1142114311441145114611471148114911501151 1152115311541155 1171 1172117311741175117611771178117911801181 1182118311841185 1201 1202 1203 1204 1205 1206 1207 1208 1209 1210 1211 1212 1213 1214 1215

16 17 18 19 20 21

48 47 48 49 50 51

76 77 78 79 80 81

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136 137 138 139 140 141

166 167 168 169 170 171

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256 257

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288 289 290 291

318 319 320 321

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558 559 560 561

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678 679 680 681

708 709 710 711

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

82 83 64 85 88 67 88 89 90

112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180

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232 233 234 235 236 237 236 239 240

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352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360

382383384386386 387 388389390

412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420

442443444445446 447 448449450

472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480

502 503 1

532 533 ;

562 563

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652 653 (

676 677 706 707

736 737 738 739 740 741 766 767 768 769 770 771 796 797 798 799 800 801 826 827 828 629 830 831 856 857 858 859 860 861 886 887 883 889 890 891 916 917 918 919 920 921 946 947 946 949 950 951 976 977 978 979 980 981 1006 100710081009 1010 1011 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1066 1067 10681069 1070 1071 10961M7 1098 109911001101 12611271128112911301131 115611571156115911601161 118611871188118911901191 1216 1217 1218 1219 1220 1221

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896 897 926 927 956 957 986 987 10161017 1046 1047 1076 1077 11061107 11361137 661167 961197 12261227

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568 569 570

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628 629 630

658 659 660

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808 809 810

838 839 640

868 869 870

898 899 900

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Please send me one year of BYTE Magazine for $24.95 and bill me. Offer valid in U.S. and possessions only.

NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES

BUSINESS REPLY MAIL

FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NQ 176 PITTSFIELD, MA

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE

READER SERVICE PC Box 5110

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III II..1.111 Il.l.l..l.l...,l.l.ll,.l,.l.l

INFORMATION

Want More Information About the Products and Advertisers Featured in this Issue?

QCircle numbers on reply card which V"VL Check all the appropriate answers to S^^L correspond to numbers assigned to yf^J questions "A" through "C". K^.fl items of interest to you. Im^H

Print your name and address and mail.

NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES

BUSINESS REPLY MAIL

FIRST CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 176 PinSFIELD, MA

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE

READER SERVICE PO Box 5110

Pittsfield, MA 01203-9926 USA

lllllllMlllll

.11.1.1..1.1....1.1.II.,I..1.1

Fill out this coupon carefully. PLEASE PRINT.

Name

(

Title

Phone

Company

Address

City

A. What is your level of management responsibility?

1 d Senior-level Management

2 G Other Management

3 □ Non-Management

B. What is your primary job function/principal area of responsibility? (Check one.)

4 G Administration

5 G Accounting/Finance

6 C MIS/DP/lnformalion Center

7 G Product Design and

Development

8 G Research and Development

9 G Manufacturing

10 G Sales/Marketing

11 G Purchasing

12 G Personnel

13 □ Education/Training

14 G Other:

Slate

Lip

C Please indicate your organization's primary business activity: (Check one.)

Computer-Related Businesses:

15 G Manufacturer (Hardware. Softuare)

16 □ Computer Retail Stores

17 G Consultants

18 G Service Bureau/Planning

19 G Distributor/Wholesaler

20 G Systems House/

Integra tor/VAR

2! G Other:

Non-Computer-Related Businesses:

22 Q Manufacmring

23 G Finance, Insurance.

Real Estate

24 G Retail/Wholesale

25 □ Education

26 G Government

27 G Miliiar>' Professions (Law, Medicine, Engineering. Architecture)

'. Consulting

■ Other Business Ser\'ices '■ Transportation. Communications. Utilities Other;

28 G 1

30 G (

JUNE IRSD002

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000 1001 1002 10031004 1005 1006 10071008

009

10101011 101210131014 10151016 10171018 1019

1020

1021 1022

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0241025 1026 1027 1028 1029

030

1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1037

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039

1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050

1051 1052 1053 10541055 1056 1057 1058 1059 1060

061 1062 1063

06410651066 1067 1068

069

1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 1079 1080

1081 1082 1083 1084

085 1086 1087 1088

089

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099

11001101 11021103110411051106110711081109

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123112411251126

1271128112911301131 113211331134113511361137113811391140

1141 11421143

14411451146114711481149

1501151 11521153115411551166115711581159

1160

161 11621163116411651166116711681169

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1171 117211731174

17511761177117811791180

1181 11821183

1841185

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11901191 11921193 119411951196119711981199

1200

1201 1202 1203 12041205 1206 1207 1208 1209 1210 1211 12121213 121412151216 121712181219 1220 1221 1222 1223 1224 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230

Please send me one year of BYTE Magazine for S24,95 and bill me. Offer valid in U.S. and possessions only.

®

DYNAMIC RAMS

PART#

I 4116-150 4164-150 4164-120 4164-100 TMS4464-12

I 41256-150 41256-120

I 41256-100 41256-80 414256-100 414256-80 1 MB-120

I 1 MB-100 1 MB-80

SIZE

16384x1

65535x1

65536x1

65536x1

65536x4

262144x1

262144x1

262144x1

262144x1

282144x4

262144x4

1048576x1

1048576x1

1048576x1

SPEED

150ns 150ns 120ns 100ns 120ns 150ns 120ns 100ns

80ns 100ns

80ns 120ns 100ns

80ns

PINS

PRICE

15

1.49

16

2.49

16

2.89

16

3.39

16

3.95

16

2.59

16

2.95

16

3.15

16

3.75

20

12.95

20

13.45

18

11.95

18

12.35

18

13.95

SIMM/SIP MODULES

PART* 41256A9B-12 41256A9B-80 421000A8B-10 421000A9B-10 421000A9B-80 256K9SIP-80 256K9SIP-60 k 1MBX9SIP-80

SIZE

SPEED

FOR

PRICE

256K X 9

120ns

SIMM/PC

36.95

256K X 9

80ns

SIMM/PC

49.95

IMBxS

100ns

SIMM/MAC

109.95

lMBx9

100ns

SIMM/PC

113.95

1MBx9

80ns

SIMM/PC

119.95

256K X 9

80ns

SIP'PC

54.95

256K X 9

60ns

SIP/PC

64.95

lMBx9

80ns

SIP;PC

124.95

MATH COPROCESSORS

irrUr

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8087 5 MHz 89.95

8087-2 8 MHz 129.95 1 10 MHz 169.95

le-BIT COPROCESSORS

80287 6 MHz 139.95

80287-8 8 MHz 209.95 80287-10 10 MHz 239.95 80C827 12MHZ 299.95

32-BIT COPROCESSOf?S

80387-16 15 MHz 359.95 80387-SX 16 MHz 319.95 80387-SX20 16MHZ 399.95 80387-20 20 MHz 399.95 80387-25 25 MHz 499.95 , 80387-33 33MHz 649.00

INCLUDES MANUAL & SOFTWARE GUIDE

Littlefoof>^

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CASE

ACCOMODATES ALL MOTHERBOARDS INCLUDES 250 WATT POWER SUPPLY MOUNTS FOR 3 FLOPPY S 4 HARD DRIVES

TURBO AND RESET SWITCHES • SPEED DISPLAY, POWER, DISK LEDS

MOUNTING HARDWARE, FACEPLATES

AND SPEAKER INCLUDED CASE-100

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PS-155 150 WATT FOR 8088 $69.95

PS-200X 200 WATT FOR 8088 $89.95

PS-200 200 WATT FOR 286/386 $89.95

PS-250 250 WATT FOR 286/386 $129.95

I VPORABE YOUR \ OLD SYSTEM! REQVESroUR NEW FLYER TO LEARN HOW!

