1994 by GEnie ========================================================================== This file is brought to you by The Commodore 64/128 RoundTable on GEnie This file may be published or excerpted in User Group newsletters providing credit is given in this manner: "Copyright 1994 by GEnie From the Commodore 64/128 RoundTable File#:#####" This file maybe be distributed, if distributed whole and unaltered, on non-profit BBSs or non-profit networks. For more information on GEnie call by modem: 1-800-638-8369 (8-N-1 300/1200/2400) Enter: HHH Then reply: xtx99018,commrt Then enter: Commodore And enjoy! ========================================================================== On September 13th, 1994 Nick Rossi visited the Commodore RTC to talk about his new upgrade of his term Novaterm 9.5. Nick told about the features of the new term, as well as hot keys, shortcuts, and future improvements. He also gavea surprise clinic in modems. This is a must read conference for Novaterm users. This conference is one of a series of conferences in the Commodore RTC on GEnie. This conference was hosted, captured and edited by GEOS-TIM (Tim Hewelt)with back of the scenes support by C128-QT.PIE (Sherry Freedline). :) -Tim ========================================================================== Welcome to the GEOS DEN! Nick Rossi is the guest speaker. Nick will be talking about Novaterm .We will be diving the night into four topics.. We will be diving the night into four topics................ 1. The configuring of Novaterm for GEnie 2. Hints and shortcuts in the use of Novaterm 3. Future improvements and present improvements in 9.5 4. Other specific problems Welcome Nick Your new term is a great one <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Hi! Nick one of the most common problems folks have when using a term the first time is configuring to their modem and to the service.Are there any helpful hints that a user could use to use Novaterm on GEnie? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, fortunately, configuring Novaterm for GEnie, or for any other service/BBS, is fairly simple. There are two places to set configuration-type options: The Terminal Parameters menu lists general options that are in effect always. In addition, you can specify specific configuration items in the Autodial Phone Book. These items are specific to each BBS/service you call. The BBS-specific settings you provide in the phone book always override the general parameters when they overlap. In order to initially set up the program, you can do a lot by first going through the parameter list one item at a time. Modem type: Select the type of modem you have. If it's Hayes-compatible (which is just about anything 1200 baud and up), you have to determine the how the carrier bit is set by the modem. If you have a 1670 or Aprotek modem which plugs directly into the user port, the carrier bit is set low... but if you have an RS-232 interface, the carrier is often set high. To check this, select the Hayes modem type corresponding to your maximum baud rate, then go to terminal mode. If the "C" in the status line is highlighted, but you are not on-line, then you must select one of the "Hayes inv" modem types instead in order to get a proper carrier detect. If you haven't selected the "inv" modem type and you need to, the autodial function will not work correctly. The next item of interest is the terminal emulator. Novaterm can emulate a variety of terminals. If you're just calling Commodore BBS's -- or GEnie -- then the "standard" terminal type is sufficient. If you're connected to an IBM BBS with ANSI, or an Internet provider, you'll need to use ANSI or VT102. When selecting a terminal emulation, be aware that the terminal emulator, ASCII translation table, and 80 column font are all linked, and you must select the correct module for all three in order for the emulation to work. For instance, to use "standard" terminal mode, the settings for the three modules should be: Term: standard ASCII table: standard 80 col. font: novaterm (or "nova wide") For ANSI, you would select: Term: ANSI ASCII table: ANSI/VT 80 col. font: ANSI <[Nick] N.ROSSI> They all work together to provide the correct display. You can also select a file transfer protocol. GEnie supports most all of the same protocols included in Novaterm, so you can choose among Xmodem, Ymodem, and Zmodem. Including Zmodem did create quite a stir <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Yes, Zmodem is a challenge for the C64, because you can't access disk and the modem at the same time, which is necessary for fast Zmodem downloads. But you can use Zmodem in block mode, which is what Novaterm does. If I'm not mistaken, GEnie requires that you reduce the block size when using Zmodem to 512 bytes. You can alter this setting on the Terminal Parameters menu. So it was like you designed it for GEnie that's great! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> :) -- The block size option was actually originally for the Punter protocol, which allows variable block sizes. But Zmodem allows this as well. In your Autodial entry for GEnie, you can specify some additional items. For calling GEnie regularly, you should first set up an entry in your autodial phone book. Press F4 on the Autodial menu to create a new entry. In the phone book, you can specify the name and phone number for GEnie. You can also specify your password, if you don't have security problems at home :) The password gets defined as function key F1 when you connect to GEnie. That is to say, in terminal mode, you can press F1 and your password will be sent. You should also specify the baud rate and whether or not you will use 80 column mode. These items depend on your modem and your personal preference. Specify "no" for C/G mode (Commodore color/graphics mode, which turns off ASCII translation). Specify BS for the "DEL sends" option. No, that doesn't mean your delete key will send bull. It'll send a backspace code, rather than a true delete. Finally, you should use GEnie at 8N1, which is 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. Pretty easy, eh? Yes...looks like it. Are there any hints on the SET in the GEnie area set for configuring your setup? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> You should specify the number 8 for your backspace key. Also, when you specify your break key, you have the option of specifying it as a "true break", rather than a control character. Novaterm can send a "true break" by pressing C= X in terminal mode. It's not sending any specific character; it just holds the line in a certain state for 1/4 of a second, and GEnie can recognize this. Before I open the floor to questions, I have a burning question I've been wanting to ask.......................What term are you using now? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Novaterm 9.5 :::::::APPLAUSE:::::: <[Nick] N.ROSSI> That was really keeping you up at night? No just kiddin. LOL Okay...Doug Cotton from CMD has a question. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> I logged on to a system with everything set to "standard" and I kept seeing strange things like ^J or ^C in front of every line. Any idea what was wrong? Oh... and that might have been J^ and C^... i don't recall the order...Any thoughts? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Ah.. you have turned on what I call "control character display mode". <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Aha! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> There's a letter "K" in the status line that indicates this setting. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> I assume there's a key combo to turn this off, then? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> When turned on, any control characters received by the modem are displayed explicitly. Those ^J's were cntrol-J characters, which are linefeeds. Press C= K to toggle this mode. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Thanks! Any more questions on configuring Novaterm before we get into our next topic Hints on Short cuts and easy ways to use Novaterm. ...? I think you covered the topic pretty well, Nick <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I'll just refer everyone to the manual for more Oh, Lurch has a question... go ahead Lurch <[Lurch] L.VICTORY> Shouldn't you also have local echo turned on also? I didn't notice it mentioned. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Ah. Yes, and that depends on what you have set on GEnie. Thanks for bringing this up. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> GEnie defaults to not echoing your typing back to you. If you like it that way, you have to turn on "local echo" when you use GEnie. Press C= E, and the letter "E" in the status line will highlight. Then, everything you type goes to the screen and the modem at the same time. You could also turn on GEnie's character echo from the SET menu, and turn off Novaterm's local echo. Doug Cotton has another question....Go ahead Doug <[exi] CMD-DOUG> When setting baud rates, what should I do if the specific baud rate I want to connect at isn't one of the available selections? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> You mean, if you are using a 14.4kbps modem? <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Correct. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> (That's the situation where that would occur) Using 14.4k modems opens a whole new story on baud rates. First of all, you have to have a SwiftLink or similar device to use baud rates above 2400. Have you heard of a swiftlink, Doug? <[exi] CMD-DOUG> A what? :) <[Nick] N.ROSSI> And I should interject here a little tidbit on "baud" rates, because there's so much confusion. The baud rate is not the same thing as the bps (bits per second). When you tal k about running at 2400, or 9600, or 14.4k, this is measured in bits per second. This is NOT the baud rate. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The reason is, "baud" measures SYMBOLS per second. High speed modems encode more than one bit in each symbol. Therefore, the bps rate is the baud rate times the number of bits encoded in each symbol. This isn't really that important, but it does illustrate the difference between baud and bps... That is interesting.... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Slow modems -- 300 or 1200 -- only encode one bit for each symbol/signal, so baud and bps were equivalent at those speeds. So from now on, I always mention bps as the speed of the modem. But it's always the number you're familiar with. With that out of the way, here's how high speed modems work... Take a deep breath... :) Two 14.4kbps modems talk to each other at 14,400 bps. However, the data they send to each other is encoded. When you send a line of characters to your modem from your terminal, the characters are encoded by the modem before they are sent out. They're encoded for error correction and data compression. Since the modem can compress data, you could actually be sending data to the modem FASTER than 14,400 bps, since it can cram more than 14,400 bits of YOUR data into each second. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> In other words, if the modem can send 14,400 bits of compressed data per second, it can send some higher number of uncompressed data per second. But how fast can you send data to the modem? Compression actors vary depending on the data. You could get a 1.5 to 1 compression ratio for the next three seconds, but then get only 1.25 to 1 for five seconds after that. But you can't change Novaterm's bps rate setting on the fly! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Here's what happens... You "lock" your terminal program at some bps rate higher than what your modem is capable of. Typically, you set the terminal's bps rate as high as it can go. With Novaterm and a SwiftLink cartridge, you can set the terminal for 38,400 bps. At the same time, you must activate what's called "hardware flow control", or "RTS/CTS flow control". There's a Hayes modem command to turn on this feature <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Oh yes. You must also set Novaterm to RTS/CTS flow control You can do this on the Terminal Parameters menu, under the "Flow control" option. RTS/CTS flow control is a mechanism for controlling the flow of data between your TERMINAL and your MODEM. ...it does NOT occur over the phone line! You lock your terminal at its highest possible bps rate --38,400 for Novaterm/SwiftLink. You're sending data to the modem as fast as you possible can. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The modem sends data to the other end of the link as fast as IT possibly can. But if the compression ratio isn't good, it obviously won't send YOUR data at 38,400 bps. It'll be slower than that. The modem has a buffer that stores the data coming in from your terminal. If the modem isn't sending data to the other end fast enough, the buffer starts to fill up. If the buffer gets full, the modem commands Novaterm to hang on for a second by changing the state of the CTS line, one of the lines in your RS232 cable. CTS stands for Clear To Send. When the modem changes CTS from high to low, it tells Novaterm that it's not ready for more data. Novaterm will just hang out until the modem raises CTS again, indicating it's ready for more. This can work the other way around, too. Novaterm has a buffer for data coming in from the modem. It empties the buffer as fast as it can. This time, however, the bottleneck isn't caused by data compression. Rather, Novaterm can only display data on the screen so fast. Data comes from the modem faster. If the buffer fills up, Novaterm lowers the RTS line. RTS means Ready to Send. The modem monitors this line, and when Novaterm lowers it, the modem waits until Novaterm empties its buffer and raises the line again. Essentially, the point of all this is that to use a 14.4kbps modem, Set your bps rate as high as it will go, and then turn on RTS/CTS flow control both in your modem and in Novaterm. end Okay...it is time to move into the next topic Hints on Shortcuts and easy ways to use Novaterm <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Outstanding information! I think you deserve an out-standing ovation! :) Thanks! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> :) Well, we have heard it from the editor of Commodore World.:D So it must be true.....I would agree...I got quite a lesson in modems tonight. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I recommend picking up a book on modems or communications at the bookstore! Nick, Do you have some Hints on how Novaterm can be easier to use? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The stuff about high speed modems is all different from what we're used to! Okay moving on :) Gaelyn has a question Gaelyne is editor of CEE64 Alive While discussing high speed modeming, I may have missed it, but did you cover screen appearances and garbage on the screen? I've had problems with the screen being garbled and have not found a C=w setting that will help over come it. end <[Nick] N.ROSSI> That's something to watch for in Novaterm at higher speeds. I briefly mentioned that Novaterm (and the C64 itself) is on the slow side displaying incoming data on the screen. There are a few things to mention about this. First, the problems are most prevalent in 80 column mode, which is extremely slow in scrolling. To help alleviate this, you can tell Novaterm to scroll the 80 column screen more than one line at a time. Press C= W in terminal mode to select from the scrolling options. You can scroll up to 4 lines at a time. While this does okay at 2400 bps, it's not enough at even higher speeds. To get the best performance, you MUST use RTS/CTS flow control. There's another type of flow control, XON/XOFF -- also called software flow control -- but it is not adequate either. Next question.. In previous Novaterm versions, the Flow control settings seemed to offer the user the ability to input the number themselves. This has changed.... Why? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, you can still change the flow control tolerance value. However, changing the baud rate setting forces this value to change at the same time. It changes to hopefully set an optimal value depending on the bps rate setting. At higher speeds, the number must be smaller to prevent buffer overflow. That's what I meant... the tolerance value. Thanks! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Unfortunately, when you autodial, the baud rate gets set at that time, so the flow tolerance is forced to its default for that speed. So if you want to set it, you have to do so after you connect. This is a bit of an inconvenience, so I'm planning to add options to change the defaults. end Going back to my question, and the new topic....Shortcuts................ Do you have some hints on shortcuts that a Novaterm user might find useful? Or what ways can a Novaterm user feel really, really, really good? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Novaterm is full of shortcuts, mainly because many functions are accessible from different places in the program. Terminal mode is a land mine of shortcuts. :) Look down the list of terminal mode commands (press C= M for the list). For instance, look at the disk directory with C= V. Look at the blocks free on the disk with C= F. Open a text capture file with C= O. Select a file transfer protocol with C= P. Select a terminal emulator with C= T. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> These are all items available in the menus, but have convenient terminal mode commands so you can use them quickly. Also, if there are strings you type frequently -- such as your username when you log on -- you can store them in macros. On the Terminal Parameters menu, select "Define F-keys". On this menu, you can assign strings to function keys. Then, back in terminal mode, pressing a function key sends the corresponding string. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Note that F1 is not on the list. F1 is reserved for passwords. When you autodial a phone book entry, the password is defined in F1 when you connect. I'm always looking for more ways to provide shortcuts and easy access to frequently-used commands. I especially value comments on this type of thing. end Sounds like there are loads of shortcuts. Are there any questions concerning shortcuts from the group? It appears you must have covered that one pretty well. Our next topic is Future Improvements <[Nick] N.ROSSI> My favorite :) So Nick Are there future improvements in the near future.....so close to the coming out of 9.5? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Doug mentioned during the CMD conference that it's not wise to talk excessively about future plans, lest they become foiled... :) LOL <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Heh. :) That is probably very true Are there any plans that we can get a peek at? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> However, there are some things I can mention that I'm definitely working on now, and other things that I'm considering. Great... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I'll offer the standard disclaimer with the things I'm considering -- it all depends on the amount of shareware registration support from users of Novaterm. If there's support, I can continue the work... That is a very important consideration <[Nick] N.ROSSI> At the moment, there are a couple of things on the burner. Right now, I'm in the process of rewriting the big compiled-BASIC portion of the program in assembly. All the menus and many functions are written in BASIC and compiled with Blitz. It's so big now that development speed in BASIC is slow -- it takes 20 minutes to compile the program, every time I need to test out a change! Also, I've used up all of the C64's memory. :) Rewriting the program in assembly will speed up development time, since I can assemble code on my PC.. and the main part of the program should be more compact, freeing up more memory for other improvements. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> It also gives me more control over how memory is used, i.e. for variables and such. (And it'll get rid of that annoying string garbage collection :) Rewriting in assembly is a big project and takes time... I'm getting there, though. It sounds like a very needed project. It sounds like a very needed project. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> It has to be done before anything new can really happen. Once that's done, I have some fast 1541 disk routines being developed by another programmer that I'm planning to incorporate. Sorry Doug, but not everyone has JiffyDOS :) The routines can be disabled, of course. (Or will be disable-able, I should say) <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Though they should. :) I'm sure Novaterm users are happy to hear it too. What is your time projection for this project? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I hope to finish up that recoding by the end of the year. I would say have them automatically disabled and let people enable them if they want them. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Most likely will be that way, since many people do have fastloaders of various type. However, the primary advantage to the fast disk routines will be during file transfers and buffer operations. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Actually, JiffyDOS will generally get along fine with a well-written fast-load. Sometimes the results are cum ulative, too. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Really? I'll have to look into that some more. I didn't think you could overlap any fast routines easily. The biggest problem with file transfers is when using Ymodem or Zmodem -- it takes a long time to read or write 1024 bytes of each block. With fast routines, transfer speeds will increase a lot. I'm also looking at some fast 80 column drivers. They were written by a guy who's done a lot of demo coding. :) They take up a LOT of memory, so there's still some question whether they'll fit in with everything else. One small thing that recoding the BASIC in assembly will improve is the manipulation of files in Novaterm's buffer. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Novaterm manages its small amount of buffer space with a RAMdisk-like file system. You can look at the directory, create/delete/rename files, etc. With the handling of all this in assembly, you'll be able to access buffer files directly from the Text Editor. Right now, you have to save everything in the buffer before quitting Novaterm to load a module... Let's see... there are some other things, let me check the ol' list :) :::trying to look over Nick's shoulder:::: <[Nick] N.ROSSI> A FAX module is a possibility. This depends on support, of course, but when I get the time, it'll be a simple matter to encode textfiles into FAX documents that can be sent with a FAX modem. That would be cool... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Also, I am DEFINITELY planning to fix up the ANSI editor. I lost the source code in a hard drive crash about a year ago, but recently someone rebuilt the source from the assembly for me. (I didn't have a program of my own to do this!) <[Nick] N.ROSSI> At some time, if I have the time, I'd also like to improve the scripting language, maybe add support for variables, bigger if-then statements, for loops, etc. I would like to improve relations between Novaterm and RAM expansion units -- just bought my first one recently, thanks G! -- but after reading up on it a little, they say you can't use DMA mode while using RS232. I'm not sure how to resolve this. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, those are the big things. I rely a lot on user feedback also. end JBEE has a question Nick, how about supporting RamLink DACCs, they still make RamLinks and DRAM is inexpensive and easy to add. Not to mention it will be almost as fast as a REU. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I don't know much about RamLink. I was under the impression it had a RAMdisk built into it? RamLink supports direct memory access as well, then? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I don't know that I could swing the cash for one right now :) if you have your REU as a DACC and are using a swiftlink have psudeo REU support for RamLink DACCs would enhance your buffering? <[exi] CMD-DOUG> It does... quite similar to REU programming, but requires some SYS commands. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> ...since it isn't a DMA device. We can get you the info on it cheaply enough. :) <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Hmmm. Using the RamLink or REU as a direct extension to the measly 8k buffer would be the way to go, but there's that RS232 problem. i.e. how do you store data in it on the fly if you have to interrupt RS232 to do it? It could be done with RTs/CTS flow control, of course, but not everyone can use that (modem must be 9600 or up). <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Offhand, I couldn't tell you. I can program a RAMLink, but RS-232 isn't my forte <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, I'll have to look into that more :) end Our next topic is a little change in the planned topics Nick expressed interest in some feedback...... Of our folks in the audience, are there any thoughts about Novaterm that you would like to share? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I'm interested in suggestions for features, or improvements to the user interface. Let's save specific problems getting things to work until the end :) Or are there things you would like to see? Eddie has a suggestion <[Eddie] E.BOURDON1> How about 'Mouse' support, kinda like dialog has? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Oh yes, that's another thing I've though about, especially since I just found my old 1351 mouse in a box when I moved. :) With the program rewritten in assembly, adding a mouse driver should be easy. (Right now, there's no room in memory for it!) end <[Nick] N.ROSSI> un-end <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I'm not sure if I want to go to pull+down menus, though... that depends on what users would like to see. end Gaelyne has a a comment Nick, how about a faster method to get back to the menus? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Back to which menus? Like the back arrow key...? The C=Z menus. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> From where to where? You mean, leaving terminal mode? From the terminal to the menus <[Nick] N.ROSSI> You would like to press one key instead of two, right? :) You got it! :-) I have arthritis, any keystroke saved is nice. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Let's see... the most likely candidate for such a key would be the RUN-STOP key. The back arrow sends the ESC character, so I wouldN't want to use that.. But yo can always press ctrl-C for that character, so RUN-STOP (which sends a ctrl+C right now) could be stolen for that purpose. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I like the idea of one key instead of two. It's been written down. :) Sounds great to me. Thanks! Kym has a queston Go ahead Kym Is the Z-moedem send problem insurmountable or is it a real possiblitlity end <[Nick] N.ROSSI> It's a possibility. I should mention that I didn't write the Zmodem download module from scratch. The bulk of it was written by Daniel Fandrich, which he then made publicly available (source code and all!). But it wasn't completed, ...for instance, it would only display downloaded files to the screen. So I shored it up and interfaced it with Novaterm. I think it'll be easy to use a lot of what was provided in the Zmodem download code to write a Zmodem upload module. I can't give a timetable on that,though. end Are there any more suggestions, feedback, or comments? Gaelyn has a comment Thanks. I just wanted to comment that Novaterm has taken C=64 users to a new level in Telecommunications... and for that I thank you! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Thank you for the kind words :) I agree Looking forward to new versions. end <[exi] CMD-DOUG> I'd also like to say THANKS for supporting SwiftLink from the start! Very well said, Gaelyn <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Doug, you can thank Kent Sullivan for contacting me when he first put it together... he and I have remained friends since then. It probably wouldn't have happened so quickly if Kent and Iweren't both from the Seattle area. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Heh, we thank Kent about once a quarter... with royalties. :) <[Nick] N.ROSSI> :) Anymore feedback? Okay, we have open forum now........ Are there any general questions or comments? Is the problem with buffer confined only to the higher baud rates? Some of the users in my group have complained of losing buffered text... at a lower baud...2400 and lower...freezing up, etc,. end <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The buffer problem is related to the problem with XON/XOFF flow control. Here's the story on that: A lot of BBS's don't respond quickly enough to the XOFF character: ctrl-S. Sometimes a BBS will keep sending data, even up to a screenful worth, before pausing, because the BBS may have a full output buffer on its end. Well, XON/XOFF flow control doesn't work very well when this is the case. Novaterm needs the other end to halt so it can process the data in its buffer. If the other end keeps sending data, Novaterm's modem buffer overflows, and you et problems. The automatic buffer save uses the same XON/XOFF principle to pause, save buffer data, then resume. If the other end keeps sending data, Novaterm's buffer overflows, and you lose data. Right now, the best solution to this is to get a high speed modem so you can use RTS/CTS (hardware) flow control. This eliminates the delay problem -- when Novaterm needs to halt incoming data, it can do so instantly, and it can resume without any data loss. The automatic buffer save works quite nicely with hardware flow control. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The other solution will be to use direct memory access with an REU for a larger buffer, but that's a future project. Well, I havhave a savings account set up for 14.4 and swiftlink, but I am barely coddldling my users into 2400! :-) <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I've spent a lot of time with software flow control and haven't come up with any easy solution for it. I know, a lot of folks aren't willing or able to spend the money on it. :) Thanks, though, for the info...my folks are sold on Novaterm as am I. I really appreciate your effort in this and your amazing results... end This is open forum so jump in with a question or comment Yea, I've had that too. Depends on your settings for term emulation. <[Novaterm] N.ROSSI> Here's a simple shortcut for that CLR/HOME key problem... Another shortcut...oh boy. <[Novaterm] N.ROSSI> Use the ASCII table editor (it's an external program, select "Utility modules" to get to it) and modify the "standard" ASCII table (type "standard" when asked for the file name). You'll see the "Transmit" table in front of you. Go down to character #19, and change its translation to the value 8. Then save the ASCII table. Now, whenever you accidentally press CLR/HOME, you get a delete instead! <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Can you redefine it to send, "Oh, my! I've hit the CLR/HOME key again!!!" LOL lol <[Novaterm] N.ROSSI> However, now that I think about it, you must turn on GEnie character echo and turn off local echo. I'm not sure which suggestion I like better! Both have definite merits! :-D Interesting... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> You'll have to ask the last question again, I missed it! I do want to thank you for tonight's conference..it was great....I'm now incase you disappear again. LOL <[exi] CMD-DOUG> Well, folks... It's been fun, but I have to head out. Thanks so much, Nick, for all your information! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Sure thing! Night Doug <[Nick] N.ROSSI> See ya, Doug. <[exi] CMD-DOUG> ::poof:: (to quote our fearless leader) ** <[exi] CMD-DOUG> has left. There sure has been a lot of info for me to digest.... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Thanks to everyone for coming! Thank you for aappearring and for all the info...my users will be really glad to hear it... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Are you a sysop or a user group?= Who are you asking? Kym I think <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Yes I am the editor of my Users Group Newsletter and the head of our Telecom SIG...I just MADE everyone get in on your user group deal.... Good going, Kym! LOL a tyrant.:D It made so much sense... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Oh, good... I wonder if I haven't advertised that deal enough. I thought more groups would take advantage of it. I tried the same, but didn't have a whip to crack at the time. I guess I am not aware of the user group deal. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I offer registration to a user group as a whole for $60. Not nearly enough...I had to read several newsletter to find it. I finally ran your review of the software along with a private review, ran the disk as a disk of the month and then asked everyone to sign up. Now it is the only term we use in the SIG <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Kind of like a "site license". :) Harris does that for his tax disk I think its a GREAT idea. <[Tim] D.PHELPS1> Ah, I'm glad that their will be a transcript of this conference. :) Yes, probably slower than usual, since I'm doing it. LOL <[Nick] N.ROSSI> It only gets one paragraph in the manual. I'm about the only telecom nut in my club though, so I didn't get far. Several!!! And I think I will be writing for the Underground and will run some of this in a review... <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I am thinking about advertising in Commodore World and DieHard, if I can swing the rates. Hopefully that will make more pepople aware of it Kym, please pass my address along to your users in case they want to write with any questions and such. I may get someone to cover and get up there Nick, Has the Lansing group contacted you? I have a meeting tomorrow night up there. Nick, I already have as well as your internet address...in fact, will be sending my user group registration this week replete with names! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> No, I don't have any record of them.. I can bring it up at the meeting. The details are? I can include it in the transcripts of tonight too, if you like <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Oh, cool! I should let you know that my address is the same, except that they changed my box number from #1159 to #3353. No problem, they know to forwardit. Nick, I understand you have a special deal for user groups. What is it and what are the particulars? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> For US$60.00, a user group can register a copy of Novaterm as a whole. Everyone contributing to the fee becomes a registered user. With the registration, send a list of users to be supported. Whenever I send any disks out with registration screens, they're sent to the user group coordinator, to be copied and distributed from within. Is there any limit to number of users? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Nope Have many groups taken advantage of this offer? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Somewhere between 5 and 10, I think, in the past few years. Oh, this has been in place this long? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> This type of registration helps me a lot, since it provides more capital for keeping the work going. Yes, since the beginning, actually... Boy, my advertising really sucks. I'm going to get into the new C= magazines before long. LOL...well maybe these transcripts will help..... If only 5-10, then it definitely needs more ads...I've seen your term reviewed in 40+ newsletters and it is the fast becoming the standard term... Yes, it is definitly a great term for the 64 <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I basically have no advertising... it's all been word of mouth and free distribution for five years. As an ex-PR person I say more marketing! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> When I got reviewed in the Gazette, I got a lot of response... but those were all for evaluation copies. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Any suggestions for steps to take? I'll bring it up at our meeting tomorrow night. I'd say contact your newsletter editors...as well as get it out on the echoes. The echoes are where I get most of my info...CBM, 128, GEOS. Also, dieHard couldn't hurt! I'll be mentioning you often in my columns and only wish Art Moore would do the same for QWKIE...maybe then I could sell it to my users! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, your help is appreciated, Kym! Now, if I could just find these newsletters... so many local ones, you know. Who could resist if you lower the $25.00 registration down to $7.00 as we did? Plays on the guilt factor too...you use the term, you want it to get better, sup@pport it! Have you thought of writing an article for UG newsletters? As for the newsletters, CEE-64 alive, Loadstar and die Hard all have lists. I will send you my list with my registration...no probblems!. Just put it on the boards to be DLd folks would love to have an article from Nick Rossi you could make it informative like this conference has been. And user groups could use it. they are always looking for articles <[Nick] N.ROSSI> That's a good idea -- you mean writing an article that goes in ALL the newsletters? <[Nick] N.ROSSI> I already rely on distribution by users on local BBS's. I bet Fred, and Greg know of some places it could go II run a BBS and am always looking for stuff to post. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> A lot of these editors are on the CBM Fido echoes, then? I spend most of my time on the Internet, where there's a lot of C= activity, but of a different sort... An article with Nick Rossi as author would be good print ::::good copy I would imagine that if you upload it to a few places letting them know that <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Well, I think I will put something together. I hadn't thought of this before. I write articles for Gazette because it brings in badly needed $$$, but they can use it...they would grab it. they can use it...they would grab it. We are trying to organize a user group net withing FIDO...exchanging articles, info and programs by FREQ'ing it...in fact, have already begun...saves time, postage and heartbreak! <[Nick] N.ROSSI> of course I can't distribute those articles. A freely distributable article is a great idea. Yes, and it would provide a service for the user groups I know both my clubs would publish it. Send it...I'll print it and the clubs I exchange with will pick it up. Gaelyne is in the same position. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> The problem for me is that there are no Fido-Net BBS's in Seattle that will carry the CBM echo! Ok, Tim, I put your missed text in your mail box. B<[Nick] N.ROSSI> Wait, what fastload routines are those, Gaelyne? There's the KCCUG board that has the CBM conferences. Beats me. His question was why you "removed" the fastload routines when loading the program. <[Nick] N.ROSSI> There never were any fastload routines... I'm working on putting them in! :/ ROFL!!!!!!! thanx your welcome <[Nick] N.ROSSI> Thanks for the help Tim! Your welcome Nick...it went well ***End of conference**