Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_16.ADF » FEATURES/reply
FEATURES/reply
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_16.ADF |
| Filename: | FEATURES/reply |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 145C bytes |
| Load address: | 72206576 |
| Exec address: | 796C7065 |
File contents
�.........*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.......*.< Which Processor? I can't deny that PC computers are overpriced, especially here in Britain, but MS-DOS is much easier and user-friendly than any 8bit disk system I've encountered (Commodore, Spectrum, Amstrad, BBC DFS and electron ADFS). I would also be suprised if somebody who was new to computers found it easier to navigate around a software package or disk system on any 8bit compared to using Windows(tm), the ultimate user-friendly system. Well, until Chicago and Daytona arrive to replace it. Americans being "Brainwashed" into buying morepowerful machines for the home may well be true. It certainley is here. The popular computer press paniced thousands of 386 owners by saying that their machine was good as dead and it was time to replace that motherboard or complete system with a 486. Even as this year draws nearer to an end we are told that the minimum system is going to be a 486DX33 with a minimum of 4MB RAM, preferably 8MB RAM. Nobody wants to own a machine that won't be able to run the latest software so out they go with their hard earned money to their nearest PC dealer. This problem is that, once, industry needed more powerful machines but now computer producers keep telling them that they need faster machines that can work with greater amounts of data. Not wanting to be left behind the businesses buy the latest equipment. Of course, many businesses DO need more powerful computers for CAD etc. The "Car Dealer" analogy was a little confusing. Surely what we can really liken the car yard dealer to would be one car yard dealer sells only Model T Fords and another sells every other car that was released in 1994. Which one do you reckon will go bankrupt first? The majority of the population want the best they can buy. Some, however, do not have great needs and are happy with what they've got. If you only want a computer for basic word processing then stick with your 8bit. If you want to do serious DTP then buy a MAC or a PC. SP64 is a good little package on the elk but for "real world" uses it's very primitive. The perfect machine doesn't exist and it never will. Every day technology is advancing, thus, changing how society functions down to the base levels. If it wasn't for technological advances and we all said "We're not interested in it" then we'd still be in caves eating raw meat and saying "Ug". If I was running a large company that produced its own goods and delivered them world-wide, I can safely say that I wouldn't use my electron to control the distribution process! Which System? Conservative keyboards? Have you seen the new keyboard from ENTA? It has the same layout as a standard AT keyboard but it looksas though the keyboard has been broken in the middle. It is designed to reduce RSI on the arms and hands. It may well be in the typically bland computer colours but not many people, or businesses, would buy brightly coloured computers or peripherals. Also pick up, literally, a PC keyboard made in 1986 and it's heavy! Pick up a PC keyboard made this year and it's not much heavier than a copy of the Yellow Pages. The whole point of the QWERTY keyboard was originally to stop typists from typing so fast that they used to jam the typewriter. The standard PC keyboard layout is kept QWERTY as this is the standard layout almost world wide and why bother to change were the other keys go (ie numeric keypad and 'F' keys)? I like them were they are and I'm sure that many others do, after all if they didn't then I think it's fairly safe to surmise that they would be changed! 5-1/4" Disk drives in a PC? Just how old was the PC you saw? Ok, many new PCs DO have a 5-1/4" HD disk drive but it is purely for downward compatibility with very old PCs that only had 5-4/5" drives. The 5-1/4" inch drive will be secondary tothe 3.5" HD disk drive. Replacing a 5-14" drive with a 3.5" HD is a relatively simple process, as long as your BIOS and DOS version allows it to be replaced. Pentiums incompatible with older PCs? They're completely, to my knowledge, downwardly compatible with any PC below it. Same situation with graphics cards, sound cards, disk formats. Regardless if the machine is called a Pentium or 486, it is STILL a PC and thus compatible with all other PC computers. Which was the whole point of IBM(tm) allowing other companies to produce their own computers that would be compatible with their IBM(tm) ones.