Info-Atari16 Digest Sun, 7 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 197 Today's Topics: (INQUIRY) ST players for Amiga animation and *.SPS files .IMG/Pagestream/Postscript Apple StyleWriter with the ST? BMS tape backup Does Lode Runner game exist for the ST? Epson LQ-510 printer for sale lzh use oids Pagestream smail on Atari ST SPC Pics from Umich, corrupt? Spectrum/3-D/animation Standardized GEM look and feel union demo 2 (4 msgs) Zmodem and Xmodem for VAX Welcome to the Info-Atari16 Digest. The configuration for the automatic cross-posting to/from Usenet is getting closer, but still getting thrashed out. Please send notifications about broken digests or bogus messages to Info-Atari16-Request@NAUCSE.CSE.NAU.EDU. Please send requests for un/subscription and other administrivia to Info-Atari16-Request, *NOT* Info-Atari16. Requests that go to the list instead of the moderators are likely to be lost or ignored. If you want to unsubscribe, and you're receiving the digest indirectly from someplace (usually a BITNET host) that redistributes it, please contact the redistributor, not us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Apr 91 07:39:30 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!ma iler.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: (INQUIRY) ST players for Amiga animation and *.SPS files To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <9104050203.AA02014@wixer>, bgodot@wixer.UUCP (Paul Ortega) writes: >Also, what kind of ST graphics files are those with the .SPS >extender? I downloaded a number of them (NAGEL**.SPS) , but can't view >them. What do I need to view those? I uploaded a viewer when I uploaded those Nagels (they are terrible, I have a much better batch coming soon. Should have checked first . . .). The viewer is in a file called, um, specshow.arc or showspec.arc (sheesh, it was late). -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 08:16:42 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!widener!iggy.GW.Vitalink.COM!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swr inde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona. edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: .IMG/Pagestream/Postscript To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr6.201033.3056@milton.u.washington.edu>, alexd@milton.u.washington.edu (Alex Danilchik) writes: >Hi. > >My question: Am I in for trouble in placing .IMG files into >a Postscript format? Should I expect loss or degradation in the >conversion? is there a conversion? and, what .IMG editing tools >are out there? TOUCH_UP ? others? Are .IMG typically large? >And if converted to PS.. can I assume that were I to go to a >printhouse for greater than 300dpi, i will be able to get the >higher resolution for the graphics images? > No problem, I do it all the time. I cannot detect any loss of resolution. I do all my printing at school, and only use my little 9-pin to check alignment (Pagestream allows one to lighten the density of a printout, so I can check stuff fast). I print PS to disk, then put it on a floppy and lpr it on a NEC (or Laserwriter, they both work). I don't know about the >300dpi thing, if you find out please email or post. Oh, by the way, there is no conversion, you just load them straight in. -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 16:52:16 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-st ate.edu!ohstpy!miavx1!rlcollins@arizona.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins) Subject: Apple StyleWriter with the ST? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I've been reading about the new Apple StyleWriter, which can be had at our University for $420. I was wondering if anyone has any idea whether it will work with a ST? All I've seen is an ad, but its supposed to be 360X360, and uses TrueType. It doesn't have a built ASCII mode though. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ryan 'Gozar' Collins Question for MAC Users: rlcollins@miavx1.BITNET |||| Power Without What IS the format of a rc1dsanu@miamiu.BITNET / || \ The Price!! MAC HFS floppy disk? R.COLLINS1 on GEnie ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: 6 Apr 91 07:20:22 GMT From: chinet!saj@gargoyle.uchicago.edu (Stephen Jacobs) Subject: BMS tape backup To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I recently got a BMS tape backup system. As is usual for BMS products, its good points are superb compatibility with multi-vendor setups and incredible support. As is also usual with BMS products, the bad point is incomplete software support. Has anyone written any utilities that work with the BMS tape backup? Care to let them out? Steve saj@chinet.chi.il.us ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 07:21:18 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!caen!uflorida!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd @arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: Does Lode Runner game exist for the ST? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr3.205704.8441@unislc.uucp>, bj@unislc.uucp (Bruce Jones) writes: >The subject says it all. I would like to get Lode Runner for the >ST if it exists. If yes, does someone want to sell their copy? If >the answer is no are there any similar type games that you can recommend? > There is a great PD version from Germany called Go-Up. If it is not on atari.archive, I can upload it. Please let me know if it is not. It works on mono monitors (I don't know about color). -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 05:50:04 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!rex!samsung!usc!apple!fernwood!uupsi!njin!njitgw.njit.edu!mars .njit.edu!gaines@arizona.edu (Starman) Subject: Epson LQ-510 printer for sale To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I have the following for sale: Epson LQ-510 24 pin printer. Very good condition. Works with all software including Word Up. Parallel and serial ports. Asking $275. You pay shipping above 4th class. Leave e-mail for more info. =========================================================================== "They can fly rings around the moon, | Mike but we're years ahead of them on the highway" | gaines@mars.njit.edu =========================================================================== System 7 on an 800K floppy? HA! =========================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 11:23:53 GMT From: wxh@lanl.gov (William Harvey) Subject: lzh use To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu How can I extract data from an lzh file into the directory I'm working in instead of to the default directory the file was saved under, without extracting each file one by one. I'm using the unix version of lzh, which doesn't seem to have a command to do this. Billy Harvey wxh@lanl.gov ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 08:11:36 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!maile r.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: oids To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr06.191752.20596@lynx.CS.ORST.EDU>, wilsont@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (Timothy E. Wilson) writes: >Does anyone know where i could get a copy of oids? I just saw it on demo and i want to get it now...isn't a really old game by FTL? >If anyone wants to sell their copy..i might buy if cheap enough (10-12 bucks) >or is it not this cheap mail-order(if i could even get it mail order!) >thanx > I still see this one advertised in ads. Dial some of the 1-800 numbers and see if anyone has it in the bargin bin. I have picked up some great stuff for $5 or $10. -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 08:20:48 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!rex!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!mailer.cc. fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: Pagestream To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr6.234520.27520@milton.u.washington.edu>, alexd@milton.u.washington.edu (Alex Danilchik) writes: >Sorry, i should have included this question in my first posting. > >Question: will Pagestream allow me to place text on a .IMG >raster without obscurring elements of the raster definded by >the "box" that it creates to house the text? In other words, >can one place individual characters of text on top of a .IMG >file without the "text in-a-box" approach? > If you place text on an image, the only thing obscured is that which the characters cover. No box-like hole is created. You can define this precisely, using other backgrounds as well. -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 09:35:10 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!su nic!mcsun!corton!mirsa!gdo@arizona.edu (Guillaume Doumenc) Subject: smail on Atari ST To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I've read a few months ago that there was a port of smail for the Atari on the way. Is it finished now, and if yes is it available somewhere ? Thanks ! ------------------------------ Date: 6 Apr 91 07:59:45 GMT From: tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!n8emr!bluemoon!archbold@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Archie Jaszcz) Subject: SPC Pics from Umich, corrupt? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu avalon@exeter.ac.uk writes: > The other day I downloaded several SPC pictures from bart, but when > I tried to view them on my ST, using a specshow programme I found > on bart, only the top quarter of the pictures was visible...the > rest was a mess of lines...could the files be corrupt, or is my > viewing programme just buggered? > > Thanks, > Scott > . Yeah, the same thing happened to me a few days ago. Some of the spc pics worked just fine (like moonflag.spc, apollo10.spc and apollo9.spc), but others just wouldn't load and my shower would abort. So, I guess my question is the same: whats up with some of these pics? Replies, flames, whatever to: osu-cis!n8emr!bluemoon!archbold archbold@bluemoon.uucp ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 07:32:59 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!caen!uflorida!