6 October 1986
                                 Z-NEWS 602

Utility Version Report.   You asked for it, here it is.  A listing of Z-System
program and utility versions, released and pending:

Utility Release Pending    Utility Release Pending    Utility Release Pending
Name    Version Version    Name    Version Version    Name    Version Version
AC        4.3     4.4      HELPCK    1.0              SHDEFINE  1.0
ALIAS     1.1              HELPPR    1.0              SHFILE    1.0
ARUNZ             0.9      HSH       1.5              SHOW      1.0
BALIAS            1.3      IF        1.2     1.4      SHSET     1.0
BPrinter  1.1              IFSTAT    1.0              SHVAR     1.0
CD        3.1              I/OR      1.7              SRO       1.0
CLEANDIR  1.1              LDR       1.3     1.5      SRW       1.0
CLNDR11P  1.1              LDSK      1.4              SUB       3.1
CMD       1.0              LGET      1.0              SYSLIB    3.6
CMDRUN    n/a              LHELP     1.0              SYSFCP    1.1     1.4
COMMENT   2.0              LLF       1.0              SYSRCP    1.1     1.4
COMP      2.8              LOGGED    1.0              T3MODCAP  1.3
CPSEL     1.0              LX        1.0     1.1      TALIAS            1.6
CPY       1.0              MCOPY     4.3              TCCHECK   1.0
CRC       2.0              MENU      4.0a             TCMAKE    1.0
DEBUGRCP  1.0              MENUCK    2.0     3.0      TCSELECT  1.1
DEV       1.0              MKDIR     3.2              TERM3     1.2
DEVICE    1.0              MLOAD     2.4              UNERASE   1.0     1.2
DFA       1.2              MOVE      1.1              VALIAS    1.1
DIFF      2.1              MU3       1.1              VCED      1.6
DIR       1.2     1.4      NOTE      n/a              VERROR    1.6     1.7
DISCAT    1.3              NULU      1.51             VFILER    4.0a    4.1h
DISKRST   1.1              PAGE      2.0              VID       0.1
DOSERR    1.0              PATH      3.1              VIEW      1.1
DOSVER    1.0              PKey      1.1              VLIB      1.1
DPROG     1.2              PMOVE     1.2              VMENU     1.5     2.0a
DRO       1.0              PPAL      beta    1.0      VMENUCK   2.0     3.0
DSD I/Z/H 1.4e             PRINT     2.0              VTYPE     2.0
DU3       1.1     1.2      PROTECT   3.0              W         2.0
DUMP      1.2              PRTDFLT   1.0              WHEEL     3.1
ECHO      1.0              PRTSET    1.0              XD        1.2
ERASE     5.0              PUBLIC    1.0              XDIR      2.0
ERROR1    1.0              PWD       1.0     1.2      Z3INS     1.2     1.3
ERROR2    1.0              QUIET     1.1              Z3LIB     1.3
ERROR3    1.0              RECORD    1.0              Z3LOC     1.1
ERROR4    1.0              REG       1.0              Z3TCAP    1.6     2.0
ERRORX    1.0              RENAME    3.0              ZAS       2.4     2.5
FINDF     2.3     2.5      RESOLVE   1.0              ZCPR      3.0     3.3
GETVAR    1.0              REVAS     4.0              ZDM/ZDMZ  3.3
GRDEMO    1.0              SAK       2.1              ZDMH      1.4
GRWLIB    1.0              SETFILE   1.0              ZEX       3.1     3.1a
GRXLIB    1.0              SFA       2.4              ZRDOS     1.7
GOTO      1.2              SH        1.0
HELP      5.3              SHCTRL    1.0

Version  3.0  of ZCPR is released, with 3.3 pending; latest ZRDOS is  1.7  and
remains priced at $59.50.  Upgrades are only $20.00, for those using Z-COM  or
earlier versions of ZRDOS.  Item 12 on Price List.

