*---== ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---* """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine" December 13, 1991 No.7.49 ========================================================================== STReport International Online Magazine Post Office Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32205 ~ 6672 R.F. Mariano Publisher - Editor ----------------------------------------- Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EST BBS: 904-786-4176 USR/HST DUAL STANDARD FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EST ----------------------------------------- STR East: FNET 350 - The Bounty ST BBS 1-904-786-4176 STR West: FNET 075 - Bloom County BBS 1-415-965-9347 STR Canada: FNET 018 - ///Turbo Board Support 1-416-274-1225 STR Europe: FNET 1031 - <<>> 011-44-296-395-935 __________________________________________________________________ > 12/13/91: STReport #7.49 The Original 16/32 bit Online Magazine! ------------------------- - The Editor's Desk - CPU REPORT - LOTUS SHIPS FOR MAC - BORLAND DOWN - PHANTOM TYPIST? - SANTA'S HELPERS - CODEHEAD & QUICK ST - ARTIFEX CARD - STR Confidential -* TOS 2.06 UPGRADE VIA TEC FOR ALL! *- -* MA BELL GETS MESSAGE! *- -* WHISTLEBLOWER BBS ANNOUNCED! *- * HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ONE AND ALL! * ========================================================================== ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE The _Number One_ Online Magazine -* FEATURING *- "UP-TO-DATE News and Information" Current Events, Original Articles, Hot Tips, and Information Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports ========================================================================== STReport's support BBS, NODE 350, invites BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the Fido/F-Net Mail Network. Or, call Node 350 direct at 904-786-4176, and enjoy the excitement of exchanging information relative to the Atari ST computer arena through an excellent International ST Mail Network. All registered F-NET - Crossnet SysOps are welcome to join the STReport Crossnet Conference. The Crossnet Conference Code is #34813, and the "Lead Node" is # 350. All systems are welcome and invited to actively participate. Support Atari Computers; Join Today! ========================================================================== AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON: GENIE ~ CIS ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ FIDO ~ F-NET ========================================================================== COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME to the Readers of; ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine" NEW USERS; SIGN UP TODAY! CALL: 1-800-848-8199 .. Ask for operator 198 You will receive your complimentary time and be online in no time at all! WHAT'S NEW IN THE ATARI FORUMS (December 13) "HIDDEN" TREASURES... DO YOU HAVE THIS FILE? Proque replacement desktop (similar to many commercial desktop replacement systems). Proque allows you to designate over 100 programs which can be run from its desktop with a single mouse click. Also includes many useful utilities. File: PROQUE.ARC in Library 4 ("Utilities"). NEW VERSION OF ARCSHELL Charles Johnson has uploaded his newest version of ARCSHELL, version 3.1, to LIBRARY 4 of the Atari Productivity Forum (GO ATARIPRO). This version has significant new features and supports the latest version of Questor's LHARC utility. LZH EXTRACTOR If you've been having trouble with .LZH files reporting errors ("bad CRC"), or even if you haven't ... download the NEW .LZH utility that will work with files compressed with the newest version of LZH. Get L_201I.LZH from Library 4 in the ATARIPRO Forum. NEW IN ATARI VENDORS FORUM (GO ATARIVEN) Now available in LIBRARY 16 from CODEHEAD SOFTWARE -- a textfile and demo version of their exciting new product MIDI-SPY. (Can my ST really play background music while I use my word processor?) NEW VERSION OF B/STAT AVAILABLE... Version 2.42 of B/STAT is now available in LIBRARY 5 ("Applications") of the Atari Productivity Forum (GO ATARIPRO). B/STAT is a graphics and statistical analysis program. It requires 1 meg minimum of memory and a double sided drive. It will use GDOS if present but does not require it. B/STAT may not be distributed in FRANCE due to commercial availability. ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM (GO APORTFOLIO) Its finally here! The first test version of PortCIS-- an automatic navigator program for the Portfolio-- is available for testing and comments. See file PRTCIS.ARC now in LIBRARY 1. The second half of the forum programming marathon has begun. In the first half, we accumulated 87 new files -- almost triple the original estimates! A big thanks to our three marathoners, BJ Gleason, David Stewart, and Don Messerli, and all the other forum members who have participated in the program. Our intrepid programming marathoners need your help! We need ideas for the team to work on. If you've ever needed custom programming done, you know how expensive it can be. Here's a golden opportunity for you to get custom programs written for free! Please submit any ideas you have to our programmers by posting a message in section 15 *WISH LIST* THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION "GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM" *********************************************************************** > CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS ================= Issue #49 Compiled by: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr. -- Analysts Says PC Sales to Increase Despite sluggish holiday retail sales in other areas, Roger Lanctot, research director at Personal Technology Research of Providence, N.J. says that "retail sales of personal computers and peripherals are exploding." He added, "Sales in October were up 50% over last year and early figures indicate that sales kept pace in November." Lanctot said low prices and good availability are behind the brisk sales, but that another factor has been the poor economy of late. "A personal computer is an extremely practical gift that can be used to earn extra money or even help hang onto a job," Lanctot said. -- IBM Develops High-Speed Transistor IBM has developed a lateral bipolar transister that has triple the speed of conventional transistors. IBM said the device could be used in high- performance, low-power, compact computers. IBM attributed the new transistor's speed to a lateral design, which decreases capacitance and resistance. -- IBM Predicts 5-8% Revenue Growth in 1992 A Senior Vice President of IBM said that after the companies 1991 de- cline, thathe expects the company to post a revenue growth of 5-8% in 1992. However, the same executive noted that Taiwan, Korea and China will probably see double-digit growth in 1992. -- Lotus 1-2-3 Ships for Mac Lotus 1-2-3 for the Macintosh will be available within two weeks at a suggested retail price of $495. 1-2-3 for Macintosh features in-cell editing, direct manipulation of worksheet elements and desktop customization. It is also file and macro compatible with other versions of 1-2-3, including DOS, Windows, Unix, VM, VMS and MVS. 1-2-3 for Macintosh can read and write Microsoft Excel sheet files and translate Excel macros. 1-2-3 for Macintosh runs on any Apple Macintosh with a hard disk, 2MB of RAM under System 6.0.4 or later; or 3MB of RAM under System 7.0 or later. -- Telebit Offers Low-Price Upgrades Telebit has announced a new program called 'Loyalty Pays' where existing customers can buy the new V.32 T3000 modem for $499 and get an upgrade to Telebit's Packetized Ensemble Protocol (PEP) free. PEP is a proprietary scheme for dividing a phone line into 511 separate channel, increasing data carrying capacity, especially on poor quality lines. Models that qualify for the program include the T1000, T2000, Trail- Blazer Plus, T1500, T1600, T2500, T3000, and QBlazer. The program runs through May 31, after which the T3000's price is due to rise to $949, with the PEP upgrade costing an additional $199. -- Quicktime Expansion Available This Month for Mac Apple Computer Inc. says the new $195 QuickTime 1.0 extension to the Macintosh System 7 software will be available this month. QuickTime allows third-party developers to integrate data such as sound, video and animation across all applications. The developer's kit includes software, third-party digitizer components and utilities. -- Magnavox Ships Inexpensive 20-inch Monitor Providing a real bargain for users needing a combination of high reso- lution and large screen size, Magnavox has begun shipping a low cost 20-inch SuperVGA monitor The Magnascan/20 is a Macintosh and IBM standard compatible monitor that will automatically adapt to horizontal scan frequencies ranging from 30 to 64 kilohertz and refresh rates from 50 to 90 times per second. The dot pitch is only 0.31 mm, about average for a 14-inch monitor and impressive in a unit of this size. The maximum resolution of the new monitor is 1280 by 1024 in non- interlaced mode, making it compatible with VGA (video graphics array), 8514/A, XGA, SuperVGA, and extended VGA modes. The power supply is autosensing and will run on AC voltages between 98 and 264 volts worldwide. The Magnascan/20, with a list price of under $2,000, carries a one-year parts and labor warranty, boasts a 50,000 hour MTBF (mean time between