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Article #314

Rainbow EchoMail Digest

#314
From: George A. Theall
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 1989 17:25
252 lines
9820 bytes
Rainbow EchoMail Digest                     Nov 10, 1989

In this issue:
  COMMUNICATIONS
  PIBTERM 3.2.5 (RAINBOW VE
  MSVRB1C - RAINBOW KERMIT
  RE: KERMIT                     (3 messages)
  RE: V20 CHIP                   (2 messages)
  RE: HD DISKS IN RAINBOW
  RE: COLOR MONITOR FOR RAI


  Articles posted to either INFO-DEC-MICRO or comp.sys.dec.micro are
currently gatewayed automatically to the Rainbow Echo on Fidonet; thus,
you do not need to take any special action to respond to articles in
these digests.

  Please send reports of problems or suggestions for improvement of this
digest to GTHEALL@PENNDRLS.UPENN.EDU (ARPA Internet).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89
To:       RICK MELLON
Subject:  COMMUNICATIONS
From:     JOHN LELLIS

In a message of <30 Oct 89 14:09:55>, Rick Mellon (1:142/723) writes:

>  I'd like to know what Rainbow communications software people like most.

>So far, the best I've found is PibTerm.  I only wish it supported the
>Zmodem protocol.  Is there a program out there that does offer Zmodem?

BinkleyTerm offers Zmodem as well as most of the other popular protocols.
Using either the DECCOMM or PC100.SYS fossil drivers, it runs on the Rainbow.
Using OPUS!COM, BNU or X00.SYS fossil drivers, it will run on I*B PCs and
clones.  It's a very good package - well worth a look.


--- msged 1.99S ZTC
* Origin: "Over the Rainbow..."  (1:106/503)

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89
To:       DOUG MURRAY
Subject:  PIBTERM 3.2.5 (RAINBOW VE
From:     JOHN LELLIS

In a message of <30 Oct 89 09:45:55>, Doug Murray (1:163/226.1) writes:

>I do have a question, was the compile done on a 'Bow or on a PC and the

>file moved over to the 'Bow?  And the other question/comment is, do you

>think I could get it to work with Turbo Pascal 2.x?  I remember having
to
>patch a few things in Turbo in order for it to works decently on the
>'Bow.  If I get my hands on TP 3.x, do I still have to do some patching?


The compile was done on a DEC Rainbow PC100+ using the "generic" version
of Turbo PASCAL 3.01a.  I did the conversion back in '86 as a project to famil
myself with Turbo PASCAL (I am a VAX PASCAL user at work).  This "generic"
version of Turbo PASCAL runs on the Rainbow without any patching.

I don't know about Turbo PASCAL 2.x - never tried it on the 'bow.  I'm up
to Turbo PASCAL 5.0 now.  The command line version runs fine on the Rainbow.
The integrated environment requires CODE BLUE, since it uses I*M BIOS calls.
Rainbow-specific CRT and GRAPH units are available here for download.

--- msged 1.99S ZTC
* Origin: "Over the Rainbow..."  (1:106/503)

------------------------------
Date:     11-08-89 (13:35)
To:       GARY STEBBINS
Subject:  MSVRB1C - RAINBOW KERMIT
From:     RUDIE SLAUGHTER

I been trying out your version MSVRB1C of Kermit 2.32A for the Rainbow. Althou
the printer support works, I think you have installed the transparent printing
and echo printing backwards.

What little documentation I can find indicates that <ESC>[5i is supposed to
turn on transparent printing - in which all characters are sent to the printer
port, bypassing all screen filters and escape sequence interpreters, and
that the characters are not to be repeated to the screen; and that <ESC>[?5i
is supposed to turn on non-transparent, auto or echo printing - in which
after a character is thrown up on the screen, it is echoed to the printer
port.  From what I encountered in running MSVRB1C, these sequences have appare
been flipped.

I would appreciate confirmation (or refutation) of this finding and if confirm
would appreciate patch instructions to MSVRB1C to unflip the sequences.

Thanks again for your work in patching up MSVRB so that it incorporates modem
and printer support for the Rainbow.



---
* Origin: Silver Bullet - Silver Spring, Maryland - 301-622-2247 (Opus 1:109/1

------------------------------
Date:     11-08-89 (13:46)
To:       CARL HOUSEMAN
Subject:  RE: KERMIT
From:     RUDIE SLAUGHTER

Yes, there is a test version of MS-Kermit 2.32/A which incorporates modem
and printer support for the RAINBOW.  It can be found as MSVRB1C.ARC on the
Glacier Peak and Silver Bullet boards.


---
* Origin: Silver Bullet - Silver Spring, Maryland - 301-622-2247 (Opus 1:109/1

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89 (23:28)
To:       RUDIE SLAUGHTER
Subject:  RE: KERMIT
From:     GARY STEBBINS


RS>Are there any KERMIT users out there?  I'm <trying> to use version
RS>2.32A on my Rainbow 100B.  I can connect to our VAX and everything
RS>is cool until I try to print to the Rainbow's attached printer.
RS> I can't seem to get KERMIT to recognize the ^[[5i VT1xx route

Well, you found the MS-Kermit/Rainbow bug/feature/shortcoming. The real
MS-Kermit V2.32/A doesn't suppport modem control of printer control.  The
^F2 does toggle printer on/off, if that will work for you.

