8:51:26 AM PDT Sunday, September 6, 1987 (Phil) Jeezz -- bit small today! Poor PR? (Sysop Denny) Hi Phil, Looks like a small crowd...you and me! (Phil) Well, there are people in SIG and DL's; maybe they will join us. (Sysop Denny) I hope so, you think we could banter back and forth for 2 hours? (Phil) Re Vans FAST stuff. My impression is that his tests show no improvement over just locking scroll. Right? (Sysop Denny) No, but you can read a little bit more of what's going by. Ok, I guess we can start (Phil) Ooops -- another 'Phil' Hi Phil (Phil W) HI (Phil) an everyone else. (R Caley) HI (Sysop Denny) On FAST, I tried putting a CLS in the routine (Phil W) Phil, better give it a last init, else will be confusing. (Phil F) ok (Sysop Denny) to make it a little more readable and got a quick cold start for my efforts. Seems that interrupt is a little sensitive. (Phil W) True -- and I have not tried the code. BTW -- wonder what happended to tests of XMDPW2.200? Tnoy's pretty busy I guess. (Sysop Denny) Yes, things get hectic when he's doing a convention. Ok folks, are you just going to watch us squirm, or does anyone have a topic of interest this morning? :) (Phil W) [Yea!] (Sysop Denny) Ah Ha! Finally! (R Caley) OK...THIS IS A stupid one, but interesting Has anyone (besides me) ever thought that with all the add on "boxes" vendors have been snapping on the bottom of an M100 that it might be fun to install and "internal" disk drive? (Sysop Denny) Not a bad idea But I think it might take the M100 out of the small portable range. (Phil W) Yes maybe it could be called the T600a. Seriously, when you get as thick as a PC laptop, and as heavy, and as expensive -- but only ahve a 8x40 screen, what's the point? (R Caley) ok..I disagree (R Caley) First it would not have to be any bigger than the TSI booster pak now available as to price it would only be an option like nay other any other anyway it seemed like an interesting idea. (Jim A.) hello (Phil W) But, Rush, a Toshiba T1000 is already only 0.2" thicker than a bare M100 -- and has all the goodies, which is my point. (R Caley) ok but I already have a great deal of $$$ tied up in an M100, and I'm not interested in MS-DOS however, I told you it was a bit ridiculous. (Phil W) Not ridiculous. If you take the Modem and some RAM space from a Booster pack you could put a third-height 720K drive in with ease. (Sysop Denny) Hmmm, I know what you mean, RC, but after playing with Procomm and Side Kick on an MS-DOS machine I now have a different view of portable laptops. (R Caley) I probably have a different view of laptops than most I think the original M-100 was a marvel of ingenuity I don't want to "bring my office home" via an MS-DOS computer I just want a reliable versatile adjunct to my usual computer to haul around for quickie jobs and word processing etc I think bringing the desktop HOME defeats the original concept of the M-100's purpose. (GENE NESTRO) If your looking for more compactness I use the typeing paper stand from RS and reconfigure the sliding paper holder that it holds the Drive (by a thick rubber band underneath the M100, there is about 12 ins under it when the m100 is propted up to about 45 degs. (Phil W) But RC, why do you feel that way? If the MS-DOS "desktop" is about the size of a Model 100 (or weighs same as M100 + TDD) is there a big difference to you? Or is it the Operating system that is the issue? Just curious what the issues are. (R Caley) ok you used the correct word when you said why do I FEEL that way It is definitely an emotional response.....and if I knew WHY I feel about things a certain way they would be THOUGHTS and not EMOTIONS Ps. Just don't like MS-DOS. (Phil W) Ok My view is colored by my extensive use