Franklin Ace 1000 User's Reference Manual
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
t 9 §
FRANKLIN
ACE
fi
User
Reference
Manual
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER CORPORATION
Prepared
by
the
Documentation Department,
Franklin
Computer
Corporation
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
©1982
by
Franklin
Computer
Corp.
7030 Colonial
Highway
Pennsauken,
N.J
OS 109
609/488-1700
This
manual is
copyrighted.
All
rights
are
reserved.
This document
may
not,
in
whole
or
part,
be copied, photocopied, reproduced,
translated
or
reduced to any
electronic
medium or machine
readable
form
without
prior consent,
in
writing, from Franklin
Computer
Corporation.
The
cartoon character
of Ben Franklin
appearing
throughout
this
publication
constitutes
a
trademark of
Franklin
Computer
Corporation.
Franklin
ACE
is
a
trademark of
Franklin
Computer Corporation.
The
following registered
trademarks
belonging
to the
indicated
parties
are
referred
to
in
this
manual:
APPLE
Apple
Computer
Inc.
APPLE II
Apple
Computer
Inc.
CP/M Digital
Research,
Inc.
Space
Invaders
Taito
America
Corp.
PAC-MAN
Bally
Midway
Mfg.
Co.
WARNING:
This
equipment
complies
with the
requirements
for a
Class
A computing device
in
FCC
Rules Part 15
Subpart J.
Operation
of
this
device in
a
residential
area
may cause harmful
interference
requiring
the user
to take whatever steps
may be
necessary
to
correct
the
interference.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Table
Of
Contents
Uncertainties, Mysteries, and Doubts
1-1
They Won't Bite
—
But You Can
Bite Yourself
1-3
The ON/OFF
Switch Is Never Out Of
Reach
1-3
Getting A
Feel
For
Computerdom
1-5
The
World Can Live Without Bits and Bytes
1-6
Dealing With The Knowledgeable
1-7
You're Not A Programmer
—
It's A
Dirty Job
1-9
What
Can
The Computer Do, Anyway?
1-10
What It Can
And Can't Do
1-1
What You Have To Remember
About Memory:
Si/c Counts
1-14
A Good Firne To Be Interested
In
A
Personal
Computer
1-16
Compatibility
-
The
Good,
The
Bad,
And The
Ugly
1-18
Be Choosy
About The Company
You
Keep
1-20
The Dealer
1-21
True Grit: The Adventure Of
Mail Order
1-22
Clubs
1-23
There's More To It Than
Just
The
Computer-
Additional
Equipment
1-24
TVs And Monitors
1-25
Printers For Paper Copies
Of
What You Do
1-26
Disk Drives
1-29
Video
Cards For Lines
Longer Than
40 Columns
1-31
Communications Devices
—
For
Talking To
Another
Computer
1-35
Computers In A Computer If One
Is Good,
Two Are Better
1-38
Programs
1-40
Paddles And Joysticks
1-43
FRANKLIN
COMPUTE ft
Before
You Try
To
Set
Up A
Personal
Computer
1-45
It
Isn't
All
That
Difficult
y.46
What
You Have
To
Know:
Seven
Commandments
(Developing
The
Uncommon
Sense
Of
Computerdom)
2-1
I.
Electrical
Power
-
Don't
Change
A
Bulb
With
The Power
On
2-1
II.
Diskettes
Are
Not
Dry
Cleanable
.... 2-1
III.
Reset
Switches
Are
Your
Worst
Enemy 2-4
IV.
An
Elephant
Never
Forgets,
But
You
Didn't
Buy An
Elephant
2-6
V.
You
Can't
Fix
It But
You
Can
Make
It
Worse
2-10
VI.
Promises:
Take
Each
With
A
Grain Of
Salt
...2-11
VII.
Be
Patient
—
It's
Not
A
Perfect World 2-13
A
good title
for
this
section
might
be
...
The
Territorial
Imperatives
Of The
Trumpeter
Swan
3-1
It's
Out
Of
The
Box!
Now
What?
