In 1991, while experimenting with one of the very first HP 95 portable computers, this book came together. Today, more than fifteen years later, that HP 95 computer still works great, though it’s creaking and slowing down a bit and doesn’t have the battery Explorer’s Guide life it once had; I know the feeling. To The I would like to invite you to wander through this book, to see what an eleven-ounce computer could do, not all that long ago. Rumor has it that HP later released very nice palmtop computers with 100 HP 95 and 200 model numbers, even though this book knows nothing about them. I’ve simplified some illustrations for this online version, but text and page layout still look like 1991. On the left is something like the original book cover, complete with the old rabbit logo. One edition of this book was formatted with Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1. It was printed on an HP DeskJet 500 printer, which R. E. Harvey was a 300 d.p.i. B&W inkjet that scooted through about two pages per minute in best-quality mode, and cost more than $500. Body Palmtop PC Palmtop PC R text in this book is still in Bitstream Charter font, which was designed for low-resolution laser and inkjet printing. There are 112 pages and around 53,000 words. The peculiar page count begins with this title page. Maybe I was trying to make it sound like a lot of pages, while actually keeping the page count down; maybe it was something else. The Binary section, beginning on page 12, may look familiar; it was later improved a bit, and used in an Assembly Language book, then improved some more and used on my home page. Page 108, the ASCII Codes table, was pasted-in from another file, so it isn’t here. That simple page eventually evolved into something called ASCIIcat, which is a big project, all by itself. Instead of recreating the original table, I’d like to invite you to visit my Internet homepage for ASCIIcat, which is free (probably why it’s so popular). Oh, things really have changed in fifteen years! Well, now everyone uses the Internet, and everybody downloads things. If you can’t find my home page, I’m sure you can find ASCIIcat by asking google.com. If you are one of the thousands who purchased this book when it was available in print, thank you, I truly do appreciate your support. This book was self-published, and it retailed at about $19.95. Over several years, most copies were sold through EduCALC mail store. I miss EduCALC, their catalogs, and its founder, Jim Carter. They provided an invaluable service to HP portable users from the 1970s through well into the ’90s, when everything changed. Someone has surely written that history, and it’s probably available on the Internet. In addition to a couple of editions of this book, I also did some software packages for the HP 95. The final software took seven or eight very tough months to write, 80-100 hours per week, and then ended up selling fewer than seventy copies at $39.95 retail (I netted about half that amount). Well then, I tried one more HP calculator book, and then I moved on. Since that time I’ve written programming libraries, lots of code, documentation, and a few books. The latest book is mostly a novel, and it might actually be available in stores that don’t sell calculators. I’m still working, writing, walking, enjoying life and little HP classic portables. I hope you are, too. Happy Programming U R. E. Harvey October 14, 2006 Explorer's Guide To The HP 95 Palmtop PC 1 Implements of Instruction This book is a companion to a software package, the HP 95 Utility Pack, which is likely avail- able from where you purchased this book. The package includes more than 30 small, efficient programs and utilities, including features missing from ROM-based MS–DOS 3.22. All programs are written in assembly language. A consistent, easy to use interface works with DOS’ command line, redirected input, or prompts for data automatically. You can use it to view PCX files, change file attributes and dates, encrypt files, create sounds. It includes several filters and 95.COM, which combines 20 utilities in one program. Also included is a TSR to set the cursor size — and to make sure it stays that size — yet it lets programs turn off the cursor when they need to. Expect other products for our HP 95. Contact your dealer or the author for information. Copyright Acknowledgments Lotus and 1–2–3 are trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Excel, Multiplan and MS–DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM, PS/2, AT and PC are trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc. WordStar is a trademark of WordStar, Inc. (which used to be called MicroPro, Inc.). WordPerfect is a trademark of WordPerfect Corp. (which used to be Satellite Software). Hercules Graphics Card is a trademark of Hercules Computer Technology. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is probably owned by Douglas Adams. Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer (which they licensed from another company). Apple is a trademark of either Apple Records or Apple Computer. PC Tools is a trademark of Central Point Software. Turbo Pascal and SideKick are likely owned by Borland International, and Peter Norton owns his own work, too. (Microsoft also claims a copyright on the word "BASIC," in context of the programming language of that name; however the word was coined at Dartmouth College in the 1960s, before Microsoft was founded.) Any other product names owned by these or other people are also acknowledged. Notice All rights reserved. Reproduction or distribution of the editorial contents or programs in any manner without express written permission of the author is prohibited. This restriction includes, but is not limited to, electronic and magnetic media, transcription and photocopies. While every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the materials presented, no liability is assumed by the author. These materials are made available solely on an "as is" basis, and the user (and not the author nor any other party) shall bear costs of incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the furnishing, use or performance of these materials. By receipt of these materials the user agrees to abide by applicable copyright laws. Without support of copyright laws there would be little incentive to create new products. 2006 Addendum None of the software, documents, information or technology may be downloaded to or exported or re- exported to any country that was a member of the former USSR, Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, North Korea, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, or any country to which the U.S. has embargoes, or to any resident or citizen of those countries. Nor may it be used by any person, institution, or within or exported to any country that does not substantially comply with uniform intellectual property laws, or who does not actively combat the theft of intellectual property. This 2006 online edition is available free of charge for personal use only. It cannot be sold, in digital form or printed, or in any other way. It may not be bundled or included in anything at all, without prior written permission from the author. In short, you can look at it and keep a copy of it, but you cannot make any money from it, and you can’t reuse it in any way. Copyright Ó 1991, 1992, 2006 R. E. Harvey R.E. Harvey P.O. Box 10086 Glendale, AZ 85318 U. S. A. E-mail: r.e.harvey @ gmail.com Homepage: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/r_harvey/ r Contents How Much Memory Is Enough? ..................27 Introduction 5 Conserving Memory ......................................28 What This Book Will / Won't Do......................5 Notes About Memory Management............28 How to Use This Book.....................................5 RAM Cards...........................................................28 Symbols and Conventions .............................6 RAM Cards For Security................................28 Terminology: LCD, CPU and all ....................6 Notes About RAM Cards...............................29 HP 95 Guided Tour 7 Power Management...........................................29 About Those Blue Keys........................................7 Judging Battery Life Expectancy..................29 The Filer .............................................................7 Notes About Power Management...............30 Data Communications....................................7 Midnight Madness .........................................30 Appointments, Stopwatch, World Clock.......7 Configuring and Customizing 31 Phone Book.......................................................8 Configuration Files.............................................31 Memo Editor ......................................................8 Turning Down the Beeper............................32 Lotus 1–2–3 Spreadsheet..............................8 Notes About the Beeper ...............................32 Financial Calculator.........................................8 Configuring Memory...........................................33 The Setup Program..........................................8 The HP 95 Business Card................................33 Some Other Important Keys................................9 Notes About the Business Card.................34 Getting Help.......................................................9 The System Manager.........................................34 Getting in Deeper .............................................9