Volume 2, Issue 34 Atari Online News, Etc. August 25, 2000 Published and Copyright (c) 2000 All Rights Reserved Atari Online News, Etc. A-ONE Online Magazine Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor Atari Online News, Etc. Staff Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking" Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile" Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips With Contributions by: Donald A. Thomas, Jr. Dan Loosen Kevin Savetz To subscribe to A-ONE, send a message to: dpj@delphi.com and your address will be added to the distribution list. To unsubscribe from A-ONE, send the following: Unsubscribe A-ONE Please make sure that you include the same address that you used to subscribe from. To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the following sites: http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm http://www.icwhen.com/aone/ http://a1mag.atari.org Coming Soon: http://a1mag.b-squared.net Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi! http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari =~=~=~= A-ONE #0234 08/25/00 ~ Intel's Pentium 4! ~ People Are Talking! ~ AOL Bounces WebMail! ~ 'Pokey' Virus Hits US! ~ Sydney 2000 For PSX! ~ StarCall 3.1C! ~ NCAA GameBreaker 2001 ~ GameFan Covers Jaguar! ~ AtarICQ Updated! ~ McAfee For Handhelds! ~ MP3.COM, Sony Settle! ~ 'D2' Survival Epic! -* Nintendo Announces GameCube! *- -* eGames CEO Defies Customer Complaint *- -* Gov't Releases Carnivore Review Guidelines *- =~=~=~= ->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!" """""""""""""""""""""""""" Mercifully, I'm on vacation again. The overall atmosphere at my place of work is rapidly deteriorating. It seems that every year at about this time (budget time), the place goes into total chaos. People's stress levels are rising to new heights and it's disheartening. Every year I keep telling myself that things cannot get worse, but I'm wrong, year after year. Well, no sense going on about it; the stress will be there when I get back! For now, it's time to relax and enjoy the time off while I can! Finally, the weather has started to improve! While it's been cooler than normal, we've seen the sun more oft than not. I hope this holds up throughout my week off! My wife and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary today! It's hard to imagine that she's put up with me all these years! So if this week's issue is out late, now you know why - we're probably out celebrating. Until next time... =~=~=~= STarCall 3.1-C Released Program name: STARCALL PRO Deutsch/English Version: 3.1-C Program type: Terminal, Fax, BBS STarCall Version 3 ENGLISH: Terminal program including Fax, Voice and BBS, Point, Editor, cost calculator, Chat, Voice recorder. For Atari/Magic/compatibles 3.1-C, 15.08.2000 - VT-Emulation fixed - RSC-Files fixed AtarICQ Updated A new version of AtarICQ and the overlay has been released. In this release it is finally possible to create a new ICQ-account from within AtarICQ. AtarICQ changes status from alpha to beta. http://gokmase.atari.org =~=~=~= PEOPLE ARE TALKING compiled by Joe Mirando jmirando@portone.com Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Yet another week has come and gone and we now find ourselves sitting here involved with this column... Me involved with writing it, you with reading it. Oh well, so much for my feeble attempt at philosophy. I got in touch with a cousin a couple of days ago. We've both been "computer heads", as his father calls us, for almost two decades each but only saw each other during the holidays. All we ever really had time for more than a cursory conversation about the state of our respective computer systems. A typical conversation would go something like this: Joe: Hey Dom. How ya been? Dom: Not too bad. You? Joe: Okay. Still using the CoCo [Radio Shack Color Computer]? Dom: Yep. You still using the Amiga? [He ALWAYS confused the Amiga with the Atari, but he's family] so I HAVE to forgive him. ] Joe: It's not an Amiga. It's an Atari. Dom: Oh yeah, that's right. I'm still doing some neat things with the CoCo. Joe: Neat. I've moved up from an Atari ST to an Atari TT. It's a pretty neat machine. Dom: I'd pop for a new computer, but the stuff out there today just doesn't have the same 'feel'. Joe: I know what you mean. I feel the same way. Dom: Well, I've got to get going. Lots more family to see. Joe: I know what you mean. I've got three more stops to make tonight too. Dom: Take care. Joe: You too. Have fun. And THAT was about the extent of our contact. With only a few variations, that was about the extent of our contact for more than ten years. A family happening (having a grave marker made for an uncle who was lost at sea during World War II) brought an interesting twist this past week. I gave my grandfather my email address to forward to Dom. I've done this before, but THIS time, the message was actually delivered. Dom sent me email and I replied. Of course, in my closing (my "sig"), I included the URL of my web pages on Delphi. When Dom sent me another email, he mentioned that he had been a member of Delphi for more than ten years... about the same amount of time that I have. Had we ever succeeded in exchanging email addresses, we could have and would have corresponded regularly. It looks like some of the choices we make in the computer world are governed by genetics. We both chose and stayed with "orphan" computers, we both finally gave in, even if only to a minor extent, to the PC world, and we both opted to use Linux on the new PC. Heck, we even chose the same distribution of Linux to use. Of course, now that I have his email address, and he has mine, we'll be corresponding regularly and trading 'war stories'. Knowing the two of us, I'm sure that there'll be plenty of stuff to trade back and forth. Well, let's get on with the news, hints, tips, and info available every week on the UseNet. From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup ==================================== Daniel Schobben asks: "I want to use PC emulator ROMs (.ST files) on my ST. What should I do?" Andrew Owen tells Daniel: "The only ROMs an ST uses are TOS ROMs and cartridge ROMs. .ST files are disk images and you need a program to save them to an Atari disk. I'm not aware of one but there must be one around somewhere." Richard Kilpatrick asks about replacing his ST's power supply: "Okay, I've decided no more ST PSU for me. I've got a 145W PC PSU, which I have removed from the chassis, mounted the power switch on the metal case (it looks... interesting. The 240V cable, all thankfully very insulated, with