(Wellexceptfor Amstrad who maketheirPCcompatibles incompatible with just about every piece of modern PC hardware available) I'd like to replace my old 386SX16 with a nippy 486DX266 for the same reason my dad wants a new car. Why put up with out of date things be they computers, cars or cooker when if you needed the best there was then why not get it. Assuming you can afford it that is. I will still use my elk regularly, but there will be times when I will have to use my PC. You can either embrace new technology with open arms or be left behind in technological obscurity. C.Weber August 1994
00000000 81 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e |..........*.....| 00000010 2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e |..*.......*.....| * 00000040 2e 2e 2a 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2a 2e 3c 0d 57 68 |..*.......*.<.Wh| 00000050 69 63 68 20 50 72 6f 63 65 73 73 6f 72 3f 0d 0d |ich Processor?..| 00000060 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 64 65 6e 79 20 74 68 61 |I can't deny tha| 00000070 74 20 50 43 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 73 20 61 |t PC computers a| 00000080 72 65 20 6f 76 65 72 70 72 69 63 65 64 2c 20 65 |re overpriced, e| 00000090 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 68 65 72 65 20 69 |specially here i| 000000a0 6e 20 42 72 69 74 61 69 6e 2c 0d 62 75 74 20 4d |n Britain,.but M| 000000b0 53 2d 44 4f 53 20 69 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 65 61 |S-DOS is much ea| 000000c0 73 69 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 75 73 65 72 2d 66 72 |sier and user-fr| 000000d0 69 65 6e 64 6c 79 20 74 68 61 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 |iendly than any | 000000e0 38 62 69 74 20 64 69 73 6b 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d |8bit disk system| 000000f0 20 49 27 76 65 0d 65 6e 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 65 | I've.encountere| 00000100 64 1a 20 28 43 6f 6d 6d 6f 64 6f 72 65 2c 1a 20 |d. (Commodore,. | 00000110 53 70 65 63 74 72 75 6d 2c 20 41 6d 73 74 72 61 |Spectrum, Amstra| 00000120 64 2c 20 42 42 43 20 44 46 53 20 61 6e 64 20 65 |d, BBC DFS and e| 00000130 6c 65 63 74 72 6f 6e 20 41 44 46 53 29 2e 20 49 |lectron ADFS). I| 00000140 0d 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 62 65 1a 20 |.would also be. | 00000150 73 75 70 72 69 73 65 64 1a 20 69 66 1a 20 73 6f |suprised. if. so| 00000160 6d 65 62 6f 64 79 1a 20 77 68 6f 1a 20 77 61 73 |mebody. who. was| 00000170 1a 20 6e 65 77 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 |. new to compute| 00000180 72 73 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 69 74 0d 65 61 73 69 |rs found it.easi| 00000190 65 72 20 74 6f 20 6e 61 76 69 67 61 74 65 20 61 |er to navigate a| 000001a0 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 20 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 |round a software| 000001b0 20 70 61 63 6b 61 67 65 20 6f 72 20 64 69 73 6b | package or disk| 000001c0 1a 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 1a 20 6f 6e 1a 20 61 6e |. system. on. an| 000001d0 79 20 38 62 69 74 0d 63 6f 6d 70 61 72 65 64 1a |y 8bit.compared.| 000001e0 20 74 6f 1a 20 75 73 69 6e 67 1a 20 57 69 6e 64 | to. using. Wind| 000001f0 6f 77 73 28 74 6d 29 2c 20 74 68 65 20 75 6c 74 |ows(tm), the ult| 00000200 69 6d 61 74 65 20 75 73 65 72 2d 66 72 69 65 6e |imate user-frien| 00000210 64 6c 79 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e 20 57 65 6c 6c |dly system. Well| 00000220 2c 0d 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 43 68 69 63 61 67 6f 20 |,.until Chicago | 00000230 61 6e 64 20 44 61 79 74 6f 6e 61 20 61 72 72 69 |and Daytona arri| 00000240 76 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 70 6c 61 63 65 20 69 74 |ve to replace it| 00000250 2e 0d 0d 41 6d 65 72 69 63 61 6e 73 20 62 65 69 |...Americans bei| 00000260 6e 67 20 22 42 72 61 69 6e 77 61 73 68 65 64 22 |ng "Brainwashed"| 00000270 20 69 6e 74 6f 1a 20 62 75 79 69 6e 67 1a 20 