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REVIEW OF "BACKGROUNDER II" from PLU*PERFECT SYSTEMS Rick Charnes 1165 Shotwell St. San Francisco, CA 826-9448 or 821-4345 (c) Copyright 1987 by Rick Charnes and Morrow Owners Review Date of submission: August 17, 1987 for October-November 1987 issue Contents: 4800 words In thinking about writing this review, I realized early on that I áì was going to need to wax a bit philosophical, because it is onlyáì áì in that state of mind that one can begin to appreciate what thisáì áì program is all about.áì Backgrounder II is a "task-switching" utility for Z80 (CP/M-áì áì compatible) computers. Fundamentally this means that a user canáì áì "swap" back and forth between two running programs [BEGINáì áì BOLD]without leaving either of them.[END BOLD] The firstáì áì application stays suspended while you go to the second, and whenáì áì you return it is there exactly how you left it. Switching backáì áì and forth between the two is as easy as a single command or evenáì áì a single keystroke. With Backgrounder, for instance, there is noáì áì longer any need to exit NewWord if you need to do some fileáì áì manipulations with NewSweep or get some information from DBase.áì áì If you have a HELP file for a program you don't have to leave theáì áì program to view it! Or you can, if you have a screen driver,áì áì transfer calculations between SuperCalc and the report you'reáì áì writing in NewWord. But before I give away all the applications,áì áì let me muse a little bit as promised.áì I've been using Backgrounder II (or BGii as it's affectionatelyáì áì called) for about 6 months now on my 20 meg Mini Winnie-equippedáì áì MD3. It's interesting for me to think back to the days before Iáì áì added BGii to my personal computing system, because it makes meáì áì realize how much I've since come to take for granted; it's alwaysáì áì hard to keep a "beginner's mind." I can easily remember, however,áì áì the initial motivating factor for my interest in BGii. Sitting atáì áì my desk is and always has been an "in/out" box hugely full ofáì áì papers. Through the course of any week as I work with my computeráì áì and experiment with various new techniques and programs I amáì áì constantly taking notes and writing things down: questions toáì áì ask others, ideas to try at a later date, etc. I very often haveáì áì questions or comments on ZCPR3 programs I am using and lateráì áì upload these to Z-Node BBS's in order to share these with others.áì I remember very distinctly one day being particularly puzzled byáì áì one program I was working with and frantically writing down myáì áì experiences with it on a piece of paper to be ultimately sent asáì áì questions to its author. As I became more and more involved witháì áì taking these notes it suddenly hit me: here I was using thisáì áì advanced and sophisticated piece of technology and yet I wasáì áì writing the results of it all on this piece of paper! Theáì áì funniest thing is that I would always later transfer everythingáì áì from paper to computer disk; it was my first intimation of theáì áì possibly of eliminating the middle man.áì Running BGii on your system gives you a curious sensation ofáì áì having two computers. It's a delightful feeling. Right now I'máì áì writing this in NewWord. Let's suppose that I temporarily forgotáì áì some arcane technical point of BGii and remembered that someoneáì áì left a message about exactly that on a BBS halfway across theáì áì country. Without even needing to ^KD to save my work I hit aáì áì single key called the <SUSPEND> key and I'm immediately placed atáì áì the BGii system prompt. Note that I can not yet access a CP/M oráì áì ZCPR3 program as I have not yet issued the swap command. I amáì áì now, however, placed in a position where I have access to theáì áì second and additional major feature of BGii: THIRTY-SEVEN (37!)áì áì memory-resident commands that are available without leaving anáì áì application program. When I run the command that displays theseáì áì 37 commands and scan through them I still feel somewhatáì áì unbelieving that I have all this power within my 64k memory (andáì áì I'm doing it with a full Z-System and 2k taken out for a hardáì áì disk driver!), but it's true. Here's what displays on my screenáì áì when I type "BG":áì .RR--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!