^C~0|EÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
^C~0|Eº |9Blue Notes|E º
^C~0|EÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼

Dear ~3|9Big Blue Disk^0,

  I have purchased two of your disks and some material is good and some could
use improvement.  For example, the ^1Blueline Text Editor^0 is pretty crude in
this day and age. As a matter of fact, I have used the ^1Blueline Editor^0 up to
this point but can't stand it any longer.  I'm switching to my normal word
processor now.

  There, that's better!  I normally use ^1WordPerfect^0 and I suspect most users
will have some word processor like that or ^1PFS:Write^0 available to them.  Maybe
you might consider deleting your word processor which would allow more room
for programs and discussion.

  I have an IBM PCjr with 640Kb of memory and a Creative Firmware 2nd disk
drive.  Both Issue 3 and Issue 4 worked well on my machine.  I also have an
IBM/XT Compatible at work and ~3|9Big Blue^0 works fine on it as well.

  On Issue 3, ^1Triangle Trouble^0 is good.  ^1African Desert Campaign^0 is difficult
to use and understand.  ^1Tornado Tutor^0 is good. ^1Weather Conversion^0 is also
good.  ^1Hurricane Tracker^0 has possibilities, but is also difficult to use.  I
really don't want to read for 1/2 hour to learn a new game.  ^1Phone Words^0 is
interesting.  ^1Area Code Finder^0 needs a little more sophistication to make it
useful.  ^1Bingo^0 is excellent.  ^1Plane 3-D^0 leaves a lot to be desired (even with
the 3-D glasses).  ^1Basic Cross Reference^0 is excellent.  Parts of ^1Cross Educat^0-
^1ional Software^0 would not even work properly.  Not too good an advertisement 
for a demo disk. 

  All in all, it can't be easy to put together a monthly disk magazine and I
commend you for trying.  While there is still room for improvement, you are
doing a pretty good job so far.

^RTom Davis
^RCotati, CA

^1> You should be more specific about just what didn't work properly in the Cross
^1> Educational Software section.  We haven't gotten any other complaints about
^1> it, so maybe you got a bad disk, or there is some incompatibility between
^1> these programs and your system.
^1>
^1> The ^0BlueLine^1 editor is not intended as a full-featured word processor; if
^1> you have a text editing or word processing program you like better, go ahead
^1> and use it to write your feedback, as long as it generates standard ASCII
^1> files with no imbedded formatting characters.  We include ^0BlueLine^1 mostly
^1> for the benefit of beginners who don't have a full word-processor, or don't
^1> know how to use one, to give them a simple program for entry of feedback, that
^1> can be run directly from our menu.
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Dear Editor:

  After buying (not purchasing, I'm not one to impress people) ~3|9Big Blue Disk^0
#4, I was disappointed and pleased.  I am disappointed with ^1Bits 'n PCs^0 in the
Happy Hacker section, the size of your publication, and the external
characteristics of the operating system.  I'm pleased with the ease of use and
quality of the operating system program.

GRIEF #1

  The ^1Bits 'n PCs^0 article in the Happy Hacker section contained only two bits,
random numbers and typing in programs.  Also they were pretty ordinary.

SOLUTION #1

  There is one thing that I love, and that is LOTS of little tips and hints.
As a programmer, I thrive on this stuff, as well as little programs that
accomplish great feats (I've included one).  Please, MORE bits in ^1Bits 'n PCs^0.
Also, get more advanced.

GRIEF #2

  I think that the size of ~3|9Big Blue^0 is too small.  This coincides with the
external characteristics of the operating system.  Read on...

Solution #2

  It would be great if ~3|9Big Blue^0 contained two disks each issue.  Have the
first disk contain all text articles and the operating system, and the second
disk, programs.  But allocate space on the operating system disk for the PC/MS
DOS system files and COMMAND.COM.  This is done on many commercial programs,
such as The PrintShop.  Now, disks only cost about 50 cents each.  Surely
you're not worried about the cost!  But if it is problem, how about archiving
two disks onto one and include an unarc program.