Z  Tips.    Notice Version 1.4e of DSD is shipping.   Screen-oriented,  multi-
window utility is best debugger/simulator available for high-performance 8-bit
systems,  bar none.  Author, John Otken, intends to keep it that way.   REALLY
SPEEDS  DEBUGGING  CODE!  New release supports Hitachi  HD64180  extended  Z80
instruction  set, and has backtrace facilities similar to a  word  processor's
"undo"  key.   Auto-installs  to ZCPR3 TCAP environment.   Over  60  commands.
Elegant.  Still only $129.95, Item 23 on Price List.  Because of new,  easier-
to-use  135-page  manual,  upgrade price to those  with  previous  version  is
$30.00, instead of usual $20.00, plus S&H.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    BPrinter, Version 1.1, adds a new mode of operation useful for situations
where  complex  ESCape  character  sequences are  contained  in  files  to  be
"background"  printed.  Mode needed when using, e.g., I/O Recorder to  capture
Newword  or  WordStar  output  for proportional  spacing  printers.   Now  new
"verbatim"  mode is used for these situations but v1.1 retains  "normal"  mode
for  expanding tabs in "straight" text files.  (See Z-User's Corner below  for
alias  using  I/OR and BPrinter.)  Offered for $39.95 plus S&H.   Upgrade  for
$20.00.  Requires ZRDOS 1.1 or later and IOP installed.
    Lots of magazine pieces published about things of interest.  The Computer
Journal, Issue #25, has three; one by Jay Sage (Z-Node #3) detailing ZSIG/NAOG
purposes;  one by Morris Simon (Consultant, Tuscaloosa, AL)  comparing  manual
versus auto install ZCPR3 and Z-System, with much supportive background.   And
one  by  Rick  Lehrbaum (Ampro Computers) showing how to  build  an  SCSI  bus
adapter.  Micro/Systems Journal, Sept/Oct 1986, Vol.2/No.5, has one by Richard
Conn  (ZCPR3  author) on advantages of designing and  writing  programs  using
SYSLIB, Z3LIB, and VLIB in Z80 and HD64180 computer environments.
    Hurray!   Now  The Word Plus, spelling check and  correction  system,  is
bundled  with Newword from Newstar Software, Z-News 402/403.  Price  is  still
only $125.00.  Such a deal!
    Just  released ZRDOS v1.7 is fast, as announced in Z-News  601-1.   Going
from one drive to another is near instant.  Warm boot occurs fast, much faster
than  under  CP/M 2.2, and does not change R/O status of files or  disk,  hard
disk  partition  or  floppy  drive.   But,  programs  directly  altering  disk
directory  tracks  require running DISKRST immediately after exit,  to  update
changed  disk parameters.  We speak of programs classified as "disk  editors."
UNERASE  and DU3 are examples.  Remember alias UNERA of Z-News 507-2?   Here's
one  just as simple but for DU3 sessions:  du312;diskrst.  We call alias  DU3.
It  uses  latest version of DU3, 3.12.  Type DU3<cr> and DISKRST,  ZRDOS  v1.7
utility, is automatically run on exit from DU312.
    No  grass  growing  under  compression-expert  Steven  Greenberg's  feet.
Designs  and  codes  a greatly improved, faster,  more  flexible,  and  better
compression ratios, releases Version 2.0 of CRUNCH.  Our "library"  423-record
test  file  of Z-News 508-4 compressed to 225 records versus 266  for  SQUEEZE
v1.11, 246 for CRUNCH v1.1.  Complete package (with support TYPE and UNCR, and
REL code ready to be used by other written-in-linkable-MicroSoft-format tools)
is on Z-Nodes everywhere and on SUS diskette #6.  We must get to putting  UNCR
into NULU, VTYPE, and VFILER.  Advantages of CRUNCH are so great, SQUEEZE  now
seems  very inadequate.  Caveat: Versions 1.x of CRUNCH are incompatible  with
2.0 and later.  So keep both 1.x and 2.x to be able to UNCR any crunched  file
that comes along.
    Richard  Charnes,  Berkeley, CA, has taken shells and  aliases  under  Z-
System to heart.  Library file TLF.LBR is recent result.  TLF is a  type-file-
in-library utility.  File may be uncompressed, squeezed, or crunched.  Similar
in concept to GLF, extract library files alias of Z-News 508, but uses  TYPELZ
instead of LGET.  Thanks, Richard, for thinking about how to use tools of Z to
your advantage, and ours.  TLF is on SUS #6 diskette and on many Z-Nodes.
    Echelon  bootable  disk  Z-System  for Kaypro  with  Advent  TurboROM  is
shipping.   Offered for $69.95, is Item 13 on Price List.  Comes with  special
70-page  tutorial-style manual written by Richard Jacobson and  Bruce  Morgen.
Those wanting to improve their Kaypros, any model or version, bootable disk Z-
System  is  your  opportunity,  with or  without  TurboROM.   No  installation
hassles--three sizes of Z, ready to go to work for you.