6d | into. buying. m| 00000280 6f 72 65 1a 70 6f 77 65 72 66 75 6c 20 6d 61 63 |ore.powerful mac| 00000290 68 69 6e 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 0d 68 6f |hines for the.ho| 000002a0 6d 65 20 6d 61 79 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 74 |me may well be t| 000002b0 72 75 65 2e 20 49 74 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 6c |rue. It certainl| 000002c0 65 79 1a 20 69 73 1a 20 68 65 72 65 2e 20 54 68 |ey. is. here. Th| 000002d0 65 20 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 72 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 |e popular comput| 000002e0 65 72 20 70 72 65 73 73 0d 70 61 6e 69 63 65 64 |er press.paniced| 000002f0 20 74 68 6f 75 73 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 33 38 | thousands of 38| 00000300 36 20 6f 77 6e 65 72 73 20 62 79 20 73 61 79 69 |6 owners by sayi| 00000310 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 69 72 1a 20 6d |ng that their. m| 00000320 61 63 68 69 6e 65 1a 20 77 61 73 20 67 6f 6f 64 |achine. was good| 00000330 20 61 73 0d 64 65 61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 | as.dead and it | 00000340 77 61 73 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 70 6c |was time to repl| 00000350 61 63 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 62 |ace that motherb| 00000360 6f 61 72 64 20 6f 72 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 |oard or complete| 00000370 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 0d 34 | system with a.4| 00000380 38 36 2e 20 45 76 65 6e 20 61 73 20 74 68 69 73 |86. Even as this| 00000390 20 79 65 61 72 20 64 72 61 77 73 20 6e 65 61 72 | year draws near| 000003a0 65 72 20 74 6f 20 61 6e 20 65 6e 64 20 77 65 20 |er to an end we | 000003b0 61 72 65 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 |are told that th| 000003c0 65 20 6d 69 6e 69 6d 75 6d 0d 73 79 73 74 65 6d |e minimum.system| 000003d0 20 69 73 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 | is going to be | 000003e0 61 20 34 38 36 44 58 33 33 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 |a 486DX33 with a| 000003f0 20 6d 69 6e 69 6d 75 6d 20 6f 66 1a 20 34 4d 42 | minimum of. 4MB| 00000400 20 52 41 4d 2c 20 70 72 65 66 65 72 61 62 6c 79 | RAM, preferably| 00000410 20 38 4d 42 0d 52 41 4d 2e 20 4e 6f 62 6f 64 79 | 8MB.RAM. Nobody| 00000420 20 77 61 6e 74 73 20 74 6f 20 6f 77 6e 20 61 20 | wants to own a | 00000430 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 6f 6e |machine that won| 00000440 27 74 20 62 65 20 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 1a 20 72 |'t be able to. r| 00000450 75 6e 1a 20 74 68 65 1a 20 6c 61 74 65 73 74 0d |un. the. latest.| 00000460 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 1a 20 73 6f 1a 20 6f 75 |software. so. ou| 00000470 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 67 6f 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 |t they go with t| 00000480 68 65 69 72 20 68 61 72 64 20 65 61 72 6e 65 64 |heir hard earned| 00000490 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 | money to their | 000004a0 6e 65 61 72 65 73 74 20 50 43 0d 64 65 61 6c 65 |nearest PC.deale| 000004b0 72 2e 0d 0d 54 68 69 73 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d |r...This problem| 000004c0 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 6f 6e 63 65 2c 20 | is that, once, | 000004d0 69 6e 64 75 73 74 72 79 20 6e 65 65 64 65 64 20 |industry needed | 000004e0 6d 6f 72 65 20 70 6f 77 65 72 66 75 6c 20 6d 61 |more powerful ma| 000004f0 63 68 69 6e 65 73 20 62 75 74 20 6e 6f 77 0d 63 |chines but now.c| 00000500 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65 72 |omputer producer| 00000510 73 20 6b 65 65 70 1a 20 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 1a |s keep. telling.| 00000520 20 74 68 65 6d 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 | them that they | 00000530 6e 65 65 64 20 66 61 73 74 65 72 20 6d 61 63 68 |need faster mach| 00000540 69 6e 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 0d 63 61 6e 20 77 6f |ines that.can wo| 00000550 72 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 67 72 65 61 74 65 72 20 |rk with greater | 00000560 61 6d 6f 75 6e 74 73 1a 20 6f 66 1a 20 64 61 74 |amounts. of. dat| 00000570 61 2e 20 4e 6f 74 20 77 61 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 74 |a. Not wanting t| 00000580 6f 20 62 65 20 6c 65 66 74 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64 |o be left behind| 00000590 20 74 68 65 0d 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 65 73 20 | the.businesses | 000005a0 62 75 79 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 74 65 73 74 20 65 |buy the latest e| 000005b0 71 75 69 70 6d 65 6e 74 2e 20 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 |quipment. Of cou| 000005c0 72 73 65 2c 1a 20 6d 61 6e 79 1a 20 62 75 73 69 |rse,. many. busi| 000005d0 6e 65 73 73 65 73 1a 20 44 4f 20 6e 65 65 64 0d |nesses. DO need.