AB17 Remote Systems
12/10/1987

QWIK4 is a set of programs designed as an alternative to the most
commonly used program database for RCP/Ms, Irv Hoff's FOR.COM and
FOR database.  

The problems of FOR:

1. Too many lines - KMD allows too many lines for the description
   of files (7).  Since the uploader is the one who most often is
   the same person who makes the FOR entry the result can end up
   looking more like an advertisement or is full of typos and
   other misleading errors.  The resultant database is often so
   large that it seems to take FOREVER for KMD to write back the
   FOR file to disk.  This can be very annoying if you are calling
   long distance, and is, I believe, a major reason why more and
   more users are avoiding uploads and FOR descriptions.

2. Too many versions - Many programs seem to have a life of their
   own and are continually in revision. This makes FOR grow at an
   astronomical rate and contributes to the problems mentioned in
   the paragraph above.  Additionally, when the user actually uses
   FOR.COM (yes some do!), it fills the screen with the last ten
   revisions of the program, only one of which may be the desired
   review.

3. Retrieval too slow - The largeness of the FOR database slows
   down the string search and causes a noticeable delay when using
   FOR as a review tool.  The use of FOR is multi-purpose; some 
   users want it available as a decision aid in judging the worth
   of downloading and others want to know what the program really 
   does without going into LUX or LDIR. Some even want to use it
   to make sure they haven't downloaded it somewhere else or at
   some other time.

The advantages of FOR:

1. FOR saves the sysop time in that the users contribute their
   time in typing in the descriptions.  The sysop can type in
   his own uploads with the supplemental KNEW program.

2. FOR files can be uploaded to KMD pre-typed if the user takes
   the time to do it.  Very few do this.  


The proposed solution:

QWIK4 solves several of FOR's problems by removing the user from
active participation in the FOR entry process.  Instead, QWIK4
substitutes the sysop as the primary enterer of FOR data through
the use of DBII and a set of programs designed to minimize the
time spent in these tedious efforts.  The result is a database
that is accurate and fast for the user and easily updatable in
less time than most FOR cleanup efforts with a text editor. Along
with several other small programs the entire database can easily
be written out to an ASCII file and converted to the FOR format
ready for use by all concerned.  If you are not a DBII user the
included QWIK4.TXT file can become the seed of your new FOR if
you wish to join the growing number of sysops who are tired of
maintaining the 7-line FOR program.  


The DBII approach to FOR:

The QWIK4DB.DBF database included in the library is a highly 
edited extract from the monthly GEnie listing of available CP/M
programs and from my own system.  This database has several 
characteristics which are conducive to the rapid retrieval of 
information via the FOR.COM program.  First, each file has only 
a 60 character description area.  This is more than adequate to 
briefly describe almost any file available in the public domain. 
Witness the large number of MS-DOS systems which only have a 40 
character description for their archives.  Second, if the file 
entry is machine specific or written in a particular language then 
that is the first word of the description entry. This also applies 
to all of the ZCPR3 and ZCPR33 entries. This quickly tells the 
user whether or not s/he has any continuing interest in the file.
This also allows for the creation of seperate index files based on 
subject matter.

Considerations: Once installed you may choose never to use DBII
again and merely maintain FOR with your favorite text editor. If
you also run an MS-DOS board or have your RCP/M split up as both
CP/M and MS-DOS you may wish to have two seperate databases. 
Their are several large lists around for MS-DOS programs which
could serve as the starting point of such an effort.

Tom Ensminger, Sysop
AB17 Remote Systems
513-879-6263