16 June 1986 Z-NEWS 503 Z Tips. Just a reminder to Term3, Release 2, users...T3MASTER/T3SERVER requires an 8-bit data path to permit binary file transfers. Such path is easily provided in typical BIOSs by commenting-out the usual CONIN/CONOUT subroutine mask that makes data 7-bit. Scan, using your editor, for an "ANI 7FH" in these two routines, place a ";" to comment the lines or remove them by deleting entire lines. Re-assemble your BIOS and re-install. Or you may wish to use ZDM on an memory image of your "system" to find string "E6 7F" and replace with two NOPs. "E6" is op-code value for ANI. Make sure string is near RS-232 port address, port used by computer-to-computer connection--it'll be the one we want to fix. Then SYSGEN saved image back to outer tracks of your boot disk. That's it, ready to transfer files over RS-232 console/printer-type serial ports. Screen dynamics using Term3 in batch file transfer mode are impressive. Complete reporting, i.e., what is happening, fully screen-oriented, from file synchronization to block transfer status, file name, and cumulative and each type and occurrence error-count. KMD and Term3 work perfectly together, using either 128- or 1k-byte packets. Be sure to declare batch mode from T3FILER transfer menu, or from your command line, after you make multiple-file request at RAS command line. -------------------------------------------------------------------- From Our Mail Box. Professor Leslie Clark (Edgewater, NJ), in a thoughtful four-page letter, gives sound advise on how to communicate with our vast and diverse audience of Z users. Parenthetically, "I know that I am not stupid-- though I cannot say that all professors are at all above average in this respect, so I make no special claims for myself...and I know my students are far smarter than I am." What is smart? Understand concept of "levels of understanding" and you understand difficulty of teaching or explaining anything not already understood. Who teaches and who learns? Hand holding, we think of. We believe Z-System User's Guide has tutorial style Prof. Clark declares desirable. Book makes less assumptions about knowledge-base of reader than does usual EI documentation. Our challenge is scope of effort necessary to explain everything we do from "the beginning." Our English grammar and style can be improved but barrier remains: scarcity of time and space in which to thoroughly explain. We act as we do based on priorities of running a business, keeping customer support reasonable, all within bounds of our monetary means. Please tell us what we should do next, over that done by Z-System User's Guide, Price List Item 88, $14.95 plus $4.00 shipping and handling. We have been asked: Yes, we like National 32332 32-bit pipelined chip, but only if it lives up to its specification. (NS32016 is impressive running Berkeley 4.2bsd Unix, see Symmetric benchmarks versus 68000 machines, Z-News 409 and 501.) Might just be what we need for desktop Ada Language program development if a compiler ever becomes available for NS32332. Could Richard and Dennis convert Z-System to run with it? Yes, we think they could. On the other hand, Fairchild's 32-bit CLIPPER chip set looks interesting, but pricey. Running at 33mHz, set achieves throughput of DEC VAX 8600 (equals five 11/780s, fifty IBM PCs with 8087), similar to out-of-production 11/785. Floating-point performance exceeds one megaflop, a million floating point calculations per second. Uses tight 1.2 micron CMOS technology (HD64180 uses 2.0) to achieve such high clock rates. Certainly a next-generation superchip combination. Š "The best prophet for the future is the present."--Chinese Proverb While on subject, let's not fail to mention, though only having 16-bit bus, Performance Semiconductor Corporation's MIL-STD-1750A computer chip using 0.8 micron technology with metal pitch of 2.75 microns, closest ever! Has over 200,000 transistors integrated, with 0.6 microsecond integer multiply, 1.1 microsecond 32-bit floating point multiply--all onchip in low-power CMOS. Runs at 40mHz clock rate! Now that's fast...for more information, including prices, call or write them, 610 E. Weddell Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089, 408/734-9000. Silicon-chip pioneer Tom Longo, President, wants your business. Company's technology is on cutting edge of microcomputer's future. Only those with deep pockets need apply. Do we personally need performance offered by such technology; can we afford it? Again, a variation of that price versus performance question. If you need it you somehow get the money to buy it. Little life appears left for traditional (1966-1985) minicomputers--they get replaced by micros and super- micros. But, for up-to-medium-size activities, we feel Z-System supported computers do jobs best, with Term3 connecting to