THE LEARNING SECTION FROM THE AWAUG BBS (24 hrs. 703-922-5497) which has many questions, answers and just good Adam information. 
A3 03:29 Oct-27-1989 
TO: Dictionary FROM: Dave Tidman AWAUG 143 
SUBJ: def.  
CP/M : 1) Control Program Monitor. 
A4 04:51 Nov-03-1989 
TO: ANYONE 
FROM: Dave Tidman AWAUG 143 
SUBJ: tdos 
Could some one please tell 
me just what t-dos is ? 
What I've heard is pretty 
interesting, but I don't 
really know how it differs 
from CPM. 
 
A5 11:08 Nov-04-1989 
 
TO: Whom concern 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: TDOS vs CPM 2.2 
 CPM (Control Program 
Monitor)is another OS 
(Operating System) that 
available for the ADAM 
beside EOS (smartBASIC),an 
OS is a collection of 
machine language routine 
that handle tasks (read 
keyboard,print a 
character...),it get 
information needed from 
you (keyboard) or a 
program then figure out 
what to do thought a 
lock-up table (called OS 
Entry table) . All the EOS 
functions is loaded into 
memory at BOOT time. On 
CPM, most of the functions 
is on the disk (or tape) 
and get loaded into memory 
as needed and cleared off 
when done, that why CPM is 
an DOS (Disk Operating 
System). In CPM, CCP 
(Console Command 
Processor) is the part 
that doing the interface 
between you (from 
keyboard) or from program 
at TPA (Transient Program 
Area) to the BDOS (Basic 
Disk Operating System), 
this BDOS is the same for 
any computer that run CPM. 
The BDOS then figure out 
what to do and use the 
BIOS (Basic Input/Output 
System )to carry out the 
tasks, this BIOS is 
different between one 
computer to another 
because it's the part that 
actualy doing all the 
communication task between 
CCP (computer) and the 
peripherals which have all 
the hardware differentlly. 
The BIOS talking to the 
peripherals through the 
routines called driver, 
this is where one OS is 
better than another 
because the way how they 
handle (Continue next 
message) 
 
A6 11:08 Nov-04-1989 
 
TO: Whom concern 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: continue TDOS 
the task faster, getting 
data to and from 
peripherals faster.. and 
support more peripherals, 
additional devices. The 
original CPM 2.2 from 
COLECO (Digital Research 
Inc.) does not support 
newer RS-232 serial 
interface, Parallel 
printer, Double sides disk 
drive... and a lot of 
other newly developed 
devices available for the 
ADAM. that why one of ADAM 
expert programmer had 
wrote TDOS (Thanks a lots 
to him), a new CPM for 
ADAM that run faster, 
built in more functions 
and support much more 
devices including new 720k 
disk drive,20,30 
mega-bytes harddisk and 
the 80 Col. video display 
terminal.  MT 
 
A7 12:10 Nov-06-1989 
 
TO: Minn Tah 
FROM: Dave Tidman AWAUG 143 
SUBJ: tdos 
that helps a lot Minn. 
Thanks 
 
A8 02:50 Nov-11-1989 
 
TO: Minh Tah 
FROM: Richard Bailey AWAUG 6 
SUBJ: TDOS 
Is it a good idea to use 
TDOS even if you don't 
have all the new things 
for the Adam, like double 
sided drive, parallel 
printer, etc? I use CPM 
most of the time with an 
80-column monitor and an 
Adam printer, Adam disk 
drive, and 64K ram pack. 
Do you think I should 
switch to TDOS? 
 
A9 11:00 Nov-11-1989 
 
TO: Richard Bailey 
FROM: Rob Friedman [CISOP] 47 
SUBJ: TDOS 
Yup.. you should switch. 
Very few program will not 
run under TDOS <Write- 
Hand-Man is one of them>. 
with TDOS's extra TPA, and 
built in commands, it's a 
lot nicer to use. Having 
the DU: option like ZCPR 
is a great boon. USER is 
gone as a command. 
 
