Info-Atari16 Digest Sat, 8 Feb 92 Volume 92 : Issue 74 Today's Topics: ".img" file conversions (2 msgs) ///\_ "Head and Serve" Sozobon HELP! ///\_ A couple of UNIXMODE and MiNT questions Amiga, Atari ST, modems, monitor for sale comp.os.minix datalink - the continuing story Disk Recovery Utilities DVI driver for TeX Gif printer drivers Harpoon More flame bait? (this is rediculous) More RAM! (2 msgs) Please Educate (soon to be) new Atari user (3 msgs) Raytrace to Spectrum Converter Wanted: Atari Mega or STe 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 Feb 92 14:58:09 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!samsung!nstar!syscon!miked@arizona.ed u (Mike DeMetz) Subject: ".img" file conversions To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I have MVG (availible from Wizworks and some dealers) but I do not remember in importing GEM (I will look). Touch-up does. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 09:50:27 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!wupost!waikato.ac.nz!comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!Alex.Valdez@arizona .edu (Alex Valdez) Subject: ".img" file conversions To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Feb3.155225.7387@sae.com> malay@sae.com (Bob Malay) writes: > There are a number of clipart files on a.a that are in ".img" format. How > do I convert them so that they can be used by EasyDraw (requires ".gem" > format?? > > Bob Malay > .IMG files are bitmaps; .GEM files are metafiles. (That is, .IMGs are pictures while .GEMs are essentially VDI commands strung together.) It is not a trivial task to convert from IMG to GEM (other than brute force, of course, by plotting each pixel). The Codeheads market a product called Avant Vektor which will do it (and do it well, so I heard) but unless you're a serious DTP user, I doubt if it will be worth it. -- ================================Alex Valdez============================= ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 08:38:59 GMT From: math.fu-berlin.de!pbinfo!hsg@uunet.uu.net (Joerg Hoyer) Subject: ///\_ "Head and Serve" Sozobon HELP! ///\_ To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Feb5.042325.9188@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, an172@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Marc A. Lombardo) writes: > I am following the C-manship tutorial to learn C, and I have come to the > fourth chapter. I tried to compile the program from the .c program on the > c-manship disk and it didn't work. > ld: undefined symbol '_abs' from module .\c4prg1 > ld: undefined symbol '_fpltof' from module .\c4prg1 > [etc.] The name of the library you must include is fplib.a. You include this library through a -f (or -r?, i remember it is -f) in the comand-line of the cc comand. I think then it will be correct translate. bye.. -- / ---- ---- Joerg Hoyer /___ /___ /___/ Universitaet Gesamthochschule Paderborn, FB17 / / / / Warburger-Str. 100, W-4790 Paderborn, GERMANY / / ___/ /__/ email: hsg@uni-paderborn.de ------------------------------ Date: 6 Feb 92 19:21:08 GMT From: ucla-se!pantheon!willing@locus.ucla.edu (Scott Willingham) Subject: A couple of UNIXMODE and MiNT questions To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Feb05.132618.60139@link-1.ts.bcc.ac.uk> ucacmsu@ucl.ac.uk (Mr Stephen R Usher) writes: >In article <4859@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> bwhite@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (William E. White) writes: >> >>3. Exactly how slow IS MiNT? Are there any decent accelerator boards out >>there if it is on the unspeedy side? > >MiNT slows down an ST by about 10%. On my TT.. it's not noticable :-). I'd have to disagree with this. To quantify MiNT's overhead, you need to specify what operations are taking place. Kernel (OS) calls are certainly more expensive, but general CPU operations are slowed to a much smaller extent. Using qindex, I have seen a 1 to 2% slowdown in CPU performance on my 520stfm. Screen operations are affected more by low-level pixel routines than the OS. I also doubt that disk I/O could be slowed appreciably compared to the hardware performance. In summary, MiNT overhead for most operations is unnoticable; the main slowdown I have seen is in screen text operations and that is rapidly improving with each MiNT version. -- Scott Willingham // willing@icsl.ucla.edu ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 17:49:20 GMT From: rit2!ultb!ultb!clf3678@cs.rochester.edu (C.L. Freemesser) Subject: Amiga, Atari ST, modems, monitor for sale To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu The various items listed here are for sale. If you