Franklin Ace 1000 Assembly instructions

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
t 9 §
FRANKLIN ACE fi
User Reference Manual
FRANKLIN
COMPUTER CORPORATION
Prepared by the Documentation Department,
Franklin Computer Corporation

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
©1982 by Franklin Computer Corp.
7030 Colonial Highway
Pennsauken, N.J OS 109
609/488-1700
This manual is copyrighted. All rights are reserved. This document
may not, in whole or part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced,
translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable
form without prior consent, in writing, from Franklin Computer
Corporation.
The cartoon character of Ben Franklin appearing throughout
this publication constitutes atrademark of Franklin Computer
Corporation.
Franklin ACE is atrademark of Franklin Computer Corporation.
The following registered trademarks belonging to the
indicated parties are referred to in this manual:
APPLE Apple Computer Inc.
APPLE II Apple Computer Inc.
CP/M Digital Research, Inc.
Space Invaders Taito America Corp.
PAC-MAN Bally Midway Mfg. Co.
WARNING: This equipment complies with the requirements for a
Class Acomputing device in FCC Rules Part 15 Subpart J.
Operation of this device in aresidential area may cause harmful
interference requiring the user to take whatever steps may be
necessary to correct the interference.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Table Of Contents
Uncertainties, Mysteries, and Doubts 1-1
They Won't Bite —But You Can Bite Yourself 1-3
The ON/OFF Switch Is Never Out Of Reach 1-3
Getting AFeel For Computerdom 1-5
The World Can Live Without Bits and Bytes 1-6
Dealing With The Knowledgeable 1-7
You're Not AProgrammer —It's ADirty Job 1-9
What Can The Computer Do, Anyway? 1-10
What It Can And Can't Do 1-1
1
What You Have To Remember About Memory:
Si/c Counts 1-14
AGood Firne To Be Interested In APersonal
Computer 1-16
Compatibility -The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly 1-18
Be Choosy About The Company You Keep 1-20
The Dealer 1-21
True Grit: The Adventure Of Mail Order 1-22
Clubs 1-23
There's More To It Than Just The Computer-
Additional Equipment 1-24
TVs And Monitors 1-25
Printers For Paper Copies Of What You Do 1-26
Disk Drives 1-29
Video Cards For Lines Longer Than 40 Columns 1-31
Communications Devices —For Talking To Another
Computer 1-35
Computers In AComputer If One Is Good,
Two Are Better 1-38
Programs 1-40
Paddles And Joysticks 1-43

FRANKLIN COMPUTE ft
Before You Try To Set Up APersonal Computer 1-45
It Isn't All That Difficult y.46
What You Have To Know: Seven Commandments
(Developing The Uncommon Sense Of Computerdom) 2-1
I. Electrical Power -Don't Change
ABulb With The Power On 2-1
II. Diskettes Are Not Dry Cleanable .... 2-1
III. Reset Switches Are Your Worst Enemy 2-4
IV. An Elephant Never Forgets, But
You Didn't Buy An Elephant 2-6
V. You Can't Fix It But You Can
Make It Worse 2-10
VI. Promises: Take Each With AGrain Of Salt ...2-11
VII. Be Patient —It's Not APerfect World 2-13
Agood title for this section might be ...
The Territorial Imperatives Of The Trumpeter Swan 3-1
It's Out Of The Box! Now What? 3-2
Getting It Ready 3.3
Getting The Lid On And Off 3-3
Attaching The Cables 3.4
The Video Cable 3.4
The Disk Drives 3_5
The Power Cord 3_7
Turning It On -What It Should Do 3-8
Why It Might Not Be Working 3-9
The Communications Connection 3-1 I
Say Hello To Your Keyboard 3-1 1
Lower Case And Alpha Lock 3-1
1
Numeric Pad .3-13
Special Keys 3-13
Keycode Differences 3-14
Just Where Is The Reset Switch? 3-15

