*---== ST REPORT ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---* """"""""""""""""""""""""" "The Original Online ST Magazine" _______________________________ September 29, 1989 Vol III No.107 ======================================================================= ST Report Online Magazine ½ __________________________ Post Office Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32205 ~ 6672 R.F. Mariano Publisher - Editor _________________________________________ Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT BBS: 904-786-4176 12-24-96 HST FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EDT _________________________________________ ** F-NET NODE 350 ** Our support BBS carries ALL issues of STReport and An International list of private BBS systems carrying STReport for their users enjoyment __________________________________________________________________ > Issue: #107 STReport¿ The Online Magazine of Choice! ------------------- - The Editors' Podium - CPU REPORT - EUROPE gets STACY FIRST! - POSTSCRIPT NOW PD! - Mushrooms are Forever! - STOS Maestro, A Review - ASTDA, Gains Momentum - EZ Draw 3.0 Overview - WAACE, Clearly a Winner! - ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL ---===*** PORTFOLIO DEVELOPER KIT A BARGAIN $700.00!! ***===--- -=* NEW VICE PRESIDENT and GENERAL MANAGER NAMED! *=- ======================================================================= AVAILABLE ON: COMP-U-SERVE ~ DELPHI ~ GENIE ~ BIX ======================================================================= > The Editor's Podium¿ Criticisms, no matter where or from whom, are perhaps, the most helpful of criteria an enterprise could possibly invite. We at STReport value critiques for they; (a) vividly point out the issues a reader feels are most important, (b) provide needed input to help in developing future articles and investigative directions, (c) allow us an opportunity to see entire topics from a completely different perspective. While it took us some time to realize the true value of reader input in the form of criticism, we now see this input along with the compliments as most sincere and extremely helpful. Now, if only our favorite computer company and it's corps of emotionally charged 'leaders' and their squires would realize these perceptions and conduct themselves accordingly. Since the grandiose revelations of the Dusseldorf Show, many issues have popped up some of which need serious and detailed addressing by Atari, instead we are witnessing further withdrawal from the release of good solid information by it's online representation. This is truly a sad turn of events, for example, the Technical Reps are NOT permitted to discuss the 'technical' aspects of the newly released TT or STE.. we ask; why? What is the problem? Is this a move to make sure the developers have no chance to support these new products? Can it be that even Atari's gurus don't have the bottom line yet for these new products and therefore, exhibit some reluctance to reveal any technical info as it may be changed from week to week? Time will tell.. Congratulations are in order for Developers across the nation who are supporting Atari Corp., they are organizing themselves into a formal Association. This is a good idea whose time has come. _ ASTDA - Atari ST Developer Association _ Perhaps they among themselves and co-ordinated with an Atari liaison person, will be able to create a more positive flow of information pertaining to the products they are trying to support. Anything is better than no support or the level of developer support coming from the company at this time. Food for thought... It could be very possible a National Atari Dealer's Association is next. Thanks, for your support! Ralph..... "ATARI IS BACK?" ********************************************************************** :HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT: _________________________________ To sign up for GEnie service: Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN. The system will prompt you for your information. THE GENIE ATARI ST ROUNDTABLE - AN OVERVIEW ___________________________________________ The Roundtable is an area of GEnie specifically set aside for owners and users of Atari ST computers, although all are welcome to participate. There are three main sections to the Roundtable: the Bulletin Board, the Software Library and the Real Time Conference area. The Bulletin Board contains messages from Roundtable members on a variety of Topics, organized under several Categories. These messages are all Open and available for all to read (GEnie Mail should be used for private messages). If you have a question, comment, hot rumor or an answer to someone else's question, the Bulletin Board is the place to share it. The Software Library is where we keep the Public Domain software files that are available to all Roundtable members. You can 'download' any of these files to your own computer system by using a Terminal Program which uses the 'XMODEM' file-transfer method. You can also share your favorite Public Domain programs and files with other Roundtable members by 'uploading' them to the Software Library. Uploading on GEnie is FREE, so you are encouraged to participate and help your Roundtable grow. The Real Time Conference is an area where two or more Roundtable members may get together and 'talk' in 'real-time'. You can participate in organized conferences with special guests, drop in on our weekly Open COnference, or simply join in on an impromptu chat session. Unlike posting messages or Mail for other members to read at some later time, everyone in the Conference area can see what you type immediately, and can respond to you right away, in an 'electronic conversation'. ********************************************************************** > CPU REPORT ½ ========== Issue # 34 by Michael Arthur Remember When.... In 1984, the $500.00 Sinclair QL (for Quantum Leap) laptop computer was introduced, featuring a 7.5 MHZ 68000 chip, RS-232 and serial ports, up to 640K of RAM, a full-sized keyboard, support for attaching 64 Sinclair QL's in a 100,000 baud Local Area Network, and a multitasking OS called QDOS, all in a 3-pound case smaller than a 520 ST, and how its 100K Micro-cassette drives, its Achilles Heel, caused it to be delegated to the stereotype of a "toy machine"? CPU INSIGHTS¿ ============= Atari's Future: The Hope of the Year for the Atari ST ------------------------------------------------------ While many things about Atari and its actions are debatable, one thing that is certain is the quality of its computer systems. Both Atari's Desktop STs (the 520 ST, 1040 ST, and (soon) STE systems), and its Workstation Line (the Mega ST, ATW and the upcoming Atari TT), provide levels of price/performance seldom seen in the computer industry. But while the ST line's potential is great, there is a GREAT margin for error in Atari's quest to revitalize the ST's position in the microcomputer industry. As it may be the most critical part (besides a LOT of good advertising for the Atari ST) of Atari's quest, there is a lot of interest on what focus Atari will put on members of its product line. Therefore, in order to figure out what it may be, here is a guide to some possible ways that Atari's product line could be positioned for optimal results: 520 ST: Should be Focused on Educational Facilities ---------------------------------------------------- In 1985, when it was first introduced, the 520 ST was a paragon of computing, with 512K of RAM, the GEM operating environment, and the ability to access DOS disks, all in a package that truly provided "Power Without the Price". However, now, with the 1040 ST, Mega ST, and STe providing better capabilities at a comparable price, the 520 