$1495

"OUR FASTEST" 33MHZ CACHE 386

' NORTON SI 45.9 • LANDMARK AT SPEED S0.8

■ 33MHZ 80386 MPU • 64K ZERO WAIT STATIC RAM CACHE • 1/2/4/8MB ON-BOARD RAM USING 80NS SIMMS (0KB INSTALLED) • 1/2MB USING 4/8 256K SIMMS OR 4/8MB USING 4/8 1MB SIMMS • CHIPS S TECHNOLOGY 82C206 DMA INTERRUPT CONTROLLER • SOCKETED FOR 80387-33 MATH CO-PROCESSOR • EIGHT EXPANSION SLOTS (ONE 32-BIT. SIX 16-BIT. ONE 8-BIT) ■ AMI BIOS ASSURES IBM COMPATIBILITY ■ 8/33MHZ KEYBOARD ADJUSTABLE SPEEDS MCT-386MBC-33 $1495.00

$999

25MHZ 386

• NORTON SI 29.7 • LANDMARK AT SPEED 32.5

• 25MHZ 80386 MPU • 10MHZ'25MHZ KEYBOARD SELECTABLE SPEEDS • 15MB ON-BOARD HAM CAPACITYUSING SIPS (0KB INSTALLED) ■ 1/2MB USING 36/72 256KX1 DRAMS OR 4/8 256K SIPS: 4/8MB USING 36/72 1MBX1 DRAMS OR 4/8 1MB SIPS: 16MB USING 72 1MBX1 DRAMS AND 8 1MB SIPS • SHADOW RAM FOR BIOS S VIDEO • SOCKETED FOR WEITEK 3167 COPROCESSOR • EIGHT EXPANSION SLOTS (FIVE 16-BIT, THREE 8-BIT) • AMI BIOS ADJUSTABLE BUS SPEEDS ■ INTERLEAVED MEMORY- NEAR 0 WAIT STATE MCT-3a6MB25S

20MHZ386 ^799

MCT-336MB20S • NORTON SI 23.0 • LANDMARK AT 25.8

MINI 2SMHZ CACHE 386

• NORTONSI30.S • LANDMARK AT SPEED 40.7

•25MHZ 80386 • REQUIRES ONE OF THE RAM CARDS LISTED BELOW • SHADOW RAM FOR ROM BIOS • USES MEMORY CACHING FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE • MEMORY INTERLEAVING FOR NEAR 0 WAIT STATE OPERATION (8 BANKS OF MEMORY REQUIRED) - SOCKETED FOR 80387 OR WEITEK 3167 COPROCESSORS

MCT-C386-25 $1199.00

1/2;4MB USING 8/16/32 256KX4 DRAMS & 4/8/16 256KX1 DRAMS (0K INSTALLED)

MCT-C386-M4 $99.95

1/2MB USING 36/72 256KX1 DRAMS OR 4/8MB USING 36/72 1MBX1 DRAMS (0K INST)

MCT-C386-M8 $99.95

1/2;4MB USING 4/8/16 256K SIMMS, 4/8/16MB USING 4/8/16 1MB SIMMS OR 10 MB USING

8 1 MB SIMMS AND 8 256K SIMMS (0K INSTALLED) MCT-C386-M16 S99.95

MINI 20MHZ 386

$629

• NORTON SI 23.0 • LANDMARK AT SPEED 26.1

■ MEMORY INTERLEAVING FOR NEAR ZERO WAIT STATES

• SOCKETED FOR 80387 COPROCESSOR • USES 80NS OR 100NS, 256K OR 1MB SIP/DIP RAMS • 16MB RAM CAPACITY: 8MB ON BOARD, 8MB USING OPTIONAL RAM CARD (0KB INSTALLED) • ON-BOARD RAM: 1/2MB USING 4/8 256K SIPS OR 4/8MB USING 4/8 1 MB SIPS • FIVE 16-BIT SLOTS. TWO 8BIT SLOTS, ONE 32-BIT SLOT FOR PROPRIETARY RAM CARD

• STANDARD XT HOLE SPACING • AMI BIOS • SIZE: 8.5" X 13MCT-M386-20 20MHZ VERSION $629.00 MCT-M386-25 25MHZ VERSION $799.00

16MHZ MINI 386-SX $399^^

• NORTON SI 15.3 • LANDMARK AT SPEED 20.8

• USES 16MHZ INTEL 80386SX CPU • EXPANDABLE TO 8MB ONBOARD ■ 512KI1ME USING 18/36 256KX1 DRAMS OH 2/4 255K SIPS OR 4/8 255KX4 AND 2/4 256KX1 DRAMS: 2/4MB USING 18/36 1MBX1 DRAMS OR 2/4 1MB SIPS: 6/8MB USING 36 1MBX1 DRAMS AND 2/4 1MB SIPS AMI BIOS - CHOOSE F.1ST 0 WAIT STATE OR 1 WAIT STATE FOR ECONOMICAL USE OF SLOWER RAM - FIVE 16-BIT 8 THREE 8-BIT EXPANSION SLOTS - CHIPS & TECHNOLOGY NEW ENHANCED ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY (NEAT) CHIPSET • SOCKET FOR 80387SX-15 COPROCESSOR - 8.5" X 13" SIZE FITS IN MINI-AT AND FULL-SIZE AT CASES

MCT-386SX $399.95

3S9

95

20MHZ 286

' NORTON SI 30.3 • LANDMARK AT SPEED 26.3

■ KlEAT CHIPSET HAS POWER TO COMPETE WITH 386 SYSTEMS • EXPANDABLE FR0M512KTO8MB:512K,'1MB USING 18/36 256KX1 DRAMS OR 24 256K SIPS: 2/4MB USING 18/36 1MBX1 DRAMS OR 2/4 1MB SIPS: 6,8MB USING 36 1MBX1 DRAMS AND 2/4 1MB SIPS •20/lOMHZ KEYBOARD SELECTABLE SPEEDS • AMI BIOS • SHADOW RAM AND PAGE INTERLEAVED MEMORY • FAST 0 WAIT STATE OR 1 WAIT STATE FOR SLOWER RAM • 8,5- X 13' FITS MOST XT, MINI-AT 8, FULL SIZE AT CASES • FIVE 16-BIT S THREE 8-BIT SLOTS - SOCKET FOR 80287-12 MATH CO-PROCESSOR MCT-M286-20N

