HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber)
Subject: Re: Notebook joystick
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 05:11:33 GMT

In article <1992Sep6.043633.21465@cis.ohio-state.edu> grichard@swimming.cis.ohio-state.edu (Golden Richard III) writes:
>
>Has anyone heard of any devices which allow a portable w/ a parallel
>or serial port to support a joystick?  Obviously some sort of driver
>would be required.    Some games don't like mice.  :)

Although this is certainly possible, it would be a useless device for
games.  A joystick interface is hardware, and most software directly
accesses the interface, there is no driver involved.  The game would
have to be rewritten to use any other sort of controller.

The Suncom ICONtroller is basicly a little joystick that plugs
into a serial port and emulates a mouse.

I would complain to the company (if still around) and ask them why they
write software that needs a joystick to function.  There are a lot of
machines out there that can't have a joystick: Microchannel (real
expensive actually), most laptops, no free slots.

I've heard that a joystick adapter is available for the proprietary
slot in certain machines.
--
<-:(= Anthony Stieber	anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu   uwm!uwmcsd4!anthony
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: laptop UNIX
From: daniel.moran@pcb.batpad.lgb.ca.us (Daniel Moran) 
Date: 4 Sep 92 19:17:00 GMT
Reply-To: daniel.moran@pcb.batpad.lgb.ca.us (Daniel Moran) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Batchelor Pad PCBoard ~ Long Beach, CA ~ +1 310 494 8084

hellers@wisc.edu (Joe Hellerstein) writes:

JH>Any recommendations for a laptop with the power to run some version of
JH>UNIX/X-windows with reasonable speed?  I'm looking in the 2500
JH>range...

Take a look at laptops based on the Cyrix 486SLC chip. They're cheap and
pack reasonable power. PC Brand is advertising one for $1995 right now,
w/a 120MB hard drive. Supposedly it beats a 20Mhz 486SX....

The 486DLC is shipping now as well, which is a true 32-bit chip with a
1K cache, same as the 16-bit 486SLC. Hang a few months, you'll doubtless
see some notebooks incorporating it as well.
                                                
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: iwelch@agsm.ucla.edu (Ivo Welch)
Subject: Powerbooks with 40MB Harddisks?
Organization: UCLA, Anderson Graduate School Of Management
Date: 8 Sep 92 18:29:32 PDT

What are good prices/sources of Powerbooks  with 40MB harddisks?  Either a 100
or 140 may be affordable... (No, I am not interested in 20MB versions.)

/ivo welch

Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: kritchie@donald.cs.umn.edu (Kent C. Ritchie)
Subject: Re: HD Spin/ Battery Drain Programs
Organization: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities ACM
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:26:09 GMT

I uploaded a program called nicd10.zip to wuarchive.wustl.edu in the 
/pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS directory.  It is a tsr program and it's author says it
will work with any laptop...  If i remember correctly it averages over the
last ten cycles of the battery.  If it's not there let me know, I will 
upload it again.  I will also upload a deep drain program that spins the
floppy drive if I can find it.  Hope this helps.  As to the quality of either
of these programs...  I don't know...  I have a T1000SE which has a great 
battery gauge, it measures voltage as far as I know.  

--Kent
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber)
Subject: Re: HD Spin/ Battery Drain Programs
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 22:15:48 GMT

In article <79724@ut-emx.uucp> oleinick@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Lew Oleinick) writes:
>The second question I have is are there any programs out there which
>will just spin your HD until your battery is completely drained?  This
How about:

:here
chkdsk c:
goto here

and put it in a file named rundown.bat.  Something to keep the
floppy drive running too would make it go faster of course.
--
<-:(= Anthony Stieber	anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu   uwm!uwmcsd4!anthony
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: kim@MorningStar.Com (Kim L. Toms)
Subject: NP-925 serial ports
Reply-To: kim@MorningStar.Com (Kim Toms)
Organization: Morning Star Technologies
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:16:00 GMT

I was wondering if anybody knew if I opened my NP-925 if it would have
a 16550 or a 16450 chip, or perhaps just have the serial port inside
of some horrible gate array?  I'd open it up, but I tried once and
couldn't figure out how, and I'd just as soon not go to the effort if
it will be pointless.
From: jwd@briones.ced.berkeley.edu (John Wilbrand Dahlgren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: New Powerbooks?
Date: 16 Sep 1992 00:01:16 GMT
Organization: /etc/organization
Distribution: ca
NNTP-Posting-Host: briones.ced.berkeley.edu

