Document Title: [vax83.txt (text file)]
Atari/Atari Games VaxMail 1983 Jed Margolin
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From: MCCARTHY 6-AUG-1983 13:40
To: ALBAUGH,MARGOLIN,SHERRILL
Subj: VAX/16032 development board
DB16000 DEVELOPMENT BOARD SETUP.
After 4 hours of trial and error, and some "Oh, did we forget to tell you .."
from NATIONAL, the 16032 development board is up and ready for VAX
communications. The forrowing are the basic setup procedures and
requirements as of 8-5-'83, with version 2.00 monitor roms in the DB16000.
HARDWARE:
1. Connect DB16000 to terminal using supplied cable.
( 26 pos. edge connector to 25 pos. D SUBMINIATURE female connector with
pins. Cable is transparent. i.e. 1-1,2-2,3-3,etc., pin 26 not used. )
2. Verify terminal setup for :
no parity, full duplex, RTS-CTS disabled,
8 bits/char, bit 8 on transmit=8, 1 stop bit on transmit.
UPPER CASE.
Steps 3,4 & 5 are not necessary for stand-alone operation.
3. Plug BLX-351 expansion board into DB16000 board at J3.
4. IGNORE the hardware manual setup instructions of 4.4.3 . See 4.4.4 .
5. Connect the BLX-351 to the vax cable ( that should go to the terminal)
using an adaptor cable.
( 26 pos. edge connector to 25 pos. D SUBMINIATURE male connector with
sockets. Cable is transparent. i.e. 1-1,2-2,3-3,etc., pin 26 not used. )
POWER ON:
1. Connect power to the DB16000 and terminal.
2. Press DB16000 reset switch ( S2, the more recessed of the two switches).
The terminal should display :
R VERSION_2.00_10-FEB-83
SOFT INITIALISATION
1. Enter an exclamation mark followed by return key. ( R changes to asterisk)
2. Type OMN=C followed by return key. (OMC=C is not echoed)
DB16000 is now up and running in STAND ALONE mode. To put it into transparent
mode continue as follows.
3. Type after promt :
CMB C00056=96
CMB C00054=8
This sets the baud rate of the BLX-351 to 9600.
4. Type :
* OMT
The DB16000 is now in transparent mode and you are talking to the VAX.
If the vax talks to your terminal with a different protocol than shown in
HARDWARE point 2 above, then have Steve Suttles change the VAX communications
protocol for your terminal so you dont have to change setup every time.
To return to STAND ALONE mode, (to examine memory, etc. ), press the
DB16000 reset switch and repeat the !,OMN=C part of the initialisation.
PMcC
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From: MCCARTHY 19-AUG-1983 13:14
To: ALBAUGH,MARGOLIN,SHERRILL
Subj: DB16000 update
An updated initialisation procedure for the DB16000 development board
is available in [MCCARTHY.ROADTEST]DB16000.LIS
Notable changes are MMU installation, uppercase not required and using
CTRL B in transparent mode to send a command to the DB16000.
PMcC.
___________________________________________________________________________
From: MCCARTHY 23-AUG-1983 13:14
To: MARGOLIN,ALBAUGH,SHERRILL
Subj: DB16000 , MMU BUG FIX.
Solution to the problem of Transparent mode operation with the MMU installed.
After getting into Stand Alone mode (!,omn=c) type
CMM =80000 before setting BLX bd. baud rate with cmb commands.
Apparently, when the monitor initialises the MMU, the port addresses
for the BLX board get mapped to the fourth dimension.
Once more, an updated initialisation procedure for the DB16000 development
board is available in [MCCARTHY.roadtest]DB16000.LIS
PMcC.
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From: MCCARTHY 30-DEC-1983 16:23
To: @DB16K
Subj: NEW INFO.
Some new solutions to some old problems with the NS16032 development
system.
1. The MMU we had installed was BAD. It was not doing proper
translations and protection. I got a new MMU (rev. 8) from NATIONAL
and it works just fine. So anyone that had the fix in their DBG16.INI
file can remove it. (R .MMSR_TU 0)
2. The BLX board and the DB16000 have been jumpered properly for
automatic baud rate selection. So you no longer have to program baud
rate in Stand Alone mode on power up.
The power up routine now consists of :
Switch power on.
Press reset (S2).
Type ! <cr>
Type OMT
Press <return> or <control Y> to log onto the VAX.
Please let me know of any problems.