Xtra #1:  I applaud the fact that you will not be moving in the direction of
Compute! or any other ancient-age magazine, and your ongoing commitment to
individuality.  Also, please keep supporting the PCjr.

Xtra #2:  More ^1Blue Notes^0, and add a Q/A section.  It would be of great value.

Xtra #3:  I am really impressed with the sleek performance of the operating
system.  The opening graphics are superb.

Question:  I noticed the opening graphics (PRESENT.CHN) was written in Turbo
Pascal.  How do you get it on the screen so fast?  I sure would like to
know...

Remark:  Don't forget my little Bits 'n PCs (QUIKWRIT.PAS).

^RJon Ashcroft
^RStockton, CA

P.S.  Love ^1PC-WRITE^0.

^1> You might find some of the things in BITS 'N PC'S to be too elementary, but
^1> many of our readers are computer novices who might find such things to be
^1> helpful.  However, we would like to have a wide variety of hints and tips
^1> for people at all levels.  You can help, by sending in your own tricks and
^1> techniques for making better use of your PC.
^1>
^1> The ^0QUICKWRIT.PAS^1 file is included on this disk.  It contains a routine to
^1> send Turbo Pascal output to your screen much faster than through the usual
^1> 'writeln' statement.
^1>
^1> There have been quite a few double-disk issues recently, and we intend to
^1> continue them in the future.  However, the second disk is usually taken up 
^1> by a large "Blue Plate Special" program, so we don't have a disk free to 
^1> devote entirely to our operating system and text.  Besides, we would not want 
^1> to fill an entire disk with just text; ready-to-run programs are what we do 
^1> best, and most of both disks are filled with them.  That's why there is not 
^1> enough room to install DOS; that would take away a lot of disk space we'd like 
^1> to fill with programs. 
^1>
^1> Squeezing or archiving files (as with the "ARC" program) is generally out,
^1> since we want ~3|9Big Blue Disk^1 to be immediately runnable without any lengthy
^1> decompression process.  Thus, we limit our use of compression to packed
^1> pictures, which can quickly be unpacked onto the screen when they need to
^1> be displayed.
^1>
^1> The picture unpacker, by the way, is written in assembly language, and run
^1> from our Turbo Pascal operating system by way of inline machine code.  That
^1> is why it runs so quickly.
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Dear Sir:

  I have a problem.  After reading the big writeup on the prizes for high 
scores for the Movie Mogul game on Disk No. 5, I had to give it a try. 
Frustration!!  I just got a blank screen and nothing more when I try to run 
the program.  (I am using an AT&T 6300 without any addons other than a 
Keytronic 5151 keyboard and a printer.)  I took a copy of the disk to my 
office and tried it on one of our IBM XT's and it worked fine. 

  Now what is the problem that it won't work on an AT&T?

  I am awaiting your response.
^RJames M. Parsons
^RSacramento, CA

^1> Your problem is apparently that you have AT&T's monochrome graphics board and
^1> a monochrome monitor.  This graphics board is a strange little beast.  When
^1> using colors, it sets different intensities of light for different shades.
^1> Unfortunately, some color combinations which look perfectly good on either
^1> a standard color monitor or a standard Monochrome Display Adapter, are
^1> completely unreadable on the AT&T.  In particular, blue and white show up
^1> as exactly the same shade, so blue text on white background is invisible.
^1> The same is true of red text on a black background.
^1>
^1> We will try to avoid these combinations in the future, or we'll find a way
^1> to determine (through PEEKs, PORTs, DOS calls, or something) when a user has
^1> your particular kind of display adapter, so we can change the colors to a
^1> readable combination.  We use a similar system in our operating system to
^1> adjust the menu colors depending on whether the user has a monochrome or color
^1> display adapter.  Last issue's Streets and Alleys program distinguished
^1> between four distinct display types (monochrome, CGA, EGA, and PCjr) in order
^1> to display the opening screen attractively on all of these.  Now we'll have
^1> one more kind of display to worry about, but we'll cope.
^1>
^1> See Bits 'n PC's in this issue for a discussion of methods of distinguishing
^1> the different display adapters.
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Dear Folks:

  I just received issue 5 of your disk publication (it was the first issue of
my 6 month trial subscription).  On the whole, I am very happy with your
efforts and wish you much luck with the endeavor.