I heard that Apple is going to announce new powerbooks in October (19?)
Does anybody know what new features they would have which would be worth
waiting for? Or which would make the ones now rather obsolete?
From: Guy_Saffold@mindlink.bc.ca (Guy Saffold)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: LCD Screens and Windows
Date: 6 Sep 92 23:12:24 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

Windows allows for control of color assignments through use of the control
panel.  A frustrating point, however, is that not all of the colors in ver. 3.1
appear to be controllable.  For example, there appears to be no provision for
changing the color of the arrowhead pointers on scroll bars.  A particularly
annoying problem is with Excel in which some of the dialogue boxes display only
with a dark gray background -- or at least I can't find any way to vary them.
They are very hard to read on an LCD screen.

Is there any answer to these problems, either some control I haven't found, a
patch, or what have you?


--

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Saffold                             Guy_Saffold@mindlink.bc.ca
Voice 604-888-7511                            Fax 604-888-5336
---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: geoff@pinoko.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Slimnotes are NICE! Re: ever heard about Twinhead?
Date: 8 Sep 92 17:15:13 GMT
Reply-To: geoff@pinoko.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Sep7.165416.16780@ultb.isc.rit.edu> The extremely noisy  
keyboard has very short travel so
> it's a little hard to use until you get used to it. The hard drive is so
> noisy that I'm always waiting for it to spin down and power off. The
> built-in trackball is in the middle of the machine, just above the
> keybaord, making it unusable.
> I wouldn't buy the machine, and btw, my friend brought it from Taiwan.
> 


I must disagree.  I think it is a very good machine ( so good that I just  
bought one)

I find the keyboard perfectly adequate (and quiet).  I think that  
keyboards are largely a matter of taste, but I don't make any typing  
mistakes and like the fact that there are dedicated HOME,PgUP,PgDN,
and END keys. My Hard Disk is extremely quiet.

The internal trackball takes some getting used to, but I think is better  
that attaching something onto the side (Microsoft and Logitech portable  
trackballs).

The VGA screen is just short of 10" with 64 levels of gray.
It supports simultaneous SVGA on an external monitor with 800x600  
resolution. The battery charges while you use the machine.

It is very fast (486DX at 33 Mhz with 8K memory cache).

Its major shortcoming is battery life, but even that isn't so bad.  (I got  
2 hours 53 minutes using the PC Magazine rundown test.)

It is extremely light and (as the name implies) slim.  BTW, the machine is  
the same sold by Compudyne.  The only difference is Slimnote has a black,  
as opposed to white, case.

Finally the price is very, very good.  I got a 483DX- at 33 Mhz with 4 Meg  
of RAM, internal trackball, and 80 Meg HD for $2465 from a local  
distributor called FORTRON.  The same company was pricing the 130 Meg HD  
version for about $150 more. If people are interested I can post or E-mail  
the contact person there.  I think that's a pretty unbeatable value  
(Compudyne's price is $2999 for a 130 Meg HD).  (Who knows how much a  
similarly equipped Toshiba costs?)

There is favorable review of the Slimnote is the August issue of PC  
Sources and, as mentioned, in the big laptop review in PC Magazine.
--
*******************************************************
	Geoff Ghose				
	School of Optometry	360 Minor Hall		
	Univ. of California	Berkeley, CA 94720
	(510) 642-6440		Fax: (510) 642-3323
	NeXT Mail: geoff@pinoko.berkeley.edu
Xref: sparky comp.sys.laptops:3508 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:23919
From: grichard@swimming.cis.ohio-state.edu (Golden Richard III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: 2.5" hard drive sizes?
Date: 10 Sep 92 19:56:12 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science



Does anyone know how large the largest notebook-capable 2.5" drives
currently are?    I know 120mb drives are available, but a recent Zeos
advertisement I saw mentioned 180mb drives for their notebook.   I
currently have a 3300SL (Toshiba) w/ 80 meg, but the demands of OS/2,
etc. are going to make a larger drive necessary at home point.

I opened the notebook and it looks like a very easy swap; does anyone
know exactly what type of drive I'd have to get and if any BIOS
problems, etc. would result?



--Golden



-- 
Golden Richard III             OSU Dept. of Computer and Information Science
grichard@cis.ohio-state.edu                                   (614) 292-0056
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: toshea@erc.cat.syr.edu (Timothy Oshea)
Subject: Gateway Laptops
Originator: toshea@erc.cat.syr.edu
Keywords: Gateway
Organization: Electronic Resource Center, Syracuse
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 92 01:37:07 EDT

Hi all... Time to answer yet another question!