the bit that it attached to the front of the PC now attached to the PSU. Like a little plunger ;) ). The PC wires are coloured red, yellow, black, orange, blue, and white. I'm thinking: Black is ground. Red is +5V. Blue is +12V. That's what I need for the ST. What are the white, yellow and orange wires? There are multiples of the ground and red. If I put, say, 2 red wires into one end of a screw connector, and connect that to one of the ST 5V lines, will it be providing 5V (with twice the current available) still? Or will that cause it to be wired in series, and providing 10V?" Michael Schwingren tells Richard: "Be careful. On most PC PSUs, +12V is yellow (check the colours on the disk drive connector cables - normally, these are red, 2* black, yellow). However, this is not quite standardized, so be sure to check the voltages before connecting the ST. Make sure not to run switchmode PSUs without load (1A on the 5V rail is usually sufficient for PC-style PSUs, an old 5.25" hard disk drive will work fine as a dummy load for most PSUs). A PC PSU will also provide -5V, -12V and a power good signal - simply leave these unconnected. >If I put, say, 2 red wires into one end of a screw connector, and >connect that to one of the ST 5V lines, will it be providing 5V (with >twice the current available) still? Or will that cause it to be wired in Yes, running 2 red wires to one line will still provide five volts... However, I would suggest soldering the connections - screw connectors tend to loosen up after time, especially when multiple wires are put into one." Mark Friedman asks: "Hi there, I have a question about Hard Drives. I have a Syquest 88 Meg cartridge Scsi drive, and what I is an ICD Link cable to connect it to my Mega Ste. I have found that I can't boot from this drive because no drives or partitions are recognized by the system. Also I am using HD driver 7.6. Is it possible to boot from this type of cartridge drive, or will it work only when part of a chain? Also, I am using HD driver 7.6. Perhaps I need to get the "link 97" cable for this to work?" Dr. Uwe Seimet, the author of HD Driver, tells Mark: "You can boot from such a drive like you can boot from any other drive. Except for the fact that the cartridge can be changed removable media drives don't differ from normal hard disk drives." 'Phill' asks for help with his new hard drive: "I just got an 3.2 gb scsi hdd and was wondering what I use 2 format it on my mega 2 st and what is the largest partition I can make on the st? If software is needed, I need to know what the names are and where I can download it from." Again, Dr. Seimet jumps in and posts: "First you need a SCSI host adapter like the LINK97 in order to be able to use more than 1 GByte of this drive. Otherwise only the first GByte is accessible. The maximum partition size for TOS compatible partitions on the MegaST2 is 512 MByte or, with MagiC or MiNT, 1 GByte. A current driver with the requires features is HDDRIVER: http://home.nikocity.de/nogfradelt/atari_english.html " David Galvez Carles asks about MiNT: "I have a Falcon with MiNT 1.15.5 and NAES 2.0. I don't know why MiNT doesn't ask me for a login when i turn on the computer, always i get in like root. Does anybody know how configure this?" Johannes Hädrich tells David: "Unfortunately you have not the possibility to secure MiNT like UNIX. But you can handle your Logins with different Settings etc by using GEM-INIT from Ulrich Kaiser. The URL is http://home.t-online.de/home/u_kaiser/geminite.html " Thomas Binder adds that it... "...Depends on what kind of security you refer here. It is definitely possible to secure MiNT by login/password as any other type of UNIX compatible system. For example, you could install KGMD/KEMD and use its init package, then create a dedicated GEM user with N.AES being its login shell. Note, though, that N.AES needs to be setuid root to be able to perform various device installations on startup. It drops privileges as soon as it's finished doing so (at least it should do so, I haven't tested that myself)." Mario Becroft tells David: "If you want a UNIX-style login process you will probably need to install a whole UNIX-style setup with the various tools. A popular distribution is KGMD, available from various FTP sites, or the MiNT'98 CD-ROM." Phil Smith asks: "Is there anything out there for the ST that will let me connect it to a PC and access the PC's hard drive, like SIO2PC for the 8-bits?" Irek Pelech tells Phil: "Yes! Download this program http://www.cu2000.com.pl/guma/arch/hdd_dmn.lzh " David Ducassou asks: "Can anybody give me links of shops where buy Atari stickers and T-Shirts?" Andrew Owen tells David: "I'm not aware of any current stockists. I bought my Atari T-shirt in Virgin Megastore during the retro-boom of the '90s. Embossed silver on black fuji, very nice. You could always get one of those T-shirt printing kits and make your own. Of course the Atari that's still going may have some merchandise but they've changed the fuji and IMHO the new one just isn't as nice." David does a little research on his own and tells us: "The result of my researches: Shops that sell ATARI T-SHIRTS ------------------------------ http://www.t-shirtshopper.com (search for word atari in the search engine. Don't forget to vote!) http://www.insaniteesonline.com/atari.htm http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/collecta.htm http://www.yque.com/tshirts/ataritshirt.html http://www.tees.com http://www.hiscorearcade.com/tshrt.htm " Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week, same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when... PEOPLE ARE TALKING =~=~=~= ->In This Week's Gaming Section - Nintendo Announces GameCube! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" eGames CEO Defies Customer Complaint! 