:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Volume 2 - Issue 13 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 26 July 1993 :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: ATARI .............. News, reviews, & solutions ............ ATARI :: :: EXPLORER ............ for the online Atari .......... EXPLORER :: :: ONLINE ................. Community .............. ONLINE :: :: :: :: Published and Copyright (c) 1993 by Subspace Publishing :: :: """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: Publisher ........................... Michael Lindsay EXPLORER :: :: Editor .................................. Travis Guy AEO.MAG :: :: News and Features Editor ............... Ron Kovacs Z-NET :: :: Assistant Editor GEnie............... Ron Robinson EXPLORER.1 :: :: Assistant Editor CompuServe......... Albert Dayes AEO.1 :: :: Assistant Editor Delphi........ Andreas Barbiero AEO.2 :: :: Atari Asylum ................... Gregg Anderson AEO.7 :: :: Unabashed Atariophile ..... Michael R. Burkley AEO.4 :: :: :: :: Contributors :: :: """""""""""" :: :: Peter Donoso, Gordie Meyer :: :: :: :: Telecommunicated to you via: :: :: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: GEnie: AEO.MAG :: :: CompuServe: 70007,3615 :: :: Delphi: AEO_MAG :: :: Fnet: AEO Conference, Node 706 :: :: AtariNet: AEO Conference, Node 51:1/10 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Table of Contents * From the Editors ............................................. Lucky 13. * Z*NET Newswire ............................. Atari accesses Time-Warner video library. * Atari Asylum ........... Still more Warp 9 benchmarks and compatibility testing on the Atari Falcon030. * Geneva RTC from CIS .................... Qs & As about Gribnif's Geneva. * Geneva Preview .................. Pete Donoso interviews Dan Wilga, the Gribnif programmer behind Geneva. * AEO Calendar of Events ................ Events, happenings in the World Atari, and elsewhere. * The Unabashed Atariophile .......... The best in PD and Shareware files. * Just What is Atari United!? .................. Background on the latest Atari user group venture. * GEnie News .......................... New files & happenings on Atari's Official Online Resource. * Atari's Developer CD-ROM ............. Excellent new developer resource from Atari. Read this to see if you qualify for one. * Developing News ................................... Photo Shop Shipping Seurat Update Processor Direct Annouces Plans Calamus Update ATARI UNITED! Announced * Shutdown ....................... "Feedback. Feedback. What is Feedback?" --==--==--==--==-- ||| From the Editors ....... Atari Explorer Online: The Next Generation ||| Travis Guy / | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG ------------------------------------------------------------------- The weather here in Florida can be very hard on AC powered electronic devices. Over that past decade, I have lost: my original Atari 810 disk drive, some really nice stereo equipment (turntable, tape deck, CD player, amp, receiver), my satellite receiver, and a television. Learning from my mistakes (#1: Running any electronic device in a thunderstorm is a mistake itself. #2: The average "surge protector" can't do diddly about a direct lightning strike.), I adopted the practice of "save-shutdown-unplug" at the first rumble of thunder. Last week, I discovered another mistake. Mistake #3: Thunderstorms out of the reach of hearing can still play havoc with power lines. My TT030's internal hard drive took a hit from a power outage (due to a T-Storm several counties away), and as a result, I was left dataless. After attaching my old external hard drive (which held all my important backups), I found that its partitioning (or something) didn't jell with my TT030. All the partitioning info on the HD was scrambled. There went my backups. Or so I thought. After wrestling with several disk repair utilities (and a run of luck, I guess), I was able to restore my old HD, and reattach it to my 6 year old 1040 ST. It felt a bit awkward at first to not have NewDesk or MultiTOS around, but soon, I got into the hang of things again. As a result, you are reading this edition of AEO several days late. It's rushed, but I hope that the wait has been worth it, for there is some intertesting information inside. However, none of this can hold a candle to the chaos resulting from the flooding in the American Midwest. If you can afford to, please make a donation (in money, time or material goods) to any of the disaster relief agencies helping out. Floods don't carry the dramatic sense of urgency that surround earthquakes and hurricanes, but as we now know all too well, they can be just as devastating. Welcome to your window on The World Atari. Spelling mistakes and grammer errors at no extra charge. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Z*NET Newswire ||| Compiled and Edited by Ron Kovacs / | \ GEnie: Z-NET CIS: 75300,1642 Delphi: ZNET ----------------------------------------------------------------- ################### #####(((((((((( ### ############(( #### #########(( ####### ######(( ########## This column contains the latest Atari News #####(((((((((( ### with an update of the Computing Industry. ################### //// TIME-WARNER LIBRARY AVAILABLE TO ATARI - Atari has announced =========================================== that a library of video clips owned and licensed by Time Warner is being made available to Atari or their third-party licensed publishers set to develop titles for the new multimedia Atari Jaguar. The long-anticipated Atari Jaguar, to be introduced in the New York market later this fall, is a 64-bit interactive multimedia entertainment system with high-performance, true color and CD-quality sound. The Jaguar's high-level technology includes a 32-bit expansion port allowing for future connection into cable and telephone networks, as well as digital signal processing for modem use and connection to digital audio peripherals. The video output is far superior to video games available today and will allow for more realistic simulations of moving vehicles such as spaceships, cars, planes and figures. //// KODAK OFFERS $50 IN FREE PHOTO CD TRANSFERS - At the February ================================================ Photo Marketing Association trade show, Eastman Kodak introduced a coupon book promotion that gives picture-takers $50 in free Photo CD transfers. The coupon book will be available at no extra charge to consumers who purchase Kodak Photo CD players from participating retailers between March 15, 1993, and September 30, 1993. Each coupon book contains one $20 and three $10 coupons that can be used toward single or multiple transfer orders when the coupons are presented to participating photofinishers that offer Photo CD transfer services. The coupons can be redeemed between March 15, 1993, and September 30, 1994. To receive a Photo CD coupon book, consumers simply fill out a form, available at local Kodak Photo CD retailers and photofinishers, and mail it with their Photo CD player proof-of-purchase. Participating retailers and photofinishers will have countertop displays with the forms and complete promotion details. Consumers can call the Kodak Customer Assistance Center at 800-242-2424, extension 36, for the location of the nearest retailers that stock Photo CD players, or photofinishers that offer Photo CD transfer services. //// NEW STANDARDS ANNOUNCED BY SONY - Sony announced the development ==================================== of standards for MD DATA, a new compact data storage medium offering high data storage capacity for personal computer applications. The MD DATA standard has been developed to meet the computer industry's growing need for storage media capable of handling large amounts of data. The standard is based on specifications recently established for the MiniDisc personal audio system, which Sony introduced in Nov. 1992. Sony will offer the new MD DATA standard to computer and other manufacturers to generate industry support. Once MD DATA system software is installed onto the computer, information written onto MD DATA discs can be retrieved and modified regardless of differences in the CPU and/or OS of the computers being used. For more information contact Sony at (201) 930-6443. //// JPEG STANDARD ACCEPTED - Twenty leading multimedia software and =========================== hardware vendors have agreed to standardize on a common Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) file format for bit-mapped images and compressed video data under the Microsoft Windows operating system. JPEG still-image files will be supported under Microsoft Windows as device independent bitmaps (DIB) files, and JPEG video files will be supported under Video for Windows as audio/video interleaved (AVI) files. Vendors who have agreed to endorse the standard JPEG format include AMDRIX Software; C-Cube Microsystems; Cirrus Logic; Creative Labs; Dolch Computer Systems; Fluent Inc.; Intel; LSI Logic; Microsoft; Motorola; New Media Graphics; Optibase; SuperMac; Telephoto; Texas Instruments; Truevision; U-Lead Systems; Videologic; Xing Technology Inc.; and Zoran. The JPEG file format can be obtained by calling Microsoft PhoneFAX server at (206) 635-2222 or on the CompuServe WINEXT forum. //// ORGANIZATION FORMED FOR SOFTWARE INDUSTRY - The Software Industry ============================================== Coalition, has been created to provide a strong voice for the software industry. Coalition members include corporations, non-profit and educational groups and individual members. Although it intends to work closely with other organizations that include software companies in their membership, it will focus on issues not being adequately addressed by groups too diverse to develop a consensus on software issues. It intends to focus on specific projects, ensuring efficient use of members' dues rather than retain a large staff and administrative overhead. The Software Industry Coalition is a national organization, formed to provide a regulatory platform, educational impact and eventual database resources specific to the needs of the software industry. The coalition is located at 2369 Gianera Street, Santa Clara, CA 95054. (408) 980-8294. //// RAIDS SEIZES $9 MILLION - U.S. marshals and Microsoft ============================ investigators have seized over $9 million worth of counterfeit software over the past four months in a nationwide sweep. Several defendants named in three separate federal lawsuits filed in conjunction with the seizures were former or present Microsoft distributors. They included Unitron Computer of the City of Industry, Calif., CMOS Technologies of Piscataway, NJ, and Micro Innovation of Houston. //// NEW ATT COMMUNICATOR AVAILABLE - The AT&T EO 440 Personal =================================== Communicator is available now in 52 select AT&T Phone Centers across the country. AT&T and EO are making the device available through Phone Centers as part of an agreement announced earlier this month. The agreement will allow EO to use the AT&T brand on its personal communicators; give EO access to AT&T's communications technology and services, and to its sales channels; and make AT&T the majority stockholder in the Silicon Valley company. Customers can call 800-222-3111 to get the location of the nearest Phone Center carrying the product. The company expects to introduce the 440 into its over 300 other Phone Centers gradually throughout the rest of the year. Prices for the EO 440 start at $1,999. Standard features in all versions include a high-speed serial port and cable, allowing exchange of data with any IBM-compatible personal computer; a parallel port for connection to a printer or an optional 1.44 MB floppy drive; a communications port for optional cellular or wireless modules; and a PCMCIA slot for future expansion. Additional information is available from EO's toll-free number: 800-458-0880. //// USERS GROUP FOR COLOR CENTRAL - An international Color Central ================================== users group is in the process of being formed. The objective of the group is to share information among members on configuring and optimizing their OPI system/network, as well as lobby Compumation for product improvements and enhancements. Primary communications within the group will be conducted via electronic mail, preferably on CompuServe. To stay tuned with current happenings, monitor Section 10 in the DTPVENDOR Forum - Vendor User Groups. A membership roster containing e-mail addresses will be sent to members periodically. Dues are $25.00 per year, in U.S. funds, made payable to: Color Central Users Group. To apply for membership, please forward your dues and the following information: Company Name:, Individual Name:, Mailing address:, City:, State:, Zip Code:, Country:, Voice Phone:, Fax Phone:, Compuserve Address:, Applelink Address:, Nature of Business: Color Central Version in live production:, Computer model used as server:, Total on-line storage dedicated to server:, Number of Workstations accessing the server:, And, one thing about Color Central that you want to know more about, or see improved, or see fixed or see added to your system. Send to: Color Central Users Group, Attn: Rick Pietrykowski, Four Lakes Colographics, 4230 Argosy Ct., Madison, WI 53714. CIS: 70703,1555, Applelink: FourLakes. //// BITSTREAM UPDATE - Bitstream will no longer be supporting ===================== Fontware (any version), FaceLift 1.0 for WordPerfect, or FaceLift 1.x for Windows. We released FaceLift 2.0 for Windows in April of 1992 which replaced versions 1.0 and 1.2. If you would like information on FaceLift 2.0 for Windows please call Bitstream Sales at one of the numbers listed below. We released a new version of FaceLift for WordPerfect in March of 1993 which replaced older versions. If you would like information on FaceLift 2.0 for WordPerfect please call Sales at one of the numbers listed below. Refer to the Fontware User Guide for assistance on making fonts. If you are having trouble using the fonts in your application, please contact your application vendor for assistance. For upgrade information and information on other Bitstream products please contact Bitstream Sales at one of these numbers : End User Sales (within US) 800-522-3668, Dealer Sales/Canadian End User 800-223-3176, Outside US and Canada 617- 497-6222 x801. //// SPEECH COMPRESSION UNDER DEVELOPMENT - DSP Group announced this ========================================= week that it is working with Microsoft and Compaq Computer to develop speech compression technology that will run on Microsoft Windows operating system-based computers. This joint development effort, using DSP Group's Truespeech software technology, will make PC applications with voice easier to use. With the addition of a low cost, efficient voice compression standard, a variety of applications in the business environment will be enhanced. These include voice annotated business documents, voice annotated electronic mail, voice supported presentations, voice annotated databases, and a variety of other documents which use the full complement of multimedia tools including both video and audio. //// SOFTBANK - CDROM MARKETING ANNOUNCED - Four leaders in software ========================================= technology distributing and direct marketing have announced the creation of a new company Softbank - and a new software marketing and sales program called "Softbank On-Hand" that exploits the low cost and high capacity of CD-ROM technology. The company will begin shipping its first Softbank On-Hand Software Library CD-ROM disc set bundled with computers and multimedia upgrade products this fall. The On-Hand Library will include interactive product advertisements, demos, and hundreds of actual, purchasable software titles organized in an entertaining and easy-to-use interactive multimedia interface. The Softbank On-Hand Software Library will initially run under Windows 3.1 on 386 or 486 computers with multimedia-compatible CD-ROM drives and sound capabilities. //// FLEXTRONICS ANNOUNCES NEW INVESTORS - Flextronics, a privately ======================================== held electronics contract manufacturer, has announced an equity investment by a consortium of new investors and an existing investor. The equity investment provides the company with an additional $4 million of working capital. The investment consortium, CLG Partners, is composed of: Sequoia Capital; Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers; Chemicals and Materials Enterprise Associates; Point Venture Partners; and several individuals. Sequoia Capital is a $500 million series of venture capital partnerships. Since being formed in 1973, Sequoia has invested in more than 250 young companies. Among the companies Sequoia has helped start and finance are: Apple Cypress Semiconductor, Cisco Systems, LSI Logic, Convex, Oracle, 3COM, Atari, Tandem, Electronic Arts, Altos, Acuson and Chemtrak. //// APPLE POSTS $188 MILLION LOSS - Apple reported financial results ================================== for its third fiscal quarter which ended June 25,1993. Net revenues for the third quarter of 1993 were $1.862 billion, a 7 percent increase over the third quarter of the prior year. Apple also announced that it has taken a charge of $320.9 million, or $198.9 million after tax, for the previously announced restructuring and other cost reduction activities that are now underway at the company. As a result of these charges, the company reported a net loss for the quarter of $188.3 million or $1.63 per share. Shipment of Apple's first product based on Newton technology--a handheld communication assistant--is on track for later this summer. And, in addition to the Apple Workgroup Server 95 that shipped last month, two new server products, the Apple Workgroup Server 60 and Apple Workgroup Server 80 will ship in volume, starting this month. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Atari Asylum ||| By: Gregg Anderson / | \ GEnie: AEO.