the usef u 1 guide to £GjGM*!)<i]W<§ comput i ng!
Issue # 7
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ISSUE # 7 INCLUDE:
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daisy wheel
CONTENTS
JUNE
REV EWS
DEPARTMENTS
GALLERY (software screen shots of 18 new titles) 6
EDITOR'S PAGE 19
the INFORMER (by Buddy Hacker) 20
SOUND ADVICE on Keyboards (Peggy Herrington) 24
NEWS & VIEWS: Summer CES edition (Benn Dunnington) 47
DISK COPIERS COMPARED (Mark Brown) 30
AT HOME WITH THE C-128 (Benn Dunnington) 37
LOW COST ROBOTICS LAB (Benn Dunnington) 42
VIZASTAR (Don Vandeventer) 71
3 ASSEMBLERS (Mark Brown) 84
DISK SPEEDUPS (Mark Brown) 86
CP/M TUTORIAL (Mark Brown) 58
THE BEST OF CP/M: 150 Good Titles for Starters (Mark Brown) 60
CP/M VENDOR LIST 67
COMPUTER SPEECH (Ted Salaraone) 76
Brian Redman looks at COMPUTER CRIME! 23
Dealer Index 90
CONTEST: Win a C-128 ! ! ! 95
Advertiser Index 96
SUBSCRIBERS
for some of youj 1*7
is the last issue on your current
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you want to renew, please send
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12'
Your Nawe
Your Address
Your Address
Yourtown, STATE 12345
([■roBHWwi ■ mssmm
i nrr
lNLMHNa JUNty IN
THE LOST KINGDOM
CHIPWITS
I *****
MINDSCAPE INC.
| 3444 DUNDEE RD.
| NORTHBROOK, IL 60062
The idea is great: a set of
problem-solving games with no
instructions (you mist use your
Wits £ logic like Indy" to
survive and complete the six
roams) .
Unfortunately, the packaging,
Marketing,, concept, and intended
cinematic associations fail to
translate into a satisfying
product. This ga«e is boring,
roughly animated, and sure to
disappoint Indiana Jones fans.
Better title: "Indiana Jones in
the Kingdom of Lost Causes".
-BO
EPVX !|3WS 1
1043 KIEL COURT
SUNNWALE, CA 94039
A fantastic
educational
ing. Using
popular pul
you choose
robots and
one of the
adventures .
with pictur
can be rath
on trial an
combined wi
and animati
where piayi
become <as
the sane .
program that is as
as it is entertain-
the increasingly
1-down «enu scheme,
one of 16 CHIPHIT
program it to solve
8 varying-di f f iculty
Programming is done
es (see inset) and
er elaborate. Hands-
el error environment
th attractive screens
on create a world
ng and learning
they should) one and
-BD
ALCAZAR:
THE FORGOTTEN FORTRESS I ****-
ACTIVISION, INC :
I DRAWER 7286 i V '
1 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94039 I
Interesting
of the ubiq
adventure,
and properl
objects and
overcome yo
saries and
Vou keep th
pockets, th
active, fin
which rooms
each castle
guides you
the next,
bottomless
graphic
uitous du
Vou must
y use the
weapons
ur variou
complete
ree items
e one in
on-screen
you have
Large
from one
Beware of
pits. .
variation
ngeon
collect
right
in order to
s adver-
your quest.
in your
your hand is
map shows
visited in
overview map
castle to
the many
-BD
KENNEDV APPROACH 1 1
§ MICROPROSE SOFTWARE INC.
I 120 LAKEFRONT DR.
I HUNT VALLEV, MD 21030
Best air traffic controller
simulation to date. This simu-
lation sports several advanced
and unique features that help
make it work: good quality
software speech synthesis adds
considerably to the realism Cyou
will actually hear the conver-
sations between the pilots and
the tower!) and a clever system
for visually indicating the
altitude of planes gives you
3-D visual information on a 2-D
game grid. If you are not
getting enough tension in your
life, this should help! -BD
| THE SERPENT'S STAR I:
BRODERBUND SOFTWARE INC.
% IT PAUL DRIVE
$_ SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903
This hybrid adventure game
(pictorial screens accompany
the interactive text interface)
is a noticeable improvement over
Broderbund's last adventure,
"Mask of the Sun". Vou will
especially like the toggle for
fast or slow travel between
locations. I found the screens
to be colorful, the action
smooth, the parser forgiving
and intelligent, the storyline
interesting, the puzzles just
hard enough, the humor refresh-
ing with a nice beat and easy
to dance to: I give it a 4. -BD
COUNTDOWN TO SHUTDOWN !****+
i ACTIVISION, INC
£ DRAWER 7286
% MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94839 |
One of the better offerings
from ftctivision since "Ghost-
busters". Even before you
figure out the object of this
game, you will be enjoying the
delightful 3-D graphics effects,
well-done animation (with
shadows), sophisticated sound
effects, detailed information
displays, and fluid gameplay.
I love the way the sliding doors
glide open and shut with a
convincing pneumatic "hiss"! The
object? Vour androids JUST have
to prevent a nuclear meltdown!
Piece of cake, -BD
li a i »■:
ARCHON II! ADEPT =.":
ELECTRONIC ARTS
2755 CAMPUS DRIVE
SAN MATEO, CA 94403
!****+
If you
won't b
(the se
spells.
This is
that pi
surface
paced a
ever co
the usu
crisp a
effects
from th
via the
if you
»y hine
liked Ar
e disapp
quel)
wore na
a Multi
ays like
but di
rcade-gr
Mbat ens
ai excel
nidation
we have
e«. With
joystic
can win
y kicked
chon I, th
Dinted by
More Magic
sty critte
facetted
chess on
ves into f
ade action
ues . EA d
lent graph
, and soun
co we to e
snooth ga
k. I don'
this gawe;
evey tiMe
en you
ADEPT
wore
rs.
gane
the
ast-
when-
el ivers
ics,
d
xpect
Meplay
t know
I get
-8D
CRUSADE IN EUROPE
% WICROPROSE SOFTWARE, INC.
g 120 LAKEFRONT DR.
;=; HUNT VALLEY, MD 21030
FroM D-
Bulge,,
to repl
history
strateg
ft large
terrain
choice
gaMe pi
various
transMi
the top
easy to
cowplex
Sound e
just ri
Day to
you wil
ay the
in thi
ic war-
scroll
and tr
of syMb
eces .
status
tted in
of the
start
for cr
ffects
ght.
the Battle
1 have the
hands dealt
s reai-ti«e
gawe siMUl3
ing Map sho
oops with y
olic or pic
CoMMands an
updates ar
the text a
screen. V
playing, bu
ustier war-
and graphic
of the
chance
by
tion.
ws
our
tonal
d
e
per, at
ery
t awply
ga«ers
s are
-BD
6.1. JOE
% EPYX
I 1D43 KIEL COURT
1 SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
This gaMe surprised
the few excerpts I'
with the Mentality
attendant with such
fare j My t numbs wer
twitching toward th
I got around to tes
title. Actually., th
quite decent with s
including hero/oppo
Mission selection,
While the hand-to-h
are a bit goofy, th
coMbat is better th
BLUE MAX or BUNGELI
Me, Ftom
d seen, along
usually
toy-fad
e already
e ground when
ting this
e gaMe is
everai phases
nent choices,
and coMbat.
and sequences
e equipment
an either
NG BAV.
-BD
MOQNSWEEPER
S 1MAGIC
£ 981 UNIVERSITY AVE.
1 LOS GATOS, CA 95930
MOONSWEEPER has somo interesting
effects, but suffers froM
repetition, The foreshortened
scrolling background is perhaps
the gaMe s strongest feature.
Basically you shoot the creeps,
rescue the good folk, and get
the heck out. Then you do it
all over and over again with
increasing levels of both
difficulty and tedium.
-BD
ON-FIELD FOOTBALL
GAMES TAR
1302 STATE STREET
SANTA BARBARA CA 93101
ON-FIELD FOOTBALL rounds out the
GaMestar series of animated
action sports titles. While
this version of the Great Sunday
Obsession sends only 6 warriors
per teaM into the skirMish,
the action is well-done, with
GaMestar 's usual attention to
providing an elaborate range of
joystick control over gaMe
options and player actions.
This can take soMe getting used
to, especially in FOOTBALL.
Scrolling screen allows full-
field play. One or two players
-BD
SKY TRAVEL
I *****
COMMODORE BUSINESS MACHINES
120O WILSON DRIVE
WEST CHESTER, PA 19380
Well, CoMMOdore
again! An educat
Masterpiece! Th
SlanetariUM disp
206 stars and 8
in their proper
18,896 year peri
tracks heavens a
Mai speed. Celes
Maps May be disp
can be dumped to
line displays id
visible objects
not enough, SKV
with visual joke
see your shoes!)
has done it
ional AND fun
is electronic
lays More than
8 constellations
positions over a
od. Clock drive
t up to 32X nor
tial and world
layed. Screens
printer. Data
entities of all
As if this were
TRAUEL is salted
s (look down and
A Must buy! -BD
V^
> I ? I !■
VAUDEVILLE
SHOWBIZ, IUC. * i
I? ALBUGUERGUE, NM 87106
Maybe I 'm getting
old age dm sure
points with this n
but I C3n't think
person whose atten
held by UflUDEUILLE
2 Minutes. The pr
is pretty dry: pic
spin them on stick
spinning, duck fly
What really drags
tho, is the execut
sprites, CHARACTER
a commercial game?
animation . (nay b
to insomniacs.)
jaded in my
I 'm not makin
ew advertiser
of a single
tion would be
for more than
emise itself
k up plates,
s, keep them
ing objects,
this game down
ion: blocky
GRAPHICS (in
?), & crude
e of interest
-BD
THE POND I***-
SUNBURST COMMUNICATIONS/ IfKwjJ
39 WASHINGTON AVE. . 3^ ;;;|
PLEASANTV ILLE, NV 10570 is a§
After titles like THE FACTORV,
and MISSING LINKS, this edu-game
is a real disappointment.
THE POND is a tedius problem-
solving exercise wherein the
player must find a pattern that
will enable a frog to cross a
6ond on a pathway of lilly-pads.
sing the awkward menus turns
out to be the true challenge for
a youngster's wits and patience
The game is too dull for normal
healthy children, and pales next
to efforts like '"CHIPWITS". The
fact that it won some awards
won't impress your child. -BD
ALPHA -OMEGA RUN
" NANQSEC CORP.
g-3544 LINCOLN AVE.
I OGDEN, UT 84401
Routi
ie space-opera number
lacks
anything special to
recommend it over scores of
prede
lessors. Line em up,
shoot
'em down. Save the world.
Vou'd
think that programmers
would
get tired of grinding out
these
endless shoot-em-up clones
CI know that consumers are
gettii
lg tired of buying them
.)
-BD
QUINK I
'= CBS SOFTWARE i
|i ONE FflWGETT PLACE
1 GREENWICH CT. 06836 WkM
Each screen presents the player
with 8 random places, names, or
things: some items will belong
together by some associating
element, while the rest will be
totaly unrelated. Sort it out
as fast as you can for maximum
points. 4SB9 items from 159
subject areas (like "Birds that
Can't Fly". "Tools on a Swiss
Army Knife, and "Two-Word Rock
Groups"), nice visual and sound
effects. One or two players.
One of the most enjoyable word
games I've seen on a computer.
-BD
WARP *
5 CREATIVE SOFTWARE
| P.O. BOX 61688
1 SUNNYVALE, CA 94086
The
Tha
fut
Cre
Aft
the
uns
An
ori
kee
but
to
COi
(se
Warpzo
t's the
uristic
ative S
er game
animat
OphiSti
obvious
ginalit
PS WARP
not by
add a C
lection
e right
ids must
mission
highway
oftware.
S like Pi
ion seems
cated,
attempt
in the
outside
much. I
reative t
I 'd rec
over WA
be stopped!
in this
hugger from
tStop II,
pretty
at variety 3
game elements
the kennel,
f you want
itle to your
DNtend TROLLS
RP!
-BD
TROLLS & TRIBULATIONS
I CREATIVE SOFTWARE
% P.O. BOX 61688
% SUNNVVALE, CA 94086
Watch your step as you skulk
arround in what appears to be
the sewer system of some ancien"
city: your troll must dodge the
under-city denizens who patrol
this hazardous but treasure-
littered maze.
A familiar game for sure, but
somehow more playable than the
Photos would suggest.
7 levels, 260 chambers, for one
player,
-BD
^
CARTRIDGE PORT CONVERTER
CUSTOMED DESIGNED FOR
COMMODORE 64 COMPUTER
• BUILT-IN "WARM RESET" BUTTON WILL ELIMI-
NATE TURNING POWER OFF/ON TO RESET
THE C-64 MICROPROCESSOR, THUS ADDING
TO RELIABILITY.
• PARALLEL EXPANSION PORT ON L" BOW'S
BACKSIDE ALLOWS SIMULTANEOUS HARD-
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GOLD COMMAND PROGRAM RECOVERS
BASIC PROGRAMS OTHERWISE LOST
DURING COMPUTER RESET.
• VERTICAL CARTRIDGE PORT MAKES
CARTRIDGE USE MUCH EASIER.
NO MORE STRESS ON THE COMPUT-
ER'S PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FROM
THE PRESSURE OF PLUGGING IN
CARTRIDGES SINCE 'LBOW PUTS
IT ALL ON THE TABLE TOP.
DEALER/DISTRIBUTOR INQUIRIES WELCOME
DOUBLES STORAGE SPACE OF MOST 5 1 /<T
SINGLE-SIDED DISKETTES. COMPATIBLE
WITH DISK DRIVES FOR COMMODORE,
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• CUTS A
PRECISION SQUARE
NOTCH IN THE DISKETTE
AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT SPOT
SO THE "FLIPSIDE" CAN BE USED,
HIGH TORQUE ROUND ACTIVATOR
MAKES IT EASY TO USE BY EVERYONE.
SMOOTH, DEEP-BLUE ENAMELED FINISH
IS BEAUTIFUL AND EASY TO TOUCH.
ORDER FORM
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Vaudeville, the only home video game
capable of making you a STAR. It is up to
you how soon you want to be one.
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DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS INQUIRIES INVITED
RETAIL PRICE
S5 tor ship/hand
Commodore .64' v
VALUE
WHAT IS VALUE
val-lue (va'l yob) that quality of a thing
which makes it more or less desirable, use-
ful, etc.
Value is something we constantly strive
for in our role as consumers. But what is it
really? Is it price? Sure, price is part of it.
What aboul quality? Quality definitely plays
an important part. Maybe, good quality at a
good price? This is a step closer, but still
not quite all. Useful? Of course. What good
is quality, even at a good price, if you don't
have a use for? So then let's say, "Value
is: A useful, quality product at a good
price."
THE GOAL
Software Value; Useful, quality software
at a fair price.
THE PROBLEM
Every computer owner that progresses
beyond the early stages, soon begins to add
to his collection of programs. As soon as a
disk drive is added, this collection literally
explodes. Disks are like rabbits; start with a
couple and soon they're everywhere! Since
a disk can hold a bunch of programs, 10 or
20 disks can mean several hundred
programs.
HELP!! To keep all those programs in
order you need help. Programs to help you
manage your program collection are called
utilities.
A utility is a program that fills a specific
need. Utilities usually concentrate more on
geting a job done well than on being flashy.
A collection of utilities is usually one of the
first things almost every computer owner
starts.
No matter what the main interest is
(music, graphics, games, writing programs,
etc.) all owners have the same basic needs
(move files, copy programs, backup disks,
etc.) to maintain their program library.
THE PLAN
We wanted to assemble a collection of
really good programs that would simplify
maintaining your program library. Programs
to cover every phase of this job. A collection
that would serve as a solid foundation for
anyone just starting their utilities collec-
tion, but also allow many people to improve
the quality of the programs currently used
for these jobs.
We also wanted to price the collection so
that even if you only used 1 or 2 of the
programs, you would still get your money's
worth.
THE PROGRAMS
FAST FINDER: A fast efficient way to main-
tain a current listing of all your programs.
• Alphabetical listing of all programs in
your program library.
• Automatically adds the programs you
choose from a disk. No manual entry of
programs required.
• Assign your own 3 digit ID number, or use
the disk's own ID.
• Find a program FAST. The first 2 or 3
letters of a name gets you a list of
programs that match those letters., Your
programs will be included. Average time
- 1 second.
• List all programs with the same disk ID.
• List all programs to either screen or
printer.
• Printed list is 3 columns wide. A few
pages for a lot of programs.
• Add names from disk or from keyboard.
Keyboard entry allows for adding Com-
mercial disks that have altered directo-
ries that can't be listed. Also handy when
you add 1 or 2 names to an already
cataloged disk.
• Delete single programs, or all programs
with a certain ID.
• Each list holds 1 000 entries. Up to 5 lists
available on 1 disk.
A program that will be of real use for
anyone who uses a disk drive and owns
more than a few disks.
BULLET COPY: A 4 minute disk copier that
copies the whole disk in only 3 passes,
using only 1 1 541 disk drive, initializes as
it copies. This program will save you a LOT
of time making backup copies.
HAPPY HOUSEKEEPER: Makes moving
programs and files from place to place a
real snap. Move 1 program or a bunch.
Large buffer. Make multiple copies without
having to read source disk each time. Takes
the drudgery out of disk library main-
tenance.
ENVELOPE DIRECTORY: Prints the direc-
tory inside a pattern that fits in the disk
jacket. Makes it easy to keep the directory
for each disk where it belongs, with the
disk.
DISK MAP: Prints the directory giving Pro-
gram name, size, load address, ending
address and Track and Sector where pro-
gram starts. Output tD either printer or
screen.
DIRECTORY DOCTOR: Loads a directory
from a disk, re-arranges the order of the
programs, then writes the directory back to
the disk in this new order.
All these, plus several other programs will
make this a disk you will reach for often. It
will save you many hours to use for more
important things.
THE NAME
The collection: C-64 UTILITY CITY
THE PRICE
Less than the price of a single program!
We think software prices are too high.
Hardware prices have fallen sharply in the
last 2 years; software prices need to do the
same. We have eliminated all the middle-
men. By buying direct from us, we can
increase the value even more. We even pay
the postage.!
All these programs on one disk, delivered
to your door for only $19.95.
WHERE?
Send ONLY $19.95
(includes postage) to:
VALUE PLUS SOFTWARE
P.O. BOX 731
SPRINGFIELD, MO 65801
Please sand copies of
C-64 UTILITY CITY
@ $19.95 each (includes postage).
VALUE PLUS SOFTWARE
P.O. BOX 731
SPRINGFIELD, MO 65801
NAMF
AnriRFSR
CITY
STATE
ZIP
AVAILABLE NOW!
CALL TODAY!
DENVER. COLORADO
ff?
Commodore 64 Hardware
=$\
fr
^
ONE MEGABYTE COMMODORE DISK DRIVE
SFD-1001: EXPAND your Commodore 64
system with this ONE MEGABYTE double-
sided, double-density COMMODORE DISK
DRIVE. Speed up disk access with a fast,
reliable IEEE interface (required). NOW
NOW ONLY 399.95
SERIAL TO IEEE INTERFACE
E-L1NK: SERIAL TO IEEE INTERFACE for the
Commodore 64. Connect powerful lEEEdisk
drives and printers to your C-64! Plugs into
the serial port, insuring compatibility with
your software. RECOMMENDED FOR USE
WITH THE SFD-1001 DISK DRIVE.
E-LINK serial-IEEE interface 99.95
FULL-FEATURED GRAPHIC PRINTER INTERFACE
EASYPRINT WITH GRAPHICS: Full-
featured GRAPHICPRINTER INTERFACEfor
the C-64. Centronics-parallel compatible;
LOADED with switch-selectable features.
Power cord (included) plugs into either
joystick port. FREE utility disk dumps any C-
64 screen in under 4 minutes! 119.95
Optional 4K Buffer for FAST graphic
printing (kit or installed) additional 29.95
Business/Word Processor PRINTER INTERFACE
EASY-PRINT: The ideal PRINTER
INTERFACE for the C-64 - perfect for word
processing or business software. Switch
selectable device numbers 4, 5, 6, or 7; select
8-bit, 7-bit, Standard or PET ASCII.
Compatible with Centronics parallel
printers, no power plug-in required. 49.95
MULTIPLE— PRINTER SERIAL CONNECTOR
SERIAL BOX: MULTIPLE— PR I NTER
CONNECT box for serial printers or
interfaces; plug up to 4 printers in for
use with the SuperShipper. Avoid loading
and unloading paper every time you print
•vith different forms. 39.95
INTELLIGENT 4-SLOT BUS EXPANSION
SMART SLOT: INTELLIGENT 4-SLOT BUS
EXPANSION for the Commodore 64. Turn
any combination of cartridges on or off
using the switches or through software.
RESET button recovers from 'crashes'
without turning off the computer and losini
RAM. Durable gold-plated contacts 89.9!
90-Day Warranty Fast Delivery!
Business & Finance Software
ALL-IN-ONE
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PROCESSING. GENERAL LEDGER
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and 3-D GRAPHICS integrated on one disk
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manual! ONLY 79.95
GAIN CONTROL of your PERSONAL FINANCES
CERTIFIED PERSONAL ACCOUNTANT:
GAIN CONTROL of your personal finances
with C.P.A. - organize and automate every
aspect of your financial life. ..bank accounts,
budget, cash flow, credit cards, tax status
and net worth! Comes with an in-depth
manual and features on-screen help at all
times. EASY TO USE! 79.95
THE COMPLETE C-64 INVOICING SYSTEM
SUPERSHIPPER 64: COMPLETE INVOICING
AND BILLING program for the C-64. This
multi-disk system stores information for up
to 800 customer, 500 invoices, and 200
products on each 'account' and 'invoice'
disk. Print invoices, C.O.D. tags and
shipping labels. Sort lists of customers and
productsalphabetically; print mailing labels
and list out your back orders! 99.95
SALES, RECEIVABLE & INVENTORY REPORTS
SUPERSHIPPER ACCOUNTANT: Use with
the SuperShipper to print sales, receivable
and inventory control reports. Save time by
generating a bank deposit while marking
invoices paid! 79.95
SUPPLIES
^
C.O.D. TAGS: Continuous-form tractor-fed
tags on pre-cut rolls of 500 for easy C.O.D.
processing with the SuperShipper.
One roll of500 tags 100.00
FLOPPY DISK MAILERS: Don't take
chances! Protect your disks with these
heavy-duty envelopes. Box of 150 75.00
m
tasy to Use!
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IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION SET make
this a must for joystick WIZARDS!
Original WIZARD required. 29.95
WIZARD: Jump, dodge and duck your way
through WIZARD'S not 10, 20, but FORTY
dazzling screens, each a new, exciting
adventure! WIZARD features full-color
animation, fantastic sound, 1 to 6 players, 4
difficulty levels and 10 selectable speeds! A
CONSTRUCTION SET for building your
own screens is included. Joystick jump &
climb action at its best! 29.95
EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT!
THE PROFESSOR: A complete Classroom-
ready TUTORIAL about theCommodore64.
Two volumes are provided on a dual-sided
disk. Volume 1 covers KEYBOARD and
BASIC; volume 2explainsC-64SOUNDand
GRAPHICS! Learn or teach someone about
the C-64's amazing capabilities. 34.95
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z>
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2186 South Holly, Suite #2, Denver, Colorado 80222
Commodore W, SFD-1001, and PET ame Trademarks of __
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; HMIHCW#]
Call for more information or for the name of the dealer nearest vou. LV_>^J
TELEX, 8B8837 1303) 759-5713 TWX: 9109971314
QIIDFPQm
BIB
SuperShipper64! The invoicing, billing, and shipping system for the Commodore 64
computer. If you've ever typed an invoice, shipping label or COD. tag, you know the time
and effort involved. Armed only with an adding machine, typewriter, and pencil, facing a
mountain of orders can seem overwhelming. Make one mistake andyour merchandise or
invoice could be sent to an in correct address ... even a simple addition error could costyou !
With your purchase of the SuperShipper, you've discovered the smart way to organize
your invoicing, billing and shipping departments. Now you can keep track of your
customers, set up an organized pricing system and eliminate costly errors and retyping ...
and all with less time and effort than you ever thought possible!
SUPERSHIPPER 64: What is it?
The SuperShipper is a computer program that integrates all the elements of an invoicing
system. Customer account lists, product and price lists, and invoice information are all at
your fingertips I
SAVE MONEY ... SAVE TIME ... AND BEST OF ALL, SUPERSHIPPER IS EASY TO USE !
Once you've set up your system, invoice processing is virtually automatic. In the span of a
few hours, hundreds of invoices, labels, and C.O.D. tags can be flawlessly printed.
Meanwhile, if you have the SuperShipper Accountant, your receivables and customer
credit history are automatically updated!
The SuperShipper's suggested retail price is only S99 95 . SuperShipper Accountant retails for
S79 95 ... you'll see a quick return on your investment!
Dealer inquiries are invited. For more information or the name of the dealer nearest
you, contact Progressive Peripherals & Software at (303) 759-5713.
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TELEX: 888837
VJVX: 9109971314
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a Breakthrough in Value !
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ULTRACOPY II
Jim Lagerkvist's sequel to the original ULTRACOPY 64
owned by thousands of satisfied customers.
Copies protected disks in 8 minutes on a single 1541
Does not "hammer" the disk drive. Will not affect alignment
Formats, copies and produces errors automatically in one step
Features Normal Scan for reliable copies of most disks
Includes Deep Scan with 38 track and half track capability
Copies 99% of programs on the market
Free backup copy - two disks for the price of one
Technical support available by telephone
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ULTRABYTE DISK NIBBLER
Uses proprietary revision of disk operating system {DOS] to make
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data and errors, all at the same time. Errors are not recognized
and do not hammer the drive. Built in fast load environment allows
copies in 8 minutes with a single 1541 disk drive.
• Easy to use. No separate analysis or error production
• Choose 35, 36. 37 or 38 tracks to copy incl. half tracks
• Makes up to 5 copies of each original — ( UNIQUE FEATURE )
• Backs up 99% of all software
• Free backup copy -two disks for the price of one
FREE BACKUP DISK
ULTRACOPY II and the NIBBLER are independent products by different authors. Both
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S 20.00 plus S3.00 shipping. Sorry, free backup must be same as disk purchased.
FOR 2 COPIES OF EITHER
ULTRACOPY II OR THE DISK NIBBLER
plus $4.00 shipping and handling. Mastercard. Visa. Check or M.O., Foreign orders
or COD add $2.00. Calif, add 6.5% IS 2.60] sales tax. Additional backup copies are
$20.00 plus $3.00 shipping
ATTENTION: Owners of ULTRACOPY or the NIBBLEF whose names are in our tile
may order a single copy of either product for S 20.00 plus $3.00 shipping.
Write or Call 24 Hour Order Line
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P.O. Box 789 La Canada, CA 91011
DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS WANTED
Be the
TRAIN
Play this fasi-paced computer video game
that s so true-to-Iife that a maior railroad indi-
cated they use it in dispatcher training.
TRAIN DISPATCHERS 24 displays help you
make crucial decisions. RAPIDLY. You're under
pressure, but in control — throwing switches,
clearing and cancelling signals, constantly ma-
neuvering both east and westbound trams.
Keep the tracks clear ahead of all your trains
and watch your score go up!
Action packed, yet non-violem. TRAIN DIS-
PATCHER'S 5 levels of play challenge players
from age 8 to 80. Work your way up from "Cub
Dispatcher'' to Chief Dispatcher" or even "Train-
master. "
Created by designers of computerized traffic
control systems for operating railroads, TRAIN
DISPATCHER will increase your appreciation
for actual railroad operations,
TRAIN DISPATCHER comes complete with
Instruction Manual and keyboard template
^t »miH Color TV Recommended mmmmm ^
m t4 a ifc
_ CHECK ONE:
Vic 20' Tape □ or Disk D
[Requires 16 K Memory E*pander|
Atari - BOO Tape □ or Disk □
(Requires Basic| .....
Aian" 400 Tape O
iRequires Basicl
Commodore* 64 Tape D or Disk U
Apple II 1 . 11+ and lo Disk D
(S24 95]
IS24 95]
1*24 95 1
1*24.95)
IS29.95]
Manual Only G |S4 00 it purchased separately!
Name .
City.
State .
Zip.
USA 6 CANADA add $2 50 postage & handling
I $4 00 foreign| for each game ordered Alt payments
must be in USA funds all foreign paymenls must be
agarnst USA banks PA residents add 6'V slate sales
ta* Or charge to
□ Master Card
Card No.
D VISA Exp Dale .
Signature .
SEND TO:
SIGNAL COMPUTER CONSULTANTS. LTD
PO Bo» 18222 • Pittsburgh. PA 15236
1412) 655-7727
Correc 1 1 ons
Subscriber note
First of all, we bleu it on THE PRINT SHOP review.
Contrary to Ted's otherwise excellent report, the
PRINT SHOP is compatible with several other graphics
packages (Flexidraw & Doodle for starters), and is
not compatible with the Commodore 802 printer or tRe
old Star 10 printer (10X and newer are fine).
Bad ads: WARNING
We are sad, embarrassed, and angry to learn from
recent mail and phone calls that two of our previous
advertisers, PHOENIX RED & DYNAMIC ELECTRONICS INC.
are apparently accepting and cashing readers' checks
for products advertised, and either sending no
product, or defective product in return. Neither
party will return our calls or letters, and both
have had their business numbers disconnected.
Please let INFO know immediately if you have any
trouble with any advertiser in our publication so me
can warn others as soon as possible.
ILL THE 128 FLY?
There is no doubt that the C-128 is an excellent
computer and a dynamite value. No one has ever
offered so much machine for the dollar. Will it be
a big success like the C-64? That's a hard one to
call. There are so many unpredictable factors
involved: Will the production units on the shelves
be completely debugged and unproblematic, will
consumer desire for the D version undermine the
chain store sales, will the AMIGA overshadow the
whole parade, will the CP/fl vendors respond
appropriately with re-issued popular titles at
realistic prices, will third party vendors respond
quickly with software that takes advantage of the
128 mode, and last but not least, will ATARI make
good on their ST promise, and be able to pull sales
away with their new machine. Hang on £d your seats-
it should be quite a ride!
As some of you know, we have only recently offered
subscriptions to INFO. Prior to iss. #5, you had to
pick up your copy at a local dealer or newsstand.
This was our attempt to support the dealers (who
helped us get started). We finally offered
subscriptions for two reasons: 1) many readers
weren't able to obtain INFO locally (and were
sometimes driving 150 miles or more to check on the
latest issue I) 2) subscription revenue helps us
remain financially resistant to the ever-present
pressures of advertisers. The subscription rate
structure we have set up is based on 3rd class
mailing rates, which allow the price to be the
lowest, but which sometimes causes considerable
delay in delivery. In the future we will offer a
dual-rate subscription with a first-class option for
those who want immediate gratification at a premium
price, and the third class option for the patient
and economy-minded reader. For now, if you want
your subscription supercharged, look at your label
and send $1.50 (that's what it costs!) for each
issue left on your subscription.
New name & look
Well, it had to happen eventually: we have expanded
our coverage so much since the introduction of the
C-64, that INF0=64 just doesn't fit any more.
Starting with issue #8 (July), we will be changing
our name to INFO, "the useful guide to Commodore
computing". We will keep you up on not only the
world of the C-64, but also the C-128, AMIGA, LCD,
C-900, and anything else of interest to the
Cownodore computing community. Only the name & logo
will change, the quality, honesty, and excitement
that has always gone into every issue will remain.
The original announcement by Progressive Peripherals
of the Comnodore SFD-1001 (SFO for Super Fast Drive)
at $399 caused quite a stire a couple of months ago.
Now, after some wheeling & dealing by both
Progressive Peripherals and Protecto Enterprises,
this impressive IEEE dual-sided drive is available
(from either) at an incredible $1991 Highly
recommended if you need fast, cheap, extensive data
storage. Not compatible with commercial C-64
software. Requires IEEE interface (not included).
Progressive Peripherals: (303) 759-5713
Protecto Enterprises: (312) 382-5244
for the:
C=G4
C=i28
AMIGA
LCD
C=380
The useful guide to ®@GC3£^®(?© computing
[u\m
bg- Utiddy Ha.ck£r
Hello out there to all you Info-64 readers and
welcome to The INFOrmer. Here in this column I'll
present all those juicy "tidbits" of information
(including gossip and "hot" rumors) regarding
Commodore computers and the people who use them;
you know — the "off-beat" news items that usually
don't get any attention. I'll keep my "ear to the
ground to bring you all the news and latest
scoops" throughout Commodoreland! But I'll be
depending on you to help me out — after all, I'm
only one person and I can't be in more than one
place at a time, so here's your chance to become a
field correspondent for The INFOrmer.
If you hear Df anything unusual regarding Commodore
computers or people using Commodores, let's hear
about it. The main criteria for inclusion in this
column is that the information be interesting, and
that it can be checked out for validity. If your
scoop is interesting, legitimate and I use it in
this column, you'll be handsomely rewarded for your
newshunting with an Erg=board. Of course, be sure
to include your name, address and phone number with
your submissions for The INFOrmer. Send them to:
The INFOrmer
Box 4125
Brick, New Jersey 08723
Attn.: Buddy Hacker
From time to time I'll also run some contests, and
winners will be awarded prizes. Here's an unusual
contest to start you off with this column:
ODDBALL Cownodore CONTEST — This contest will
spotlight those curious "mutant" Commodore's that
somehow manage to get past the quality control
checkers on the assembly lines. For example, I've
heard of one user who purchased a 64 and, upon
unpacking it, found that all four of the function
keys had "F1" keytops on them! I've also heard
stories of C-64's and UICs that didn't have serial
port sockets — the holes were there, but nothing
to plug-in to I I myself have a Plus/4 that has an
identifying logo on it calling it a Commodore 264,
a name it bore early-on during its development. If
you've had such an experience, please let me know
about it and supply a photograph if possible. The
only restrictions are that the submissions must be
about Commodore equipment, and it must have been
shipped from the factory in that particular
condition — no "homebrew" modifications, if you
pleasel
TOST UNUSUAL APPLICATIONS — Know of anyone who's
using a Commodore for a really different purpose?
Let's hear about it. For example, Walter Lee, the
chief of engineering for a video card-game
manufacturer, uses his C-64 to control the overhead
shades of his outdoor greenhousel Through a series
of sensors and interfaces, the 64 takes readings of
the luminosity level of the sunlight, outside
temperature, inside temperature and other pertinent
data and either keeps the shades open or closes
them to regulate the temperature inside the
structure. He claims his plants love it, and
they're all thriving. While this story illustrates
an uncommon application for a computer, I'm sure
you readers must know of some really strange
applications, so let's hear about them!
r umor
I had heard that the Pliami Police Department was
installing Plus/4 computers in its patrol cars to
do "instant" checks on traffic violators and crime
suspects. I checked it out with the public
information office of the Miami Police, and
uncovered these interesting facts: It turns out
that it is another future-minded Florida police
department that is getting serious about Commodore:
the officers of the Lakeland P.O. are working with
Commodore to install either PLUS/4's or
squad cars which will communicate
C16's
in
with the
station-house mainframe via radio link. The idea
is to allow officers to directly access the
main-frame without having to swamp the dispatcher
with the overwhelming and endless requests for
record checks, daily bulletins, descriptions, etc.
Commodore is apparently supplying the hardware and
consulting time "gratis" in the hopes of setting an
example for other police and community agencies to
follow. {We'll keep you posted as this project
progresses.) And what about Pliami??? It seems
that they are indeed using computers in their
patrol cars, but they are all part of a Burroughs
system (!). You might say their taste for such
expensive
(ouch)
hardware is sort of 'Pliami ' s
A little bird based in San Francisco whispered in
my ear that OmniWriter/OmniSpell is going to be
distributed by Solid State Software. This powerful
word-processor by Kelvin Lacy (who also created
VizaStar) was formerly distributed by HESware.
