============================================================================== [ THE KAY*FOG RBBS | Filename=CPM-CC17.ART | posted 07/05/86 | 181 lines 11k ] The CP/M Connection Originally published in by Computer Currents Ted Silveira 5720 Hollis Street (copyright and all rights reserved) Emeryville, CA 94608 December 17, 1985 CHRISTMAS TREATS The shopping madness is on you--a kaleidoscope whirl of stores, catalogues, and wrapping paper. Take advantage of this frenzy to do something nice for yourself and your computer (or for someone you know who has a computer). Here are some suggestions for your Christmas list: [ MUST-HAVES ] [Key-definition programs] If you've never used a key-definition program such as XtraKey or SmartKey, it's hard to imagine what they can do for you. Believe me, they can supercharge your current software and make it possible for you to do things you couldn't do before. Briefly, a key-definition program enables you to build and store keyboard _macros_, strings of commands or plain text that can be thousands of characters long. You can recall one of these macros, in the middle of using another program, with just one or two keystrokes-- the computer will spit out the stored characters just as if you'd typed them in at the keyboard, only much faster. By having a complicated word processing or spreadsheet command available at the touch of a key, you save time and effort. But the real benefit comes when you combine commands to do things you couldn't before. To give just one example, I have WordStar macros that will mark or even delete a sentence or a whole paragraph at a single stroke. There are several key-definition programs available for general CP/M computers. XtraKey and SmartKey are the two most popular, both selling for about $50. I've used both, and it's really a toss-up which one is best. SmartKey has the advantage if your computer uses a terminal with preprogrammed function keys, like the Televideo 925. Otherwise, I'd give XtraKey a slight edge. Both are solid products. [Disk conversion programs] After you have a key-definition program, take a look at a disk conversion program such as Uniform, Compat, or Media Master. These programs allow your computer to read, write, and even format disks for many other CP/M computers (usually 50 or more). If you have to exchange disks with people who have different computers or want to have access to commercial software and large libraries of public domain software that may be distributed in different disk formats, then you _need_ a disk conversion program. Just within the last two months, I've had to deal with disks in Morrow, Kaypro, Osborne, Epson, and IBM formats, mostly to send out articles I'd written. And if you have a lesser known CP/M computer such as a Televideo, Visual, or Sanyo, a disk conversion program becomes especially important--you can't even expect that other CP/M people will be able to handle your format as Kaypro and Osborne owners often can. The three programs I mentioned--Uniform, Compat, and Media Master-- are the most common ones. If one of these isn't available for your particular computer and you can't find a substitute, rattle the manufacturers' cages until they support your computer, too. [ BARGAINS ] [MicroPro's bargain basement] The December issue of _Profiles_ magazine (put out by Kaypro) contains a two page ad from MicroPro, makers of WordStar, advertising various "Star" products at bargain prices. The ad lists MailMerge at $49, SpellStar (spelling checker) at $49, StarIndex (for indexing documents) at $49, WordStar 3.3 at $169, CalcStar (a spreadsheet) at $49, and InfoStar 1.0 (a database manager) at $129--all approximately 50% off their usual price. Presumably, the MailMerge and SpellStar are meant to work with WordStar 3.3. The prices are excellent. The catch is that this offer is being made to _Profiles_ readers, so I'm sure that this software is on Kaypro- format disks and is pre-installed for the '84 model Kaypro terminal characteristics. If you have an '84 Kaypro, that's great. You can order by calling 1-800-433-0100, extension 112. But if you have an older Kaypro, or some computer other than a Kaypro, don't jump for that phone. You'd not only have to be able to read the Kaypro-format disk, you'd also have to reinstall some of the programs for your own computer (certainly WordStar, CalcStar, and InfoStar). Since the installation programs with pre-installed software are usually "crippled" to keep you out of the terminal installation section, you'd have to use either the installation program's label- patcher (as in WordStar) or DDT together with one of the public domain lists of patch points (such as WS33.DOC) to hack out a new installation. In addition, the Kaypro-installed software often has special routines in the INISUB, UNISUB, and MORPAT areas to program the Kaypro cursor keys. [Half-price KAMAS] I've already reviewed two outline processors here, SmartBrain last issue and the public domain TOUR20 some time back, but the CP/M outline processor that's been around the longest is KAMAS. KAMAS has its quirks. It tries to offer a little bit of everything-- outline processor, word processor, database, programming language, and communications. As a result, it's complex and probably not as good at any one thing as it could be if more focused. It also uses your disk drives a lot (much more than WordStar) so that it's occasionally sluggish unless you have a hard disk or RAM disk. On the other hand, despite these and other criticisms I have of KAMAS, I still think it's the best of the available CP/M outline processors (though not the best there could be), mainly because it's the only one that's really screen-oriented (in the way that a good word processor is screen-oriented). And now, KAMASOFT is offering KAMAS at half price--$75--until December 31. At this price, it's a good deal. [1200 baud modems] Modems are the devices that allow your computer to talk over the phone lines. Even more than user groups, they are the real key to the wealth of public domain software. They are also your key to the world of electronic mail, electronic information services, and electronic conferencing (read the December _Byte_). You can now find 1200 baud Hayes-compatible modems for $200-250. If you're at all interested in computer communications, why wait? [The Free List] I've spent many column-inches covering the treasures of the public domain, so I won't recap it all here. Instead, I'd like to point out two lists that, along with a modem and a good communications program, will open up the treasure chest for you. These lists are text files that you can find on most active CP/M bulletin board systems. [PDSE068.LST] This file is the Public Domain Software Exchange list. It records all the currently known and verified bulletin board systems (in the U. S. and Canada) that have public domain software available for downloading, and it is updated frequently (068 is the current version number). The list is 56K in squeezed form, and each entry gives the name of the system and of the operator, the phone number, its approximate location, the modem speeds it accepts, the amount of storage it has, and various other facts, including what kind of software it emphasizes and whether registration is required. You could spend a year working your way through this list if you had enough dimes. [PD28NOV.AVL] This massive list (72K in squeezed form) gives the files available on eight major CP/M bulletin board systems (four of them local!). It contains 4,971 file names and, better yet, tells you which of the eight systems each file can be found on. If you've ever wasted an evening chasing from one bulletin board to another trying to locate a particular file, this list is for you. Part of the list's name--28NOV-- reflects the date on which it was compiled (November 28), so new versions of the list will show later dates. Just look for PD*.*, and you'll find both this list and the previous one. That's all for now. _Computer Currents_ is taking an issue off, so I'll see you in January. Happy New Year. Sources: XtraKey Compat Xpert Software Mycroft Labs, Inc. 8865 Polland Avenue P.O. Box 6045 San Diego, CA 92123 Tallahassee, FL 32314 619/268-0112 904/385-1141 SmartKey Media Master Software Research Technologies, Inc. Spectre Technologies, Inc. 3757 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 211 22458 Ventura Blvd. Suite E Los Angeles, CA 90010 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 213/384-5430 818/716-1655 Uniform KAMAS MicroSolutions KAMASOFT, Inc. 125 South fourth Street 2525 S.W. 224th Avenue DeKalb, IL 60115 Aloha, OR 97007 815/756-3411 503/649-3765 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ted Silveira is a freelance writer and contributing editor to several computer-oriented publications. He appreciates suggestions or feedback and can be reached through the KAY*FOG RBBS (415)285-2687 and CompuServe (72135,1447) or by mail to 2756 Mattison Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95065. ------------------------- End of CPM-CC17.ART Text -------------------------