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Oh oh, they're baaack.... Once again the gates of the Atari Asylum are forced open and a flood of new inmates swarm inward. Seeking comfort, support, information, and maybe just a place to kick back and relax a little, they quickly fill the building. In any event, no matter what the cause, welcome to yet another endless episode of: Atari Asylum. This issue will look a bit familiar to many of you as I've re-run some of the tests I posted in the last issue. Why? Because of something I discovered just as I was finishing the tests for the previous issue. What I found was that SpeedoGDOS imposes a small overhead on the system that results in a slight slowdown of the Falcon's performance when it's loaded. Of course the benefit of this microscopic slowdown is the ability to use the new scaleable fonts on not just the newer Speedo-aware software but most older GDOS programs as well. Though the slowdown is measurable, it's not in the same class as the original GDOS where the effect was not only noticeable - it was obvious. The same is true of Warp 9 by the way, it also causes a small reduction of some CPU/RAM performance numbers while boosting most graphics operations. You win a little, you lose a little, such is life in the Asylum. However, in the case of Speedo and Warp 9 you gain a LOT more than what you lose. In ALL BUT THE ATARIWORKS TEST the system is booted without the hard disk with a clean (no ACC/CPX/AUTO programs) floppy in drive A. For the Warp 9 tests, the floppy has Warp 9 & ACC on it. All test programs are then loaded from drive A (and a LOT of disk swapping then ensued). The system tested was a Falcon030 4/80 with TOS 4.02 installed. Anyway, on with the tests: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Real World Programs (All times in Seconds) (100% faster = twice as fast or half the time) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= |---------------------FALCON----------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |-------------------------------------------------| 1stWord Plus (No Speedo) 12 Page Scroll: 150/132 88/67 66/38 56/29 48/28 % faster over base 14% 31% 74% 93% 71% First Word Plus: What can I say? With Warp 9, the fool thing absolutely flies in the two color mode! Though not quite the perfect 100% performance gains we used to see with the last ST/TT Warper, the Falcon's version is no slouch at improving text performance. However, it's fairly obvious that even with Warp 9 active the 256 color mode is a touch slow for fast text work (not useless mind you, but close enough). The biggest problem remains the rather obvious "color shift" when scrolling text quickly. That problem doesn't change until you get down to the four or two color modes. |---------------------FALCON----------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |-------------------------------------------------| AtariWorks (WP Mode) 12 Page Scroll: 259/225 178/143 150/110 137/ 99 135/ 97 % faster than base 15% 24% 36% 38% 39% 12 Page Jump: 38.9/38 29.5/28.2 25.8/24 24.5/23 26/24 % faster than base 2% 4.6% 7.5% 6.5% 8.3% AtariWorks WP: This program definitely gains from Warp 9, though not as much as a straight "text" program like First Word Plus will. It also requires SpeedoGDOS to operate correctly, though it can run in a limited fashion using the built-in system font. I also understand from the AtariWorks Topic on GEnie that AW will work with the original GDOS, though why anyone would want to is beyond me . Hmmm, I wonder if it's also G-Plus compatible? Anyway, because of this GDOS requirement I was forced to run the AW tests with SpeedoGDOS active. Remember how last issue I said that with Warp 9 "its 111 second, 15 page scroll, is over 30% faster than the 167 second time of the base bird"? Well, that's still true (in two-color mode anyway) but that was based on the initial version of AtariWorks. Last week Atari released an update, version 1.2, and it may actually be slightly faster; at least that's what this test claims. Good work Pradip & Company, keep 'em coming. Still No firm word on when the compatibility problem between Warp 9 and SpeedoGDOS will be resolved, or just when the Falcon version will be released or what it will cost. Sorry 'bout that, maybe we'll have better news by the next visit. The upshot of all this is; though AtariWorks runs in just about all 80- column modes and in any combination of colors, I STRONGLY recommend you limit yourself to the two or four color mode when working with it. Just a suggestion. TouchUp 1.84: I re-ran the tests on a totally clean Falcon and on a clean Falcon with Warp 9. The upshot was that there were no significant gains or losses in graphics speed with Warp 9 installed. The original test indicated a small loss in performance with Warp 9 installed. I have to assume that loss was cause by the joint presence of Warp 9 and SpeedoGDOS. That or very tiny gremlins since there's not enough room in that case for the larger variety. ~~ Ok, so now it's time to move on to: ---BENCHMARKS--- ALL TESTS ARE ON A CLEAN SYSTEM WITH WARP 9 ACTIVE (NO AUTOBOOTs, ACCs, or CPXs) QuickIndex 2.2 (% of performance as compared to a TOS 1.4 8Mhz ST system) |-------------------------FALCON-------------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |--------------------------------------------------------| CPU/RAM Memory 369/ 362% 415/ 411% 467/ 463% 478/ 473% 480/ 476% Register 406/ 402% 410/ 402% 410/ 406% 410/ 406% 410/ 406% Divide 507/ 502% 510/ 502% 510/ 504% 510/ 504% 510/ 504% Shifts 1737/1708% 1737/1737% 1737/1737% 1737/1737% 1737/1737% TOS/GEM Text 49/ 71% 91/217% 129/289% 160/ 664% 160/ 651% String 65/ 84% 109/179% 145/204% 167/ 274% 268/ 276% Scroll 16/ 16% 40/ 40% 89/ 89% 181/ 182% 215/ 216% Dialog 121/235% 162/411% 185/766% 199/1033% 200/1044% CPU/RAM: The Falcon's ability to access RAM is very dependent on the number of bit planes being displayed. While internal CPU operations like Register, Divide, & Shift are little affected by the display mode, Memory, Register, & Divide do show a small overhead from Warp 9's presence and would show an even greater loss of speed with both Warp 9 and SpeedoGDOS (or a major loss with the original GDOS) loaded. TOS/GEM: As with all previous versions of TOS and screen accelerators; the text string and scroll functions tend to resist being improved (though the Falcon version seems to suffer from this more than the older ST/TT versions). Text and Dialog, however, are greatly improved over their non-warped counterparts. NBM (Note: NBM has a history of not being overly QuickST/Warp 9 friendly) |--------------------FALCON--------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |----------------------------------------------| Math 182/177% 224/221% 224/240% 254/249% 256/251% Memory 172/170% 222/220% 246/244% 259/256% 261/259% DialogBox 137/ 95% 225/185% 291/486% 335/587% 337/591% Graphics 62/ 68% 89/122% 106/192% 118/257% 144/312% As with the Quick Index test, the effect of Warp 9's overhead is visible in the Math and Memory tests. I'm puzzled about the Dialog Box seeming to actually be slower in 256 and 16 color modes. On the whole I feel that the system enjoys a much greater benefit from Warp 9 than NBM indicates. ~~ BMVGTEFF An old text benchmark, it draws five text styles to the screen and lists the time required in 200/second numbers. The smaller then number the better. (This one is very QuickST/Warp 9 friendly) |--------------------FALCON--------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |----------------------------------------------| Normal 306/115 200/ 78 160/ 62 141/ 14 141/ 14 Bold 473/121 350/ 84 305/ 67 284/ 23 283/ 23 Grey 340/121 229/ 83 187/ 66 169/ 23 268/ 23 Italic 734/128 511/ 90 413/ 73 363/ 29 362/ 29 Underline 330/115 221/ 79 179/ 62 160/ 19 259/ 29 Ok, this is without question the oldest test I've got that will run on the Falcon, indicating that it was written very much "by the book." Here, in writing and shifting to the right a line of text (modified and unmodified), you can see how much Warp 9 improves basic text displays. ~~ GEMBENCH II (All gains are measured against an 8Mhz ST system) |-----------------------FALCON------------------------| Video Mode: 256 16 4 2 STHi Warp 9: off/on off/on off/on off/on off/on |-----------------------------------------------------| Dialog box 111/158% 161/306% 196/ 825% 216/1148% 217/1165% Text 178/464% 264/666% 323/ 833% 361/3544% 363/3544% Text Effects 183/710% 253/981% 299/1174% 329/2730% 330/2791% Small Text 154/640% 200/903% 225/1584% 241/1752% 342/1765% VDI Graphics 156/154% 222/218% 262/ 261% 285/ 283% 285/ 284% Windows 99/ 79% 152/133% 182/ 333% 222/ 333% 222/ 396% Division 418/412% 454/451% 458/ 454% 469/ 465% 469/ 465% Flt Point 179/171% 217/210% 236/ 230% 245/ 240% 247/ 241% RAM Access 269/266% 328/323% 364/ 358% 374/ 371% 378/ 371% ROM Access 348/331% 398/394% 429/ 419% 345/ 298% 382/ 375% Blitting ---/--- ---/--- 621/ 596% 1028/ 964% 1032/ 972% VDI Scroll 120/116% 277/272% 519/ 537% 819/1283% 826/1295% VDI Inquire 123/124% 141/148% 153/ 160% 158/ 166% 157/ 165% Graphics 140/305% 208/453% 308/ 700% 406/1355% 408/1375% Math/Memory 303/295% 349/344% 368/ 365% 358/ 343% 369/ 363% Average 194/302% 255/417% 327/ 597% 391/1044% 396/1063% Whew... that was a lot of typing . Anyway, in almost all display related functions you can see that Warp 9 offers anywhere from double to over three times a standard Falcon. In fact many basic text functions gain by a factor of 10, from 363% to 3544% - now that's impressive. The only areas that do not enjoy a major gain are VDI Scroll, VDI Inquire, and VDI Graphics (already noted as being difficult to improve). By the way, if I ever get the chance I'll try and check out NVDI. This is Warp 9's primary competitor in Europe and differs from it in a number of ways. Though many European benchmark programs indicate that NVDI is faster, most American benchmarks show the opposite. As with most tests I suggest you not decide which is best until after seeing how each program performs with REAL WORLD software. Personally, my money's on the CodeHeads . =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Comments & WarpUp =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= While the Falcon's 256 and 16-color modes remain more than a touch slow for a high-speed typist you find dropping down to the four or two color mode makes all the difference in the world. In all cases, and especially for AtariWorks, I strongly recommend restricting your productivity work to the four or two color modes whenever possible. Just as important, I urge you invest in Warp 9 as soon as it's available. Why? Because unless you're seriously into lost time, or are practicing the Zen of slow scrolling, the feathered Warp 9 will more than pay for itself in saved time and mouse button replacements. By the way, additional kudos are due Pradip and the gang at AtariDev. The new version (1.2) of AtariWorks has reduced that annoying color shift in multi-color modes as well as making the program feel slightly quicker. For those of you who like AtariWorks as much as I do, plan on buying Warp 9 as soon as possible. Without it AW can be rather slow when scrolling large documents - with Warp 9 it's still slower than WordPlus of course but it's a LOT easier on the old patience glands. By the way, in case you think I'm being hard on AW's scrolling speed here, I'm not. In fact there's no way on God's Green Earth that AtariWorks (or any multi-font/graphics based program) will every outspeed a standard, text-based, word processor. It just can't happen, though I wouldn't be surprised to see AW cut the difference by quite a bit over the next few years as Pradip and Co. keep working on improving it. In short; without Warp 9 a two-color Falcon feels about as fast as a Warped ST. With Warp 9 it's a totally different computer, especially in monochrome. Text scrolls faster, dialog boxes snap open and shut, and directories almost fly past your eyes. In short, just about everything is faster; and in the four and two color modes, MUCH faster. So is Warp 9 a must have for Falcon owners? In my opinion, yes. While the current version still has a few holes in it, as does the present version of Falcon TOS, both are important steps forward and both will benefit from future growth and development in the days to come. When you get the chance, go for it! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// AEO Falcon030 Compatibility List =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Hopefully, this particular room in the Asylum will be a regular feature in the months to come. However, I need your help to keep it going. PLEASE post your compatibility results on GEnie or Email them to me. I'll gladly post your results and provide full "faith and credit" to the poster. I even promise not to edit the postings (except to compress them slightly for readability, avoid duplication, and to keep your download times down to a reasonable limit . Anyway, here's this issue's compatibility list headed by a submission from our newest inmate; Brian Freeman. Thanks Brian, this is exactly what we're looking for! Falcon 030 compatibility test: by Brian Freeman All programs were tested on a SVGA monitor in ST compatible modes or auto booted if copy protected. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Prgs that work on the Falcon. Lattice C 5.52 all modes Hisoft C st modes only ORCS all modes Arcshell all but truecolor Spirit edit 1.3 all modes Printmaster Plus st med Music Studio autoload Word Perfect st med, st high Phasar 4.0 st med Tiny Term all modes CD-Player st low, st med Lzh201le.ttp all modes Spoflt26 Cold Hard Cache 4.0 F.M. Terminal all modes AnsiTerm 1.0 st med Elite autoload Midimaze st low Stellar Crusade st low Foundation Waste autoload Goldrunner autoload Space Quest I autoload Paladin st low Alternate Reality City autoload Starnukers st med Hillsfar st low Sim City st low Dungeon Master autoload Chaos Strikes Back autoload Legend of Faerghail st low Colonial Conquest st low Empire st med, st high Curse Azure Bonds st low 1943 autoload ------------------------------------------------------------------- Prgs that don't. Little Green Selector 2 bombs at boot up FZDT 2.20 redraw problems PC Ditto 3.0 won't work on european machine?? Dterm 1.0 redraw problems VanTerm 3.8 dial problems, bombs Wind Term text outside of window St Zip 2.0 redraw problems Lemmings won't boot Spellbound won't boot Bloodwych won't boot Bloodwych data won't boot Space Ace dies at title screen Captive dies after title screen Shadowgate dies at title screen Sundog lots of bombs!! Falcon missions 1-3 dies on runway Defender of the Crown disk loading problems Blastaball dies at title screen ------------------------------------------------------------ Will work with backward compatibility program: (BCKWV143.LZH) Arkanoid II Disciples of Steel Xybots Nitro Knightmare Camels Starflight Pac-Mania Oids Imperium Xenon Ninja Mission Chaos Populous II (if screen blacks out disable screen saver!) Barbarian Hole in One Miniture Golf Midimaze II Carrier Command Guantlet II ~~ The following posts are adapted from GEnie's "Falcon Compatibility Topic" in CAT 14. I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to the folks that have freely posted their discoveries on GEnie to share them with everyone. Thanks again guys, you're doing great! ------------- C.OINES1 [Chazz] Well... Opus 2.2 crashes out, and takes almost all the RAM with it. Guess I'll be keeping my STe for a while yet ;) Sudden View works from ST High and ST Medium without glitches. Cybersculpt works from ST High without problems, and works from ST Medium until you try to display the object's palette, which bombs it out. It also works from 640x400x16 mode, so long as you don't use 3D Preview (bombs on returning) or the palette. Crack Art _almost_ works, which pleases me greatly; I use Crack Art to generate image maps for Phoenix (save as PI1 and use a PI1 to GIF converter, or load them into Spectrum 512 and save out as a *.SPC). Most of it works great (even the floppy light trick), but it bombed out when I clicked on the Rotate Block function. So as long as you don't do that, it works fine from ST Low mode, and the speed increase from the STe is noticeable and wonderful. Pick up the whole screen as a block and move it around without the slightest flicker! It'll probably crash if you load a spectrum and try to select an area for it to pick the color map from. RayOid runs with no sound and perfect smoothness, but freezes the desktop when you quit out. I haven't played with any of the above under MultiTOS, since 4 megs is already cramped enough for my needs... maybe when I've got a 14-meg card, but not before. ------------ P.LOUIE1 I tried Band-in-a-Box on my dealer's Falcon and it seems to work in 2 color 80 column mode. I don't know if the MIDI part works since I didn't bring my synth to test it out, but the screen didn't mess up like in 256 color mode. ------------ D.COOKE [Rob] Well I tried Lure of the Temptress on my Falcon and couldn't get it to boot all the way.It paused about halfway through the boot process. Anyone know if the program Backword will cure this? ------------ FAIRWEATHER [David] Louie! Thanks a million for the tip on Band in a Box! Funny how it locks up in ST High compatibility mode, but works fine in 2 color 80 column mode. ------------ AEO.7 [Gregg] I tried 'Reach for the Skys' on a Falcon today. No go, I'm afraid. It gets well into the introduction but then enters an endless 'loop' accessing drive A long before asking to swap disks to whatever. Too bad, I was hoping it would be a worthy competitor to Battle of Britain. Note: this is without use of any 'compatibility' programs. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Important Notice to All Computer Owners =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Not quite a month ago, a small factory in Japan burned to the ground and left virtually nothing standing. At that time there were no clues as to the cause and the media left it as a "just in passing" note on the evening news. They did mention one interesting thing about this plant though, they commented that it was the source for 50% of the special Epoxy used in the manufacture of Integrated Circuits and that it could take six months to a year to resume production. That was all, nothing special to worry about. WRONG!!!!!!!!!! We're now seeing the results as RAM and SIMM prices have begun to skyrocket! We priced a set of four Meg SIMMS yesterday and the price had almost doubled! So much for that RAM upgrade this month. A word to the wise... get your RAM and/or order your new computer as soon as possible as. Why? Because I suspect that before too much longer there's going to be a price increase on anything that uses ICs - from computers to telephones and everything in between. Don't feel picked on though, this price boost will be industry wide and everyone is going to get to take part in it. So, if we see the Falcon and TT get bumped up a bit in price over the next few weeks we'll at least know there's a reason. The only real consolation is that this time the chip shortage looks to be real. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Next issue =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The next issue of Atari Asylum will be somewhat smaller than I normally prefer. I've a number of obligations to fulfill over the next few weeks that will take most of my time, free or otherwise. Hopefully I'll be soon be back to show you some new rooms here in the Asylum, rooms no one's seen yet . I do plan on looking into the specifications of a large number of Computer Monitors and posting what "should" and "should not" work with our older ST systems as well as make a few suggestions for units suitable for a "killer" Falcon/FalconNG display. If I'm real lucky, we may have a shot at running some tests on COMPO's new ScreenBlaster video expander. Why do I call it a video expander? Wait for the review and find out . Hmm, speaking of which, anyone got a large screen multi-sync I can borrow for a while? So until then, try not to annoy the night nurse too much. After all, she's the one that picks the needle size the Doc's going to use in the morning for your AM medication . See you later. PS: As usual all MegaSTe, TT, and Falcon tests are performed at Asheville's Computer STudio - thanks again Sheldon. --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- To sign up for CompuServe service, call (voice call) (800) 848-8199. -- -- Ask for operator #198. You will be sent a $15.00 value CIS membership -- -- kit for free. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| GRIBNIF CONFERENCE ON COMPUSERVE ||| Edited by: Ron Kovacs / | \ Courtesy: The CompuServe Atari Forums ----------------------------------------------------------------- (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Maybe with just four of us here, we don't have to worry about formal protocol, if it gets more crowded, we can move into it then... OK with everybody? Celeste and Rob, this is Rick Flashman of Gribnif software, as you know who's going to talk a bit about GENEVA and answer any questions we may have. Rick, would you like to make an opening introductory-type little speech? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Geneva is our newest program for the Atari. It is a Multitasking Application Environment. For those more familiar with the Atarioperating system, Geneve is a complete replacement of the "AES". Geneva works on all Atari computers and only requires less than 120k of memory. We are considering an optional cartridge port version, that will require 0k. I can add lots, of I'd be mostly repeating the press release. Why don't we let it go from here, and see how the conversation takes us. (3-3,celeste moran) multitasking do you resolutions (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Celeste, do you mean if you can have different resolutions at once? (3-3,celeste moran) yes, I don't have falcon yet (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) It works in all resolutions. However, it cannot display different resolutions at the same time. Not even Windows can do that, that's a hardware limitation. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Does it work with MIDI applications? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) It theory yes. However, since so many MIDI programs don't work with anything (buggy code) we are not sure how it works with all MIDI programs out there. We are releasing a major beta release today that will help answer that. Never underestimate the ability of a MIDI programmer to create software that refuses to work with other programs (grin). (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Will GENEVA work on all ST-or-later machines and all TOS versions? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Yes. I personally run Geneva on a TOS 1.4 Stacy 4. We have tested it on a 512K machine with TOS 1.0. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) How does it fit in with MultiTOS? Would it slow down an 8 mhz ST? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Brad - That's a complex question, let me answer Rob first. Rob - The speed loss in Geneva is minimal. I have some speed tests I uploaded to the Gribnif section in Atari Vendors. Basically, you lose about 2% overhead. The speed slowdown for multiple programs is dependent on that program. But it is VERY similar to the speed slowdown you get when running desk accessories. (If you haven't noticed, each additional desk accessory steals between 2-5% of your machine's speed). (3-1,Brad [sysop]) I didn't know that, so if you're running six of them, your machine is 30% slwer? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Not really...because most accessories have a very small event loop. Sometimes, though, one accessory can slow you down lots more than others. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) So about MultiTOS...is it similar to GENEVA, or does one run GENEVA within MultiTOS? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) What we know as "MultiTOS" is actually several products in one. First you have the new AES 4.0, which is what gives you the 3D buttons, secondary drop-down menus, enhanced alerts, etc. AES 4.0 is also included in the Falcon, without the rest of MultiTOS. However, AES 4.0 does not offer any multitasking, unlimited accessories, etc. MultiTOS also includes MiNT. An enhancement to TOS that allows for true multitasking. Put them both together, and you have what is known as MultiTOS. A new version of the AES capable (thanks to MiNT) of multitasking GEM and TOS applications. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) So AES is like a new desktop? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) No, the "desktop" is technically a separate part of the OS. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I thought GEM was the desktop? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) No, let me rewind a little. TOS = The underlying portion (like MS-DOS on a PC) that runs basic programs. AES = Portion of GEM that handles running GEM programs, desk accessories, menus, drop- downs, buttons, alerts, etc. VDI = Portion of GEM that handles drawing to the screen, etc. Desktop = A separate GEM application that allows for file management and program lauching. Geneva replaces the AES. It is fully AES 4.0 compatible, so it has all the new features. Plus, it lets you run any programs that "requires" AES 4.0 on any machine. Also, unlike the Atari AES, Geneva can multitask unlimited GEM applications and load/unload unlimited desk accessories. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) What about non-GEM prgs - TTPs, etc? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Since we do not replace TOS, those are technically unnafacted. HOWEVER... We add several enhancements: Our TOS programs run in a GEM window, when our TOS programs stop at a prompt waiting for user input your regain control of your system (poor man's multitasking), and...if you add the freeware or commercial version of MiNT, you *can* Multitask TOS (TOS, TTP) programs. If you already own a MultiTOS, there are several reasons why you would still prefer Geneva: 1. You can replace Atari's AES with ours, adding many new features. 2. Ours is faster. 3. Ours lets you use standard screen accellerators. (Warp 9, NVDI, etc) 4. You can remove MiNT, and multitask GEM applications with minimal speed loss. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I had wondered about desk accs...they are a crude multitasking on the ST, but with your program, would DA's even be needed? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) You have unlimited desk accessories (load and unload on the fly). They are needed, because there are so many out there. But technically, no. Geneva always makes very little difference between them. You can double-click on either to run them. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) The press release talks about multi- and single- tasking programs. I'm not sure what the difference is. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Single tasking simply means that other programs are temporarily suspended (windows closed) until that singletasking program you are running either quits or it itself is suspended. This is needed for programs that are not multitasking compatible, such as the old Flash or the old Degas. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) I have Flash 1.6... where does that stand? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Flash 1.x = old flash. You actually don't notice that much. Visually it is not that different if a background programs is running or sleeping. Unless you are running a compiler or rendering program in the background. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) so that means, for example that I can't be using Flash online, and jump to a word-processor during an online session? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Right. You can still switch, but you might lose information coming over the modem. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) The press release says that the ROM desktop is not compatible... (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Right. The ROM desktop isn't even MultiTOS compatible. (MultiTOS ships with its own disk loaded copy of a desktop.) (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Can you use GENEVA f you don't have any alternative desktops? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) You can, you just can't copy files, etc. without one. Though I've seen some good PD accessories that handle file management pretty good. Actually, one of our beta testers said the shareware Terradesk works fine. Though I prefer NeoDesk...... (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I have a lot of prgs in my auto folder, including ones that take up a lot of memory. Does GENEVA not effect those and only applications that have been loaded, up and running? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) I still use all the same AUTO folder programs as before. Any specific ones you are worried about? (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Shadow ram disk, foldr150, cache, print buffer, Warp 9, Hotwire, etc. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Those should all work fine, as far as I know. By not replacing TOS, those type of programs are not really affected. Hotwire is a special case, let me explain. Hotwire probably works great. But when run from the AUTO folder, it is designed to hook into the built-in ROM desktop, which we don't load. So, you never see it. But if you run Hotwire as a regular shell (as you can), it should work fine. HOWEVER... Hotwire has yet to be upgraded to be multitasking (MultiTOS) compatible. That means that it can only launch things in "singletasking" mode. We've given the Codeheads a copy of Geneva. Though the changes needed are identical to the changes needed to make it work with MultiTOS. (Actually, the changes for Geneva are LESS than what you need for MultiTOS). (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Rick, since GENEVA can be activated from the desktop, what do you mean by you "don't load" the ROM desktop? The ROM desktop only works with the ROM AES, etc. That's the way Atari wrote it. It doesn't even work with MultiTOS. Hardwired. The desktop is nothing but a "separate" program. Stop thinking of it as part of the operating system, will make it easier. Look at Windows 3.1 as an example. OK, but I though GENEVA was launched FROM the desktop? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Sure, why not? You launch Geneva, it basically "re-starts" your system into our brand new AES environment. When you quit, it returns you to where you were in the old environment. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Is 9/1 still the release date? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Beta version shipped today, so I guess we are looking good. (You can still order the beta version, btw.) (3-1,Brad [sysop]) How will it be distributed... mail-order and also retail? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) The final version will go everywhere (retail, mail order, direct, etc.) (3-3,Mike Mortilla) Rick, Will Geneva save the current activity (like Revolver's Roll Out)? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Mike. The comparison doesn't apply. Revolver partitioned the ST's memory into multiple computers. Geneva is more like Windows, allowing multiple GEM applications to co-exist in the same ST. (3-3,Mike Mortilla) Then can you save a "preferences" file? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) What do you mean? (3-3,Mike Mortilla) To run certain programs all the time w/o loading every time? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Mike, you mean like having multiple program sets launched at once? (3-3,Mike Mortilla) Yes! Sequencing/Notation for 1. Word Processing/DTP as another. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) You can specify any number of programs to be loaded at bootup. With NeoDesk 4, we are adding "program groups" so you can launch multiple programs groups at once. (That's more of a desktop feature.) (3-3,Mike Mortilla) But you have run each program? I guess w/Neodesk 4 it'll do it. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Actually correction. I *think* that with the Geneva RUN command you can just select as many programs as you want, and it will launch them all. Multitasking is GREAT. I get so spoiled. I keep 1st Word Plus and LDW Power loaded at all times. Then load STalker whenever I want to log into something. I think the biggest difference between Geneva and previous attempts at multitasking is that Geneva "works". (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Rather an important difference . (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) True, but that seemed to be the key problem with previous attempts. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I just got Midi Spy, which is "supposed to work" with everything, but with all the TSR's and ACCs I use, something conflicts. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) That's cool. I hear it is quite the program. Codehead stuff is pretty good, so even if there is some small quirk, it would be easy to fix. Geneva has a lot of compatibility "Flags" that let you customize how a program runs. Most of these will be preset, but you can tweek things to make them work better. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I guess any new prg I add like that, or Geneva, would take some tweeking or adjusting. How practical on a 1040 ST with TOS 1.4 and 4 megs RAM? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Very. That's basically the same EXACT setup I have on my 4 meg, TOS1.4 STacy. It works great, I use it all the time. Heck ...all our employees have 4 meg, 68000 machines. One one TT in the main office. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Would it affect the ram disk (the one I use is one meg)? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Should work fine with the ramdisk. Geneva only needs 120K (actually, current BETA version uses 114K). (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Maybe Shadow is an old prg and hasn't been updated. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Not really familiar with it. But since we don't replace TOS, I am not too worried about it. Should work. (Ramdisk programs work at the TOS level.) If we make the cartridge version, it will take 0K. Even save you some, as we don't load the ROM desktop. We've been working on Geneva for two years...it's not an overnight hack. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Still using DeskCart cartridge for the clock! (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Heh...oh well...run the disk version... (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Will Toad be selling it? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Sure, Toad sells lots of our stuff... (in good numbers). (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) OK, I'll check with them. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) There are some screen shots you can download from the Gribnif area in Atari Vendors. (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Are you soliciting beta-testers? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) We are. Download the file GEBETA.TXT from our library here. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) What's the price again? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) $99.95 - Geneva & NeoDesk 4 (our recommended package) $69.95 - Geneva by itself $50.00 - Beta price (you get the final release free of charge) (3-1,Brad [sysop]) Is NeoDesk 4 out yet? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) No, NeoDesk 4 is a *major* rewrite with a whole new look. It will come out with Geneva. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Was MultiGEM a flop? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) MultiGEM was a hack. It sort of worked, but was too limited. Plus it had no enhancements. If Geneva didn't multitask, it would still sell just for the 3D buttons, tear off menus, unlimited DAs, etc. Plus the fact that you can run AES 4.0 applications on any machine (for compatibility with newer applications). (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Would I get the 3D buttons and those menus on an ST, or only on a Falcon? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Rob......"there are no limitations". You can get EVERY feature on a 512K, TOS 1.0, low-resolution (hooked up to a TV set) ST. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I'll look for those screen shots (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Actually...I haven't tried it...but it might even work with disk loaded TOS. It would even work on one of those 256K STs Atari sold during the first months in Europe. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) It replaces the desktop, but isn't NeoDesk the "desktop"? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) The "desktop" is a separate program from the operating system. We don't do anything with it. NeoDesk is a recommended desktop that works great with Geneva. NeoDesk 4 will have many Geneva/Multitasking specialized features. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) Where are the 3D buttons? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Everywhere...all window gadgets, all alert boxes, most dialog boxes... Ever see Windows 3.1? If you have, you get the idea. They go "down" when you push them with mouse. Kinda cute. You can turn that off, though, if you miss the older flat look. Screen shot shows them pretty good... Plus, unlike Windows or MultiTOS, if you have a program that "slows" down your system, you can just put it to "sleep" when you want to keep it (loaded but don't need it running. Get all your speed back. (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) I have a question. Do you guys like the name Geneva? We spent 2 months on a name...had a hard time finding the right one. (3-4,Rob Rasmussen) I was wondering about the name... (3-1,Brad [sysop]) I like it. What made you choose it? (3-2,Rick @ Gribnif) Considered hundreds...probably thousands of names. It stands for a city that brings "different" countries together, like we bring programs together. It is in a country that no one dislikes. And the "foreign city" name gave it an exotic name...pointing to its uniqueness. It also wasn't a preposterous name better than calling it "MultiMax Plus Ultra Pro II" or some other horrible techy name. During beta we used to call it "Magic". --==--==--==--==-- ||| Geneva Preview: A Talk With Dan Wilga Of Gribnif Software ||| By: Peter Donoso / | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Over the years, Gribnif Software has earned a well-deserved reputation as a major developer of solidly written, quality software products for Atari computers. Dan Wilga, one of the founders of the company, has been there since the beginning. Back in 1988, Dan walked in to his local computer store in search of a computer that would be able to meet his various requirements for both price and capabilities. He had been a dedicated Atari 8bit user for a number of years, and had his sights set on a 1040 ST. The fellow behind the counter was Rick Flashman. Though neither of them realized it at the time, that one simple sale would come to be beginning of both an enduring friendship and fruitful business relationship. Dan quickly fell in love with his new Atari, and longed to see certain additional features and improvements added to the desktop. This desire eventually led him to produce NeoDesk. Since its initial introduction, it has unquestionably grown to become the most popular program of choice among Atari owners who are looking for a viable alternative to the standard GEM desktop environment. Seeing the commercial potential for such a product, Dan and Rick joined forces and started their own company, Gribnif Software. After the release of Ver. 2.05, Dan decided to add a host of powerful new features to the basic Command Line Interpreter that was included within the NeoDesk package and released NeoDesk CLI as a separate product. Now Gribnif has recently announced another program to add to their roster of quality hardware and software products. GENEVA is a multi-tasking environment which is presently available in a beta version directly from the company for $50 plus shipping costs. By definition, the "beta" nametag usually means that a product has not been deemed to be fully tested. It may often contain one or more programming conflicts, or "bugs," as well as features which have yet to be either finished or fully implemented within the present version. Although Gribnif clearly states this in both the print and file documentation that accompanies the program, they've also wisely taken the time and effort to previously work out many of the potential conflicts. Having placed it with a dozen beta testers for the past three months, the program's been run with a wide variety of the most popular as well as some of the more obscure Atari programs out there. It's this kind of dedication which supports the widely shared opinion that Gribnif really cares about its customers! I recently had the pleasure of talking to Dan about this exciting new product over the course of an anticipated twenty-minute discussion which ended up taking well over an hour of his time (gulp!... sorry about that, Dan), but the resulting wealth of information should come in handy in deciding if Geneva is for you. The logical place to start was with a basic description of the program itself. GENEVA is a replacement for a substantial part of the operating system in Atari computers. It replaces the Application Environment Services or (AES), the part of TOS and GEM that displays and accesses menu bars, dialog boxes and windows. It does not alter the way that files are read or written, nor does it change the underlying way in which graphics are displayed. Dan reminisces on how it all innocently began. "GENEVA started out as the search for a way to break the seven window limitation barrier. I came across a PD program from Germany which was able to do this, but only for a rather limited number of specific ROM versions. I wanted to make it work for every version of TOS, so I decided to write one of my own. It turned into a much larger project than I had originally planned on - over two years - and I ended up re-writing the entire AES." MultiTOS, Atari's multi-tasking operating system that comes bundled with the Falcon, works in conjunction with MINT (a humorous paradoxical acronym for Mint Is Now TOS), which runs as an underlying operating system in conjunction with TOS. A powerful feature of MultiTOS is its memory protection scheme. This feature detects any program that illegally addresses additional memory which has not been previously allocated for its own functions. It then automatically terminates that program without otherwise crashing the rest of the system. Under MultiTOS, TOS and TTP programs can also run within their own windows as well. In its present version, GENEVA runs without MINT, but does so without benefit of memory protection, although the next version of GENEVA is slated to be able to run under MINT. There are plans to also include a program which will allow TOS and TTP programs to run within their own windows as well. So what does GENEVA have going for it? Take it away, Dan. "A number of exciting things! GENEVA allows you to load as many desk accessories as memory will permit from any specified drive or separate folder. Most DAs work fine, including MultiDesk, Warp 9, and Harlekin, to name just a few. You can load an unload these at any time. All accessories can still be found listed at the familiar Desk menu location. "GENEVA supports up to 256 windows open at once! You can also configure any number of programs to launch upon boot-up. Failing to detect the presence of its own GEM.CNF file, it will look for a DESKTOP.INF or NEWDESK.INF file. It will then read the resolution setting, as well as any Install Applications and program Auto-Execution settings that were saved with that file. There's really no need for using these files with GENEVA, as the GEM.CNF file takes care of storing that set of information. "One thing that may seem confusing to people at first is that although GENEVA replaces the familiar GEM menus, windows and dialog boxes, it does not include a desktop. This means that in order to copy, move, rename and delete files, as well as create folders, format disks and other desktop functions, you'll need to run an alternate desktop. NeoDesk, as you might have guessed, is optimized to work in conjunction with GENEVA, and is fully compatible, though GENEVA is quite capable of running without it. There are some other alternate desktops available that are either PD or shareware, but I haven't tested them with GENEVA, so I can't speak for their stability. "You use GENEVA's File Selector to launch your programs and applications. This is accessed by selecting Open from GENEVA's File menu. The official release date for GENEVA is slated for the fall of '93, and I'm working on adding Copy, Move and a number of other features and enhancements to the file selector for this release." (You can still use your favorite file selector to perform most of those aforementioned functions - A & D's Universal Item Selector and Codehead's MaxiFile/Little Green File Selector are two of my favorites. Back to you, Dan.) "GENEVA will launch as many programs as your memory will allow. Although you can theoretically use GENEVA with a 520ST, the more memory you have installed, the better-suited your system will be to multi-tasking. "All active programs appear in the Desk menu above your desk accessories. Clicking on any one of these listings will place you within that program's environment. Alternately, you can also use a key command to cycle between programs as well. Of course, those programs that don't support access to the Desk menu need to be run in single tasking mode. "Another feature of GENEVA is that the mouse pointer has a new look to it. We've also replaced the familiar busy bee with an animated hourglass that revolves to fill and empty the familiar sifting sand. We've also included a SetMouse program which allows you to select a number of alternate mouse shapes and animations as well." Now we come to one of GENEVA's most powerful features: the Task Manager. This can be run as either a desk accessory or a program. The Task Manager allows you to load and terminate programs and desk accessories at any time, as well as access to all of Geneva's configurable options. The main window, which contains a full listing of all your executed programs and loaded accessories, features its own menu bar. The File and Options menus provide a host of additional options which can be set for each individual program. Clicking on one of the entries that appears in the Task Manager window will reverse highlight that entry. Select the File option in the menu and you're presented with the following choices: Open, Flags, Asleep and Terminate. Open and Terminate are somewhat self-explanatory. Asleep allows you to temporarily restrict GENEVA from actively running a program in memory. Flags are a special ability of GENEVA which provide a means of adapting to the various demands that different programs can make of an operating system. What's so special about this particular feature, Dan? "Flags allow a user to assign each program with a custom set of parameters. These are enabled when the program is executed, allowing each program the ability to avoid a number of potential memory and system call conflicts that might otherwise present themselves when running in a multi-tasking environment. You can assign each program to multi-task, limit window handles and memory demands, along with a variety of other aspects. This gives GENEVA an considerable edge in getting a wider variety of applications to cooperate together, or at least to respect each others varying requirements." Dan went on to explain how additional parameters can also be assigned by selecting the appropriate item from the Options menu; KEYBOARD, WINDOWS, DIALOGUES, MISC. OPTIONS and VIDEO. Each of these gives you a variety of ways to further customize each program's environment. KEYBOARD allows assigning key commands to dialog option buttons, such as Save, Exit or Cancel. WINDOWS offers options for resizing window title bars and scroll arrow bars. You can also assign a custom font and select a font size for windows. DIALOGUES let you configure the shapes, shadings and appearances of various dialog buttons. MISC. OPTIONS allow you to enable or disable a number of additional features: tear-away menus; whether menus automatically drop-down or alternately must be clicked on when using the mouse; automatic updating of drive windows; positioning alert boxes to appear next to the present cursor location, to mention just a few. VIDEO offers switching between different resolutions without having to re-boot. As with MultiTOS, all desk accessories are shut down and then re-loaded. Anything else you'd like to mention, Dan? "GENEVA also offers a convenient on-line Help menu which presently covers the Task Manger, but will eventually cover all aspects of the program. There's also an ASCII table which can be called up to insert characters within your word processor." "Most menu items have alternate key commands, and GENEVA will run in all resolutions. At present, Falcon support for switching, video resolutions remains to be added, but GENEVA does work with all of the Falcon's supported resolutions. The scheduled fall release of NeoDesk 4 will see a whole new look to the program and take even better advantage of the many multi-tasking features available in GENEVA. The release of NeoDesk 4 is slated to be followed shortly thereafter by the official release of GENEVA." I can't wait! Having had a chance to try out my just recently-arrived (literally!) beta copy, my first impression of GENEVA is that it appears to be a major programming accomplishment, despite its state of almost-near completion. The search for multi-tasking on any ST may well be over! SwitchBack, Revolver, Juggler, MultiGEM - these programs have all attempted to provide users with the ability to run more than one program at a time on an ST. I happen to know from personal experience (and personal expense, I might add) that none of them managed to live up to both their intended purpose or promises. Although the final verdict has yet to come in, it looks like a good bet that GENEVA may be the one that finally delivers. For those 1040ST/STe, Mega ST/STe and TT030 owners who have been pining for a way to incorporate some form of multi-tasking on their own system, GENEVA could well be your answered prayer. Thanks Dan for giving us a glimpse into what is sure to become another great Gribnif product! =-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Addendum =-=-=-=-=-=-= You can order GENEVA now for $50 + shipping ($69.95 when it's officially released) and the finished release will be free of charge to all buyers of the beta version. you can write or call them at: Gribnif Software, P.O. Box 779, Northampton, MA 01061 (413) 247-5620 (413) 247-5622 FAX Those users who are looking to upgrade their memory to four megs should get in touch with their local Atari dealer. If there isn't one in your area, you can try Toad Computers, 570-F Governor Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146 (800) 448-8623 for orders (410) 544-6943 for inquiries. There's also a new product that's recently been imported from Europe which enables a Mega ST to be upgraded to a whopping 12megs! I understand a Mega STe/1040STe/1040ST version will also soon be available. You can get in touch with Brad at Best Electronics (408) 243-6590 for price and details. Look for a more detailed review of GENEVA in an upcoming issue of AEO! So long for now. --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- To enroll as a Delphi subscriber, modem call 1-800-365-4636. Press -- -- [Return] once or twice, and type IP26 [Return] at Password: -- -- -- -- Answer all of the questions, and you'll be cleared for Delphi -- -- access in a few days. If you have questions about Delphi services, -- -- give a voice call to Delphi Member Services at 1-800-544-4005. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| AEO Calendar of Events ||| Compiled by: Ron Kovacs / | \ GEnie: Z-NET CIS: 75300,1642 Delphi: ZNET ---------------------------------------------------------------- //// IC Card Expo July 27-28, 1993 IC Card Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California. Showcasing the latest in PC cards and related products. Sponsored by IC Card Systems & Design (800-525-9154, 303-220-0600). //// MIST AtariFest V July 31, 1993 The fifth annual MIST AtariFest will be held on Saturday, July 31 from 10 am to 5 pm at the Best Western Waterfront Plaza Hotel. The Mid-Indiana Atari ST Users play host to this excellent one day event with its proven method of success. This year a new location has been chosen for the MIST, the Best Western Waterfront Plaza Hotel. Offerring free shuttle service to Indianapolis International Airport, which is just minutes away, Best Western is convenient to both air and car travel. Several major highways allow acces to the hotel for motorists. An assortment of dining and entertainment choices provide interesting diversions once the show is complete. Whether you are a novice or a professional user, there is something for every Atari enthusiast. Seminars, held throughout the show, can be attended by guests or show-goers can engage in Lynx or MIDIMaze tournaments with the best players receiving prizes. Winners of the raffle can pick up their prizes in a number of shapes, sizes and purpose. Hotel reservations can be arranged by calling (317) 299-8400; mention MIST AtarFest V and take advantage of the discount rate. For single occupancy. guests may stay in the hotel for $53 or for a double, $59. Special facilities for the handicapped, non-smokers and small children is available. Admission to this show is still only $3. For more information, send mail inquiries to ASCII, c/o Bill Jones, 6505 West Castle Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, 46241. Or, by phone, call (317) 856-4260. Online via GEnie, messages may be sent to W.JONES43; on FidoNet Mail at Bill Jones at 1:231/370.0 or by InterNet/UUCP at Bill.Jones@f370.n231.z1.fidonet.org. //// MacWorld Expo August 3-6, 1993 MacWorld Expo at the Boston World Trade Center, Bayside Exposition Center and sponsored by MacWorld Magazine. This event is titled Boston '93. //// Interop '93 August 23-27, 1993 Interop '93 (#2) at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco, California. //// ONE BBSCON '93 August 25-29, 1993 ONE BBSCON '93 at the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a four day exposition presented by BoardWatch Magazine. There will be three days of educational services, a trade show exhibit area with over one-hundred vendors on hand. For further information on this event and for registration information contact: Peg Coniglio at ONE Inc., 4255 South Buckley Road, Suite 308, Aurora, Colorado 80013. Voice: (303) 693-5253; Fax: (303) 693-5518; BBS: (303) 693-5432. //// PenExpo August 30 - September 3, 1993 PenExpo - The Pen-Based Computing Conference at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston Massachusettes. Pen Exposition, Conference, and Tutorials, Sponsored by Boston University Corporate Education Center and PEN Magazine. //// Fed Micro '93 August 31 - September 2, 1993 Fed Micro '93. Fed Micro CDROM and Multimedia Conference & Exposition. Washington Convention Center, Washington DC. //// BCS*Pen September 1, 1993 BCS*Pen Monthly Meeting at the Hynes Convention Center. Meeting begins at 7pm. Topic: "The Market for Personal Information Processors". Speaker: Donna Dubinsky, CEO, Palm Computing, Co-sponsored with PenExpo. //// The Glendale Show September 18-19, 1993 The Glendale Show returns with the Southern California Atari Computer Faire, V.7.0, in suburban Los Angeles, California. This has been the year's largest domestic Atari event, year after year. Contact John King Tarpinian at the user group HACKS at 818-246-7286 for information. //// MacWorld Expo September 20-22, 1993 The third MacWorld Expo, titled Canada '93 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, sponsored by MacWorld Magazine. //// Mobile World Expo September 21-23, 1993 Mobile World Expo and Conference at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose California. //// Unix Expo '93 September 21-23, 1993 Unix Expo '93 in New York City, New York at the Javits Convention Center. //// Image World October 