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
The DOS Diskette 4-1
Giving The DOS Diskette ABoot Up 4-1
Now What? 4-3
How To Use The Programs On The DOS Diskette 4-4
How To Use The COPY Program 4-5
How To Use DOS 3.3 .4-11
CATALOG (Displaying The Table Of Contents
Of ADiskette) 4-13
RUN (Running ABASIC Program) 4-16
BRUN (Running ABinary Program) 4-17
LOCK (Protecting AFile) 4-18
UNLOCK (Removing The Protection From AFile) 4-19
RENAME (Renaming AFile) 4-20
DELETE (Deleting AFile) 4-20
LN1T (Initializing ADiskette For Use) 4-21
AFew Generalizations About File Names 4-25
How To Use FUD 4-26
Diskette Management Commands 4-28
Selection F(Format ADiskette) 4-28
Selection M(Make AMaster Diskette) 4-32
File Management Commands 4-36
Selection S(Show The Files On ADiskette) 4-39
Selection D(Delete Files) 4-41
Selection L(Lock Files) ... 4-42
Selection 1J (Unlock Files) 4-42
Selection V(Verify Files) 4-42
Selection C(Copy Files) 4-43
FUD Error Messages 4-44
oops, diskette is write-protected 4-44
oops, wrong volume ID 4-45
oops, file is locked 4-45
oops, no more room on diskette 4-45
oops, can't find that file 4-46
oops, bad diskette or none in drive 4-46

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
How To Use Boot13 4-46
ASynopsis Of The Programs On The DOS Diskette 4-48
APPENDICES 5-1
Glossary 6-1
Index 7-
1
DOS And FUD Command Formats 8-1

Uncertainties, Mysteries,
and Doubts
/K lot of people find computers overwhelming, even
threatening. That's sad because, in reality, they're neither. If
you're curious and interested but still alittle bit wary, that's
only natural. Until recently, doing anything with computers
required special skills, even special languages, and those who
knew what it was all about weren't very interested in initiating
everyone else.
Personal computers like the Franklin ACE changed all of
that. True, no computer is as easy to use as atoaster or a
calculator, but what you need to know to operate apersonal

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
computer is explainable and comprehensible. What's more,
it's quick and almost painless to learn. This booklet will give
you astart.
If you want to learn how to program, how computer
graphics work, what disk transfer rates are, or how to master
the dozens of other exotic sounding skills you hear about in
computerdom, there arc hundreds of other books on the
market to help you learn all those things.
This one won't.
What you will find in this booklet and throughout all
Franklin manuals is plenty of practical information,
suggestions, and answers to questions that you might
otherwise have to learn the hard way. You'll find advice about
computer products -what they're for, how they work, what
their quirks arc, and so forth. In afield that's growing and
changing as fast as computer science, you'll need this sort of
information in order to make sound purchasing decisions.
Someone may already have begun to persuade you that a
Franklin ACE will make your life complete. It may; it may not.
People use computers for all kinds of reasons. Some people
buy them simply to keep their kids quiet. There are, however,
many other practical applications for a computer, ranging
from financial forecasting to Space Invaders™, from word
processing to setting up ablind date.
If you're having second thoughts about your curiosity, your
interest, or your purchase, dispel those doubts. With alittle
practice you can put acomputer to work and enjoy the
process.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
They Won't Bite —But You Can
Bite Yourself
liven though computer types are always talking about bits
and bytes (pronounced "bites"), most people aren't afraid that
they're going to get bitten. But many worry that the machine
will do something they won't understand or that it will
suddenly start to spit out all kinds of symbols and nonsense.
Computer phobia is the fear of feeling incompetent and
helpless in the face of high technology. With personal
computers, however, there's nothing to fear.
The On/Off Switch
Is Never Out of Reach
One of the joys of using apersonal computer is the feeling of
complete control that you get by having the ON OFF switch
so close at hand. You're in charge. Nothing is going to happen

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
unless you make it happen. And if the machine gets you
confused, all you have to do is turn it off and start over. Your
computer will do whatever you ask, whenever you ask.
True, computers do have areputation for being fussy about
the way you phrase your questions and commands. Some
people even think they're evasive, somewhat like awitness in
court who manages to avoid providing information by
sidestepping the intent or spirit of aquestion. The fact is, you
do have to develop something of arapport with the way the
computer understands what you tell it. That comes with alittle
practice. If you ever find yourself frustrated, just remember
that ON OFF switch.
As in all of life, awesome power is not without some
responsibilities. Since you're in charge, if something goes
wrong, then you're probably the one who's to blame. Exercise
some discretion when using the machine, and look at
instructions and directions as away of developing acommon
sense about computers, as well as away to assemble the
components of your machine and get it running.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Getting aFeel
For Computerdom
When you're first starting out, it's hard to get afeel for
computerdom. Making acomputer work for you takes some
knowledge and skill, but it also takes aproper attitude or
disposition. You can acquire the knowledge and skill readily,
since those are both teachable and learnable. The attitude is a
little more tricky.
It's amatter of staying loose while at the same time
remaining methodical, analytical, and meticulous. That
sounds impossible, but it isn't. Don't worry about making
mistakes. Using apersonal computer is ahands-on, learn-by-
doing process that is somewhat less than perfectly
straightforward. As long as you're analytical, you'll learn
more from your errors than anything else.
Once you have your computer set up, you won't be able to
hurt it with anything you may do at the keyboard. You can lose
programs or data, but as long as you follow the correct
procedures, there's little chance of your doing irreparable
harm to the machine.
Making mistakes at the keyboard and mishandling the
equipment are not the same thing, so be warned. You can do
damage if you're not careful. Probably the most sensible