A10 08:42 Nov-12-1989 
 
TO: Richard bailey 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: TDOS 
Hi there, I think Rod 
Friedman is right on his 
comment about TDOS, You 
should switch (but do 
throw the old CP/M 2.2 
into the trash can, it may 
be good for some things 
else...).  MT 
 
A11 08:42 Nov-12-1989 
 
TO: Richard bailey 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: mis spell 
I am very sorry,in the 
previous message, I mis 
spell the word DO NOT to 
 
 
A12 08:42 Nov-12-1989 
 
TO: Richard Bailey 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: mis spell 
I am very sorry,in the 
pervious message, I mis 
spell the word DO NOT to 
DO Please DO NOT throw the 
old CP/M 2.2 into the 
trash can, it had it's 
value in some other 
application and you did 
paid some money for it, so 
I repeat, DO NOT throw it 
away.  MT 
 
A13 10:50 Nov-12-1989 
 
TO: Minh Ta 
FROM: Ricki J. Gerlach 48 
SUBJ: 300 Baud modem 
Is it true that you have 
been able to change the 
ADAMLink modem to 1200 Bd 
internal modem ? And if so 
do you do it, or can 
anyone do it? Thanks. 
Ricki 
 
A14 08:25 Nov-14-1989 
 
TO: Min or Bob or anyone 
FROM: Dave Tidman AWAUG 143 
SUBJ: File extensions 
The are several file 
extensions like RLE, LBR, 
etc that really I have no 
idea what they're for or 
about. Could someone take 
a few moments and list 
them out ? I do know about 
 
the larger number of them 
act like ".?????" for me. 
I need a "Dave.HLP" 
 
A15 06:20 Nov-14-1989 
 
TO: Dave Tidman 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: FILE.EXT 
Hi there, the files with 
 
picture files that have 
been digitized from some 
unknown source (best to my 
knownledge). You can 
display them on ADAM by a 
program called VIEW.COM. 
About the .LBR, you need 
to delibrary it to figure 
out what in there (unless 
if some one have a 
description file accompany 
with that .LBR file. There 
will be one day you may 
see my picture (of my 
self-image !) in MT.RLE (I 
hope.!..) MT 
 
A16 06:20 Nov-14-1989 
 
TO: Ricki J. Gerlach 
FROM: Minh Ta AWAUG 16 
SUBJ: Modem 
Hi there, I only converse 
the ADAM 300 BPS modem to 
be a programmable serial 
(50 to 19200 BPS) adapter 
for ADAM. The advantage is 
you can use any External 
modem (1200 or what ever) 
with any software you 
already had for the ADAM 
300 baud without any 
modification needed (no 
patches..). However, I did 
look at a posibility to 
have a 1200 BPS MODEM made 
by WORLD-CHIP in a single 
chip, but it cost more 
that way (the modem chip 
cost 25 buck by it self) 
while you could by a 1200 
baud modem for 50 bucks.  
MT 
 
A17 01:43 Nov-15-1989 
 
TO: Min 
FROM: Dave Tidman AWAUG 143 
SUBJ: .ext 
Thanks Min. There's a few 
others I still dont 
undstnd and I'll note them 
when I see them. If you 
could define them too it'd 
help lots. that way I'll 
know what to do with some 
of these files ... Dave. 
PS... Are you feeling 
better now? 
 
A18 01:14 Nov-17-1989 
 
TO: Anyone 
FROM: Nat Eiseman AWAUG 123 
SUBJ: file extensions 
  What is a CPM file 
extension and what do you 
do with it?  Know I have 
heard an answer to this 
some time ago but don't 
seem to have any notes on 
it. Any and all help 
appreciated.--Nat 
 
A19 07:11 Nov-18-1989 
 
TO: Nat Eiseman 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: file extensions.  
They are the last three 
characters of a CP/M file 
name; eg.  ANYFILE.DOC The 
DOC is the file extension. 
 It's purpose is to 
identify what type of file 
it is.  The most common 
file extensions are COM 
(command file), DOC 
(Document or text file), 
TXT (another identifier 
for text file), LBR (a 
group of files assembled 
into a single "library" 
file - can be disassembled 
with NULU.COM and others), 
ARC or ARK (like library 
files but called an 
"archived" file. UNARC.COM 
extractsthem.  
""SERIAL\LOGIC"" SYSOP 
ID# is 3.  
bob 
 