4-8, 1993 Image World New York, Javits Convention Center, New York City. //// NetWorld '93 October 5-7, 1993 NetWorld 93, Dallas Convention Center, Dallas TX. //// Lap & Palmtop Expo October 7-8, 1993 Lap & Palmtop Mobile Computing Expo at the Chicago Mart/Expo Center in Chicago, Illinois. Exhibitors will show the latest in mobile computing, software, pen, peripherals and communications from the industry's leading manufacturers. In conjunction with the exhibits is the Mobile Systems Solutions Conference series. Featuring over 80 leading industry experts speakers, the conference provides vital information needed to build or improve your world of mobile computing. //// PC Expo October 19-21, 1993 PC Expo-Chicago, McCormick Place East, Chicago IL. //// CD-ROM Expo October 27-29, 1993 CD-ROM Exposition at the World Trade Center, Boston MA. //// EDA&T Asia '93 October 27-29, 1993 EDA&T Asia '93. The Electronic Design and Test Conference Exhibition at the Taipei International Convention Center in Taiwan. Exhibit space is still available. For more information contact: Betsy Donahue, Chicago, Fax: 708-475-2794. //// November 1-3, 1993 Online/CD-ROM '93, Washington DC. //// GeoCon/93 November 7-10, 1993 GeoCon/93, an international conference and showcase for software products developed outside the U.S. at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge, Mass. The conference program will include three days of workshops on topics of interest to overseas developers entering the U.S. market. Workshop presenters will discuss such issues as how to negotiate distribution and licensing contracts, setting up a business in the U.S., manufacturing and fulfillment, technical support, packaging, research sources, and how to market through direct, retail, and catalog channels. For additional information, contact Tom Stitt, associate publisher, Soft letter, 17 Main St., Watertown, Mass. 02272-9154; Telephone 617-924-3944; Fax 617-924-7288, or Colleen O'Shea, director, Soft letter Europe, 2 um Bierg, 7641 Chirstnach, Luxembourg, Telephone: 35.2.87119; Fax: 35.2.87048. //// COMDEX November 15-19, 1993 COMDEX Fall '93. Las Vegas Nevada. //// Mobile '94 March 6-10, 1994 Mobile '94 Conference and Exposition at the San Jose Convention Center. //// SAC Expo 94 March 12-13, 1994 S.T.A.R (formerly known as SST) proudly announces SAC Expo 94. The second annual Sacramento Atari Computer Exposition will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Towe Ford Museum: 2200 Front Street, Sacramento, California 95818. The Towe Ford Museum was so excited about the '93 show that they allocated nearly double the space in the museum for SAC Expo 94. STAR will be mailing vendor packets by September, if you are a vendor and did not receive a packet for SAC Expo 93, please contact us so you will not be missed this year. Look for future press releases containing more details, vendor lists, and show information. For more information contact STAR at P.O. Box 214892, Sacramento, CA 95821-0892. //// GEC '94 June 4-11, 1994 GEC '94, Milam ITALY. Centrexpo, Sheila Palka/Delia Associates, PO Box 338, Route 22 West, Whitehouse, NJ 08888; (800) 524-2193, (908) 534-6856 (Fax). If you have an event you would like to include on the AEO Calender of Events, please send email via GEnie to Z-NET, CompuServe 75300,1642, or via FNET to node 593 or AtariNet node 51:1/13.0. International shows also covered. --==--==--==--==-- ||| The Unabashed Atariophile ||| By: Michael R. Burkley / | \ GEnie: AEO.4 Delphi: MRBURKLEY ---------------------------------------------------------------- In my last column I talked about how closely connected to each other. If you remember it only takes five "hand-to-hand" transfers to send a letter coast to coast. This week I want to ask your help in finding someone (actually, two someones). My favorite banner program is DMBANNER, by Dwight Morgan. I reviewed it several months ago, but you can read about it again below. My problem is that it is SHAREWARE, and now that I've finally gotten around to sending off my registration fee (only $10) I find that he's moved and that there is no forwarding address (he used to live in Wilmington, DE)! Can you help me find him! Another person I would like to find is Kristofer H. Cruz. Kristofer wrote KDOODLE v.1.1 (read about it below). I'd like to contact him, but I can't find him! He wrote an excellent SHAREWARE program, but he can't get my registration until I (or YOU) can find him. Can you help me out! I wish there was some way for shareware authors to register their addresses so that they might keep them current. Perhaps GEnie and/or Delphi could start such a database. Anything to encourage shareware authors! It's been a busy two weeks with vacation time and four days recovering from a horrid ear infection (I don't remember them hurting that much when I was a kid!). So while I've downloaded piles of files, I've only gotten to write descriptions of a few files. But, I guess that the ones I've described are the ones that caught my attention right off. I hope you enjoy your reading! AUTORAIS is AutoRaise by Annius Groenink (dated July 1, 1991). This is a small accessory that presents you with an alert box to let you switch on/off an autoraise function. What does that mean? It means that from now on you don't need to click on a window to get to to come to the top. Just move your mouse over a window and in about 200 miliseconds it will pop to the top. It works quite well, except that sometimes after a dialog it "clicks" in some active window, thinking that it has to pop it up (though not very often). Color or mono. Docs included. STe compatible. Don't use through MultiDesk. BACKGRND is three nicely done .PI2 pictures designed for use as desktop background screens. The first is is a series of parallel horizontal columns consisting of interlocking bars with a vaguely Egyptian theme (or at least that's what the name, "EGYPT" leads me to believe!). The next is entitled ESCHER and is his drawing of flying flocks of birds creating their opposite color counterparts by their empty spaces. The third is RIVETS, and causes my eyes to water! 3-D rivets are regularly spaced about the screen, but they seem to wander about when you're not staring straight at them! BSPCLK is the Bermuda Clock v.1.1 by Bruno Essmann (dated June 10, 1992). This .ACC clock will allow you display your system time (with or without seconds) in the upper right corner; display free memory (FastRam may be displayed separately); will work on all TOS versions (but I'm not sure about the Falcon), and will work in all resolutions (as long as they aren't ST low or med.!). Docs included. CRUSSTAR is a Lexicor Chronos 3D .FLM animation of a starship preparing for FTL travel. It rotates before you and then recedes into the distance. Player program included. ST Low Rez. DICTHELP is the Dictionary Helper v.1.00 from SanDenico Enterprises (Dom D'Antonio). Dictionary helper is a 1384+ word file you add to your spelling checker dictionary to reduce the number of false alarms-words that get flagged even though they are spelled correctly. Import this file into your favorite word processor and do a spell check on it. Add the words you think you'll need to your speller. This file contains everyday abbreviations and contractions, the names of the 50 states and their capitals (along with other major cities, foreign countries and many foreign cities, and other Atari specific vocabulary. Recommended. DMBANNER by Dwight Morgan of M S I of Wilmington, is the best banner program I have ever seen. This is a must have!! The output is great. You can even print messages inside the letters of your banner. Docs included. Color or mono. SHAREWARE. DMJPICAT is a series of 20 Spectrum (SPC) pictures created by Damien M. Jones using his SPC Thumb, picture categorizing utility. Damien, the author of SPC Thumb, View II, SoundLab, and DMJ_GIF (among others) has passed these out so you can ask for any picture from him you wish. There are LOTS - 25 per Spectrum picture. They are high quality as well. This is a very good demo of just what SPC Thumb is for. An almost completely working demo is also available just about everywhere. ENVIRO is a Calamus .CFN font. It is an upper and lower case font (the lower case looks the same as the upper only smaller) that has the number characters and only a few punctuation marks. It mimicks a flowing hand-printed style full of bold strokes. While not the greatest and most refined of creations, this could be useful at times. Uploaded to GEnie by D. Hawkins, and perhaps created by him. (on CodeHead, too). F6_01 is the July 4, 1993 sample of a BBS Express! Script File to be executed from the the Keyboard Function Keys (F6 through F9). If you are a registered owner of BBS Express, then this file just might be for you! Do you remember that I told you that I had problems with File Cat v.1.3 by Randy Hoekstra, and my large Hard Drive? Well, it wasn't a problem with my hard drive but rather with the number of files and folders I had on my partitions. I talked with the author and this is what he wrote: File Cat is currently hard coded with a limit of 200 folders per drive (partition), 1000 files per folder, and 5000 total files per drive. Exceeding any one of these limits will cause the program to crash. These limits are due to the memory intensive requirements of having three complete lists of file information loaded at one time (plus a possible text file display) and an attempt to remain compatible with the original 520ST computer. A future version is planned to allow these limits to be user defined within the limits of available memory and according to the needs of each user. So that means that most of you won't have any problems with File Cat, just as it is right now. But it will get even better in the future! Now that's service for you! FPSTAR by D. Moen is a Lexicor Chronos .FLM animation (with viewer included), that shows a very nicely done Next Generation Enterprise leaving Earth orbit and flying off to the stars on Impulse drive. Low rez color. FROGGER is Frogger!, a remake of an old 8-bit game now done by Dave Munsie. The object of the game is to move your frog through hazards like cars and other objects in order to make it all the way to one of the safe froggy homes on the side of the screen. Use your joystick to guide the little critter. I have enjoyed playing this game. The colors and bright and attractive. The game is easily controlled. Color only with any amount of RAM. ST--TT compatible (should work on a Falcon, too). Donationware. HAWKMAN by D. Hawkins is a Calamus .CFN font of his handwriting! He uses it to write letters that almost look like handwritten letters (printed), but in this case, more legible. This is a upper-case only font that contains number characters and some basic punctuation. It's not your standard block printing, but rather uses a curved and flowing style. GEnie, CodeHead. KDOODLE1 is KDOODLER v.1.1 (dated Oct. 8, 1988) by Kristofer H. Cruz. It is a monochrome based graphics drawing and manipulation program that will also work on a color monitor. It is not a CAD system (although far less capable PD programs have been pushed off as such). It is for the person who wants to use some of the more advanced graphic features to do High Tech doodling. This program will do almost anything you might wish a High Tech doodling program to do. This program is for you! DEGAS, Printmaster, MacPaint files are all supported. SHAREWARE. * Works in colo or mono * Import PM+ shapes (reg. vrs only) * Import MacPaint (reg. vrs only) * Magnify or fatbits * Separate color palettes * Editable fill * Color Fills * Improved error checking * Four working screens. * Cut-N-Paste,Buffer,Blend * Screen inversion * Copy-N-Paste,Buffer * Degas Compatible * Bit Image Format * Contrasting * Editable Fills * Editable Text * Editable Paint * Editable Linetypes * Text Rotation * Image Mirroring * Image Ghosting * Image Negatives * Circles,Ellipses,Box, Rbox * Chalk * Rubberbanding * Lines * Undo Command * Printing position line As you can see this is one capable program. TOS 1,0-1.62 compatible (that shows the skill of the programmer to do it right in such an old program!). LDONUT is "Two Little Falcon030 Demos Knocked up in a day" by Martin Griffiths and TK Dentrassi. These two demos will show you... - 50khz linearly interpolated 16 bit stereo sound using DSP, - True Colour Gouraud Shading, - And a little DSP rotated 3D Sphere of 1000 points. As the uploader says, "Has a true-color intro screen, and awesome shaded object rotation. Also has a 50KHz soundtrack with oversampling playback. Also includes a sphere rotation demo. Requires 1224 mode/TV." You also need a program to switch your Falcon into the PAL/50Hz mode (see PAL below). Over 970K uncompressed, so you will need that hard drive (and a Falcon!). MC20 is a working demo (or free update if you already own the commercial program!) of MEGA-Check 2 v.2.03 by Chris Muller of Muller Automation (dated July, 1993). This newest upgrade to this constantly improving product fixes a bug with TOS 1.0 and 1.2. A fully working demo (with only a 30 transaction limit) will allow you to easily (well, fairly easily!) track your finances, personal, investment, and business. GEM based, it has features that I really appreciate. It doesn't require you to learn any arcane language to use it. It interacts with you in plain English, and tells you what to do in the same way. Here are just some of it's features: A built-in alarm that won't let you forget to pay your bills or create a needed report; fully automated checkbook balancing; prints out your checks on any printer; add or edit any number of accounts (limited only by your computer's memory); configurable warnings when specific account balances get too high or too low (avoid account charges and limit risks in various investments; run "what if" projections; track appreciation/ depreciation; add extended notes to any transaction; built-in address/ phone database; very powerful report generation - and all in the "background" as well, which increases your productivity, and extensive on-line help. This version implements an improved "on-the-fly" data compression which will free up a lot of your disk space. Color or mono. ST--TT compatible (in ST resolutions). Requires at least one meg of RAM. This file uncompresses to 814K, so you will either need a hard drive or an extended format disk to uncompress it. MDP_213 is Mega Depack v.2.13 by Mike Watson (dated June 4, 1993). This .PRG/.ACC (just rename it) will uncompress/unpack just about any file packed with any of a zillion different packers (actually 54 packers supported with 92 different file formats, including DC Squish, Pack Ice, Pompey Packer, PFX and MANY more). Mouse or command line controlled. Batch processing available. Why would you need to unpack a program? If you have a hard drive space might not be as critical and an unpacked file will often load faster. Another reason is that when you update a STOS program for a new TOS version (such as STOSFX21 allows you to do), you need to work with an uncompressed program. There are other reasons as well! This is a very "intelligent" and versatile program which I highly recommend. Color or mono. TOS 1.0--Falcon compatible. SHAREWARE (I've registered). Docs included. GEnie. NSLTRLYT is a Calamus 1.09 .CDK document by D. Harris of Laser's Edge Graphics. It is the template of a church newsletter. It contains some text (interesting!) and graphics, along with various text effects created through Calamus' built-in tools. While this file uses lots of PD fonts, you can substitute your own with little ill effect. The author offers it to us as an idea booster. NUMBRS10 is Learn My Numbers v.1.0 by Anthony Watson (dated July 10, 1993). I liked this color and mono learning game. Designed for pre- schoolers who are just learning their numbers, Learn My Numbers will ask (in a pleasing male voice - Anthony's?) the child to press a number (using the mouse). The child then gets a word of approval "That's correct!" or other similar words in a cartoonish, upbeat voice. Incorrect answers simply give the child the chance to keep on trying until he or she gets it right. This game is played until nine correct or nine incorrect answers are recorded, and the score is announced. High scores are saved to disk. There is a practice mode where when the child presses any number that number's name is spoken. Docs included. Shareware. STE--Falcon required. The older ST's do not have the needed DMA sound hardware. This might even run on a 520 STe, but one meg for sure. PAL is a program by Bry Edewaard that will switch your Falcon into the PAL/50Hz mode with your SC1224. This little program can replace all those 50Hz programs for the ST that don't work on the Falcon. Thanks Bry for being a Pal! PSY_PIG2 is Pyscho Pig II. This is an excellent platform-style game. It's quite large, ending up on two disks. You play the role of Pyscho Pig, the SuperPig who has taken on the task on the task of rescuing a clutch of baby crocodiles from an evil bird who wants to turn them into purses! Battle across four different landscapes gathering everything you need to save the day. Jump, float, fly, bounce from platform to platform, climb hills, burrow through the ground--in short everything you see on any "Super NES" machine is right here. Shareware, and well worth it. Color only. A STOS game (TOS 1.62 compatible, at least--but check out STOSFX21 for higher versions of TOS). RSRCDUMP is RSRC_DUMP() v.1.00 by Lonny L. Pursell (dated Jyly 2, 1993). He wrote this program to allow him to examine some of the neat things that other programmers do to make their programs usable and beautiful. This will un-load (if you will) a resource file from a running program. You can then examine this resource file to your heart's content, seeing just how an author made that icon on screen or whatever. You can save these files to disk with the press of a key for further checking with a resource editor. Works with .ACCs and programs that can run external applications. Color or mono. STe--TT compatible (at least). Docs included. CodeHead. RUDE_V10 is the Rude Dog Software Viewer v.1.0, Pure C by Sean P. Price. Rude Dog (RD) will work in any ST/TT resolution (though it will only display text in 80 column or above modes)and will display your ASCII text (much faster than previous versions), VT52, ANSI, Degas .PI? and .PC? images, NeoChrome .NEO images, and Prism Paint .PNT images (all in their appropriate resolutions). It detects ANSI files automatically (great for you BBSers!), and will display them using as many colors as are available. It also fully supports ANSI attributes such as Ghost and Underline. It has separate ANSI fonts for 8 and 16 line font sizes giving you high