Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!spdcc!merk!alliant!linus!mbunix!jcmorris
From: jcmorris@mbunix.mitre.org (Joseph C. Morris)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Microsoft Cd-ROM Reference Manual
Message-ID: <72782@linus.UUCP>
Date: 5 Oct 89 21:02:25 GMT
References: <2983@ndsuvax.UUCP> <3272@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Sender: news@linus.UUCP
Reply-To: jcmorris@mbunix (Morris)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA.
Lines: 33

In a recent article ajk@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Jeff Boerio) writes:
>ncperson@ndsuvax.UUCP (Brett G. Person) writes:
>
>>Pournelle mentioned a Cd-ROM from Microsooft that contained microsoft user
>>manuals in one of his recent columns.  Exactly what does one get with this
>>ROM? Is it worth investing the bucks ina cd rom reader? What is the price on
>>a package like the refence manual cd rom?
>
>The price runs around $1000. [...]

The $1000 price tag is for the "Programmer's Bundle", which includes a Denon
CD drive, the SCSI adapter for a PC, and the Programmer's Library CD itself.
I think the CD is about $350 or so (list) per copy, although I've seen it
at PC shows for somewhat less.

The adapter included with the package is for an AT-style bus.  A Microchannel
(TM and all that stuff) adapter is also available for a slightly higher price.

(Voice of Experience speaking: the MicroChannel adapter is from Future Domain.
If you get the card and will be it only to support the Denon CD-ROM player,
make sure that the ROM BIOS chip on it is *NOT* installed.  If it is, your
boot time runs about 40 seconds longer, and you get an obscure error message
about not being able to find any disks.  We now return you to your normal
newsfeed...)

I got the package last summer and have been satisfied with it.  It's nice to
be able to do a text search over some of the manuals instead of relying on
the index of a hardcopy book.

The Denon drive also plays CD audio disks quite nicely, so I can listen to
Bach while working at my desk.

Joe Morris