ST is certainly outdated in the middle-end of the computer market. Therefore, some avenue should be found to target the 520 ST at the low-end of the market. There is also a crisis in today's schools concerning computer literacy. Statistics have shown that there is sometimes only 1 system available for every 30-50 students in a school, and that the level of educational software is often shabby, at best. Disturbingly, this results in that elementary and high-school students get VERY little exposure to the world of computing, and that what they DO get won't begin to help them when they go out into today's increasingly computerized society. Also, while tomorrow's software will run on graphical user interfaces, almost none of the "computer literacy" programs have the equipment necessary to explore this field.... Since the 520 ST is aimed at the low end of the market, and given the needs of the Educational market, it seems that the 520 ST is a valid possibility in this area. Let us explore how schools could benefit from the 520 ST, and how Atari could benefit from selling the 520 ST primarily to them: With the severe lack of computer-related funding available to our schools, many computer literacy programs haven't been able to buy the number of computers necessary to fuel their students' desire for learning, and have searched for the most economical alternative. Before, the only choices were obsolete Apple IIs and PC Clones, which were, inadequate for students' needs, to say the least. The 520 ST, interestingly, provides FAR more capabilities than these machines, while actually having a lesser cost. Also, since most schools can't afford the cost of much educational software out for the PC or Apple II, most "computer literacy" programs are little more than courses in BASIC. And given that most programs in the future will use graphical environments, BASIC won't help America's future leaders compete in tomorrow's world. With the GEM environment, the 520 ST provides a nearly custom-made tool for students to take advantage of this growing field. Fortunately, Atari's Motto of "Power without the Price" has translated into software affordable enough for most schools, and with the depth and versatility of the ST's Educational software, schools would readily be able to afford better tools. Which would definitely help the ST Software Developers in this area. Interestingly enough, much of the ST's productivity software, like WordWriter, Regent Word II, and the upcoming OmniCard, would be very much useful to today's students.... Atari has expressed plans for discontinuing the 520 ST, in favor of its newer systems, and has undertaken an effort, called the "Price Club", to do this. The Price Club sells specially selected dealers 6 520 ST's for a discounted price, in an attempt to "dump" the 520s out of Atari's stockpile. While this is an interesting way of selling out the 520 ST, it seems that, with the potential for Educational Sales of the Atari ST, Atari should instead sell 520 ST's (and maybe 1040 ST's) to Schools and Universities at a superbly discounted cost. This would help much of the Educational Marketplace begin to forget some of the more idiotic and thoughtless things that Atari has done towards them in the past, and would open up a VERY big market for the ST. But while Atari IS selling a big 10,000 ST's a year through an existing Educational Plan, I respectfully submit that Atari should be making this program sell AT LEAST 100,000 ST's a year, and that the above comments are suggestions to help Atari step up its Educational Sales commitment to the level which it SHOULD be at.... The 1040 ST: The Entry-Level Computer for the Rest of Us --------------------------------------------------------- With Atari's upcoming STE line of computers, the 1040 ST seems at an impasse. The STE provides many features, like 8-voice sound, an extended color palette, SIMM RAMs for easy memory expansion, and 256K TOS ROMs, that are sorely needed by the Desktop STs, but at a price that threatens to push out the most venerable ST, the 1040. There are two solutions to this problem: Either hike the STe's price to the Mega's level (which a certain few at Atari have pushed for doing), or reposition the 1040 ST to better fit the marketplace. The latter would sell more ST's in the long run, do the 1040 great justice, and have many more advantages: Many potential ST Users don't live near ST Dealers, and as such, don't have many ways to get ST's. This not only loses Atari money, but is very undesirable if one wants to have a large userbase. Mail order is one of the easiest ways for these people to get computers, and in the past, a substantial amount of the US ST Userbase became ST Owners through mail order. But while it was VERY good for ST Owners, it almost crippled ST dealer sales, since mail order vendors could afford to underprice them on the 520/1040 ST's. Reacting quickly, Atari then decided to stop selling ANY ST's to Mail Order companies. But this helped ST Dealers at a terrible cost, both in Atari profits, and in the ST's availability to potential buyers. However, with the STE, Atari now gains an extremely good opportunity to both sell the ST through Mail Order companies, and provide ST Dealers with a competitive edge over mail order sales. Given the STE's superior features and similar price ($1200 - $2000 price range), it seems not only plausible, but reasonable that Atari aggressively sell the 1040 ST via Mail Order companies, while selling the STE, Mega ST, and TT ONLY through Atari ST Dealers. In this manner, potential ST Owners who didn't live close enough to an ST Dealer could get an excellent machine, ST Dealers wouldn't suffer from Mail Order ST sales, and Atari would gain another way to increase the ST's Userbase.... Apple has said it will produce a low-end Macintosh by the End of 1990, costing from $1500.00 - $2500.00. Many industry analysts have shown that, when this low-end Mac is touted as a superior choice for Entry-level computing than the IBM PC Industry's, that Apple may sell up to 1 million of them in a year's time. Since the 1040 ST meets this criteria even better than the upcoming low-end Mac, and can even emulate the PC and Macintosh, it would seem reasonable that, if Atari could advertise and market the 1040 ST aggressively in this area BEFORE the Summer of 1990, that, let's say, 170,000 to 300,000 machines out of that potential market could be 1040 ST and STEs.... And given that Atari has now sold 1.7 million ST's worldwide, that the Mac was considered a BIG standard when it passed the 2.5 million mark, and that all of the above could be accomplished with only a little needed ST Advertising.... Mega ST: Not the Flagship, but still a Heavy Cruiser ----------------------------------------------------- Out of the entire ST Line, maybe only the TT has a better place in the ST Line than the Mega. With the 520 and 1040 ST's relegated out of the mainstream of the computer marketplace, the Mega ST stands to gain the most from these proposed changes. From the beginning, the Mega ST was designed to fit a broader base of computing needs, such as Desktop Publishing, small-businesses, and large-scale MIDI operations, than the 520 and 1040 ST. But with the TT's introduction, many have worried that the Mega ST may be obsolete, since it uses an industry standard bus architecture, and has more capabilities than the Mega ST. However, it will also be too expensive to meet ALL of the uses for a Mega ST. While a usable 4 Meg TT system is likely to cost over $3200.00, too expensive for the needs of small businesses, most Desktop Publishing applications, and others, the Mega ST is better priced (and positioned) to serve the Middle-end of the computer market. In fact, with the level