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Back in March when the closure of Atari World
was announced, 42BBS user Mike Kerslake posted a message to say
that he was interested in producing a printed magazine. The
conversation waxed and waned as the possibility of a System Solutions
rescue of Atari World was muted. Finally, with the closure of ST
Format he said enough is enough, he would publish a magazine. Mike, an
experience publisher, enrolled the talents of Joe Connor and some
enthusiasts on CiX where the funding and creation of Atari Computing
has all been carried out in a closed conference. Joe Connor has taken
on the mantle of Editor, and has taken some time out of his busy
schedule to write an introduction to Atari Computing magazine for AtariPhile. You can also
see the full press release where you will find subscription details.
Atari Computing issue one will be launched at the September Atari
Shows.
Atari Computing
Both shows are open from 10am to 5pm
Being a wheelchair user myself, I like this idea of Mike's...
Admission is £3.00 for adults and £1 for children under 12 years when
accompanied by an adult.
Alphabeticalist of exhibitors - B=Birmingham L=London
Goodman International's own news is that they hope to have some new
specials at the show. These include a new Tony Greenwood game and a new
release from the Reservoir Gods.
Video Supreme 2 Plus is available now at £24.95. Upgrades to
version 2 will cost £5. Both will be available at the show.
Finally as well as his proposed bimonthly Atari News Update magazine,
send an SAE to register your interest, Goodmans will be starting a
Secondhand Software Sourcing Scheme. This will help you to find that
game or application that you have been looking out for, or indeed,
help you to sell your collection. More details of this will be
published later.
Croft Soft Software is pleased to announce the release in September of
their latest Atari game. Mole Mayhem is a platform game based around the adventures of a mole!
The game will feature:
The game is still very much in development, and many new features are
to be added. A demo version should be available soon.
Also due for release in 1996 is Software House ST, a strategy game
based around the running of a major software company. The game should
be available before the end of the year.
The Atari Authors Association is finally beginning to take off, look
out for the latest information in the N.ST.PDREVIEWS echo on NeST, or
write, with SAE, for more information.
Issue 4 of the Croft Soft HTML News Letter is due for release any day
now. It will contain all of the latest information with
regards to the Atari market aswell as our regular features such as the
Top Ten and User Profile. It also contains the Atari Authors
Association update and news and the latest in regards to Croft Soft's
releases.
With immediate effect Floppyshop have cut their prices on all PD and
Shareware disks. With over 3200 ST/STe disks and more than 700 Falcon
disks, all at just £1.50 each plus P&P, there has never been a better
time to order up all the latest releases. P&P charges are per order
(regardless of size of order) currently amount to £1.25 UK, £2.25 Europe
and 15% of order value (minimum P&P charge £3.00) rest of world.
With over nine years' service to the Atari owning community, we have
perhaps the largest collection of PD and Shareware in the world. It's all
quality stuff too, we don't accept any old rubbish! Our catalogues detail
every program on the disk (we don't do one liners!) giving descriptions
which are second to none. All orders are despatched the same day and we
are pleased to accept payment by cheque, PO or credit card. To get a free
copy of the catalogue send a blank disk for the Falcon catalogue or two
blank disks for the ST catalogue. If you don't have the necessary
blank(s) just send us £1 and we'll supply.
Floppyshop are currently running a number of special deals on our top
selling commercial products for a limited period. Savings of up to 50%
are being offered on some products, so order early while they are still
on special offer! Here's a list of what's available.
EZ-Art Professional - The leading paint package for the Atari ST/STe. It
offers an easy to use icon driven interface with a vast array of drawing
tools and block manipulation facilities. Supports the use of up to 10
workscreens, makes use of the STE's extended palette (even on an STFM!),
allows multiple fonts and has lots of special FX. Complete with a fully
illustrated 60 page manual. It even runs on a 520! On special offer for
just just £10 (normally £19.95) plus P&P (£1 UK, £2 Europe, £3 rest of
world).
Family Roots II - The leading genealogy package for Atari computers. Currently in use by
hundreds of Atari users worldwide. Features a nice easy to use graphical
interface where you create individuals by placing blocks on a grid and
link them up with each other using a few simple mouse clicks. Includes
easy access to each individual's database record and a powerful search
facility. Supports printout of both the individual database entries and
the graphical tree structure. Incredible value for money at just £15
(normally £24.95) plus P&P (£1 UK, £2 Europe, £3 rest of world).
