Pot-Pourri - “Open appeal” to Spectrumists, held at the ZX conference.

 Below is an "Open Appeal" to
spectrumists, held at the ZX conference.
SPECTRUM in April of this year;  author - Pavlukhin
Dmitry from Chernogorsk, rep. Khakassia.

  The text of the “Appeal” is provided with comments
Cergey Zonov (ZS), sent to the same
kconference May 4, 1998

ZX.SPECTRUM ──────────────────────────────
From: Pheskov Kuzma 2:5007/5.27 04/21/98
To : All 04/23/98

  How are you, All?

  ATTENTION!   These thoughts were not expressed by me!
You can send your answers to the address indicated in the
ce "Appeals" postal address or to my
Fido's address. Since the author does not have
access to the network, then ON-LINE dialogue will not take place
det. I will pass on your comments to the author.

  OPEN APPEAL

From: Pavluhin Dmitry
To : All

  I was prompted to write this letter
numerous "glitches" of the system, discovered
useful when writing your own commander
using the Shadow Monitor functions
ra called via RST 8.

  The letter is intended primarily for hundreds of
mines of the SCORPION company, as well as those who
will see it and want to read it.  Maybe
perhaps among these people there will be a kind spirit
sha, which not only will not erase him from dis-
ka as unnecessary, but will also pass it on
to his friend Sinclairist.

  ZS Scorpion. "Glitches" of the system

  One of the first problems I had
encountered - this is running BASIC files with
connected section.

  Typically, to run a BASIC file, in memory
They create a string like RANDOMIZE USR
15619:REM:RUN "file name" and transmit the
management in BASIC. However, in SCORPION (on
at the moment) this is not possible. And that's why-
mu.

  Let's say from the shadow Monitor we feed
connected the disk image to drive A
               colO1DiskOЗ
and we can quite work with him even from Mo-
nitor, even through TR-DOS. But if we are under
key using function #81 at С=35
($hddmount), instead of it some other
goy disk, for example,
               colO2DiskO5,
then you get the following:

when calling via #3D13, the call goes to
colO2DiskO5 and everything is fine, but it costsonly access the disk through 15619 (from
BASIC, for example), then connecting colO2
DiskO5 will sink into oblivion, and instead of it from
sector of HDD settings is considered to be the path
colO1DiskOЗ and further operations will be
spent with him.

If you guessed it, then in the case of comman-
der`om this will lead to sad results -
there, and therefore all attempts to work with sub-
key section are doomed to failure. Here
This is where the save function would come in handy.
of the chosen path in the traffic sector
triples, but its existence can be confirmed
guess only from indirect facts -
The Monitor itself somehow does this!  Want-
I would like to note that I used
connecting with a character string of the form
[dr:][]partdisk. Maybe it was necessary to use
be a descriptor? (required in the evening
I'll check).

  The next noticed "glitch" is related to cha-
yourself. When trying to read the current time
menu as an ASCII string, first time all
reads perfectly, but with the following
requests, instead of the expected change in time-
neither, we get the same value, and this is
continues until it is restored
use some other RST function
8. After this, time changes and everything changes
is torn first.  To be fair,
It is worth noting that reading the current
time in the form of 6 bytes of such features
doesn't have them.

  A flaw was noticed in the subroutine
displaying a symbol in the window:when trying to display
this string of characters with different attributes,
some of the symbols disappeared without a trace.  In the shade-
Wiki lacks output routine
screen of a string of characters, and when writing
own, using RST 8 (#84), speed
The growth of her work is depressing.  I don't know who
how, but I don’t always correctly determine
The current screen is displayed (scrS or scr7?). Ho-
cha, if you look at the circuit diagram
mu computer, you can see that bit D3
port #7ffd is set to bit D3 universal
greasy port of music processor and, consequently,
Therefore, the current screen must be determined
no problem. Maybe this is due to the fact that
I have a YN-2149F, and the shadow guy just can’t
work with him?

ZS: Unfortunately, the bit with the screen number is at least
and was launched, but in practice it was necessary to refuse
zto avoid using it, since it
incauses much more problems than this
has when not in use. And the statements
ttype "no problem" are done only on
hat the final stage of thinking about the issue.

  In general, misidentification is not truescary, and you can come to terms with it (pressed
MAGIC, entered the shadow and turned on the desired
screen), but if you have a HDD it’s so easy
you won't get away with it.  Whenever you contact
"screw", and most likely - at any RST 8,
shadow detects the current scr then turns on
says scr7, does his business and, before
gate to the calling program, turns on the
her definite scr. As a result, if
correct definition during operations with
HDD, there is a nice one on the screen
MULTICOLOR from the lines of the 5th and 7th screens.
When working with HDD, the shadow switch turns on
TURBO mode, but forgets to turn it off.  One-
however, with all the shortcomings, the use
HDD has so many advantages that they
against the background, the shortcomings fade.  The most important thing is
the speed of working with files increases and
the volume of information to which
there is quick access.

  ZS Scorpion. Goods by mail

  The reason for the second half of the letter was
core distributed by SCORPION an-
chum salmon Judging by its contents, the company is engaged
was involved in marketing research.  Outcome
Because of this, I would like to express my dis-
so many critical comments.

  Execution of orders.  Orders are being fulfilled
very slow and inaccurate.

ZS: We know that we are doing it slowly. Old
ewe want to do it faster, buthere's how we can-
wthat's how we work.  Hire
dadditional people and thereby indirectly
ywe do not increase the cost of goods
blet's go.  There will be many dissatisfied people - there will be
mfewer orders, we will fulfill them faster.