PMcC
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From: KIM::SUTTLES 11-JUL-1983 17:38
To: @SYS$MAIL:COINOP
Subj: BASIC-plus?
As with any computer program, nothing is immune to enhancements.
The 'basic computer' of a week or so ago has become an 'extended basic
computer'. Here is the new, improved documentation (believe it or not!)
Modify your login.com file to include:
$ GOSUB :== @sys$sysdevice:[utilities.com]gosub
$ RETURN :== @sys$sysdevice:[utilities.com]return
$ GOBACK :== @sys$sysdevice:[utilities.com]goback
$ WHERE :== @sys$sysdevice:[utilities.com]where
... and you will have these four words defined. You can use any word you
like (an example is STACK instead of WHERE) but the right sides must be the
same. These will NOT be installed on a system-wide basis because there is
still hope that GOSUB and RETURN may become legal, real words in command
procedures, and we would then have to pick something else for these things.
GOSUB works like set default (that's what it is for), but it saves
the current default (device included) on a symbolic stack. Return does the
obvious thing. Gosub takes one argument, the place to gosub to. (what
you would feed set default). If you don't supply it, you will be prompted.
Return reminds you a) where you are returning to, or b) that you blew it
and don't have anywhere to return to; in which case it sets you up in your
"login directory", which has the permanent logical name SYS$LOGIN .
GOBACK is intended for those people who can't make up their mind (like
Owen and me) and shuttle back and forth between the directories. GOBACK is
for when you did too many returns; another word for GOBACK might be UNRETURN.
WHERE lets you know what kind of a mess you are in. Specifically, it
lists, in order, all the places you've "visited". It points out (quite
literally) where you are (your current default directory, no matter HOW you
got there (gosub, set default, return, goback) and where you would go if you
used the GOBACK and RETURN verbs (it assumes you would use those words).
It should be mentioned that your current default is saved, when you
do a GOSUB, a RETURN, or a GOBACK; so that SET DEFAULT is still consistent
with the meaning of all these words. The best way to understand what they
do is to play with the words (use WHERE a lot). Hopefully, it should be
obvious what is going on.
I believe it is working properly, but if you find something wrong,
please let me know.
I know I will be sorry, but "let me know if you have suggestions for
improvement."
PS: RESTART will blow this away, as expected; you will have nowhere
to return to.
sas
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From: KIM::BABCOCK 18-JUL-1983 12:04
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER.UAF
Subj: Automated compilation
For any programmer who builds game programs in bits and pieces (and for those
who would like to but get a bad taste in their mouthes), there is now a .COM
file for you.
Called MAKE (as in SYS$SYSDISK:[UTILITIES.COM]MAKE.COM), it will compile your
new sources or any with errors and link them together into the game program.
MAKE works off your .LNK file (which you probably need to get the program
linked properly), extracting file names, compiling those .MAC files which
are newer than their .OBJ files, or older than their .ERR files, and if no
errors are indicated, linking the game program together with the .LNK file.
There are options for printing .LIS files (no print is the default),
and using alternate compilers (MAC65 is the default).
At present, there is no provision for handling include files; if you change
an include file, you'll need to either delete the corresponding .OBJ files
or update the .MAC files using the include file.
Examples:
$ MAKE := @SYS$SYSDISK:[UTILITIES.COM]MAKE
$ MAKE SAMURI ! MAKE SAMURAI GAME PROGRAM
$ MAKE SAMURI /L MAC68 ! LIST COMPILED PROGRAMS AND USE 6809 ASSEMBLER
$ MAKE
_Link file: SAMURI
_List/Nolist: L
_Assembler: MAC65
Remember, no longer will you worry about which files need to be compiled,
or whether the game program is the latest version. Just use MAKE and be sure!
(Any suggestions or comments may be directed to Eddie Babcock).
edb
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From: KIM::SUTTLES 19-JUL-1983 13:46
To: @SYS$MAIL:COINOP
Subj: Private data backups
Due to a severe increase in demand, we are forced to state some
kind of policy on private archival backup tapes. Effective immediately,
anyone can have a backup done on a BYOT (bring your own tape) basis.
If you provide a tape to Sharron, along with a specification of
files to be backed up, she will process the backup and return the tape.