outside-world machines. Your letters are a major source of inspiration, telling us what you think. Please keep writing and sending them...you hear? Also write other publications telling your thoughts. Thank you! Z-Node Activity. Larry Mansfield, after being down for 5 months, is up with his new S-100 bus Zenith Z100. Z-Node #41, back with 10 megabytes of storage, supports traffic from Baltimore, MD. Locals (and others who wish to know how he installed ZCPR3 on an 8085-based computer) should call, 301/254-6277, and welcome him back. Better luck this time (his original H89 caught fire!) with your equipment, Larry. Coincidentally, Jay Denebeim's Z-Node #42 is called "Deep Thought 42" as is super microcomputer detailed in Z-News 502. (Recall, Jay wrote imaginative ZBYE, an RCP running as BYE, a system segment answering telephone of a RAS, remote access bulletin board and file-transfer system). Douglas Adams's science fiction book, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, from merry old England, has had big impact on citizens of USA. Surely Jay will want to run his node from a SemiDisk Systems DT42 computer! Oh! Wow! What a trip that would be. Common Cause. Let's recap where Z-System stands with hardware manufacturers (OEMs) and how these companies fit into our computing marketplace. SBC S100 STE Packaged Ampro Intelligent Computer Designs Dean Micro Systems Ampro Micromint Magnum Digital Performance Interconnect Heath/Zenith 89/90 SemiDisk Kaypro Oneac Zicomp Starting with Ampro. They have a dual role, providing complete computer systems and single boards from which complete systems can be constructed. Ampro is stable and conservative, providing sound, reliable hardware with full customer support. They fix what is not right, both software and hardware, with many dealers world-wide handling their product. You can't do better if you need what their hardware provides. Oneac's Z80 machines are first of RAM-based microcomputers (Z-News 408 and 501). Using latest techniques, totally menu-driven system is so fast it makes so-called 16-bit machines feel harsh and seem slow. Uniquely designed for personal, small office, and programming efficiency. It does not make you Šwait, doesn't waste your time...it's ready when you are! Z80-based Kaypro becomes a modern computer with Echelon-produced bootable disk Z-System. Package comes with easy to understand beginner's manual. Keep your Kaypro; update with Z! Heath and Zenith Model H/Z89 and H/Z90 machines stay young with Analytical Products (Z-News 405 and 502) bootable disks and enhanced BIOS. Acquire Peter Shkabara's implementation to bring 89/90s into world of second half of 1980s. Zicomp makes an interesting multi-user Z80-based machine using Z. More information can be obtained by calling or writing them, 59 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, 408/438-1624, Mr. Sylvan Stephani, President. Long-of-tooth, nonetheless Z80s serve well in cost-conscious appli- cations. Most new applications use HD64180/Z180 if chip-integration functions are required, results in lower overall cost--usually does, just from printed circuit board space saved. Increased performance from chip is bonus. Now HD64180-based single board and S-100 computers. Hitachi chip offers significant increase in performance over a Z80. Software is just being writ- ten to take full advantage of its hardware features. ZAS, ZCPR/B3 and /M3 (Z- News 401 and 406) presently are being redesigned to take such advantage. Micromint's SB180 has shown what a fully bundled modern OS and this chip can do. A satisfying project! But SemiDisk's DT42 takes it to next logical step: high clock rates and large amounts of fast RAM. Just as Oneac computer sets trend, a new way of thinking about personal computers, DT42 moves to other levels of functionality and versatility (notice benchmarks in Z-News 409 and 501, description in 502). Magnum Digital and ICD both have super S-100 boards, each with different personality, running Z-System. Each have advantages, running at 9.216mHz clock rates, in upgrading existing S-100 card cages. These boards bring new- life, speed and flexibility, to S-100 market. PII (Performance Interconnect, Inc., Z-News 409) puts the 64180 solidly in the software development, graphics work station, and industrial ROMable code worlds. Dean essentially does in England what PII is doing in USA, supporting STE and VME bus markets with 8-bit hardware and software. Great flame sprang from brilliant spark, Richard Conn's ZCPR3, blazing into Z-System fueled by Dennis Wright's ZRDOS--now a roaring fire! "Thou hast planted them, yea, They have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou are near in their mouth, and far from their reins."