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TELECQHPUTIiia continuad<br />
IfMBtlCfW EHPREffiOD flDURHCE<br />
I HECK<br />
NAPLPS is a VIDEOTEX protocol (or set of rules) for<br />
creating, storing and transmitting computer graphics<br />
with ASCII text. It isn't on a nationwide network<br />
yet but several U.S. companies (AT&T and CBS for<br />
starters) are involved in NAPLPS VIDEOTEX projects.<br />
Regional networks use it but as of this writing they<br />
can only be accessed by memory-rich AT&T Sceptre<br />
terminals. But the race to produce NAPLPS software<br />
is on. (Conmodore announced it for the '64 last<br />
summer and keeping true to form, has been silent on<br />
the subject ever since.)<br />
But... with Jordan software (cartridge, $99) soon to<br />
be released by Addison Information Systems (formerly<br />
Avcor), my Commodore 64 and I accessed Viewtron, a<br />
southern Florida regional NAPLPS network owned by<br />
Knight-Ridder Newspapers (1-900-272-5400.) Vieutron<br />
offers just about everything an information network<br />
can: entertainment info (local night life reviews and<br />
reservations, movies, park and beach activities),<br />
food and dining (restaurant menus, recipes, even<br />
delivered groceries), regional news and sports,<br />
investment services, live conversation or messages,<br />
games, and services and merchandise - if you can't<br />
buy it on Viewtron it's probably not worth having.<br />
The variety of text and illustrations on<br />
hi-resolution, multi-color screens from Viewtron was<br />
stunning. I watched them build, layer by layer, on<br />
my monitor - a relatively slow process compared to a<br />
text-only display, which has not been well-received<br />
in VIDEOTEX market tests on other networks. At the<br />
transmission rate of 300 bits per second (bps) used<br />
by most modems for personal computers now, it's<br />
pretty slow; you're very aware that you're being<br />
charged by the minute. But modems that handle 1200<br />
bps are dropping in price and at that speed - four<br />
times faster - it shouldn't be a problem.<br />
Although the resolution on my 1702 monitor wasn't as<br />
high nor the graphics as elaborate as photos I've<br />
seen of Sceptre displays, the overall quality was<br />
such an improvement over the plain text other<br />
networks send, it seemed like using a different<br />
medium: perhaps a glimpse of color TV when you've<br />
only known radio. Despite a glitch in the software<br />
that let text print over text (remember, it's still<br />
under development) and my on-line horoscope<br />
predicting my activities that day would be unique<br />
rather than profitable, I was impressed.<br />
<strong>TELECOMPUTING</strong> HOST SYSTEMS<br />
Your '64 can communicate directly with any Cflfl<br />
computer once you're both equipped for<br />
telecammunications. It's easiest when both computers<br />
use the same terminal software but the novelty soon<br />
wears off.<br />
Private Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's) are more<br />
stimulating. A computer store or user group will<br />
have the phone number for a B8S if there s one in<br />
your area. They are often hobby "boards" run on<br />
someone's home computer and can be accessed by anyone<br />
with the phone number. Numbers for other BBS's are<br />
often available on any one of them. There are<br />
thousands of BBS's across the country which you can<br />
access for the cost of a long distance phone call.<br />
Occasionally you'll find one that charges a<br />
membership fee. Either way, they come in two flavors<br />
as far as we're concerned, CBPI and non-CBPI host<br />
systems. On the latter, you can "talk" with all<br />
brands of computers, not just Commodore.
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