quality character output. One thing I really like is that this program returns your screen colors to their original form after RD runs. ST-Falcon compatible. Now MultiTOS compatible. Docs included. SHAREWARE ($3-5). SPEAKOF2 is v.2.0 of a small AUTO-Folder utility by Thomas Binder that will allow you to switch the internal speaker of your Falcon 030 off. If you have version 1.0 don't use it because it could mess up your floppies! This version fixes that! This is especially useful for those of you who have external speakers hooked up to your Falcon and don't want to be bothered by the (loud) internal speaker. By pressing the SHIFT key at bootup this program will not turn off the speaker. Falcon required! STFLY is an OK Chronos .FLM animation (with player program included) that shows the NCC-1701D (the Next Generation) flying towards you. A Klingon Cruiser flys over your shoulder and away from you. Requires at least one meg of RAM and ST Low rez. 614K uncompressed. STOSFX21 is STOS FIXER v.2.1 by Robert Quezada (dated July 1, 1993). This program will take your STOS programs, run-time or compiled, and allow you to update them for any TOS release. It's a very handy thing to have when you have a nice STOS program that won't run on your TOS! They even remain compatible with TOS 1.0 (an earlier version of this program wrote the new data to the TOS 1.0 addresses and rendered the program incompatible with that TOS). Color or mono. The program must not be compressed for this to work (so get Mega de-pack v.2.13 to uncompress any packed programs). Color or mono. Docs included. TILE_KIT from CALI-CO is their MAH-JONG solitaire Tile Set Creation Kit for use with their Mah-Jong solitaire v.3.0 game. This will allow you to design your own tile sets. Directions included. If you haven't seen their Mah-Jong solitaire you might want to hunt for their free demo. It's good! Lo-rez color only. TRAILER is a scanned .IMG of a large solid shell camping trailer (the kind with two axels). Useful for DTP work. Remember to keep an eye peeled for Dwight Morgan and Kristofer H. Cruz! They're two too good programmers to get lost! Finally, I've decided to usually not mention where I find my files. Often they are found on Delphi or GEnie, both excellent services with I heartily recommend to you. If you can't find a file on one, you likely can find it on the other. For those files that have only shown up on CodeHead's BBS, Toad Hall or The Boston Computer Society's BBS (and there are numbers of those), I will mention their source for you to follow up on, if you wish. Take care. All of these files can be found on one or more of the following on-line services: GEnie (AEO.4 or M.BURKLEY1), Delphi (MRBURKLEY), The CodeHead BBS (213-461-2095), Toad Hall (617-567-8642), and The Boston Computer Society's Atari BBS (617-396-4607) (Michael R. Burkley). Drop me a line! Michael lives in Niagara Falls, NY. He is a former Polyurethane Research Chemist and is presently the pastor of the Niagara Presbyterian Church. --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- GEnie Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- 1. Set your communications software for half duplex (local echo) -- -- at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud. -- -- -- -- 2. Dial toll free: 1-800-638-8369 (or in Canada, 1-800-387-8330). -- -- Upon connection, enter HHH. -- -- -- -- 3. At the U# prompt, enter XTX99436,GENIE then press . -- -- -- -- 4. Have a major credit card ready. In the U.S., you may also use -- -- your checking account number. -- -- -- -- For more information in the United States or Canada, call 1-800- -- -- 638-9636 or write: GEnie, c/o GE Information Services, P.O. Box -- -- 6403, Rockville, MD 20850-1785. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- Atari's Official On-line Resource! --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| What is this ATARI UNITED! thing? ||| By: Gordie Meyer / | \ Delphi: BIBLINSKI ------------------------------------------------------------------ When ATARI UNITED! was first announced in an online conference on DELPHI, some DELPHI members had questions, which I'm sure others share, about the intent, focus and reasoning behind ATARI UNITED!. A bit of history about the development of this organization might help begin to answer those questions. ATARI UNITED! was born out of the suspicion that more Atari TOS computer owners exist than most in the active Atari community realize. Patti and I have both had many experiences in which we have come into contact with owners who had no idea that a thriving Atari community still existed. We have both been responsible for bringing ST owners 'out-of-the-closet' and renewing their use of their machines. And, of course, with every renewed Atari owner comes some degree of new spending on equipment and/or software. ATARI UNITED! has been organized with the intent of searching out these isolated owners on a nationwide scale, with the hope that these users will expand the active userbase. And as a result will promote new business for our loyal developers. ATARI UNITED! seeks to repair the disintegration of communication between users and developers in the Atari market, especially because of the demise of many printed Atari-specific magazines that all too often are an owner's only link to the community. A late night conversation about the dismal state of the Atari market in the US led to a discussion about ways that it could be improved, independent of direct Atari Corporation involvement. Obviously, we concluded that the creation of a nationwide database containing information about users, dealers and developers was the first step in rebuilding the lost lines of communication. This has become the first priority of our fledgling organization. While it is being compiled, other projects are and will be developed, so that our database can be utilized to its full extent when more complete. Atari user groups have always been a valuable means of keeping the Atari community together, and it was obvious that user groups were the best place to begin compiling information. Bob Brodie, Director of Communication for Atari Corporation, and former User Group Coordinator, was contacted, provided an outline of our purpose and plan of action, and asked for a list of user groups that could be used in the effort. He was happy to provide us with the necessary information, and so, the work began. The name ATARI UNITED! was chosen, and again, Bob Brodie was contacted. Permission to use Atari's name was granted, so long as the organization was used to support Atari products and their users. As this was the very foundation of the organization, an informal agreement was quickly reached, and ATARI UNITED! became our offical name. It was further determined that AU! should be a not-for-profit organization, similar to the general form that Atari user groups have taken over the years. ATARI UNITED! does not exist to bilk Atari users out of their money. Actually, we'd prefer that their money be invested in hardware and software, so our loyal developers can make a living. We intend to make all ATARI UNITED! services and projects as affordable as possible. Registration is free of course, and many of the other benefits we will be able to provide will be free of cost to the user also. ATARI UNITED!'s first project beyond the database is a quarterly DiskMagazine. It will be geared to provide developer news, product reviews, game hints, help columns, and a few surprises. Eventually, program demos might be included, so a taste of what is up and coming can be given as wide an audience as possible. While similar things are now available in the online magazines, it is important to realize that most of the Atari community members are not 'modemized', and that many TOS computer owners have no real link with the rest of the market. So, it is not so much a matter of duplicating what already exists, as a matter of distribution where that kind of information is so desperately needed. Kinda like being modern technological missionaries! The potential for ATARI UNITED! is enormous, for both the developers and the owners of TOS computers. With better channels of communication, developers will be able to sell more products, encouraging them to continue investing in the TOS market. We, as users, will continue to be able to purchase new products, and find support for the old. One particular benefit for user groups will grow as the database of TOS computer owners grows. User groups who register with ATARI UNITED! will have their contact information made available to anyone who inquires about TOS support in their area. User groups will also periodically be given access to information about local users contacted by us. Just as the developer and the user can be connected, so too can user groups and users. It's all a part of strengthening the communication channels throughout the entire market. In addition to communication between groups and owners, we can also help on the individual level. When an owner has a problem with his/her system, or with a piece of software, it is often helpful to contact someone nearby with the knowledge to solve the problem. Even if a user doesn't have a 'problem' per se, the exchange of information and ideas can only benefit the community. Some users are lucky enough to have a local dealer, but for many, 'local' is a term that can mean several hundred miles. All of those in that predicament will be able to locate owners nearby. Just consider us a friendly dating service for your Atari computer! Some of our future projects are not far enough along to be openly discussed, but there are some exciting possibilities out there. It is important that we don't take on too much too quickly, only to find that we can't handle our first priorities. Too often a well-intentioned enterprise fails while trying to do too much all at once. Instead, we want to grow slowly with the aid and support of everyone involved in the Atari community. With this in mind, the number of staff at ATARI UNITED! is being kept very small. We have received many offers from users volunteering to help with our project, and we are encouraged by all the offers. But in these early stages, it is essential that our focus be maintained. Too many people with too many ideas would only serve to dilute our efforts at this point. However, as we grow, we will be adding to our little group, to better serve the Atari community. ATARI UNITED! intends to succeed in its effort to strengthen the Atari community. Time and money have already been expended to that end, and we are fully ready to expend more. But, it'll take the cooperation and support of TOS computer owners all across the US to make ATARI UNITED! the best it can be. To help us help all of you, register now, while you are thinking about it! Together, we will make the Atari community stronger! Gordie Meyer ATARI UNITED! ================================================================= To register: Complete the registration form below, and send to: ============================================ ATARI UNITED! P.O. Box 691 Mountain View, CA 94042-0691 or via e-mail to: abarbiero@delphi.com ============================================ Name (Last, First, MI): _________________________________________ Mailing Address: _________________________________________ _________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________ Computer Model: ___ 520 ST ___ 520 STe ___ TT ___ 1040 ST ___ 1040 STe ___ F030 ___ Mega ST ___ Mega STe Computer Serial Number: _________________________________________ User Group (if a member):_________________________________________ =======For further information, contact:======= Patti Barbiero Gordie Meyer P.O. Box 691 P.O. Box 1982 Mountain View, CA 94042-0691 or Ames, IA 50010-1982 (415) 903-9787 (515) 232-1627 abarbiero@delphi.com biblinski@delphi.com --==--==--==--==-- ||| GEnie Atari ST RoundTable News ||| Courtesy: GEnie Atari ST RT (with thanks to John Hartman!) / | \ GEnie: J.G.H. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Atari RT Weekly News 7.3 = UPCOMING ATARI SHOWS = ************************************************************ * BLUE RIDGE ATARI and COMPUTER * * COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS /\ STUDIO * * / \ * * /\ /\ / \ /\ * * / \ / \/ \ / \ * * /\ / \/ /\/ /\ \/ \ /\ * * / \/ \/ \ / \ \ \/ \ * * * * Invites one and All to our * * Fourth Annual Blue Ridge AtariFest * * July 24-25 1993 (10am-6pm Sat. / Noon-5pm Sun.) * * Westgate Shopping Center, Asheville, NC * * * * Additional Info in Atari RT - Category 11 Topic 13 * ************************************************************ = REAL TIME CONFERENCES = ---------------------------------- Damien M. Jones of dmj Software, author of DMJ GIF, Sound Lab and View II will be the featured guest in the July 28th RTC. Come on into the RTC, room 1, at 10 pm Eastern. DMJ GIF, Sound Lab AND View II will be given as door prizes. ----------------------------------- = ATARI RT LIBRARY = = RTC TRANSCRIPS = ------------------------------------------------------ 29388 STI_CN.ARC X BRIAN.H 930717 16512 87 13 Desc: Current Notes/ST Informer RTC 14 Jul 29335 DAVE_GBS.ARC X BRIAN.H 930711 20224 351 13 Desc: Gadgets (Dave Small) 7th July RTC 29310 BRODIE11.ARC X ST.LOU 930710 13184 529 13 Desc: Falcon/Jaguar/TT News! 28966 BRODIE10.ARC X ST.LOU 930605 17280 727 13 Desc: Falcon and Jaguar News from Bob! ------------------------------------------------------ = LAST WEEK'S PRESS RELEASES = ------------------------------------------------------ 29405 NOVAUPDT.ARC X LEXICOR2 930718 1664 23 14 Desc: Nova Special Update 29403 HOTFOOT.TXT X R.CONSTAN 930718 1920 20 14 Desc: HOTFOOT PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT 29382 TOADJULY.ZIP X TOAD-SERV. 930716 5504 271 14 Desc: TOAD COMPUTERS -- July Specials! 29372 STCAT_21.ZIP X B.VARGO 930716 259072 73 14 Desc: D & P Computer Disk Catalog 29371 JAG_NEWS.ARC X G.MATTHIJETZ 930716 4352 200 14 Desc: EET article about Atari Jaguar 29362 CAL_SL.UPD X POTECHIN 930714 4736 142 14 Desc: New Upgrade for Calamus SL from DMC 29345 BULKMAIL.LZH X J.EIDSVOOG1 930713 3072 142 14 Desc: CodeHead Giveaway (ASCII version) 29343 LEX_RESP.LZH X DABRUMLEVE 930712 3840 242 14 Desc: Response re Lexicor's expulsion 29324 GENPICS.LZH X GRIBNIF 930710 16768 161 14 Desc: Geneva Screen Shots (Medium/High) ------------------------------------------------------ = LAST WEEK'S DEMO RELEASES = ------------------------------------------------------ 29402 HOTFOOT.ARC X R.CONSTAN 930718 10752 11 10 Desc: Hands free control of ST Keyboard 29361 OMENINTR.TXT X CCARMICHAEL 930714 7552 48 10 Desc: Intro to OMEN for Developers 29328 OMENTT_D.ARC X CCARMICHAEL 930711 94592 55 10 Desc: GUI O/S for 68000s TT/Falcon Demo 29327 OMENST_D.ARC X CCARMICHAEL 930711 95360 102 10 Desc: New GUI O/S for 68000s ST Demo ------------------------------------------------------ = LAST TWO WEEK'S TOP 10 DOWNLOADED PROGRAMS = ------------------------------------------------------ 29320 FROGGER.LZH X D.MUNSIE 930710 57984 210 8 Desc: A hopping good game! Try it... 29341 YAHTZEE.LZH X R.NABITY 930712 29824 136 8 Desc: Yahtzee Dice Game 29311 MSA_2_32.LZH X E.JOLLEY 930710 25088 120 40 Desc: Magic Shadow Archiver II, v2.3+ 29327 OMENST_D.ARC X CCARMICHAEL 930711 95360 102 10 Desc: New GUI O/S for 68000s ST Demo 29319 ATARINET.ZIP X OUTRIDER 930710 25600 96 7 Desc: AtariNet Starter Kit 29344 JITTRBUG.ZIP X M.BURKLEY1 930712 75008 82 8 Desc: Jitterbug, MIDI/Multiplayer game 29353 WINLUP66.ZIP X GRMEYER 930713 113152 60 2 Desc: Window Magnifier Util 29328 OMENTT_D.ARC X CCARMICHAEL 930711 94592 55 10 Desc: GUI O/S for 68000s TT/Falcon Demo 29250 DICTHELP.LZH X D.DANTONIO 930705 6272 55 21 Desc: Dictionary Helper-Add 2 Spell Checkr 29331 ZOOM3.LST X BALKCOM 930711 3968 52 3 Desc: Working GFA code to resize PUT seg. ------------------------------------------------------ = LAST TWO WEEK'S INTERNET ARCHIVES = ------------------------------------------------------ 29369 INET35.ARC X POTECHIN 930715 13568 33 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 13, 1993 29363 INET34.ARC X POTECHIN 930714 13440 25 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 13, 1993 29360 INET33.ARC X POTECHIN 930714 12672 22 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 13, 1993 29350 INET32.ARC X POTECHIN 930713 2944 27 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 12, 1993 29349 INET31.ARC X POTECHIN 930713 11264 20 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 12, 1993 29348 INET30.ARC X POTECHIN 930713 23808 23 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 12, 1993 29342 INET29.ARC X POTECHIN 930712 9344 25 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 11, 1993 29303 INET28.ARC X POTECHIN 930709 12800 29 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29302 INET27.ARC X POTECHIN 930709 6528 24 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29301 INET26.ARC X POTECHIN 930709 21760 16 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29296 INET25.ARC X POTECHIN 930708 7168 20 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29290 INET24.ARC X POTECHIN 930708 11776 24 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29289 INET23.ARC X POTECHIN 930708 29696 18 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 8, 1993 29270 INET22.ARC X POTECHIN 930706 57216 26 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 6, 1993 29265 INET21.ARC X POTECHIN 930706 66816 19 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 6, 1993 29232 INET20.ARC X POTECHIN 930703 27520 39 48 Desc: Internet Archive July 3, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------ --==--==--==--==-- ||| Atari Developer CD-ROM Announcement ||| By: Mike Fulton / | \ GEnie: MIKE-FULTON CIS: 75300,1141 Delphi: ATARITECH ---------------------------------------------------------------- This file may be freely distributed & reprinted provided it is complete and unedited. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Fulton, Atari Developer Support To: Atari Developer Community & Atari Programmers everywhere Atari Developer CDROM --------------------- Atari is currently in the production stages of creating a Developer CDROM disc that will be offered to both new and existing developers. The initial release is slated for the developer conference that is going to be held on Friday, September 17, 1993 in Glendale, California, the day before "Atari Computer Faire, Version 7.0" starts (AKA "The Glendale Show"). Once the initial version of the disc has been released, we expect to have updates a couple of times a year with new material and any necessary corrections. Once you've purchased the disc, you'll be able to get the upgrade discs at reduced cost. (Exact pricing information for the disc and/or updates is not available at this time, but it should be pretty reasonable.) Since not all developers will already be using a CDROM drive with their system, we plan to include a floppy disk that will have the necessary CDROM driver software to allow them to access the disc once they have connected a CDROM drive to their computer. =========================================================================== Here's a preliminary outline of what we hope to include on the disc: (This is still preliminary subject to change without notice, of course!) =========================================================================== * All of the current versions of all of the programs and files in the Atari developer's kit, plus additional related items not included in the regular kit. * Atari Falcon030-specific developer's tools such as the DSP Assembler, Linker, and Debugger * Current release of SpeedoGDOS outline font scaler * Current release of MultiTOS multitasking operating system * Atari Works -- integrated word processor, spreadsheet, database * Programs that currently ship with Atari computers such as the Falcon030 (but which work with older machines) that not everybody may have, such as: CalAppt -- Calendar/Appointment Book/Address Book Procalc -- Calculator Accessory (with number-base conversions) Talking Clock -- STE/TT/Falcon030 Talking Clock Program/accessory Accessory Games -- Breakout, Landmine Audio Fun Machine -- Assign sounds to keystrokes & system events on STE/TT/Falcon030 * Online Documentation -- The disc contents will be described in an online hypertext format. Additionally, at least some of the regular developer's documentation will also be available in hypertext format. (With more to come on future updates.) Imagine being able to look at a function reference of all the functions described in the GEMDOS manual. You click on "Fsfirst()" and get a description of that function. While you're looking at that, you start to wonder what the rules for legal filenames are, so you click on "Filename" and see a description of what constitutes a legal filename. * Demo programs -- graphics demos, sound demos, etc. For all machines, especially the new Atari Falcon030. * Sample source code -- for new TOS features, from past developer newsletters, and so on. =========================================================================== Aside from all of the above, there are three additional categories of files that we would like to include. These categories all depend to a large degree on submissions from the Atari Developer community. =========================================================================== * Public-domain & shareware development tools, utilities, & source code. We would like to include as much public domain and shareware stuff as we can. We want development tools, utilties, sample source code, and anything else that is programming-related. For example, we would like to include things like the GNU GCC compiler (C & C++) and other GNU tools, and possibly other PD or shareware compilers as well. We would like to include just about any kind of developer oriented program, but we do have a few basic guidelines about the submissions that we would like to follow: 1) The software should be compatible with both SpeedoGDOS and MultiTOS. By 'compatible' I mean it doesn't crash or mess up the display in some fashion. Taking advantage of either SpeedoGDOS or MultiTOS is not required, although it is certainly welcome. If you have something that you might like to submit, and you aren't sure how it behaves with SpeedoGDOS or MultiTOS, please just go ahead and submit it. We will be testing submissions as much as possible before including them. Include information for any compatibility problems you already know about. If you know for a fact that your submission doesn't work with SpeedoGDOS and/or MultiTOS, but feel that other developers will still find it quite useful, then let us know about it and perhaps we'll make an exception here and there (pun absolutely intended! ;^). In most cases, incompatibility problems with SpeedoGDOS and MultiTOS are easy to fix, because they are usally caused by one of a small handfull of programming errors. If you make your submission, it may be the case that we can point out what's wrong and you will be able to fix it without too much trouble. One problem that some programs have regarding MultiTOS is that they don't do their console & screen I/O in a consistent manner. They mix up BIOS, GEMDOS and GEM calls all together. For example, they might use Bconin() to get keyboard input and then they'll use v_gtext() to output information to the screen. Or they'll use evnt_keybd() or evnt_multi() to get their input, and then use Bconout() or Cconws() or some other such BIOS or GEMDOS call to do their screen I/O. This doesn't work too well with MultiTOS where programs generally don't own the whole system and have to share the keyboard and display screen with other programs. If you're going to do be a GEM program, then you should do all of your screen & console I/O through GEM. If you're not a GEM program, then you should do all of your console & screen I/O through the BIOS and GEMDOS. Pick one or the other and stick with it. 2) The submission should have at least minimal documentation, preferably in English. If complete documentation is only available in another language, then we'll have to judge how difficult the program is to figure out and use without documentation. Submission Guidelines --------------------- * If something is clearly marked as being public domain, you do not have to be the author to submit it. * On files marked "Public Domain", if there is a notice about distibution restrictions of some kind, then the author may have misunderstood what "public domain" means and we'll try to contact them to straighten things out and make sure they don't have a problem with us including their stuff on the CDROM. (Legally speaking, once something has been released into the public domain, the author has given up the rights to put any restrictions on it of any kind. Free Software and Public Domain Software aren't the same thing.) * If something is marked as being shareware, you do not have to be the author to submit it, but you must include all of the appropriate files including the information on how to contact the copyright holder so that we can contact them to obtain permission if necessary. * If something has a copyright notice, but is marked as being freely distributable, you do not have to be the author to submit it, but you must include all of the appropriate files. * If something has a copyright notice, and is not marked as being shareware or as being freely distributable, before submitting it, please send email with whatever information is available for the program, but not the program itself. =========================================================================== * Demo versions of commercially available software We would like to include disabled demo versions of commercially available software. For example, if we weren't including a fully working version of Atari Works, we might instead include a demo version that would let you load and edit files, but not let you save or print (or would print with a special "DEMO VERSION" box on top of the regular text). We would like to concentrate on developer-oriented & power-user software such as programming languages and utilities, program shells, disk utilities, and so forth. However, if space permits, we may be able to include a few more end-user oriented demos. If you would like to make such a submission, let us know and we'll try to get it on the disc if possible. A CDROM holds about 600mb and while that may sound like a lot (and is!) it can still get filled up very quickly. It is strongly recommended that demo versions have their disabled sections completely removed, not simply disabled. If your demo version isn't supposed to be able to print, then take the printing code out completely rather than simply jumping past it. If you don't take such steps, then somebody may figure out how to re-enable the disabled sections of the program. =========================================================================== * Locked (password encrypted) versions of shareware and commercially available software To go along with the demo versions mentioned above, it would be great if we could include actual working versions of some of these products. Let's use Hisoft's Lattice C as an example: Suppose that there was a demo version on the disc that would let you create source code files up to 5K long and compile them. But you couldn't save the files, and you could only have 1 object module, and the resulting program would say "COMPILED WITH DEMO VERSION OF LATTICE C" several times whenever you ran it, and only work right if the Lattice C integrated environment had passed it a special code on the commandline when it ran. Such a demo version would give the user a reasonable chance to see the program and decide if they like it or not, but without making the demo version useful in its own right. So now a user sees the demo version and says "Wow, this looks pretty cool, and I'd like to buy the real thing." So they call up the publisher, which would be Oregon Research here in North America, or HISOFT in the U.K. and Europe, and they say "I have the Atari Developer CDROM and I want to purchase Lattice C". At this point, the publisher would take down the user's credit card number, and say "What's the serial number for your CDROM?" and the user would tell them, and then they would be given a special password that can be used to install a fully working version of the program onto their hard disk from the CDROM. Some documentation would be included online, and the user would get a regular set of manuals in the mail a few days later. This is good for the user: he gets to try out the software before he buys it. This is good for the publisher: you save some money because you don't have to pay for fancy packaging, floppy disks, or even for manuals if you can manage to get it all in online form. You can sell the password at a discount compared with the regular price, and still make more per package than you normally do (since there is no distributor or dealer discount involved). This is good for the user: he gets to save a little money and gets to install the software from CDROM instead of having to do it from floppy disks. This is good for the publisher: You've got direct advertising of the most effective kind aimed at the users who are going to be most interested in this kind of product. How does it work? Will it be secure? Each CDROM will come with a floppy disk that is serialized. Included on this disk will be an installation program shell that will be used to install the locked software after a user has purchased the password. This will be something that Atari will put together that works as follows: The user will run the shell, and their serial number will be displayed on screen. They'll give this number to the publisher, and the publisher will use a special program or spreadsheet or otherwise figure out what the password needs to be, and give the user this password. Now the user can tell the installation shell what they want to install. They'll point at the desired item and then the shell will execute an installation program that the publisher will create. The CDROM serial number will be given to this installation program. Then the publisher's install program will get the password from the user and combine it with the CDROM serial number to generate a decryption code. Then the install program will use this code to decode and install the program. There's more detail here than I'm giving, but I'd rather discuss it only with those developers who are making a submission. I think the basic idea that's important to get across is that it will be at least as secure as your basic floppy disk release. Plus, the resulting installed programs can be marked in such a way that you'd be able to figure out the serial number from the CDROM they were installed from. Time permitting, there will probably be an Atari supplied installation program that is capable of working in this fashion, and it will be made available to those developers who are interested. =========================================================================== For the most part, we would like to avoid the use of file-compression utilities such as ARC, LHARC, ZOO, or ZIP. We would prefer to have files on the CDROM in an uncompressed format that is ready to use. (The encrypted fully working versions of commercial software would be an exception here.) However, if we have so many submissions that we run out of room, some material may be placed onto the disc in an archived format. We plan to include the various file compression utilities on the disc, however, so the user will be able to decompress anything on the disc without needing to get anything like a decompression program from some other source. =========================================================================== Please keep in mind that this is a developer-oriented CDROM, not aimed at the average end-user. There will probably be some sharp edges to watch out for, although we'll try to make everything as easy to figure out and use as possible. If you want to submit an encrypted version of your software, please contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so that we can get things worked out as early as possible. In order to be included on the initial release of the disc, submissions must be received before the deadlines given below. Submissions made after the deadlines will be included if possible, but will most likely be held over for the next update of the disc. The deadline for all submissions except encrypted versions of commercial programs is August 7. The deadline for encrypted versions of working programs is August 21. The CDROM will be going to production approximately the first week of September. If there is some special reason you cannot make either deadline, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can make special arrangements if possible. Your Submissions Are Welcome! Send submissions, questions, comments, etc. to Mike Fulton at: Mailing Address: EMAIL: Atari Corp. GEnie = MIKE-FULTON Attn: Mike Fulton Delphi = ATARITECH 1196 Borregas Ave. Compuserve = 75300,1141 Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Internet = 75300.1141@compuserve.com Atari BBS (408) 745-2196 (Log on with name of "Atari Dev1" and use "DEVONE" for password, send email to "Mike Fulton". You won't be able to read messages or download files with this account, but you can upload and send me email.) --==--==--==--==-- ||| Developing Notes ||| Important items from TOS platform developers and supporters / | \ --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Photo Show Now Shipping =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= We will be shipping the first Photo CD application for the Atari Falcon series of computers starting Monday, July 26. Photo Show for the Falcon makes use of the built in true color graphics, built in SCSI-2 port, and built-in CD quality sound recording and playback capabilities of the Atari Falcon. Graphics can be viewed directly from the Kodak Photo CD disc or scripted into custom slide shows that allow you to mix graphics and sound into a multimedia presentation. Presentations can be played in a continuous loop. Three professional quality sound loops are included with the program to get you started. Presentations can be recorded to VCR without additional cards. All you need is a RCA type cable. Shows can be viewed on RGB, VGA, or broadcast monitors with the outputs built into the basic Atari Falcon. The export module included with Photo Show will allow the exporting of true-color images in 24 bit TIF, 24 bit EPS, 24 bit RGB data, or 16 bit RGB data. A SCSI-2 MultiTOS CD rom driver is included with Photo Show. The driver can read both Photo CD's XA format and standard 9660 CD rom discs. Photo Show retails for $35.00. Ask at your favorite dealer. For more information write It's All Relative, 2233 Keeven Lane, Florissant MO 63031. Voice: (314) 831-9482 GEnie / Delphi: GREG CIS: 70357,2312 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Seurat Upgrade Available =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= SEURAT is the Atari graphics program that pioneered any-sized virtual- screen buffers for multiple images in B&W and COLOR, offering the same powerful functions for COLOR IMAGES that you expect to find only in top mono programs. Supports 16 file formats. New BitCamera enlarges, reduces and re-proportions images. New Clip and Page functions: Rotate, Flip, Invert, Crop, Cut, Paste, Overlay, Copy using whole images of any size, permitting multiple horizontal and vertical image-merging that no merge program can. SCANNER Support! Loads PageStream Fonts (& Degas, GDOS fonts). SEURAT has been and will remain the most full-featured Atari Art program with more than 400 functions. EVERY purchaser of SEURAT V2.8 is guaranteed free upgrade to SEURAT V3.0, for all resolutions and video modes on all Atari's, including Falcon 256-color & TrueColor modes. Price $59.95. NOTE: SEURAT V3.0 will support the TrueColor export file formats of Photo Show by It's All Relative, giving you the power to edit and rework your Kodak Photo CD images! SKWare One also produces COLORSCAN, which converts mono scanned images in- to color pictures (in ten formats). Runs on all Ataris (Falcon- compatible). COLORSCAN II for 256-color video modes is in final development now. Free Upgrade guarantee with purchase of Colorscan I. Price $59.95. Check, money order, MC/VISA accepted. SKWare One P. O. Box 277 Bunker Hill, Illinois 62014-0277 USA =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Processor Direct Update =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Promotional brochures on Processor Direct magazine are ready for distribution, which contains many details on the magazine, and also has a little panel to send in and subscribe. The brochures are available to anyone who wants one, and if you have a few friends or belong to a user's group, we can send as many as you may need. P-Direct is very close to annoucing user group bulk subscriptions which will allow user groups with more than 5 subscribers to Processor Direct to recieve a discount, up to 40% off the regular subscription rate depending on the quantity. To receive brochures, simply GEmail your address and how many brochures you would like to P-DIRECT, and the brochure(s) will be mailed as soon as possible. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Calamus Owners Update =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DMC Publishing is pleased to announce a new upgrade to Calamus SL. The overall performance of Calamus SL has been dramatically improved. In addition, we are very happy with the significant features that have now been activated as well as the new features and modules that we are including. The new version of Calamus SL will include the following: 1. An upgraded Text Module which now includes both an activated Anchor Frame function and an activated Leader Tab function that allows the use of any character as your assigned Leader Tab character. The module also includes an improved Spellchecker and separate Hyphenation dictionaries, improved Vertical Text Alignment and improved M-Space handling. New features include the ability to insert and search Comments, manual kerning, inserting text style and text ruler information. 2. The new ROTATE.CXM module now gives us the ability to rotate Raster Graphics in any degree with or without anti-aliasing. This means that if you rotate a graphic that has straight lines, anti-aliasing will smoothen the settings and remove stepping. 3. The new COL_CONV.CXM Color List Converter module generates a color list from graphics that have been imported from Outline Art and other sources. It can also generate a list from free colors designed within the existing document. 4. The new COMPRESS.CXM is a compression module designed to save you storage space by compressing bitmap images within your document. Note: Calamus documents, CDK's, saved with compressed bitmap images using this module, will automatically uncompress those images when the document is reloaded into Calamus SL. 5. The new CYMKSWAP.CXM module swaps color planes. 6. The new LIN.CXM Linearity module allows you to set color values optimised for your particular printer. This module will be of special interest to those of you with an HP550C for example. 7. The RASTGEN.CXM Raster Generator module has been upgraded to include the ability to set Raster caches. 8. New drivers that will be enclosed with this upgrade for Calamus SL include: GEMIMG export, CVG export, a RAW import driver for bit planes, an improved TIFF driver, an improved TARGA driver, an RPS driver for Repro Studio and an improved GEM Metafile driver. 9. Set Layout/Working Area has seen some major changes. The automatic generation of both registration marks and crop marks is now activated, as are color plane names, double-page overlap, user definable settings and master page printing. 10. The new selectable document option, added as the far right pull-down menu, now allows you to click on the document you wish to access from the displayed list of all documents present in memory. There are other new modules expected shortly, but we've decided not to wait. All of the above are ready in-house and available for shipping right now. Look for a further press release in the not to distant future announcing the release of at least 4 new modules. The cost for all of the above, the latest and much improved Calamus SL as well as all of the new modules: ROTATE.CXM, COL_CONV.CXM, COMPRESS.CXM, CYMKSWAP.CXM, LIN.CXM, the upgraded TEXT.CXM, the upgraded RAS_GEN.CXM, the upgraded Set Layout/Working Area, the new Select Document and the new import/export drivers, on 3 disks, is US $75.00 or $95.00 CDN which includes shipping and insurance. Prices and configurations are subject to change without notice. //// ORDERING For further information or to order by telephone using your VISA or Mastercard please call DMC Publishing at VOICE 416-479-1880 or FAX 416-479-1882. If you have a modem, you may order by private email using your Mastercard or VISA at: GEnie email to: ISD or POTECHIN Compuserve email to: 76004,2246 Delphi email to: ISDMARKETING Internet email to: POTECHIN@GENIE.GEIS.COM Payment may also be made by check or money order and mailed to the following address: DMC Publishing, Inc., 2800 John Street, Suite 10 Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 0E2 Please include your Calamus serial number when placing any order. Ontario residents add 8% PST., Canadian residents add 7% GST.. Thank you for your interest in our Calamus products and please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information. Sincerely Nathan Potechin DMC Publishing //// More on Calamus SL I just came across this post by Lou that I thought I'd share with you as it is pertinent to today's Press Release: Topic 20 Mon Sep 09, 1991 ISD [Nathan] at 17:55 EDT Sub: Calamus SL Category 16, Topic 20 Message 110 Wed Jul 14, 1993 ST.LOU [Lou] at 19:27 EDT Being a beta-tester has its pros and cons. On the pro side, one has the opportunity to see all the latest developments on a favorite piece of software and, occasionally, to suggest changes and improvements. On the con side, one is not able to share confidential information with the general userbase, some of whom are close friends, as well as knowledgable colleagues. Over the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to see a good number of the new developments for Calamus SL and now, finally, I can begin to tell you what is going to be available very shortly. To begin with, please read the Press Release that Nathan just posted here... or pick up a copy from the Library as soon as it is available. The PR covers a number of items which are new, as well as some features we have long been awaiting. Without further ado, I am pleased to share some observations on the newly-available upgrade for Calamus SL. (This is going to be a long post :-) (1) Leader Tabs work beautifully and, along with the sticky tab feature, you can create professional-looking lists using any available font character (or bullet) as the leader character. A picture might be easier :-) Frame Module ....................... 9 Page Module ....................... 12 Text Module ....................... 17 In the editor it would look like this: Frame Module 9[TAB] Page Module 12[TAB] Text Module 17[TAB] If you wished, you could replace the "." with the "_" underscore, or any other character available in the current font. (2) Index and Footnote Entry are now working with completely functional updating using the REFORMAT DOCUMENT function. You can now create footnote and endnote frames on any page; you can also create index frames that hold original page numbers and which can be updated when you reformat your document. This is a really professional feature that is highly configurable and it is finally working properly! (3) In MISCELLANEOUS SETTINGS, the Frame Cache functions have been optimized for speed and you can now configure them too! Caches are only created if a user-definable percentage of the selected frame type is visible. This really speeds up cache creation when working at high zoom factors. In the same dialog box you can choose to save the caches with your CDK! (4) You can now insert a COMMENT in your text. The comment window looks like any a regular editor window and you can store non-printing remarks about your work for your own reference. You can also search those comments for any text string located in the comment! (5) The dictionary functions have been separated and the alerts are much clearer. Two sets of icons exist for the loading, saving, editing and using _both_ the spellchecking and hyphenation functions. (6) Frame Anchors work now and you can lock any type of frame (including grouped frames) to a control code inserted at the cursor point. Once done, the anchored frame moves along with the text as your document reformats due to text or style changes. (7) Marking text blocks has been made easier than ever! Using a series of quick mouse-clicks you can mark a single word, a complete line, a complete paragraph or the entire text chain! 1 click - places the cursor (and does not affect any block) 2 clicks - marks the word under the cursor 3 clicks - marks the line under the cursor 4 clicks - marks the paragraph under the cursor 5 clicks - marks the entire text chain (8) The Set Layout/Working Area dialog now functions completely and even allows you to print the master page to check crop and registration marks by themselves. This function is described in your manual [5.4.1.6] but additional features have been added: <=> A guideline appears to show the amount of overlap. <=> You can define the line thickness of crop marks and the maximum size of registration marks. <=> There is a neat feature that allows the registration marks to proportionally resize according the size of the crop marks (which is regulated by your choice of margin settings). Please note that these LAYOUT features are only functional if you click on the new LAYOUT button at the bottom of the Print Document dialog. (9) Changing view modes was always a pain because you were presented with the x=0, y=0 display. If you were zooming in to a USER magnification, this meant having to scroll around the window to find the frame you wanted to work on. Now changing views will always display the same center point as the last view! (10) Minimum borders as defined by your printer driver now have rounded corners which makes it easier to assign borders on double pages. (11) When you turn off the display of any frame's contents, the frame is filled with a large X. This way it is easier to discern empty frames from invisible ones. It also makes it a lot easier to work on your document by turning off unneeded frame displays to reduce redraw times! (12) In the System Parameters module you can now select the TOS file selector. This means that fans of UIS and LGF can have access to their favorite file selectors and their myriad functions! (13) For you lucky Falcon owners there is an AUTO program called to improve your screen displays. (14) A new drop-down menu item shows a list of all loaded documents. You can click on any filename and it becomes the top window. (Don't forget that you can also cycle through documents using Control + Left Click on the window's Close Button.) (15) As for new modules, I think you will all enjoy the ROTATE module. It effectively removes the 90 degree limitation when rotating raster graphics. Its special anti-aliasing feature also creates picture perfect rotations of your graphics.... look ma, no jaggies! This little module also has an internal masking feature which automatically resizes your rotated frame to contain all contents. (16) The COL_CONV.CXM will capture all unlisted colors in your document and create the appropriate RGB equivalent on your color list. For example, when you import a color CVG from Outline Art 3.0, the colors do not show on any color list. Click this module and your graphic's colors are added to the list. From there you can click the color square of any color in the list and convert all values to CYMK, or other color systems in the SET COLOR/FILL PATTERN dialog box. The other use of this module is to capture any Free Colors in your document. The Free Color is the first color at the top of every color list. It is possible to have a different Free Color in each list. This module captures and lists them all on all lists - automatically! (17) COMPRESS.CXM is a transparent module. You can use it to compress the data from any picture frame or from all pictures in your document to save disk space. This is very useful for some of those huge color graphics! Another nice feature is the fact that pictures are automatically decompressed when you load your document! Well, I am sure I missed something but I can always post again later :-) There are also a few other goodies but I can't say anything about them right now :-) Hopefully they will be ready to discuss in the near future. In the meantime I would be most happy to discuss any of the items presented above. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// ATARI UNITED! Announced =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= In response to a growing demand for a centralized information source regarding users, vendors, and developers, several Atari TOS computer owners have formed ATARI UNITED! to fill that need. As the Atari market has gone through a period of decline in recent years, many Atari computer owners have found themselves out of touch with the remaining Atari community. That has created a widespread problem of isolated Atari users, who have little contact with other Atari users, or with the developers and vendors who could best help them with their software and hardware needs. ATARI UNITED! has been organized to end that isolation, and bring the Atari community closer together. //// User Group Support The first task ATARI UNITED! faces is the creation of a single, comprehensive database of all Atari TOS computer owners, vendors and developers. A progressively more aggressive outreach campaign will begin with contacting every known Atari User Group in the USA and soliciting their members to register with ATARI UNITED!. From that foundation, ATARI UNITED! will work with those user groups to build their memberships through the use of inexpensive advertising and marketing techniques. That relationship between ATARI UNITED! and the user groups will be developed into a basic network for the two-way flow of information and news. The Atari User Groups have always been a rich source of expertise and talent, and ATARI UNITED! wants to insure that such a resource is maintained. //// Confidentiality Assured As the database grows, ATARI UNITED! will offer its information to the developer and vendor communities for use in better reaching the user community. That information will, however, not be sold. The confidentiality of the user community will not be compromised by allowing the data to leave the direct control of ATARI UNITED!. Vendors and developers will be required to provide ATARI UNITED! with prestamped mailing materials. ATARI UNITED! will then afix the specified labels and mail them. Additionally, when an Atari TOS computer owner registers with ATARI UNITED!, they will have the option of having their information witheld from any external marketing efforts. //// Disk Magazine Planned ATARI UNITED! plans to issue a quarterly disk-based magazine, with press releases, program reviews and previews, program demos and as much other information as will fit on the disk. Individuals who wish to receive the disk magazine will be charged a minimal subscription fee. As the Atari market grows in response to wider distribution of the Atari Falcon030, it is expected that future issues of the disk magazine will occassionally be multi-disk issues. //// Future Expansion Other projects for ATARI UNITED! are in the discussion stages, but future plans may possibly include the establishment of a User Feedback service, where members will be given an opportunity to provide feedback to companies in the Atari community by participating in nationwide surveys. In addition, ATARI UNITED! is investigating a 24 hour hotline for members interested in locating users groups, dealers, developers or even other individual users in any specific area of the country. //// Focus The overall focus for ATARI UNITED! will be to locate and bring support to the isolated owner, and to build a network for the mutual support of Atari user groups across the USA. ATARI UNITED! intends to have the ability to provide Atari Corporation, Atari dealers and Atari developers with solid information about Atari users, to help them better meet the needs of the the Atari community. Atari TOS computer owners who wish to register individually with ATARI UNITED! may do so by contacting their local user group, or by sending the following information to: ATARI UNITED! P.O. Box 691 Mountain View, CA 94042-0691 If your local user group has not been contacted by us, please give them this news release and encourage your officers to register the group with us to benefit from our growing network! ATARI UNITED! fully encourages all Atari computer owners to join a local user group. There is nothing like local support! Name (Last, First, MI): _________________________________________ Mailing Address: _________________________________________ _________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _________________________________________ Computer Model: ___ 520 ST ___ 520 STe ___ TT ___ 1040 ST ___ 1040 STe ___ F030 ___ Mega ST ___ Mega STe Computer Serial Number: _________________________________________ User Group (if a member):_________________________________________ For further information, contact: Patti Barbiero Gordie Meyer P.O. Box 691 P.O. Box 1982 Mountain View, CA 94042-0691 or Ames, IA 50010-1982 (415) 903-9787 (515) 232-1627 abarbiero@delphi.com biblinski@delphi.com --==--==--==--==-- ||| ||| Shutdown ............................ Power off, EXIT, BYE, Logoff / | \ ------------------------------------------------------------------ My trusty old TOS 1.0 1040STF system seems stable enough for now; I really shouldn't complain, but boy do I miss the goodies available on my TT030! After spending several days without any computer, getting to know my 1040 again is just like coming home. To all of you who have sending me EMail from around the world, thanks. I'll take a day or so this week to get back to you! Sorry for the delay! We welcome feedback from all of our readers; feedback both positive and negative. Whatever you think of our efforts, we sincerely would like to know. Our EMail addresses are sprinkled throughout each issue - with the new Internet gateway into GEnie, you can reach us through the Internet also. Append "@genie.geis.com" to any of our GEnie addresses. Until the next issue of AEO, I remain, Your Editor Travis Guy Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com --==--==--==--==-- (This issue printed on recycled photons) --==--==--==--==-- DNFTEC --==--==--==--==-- Atari Explorer Online Magazine is a bi-weekly publication covering the Atari computer community. Material published in this issue may be reprinted under the following terms only: articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of each article reprinted. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted at the beginning of the article, to registered Atari user groups and not for profit publications. Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. --==--==--==--==-- Atari, ST, Mega ST, STE, Mega STE, TT030, Atari Falcon030, TOS, MultiTOS, NewDesk, BLiTTER, Atari Lynx, Atari Jaguar, Atari Portfolio, and the Atari Fuji Symbol are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned in this issue belong to their respective owners. --==--==--==--==-- Atari Explorer Online Magazine "Your Only Independent Atari Online" Copyright (c) 1993, Subspace Publishers * * * * * * * * * * * * :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A E O ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Volume 2 - Issue 13 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 26 July 1993 :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::