|||||| |||||| || || |||||| ||||||  || || ||| || || ||  || ||| |||| |||||| || ||||  Your  || || || || ||| || ||  |||||| |||||| || || |||||| ||||||  GEnieLamp Computing  || |||||| || || ||||||  RoundTable  || || || ||| ||| || ||  || |||||| |||||||| ||||||  RESOURCE!  || || || || || || ||  ||||| || || || || || ~ WELCOME TO GEnieLamp ST! ~ """""""""""""""""""""""" ~ Future Trends for Atarians in DEALER'S VIEWPOINT ~ ~ Future Trends in Genie (for Atarians) in CONNECTIONS ~ ~ Keeping Data Safe in MEL'S MANOR ~ ~ TWO Shareware Reviews in PD_QUICKPICK & VIEW ~ ~ Overbought and Oversold? Find Out in COMPUTERS & INVESTING ~ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// GEnieLamp Atari ST ~ A T/TalkNET OnLine Publication ~ Vol.4, Issue 74 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Editor.................................................John Gniewkowski Publisher.................................................John Peters \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// ~ GEnieLamp ST ~ GEnieLamp [PR] ~ GEnieLamp Windows ~ GEnieLamp IBM ~ ~ GEnieLamp A2Pro ~ GEnieLamp Macintosh ~ GEnieLamp TX2 ~ ~ GEnieLamp A2 ~ LiveWire (ASCII) ~ GEnieLamp MacPRO ~ ~ Config.sys ~ Solid Windows ~ A2-Central ~ ~ Member Of The Digital Publishing Association ~ GE Mail: GENIELAMP.ST Internet: genielamp.st@genie.geis.com ////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ >>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ATARI ST ROUNDTABLE? <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ November 1994 ~ FROM MY DESKTOP ......... [FRM] HEY MISTER POSTMAN ...... [HEY] Notes From The Editor. Is That A Letter For Me? DEALER VIEWPOINT ........ [DLR] REFLECTIONS ............. [REF] Where do we go? E-mail Psychology. THE ONLINE LIBRARY ...... [LIB] PD_QUICKVIEW ............ [PDQ] [*] Files, Files, Files! [*] LED Panel. MEL'S MANOR ............. [MEL] PD_QWICKPICK ............ [PDP] Data Safekeeping. [*] TreeView. SEARCH_ME ............... [FUN] COMPUTERS AND INVESTING . [CAI] Cartoon Characters. [*] Overbought and Oversold. CONNECTIONS ............. [CON] LOG OFF ................. [LOG] Future of Genie. GEnieLamp Information. [IDX]""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" READING GEnieLamp GEnieLamp has incorporated a unique indexing """"""""""""""""" system to help make reading the magazine easier. To utilize this system, load GEnieLamp into any ASCII word processor or text editor. In the index you will find the following example: HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM] [*]GEnie Fun & Games. To read this article, set your find or search command to [HUM]. If you want to scan all of the articles, search for [EOA]. [EOF] will take you to the last page, whereas [IDX] will bring you back to the index. MESSAGE INFO To make it easy for you to respond to messages re-printed """""""""""" here in GEnieLamp, you will find all the information you need immediately following the message. For example: (SMITH, CAT6, TOP1, MSG:58/M475) _____________| _____|__ _|___ |____ |_____________ |Name of sender Category TOPic Msg.# Page number| In this example, to respond to Smith's message, log on to page 475 enter the bulletin board and set CAT 6. Enter your REPly in TOPic 1. A message number that is enclosed by brackets indicates that this message is a "target" message and is referring to a "chain" of two or more messages that are following the same topic. Example: Msg:{123} TX2 FORMAT What are you missing when reading the ASCII version of """""""""" GEnie Lamp? EXCITEMENT! Whenever you see a [*] in the index or in the article header, that indicates that the article contains TX2 graphics and/or pictures. To see the graphics, you will need the following files: LMP_nnn.LZH GEnie Lamp in TX2 format. MINI_TX2.LZH Mini-version of TX2 Viewer (File #20441). ABOUT GEnie GEnie's monthly fee is $8.95 for which gives you up to four """"""""""" hours of non-prime time access to most GEnie services, such as software downloads, bulletin boards, GE Mail, an Internet gateway, multi-player games and chat lines, are allowed without charge. GEnie's non-prime time connect rate is $3.00. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 1-800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH. Wait for the U#= prompt. Type: XTX99014,DIGIPUB and hit RETURN. The system will then prompt you for your information. Need more information? Call GEnie's customer service line (voice) at 1-800-638-9636. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" [EOA] [FRM]//////////////////////////////  FROM MY DESKTOP / ///////////////////////////////// Notes From My Desktop """"""""""""""""""""" What does the future hold for us? In this issue we have two insightful commentaries on the future which you can read in the DEALER'S VIEWPOINT and CONNECTIONS. Some people speak of a bleak future while if you listen to others the future seems just fine. Why is this, I wonder? The future is what you make of it (although I think this applies to life in general, I'm speaking only of our future computing needs.) I truly believe all it takes to see the future is a realistic review of your requirements and a good understanding of what you expect a computer to enable you to accomplish. I think many people will be surprised if they take an honest inventory of what they require (rather than wish') and compare that with the computer they thought had lost some of its computing shine. This reasoning also hold for peripherals. Take, for example, video cards. Certainly we would all like one that shows millions of colors in every imaginable resolution. Unfortunately we often have limitations placed upon us by our local financial institution (whoops, overdrawn again?) Are all those colors worth the extra $300 - $700 as compared to a more modest video card which only supports one resolution and sixteen colors? We all have to be the judge on that one, all it takes is a honest look at ones needs. Beginning with the December edition we should be bringing you more library reviews in the form of our recently scarce Mini_Byte' and more PD_Qwickviews' and PD_Qwickpicks.' This will be made possible by the addition of two new staff members -- who I'll introduce to you in December. With the news of new members I have the sad pleasure' of saying farewell to Fred Koch. Sad' because he is leaving GenieLamp due to busier off computer' work, and pleasurable' due to the many years of great reading he has given me. Fred first appeared in the September 15, 1990 issue of GenieLamp and has been bringing the Atari community well written public domain software reviews ever since. That's been over FOUR YEARS of hard work and dedication helping users make wise downloading choices. It's people like Fred, and many others just like him, which makes owning an Atari a pleasurable, and productive, experience. John E. Gniewkowski Editor, GenieLamp ST [EOA] [HEY]//////////////////////////////  HEY MISTER POSTMAN / ///////////////////////////////// Is That Letter For Me? """""""""""""""""""""" By John E. Gniewkowski [GENIELAMP.ST] o ATARI ODDS & ENDS o HOT TOPICS o WHAT'S NEW o THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE o JAGUAR TALK o MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT >>> ATARI POT-POURRI <<< """""""""""""""""""""""" ~ This And That, ATARI! ~ 6 or 8 Cell Scanners? What you got with Touchup 1.65 was not only the """"""""""""""""""""" older software but also a 6 cell scanning head as opposed to the 8 cell head sold with version 1.84 and later. The 6 cell head _will_ work with the later versions - you simply have to specify 6x6 when saving grayscales. What's the difference? 6 cell and 8 cell heads are both bi-level - they only see black and white. The 6 cell head dithers grayscale or color scans to a 6x6 pattern which yields a maximum of 37 shades of gray (counting white). The 8 cell head uses an 8x8 pattern to give 65 shades of gray (counting white). Gray levels beyond 37 for the 6 cell head or 65 for the 8 cell head are obtained by software interpolation within Touchup itself. Unfortunately Touchup does not give you the option of setting intermediate gray levels when saving .TIFs. I say unfortunately because the interpolations are one of the prime causes of "muddy" scans that look blurry and lacking in contrast. I find myself using my Migraph 6 cell head with Dr. Bob's Scanlite more often than with Touchup. I "undither" the 6x6 IMGs to 32 gray level pictures in Trueimage or Imagelab then process from there. Working from a good, sharp scan with fewer gray levels is easier than working from a "muddy" scan that has more grays. If you intend printing to 300 or 360 dpi printer your best results are with line frequencies of 50-60 lpi which just happen to correspond _exactly_ with the capabilities of a 6 cell head. A line frequency of 50 on a 300 dpi printer yields the same 37 grays that the 6 cell head captures. Touchup's .TIF export are of two varieties. Bilevel .TIF's which are simply black and white line-art (like .IMG's) and 8 bit .TIF's which are capable of up to 256 grays. Touchup's .TIF import is limited to bilevel _only_. I can't advise you as to whether obtaining the latest version of Touchup is worthwhile or not. I don't plan to upgrade from 1.84 because the _only_ thing I find Touchup valuable for is cleaning up screen shots that I take with Imagecopy. It is absolutely essential to me for that one job. For hand scanning Dr. Bob's Scanlite works just as well and my photo processing software does a better job of handling the bitmap to grayscale conversion than Touchup does. I suppose it really depends on what, if any, of Touchup's other functions you plan to use. (M.HEBERT1, CAT7, TOP4, MSG:60/M475) Who Needs POOLFIX? You're misunderstanding. You _do_ need Poolfix. """""""""""""""""" Poolfix is a _required_ bug fix for TOS 1.4 and 1.6. If you use one of these TOS versions, you _must_ use Poolfix unless you want random crashing. The Poolfix bug can be demonstrated as simply as booting up with nothing installed and running the CodeHead RAM disk. If you then open a window for the RAM disk and hit Esc (to reread the directory), the system will crash. This is an entirely predictable and repeatable bug with TOS 1.4. TOS 1.6 also has this bug, but TOS 1.62 does not. They are any number of other ways that this bug will crash the system. There's no way to predict it. It does not wait until the folder count is exhausted. The bug is not fixed by using FOLDRxxx.PRG nor by increasing the folder count in ICDBOOT. You are probably experiencing a lot of unexplained crashes which you just shrug off as normal occurences. They will disappear once you start using Poolfix. The bug in TOS 1.4 and 1.6 is real and it is fatal. It is not fixed by any other patch or program which does not have the word POOL in it. Do not use POOLFX92.PRG. It introduces bugs of its own, while the documentation claims it is fixing bugs which don't exist. If you use CodeHead RAM Disk, use the POOLFIX4.PRG supplied on the CodeHead Utilities disk. It is patched to fix a bug in handling the reset vector which only shows up in CodeHead RAM Disk (no other software I know of relies on the reset vector). Atari released POOLFIX3.PRG (after Allan Pratt uploaded two versions which simply didn't work at all). A German named Claus Brod released POOLFIX4.PRG, which uses XBRA protocol. This version can be installed after other programs which use Trap #1 and XBRA. For instance, it allows you to run Warp 9 first. POOLFIX3.PRG needs to run first (or early) in your AUTO folder so it must run before Warp 9. I always try to explain this problem firmly, without emotion, but each time I have to repeat myself I'm burning with anger because Atari decided to keep it such a secret. For years, we've had to explain this problem, sometimes every day, sometimes once a week, to customers who have unexplained problems and are totally unaware of this REQUIRED system patch. Please use it. Pretty please? (J.EIDSVOOG1, CAT18, TOP22, MSG:154/M475) Modem Speeds and Port Speeds When your port speed is set higher than """""""""""""""""""""""""""" your connect speed, it's the modem that does the speed matching for you. The modem determines your port speed by matching to the speed your commands arrive at. There is no cpu burden on your computer. There is also a fairly good reason to set your port speed higher when connecting to another modem. If you have a v42LAPM connection (as opposed to MNP4) the modems move 8-bit data, rather than the old standard for serial ports, 10-bit. In other words, there are no start and stop bits used between modems. If you do the math, you'll see that 9600 bits- per-second divided by 8 bits per character yields 1200 characters per second. But, the connection between modem and serial port DOES use 10-bit characters, so that part of the connection must be at a higher rate, to support 1200 characters per second. The caveat is that GEnie's nodes' modem to computer connection is set at 9600, rather than the higher rate mentioned above. Thus, even with v42LAPM, 960 characters per second is the theoretical limit. The only reason I even mention this here is that it may be that the new Sprint connection will support the higher rate. It depends upon what speed the Sprint-to-GEnie connection is. You can get the higher rate if you use a 9600 modem to connect to a BBS that supports higher rates. It's also possible to connect that way to CIS, if you call one of their 14400 numbers with a 9600bps modem, using v42LAPM. (J.NESS, CAT1, TOP5, MSG:177/M475) Networking Facts Al Fasoldt piqued my interest when he menitoned """""""""""""""" Little Net. The story about just finding MIDI cables in Elizabeth City, NC, is a trilogy in itself, but I did it, and am now up and running. As I type, I'm working on Word Writer ST 2.0 on my Mega ST2 (TOS 1.2), and am typing this in Aladdin on my 1040STe (TOS 1.6). File transfer between the two computers is through an actual drive icon (which is how I ran WWST2.0 on my Mega, from my 1040STe's hard drive)!! No more swapping floppy's for me! Anyway, I'm sure there are some more aspects to using something like this, and would like to hear from others on the subject. (ST.WALLY, CAT2, TOP36, MSG:1/M475) No New Programs? TW3, AW, PapGold, Trueimage, Studio Photo, DAs """""""""""""""" Vector, Videomaster, VIDI-ST 12, Chagall, ExtenDOS, Photo Show Pro, Speedo 5, Imagecopy 3, Arabesque 2 on the way, lots of spiffy new shareware like the latest version of Idealist and so on and so on. My cup certainly overfloweth! Maybe somebody should tell _those_ developers that Atari is dead - they didn't get the word somehow! (M.HEBERT1, CAT14, TOP35, MSG:76/M475) Fixing GNVA_TOS.PRG for the Falcon I recently got to the task of """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" figuring out why GNVA_TOS crashes on the Falcon, and the reason is actually a very simple typo. It is possible to correct this typo by changing just one byte in GNVA_TOS.PRG. IMPORTANT: 1. Don't do this change unless you feel comfortable with a disk file editor. 2. DO NOT change the GNVA_TOS.PRG on your original Geneva Master disk! Change a COPY ONLY. Changing the original may prevent future patch programs from working properly. That said, you should use a disk file editor, like MemFile or EditPlus. Edit GNVA_TOS.PRG and go to offset $4A4F. You will see these bytes: D8 30 18 66 00 FE F4 Change the first byte, the $D8 to $D6. That's it! For the technically minded, what this does is to fix an incorrect branch in the section of code that deals with GEMDOS Fforce() and Fdup() calls. Very few TOS programs use these in general, but Geneva uses these calls whenever any program starts on a Falcon, which is why GNVA_TOS only seemed to crash when run on a Falcon (though the crash would happen any time the TOS program used these GEMDOS calls which, as I said, is not too likely on anything but a Falcon.) (GRIBNIF, CAT17, TOP21, MSG:107/M475) >>> HOT TOPICS <<< """""""""""""""""" ~ Too Hot To Handle, Almost ~ Atari Flatbed Scanner Well, called Migraph again today, to check again """"""""""""""""""""" on the flatbed front and to pass along some of the comments that have been made here regarding the flyers, or lack thereof. This info is from Kevin, and he has no problem with me passing this info along. All of the flyers were mailed bulk mail to those whose name appeared in their database of registered users. So, if you never sent in the registration card, or bought your copy used but never reregistered under your name, you will not get a flyer unless you call them. For those of you who live in Canada, keep your shirt on. Canadian flyers have yet to be sent. They will be coming. I also suggested they place ads in Current Notes and ST Informer to reach those who are not current Migraph product owners. I also mentioned there were interested parties here, but were waiting for some feedback as to the performance of the scanner. Kevin said that the Atari version of the flatbed is, basically, on hold. So much on hold, that some of what work is being done on it, is being done at home by one of the 'engineers'. The reason for this is the extreme lack of interest shown by existing Atari owners in the product, as represented by the number of current owners on their list. How many owners are on the list? One. That's right folks, only one Atari owner has ordered a flatbed package from them. (And I'll give each and every one of you just one chance to guess who that is. :-\ ) I've forgotten who posted it, but someone said something to the effect that "they should dance with the girl that brung them". That goes both ways, so it should be obvious that if there are no other Atari owners who are willing to take a chance on a new product from them, there will be no new product. Interestingly enough, Amiga owners seem to be keeping them hopping. And Commodore is out of business. Commentary: So it seems that if we expect (or desire) to see Migraph continue to provide new products for this platform, there will have to be some faith in Migrah from Atari owners, or we will no doubt lose another developer. And this time it will be the fault of Atari owners, not Atari, not the developer. (K.SPRINGER1, CAT7, TOP4, MSG:113/M475) Why I Like Atari For many years now I've had the opportunity to be """""""""""""""" able to reach out and touch someone when I needed an explanation on how to use a program. I've been surrounded by knowledeable computer types, not the least of which is my wife. ;-) In our home, I'm the one they reach out and touch when desktop publishing is required. Seems I have some small expertise in that area. In most other areas of general computer knowledge, Darlah is very well informed. And she's stubborn too. :-) If she has a problem installing a program, she stays at it until she figures out why! If Darlah says that she ran into a problem or conflict with something or other, she did. And she also tried everything obvious and some not so obvious things to correct the problem. Try installing a new PC program onto your hard drive each week. Try uninstalling Stacker once you've already installed it. (I suggested she not use it when she got the larger hard drive.) ;-) I still find it easier to deal with program conflicts, if they exist, on my Atari than on my PC. By the way, I am typing on a Mega ST4 with one of Jim Allen's TURBO 030 boards in it. The other desk in my office holds a DEC Alpha with 64 meg