ftp.barnyard.co.uk/2015.02.ftp.barnyard.co.uk.tar/ftp.barnyard.co.uk/cpm/walnut-creek-CDROM/ZSYS/ZNODE-12/I/POE-5-89.ARK/POE-5-89.TXT

Text File | 1988-02-29 | 18KB | 334 lines

 +-------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                                                             |
 |                         PIECES OF 8                         |
 | The Monthly Newsletter of the Connecticut CP/M Users' Group |
 | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |
 |    Mailing address: c/o Jim Taylor, Editor, PO Box 642,     |
 |                     Newington, CT 06111                     |
 |                       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-                       |
 |   HOW TO JOIN CCP/M: Dues are $15/year and may be sent to:  |
 |        Tom Veile, 26 Slater Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360       |
 |               --------------------------------              |
 |                           May 1989                          |
 |                                                             |
 +-------------------------------------------------------------+

CCP/M UPDATE - MARCH 18, 1989
by Brian Nalewajek

SECRETARY'S  NOTE:  This  material was sent  by  President  Brian
Nalewajek to our BBS. As my meeting notes are late and  duplicate
in  several  ways the content here, and as  Brian's  contribution
appears  much  more interesting than what I'd  prepared,  I  have
simply  run my Spelling Proofreader and editorial hand over  what
Brian has submitted and offer it up as the Extended Meeting Notes
and Online Newsletter for April! Brian has been very active since
taking  the  top  post in our organization and  has  inspired  me
personally  in  many ways. Now if I could only keep up  with  his
Action  Plans  ...  I wholeheartedly support  one  of  the  often
repeated  points  that  he makes, which  I  might  paraphrase  by
quoting The Computer Journal's logo:

"If You Don't Contribute Anything....
                 Then Don't Expect Anything....
                                        [CCP/M] is User Supported

Yet  another CCP/M project underway! This little text file  could
be  the  start of an online weekly newsletter for  CCP/M.  Rather
than  wait for the next edition of P.O.E., here's a quick way  to
get  caught up on the plans, trials and tribulations of the  Con-
necticut CP/M Users Group; or is it "User's Group". I notice that
Lee  uses  an  apostrophe, which says the group  belongs  to  the
users.  I've been spelling it "Users", believing we were a  group
of computer users. Obviously, for CCP/M it works both ways. Is it
"Users", "User's" or should it really be "Users'": a group  owned
by its members, the Users. Any one seen the Bylaws?

Speaking of the Bylaws, we are planning to bring the Bylaws up to
date. Over the past year or so we've voted a few amendments  that
haven't  yet appeared in a new edition. In fact, I'm not sure  we
even  recorded  the changes we made. Not until this year  did  we
have a group Secretary. We are still ironing out the  particulars
of this office. (BTW another amendment we should add is to  bring
the  position of Secretary up to the elected officer  status.)  I
submitted a list of proposed amendments that we will bring before
the  group  for a vote. If anyone has any  more  suggestions  for
needed  changes  please leave them in a message  on  CCP/M's  BBS
([phone]); we'll add them to the list of proposals. In any
event  we should see a new edition of the Bylaws in the next  few
months.

The  regular monthly meeting of CCP/M was well  attended  Tuesday
night;  especially  by CP/M computers. There were at  least  five
computers  set  up in our meeting room at the  Farmington  Public
Library.  Also  on hand was Lee Bradley's copy of  the  CCP/M  PD
Software  Library.  While  not the  feature  attraction  of  this
meeting, it was good to see that all those floppies were together
and  safe.  Now's a good time to mention that we have  a  new  PD
Software  Librarian.  Robert Person volunteered to step in  to  a
position that had been left unattended for a while. I don't  know
why our former PDSWL couldn't stay with it. Perhaps it was just a
question  of not having enough spare time. I believe Robert  will
do  an excellent job. He has a secret weapon. Owning a  Commodore
128  computer with a 1571 drive he can read/write/format  several
different CP/M disk formats. Now Rob tells me that he purchased a
utility  that  will  allow his 128 to R/W/F  over  130  different
formats!

Back  to the meeting. There was a period of  informal  discussion
before  the principle part of the meeting took place.  I  checked
off  a number of the news items that had developed, largely  from
the executive planning meeting last month. I also had a chance to
welcome  back a friend and vital CCP/M office holder, Tom  Veile,
our group's treasurer. He had been quite ill for a time and we're
glad  he's feeling better. He passed on the current  estimate  of
our  treasury, around $1400-$1500. That's quite a bit, even  with
the  money  we need to have to operate for the rest of  our  year
taken  into  account. Part of the surplus will be spent  in  some
planned  projects and part left for future projects.  Al  Hathway
outdid  himself  in  announcing the meeting  topics  for  several
months  in advance. Among the upcoming topics are CP/M  games,  a
tour  of the CCP/M PDSWL, and a demonstration of the FATCAT  disk
cataloging program.