X6MHZ 286 W/NEAT CHIPSET ^289^^

MCT-M286-16N NORTON SI 16.2 / LANDMARK AT 21.1

12MHZ286 W/NEAT CHIPSET ^269^^

MCT-M286-12N NORTON si 12.0/ LANDMARK AT 15.S

^199

95

12.5MHZ 286

• NORTON SI 14.3 ' LANDMARK AT SPEED 16.5

■ AT-COMPATIBLE - 6 ;2,5MHZ KEYBOARD SELECTABLE SPEEDS • EXPANDABLE TO 4MB ON BOARD: 5I2K;1MB USING 18/36 256KX1 DRAMS:2,4MB USING 18/36 1MBX1 DRAMS (0KB INSTALLED) ■ MEMORY SPEED: 120NS FOR 1 WAIT, 100NS FOR 0 WAIT

MCT-M286-12 $199.95

MCT-M286-10 6/1OMHZ VERSION $189.95

lOMHZ 8088 NORTON SI 2.1 $99^^

■ NOW USES LOW-COST 256K X 4 1 MB DRAMS - XT COMPATIBLE: OPERATES AT 4.77/1 OMHZ • KEYBOARD SELECTABLE CLOCK SPEEDS • SOCKET FOR 8087-1 COPROCESSOR - 8 SLOTS • MCT BIOS • 640K RAM CAPACITY (0KB INSTALLED)

MCT-TURBO-10 $99.95

MCT-TURBO 8MHZ VERSION $89.95 ^

ORDER TOLL-FREE 800-538-5000

JDR MICRODEVICES 2233 BRANHAM LANE, SAN JOSE, CA 95124 (408)559-1200 FAX (408) 559-0250 TELEX 171-110 COPVRIGKT 1990 JDR MICRODEVICES

CUSTOMER SERVICE B00-S38-S001 TECH SUPPORT 800-S38-S002 ORDER VIA BBS MON.-FRI. 7 A.M. TO S P.M., SATURDAY, 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. (PST)

Circle 6 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 7)

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 377

*JDR Microdevices • 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ' 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL PRODUCTS • TOLL-FREE TECHNICAL SUPPI

®

MONITORS

VGA ____ PACKAGE I -^JfJ^

\$4g095

VGA COLOR AND CLARITY AT AN EGA PRICE! • 8-BIT VGA _., CARD IS FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH IBM VGA ■ 720 X 540 MAXIMUM RESOLUTION, 640 X 480 IN IS COLORS

• 528 X 480 IN 256 COLORS

• HIGH RESOLUTION ANALOG MONITOR • EGA/CGA'MONO AND HERCULES COMPATIBLE

• DRIVERS FOR WINDOWS. GEM, 1-2-3, SYMPHONY, AUTOCAD S VENTURA

VGA-PKG

MONO-VGA PAPERWHITE VGA MONITOR S139.95

NEC-MULTI-3D NEC MULTI-3D MULTISYNC $649.00

,CM-1440 SEIKO DUAL FIXED FREQUENCY $599.00

GENISCAN SCANNER

• UP TO 400 DPI ■ 32 LEVELS OF GRAY SCALE - SPEED OVERRUN WARNING LIGHT

• AUTO MERGE FOR LARGE IMAGES

• INCLUDES INTERFACE CARD

• INCLUDES SCANEDIT II, S DR. GENIUS SOFTWARE GS-45D0

L PRODIGY-OCR OCR SOFTWARE $49.95J

REUSYS MULTISYNCH $429.95

■ 14-NON-GLARE SCREEN • 800X560 MAX RESOLUTION

• CGA'EGA/VGA COMPATIBLE • TTL/ANALOG MODE JDR-MULTI

RELYSIS VOA MONITOR $359.95

•14-ANALOG VGA MONITOR • GLARE RESISTANT SCREEN

• 720 X 480 MAXIMUM RESOLUTION • TILT/SWIVEL BASE VGA-MONITOR

EGA MONITOR $339.95

■14- NON-GLARE SCREEN WITH 640 X 350 MAXIMUM RESOLUTION • DISPLAY 16 COLORS SIMULTANEOUSLY EGA-MONITOR

TAXAN DUAL PAGE MONITOR $1499

■ GMRE-RESISTANT IS" MONOCHROME SCREEN

• INCLUDES DISPLAY CARD ■ 1280 X 960 NON-INTERLACED TAXAN-P

14" SCREEN MONO $139.95

■ GLARE-RESISTANT 14" SCREEN WITH AMBER DISPLAY

• 720 X 350 RESOLUTION • TILT/SWIVEL BASE GM-1489

MONO-SAMSUNG SAMSUNG 12-FLAT SCREEN $129.95 JDR-MONO 12 MONO WITH GREEN SCREEN $69.95

FASTTRAP 3-AXIS TRACKBALL ^109^^

• 2 a 3-AXIS POINTING CAPABILITY ■ HIGH RESOLUTION 200 PULSE/INCH

• HARDWARE VARIABLE RESOLUTION

• STANDARD RS-232C SERIAL INTERFACE FAST-TRAP

, PC-TRAC 2-AXIS TRACKBALL $89.95

CABLES AND GENDER CHANGERS

MOLDED: GOLD-PLATED CONTACTS: 100% SHIELDED

^.LOGITECH MICE

THREE-BUTTON SERIES = " „„• 320 DPI RESOLUTION iliutl' SERIAL PS;2 COMPATIBLE,

L0GC9 SERIAL MOUSE $98.95 |

L0GC9-C SERIAL MOUSE (NOT PS 2 COMPATIBLE) $79.95

L0GC9-P SERIAL MOUSE WITH PAINTSHOW $109.95

L0GC9-PC SERIAL MOUSE WITH PAINT;CAD $154.95 |

L0GB9 BUS MOUSE $89.95

L0GB9-P BUS MOUSE WITH PAINTSHOW $104.95

L0GB9-PC BUS MOUSE WITH PAINT/CAD $149.95 ]

CBL-PRINTER CBL-PRNTR-25 CBL-PRINTR-RA CBL-DB25-MM CBL-DB25-MF CBL-9-SERIAL CBL-KBD-EXT CBL-CNT-MM CBL-FDC-EXT CBL-MNT-9 CBL-MNT-15 CBL-MODEM , GENDER-VGA

5 FT. PC PRINTER CABLE 25 FT. PC PRINTER CABLE RIGHT ANGLE PRINTER CABLE DB25 MALE-DB25 MALE 6 FT, DB25 MALE-DB25 FEMALE 6 FT, DB9 FEMALE-DB25 MALE 6 FT, 5 FT, KEYBOARD EXTENSION

36- PIN CENTRONICS -M/M

37- PIN EXT, FLOPPY CABLE 9-PIN MONITOR EXTENSION 15-PIN MONITOR EXTENSION CABLE MODEM -DB25-DB25 FEMALE DB9-DB15 ADAPTOR

9,95 15.95 15.95 9.95 9.95 6.95 7.95 14.95 9.95 6.95 9.95 6.95 4.95

JDR caters to the developer with a full line of prototyping and programming products. iHere are just a few examples, Request our catalog for our complete line!