---------------------R Cmds: low Foreground d03:CP/M labeláì bg calc cls cut date dir echo era feed find forms flip go get help jot jump keys list ndr note ocp peek poke printr ren reset save screen shift spool swap time type user whl whlq bghist bgerrh cp e .RR--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!--------R If you haven't guessed by now, in order to get the above displayáì áì printed in my text I didn't need to leave NewWord. BGii helped meáì áì take a picture of itself. In any case I have access to all of theáì áì above commands, and they are all memory-resident and thereforeáì áì load almost instantaneously.áì But this isn't what I wanted to do; I was going to do someáì áì roaming of the electronic ether. I'm now at what BG calls theáì áì "foreground prompt" which looks very much like an ordinary CP/Máì áì or ZCPR3 prompt, and I type "SWAP;MEX". Here is where BG reallyáì áì goes to work. There exists on my A0: drive a 102k file calledáì áì !!BG.SWP. [Again: just now I forgot its exact name and was ableáì áì to issue a "DIR A0:" command to display it without leaving myáì áì text!] This is the file that contains a [BEGIN BOLD]disk-áì áì based[END BOLD] image of what the computer's [BEGINáì áì BOLD]memory[END BOLD] looks like when NewWord has loaded thisáì áì text. Everything that exists in memory is transferred over toáì áì this disk file, which is called the swap file. When I later giveáì áì the <SUSPEND> command again to return to my text, the disk-basedáì áì swap file will empty itself out back into memory and the screenáì áì and rewrite everything precisely how it appeared down to theáì áì exact cursor location.áì After I issue "SWAP;MEX" I am then presented with a differentáì áì prompt (the drive letter is in lower case) that reminds me I amáì áì in my "lower task," MEX. I am free to climb aboard my modem andáì áì make that call to the BBS on which I can get the information Iáì áì need. After reading it and logging off the BBS, I don't have toáì áì exit from MEX in order to return to NewWord. After all, I mayáì áì need to do it again; why waste time reloading programs? I simplyáì áì hit my <SUSPEND> key again (default is "^^" which on my Qume 102aáì áì terminal is a single key) and I'm taken to the background promptáì áì again. It takes a while to get used to the different prompts asáì áì there are four of them -- upper task background and foregroundáì áì and lower task background and foreground -- but once you do theyáì áì are a great help in reminding you where you are. The upper task ì áì prompts have the drive letter in upper case and with the loweráì áì tasks it is in lower case, while the background prompt uses theáì áì "}" instead of the normal foreground ">" as in ordinary CP/M.áì In any case, from the background prompt I simply issue theáì áì command "SWAP" again and I'm taken back into NewWord, preciselyáì áì where I was when I left off. It's all quite amazing to see. Iáì áì should emphasize that there are at least two distinct componentsáì áì to this BGii environment, the task-switching (or "context-áì áì switching," as it's often called) and the memory-residentáì áì background commands. While much has rightfully been made of theáì áì former, the latter are also extremely impressive and theiráì áì variety and power are awesome.áì One application I just used: I wanted to have a printout of theáì áì 37 commands in order to write about them. Since I am usingáì áì NewWord and not WordStar I have no "print block" (^KP) commandáì áì which I could ordinarily use to print them out from my textáì áì above. Solution: I had them on a disk file and simply hit myáì áì <SUSPEND> key to get to the background prompt. I then used theáì áì memory-resident LIST command to print them out and was back to myáì áì text in a split-second.áì The resident CALC feature is extremely useful for those workingáì áì with figures. It provides addition, subtraction, multiplicationáì áì and division of decimal and hexadecimal numbers and three memoryáì áì storage registers. One of the nice touches here, and something itáì áì incidentally has in common with WordStar 4.0, is the ability toáì áì insert the result of an equation into any text you're working on,áì áì via a two-key sequence.