of DTP software (like Calamus, PageStream, and Migraph's TouchUp) now available, the Mega ST could easily become a contender in the DTP market, if it were to be marketed more aggressively in this area.... Also, the Mega ST could be positioned in a number of versatile ways, without taking sales or potential from the TT or STE. While the 1040 and STE will meet the needs of the low end of the market, the Mega ST fills a vital niche between them and the high-end 68030 TT. Also, the Mega ST, if properly priced, would be an extremely attractive option for 520/1040 ST Owners who don't really need an STE, can't afford a TT, but want a powerful, middle-level computer system. Implementing just a SMALL portion of the above would result in GREATLY increased Mega ST sales. And contrary to the beliefs of a substantial few of the US ST Userbase, many in Atari Management are trying to take the steps necessary to do this.... Atari STE: MUST Complement, not eliminate the Megas.... -------------------------------------------------------- As mentioned before, the Atari STE has much potential. Having many features that the original ST's lacked, at a comparable price, the STE seems like the perfect replacement for the 520 and 1040 ST's. However, while some at Atari have proposed replacing the Megas with the STE, some in the ST Community think the STE is a waste, seeing the TT's capabilities as the TRUE future of the ST line. Of course, while both of these opinions have merits, both are also faulty. First of all, the Mega ST provides extra memory capacity and greater expansion capabilities, at a price the STE simply couldn't match. The reason is that the STE, with all of its special features, doesn't have the built-in memory capacity and expansion abilities of the Mega line. While the SIMM RAMs necessary to upgrade an STE will cost PLENTY, a Mega 4 ST provides a more convenient route for many ST Owners, who may need extra memory more than the STE's special features. Also, the Mega ST would be a cheaper option for such users. Secondly, the Mega ST's Expansion Slot enables it to be used for MANY applications (like the Moniterm Viking High-Res Monitor) that the STE won't be able to provide, for lack of an expansion slot.... But the MAIN reason that the STE won't replace the Mega ST is that it uses a Square Surface Mount version of the 68000 chip. Unlike the ordinary version, this 68000 chip will NOT allow for hardware products like Turbo 16 or PC Ditto II, which are installed by plugging them into the CPU socket and putting the 68000 on top of it. Since many important ST Upgrade products will use this method, this is a crippling disadvantage for the STE.... However, the STE shows promise as the new low-end ST, as it has many of the improvements that the old ST's always needed, and is priced right for the low/middle end of the market. However, given that the 68030 TT is a more desirable upgrade path for present Mega Users, and that the Mega ST meets certain needs better, the ST Userbase's inevitable choices could end up destroying the STE's chances of survival, but ONLY IF Atari markets it incorrectly. However, if Atari realizes that the STE is the long-term future of the low-end ST line, it should survive. For if Atari forces the STE onto the ST Userbase, ST Owners will simply reject it, either buying used Mega ST's, or taking the plunge for a 68030 TT. But if Atari gently steers the ST Userbase towards the STE line, by providing many alternatives for the user (like making a Mega ST version of the STE that DOESN'T have the 68000 chip), the ST Userbase may not only come to accept the STE, but to embrace it as well. And, as always, for this to be possible, it only requires that Atari's upper-level management be just a tad bit more listening and understanding towards the ST Userbase. And given Atari's wise actions towards the Portfolio, the above seems reasonable.... 68030 TT: A Flagship blazing the Path to the Future ---------------------------------------------------- VME Bus Architecture, 512K TOS ROMs, a 1280*960 graphics, 68882 math chip support, SIMM RAMs, Ethernet, and a 68030. With all this and more, the Atari TT is truly Atari's high-end ST. Aimed towards the workstation market, it has great possibilities, for both Atari, the ST Userbase, and the computer industry itself. The TT will come in three varieties: The $2500.00 TT030/2, a 2 Meg model of the TT, will be aimed towards the existing base of ST Owners who wish to take advantage of the TT's capabilities. It won't have enough memory to run Unix, but since the TT will use SIMM RAMs, for easy memory expansion, Unix upgrades should be simplicity itself. The TT030/2 will take over many of the more CPU-intensive tasks, like 3-D CAD operations, high-end color DTP/typesetting, and information management, that the Mega ST is currently targeted at. If marketed well enough, it could even become a good contender in the 80286/80386 and Mac II-dominated areas of the microcomputer world. The TT030/4 (with 4 Megs), and the TT030/6, with 6 Megs of RAM, will be Atari's entry into both the high-end microcomputer industry, and the growing low-end Unix workstation market. The TT030/4, with the ability to run Unix, but with a cost (around $3000.00 - $3500.00) which keeps it a viable option for a TOS system, will be the mainstream member of Atari's TT line. It has the most selling potential, going as either a High-End TOS System, a Low-End Unix Workstation or Terminal, and a general-purpose microcomputer (with the help of PC and Mac Emulators), the TT030/4 could be many things to many people. But while the others will be mostly aimed at the microcomputer world, the Atari TT030/6 will be targeted almost exclusively as a low-end Unix workstation. With color graphics, a GUI for Unix (Ixi's X.Desktop GUI, though OSF Motif and AT&T's Open Look are being considered for the future), and other features found in Unix workstations costing three times its $4500.00 price, the TT030/6 could run away with a substantial part of the low-end of this market. If marketed properly, of course.... In Part II of this Essay, the possible ways that Atari's ST Line could be focused towards were discussed, both to see the capabilities inherent in Atari's product line, and to get a clearer picture of what the STE and TT mean for the current ST Userbase. In the future, the ATW's possibilities will be discussed, as well as how Atari itself could help fulfill the promise of the Year of the Atari ST.... But ponder, if you will, these questions: 1) How long would it take for the US ST Userbase to TRULY take notice of Atari's actions if they were to be admirably wise? 2) Have few Mega Expansion cards been made because there isn't a market for them, or is it that there isn't any market for Mega add-in Cards because no third-party Mega expansion cards are available for the userbase to buy? 3) Will the "Year of the Atari ST" end in December 31, 1989, or is it simply a term for Atari's efforts to revitalize itself as a competent and powerful force in the computer industry? -------=======****=======-------- CPU REPORT CONFIDENTIAL¿ ======================= Scotts Valley, CA In an effort to unseat Lotus 1-2-3 version 3.0 from ----------------- the IBM Spreadsheet throne, Borland International has introduced Quattro Professional, a new product which can link multiple spreadsheets, and has 3-D graphs, SQL Database support, Bitstream Fonts, plus minimal and background recalculation for increased speed. These are all features found in 123/3.0, but while it needs 1 Meg of RAM and a 80286-level system, Quattro Pro uses a new toolkit called VROOM (for Virtual Real- time Object Oriented Memory Manager), to take up only 512K of RAM on any IBM PC. VROOM divides a program into 2K data segments, and