Easy Stitch - Allows you to design your own cross stitch patterns. These can be created
from scratch or existing graphics may be imported. Easy Stitch allows you
to generate patterns of any size up to a maximum of 10 feet by 8 feet!
Using a grid, the pattern is designed on screen. Areas can be easily
copied, rotated, reduced or enlarged. You can even edit individual
stitches! Can you resist this one at the silly price of just £10 (normal
price £19.95) plus P&P (£1 UK, £2 Europe, £3 rest of world)?
DegasArt 3 - Three disk graphics tutorial which helps you get the best out of Degas
Elite. Includes many 'tricks of the trade' which can be equally well
applied to EZ-Art Professional, Deluxe Paint, Cyber Paint, Crack Art,
Flair Paint and indeed any other graphics package on the ST. Very highly
acclaimed in several publications over the years. Now available at just
£5 + P&P (£1 UK, £1.50 Europe, £2 rest of world). No that's not a
misprint! Just £5 + P&P for the (3 disk set) best art tutor ever written!
Positive Image - Yes it's finally here! THE image processing and retouching package for
Atari computers. Retouch 24-bit True Colour graphics on an ordinary ST
without loss of image quality. Print out your masterpiece to almost any
printer (including colour). HiSoft
Online rumour has it that, due to a change in the programmers
circumstances, HiSoft are not expecting any future upgrades
to Harlekin and Twist.
TORINO 16th July 1996 - Emmesoft, the most important Italian source
for Atari products (located in Torino-ITALY), announces the third
edition of the Italian Fair for the Atari market, called Atari Days.
This Fair, which has been held for the very first time in December
1994, takes as example similar events periodically held in Germany,
France, England, Sweden and USA; Atari Days is the right place to show
and demonstrate all latest products and releases for Atari and Atari
compatible computers.
The first two editions have had a good success, while this new edition
will benefit of all suggestions from distributors and developers to
improve Atari Days.
First Edition of the Musical Contest "MUSICA CON ATARI"
Between the prizes awarded are a MIDI Digitar Midi-guitar, software
Cubase Audio, Notator Logic sequencer.
For more detailed information and/or to receive the announcement of
competition in English (the deadline to send the floppy disks with
MIDIFile in General MIDI standard is 31th October 1996) please
contact: Manuela Esterni - phone +39 337 226379 fax +39 11 4374311
e-mail: atarimag@mbox.vol.it
The awarding of prizes of the musicians winners of "Musica con Atari"
will be during Atari Days. N.B.: International winners are not
obliged to be phisically present during the awarding of prizes.
Reserved AREAS FOR EXHIBITORS
Reserved AREAS FOR WORKSHOPS
What's new during Atari Days *
Why should I attend/visit Atari Days?
For more information:
* These are only some of the products confirmed at press time
All names are registered trademarks and belong to the respective
holders.
They will actively seek ways in which to promote STAG and bring it to
the widest possible audience both in Scotland and elsewhere. Meetings
are to be organised on a regional basis but the newsletter will be
produce and funded centrally, with a single subscription for all
members.
Alasdair Goold, Chairman, feels that the various on-line
activities give them access to many Atari Users via their www site...
For information send an SAE to:
If you've ever wanted a truly professional sample editing package for
your Falcon then WaveMaster is for you. A superb GEM program, with an
intuitive, yet powerful interface. It offers a range of features just
not found in the majority of sampling packages including
direct-to-disk sampling and editing, fade in/out, volume adjust,
normalise, cut/paste, reverse, etc. It handles the following sample
formats: AIF, WAV, AVR.
WaveMaster runs as a standalone program or as a desktop accessory - as
the latter it will happily co-exist with Cubase Audio (or
AudioTracker), being available *at the same time* with no need to
continuously quit-and-run to swap between the two.
WaveMaster is available now for £129, inc. VAT.
The device comes as a 1U high 19" rack-mount, with front-mounted LEDs
to show which ports are currently being used. Installing is as simple
as plugging in the appropriate leads.
The Digital Patch Bay costs £295 inc. VAT and is available now.
Despite all the power PhotoLine is easy to use thanks to the use of a
totally amodal, modern GEM interface. The GEM coding also allows
PhotoLine to work on any Atari computer, using any graphics set-up.
