This document is a review of Sigea Systems' Telecommuter. Print it at 12 characters per inch. Model 100 on a Desktop: Telecommuter by Peter Ross Copyright by Peter Ross. Published in Terry Kepner's Portable 100, October, 1991, pp. 20-23. Used with permission of both the author and the publisher. I have a love-hate relationship with MS-DOS programs. I crave their power, but loathe their long, and unintuitive sets of commands. Why can't IBM compatibles have the Model 100's familiar and simple, yet capable interface? Ah, but they can! If you feel the way I do about MS-DOS, Sigea Systems of Weston Massachusetts has the solution for you. Telecommuter is an integrated word processing and telecommunications program for MS-DOS, which emulates and enhances the functionality of the Model 100 while overcoming most of its limitations. It uses the same commands as the Model 100, simplifies file transfers between the two machines, and facilitates cooperation between your two working environments. Since it runs on an MS- DOS platform, it can provide you with a MUCH larger workspace, and many enhancements that the Model 100 programmers were unable to cram into the handy Tandy's 32K 'brain'. WORD PROCESSING FEATURES Like the Model 100's main menu, Telecommuter takes a middle ground between MS-DOS' command line and the Macintosh or Microsoft Windows GUI interface. As with the Model 100, you have the speed and ease of semi- graphically moving around between filenames, yet you can always go into BASIC on the Model 100, or back to the DOS prompt in Telecommuter if you need to have hands-on control over your computer. Both programs minimize the number of keystrokes required to perform common editing functions. It takes nine keystrokes to select, cut/copy, and paste in Wordstar, but only three in Telecommuter or Model 100 TEXT. True, with the more recent versions of WordPerfect or Microsoft Word you get automatic footnoting, and other fancy features, but you also pay for it in RAM cram, and ease of doing your core task as a writer - WRITING. Table I presents a comparison of the number of keystrokes it takes to accomplish the same task in several different word processors. Table I Number of keystrokes required to perform common wordprocessing tasks Feature Model 100 Telecommuter WordPerfect Wordstar Select, cut and paste 3 3 7 9 Exit and save edited file 1 2 5 3 Import text from disk/cassette 2 2 5 4 1 Telecommuter's text editing keys operate basically the same way as Model 100's. The names of the function keys are displayed across the bottom of the screen all the time, so you can use the program without having to refer to a manual. And the function key assignments are the same as the Model 100's. In the editor, F9 is used as the PASTE button, and F10 is used to call up the help facility. The Model 100 editor's control key codes are also reproduced faithfully. Table II show the very few differences between the cursor movement keys in the two programs, and some of the enhancements. Comparison of Model 100 and Telecommuter Text Editors Table II Cursor movement Function Model 100 Telecommuter CTRL+letter keys <-----same-----> CTRL+RIGHT/LEFT <-----same-----> Move to top/bottom of file CTRL+UP/DOWN CTRL+HOME/END or CTRL+PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN SHIFT+cursor keys <-----same-----> Delete letter at cursor SHIFT+BKSP DEL or CTRL+BKSP Delete to end of word / SHIFT+DEL Delete to end of line / GREY MINUS Insert most recently deleted letter / INSERT Insert most recently deleted word / SHIFT+INSERT But Telecommuter doesn't stop there. It also includes some enhancements that are reminiscent of the best ROM-based Model 100 word processing programs. Print formatting is accomplished using dot commands. Pages can be numbered and given headers and footers automatically. Text can be right- justified, centered, indented, outdented or included from another file when printing. Special fonts such as boldface, underlining and italics can be embedded into the text. In addition to an 80 column by 21 line workspace Telecommuter's editing enhancements include adjustable tabs, search-and-replace, a toggle between insert and overstrike modes and keys for deleting (and re-inserting) one word or line at a time. Telecommuter's printing and editing enhancements are summarized in Table III. Table III Comparison of Miscellaneous Features Features Model 100 Telecommuter Search & replace no yes Overstrike mode available no yes Help facility no yes See directory from within a file no yes Operating system available from within file no yes Number of columns on screen 40 80 Number of lines on screen 8 21 Formats when printing no yes Print format previewing no yes 2 Telecommuters SAVE and LOAD commands differ slightly from