| 000005e0 6d 6f 72 65 1a 20 70 6f 77 65 72 66 75 6c 20 63 |more. powerful c| 000005f0 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 73 20 66 6f 72 20 43 41 44 |omputers for CAD| 00000600 20 65 74 63 2e 0d 0d 54 68 65 20 22 43 61 72 20 | etc...The "Car | 00000610 44 65 61 6c 65 72 22 20 61 6e 61 6c 6f 67 79 20 |Dealer" analogy | 00000620 77 61 73 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 63 6f 6e |was a little con| 00000630 66 75 73 69 6e 67 2e 20 53 75 72 65 6c 79 20 77 |fusing. Surely w| 00000640 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 63 61 6e 20 72 65 61 6c 6c |hat we can reall| 00000650 79 0d 6c 69 6b 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 20 |y.liken the car | 00000660 79 61 72 64 20 64 65 61 6c 65 72 20 74 6f 20 77 |yard dealer to w| 00000670 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 61 72 20 |ould be one car | 00000680 79 61 72 64 20 64 65 61 6c 65 72 20 73 65 6c 6c |yard dealer sell| 00000690 73 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 4d 6f 64 65 6c 0d 54 20 46 |s only Model.T F| 000006a0 6f 72 64 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 |ords and another| 000006b0 20 73 65 6c 6c 73 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 6f 74 68 | sells every oth| 000006c0 65 72 20 63 61 72 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 |er car that was | 000006d0 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 64 20 69 6e 20 31 39 39 34 |released in 1994| 000006e0 2e 20 57 68 69 63 68 0d 6f 6e 65 20 64 6f 20 79 |. Which.one do y| 000006f0 6f 75 20 72 65 63 6b 6f 6e 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 67 |ou reckon will g| 00000700 6f 20 62 61 6e 6b 72 75 70 74 20 66 69 72 73 74 |o bankrupt first| 00000710 3f 20 0d 0d 54 68 65 20 6d 61 6a 6f 72 69 74 79 |? ..The majority| 00000720 1a 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 74 |. of the populat| 00000730 69 6f 6e 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 73 |ion want the bes| 00000740 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 61 6e 20 62 75 79 2e 20 |t they can buy. | 00000750 53 6f 6d 65 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2c 0d 64 |Some, however,.d| 00000760 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 76 65 1a 20 67 72 65 61 |o not have. grea| 00000770 74 1a 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 61 6e 64 20 61 72 65 |t. needs and are| 00000780 20 68 61 70 70 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68 61 74 | happy with what| 00000790 20 74 68 65 79 27 76 65 20 67 6f 74 2e 20 49 66 | they've got. If| 000007a0 20 79 6f 75 20 6f 6e 6c 79 0d 77 61 6e 74 20 61 | you only.want a| 000007b0 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 66 6f 72 20 62 61 | computer for ba| 000007c0 73 69 63 1a 20 77 6f 72 64 1a 20 70 72 6f 63 65 |sic. word. proce| 000007d0 73 73 69 6e 67 1a 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 74 69 63 |ssing. then stic| 000007e0 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 72 20 38 62 69 74 |k with your 8bit| 000007f0 2e 20 49 66 0d 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f |. If.you want to| 00000800 20 64 6f 20 73 65 72 69 6f 75 73 20 44 54 50 20 | do serious DTP | 00000810 74 68 65 6e 20 62 75 79 1a 20 61 1a 20 4d 41 43 |then buy. a. MAC| 00000820 20 6f 72 20 61 20 50 43 2e 20 53 50 36 34 20 69 | or a PC. SP64 i| 00000830 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 0d |s a good little.