RAM running at 150 MHz with NT and Calamus installed on it. We also have a 486/66 with 16 meg RAM with all kinds of stuff on it including NT and Calamus. And there is also an IBM Power PC running the latest Daytona 3.5 and Calamus here as well. So I'm not completely computer illiterate. Oh yes, there is a second DEC networked to the first. Networking software comes standard as part of Windows NT. But remember what I said, I'm still typing to you on my Atari! :-) (POTECHIN, CAT18, TOP22, MSG:58/M475) Whose Fault Is It? As to Speedo GDOS versions; As far as I know, """""""""""""""""" there were versions 4.0, 4.1, 4.11, 4.2 and 5.0 - the last with various letter revisions. I believe the latest is 5.0c. 4.1, BTW, while identifying as 4.1 (3/5/93) during the sign on, identifiies as 4.0 if the accepted method of identifying SpeedoGDOS versions is used. 4.0 and 4.1 are from Atari. I don't know where 4.11 came from. I believe 4.2 and, of course, 5.0 are from Compo. I have used 4.0 and 4.1 extensively with Warp9 (3.80) and haven't identified anything that would cause me to have to ditch one product or the other. I'd really hate to be forced into that choice! My real point is that Warp9 is a prermier product for the Atari line. I can't imagine running with out it. SpeedoGDOS is the first GDOS that really handles vector fonts correctly. This is something that Atari users want and need. I feel that Compo is doing the Atari users a service in attempting to upgrade and de-bug Speedo. If there is a conflict between the Compo versions of SpeedoGDOS and Warp9, let's quit casting stones at one another and work together to resolve these problems. Neither Compo or CodeHead can pretend that their products are perfect. Were this so, Warp9 wouldn't be up to revision 3.80 (3.81 for 68030 users) nor would Compo's SpeedoGDOS be at revision 5.0c! I test software (and hardware) for a living. I know from experience that it borders on the impossible to have a "perfect" piece of software. It is always growing and evolving. Guys, quit this bickering! Your reputation suffers. All of you! We really don't care "who shot John!" We just want the best of all possible worlds: being able to use Warp9 and SpeedoGDOS 5.0! Most of us would be willing to pay for an upgrade to either or both products if that will solve the conflicts. No one's reputation suffers from up front honesty. Everyone is hurt by endless finger pointing. Please, folks, work this out and everyone profits! (MIKE-ALLEN, CAT1, TOP16, MSG:149/M475) >>> WHAT'S NEW <<< """""""""""""""""" ~ New and Improved ~ Update: CaTT2 is coming! """""""""""""""""""""""" I have the first official benchmarks performed with the new CaTT2: CPU: 175% RAM: 220% ROM: 172% Overall speed index (with SPEEDOMETER): 821% @ 56 MHz (CYBERCUBE, CAT4, TOP33, MSG:96/M475) Load Aladdin The demo of Load Aladdin (release 6) is in the ST Aladdin """""""""""" RT- file #330. Once you are satisfied with the demo, send me email stating that payment is on the way. I will then send the registered user version (r7) in GEFmail. Basically, LoadAlad's unique distribution method was recently changed from shareware to demoware. You evaluate it by test driving the demo, which is what I should have done originally, but I didn't... At least I got better response than the traditional shareware route. OBTW, if you live in Canada, I now have special arrangements for payment. You will have to contact me for details since the demo's info file hasn't been updated (and probably won't be until the next release). (K.GERDES, CAT2, TOP12, MSG:84/M475) Screenblaster II - The Falcon Standard Screenblaster II is the """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" resolution enhancement system for the Atari Falcon030. Combining powerful performance, easy installation, and an affordable price, Screenblaster II can increase the resolution displayed on your monitor (number of pixels) over 300%. Screenblaster II is simply plugged in between the computer and the monitor adapter plug. An additional control cable is inserted into one of the paddle ports. That's it! Hardware installation is complete in seconds. Then with the Screenblaster II software it is possible to select one of many extended resolutions from an easy-to-use GEM menu, including 768x576, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x832, and 1280x960. The preset menus support VGA, SVGA, Multiscan, and Atari monitors. New in version 2: An entirely new, mouse-controlled Resolution Menu lets you select the resolution and number of colors at bootup or from the desktop. The menu has user definable options for controlling the menu's operation and behavior. The new Video Mode Generator lets you edit resolution menus to customize the menus for your monitor. You can even create new resolutions! Fast and easy to use, the Video Mode Generator gives you the most your Falcon030 and monitor have to offer. Screenblaster II also includes Screenblanker, a configurable screen saver for your Falcon030 with Screenblaster II. Screenblaster II is now available for $99.95. Screenblaster II upgrade : Upgrades from version I are available from COMPO Software for $25.00. The upgrade includes the Screenblaster II software and the new Screenblaster II manual (hardware is unchanged). COMPO Software Corp. 104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121 Pacifica CA 94044 USA Tel: 415-355-0862 Fax: 415-355-0869 GEnie: COMPO (COMPO, CAT30, TOP8, MSG:185/M475) Audio CD Master Version 3.3 of Audio CD Master is now ready. If you """"""""""""""" are a known owner of a Toshiba drive, you will be getting the update free as it fixes some problems with this brand of drive. WHAT'S NEW You can now save your programmed sequences of tracks for future use. Up to 16 tracks from a CD can be programmed for either current use or saved so the same program is available anytime the CD is in the drive. You can select tracks by number from a popup menu very similar to the drive selector used in Sound Lab. You can now play a CD fom a given track, minute, and second offset. eg. Play track 2 starting 1 minute and 14 seconds into the track. Updates are available for $5.00, postpaid, to all registered users of any previous version of Audio CD Master. Write It's All Relative, 2233 Keeven Lane, Florissant MO 63031. Toshiba owners, leave us e-mail to make sure you are on the free update mailing list. (GREG, CAT2, TOP5, MSG:45/M475) Atari Specific CDs Available Our fall newsletter offers 14 different """""""""""""""""""""""""""" CD's to Atari users including three Atari specific CD's. Sterling Connection has also published an Atari specific CD. We expect 6 additional Atari specific CD's will be available by the end of the year. There are also several viewers/front ends soon to be available that include the M.O.S.T. viewer for all of Compton's M.O.S.T CD's and the new SARA player that will support a very nice variety of DOS CD's. Expect to see encyclopedia support in the near future too. We tried out a MPEG player for the Falcon this week that worked better on the Falcon than the PC player I have for MPEG. A list of CD's that are fully functional on the Atari line now includes several hundred titles. The list is growing daily. With Audio CD Master 3.2 or ExtenDOS Pro, all audio CD's can be used with your computer. The TT version of Photo Show Pro will be released shortly too. If you have been waiting to buy a CD rom drive, the wait is over. P.S. A SCSI-2 CD rom drive that you buy for the Atari can also be connected to a Mac or PC too. (GREG, CAT4, TOP19, MSG:183/M475) Universal Item Selector YES, there really is an upgrade in the works. """"""""""""""""""""""" New features will include formatting for machines equipped to handle the 1.44 meg format, as well as a way to increase the file listings past the 400 limit currently on the item selector. CD ROM directories can get rather long. We also hope to give the UIS III a little more of a 3D look. New graphics formats and some thought to interface with other programs will also be part of the thinking. Give us some time, we will get it done for you. "Keep on Keepin' On" For A&D Software, Rod MacDonald @ ST-INFORMER (ST-INFORMER, CAT2, TOP2, MSG:127/M475) SpeedoGDOS Bug Fix SpeedoGDOS 5.0c is now available. It has several """""""""""""""""" bug fixes and enhancements, including: Fixed - dots were printed to the screen when you changed the system or desktop font in Neodesk 4 and Geneva. Fixed - sometimes font files wouldn't be properly closed after an application accesses them. This affected Papyrus and Gemini. Fixed - Using text attributes was problematic. You should now be able to use text attributes (bold, italic, outline, etc.). Remember that, in most programs, using Bold and Italic attributes does not load the corresponding Bold or Italic font. Also, there is a bug in Atari Works that prevents attributes from working properly. New - SpeedoGDOS now checks for non-standard Type 1 and TrueType fonts, for improved compatibility. Any TrueType or Type 1 font should work properly. New - Initialization and rasterization of Type 1 fonts is faster. New - Faster operation (internally optimized) Registered users of version 5.0b may obtain the 5.0c upgrade by sending $10 to: COMPO Software 104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121 Pacifica CA 94044 USA Registered users may also obtain the upgrade - free of charge - via email. If desired, send a request in email to COMPO (GEnie) or compo@genie.geis.com (Internet). (COMPO, CAT14, TOP35, MSG:80/M475) Mountain Software Sale Mountain Software would like to wish you a """""""""""""""""""""" joyous holiday season. To make the season even brighter, we are offering very special prices on our most popular products: ==================================================================== The Recipe Box The Leader in Recipe Storage Systems Sale Price: $25.00 (List: $35.00) The Recipe Box is a complete meal management system for the Atari ST Computers. It includes a full featured recipe database that can store up to 2.5 Million recipes (including nutritional data), a Daily Meal planner, a grocery list planner, a user editable calorie chart, and a built in text reader. Use the search feature to find your favorite meals quickly, resize them to any amount, and batch print or export several meals at once. Recipes can be imported from Meal-Master, Computer Chef, Assistant Chef, or any ASCII Text file. Recipes are exported directly in Meal-Master 7.0 format for easy exchange with other platforms. Recipes can be printed on any printer using standard ASCII text, or using GDOS and the fonts of your choice. The Recipe Box runs in any resolution (Color or Monochrome), on any ST/TT/Falcon, from floppy or hard drive, with 1 Meg RAM. The Recipe Box multitasks with MultiTos or Geneva, and is SPEEDO-GDOS compatible. ==================================================================== Mountain Reader II The Finest Offline Message Reader Sale Price: $20.00 (List: $40.00) Mountain Reader II is the finest offline message reader for the Atari ST. It combines the most compatible QWK reader with full BLUEWAVE support. It is the easiest reader to configure, and a built-in hypertext help system provides immediate assistance when you need it. Mountain Reader II supports 65536 message areas, with 65536 messages per area. Messages can be read sequentially, or using any combination of message and/or conference prescanning. The internal text editor makes message entry a breeze and includes an easy to use quote feature (external editors are supported). A built-in tagline manager features importing and exporting, searching, and tagline "stealing" from any message packet. Conferences may be configured offline, and Bluewave users can make offline file requests. All bulletins are supported with full ANSI emulation. A user definable search system allows you to quickly locate messages. Other features include a built-in E-mail address book, a bookmark system, user lockouts (twit list), support for conference mail/file attachments, and group mail (carbon copies). Mountain Reader II runs in any resolution (Color or Monochrome), on any ST/TT/Falcon with a hard drive and 2 Meg RAM, and multitasks with MultiTos or Geneva. ==================================================================== Special pricing ends December 31, 1994. Prices apply to direct sales only. Foreign orders add $5.00 shipping. Orders must be paid with a MONEY ORDER to qualify (US FUNDS ONLY!). Send orders to: Mountain Software 6911 NE Livingston Road Camas, Washington 98607 USA (A.WATSON6, CAT2, TOP44, MSG:57/M475) Look II There were some questions and comments recently in the TouchUp """"""" topic about alternative scanning software. One of the products mentioned was GT Look II. I took the initiative of asking Ray Cross of CGS in the UK about the product in response to a comment made by Ken last week. When I heard back from Ray I figured it would make more sense to place the response in its own topic. I know that some of you already own this excellent software so perhaps we could discuss it here. From Ray Cross of CGS: Below please send this information to Ken S: GT Look: II is scanning software for the Epson GT-4000, GT-6000, GT- 6500, GT-8000, and now the new GT-9000 scanners. Depending upon which Atari the customer wishes to connect the scanner to a specially adapted parallel cable is supplied or a SCSI cable for TT and Falcon 030 users. GT Look: II is completely GEM compliant, and can open up a number of windows of the same scanned image, scanned several different ways. Built into GT Look: II is a variety of software definable settings such as soft raster, hard raster, gamma correction and colour correction. GT Look: II has it s own virtual memory management system which will save the image to your hard disk if sufficient memory is not available in your system. The file formats available for GT Look: II are: DOO, PIC, STAD, PAC, DEGAS, GEM IMAGE, TIFF 5.0, TIM, TIC, TIH, TGA, CRG. Price; L149.99 (English pounds), but supplied free with a scanner purchased by CGS ComputerBild. ---- I hope this information is of interest. Although Ray does not have access to the Atari RT on GEnie at this time, he has been looking into the possibilities involved to get here. In the meantime, I am not adverse to assisting in this regard. If you have questions regarding this product, I will be happy to pass them along to Ray in England and post his answers right here. (POTECHIN, CAT7, TOP35, MSG:1/M475) Towers II Well, we are working hard to release around our deadline. """"""""" The artist is a little behind, but everything else is moving smoothly. Few bugs, little or no problems. Towers II will have 65000 colors, allow you to pick up and drop object similar to Towers. Creatures will talk to you (via text), and you can offer objects to them, if they are looking for something. Game has 12 Levels, each of which are 4x the size of Towers levels. Locked doors, traps, puzzles, Bathrooms :), etc.... If you have any questions about it, you are more than welcome to ask any. (V.VALENTI, CAT9, TOP24, MSG:3/M475) Where Can I Get ImageCopy 3? No. But, I _can_ say that Imagecopy 3 """""""""""""""""""""""""""" will be available soon from CodeHead Technologies. John will be working out the details with FaST Club sometime this week. The cost of the upgrade hasn't been set, so please hold off on orders until you see the official press release. (MUSE, CAT32, TOP36, MSG:155/M475) More Atari CD ROMs CD Service's Shareware and Public Domain - VOLUME 3 """""""""""""""""" is back from the presser. We expect to be shipping it within the next two weeks. I'll have all the details shortly on it. From what I am told, this is going to be a super CD. For those that are counting........ GEMini Crawly Crypt CD Service Shareware and Public Domain - Volume 1 CD Service Shareware and Public Domain - Volume 2 CD Service Shareware and Public Domain - Volume 3 All with very little duplication of files! We expect to have TWO ADDITIONAL CD's available to ship in the next two weeks with THREE ADDITIONAL CD's ready in December/January. YES that makes TEN ATARI SPECIFIC CD's. Stay tuned here for all the late breaking news. (GREG, CAT4, TOP19, MSG:41/M475) Muller Automation has a new address: """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 6644 Locust Kansas City, MO 64131 The new phone # is: 816-444-3044 Resolution independence continues to be worked on. The first beta version which has the resolution display code is ready and I'm going to be evaluting/testing it over the next week or two. Then I'll send it to a beta- tester that has a Falcon. There are still some things that are not done though, like putting in the code to make the entire MEGA-Check 2 window movable (hopefully this won't take too much though), as well as making it Geneva multi-tasking compatible. (C.MULLER3, CAT6, TOP6, MSG:46/M475) >>> THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ Rumors, Maybes and Mayhem ~ Where is Dave Small? After making his Spectre 3.1 "RSN" announcement, """""""""""""""""""" Dave Small disappeared from this dimension. He hasn't shown up in his own personal RT, either - I think it's going on 6 months now. (F-D-PERCIVAL, CAT4, TOP44, MSG:115/M475) >>>>> I just recently tried to run my Spectre GCR on the TT. I only """"" have the internal SCSI drive so I can't use my Hard drive. I know Dave supposedly was near release on the software....... Don't know if its true or not but someone mentioned in Mondays conference that Dave lost the lawsuit with some chip manufacturer. Supposedly it was to the tune of 250K+!!! I pray this is incorrect. Anyone have any idea of another program that can format MFS disks like DCFormat. I can't get DCFormat to run on my TT corectly. It craps out right off the bat, when trying to format a disk. Transverter won't except any of my Mac formatted disks since they are HFS disks. I want to move some ST stuff to MAC Floppies to take to work. Any ideas, tips, something Im missing? I thought 3.0 was the only version to run on the TT. I may be wrong. P.S. I called Gadgets by Small today for the heck of it. Their main number is disconnected, but the fax is still there. (M.HILL13, CAT4, TOP44, MSG:155/M475) Atari Emulation on a Mac? My distributor in Germany is considering """"""""""""""""""""""""" making available an Atari ST emulator which runs on Macintosh 030/040 machines. He has asked me to start this topic here on GEnie to assess how much potential interest there might be in such a product. Please leave whatever comments or thoughts you have about this subject, any input would be appreciated. (J.ALLEN27, CAT19, TOP7, MSG:1/M475) Who's Doing Jaguar Audio? If you may be wondering why I haven't been """"""""""""""""""""""""" posting in the past 2 1/2 months, please go check out Alien vs Predator, I hear it's on the shelves. The audio department at Atari put it's all in this one and I'm personally proud of those efforts and the people involved. We spent the memory and carefully planned the bandwidth on gameplay audio. I hope you enjoy the experience. Kudos to Purple Hampton (Producer) for vision and pertinacity, Sam T for seeing and hearing that vision before it was there. We are using Falcon's and TT's to do much of the tasks for these titles, I am gaining a lot of faith in the Falcon architecture for multimedia production throughout this process. I've met with Charlie Steinberg recently and