--Jeremiah 12:2 We come to the decision--many have already made it without trying Z- System and experiencing its power on their machines--to be or not to be! Most have simply presumed Z-System not as good as claimed and leaped onto IBM's band wagon: drone using clone is order of the day, similar to situation with prime-time network television viewing. Such we grieve to tell you is the case. But we do what we can to show what Z can do, to get users involved and not simply be consumers. Continue to work with high-performance 8-bit machines--there is much unexplored potential in them--or go with crowd, go with IBM, decision crisis point, your moment of truth! Digressing, we were recently asked if one should go beyond using a computer, to learn how a computer works, then how the parts are make, and finally into the physics of metals and semiconductors (of materials). Our answer was "learn as much as you can, at all levels." Therein, understanding! Become your own expert across-the-board. Wondering a little. The DT42 is a wonderful non-biological machine, one Šfully exploiting advantages of high-performance 8-bit software. And because it's so flexible you have lots of learning to go through to use it to full capability. Many of us have two or more computers assisting our living activities. DT42 has video monitor channel plus three (3) serial and two (2) parallel ports, one a SASI; co-board has a fully implemented SCSI port. Think of the I/O Redirection opportunities and local and wide area networks to be set up--data and control in our hands. You can do it with a little study, some change of attitude. Decisions, decisions: 1) be a consumer or 2) be a learner of what you are about: completely up to you, path chosen. "To be or not to be!" In summary, many boards and systems exist, from Ampro to Zicomp, as alternatives to "you know what." Sadly, vast majority have already chosen without consciously understanding result of their actions. You who stay with 8-bit, upward compatible to CP/M-80 systems, have lots of adventure ahead. In addition to getting your work efficiently done using vast amount of available software, think of mental trip you'll be on--truly outstanding! We say no more... Lunch Break. Really good news! High Tech Research, Bill Nesting, President, produces K-20 computers. Taking over stock of Kaypro 10s (cases and other mechanical hardware), company manufactures 20-megabyte, TurboROM-based 8-bit machines and sells them for $1,595.00. Call 800-446-3220 (-3223 in California) for more details, or write HTR, 1135 Pine Street, #103, Redding, CA 96001. We use a Seagate 225N, same as in K-20, on our Ampro and can attest to the hard drive's quickness, faster than an Xebec Owl. Nesting's company also produces Kaypro "Handyman" desktop accessory hardware/software package with calculator, notepad, phone auto-dialer, appointment calendar, screen dump, etc. Handyman, Version 1.3, sells for $129.95 and gives your Kaypro full "Sidekick" capability. Potentially good news. User's Guide magazine may be published again. We did Tony Bove an injustice thinking he had abandoned our market for money (Z- News 409). He relates working hard to find someone to take over the magazine. Lo! A potential publisher has appeared in the wings and if everything goes as indicated, magazine is expected off the presses soon. Tony readily admits to being neither businessman nor publisher, so hopefully, with someone to handle management and finances, new magazine could be successful and stay around for a long time, supporting high-performance 8-bit systems. "The way to show a stick is crooked is not to argue about it, or spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick beside it."--Dwight Moody May/June 1986, BYTE magazine, "Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar" articles tell just about everything you ever wanted to know about SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) bus--show how SB180/COMM180 uses SCSI for hard disk applications. Of course, SCSI can be used with devices other than disk drives. Also, Rick Lehrbaum, Ampro Computers, has an excellent series on SCSI running in The Computer Journal. Started two issues back, from Issue #22 onward. SCSI seems to be the bus of choice these days of just about every peripheral manufacturer. Ampro Little Board has one, DT42 from SemiDisk has one on co-board, The SemiDisk. Most newer hard disk drives interface to SCSI, as do some LASER printers. SCSI, element of high-performance 8-bit computing future, we plan for it! A group "specifically for ZCPR/Z-System/HD64180" users in Colorado has been organized by Dr. Donald Halford, a staff member of National Bureau of Standards in Boulder. New user's group should complement activities of Don ŠRoth and CP/M SIG in Broomfield (Denver). If interested in joining, please write or call Ronald Halford, 2840 Kenyon Circle, Boulder, CO 80303, 303/499- 7098, evenings. Good teaching and