A Sinclair Portable from England
A first impression Mini Review
Upon returning from a vacation in Tuscon a UPS carton was waiting with a new “Cambridge Z88 Computer” inside. Un-packing a new computer brings a mixture of trepedation, eagerness, and anxiety. As the Z88 was lifted from the box my first impression was that it is not a “tiny” computer as the ads would lead one to believe. Later measurement revealed that its desk space occupied is only slightly less than the keyboard of the IBM AT, the Sinclair QL, or the TS-2068. It is about seven inches less in width than the IBM and the QL, but about 3 inches deeper, and only an inch in thickness. Strange, that a different shape makes so much difference in portability! The Z88 will fit into the smallest of briefcases and leave room for sox, underware, a spare shirt, and still more necessities.
The keyboard of the Z88 is full size and has seven extra function keys. The keys are very sensitive and has an adjustable repeat rate, which also seems to adjust for touch sensitivity. It also has “chirp on or off”, allowing silent operation.
The first operation after un-packing is to install the four AA cell batteries, which bring the computer on line, via a touch of both SHIFT keys. This turns on the computer and presents a SOFTWARE MENU. Since this data base that you are reading was begun about 20 minutes after un-packing the Z88, by a new user, I will shift into REAL TIME, and give you my impressions as this evening’s operation continues.
First, fingers must rest very lightly upon the keys. They are sensitive to the touch. I am amazed that the “Pipe Dream” software menu just popped on screen and let me “begin typing imediately”. I haven’t even read the user manual!
By the way, I am doing this at the dining room table, and absolutely nothing is attached to the computer- no power supply- no monitor- nothing.
Just as I typed the last sentence a report came on bottom screen, “End of Text”. I assumed that this meant that FREE MEMORY had been used up, which was not the case at all. But believing that it was, I consulted the index of the manual to find out how to install the “128K Ram Cartridge” that I bought with the computer. With that done I had to read a bit more to find out how to “transfer the data already typed” into the Ram Cartridge. This proved to be very easy and I will discuss that a bit.
The Z88 manages its 64K “home ram memory”, plus three cartridge memory slots. Each of the cartridge slots can have up to 1 mega byte of RAM. The third slot can have up to 512K of EPROM memory. Keyboard control allows the computer to control one of the Mega Byte cartridge banks at a time. Or, programming control within an operating program can, in effect, control up to 3 Mgbts of RAM Memory! Since I am a cheap skate, I bought only a 128K RAM Cartridge and a 32K EPROM Cartridge. When Ed McMann pays me the promised million bucks, then I’ll buy some more cartridges. Anyway, the data file that I started in “home ram” transferred easily into Cartridge slot #1, and I’m continuing to build the file. If I can do it with only a cursory glance at the manual, then I feel that Cambridge must have this Bank Switching scheme perfected for idiot operation. My son’s IBM AT will only address 1 Mgbts, so this 3 mgbts capability of the Z88 is impressive, even if I cannot afford the cartridges right now.
The Next Day
After some zzzzz’s the Jet Lag has disappeared. Last evening I turned the Z88 OFF by simply touching both SHIFT keys at the same time. This morning I scanned through the manual and found out that I didn’t need to turn it off, because after a few minutes of NO KEYS touched, the Z88 shuts itself off. The Z88 User Guide is 137 pages and 2/3 of it is devoted to the “Built in Software”. There are two Software Ensembles, PIPE DREAM, and DIARY. We will discuss this software separately. I was more interested in the Programming Aspect. The 66 pages devoted to programming is enough for beginners but is not adequate for the serious programmer. So, I put in a call to Sharps’ INC (804 746 1664), a Z88 Dealer. Before the call was over there were two advanced Z88 books on the way. We will review these books in a later article.
