Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!orion.oac.uci.edu!hardy From: hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu (Meinhard E. Mayer (Hardy)) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: SoftPC and printing Message-ID: Date: 8 Apr 91 19:43:57 GMT References: <465@heaven.woodside.ca.us> <1991Apr2.000118.28414@wam.umd.edu> Organization: U.C.Irvine, Dept. of Physics Lines: 52 Nntp-Posting-Host: golem.ps.uci.edu In-reply-to: mikec@wam.umd.edu's message of 2 Apr 91 00:01:18 GMT Here are my first impressions on SoftPC -- Printing. As an emulator it runs reasonably well (I tried Worperfect, 123, PCTools, MSKermit 3.01, Epsilon); speed is comparable to my 12 MH HPVectra ES (or a 10 MHz NEC portabble, at least). Screen looks reasonable, though the large-size fonts (1.5 size screen, sort-of 13-inch diagonal) are pretty shabby. Annoying thing (I guess it can't be helped): when you want to eject a floppy you must first "umount" it (Alt-f) insert a new one, "mount" it (Alt-f, again); and sometimes it won't read; I now copy my flopies to the "network drive" E: (i.e., the NeXT filesystem), from where I can move files to drive C: if needed, or work on them. Really annoying if not outright bad (I hope someone at Insignia reads this list and responds!): Handling of the serial ports and PRINTING! After a lot of kludging (I use a LaserjetIIP w. Postscript cartridge) and only after making Serial A = Com 1 I manageed to print Postscript from Wordperfect (one of the main reasons for buying SoftPC was to be able to work on some Manuscripts I have on a PC). I could print graphics from 123 (switch off the printer, pull the PS cartridge, switch on again) but not yet text (a few more wasted hours?). Communications via port B took a while to get going too; MSKermit works, but only up to 9600 baud; Lap-Link does not, so transfering files form a PC is slow and painful (it is faster to "Zip" them, ftp them to the NeXt if you are on ethernet both ends) and unzip again. In all fairness, it may not all be Insignia's fault; the serial port software/hardware on the NeXT has given me troubles with other programs too, particularly printing; the messages: Apr 7 21:55:01 weyl mach: zs0: recv buffer overrun Apr 7 21:56:51 weyl last message repeated 10 times Apr 7 21:57:02 weyl mach: zs0: recv buffer overrun Apr 7 21:58:19 weyl last message repeated 7 times appear quite often, particularly when printing and running Kermit. Printing on a non-NeXT printer (which I need because of support for other machines) is not one of life's pleasures. Hope to hear comments from others on SoftPC before I decide to return it! Greetings, Hardy -------****------- Meinhard E. Mayer (Hardy); Department of Physics, University of California Irvine CA 92717; (714) 856 5543; hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu or MMAYER@UCI.BITNET