But, have I got a deal for you...  I have modified MS-Kermit/RB to fix the
modem control problems (have you noticed HANGUP doesn't hang up?) and, just
a couple weeks ago, a partial fix of the printer control functions.  This
new version identifies itself thusly:

Rainbow (18-Oct-1989gbs) Kermit-MS: 2.32/A  21 Jan 1989
Copyright (C) Trustees of Columbia University 1982, 1989.

and can be down-loaded or FReq'd as MSVRB1C.ARC from Glacier Peak Rainbow.


I've sent the changes to Joe Doupnik, and he said the changes should be
incorporated into the next version of MS-Kermit, V3.0, due out "soon".

Hope this helps.  The .ARC file doesn't currently have a description of
the changes I've made - I guess I should include that.  Also, be forewarned,
I haven't had many people testing it. I believe I haven't introduced any
bugs, but feedback and bug reports are welcome.

-gary-

---
* Origin: Glacier Peak Rainbow, Bellevue, WA - 206/644-8431 (Opus 1:343/3)

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89 (23:36)
To:       FRANK MALLORY
Subject:  RE: V20 CHIP
From:     GARY STEBBINS


FM>BTW, did you ever try using an 8MHz V-20 chip in the Rainbow?
FM> We just replaced all the motherboards in our PCs, and I have
FM>a couple of the 8MHz chips available for use elsewhere.  They
FM>are interchangeable with the 5MHz chip in the PC, and they seem
FM>to give slightly better performance.

The Rainbow clock runs the CPU at 4.77MHz.  Changing the chip doesn't make
the clock run any faster.  Any V20 chip that is rated at or above the 4.77MHz
should work fine in the Rainbow, and a faster chip won't gain you anything
(just drain your pocket a little more, but I expect the $$ difference between
the 5- and 8-MHz V20 chips is negligible).

Generally, the way a chip is rated for speed is (slight liberties taken
in this explanation) when the chips fall off the end of the assemply line,
they test them at different clock speeds.  When they find the speed at which
it fails, they pull out the next lower speed stamp and stamp that number
on the puppy.  In other words, an 8MHz and a 5MHz chip are manufactured exactl
the same way - no differences in the mask or anything.  The 8MHz chip just
tested a little better than the 5MHz chip.

-gary-

---
* Origin: Glacier Peak Rainbow, Bellevue, WA - 206/644-8431 (Opus 1:343/3)

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89 (23:45)
To:       DAVID STRICKLER
Subject:  RE: HD DISKS IN RAINBOW
From:     GARY STEBBINS


DS>I use AT disks on a regualr basis. Most of the box works. Some
DS>don't. Those that don't become AT disks in my VAXmate!

The Rainbow is designed to use disks with the same coercivity as the standard
IBM diskettes.  The HD disks (1.2MB) have a higher magnetic coercivity, and
the Rainbow RX50 drives aren't designed to write to these disks.  The write
current probably isn't strong enough to reliably "flip" the magnetic fields
in the HD disks. This might make your data fade with time.  I wouldn't trust
using HD disks in my Rainbow - it won't hurt the Rainbow, but you might find
your data missing at a later time.

-gary-

---
* Origin: Glacier Peak Rainbow, Bellevue, WA - 206/644-8431 (Opus 1:343/3)

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89 (23:50)
To:       GARY STEBBINS
Subject:  RE: V20 CHIP
From:     GARY STEBBINS

I see your question has already been answered...  But, since I spent so
long writing MY answer, I won't delete it.  ;-)

---
* Origin: Glacier Peak Rainbow, Bellevue, WA - 206/644-8431 (Opus 1:343/3)

------------------------------
Date:     11-08-89 (05:46)
To:       GARY STEBBINS
Subject:  RE: KERMIT
From:     RUDIE SLAUGHTER

Thanks for the tip.  I'm going to get MSVRB1C and try it out.  Will let
you know if I have any complaints.


---
* Origin: Glacier Peak Rainbow, Bellevue, WA - 206/644-8431 (Opus 1:343/3)

------------------------------
Date:     11-07-89 (05:42)
To:       FRANK MALLORY
Subject:  RE: COLOR MONITOR FOR RAI
From:     DAN OREILLY

I bought a used VR241 for my Rainbow for $250 thru Newman Computer Exchange
(sorry, I don't have the number handy).  Good folks to deal with, and they
guarantee all their stuff.

DanO

--- QuickBBS v2.04
* Origin: The CS-DEPOT BBS System (719)550-9305 (1:128/58)

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From: GTHEALL@PENNDRLS.UPENN.EDU (George A. Theall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro
Subject: Rainbow EchoMail Digest
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Date: 10 Nov 89 17:25:00 GMT
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 252