Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    I tried to download into PIPE:A and then de-arc from PIPE:a, but
    the download hung after 8096 bytes. I didn't think it would work
    cus the arc program probably wants an entire file to play with,
    not just chunks. It was worth the try tho.
    
     mark

    For the 1.3 PIPE: device you have to match case: PIPE:A is not the
    same as PIPE:a.  So this could be your problem.  Let me know if
    this works.

>        Has anyone encountered an infinite loop, using ARC (amiga)?  I have
>    seen it twice.  It happens when you try to extract a file that
>    already exists.  ARC keeps printing "Overwrite it? (Y/N)", and it
>    doesn't seem to recognize user input.

 
    The only time I've every seen this problem is when I did a RUN ARC
    X blah.arc.  It's looking for a key from it's input, and since I
    ran it, there was no way to get to it.  You could try sending a
    BREAK clinumber ALL to the clinumber of the ARC program, that would
    probably work to get you out of the loop.
    
    Of course, if you did not RUN it, all this info goes right out the
    window.
    

re: MELT on WJG::AMIGA:

I just checked. It was in the format for KERMIT (512 byte fixed). 

I converted it to Stream_LF (XMODEM) and did an ARC -l MELT on it and it seems
fine:

%AMIGA$ arc -l melt
Name          Length    Date
============  ========  =========
melt              4976  26 Mar 87
        ====  ========
Total      1      4976



Try again and let me know...

John

Re: .0

You can use feed a program input through a PIPE: anytime just as long
as the program doesn't do random access positioning into the file, or
try and read the file more than once.  I do not know if ARC meets these
requirements:  I find it very easy to believe that it does random access
to the file.

Note that it is OK for a program reading out of a PIPE: to process the
file faster than the program writing into the PIPE:.  In that situation,
the reading program will hang waiting for input, and the writing program
will run until it writes enough data in the PIPE: that the reading program
can wake back up.

Why did ARC hang: It is hard to say.  It might be that it is a program
than can not take input from a PIPE:.  It could be a bug in ARC--I've noticed
that ARC is very poorly written.  If you feed ARC a file that is corrupt
it will frequently hand or crash.

As a previous note pointed out, ARC will loop printing a prompt if you
run it and it decides to ask a question.  The reason is that when a program
is RUN, it has its standard input set to NIL:.  This causes ARC to get
end-of-file in response to its prompt.  ARC responds by reprompting.  See
my previous statement about what a well written program ARC is.

>    Is there a utility to track down and kill/pause tasks?  

There isn't a standard one for all types of tasks, but there is a CLI command
for interrupting any CLI type task (this includes tasks started by typing
RUN).

Give the CLI command:

	status all

When you see the CLI number of the errant task, type

	break <task number> all

This is equivalent to typing control-c, control-d, control-e, and control-f
to the task.   This will cause any properly written program to exit.

>    what is the proper syntax for Changetaskpri?  Using status I can
>    determine the process number, so I have tried 
>    $ Changetaskpri Priority# Process# , and I get "Bad Args."

It is 

	Changetaskpri <priority> process <process number>

You are leaving off the process keyword.

    Thanks for all the help.  Any new system takes some getting used
    to, and I think I am slowing learning.  I am looking forward to
    doing some software development (hacking) in the near future -
    and I'm sure I'll have more questions.
    
    Steve

    More favors to ask...
    
    Has anyone purchased a 2620?  I think the price was rumored to be
    ~$1000.  Is this accurate.  Are they available to the general public?
    
    I was unable to find a copy of the Amazing Computing that reviews
    hard drives and controllers.  Could some kind soul lend me a copy, or 
    summarize the top picks, problems, etc. 

    Thanks,
    
    Steve
              

>   Has anyone purchased a 2620?  I think the price was rumored to be
>   ~$1000.  Is this accurate.  Are they available to the general public?

    I  have. I do not think they are generally available yet (outside
of a A2500!). The price is not accurate, and no  I  do  not  wish  to
speculate on the eventual retail price.

    Try  adding  up  the price of the chips though - 2 meg 256X4 zip,
68020,  68881,  68851  plus  random  support  chips   (DRAM   refresh
controller, etc).

	-SES

    I don't know enough about chip prices to estimate the A2620 price based
    on .8's formula, so here is another method: take the retail price of an
    A2500 and subtract the retail prices of the other parts.  I don't
    remember the inputs, but you get a result around $1500 to $2000.
    
    Steve at System Eyes mumbled something about $2000 for the A2620, but I
    don't know how reliable his information is.
    
    Here's another estimating method: the retail price of the A1000 was
    about $1000, the A500 is about $500 and the A2000 is about $2000.
    Therefore, the retail price of the A2620 should be around $2600.
    Sounds reasonable, no?
        John Sauter

    
    My latest issue of AmigaWhirld had one vendor selling the A2620
    board for something like $1369 (this is from memory).  I didn't
    check for availability. 
                                          
    Ed.

    I just got my A2620 for $1600 + tax. I know I could order it cheaper
    through mail order but that catrd seems to grab for my plastic.
    
    Renis
    

    The Memory Location has them for $1750. That's where I got mine. I
    figured it could get a better price, but I got them to discount a
    bunch of other stuff I picked up so I think it all worked out.

    Frank    

I just got my A2620 running with my shared SCSI disk (with A500 also on SCSI 
Bus). One of the first things I did was run FA18. It runs 200% to 400% faster
than on a stock Amiga. Wow! The animation is soooo much smoother and when I am
going 900mph at 100ft it feels like it! Yow!!

At first I though it was a bug, but I hope it does not get fixed. The faster 
version is much more fun to play. The FA-18 no longer seems crippled.

	-SES