Deletion of the files is UP TO YOU. The safekeeping of the tape is also
your own responsibility. We will continue the current backup schedule
as normal (every noon, to be kept til noon the next day; every morning, to
be kept a week, except for fridays, which are kept a month, except for
the LAST friday of each month, to be kept a year). These tapes we will
retain; but we don't have the storage nor the media for everyone to have
a tape or two of their own.
If you choose this approach, redundancy is YOUR HEADACHE. If something
happens to your own tape, and it is not on any of the tapes we still have,
your data will be lost. Note that there is the possibility of damage to the
tape, as well as accidental erasure, when adding to an existing set. It
is reccommended that you keep separate tapes for separate projects, instead
of trying to "cheap out" and fit twenty sets on one tape. If sets one
thru 19 get blown away when you add number 20, you would be very upset.
The moral of the story is that if the data is important enough to keep,
you should keep it as a set, intact, and seperate. We will not mount the
media write-enabled for a restore; but in order to add to the set, you run
the risk of accidental overwrite.
All of the above applies to floppies, as well as tape; floppies are
a little more convenient to store, but don't hold as much. Rough figures
follow:
Tape (2400 ft, 8KB block size) = 40MB storage, or 80,000 disk blocks
(figure 75K blocks after backup adds its own overhead)
Floppies (single density, our default) = .25MB, or 500 disk blocks.
Floppies (double density, YOU MUST SPECIFY) = .5MB, or 1,000 disk
blocks. If you want double density, all of the floppies to be written on
must be pre-initialized before the backup starts. Therefore, you need to
KNOW beforehand just how many floppies are to be used.
Floppies can be file structured, meaning they can have directories
on them, and are much easier to update (as opposed to backup sets, which have
to be created all at the same time). Multi-volume sets only apply to the
backup program; if it won't fit on one floppy, you need a backup set on more
that one floppy, or one or more tapes. Do a $DIR/SIZ to find out how much
data you have. This should probably make the answer obvious.
If I can help you determine your needs, give me a call.
sas
___________________________________________________________________________
From: ERNIE::SHEPPERD 21-JUL-1983 20:02
To: @SYS$MAIL:COINOP
Subj: Cross talk
Effective the next time you login, 3 new commands that allow users on Kim to
inspect things on Ernie and visa-versa.
$ KSHO*W argument1[,...,argument8] !show Kim's stuff
$ ESHO*W argument1[,...,argument8] !show Ernie's stuff
where "argument" is any legal argument available
to the DCL SHOW command. If an argument begins
with a non-alphanumeric character (/ for example),
then the argument must be enclosed in double
quotes (").
The following commands are short hand versions of the SHOW QUE command.
$ KSQ [que] !show Kim's device que(s)
$ ESQ [que] !show Ernie's device que(s)
If the "que" argument is ommited, you'll get a listing of all jobs in all
ques.
The following commands are useful for removing jobs from remote print
ques (cuz you decided you didn't want the listing or its spitting out
reams of paper or the printer broke etc.)
$ KDELE job_number que !delete entry from remote que
$ EDELE job_number que !delete entry from remote que
The "job_number" and the "que" are required paramaters and can be obtained
by doing the "xSQ" command described above. You will be prompted if you
leave them off.
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From: KIM::SHEPPERD 26-JUL-1983 18:55
To: @engineer.uaf
Subj: New assembler MAC65C
MAC65C (available the next time you login or RESTART) is the new assembler
for the 65C02 CMOS processor. This processor, in case you've never heard
of it, is object code compatible with the 650x but has some extra goodies.
It was deemed better to have a different assembler for the CMOS part rather
than slow down MAC65 more to accomodate all the "special case" instructions.
