Date   : Wed, 07 Aug 1985 15:43:41 GMT
From   : Hugh Redelmeier <hugh%hcrvx1.uucp@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: Osborne I software portability

I just bought three pieces of Osborne I software (issued by Osborne
itself), hoping to run them on my Kaypro II.  The programs should be
generic CP/M because they do not require bypassing the operating
system.  And yet two out of the three don't work.  Is it the case that
Osborne hobbled its software to prevent it to run on other brands
of machines?  If so, how did they do it?

Note: the software is not the bundled stuff that came with an Osborne.
The two packages are MuSimp/MuMath (Soft Warehouse's symbolic algebra
package), and Bascom (Microsoft's BASIC compiler).  I bought new copies,
still shrinkwrapped, from an Osborne dealer (they were very old stock).
Nothing in the license seems to preclude running on a Kaypro.

Symptoms:

MuSimp: Whenever a "RECLAIM();" is executed, the system crashes.
       Usually the machine locks up, but sometimes it gets a BDOS error,
       indicating some kind of wild jump.
BASCOM:        BASCOM loads and then immediately does a warm boot.

Hugh Redelmeier (416) 922-1937
{utzoo, ihnp4, decvax}!hcr!hugh