3-2
Getting
It
Ready
3.3
Getting
The
Lid
On
And
Off
3-3
Attaching
The
Cables
3.4
The
Video
Cable
3.4
The
Disk
Drives
3_5
The Power
Cord
3_7
Turning
It
On
-
What
It
Should
Do
3-8
Why
It
Might
Not
Be Working
3-9
The
Communications
Connection
3-1
I
Say Hello
To
Your
Keyboard
3-1
1
Lower
Case
And
Alpha
Lock
3-1
Numeric
Pad
.3-13
Special
Keys
3-13
Keycode
Differences
3-14
Just Where
Is
The
Reset
Switch?
3-15
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
The DOS
Diskette
4-1
Giving The DOS Diskette A Boot
Up
4-1
Now What?
4-3
How To Use The
Programs On
The DOS
Diskette
4-4
How
To Use The COPY
Program
4-5
How To Use DOS 3.3
.
4-11
CATALOG (Displaying The Table Of
Contents
Of
A Diskette)
4-13
RUN (Running A
BASIC
Program)
4-16
BRUN
(Running
A Binary
Program)
4-17
LOCK
(Protecting A File)
4-18
UNLOCK
(Removing The
Protection
From A
File)
4-19
RENAME (Renaming A
File)
4-20
DELETE (Deleting A File)
4-20
LN1T
(Initializing
A Diskette
For Use)
4-21
A Few
Generalizations About
File Names
4-25
How
To
Use
FUD
4-26
Diskette
Management Commands
4-28
Selection F
(Format
A
Diskette)
4-28
Selection
M (Make A Master
Diskette)
4-32
File
Management Commands
4-36
Selection S (Show The Files
On
A Diskette)
4-39
Selection D (Delete Files)
4-41
Selection L (Lock
Files)
...
4-42
Selection 1J
(Unlock Files)
4-42
Selection
V (Verify Files)
4-42
Selection
C (Copy Files)
4-43
FUD Error
Messages
4-44
oops,
diskette
is w
rite-protected
4-44
oops,
wrong
volume ID
4-45
oops,
file
is locked
4-45
oops, no more
room
on
diskette
4-45
oops, can't
find that file
4-46
oops, bad
diskette
or none in drive
4-46
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
How
To
Use Boot13
4-46
A
Synopsis
Of
The
Programs On
The
DOS Diskette
4-48
APPENDICES 5-1
Glossary 6-1
Index
7-
DOS
And FUD
Command
Formats
8-1
Uncertainties, Mysteries,
and Doubts
/K
lot of people find computers
overwhelming,
even
threatening.
That's sad because, in reality,
they're
neither. If
you're curious and interested
but
still
a
little
bit
wary,
that's
only natural. Until recently, doing anything with
computers
required special skills, even special languages, and those
who
knew what it was all about weren't very interested in
initiating
everyone else.
Personal computers like
the
Franklin ACE changed
all of
that. True, no computer is
as
easy to use as a toaster
or
a
calculator,
but
what you need to know to operate a
personal
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
computer
is
explainable
and
comprehensible.
What's
more,
it's
quick
and
almost
painless
to
learn.
This
booklet
will give
you
a
start.
If
you
want to
learn
how to
program,
how computer
graphics
work,
what
disk
transfer
rates
are, or
how
to
master
the
dozens
of
other
exotic sounding
skills
you hear
about
in
computerdom,
there
arc hundreds
of other
books on
the
market to
help
you learn all those
things.
This one
won't.
What
you will find
in
this
booklet
and
throughout
all
Franklin
manuals
is
plenty of
practical
information,
suggestions,
and
answers
to
questions that you might
otherwise
have to
learn the hard
way. You'll find advice about
computer
products
-
what
they're
for, how
they work, what
their quirks
arc,
and so
forth.
In a field that's
growing
and
changing
as fast as computer
science,
you'll
need
this sort
of
information
in
order to
make
sound
purchasing
decisions.
Someone
may
already
have begun to
persuade
you that a
Franklin
ACE
will
make your life
complete.
It may; it
may not.
People
use
computers
for all kinds
of
reasons.
Some
people
buy
them
simply
to
keep
their kids
quiet. There
are,
however,
many
other
practical
applications
for a
computer,
ranging
from
financial
forecasting to
Space
Invaders™,
from
word
processing
to setting
up
a
blind
date.