MAC65C assembles everything MAC65 assembles exactly the same (I hope). MAC65C,
however, assembles the following extra stuff:
Indirect addressing on ADC,AND,CMP,EOR,LDA,ORA,SBC and STA
example- LDA N,page_zero_address
or LDA @page_zero_address
Branch on bit BBR (Branch if Bit Reset) and BBS (Branch if Bit Set)
example- BBS bit_number,page_zero_address,destination
BIT #, BIT ZX, and BIT AX, instruction address modes
BRA branch always
DEC and INC accumulator (no operand implies accumulator)
JMP NX,address or JMP @address(X) jump indirect (address=16 bits)
PHX, PHY, PLX and PLY stack X or Y instructions
RMB (reset memory bit) and SMB (set memory bit) instructions
eaxmple- RMB bit_number,page_zero_address
STZ (store zero) with 4 address modes
example- STZ Z,page_zero_address
STZ A,absolute_address
STZ ZX,page_zero_address
STZ AX,absolute_address
TRB (Test and Reset Bits) and TSB (Test and Set Bits) with
2 address modes
example- TRB Z,page_zero_address
TSB A,absolute_address
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::SHEPPERD 6-SEP-1983 14:25
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER
Subj: Using the DIO model 29 gangpak
The VAX can make the gangpak work now. The gangpak can program up to 65k of
data into up to 8 EPROMs. All you have to do is tell the DIO how much data you
want programmed by specifying a range of addresses to program. For example:
suppose your program is 32k bytes long and you want to program it into 4
2732's. The procedure would appear:
$ DIO
DIO_COMMAND: FILE your_file_name
DIO_COMMAND: DEVICE 2732
(place 4 EPROMs in sockets 1 through 4)
DIO_COMMAND: PROGRAM 8000-FFFF
The DIO procedure will check that all the EPROMs are blank (that may take a few
seconds) and if one or more is not blank will turn on the LED under the failing
part and prompt you for a go-ahead. It then down loads your data (which may
take a few minutes) and checks that the EPROMs are programmable (illegal bit
test). If one or more EPROMs is not blank and can't be programmed it will give
you the option of replacing the EPROM's whose LED is on and testing again
(saves the download time). Once programming starts the LED's under the parts
detected in sockets are lit and data is programmed into them (this is F A S T).
If you don't specify an ending address, it assumes as before that only 1 EPROM
is to be programmed.
After all programming is done, the DIO computes and displays the checksum for
each EPROM in the programming set.
At some time in the near future the DIO will display a map of what data is
written in which EPROM. As it is now though, you'll have to figure out for
yourself what is where. Its pretty easy for 8 bit data words:
socket 1 = start_address thru start_address+EPROM_size-1
" 2 = start_address+EPROM_size thru start_address+<EPROM_size*2>-1
etc.
I.E. in the previous example:
socket 1 = 8000-9FFF
" 2 = A000-BFFF
" 3 = C000-DFFF
" 4 = E000-FFFF
sockets 5-8 not used
If your EPROM set takes 4 or fewer sockets then you can program more than one
set at the same time. All you have to do is stuff the EPROMS into the empty
sockets before you start the programming and the system will figure out that
you did that and program them for you. In the above example you could have
stuffed EPROMS into sockets 5-8 and they too would have been programmed (and
checked for blank and illegal bits). Note, however, that the second set gets
programmed beginning with the first empty socket not with any particular row or
column. For example if your EPROM set consisted of 3 parts and you wanted to
program 2 sets, the first set would go into sockets 1-3, the second set would
go into sockets 4-6 and sockets 7 and 8 would have to remain empty.
Happy programming,
ds
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::SUTTLES 23-SEP-1983 08:22
To: @SYS$MAIL:JUNK
Subj: "DAILY" has been added; lots of new users: try this.
It has come to my attention (regularly) that ALARM is nice, but
what we REALLY need is for the computer to remind us of the things to do
that day. You'll have to make other arrangements for fetching the paper
and breakfast in bed (no crackers), but I think I may help with the other
motherly aspects.
You can now have the computer remind you that (since today is friday)
your time card is due. Or that you have a dentist appointment. Or whatever.
You have a number of choices, which will become evident shortly.
First, create a subdirectory [.NAG] off of your main directory.
Then edit your LOGIN.COM file to include the line:
$ @SYS$SYSDEVICE:[UTILITIES.COM]NAG
... which will run each time you log in.
What NAG does, is look in your
subdirectory (and create a name SYS$NAG to get at it) for files. It will:
Figure out where your NAG directory is.
Find out what is todays date, ala 830717 (1983, 7'th month, 17'th day)
as well as what day of the week it is (Sunday) and the standard three letter
abbreviation (coincidently the first three letters of the long name) (Sun in
this case). The proper spelling for Wed is WEDNESDAY, by the way.
Look for each of the following and do the appropriate thing (execute
the command file or type the text file):
'weekday'.com ! as in "SUNDAY"
'weekday'.day ! SUNDAY.DAY will be typed
'dow'.com ! SUN.COM will be executed
'dow'.day ! SUN.DAY will be typed
'date'.com ! 830717.com, remember?