Glen Gross did the feature presentation for the meeting. His talk
on  the "Checks & Balances" software package was very well  done.
He provided printed versions of typical screens generated by  the
program.  It was apparent that Glen spent quite a bit of time  in
setting up a fictitious checking account file to demonstrate  the
program. Even given that we were a little late getting started, I
think  everyone there got an idea of what this program  could  do
for the average user. As I had to leave before the meeting ended,
I don't know if there was time to demonstrate a PD program called
"Checks".  This program, while less comprehensive than "Checks  &
Balances", provides some of the same features. (One of the things
Glen  did which future presenters are encouraged to try  follows:
Prepare your handouts and talk so you avoid the "Let's all gather
'round the computer" syndrome. Glen did have his computer and the
software  he was discussing there but at no time during his  main
presentation  did we need to see his software running. After  the
main  talk was over, those people that wanted to see "Checks  and
Balances"  in  action  could do so.  Finally,  Glen's  fictitious
checking  account  was also both funny and at the same  time  in-
spirational, for it provided a good working model of the chart of
accounts CCP/M could very well adapt. To order this software, you
may call [phone]. The company's name and address is C.D.E.
Software, 4017 - 39th Ave. S.W., Seattle, Washington 98116-3848.)

I was not able to attend the traditional aftermeeting meeting.  I
will  take  a wild guess that they stopped somewhere for  beer  &
pizza. I'll also guess that there were some resolutions passed by
unanimous consent, along the lines of approving CCP/M funding for
a charter trip to somewhere in the South Seas.

The survey I put together this week, to help us attain needed in-
formation  on our members' computer systems, is itself part of  a
larger  experiment. We have several projects underway and  nearly
all of them require that we find enough CCP/M members willing  to
pitch in some time and effort to make them work. For example:  If
you've  been  reading the messages posted on this  BBS  the  last
couple  of weeks, you'll know we're planning to mail out a  disk-
based edition of our group's newsletter. Unless we wanted to dump
a  LOT of work on a few people, we have to find a way to get  the
tasks  of  copying and mailing disks distributed  over  a  larger
group of volunteers. I decided to try to accomplish two tasks  at
once. First, we need to get info from our members on what formats
their systems can read. It makes sense to gather other useful in-
formation  at  the  same time, so I extended  the  scope  of  the
survey.  The  second  task  is to test  the  willingness  of  the
membership to help out with CCP/M projects. To this end I set  up
the  survey  so that a number of members can each print  out  and
mail  a fixed number of survey forms. We only need between 5  and
10  volunteers. I know that if we can't get that many,  not  only
the survey, but the DBNL and several other planned projects  will
go down the tubes. Next week should show us if the experiment  is
a  success  or not. BTW. If you would like to volunteer  to  help
with either the survey or the DBNL, leave a message to me on this
system or leave a note for Lee Bradley.

The  other coals in the fire this week included Lee's  effort  to
get  the AMPRO Little Board hardware ready for a new  version  of
the  CCP/M BBS/RAS. I'm trying to show Lee that we as  the  group
are  all  behind his efforts to maintain and improve  this  vital
communications link for CCP/M. Lee and the rest of the group  are
glad  that such technically gifted people as Rick Swenton and  Al
Hathway are contributing their expertise to the project. I think,
as  the new system becomes a reality, there will be  several  new
avenues for other CCP/M members to participate. From writing news
and  information bulletins, to remote SYSOPs,  the  possibilities
are just starting to develop. On a related note, I heard that Lee
is  considering applying for recognition as an  official  Z-NODE.
This  would be a definite boon for our group and  Z-System  users
throughout the area.

Two  other projects under way are a "Best of" selection  of  disk
files  from  the CCP/M PDSW library, and free  introductory  disk
we'll  have  on hand for potential CCP/M members. The  "Best  of"
project  is  a possible way to get some of the  most  useful  and
requested files from our library onto a number of disk formats. I
don't  know  yet if we will charge a fee for these disks  or  how
much.  The free intro' disk will be called the CCP/M sampler.  On
the  disk there will be several utilities and other programs  and
text files that will give potential CCP/M members a taste of what
we have to offer. The disk will also contain some information  on
our  group's  purpose and application forms. We'd  like  to  have
these ready for the next regular meeting.

Some  other projects are still in the blue sky state. I hope  the
info' gained from the survey will help bring these projects  into
focus.  To  mention  a few: A second  CCP/M  BBS/RAS  located  in
another location, outside of the Hartford area. I know having our
current BBS a local call is great. It would be great to see other
CCP/M  members  enjoy  the same situation.  We'll  also  look  at
holding meetings in areas closer to some of our CCP/M members  in
other  parts of the state. I think another Z-FEST is likely  some
time this year. While it seems to be on the back burner, the idea
of setting up a tutorial meeting for new computer users is  still
a possibility. This project, along with a few others, remain good
candidates for a multi-user group operation.

