Customer Setup of the NCR PC-8. - THE CORE MEMORY

provide about contents and increases search time. This practice needs review. (Should aco-processor chip be in the same size box as a full-size circuit board?)24. Consideration should be given to placing the key outside the system cabinetwhen it is shipped, or at least placing a label on the cabinet to state where it is. In theClelnson briefing, the search for the "missing" key took a great deal of time.Beyond changes in the hardware and documentation, changes in the software shouldbe considered.25. Use a batch file to handle creating of DOS disks. While the software does thisfor the most part now, though it also copies over mcbat to the autoexec file on copies.26. Setting up the hard disk (FDISK, FORMAT, prompts, copying DOS andBASIC, and building the AUTOEXEC file (including the prompt $p$g command andpaths)) should be completely handled by a batch file. A critical part of setting up a harddisk is determining the directory structure, something the average user may not be able todo very well. The batch file should provide the customer with the option to develop his orher own structure. Batch files could reduce setup time by 30 minutes.27. Modify the format and deletejerase commands to give more information aboutthe consequences of actions. For example, the current format version of FORMATprovides more protection against inadvertent formatting of drive C than version 2.0 did,but it still does not provide enough protection. A more explicit message is needed. "Areyou sure you want to re-format drive C (the hard disk)? This command will eraseEVE:RYTHING that is on it (xxx bytes of data, yyy directories, zzz files)". For delete1eras'e a similar message is needed when wild cards are used, including a specific messagefor erasing a directory.28. Consider providing tools for handling ICs. An IC removal tool is needed toinstall both the RAM expansion chips and the co-processor. For the co-processor, an ICremoval tool is also needed. If the cost of the tools exceeds the benefits of reducedinstarllation time, then the instructions should be modified, suggesting they be obtained.29. While dam were not collected on subsequent installation of a second serial/parallel card in the 1?C-8, this proved to be very difficult. This problem should be lookedinto :Further.30. Finally, once some of these changes have been made (especially the reviseddocuinentation), testing should continue, using a larger sample. One of the lessons fromthe work of Gould & Lewis (1985) is that easy-to-use products are the result of repeated33