If you're
having
second thoughts
about
your
curiosity, your
interest,
or your
purchase, dispel
those
doubts.
With
a
little
practice
you can
put a computer
to work
and enjoy
the
process.
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
They
Won't
Bite
—
But You
Can
Bite Yourself
liven
though computer types are always talking
about
bits
and
bytes (pronounced
"bites"),
most people aren't
afraid
that
they're
going to get
bitten. But many
worry that
the
machine
will
do something
they
won't understand
or that
it will
suddenly start to
spit
out all kinds of symbols
and
nonsense.
Computer phobia
is
the
fear of feeling
incompetent
and
helpless in the
face
of high
technology.
With
personal
computers,
however,
there's
nothing to fear.
The
On/Off
Switch
Is
Never
Out
of
Reach
One of the joys of
using
a
personal computer
is the
feeling of
complete control
that you
get by
having the
ON
OFF
switch
so
close
at
hand. You're
in charge. Nothing is going to
happen
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
unless
you
make it
happen.
And
if the
machine
gets you
confused,
all
you
have to
do is turn
it off
and start
over.
Your
computer
will
do
whatever
you
ask,
whenever
you
ask.
True,
computers
do
have
a
reputation
for
being
fussy about
the
way
you
phrase
your
questions
and
commands.
Some
people
even
think
they're
evasive,
somewhat
like
a witness in
court
who
manages
to
avoid
providing
information
by
sidestepping
the intent
or
spirit of
a
question. The
fact
is, you
do have to
develop
something
of a
rapport
with
the
way
the
computer
understands
what
you tell it.
That
comes
with
a
little
practice.
If
you ever
find
yourself
frustrated,
just
remember
that
ON
OFF
switch.
As
in
all
of
life,
awesome
power
is
not
without
some
responsibilities.
Since
you're
in charge,
if
something
goes
wrong,
then
you're
probably
the one
who's
to blame.
Exercise
some
discretion
when
using the
machine,
and
look
at
instructions
and directions
as
a way of developing
a common
sense
about
computers,
as
well as
a
way
to
assemble
the
components
of
your
machine
and
get it
running.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Getting
a Feel
For
Computerdom
When
you're first starting out,
it's hard to get a feel for
computerdom.
Making
a computer work for you takes some
knowledge
and skill, but
it also
takes
a
proper
attitude or
disposition.
You can acquire
the knowledge
and
skill readily,
since those are
both teachable
and learnable. The attitude
is
a
little more tricky.
It's
a matter of staying
loose while
at
the same
time
remaining methodical,
analytical,
and
meticulous. That
sounds
impossible,
but it isn't. Don't worry about
making
mistakes. Using
a
personal
computer is a hands-on,
learn-by-
doing
process
that
is
somewhat less than
perfectly
straightforward. As long as you're analytical, you'll learn
more from your errors than anything
else.
Once you have your computer set
up,
you won't
be
able to
hurt
it
with anything you may do at the keyboard. You can lose
programs or
data, but as long as you follow the correct
procedures, there's little
chance
of
your
doing irreparable
harm to the machine.
Making mistakes at the
keyboard and mishandling the
equipment
are
not
the
same thing, so be warned. You can do
damage if
you're
not
careful.
Probably the most
sensible
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
approach is to treat
a computer,
any
attached equipment,
and
any diskettes
as if they
were an
expensive
stereo system and
records
or
tapes.
What
you
wouldn't
do to your stereo
and
your
record
albums,
you
shouldn't
do to
an
ACE or
diskettes.
Wy//M^ma
JT
The
World
Can
Live
Without
Bits
and
Bytes
You
won't
find out what
bits
and
bytes are here.
If
you really
want to
know, look
in
a
dictionary
of computer
terms. That
may sound
a little brusque, but
the
point is that you don't have
to
know
these or
hundreds of
other
specialized terms to use
an
ACE
or any other
personal
computer
effectively.
"Bits"
and
"bytes"
are examples
of the terminology
that
computer
experts
use to communicate
with one another. You
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
can use most
programs
popular
today
without
knowing
or
caring
about
bits,
bytes, enable
pins,
annunciators, nibble, or
the rest
of
the
other jargon that
keeps much
of
the
computer
industry
detached from
the
rest
of the
world.