String Searching, Continued.   Charles Kestner points out FYNDE is fastest  of
"public domain" string searching utilities.  Program displays built-in help if
only  verb  is  entered at command line.  We tested it on  our  two-file,  15-
character  string benchmark, Z-News 508-3, and was unable to get  better  than
12.82  seconds  on  4mHz Z80 Ampro hard disk, 18.44 on 3ms  step-rate  96  tpi
floppy.  (Remember, FIND54 took 9.56 and 17.38, respectively; FINDU, 24.02 and
33.31.)   Since  FYNDE,  like FINDU, can search squeezed  files,  we  wouldn't
expect it to be the fastest.  Definitely, FYNDE is faster than FINDU.  On  the
other  hand,  FIND54 can output found-text-lines into a declared  file;  FYNDE
cannot.
    We can tell that Bridger Mitchell, of Plu*Perfect Systems, is working  on
a string-search program.  Knowing him, he will come up with something  unique,
and desirable.  What have we started with this string search?  Well, interest!
In  finding  text  in  the most efficient manner, and  that's  good.   We  are
benchmark and beta test site for Bridger, if he comes up with something faster
than FIND54.  Good luck, one and all.

SUS  Report.   System Software Support diskette #6 fills but has a ways to  go
to be full.

XDIR III, Version 2.0    Horizontal Listing by File Name/Type
Disk: F  User:   0 Name: BACKUP, File Attributes:  Non-System
Filename.Typ Size K RS   Filename.Typ Size K RS   Filename.Typ Size K RS
-------- --- ------ --   -------- --- ------ --   -------- --- ------ --
-SUS    .006      0 R    ALIAS#2 .LBR      2      CRUNCH20.LBR     50
DU312   .COM     12      FIND54  .COM      4      FINDU10 .LBR      6
FYNDE   .COM      4      TLF     .LBR     12      ZL2     .ZEX      2
ZNODES37.LZT      4
         10 Files Using 96K, 10 Files on Disk and 290K Left

ZL2.ZEX  is a conditional batch file for programming assembly  language  using
ZAS v2.4 and ZLINK v2.3, and Z3INS to auto-install a Z3 utility you worked on.
Similar to original ZL.ZEX by Dennis Wright, author of ZRDOS, but using  ZAS's
error  detection ability instead of FINDERR.  ZNODES37.LZT requires UNCR  v2.0
to  uncompress.   Of course, it's in CRUNCH20.LBR on #6 diskette.  If  any  of
these  files are of interest, join our SUS ranks.  Z-News 507-1 contains  full
details.

Z-User's  Corner.    The  alias mentioned above, BP,  Background  Print,  uses
BPrinter  and  I/O Recorder.  But first some background.   Our  favorite  word
processor  is Newword.  Compatible with WordStar, but with more  speed,  "dot"
commands,  and control over printers.  Alas, Newword cannot print files  while
editing like WordStar can.  However, with I/OR and BPrinter, Newword takes  on
background  printing  power  superior to that  of  WordStar.   BP<cr>  command
syntax.  BP.COM consists of

     ldr recorder.iop;record on p;nw;record off p;ldr bprinter.iop;  <<
     bprint v printer.fil;nw

RECORDER.IOP loads followed by RECORD diverting output from printer to default
file, PRINTER.FIL.  Next Newword loads.  Then from main menu, you now  declare
file to print using P command.  After Newword quickly completes "printing"  to
file  PRINTER.FIL, you exit using X command.  Alias turns RECORD off and  runs
BPRINT, using verbatim "V" option printing of PRINTER.FIL starts.  Returns you
to  Newword  after printing starts, for simultaneous editing  while  printing.
Variations:  remove  "nw" command at end of alias returning  to  command  line
prompt  after printing starts; use WordStar instead of Newword.   Other  vari-
ations of BP alias are equally possible to satisfy your needs.
    We use BPrinter, Version 1.1 and I/O Recorder, Version 1.7.  If you don't
have  IOP  segment installed in your BIOS, now's the time to do it.   Wait  no
longer.  Input/Output redirection opens doors to task automation.  Price  List
Item 84, ZCPR3 and IOPs, by Richard Conn, explains step-by-step how to  modify
your  BIOS  for  redirection.  Book assumes assembly  language  knowledge  for
understanding.   Covers using DEV, DEVICE, and RECORD utilities.   Still  only
$9.95 plus S&H.