failure) rating, which is much higher than the average large screen monitor. -- National Semiconductor Reports 2nd Quarter Profit National Semiconductor Corp. has reported net earnings of $5.9 million ($.03 per share) for the second quarter ended Nov. 24 compared with earnings of $3.5 million ($.01) for the same quarter in 1990. The company credited recent efforts to consolidate manufacturing for the boost in profits. -- Borland Stock Tumbles Following downgrading by two Wall Streen analysts, Borland International Inc. shares tumbled this week. After climbing from a 1991 low of $27.875 Borland's stock had reached a high of $83.25 last week but dropped $2.25 on Monday, $3.75 on Tuesday and $4.875 on Wednesday. -- Xerox to Cut Workforce by 2,400 Xerox Corp., in an effort to reduce overhead, plans to cut its worldwide workforce by about 2,400 of it's approximate 101,000 employees before the middle of 1992. The cuts will be made through normal attrition and both voluntary and involuntary layoffs. --Whistleblower BBS Debuts Government whistleblowers who spot instances of fraud, waste and abuse have a new way to tattle their tales: a computer bulletin board. Anyone with a computer and modem can call 202/225-5527 and tell Uncle Sam how his tax dollars are being squandered. Messages, which can be posted anonymously or with a name, can be left any day at any hour. Congressional investigators will read messages daily and check out complaints. The Whistleblower Bulletin Board allows investigators to keep in contact with the whistleblower. "The most important feature of the board is the ability to receive computer files and messages in an environment that permits continuing communications, while fully protecting the identity of those providing information," said Rep. Bob Wise (D-W.Va.). Even the private group that provides lawyers for government whistle- blowers who face retribution -- the Government Accountability Project -- approves of the BBS. "I think it's an excellent idea, because most of the mechanisms within the executive branch are not working well," said Louis Clark of the GAP. *********************************************************************** :HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT: _________________________________ To sign up for GEnie service: Set your communications software to Half Duplex (or Local Echo) Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type: XTX99587,CPUREPT then, hit RETURN. GEnie costs only $4.95 a month for unlimited evening and weekend access to more than 100 services including electronic mail, online encyclopedia, shopping, news, entertainment, single-player games, and bulletin boards on leisure and professional subjects. With many other services, including the biggest collection of files to download and the best online games, for only $6 per hour. MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! Any time during your first month of membership if you are not completely satisfied, just ask for your $4.95 back. GEnie Announcements (FREE) 1. November GEnie Billing completed. To review yours, type:...*BILL 2. Don't Open until December 23, 1991 at 6:00PM................OAG 3. The Civil War Goes High-Tech................................GENEALOGY 4. RTC+ PRIZES: Discover GEOWORKS- tool for small business.....HOSB 5. Sharing Holiday Gift Ideas..................................HOBBY 6. GAME DEMOS....try before you buy............................SCORPIA 7. Special Conference Friday about Bulletin Board Systems......UNIX 8. Twice a month -- check the GEnie Online Newsletter..........GENIEUS 9. 50 YEARS LATER - From Pearl Harbor to Today.................MILITARY 10. Christmas at Disney World and a great deal more check out...*FLORIDA 11. Mac Users... get answers in RTC from experts in.............MAC 12. Win FREE connect time with the college bowl games...........BOWL 13. New VERY BEST APPLE II Disk Arrives in ------------->.......A2 14. Lumeloid & Lepcon -- SOLAR ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH or Mirage....PSRT 15. Science and Technology Issues in the Space and Science RT...SCIENCE FROM THE ST RT Join us in welcoming Fair Dinkum Technologies to our ST BB. Two new products are now shipping, Crossword Creator II and Word Search Creator, "perhaps the fastest, easiest to use and most complete puzzle creation utilities ever created for the Atari ST TT". Check out file #21790. Hutch will be supporting his product in Category 29 (ST and Education) Topic 4. GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission *********************************************************************** > THE FLIP SIDE STR Feature "... a different viewpoint..." ========================= A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT ================================== by Michael Lee ---------------- Some info about the ST Book - From Ed Krimen - Cat. 14, Topic 7, Msg 151 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... And here's a little info I picked up from Usenet about the ST Book, from the designer himself: Article 3023 (1 more) in comp.sys.atari.st.tech: From: trh@atari.uucp (T R Hall) Subject: Re: ST Notebook (was Re: help with info) Message-ID: <1991Nov19.183749.7331@atari.uucp> Date: 19 Nov 91 18:37:49 GMT Deferences: <15823@uhccux.uhcc.Haw aii.Edu> Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale, CA jww@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Jack W. Wine) writes: 1) Was the Notebook ever operated from completely powered-up condition to zero power? How long did it last to go to both extremes and how did it behave during that time? Yes, it has; with _*NO*_ power management at all, with the Screen a highly detailed, dithered image, and with the hard drive spinning-up every five minutes and running for a minute [running a FlightSimulator Demo, if you want to know]... The STBook ran for over five hours, before fading away [because power management handles Save-and-Resume, it of course didn't happen] With power management, the people at the Shows have been getting 8 to 10 hours, and I still have a few tricks left to extend the power even further (just software, so y'all will have them in good time) 2) Does the Notebook have a SCSI bus? No, but the ACSI/FDD (what I call Pseudo-ACSI) connector has all of the ACSI signals, so ACSI-to-SCSI convertors can be used. 3) The 2.9 kg weight includes the weight of the battery pack? 1.9 Kg, actually, and yes, it includes the Nicad-battery pack. The machine is some 200-300 grams lighter with an alkaline pack. 4) Does the case have any mechanical weak points? I read that Toshiba made the Notebook for Atari and was wondering how well they did it. Toshiba is assembling units for us, but we did the design. The one area I would point to as weak is the cover "clasp" (i.e. that holds the unit closed). The "hinge point" for is is not the strongest, _and_ it doesn't move in quite the way you would expect (i.e. it barly moves at all). This cause excessive force to be used, and the hinge points can break. This is being worked on. It should be noted that the hinge has never been broken by those who knew how it worked; it has always been broken by some #$!#!@&* coming up, grabbing it, and yanking it open, saying some like "Here..Gimme...Lemme See.. Yeah, I know how..." ---------------- The FPU part number from Ken Shafer on Delphi... The part# for the MSTE FPU is MC68881FN16B. Thats a 16 Mhz fpu, with PLCC packaging. ---------------- A thread from CIS about new systems from Atari in 1992 - From Bob Brodie (Atari) on CIS... Seriously, it's not a real big secret that we have a number of new machines scheduled for 1992. It's going to be a very exciting year, and we look forward to it. I was up in the lab with Greg Pratt, Bill Rehbock and Leonard Tramiel last week and got a glimpse of the future...and I like it a lot. From Jim Ness on CIS... The impression I got from the Greg Pratt speech was that new machines would not necessarily replace old machines (to paraphrase: he said that if you view the product line as a triangle, the older machines would continue to trickle toward the bottom as new machines entered at the top). His analogy was a good one, because it helps control the tendency of people to not buy today's machines, while they wait for tomorrow's. If today's TT remains a viable "mid-triangle" product, while tomorrow's 68040 machine is introduced, it will continue to sell. At some point, the 1040STE has to get back into Toys-R-US and similar outlets, so you can introduce more people to the bottom of the triangle. However, for that to happen, there have to be lots of games bundles, and a very very low price. Reply from Bob Brodie (Atari) on CIS... I think that you have paraphrased Greg intention quite well. Further, he did say that our goal was for the products to "cycle through" for a period of time. The period of time is a variable...perhaps 3-5 years in my estimation. That lends credance to his remark that the TT will be the backbone for the next several years, just as the STE is today. ---------------- Have you ever needed to replace your internal SF314 drive? Here's a thread from Delphi that might give you some help. From John Duckworth on Delphi... I have a quick question for anyone who can help. I need to replace my internal drive on my 1040 STfm. If I could find an Atari SF 314 drive, is it exactly the same as my old internal? In other words, could I just pop it out of the external case and replace my 