their Model 100 counterparts. For the most part, these differences are either enhancements, or reflect differences which are inherent to the design of the two computers. While you are working on one file, Telecommuter allows you to either save, load or append to another file on disk. One very useful enhancement is that you can and cut, copy, append, save, delete, or print selected text (i.e. only a portion of your document) to a second file. And now the best news. Telecommuter allows you to edit much larger text files than does the Model 100. It handles files up to 65K intact. Larger files are handled in chunks of about 50K at a time. Let's say, for example, you want to work on a 250K file. First you select the filename with the widebar cursor and press ENTER. Telecommuter loads in the first 50K of text and leaves you at the bottom of the file. You make your changes in this portion of the document, and move onto the next 50K of the text by hitting ALT+F2. You edit this portion of the text, and continue through the document by hitting ALT+F2 each time you've finished a section. When you're done, just hit F8 as you normally would. This is not the most elegant way to handle large text-files. but it is certainly a big improvement on the Model 100's editor. In practice, working with 50K-65K blocks is more convenient than it might first appear. Even when writing something as large as a book, it is usually easier (and safer!) to work on only one chapter at a time. Using Telecommuter's file inclusion dot command, you can string together all the chapters of the book when it comes time to print it. Telecommuter makes search-and-replacing text easy in large files by remembering your prompts. For example, you could change all the occurrences of 'Portable 100' to 'PORTABLE 100' in the first 50K of your book, press ALT+F2, and easily make the same changes in subsequent portions by accepting the prompts supplied by the program. Both the Find and Search and replace functions are able to perform 'fuzzy' searches using a single-character wildcard. Using this feature, you could change all occurrences of 'forth' and 'fifth' to 'faith' by specifying f??th as the search string. Additional enhancements to the word processing capability include a key to take you to the beginning of the next line on the screen; and a program that reformats documents by removing unnecessary 'soft' carriage returns from imported text. ADDRESS DATABASE Telecommuter also provides an address database module that is like the Model 100's ADDRSS program. In this incarnation, the program takes on the character of a full-fledged address database with a data entry template similar to those one might use with Lucid Data, CRDFIL, or T-base. One welcome enhancement is that the program may be used as a phone dialer from both the telcom and the address database modules. 3 In another enhancement, the database may be used to create mail-merge letters. I've used this feature to a print out a newsy Christmas letter to all my friends. With the mail-merge feature, I was able to personalize the heading and greeting on each letter, and to create corresponding mailing labels. You can also keep separate address lists for different groups; e.g. friends vs. companies and business associates. It's worth mentioning that you may import your existing Model 100 ADRS.DO file and use it directly if you choose to by removing or renaming the default TC.ADR database file in your Telecommuter program directory. This type of file compatibility reduces your start-up time considerably. Alternatively, you may choose to convert your ADRS.DO file to Telecommuter's database format using a utility supplied with the program. Finally, you can 'clone' entries to save time in entering the same information twice on similar records; merge items from two different lists; and sort address lists on any of nine different fields, including last name, phone number, city, state, zip code, country, company and either of two comment lines. TELCOM The telecommunications module, as you might expect, has all the strengths of the Model 100's, with several enhancements. F5 allows you to hang up without leaving terminal mode. F6 allows you to change address databases. With F7, you can instruct the program to use or ignore the area code information you have entered in the database, thus allowing you to save all entries in the standard 1- format. Let's say you live in Manhattan and you want to make a local call to someone in the St. Louis, where you are currently attending a conference. By pressing F7, you can set the local area code to 1-314. The program will compare the 1-314 area code of the person you're calling to the 1-314 you've just entered. When it sees the number 1-314-123-4567, it will