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KEN ABOUT - THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
by Ken
Ross: 
petlibrary@bigfoot.com
Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/~petlibrary
BLEEP & BOOSTER
If you've looked at my web site recently you'll see that the name has been changed. To stop any confusion it's now the "INDEPENDENT COMMODORE LIBRARY".
The web site has a version of the library catalogue in page format, with some of the latest additions being a collection of 14 COMAL disks (hurrah! ) and a collection of 'tools & apps' zipped into bundles over 13 sides.
For those amongst you who've been awaiting more info on the '24/7' diskzine project, due to an accident ( grit teeth ! ) there will be a delay while I sort out the production version from scratch...
Also affected was my e-mail for the end of March/April. I didn't get it! So if you think that I've ignored you - I didn't, honestly!
ZIPPY DON'T DO THAT!
On the Mac side of things I use 'stuffit expander' to tackle compressed files. It'll quite happily tackle most things to be found, but ZIP files are somewhat less clear at times.
UNZIP64 (UNZIP128) by Errol Smith deals with PKzipped /GZipped archives ( my favourite )
ZIPCOLL2 deals with those 1!etc.z64 -4!etc.z64 zipped disk archives Although there seems to be a bug in the versions I've come across in that the toggling for source/dest drives won't work.
ARKIVE2 or LYNX17 deals with .LNX files. ARKIVE2 is a very good utility program for tidying up directories
LHA compressed files can be converted into self extracting archives (.SEA) but on the examples I experimented with the results were quirky. LHX64 is the program needed to extract them but as yet I've not got hold of a copy, (and I'm not sure if it'll cope with the LZH archives I can create).
PAPER BOY
Commodore model numbers come in two varieties for the same beastie, such as the VIC1525 / MPS801. The later number version discloses that its a Matrix Printer Serial 80 column wide (mark?)1. Another example is the CBM printer MPP1361. This is a Matrix Printer Parallel 136 columns wide mark1. DPS = Daisy Printer Serial in those printers that use this designation.
Most Commodore printers used tractor feed - i.e. they use paper that has holes down each side. This paper may be hard to get at times. (Ed: - If you get stuck Technomatic, which advertises in the main computer magazines, sell it). For such things that get churned out of my printer, not wishing to worry about tractor paper joins, reloading separate sheets and other such delights, I've used cheap fax paper quite happily for some time now.
On the VIC1525 /MPS801 (tractor) I had on loan for a short time there is a matching pair of deep screw holes that wire paper supports will drop into without damaging the printer. To get friction feed through the machine a pressure wheel can be sticky padded under the plastic cover and the centre hard plastic wheel, (all the tractors I've seen have them), given a matching gripping tread (sticky pads / rubber strip).
DPS1101 is a friction beastie, a simple bracket to hold paper can be located onto the ridged back area. (In my case I use 2 plastic shelf corner brackets).
CBM 4022 (OK it's a CBM model but the numbering principle applies!) is a tractor but has a very large flat back area for constructing brackets from cassette boxes and a pressure wheel / grip wheel set up.
The DPS1101 now uses rolls of drawing paper that can be found in the cheaper shops in 25ft long rolls. As it's wider than A4 it needs cutting down to suit the 4022.
My source of rubber strip is from cycle tube repair strip. My grip wheels come from old 8 track cartridges but a more modern version would use Scalextric spares. AOL supply the material for my plastic brackets!
Just for the record my main typing is done using an Alphacom thermal printer that uses fax paper silently.
WHY DON'T YOU
As Tandy have been taken over by Carphone Warehouse they've been having a clearance sale of assorted bits that don't fit the new image. Bargain bins have been rummaged through all over the UK long before you read this leaving only rubbish!
This next section owes a lot to Mr C J Crumley and Mark Fellows of Commodore World.
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To use the C64 with a Scart socket as found on modern TVs etc. use the following pinout
C64 din plug SCART 2 = ground 17 & 4 3 = audio 6 4 = video ( B&W ) 20 --------------------------------------
Similarly the C128 can be used with the following pinout.
C128 80 Col 9DB socket SCART 1 & 2 grounds 17 & 4 7 video ( B&W ) 20 -----------------------------------
The video output can be used with any monitor with a monochrome / composite /chroma input, (as they all mean black & white). The Amiga also has a B&W composite output phono socket. Using switches from the bargain bin my 1701 monitor can switch between A500+ ( b&w) / C128 80 col (b&w) / C128 40 col colour / external C64 colour. Cables for my set up are ordinary screened audio leads used with standard audio phono plugs.