am very encouraged by his commitment to the technology. We are moving forward with the C-LAB deal. I can- not write about details until they are firm. Thank you all for your ideas and encouragement. I'll be back. James P.S. more recently, we have been cranking out a LOT of audio for further products available this holiday season... (JAMES-GRUNKE, CAT30, TOP6, MSG:104/M475) MagiC Dead? The grapevine says Mag!c (or MaG!x or mAg!X or whatever """"""""""" cute spelling they are now using) is not being developed any further. The kid who developed it apparently had to devote his full time to university studies, or some such thing. (A.FASOLDT, CAT2, TOP10, MSG:25/M475) >>>>> Last time I've heard about MagiC (that's the current spelling. """"" It used to be Mag!X) it was pretty much alive and kicking. Being developed by Behne and Behne and somebody else (Thomas Templemann, I think) it isn't that dependent on some kid going to college... At least, they were mentioning MagiC 3 being under development... (EXPLORER.6, CAT2, TOP10, MSG:27/M475) >>>>> Yes, Al, I, too, (don't you love all those apostrohpe's?) """"" mentioned the 'rumour' of Mag!C's demise here in Vancouver, and got much the same response as Boris aka. EXPLORER.6 [ParadoxDrive] gave. Mag!c is alive and well. (S.LYSTER, CAT2, TOP10, MSG:29/M475) New MultiTOS? I heard on Internet today, that MultiTos 1.11 will """"""""""""" probably be available end of this year. That is the binary form. I don't know how reliable the information is. I tried 1.10 and you realy don't wan't to use it. It is too buggy. Don't know what the status of AES 4.1 is. (R.STEGELMANN, CAT14, TOP34, MSG:109/M475) >>>>> You mean MiNT 1.11, I think. There was also some mention of TOS """"" 5 (4.92 beta, actually). The person who tried it out said it's far more stable and faster than TOS 4.1. Someone also mentioned that Atari should release the new TOS when the new MiNT binary is released. Fat chance of that, I imagine. :-[ (T.HOPPER, CAT14, TOP34, MSG:110/M475) Full Genie Internet! GEnie's logon banner (which I hardly ever see) """""""""""""""""""" announces full Internet access by the end of the year. I wonder what that means? (MUSE, CAT1, TOP17, MSG:178/M475) >>>>> Here's a clip from the official press release GEnie issued: """"" (elipses are mine) ---snip--- GEnie TO PROVIDE FULL INTERNET ACCESS BY YEAR END ROCKVILLE, MD, October 17, 1994 -- GEnie announced today its plan to release Phase I of its Internet Access Service by year-end 1994. ... Phase I will provide GEnie subscribers with access to: * The FTP Service... * Usenet Newsgroups Service... known as USENET. * Outbound Telnet Service... * Gopher Service... * Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) Database Service... ---snip--- Help, Tomas? (G.LEONE, CAT1, TOP17, MSG:180/M475) >>> JAGUAR TALK <<< """"""""""""""""""" ~ Atari Video Game News ~ Jag-Phillips CDI? Has anyone heard weather Phillips CDi and CDi- """"""""""""""""" Digital Video will be compatible with the Jaguar. Rumor has it that Phillips (who makes the Jag CD) may license the CDI compatiblity and additionally add the Digital Video CDI's to the optional MPEG Cartridge... lets here some rumors!!!! (T.LIPSKY, CAT26, TOP2, MSG:208/M475) Special Offer to Jaguar Owners In an effort to help developers release """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" quality games for the Jaguar in a timely manner, Black Cat Design (BCD) is looking for a few good play testers. This is your chance to make a difference, to provide feedback to developers and help mold the future of your favorite video game machine. BCD play testers will receive EPROM versions of games in various stages of completion during the test period. They will be required to play the games actively and to provide written reports rating the games and levels along with suggested improvements. At the end of the test period, testers will be required to return all development cartridges and the final "bug free" version will be sent to them free of charge. If this sounds like something that you would like to volunteer for, please provide the following information and send your application electronically to Tom Harker at ICDINC (GEnie) or 76004,1600 (CompuServe). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Name Address City, State, Zipcode Country Phone Fax Email Addresses Age Sex Game Machines owned Computers owned Favorite Games Jaguar Games owned, levels of completion, high scores, and time required for completion Hours spent each week playing video games Other interests Work experience including current job Why we should select you as a play tester --------------------------------------------------------------------- Please pass this message on to other networks supporting Jaguar. (ICDINC, CAT26, TOP38, MSG:1/M475) Gamepro News I picked up the November issue of Gamepro today... """""""""""" First off, you can tell the holiday magazine season has begun. This issue is a whopping 280 pages. No staples this month. Gamepro is bound this month(like EGM and DieHard). There isn't much in terms of content regarding the Jag. They have a page in the preview section where they show Bubsy, Double Dragon V, Blue Lightning, and Troy Aikman NFL Football(there's no shots of players on the field, just options stuff). We've seen most of the screenshots before but there is an interesting new shot of BL. Remember on the Lynx version when you'd turn. Your plane would bank while the ground remained the same. It appears that in the Jag version, your plane stays the same while the ground banks. It looks like a neat touch. The most interesting developments are in the advertising department. The latest Troy Aikman ad shows the boxes for the PC and Jag versions along with the SNES and Genesis boxes. There's an ad from the company who handles the 900 tip lines for various game companies including Atari. They show the box for AvP in the ad. UBI Soft has a half page ad. "So I've Got No Arms, No Legs...". There's a picture of RayMan in a "what me worry" kind of pose and then "But I've Got Attitude!" with a picture of RayMan holding his mouth open with his hands and sticking his tongue out. "In Your Face This Fall!" with the UBI and Jag logos at the bottom of the ad. You've probably seen the 2 page Nintendo ads where they go after Sega and then they followed up with the Sports ad. Their latest ad touts how great Donkey Kong Country is and goes after more than 1 competitor. "In Search Of The Next Level. The next level of video games is here, but it's not what you might think. NEW HARDWARE NOT NECESSARY. For years you've been promised the next level of video games. Some companies like 3DO and Atari claim that their game systems are at the next level. Sega has claimed for years that Genesis is the next level. They also have said that the Sega CD and 32X will be the next level, at least until the Saturn comes along. Why don't they level with you? Because the next level isn't necessarily a matter of high-priced new gear that will be obsolete almost before it leaves the package. Nintendo looked at it the other way around. Instead of engineering a new system every six months, why not improve today's games through new software development techniques? The result is Donkey Kong Country- the next level of video game sophistication, programming wizardry and total fun. And you can plug it into your Super NES Control Deck this fall. No gadgets. No gimmicks." An interesting point about the 32X but does Nintendo really think we're all going to just forget that they're going to come out with Ultra 64 next year and they'll probably just ditch the SNES to the wayside? Nintendo also goes after CD based games and then they take another swipe (complete with a shot of Cybermorph(gee Nintendo, why not a shot of RayMan?) and Total Eclipse). "TALKING THE BIG NUMBERS. Both 3DO and Atari aspired to create the ultimate high-end video game system. Not only did each of the two new systems promise an evolutionary step up to the next level of gaming, the hardware featured some big numbers. Both systems claimed fast processing and enhanced graphics. But raw processing power doesn't make a great game. In fact, the most impressive numbers are the high end retail price tags of the systems- $250 for the Jag and a whopping $400 for the 3DO. So far there haven't been many games released for these new systems because the platforms haven't sold well. It seems that game players aren't convinced that 3DO and Jaguar represent the next level any more than the slow selling Sega CD. As for Sega's 32X adapter, how many games do you suppose will be made for a tacked on system with a life expectancy of maybe a year?" Now let me get this straight. When a competitor releases a system for $250, it's high priced. When Nintendo announces their next generation system at $250 it's a great low price. Methinks they've been playing it too loud. Under the picture of Cybermorph is the caption, "Jaguar may have more processing speed, but DK Country on the Super NES graphically outperforms Jag games released so far. Why? Because programming is more important than power." That's good Nintendo. Just keep repeating that after AvP, Doom, Kasumi Ninja, Ultra Vortex, RayMan, Iron Soldier, and Fight For Life come out. Maybe you'll get some 6 year olds to believe you. Far better than the Nintendo claptrap is a new 2 page Atari ad. Most of the ad is taken up by what appears to be an x-ray shot of a large broken bone with the following in big letters on the 2nd page,"Help, I've Been DISMEMBERED And I Can't Get Up." You guessed it, it's the Kasumi ad. There's a big screenshot on the lower left of the 1st page with the following paragraphs of text above it... "So you may have to walk with a slight limp. And people might call you "Lefty" or "Stump." All things considered, though, you got off lucky. It's just the way things go when you play Kasumi Ninja, the first 32-Meg fighting game for the 64-bit Atari Jaguar. Yeah, things get graphic, all right. There are death moves like scalping, kicks that puncture lungs, and enough blood to make a surgeon hurl. But, unlike other fighting games, there's a point to all this carnage. Beating your opponent means you sharpen your fighting techniques and acquire secret items that you will help you through a 3D labyrinth for your final battle with Gyaku, the possessed Ninja elder. So after you maim Gyaku and butcher whatever else might come your way, you win. Isn't that worth a limb or two?" There are 6 screenshots across the top of the 2 pages from left to right. Shot 1: Angus standing tall with Thundra lying on the ground in Scotland. "Angus MacGreggor shows Thundra there's more than one legendary monster in Scotland." Shot 2: Thundra giving a "cheeky" high kick to Danja in San Francisco. "Danja didn't just leave her heart in San Francisco, Thanks to nimble Thundra, she left a few pints of blood, too." Shot 3: Habaki nailing Pakawa with a fireball in the Indian village. "Apparently, the West was won with a charbroiling fireball. But wait till you see what Pakawa has up his sleeve." Shot 4: Danja kicking Thundra in the jungle scene. "It's a jungle in there. Good thing Danja has the street-brawling skills needed to fight her way out." Shot 5: Pakawa hoisting Alaric over his head to slam him. "The brute strength of Pakawa allows him to bench press even the most ruthless of barbarians." Shot 6: Senzo doing a thrust kick into Chagi's chest. "Senzo feels at home in his 3D texture-mapped shrine. And his morning routine consists of blood aerobics." (C.SMITH89, CAT26, TOP2, MSG:89/M475) Jaguar vs. 3DOH owners theoretical comparison (c) 1994 Thunderbird """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" All characters represented in this work are fictitious, and resemblance to actual persons and/or institutions, living or dead, is purely co- incidental. The opinions expressed in this work are those of the author, and do not reflect those of the RT staff or GEnie Management (no matter how likely it would seem that they agree, but won't admit it in public). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I see the typical 3DOH owners on my way to work every day... You know the type: They're the ones who pull past the whole line of cars at a traffic light before a bottleneck believing that they will be able to use their superior Lexus or BMW to beat out the rest of the cars, and be in front. Much like the person who owns a 3DOH, they are the type that will believe whatever techno-babble the sales literature throws at them. They believe that somehow, installing a Rube-Goldberg contraption in place of a valvetrain will somehow gain them an advantage over all other cars on the road. Likewise, the 3DOH literature tends to emphasize useless technical data to make their product seem like it is superior. The 3DO owner, like his BMW counterpart, knows little about the technical aspects of his purchase, forming their opinion based solely on the belief that "it costs more, so it _must_ be better!". The literature for the 3DOH boasts of things like "Interpolated NTSC Graphics" and "Dual Bitmap Processors", and "Double Speed CD-ROM", which equate to the "multi-valve" and "dual overhead cam" and "variable valve timing and electronic control" engines in elitist cars. These enhancements on the surface do as advertised... they increase power. However, what the layman doesn't realize is that through added weight and reciprocating friction, and other laws of physics, the increase in power comes with an equal penalty in some other area of performance (usually poor torque). Unfortunately, without power _and_ torque, a car is going to perform poorly. The BMW/Lexus owner, firmly entrenched in his delusion that he owns something much better than everything on the road, will challenge any car at a bottleneck, seeking to show off their wonderful superior toy. Of course, the majority of vehicles on the road already are inexpensive econobox commuter transports, which get the job done but little else. There are many, many, many of these on the road (resembling the Sega Genesises and SNES's of the world). It's plainly obvious that it doesn't take much at all to outperform on of these systems/cars, so the 3DOH/BMW/Lexus owner re-inforces his feelings of superiority by outperforming them, and being the best. Now, we come to the Jaguar. The Jaguar is like the Chevrolet Camaro Z28... (Winner of the 1994 Motor Trend "Bang for the Buck" Comparison). With the right mix of technical innovations AND good old-fashioned tried and true BIG displacement V-8 power, the Camaro Z28 is the perfect analogy to the Atari Jaguar. The Jaguar, with it's high-tech parallel design, adds improvements to enhance the performance of PROVEN technology... much like it's Z28 counterpart does by adding dual airbags, composite body-panels, standard antilock brakes, to enhance the awe-inspiring power -and- torque generated by the LT1 350 cubic inch V-8 with it's proven pushrod valvetrain, lightweight aluminum heads, and brute-force method of improving performance to unbelieveable levels! The Jaguar, posessing paralleled processors, flexible output formats, networking ports, perfectly enhances it's untouchable 64-bit wide processor bus! Every once in a while, the 3DOH/Lexus/BMW owner will smugly challenge a Jaguar/Camaro at a bottleneck, and to put it simply, the Z28 will utterly defeat the 3DOH/Lexus/Jaguar. No contest. Despite the huge cost difference between the two, the Jaguar dominates every possible measure of performance, and will easily outstrip the 3DOH. Of course, the 3DOH/Lexus/BMW owner will refuse to accept their utter defeat, will usually become ENRAGED as a defense against admitting that an inexpensive product is grossly superior in performance to their 'elite' product, and will attempt to gain the lead again by any method possible (passing on a double yellow line, grossly violating the speed limit, passing on the shoulder, running a red light, etc.) Despite the fact that they failed miserably when competing on fair terms (got dusted off at the green light), the 3DOH/Lexus/BMW owner will drive off actually convinced that they have the superior vehicle, and will brag about "beating a Z28" at the light! It's very amusing to watch the antics of this type of personality. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (D.ENGEL, CAT26, TOP9, MSG:124/M475) Jaguar Virtual Reality Contact: Ron Beltramo, Atari Corporation, """""""""""""""""""""" 408/745-2000 David Harrah, Edelman Public Relations, 415/968-4033 Dr. Jon Waldern, Virtuality Group plc, UK, 44- 11-62-33-7000 For Immediate Release ATARI JOINS FORCES WITH VIRTUALITY TO OFFER HOME VIRTUAL REALITY GAMES BY CHRISTMAS 1995 SUNNYVALE, CA (October 25, 1994) -- Atari Corporation (AMEX:ATC), the name that created the video game industry, has joined forces with Virtuality Group plc, the leader in virtual reality technology and arcade games, to create the world's first immersive virtual reality games for the home market. According to the just signed agreement, Virtuality will finalize development of a consumer version of its head mounted display technology (virtual reality headset) that Atari will manufacture and market for use with the Atari Jaguar 64-bit multimedia home entertainment system. Terms of the agreement call for Atari to contribute toward the development cost and pay a license to Virtuality to produce and market the product. The virtual reality headset will be available to consumers by Christmas 1995 with a targeted price of less than $200. "The Atari Jaguar platform is the only 64-bit system currently on the market and is ideally suited for immersive, virtual reality games," said Jon Waldern, chief executive officer of Virtuality. "This deal propels both companies to the forefront in the home market for virtual reality gaming. Thanks to the Atari Jaguar, fans of our many hit arcade titles will soon be able to play their favorite virtual reality games at home." Atari President Sam Tramiel explained that both Atari and Virtuality have worldwide reputations for offering the most advanced gaming technology and performance. "Combining Virtuality's ability to deliver low cost solutions for virtual reality technology applications with the processing power capabilities of the 64-bit Atari Jaguar will result in a very high quality virtual reality experience at a very affordable price," he said. Tramiel added, "By Christmas 1995, Jaguar owners will already be wearing their virtual reality headsets and playing virtual reality games at home. While others in the industry play catch up trying to offer 32 and 64-bit systems, Atari is extending our technological advantage over our competitors by delivering a high-quality virtual reality experience." Atari Corporation markets interactive multimedia entertainment systems, including Jaguar, the world's only 64-bit game system, and the only video game system manufactured in the United States. Virtuality Group plc is the world leader in the design of high quality virtual reality technology, arcade gaming systems and software. (AEO.MAG, CAT26, TOP23, MSG:2/M475) New Jaguar Games in Production Folks, here's honest-to-goodness """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" official AEO news: Dragon was released to production two weeks ago. Demolition Man and Creature Shock are both progessing quickly, and Virgin have other Jaguar projects well underway. Ocean have just