Solid State may decide to market QmniWriter under
the name of Vizalilriter , which is "EFie monicker it
carries in the Luropean market, fly source tells me
that an enhancement package allowing automatic
pagination is also available for QmniWriter , which
will make many users ecstatic. Watch this column
for new developments on this topic.
Another West Coast source tells me that HESware is
alive and well — doing better every day, as a
matter of fact. Apparently the company has been
able to survive the bad times it encountered, trim
the fat and now they're making a go of it once
again.
Remember that great "trade in your old computer and
we'll give you $1D0 toward a C-64" promotion that
Commodore ran a while back? Needless to say, it was
a huge success for the company, but it did give
rise to some problems, most notably, what to do
with all of the brand-x computers received in
trade. A number of enterprising Conmodore employees
found that Timex-Sinclair computers sent in on
trade made excellent doorstops. I know for a fact
that this is true — I saw it with my own eyes
while visiting West Chester!
Also on a recent visit to Commodore I noticed
certain individuals who shall remain nameless (by
their own request) modelling the latest in West
Chester fashions — Jackbuster T-shirts!. These
shirts, stylishly fashioned in a white and red
polyester/cotton fabric, sport a picture of ex-head
honcho Jack Tramiel with a red circle around it and
a bar going through it ala Ghostbusters logo. I'm
presently trying to get my hands on one — if I
can, we'll run a picture of it in a later column,
and perhaps even offer it as a prize in one of
these contests.
While we're on the subject of Jack Tramiel, I
should mention that Commodore's Jack Attack game
was named after him and his infamous verbal
"attacks" on employees who did not please him. Ply
inside sources at Commodore swear this is the
truth.
Synapse Software has been taken over by Broderbund.
Details of the takeover weren't available at
presstime, but preliminary reports indicate that
Broderbund will continue to market the Synapse
products under their own banner.
Diane LeBold, Bern Dumington, Tom Benford and some
other prominent "crazy" Commodore writers have a
date to go flying at the 1986 Winter Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Not with a plane,
mind you — that would be too easy for these folk.
It seems that Benn knows of a place in Las Vegas
that uses an airplane engine to create a powerful
updraft, and you just step off a platform into the
draft; the resultant air pressure keeps you afloat!
This "date" was made at the Infocom "Murder To Go"
press reception at the '85 Winter CES. Well,
different strokes for different folks, and all
that!
Commodore is actively courting and supporting
third-party software developers for the C-128 and
LCD computers. This is a welcome change of attitude
on Commodore's part, since the third-party folks
are the best sources for new and better software
products. Under Sig Hartmann's rule, Conmodore was
in the "software business" and third-party
developers were left out in the cold. The new
regime at West Chester, however, has decided that
the best way to go is to concentrate their efforts
on making superior hardware and leaving the
software development to the experts in that field.
This is good news for all of us, and this new
attitude is sure to attract lots of talented
programmers. Interested third-party developers
should contact John Campbell at Commodore, (215)
431-9180.
Commodore now has a toll-free customer support hot
line? The number is 1-800-247-9000, and the folks
who man this number will be happy to help you out
with questions on products, where to get service,
dealers in your area, etc. Don't forget — it's a
toll-free call.
You can select any of the 64 levels of Jack Attack
by simultaneously holding down the shift, ctrl and
Comodore keys while pressing return. Try it — it
works!
Most Commodore cartridge-based games have a hidden
"title" page. By experimenting with various key
combinations (try the Commodore key, shift, ctrl
and return at the same time) you can view this
hidden page. It usually tells who did what in
developing the game, and sometimes, there's even a
hidden message! The key combinations aren't always
the same, but usually a little experimenting will
yield the desired results. The keystrokes I've just
described work with the Lazarian cartridge, for
sure.
frf
QiiM-:
j$if
*«S*^tSHfflS*K£]fc.
continued
Info Designs at one time tried to thwart the piracy
problem by putting holes in certain areas of the
disk; by trying to copy the illegal (protected)
tracks and sectors, the drive read/write head would
get stuck in one of these holes and ruin the
mechanism. Fortunately, this form of capyguarding
was deemed to be too extreme, and they shelved the
idea {any company using these brutal methods should
be severely chastized and given a wide berth I
beware: vintage copies of Info Designs' software
are still kicking around - trying to copy these
disks Mill destroy your drive!!)
EasyScript users can enjoy some music while doing
their word processing! By pressing the "F1" key,
holding down the "ctrl" key and pressing either the
number 3 key or the "pound" sign, you'll hear a
lovely rendition of Ponp and Circumstance. A
Camnoobre source tells me that EasyScript only uses
about 8K of memory, so they threw in the tune to
fill out the remainder of the program control area
in memory; pretty slick, huh?
sum
never
I recently received a "freebee" promotional item in
the mail from Handic Software. It's a reset switch
that plugs into the Conmodore's serial port
permitting you to reset the internal registers
without turning the computer off and on again. The
only problem is that my serial port usually has a
disk-drive cable plugged into it. What to do here?
Plug it into the extra socket on the disk drive? I
tried it that way, but that's no good either; it
resets the drive then instead of the computer! I'm
retiring it to the archive of useless equipment,
along with my other "trophies". Nice thought
though, Handic, and congratulations on winning this
month's "Dubious Achievement Award"! (the geniuses
behind this product must also be responsible for
the company's reported recent decision to suspend
further work on Conmodore products and instead
enter the IBW PC software ring! Good Luck! This
makes as much sense as Rodney Dangerfield giving up
on stand-up comedy to pursue a boxing career!)
Since I do my writing from an office in my home,
I'm known as an "electronic cottager". I feel it is
my right as an American citizen to make my living
this way, if I so desire, and I do. The AFL-CIO,
however, disagrees with me and other "cottagers" on
this point and they have issued a blanket
condemnation of computer work at home! This
national labor organization claims that computer
work at home provides the opportunity for labor
abuse and they are lobbying for a ban of all
cottage industry work. Needless to say, this
subject stirs a bit of emotion in me every time I
think about it. My feelings about this ban, and the
AFL-CIO too, for that matter, are:
1) Why don't they mind their own %%&\§l
business — and —
2) They'll only stop me from writing at home
when they pry my cold, lifeless fingers off the
keys of my C-64. But to do that, they'll have to
get past one very mean German Shepherd and stop a
few steel-tipped hunting arrows.
I'll keep you updated on the "Cottagers Conflict"
as the story unfolds, and I'd like to hear from
anyone who has something to contribute on this
subject. I honestly believe that this AFL-CIO
blanket condemnation could only be the tip of an
iceberg and if these extremists have their way it
could well affect all of us, not just writers! What
an absolute outrage! Why don't they dedicate their
efforts to trying to find Jimmy Hoffa and leave us
computer-folk alone? Buzz-off, AFL-CIO!
THE-REfl-STATCTENT , . .
Well, that pretty well wraps it up for this issue.
Don't forget to contribute your facts, anecdotes,
rumors, gossip and "curio" news items — I'm
depending on your input to make The INFOrmer a
successful column! 'Til next issue...
Wuddtf Hacker
I
Brian Redman
t>orTT ULT TtU!> Hptf?e.t4 To ^ou.
6 AUK p.o&6fcC/
moqclR^ Tme.v'e.s (Ate.
THE C&lftiMAV. hPPLlCATioK
Wor.0 processing-
cp
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1
HiiM '
by Peggy Herrington
Beginning tins issue,
Peggy Herrington svill
De Bringing ner
eensideraDie expertise
!: as flotii a musician and
;, Commodore S4 enthusiast '
: to a new INTO column, |
I Peggy, a frequent
: contributor to several
* commode re -oriented
magazines, will Keep
us up on me latest &
greatest in t.te world
of sound 8 sid, music
& noise in tne months
to come.
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I'm a trained musician and I can program in BASIC but
in early 1983, when I got the much-touted "SID" sound
synthesizer, it just seemed to sulk somewhere inside
that tan computer case. There wasn't anything around
to help me make music with it then. I could coax a
sort of huzzy, three-part harmony from it on occasion
but rather than stroking SID, I had to program it,
tediously, and that wasn't my idea Df playing"
anything, music or not.
The situation differs now and your problem may lie at
the opposite end of the scale: dozens of products are
on the market for accessing SID, and whether you (or
the kids) have any prior musical or programming
experience is no longer of much consequence.
Unlike traditional instruments, there are a number of
ways to approach an electronic music synthesizer,
with a piano-type keyboard attached to the C-64, you
CAN simply sit down and play three-part harmony, but
doing so with facility, as with any musical
instrument, requires practice - something most of us
avoid like the proverbial plague. Besides, there's
nothing that says you have play a synthesizer that
way unless you want to.
It's true that synthesizers (SID included) can mimic
traditional instruments along with making sounds no
one has ever heard before but that's not the only
reason they are revolutionizing our music industry.
Synthesizers are tremendously easy to play as
compared to traditional music instruments. So easy,
in fact, that some professional musicians are worried
about it. They're wondering out-loud if the day of
the virtuoso, the guy who devoted his life to
developing technique on a violin or piano, is gone.
Not only that: an electronic music studio operated by
one person can produce sound-tracks that used to
require a group of performing musicians - and do it
much quicker.
NDBDOY DOES IT BETTER
Nobody does it on a typewriter keyboard, either.
Black-and-white piano keyboards are attached to
synthesizers because they're familiar and relatively
easy to manipulate. Six musical keyboards are on the
market for the C-64. Four offer full-sized piano
keys (in units of varying numbers) and you'll
probably have to rearrange your equipment to
accomodate any of them. A less traditional item is a
plastic keyboard overlay that snaps onto the C-64 and
activates the top two rows of the C-64 as you press
its miniature black-and-white keys. Another is a
flat, touch-sensitive membrane lap-pad that only
looks like a keyboard. Any one of these devices will
transform your C-64 from computer to musical
instrument.
A keyboard doesn't add any sound-making capability to
SID, it simply makes what's there easier to get at.
But before you dismiss the idea, consider the fact
that your car doesn't alter topography either: like a
keyboard, it just makes things more accessible, with
different models offering different luxuries.
Actually, it's the program running on the C-64 that
determines the luxuries a keyboard offers; what it
can and cannot do. And naturally {in this industry
anyway), the programming is not interchangable from
keyboard to keyboard. The software that comes with
most of them is performance-oriented (for playing
live) and often you have to buy separate software for
the luxuries - things like recording what_ you play
live, sequencing, saving your sounds to disk ^and/or
combining music with graphics.
ET
imeiortian
I SouncECtiaser 64 j
With four octaves of (49) full-sized piano-type keys,
SoundChaser 64 from Passport Designs is the biggest
keyboard available and offers the smoothest key
action of the bunch. It plugs into the C-64
cartridge slot. The software on the disk that comes
with it displays SID control panels and is
performance-oriented (which means you can't save your
music to disk) and has two "modes" of operation. In
polyphonic mode, the five supplied pre-set instrument
sounds are changable and you can play three-part
harmony live, using one instrument sound for all
three voices. In monophonic mode, you can play only
one "note" at a time (all three of SID's oscillators
are being used) but Good Golly t Hiss Nolly! the 13
pre-set sounds provided are simply fantastic! You
won't believe it's SID when you hear "echo bells",
"funkatron", "rain storm" or "fat fifth."
r
'mmwmm
In order to do anything but play live with
SoundChaser, you will need FbcfJusic (Passport's
stand-alone software which works with the keyboard or
accepts joystick input in a less traditional approach
to music.) Hacflusic allows full access to all of
SID's special features as well as your disk drive so
you can save your compositions. On-screen icons and
pull-down menus (featured on the Apple computer this
program is named after) guide you through this
full-featured composition program. Each of SID's
three voices is recorded separately all the way
through a piece of music on a "track" (to
differentiate instrumentation between them) and then
"overdubbed" to sound with the others. With
Macfflusic, you can flip recorded tracks horizontally
or vertically, transpose them to another key, cut,
copy, insert or replace notation or change
instrumentation in mid-measure, design your own
instrument sounds or use any of the 13 pre-sets. The
on-screen music notation isn't quite standard:
durations are indicated by the length of colored
blocks on a traditional music grand staff, and you
can simply "draw" musical ideas by moving the
joystick around - a wonderful visual display of voice
movement. Ten sample songs by popular performing
artists (Vangelis, Richael Jackson and The Police,
for example) can be played, studied and/or changed.
In short, nacTOusic, with or without SoundChaser 64,
looks like a winner I
The
bit
user
first
C-64
You
The next biggest keyboard, with three octaves or 40
black and white piano keys, is from Ptelodian, Inc.
(A caveat: select a keyboard by the software that
controls it; the number of keys is of secondary
importance because where it sounds over SID's
eight-octave range can be changed during play.)
case is off-white and oversized - it's a
cumbersome - and it plugs into both the C-64
port and joystick control port 2. This is the
keyboard that made it onto the market for the
and it's a recording studio "par excellance."
record voices one at a time on tracks, very slowly
with an optional metronome, and then adjust the
overall tempo and instrumentation while listening.
If you can (or want to learn how to) read standard
music natation and tranfser sheet music onto the
C-B4, the software that comes with the mclodian
keyboard, called ConcertPlaster (which will work
without the keyboard, too) is a good place to start.
A single, colorful control screen divided into
windows scrolls standard music notation as the music
plays (notes line up vertically between voices
although the durations are all shown as eighth
notes) . It also shows a menu for the function keys
which operate eveything, a track control window where
you record, mute, playback, etc., a feature window
where you select and adjust volume, octaves, load or
save files and see the disk directory, and includes a
graphic representation of the keyboard upon which
keys change color as notes sound. There are no
editing features so if you blow it, you have to
re-record an entire voice. But the documentation is
exhaustive and 35 good sample songs are provided.
iwusicwate
Editing your music to absolute perfection is the
strong point with Sequential Circuits' nusicflate
keyboard provided you have their four extra software
packages. The keyboard itself is small but adequate,
offering two and a half octaves of 32 full-sized
piano keys, and it plugs into C-64 joystick control
port 1 . Again, the program with it is performance
only, and shows SID control sliders on-screen and a
little graphic keyboard. You can record three-part
music and alter the eight acoustic instrument
pre-sets during playback but you can't save anything
to disk. The screen display with this and the
separate software packages is plain- vanilla and
utilitarian - it's not designed for fun and games:
the entire series combines to form an extremely
versatile, power-packed music composition tool, ala
professional synthesizer systems. You have full
access to SIO and your disk drive.
Sound Raker (separate software from Sequential) lets
you design complex instrument sounds with Husicflate.
Song Builder is a sequencer with which you can record
(from the keyboard) up to eight sections of music
(with three voices, each of differing tempos) and
link them together to form a "song" of up to 16
sections in any order. Song Editor puts all this
into standard music notation on the screen and allows
finely-honed music editing, and with Song Printer
(and a dot matrix printer) you can print sheet music.
There's only one (I think it's original) sample tune
provided and it's on each and every disk in the
series but it kinda grows on you.
P
If this sort of music tool doesn't appeal to you,
take heart. The flusicmate keyboard is compatible
with another composition package that IS fun and
friendly: Studio 64 from Entech. Studio 64 is
composition oriented and was one of the first
programs available for the C-64 but it has been
updated so often you'd never know it. (If you have
an older version, contact Entech for an update -
they're cheap! the latest version will work without
the keyboard too, but note input is done by playing
the C-64 ASCII keyboard like a piano, and that's not
a very musical experience.) Voices are recorded
separately on tracks and standard music notation is
displayed on the screen for only one voice at a time,
but Studio 64 has so many fine composition features
that won't bother you. You can make every note a
different sound if you wish, and, with a utility
program from Entech called Add Mus'In, Studio 64
music files can be added as background music to your
own programs with no effect on animation or timing.
Over a dozen sample tunes are provided and it offers
"human" and "swing" timing adjustments to help
overcome that mechanical feeling of computerized
music.
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Music Port
I wasn't able to play with a production model of this
2-1/2 octave {32 key) full-sized piano keyboard
attachment (available with or without light pen and
appropriate music composition software). I did try
Tech Sketch's pre-production software without the
Slip
s»
K
The Music Part keyboard itself is precisely the same
unit as that offered by Sequential Circuits (but the
software isn't compatible; this one plugs into the
C-64 user port.) It comes with bundled performance
and composition software: the works. The performance
program includes pre-recorded two-voice rhythm and
bass sequences you can play along with live, and a
nifty feature that lets you use the lowest musical
keys to make the tone center of the bass-line follow
your melodic progression. (Musicians will know what
I'm talking about, and non-musicians will find it
very handy with a little practice.) You can load in
120 different Instrument pre-sets, acessing 15 at a
time and use them or design your own for live play or
when you overdub tracks. In composition mode lots of
nates are displayed on the screen; only the three
sounding at one time are displayed during playback.
You can also play or record three voices at one at a
time. It has full SID control and disk drive access.
I should be gaa-gaa over this keyboard... but I'm not
and I can't say exactly why. It is extremely
versatile and comes with all the software you'll need
but a plethora of mismanaged details detract from the
overall effect: the documentation isn't easy to read,
the screen displays are stark or cluttered, all eight
of the music samples are poorly chosen and
unimaginativly arranged - but, admittedly, I did have
pre-release product. Maybe the final package with
light-pen composition will make up for it. I 11 let
you know in a future column.
Coiortone KeyDoartll
This isn't a real keyboard, it's Waveform's flat,
touch-sensitive lap-pad with shaded graphics of 25
keys (two octaves) that make it look like it has
movable keys. It plugs into control port 1 and has a
"Touch Harp" or sensitive-strip that you can load
scale patterns into and play by running your finger
across, and 14 non-sounding function "keys" for
changing program parameters. The software that comes
with it is very limited while being lively and
colorful (my two pre-schoolers adore it) although it
doesn't allow true music composition or full
performance. Icons on the screen correspond to the
14 function keys, which you touch to do things like
change the two-voice pre-recorded accompaniments
(which you play along with on the keyboard: the
underlying premise of the program). You also select
instrument pre-sets, record and save your melodies to
disk, slow everything to half -speed or disable keys
on the keyboard so that only those which lie within
the scale of the selected accompaniment can sound -
voila! no sour notes! The rest of the display shows
scrolling music notation.
light-pen feature with a "similar" keyboard. I've The Coiortone Keyboard is fully compatible with
only seen the light-pen composition demonstrated: the
pen is used to pick up notes, etc., in one area of
the sreen and drop them onto a musical staff in
another. It's similar to joystick note entry but
easier since you don't have to drag an arrow around
the screen.
waveform s deluxe but complex PlusiCalc composition
software which allows full SID and disk drive access
for single-voice live play with recorded sequences
and recording of separate tracks with non-standard
music notation. About a year ago, Waveform announced
a full-fledged piano keyboard attachment for the C-64
IIM3-
called the Colortone Pro - with a Touch Harp and 37
full-sized piano keys - but it turned out to be
prohibitively expensive and will not be marketed.
Too bad: it was a real beaut!
incretfiflle music Keys o ara
& Sound's
software
This little number is a tribute to the idea that good
things come in small packages. Rather than plugging
into the C-64 it perches on top of it, and by
pressing the 24 miniature black and white piano-type
keys, you activate the top two raws of the C-64 ASCII
keys which lie directly underneath. Sight
Incredible music Keyboard {upgraded
available to present owners for $7) will never rival
Stairway for performance but you may be astonished by
the grand music you CAN make with it. The trick is
in the software: six separate packages plus four
"albums" are compatible with it, all from Sight &
Sound.
The disk that comes with the keyboard overlay has
programs on both sides. You also get two books of
music in standard notation and stickers with note
letter names you can put on the keys of the keyboard
overlay. Both programs are performance-oriented and
the Bonus Program (on side two) gives you five
preprogrammed rhythm/bass accompaniments to play
along with: boogie, rock, disco, reggae and samba,
and 20 pre-set instrument sounds to use. Three notes
at a time are displayed on the screen, and you can
change pre-sets while recording but you will need
additional software to save music or pre-sets to
disk.
I demonstrated a number of music and voice products
at a Commodore user group meeting a while back, and
the hit of the "show" was the Sight & Sound's
Kawasaki Rhythm Rocker, with the keyboard overlay.
There's nothing classical about this
performance-oriented program by jazz guitarist Ryo
Kawasaki (which also lets you record music in this
format and save it to disk). You play one voice
(either synthesizer, bass or percussion) live against
pre-recorded two-voice electronic rhythmic sequences
while (controllable) high-resolution graphic designs
scroll across the screen. Pitch bend, sustain and
vibrato effects are easily added during play, and
several gutsy people at that meeting with no musical
experience whatsoever were able to make dynamite
music with it on the spot. The upgraded version
(available to owners of the original for $15, which I
didn't have then) is a double-sided disk with a music
notation system, print utility and other goodies.
The Kawasaki Synthesizer is a separate two disk
package with an oriental flavor. It works with the
keyboard overlay, too. (All of Sight & Sound's
software can be used without the keyboard overlay by
playing the top two rows of the C-64 like a piano,
but I don't recommend it.) The Performer disk lets
you play along live with one provided sequence or
play all three voices live from the keyboard at once,
polyphonically. Twenty-one instrument pre-sets are
given and you can change them to make over SOD
altogether - but write down the good ones because you
can't save them to disk for next time.
Designing and saving pre-set sounds and composing any
style of three-part music are both available with The
Composer (on the second disk in the Kawasaki
Synthesizer). This is the only music program I know
of for the C-64 which includes a "split keyboard" -
which gives you the ability to assign half of the
keyboard to one range of the SID chip and the other
half to another for play or recording: a truly
professional feature. You record in sequences of 255
notes, one voice at a time (the screen displays
non-standard alphabetic notation) and then arrange or
link sequences together in any order for playback.
Full SID and disk drive access is there.
C64 MUSiC Videos
Would you like to create music videos on your C-64?
You know, high-resolution animated graphic displays
with music in the background. It's easy to
the following two software packages from
Sound.
do with
Sight &
The Music Processor is a music composition program
that works with the Sight & Sound keyboard overlay
and an optional joystick. It includes 99 unchangable
pre-set instrument sounds which you can cycle through
while the music plays. You create music (and save it
to disk) either by recording it from the keyboard
overlay, the C-64 keyboard or typing it in
alphanumerically in an extensive resident music
editor (which allows, among other things, musical
ties, sharps, flats and naturals, staccato or legato
notes, and lyrics to be displayed on the screen under
3-note-at-a-time standard music notation) . ^usic
entered from the keyboard overlay (or any of the 14
sample songs) can be listed and edited in the edit
mode. The upgraded disk ($15, if you own an older
version) offers another music notation system and . a
utility for printing sheet music.
MAbVlCt
Sight 4 Sound's Music Video Kit does for graphics
what the Music Processor does for music. With the
prorams on the three disk-sides that come with it,
you can design and combine music and graphics into
C-64 music videos. Selecting from a library of 26
high-resolution screen backgrounds and 60 sprite
characters (using up to seven at once) you design an
animated graphics display. You can also design your
own backgrounds and sprites (or alter theirs) with
the resident Graphics Editor program. You then
select the background tune from 17 songs on the Video
Kit disks, from your original recordings done with
the Music Processor or one of the 14 sample songs
with that disk. Music files from Sight & Sound s
Computer Song Albums (which stand-alone and have
eight different songs on each) are also compatible:
On Stage, Rock Concert, Solid Gold and Music Video
Hits. When you move the sprites (one at a time with
a joystick) around the background in coordination
with the music, everything is recorded automatically.
Your music video could feature a rock group
performing on-stage, for example. Without creating a
single thing of your own, you can pick from 26
(gorgeous) backgrounds, 60 animated sprite characters
and - counting the albums - 63 songs to use in your
own music videos. I think THAT'S incredible 1
Sight & Sound offers yet another package that is
compatible with the keyboard overlay, 3001 Sound
Odyssey. Two programs are on one disk: an
interactive synthesizer tutorial which will help you
figure out (and let you fool with) waveforms, ADSR
envelopes, ring modulation, synchronization and
modulation (and other effects) as they are used in
the accompanying music composition program,
Microsynth. The latter' s screen display includes
current SID settings and cycles through sequences as
they sound, with 100 available pre-sets which are
shown visually, too. It's a different breed of
composition program using the keyboard overlay
monophonically but you can play (and save to disk)
sequences of chords (or notes) by pressing a single
key on the keyboard Dvarlay.
THAT'S (not) ALL FOLKS!
Music and voice products for the Commodore-64 have
been exploding onto the market lately, and I'm gonna
give you the score on them in future columns, too.
Distributors are asked to send review copies of new
products which access SID to my attention at INFO-64
editorial offices or contact me at (505) 243-0449.
Covox has come up with a new way to make
music on the C-64: as you sing or whistle
into the microphone (which comes with the
Voice Plaster) your voice is digitized and
the pitch is extracted. It is used with
(changable) instrument presets to play
your tune, and - get this - it happens so
fast, SID seems to play right along with
you as you sing. Concurrently, music
notation scrolls on-screen and can be
saved to disk or printed out. Voice
Master will accomodate only one voice now
but software developers are nuts if that
isn't changed ASAP. Marvelous musical
potential in this voice
digitizer/recognition unit.
Sour notes; Bank Street Music Writer
(Mindscape) and Music Construction Set
(Electronic Arts) have terminal (in the
dead sense) translation problems.
Designed for Atari and Apple respectively,
neither allows access to many of SID's
special features. Don't waste your time
and money. If joystick note entry appeals
to you, get MacMusic or...
On-screen music composition with a
joystick is handled superbly by a new
program from Broderbund: The Music Shop.
Icons and pull down menus with dialog
boxes over a display of eight or so
measures of standard notation, full SID
and disk drive access, print utility,
quality documentation and 28 tuneful
sample songs make The Music Shop one Df
the strongest programs of its type to come
along yet. (It will soon be MIDI
compatible).
Programmers (hobby and professional alike)
will be thrilled with Allegro (formerly
called PASS) from Artworx, which contains
FORTE, a music composition language
derived from FORTH with bits of others
(for good measure?). Music input is
compiled into interrupt-driven ML files
which can be added to existing programs
without interfering with screen action.
You can do it alphanumerically or in
"real-time" from the C-64 keyboard (or
with Sight & Sound's keyboard overlay),
playing one to three voices at once.
Design your own or use the 50 marvelous
instrument presets with preprogrammed
effects like wah-wah, pulsewidth sweeps,
sirens, echoes, heavymetal and phaser. A
separate Sampler disk has 40-plus files of
gorgeous, "musical" music - you'll hardly
believe it's SID!
1 N D EX TO VENDORS MENTIONED 1 N
S OUNDi
^AD\> % C E
ALLEGRO ($39.95)
Artworx Software
150 North Main St.
Fairport NY 14450
(800) 828-6573
THE MUSIC SHOP ($44.95)
Broderbund
17 Paul Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 479-1170
VOICE MASTER ($89.95)
Covox, Inc.
675-D Conger St.
Eugene, OR 97402
(503) 342-1271
MUSIC CONSTRUCTION SET ($39.95)
Electronic Arts
2755 Campus Drive
San Mateo, CA 94403
(415) 571-7171
STUDIO 64 ($39.95)
ADD MUS'IN ($39.95)
Entech
10733 Chiquita St.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 768-6646
MELODIAN KEYBOARD ($199.95)
CONCERTMASTER (separately $39.95)
Melodian, Inc.
115 Broadway, Suite 122
New York, NY 10006
(212) 406-5163
MUSIC PORT KEYBOARD ($149.95)
Without Light-Pen ($119.95)
Tech Sketch, Inc.
26 Just Road
Fairfield, NJ 07006
(800) 526-2514
BANK STREET MUSIC WRITER ($49.95)
Mindscape Inc.
3444 Dundee Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
(800) 221-9884
SOUNDCHASER 64 ($199.00)
MACMUSIC ($49.95)
Passport Designs, Inc.
625 Miramontes Street
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(415) 726-0280
MUSICMATE KEYBOARD ($99.00)
SONG BUILDER ($39.95)
SONG EDITOR ($39.95)
SOUND MAKER ($39.95)
SONG PRINTER ($39.95)
Sequential Circuits, Inc.
3051 North First St.
San Jose, CA 95134
(408) 946-5240
INCREDIBLE MUSIC KEYBOARD ($29.95)
KAWASAKI RHYTHM ROCKER ($29.95)
KAWASAKI SYNTHESIZER ($29.95)
MUSIC PROCESSOR ($29.95)
MUSIC VIDEO KIT ($39.95)
COMPUTER SONG ALBUMS ($14.95 each)
3001 SOUND ODYSSEY ($29.95)
Sight & Sound Music Software, Inc.
3200 South 166th St.
New Berlin, WI 53151
(800) 558-0910
COLORTONE KEYBOARD ($39.95)
MUSICALC I ($29.95)
MUSICALC II ($19.95)
MUSICALC III ($19.95)
MUSICALC TEMPLATES ($9.95)
Waveform, Inc.
418 Buchanan Circle #12
Pacheco, CA 94553
(415) 825-1722
IIM3-
by:
Hark Brown Eg
Armed with a stack of disks containing the latest
and most heavily copy-protected games known to man,
I retreated into my sanctum sanctorium to perform
the most terrifying ritual of the ages. Three
weeks later I crawled out Df my cubicle, haggard,
weak, blinking blindly at the unaccustomed
sunlight. But I had the answer to that question
which the mystics have pondered since the beginning
of time: Which Disk Copy Proqran Is Best?
THE CONTENDERS
I checked out seven of the most papular disk
copiers: Ditto, Superclone (ne: Clone Machine),
Canada A/PI, Ultrabyte, dr. Nibble, Copy Clone XL,
and Di-Sector. Four others, Copy Q, Copy II 64,
Apollo (uihich replaces Gemini), and Diskmaker, are
either in the midst of revisions that are not
finished yet, or just plain did not show up in time
for this review for one reason or another. We hope
to take a look at all or most of these in a later
THE GAUNTLET
With the aid of Those Knowledgeable About Such
Things we selected nine programs with varying
levels of copy protection against which to pit our
arsenal of copy programs. In guesstimated order of
difficulty to copy (from least to most difficult)
these were: EasyScript (Commodore), Flight
Simulator II (sublogic), Stealth (Broderbund) ,
Impossible Mission (Epyx), Flock 'N' Bolt
(Activision), Realm of Impossibility (Electronic
Arts), Wizard (Progressive Peripherals), Raid Over
Moscow (Access), and Kwik-LoadI (Datamost). Note
that most of these are games. Software publishers
perceive games as the most pirate-prone software,
so they tend to give them the most sophisticated
protection. The first three programs use
previous-generation" copy protection. All the
copiers tested would copy them. But the rest are
recent releases incorporating the latest in copy
protection schemes from a cross-section of the
Commodore B4 software industry. We also made sure
we were testing the most recent (and in some cases,
just updated) versions of the copy programs. Copy
protection (besides being lamentable in and of
itself) is a never-ending battle, resembling
nothing so much as the nuclear arms race. Each
side is continually expending enormous amounts of
time, money, and energy trying to outdo the other,
in a contest that is intrinsically futile. But
enough editorializing. Suffice it to say that we
tried to test the best against the best.
THE CRITERIA
We looked at copiers not
only to see if they copy
(obviously the main
question), but also to
see if they're easy to
use, what the
documentation is like,
how fast they work, etc.
We then distilled this
information down into
the handy chart you see
reproduced here.
Hopefully, you'll be
able to tell at a glance
which copier is the one
for you.
THE CAUTIONS
There are a lot of stone
walls you can run into
with disk copiers. The
most notorious involves
RDrn incompatabilities.
The 1541 disk drive has gone
revisions to correct minor
programs are sensitive to
through several ROM
bugs, and many copy
this. We ran into
problems with most of the copiers when we tested
them on an early 1541 drive with the very first ROM
version. If you have an older drive, these
problems may show up with almost everything you try
to copy, but usually they materialize only when you
try to copy certain difficult programs, such as
wizard or Raid Over ftascuu.
COPYRIGHT LAW
ALLOWS YOU TO
.
IMKE UP TO 5
.
COPIES OF A
;.:.,
PR0(3RAiTl FOR
your own USE,
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SCREED DISPLAYS
RAT1GE FROm THE
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ILLUSTRATED BY
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Other problems involve protection schemes that
employ half-tracking or extra tracks beyond track
35. (Never mind that the 1541 is only designed to
read faithfully out to track 35!) Nany copiers
will not handle these latest overkill techniques.
In fact, a slightly out-of -whack 1541 will not
handle loading them either. There is a simple
solution to this problem: refuse to buy any
programs with this degree of protection. (There's
reportedly a new protection scheme under
development that will actually wipe out the disk if
it thinks it's an illegal copy. Of course, if it
detects a spurious error and misinterprets it, it's
too bad; your original is wiped out. We haven't
actually seen this one used yet, and I hope we
never do. I'll never buy any program protected
like that I)
Successful disk cloning also depends on drive
alignment, getting the drive door latched well,
using good quality backup disks, the relative
humidity, the Dow Jones Index, and Kismet. If at
first you don't succeed, try, try again. Because
of all these potential problems, you may be able to
copy stuff we couldn't, and may likewise not be
able to copy programs we could. There are no
guarantees in life, only limited warranties.
PIRACY
We've said it before, but here it is again: DON'T
PIRATE SOFTWARE! !l Lest you be confused about what
piracy is, here is a concise definition: Piracy is
copying something that somebody else owns the
copyright to, and then giving or selling the copy
to somebody else. The U.S. of A.'s copyright laws
allow you to make up to five (Why so many? I don't
know.) copies of a program for your own use. Disk
copy programs exist solely for this purpose. Don't
abuse them.
COMPARING THE PROGRAPB
Disk copy programs break down into just a couple of
categories. First of all, there are novice and
expert systems. The novice copiers let you make
backup copies of disks and that's about all. 5ome
of them allow you to diddle with the default
settings a little bit, but you can't do any really
fancy stuff. You follow the screen prompts to swap
disks, and when you are done you have a workable
copy (hopefully). And let's face it, this is most
of what you buy a copy program for. The expert
copiers give you more options. They usually let
you examine disks and display which errors are
located on what tracks, and then reproduce them on
another disk. They generally include a track and
sector editor. They probably have a single file
copy routine, and other disk utility functions.
These programs are for people who know what they
are doing, and want to do more than just backup
software.
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CONTINUED,
Copiers also classify into fast and slow
categories. The fast copiers use some version of
the technique used in the widely available Four
Minute Copy program, and can copy most disks in
about seven minutes. To gain this speed advantage,
you have to unplug everything else from the serial
bus (printers, other disk drives, etc.} while you
make your copies. Slow copiers use normal data
transfer rates and take about twenty-five minutes
to make a copy. This is no big deal if you are
iust making backup copies of a couple of disks
(which is all you should be doing). It just gives
you time between disk swaps to read an article in
INFO. It's also possible to speed up some of the
slow copiers with a 1541 speedup cartridge. Ditto,
for example, runs almost twice as fast with
Richvale's 1541 Express with Fast Cable, but is
unaffected by Epyx's Fast Load. If you find other
combinations that work, let us know and we'll pass
the information along. In the meantime, here's how
the copiers we tested stacked up:
mm
I
Ditto, from Cardinal Software, was one of the
definite surprises in this test. It's a slow
novice copier, but a very good one. It worked
well on everything up to and including Realm of
Impossibility. Only the three most difficult
programs stumped it, and one of those (Kwik-LoadI)
stopped them all. Ditto is also unusual in that it
will back itself up. Ditto's technique for doing
so is interesting, and one that may have some
potential for other companies contemplating copy
protection. Ditto only reproduces for a single
generation. That is, the original disk will back
itself up, but the copies won t. This scheme is
somewhat akin to a software version of a "dongle",
since the original owner can make as many backups
as he needs, but stray copies can't go any further.