From  Our  Mail  Box.    "Enclosed  is my  check  for  $24.00  for  my  Z-News
subscription. ...and I'm not saying that I now know everything on my  computer
but the challenge of your entire system drives me on.  Thanks for your support
and Z-System."  writes William Fassnacht, McKinleyville, CA.
    Rick Swenton, Bristol, CT, reminds of, "...my latest work on 'Z' recently
published  in the Heath/Zenith magazine, REMark."  That makes it three!   Rick
has articles in Nov '85, Jan and Sept '86 issues of that magazine.  First  one
was  on  characteristics of ZCPR3; second, on Z-System in  general;  and  now,
bootable  disk  version of Z-System created and sold by  Analytical  Products,
Woodlake,  CA,  under license from Echelon.  In his letter,  Rick  gives  high
praise--we do too--to "master" Richard Conn, Dennis Wright, and Peter Shkabara
for  their work (Z-News 309-1/2, 501-3, and 502-5).  Now maybe, Rick, you  are
ready to do a book review of Z-System User's Guide.  Just maybe...and we  need
articles  showing  what aliases combined with Z-System facilities can  do  for
computer users.

Z-Node  Activity.   Bob Peddicord, back online with Z-Node #60 after  a  move.
New access number is 503/597-2852.
    Robert  Hootman  assists  Richard  Peterson, Z-Node  #31,  El  Paso,  TX,
915/821-3638,  handling  "The  Pass" sysop duties.  They  have  100  megabytes
online using Heath H89 and Ampro "Little Board" Z80 computers.
    Four new Z-Nodes come online, while nine inactives have been dropped from
roster.  File ZNODES37.LQT has latest information on Z-Nodes.
    Carol  Miller,  Enid, OK 73702, 405/237-9890, becomes  Z-Node  #33,  "EDP
Consultants" node.  Carol is into data processing, you see!
    Ben Grey fills big, long-time void in Portland, OR, area managing  Z-Node
#24,  503/644-4621;  and also in Oregon, Ken Jones, Z-Node  #4,  503/370-7655,
complements  Bob  Peddicord,  both in Selma, OR.  Ken  calls  his  node  "Time
Taker."  We guess "time" refers to his, ours, and yours.
    Finally,  Mississauga,  Ontario, Canada, gets Z-Node  #18.   Bruce  Smith
handles sysop chores from 416/823-4521.

More  Benchmarks.    We  picked-up table below from a  local  RAS--thought  it
enough of general interest to reprint here.

                      BYTE BENCHMARK COMPARISON
=======================================================================
Computer  |     BASIC     | Sieve | Calc | Format | File |  MultiPlan
          |  Read  Write  |       |      | & Copy | Copy | Load  Recalc
=======================================================================
SB180         32    32       120     51       7      15     20    12
IBM PC        46    56       191     69      10       6      8    11
Apple IIe     36    37       245     94      22      45     18    22
Data Gen 1    55    56       229     69      13      12     26    14
Sage IV       53    58         8     13       9      10     29    23
Tandy 2000    29    30        79     24      10      10      8     6
Z-150         29    32       193     59      10       8      8    10
HP-150        34    35       147     50      --      11     77    13
Atari 520ST  111   162        85     31      17      17     --    --
Compac 286i   25    27        23     23      --       9      6     4
Kaypro 16     30    57       184     56      11       7      9    10
Osborne 3     56    59       273     83      14      15     11    23
Sanyo 550     29    32       267     93      13       8     76    82
=======================================================================

Add  these  meas
urements  to those of Z-News 409 and 501  and  a  full-picture
emerges.   Sieve tests here were run using only one iteration, instead of  10,
as  has been done in past times.  One iteration seems to be  more  appropriate
for relative slow micros, to speed comparative testing.