If anyone wishes to experiment the SCART pin input has the following pinout
2 audio right input 4 ground 5 blue ground 6 audio left/mono 7 blue signal 9 green ground 11 green signal 13 red ground 17 video ground 20 video input 21 shield / chassis ground
THE DEMON HEADMASTER
The latest escapade I've been involved with has been the installation of a phone line (but if you wear aluminium foil round your head THEY can't get you.... ) and at the same time Richard Branson turned Virgin Net into a 'free' ISP. 'Free' is a relative term as he hopes to make his money from either prepaid help lines or expensive dial up ones. Sticking the CD ROM into my Mac and the only modem I've got onto the back, (yes folks that Optima 14.4!), I started proceedings. The first requirements were to install TCP/IP & PPP control panels / extensions. I used another CD ROM for that. After installing the Virgin CD, running through procedures I find at the point of launching that a bunch of default info files are missing. Put back the other CD and after putting the necessary files into a folder I took another run. I needed to run IE & Internet Connection Wizard (ICW) at the same time so I gave the Mac 12MB from virtual memory for the sign up procedure. I restarted the process. During signing up I am asked which choice of help line I want. I haven't got a credit card so I declined choice A, paying, and took choice B, the expensive dial up line. I'm sure that they'll never know about LCII & Macs anyway and I'm very confident that I'll never need their help. Anyway, after getting online I switch off virtual memory, discard ICW and start to configure things how I want them. Virgin Net provided IE4 and Outlook Express 4. I'm using IE2.1 and Eudora 1.4.1. IE4 didn't leave enough memory in my Mac to have Quick Time3 enabled and OE4 demanded nearly 5MB to deal with e-mail. After a bit of experimenting with a few other e-mail programs Eudora was my final choice as it'll co-exist with Simpletext quite happily with direct copy'n'paste. ( IE2.1.1 is a 1.4MB sized program that prefers 4096K RAM but can live in 2048K. Eudora 1.4.1 is a 473K program, prefers 972K but can live in 333K). During the initial installation period a whole stack of various extensions that IE4 needed to run on my 68K Mac were added. I've thinned them out getting 7.5MB of HD space back for use. I did not install Java extensions as they seem mostly to be used for displaying adverts and as an art form they're something that my phone bill can live without.
WACKY RACES
How does it feel to use such a slow modem in this day and age is a point some people will raise. Eudora downloads e-mail at a nice speed - faster than OE4 in my machine as there isn't any fancy user interface pretending it's on a PC with a zillion little icons. On the browser side sites with lots of graphics take forever it seems, but in my case accessing the Imperial College Sunsite archives is quite good -perhaps it's due to my nearness to it? So unless some kind person donates a faster modem it's steam powered browsing for me !.
(Ed: I have to admit I am very impressed with Ken hacking his way through the supplied software to get what HE wants rather than what he is given. Not so long ago I was saying that you do not need a very powerful computer to get on the Internet. This is still true but when the novice user wants to get on-line they are forced to get a machine capable of running Windows 95 just to install the software. Then when you get online all sorts of add-ons will want to install themselves or be needed to view the site properly: Realmedia audio; Shockwave; Java Extensions; etc. To ignore all this needs technical know how to get online in the first place and restrictions on how you use the web in the second place. When I was confronted with this on a machine with hard disk space running out it was the trigger I needed to get a new machine. Ken has taken a different much cheaper approach. It will be interesting to see how he copes as time goes on. Please report back Ken.)
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS
As per usual Gavin Haines has turned up an interesting site for us older Mac owners, <http://www.eden.com/~arena/jagshouse/jagshouseone.html>, where you can: download a file (in various formats including a HyperCardstack), for:
Get Your Compact Mac on the Web by JAG
A Guide On How To Get A Mac Plus, SE, SE/30 or Classic, Portable or 68000Mac on the Web.
The contents of this are
Chapter 1 - Requirements
Chapter 2 - Upgrading Your Ram
Chapter 3 - Upgrading to System 7
Chapter 4 - The Details
Chapter 5 - Software For Older Macs
Chapter 6 - Using A Browser
Chapter 7 - Surf With 1 Meg???
Chapter 8 - RamCharger ReviewAlso on this site are some repair manuals but I've not had the time to download any examples, (yes that 14.4 modem !).
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
For those of you who can reach the West Midlands a date for your diary is:
The IEBA and WACCI present the 1999 UK 8Bit Convention 'UK8'
The 8 bit computer event of the year is at the Saddlers Club , Bescott Crescent, Walsall ,
10am - 4pm Sat 26th Sept , admission by ticket £2.I'm sorry that I've got no more info than that but one of the exhibitors at it will be Allan Bairstow from Commodore Scene. e-mail : allanbairstow@compuserve.com No doubt he can give more precise info. WACCI is an Amstrad owners club for those of you puzzled by that bit !