then uses virtual memory to swap unneeded segments to disk. Given that Borland is now refining it for licensing to other companies, will VROOM give DOS another "lease-on-life"? Mountain View, CA Adobe Systems has introduced the Adobe Type Manager, ----------------- a new Macintosh program which uses Adobe's Postscript fonts to display fonts in any size, on any screen. It will ship around Winter Comdex. Given the number of Postscript fonts available, the number of Mac DTP programs that use them, and that Apple's plans for System 7.0's Outline Fonts depend on Mac DTP Vendors giving up Postscript and backing a completely new standard.... Norwood, MA Phoenix Technologies, the premier maker of PC ROM BIOS ----------- chips used in IBM Clones, has an EISA-compatible BIOS which is made for Intel's 80486 chip. It includes support for mice, disk caching, and the LIM EMS 4.0 Expanded Memory specification. The Phoenix BIOS is necessary for the various EISA-compatible PC's now being developed to work. Also, Phoenix has announced that, while its revenues have increased from last year, it may record a substantial loss for 1989.... Cupertino, CA Apple has announced the Mac IIci, a new Macintosh with ------------- a 25 MHZ 68030 and 68882 math chip, a built-in 8-bit video chip supporting 256 color displays, and 1 Meg of 80 ns DRAM standard. The Mac IIci has the same casing as the Mac IIcx, for 3 NuBus Expansion Slots, and uses the 68030's burst-mode to read/write to blocks of memory up to twice as fast as normal. Cost: $6969.00 w/40 Meg Hard Drive. Oddly enough, this is around what a similarly configured Mac IIx costs.... The Mac IIci also introduces the Mac 512K ROMs. Its new features are the Communications Toolbox, Virtual Memory with 32-Bit Addressing, 32-Bit QuickDraw, the new Outline Font/Line Layout routines, and many other features of System 7.0. System 6.0.4 also comes with the Mac IIci, to support the 512K ROMs.... Universal City, CA Apple also introduced their new Mac Laptop line with ------------------ the Mac IIci. The Mac Laptop line has 1 Meg of Static RAM (or SRAM), an Active Matrix LCD, a lead-acid battery pack, which can power it for 10 - 12 hours, and a 16 MHZ Motorola CMOS 68000 chip, as standard. It also has a trackball, an Expansion Card slot, and a SuperDrive for using 1.44 Meg disks. The Mac Laptop uses Static RAMs, instead of regular DRAM, since they require little power. Apple uses this for "sleep mode" (where the Laptop is off, but all memory is preserved), for when it is low on power. It also weighs 16 pounds, and is more like a "transportable" than a true laptop. Cost: $5800.00 for a basic Mac Laptop, and $6500.00 for one with a 40 Meg Hard Drive. Given this, I think I'll wait a few more weeks for Spectre GCR and the STacy to make up my Mac Laptop.... ________________________________________________________________ > POSTSCRIPT - PUBLIC DOMAIN! STR NewsPlus¿ Power Plays GALORE! ======================================== >Adobe Places Postscript In the Public Domain< -------------------------------------------- After weeks of speculation about Apple's recent actions, in its selling 16 percent of Adobe stock, rejecting Display Postscript, and designing alternatives to Postscript into System 7.0, many wondered how Apple would fulfill its promise of using a clone of Postscript's interpreter in its LaserWriter printers. Microsoft ended this speculation with its announcement of PMScript, a new Postscript Clone that it had bought from Bauer Enterprises, at the Seybold Computer Publishing Conference. At the Conference, Microsoft showed plans to license PMScript to other companies, including Apple, as a lower-priced alternative to Adobe's Postscript offering. This plan showed great promise, as Adobe had charged exorbitant licensing fees for the technical specs on implementing its Postscript interpreter technology in the past. Realizing that Adobe could soon lose control over its creation, Adobe President John Warnock announced at the Seybold Computer Publishing Conference that portions of the technical specifications behind Postscript would be placed in the Public Domain, as the actual Postscript page description language had been in 1985. This was done in a counterstrike designed to both make Postscript a more dominant printing standard, and to establish the industry support necessary to maintain Adobe's firm guidance over Postscript's development. Adobe also announced that it would buy back 4.8 percent of its own stock, which fell from $25 to $15 a share after Apple's stock sale. But while losing the rights to Postscript crippled Adobe Systems, since its Postscript licensing fees were the backbone of its revenue, John Warnock's bold act may be a two-edged sword: Even when Adobe charged exorbitant prices for it, Postscript was very popular, with over 50 companies licensing it for use in their products. Now that its Public Domain status has given Postscript an irresistible virtue, it is certain to become THE standard in printing and font scaling technology. Resulting in that Display Postscript has an enviable chance to become the industry standard imaging model. Interestingly enough, it isn't certain whether Display Postscript was also put in the Public Domain.... This could be a death knell for Apple's Typographic Line Layout and Outline Font technology, as many Mac DTP Companies endorse Postscript as an industry-wide standard, and relegated Apple's offerings to the status of a currently tolerated, but dying product. But what is truly interesting is whether Apple will really license Microsoft's Postscript Clone, now that Postscript itself is free for the asking. In fact, Adobe's move may hurt Microsoft worst of all, not only in its financial investment in PMscript, but also in the Legal Department, as Adobe's lawyers commence contemplating the possibilities.... More importantly, this event signals both the end of Adobe's rapid growth, as it becomes solely dependent on its software sales, and the beginning of hard times for the company. But it may also serve as a herald for the beginning of a new era in computing, both for Adobe, having rescued itself from the jaws of defeat while maintaining a measure of control over its invention, and for Postscript itself, which may have a more dominant influence on the computer industry than it could have ever had under Adobe's monopoly.... _____________________________________________________________ > AN OPEN LETTER STReport OnLine¿ A genuine display of honest concern. ============================== Ctsy GEnie RT ------------- Category 14, Topic 35 Message 280 Sun Sep 24, 1989 M.LEDFORD at 16:15 EDT An Open Letter to Atari: This letter is being written just to get a load off my mind, but I hope, in a way, that will be taken as constructive. First, just to let you know that I am not a non-Atarian, I bought my first Atari ST (1040) back in '86, coming from a Radio Shack TRS 80. I now own a MegaST2 upgraded to 4 megs, which I use for publishing a couple different newsletters. I also own a DeskJet, Migraph hand scanner, Touch-Up, a mono and a color monitor. I am the secretary of our local Atari ST user group, and have been with this group since its inception. I find, along with many, many other loyal Atarians, that I struggle with a love/hate relationship with Atari. I don't think that many other companies that make other types of computers have as loyal a following (with the exception, I think, of Amiga owners) as you do. But it seems to me that you, out of ignorance or otherwise, end up giving us the cold shoulder. I am referring to the lack of support that I have seen, both here on this BBS, and with my local dealer. I know that you have said that this is going to change, and perhaps you are making a sincere