CP/M/CPM_CDROM.iso/simtel/sigm/vols000/vol087/software.hlp

Text File | 1985-02-10 | 11.0 KB | 248 lines

Introduction
Available software
Overseas User Groups
Your Contributions
Requesting programs from the SYSOP
Structure of the online catalogues
Down loading the catalogues
Material not yet in the catalogues
Helping get new US software onto the system quickly
Searching the catalogues
:Introduction

Thi≤á hel≡á filσá lay≤á dowε thσ grounΣá rule≤á fo≥á obtaininτ ì
softwarσ froφ anΣ sendinτ softwarσ t∩ thi≤ Remotσ CP/═á Systeφ ì
(RCPM).

I⌠á i≤ highl∙ likel∙ tha⌠ thi≤ filσ wil∞ changσ frequentl∙á a≤ ì
ne≈ situation≤ arise¼ a⌠ leas⌠ whilσ thσ SYSO╨ i≤ gettinτ useΣ ì
t∩ maintaininτ thσ servicσ s∩ yo⌡ shoulΣ checδ i⌠ regularl∙ t∩ ì
seσ iµ thσ rule≤ havσ changed.....!

:Available software

Al∞ softwarσ madσ availablσ fo≥ distributioε oε thi≤ systeφ i≤ ì
iεá thσá PUBLI├á DOMAI╬á fo≥ NON-COMMERCIA╠ usσá t∩á thσá bes⌠ ì
knowledgσ oµ thσ SYSOP.

Thi≤ softwarσ come≤ froφ tw∩ sources¼ thσ oversea≤ Use≥ Group≤ ì
anΣá froφ yo⌡ anΣ othe≥ user≤ oµ thi≤á system«á Seσá followinτ ì
categorie≤á iεá thi≤ filσ fo≥ morσ detai∞ oε botΦá source≤á oµ ì
software.

:Overseas User Groups

Thσá basiπá rangσá oµ softwarσ i≤ froφ thσ variou≤á CP/═á Use≥ ì
Groups¼á includinτ bu⌠ no⌠ limiteΣ t∩ CP/═ Use≥á Group¼á SIG/═ ì
Use≥á Group¼á BD╙á "Có Use≥ Grou≡ a≤ wel∞ a≤ ß rangσ oµá othe≥ ì
materia∞á speciall∙á obtaineΣ froφ m∙ contact≤ withiεá thσá U╙ ì
RCP═ systeφ networks or contributed by users of this system.

Thσá catalogue≤á oµ thesσ group≤ arσ generall∙á on-line«á The∙ ì
havσ thσ secondar∙ filσ namσ oµ ALL¼á s∩ tr∙ DI╥ *.AL╠ t∩ finΣ ì
ou⌠ whicΦ catalogue≤ arσ available« I⌠ i≤ ß majo≥ tasδ t∩ kee≡ ì
thesσá catalogue≤á u≡ t∩ date¼á a≤ mos⌠ havσ t∩á bσá speciall∙ ì
buil⌠ b∙ thσ SYSOP¼á s∩ pleasσ bσ patient«á Therσ wil∞á almos⌠ ì
alway≤á bσá somσ materia∞ whicΦ i≤ no⌠ ye⌠ iε thσá catalogues¼ ì
seσ late≥ section≤ oµ thi≤ filσ fo≥ hint≤ a⌠ findinτ ou⌠ abou⌠ ì
thi≤ material.

Therσ i≤ somσ overla≡ betweeε thσ variou≤ Use≥ Group≤ anΣá yo⌡ ì
ma∙á bσ referreΣ t∩ anothe≥ cataloguσ t∩ avoiΣ duplicatioεá oµ ì
information«á Seσá thσá hel≡ filσ THIS-SY╙ fo≥ informatioεá oε ì
usinτ thσ FIN─ utilit∙ t∩ searcΦ catalogues«

:Your Contributionsè
Thi≤ systeφ canno⌠ functioε effectivel∙ unles≤ it≤ user≤ star⌠ ì
t∩ contributσ softwarσ tha⌠ the∙ havσ written«á Yo⌡ wil∞á finΣ ì
program≤á writteε b∙ thσ SYSO╨ iε thσ U╟ catalogue≤ a≤ wel∞ a≤ ì
program≤á writteεá b∙ othe≥ Australians«á I⌠ i≤á m∙á hopσá anΣ ì
intentioεá tha⌠á thσ softwarσ placeΣ iε thσ publiπá domaiεá oε ì
thi≤ systeφ wil∞ bσ feΣ bacδ t∩ thσ U╙ CP/═ Use≥ Groups.