1040 drive? Reply from Norm Weirness on Delphi... Atari used many different manufactuers to make the SF314 and they don't all have the same shaped disc slot. Your best bet is to pickup a new TEAC 3.5" floppy mechanism and use it. You will find that all the new drives are only 1" high, rather than 1-3/4" like to old one. I have been able to add about 1/4" spacers (or a stack of washers) between the drive and the column supporting it, and the screws were long enough to reach. However, you'll likely have to alter the shape of the slot a bit. Just cut a rectangular opening. The plastic is soft, and the new drives have a wide facing that can fit flush against the inside of the ST case. The TEAC mechanisms are double-sided - model FD-235F, and high- density - model FD-235HF. It may be impossible to find the old ones, they are all high-density now, but they only cost $50 or less, and yes they work. When you open the ST, you will see that there are two connections to the floppy, a small power plug and a 34-pin ribbon cable. The power cable is no problem, but in some models you have to twist the cable a half turn before connecting to the TEAC. Notice the one edge of the cable is colored, usually red, as opposed to the rest, which is gray. That edge is pin 1. Look on the PC board of the floppy, right next to the 34-pin connector, and you should find printing indicating where pins 1 and 2 are (the end furthest from the side plate). Just be sure the red edge of the cable connects at the pin 1 side of the mating one. Reply from GEORGECYR on Delphi... The 1040 ST fm uses a 1/3 height drive I believe, so be sure that whatever drive you use fits that, or maybe you can cut the posts to install a 1/2 height drive. But Be careful. Mine had a Mitsumi 3.5 inch drive 1/3 hgt that was incompatible with the Epson drive in an SF354 drive. They wouldn't swap out. ---------------- Some CD-ROM information from Bill Rehbock (Atari) - Cat. 14, Topic 28, Msg. 128 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... We have done the generic CD-ROM driver that allows any Sony CDU-541 compliant (I'm using an Apple CD ROM right now) CD ROM drive to be used with the TT via SCSI. To get all 8 bits of a SCSI command byte out ACSI, you need an ICD host adapter and a slightly modified CD ROM driver that shuffles the command byte across ACSI to the ICD H/A. We are working with ICD to make sure this becomes a reality quiclky. ---------------- Some Flash/STalker information from Dan McNamee (Atari) - Cat. 17, Topic 3, Msg. 41 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... The reason that Flash doesn't have problems at higher speeds while Stalker does is that Flash has it's own custom RS232 routines that go directly to the serial port hardware, which can be a bad thing if anything there ever changes. Stalker, on the other hand uses standard GEM calls which, while slower, will always work. Since it is using GEM calls, the more TSRs and ACCs you have loaded, the slower the system gets, the faster the buffer fills and overflows and therefore the more characters lost. So if you are running at 9600, set it to use RTS/CTS (or both, which is what I use) and only have AUXINIT active in the auto folder, and only STalker (an maybe STeno) as accessories. On a TT or an acceler- ated ST you might be able to get by with more. ---------------- Some misc. information from Bob Brodie (Atari) - Cat. 14, Topic 14, Msg. 177 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Yes, the Mega STE-1 exists. Make sure that your dealer knows that you want to put in your own hard disk, so he gets the kit for you. Also, the disk in the Mega STE is a 3-1/2" mechansim. Make sure that you've got the same size of unit. The difference between a 1040STE and a Mega STE are significant. On a Mega STE you get a detachable keyboard (very nice one, too!) a LAN port, (works great with the Universal Network!), multiple serial ports, a VME Slot, and the New Desk top. The New Desk top is a major improvment over the old desktop, giving many more features, and adding a lot of functionality to the system. On the Mega STE, ram upgrades are very easy, as are hard disk up- grades. Just open the hard disk bay, and you have access to SIMMS, hard disk, etc. No more taking apart the machine. :-) And of course, the Mega STE runs at 16Mhz with a 16k cache. Not too shabby at all. You can also slow it down to a true 8 Mhz to run timing sensitive software, like Spectrum 512. The 1040 STE does NOT have a VME slot. Among the products that take advantage of the VME slot specifically for Atari computers are a number of graphics cards. These cards will allow you to run in enhanced color modes, like 800x600 with 256 colors. There is a catalog put out by the VME Trade Association (VITA) that list over 3,000 VME cards. The functionality of the cards varies from additional serial cards, to ram boards, to graphics cards, HPIB interfaces, and on. ---------------- DeskJet Upgrade info from G.HAUER - Cat. 4, Topic 3, Msg. 22 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Here's the "official" info I took from an HP upgrade brochure I called for: Upgrade for DeskJet 500 : $450 DeskJet Plus: 550 DeskJet 550 All upgrades require that you send your machine to HP. They DON'T upgrade your machine. Instead, they send you the new DeskJet 500C, which is fully IBM compatible. (The DeskWriter C is for Apple folk.) For more information, call HP at (800) 752-0900. (That number may refer you to another number -- I can't remember. It's been a few weeks since I called for the brochure.) The mailing includes all the paperwork for upgrading to the 500C. Soooo, for me the question is -- as always -- now or later? Should I take the upgrade route while it's available ('though HP has a reputa- tion for long-term upgrade availability) or should I wait until the street price gets low enough for me to have two of the critters? For anyone at HP reading this: it would be wonderful if the brochure included an actual printed sheet for the 500C. ---------------- Some Good News and Bad News from ERSOFF on Delphi... Good News and Bad News .......... KEYBOARD MAGAZINE is giving away $30,000.00 worth of Atari gear (TT, STe, Mega STe, MIDI stuff, Hard Disk Digital Recorder by Hybrid Arts, software, etc.) in the January 1992 edition. And now the Bad News ......... The drawing won't be until 10-31-92 (according to the contest rules in the magazine... oh well) Good Luck Everyone !!!!!!!!! ---------------- Until next week..... """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" IMPORTANT NOTICE! ================= As a reader of STReport International Online Magazine, you are entitled to take advantage of a special DELPHI membership offer. For only $29.95 ($20 off the standard membership price!), you will receive a lifetime subscrip- tion to DELPHI, a copy of the 500-page DELPHI: THE OFFICIAL GUIDE and over $14 worth of free time. NOTE: Special offers can be found in your favorite Atari magazines: START CURRENT NOTES ST INFORMER ATARI INTERFACE MAGAZINE SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI ====================== Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access DELPHI services via a local phone call JOIN -- DELPHI -------------- 1. Dial 617-576-0862 with any terminal or PC and modem (at 2400 bps, dial 576-2981). 2. At the Username prompt, type JOINDELPHI. 3. At the Password prompt enter STREPORT. For more information, call DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-544-4005, or at 617-491-3393 from within Massachusetts or from outside the U.S. DELPHI is a service of General Videotex Corporation of Cambridge, Mass. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT -------------------- Beginning September 1, 1990, DELPHI will begin offering a new plan that will save you money! The new plan is called the 20/20 Advantage Plan and it features 20 hours online for just $20 a month! The $20 is a monthly fee that covers your first 20 hours online via direct dial into one of DELPHI's two direct-access lines, or via a special Tymnet 20/20 Access code. It also gets you additional hours at just $1.20 per hour. And you get free access to several services on DELPHI as part of the Advantage Perks. Other telecom services may have additional charges. Canadian Tymnet users have an additional telecom charge. Office Time access (7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays) may have an additional charge. And of course, other restrictions may apply. But this is still an amazing deal! For more information, contact DELPHI at 1-800-544-4005 and ask for Member Services. DELPHI- It's getting better all the time! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > Ma BELL STR Spotlight Ma Bell is a MEAN MUTHA! ===================== ABOUT THE C & P BELL MEETING ============================ by Neil Bradley Compuserve 72337,146 BBS (804) 464-4994 (14.4K Dual-standard HST) "FNET" node 564. A few observations of my own from last Thursday's meeting with C&P telephone. As I said before, the C&P reps expected about 20-25 people. When they arrived, there were well over 200 people. The reps were quite amazed to say the least. THE MEETING WAS CONDUCTED AS FOLLOWS: The host (a FidoNet Sysop) introduced the "speakers". The speakers were; 1) 2 Reps from C&P, the Vice President in charge of Business Accounts and The president of the Norfolk Va C&P office. The VP was the one that\ sent the letter. 