What's inside the Vizawrite Classic (128) Cartridge?
Don Judy
>
> Hi,
>
> Any ideas (or other info regarding this program, e. g. its "success"
> in the US or whatever) would be appreciated very much. Thank you.
>
> Greetings,
> Chris.
Perhaps the lack of noise concerning it reflects its $90 price tag.
Someone would have to buy it before they could like it. I wonder if
there was a more expensive word processor for the 128.
dj
Matthew Montchalin
|Perhaps the lack of noise concerning it reflects its $90 price tag.
|Someone would have to buy it before they could like it. I wonder if
|there was a more expensive word processor for the 128.
I think it was heavily copy protected, and there were more powerful
wordprocessing programs out there (like R.Eric Lee's The Write Stuff),
Vizawrite squeezed what it could get from a market that got smaller
and smaller. I think I tried Vizawrite, and didn't like it. It may
have been coded by a beginning programmer (you know, like JSR $FFE1
for press 'STOP,' and stuff like that, KERNAL calls, and the like).
I never got into it, so I don't know whether it has redeeming qualities
somewhere somehow. I wonder if I got it mixed up with one of those
other VIZA-this VIZA-that programs?
Larry Anderson
WAY expensive (I think it intially retailed for more then the $90 he
mentioned). 128 users in the U.S. went probably with the competition:
Speed Script 128, Word Writer, or (my favorite) Fontmaster 128. There
also was the popular user group distributed shareware Busy Bee Writer
(added modules for spelling text to speech, etc...) Dongle protection
didn't help it any either. :(
The only viza provram I ever used much was VizaTerm 64.
Don Judy wrote:
>
> Christian Link wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
>
> >
> > Any ideas (or other info regarding this program, e. g. its "success"
> > in the US or whatever) would be appreciated very much. Thank you.
> >
> > Greetings,
> > Chris.
>
> Perhaps the lack of noise concerning it reflects its $90 price tag.
> Someone would have to buy it before they could like it. I wonder if
> there was a more expensive word processor for the 128.
>
> dj
--
01000011 01001111 01001101 01001101 01001111 01000100 01001111 01010010 01000101
Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (209) 754-1363
300-14.4k bps
Classic Commodore pages at: http://www.jps.net/foxnhare/commodore.html
01000011 01001111 01001101 01010000 01010101 01010100 01000101 01010010 01010011
Christian Link
many years ago, I purchased a copy of "Vizawrite Classic 128", which
amazingly doesn't seem to be that popular in the US (at least, most
word-processing-related posts in this newsgroup refer to other 128
programs). Still I hope somebody around here may have some experiences
with it.
The package consisted of a disk and a cartridge.
The "problem" is that Markus Brenner and me were thinking of dumping
that cartridge, because it would be cool trying it with a 128 emulator
:-) , but we have *no* idea as of how to do it, and before you suggest
I might test this and that: The whole package is stowed away, and it
would be quite hard to dig that deep in my closets, so I want to know
what's lying ahead of me *before* undergoing all this hassle :-( ...
Even if I would dig all the stuff out, I wouldn't be able to look at
the cartridge's guts, either (not that a non-techie like me would be
able to read something from it, anyway...), because, as far as I
remember, the label on it is wrapped around the whole thing, and I
wouldn't feel too good about ripping it apart :-( .
Now, *could* it be that this cartrige isn't really a cartridge (=
containing code), but rather a stupid dongle? I can't even guess it,
because I've never seen any illegal copies of this program which may
point at the fact that - once the protection had been removed - it
could do without the cartridge. I really doubt if it's something like
a small RAM expansion (like Pagemaker's cartridge), not on the 128...
But, heck, what _could_ be in there, then?
So, can *anybody* tell me something about it? And if (and provided, it
really has to be be dumped), can it be dumped via the 128's monitor?
Or with a stock C64 with a "cartridge dump switch"?
Christian Link
>Perhaps the lack of noise concerning it reflects its $90 price tag.
>Someone would have to buy it before they could like it. I wonder if
>there was a more expensive word processor for the 128.