of PC's, writing PC m/l programs, etc I find either OS just fine -- and I did suffer thru CP/M at one time which makes MS-DOS look like a real champ! (done) (R Caley) ok I prefer OS-9 (done) (Sysop Denny) Ok, we're getting a few more Q's Next up is Ed. ga Ed Ooops that was William and he's gone Ga Phil F (Phil F) Another one for the stupid question file I've seen references to various operating systems TS-DOS, MS-DOS, C/PM etc. What's the difference? (R Caley) [yikes] (Sysop Denny) Well, TS-DOS is a operating (Phil W) [Significant!] (Sysop Denny) system for the M100 and TDD And MS-DOS and CP/M are for desktop machines and the new IBM clone portables. (Phil F) Ok (Sysop Denny) (haven't seen a CP/M portable) (Phil F) If the only difference is the machine they work on, (Phil W) yes you have! (R Caley) [there is one] (Phil F) Is it possible to use a disk from TS-DOS to a desktop (I think C/PM)? (Sysop Denny) Well, yes (Phil W) [not cp/m] (Sysop Denny) there is one program that will access the TDD directly called Lapdos It uses the COM1 or COM2 ports on the back of an MS-DOS machine to access a TDD directly. (Phil W) Denny, note taht the Starlet [nec ???] and the PX-8 Geneva are cp/m laptops. (R Caley) [that's the one] (Sysop Denny) Oh yes! I used a Geneva Yeech! (Phil W) They aren't bad with disks -- but to have cm/m with no disk drive is somewhat poitless, which is why the M100 is such a good design: OS is optimized around NOT having a disk drive but having non-volatile RAM instead. MS-DOS laptop with non-volatile rAM will be the logical competitor, so you can boot from a RAM disk with DOS in ROM otherewise will not get convenience of turn it on and type. (Sysop Denny) Phil, I curious... how many roms does it take for MS-DOS on the T1000? (Phil W) Welll total OS is 200K. [includes lots of utilitiues in ROM] (Sysop Denny) I wonder if they are using the new 1meg roms. If not, it'd take about 8 of them. (Phil W) Oddly enuff it is setup as a 720K apparent disk drive, with 500K free (but cannot write to it!) (Sysop Denny) Well, we digress Do I need to get the slides out? Ah ha! I knew that would do it! (ERIC WEINSTEIN) I was thinking of getting a desktop to function as a DVI, for the disk drive and monitor. Has anyone tryed this? (Sysop Denny) Well, You're ok as far as using it as a disk drve extension for the M100, (ERIC WEINSTEIN) I'm too cheap to spend $500 at RS to improve my M100! (Sysop Denny) (off line storage) But you wouldn't be able to use the screen directly. (At least I don't think so) Why would you spend $500? (DVI's are on sale at 199) (ERIC WEINSTEIN) I diidn't know that. Thanks!! (Phil W) you can use FLTIBM in DL3 on a PC or compatible and use COM: and a device (as a device) in Basic progams on you Model 100 you can then read from the PC or write to it, with FLTIBM on the PC set up to eith Send or Recieve the ASCII input or output works for only one file at a time, of course but I have successfully disassemlved to a PC disk and assembled from one with that technique. But TDD with third part OS is as fast and a bit more portable than my desktop PC (grin)! (Sysop Denny) Yeah, I'd opt for a TDD before a DVI. (ERIC WEINSTEIN) I was thinking of this as home base. (Sysop Denny) Ok, any more on this? (ERIC WEINSTEIN) The monitor would be a big help, but will have to stay home. Thanks for the help. (John O'F) Has anyone ever made up a n auto-dial statement including the "*" from the lower left side of the dialing pad. I need to use it to block out incoming beeps which knock me off line. (Sysop Denny) John, You can do that by inserting 1170 instead of *70. Works just the same. (John O'F) perfect...thanks. (WILLIAM E. SMITH) HI NEW USER AND LOST TO THE MAX. HELP (Sysop