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd @arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: Spectrum/3-D/animation To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr4.190424.13189@milton.u.washington.edu>, alexd@milton.u.washington.edu (Alex Danilchik) writes: >Can this be done: > >Create a 3-D model in Sculpt 3-D, paint/render it with >Spectrum, then animate the frames? > >Is there any software pacakge/integration of packages, >that can do this for me using Spectrum? I do want the >advantage of all those colors on the screen at once... > I have two Spectrum animations: one of those desk toys with the little pendulum balls swinging (and reflections moving with them), and four atari color monitors each with a different moving display (one even has a vertical hold problem!!). I have no idea how they were done. The viewing program I posted to atari.archive (showspec.arc, I think I called it) has an option to show these animations. They appear to be mulitple spectrum pics with a sequencing file. If you do not have these animations, and they are not on atari.archive somewhere, let me know and I will arc and post them. These are two of the first demo's I ever got. Remember "Shiny Bubbles"? That one sold a lot of Atari's! The two spectrum animations are of the highest quality. -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 5 Apr 91 18:52:47 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!bbn.com!nic!kira!news@arizona.edu (Robert B. Pegram) Subject: Standardized GEM look and feel To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu From article <1991Apr4.180712.17535@uvm.edu>, by pegram@kira.UUCP (Robert B. Pegram): > From article <1991Mar31.043722.10904@convex.com>, by rosenkra@convex.com (William Rosencranz): > > Much deleted... >> >> and if there IS a widely available document dealing exclusively with >> programming practices for GEM, i would sure like to hear about it, whether >> it comes from atari or elsewhere. note that i have most every book ever >> published (in the US) on the ST, including all those which are out of >> print (abacus, sybex, etc etc). i also have the developers docs. >> >> enuf said... >> >> -bill >> rosenkra@convex.com >> -- >> Bill Rosenkranz |UUCP: >> Convex Computer Corp. |ARPA: rosenkra%c1yankee@convex.com Boy, it feels funny replying to one of my own postings. I found the reference I wrote about before. It is: _Visual_Interface_Guidelines_ by Frank Cohen (of Regent Soft fame - alas Regent is no more 8-() ST Log, #28, February 1989 pp. 20 - 32 If your local users group doesn't have a packrat like myself, you could try to get the article in 1 of 2 ways. 1) Contact L.F.P. Inc in N. Hollywood, CA 91615 (yes, that's Larry Flynt Publications - check out a Hustler for a more complete address) 2) Get in touch with Clayton Walnum - former editor of ST Log at: Taylor Ridge Books P.O. Box 48, Manchester, Ct. 06040 He published a compilation of his ST Log C-manship articles, and might be persuaded to publish other things. I'd like to see some of the out of print ST books revived, and Claus Brod's book in English. bye, Bob Pegram pegram@griffin.uvm.edu or !uvm-gen!pegram ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 07:25:57 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!caen!uflorida!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd @arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: union demo 2 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <7871@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>, d_alvear@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dom Alvear) writes: >In article <8216@crash.cts.com> chuckie@pro-odyssey.cts.com (Chuck Schul) writes: >>[Chuckie's text (or whatever) deleted] > >Better yet, how about you send union demo 1 to atari.archive in an >.MSA file and the person who has union demo 2 can do the same? I have >a burning desire to see some new demos. Also, I've asked before, but >has anybody seen the LOSTBOYS MINDBOMB demo? I got a little taste of >it from the RED SECTOR demo, but I want more!!!! At last count, I have 9 full disk type demos other than Union and Lostboys. If this semester ever ends, I will MSA them and put them on atari.archive. -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 07:42:45 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!ma iler.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: union demo 2 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <40919@cup.portal.com>, Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes: > >These demos are great, but.. is anyone involved in creating the demos >also involved in creating anything useful..? Some of the Tex group are now writing games for the ST and Amiga. They certainly have the talent . . . >We've got a wonderful body of "demos" to run on our computers, but do they >equate into anything "real"..? > Heck, give me a pile of demoes and a good buzz any day . . . >BobR -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 08:06:20 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!maile r.cc.fsu.edu!nu!