'date'.day ! this gets typed
daily.com ! every day (7 days a week, not 5)
daily.day ! this one too
Each time it finds something to do, it will follow it with a blank
line, for separation. You can leave notes to yourself, by creating a file
FRIDAY.DAY that contains the note about time cards; or a command file
FRIDAY.COM that does anything you want to do on friday (copy an empty status
report template over an existing one, for example). You can leave notes
by date (in 831223.day, you might put a message "DO YOUR SHOPPING!!!").
Note that NOTHING is guaranteed (no such thing as a free breakfast in
bed); you have to log in to make it happen. And it is not neccesarily unique;
if you log in more than once in the same day, you will go through it twice.
But, it might make things a little easier.
As usual, if you should discover any errors, I will disavow any
knowlege of this message.
sas
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::SHEPPERD 23-SEP-1983 16:31
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER.UAF
Subj: New MACXX and Linkm
Warning Warning Danger Danger
I just released a new version of MAC65,MAC69,MAC11,MACRO and LINKM. These
have been tested extensively but as any programmer knows, sometimes a bug
or 2 can sneak through. Most of the changes were put in to help the AMAC
user's to convert to MAC65 (further changes forthcoming). But in case your
intrested this is what's different:
MAC65, MAC69, MAC11 and LINKM have new unary operators:
^^glbexp - use the upper 8 bits of the "glbexp"
equivalent to <glbexp>&0FF00/100
^Vglbexp - use the lower 8 bits of the "glbexp"
equivalent to <glbexp>&0FF
^~glbexp - switch the bytes around (no equivalent)
glbexp1\glbexp2 - modulo expression 1 by expression 2
(not too sure about it if exp2 is negative)
glbexp1{glbexp2 - shift expression 1 left expression 2 bits
glbexp1}glbexp2 - shift expression 1 right expression 2 bits
The term "glbexp" is any legal assembler expression which may contain
any combination of local and global symbols and/or other "glbexp"'s.
The minor changes to RT-11 MACRO include .RADIX 16 and it displays
assembly errors at the terminal as MAC65 does.
ds
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::SHEPPERD 29-SEP-1983 21:12
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER.UAF
Subj: More about MAC65, MAC69, MAC11
WARNING WARNING DANGER DANGER
Once again I've released another version of MACxx (6.1) and LINKM (6.7).
They shouldn't mess up but.....
The addition to MAC65 and MAC69 is the .ENABL GBL directive that causes
ALL undefined symbols to automatically be declared global. This is handy
when you break your program in pieces and don't want to be bothered with
.GLOBL'ng everything. The disadvantage is that real undefined symbols
won't be detected until after you've linked your files.
MAC65 has also had added the .ENABL MOS directive that changes the
address mode syntax to be the MOS TECHNOLOGY standard format (AMAC
format). Note that if the MOS is .ENABL'd then the other formats are
flagged with an error. All illegal address modes in either format will
now be flagged with a "Q" error instead of the all encompassing "A"
error. Also "P" errors are not likely to occur anymore because I put
in forward reference handling. I.E.
.DSABL MOS .ENABL MOS
---------- -----------
LDA #addr ==> LDA #addr ;no change
LDA I,addr ==> LDA #addr ;immediate mode
LDA addr ==> LDA addr ;abs or zpage
LDA Z,addr ==> LDA addr ;abs or zpage
LDA A,addr ==> LDA addr ;abs or zpage
ASL ==> ASL ;accum mode no change
CLC ==> CLC ;implied mode no change
LDA NX,addr ==> LDA (addr,X) ;indexed by X indirect
LDA @addr(X) ==> LDA (addr,X) ;indexed by X indirect
LDA NY,addr ==> LDA (addr),Y ;indirect indexed by Y
LDA ZX,addr ==> LDA addr,X ;abs or zpage indexed by X
LDA X,addr ==> LDA addr,X ;abs or zpage indexed by X
LDA AX,addr ==> LDA addr,X ;abs or zpage indexed by X
LDA AY,addr ==> LDA addr,Y ;abs or zpage indexed by Y
BCC addr ==> BCC addr ;relative no change
JMP N,addr ==> JMP (addr) ;indirect
JMP @addr ==> JMP (addr) ;indirect
LDA N,addr ==> LDA (addr) ;zpage indirect (MAC65C only)
LDX ZY,addr ==> LDA addr,Y ;abs or zpage indexed by Y
dms
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::SUTTLES 4-OCT-1983 14:23
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER
Subj: Programming in C ... and then what?
