VME bus-compatible backplanes arrive in the UK

rosoll launckes MS-DOS MSDOS 2.0 has been launched. The upgrade of the operating system used on the IBM personal computer supports several features of Microsoft's UNIX lookalike, Xenix. ' 'There is a clear upgrade path, right from the first versions of MSDOS to MSDOS 2.0 and on to Xenix', said general manager of Microsoft, David Fraser. Application packages written under MSDOS 2.0 will be able to run under Xenix. Programs written under MSDOS 2.0 may also run under MSDOS 2.0 provided they do not include calls to Xenix-only functions', MSDOS MSDOS 2.0. 2.0 is already standard on the IBM PC he added. MSDOS 2.0 will be issued free to Programs using the standard input existing MSDOS and output files may be piped or chained. The output of one program The tree structured file directory of is passed as input to the next. the Xenix and Unix operating systems A model terminal driver is included. is in MSDOS 2.0. This is done with It supports ANSI cursor positioning new system calls which return 16-bit and related functions. An expanded file 'handles' in the form of a 0, 1 or 2, version will include handling for representing standard input, output AT&T's presentation level text and and error files respectively.

VME bus-c

graphics protocol. These drivers will free the application programmer from coding for specific text and graphics code for the screen. The device driver interface has been changed to allow MSDOS 2.0 to incorporate any kind of character or block driver as a named device. These drivers are loaded dynamically and may be added while a system is operating. New peripheral drivers may be included on micro floppy disc drives with the peripheral. This eliminates the need to ship a new version of MSDOS to run with the extra device, according to Microsoft. Utilities now on MSDOS as standard include a printer spooler, improved line editor, Xenix-compatible filters which can be piped together and Debug, which lets a user type 'n assembler mnemonics. MSDOS 2.0 has already been announced as the latest version of PCDOS for the IBM microcomputer. Many other manufacturers, including DEC, Wang, Hitachi, NEC, Texas Instruments, Mitsubishi, Sirius and Zenith are all currently OEMs for MSDOS 1.25. They will be shipped MSDOS 2.0 free over the coming months, said Microsoft. (Microsoft

Europe L td, BulbourneHouse, GossomsEnd, Berkhamsted,Herts, UK.

tible backplanes arrive in the UK Draugh q available on 8-bit m rocomputers

VME bus-compatible back panels have been made available in the UK by Dage Eurosem. The units are available in both the J1 and J2 format. The J1 type is offel ed in both 9- and 21-slot VME bachplanesin the UK configurations and the either into ~he back of the backpanel J2 in 21-slot only. Both designs feature multilayer construction. Signal lines or into a card frame slot at the front. are 0.015 in (0.381 mm) from the Prices range from around £300 for one-off quantities of the J2 and ground planes, giving a characteristic £500 for one-off quantities of the J1. impedance of 100 ohms (+ 5%). (DageEurosemLtd, RabansLane, Termination networks are offered Aylesbury, BucksHPI9 3RG, UK. for both types of board as an extra Tel: (0296) 32881. Telex: 83518) circuit board. This can be plugged

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GINO, a widely-used 2D draughting system is now available on a wider range of 8-bit microcomputers, including the Superbrain II and Compustar. GINO is a general purpose graphics package developed by the CAD Centre, and is widely used throughout industry. GST Computer Systems have been appointed agents for the Superbrain II implementation. The price of the new implementation ranges from £100 for a basic drawing subset of GINO, to £425 for full 3D version. (CAD Centre,

Madingley Road, CambridgeCB3 OHB, UK) microprocessorsand microsystems