Indeed, as is usual on professional image editors, it is possible to
work on and save a 24-bit picture in any other mode, including
monochrome. Using NVDI 3 (or greater) it is also possible to use
vector font technology to add text to the image.
One of the sheer delights of this product is the attention to detail
of all the drawing functions. Paint brushes can be designed, *all*
functions have an intensity setting, all relevant functions enable you
to work on single (or multiple) RGB (or CMYK) planes of the image,
colours can be picked up and dragged from one colour box to another,
etc.
Bit-map functions include paint-brush, clone, finger, erase, stamp,
fill, gradient, etc. whereas the vector tools include all the
standards like straight-line, Bezier curves, move to front/back, etc.
Naturally there are powerful cut/paste/copy tools which can work on
the image or on the mask. Selecting areas is performed with the
rectangular, circle or lasso tool (or adopted from a mask, using the
magic-wand tool - see below). It is even possible to add or subtract
to/from selections - this is *real* power at work!
The mask itself is also catered for by the magic-wand tool, a powerful
beast on it's own - a description of which could fill up a paragraph
or two alone here! Suffice to say that it is totally configurable,
including the tolerance and feathering. Again you can easily add or
subtract to/from current mask selections - which can also be saved to
disk and loaded in a later session.
You can work on as many images at the same time as memory allows,
uniquely (we think) on the Atari you can drag-and-drop selections -
even irregular selections - from one image to another. Pictures may be
treated as RGB, CMYK, greyscale, monochrome or vector. Loading formats
are too numerous to mention (but include all the standards, inc.
PhotoCD Pro), you can save to TIFF, JPEG, IMG, CVG and GEM formats.
There are filters, special tools, rotation, scale, distortion, picture
projection in 3D space. It can print or plot to NVDI/GDOS
printer/plotter drivers and it can use GDPS drivers to scan images
directly into the program. This is one product full of so many
features that it's impossible to even scratch the surface in this
article.
PhotoLine comes on 3 double-sided floppy disks, which include one disk
for ST computers, one for TT's (inc. all with a minimum of 68030 CPU
and FPU chips) and one containing a range of utility files. It
includes a ring-bound 50 page manual. The program is available now
from System Solutions for £169 inc. VAT.
However, there has always been a problem with multimedia CDs - those
which require a special program to access the information. Inevitably
these CD-ROMs are written with either the IBM PC or Apple Mac in mind.
They just won't work on Atari computers - until now!
System Solutions have teamed up with Homa Systems House in Canada to
bring out Atari drivers for a range of multimedia titles. The flagship
in their range is the driver disk for the Infopedia 2.0 CD-ROM. This
stunning CD was released in December 1995 and has been rated by many
PC magazines as the best multi-media encyclopaedia available! It
includes the complete 29 volume Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopaedia,
with almost 27000 entries and 8000 photos and sound clips. In addition
it includes the Hammond's World Atlas and the 1995 World Almanac and
Book of Facts.
The software driver for the Atari gives you access to all of these
information resources, enables you to view the photographs (even on
monochrome screens) and hear the sound clips (on STe's or better).
Everything is wrapped up in a modern GEM interface (with a 3D look on
systems with 16 colours or more) which works flawlessly on any Atari
computer and under multi-tasking operating systems.
You have access to every Encyclopaedia entry almost instantaneously
(it's faster than the PC version!), hypertext linking of articles and
powerful search features including 'narrow down' (just type the first
few letters of an entry and it'll pop-up). Photos and sound clips are
linked to the correct entries, which in turn are linked to over 10,000
timelines.
All-in-all the Infopedia 2.0, along with the CD Master is by far and
away the best educational and research tool available to Atari owners
ever. It may even be the reason that makes you decide to buy a CD-ROM
Drive! The entire package, Atari CD Master and the Infopedia 2.0 costs
a very reasonable £49.95 inc. VAT. Also, get in touch with System
Solutions about special bundle deals on CD-ROM drives, including their
amazing cartridge port CD-ROM connector!
So, not one to shirk taking the bull by the horns - or the mouse by
the tail - they decided to do something about it. As no-one was making
mice to their specifications, they took their specs. and had a company
make some mice for them.