A20 12:11 Nov-20-1989 
 
TO: Bob Blair 
FROM: Nat Eiseman AWAUG 123 
SUBJ: myfile.cpm 
    Inmy last message I 
was referring to CPM as a 
file extension, e.g. 
arcadd.cpm (the current 
problem file), not to cpm 
files in general. Sorry 
for not being more 
specific.  Thanks. --Nat 
 
 
A21 04:17 Nov-20-1989 
 
TO: Nat Eiseman 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: myfile.cpm 
Try renaming the file to 
MYFILE.COM and run it as a 
command program.  It may 
work.  bob 
 
A22 09:43 Nov-23-1989 
 
TO: Nat Eiseman 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: .CPM 
Did converting the .CPM to 
 
 
A23 05:17 Dec-02-1989 
 
TO: Anyone 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: CP/M 
If you accidentally erase 
(era) something, you can 
get it back by using a 
program called XRASE.COM 
(sometimes is has numbers 
after it, like xrase33 - 
those are version 
-improvement- 
identifiers).  Xrase is 
located on this BBS. To 
find it, us the L command 
(for locate) in any file 
section.  Type L 
xrase33.com and press 
return.  When you 
accidentally erase 
something, do not store 
anything else (that is, 
use xrase right away). To 
use xrase just type 
exrase, skip a space, then 
type the name of the 
program lost (full and 
exact name) and press 
return. It will restore 
the lost file. Since all 
that happens when you 
erase something is a 
directory change, which 
makes the space used by 
the body of the 
document/program available 
for reuse, the xrase 
reenters the program name 
in the directory as it was 
previous to the erasing.  
To exit from xrase, do a 
control + C.  Bob 
 
A24 01:06 Dec-05-1989 
 
TO: Bob Blair 
FROM: Nat Eiseman AWAUG 123 
SUBJ: myfile.cpm 
   I renamed the files 
with .cpm extension to 
 
fine.  Thanks for the 
tip!--Nat. 
 
A25 07:53 Dec-09-1989 
 
TO: CPM Buff's 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: Utility Program 
the most versatile CP/M 
utility program I have 
found is called 
NEWSWEEP.COM. It is public 
domain and located here on 
the BBS (use the L command 
in any of the files 
sections and ask for 
NEWSWEEP.COM to locate 
it).  With it you can list 
files on a drive 
(alphabetically), delete 
files, rename files, 
switch from one drive to 
another quickly, print 
files, view files on the 
screen, transfer files 
singly or in groups from 
one drive to another, 
unsqueeze files, and use 
wildcards to use these 
functions on groups of 
files.  I find that I use 
Newsweep daily.  It has 
it's own listing of 
commands.  Just type 
Newsweep and press return 
to activate the commands 
on the current drive, or 
type Newsweep B or C (no 
colon needed) to use it on 
another drive.  Get to 
know it - you won't be 
sorry.  Bob 
 
A26 03:17 Dec-19-1989 
 
TO: Anybody 
FROM: Bob Blair AWAUG 3 
SUBJ: ADAM Tip 
One way to make a tape 
stop spinning (like when 
the dinner bell rings and 
the tape would take 5 
minutes to boot), is to 
press reset and hold it in 
the pressed position, the 
tape normally stops.  
Another tape matter is:  
you may have tried to copy 
a game tape with a block 
copier (like Uncle 
Ernie's Toolkit, JKL 
Utilities, Backup 3+, 
etc.) but the tape will 
not work.  Sometimes game 
tapes are made using a 
"right side directory" (on 
the far right side of the 
tape) ranther than a 
normal "center directory" 
as normally comes on the 
blank formatted tapes you 
buy.  By the way, AWAUG 
can provide you with rite 
side directory tapes (club 
members only, $2.00 each), 
on request.  Bob 
 
 
LEARNING> 
ewsweep and press return 
to activate the command
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