Dealing
with
the
Knowledgeable
Trobably
few people in
the
history
of the world
have
done
a
better job
of
making
themselves incomprehensible
than
computer
scientists.
It's too
bad,
really, because the
technology
is finding its
way into every
aspect of
life. Yet it
seems that
virtually all
the experts' explanations
of
how
computers
work
do little
more than
make computer processes
absolutely
opaque.
There
are
reasons
why this
happens,
but
those aren't
particularly
relevant
at
this
point.
Don't
let them confuse
you!
And
more importantly,
don't
be intimidated if
you
don't
understand
what a computer
person
tells
you.
Everything
that
you
need to know can
be
explained
in
plain
English.
If someone
begins
to lose you, it's
not your
fault. Often those
who are technically competent are
among the
least
articulate
members of
society.
There
are computer
people
who can explain things clearly.
You'll know who
they are
by
their
patience
and
their pace.
They'll
explain things
slowly and
simply
without
seeming
condescending. They'll
illuminate
the
powers
and workings of
the
machine. They
won't,
as
a rule, take
themselves
too
seriously
and
they'll
refrain from
inundating you
with the
quasi-English
jargon and syntax
of computerdom.
Such
people arc
few
and far between.
When you find
one,
stick
like
glue.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Avoid,
at
all
costs,
computer
people
who
talk
a
mile
a
minute,
ladle
jargon
into their
speech, and
use common
words
in
ways that
are
almost,
but
not
quite,
normal.
These
may
actually
be very nice
human
beings,
but
when
they're talking
about
computers,
they
can go
on
forever,
ignoring the glazed
expression
on
your
face
and ignoring
you, for
that matter.
Some
will even
continue
talking
after
you've
walked
away. Listen
to
them
politely,
but escape
as quickly
as
possible.
They
can
make
you
hopelessly,
even
terminally,
confused.
Somewhere
down
the
line,
through
repeated
exposure
and
osmosis,
you'll
start
to
pick
up
the
jargon
and
learn
computer
language.
Until you
do,
find
a
dealer
or
knowledgeable
friend
that you
can
understand,
and avoid
those
people
you
can't.
Remember
that you
can use
a personal
computer
very
effectively
without
understanding
even a tiny
percentage
of
what experts
say when
they're
talking to
one
another.
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
You're
Not a
Programmer
—
It's a
Dirty
Job
-Programming
is something else
you
don't have to
know
anything
about
in order
to
use a personal
computer. You could
probably
spend
the rest
of your
life doing
nothing more than
using the programs that
have already been
written.
Some
computers, as a matter of fact, were designed
with users,
not
programmers,
in mind. The Franklin ACE, for
example,
is
a
user's
delight,
but a
programmer's
nightmare.
That's fine,
because
you
don't want to be a programmer.
Not yet, at least. Instead
of trying
to
write a
program
as
one of
the first things
you do, spare yourself the headaches and use
what
already exists.
You'll
need
to learn how to use others' programs before you
try to
create
your
own. As you get accustomed to other
people's programs, you'll
probably
come up with ideas for
simple tasks that
you'd
like
to write programs
for yourself.
Then, if you
want to get down and dirty,
you'll
have
some
basis
from which to learn to
program.
At that
point, you'll find
dozens of books on
the market to teach you how to do just
that.
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
What
Can The Computer
Do,
Anyway?
A
lot. With a "spread
sheet"
program,
you could
easily
manage
budgets for, let's
say,
a real estate office, a little
league
team,
a suburban high
school,
or the average household.
With
the same
computer,
you
might
go
into
the office or come
home
from work
(depending
on
whether you're coming or
going)
and
read the
financial
pages of six newspapers from
around
the
country.
You
might write
a
letter
or a report and be reluctant to
let
anyone
read it
until
the
spelling
was checked. The
computer
could
do that for you, too.
When
you were
finished,
you
could
play
chess
or
find
out
about the weather
or get
a
list
of
recommendations
for wines to serve with Terrine
Maison.
Then
the
computer
could
help you plan a banquet. Or
a
diet.
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Or
compound
interest.