'D2'! Jaguar Makes GameFan! And much more! =~=~=~= ->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Nintendo Makes Late Entry in Hot Gameplayer Market Nintendo Co. on Thursday became the last of Japan's big game machine makers to enter the competitive market for next-generation consoles by revealing it would start selling Gamecube in Japan next July. The company also unveiled its new 32-bit hand-held Gameboy Advance, which analysts said would maintain Nintendo's dominance in that market but which will hit the market later than they and software makers had expected. Both machines will be Internet-capable and Nintendo said it will sell an adapter to link the original Gameboy and Gameboy Advance with mobile phones, enabling Japan's 60 million cell phone subscribers to exchange e-mail and play games online. In the first month, Nintendo aims to ship one million units of Gameboy Advance, which is a similar size to the original eight-bit version but with a 50 percent bigger screen, and will release 10 games when it launches. Nintendo will also market a new version of its blockbuster Pocket Monsters, or Pokemon, software for use on mobile networks in December. ``The specifications and game concept of the two players look to be quite solid, which will likely strengthen Nintendo's competitiveness," said UBS Warburg analyst Masahiro Ono. Gamecube will use an IBM Corp microprocessor and compete with Sony Corp's bulkier PlayStation2, which was released on March 4, and Sega Enterprises Ltd's Dreamcast, which hit Japanese stores late last year. And its arrival should mark the start of a full-blown battle in the market with U.S. software powerhouse Microsoft Corp joining the fray late next year with its X-box console. Gameboy will hit Japanese stores next March 21 and go on sale overseas in July. The Gamecube console will be launched at home in July with a U.S. debut three months later. With Gameboy Advance, Nintendo hopes to build on the 90 percent share of the hand-held market it enjoys in Japan and 99 percent in the United States and Europe, due partly to its hugely popular Pokemon game. But consumers are not the only ones who will be eagerly awaiting its appearance on stores' shelves ``The delay of Gameboy Advance is regrettable since we have been working hard to develop games for a Christmas launch," said Kazumi Kitaue, managing director at Konami, Japan's major game software developer. Nintendo Unveils Video-Game Console At a time when its biggest rival is pushing a video game machine that does everything from play movies to connect to the Internet, Nintendo Co. is sticking to what it knows best - fun and games. Its new GameCube console, shown to reporters Thursday, is a dedicated game machine much like Nintendo's current N64, but with much better image quality. The Japanese manufacturer behind the Pokemon craze also showed a prototype of the Game Boy Advance - an improved version of its hit handheld machine. Expected to be available next summer, the Advance has a larger, brighter color screen and can connect through cable to three others of its kind for competitive play. Nintendo's approach contrasts with that of Sony Corp. which is seeking to make its PlayStation2 video game machine part of its lineup of home appliances as well as the centerpiece of its Internet strategy. The PlayStation2, which can play digital video disks, hit Japanese stores in March. Sony has shipped 3 million so far, and is slated to launch it in the United States on Oct. 26. Nintendo must also prepare to battle Microsoft Corp.'s foray into game machines with its X-Box, planned for next year. Like the GameCube, the X-Box is presented as a pure game machine, but it will also play video disks. Analysts said Nintendo was making a wise choice by sticking to the niche game business, instead of trying to challenge Sony on its turf. Eiji Maeda, an analyst with the Daiwa Institute of Research, said Nintendo's game lineup, including Pokemon, Mario and Zelda titles, is likely to be its strength. ``Fortunately for Nintendo, the PlayStation2 games out so far aren't all that spectacular," Maeda said. ``Nintendo can certainly put up a good fight." Sony dominates the world game market, having sold 73 million of the original PlayStation. But Nintendo has managed to stay in the game. Worldwide sales of its Game Boy topped 100 million this summer. And Nintendo 64 sales total more than 29 million worldwide. ``It's going to be a different marketing scheme. They still have a huge hold on the little kiddy market," said Zachary Liggett, analyst with WestLB Panmure in Tokyo. ``Those who are going to survive and really bang it out on the hardware market are Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft." The still-unpriced GameCube is planned for the Japanese market for July 2001 and three months later in the United States. Developed under the code-name Dolphin, it features a central processor from International Business Machines Corp. and a graphics processor from ATI Technologies Inc. The games will come on 3-inch disks designed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the Japanese manufacturer of Panasonic products. The format, incompatible with standard CD and DVD drives, was chosen in part to discourage piracy, a Nintendo executive said. Game cartridges for the N64 will not play on the GameCube. At a hall near Tokyo packed with reporters, Nintendo unveiled the GameCube in a flashy presentation complete with bursts of smoke, thumping rock music and models in shiny leather. A cheer went up from the crowd when smooth, vivid, animation-quality footage of Pokemon creatures and Luigi from the Mario game appeared on huge screens. Except for a demonstration of more than 100 tumbling, scurrying and waving Marios as evidence of the machine's ample memory and dazzling graphics, Nintendo was secretive about the games planned for GameCube. Nintendo did say it made a special effort to create a machine that will be a hit not only with game fans but also with game-designers looking for technology that makes their job easier. Besides the regular gamepad, there will be a wireless one available that works from as far as 30 feet away. Modems for regular phone lines and faster connections for Internet play will also be available. The Game Boy Advance, promised for March 21, 2001 in Japan for $90 and for July in the United States at a still undetermined price, has a display about 50 percent bigger than that of the Game Boy. It will play Game Boy cartridges as well as games designed for the Advance. The Advance will use a processor developed by ARM Holdings PLC, a British company that specializes in small chips that use little power. It will be 17 times faster than the Game Boy chip, Nintendo said. The Advance was originally slated to launch this summer, but it was pushed back by the parts shortages that have plagued many electronics manufacturers this year. Sega Unleashes D2, a Mature Cinematic Shiver-Filled Survival Epic for Dreamcast Genres Collide in D2 with Its Combination of First and Third-Person Gameplay Reality TV shows don't come close to the survival techniques required to succeed at ``D2." Sega of America, Inc. announced the release of ``D2" for the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast videogame console. Spanning four GD-ROMS and combining first- and third-person action, this epic game features gripping hands-on gameplay and Full Motion Videos (FMV) of