                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


                                    MASTHEAD

        EDITOR Neil Shapiro

        ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dawn Gordon 
        CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mike Chan,  
                             Herb Friedman, 
                             Will Hearst, 
                             Jim Merritt, 
                             Marc Stern 
        ELECTRONIC PRODUCTION ASST. Daisy Genovese

                                  Published by
                             THE HEARST CORPORATION

        PRESIDENT - Frank A. Bennack Jr.
        CHAIRMAN - Randolph A. Hearst
        VICE-PRESIDENT, ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING SERVICES DIVISION
                 - Stephen E. Strickman
        PUBLISHER, ONMODEM - Darby Miller

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                           Downloaded from CompuServe,
                         Edited and Uploaded to PCanada
                              by Bob Leigh, PC1022.



























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                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


                                   WHAT'S NEW 

        New  hardware features in ONMODEM's editorial pages cover  every-
        thing  from the day to day problems of choosing from the new  lap 
        computers  to the futuristic tomorrow of laser  disc  technology. 
        And,  you'll  also read what the best of the new  letter-quality, 
        dot-matrix  printers can do today as well as what you can  expect 
        to see very soon in new modem technology.

        Jim  Merritt,  columnist  and contributing editor,  returns  with 
        another  installment  of his  already-popular  SOFTLIGHT  column.  
        This month Jim investigates what a programmer really is, and what 
        the  future of English-speaking computers may mean -- and what it 
        won't mean.  Meanwhile, Contributing editor Herb Friedman returns 
        with  a look at some exciting ways toward computer  compatibility 
        in this month's HACKING WITH HERB column.  You will also want  to 
        read  about  the Geneva computer,  this month's very  interesting 
        SYSTEM OF THE MONTH.


                                    Editorial
                               THE EDITOR'S TONES
                                 by Neil Shapiro

        It  seems that the key catch-phrase in all of personal  computing 
        is  "limited  only  by your imagination." I  have  seen  software 
        described like that,  hardware,  firmware,  even  vaporware.  The 
        implication  is that if you can't find a few hundred uses for the 
        item  then what kind of clod are you anyway?  You'd  better  toss 
        away your computer and buy a video game console.

        But  in  the real world of computing,  as opposed  to  four-color 
        advertisements and purple prose,  originality of thought, design, 
        implementation and concept has been becoming harder and harder to 
        find.  In  the  past  two years the computing industry  began  to 
        resemble Detroit where the models change from year to year but  a 
        car by any other name is still an automobile.

        But  this is changing.  With the advent of startling new hardware 
        from  major  manufacturers the bounds of  imagination  will  once 
        again be pushed beyond today's frontiers.

        The  IBM AT offers an astonishing amount of computing power  that 
        can  now be placed upon a desktop.  The Macintosh from Apple  has 
        brought  a  new  way of thinking of how  powerful  computers  and 
        humans  can interact.  The Amiga from Commodore (at last  report) 
        will,  it  is  rumoured,  offer  stupendous  graphics  capability 
        coupled  to high computing power.  And,  there are rumours that a 
        revamped  Mindset may be released soon from another major  player 
        anxious  to get a new form of powerful computer into the  market-
        place.

        Note that,  in the above paragraph, we have used the word "power" 
        four times. While this may be stylistically poor in one sense, in 
        another  it  makes  the  point for us as to  what  all  of  these 


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                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        computers have or will have in common.

        Undirected  power is a destructive force,  directed power can  be 
        put to work.  And the way to direct this new wealth of  computing 
        energy is through the conduit of your imagination.

        Placing a spreadsheet on a Commodore 64 or an Apple II or a PC is 
        using  those  machines  to the best of their  abilities.  But  to 
        simply move a spreadsheet verbatim onto one of these new machines 
        is using a machine gun to kill a gnat.

        Today's  programmers  are faced with an awesome  challenge  -- to 
        take these astounding new machines and to find equally astounding 
        new  uses  for  them.  Yesterday's programs will not  cut  it  on 
        tomorrow's machines.

        And yet,  so far,  we have seen few programs that move into  this 
        new realm, few uses that are propelled by active imaginings. Once 
        in  a  while a program such as "Filevision" for the Macintosh  or 
        "Sidekick"  for  the PC shows us a whole new way of  using  these 
        machines.  But, overall, spreadsheets continue to be invented and 
        reinvented.

        We predict that this is the year that imagination will take  over 
        personal  computing.  People from all walks of life will suddenly 
        be  confronted  with  computers that are  not  only  awesome  but 
        eminently usable.  New ideas as to what computers should be doing 
        are  bound to be discussed,  and it is to be hoped that the prog-
        ramming community will be listening.

        Cliche as it may be: The limit is your own imagination.


                      Pirates, Computers and Compatibility
                                HACKING WITH HERB
                                by Herb Friedman

        Software houses have gone to many lengths to restrict the use  of 
        their  software.  From  copy-protection  to  legally-questionable 
        licenses,  their object has been to prevent software piracy.  But 
        what  is piracy?   Unauthorized copying of software is,  at best, 
        unethical: At its worst, illegal.

        But  is it piracy to use software on more than one  computer  (or 
        two  computers)?  What of the user who has spent umpteen hundreds 
        of  dollars for software,  who then replaces the computer with  a 
        new  model  whose  format  or system  is  incompatible  with  the 
        existing software.  Does the so-called license that restricts use 
        of  much software to one or two systems preclude its  translation 
        to  the  format of the new computer;  must users go  through  the 
        expense of replacing all their software?  It will make an  inter-
        esting legal precedent if it ever gets to the Supreme Court.





                                        3





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Meanwhile,  while the legal minds wrestle with the intricacies of 
        licensing,  out in the real world more and more business,  school 
        and  home-and-family  users are replacing their computer  systems 
        with the new high-performance models,  and they face the  problem 
        of  software  incompatibility--incompatibility  in the  sense  of 
        formatting,  not the program itself. The person who uses WordStar 
        on  their Osborne computer might still prefer to use WordStar  on 
        their Radio Shack Model 4,  while the schools with endless  disks 
        of  educational  programs they developed for the Apple  computers 
        might  not want to go through the hassle of rewriting  or  keying 
        them for their recently purchased IBM-PCs. And then there are the 
        users  whose  software is for oddball  computer  configurations--
        hybrid  hobbyist  systems,  or  old computers from  companies  no 
        longer  in existence.  Will their wall-to-wall software run on  a 
        new Kaypro, or a Compaq, or an Apple?

        There are many different ways to resolve the problem of  computer 
        incompatibility.  Many  involve software translators,  which  are 
        usually  successful because virtually all the translated  systems 
        employ the same family of microprocessors:  the Z80 and the 8080. 
        But  translation software just doesn't hack it when the micropro-
        cessors are different:  sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 
        To  be truly effective,  software translation  between  different 
        microprocessors requires a hardware retrofit to the computer, and 
        there   have  been  two  notable  successes  with  hardware--both 
        involving the Apple computers.

        Until the introduction of the IBM-PC,  the Apple computer was the 
        de  facto "standard" for school and business personal  computers. 
        The only problem was that there was a wealth of good 8080  micro-
        processor-based  software written for CP/M machines which was not 
        compatible with the Apple's 6502 microprocessor,  and other  than 
        downloading  a  BASIC text file,  there is really no way to  make 
        them compatible through software.

        The  big  breakathrough came through  Microsoft's  "Softcard,"  a 
        plug-in  accessory board the contains a Z80 microprocessor,  also 
        16K  of  RAM to fill the memory area originally used  by  Apple's 
        ROM.  The Softcard converts the Apple into a Z80 computer,  which 
        can run CP/M software distributed either on a disk formatted  for 
        the  Apple  (having  a few driver modifications required  by  the 
        Apple's internal structure),  or it can run pure CP/M code,  such 
        as the software downloaded from RCPM bulletin boards.  Pure  CP/M 
        usually runs on the Softcard "as is" -- just as it would run on a 
        true CP/M computer.

        Had   the  IBM-PC  never  been  introduced  the   Apple/Microsoft 
        configured  computer  might have possibly become the standard  of 
        reference for both school and home-and-family. But there is a PC, 
        it  is  essentially the standard business  computer,  and  it  is 
        rapidly  becoming one of the two standards for education,  and so 
        we must now work the other way 'round.





                                        4





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        There  is  presently  no  truly effective  way  to  convert  CP/M 
        software to the IBM-PC format.  The PC can be used for file pass-
        thru,  going from one CP/M disk format to another,  but there are 
        presently too many software limitations on the CP/M (8080) to PC-
        DOS (8088) op-code conversion.  Even the translations from Micro-
        soft BASIC have many problems with IBM's BASIC.

        On  the other hand,  Apple to PC translation works out  extremely 
        well through Quadram's Quadlink, a plug-in accessory for the IBM-
        PC that emulates a 64K Apple II or Apple II+ computer.