  On the other hand, I am prompted to write because of the "Blue Plate Special"
which was enclosed with issue 5.  This "Personal Learning System" program
purports to help increase one's reading speed as well as reading comprehension.
I do hope it does that, for it certainly ^1will not^0 assist anyone who hopes to
read English words spelled correctly.

  In taking the "survey" I was shocked to find one of the "flashword"
exercises present me with the word "liklihood" (the word appeared in three of
the four answer choices in that "spelling").  Now, that may well be a word,
but not in the English tongue.  The word is actually ^1likelihood^0, and any
reading program that is so shoddily put together deserves not a single sale.
Especially in this age of computerized spelling checkers, it is astonishing
that such a slip was not caught before the product was released (and sold at
prices that suggest quality, no?).

  If I sound like (lik?) a curmudgeon, please understand that I am an educator
and am particularly sensitive to the calls heard nationwide to improve our
educational system.  I don't think programs such as this are going to do many
of us much good if we do not expect correctly spelled material with which to
practice or test our reading.

^RJoseph T. Malloy, Ph.D.
^RAssistant Professor of German
^RHamilton College
^RClinton, NY

^1> Our Blue Plate Specials are not produced in-house.  We have passed the error
^1> report on to LSR Learning Associates, who produced the Personal Learning
^1> System program.
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Editor:

  I was introduced to your "magazine" this past weekend and am very impressed!
I am going to subscribe to "BIG BLUE" but I can't wait to write and start
picking your brain for more information.

  A friend of mine and our family each got a PC in December '86.  He bought a
Tandy 1000EX and we opted for the 1000SX.  Now for the question, in the
"EYEWITNESS" section, an article on an FCC crackdown on Tandy mentions both the
1000EX and 1000SX.  What we are interested in is if the machines that we now own
are in some way deficient or in non-compliance with the FCC?  Also, I noticed
that you had information on good prices for software and other items.

  Any light you can shed on these subjects would be greatly appreciated.  Thank
You.
^RTony Dietrich
^RDenver, CO

^1> Tandy has brought their machines into compliance with FCC regulations, and
^1> was prevented by the FCC from shipping (or even taking orders for) any of
^1> the involved models until such compliance was achieved.  Hence, your machine,
^1> and that of your friend, are in compliance with RFI emission regulations.
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Dear ~3|9Big Blue Disk^0:

  I received issue 5 of your mag yesterday and read the article about avoiding
the need to insert COMMAND.COM on single disk systems.  As Randolph M. Cox
pointed out, the SET COMSPEC only works for DOS 3.X.  For DOS 2.X, use a
RAMdisk, but add the following lines to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

           COPY COMMAND.COM C:
           COMMAND C:\ /P

This tells the computer to load COMMAND.COM from the root directory of Drive C
and regard it as the initial loading.  There is a space between \ and /.

I missed issues 1 and 2 and was wanting to know if I could still get them.  I am
looking forward to issue 6.
^RWilliam E. Eastman II
^RUniversal City, TX

^1> Back issues are available from us for $9.95 each.  See the "Snake Oil" section
^1> under "Last Things Last" for our address and toll-free phone number.
^1>
^1> Thank you for your hint; we hope it helps the single-drive users out there.
^1> One caution:  256K users probably don't have enough free memory to use a
^1> RAMdisk and still run ~3|9Big Blue Disk^0.
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Dear Big Blue:

  I bought a copy of your "~3|9Big Blue Disk^0" and brand X (PC Life).  I liked your
mag, and am subscribing.  At the price and the timeliness, it seems to be a good
deal.  Brand X has better graphics, but the content seems to be less.  It was
copy-protected.  Bottom line, subscribe to BBD and buy one copy of Brand X for
a demo of the graphics.
^RSteve Jordan
^RLompoc, CA