2) 5 other sysops of local bbs'. Three were "fidonet" sysops, one was a "PAY" bbs sysop, and one was a local non-networked bbs sysop. Each principle speaker was introduced and invited to give a 5 minute speech on what he/she wanted to say. C&P was first. The first speaker was the C&P president. He talked briefly about what the contents of the letter was about. The letter was sent to 15 local sysops after C&P received an "anonomyous tip" that BBS's were running a business, and a list of 15 boards was enclosed in the letter. That prompted the letter to be written to 13 of the BBS's. (The other two were not in operation anymore). The speaker then went on to say that "We are not out to cut out the little guy, or to force people to shut down. Additionally, the Newspaper article had several inaccuracies in it. According to my computations, MOST of the local BBS operators will pay perhaps $3-$5 more than what they are paying now. In fact, a large number of you probably would pay LESS!" He then stated that he expected 20-25 people, as all he brought were 25 copies of the rate comparison charts between Business & Commercial Rates. The president then stated that the reason C&P was there was to "find out information" about what is going on. He stated that both himself and the VP that were there HAD NEVER used a bbs, and were ignorant of what was going on. He said that several Sysops had contacted him and that his knowledge was growing. He then asked for some information from the crowds. "I want to know what is going on, and who is here." He called for shows of hands of people. (The numbers I give here are MY OWN estimates from what I saw. I have no idea what numbers he wrote down.) "How many people here are Sysops?" ~ 200 (95%+ of the people) "How many people here use BBS's?" ~ 250 (100% of the people) "How many of the Sysops here have 2 or less phone lines?" ~ 200 (95%) "How many of the Sysops here have 3-5 lines?" ~ 10-20 (2%) "How many of the Sysops here have 6+ lines?" ~ 2-4 (1%) "How many of the Sysops charge NO FEE for their BBS?" ~ 200 (95%+) He then stated "These numbers are very interesting, thank you". The VP came up and talked about why he did not return all the phone calls he has received. He stated that there were just too many, and they were all asking the same thing. He apologized and said that he would be contacting several BBS sysops and request that they put all the info he gives them on their boards for further dissemination. The audience was then handed 3x5 cards and told to put down any question that they may have for the panel (C&P), and that the questions would be asked by the host later in the session. (Just about everyone returned a card to the moderator!) The next speaker was one of the FIDOnet sysops, who discussed about the users he has, how many calls he receives, the FIDOnet network system operation, etc. He ended up by saying that if the business rates were given to him, he would shut down. The next speaker was another FIDOnet sysop, who is the "lead" of the "Handicapped Echo" message base. He went on at great lengths about how the BBS and the FIDOnet "brought him out of his hole" that he was in because of his handicap. He talked about several people that met through the BBS's, including a White Male/Black female who were quite surprised when they met face to face, and then realized that race didn't really mean that much after all! He finished by saying that if they charge him business rates, even that small increase in costs could force him to shut down, which would deny him the "livelihood" of his existence and contact with the outside world. The following speaker was a sysop of a multi-line PAY bbs. He said that he received the letter, and immediately took advantage of the REDUCTION in costs of his phone bill. Because his board does NOT network and generate outgoing calls, he could reduce all the phone lines to the very cheapest business rate, even cheaper than what he pays for now. The next speaker was the last FIDOnet Sysop, and he expressed his concern that if C&P classified his BBS as a "business" for phone rate purposes, he wondered if that would generate a listing in the business section of the local phone book. C&P replied that it would. He then asked how did the local city governments determine what a business was? One way for sure was to LOOK IN THE PHONE BOOK! That means, if his BBS was listed in the phone book, the city government would then get involved and try to make him get a Business Licence, and pay Business Taxes! He then stated that, according to local laws, if if business lost money three years in a row, the city could classify it as a "hobby"! What would C&P say then? The speaker then asked the crowd "How many of you LOOSE money on your bbs?" Just about everyone held up their hands and then clapped. The speaker told C&P that if he was changed to business, he would NOT continue as there was NO WAY he could afford to pay business taxes and get a business license. The final speaker was a non-networking 2-line BBS that generates the local "Free BBS List". The requirements to get on this list are simple: All BBS's belonging to the list have to 1) Charge NO FEES to get FULL access to the bbs, and 2) Display on their opening screen that they are a member of the -=FBBS=- list. He talked about his user base and the fact that he has over 1000 ACTIVE users (Active on his bbs being that the user calls at least once every 45 days). He said that he personally runs a computer business, and that he has a bbs IN his business that he pays business phone rates for! He said that his bbs in his house had nothing to do with his business. He then went on about how could the Phone Company determine what a business was on the BBS except to get on the bbs and SEE! The USE of the BBS was what should determine what the rate was, not the fact that there was a bbs or a modem on it! (the audience clapped and cheered at this point). There was about a 5 minute break at this point. After the break, the moderator told the crowd that due to time constraints, there would be only 3 people from the audience allowed to speak and they would be limited to 2 minutes each. After that, the moderator would read some questions from the numerous cards. He said that all the cards would be given to the C&P representative, and their answers would be made available on the local bbs's here. The three speakers were all from local computer groups, and they all basically said that the loss of the bbs's would be a detriment to the industry and hobby as a whole. After the 3rd speaker was finished, the President of Norfolk C&P stood up and stated that "I am suspending all further action on this matter pending more research." At that point, the president was given a 2-3 minute standing ovation from the crowd. He further said that, "I will have the VP contact each of the sysops that received a letter in order to arrange switching back to their previous service without charge". The moderator then read several of the questions from the cards he received. One was from a 16-year old Sysop asking how could he be running a business on his C-64, he didn't even really know how to run one! At that point, the meeting was forced to end due to the closing of the meeting room (in the public Library). The moderator and C&P representatives both stated that they would be working with the local sysops on this subject, and that all would be kept informed. Additionally, the President of the Norfolk C&P was offered and accepted the use of a modem to hook up to his computer to use! He would then call several of the local BBS's to see for himself what is going on! =================================================================== AUTHORS COMMENTS. 1. I will be receiving a verbatim transcript of the meeting from another bbs later this week. I did NOT take notes, so all the above is from my memory, and there very well could be inaccuracies in what I am reporting. Please do not take all the quotes as exact until I get the transcript. I submitted this article now as I feel that people want to know what I remember hearing, and the impact of the meeting. 