effort in this direction. But I am brought back to reality when I read the on-line talk here in the support areas. What I am referring to specifically is the total lack of news regarding the new computers that were (so long in being) announced. Not only are there no updates on the new machines, there doesn't seem to be ANY information going out to any of the developers. You kept us in suspense for many months with your policy of not announcing anything before it was close to being shipped, then after bringing out the new STE and TT, you clamped the lid on the whole news outlet again! ( I am in agreement with you on waiting for products to be close to shipping before making the announcements and whipping up the fanfare, but to deliberately throw cold water on the new spark of interest doesn't make sense to me.) I watched with interest when the Stacy was announced, knowing that this would be a knockout if gotten to the market. What with all those people out there who wanted a laptop Macintosh, this would have made the sales of that computer sweet indeed! But as of this point in time, there still is no Stacy. Now I have seen the advertisements for the laptop Macintosh, which will suck away sales from Stacy. I am very interested in the TT because of the advances that it will give to users, and the extreme competition it will bring to other computer lines. But I am afraid that there will not be any soon release of this machine. Too bad. It makes it hard to root for you. The ST/TT line of machines are so good when compared to all the others on the market, but the support for them just isn't there! Please!! Please!! Get some people that can get the information out, that can get machines into the hands of the developers, that can answer at least some of the questions that come up here in this area (or are at least allowed to answer). For myself, I am considering upgrading to the TT, but the total lack of information of how things are going is really depressing. Please cheer us all up with some crumbs from your table!! Sincerely, _|_ Mike | _____________________________________________________________ > Atari Stock ~ STReport¿ ====================== THE TICKERTAPE ============== by Glenn Gorman Atari stock dropped 3/8 of a point on Monday and 1/4 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it rose 1/4 and 3/4 on Thursday. Friday, it dropped 3/8 points. Finishing up the week at 12 points. No change from our last report. Glenn Gorman +---------------------+ | ATARI STOCK WATCH | | Week 09-18 to 09-22 | +=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+ | | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+ | Sales | 1461 | 1331 | 1791 | 4043 | 2088 | +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+ | Last | 11 5/8 | 11 3/8 | 11 5/8 | 12 3/8 | 12 --- | +-------+----------+-----------+-------------+------------+-------------+ | Chg. | - 3/8 | - 1/4 | + 1/4 | + 3/4 | - 3/8 | +=======+==========+===========+=============+============+=============+ | From > THE CAVE ST BBS <> 609-882-9195 <> 300/14400 HST <> F-NET #351 | +=======================================================================+ ______________________________________________________________________ > WHAT'S THE STORY HERE? STR SOUND OFF¿ THE MUSHROOM PATCH THRIVES! ==================================== MUSHROOMS ARE FOREVER! ===================== by R.F. Mariano The TT, STE, Stacy, Portfolio and Lynx have been released but what is actually shipping in the USA? The Portfolio! And only the Portfolio. We were given the benefit of the Roman Trumpets and hoopla for all the other goods but where are they? Why is the Stacy shipping in the UK and not here? Sure.. Atari UK and it's advertising agency are mistaken. WRONG... this has been verified. Why is the US market continually fed a line? The annoying part is Sam says one thing in the conferences and so far, everything he promised would be a reality has either passed into the sunset or been horribly late. We were given the impression that THIS YEAR was to be the come back year for Atari, well, it's now time to say, SHOW US. We've been jerked around enough! Atari made a big deal of the Lynx, all sorts of "wowie zowie" noise materialized touting this toy... much to the chagrin of many of the ST owners and supporters and rightfully so. It became readily apparent that the advertising bux were going out the window only for the toys, gimmicks and hype. Thus, perpetuating the game machine image and nothing more. Please remember though, Sam promised the userbase in the conferences one thing, (for the second year in row), that Atari would begin a massive advertising campaign in the US marketplace. Naturally, most of us understood this to mean the ST series of computers would finally be accorded the proper promotion and recognition. Little did we realize that the 'good minds at Atari' had other 'wonderful' plans. In other areas, the snide cute remarks directed at serious, business minded developers online have returned. The indirect and mucho evasive answers have returned. The release of new products and the reliably predictable delays of shipment is still with us. (The Portfolio is the _only_ new product shipping in the US). All, of which, gives the impression that Atari's spokespersons and their management have a very poor regard for it's Developers - Dealers - Users. "The more things change, the more they remain the same". The blame is squarely on the shoulders of those at the very top. When Sam, are you going to take control and not permit what appears to be the situation running the business? Better yet, when are you going to listen to the majority of Atari's supporters and correct the pathetic conditions between the Chef and the preponderance of the developers? Must the "rude awakening" come all to late? Will you wait until there are no developers? Will the effort come when Atari's credibility is virtually non-exsistant? _____________________________________________________________ > Maestro STR Review¿ An in depth review of another STOS goodie! ================== STOS Maestro ============ From Mandarin Software by William Y. Baugh Maestro is a great new entry into the STOS family for the ST. It is a full featured sampling program and cartridge (which may be purchased separately) that allows you to incorporate "real life" sounds and music into your STOS programs. Examples of these types of sounds can be found in quite a few games; especially recent releases. For example, Blood Money (Psygnosis), Rick Dangerous (Rainbird) and Populous (EA), to name a few, use digitized sounds for parts of their games. Digitized sounds send games into a new dimension of realism and fun if they are used correctly. The problem the ST has is that digitized sounds take up a considerable amount of processing time, thus slowing a game down when ever used; not to mention the memory used by these types of sounds (220K at 32kHz lasts only 7 seconds). Usually you'll only hear very short samples that occur when not much is occurring. Other games have awesome intro's with digitized music...get's old after you've heard it a few times, but impressive nonetheless. Have you ever thought about sampling your own music? Do you own STOS and tired of messing around with the ST's sound chip? If so, read on. Maestro is an 8-bit sampling program (CD's are 14-bit...) that you may use, as stated above, with the Maestro Plus cartridge or with other cartridges; namely ST Replay 4. When loaded, your first impression is WOW! The main control screen is extremely sharp. You are presented with a centrally displayed STOS Maestro logo with two spectrum analyzers flanking this. Below is the sample display area which is directly above the play and record area. This area is where all of your