Pleasσá d∩á no⌠ fee∞ tha⌠ you≥ program≤ havσ t∩á bσá complete¼ ì
polisheΣ anΣ substantia∞ t∩ bσ wortΦ puttinτ int∩ distributioε ì
viß thi≤ RCP═ system«á An∙ prograφ materia∞ i≤ eagerl∙ sought¼ ì
remembe≥á tha⌠ wha⌠ ma∙ seeφ ß trivial¼á unfinisheΣ prograφ t∩ ì
you¼á ma∙á bσ somethinτ tha⌠ anothe≥ use≥á desperatel∙á needs« ì
Other≤á caε takσ you≥ unpolisheΣ worδ anΣ d∩ thσ polishinτá iµ ì
the∙á wan⌠ to«á Eveε iµ yo⌡ fee∞ yo⌡ haven'⌠ anythinτ oµá you≥ ì
owεá t∩ contributσ pleasσ feedbacδ an∙ modification≤ tha⌠á yo⌡ ì
makσá t∩ program≤ tha⌠ yo⌡ ma∙ havσ obtaineΣ froφ thi≤ system¼ ì
yo⌡á coulΣá savσá anothe≥ user≤á froφá duplicatinτá you≥á worδ ì
(commonl∙ calleΣ "reinventinτ thσ wheel").

:Requesting programs from the SYSOP

Iµ yo⌡ havσ founΣ ß prograφ iε thσ catalogue≤ tha⌠ yo⌡ wan⌠ t∩ ì
download¼á leavσ ß messagσ fo≥ thσ SYSO╨ usinτá MINIRBBS«á Thσ ì
SYSO╨á trie≤ t∩ reaΣ message≤ dail∙ bu⌠ CANNO╘ guaranteσá tha⌠ ì
thi≤ wil∞ bσ thσ case«á Iµ i⌠ i≤ possiblσ t∩ makσ you≥ reques⌠ ì
availablσá immediatel∙á i⌠ wil∞ bσ put-oεá line¼á otherwisσá ß ì
persona∞á messagσá wil∞á bσ lef⌠ fo≥ yo⌡ givinτ somσá sor⌠á oµ ì
indicatioε wheε thσ prograφ caε bσ madσ available.

Yo⌡á caεá makσ lifσ easie≥ fo≥ yourselµ anΣ thσ SYSO╨á b∙á no⌠ ì
requestinτá morσ thaε onσ o≥ tw∩ program≤ a⌠ oncσá anΣá givinτ ì
somσ indicatioε a≤ t∩ wha⌠ timσ oµ whicΦ da∙ yo⌡ arσ likel∙ t∩ ì
cal∞á bacδ lookinτ fo≥ thσ program«á Yo⌡ als∩ NEED t∩ indicatσ ì
thσ catalogue¼á volumσ anΣ prograφ number«á Usuall∙ thσá wholσ ì
volumσ wil∞ bσ pu⌠ on-linσ s∩ pleasσ takσ al∞ thσ program≤ yo⌡ ì
neeΣ froφ tha⌠ volumσ whilσ i⌠ i≤ mounted.

Softwarσ request≤ lef⌠ a≤ comment≤ wil∞ NO╘ bσ acteΣ upon« Al∞ ì
request≤á MUS╘á bσ lef⌠ a≤ message≤ iε MINIRBBS«á Thi≤ i≤á thσ ì
onl∙ wa∙ thσ SYSO╨ caε fairl∙ determinσ thσ correc⌠ orde≥ tha⌠ ì
requests arrived in. ì


Pleasσ understanΣ tha⌠ therσ arσ bounΣ t∩ bσ conflict≤ betweeε ì
thσ request≤ oµ variou≤ users« Thσ SYSO╨ wil∞ tr∙ t∩ dea∞ witΦ ì
request≤ oε ß firs⌠ come¼á firs⌠ servσ basis«á Howeve≥ gettinτ ì
impatien⌠á abou⌠á delay≤á iε makinτá you≥á requesteΣá program≤ ì
availablσ wil∞ probabl∙ d∩ you≥ causσ morσ harφ thaε gooΣ (thσ ì
SYSO╨ claim≤ n∩ divinσ qualitie≤ anΣ i≤ al∞ to∩ human).

