🚀 go-pugleaf

**********************************************************************

A while ago I posted a question to these groups. The excerps below
give the gist of it. This posting is a summary of responses plus
an update.

> > They have an old system sold by Lanier. Apparently Lanier
> > was recently bought out by Centrex.

> > Problem is, the old system runs Harris-DOS instead of
> > MS-DOS. They're told that the only laser printer supported
> > is this Lanier LS-6 which can't feed envelopes automatically.

> > Centrex wants them to buy a new system which does support
> > the printer they want. My friend's company being a small 
> > company, they're not anxious to do that.

> > The question is, might there be a third party company that
> > might have developed support for that printer under 
> > Harris-DOS ?

> > My suspicion is that the details of Harris-DOS necessary 
> > to do that are not available, and that nobody has the source
> > code.

> > I told my friend I'd ask around but that I think they're 
> > in trouble. Well, they'll probably need to get a new 
> > system (I don't think it will be Centrex :-) )

**********************************************************************

I got 4 helpful responses (Thanks !). In sum, the news doesn't look bad.

First, there is the suggestion that the computer should be able to 
run regular MS-DOS (assuming that the computer is more or less compatible,
with Harris-DOS just being a derivative (and assuming that Harris-DOS
didn't violate important OS tenents))

This seems to be confirmed. A (dissatisfied :-) ) former user of a 
Lanier PC said that his machine was able to be booted with standard
DOS, and that everything worked alright - hard disk, printer,
communications. He did say that Harris-DOS has significantly different
keyboard encoding and screen driver, so that standard programs that
require a standard pc keyboard won't run. I guess this also means 
that Lanier software probably won't run under MS-DOS (since they
probably require a Lanier keyboard :-) )

My friend's company is running standard word processing software
(one of those names I hear all the time, WordPerfect, Microsoft
Word ...) but some other programs 
from Lanier. I guess this puts them in a little bit of a hard 
spot. They may not be able to move completely over to MS-DOS.

One person noted that WordPerfect includes drivers for interfacing
to a large number of printers, so could interface regardless of
whether the computer could. This is promising. He noted that other
software includes drivers as well. Unfortunately, their programs
from Lanier won't so that's still a problem.

One person suggested that the machine might be basically a IBM 
clone that might be running Harris unique BIOS (speculation, not
a known), and that replacing that might make the machine compatible.
I don't know enough about PC's to know how the other information
I have now (above) affects the likelihood of that. I guess given
the above, it may not be necessary.

The general feeling was pretty negative toward Lanier. 2 people 
with personal experience with Lanier, and one based on reputation.
The feeling was that Lanier was purposely incompatible in order
to force customers to buy their products once they had sold you
once. I thought that the marketplace had already convincing shown
that that was the wrong approach, but I guess Lanier doesn't agree.

**********************************************************************

I foreshadowed some of the update already. Unfortunately my friend's 
company has nobody who knows much about computers. They have 
apparently been able to contact somebody who might be work out any
problems cheaper than them buying several (not exactly clear how many,
company is small enough that my friend is up to 3rd in charge at 30
years old and after only 5 years with the company) new IBM clones. 
But I think some of their software will be ok with MS-DOS, and the 
contact may be able to help with the other software. Unfortunately, 
they are in Southern Mississippi, so I haven't been able to see what's 
going on (though with my level of experience with PCs (I've used them, 
but not that much (well, I did write code in Modula 2 for a class 
project once), and not since 1987) I don't think I'd be much help). 
I guess things are a little in the air still, but things seemed 
promising when I called him last night.

Thanks to those who responded !!

Mike Redmond

**********************************************************************