#Amiga Comm
10 messages in this thread
I am a long time compuserve member. I have always used my PC, however
I have recently bought an Amiga for some video work and want to log on with it.
I bought a modem but I can't seem to find any communication software. Does
compuserve make a Cim for the Amiga? If not what do you guys use, and how do I
get it (I can't download it since I can't log in with the Amiga). Please help
– Thanks!
There are any number of terminal programs for the Amiga, many of which are
freeware or shareware. If you have a local user group that has access to
the Fred Fish PD collection, you can get "Term", an excellent free
terminal program. Others available are NComm and Terminx. Many of us
here use Autopilot, an automated off line reader. If you have the
hardware requirements to run it (2.04 or better, one Meg chip, two Megs
total, 5-10 megs free on a HD, and preferably a deinterlacer or AGA
machine and a Multisync), that is the way to go. It is not free, but a
free demo is located in the Amigavendor library.
//
-Karl \X/ Amiga and Autopilot: The *only* way to fly!
Noam,
Ah…but you CAN download it. Your Amiga can read IBM formatted
diskettes (720K 3.5" disks) if you've got AmigaDOS 2.1 or higher.
Check out lib 5 for general communications programs. For CIS specific
work, look at AutoPilot in the AmigaVendor Forum.
There is no CIM for the Amiga, Compuserve won't release the necessary
libraries for an Amiga version.
Don
Thank you for your prompt reply. I have an Amiga 2000 that is about a year
old. How do I read the IBM discs? What is Cross Dos? Also, how do I
decompress LZH files? And, what are lha files. If I could read IBM discs,
that would mean I wouldn't even need to use my Amiga for compuserve, I could
down load to my IBM and then transfer. Is this right? If you can get me out
of this quagmire I will really be indebted to you.
Noam
Noam,
CrossDOS is a commercial program that allows you to read and write IBM
formatted diskettes in the Amiga's 3.5" floppy drive. You're limited to 720K
format, but that shouldn't cause too much problem. It's also a part of
AmigaDOS v2.1 which is the operating system that more than likely came with
your Amiga. Check your documentation.
LZH and LHA files can be uncompressed with LHA138.RUN (it will
self-extract into LHA), it's available in LIB 16 here.
That's right, if you wish to do all your Compuserve activity on your
IBM, then yes, you can transfer the files onto your Amiga and extract them
there. However, programs like Autopilot for the Amiga can save you significant
amounts of money in connect time. CIM can actually increase your CIS bill.
Don
Hi Noam
If you got Workbench 2.0 and up, take a look at the Storage Drawer, and then at
Dos Drivers. There should be an Icon called PC0 to make your DF0: able to read
PC 720K Disk(PC1 is for DF1:).
See ya Axel from Hamburg Germany
Don,
Interesting(and I'll leave it at that) that CI$ won't release the
libraries for Amiga programmers to make a CIM type for the Amiga system,
and that they won't make one themselves. IMHO, it seems we are a big
enough market to make it worth their while. Nevertheless, my hat's off to
the authors of AP- they done good.
C-Ya
Edgar
Flying on AP at Warp 9 over Ojai
Noam,
What model Amiga do you have? What version of the operating system are you
using? How much memory do you have? Do you have a hard drive on the
system?
Compuserve has not made a version of CIM available for the Amiga. However,
many of us here use AutoPilot form AForums Ltd. AP is an auto-nav program
that takes advantage of the multitasking nature of the Amiga, allowing you
to read/write messages, select files for upload/download, search catalogs
of files, keep message history files, all offline, and then executes
everything automatically when sent online. It is a very effeicient means
of CIS access. There is a demo version of AP in library 9 of AmigaVendor
Forum (GO AMIGAV). You'll need the files AP.LHA and APDOCS.LHA.
AutoPilot requires AmigaDOS 2.04 or higher, 1 meg of chip ram, a couple
meg of fast memory and some hard drive space… and a delinterlaced
screen, while not required, is strongly recommended.
If you are running AmigaDos 2.1 or higher, see your manuals for
information regarding CrossDos, which is part of the OS. CrossDos allows
your Amiga to read and write 3.5" msdos formatted floppy disks in the
Amiga 3.5" drive. If your Amiga is equipped with a high density floppy
drive, you can use both 720k and 1.44 meg msdos floppy disks, otherwise
you are limited to 720k disks.
Also, you may want to look in to TwinXpress, a serial tranfer protocol
that allows file tranfers between machines using a null modem cable. There
is an Amiga version, I believe here in library 5 (communications) for the
Amiga, and an msdos version somewhere in the IBM libraries.
Shout if you need more information.
If your Amiga is running OS version 2.1 or later, you can download to your
PC, and then read the disk directly with your Amiga. That would let you
go to Library 5 of AmigaUser and download one of the terminal programs
there. Several are very popular – TERM, BACKTALK, TERMINAL are a few. Of
these, I have used and liked BACKTALK, but others like the other two very
much.
For automated use, there is a commercial program that is really
outstanding – AutoPilot. There is a demo version of it in Library 9 of
AmigaVendor – AP.LHA. It requires that you be running at least OS2.04,
and you will need at least 2M of memory and 5M of hard disk space to use
it. It's a great program. I know you'd like it.
—Betty
Sure you can download it! AutoPilot, AP.LHA in AmigaVendor lib 9. If you
have 2.1 or better (likely if you're a recent 'new' Ami-user) Put it on a
PC DOS formatted diskette, low density if you don't have a 4000, and you
should be able to read it on your Amiga from there. Oh, heck, you'd
probably have to download LHA138.RUN and run that to unpack it and start
up CrossDos oh, he!!, it can be done! I'm just not in a position right to
run down all details. Someone will! Feel free to ask me though.
AutoPilot is a great program and has the advantage of reading and replying
to everything offline.
Robb