cinematic proportions. ``D2" was developed by Warp's Kenji Eno, the creator of such notable titles as ``D" and ``Enemy Zero." In ``D2," players follow the adventure of Laura Parton as she attempts to survive in creature-packed and snow-punishing conditions. The story begins after a meteorite strikes Laura's airplane, and she finds herself revived from the wreck by a woman named Kimberly. Stranded in a cabin in a vast snowy region of the Canadian mountains, they must deal with dozens of different alien creatures roaming the area outside while seeking out clues to unlock the mystery behind what has happened to the rest of their plane's crew. Realistic terrain and ever-changing weather conditions add to the urgency of Laura's real-time plight through the tundra in ``D2." ``With a deep and horrifying story-line that includes both first to third person gameplay, 'D2' provides an immerse gaming adventure that will leave players engrossed for hours," said Rob Alvarez, product manager, Sega of America. ``The array of gameplay modes combined with the eerie aesthetic of 'D2' adds a new twist to the popular survival-horror game genre." The world of ``D2" is packed with four major modes of action including challenging battle sequences, authentic high-power hunting, multiple modes of exploration and the ability to take pictures of your surroundings. Traveling freely on foot or steering a snowmobile through the cinematic environment, players can take, store and add captions to photos for a personal ``D2" photo album or slideshow. Players depend on the Visual Memory Unit (VMU) to store game data and for information on Laura's whereabouts. The VMU displays a compass that will help direct players during exploration. ``D2" is also Jump Pack compatible for an extra surge effect. ``D2" is available for $49.95 at retailers nationwide and at www.sega.com. 989 Sports' NCAA GameBreaker 2001 and NCAA All-Time Rushing Leader Ron Dayne Plow Onto PlayStation Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced that NCAA GameBreaker 2001 from 989 Sports is now available for the PlayStation game console. Delivering a balanced attack of unrivaled graphics, great gameplay and a multitude of features, NCAA GameBreaker 2001 includes all 115 Division I-A programs, plus 64 historical teams, 21 bowl games, new player models and more than 250 motion-captured animations. The game features 1,800 plays designed by legendary All-Americans, Artificial Intelligence (AI) consultation provided by Washington Huskies head coach Rick Neuheisel and strategic input by Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, who also appears on the game's package cover. NCAA GameBreaker 2001 re-creates the spirit and pageantry of college football Saturdays with all 115 Division I-A football stadiums from Michigan's ``Big House" to the Rose Bowl, all rendered in amazing detail, as well as the race for the Heisman Trophy, and conference championships. Adding to the game's realism are more than 30 authentic fight songs and hundreds of motion-captured animations including new tackles, special moves and jukes. Players can utilize special weapon ``GameBreakers" who can change a game's complexion whenever they touch the ball. Former University of Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne, this year's GameBreaker cover athlete and a recent New York Giants first round draft pick, was brought into the studio for consultation adding to the game's realism through play calling strategies and play design. Dayne finished his Badger career as college football's all-time rushing leader becoming the first runner to amass more than 7,000 yards on the ground. ``NCAA GameBreaker 2001 captures the look and feel of college football and with our collaboration with Ron Dayne, the NCAA's most prolific running back, GameBreaker lives up to 989 Sports' mantra 'Made by the Pros. Played by the Pros." said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ``With Ron Dayne and Rick Neuheisel's strategic input, Keith Jackson's play-by-play commentary, incredibly realistic stadiums and team-specific playbooks, GameBreaker really is college football." NCAA GameBreaker 2001 features superior gameplay to accompany its amazing graphics and college football realism. With Total Control Passing, players adjust to changing defenses by leading or under-throwing receivers so the ball is placed just where the receiver can catch it. Special moves allow ``GameBreakers" to juke overmatched defenders, while a well-timed leap can tip the ball away from the outstretched hands of the intended receiver. A ``Career Mode" allows a player to assume the duties of a head coach, coordinator or assistant in leading a run at the National Championship. Players can then progress up the coaching ladder, landing jobs at higher profile schools depending on the success of their squad. Only NCAA GameBreaker 2001 allows gamers to take their best players to the next level. Gamers are able to save senior players from NCAA GameBreaker 2001 and draft them into the NFL by downloading them into 989 Sports' best-selling pro football franchise and new release, NFL GameDay 2001. NCAA GameBreaker 2001 Key Features: -- All 115 NCAA Division I-A teams and stadiums, plus 64 classic teams from the past -- Authentic college play formations and playbooks featuring more than 1,800 plays designed by college coaches such as the University of Washington's Rick Neuheisel and UCLA's Bob Toledo and by GameBreaker cover athlete Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner -- Five gameplay modes: Scrimmage, Fantasy, Tournament, Bowl Season and Career -- "Career Mode" enables the user to assume the duties of a head coach, coordinator or assistant in leading a run at the National Championship -- TV-style presentation with extended analysis from legendary college football announcer Keith Jackson -- NFL GameDay 2001 compatible - users will be able to save senior players from an NCAA GameBreaker 2001 season and import them into NFL GameDay 2001 -- All-new gameplay animations include new tackles, special moves and jukes -- All 3D polygonal players scaled to actual height and weight -- Authentic college fight songs and drums provide the most realistic college football environment, while real audio enhances every juke, grunt and bone-crunching hit -- "Blue Chip Recruiting" feature allows gamers to sign recruits and build powerhouse teams -- Play in 21 different bowl games, including the Rose Bowl, and individual players can compete for the Heisman Trophy, Sears National Championship Trophy, All American Team and Freshman of the Year Award -- Utilizes more than 