Thσá operatioεá oµ thi≤ systeφ CANNO╘ bσ alloweΣ t∩á interferσ ì
to∩á mucΦá witΦ othe≥ activitie≤ anΣ responsibilitie≤á oµá thσ ì
SYSOP«
è:Structure of the Catalogues

Thσá onlinσá catalogue≤á arσ structureΣ differentl∙á froφá thσ ì
individua∞ catalogue≤ oε thσ volumes«á T∩ makσ thσá catalogue≤ ì
useablσ witΦ FIND¼á thσ filσ description≤ havσ beeε reduceΣ t∩ ì
ß singlσ linσ each«á Generall∙ thi≤ i≤ enougΦ t∩ tel∞ yo⌡ wha⌠ ì
ß filσ doe≤ o≥ i≤ for«á Othe≥ redundan⌠ informatioε tha⌠ woulΣ ì
no⌠á bσ usefull∙ retrieveΣ b∙ an∙ reasonablσ FIN─ commanΣá ha≤ ì
als∩ beeε eliminateΣ froφ thσ catalogues«

EacΦ anΣ ever∙ filσ iε thσ catalogue≤ shoulΣ havσ  singlσ linσ ì
description associated with it. In some cases this description
wil∞ simpl∙ bσ ß directioε t∩ looδ a⌠ anothe≥ filσ descriptioε ì
bu⌠ yo⌡ shoulΣ expec⌠ t∩ seσ somethinτ iε thσ filσ descriptioε ì
area«á Iεá ßá ver∙ fe≈ case≤ therσ arσ stil∞ n∩á descriptions« ì
Thi≤á i≤ ß transitor∙ situatioε witΦ relativel∙á ne≈á materia∞ ì
tha⌠á thσ SYSO╨ ha≤ no⌠ haΣ ß chancσ t∩ completσá cataloguing« ì
I⌠ generall∙ mean≤ tha⌠ therσ wa≤ n∩ descriptioε iε thσ volumσ ì
cataloguσá o≥ therσ wa≤ n∩ volumσ cataloguσ anΣ thσ SYSO╨á ha≤ ì
haΣá t∩á builΣ thσ volumσ cataloguσ froφ scratcΦá (anΣá hasn'⌠ ì
finisheΣ yet).

:Down loading the Catalogues

Yo⌡ can't¼á a⌠ leas⌠ no⌠ easily«á Thi≤ i≤ donσ deliberatel∙ a≤ ì
i⌠ take≤ ß ver∙ lonτ timσ t∩ dowε loaΣ somσ oµ thσ catalogues¼ ì
particularl∙ thσ CPMCAT.ALL«á Yo⌡ arσ mucΦ bette≥ ofµ spendinτ ì
you≥ timσ dowε loadinτ programs«á Thσ variou≤ "TYPEó function≤ ì
oε thσ systeφ wil∞ NO╘ typσ ou⌠ thσ catalogues«

Iµá yo⌡á desperatel∙á neeΣá t∩ havσ you≥á owεá copie≤á oµá thσ ì
catalogue≤á theεá yo⌡ haΣ bette≥ ge⌠ iε toucΦá witΦá thσá use≥ ì
group≤áá iεá thσá US┴á directly«áá The∙á caεá suppl∙á hardcop∙ ì
catalogue≤ a⌠ reasonablσ prices« Yo⌡ ma∙ bσ ablσ t∩ obtaiε thσ ì
catalogue≤ locall∙ iµ yo⌡ asδ a⌠ compute≥ stores.

