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From: porter@cbmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: GEOS questions
Message-ID: <151@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Apr-86 21:42:16 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.151
Posted: Fri Apr 25 21:42:16 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Apr-86 17:32:57 EST
References: <418@aero.ARPA>
Distribution: na
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 43

> I have been told that Berkeley Softworks, 2150 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA
> 94704, sells a program called GEOS that acts a little like the unnamed
> operating system on the Macintosh. 
> 
>  1) What kind of copy protection is used?  Will I have to surrender my
>    disk to get updates or repaired disks, or pay through the nose for a
>    spare copy, or just sign an agreement not to copy?  The last is obviously
>    preferable.
> 

Yes, Geos is copy potected and also has a fast loader routine.  If you
have a bad disk, you can get a replacement disk for $10, but you must
send your old disk back.  Commodore will be bundling this program
with the new sytle C64 starting this summer.

> 2) Will it work with a joystick instead of the mouse?  I understand that
>    GEOS runs with a mouse that sticks in the joystick port, so would a
>    joystick do as well, or at least work? 
> 

Actually, it works best with a joystick.  

> 3) Does the mouse come with the system, or is that a separate hardware
>    purchase?

The mouse is optional.

> 4)  I run a dot matrix printer with graphics capabilities, and drive it
>    with the Cardco+G interface.  Will GEOS be able to drive this to create
>    the graphics printout I want?

Yes, I am pretty sure this will work.

> 5) Is the paint program color, or does it do printable b/w only?  I was 
>    considering buying Printshop, but for $30 more GEOS sounds like the
>    way to go for Christmas cards, PR flyers, etc.
> 
I think the paint program can do colors, but if you don't have a color
printer you are out of luck.  Most of what I have seen is in B&W.


Jeff Porter
Commodore Engineering