submitted Syndicate for Atari compatibility testing and Theme Park is due before the end of the week. Both are definitely Christmas titles. Ocean also are actively working on further titles for Jaguar. (AEO.MAG, CAT26, TOP24, MSG:28/M475) >>> MESSAGE SPOTLIGHT <<< """"""""""""""""""""""""" ~ Listen Up! ~ Category 7, Topic 4 Message 118 Wed Oct 12, 1994 S.KALEITA [SAK] at 07:22 CDT Ken, Thats great and I here what they are saying, however; in order for a company to generate new customers and inspire old customers to buy their new products; that companys job is to show it's Support to it's customers. They can't expect to mail out a flier and sit back to see what happens, and react accordingly. The flier is to get our attention and the support or PR is comvince use to buy. I've never had a problem with anything from Migraph, and I am really intrested in purchasing one of their flat bed scanners, but when I here things like "it's on hold", or lack of intrest, or even,"If nobody is willing to take a chance on a new product from them, there will be no new product". I take that as a insult and a threat. I would just hope that they do what most other companies do to survive...They Do Something About the problem as opposed to just sit back with their fingers crossed, hoping that someone will buy a $1000.00 piece of hardware. All Atari owners are in the same boat, we have to stick together, owners, developers and vendors. It's tough for all of us. All I ask is that they inspire us , not just with good products; but with good feelings and support. I don't expect them to be another DMC publishing, but I'm sure that no matter how good Calamus SL is, DMC wouldn't be here today, supporting Atari owners, if they didn't take it upon themselves to see to it that it happened that way. God Bless them all! They pored a strong foundation, and we Atari users will support them as long as they support us. They are working at it. And we are appreciating it. We all benifit! As far as the scanners go...How do I find out weather this product is what I need? What features does the software have? Is there a demo available? What are it's advantages over Lookit II and the epson brand scanners or the Microtek scanners? I'm new to flat bed scanners, should I consider buying more RAM, in order to use the scanner? The flier you sent out is nice and it had all the specs on it about the scanners, but what does it all mean? I need to be educated, I need to be inspired, and I need to feel good about the purchase, both during and after. I'm sorry but I just don't feel that way, even though I really need a scanner. (I will probably eventually give in) Thank you, thank you...I'll just step off my soap box now, and go away quietly. Steve :] ------------ [*][*][*] While on GEnie, do you spend most of your time downloading files? If so, you may be missing out some excellent information in the Bulletin Board area. The messages listed above only scratch the surface of what's available and waiting for you in the bulletin board area. If you are serious about your Atari, the GEnieLamp staff strongly urge you to give the bulletin board area a try. There are literally thousands of messages posted from people like you from all over the world. [EOA] [DLR]//////////////////////////////  DEALER VIEWPOINT / ///////////////////////////////// Where do go from here? """""""""""""""""""""" By Sheldon Winick [S.WINICK] Recently, one of the many interesting discussions in the Atari Roundtable has concerned future trends for personal computer operating systems. While all of us Atari enthusiasts are partial to the user-friendly TOS environment, even the most ardent Atari supporter must realize that with Atari's current concentration virtually entirely on their Jaguar entertainment system, there is very little, if any, development going on in the TOS arena at the present time. What that means to all of us is that while our Atari systems may well fill all our current and immediate future requirements, without continual development future technological advancements in the industry will eventually make our current equipment obsolete. Many folks have speculated on the possibility of a third party taking over Atari's proprietary operating system, but it doesn't appear that Atari will be willing to relinquish their rights to the TOS environment anytime soon. It is also doubtful that there is really anyone with both the technical ability and financial support to take on that enormous undertaking and have the potential for success where Atari has failed. Some have suggested that perhaps Atari's current relationship with IBM in the production of the Jaguar game machine could grow beyond its current status, and that IBM might be interested in taking over TOS, bringing it up to current stands and marketing it as a system of their own. While most of us would hope that TOS isn't going to die from neglect, we must also realize that it is highly unlikely that IBM would be interested in such an undertaking. IBM is betting on OS/2 as their operating system for the near future. They are working on refining and enhancing that system. OS/2 is far more powerful and versatile than TOS, which would require a total rewrite before it could possibly be of any value to IBM. Unfortunately, today's IBM marketplace also requires that any operating system be backward-compatible with the huge base of existing software (DOS and Windows). OS/2 has managed that feat, while also offering true 32-bit performance in its native OS/2 mode, and IBM has already attracted a sizeable number of developers to write OS/2 specific applications. IBM has also managed to market OS/2 at very attractive pricing, making it affordable to even the home user looking for increased power and performance from his personal computer equipment. The downside of OS/2 is that it, like Microsoft's Windows, is incredibly H-U-G-E and complex. The amount of hard disk space it takes up is astounding, especially considering that most personal computer users really never need anything more than the basic 'stuff' that Atari has managed to fit onto a couple of ROM chips! As for the future of personal computing, I personally feel that the next great sales surge will be in the multimedia environment. While 'multimedia' is the current buzzword in personal computers, that typically merely means the addition of a CD-ROM and stereo speakers under currently accepted definitions. The real multimedia systems will come when a universal link to the 'information highway' becomes an established standard, and when this task is accomplished in such a way that even the most computer illiterate members of our society can have near-effortless access to this enormous wealth of information. As the personal computer revolution continues to engulf an ever-increasing percentage of our society, the number of individuals finding themselves totally overwhelmed by the complexity of current personal computer operating systems is also growing. Before too long we may find a huge market ripe for a multimedia system that can offer access to the information highway without all the complexities and pitfalls of a personal computer platform running an archaic operating system such as MS-DOS and Windows. An argument could easily be made that while Microsoft has been a unifying force in standardizing the majority of the systems of today, they have also been the major handicapping force in the micro-computer industry during the last decade. Just imagine where we could be today if the majority of today's personal computers weren't handicapped with that rediculous cludge of an operating system. Excellent marketing programs by Microsoft, however, have more than overcome their software's deficiencies, and have unfortunately established themselves as the leader in setting the 'standards' for personal computer systems throughout the world. But the upside of all of this is that Mr. Gates has also managed to convince the large majority of the world's population that personal computers HAVE to be complicated and confusing, which may well prove to be his undoing as the 'information highway' eventually becomes a reality for the typical computer-illiterate consumer. Atari may well have the right idea with the developement of a simple to use multimedia system such as the Jaguar. While it offers far superior graphics and performance in what it does compared to even the most advanced mass-marketed personal computer system, it comes with an installation procedure that even a moron could understand: plug it in and turn it on! While the Jaguar, in its current configuration at least, may not be the true multi-media system of the future, offering access to the yet to be developed information highway for the masses, it is definitely a step in the right direction. Most members of society will not need the complexity of a personal computer system, especially one that becomes more of a source of aggrevation and frustration than a real beneficial tool. We have to realize that the computer revolution is still in its infancy. Those of us who have been around for the past four decades have seen the enormous advances in technology as the vacuum tube of the 1950's gave way to the transistor, and eventually to the integrated circuitry of today. We experienced the excitement of replacing our mechanical adding machines and slide rules with electronic calculators. We played the first commercially available video game, a simple bouncing ball and paddles called Pong. We saw that evolve into the Atari 2600 game machine, and saw the Atari name become one of the best known name brands in the world during the early 1980's. We witnessed those early game machines evolve into Atari's 400 and 800 personal computer systems, and we saw those evolve into the ST series and later TT030 and Falcon systems. We saw the first generation of personal computers develop and evolve from their meager beginnings to the powerful packages we have on our desks today. We've seen how systems that once filled rooms of specially conditioned space, required enormous amounts of electricity and took teams of technicians to operate have evolved into today's faster, more powerful personal computers that now can be squeezed into portable notebook systems that can even run on batteries. We've seen online communications evolve from hobby systems to major networks such as GEnie, and we'll soon see the logical evolution of this technology into a true multimedia system with access to a national and international information highway system. When you look back at all this development, you must also realize that the largest majority of this advancement has really all come in the last decade. The first major company to jump into the personal computer marketplace was Xerox, with the introduction of their Xerox 820 personal computer back in 1981. IBM jumped into the fray a year later with it's 8088-based IBM-PC the following year. Before that, the personal computer marketplace was dominated by companies such as Radio Shack, Atari, Commodore and Apple, plus numerous smaller companies which are no longer with us. Commodore, unfortunately, has recently also thrown in the towel. Of those early companies that have survived and are still with us today, only Atari and Apple have managed to maintain their independence and unique operating system environments. Everyone else has been swallowed up by the Microsoft tital wave. Apple is struggling against the odds, and Atari is concentrating on developing new entertainment systems. It may well be that IBM, the company that originally unleashed Bill Gates on the world, may become the personal computer industry's last chance to put that Microsoft genie back into the bottle if they can somehow find a way to convince the public that OS/2 is truly superior to Windows. Ultimately, of course, all of this will be replaced by future systems as technology continues to advance. The problem during the past decade or so, has been that the major potential of new technology has been extremely handicapped by the operating environments that have not kept up with hardware advancements. Instead of the full potential of hardware advancements being realized, for the most part we have simply seen this more powerful hardware being thrown at the backward software to make it run more acceptably. Instead of fixing the problem, the industry has chosen to merely throw more hardware at it, making the personal computer systems of today even more complex and difficult to understand by the average consumer. But when you look at how far we've come in such a relatively short period of time, the potential for the future is enormous. Technological advancements continue to increase the power of the personal computer while continually reducing its size and cost. How well Atari Corporation will be able to succeed in this high technology industry is yet to be seen, but they have been around since the beginning of the computer revolution, and continue to be at the forefront of developing new technologies. Many people have been writing off Atari for years, but they have somehow managed to continue to survive despite their enormous marketing blunders. They have also managed to continually be at the forefront of new development with systems that have challenged the competition and excited their user base. Atari's latest 64-bit Jaguar multi-media entertainment system broke new ground when it was introduced a year ago, and continues to offer the most potential of any of the current flock of home entertainment systems. Man's mind is limitless, and computer technology today is barely beyond its infancy stage of development. If one thing is certain in the personal computer marketplace, it is that technology doesn't stand still for very long. If history is any indication, the future holds some truly exciting times for all of us. Even the science fiction systems envisioned by writers of programs such as Star Trek are getting ever closer to reality. We are all very fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in this technological revolution. And as exciting as the past years have been, the future will certainly be even better as the full potential of this new technology becomes reality. Happy (Atari) Computing. Sheldon Winick (GEnie Address: S.WINICK) Computer STudio (Asheville, NC) [*][*][*] Sheldon owns and operates Computer STudio, a full-service Atari dealership in Asheville, North Carolina. Sheldon is also a registered architect, and has operated his own architectural office since 1971 (he is currently licensed in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Colorado, as well as holding a National NCARB certificate). His architectural practice has been using Atari computers exclusively since 1988, when his last Xerox computer system was retired. His current architectural drawings are, of course, prepared on his Atari TT030-based CADD systems, using DynaCADD software. [EOA] [REF]//////////////////////////////  REFLECTIONS / ///////////////////////////////// Psychological Aspects of Electronic Mail """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Phil Shapiro [P.SHAPIRO1] Last week a friend of mine sent me an e-mail message explaining the progress being made in her treatment for depression. She is taking medication, which seems to help, and visits regularly with a therapist, which she also finds beneficial. At the end of her message she inquired whether a mutual friend of ours could be reached online. As it happens, this mutual friend does have an electronic mail address, but he hardly ever uses it. I explained to my first friend that despite my best efforts to wheedle and cajole him, our mutual friend seems reluctant to make use of online communications. At the end of my message, I added, "Well, this just reinforces the age-old Confucian adage: 'You can lead a horse to a modem, but you can't make him dial.'" Apparently my silly little remark brought a brief chuckle to my friend. Which got me thinking about the psychological effects that e-mail can have on the human mind. All communications has the power to lift the human spirit. But even more so when the human spirit is flagging. When you hear a friend has suffered an unexpected misfortune, your first inclination is to reach for the phone to offer soothing words of commiseration and reassurance. Human beings are intensely social creatures. To a large extent we derive our emotional strength from our interactions with one another. Self- esteem is largely a by-product of how others have treated us. Thinking back to my friend undergoing treatment, it would be presumptuous of me to think that a single e-mail message could have a salutary effect on her depression. Clinical depression is a disease with a profound impact on the human mind. But if an e-mail message I sent her helps bring a single ray of sunshine into her life, that in itself is a positive result. I came to learn recently that my friend stays in touch via e-mail with several other of her friends and colleagues. Who knows what the collective influence of ten, twenty, or thirty e-mail messages per day might have in her life? Imagine if you yourself were stuck in a hospital bed for two weeks. Your closest friend stops by with a laptop computer and arranges for an extra phone line to be installed in your room. Within minutes you could be online savoring the waiting e-mail messages in your mailbox. And if the doctor ordered quiet bed rest, you could still have your e- mail read aloud to you - - - with each message being whispered quietly into your ear. Then you could quietly whisper a reply like: "Tell Jackson that as soon as I'm able to get out of this bed I'm going to walk over to his desk and whack him over the head with a foam rubber baseball bat." It's the emotional warmth of these types of messages that can bolster one's spirits. Forget the flowers and the phone calls. Reach out and touch someone with ASCII. E-mail neither wilts nor wakes up a person who is napping. And if you choose the right words, you can transmit just about any emotion from your heart to someone else's heart. And who knows what healing powers your messages might have. Phil Shapiro [*][*][*] The author takes a keen interest in the social dimensions of communications technology. He can be reached on GEnie at P.SHAPIRO1; on Internet at: p.shapiro1.aol.com; or on America Online at: pshapiro [EOA] [LIB]//////////////////////////////  ONLINE LIBRARY / ///////////////////////////////// [*]Files, Files & More Files! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" By Mel Motogawa [M.MOTOGAWA] Over 300 files were uploaded to the ST Roundtable File Library this month, so this month's column is on the long side to accomodate a mere sampling of all the great uploads. So, without further adieus... (This month's listing is slightly different from past listings in that the newest files are at the end.) Any comments of my own are shown within double asterisks "**...**" after the file description, in the ASCII GEnie Lamp version, and also in italics in the TX2 version. (If you haven't experienced reading the Lamp in TX2 format, why not download the TX2 file viewer (file #20441) by David Holmes? You may be surprised at the versatility and power of this program, above and beyond viewing TX2 Lamp issues.) #33923 EDITH1_0.LZH 69120 Edith 1.0 is a powerful freeware text editor """"""""""""""""""""""""""" that can handle GDOS fonts. It features real-time scrolling as an option, which few text editors for the Atari include. It is ideal as a programmer's editor, but is less satisfactory as a word-wrapping text editor. It is the uploader's editor of choice while programming on the TT. (It runs OK on graphics-card equipped STs and TTs also.) Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #33924 ESCAPE.LZH 480512 Game for all Ataris. Color. Please use the """""""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33925 MC_COY.LZH 20608 Tetris-style game; German. Please use the """"""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33926 BNR_VIEW.LZH 27520 Fast Falcon-only GIF & TGA viewer. Please """"""""""""""""""""""""""" use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33928 BKWRD272.ZIP 87552 Latest version of the ST emulator for the """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Falcon. Use the latest version of ST ZIP to extract this file. #33947 MIDNIGHT.LZH 65920 Advanced screen saver; German. Please use """"""""""""""""""""""""""" the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33948 NLIGHTB.LZH 2432 Tiny app lights drive A: LED on HD or RamDisk """"""""""""""""""""""""" access. Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33949 NU_UTILY.LZH 8192 Numbers line in text file. Can output to """""""""""""""""""""""""" screen, file or printer. Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33950 MINI_BBS.LZH 66432 This program (from Norway, in English) sets """"""""""""""""""""""""""" up a BBS on an Atari. Users with two Ataris can monitor the one running the BBS through the MIDI port from a second Atari using a supplied utility. Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33951 SLARTR13.LZH 19200 Tetris clone; works with graphic cards. """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33952 SCAN_PRG.LZH 10880 Tiny scanner-manager ACC. Please use the """"""""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33953 ST_KLICK.LZH 19968 Multifunction DA; German menus. Please use """"""""""""""""""""""""""" the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33955 FILESPY.LZH 7680 Tiny TOS text reader/printer. Please use the """"""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33956 TYPEWRIT.LZH 9216 Small ACC 'typewriter' for printer. Please """""""""""""""""""""""""" use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33957 TASKTERM.LZH 21504 TaskTerm is a small desk accessory that """"""""""""""""""""""""""" handles uploads and downloads in in the background on any Atari computer. It is limited to Xmodem and Ymodem. Press Undo to close the terminal screen; Help to access the configuration menus. Menus and dialogs in German, but not difficult to understand. #33958 PAPYRUS.ZIP 532736 This file contains a fully functional demo """"""""""""""""""""""""""" of Oregon Researchss new Document Processor Papyrus Gold. Much more than just a word processor Papyrus defines a new class of application. For more information contact Oregon Research. Use the latest version of ST ZIP to extract this file. Works best with SPEEDO GDOS installed. ** If you're in the market for a high powered word processor, you should check this one out. A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #33959 XINFB100.LZH 219776 Unusual configuration and system info """""""""""""""""""""""""""" program from Germany. Menus and dialogs in German, but easy to follow. ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #33962 PROTRFAL.LZH 72064 Protracker MOD player; Falcon only Please """"""""""""""""""""""""""" use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33963 TI59.LZH 13440 Texas Instruments classic TI59 calculator. """"""""""""""""""""""" Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33964 TREEPACK.LZH 39040 Fast folder-tree archiver. Please use the """"""""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #33965 TXTOOL.LZH 28928 Unusual GEM application to check work usage. """"""""""""""""""""""""" Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33966 UHR_T_T.LZH 4096 Well-behaved analog/digital clock. Please use """"""""""""""""""""""""" the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33967 VIGILANT.LZH 10368 Anti-virus app; checks RAM, too Please use """"""""""""""""""""""""""" the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #33968 WATCH_IT.LZH 32896 Displays GIFs in GEM window Please use the """"""""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. Was designed for FALCON but docs state will at least start on all ST's. #33969 E_BACKUP.LZH 6784 Simple HD backup utility. Program and Doc's """""""""""""""""""""""""" in English. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33970 HOWFAST.LZH 20992 A program to graphically chart the speed of """""""""""""""""""""""""" read/writes to your hard drive. Program is in a mixture of German and English, but can be understood. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33971 AUTO_SEL.LZH 31872 Freeware boot manager. Program and Doc's in """"""""""""""""""""""""""" English. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33972 BATCH.LZH 29568 A program to run several applications in a row. """""""""""""""""""""""" Similar to the AUTOEXEC.BAT on the DOS o/s. Can be used in your auto folder or from the desktop. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33974 DHRYSTON.LZH 20992 Program and 'C' source code for a Dhryston """"""""""""""""""""""""""" test for the Atari computers. Program and Doc's in English. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33976 J_SNAP20.LZH 21504 This program and it's Doc's are in German. """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33978 SNAPPER.LZH 30208 This program and it's Doc's are in German. """""""""""""""""""""""""" Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract (LH5 archive). #33980 CID_DEM2.LZH 42880 This is a much improved version of CID.ACC """"""""""""""""""""""""""" which is designed to work the Supra Modem with the Caller ID upgrade. You must have Caller ID service to your phone from the phone company for this to work. The last demo had a 'mysterious' bug that could have caused intermittent problems with initializing correctly. This does not! This does not work with all other modem type, though. However, I am currently investigating level of effort to support other modems. But it may work with yours even if it isn't a Supra - check it out! If you have a Supra modem with Caller ID capabilities, it doesn't get any better than this. You don't even need a modem to see if this is something you'll like. #33985 COMA_190.LZH 237184 Limited-use shareware program. All """""""""""""""""""""""""""" documentation is in German. Supports Fax and voice operations (with proper modem). ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #33988 DOSTESTR.LZH 14720 Freeware from A&D Software. Tests disk """"""""""""""""""""""""""" access speed. Extract with latest LHARC. #33989 MAUSTREI.LZH 10240 German mouse accellerator. Docs in German. """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Use latest version of QUESTER's LZH program to extract #33990 MANUAL20.LZH 31360 Manualizer 2.0 will load any standard ASCII """"""""""""""""""""""""""" text file, and then print it in the form of a booklet, or for placing into a binder. Version 2.0 now supports GDOS/SpeedoGDOS for printing on any printer. The older HP2 modes are still available for quick printouts on HP2 compatible printers. In addition, special command strings may be placed in text files to allow text centering and font selection. Manualizer 2.0 is SHAREWARE! #33994 TOWRSIIP.ZIP 150656 Here are a couple of TIFFs of Towers II for """""""""""""""""""""""""""" the Falcon 030 computer. Use latest version of ST ZIP program to extract #33999 FLS221D.LZH 105216 If you don't already own a copy of Flash II, """"""""""""""""""""""""""" now is the time to check it out with our latest demo version. Version 2.21 of Flash II was just released. This demo version of Flash II is fully functional but limits you to the amount of online time, size of file transfers, the saving of dial directories, etc. All features of Flash II can be checked out with this demo. If you already own Flash II and wish to upgrade to 2.21, please download the file F221UP.LZH. #34001 DATALINK.LZH 99072 ST Monochrome terminal program """"""""""""""""""""""""""" #34002 IMGINFO.LZH 8832 Determines size of image files. Desk """"""""""""""""""""""""" accessory. #34005 SOLITAIR.LZH 10496 solitaire game desk accessory for all """"""""""""""""""""""""""" resolutions. #34006 TOGGLEWV.LZH 640 Desk accessory to toggle write verify for """"""""""""""""""""""""" floppies. #34007 TURBORS.LZH 12672 modem port rate increases with this program. """""""""""""""""""""""""" Sysop Note: Unable to verify operation of this file. #34008 VISCALC.LZH 49280 VISICALC spreadsheet program in TOS format. """""""""""""""""""""""""" No windows. Use latest version of LZH archiver to extract #34009 CK5A189B.ZIP 173056 This is a port of C-Kermit 5A revision 189. """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Two TTP programs are included, one with complete terminal emulation, the other works great in conjunction with your favorite comms software. This is a complete implementation of the Kermit protocol. Limited docs. Sysop Note: Unable to verify operation of this file. Use latest version of ST ZIP program to extract #34011 LEDPNL27.ZIP 21632 Version 2.7 of LED Panel. Shows time, date, """"""""""""""""""""""""""" drive access (read and write), capslock, and more in upper right corner of screen. Fully configurable. Not compatible with graphic cards and true color. #34012 MOUSE22.ZIP 4480 This utility lets you hook a PC serial mouse """"""""""""""""""""""""" up to the serial port of your Atari. Now you can buy less expensive mice! Some software incompatibilities. #34013 NOTEPAD.ZIP 19968 Notepad by Michail Zuhl is a tiny little desk """""""""""""""""""""""""" accessory that lets you load, save, and print about forty lines of text. This is one of the best (tiny) text editor DAs I've seen. I 'have included an English translation as well as the original German. Docs in German. Freeware. #34016 CRACK136.LZH 581504 This is the Crack-Art upgrade V1.36. It """""""""""""""""""""""""""" rivals most commercial art software. Mo- better features than V1.0. File includes docs in german and english(v1.0), printer drivers, lots of cool fonts, and new games. Watch your floppy light! Shareware - some features may be limited. Includes English and German doc. Requires ST Low resolution. Extract with latest LHARC. ** A very powerful art program that is highly regarded in Europe. ** #34017 ELFARC2.TOS 81536 General purpose archive program with GEM """""""""""""""""""""""""" interface. Sysop Note: Self Extracting Archive. Will NOT overwrite files Archived files created with this program are NOT compatible with .LZH archives in this library. Creates .LZA files only ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #34022 BAT17.LZH 8960 BAT17 is an arcade bombing game. Bomb selected """"""""""""""""""""""" targets and avoid flak and enemy fighter planes. Instructions on startup. Another fine program from BATSoftware. ST Low Resolution only. TT compatible Use latest version of LZH 2.x to extract #34026 OUTPUT_2.LZH 87552 Advanced doc. print util; in German Use """"""""""""""""""""""""""" latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract TT Compatible in ST Resolutions only #34027 PHDIAL14.LZH 18432 Telephone dialer accessory. Use latest """"""""""""""""""""""""""" version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34028 MS074.LZH 179200 Molecular modeling program. GEM interface. """"""""""""""""""""""""" Easy to use. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34031 POLYFILM.LZH 304896 Animation player and generator program. ST """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Color resolutions only. Sysop Note: Program is nice, but not always stable. Use latest version of QUESTER's LZH program to extract #34033 S_BACKUP.LZH 161792 Super Backup Utility. TT Compatible. """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Backup hard drives to floppy. NOTE: ALL DOCS AND MENUS ARE IN GERMAN! Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract ** A screenshot appears in the mono TX2 version of the GEnielamp. **  #34035 KGBSHELL.LZH 32000 CLI shell. Makes your ATARI work as poorly """"""""""""""""""""""""""" as a DOS machine! #34036 RAMINIT.LZH 20864 Batch file processor that """""""""""""""""""""""""" /deletes/copies files into a specified directory or drive. Great for setting up ramdisks. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34037 SMON_109.LZH 155648 System Monitor version 1.09. ALL DOCS ARE """""""""""""""""""""""""""" IN GERMAN! Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34040 MVPXSNP.LZH 1664 Snapshot desk accessory for 16 color or higher """"""""""""""""""""""""" resolutions. Saves in NEO format. Works in TT resolutions Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34041 FF32BIN.LZH 33536 For OLDER versions of TOS only (version 1.04 """""""""""""""""""""""""" last one supported) Increases floppy format and read/write speed. Does NOT work with high density floppies. As with all programs like this, use it at your own risk. #34042 DF.LZH 11776 TOS disk space reporting application. Try and """"""""""""""""""""" read the data before it goes off the screen. #34046 GEMRAM16.LZH 21120 German-language utility to copy GEM to RAM """"""""""""""""""""""""""" (from ROM) so it can be modified by other programs. #34047 MDIAL103.LZH 61824 Latest version, with English docs and """"""""""""""""""""""""""" English support menus, of the amazing MultiDialog auto-folder utility. It turns dialog boxes into GEM windows that can be moved and left on screen while other actions are taking place. Very configurable, with a CPX instead of the ACC of the previous version to handle configuration for any specific application. This is a must-have for all Atari users who want to wrong the most out of GEM. Use Quester's LHARC201 (lh5) to extract. ** This works better than earlier versions I've tried. Nice to have access to desk accessories in more locations than with normal GEM. ** #34048 NVDI_FIX.LZH 1920 Patches NVDI to fix a "bug". German """""""""""""""""""""""""" documention. Use at your own risk. Untested by sysop. #34049 RSRCADD.LZH 3968 German-language utility to exapand serial """"""""""""""""""""""""" buffer. Use Quester's LHARC201 (lh5) to extract. #34050 STI87994.LZH 44032 This file contains the complete Table of """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Contents from the STInformer from the present issue, Sept '94, back in time to the very first issue of May 1987. This is an ASCII file and may be read from the Desktop or from a Text Reader, Editor etc.. Rod MacDonald has granted me permission to upload these files for reference and for those people who may wish to order 'Back Issues'. There will be an update to this file every quarter and also each month there will be a TOC for the current month. These file have been requested for sometime by the users of GEnie. Use Quester's LHARC201 (lh5) to extract. #34053 FASTBOOT.LZH 31488 This file contains a special floppy disk """"""""""""""""""""""""""" boot-sector that prints an Anit-Virus message to your screen, and sets the FaST Technology Turbo25 to 25Mhz mode at the very start of the boot cycle. For T25 users only (won't work on anything else)! Aloha, from the Happy Hacker! (Tim) ... FaST Technology Turbo25 inside! Archive includes an MSA archive file and extracting program. Only usable for owners of Turbo25! Use latest version of QUESTER's LZH program to extract #34055 OMENHER4.LZH 4736 Update on OMEN happenings: Lower prices, more """""""""""""""""""""""""" computers, floppy formatting, more graphics, PC adaptation, settings & preffereerences, disassembler - knows OMEN calls & commands, when's the development system coming out?, better word processing, why write software for OMEN? Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34056 IQ320112.LZH 39424 IED-IDL EDITOR Version 1.12 IQ-IQUEUE """"""""""""""""""""""""""" product #320 from Intella Digital Lists (IDL). This is a line editor for text files. IED can be used as a .prg or a .ttp type program with parameters. It can be configured to handle files of any size. It has many unique features including: search & citate, smooth scroll, auto-indent, modem output, line collect, file reduction, block cut & paste, properize, sort, prefix, column insert&replace, position retention, clipboard. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34057 IQ380157.LZH 28672 IDISK-IDL DISK Version 1.57 IQ-IQUEUE """"""""""""""""""""""""""" product #380 from Intella Digital Lists (IDL). Sophisticated tool for disk analysis or repair. Program writes directly to disk. Use caution with this file. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34058 IQ370151.LZH 19584 IVIEW-IDL VIEW Version 1.51 IQ-IQUEUE """"""""""""""""""""""""""" product #370 from Intella Digital Lists (IDL). Sophisticated tool for file analysis or pattern recognition. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34059 IQ415107.LZH 10368 IAUTODOS-IDL AUTOFOLDER OS Version 1.07 IQ- """"""""""""""""""""""""""" IQUEUE product #415 from Intella Digital Lists (IDL). Rename problem auto programs or accessories upon boot. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34060 IQ570114.LZH 16128 IKIDS-IDL KIDS Version 1.14 IQ-IQUEUE """"""""""""""""""""""""""" product #570 from Intella Digital Lists (IDL). Fun and Easy Activities for children. Type, Count, Draw, Music. Use latest version of LZH 2.x program to extract #34074 SVKP0_1.ZIP 72960 Sircware virus killer. The only non- """""""""""""""""""""""""" commercial virus killer that scans for link viruses. It's a bit odd, but seems to mostly work okay. Please use file 32853 to extract (Zip Archive). ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #34077 MCD_1094.ZIP 282368 Monthly listing of Atari hardware """""""""""""""""""""""""""" (computers, game machines) and software (utilities, audio visual, games, professional) applications for sale from MicroComputer Depot. Also a demo of the game NERTZ from Majic Soft. Please use file 32853 to extract (Zip Archive). This file can self- extract if you change the filename to MCD_1094.TOS #34081 FTKITDEM.ZIP 24448 A DEMO of TraceTech's Falcon030 ToolKit by """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Keith Gerdes -- a 'must have' collection of utilities for ALL Falcon owners! Special price through November 15, 1994. And a disount on FastPath. Includes a demo of: 1) NVRAM Configurator - setup your system preferences, simple to use 2) TraceTech Formatter Jr CPX - quick and easy access for formatting 3) Plus the shareware program TOS4Trap v1, the _original_ TOS4 "fix" utility. Accept only the best, which gets better in TOS4Trap v2- available in the TKIT. v2 ends those memory loss blues... ** Falcon users, take note. ** #34089 TIMICONS.ZIP 156160 I personally edited many of these icons to """""""""""""""""""""""""""" suit NEO 4. They look great on my Cyrel Video card and will look super on your TT-Med or better desktop. -- Use STZIP26.ZIP File#32853 for latest extractor. #34093 STSAVE27.ZIP 26368 With the Soft-Sci Warp 9 Extend-o-Saver YOUR """"""""""""""""""""""""""" OWN custom graphic image floats around the idle ST screen. This is version 2.7. - Shareware from Soft-Sci Extract with latest version of STZip #34096 GHOSTLNK.ZIP 28544 This program allows your ST to access any """"""""""""""""""""""""""" drives on your IBM PC. It requires a NULL modem cable from your ST to the PC. Fully supports the extra ports on the TT/Mega STE. Comes with both ST and PC programs. The ST is the master. You can't access ST drives from the PC, but you can read and write to the PC drives from the ST. Works very well! Extract with latest version of STZip Note: Sysop unable to verify proper operation of file. #34097 M_SPOOL.ZIP 15104 Nice little auto folder program and CPX which """""""""""""""""""""""""" gives you a print spooler and print to disk capabilities. You can use both features or one or the other. Fully configurable. Doesn't have problems like Barrell has with large print to disks (graphic images). Recommended Extract with latest version of STZip #34098 EGEM_200.LZH 248320 This is a very nice Gem Library for the ST. """""""""""""""""""""""""""" It contains full source and is compatible with Lattice and Pure C. You can have non-modal dialogs, pop up menus, etc. Really nice. One problem is that all docs are in German. :-< Extract with latest version of LHARC #34099 CALC150.LZH 54272 Amazingly versatile 4-in-1 calculator from """""""""""""""""""""""""" Germany (with German docs, but most operations are not hard to figure out). You have a choice of FOUR calculators, each with different features, accessible through a GEM menu. A copy and paste function lets you cut 'n' paste part of any calculation into the GEM clipboard or back into the calculator. This works very intuitively, also. The author has also created an impressive Microsoft Windows varient, but the Atari version is faster and easier to use. Includes an '881 version to take advantage of the math coprocessor in TTs and some other Ataris. Runs as PRG or ACC. #34100 MONOTILE.ZIP 20736 Here is 33 monochrome IMGs for use as """"""""""""""""""""""""""" NeoDesk 4 desktop tiles. Mostly taken from Windows BMPs, converted to IMGs with GemView, and massaged with Ed-Pat. Some of them are pretty nice, for monochrome. Extract with latest version of STZip #34104 MICKICON.ZIP 55808 A collection of NeoDesk 4 icons. Almost all """"""""""""""""""""""""""" have 2 and 4 color version, and some have 16 too. Many are animated. Most of them I touched up or changed to my liking from other sources. Please use the latest version of ST Zip to extract. #34105 MCR-NEO4.ZIP 31232 Made some mods to many of the teriffic icons """"""""""""""""""""""""""" I've D/L'd from GEnie over the years. Most are 3D, many are 'animated'. Please use the latest version of ST Zip to extract. #34122 STARBLFX.ZIP 191232 Give great sounds to that STARBALL pinball """""""""""""""""""""""""""" game... Only for STE/Falcon and TT's... #34125 CATT_II2.LZH 109696 Archive contains latest CyReL CaTTamaran """""""""""""""""""""""""""" TT030 Accelerator Installation Hints & Tips. New instructions for Rev.A & Rev.B TT's. New releases of the CATT_ON.PRG & CATT_OFF.PRG as well as \AUTO\CATTAMRN.PRG files. Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #34126 CEA11150.LZH 38400 Read all about the exciting new SKYLINE CD """"""""""""""""""""""""""" coming this November from Cybercube. Contains the CyReL Electro Ad #11, a printable 150 dpi GEM Please use the latest version of Questor LZH to extract this file. #34129 MFFINE.ZIP 31744 PD TrueType font, PC version. Use the latest """"""""""""""""""""""""" version of ST ZIP to extract this file. #34131 MFWIDE.ZIP 31232 PD TrueType font; PC version. Use the latest """"""""""""""""""""""""" version of ST ZIP to extract this file. #34132 SBLAST_2.TXT 1920 Screenblaster II is now available. A major """""""""""""""""""""""""" upgrade, Screenblaster II is easier to use and has many new capabilities. This text file has information on Screenblaster II - and how to upgrade. #34135 NEO_002.LZH 308608 This program will update a NeoDesk 4 release """"""""""""""""""""""""""" 001 disk, changing its contents to release 002. It will only work with English language versions of NeoDesk 4 release 001. This version fixes various small problems, and adds new features to the icon editor. ** Neodesk 4 users should take note of this one. ** #34137 POV_V22.ZIP 226432 Two versions are included. One for the 68000 """"""""""""""""""""""""""" and the other for Falcon/TT with an FPU. There are no new features - fixes bugs from V2.1. This version will display the graphic as it renders. Sysop Note: Docs are not included in this release. Use latest version of ST ZIP program to extract #34138 X_PERIEN.TOS 833280 This is a very impessive demo for the """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Falcon computer. It shows many interesting effects like a tour through a polygon city(no people though) and a texture mapped cube with each face being animated independetly. It does a lot more too. I've only seen it work in RGB and always booted my system with the 'CONTROL' button at bootup to get it to work. Sysop Note: NOT FOR USE WITH VGA MONITOR! SC1224 REQUIRED! File is a self-extracting archive. #34142 MONOTYLE.ZIP 26752 Here are 41 more monochrome IMGs designed """"""""""""""""""""""""""" for use with NeoDesk 4. A few more car wheels, some delicate floral whatses, and a few pictures of windows - make your desktop look like an apartment building! Use latest version of ST ZIP program to extract #34143 SUBMENU_.LZH 9600 Few Atari users probably realize how useful """""""""""""""""""""""""" the SUBMENU.CPX really is. It's an Xcontrol module that regulates the behavior of submenus, including the drop-down Desk Menu (also called the Applications Menu) of Geneva. Every Geneva user or MultiTOS user should have this CPX running, and others with modern TOS versions should find it helpful, too. Documentation is based on a public message on GEnie from Dan Wilga. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34147 STBALL16.ZIP 350080 Well here is the latest STARBALL, Hard """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Drive problems fixed and now you can save scores.. also get the FZ file and get great sounds, but only if you have a STE/FALCON or a TT... Use latest version of ST ZIP program to extract #34148 MUNGER01.ZIP 8960 Howdy, FileMunger will append any text file """""""""""""""""""""""""" to any other text file. It has provisions to also include a date/time stamp with each appending...or you can choose no date/time stamp. I use so I no longer have to load a file into my text editor, merge another file to the bottom, and then save both...only I use it more than that. Let me know what you think (I'm always curious). Use the latest version of STZIP to extract. #34153 BOOMPREV.TOS 499328 This is a demo of an upcoming game for the """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Falcon030 for the demo group NPG. It is in three parts: a scrolling space shooter, a helicopter sim with a fractal landscape, and a Wolfenstein like clone with variable walls that contain highly detailed textures and is very fast. Boot your Falcon030 with an RGB monitor while holding down CONTROL so no accessories or auto programs load. SYSOP NOTE: Bombs terribly using a VGA monitor. RGB ONLY! Self extracting archive Falcon030 ONLY! #34157 IDEA351B.LZH 125696 IdeaList v.3.51 by Christoph Bartholme part """""""""""""""""""""""""""" II. This file contains the acc & rsc (English) and drucker (printer drivers, German) folder. Printer drivers for 9 & 24 pin; Canon, DeskJet, and other ink; GDOS; LaserJet and SLM lasers; and Special. Companion file IDEA351A.LZH contains the prg & rsc, online help acc & doc, and text text files for the remainder of the English version. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract See files 34156 (tools/utilities), 34158 (part 1 of archive), and 34159 (docs) #34158 IDEA351A.LZH 139648 IdeaList v. 3.51 by Christoph Bartholme """""""""""""""""""""""""""" part I. This file contains the program & rsc, online help acc & doc, and test text files; all English. Companion file IDEA351B.LZH contains the IList 3.51 acc & rsc and drucker (printer drivers) folder for the remainder of the English version. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract See files 34156 (tools,utilities), 34157 (archive 2), and 34159 (docs) #34159 IDEALDOC.LZH 16384 English docs also contained in IDEA351A.LZH """"""""""""""""""""""""""" for introduction to IdeaList for those not familiar with this powerful printing utility. Does up to nine columns of ascii, Word Plus, and RTF type files with 9/24 pin, inkjets, lasers. Can use GDOS & Speedo as well. Also contains contents.txt describing contents of English IdeaList v.3.51 created by combining files IDEA351A.LZH and IDEA351B.LZH See files 34156 (utilities), 34157 (archive 2), 34158 (archive 1) #34174 BSTAT248.LZH 285312 B/STAT is a shareware graphics and """""""""""""""""""""""""""" statistical analysis program. This is version 2.473 and was last changed on Oct 10,1994. B/STAT requires 2 megabytes and a hard drive. It works on all ST machines except for the TT in TT RES color modes. It works on the FALCON. B/STAT supports GDOS or SPEEDO GDOS but does not require either. B/STAT will work in the super VGA modes on a GEMULATOR. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract. #34175 EPRO_20A.LZH 44544 This patch program updates version 1.0 of """"""""""""""""""""""""""" CDAUDIO.ACC and CDAUDIO.PRG to version 1.1 (version 1.0 was distributed as part of ExtenDOS Pro v2.0). This update fixes a problem related to handling of Shuffle/Repeat (on all systems) and window display (on Falcon systems). Note that ExtenDOS Pro v2.0A includes this fix. CDAUDIO.ACC and CDAUDIO.PRG are the audio player components of ExtenDOS Pro. ExtenDOS Pro is a commercial product from Anodyne Software. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract. #34176 I_GERDES.ZIP 12288 E-Mail Interview with Keith Gerdes of Trace """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Technologies. As first published in Phoenix - the newsletter of The Toronto Atari Federation. Great stuff. From the heart of a dedicated Atari programmer (Data Diet, Data Rescue, Squish, LoadAlad, FASTPATH, TOS4TRAP, F030TKIT and more). Interviewed by Howard Carson (who actually manages to ask a couple of intelligent questions!). Keith is entertaining and informative, too, which makes this download worthwhile. Please use the latest version of ST Zip to extract. #34180 TILES.LZH 71296 Collection of small IMG files that can be tiled """""""""""""""""""""""" as NeoDesk 4 backgrounds. #34181 TREEVW24.LZH 100736 When NeoDesk 4 was described in a pre- """""""""""""""""""""""""""" release newsletter, Gribnif Software listed a "tree" mode as one of the features of NeoDesk 4's file-management system. Although this feature did not make it into the current version of Neo 4, you can add it easily with TreeView, a German accessory that runs under all versions of TOS and with Ataris equipped with graphics cards. This version of TreeView is much faster than previous ones, and it comes with GDOS fonts and a META.SYS driver for those who use GDOS, so that directory trees can be printed as GEM META files. Uses a resizeable GEM window. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #34182 PRIORITY.LZH 30464 MultiTOS only! This GEM-windowed utility """"""""""""""""""""""""""" lets you inspect and control the processes currently running under MultiTOS. Other utilities do the same thing, but this one has class. In German, but easy to understand and use. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34183 POCKET.LZH 35328 Pocket Watch is a German time-, date- and """"""""""""""""""""""""" alarm-clock utility for all Ataris. Unlike many alarm-clock programs and accessories for the ST, TT and Falcon, this one works flawlessly. Menus and dialogs in German, but everything is easy to figure out. Runs as a PRG or ACC. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34184 POINTER2.LZH 22528 When a calculator is too much and your own """"""""""""""""""""""""""" mach skills are too hazy, this pop-up windowed utility may be just right any time you need to convert a unit from one mathematical base to another. Ideal for programmers and everyone else who wants to be able to translate those mysterious hex codes or binary numbers into something less daunting. With German docs, but the utility itself is very easy to understand and simple to use. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34185 ST_CLOCK.LZH 11392 (See note below.) Cute full-screen clock """"""""""""""""""""""""""" (when run in ST High Res) that displays the time in hours, minutes and seconds as a huge wall clock, with cities around the world listed at the left. The time at these other locations is listed beside their names. For North American users, the clock has more novelty value than anything else, because the clock's code is based on the time in Berlin, and so the time in other cities is relative to Berlin time. (A clever programmer could create a North American version easily.) This ran fine on the CDII graphics card in 1024X768 monochrome mode also. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34186 TLIE.LZH 14464 Even if you don't know how to tie your shoe """"""""""""""""""""""" laces and chew gum at the same time, you'll be able to create or edit icons in a snap with the Tiny Little Icon Editor, one of the easiest-to-use icon utilities in the real of Atari software. Menus and prompts are in English. No documentation is provided or needed. Tested in ST High Res and in 1024X762 monochrome on a CDII graphics card. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34187 POPPER.LZH 60160 MultiTOS only! This utility takes advantage of """"""""""""""""""""""""" the new code in MutliTOS to provide 3D buttons and a modern look to a windowed application launcher. In German, but very easy to use. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34188 TSWP.LZH 4608 Utility from Germany lets you put write- """""""""""""""""""""" protection on any disk or drive in your system via an auto-folder TSR and a CPX module that runs in the Xcontrol Panel. German docs, but the usage is quite clear: Select a drive or deselect it via the CPX to add or remove write protection. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34189 TIMER.LZH 39680 Keep a record for tax time! Keep tabs on all """""""""""""""""""""""" those little tasks that add up to big time wasters! This windowed utility records the starting and ending times of any projects you are working on, whether they involve your computer or not. Modern GEM interface. Menus and dialogs in German, but all functions are largely self-evident. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34191 TOSCRC10.LZH 9472 The small utility is most useful for those """""""""""""""""""""""""" who run TOS out of RAM (TT owners who use a TOS relocator or ST owners who use GEMRAM). It calculates the CRC values of the TOS code and reports the result. You can check the results periodically. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34193 M_READ23.LZH 93312 Mountain Reader II is the finest offline """"""""""""""""""""""""""" message reader for the Atari ST, STe, TT and Falcon. MR2 supports QWK and Bluewave message formats, supports 65536 areas w/65536 messages per area, Online Hypertext Help system, Message Area Preselection, Message Header Prescanning, Bookmarks, Email address book, full featured internal message editor, tagline editor with "stealing", and much more. Version 2.3 fixes a bug with Bluewave reply packet creation, and a few other bugs. #34195 ICOED.LZH 148224 Exceptional icon editor from Germany that runs """"""""""""""""""""""""" in its own GEM window. Four separate modules are included: A GEM icon editor, a desktop icon editor, a Phoenix icon editor and a mouse-pointer-icon editor. All actions are performed through clear and easy-to-use icons within the editors. This set of editors is perhaps the best available for the Atari. #34196 ICONEDI.LZH 160896 Icon editor from Germany with dozens of """"""""""""""""""""""""""" functions. This may be what you are looking for if you need an icon editor that can handle anything. Runs full-screen in ST modes; runs in a large portion of the screen on the CDII card in 1024X768 monochrome. #34197 HDCPX120.LZH 6912 Fans of Atari's Xcontrol Panel will want to """""""""""""""""""""""""" check out this multi-function CPX. It reports on disk space (total, used and free), memory and TOS-version information, working very quickly.Displays are text only; no bar-graph displays are used, which makes this module faster than other CPXes and accessories that show disk space and memory in graphical form. In German, with German displays, but relatively easy to decipher. #34198 HPEDIT10.LZH 35584 If you have a DeskJet and use soft fonts """"""""""""""""""""""""""" (downloadable fonts), you should check out this font-installer and overall utility for the DeskJet. #34199 HP_FONTS.LZH 73728 Fonts and an installation program for the """"""""""""""""""""""""""" DeskJet series. In German. You need a RAM cartridge for your HP Deskjet to use these fonts. #34200 KLICK.LZH 4096 Tired of that same old keyboard click? Weary of """"""""""""""""""""""" the puny "plink" of the bell in your Atari? This German utility lets you choose different sounds for these two functions. Works in normal resolutions and in high-resolution modes on the CDII graphics card. Tested on an ST and a TT. #34203 KEKSDOSE.LZH 13696 This German ACC displays all the cookies in """"""""""""""""""""""""""" the Atari "Cookie Jar," an area of memory where programs and accessories can store a brief notice that informs the operating system or any other program that it is present. The IDs of all the cookies are shown in a list that can be switched to binary or hex display. An additional mode gives all added information available on any cookie. In German, but easy to figure out. ST Resolutions only. Bombs on exit (TT/030) #34205 F030TKIT.P_R 7936 Press release for TraceTech's Falcon030 """""""""""""""""""""""""" ToolKit by Keith Gerdes -- a 'must have' collection of utilities for ALL Falcon owners! Special price through November 15, 1994. And a disount on FastPath. File #34081 includes demos of: 1) NVRAM Configurator - setup your system preferences, simple to use 2) TraceTech Formatter Jr CPX - quick and easy access for formatting Plus the shareware program TOS4Trap v1, the _original_ TOS4 "fix" utility. Accept only the best, which gets better in TOS4Trap v2- available in the TKIT. v2 ends those memory loss blues... #34208 GVW_V308.LZH 468352 Contains the latest release of Dieter """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Fielbelkorn's GEM-View File and Image Viewer (Release 3.08). New *.ESM module, READ.ME file and install program. See GV_308PR.LZH for more details. Use latest version of LZH 2.0x program to extract #34210 KONTEXT.LZH 129280 German utility to convert texts from Mac """"""""""""""""""""""""""" format to ST format and vice versa. Interesting opening screen (watch for that "bug"!) with a TOS-style (not GEM) main interface. Tested on an ST and a TT; runs on the CDII graohics card, all modes. No English docs. Extract with latest version of LHARC #34211 KOLUMBUS.LZH 105344 Kolumbus is an astonishingly flexible and """""""""""""""""""""""""""" powerful file manager for the ST, TT and Falcon, bringing many features to the desktop that are simply unavailable otherwise in a single application. It produces quick directory trees in GEM windows, uses single clicks to navigate the trees (and open new windows), launches executable files or opens them as texts or in hex format, and even permits quick editing of texts and hex files in their GEM display windows. Multitasks splendidly under Geneva, but apps it launches will be single-tasking. No English documentation. Extract with latest version of LHARC ** A screenshot appears in the color/mono TX2 versions of the GEnielamp. **  #34212 ENVIRON2.LZH 2688 Easy-to-use utility (in English) provides a """""""""""""""""""""""""" simple way for non-Geneva users to set GEM environmental variables. Short documentation explains some of the workings of the GEM environment. A must for those who have had trouble with the other premiere GEM environment utility, GEMENV. Extract with latest version of LHARC #34220 ESSCD62.LZH 87296 Michael Forget's ESS-Code v.6.2. For """""""""""""""""""""""""" conversion of binary files to ascii for network transmission. A uu-en/de-coder, GEM based, supporting UU, SHIP, BTOA, MIME en/de-coding as well as RAW splitting and concatenating. This v. improves support for Falcon, SHIP, and MIME over v.6.0. Uses ARGV protocol and has ST-Guide format Hypertext help file. Extract with latest version of LHARC ** This one is indispensible if you use the Internet to send files. ** #34223 SUPERDMO.LZH 21632 Super Tic-Tac-Toe takes the classic game and """"""""""""""""""""""""""" rewires it for the present. Instead of 1 row of 3 X's or O's, the object of this game is to score as many rows as possible against your opponent. The demo allows only 1 game, and human- human competition. Keyboard or mouse control allowed. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract. #34226 RESETCOL.PRG 5248 Ever have a program leave the screen """""""""""""""""""""""""" unreadable after exiting? Install this very short utility, written in GFA BASIC, to be available from the function keys (you need ane of the newer versions of TOS for that fearture). Hit the key and - presto! - readable screen colors. File is not compressed due to already small size. #34227 MB48_BIN.LZH 196992 Michael Forget's MasterBrowse v.4.8. """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Improvements since 4.4 affecting: window dialog hot keys, ST-Guide format context sensitive help, keyboard shortcut manager, push-pop, internal font selector, envir var for help acc, installation program, Falcon & TT compatibility, smaller menu system, editability of shortcuts. Powerful file viewer & printer; can use GDOS; has ARGV, XBra, multitasking, multiple windows, decompression, and ST-Guide compatibilities. Extract with latest version of LHARC #34228 SPRINTNT.TXT 768 This text file contains two scripts to """"""""""""""""""""""""" automate your logon through GEnie's 9600 baud SprintNet lines using Aladdin. File can be isted or ownloaded #34229 MOUSESHO.PRG 896 Ever have your mouse cursor disappear after """"""""""""""""""""""""" exiting certain programs when running under Geneva or MultiTOS? Well, install this with a hot-key (I use F2) and when that pesky mouse cursor disappears just use the hot-key to redisplay your mouse cursor. That's all, really. Please let me know if this doesn't work on a TT or Falcon...I don't have a way to test for those systems. This program is not compressed. #34234 GF19LC5.LZH 93440 If you plan on using Gemfast 1.9 or 2.0 with """""""""""""""""""""""""" Lattice C, make sure you download this file. It contains updated libraries for use with LC versions up through 5.6. Each library is used for different memory models within Lattice C. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract. #34235 ED-PAT_2.ZIP 38912 A new version of ED-PAT, the editor of """"""""""""""""""""""""""" monochrome IMGs for use as tiled wallpaper in Neodesk 4. A few bug fixes, now *MUCH* faster, IMGs up to 80x80 (135x135 on 1000x590 or better screens), and new features: flip, rotate, and an actual mouse drawing mode. Special Bonus: see a fashion model become E.T.! Requires 640x400 or better resolution and 200KB free RAM. Freeware. Please use the latest version of ST Zip to extract. #34242 TTART18.LZH 76416 Latest release of Massimo Farina's TT-Artist """""""""""""""""""""""""" GEM-based Fractal Screen Saver for the Atari TT030. New modules, improved interface and some bug fixes. All details inside. Please use the latest version of Quester's LZH to extract. [*][*][*] Sometimes files are removed from the library after we publish this magazine. In many cases, the removed file has been replaced with an updated version of that file. If you can't find one of the files listed here, there is a way to check for a newer version. Do a keyword search on the library using a word that describes the file you are looking for. Chances are, you will find a newer version of that file, or another file that meets your expectations. [EOA] [PDQ]//////////////////////////////  PD_QUICKVIEW / ///////////////////////////////// [*]Yours For The Asking """"""""""""""""""""""" By Fred H. Koch [F.KOCH] Program Name : LED Panel Filename : LEDPNL27.ZIP Library Area : 2 Program Number : 34011 File Size : 21632 Program Type : Utility Author : Christoph Zwerschke Version Reviewed: v2.7 File Type : FreeWare [*] [*] [*] WHAT IT IS LED Panel displays a status line in the menu title line """""""""" which can show disk access, date, time and caps lock status. FROM THE AUTHOR "LED Panel" is a TSR program which makes any access to """"""""""""""" BIOS drives (floppy, harddisk, RAM disk etc.) visible and distinguishes between kind of access (reading or writing). As extra options the program can show the state of the CapsLock key and system date and time. The LED Panel will not work with most sorts of graphic cards and "true color". You can start LED Panel from the desktop or put it into the AUTO folder, if you want it to start automatically. LED Panel should run as one of the last programs in the AUTO folder. You can configure LED Panel with an included config program. If the LED Panel is active, you can watch the effects as you change them on the screen. Configuration options include: - Display all drives' status or only selected drives - Show drive status by R/W or color changes of LED - Distance of the LED Panel from the right side of the screen - Show CapsLock status or not - Choose symbol for CapsLock status display - Display date and/or time or not - Show date, time, date and time, or time and date when ALT pressed - Choose space between LEDs - Choose white or black background for status display A lite version of the program is provided for those tight on memory which can only perform the drive access functions of the LED Panel. [*] [*] [*]  . __ (^) <^> /~ ~\  \-=======_/"\_======-/ \) PD_Q RATING "\. FOUR LAMPS ./" """"""""""" "\._ _ _./" (_____) (1-5) DOCUMENTATION GOOD """"""""""""" PD_Q COMMENTS LED Panel is an interesting utility. It was written in """"""""""""" Germany but has an English read me file which provides sufficient instructions for those of us who don't understand or don't remember enough of our German. The program has just about every option you could want allowing selection of what information is displayed and how it is displayed. About the only thing missing is choosing the type of date format displayed. If you ever considered wanting date, time or disk access displays available on your screen, this program can provide all three and is worth a serious look. [EOA] [MEL]//////////////////////////////  MEL'S MANOR / ///////////////////////////////// Data Safekeeping """""""""""""""" By Mel Motogawa [M.MOTOGAWA] A crash is something I can really live without, but it seems like they're as common as colds, everyone catches one occasionally. And Murphy's Law says that they will catch up with you at the most inopportune times. Isn't it a pain when you're long into that unsaved word processing document, go to use a desk accessory and whammo, two bombs sprout from the left side of your screen? You move the mouse to see if your worst fears are realized and yes, horror of horrors, your system has locked up solid, taking your hard work with it. But what if you had a silent bomb squad waiting in the wings ready to pounce on any attempts by a terrorist tsr to ruin your day? There is just such a utility, worth its weight in gold if you asked me. The Neoload Bomb Squad Neoload is a small auto folder program that is """""""""""""""""""""" part of the great Neodesk 4 replacement desktop from Gribnif Software. It accomplishes several functions for Neodesk, but one unhearalded feature involves its robust ability to mask off crashes from your system. When your system bombs, Neoload steps in and tells you what happened via a text message in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. You are given an option to see some technical details on the crash or to press a key and exit the crash page. Upon exiting, your system may not even realize anything happened and you can hastily save your document to disk and reboot, for good measure. Of course, there are some crashes that will bring even Neoload to its knees, but even if it only saved your skin occasionally, it would be worth it. I find it recovers gracefully from most of my system crashes. Neoload has earned a permanent spot in my auto folder and it works great even if you didn't boot up to Neodesk 4. Information on Neoload and the latest on Neodesk 4 is available in Category 17, Topic 4. The Edit Plus Recovery Team A second line of defense against crashes """"""""""""""""""""""""""" doesn't hurt. The powerful Edit Plus file/memory/disk editor from Clear Thinking can come in very handy if your word processor likes to unceremoniously exit back to the desktop after a crash. Your document may still be in memory and usable, with Edit Plus able to search for it in memory and copy it to its buffer. After a spot of editing, you can save it to disk. Unless you're using a text editor, your file in memory may be full of word processing formatting codes, but the time spent editing these out might still be faster than rewriting the whole thing from scratch. With Edit Plus' Kwiksend feature, you can highlight what you need and send it to your word processor with a few keystrokes. Edit Plus is discussed in Category 2, Topic 40. The Diamond Back 3 Backup A third prong of defense against data loss is """"""""""""""""""""""""" the supremely powerful Diamond Back 3 backup and restore utility from Oregon Research. The dramatic overhaul of its interface is truly breathtaking and the support for using it in today's multitasking environments is a real joy. Although hard disk backups can be a real chore with some programs, Diamond Back 3 turns laborious actions into point-and-click simplicity. It's fast, pretty, easy to use and powerful beyond belief. If you use an Atari ST, you need this program, no doubt about it. With all of your data backed up regularly, you're ready for even the worst case data endangering scenarios. The Diamond Back 3 topic is Category 33, Topic 2. Greening with Data Diet On another note, there is a lot of sales hype """"""""""""""""""""""" these days about "green" PC's and monitors that save electricity. In one article I was reading about the subject, it was suggested that instead of buying a second hard disk and using more electricity, you could "green" your hard disk by using data compression, doubling its capacity while using the same amount of electricity. Well, I'm glad Atari ST users have the option too. I've been using Data Diet 2 and Squish 2 (both from Trace Technologies) for years and really appreciate how they've given me so much extra room on my hard disk. And yes, I guess I'm a part of the green scene by not having to get an additional hard disk. Currently, I have 1451 compressed files on my hard disk that occupy 15.3 megabytes. Without Data Diet 2 and Squish 2, they would occupy 27.9 megabytes. Although I have a long way to go before my hard disk is full, with this type of compression that day will be twice as far off. The latest on Data Diet can be found in Category 2, Topic 12. [EOA] [PDP]//////////////////////////////  PD_QUICKPICK / ///////////////////////////////// [*]A Recommended Program """""""""""""""""""""""" By Fred H. Koch [F.KOCH] Program Name : TreeView Filename : TREEVW24.LZH Library Area : 33 Program Number : 34181 File Size : 100736 Program Type : Desk Accessory Disk Utility Author : Stephan Gerle Version : 2.4 File Type : Unknown (Not Public Domain, German docs) [*] [*] [*] WHAT IT IS TreeView displays all folders on the selected drive in a """""""""" resizable GEM window. WHAT IT DOES TreeView is a desk accessory which reads the selected disk """""""""""" drive and displays all folders on the drive in a tree structure display. This is an easy way to look for that folder of information you know is on the drive somewhere but you just can't remember where. It is also a good way to find those duplicate folders you suspect exist, but can't find easily by looking through the normal nested folder structure. No files are displayed so you can't use TreeView to find those missing files you know are on the drive but just aren't sure where. The documentation is in German so unless you read German they will be of no use, but the basic program operation is point and click so if your folder names are in your own language, the program is usable. [EOA] [FUN]//////////////////////////////  SEARCH_ME / ///////////////////////////////// Online Puzzle Fun """"""""""""""""" By Scott R. Garrigus [S.GARRIGUS] >>> CARTOON CHARACTERS <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""" G Q C Q K E D L M X C O S D P P C D I Y X P T M H F M E Q G C A M P P C Q J D O G C R O W S I A K B X D P J W I F F D M V Z R S E R E B C S V Z G L F J X N T A H R S A E N T K E A K L P F U K Y A C K O X X L Y G X M S Y T B E U F C Q H D M B Y X U W T U D U X E E Y O N P K A I F X O M U N Q P U L Y L B V M M B B Y S L A P P Y G R S K B Z A T I R L M K Y O W R F V U G F I D X T F N W Z S Y Y C E L O V O P F C J G H X C G E G R L C N S R Y P L O K Y N P W R C C Z N G R K O D Q E K M N U U M N Z R P I D Z Y V I G O J K M G W Y I P E V O C X G X O M Z S U A G E L C W O U L N Y J T X S N O T T U B M Q R E S T A Q T H B D A M L S I G D J N M W T P B Z Q I W Y D J B Y A A G S U X G V F E G T Z S H Y R N N D R C H B N H C K D M C U A A N L D O C E R Y L X U F R U N T B W L O U B O N B F L O F R S L I V S K E A S O F B L F Y F F A D BABS BRAIN BUGS BUSTER BUTTONS CHICKENBOO DAFFY DOT ELMER HAMTON MINDY PINKY PLUCKY PORKY RITA RUNT SLAPPY SYLVESTER TWEETY WACKO YACKO [*][*][*] GIVE UP? You will find the answers in the LOG OFF column at the end of """""""" the magazine. This puzzle was created with a freeware program called SEARCH-ME 2, an Atari ST program by David Becker. [EOA] [CAI]//////////////////////////////  COMPUTERS AND INVESTING / ///////////////////////////////// [*]Overbought and Oversold """""""""""""""""""""""""" By Sanford E. Wolf [S.WOLF4] ~ Copyright (C) 1994 by Sanford E. Wolf ~ Prologue Commencing this month, some charts for the IBM edition will be """""""" in PCX color, generated on the PC T/A program 'TC2000'. I must "apologize" to my Atari ST brethren, but the reduced vertical resolution in PI2 format, and the restricted number of colors (4), do not accomodate translation of the PCX format. The ST edition will try to provide the PCX pictures in mono PI3 format (even this is not a satisfactory translation). If you have a dedicated graphics reader, such as GEMVIEW, you may find this the best way to read it. Some pictures for both editions will continue to be generated on the ST program 'Stalk The Market'. Although PI2 pictures are provided for those STers who prefer to read GEnieLamp on their color monitor, these financial charts are much better read in the higher resolution PI3. The reason for bringing on the PC program is that 'STM', as good as it is, lacks several analytical features which help to understand what is happening with a stock. (If any reader knows how to get around the above graphics formating obstacles, your advice will be welcome.) One of the questions in the que for Q&A concerns the meaning of "overbought" and "oversold", terms frequently heard when stock analysts attempt to describe how a stock is progressing. We'll give it a start, and continue in the future because there is more involved than might be obvious. Digital Equipment has been in the news quite recently, but I have been watching it for a couple of months for the very interesting chart pattern it seemed to be developing. This one doesn't show up too often, and therefore is more intriguing. Finally, Atari is playing "deja vu all over again". Once again in a "consolidation" pattern (reducing its "overbought" condition), it should soon show another breakout. Q&A: Overbought and Oversold Have you ever attended a track meet and """""""""""""""""""""""""""" watched the runners in the various events, from 100 meter sprints to 3000 meter distance races? How about watching a marathon race on TV -- we have a very popular one here in NYC every year which will be run again on November 6. Distance runners don't go all out at any one part of the race -- something which I didn't understand when I ran my first races in elementary school. They know that excessive early effort may put them ahead temporarily, but at the cost of depleting their stamina for the long term, causing them to slow down later and perhaps losing or not even finishing. They set an overall time goal, and pace themselves accordingly throughout the race, perhaps with brief periods of faster and slower running, but then returning to the pace they believe they can sustain. Hopefully, at the very end, they have enough energy to put on a final spurt. Well, a stock is something like a long distance runner. Too fast a spurt along the way invariably results in a subsequent sell off, frequently a drastic one. Rather, a healthy stock moves in a long term trend -- the pace -- with temporary fluctuations above and below, but usually followed by a return to the trend. Different stocks may demonstrate different degrees of trend, which shows on a chart as the slope of price vs time. Traders and investors are constantly trying to identify stocks with established trends. Long term investors will seek to hop aboard a long uptrend and stay with it all the way. They are impervious to short term price fluctuations. Traders may do the same in isolated instances, but they are usually more interested in the shorter term fluctuations above and below the long trend, and seek to profit by identifying such fluctuations and trading them -- both ways. A short term fluctuation which moves the price up faster than the trend is usually caused by some temporary increase in buying pressure. No wonder, then, that traders refer to a sufficiently large move above the trend as "overbought". A short term increase in selling pressure usually results in a fluctuation below the trend, thus the label "oversold". Yet, perhaps surprisingly, the techniques developed to quantify the degree of being overbought or oversold generally pay no attention to the degree of buying and selling, which can be estimated by watching the associated trading volume. They rely almost exclusively on measures of price movements. (A discussion of the measurement of buying and selling was in the July GEnieLamp.) So much for a general description. The concepts of "overbought" and "oversold" are very much the creation of traders using the techniques of Technical Analysis (T/A) to identify and _quantify_ fluctuations above and below the price trend. Several charting techniques have been invented to distinguish meaningful fluctuations, which can be traded, from background "noise" in the price fluctuations. The most obvious method is simply to watch how prices move up and down within a trading channel. When prices approach the top of the channel, the odds are they will soon reverse themselves and return towards mid-channel. The opposite holds true when prices approach the lower boundary of the channel. Many examples of such channels have appeared in the charts displayed in these articles. Most of the other methods -- Relative Strength Index (RSI), Stochastics, and others -- involve comparing current price movements with how prices have moved over some recent period of time. They are more sensitive to _rate of price movement_ rather than the price itself. Most of them are oscillators of some sort, which means they move up and down between upper and lower limits. When near the upper limit, the interpretation is that the price has moved too fast above the trend, ie overbought. When near the lower limit, the interpretation is oversold. We will look at the IBM chart and one of the more popular indicator techniques for making these evaluations: "Stochastics". (If anyone knows the meaning of that word as applied in this context, please let us know. My dictionary suggests "conjectures", which strikes me as appropriate.) IBM Let's take a look at the recent rise of IBM (translated from the """ PCX format.) The line running through the usual price graph depicts the average upward trend of price. Your eyes can see the price fluctuations, in particular the more extreme ones, and the subsequent returns to the average trend. While most fluctuations from the average can be characterized by some degree of overbuying or overselling, not all attain a sufficient degree to be worthwhile trading.  