are interested in anything here, please contact me via: GEnie: C.FREEMESSER Internet: clf3678@ultb.rit.edu clf3678@ritvax Phone: (716)328-5505 after 6pm EST Prices do not include shipping. Will make a deal on multiple purchase of items, but prices are pretty low. Everything listed here is in PERFECT working condition! I'll find out the EXACT UPS shipping charges for anything you want to order. ------------ Amiga 500 computer system. About 4 months old. Includes the computer with a 1MB Supra memory expansion (total memory 1MB). This was one of those starter kits that came with the Amiga 520 RF/color composite adapter, TextCraft Plus, Tetris, and Where In the World is Carmen Sandiego. Complete with all manuals, disks, original packaging, cables, etc. I will throw in a copy of "Amiga for Beginners" by Abacus Books, a few European mags, and Gauntlet II. I'll also include the original reciept for everything so you can take advantage of the remaining warranty period. $300 ------------ BMI monochrome monitor. A little old, but works just fine. Green phosphor display, no sound. Ideal for use on older computers like the Apple II series (which did not require sound). RCA jack for video input. $25 ------------ Zenith Data Systems 2400 baud modem. Only used a few hours. This is a "standard" modem, with Hayes compatibility and a size that fits easily under a telephone. Has the standard 8 LEDs on the front, with power switch on back. Includes manual. $65 ------------ Zoom 2400 baud external modem. Similar to the Zenith, except it has a smaller case and comes with original packaging. Power supply, manuals, etc. included. $50 ------------ Amiga Software (all include boxes and manuals): Alternate Reality: The City......$10 TransWrite (latest version)......$40 Wings............................$30 Battle of Britain (LucasFilm)....$15 FirePower........................$10 ------------ Atari ST Software (all include boxes and manuals): Great Battles (Napoleonic/Civil War).....$10 King of Chicago (Cinemaware).............$10 BattleHawks: 1942........................$15 Sub Battle Simulator.....................$10 Hole-In-One Mini Golf (2nd disk bad).....$2 From my earlier post, the Golden Image Amiga disk drive, Magnavox RGB 80 monitor, Joust (ST), and the Maxtor SCSI drive have been sold. _______________________________________________________________________ || Chris Freemesser, RIT Comp.Eng.Tech. I'd rather have a bottle || || BITNET: clf3678@ritvax in front of me..... || || Usenet: clf3678@ultb.rit.edu .....than have a frontal || || GEnie: C.FREEMESSER L O B O T O M Y ! ! ! || ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 8 Feb 92 05:11:43 GMT From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!midiline!jared@arizona.edu ('286 Highlander) Subject: comp.os.minix To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Does anyone know how to get me patched into this newsfeed? I'd like to be able to read some related topics of this type in Email... Also, does anyone know how to get me in touch with the author of Minix? Much appreciation! Make all replies in Email ("Mail"). Thank you... Jared ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 18:35:57 GMT From: mcsun!uknet!keele!csw93@uunet.uu.net (Adam Turnbull) Subject: datalink - the continuing story To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Just to follow up my own post.... I plucked up the courage to try my ST - amiga link. Partly because the amiga owner said he'd pay for any damages if things went seriously wrong... Well, it works fine. The lead I have only has 5 wires connected, not all of them, and things look pretty OK. Just thought you might like to know.. Adam ------------------------------ Date: 8 Feb 92 05:42:14 GMT From: arizona.edu!cerritos.edu!nic.csu.net!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!galileo.c c.rochester.edu!news@arizona.edu (Ho) Subject: Disk Recovery Utilities To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I am looking for a pd/shareware or comercial disk recovery utilities program. One of my directory on my Hard drive got screwed up when the system crashed. I think I can just replace the FAT with the backup one right? So, somebody please tell me how I can do it. Thanks in advance. .. Ling cherd ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 12:58:39 GMT From: mcsun!uknet!newcastle.ac.uk!newton!q1rse@uunet.uu.net (Dave Johnson) Subject: DVI driver for TeX To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I am looking for a DVI driver for my deskjet 500 in order for me to print a DVI file in landscape mode. Has this been implement in an drivers on the ST (Do the drivers in CS-TeX allow this for example) Dave J D.M.Johnson@newcastle.ac.uk ------------------------------ Date: 4 Feb 92 13:47:42 GMT From: noao!asuvax!