The slim documentation is nothing to cheer about,
but since this is a simple swap-and-go novice
copier, that's not critical. Ditto will also work
with two 1541 disk drives, which means faster
copying for those with more equipment. Future
upgrades are a pretty reasonable half-price at
$17. DD. All in all, Ditto is a good, simple disk
copier from a company with a good enduser-oriented
philosophy.
iHH
Canada A/PI (since everybody wants to know, the A/M
stands for Archival Maker) from Skylight Software
is a comedown from Ditto. I'd heard about it for a
long time, and was looking forward to checking it
out. Our tests were disappointing, though. Canada
A/HI copied only the three programs with "last
generation" copy protection; an update is sorely
needed here. And since this is a slow novice level
copier without even any documentation, there is not
even any way to creatively supplement what it does
with resident utility programs. The status display
is probably the best of any of the copy programs
listed here, but that's it. It was
state-of-the-art six months ago, but the way copy
protection schemes change, Skylight needs to be
making copier upgrades available on a regular
basis.
n
iHilllllll
:>i
Di-Sector is a slow expert system from Starpoint
Software. _ The copy-protection scheme used by
Di-Sector itself is unique. The master disk will
make up to three working copies before it
self-destructs, which should be plenty to last most
people a long time. The documentation is
excellent, and the disk is loaded with many useful
menu-selected utilities. These include a track and
sector editor, file copier, fast copy program,
error analyzer, and even a disk monitor. The
documentation, screen menus, and title displays are
friendly and easy to get through. As an expert
disk analysis and utility package, Di-Sector
shines. Unfortunately, as a copier Di-Sector has
the same problem as Canada A/PI. With an upgrade to
make it competitive, this would indeed be an
excellent program, but right now it's a step
behind.
MHliiMIl %L
Educamp's Copy Clone XL is the latest revision of
their slow expert copy system. It copies itself
100^, which is admirable. The disk includes many
disk utilities, including Zap Load (a 1541
speedup), a track and sector editor, error
detection and writing routines, a disk monitor, and
many others. The copy we tested was a pre-release
version, so its final appearance may change
somewhat, but what we saw had much the same look as
Di-Sector. Many similar utilities are here, and
the main copy routine provides a similar
BAM-with-errors display. Copy Clone XL is not as
slick-looking, however, lacking the friendly
documentation and title screens. The status
screens don't tell you as much, either. Also, most
of the utilities must be loaded and run
independently. Only the seven-function generic
Disk Utilities package, the Fast Copier, and the
Nibble Copier are available from the main menu.
Unfortunately, this copier also lacks the ability
to function with the latest and greatest protection
schemes, but far somebody who wants a Di-Sector
type program without copy-protection, and who can
do without the slick presentation, Copy Clone XL is
a viable alternative.
rr
Bill COPISBi CQWABI9
CONTINUED
*#* SUPERCLONE U?.8 NOTES **«
SUPERCLONE has been improved to handle
Many of the latest protection schemes in
an even faster and easier way than was
possible previously.
Included on this disK are two new files:
FOUR MINUTE BACKUP
and
T0U6H HUTS UTILITY,
Start first by using the FOUR MINUTE
BACKUP (FMB). This program will format
and copy a dish using a single drive in
just over FOUR minutes' In addition,
it will indicate which tracks have been
errored. miien using FMB, always first
disconnect any second drive or printer.
u miivanMUAM igE
mm
UaitSl
mm
Micro-U has upgraded their ponderous and unwieldy
Clone Machine and come up with a much friendlier
and more powerful Superclone. It will not back
itself up, a philosophy that I find somewhat
contradictory, but at least Micro-bJ has a history
of reasonable upgrade cost and newsletter support.
As this is being written, they are even offering
upgrades at a dscount to purchasers of OTHER copy
programs! The path taken to upgrade this slow
expert system s a strange one, but it makes sense
for this package; they've kept the original
complex Clone Machine and Unguard programs on the
disk and added the simple swap-and-go Superclone as
well as the new Tough Nuts Utility. Unfortunately,
they haven't upgraded the documentation. It only
covers the old Clone Machine and Unguard. A simple
help file gives some clues about Superclone, then
gives way to a very strange "menu screen that
makes you cursor down to a preprinted LOAD and RUN
on the screen for the initial program you want to
run, From there on out, it is a simple matter of
following more traditional {and effective) menus.
Superclone is by far the best slow copier we
tested, working well on all but the two mast
difficult programs. It even produced a working
copy of Wizard, despite Hr. Nibble's propaganda
claims to the contrary. The arsenal of additional
utilities is impressive, too. There is a track and
block editor, error checker and writer, directory
utility, file copier, and Tough Nuts cracker.
Right now, Superclone is probably the most
effective copy program available for those who want
an expert system.
ilOBIIBlii
Ultrabyte is a great copy program. It won't copy
itself, but backups cost 505? of original cost. The
documentation is slim, but since this is a
swap-and-go fast novice system, that's fine; it
does provide you with some tips on how to make good
backups. The only input the user has to Ultrabyte
is to specify how many tracks to copy (up to 38!)
and how many copies you want to make (up to five at
a time). From here on out, you just swap disks.
Ultrabyte tied for most effective copy program with
Or. Nibble; both copied everything we checked
except Kwik-Loadl, and they both claim that nothing
on the market can copy it. Ue believe them.
Ultrabyte is ten bucks cheaper than mx. Nibble, and
copies the same stuff. The only thing that
Ultrabyte does is give you good copies, fast.
Final Source's Rfc. Nibble fast novice copier costs
ten dollars more than Ultrabyte. For that, you get
cheaper upgrades ($12.00) and backups ($10.00), an
additional four-minute copier for unprotected
disks, a fast file copier, and a fast formatter
that will format a disk in nine seconds flat. Rr.
Nibble's latest revision includes the ability to
make up to five copies at once just like Ultrabyte,
and also copies up to 38 tracks. Half- tracking is
user-selectable rather than automatic, you can
select the track to start copying from, and you can
ask fir. Nibble to verify as it copies in exchange
for a slight delay. Itr. Nibble copies what
Ultrabyte does in about the same amount of time,
but includes more bells and whistles. It's also
got a nicer package, a cuter name, and neat little
preprinted backup stickers with the mouse on them.
You get a "Ptr. Nibble Backs Me Up" bumper sticker
and the "NibbleNotes" newsletter when you send in
your warranty card, too. Their marketing people
get an "A+" for sure.
sumuiuN
Like I said, copy protection is an arms race. I'd
like to see everyone throw down their error tracks
and half tracks and extra tracks and nibblers and
nutcrackers and biteaters and just learn to live in
peace, but I don't think it's going to happen. In
the meantime, it's tough to keep up with things;
today's supercopier may be tomorrow's also-ran.
It's one part of computing that changes even faster
than computing itself does. I hope this comparison
has helped clear away some of the smokescreen.
TYPING TUTOR + WORD INVADERS
REVIEWERS SAY:
"This is the best typing tutor we have
seen yet; + ***+"
INFO-64 magazine
"Best typing tutor I've seen -Better
than Mastertype"
1 Microcomputer Courseware
Evaluation
■WORD INVADERS is fantastic-"
Editors of Consumers Guide
"Computer aided instruction at
its best."
Commander magazine
Housewife Says; "Now I know
how my family can get so involved
with these programs. I, too. would much rather
play WORD INVADERS than clean my house!"
12 year old boy wriles: "Very impressed by your program!
My friends have told me how bad typing class was and I'm
HAPPY that I don't have to take the class.'
Another customer writes: " The rave reviews about your
TYPING TUTOR + WORD INVADERS program are fully
justified! We recently bought your program and the whole
family is enjoying it. Congratulations on the program!"
IN DAILY USE BY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE U.S.A.
NEWICommodore Plus/4 or 16 TapeS21.95 Disk 524,95
Commodore 64 TapeS21.95 Disk 524.95
VIC 20 (unexpanded) TapeS2i,95
IFR (FLIGHT SIMULATOR)
REALISTIC AIRCRAFT RESPONSE
"Has a quality of realism which sets it
apart from others, even those I've
tested in flight school."
Compute's Gazelle
"Great program!" INFO-64
1 "It is tremendous fun."
Compute's Gazette
"Flight tested by an air traffic
controller, two skilled pilots and
an elementary school class.
Highly recommended by all."
Midnito Gazelle
"This is an unbelievably realistic
nulation of the difficulties facing a
pilot in instrument flying. I'm a 747 pilot and I
think that this program could do a lot to improve the
reactions and instrument scan habits of even very
experienced pilots," 747 pilot
NEWICommodore Plus/4 or 16 Tape or Disk 529.95
Commodore 64 Tape or Disk 529.95
VIC 20 (unexpanded) Cartridge 539.95
.gljafi estate JJBrHer
by James Sullivan
Old English typestyle print and simple word processing
package. With this program and a VIC 1525 printer (or other
graphic printer and a VIC 1525 graphic emulating interface)
you can automatically print in Old English typeface. Great for
party invitations, announcements, advertisements, and other
attention getting notices. The heading above was printed on a
VIC 1525 printer (original copy reproduced half-size in this
ad). Use also as a simple word processor for letters, short
reports, etc. in normal, double width or Old English typeface.
Commodore 64
(tape-S16.95) (disk-$21.95)
Shipping and handling $1.00 pet
orde: CA residents add 6% tax
ACADEm?
SOFTH//RE
P.O. Box 6277 San Rafael, CA 94903 (41 5) 499-0850
Tel ♦ Easy
Terminal Software
Tel-Easy is an easy-to-use telecommunication
software cartridge for your Commodore 64.
Tel-Easy is menu driven, utici supports Auto-Dial
modems. It also features a real time clock with alarm.
32K capture buffer, full sending and retrieving of
information. Saves data as a program file or sequential
file to the disk drive.
Tel-Easy terminal software opens the world of your
Commodore 64 to telebanking and telelearnlng.
Included with Tel- Easy is a CompuServe's
Demonstration Package. The Demo Pak gives the user
FREE access to CompuServe's Consumer or Executive
menus.
\*'
V s
i*
a» c
vcr-
Reg. 834.95
g 29 95
Also from Computer Outlet of San Diego:
TELPAK II
Reg. 8129.95
Sale
8 99
95
Amo Dial Modem
w/Tel-Easv Terminal Software Can ridge.
MSD Dual Disk Drives* 8469.95
W/1541 trade-in 8100.00 OFF
STAR SG-10 8269.95
includes C64 interface, 100 sheets of paper
IS" Monitor, Green & White w/ sound* . . . 899.95
Monitor Cable 86.95
Upgraded/Serviceable Power Supply** .....849.95
To place your order call or write
COMPUTER OUTLET SAN DIEGO
5861 MISSION GORGE ROAD
SAN DIEGO, CA 92120
In California (619) 282-6200
Toll Free (800) 621-0852 ext. 460
MasterCard/Visa Accepted
■.VI. I XI 1.00 for Klil]>plntfK tiumllinu
"Acid K3.50 fur utilising & Imntlllnn
Call or Write for your I-'KEE eulaloir,
TEiL.Kusy isii TniiUriniuk i*f Kutdnik Ijil-.
tToniiHiScrv Demo Kick h» u Tnulcinurk i»f CmuiniSerYC Inc.
mikhIihv (14 is ii 'I'linL-niiirk tifCummcidotv IhislntfM Macliiti
DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOMED.
DISTRIBUTING INC
_ Dealer Dist.
{■mi Inquires
CALL-
201 • 838-9027
or write us at
1342B Route 23
Butler. N J 07405
If This Drive isn't plugged
into your Commodore.". •
then you've probably made
a serious mistake, and
we'll pay* for that error
* Micro W reserves the fight to cancel this promotion at any time without notice.
* Commodore is a Registered Trademark of Commodore Business Machines Inc
T>ierp«re lots of tedwns to irade jour Cotnmodcue" I Ml ar Commodore " compaiibte
disk drive m on the VfDUS GT the least of *hrch is ihe 5 149 credii that wv will dlfaw
jyjinst the 5 349 list price
1 } Data transfer rates are much fasit-i and with The unique BURST MODE", data
speed can be improved up to 400^.
2) A built in DOS Wedge eliminates much ol the standard diskette manipulation that is
required with other drives.
3 ) A complete control panel with a 2 digit LED track display, protect key. drive type
switch, busy, protect, and power lights, and additional rear panel configuration
options.
4) A free carrying case that will hold up to 80 diskettes.
5 ) Ready to run software that comes with the INDUS GT. including a Word Processor.
Spread Sheet, and Data Base Manager
6) The JNDU5 GT runs all popular software for the Commodore inciuding THE NEW r
REVISED CLONE MACHINE with TNU
7 ) Full FCC Class B certification lor EMI and RFI assures you that there will be no
interference problems
8 j An accurate low friction metal band head positioner that maintains true tracking for
accurate read.' write data transfers
9 } Quality assured by a thorough lest of each and every drive before it leaves the
factory,
i ) Each time you BOOT a disk, the nDUS GT conducts its own internal diagnostic of
RAM, ROM. circuits and basic lunctions.
When you think of M of the frustrations caused by drive problems, it's easy to sec that the
mast intelligent decision that you could make is to trade In thai slow unreliable drive and
put an INDUS GT on your system If you don't, already own a disk drive, call us for our
special that includes a FREE COPY OF THE CLONE MACHINE with JTiU when you
purchase an INDUS GT without a trade to
COMVOICE! THE EASY TO USE SPEECH SYNTHESIZER FOR THE C-64
SPEECH IS AS EASY AS 1-2-3!
1) Plug COMvoice in.
2) Turn computer on.
3) Type SPEAK "HELLO, HOW ARE YOU"
AS EASY TO USE AS A PRINT STATEMENT!
s 99.
95
W/EXTERNAL SPEAKER S133.95
EDUCATIONAL DEMO & AARDVARK ADVENTURE SOFTWARE AVAILABLE
GENESIS COMPUTER CORPORATION • P.O. BOX 152 • HELLERTOWN, PA 18055
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED • (215) 861-0850 • MC & VISA Accepted
**M»**"l**PP^nn^W^^W^^W^WP*pnP»WW»**W*PWWP»*¥h
fit hone With the:
<H Ml
by Benn Dunftington
\\h\VL\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\W\\\\\WH
By now you've probably read the ink right off
the numerous pages published in numerous
magazines describing Coanoctore's new computer,
the ^ C=128. You probably have the
specifications memorized, and have even got
your lines rehearsed for when the moment comes
to explain to your spouse, friends, relatives,
parents etc. why you need to buy this new
computer even tho you already have a mint
condition C=5AI So I'm not going to waste your
time with the by-now-familiar facts and figures
associated with the C=128. Rather, let's talk
about what it's like rolling up the old sleeves
and using the great OFF-WHITE WONDER in "REAL
LIFE".
First let me say that, with only a few
reservations, I am really impressed with the
C=128, and the "NEW, IMPROVED" Carodore that
is behind it. We have had the Beta unit here
since the first week of May, Commodore promised
it for the last week Df April; only one week
latel. Coming that close to a promised date is
absolutely unheard-of from anyone in this
industry, and could have been rounded-off to
the nearest year with the Commodore of old!
DUT OF THE BOX
The 0=128 comes off the shelf with power
supply, RF converter box for standard T.U.
hookup, T.U. video cable, Introductory Guide,
System Guide, CP/M Plus System Disk, CP/Pl
Utilities Disk, and a C=1 28 Tutorial Disk (see
photo right).
The C=128's power supply (which was a weak spot
with the 0=64) is larger than the C=64's, and
stays cooler. Presumably it will handle more
of a load as well.
THE MANUALS
Commodore has really gotten its act together if
the new manuals are any indication! The System
Guide is a beautifully constructed and
illustrated 400+-page tribute to Conrnodore's
new comittment to doing more than just cranning
chips in a cheap plastic box". the System
Guide is a pleasant size, with somewhat larger
pages than the 0=64 Programmer's Reference
Guide, allowing a thinner,
easier to handle format which, combined with
binding, makes the_ System Guide a ^joy to use.
the twin-wire
Remember the
crude blackboard-look" screen shots and illustrations in
the C=64 manuals? The C=128 books are illustrated with
4-color photos, 2-color program side-bars, and quality
technical illustrations thru-out. As for the contents: the
material is well-organized, easy to find, with lots of
sample program listings, appendices, command summaries,
memory maps, charts, pin-outs, glossary, and
"get-to-the-point" coverage of the many features Df the
0=128.
1 1 a i ■■
A LOOK AT THE
COMMODORE 128
The Computer
Physically, the Commodore 1 28 resembles a typewriter keyboard
enclosed in a light tan case. There are several switches, jacks and
plug connections located on the right side and back of the case. This
section identifies all these switches, jacks and connections (often
called SLOTS or PORTS), and introduces you to the keyboard. For
detailed information on using the keyboard, see Section 3 of the
Commodore 128 System Guide (the other book packed in the carton
with the computer).
The Right Side
CONTROL PORTS #1 & #2— Joysticks
and other peripherals plug into these
openings.
RESET SWITCH— Resets computer
without turning it off.
ON/OFF SWITCH— Turns the power
on or off.
POWER SOCKET— The POWER SUP-
PLY plugs in here.
The Back
CHANNEL SELECTOR SWITCH—
Set television channel for viewing com-
puter display (L = channel 3;
H = channel 4)
RF SOCKET— Use this to attach cable
from Computer/TV switchbox.
RGBI SOCKET— Plug RGBI monitor
cable in this socket.
USER PORT — Accessories, such as
modems, plug in here.
VIDEO SOCKET— Plug composite
monitor cable in this socket.
■SERIAL SOCKET— Connect disk
drives and printers here.
CASSETTE PORT— The Datassette
tape recorder plugs in here.
EXPANSION PORT— Software car-
tridges plug inhere.
Sample page from Cowwodore's excellent ©=;
(shown full size)
Introductory Guide,
a
d ftt howe with the
» continued . . .
iilmmwmumtBamiwmmmr
A nice touch here is the inclusion of the
Introductory Guide (see photo of sample page) which
covers all that "what do I do next" kind of material
that new owners used to spend hours trying to find
in the 0=64 books (how to turn it on, make the
various hookups, load and run software, enter 4
leave the various modes, use the many keyboard
features, etc.). The inclusion of a tutorial
diskette is also a milestone of sensibility which
will be highly appreciated by all. fly compliments.
THE KEYBOARD (mostly good news)
The keyboard is very stylish- I think it looks
great, and puts the necessary visual distance
between it and the VIC that the C=64 lacked and to
some extent kept it from being taken seriously by
the 16-bit snobs. The keys have a nice feel, with
finger dimples on the "f" & "j" keys as well as the
"5" key on the numeric pad for tactile orientation
(your fingers know where they are without looking
down.) On our Beta unit (and other people's we have
spoken with) the left shift key tends to stick. Let
us not dwell on the utter disaster it would be for
Comnodore to not have attended to this on the final
production models.
One especially nice addition to the keyboard is the
Reset Switch which enables one to restart the C=128
without turning the machine all the way off and then
on again.
A curious aspect of the keyboard, and one which may
cause some people trouble initially, is the fact
that the offset between keys on one row and the next
is double what it is on the C=64 (3/8" vs. 3/16").
It doesn't bother me, but for some people it has
taken getting used to.
fly one BIG gripe about the keyboard is that, for
reasons which have been explained without convincing
me, the designers chose to lock out the numeric pad
(along with the other extra keys) when in the C=64
mode. I'm not electronically literate, but I can't
believe that there isn't some way to have the
numeric pad active while still maintaining 100$ C=64
compatibility.
OK, I have another gripe: the keyboard is so low to
the ground and comfortable to type on, that it
really doesn't need an ERG=B0ARD for comfort's sake
(although we will probably design an "ERG=something
or other" to hold ERG=CARDS!)
PORTS & SOCKETS
No, Virginia, there is no IEEE port on the C=128
(considering how often I am asked about this
particular item, it would seem that Commodore should
have included it). Yes, all the ports from the C=64
are there plus an RGBI port for BO-column displays
in 128 or CP/M modes. The power connector is square
(like on the PLUS/4), but that is the only plug
change.
..-■"V
o.
Sears 57 KX 4684C
RGB/Composite Monitor/Tv"
Cover art on Sears RGB set
■ ■ ; ;. ■
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continued. . .
While the ports & sockets are the same shape as on
the C=64, they are NOT in the same locations, & this
will cause some major grief for certain people
(minor grief for most) using certain products. For
instance: the Paperclip word-processor dongle will
not fit in joystick port #1 (where it must be)
because of the way the case is recessed. Solution-
get yourself a "joystick extension cord" and connect
your dongle via this cord! (it looks silly, but it's
the only way). Several devices that used to go in
the Modem or "User" port (like Computereyes) will
not fit there now if an RGBI cable is plugged in at
the same time. Also, many expansion port devices
(like Batteries Included' s Buscard II & BI-80)
interfere with the new cassette port location (which
is frequently used for interface power-taps and the
like). Obviously, manufacturers will be taking
these factors into consideration as they design new
products, but there is going to be some grumbling
and kludging and returning to the place of purchase
for a while until it all gets straightened out. I
imagine we will even see whole new product lines
spring up that specifically address this problem (I
can see it now; the ACME OCTOPUSS- "connects
everything to everything. . .only $54.95).
THE MONITOR PROBLEM
What monitor problem? Well, if you have a 1701 or
1702 (I don't think the 1703 ever made it to market)
you can't access the 80-column world of the 128 and
cp/m modes (tho they both have (less useful)
40-column modes). If you have a composite
monochrome monitor (the kind most of us use for
BO-column work with our C=64's), you will still not
be able to use them for 80-colunin CP/M or 12B work
(but they'll work fine with 80-column boards in the
C=54 mode). Even with Coranodore' s new RGBI monitor
(and you'll have to wait a couple months for it) you
won't be able to use C=64 BO-column output (since it
doesn't have 80 column composite inputs, only RGBI
80 column inputs). The bottom line is that there is
no single monitor (yet) that will handle everything
that your C=128 can put out! What can you do? The
least costly approach that I've found (and this will
get you in business today) is to pick up a Sears 57
KX 4084C RG8 monitor. For only $340 you get a fine
13" RGBI monitor, which is also a composite color
monitor, and an electronically tuned television as
well! The composite stage is not as good as the
Commodore 17xx series monitors, but the RGB is
fantastic (the cover graphic of this issue was shot
directly from 80-column RGB output on this monitor).
Be sure to order Sears' RGB cable ($15) while you're
at it, since the C=128 does not come with this
particular accessory. Now you have everything
except 80-column C=64 monochrome capability. If you
need this too, then get a little Sanyo or Zenith
green screen for under $100 and you re all set.
(One thing to consider before you junp in the car
and head down to Sears: the Conmodore 1902 RGB
monitor $? has a tricky little switch on it marked
"RBG Analog". I have heard that this is for use
with the AMIGA and allows for a very sensational
display not obtainable thru other types of monitor
circuitry. So if you think you will eventually own
an APliGA too, you might want to hold out for the
Commodore RGBI monitor.)
GRAPHICS (good news & bad news)
The good news is BASIC 7.0 which adds numerous
graphics commands (among other things) to BASIC
allowing simple (anyone can do it) creation of
boxes, circles, polygons, lines, fills, etc. and
simplified creation & control of sprites. This
version of BASIC only kicks-in in the 1 2B mode, and
(here comes the BIG RUB) only in the 40-column
mode! I I was heart-broken to find that as my
luscious field of 640 X 200 RGB pixels sat there in
their full hi-resolution 16-color glory, there was
m way short of MACHINE LANGUAGE to talk to them,
(so, for me that means NO way to talk to them).
What a shame! I hope we will see some 3rd party
graphics software soon that will remedy this
frustrating shortcoming.
12B MODE
Other than the above mentioned graphics let-down,
the 128 mode is really quite impressive. BASIC 7.0
is literally dripping with new and powerfull
commands. I love the way it locates programming
errors by displaying not only the offending line,
but even hi-lites the offending word(s)! Proper
renumbering and auto numbering are but a few of the
enhancements you'll wonder how you lived without.
You will also find that many BASIC programs (with
hi -res graphics even) written for the IBM PC and PC
JR will translate with little to no modification
under BASIC 7.0! You will also like the WINDOW
commands from either direct mode or from program
control. Another nifty feature in 128 mode is the
"FAST" command, which puts the 128 into overdrive
(shifting from 1Mhz to 2Mhz) doubling the speed of
certain operations.
CP/M MODE
Well, it took some time, but after numerous
revisions and upgrades, it looks like Coranodore has
been able to get the full CP/PI PLUS side of _ the
machine operational and compatible with subordinate
versions of CP/M. This promises to be the real
killer for the serious business and technical user
with its 10X disk access, 16-color 80 columns,
various terminal emulation modes (including ADM-3A ,
VT-52, 4 VT-100). We have been able to load and run
some CP/M software (Kaypro format) while some titles
refuse to load (also Kaypro format). One
explaination from Commodore is that some Kaypro
disks which will work fine with the Kaypro are not
truly CP/M compatible programs (having a few
odd-ball machine-specific routines mixed in) and
therefore are "illegitimate" and thus won't run.
OK. Looks like the INFO scouts will have their
hands full sorting out this latest wrinkle in the
world of SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY.
If the ASHTQN TATEs, MICROSDFTs, and other CP/M
vendors of yore don't miss the boat, there could be
tons of good, fast, powerful CP/PI stuff at
reasonable prices back on the shelves in short order
(they just need to blow the dust off the boxes and
remove those ridiculous price-tags). See Mark
Brown's "Best of CP/M" article elsewhere this issue.
11$
Inside the 1571 disk drive
W/ff/////M/////////////////////////////^^^^
M The enpty ROM socket-
A Ready for GEM or ""?
W//////M/////M///////////////M///////////M
DISK DRIVES
In the C=B4 mode, we have not found anything that
isn't completely compatible between the two
computers. The 1541, PISD, and Indus drives worked
identically on both machines, the 1571 works just
like the 1541 in the 0=64 mode, but speeds up by a
factor of 5 in the C=12B mode, and a factor of 10 in
the CP/H mode. The 1571 has a set of DIP switches
in the back so that you may configure it as any
device § from 8 to 1 1 . It has a dual-sided head
mechanism, allowing it to read both single and
double sided disks. In C=64 mode, it only uses one
side. (I' m just guessing here, but that suggests to
me the possibility of software routines that would
allow the C=64 mode to use the 1571 as a quasi-dual
drive.) Both the C=128 and CP/M modes use both
sides of the drive for increased storage capacity.
An interesting note: if you format a diskette in
C=12B mode and read the directory, you will see 1328
blocks free. If you then switch to C=64 mode and
pull a directory on the same diskette, you will see
only 664 blocks free. I was able to load and save
simple BASIC programs in each mode to and from the
other. You can use your 1541 or other current drive
to save your C=128 programs (tho at the usual slow
speed) .
CROSS COMPATIBILITY
It looks like most peripherals for the C=64 will
work with the C=128. The exception here is the
EXPANSION PORT. 64 cartridges (as you should
expect) will not work in the C=128 mode (their
presence tells the machine to be in 0=64 mode.)
Less obvious is the likelihood that most hardware
devices using this port will also be useless in the
C=128 mode. The Buscard II, for instance, crashes
the 0=128 mode, just by being in the socket, and
will in no way allow, for instance, an MSD drive to
be used as an IEEE device. We will undoubtedly see
a new wave of products to fill this need, the most
popular likely to be those which are functional in
more than one mode .
THE MAGIC ROM SOCKET
Inside the C=128 there is one more surprise. Upon
opening the C=128 (if you have ever opened up a
0=64, you'll appreciate the absence of interlocking
plastic tabs -the ones that always broke off) you'll
find an empty ROM socket in the 'upper left" corner
of the machine (see photo). The impression I get
from various sources at Conmodore is that this
socket has been provided to allow for substantial
future enhancements that might become desireable at
some point in the future. One possibility
acknowledged is eventually putting a 0=128 version
of GEM, the MAC-like graphics environment (which has
been ported to the IBM PC, and may also show up on
the AMIGA and the Atari ST line), on the 0=128. I
like that idea. Having that empty socket there
somehow makes me feel even better about the C=128-
like it's open to improvement.
AVAILABILITY
Conaodore was telling me as late as May 20 that the
C=128 would be in some stores before C.E.S. in
Chicago (June 2-5). By the time you read this, you
will probably be able to pick one up. Should you?
For under $300 I think it's the buy of the year!
Him
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the
FISCHERTECHNIK
ROBOTICS L AB
by Benn Dunnington
The Fischertecbnik robotics kit is a spectacular new
product which was first shown at the Winter CE.S.
in Las Vegas last January & INFQ=64 was lucky enough
to get one of the first evaluation units made
available for review.
The kit consists of 3 main parts: the precision
mechanical parts kit, the interface box, and the
disk-loaded software.
THE PARTS KIT
The first thing that impressed me upon receipt of
this West German built robotics kit was the generous
and varied array of small precision plastic and
metal parts. I have previously worked as an R&D
instrumentation specialist, and I can tell you that
the parts kit is of the highest quality, and well
worth the price of the whole system alone. Hundreds
of cunning interlocking pieces including blocks,
clips, gear boxes, motors, gear racks, shafts,
plates, brackets, variable resistors (pots), an
electro-magnet and more can be combined in an almost
endless number of ways to build very strong and
accurate mechanisms without a single tool (except
for the little screwdriver, included, which is used
solely for attaching wires to terminal plugs.)
THE JWNUALS
Fortunately, you will not have to expend much energy
trying to discover what can be constructed with all
this hardware: the folks at Fischertechnik have
already worked out the details (and written the
software) for 10 unique and instructive robotics
projects. The main instruction book is a pictorial
step-by-step guide which relies on very few words to
explain the assembly processes. The excellent
photographs and diagrams of the 40 page guide are
easy to follow and prepared with the same careful
detail as the parts themselves.
THE INTERFACE
To link the various motors, switches, lamps, and
pots _ to the computer, a compact interface box is
provided with channels for four motors, 8 switches,
and two potentiometers. The interface also provides
connections for DC power to the motors and lamps via
a plug-in ac/dc transformer. The interface (which
is housed attractively in a clear plastic box)
connects to the user (modem) port, with a 20-pin
connector & flat ribbon cable running to the robot
model. Like the mechanical drawings, the electrical
circuits are depicted in an easy to follow graphical
format which even electronics novices like myself
can follow.
Parts. Parts. Parts
Editor's revised "Teach-in Robot"
. ! More'
■■»
nrrW'
====================
^j
■■PM
THE SOFTWARE
A diskette is
each of the 10
the kit. The
be translated
the preliminar
guide me thru
straightforwar
smoothly with
HOW IT WORKS
supplied with programs for operating
sample robots which are documented in
review disk I worked with had yet to
from the German, so I was glad that
y manual had English translations to
Nonetheless, the software is pretty
d, written in BASIC, and worked
the models we built.
The first thing I did was lay out all the parts and
familiarize myself with their appearance (while
speculating as to their possible uses). I next
flipped thru the manuals, reading descriptions of
each of the 10 models, and deciding which one to
build first. It took me about two hours to assemble
the variation of the "teach-in robot" pictured here
(I made the arm horizontal instead of angled down to
avoid interferences with the platforms after my
first clumsy program sequence nearly caused the
robot to destroy itself by trying to move thru
instead of around a platform! ) . Next you prepare
the ribbon cable by separating and stripping the 20
color-coded wires, and fitting them with miniature
plug ends which make connecting and changing wires
with this kit a snap. The interface is plugged into
the modem port, the power supply is plugged into a
wall socket, and the connections are made to the
various motors, switches, etc. on the model.
Finally, the software is loaded &
particular model, and you are in
wiring didn't turn out as tidy as
photos, but everything workedl
run for the
business! My
the publicity
The 10 documented models included cover a wide range
of electro-mechanical systems, all of which have
practical counterparts in the real world. The care
with which each model has been thought out and
designed is highly appreciated and commended by this
reviewer.
THE POSSIBILITIES
The Fischertechnik robotics lab is a treasure-chest
of hands-on learning which has no rival (or
competition) in the personal computing market. I
know of no other product which invites the user to
discover and explore the multiple worlds of
robotics, electronics, logic, mechanics,
programming, and the interaction between the
separate parts in such a stimulating, rewarding, and
enjoyable way. I think every elementary school,
high school, and college in the country should have
at least one of these kits.
This is a very important product in that it opens up
a level of involvement, experimentation, and
interaction with the computer that has not been
acheived by any other approach. Think of the
possibilities when you combine several of these sets
together (you can also purchase more general parts
kits from Fischertechnik which are compatible and
can be used to expand the basic robot kit). Imagine
interfacing your robot with a voice recognition
system (see Ted Salamone's Speech article elsewhere
this issue) and controlling your model with voice
commands!
EASE OF USE / AGE LEVEL
While I have mentioned the ease of using various
aspects of the Fischertechnik robotics lab, and
would not want to discourage children from
experiencing such a fascinating tool f this is
basically an advanced kit often requiring adult
strength and manipulative skills, along with
considerable spatial perception during construction
of the different models (I would place its
difficulty level at about 3X that of LEGOs!). Kids
should have access to these kits, but most under the
age of 12 will need at least some assistance.
SUmARY
The Fischertechnik robotics kit is a marvelous
addition to the world of Commodore computing. From
concept, to craftsmanship, to documentation, this
product shines. Very possibly the best product ever
made for the C=64, we can only hope that more
companies will be spurred on to similar excellence
by Fischertechnik 's example.
FISCHERTECHNIK ROBOTICS LAB
Fischer America Inc.
175 Route 46 west
Fairfield NJ 07005
(201) 227-g283
(about $200)
I I ? I ■'
COMMODORE 64
COMPUTER AND SOFTWARE
SALE
CI 28 COMMODORE
COMPUTER
• with S19.95 Software Purchase
$ 139
•170K Disk Drive $149.00*
• Tractor Friction Printer SI 59.00
• 13" Hi-Res Color Monitor $179.00*
" COMMODORE 64 COMPUTER SI 39.00
You pay only S139 00 (with the S19 95 software
purchase see below) when you order the powerful
84K COMMODORE 64 COMPUTER! LESS the value of
the SPECIAL SOFTWARE DISCOUNT COUPON we pack
wvlh your computer that ollows you to SAVE 0\ .(
SSO0 off software sale prices!! With only S100 of
savings applied, your nel computer cost is S39.00! !
* 17CK DISK DRIVE 1149,00
You poy only 5149.00 (with the SI9 95 soltware
purchase see below) when you order the I70K Disk
Drive' LESS the value ol the SPECIAL SOFTWARE
DISCOUNT COUPON we pack with your disk drive that
ollows you to SAVE OVER S5O0 off softwore sole
prices! ! With only $100 of savings applied, your net
disk drive cost isS49.00.
■ 13" HI-RES COLOR MONITOR $179.00
You pay only $179.00 (with the $1995 software
purchase see below) when you order this 13' COLOR
MONITOR with sharper ana clearer resolution than
any other color monitors we hove tested" LESS value
of the SPECIAL SOFTWARE DISCOUNT COUPON we
pack with your monitor that allows you to sove over
S500 off softwore sale prices! 1 With only StOO of
savings applied, your net color monitor cost is only
$79 00 (16 Colors).
