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From:     INFO-ATARI16-REQUEST@MIL.ARMY.WSMR-SIMTEL20
Subject:  INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 #511
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INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Wed, 11 Oct 89       Volume 89 : Issue 511
 
Today's Topics:
                              Databases
                  Formatting using a bad block list
                     PD Word Processors (2 msgs)
                        Portable Mac vs STACY
                   PORTFOLIO is *not* vaporware...
                     Printer driver modifications
              Wanted: Info on DEGAS picture compression
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 21:28:39 GMT
From: gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!mrsvr.UUCP!jupiter.uucp!krieg@apple.com
 (Andrew Krieg)
Subject: Databases
 
I tried to email this to you but that didn't work.  Oh, well.
 
 
To: ron@wilbur.njit.edu
Subject: Re: Databases
News-Path: mrsvr.UUCP!uwm.edu!rutgers!galaxy.rutgers.edu!argus!ron
References: <1179@mrsvr.UUCP> <1307@argus.UUCP>
 
Your message got through fine.  I'd really like to see the C code, but I
don't think it will be necessary to post it in the open forum.  You could
just email it to me.
 
This programmers add-on does not require RegentBase?  Do you mean it offers
just a rudimentary set of tools.  Do these tools allow you to create a
database, or do you need RegentBase to do this?  For $25 I wouldn't expect
too much, but what do I know? 8~)
 
Andrew Krieg
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 15:21:14 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzaz!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (HC Johnson)
Subject: Formatting using a bad block list
 
This is the README from my format.arc.  Send mail, and I'll mail
it to you.
------------------------
 
Here are two programs:
minihdx; used to format using a industry bad block list.
mkfs;    used to partition, and build GEM file systems.
 
MINIHDX
 
Usage:
 
	minihdx.ttp
 
	minihdx SCSI LUN badfile "FORMAT"
where;
	SCSI is the SCSI number (0-7).
	LUN  is the logical unit.  If there is only one drive, it is 0.
	badfile is a file of important parameters and the bad list.
	FORMAT  is a keyword that if omitted will prevent actual formatting.
 
The badfile is structured as follows.  I have used parameters from my drive
as an example.
 
------ bad file follows -----
#			THESE ARE MY COMMENTS, NOT in file.
#			------------------------------------
# my list		any line starting with # is a comment
SERIALNO=188885		this is an ascii string
INTERLEAVE=1		my Adaptec 4000 recommends using 1.
CYLINDERS=511		number of cylinders.
HEADS=9			number of heads.
REDUCEDWRITE=511	if the drive requires 'reduced write' put the cylinder
#			otherwise, set = to CYLINDERS
LANDING=4		where your drive should settle when parked.
STEPRATE=2		0, 1, or 2.  0=3ms,st506; 1=28us,st412; 2=12us
SECTORS=17		Adaptec 4000 is 17 is interleave is 1, 16 otherwise.
#			MFM 16/17 RLL is 25 ?
#			The format of a badlist CYL<tab>HEAD<tab>BIT_POSITION
#			The BADLIST MUST increase monotonically!!!
BADLIST:		the list of bad bits areas follows to the end of file
26	8	8521	cylindar 26, head 8, bit position 8521
485	8	9454
493	3	8633
496	7	8012
=====================end of badfile==============
 
The Adaptec controllers have a cleaver scheme of handling bad spots on the disk.
When the bad list is passed to the controller during formatting, it removes the
sectors containing the areas so that the disk appears to be a linear sequence
of good sectors; only a few appear missing at the end.
 
The bad list may contain at most 127 entries.
 
After formatting, I attempt to find out how many good sectors are on the disk.
This is approximatly, TOTAL minus the number of bad spots.  Somtimes a bad
spot will cost 2 sectors, sometimes none.  The SCSI command to read the size
can only be issued on BMS-200 controllers.  It fails on others.  If this
happens, then I use the approximate value.
 
Next, I write sector 0.  This contains the following:
a. It is cleared to 0.
b. At the beginning is a simple program to stop disk booting should the checksum
   be set to 1234.
c. Hd_size, the size of the disk is set to the number of good sectors.
d. Other miscellaneous parameters are set.
e. Sector 1 is reserved for the Bad Sector List (BSL).  This sector is cleared.
f. The number of Bad Sectors is set to 0.
 
Note:  The BSL is an ATARI invention and does not need to know about the sectors
	lost in the bad list.
 