250 motion capture animations of former college standouts and current NFL Pros, including Akili Smith, Charles Woodson, Tim Brown, Chad Brown, Mike Alstott, Jason Sehorn, Hardy Nickerson, Christian Fauria, Jimmy Smith and Lamont Warren -- "Max Pro" feature allows player to order running backs to block or go out for a pass -- Gamers can control celebration and show-off animations, but must watch out for excessive celebration penalties -- True-to-life "GameBreakers" can change the outcome of a game with each touch of the ball -- Practice field "Play Editor" feature enables users to create and customize their own playbook -- Supports the DUALSHOCK(TM) analog controller for the ultra-realistic experience -- Total Control Passing allows players to lead or under-throw receivers so the ball is placed out of the reach of greedy defenders -- Wind, snow and rain all affect gameplay, while uniforms show mud and grass stains depending on field conditions -- Tracking of game and full season statistics in every major category -- Up to 8 players with Multi Tap Acclaim Sports' NFL Quarterback Club 2001 for Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 Kick-Off This Week Acclaim Sports announced that NFL Quarterback Club 2001 for Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 will be in retail outlets nationwide on Thursday, August 24. ``We anticipate that fans of the NFL Quarterback Club brand will be pleased with the gameplay improvements made to this year's title," said Michael Jerchower, Acclaim Sports Director of Licensing. Endorsed by 3-time NFL MVP Brett Favre, NFL Quarterback Club 2001 features incredible detailed player models featuring wristbands, injury tape, eye black and breathe strips, precision Artificial Intelligence to simulate real NFL gameplay, over 1,200 motion-captured animation including wrap tackles and player celebrations, all-new ``Shoulder Charge" button for bursting through defenders and enhanced commentary and play by play from Mike Patrick and Randy Cross. NFL Quarterback Club 2001 also features Easy Pass/Catch controls, motion capture from actual NFL players, 31 team specific playbooks or create your own, Total Team management (trading, drafting, signing, and releasing players, managing the salary cap), all 31 NFL teams, all the NFL stadiums rendered in 3D, over 1500 NFLPA players, and Custom Creation capabilities that let gamers create their own players and teams. Acclaim Sports' NFL Quarterback Club 2001 has the following exclusive features for Sega Dreamcast: all-new saveable instant replays, distinct player models for different positions, custom camera to view the action the way you want to see it, including saveable instant replays, VMU play art, sideline camera cuts and populated sidelines. Highlights of the NFL Quarterback Club 2001 marketing campaign include title sponsorship of the PLAYERS INC. Rookie Premiere, which is airing on Fox Sports Net throughout August, along with sponsorship of the NFL Quarterback Challenge, which aired in July on CBS. The title is backed by a nationwide print campaign in major video game and sports publications, a featured presence on www.acclaimsports.com, and a comprehensive in-store merchandising program including window posters, valence cards and oversized comps. Eidos Interactive Announces Sydney 2000 Is Now Shipping for The PlayStation and PC CD-ROM Eidos Interactive announced that the eagerly anticipated Sydney 2000 has begun shipping for the PlayStation game console and PC CD-ROM. Sydney 2000 is a graphical showcase bringing every aspect of the Olympic Games to video game players around the world. No detail has been spared to produce the most realistic sports game ever, while retaining a great feeling of fun and frantic multi-player competition. Sydney 2000 offers the most comprehensive event listing for a multi-sports game ever, including 100m Sprint, 110m Hurdles, Hammer, Javelin, Triple Jump, High Jump, 100m Freestyle Swimming, Olympic Sprint Cycling, Skeet Shooting, Super Heavyweight Weight Lifting, 10m Platform Diving and Kayak K1 Slalom. The game features high-resolution graphics incorporating the latest motion capture technology, provided by Olympic athletes, and accurate models of all the Olympic facilities. Choose between a variety of gaming modes including Olympic, Arcade and Coaching. Olympic mode enables you to take a team of athletes and train them up through lower ranking competitions and lead them ultimately to compete for Gold. ``The Olympic Rings are one of the most recognized sporting logos in the world," says Mike McGarvey, COO of Eidos. ``Eidos is delighted to be expanding its acclaimed sports portfolio with such a prestigious name. Sydney 2000 is a unique game that will appeal to all audiences of video games -- which is demonstrated in its multi-platform release. This will be reflected in the marketing and advertising support for the game." =~=~=~= ->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr! """"""""""""""""""" Jaguar Covered in the October GameFan! Hello everyone, The Jaguar, in another grand refusal to be forgotten is the featured product in the October Graveyard section of the magazine Gamefan. The magazine covers Songbird's Hyper Force, 4Play/Scatologic's Battlesphere and the GOAT Stores Jaguar JAMMA Joystick. All three products are reviewed very favorably on pages 104-107, and there are many screenshots including a statement that ECM wishes that there were more classic system users as rabid as the Jaguar community is. Please look for the October issue of Gamefan to hit the store stands within the next few weeks and support the new coverage of the Jaguar by purchasing the issue. A special thanks to ECM and Gamefan for running the article. For more information on the products reviewed in Gamefan, please refer to the following websites... Jaguar JAMMA Joystick - http://www.goatstore.com/ Hyper Force - http://songbird.atari.net/ Battle Sphere - http://www.battlesphere.com/ GameFan - http://www.gamefan.com dan www.goatstore.com Contact: Donald A. Thomas, Jr., consumer webmaster of ICWhen.com curator@icwhen.com For Immediate Release eGames CEO Challenges Customer Complaint With Suit Manteca, CA - (August 23, 2000) -- In a recent exchange of email communications with a customer, eGames, Inc. (www.egames.com) reveals plans to continue selling abridged software without telling customers that the software they're purchasing are not the original full versions. The revelation is made while Mr. Donald A. Thomas, Jr., Webmaster of ICWhen.com (www.icwhen.com), submits a complaint to the firm concerning their marketing policy. "Mr. Thomas