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
approach is to treat acomputer, any attached equipment, and
any diskettes as if they were an expensive stereo system and
records or tapes. What you wouldn't do to your stereo and
your record albums, you shouldn't do to an ACE or diskettes.
Wy//M^ma
JT
The World Can Live Without
Bits and Bytes
You won't find out what bits and bytes are here. If you really
want to know, look in adictionary of computer terms. That
may sound alittle brusque, but the point is that you don't have
to know these or hundreds of other specialized terms to use an
ACE or any other personal computer effectively.
"Bits" and "bytes" are examples of the terminology that
computer experts use to communicate with one another. You

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
can use most programs popular today without knowing or
caring about bits, bytes, enable pins, annunciators, nibble, or
the rest of the other jargon that keeps much of the computer
industry detached from the rest of the world.
Dealing with the Knowledgeable
Trobably few people in the history of the world have done a
better job of making themselves incomprehensible than
computer scientists. It's too bad, really, because the
technology is finding its way into every aspect of life. Yet it
seems that virtually all the experts' explanations of how
computers work do little more than make computer processes
absolutely opaque. There are reasons why this happens, but
those aren't particularly relevant at this point.
Don't let them confuse you! And more importantly, don't
be intimidated if you don't understand what acomputer
person tells you. Everything that you need to know can be
explained in plain English. If someone begins to lose you, it's
not your fault. Often those who are technically competent are
among the least articulate members of society.
There are computer people who can explain things clearly.
You'll know who they are by their patience and their pace.
They'll explain things slowly and simply without seeming
condescending. They'll illuminate the powers and workings of
the machine. They won't, as arule, take themselves too
seriously and they'll refrain from inundating you with the
quasi-English jargon and syntax of computerdom. Such
people arc few and far between. When you find one, stick like
glue.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Avoid, at all costs, computer people who talk amile a
minute, ladle jargon into their speech, and use common words
in ways that are almost, but not quite, normal. These may
actually be very nice human beings, but when they're talking
about computers, they can go on forever, ignoring the glazed
expression on your face and ignoring you, for that matter. Some
will even continue talking after you've walked away. Listen to
them politely, but escape as quickly as possible. They can make
you hopelessly, even terminally, confused.
Somewhere down the line, through repeated exposure and
osmosis, you'll start to pick up the jargon and learn computer
language. Until you do, find adealer or knowledgeable friend
that you can understand, and avoid those people you can't.
Remember that you can use apersonal computer very
effectively without understanding even atiny percentage of
what experts say when they're talking to one another.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
You're Not aProgrammer —
It's aDirty Job
-Programming is something else you don't have to know
anything about in order to use apersonal computer. You could
probably spend the rest of your life doing nothing more than
using the programs that have already been written. Some
computers, as amatter of fact, were designed with users, not
programmers, in mind. The Franklin ACE, for example, is a
user's delight, but aprogrammer's nightmare.
That's fine, because you don't want to be aprogrammer.
Not yet, at least. Instead of trying to write aprogram as one of
the first things you do, spare yourself the headaches and use
what already exists.
You'll need to learn how to use others' programs before you
try to create your own. As you get accustomed to other
people's programs, you'll probably come up with ideas for
simple tasks that you'd like to write programs for yourself.
Then, if you want to get down and dirty, you'll have some basis
from which to learn to program. At that point, you'll find
dozens of books on the market to teach you how to do just
that.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
What Can The Computer
Do, Anyway?
Alot. With a"spread sheet" program, you could easily
manage budgets for, let's say, areal estate office, alittle league
team, asuburban high school, or the average household. With
the same computer, you might go into the office or come home
from work (depending on whether you're coming or going)
and read the financial pages of six newspapers from around
the country.
You might write aletter or areport and be reluctant to let
anyone read it until the spelling was checked. The computer
could do that for you, too. When you were finished, you could
play chess or find out about the weather or get alist of
recommendations for wines to serve with Terrine Maison.
Then the computer could help you plan abanquet. Or adiet.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Or compound interest. The list goes on and on. Whether you
want to find out the price of wheat in Kansas or gold in
London, apersonal computer can help you do it instantly.
In general, if you can imagine it, someone, somewhere has
already figured out acomputer program that will do it for you.
Since the Franklin ACE is compatible with one of the most
widely used personal computers in the world today, there's a
vast library of programs available to use on the machine.
Agood rule of thumb to keep in mind is that you shouldn't
buy acomputer unless you know of at least two things that you
can use it for before you buy. Using the packing box as aplanter
for your petunias shouldn't be one of the two uses for your new
acquisition. But even if it is, you're sure to find more.
Virtually everything you can do with paper and pencil, you
can do with acomputer in afraction of the time, with afraction
of the effort. The machines are durable, relatively inexpensive,
and thoroughly adaptable to the needs and preferences of
small businesses and home users.
What It Can and Can't Do
Lest you be misled, apersonal computer is NOT designed to
do all your work for you. The computer's role is more that of a
helper; it will take care of the tiresome jobs that bore you to
death. The computer's strengths lie in its ability to perform
miserably dull tasks endlessly and accurately, leaving you free
to think about solutions to the real problems at hand.