^1> Well, actually, PC LIFE is not copy-protected; they just decided to make most
^1> of the files "hidden," presumably to discourage "snooping" into their file
^1> structure.  The DISKCOPY command will copy it fine, and you can see what files
^1> are there by using the Kramden LS utility (from ~3|9Big Blue Disk^1 #4) or the Disk
^1> Indexer program (from ~3|9Big Blue Disk^1 #5), with the appropriate option set to
^1> include hidden files.  The CP utility (on ~3|9Big Blue Disk^1 #5) will copy the
^1> files, so you can install it on your hard disk or RAMdisk.  (Of course, these
^1> hints are intended to let you examine and back up PC Life purely for your own
^1> use; we don't advocate piracy of any copyrighted software, whether we publish
^1> it or not.)
^1>
^1> As we were about to go to press, we saw the second issue of PC LIFE.  There,
^1> they used slightly more devious concealment techniques, placing most of the
^1> files in a hidden subdirectory, with a not-normally-typeable control character
^1> in its name.  This makes it only marginally more difficult to see what's
^1> there.  The Norton Utilities (a set of programs no PC user should be without)
^1> let you peek at the secret directory.  You can set the current directory to
^1> the secret directory (or create secret subdirectories of your own) using the
^1> public-domain utility "SECRET," available for download on our BBS, Soft Fido,
^1> at (318) 636-4402.
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~3|9Big Blue Disk^0, Editor:

  I have just spent a couple of very enjoyable hours with issue #5 and would
like to make a few comments (some) about your great disk magazine.  First of
all, I think that the people that were writing in complaining about compati-
bility for their PCjr's probably still rave about what a great car the Edsel
was!  Instead they ought to deposit them in the computer graveyard where they
belong!  (I've heard they make great planters too!)

  I also agree with the guy that didn't care about Apple news.  Poor old "Big
Bucks" is having enough problems as it is with the clonemakers, without more bad
news about what kind of sales increases that Apple and Mac are making.  I think
there was one very relevant statement in your news for this month, and it was
that 2/3 of all personal computers that will be sold this year will be IBM
clones!  Surely that ought to ring a few bells!  The "PC" is no longer just an
"office" computer and it does quite nicely with graphics and games thank-you!  I
have my clone equipped with a beautiful EGA set-up (complete with NEC multi-
sync), and I'm sure glad that I spent the money on that instead of an IBM
sticker!  If I were a computer salesman, I'd take an EGA monitor and set it up
where people could see it real good, and run "Laser Show" (from issue #4).  That
would surely get a lot of attention and quite a few sales I'm sure!  Thanks to
the guy that wrote that neat little program, it sure is good medicine for a
color nut like me!

  Some other comments on your recent offerings:  ^1Movie Mogul^0 is a lot of fun and
my daughter has a ball playing it (the idea of a contest is super and I'll bet
you're deluged with entries); the educational programs (even the demos) are
especially appreciated because so little educational software is available for
IBM; the speed reading demo was very impressive and I will probably order it in
the near future; please cool it on the shareware and public domain stuff (i.e.,
PC Write), I'm sure some people were glad to get it, but there are lots of other
sources for that sort of program, and I don't think you should compete with
them, besides I have a much better word processor and really didn't have any use
for another one; I would like to see more software reviews with possibly some
working demos (similar to the Cross programs) (I will buy a program a lot
quicker if I can see it in action and I can't understand why software companies
can't figure that out!)

  Well, I guess that's enough for one letter.  I hope you keep up the great
content you've had so far, and I'm sure you'll have a lot more subscribers.  I
know this one is satisfied!
^RJames Cox
^RWinslow, AZ

^1> Killing the messenger who bears bad news will not change the news.  We intend
^1> on continuing to truthfully report news of the computer field even if it is
^1> negative for IBM and favorable to competitors such as Apple.
^1>
^1> Thank you for your compliments, and we hope you continue to enjoy ~3|9Big Blue
^1> ~3|9Disk^1.
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  I finally broke down and bought my first copy of ~3|9Big Blue Disk^0.  It's not
bad!  In fact, I've already subscribed for the next six months.  If the next
issues are as good as this one, I'll be your customer for a lot longer.