Ok... Being in the market for a laptop computer, I have narrowed my sights to 
the seemingly flawless Gateway series of laptops.  I read all of the available
info in PC Magazine as well as Computer Shopper and other various sources.
But I need to know what any of you have to say about the Gateway.  Flaws,
gripes with service, or other drawbacks would be valuable info for me.
I am looking mainly into the two 486 models, but info on any or all three wouldbe great.  
Thanks 
	Tim
From: slemons@lime.EBay.Sun.COM (Steven Lemons)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Grid 1500 stuff?
Date: 16 Sep 1992 02:52:08 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: slemons@lime.EBay.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: lime.ebay.sun.com


Does anyone know where I might obtain any accessories or parts for a
GRiD 1530 laptop? I believe that this machine is no longer in production,
but I haven't yet seen any of the closeout specialists advertise anything
for this particular model. If you know where items for this model may be
obtained, please advise.





Steve Lemons
From: bischoff@Ph1.Uni-Koeln.DE
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: DynaBook286 failed - please help
Date: 15 Sep 1992 16:51:56 GMT
Organization: University of Cologne, I. Physik. Inst., Germany
Reply-To: bischoff@Ph1.Uni-Koeln.DE
NNTP-Posting-Host: newton.ph1.uni-koeln.de

From: bischoff@ph1.uni-koeln.de (Uwe Bischoff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: DynaBook failed - please help
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:00:00 GMT
Reply-To: bischoff@ph1.uni-koeln.de
Organization: Universitaet zu Koeln


Hi folks,
Perhaps one of you has come across the same problem (and solved it ?!):
As the subject line already says, my DynaBook286 (1 1/2 yrs old, floppy
based system J3100GS001) broke down a couple of days ago:
After pushing the power button, the green LED's for caps, num, scroll lock, 
and power light up for less than a second, and the floppy gives the usual 
clicking sound. The battery LED turns on orange or green,
depending on the status of the NiCd battery. And then - that's it. The
machine just doesn't start, all LED's turn off and then the red DC IN LED
starts flashing and continues forever. :(
And that procedure always happens, even with the AC adapter connected and the
(new!) battery fully charged, I even charged the internal batteries - nothing.
The technican of a local Toshiba dealer told me that "there's a short circuit
on the motherboard somewhere" - but the motherboard looks fine, I can't see 
anything unusual on it, no burnt-out capacitors, no broken resistors or 
transistors. Of course, about the IC's I don't know. 
DynaBooks are sold in Japan only (where I got mine), and the folks at the 
Toshiba HQ in Germany told me they don't support that machine in europe: 
"See your dealer in Japan" - great advice, thanks!
Well, complaints don't help. Any help, hints, comments, ideas, etc...?
Please e-mail to me: bischoff@ph1.uni-koeln.de
Thanks a lot in advance.

- Uwe - 

Xref: sparky comp.sys.laptops:3511 misc.forsale.computers:32876
From: ledwick@amsaa-cleo.brl.mil (Bill Ledwick)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops,misc.forsale.computers
Subject: Everex Tempo Notebook FORESALE
Keywords: For Sale, Everex
Date: 10 Sep 92 20:19:17 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Distribution: na
Organization: U.S. ARMY MATERIEL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS ACTIVITY (AMSAA), APG, MD.

I am considering selling my notebook, here are the stats if anyone
is interested.

Everex Tempo LX 20 (386SX/20MHZ) 640X480 VGA (16 grays) 1M RAM
(expandable to 5), 60M IDE HD, 1.44M FD, 1 parallel, 1 serial, 1
ext. color VGA port, Battery (charges in 1 hour, lasts about 2 to
2.5 hours), battery charger/power supply, 2-button mouse, very nice
padded carrying case, DOS, Windows, original documentation and
packaging.  All are in mint condition.  Screen and keyboard are
very highly rated - I read a lot of reviews before setteling on the
Everex for it's durability.  (3 months left on Warranty)

I paid $2K for it last December; it's only seen maybe 50-100 hours
of use (2-4 hr/wk) which is why I'm considering selling it.  I've
had only one problem with it, and sent it back to Everex for
repair.  Everex was very good about the repair, they called me to
discuss the problem and had it back to me in < 2wks!  They couldn't
pin down the problem so they replaced the screen, the mother board,
and the HD.  The only thing original is the floppy disk, keyboard
and case!  The "new" system has less than 20 hours of use on it. 
System will include a legal copy of SideKick 2.0 (with docs) and
some shareware utilities and games - unless you want it delivered
"clean".  Other application software will be deleted.  I will
reformat the HD and partition it to your liking if you wish.

