B� Ro� Jacobs

Ron Jacobs' phone number is (415)525-9425.


                            VAPORWAR�  

I'm doin� it�  I'm writing m� ow� vaporwar� (softwar� publicl� �
announce� bu� no� read� t� market)�  I'v� bee� a� i� fo� years�  �
I� bega� a� � progra� t� hel� m� t� alig� dis� drive� whil� the� �
wer� installe� i� Morro� Micr� Decisions�  � wante� t� b� abl� t� �
mov� th� dis� hea� easil� t� an� track�  Tha� wa� year� ago�  An� �
� accomplishe� i� year� ago�  � coul� ente� jus� tw� digit� o� �
th� keyboar� an� th� hea� woul� mov� t� tha� track�  � didn'� �
hav� t� precede th� tw� digit� wit� anythin� an� � didn'� hav� t� �
pres� return�  Jus� tw� keystrokes�  An� t� alig� doubl� side� �
drive� � ha� t� b� abl� t� choos� th� side� s� � programme� th� �
"S� ke� t� switc� th� selecte� side�  Bu� the� � als� wante� t� �
b� abl� t� contro� � fe� othe� function� a� lon� a� � wa� a� it�  �
S� � mad� th� "M� ke� toggl� th� driv� moto� O� an� OFF�  O� �
cours� � als� ha� t� b� abl� t� choos� betwee� th� A� an� B� �
drives� an� th� C� an� D� drive� i� the� wer� installed�  Thi� �
wa� al� s� (relatively� simple.

Bu� sometime� � driv� need� mor� tha� alignment�  S� � adde� th� �
abilit� t� forma� � track� an� the� th� abilit� t� rea� an� writ� �
sectors�  Sinc� i� wa� possibl� t� choos� differen� secto� size� �
an� singl� o� doubl� density� � adde� tha� too�  No� � ca� rea� �
an� writ� sector� t� IB� disk� o� � Micr� Decision�  An� � ca� �
rea� secto� header� an� writ� whateve� cylinder� head� secto� �
numbe� an� secto� siz� informatio� � wan� int� th� secto� �
headers�  An� se� th� hea� loa� an� unloa� time� an� th� ste� �
rat� an� th� forma� ga� lengt� an� th� rea� ga� length�  Sinc� � �
ca� d� al� o� thi� i� woul� b� nic� t� b� abl� t� writ� an� edi� �
� strin� o� command� an� the� ru� th� string�  S� � adde� tha� �
capability�  An� � mad� i� al� smal� enoug� t� fi� ont� � RO� s� �
� coul� troubl� shoo� Micr� Decisio� computer� tha� wouldn'� �
boot�  � pu� � memor� too� (simila� t� DDT� ont� th� sam� ROM.
Th� memor� too� i� execelen� t� us� i� diagnosin� ba� RAM.

No� � realiz� � hav� � problem� � don'� kno� ho� t� sto� mysel� �
o� i� � wan� to�  � as� mysel� wh� I'� doin� al� o� this�  Th� �
bes� answe� � ca� thin� o� i� tha� � wan� to� a� som� peopl� wan� �
t� clim� mountains�  Recentl� i� occurre� t� m� tha� thi� progra� �
tha� I'v� fi� ont� � Micr� Decisio� RO� i� ver� nearl� � CP/� �
BIO� (th� par� o� CP/� that'� customize� fo� th� compute� �
hardwar� tha� CP/� i� runnin� on)�  S� � coul� mak� � ne� Micr� �
Decisio� BIO� ou� o� m� driv� alignmen� software�  Wel� wh� not�  �
� haven'� climbe� moun� Everes� ye� i� m� lif� either.


                  COMMUNICATION� FRO� BAS� CAMP 

Toda� � stoppe� thinkin� o� m� progra� a� � driv� alignmen� an� �
repai� program�  I� wil� alway� b� usefu� fo� that�  Bu� no� tha� �
� ca� se� i� a� � BIOS� m� goa� i� t� mak� i� int� � BIO� whil� �
retainin� it� othe� uses�  I'v� learne� � lo� abou� survival� �
simplicity� an� eleganc� sinc� � bega� thi� trip�  Whil� � hav� � �
ver� usefu� progra� wit� � goo� use� interface� it'� take� ��disciplin� an� har� wor� t� fi� i� ont� � ROM�  I'v� learne� � �
lo� o� assembl� languag� programmin� technique�  I'v� com� t� �
respec� thos� Micr� Decisio� BIO� programmer� fro� Morro� wh� �
passe� thi� wa� lon� befor� � eve� conceive� o� mysel� a� capabl� �
o� gettin� here�  A� thi� poin� th� goa� look� s� overwhelmin� �
tha� I'� jus� lik� t� b� abl� t� boo� CP/� wit� m� ow� BIO� s� �
tha� � coul� sa� I'� don� it�  A� thi� poin� � don'� wan� t� �
thin� abou� ho� muc� extr� tim� i� woul� tak� t� writ� � �
FORMAT.CO� progra� tha� woul� wor� wit� m� BIOS�  Wher� woul� � �
sto� wit� somethin� a� simpl� a� � FORMA� program�  � coul� ad� �
IB� dis� capabilitie� an� the� dozen� o� hundred� o� othe� �
formats�  An� suppor� fo� � 1/� inc� drive� an� qua� densit� �
drive� an� ...