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohi o-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!utorvm!ryerson!eeng6801@arizon a.edu (Carlos Varela) Subject: Gif printer drivers To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu The only ways to print GIFs that I know of is to convert them: a) Convert them to IMG and use a DTP program to print b) Convert to Degas and used IFFCNV to print There is also a program called GIFPRINT that works on an IBM. It works very nicely and the results are good/very good. It also works on PC DITTO (takes 30-45 min to print a 640x480 image) ==================================================================== | " Competence, like truth, beauty and = Carlos J. C. Varela | | a contact lens, is in the eye of the = EENG6801.RYERSON.CA | | beholder." = Fnet Node: #18, #38 | ==================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 14:43:32 GMT From: mcsun!uknet!axion!newsserver!hyrax!ipc@uunet.uu.net (Ian P Coleman) Subject: Harpoon To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Does anyone know if the game Harpoon (which I've seen for the Mac and the *miga) is available for the ST yet. I've tried to get it in the UK, to be informed that the distributers went down the pan in connection with the Maxwell business. Wondered if I might be able to get it direct from the States? Also, are there any other decent naval simulations around at present? Answers by e-mail. Thanks. Ian Coleman (ipc@zoo.bt.co.uk) | "The larger the building the more BTL, Martlesham Heath, England | flaws there are in the design" ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 19:40:08 GMT From: amethyst!salado!misvax.mis.arizona.edu!dtarico@arizona.edu Subject: More flame bait? (this is rediculous) To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I don't know if everybody sees this, but on my system here there is a new newsgroup just above comp.sys.atari.st which is titled comp.sys.atari.chomps.the.big.one. Is this just a local thing, or is it further distrubuted? I thought newsgroup formation was moderated also. It is probably just another attempt to start some worthless computer agrument. I don't understand why some people are so obsessed with putting down Atari. As a matter of fact, I think I'll use my ST a little bit more today, just to spite them! :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Doug Tarico Any opinions expressed were dtarico@mis.arizona.edu completely accidental. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 17:42:00 GMT From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wupost!uwm.edu!src.honeywell.com!umn.edu!doug.cae.wisc.e du!carter@ames.arpa (Carter Gregory) Subject: More RAM! To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <54108@cup.portal.com> Azog-Thoth@cup.portal.com (William Thomas Daugustine) writes: > >(please pardon the wide distribution, but since there seems to be quite >an active Atari community in Germany, I figgered I might get an answer >from there as well as from the US) > >Ive got a 520STe with 4mb of RAM, and I want more! I know that there >are some accelerator cards for the non-STe, which also offer additional >RAM, but since these dont work in the STe, and basiclly I just want >more memory, thats not a viable option for me. > >I dont know anything about the ST architecture, but I am quite well >version in electronics and theroy, and a bad speller at that. But >what would happen if I plugged in say 4mb SIMMs into my STe? Would >I be able to access that extra memory? ???? MMU would probably have the equivalent of a heart attack and buy the farm on the spot... > >Im sure that for some reason its built to limit to 4mb (Atari foresight) >but theres gotta be a way? Considering that the 68000 is capapble >of addressing somewhere in the range of 4gb? (sorry if that number >is wrong, but I dont have specs with me) 68000 ADDR 24 bits kid, thats all you get. Thats...16mb... If you want more, sell your ST, get a real computer or upgrade to a TT, or pray for an add that says: "Now shipping SST boards..." > >I dont mind taking a soldering iron to my machine, if thats what is >needed (In Ataris mind, my warrentee was voided about three days >after I received shipment, to install the 4mb...) > You won't need a soldering iron, you might want to try an axe though... >Thanx > >Billy D'Augustine >Azog-Thoth@cup.portal.com > >BTW: has anyone recived TOS 2.06 from CodeHead yet? I am getting quite >itchy, and if need be, to satisify my upgrade addiction, Ill do something >to