First look at: GEOS 128 2.0


    GEOS 128 2.0 by Berkeley Softworks is the latest version of the Graphic 
Environment Operating System for the C128 and C128-D.  It is a substantial 
improvement over the original GEOS 128.


    My copy of GEOS 128 2.0 was obtained as part of BSW's upgrade offer to 
registered owners of previous versions of GEOS 128.  There may be differences 
in copies purchased from software vendors.  My hardware consists of a C128, 
1541, 1571, and 1581 drives, 1351 mouse, 1750 REU, Olivetti PR2300 printer, 
and a 40-column color/80 column monochrome display.


What's in the box?

    I was surprised to see that the GEOS 128 2.0 package was shipped without 
a box.  Inside a padded shipping envelope, the materials were simply in a 
thick shrink-wrap material.  I assume that packages purchased from vendors 
will come in a box.  The package contained the following materials:

    : GEOS 2.0 User's Manual - This is identical to the later (no three-hole
      punch) manual for GEOS 64 2.0
    : GEOS 128 2.0 User's Manual Addendum - This 100+ page saddle-bound book
      shows the differences between the 64 and 128 versions.  You'll use it
      in addition to the regular 2.0 User's Manual.
    : GEOS 128 2.0 Manual Roadmap - A three page pamphlet showing how to use
      the above two books.
    : GEOS User's Manual Errata Information.  A single sheet correcting
      some errors in the above manuals, and supplying additional information.
    : An ad for the LaserDirect printing service.
    : An ad for geoWorld magazine.
    : A Q-link subscription kit.
    : An ad for Q-link.
    : Product registration card.
      and, of course,
    : GEOS 128 2.0.


What's on the disks?

    GEOS 128 2.0 is shipped on three `flippy' 5-1/4" diskettes.  As with GEOS 
64 2.0, there are two boot disks, one of which is intended for backup purposes, 
and a variety of applications, desk accessories, and other GEOS necessities.  
These include:

geoWrite 128 2.1, which is the same as the latest version of geoWrite Workshop 
128.  This is the top-of-the-line version.

geoSpell 128, a powerful spell-checker for geoWrite files, with a supplied 
dictionary claimed to contain over 28,000 words, which can be used in 
conjunction with user-created dictionaries.  Words are added to the user 
dictionary during spell checking.

geoMerge, a form-letter `mail merge' program for geoWrite files.

Text Grabber, a program to convert non-GEOS text files to geoWrite format.  
Supported formats are: FleetSystem 4, PaperClip II, WordWriter 128, and two 
`generic 128' formats.

Preference manager, Pad color manager, Alarm clock, Photo manager, 
Text manager, note pad, and calculator desk accessories, which can be used 
directly from the desktop, or while most applications are running.

geoLaser, for printing geoWrite files on an Apple LaserWriter printer.

geoPaint 128, a much-improved version.

Input drivers for Joystick, and two 1351 mouse drivers.  Note that 64 and 128 
input drivers are not interchangeable, as they load at different addresses.

Over 60 print drivers, including new Double-Strike, Quad Strike, and reduced 
size drivers for some printers.

The Paint Drivers application, which allows you to print GEOS files to disk 
as geoPaint files for further manipulation.

Seven conventional fonts, and four special fonts for the Apple LaserWriter 
laser printer, to be used in conjunction with the geoLaser application.

A group of non-interactive `demos' for geoFile, Fontpack plus, geoPublish, 
Deskpack plus, and geoCalc.  These programs various features of these programs.  
geoPublish seems particularly out of place, since BSW has apparently dropped 
plans to produce an 80-column capable geoPublish 128.

And, of course, the GEOS system files themselves.  The deskTop enhancements 
will be discussed below.  For now, suffice it to say they are even more 
powerful than the enhancements to GEOS 64 2.0


Required/recommended hardware:

  According to the documentation, the following is required:

    : Commodore 128 or 128D computer.
    : compatible monitor.  Note that the geoWrite and geoSpell applications
      included with this version are 80-column only.
    : One 5-1/4" disk drive.
    : the package itself.
    : blank 5-1/4" floppies.

  Additionally, the following is recommended:

    : 1750 or 1764 REU
    : additional disk drives (1541, 1571, and/or 1581)
    : GEOS-supported printer.