Lunch  Break.    Week  of 8 September 1986 saw record sell-off  of  stocks  by
institutional buyers, selling based mainly on advice of computer programs.  We
wonder  if  many  sellers  understand principles  used  for  their  computer's
decision  to  output  such  advice.  Same holds  for  users  of  spread  sheet
equations  developed by someone else.  Seems end users are now pawns of  those
who develop programs that make decisions.  Think!  Most of these programs  are
static, have old data, not updated by day-to-day thinking of human beings.
    It's  up to 150 now, and count continues...we see yen rising  to  120-to-
the-dollar in a year or two.  Remember ratio, not too long ago, was 240 or so.
Dollar and zen value are covered in Z-News 502-2.  Oh! What webs we weave...
    Sol  Libes  does  it again--sells magazine he  founded,  but  remains  as
editor.   Yes, M&T Publishing, publisher of Dr. Dobb's Journal has taken  over
Micro/Systems  Journal...hopefully, and we believe it, good things  will  come
from  such  a  relationship.  Both DDJ and MS/J, over  the  years,  have  been
significant  sources for news and technical information  about  microcomputers
and  its industry doings.  We wish Sol, Lennie, Don, and Susan good  luck  and
happiness in their new business relationship.
    We usually view Z-News equally as art-form and newsletter, much like folk
music  with hard social-issue lyrics.  We go from sea-shore through desert  to
mountain-top generating technical descriptions, industry coverage, and  cross-
grain  philosophy.   Span far and wide, provoke.  All to break  molds,  change
ruts into groves, generate new thought.  (In fact, we write this Z-News  issue
on-the-move  within  California's  Sierra  Nevada/Madre--snow-covered,  mother
range--with  elevations over 10,000 feet.  Easy mentally to get aloft at  such
altitudes.  It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here.)
   Work  should  be for more than money, for more than a pay check,  but  for
learning, for purpose.  Then, life takes on meaning.  Purpose has value of and
within  itself, like colors.  Sure, colors--red, green, blue,  and  mixtures--
have purpose.  Here we go again, provoking...lunch is over.
    ====================================================================
Of Angels and Eagles.    We grope, as in darkness, trying to make sense of our
surroundings.  We started as wanderers and we remain so.  The meanest among us
can  be as big as our continent, we homo sapients striving to  become  thrice-
sapient.  We must go where we have not been, we wanderers, but...
    Morality  plays  such a small part in what we do.  (Yet a  golden  thread
still  runs among us, bonds us...usually pull for underdog  in  competitions.)
Economics subconsciously top our priority list, both individually and collect-
ively, nationally.  No matter what we say, actions speak louder.  What we  are
totally masks any words we use to describe ourselves.
    Actions proclaim, manifest being.  We promote liberty within our borders,
shout  its  merits wide and far.  But abroad, economic issues  take  priority,
rule  what  we  do,  how we behave.  We seem to care not  with  what  form  of
government  we deal, so long as we benefit financially from our  relationship.
Liberty at home, bondage abroad.  Latin America is best case in point, covered
by  the  Monroe Doctrine.  We "own" South American people, to do  with  as  we
please.   And  our  pleasure is to use their natural and  human  resources  to
"ease"  our  lives  in  USA.  We forget  these  Latins,  these  Hispanics  are
Americans  and co-inhabitants of the planet.  But, our policies drive them  to
take  sides.  With Communist help, new unions are being formed against us,  in
West  versus East struggle.  Why has this happened?  No one to blame?   Simply
human nature unfolding: history, as is being made in South Africa today?   But
window  for action, for leadership is closing.  (Please read again  definition
of  money, Z-News 305-5; levels of morality, 408-3; and, whole being,  305-2.)
We  should  encourage  same swiftness, same quality  of  leadership  shown  by
Afrikaners  in  pointing  way  to  end  British  colonialism  (a   colonialism
essentially  economic  in character) at beginning of 20th century  (Boer  War,
1899-1902).  Leadership, we need it now!  If Western world doesn't provide it,
who will?  See you down the lines...

                                                                Echelon, Inc.
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                                           Z-Node Central (RAS): 415/489-9005

Trademarks:  Little Board, Ampro Computers; SB180, Micromint; PRO-180,  Magnum
Digital;  ON!, Oneac; DT42, The SemiDisk, Deep Thought 42,  SemiDisk  Systems;
TR-XL180, M.A.N. Systems; TurboROM, Advent; HD64180, Hitachi; Z-System, ZCPR3,
ZRDOS,  Z-Tools, Zas, Zlink, Z-Msg, Term3, Quick-Task, FINDS,  PPAL,  Lasting-
Value Software, Echelon; GT180, Turbo Modula-II, Borland International;  Lotus
1-2-3,  Lotus Development; TWP, The Word Plus, Oasis Systems; SIFT,  Siftsoft;
Electra-Find, O'Neill Software.





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                              Z sets you FREE!



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Z-News  602 is Copyright 1986 Echelon, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.   Permission
to  reprint,  wholly or partially, automatically granted if source  credit  is
given to Echelon.