| 00000840 70 61 63 6b 61 67 65 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 65 |package on the e| 00000850 6c 6b 20 62 75 74 20 66 6f 72 20 22 72 65 61 6c |lk but for "real| 00000860 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 22 20 75 73 65 73 20 69 74 27 | world" uses it'| 00000870 73 20 76 65 72 79 20 70 72 69 6d 69 74 69 76 65 |s very primitive| 00000880 2e 0d 0d 54 68 65 20 70 65 72 66 65 63 74 20 6d |...The perfect m| 00000890 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 65 |achine doesn't e| 000008a0 78 69 73 74 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 6e 65 76 65 |xist and it neve| 000008b0 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 2e 20 45 76 65 72 79 1a 20 64 |r will. Every. d| 000008c0 61 79 20 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 0d 69 73 |ay technology.is| 000008d0 1a 20 61 64 76 61 6e 63 69 6e 67 2c 1a 20 74 68 |. advancing,. th| 000008e0 75 73 2c 1a 20 63 68 61 6e 67 69 6e 67 1a 20 68 |us,. changing. h| 000008f0 6f 77 1a 20 73 6f 63 69 65 74 79 1a 20 66 75 6e |ow. society. fun| 00000900 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 1a 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 |ctions. down to | 00000910 74 68 65 20 62 61 73 65 0d 6c 65 76 65 6c 73 2e |the base.levels.| 00000920 20 49 66 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 66 6f | If it wasn't fo| 00000930 72 20 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 |r technological | 00000940 61 64 76 61 6e 63 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 77 65 20 |advances and we | 00000950 61 6c 6c 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 57 65 27 72 65 20 |all said "We're | 00000960 6e 6f 74 0d 69 6e 74 65 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 69 |not.interested i| 00000970 6e 20 69 74 22 20 74 68 65 6e 20 77 65 27 64 20 |n it" then we'd | 00000980 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 69 6e 1a 20 63 61 76 |still be in. cav| 00000990 65 73 1a 20 65 61 74 69 6e 67 20 72 61 77 20 6d |es. eating raw m| 000009a0 65 61 74 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 0d 22 |eat and saying."| 000009b0 55 67 22 2e 0d 0d 49 66 20 49 20 77 61 73 20 72 |Ug"...If I was r| 000009c0 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 20 61 20 6c 61 72 67 65 20 63 |unning a large c| 000009d0 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 72 6f 64 |ompany that prod| 000009e0 75 63 65 64 20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 67 6f 6f |uced its own goo| 000009f0 64 73 20 61 6e 64 20 64 65 6c 69 76 65 72 65 64 |ds and delivered| 00000a00 0d 74 68 65 6d 1a 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 2d 77 69 64 |.them. world-wid| 00000a10 65 2c 1a 20 49 1a 20 63 61 6e 20 73 61 66 65 6c |e,. I. can safel| 00000a20 79 20 73 61 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 77 6f 75 |y say that I wou| 00000a30 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 75 73 65 1a 20 6d 79 1a 20 65 |ldn't use. my. e| 00000a40 6c 65 63 74 72 6f 6e 1a 20 74 6f 0d 63 6f 6e 74 |lectron. to.cont| 00000a50 72 6f 6c 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 73 74 72 69 62 75 |rol the distribu| 00000a60 74 69 6f 6e 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 21 0d 0d 57 |tion process!..W| 00000a70 68 69 63 68 20 53 79 73 74 65 6d 3f 0d 0d 43 6f |hich System?..Co| 00000a80 6e 73 65 72 76 61 74 69 76 65 20 6b 65 79 62 6f |nservative keybo| 00000a90 61 72 64 73 3f 20 48 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 1a 20 |ards? Have you. | 00000aa0 73 65 65 6e 1a 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20 6b 65 |seen. the new ke| 00000ab0 79 62 6f 61 72 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 45 4e 54 41 |yboard from ENTA| 00000ac0 3f 20 49 74 20 68 61 73 0d 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d |? It has.the sam| 00000ad0 65 20 6c 61 79 6f 75 74 20 61 73 20 61 20 73 74 |e layout as a st| 00000ae0 61 6e 64 61 72 64 1a 20 41 54 1a 20 6b 65 79 62 |andard. AT. keyb| 00000af0 6f 61 72 64 1a 20 62 75 74 1a 20 69 74 1a 20 6c |oard. but. it. l| 00000b00 6f 6f 6b 73 1a 61 73 1a 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 |ooks.as. though | 00000b10 74 68 65 0d 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72 64 1a 20 68 61 |the.keyboard. ha| 00000b20 73 1a 20 62 65 65 6e 1a 20 62 72 6f 6b 65 6e 20 |s. been. broken | 00000b30 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 64 64 6c 65 2e 20 49 |in the middle. I| 00000b40 74 20 69 73 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 74 6f |t is designed to| 00000b50 20 72 65 64 75 63 65 20 52 53 49 20 6f 6e 0d 74 | reduce RSI on.t| 00000b60 68 65 20 61 72 6d 73 20 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6e 64 |he arms and hand| 00000b70 73 2e 20 49 74 20 6d 61 79 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 62 |s. It may well b| 00000b80 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 79 70 69 63 61 6c |e in the typical| 00000b90 6c 79 20 62 6c 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 |ly bland compute| 00000ba0 72 20 63 6f 6c 6f 75 72 73 0d 62 75 74 20 6e 6f |r colours.but no| 00000bb0 74 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 1a 20 |t many people,. | 00000bc0 6f 72 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 65 73 2c 20 77 |or businesses, w| 00000bd0 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 75 79 20 62 72 69 67 68 74 6c |ould buy brightl| 00000be0 79 20 63 6f 6c 6f 75 72 65 64 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 |y coloured compu| 00000bf0 74 65 72 73 0d 6f 72 1a 20 70 65 72 69 70 68 65 |ters.or. periphe| 00000c00 72 61 6c 73 2e 1a 20 41 6c 73 6f 1a 20 70 69 63 |rals.. Also. pic| 00000c10 6b 20 75 70 2c 20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 6c 6c 79 2c |k up, literally,| 00000c20 20 61 20 50 43 20 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72 64 20 6d | a PC keyboard m| 00000c30 61 64 65 20 69 6e 20 31 39 38 36 20 61 6e 64 0d |ade in 1986 and.| 00000c40 69 74 27 73 20 68 65 61 76 79 21 20 50 69 63 6b |it's heavy! Pick| 00000c50 20 75 70 20 61 20 50 43 20 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72 | up a PC keyboar| 00000c60 64 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 79 65 61 72 |d made this year| 00000c70 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 27 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 6d 75 | and it's not mu| 00000c80 63 68 20 68 65 61 76 69 65 72 0d 74 68 61 6e 20 |ch heavier.than | 00000c90 61 20 63 6f 70 79 20 6f 66 1a 20 74 68 65 1a 20 |a copy of. the. | 00000ca0 59 65 6c 6c 6f 77 1a 20 50 61 67 65 73 2e 20 54 |Yellow. Pages. T| 00000cb0 68 65 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f |he whole point o| 00000cc0 66 20 74 68 65 20 51 57 45 52 54 59 20 6b 65 79 |f the QWERTY key| 00000cd0 62 6f 61 72 64 0d 77 61 73 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e |board.was origin| 00000ce0 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 73 74 6f 70 20 74 79 70 |ally to stop typ| 00000cf0 69 73 74 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 79 70 69 6e 67 |ists from typing| 00000d00 1a 20 73 6f 1a 20 66 61 73 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 |. so. fast that | 00000d10 74 68 65 79 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6a 61 6d |they used to jam| 00000d20 0d 74 68 65 20 74 79 70 65 77 72 69 74 65 72 2e |.the typewriter.| 00000d30 20 54 68 65 20 73 74 61 6e 64 61 72 64 20 50 43 | The standard PC| 00000d40 20 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72 64 20 6c 61 79 6f 75 74 | keyboard layout| 00000d50 20 69 73 20 6b 65 70 74 1a 20 51 57 45 52 54 59 | is kept. QWERTY| 00000d60 20 61 73 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 0d 74 68 65 20 | as this is.the | 00000d70 73 74 61 6e 64 61 72 64 20 6c 61 79 6f 75 74 20 |standard layout | 00000d80 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 77 69 64 |almost world wid| 00000d90 65 20 61 6e 64 20 77 68 79 20 62 6f 74 68 65 72 |e and why bother| 00000da0 20 74 6f 1a 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 1a 20 77 65 72 | to. change. wer| 00000db0 65 1a 20 74 68 65 0d 6f 74 68 65 72 1a 20 6b 65 |e. the.other. ke| 00000dc0 79 73 20 67 6f 20 28 69 65 20 6e 75 6d 65 72 69 |ys go (ie numeri| 00000dd0 63 20 6b 65 79 70 61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 27 46 27 |c keypad and 'F'| 00000de0 20 6b 65 79 73 29 3f 20 49 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 | keys)? I like t| 00000df0 68 65 6d 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 |hem were they ar| 00000e00 65 0d 61 6e 64 20 49 27 6d 1a 20 73 75 72 65 1a |e.and I'm. sure.| 00000e10 20 74 68 61 74 1a 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6f 74 68 65 | that. many othe| 00000e20 72 73 20 64 6f 2c 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 61 6c 6c |rs do, after all| 00000e30 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 | if they didn't | 00000e40 74 68 65 6e 20 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 0d 69 74 27 |then I think.it'| 00000e50 73 20 66 61 69 72 6c 79 20 73 61 66 65 20 74 6f |s fairly safe to| 00000e60 20 73 75 72 6d 69 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | surmise that th| 00000e70 65 79 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 63 68 61 6e |ey would be chan| 00000e80 67 65 64 21 0d 0d 35 2d 31 2f 34 22 20 44 69 73 |ged!..5-1/4" Dis| 00000e90 6b 20 64 72 69 76 65 73 20 69 6e 20 61 1a 20 50 |k drives in a. P| 00000ea0 43 3f 20 4a 75 73 74 20 68 6f 77 20 6f 6c 64 20 |C? Just how old | 00000eb0 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 50 43 20 79 6f 75 20 73 |was the PC you s| 00000ec0 61 77 3f 20 4f 6b 2c 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6e 65 77 |aw? Ok, many new| 00000ed0 0d 50 43 73 1a 20 44 4f 1a 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 |.PCs. DO. have a| 00000ee0 20 35 2d 31 2f 34 22 20 48 44 1a 20 64 69 73 6b | 5-1/4" HD. disk| 00000ef0 1a 20 64 72 69 76 65 1a 20 62 75 74 1a 20 69 74 |. drive. but. it| 00000f00 1a 20 69 73 1a 20 70 75 72 65 6c 79 1a 20 66 6f |. is. purely. fo| 00000f10 72 1a 20 64 6f 77 6e 77 61 72 64 0d 63 6f 6d 70 |r. downward.comp| 00000f20 61 74 69 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 76 |atibility with v| 00000f30 65 72 79 1a 20 6f 6c 64 1a 20 50 43 73 1a 20 74 |ery. old. PCs. t| 00000f40 68 61 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 68 61 64 20 35 2d 34 |hat only had 5-4| 00000f50 2f 35 22 20 64 72 69 76 65 73 2e 20 54 68 65 20 |/5" drives. The | 00000f60 35 2d 31 2f 34 22 0d 69 6e 63 68 20 64 72 69 76 |5-1/4".inch driv| 00000f70 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 |e will be second| 00000f80 61 72 79 1a 20 74 6f 1a 74 68 65 20 33 2e 35 22 |ary. to.the 3.5"| 00000f90 20 48 44 20 64 69 73 6b 20 64 72 69 76 65 2e 20 | HD disk drive. | 00000fa0 52 65 70 6c 61 63 69 6e 67 20 61 20 35 2d 31 34 |Replacing a 5-14| 00000fb0 22 0d 64 72 69 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 33 |".drive with a 3| 00000fc0 2e 35 22 20 48 44 20 69 73 20 61 1a 20 72 65 6c |.5" HD is a. rel| 00000fd0 61 74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 65 20 70 |atively simple p| 00000fe0 72 6f 63 65 73 73 2c 20 61 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 |rocess, as long | 00000ff0 61 73 20 79 6f 75 72 20 42 49 4f 53 0d 61 6e 64 |as your BIOS.and| 00001000 20 44 4f 53 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 61 6c 6c | DOS version all| 00001010 6f 77 73 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 72 65 70 |ows it to be rep| 00001020 6c 61 63 65 64 2e 0d 0d 50 65 6e 74 69 75 6d 73 |laced...Pentiums| 00001030 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d 70 61 74 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 | incompatible wi| 00001040 74 68 20 6f 6c 64 65 72 20 50 43 73 3f 20 54 68 |th older PCs? Th| 00001050 65 79 27 72 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 6c 79 |ey're completely| 00001060 2c 20 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 67 |, to my knowledg| 00001070 65 2c 0d 64 6f 77 6e 77 61 72 64 6c 79 20 63 6f |e,.downwardly co| 00001080 6d 70 61 74 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 6e |mpatible with an| 00001090 79 20 50 43 20 62 65 6c 6f 77 1a 20 69 74 2e 1a |y PC below. it..| 000010a0 20 53 61 6d 65 20 73 69 74 75 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 | Same situation | 000010b0 77 69 74 68 20 67 72 61 70 68 69 63 73 0d 63 61 |with graphics.ca| 000010c0 72 64 73 2c 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 63 61 72 64 73 |rds, sound cards| 000010d0 2c 20 64 69 73 6b 20 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 73 2e 20 |, disk formats. | 000010e0 52 65 67 61 72 64 6c 65 73 73 20 69 66 20 74 68 |Regardless if th| 000010f0 65 1a 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 1a 20 69 73 1a 20 |e. machine. is. | 00001100 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 61 0d 50 65 6e 74 69 75 6d |called a.Pentium| 00001110 20 6f 72 20 34 38 36 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 53 | or 486, it is S| 00001120 54 49 4c 4c 20 61 20 50 43 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 |TILL a PC and th| 00001130 75 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 74 69 62 6c 65 1a 20 77 |us compatible. w| 00001140 69 74 68 1a 20 61 6c 6c 1a 20 6f 74 68 65 72 1a |ith. all. other.