my Amiga :-) No, I haven't recieved it yet. In fact I haven't ordered it yet. I won't either until Atari gets its act together and provides us Mega STE owners with the HD floppy chip either to use HD disks. Anybody get any of these from ATARI yet? -Greg ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 05:57:51 GMT From: sparkyfs.erg.sri.com!csl!fernwood!portal!cup.portal.com!Azog-Thoth@ames.arpa (William Thomas Daugustine) Subject: More RAM! To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu (please pardon the wide distribution, but since there seems to be quite an active Atari community in Germany, I figgered I might get an answer from there as well as from the US) Ive got a 520STe with 4mb of RAM, and I want more! I know that there are some accelerator cards for the non-STe, which also offer additional RAM, but since these dont work in the STe, and basiclly I just want more memory, thats not a viable option for me. I dont know anything about the ST architecture, but I am quite well version in electronics and theroy, and a bad speller at that. But what would happen if I plugged in say 4mb SIMMs into my STe? Would I be able to access that extra memory? Im sure that for some reason its built to limit to 4mb (Atari foresight) but theres gotta be a way? Considering that the 68000 is capapble of addressing somewhere in the range of 4gb? (sorry if that number is wrong, but I dont have specs with me) I dont mind taking a soldering iron to my machine, if thats what is needed (In Ataris mind, my warrentee was voided about three days after I received shipment, to install the 4mb...) Thanx Billy D'Augustine Azog-Thoth@cup.portal.com BTW: has anyone recived TOS 2.06 from CodeHead yet? I am getting quite itchy, and if need be, to satisify my upgrade addiction, Ill do something to my Amiga :-) ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 17:31:18 GMT From: noao!asuvax!gatech!paladin.american.edu!darwin.sura.net!wupost!uwm.edu!src.hone ywell.com!umn.edu!doug.cae.wisc.edu!carter@arizona.edu (Carter Gregory) Subject: Please Educate (soon to be) new Atari user To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Feb06.232348.6350@cdsmn.mn.org> plate@cdsmn.UUCP (Doug Plate) writes: > >I hate asking these very basic questions, but I read the FAQ that was posted >here and still don't know the difference between various models of the Atari >line. Ask what you want. Some people are pretty snotty sometimes to the new people that drop by, but you cannot possibly ask a question too stupid. > >I have heard of 1040st, 1040stf, 1040stfm, 1040ste, MegaST, MegaSTe, TT, etc, >etc. What are the diffences between these machines? Also, I have surmised >from reading here for a few weeks now that there are no card slots in the >ST as there are in PC's, Apples. Is this true? How are hardware add-ins >and memory upgrades implemented? > >Thanks, > Doug Plate > plate@cdsmn.mn.org > Not very easily. As far as memory upgrades go, anything below a MEGASTE/TT your looking at quite a soldering job. And even if you don't have to solder as with some memory upgrades, like Zubair's 3D 4 Meg upgrade, you have reliability problems. ST's are pretty limited in memory expansion. You have a max of 4megs, without doing heavy mods to the machine. The processor speed sucks too. Nobody operates at 8Mhz anymore. I have a MegaSTE, it runs at 16Mhz and I still consider that very marginal, even for general purpose use in the 90's. A God, er, I mean person called David Small is working on fixing speed, expansion and memory size problems of the ST. The SST board, as it is called will bring us back to the performance mainstream of computing again. The only drawback, is that Mr. Small has been having lots of problems manufacturing the SST, so it isn't expected to be truly available in any significant quantities until summer 92'. I would recommend going the SST route, and buying a MEGA STE. Your gonna end up with a machine that has far more potential than Atari's TT ever will. -Greg Of course, there are other alternatives to the ST you know... ------------------------------ Date: 8 Feb 92 00:58:27 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!darwin.sura.net!gatech!pitt.edu!gvlf3.gvl.unisys.com!tredysvr! cellar!darling@arizona.edu (Thomas Darling) Subject: Please Educate (soon to be) new Atari user To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu carter@cae.wisc.edu (Carter Gregory) writes: > A God, er, I mean person called David Small is working on fixing speed, > expansion and memory size problems of the ST. The SST board, as it is called > will bring us back to the performance mainstream of computing again. > > The only drawback, is