'RTC and RAM' - a helpful and informative diary
DAUNTED by the prospect of assessing such an elaborately-titled
facility, I began gently ... if I was going to be dropped into
a world of strange and complicated terminology then my wish was
to be dropped gently.
My fears were unwarranted. I soon learned that what was included
in this intriguing package was electronic diary software, RAM
filing system software, associated hardware and a full instruction
manual, known collectively as "nonvolatile RTC + RAM"
(RTC standing for Real Time Clock).
I learned further that the term "non-volatile" simply
means that any diary entries or system files are not lost whenever
the computer is switched off.
I was not only ready, but now intrigued, to read the Acacia
manual, where I discovered that RTC and RAM comprise both hardware
and software.
The software is held in a ROM fitted into a spare "paged
ROM" socket inside the computer. The hardware is supplied
in a box, complete with cable links to the computer.
The electronic diary I found to be both helpful and informative.
It is also quite easy to get to grips with, with the aid of the
list of diary system commands in the manual.
Working through these commands at the computer you are gently
and well initiated.
Acacia's method of using a demonstration time or date, for example,
which you can then overwrite as you wish, is especially enlightening.
The diary's functions include a continuous display of date and/or
time in the top right hand corner of the screen. Alternatively,
you can choose not to display the clock until you request the
time.
The time and date is kept, even when the computer is switched
off. It also takes leap years into account - I am writing this
on February 29!
I was particularly impressed with the facility for inserting
and displaying reminders. Again it is well explained, with the
use of a demonstration example.
The diary automatically "opens" for you on the correct
date, immediately outlining all entries relevant to today. On
pressing Return, every reminder set for that date and every date
after will be displayed successively.
You can change the date of the reminders from which the display
begins, to gain a retrospective glance at the appointments you've
missed.
Two extras that I found greatly increased the usefulness of
the diary are the keyword and wildcard facilities.
The former permits a command which enables you to search out
only those reminders which include particular words.
For example, for the regular traveller, typing the command *DIAK
AWAY will display all reminders with the word AWAY in them.
Along similar lines, the latter means that words and filenames
do not have to be specified precisely. For example, H*T covers
all words beginning with H and ending with T.
The actual setting up of the reminders is just as simple. You
can enter them for years ahead.
The recommendation for the diary to be used in Mode 7 enables
the use of colour in the reminders, perhaps not totally necessary
but nevertheless an added bonus. I found a red flashing reminder
definitely had more impact, sending me scurrying off to my appointments.
Indeed the electronic diary seemed to have thought of everything.
The alarm can even be set to sound - perhaps with an appropriate
message - at any preset time of day, whether that day is today
or in any year up to the year 2014.
The RAM Filing System (RFS) claims in the manual to be "a
fully functional storage facility designed to complement the existing
range of filing systems, (cassette, disc or net)". Rather
a grand claim, but could it be lived up to?
Certainly I was initially impressed by the reduced restrictions
on the use of its files. The filenames can not only be up to about
200 characters in length, but there can also be any number of
files in the catalogue - if there is enough room in memory to
hold them all. The RFS requires the minimum of workspace for itself
— just 256 bytes.
The standard commands used within the filing system are explained
in the Acacia manual. As certain of them are fairly complex, I
found becoming au fait with the system a little more tricky than
with the diary.
The manual, I feel, presumes a certain amount of knowledge of
the reader and the initiation is not quite taken step by step.
Once mastered, however, I was once again most impressed. The
system's automatic inclusion of creation time and date with saved
files is excellent.
The information is displayed even when using the command *CAT
to outline an index of all files held within the filing system.
A simple addition, but I certainly found it greatly increased
the usefulness of the system.
By far the most impressive feature of the whole package, and
one stemming from its non-volatile nature, is the auto-boot facility.
To cut a fairly long and complex story short, this enables you
to press Break or switch the computer off without losing the effects
of all the commands previously typed in.
This is done by the creation of a special text file which may
be LOADed, RUN or EXECUTed at power-on or the pressing of the
Break key. (Execution merely treats the file as if it had been
typed in — yet another useful facility.)
The advantages and applications of this are quite clearly far-reaching.
You may have a standard set of function key strings which you
don't wish to lose each time the computer is switched off, or
you may want a program to be automatically loaded each time it
is switched on.
Altogether, I feel that this extensive package is an extremely
useful investment.
Karen Torevell