Enhancements:

  The desktop has received extensive enhancements.  Many will be familiar to 
GEOS 64 2.0 users, but many others will be a pleasant surprise.  Like GEOS 64 
2.0, the printer icon has been moved to the lower left of the screen, to 
minimize the chance of accidentally dropping a file intended for the printer 
into the garbage.  The last file deleted can be recovered, if no other activity 
has taken place since the deletion.
   As with GEOS 64 2.0, the most useful changes to the desktop are the addition 
of many keyboard shortcuts, which can be used in combination with the desktop 
menu, or with other keyboard shortcuts.


Keyboard shortcuts in common with GEOS 64 2.0 are:

   Any number of files on a disk, from one to all, may be selected for `group' 
processing, so that the same action may be taken on all selected files.
   Run the selected application, duplicate selected file(s), rename selected 
file(s), display info on selected file(s), print the selected file, delete 
selected file(s) (if multiple files are selected for deletion, you will be 
prompted to be sure this was what you wanted), and undo the last deletion.
   Open the disk, close the disk, rename the disk, copy the disk, GEOS validate 
the disk, erase the disk (short format), format the disk (full format), open 
drive A, open drive B, reset all drives, swap drive C with A and open, swap 
drive C with B and open, add a new directory page, delete this directory page 
(if there are files on a directory page to be deleted, you will be prompted to 
confirm the deletion)
   Multi-file processing can be halted with the RUN/STOP key.
   You can also navigate thru the directory and select your input driver from 
the keyboard shortcuts.  Input driver selection was the first keyboard 
shortcut, added with desktop 1.3.  It seems to have been a popular item.

In addition, the following 128-only keyboard shortcuts have been added:

   Copy selected files to drive A, copy selected files to drive B, move 
selected files to border, move selected border files to page, and a complete 
set of commands to move the mouse around the desktop menu, and select options 
from it.

  Another useful 128-only desktop enhancement is file selection from the 
View menus.  You do not need to be displaying the file icons in order to 
select a file for any operation.  In addition, even in this mode, 
clicking an Application Data file will cause GEOS to attempt to load the 
appropriate Application, and bring the data file into it.  While this isn't 
quite the Command Line Interface that some had hoped for, it's a very useful 
item.


  As with GEOS 64 2.0, three drives can be used, although only two can be 
active at once.  The swapping commands mentioned in the keyboard shortcut 
discussion above are used to quickly set which two drives will be active at 
any given moment.  Note that this feature can only be used if you have an 
REU.

  Unlike GEOS 64 2.0, an REU is not required for mixed disks.  In GEOS 64 2.0, 
you must have an REU to have an Application on one type of disk access 
Application Data files on a different type of disk.  This is not the case in 
GEOS 128 2.0


Problems:

 While GEOS supports the 1581 drive for all functions except booting, there 
are a couple of annoying limitations to this support.  First, subdirectories 
are not supported.  Second, while the 1581 in GEOS mode has up to 37 
directory pages of up to eight files each (40 sectors minus two BAM sectors 
minus one border sector), GEOS only supports the first 18, as though the 
drive were a 1541 (20 sectors, minus one BAM sector minus one border sector.) 
This is not likely to be a serious limitation, since GEOS files tend to be 
large, but it can restrict an orderly placement of files on the directory, 
and, in the case of a library of relatively small files, fonts, for instance, 
may result in space being wasted.

 No CONVERT program is included.  While this is not a major problem for 
owners of the original GEOS 128, or any version of GEOS 64, it does mean that, 
at present, someone who has purchased GEOS 128 2.0 as their first and only 
GEOS will be unable to take advantage of the large libraries of Public 
Domain and shareware GEOS files on this and other services.  The Sysops of 
CBMART have contacted Berkeley Softworks about this concern.  It remains 
uncertain what will be done about it.  In the interim, owners of GEOS 128 2.0 
who are without any CONVERT program should get in touch with the Sysops of 
this forum.

 Copy protection continues to be used.



In conclusion:

   GEOS 128 2.0 is a substantial improvement over the original.  The desktop 
enhancements and three-drive support alone would make this product worthwhile.  
geoPaint 128 was long overdue for a refurbishing, and it's gotten an 
impressive one.  The presence of geoWrite 128 2.1 and geoSpell 128, along with 
the ancillary programs make this package a very desirable purchase for any 128 
owner with an interest in GEOS.  Marte Brengle, GEOS enthusiast and Sysop on 
the CBMCOM and CBMPRG forums, has described GEOS 2.0 as `GEOS the way it should 
have been from the start.' That is, I think, a rather nice summation.  While 
work remains to be done, this version blows the original into the weeds even 
more convincingly that GEOS 64 2.0 did to GEOS 64 1.3.

Ed Flinn, CBMART Sysop, 76703,4032


Coming soon - First look at: geoChart.