The
list
goes on
and on. Whether you
want to
find
out the
price of
wheat
in Kansas or gold in
London,
a
personal
computer
can help
you do it instantly.
In
general, if
you
can imagine it,
someone,
somewhere
has
already
figured
out
a
computer
program
that will
do it
for
you.
Since
the
Franklin
ACE
is
compatible
with one of the most
widely
used personal
computers in
the
world today,
there's
a
vast
library of
programs
available
to use on
the
machine.
A good rule
of
thumb
to keep in
mind
is
that
you
shouldn't
buy
a computer
unless
you
know of at least
two
things
that you
can
use
it for
before you
buy. Using the
packing box
as a
planter
for your petunias
shouldn't
be one of the
two
uses for your new
acquisition.
But
even
if
it
is, you're sure
to
find more.
Virtually
everything
you can
do
with
paper
and
pencil, you
can
do with a computer
in
a fraction of the
time, with
a
fraction
of
the
effort. The
machines
are
durable,
relatively inexpensive,
and
thoroughly
adaptable
to the needs
and preferences
of
small
businesses
and
home
users.
What
It Can
and
Can't
Do
Lest
you
be misled,
a personal
computer
is NOT designed to
do
all
your work
for
you.
The computer's
role
is more that
of
a
helper;
it will take
care
of
the tiresome jobs that
bore
you to
death.
The computer's
strengths
lie in its
ability
to
perform
miserably
dull
tasks
endlessly
and accurately,
leaving
you free
to
think about
solutions
to
the
real
problems
at hand.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Since
a computer
won't
think for you,
expect no
miracles.
If
you
don't
already know
how
to
do
something,
then
there's
absolutely
no way
that
you'll
pull
it
off
just because
you're
using
a computer.
If
you
can't write
a
novel
with
a pencil or
a typewriter,
then
you'd
better hire
a
ghost
writer,
preferably
one
who
knows
somcth
ing
about word
processing,
before
you
buy
a
computer.
The
computer
can
take
much
of the
mechanical
drudgery out
of
any
task, but
it
can't
think or organize
all by
itself. Not yet,
anyway.
Besides
what
it
can't
do,
there are
certain
things
you
wouldn't
want
it
to do
even though it
could. Just as you
wouldn't
take
out
your
calculator to
add
five plus three, you
shouldn't
use
your
computer
to
write
down
a shopping list of
five items.
The pad and
pencil
will be faster
every
time. You'd
look
funny
carrying
an
ACE
to the
supermarket
with you,
anyway.
Bear in
mind,
too,
that
personal
computers
can
do only
one
job
at a
time. Suppose
that
you
have
computerized
your
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
mh
appointment book.
Further suppose that
you're using a
spread
sheet
program
to
organize
your
bookkeeping. The
phone
rings.
The
IRS
wants to make an
appointment with you
for
an
audit.
You're
in trouble, not just because of the audit, but
because
your appointment
book
program isn't
available.
What
to
do? Miss
the
appointment
or
destroy
the records that
could
save
you? Either
way,
you're lost. Always
keep the
availability
factor
in
mind when
deciding whether
or
not to
computerize.
Personal computers
also have
certain
physical
and
functional limitations. The ACE, for example,
will
choke very
quickly if you
try to
feed it
the payroll
information
for
a
Fortune
500
company. It
just
doesn't have the capacity
for
such
a
task.
The system for storing information is
too
small,
and the computer itself
can't
hold enough
information at
any
one
given
time
to perform
the necessary
calculations
efficiently.
Imagine a
filing
cabinet
with
four drawers. You
could
probably
store
all
of
your
family
data
in that cabinet
with
room to
spare.
It
could hold all
of your canceled
checks,
your
medical
records,
your
kids'
old
report cards, insurance
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
policies,
and
the like.
But
if
you
were
filing the
customer
information
for
your
local
electric
company,
you'd
be lucky if
all
of
the
information
on
customers
whose
names
begin with
"A"
would
fit in
one
cabinet.
So too
with
a
personal
computer
like
the ACE,
except
that
instead
of
a filing
cabinet,
you have
a
floppy
diskette,
a
sort
of
electronic
filing
cabinet.
It
stores
information
that
you
can
bring
into
the
computer
to
review,
update,
and
manipulate.