EPROMS

m I: I- m rrm fffi

m

L.l,iJ,l,l,l7rT

P5

ETE

I ENHANCED KEYBOARD a —m ok WITH CALCULATOR 7**

■ NUMERIC KEYPAD DOUBLES AS A MULTI-FUNCTION I BUSINESS CALCULATORWITH MEMORY FUNCTIONS • 101 KEYS ■ 12 FUNCTION KEYS • XT/AT S PS/2 COMPATIBLE (PS/2 REQUIRES ADAPTOR GENDER 5-6 S4.95) FC-3001

ENHANCED KEYBOARDS

BTC-5339 101-KEY WITH 12 FUNCTION KEYS $69.95

BTC-5339R COMPACT 101 -KEY. 30% SMALLER $79.95

MAX-5339 101 -KEY MAXI-SWITCH (286 ONLY) $84.95

K103-A AUDIBLE -CLICK" 101-KEY KEYBOARD $84.95

STANDARD KEYBOARDS

BTC-S060 84-KEY WITH 10 FUNCTION KEYS $59.95

^MAX-5D60 MAXI-SWITCH 84-KEY(a86 ONLY) $64.95

^89

95

RAM CARD FOR HP LASERJET

• FOR LASERJET SERIES II PRINTERS ■ USER EXPANDABLE TO 1, 2 OR 4MB (OK INSTALLED) • USES 256K 1 SONS OR 1MB 120NS DRAMS MCT-RAMJET

RAM CARD FOR LASERJET IIP

' ADDS 1MB TO 4MB RAM (1MB INSTALLED) IIP-RAM

JETFONT SUPERSET -ISO FONTS!

2 CARTRIDGES CONTAIN THE EQUIVALENT OF 18 SEPARATE HP CARTRIDGES WITHOUT DOWNLOADING! ■ FOR HP LASERJET, LASERJET^ AND LASERJET II

• DRIVERS FOR WORDPERFECT. WORD-STAR 2000, IBM DISPLAY WRITE 4, MS WORD, WINDOWS, 1-2-3, DBASE HAND MORE!

lSUPERSET

PROTOTYPE CARDS

^. JDB-PR1 8-BlT WITH *5V AND GROUND PLANE 27.95

JDR-PR2 ABOVE WITH I/O DECODING LAYOUT 29.95

JDR-PR2-PK PARTS KIT FOR JDR-PR2 ABOVE 8.95

JDR-PR10 16-BIT WITH I/O DECODING LjAYOUT 34.95

JDR-PH10-PK PARTS KIT FOR JDR-PR10 ABOVE 15.95

!

ew!

PART#

SIZE

SPEED

Vpp

PINS

2716-1

2048x8

350ns

25V

24

2732A

4096x8

250ns

21V

24

2764

8192x8

450ns

12,5V

28

2764-250

S192>:8

250ns

12.5V

28

2764-200

8192x8

200ns

12,5V

28

27128

15384x8

250ns

12,5V

28

27128A-200

16384x8

200ns

12.5V

28

27256

32768x8

250ns

12,5V

28

27C256

32768x8

250ns

12,5V

28

27512

65536x8

250ns

12,5V

28

27C101-20

131072x8

200ns

12,5V

32

3,95 3.95 3.49 3.69 4.25 4.25 5.95 4.95 5.95 795 16.95

MODULAR PROGRAMMING SYSTEM

EACH MODULE IN THIS SYSTEI^ USES A COMMON HOST ADAPTOR CARD, SO YOU CAN USE JUST ONE SLOT TO PROGRAM EPROMS, PROMS, PALS & MORE!

$29

95

EPROM PROGRAMMER

PROGRAMS 27XX AND 27XXX EPROMS UP TO 27512 • SPLIT OR COMBINE CONTENTS OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT SIZED EPROMS (VARIOUS FORMATS AND VOLTAGES) • READ. WRITE. COPY, BLANK CHECK AND VERIFY • HEX AND INTEL HEX FORMATS SOFTWARE MOD-EPROM

DATARASEII EPROM ERASER ^39^^

SMALL SIZE! • ERASES ALL SIZE EPROMS UP TO 4 AT A TIME-MOST IN 3 MINUTES

WALL PLUG POWER SUPPLY

DATARASE II

COMMON HOST ADAPTOR CARD

■ UNIVERSAL INTERFACE FOR ALL THE PROGRAMMING MODULES!

• SELECTABLE ADDRESSES ~PREVENTS CONFLICTS ~i

• MOLDED CABLE \ ' MOD-MAC

UNIVERSAL MODULE

• PROGRAMS EPROMS, EEPROMS, PALS, BI-POLAR PROMS, 8748 S 8751 SERIES DEVICES: 16V8 AND 20V8 GALS (GENER-IC ARRAY LOGIC) FROM U\TTICE.

NS, SGS • TESTS TTL CMOS,

DYNAMIC S STATIC RAMS i-^^^"

• LOAD DISK, SAVE DISK, EDIT, BLANK CHECK, PROGRAM, AUTO, READ MASTER, VERIFY AND COMPARE -TEXTOOL SOCKET FOR ,3- TO ,6- WIDE C'S (8-40 PINS) MOD-MUP

MOD-MUP-EA 4-UNIT adaptor $99.95

EPROM MODULE

■ programs 24-32 PIN EPROMS. CMOS EPROMS S EEPROMS | FROM 16K TO 1024K- HEX TO OBJ CONVERTER • AUTO. BLANK CHECKPROGRAWVERIFY- VPP 5, 12.5, 12,75 13, 21 & 25 VOLTS ■ NORMAL. INTELLIGENT, INTERACTIVE S QUICK PULSE PROGRAMMING ALGORITHMS MOD-MEP

MOD-MEP-4 i-EPROM PROGRAMMER S169.95

MOD-MEP-8 B-EPROM PROGRAMMER $259.95

MOD-MEP-16 16-EPROM PROGRAMMER $499.95

951

$249

PAL MODULE

■ PROGRAMS MMI. NS. Tl 20 S Tl 24 PIN DEVICES • BLANK CHECK. PROGRAM, AUTO, READ MASTER. VERIFTY & SECUR- i ITY FUSE BLOW MOD-MPL

OTHER MODULES

MOD-MMP MICROPROCESSOR PROGRAMMER $179.95

MOD-MIC DIGITAL IC S MEMORY TESTER $259.95

MOD-MBP BI-POLAR PROM PROGRAMMER $499-95

951

'99

PAL DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE

ENTRY-LEVEL PAL DEVELOPMENTFHOM CUPL, FULL SUPPORT FOR 16L8, 16R4, 16R6, 16R8, 20L8, 20R4, 20R8 AND 20X8

MOD-MPL-SOFT

378 B YTE • JUNE 1990

Circle 6 on Reader Service Card (DEALERS: 7)

