Command.COM Release IIs, Copyright (c) 1987-1991 by HyperDyne Software Updated Introduction File, with special thanks to Joe Kohn. COMMAND.COM is many things to many different people. For the Apple II "power user", it is an incredible set of over 100 useful utilities. For the educator, COMMAND.COM is an inexpensive way to teach all about MS-DOS without incurring the additional expense of buying an IBM, or IBM clone, computer. For the IBM user, COMMAND.COM provides full and complete control over an Apple II computer, without having to learn an entirely new operating system. In short, COMMAND.COM is a unique program for the Apple II, because it is an MS-DOS work-alike command language. It works in the exact same way as MS-DOS, the operating system used by more people world wide than all the other operating systems combined. So, if you are familiar with the IBM, but, are a newcomer to the Apple II, you'll feel right at home. If you're an Apple II power user, you'll appreciate all the power that MS-DOS packs, but, you'll be able to stay with your dearly beloved Apple II. And, if you want to learn about IBM's, what better way than by doing so on your Apple II? COMMAND.COM is a full command shell and communications environment for ProDOS 8. COMMAND.COM is a memory resident command interpreter that provides the same power to ProDOS users that MS-DOS, UNIX, and CP/M users enjoy on their machines. Launch any program by typing its name and pressing RETURN. Automate big jobs with a batch file. Create an environment file that customizes commands and command processing for your exact system needs. And, for an even more agile Apple II, COMMAND.COM's expansive library of powerful commands includes many that you can focus or expand with switches. Among other things, COMMAND.COM supports I/O redirection and piping, batch scripts, integrated command driven terminal software, and lots of external utilities. COMMAND.COM also supports co-resident processes and simple multi-tasking. COMMAND.COM will also run most KIX/Kyan Pascal utilities, including the Kyan full screen editor, the Assembler, andPascal compiler, in both command and batch mode. This is the shareware release of 'COMMAND.COM' for ProDOS 8. This release includes COMMAND.COM with Xterm 2.1 (a powerful and full featured telecommunications program), the Bbasic runtime system, installation scripts, device drivers, lots of utilities, and the COMMAND.COM online help system. COMMAND.COM requires an enhanced Apple IIe, Apple IIc, or Apple IIgs computer. The shareware release of COMMAND.COM does NOT include ProDOS 8. After unpacking, you will need to copy a version of ProDOS 8 to your COMMAND.COM disk to produce a bootable system. This release includes an installation script which will install device drivers and copy COMMAND.COM to your harddisk. If you register your copy of COMMAND.COM, you will receive a full printed manual. If you plan to seriously use COMMAND.COM, you will need the manual. There is a lot not documented on the disk alone. To register your copy, send a $35.00 check or money order payable to 'David Sugar', and mail it to the following address: Attn: David Sugar Andemar Productions 1101 Avenue C Bayonne, NJ 07002 The full BBasic system and BBasic manual can also be obtained either through HyperDyne Software, or direct from Blankenship and Associates. I will also shortly release the COMMAND.COM programming/API reference guide and sample source as shareware. To get started with COMMAND.COM, just add ProDOS to the disk, and boot it as you would any ProDOS disk. Follow all on-screen prompts to make a copy of COMMAND.COM. Then, run COMMAND.COM. You'll be greeted with the standard command line prompt that greets all IBM users whenever they run their computers. MS-DOS may not be the friendliest of operating systems, so COMMAND.COM has a special feature to help you get the most from the program the first time you use it. Just type HELP from any system prompt, and COMMAND.COM's friendly interface will list all the commands that HELP is available for. This shareware release is offered to introduce you to COMMAND.COM. To get the most out of this incredibly powerful system, you will need to register COMMAND.COM in order to receive a printed manual. MS-DOS, and therefore COMMAND.COM, is not something that can be learned by guesswork and experimentation alone. The printed manual contains detailed information on every command that COMMAND.COM supports, and helps to explain how MS-DOS, and COMMAND.COM, works. Support shareware! And, shareware authors will support you in return. Technical support is available only for registered users. Feel free to try out COMMAND.COM for 2 weeks. If at the end of that time, you've had your fill of MS-DOS, just give your disk away to a friend or User Group. If you intend to continue using COMMAND.COM after the 2 week evaluation period, just send a check or money order to Andemar Productions. By return mail, you will receive a printed manual. As a registered owner of COMMAND.COM, you'll be eligible to receive technical support on using COMMAND.COM I can be reached at: AOL: AFL Dyfet CIS: 71057,566 BBS: 'mycroft' 201-858-3429 David Sugar