I realize you can probably pick these up for about $1500 now
(prices are dropping like rocks)... I'm willing to sell it for
$1300 (including shipping) if anyone's interested.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
Subject: Re: BIGCURS cursor program update in TSUTLD20.ZIP at Garbo
Organization: University of Vaasa, Finland
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 10:53:12 GMT

In article <1992Sep14.151921.3320@ncsu.edu> mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu (MICHAEL RONN MARCELAIS) writes:
>In article <1992Sep13.162626.14660@uwasa.fi>, ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) writes:
>|> From: ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
>|> Subject: TSUTLD20.ZIP utility collection, Garbo

>Why does this need to be a TSR?  I know there is a system call in DOS to allow

Please take a little closer look at the original announcement.  The
package comes with a version that is not a TSR (BIGNCURS.EXE). 

>you to change the cursor size and doesn't require a TSR program.  Norton
>Control Center does this without being a TSR and it works.  What else does

With a non-TSR you have the problem of some applications restoring
the cursor to its small state.  With a full TSR you won't have this
problem. 

>this program do, besides give you a big cursor and eat up memory?

Oh dear, in a slightly provocative mood today, aren't we :-).  Ok,
I'll bite.  What else would you wish a big cursor program do than
produce a big cursor?

A further note.  One can load the TSRs in the high memory.  Very
easy with MsDos 5.0, and possible with the earlier versions with the
help of memory managers.  Besides, as I said, a non-TSR was
included. 

..................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous FTP archives 128.214.87.1
Faculty of Accounting & Industrial Management; University of Vaasa
Internet: ts@uwasa.fi Bitnet: salmi@finfun   ; SF-65101, Finland
From: shrum@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Rick Shrum)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Such an Animal?
Date: 14 Sep 92 23:45:40 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Res. Ctr, Calif.

Here is what we need for our lab, but are having a difficult time finding:

A laptop/notebook/portable with 2, pref. 3 full-size, 16 bit slots.
It can be either a 386 or 486. Speed? Oh, 'round 20 MhZ I suppose.
What is available for memory? 40 MB would be ok for us. 
I know that the portables used to have these capabilities, but they don't
seem to be made any more, and the laptops and notebooks seem to be geared
toward the business person.
If I get too many replies (I *hope*) and can't thank all who respond
personally, let me give you all a big thanks now. Here it comes:

T H A N K S ! ! !



                            R ****
                             I
                              C
                          **** K	
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: tsdavies@rodan.syr.EDU (Real life?  Ha!)
Subject: Re: T1000XE vs. PB100 -- which is better?
In-reply-to: karches@utdallas.edu's message of Fri, 11 Sep 1992 05:05:22 GMT
Organization: Sam Hill Cabal, DS
	<1992Sep11.050522.21332@utdallas.edu>
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 01:11:40 EDT

In article <1992Sep11.050522.21332@utdallas.edu> karches@utdallas.edu
(Tom Karches) writes: 

> You would probably need at least 4MB of RAM to run Word on a PB100 and
> its performance may be sluggish on the PB100. I use WriteNow on my
> PB100 and it is very snappy and RAM-frugal (about 400K). 

I had the opportunity to play with a PowerBook 100 for about a week.
It was a 2/20 model, and ran Word 4.? with no problems, even working
on a 170+ page document.  (And with room for running a couple other
(small) applications.)  The secret was to dump System 7, and replace
it with a late-model System 6.  

It's a pretty nice little machine, I'm seriously considering trying to
pick one up myself.

--
	Sam Hill Cabal, DS		   tsdavies@mailbox.syr.edu
"It don't matter, Sail, ... Could be worse.  The fam'ly might be donatin' the
proceeds to the Cath'lic Church, or the Mormons or somethin'.  One cult's the
	same as another." -- Lula Pace Ripley, in "Consuelo's Kiss".
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: uds@wsu-eng.eng.wayne.edu (Seetamraju Udaybhaskar)
Subject: ...7 months old and still new !?!
Reply-To: uds@wsu-eng.eng.wayne.edu (Seetamraju Udaybhaskar)
Organization: Wayne State University, Detroit
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 17:45:13 GMT

>  This system is only 7 months old and in new condition.

