21 April 1986
                                 Z-NEWS 408

Milestone!   You are great, why procrastinate?  Learn Z!  Richard Jacobson and
Bruce  Morgen  edited  Kaypro  Z-System Manual (Z-News  407)  into  a  generic
tutorial,  one  applicable to any computer running ZCPR3 and ZRDOS.   You  who
have found our reading material difficult, this is your book.  It is a fitting
addition  to  lonely  ZCPR3:  The Manual by  Richard  Conn  and  adds  another
dimension (level) to Echelon documentation.  Titled Z-System User's Guide,  we
offer  it for $14.95, plus $4.00 shipping and handling, continental  USA--Item
88  on Price List.   Additionally, Californians must include 7.0% state  sales
tax.
    Though  an  efficient  learning tool  for  beginners  and  intermediates,
advanced  users  also  are expected to learn much from  the  Guide.   Creating
aliases  and  menus, producing ZEX batch files, making VFILER  CMD  files--all
explained   using  tutorial  style.   Many,  many  how-to-create,   how-to-use
examples: just what we have needed for so long.

Unique New Computer.   Always ready, no loss of data--ever!  Office automation
and   development  system  computer  ready.   Oneac  Corporation  of   Chicago
(Libertyville)  shipping  Z80  RAM-disk  based,  power-conditioned,   packaged
machine,  with  industry-standard  ASCII terminal.  No  loss  of  data,  ever!
That's main feature, plus speed--four to six times faster than best hard disk.
Uses a floppy drive for backup storage to battery-protected dynamic RAM.  Pull
plug out of wall, data in RAM is safe.  No loss of data, with blinding  speed!
That's what Oneac "ON!" computer is about--it's always on, always ready, never
switched off, never quits.  No booting, everything is always loaded!   Indeed,
there's  nothing  like  it  on the market...and you can't  get  it  by  adding
hardware to existing computers.  Security and speed is obtained by  ingenious,
integrated  hardware/software  design.   And  it's dead  quiet,  no  fans,  no
acoustic  noise.  Efficient and attractive office-place styling!   Nothing  we
have  seen  matches it.  Machine comes in two versions:  2 or 4  megabytes  of
DRAM with 5.25" DSDD 96tpi floppy for backup.
    Programmers  developing  software and  business  professionals,  writers,
authors,  lawyers,  engineers,  journalists, love ON! machine  for  its  mind-
altering speed and for data safety.  Office managers and secretaries love  ON!
for ease of use and ten times faster operations compared to IBM and Apple.  No
one  likes  to  wait, and wait, for computers to finish  simple  tasks.  Human
creativity at-its-peak produced ON! computer.

     "For  the work you have to do.  If you have tried using a  computer
     to  get  your  important work done you already  know  the  problem.
     Getting  started is, at best, painful and very time consuming.   If
     you are among the minority that has taken the time to overcome  the
     problems of getting started, you have found that, as an experienced
     user,  your time is being eroded by inefficient system  operations,
     slow  execution times, occasional disasters, and  ongoing  software
     difficulties...  ON! is the only computer specifically designed  to
     get the work you have to do done without wasting your time."

    ON! computer, conceived and designed by Nick DeWolf, Aspen, CO, sells for
$2,000.00  or  so.   That's  less  than you  would  think  for  such  quality,
reliability,  and speed.  Remember, it's shipping.  Call or write Oneac's  Mr.
Byron  Brooks,  VP Marketing, 27944 N. Bradley Road, Libertyville,  IL  60048,
312/680-5999,  for literature with complete details.  Oh!  ON!  runs  Z-System
with  fully  developed menus and suspended program operations.   Has  internal
clock   to  activate  preset  commands,  auto-date/time  stamp   files,   turn
peripherals  on/off.  Comes with Newword, V-Spell, and SuperCalc, and over  50
utilities--all come-alive with quick menu drive!  Everything is ready to run--
preconfigured--no installation.

