.op ..echelon.001 23 July 1984 ZCPR3 Newsletter 001 Thanks for joining in our support for CP/M-80 systems. As we present this premier issue of the Newsletter, we look forward with a positive and confident feeling that our new software fills an important niche in your world. The microcomputer industry was started, nurtured, made viable, by 8-bit machines and Echelon doesn't intend to abandon them, as many have been so quick to do! We believe 8-bit machines are most practical and cost effective for jobs you desire to perform. You will find ZCPR3 provides a powerful set of tools to manage both your present and future computing tasks. Furthermore, the overall software system represented by ZCPR3 is expanding with new application packages to solve new business and personal problems, to integrate existing programs in your library using concise and crisp menus, and to handle day-to-day computer disk file maintenance. WordStar (or WordMaster), SuperCalc, and dBase II are ideal candidates to run from one menu under ZCPR3, because of their similar command structures. TERM III and DISCAT work nicely with these, too. The upgraded VFILER and new VMENU utilities with ZEX batch processing will supply modern screen- oriented, user-convenient control of all work normally performed by your computer. (VFILER and VMENU are contained in ZCPR3, Phase 2, out in a few months.) You quickly learn to write your custom menus from text material supplied with ZCPR3 source and documentation files. Echelon plans to operate a ZCPR3-related computer bulletin board. But until that time arrives, the 300/1200 bps AMPRO Computers, Inc. BBS (run by Jerry Haigwood) may be used to carry ZCPR3 news items. Your questions or statements can be handled by Jerry's board. The number is: 408/258-8128. Questions we can't answer are referred to either Rick Conn or Joe Wright. Joe is nearing completion of a universal auto-installing version of ZCPR3. After beta testing, this version of ZCPR will be offered to those who believe they can't install ZCPR3 by MOVING their system down, modifying their BIOS, and using DDT to overlay the original code. The price is expected to be $149.00. Both Alpha Systems Corporation and Echelon will offer the program to the public. More on its features as the program matures. We enjoy hearing from you, about ideas you have relative to your experience with ZCPR3, thoughts about features you'd like Rick to add, gripes and the reverse -- let's hear from you. Echelon, Inc. 101 First Street Los Altos, CA 94022 Telephone: 415/948-5321 P.S. The WHEEL byte password in the release version of ZCPR3 is the six characters: SYSTEM. DISCAT ships on 15 August, ZCPR3 Manual on 15 September.