that Mr. Small has been having lots of problems > manufacturing the SST, so it isn't expected to be truly available in any > significant quantities until summer 92'. Well, that's ONE drawback. The other is that these things will be ridiculously expensive. I can't remember the exact price list I saw (it might have been in ZNet a few months back), but these add-ons make the ST about as expensive as the (nameless) machines they're designed to compete with. The TT is more cost-effective, I believe. Expensive but easier to expand. ~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~\\\~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~% darling@cellar.org \\\ Thomas Darling * record production * dance re-mixing uunet!cellar!darling \\\ Fact HQ Studio * The Cellar BBS:215/654-9184 * FACT v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%\\\%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v%v% ------------------------------ Date: 8 Feb 92 07:40:33 GMT From: noao!asuvax!ukma!wupost!zazen!doug.cae.wisc.edu!carter@arizona.edu (Carter Gregory) Subject: Please Educate (soon to be) new Atari user To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1992Feb8.020026.27892@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> wmagro@uiuc.edu (William Magro) writes: >In article <1992Feb7.113118.18227@doug.cae.wisc.edu>, carter@cae.wisc.edu (Carter Gregory) writes: >ocessor speed sucks too. Nobody > >|> I would recommend going the SST route, and buying a MEGA STE. Your gonna end >|> up with a machine that has far more potential than Atari's TT ever will. >|> >|> -Greg > >Could you elaborate? Why does the TT have less potential? > >--Bill I stated this because: The TT's 32Mhz 030is quite SLOW compared with the potential Dave Small's SST board, which can clock 40Mhz reliably, I have even heard he has tested the SST at 50Mhz with no problems. Dave is also working on REAL expansion options for the board, like video and sound. Which will probably have a greater impact on the Mac side, when he gets 32bit color quick draw going...:). A TT, a 32bit machine, has a 16Bit VME bus on it. What a disaster. Not only that, but the VME bus was purposely crippled NOT too allow cpu upgrades, memory upgrades etc. Basically its only good for networking and MAYBE enhanced video boards. If you can wait, your gonna be a winner either way. I am planning on waiting till summer until Dave gets his SST board out. If he doesn't have it out by then, I am going to have to get SOME 32BIT machine option, and it AIN'T going to be a TT. More than likely, a IIci, Next pizza. I would LIKE to spend it on Dave, but I have waited to long, already and my coding skills have outgrown an 68000 at 16Mhz. ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 16:34:01 GMT From: arizona.edu!cerritos.edu!nic.csu.net!usc!sdd.hp.com!news.cs.indiana.edu!umn.edu !cs.umn.edu!kksys!tdkt!FredGate@arizona.edu (Nick Smith) Subject: Raytrace to Spectrum Converter To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu There is now a GFA Raytrace to Spectrum 512 picture converter availiable to finally get Raytrace pics into an editable/convertable format. There is a Shareware demo file available on Compuserve and GEnie (SUL2SPU.ARC) for a limited version that will let you view converted pics with any Spectrum viewer/slideshow. The pics are not fully compatible - you must send in your $5 shareware fee to get the full version. (The demo will 'bleed' Spectrum's red menu colors into your pics, annoying enuff to warrant sending in $5) Write to: Lonny Pursell P.O. Box 145 Pandora, Ohio 45877 USA * Origin: FlightLine BBS Mpls,MN SDN USRdual 612-544-5118 (1:282/47.0) ------------------------------ Date: 7 Feb 92 21:56:35 GMT From: convex!constellation!a.cs.okstate.edu!onstott@uunet.uu.net (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) Subject: Wanted: Atari Mega or STe To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I am wanting to buy either an Atari 1040Ste or an Atari Mega 2 or Mega 4. I only need the CPU; I do not need monitors, modems, hard drives, etc. IF you are willing to let go of just a CPU; please send me email and a price of your system. Thanks. BCnya, Charles O. Onstott, III ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Charles O. Onstott, III P.O. Box 2386 Undergraduate in Philosophy Stillwater, Ok 74076 Oklahoma State University onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu "The most abstract system of philosophy is, in its method and purpose, nothing more than an extremely ingenious combination of natural sounds." -- Carl G. Jung ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest ******************************