2. The way I see it, the two big impacts on this are; A.Business licenses - how would this fit in? B.Fidonet/other "Networking" boards. They are the hardest hit. The business rate for 'unlimited local calls' is ~$55.00/month compared to ~$20.00/month. Boards that do NO networking, or only call out long distance would SAVE money, as the 'measured' rate for a business is ~$18. C.The determination of what is a "business" and how does the telephone company qualify what a "business" is. ______________________________________________________________ > CODEHEAD NEWS! STR Support * BLOCKBUSTER NEWS FROM THE CODEHEADS!! * ========================== For immediate release CodeHeadQuarters Thursday, December 12, 1991 CODEHEAD TO TAKE OVER QUICK ST SUPPORT! --------------------------------------- NEWSFLASH! As of January 1, 1992, CodeHead Software will be taking over worldwide development and distribution of the popular Quick ST 3.0 software accelerator! Darek Mihocka, the original creator of Quick ST, is selling the flagship product of Branch Always Software in order to spend more time developing a PC based Atari ST emulator. According to Darek, "The response to my emulator demo at the Chicago Atarifest was very positive. In order to bring the emulator to market in a timely fashion, it became clear that I couldn't do that while at the same time trying to develop new versions of Quick ST. Both products would ultimately suffer. In the capable hands of CodeHead Software, Quick ST will continue to exist and be improved upon, and ST and TT users can look forward to a long life for the product that speeds up their machines. It's a win-win situation for everyone." Quick ST 3 is a program that intercepts GEM's screen output routines, and replaces them with highly optimized assembly language code that is much faster. Windows pop open, graphics appear instantly, text zaps onto the screen at high speed, and everything you do with your computer takes less time. It's an indispensable utility for all owners of Atari computers, since the built-in screen output routines are written in slow, inefficient C code. CodeHead Software is well-known for their line of utility and productivity solutions (and now graphics software as well), and Quick ST is a logical extension of that line. Charles F. Johnson, co-owner of CodeHead, said, "We're quite excited about Quick ST, and are looking forward to supporting this excellent product; and since we've purchased the source code, you can also look forward to further development of the program." Quick ST is now the only US-made screen accelerator that is still being actively supported. CodeHead will also be handling updates from older versions of Quick ST. You can upgrade to the latest version by returning your original Quick ST 2.x master disk to CodeHead Software along with a check or money order for $20. Owners of Softrek's Turbo ST (any version) may also upgrade to Quick ST 3 by sending in your Turbo ST master disk and $20.00. The retail price of Quick ST 3 is $34.95; to order, contact your local dealer or call the CodeHead order desk at 213-386-5735. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express accepted. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" A BRAND NEW COMPUTER FOR $140 -- CODEHEAD ANNOUNCES THE TOS EXTENSION CARD! ------------------------------------------ How would you like to have a BRAND NEW COMPUTER, with system software that makes it the equal of anything else on the market ... for less than $140? Well, now you CAN! CodeHead Software is proud to announce the TEC -- the TOS Extension Card! This amazing little circuit board, developed by Germany's Artifex, allows you to use the very latest version of Atari TOS (2.06) in your existing 520ST, 1040ST, or Mega ST! That's right! Now, you can have the same excellent new system software that owners of Mega STes and TT030s are enjoying, without spending megabucks for a whole new computer system. In fact, the price for this upgrade, including the board, is only a little bit more than the price to upgrade from TOS 1.0 to TOS 1.4! The TEC is a tiny card that will fit in ANY model of ST computer, regardless of design. It is compatible with existing upgrades, such as monitor interface boards or processor cache cards. The low price includes the ROMs containing TOS 2.06 -- and there sure are lots and lots of new goodies in those little chips! What TOS 2.06 Can Do for You ---------------------------- TOS 2.06 is a MAJOR upgrade to the ST's operating system; it's a vastly more significant upgrade than from TOS 1.0 to TOS 1.4 (Rainbow TOS). The most noticeable change is the new desktop, which has many of the features of the popular commercial alternate desktops (and some unique features too!), but with two BIG advantages: it does not use large amounts of RAM, and it does not need to be loaded from disk. Some of the features of the TOS 2.06 desktop: o Programs, files, and folders can be placed directly on the desktop and started with a double click. o Up to 20 programs or documents can be assigned to the ST's function keys and started with a single keypress. o Data files can be "dragged" and dropped on program files, which starts the program and automatically loads the document! Some programs even support multiple document files in this manner. o Each file on your disk can have its own unique icon, or you can use a common icon type for each type of file. New icons can be created and added to the system. o Keyboard commands for almost everything! And not only can you control the new desktop with the keyboard (as well as the mouse), you can also redefine any of the key commands to suit your own tastes! o A powerful file search function, that lets you find and select files that match your specified criteria. o Window management is considerably enhanced; scrolling has been sped up, and selected files can remain selected even if you scroll the window to a different area of the file list. o Up to seven desktop windows can be open at once, and you can open directory windows with simple key presses -- even change a window to show a different drive without closing and reopening it. o The "View" menu now has an "unsorted" option, for showing the actual order of files and folders in a directory. o Any character in the "upper half" of the ST's font can be typed in by holding the Alternate key and typing its ASCII number on the numeric keypad. o Many of the special functions of the desktop (like copying, renaming, etc.) can now operate in "batch mode", to let you quickly rename or show info for a group of selected files, for example. o The bootup sequence now includes a graphic display of the Atari Fuji logo, and a memory test, and a configurable bootup delay that allows hard drives time to power up. It's also possible to bypass the AUTO folder entirely by holding Control during bootup. o Internal changes in the TOS program code result in very noticeable performance improvements in many areas. o ...and of course, lots more. This list barely shows the tip of the iceberg, in fact. The TOS Extension Card ---------------------- Because the new TOS 2.06 is located at a different address and requires more space in the ROMs, you can't simply pull out your old ROMs and plug in the new ones. This is where the TEC comes in! The TOS Extension Card can be installed in any model of ST within minutes. Its size is a mere 2.5" x 2.5", and its unique design allows it to be placed almost anywhere inside the case of the computer. This means that it will even work if you have a hardware accelerator, MS-DOS emulator, or graphic card already installed. Some simple soldering is required to install the base model of the TEC; any authorized dealer should be able to handle it easily. There are also two other configurations of the TEC that are 100% plug-in solutions, requiring no soldering: o The TECbridge BUS card, which plugs into the processor bus of the Mega ST. o The TECbridge CPU, for computers which have socketed 68000 chips. This option plugs into the CPU socket, and requires that there be enough room above the CPU within the case. The Price --------- The retail price of the TOS Extension Card is $139.00. This price includes the TEC board, Atari's official TOS 2.06 ROMs, a disk containing the official Atari system utilities (including the new XCONTROL Control Panel), and a manual describing the installation of the TEC and the new features of TOS 2.06. The TECbridge BUS and TECbridge CPU options are priced at $155.00. The TEC will begin shipping on January 10, 1992 (maybe even sooner, depending on how long it takes to translate the manual); advance orders are being accepted now. Of course, we won't charge your credit card or cash your check until your order has been shipped. To place an advance order for the TEC, call the CodeHead order desk at 213-386-5735. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express accepted. CodeHead Software P.O. Box 74090 Los Angeles, CA 90004 Tel 213-386-5735 Fax 213-386-5789 _____________________________________________________ > STR Portfolio News & Information Keeping up to date... ================================ THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ========================= On CompuServe by Don Messerli 72500,1671 The underlying theme in the forum for November and December is the programming marathon. As the original three programmers: BJ Gleason, Don Messerli, and Dave Stewart uploaded a program a day between them, a momentum began to build. Many programmers and creative forum members have uploaded programs, text files, pictures, and animations. The marathon has been a tremendous success. However, as they come into the home stretch, our faithful marathoners need your help to get them to the finish line. THEY NEED IDEAS. Many great ideas have been submitted. Of course, not all can be done in short order. Rest assured, these "more involved" programs will probably be completed after the marathon is over. So, let's hear your ideas and wishes for Portfolio programs. Don't let the marathoners "hit the wall". The much anticipated PortCIS Compuserve Navigator has arrived. Jim Ness has written a communications program that logs onto CompuServe, reads your mail (or the mail you specify), and captures the descriptions of any new files in the libraries automatically. This is all controlled by a script that you write using a simple scripting language. An example script is included to get you up and going. This program, besides from being very useful, has accomplished a couple of firsts in the forum. It is the first full application written in PowerBASIC, which was recently released. Jim also sought out and received quite a bit of user feedback in the Message area BEFORE the program was released. This is a good example of how Portfolio users can influence the products