  I enjoyed (got hooked on) "Cribbage Squares" and so did my family (those
that get a chance to use the computer, that is).  As for < LS.EXE >, it's
super!  But, I'd really like to see one change made to the program and that
is:  Put another switch in to toggle the "more" prompt on or off when using
the -l switch (long).  I like to print out the directory in alphabetical
order in real small print and then tape it to the outside of a diskette for
reference.  Everything goes well until a screenful gets printed and the <more>
prompt ends up getting sent to the printer also.  Everything comes to a halt
until you hit any key.  That in itself wouldn't be so bad, but the next
directory entry gets printed right over the <more> statement.  I can well
understand the need to stop at a screen full of text, but when sending output
directly to the printer, it's hardly appropriate!  Perhaps Mr. Higgins could
make the change and improve an already fine utility.

^RHenry A. Dulak
^RMosinee, WI

^1> We will send your comments to the program author.
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Gentlemen:

   The ^1Disk Indexer^0 by Dan Tobias made the purchase of this month's issue 
worthwhile and would have been worth it if it was the only application on the 
disk.

   Last month, the Blue Plate Special would really have been great, if I didn't 
already have WordPerfect.

   Anyway, keep up the good work.

^RArchie T. Argyris
^RChicago, IL

^1> Thanks for your comments.  We hope you continue to find programs of interest
^1> making each issue worthwile.
^1>
^1> Regrettably, not everyone shares the same positive impression... for instance:
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Dear Sir:

   I recently purchased my first - and LAST - ~3|1Big Blue Disk^0 magazine.

   The material on the disk was totally un-satisfying.  Almost all of the 
programs were a series of text screens, and I'd rather read a printed page than 
a computer screen full of text.

   The one program which most intrigued me turned out not to work at all!  That 
was the 3-D graphics program.  I guess I was expecting too much, but I expected 
that I would at least be able to either use the program to draw my own images or
to view the program listing itself.  It turned out I could do neither.  Nothing 
lost, however, for the plane images created on the disk weren't 3-D at all!  
Instead of displaying two stereo images in two colors, the program instead drew 
lines which were dashed with two different colors.  The result was simply two 
images with dashed lines close to one another!  Perhaps the programmer doesn't 
know what 3-D is!

   Your competition is way ahead of you.  There are at least three other disk 
format publications which publish material much superior to yours.  Your 
material may appeal to the 8-12 year-olds, but readers will quickly outgrow your 
level of appeal.  I noted that feedback from your previous issues echoed some of 
my comments - you better heed our warnings!

   $9.95 isn't bad for two program disks, but blank disks now sell for 50 cents 
each!  Your two disks are now in my blank disk box waiting for re-use!

^RF.C. Gilmore
^RNew Martinsville, WV

^1> We're sorry you didn't like the issue.
^1>
^1> In PLANE 3-D, you may not have answered the configuration questions correctly.
^1> There are three different modes, for the CGA, the EGA, and Plantronics cards.
^1> If you pick one that doesn't match your system, the output might not look
^1> good.
^1>
^1> As for your other comments, we realize that straight text is better presented
^1> by a paper magazine than a magazine on disk; hence, we are making an effort
^1> to provide other sorts of things, like ready-to-use programs, graphics, and
^1> interactive demos.
^1>
^1> In fact, the issue you have (#3) has a wargame, a graphic peg-moving game,
^1> an illustrated tutorial about tornadoes, a program to plot hurricanes on a
^1> map, a program to set up a bingo game, a BASIC program cross-referencer,
^1> a sampler of educational software, and more.  It's hardly "nothing but a
^1> series of text screens," so we're not sure where you got that impression.
^1>
^1> At any rate, we appreciate constructive comments from our readers, to help
^1> us improve our format and content.  Too bad you won't be sticking around to
^1> see us act on your comments.