controls that directly affect the sample display area. The controls are all displayed as icons with the last row being a scrolling area that displays even more icons they didn't have room to place on the main screen. When a sample is loaded, it is displayed in the sample display area as one of three ways; filled waveform, Envelope or waveform outline. Using the magnify function, you may blow-up the sample to a maximum of 15 times or 320 bytes which ever comes first. There are two position indicators controlled by the right and left mouse buttons that allow you to enclose the entire sample or just a small part of it. There is a size box above the display area that tells you how large the sample is that you have enclosed. There is also a bar running the bottom of the display area that shows how much of your systems memory the sample is using; another handy feature. Playing the sample is just as easy as clicking on the play button. You may play back a sample through the monitor speaker only, the one RCA jack available is only for input. Replay speeds go from 1-22kHz in 1kHz increments. You may sample up to 32kHz with Maestro. Remember the faster the rate, the better the sample, but the more memory used. You may add special effects to your sample like reverb, echo, hall and flip. The manual goes into great detail on sampling and offers great hints on making some wild effects. Editing the sample is just as easy as playing, with a full range of features to assist you. To help out with the memory crunch, Mandarin has included a Pack feature that compresses the sample to save on memory (these guys thought of most everything!) Now to the drawbacks. For starters, with only having one plug, you may not play your samples through a stereo, thus the limitation of playback speed. This won't matter for games, but if you're trying to sample other things...it's a limitation. Also the top sampling speed is 32kHz; you need around 48kHz to approximate CD quality. This is why at the beginning I mentioned ST Replay 4. Replay 4 has both input and output plugs and can sample up to 50kHz and is fully Maestro compatible. Use them both together, you have an unbeatable team! Even if you're not using it for any STOS programs (Replay 4 handles GFA, Fast, and HiSoft BASICs). Speaking of BASICS, Maestro adds 19 new commands which allow you to painlessly incorporate digitized sounds into existing and new STOS programs. Included in the package is a demo program (great sounds), 50 small samples, a drum machine (with code), a real-time digital delay program, a phaser program (special effects) and a keyboard program. All this with a fantastic manual at around $40 (without cartridge) is fantastic. If you're interested in sampling, but want to check it out first...check out STOS Maestro, it's well worth it. ____________________________________________________________ > ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL¿ ====================== - Sunnyvale, CA. ******* ATARI NAMES NEW GM! ****** -------------- ATARI CORP. PRESS RELEASE ------------------------- Sunnyvale, Ca. Sub: New Official appointed at Atari I am pleased to announce that H. Michael (Mike) Morand joined Atari on September 25, 1989 as the President of Atari Computer (U.S.). Mike will be responsible for all operational aspects of Atari Computer sales, marketing, distribution and administration within the United States. Mike joins us from AST Research, Inc., where he was Vice President of Systems Marketing and was responsible for launching their desktop computer products into the market. In addition, Mike was in charge of AST's advertising, public relations, and reseller development. Mike's background also includes experience as a General Manager, and he has held several senior level sales and marketing positions. Previous companies he has been with include Xerox Corporation, Scientific Data Systems, Data Card Corporation, MSI Data Corporation, and Litton Systems, representing over 25 years experience in the computer industry. Please join me in welcoming Mike to Atari. Best Wishes, Sam Tramiel - Redwood City, CA. ***** THIN ICE IN CALIFORNIA? ***** I talked with a friend who WAS employed by EPYX until recently, he said that they have layed off everyone except for 16 employees and that they are mostly in top management.. they will NOT be producing hardware for any computer systems. They are however, going to _TRY_ to keep the doors open by producing software for the Lynx and for the Nintendo. Also, they said they are going to try to continue generating software for the ST but, they will be "Re-Marketing" it for others to sell.. - Princeton, N.J. **** CITIZEN RUMORED TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY! **** --------------- Citizen, (it is rumored), is not inclined to become involved further in the manufacture of LCD screens for use in any game machines or otherwise, after the initial contracted amount is delivered. According to our source, this all stems from past experiences in dealing with certain corporate leaders. - Tokyo, Japan **** CUSTOM CHIP MANUFACTURER HIKES PRICES! **** ------------ According to the industry grapevine, a certain custom chip manufacturer (AIX) has TRIPLED the price of certain of it's chips. When they learned a certain game machine was being made by other than those who began it's manufacture. - Sunnyvale, CA. **** PORTFOLIO DEV PAK A BARGAIN @ $700.00! **** -------------- In a recent offering to entice NEW developers and re-enlist existing developers to begin activities for the new Portfolio, Atari has sent out an introductory notice detailing the offering. The new kit would include: o Portfolio Computer $399.95 o Smart Parallel Interface $ 49.00 o 128k Memory Card (2ea.) $399.90 o A.C. Adapter (117v,60Hz) $ 9.95 o Technical Reference Guide ------ o Emulator Software ------ o 1 yr Technical support ------ o 90 day Limited Warranty ------ o Shipping ------ RETAIL VALUE OF HARDWARE $859.75 Atari is offering the above package to developers for the amazing low price of $700.00! Atari has in their infinite wisdom decided to allow prospective developers the opportunity to develop software and hardware products (support Atari) for the Portfolio, a $399.95 computer, for only three hundred dollars more than the computer lists for. "Such a deal..." - Ahaheim, CA. ***** COLOR LCD IS A FIRM REALITY! ***** ------------ The first prototypes of a color electroluminescent screen (what a breath!)will compete with color LCDs under development to be the first commercial color flat-panel display. Planar Systems, based in Beaverton, Oregon, recently shipped prototypes of its 6-inch electroluminscent display to the U.S. Army's Electronic Technology and Devices Lab, in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. BYTE mag, in the Oct. issue, showed where Sharp has a 14 inch, 16 color lcd screen destination... a portable of course, the price $10,000. But it proves that color is just around the corner and Atari could possibly release an upgrade for the STacy in the future. Maybe? A sort of new flip-up? What Stacy needs is an internal GCR, a T16 and PCDitto II for the ultimate laptop!!! - LONDON, UK. ****** STACY IS SHIPPING IN EUROPE!! ****** ----------- This week sees the Personal Computer Show (formerly the PCW Show) taking place at Earls Court in London. The show will open on Wednesday 27 September, and close at the weekend. Atari, however, has pre-announced several of its new products. Atari will unveil a new range of 80286-based PCs along with the 68030-based TT series of workstations announced late last month in Dusseldorf, West Germany. In addition, Atari will begin shipping its Stacy portable ST with 20MB hard disk at UKP 1,299-99. (Press Contact) Susan Turner, The Fitzroy Company Tel 