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
Since acomputer won't think for you, expect no miracles. If
you don't already know how to do something, then there's
absolutely no way that you'll pull it off just because you're
using acomputer.
If you can't write anovel with apencil or atypewriter, then
you'd better hire aghost writer, preferably one who knows
somcth ing about word processing, before you buy acomputer.
The computer can take much of the mechanical drudgery out
of any task, but it can't think or organize all by itself. Not yet,
anyway.
Besides what it can't do, there are certain things you
wouldn't want it to do even though it could. Just as you
wouldn't take out your calculator to add five plus three, you
shouldn't use your computer to write down ashopping list of
five items. The pad and pencil will be faster every time. You'd
look funny carrying an ACE to the supermarket with you,
anyway.
Bear in mind, too, that personal computers can do only one
job at atime. Suppose that you have computerized your

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
mh
appointment book. Further suppose that you're using aspread
sheet program to organize your bookkeeping. The phone
rings. The IRS wants to make an appointment with you for an
audit. You're in trouble, not just because of the audit, but
because your appointment book program isn't available.
What to do? Miss the appointment or destroy the records that
could save you? Either way, you're lost. Always keep the
availability factor in mind when deciding whether or not to
computerize.
Personal computers also have certain physical and
functional limitations. The ACE, for example, will choke very
quickly if you try to feed it the payroll information for a
Fortune 500 company. It just doesn't have the capacity for
such atask. The system for storing information is too small,
and the computer itself can't hold enough information at any
one given time to perform the necessary calculations
efficiently.
Imagine afiling cabinet with four drawers. You could
probably store all of your family data in that cabinet with
room to spare. It could hold all of your canceled checks, your
medical records, your kids' old report cards, insurance

FRANKLIN COMPUTER
policies, and the like. But if you were filing the customer
information for your local electric company, you'd be lucky if
all of the information on customers whose names begin with
"A" would fit in one cabinet.
So too with apersonal computer like the ACE, except that
instead of afiling cabinet, you have afloppy diskette, asort of
electronic filing cabinet. It stores information that you can
bring into the computer to review, update, and manipulate.
Theoretically, you could store an electric company's customer
files on afloppy disk system. Practically, it would be adisaster.
You'd need several thousand floppy diskettes (file cabinets) to
hold all the information. And because apersonal computer's
memory size is also limited, you could only do afew
calculations at atime. It's like using ashovel where you need a
bulldozer.
Generally, if your data is of apersonal or small business
nature, you should be able to use apersonal computer
effectively.
What You Have to RememberAbout
Memory: Size Counts
If you make the mistake of talking to asalesperson or a
computer expert about memory size, you might find yourself
descending into ahole from which you have no hope of
returning. The only thing you really have to know is that 64 is
larger than 48 and that 48 is larger than 32. The Kand the
reference to RAM that invariably accompany these numbers
are right at the edge of the precipice you want desperately to
avoid. (The fatal question is, "What are they?")