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- Pipmag According to Brad
-
- or
-
- Who Can You Ask When You Can't Ask No-one At All
-
-
- Welcome to PIPMAG. This is the sixth in the series, the third
- since I took over the editorial duties, and in my not too humble
- opinion the best to date. Before I give you a rundown of the goodies
- there are a couple of news items I think will be of interest.
-
-
- New ZMODEM Version Works With ZMP
-
- A new version of ZMODEM has been installed in the CP/M RoundTable,
- and is compatible with ZMP. This means that you can now download
- files at unprecedented speeds with full error checking and correction.
- (Uploads are still restricted to XMODEM.) The secret to this is that
- while most protocols send packets of fixed size, then wait for some
- sort of checksum to be sent back in order to check for transmission
- errors, ZMODEM sends continuously, as much as the receiving machine
- can take. And not only is there full error checking, but ZMODEM can
- pick up an interrupted download where it left off. How is this
- miracle accomplished? I haven't the faintest idea, and although I
- suspect magic is involved I am told otherwise. If all goes well here
- in the CP/M RoundTable, expect to see this version of ZMODEM
- throughout GEnie. Many thanks are due CP/M SysOp BRIAN-CPM among many
- others, without whose tireless efforts this would not be possible.
-
- ZMP is available here in CP/M Library 20 as ZMP15.LBR, File 6912.
- Overlays are available for a wide range of computers from A to (I just
- have to say this) Z.
-
-
- Commodore 64 Transmits Data At 38,400 Bits Per Second
- (Film at 11)
-
- A new cartridge is available for Commodore computers which contains
- the communication chip that these machines have always needed but
- Commodore left out. The SwiftLink-232 plugs into the expansion port
- and can be used in conjunction with a RAM Expander. It has been found
- in testing to achieve reliable speeds of up to 38,400 BPS over a null-
- modem cable. Again I suspected that magic was involved, but I've been
- assured by Kent Sullivan of Dr. Evil Laboratories, the developer of
- the cartridge, that there is a purely technical explanation.
-
- The $19.95 package includes the cartridge, and communication
- (terminal) programs for the C64, the C128 in native mode, and the C128
- in CP/M mode. I have one, and it works exactly as advertised. For
- more information see Message 1 in Category 8, Topic 49 of the CP/M
- Bulletin Board. If you ever needed a reason to figure out how to use
- the BB, this is it. Look for an article from Kent in the next issue
- of PIPMAG.
-
-
- The CP/M RoundTable Is Proud To Support "Hot Summer Nights"
-
- In support of GEnie's "Hot Summer Nights" promotion, going on
- throughout the month of August, the CP/M RoundTable has scheduled some
- special Real Time Conferences (RTC's), and other goodies. These
- conferences are in addition to those regularly scheduled every
- Wednesday and Saturday.
-
- RTC's in the CP/M RT for Hot Summer Nights
-
- August 11th SwiftLink-232 RTC
- August 22 CP/M RTC (regular)
- August 23 Chat with the CP/M Sysops (Thursday)
- August 24 Harrass Harris, Pipmag Editor
- August 25 CP/M Help desk
-
- Other RTC's for Hot Summer Nights
-
- August 10th Meet the CP/M Sysops, GEnius RT (10pm)
-
- Freebies for CP/M RT
-
- August 19 to 25th Free time on Page 688 (PIPMAG)
- August 25th to 31st Free CP/M B.B.
-
- Also watch for exciting news, film at 11:00!!
-
- The conferences, except as noted, will be held in Conference Room 2
- in the CP/M RoundTable, and will start at 10:00 PM Eastern Standard
- Time, which should be late enough to let our left coast members get
- home from work and have a bit of dinner first. The titles were chosen
- (and spelled) by our own SysOp C128-BILL, whose real name is Mud.
-
-
- PIPMAG Announces New Submission Policy
-
- While getting articles for this issue turned out to be less of a
- problem than I expected, things were a little touch and go for a
- while. In order to encourage more of you to share your accumulated
- CP/M wisdom with the rest of us, I'm happy to announce that beginning
- with PIPMAG7 and continuing for as long as I can, the author of any
- article submitted which is accepted for publication will receive a
- one-day Free Flag for the day of his or her chioce in the CP/M
- RoundTable. If you think you could write something but don't know
- what, just scan the Bulletin Board. There are a LOT of questions
- begging extended answers, and I've posted a few messages on the
- subject.
-
- Articles needn't be original, but if you send me one that has
- appeared elsewhere you must have the ability to grant me permission to
- use it. Anyone who gets me sued for Copyright violation will be
- cordially invited to join the party.
-
- And now, in no particular order and without further ado....
-
-
- In This Issue
-
- This issue is once again kind of heavy with articles on the
- perennial number one use of computers, word processing. Along with a
- follow-up to my last Wordstar piece we have an article on how to get
- the output you want from your printer from Tom McEnroe (T.MCENROE1),
- and one on a number of writer's tools from Robert Coleman
- (R.COLEMAN3).
-
- Conventional wisdom, which is like common sense in that it's in
- fact nonexistent, says that keeping track of a checking account is no
- job for a computer because it can be done just as easily with a pocket
- calculator. This explains why checking programs are at or near the
- top of the best-selling software lists month after month. This time
- around, we have for your reading pleasure an article about one such
- program for CP/M computers by Wade Baugher (W.BAUGHER).
-
- Finally there's a hard disk for Commodore computers that's
- affordable, easy to install, and easy to use. Sounds like just what
- we've all been waiting for, but is it? Read the review by yours
- truly.
-
- Been afraid to get into the online Real Time Conferences? The
- short article here by SysOp PETER-CPM should help you get into the
- swing of things.
-
- In another article from Robert Coleman he talks about the Zen of
- CP/M computing. After reading it I'm sure you'll be able to identify
- with it.
-
- You've been seeing the "Hot Summer Nights" notices when you log on
- but you might still be wondering what it's all about. The article by
- GEnie's own Laura Staley (L.STALEY) should help answer your questions.
-
- Summer is thunderstorm season. Is your computer protected. Find
- out why it may not be in the article by Chris Bannister (C.BANNISTER).
-
- In a lighter vein, find out why there aren't any CP/M viruses in
- the piece by Jim Taylor (JF.TAYLOR).
-
- Dennis Fowler (D.FOWLER2) talks a bit about some of the trials and
- tribulations of being the local CP/M guru.
-
- The response to the new Letters To The Editor column has been a
- little disappointing, but I did get two.
-
- Brian Moore (BRIAN-CPM) gives us a short discussion of the download
- protocols XMODEM, XMODEM 1K, YMODEM and ZMODEM.
-
- And last, but hardly least, world famous Z-System developer and
- guru Jay Sage (JAY.SAGE) joins these pages (files?) at long last with
- an article from The Computer Journal.
-
-
- Closing Notes
-
- Have you seen PIPMAG on a BBS or system other than GEnie? I've
- recently learned that it's made it as far as Yurrup, Japan, and
- Australia. I'd be interested in knowing where else it's been and just
- how famous I am :)
-
- I'm looking for information on the PCZ, otherwise known as the
- Grudge. Anyone who has one, has one on order, or has tried to order
- one, please get in contact with me.
-
- I have a new GEMail address, BRAD-HARRIS. As always, you can send
- comments, questions, and articles to PIPMAG$. Articles can also be
- uploaded to any CP/M RT Library (FREE), with PIPMAG in either the
- short or long file description.
-
- That's all until next time. Remember ...
-
- N - E - E - D I - N - P - U - T !!!
-