Denny) Well, what are you trying to do, HELP is a little nonspecific. (DAN H) Hello all, this is my first time here (WILLIAM E. SMITH) CANT STOP A SCROLL TO PULL UP WHAT I WANT (Sysop Denny) Hi Dan, We are helping William here first. You can stop scrolling by typing a S and resume by typing Q (WILLIAM E. SMITH) YES BUT THEN CANT TYPE A COMM. (Sysop Denny) Is that what you wanted to do? You should be able to type at any of the prompts (WILLIAM E. SMITH) I WANT TO PULL UP DOWNLD AND DOWNLD IT (Sysop Denny) anywhere else, the typing won't be recognized. Are you using an M100 or T200? (WILLIAM E. SMITH) WHENI DO AND HIT ENT. I EIGTHER MOVE ON OR BACK TO M 100 (Sysop Denny) Ok, if you want to start downloading at any point, just hit the F2 key and everything will stop, waiting for input of a filename. After you enter the filename the scroll will continue and you'll capture everything after that point. BUT We have prepared a file on that subject, which provides greater detail than we can in this conference situation. To read the file, type the letter B at the main menu function prompt (where you can read or leave messages) and press the ENTER key. At the next menu, type the number 4 and press ENTER to read the file. Suggest you echo a copy to your printer for later review. (Turn on Printer and press F5 button) OK? (WILLIAM E. SMITH) OK THANK YOU (Greg) I have a print problem on a tandy 600 (Sysop Denny) Oh (Greg) Do you think you can help? (Sysop Denny) Well, you'll have to leave a message for Tony (Greg) OK (Sysop Denny) he is our resident 600 expert. Just use SYSOP for the "To" address (Greg) I Know I've seen a lot of his work. (Sysop Denny) and he'll help you out. Seems like we have a mostly west coast crowd here. (I use the term "crowd" loosely) (Greg) Is it allways this slow? (Sysop Denny) Heh, heh... (Greg) ? (Sysop Denny) Well, when there is no guest or special topic, things slow down a bit and the summer has taken it's toll this year. (Greg) Where are the other 4 who are here? (Sysop Denny) Well, two of me are here in LA along with Phil and Peter. (Greg) Is it possible to upload Messages? (Sysop Denny) Yes You can compose offline, and then use the (Greg) Is there a file that would explane how? (Sysop Denny) Oops! you have a 600, right? (Greg) Right! (Sysop Denny) Well, it's a little more complicated but it is possible. Tony has the procedure down. (Greg) I'm set up to use XMODEM but I can reset for M100. (Sysop Denny) (I'm not sure it's in a file yet) (Greg) Thanks anyway. (Sysop Denny) Oh, if you have an M100 also, it's a lot easier You can just use the F3 key at the point where you'd normally start typing the message. (use a width of 79) (Greg) No I would reset My settings on Comp. & Computer. (Sysop Denny) You mean on the 600? (Greg) I have F3 for capture Text and F4 for print text. Yes. Talk to Tony. (Sysop Denny) Ok, well you immiediately lose me when it comes to the 600. (Greg) Sorry Well I guess I better go Can't spend too much money! (Sysop Denny) Ok, no problem. We might just leave a little early too. (Greg) Whats the code out? (Sysop Denny) ^C will work, or /ex. (Greg) Thanks, Bye (Sysop Denny) Well, by default, it looks like we're out of time for this morning's conference. So I'll end the formal conference now. Feel free to stick around and chat further, if you like. Thanks for coming this morning, we appreciate your input. Bye. *** END OF CONFERENCE *** List of Participants: 70250,211 PETER 71046,567 Tim 71246,460 John O'F 71266,125 Phil 72216,512 GENE NESTRO 72300,2132 Greg 72316,647 R Caley 72757,3140 ian erlandsen 73117,1035 Phil F 73200,426 Ed W. 74270,1571 WILLIAM E. SMITH 74656,2467 DAN H 76672,2222 ARNOLD SILVERMAN 76672,577 ERIC WEINSTEIN 76701,40 Sysop Denny