Theoretically,
you
could
store
an
electric
company's
customer
files
on
a
floppy
disk
system.
Practically,
it
would be
a
disaster.
You'd
need
several
thousand
floppy
diskettes
(file
cabinets)
to
hold
all the
information.
And
because
a personal
computer's
memory
size
is
also
limited,
you
could
only
do
a few
calculations
at a time.
It's
like
using
a shovel
where
you
need
a
bulldozer.
Generally,
if
your
data
is
of
a personal
or
small
business
nature,
you
should
be
able
to
use
a
personal
computer
effectively.
What
You
Have
to
Remember
About
Memory:
Size
Counts
If
you
make
the
mistake
of
talking
to
a salesperson
or a
computer
expert
about
memory
size,
you
might
find
yourself
descending
into
a
hole
from
which
you
have
no
hope of
returning.
The
only thing
you
really
have
to
know is that 64
is
larger
than
48
and
that
48 is
larger
than
32. The
K and the
reference
to
RAM
that
invariably
accompany
these
numbers
are
right
at
the
edge of
the
precipice
you
want
desperately
to
avoid.
(The fatal
question
is,
"What are
they?")
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
In
order to
use
some
programs you
need at least
32,
and
for
others
you need at least
48.
Others take only 5. The
"at
least" is
very
important. It usually
means
"barely." Programs that take
32
usually
work better on
48,
and those that take 48 often work
better on
64.
Better
in
what sense?
Let's say you're using
a data
base
management
system
that
takes
at
least 48. You're working up a
report
that covers information
gathered
and entered
over
several
months, and you
want the
computer to compile the
data for
the
entire period. It
may not
be able to. Perhaps it
will
be able to do
it for
one month and
then another
month
and
then a third month. You'll have to put the three
sections
together
yourself. With larger
memory capacity, the computer
could
probably
do the
whole
job for you.
Speed is another
factor.
The machine
can
pull
data
from
memory much faster than it
can retrieve the same data from a
diskette in
a disk
drive. If
you were using a word processing
program,
you'd
be able
to go through
the text, editing
and
moving
paragraphs from
one
place to another much more
quickly
if your
computer had 64 instead
of
the 48 that the
program
manufacturers
recommend
as
a
minimum. With a
long
text,
a computer
with
a smaller memory would be
constantly
moving text to
and
from the diskette in the
disk
drive. It gets
cumbersome.
There's
also the
future
to
consider. Programmers
are
constantly
writing
programs
that
are bigger
and
better than
those
that
came before.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
A
Good
Time
To Be
Interested
In
A
Personal
Computer
Within the
last
decade,
computer
systems that
might have
filled
a small room
with board
after
board
of transistors,
tubes,
and
integrated
circuits
have
been
reduced
in size
to where they
fit
easily
into
a
desktop case.
Systems that
once
cost tens
of
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
are
now affordable
for
the
home
or small
business.
The
sheer
speed of the
advances
in
computer
technology
makes all
other
advances
in the history
of
technology
look
like
molasses
in
January,
In
the early
seventies,
Hewlett-Packard
and Texas
Instruments
came
out with
the
first
programmable
calculators.
Suddenly
it
was possible
for
the average
person
to
carry
an instrument
that would
do simple
arithmetic, chart
bioYhythms,
and
provide the
calculations
needed
to navigate
by stars.
Some
people
became
so enamored
of these
devices
that
they
lost
sleep
playing
with
them.
A few
were
so overwhelmed
that
they
quit their
jobs
to learn
about
computers
and
programming.
Some
went to
school
unabashedly.
Others hid
in
garages,
basements,
or
dusty
attics. Eventually,
most
emerged
to
take
high
paying
jobs in
a
booming
industry
desperate for
people
with
technical
expertise.
Not long
after
that,
build-it-yourself
computer
kits
became
available.
Otherwise
sensible
people
bought
soldering
guns
and
began
to
attach
electronic
components to
plastic-like
boards
riddled
with tiny
holes.
Exactly
what
they
were doing
was
a
mystery
to
all,
even
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
€^
n
them.
These
kits
seldom
had
anything
approximating
complete
instructions.
Untold hours
were
invested
with
minimal
success.