80 COLUMN 80 CPS
TRACTION/FRICTION PRINTER $159.00
You poy only SI 59.00 when you order the Comstor T F
deluxe line printer that prints 6'txll full size single
sheet, roll or fan fold paper, labels, etc. Impact dot
matrix bidirectional. LESS the value of the SPECIAL
SOFTWARE DISCOUNT COUPON we pack with your
printer Ihol ollows you to SAVE OVER $500 oil
software sale prices' ' With only S10O of sovings
applied your net printer cost is only S59 00
80 COLUMN BOARD 579.00
Now you program 80 COLUMNS on the screen at one
time! Converts your Commodore 64 to 80 COLUMNS
when you plug in the 80 COLUMN EXPANSION
BOARD' ' PLUS 4 slot expander'
SO COLUMNS IN COLOR
PAPERBACK WRITER 64 WORD PROCESSOR $39.00
This PAPERBACK WRITES 64 WORD PROCESSOR is the
finest ovailable lor the COMMODORE 64 computer!
The ULTIMATE FOR PROFESSIONAL Word Processing.
DISPLAYS 40 or 60 COLUMNS IN COLOR or black ond
while' Simple to operate powerful text editing .
complete cursor and insert delete key controls line
and paragraph insertion. automatic deletion,
centering, margin settings ond output to all printers'
List S99 00 SALE J34.00 Coupon S29 95
(Coming Soon
CALL PRICES
BEFORE MAY
YOU BE
ORDER LOWER
SPECIAL SOFTWARE COUPON
We pack a SPECIAL SOFTWARE DISCOUNT
COUPON with every COMMODORE 64
COMPUTER. DISK DRIVE. PRINTER, or
MONITOR wo sell! This coupon allows you
to SAVE OVER >$00 OFF SALE PRICES!!
(Examples)
PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE
COMMODORE 64
Nanit
lilt
Sal.
Coupon
Paperback Writer 64
59° 00
539 00
529 95
Papeiback Dnla Base
Sc.9.00
$34 95
524.95
Paperback Piclionary
$24 95
$14 95
510 00
Procticolc 11
S69.95
ill 95
544.95
Prim Shop (Diskl
$44.95
S3I 95
S26.95
Procticolc
559 95
524 95
519 95
Programmer s Hf>f i-r.-nf*-
520 95
516 95
512 50
Guide
Programmers Helper
559 95
559 95
519,95
80 Column Screen (Disk)
559 95
519 95
519 95
Disk Filer (by Flip (4 File]
539 95
514 95
512 95
Deluxe Tope Cassefle
SS9 00
SJJ 95
534 95
Pro Joy Stick
519.95
SI? 95
510.00
Light Pen
539.95
514,95
S 9 95
Dust Caver
5 8.95
5 6.95
5 4 60
Simon s Bosic
S?9 95
S2? 95
519.95
Pilstop II Epyx
S39.9S
524 95
519 95
Super Graphics Expander
579 95
522 95
S19 95
Music Calc 1
559 95
529 95
524 95
Filewciler
559 9S
529 95
524 95
(See over 100 coupon items in our catalog)
Write or call for
Sample SPECIAL SOFTWARE COUPON!
EXECUTIVE QUALITY
PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS SOFTWARE
The Cadillac of Buiinasi Programs
for Commodore 64 Computer!
Order Now)
oo*
Horn
Invenlory Management
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Payable
Payroll
General ledger
Lilt
579 95
579 95
579,95
579.95
579.95
■ Sal*
529.95
529 95
539 95
529 95
529 95
Coupon
524 95
$24 95
574 95
524 95
524.95
*The S19.95 Software Purchase Options
1 . 24 Program Etonus Pock llope or disk |
2. Oil Bo irons Strategy Board Game
3 Disk Drive Cleaner
4 HES Games (disk)
5, Page Joe [tape or disk)
LIST
529 95
549 95
539 95
539.95
539 95
SALE
119.91
H9.95
119.93
119.9]
llt.95
' Computer Learning Pad $37.95
• Voice Synthesizer 549.00
• 12" Green or Amber Monitor $79.95
• 12" Daisy Wheel Printer $199.00
* CT 28 COMMODORE COMPUTER $269.00
We expect a limited supply the 1st week in July. We
will snip on a first order basis This all new
revolutionary 128K computer uses all Commodore 64
software and accessories plus all CPM programs
formatted for the disk drive.
LrSl S349.00. SALE 5269.00.
SUPER AUTO DIAL MODEM $59.00
Eosy to use. Just plug into yaur Commodore 64
computer and you re ready to transmit and receive
messages Easier lo use than dialing your telephone
lust push one key on your computer' Includes
exclusive easy to use program for up and down
loading to printer ond disk drives. Bett in U.S.A.
lisl $129,00 SALE 559.00
COMPUTER LEARNING PAD $37,95
Makes other graphics tablets obsolete. This TECH
SKETCH LEARNING PAD allows you to draw on your
T V. or Monitor and then you can print whatever you
draw on the screen on your printers. FANTASTIC! '
LislS79.95SAlili7.M.
VOICE SYNTHESIZER $49.00
For Commodore-64 computers. Just plug it in ond yau
can program words and sentences adjust volume ond
pilch make talking adventure games sound action
gomes and customtied talkies!! f OR ONLY $19,95 you
can add TEXT TO SPEECH, just type word ond Jieor
your computer talk - ADD SOUND TO ZORK SCOTT
ADAMS AND OTHER ADVENTURE GAMES ! »
(Disk or tape.)
12" GREEN OR AMBER MONITOR 579.95
Your choice ol green or omber screen monitor fop
quality. 80 columns x 24 lines, easy to read onti-
glare! PLUS S9.95 lor connecting coble. Com 64 ol
VIC-20
PRINTER/TYPEWRITER COMBINATION $249.00
"JUKI" Superb letter quality. daisy wheel
printer typewriter combination. Two machines in one
lust a Hick of the switch. 12 extra, large carriage,
typewriter keyboard, automatic margin control and
relocote key. drop in cassette ribbon' (90 day
warranty] Centronics parollel or R5232 serial port built
in (Specify). List $349.00. SALE $249.00 (Ltd. Oly
CARDCOG+ INTERFACE 559.00
For Commodore 64 ond Vic 20 computers. Lets you use
other printers with Centronics interfaces. This
interface lets the printer oct like a Commodore printer
including printing Ihe Commodore graphics {Dot
morn * with graphic capability printers).
L.st $109.00 SALE 159.00
« LOWEST PRICES • 1 5 DAY FREE TRIAL
• BEST SERVICE IN U.S.A. • ONE DAY EXPRESS MAIL
PHONE ORDERS
8 o,m. - 8 p.m. Weekdays
9 a.m. - 12 noon Saturdays
• 90 DAY FREE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY
• OVER 500 PROGRAMS • FREE CATALOGS
Add S10.00 for shipping, handling ond insurance. Illinois residents
pleose add 6% tax. Add $20.00 for CANADA. PUERTO RICO. HAWAII.
ALASKA. APO-FPO orders. Canadian orders must be in U.S. dollars.
WE DO NOT EXPORT TO OTHER COUNTRIES EXCEPT CANADA.
Enclose Cashiers Check. Money Order or Personal Check. Allow 14
days for delivery. 2 lo 7 days for phone orders. I day express mail!
VISA — MASTER CARD — C.O.D. No C.O.D. to Canada. APO-FPO
We Love Our Customers
22292 N. Pepper Rd., Barrington, Illinois 60010
312/382-5244 to order
Commodore 64
One Megabyte
*EIV
$
199 Disk Drive $ "»
Store Spreadsheets, Databases, Wordprocessing Data, Etc.
• Commodore 64 • PET • 8032 • B128
The one megabyte disk keeps you from hunting through hundreds of disks for your programs; plus running out of
room on your drive for Data base Data, Word processing Text, Spreadsheet Data, Business program Dola, etc.
Wi1h the One Megabyte Disk Drive you can store over 5% times the capacity of the 1541. You can store your
own programs and any back-upable commercial programs plus data from your business programs*. Perfect as a
second Drive ! ! ! ! Enter the world of professional computers today. C-64 requires IEEE interface.
List $899.00. Sale $199.00. LIMITED QUANTITIES! Requires 2 drive software
$ 299 00 Sale $ 299 00
15Yz" High Speed
150-170 CPS
BUSINESS PRINTER
The inPP-1361 is a highly advanced 136-250 column 15' 3" professional tractor friction printer with full Bit image
graphics and downloadable characters for custom reports and program listings. The paper feed includes a multiple pin
troctor for smooth error free operation. With the ribbon rated at 1 million characters (no mess cartridge) and the print
head at 100 million characters this printer will last a lifetime. Full formatting with near letter quality makes lining up
decimal points, automatic "$" signs and tabbing look fantastic and easy to use. With out a doubt THIS IS THE BEST
PRINTER VALUE IN THE U.S.A. List S899.00 Sale $299,00 LIMITED QUANTITIES!
SPECIFICATIONS
PRINTING METHOD
Serial Impact Dot Matrix
PRINT RATE
150-170 Characters per
second (CPS)
PRINT STYLE
Near Letter Quality
PRINT DIRECTION
Bi-directional
COLUMN CAPACITY
136 - 250
LINE SPACING
Programmable
COPIES
3, including original
RIBBON TYPE
Cartridge ($14.95)
RIBBON LIFE
1 Million Characters
PAPER WIDTH
3" to 1 5' ■>" tractor or
single sheet friction
INTERFACE
IEEE Protocol
CHARACTER SIZE
0.1 16" high, 0.08" wide
GRAPHICS
Bit Image
Programmable Characters
Reverse Characters
ERROR HANDLING
Internal
Self - Diagnostics
Microprocessor
Commodore 64 IEEE Interface
Thi
s interface plugs into your Commodore 64 Disk Drive port and allows you to hook up the 1 Megabyte Disk Drive and
MPP-1361 Printer os well as other IEEE devices. Separte power supply insures reliability. Fantastic Interface, (includes
all cables) List $109.95. If bought with printer or disk drive S69.00.
(no interface needed for PET, B-l 28. and 8032 computers)
Add SI 7.50 for shipping, handling and insurance. Illinois residents
please odd 6'/. lax. Add S35.00 tar CANADA. PUERTO RICO. HAWAII.
ALASKA. APO-FPO orders. Canadian orders must be in U S dollars
WE DO NOT EXPORT TO OTHER COUNTRIES EXCEPT CANADA.
Enclose Cashiers Check. Money Order or Personal Check. Allow 14
days far delivery. 2 to 7 days for phone orders. 1 day express mail!
VISA — MASTER CARD - C.O.D.
No C.O.D. lo Canoda. APO-FPO
We Love Our Customers
22292 N. Pepper Rd., Barrington, Illinois 60010
312/382-5244 to order
Monitors
BMC Color 149 95
Pan 1300 RGB &
Comp . 289 95
Zenith Green 79 9S
Modems
Mighty Mo 64"
Comm 1660 .... 79 95
Telesontc Call
Cassette
Recorders
Comm CN-2 . 59"
Third Party 39"
Interfaces
Telesys Turboprint GT
•Prints Enhanced Graphics, 4
Different Type Faces. &
Reverse Characters 'Includes
Power Cord. Five Feet of Cable
and All Required CQQR
Connectors D"
CardcoG + Call
Microworld Call
Diskettes
Nashua 10 s5
Scotch 14"
Maxell 14 95
Memorex 11 95 "
"After S3 Mfrs Rebate
■es OTt/BS
Printers
Gemini SG10 209 95
Gemini SD 10/15 newi Call
Gemini SR 10/15 newi Call
Gemini SB 10 newi Call
Gemini SG 15 359 95
Silver Reed 400 249"
Panasonic 1091 , Call
SOFTWARE
SPECIALS
Fisher-Price
Learning Software
A Ipha Build
Logic Levels
Movie Creator
Sea Speller
Songmaker
Up « Add 'Em
12.99
12.99
12.99
12.99
12.99
14.99
Windsor Classics By Fisher Price
Below The Root
Swiss Family Robinson
Alice in Wonderland
Treasure Island
Robin Hood
Wizard ol Oz
16.99
16,99
16.99
16 99
16.99
1699
2199
16.99
16.99
15.99
23.99
16.99
19.99
19.99
19.99
19.99
fjt commodore
801 MCS
Color nnnqq
Printer Zb3 d0
New Products
C-16 Computer
C+4 Computer
801 Printer . .
802 Primer
803 Printer
79"
189 95
149 95
179 95
174 9S
,V. penguin
''^' software '
Quest 19 99
Transylvania 19 99
Sword ol Kadash 19.99
Xyphus 19 99
Graphics Magician Picture
Painter
Spinnaker
Counting Parade
Early Learning Friends
Math Busier
President s Chcice
Sum Ducks
Amazon
Oragonworld
Fahrenheit 451
Rendezvous with Rama
Professional Soltware
Fleel Syslem 2 - Word Processor
with built-in 70 ODD. moid
spell check
CSS Soltware
Or Seuss Fix uo The Mix up
Fuzzier
Sesame Street Letter-Go-
Round
Big Birds fun House
The Sea Voyager
Weather Tamers
Movie Musical Madness
Success w/Oecimals
[Addraubl I D-T
Success n/Decimals
(Mull (Div I D-T
Success w/Fracuons
(Add iSubl ) D-T
Success w/Fracuons
(Mull (Div ( D-T
Ouck s Ahoy
Ernie s Magic Shapes
Mastering the SAT
Murder by the Dozen
Peanut Butter Panic
Epy.
■ is: Loud
Barbie
Hoi Wtiee-ls
Gl Joe
Breakdance
Baseball
Pnsiop
Pitstop
9 to 5 Typing
t.tpreia
Touch Tablets
Koala Touch Tabiet-D
Koala Touch Tablet Cut
Muppet Learning Keys
Access
Neutral Zone-D/T
Sontemaster-O/T
Beachhead-D/T
Master Composer-D
Commodore
Program Ret Guide
Assembler O
Easy Finance I I!
Easy Calc-D
Easy Mail-D
Easy Scnpt-D
Easy Spell D
Logo D
The Managei-D
General Ledger D
Accls Rec -0
Accts Pay-D
Magic Desk-D
Zork I, II or lll-D
Suspended-O
Slarcross-D
Deadlme-D
IV li
23.99
23.99
164.99
23.99
24.99
24.99
19.99
19.99
19.99
1999
19 99
24 99
24.99
24.99
24 99
69 95
6495
Call
20.95
20 95
209S
23 95
1995
17.95
19.95
64 95
17.95
3995
19.95
49.95
37.95
37 95
37.95
37.95
5295
29 95
29.95
2995
29.95
59.95
1999
19.99
19.99
2499
12.99
999
14.99
1499
14.99
14,99
w 1 1 a
JOYSTICKS
THE BOSS
12 88
The Bat
3-Way .
1488
19"
TO ORDER: CALL TOLL FREE - WERE PROUD OF OUR PRICES - SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
IN NEW YORK STATE CALL TOLL FREE «fl Q(\f\ £Qi 10110
1-800-221-2760 or 516-249-2120 I -UUlrUO I " IUUO
Check, Money Order, MC or VISA accepted /No additional charge lor MasterCard and Visa /Call lor shipping and handling
information t NYS residents add applicable sales lax /Prices and availability are subject to change without notice /All factory
fresh merchandise with manufacturer's warranty. Dealers Welcome. Call for recent price reductions and new rebate information.
Plus shipping and handling.
1 18 YEARS OF SERVICE]
or Write
Computer
Centers
of America
81 Terminal Dr.
Plainview, NY 11803
NEWS & VIEWS
SPECIAL C.E.S. EDITION
REPORTED BY:
I have a prediction to make: the commercial
software package that will be most used to display
the APlIGA's power (and which will probably sell a
MESS of AIHGAs for Conmodore) will be Sublogic's new
flight masterpieces JET. You just won't believe
your eyes when you see these two together! (I'm
sorry I don't have a picture of JET for you here,
but the display on the IBM PC wouldn't da it
justice.)
DATELINE CHICAGO, SUWtER C.E.S., JUNE 2-5
Well, they broke my heart again: Canmodore (as was
rumored in advance) was not showing the AMIGA to
anybody (except behind reporter-proof doors to
selected big-time retailers). I wouldn't come back
completely empty-handed tho, would I?
The picture above is allegedly generated by the
fabled APHEA.
I know the it doesn't look like much, but it may be
the first ever published photo of an AMIGA display!
We can't prove it because the suspected APUGA was in
a lacked box! Why Canmodore is so very very
secretive about this machine is a mystery to me, but
the waiting Is about over: Conmodore will be
officially unveiling the AMIGA in New York in late
July. Ya Pb Be There! (we'll have coverage of the
big event in the very next issue, along with our
jumbo Product Roundup, don't miss it II)
Dh, what is the picture of? It's a spinning 3-D
colored cube that approaches, receeds, and bounces
around in response to 5oniture's sonic Space Pen.
The speed and fluidity of the animation of even this
simple demo was quite impressive.
Conmodore 's Booth
c
IHFP's Booth
J9fy ' r«»si»»«
1* e ■ "•':■■
n
nrrs-
NEWS & VIEWS
SPECIAL CES EDITION
ATARI'S economy exhibit
was right across fron
INFO's, so we got to see
a lot of Software chief
Sig Hartftan (above), and
the nan himself, Jack
Tra»iel (below, right).
If Jack was worried, he
wasn't showing it to we
The Commodore 900 Business Computer
ATARI was also at the show. After cancelling their
spot several weeks before, ATARI made a brilliant
face-saving, money-saving move, and booked in again
at the last minute (it is speculated that they got a
huge discount on the space, and because it was in a
room, instead of on the floor, ATARI was out from
the costly obligation to keep up with the JONESES
(or more to the point, SMITHS) by erecting the usual
type of display that can often hit close to 1
million bucks for a major exhibitor.) This type of
maneuvering suggests two things to me; 1) that Jack
Tramiel and his merry band are "buns to the wall"
with a company that may have little mare than
cab-fare for the chief in its coffers, 2) that Jack
Tramiel and his merry band are crafty survivors who
can't be counted out until the last byte is bit, and
that if anyone can pull ATARI out of an impossible
situation, this guy can. Note, ATARI was saying at
the show (June 5j that the new ST's would be
shipping within 2 weeks. The chips are on the
table, and the discards are down
Commodore, on the other hand, was saying that the
C-128 was already in transit to major retail chains.
Look for it.
Caresodore had a few (not many) surprises of its own:
the C-900 (UNIX compatible, 10 Vhz Z8000,
multi-user/ multi-tasking, 1Q24 X 800 resolution
bit-map display, with a 20 Meg hard drive standard)
is available in Europe only for the time being, with
a rumored 4th quarter US introduction (expected
price: $270D!)
fnm
UJ
HOT AS HANDY- TAPING THEN TO YOUR MONITOR). INSTRUCTIONS! CAREFULLY REMOVE CENTERFOLD FROM STAPLES, CUT AL0N6 COLORED BORDERS,
HELL, BY NOW YOU ALL HAVE YOUR ER5B0ARDS, RIGHT? (NO? SEE INSIDE BACK COVER FOR DETAILS ON THE AHAZIN6 ER6BOARD... BE THE FIRST POSITION IN ER6B0ARD REFERENCE WINDOW. USING THE ORIGINAL CARDS FOR SUPPORT (OR TAPE 'EH TO YOUR MONITOR). USE THE BLANK
IN YOUR USER GROUP TO OWN ONE... ORDER YOURS TODAY!) ACTUALLY YOU CAN USE THESE REFERENCE CARDS WITHOUT THE ER6BOARD (IT'S JUST BACKSIDES FOR MAKING YOUR OWN REFERENCE CARDS. KEEP SENDING YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR ERG-CARDS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE. -THE EDITOR.
IM^liM^LhfB^ gpe mm WM"Mm
H^i (THE CP/H PLUS PROMPT)
iProflpt Character
lLogged Drive (fl-P)
User Number (1-15)
(Default User not displayed)
CTRL/Ecrsr key] scrolls virtual
80 column screen left and right
virtual mim VE
Drive E is an imaginary drive
implemented on drive A to
allow two-drive functions.
When drive E is accessed, you
Hill swap disks in drive A.
Cursor left
Beginning of line
Reboot CP/M
Continue on next line
Cursor right
Delete char, under crsr
Delete char, left of crsr
Tab to next stop
Return
Delete to end of line
Carriage return
Toggle printer on/off
Resume output
Repeat line
Pause output
.... 4^ f Cancel comnand
|| ID Recall coamand
CP/M is a tradewark
of Digital Research Inc
Delete all left of crsr
COMMAND dsfilenaae.typ [OPTIONS!
! ! file type (3 char, tax)
! ! file naie (8 char, max)
drive specifier (A to P)
[OPTIONS] lay be oiitted
PASSWORDS (optional):
djfilenaae.typjpassword
If a password is used in the creation of
a file, it must be used to access the file.
WILDCARDS:
? Substitutes for character
1 Substitutes for remainder
of file name or file type
RESIDENT COMMANDS
DIR difilename.tvp [OPTIONS]
Display DIR for current user t
DIRSYS d:filename.typ [OPTIONS]
DIR tor svstei files
ERASE d:filenaie.typ [CONFIRM]
Erases matchinn file
CONFIRM for wildcards
RENAME d: newname, tvp=oidname. typ
Renames file
TYPE difilename.tvp [OPTIONS]
Types named file
OPTIONS:
NO PAGE
PAGE
USER n
Specifies
d
drive
L*oas
Continuous
Single screen
user 1(0 to 15)
(A to P)
TRANSIENT COMMANDS
COPYSYS
Copies system track; to new disk
DATE C Display date and tiae
DATE SET set date and time
DEVICE [OPTIONS]
Display or set devices
DUMP d: filename. typ
Displays file in he;; and ASCII
ED dsfilenaae.typ
Edit naaed -file.
GET FILE filename. typ
Redirects input from
HELP topic .subtopk [OPTIONS]
Display Help
INITDIR d:
Initiates tiae and date stamping
LIB dsfilenaae.typ
r:
[OPT
file
IONS]
LINK d:filena»e.typ
m
Makes MAC file executable
IONS]
J K.
MAC filename [OPTIONS]
Assemble named source file
PATCH
Custoaize CP/M PLUS system
PIP d:neHtile,typ=d:oldfiie,
Copies naaed file
PIP E:newfile.typ=A:aldfile.typ
sinole drive file copier
PUT NORMAL NEW [OPTIONS]
Redirect output from normal
device to new device
SET [OPTIONS]
Set file and disk options
SETDEF [OPTIONS]
Sets svstea defaults
SHOW [OPTIONS]
Displays disk information
SID d: filename. typ
symbolic Instruction Debuooer
SUBMIT dsfilenaie
Executes batch filenaae.SUB
FILENAME EXTENSIONS
ASCII File
Assembler Source
Backup
BASIC Source
C Source
COBOL Source
Executable Prograa
Data
Document text
FORTRAN Source
Intel Hex Object
Help
Language Library
Machine Code Object
Overlay
Pascal Source
Assembly Print Listing
Relocatable M/L Object
SUBMIT file
Assembler svabol file
System file
Document Text
Unusable Temporary
TT
\
anna
mm
liA^iMlE9s deb mm MUt MJ
colored
are new
keywords
to 7.6
MMANDS AND STATEMENTS
) tlogical file nuaber, "filename"
[,Ddrivei][<0N,)Udevice3
AUTO Clinei]
BACKUP source Ddrive TO dest. Ddnve
[(ON.)Udevice]
BANK bank nuaber
:6IN/BEND IF condition THEN BEGIN
statement
statement BEND: ELSE BEGIN
statement
stateaent BEND
'filenaie"[,Ddrive][,Udev]
BLQAD
t,Bbank#]t f Pstart address]
BOOT "filenane"[,Ddrive#K<ON,>Udev#]
BOX [color source], XL Y1C ,X2, ¥23
[,angle][, paint]
BSAVE MilenaiBe u [,Ddrive][,Udev][,Bbank3,
Pstart address TO Pend address
CATALOG [Ddrive][<aN,)Udevice][,wildl
CHAR [color source], k , yC, string K , RVS]
CIRCLE [color saurceM,YIJrK,YrJ
[,sal[,ea][,angleJ[,inc3
CLOSE file nuaber
CLR
CHD looical file nuaber I, write list]
COLLECT [Ddnve][<QM,)Udevice]
COLLISION type t. statement]
COLOR source nuaber, color nuaber
CONCAT 'file 2 f [, Ddrive] TO 'file 1"
[,Ddrive][<ON,>Udevice]
CONT
COPY 'source filenames, Ddrive] TO
■dest filenaae , [.Ddrive][<ON,)Udev]
DATA list of mngtanK
DCLEAR [DdriveH(ON,)UdeviceJ
DCLOSE [logical file IH<QN, >Udevice3
DEF FN name (variable) = expression
DELETE [first line] [-last line]
DIM variable (subscripts) [,var (subs)]...
DIRECTORY [DdriveH(OM,)Udevice][,wild]
DLOAD ■filenaie'LWrivell.Udevl
DO/LOOP/WHILE/UNTIL/EXIT
DO [UNTIL cond. /WHILE cond.] statements
[EXIT! LOOP [UNTIL cond. /WHILE cond. 3
DOPEN logical file #, "f ilena»e[,<S/PM*
[,Lrecord length ] C , Ddrive]
[(0N,)UdeviceJ[,w3
DRAW [color source], Xl f Yl [TO 11. Y23...
DSAVE 'f ilenaae"[,Ddrive][<ON, >Udevice]
DVERIFY 'filenaae 1 [,Ddrive][<ON,)Udev]
END
■\
en vi[, attack]!, dec ay 3 [.sustain 3
[, releaseH, wave][, pulse wdth]
FAST
FETCH tbytes,intsa,expb,expsa
FILTER [freqlC.lpK.bplt.hpK.res]
FOR/TO/STEP/NEXT
FOR variable=start value TO end value
[STEP increment)
GET variable list
GETKEY variable list
GET! file nuaber, variable list
5064
60SUB line nuaber
GOTO/60 TO line nuaber
GRAPHIC aode [,dear][,s]
GRAPHIC CLR
HEADER 'disknaae"[,Ddnve][<ON, >Udevice)
HELP
IF/THEN /ELSE
IF expression THEN stateaents
t:ELSE else-clause]
tfUT E'oroaot s tri ng':] var i able list
INPUT! file nuaber, variable list
KEY [key nuaber, string]
LET
LIST [first lineH-last line]
LOAD "filenaae't.dev l][. relocate flao]
LOCATE x,y
MONITOR
HOVSPR nuaber, x,y
HOVSPR nuaber, +/-x,+/-y
HOVSPR nuaber,x;y
HOVSPR nuaber, x angle ly speed
NEW
ON expr.(GOT0/GOSUB>line*l[, line!2, .. . ]
OPEN If n, devicet , secondary add]
t,"f ilenaae,! iletype,aioc!e"]/[cad$]
PAINT [color source], s,y[, aode]
PLAY 'Vn,On,Tn,Un,Xn,eleaents"
POKE address, value
PRINT [print list]
PRINT! file nuaber, print list
PRINT USING
FRINKfile!] USINS'foriat': orint list
PUDEF "nnnn"
READ variable list
■CORDI lfn, record nuaber [, byte nuaber]
REM aessage
RENAME 'old filename'TO'new filenaae"
[,Ddnve][,Udev]
RENUMBER [new starting line nuaber]
[jincreaent]
[,old starting line number]
RESTORE [line I]
RESUME Eline I / NEXT]
RETURN
RUN [line !]
RUN ■filenane'I.DdriveH.UdevJ
SAVE [■filena«e'][,dev][ f EQT flag]
SCALE n[,saax,yaax3
SCNCLR aode nuaber
SCRATCH *filenaM'[ l Ddrive][,Udev3
SLEEP n
SLOW
SOUND v,f.d[,dir3[,a3[,s][,w][,p3
Nv^tiillfTl?^ ura mm M&M $J
H colored keywords
are new to 7.6
COMMANDS AND STATLMLN1S
|SPRDEF£>uii t-in sprite editor:
key result
Ft, .....SHecTs sprite I
A ..Toggle automatic crsr.
CRSR KEYS. ....Move cursor
RETURN Start on next line
RETURN Exit editor at the
SPRITE NUMBER? prompt
HOME Crsr to top left
CLR .....Erases entire grid
1-4 Selects color source
CTRL 1-8 Sprite frgrnd color 1-8
C= 1-8 Sprite frgrnd color 9-16
STOP.. ....... .Cancels changes
SHIFT RTRN Saves sprite
; <#>[,on/off][,fqnd][, priority]
t,x-exp][,y-expJt,aode]
S arateter description
UMBER... sprite nuaber 11-B
ON/OFF sprite on (1) off (0)
FOREGROUND foreground color (1-16)
PRIORITY...... Q=in front / l=behind
X-EXP l=on / 0=off
Y-EXP l=on / 0=off
MODE..... 0=noraal / Uaultkolor
SPR5AV (origin), (destination)
SSHAPE string variable,Xl,Yl[,X2,Y23
5SHAPE string variable [X,Y3[,mode3
STASH thytes,intsa,expb,expsa
STOP
SWAP ibyte5,int5a,expb,expsa
SYS address[,a][,x][,y][,s3
TEMPO n
'.;.- ■ CHne*] *
TROFF
TRON
VERIFY 'filenames, devl][, relocate flag]
VOL volume level
WAIT (Location), (aask-t)[,aask-23
WIDTH n
width l=single width lines
width 2=double width lines
WINDOW xain t vain, xaax,ymax[, clear 3
FUNCTIONS
ABS (X)
ASC (X$)
ATN (X)
BUMP (N)
CHR! (X)
CDS (X)
(todeciBal string
ERKI IN)
EXP (X)
FNxx (x)
FRE (X)
HEX* (X)
INSTR (string 1, string 2 [.start pos.])
INT (X)
JOY IN)
LEFT* (string, integer)
LEN (string)
LOG (X)
MIDI (string, start position [.length])
PEEK (X)
PEN (n)
POINTER (variable naae)
POS (X)
POT (n)
RCLR (N)
RDOT (N)
R6R (X)
RIGHT! ((string). (nuaenc))
RND (X)
RSPC0L0R (register)
? P0S (sprinte nuaber, position/speed)
RSPRITE (sprite nuaber, characteristic)
RWINDOW (n)
SGN(X)
SIN(X)
SPC(X)
SCR(X)
STR* (X)
TAB(X)
TAN(X)
USR(X)
VAL(X$)
X0R(nl,n2)
ESCAPE CODLS
Erase froi crsr. to end of window
Autoaatic insert aode
Set bottoa right corner of window
Cancel insert and quote aodes
Delete current line
Set cursor to non-flashing »Dde
Set cursor to flashing mode
6 Enable bell (by Ctrl-G)
H Disable bell
Insert a line
J Move to beginning of current line
K Move to end of current line
L Turn on scrolling
H Turn off scrolling
Return to norm, display (80 col. only)
Cancel autoaatic insert aode
Erase froa beginning of line to crsr.
Erase froa crsr. to end of line
Reverse video screen (80 col. only)
Change to block cursor
T Set top left corner of window
U Change to underline cursor
V Scroll screen up one line
W Scroll screen down one line
X Toggle between 40 and 80 coluans
Y Restore default TAB stops
I Clear all TAB stops
<DO-n-vouRsc!.r sidd
<DO-IT-VOURKELF RIDE)
NEWS & VIEWS
SPECIAL CES EDITION
■
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
64
C-989 can display the equivalent
of 12 C-64 screens at one tine!
Trio of IBM PC clones are nice
to look at, but you won't be
buying one stateside for awhile.
1 1 1
i/2 megabyte ramdisk
(big white
box in
expansion
port) will
enable sensational
real-time animation
as well as
put a fire
DBMS !!!
under your
<
Conmodore also showed their IBM PC clones (see
photo), but stated that they were back-ordered in
Europe for months, with 8 times the anticipated
demand, and would not euen consider US production in
the near future.
One thing you will be able to acquire before too
long and which will help blow things open for the
C-128 is the 1/2 Meg Connodore ramdisk (see photo).
This little puppy is capable of loading in graphics
screens so fast, that you must actually slow down
the normal transfer rate to keep the animation
viewable I We heard some ball-park guesses as to the
price: about $20Q-$250, with availability as soon as
early fall.
I
1 1 a i ■■:
NEWS & VIEWS
SPECIAL CES EDITION
157;
a nice set of
drives for the
serious user.
;qW:l i] : Dealers will
get this nifty
version of the C-idv
later this year.
Transportable and
respectable looking.
Another product that didn't show was the LCD, which
has gotten such rave reviews from all who have seen
her. Coranodore top brass has apparently decided to
sit on this number (not even showing it) until
sufficient orders are in hand to justify production.
How can you drum up orders for a machine if you
don't show it? The real news about the LCD tho, is
the new display which Comnodore engineers have
developed in-house: the original 80 X IB display was
already considered the fastest, most readable
display in the industry, and now Conraodore has
developed a replacement that is said to be "like
jet-black letters on a snow-white background with a
120 degree viewing angle, and faster refresh than a
CRT" I ! 1 I think the LCD would sell like hot-cakes
on the strength of this display alonel (and the
built-in software has been greatly improved since
its debut in Vegas last Jan.).
what else was hot? OK, there is the new 1572 dual
version of the 1571 which should be along in a
while. Looks sexy, right?
Speaking of "sexy", get a load of the picture (to
the left) of the C-128 D! The "D" is supposedly for
"Dealer" since the C-128 D
to the problem of how to
while mass-merchandising
K-flart, Sears, etc. So,
albeit wonderful, version
is Cofrmodore 1 s solution
keep the dealers happy
the regular C-128 thru
the dealers get this,
of the C-128 with
detachable, stowable keyboard, built-in drive and
powersupply, whose system housing doubles as a
monitor stand; you bet I want one, but the rumored
price ($700) may slow sales, depending on the system
price at K-Mart for the equivalent component set-up.
One last item, not directly related to Caanodore
(but cute): below is a wrist terminal of sorts,
made by SEIKO which interfaces with your C-64, and
stores a couple hundred phone numbers, appointments,
etc. and can beep to let you know when to do what!
Well, bye for now,., next stop- AWGAland.
COMPUSOFT PLUS
FREE SHIPPING FOR INFO-64 SUBSCRIBERS*
ALL PROGRAMS ON DISK UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
INFO-64 RATED FOUR STARS OR BETTER
Costle of Dr. Creep
23
Fle*idraw
122
Mirage DE
Manager
Spelunker
23
Championship Lode Runner
26
Gumboil
23
& Report Writer
67
Spy vs. Spy
SpellPocIt
23
Chipwits
23
IFR Flight Simulator
23
Murder by the Dozen
26
35
Combat Leader
26
Institute
26
PaperClip
60
PoperClip/SpellPack
86
Consultant
67
International Soccer
20
Print Shop
32
Superbose-64
55
Dragonnders of Pern
29
Raid on Bungeling Boy
23
Raid Over Moscow
29
Zaxxon
29
Easy Script
3B
29
Pitslop II
Fleet System II
29
Scrabble
29
35
Zork 1, II or til
Racing Destruction Set
29
INFO-64 NON-RATED
Adventure Construction Set
55
Movie Maker
25
Boll Blazer
29
Fast Load (cart|
29
Music Construction Set
19
Return of Herocles
25
Beach-Headll
29
Felony
26
NATO Commander
26
Sorgon III
35
Beyond Castle Wolfenstem
25
Gemstone Warrior
26
Nevada Cobol
40
Seven Cities of Gold
26
BI-80 Column
170
Ghost Busters
23
Nevada Fortran
40
Sky Trovel
26
Blazzing Poddies
Cave of the Word Wizard
26
Home-Pok
35
PFS: File
54
Space Shuttle
23
26
Moil Order Monsters
25
PFS: Report
49
Stunt Flyer
27
Concn
29
Mask of the Sun
29
Pitfall II
23
SwiftCalc
35
Crime and Punishment
26
Millionaire
35
Print Shop Library I 1
20
Typing Tudor 111
Whistlers Brother
29
Cutthroats
26
Mind Prober
23
Questprobe: Hulk
26
23
Evelyn Woods Dynamic Rea
der
Simon s Basic
24
Insta-Speed
(speed reading)
35
(basic language compiler)
48
Send Orders To: COMPUSOFT PLUS, P.O. Box 91155, Los Angeles, CA 90009-1155
Add S3.00 shipping per order (S5.00AK, HI, APO.fPO). INFO-64 subscribers no shipping charge". No foreign orders. NO COD. CA residents add 6.5% sales tax. We
accept VISA, MC (include name, card 8, exp. dote), M.O., or cashier's check. Personal checks delay shipping 4 weeks while clearing. Include ship to name, address
(sorry no P.O. boxes). All soles final. Defective items replaced with some item if return authorization requested within 2 weeks of shipping date. No returns accepted
without RAff. Prices and availability subject to change without notice.
NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR VISA OR MASTERCARD.
"Send us the INFO-64 address fabe) (offer expires October 31, 1985).
:r f ^i?A\ifr«w^rr^:*YkY<fc»«*ri'«w«^^
ATTENTION COMMODORE 64 OWNERS
DID YOU BUY THE WRONG PRODUCT?
WELL PAY YOU FOR YOUR MISTAKE!
PRINTER INTERFACE BLUES
No graphics, doesn't work with your software, Bad aspect ratios, no
available buffer, well you wouldn't have these problems with the Micro-
World M W-350. We'll give you $59. off the list price of $129. for that
strange interface that's causing you trouble.
LAST YEARS BACK UP SOFTWARE
Everyone has Back-up software that reproduces errors, but will it back up non-standard
sectors, reproduce density frequency alterations alter the number of sectors, copy single
sync bits, and reformat a single track? We don't think so. Send your antique back and
recieve $25. credit toward the "New Revised Clone Machine" at $49.95. We've added an
MSD dual drive Clone Machine also available for only $39.95. Upgrade your products to
the latest state of the art today.
Other software products available from Micro-W Include: Mr. Tester diagnostic software.
Fantastic Filer data base and report generator. Screen Dumper 64, Font Factory/Sign
writer for custom type and Jot- A- Word educational software, watch for our $49M!DI
interface that will connect vour Commodore 64 to musical instruments.
' y 1342B Route 23
CALL - 201 ■ 838-9027 MffTO-Vr '''"'" N J ' ''
or write us at distributing inc *
NOTE Micro W reserves I he right lociince! (his j| lei at any lime withuul notice
JWJlifteV»/ilk»^»>tJlV^
Dealer Dist. Inquires
janjmjmjmjfiJKJixjmjB&xaBa&MA
• * SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS * *
ENHANCE PROFITS AND RETURN ON INVEST-
MEN! GAIN FAR GREATER CONTROL OF YOUR
RETAIL OR MAIL ORDER BUSINESS with the
64 CPU and the program,
CCI MERCHANDISE R/tm.
• GET accurate recording of all cash,
check, charge and credit card sales and
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• PRINT sales receipts.
• SECURE maximum control of inven-
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• RECEIVE valuable salesanalyses and
management reports.
• RECORD check disbursements and
deposits.
• PRODUCE P&L, balance sheet, and
ledger, and accts. rec. reports.
• COSTJUSTIFIED-saveupto10%on
operational and accounting costs.
• MANY OPTIONS provide much more
capability.
Available on INV/TRANS, and accounting
disk for CBM 8050 and SFD 1001 disk
drives at $529. Specially designed com-
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at $374.
• * * HOME/SMALL BUSINESS * * *
• * * ACCOUNTING * * *
GAIN VALUABLE CONTROL OF SEVERAL PER-
SONAL AND BUSINESS ENDEAVORS, with the
CCI BOTTOM LINE R/tm.
• DEFINE up to 100 endeavors such as
small business corporations, home im-
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you need for budget, actual income, ac-
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ty. RECEIVE full detailed reportson each
by quarter, month and year to date. PRO-
DUCE trial balance, balance sheet, P&L
and Ledger. BALANCE CHECK BOOKS
for up to several banks and PRINT
CHECKS.
• THIS FULL FEATURED FLEXIBLE
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM for home and
small business management and tax data
preparation is available on disk for only
$74.95 (1541 disk drive) or for $124.95
(8050 or SFD 1001 disk drives).
• * * SUPPORT/DELIVERY/TERMS* * *
Full manuals are included. Support and
help is available from CCI.
Delivery in approximately 10 days via UPS.
American Express charge cards are ac-
cepted, as well as UPS COD, and checks.
IOCKWORK
OMPUTERS
4612 Holly Ridge Road
RockvNIe, MD 20853
301-924-5509
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Package include*
• True digital alignment disk with offset tracks
• Quiet Qnve stops to reduce need for
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Cardinal SaFtware
BACKUP PROTECTED SOFTWARE
WITH
COPY II 64™
From the team who first brought you COPY II PIUS (Apple), COPY fl PC
(IBM) and COPY II MAC (Macintosh) comes a revolutionary new copy
program for the Commodore 64, COPY II 64!
• Copies most* protected software — automatically,
• Copies even protected disks in just V/2 minutes.
• Maximum of four disk swaps on a single drive.
• Copies half and full tracks.
• Requires just one 1541 drive on the Commodore 64.
Call M-F 8-5:30 (W. Coast time) with your M
Or send a check (add $3 s/h, $8 overseas) to
$39.95
5© : 503/244-5782.
CENTRAL POINT
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9700 SW Capitol Hot, -100
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' We update Copy II 64 regularly to handle new protections; you as a registered owner may update at any
time for 1/2 price! (To update, just send original disk and S20.)
77ms product is provided for the purpose oletwbling you in make archival copies only.
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•Computes moving averages for any time period!
♦ Easy to use - Menu driven 1
• Plots closing prices and moving averages on
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• Color indicators assist in locating buy/sell
transition points!
• Prints all graphs and data - compatible with
most dot matrix and daisy wheel printers!
Not Just for Inuestors
Rlso a Great Educational Tool for Students!
Onlu $29.95
For Commodore 64™
Disk Drive Only _ ,, D ■ , .
' DC. Residents
Dealer Inquiries Invited Add fess
STOCTRAK is a trademark of Thomas P. Gross.
Commodore 64 is a trademark of Commodore
Business Machines.
Send Check or hone y Order To : Dyne max, Inc.
22 1 5th Street, N.E., Washington, DC. 20002
(202)546-2412
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
.STATE.
.ZIP-
CARD NUMBER.
EXP. DATE.
MC □
VJSAO
PROGRAMMER'S TOOLS
The MACHINE SHOP
The machine language development system with
everylhing. Speed, power, ease-of-use. A lull macro
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integrated disassembler; a full-featured debugger with
break and go-paints, trace, walk and full-screen
memory display and modify; directory display and disk
handler. All in memory al once Program size limited
only by disk space available. Included at no extra
charge is Inside the Commodore 64. the book that
teaches machine language programming, graphics,
music synthesis and 64 internals.
Al last. A symbolic, cross-referencing disassembler.
Everything you need to look into those machine
language programs. Will decode programs in RAM.
ROM, on cartridge or directly from disk. This disas-
sembler converts the mysterious numbers of machine
language into the more easily comprehensible lan-
guage of assembly. The programs produced with this
tool are complete with labels and they are fotally
compatible with the Develop-64 assembler, May be
used stand-alone or integrated directly into Develop-
64 In integrated mode, Develop-64 gains the cross-
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Decode-64 and it also gains symbolic single- step and
trace capability.
64 ROMS
This is a complete listing of the programs in the ROMs
of the 64. II is heavily commented, labeled and
completely cross-relerenced, This is an indispensible
tool for the person who wants to get intolhe operating
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do just what you want The 64 has the nice capability ot
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$24.95
$49.95
SCREEN-64 INSIDE THE VIC DEVELOP-20
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and many other dotmalrix printers. Call lo see il yours
is on the list yet.
$29.95
This book was written as a machine language pro-
grammer's guide to the vlC-20\ 11 has the complete
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S9.95
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A machine language development system (or VIC-20
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0H£ NEW COMMODOR E C-128
HAS IHKfE OPERATING MODES
UHIS GRIICLE MILL HELP
GET YOU STARTED USING
THE CP/H PLUS MODE .
A TUTORIAL BV: CQSEK (So I@S«K)
V
First of all, let's review what CP/PI is: it's an
operating system. I doesn't do anything for you
except manage the computer. CP/PI sits there and
waits for you to ask it to run a program, list a
directory, Dr edit a file, just like BASIC does. It
just does it better. It only works with an 8080 Dr
Z80 cpu chip, so the C128 has one that switches in
just for CP/PI mode. CP/PI works with either the forty
column or the eighty column VIC chip, and can run the
SID chip, too. Since the Z80 clock runs at 4PHz,
CP/PI should run rings around the C128's other two
The new 1571 drive even runs faster
more data. My guess is that
of choice on the C128 for
operating modes,
under CP/PI and stores
CP/PI will be the mode
serious software developers.
BOOTING UF CP/M PLUS
So how do you turn on all this power? CP/PI does not
reside in memory, but is loaded in from disk. Insert
the CP/PI disk in the 1571 drive and turn on the
computer. The C128's power-on ROfl routine checks to
see if there's a Commodore 64 cartridge plugged in
(you did unplug TANK ATTACK first, didn't you?) and
then checks the drive to see if the CP/PI disk is in
it. If it is, it boots up CP/PI and quits.
Otherwise, it will go on to resident C128 BASIC 7.0
mode. If you forgot to put CP/PI in the drive first
and ended up in C128 mode, don't start all over.
Stick the CP/PI disk in the drive and type BOOT in
direct mode. It does the same thing as the power-up
routine. You fire up with forty columns; if you
want eighty, use the ASSIGN statement to switch over,
as explained in the C128 manual.
The CP/PI version you get with the C128 is called CP/PI
PLUS by Digital Research, though Commodore is fond of
calling it CP/PI 3.0. It is a very powerful, very
confusing system. You are faced with a plethora of
commands and a multitude of options to go with them.
Fortunately, you can get by with just a few commands
at first and add what you need as you go. Refer
often to Commodore's manual and the Erg-Card in this
issue. If you want a good third-party handbook to
help you along, there aren't many to choose from;
most only cover CP/PI up to Version 2.2. The third
edition of The Osborne/PlcGraw Hill CP/PI User Guide by
Than Hogan is recent enough to cover CP/PI PLUS very
well, however. I recommend it highly.
The first thing you will notice an the C128's screen
is the CP/PI PLUS prompt. It looks like this: A>
This tells you that you are lagged into drive "A".
CP/PI PLUS allows you to have up to sixteen disk
drives (including hard disks), designated by the
letters "A" to "P". (Since I don't have a C128 in
hand yet, and this is all based on preliminary
Commodore 64
configure a
you to swap
thing,
and on
Look
the
just
B:
the
information, I can't be sure, but the
CP/PI system includes the ability to
single drive as two drives by allowing
disks. The C128 should allow the same
for a CONFIGURE program in the manual
disk.) To log to another drive if you have one,
type its designated letter followed by a colon:
. All of the commands you give CP/PI will use
currently logged drive unless you designate another
drive specifically. The prompt is also telling you
something else, though it's telling you by not
shouing it. The CP/PI PLUS system allows you to
designate up to sixteen seperate users for the
system. All of the commands you give to CP/PI will
work only on files designated to your current user
number (1 to 15). You change users by typing: USER
n . The user zero area is common to all users of
the system, and so is not shown by the CP/PI prompt.
For any other user, it is displayed preceding the
prompt like this: 3A> . This way you don't mess
up somebody else's data on the same disk. This is
especially useful for hard disk systems, where the
disk directories can become huge and unweildy, and
where the potential for disasterous mistakes is much
greater.
U12MI
'TING COHHftNI'S
When you start typing stuff in from the keyboard, you
will discover that besides the normal cursor and
editing keys, CP/PI allows many extra line-editing
functions. These are accessed by using control key
combinations. The full set of CP/PI PLUS CTRL/key
combinations is listed on the Erg-Card in this issue,
but the most useful are probably:
CTRL/B Go to beginning of line
CTRL/C Reboot CP/PI
CTRL/K Delete to end of line
CTRL/P Toggle printer on/off
CTRL/S Pause output
CTRL/Q Unpause output
The others either repeat functions already provided
by the keyboard's editing keys, or are seldom needed.
continued. . ,
by the user and
differentiate types of
called POGO.BAS is a
There are many more or
RESIDENT COMMANDS
CP/m has two types of commands, RESIDENT and
TRANSIENT. Resident commands are in memory at all
times; transient commands are actually programs that
load and run only when you need them. You can add
your own transient commands to CP/PI; whenever you
type something that CP/n doesn't understand, it first
checks to see if it's the name of a program on disk.
This is the way you load and run programs in CP/P1:
just type the name of the program you want, and CP/PJ
does the rest. Of course, if it's not on the disk,
you'll hear about it! If you mistype a normal
command, such as typing DOR instead of DIR, CP/n will
first look for DOR on disk before it gives you an
error message. Be careful typing; it will save you
a lot of time waiting for disk accesses.
There are really only about five resident CP/n
commands. USER you have already met. The other four
have to do with disk file manipulation. These
commands use the format: COMMAND drfilename.typ
The d: is an optional drive designation. If it's
left off, the command will assume the currently
logged drive. The filename can consist of up to
eight alphanumeric characters. The type (typ)
consists of up to three alphabetic characters
following a period. This is used
sometimes by the system to
files. For example, a file
BASIC source file named POGO.
less standard CP/n file extensions around. The only
critical ones are those that transient programs
expect to be there, like the .ASM expected by the PWC
assembler. These are few and far between. You'll
find out about them as you need to. Filenames and
types can be partially designated in most commands by
using the same wildcards you are used to in BASIC,
the ? and the *. The only difference is that they
are used for both the filename and the type. For
example, DIR *.9AS will find all the BASIC source
files on a disk, and DIR KUMQUAT.* will find all
the files named KUNQUAT of any type. Likewise, DIR
?????.* will find all the files with five letter
names of any type, and DIR CA?.SAS will display
CAT.BAS, CAD.BAS, CAN.BAS, etc.
We seem to have introduced the directory command
there, too. DIR displays all the files on the
current drive for the current user if typed by
itself. Wildcards give you more flexibility, and you
can use the option Df designating which drive you
want a directory of. There are many additional
options that can be used with DIR, most having to do
with how much information you get about your files
and how that information is formatted for output.
You don't really need all the bells and whistles for
now, though.
ERASE and RENAME do exactly what they say they do.
ERASE d:filename.typ is the format for that command,
and if you use wildcards you will be prompted to
confirm that you want those files erased, RENAflE
d:newname.typ=oldname.typ Is nearly identical to the
1541 DOS command it resembles. Notice that if you
designate a drive, you don't do it twice (once for
each filename) since you are renaming a file on one
drive only.
TYPE dtfilename.typ is used to display an ASCII file
on the current output device {usually the screen or
printer), flake sure you only use TYPE with valid
ASCII files and not with program files. At best,
TYPEing a program file will give you a garbled
screen. At worst, it could crash your system. Be
careful.
TRANSIENT COMMANDS
There are a whole handful of transient CP/M commands.
Here are the most useful:
COPYSYS. You will use this to copy the CP/n system
to new disks. Just type COPYSYS and follow the
prompts.
DATE C. Displays the time and date continuously.
DATE SET lets you set it in the first place. You
will be prompted for input.
ED d:filename.typ. ED is the standard CP/M text
editor for creating text and program source files.
It is an antique dating back to the teletype terminal
days and nobody ever really uses it unless they are
terribly desperate. I suggest you find a copy ofVDO
(in the public domain, available from Cardinal
Software for $10.00), or the ACE Text Editor from
Adequate Software ($35.00) which has many
Wordstar's commands, or something similar. You
be much happier with CP/M if you do.
HELP. This is a great addition to CP/M PLUS
none of the previous versions had. Keep your
disk in the drive as much as you can, and when
get stuck, type HELP. You can add topic and subtopic
requests to your help request as you become more used
to the system. If in doubt, shout HELP!
PIP d!newfile.typ=d:oldfile.typ. Copies a file from
disk to disk. You must designate both drives _ or
you'll get a copy on the same disk you started with.
PIP has many options, and has likewise been
superseded by newer COPY programs. There is probably
one on the C128 CP/M disk. If so, use it instead.
SHOUI. Displays information about your disk and
drive. SHOW has many options. Study up on this one
in the manual before you use it so you know what all
that information means.
There are others, but these should get you going.
When a transient command (or any program, for that
matter) is done, it will expect the system disk
containing CP/M to be mounted in the drive so it can
reboot the CP/n operating system. A CTRL/C from the
keyboard does the same thing. Hake sure the disk is
there for it to find.
of
will
cp/n
you
NOW WHERE TO?
There are thousands of public domain programs out
there. The 1571 drive will read standard IBM 34
format disks, which include Osborne and Kaypro and
others. It will also read Commodore 64 CP/M format.
Clast of the generic public domain stuff should run on
the C12B under CP/n PLUS. Check out the bulletin
boards listed in the last issue, Dr the public domain
sources listed in this one. Read your manuals and
study your Erg-Cards. Experiment. Go to college.
Win the Nobel Prize. You will have to put as much
effort into it as you need, to get as much out of it
as you want, but for most of us that won't be an
overwhelming amount. You will find that you'll learn
most of it as you go. Good luck.
n
K M I»
* WHAT'S AVAILABLE
* WHO HAKES IT
* WHERE TO GET IT
* WHY YOU WAI1T IT
* WHAT IT DOES
* WHAT IT COSTS
(KSEKCO
l
Commodore's C128 computer has three cpu chips: the
new 8502, the 6510 for the C84 mode, and a 4PHz Z80A
for the CP/PI mode. (See Benn's CES report in the
last issue for details.) The C128's CP/PI mode would
have made an impressive machine on its own. It's got
128K of RAM, twice as much as most CP/PI machines, 16
colors where most are monochrome, 40/60 columns
sui tenable, and superfast disk access with the new
C1571 drive. But what about software? What can you
run on the C128 under CP/PI?
The answer for right now is that nobody knows for
sure, but the outlook is encouraging. Any CP/P)
program written to be transportable should run
without modification on the C128. Two of the best
CP/P1 programs, Wordstar and dBase II {see sidebar),
have been tested by Commodore and run fine. The
transportability and compatability of other packages
depends on several factors.
The first problem that can arise is disk format
incompatibility. This was the biggest single factor
in the death of the CP/PI cartridge for the Commodore
64. It could not read any CP/PI disks but those in
its own (very peculiar) format. Someone had to take
existing CP/PI disks and port them over to the C64, a
task that took time and special equipment. this
problem has been properly addressed in the CI 28. It
can read IBPI System 34 5.25" disks, which is more or
less an industry standard; included are Osborne and
Kaypro disks and others. It will even read the
strange Commodore 64 CP/PI disk format, so if you are
building a Commodore 64 CP/H library it will not be
made obsolete by the CI 28.
Another problem comes from the difference between
standard CP/PI and machine-specific CP/PI programs.
This is akin to the trouble encountered when moving
Microsoft BASIC programs from machine to machine. As
long as the programmer uses standard BASIC commands,
the program transfers fine. But when he uses peeks
and pokes, or machine-dependent features, the program
won't run. Likewise, CP/PI programs that are written
using standard BOOS and BIOS calls will run fine on
the CI 28. Any that use machine-specific functions
won't. This problem is not as bad for CP/PI as it is
for BASIC, though. Because of the abundance of
different CP/PI computers, it became prudent for CP/PI
programmers to allow for maximum transportability
early on. Many CP/PI programs even feature a
configuration menu that allows you to set up the
program for your specific hardware. Programs with
this degree of flexibility will probably run without
a hitch on the C128.
Something else to watch out for is confusion over
what CP/PI is. It is not a language, but an operating
system, and it has gone through several incarnations.
The CI 28 runs the most recent CP/PI revision,
CP/PI-PLUS (also called CP/PI 3.0), which is upwards
compatible with CP/PI 1.4 and CP/PI 2.2 (sometimes
collectively called CP/PI-ao) . C128 CP/PI is not very
compatible with CP/PJ-86, PP/PI, or CP/PM58K, which are
versions for 16-bit cpu chips or multi-user systems.
A program should say it was written for CP/PI-PLLIS,
CP/PI 2.2, CP/PI 1.4, or CP/PI-80 for it to have a
chance to run on the C128. CP/PI was originally
written for the 8080 cpu chip, which was the direct
ancestor of the Z80A in the C128. All CP/PI programs
that work on an 8080 will work on a Z80, but some
specify a Z80-based CP/PI system, which of course
includes the C128.
Other restrictions you may run into relate to
hardware requirements. Very few CP/PI programs
require more than 64K of memory, but some may require
more than 128K. Obviously, these few will not run on
an unexpanded C128. Some CP/PI programs still require
8" disk drives, too, and these will be incompatible.
Still others need a hard disk to operate, or at least
to operate effectively, and C128 users will have to
await the successful entrepreneur who first
introduces a hard disk for this machine. (See Benn's
note in issue #6.) The final hardware consideration
concerns graphics capabilities. Since computers
differ so much in how they handle graphics, most
graphics-oriented programs will probably not run.
Remember that besides commercial software, there is a
lot of public domain CP/PI software out there. Much
of it will run an the C128. This includes languages,
word processors, database managers, terminal
programs, utilities, etc. Almost every commercial
application has a public domain counterpart, and many
public versions are actually superior to their costly
commercial cousinsl Check out CP/PI users' groups,
both national and local, and CP/PI bulletin board
systems for help. We'll try to cover this exciting
software source in a future article.
You might not be abls to run dBase II on your
new Commodore 128 computer; Ashton-Tate has
quit supplying dBase II in any 5.25" CP/M
formats. They are following the industry and
concentrating strictly on IBM-PC compatible
software. Many other software companies are
doing the same thing, in defiance of common
sense and general economic sanity. The last
industry poll I saw said that only 5% of all
personal computers out there were IBfls. Even
with all the compatibles, the installed base of
MS-DOS and PC-DOS machines is still mUCH less
than the number of CP/M computers in use. In
spite of this, manufacturers are abandoning
CP/M in droves to compete for the IBM market.
Sure, I realize that MS-DOS is the wave of the
future. It has no real technical merits over
any other operating system, but the IBM
initials have seen to its enduring position in
the microcomputer marketplace for the next few
years, anyway. The point is that manufacturers
and software houses seem too eager to abandon
proven markets for the future wave. Before a
machine or an operating system is dead, they
kill it by abandoning it. Witness the VIC-20
and the TI99/4A; both have an installed user
base of a million or more units, but who's
supporting those users now? Just a couple of
small, wise, profitable companies. CP/M seems
to be headed in the same direction, despite the
introduction of occasional solid (even
spectacular!) new machines like the Commodore
128. The MS-DOS wave seems to be carrying all
the new software introductions with it, and is
washing away even old standards like dBase II.
The momentum is building; I'm sure that it
would take a lot to get Ashtan-Tate to overcome
their flS-DOS chauvinism and re-release a 5.25"
version of dBase II for CP/M.
The smaller companies seem to still be
friendly, even enthusiastic, towards the
introduction of a new CP/M computer like the
C12B. They will, I'm sure, provide ample
support for it. I hope that Ashton-Tate and
the other large companies rethink their
position on CP/M so that dBase II and
comparable quality programs do not disappear
from the marketplace prematurely. If nothing
else, I hope that Commodore realizes the
position this puts their new machine in. For
their own good, they should put pressure on the
software companies to keep their 5.25" CP/M
offerings available. Better yet, Commodore
could license these titles and offer them at
vastly reduced and more realistic prices. You
can help to influence their decisions; write to
Commodore and voice your concern.
CONTINUED.
There are many companies that are heavily involved in
porting and translating their CP/M programs to new
machines, so even if a program you want won't run on
the C128 right away, the number of C128's on the
market is sure to influence some of these
manufacturers to move in fast. Be patient. In the
meantime, we've made some educated guesses and
compiled a list of CP/M programs that PROBABLY WILL
RUN on the C128.
These were our criteria for
this list:
selecting programs for
(1) A history of transportability. If it runs on a
lot of machines with little or no translation, it
will probably run on the C128, or at least may be
quickly and easily translated by the software
publisher.
(2) Format compatibility. If it's available in the
proper CP/M version in many disk formats, especially
Kaypro or Osborne, it seems a likely candidate for
the C128.
(3) Hardware requirements. It has to be able to run
in 12BK or less, and need no hard disk or B" drive.
(4) Generality. We included no graphics or
telecommunications programs because of the
hardware-specific nature of these applications,
(5) Utility. We didn't list every program we
thought might run. There are over 5000 CP/M programs
out there! This is meant to be a list representative
of the best and most useful programs available that
met with our other criteria.
The key to this list is the word PROBABLYI Without
testing, there is no way to know which will work and
which will not. Those which have been tested by
Conmodore and are known to work have been marked with
an asterisk (*). Happy Hunting!
OUTSIDE SOURCES USED IN THE COMPILATION OF THIS LIST:
LIST MAGAZINE
BYTE MAGAZINE
COMPUTER LANGUAGE MAGAZINE
CREATIVE COMPUTING MAGAZINE
COMPUTER SHOPPER
"THE BEST OF CP/M SOFTWARE"
BY JOHN D. HALAMKA
SYBEX COMPUTER BOOKS
-J
M—M Bwamwi i-
continued,
Color text
Color word processor.
JIC
99.00
The Final Word MOU 300. 0D
Dual-mode word processor with auto-save
security and error undo,
FYI 3000 FYI 395. OD
DBMS-type sorting and file management
for wordprocessor files.
rtegiclndex CET 295.00
Automatic index and table of contents
generator.
mailflerge HP I 250.00
Adds form letter capability to Wordstar.
Palintir Speller PAL
Spelling checker for Palintir
urordprocessDr,
145.00
PALINTIR U0R0PROCESS0R PAL 250.00
Wordprocessor featuring boilerplating,
proportional spacing, horizontal scroll.
PERFECT WRITER* PER 349.00
Uordprocessor featuring split-screen
editing, long files, simultaneous
editing.
Proportional Spaci/ig URC 75.00
Gives proportional spacing to Wordstar
files with daisywheel printer.
Propstar CCC 49.95
Stand-alone proportional printing
program for Wordstar and daisy wheel
printer.
Punctuation & Style DAS 125.00
Punctuation and style checker for
wordprocessor files.
Sensible Speller SSI 125.00
Random House Dictionary spelling checker
for Wordstar.
Spellbinder LEX 495.00
Integrated uordprocessor with mail list
management, math functions.
Spellguard
Wordstar spelling checker.
ISA 295.00
Spellstar MPI
Spelling checker for Wordstar.
250.00
Synonymn Finder
WRC 149.95
A Thesaurus for Wordstar and Multimate
[mm
use
cod
ven
i nd
of
i
the
e t o
dors
ex at
this
3- 1 et t er
find
in the
the end
article.
TransText IRR 99.00
Translates wordprocessor text formats.
yordPatch RMS 49.95
Wordstar improvement modification
program.
Wordstar" MP I 495.00
The original CP/M word processor,
against which all others are judged.
injffitEi^nmaaim:
Cardbox CPC 245.00
Electronic filing system that emulates a
card file.
Condor CON 650.00
Relational database creation program
along the lines of dBase II.
Database 3 H0L 50.00
Inexpensive database and filing program.
dBase II* ASH 700.00
The quintessential programmable database
system generator.
dBase II Templates IIS 39.95
Templates to use with dBase II for
receivables, payables, inventory, etc.
dBase II Utilities HCS 30.00
Utilities to decode, modify, and speed
up dBase II applications, $30 and up.
DBPack II
Advanced relational DBMS.
CSH 395.00
DBPLUS SWB 125.00
Inexpensive DBMS writes DIF files.
Filebase EWD 125.00
Menu-driven DBMS with good value.
FilePro CP/P1 SCC 199.00
DBMS applications generator.
Filer CSH 49.00
Filing and cataloging program.
Friday!
Electronic filing system.
ASH 295.00
Infostar MPI 495.00
Off-the-shelf DBMS. Files compatible
with Wordstar.
List Plaster PSC
Wordpro-compatible information
organizer.
179.95
£3
CONTINUED
Ms
";■■■■■ .,,..r
y
fif|
j^J^fc
:":: nJ
:;-.. ::.:'::::::::::::■;::::::■'
'ftTftBftSE*MANAGEf1ENT
List-J«laster PSC 179.95
Information manager and organizer
compatible with Wordstar,
Notebook WE 150.00
Free- form database manager.
Palintir Filer PAL 145.00
DBMS compatible with Palintir
wordprocessor.
Personal Pearl
Relational DBMS.
PRL 295.00
R:base 4000 MIC 495.00
Extensive relational database manager.
SeekEasy COR 235.00
Intelligent error-free-input freeform
filing system.
Selector V MAP 450.00
Relational DBMS with report writer.
Unifile
DBMS with report writer.
UNI 195.00
SPREADSHEETS
Zl
CalcStar MPI 145.00
Wordstar-compatible spreadsheet.
Plultiplan MST 250.00
An excellent spreadsheet program.
P1YCALC
Easy-to-use spreadsheet.
STW
59.95
SuperCalc S0R 195.00
Well-established spreadsheet program.
SuperCalc 2 SOR 295.00
Spreadsheet and data manager compatible
with Wordstar, DIF files.
Tax Planner TCS 150.00
Tax templates for popular spreadsheets.
caamro:
The Accounting Partner 5TR 395.00
G/L,A/R,A/P, billing, payroll system.
Audit EFH 187.50
Auditing tools for CPA or in-house use.
BCA General Accounting
Full accounting system.
Bookkeeping System FAR
Small business G/L accounting.
BCA 350.00
300.00
Business Package VAN
Business accounting system.
295.00
The Champion DBR 495.00
Full accounting system written with
dBase II.
Client System CSI 995.00
Full professional accountant's system.
Desktop Accountant RMS
Integrated accounting system.
495.00
Desktop Inventory RMS 295.00
An inventory management system.
Fund Accounting System IMS 850.00
Budgeting for non-profit institutions.
G&G 1040 GGS BOO. DO
Professional tax preparation system.
Itagicheck MGC
Checkbook accounting package.
59.95
PBA Accountant MBA 595.00
Complete accounting w/Supercalc
interface.
Plini-Ledger PDM 150.00
Ledger program for small businesses.
Oil & Gas Distributor ALP 1195.00
Accounting and inventory for oil & gas
distributors.
Peachtree Accounting PCH
Modular accounting system from
Peachtree.
Real World Accounting RWS 650.00
Complete accounting system.
Series 9000 PTA UNI 995.00
Time & expense billing for
professionals.
Software Fitness Program 0PN 525.00
Fully integrated general ledger and
accounting system.
Solomon TLB 595. DO
Flexible full accounting package.
104D Plus PLS 550.00
Full income tax package with videotape
tutorial.
UersaBusiness Series COM 149.95
A full-featured general ledger
program. Receivables, payables, avail,
seperate.
QUM
63
CONTINUED .
nnmnm
Ambulance Billing System CPR 995.00
Billing system for ambulance
companies.
Application Interpreter CEC 599.00
Estimates, accounting, for
contractors.
Cardio VET 195.00
ECG analysis for Veterinarians.
CI System LIT 395.00
Legal firm client tracking system.
Critical Path Analysis SSP 70.00
Business efficiency tool, up to 200
activities and 300 dates.
Daily Reminder & Calendar ICP 39.95
Notebook and appointment calendar.
Daymaster EDS 100.00
Office administration program.
Financial Analysis System VSC 125.00
Collection of real estate analysis
programs.
Financial Pak GEN
Financial planning package.
149.00
Forestry management CPR 1500.00
Forestry harvest & delivery management
system.
The Forty-Niner ESI 295.00
Sales prospect management system.
LBS TRI 995.00
Legal billing system for attorneys.
Flailing List ADS 19.95
Requires two drives and 132 column
printer.
On-line Order Entry UNI
Point-of-sale order entry system with
inventory control
Post Card Billing ALP 295.00
Third-party billing system handles
thousands of customers far several
clients.
Priorities HUL
Project management system.
39.95
The Prospector
Sales prospect database.
EDS 300.00
Statistical and Business LEO 100.00
Statistical and business program
series, PERT, Monte Carlo, etc. in $100
range.
Sundial Docket & Calendar SBS 149.00
Docket and calendar with client and
date searching.
Systat 2 SYS 495.00
Full statistics package with DBMS and
graphics.
~ INTEGRATED SOFTWARE .
H
Personal Planner NMld 99.00
Home DBMS, mail list, letter writer,
expense tracker.
Starburst MPI 195.00
A utility which integrates Wordstar,
Infostar, Calcstar, and MailFlerge.
T/naker TMK 275.00
lilordprocessor, spreadsheet, graphics.
One of few integrated packages for
cp/m.
JNUESTMEN
Fund-Plaster GEN
Mutual funds investment aid.
Investment-Waster GEN
Annuity investment calculations.
Stock 4 Trend Analyzer NT I
Stock charting and analysis.
Stock Option Planner TCS
Cost and results of covered call.
59.95
49.95
99.95
1D0.00
Stock Pricing Hodel KUS
Supercalc overlays for stock market.
ftXL&n^:
-\
AMX KAD 800.00
Multitasking executive with language
interfaces.
ConIX DOS CHI 165.00
Shell-like front end for CP/Pi— like
UNIX.
Data safe
Data security encryption.
TRG 139.00
-^/
c
1 1 a i !■
I
CQHTIHUED.
Diagnostics II
Checks out your system.
SUP 125.00
DSKNURSE WDS 15.00
Disk file maintainence and recovery
utility.
Eureka I DIS 75.00
Disk file organization and management.
G/L/Supercalc Interface MBA 595.00
Lets Supercalc read and use general
ledger files.
INF0-8O TSS
Application development system.
(Hmmm... catchy name!)
395.00
Media Plaster MDC 29.95
Disk format conversion program. Might
not work on C128 unless translated.
Nevada EDIT ELC 29.95
Full-screen text editor for program
development, etc. Vast improvement on
ED.
Pack & Crypt STW 24.95
Encrypts and packs disk files.
P/C Privacy
Data encryption program.
MCT 140.0D
Power! CMP 99.95
Adds a powerful menu-driven front end to
the CP/M system.
SCG31
Source code generator.
Supermit
CP/M utilities.
CCS 75.00
RDY B5.00
TUTORI/0 ROY 31 .00
Animates, debugs, and unleashes BD05.
Virtual Volume manager MTI 44.95
Disk file management and maintainence
package.
Xtrakey XPS
Keyboard redefinition utility.
ZED
Improved text editor.
39.95
50.00
CSEtHkEGEiffa:
Public domain library
SASE for list. $8.00/disk.
CRA
B.00
Public domain library EL A 7.50
6000 programs an 300 disks. Catalog is
$7.50.
Public domain library NPD 45.00
Rent disks for 7 days to copy yourself:
$45/92 disks.
wamBi*:
Aztec C II MAN 349.00
C compiler for CP/M with utilities,
library, UNIX-type 1/0, etc.
BDSC BDS 150.00
A well-established and excellent version
of C for CP/M.
CBASICCompiler DRC 500.00
Advanced structured BASICcompiler
supports Digital's GSX graphics & maybe
GEM.