MICROPOLIS HIGH SPEED HARD DRIVES

KITS INCLUDE: FAST FLOPPY/HARD CONTROLLER. CABLES. INSTALLATION GUIDE & NOVELL NETWARE-285 SOFTWARE

SIZE

MODEL

AV6. SPEED

INTER FACE

DRIVE PRICE

KIT PRICE

157.5MB

1355

23MS

ESDI

$949

$1049

157.5MB

1375

23MS

SCSI

S999

SI 099

338.1MB

1558

18MS

ESDI

SI 619

SI 799

338.1MB

1578

18MS

SCSI

SI 619

SI 799

676.8MB

1568

16MS

ESDI

S2499

676.8MB

1588

16MS

SCSI

S2499

$99

95

1.44MB Q 3-1/2" DRIVE

• 80 TRACKS • 135 TPI • ULTRA HIGH DENSITY ■ READ/WRITE 720K DISKS. TOO

• INCLUDES ALL NECESSARY MOUNTING HARDWARE FDD-1.44X BLACK FACEPLATE

FDD-1.44A BEIGE FACEPLATE

FDD-1.44SOFT SOFTWARE DRIVER $19.95

MF355A 3-1 ;2- MITSUBISHI 1.44MB. BEIGE $129.95

MF355X 3.1/2- MITSUBISHI 1.44MB. SLACK $129.95

FDD-360 5-1/4- DOUBLE-SIDED DD 360K $69.95

FD-55B 5-1/4- TEAC DOUBLE-SIDED DD 360K $99.95

FDD-1.2 5-1/4- DOUBLE-SIDED HD 1.2M $95.95

L FD-55G 5-1/4- TEAC DOUBLE-SIDED HD 1.2M $129.95

"l...will highly recommend your company to anyone in the market for a computer." —Allen P. Cutter, Prescott, AZ

699

9600 BAUD V.32 MODEM

■ 9600.4800 2400'1200 BPS • FULL DUPLEX • ASYCHRONOUS/SYNCHRONOUS • MNP-5 FOR 100% ERROR FREE TRANSMISSIONS • CCITV.32. V.22 BIS V.22. BELL212A COMPATIBLE ■ DATA COMPRESSION ALLOWS 19.2K BAUD

PRO-96E

EXTERNAL 2400 BAUD

REQUIRES SERIAL PORT & CABLE

• 2400/1200,'300 BPS •

PRO-24E

PRO-241 2400 BAUD INTERNAL MODEM 1/2 CARD $99.95

y- MODULAR CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY 4800/2400 BPS FAX MODEM

■ 4800 BAUD GROUP III FAX TRANSMISSION ONLY • 2400 BPS DATA MODEM ■ MENU DRIVEN PROFAX SOFTWARE •SENDS DOS TEXT, PCX & TIFF FILES TO FAX TRANS. MCT-FAXM

MCT-241 INTERNAL 2400 BAUD DATA MODEM $89.95

MCT-121 INTERNAL 1200 BAUD DATA MODEM $69.95

$149

95

VIVA 2400 BAUD

^139

95

STATE-OF-ART DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE ■ 2400/1200,'300 BAUD OPERATION

• FULLY HAYES AT COMMAND SET COMPATIBLE ■ EXTENDED S-REGISTER PROGRAMMING • 8 INTERNATIONAL ICON STAUS LIGHTS • BUILT-IN SPEAKER 1 2ND PHONE JACK FOR VOICE • AUTO WAIT FOR DIAL TONE S AUTO REDIAL |

• STANDARD RS-232C INTERFACE '

• -GRANITE LOOK- BASE VIVA-24E

Lid

HARD DISKS 21.4MB ^199 65.5MB ^389 32.7MB ^219 42.8MB ^339

DRIVE KITS 21.4MB ^249

32.7MB ^279

SIZE

MODEL

AVG. SPEED

FORM FACTOR

DRIVE ONLY

XT KIT

atfM

KIT

21.4MB

ST-225

65MS

5-1 .'4

SI 99

S249

S309 L

32.7MB RLL

ST-238

65MS

5-1/4

S219

S279 $389

S379 1

42.8MB

ST-251-1

28MS

5-1/4

S339

$449 1

43.1MB SCSI

ST-251N

40MS

5-1/4

S419

65.5MB RLL

ST-277-1

28MS

5-1/4

S389

S449

S549 i

80.2MB

ST-4096

28MS

5-1/4

S569

S679

84.9MB SCSI

ST-296N

2SMS

5-1/4

S499

122.7MB RLL

ST.4144R

28MS

5-1.'4

S699

S759

SS59

21.4MB 32.1MB RLL

ST-125 ST-138R

40MS 40MS

3-1/23-1/2

$259 S2S9

S299 S339

S373 S429

80.2MB ^569

84.9MB '499 (^Seagate

KITS INCLUDE HARD DRIVE, DRIVE CONTROLLER, CABLES AND JDRS DETAILED INSTRUCTION MANUAL

MODULAR CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY interface cards

DRIVE CONTROLLERS

1.44MB FLOPPY $4095

■ XT OR AT COMPATIBLE • SUPPORTS 2 FLOPPY DRIVES (360K. 720K. 1.2MB S 1.44MB) ■ USER SELECTABLE AS A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY (3RD OR 4TH) FLOPPY DRIVE

MCT-FDC-HD

HIGH DENSITY 4-FLOPPY CARD $59.95

■ INTERFACES UP TO 4 FLOPPY DRIVES • CABLES FOR 4 INTERNAL DRIVES • BIOS SUPPORTS ANY COMBINATION OF DRIVES (360K720K/1.2MB/1.44MBI MCT-FDC-HD4

FLOPPY DISK $29.95

■ INTERFACES UP TO 4 FLOPPY DRIVES TO IBM PC OR COMPATIBLE • DS/DD AND DS/QD COMPATIBLE MCT-FDC

HARD DISK $79.95

• SUPPORTS 16 DRIVE SIZES INCLUDING 10. 20. 30 AND 40MB- CAN DIVIDE 1 LARGE DRIVE INTO 2 LOGICAL DRIVES MCT-HDC

MCT-RLL RLL CARD SUPPORTS 2 RLL DRIVES $89.95

286/386 FLOPPY/HARD $149.95

■ FLOPPY/HARD DISK CONTROL IN AN AT DESIGN • FOR UP TO 2 FLOPPIES (360K/720K/1.2MB/1.44MB) S 2 HARD DRIVES MCT-AFH

286/3861:1 INTERLEAVE $169.95

■ CONTROLS 2 HARD S 2 FLOPPY DRIVES (360K/720K/1.2MB/ 1.44MB) • CONCURRENTLY USE HARD S FLOPPY DRIVES

JtflCT-FAFH

MEMORY CARDS

S76K RAM CARD $49.95

• USER SELECTABLE CONFIGURATION TO 576K - USES 64K AND 256K DRAMS (OK INSTALLED)

MCT-RAM

286/386 EXPANDED MEMORY $129.95

■ USER EXPANDABLE TO 2MB USING1 MB DRAMS CONFORMS FULLY TO LIM EMS 3.2 • RAM DISK SOFTWARE

MCT-AEMS

L.MCT-EMS XT COMPATIBLE EMS CARD $99.95 .