There's
no telling how many
dining
room
tables
were marred
by scorch
marks from
soldering
irons left
glowing
by sleeping
fanatics
whose
own
fervor had
already
burned out
for
that
evening.
It's all
different now.
The
machines
come assembled
and,
for
the most
part,
with
adequate
instructions.
They're
relatively
inexpensive,
reliable,
easy to
use, and
remarkably
versatile.
There's
also
enough
competition
in the
marketplace
to keep
quality high
and prices
stable.
It's definitely the
right
time
to buy. Being
overcome
by
fanatical
fervor is still
a possibility,
but burn
marks
in the
finish
of fine
furniture
are no longer
a
likely result
of the
affliction.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Compatibility
—
The
Good,
The
Bad,
And
The
Ugly
1
oday
there's
some
controversy
in personal
computerdom
over
what
constitutes
compatibility.
You'll
probably
hear something
about
it
when
shopping
for
a computer. Usually
compatibility
means
something
different
to the
manufacturer
than
it
does to
the
computer
buyer.
To the
buyer,
it
means
that
if
something
—
a program or some
attached
device
—
works
on one computer
and another
is
compatible
with the first,
then
that program or
device
should
also work
on
the second
computer.
Very simple. The
buyer
thinks
compatible
means
"the
same
as."
But
the
manufacturer
means
that
the
program
or
device
was
designed
to be
100%
compatible.
Did
the
manufacturer
succeed in
his
design?
Well,
almost
everything
works.
Does
the
manufacturer
know of
anything that
doesn't
work?
Well, there
are
one or
two
programs that
don't
quite
work.
Watch
out!
You're
about
to
confront
Murphy's
Law
of
Compatibility:
If the
manufacturer
claims
it's
compatible,
the
purchaser
assumes
all responsibility
for
determining
whether
or
not the
manufacturer
is right.
Franklin,
for
example,
doesn't
claim
that
the ACE
1000 line
is
100% compatible
with
comparable
APPLE® computers.
Because
the
ACE
has features
not
found in the APPLE,
it's
different.
Perfect
compatibility
is
lost.
A good
example
is the
keyboard.
It produces upper
and
lower
case characters,
a definite
advantage
to
the
user
over the
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
APPLE, which
has only upper case capability. This
means
that ACE owners confront
a problem now and
then if they use a
few of the programs specifically
designed
for the APPLE.
Take solace in the
fact that
the advantages
provided
by
the
ACE's unique design more
than
make up
for any
problem you
might
encounter.
Whenever
possible,
reliable companies
warn
you
about compatibility
problems
and
try to offer
solutions.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
Be
Choosy
About
The
Company
You
Keep
When
you
buy
a personal
computer,
you're
getting
more than
just
a machine.
You're
really
establishing
a
relationship
with a
company,
so
it's
important
to
choose
carefully.
Every computer
company
has
a somewhat
different
attitude
toward
its
customers.
Unfortunately,
that
attitude
is
seldom
readily
apparent
before
purchase
and
sometimes
only too
painfully
clear
afterwards. In
an
industry
where
the
oldest
company
may
have been
manufacturing
machines
only
a few
months longer
than the
youngest,
relative
longevity
isn't
necessarily
a reliable indicator
of
quality.
Probably
the
best
way to
judge
a company
is
to
determine
whether
you, the
customer,
are of
primary
importance
or
if
you're
merely
incidental
to
the
marketing
scheme.
To
sec
where
you fit in,
check
the
instructional
manuals
provided
with
the
computer.
Are
they
cute but
short
on
practical
information?
Arc
they
written
in
computerese
by technicians
totally
blind
to the
realities
of the
English
language?
Does
the
company
acknowledge
the
limitations
of
the
technology
or were
the
manuals
written
by some
ad
agency
bent on
creating an
image
of
corporate
perfection?
Some
of
the
largest,
most
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
powerful
companies in the
marketplace take their customers for
granted. It
shows in the documentation
they
provide.
Does
the company have
service centers available or are
repairs strictly
the customer's
problem?
Some
companies can't
be bothered.
They
don't even
provide warranties. Give the main
office a call to see if
there's
a
customer
service department.
