Z Tips. Softaid, Inc., 8930 Route 108, Columbia, MD 21045, 800-433-8812 (in
Maryland, 301/964-8455), offers "64180 Basic" compiler for computers using
Hitachi HD64180 high-integration microprocessor chip. (Softaid is famous for
their MTBasic multitasking compiler and Z80 "I.C.E. Box" tester.) 64180 Basic
permits running 32 programs of up to 32k-bytes each concurrently
(multitasking), using up to one megabyte of physical memory space. (New
Hitachi HD64180 chip manages this much memory from on-chip.) All context
switching is performed by compiler, no special hardware or other software
needed. Up to ten windows can be on screen simultaneously. One window can be
overlayed by another, and overlayed windows can later be restored, making pop
up and pop down menus a breeze to implement. Each window can be assigned to a
different task (program), or multiple windows can be assigned to each task.
For real-time applications, has built-in interrupt handling. Compiler has
emulating debugger built-in and optionally produces ROMable code. BYTE maga-
zine Sieve benchmark runs in 32 seconds (ten iterations) using 6.144 mHz
clock, 16 seconds with 12.288 mHz. (MBasic tests at 1008 and 504 seconds,
Assembler at 4.7 and 2.4 seconds, respectively, using SemiDisk DT42 HD64180
single board computer, description in Z-News 502, benchmarks in 409 and 501.
See Z-News 601-3 for description of Zedcor's ZBasic compiler.) Compiles over
100 statements per second. Sounds wonderful and it is--sells for $450.00.
Fo� commercia� cod� writin� i� rea�-tim� environments� 6418� Basi� i� compet�-
tive. But on the other hand, for $249.00 you could own Quick-Task, which
handles up to 255 tasks concurrently.
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SUS Update. Here's how directory of Software Update Service diskette #6
looked at shipping time:
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 AC44 .COM 6 ALIAS#2 .LBR 2
CLNDR11P.COM 2 CRUNCH20.LBR 50 DEFAULT .VZN 4
DISKRST .COM 2 DU3 .COM 2 DU313 .COM 12
FF .COM 2 FIND54 .COM 4 FINDF26A.LBR 18
FINDU10 .LBR 6 FYNDE .COM 4 MCOPY45 .LBR 16
SAP/SYS .COM 2 TLF .LBR 12 VFILR42B.LBR 34
VMENU22B.LBR 26 VMENU23 .LBR 30 ZL2 .ZEX 2
ZLBR10A .LBR 18 ZNODES37.LZT 4
23 Files Using 258k, 23 Files on Disk and 128k Left
See Z-User's Corner below for FF and FINDF26A discussion, Z-News 602 for more
on contents of SUS #6. Alias SAP/SYS.COM is CLEANDIR used sequentially on all
drives of your system. You should customize the alias script to match your
hardware and desires. Above DEFAULT.VZN is new, small changes from original
reflect reaction to additional features of new VMENU. (We keep both VMENU.COM
and DEFAULT.VMN in A15:ROOT directory.) AC44 has only reported bug fixed, and
also has a misleading message recast. ZLBR is a library and command interface
shell by Terry Carroll (Bedford, TX, Z-Node #56), based on John Poplett's
ZLUX. (More on ZLBR and ZLUX in a future Z-News.) MCOPY45 has a few bugs
removed and a little better logic applied. Both Michael Bate (Cambridge, MA)
and Terry Carroll had a hand in these changes.
From Our Mail Box. "I don't want to miss an issue of your newsletter. Keep
up the good work!" writes Tim Kondek, Diamond Bar, CA. We do the best we can,
Tim. Only wish more people would subscribe to it. But we are thankful to
those who have. We need more support than we have been receiving. "The
fields are white unto the harvest, but the workers are few."
Z-Node Activity. Lots of VMENU, VFILER activity indicated by program changes
appearing on Z-Nodes. Michael Bate, Terry Carroll, Bob Peddicord (Z-Node #60,
Selma OR), and Jay Sage (Z-Node #3, Newton Centre, MA) continue to enhance
these major ZCPR3 utilities. Both programs have so many new features we let
you discover them by reading their respective DOC and HLP files, from SUS #6
or downloading from Z-Nodes. (We have two versions of VMENU because they were
not checked out of Z-Node Central as requested in Z-News 301-3. Believe VMENU
v2.2b is going far-afield from tool concept we originally had in mind for it.
Remember, VFILER can be used from VMENU (and MENU). Perhaps we should name
versions from 1.9 and beyond, e.g., VMMGR, for Video Menu Manager, and keep
VMENU simple.)
Z-User's Corner. FF.COM, Find File alias using FIND26A, pokes your SYS.ENV
segment that resides in high memory for maximum drive to search. Address to
change, i.e., poke, is xx2c, where xx is your environmental base page in hex,
and 2c is offset from base. Common base is FE, e.g., for SB180, Ampro, and
CCS machines. Maximum drive translation is A=1, B=2, C=3, ..., P=16. FF
alias is used where file search is desired of less than every online drive.
As an example, we search only A through D, but E and F are also online.
Syntax is verb followed by optional drive, required file name or names (search
mask, wild cards permitted), and optional no-paging and show system files,
e.g.: ff a:*.var,dir.com ps<cr>. Here drive A is searched for all files of
type VAR and for location of file DIR.COM. All user areas are searched.
Paging is turned off and system files are displayed if they match search
names. A more normal search would simply be, e.g., ff z*.*<cr> where all
files starting with letter z would be found on all drives and in all users
areas, i.e., in all directories. If only "ff<cr>" is entered, syntax message
from within alias is displayed. "ff //<cr>" produces built-in help directly
from FINDF26A.COM. Wow! Such friendliness.