01-388-9871) - Sunnyvale, CA. ****** LYNX TO SELL IN NYC AND LA ONLY! ****** -------------- According to the latest information available the highly touted Lynx, from Atari Corp., will be on sale for the Christmas Season. But only in two US cities! New York City and Los Angeles will have major toy outlets selling the Lynx. Reportedly, the move in this direction was made to allow the first 70,000 sales to reach the largest concentrated markets in the US. _____________________________________________________________________ > EZ DRAW 3.0 STReport InfoFile¿ EZ Draw 3.0 supports Bezier Curves ============================= September 19, 1989 Easy-Draw Version 3.0 Special Release Notes =========================================== This update file is divided into five sections: 1. Documentation Corrections 2. Enhancements Main Easy-Draw mode Spline Mode 3. Additional Tips and Hints 4. Technical Support 5. Compatibility with ST DTP Applications ************************* IMPORTANT *************************** One of the most important features that was added at the last minute is extremely important if you are running under the newer TOS 1.2 or 1.4 roms, and are loading your .GEM files into any of the Desktop Publishers which are limited to 127 point polylines. SEE SECTION (2A) AND (5) FOR DETAILS. *************************************************************** 1. ---- DOCUMENTATION CORRECTIONS: ---------------------------- Page 2-15 In the third paragraph, the last sentence: "removed" should be "moved". Page 2-16 First paragraph, selection [1], "F2" should be "F1" to select Manual Mode. In an effort to insure maximum product capability, as well as proper printouts through OUTPRINT, the maximum Polyline limit (where the spline is divided into separate polylines) is now 254 points! This is true whether you create the polyline with the Sketch, Polyline or Spline tools. 2. ---- LATE BREAKING ENHANCEMENT NOTES: ---------------------- MAIN EASY-DRAW MODE: (a) Limiting Polylines to 127 Points on TOS 1.2/1.4 systems.... Pressing the F5 key at the main level of Easy-Draw 3.0 as soon as you enter the program, will display an alert box which will enable you to select the lower 127 point limit for splines/polylines. This is necessary in order to create and save filled splines/polylines for use in packages that can not load 255 point polylines. (b) Moniterm Monitor Support..... This version has also been designed to work on the Moniterm "Viking" Large Screen monitor. One of the visual changes is the pattern dialog box which now appears right below the menu bar, centered on the current mouse position. SPLINE MODE: In order to help determine at exactly which control point (curve endpoint) the system limit of 127 or 255 polyline points has been crossed, the following keyboard shortcut has been added. Pressing Displays the following message: ______ Polyline Points used up to the selected point. * If more than one point is selected on the same curve, then Alt-C will have no effect. * If you have one point selected on each of two or more curves, the value reported will be valid for the point located on the last curve which was entered. For the above reasons, we recommend that you have only one point selected when using this alert. 3. ---- TIPS AND HINTS ---------------------------------------- (a) Maximizing the printout quality of a 127 point polyline curve. When you are designing a curved object that is symmetrical, and are either running on a 127 point system, or are limited by your Desktop Publishing package to 127 point polylines. Use the following guide: Rather then limiting 1/2 of a symmetrical object to 64 points because you are going to mirror and join the two halves (as we did in the "telephone" example), you can use the full limit in each half, and then after mirroring the object, simply group the two objects together as opposed to joining them. 4. ---- TECHNICAL SUPPORT ------------------------------------- Problem: Printouts through OUTPRINT of filled splines (Polylines) which contain more than 127 polyline vertices are not correct. Solution: The system being used to print out the .GEM files is not running TOS version 1.2 or 1.4, and thereby limited to filled polylines (splines) of 127 points. or The new META.SYS which came with Easy-Draw 3.0 was not installed onto the system which was being used to save the .GEM files. (The files still load correctly back into Easy-Draw 3.0, because they are rebuilt from the control points.) or The GDOS printer driver, and or OUTPRINT are not a version 3.0 or higher. 5. ----- Using with Desktop Publishing Packages --------------- The following list of products specifies whether you need to limit your splines (which are saved as polylines in the .GEM file to 127 points). This limit is true as of the version tested, even if you are running on a machine with new roms (1.2 or 1.4). If you do save out a spline, which when loaded as a polyline has over 127 points, the result is listed under ">127". If the Publishing package you use is limited to 127 points, then use the F5 key as described in 2A above to activate the 127 point limit while you are working in Easy-Draw 3.0. NOTE: If you want to load your bezier designs into a friend's version of Easy-Draw who has version 2.35 or less, then you will also need to use the lower limit. This is due to the fact that older versions of Easy-Draw will load the graphics as polylines, (with a 127 point limit). PRODUCT VERSION PUBLISHER LOAD LIMIT >127 Calamus (ISD) 127 BLANK Desktop Publisher ST 1.1 (Timeworks) 255 OK Easy-Draw 2.35 (Migraph) 127 BOMB The following two companies will support the enhanced polyline limit of greater than 127 points with a near-term release: PageStream 1.58 (SoftLogik) 255 Awaiting release Fleet Street Publisher 3.0 (Michtron) 255 Awaiting release ------------------------------------------------------------------ (This version is not a normal retail distribution product, and is registered directly to the licensee of this diskette.) Migraph, Inc. 200 S. 333rd. St. (220) Federal Way, WA 98003 (206)838-4677 _________________________________________________________________ > WAACE ATARI FEST STR NewsPlus¿ Usergroups helping Atari and the users. ============================= Washington Area Atari Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE) Fifth Annual Atarifest Scheduled for October 7th and 8th, 1989 The Washington Area Atari Computer Enthusiasts (WAACE) has announced that the fifth annual Washington D.C. area Atarifest will be held at Fairfax High School, 3500 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday and Sunday, the 7th and 8th of October. Atarifest is a computing exposition featuring the Atari line of personal and home computers, as well as the complete line of entertainment systems. The show features educational seminars covering nearly all areas of computing; demonstrations of various applications of Atari computers, including MIDI music, desktop publishing, and entertainment; and exhibits by software publishers and hardware manufacturers showing the latest developments in the Atari world. In the past, representatives from Atari Corporation have been on hand to answer questions and provide assistance. This year's theme is "The Atari Alternative," and the goal is to show how Atari computers can be used in business and in the home. It will include demonstrations of both eight-bit (400/800/XL/XE) and ST software and hardware. Whether for creative endeavors, helping with some of the household paperwork, or just to have fun, the organizers of Atarifest '89 intend to show how the "Atari Alternative" can meet and beat other computer systems in its class, and why Atari Corporation's motto is "Power Without the Price." WAACE is a confederation of Atari user