áì This ability to take output from one program and translate itáì áì into input to another is something I find extremely useful witháì áì BGii. For instance, one feature I really find very nifty --áì áì especially as until now it's been one of the things I've enviedáì áì about the MS-DOS world -- is the ability to strike a two-keyáì áì sequence and watch today's date appear on screen. This requiresáì áì running DateStamper along with it. These two programs go togetheráì áì like hand in glove. Writing a letter to a friend but can'táì áì remember the date to put in the header? Just strike "\d" andáì áì you've got the date. When we all get our Mike Allen Clock Kits,áì áì "\t" will spit out the time. By the way, with only DateStamper byáì áì itself there's no way to do this.áì BGii has a built-in print spooler with its resident SPOOL and Qáì áì commands. I haven't needed to use them as I have a hardwareáì áì buffer but for those without a buffer these are indispensable.áì áì Printer output from any number of text files is redirected into aáì áì spool file which can later be printed while you simultaneouslyáì áì work on something entirely unrelated.áì For those running Z-System on a Mini-Winnie hard disk I would sayáì áì BGii is worth the cost if only for a single reason: its keyáì áì redefinition capability. It has full-featured key defining at noáì áì extra use of TPA. It even has a feature not found in other keyáì áì redefiners I've worked with, the ability to "attach" a set ofáì áì definitions that are automatically loaded along with a specifiedáì áì application program. Since the above configuration tends to beáì áì scrimpy on TPA as far as being able to load the standard Morrowáì áì programs such as Smartkey or XtraKey that many of us have, theáì áì cost that we might spend on a new, less TPA-intensive program isáì áì better saved by spending a bit extra and getting BGii with itsáì áì task-switching and print spooling thrown in for just a bit more!áì I must address the always-critical issue of TPA here. I have aáì áì program called TPA.COM written by the esteemed Bruce Morgen ofáì áì the Z-System SIG, that has been indispensable in my testing ofáì áì various configurations. I have DateStamper loaded in the onlyáì áì place it can properly run while BGii is active as well, in theáì áì location formerly taken up by the ZCPR3 IOP at EB80. This meansáì áì no IOP while running BGii. Of the three Input/Output packagesáì áì that can run here however, BGii duplicates the functions of two -áì áì -NUKEY (key redefinition) and BPRINT (print spooling). I do,áì áì however, miss having the capability of the third, RECORDER, whicháì áì provides a function that BG does not have, that of recordingáì áì console display to a disk file. The public domain program I/O-CAPáì áì is a good substitute here for low-TPA projects.áì BGii uses 4.75k of memory, 2k of which replaces the standardáì áì command processor. The user's manual says that when run on ZCPR3áì áì systems this is reduced to 2.25k by loading part of it, as I do,áì áì into buffers whose functions are duplicated by BGii.áì I have no independent confirmation of the TPA sizes I am about toáì áì provide here other than TPA.COM, so I cannot vouch for theiráì áì precise accuracy. Furthermore, bear in mind that in my system 2káì áì is eaten up by my hard disk driver. With DateStamper loaded atáì áì EB80h but no BGii I have exactly 50.25k. With DateStamper loadedáì áì at EB80h, and BG running, I have 47.5k TPA remaining foráì áì programs, a difference of 2.75k, just a tad more than mentionedáì áì in the BG documentation. This is adequate for virtually all of myáì áì applications. The only work I can not do in this environment isáì áì when I am experimenting with the large Turbo Modula-2 programs Iáì áì am writing with a series of public domain windows and graphicsáì áì routines. MexPlus, a much larger memory hog than its publicáì áì domain counterpart, runs fine and is able to load a 12k scriptáì áì file on top of itself. NewWord, dBASE II, ZCPR3's ZEX all workáì áì fine. My guess is that when WordStar 4.0 comes out I will not beáì áì able to run BGii and simultaneously take advantage of WS'sáì áì calculator and block math functions, which require 50k. (By the ì áì way, MicroPro has been trying to get the word out that theiráì áì earlier figure of 54k is not correct; 50k will suffice.) I willáì áì simply turn BG off when I want to use these functions of WS40. BGáì áì can be turned on and off easily and quickly with the LOADBG andáì áì BG OFF commands.