        The  Quadlink  utilizes only one slot in the  PC.  Three  plug-in 
        cables  re-route the PC's normal speaker,  disk  controller,  and 
        graphics/monitor  adapter functions through the  Quadlink.  After 
        the  Quadlink  board  is seated in its  slot,  the  PC's  speaker 
        connector  is moved to terminals on the Quadlink,  the  connector 
        from  the PC's disk drives is moved to the Quadlink,  and  cables 
        from  the Quadlink connect to the PC's original speaker and  disk 
        controller  connectors.  A  supplied jumper  cable  connects  the 
        Quadlink  to the normal color/monitor adaptor so that the PC will 
        serve  as  the  display for the  Apple  emulation.  The  complete 
        installation doesn't take ten minutes.

        When  the Quadlink is activated by the supplied utility  program, 
        both  of the PC's disk drives will read conventionally  formatted 
        Apple   disks--disks   which  are  not  half-tracked   for   copy 
        protection.

        Also  provided with the Quadlink is a software disk called  Filer 
        that contains Apple DOS 3.3,  a floating point version of  Apple-
        soft  BASIC,  and a selection of utilities for copying disks  and 
        testing  the  disk drives.  Essentially,  the Quadlink and  Filer 
        cause the PC to function like an Apple.

        The Apple emulation is entirely within the Quadlink, and once the 
        emulation is initialized the computer can function simultaneously 
        in  the Apple and normal PC modes.  There is no confusion  as  to 
        which  mode is in the foreground because the screen displays  are 
        different,   always  correct  for  the  user-selected  foreground 
        function. Pressing the CONTROL-ALTERNATE-A keys call up the Apple 
        mode;  pressing  the  CONTROL-ALTERNATE-DEL keys call up  the  PC 
        mode.  (I  can't  think  of  any time I would  want  to  run  two 
        unrelated  computer programs simultaneously,  but it always turns 
        out there are many users for the most obscure, seemingly unneeded 
        computer functions.)

        While  the  cost  of  the Quadlink isn't  cheap  (about  $495  in 
        discount  stores),  it  is  cost-effective if  you  have  several 
        thousand dollars worth of potentially worthless software. But one 
        caveat  bears repeating,  the Quadlink will not work  with  half-
        tracked  Apple  software  because the PC's disk drives  were  not 
        designed  to half-step.  If you have any doubts about  the  Apple 
        software you intend to use on a PC,  try it out on someone else's 
        Quadlink first.



                                        5





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


                              Programmers Forever:
                                IN THE SOFTLIGHT
                                 by Jim Merritt

        Would you like to know what really starts me boiling?  Well, I'll 
        tell  you  anyway.  I'm  tired of hearing from all of  the  self-
        proclaimed personal computing "authorities" that there will  soon 
        be  no more need for programmers or programming  languages;  that 
        just over the horizon are "Fifth Generation Computers" capable of 
        responding to "plain English" commands; that anyone who can speak 
        English  will  be able to operate one of these computers as  well 
        as, OR BETTER THAN, any of today's programmers.

        I start grinding my teeth when I read such garbage,  and  lately, 
        I've  been  reading  so much of it that my dentist has  begun  to 
        express deep and sincere concern about the continued health of my 
        poor, abused choppers. What bothers me most is that some of these 
        "experts"  actually do know something about computer science  and 
        the nature of programming. They should therefore know better than 
        to gobble indiscriminately, like a flock of turkeys.

        It's not that I doubt the possibility,  or even the  practicality 
        of  a  computer system that "understands" natural  language  well 
        enough  to  interact effectively with the average person  on  the 
        street.  On  the  contrary,  I am very optimistic that  the  many 
        brilliant  minds now obsessed with the problem will indeed  solve 
        it before the turn of the century. They may even produce a useful 
        and  impressive "partial" solution within the next decade.  But I 
        maintain that programmers will always be necessary,  in some form 
        at least, even if the notations they eventually use look an awful 
        lot like English or other natural languages.  Furthermore,  I  am 
        willing  to  put  myself  out on a limb by  predicting  that  the 
        natural languages will never replace programming languages.

        To  understand why I believe as I do,  consider the humble  "word 
        problem,"  of  the type that has vexed  arithmetic  students  for 
        years.  For instance,  "how many apples do Mary and Joe have,  if 
        Joe  has  five apples more than Mary,  and Mary has half as  many 
        apples as Joe?" Using standard arithmetic notation, two equations 
        can express the same information in a much more concise form that 
        the original English question:

          Mary = Joe / 2
          Joe = Mary + 5

        Not only is our "word problem" in English somewhat  verbose,  but 
        it  may  also be considered as ambiguous by certain picky  people 
        who  might  wonder whether it asks only for the total  number  of 
        apples,  or for the number of apples held by each individual.  In 
        contrast,  the  arithmetic  formulae may be used  to  derive  the 
        answer to either question.

        Arithmetic  symbology  permits  us to express  information  in  a 
        compact,  abbreviated form,  without ambiguity. Similarly, modern 
        programming   languages  enable  us  to  express  with   clarity, 


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                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        precision,  and economy both the structure of information and the 
        step-by-step  procedures for manipulating it.  I don't often meet 
        people who liked to do word problems in arithmetic class.  By the 
        same  token,  I  think that most people would prefer  to  use  an 
        unambiguous,   abbreviated   notation   for   instructing   their 
        computers. (My opinion is supported by the fact that few program-
        mers like to document their code;  documentation is often nothing 
        more  than an English paraphrase of the actual program code -- in 
        other words,  it is the program as it might appear if written  in 
        English!)

        Anyone who believes that writing programs in "plain English" will 
        be any easier than writing them in a special programming language 
        should  talk  to a technical writer at the earliest  opportunity. 
        Technical   writers  have  always  written  programs  in   "plain 
        English." Their programs,  however, are executed by human beings, 
        and not by computers.  To look at a service manual or a construc-
        tion  article,  you wouldn't think that it takes  any  particular 
        skill to write such straightforward material. But in fact, a good 
        technical writer will avoid complex grammatical constructions and 
        will tend to use a single word or phrase to describe a particular 
        concept  or component throughout a given discussion.  Though this 
        strategy often produces dry,  repetitive prose that is unsuitable 
        as bedtime reading, it nevertheless helps to reduce the potential 
        for  reader confusion by eliminating stylistic sources of  ambig-
        uity.  To restrict one's style so severely and still produce even 
        tolerable  copy  is the mark of a writer who knows  his  language 
        (and subject) well.

        I feel that someone would have to possess the same kind and level 
        of verbal ability as a good technical writer, in order to produce 
        valid  computer  programs  using English  or  any  other  natural 
        language.  Such  mastery of language usually develops only  after 
        years  of  tedious practice and painstaking study.  In my  exper-
        ience,  achieving a comparable facility with any modern  program-
        ming language requires much less time and effort, and when people 
        realize  that they don't know English well enough to program well 
        with  it,  my  money says that they'll stick with  some  form  of 
        specialized programming language.

        One last point deserves consideration, although it takes us a bit 
        afield.  When  we use natural language,  we automatically  assume 
        that the reader or listener is a human being like ourselves, with 
        whom we share roughly the same emotions,  experiences,  and moti-
        vations.  We trust that this person will be able to "read between 
        the  lines,"  and  determine what we really mean to say  when  we 
        don't say it all that well.  In other words, we rely on the other 
        person applying his or her own life experiences as a human  being 
        to the problem of resolving our linguistic ambiguity. Because our 
        assumptions  usually hold,  we soon fall into the trap of commun-
        icating with double entendres, broken phrases, mumbled words, and 
        body language.





                                        7





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Now and again,  however,  two people will fail to be "on the same 
        wavelength,"  despite their common backgrounds (or because  their 
        backgrounds  are simply too dissimilar).  The verbal mishaps  and 
        misunderstandings  that occur in situations like these have  been 
        the bread and butter of comedians for generations.  But it may be 
        no laughing matter when a so-called "intelligent" computer system 
        and  a human being fail to see  "eye-to-eye"  (actually,  optical 
        digitizer-to- eye,  if you want to be picky).  In such cases, the 
        computer can resolve its semantic confusion either by getting the 
        person  to  restate the ambiguous command or request until it  is 
        sufficiently precise,  or by making unilateral assumptions  about 
        the  command's true meaning.  I would favor the former  strategy, 
        but  there is so much ambiguity in normal human conversation that 
        I  fear  the computer would spend more time clearing up  its  own 
        confusion than doing useful work. I am truly afraid of the latter 
        strategy,  which  I suspect will become the more popular  of  the 
        two.

        In  my opinion,  human beings -- not computers -- should make the 
        difficult decisions.  We should certainly use the information and 
        heed  the  advice that we get from our  ever  more  sophisticated 
        computer systems,  but I feel that the buck should always stop at 
        a human being. Otherwise, why develop human intellect at all? The 
        development  of  an  English-speaking  computer  presupposes  the 
        availability  of  a machine that can make  high-quality,  complex 
        decisions on its own. When such a tool is available, and I expect 
        it  will  be  soon,  I only hope that we  won't  succumb  to  the 
        temptation  to abdicate our important role as decision makers  to 
        our machines.