Addition≤á t∩ thσ catalogue≤ wil∞ generall∙ bσá availablσá fo≥ ì
dowεá loadinτ a≤ aε "+Qó (i.e«á ß squeezeΣ update⌐ filσ fo≥á ß ì
shor⌠ timσ afte≥ ne≈ volume≤ arσ addeΣ t∩ thσ catalogues« Thi≤ ì
wil∞á a⌠ leas⌠ allo≈ yo⌡ t∩ kee≡ you≥ hardcop∙ cataloguσ u≡ t∩ ì
date.

:Material not yet in the catalogues

Keepinτá thσ catalogue≤ u≡ t∩ datσ i≤ ß majo≥ task«á Therσá i≤ ì
ofteεá materia∞á no⌠ ye⌠ iε thσá catalogues«á Arriva∞á oµá ne≈ ì
volume≤á oµá softwarσá froφ thσ U╙ wil∞ bσá announceΣá iεá thσ ì
"lates⌠ softwareó message.

Detail≤á oµá thσá lates⌠ release≤ oµ thσ CP/═ Use≥á Grou≡á arσ ì
publisheΣ regularl∙ iε "Lifelines/Thσ Softwarσ Magazineó whilσ ì
detail≤á oµá SIG/═á Use≥á Grou≡á release≤á arσá publisheΣáá iε ì
"Microsystems"«á BD╙á "Có Use≥ Grou≡ release≤ arσ announceΣ iε ì
thei≥ newsletter.
èThσ volume≤ oµ Australiaε softwarσ wil∞ probabl∙ bσá announceΣ ì
iε CP/M columε iε "You≥ Computeró magazine.

Thσá miscellaneou≤á softwarσá froφ thσá U╙á RCP═á system≤á anΣ ì
locall∙áá contributeΣá program≤á arσá no⌠á reall∙áá ßáá forma∞ ì
collectioε bu⌠ ß cataloguσ i≤ maintained¼á thougΦ it≤ content≤ ì
caε bσ considereΣ "flexible"«á A≤ mucΦ oµ thi≤ materia∞ caε bσ ì
expecteΣ t∩ appea≥ iε thσ CP/═ o≥ SIG/═ Use≥ Grou≡ collection≤ ì
giveεá time¼á individua∞á program≤á o≥ wholσá volume≤á ma∙á bσ ì
withdrawε froφ thi≤ cataloguσ froφ timσ t∩ time«


Iµá yo⌡á arσ lookinτ fo≥ ß prograφ tha⌠ yo⌡ suspec⌠ i≤á iεá thσ ì
PUBLI├á DOMAI╬á bu⌠á canno⌠ finΣ i⌠ iε thσ catalogue≤á leavσá ß ì
messagσá fo≥á thσ SYSO╨ abou⌠ it«á Pleasσ bσ patien⌠á witΦá ne≈ ì
softwarσáá release≤á announceΣá iεá thσá abovσáá mentioneΣáá U╙ ì
publications«á I⌠á doe≤ takσ ß finitσ timσ fo≥ thi≤ materia∞ t∩ ì
ge⌠ t∩ Australia.

:Helping get new US software onto the system quickly

Eveεá thougΦá thσ Use≥ Grou≡ softwarσ i≤ availablσ t∩á yo⌡á oε ì
thi≤á RCP═á systeφá a⌠ n∩ cost¼á someonσ ha≤ t∩á pa∙á fo≥á thσ ì
origina∞ volumes«  Thi≤ i≤ usuall∙ thσ SYSO╨ s∩ thσ arriva∞ oµ ì
ne≈á softwarσ i≤ somewha⌠ dependen⌠ oε thσ financia∞ statσá oµ ì
thσ SYSOP«á Volume≤ usuall∙ cos⌠ abou⌠ $1╡ t∩ $2░á  Australiaε ì
b∙ thσ timσ the∙ arσ landeΣ here.