| 00001150 20 50 43 0d 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 73 2e 1a 20 | PC.computers.. | 00001160 57 68 69 63 68 1a 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 77 |Which. was the w| 00001170 68 6f 6c 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 49 42 |hole point of IB| 00001180 4d 28 74 6d 29 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 6f |M(tm) allowing o| 00001190 74 68 65 72 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 6e 69 65 73 0d 74 |ther companies.t| 000011a0 6f 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 |o produce their | 000011b0 6f 77 6e 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 73 20 74 68 |own computers th| 000011c0 61 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 |at would be comp| 000011d0 61 74 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 69 |atible with thei| 000011e0 72 20 49 42 4d 28 74 6d 29 0d 6f 6e 65 73 2e 1a |r IBM(tm).ones..| 000011f0 28 57 65 6c 6c 1a 65 78 63 65 70 74 1a 66 6f 72 |(Well.except.for| 00001200 20 41 6d 73 74 72 61 64 20 77 68 6f 20 6d 61 6b | Amstrad who mak| 00001210 65 1a 74 68 65 69 72 1a 50 43 1a 63 6f 6d 70 61 |e.their.PC.compa| 00001220 74 69 62 6c 65 73 20 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d 70 61 74 |tibles incompat| 00001230 69 62 6c 65 0d 77 69 74 68 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 |ible.with just a| 00001240 62 6f 75 74 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 70 69 65 63 65 |bout every piece| 00001250 20 6f 66 20 6d 6f 64 65 72 6e 20 50 43 20 68 61 | of modern PC ha| 00001260 72 64 77 61 72 65 20 61 76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 |rdware available| 00001270 29 0d 0d 49 27 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f 1a 20 |)..I'd like to. | 00001280 72 65 70 6c 61 63 65 1a 20 6d 79 1a 20 6f 6c 64 |replace. my. old| 00001290 1a 20 33 38 36 53 58 31 36 1a 20 77 69 74 68 20 |. 386SX16. with | 000012a0 61 20 6e 69 70 70 79 20 34 38 36 44 58 32 36 36 |a nippy 486DX266| 000012b0 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 0d 72 65 | for the same.re| 000012c0 61 73 6f 6e 20 6d 79 20 64 61 64 20 77 61 6e 74 |ason my dad want| 000012d0 73 20 61 20 6e 65 77 20 63 61 72 2e 20 57 68 79 |s a new car. Why| 000012e0 20 70 75 74 20 75 70 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 75 74 | put up with out| 000012f0 20 6f 66 20 64 61 74 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 | of date things | 00001300 62 65 20 74 68 65 79 0d 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 |be they.computer| 00001310 73 2c 20 63 61 72 73 20 6f 72 20 63 6f 6f 6b 65 |s, cars or cooke| 00001320 72 20 77 68 65 6e 20 69 66 20 20 79 6f 75 20 20 |r when if you | 00001330 6e 65 65 64 65 64 1a 20 74 68 65 1a 20 62 65 73 |needed. the. bes| 00001340 74 1a 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 |t. there was the| 00001350 6e 0d 77 68 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 65 74 20 69 74 |n.why not get it| 00001360 2e 20 41 73 73 75 6d 69 6e 67 20 79 6f 75 20 63 |. Assuming you c| 00001370 61 6e 20 61 66 66 6f 72 64 20 69 74 20 74 68 61 |an afford it tha| 00001380 74 20 69 73 2e 0d 0d 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 73 74 |t is...I will st| 00001390 69 6c 6c 20 75 73 65 20 6d 79 20 65 6c 6b 20 72 |ill use my elk r| 000013a0 65 67 75 6c 61 72 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 |egularly, but th| 000013b0 65 72 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 74 69 6d 65 |ere will be time| 000013c0 73 1a 20 77 68 65 6e 1a 20 49 1a 20 77 69 6c 6c |s. when. I. will| 000013d0 0d 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 6d 79 20 |.have to use my | 000013e0 50 43 2e 20 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 65 69 74 68 |PC. You can eith| 000013f0 65 72 20 65 6d 62 72 61 63 65 20 6e 65 77 20 74 |er embrace new t| 00001400 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f |echnology with o| 00001410 70 65 6e 20 61 72 6d 73 20 6f 72 0d 62 65 20 6c |pen arms or.be l| 00001420 65 66 74 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 74 65 |eft behind in te| 00001430 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 6f 62 73 63 |chnological obsc| 00001440 75 72 69 74 79 2e 0d 0d 43 2e 57 65 62 65 72 20 |urity...C.Weber | 00001450 41 75 67 75 73 74 20 31 39 39 34 0d |August 1994.| 0000145c
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