        Even  though I admittedly don't like the idea of using English as 
        a programming language, and actually fear the darker implications 
        of an English-speaking machine,  as an engineer I can't help  but 
        be  fascinated  by research in natural  language  recognition.  I 
        regard  it as being among the most exciting and potentially bene-
        ficial pursuits in computer science today.  If you'd like to look 
        deeper into the subject, Elaine Rich's article, "Natural-Language 
        Interfaces," in the September,  1984 issue of the IEEE's Computer 
        magazine,  is  a good place to start.  She discusses  in  greater 
        detail many of the issues I've raised here,  and provides a cred-
        itable overview of the problems inherent in commanding a computer 
        using natural language.

        If  reading Rich's article only whets your appetite to know more, 
        then  check  out  at  least  the  first  two  chapters  of  Terry 
        Winograd's  book,  Language  As  A  Cognitive  Process  (Vol.  I: 
        Syntax),  (Addison-Wesley, 1983). Winograd is one of the pioneers 
        in the field, and he writes eloquently and clearly about even the 
        more esoteric aspects of his subject, using plenty of examples to 
        illustrate  his  points.  Winograd also contributed  the  article 
        "Computer  Software for Working With Language" to the  September, 
        1984  issue of Scientific American.  In this piece,  he  examines 
        many  of the same basic concepts discussed in his  book,  but  he 
        then  proceeds  to show how they affect the design  of  language-
        oriented  application  programs  such  as  translators  and  word 


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                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        processors. I found it to be good, thought-provoking reading, and 
        I think you will, too.


                             A Powerful Portable Pal
                            Our System Of The Month:
                                 THE GENEVA PX-8
                            Reviewed by Herb Friedman

        Although  several under-$1000 lap computers are available in  the 
        marketplace, all suffer from serious limitations when it comes to 
        software  other  than for programming in BASIC or  text  editing. 
        What  few programs are available are generally limited in perfor-
        mance  because of the lap computer's 40 x 8 screen and  the  non-
        compatibility of the software with standard office computers.

        But now there's an under-$1000 lap computer,  the $995 Epson PX-8 
        "Geneva",   that  can  run  standard  CP/M  programs,  has  three 
        Microsoft  "diskless"  programs  in ROM  which  include  portable 
        WordStar and portable Calc.  Data,  and user written programs can 
        be  saved to,  or loaded from a self-contained minicassette  tape 
        built  into  the  top of the computer,  or an  optional  battery-
        powered 3-1/2" disk drive.

        The  minicassette recorder and a loudspeaker are built  into  the 
        top deck just about where other lap computers have their display. 
        Like  other  lap computers the PX-8 "Geneva" has an LCD  display, 
        but  unlike  under-$1000  computers the  EPSON's  display  is  80 
        characters  x 8 lines,  and it is mounted on a bracket that flips 
        upward for viewing.  When folded down the screen lies flat on the 
        top  third of the computer,  thereby covering and protecting  the 
        minicassette recorder and the built in speaker. The lower part of 
        the   computer,   which  contains  a  standard   typewriter-style 
        keyboard, is protected by a removable plastic cover.

        Because the screen of the PX-8 "Geneva" is about the same overall 
        size  as  that of conventional lap computers its  characters  are 
        nominally  half the conventional because the EPSON's  screen  has 
        exactly  twice the number of columns and rows.  But although  the 
        PX-8's  characters are only 1/8" high they are unusually legible. 
        Unfortunately,  the characters don't have decenders,  so  letters 
        like the lowercase g, p and y are displayed as smaller size upper 
        case;  and  while  not difficult to read,  the lack of  decenders 
        takes some getting used to.

        The  PX-8 "Geneva" is factory supplied with 64K  of  non-volatile 
        battery  backed-up  RAM  and 32K of ROM.  The ROM  contains  CP/M 
        version 2.2 and an "enhanced" version of BASIC.  Both the RAM and 
        ROM are factory configured as RAMdisks so that CP/M and its  most 
        popular utilities appears as drive C: while BASIC appears as disk 
        B:. The Internal RAM functions as drive A:.

        In  addition  to the factory installed 32K of ROM there  are  two 
        sockets   for  user-installed  ROM  program  modules  which   are 
        accessible  through  a trap door located on the underside of  the 


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                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        computer.  Presently,  special  portable versions  of  MicroPro's 
        WordStar and Calc,  and a "scheduler" are supplied as ROM modules 
        with the computer.

        For  those  who might require additional storage integrated  with 
        the  computer there are presently available 64K and 120K  RAMdisk 
        expansion units which attach to the bottom of the PX-8 "Geneva".

        The  supplied  portable version of WordStar is  fully  compatible 
        with  conventional  WordStar,  and  files  created  on  the  PX-8 
        "Geneva"  can  be transferred to and  processed  by  conventional 
        desktop  computers.  However,  the WordStar enhancements such  as 
        MailMerge  and StarIndex are not yet available for the use on the 
        PX-8 "Geneva".

        Notwithstanding the supplied ROM software,  the real strength  of 
        the  PX-8  "Geneva" is the resident CP/M 2.2,  which  allows  the 
        computer to run most generic CP/M software; all you have to do is 
        get the software into the PX-8 "Geneva".

        The  term  "generic"  means  CP/M software  that  isn't  hardware 
        dependent--software that doesn't directly address memory in order 
        to increase the program's speed. Hardware dependent CP/M software 
        is  specifically  written for a particular computer  and  usually 
        won't  function with any other computer.  Generic  CP/M  programs 
        utilize  CP/M's conventional input/output (BIOS) routines and can 
        be run on any CP/M computer.

        Since  there are exceptions to every rule,  there might  be  some 
        generic  CP/M programs that won't run on the PX-8  "Geneva",  but 
        all  of the "biggies" that were tried ran with nary a  hitch.  If 
        there  is  any  problem in running CP/M software it  will  be  to 
        transfer the program into the PX-8 "Geneva".

        The  PX-8  "Geneva" is supplied with two  communication  programs 
        called TERM and FLINK.   FLINK,  serves only to exchange WordStar 
        files  between  the  PX-8 "Geneva" and the  EPSON  QX-10  desktop 
        computer. TERM is a rudimentary terminal program that can be used 
        to transfer text or hex files.

        At the time this article was prepared, CP/M binary files could be 
        transferred  to  the PX-8 "Geneva" through a somewhat  convoluted 
        process  requiring  a bit of technical  expertise  that  involves 
        conversion  of  a  binary file in the remote computer  to  a  hex 
        format  using a smart terminal program such as M.I.T.E or MODEM7, 
        uploading  the hex file through TERM or the PIP utility into  the 
        PX-8 "Geneva", and then converting the PX-8 "Geneva" hex files to 
        a  .COM  file  with a program such as "UNLOAD,"  which  you  will 
        somehow  have to get into the PX-8 "Geneva" first.  Several  RCPM 
        bulletin  boards can download a BASIC "UNLOAD" program for  entry 
        into the PX-8 "Geneva". If you use the optional floppy disk drive 
        the  job  is made easier because the disk drive  comes  with  the 
        special  CP/M utilities which are not resident in ROM,  including 
        the MODEM7 smart terminal program.



                                       10





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        At exactly the moment this article was completed we were informed 
        by  EPSON that--just about when you're reading this--an  optional 
        communications  software package called "The  Geneva  Connection" 
        will  be  available  which  will  be  based  on  the  Christensen 
        protocol.  In  plain  language  this  means the user  of  a  PX-8 
        "Geneva"  will be able to transfer binary or text files with  any 
        other  computer  using a terminal program such as MODEM7  or  its 
        clones,  or any program having a MODEM7 mode,  such as M.I.T.E or 
        CrossTalk.

        Of course, once a program or file has been transferred to the PX-
        8  "Geneva" it can be stored on a minicassette or in RAMdisk  for 
        easier access in the future.  For example, assume you have loaded 
        the   CP/M  database  program  called  CARDFILE  into  the   PX-8 
        "Geneva"'s RAM. You could then save both the program and its data 
        to  the minicassette for use in the field.  At your  convenience, 
        the data would be transferred to your desktop computer's  storage 
        media (diskette or hard disk).

        Since  the  PX-8  "Geneva"'s RAM is  non-volatile,  the  CARDFILE 
        program  could  remain  in RAM until it had  to  be  cleared  for 
        another program.

        Several  upgrade  peripherals are available which flesh  out  the 
        basic PX-8 "Geneva" into a high-performance computer. Heading the 
        list  are a 64K and l28K RAMdisk which secure to the underside of 
        the computer.  Then there's a "Multi-Unit," which snaps into  the 
        computer  and  combines a 64K RAMdisk with a direct  connect  300 
        baud  Bell  103  compatible modem that  features  auto  dial  and 
        answer,  and  line monitoring by the computer's internal speaker. 
        The  modem  is also available as a separate unit  for  those  who 
        don't need the RAMdisk.

        Another  quality  peripheral  is a  3-1/2"  double-sided  double-
        density  minifloppy disk drive powered by rechargeable  batteries 
        that can store 320K. The PX-8 "Geneva" can accommodate two daisy-
        chained  disk  drives  for a total of 640K  of  on-line  storage. 
        (Daisy chain means one drive plugs into the computer,  the second 
        drive plugs into the first drive.)

        An  optional  rechargeable  battery  powered  80  column  thermal 
        printer  (standard  width paper) is available for those who  need 
        hardcopy any time or any place.

        Though the PX-8 "Geneva" makes a very attractive package with  or 
        without its optional peripherals,  like other computers which use 
        an  LCD  display it has the inconvenience and annoyance  of  slow 
        screen  response.  In  fact,  some software which is known to  be 
        quite  fast runs slower on the PX-8 because it must wait for  the 
        screen to catch up.  On the other hand,  some software just plows 
        ahead,  and  if  you're observing the keying on  the  screen  you 
        suddenly find the screen is several words behind your fingers and 
        you  don't know where you are.  But as I said,  this is common to 
        all LCD screens;  it is the price you pay in order to put a  wide 
        screen on such a machine, at least for now.


                                       11





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


                           You Don't Need A Shoehorn!
                           SAVING SPACE IN YOUR IBM PC
                                 By Dawn Gordon

        After  plunking down $3000 or more on a shiny new IBM PC equipped 
        with   two   double-sided  drives,   a  color   graphics   board, 
        monocrome/parallel  card,  serial  board,  and perhaps  an  extra 
        memory card you will quickly notice that every single one of  the 
        five expansion slots are filled.  If you had the idea of adding a 
        coprocessor  card,  or even an external hard disk with controller 
        there  is  simply no room inside the machine  for  these  conven-
        iences. What are your options? Well, you could go out and buy the 
        IBM  expansion unit,  which includes a hard disk and a number  of 
        extra slots,  but that's a hefty purchase of $3,390,  and you may 
        not want or need the extra disk drive.

        OTHER OPTIONS

        Fortunately,  there are other options available to you,  and they 
        will save you money and space inside your PC.  (And even the XT's 
        six long and two short slots can quickly get filled up.)

        Multifunction boards are the obvious answer. These multi-talented 
        cards  usually  take  up  only a single  slot,  and  perform  the 
        numerous functions that two or even three single boards afford.

        DIFFERENT TYPES

        Basically   there   are  two  types  of   multifunction   boards: 
        memory/port  boards,  and color graphics/monochrome  boards.  The 
        former usually includes memory expansion from 0-384K,  one or two 
        serial and/or parallel ports,  a clock/calendar,  and even a game 
        port.  Ramdisk capability in a handful of multi-function cards is 
        also available,  as is spooling software for background  printing 
        while editing.

        EXTRA MEMORY

        Memory  is  the first thing to look at.  The older PCs allow  for 
        only 64K of RAM on the motherboard,  while the newer models  will 
        let you populate the motherboard up to 128K.  The XT goes all the 
        way up to 256,  and even then more memory is often needed.  Since 
        the  IBM  design enables the user to expand RAM by  adding  extra 
        memory  (up to 640K) on plug-in boards you can add as much as you 
        want,  when  you want.  Multi-function boards give you this  same 
        capability.

        If  you only want 64K buy the board with that amount  of  memory, 
        and  up-grade  it  later.  Usually discounted  the  extra  memory 
        usually costs only $60 per each 64K purchased.

        And  some  boards  will  allow you to add up to  640K  of  add-on 
        memory.




                                       12





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        PORTS

        The next consideration is ports.  Many people don't know this but 
        only  two  serial ports can be addressed by the IBM  bus.  If  an 
        internal modem occupies a slot, only one extra serial port can be 
        used.  So if you have a built-in modem it would be unnecessary to 
        purchase   a   multi-function  board  with  two   serial   ports. 
        Fortunately,  in most of these cards the second serial port is an 
        option so that you don't have to pay for what you don't need.  Up 
        to  three parallel ports can be added to the system,  but if  you 
        have  a monochrome adaptor card there is usually a parallel  port 
        included.  And this port is almost always configured for port  0. 
        So  if  you wish to add one or two more parallel ports they  will 
        usually  be  configured  for ports one  and  two,  although  with 
        jumpers sometimes included on the multi-function cards you may be 
        able to change the various configurations.

        OTHER CONVENIENCES

        A clock/calendar is a handy device.  When included on a board and 
        set up with software in an autoexec batch file,  the correct time 
        and date will automatically be displayed upon booting the system. 
        The  need to manually enter the new time and date is  eliminated. 
        These  devices run on a battery,  and will keep the correct  time 
        for  at least one year.  A few others use a lithium battery  that 
        lasts for up to five years. Game ports are also available on some 
        cards for connecting one or two joysticks into the system.

        HIDDEN PROBLEMS

        Even though many of these cards are designed to take up only  one 
        slot inside the PC or XT, certain boards may not necessarily work 
        that  way.  Because the space inside the PC was modified slightly 
        for the XT, an extra long slot was added to the latter making all 
        the  long slots closer together.  On a few multi-function  boards 
        added  memory or a game port may be piggybacked onto the card  to 
        accomplish those functions.  Unfortunately, when this happens the 
        board will likely take up the room of two slots in the XT because 
        the arrangement is just too wide.  It's a very good idea to check 
        this out before you buy any board.

        Additionally,  added ports such as an extra parallel port or game 
        port cannot be routed out through the rear of the machine in  the 
        standard manner because the serial port usually is at the back of 
        the  board.  In these cases the board designers put the connector 
        on  a cable for connection to a free opening at the back  of  the 
        system unit. Unfortunately, again, this may take up an additional 
        slot,  especially if the cable is very short,  and must be routed 
        to the next slot over.  Some manufacturers give enough length for 
        the  cable  to be extended to a short slot on the XT  and  others 
        don't.

        One  way some IBM'ers get around this is to route the cable  over 
        the  cover and out the machine with the lid closing on the cable, 
        but this is not a safe route.  The best way is to check out which 


                                       13





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        cables  you  need.,  and make sure they exit the machine  in  the 
        correct manner on your chosen board.

        PRICING

        Prices  can vary.  Multifunction boards with the works  can  cost 
        over $350 without memory, and $800 with 384K. Obviously, the more 
        memory  the  more  money,  but you can buy  multifunction  boards 
        without memory capability for under $175.

        COLOR/MONOCHROME

        Instead  of  purchasing separate color  graphics  and  monochrome 
        cards  you can save a slot by opting for a single card that  does 
        two  jobs.  These boards come in a number of configurations,  but 
        essentially they work in a similar manner.

        BASIC CARDS

        The least expensive type of multi-function color/monochrome  card 
        is  a  combination of the IBM color graphics card and  monochrome 
        cards  together.  You won't be able to get graphics on the  mono-
        chrome monitor,  but you will be able to do everything else  that 
        the two IBM cards are capable of. Some of these cards will enable 
        the  user to run the two monitors simultaneously,  and include  a 
        parallel  port,  color  and  monochrome composite outputs  for  a 
        larger variety of monitors, and a light pen interface.

        Again it's important to check a few things out.  If you have  two 
        monitors  make  sure that there are two monitor ports  available. 
        Even  if  the card doesn't offer simultaneous  viewing  you  will 
        still  have both monitors connected to the system.  Otherwise you 
        will have to unplug one monitor and plug another in,  which is  a 
        pain.  Similarly,  one  or two boards even require you to open up 
        the  computer  to  set switches every time  you  wish  to  switch 
        monitors.  The  better designed boards use software control,  and 
        external switches instead.

        MONOCHROME GRAPHICS

        Lately  the emergence of color graphics/monochrome  boards  offer 
        other  advantages:  1)  The  ability  to  generate  graphics  for 
        programs  such  as Lotus 1-2-3 on the monochrome monitor  and  2) 
        132-column  text generation.  These cards follow the same  guide-
        lines  mentioned  above,  and  the  same  cautions  still  apply. 
        Additionally,  because  such  boards do not follow the usual  IBM 
        guidlines in the monochrome mode,  it's a good idea to make  sure 
        that they will operate with your chosen software. Some types will 
        not  access  monochrome graphics correctly for  Microsoft's  Word 
        even  though  they may work with Lotus 1-2-3.  Prices  for  color 
        multi-function  boards in general range from $299-$695  depending 
        on the features provided.





                                       14





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        SHORT SLOTS

        With  the  introduction of the new PC Portable which  uses  short 
        slots  extensively,  and the XT with its two short  slots,  board 
        manufacturers   have  been  designing  short-slot   multifunction 
        boards.  Crammed  into  such a small space,  functions for  added 
        memory, or multiple ports can be taken advantage of.

        Of course,  sticking memory and numerous ports onto such a  short 
        board is not currently possible, but the next best thing is often 
        accomplished.  For instance,  if your XT long slots are full, and 
        you want a new long RAM disk board,  you can switch things around 
        to  get the space you need.  You can sell your internal modem and 
        buy a new short slot 300/1200 auto answer,  auto dial unit  (from 
        Ven  Tel)  for  only $549.  Or sell your multifunction  card  and 
        purchase two short slot multifunction boards that handle the same 
        functions.  The  possibilities are there,  and all it takes is  a 
        little planning.

        Finally,  if multifunction boards are still not enough,  and  the 
        idea of purchasing the IBM expansion/hard disk chassis for $3,390 
        isn't your idea of a good time you can spend a lot less money. An 
        expansion  chassis  with  6 extra long slots  is  available  from 
        Desert  Technologies (Tuscon,  AZ) for only $645,  and we will be 
        testing it in a future issue.

        Making  space for your needs isn't all that difficult.  Plan  out 
        your  purchases ahead of time,  and check for  possible  glitches 
        that  may crop up.  It's especially important to ask your  dealer 
        important  questions concering how much space a given board takes 
        up with all its options,  and also how many, and which connectors 
        are  available  at the back of the board.  If  you  follow  these 
        guidlines  you  may even have space for one or two  extra  boards 
        when the need arises.

        The  next set of hardware capsule reviews will cover many  multi-
        function boards in greater depth.  Meanwhile,  read the following 
        charts.

        The  following is a list of boards grouped into three categories:  
        1) Memory/port boards 2) color graphics/monochrome boards and  3) 
        Short slot boards

        MEMORY PORT BOARDS

        All  prices include 64K extra memory unless memory capability  is 
        not available.

        AST Research: Irvine, CA - (714) 863-1333 

            SIX PACK PLUS $395: 
               0-384K memory; 
               clock/calendar; 
               parallel; 
               serial optional game port.


                                       15





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


            MEGAPLUS II $395: 
               0-512K memory; 
               optional clock/calendar; 
               parallel; 
               serial; 
               optional piggyback game port

            COMBO PLUS $395: 
               0-256K memory;  
               clock/calendar; 
               parallel;  
               serial

            I/O PLUS $165: 
               no memory; 
               optional clock/calendar; 
               parallel; 
               2 serial; 
               optional game port


        California Micro Computer : Huntington Beach, CA - (714) 848-3947 

            SWITCHPORT $427: 
               Enables switching from parallel to 2nd serial port; 
               0-256K memory; 
               clock/calendar; 
               parallel; 
               serial; 
               Optional 8K spooler; 
               Optional IBM electronic typewriter cable


        Maynard Electronics: Casselberry, FL (305) 331-6402 

            MULTIFUNCTION CARD $89: Accepts up to 6 Sandstar modules:  
               parallel ($59); 
               serial ($95);  
               clock/calendar ($55);
               game port ($49);  
               hard disk controller ($495)

            FLOPPY DRIVE CONTROLLER $265:
               Controls either four 5-1/4" or two 8" drives,  will accept 
               up to three modules

            MEMORY CARD $274 w/64K: 
               0-640K memory will accept up to three modules









                                       16





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        MicroLog: Suffern, NY (914) 368-0353 

            BABY BLUE II $695: 
               Z-80 co-processor for CPM; 
               0-256K memory;  
               clock/calendar;
               parallel;  
               2 serial


        Quadram Corp.:  Norcross, GA (404) 923-6666 

            QUADBOARD $395: 
               0-384K memory; 
               clock/calendar;
                 parallel;  
               serial;  
               game port 


        STB Systems, Inc:  Richardson, TX (214) 234-8750

            SUPER RIO $419: 
               0-256K memory;  
               64-512K on piggyback;  
               2 serial; 
               parallel;
               clock/calendar;  
               game port

            RIO PLUS $395: 
               0-384K memory;  
               clock/calendar;
               parallel;  
               serial;  
               game port


        Tecmar:  Cleveland, Ohio (216) 349-0600 

            CAPTAIN $389: 
               0-384K memory; 
               clock/calendar;
               parallel;  
               serial












                                       17





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        COLOR GRAPHICS/MONOCHROME BOARDS

        Everex Systems: Mountain View, CA (415) 967-1495 

            GRAPHICS EDGE $499:
               Graphics  on  monochrome,  color mono  monitors  simultan-
               eously;
               132 columns on monochrome; 
               software control;  
               light pen; 
               parallel


        MA Systems: San Jose, CA (408) 943-0596

            PC PEACOCK $299: 
               2 monitors simultaneously;
               composite mono monitor only;
               external switching;  
               parallel;
               light pen


        Paradise Systems: Brisbane, CA (415) 468-6000

            PARADISE CARD $595:
               External switching;  
               software control;  
               2 monitor connectors;
               composite;  
               parallel;  
               light pen


        PC Components, Inc.: Philadelphia, PA (215) 934-6990 

            BIGRAPHIX $595: 
               Monochrome graphics;  
               software control;  
               external switching; 
               parallel


        Profit Systems, Inc.: Berkley, MI (313) 647-5010

            MULTIGRAPH $499: 
               Monochrome graphics;
               132 columns;  
               mode switches (internal);  
               parallel







                                       18





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        STB Systems, Inc.: Richardson, TX (214) 234-8750 

            GRAPHICS PLUS $495: 
               Monochrome graphics;  
               mode switches (internal); 
               parallel;
               light pen


        Tecmar:  Cleveland, Ohio (216) 349-0600

            GRAPHICS MASTER $695:
               Monochrome graphics;  
               full software control;  
               only one monitor jack


        HALF SLOT BOARDS

        Apstek, Inc.: Dallas, TX (214) 357-5288

            PIC-1 $129:
               clock/calendar;  
               parallel


        Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc.: Sunnyvale, CA (408) 734-8150 

            INFOMATE 212PC $480: 
               1200 bps modem w/auto answer /auto dial;  
               extra serial port


        Idea Associates:  Bedford, MA (617) 275-4430

            IDEA MINI $175 w/1 opt.: 
               Disk emulator;  
               spooler;
               Options: one or two serial;
               parallel;  
               clock/calendar


        Personal Systems Technology Irvine, CA (714) 859-8871 

            PERSYST UNIPORT $155:
               clock/calendar;  
               parallel









                                       19





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Prelude Computer Corp.: Cupertino, CA (408) 257-6033 

            CLOCK PLUS PRINTER PORT $149:
               parallel;  
               spooler;  
               clock/calendar

            CLOCK PLUS SERIAL PORT $159: 
               serial;  
               spooler; 
               clock/calendar


        Quadram Corp : Norcross, GA (404) 923-6666

            QUAD I/O $245:
               serial;  
               parallel;  
               game port;
               disk emulator;  
               spooler;
               2nd serial ($40)


        STB Systems, Inc.: Richardson, TX (214) 234-8750 

            SUPER I/O $229:
               serial;  
               parallel;  
               game port;
               clock/calendar;  
               accelerator


        Tecmar: Cleveland, Ohio (216) 349-0600

            WAVE $299 w/64K:
               64-256K memory;  
               disk emulator;
               spooler

            BOSUN $195: 
               parallel;  
               serial; 
               clock/calendar


        Titan Technologies: Ann Arbor, MI (313) 662-8542 

            CYGNUS $199/P $299/S:
               serial or parallel;  
               game port;
               clock/calendar




                                       20





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Ven-Tel, Inc.: Santa Clara, CA (408) 727-5721
          
            PC MODEM HALF CARD $549: 
               1200 bps modem w/auto answer /auto dial


        Vista Computer Co.: Santa Ana, CA (714) 953-0523 

            PC CLOCK I/O $139:
               serial;  
               parallel;  
               spooler; 
               clock/calendar


                           Printers Easy On Your Eyes,
                          And Easy On Your Wallet Too!
                            LETTER QUALITY DOT-MATRIX
                                 By Dawn Gordon

        It's  always  been that if you want speed you buy  a  dot  matrix 
        printer,  and  if  you want letter quality text you buy a  daisy-
        wheel machine.  There just hasn't been anything in between  until 
        now.

        Traditionally,  most  consumer level printers have had that  same 
        old, boring dot-matrix look. While they have always been adequate 
        for charts,  spreadsheets and informal correspondence, dot matrix 
        printers  are  cast  aside when it comes  to  important  business 
        letters  and  reports.  Generally speaking,  the  letter  quality 
        printer usually takes over for those such tasks.

        But  what if you could combine the two?  Have lightning fast  dot 
        matrix  print  that approaches the quality found on  daisy  wheel 
        printers--well,  now you can.  The 24-wire dot matrix printer has 
        come  of  age,  and with it it's possible to opt for one  printer 
        rather than two.

        In  the  average dot matrix print head there are three  by  three 
        rows  comprising  nine wires.  These wires (or pins)  in  varying 
        combinations  form characters,  and produce addressable  graphics 
        when they strike a ribbon,  and thus make an impression on paper. 
        Because  the  number  of wires are fixed you  are  more  or  less 
        constrained to a certain degree of quality.  However, in the more 
        expensive printers the wires themselves are used differently. The 
        nine  wires  by  themselves can be used to form dots  very  close 
        together with spaces filled in by multiple passes.  Different dot 
        configurations, however, are also often used to fill in even more 
        spaces, and what you get is almost near letter quality print.

        Examples of the latest 9-wire printer technology can be found  in 
        models  such as the Digital LA-100,  Okidata 2410,  Quantex 7065, 
        and of course the Texas Instruments 855, which is one of the best 
        around.



                                       21





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Enter the 24-wire printer. With 11 more very thin (8 thousands of 
        an  inch  as  opposed to 12 thousands on an inch)  wires  at  its 
        disposal  this type of printer breaks the letter quality gap  for 
        print that is almost identical to that found on a letter  quality 
        machine.  Of  course,  if you sit with the print two inches  from 
        your  face,  or use a 20 power microscope you will see a  differ-
        ence, but for the most part this type of printer really does live 
        up to its promise.

        To  give  you  an example of just how good these printers  are  I 
        showed  a  few  samples to various individuals  in  the  business 
        community, and asked them what they thought of my new daisy-wheel 
        machine.  All but one person actually believed that the print was 
        produced  by a letter quality printer.  Not bad for a first  try. 
        Next  I asked a few computer enthusiasts what they would pay  for 
        performance of this type.  Prices in the range of $2500 to  $3000 
        were  quoted,  and when the actual price range of $995-$1995  was 
        revealed, many persons were slightly shocked.

        When you look at the cost of owning both a letter quality printer 
        and dot matrix machine you can expect to pay something like $2500 
        for a decent set-up.  And then look at the (35 CPS) speed of your 
        newly  purchased letter quality unit and compare it with the  24-
        wire  dot matrix--things begin to look a little different.  These 
        machines can print at a clip of 56-80 CPS in their letter quality 
        modes, and 144-240 CPS for draft copy. In many ways that's better 
        than  owning  two separate machines,  as you  get  speed,  letter 
        quality  print and dot addressable graphics in a single  package. 
        Plus it costs a great deal less.

        Below are the first three of a new breed.  The 24-wire dot matrix 
        printers  described below represent the first generation of  this 
        new print head technology.

        TOSHIBA 1340

            I  liked  this  one so much that I took  it  home,  and  I'll 
            probably buy it next week.  The Toshiba 1340 is a  descendent 
            of  the now discontinued 1350.  It is the only 80 column  24-
            wire   printer  currently  available,   and  thus  the  least 
            expensive at only $995.

            The  unit  is  compact but a little taller  than  most  Epson 
            printers we have all come to know.  It features the usual dot 
            addressable  graphics;  expanded and condensed type,  but  no 
            italics.  Unlike  the 1350,  the machine is capable  of  true 
            proportional  spacing.  Two  fonts are available:  draft  and 
            letter  quality,  and  the rate of speed is 144  and  56  CPS 
            respectively. The 1350 features Qume Sprint 5 emulation.

            In  the  areas of draft and letter quality print the 1340  is 
            excellent.  The draft font is sharp and lacks a dotty appear-
            ance,  and  the  letter quality  mode  is  outstanding.  It's 
            Courier,  and  it is amazingly smooth and sharp.  All in all, 
            the 1340 is a wonderful performer.


                                       22





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


            Incidentally,  the 1340 has a new,  and more powerful brother 
            called  the 1351.  Designed to replace the 1350 this  printer 
            has  the  same  features as the 1340 in a  wider  132  column 
            carriage  arrangement---plus a faster printing speed  of  192 
            CPS  for draft and 100 CPS for letter quality.  The 1351 also 
            features downloadable fonts.

        EPSON LQ-1500

            Following in the footsteps of memorables such as the  ubiqui-
            tous  MX-80,  and  new FX-100,  the LQ-1500 is sure to  be  a 
            popular  machine.  The price is the same as the model number, 
            and  for  $1500  you get the usual  Epson  features  such  as 
            elongated,  condensed, italic and enhanced print modes. Addi-
            tionally, you can choose between five different print styles: 
            pica  and elite in both draft and letter quality  modes,  and 
            proportional spacing in the letter quality mode.

            The  printing rate is 200 CPS for draft and 67 CPS for letter 
            quality. The LQ-1500 is a 132 column machine.

            As far as printing quality goes,  the LQ-1500 is quite  good, 
            not  as good as the Toshiba but surely many times better than 
            the best 9-wire dot matrix.  The draft print is rather  dotty 
            for  a 24-wire head,  but still years ahead of the usual high 
            speed mode on many printers. The letter quality print is, for 
            the most part,  great.  It is slightly coarse,  however,  but 
            still  very much similar to typewriter print.  Suffice it  to 
            say that the Epson LQ-1500 is very good machine overall.

        FUJITSU DPL-24

            I  first saw the Fujitsu DPL-24 at Comdex two months  ago.  I 
            was wandering around their booth and happened to notice  what 
            I  thought  was the company's new 80 CPS daisywheel  printer. 
            After a closer inspection my mouth dropped open.

            The machine was a dot matrix printer, what a shock.

            Unfortunately,  due to the company's policies on lending  out 
            evaluation  models  we  were not able to get the  DPL-24  for 
            review.  However,  I  did  manage to bring  back  some  print 
            samples and specs.

            In a nutshell,  the DPL-24 is the best 24-wire printer I have 
            yet  to see,  although under strictly controlled  conditions. 
            The  unit produces the sharpest and most defined print in the 
            letter quality mode. It is so close to dasiy-wheel print that 
            one could easily be fooled.  Interestingly,  the unit's draft 
            mode isn't as clean as the Toshiba's,  but the printing speed 
            is  phenomenal:  240  CPS for draft,  and 80 CPS  for  letter 
            quality.





                                       23





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


            The $1995 machine changes character sets through font cartri-
            dges (like the TI machine mentioned earler), and proportional 
            spacing is also included.

            Although most of the 24-wire printers currently on the market 
            do  not have an impression as dark as a daisy-wheel  machine, 
            they offer the next best alternative. Print quality in letter 
            quality  modes has to be seen to be believed.  I suggest  you 
            take a walk over to the nearest computer store,  and see what 
            I mean. You may be in for a pleasant surprise.


                            How To Use: How To Choose
                        ONMODEM'S GUIDE TO LAP COMPUTERS
                                by Herb Friedman

        It  rarely makes sense to prepare data or documents on  paper  if 
        the  final destination is a computer:  Putting it on paper  first 
        only  means  doing the same job twice.  The effort that would  go 
        into  writing  or typing these documents would  be  better  spent 
        keying  the  data  directly into the computer because much  of  a 
        computer's  primary functional advantage is lost if part  of  its 
        work  must be duplicated on paper simply to move data to and from 
        a remote location such as a work-at-home office or a conference.

        A more efficient way to accommodate remotely-originated data  and 
        documents  is to bypass paper entirely by preparing the  material 
        on  a battery-powered lap computer and then transfer the data  or 
        documents stored in the lap computer to the office computer via a 
        modem or a direct cable connection.

        Lap computers such as the Radio Shack 100,  the NEC-8201A and the 
        Hewlett-Packard  HP  110  are  specifically  intended  for  field 
        preparation  of  documents  that  will eventually  end  up  being 
        processed  by another computer.  They feature ROM-based  communi-
        cations  and  text editor software,  along with  BASIC  and  some 
        simple database systems(s).

        The  general  idea behind the lap computer is that the  user  can 
        prepare  notes or documents anywhere at any time,  edit the notes 
        or  data,  and either return to the office and dump the  document 
        into the office computer, or if necessary, upload the information 
        via modem to the office computer. A lap computer's communications 
        software is even designed to conveniently download from an office 
        computer data or text which will be integrated into the  document 
        being  prepared  in  the lap  computer.  Eventually,  the  entire 
        package is uploaded back to the office.

        And for those occasions when printed hardcopy is necessary out in 
        the field (whether it's in a hotel room or a customer's  office,) 
        lap  computers  have  printer outputs which can drive  a  battery 
        powered  printer  such  as a Brother  44,  or  a  Hewlett-Packard 
        ThinkJet.




                                       24





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        The  size  of the documents or data that can be stored in  a  lap 
        computer is determined by the amount of RAM, which ranges from 8K 
        up  for  the  Radio Shack/NEC models,  to 272K for  the  HP  110. 
        Regardless  of  the  total amount of RAM  initially  supplied  or 
        available  through upgrading,  the lap computers contain  several 
        internal ROM-based software packages such as BASIC,  and memo and 
        address  files.  But more important,  the lap  computers  feature 
        software  specifically  intended to enhance field preparation  of 
        documents and the transmittal of documents by modem.