  An example of this is my purchase
the company has assembled and debugged com-
Pewter. After my order (it was in
end of 1996) for two months I was unsuccessful
waited and hoped, and when patience came
limit, decided to remind of his existence
vovaniya. Imagine my surprise
when in response to my call they told me,
that the order was completed a week after delivery
receiving translation.  After this, in joy
excited, simultaneously cursing everything
mail of this world, I went home and
grazed with truly angelic patience. Via
two weeks later I received the long-awaited computer
ter, with the date of dispatch on the postmark
corresponded to the next day after my
last call.  As they say, commentary
Taries are unnecessary.  However, this incident
It didn't deter me at all. After that I
I also ordered floppy disks with programs from the company.
This timethe receipt period was 6 days
del (at the same time, I did not forget to remind you of my
We eat the order some time after the
editing money). And everything would be fine, but it turns out
I wish we had been through similar stories
many of my friends.

  Here's a recent example. One person at all
recently, I ordered control from SCORPION
keyboard controller, bus expander, and disk
you with programs, one of which is RIFF-
-tracker. After two months of waiting and
a few calls later he received his order,
but instead of RIFF-tracker they sent him
program for creating cartoons. Prog-
the frame is good, but only for him, as a musician,
that one, it doesn’t seem to replace that music
cal editor he was waiting for. Mimoho-
house I note that MORTAL COMBAT, written out
they didn’t even work for two days.  At 0
track, sector 2 has deteriorated (this is when
tapered write-protection cutout and import-
drive). Cable for soldering con-
IBM keyboard troller to KBO-KBS pins
was pinned on the connector so amazing
in such a way that two adjacent wires are alternating
kicked each other! In addition, the staff
taking orders, not technically prepared
tovlen and often cannot even briefly
describe the device you are ordering.

ZS: We have allocated time for accepting orders
mI am from 10 to 14. Therefore, call at this time
andYou will not end up with "technically unprepared"
temployed personnel."

  Separately, I would like to say about prices.
Judging by the same questionnaire, then for di-
the company is ready to make a discount of up to 50%
(of course, with the appropriate amount
ve orders), which means that retail
prices are much higher than production costs and planned
my profit.

ZS: Our retail prices are chosen so that
mwe have existed for six years and have not yet
inallied, unlike dozens of companies
dshared with us. In the end, let the purchase
tthe buyer himself decides: to buy or not to buy
pat. So, there are practically alternatives to us
net (this can be seen from the questionnaires received) - not
nour fault, but our merit.  Regarding
withdiscount, - 50% only on certain products, not
andrelated to Spectrum.  For goods
CPectrum theme - no more than 10-15%.

  If the company lowered its prices a little, I
I think the number of her clients would increase.

ZS: And prices are constantly falling.  For ~ a year
oremained at the same level despite
hthen inflation is still ~ 10% per year.

  "ZX-Review". Who will fill the niche?

  For a long time now there have been cries that
"SPECCY is dead." It's easy to shout about it when you have
on the PENTIUM table or, as a last resort,
486. But I know in my small town
20 people with SPECCY and I don’t think it’s ours
The town is one of a kind. Spect-
There are still a lot of roomists around the country, and this one
the computer will live until
timely payment of wages will begin
fees, which will be quite high,
to spend it on things that are not so necessary
my technical miracle.

  Previously, the unifying force for many was
magazine "ZX-Review". But since Infor-
com has curtailed its activities...

ZS: Here is an additional example of what
pis also calculated incorrectly
tdata prices.

...many people don’t even know about the existence
each other and think that they are
Ice of the Mohicans."  None of the existing
current publications have not taken the liberty
occupy the niche previously occupied by "ZX-Review", and
declare that he will not last in this place
one year. On the contrary, everyone runs like rats from
sinking ship, declaring as he runs that
feel like everything they've worked for
no one needs it.  Guys, you're all too much
Let's go commercial! Get profit from
SPECCY is very difficult, especially considering
that the author is trying to price the new program -
rise as high as possible. What is acceptable
mo for the capital, not acceptable for the provinces
tions. It’s not that people here don’t want to pay
to blame the programs, they just can't do it
do at the current price level.  As a result,
the demand for interesting programs is low, although
many would like to have them for their use
Vania.  Of course, it’s up to you to judge everything.
mime, but believe that SPECCY is not dead, and
many people want to work for this company
Computer and beyond. You just need to skillfully sub-
keep and not drive into the heads of the “remaining-
are alive" that "their business is ruinous and worthless
it's not worth it."

Acontact address:

662620 Chernogorsk, st. Yubileinaya, 18-9.
 Pavlukhin Dmitry Anatolyevich.
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  We also provide the opinion of an experienced owner
toZS Scorpion computer regarding text
"Appeals":

  "...I think this appeal is destructive
creative, not creative character.
  Firstly, messages about “glitches” in the system
we need to direct directly to production
driver, and not shout about them to the whole world
well. At least one "... maybe it was necessary
use the descriptor (in the evening you must
I'll check it thoroughly)?.." makes me think about
that a person is not seriously involved in the system
figured it out.
  Next. About the fact that, supposedly, “scorpio” is not always
Yes, it correctly recognizes the turned on screen.
"Scorp" does not have any hardware capabilities -
there is no need to do this, and the only way out is
look in cell 23388, it seems.  This is something
everyone should know...
  In a word, when publishing an appeal, it
it is advisable to dilute with more comments
Tariya..."

  Extended comments to the first hour -
ty "Appeals" editors, unfortunately, do not
disposes;  what is published is
everything. With Dmitry Pavlukhin, of course, we
contacted and received a letter from him, in which
the torus also contains the following words:"I would like
cooperate with ZX-CLUB..." We agree
continue the topic of the ZS Scorpion computer:
nuances of working with HDD, specific software and
etc. Write and we will publish it. And a few
increased emotionality of the text as a whole
is quite understandable and forgivable, and the key to
The second part of the “Address” gives understanding.

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