editorial,commentary,IBM PC,graphics,SIGGRAPH '84,show W. Fastie DIRECTIONS - "Graphics" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 5Commentary on the poor graphics capabilities of the IBM PC, and some observatins at SIGGRAPH '84 in Minneapolis. help,Q&A,Pascal,8087,FORMAT,branch,loop,batch,COMMAND,Hercules LETTERS PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 121)MS Pascal 3.2 OK with 8087 chip, 2)DOS 2.1 FORMAT patch, 3)Branching out of loop (BASIC), 4)COMMAND processor problem (Notebook 10, v.1 n.3 p.223), 5)Hercules Graphics Card/peek/poke.review,formatter,utility,TIDY,Major,PASCAL UTILITIES,Seven ValleyS. Armbrust and T. Forgeron "The Well-Formatted Pascal" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 22Review of two Pascal formatting utilities: TIDY (by Major Soft- ware) and PASCAL UTILITIES (by Seven Valleys Software). review,DOS Commander,DOS Ease,DOS Shell,Applitek,XTC,utility A. A. Gleckler "DOS Shells Continued" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 36Review of the DOS shell utilities: DOS Commander (by Applitek), DOS Ease (by Software Solutions), and DOS Shell (by XTC Hand- crafted Software). tutorial,floating-point,arithmetic,add,subtract R. Gray "Significant Figures, I" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 54First of three articles (tutorials) on floating-point arithmetic on the IBM PC. This time, addition and subtraction. tutorial,mouse,INTR,Turbo Pascal,Borland International J. Duntemann TECH NOTEBOOK 24 - "Talking to a Mouse from Turbo Pascal" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 63Tutorial on using the INTR routine of Turbo Pascal (by Borland International) to make mouse function calls. review,MultiLink,Software Link,multitask,multiuser,insert J. E. Roskos "Multitalented" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 64Review of MultiLink (by The Software Link Inc.), a multitasking and multiuser system. [Also, an insert entitled "Debugging MultiLink"]. review,PolyLibrarian,Polytron,SR-LIB,utility,object,linker K. Thomas "Checking Out the Librarians" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 80Review of PolyLibrarian (by Polytron Corp.) and SR-LIB (by Soft- ware Research), utility programs for putting object modules into a single file ("library") which a linker can search through. review,Relay,VM Personal,communication A. Hansen "Instant Relay" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 94Review of Relay, Version 2.3 (by VM Personal Computing Inc.), a communications program. review,BASIC_C,C Source,BASTOC,JMI,C language,utility,convert E. Tello "BASIC To C" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 117Review of two programs (utilities) for helping to convert BASIC programs into C: BASIC_C (by C Source Inc.) and BASTOC (by JMI Software Consultants Inc.). tutorial,assembly,character,color,graphics,NR_PRINT D. Awalt "A Screen Of Many Colors" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 145Assembly language routine (NR_PRINT) to expand character color options. tutorial,MORE.COM,SHOW.COM,patch,redirection,eliminate M. Lesser TECH NOTEBOOK 25 - "MORE without Redirection" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 148Tutorial on how to patch MORE.COM to eliminate the input re- direction symbol (new routine called SHOW.COM to avoid confusion) tutorial,Lotus 1-2-3,worksheet file,BASIC,binary,character,INSIDEW. F. Sharpe "Inside 1-2-3 Worksheet Files" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 155Tutorial on Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet files with a BASIC program (INSIDE.BAS) for reading and printing information from a file (i.e., binary to character to binary). tutorial,MultiLink,debug,interference,prototype board,insert J. E. Roskos "Debugging MultiLink" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 69Insert in "Multitalented" by the author, this article is a tutor-ial on how to eliminate interference with the prototype board (a problem discovered by the author during review of MultiLink). tutorial,BASIC-callable,subroutine,BASLDR,assembly,utility R. Bauman "Basic Elegance" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 181Tutorial: "an annotated walkthrough of the program BASLDR that eases the process of calling subroutines from BASIC". tutorial,BASIC,garbage collection,padding,truncating,upshifting D. Rollins TECH NOTEBOOK 26 - "BASIC String Manipulation" PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 193Undocumented BASIC techniques for working with strings: 1)Garbagecollection, 2)Padding and truncating, 3)Upshifting. book,review,assembly W. H. Murray BOOK REVIEWS PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 195Review of: L. J. Scanlon, IBM PC ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE: A GUIDE FOR PROGRAMMERS (Brady Co., 1983). book,review,Pascal,Sherlock Holmes,beginner,novice J. Duntemann BOOK REVIEWS PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 196Review of: H. Ledgard and A. Singer, ELEMENTARY PASCAL: LEARNING TO PROGRAM YOUR COMPUTER IN PASCAL WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES (Vintage Books, 1982). law,legal,corporation,incorporate,Inc.,entrepreneur M. S. Oppenheimer LEGAL BRIEF - "Mom & Pop Hi-Tech, Inc." PC Tech 84/10 Oct v.2 n.4 197Explanation of how to form a corporation, what the advantages anddisadvantages are, and who should and should not do it. editorial,commentary,IBM,de facto standard,hard disk,future W. Fastie DIRECTIONS - "The Hard (or is it Fixed?) Disk Revolution" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 5Commentary on how "we are sitting on the brink of a big explosionin the market for hard disks", plus how IBM continues to set de facto standards. help,Q&A,prompt,printer,EPSON.COM,INKEY.BAS,FORMAT LETTERS PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 141)Adding "prompt" code to EPSON.COM printer program (Sep. v.2 n.3p.79), 2)INKEY.BAS comments, 3)Bug in previous FORMAT listing (Sep v.2 n.3 p.14). review,Plink86,Phoenix,overlay,linker S. Armbrust and T. Forgeron "Program Orchestration" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 28Review of Plink86 (by Phoenix Software Associates), an overlay linker that can compete with the IBM LINK program. review,hard disk,internal T. V. Hoffmann "Ten By Ten" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 52Comparative review of ten 10-MB internal hard disk systems for the IBM PC. benchmark,hard disk,evaluate,performance,C language,tutorial W. Hunt "Fixed-Disk Benchmarks" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 64Simple, practical benchmarks are given for evaluating hard disk performance (including C language program listings). tutorial,interrupt,non-maskable,NMI,PCjr,patch,DOS 2.1 TECH NOTEBOOK 27 - "Patching a Bug In DOS 2.1" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 71Tutorial on non-maskable interrupts (NMIs) in the PCjr and a patch (supplied by IBM) to DOS 2.1 for curing an improper handling of the segment register and stack pointer. Modula-2,tutorial T.Woteki,A.Freiden,D.Levy,T.Bestul, & R.Stein"MODULAR CONSTRUCTIONS: Introducing Modula-2" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 72Tutorial on the Modula-2 language (with code listings). tutorial,EtherNet,3Ccom,LAN,network,file,share,semaphore,insert W. L. Colsher "Sharing Files" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 99Tutorial on EtherNet and its use of semaphores to prevent users from destroying each other's files (code listings). [Also, an insert entitled "Understanding File and Record Locking"]. LAN,network,file,share,lock,protect,NetWare,Novell,insert W. Fastie "Understanding File and Record Locking" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 106Insert in "Sharing Files" by W. L. Colsher, this article dis- cusses file locking systems, with particular emphasis on a pro- gram called NetWare (by Novell). INFORM,information,retrieval,DBM,BASIC,small business E. Naddor "Fields, Items, & Systems" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 117Overview of an information storage and retrieval system called INFORM, designed and implemented by the author for a small busi- ness (written in BASIC). tutorial,BASIC,SAVEBAS,restore,recover,utility D. Rollins "AARGH! I didn't save my program!" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 134Tutorial on how to recover a BASIC program that you forgot to save prior to exiting to DOS. Utility SAVEBAS is given. review,Smartcom II,Hayes,modem,communication,insert A. Hansen "Screenspeak" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 151Review of Smartcom II (by Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc.), a communications program designed to work with its own modems. [Also, an insert entitled "The XMODEM File Transfer Protocol"]. communication,tutorial,XMODEM,file transfer,protocol,insert A. Hansen "The XMODEM File Transfer Protocol" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 164Insert in "Screenspeak" by the author, this article is a tutorialon the XMODEM file transfer protocol. tutorial,floating-point,arithmetic,divide,multiply R. Gray "Significant Figures, II" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 173Second of three articles (tutorials) on floating-point arithmeticon the IBM PC. This time, multiplication and division. tutorial,serial,communication,port,interrupt,do-it-yourself R. DeMers "A Do It Yourself Digital-Input Port" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 193Tutorial on how to adapt the serial communications port in the IBM PC to generate an external interrupt and accept four-bit digital input. book,review,compiler,interpreter S. Glinert-Cole BOOK REVIEWS PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 201Review of: P. J. Brown, WRITING INTERACTIVE COMPILERS AND INTER- PRETERS (Wiley & Sons, 1981). law,legal,advice,source code,software buyer,business M. S. Oppenheimer LEGAL BRIEF - "The Case of the Missing Programmer" PC Tech 84/11 Nov v.2 n.5 204Advice to software buyers on requiring that programmers provide the source code with their programs. editorial,commentary,IBM PC-AT W. Fastie DIRECTIONS - "ATtention to Detail" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 5Commentary on the good and bad features of the IBM PC-AT. help,Q&A,memory,switch,parity,8087,bug,cursor,EPSON.COM LETTERS PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 161)Memory above switch settings, 2)Parity