        For  example,  the  Radio Shack and NEC lap computers  feature  a 
        rudimentary word processor--actually a text editor,  while the HP 
        has  what would be accepted as a "moderately  sophisticated  word 
        processor."  Regardless  of  the performance level  of  the  text 
        editor,  all  lap  computers  contain  a  special  communications 
        software  package  that  makes the computer function as  a  smart 
        terminal.  The Radio Shack and HP models even contain an internal 
        300  baud auto-dial modem.  (The NEC employs an optional  300  or 
        300/1200 baud external modem connected to its RS-232C connector).

        As  you  would  expect  from  what  is  essentially  a  dedicated 
        computer,  the  communications  software makes extensive  use  of 
        function  keys  built  into the lap computers so  that  telephone 
        numbers can be dialed automatically at the touch of a single key, 
        while  files  can also be uploaded and downloaded with  a  single 
        key.

        Also,  documents  prepared  with a lap computer's  internal  text 
        editor are stored in ASCII so they are compatible with  commonly-
        used word processor programs.

        The  lap  computers are so flexible and easy to use that  several 
        software and hardware devices have recently been introduced which 
        are  specifically  designed to interface a lap  computer  with  a 
        conventional desktop personal computer.

        First  things  first,  it is generally assumed--even by  Hewlett-
        Packard--that the office computer will be an IBM PC;  hence,  the 
        new breed of lap computer and interface software is intended  for 
        eventual use with an IBM PC or a PC/XT, either through a modem or 
        a direct cable connection.

        The lap computer to PC interface software is so computer-specific 
        that Kensington's REMOTE CONTROL,  which is intended specifically 
        for the Radio Shack and NEC lap computers,  actually programs the 
        IBM PC to emulate a Radio Shack Model 100 or a NEC-8201A.

        The  concept  behind REMOTE CONTROL is that the user has  neither 
        the  time nor inclination to learn two kinds of text editors  and 
        two kinds of telecommunications procedures:  For maximum conveni-
        ence  both  the lap and PC computers should employ  the  same  or 
        similar commands,  functions and software.  In the case of REMOTE 
        CONTROL,  the  IBM's  screen  prompts resemble those of  the  lap 
        computers,  the  function keys are the same as those of  the  lap 
        computers,  even the lap computer's resident software,  including 


                                       25





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        the text editor is emulated in the IBM PC.

        Actually,  the  text editor isn't exactly the same as in the  lap 
        computers.  REMOTE  CONTROL's text editor has a few  enhancements 
        which  turn the text editor into a full-fledged word processor so 
        that  documents  prepared  on the lap  computers  can  be  easily 
        polished on the PC.

        But  even  more important is the way REMOTE CONTROL  communicates 
        with the lap computers. REMOTE CONTROL is supplied with a special 
        null  modem  cable that directly connects the lap computer  to  a 
        PC's  RS-232C  connector,  thereby allowing data or  text  to  be 
        exchanged  between the IBM PC and the lap computer at 9600  baud. 
        If a Hayes-type automodem is available,  REMOTE CONTROL will also 
        serve  as an auto-answer host so the lap computer can  automatic-
        ally access the PC through a modem.

        When  operating in the host mode the PC transmits all prompts for 
        function keys and commands at the remote computer in exactly  the 
        same  form  as they appear on the lap  computer.  Also,  the  lap 
        computer  takes  full control of the IBM PC so that files can  be 
        exchanged either way.

        For  example,  assume you are 'in the field' and need  some  data 
        stored  in the PC.  If you access the PC from the remote location 
        via a modem the entire PC is available to you.  You can  exchange 
        ASCII  files between the PC and the lap computer,  access  PC-DOS 
        with  the  lap computer functioning as a control  terminal,  even 
        start the PC's printer and type a message for the office staff to 
        read when they return from lunch.

        In  short,  REMOTE  CONTROL makes the IBM PC's  peripherals  also 
        function  as  peripherals  for  the  Radio  Shack  and  NEC   lap 
        computers.  (Think  twice  before purchasing the disk  and  video 
        adapators  specifically  designed  for a  lap  computer.  Through 
        REMOTE CONTROL your PC can do the same thing, only better.)

        Unlike the Radio Shack and NEC lap computers, which really origi-
        nated as "electronic notebooks" with built-in BASIC, the Hewlett-
        Packard  HP  110  is a full-blown computer  that  happens  to  be 
        packaged as a battery-powered lap computer. Even its 80 character 
        x 16 row screen is the familiar LCD type, though it flips upwards 
        to an optimized viewing angle.

        The  reason the HP 110 is priced about 150% higher than the other 
        lap  computers is because it has 272K of RAM,  its  ROM  software 
        that  includes  Lotus 1-2-3 in addition to the usual text  editor 
        and  communications  software.  In  this  instance  the  terminal 
        software  employs MODEM7 protocols,  which means that the HP  110 
        can  exchange error-checked files through it's internal 300  baud 
        auto-dial modem or its RS-233C serial port.

        While  the HP 110 can communicate with any computer  through  its 
        communications software,  an optional accessory allows the HP 110 
        to  directly access an IBM PC's peripherals.  The accessory is  a 


                                       26





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        plug-in  adapter for one of the PC's regular expansion  slots.  A 
        single  cable  interconnects the PC's adapter with the  HP's  own 
        proprietary serial buss, which HP calls an "HP-IL interface."

        Software  provided with the accessory configures the PC's periph-
        erals--the disk drives, hard disk, printer(s), etc.-- to serve as 
        peripherals for the HP.  In this way,  Lotus or text files can be 
        exchanged between the PC and the HP.

        Of course,  the HP 110 can be used with its own optional disk and 
        printer  peripherals,  but  then you lose  the  almost  automatic 
        interfacing to an IBM PC.

        The HP configures its own memory as disk drives.  The user RAM is 
        designated as disk A:  while the ROM is designated disk B:.  When 
        the  HP  110 is interfaced to an IBM PC with two disk drives  the 
        IBM's drives become the HP's drive C: and drive D:

        It  works this way.  If you have written a document using the  HP 
        110 it is considered to be a file stored in drive A:. To transfer 
        the  file to drive C:--an IBM drive-- you would use the  convent-
        ional MS-DOS command of 'Copy A: filename.ext C:'.

        The HP's text editor,  called MemoMaker,  is in fact a moderately 
        sophisticated word processor suitable for complete preparation of 
        business-quality  documents.  In  particular,  it is  capable  of 
        extensive page formatting,  which is not true of the Radio  Shack 
        and  NEC  text  editors.  (Page formatting must be  done  by  the 
        receiving or host computer.)

        Which  lap  computer  is best?  That question  is  impossible  to 
        answer.  Even the seemingly similar Radio Shack and NEC computers 
        have  major  differences.  Of  the three,  the  one  that's  most 
        convenient  to  interface  and  use with an IBM PC  is  the  NEC, 
        because  it  easily integrates into a PC system  through  a  high 
        speed  (1200 baud) modem and Kensington's REMOTE CONTROL.  On the 
        other  hand,  its 40 x 8 screen is no challenge for HP's 80 x  16 
        screen.  I guess it all depends on what's most  convenient.  This 
        article  was  prepared on a NEC having only 12K RAM and  uploaded 
        through  REMOTE  CONTROL to my IBM so it could be run  through  a 
        spelling checker.


                             The Next Step In Modems
                        EXPLORING THE 2400 BAUD FRONTIER!
                                  By Marc Stern

        Do you remember your first modem?  If you've been into  microcom-
        puting  for  any length of time,  the chances are good it  was  a 
        fairly  simple device which consisted of a box;  two earmuffs for 
        the phone,  and circuitry inside the box.  It may or may not have 
        been  Originate/Answer,  but it probably operated at a  slow  300 
        bits per second (baud).




                                       27





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        By today's standards it was a primitive device. It wouldn't auto-
        answer  and it wouldn't auto-dial.  You had to do those functions 
        yourself.  You  had to dial the number you wanted;  wait for  the 
        tone,  and then insert the phone handset into the earmuffs.  When 
        you  were finished with this,  you were on your way  to  telecom-
        puting.

        But,  boy how times have changed in three or four years.  Today's 
        standard  modem  usually operates at 0 to 300-baud and  at  1200-
        baud.  It also dials the phone;  answers it; automatically deter-
        mines  the  speed of operation,  just by listening to  the  other 
        circuit's  tone;  it is programmable,  and it will also tell  you 
        what's ailing it, if you ask.

        This  type  of  modem operates under what is known  as  the  212A 
        standard,  but it is also intelligent enough to address the older 
        103A  standard under which the acoustic coupler,  as the type  of 
        modem  with earmuffs was known,  and  other,  older,  intelligent 
        modems operated.

        For  those of you who may be new to telecomputing let's set up  a 
        little  background before we go much further.  To begin  with,  a 
        modem  is the shortened name for a MOdulator/DEModulator.  It  is 
        the  device  which accepts digital data from  your  computer  and 
        turns  it into a series of tones so that it can be sent down  the 
        phone  line.  The device on the other end can be another computer 
        or a database,  it makes no difference. The little box sitting on 
        your  desk  modulates the digital data into a  series  of  tones, 
        while  a  box  at the other end demodulates it and  extracts  the 
        digital information.

