HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk (Jonathan Allen)
Subject: Typing on the AgendA (was: Typing on Chord Keyboards)
Reply-To: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 11:56:43 +0000

In: <13487@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> R Mark Adams wrote:
> I, too, have been following the discussion about chording keyboards
> with interest.  I remember an article I read (many) years ago which
> featured what must have been the AgendA's great-grandpappy, a micro-
> writer which featured a one-line LED display.

Yes - this was indeed the original machine which the patents were
taken out for.  It has been in production (in various refined and
improved versions) for most of the 15 years that Microwriter has
been trading.  Whilst the newest of these, the Mk IV, is not now
on sale, it is still supported and repaired where necessary by the
company.

The orginal Microwriter display used strobed LEDs mounted behind
a rotating film which carried the letters - rather like a chain-
printer for mainframes; it had no processor at all, was built entirely
in discrete logic and had an awesome 2K bytes of memory.

> I would like to see a device like this now, with its own internal
> memory, and perhaps a card slot, as well as the obligatory RS-232
> port.  I could then input (non-formatted) notes as I desired, then
> download them to my laptop, home computer, or HP-95 for editing or
> formatting.  Why have big screens or useless alphabetic keyboards
> when the device is going to be used for text entry?
>
> Does anybody know if there is a similar "minimalist" chord text
> entry device on the market now?  Any plans to make one?

Well, the AgendA does that now, and is currently in production,
although of course it is flat with the keys on the front.  We have
heard of people using it quite successfully for typing while driving,
so it can be done.  Also, the AgendA can hardly be described as having
a _big_ screen :-), but OTOH it does have the hunt-and-peck keyboard
and the control keys.

You might be able to locate a second-hand Mk IV.  Most of the people
who I know who still have one in working order won't part with theirs,
however, so I don't necessarily hold out much hope.

Oddly enough, the older Microwriters were phased out because most of
the market seemed to want something with more features, organiser
capabilities and so on ...

Jonathan
From: raan@hpcvra.cv.hp.com (Raan Young)
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 01:34:56 GMT
Subject: Re: Freemacs 1.6a for the 95
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
From: brian@king.csd.mot.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: Microwriter Chording Patents
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:20:48 GMT

jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu (Jay Maynard) writes:

>In article <memo.534660@cix.compulink.co.uk> jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk writes:
>[...] it seems unlikely that I could achieve 50 WPM or so in 30 minutes
>with a completely foreign keyboard.

So it would seem, but I think you might be in for a surprise if you actually
tried a Microwriter chord keyboard.  On the other hand, if you're happy and
productive with the 95LX, then I don't recommend a change.  For "the rest
of us" who have difficulty dealing with tiny QWERTY's, the Microwriter is
something to consider.
-- 
-Brian Smithson
 Motorola Inc., Computer Group, Commercial Systems Division
 2001 Logic Drive, M/S 1-E10, San Jose, CA 95124 USA, (408)369-4104
 brian@ca41.csd.mot.com, {apple | pyramid}!motcsd!brian
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk (Jonathan Allen)
Subject: Re: Microwriter Chording Patents
Reply-To: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 14:09:27 +0000

In: <6865@motcsd.csd.mot.com> Brian King wrote:
> jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu (Jay Maynard) writes:
> > it seems unlikely that I could achieve 50 WPM or so in 30 minutes
> > with a completely foreign keyboard.
>
> So it would seem, but I think you might be in for a surprise if you
> actually tried a Microwriter chord keyboard.  On the other hand, if
> you're happy and productive with the 95LX, then I don't recommend a
> change.  For "the rest of us" who have difficulty dealing with tiny
> QWERTY's, the Microwriter is something to consider.

Perhaps that is the best way of putting it.  Microwriter never wanted
to drag people away from any other machine which they were happy with.
All the company has is an alternative for people who are not happy
where they are, be that with another machine which isn't too
comfortable for what they want to do, or if they have no portable
machine at all.

We know that our product is good - we like to think the best in the
specific area in which we are strong - but everybody is entitled to
their preferences and individual tastes.  What is rather galling is
when people slate the product without ever having tried it.