The System Solutions Atari Mouse is now with us. A totally standard
mouse, it feels light and responsive to the touch and enables precise,
fluid control of the mouse pointer on the screen. It offers a
resolution of 280 DPI, a mouse lead of 1.5m and is badged with the
System Solutions logo. The price is £14.95 inc. VAT and it's
available right now.
Call for information:
We are *NOT* prepared to support companies who only resell goods, in
any form whatsoever. Titan Designs reserve the right to remove mention
of any company from their Web site, without prior consultation.
If you are interested (hey, it's free advertising!!!), just forward
any text, logos (GIF or JPEG), Web site URL, etc. and they'll be
inserted at the next available opportunity. Alternatively you may like
to provide an html document, however some editing may be inevitable if
space becomes a premium, so keep the details brief, please! We also
reserve the right to exclude or modify any material for whatever
reason, but this should not alter the context of the message you
submit.
This information would, naturally, include a link to your own site,
but this will not preclude you from submitting brief details of your
operation.
If you have any queries contact David Encill (for Titan Designs or
Black Scorpion Software) on:
That was the end of the official Titan press release, however
AtariPhile can announce that 42BBS [01256-895106] will soon be opening a Titan Designs support area
where information and demos of their products can be downloaded.
Don't forget the Atari Shows, organised by Goodman
International PD Library, are this month!
Atari Shows
Disabled people will be allowed in 30 minutes early to give them a little
time to look round before the room becomes too busy [It will be busy!]
Goodman International
16 Conrad Close
Meir Hay
Longton
Stoke-on-Trent ST3 1SW
Phone 01782 335650
Fax 01782 316132
Email fdl8@dial.pipex.com
Croft Soft Software
![[Screenshot]](molemtit.gif)
Mole Mayhem will be compatible with both the STE and Falcon.
Croft Soft Software,
The Croft,
Hope Rd,
Nibley,
Nr Yate,
Bristol, BS17 5JH
Tel: 01454-313352
Email: cpolonowski@fffnet.demon.co.uk
New CyberSTrider details. All correspondence now to:
CyberSTrider
CyberSTrider
PO Box 78
Manchester
M21 8SJ
Email: denesh@cyberstrider.org
And new web pages on www.cyberstrider.org
ADDRESS CHANGE - The Post Office have seen fit to change all the postal codes for the
Aberdeen area with immediate effect. Please note the new postcode
AB15 8GJ and use it on all future correspondence in order to avoid delays.
Floppyshop
Floppyshop, PO Box 273, Aberdeen, AB15 8GJ
General Office/Technical Queries Tel/Fax: (01224) 586208
Credit Card Orders Only Tel/Fax: (01224) 312756
SUMMER SPECIALS
We were hoping to bring you news of Papyrus
4. Unfortunately, work on the English translation has been stopped
while HiSoft concentrate on their Video CD Decoder, the SMD-100. The
decoder will cost £199.95 but as of now there are no plans to
produce an Atari version of the software it will require. Hopefully work will
continue on the translation of Papyrus 4 soon.
HiSoft - 01515 718181
Email - hisoft@support.co.uk
The English version 2.5 of this excellent shareware vector graphics
package is due for release soon. UK support comes via InterActive
and the list of new features looks impressive...
Kandinsky
Atari Days - Announcing the 3rd Edition of the
Italian Atari Fair
Musical Competition Atari Days - General Information
Where & when
Atari Days will be held in Torino (ITALY) from Saturday 16th to
Monday 18th November 1996; the most important innovation from the last
edition is the number of opening days, three insted of two, to grant
wider access to the people. The selected site is the same of the
previous edition: the central Hotel Holiday Inn (Via Assietta 3, in
front of Porta Nuova's railstation). The entrance will be ticket
regulated (opening hours 10-18) while distributors and dealers
pre-registered will get free entrance to the Fair.
Since Atari computers are still strongly used in the musical field,
during Atari Days there will be the Musical Contest "Musica con
Atari", with over 3 millions Lit. (2.000 $) of prizes. This Musical
Contest is reserved to every musician (even outside Italy), hobbyst or
professional. "Musica con Atari" is sponsored by the most important
companies in the Atari market. Between them are:
Charlie Lab
Steinberg
Emagic
C-LAB
In Atari Days people will find booths for demonstrations of new products
and latest releases. The major distributors and developers in the
Italian Atari market, together with distributors and international
developers, the Italian magazine "Atari Magazine" and the french
magazine ST MAG will exhibit during the Fair.