        The reason you can't send the digital data on the phone system is 
        that it is set up for voice tones and frequencies and so anything 
        that is on the phone system must be compatible with that set  up. 
        Therefore, you must have that modem before you begin.

        Many  people  have what is known as a 300-baud  103A  modem.  The 
        first  figure corresponds to the maximum speed at which the  data 
        can  be  sent  or 300 digital 1s and 0s per second  or  bits  per 
        second (baud),  while the second figure corresponds to the parti-
        cular  convention  used for the modem.  The 103A convention  says 
        that  the modem will send to discrete frequency ranges  1070-1270 
        Hz and 2025-2225 Hz. It also specifies that the modem that begins 
        the  call  must  transmit  in  the  1070-1270  range,  while  the 
        answering  modem  must  use  the  2025-2225  range  to  say  it's 
        answering.  If  you listen closely to the line you will  actually 
        hear  the frequency of the data being transferred change  as  the 
        frequency goes up and down (shifts).

        While the 103A, 300-baud unit is widespread, the newer 212A 1200-
        baud modem is becoming equally as widespread. It differs from the 
        103A modem in that it can transmit up to 1200 bits of information 
        per  second  (roughly  120 words) and it relies  on  varying  its 
        frequency  within  a  specified  range,  rather  than  using  two 
        discrete frequency sections. These shifts in frequency correspond 


                                       28





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        to the digital data being sent.

        All of this is pretty much state-of-the-art right now,  but times 
        are  changing quickly in the modem world and it is likely that in 
        the not-too-distant future,  the 2400 bit per second (baud) modem 
        will become the standard. That's right, 2400-baud! You can immed-
        iately see the attractiveness of the 2400-baud modem.  Right from 
        the  start,  it offers you a 100 percent speed increase over  the 
        1200-baud device, which will cut your phone connect time in half, 
        when  you compare it to the 1200-baud modem which may be on  your 
        desk.  Do you remember the amount of connect time you saved  when 
        you  made  the switch from the simple 300-baud unit to the  1200-
        baud device?  Well, the 2400-baud modem offers even more savings. 
        Devices  such  as the recently announced Universal  Data  Systems 
        Model 224 are available right now.

        Many people have the common misconception that you can't transmit 
        faster  than 1200-baud on a standard phone line.  Well,  you  can 
        because  there  is  circuitry in place which  will  allow  this--
        witness the UDS 224.

        As  most  advanced telecomputerists know,  there's  an  effective 
        bandwidth limit on the common voice phone line.  Since the  voice 
        phone  system was designed around the range of voice  frequencies 
        that  are common to speech -- 300 Hz to 3300 Hz -- the system  is 
        constrained  to a bandwidth limit of 3000 Hz.  Any modem,  there-
        fore,  which  strives  to be compatible with the  standard  voice 
        circuit  -- there  are  special  circuits  which  allow   greater 
        bandwidth,  but  they  cost more and pile one circuit on  top  of 
        another  to achieve the proper bandwidth -- must be able to  pile 
        all its data in the 3000 Hz channel.

        With a 300-baud modem it's fairly easy,  since the modem operates 
        well within the 3000 Hz limits imposed by the system. It uses two 
        sets  of  tones to emulate the digital 1s and 0s which  is  being 
        sent  to the remote site via the telephone system.  It gets  more 
        complicated  with  a  1200-baud modem.  Instead  of  sending  two 
        discrete,  and separate, frequency ranges, as happens in the 300-
        baud  modem,  the 1200-baud modem relies on varying the frequency 
        of  the  data sent around a central carrier  frequency.  This  is 
        known as frequency shif keying or FSK,  with one frequency  level 
        indicating the digital 1 and the second indicating the digital 0.

        You might think that by hiking the speed you would rapidly use up 
        all  the  available  bandwidth and even with FSK you  are  coming 
        pretty close because the central carrier frequency is about  1800 
        Hz  and  the  two shifts that are used represent the sum  of  the 
        carrier  and  the baud rate -- 1200,  which also  represents  the 
        frequency -- and the difference,  or 600.  But,  when you add the 
        carrier and the upper frequency together,  which is what happens, 
        then you see we have 3000 Hz,  with a lower bandwidth at 600  Hz. 
        All  of  this  is still within the 3000 bandwidth  of  the  phone 
        system.




                                       29





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        Now,  you're probably asking yourself, how can you go higher than 
        1200-baud because the modem is stretching the bandwidth available 
        to  the hilt?  And,  if we were to rely on standard  transmission 
        techniques,  you'd  be  right.  But,  unless  we want  to  buy  a 
        specially  conditioned line from the phone company to accommodate 
        higher speeds, we must still be able to stay within the limits of 
        the phone lines.  So,  the answer to this puzzle is to play  with 
        the  modem's  circuitry to make it think it is still a  1200-baud 
        modem, while it is actually transmitting data at a higher speed.

        To do this,  we must use a special transmission technique  called 
        phase  shift  keying or PSK.  This is another type  of  frequency 
        modulation,  but  relies  on the fact that any carrier signal  is 
        actually made up of four main parts.

        To explain this more clearly,  think of the frequency we're using 
        as a circle and then slice it into four equal parts.  You'll find 
        a node at 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees and 360 degrees.

        With normal FSK we're only taking advantage of the natural  swing 
        of  the frequency as it goes about its sinuous trip (think of any 
        frequency as a waving rope and you'll see why I say sinuous).  At 
        any point in the swing between high and low, we can say send this 
        range  and  it  is sent.  Since our 1200-baud  modem  is  working 
        between  a high of 3000 Hz and a low of 600 Hz,  we can then  get 
        the range we need for digital transmissions.

        But,  we're still constrained.  So, now we must begin our playing 
        with the signal to get more out of the available bandwidth.

        Referring  again to the circle illustration.  Let's assume we not 
        only rely on FSK, but take advantage of the various angles of the 
        signal and insert transmission data there. Since we're interested 
        in 2400-baud transmission,  it's logical to insert data at the  0 
        and 90 degree points of the circle.  So, instead of carrying just 
        one bit per frequency shift,  the signal is now carrying two or a 
        dibit.  This  effectively doubles the amount of data we can  send 
        within  the same bandwidth and thus allows the 2400-baud modem to 
        work with the modern phone system. To the phone system, the modem 
        still  looks like a 1200-baud modem,  while to the modem at  both 
        sides of the system, the modems look like 2400-baud units.

        Taken  to  its logical extreme,  you can see that  if  we  insert 
        another bit at 180 and we can now have 4800-baud and if we insert 
        another bit at 270 then we can have up to 9600-baud, all out of a 
        unit  that  still  looks  like a 1200-baud  modem  to  the  phone 
        company.  It's  an  interesting application of  technology  which 
        takes advantage of the existing physics of the system.

        Of course,  it does add to the complexity of the modem.  In fact, 
        according  to  a spokesman for UDS,  each increase in  baud  rate 
        requires  an increase in the complexity of the modem's circuitry. 
        But, with today's LSI and VLSI techniques, it's possible to build 
        this complexity into a device with a very small number of chips.



                                       30





                       OnModem Magazine - October 1984.


        At  the  moment the key factor which is limiting us  from  moving 
        from  1200 to 2400-baud as a de-facto network standard  is  price 
        and complexity.  The price differential between a 1200-baud and a 
        2400-baud modem is roughly 100 percent. Therefore, if a 1200-baud 
        unit costs $500, the 2400-baud version costs about twice as much. 
        And,  since  a majority of the nation's telecomputerists  haven't 
        made  the move from 300 to 1200,  let alone the move from 1200 to 
        2400,  most networks are still set up to handle 300-baud communi-
        cations.

        In  fact,  the  pricing  structure on such networks  as  our  old 
        faithful  CompuServe still favors the 300-baud  modem.  It  would 
        require  extensive  circuitry changes to be made before the  move 
        could  be  made to a standard 1200-baud  network  and,  for  that 
        matter,  to a 2400-baud network.  And,  of course,  the price for 
        using the network would be substantially higher.

        Don't  let  this dishearten you,  though,  because the future  is 
        definitely 2400-baud,  it's merely a matter of time.  As more and 
        more people shift to 2400-baud,  then the marketplace will become 
        filled  with  competing  units and the price  will  drop.  It  is 
        happening  in  the 1200-baud arena and it will happen  with  2400 
        baud,  too.  In  fact,  if you think about it,  it will  probably 
        happen quickly with 9600-baud.

        Just think about it,  sending your data at 9600-baud will  result 
        in a 1500 percent savings of connect time over 300-baud. So, with 
        this  kind of economics going for it,  it's only a matter of time 
        before it will happen.

        When it does, just one suggestion, don't try to read your screen, 
        you'll probably throw your eyeballs out of joint trying to follow 
        the bouncing cursor at nearly 1,000 words per minute!
























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