THE Z88 BUILT IN SOFTWARE
PIPEDREAM is a Data Base Software, a Word Processor, and a Calculator. Calculations can be integrated within the data base as it is being generated. This is a very complete software ensemble, and one that must be learned in stages. I cannot begin to review the software at this early stage of proficiency, but I have already found that it is very friendly, has many pop down menus, and has an extensive HELP file. It also has a very comprehensive “Printer Set Up” section, which allows the user to change set-ups to use any and all printers. After scanning the manual and beginning to use the data base, I would say that PIPE DREAM is about the equilivant of WORD PERFECT for the IBM, or the two QL programs “Quill” plus “Archive”. Word Perfect retails locally for around $800, which could be the comparison to establish the value of PIPE DREAM.
DIARY is another Built-In software ensemble. To get the best mental picture of this software, we must remember that the Z88 “holds its data in RAM even when turned off”. DIARY is a Filing System, a Calender Appointment schedule, a Data Organizer, and has functions that are similiar to a Spread Sheet. One of the many features is a “Data Sort By Type”. Example: Sort Mail Files, etc. There is a similiar “Look Up” feature.
The data files created by both Pipe Dream and Diary are FILED in memory that “does not forget” when the computer is OFF. Already I have four ‘stages’ of this document filed in Pipe Dream ‘suspended activities’. These are automatic ‘file saves” done as one quits to another computer mode. While handy and safe to protect from data loss, these files must be eliminated from time to time to conserve filing space. Since I have only a 128K Ram cartridge, filing space is limited to about 40 written pages of data. But suppose that there were three “megabyte” cartridges installed. Then the’ filing space would be about Three Thousand Written Pages of Text! We must chew upon that for a while, as all of us are accustomed to LOSING all Computer data when we turn OFF the computer. Ordinarily, we start up and search for a file in disk to resume working with.
It is difficult to compare DIARY with another existing software, as its concepts are for “permanent memory” files storage and manipulation. But I’ll take a stab at it by saying that an IBM software having similiar total functions would retail for around $600…
The questions comes to mind: “Did I buy a Computer and get $1400 worth of free software?”. Or, “Did I buy the software and get a FREE Cambridge Z88 Computer to run the software with?”
THE DISPLAY
The display is a “supertwist liquid crystal”, having 8 lines of 80 characters each. Last evening I found that the display was quite readable if one positions the computer on a table at about the same distance as reading a newspaper. But you dont have to worry about the KGB spying over your shoulder. One must be “in range” for reading. This morning the sun is shining through the window directly upon the Z88 and against the side of my RGB monitor which is connected to the QL Computer. The sunlight does not affect the Z88 display. Actually it seems to be enhanced. But I had to make adjustments of the other computer’s RGB monitor to read it. I am not comparing the Z88 display with a RGB monitor, but simply saying that it seems to be satisfactory.
The 8 lines of the Z88 display seems to be adequate for orientation of data being generated. The UP CURSOR pulls down earlier lines as needed. I believe that the Z88 display will be completely adequate for portable use. I hope that, eventually, an interface will be available for use with a monochrome monitor for desk top operations, mostly to design pretty graphics, charts, and spreadsheet operation.
DISK DRIVE Versas CHIP STORAGE
Can you do without disk drive for portable operation? Cambridge makes it very practical to do without disk drive “on the road” by providing permanent SAVE of data or programs in EPROM. While my EPROM cartridge holds only 32K, other 128K and 256K EPROM cartridges are available, and Cambridge Direct promises a 512K EPROM cartridge for the future. Now I believe that this may be confusing. “Dont you have to have a EPROM programmer to put data or programs into EPROM?” “YES, you do”. The Z88 computer is also a EPROM programmer.
Data or programs are SAVED to EPROM in much the same manner as to RAM or to Disk Drive. This is a NEW concept for portable computers. One may leave town with a dozen or more special programs in EPROM cartridges to use during out of town operations. These cartridges are small and may be carried in the same briefcase with the Z88. OR, BLANK EPROM cartridges may be carried in order to install and SAVE programs or data. When these or the RAM cartridges are installed, they disappear into the Z88 cartridge ports. The plastic door closes and the physical dimensions of the Z88 is unchanged.