they will ultimately use by dropping in on the Message section on CompuServe. A largely untapped source of programs for the Portfolio is BASIC programs written for other computers. PBASIC is the most popular public domain program for the Portfolio. PowerBASIC brings the power of a compiler to the scene. Programs written in BASIC for other computers are all over CompuServe. These programs can be ported with relatively little effort. A good example is WCA.ZIP, uploaded by BJ Gleason. It was originally written for the Tandy Model 100 and was found hiding in the AVSIG Aviation Forum. It is a simple flight computer. This week BJ also uploaded CDRIVE.ZIP, a program to detect the presence of a Flashdrive, 8088.ADR, an Address Book file that's a quick reference to 8088 assembly language instructions, RUNPB.ZIP, a program to run PowerBASIC from within the Portfolio's Editor to compile the program you are currently editing, and DATEFN.BAS, date functions for PBASIC. Also uploaded were INTL.ZIP (by me, Don Messerli), a database of international telephone access codes for use with DBSHOW, SHO.ZIP (uploaded by Henry Hahlbohm), shows disk space used in a bar chart format, BANNER.ZIP (by Dave Stewart), a program to display large text banners on the Portfolio's screen, PGCPCX.ZIP (by Don Messerli), to convert PGC pictures to PCX files for importing into your favorite PC-based paint program, and PARC.ARC (uploaded by Adrian Simonian) a collection of ARC archive related programs that run on the Port. One continuing topic of discussion has always been the use of different modems with the Portfolio. Will it work? Will it drain my batteries? Is it small enough? Howard Blumenthal has uploaded a file, NEWMOD.TXT, that discusses the new Hayes Pocket Edition modem. What do we do to top the marathon, there are already a few things rolling around the minds of the forum's SYSOPS. A PGfliX animation contest has been briefly discussed. Now, it looks like there will be a 24-hour online conference marathon. They are still trying to nail down a suitable time and date, we'll keep you posted. That reminds me of a movie. I think it was called, "they shoot SYSOPS, don't they?". Camera! Action! ________________________________________________________ > User Group List STR InfoFile Those who strongly support.... ============================ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Atari Computer User Groups Listing Updated 12/08/91 Editor: Lawrence Estep; CompuServe: 71450,1050, Delphi: LESTEP GEnie: L.ESTEP1 Internet: 71450.1050@COMPUSERVE.COM ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ALABAMA (Sorted by ZIP code) Alabama ACE* PO Box 1205 Tuscaloosa AL 35403-1205 Joe Moudry (205) 556-1781 HAUG* 3911 W Crestview Huntsville AL 35816 Levin Soule (205) 534-1815 BBS (205) 722-0900 ARIZONA (Sorted by ZIP code) NPAC* PO Box 36364 Phoenix AZ 85067 Paul Parks (602) 278-2375 SVAC PO Box 662 Chandler AZ 85224 Tim Barr (602) 821-1200 Meetings: 3rd Sat., 10 AM 3234 S. Fair Lane, Tempe AZ AIM newsletter participant TAC* 1426 W Kilburn Rd Tucson AZ 85705-9232 Ray Waters (602) 887-4196 ARKANSAS LRAA* 28 John Hancock Cir Jacksonville AR 72076 Keith Steensma (501) 985-2131 CALIFORNIA (Sorted by ZIP code) (ZIP codes 90000-90999): ICE PO Box 5085 Two Harbors CA 90704 William D. Peterson (213) 510-1807 Atari ST support Meetings: 2nd Wed., 8 PM LBACE* PO Box 92812 Long Beach CA 90809-2812 Lee Curtis (213) 423-2758 (ZIP codes 91000-91999): HACKS* 249 North Brand Blvd #321 Glendale CA 91206 John King Tarpinian (818) 246-7286 SCVACE 19449 Nadal St Canyon Country CA 91351 Mark Ostrove (805) 252-6881 8-bit meeting on 1st Thursday, 16-bit meeting on 3rd Thursday AAUG* PO Box 1433 Upland CA 91786-1433 Todd Bane (714) 737-4329 BBS (714) 625-4251 (ZIP codes 92000-92999): San Diego ST Users Workshop* 902 Nolan Way Chula Vista CA 92011 Chester Edwards (619) 224-5090 ERACE* 1906 Avineda Del Diablo Escondido CA 92025 Gary Martin (619) 489-9872 SDACE* PO Box 900076 San Diego CA 92120 Mike Bergman (619) 558-7866 BBS (619) 558-7866 The Desert Atarians 47-800 Madison St #53 Indio CA 92201 Lee Ellis (619) 342-1600 BBS (619) 342-1647 Pass Area ST Enthusiasts* 1145 West Westward Banning CA 92220 Steve Miller (714) 849-7927 AUGIE* 3905 N Lugo Ave San Bernardino CA 92404 Cajon Computer Club* 639 W 36th St San Bernardino CA 92405 Tim Adams (714) 882-6784 ACAOC PO Box 9419 Fountain Valley CA 92708 Larry Weinheimer (714) 969-9053 BBS (714) 778-1228 Meetings : 2nd Sunday at 1:00 P.M. Fellowship Room of the North Orange Christian Church 16561 Lincoln Avenue (between Tustin Ave. & Orange-Olive Rd.) CompuServe contact : Rick Meredith [76157,30] GEnie address: TOPNOTCH BBS (714) 778-1228 NOCCC ST-Sig* 3852 Balsa Irvine CA 92714 Dain Leese (714) 552-5185 (ZIP codes 93000-93999): RAM of Ventura County* PO Box 112 Camarillo CA 93011 Tim McCoy (805) 482-4788 BBS (805) 987-6985 SBACE* PO Box 3678 Santa Barbara CA 93130-3678 Avery Galbraith (805) 687-1075 Bakersfield ACE* PO Box 40203 Bakersfield CA 93308 Anthony Garcia (805) 397-9566 Atari Federation* PO Box 5367 Vanderberg AFB CA 93437 Chester Hadely (805) 733-4177 SMLACE* PO Box 2286 Orcutt CA 93457-2286 Eric A. Daniels (805) 929-3296 AVACE* PO Box 512 Palmdale CA 93590 (805) 945-9780 BBS (805) 723-0093 SVACE 672 E Romie Ln Salinas CA 93901 President: Gary Klugman [70277,1000] Meetings : 1st Tuesday of each month Salinas Community Center, 7:30 P.M. BitStream BBS (408) 449-2150 (ZIP codes 94000-94999): ABACUS PO Box 22212 San Francisco CA 94122 Roger Sinasohn (415) 337-9534 Meetings: 1st Saturday, 10 A.M. Atari 8-bit, 11 A.M. General, Noon Atari ST Membership: $20/yr full membership or $15/yr BBS/newsletter. SLCC PO Box 1506 San Leandro CA 94577-0374 President: Bob Barton Meetings 1st Tuesday, ST SIG 2nd Monday Newsletter : SLCC Journal (monthly) Member Dues: $20/yr Key System 8-bit BBS (415) 352-5528, Stu's Place ST BBS (415) 782-4023 CompuServe contact: Bob Wooley [75126,3446] (ZIP codes 95000-95999): Atari Users Group Of South Santa Clara County 52222 Carryback Ave San Jose CA 95111 Ron Reade (408) 225-7162 Meetings 2nd Wed at San Jose Computer BBS (408) 848-6032 Atari ST support ST ACE of Sonoma County* PO Box 4916 Santa Rosa CA 95402 Hal Anderson (707) 542-1745 ACCESS PO Box 1354 Sacramento CA 95812-1354 President: Mark O'Connell All Atari 8-bit user group COLORADO (Sorted by ZIP code) FRAUG* 3012 Rockborough Ct Fort Collins CO 80525 Jerry Belfor (303) 223-2604 BBS (303) 223-1297 Pikes Peek and Poke ACE* PO Box 17779 Colorado Springs CO 80935-7779 Rick Reaser CONNECTICUT (Sorted by ZIP code) AUGOGH PO Box 289 Windsor Locks CT 06096-0289 William Midyette (203) 870-7034, CompuServe [76406,455], GEnie W.A.MIDYETTE 1 Abbott Rd, #78, Ellington CT 06029-9501 BBS (203) 871-0696 STAUS* 176 Burnside E Hartford CT 06180 Brian Rufini (203) 289-7903 FCACE* 362 Hattertown Rd Monroe CT 06468 Paula Burton (203) 452-1716 STAR Atari ST Road Runners 263 Guinevere Ridge Cheshire CT 06492 Lou Demetriou (203) 271 0452 BBS (203) 421-4861 DELAWARE CDACC* PO Box 545 Camden DE 19934 Tom Baldwin (302) 678-9411 FLORIDA (Sorted by ZIP code) ST J.A.U.G./J.A.C.E.* c/o R.F. Mariano PO Box 6672 Jacksonville, FL 32205-6672 904-783-3319 The Bounty ST BBS 12-19.2 bps 904-786-4176 24hrs. Meetings: EO Monday 7:00pm - 10:00pm ABLE c/o Hadley Nelson PO Box 1172 Winter Park FL 32790 PACE 12500 Ulmerton Rd Lot 196 Largo FL 34644 President: Joan Raia Meetings: 1st Saturday, 2 P.M., Largo Public Library, 351 E. Bay Dr. Dues: $10/yr per family Hacker's Zone BBS (813) 584-2425, Tut's BBS (813) 797-8449 Newsletter: The PACESetter 4663 60th Street North Kenneth City FL 33709 GEORGIA MGAUG* c/o Pete Miller 115 Feagin Mill Rd Warner Robins GA 31088 (912) 328-8758 IDAHO (Sorted by ZIP code) RACE 301 Birch St Mountain Home ID 83647 Meetings: 3rd Tuesday, 7 P.M.-Pizza Express Carson Walden (208) 587-7476 Dues: $10/yr w/1 free PD disk Rattlesnake STation BBS (208) 587-7603 BAUG c/o Frank Chan 3073 S Riba Ridge Way Boise ID 83709 (208) 376-5603 BBS (208) 362-2243 ILLINOIS (Sorted by ZIP code) SCA* c/o Alvin Riesbeck PO Box 7226 Roselle IL 60172 (708) 985-0693 BBS (708) 231-7227 ClAUG North Meetings: Wright College, 3400 N Austin Ave, Chicago IL 60634 3rd Saturday, 11 A.M. BBS: (312) 889-1340 ClAUG South Meetings: Daley College, 5830 W 95th St, Oak Lawn IL 60645 4th Saturday, 11 A.M. BBS: (312) 422-4476 ClAUG PO Box 66583 AMF O'Hare IL 60666-0583 President: Gerry Fied (See ClAUG North and ClAUG South above for more information) LCACE PO Box 8788 Waukegan IL 60079-8788 (312) 623-3815 Python BBS (312) 680-5105 Dues: $20/yr per family Meetings: 2nd Saturday, 11 A.M. Warren-Newport Public Library, 244 O'Plains Road, Gurnee,IL Newsletter : LCACE News Journal GAUG* c/o Michael Burkley PO Box 55 Viola IL 61486 (309) 596-4152 ST Information Group* c/o Joe Lambert 1116 Woodlawn Ct Pekin IL 61554 CIAUG* c/o Robert Handley 1920 E Croxton Ave Bloomington IL 61701-5702 (309) 828-4661 EAUG* c/o Hank Vize 2425 Crislisa Dr Alton IL 62002 (618) 465-0342 BBS (618) 254-6077 INDIANA (Sorted by ZIP code) ASCII c/o Dan Ward 1752 Alimingo Dr Indianapolis IN 46260 (317) 254-0031 ST Archive BBS (317) 353-9326 GEnie contact: D.WARD10 BlAST c/o Bill Loring PO Box 1111 Bloomington IN 47402 (812) 336-8103 BBS (812) 332-0573 GEnie contact: W.LORING1 CRAG* c/o Jeff Coe PO Box 10995 Merrillville IN 46411-0995 IOWA Midwest Atari Group-Iowa Chapter* c/o Gordie Meyer PO Box 1982 Ames IA 50010 (515) 232-1252 KANSAS (Sorted