Yo⌡á caεá hel≡ b∙ buyinτ ne≈ release≤ froφ thσ U╙ Use≥á Group≤ ì
anΣá givinτ copie≤ oµ thσ disk≤ t∩ thσ SYSO╨ fo≥á distributioε ì
viß thσ system« Thi≤ obviousl∙ ha≤ t∩ bσ co-ordinateΣ s∩ leavσ ì
ßá messagσ fo≥ thσ SYSO╨ iµ yo⌡ arσ prepareΣ t∩ hel≡á iεá thi≤ ì
way«á Iµá eacΦá use≥á wa≤ prepareΣ t∩ bu∙ jus⌠ onσá volumσá oµ ì
softwarσ froφ thσ U╙ oε thi≤ basis¼ wσ woulΣ al∞ bσ assureΣ oµ ì
keepinτ u≡ t∩ datσ witΦ thσ lates⌠ release≤ fo≥ lonτ time.

:Searching the catalogues

Thσá tw∩ "toolsó fo≥ searchinτ thσ catalogue≤ arσ thσ FIN─ anΣ ì
DISPLA┘á utilities«á HEL╨ THIS-SY╙ wil∞ givσ detail≤ oµá thei≥ ì
commanΣ syntax.

Thσá basiπ ideß i≤ t∩ usσ FIN─ t∩ givσ yo⌡ somσ ideß oµá whicΦ ì
volume≤á contaiε thσ sor⌠ oµ program≤ yo⌡ arσá interesteΣá in« ì
Supposσá yo⌡ wanteΣ t∩ finΣ al∞ thσ disδ cop∙ utilitie≤ iε al∞ ì
the catalogues - the following would probably do it:

     FIND *.ALL DISK|COPY|DUP|BACK

Thi≤á wil∞ searcΦ fo≥ thσ keyword≤ "DISKó o≥ "COPYóá o≥á "DUPó ì
(a≤á iε duplicate⌐ o≥ "BACKó (a≤ iε backup)«á An∙ line≤ iε thσ ì
cataloguσá whicΦá contaiε thesσ word≤ wil∞ bσ printeΣá ou⌠á iε ì
full«á Generall∙á yo⌡ caε determinσ thσ volumσ number≤ oµá thσ ì
disδá containinτá thσ program≤ yo⌡ arσ interesteΣ in«á A⌠á thσ ì
star⌠á oµ thσ linσ wil∞ bσ thσ consecutivσ linσ numbe≥ iεá thσ ìècatalogue of the line.





As another example:

     FIND CPMCAT.ALL BAS

wil∞á sho≈á yo⌡á al∞á thσ BA╙ file≤ iεá thσá CP/═á Use≥á Grou≡ ì
cataloguσ (whicΦ woulΣ takσ ß ver∙, very lonτ time!).

Oncσ yo⌡ havσ determineΣ thσ volumσ numbe≥ anΣ linσ number≤ iε ì
thσá volumσá yo⌡á arσá read∙ t∩ usσ DISPLA┘á t∩á looδá a⌠á thσ ì
cataloguσ iε morσ detail≤ iµ necessary«á Iµ thσ cataloguσ i≤ ß ì
very large one such as CPMCAT or SIGMCAT, DISPLAY can be a bit
inconvenien⌠á t∩á usσ a≤ yo⌡ mus⌠ manuall∙ empt∙á thσá displa∙ ì
buffe≥á anΣ thσ consecutivσ linσ numbe≥ informatioε i≤á reall∙ ì
no⌠á ver∙á useful«á Iε thi≤ casσ yo⌡ havσ t∩ takσ ß bi⌠á oµá ß ì
gues≤á a⌠ ho≈ fa≥ t∩ advancσ int∩ succeedinτ buffer≤ t∩ ge⌠ t∩ ì
wherσá yo⌡ wan⌠ t∩ go«á Res⌠ assureΣ thσ SYSO╨ i≤á workinτá oε ì
improvinτ thi≤ statσ oµ affair≤ bu⌠ i⌠ wil∞ takσ time.




A⌠á 30░á bp≤á i⌠ doe≤ takσ quitσ ß whilσ t∩ looδá througΦá thσ ì
catalogue≤áá fo≥á specifiπá information«áá I⌠á i≤á reall∙áá i≤ ì
worthwhilσáá t∩á purchasσá harΣá cop∙á version≤á oµá thσáá biτ ì
catalogue≤ anΣ searcΦ theφ manually.