FINDF, Version 2.6
Find files on all drives or on a specific drive
Syntax: FINDF [D: or DIR:]afn,afn,afn,... o..
Options: P - Paging Option Off
S - Include System Files
FINDF26A is slick--adds lots of features to make our lives more pleasant,
thanks to Howard Goldstein and Jay Sage, and of course to Richard Conn who
created the search technique to begin with. 1) Found files display in
standard prompt format using two columns, showing up to 40 names per screen;
2) pages, trailing p turns it off, to handle situations that overflow onto
next screen; 3) finds "system" files, if trailing s is used and if WHEEL byte
is set; 4) ^C aborts drive search then goes to the next (if one); and, 5)
single-drive search (thanks to Joe Wright for this). All useful features.
Also v2.6a displays found-files correctly even if named directory is not
present.
To a lighter side. Most of us have studied long and hard to learn Z-
System and these days many have a warm feeling about Z-System documentation.
"The reference manual, although comprehensive and authoritative, is totally
incomprehensible to any one who does not already have some experience with
operating systems. The user's guide is an insult to the average user's intel-
ligence and does not cover nearly enough of the useful operations." From Ted
Mirecki, reviewing IBM-produced PC DOS documentation, in PC Tech Journal,
October 1986 issue, starting page 100. Ted goes on to say that EDLIN, the
editor supplied with PC DOS, is a total "embarrassment" and is used by few
users. Just maybe our community is better than IBM at writing about operating
systems and creating quality editors. Pray, who is embarrassed by LZED, the
full-screen Z-System editor? (PC DOS, latest Version 3.2, appears to have
only 37 external utilities, Z-System has over 100.)
Lunch Break. We are excited to announce Echelon has been selected as
exclusive agents for Borland International's Turbo Modula-2 for Z-80 CP/M-
compatible microcomputers. Price is $69.95 with near 500-page manual.
Program has all the features of Turbo Pascal and extended worth of being
Modula-2. Like other Turbo products, tremendous price to performance ratio--
go for it! Micromint will be sole source for a special version running on
their SB180. More about Turbo Modula-2 features and the shipping date next Z-
News.
It's not the years, it's the mileage. You have heard such expressions
most of your life...mileage refers to "deep" living. Deep...yes, meaning more
conscious living; less habit-induced, instinctive habit-reaction; and, more
intuitive, thoughtful action. Quality living, not simply putting in time. So
many seem to have as goal "the easy life." But what is such a life? Staying
in bed all day, not confronting problems? Turning off our brains with drugs
and slothfulness and being more vegetable than human? Or is the easy (good)
life a psychological transformation to self-knowledge? You tell us.
"Supply creates demand."--a famous quotation, and generally held true in
economic, financial circles. But if such were universally true, would not
computers other than IBM be dominant? Though "clones" are now outselling Big
Blue, how long does this continue as the "closed" 80386 PC enters production?
Nonetheless, Apple does reasonably well (making money) with Macintosh (tm) and
their new IIgs machines. Certainly these are computers in great supply,
manufactured using latest robotic and "slave-labor" production techniques.
Supply is abundant, demand only moderate. Why?
Everyone likes surprises, and many surprises are pleasant. But few like
unpleasant surprises, especially desktop computer users. We want instant
knowledge, instant success, and everything, software and hardware, performing
as we think it should. Else, we fret! Blame goes to everyone and everything
except ourselves. We want benefits without paying appropriate price--
something for nothing! When it comes to learning, many seem to need spoon-
feeding. And, like babies, when not getting what is expected, a tantrum
follows. What has happened to pioneering spirit, that spirit of experi-
mentation majority of us still possess. We use it not? Even if actions are
later determined to be wrong or less than optimum, much comes from attempting
to do. Doing, attempting to do, sure way to learning. From our mistakes, we
henceforth know what not to do. Experiment! See what happens...especially if
actions have no irreversible consequences, as is true with most computer
commands. But, make not the same mistake twice. But, on the other hand...
====================================================================
Of Angels and Eagles. Managers and executives are taught, usually by word-
of-mouth, "It's better to do something, even if wrong, than to do nothing."
Action is more important than inaction. Lack of action is viewed as error, or
incompetence. Wrong, wrong...wrong! What we do, especially if wrong, does
little good, but infinitely important that we do it none the less, and indeed
may have short-term harmful effects in many business situations. Know
consequences of all actions, good and bad, right and wrong, short term and
long. Investigate thoroughly before doing, acting or reacting.
Conscious of time and place, seeing...Silicon Valley, '78 to '84, egos
and self ran wild! Then, shortsightedness controlled, for the most part, and
still does. Everything was to be done now, forget doing it right, just get it
done now. But...a new maturity, one based on long-range survival instincts,
surfaces. Value of intuition starts to surface, becomes important! Short
views start to fall from grace--long-range planning takes on new statue.
We fear not Tomorrow...for we know Yesterday and cherish Today.
We give Thanks...for the Beauty of this Moment.
Now, the Zinfandel, but just a taste--no more! 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: Little Board, Bookshelf, Ampro Computers; SB180, GT180,
Micromint; PRO-180, Magnum Digital; ON!, Oneac; DT42, The SemiDisk, Deep
Thought 42, SemiDisk Systems; Macintosh, Apple Computers; HD64180, Hitachi; Z-
System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Zas, Zlink, Z-Msg, Term3, Quick-Task, FINDS,
PPAL, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon; CP/M, Digital Research; Turbo Pascal,
Turbo Modula-2, Borland International; TWP, The Word Plus, Oasis Systems;
MBasic, MicroSoft; ZBasic, Zedcor; I.C.E. Box, MTBasic, 64180 Basic, Softaid.
* *
Z sets you FREE!
* *
Z-News 603 is Copyright 1986 Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission
to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is
given to Echelon.