Wow, so you mean I could actually be *proud* to own it ;-) ? Actually
I got it in mint condition almost for free, but when I tried it
(despite all its "luxury" flair that didn't completely slip my
attention), I decided I liked Mastertext 128 better. Not a really
complex program, but far more easily to handle. But I always thought
Vizawrite Classic must have been quite a powerful word processor at
its time...
Greetings,
Chris.
Christian Link
wrote:
>Speed Script 128, Word Writer, or (my favorite) Fontmaster 128. There
Uh, Fontmaster 128! I have this one as an original as well (from the
same source as my Vizawrite Classic), but without the
packaging/manuals. As far as I remember, though, I had some kind of
"cassette port dongle". But, erm, was it really considered a word
processor? I've always thought it was more like a print shop for
*very* high quality outputs?
Greetings,
Chris.
Christian Link
<mmon...@OregonVOS.net> wrote:
>I think it was heavily copy protected, and there were more powerful
Wah :-( ...
>wordprocessing programs out there (like R.Eric Lee's The Write Stuff),
>Vizawrite squeezed what it could get from a market that got smaller
>and smaller. I think I tried Vizawrite, and didn't like it. It may
As far as I remember, here in Germany Vizawrite was one of the most
common word processors - at least the C64 version. There was hardly
any German software that wasn't able to import Vizawrite 64 files!
Then again, we had "Textomat" by Data Becker, and later, "Startexter"
from Sybex (not to mention ProText 128 for "serious" 128 users). I
guess these were the most common besides type-in/bookware programs
like Mastertext.
What amazes me most is that there seems to be no other "genre" where
there were as many differences in availability/acceptance between the
US market and the German(/European?) as with word processors. Many of
the programs that have been mentioned in this group by US people I
haven't even *heard* of during the 80's/early 90's!
>I never got into it, so I don't know whether it has redeeming qualities
>somewhere somehow. I wonder if I got it mixed up with one of those
>other VIZA-this VIZA-that programs?
Probably not. At first sight, Vizawrite really sucked (speaking of the
64 version again!). Even the AMIGA version wasn't that good. But as
with most other programs, once you got to it, you didn't want to miss
it.
Greetings,
Chris.
Larry Anderson
Dongle? I had found a Kraker Jax patch for that dongle problem (I have
the full retail box, but I hate dongles)...
No - it was a word processor with multiple high-quality font support
(there was limited graphics support but not much. The onw that was like
an ultra printshop would be PaperClip Publisher (I need to see how that
runs on the Super CPU... ;). One thing that was cool about Fontmaser,
the 64 version manual was written and mastered with Fontmaster itself,
makes a statement. :) Fontmaster 128 also had a spelling dictionary
too, and if you had an REU you could run the dictinalry via RAM and save
alot of time on corrections.
Matthew Montchalin
| I used to use VizaWrite Classic 128 a lot. It is a powerful program
|that has several fonts included, and can print up to six newspaper
|style columns with other very sophisticated features. VizaWrite can
|even be used with and REU, IF you have at least version 1.5 and a
|cartridge expander.
| The other "Viza" software was VizaStar in 64 and 128 versions. This
|was called an "Information Processor" - was a spreadsheet, data base
|and graphics (chart) integrated set of software.
| True, the Amiga VizaWrite was not much, but the 128 version was
|rather well done (But as has been noted - too expensive on the full
|retail level!)
| I still use VizaWrite a bit, to this day. It has features not found
|in BB Writer 128 or FontMaster 128 (as good as they both are)
What was the actual weight of VizaWrite Classic 128? Perhaps the reason
the package cost so much (did someone say $90?) is that they absorbed
some of the shipping expenses? When you bought yours, did you buy
it through the mail, or at a local dealer's shop?
mother...@my-deja.com
that has several fonts included, and can print up to six newspaper
style columns with other very sophisticated features. VizaWrite can
even be used with and REU, IF you have at least version 1.5 and a
cartridge expander.