Sample:
	minihdx 1 0 badfile FORMAT
to format SCSI 1, LUN 0, using badfile for parameters.
	minihdx 1 0 badfile NO
will omit the formatting, but write sectors 0 and 1.
 
 
MKFS
 
Mkfs is used to partition and build TOS File systems.  I had intended to
use either the Supra or HDX301 'formatter' to partition the drive.  My Supra
software seems to want to format first, loosing my bad sector mapping.
HDX301 is nuts.  It requires using the BSL and other gunk.  Additionally,
after formatting, it does a bad sector scan, and screws up on my large drives.
 
I wrote this as a result.  I have decided not to use the Atari HDX301 scheme
for handling over 4 partitions.  I use PC-Ditto and Spectre-128, and both
of these expect the Supra Partitioning scheme.  The Supra software is readily
available and can be used to boot the hard disk and keep 12 partitions.
 
TOS1.4 will handle a full  32 Megabyte file system; but writes are S L O W!
This large a file system needs a FAT cache.  I did not support ATARI's
really wild scheme of getting gigabytes by changing the sector size.
Why couldn't they just change the Cluster Size, like IBM.  Anyway, if the
sector size is changed I can't use Norton utilities and PC-ditto on those
partitions.
 
Mkfs has no parameters.  It prompts for all parameters, and suggests reasonable
defaults.  After the SCSI and LUN are entered it reads sector 0 and prints
the current partition table.  If the drive has just been formatted this area
will be cleared to 0.  Mkfs is usable on any drive.  If that drive does not
use Supra partitioning, partitions 4-11 may print a invalid numbers.  Just
ignore them and change only partions 0-3.
Partitions for Minix (MIX) and Spectre-128 can be allocated as well.
---------
 
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
att!lzaz!hcj
hcj@lzaz.att.com
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 21:02:33 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!uvaarpa!hudson!asts
un9.astro.Virginia.EDU!gl8f@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Greg Lindahl)
Subject: PD Word Processors
 
In article <5229@ubc-cs.UUCP> buchanan@grads.cs.ubc.ca (John Buchanan) writes:
 
#>> [ someone else ]
#>>Why stupid?  Good software takes time to write, and a decent commercial
#>>product can easily be worth more than $100.
#
#I am sorry.  This reply is just to [sic] mild.
 
Can we talk about this somewhere else? I use several non-commercial
products which are better than corresponding commercial products in
the features that I *personally* find important -- TeX/LaTeX, gnu c,
gnu emacs (and micrognu), pgplot, et cetera. Different strokes for
different folks.
 
 
------
Greg Lindahl
gl8f@virginia.edu                                             I'm not the NRA.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 08:02:51 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!axion!galadriel!robing@uunet.uu.net  (Robin Gape)
Subject: PD Word Processors
 
From article <1989Oct10.125136.19140@cs.dal.ca>, by silvert@cs.dal.ca (Bill
 Silvert) writes:
> In article <3968@blake.acs.washington.edu> themod@blake.acs.washington.edu
 (Chris Hinton) writes:
>>
>>  Hello you netters, I need some help.  I need a good PD Word Processor.  I
>>have (gak!) 1st Word, but I hate it with a passion.  I also think spending
>>$100+ for any program is just plain stupid.  Any suggestions?
>
> Why stupid?  Good software takes time to write, and a decent commercial
> product can easily be worth more than $100.
>
[deleted]
> --
> Bill Silvert, Habitat Ecology Division.
> Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B2Y 4A2
> 	UUCP: ...!?uunet,watmath?!dalcs!biomel!bill
> 	Internet: biomel@cs.dal.CA	BITNET: bs%dalcs@dalac.BITNET
 
Would you say that a car should cost no more than $100? or $1000? or
$10000? Or a computer for that matter? No more computing surfaces, no
more Bentley Mulsannes (have to save a lot of pennies just for the
insurance on that one!) yet they are no less _replicas_ than some piece
of software.
 
You should be grateful that there is not more copy-protected and dongled
software, and be grateful that somebody is prepared to earn their bread
by supporting a 68000 machine of the future (immediate past, then)
rather than an 8086 industrial relic!
 
On the original question, the plus version of first word is much better,
but still mildly eccentric, WordUp now allows intermediate font sizes
(using GEM fonts) but is still only one column, and systems such as
Wordperfect are much more sophisticated.
 
 
Good luck in the hunt, anyhow!
 