$109

FAX SWITCHER

CONNECT ONE PHONE LINE TO YOUR PHONE. FAX. MODEM AND ANSWERING MACHINE-THIS DEVICE ROUTES THE CALLS! • OPERATES ON SINGLE OR MULTI-LINE SYSTEMS • AUX. PORT FOR MODEM. CORDLESS PHONE. ALARM. POS TERMINAL. ETC.

, FAXM-SWITCH

95

/

DPI ETHERNET CARD '199^^

■ 100% HARDWARE COMPATIBLE WITH NOVELL NE-1000 ETHERNET CARD

- FOR THICK OR THIN ETHERNET

- 15-PIN ETHERNET CONNECTOR

- BNC CONNECTOR FOR THIN ETHERNET

DFINET-300 8-BIT VERSION . DFINET-400 16-BIT VERSION $239.95

MULTIFUNCTION I/O CARDS

MULTI I/O CARD $59.95

■ SERIAL PORT • CLOCK/CALENDAR WITH BATTERY

- PARALLEL PORT IS ADDRESSABLE AS LPT1 OR LPT2 MCT-IO

MULTI I/O FLOPPY $79.95

■ SUPPORTS UP TO 2 360K FLOPPIES

- SERIAL. PARALLEL. GAME PORT AND CLOCK/CALENDAR MCT-MIO

MONOGRAPHICS MULTI I/O $119.75

■ CONTROL 2 FLOPPIES ■ SERIAL. PARALLEL. GAME PORT. CLOCK'CALENDAR • RUNS COLOR GRAPHICS SOFTWARE ON YOUR BLACK AND WHITE MONITOR

MCT-MGMIO

286/386 MULTI I/O CARD $59.95

■ SERIAL. PARALLEL AND GAME PORTS - USES 16450 SERIAL SUPPORT CHIPS FOR HIGH SPEED OPERATION MCT-AIO

DISPLAY CARDS

16-BIT VGA $199.95

■ G40 X 480 IN IG COLORS - 256K VIDEO RAM EXPAND-ABLE T0 512K - 64 LEVELS OF GRAY SCALE MCT-VGA-16

MCT-VGA-8 S BIT VERSION $169.95

MONO GRAPHICS $49.95

XT AND AT-COMPATIBLE - HERCULES COMPATIBLE MONOGRAPHICS • SUPPORTS LOTUS 1-2-3 - HIGH RESOLUTION 720 X 348 DISPLAY • VLSI CHIPS • CONFIGURE THE PARALLEL PRINTER PORT AS LPT1 OR 2 MCT-MGP

HIGH TECH SPOTLIGHT

BENCHMARK FIGURES

For some time now, JDR and neariy o!i the computer industry hove listed Norton Si and Landmark benchmatit figures in their advertising. One of the first things! look at when comparing computers is their benchmark rotings.

As refative measures of speed between various systems, these ratings will generally tell you which is the fastest, but can mislead and hide information if the buyer doesn't pay close attention to the complete system.

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JUNE 1990 •BYTE 379

BVTE

SETTING THE STANDARDS

The Father of Computer Graphics

Today's graphics systems owe their existence to an innovative graduate school project called Sketchpad

Don Bissell

ack in 1960, interactive computer graphics would have seemed like an improbable idea. In that year, computer operators typically positioned stacks of prepunched cards onto computers like the Whirlwind at MIT. The Whirlwind weighed 250 tons, powered 12,500 vacuum tubes, and filled a two-story house. But in 1960, all the elements needed for CAD to become a reality were in place.

The first element sprang from the development of the computer itself, which came in part from events surrounding World War II. In 1944, the U.S. government financed the construction of MIT's Whirlwind computer for national defense purposes.

The Whirlwind introduced the first prerequisite for CAD—a CRT capable of displaying graphics.

In 1949, the Russian explosion of an atomic bomb stimulated the U.S. to fund Project SAGE (for Semi-Automatic Ground Environment). In time, the SAGE computer linked all North American radar sites. Its operators used a hand-held photocell, or "light gun"—the precursor to the light pen—to assign intercept aircraft targets (Soviet bombers) represented symbolically on the CRT. The second piece of the CAD puzzle was in place.

The Sputnik launch of 1957 generated further interest and financial support for computer research. Researchers at MIT's Lincoln Laboratories developed the TX-0 and later the TX-2

Ivan Sutherland, shown with his archetypical graphics system. Sketchpad, is considered the father of interactive graphics.

380 BYTE- JUNE 1990

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUTHERLAND, SPROULL, AND ASSOC., INC.

computer, which had twice the memory of any computer of its day. Equipped with numerous switches, knobs, a keyboard, a point-plotting display, and a light pen, the TX-2 had from the first been designed to facilitate human-machine interaction. This was the third and final element essential to the development of CAD.

The atmosphere of academic freedom at MIT allowed some nontraditional research to take place: Graduate students began playing Space War—the first computer game—on the giant TX2 computer. The game impressed at least one of the students with the immense possibilities presented by real-time interaction with the computer. That student was Ivan Sutherland, who used the TX-2 to bring together all the elements necessary for CAD in his doctoral thesis, "Sketchpad: A Man-Machine Graphical Communication System."

The cornerstone of Sutherland's thesis was a film that showed him using Sketchpad on the TX-2 computer to sketch a bolt. A light pen provided the coordinates corresponding to the drawing commands entered on the keyboard. Sketchpad allowed Sutherland to recall previously drawn display primitives (e.g., circles and polygons) to the screen. He was then able to rotate, scale, copy, and erase these primitives. The light pen let him edit existing drawing entities. Smaller versions of master drawings were described as "instances" of the parent drawing. Drawings created by Sketchpad could be stored on magnetic tape. Many of the computer's switches were assigned functions, such as move and draw. In short, Ivan Sutherland's Sketchpad was a complete and working CAD software package.

The "Robot Draftsman," as Sketchpad was later called, illustrated the potential of computer graphics and inspired almost all who viewed it. The idea that people no longer had to become expert programmers to use the computer effectively was novel and exciting. Now users could produce graphics in real time and observe instantaneous results. Numerous scientists chose interactive computer graphics as a career field as a result of viewing Sketchpad.