Hi there, UnixPhiles.
Everyone and their brother has been wanting to know how to make
their C programs runnable after running them through the C Compiler (CC),
with Vax-11 C.
Due to Dave's discovery of the location of the elusive object library,
the story can now be told.
You may:
$LINK your_file_list,SYS$LIBRARY:CRTLIB/LIB
...but if you are gonna work mostly in C, you will probably want to
put in your LOGIN.COM:
$ ASSIGN SYS$LIBRARY:CRTLIB LNK$LIBRARY
...which will cause the linker to look there by default, WHETHER OR NOT
THE SOURCE WAS WRITTEN IN C. That's why we won't be doing it for everybody.
sas
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::FXL 6-OCT-1983 12:57
To: @SYS$MAIL:ENGINEER
Subj: uploading from the development system to the VAX
Yes indeed, you can now upload data directly from the development
system to the VAX. Just look at the file [FXL]UPLOAD.DOC to find
out how. Let me know of any bugs or suggestions for improvements.
Franz
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::HODGES 25-OCT-1983 15:32
To: @SYS$MAIL:COINOP
Subj: Sound Effect Records
The following sound effect records are available on a check-out basis.
Please see me if you would like to check any of them out.
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 1
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 2
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 3
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 4
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 5
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 6
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 7
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 8
Authentic Sound Effects - Volume 9
Environments - Turn your hi-fi into a phychoacoustic device
Environments - The magic of psychoacoustics sound
Environments - An amazing piece of wax
Environments - Disc 1
Environments - Disc 2 (2)
Environments - Disc 3
Environments - Disc 4 (2)
Environments - Disc 5 (2)
Environments - Disc 6
Environments - Disc 7
Environments - Disc 8
Environments - Disc 11
Solitudes - Volume 3
Solitudes - Volume 4
Solitudes - Volume 7
Sound Effects, Aircraft - Volume 1
Sound Effects, Automobiles - Volume 3
Sound Effects, Crowds - Volume 4
Sound Effects, Industrial/Household
Sound Effects, Military - Volume 7
Sound Effects, Weather/Water - Volume 9
Sound Effects, Miscellaneous - Volume 10
Sounds of Antiques
Sound Effects - Volume 6
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::VICKERS 22-NOV-1983 10:36
To: @SYS$MAIL:JUNK
Subj: A Computer Bulletin Board for Disarmament
Another item for your ever-growing directory of nukewar mail:
The Stanford Arms Control and Disarmament Forum announces the
establishment of a computer based conference tree dedicated to discussion
and dissemination of information on this crucial topic. We welcome your
participation. Instructions for use and a sample conference tree dialog
follow. You may add to the conference tree if you wish without a password.
1) You will need a personal computer or terminal and a 300 baud
modem.
2) Dial (415)948-1474. If you get a busy signal hang up and try
again in a few minutes. If the node is not busy you should hear 2 or 3
rings followed by a whistling tone indicating that the node is sending
carrier.
If using a modem with an acoustic coupler, put the telephone handset
into the rubber cups.
3) Press the CARRIAGE RETURN (CR) key several times. The node should
respond with the start-up message, followed by the line:
COMMAND?
4) If you need help, type READ HELP (CR). This will show you the on-
line help messages.
5) Type BROWSE CONFERENCES (CR) to see a summary of the information
on the node.
COMMAND? read conferences
*** CONFERENCES 0-JAN-80
PARENT= NONE USAGE=389
CURRENT CONFERENCES ON THIS CONFERENCE TREE SYSTEM ARE:
+++ SUBMESSAGES +++
HELP
USERS
SYSTEM
GENERAL-INFO
REFERENCES
CPSR (COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY)
SACDF
LEGISLATIVE-ACTION
CALENDAR
BUY-SELL
HARDWARE-PROB
PROJECTS
MAIL
COMMENT
STRATEGIC-ISSUES
RUSSIANS
OTHER-BULL-BOARDS
NUC-WAR-PREVENTION
I haven't called it yet, for I haven't a modem. Let me know if you
try it, if it is interesting, etc.
Earl
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::RUBIN 12-DEC-1983 17:18
To: @SYS$MAIL:JUNK
Subj: help save your fingers.....