error/8087 exceptions, 3)Bug in "Strings" (Sep. v.2 n.3 p.11), 4)Disappearing cursor, 5)EPSON.COM/full-line listings. cover story,IBM PC-AT "Impressive AT" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 38Cover article for a special section that follows devoted to the IBM PC-AT and its major elements. review,IBM PC-AT,technical,insert T. V. Hoffmann "Analyzing the Advanced Technology" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 40Very technical review of the IBM PC-AT. [Also, an insert entitled "Adapter Compatibility"]. IBM PC-AT,board,adapter,compatible T. V. Hoffmann "Adapter Compatibility" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 56Insert in "Analyzing the Advanced Technology" by the author, thisarticle discusses what boards (adapters) are compatible between the IBM PC and PC-AT. IBM PC-AT,clock,date,time,SETRTC.BAT,TAD.ASM W. Fastie TECH NOTEBOOK 28 - "Setting The AT's Clock" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 57Programs for setting the clock on the IBM PC-AT (SETRTC.BAT and TAD.ASM). review,comparative,IBM PC-AT,PC-XT,Wang,Tandy,MAD,Compaq,insert W. Fastie "Configurations and Pricing in the IBM Family" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 58Discussion of how the IBM PC-AT (Model 5170 configuration) com- pares with the PC-XT and with the competition (Compaq, MAD, Wang,and Tandy). [Also, an insert entitled "IBM and Graphics"]. IBM,Enhanced Graphics,adapter,board,Professional Graphics,insert W. Fastie "IBM and Graphics" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 67Insert in "Configurations and Pricing in the IBM Family" by the author, this article is a short overview of the Enhanced Graphicsboard and Professional Graphics systems just announced by IBM. review,DOS 3.0,insert J. Anderson "Irresistible DOS 3.0" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 74Review of DOS 3.0 (by IBM). [Also, an insert entitled "New Commands in BASIC 3.0"]. BASIC 3.0,new commands,list,insert J. Anderson "New Commands in BASIC 3.0" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 86Insert in "Irresistible DOS 3.0" by the author, this article lists the new commands in BASIC 3.0. review,IBM PC Network,LAN,insert S. Glinert-Cole "A Network for all Reasons" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 90Review of the IBM PC Network, announced concurrently with the PC-AT. [Also, an insert entitled "Price/Configuration Considera-tions"]. IBM PC Network,LAN,board,cable,insert S. Glinert-Cole "Price/Configuration Considerations" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 106Insert in "A Network for all Reasons" by the author, this articleis a terse overview (i.e., list) of the hardware and software that is required for using the IBM PC Network. IBM PC-AT,PC-XT,benchmark,speed,test,performance S. Glinert-Cole "VROOM! Performance Benchmarks for the PC/AT" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 108Benchmark (speed) tests are given for the IBM PC-AT (e.g., ratio of PC-AT (DOS 3.0) to PC-XT (DOS 2.0)). review,XENIX,IBM PC-AT,UNIX,PC/IX A. Hansen "XENIX Lives" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 114Review of IBM Personal Computer XENIX. tutorial,Intel,80286,iAPX 286,IBM PC-AT,chip,microprocessor B. Greene "The Evolution of the iAPX 286" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 118Overview (tutorial) on the Intel iAPX 286 microprocessor used in the IBM PC-AT (i.e., the 80286). Intel,iAPX 286,80186,80286,8089,chip,microprocessor,literature J. Creane "An Intel Bibliography for iAPX 286" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 140Literature on Intel processors (80186, 80286, and 8089) are presented in annotated form. review,FileSafe,Mountain Computer,backup,hard disk,tape,IBM PC-ATC. Sandler "Backing Up the AT with FileSafe" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 150Review of FileSafe (by Mountain Computer), a streaming tape backup system for the IBM PC-AT. review,Modula-2/86,M2M-PC,compiler,Logitech,Volition,benchmark T.Woteki,A.Freiden,D.Levy,T.Bestul, & R.Stein"MODULAR CONSTRUCTIONS: Introducing Modula-2" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 154Review (with benchmarks) of three Modula-2 compilers: Modula-2/86Release 1.0 (Logitech), Modula-2 Compiler, Release 0.3p (VolitionSystems), and M2M-PC Compiler, Release 1.34 (Modula Research). tutorial,floating-point,arithmetic,binary-to-decimal conversion R. Gray "Significant Figures, III" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 187Third of three articles (tutorials) on floating-point arithmetic on the IBM PC. This time, binary-to-decimal conversion. law,legal,quiz,test,ROM BIOS,compatible,copyright,third-party M. S. Oppenheimer LEGAL BRIEF - "Compatibles and Copyrights" PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 210A set of questions ("quiz") that will test your knowledge of sev-eral legal issues discussed in this column in recent months. (e.g., the third-party, IBM-compatible BIOS). book,review,assembly W. H. Murray BOOK REVIEWS PC Tech 84/12 Dec v.2 n.6 217Review of: M. Sargent and R. Shoemaker, THE IBM PERSONAL COMPUTERFROM THE INSIDE OUT (Sddison-Wesley, 1984). \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