During Atari Days ther will be Workshops about graphics, MIDI,
Multimedia, MIDI etc...
SNEAK PREVIEWS DURING Atari Days
Internet linking with Atari Magazine. Visitors will be able to "chat"
with the most important developers from USA Germany, France and
England News on line ON-line newsreading, with the writers from "Atari
Magazine", of the latest news for Atari World Wide Web exploring,
net-surfing of the Atari world on the WEB Atari Club, meeting with the
local Atari users' groups
It's the only one Fair of its kind in Italy!!
Atari Days
Manuela Esterni Tel. +39 337 226379 FAX +39 11 4374311
e-mail: atarimag@mbox.vol.it
The WeST of Scotland Atari User Group [WSAUG],
Central Scotland Atari User Group [CSAUG] and the TOS User Group
[TUG] have combined forces to launch STAG - Scotland's
TOS/Atari Group. At the moment the combined memberships of the
groups is around 100 and STAG is affiliated to The UK Association of
Atari User Groups [UKAAUG].
STAG
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/magicka/homepage.htm
...as well as a local discussion area on 42BBS (01256-895106) and the
atari.user.gps conference on CiX.
Alasdair Goold
RoisBheinn
Overton Crescent
Johnstone
Strathclyde
PA5 8JB
or Email agoold@cix.compulink.co.uk
A range of new and exciting products are
being handled in the UK by System Solutions. Here is their latest
press release...
System Solutions 1. WaveMaster
Do you use Cubase Audio for direct-to-disk recording on your Falcon?
It's a pretty powerful package, right? But it's missing something
intrinsic - a sample editor that goes right down to sample accuracy.
That's why System Solutions have brought you WaveMaster.
2. Digital Patch Bay
Another startling device from System Solutions, by way of SoundPool.
The Digital Patch Bay has 4 digital inputs and 2 outputs. Any input
can be patched to any output giving the digital musician/sound
engineer the ability to connect all his digital equipment together
quickly and easily. Also included is a send-and-return facility,
enabling, for example, sample rate converters to be patched into the
system.
3. PhotoLine
A new "killer application" for the Atari, from System Solutions.
PhotoLine is a new high-end image editor which offers the most
powerful functions ever seen on the Atari. The program is
feature-packed, not only with a wide range of bit-map tools but also
with all the standard vector tools you'll ever need.
4. Atari CD Master - Infopedia 2.0
For a long time the CD-ROM market has been very strong on the Atari.
It's easy to connect the drives thanks to SCSI support, the standard
driver ExtenDOS Pro is very powerful and people have bought CD-ROM
drives in their droves. This has led to a lot of Atari specific
CD-ROMs being made, containing shareware and public domain software,
files, demos and much else besides.
Watch for the Infopedia review in AtariPhile #4
5. System Solutions Atari Mouse
Strangely enough for a graphically driven computer the Atari currently
has a problem with the mouse. Those that are available tend to be a
bit dodgy - they leap across the screen when you don't want them to
and refuse to budge when you do. Over the last few months System
Solutions have become increasingly unhappy with the situation.
0181 693 3355
ssolutions@cix.compulink.co.uk
http://www.ssolutions.com
Following the news that Future have stopped publishing ST Format, it is becoming increasingly necessary to consider
other methods of increasing the awareness of the end-user to the
existence of other companies supporting the Atari range of computers.
TITAN Designs FREE ENTRY ONTO TITAN'S WEB SITE
With no prospects of another glossy mag. appearing on the news stands
in the UK, the profile of the Atari computer will suffer quite
appreciably, and promotion by ourselves of magazines and user groups
who rely on subscriptions seems an appropriate course of action. To
this end, Titan Designs are offering free mention on their Web site...
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/TITANWEB/
...of any organisation or group of individuals who directly support
the Atari by publishing magazines or acting as user groups, whether it
be a commercial or voluntary venture. The following are groups we are
prepared to support;
The latter three groups can also include overseas operations. We may
consider, at some stage, to include PD or Shareware libraries and
overseas magazines, but for the moment we are leaving this option
open.
100345.2350@compuserve.com
Tel: +44 (0)121-693 6669
Fax: +44 (0)121-414 1630
6 Witherford Way
Selly Oak
Birmingham B29 4AX
U.K.
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