Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watdcsu!rsanders
From: rsanders@watdcsu.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m6809
Subject: Re: Level 2 OS9 Comments, HInts
Message-ID: <3217@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-Apr-87 09:04:00 EST
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.3217
Posted: Tue Apr  7 09:04:00 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Apr-87 03:42:47 EST
References: <1576@ihwpt.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: rsanders@watdcsu.UUCP (Roger K. Sanderson P.Eng.)
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 86
Keywords: Coco3 OS9 boot terrific TSEDIT C

In article <1576@ihwpt.ATT.COM> knudsen@ihwpt.ATT.COM (mike knudsen) writes:
>Level 2 for the Coco3 finally arrived near Chicago on
>April 2, and I think I got the 1st or 2nd one sold.
>In summary, it is GREAT!

As I said in a previous posting, I got mine in Waterloo, Ontario Canada
on Mar. 25. I have not tryed it much since (been busy).
I think I got the 1st one at our store.
I fired it up last night again and did some playing.

>1. Windows are very useful and easy to customize.
>Windowing modules are included in the $80 price.

($100CDN) These are only realy window DRIVERS, Microware is comeing out with
a product called Multi-Vue (I think) that will manage these windows and
give you pull down menus etc.

>2. So is BASIC09, which has all the old stuff plus
>a new interface for the HiRes "H" graphics.

Yes, but the assembler is gone!

>3. 100% graphics compatibility with Level 1.
>TSEdit works perfectly (try TSEDIT file #32K).

This is VERY good to know, I was struggleing away with edit (YUK) last
night. I will have to try TSEDIT tonight. Got to get the 512K board.  I
only have 56k free after Level II boots.

>4. Double sided 40 and 80-track disks are finally
>supported!  And OS9GEN and COBBLER know how to
>make boots onto them.  Bye bye BOOTFIX.

I haven't tryed these, but check out the other postings in this group re
possible problems.

>5. The 2+" thick manual is much improved.  You get
>a mini 3-ring binder like with IBM PCs.  Typesetting
>and printing is much more readable, the writing is much
>clearer with more examples and hints, and there are several
>indices and tables of contents.  The first day I was using
>info that is probably in the old 3-manual Level 1 set
>but I never found it there.

True, but there are the usually number of typos and missing things.
Just casually using the manual last night, I found a few. Also the 
info is about 3" wide and the binder is 2.8" wide! Anyone know where
to buy a binder that size?

>6.  MONTYPE command to set all screens for Mono,
>Comp, or RGB.

But montype is not in the documentation on individual commands!

>7. Tremendous support for the new graphics hardware.
>Includes the ability to PUT and GET parts of the graphics
>screen as in RS-BASIC, plus you can XOR, AND, or OR the PUT.
>Can draw Arcs and Ellipses.  Can load software-defined fonts--
>manual tells how to make your own.

Yes , I havent tryed these but the manual description looks good.


>8.  Multitasking really works now.  I started a disk backup
>in one window, went to another and did a DIR with only slightly
>slower typing response.  Fun to hear the disks break the
>backup rhythm and do the DIR, then go back to backup!
>Just think what you can do during formats and DSAVEs too.
>Strangely there is no TSMON or LOGIN supplied, now that it
>would be useful.

Basically Tandy is now shipping what Microware calls Personal OS9.
You do not get any development or multiuser stuff.
They figure the CoCo environment is for single USERS, not Multi PROGRAMERS.

>9.  Boot disks must have CMDS containing SHELL and GRFDRV,
>since Shell isn't in the bootfile any more for good reasons.

Also, the Shell file in CMDS has much more than just shell in it.
You also get dir, copy, tmode, and a bunch of others I cant remmember.
This is because since an task uses at least 8k, it is more efficent
to fill up that 8k.
-- 
  Roger Sanderson: {clyde|decvax|ihnp4}-\
                             {tektronix}-+--> watmath!watdcsu!rsanders
                     {ubc-vision|utzoo}-/