C/BO
Inexpensive C compiler.
STU
49.95
C/BQ PIATWAK STU 29.95
Add floats and longs to C/B0 compiler.
CBD ZD5
Another inexpensive C compiler.
45.00
Cross-assemblers AVD 250.00
A full line of cross-assemblers for most
cpu's on the market, from B085 to BB000.
Janus ADA RRS 300.00
Several ADA subsets available.
LISP/80 Interpreter STW 39.95
Inexpensive LISP interpreter.
131
illlllllllllll 65
CONTINUED,..
LHI FORTH LMI
FORTH-83 for CP/M systems.
niasterFORTH MMO 1 0Q . DO
micromotion's F0RTH-B3.
Masterful Disassertbler CCS 45.00
Machine code disassembler.
microsoft BASIC MST 395.00
Combination BASIC interpreter and
compiler.
PTTBASICCoBpiler SOF 49.95
Multitasking BASIC compiler w/recursion,
windows, etc. for Z80.
IWP FORTH MVP 150.00
The quintessential FDRTH implementation.
Nevada BASIC ELC
BASIC interpreter with BCD math,
built-in editor.
Nevada COBOL
COBOL for CP/M.
ELC
29.95
29.95
Nevada Fortran ELC 29.95
Inexpensive introduction to ANSI-66
FORTRAN.
Nevada Pascal
Pascal for CP/M.
Nevada PILDT
PILOT for CP/m.
ELC
ELC
29.95
29.95
PL/I 80 DRC 500.00
A subset of the mainframe language for a
micro environment.
RATFOR STW 39.95
Inexpensive FORTRAN implementation.
RUNIC-BO STE 50.00
Threaded language similar to Forth, but
claimed easier to learn.
68000 Assembler QUE 595.00
Cross-assembler for program development
for 6S000-based systems (like Amiga).
Supersoft A SUP 300.00
Subset of Ada includes approximately 2/3
of Ada.
Supersoft C SUP 350.00
Optimized C compiler with 130 library
functions included.
Turbo Pascal* B0R 49.95
Highly praised Pascal for CP/M systems.
Toolbox, tutorial packages available.
U0-LISP NCA 49.95
LISP interpreter and compiler.
WALTZ LISP PRO 169.00
Formidable LISP system for CP/M.
misc. & GAPES
Adventure ADV 25.00
The original computer adventure in
Colossal Cave.
Best of Wok Talk
200 Chinese recipes.
STW
Card-Claster GEN
Credit card management program.
Computer Chef
Personal recipe filer.
STW
29.95
39.95
29.95
ELIZA AIR 45.00
The classic computer psychiatrist.
What's For Dinner
200 family recipes.
STW
19.95
Zork et. al IF0 49.95
Many of the Infocom adventures are
available for CP/M.
Fancy Font SCI 180.00
Create typeset-quality fonts in a
variety of styles and point-sizes for
print-out to Epson-compatible printers.
ADS
ADV
AIR
ALP
ASH
AVD
BCA
BDS
BOR
ccc
CCS
CEC
CET
CHI
Able Data Software
PO Box 86923/Station B
North Vancouver BC
Adventure International
PD Box 3435
Longwood FL 3275D
305-B62-6917
Artificial Int. Research
921 N. La Jolla Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90046
213-654-2214
Alpine Data
635 flain St.
Montrose CA 81401
303-249-1400
Ashton-Tate
10150 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Culver City CA 90230
213-2D4-5570
Avocet Systems Inc.
PO Box 490/10 Summer St.
Rockport ME D4856
207-236-9D55
BCA
#104/874 Van Nuys Blvd.
Panorama City CA 91402
B18-891-0849
BDSoftware Inc.
PO Box 2368
Cambridge PtA 02238
617-576-3828
Borland International
4113 Scotts Valley Dr.
Scotts Valley CA 95066
408-438-84D0
Civil Computing Corp.
Suite 1/2111 Research
Livermore CA 94550
415-455-8086
Dr.
C.C. Software
Suite 106/2564 Walnut Blvd.
Walnut Creek CA 94596
415-939-B153
Construction Estimating Co.
1713 Sutter St.
Vallejo CA 94590
707-552-5476
Computer EdiType Systems
Suite 10A/509 Cathedral Parkway
New York NY 10Q25
212-222-8148
Computer Helper Inc.
P0 Box 680
Parkchester Station NY 10462
212-652-1786
CMP Computing!
2519 Greenwich St.
San Francisco CA 94123
415-567-1634
COM Computronics Inc.
50 N. Pascack Rd.
Spring Valley NY 10977
B0O-431-281B
CON Condor Computer Corp.
2051 S. State St.
Ann Arbor mi 48104
800-221-8479
COR Correlation Systems
81 Rockinghorse Rd.
Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90274
213-833-3462
CPC Caxton Publishing Co.
10-14 Bedford St.
Covent Garden
London England UJC2E 9HE
CPR Communications Professionals
Suite 1-238/701 E. Bay St.
Charleston NC 29403
803-722-7572
CRA Cramer
P0 Box 28606
Columbus OH 43228
CSH CamPU-DRAW Software House
1227 Goler House
Rochester NY 1462D
716-454-3188
CSI Cyberian Software
Suite 140/11222 Richmond
Houston TX 77082
713-558-8090
DBR Data Base Research Corp.
Suite 310/12687 West Cedar Dr.
Lakewood CO 80228
DIS Disco Tech
PD Box 1659/600 8 St.
Santa Rosa CA 95402
707-523-1600
DF1C Digital marketing Corp.
Suite 6/23633 Boulevard Circle
walnut Creek CA 94595
415-938-2880
DRC Digital Research Corp.
P0 Box 579/160 Central Ave.
Pacific Grove CA 93950
EDS Executive Data Systems Inc.
Suite 116/290 Interstate North
Atlanta GA 30339
800-272-3374
More>
[ i a 1 1«:
C0KT1KUED.
EFH E.F. Haskell & Associates
Suite A-131/528 E. Missourt Ave.
Phoenix AZ 85014
602-277-2534
ELA Elliam Associates
24000 Bessemer St.
Woodland Hills CA 91 367
81B-348-4278
ELC Ellis Computing
3917 Noriega St.
San Francisco CA 94122
415-753-0186
ESI Excalibur Systems Inc.
1512 Katella Ave.
Anaheim CA 92805
714-385-1211
EWD EUDP Software Inc.
P0 Box 40283
Indianapolis IN 46240
317-B72-8799
FAR Farmer & Associates
#406/401 21st St.
Sacramento CA 95816
918-441-0554
FYI FYI Inc.
P0 Box 26481
Austin TX 78755
512-346-0133
GEN Generic Software
P0 Box 790/Dept 20/190 Timber
Marquette MI 49855
906-249-9801
GGS G&G Software Inc.
610 Park Blvd.
Austin TX 78751
512-458-5750
HCS Hilco Software
304 N. 17th St.
Mount Vernon WA 98273
206-428-0475
H0L Holiday Software
4807 Arlene St.
San Diego CA 92117
619-292-7766
HUL Hula Software
P0 Box 69
Puunene HI 96784
808-877-5162
ICP International Computer Products
346 N. Idestern Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90004
213-462-8381
IF0 Infocom
55 Wheeler
Cambridge MA 02138
IIS Impact Information System
11205 Alpharetta Hwy.
Roswell GA 30076
404-475-3114
IMS International Micro Systems Inc.
6445 Metcalf
Shawnee Mission KS 68202
913-677-1137
IRR Information Reduction Research
1538 Main St.
Concord MA 01742
617-369-5719
ISA Innovative Software App.
P0 Box 2797
Mento Park CA 9D066
JIC Jupiter Island Corp.
14 Rock Lane
Berkeley CA 94708
415-528-5285
KAD KADAK Products Ltd.
206-1847 W. Broadway
Vancouver BC
604-734-2796
KU5 Kustom Software
665 Pacific View Dr.
San Diego CA 92109
519-483-7119
LEO Lionheart
P0 Box 379
Atburg VT 05440
514-933-4918
LEX Lexisoft Inc.
PO Box 1950
Davis CA 95617
916-758-3630
LIT Litek
4326 Fish Hatchery Rd.
Grants Pass OR 97527
503-479-6533
LMI Laboratory Microsystems
PO Box 10430
Marina del Rey CA 90295
213-306-7412
MAN Manx Software Systems
PO Sox 55
Shrewsbury NY 07701
800-221-0040
MAP Micro-Ap
Suite 2D6/7033 Village Parkway
Dublin CA 94568
415-828-6697
MBA Micro Business Applications
12281 Niccolet Ave. S.
Minneapolis MN 55337
612-894-3470
MCT Microcomputer Telecom. People
3 Bala Plaza E./Suite 505
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
21 5-668-0983
[wor e)
CONTINUED
MDC
MGC
1*1 1 C
mmo
MOU
1*1 PI
1*1 ST
1*1 T I
roup
NCA
NMW
JPD
NTI
MDC and Associates
4573 Heatherglen Ct.
Moorpark CA 93021
803-529-5073
Magicamp
2710 111. Country Club Rd.
Philadelphia PA 19131
215-473-6599
l*licror im
33B0 146 Place 5.E.
Belleuue 111 A 98007
800-547-40Q0
l*l i c r o l*l o t i a n
Suite 506/12077 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025
213-821-4340
Mark Of The Unicorn
222 Third St.
Cambridge l*IA 02142
617-576-2760
MicroPro International
33 San Pablo Ave.
Ballevue WA 98004
415-499-4024
Microsoft
10700 Northrup Way
Bellevue 111 A 98004
l*lictaTASK Inc.
Suite 345/6040-A Six Forks Rd.
Raliegh NC 27609
919-851-9045
Mountain View Press Inc.
P0 Box 4656
Mountain View CA 94040
415-961-4103
Northwest Computer Algorithms
P0 Box 9D995
Long Beach CA 90809
213-426-1393
National Microware
Suite 110/2102 Business Cent. Dr,
Irvine CA 92715
714-752-2344
National Public Domain
1533 Avohill Dr.
Vista CA 92083
619-941-0925
NewTEK Industries
P0 Box 46116
Los Angeles CA 90046
213-874-6669
OAS OASIS Systems
No.F/7907 Ostrow St,
San Diego CA 92111
619-279-5711
OPN Open Systems Inc.
430 Oak Grove
Minneapolis l*lN 55403
800-328-2276
PAL Palintir Software
Suite 110/7701 Wilshire Place Dr,
Houston TX 77040
71 3-520-8221
PAS Pascal 4 Associates
PO Box 350
Chapel Hill NC 2751 4
80D-972-7225
PCH Peachtree Software Inc.
8th Floor/3445 Peachtree Rd.
Atlanta GA 30326
B00-554-89Q0
PDM Paradigm Consultants
Suite L/39243 Liberty St.
Fremont CA 94538
415-796-0543
PER Perfect Software
71 I*lurray St.
New York NY 10007
PLS 1040 Plus
6730 E. McDowell/0103
Scottsdale AZ 85257
602-941-3407
PRL Pearlsaft Inc.
P0 Box 638
Wilsonville OR 97070
503-682-3636
PRO ProCode International
15930 Sill Colony PI.
Portland OR 97224
800-547-4000
PSC Palace Software Cd.
Route 1 Box 320
Moundsville WV 26041
304-B43-1600
QUE Quelo
Suite 173/2464 33rd Ave. III.
Seattle WA 98119
206-285-2528
ROY Roy Lipscomb/Logic Associates
1433 Thome
Chicago IL 60660
RMS Rocky Mountain Software
Suite 1292/1280C Newell Ave.
Walnut creek CA 94596
415-680-8378
RRS R.R. Software Inc.
P0 Box 1512
Madison MI 53701
608-244-6436
one
Hj
I J I II"
Rlil 5
SBS
SCC
SQF
SQR
SSI
SSP
STE
STR
STW
SUP
SbJB
SYS
TCS
CONTINUED,
RealWorld Corp.
Dover Road
Chichester NH 03263
Sunbear Systems
Suite 404/1095 Market St.
San Francisco CA 941 D3
415-986-3184
The Small Computer Co.
Suite 1200/230 111. 41st St.
New York, NY 1003B
800-847-4740
Softaid, Inc.
P.O.Box 2412
Columbia BO 21045
301-792-8096
Sorcim
2195 Fortune Dr.
San Jose CA 95131
408-942-1727
Sensible Software Inc.
Suite 229/210 S. Woodward
Birmingham mi 48011
313-258-5566
Siem Software Products
P0 Box 17684
Tampa FL 33682
Starside Engineering
P0 Box 3306
Rochester NY 14618
Star Software Systems
Suite 103/20600 Gramercy Place
Torrance CA 90901
213-538-2511
Software Toolworks
Suite 1118/15233 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Daks CA 91403
B18-986-4885
Supersoft, Inc.
PO Box 1628/1713 S. Neil St.
Champaign IL 61820
800-762-6629
Software Banc
661 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington MA 02171
8D0-451-2502
Systat Inc.
600 Main St.
Evanston IL 60202
312-864-5670
TLB
TMK
TRG
TRI
TSS
UNI
VAN
VET
VSC
WD5
WRC
XPS
ZDS
TaxCalc Software Inc.
4210 111. Vickery Blvd.
Fort Worth TX 6107
B17-738-3122
TLB Associates
PO Box 414
Findlay OH 45840
T/Maker Co.
2115 Landings
Mountain View
CA 94043
Trigram Systems
Suite 68/3 Bayard Rd.
Pittsburg PA 15213
412-682-2192
Tri-L Data Systems Inc.
1 538 Makaloa St.
Honolulu HI 96814
808-945-7876
The Software Store
708 Chippewa Square
Marquette MI 49855
906-228-7622
Univair Systems
9024 St. Charles Rock Rd.
St. Louis MO 63114
314-426-1099
Vandata
Suite 1D7/17544 Midvale Ave. N.
Seattle WA 98133
206-542-7611
VetSoft
1716 Pomona Dr.
Davis CA 95816
916-75-7022
Valuation Systems Co.
Suite E 236/7130 S. Lewis St.
Tulsa DK 74136
918-496-7655
Webb Data Systems
PO Box 20S8
Topeka KS 66601
Writing Consultants
Suite 304/11 Creek Bend Dr.
Fairport NY 1445D
716-377-0130
Xpert Software
8865 Polland Ave.
San Diego CA 92123
619-268-01 12
Zeighty Data Systems
PO Box 28355,6/0 JC
Columbus OH 43228
614-279-8271
J II W M M WIIMII II I "~~ TL-_
QUI
i
j
GETTitiG INTEGRATED
BV DQH UflrtOEUEnTER
JltTEGRATEO SOFTWARE!
Integrated Software! This has become a very
important feature of the larger computer systems.
But what is Integrated Software anyway?
Stated in its simplest form, Integrated Software is
a combination of software programs such as a
spreadsheet and database that share information
(Lotus 1-2-3 being the most famous of the lot).
This is not just two separate programs sharing the
same information, but two separate parts of the same
program. Until now it was held by many critics that
the Commodore 64 could not really handle an
Integrated Software package, but a new program by
Kelvin Lacey has changed that.
A DREAM CAME TRUE
That was the headline of the ad that first caught my
attention last January. The real eye catcher for
me, however, was the name of the author of VTZASTAR.
Kelvin Laceyl For those of you who read Info 64,
you know that I bought my Commodore 64 because of
Kelvin's word processor Omniwriter" . (See review
of Dmniwriter, issue #4). After a call to the
distributor, Solid State Software, I was jumping up
and down wanting a copy of this new program.
However, I had to wait until the West Coast
Coonodore Shaw in February before I finally had a
copy of the program in my hands.
mart's ha at
Before we can really look at VIZASTAR, there are
two words that we need to define. The first
Spreadsheet i
a
is
A spreadsheet is one of the most powerful business
tools available on a computer. To understand a
spreadsheet think of a columnar pad of paper. The
lines down the page are columns, and across the page
are rows. The boxes created by this format are
called cells. Most of us have seen this format in
ledger sheets. A spreadsheet is a large electronic
ledger. In the case of VIZASTAR, a ledger with 64
columns, and 1000 rows. With a paper ledger sheet,
existing figures in the cells must be recalculated
everytime a new figure is entered or changed. The
power of the spreadsheet is that the math formulas
are entered first, and when new figures are added,
calculations are automatic. Saving hours of
recalulations. Spreadsheets can be used for
management or accounting purposes either at home or
in business.
FIG. i
The second of our words to define is Database:
imagine a file cabinet with file folders. Each file
folder has a sheet of paper with places for
information such as name, address, city, state, zip,
etc. The file cabinet is our database. A single
file drawer becomes our file. Within the file
folders are the individual records. Each line of
entry In the file (name, address, etc.) is called a
field. Just as you can design your file cabinet
with any type of information you want, the same
applies to a file in a database. But the advantages
of a electronic database are: speed, ease of use,
and "if-then-or else" types of analysis. Say you
need to find all of the people that own both a C-64
and a 1702 color monitor in a local user group file:
a good database will look though each record and
find only those that qualify.
Now we come to Integrated Software. Imagine being
able to combine information from the two types of
programs we just discussed. For example, you have
used your spreadsheet to create an invoice. Your
database contains two files, the first is your
customer mailing list, the second your invoice
information. By using the power of both spreadsheet
and database, the customers' information can be
merged with the invoice information to be calculated
and printed. Two difficult jobs handled by one
program.
Kelvin Lacey has taken this idea several steps
further. First by creating a program that permits
the use of the Commodore graphics to create bar
graphs, line charts, pie charts, or multi-bar charts
of your information, then by allowing any of your
information to be merged with a word processor.
QUE
EfHMnB!
CDHTlflUED.
1
i mi be vizmrm
It took over 15 months for Kelvin to write VIZASTAR.
The program is written entirely in 6502 machine
language and resides completely in memory. Since
the program is quite large, over 48K, the program
requires a cartridge to provide addition memory for
the C64.
There are two versions available of VIZASTAR. The
first is VIZASTAR XL4 providing a work space of 10K
(the same as Nultiplan) . The second version is the
XL8 providing 40$ more workspace a total of 14K.
(Note: for the small difference in price, I
recommend the XLB version)
Solid State Software markets VIZASTAR with two
copies of the program, a well indexed manual, the
extra memory cartridge and a complete step by step
tutorial. In addition, on the disk is an second
tutorial, a demo worksheet, and a simple cashbook
format that can be used instantly.
The documentation is extensive, but there are some
flaws in the material. The most recent copy I have
has a page added to showing about 15 corrections
(most minor) which still need to be made in the book
and tutorial.
There are also a few problems with screen dumps.
Most printer and interface combinations work, but it
has taken some fooling around with my Star SG10 and
Easy Print interface to set the dip switches right.
Upon dumping the first screen, the printer sends too
many line feeds, following screen dumps are fine. I
often just reset my interface to emulate a Commodore
printer and that solves the problem. This quirk
only appears in screen dumps; the normal print menu
works fine and I can use all of the special features
of my printer and interface. Both Solid State and
Progressive Perphirals (distributors of Easy Print)
are both working on the compatibility issue.
THE POWER OF VIZflSTflR
In figure 1 the top section contains information
about the worksheet you're working on. The first
line gives the name of the worksheet, in this case
it is called 'complete 1 . The second line gives the
format of the cell where the cursor is. The cell
formats can be: General (displaying the entire
number), Integer (rounding the number off to a whole
number), Currency (displaying two decimal places and
rounding up if needed), Date (displaying day, month,
year and if the cell is large enough, even the day
of the week), or Scientific (displayed in scientific
natation as a power of 10.
On the same line you will find the amount of memory
left in your worksheet. In our example I have 53?
of my worksheet free. (Remember you're only seeing
a small window of the whole worksheet). This line
also tells you whether the program is calculating or
G
72
G 1 1 !■
not. Here the worksheet is ready for the next step.
The bottom line gives both the cell location of the
cursor as well as the contents. In our example we
have a formula. The formula simply says "add all of
the cells from N104 to N1Q8 and place the total in
cell N110".
The Main Menu is reached by pressing the Commodore
key. If you're familiar with Lotus 1-2-3 you will
see a similar menu in figure 2. The first line
shows the main commands 'Cell, Sheet, File, Print,
Data, Graph' Below that is the secondary command
line. For Cell there is Format, Calc, Protect, etc.
BBMM Sheet
erwa » Calc
D
F«ie Print tfafi" WrtpJT
Pr-ute< t , H»«lth, SK.pto
ispljy, 1
HUH HKlBbML
Rj. Jon.
JH 29 JUL-8-1
g!B. Bur t AUG 84
Pj~i:atV X-38-ftPR-34
|\ * 3 r» ei Sftl I fKW-8-4
potii $
imCHKH
>>in t i, Ni M [n i '<• IIS
♦ Paw^N;
♦ etoday J*_
FIG. 2
The command 'Cell* is currently highlighted, and if
you press return the second line of commands will
move up to the first line and a whole new line of
commands will appear at the bottom.
An easy way to understand the command line is think
of the limbs of a tree, the first line (limb) takes
you to the next limb or line of commands. Commands
may be chosen by pressing the space bar to move the
cursor or by pressing the first letter of any
command. For example; pressing the commodore key
and 'c' for cell, then 't' for tone takes you to the
Color Menu. Then you can adjust the color of the
text, background and border of your worksheet.
After working with programs like Practicalc II where
only the first letter of the commands are given I
found the commands of VIZASTAR easy to learn.
Notice the location of the cursor in 'N110'. I have
changed the program using one of its functions to
display the formulas. Due to the width of this cell
the entire formula is not displayed. However, it is
the same formula that is shown in figure 1. _ The
MMikM^!
CQNT4NUE0.
formula below It says to count the number of entries
between 'N104' and 1 N108" and display. In figure 1
you will see the answer is five. The next formula
says to average the figures between 'N104' and
' N10B' and display. Figure 1 shows the number to be
1B81 .748, This cell could have been set to currency
and the figure would have been rounded off
automatically. The next formula is to display
today's date. The program will keep track of all
dates including leap years from January 1, 1900. fit
the beginning of using the spreadsheet you can enter
today's date and it can be used in any formula where
dates are needed. For example, a customers record
that is due in 30 days could automatically display
the due date.
Several different functions can be used in formulas.
First there are the standards like add, subtract,
multiply and divide. Others include: abs
absolute value, cos - cosine; log - value is a
natural logarithm base; max - the maximum of all
values in a supplied range, min - the minimum of all
values in a supplied range; pi - for a value of
3.14159265359 for radius; and tan - tangent. These
are just a few of 32 different functions in addition
to equal, not equal, less than, less than or equal,
greater than, greater than or equal, logical OR,
logical AND, logical NOT, true, false, and if-then
statements.
Before leaving figure 2 notice the different sizes
of the cells. Cells can vary in width from 3 to 36
characters. Up to 120 characters can be typed in a
cell
Cm t <ti. y i
Fxpec tie*: *V tuai. "
l'j f Mr ( » a ,;,
•
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fotaT" i73iT88"T jj H
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24 '
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FIG. 3
UitlDQU flftYBQDV?
Figure 3 shows yet another powerful feature of
VIZASTAR. The ability to show windows. This
permits you to see various parts of the spreadsheet
at one time. For example in the first window you
see the cells from 'A23' to '031', and in window 2
from *H25' to 'H29'. Window 3 has a graph taken
from the figures in window 1 . A total of 9 windows
may be opened. This permits you to temporarily look
at another part of the worksheet.
Another nice feature is titling. With this feature,
it is possible to lock any row, or column (or both)
in any window. By using this feature, cells may be
moved and the title of the cell is still displayed.
However, using titling reduces the number of windows
that can be displayed. Text within a cell can be
left or right justified or centered. This helps in
producing better looking copy when printing reports.
In the print mode, a set of options permits the use
of headers, footers, auto page numbering, and
printing of specific ranges of cells. In addition,
special print commands such as condensed printing
(if your printer supports it) can be used.
One of my complaints about the program is its
inability to save only a portion of a worksheet. On
the plus side, all of your system parameters are
saved along with your worksheet including tone,
windows, graphs, print commands, and last commands
used. Worksheets can be merged together, and you
can also merge text created by a word processor or
sequential files directly into the worksheet.
VIZASTAR provides an additional graphics function to
print on screen full color pie charts Dr multi-bar
graphs. Figure 4 shows an example of the multi-bar.
There are two scales that can be displayed and the
number of bars that can be displayed range from 33
if only one row is used to 13 in each tdw if bars in
all four rows are used. Heading, as well as labels
can be included in the chart for better appearance.
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FIG. 5
On screen the cursor keys are used to move around
the multi-bar chart. Figure 5 shows a sample of
the print-out of both the Die chart and the
multi-bar chart (most printer, including the MPS 801
can be used to print the charts)
In figure 6 you will see a sample of the information
in the database. Up to 9 screen pages can be used
with up to 64 different fields. A total of 120
characters per field or 8000 characters per record.
The key field (only one allowed) can only handle 30
characters. The maximum number of records a 1511
disk can handle is 1200. Other drives, including a
hard disk can be used with the program for a maximum
of 65535 records. The maximum number of databases
per disk is 120, and 15 different files per
database.
In laying out your database, all of the spreadsheet
calculations can be used. This includes the date
functions, making invoices easy to handle.
Information in the database can be used in the
spreadsheet permitting a large assortment of
applications. Sequential files created by other
databases or word processors may be imported into
the database. This saves time in transfer ing
information you may have already stored in another
database. UIZASTAR is also one of the few database
programs that will permit you to redesign you
database format. This includes the ability to
insert information into the middle to the record (a
difficult task for most databases).
FIG. 6
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The last feature I want to mention is one of the
most powerful; the Exec function. Exec gives you
the ability to write a macro command that will
permit the program to run itself I Lets say you
design a spreadsheet for employees to use, and you
want them to enter information in only in certain
cells. You can write an Exec function that will
permit them to enter information only in the
appropriate cells, with the cursor moving to each of
the selected locations automatically. Writing Exec
functions is not hard: as you perform each function
write down the first letter of the command used or
the cell location. You then transfer this
information to an empty area in the first column.
When the Exec function is used the commands will
follow the same order,
I could go on and on talking about this program, & I
realize that I have only told you about a few of its
many features, but I promised Benn that we would
keep it short, and besides I want to stop working on
this review and get back to Uizastarl
Don Uandeventer is a consultant for small and home
businesses. He is on the board of the Association of
Electronic Cottagers and author of the Small
Business Guide to the Commodore 64.
UiZflSIflB I
SiiB.97
2 Solid State Software ;
M 1253 Corsica Lane
'A Foster City. CA 94484
I <4±5) 341-5586
mm
SOLID STATE SftVS, "UERY SOON"
1-2^ FOR THE 64??
by Ernest Miller
It sure looks a lot like LOTUS. But is it
really destined to become the spreadsheet
benchmark for the Commodore that 1-2-3 has
become for the IBM PC world?
The similarities start with the
tree-structured COMMANDS. This approach
gives the user the same visibility of
available COMMANDS and SUB COMMANDS, with
the same step-by-step command execution
process. Like LOTUS, you can point to the
desired function, or execute it by typing
the initial.
The worksheet manipulation power is
impressive, when compared with any
spreadsheet program. Cell formatting,
recalculation choices, range
move/insert/delete operations, copying,
titling, column width adjustment, windowing,
and cell protection provide all the
worksheet options that are desirable.
Formula and function power is equally
impressive. Besides standard mathematics
operations, VIZASTAR has a full range of
higher level functions, such as WIN, MAX,
SUm, AUG, LOG, etc. There are 3D of these
formula functions, which include table
lookup capability and DATE manipulation.
Both 1-2-3 and VIZASTAR have database
management processes. To the user, VIZASTAR
looks more like a dedicated database
program, rather than just another way to
manipulate data contained in a spreadsheet.
Record layout can be designed and
manipulated without direct reference to the
underlying spreadsheet, which is what is
really doing the work.
The graphics displays, both on-screen and
printed, are superior to any other I've
seen. Several varieties of bar and pie
charts are available.
While the documentation is somewhat less
comprehensive that LOTUS it's adequate. With
any powerful spreadsheet or integrated
program, a lot of practice is needed tD
master the full range of capabilities, and
VIZASTAR is no exception.
VIZASTAR would do
anything
I found that
1-2-3 could, and then some. It's my
Commodore choice to become the standard
against which the others will be judged.
Note: Mr, Miller is a computer instructor in
□cala, FL and teaches LOTUS 1-2-3. He was
also a major contributor to The Small
Business Guide To The Comnodore 64 by Don
Vande venter.
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(Till
Dg: Tea salamone
Almost since the inception of the modern computer
engineers have been trying to develop the right
combination of software and hardware; the one that
would both produce and recognize human speech.
The major drawback to designing the needed
algorithms and devices is the complexity of
mankind's utterances. Not only are there millions of
words in hundreds of languages; the technical types
also have to deal with local accents and personal
inflection. Also, there are many times when a
specific word can be understood (by humans &
computers alike) only because of the context in
which it is used.
The technical challenges notwithstanding, both
speech (voice) synthesis and recognition are now
coming into their own. Numerous design teams have
spent, and are continuing to spend, untold hours
refining and advancing the most promising methods,
while it's true that the major advances are made on
hardware costing megabucks, the nuts and bolts of
the research soon trickle down to end users equipped
with nothing more than mere ( 1 ) home computers like
the still unequalled Commodore 64.
First of all, computer speech can be approached from
two different angles, the rule or the analysis
method. In the former, a set of phonetic guidelines
directs pronunciation; while the latter plays back
digitally recorded vocabulary when required.
The first approach is by far the more flexible of
the two, though the results are somewhat less than
optimum.,. -Often words are reproducible (or can be
understood) only after repeated exposures (training,
as it's known in the business). On the other hand,
synthesis by analysis creates amazingly lifelike
speech. The main problem, and the reason it s not
the more prevalent method, is that it requires
massive amounts of memory. Personal computers wit
64K or less just don't have what it takes,
meager amount of memory would be gone in a flash,
leaving room for nothing else. Now, that's not my
idea of a fun program.
Besides the obvious need for hardware and software
development knowledge, synthesis/recognition
developers need to understand the basic structure
underlying all human languages, allopnones. These
universal phonetic symbols are to human languages
what zeros and ones are to computer languages,
allophones recognize no barriers; utilizing the full
range of symbols you could create computer speech
(or recognition capabilities) in any dialect of any
language ever spoken, currently spoken, and
(probably) any yet to be spoken!
Before we discuss the pros and cons of specific
haroViare and software I'd like to provide you with a
little background on the more esoteric of the two
subjects covered in this article, speech
recognition. This procedure allows a computer to
identify (and act upon) words which the system is
trained to understand. It's somewhat like teaching
your pet collie to fetch the evening paper. It is
not to be confused with verification procedures
where computers are used for security, giving people
access to information or locations based on a match
between preprogrammed voice data and "live" samples
of the same words or phrases. Speech recognition is
concerned with what was spoken, verification with
the person behind the sound.
Recognition procedures can be broadly classed
accordingly: speaker dependent, speaker independent,
discreet utterance or continuous utterance. Each
method has its pluses and its minuses.
Speaker dependent systems need to be trained to
acknowledge particular words from a particular
speaker. Repeated input of the same word allows the
computer to average the samples, theoretically
permitting greater recognition accuracy. Just resist
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other hand, speaker independent
nd a preselected set of words as
jority of the population. Sounds
are flies in this ointment too!
can only be "trained" by the
his factory at considerable expense.
ocabulary of any such system is
in scope. They are most useful in
single word commands can be issued,
ary installations, etc.
The discrete versus continuous matter merely
addresses how much time is needed between each word
far proper recognition. With a discrete (think
digital) system you must speak in a slightly stilted
manner as a pause (we're talking milliseconds here)
is required between each utterance. Continuous
(analog) recognition permits more realistic/lifelike
input, though it will cost you a pretty penny to
achieve. One thing's for sure, it won't be around
for the 64 until those recently announced 20 and 80
meg hard drives become staple items.
Today's market for Commodore 64 speech synthesis is
divided into software only and software/special
hardware offerings. The software only side of the
coin utilizes the 64 's internal SID chip. The
combination approach makes use of an additional
piece of hardware specifically designed to improve
upon SID's capabilities or to provide ones it (he ?)
can]t supply. Simple enough. The software side is
divided into mass marketed and second party (do it
yourself) programs; of which the latter are
primarily written for specific pieces of hardware
like Votrax's Type 'n' Talk or their Personal Speech
System. There is actually quite a variety of
commercial software which will make a micro speak
without hardware. Most of it runs on the Commodore
64, mainly because of its aforementioned dedicated
synthesis chip.
ftjse has been at the forefront here; when adapting
their smash Apple hit (Castle litolfenstein) to the
64, they added voice output. This is probably the
first example of speech synthesis (in a foreign
language) on a home computer! Nazis bark ten
different statements, including "Achtung!" and
"Kaputt". The normally harsh intonation associated
with software driven synthesis only adds to the
flavor, for German is a very guttural language.
Remember that "Kamerad". While Fluse repeated their
feat in the sequel, Beyond Castle Molfenstein, their
greatest verbal achievement is, without a doubt,
Space Taxi. This game offers the clearest, crispest
voice this side of Michael Jackson. A soprano-like
voice hails cabs (Taxi, hey taxi!) and gives
directions to gamers by stating the desired
destination (as in "Pad 5, please.").
Another leading software firm, Tronix, offers an
educational game entitled Chatterbee. It's a
computerized spelling bee where the target word is
pronounced singly, then in the context of a simple
sentence. As responses are typed in, each letter is
read aloud. Completely software driven, it uses
procedures developed by Don't Ask Software. As with
most of its competition, careful attention must be
paid to it, for some of the words are difficult to
comprehend at first.
S.A.PI. (Software Automatic Mouth), also by the Don't
Ask/Tronix team, is a voice synthesis utility
program. With it, budding programmers can easily add
speech to their own masterpieces. While not a game
in its own right, it has been used in several, and
is responsible (to no small degree) for the
heightened awareness of the availability and quality
of inexpensive voice synthesis software for the home
market. The audio output from this program rivals
that from any of the special hardware devices
discussed later in this article.
The hardware side of the universe is, without a
doubt, a more expensive proposition. Without
software telling them what to do however, these
devices are nothing but mute testimony to the art of
making plastic from the remains of long dead
reptiles.
One of the more readily available, and affordable,
speech synthesizers is the Alien Group's Voice
Box. This tiny wonder also works with computers
other than the Commodore 64. A nice touch is its
inherent ability to sing. While it will never be a
feature soloist at the Met, it does add charm and
whimsy to synthesis, an output that has historically
been considered cruel, harsh and mechanical. (Just
think of all the mock synthetic voices that issued
forth from alien devices and robots in B movies done
in the Fifties!). Whether you write your own
software (using the demo program for suggestions),
or purchase the singing software package entitled
When I'm 64, the Voice Box will amaze.
A rudimentary graphics editor allows you to change
an on-screen sing-along face which mimes the words
spewing from the speaker. With some tweaking here
and there you might get the lips to move with the
words, or perhaps even turn it into a portrait of
the most handsome/beautiful person you know
yourself! (What an ego you must have!).
a
continued.
The machine, which plugs into the user port, is
sturdily constructed, is compact in design, and is
supported by its manufacturer. Besides a volume
switch and an external speaker jack (eighth of an
inch), the Box also has a unique pitch dial for
direct manual control of that ever so important
function. Putting it through its paces speeds up or
slows down the output, making words run the gamut
from bass to soprano in one quick hurry.
Though its manuals, and those of compatible software
from Alien, are a chore to decipher, they offer
valuable tips and insight on how to achieve the
device's maximum potential. Be prepared for unclear
sentence structure, typos, and the look of second or
third rate printed matter. While this ancillary
material is important, it doesn't lessen the value
or considerable capabilities Df the machine itself.