For sure the AgendA isn't an HP95 (it's not an HP48 either, for that
matter) or a Poquet, but it does have its good points ... principally
the chord keyboard and the content-addressable files.  Just give it a
try :-)

Jonathan
... working with Microwriter Systems plc
-----------------------------------------------
Eur Ing Jonathan Allen CEng BSc MIEE MBCS
Barum Computer Consultants
4 Ashleigh Road, Barnstaple, Devon, England
Voice: +44 271 79023   Fax:   +44 271 24183
-----------------------------------------------
From: usenet@crd.ge.com (Required for NNTP)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX AC adapter requirements...
Date: 22 Jul 92 01:09:01 GMT
Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center

In article <1992Jul21.125556.17667@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> edp@math.zko.dec.com (Eric Postpischil) writes:
>In article <1992Jul20.200432.8320@unixg.ubc.ca>, george@unixg.ubc.ca
>(George chow) writes:
>
>> I went thru
>>the manual and it doesn't say anything about the voltage and current.
>
>Try Appendix A; the manual specifies the minimum and maximum voltages
>the 95 will accept and the current requirements.  It will accept AC or
>DC (either polarity).


These specs are only in later versions of the manual. My copy does not
have the voltage and current requirements either.

Vic Roberts
GE Research and Development Center, Schenectady, NY
roberts@crd.ge.com
From: falk@peregrine.Eng.Sun.COM (Ed Falk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Anybody know the format for .pcx files?
Date: 28 Jul 1992 06:17:02 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: peregrine

Hi all; the subject really says it all.  I'd like the ability to
convert .pcx to other formats and back.  Anybody know the format?

--
		-ed falk, sun microsystems
		 sun!falk, falk@sun.com
	terrorist, cryptography, DES, drugs, cipher, secret, decode,
	DSS, FBI, NSA, CIA, NRO, SDI, communist, proletariat.
From: jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu (Jay Maynard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: Microwriter Chording Patents
Date: 21 Jul 1992 16:02:13 GMT
Organization: UT Health Science Center Houston

In article <memo.534660@cix.compulink.co.uk> jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk writes:
[in response to my comment:]
>> This sure is news to me. I find myself doing more and more text
>> pounding on my 95 as time goes by. The keyboard does require
>> adaptation, but far less than a chord keyboard would ...
>With respect, you are not qualified to make such a statement in
>authoratitive sense unless you have actually tried microwriting.
>Have you ?

No, but then it seems unlikely that I could achieve 50 WPM or so in 30 minutes
with a completely foreign keyboard.

-- 
Jay Maynard, EMT-P, K5ZC, PP-ASEL | Never ascribe to malice that which can
jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu      | adequately be explained by a .sig virus.
  "An empty stomach is not a good political adviser." -- [edible] fortune
          cookie, received the night Perot withdrew from candidacy
From: hwcco@chevron.com (Bill Corea)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX: small font terminal?
Date: 29 Jul 92 15:43:18 GMT
Reply-To: hwcco@chevron.com (Bill Corea)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Chevron

>In article <l70oclINNlfn@news.bbn.com> jjd@BBN.COM (James J 
Dempsey) writes:
>Has anyone seen a terminal emulator for the HP95LX which 
displays more
>than 16 lines x 40 chars at the same time?
>
.......
>usenet@crd.ge.com (Required for NNTP) writes:
>There is a display shell available on Compuserve, and perhaps, 
>eddie, that allows display of an 80 x 24 screen (or almost that 
>much). 

How about a file name? I couldn't find anything in the HP forum on
Compuserve.

Thanks!

Bill Corea                   
hwcco@chevron.com    San Ramon, California
From: jgauvin@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM (jgauvin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX or Sharp PC 3000 ? Available in the SF Bay area ?
Date: 29 Jul 92 14:28:57 GMT
Reply-To: jgauvin@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM ()
Organization: NCR Microelectronic Products Division

In article <azilker.712248551@unixg.ubc.ca> azilker@unixg.ubc.ca (Andreas
Zilker) writes:
>Hi folks,
>
>in the very near future :-) I need to buy a palmtop computer for real
>work :-)
>I know the technical specs for the HP & the Sharp, but up to now I've
>not yet seen the Sharp in "reality". Any recommendations ???
>
>Where do I get good prices in the San Francisco Bay area ???

I know this won't be of much help to you, but others may be interested.

The Sharp PC-3000/3100 is very real and readily available...in Hong Kong
anyway. I had never heard of the unit until I spent a few days there recently.
They are being sold on every street corner for about $450 US (price may off a
little - the prices advertised were in $HK and the conversion rate varies).
They look like neat machines, with a real keyboard, 2MB of RAM, dual PCMCIA
ports, an 80x25 display, etc., etc.