The Dealer
Another
important relationship
you'll establish is
with your
dealer,
probably
your
most valuable ally if you
want
to get the
most out of
an
ACE
or any other personal computer. What kind
of
help do you get
when you
walk in the door? Do you get
good,
clear,
objective advice or
sales hype?
You'll
probably need
a
lot
of help making initial and future purchases, so findadealer that
you
feel comfortable
with and
can trust.
If,
when you walk
into
the store, the salespeople
seem more interested in the computers
than they are in you, look
for
another dealer.
Many dealers offer
evening
courses on how to use
personal
computers. Sit in on a session
and see if
the instructor is
a
good
communicator,
sensitive to
the needs of the class.
These
classes
are usually available
for a minimal
charge,
but
the
quality of the
teaching varies. A
good dealer will be concerned that customers
learn
how to
get
the most out of their computers.
Often,
dealers provide
repair service for machines.
Check
to
see
if other customers have
been satisfied and see if the company
provides
training for dealers'
technicians. This
is the case
with
Franklin,
but not so with every
company. Look
for evidence of
teamwork
between company and
dealer.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
C_
Ht'AP
-t=Az
&
M16H
SPEED
True
Grit:
The
Adventure
Of
Mail
Order
if
you
decide
to buy
a computer
from
a catalog,
best of luck.
You
can
find
some
tremendous
bargains,
but
you'd
better
know
what
you're
doing
before
you
even consider it.
The principle
of
caveat
emptor
applies
here
more
than anywhere
else.
What
are
you
going to
do if the
computer
you
ordered
comes
disassembled,
all the
parts in
plastic bags,
the
electronic
components
stuck in
chunks
of
styrofoam?
You
have
no dealer
to
rely on
for
help.
Assuming
you
get it
all
together, what
will
you
do if
it
doesn't
work?
One of
the
components
may
be bad.
How
are
you going
to know
which
one? Maybe
you can
send it
back
to
the
company,
but
you'll
have
to
anticipate
a long
wait
before
you
get
your
new
computer
back.
It's
awfully
hard
to know
exactly
what
you're
ordering
unless
FRANKLIN COMPUTER
you're
very familiar with personal computers. Although mail
order
prices
can be tempting, the
safest
way
to
buy a
computer is
through
a company authorized
dealer.
This
is your
best
guarantee of
getting
the
kind
of support
you'll
probably want.
Clubs
f\
good
source of
information
and bargains in computers,
accessories,
and programs
is
the users'
club. Generally, these
clubs
are groups of
people using
the same or similar
computers.
They're
interested in
sharing
information
and
programs,
as
well
as helping one
another solve
problems that arise
when
using
new
technologies.
Often
the clubs have
a
general
meeting once a month
with
a
speaker
or special
presentation. Between
general
meetings,
groups
of
people with special interests frequently
get
together to
help one
another or just
discuss what
they're
doing. The
atmosphere is usually
convivial
and
people have
a
chance to
meet others
who
share their
interest.
The
companies
and dealers
also
find that
these clubs provide
a
good
medium
of
communication.
Dealers announce
special
prices
to club members
and
companies
let the groups
know
about
new
products. It's
a good
way to
keep
in touch.
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER
There's
More
To It
Than
Just
The
Computer-
Additional
Equipment
If
you
thought
the
computer
was
expensive.
Inside
an
ACE
and
similar
computers
is
a
little electronic
device
called
a
microprocessor.
How
small
is it? The
one
that
runs
the
ACR
is
only
about
as big
as the
ISHIFTl
key on
the
keyboard.
But it's
the
heart
of
the system.
Without a
microprocessor,
you
wouldn't
have
a computer.
ACTUAt
SIZE
Everything
else in
the
case
is
there
to help
the
microprocessor
do its
job.
You
have
the
power
supply
to
convert
and
regulate
the
electrical
current
going
to
the
computer
and
its
support
devices.
You
have some devices
called
memories
that
hold
information
in
the
computer while
you
use
it.
You
have some
slots
at the
back that
allow
you
to
plug
in
devices
that
expand
the
capabilities
of your
machine.
You
have
the
keyboard.
The
microprocessor
can't
do anything
by
itself.
It
needs all
the
elements
of the system
to
do
its job.
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