A little TLC will go a long way with the Voice Box.
Recomended.
Mewer, less expensive, and intended strictly for the
Conmodore 64 we have Commodore's own Magic Voice
Speech Module. This unit, which plugs into the 64 's
cartridge port, works with special carts as well as
user written programs in BASIC or assembly language.
When operating under second party software control
it produces a pleasing female voice. Its
preprogrammed library of 235 utterances is too small
for any serious work however. Another problem is the
need to repeatedly issue the BASIC command SAY for
each spoken word. Luckily, the former problem will
all but disappear when (if) additional (disk based)
vocabularies hit the market. To alleviate the other,
learn assembly fast.
Currently Commodore sells four compatible carts,
Magic Desk I, A Bee C's, Gorf, and Wizard of War.
The last two titles make good use of the
synthesizer's exceptional range by spewing forth a
variety of threats, warnings, and insults. This
output appears to be more random in the Wizard than
in Gorf, where some of the statements are heard only
after certain conditions are met. Either way, the
speech (in a voice befitting each scenario) adds new
freshness and enjoyment to these old standards.
"Beware, you are now in a Warlord Dungeon!". "Some
galactic defender you are Space Cadet I
I didn't have a copy of Magic Desk I on hand for
this review so I can't discuss the pros and cons of
its speech synthesis features. Some users have found
it to be a practical icon-based office management
tool without verbalization, so (with any luck at
all) the added vocals will only improve its
usefulness. Commodore's A Bee C's is an educational
product which, unfortunately falls into the same
untested category as Magic Desk I.
speech hardware
A:
,B:
D:
[E:
Voice Master
Magic voice
Alien Voice Boxf
Recognizer
Voice Messenger!
Just by the head count above you can see that the
device is not heavily supported. (There are no third
party products whatsoever!). There haven't been any
recent compatible software releases and, worse than
that, the additional text libraries are nowhere to
be found. This seeming lack of support is more the
pity because the device itself is solidly built and
a bargain at its (widely) discounted price. Its
covered, spring loaded cartridge port is designed to
prolong the life (and goad health) of your
investment. RCA input and output jacks make it
possible for you to connect it to any number of
external audio devices. (I run all my audio through
a Panasonic RX-F3 AM FN stereo cassette for some
awesome audio output. The $120. OD (list price)
portable unit has built in RCA jacks, a one eighth
inch (micro) headphone jack, two internal condensor
mikes and operates on 6 "C" batteries or a
(provided) plug in power supply).
Last but not least, the 26 page manual is logically
organized, easy to read, and full of useful
information. If Commodore makes a more meaningful
commitment, then by all means add the Magic Voice
Speech Nodule to your system.
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Our next entrant in the synthesis sweepstakes has
journeyed 'crass the Atlantic from Jolly Ole
England. Having set up an American base of
operations in Massachusetts, Currah Technology (and
its Voice Ptessenger Speech 64) are set to take on
all comers.
'Mm**
A compact device not much larger than a standard
game cartridge, the VPI operates from the 64 's
expansion port. A 5 pin DIN connector on a short
lead emerges from the backside. Thanks to a supplied
adaptor cable you can hook it up to a monitor or
your home TV. using a monitor with its own audio
capabilities you can then direct the speech through
your stereo.
Judging this device by its size is a mistake for it
packs quite a punch. (Reminded me Df David against
Goliath). Once the cart's plugged in and the 64 's
fired up, a keyboard voice mode takes over. Pressing
any key (9B# of them anyway) produces vocal output
identifying the selected key. Hit RETURN and you'll
hear "return"; press ± and you'll hear "pound".
Don't wait for a cockney accent however, it's not
there. The Voice messenger offers something better
instead, two easy to access voices. One's high
pitched, the other low. Male and female if you
please, though they're never referred to in that
manner.
As with every function offered, the voices can be
programmed in BASIC or machine language. Five
commands are added to BASIC when the system is
running, though machine language expands your
horizons even farther. You just need the additional
language experience to tap in.
Like the other devices, allophones can be used
instead Df plain English to create speech, while
non-vocalized characters are inserted to control
intonation and inflection, allophones once again
produce the best output.
A 256 character speech buffer is standard, enough
space for approximately twenty five seconds of
computerized chatter. Its secrets are unlocked in
the small yet comprehensive manual accompanying the
likewise diminutive yet powerful hardware portion.
The manual concludes with a sample program, the
additional BASIC commands and a
decimal/hex/allophone conversion table. The latter
is quite valuable indeed.
Despite its recent arrival on our shores, the Voice
Ptessenger already has picked up some third party
software support. (Pay particular attention to the
programs mentioned under the R.I.S.T. portion of
this article). I like this onet
The next two machines come from the same stable,
Votrax. Both are sleekly styled units which emulate
printers as far as the 64 is concerned. The Type 'N
Talk has an RS-232 serial interface, while the newer
device, the Personal Speech System (PSS), has both
serial and parallel ports. Ready made, Commodore
specific interface cables are available from Votrax,
making installation a snap. Naturally, you must pay
extra for them!
Neither unit comes with any software, though most
programs with output to a printer work just fine.
For example, adventuring takes on new meaning when
play by play commentary has been added.
Infocom's Witness, Infidel, and Cutthroats, etc. go
one step beyond the usual. As a matter of fact, the
entire series works with the Type 'N Talk. They also
work with the PSS, though this isn't specifically
mentioned in the manual. The speech makes you feel
safer, better able to handle the dangers that lurk
ahead because it seems as if there's really a
companion at your side.
These machines probably produce the best speech
(S.A.P1. is close though) of all the items reviewed
here. At just under $200 for the T-'N-T and $395 for
the PSS they should. (The latter also has numerous
other capabilities, including generation of musical
notes).
There are hardware devices available now which can
create more lifelike speech than either, but they
cost 9 to 10 times as much as the Personal Speech
System alone. Thus, for affordability and
performance, the PSS is near unbeatable. Let's
out why.
find
Votrax has opted for broad horizons as they've based
its workings on the synthesis by rule system.
They've also managed to include a number of
non-speech functions in the PSS, most of which are
related to musical output. While there's plenty for
novices to sink their teeth into, advanced
computerists will find it exciting too. The
combination of expandable onboard ROM, Z-80 software
download capabilities, and an SC-01 phoneme (read
allophone) synthesizer chip allows the PSS to
operate in conjunction with modems.
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continued.
Besides the parallel and serial interfaces (one
each) standard features include a 3500 character
buffer and an internal speaker. The rear panel
sports an 1/8" external speaker jack (Walkman type
headphones work, though the output is strictly
mono), a 5 pin DIN power connector, an on/off push
button switch, and eight configuration dip switches.
The volume control knob and a power-up red LED are
located on the front panel
metal case. The PSS, with a
weighs in at a mere 2.6
portable!
of the sleekly styled
12.25" x 5.2" footprint,
pounds. It's actually
A vinyl clad, three ring mini manual contains system
particulars as well as operating commands and user
instructions. A separate quick reference card and
Phonetic Speech Dictionary round out the paperwork.
The main manual, though generally well organized and
all encompassing, does present some pitfalls for
first time users. The examples for non-speech output
are listed in the context of speech creation as far
as programming (BASIC) conventions are concerned,
but nowhere is this plainly stated. Just remember to
include PRINT commands and both sets of quotes
whenever you want any audible output. Since the
device is purchased without software users either
write their own or run commercial proqrams which
output to a printer. (Computers think the PSS is a
printer. See, they can be fooledl)
Once beyond startup there is an air of excitement
about using the PSS. Exploring and experimenting
with its many functions is an outrageous experience.
Delving into the speech functions can be
particularly captivating.
For speech data the PSS accepts text or phonetic
input. Inflection, amplitude, and rate of
verbalization are all independently controllable.
The non-speech functions include music, sound
effects (white noise is possible), customized
alarms, and a programmable clock. Until you learn
the command structure (it really shouldn't take
long), the reference card comes in very handy.
Normal English text can be spoken if it's programmed
like output to a printer:
20 PRINT "Vatrax does it right."
30 PRINT "It took me two hours to write this
program."
Don't overlook the use of Phonemes either. The SC-01
synthesis chip contains 64 of these language
building blocks. {Think of them as atoms.) Proper
combinations of these mighty mites is all it takes
to create speech. The phonetic sequences are input
as standard ASCII characters. Approximately 1400
English words and their phonetic equivalents are in
the Speech Dictionary. Couple this knowledge with
the phoneme to ASCII table in the reference card and
you're set. Phonemes permit crisper speech and
(usually) faster response time as the data doesn't
have to be translated prior to output.
Non-alphabetic, printable ASCII characters serve as
command and control characters. Among these are the
question mark and exclamation point. Others, ($, S,
i) are treated as spoken punctuation marks. This
organized structure seems to cover all the bases.
The Personal Speech System is actually a misleading
moniker because of the ease with which it generates
musical tones. Capable of reproducing 96 notes,
sporting three sound channels, and able to handle
user selectable duration it is useful as a companion
piece to the 64' s SID chip. For example, note A#2
on channel two would look like this:
20 PRINT "!2230."
Though simple to do, the results can be simply
fascinating!
The programmable clock feature is useful for many
tasks, including incorporation of alarms into custom
programs. Once set, an easy process by the way, the
Automatic Time Annunciator chimes every quarter
hour, with or without voice. This can be a real
lifesaver for hackers who tend to forget about the
rest of the world. (For some reason wives don't
appreciate being picked up an hour late just because
you have a new toy to play with.) Alarms!, they're
another matter altogether. Users can not only set
from one to eight at a time, they can even add text
statements for output at the specified time(s).
Message size is limited only by the amount of
available memory. These prompts can be made to
address a wide range of situations in the home or on
the job.
The inflection, rate , and amplitude commands fine
tune the verbal output of any words or phrases they
precede, ("lore lifelike speech can be created through
skilled combinations of these parameters. A little
practice is all it takes.
Other commands allow computerists to change the baud
rate, in predetermined steps, from 75 to 9600 bps,
create an amplitude envelope for non-speech
generation, and alter filter settings for various
voice and sound effects. The envelope feature is
particularly complete as users can define the attack
and decay rates as well as the sustain and release
levels of any of the three channels. There's even an
attack delay option!
Z-80 code can be loaded and executed with just a few
keystrokes, pronunciation exceptions likewise.
Prompts (toned down alarms), noise generation, and
tempo are some Df the other easy to master features.
Most of these can be made more flexible by the wait
(delay execution) command. The true depth of the PSS
isn't readily apparent, it takes time to discover
its true colors. Advanced users can redefine
pre-set characters (like % and &) or allocate memory
in 256 byte blacks while anyone can perform warm
starts or quit execution through software control.
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Numerous appendices provide information ranging from
adjusted spelling examples (elocution exceptions)
and a phoneme conversion chart to error code
listings and a musical note chart. Cable wiring
diagrams, dip switch settings, and programming
samples (in BASIC) for various computers are also
included. Default settings, Z-80 memory and
input/output maps, and a hex to decimal conversion
listing pretty much round out these tables.
There's more to the PSS than I can possibly squeeze
into this critique. Suffice it to say that
application of your time and effort can yield big
results. You can even program it to pat you on the
back for a job well done. Just try that with your
boss or teacher I Using the Personal Speech System
has been an enjoyable, educational experience. Its
uses are bounded only by your imagination. Certainly
the new worlds it opens for the visually impaired
cannot be overlooked.
The Type N' Talk provides the same high quality
speech synthesis output as the PSS, though it does
not have the extended musical and alarm features of
its bigger brother. The 3500 character buffer and
the modem download features aren't included either.
However, the same phonetic synthesis by rule
algorithms are employed, the SC-01 and Z-80 chips
are present, and front mounted frequency and volume
dials are provided for quick and easy adjustment.
Tho its design is a little less inspiring than that
of the PSS, the T N" T is still compact and
streamlined.
Now that we've covered synthesis only software and
hardware we'll move on to two devices which go one
step_ beyond - voice recognition. Though their
physical appearances are dissimilar they work in the
same manner. However, the fruits of their labors are
different.
First out of the batter's box is Couox's Voice
Plaster, a device actually smaller than the floppy
disk supplied with it. Besides the "magic" box
itself, purchasers of the Voice Plaster receive
cables for TV or monitor hookup and a no-hands,
combination microphone/headset that fits snugly
around one's head, freeing your hands for other
duties. The advantage to this setup is more
accurate, consistent recording quality. That's
right gang, the VN must be trained before it will
recognize words. Several banks of words can be
stored, altered, or otherwise manipulated with just
a few keystrokes; once you've waded through the
horrendously organized, prepared and written manual.
5etup and connection is rather straightforward. Even
the units which must be calibrated (like mine), can
be up and running quickly. The calibration is no big
deal, a sliver of aluminum is supplied to reach into
the box for fine tuning; a program on the disk aids
you in finding the correct setting, {it will take
you longer to read about the adjustment than it will
take you to do it).
The vocabularies created with Voice Plaster can be
imbedded in your Dwn BASIC or machine language
programs though the instructions on how to
accomplish this feat leave something to be desired.
The additional BASIC commands permit you to alter
the playback speed, change sampling rate density
(bits per second), manipulate amplitude level, and
blank out the screen. All speech data can be cleared
(without affecting the application program) with the
CLEAR command. Besides the record and playback
instructions, the unit's programs provide the
wherewithal to save or load files to disk or tape.
There is even a turbo load feature, but it doesn't
function unless certain hardware parameters are met.
Additional information is provided in the form of
memory locations for specific placement of the
device's main controlling program. Unless you're
really into substantial
will read like so much
beneath the convoluted
otherwise twisted means
appears to be some solid
programming the material
gobbledygook. Somewhere
operating system and
of doing business there
substance to the Voice
Plaster. Because of the poor set of instructions
you'll spend an inordinate amount of time trying to
find nuggets in the stream.
Cutting through all the preliminary nitpicking,
let's move an to the acid test, quality of the voice
reproduction. Through the supplied headset the
playback was tinny and hollow sounding. Figuring the
problem was the inexpensive equipment pressed
against my temples I ran the audio through my
reliable Panasonic. This actually verified the poor
reproductive qualities I'd endured before. Though I
didn't scientifically measure it, the S/N (signal to
noise) ratio was incredibly high. Repeated uses
yielded the same results. This device really needs
Dolby, B and C by the sound of it I
Summing up the Covox entrant I found middle Df the
road construction (it plugs into the joystick port),
woefully inadequate documentation, overcomplicated
ways to perform simple tasks, and the worst output
of all the devices and software reviewed for this
article.
OTTlJ-
MM&:
gj@HB
continued. .
Yet there's hope for 64 owners yearning for speech
recognition. Relief, in this instance, is spelled
R.I.S.T (Research in Speech Technology). Their
Recognizer device is as small, if not more so, than
Covox's; yet it beats the West Coast entry in every
category.
The manual, while it won't win any aesthetic awards,
is head and shoulders above Covox s. The information
is presented in a logical manner, the flow building
on fundamentals before delving into the heart of the
issue. The author, fir. Steven Veltri, even takes the
time out to provide a mini-primer on the different
approaches to speech recognition. The additional
information promotes good will and piques the user's
curiosity that much more. {Perhaps he's trying to
get you to buy his computer oriented speech books;
they re listed in the manual's preface).
Installation and setup is a snap. Speaking into the
unit's built in microphone can be a hassle though.
Luckily any mike with a one eighth inch male plug
fits into the front mounted jack. There's also an
RCA jack for external output to a monitor, stereo Dr
TV. Ruggedly constructed Df heavy gauge steel, The
Recognizer appears built to last. Unfortunately
there is a contradiction here, a board mounted chip
lies at the end of a ribbon cable protruding from
the rear casing. This fragile arrangement negates
the "tank-like construction of the main unit. Be
careful when handling the card, even if you're not
inserting or removing it from the cartridge slot.
Besides the ability to interface with your own BASIC
or machine language routines, The Recognizer works
with canned software like those produced by Infocom.
Instead of reading the on-screen descriptions as the
Votrax units do, RIST's device activates the
adventure according to vocalized commands. Of course
you have to train the vocabulary, a bit difficult to
do before knowing all the valid commands in a new
adventure. On the other hand, most text adventures
have a core of similar commands (take, inventory,
directional statements, etc.) so typing time and
effort can still be reduced. The supplied disk has a
resident Zork I vocabulary. All you have to do is
train it.
Let's take a detour for a moment. It's possible
(with a switch selectable cartridge expansion slot
like the SmartSlot from Progressive Peripherals 4
Software) to have The Recognizer operational, an
Infocom game loaded, and Currah's Voice Messenger
working, all at once! This means you can have the
Voice Messenger read the location settings and
descriptions while the Recognizer accepts your audio
input I lilhat a may to party!
Mow back to more mundane (?) matters. In addition
everything mentioned already, The Recognizer's
software enables disk access (save/load), buffering,
file linking, and entry creation, erasure, and
editing. Though this is an impressive list in its
own right, there's even more.
I could probably go on about The Recognizer until
you were ready to retire so I'll cut it short by
simply stating, "Job well done, RI5T".
Before I wrap this up, there is one thing I promised
you, mention of third party software for Currah's
Voice Messenger. RIST makes a program called Easy
Speech (formerly Advanced Text-to-Speech) . It
supports adventure games and home made software
equally well. Text strings or single words can be
entered, edited and saved for future use. Allophones
are displayed on-screen as characters are typed.
With a flick of the wrist the decimal values for the
Allophones can be displayed, an easy way to produce
data statements for your BASIC programs. Though the
edit procedure is a little uncommon, a few minutes
with the keyboard is all you'll need to become a
pro. The program resides in normally untouched
memory areas so it can be active even when you're
not developing speech synthesis text. It easily
accepts text from any source, the serial bus,
keyboard, screen, tape deck, disk drive, printer or
modem. The modem feature works only if the optional
Talking Terminal Software program is also loaded. (A
copy of this was not supplied so I hadn't the
opportunity to review it).
There are other features to be found, some standard,
some not so standard. Easy Speech is a nicely
executed, well documented program; a perfect match
for the workhorse Voice Messenger,
So, where does all this leave us? For the time being
youcan add another sensory experience to adventure
gaming or to programs born through your own time and
toil. In a humanitarian vein you can develop
routines beneficial to the blind. The huge installed
base of the 64 makes this one of the best
applications possible for speech synthesis and
recognition.
That's fine far now, but what does the future of
this leading edge technology hold for us? Several
things, as you're about to learn.
G&
continued.
As the technological barriers crumble under the R &
D onslaught there will be low cost speaker
independent systems available which understand
continuous speech. Already there are at least two,
if you're prepared to spend hefty bucks for
specialized equipment. With the continual drop in
the price of memory, these advances will find their
way to the 64 or its descendant (s) . Voice activated
typewriters and word processors are high on the
development list. Just imagine how much the market
for these products will expand when people with
little, no, or poor typing skills can manipulate
them easier than current high speed typists can.
lilell, there goes typing class in every high school
across the land! The military applications are as
endless as they are mind boggling. Probably the only
advance beyond vocal input would be direct machine
control through a mind link I
There are probably as many uses as there are
permutations to every whole number in existence,
□nly time will tell just what applications the power
of computers will bring to this exciting technology.
Perhaps you will be the one to design the ultimate
breakthrough or suggest the be-all, end-all use.
BRIAN ft«[>mfiN-"*
f
is£D^£S^
TE^niNAL ILLMESS
A Bee C'S
Gorf
Magic Voice Speech Module
Magic Desk I
Wizard of liter
Commodore Business Machines
1200 Wilson Drive
West Chester, PA. 19380
Alien Voice Box
When I'M 64
The Alien Group
27 West 23rd Street
New York, New York 10010
The Personal Speech System
Type N' Talk
Votrax
500 Stephenson Highway
Troy, Michigan 4B084
Beyond Castle Wolfenstein
Castle Wolfenstein
Space Taxi
Muse Software
347 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, M0 21201
Chatterbee
S.A.B. (Software Automatic Mouth)
Tronix
B925 South La Cienga Blud.
Inglewood, CA 90301
The Voice Bessenger
Currah Technology
50 Milk Street
15th Floor
Boston, f!A 02109
Voice Plaster
Covox Inc.
675-D Conger Street
Eugene, OR 97402
Easy Speech
The Recognizer
R.I.S.T. (Research in Speech Tech.)
P.O. Box 499
Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11209
[\i\ZL
s
* »
EE AiSElitltS
bjj Hark Brown
7f
W
Assembly language programming can be a very
rewarding or a very frustrating experience. The
programs you produce using assembly language will be
as fast and compact as it is passible for computer
programs to be, if you have written them well. On
the other hand, assembly language requires an
intimate understanding of not only assembly syntax,
but of the inner workings of your computer. (see
related article last issue.)
Most of your positive or negative feelings about
assembly language will come from your experiences
with the editor/assembler package you use. Some
assemblers are powerful and friendly, and some are
almost useless. Of course, most fall somewhere in
between. What makes a good assembler? There are
three things to look for:
1 ) The editor should have most of the features of a
good word processor for maximum flexibility. The
best will allow for free-format input of code with
automatic formatting of the output for clarity. It
should print to the screen, printer, or as a
word-processor compatible file to disk. And, it
should allow you to link files together for editing.
2) The assembler should provide for all the
standard mnemonics, obviously. But it should also
allow imbedded assembler directives, to give you
flexibility to assemble to memory or to disk, to
link files together, and to perform conditional
assemblies (in which some code is only generated
depending on certain predefined circumstances).
Macro definitions should also be supported. This
allows you to define much-used portions of code only
once and assemble them by name. The number of
labels allowed should be large, and the assembler
should be capable of generating relocatable code, so
you can reposition your finished program in memory
if need be. It would also be nice if a disassembler
were included, so you could include previously
written machine code in your assembly programs.
3) Last, but not least, the documentation should be
thorough and accurate, with an index to help you
find facts faast, and examples to get you started.
The disk should also contain the manual's examples
and a predefined macro library for such things as
input and output routines and math functions that
you can use in your own programs.
And it would be nice if all of these things existed
in memory at once, along with a good monitor program
and the DDS wedge, so you wouldn't have to keep
swapping programs back and forth. Of course, this
ideal system does not exist, so we'll take a look
at three popular "real-world" assembler/editors.
display
inside
syntax
proper
control
Gloucester Computer Company's Codefax assembler is
the newest of the three we'll look at. It was
developed to support the company's Pronqueen eprom
burner, but is also promoted as being more user
friendly than traditional assemblers for program
development. It's true that the columnar
format makes it easy to see what's going on
the computer, and the one-line-at-a-time
checking could be helpful in learning
assembler syntax. However, the number of
keystrokes one must learn to control display, data
entry, and assembler modes may overwhelm first-time
users. The tight affinity between the code entered
and workspace memory also makes it difficult to
insert modifications, though this can be done by
moving code around. There is no support of
conditionals or macros or any other advanced
assembler functions, either. You can't even include
comments! The excellent disk support is one of the
few real plusses of this package; even such
esoterics as block-reads and executes are supported.
In the long run, however, I'm afraid that all
Codefax turns out to be is a fancy machine code
monitor that supports address labels. As a
monitor/eprom burner support package Codefax may
work, but it is not powerful enough to qualify as a
true assembler/editor.
3.
Most of gour positive
or negative feelings
ah out assembly language
will come from gour
experiences with tne
editor/asseraoler pacKage
gou use.
The other two assemblers we'll examine, Pal and HAE,
are tried-and-true veterans. Both have come up to
the C64 from various incarnations on the Commodore
PET series of computers. Most of the Commodore
"old-timers" use one or both of these two
assemblers.
■ ■
1 GLOUCESTER COMPUTER 1 C
-64 I
:DDEFAX 6502 1
[ BV i TEVE
BOLQER |
CDPYRIBHT 1983 1
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2000
A9
LDA
#*04
2001
04
2002
2'«2
2.*.3
BD
STA
SCRNCLR
2003
21
2004
2004
3]
2005
2005
RTS
2006
2006
A9
TBTPROG
LDA
•»>TSTPR06
2007
2007
FF
4
200S
200B
4B
PHA
2009
2009
09
LDA
#*<TSTPROG-l
200A
200A
FF
5
200B
200B
20
JSR
TSTPRQG-6
200C
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FF
6
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00
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BRK
(A/'yftlE | ORIGIN
END A1°. 3FFF 1
7 LINK DDE
END at:
ENDCDE C2100
J
The Pal assembler was written by Brad Tenpleton in
1979 and is distributed for all Commodore computers
by Canada's Pro-line Software, which also markets
the Power basic utility and the Uordpro 64 word
processor. Pal is relocatable and takes up only 4k
of memory. It supports free-format entry of cods
with comments, conditional assembly, and many
assembler options. It can link files for assembly
and store code in memory or to disk files. It also
allows for coresident BASIC and assembly (in the
same filet), which allows you to write BASIC
programs with callable machine code subroutines.
(This is the application where Pal outshines all the
others: if you are adding machine code to BASIC
programs.) The Supermen machine code monitor is
included on the disk, and the two of them can
comfortably co-reside in memory along with the DOS
wedge, though the wedge is not supplied. The disk
includes a relocating loader also, as well as some
sample programs and a disassembler (the disassembler
is undocumented, so good luck). The only major
feature missing from Pal is macro definitions. You
will not miss this at first, but later on you might.
The editor is the major weakness of Pal: it has
none! Believe it or not, you have to use the C64's
built-in BASIC editor. The best way to comfortably
edit a source file is to use Pal in conjunction with
Pro-line's Power support package. This adds
word-processor type search and replace features,
auto line numbering, and all the other editing
amenities you will wish you had otherwise.
Unfortunately, this doubles your cost. But together
they make a powerful package, and Power can be used
by itself to make BASIC program entry more
tolerable, too. The documentation included with Pal
is decent, and tells you lots about how Pal works.
It will not, however, teach the novice how to
program in assembly language. Prior knowledge of
assembly is assumed. All in all, Pal is a very good
investment, especially in conjunction with Power
(they are available together as a packaqe called
Toolbox B4).
Carl Noser's PHAE (macro assembler/editor) is a
classic assembler package, and besides being
available for all Commodore machines is also
marketed for Atari and Apple II. This gives you a
degree of source code portability among those
machines. The box proclaims "used by more
programmers than any other assembler!", which may
well be true. RAE gives you co-resident DCS
support, monitor, editor/assembler, and word
processor capabilities, and you can easily jump back
and forth from one to another. All are better than
the usual comparable packages. The DOS support
allows for standard wedge commands plus two-stroke
load-and-run, cold-start, and warm-start of all WAE
modules. The monitor gives you all the basics plus
base conversions and offset calculations.
(Complaint: the other Commodore versions include
trace with breakpoints and single-step capabilities,
and I see no reason why the 64 version couldn't have
had these features, too.) The word processor has
all the standard commands, plus it will justify,
allow format shape definitions (print your copy in
the shape of a Christmas tree, for example), and let
you run machine code routines (for things like fancy
printer control codes or font downloading) from
within the text. The assembler supports macros
(hence the name), conditional assembly, and lots of
assembly options. Files can be linked for assembly,
and source files can be appended for editing. There
are many useful sample files on the disk, and a
relocating loader is provided. The manual is
complete, albeit a bit hard to find your way around
in ("getting started" is on page 53!). There is
good phone support (evenings only) and a user's
group, and updates are only $10 (a 65C02 version is
in the works). There is no unassembler, but the
user's group has one available (without
documentation) on one of many inexpensive support
disks. The manual assumes some knowledge, but the
PIAE package is a complete assembly language
development system that you will never outgrow.
There are dozens of assemblers on the market, and
all of them will allow you to produce executable
machine code programs from assembly language. It is
the features and ease of use that seperate the
really useful packages from the ones that will make
you throw up your hands and abandon assembly
language before you have given it a fair trial.
Hake sure the assembler/editor you buy is one you
can live with.
Codefax $69. Q0
Gloucester Computer Co. Inc.
1 Blackburn Ctr.
Gloucester, MA 01930
Pal $49.95 (with power as toolbox B4 $89.95)
Pro-Line Software
755 the Queensway East, Unit 8
Mississaugua, ON Canada 14y-4c5
P1AE $59.95
Eastern House Software
3239 Linda Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
GUM"
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With its 300 character per second transfer rate,
Commodore's 1541 disk drive is the slowest drive on
the market. Even some cassette tape units can beat
it in a race. The 1541 is the one real obstacle you
encounter when using the Commodore 64 for serious
applications. But now there's good news (and some
bad news) for disk users who are tired of waiting on
their 1541 's. Several new products are available
which will speed it up.
Because the 1541 operates serially (one bit at a
time) instead of in parallel (a byte at a time) like
everybody else's disk drive, it will never set any
land speed records no matter what you do to it, short
of tearing everything apart and wiring together your
own parallel disk controller. However, Commodore
didn t make full use of the speed available on the
serial bus when they designed their disk operating
system. They chose, as they often do, to take the
cautious approach and allow for slower transfer rates
and intensive error checking to assure reliable data
acquisition. Their approach, though commendable in
theory, really amounts to overkill. The 1541 is
still very reliable even with reduced error checking
and faster transfer rates. Software can be written
to change how the drive goes about these tasks, and
this is the approach that 1541 speedup programs take.
Note that reduced error-checking means that some
heavily copy-protected software, or old and "iffy"
disks may have trouble loading, and may not even load
at all, when using a disk drive speedup program. The
rule is: if it's hard to load normally, it probably
won't load fast.
Speedup comes at a cost. Because the 1541 is an
intelligent device with its own on-board 6502
processor and DOS in ROM, changes must be made in the
disk drive's operating system as well
computer's. The 1541 has 2k of RAM that is
used for file buffer area,
as the
usually
and some of this must be
taken up by new DOS routines. When you use up RAM
for a wedge into 005, you lose buffer space. The
1541 usually has three buffers available, allowing
you to have three sequential files open at once, or
one sequential and one relative file. But the
creation of a new relative file requires all three
buffers. This means that if one buffer is occupied
by a speedup DOS routine, you will not be able to
create relative files (though you should still be
able to read them). Some programs, notably database
management programs, require the ablility to create
and use relative files. That's right: the one
application that would benefit most from faster disk
access times is the one that can't use a 1541 speedup
option. Unless you replace the ROMs in the 1541,
speedups won't work with a database program.
You can't speed up disk access for a cartridge-based
program like Calc Result, either. Why? Because (1)
you can't have two cartridges plugged in and active
at the same time, so you can't use a cartridge-based
speedup program, and (2) a cartridge program takes
over the C64 so that you can't load a disk-based 1541
speedup. You can use some disk-loaded speedup
programs with a system enhancement cartridge like
Simon's BASIC, though. Both of the disk-based
speedup packages we tested worked just as well with
Simon's as they did with resident CB4 BASIC.
This might be a good place to emphasise that 1541
speedups generally only affect serial bus access
times. All the DOS functions are initiated by giving
the drive a command and letting it take
newing a disk or scratching a file won't be
by a speedup program unless it uploads
function code to the disk drive. Verifying
file IS faster, however, because the Commodore 64
uses the same routine for both saving and verifying.
Now on to more positive stuff.
over, so
sped up
new DDS
a saved
- TURBO 64!
The four 1541 speedup options we'll be looking at are
all software solutions, though one has an optional
hardware component. Two come on cartridge, and two
are disk-loaded. Each approach has its advantages
and disadvantages. Cartridges are more expensive,
but they are there every time you turn on your
computer. They are also less likely to interfere
with the software you want to use them with.
Disk-loaded versions are cheaper, but must be loaded
in every time you power up, and they occupy space in
RAM. This uses up some computing power and increases
the possibility of interacting and interfering with
the programs you hope to be able to run. Actually,
since Compute's Gazette has now published a fine
disk-loaded speedup program that's free with the
price of the magazine, the wisdom of purchasing a
commercial disk-loaded speedup package becomes
questionable. Though I haven't tested it yet, CG
claims their TurboOisk program speeds up disk
accesses by a factor of three. If it's as good as
TurboTape was, it'll be hard to beat for the price.
pT TttM
BISK;
continued.
Kuik-Loadj ($19.95 from Datamost) is currently the
best-selling 1541 disk-loaded speedup enhancement.
Since the disk is copy protected (and is currently
IMPOSSIBLE to back up, by any means known), the first
thing you will probably want to do with the
Kuik-Load! disk is to stick on a write protect label
so you don't accidently destroy your twenty-dollar
investment. Kuik-Load! occupies the Commodore 64 's
unused upper 4K of RAM, the same memory space the DOS
wedge uses. There are actually two versions of
Kuiik-LoadI on the disk. The second is compatible
with Commodore's DOS wedge, though the wedge is not
included on the Kuik-Load! disk. Because it resides
in RAM, Kuik-Loadl will not load and run all
software. It works well with BASIC programs, but the
number of commercial programs it will work with is
very limited. For example, it loads Paperclip (in 15
seconds versus 77 seconds normally, which is five
times faster), but will not speed up the loading of
Easy Script, Suspended, or Doodle I In fact, it
crashes when you try to load Doodle! If you try to
load a _ program with Kuik-Load! and it doesn't work,
there is no way to switch it out and try to load
normally without turning the computer off and on to
reset it. It doesn't disappear when you use RUN/STOP
and RESTORE, either, which can be a positive thing.
As a rule of thumb, if a program works with the DOS
wedge, it will probably work with Kuik-Load!
The Kuik-Loadl disk also includes a nice utility
program called _ Kwik-Copy. Kwik-Copy expects
Kuik-Loadl to be in memory and will not run without
it. This program is menu-driven and has the
capability to copy unprotected disks (full copy, BAM
copy, or file copy), edit disk sectors, perform DOS
functions, check disk drive speed, and alphabetize a
disk directory. There are disk utility programs
being sold with less capability for more than the
cost of this whole package. Kwik-Copy is also the
only program tested that affected DOS function times;
it will NEW a disk in 1D seconds. Not bad for a
bonus program!
Turbo 64 from Final Source Software is a lot like
Kudk-Load!; it also costs $19.95 and occupies the DOS
wedge memory. Turbo 64 even includes the wedge as an
integral part of itself, which is handy. The wedge
portion of Turbo 64 can be disabled with the usual >Q
command, but the speedup part can't be shut off.
Despite Final Source's claims that Turbo 64 is
superior to Kuik-Load!, the benchmark tests we ran on
it came out exactly the same. In fact, most of the
comments made about Kuik-Load! apply directly to
Turbo 64; their major difference is in philosophy.
Turbo 64 can be copied onto all of your disks so it's
always available, but Kuik-Load! is copy protected.
(Bravo and accolades, Final Source!) There is a
handy little bonus program included with Turbo 64,
too, though it's not as impressive as Kwik-Copy.
It's called "Bootmaker", and creates an autorun
loader for your BASIC or machine code programs.
—umiimml
■w
P-55
fofSIT 3PEEEPF3I
continued ,
Both Turbo 64 and Kuik-Load! gain same additional
speed by blanking the display screen while loading
files. This keeps the VIC II chip from stealing
processor time with screen refresh interrupts, saving
about 1 5% additional time. It may also interfere
with your sanity since it makes disk accesses as
annoying as cassette tape loads (but faster!). Turbo
64 also keeps the drive activity light from coming
Dn, which can make you wonder if anything is really
going on or if the drive motor is just spinning
There's no way to tell until it's
just minor annoyances, though,
worth the price to a 8ASIC
programmer. Someone who wants
loading of commercial software
cartridge speedup programs.
done. These are
Either package is
or machine code
to speed up the
should look at the
Fast Load, recently introduced by Epyx, is a very
popular 1541 speedup product. It comes on cartridge
and retails for $39.95. It could also be called
"Fast Start"; the first thing you notice when you
power up Fast Load is that initialization of the
computer is instantaneous. Fast Load is compatible
with lots of commercial software. In our tests it
loaded Suspended in 20 seconds, as opposed to a 90
second normal load time, or 4.5 times faster.