The other "Viza" software was VizaStar in 64 and 128 versions. This
was called an "Information Processor" - was a spreadsheet, data base
and graphics (chart) integrated set of software.
True, the Amiga VizaWrite was not much, but the 128 version was
rather well done (But as has been noted - too expensive on the full
retail level!)
I still use VizaWrite a bit, to this day. It has features not found
in BB Writer 128 or FontMaster 128 (as good as they both are)
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Christian Link
<mmon...@OregonVOS.net> wrote:
>What was the actual weight of VizaWrite Classic 128? Perhaps the reason
>the package cost so much (did someone say $90?) is that they absorbed
>some of the shipping expenses? When you bought yours, did you buy
Good idea, but as far as I recall, it wasn't significantly heavier
than most other software. Just your usual "plastic folder" (like Game
Maker etc.), with one disk, a lightweight cartridge and a
"spiral-bound" manual, approximately 1 cm thick, with the size of
little more than a postcard. Well, at least that's what I remember.
I guess they mostly made people pay for the name "Viza", which seemed
to have quite a reputation, at least here in Europe.
Greetings,
Chris.
Marc Walters
Christian Link <C.LinkS...@GMX.NET> wrote in message
news:jd9eqskcrabdgq23c...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 25 Aug 2000 18:05:55 -0700, Matthew Montchalin
> <mmon...@OregonVOS.net> wrote:
> Probably not. At first sight, Vizawrite really sucked (speaking of the
> 64 version again!). Even the AMIGA version wasn't that good. But as
> with most other programs, once you got to it, you didn't want to miss
> it.
Slightly off-topic this, but, I remember about 12 years ago one some current
affairs news television program, some woman was complaining about the Amiga
version of Vizawrite. She spent several thousand dollars on an Amiga after
deciding that the Amiga Vizawrite program was the wordprocessor to use for
here secretarial business. And then spent 6 months waiting for Vizawrite to
be imported into Australia - production difficulties, according to the
Australian software distributors.
Compared to the atrocious Commodore advertising campaign, this was probably
the best advertising that Commodore and Amiga ever had down here.
Marc
Replace junkmail with marc. Hmmm.
junk...@classworks.com.au
nimrod
program that was written by Kelvin Lacy, who was not a beginning
programmer at all. The original Omniwriter for the '64 was an incredible
program that was pretty brilliantly laid out. The 'Whole Earth Software
Review' gave it an absolutely rave review, said it was MUCH better than
Speedscript, etc.
For some reason this British program, unlike Superbase, didn't do well
over here with the 128, or even the 64, for that matter.
In article
<Pine.SUN.3.96.100082...@compass.oregonvos.net>,
Matthew Montchalin <mmon...@OregonVOS.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Aug 2000, Don Judy wrote:
> |Perhaps the lack of noise concerning it reflects its $90 price tag.
> |Someone would have to buy it before they could like it. I wonder if
> |there was a more expensive word processor for the 128.
>
> I think it was heavily copy protected, and there were more powerful
> wordprocessing programs out there (like R.Eric Lee's The Write Stuff),
> Vizawrite squeezed what it could get from a market that got smaller
> and smaller. I think I tried Vizawrite, and didn't like it. It may
> have been coded by a beginning programmer (you know, like JSR $FFE1
> for press 'STOP,' and stuff like that, KERNAL calls, and the like).
> I never got into it, so I don't know whether it has redeeming
qualities
> somewhere somehow. I wonder if I got it mixed up with one of those
> other VIZA-this VIZA-that programs?
>
>
Eric
I think by swaping code from the cartridge.
I was working at a Commodore computer store when the C128 VizaWrite and
Viza128 came out. The FIRST thing I did was to desolder the chip and put
it in the empty U36 socket. I had hoped that the chips would autoboot,
but no ...
I'll have a look with my eprom burner at the chips as I backed them up
to my PC years ago.
eric @ light bolt . com (remove the spaces)!
Markus Brenner
If you manage to dump the chips, could you please send me the resulting dumps?
I'd like to have a look, too (maybe we can emulate VizaWrite on VICE :)
cheers,
-markus