Z  TIPS.   Though recently moved to Bellevue, WA, Dreas Nielsen finds time  to
develop  code,  to  make significant ZCPR3 shell  utility  contributions.   1)
GETVAR  prints a user-defined prompt, accepts a response, and assigns it to  a
user-defined  shell  variable,  and 2) RESOLVE resolves  references  to  shell
variables,  System Files, register values, and other quantities from  aliases,
ZEX  files,  etc.  Standard Z3 HLP file is supplied.  Shell utilities  are  in
SHUTILS.LBR on Z-Nodes.  Thanks, Dreas, we needed these!
    Steve Kitahata, Z-Node #57 Sysop, Gardena, CA, locates and removes  long-
standing  bug in LDR13.COM.  Seems that especially for short  segments,  e.g.,
128-byte  TCAP,  1.3 can overlap into next buffer area if  load  error  occurs
because  segment code is either too lengthy for space allocated or  defective.
One  less bug to worry about...thanks, Steve, for your efforts--keep  'em  up!
Get file LDR14.LBR for update.
    Rea  Williams,  Z-Node  #10 Sysop, is first to create  Index  to  Z-News.
Others,  including EI staff, are working on similar things.  So, soon we  will
have  a  good set of indices, long needed, to assist finding subjects  in  the
newsletters.  Our cup runs over.  Rea's Index is file ZNEWS01.IDX on Z-Nodes.
    Anyone  looking for the best in hard-disk add-ons (semiconductor  RAM  is
not for everyone, yet) should write or call Advanced Concepts Engineering  and
Consulting,  8926 S.W. 17 Street, Boca Raton, FL 33433, 305/482-7302.   ACEC's
install  program  permits  configuring hard drive to your  computer,  to  your
liking.   We  are  told  installations are  Z-System  compatible!   They  have
versions  for many popular CP/M machines, e.g, Kaypro, Osborne, Xerox,  Eagle,
Sanyo, Zorba, etc.  Tell'em Echelon sent you.

From Our Mail Box.   "The knowledge I have gained personally from  ZCPR3-ZRDOS
use cannot be overstated.  Thanks a million...I shall be waiting anxiously for
your coming goodies.  The best of success to the entire Echelon team in  their
future  efforts."  Art Welsh writes from Anchorage, Alaska.  Thanks, Art,  for
the  kind  words;  we move on the goodies as fast  as  our  resources  permit.
Remember though, it is you driving us and controlling what we do--without  you
we are nothing.
    From Joseph Hance, Miamisburg, OH, "...purchased... ZCPR3 and  SYSLIB3...
what is your update procedure to receive latest versions of your products?"  A
question  asked  by  many:  we replied in Z-News 403 to get a  modem  and  get
online,  it's 1986.  Well, here's a more considered answer.  Upgrades  to  any
single  or  two-disk  program  is $20.00 plus  $4.00  shipping  and  handling,
continental  USA.   Each  additional disk, if in same  shipment  and  of  same
program, is $10.00.
    Take  our situation, Joseph, into full account: we have a master  set  of
over  50  disks containing our products.  We handle 10 or so  floppy  formats.
Tools and programs are constantly being improved, bugs fixed.  Price of  basic
Z-System, $192.50, is low considering how many disks, thirteen (13) SSDD  5.25
inchers,  and how much software customer receives.  The Libraries  package  is
shipped on 8 disks and sells for only $69.00.  Clerical problem of maintaining
records  of  exactly what version of each utility and  program  each  customer
received  exceeds  our  corporate capability.  Z-Nodes  are  main  source  for
updates  to software we release to SIG/M of ACGNJ (Amateur Computer  Group  of
New Jersey), the software for private use and not to be sold without a license
from  Echelon.  We deal with, handle more source code than  any  microcomputer
software  house we know of; perhaps AT&T and IBM are exceptions.   Suggestions
to improve our service are welcomed.

Z-Node  Activity.    Calls to Z-Node system are estimated at near  40,000  per
month--many magazines wish for such coverage!  Twenty-six (26) callers per day
per telephone line installed--26, magic number!  Many days, up to 45 calls are
received;  but, on a monthly average, a Z-Node line can sustain 26  calls  per
day.   That seems to be it!  And all nodes are not operating at capacity.   If
they were, we would be getting close to 55,000 calls per month.  Lots of  open
time, so give your local node a call.
    George  Reeves becomes Z-Node #67, Decatur, GA 30030, complements  Z-Node
#46  Sysop Jim Altman in nearby Atlanta.  George uses both CCS  and  TeleVideo
microcomputers  and will use one of them as his node covering ZRDOS and  ZCPR3
software.  His number will be passed on as soon as he is up and running.
    Z-Nodes  58,  63, and 65 become downloaders of EI  proprietary  software.
Support  your  local  downloader.   He  is  your  best  source  for   Z-System
information.

