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│ About modems and more... │
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(C) Nikolaychuk Taras,
Nadvirna, Ivano-Frankivsk region,
t. (03475) 2-60-88
Greetings to all readers of the new
electronic newspaper of the glorious city of Leo. B
I want to share this short article with
you have some thoughts, ideas on the matter,
relatively new direction of development
our beloved Spectrum. It's about
about this area of computer use,
like communication and connection.
Until recently, concepts such as
modem, network, email, associated
worked exclusively with “big” cars -
mi, that is, with an IBM PC. Nowsituation in german
a lot has changed - networks opened in Moscow,
St. Petersburg, there is information about the network in Zaporozhye
(Rasp: in addition, there are networks in Kharko-
ve, Minsk, Brest, and many other cities
Dah exUSSR) and, I hope, in Lvov. These se-
They are non-profit, Fido-like
mi, have gateways with Fido and Internet, through them
various echo conferences run and
email. You can learn more about them
You can find out from such electronic publications,
like ZX-FORMAT, ON LINE, ZX-NEWS. I want
briefly review the existing
general software for working in
networks.
The first in the Lviv software market
software appeared terminal program
ISMODEM framework, which worked in the OS environment
IS-DOS and supported two types of hardware -
the simplest Tare-modem or Vicomm, and
CDOS modem (an improved version of the co-
which will soon be available for sale from Sergei
Filimonov). At that time about the modem for
No one has heard of Spectrum, so come
elk soldered the modem container with his own
designs and master such hardware
world of communications. The program worked on
three fixed speeds (600, 900 and
1200 baud), which must be knocked out
manually, and could transmit/receive
files with control of each block (128
byte), that isguaranteed authenticity
received information. Then ISMODEM looked
things were cool, there was even a terminal mode with
possibility of logging to file
loggin, reception/transmission reliability is sufficient
exactly high (only with this program-
frames I can more or less successfully connect
travel with Lvov intercity). But from her
soon had to give up because of such inconsistencies
wealth:
- the main operating system is -
after all, TR-DOS, and constant pumping
Transferring files from one system to another
requires additional time and effort;
- no automatic speed selection;
- and the main disadvantage is that it is not provided
the ability to control another computer,
in other words, based on this BBS system
you won't organize it.
These and other shortcomings of ISMODEM have
or turn to Muscovites and purchase from
them CDOS (Communication Data Operation
System). Based on this program and
The Moscow ZXNET network was built. Ideas for
placed in this system by a whole order
raise it above ISMODEM. This is possible
ability to turn a regular Spectrum into a BBS, and
possibility of setting to optimal speed
growth, and the magnitude of the exchange rate itself,
password access, the ability to break the connection
zi with its subsequent restoration from that
the place where the stop occurred. Based on
givenprogram was organized by BBS,
which regularly serves its subscribers
tov for more than six months (Rasp: very
interesting; it is possible that Taras became the first
Sysop on the territory of Western Ukraine).
At the same time, I would like to note
that the program was written in 1995 and with that
time, virtually no improvement
has been updated and is now clearly outdated -
poor interface, lack of terminal
mode, glitches when working in TURBO2 mode,
impossibility of organizing different levels
user access, lack of protocol
lyirovaniya work BBS (version 1.14 not in
account, since it only works normally on
turbocharged "Lvovs").
Based on experience with various systems
with themes I will allow myself to formulate the main
new requirements for programs of such
class:
- CDOS exchange routines are recommended
put your best foot forward and, in my opinion,
could form the basis of a new system;
- possibility of automatic detection
number - the hardware of the modem has all the non-
necessary elements in order to implement
lyse this function;
- support for real time clock functions
me - such a port has already become on the Spectrum
standard and supported by such boards
forms such as PROFI, SCORPION, ATM-TURBO;
- built-in text viewer and graphicsfics;
- built-in block compressor, which
will allow you to compress information on the fly, and
thereby actually increasing the metabolic rate
to (Rasp: as a coder, I believe that the
you can lyse programmatically, “on the fly”
only a simple RLE compressor, on other
better, more effective, there won’t be enough money
processor power. Better before shipping
archive information with ZXZIP, and then
reception unzip with ZXUNZIP - re-
the result will be approximately the same, if not
better);
- logging of server operation;
- priority password access to information
mation on the server (can be changed by Sysop
depending on the activity of a particular
user);
- issuing by the server when connecting a prompt -
ki in symbolic mode. Its volume is about
kilobyte;
- issuance to the user by the server of all mail
you that have accumulated since the last
session with him (with its subsequent destruction-
eat);
- Kempston Mouse support.
In the sixth issue of ZX-FORMAT magazine there was
a new St. Petersburg development has been placed - ter-
MacroModem terminal with driver for
Vicomm modem. Evaluate the performance of this system
byethat it was not possible, although immediately
the old “sin” attracts attention
ISMODEM - lack of flexible settings
speed and the impossibility of changing it during
operating time, depending on condition
lines. And the statement that the server
the program will only work on machines
with 256 kilograms of memory, does not inspire
great optimism :-( (Rasp: I think
that optimism should return my statement:
now the owners of the "Lviv variant"
will be able to install 512K RAM - more
detailed information will be in the following news
measures of "Optocoupler" ;-)).
In general, the set of functions and interface remain
leaves a pleasant impression, and what’s most
the main thing is that the system is open, then
Yes, you can develop your own drivers
ry, at least for the same CDOS modem. I hope
I think that if talents were found in Lvov,
who brought iron to "mind", there will also be
coders who will make this hardware work
throw at the appropriate level (Rasp:
Being one of those coders I can say-
Note that at the moment MMD 2.20+ is working
melts on CDOS hardware at 600 speeds
and 1800 baud, speed 2400 so far only os-
sculpted).
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R.S. from Rasp
This article was originally written
in Ukrainian. But realizing that ha-
Zeta can be read not only in Lviv,
but also in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk or in some
in any other city (and this is quite
perhaps, given that the newspaper circulates
via the international network ZXNET), and, fearing
To be misunderstood, I decided to translate it.
I practically did the same thing.
May work the same as Tapacom when writing
original. Therefore, we ask everyone who
writes serious articles in the newspaper: please
please write in Russian, then that's it
will be able to understand you, and besides, there will be no
distortions in translation. And one more
request: give specific articles
names that reflect the true
the meaning of the material presented in the article.
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