History

When the Z88 came out there was no internet or standard for communicating between different computers. The key strength of the Z88 has been its ability to share its data with a range of computers. Cambridge Computer released PC Link, PC Link II, BBC Link, and Mac Link.

Third party software were provided for the PCW, Amiga, Archimedes, Atari ST & QL Link.

For more info on Sector Software click here

Computers and methods of communicating have changed since then, the Serial Port has given way to USB and even Bluetooth. The Z88 keeps up to date with thanks to its band of technical users

Making a good computer link for the Z88 need to address the following:-

Faster Serial Port - OZ v3.0 slow implementation of the Serial Port - this is limited to 1200 baud.
Protocol - it needs to be able to send binary and ascii files.
File conversion software - PipeDream file structure is unique.

Protocols

To get data across to different computers a known protocol was needed for the Z88 so that it could be used with another computer using the same file protocol.

Z-Modem

Wordmongers produced Z-Term which was designed to work with Hayes MODEMs. Z-Modem allowed files to be sent and received to Bulletin Boards.

XY-Modem

Dennis Gröning wrote this application. It runs the Serial Port at the fastest speed possible.

XY-Modem popdown application for the Z88. Version 1.1, 26 December 1999.

Computers

Tx, - File Transfer System used a propriety protocol and was developed for over 100 different micros which included the Z88 and the PC. It included a PipeDream to WordStar conversion utility.

Cambridge Computer initially used the Z88.s Imp-Exp protocol for their BBC and PC Link. This meant giving commands from both the Z88 and the other computer before the file transfer could take place.

PC Link II was supplied as two programs, one ran as an application supplied on a 32K EPROM card (written by Colton Software) and the other on a disk as a DOS program on the PC. This introduced a new protocol with new commands that enabled all the commands to be controlled from the PC.

Ranger came up with a different approach. Rather than controlling the software from the PC, they used the Z88 itself. They had already written software using a subset of the Christie tape protocol to run on the Z88 using the serial port for their Ranger Disk Drive. A few tweaks were needed on the Z88 and a small DOS program developed for the PC to use either COM.1 or 2 that looked like the drive from the Z88 and they were off. Their program on the Z88 ran outside of OZ controlling the serial port directly, enabling faster transfer speeds to be realised. The DOS program written, used the processor clock to set the speed of the serial port and was designed to run on a 486 computer without the turbo switch on. As processor speeds increased, this program began to fail. Dennis Gröning rewrote this software using a different method of timing and offered all the COM ports to be selected so the program could be continued to be used with faster machines.

There was no reason why this small program was not developed to run on other computers i.e. Apple Mac, but this was not to be.

Gunther Strube wrote Eazylink, improved the PC Link II protocol, speeded up the serial port and added new commands which moved the software from DOS to Windows.

Rastersoft Z88Transfer can use IMP/EXP, PCLINK or EAZYLINK protocols. When the author tried this last, it would not transfer binary files. This has been documented as fixed. I need to test it again.

Eazylink 2 is in beta and will support three O/S. For further information Click Here.

File Conversion

PipeDream to WordStar and PipeDream to Lotus 1-2-3 for the PC

PipeDream for the MAC.

The BBC Computer had View Professional which used the same file structure as PipeDream.

How do they all stack up?

Manufacturer / Developer	Program	O/S	Faster S-Port	Protocol	File Conversion
Protocols
	Z-Modem	OZ
Dennis Gröning	XY-Modem	OZ
Dennis Gröning	Christie / Rangerlink
Desktops
Manufacturer	Program	O/S	Faster S-Port	Protocol	File Conversion
	Tx - File Transfer System
	BBC Link	BBC
	PC Link
	PC Link II
	MAC Link
	Ranger Link
	Eazylink	16 bit
	Z88Transfer
	Eazylink 2
	Eazylink 2
	Eazylink 2