Robin Gape
robing@uk.co.bt.galadriel
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 22:13:44 GMT
From: att!cbnewse!macduff@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (Roger R. Espinosa)
Subject: Portable Mac vs STACY
 
In article <10032@stag.math.lsa.umich.edu>, hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu)
 writes:
> In article <45da3096.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
> >I would like to know how Atari can produce and sell a Laptop ST for under
 $2,000
> >while Apple charges almost $5500 for basically the same machine??
> >
> >The only real hardware difference between the two machines has to be the LCD
 display??
> >Does anyone have techincal specifications for the two LCD displays being
 used??
> >Is the Atari LCD display slower to redraw than the Mac display?? I know that
 the
> >ST has a higher resolution (640x400 VS. 535x352). since, the ST has higher
 res
> >then the Mac SE anyway.
> Dunno 'bout the rest of the stuff you mention, but the specs I saw said
> that the Mac portable will have a 640x400 LCD screen. I'm inclined to
> believe that they're using identical display technology. They just don't
> call it the same because Apple likes to lead the public to believe that
> everything they do is new, innovative, and original... As long as the world
> doesn't see anything else comparable, then Apple doesn't have any trouble
> charging whatever the hell they feel like. If the STacy doesn't flood the
> US market soon, it'll never get a chance, because most people are too willing
> to swallow the Apple PR junk.
 
I shouldn't do this (don't want to start a flame war here...), but no, the
screen *is* something totally new, and has been heralded as the *best* display
on a portable around.  We Apple-junkies really don't like paying an arm and a
leg, and love to point out the cheaper competition, but even the MS-DOS super-
popular portables can't compare screen-wise.
 
And it's IBM that creates the new names for old stuff (e.g. "pel" and "fixed
 card"
for "pixel" and "hard disk"...), not Apple. The NuBUS is more standard than
 NeXTs
on the Macs.  There's a different card in the Portable because it uses a
 different
CPU than an SE/30 (their slots are the same size) and because of the power
constraints.  Different machines, with different power capabilities.  It was a
better move.
 
Is it too expensive? You betcha. The biggest gripe is the memory: the *most*
expensive memory chips are required (Static DRAMS), and of course, come a year,
you're gonna NEED that expensive RAM to run the new system software.
 
Roger
(whose just bored and decided to distribute some truth...)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 OCT 89 18:57:45 CST
From: Z4648252 <Z4648252%SFAUSTIN.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
Subject: PORTFOLIO is *not* vaporware...
 
    With all the usual talk of "Atari's blown it again, etc., ad nausem"
from many on this net, including myself, it might be refreshing to know
that product is arriving, at least in this little neck of the woods, this
IBM and Mac world that I live in.
    At our university, I saw two Portfolios that just arrived.  One was
at the bookstore labeled to go to the legal school and the other is going
to the sports department.
    To top it off, if you call 1-800-443-8020, you will not only get a
nice lady answering with "Portfolio Hotline" but she will quickly tell
you where your quickest dealer is.  To be frank, I was so flabbergasted
at the professionalism that I forgot to ask if I could have ordered a
Portfolio via the same number.
    I did retain enough mental capabilities to ask if I could have some
material for the Portfolio.  "Why yes.  What is your address?"  I actually
remembered my address.
    Anyway, I think the door is beginning to open.
 
Larry Rymal:  |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 11 Oct 89 21:33:37 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!marque!carroll1!dnewton@
tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Dave 'Yes, I'm weird' Newton)
Subject: Printer driver modifications
 
   I remember in a STart magazine awhile ago that there is a program that will
design printer drivers for the ST.  I'm using a Tandy DMP-2100 24-pin printer
that hates doing Atari graphics even though it could.  Does anyone know if I
can order that from STart or of another program that would do the same thing?
   thanx in advance,
 
--
David L. Newton       |      dnewton@carroll1.UUCP     | Quote courtesy of
(414) 524-7343 (work) |     dnewton@carroll1.cc.edu    | Marie Niechwiadowicz,
(414) 524-6809 (home) | 100 NE Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186 | Boston College.
[Q]: How many surrealists does it take to screw in a light bulb? [A]: The fish.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 89 17:32 CDT
From: Wayne Schellekens <WSCHELL%ccm.UManitoba.CA@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: Wanted: Info on DEGAS picture compression
 
Does anyone have any information as to how DEGAS compresses its
picture files?  I have created a program which uses DEGAS lo-res
pictures and would like to reduce the space used on the disk.
 
                               Wayne Schellekens
                               WSCHELL@ccm.UManitoba.CA
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #511
*****************************************