luck to both Colorado Don's. Borland International, Scotts Valley, CA, nears completion of their Turbo Modula-2 for Z80 and HD64180 (we are a beta-test site). Hopefully, it is as good as, if not better than, their popular Turbo Pascal (see Z-News 306 for more on Borland). Such languages (and Janus Ada or FTL Modula-II for Z80 from Workman & Associates, Pasadena, CA 91106, 818/796-4401) on 8-bit machines should satisfy those who want to write programs but prefer not to use Assembler or C Language. Speaking of Pascal, and remembering our constant search for programs that control LASER printers, Rogers Marketing Co., 12046 Willowood Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22192, telephone 703/494-2633, has two (in Pascal) for Cannon LBP-8 and -A2 machines running under Z-System or CP/M. "FontR" permits editing fonts for the Cannon, "PrintR" does the printing from Newword- and WordStar- created files. Price, $250.00. Desk top publishing is not inexpensive. Caveat: programs work only with -8 and -A2 Cannon models using Cannon Garland proportional font cartridge. (Civil Computing's "PropStar", see Z-News 304 for details, if used with Newword, does a nice job with LASER printers, and sells for only $49.95. Yes, a lower price now than quoted in 304.) Sometime ago we converted our business management data to the James River Group software system for micros. Accounting, general ledger, accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, payroll, mailing lists, all for $465.00. We couldn't be more pleased. Fully integrated, meeting professional standards, superb documentation, easy to learn and use. JRG's telephone technical support isn't lacking either--each time we've called they had quick and correct answers to our questions. A demonstration package is available for only $18.00. So if you are setting up a small- to medium-sized business, investigate their offerings. Write or call James River Group, 125 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401, 612/339-2521. ==================================================================== Of Cabbages and Kings. The house that learning builds gets built slowly, but results in a house that's solid and true. Stacks, tagged memory, pipe lines, RISC, these are not sufficient for Artificial Intelligence systems (Z-News 205). (Human curiosity is paramount evolutionary for-learning force--produces change!) Parallel processing is useful in improving computational efficiency but not in extending the solvable problem size, and that block is in our human minds. We need better heuristic searching routines, reduced search cost in terms of computer time and memory--we at Echelon push Assembler over C Language (and other high-level languages), though we like C, to conserve hardware resources, local memory, disk storage, and computing duration. Do the job, do it well, with minimum resources in play; that's our motto! Prolog and LISP computer languages overwhelm hardware. More knowledge results in less search; but, wisdom reduces search to zero! Generally, we don't understand how it is we think, what it is to think; thus, how can we built a "thinking" machine? We watch the AI community, as we watch microsystems under the drag of IBM "leadership." Gosh, we weep for majority-mankind. When will we each begin to think for ourselves, begin to stop trooping. Japanese are ahead of us because of attention to detail in the mechanical realm, such detail as observed through their mental world. We still treasure things made by our human hand, but their machine-made things Šare more uniform, fit better, and in the long run are of higher value. Western emotion plays big part in western problem...Japanese have taken, borrowed much from us (Z-News 305 and 408, money, stealing, and morality), but have returned much in-kind, both of quality and value. Husky levels of fundamental change must go into our thinking, into our doings for us to be fully competitive, superior. 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: TKBBS, COMM180, SB180, Micromint; PRO-180, MDC-1, Magnum Digital; XL-M180, Intelligent Computer Designs; DT42, Deep Thought 42, The SemiDisk, SemiDisk Systems; ON!, ONFILE, Oneac; CLIPPER, Fairchild; HD64180, Hitachi; NS32000, National; Z80/180/280, Zilog; 68000, Motorola; Z-System, ZCPR3, ZRDOS, Z-Tools, Zas, Zlink, Z-Msg, Term3, Quick-Task, Lasting-Value Software, Echelon; Sidekick, Borland; PropStar, Civil Computing; CP/M, Digital Research; Z-89/90/100, Zenith; VAX, Digital Equipment; IBM, International Business Machines; TurboROM, Advent; MOSART, Xecom; Little Board, Bookshelf, Ampro Computers. eagle * here Z sets you FREE! * * Z-News 503 is Copyright 1986 Echelon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Permission to reprint, wholly or partially, automatically granted if source credit is given to Echelon.