groups in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area, each dedicated to supporting the Atari community in their respective areas. Atarifest is co-sponsored by the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools' Office of Adult and Community Education, and the emphasis has always been on educating the public about computers and their uses. The 1985 Washington Atarifest was one of the first such shows, which are now held in more than 10 cities across the nation. Atarifest has grown in popularity, attracting thousands of attendees each year. This year, organizers hope to attract over 5,000 people. The show is open to all persons who have an interest in computing, and the FREE ADMISSION and hourly door prizes (including an Atari hard disk drive) encourage attendance by those who may not yet own an Atari computer. It is especially designed to have something of interest for everyone, from diehard Atarians to mainframe systems managers to computer neophytes. Fairfax High School is located at 3500 Old Lee Highway, just off routes 29 and 50 in Fairfax, Virginia. The school can conveniently be reached from the Vienna Metro station (Orange line) by taking the Fairfax Cue bus. Hours of the show are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Most user group demonstrations will be conducted on Saturday only. For further information, call John Barnes at (301) 652-0667. For further information contact: Gary Purinton (703) 264-8826 John Barnes (301) 652-0667 Vendors should contact: Johnna Ogden (703) 450-3992. Alive and Thriving WAACE AtariFest 89 - Infogram 89/09/16 For those of you who *may* have gotten the wrong impression from ST Informer we would like to report that WAACE AtariFest '89 is well on its way to becoming the Atari event of the year on the East Coast. Here are a few of the Features: (exact names or titles subject to change) Vendors/Developers/Publications in attendance: ---------------------------------------------- ASDE Inc./ST Plug Accusoft Accustar Alpha Systems Atari Corp Best Electronics Cal Com Codehead Software Current Notes Debonair Software Diskcovery Diverse Data Prod Double Click Soft. Electronic Clinic First Stop Gribnif GEnie I.C.D. Johnsware Joppa Computer L & Y Electronics Lantech Magnetic Images Michtron Orion Microsystems Rock Digital STReport/CPU Report ST Informer ST Log Seymor Radix Softrek Strata Software Toad Computers Unicorn Publications Wintertech Wizztronics Xlent Software Z*Mag/ZNet Also, reps from ISD Marketing, FAST Tech, Gadgets by Small, and STReport Online will be on hand helping out in User Group Demo Rooms and/or giving Seminars. Demonstrations (Saturday Only) (See printed schedule available at Fest) Telecommunications Art and Graphics Mac Emulation Desktop Publishing MIDI MS-DOS Emulation Business Applications Games Hardware Add-ons Programming Languages Door Prizes: Saturday - Grand Prize - Atari ST Computer Dozens of others - Announced every few minutes Sunday - Grand Prize - Hard Drive from ABCO Seminars: Saturday. 7 October Sunday, 8 October 1100 - Computers and Kids 1300 - To Be Announced D. A. Brumleve 1200 - Ask ST Report 1400 - Atari In Science Ralph Mariano A. Wrotniak - Debonair 1300 - Alternative Desktops 1500 - Atari Hardware Futures Rick Flashman - Gribnif Panel: D. Small, James 1400 - Hard Disk Systems Allen, David Troy. Tom Harker - ICD 1600 - Atari Corp Speaks 1500 - Speeding up the ST Sig Hartmann - Atari Wayne Buckholdt - Softrek All Day - Musicians and MIDI 1600 - Desktop Publishing Gordon Monnier - Michtron Hospitality: 1800 - Hospitality Suites - Fairfax Quality Inn 1930 - Cocktail Hour - Hunan Lion Rest 2000 - AtariFest Banquet - Hunan Lion Restaurant Current Notes Author of the Year Atari's World - Sig Hartmann User Group Leadership Workshop - 0900 Sunday - Bob Brodie (UG Representatives by Invitation) ---------- Vendors should contact Johnna Ogden at 703-450-3991 for information. Program advertisers: Please send camera-ready copy in 6 3/4 x 10 format to: Steve Rudolph, 11914 Galaxy Lane, Bowie, MD, 20715 Before 22 September. Payment of $60 (check payable to WAACE) must accompany copy. Banquet ticket requests: Russell Brown, 13715 Mapledale Ave, Dale City, VA, 22193. Payment of $20 per ticket (check Payable to WAACE) must accompany order. Other Information: John D. Barnes, WAACE Chairman, 7710 Chatham Rd, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. GENie: J.D.BARNES. Phone: 301-652-0667 (return calls collect). Lodging: Quality Inn of Fairfax - $49.50 per night. Be sure to mention AtariFest when reserving (before 25 September). WAACE wishes to express its appreciation for the support we have received from the Atari world. This Fest is truly an expression of "Power without the Price". ________________________________________________________________ > MASS STORAGE STReport InfoFile¿ When only the best is good enough... ============================== NEW PRICES! & MORE MODELS!! ============================ ABCO COMPUTER ELECTRONICS INC. P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32236-6672 Est. 1985 _________________________________________ Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT BBS: 904-786-4176 12-24-96 HST FAX: 904-783-3319 12 PM - 6 AM EDT _________________________________________ HARD DISK SYSTEMS TO FIT EVERY BUDGET _____________________________________ All systems are complete and ready to use, included at NO EXTRA COST are clock/calendar and cooling blower(s). ALL ABCO HARD DISK SYSTEMS ARE FULLY EXPANDABLE (you are NOT limited to two drives ONLY!) (all cables and connectors installed) SEAGATE HARD DISK MECHANISMS ONLY! ICD HOST ADAPTERS USED EXCLUSIVELY * OMTI HIGH SPEED CONTROLLERS * *** TWO WEEK SPECIAL ON THE 32MB HARD DISK!! 469.95!! *** 32mb #SG32238 539.00 42mb #SG44710 595.00 51mb #SGN4951 629.00 65mb #SG60101 679.00 80mb #SGN296 709.00 100mb #SG84011D 969.00 130mb #SG1244D 1099.00 145mb #SG3A4210 989.00 170mb #SGT41776 1389.00 260mb #SG1244Q 2169.00 320mb #SGN7788Q 3295.00 Listed above are a sampling of the systems available. Prices also reflect various cabinet/power supply configurations (over sixty configurations are available, flexibility is unlimited) *** ALL Units: Average Access Time: 24ms - 34ms *** ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> MAGIC SAC - PC-DITTO/II - SPECTRE/GCR LARGER units are available - (special order only) * Removable Media Devices Available (44mb) Syquest 555 * *** Available for ST - Amiga - IBM *** LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS - Custom Walnut WOODEN Cabinets - TOWER - AT - XT Cabinets ALL POWER SUPPLIES UL APPROVED 12 month FULL Guarantee (A FULL YEAR of COVERAGE) Quantity & Usergroup Discounts Available! _________________________________________ DEALERS and DISTRIBUTORS WANTED! Personal Checks are accepted. ORDER YOURS TODAY! 904-783-3319 9am - 8pm EDT ___________________________________________________________________ > A "Quotable Quote"¿ ================= "Tis a far better thing.... to embrace the truth, than to admit a falsehood"! ..The Silent Majority "ATARI IS BACK?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ST-REPORT¿ Issue #107 "Your Independent News Source" September 29, 1989 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ½ copyright 1989 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors, staff, ST Report¿ or CPU Report¿. Reprint permission is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. All reprints must include ST Report or CPU Report and the author's name. All information presented herein is believed correct, STReport or CPU Report, it's editors and staff are not responsible for any use or misuse of information contained herein. --------------------------------------------------------------------------