80-Bus News

situation can be much more closely controlled (a condition of sale could be a signed acceptance of copyright terms), and the supplier gets at least some payment for his effort! It is also sad (in certain ways), but relevant, that the ‘average’ Nascom/​Gemini customer is nowadays tending to be an industrial user rather than the ‘old style’ Nascom hobbyist who used to spend many hours pouring over machine code listings of the Nasbug monitor. Today’s ‘hobbyist’ tends to play games on a Spectrum, with maybe a smattering of BASIC work. But I digress, and would just end up with a little ‘thought for the day’ (I claim copyright unless anyone can establish ‘prior art’!):

“Excellent software costs a lot more to produce than mediocre software, but has one major fault – it costs no more to copy."]

Is he serius?

I would like to congritulat all the contribtures to the first three issues of the news I have seen (it’s abusotlay amnasingly funay) and has a rare clarity on technical matters (most of the time) it was worth beying my system for it alone. Is it possible to obtain back coppes of the issues of volume 1 and the odd coppies of INMC?

I would lick to add my name to the handfull of peopel willing to post a disk as suggested by DARK’S DIAR’Y, my veray new and first system consits of the following GM810, GM813, GM812, GM829, GM664, NM I/O complete (excpt for prom SPD/1-L(-H) which Nascom & CIEL failed to supply). GM657, GM555, GM554, GM523, GM808 and a modfied tv. As this is my first computer I have no diy programs so far but I am keen to try to introduce a spelling option for GEMPEN.

I have been soled on the Z80 and 80-BUS for the last two years since the offer of £150 to spend on a project put me on the road excpyt, it took till JULAY 83 to wrase the cash and get moving. Ideas for articules:–

1 CP/M filenames and dirictory for a beginer (whats all the extra stuf on the master disk),
2 using NM I/O board with the GM813,
3a list of games and programs,
4 an introduction to COMAL-80 (a book suggetion please).
5 instrusions on how best to look after the hardwere espialay the diskes and drive.

Yous sincerlay, David Barrington, Edinburgh.

[Ed. – Yes, I definitely agree that you would find a spelling option for Gempen useful! But if you insist on writing the dictionary for it yourself then please get someone else to check it! However, turning to several points that you have raised (wrased?):–

Back Issues. All 80-BUS magazines are available as back issues – that is Vol. 1 Issues 1-4 and Vol. 2 Issues 1-5 (so far). In addition most of the INMC80 mags. are available as well as a Compilation Issue of ‘The Best Of’ INMC.

Circle of Iron. Doctor Dark’s Circle of Iron is intended to consist of a group of users posting a disk around in a circle, adding their programs to it, and copying any of the ones already on it that they want. This is for your programs, NOT borrowed ones. The intention is that there will be several circles, for the various disk formats. The whole thing is very bravely being organised by Chris Blackmore, who says that the response so far is nothing short of dismal! No takers for FREE programs? Anyone interested should write to Chris directly at __ ________ ______, Taunton, Somerset, ___ ___, saying what disk format you use.