Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!harpo!decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!das
From: das@ecsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: VIP 80/106 columns in software?
Message-ID: <2502@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 16-May-84 11:33:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.2502
Posted: Wed May 16 11:33:43 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 17-May-84 04:20:32 EDT
References: ecsvax.2492 ecsvax.2469 rocksvax.412
Lines: 30

After reading my own article, it was clear that a lot of characters got lost
--that's the result of Vicmodem, VIP Terminal,
and GTE phone system -- I don't know who's to blame, but I'm a pretty good
typist.  Today I see more correct characters on the 64, so the quality of thee
phone connection may be the most important factor.

Paul Maioriello (spuxll!pjm) suggested I add to my comments on 80 cols the
type of monitor I am using.  It's a Zenith green screen (ZVM 121).  My 64 is
also connected to my TV set, for use when I wantt color and/or sound.  Howeveer,
VIP characters are unreadable on the TV set, even in 40 cols (but I haven't
tried all possible color combinations).  I might add that I have a pretty high
tolerance for computer-produced text.  The 3-dot wide green screen chars I
find quite readable might be unacceptable to someone conditioned to a true
80-col monitor.

Looking at what I have typed so far, I see several double letters.  That
comes from incomplete echoing, plus my uncertainty about whether I really
pressed the key hard enough, without the visual feedback (I'm not *that*
good a typist).  VIP also provides audio feedback to simulate "key
click", but of course I have to have the TV on to hear it.  The beeps
are a little annoying anyway, and I'm not convinced they add anything to
the sound and feel of the 64's keys.  (Like all the other VIP features,
key click can be turned off.)

     David A. Smith
     Department of Mathematics
     Duke University
     Durham, NC 27706
     (919) 684-2321
     {decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!das