-- 
Jeff Gauvin, Applications Engineer - Graphics Products
NCR Corp., Microelectronic Products Division
1635 Aeroplaza Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80916
Voice: 719-596-5795, x207    FAX: 719-597-8225
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: azilker@unixg.ubc.ca (Andreas Zilker)
Subject: HP95LX or Sharp PC 3000 ? Available in the SF Bay area ?
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 14:49:11 GMT

Hi folks,

in the very near future :-) I need to buy a palmtop computer for real
work :-)
I know the technical specs for the HP & the Sharp, but up to now I've
not yet seen the Sharp in "reality". Any recommendations ???

Where do I get good prices in the San Francisco Bay area ???

many adTHANKSvance

+---------------------------+--------------+---------------------------------+
| Andreas Zilker            |     /^^^\    |  Entia non sunt multiplicanda   |
| Univ. of Brit. Columbia   |    ( O O )   |  sine necessitate.              |
| Vancouver, Canada         |   (  _oo_ )  |  --- William von Ockham         |
| azilker@unixg.ubc.ca      |       U      |      * 1280   + 1346            |
+---------------------------+--------------+---------------------------------+
From: laub@Software.Mitel.COM (Boniface Lau)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX or Sharp PC 3000 ? Available in the SF Bay area ?
Date: 29 Jul 92 01:54:21 GMT
	<LAUB.92Jul27174631@laub.Software.Mitel.COM>
	<1992Jul28.144241.7520@linus.mitre.org>
	<1992Jul28.163346.13409@news.media.mit.edu>
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.
In-reply-to: minsky@media.mit.edu's message of 28 Jul 92 16:33:46 GMT

>>>>> On 28 Jul 92 16:33:46 GMT, minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) said:
Marvin> I just got one in Singapore.  But I need some PCMCIA memory
Marvin> cards.  (Type 1.0) Are they all compatible?  Where to get one?
Marvin> I called one memory card store and the salesman said "oh,
Marvin> every airline pilot comes home with a PC3000".

I was told that ACE Technology sold PCMCIA cards compatible with the
Sharp palmtops. The cards are available in 512K, 1MB, and 2MB. ACE
also sells compression software that almost double the capacity of
these cards.  They are in San Jose, CA.  The phone numbers are
(408)428-9722 and (408)428-9721

I have never dealt with ACE. Thus, I don't know how good they are.
Would be interesting to hear your experience if you buy the cards
and/or compression software from them.

Marvin> Anyway, it works extremely well.  The scalloped keyboard is
Marvin> only slightly smaller than normal and feels fine.  I make very
Marvin> few errors.  Too bad that HP included the numeric keypad!

Marvin> Only bug is that the extended memory tends to get erased when
Marvin> changing batteries (3 AA cells).  I don't think it is supposed
Marvin> to, but if you wait for the "low battery" warning and then
Marvin> don't turn the machine off immediately, it doesn't give you
Marvin> much time.

Are you using rechargable nicad batteries? If so, switching to
alkaline batteries may solve your problem. 

Right now, alkaline batteries are not rechargable. However, I was
told that a Toronto based company has developed rechargable alkaline
batteries. They are just coming to market.
--
Boniface Lau    (613) 592-2122 ext. 3042    Boniface_Lau@Mitel.COM
Mitel Corp.  				    
350 Legget Drive, Kanata
Ontario, Canada, K2K 1X3
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops,comp.dcom.modems
From: fvdbord@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (f.van der borden)
Subject: PC-link or Data-link for Casio SF-4300
Followup-To: poster
Keywords: PC-link Data-link
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 14:26:19 GMT

I'm looking for a way to connect my organizer, Casio SF-4300,
to a PC. I know there is somthing available from the shops
which is called AF120 PC-link, but I think this is far too
expensive. In Holland I have to pay 349 Dutch guilders 
(US$ 205).

I hope someone can send me an electonic schema of this PC-link.

Thanks in advance,

Frank van der Borden
AT&T Network Systems Netherland
fvdbord@hvlpa.att.com
From: phil@insession.oz.au (Philip Dickinson)
Subject: Intel Flash memory cards on a Poqet or HP95
Keywords: flash memory poqet
Reply-To: phil@insession.oz.au
Organization: Insession Pty. Ltd. (Australia)
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 04:23:03 GMT

I believe that the intel flash memory cards should work on either
the hp95lx or the poqet as read-only memory cards.

However, I understand that the hp is limited to using 4MB of the card
and the Poqet 8MB.