by ZIP code) FLAG* PO Box 3233 Fort Leavenworth KS 66027 LACC* PO Box 1415 Lawrence KS 66044 Robert Drake (913) 842-5961 Midwest ST Atari Resource* c/o Gary Leach 7213 Mastin Merriam KS 66203 WACE* c/o Marilyn Merica 501 Trotter Maize KS 67101 (316) 722-1078 KENTUCKY AEL PO Box 34183 Louisville KY 40232 President: William "Doug" Lampert Atari Scene! BBS (502) 456-4292 Dues: $20/yr per family Newsletter: $3.50/yr w/membership (mailed), $8.75/yr non member mailed Meetings: 2nd Saturday, 11:30 A.M. Central Jefferson County Government Center 7201 Outer Loop DC (8-bit) Sig meetings 1st Wednesday, 7:30 P.M., Leader: Rich Link ASTRO (ST) Sig meetings 4th Wednesday, 7:30 P.M., Leader: Jan Wilt Location for DC & ASTRO Sigs: Bon Air Library 2816 Del Rio Place LOUISIANIA NOACE c/o Dave Porter PO Box 73236 Metairie LA 70033 (504) 887-7505 MARYLAND (Sorted by ZIP code) MAST* c/o Bob Johnson 1616B Forrest Avenue Ft Meade MD 20755 AURA* PO Box 7761 Silver Spring MD 20910 Steve Duggan (301) 890-3889 Maryland Atari Computer Club* c/o James Hill 8591 Wheatfield Way Ellicott City MD 21043 (301) 461-7556 Frederick Atari Computer Enthusiasts* c/o Buddy Smallwood 923 N Market Street Frederick MD 21701 MASSACHUSETTS (Sorted by ZIP code) WMAUG* c/o David Scarpa 285-A Gates Street Palmer MA 01069-9617 BBS (413) 589-1382 NVACUS c/o Ray Wallace PO Box 456 Maynard MA 01754 (508) 534-0699 BACS* 1 Center Plaza Boston MA 02108 Jerry Feldman (617) 244-3025 BBS (617) 396-4607 SSAG* PO Box 129 Boston MA 02136 Norman Boucher (617) 361-0590 NAACC c/o Computer Zone 28 E Washington St N Attleboro MA 02760 Contacts: Joe Heroux/Secretary (508) 533-2619 GEnie address: JOE.HEROUX Bob Levetin/President (508) 699-0430 Meetings last Tuesday except July and December at the Computer Zone on Route 1 in North Attleboro. MICHIGAN (Sorted by ZIP code) MACE PO Box 2785 Southfield MI 48037 President: Ed Hanson (313) 675-0044 Meetings 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 P.M. at: Southfield Civic Center, Evergreen & 10 1/2 Mile Rd MAGIC* c/o Mike Lechkun 4801 Martin Rd Warren MI 48092-3491 BBS (313) 978-7363 Great Lakes Atari ST Support* c/o Byron Johnson PO Box 99737 Troy MI 48099 CHAOS PO Box 16132 Lansing MI 48901 President: Leo Sell BBS (517) 394-6852 Meetings 3rd Saturday, 10 A.M. at Capitol Federal, 250 E. Saginaw STING* c/o Ron Schultheis PO Box 321 Marne MI 49435-0321 MINNESOTA SPACE PO Box 120016 New Brighton MN 55112 President: Nathan Block BBS (612) 488-5973 Meetings 2nd Friday, 7:30 P.M. at Falcon Heights Community Center, 2077 W. Larpenter. MISSISSIPPI CAAUG c/o Lowen Overby PO Box 5098 Biloxi MS 39534 (601) 388-1515 MISSOURI (Sorted by ZIP code) ACE St. Louis* PO Box 6783 St. Louis MO 63144 Joan Ryan (314) 645-6431 KCAC 7837B Wornall Rd Kansas City MO 64114 (816) 363-2814 Meetings at Baptist Medical Center, 66th and Rockhill Rd. on first Tuesday MONTANA Rattlesnake ACE* c/o Tom Tucker PO Box 9457 Missoula MT 59807 (406) 626-4410 BBS (406) 777-3992 NEBRASKA O-ACES (Omaha - Atari Computer Enthusiasts) PO Box 723 Papillion NE 68046 Peter Killian (402) 592-542 or (402) 294-6232 (day) CompuServe User I.D. [72017,72], GEnie: P.KILLIAN Meetings on second and LAST Wednesday (except Nov/Dec when only 2nd Wed.) at La Vista Recreation Center, 8116 Parkview Blvd., La Vista, NE 68128 Dues: $18.00/yr (AIM included in dues) NEVADA HSAUG* PO Box 2152 Sparks NV 89432 Michael O'Masey (702) 972-3659 NEW HAMPSHIRE NASTUS c/o Don Peters 51 Cheyenne Dr Nashua NH 03063 (603) 883-0347 NEW JERSEY JACG* PO Box 5206 Newark NJ 07105-0206 (201) 241-4554 NEW YORK (Sorted by ZIP code) Atari Computer User's Group Of Westchester* 4 Charlotte St White Plains NY 10606 Roland Herman (914) 946-4134 RACUG* c/o Richard Bloch 29 Riverglen Dr Thiells NY 10984 (914) 429-5283 LIAUG PO Box 92 Islip NY 11751 CDACE* PO Box 511 Delmar NY 12054 Joe Boggard (518) 785-4071 BBS (518) 237-1232 ACE Of Syracuse* 204 E Patricia Ln North Syracuse NY 13212-3218 Kenneth Wickert (315) 458-6077 Backstairs BBS (315) 458-0118 ACO Of Rochester* PO Box 23676 Rochester NY 14692 Bruce Nelson (716) 334-5513 NORTH CAROLINA (Sorted by ZIP Code) TCC* c/o Donald Nelson Rt 3 Box 760 Hillsborough NC 27278 (919) 942-2764 PTAUG PO Box 1073 Greensboro NC 27402 Meetings are on the last Wednesday of each month (except July and December) Folk Recreation Center, 3910 Clifton Road, Greensboro NC 27402 Dues: $15/yr President: Danny Hartman (919) 722-9902 Co-sponsored by the Greensboro Parks & Recreation Department. BRACE* c/o Sheldon Winick 40 Westgate Parkway #F Asheville NC 28806 (704) 251-0201 GACE* c/o Mary Anne Terminato 19 Alpine Way Greenville NC 29609 (803) 292-2690 OHIO (Sorted by ZIP code) CACE* PO Box 93034 Cleveland OH 44101-5034 John Savarda NOAH* c/o Doug Novak 5538 Pearl Road Parma OH 44129 Doug Novak (216) 845-6260 BBS (216) 582-1904 CINTARI PO Box 14959 Cincinnati OH 45214 Roger Miller (513) 367-6842 Meetings 2nd Saturday MVACE* PO Box 24221 Dayton OH 45424 Joe Lovett (513) 847-3970 OKLAHOMA STIE c/o Steve Balch PO Box 161 Nicoma Park OK 73066 (405) 340-9233 OREGON PAC* PO Box 1692 Beaverton OR 97005 David Moore (503) 240-1913 PENNSYLVANIA (Sorted by ZIP code) WAO* 230 Clairmont St N Huntington PA 15642 Keith Krause (412) 834-5678 SAGE* PO Box 10562 Erie PA 16514-0562 Earl Hill (814) 833-9905 BBS (814) 833-4073 SPACE PO Box 11446 Harrisburg PA 17108-1446 Richard Basso (717) 761-3755 ABEACE* PO Box 2830 Lehigh Valley PA 18001 (215) 868-4856 NATUG* PO Box 18150 Philadelphia PA 19116-0150 Allan Zaluda (215) 677-6751 BBS (215) 677-1370 RHODE ISLAND RIACE* c/o Steve Dunphy 192 Webster Ave Providence RI 02909 (401) 621-5359 SOUTH DAKOTA RACE* c/o Kenneth Kayl 902 Virginia Ln Rapid City SD 57701 (605) 343-7289 TENNESSEE (Sorted by ZIP Code) CAOS* PO Box 80101 Chattanooga TN 37411 Phil Snider KAUG* c/o John Cole 9109 Parktop Ln Apt C Knoxville TN 37923 (615) 691-4435 BBS (615) 691-0113 CACE* c/o Robert Pecora 280 Capshaw Dr Cookeville TN 38501 (615) 528-7116 TEXAS (Sorted by ZIP Code) AUNT* PO Box 852016 Richardson TX 75085-2016 Gary Sewell (214) 727-6567 DAL-ACE* PO Box 851872 Richardson TX 75085-1872 Rachel Duke (214) 429-6134 AAAUA* PO Box 79-1426 San Antonio TX 78279-1426 Al Sherrill (512) 492-6633 Atari ST Club of El Paso* c/o Tim Holt 10953 Yogi Berra El Paso TX 79934 (915) 821-2048 VIRGINIA (Sorted By ZIP Code) NOVATARI* PO Box 4076 Merrifield VA 22116 Earl Lilley (703) 281-9017 WACUG* 13408 Marumsco Dr Woodbridge VA 22191 Ron Dunn (703) 494-4260 GRASP* c/o Thomas Marvin 1420 Yale Ave Richmond VA 23224 (804) 233-6155 STATUS* c/o Buck Maddrey 5425 Shenstone Cir Virginia Beach VA 23455 (804) 464-2100 BBS (804) 495-3905 WASHINGTON (Sorted By ZIP Code) BRACE* PO Box 70097 Bellevue WA 98007 Joe Mraz (206) 747-2433 STDIO* c/o Ralph Plaggenburg 904 N 33rd Pl Renton WA 98056 (206) 228-5303 STarBase* c/o Steve Drake 8307 27th NW Seattle WA 98117 (206) 782-3691 R-AUG* PO Box 845 Oak Harbor WA 98277 Mike Barret (206) 675-7167 TRACE* c/o Tery Schreiber Box 2037 Point Roberts WA 98281 (604) 943-4786 KCACE* PO Box 2333 Bremerton WA 98310 Bill Penner (206) 373-4840 SPSACE* c/o Nick Berry Box 110576 Tacoma WA 98411-0576 (206) 759-1473 SWAG* PO Box 1515 Vancouver WA 98668-1515 Allan Cokes BBS (206) 574-1146 Atari Association Of Desert Dwellers* c/o Rick Raymond Rt 1 PO Box 5296 Richland WA 99352 WISCONSIN (Sorted By ZIP Code) PACUS* c/o Peter Schefsky 2714 South 11th Pl Sheboygan WI 53081 MAAUG* PO Box 14038 West Allis WI 53214 Linda Heinrich (414) 421-2376 MASTUG* PO Box 25679 Milwaukee WI 53225 Bruce Welsch (414) 463-9662 CWAUG* c/o Thomas Ptak 217 S Schmidt Ave Marshfield WI 54449 (715) 387-4512 To add your user group to this listing, please send the following information to Lawrence Estep at the online service addresses listed at the top of this file, or on the Atari Scene! BBS (502) 456-4292. Your information will be confirmed via Electronic Mail, and will be added to the listing when the next update is made: Group name Address Name and phone number of contact person(s) Online service id(s) (if applicable) of contact person(s) Meeting time(s)/location(s) Support provided for which computers (8-bit, ST, etc.) Additional information if available (Bulletin Board System number, newsletter information, yearly dues, etc.). Thanks for helping to keep this listing as accurate as possible. -Lawrence Estep Editor CompuServe contacts: Lawrence Estep [71450,1050] Bill Marcum [72750,476] GEnie contacts: L.ESTEP1 (Lawrence Estep) R.LINK1 (Rich Link) ____________________________________________________________ > SANTA'S HELPERS STR InfoFile Where to get those goodies! ============================ PRODUCT SOURCES FOR ATARI ENTHUSIASTS ===================================== ATARI CORPORATION Computer Studio 1196 Borregas Avenue 40 Westgate Parkway Sunnyvale, CA. 94086 Asheville, NC 28806 (408) 745-2000 (800) 253-0201 Mft. Hardware/Software Authorized Atari Dealer ABCO Computer Electronics Gribnif Software P.O. Box 6672 P.O. Box 350 Jacksonville, FL. 32221 Hadley, MA 01035 (800) 562-4037 (413) 584-7887 Full Line Dealer & Mass Storage NeoDesk-Turbo C-Stalker-Steno Rising Star Computers Horizon Computers P. O. Box 20038 695 S. Colorado Blvd., #10 Dayton, OH 45420-0038 Denver, CO 80222 (800) 252-2787 (303) 777-8080 Full Line Dealer Authorized Atari Dealer A & D Software ISD Marketing Inc. 226 NW 'F' Street 2651 John St., Unit #3 Grants Pass, OR 97526 Markham, Ontario, CA *L3R 2W5 (503) 476-0071 (416) 479-1880 Universal Item Selector