áì Of BGii's two major features, task-switching is only feasible onáì áì hard or ram disk systems. When the swap command is given, itáì áì takes some time for the screen/memory image to be written to theáì áì 100k swap file. On my Mini-Winnie hard disk system it takes 8-10áì áì seconds to swap from one application to another. In the BGiiáì áì documentation it mentions that average swap time on a Kaypro 10áì áì hard disk with TurboROM is 4 secs. I was puzzled and a bitáì áì disappointed in this and spoke with the author Bridger Mitchelláì áì about it. He mentioned that the swap time is heavily dependent onáì áì the quality of the BIOS and the TurboROM addition to the Kayproáì áì BIOS was specifically designed to "optimize" and streamline it.áì áì He has suggested that the Morrow BIOS may be one of those guiltyáì áì of "buffer thrashing." My knowledge of this subject is quiteáì áì limited, but Bridger's description of some specific behaviors ofáì áì some BIOSes that would definitely slow the swap time down isáì áì confirmed as an adequate representation of the Morrow BIOS by ouráì áì resident BAMDUA BIOS expert in the San Francisco area. Since Iáì áì don't quite understand it, I think the best thing for me to do isáì áì quote Bridger:áì .RR L--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!R The BGii swap algorithm is, roughly: copyáì áì áááááááTPA "sector" to buffer; read 1 sector to TPA;áì áì áááááááwrite buffer to same disk sector; increment sectoráì áì ááááááánumber; repeat.áì If the physical sector is greater than 128áì áì ááááááábytes (most are now, e.g. all double density, alláì áì áááááááhard disks), then [an optimized] BIOS willáì áì ááááááárecognize that the second sector (i.e. the nextáì áì ááááááá128 bytes) is still in the same PHYSICAL sector.áì áì áááááááIt will neither read nor write the disk for thatáì áì áááááááinformation, but rather just its "host buffer,"áì áì áááááááwhich is one physical sector large. This continuesáì áì áááááááuntil the physical sector is exhausted, and then aáì áì áááááááwrite/read is needed. But -- some BIOS's (Bigáì áì áááááááBoard I is one) read and write EVERY time; theáì áì ááááááátechnical term is "buffer thrashing."áì .RR--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!--------R This scenario sounds plausible to me, especially as I have aáì áì report that swap time on an MD3 with a SWP Co-Processor RAMdiskáì áì is 3.5 seconds which can be compared with 2 seconds on a Kayproáì áì with an Advent Products RAMdisk or 1 second on a 6MHz SB180. Ináì áì conversation with the aforementioned BIOS expert I am given toáì áì understand that the difference in the ways various BIOSes doáì áì their disk reads and writes is simply a difference in computeráì áì philosophy; one way can be a asset in some situations and aáì áì disadvantage in others. While I do find the 10 seconds on theáì áì slow side, it generally does not get in the way of my overalláì áì enjoyment of the program.áì From what I have been able to determine, Backgrounder isáì áì unfortunately incompatible with the WestWind Drive C2: RAMdisk.áì áì The two programs simply are competing for the same memory spaceáì áì and most importantly each wants the other to be loaded first. Theáì áì SWP RAMdisk seems to be a little more flexible in this regard. Iáì áì am not 100% sure about the situation with the WestWind softwareáì áì and had only a friend's Drive C2: and some limited technicaláì áì help; I would encourage anyone with this RAMdisk to call WestWindáì áì and speak with the technical support staff about it.áì How feasible is it to run BGii on Morrow floppy disk machines? Asáì áì I mentioned previously having access to the 37 resident commandsáì áì is very valuable in itself even without task-switching. MD2 andáì áì MD3 users would gain a considerable advantage over what they haveáì áì now in terms of number of resident commands, key redefinition,áì áì print spooling and several other features. To be more precise Iáì áì should explain more completely that BGii is a command processor.áì áì It is a command processor in the same manner that the CP/M CCPáì áì is, or ZCPR3. As a matter of fact, BGii [BEGIN UNDERLINING]is[ENDáì áì UNDERLINING] a ZCPR3-based command processor. BGii IS ZCPR3, oráì áì more accurately it is actually ZCPR33! Jay Sage, the author ofáì áì ZCPR33, collaborated very heavily in the final writing of BGiiáì áì and included most of its features in it. In other words, when youáì áì are running Backgrounder you are running ZCPR33 without having toáì áì install or purchase it separately. So without the task-switchingáì áì it still has quite a bit to offer floppy disk users.áì áì Now for one caveat: BGii will not work under CP/M 3.0. It justáì áì won't and that's that; there's no way around it. That eliminatesáì áì all the Morrow built-in hard disk machines from the picture. It'sáì áì most unfortunate that Digital Research abandoned support of CP/Máì áì 3.0 so early in the game. The irony of seeing all the goodáì áì enhancements coming out to support only the older CP/M 2.2 hasáì áì not escaped many of us.áì BGii has four or five advanced resident commands that dependáì áì heavily on its ability to communicate with one's terminaláì áì hardware. They are very exciting to use and I will describe themáì áì below. They require the installation of something called a screenáì áì driver. A screen driver is a piece of software that allows BGiiáì áì to interface completely and exactly with one's terminal hardwareáì áì and software functions. I ran BGii for about a month before Iáì áì realized I could use one of the already-existing screen drivers.áì áì After loading the driver it increased my enjoyment of the programáì áì tremendously. These screen functions are one of those things thatáì áì you don't miss when they're not there because you don't expectáì áì them, but when you see them in action -- WOW!!! Absolutelyáì áì incredible.áì For instance, I never thought I'd see the day that I did a fulláì áì CUT and PASTE from one program to another on my little vintageáì áì 1984 Morrow computer. When you see it it's quite beautiful. Itáì áì works the way you'd expect it to: you highlight the text to beáì áì CUT with your cursor keys and hit ^X to exit. Then go to youráì áì second task and position the cursor where you wish your CUT textáì áì to appear. Press <SUSPEND>, and when you are returned to theáì áì prompt type PASTE. Now sit back and watch while BGii magicallyáì áì inserts your text in your second program. After years of beingáì áì told CP/M machines have no video capabilities to speak of I mustáì áì admit I have allowed myself a certain healthy dose of good old-áì áì fashioned self-righteousness.áì The counterpart to all this cutting and pasting is the SCREENáì áì command, which sends the exact image of what is on the screen toáì áì the printer. This has been a joy to use. It has come especiallyáì áì handy when I am logged on to bulletin boards and there is no easyáì áì way to repeat the message I have just read. I just send it to theáì áì printer and I'm on my merry way.áì The FLIP command is quite extraordinary; this allows you toáì áì "flip" back and forth between one running task and theáì áì screen/memory image of the second. You cannot actually WORK INáì áì the second task but only view it; it is not saved to the swapáì áì file. Consequently the flips are instantaneous. Switching lightlyáì áì and quickly from one task to the other in a repeated manner isáì áì truly a sight to behold and a most pleasant experience.áì Last but certainly not least in this pantheon of CP/M memory-áì áì resident video adventures is the JOT command, and it is perhapsáì áì this that I use most. In a way I suppose JOT takes me full circleáì áì to where I began when I originally felt the need for BGii. Thisáì áì command does exactly what it says: it allows you to write to aáì áì JOTPAD while in the midst of any other program. It is similar toáì áì the same function in programs such as Write Hand Man et al., butáì áì at a much lower TPA penalty. The principle difference betweenáì áì this and using the SWAP command to switch to a memory-basedáì áì editor such as VDE to jot down a quick thought is that no task-áì áì switching is involved; we're not actually swapping to anotheráì áì program but simply using a memory-resident command to write intoáì áì a file. Hence, again, it's practically instantaneous.áì These four advanced commands will not run without a screenáì áì driver. A terminal's most crucial component for BGii's purposesáì áì is the ability to send an image of itself to the host computer,áì áì have the computer store it while the terminal is otherwiseáì áì occupied (with another task) and then send it back whenáì áì requested. My Qume 102a does it beautifully, and I have been ableáì áì to use the Televideo 950 driver released by Plu*Perfect. Thoseáì áì with Wyse terminals also have screen drivers already written foráì áì them.áì I believe the ADM20 terminal, especially those with the upgradeáì áì kit installed, would be able to support these extra screenáì áì features and a screen driver could be written for it. That jobáì áì remains to be done; there is sample source code available.áì I was not able to fully test the standard Morrow MDT60 and MDT70áì áì terminals, which are inferior to the ADM20, Qume, Televideo 950áì áì and Wyse in this regard, for support of BGii's advanced screenáì áì functions. I tried loading the same Televideo screen driver I useáì áì with my Qume on an MDT60 with poor results; the JOT, CUT andáì áì PASTE, etc. commands definitely did not work. It was thenáì áì suggested to me, however, that plugged into the computer's [BEGINáì áì UNDERLINING]modem port[END UNDERLINING] a MDT60 or 70 might veryáì áì well work with the Televideo screen driver. I was unable to testáì áì this.áì There is an easy solution for these concerns, however; anyoneáì áì interested in experimenting in this regard may simply obtain theáì áì free, public domain demonstration version of Backgrounder. It isáì áì available from MOR on a FLOB. It works exactly like the fulláì áì version but will not allow you to access any drive other than A:.áì áì I would be most interested in hearing from anyone experimentingáì áì with these video functions on any of the Morrow terminals.áì If you have a floppy-based Morrow then with an advanced terminaláì áì such as a Qume or Wyse or any of the others that have the abilityáì áì to save a screen image and cursor positioning, I wouldáì áì unhesitatingly recommend your purchase of BGii and that youáì áì simply do not use the task-switching component. Not only will youáì áì be running a full ZCPR33 system but these video and screenáì áì commands will bring you many hours of delight.áì As a final caveat it must be mentioned that use of one's functionáì áì keys becomes problematic. There exist function key drivers thatáì áì work with keyboards whose function keys can send out charactersáì áì above 7Fh. The Televideo 950 can do this, along with a number ofáì áì other keyboards; mine can't and I don't believe the MDT seriesáì áì can. Other than that, as far as I know one is left with one'sáì áì terminal hardware. My Qume, for instance, can be programmed ináì áì hardware to send out 8 characters per function key. Since BGiiáì áì provides extensive key redefinition for the rest of the keyboardáì áì one scarcely misses having full function key redefinition. Iáì áì don't know how the Morrow KEY.COM program would work; I simplyáì áì have been unable to test it.áì It should be pointed out, especially with the issue of screenáì áì drivers, that BGii does all it can with the extraordinaryáì áì plethora of CP/M hardware presented to it. If some terminals sucháì áì as the MDT60/70 series are lacking in certain functions thatáì áì others have that BGii requires for its advanced features, I thinkáì áì it is only fair to acknowledge a situation of a great differenceáì áì in grades and sophistication of hardware. My Qume 102a can doáì áì gorgeous windows and graphics with the Modula-2 package Iáì áì mentioned previously; the MDT series can do nothing at all witháì áì it. They just do not have the same kind of screen-save-and-áì áì restore-cursor feature that is necessary.áì One recently released feature of BGii bears some explanation. Anáì áì Overlay Command Processor is an absolute miracle of programmingáì áì and I could scarcely believe it when I first came to understandáì áì the concept. A series of OCP's began coming out a few weeks afteráì áì I first began using BGii. I had a full complement of residentáì áì commands already and was amazed that so much could be packed intoáì áì 2.75k of memory. Then various OCP versions started coming out onáì áì the BBS circuit that now provided command line recall and editingáì áì (BGHIST), an error handler (BGERRH), a resident copy command thatáì áì supports date-stamping, and an echo command with extra code in itáì áì to display lower case letters --- all at no loss of TPA! Bruceáì áì Morgen of ZSIG explained:áì .RR L--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!R An Overlay Command Processor is a command packageáì áì ááááááásimilar in form to the familiar ZCPR3 Residentáì áì áááááááCommand Package. It can be as long as 4k and runsáì áì áááááááin the middle of the TPA, at 4000h. It takes up noáì áì áááááááTPA because it is loaded by the BGii commandáì áì áááááááprocessor (from the swap file) only when needed.áì áì áááááááJust before loading the OCP and running theáì áì áááááááappropriate routine, BGii saves the 4k of memoryáì áì ááááááástarting at 4000h to the swap file, restoring itáì áì áááááááas needed when the OCP code is not running. Prettyáì áì ááááááásimple, eh? Such is the simple stuff of genius...áì .RR--!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!----!--------R I should emphasize, by the way, that BGii is by no meansáì áì something that is meant to run only on ZCPR3 systems. It runs onáì áì any CP/M 2.2 system, but will definitely turn your system intoáì áì ZCPR33.áì BGii's swap feature is not true "multi-tasking." Its printáì áì spooling/queueing function is, however; two programs areáì áì executing simultaneously. We've all been hearing so much aboutáì áì multi-tasking from the MS-DOS world with their 80386áì áì microprocessor and its operating system for which everyone isáì áì waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) that not enough people haveáì áì stopped to realize that they don't really need such a feature.áì áì For a very large number of people, especially the writers amongáì áì us, BGii's extraordinary ability to temporarily allow you toáì áì leave your word processor and the text you're working on andáì áì enter any other program from which you might need some importantáì áì information, and then gracefully return, is just enough of whatáì áì we need.áì All in all I am very pleased with this program and its greatáì áì number of features. It does give one the feeling of having aáì áì large new world opened up; one that seemed previously to existáì áì only in the IBM-compatible world. Jay Sage, author of ZCPR33 andáì áì Director of the Boston Computer Society's CP/M Computers Group,áì áì writes that BGii is "the most impressive and exciting piece ofáì áì software ever introduced for CP/M (Z80-compatible) computers." Iáì áì have seen similar sentiments expressed many times elsewhere. Theáì áì first time you see a full task-swapping happen on your machine isáì áì a very special and quite exhilarating feeling. On the Mini-Winnieáì áì or the SWP RAMdisk it is ideal. For floppy disk owners wanting toáì áì get a taste of what it's like to have extra resident commandsáì áì available without leaving a loaded program -- especially thoseáì áì users with the more sophisticated terminals -- or even thoseáì áì simply wanting to see what ZCPR33 is all about but unsure if theyáì áì are ready to buy the Morrow Z-System disk, I would encourage youáì áì to try the free demonstration disk.áì BGii's main author Bridger Mitchell is an active andáì áì generous participant in the 8-bit user community. I have seen hisáì áì courtesy and friendliness in helping people with questions aboutáì áì his products, providing support to an extent far greater thanáì áì that of many other software companies I have had contact with.áì áì This is an excellent product, brilliant in its originality andáì áì design, and one that makes a very important addition to ouráì áì still-expanding repertoire of 8-bit, CP/M-compatible software.áì BACKGROUNDER II, $75 from Plu*Perfect Systems, P.O. Box 1494,áì áì Idyllwild, CA 92349.áì