Since there are Intel flash memory cards in 4MB and 10MB sizes, that 
should not be a problem.

The question I have for the net is how can you write a DOS compatible
hp/poqet file system to one of these cards ??????

I would expect a PCMIA drive for a PC that can write flash memory
cards would do nicely, do they exist????

It would be nice to have 8MB of read only files in one of my Poqet slots
and a normal 2MB ram card in the other, as long as I could rewrite the 8MB
of flash from my desktop pc occasionally.

Phil.




---
Insession Pty. Ltd.             Email:    phil@insession.oz.au
Level 8, 100 William Street     Phone:    +61 2 368 1444
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011          Fax:      +61 2 368 1064
AUSTRALIA
From: mpj@hemlock.cray.com (Marvin P. Johnson)
Subject: JGRAPH use with PCC / Turbo C ?
Originator: mpj@hemlock
Keywords: jgraph, pcc, turboc
Organization: Cray Research, France.
Date: 31 Jul 92 04:16:03 CDT


Hi everyone, greeting from Paris (France, not Texas!)

I tried Mark DeSmet's PCC compiler V1.2C on the 95LX. It's really
a *nice* package, and comes with an assembler, PCCA.
I have been trying to access the 95's graphics routines in ROM
(JGRAPH.H, JGRAPH.ASM) for use with PCC but haven't so far been 
successful. The problem is that I can't convert the JGRAPH.* files
to a form acceptable to the PCC programs.
I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has managed this with PCC.
----
I have also tried Turbo C on an AT, and tried to compile the following
program:

#include <stdio.h>
#include "jgraph.h"
main()
{
   G_Mode(G_GRAPHICS);
   G_Rect(100,100,G_OUTLINE);
   getchar();
   G_Mode(G_ALPHA);
}

I used A86.COM to assemble JGRAPH.ASM ( I believe A86 creates Turbo C
compatible object modules but this may be untrue (?) ) and used CSVC.OBJ
and the special CRT0.OBJ (C0S.OBJ) file. (Also small-model code, no graphics
library included, etc - as suggested in the file turboc.doc available via ftp)

However, I've never been able to get the above code to link successfully.
Seems like there are problems with underscores (like _G_Mode) or something.
Should I be using "void" or something else ?
I suspect it's because my JGRAPH.OBJ file is not correct, but I don't have
the Microsoft assembler MASM available to create a JGRAPH.OBJ. I'll have to
recheck the A86 documentation...

Anyway, I would welcome any suggestions/ideas on this. By the way, I got
SMHELLO to compile and run OK on the HP95 via Turbo C, I just can't get the
graphics stuff!

Thanks for your comments, and happy palmtopping,

Regards,

Marvin.
From: ma690188@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (R. Mark Adams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: Typing on palmtops (was Re: Microwriter Chording Patents)
Date: 22 Jul 1992 18:36:23 GMT
Reply-To: ma690188@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (R. Mark Adams)
Originator: ma690188@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu



I, too, have been following the discussion about chording keyboards
with interest.  I remember an article I read (many) years ago which
featured what must have been the AgendA's great-grandpappy, a micro-
writer which featured a one-line LED display.  The interesting aspect
about this design was that the chord keys were mounted on the _side_
of the unit, something like this:


                       ___________
     1-line LED ------>|---------|
                       |---------|] <-----Chord keys
                      [|         |
                      [|         |
                      [|         |
                      [|         |
                       |         |
                       |         |
                       ___________

I remember being impressed with the idea of being able to take memos easily
on the road, and later print them out at home.  There were certainly no
laptops then, and even the Osborne and its clones were but a gleam in
their designer's eyes.

I would like to see a device like this now, with its own internal memory,
and perhaps a card slot, as well as the obligatory RS-232 port.  I could
then input (non-formatted) notes as I desired, then download them to my
laptop, home computer, or HP-95 for editing or formatting.  Why have big
screens or useless alphabetic keyboards whn the device is going to be
used for text entry?

Does anybody know if there is a similar "minimalist" chord text entry device
on the market now?  Any plans to make one?


+-<rMark>------------------------+----------------------------------+---------+
|                                | ma690188@mbir.bcm.tmc.edu        |  |||||  |
| R. Mark Adams, N5YYY           |                                  |   - <|  |
| Department of Cell Biology     |"It is a small world,             |    v |  |
| Baylor College of Medicine     | But I wouldn't want to paint it" |   \_/   |
+--------------------------------+----------------------------------+---------+
From: falk@peregrine.Sun.COM (Ed Falk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX AC adapter requirements...
Date: 21 Jul 92 20:09:13 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: peregrine

Just get the HP powersupply that's meant for the '95.  It's only
$13 and well worth it.  First thing I do when I get to work in
the morning is plug in the power supply and serial cable.

