From: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
Subject: Re: Extended BASIC and the 9900
Date: 8 Nov 92 18:14:47 GMT
Reply-To: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Virginia

In article <00963387.25F03860@GOMEZ.PHYS.VIRGINIA.EDU>, cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu writes:
>Is the partition of the TI-99/4A memory into 24K BASIC program space,
>8K assembly, and 12K/16K VDP RAM in Extended BASIC
>due to the architacture of the computer/memory expansion card, or
>the programming of the XB module?
>I do not know of any GK modification of the XB module that overcomes this.
>However, Harrison Software came out with a program that (I think) at least
>loosens the 24K and VDP RAM partition.
>Does XB level II/IV (Myarc) also limited to 24K/8K?
>Will XB III (Asgard) also have this limitation?
>Thanks in advance for any information.

I have received a response from a person who has troubles posting here, so I'll
post it on his behalf.

From: JHWHIT01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
To: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu

I am having an incredibly difficult time trying to reply to messages in the
comp.sys.ti newsgroup (and I imagine with any other if I tried another). 
[...] If I try to FOLLOWUP, REPLY, or
POST in NEWS, I send an empty message (or one with just an EXTRACTion of the
message I am trying to answer).  It appears that no editor is being invoked
by these commands, though all the HELP text I read on them say one should be.
Then I see mention of somehow editing LOGIN.COM to set the editor for NEWS.
But EDIT LOGIN.COM does not work here, because I don't have a default editor
(or so it seems)?  Any help on how to create a LOGIN.COM file to provide an
editor for NEWS would be appreciated.

***  Note:  I already told him how this is done on out system here.
***  If anybody wants to help further, his e-mail address is above.
***  He is using VAX mail (VMS operating system). 
 
To answer your question about XB's, MYARC's Extended BASIC II Level 4 that works
with the MYARC 128/512K cards does expand beyond the 32K limit.  MYARC XBII
uses 128K of the memory card, plus 8K of "supercart" memory, giving you a very
large amount of memory for program and stack space.  If you want more info on
it, I'll look for my XB II manual.
 
Rich Gilbertson has been working on a new XB, formerly called GKXB (GRAMKracker
Extended BASIC), and now called RXB (for Rich Extended BASIC, I suppose).  He
was handed an Asgard 128K AMS (or AEMS) at Chicago in hopes that he would add
support for larger memory with RXB.  The WHT 4A MEMEX card, which should be in
production before the end of the year, might also find support in RXB.  Right
now, the Asgard AMS card is either 128K or 512K, with larger later versions
possible.  The WHT 4A MEMEX card will be ship with 1 Meg, and be expandable to
16 Meg on one card.  Up to four 4A MEMEX cards can be put in a P-box, for a
total of 64 Meg.  Explaining how the AMS and MEMEX differ would take quite a
lot of text.  It is off the topic of XB's, so I'll save that discussion for
comp.sys.ti when I can figure out how to leave messages there.
 
Asgard plans to release their XB III with built-in support for their AMS card.
XB III and RXB contain lots of similar functions, and both are said to be fully
compatible with the original TI XB.  RXB contains special functions for saving
programs into GRAM device memory for nearly instant reloading.  There are also
commands in RXB for doing direct CRU (peripheral) access, and linking to non-XB
routines.  Both RXB and XB III give better graphics support, better file I/O,
etc. than TI XB.  XB III improves floating point math routines, increasing
their speed while maintaining their accuracy.  RXB is compatible with all
GRAM devices, including the Geneve.  XB III requires a special cartridge or
the German GRAMKarte to get more banks at cartridge ROM space.  
 
RXB is available now, though not with either AMS or 4A MEMEX support.  It comes
in disk form for the GRAMKracker, GRAMulator, Geneve, etc., and as part of
OPA's preprogrammed POP-cart.  XB III is available on disk for those who own
the GRAMKarte, and Asgard plans to release a cartridge version soon.
 
Jeff White   jhwhit01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
 
p.s.: Please help me figure out how to leave messages in comp.sys.ti.  Thanks.

Any comments?  This is interesting...