The Files in the BONANZA Directory have grown and multiplied over the past year. The total content measures 106 MB, with 7040 files in 511 directories. Here is a brief synopsis of what each of the 9 subdirectories contains.
!GEM! --48 sub-subdirectories. GEM is an older operating shell. This directory contains all of the GEM software, drivers, etc., that we were able to find on the Web. Although we have not tested all of the applications in this suite, we've been assured that it works. Some of the drawing applications are actually quite good.
!SPECTRUM! --22 subdirectories. If you want more games and don't mind experimenting with some of these oldies-but-goodies, then you'll get enough games to keep you going for a long time. Jump to the SPEC directory and read the SPEC. TXT file to get started.
123FILES --29 subdirectories. Tips, tutorials, examples, etc., all dealing with the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program.
ARTINT --20 subdirectories. See the article on Artificial Intelligence in PTPHTML\47\47c0000f.htm for more info on some of the programs in this collection. There's even a database listing most of the files.
EDCHOICE --175 subdirectories --40 subdirectories are new for the 2000 InfoBase. A collection of programs that don't belong to any other category. Most of these programs have proved useful at one time or another...everything from bar guide (mixology) to the latest version of the Visual Editor, with LOGO programming and project management in between. We've included many files that were featured in past issues of The HP Palmtop Paper but were too large to distribute on disk. These include EMTEX (a complete version of TEX for the Palmtop), a recent version of the 4DOS program, three large databases (in the \troisgdb directory). There are many other programs too numerous to mention.
EMULS --10 subdirectories. Emulators for early Apple computers that "may" run on the HP LX. The emulators are offered "as is" --really, folks, we mean that! We have not tested them so we are not sure if they work or how they work. We have included them for those of you who long for the days of the AppleII. You probably know what these emulators are good for. Our challenge to you few old-hands: get these working and write an article about your adventure for The HP Palmtop Paper.
FREECOML --8 subdirectories --4 subdirectories are new for the 2000 InfoBase. The best of the bunch of formerly commercial, now free software may be MS Word 5.5. Maybe you'll like PC-File better. The ThinkTank Outliner is OK. DataPerfect is superb. These files are offered "as is" without any support from Thaddeus Computing, Inc.
LXFILES --these 17 subdirectories are a holdover from the 1999 CD InfoBase. They contain many programs written by Japanese programmers. We have not tried to update this collection. Your best bet is to try the programs as offered. If you like what they do, read the English version of the documentation and see if there are any updates on the Japanese Web sites devoted to the HP Palmtop. These files are documented in the Nov/Dec 1998 issue of The HP Palmtop Paper. See either the printed or the electronic edition of this issue for instructions on how to install and use some of the Japanese software in this directory.
MATHMATH --Math and More Math --42 subdirectories. Here, for the mathematicians, is all the best shareware and freeware available for the HP Palmtop. If you can find any more programs on the Net, let us know.
UBASIC --11 subdirectories --This is one of the best kept secret programming languages around. It's good old BASIC with extended precision arithmetic. In some ways it reminds me of a mix of MSBasic with some of the coding techniques of Pascal or C. The HABER directory is a good tutorial to get you started.
Most of these files were gathered from CompuServe and the Internet over the past eight years. Many of them are no longer available online. We have not had time to test all the features of these programs other than to see that they run on the HP Palmtop.
We offer them "as is" WITHOUT any support. Most of the files contain their own documentation. Try contacting the authors of the software if something doesn't work.
There are enough programs in this BONANZA section to keep you exploring what your HP Palmtop can do for the next year, at least. As you peruse the files and discover a program that interests you, please send us your reactions--the good, the bad and the ugly.
PTPHTML --The HP Palmtop Paper in HTML Format, suitable for viewing on the HP Palmtop itself with the HV Web browser.
This is the result of the efforts of a team of ten volunteers and a lot of extra work. The files in this directory contain all the information from The HP Palmtop Paper over the past 8 years. We omitted the bonus issues of PC Card Review and Best Tips because they were either redundant or woefully out of date. The issues are numbered 0-48 and typically the first file in the subdirectories will contain a table of contents for that issue.
Be sure to read the Disclaim.htm file. Remember some of this information goes back 8 years. We don't remember all of what we published so don't expect us to be ready to answer questions about an article or the whereabouts of one of the authors.
If you want to read an issue or two on your Palmtop, just copy all the files in an issue from the CD to comparable directories on the Palmtop. Load the first HTM file in the series into HV and you'll get the table of contents that will let you move back and forth in the issue. n