		-ed falk, sun microsystems
		 sun!falk, falk@sun.com
	terrorist, cryptography, DES, drugs, cipher, secret, decode,
	DSS, FBI, NSA, CIA, NRO, SDI, communist, proletariat.
From: pgf@cayman.COM (Paul Fox)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: Intel Flash memory cards on a Poqet or HP95
Date: 31 Jul 92 14:25:39 GMT
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge Ma

: I would expect a PCMIA drive for a PC that can write flash memory
: cards would do nicely, do they exist????

EduCALC sells two version, external and internal, for $289 and $259,
respectively.  1-800-677-7001 (8 to 5, PST)

paul fox, pgf@cayman.com
-- 
		paul fox, pgf@cayman.com, (617)494-1999
		Cayman Systems, 26 Landsdowne St., Cambridge, MA 02139
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: ematias@dgp.toronto.edu (Edgar Matias)
Subject: Re: HP95LX or Sharp PC 3000 ? Available in the SF Bay area ?
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Date: 28 Jul 92 19:22:43 GMT


Re:  the Newton

I think cursive script recognition is over-rated.  Everything doesn't
have to be ASCII to be useful.  Books (for the most part) are not in
ASCII.  So long as you have enough memory to store B/W bitmaps of
pen scratchings, I don't see a problem.  As long as it can be read
by a *person*, who cares if the computer knows what it is?  Of course
you can do neato word searches but how often is that done anyway?
Such a device, would be much more useful than say a pocket notebook.

I think the strength of a Newton-like computer is in its ability to
organize information.  Recognition is nice, but I don't think it
should be the main focus of such a machine.

Remember: computers are designed for *people* (or at least they 
should be).

Edgar
From: laub@Software.Mitel.COM (Boniface Lau)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: HP95LX or Sharp PC 3000 ? Available in the SF Bay area ?
Date: 29 Jul 92 01:28:10 GMT
	<LAUB.92Jul27174631@laub.Software.Mitel.COM>
	<1992Jul28.144241.7520@linus.mitre.org>
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.
In-reply-to: sokay@cyclone.mitre.org's message of 28 Jul 92 14:42:41 GMT

>>>>> On 28 Jul 92 14:42:41 GMT, sokay@cyclone.mitre.org (Stephen J. Okay) said:
Stephen> In article <LAUB.92Jul27174631@laub.Software.Mitel.COM> laub@Software.Mitel.COM (Boniface Lau) writes:
[...]
Stephen> >Since Sharp announced the PC-3000 in January, I came across
Stephen> >several people from both Usenet and CompuServe selling their
Stephen> >HP to buy Sharp.  Of course, I also came across people who
Stephen> >just left their HP in their drawer and switched to the
Stephen> >Sharp.

Stephen> Yeah, but where can you get one?

I was told that Minitronics in BC sells PC-3000 for C$999.
Here is the address and phone number:

	Minitronics 
	1948 Kingsway 
	Vancouver, BC 

	phone 604-872-3225


NOTE: I am in no way related to Minitronics and I have never bought
      anything from them.
--
Boniface Lau    (613) 592-2122 ext. 3042    Boniface_Lau@Mitel.COM
Mitel Corp.  				    
350 Legget Drive, Kanata
Ontario, Canada, K2K 1X3
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: Brent Geske <geske@vcd.hp.com>
Subject: Re: Reliability of HP95LX?
Organization: HewlettPackard Vancouver Division
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1b2
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 22:38:01 GMT

Subject: Re: Reliability of HP95LX?
From: Required for NNTP, usenet@crd.ge.com
In article <1992Jul25.233516.28638@crd.ge.com> Required for NNTP,
usenet@crd.ge.com writes:
>In article <greg.711857985@octopus> greg@octopus.dpsi.com (Gregory R.
Travis) writes:
>>Can anyone attest to the reliability of the HP95?  I just picked up my
>>THIRD unit from Service merchandise in 2.5 months.
>
>
>
>I have had my 95LX since Nov 91. I use it all day, every day. It has
never
>failed.

I even dropped one (accidentally, of course) onto concrete from a height
of about four feet, and it survived just fine.  Nary even a scratch.