An immediate effect of Sketchpad's influence was heavy investment in computer graphics R&D by both military and commercial organizations. Today's CAD system has benefited from the innovation of numerous contributors. IBM, for example, provided credibility to the infant CAD industry with the announcement of the IBM 2250, which added the concept of vector CAD to computer graphics. In 1966, Lockheed-Georgia used computer graphics to create a numerically controlled machined part. Then came the Alto, an innovative stand-alone system developed at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in California, inspired in part by Sketchpad. (Many now say that the Alto provided the most significant advancement in computer graphics.) In 1970, Ivan Sutherland developed view clipping and perspective projection to further enhance CAD.

Sketchpad was not one isolated discovery; it was an entire methodology. Many brilliant scientists and engineers have contributed to advances in computer architecture, I/O devices, and display technology, and these contributions are still ongoing. But in bringing together the pieces for the archetypical CAD system. Dr. Ivan Sutherland set the stage for the $1.6 billion CAD industry of today. For this remarkable achievement, he is rightfully known as the "Father of Computer Graphics." ■

Donald Bissell is a CAD designer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is also a CAD consultant and is currently working on a book on the origins of CAD. He can be reached on BIX do "editors."

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

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JUNE 1990 -BYTE 381

Print Queue

Hugh Kenner

In Darkest Self-Similarity

A spate of new books—and a couple of classics—point out that fractals are everywhere, even in publishing

Under fractal, the second edition (1989) of the Oxford English Dictionary now offers an elegant definition: "A mathematically conceived curve such that any small part of it, enlarged, has the same statistical character as the original." Good. The OED having spoken,/racra/ is officially part of the language.

Strictly speaking, the word is an import from French, the language Benoit Mandelbrot was using when he made it up. He recalls making it from the Latin fractus, broken. To see the connection with brokenness, reflect that a circle can't be a fractal, because if you enlarge a small enough part of it, you might as well be looking at a straight line. But enlarge a portion of a jagged rock, and, lo, a rocky mountain.

In Paris, Mandelbrot's Les Objets Fractals (1975) has just reached its third (1989) edition, with an engaging 50-page "Survol" (Overview) appended (Flammarion, 99 francs). In New York, the second edition of his gloriously illustrated The Fractal Geometry of Nature (1982, W. H. Freeman, S39.95) is due out in October of this year. Next came H. O. Peitgen and P. H. Richter's 1988 The Beauty of Fractals: Images of Complex Dynamical Systems (Springer-Verlag, $39), including a sketchy doit-yourself appendix for programmers.

Michael Barnsley's Fractals Everywhere (1988, Academic Press, $39.95) is essentially a college-level text; The Science of Fractal Images (1989, Springer-Verlag, $39.95), which is edited by Peitgen with Dietmar Saupe, has eight contributors, including Mandelbrot (twice), and algorithms aplenty.

Now add Clifford Pickover's Computers, Pattern, Chaos and Beauty (1990, St. Martin's, $29.95) and two books by Roger Stevens for IBM PC users: Fractal Programming in C (1989) and Fractal Programming in Turbo Pascal (1990) (M&T Books, each $29.95, or $10

more with a source code disk included). The chronology does limn a pattern.

Fifteen years ago, Les Objets Fractals argued for the unity and pertinence of the brand-new fractal concept. But its discoveries have never been free from computer dependence, and people who saw fractal images wanted to make such images. Until the mid-1980s, that meant access to a mainframe. We forget how recent hardware leaps have been. An early monochrome image showing a detail of a Mandelbrot set (The Beauty of Fractals, page 152) is pathetic even for monochrome.

Even at IBM's Yorktown Center, Mandelbrot himself had no access to color before about 1980. IBM PC graphics were initially miserable; I still use my old bit-mapping Zenith Z-100 for this kind of work, though it's confined to just eight colors, including black. But EGA and VGA boards have recently been opening the PC gates. Hence the most recent books.

Computer dependence? Partly because fractal concepts are most accessible to the eye, which means graphics; more important, because many of them depend on iterative equations, which mean work. Start with inputs that may say where a point is on the screen; crunch numbers till a result emerges; feed that result back into the equation; repeat until the result either settles down or gives signs that it's never going to. Assign the result a color. Turn the point on.

That can mean 100 or 1000 iterations; so for pencil and paper, one point could take all day. And we're thinking of 100,000 points or more. If the equation isn't too nasty, a mere 5-MHz computer can chew them at perhaps 200 points per second.

"You can't prove anything with a computer!" cried an objector. "True," said Mandelbrot, "But playing with a computer is a source of conjectures, often unexpected ones." Programs, anyone? Although the Amiga's

382 BYTE' JUNE 1990

ILLUSTRATION: CHRIS SPOLLEN © 1990

graphics capability would seem to make it an ideal fractal machine, nothing really elaborate seems to be available yet. My contacts suggest starting with MANDELVROM20.ZOO, available on BIX in "amiga.user/ listings." Lacking the hardware, I can't report firsthand.

If you have a PC and a subscription to BIX, your quickest recourse is to download from "graphic.disp/listings" a little wonder called FRAINT.EXE. Then run it, being sure to have plenty of disk space available, since what it does is unpack some 400,000 bytes of files. These include a document file and a program called FRACTINT.EXE. (If you copy the lively 46-page document file to your printer, be advised of my one complaint: no page breaks. Use DOS's PRINT with the /P:60 switch.)

N

ormal

4#i

straight lines to normal jagged contours: That is one short way to say where fractals take us. And to star maps and diamond maps and a PC screen.

FRACTINT is the two years' work of a merry crew loosely coordinated by Bert Tyler (who is also on BIX). At the heart of FRACTINT is inspired reliance on quick integer rather than slow floating-point calculation. It works on a whole menu full of graphics systems. (Even chunky images on a four-color CGA are interesting.) The current version—11.0 as I write—includes Mandelbrot sets, Julia sets, Lorenz attractors, Newton iterations, Sierpinsky gaskets—in short, most of the fractal buzzwords, even Pickover's popcorn. And it's public domain. The 16-odd authors spell out a contribution policy: "Don't want money. Got money. Want admiration."

(Make "admiration" ironic, the way I think they mean it, and you've got something Mandelbrot would applaud. He distinguishes science done for the sake of doing it from science done for the status it can bring. Those lads are doing it for the sake of doing it.)

They get my admiration. The speed with which FRACTINT displays, say, the basic Mandelbrot set is incredible. As anyone who's played with it knows, that set can cost aeons of time in its huge central black hole, reiterating hundreds of times, only to discover that a point needn't be turned on after all. One of the FRACTINT crew (Mark Peterson) spotted a black-hole "periodicity loop" in The Beauty of Fractals, moreover, on pages 58-60, where the math is heavy. A detector for that loop proved cheap and fast; the program now skims across blackness like Katarina Witt across ice.

Or, if you've a C or Turbo Pascal (version 4 or higher) compiler, you can use the DOS disks that can be obtained with the Roger Stevens books. (Don't even think of entering all that

code by hand.) The disks contain source code only, and getting that to run may need a little tinkering. The Pascal version depends on a fractal unit you compile separately, and my version 5.5 compiler balked until I'd inserted {$N-i-} to say I wasn't expecting a numeric coprocessor chip. That's odd, since Stevens defers until as late as page 442 a mild afterthought to the effect that you might find such a chip helpful.

