Re: FAQ Questions
Anthony J Stieber <anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
Errors-To: brian@grot.starconn.com
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 13:43 PST
Message-id: <9401240516.AA03600@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
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From: Anthony J Stieber <anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <zoomer-list@grot.starconn.com>
Subject: Re: FAQ Questions
Status: OR
-> From: davidblack@aol.com
-> The other type of PCMCIA RAM card you will hear about are the SunDisk or
-> Flash Ram cards. These cards have the advantage of only needing power when
-> you write data to the card, but are more expensive. Be very careful of what
Note that when writing flash memory is slower and uses more power than
SRAM. In addition flash memory has a finite number of write/erase
cycles although most users won't exceed the 10,000-100,000 cycles that
can be typically expected. By the way, flash memory is totally unlike
RAM and doesn't act much like RAM at all, it's more like EPROM. Most
companies call it flash memory or just flash. Flash isn't an acronym
and doesn't stand for anything.
-> is a certain Rev of a 5 volt Flash RAM card. If you are interested in a
-> Flash RAM card, I would suggest you call Tim at Active Data in California.
-> He is very knowledgeable about what PCMCIA RAM cards will and will not work
-> in the Zoomer. He also knows a lot about the PCMCIA card drives for desktop
-> PCs mentioned above.
Here's contact information for Active Data. I've heard good things
about them too.
Active Data
4642 East Chapman, Suite 304
Orange CA 92669 USA
800-223-0503
714-997-7718
714-997-0238 fax
A list of PCMCIA card vendors is available via anonymous ftp on the
Internet as csd4.csd.uwm.edu:/pub/Portables/pcmcia.sources. In the
same directory archived newsgroup articles are available as
pcmcia.news, PCMCIA card manufactuters are are in the file
pcmcia.devices. These files are also available via gopher from the
same host using the path "UWM Information/ Computing Services Division/
Csd4 Public FTP Archive/ Portables/".
There are several PCMCIA card drive manufacturers that can also be found
in pcmcia.devices.
-> Finally, I need to dispell a rumor that has been floating around. It is NOT
-> possible to run any kind of standard MS-DOS software on the Zoomer. You can
-> run most batch files by modifying the GEOS.INI, but the MS-DOS compatible
-> kernel on the Zoomer does not provide the same services that standard MS-DOS
Is the kernel MS-DOS or is it something else? I had thought the
machine ran actual MS-DOS but didn't have a standard display or
keyboard so software that expected such wouldn't work, perhaps even if
standard MS-DOS calls (vs BIOS or direct screen writes) were used.
What services are available? Is there any hope at all of using any
MS-DOS software or writing software without the steep learning curve of
the GEOS SDK?
-> does. For instance, there are no Communications Port services, or even a
-> standard UART chip for that matter.
Is there BIOS support for the serial ports? If so then some
communications software could work but at reduced speeds.
--
Anthony Stieber anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu | Do you need a Unix/Netware/MS-DOS
ftp://csd4.csd.uwm.edu/pub/Portables | MS-Windows/Macintosh/portable
laptop,palmtop,PCMCIA,wireless archive | computing expert? Resume available.