The following is a public service announcement to all of
you who are as lazy as I:
Imagine if you will....you log onto KIM (sorry ERNIE, I have not
yet written this for you, but its comming soon!!!!) and you see the
message "You have 1 new mail", or at least something like that. After
everything clever in your login.com file finishes, wouldn't be nice to
simply go straight into mail? And while on your way there, how about if
the computer shows you all the MAI files (old or filed mail) you have, so
just in case you might want to file this new message away and can't remember
all the names, you'll know where it could go!
Well wait no longer.......LAZY PEOPLES ANNOMYOUS , a division of
RUBIN industries is proud to present you with a new energy savings
vax "UTILITY"(?). Now you no longer have to type ' DIR *.MAI' followed
by MAIL. Now the computer will do this for you. But wait, there's more!
When you are done reading and filing your mail, this new utility will
update the proper flags so if any new mail occures after you log out,
you will go directly to mail the next time you log in (or do a restart).
So I'll bet you are all asking yourself "How do I get this nifty
program???" OH, your not????? Well here's how to order:
Add to your LOGIN.COM file the following:
1). MAIL :== @SYS$SYSDEVICE:[UTILITIES.COM]MAIDIR
You should define this near the top of you login.com file, but at the
least before the next line, which should be the last item before your
EXIT in your login.com:
2) @SYS$SYSDEVICE:[UTILITIES.COM]MAILCK
The above will check for a change in revision numbers for mail (which will
happen if a) you delete mail, b) you recieve mail) and if different from
the last time your EXIT'ed mail, will enter mail directly.
A few words of caution: If you do this and then call MAIL with
anything but MAIL (such as MAI), the proper update will not occure and
you may enter mail the next time you log in, even though no new mail exists.
Also, you should always exit mail with EX. I'm not sure what a CTRL-Y will do
here. If you goofed in mail, then get out with QUIT. Also note that these
routines create a file called MAIL.RVN in your directory. Don't worry about
this file, its very small and is necessary for this nifty little gadget
to work correctly
Questions regarding this, or any problems should be directed to
RUBIN, and not to SHEPPERD or SUTTLES (please!!!!!)
Try it, you might like it!!!
Owen <lazy> Rubin
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::PETROKA 12-DEC-1983 19:41
To: @SYS$MAIL:JUNK
While we're on the subject, I might mention that Ronald Wilson Reagan anagrams
into Insane Anglo Warlord. A public service message.
Earl
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::CALFEE 16-DEC-1983 13:50
To: @SYS$MAIL:COINOP
Subj: Atari 800 Software Theft
It has been brought to my attention that some stolen Atari computer
software may now be residing on one or more of our VAXes.
This is intolerable.
We are a company whose existance depends on software sales, and every
ATARI game that was in a cartridge and has been put on disc and then
on the VAX is a potential leak to the outside world that can impact
sales. Any competitors' games that might be on the system could
substantially weaken Atari's cases against piracy in court. People
who participate in stealing software are risking their jobs and the
company's future.
Please delete all questionable files immediately!!!
As Jed would say, Thank you or else.
Steve Calfee
___________________________________________________________________________
From: KIM::ZIEGLER 21-DEC-1983 11:21
To: @SYS$MAIL:JUNK
Subj: And you thought you had a bad day...
Dear Sir:
I am writing in response to your request for additional information in block
#3 of the accident reporting form. I put "poor planning" as the cause of my
accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully and I
trust that the following details will be sufficient.
I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone
on the roof of a new building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I
had about 500 pounds of bricks left over. Rather than carry the bricks down
the stairs by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley which
was attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel
out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went down to the ground and untied
the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of
bricks. You will note in block #11 of the accident reporting form that my
weight is 182 pounds.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my
presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I went
at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel which was proceeding in
a downward direction at an equally impressive rate of speed. This explains the
fractured skull, minor abrasions and broken collarbone, as listed in section 3
of the accident reporting form.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the
fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley, which I
mentioned in paragraph #2 of this correspondence.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind and was able to
hold tightly to the rope in spite of the excruciating pain I was now beginning
to experience.
At approximately the same time however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground!
The bottom fell out of the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, the
barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in block #11. As you might imagine, I began a
rapid descent down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts
for the two fractured ankles, broken tooth, the severe laccerations of my legs
and the lower body.
Here my luck began to change slightly. The encounter with the barrel seemed
to slow it enough to lessen my injuries when i fell into the pile of bricks and
fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the pile of bricks in
pain, unable to move and watching the empty barrel six stories above me, I
again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope.
}