delete the 1- 314 before dialing. There are similar convenience features for adding 1- to medium-distance numbers within your area code, and for using telephone credit cards. Finally, the program includes the ability to send and receive files using the Xmodem error-checking protocol. Telcom junkies know how important it is to use a protocol such as Xmodem for ensuring that data is not corrupted during transmission. Table IV Comparison of Model 100 and Telecommuter TELCOM Features Feature Model 100 Telecommuter Built in Xmodem no yes Autodials phone at 300 baud yes yes Autodials phone at 1200 baud no yes Macros no yes Change area code without altering database file no yes Reports time spent online no yes 4 SUPPORT Unlike the typical salespeople at Radio Shack, the people who sell Telecommuter know their product well. Unlimited free technical support is provided by co-owner Harry Brawley, who reminds me of the Maytag repairmen that you see in the ads on TV; he gets very few calls. Presumably this is because, as Sigea's logo says, the program is SO SIMPLE to use. Harry is responsive to customer needs and requests. In the course of preparing this review, Harry and I carried on a conversation by Email that totalled over 100K of messages. I made several suggestions, many of which he accepted and decided to incorporate into subsequent versions of the program. QUIBBLES I have found almost all aspects of Telecommuter to have been well executed. I would be remiss in my duties as a reviewer, however, if I didn't point out its very few blemishes. Personally, I found the current manuals somewhat confusing. And in fact, I did better by following the instructions in the README file on the program disk, and ignoring the printed documentation. I just copied everything onto my hard drive, typed in TC at the C:\TC\> prompt, hit return and everything worked out fine. The folks at Sigea claim that they usually ship the program with only a reference card and no manuals since almost everything you need to know is prompted on the screen and as their logo says, it's 'SO SIMPLE' to use. In addition, they promised a thorough rewrite of the documentation in the near future. Some readers might find the lack of need for a manual refreshing. There are a few features that I wish Sigea had included in the program. In particular, I wish that there were function keys that would allow the user to rename and copy files at the word processor menu screen. These functions can be accomplished by 'shelling out' and executing these commands at the DOS prompt, but it would be more convenient if rename and copy commands were integrated into the program. Sigea has promised to add these functions to the next version of the program. Another item on my wish list would be to include more file-transfer protocols than just Xmodem. Kermit, for example, is essential for exchanging files with many mainframes, and there are other, more recent protocols that enable more rapid file transfer than Xmodem. To be fair, however, Xmodem is by far the most widely used file transfer protocol in existence, and it is still the only protocol supported by many online services. CONCLUSION Growing up from a Model 100 to an MS-DOS computer has many advantages. The vastly greater power of the MS-DOS machine and its improved display make editing many times faster and easier. Telecommuter provides excellent upward compatibility from the Model 100. The word-processor is simple, familiar and easy to use. Cursor control, and manipulation of blocks of text is accomplished with a standardized, bare minimum of cursor movements. The print-formatting dot commands and text editing enhancements will be very familiar to users of SuperRom, and for the most part to users of T-Word. Model 100 users will also be pleased by the many enhancements to the address database and telecommunications programs. 5 I like Telecommuter. Its operation is almost identical to the Model 100. Since function key prompts are always visible, or just the touch of a button away very little needs to be memorized. And Telecommuter requires very little in the way of hardware power. It will run on very low-powered machines - even a 4.77Mhz PC with 256K of RAM. Telecommuter lives up to its intention of combining the best features of the Model 100's environment with the power of an IBM Compatible. It makes the transition to MS-DOS SO SIMPLE. * * * * * * * * * * SIDEBARS AND OTHER SMALL UNITS OF TEXT X-TEL SIDEBAR X-TEL is a TELCOM enhancement program for the Model 100. It is the only Xmodem program available that allows the user to transfer .CO and .BA files between desktop and Model 100 without having to convert them to ASCII first. This is a real convenience on the road, or anytime when you don't have