As my Wife and I were departing for vacation, a man at the airport had a “portable computer”. While waiting we struck up a conversation. His job involves visiting and calibrating Hospital Electroniics equipment. The computer he was carrying had a 3 1/2 inch disk drive and a package of floppy disks calibration programs. His computer was the size of a medium size luggage piece, but thicker. I hefted it and would say that it weighed about 40 pounds. A similiar capability with the Z88 would be in a small briefcase and would weigh less than 8 pounds (including underwear and shaving kit).
COMPATABILITY With IBM XT/AT
(Also Apple Mac- Sinclair QL- AND Disk Drive)
Cambridge Direct makes available two “LINK” Software cartridges, “PC Link”, and “Mac Link”. With each is supplied a floppy disk for the “linked computer”. Sinclair QL Dealers have “QL Link”. These software programs allows data and programs to be transferred between types of computers. The software also provides the Link needed to use Disk Drive. For example; a Z88 file is transferred to a IBM computer with “PC LINK”. Then the file is saved to floppy. Or, a Word Perfect file is transferred to the Z88. Or, a Z88 file is transferred to a Apple Mac computer with the “Mac Link” software, etc.
The Z88 Operating System
There has not been a personal computer developed within the past ten years that did not use some form of BASIC Language as its programming language. The Z88 uses “BBC” Basic. A quick glance through the manual shows BBC Basic to be a nice adaptation of Dartmouth Basic, which allows the abbreviation of key words and commands. For example, DELETE is abbreviated with “del”, and LIST with just L. Most of the BBC Basic terms are already familiar to us and can be entered with from one to three characters. I will save PROGRAMMING for another article and conclude by saying that a quick review of BBC Basic indicates that the structure looks to be easy to learn and rich in functions. Our TS-2068 programmers will be at home here.
The Z88 as a EPROM PROGRAMMER
Normally a good EPROM Programmer costs in the range of $150 to $3000. These are devices that transfers “organized programs or files one byte at a time” to an EPROM. Each byte transferred requires eight tiny fuzes in the EPROM to be burned out with applied voltage. As the process continues, and thousands of fuzes are blown, the EPROM is “programmed with the data supplied by a computer”. The EPROM then is a device that contains PERMANENTLY STORED DATA. To erase the data in an EPROM it is subjected to a strong ultra violet light for a period of time. This has the effect of reorganizing the fuses so that the electrical lines to the storage cells are again connected. Then the EPROM can be programmed again. The Z88’s operating system provides for easy operator SAVE of Data or Programs to EPROM, an amazing capability for a portable computer!
PROGRAMMING SUPPORT
It appears that Z88 Software programs will appear in two forms, Z88 EPROM Cartridges and Floppy Disks to be “LINK LOADED” from either a IBM AT/XT, a Apple Mac, or a Sinclair QL. The latter concept will be the least expensive, but will require the support of another computer system for transferring the Z88 program on disk to the Z88 RAM, upon which the user can SAVE to EPROM for independant program operation.
Now to figure out how to FORMAT and PRINT this file with my old Daisy Wheel printer. A Parallel interface cable was purchased with the Z88. The cable is small enough to carry in the same briefcase, or in a pocket.
SUMMARY: It took me about 3 months to get this far with the TS-2068 when I first started with it. The QL required about a month of study. That I could begin this data base the same day as receiving the Z88, then finish it in a few days following, attests to a very User Friendly computer and its software. The whole kit and kaboodle cost less than $800, which is less than similiar software would cost for most computers. This Z88 is a true PORTABLE, where I haven’t seen another that really is portable. I believe that I will be happy with the Z88 for both Portable and Desk Top use.
More details will come in follow on reports.
BJ