Suspended is a disk-read intensive program, and Fast
Load made it seem almost as if the adventure's data
were stored in memory, not on disk. Doodle! loaded
3.5 times faster and Doodle! pictures loaded in just
7 seconds, not their normal 25. It's very impressive
to watch a Doodle! picture slam onto the screen so
rapidly. Epyx also lists some of their games that
Fast Load will work with, such as Impossible Mission
and Robots of Dawn. Dn the other hand, Easy Script
was unaffected by Fast Load; the Easy Script boot
program uses a strange load vector and is unaffected
by most speedup packages. Paperclip loaded in just
15 seconds, but disk file access was unaffected, just
as it had been with Turbo 64 and Kuik-Load! At least
there is an option to kill Fast Load from the
keyboard if it interferes with proper loading, though
you have to power up to restart it again.
The Fast Load cartridge also contains three valuable
utilities. First is the DOS wedge, which is handy to
have in ROM. This version of the wedge has one
annoying difficulty, though; you can't pause or halt
directory listings. If the directory Is long, you
may watch helplessly as the entry for the program you
want scrolls off the top of the screen. The second
feature is a machine code monitor. This Is a nice
addition, but Epyx, for some strange reason, invented
their own commands for the monitor functions rather
than fallowing established form. If you are used to
Extramon or Supermen you will have to learn a whole
new monitor syntax. The third and nicest feature is
a complete menu-driven disk utilities package. You
can edit disk tracks, perform DOS functions, and copy
whole unprotected disks, BAM records, or single
files. The full disk copy will backup a whole disk
in three passes in about eight minutes, which is not
too shabby. Despite its shortcomings, Fast Load is
probably one of the best enhancements you can buy for
your Commodore 64.
This brings us to the 1541 Express cartridge from
Richvale Telecommunications. It has been around for
about a year, which makes it the first of the 1541
speedup programs. It's unique in many ways, some bad
and some good. Let's go far the bad first and finish
on a positive note.
First of all, it costs twice as much as Fast Load.
Secondly, you don't just plug in the 1541 Express
cartridge. It has a wire with two clip leads that
you must attach inside your Commodore 64, which means
you have to open the case. I'm sure Richvale lost a
lot of potential customers there. It's not a hard
job, and the documentation steps you through it well,
but you do have to be careful. You also should
realize that opening the case voids your warranty.
Once it is connected internally and plugged into the
cartridge port, it fires up nicely when you power on,
and you can unplug it and leave it dangling by its
wire when you need to plug in another cartridge. The
1541 Express speeds up disk loads, but generally only
by about half as much as the other products tested.
SPEED COMPARISONS OF 1541 DRIVE SPEEDUP PROGRAMS**
[TIME IN SECONDS]
PRODUCT
NORMAL SPEED
1541 EXPRESS/CABLE 24
FAST LOAD
TURBO 64
KWIK-LOAD!
MONQPQLE*
DOODLE!
(24.5k)
PICTURE
LOAD SAVE
LOAD SAVE
75 69
25 27
24 52
9 21
24 69
7 27
24 69
N/A N/A
24 69
N/A N/A
* MONQPOLE IS JOE O'HARA'S PUBLIC DOMAIN BASIC
VERSION OF MONOPOLY. IT OCCUPIES 93 BLOCKS ON DISK.
And as you read the manual you discover some
disconcerting restrictions on its use. You cannot
have anything else active on the serial bus while you
are in fast mode; other disk drives and serial
printers must be turned off. If you have a parallel
printer hooked up through a serial bus interface,
such as the Cardco/+G, you have to unplug the
interface to use fast mode! This is so restrictive
that I feel the 1541 Express is unusable by itself if
you own any other serial peripherals. To make the
1541 Express really usable, you have to add
Richvale s Fast Cable. This plugs into the user port
(bye-bye modem) and attaches (get out the screwdriver
again I } internally to the 1541 drive. The Fast Cable
essentially makes your 1541 a PARALLEL DRIVE, thus
eliminating serial bus Interference problems. It
should be noted that all disk commands are still sent
over the serial bus, and just the data is transferred
in parallel. The 1541 Express cartridge senses
whether or not the Fast Cable is present, and makes
the proper adjustments automatically. The Fast Cable
also brings the 1541 Express up to about the same
speed as the other speedup programs we tested. Once
you have everything installed, you have invested four
times as much money and much more effort than you
would have in any other 1541 speedup device, giving
you about the equivalent investment (if you include
the price of the 1 541 ) of having purchased a more
expensive third-party disk drive, which is really
just about what you've done; you've changed the 1541
enough to almost make it a third-party drive.
1 2 1 a-
Close-up of l>:'MjKir;l:TWI installe
piggy-back on 1341 circuit boar
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ate addition to
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FROM: ACCESS SOFTWARE
925 E. 900 SOUTH
S.L.C. UT 84105
In our tests, the 1541 Express with the Fast Cable
option was compatible with more software than any of
the other packages. It was the only product tested
that worked with Easy Script, loading it in 36
seconds us. the usual 1:06. It also sped up Easy
Script file access by a factor of about 3.5:1 . Like
the others, though, it did not speed up Paperclip
access times. Despite the parallel cable, the
Express seems to be a few percent slower than the
other speedup packages in some situations, though
it's still quite fast. It's also able to do some
strange things, like allowing sprites to move around
and interrupt-driven music to play while reading disk
files. It will load Doodlel in 24 seconds, and load
a Doodlel picture in nine. Suspended zooms along,
too. It still doesn't work in fast mode with a
database program, though, because of the DOS buffer
it must use. The Express has one extremely nice
feature missing from the other speedup programs
tested. If you cannot load something in fast mode, a
CONTROL / F3 keypress will switch you over to normal
load speed. Once you have successfully loaded the
problem file, you can switch back to fast mode with a
CONTROL / F1 . This works even from within programs,
unless the program traps the CONTROL keypress.
Switching back and forth works fine with Easy Script,
Suspended, Doodle!, and most other programs. There
is one last bit of goad news: the 1541 Express is
the only speedup package tested that also sped up
save times. Though not as impressive as the load
speedup, the Express shaved about 25J6 off the time
needed to save a file. This is definitely a
noticible if not spectacular savings. The 1541
Express with the Fast Cable option is an expensive
solution to the slow speed of the 1541 drive. Though
it brings the cost of a faster 1541 up near the price
of a speedy third-party drive, it has the advantages
of retaining full compatibility with all Commodore
software, and of being an upgrade product rather than
a full investment in a new drive.
Are speedup programs worth the investment? Yes, they
are. Even with their limitations, they can remove
some of the aggrevation associated with the slow
speed of the 1541 drive. The key to success with_ a
speedup program is to find one that will work with
the software you want to use it with. Try before you
buy!
QUI
1 1 M H-I
mm
RETAILERS BY
STATE.
Also aval I an I e at: waidenDooKs, B
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515 255 0618
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818 441 0103
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213 366 5305
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BIS 768 5017
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319 351 7549
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319 386 2345
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GARY R. BELL
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312 35! 3730
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ORANGE
714 634 1032
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312 275 6013
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714 978 6601
A BYTE BETTER
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815 964 1545
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408 737 0900
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NORMAL
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415 932-4373
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217 356 18B3
LIBERTY BUSINESS SYSTEMS
NAPA
707 257 1098
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WATSONVILLE
400 724 3322
IN
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TUftLQCK
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707 576 0972
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INDIANAPOLIS
317 353 9947
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LAPORTE
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464-1507
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UP
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916 741 2455
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KY
SOFTWARE CITY
PARSONS
LOUISVILLE
316 421 9210
SOFTWARE CITY
WESTMINSTER
303 430 8708
502 893 3B38
THE PROGRAM STORE
LITTLETON
303 973 734B
THE SOFTWARE SOURCE
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LAKEWOQD
REALITY WORLD COMMUNICATIONS
VERSAILLES
606 873 9193
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FORT COLLINS
303 482 0197
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LEXINGTON
606 299 4984
THE MTH EDITION
COMPUTER PALACE
SUPER SOFTWARE
COLORADO SPRINGS
PUEBLO
PUEBLO
303 574 3098
303 544 4432
303 543 3855
LA -
INSTANT REPLAY VIDEO
GRETNA
504 391 1020
■ CT ■
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
. _ ^
BATON ROUGE
504 928 2613
COMPUTERAMA
SOFTWARE KINGDOM
VERNON
EAST HARTFORD
203 872 2667
203 569 2244
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413 442 1564
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ORANGE
203 799 2119
COMPUTER MARKET PLACE
TEWKSBURY
617 851 5317
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DANBURY
203 748 5764
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NORWOOD
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STAMFORD
203 359 1414
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MULT I BUSINESS COMPUTER SYSTEM PORTLAND
THE TOY DEPOT
NORTH ATTLEBORO
617 695 1672
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WILTON
203 248 7227
203 797 8080
203 762 7587
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WALDORF
30! 843 1005
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STAMFORD
203 323 3300
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ROCKVILLE
301 424 6053
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SILVER SPRiNGS
301 946 1564
n
COMPUCATS
ABERDEEN
301 272 4195
NEW ERA COMPUTERS
DRMOND BEACH
904 673 3475
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301 435 3919
A A COMPUTER EXCHANGE
GULF COAST COMPUTER EXCHANGE
RANDOM ACCESS COMPUTERS
JACKSONVILLE
904 398 6520
HI
PANAMA CITY Tin /oa otii
FORT WALTON BEACH
nl
COMPUTER PROGRAMS (SOFTWARE CI STERLING HEIGHTS
313 978 3701
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GAINESVILLE
YE OLDE COMPUTER SHOPPE
YPSILANTI
313 482 6382
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OCALA
904 351 B581
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CLIO
313 686 1070
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305 896 6797
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BAY CITY
517 B92 8115
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305 676 5822
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COMPUTER SPECIALTIES INC.
MELBOURNE
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616 399 8310
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— — ^
If your dealer doesn't carry INF0IB4 \
Please show 'en a copy & tell then to
call us. We'll be glad to add then
to our growing list!
OR
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mn
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COMAL INFO
If you have COMAL—
we have information.
BOOKS:
COMAL From A TO Z, S6.95
COMAL Workbook, S6.95
Commodore 64 Graphics With COMAL, S1495
COMAL Handbook, $18.95
Beginning COMAL, S22.95
Structured Programming With COMAL, 526.95
Foundations With COMAL, S19.95
Cartridge Graphics and Sound, S9.95
Captain comal Gets organized, S19.95
Graphics Primer, S19.95
comal 2.0 Packages, S19.95
Library of Functions and Procedures, S19.95
OTHER:
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COMAL 0.14, Cheatsheet Keyboard overlay, S3.95
COMAL Starter Kit (3 disks, 1 book), $29.95
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(includes 2 books, 2 disks, and cartridge)
ORDER NOW:
Call TOLL-FREE: 1-800-356-5324 ext 1307 VISA or MasterCard
ORDERS ONLY. Questions and information must call our
info Line: 608-222-4432. All orders prepaid only— no C.O.D.
Add S2 per book snipping. Send a SASE for FREE info
Package or send check or money order in us Dollars to:
COMAL USERS CROUP, U.S.A., LIMITED
5501 Groveland Ten, Madison, Wl 53716
TRADEMARKS: Commodore 64 of Commodore Electronics Ltd.;
captain comal of comal users croup, U.S.A., Ltd.
DISK MECHANIC ~
PEEK A BYTE 64 Now with the DISK MECHANIC is
the most powerful disk editor and memory utility av-
ailable for the Commodore 64 and 1541 disk drive.
• Read or write sectors hidden by DOS header errors
• Read or write up to track 40 - half tracks too!
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» Over 50 functions - includes all PEEK A BYTE features
■ Compiete manual for beginners and pros
• Disk copy program included at no extra charge;
• Continuing program update policy.
To order tend check or money Older, US fundv.
foreign orders add Si lor shipping and handling.
Florida retideim add 5% (or G' tales lax, COD
orders add S2 plus postage and COO chary
Phone COD orders call: 13 DEI 840 0249.
PEEK A BYTE is a trademark of Quantum Software,
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QUflilTUiH SOFTWARE
P.O. Box 12716, Oept. 64, Lake Park, Florida 33403
THE AMAZING VOICE MASTER
Three Exciting Products in One:
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Based upon new technologies invented by COVOX. Per-
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Available from your dealer or by mail. When ordering by mail, please
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Call (503) 342-1271 for a telephone demonstration and ordering
information. VISA or MC accepted. FREE brochure available.
COVOX INC
675-D Conger St., Eugene, OR 97402
Telex 706017 (AV ALARM UD)
AutoPrint Microconneetion Modem
with Printer Interface
for Commodore 64/Vic 20® Computer
300 baud autodial, autoanswer modern with Cen-
tronics compatible printer interface and functional
aluminum enclosure.
Cables supplied for computer, printer, and telephone
connection. Terminal program supplied.
Compatible with EASY SCRIPT© for word processing
on the Commodore 64.
AutoPrint Microconneetion retails for S179.95.
Distributor, Dealer Inquiries Welcome.
©Commodore Business Machines
tha micropanpharal corporation
2565 ■ I52nd Aveni* NE, Redmond" WA 98052
(206) 88I-7544
o w to enter
he contest is quiet simple:
We are looking for sone great
original graphics from the
electronic artists hiding out
there. Black fi white., color,
hi-res, lo-res, whatever.
Entries will be Judged by the
editor based on what grabs hit*,
Send photo or screen dunp to:
INFO graphics contest
box 2366
Iowa City, If) 52244
Be sure to include your name,
age, S a phone # where we can
reach you. Contest deadline is
SJHDEftSEJ. Winners will be
announced in issue **8 .
Uoid where prohibited.
1st prize: commodore C-128
5 runners up win each receive
a shiny new ERG=BOfiRD £ CARDSET.
The Plus/4 Sweepstakes winner
The lucky winner of last
issuers Plus/4 sweepstakes
is :
bhauna nclntosh
Skull Valley, Arizona
Sha
and
at
nay
sat
una is IB years old
uses CoHHOdore cdmpu
school . Good luck S
you enjoy Many years
isfying computing!
ters
of
PLUS/4 computer
ie
>y
generously donated
i:ifH:;iBJ;TH «™n;ijii<a^i:rm
with a complete line
of coHModore products
and service.
(these folks have it all!)
1-868-362-9653
INFO contest director
testing the winning
entry for edibility.
ii a 1 1«:
D-Compiler $ 59.95
The first D-Compiler to give you back your source code
after your program has been compiled with 'Blitz.
'Blid it i trademark ol Skyies Elactnc Works
1541 Super ROM
»39.95
• Fast Save Load Verify
• Fast Scratch and Validate
• 10 Second Format with Verify
also Save with Replace is
Improved
• Two times faster, Eight times faster
when used with Turbo 64 which is included
No more Drive Head rattling
during Format or Error Reading • 1541 Super ROM is 100% Compatible
Easily installed in Minutes
APALLO COPIES IT ALL
APALLO Does it All. This program is the latest generation of
copy programs. It will do everything the $39.00 and $49.00 pro-
grams will do and more. It Copies ALL drive errors, bad tracks
and sectors, non-standard format, bad syncs, and half tracks.
We feel this is the best program of its kind available...
$29.95
MSD Sure Copy
At last a complete utility package for the MSD Dual Drive. This
is the first MSD utility program that does it all. The main
• Copy Protected Disk
• Copy Files
• Format a Disk
• Change Disk Name
• Quit
menu options include:
Copy Unprotected Disk
Scratch a File
Rename a File
View Directory
$39 95
Sure Copy will put all errors automatically on disk: 20, 21, 23, 27 and 29's.
D-CODER
Translates any machine language program snto easy-
to-read English descriptions with complete explana-
tions ot each command!
Makes complete notations ol all important memory
locations accessed by the program! (SID. VIC, MOS
KERNAL. etc.)
Gives you three ways ot accessing programs
1) Will read and Hit programs tram DISK
2) Will read and Hit programs Irom MEMORY!
3) Direct titer input (from magazines, etc.)
Can be used to locate and examine any machine
language program's protection routines 1
Can be used to easily break apart machine language
programs tor study and examination!
Printer option for complete hard copy listings!
Yog no longer
need to be an i
EGGHEAD to I ^W
read Machine ^ *"
Language.
$1995
N-CODER $19.95
the machine
language manipulator...
The perfect companion
program to D-CODER!
Allows you to easily make changes in ma-
chine language programs... right on the disk!
• Rewrite ability allows code to be altered
and then rewritten directly to the diskl
• Features sector-by-sector scrolling
assembly language display ol machine
language programs'
• Notation ol ASCII text equibalents tor easy
spotting of embedded text strings!
• Handy reference display ol all assembly
language commands and their ML
numerical equivelents!
• Byte splitter for easy splitting of decimal
addresses into low byte-high byte mat!
Super Loader
Super Loader is a Kartridge that plugs into
your expansion port, thai allows the
computor, on power up start the disk drive
and load the first preselected program on
the disk.
• Change colors
• Load wedge
• Works with more drive
• Takes up no memory
• Reset switch included
$Mj&
Only
*29
95
This Disk has over 100 routines,
some of them are routines for
protection, smooth scrooling, modem
routines, and sound and color
routines. They can easily be
incorporated into all of your programs.
It is also fully documented
$19.95
Slik Load
s 29.95
Slik Load is a Kartridge for the C-64.
Slik Load is the most reliable, effective and thought out Kartridge of it's kind.
The options include:
• 6 times fatter load • Statui key will give you information on
• Eliminates drrve rattle whan errors device number, byte)* free and statu* of the
are encountered. drive.
e Old and un-new • Silk Load is also fully compatible with the
Will restore a basic program 1S41 Super Rom
§19.95
0«5-Errors 20. 21. 22. 2% 21 & 23
Formal Singl* Tracks
Raid Dilk Errors
'* Track Readvr-reid and select to (rack
Vi Track Formatter-Format a duk with ^
(racks. This is where the next protection
schemes are coming from.
Drive Mon-Disk Drive assembler/dis-
assembler For your 1541
The Doc-Disk Doctor thai reads code
under errors
Sync Halter- Place a sync mark on any
i rack out to 4 1 Also used tor protection
Sync Reeo*T-Ch*ck tor Sync bits on any
track out to 41.
Change Drive No, -Changes drive
numb*' (7-30)
Dish Logger-Finds starting track sector.
start and end addresses
Disk MalcrvCompare any two diskettes
Byte lor byte
New Wedge-Easter to use DOS wedge
ID Check-Check IDs on any Irack
Untcratch-Flestore a scratched tile
Vie w-B AM- Visual display of the free and
used sectors on a diskette
Heed/Write Teal- 154 i performance test
Repair a Track Repair a track wilh
checksum errors Reads code under
errors and restores track
Fast Format-Formal a disk in just 10
seconds (with verily!).
This is the only utility
of its kind . It even has
a 3 min. copy on it.
WAR GAMES
AUTODIALER
-r
l-Auto Dial will automatically dial a sei of numbftrs you choose
2-Revlew Numbers will review numbers that were answered by a computer
.3 -Save Numbers will save numbers where a computer answered
4-Hardcopy of Numbers will print out list of numbers where a computer answered
S-LOAD Numbers will load in numbers to continue where t left off
6-Contknue wfll pick up dialing where it was interrupted
$29.95
5DFQ1JF.R&
•HRNDBDar-
3rd
Edition
THIRD EDITION! NOW AVAILABLE!
If you're tired ol being harassed by protected software and too many copy
programs, then (his is the book for you! Thi$ 224 page manual covers the
gambit from legalities to protection methods to step-by-step back up pro-
cedures Now you can learn both how to protect and unproiect software 1
The techniques cowered include copying cartridges lo tape Of disk, tape pro-
tection, and disk prolection. Disk protection covers error no. 'a 20. 21 . 22. 23.
27 and 23 plus single Irack formatting, header modification, header swapp-
ing, half track reading and writing, reading and writing modified bit densities,
formatting illegal tracks/sectors, sync writing and more! The Third edition ex-
plain*, tells how to detect and haw to write them with included software.
Eleven usefuf utilities and many prolection listings! Our disk analysis programs
reveal the protection methods used on your originals A diskette with all soft-
ware is available for a minimum extra charge. This may not be the only book
your should have lor the C-6<1. bul it is certainly the one book you should
not be without!
C64 Book only
Book & Disk of alf programs
Vic 20 book . Cart, & Tapes only
$19 95 US
$29.95 US
$9 95 US
THIS MANUAL DOES NOT CONDONE PIRACY
•SHIPPING: $2 00
KARTRIDGE KRACKER
NOW you can own this unique and powerful tool
which will allow you to dump the contents ol 8K
and 16K cartridges onto disk! But what's really
great is that you can also RUN the cartridges pro-
grams without plugging in the cartridge! the
KRACKER gets YOU INSIDE the cartridge! Put
all your favorites on disk and get rid ol the clut-
ter. This package provides your with the software
and hardware needed to get started. Program on
disk included. (Some cartridges require use ol ex-
ternal RAM not included)
$44.95
TOP SECRET STUFF II
All C128 Compatible
Split Screens (Horizontally)
Smooth Scrolling
Save Ram From Under Roms
No Drive Rattle On Errors
Triple Drive Head Speed
Autoboot Maker
Koala Screen DUmp
Display GCR
Fast Disk Eraser
Protect Scheme For Your Disks
Write Protect Disk
Unwrite Protect Disk
Mini D.O.S. Wedge
Fast Diskmatcher
Data Statement Maker
Unnew
3 Minute Copy
D.M.S
// you have TSS#1, You'll
Like This One! All on one disk
*19
95
Bulletin Board
$61 up end operete your own bulletin bond with one
or r*o disk drives. This one hts ill the features end
you enn customize it essity yourself.
1-RUN MEGASOFT-BBS
2-CREATE MEGA FILES
3-ADO TO SYSOPS CORNER
4. NEW SYSOPS CORNER
b ill-All MESSAGES
6 SCRATCH MESSAGE
7-CYCLE MESSAGES
BREAD SYS0P MESSAGES
9-WRITE OPENING MESSAGE
ID-READ LOG
1 1 CYCLE LOG
1Z-READ DOWNLOAD FILE
13-SCRATCH DOWNLOAD FILE
14- ADD TO OTHER SYSTEMS
15-CREATE OTHER SYSTEMS
*59.95 BBS
• Leveled Access • Expert Mode
• Private Message Base • Open Chalk Board for
. Up to 300 Passwords Highest Level Access
Enclose Cashiers Cnec* Money Oder or Personal
Check Allow 14 days lor delivery ? 10 7 days lo*
phone orders Canada orders must be m u 5
Dollars VISA - MASTER CARD -COD
s MegaSoft
Programs I or C-W
%2 00 S & H on an orders
Limited
Software S jtmsi ;j-is Invited
P.O. Box 1080, Battle Ground. Washington 98604
Phone (206) 687-51 16 • BBS 687-5205 Aner Hours Compuier.ro Compuier
STARPOINT SOFTWARE proudly presents
n+n+nnn-nn=n
[say Icepick], a revolutionary new concept in
software de-protection for the Commodore
64. ISEPIC is not a disk duplication system,
but an extraordinary hardware/software
combination that actually bypasses any disk
protection scheme. ISEPIC captures and
saves the protected program as it runs in the
64's memory, this "snapshot" becomes ac-
cessible to the user for complete inspection
and alteration. From this image, ISEPIC can
automatically create a compact, auto-booting,
fast-loading file which is completely un-
protected and self contained.
it Copies ALL memory-resident software
it ISEPIC'd programs load many times
faster than originals
& ISEPIC is invisible to software— cannot
be defeated
it Eliminates drive "knock" due to antique
protection schemes — adds years of life
to your drive
it Automatically "cracks" protected pro-
grams into single, auto-booting, super-
fast loading files
it Place multiple programs on a single
diskette
•& Create auto-booting, fast-loading
versions of your own programs
it Cracked programs are completely self-
contained and run independently of the
ISEPIC adapter
it Copies software with a flick of a switch
it ISEPIC comes complete and ready-to-
run, just plug into expansion port
-& Programs cracked by ISEPIC may be
used on MSD or 4040 drives as well
as hard disks regardless of original pro-
tection schemes
When ordering by mail:
* $64.95 + 3.00 shipping
* 564.95 + 4.00 COD orders
* Calif, residents add 6% sales tax
* VISA or Mastercard accepted
* Shipping out of USA $6.00
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
WRITE OR PHONE
SKVRPOINT SOFTWARE
Star Route 1
Gazelle. C A 96034
[916)435-2371
ADVERTISERS
Academy Software. 35
Artificial Intelligence Group 97
Cardco Ire C4
Cardinal Sof tware 55
Central Point Software 55
Clockwork Computers Inc 56
Comal User's Group 92
Compusof t 55
Computer Outlet .35
Computer Centers of America 46
Covox Inc. . 92
Qynamax 57
FS! 57
Genesis 36
Info Publications (ERG-BDARD) C3
Info Publications subscriptions.... C2
Info Publications back issues 13
King flicrouare 98
Megasof t 93
Megasof t 94
Microperipheral Corp. 92
Micro-Pace 97
Micro-Ill 36
ffiicra-W, 55
Micro-Id 96
Progressiva Peripherals 16
Progressive Peripherals ...17
Protecto Enterprises 44
Protecto Enterprises 45
Quantum Software 92
Q-R&D 3
Shoubi z 14
Signal Computer Consultants 18
Starpoint Software .96
T.I.E 12
UltraByte 18
Value Plus .15
Xetec 97
commodore owners
DON'T
THROW YOUR PRINTER* OUT!
^ s 29 9 t1
Micro**
DISTRIBUTING INC
1 342 B Routt- 23 Butler, N J
You can now custom design
your own printer fonts or choose
from one of the different varieties
already on the disk. Mot only that
but you can read in any standard
commodore ASC II sequential
file and change the typeface.
All THIS PLUS:
1 . Mix up to 15 fonts in
one document.
2. Design custom fonts
including symbols, foreign
language, math
symbols ect..
3. Includes font to give you
descenders on your 1525/
801 printer,
4. Convert most popular word
processing files to custom
fonts. For special effects.
5. Also includes the signwriter
64 program to print signs
and banners W^^MI^^^D
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graphics interface (MW-350. Ty mac
Connection ect )
PRO-LINE SOFTWARE
• WORDPRO 64 (Steve Punter) THE MOST POWERFUL WORDPROCESSOR AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMODORE 64
Features: Double column printing, automatic wordwrap, 40/80 column display, special characters, true proportional print-
ing, works on MSD single and dual drives. THE LEVEL OF WORDPROCESSOR THE OTHERS ONLY TRY TO
ACHIEVE! $49.95
• PRO FILE (Steve Punter) EXCELLENT MAILING LIST AND MUCH MORE!
Handles 4000 records on a disk. Done in machine language, it's FAST! Handles the new 10 digit zip code. Does text
fc urit" ,nvoicin 9- Stands ty ltself and mer 9 es witn other wordprocessors. FINALLY THE ULTIMATE MAILING LIST
IS HERE! $49.95
• SPELLPRO 64 (Jim Butterfield) THE SPELLCHECKER!
Contains 25,000 word expandable dictionary. Also compatible with Speedscript. ALL THE QUALITY YOU WOULD
EXPECT FROM THE JIM BUTTERFIELD NAME! $49.95
• PAL 64 (Brad Templeton) THE FASTEST AND EASIEST ASSEMBLER!
Designed for beginners or experts. $49.95
• POWER 64 (Brad Templeton) THIS IS SIMPLY THE PREMIERE PROGRAMMING AID ON THE MARKET TODAY' Adds
dozens of BASIC commands to the Commodore 64 $49.95
• ]]2S™. 6 fJ?? cl Tem P leton ) THE PROGRAMMER'S DREAM! It's PAL and POWER in one integrated kit! $8995
• NOW AVAILABLE: C-POWER - A TRUE C LANGUAGE COMPILER!
Includes: shell program, manager, editor, syntax checking editor, compiler, linker, function libraries and 531 paqe C
Primer plus guide. SEE A DEALER NEAR YOU...
DEALERS CALL GARY SCHULT2 1-800-362-9653 or in ILL. 1-217-356-1885
(WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN STOCK!!!)
"SPECIAL DEALER DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE"
MICRO-PACE COMPUTERS INC
CONVERSE WITH
YOUR COMPUTER
AT LAST! A FULL IMPLEMENTATION of the original ELIZA pro-
gram is now available to run on your Commodore 64'
CreaM at MIT in 1966. EUZA has become the world's mosi
celebrated arlilicratintelligencedemonslraliGo program, ELIZA is a
non-directive psychotheraprsl who anal>zes each statement as
you lype H m and |hen responds with her awn comment or
question — and her remarks, are often amazingly appropriate?
Designed to run on a large mainframe, ELIZA has newer before
been available io personal computer usees except m greatly
skipped down versions lacking the sophistication which made the
original program so fascinating.
Now. our new Commodore 64 version possessing ihe FULL power
and range of expression of the original is being offered at ihe
introductory price ol only $25. And if you want tfj find oul how she
does tl (of teach her to do more) we will include the compiele
SOURCE PROGRAM tor only £20 additional.
Order you r copy ot ELIZA today and you'll never agatn wonder how
to respond when you hear someone say. 'Okay, lets see what this
computer ol yours can actually do''
READ WHAT THE EXPERTS SAV ABOUT OUR VERSION OF ELIZA:
"Much more than a mere game...You'H be impressed with
ELIZA .A convincing demonstration of Ariiticial Intelligence."
-PC MAGAZINE
"Delightful entertain men I , An ideal medium lor showingi off rattf
system." - MICROCOMPU TING MAGAZINE
"ELIZA isan astounding piece of software A fascinating program
to use and study " — BARON'S MICROCOMPUTER REPORTS
"ELIZA is a great way tg introduce your Inendsto computers A
very lunny party game.' —PETER A. McWiLUAMS
"ELIZA is an exceptional program, one that's fun 10 use. shows oft
your machine, and has great hislorrcal interest "
-POPULAR COMPUTING MAGAZINE
"This version ol EUZA is the best we have seen. As a party game, d
is unmatched" -HOME APPLICATIONS FQR THE C-6*
ELIZA IS AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING FOfl HATS:
[Please specify Disk or Cassette)
1 Protected Version , $25
{Protected Version can be run but not listed or modified)
2. Un-protected Commodore 6* BASIC Source Version , . + . . $4S
(Source Version can be listed and modified as well as run|
Both versions include a six page user manual
Please add $2.00 shipping and handling to all orders
(California residents please add 6^% sales lax)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH GROUP
^^^^ 921 North La Jolla Avenue, OepLf _
^■■a* Los Angeles. CA 90046
•J** [2:3)556-7368 (213)654-2214
^^^^ MC. VISA and checVs accepted
$39.95
Copyri&hTSi;
On Screen Status Display
Cursor location
Scroll Indicator
Print features currently being used
Filename ol text
Percentage of RAM (memory) uaed
Ruler (also message line}
Word wrap/justification flap;
"Block rrarteecT flag
Insert mode flag
Characters per Inch
Number of the current font
Name of the current font
Overview of FONTMASTER
word processor features:
t) Powerful block manipulation
commands (Cut, Paste, Move, Overlay).
2) User - friendly ellects include (fonts,
super/sub scripts, underlining, bold face,
etc.)
3) Up to eight different fonts can be used
simultaneously.
4) Many printing options such as page number-
ing, titles, word-wrap, right justification, and
more.
5} Eight disk I/O commands (Save, Load, Verify,
Erase, Etc.).
Create Your Own or choose from over 15 type styles provided in this
unique program.
Including: Gauhaus English
■look Italic
^^ M Bold Hairpin
rudaw Mino-3
&}HillOL\ Uarfiattan
itop Sc^Lftt
BVTE JitopbolcJ
urtopap-rsdri tc**Tti2>
ii
inc.
(913) 827-0685
3010 Arnold Road Salina, KS 67401
COMPLETELY MENU DRIVEN . VERY USER FRIENDLY
BETTER INTEGRATION THAN LOTUS 1-2-3 * OR SYMPHONY*
VIRTUAL DISK OPERATION
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KING MICROWARE'S FULLY INTEGRATED
□ DATABASE MANAGER
| WORD PROCESSING
SPELLING CHECKER
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COPYRIGHT 1985 BY BRIAN MORROW
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All You'll Ever Need !
Send check or money order lo:
Suite 210, 5950 Cole des Neiges
Montreal, Quebec H3S 1Z6
Tel,: (514) 737-9335
$64.95
DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED
■i 2 1 ana Sympoorry or* TioMmafti of Lotus D*va*oom*ni C
SXN3MU03
LMMI£4PlflGfiZ
P.O. BOX 2300
IDHft CITY, Id 52244
PLEASE ENTER MV SUBSCRIPTION TO
IHF0 = 6"4 MAGAZINE
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G ISSUES % 1 H
ilE issues 25E4 96 t
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*E^ r
* BASED ON BI-MONTHLY FREQUENCY.
FREQUENCY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
enclose rarraira or GmnsMUMia ONLY
All subscriptions begin with the issue
following the issue on sale at the tine
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FILL IN ONLV IF VOU FEEL INCLINED...
(ME USE THIS TO IMPRESS ADUERTISERS)
AGE
I HAUE
C-64'S AT MY HOUSE
MV 64 IS USED MOST FOR:
<3=FPFQUrNT^2=MODERATE/l=LIGHT/e=HOHE)
GAMESJUROGRAM MIM GLJUSIHESS
SCHOOL SUBJECTSr^jG RAP HICS/MUSIC
TELECOMMUNICATIONS | |GOOF I N^ AROUND
OTHER:
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VEARS OF SCHOOLING (IF DONE)
OCCUPATION
1AMOUNT SPENT ON 64 PRODUCTS LAST YR
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HEW LOU FBJCE
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itawpaTOWWftwwwwBi
ALL 12 CARDS FROM '84
30N GLOSSY CARD-STOCK.
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nane
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■S3-ERGONOMICALLV DESIGNED TO
1NPROUE COMFORT & SPEED!!
-S3 ADD q i ft S S A HP U J I L I TV TO
VOUR UftfrntTWia COMPUTER ! !
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Technical
Breakthrough
Number 27
Only CARDCO would dare improve on its own
best seller (the + G has far out-sold any other
printer interface, and has set the industry
standard by which competitors are judged).
The G-Wiz is even better — and costs
30% less.* Our 27th major innovation in
Commodore accessories has all the + G's
features, and more...
Built-in Buffer for More Speed
The G-Wiz buffer dumps high-resolution
screens up to 18 times faster than competitive
interfaces without buffers. No more waiting! A
complex 50-minute printout now takes just 2.5
minutes with the G-Wiz.
Exclusive! Aspect Ratio Selection
Only the G-Wiz matches graphics characters to
standard characters on Okidata, Epson, Star
' Actual price *nay vary according lo dealer and region.
Micronics, Prowriter, Smith Corona, C-ITOH,
Gorilla Banana, and many other dot matrix
printers. Now you can perfectly align high
resolution graphics characters within text
blocks, or in columns.
CARDCO excellence triumphs again! The
G-Wiz is the "best bang for the buck" on the
printer interface market today — and it's
backed by CARDCO'S exclusive lifetime
warranty! G-Wiz: another distant target for the
competition to shoot at.
CARDCO, lnc.300S.Topeka/Wichita,KS 67202
The Wizards from the Land of Qz Have Cone It Again!