obviously has a mission here and short of revamping our marketing and product development strategies, he's not about to (be) appeased, " states Mr. Gerald W. Klein, CEO of eGames, Inc. in an email addressed to his staff in which Mr. Thomas was copied. "Ellen, are you sure we can't sue him?" he concludes. On Saturday, August 19, Mr. Donald A. Thomas, Jr. purchased two video game compilations published by eGames, Inc., a Langhorne, Pennsylvania-based software publisher. "Galaxy of Arcade Classics" includes "7 exciting games featuring 3D graphics and sound." "Galaxy of Games Red Edition" is a "best-ever collection of 50 full feature games". Both are CD-ROMs intended for computers equipped with the Windows '95 or Windows '98 operating systems. Don installed "Galaxy of Arcade Classics" on his home computer and found that the software titles advertised on the packaging were quite different from their originally released forms. "I played 'Tunnel Runner' for fifteen minutes, then the game stopped and told me that I had completed all the levels," revealed a disenchanted Thomas. "As you exit the main menu, they then offer to sell you the complete versions. I then realized I had actually purchased an elaborate eGames product catalog with nothing more than game samples represented as complete games." Indicating that their target market are casual gamers that do not realize that they're purchasing only small portions of the complete game originals, Klein points out, "We realize that we cannot hope to satisfy both core and casual game players with the products that we intend to market and sell." "Interestingly," challenges Thomas, "many of eGames titles are look-and-feel copies of classic video game titles such as 'Dig Dug', 'Pac-Man', 'Missile Command', 'Frogger', 'Breakout' and others. As a Webmaster of a game history Web site, I know that all these games became popular, in part, to their never-ending nature. If the player ever did reach a 'final' level, the entire game begins again adding to the existing score at a faster and more challenging pace. I purchased EGames' 'Galactic Patrol' a while back and it plays just like the original 'Galaga'. It's clear that they know what their target market is and it's not people interested in games that end in less than fifteen minutes." Klein considered an invitation to have the matter reviewed by one or more Attorneys' General offices. The CEO responded that eGames' money-back guarantee protects them from any such inquiries inferring that those consumers who felt that they had been misled will be entitled to a refund. "Our money-back guarantee protects our customers and our interests too," boasts Klein. "Experience has shown such a guarantee to be the best insurance money can buy and the best customer service policy." Assuming that a money-back guarantee would protect eGames marketing strategy, Thomas points out that the products he purchased make no references whatsoever to any such guarantees. The complete email exchange between Donald A. Thomas, Jr. of www.ICWhen.com and Mr. Gerald Klein of eGames, Inc. (www.egames.com) can be found at http://www.icwhen.com/news/egames0822.html. Mr. Thomas may be reached in email at curator@icwhen.com. Mr. Klein may be reached in email at jklein@egames.com. =~=~=~= A-ONE's Headline News The Latest in Computer Technology News Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson Intel to Detail Pentium 4 And Other Chips Intel Corp., seeking to maintain leadership in the market for personal computer microprocessors and looking to expand into new markets, will this week give design details and announce new chips for wireless devices. Executives of the world's biggest chipmaker on Tuesday will spell out the advances in Intel's latest processor designed for desktop PCs and laptops at its Intel Developer Forum in San Jose, Calif. The Pentium 4, which will run at speeds of 1.4 gigahertz, will be available in the fourth quarter and laptop versions sometime after that. ``It was really designed for the visual Internet going forward," said Albert Yu, senior vice president of Intel's Architecture Group, adding that streaming media on the Internet, real-time video compression, better speech software and the need for encryption are demanding more performance from microprocessors. Intel's current fastest chip, the Pentium III, runs at 1.13 gigahertz, slightly faster than the speediest from longtime rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The two have been swapping the title of speediest chip-maker since AMD unveiled the Athlon chip last year. At the conference, which will have about 5,000 attendees and 250 technical workshops, Intel will also unveil new chips for cell phones and handheld computers, an important though still nascent market for Intel. As growth in the PC market, at least in the United States, is showing signs of moderating, Intel -- which gets 80 percent of its sales from microprocessors -- is seeking to enter new, rapidly growing markets. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel will also announce a new lineup of StrongARM chips -- powerful, energy-efficient chips often used in cell phones and mobile devices -- under a new brand name, an Intel spokesman said. The Pentium 4 chip has 42 million transistors, compared with 26 million in the Pentium III and also 144 new instructions for multimedia, allowing better sound and graphics. Yu said that even at modem connection speeds of 56 kilobits per second, users will notice a marked increase in performance. Initially, Intel will aim the Pentium 4 at consumer enthusiasts, such as video gamers, and at businesses. It is also the entirely first new architecture for a 32-bit chip since the Pentium was introduced in 1995. Also, Intel will announce its Xeon processor running at 1 gigahertz, and which is aimed at powerful computer servers and workstations used for hard-core science, graphics and design applications. It will also give an update on its Itanium processor, Intel's first 64-bit chip. Intel Chief Executive Craig Barrett gave a speech to developers Tuesday morning, followed by others throughout the week. The conference ended on Thursday. MP3.com, Sony Settle Copyright Suit Net music site MP3.com has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with Sony Music Entertainment, sparking a rally in its stock price. MP3.com will pay an undisclosed amount for the lawsuit settlement and an undisclosed fee to license Sony's catalog. The site will use the music catalog in its My.MP3.com service, which was the focal point of the record company's lawsuit. Today's settlement marks the latest deal brokered between MP3.com and the record industry. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the legal arm of the record industry, in January sued MP3.com for its My.MP3.com service, which gives consumers access to digital copies of their CDs. A federal judge in April ruled that the service infringed on the recording industry's copyrights. The contention has revolved around My.MP3.com, which the company introduced in January. The service lets consumers listen to their CDs through any computer with Web access. To provide the service, MP3.com bought tens of thousands of CDs, created a database of MP3-encoded downloads, and offered access to people who proved they had bought the CD by placing the disc in their computer. However, MP3.com's move resulted in quick legal action against the company, leading to its round of costly settlements. "MP3.com respects the rights of copyright holders, and now, with this settlement and license, we can offer consumers an avenue to access music online from CDs they have purchased," Michael Robertson, CEO of MP3.com, said in a statement. The record industry has waged war on several Net music companies in an effort to curb alleged copyright infringement of its works. The RIAA is in the midst of a high-profile lawsuit against music file-sharing service Napster. A judge ruled that Napster infringed upon copyrights and ordered the start-up to shut down. Napster has since won a reprieve but continues to fight for survival in an appeals court. Including Sony, MP3.com has reached settlements with four of the "Big Five" record companies. In June, MP3.com reached an agreement with Time Warner's Warner Music Group and German media giant Bertelsmann's BMG Entertainment. Last month, the company reached an agreement with EMI Group. Universal Music Group is the remaining "Big Five" label that has yet to settle with MP3.com. McAfee Takes Crack At Antivirus Software For Handhelds McAfee has begun offering antivirus software to protect devices from the nascent threat of bugs written for handheld computers. The new software--McAfee VirusScan Handheld--keeps known viruses from being transmitted between a desktop computer and handheld devices running the Palm operating system, Symbian's EPOC operating system, and Windows CE or its successor, Pocket PC, said product marketing manager Ryan McGee. The product begins to address a new, largely unprotected domain where viruses could spread. Though limited by bare-bones operating systems, handhelds are gaining in power and popularity, and sellers are avidly pushing devices that connect wirelessly to the Internet. A virus in Spain called Timofonica already attacked some cell phones. However, the antivirus software doesn't yet run on the handheld itself. Instead, it runs only on a desktop computer and scans the handheld device when files on the PC and handheld are synchronized, McGee said. That means the handheld is still open to virus transmission when it exchanges information directly with the Internet or with another handheld. Some competitors believe antivirus software can be run on the gadgets themselves, though. Competitor Symantec has prototype antivirus software, which runs directly on a Palm device (it's limited to Palms). And F-Secure unveiled software two weeks ago that runs on EPOC, an operating system designed by a cell-phone maker consortium called Symbian for smart cell phones and other handheld devices. The reason for McAfee's desktop approach, according to McGee, is that on current handhelds "the operating environment is too restrictive right now to develop software to reside on the device and scan it when not connected to a PC." In other words, handhelds don't have enough memory or processing power to run full-fledged antivirus software. For example, Symantec's list of virus definitions alone--not including the antivirus software itself--is 2.4MB long, while the most brawny Palm devices have only 8MB of memory. The silver lining, though, is that virus writers face the same limited environment when trying to create bugs. While handhelds don't suffer from known viruses, McAfee knows virus writers are turning their attention to the new environment, McGee said. "We expect that in a year, we'll probably see the first virus written for the handheld environment," he said. The chief threat is that the handhelds will act as a conduit, transferring viruses from one desktop computer to another. For example, a Windows CE device running a stripped-down version of Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet software isn't capable of running the small programs called "macros" that often are central to virus propagation. But a person could transmit an infected file from one PC to another with the device. Eventually, when handhelds get more power, people will be able to run the antivirus software directly on the handheld, McGee said. "We've seen the Palm-alone go from 1MB (of memory) initially to 8MB now. We'll see continued development in hardware to make those devices ever more powerful and memory loaded," he said. The McAfee service is aimed at corporate customers and costs $25 per handheld per year for 500 handhelds or more or $12 per handheld for 5,000 and up, the company said. Mcafee also offers a consumer version. McAfee is a division of Network Associates. 'Pokey' Computer Virus Hits U.S., Slow to Spread A computer virus featuring the cuddly Japanese cartoon character Pikachu has been found in computers in the United States, leaving some operating systems devastated, an anti-virus software firm said Thursday. A official at Japan's Trend Micro said the virus was first detected in the United States late last month and had been nicknamed ``Pokey" by U.S. experts. The Pokey virus works in a similar way to the notorious ``Love Bug" virus that caused billions of dollars in damage worldwide earlier this year, but the Trend Micro official said it did not appear to be as devastating. ``Luckily, it seems to be rather slow-moving and hasn't spread very far," he said, adding that the virus had yet to appear in Japan. Officials at Nintendo Co., the video game company that owns the copyright to the wildly popular Pokemon characters, of which the cuddly, yellow Pikachu is one, were unavailable for comment. The virus strikes when users open an attachment to an e-mail, sending it into their computer and in some cases making it unusable. It simultaneously sends e-mails to everyone in the user's address book, giving it the potential to spread quickly. When users open an attachment, an image of a pensive Pikachu appears on the screen with the ungrammatical message: ``Between millions of people around the world I found you. Don't forget to remember this day every time MY FRIEND." The virus initially appears as an e-mail with the title "Pikachu Pokemon" and the English message ``Pikachu is your friend." The Trend Micro official advised anyone receiving the mail to delete the file without opening it. Earlier this year, the Love Bug virus infected computers around the world, including in the Pentagon, Britain's parliament, and major companies. It was eventually traced to the Philippines, where a computer school drop-out is suspected of being responsible. Justice Dept Releases Guidelines for Carnivore Review The Justice Department Thursday released guidelines for an independent review of its controversial Carnivore e-mail surveillance program to ensure that the program works as intended. The review was prompted by concerns that the program could infringe on Internet privacy or slow down traffic on the Web. Carnivore allows law enforcement agents to gather e-mail messages of criminal suspects as they pass through the gates of an Internet service provider. Like a telephone wiretap, it requires a court order to be used. In its guidelines for prospective bidders, the Justice Department said cost would be a factor, but technical capability of the candidates would be most important. The review is expected to be conducted by academic experts at a U.S. university. The Justice Department emphasized that it wanted the review to remain technical in nature and independent of political influence. ``The primary goal of this procurement is to select an offerer that is capable of delivering an independent, objective, impartial and thorough technical review of the Carnivore system within the timeframes specified," the guidelines said. ``The Department seeks to avoid any appearance of improper influence by the Department, including the FBI, or by other law enforcement or governmental interests," it added. Proposals are due on Sept. 6, the Department said, and the contract will be awarded on Sept. 25. The first draft of the review will be due on Nov. 17, followed by a period for public comment. The final report will be issued on Dec. 8. Attorney General Janet Reno has said that the contractors would have total access to any information they need to conduct their review. The FBI is also collecting material to turn over to the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a public-interest group, after EPIC sought access to the data under a Freedom of Information Act request. The Justice Department contends that Carnivore is needed to keep tabs on criminals who communicate online. But EPIC, the American Civil Liberties Union and some members of Congress are worried that it may violate the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. AOL To Delete Outside WebMail Email Provider A leading outsourced email provider will lose one-third of its account holders following America Online's decision to go it alone with Netcenter WebMail, its free, Web-based email service. USA.net, which has powered WebMail since its 1998 launch, will lose its only major portal customer when Netscape Communications' Netcenter migrates its WebMail accounts to its own service later this fall. Netcenter has 7 million account holders using USA.net-powered email and just less than a million using its new homegrown service. USA.net says it will be left with 15 million "email seats" after Netcenter's withdrawal. The email outsourcing company has about 3,000 corporate clients, including American Express, United Airlines and Mail Boxes Etc. The loss of Netscape, which through parent AOL retains what it calls a "very small" investment in USA.net, is a second major blow to hit the email provider in the past year, following the company's scuttled initial public offering in fall 1999. USA.net withdrew that IPO citing market conditions. USA.net is maintaining a business-as-usual attitude in the wake of Netcenter's departure. "We don't see any negative effect except that we're losing a great relationship with a long history, and we're sorry to see them go," said USA.net representative Danette Lopez. "I wouldn't say they're necessarily our biggest customer. What we end up losing there is email seats, but we're always replacing them." Lopez declined to say whether USA.net still plans a public offering. Netscape said it will extend its USA.net contract through the fall, then let it expire so it can integrate the WebMail product with its upcoming Web browser, Netscape 6.0. Currently available in its second of three test, or "beta," versions, Netscape 6 follows Microsoft's Internet Explorer in integrating a free, Web-based email service with the browser's email client. Microsoft offered the same integration with IE 5 and Hotmail last year. "Due to the WebMail account capabilities built into the Netscape 6 browser, we determined that the most effective service we could offer our users was a high-quality WebMail system that is tightly integrated throughout Netscape products," said a Netscape representative. "We determined that the best way to accomplish that was to build and host it ourselves." Netscape said the integrated browser and Web site would meld instant messaging and address book features. WebMail recently weathered a gaffe in which about 1 million customers had to change their account names because of name overlaps. Netscape said that problem was unrelated to the planned migration from USA.net. But some people have complained recently of spotty service from WebMail, saying it has been slow or choked off altogether. Netscape acknowledged a "service disruption" yesterday morning that prevented some account holders from accessing their accounts, but the company said it also was unrelated to the planned migration. =~=~=~= Atari Online News, Etc.is a weekly publication covering the entire Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted at the beginning of any article, to Atari user groups and not for profit publications only under the following terms: articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of each article reprinted. Other reprints granted upon approval of request. Send requests to: dpj@delphi.com No issue of Atari Online News, Etc. may be included on any commercial media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service or internet site, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without the expressed consent or permission from the Publisher or Editor of Atari Online News, Etc. Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All material herein is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing.