Ansible Information
Freebies

Since its emergence long ago in 1985 when MS-DOS still stalked the primaeval swamps, Ansible Information has come up with an awful lot of small software items – for our own use, for one-off customer needs, for computer brands now consigned to the dustbin of history, and just for fun. Selections from our former software range can be downloaded here. Terms and conditions? This stuff is free, not for resale, and may not be placed on other web or FTP sites, or compilation disks, CDs or DVDs, without our explicit permission. If passed on, the software must not be modified. Please don't ask for technical support. Should you find any of these items useful or fun, feel free to make an optional donation.

To download, select the appropriate link and tell your browser to save rather than display the file. ZIP files should be expanded with PKUNZIP or WinZip on older Windows/DOS systems; Windows XP and presumably later versions will handle them automatically. Unzip Windows programs into a folder other than C:\Program Files (for example, C:\Ansible) to avoid difficulties with over-fussy security in Windows Vista and Windows 7.

PCs and Compatibles

• A.I.Q. for Windows, the famous generator of bizarrely "random" text – see separate page.
• Grease for Windows – see separate page.
• APE Plus, the Ansible Apricot Emulator – see separate page.
• BEAST.ZIP ... is just for fun. It was written to spoof mystic numerological connections like the awesome discovery that, using a cipher table in which A=100, B=101, C=102 (etc), the letters of HITLER add to 666, Number of the Beast. BEAST.EXE is a Windows 3.x application which also runs under Windows 95 and will attempt to construct ancient, mystic and vaguely plausible cipher tables linking any name with 666 or any other number (e.g. a "significant" link between a name and some year or other can usually be fudged up). Full Help file included.
• CPM.ZIP ... Ansible CPM.EXE utility program to read from and write to CP/M-format 3½" disks in an IBM PC drive. This is the disk format used by all Amstrad PCW machines with 3½" drives. If you have LocoScript Pro, you can copy your old PCW LocoScript files to the PC and work with them immediately; if you use another PC word processor, convert to ASCII format on the PCW first. Not, of course, suitable for use with Amstrad 3" disks. Runs under DOS 3.0 or higher. In Windows 95 and 98, you may need to shut down and 'Restart in MS-DOS mode' before using CPM.EXE. Not suitable for use with Windows ME, XP or later versions.
• AICOPY.ZIP ... Ansible AICOPY.EXE utility program to read from and write to Apricot-format 3½" disks in an IBM PC drive. This means the original non-PC-compatible Apricots – the PC, Xi, Xen, F2, F10 and Portable – whose 720k disks used a subtly different format from the PC. Use AICOPY like the COPY command: e.g. AICOPY A:*.DOC C:\ ... In Windows 95 and 98, be sure to shut down and 'Restart in MS-DOS mode' before using AICOPY.EXE. Not suitable for use with Windows ME, XP or later versions.

Amstrad PCW

• AnsibleIndex, including AnsibleCheck and Grease: our indexing, word counting and vocabulary analysing software for use with documents produced with Amstrad PCW LocoScript (all versions).
• All David Langford's columns from 8000 Plus/PCW Plus magazine (1986-1996) and PCW Today ... no longer freebies but revised and reformatted for the infinitely more wonderful book edition (see link).

Apricot

• "^ai" was Ansible's old customer newsletter. A sample: issue 5c.
• DISINFO.EXE ... self-extracting archive file of all David Langford's 1985-1988 "Disinformation" columns from Apricot File magazine. Besides many rude remarks and coarse anecdotes about Apricot PLC and their ways, these contain copious information about the old non-IBM-compatible Apricot computers (and their most-used software). Includes the definitive table of screen-driver escape sequences for programmers, as never released in full or accurate form by Apricot themselves. All these columns can also be read in the eye-friendly book version. ("Highly recommended" – David Langford's mother.)
• Also relevant: APE Plus, the Ansible Apricot Emulator – see separate page.