a Portable Disk Drive available. You can just slip a disk into a friend's PC or Macintosh, attach a cable and download your files - even programs - without having to recreate them from time-consuming and RAM-hogging loader programs. X-TEL allows you to see a directory of files, delete files, run BASIC programs, and access the TEXT editor of your Model 100 while online. In addition, X-TEL allow you to download directly to storage devices such as the Node Datapac, the PCSG/Cryptonics 96K Memory Expansion RAM, the Booster Pak, or the extRAM, as well as to other devices which are no longer commercially available. SIDEBAR: VERSIONS OF Telecommuter Telecommuter comes in several different configurations. The smallest package consists of a word processor and file transfer program. The larger packages consist of various combinations of add-on options. Write-It is for people who want word processing and file transfer but don't need full terminal emulation capabilities. $125 Classic is the recommended choice for the person who is moving from a Model 100 to an MS-DOS portable or desktop computer. The commands are nearly identical - only there are more of them - so it's easy to learn. Classic includes fast file transfer; an address database; Xmodem; and the ability to 'shell out' to DOS from both the telcom and word processing modules. $200 Plus has all the features of Classic plus a Host mode, which enables a user to call into his/her home computer from a remote location to transfer files, leave messages, and have access to all of its resources. For those perverse enough to try, it is even possible to run LOTUS 123 from a Model 100 keyboard, although you'll have to rely on the desktop's screen to see what you're doing. $400 [Editor's note: The current upgrade of Telecommuter contains a spelling checker in addition to numerous other improvements.] 6 Telecommuter is available from: Sigea Systems 19 Pelham Road Weston, MA 02193 617-647-1098 SIDEBAR: FAST FILE TRANSFER SIDEBAR One of the most attractive features of the Model 100 that you can use it to enter text or data anywhere - while lounging in the sun, or on a flight to Nepal. Once back to their home or office, however, many users transfer their work to a desktop to massage it into final copy. Telecommuter's Fast File Transfer module simplifies the process of exchanging files between laptop and desktop by presetting the communication parameters in the desktop, and supplying prompts on the screens of both computers. SIDEBAR: MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND RAM USAGE COMPARISON Telecommuter will run in as little as 256K, making it ideal on MS-DOS laptops, and leaving plenty of room for TSRs. Major players like WordPerfect and Microsoft Word require much more RAM space, and cannot be used easily on floppy-only systems. 256K RAM 720K of floppy storage capacity. Any video adapter SIDEBAR: MARKET 1) Model 100 users who want to upgrade to a compatible, but enhanced working environment. 2) Low-end MS-DOS laptop users who don't want to or can't use a heavy-weight word processing package because of memory restrictions. 3) Those who prefer an easy-to-use word processor to the latest, most complex word processor. AUTHOR BIO Peter Ross has taught English as a Second Language in New York and Tokyo, where he acquired his first Tandy computer in 1986. Recently he has added a megabyte of RAM and upgraded his 'Model 100 environment' to an 80286 processor that runs at 12MHz. He may be reached on Compuserve (72027,3653) or MCI Mail (448-6073). 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY: Previous Reviews of Telecommuter DeJean, David (1989). Remote Possibilites: Out of town doesn't have to mean out of touch: New communication tools keep you in constant contact. PC Computing Magazine, July. Falk, Lawrence C. (1985). Telecommuter: What was good is now better. PCM. Grevstad, Eric, (1988). Integrated alternatives. 80 Micro, May. Grevstad, Eric, (1986). Telecommuter laptop meets desktop. Tele - The Communications Magazine for Business, January. Falk, Lawrence C. (1985). Telecommuter: Impressive, integrated sofware with 'team spirit'. PCM, January. McManus, Joseph (1985). Telecommuter: Software that's ingenious. PICO, January. Mello, John P. (1985). The best shot yet for marital bliss. Portable 100/200, March. Rich, Jason R. (1986). XMODEM: The communications Frontier. PICO's Journal, September. Schwartz, Jim (1986). Telecommuter - laptop to PC link. Research in Word Processing Newsletter, 4:1. Shad, Scott T. (1988). Sigea Systems' Telecommuter: The obvious upgrade path. PICO, April Townsend, Anthony D. (1985). Where does software come from? PICO, February. Zeichick, Alan L. (1986). The silence is deafening. Portable 100/200/600, March. 8