Without being critical of the person who wrote this ad, I would like
to mention the following.

I have seen such references to most portables being sold here.
But my notebook looks like a old toolbox full of scratches and
marks (with gum marks of old school logos that I had stuck on the
face of the lid.)...

In 7 months my notebook has become a virtual junk.  How do these guys
have it in new condition when they sell it ?  Is there a car-shine-polish
for portables, using which we can `resuscitate' the lost beauty of our
dear possession (that we now wish to part with)...


Seetamraju Udaya Bhaskar Sarma
(email : seetam @ ece7 . eng . wayne . edu)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
From: chriss@sam.amgen.com (Chris Silvester)
Subject: Re: Beware of SAGER!
Organization: Amgen
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 17:47:34 GMT

In article <mDJiqB1w164w@cellar.org>, stencil@cellar.org (Stencil) writes:
> 
> I recently ordered a Sager NP-305 notebook (386SL-25).  The ordering itself 
> went fairly smoothly, aside from a few minor problems of communication: the 
> sales rep did not speak very good English.  The computer did not work when I 
> received it - the hard disk did not spin up and the screen did not turn on.  
> Annoyed at having had to wait so long for a lemon, I immediately called the 
> company and told them that I was returning it, I was going to overnight it 
> and I expected them to pay for it, and I wanted them to send me a replacement 
> overnight.  They agree.  My replacement did NOT arrive in two days, as it 
> should have; when I called they had yet to ship it.  When it did arrive, it 
> was to the wrong address, they had not reimbursed me for shipping costs, and 
> it DIDN'T WORK EITHER.  Tomorrow I am returning it to them, demanding my 
> money back, and spreading the word that this company doesn't know what 
> quality is.
> 
> - stencil%cellar@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com
> 

Sorry to hear that...sounds like a run of bad luck to me.  I recently purchased
their 486DX 33Mhz Notebook and haven't had a bit of trouble with it.  In fact,
I'm very pleased with it's performance so far.  The only part of your story
that I can concur with is that they don't speak very good English...

Better luck next time!

Chris S.

Xref: sparky comp.sys.laptops:3548 misc.forsale.computers:33380 misc.forsale:26338
From: hfesh@usho0c.hou281.chevron.com (F.E.Shipley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops,misc.forsale.computers,misc.forsale
Subject: Zenith Z-180 Laptop for sale
Date: 15 Sep 92 13:53:02 GMT
Organization: Chevron


Zenith Z-180 Laptop Computer
80C88 running at 8mhz
640 kilbytes of RAM
MS-DOS 5.0 installed and Zenith MS-DOS 3.3 included.
LCD 640 x 200 pixels CGA
3.5 in. Harddrive, 20 Meg
3.5 in. Floppy, 720 K
2400 baud internal modem
Ports: 9 pin RS232 serial, parallel Printer, ext. drive, and ext. monitor
Dimensions: 11in x 14in x 2in or so
Weight: 15 lbs with battery pack
Leather Carry Case by DELL (great case - fits Zenith perfectly)
Power Adapter and Adapter for Car
 
This system is a couple of years old and in fair condition. The battery pack
was replaced with a Zenith battery this summer. It comes with all the 
manuals.

First $350 offer takes it, or make an offer.




Keywords: laptop
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops,misc.forsale.computers
From: melz@well.sf.ca.us (Melvin L. Zwillenberg)
Subject: Tandy Model 100 and BoosterPak
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 02:41:36 GMT


FOR SALE, BOOSTERPAK, M100 AND OTHER GOODIES:



(1) SuperROM w/ word processor, LUCID spreadsheet and outliner, w/all manuals,

    $75.



(2) Multiplan spreadsheet ROM and manual, $15.



(3) BoosterPak with 200K of uncrashable RAMDISK, w/TS-DOS in ROM, X-TEL

    (XMODEM) and Asteroids game in ROM, $225. Postpaid.



(5) Items (1), (2) and (3) above, $295. postpaid.



(6) Items (1), (2) and (3) above, plus 32K Model 100, Tandy Portable Disk

    Drive 1, a pile of Pico and Portable 100 magazines and a soft briefcase

    that holds the outfit (needs a zipper repair), $475. postpaid.

    (Note, a box of disks of misc. forum software included.)



Please contact me by e-mail if interested.



If you don't like my prices, make an offer. I will separate items, but will

not sell the M100 and disk drive until the other items sell.







Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops