Golden Hill Common Lisp installation on DEC Rainbow

[STANKULI%cs.umass.edu@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA]

(* this message was sent to info-dec-micro and no one there has replied
   with the Golden Hill - DEC Rainbow parameters for the GMACS key binding
   parameters.  thought i would try here, but DEC-specific information is
   probably want i need.  LISP implementors intended for microcomputers
   might read the last paragraph.                                          *)


  i  recently  got  Golden  Hill's Common LISP running on my Rainbow 100A and i
thought i would make some comments and a plea for help.

  the  memory  upgrade  to  832K  on  my two Rainbows went alright.  one of the
memory boards i received was defective, but a call to the Atlanta DEC hot  line
produced a DEC repairman who replaced the defective board within a week.

  the software installation was pretty poor however.  it took about 4+ hours to
do  the  hard disk installation.  following the instructions in the manual just
did not work.  some of the points in the 'known bugs'  addendum  took  care  of
some  of the problems, but the installation of the San Marco Explorer had to be
done by hand.  that was drag.

  i  want  to  bind the GMACS editor functions to the Rainbow personal function
keys and numeric keypad.  GMACS has most of the editting  functions  i  usually
have  in  other  word  processing  environments,  but key binding does not seem
covered in the installation manual.  i called Golden Hill first and their  tech
people  showed  me  the  GCLISP\GMACS\EDCOMTAB.LSP which has the key definition
functions as follows:

     (DEF-KEY
       #X080                         ; key hexidecimal parameter (HELP key)
       *GMACS-HELP-COMMAND-TREE*)    ; GMACS editor function

  the  Golden  Hill  technical support could not give me the hex specifications
for the function keys or the keypad.  they said that  they  developed  the  IBM
version  and  that  someone in DEC did the Rainbow specific modifications.  the
guy  i  talked  with  said  that  DEC  would  not  give  them   the   technical
specifications  of  the  Rainbow sufficient for them to do the work.  he said i
had to talk with DEC about the key bindings.

  then  i  called Atlanta DEC again.  this time i hit a brick wall.  they never
heard of Common LISP and said i had to buy software support before  they  would
search  any answers.  when i found a problem in the hardware installation, they
fixed it no problem, but apparently the same support of software is not  given.
they suggested i call Golden Hill-- full circle: no answers.

  i  looked  through  PC100  Technical  Specifications  and  found that the key
hexidecimal specs were different from the few i  could  find  in  EDCOMTAB.LSP.
but they were consistently distanced so i applied a conversion.  unfortunately,
the resultant file did not bind the keys.  both DEC and Golden Hill said to ask
around  and find a hacker who has already bound keys and ask for help.  anybody
out there done this?  its the pits  that  two  professional  technical  support
teams say to find a hacker and ask for help.

  another  major  bogus  with the Golden Hill Common LISP is the use of keycard
floppy disks and copy protection on their diskettes.  the  copy  protection  is
why  software  installation  took all afternoon.  the keycard means that one of
their original floppies has to be in drive A before Common  LISP  will  install
from  the  hard  disk.   when a floppy wears out, they expect a $30 replacement
charge for what is a disservice to the user.  i plan  to  break  the  copy  and
remove  that  keycard crap as soon as possible so the Common LISP i bought will
operate as a computer utility on my machine rather than as a property  interest
of  the publisher.  when will software publishers learn (like Borland did) that
their interests are protected through reasonable  price,  efficient  operation,
user support and revision services?
                                   stan

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