Potpourri.    Z-Team member, John Forker, has finished his upgrade  of  SB180.
We documented changes, have given them to Micromint and NAOG (see Z-News 308),
and  have placed changes-only into the public domain.  Upgrade consists of  1)
removing  wait-states from hardware speeding machine by 30%, 2)  adding  256k-
bytes  of  DRAM  on-board using piggy-back chips, and 3)  modifying  BIOS  and
system  support utilities to automatically use extra memory as  416k-byte  RAM
disk.   New  software works with or without memory-chip addition.   John  made
many  changes  to his liking to ROM monitor, BIOS, and  other  utilities.   We
don't  recommend  trying  to make John's suggested changes unless  you  are  a
qualified electronics technician.  If you feel unqualified but still want  the
changes,   obtain  NAOG's  advice  (215/443-9031)  on  getting  complete   job
performed--please, don't call Echelon.
    It's  no wonder computer users, once seeing performance of certain  8-bit
systems,  are  migrating  from Apple and IBM PCs to S-100  and  SBCs:   Ampro,
Micromint,  Intelligent Computer Designs, Zicomp, Dean Micro  Systems,  Magnum
Digital,  etc.   Old timers are returning home, too!  Speed  and  quality  are
common  denominators.   Let's  face it--those who write code  for  other  than
certain 8-bit machines, it seems, have little or no love for their work.  Thus
we  see  what we have been getting--software needing more  and  more  hardware
resources, software encouraging no-think, consumption-only mentality!

Of Cabbage and Kings.   We discussed
money's nature in Z-News 305, pg 5.  Many
did not understand what we were getting
at: what is money and what is stealing!
Let's move to another level and approach
subject from different angle.  People
morally (what's right, what's wrong)
develop from birth--it's predictable--by
degrees!  We don't necessarily all start
from same point either.  1) Right is blind
obedience to rules and authority, based on
fear of punishment.  Stealing is wrong
only if we might get caught.  2) Right is
serving one's own or one's group needs and
making fair deals.  3) Right is playing
the good (don't rock-the-boat) role, being
loyal, and being motivated to follow rules
and expectations.  4) Right is doing one's
duty to society (the majority understand
ing) and to one's own group.  5) Right is
upholding the values of society, even when
they conflict with one's group rules.  6)
Right is defined by one's own ethical
principles, and 7) Right is beholding
what's good for the Cosmos and acting
accordingly.  Thus, concern for self
moves, as we grow, to concern for society,
the greater good for the greater number,
from individual instances to general
rules.  Only a minority of adults reach
mentality and understanding of 5) and 6),
and during any period (epoch), less than
100 people, world-wide, reach 7).
  Moral development determines how a
person (re)acts in practical situations,
every situation.  We all steal one way or
the other, but do we give back in kind or
not?  Do we promote Life or do we assist
killing it?  We know the answer if we but
still ourselves...we don't always have to
react, to be like fleas on a hot tin roof,
reacting to stimulation--act, we can with
will and understanding.
  What constitutes the Whole?  Integrity,
Z-News 307 and 308 replied, is the answer.
Z-News 308 spoke of plagiarism as basic to
culture and what it morally means.  Philo-
sophically, psychologically, Z-News 302
through 305, and 308, hit us squarely in-
the-teeth.  Our armor plate buckled, darts
pierced bare flesh.  Now what do we do,
how do we (re)act?
  Days grow long, Spring is here; but, we
don't get smarter--we are attached to our
tread-mill life.  We treasure not colors
of Autumn; aromas of last Summer go unre-
membered in our haste to "make a living."
But we live not!  We are not much more
than automatons or cyborgs.  But why not
choose to live and do it deeply, with
making-a-living the fall-out.  Everything
is available: facts, data, information,
knowledge for the asking, and for the
experience.  Let us turn-on our brains, so
long on auto-pilot (our subconscious mind,
the autonomous nervous system), and choose
consciously.  Question everything!  Stop,
observe, listen.  Wait, accept not first
answers, argue with yourself--a sure way
to receive answers that last, really last,
ones we know are correct for us.  Let us
BEcome more than what we presently are!
See you down the lines...


                            Echelon, Inc.
                  885 N. San Antonio Road
                  Los Altos, CA 94022 USA
                  Telephone: 415/948-3820
       Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005

Trademarks:  SB180, COMM180, TKBBS, Micromint; PRO-180, MDC-1, Magnum Digital;
XL-M180,  ICD; HD64180, Hitachi; Z-System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Zas,  Zlink,
Z-Msg, Term3, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon; CP/M, Digital Research;  WY-50,
Wyse Technology; Newword, Newstar; V-Spell, CompuView; SuperCalc,  Sorcim-IUS;
ON!, ONFILE, Oneac; SCSI/Plus, Little Board, Bookshelf, AMPRO Computers.


                    eagle
                    here                                       +


                                  Z sets you FREE!


                      +                                        +

Z-News  408 is Copyright 1986 Echelon, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.   Permission
to  reprint,  wholly or partially, automatically granted if source  credit  is
given to Echelon.