Date   : Thu, 24 Sep 1987 09:51:00 +0800
From   : Ken Wallewein <kenw%noah.arc.cdn%ubc.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: CP/M 3.0 CCP replacement

>  I know it is a  bit late for CP/M 3.0 but I have run out of things to do on
>CP/M 2.0 and am resisting buying one of these new machines where you can't
>fiddle with the BIOS (in ROM). What is a home computer for if you cn't program
>it? 

  Right on! However, there's a lot of stuff coming out for 2.2 still, what with
ZCPR3.3 and all. It seems to me that the BDOS could use some work. I've down-
loaded 3 PD versions: DOS+, P2DOS, and SUPRBDOS. They all look better than
DRI's version, but what about nested directories, or support for squeezed,
crunched, and library files? Lopushinsky's (sp?) LBRDSK (makes library files
look like disk drives) is great, but it would be _so_ nice if the BDOS
understood those other file formats! And how about a CMP2.2 RSX to cache disk
directories or tracks? Or use banks for disk I/O caching? 

>  So I am converting to CP/M 3.0 instead.  I would try Turbodos but the
>supplier is very closed lipped about source and my copy for the NorthStar has
>no BIOS source.  Starting from scratch there is a bit daunting as well.
 Peace 

  I have a copy of DRI's "generic" CPM3 do-it-yourself kit. Since they're not
supporting it any more, I guess they can't kick if I give away a copy. If you
want it.

  Personally, I've been toying with the idea of going to a 68000-based system
and running UNIX or something similar. Or maybe I'll got to CP/M 3.0 myself.
I've been gradually extending the BIOS entry points in my 2.2 system toward
compatibility. It would make it a lot easier to implement large sectors, and I
really like command line editing/recall... but ZCPR33 has aliases and all that
stuff... decisions, decisions. Like is tough :-). 

/kenw