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd) Subject: union demo 2 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr5.202600.7995@wam.umd.edu>, dmb@wam.umd.edu (David M. Baggett) writes: > >[.........] >I agree with Bob. I think it's pretty tasteless to put cheesey >messages to one's friends in demos, and besides that, it limits the >usefulness of the demo. One purpose of demos is to show off the >computer. I remember the "walking robot" demo from Atari 8-bit days -- >I bet that sold a few machines. But no store owner is going to put a >demo up that says, "Howdee to all crackurs out there" or some similar >garbage. Correctly spelled messages might be nice occasionally, too. :-) > >[...........] >I know I've already bantered about this before, but I think demos often >miselad non-programmers as to what the capabilities of their machine >actually are. You can do a heck of a lot more in a demo than you >can in general-purpose code. > >[............] >>But I agree with you, too bad we don't see more productivity products >>from them. I think they could write some very nice stuff. > >To be honest, I'm not so sure that's true. I don't mean to be >critical here, but many of the demos I've seen > > 1) simply crash when run from a hard drive > 2) take over the entire system > 3) provide no way to exit the program, probably because they > trash the OS in horrible ways > 4) are usually weird and unpolished in their operation > 5) rely on all sorts of undocumented and unsupported > hardware "features", e.g., shifter bugs, instruction > timings, etc. > >It's as though the authors only spend much time on the "nifty hack" >parts of the demos -- the routine that puts 522 colors on the screen or >whatever, and then just do a half-baked job on the rest. It doesn't >take much work to make a well-behaved program, but it requires a kind >of discipline I guess. > >You can't release a productivity program with any of the above 5 >problems unless you want bad sales. Games, on the other hand, are >pretty much like demos in that you don't have to follow as many rules. > >Dave Baggett >dmb%wam.umd.edu@uunet.uu.net Dave, these works are not commercial efforts!! Some of these kids are not even in High School yet, for cripes sake! Recognize these demos for what they are: great demoes written by pirating groups. The messages are programming challenges and boasts of great hacks. What the heck is "general purpose code"??? The general purpose of the Union demo is to amaze the eyes and ears, and create envy toward the members of the Union. Sounds good to me . . . As for the demoes being useless, I for one and amazed by many of them. Very few folks leave my house without a glazed look in the eye and a new appreciation for computer graphics. I LOVE to show them to PC types. They sell Atari machines (and Amiga machines). The only thing that scares me is: What the hell are we going to do when the little buggers hit the job market . . . . :-) -- ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- Mickey R. Boyd | "Kirk to Enterprise. All clear FSU Computer Science | down here. Beam down Technical Support Group | yeoman Rand and a six-pack . ." email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | ---------------------------------+------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 7 Apr 91 09:59:42 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!bionet!agate!cyclone.Berkeley.EDU!kawakami@ar izona.edu (John Kawakami) Subject: union demo 2 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr5.202600.7995@wam.umd.edu> dmb@wam.umd.edu (David M. Baggett) writes: >It's as though the authors only spend much time on the "nifty hack" >parts of the demos -- the routine that puts 522 colors on the screen or >whatever, and then just do a half-baked job on the rest. It doesn't >take much work to make a well-behaved program, but it requires a kind >of discipline I guess. >Dave Baggett >dmb%wam.umd.edu@uunet.uu.net Facts is facts, and the fact is, most of the fun in programming (at least from what I've seen) is in getting the program/function to work right, and squeezing in as many "features" as possible. Careful design and a good user interface take a back seat. John Kawakami kawakami@ocf.berkeley.edu Amateur Crank! ucbvax!ocf.berkeley.edu!kawakami ------------------------------ Date: 6 Apr 91 07:40:05 GMT From: tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!n8emr!bluemoon!archbold@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Archie Jaszcz) Subject: Zmodem and Xmodem for VAX To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu fsctc@csduts1.lerc.nasa.gov (Clarence T. Chang) writes: > Hi. A couple of months ago, someone here posted a message saying that > he has access to zmodem and xmodem programs on the VAX. Would that person > kindly reply to me via email, please. I am fed up with transmission by > Kermit and would like a faster transfer, preferrably by zmodem. Thanks. > > Clarence T. Chang > fsctc@csduts1.lerc.nasa.gov WOW! You're not the only one who's looking for such a program for VAX... Whoever has these programs could kindly mail me too, or simply post a message to the net and perhaps u/l these programs to atari.archive (even though they're not for atari computers)... Anyway, my mail address: CE_JASZCZ@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu or archbold@bluemoon.uucp Replies, flames, whatever to: osu-cis!n8emr!bluemoon!archbold archbold@bluemoon.uucp ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest ******************************