Beneath the price graph is a window which, in this instance, displays the Stochastics indicator. You can see how the indicator moves between a value of '100' at its maximum, and '0' at its minimum. Also drawn through the window are horizontal lines depicting the '80' and '20' levels. When the indicator is above '80', it is interpreted as showing an "overbought" condition; when below '20', it suggests "oversold". Note how the peaks and valleys of the indicator generally line up with the peaks and valleys in the price graph. However, you can also see the sensitivity of the indicator to _rate_ of price movement as well, as prices are transitioning between extremes. Many traders use such an indicator to give buy and sell signals. When the indicator is in "overbought" territory, ie above 80, a drop back down through 80 is often interpreted as a sell signal. The same applies at the bottom: a rise from below to above 20 is interpreted as a buy signal. I have put a vertical line -- about mid July -- between the indicator and price graphs, which shows the last buy signal at a price of about 57. It was a pretty good one. OTOH, the sell signal of late August, at about 69, was obviously premature. IBM is now (October 26) in overbought territory. It should be noted that overbought and oversold conditions can continue for relatively long periods of time before a trading signal is given. I have seen them continue for many months. The signals can sometimes be misleading, as the August sell signal shows. They should be interpreted in conjunction with other chart information. Most of these indicators lag behind the most recent trading; this is because they make use of past prices, and the longer the "look back" period, the more they lag. Sometimes a moving average is used to "smooth out" the view of such indicators, and perhaps you have seen stochastics displayed as a double curve where the second curve is a moving average of the actual indicator. When a moving average is used, the crossing of the indicator through the MA is often interpreted as a buy or sell signal. We will probably get to see this aspect of indicator interpretation in future articles. Digital Equipment - A Classical Saucer One of the more fascinating, if """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" relatively rare, chart patterns is the long "Saucer Bottom". It is slow to develop, sometimes taking months, and only becomes clear towards the end. But when observed, it takes on aspects of a work of art, and just beckons to be traded. So it was last August, when I first noticed that DEC was putting on a classical manifestation of a saucer in process of formation.  The insert (monthly chart) shows DEC's 7 year decline from its historical high of 200 in October, 1987. (Remember October '87? I'm sure you do.) The daily chart shows the bottom at 19 in April, '93, followed by a sharp bounce to 24 in late May. Then began a gradual decline back to 19 and slow rise back to 24 in late August. This entire gradual decline and rise manifests a definite concavity, much like a saucer. When it got back up to 24 in August, DEC spent about 3 weeks tracing out a horizontal trading range, much like a "handle" for our saucer. During this entire period, the associated trading volume followed a fairly similar pattern. This 4 month long bottoming pattern is almost a photocopy of the drawing of an idealized saucer bottom contained in the book "Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets" by John J. Murphy of CNBC fame. What particularly struck me was the brief peak in both price and volume which appears in mid July. This is just as it appears in the book, as is the "handle" with its associated period of much reduced volume. The pattern was completed with the breakout from the "handle" in late September. The breakout from the handle is the ideal time to buy into such a stock. However, as often happens, prices move so fast that one may miss the opportunity. But there is hope in such a case; it also happens quite often that prices will return to the level of the breakout, affording a second opportunity to get aboard. That's what happened here. All and all, this was a classical example of this type of long, slow, turnaround after a major decline, literally right out of the textbook. In mid October, as DEC was rising out of the saucer, the Wall Street Journal carried an interview with 4 professional analysts. They were uniformally negative, dismally so, in their assessment of Digital Equipment. Shades of IBM!! Atari The insert, a monthly chart, shows ATC from its initial publ """"" offering (IPO) to date. In it, you can see how the trading high in mid 1989, at 12_3/4, marked the onset of massive selling at the top in November, 1994. Another example of a chart feature from the distant past influencing current activity. It is also interesting to look at how large the trading volume has become during the past year. Whatever Atari's faults, there are a lot of people out there finding a previously unseen degree of excitement with ATC.  The daily chart shows ATC consolidating once again. A break out, one way or the other, can be expected any day -- last month it happened the day after I submitted the October column, with a one day jump from 5_1/2 to 7_1/2. The odds again favor a break upward, although probably not as large. A break down should be contained at about 5_1/2, with renewed advances thereafter. Last month's 2 day move up to 7_3/4 was clearly enhanced by substantial short covering. The report for October 15th short positions showed a 300,000 share decline from September, to under 4 million shares for the first time since the top just 1 year ago. However, the short position is still very large, and anything can happen on the way up once again. In particular, if ATC can get over 8, the chart points to a near term target of between 9 and 10, say 9_1/2 for argument's sake. It is interesting to watch the fate of the gap which opened at the breakout last month. Some people are expecting it to be filled, like most gaps, but there is a good chance this one will become a true "breakout gap", and not get filled for a long time to come. It was partially filled during the reaction immediately following the breakout, but is still open. To fill it now will require a break down through the uptrending support line drawn on the chart. Epilogue It is nice to see some of those with whom I chat in the ST and """""""" Investors RTs begin to do their own charting. It not only offers substantial enhancement to one's ability to make investment decisions, but it is a lot of fun as well. The Investors RT has many T/Aers, some with substantial experience and using the most advanced software. Interesting debates over interpretation of what the charts and "fundamentals" are saying take place often, and one can get a good education browsing around in those topics. With my new PC based software, several new charting methods have become potential subjects of future columns. Feedback will be welcome from readers on particular techniques they might like to have discussed here. Soon I'll have to finally bite the bullet and buy a PC to go along with the software which I now run elsewhere. [EOA] [CON]//////////////////////////////  CONNECTIONS / ///////////////////////////////// Future of GEnie """"""""""""""" By Al Fasoldt [A.FASOLDT] ~ Copyright 1994 by Al Fasoldt. All rights reserved. ~ GEnie is facing a tough struggle, and we Atarians are going to be caught in the middle if we don't speak up. The battle is going to be fought on the turf owned by Microsoft Windows, which has become the standard personal-computer operating system in the mid-1990s. Arguments over the nature of Windows are pointless here. Atari fans can revel all they want in the comfort of a real operating system (something that Windows is not, given its actual function as a shell on top of MS- DOS), but this will not change the course of telecommunications history. What is happening, like it or not, is an inexorable shift by the major online services toward telecommunications software based entirely on Windows. In the two most successful examples of this approach, used by America Online and Prodigy, the software running on the local computer does as much of the work as possible, in a manner mostly hidden from the user. This frees up the online system's resources in several important ways, making it possible for the online system to provide what it could not do otherwise -- colorful windows and icons, sounds, even (in prototype systems) motion pictures, delivered to the screen quickly enough to satisfy most unsophisticated users. Doing this requires 9600bps or 14.4kbps modem connections -- which all the services either have already or are adding now -- and a standard software platform on the user's computer. That standard is Microsoft Windows. This means, of course, that even Macintosh users are in danger of being left out, as Windows takes over even more of the general market than it has appropriated already. But while there is still a good chance that the major online services will continue to support the Mac (and its new cousin, the PowerPC version of the Macintosh), there is no likelihood at all that any of these services will create Atari GEM versions of their new software. To put it bluntly, there's no money in it for them. The Atari ST, TT and Falcon community is too small to matter. At present, the only services that lock out Atari users in this way are Prodigy and America Online. Both services use so-called "front-end" software (the programs users must run as interfaces with the services) that runs under Windows (or MS-DOS) or on the Mac. (America Online also supports earlier Apple computers, but the software for these models is not likely to be upgraded.) The three other major online services, CompuServe, Delphi and GEnie, are still text-based. This is a big drawback from their point of view. Text-based (or command-line) systems cannot support the kind of integrated graphical software that makes America Online and Prodigy so attractive to new users. The best these services can do is to offer a Windows- or Mac-based software program that interprets mouse clicks and icon selections as text commands to the service. CompuServe has had a Windows front-end program for some time, and GEnie has been testing one for many months. Most Atarians who are members of GEnie use. or are aware of, the alternative to such a Windows front-end program. It's called Aladdin. Versions for PCs, the Amiga and the ST family of computers are available. One of the ironies of the Aladdin saga is that the ST version is at once the easiest of the three to use and the most endangered. If GEnie switches its host software away from a text-based method, ST Aladdin will no longer work. No tweaking or simple upgrades would fix it. It was designed to issue commands to a text-based command-line system, and it would have no function in a GEnie service that operated like America Online. Likewise, no regular telecommunications software for the Atari line would be able to access GEnie either, if GEnie abandoned its current method. Atari users would be shut out. Common sense should tell us that GEnie needs to do something to regain the market share it had a few years ago. GEnie has about 250,000 members, and obviously not all of these members are on line each day; America Online, by contrast, services 750,000 calls each day, and is by far the fastest growing service in North America. I have been watching the growth of the online services with considerable interest for many years. As a software programmer, computer systems trainer and journalist specializing in technology, I know what makes an online service interesting to newcomers: It must have pizzazz. It must have icons and windows and color. The folks who run GEnie know this, too. But they will not know how Atari users feel about the future of GEnie unless we tell them. The best way to start doing this is to do what comes naturally: Log on and post a message telling how you feel and asking others to react. Ask the ST Roundtable sysops to help, too. Speak up for Aladdin. Try Aladdin if you aren't using it already, or, if you own STalker, the multitasking telecommunications program, try GEnie Oracle, available in the ST file area. And speak up for your favorite computer. It may be a great MIDI computer or a nifty game machine or a first-rate desktop-publishing device or anything else. But it's also unknown to nearly everybody outside this realm of GEM and TOS. Keep that flame burning. It's starting to get a little dark out there. [EOA] [LOG]//////////////////////////////  LOG OFF / ///////////////////////////////// GEnieLamp Information """"""""""""""""""""" o COMMENTS: Contacting GEnieLamp o GEnieLamp STAFF: Who Are We? GEnieLamp Information GEnieLamp is published on the 1st of every month """"""""""""""""""""" on GEnie page 515. You can also find GEnieLamp on the main menus in the following computing RoundTables. RoundTable Keyword GEnie Page RoundTable Keyword GEnie Page """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" DigiPub DIGIPUB 1395 Atari ST ST 475 Macintosh MAC 605 IBM PC IBMPC 615 Apple II A2 645 Apple II Dev. A2PRO 530 Macintosh Dev. MACPRO 480 Geoworks GEOWORKS 1050 BBS BBS 610 CE Software CESOFTWARE 1005 Mini/Mainframe MAINFRAME 1145 Programming PROGRAMMING 1445 Data Comm. DATACOMM 1450 Windows WINDOWS 1335 GEnieLamp is also distributed on CrossNet and many public and commercial BBS systems worldwide. o On the Internet send mail to genielamp.st@genie.geis.com o Back issues of GEnieLamp are available in the DigiPub RoundTable Library #2 on page 1395 (M1395;3). o GEnieLamp pays for articles submitted and published with online GEnie credit time. Upload submissions in ASCII format to library #42 in the DigiPub RoundTable on page 1395 (M1395;3) or Email it to GENIELAMP.ST. On Internet send it to: genielamp.st@genie.geis.com o We welcome and respond to all E-Mail. To leave comments, suggestions or just to say hi, you can contact us in the DigiPub RoundTable (M1395) or send GE Mail to John Gniewkowski at [GENIELAMP.ST] on page 200. o If you would like to meet the GEnieLamp staff "live" we meet every Wednesday night in the Digi*Pub Real-Time Conference at 9:00 EDT (M1395;2). o The Digital Publishing RoundTable is for people who are interested in pursuing publication of their work electronically on GEnie or via disk-based media. For those looking for online publications, the DigiPub Software Libraries offer online magazines, newsletters, short-stories, poetry and other various text oriented articles for downloading to your computer. Also available are writers' tools and 'Hyper-utilties' for text presentation on most computer systems. In the DigiPub Bulletin Board you can converse with people in the digital publishing industry, meet editors from some of the top electronic publications and get hints and tips on how to go about publishing your own digital book. The DigiPub RoundTable is the official online service for the Digital Publishing Association. To get there type DIGIPUB or M1395 at any GEnie prompt. >>> Search-Me! Answers <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""" >>> GEnieLamp STAFF <<< """"""""""""""""""""""" GEnieLamp o John Peters [GENIELAMP] Publisher/Editor """"""""" ATARI ST o John Gniewkowski [GENIELAMP.ST] ATARI ST EDITOR """""""" o Mel Motogawa [M.MOTOGAWA] ST Staff Writer o Sheldon Winick [S.WINICK] ST Staff Writer o Terry Quinn [TQUINN] ST Staff Writer o Richard Brown [R.BROWN30] ST Staff Writer o Al Fasoldt [A.FASOLDT] ST Staff Writer o Fred Koch [F.KOCH] ST Staff Writer ATARI [PR] o Bruce Faulkner [R.FAULKNER4] EDITOR/GEnieLamp [PR] """""""""" WINDOWS o Tippy Martinez [WIN.LAMP] WINDOWS EDITOR """"""" o John Osarczuk [J.OSARCZUK] Asst Editor/Columnist o Rick Ruhl [RICKER] Windows Columnist o Brad Biondo [B.BIONDO] Windows Staff Writer o Rick Pitonyak [R.PITONYAK] Windows Staff Writer o Ed Williams [E.WILLIAMS24] Windows Staff Writer o Dave Nienow [D.NIENOW] Windows Staff Writer MACINTOSH o Richard Vega [GELAMP.MAC] MACINTOSH EDITOR """"""""" o Tom Trinko [T.TRINKO] Mac Staff Writer o Bret Fledderjohn [FLEDDERJOHN] Mac Staff Writer o Ricky J. 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Trost [A2PRO.GELAMP] EDITOR """"" o Tim Buchheim [T.BUCHHEIM] Co-Editor IBM o Bob Connors [DR.BOB] IBM EDITOR """ o Nancy Thomas [N.NOWINSON] MultiMedia Editor o Brad Biondo [B.BIONDO] IBM Staff Writer o Tika Carr [T.CARR4] IBM Staff Writer o Dave Nienow [D.NIENOW] IBM Staff Writer o Don Lokke [D.LOKKE] Cartoonist ETC. o Jim Lubin [J.LUBIN] Add Aladdin Scripts """" o Scott Garrigus [S.GARRIGUS] Search-ME! o Mike White [MWHITE] (oo) / DigiPub SysOp o Susie Oviatt [SUSIE] ASCII Artist o Al Fasoldt [A.FASOLDT] Columnist o Phil Shapiro [P.SHAPIRO1] Columnist o Sandy Wolf [S.WOLF4] Columnist \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// Bulletin board messages are included in this publication with per- mission from GEnie and the source RoundTable. GEnie, GEnieLamp Online Magazines, and T/TalkNet Online Publishing do not guarantee the acc- uracy or suitability of any information included herein. 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