That's about it for now. There's lots of work to be done. I doubt
if any of us can be sure we'll have as much time to devote to the
group's  activities  and  projects  as we'd  like,  but  we  keep
plugging along. I hope you all have a good week. BRN..
     -------------------------------------------------------

SCIENCE NON-FICTION
by David Wright

Cable  News Network reports that cheap, efficient nuclear  fusion
has  been achieved at room temperature. The scientists  involved,
Professor   Martin  Fleischman,  a  British   electrochemist   at
England's  Southampton University, and Professor B. Stanley  Pons
of the University of Utah were so convinced the experiments  were
"stupid"  and wouldn't do anything that instead of  applying  for
grants they funded the experiments on their own with monies  from
the University of Utah. The results were impressive, though,  and
it looks like they'll have no trouble getting millions in funding
to  complete  the experiments instead of  the  thousands  they've
used.

In  a statement issued by the University of Utah, the  scientists
said, "Our indications are that the discovery will be  relatively
easy  to make into a useable technology for generating  heat  and
power."

No doubt they also have a Nobel Prize in their future as well.

The  method  is very compact. Bottles  containing  deuterium  and
platinum-alloy  rods  were shown sitting in tanks of water  in  a
small room. Other scientists experimenting with  high-temperature
fusion  have  been  using enormous  accelerators  and  lasers  to
achieve expensive, inefficient results.

Fusion  provides  energy by forcing atoms  together  rather  than
breaking  them  apart as with fission. It  produces  very  little
waste  of any kind, including radioactive, and a square  foot  of
seawater  can provide the equivalent energy of ten thousand  tons
of coal. Just the break we need for the environment.

Room-temperature  fusion looks like it can be done in the  family
car,  which means "Mr. Fusion" reactors ala "Back to the  Future"
may not be so far off.
     -------------------------------------------------------

ALPHABET.SOUP
by Reno Franconi

NZ.COM! Wow, what power, what a lift for CP/M users! What does it
mean, what does it do, how does one get started? Good  questions.
First, be a very good listener. Of course, this meeting will be a
discussion of NZ.COM. Take notes, lots of them. Ask questions, no
matter  how foolish they may sound to you. Now your curiosity  is
getting the best of you. So take the plunge and invest your money
and buy NZ.COM software. Wait for the mail, wait some more.

Your  software,  it  finally came! You hurriedly  tear  open  the
package,  read the manual quickly. Make copies, it says.  You  do
it.  Now  you install it into your system. Wait,  it's  not  that
easy.  This time the manual is studied with care  and  concentra-
tion.  Ah! Press the right keys, voila, it's installed  (after  a
phone call to Rick Swenton, who gets you back on track.)

Here we go! You check your directory, make a choice, and you find
out the commands really work! Wow! Not so bad, so far. Here comes
the fun. You are now going to put NZ.COM to work. First this  key
and  that  key,  but wait, how do we fill in  the  blanks?  Which
commands come first, second, third, etc., etc.? You re-read  your
manual again. Hmm. What does that mean? Maybe they are playing  a
shell game. Now you see it, now you don't. Try this command,  try
it  with the help command. Hmm. What do they mean by that?  Well,
more  calls  to  Rick Swenton, a  very  cooperative  and  patient
person. Rick said to take my machine to the next meeting and have
Al Hathway help you. Good. We do it.

Meeting  time, Al punches in some commands. Hey! It does quite  a
job. Al tries another area. Very enlightening. I try while Al  is
looking  on. It works! Bringing my computer home, I feel  that  I
finally made a breakthrough.

Next  day. Get the computer started, punch in the  commands.  But
wait. What did I miss, leave out? Try again. Same problem.  Well,
this  time I send a message to Al Hathway to please detail  these
moves again.

Well, this is the point I'm at today. While Al is getting back to
me,  I  keep trying some other applications. This is  what  makes
computing  so  exciting,  the challenge,  learning,  having  good
people helping you.
     -------------------------------------------------------

                         UPCOMING EVENTS
                              -----

                      FUTURE CCP/M MEETINGS
April 11: CP/M games. No formal presentation, members are invited
to  bring their computers/games for others to try. Hope  to  have
CCP/M PD library on hand for members use.

May  9: CCP/M's Public Domain Library. Short demos of  "the  best
of." Bring your system, disk copying encouraged.

June 13: Public Domain disk cataloging program FATCAT. Configura-
tion & use. Copies will be available. First come, first serve.

July  11: NZ-COM/Z-system users favorite ARUNZ  aliases.  Several
short presentations by Z users.

The  Connecticut  CP/M Users' Group meets the second  Tuesday  of
every  month  at the Farmington Public Library,  Farmington,  CT.
6:30-9:00pm

                              -----

            14TH ANNUAL TRENTON COMPUTER FESTIVAL '89

            WHERE: Trenton State College, Trenton, NJ
    WHEN: Saturday, April 22, 1989 and Sunday, April 23, 1989

= speakers = special conferences = Outdoor Flea Market = forums =
                      = talks = seminars =

For  more information: call: 201-549-7538 or write to:  TCF  '89,
Trenton State College, Hillwood Lakes, CN4700, Trenton, NJ 08650-
4700
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

from:
PIECES OF 8
c/o Jim Taylor
PO Box 642
Newington, CT 06111

-------------------------
                               TO:







                                   -------------------------
                                        FIRST CLASS MAIL