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From: fin@norge.unet.umn.edu (Craig A. Finseth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: HP95 questions...
Message-ID: <4377@uc.msc.umn.edu>
Date: 28 Jun 91 18:30:18 GMT
References: <045249.10338@timbuk.cray.com>
Sender: news@uc.msc.umn.edu
Organization: Univ Netw Serv, Univ of Minn
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In article <045249.10338@timbuk.cray.com> mpj@sequoia.cray.com (M. P. Johnson) writes:
>I tried the HP95 here in France - I love it! The screen really is
	...
>1) In terminal emulation mode (or indeed running PC programs)
>can one pan the physical screen around the whole of the 80*25 virtual
>screen? Or does one need to set LINES & COLUMNS for vi ?

One doesn't *need* to set LINES and COLUMNS.  vi (and any other MSDOS
program that assumes a 25 x 80 character screen) should work fine.
You may choose to set them if you think that the display will be more
pleasing.

I choose to run my editor in 16 x 40 mode.

>2) Does BASICA or GFA BASIC run completely compatibly on the 95 ?
>If so, is it possible to put the HP in sleep mode, setting an alarm
>to make it wake up and run a program or continue the current one?

I'm sure that BASICA won't work, as it doesn't work on any non-true
blue machine.  GFA *might*.  In my experience, BASIC interpreters have
a lot of system dependancies in them.  On the other hand, HP did a
REALLY GREAT job of making the 95 compatible.  Try before you buy.

>3) Can BASIC programs interface with the data entered with all the
>built-in applications (ie are the data-files easily readable) ?

Some yes, some no.  Lotus files, for example, are Lotus files.  The HP
calculator stores its equations in ASCII.  The appointment book,
communications configurations, and phone book files seem to be
(undocumented) binary files.

>Although the keyboard is small and really a calculator keyboard,
>I still found it possible to type at 3cps, enough for note-writing!

So do I, and more.

>Finally, if anyone has info regarding compatibility with full-size PCs
>I would be interested in their experiences.

Given the obvious limitations, I find that HP has done an excellent
job.  While I haven't tried lots of programs, the ones that I have
tried have all worked flawlessly.

Craig A. Finseth			fin@unet.umn.edu [CAF13]
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