The overlap between Stevens's books and FRACTINT is considerable but not total; if Stevens lacks popcorn and trigonometric Mandelbrot, FRACTINT lacks Hilbert curves and assorted landscapes—trade-offs like that.

As for what it all means, if I could choose just two books, I'd say Mandelbrot's The Fractal Geometry of Nature (after all, the present-at-the-creation text) and The Science of Fractal Images, diverse and explicit. The Mandelbrot book, it's been asserted, is not for everybody. True. But it's broken into typographical chunks, many of which are for anyone literate. Whenever the deeper math glazes your eyes, skip along. You'll come to a paragraph like this:

"And the distribution of raw diamonds in the Earth's crust resembles the distribution of stars and galaxies in the sky. Consider a large world map on which each diamond mine or diamond rich site... is represented by a pin. When examined from far away these pins' density is extraordinarily uneven. A few are isolated here and there, but most concentrate in a few blessed (or accursed) areas. However, the Earth's surface in these areas is not uniformly paved with diamonds. When examined more closely, any of these areas turns out itself to be mostly blank, with scattered subareas of much greater diamond concentration. The process continues over several orders of magnitude."

Now recall what I quoted from the OED earlier: "any small part of it, enlarged, has the same statistical character as the original." Here's one more astonishing instance. The earthwide distribution of raw diamonds is fractal. So is the cosmoswide distribution of galaxies. Since what diamonds have to do with galaxies—for that matter, with coastline lengths or River Nile discharges, to mention two other examples—is not evident, it seems we may be glimpsing a deep law.

And in The Science of Fractal Images, here's Michael Barnsley, released from textbook constraints, eschewing our long obsession with straight lines. He quotes Sir Kenneth Clark on landscape painting: "The leaves, flowers and tendrils of Rheims and Southwell, which, in the later twelfth century, break through the frozen crust of monastic fear, have the clarity of newly created things."

So have Barnsley's Iterated Function Systems images, which use fractal self-similarity to store images in a fragment of the bit space we'd otherwise expect. (The trade-off is the time that reconstruction takes.) The cover picture on his Fractals Everywhere—& color photo of a girl under a hat—was stored in what he calls "under 160 maps," using self-similarities like the two sides of a face. But release from Euclid's straight lines is his generic theme. Such lines dominated, so Barnsley reminds us, both Rome's roads and Leibniz's calculus.

Normal straight lines to normal jagged contours: That is one short way to say where fractals take us. And to star maps and diamond maps and a PC screen. ■

Hugh Kenner is a professor of English at Johns Hopkins University. His reviews have appeared in publications like the New York Times and Harper's. His recent books include A Sinking Island and Mazes. He can be contacted on BIX as "hkenner. "

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane. Peterborough, NH 03458.

JUNE 1990 'BYTE 383

STOP BIT ■ Ben Smith

The Flight OF THE Bee Wolf

Compared to this humble insect, a cruise missile is downright stupid

Today, multiprocessor microcomputers handle hundreds of tasks at virtually the same time. Desktop workstations perform operations that are more complex than those performed by room-size mainframe computers five years ago—and they do it faster. We are using AI systems in real applications without expenditures of millions of dollars. It seems that we are entering the age of truly intelligent systems.

But consider the bee wolf. This seemingly insignificant creature is a beehunting fly that tunnels its single-occupancy home in beach sand. Even though hundreds of bee wolves have their tunnels in the same area of a beach, each bee wolf will return to its own home and no other.

A biologist covered the opening of one bee wolfs tunnel with sand to see what the insect would do when it returned and found no tunnel. Without hesitation, the bee wolf went to the location of its entry and began digging.

The biologist noted that each time the bee wolf left for a hunt, it would fly a pattern above its home before departing. The creature appeared to be memorizing landmarks. The biologist tested his theory (not to mention the bee wolfs pa

Stop Bit is an open forum for informed opinion on topics related to personal computing. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of BYTE or its staff. Your contributions and comments are welcome. Write to: Editor, BYTE, One Phoenix Mill Lane, Peterborough, NH 03458.

tience with biologists) by sketching the layout of pinecones around the entrance while the unsuspecting subject was at home. Soon the bee wolf emerged from the tunnel and flew its pattern before heading out in search of prey. Once the bee wolf had departed, the researcher moved the array of pinecones over about a half-meter.

When the bee wolf returned, it attempted to find its private cave at the center of the relocated pinecones. It dug in the sand for a second or two but found no tunnel.

Unlike members of our species, the bee wolf did not call its lawyer, psychiatrist, or parish priest. Instead, it realized that something was amiss and flew a higher pattern over the territory. From this new perspective, it was able to discard the erroneous references to pinecones and promptly located the true entrance.

The first computer analogy to this recognition and guidance problem is in a military application. The self-navigating cruise missile uses a system called terrain-contour matching (TERCOM). Inside the cruise missile's guidance computer is a set of computer-encoded maps of checkpoints along the programmed flight plan. At these checkpoints, the TERCOM computer compares readings of a radar altimeter with a contour map stored in its memory. If the computer finds no match between the expected data and the real data, it searches for a match with the map of the surrounding area. Once the match is found, the computer adjusts the course of the missile to account for the error.

To fool the cruise missile, you just move the target, leaving behind a dummy target. Because the cruise missile destroys itself in the process of destroying its target, it never can discover that it has made a mistake.

Even though the flight-control computer in the missile weighs less than 100 pounds, it has the equivalent of millions

of transistors. Producing each of these computers costs a good part of a million dollars. In contrast, the bee wolfs brain, which is no bigger than the head of a pin, must carry on far more complex operations than just finding its host's way home. It must provide control to an aerodynamically instable machine, its body. The bee wolf also can walk, dig, locate and outmaneuver its prey, and find a mate (a task that would be disastrous for a cruise missile). Compared to the bee wolf, the cruise missile is downright stupid.

Many people falsely place computers in a scale of intelligence well beyond that of the human mind. But even a person with severe learning disabilities performs far more complex mental operations in a far shorter time than the largest and fastest computer. What size computer and program could control a walking robot that could rise from a chair, put on a coat, go outside, walk around the building on rolling terrain, establish the location of the entrance from visual information, and reenter the building—all this, while maintaining respiration, blood flow, and the input from millions of sensors for pressure, temperature, light, sound, and chemical analyses and production? Now consider the scope of the human brain. How much data is represented by all the memories in just one human being? What complex relationship exists between memories to create knowledge?

From this perspective of information processing, you must admit that computers are merely sophisticated adding machines. Even when this year's highperformance machines outperform last year's model by an order of magnitude, they are still not noticeably closer to the performance of the humble bee wolfs brain, let alone the performance of the human mind. ■

Ben Smith is a BYTE technical editor. He can be reached on BIX as "bensmith."

384 BYTE" JUNE 1990

ILLUSTRATION: KAREN MATTEJAT © 1990

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