Calamus, DynaCadd etc... Alpha Systems L & Y Computers 1012 Skyland 13644c Jefferson Davis H'wy. Macedonia, OH 44056 Woodbridge, Va. 22191 (216) 467-5665 (703) 494-3444 16 and 8 bit Support Atari products and Software ASDE Inc. Maxwell CPU 151 Rue Jolicoeur 2124 W. Centennial Dr. Hull, Quebec Canada J8Z1C8 Louisville, CO 80027 (819) 770-7681 (303) 666-7754 Geography Tutor etc... Expose - Silhouette Atari Interface Magazine Step Ahead Software Inc. 3487 Braeburn Circle 496-A Hudson Street Suite F39 Ann Arbor, MI 48108 New York City, N.Y. 10014 (313) 973-8825 (212) 627-5830 Atari Magazine and Monthly Disk Tracker ST B&C ComputerVisions Mars Merchandising 3257 Kifer Road 1041b St. Charles Rd. Santa Clara, CA 95051 Lombard Il. (408) 749-1003 (817) 589-2950 Atari Products & Supplies Atari Products & Accs. Branch Always Software Lantech 14150 N.E. 20th St. PO Box R Bellevue, WA 98007 Billerica, MA 01821 (206) 885-5893 (508) 667-9191 Quick ST, Software 10 Megabit Local Area Network Best Electronics Migraph Inc. 2021 The Alameda Suite 290 200 S. 333rd St. San Jose, CA 95126 Federal Way, WA 98003 (408) 243-6950 (206) 838-4677 THE Atari parts source & Supplies Top Notch Graphical Products Computer Garden MicroTyme WestSide Mall 4049 Marshall Road Edwardsville, PA 18704 Kettering, OH 45429 (800) 456-5689 (800) 255-5835 Discount Software Discount Hardware & Software Carter Graphics & Computers Practical Solutions Inc. 914 W. Sunset Blvd. 1135 N. Jones Blvd. St. George, UT 84770 Tucson, AZ 85716 (801) 628-6111 (602) 322-6100 Atari Products Atari support products CodeHead Software Prospero Software P.O. Box 74090 100 Commercial St. Los Angeles, CA 90004 Suite 306 Portland, ME 04101 (213) 386-5735 (207) 874-0382 Software Products "Codekeys" Software Products Comput-Ability Rio Datel Computers P.O. Box 17882 3430 E. Tropicana Ave., #65 Milwaukee, WI 53217 Las Vegas, NE 89121 (414) 357-8181 (800) 782-9110 Atari Products & Distributor International Products CompuServe Information Service San Jose Computers P. O. Box 20212 640 Blossom Hill Road Columbus, OH 43220-0212 San Jose, CA 95123 (614) 457-0802 (408) 224-8575 Online Services Atari Products D.A. Brumleve Seagate Technology 607 West Illinois Street 920 Disc Drive Urbana, IL 61801 Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (217) 337-0674 (800) 468-3472 High Quality Kiddie Software Hard Drive Mechanisms Debonair Software Sideline Software P.O. Box 521166 840 NW 57th Court Salt Lake City, UT 84152 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 EL CAL The Math Machine (305) 771-9035 Atari Support Products International Software Source Zephyr/STPlus SofTrek P.O. Box 1197 P.O. Box 5257 Berkeley, CA. 94701 Winter Park, FL 32793 (800) 759-1110 (407) 657-4611 Atari Support Products TurboST "The Software Blitter" Double Click Software ST Informer P.O. Box 741206 909 NW Starlite Place Houston, TX 77274 Grants Pass OR 97526 (712) 977-6520 (503) 476-0071 Software Developer Monthly Newspaper Duggan DeZign Inc. Strata Software 16 Oak Ridge Dr. 94 Rowe Drive West Warwick RI 02893 Kanata Ontario Canada K2L 3Y9 (401) 826-2961 (613) 591-1922 "Designs with Fun in Mind!" Stalker/Steno TeleCom Fast Technology Talon Technology P.O. Box 578 243 N. Hwy. 101, Ste 11 Amdover, MA 01810 Solana Beach, CA 92075 (508) 475-3810 (619) 792-6511 16Mhz 68000 Accelerator Supercharger IBM Emulator Gadgets by Small Zubair Interfaces 40 W. Littleton Blvd. 5243b Paramount Blvd. #210-211, Littleton, CO 80120 Lakewood CA. 90712 (303) 791-6098 (213) 408-6715 Spectre GCR MAC Emulator Ass't Atari upgrades Goldleaf Publishing, Inc. Omnimon Peripherals Inc. 700 Larkspur Landing Circle, One Tech Dr. Bldg. 1E, #301 Suite 199 Larkspur, CA 94939 Irvine, CA 92718 (415) 461-5703 (714) 753-9253 WordFlair Document Processor WuzTek Atari support products Dr. Bobware Wiz Works! 180 N. Hazeltine Avenue P.O. Box 45 Campbell, OH. 44405-1024 Girard, OH. 44420 (216) 743-4712 (216) 539-5623 MVG & Modules Graphics Image Cat - MugShot! GEnie Information Services Taylor Ridge Books 401 N. Washington Street P.O. Box 48 Rockville, MD 20850-1785 Manchester, Ct. 06040 (800) 638-9636 (203) 643-9673 Online Services Cmanship 'C' programming Hayes Microcomputer Inc. US ROBOTICS INC. 705 Westech Drive 8100 No. McCormick Blvd. Norcross, GA 30092 Skokie, IL 60076 (404) 662-7100 (800) 982-5151 Modems - TeleCom Modems-BBS Sysop Program ICD Inc. Soft Logik 1220 Rock St. 11131F S. Towne Sq. Rockford, Il. 61101-1437 St Louis, MO 63123 (815) 968-2228 (314) 894-8608 Hardware Peripherals PageStream 2.1 DTP Software Innovative Concepts (I.C.) Hybrid Arts Inc. 31172 Shawn Drive 8522 National Blvd. Warren, MI 48093 Los Angeles, CA 90232 (313) 293-0730 (213) 841-0340 Full Service Dealer Software for the Musician Mirrorsoft Ltd Supra Corp. 118 Southwark St. 1133 Commercial Way London, UK SEI OSW Albany, OR 97321 011-43-928-1454 (503) 967-9075 UK Software Dev. Modems - Hard Drives GT Software Word Perfect Corp. 12114 Kirton Avenue 1555 Technology Way Cleveland OH 44135 Orem, UT 84057 (216) 252-8255 (801) 222-5800 Sofware Dev. Word Perfect wp Spectrum HoloByte STR International. 2061 Challenger Dr. PO Box 6672 Alamedo, CA 94501 Jacksonville, FL 32205 (415) 522-3584 (800) 562-4037 Falcon F16 Software STReport Online Magazine ______________________________ > STReport's Editorial Page "Saying it like it is." From the Editor's Desk ---------------------- "Tis the season to be jolly...." well Christmas is almost upon us. Are you ready? I know I am not. It appears that most of the country is in a deep recession. But. Its just not happening in Florida. I don't know what's happened, but I'll tell you this much... I cannot keep enough product in stock. Atari computers, they're amazing! I can sell all I can get. I hear from dealers all over the country and the majority are running under very tight conditions. One said that no matter what, after this holiday season, he was going mail order only. He said he was tired of the massive overhead and cut throat lowballers that are seemingly "allowed" to clobber the real value in the entire Atari line. I sympathize with the man but I am overjoyed that he has seen the light. Mail order is the way to go if the value is to be enjoyed by both the dealer and the consumer. Its true there are still a few low ball artists left in the Atari arena. They too, will fall. Everyone thought Griffin's deals were too good to be true, they were! They cut the margins so tight they choked. Why am I writing about this? Its easy, in the Atari world, there are some very good dealers, including mail order, who are fine, upstanding business people in the Atari community. These dealers are continually faced with the prospect of investing in inventory, in hopes of serving the Atarian, only to have its value trashed by some "wiseguy" looking to turn a quick buck. You know the kind, they'll undersell anyone and seem to take a sinister joy in doing so. According to our information, Atari knows about the few left in this arena who are very busy viciously lowballing. Of course, the other dealers are getting the impression that Atari is helpless in this matter. The real reason could possibly come under "restraint of trade" or so some would like us to think. Here is a positive tidbit, there are a number of dealers who have recently formed an alliance in hopes of crushing the lowballers by "beating them at their own game". It should get very interesting. At least the users will enjoy the 'learn a lesson sessions'. In this issue we have the FANTASTIC ANNOUNCEMENTS BY CODEHEAD detailing more of the superb support the y afford the userbase. TOS 2.06 for everyone! And the continued support for Quick ST. CODEHEAD IS SURE TO BE THE FOLKS FOR YOU IN '92! Happy Holidays! Ralph...... """""""""""""""""""""""""" > STR Mail Call "...a place for folks to be heard" ============= STReport's MailBag ================== Conf : STReport Online Msg# : 17272/17274 Lines: Extended Read: 1 Sent : Dec 12, 1991 at 9:01 AM To : Rob Danskin at Fnet Node 1046 From : Ralph Mariano Subj : Re: <17251> Software Standards In message 350/3/17251, Rob Danskin writes: Has anyone noticed lately, that software, in particular games software, seems to be falling in it's general quality on the ST? At the recent Computer Shopper show in London, I bought Deuteros, as I was a big fan of Millenium 2.2 - Yesterday I started playing the game in earnest, and about 3 hours into it, I was treated to a complete computer crash, where it looked like the game dropped into 'debug' mode... Lucky for me I had recently saved my position, but it looks like a bug that only occurs when you try to land colonists onto the Moon. I've noticed other games recently that have lower standards than usual, take Railroad Tycoon, I spent 35 pounds on that, ( about $65 ) - then I find that it won't work correctly on any ST over 1mb in size... at least Microprose have produced a fix program that stops the game from producin two bombs when the mouse pointer hits the bottom of the screen display! But I am beginning to wonder whats happening on the ST scene... standards seem to be dropping, I'm of the pinion that some companies don't even t their software through before releasing it anymore.. Has anyone else experienced problems like this with ST software ? Reply; Rob.... Please be advised, the symptoms you are observing are indeed the the actions of companies who have lost a great deal of regard for a 'given platform'. This type of behavior on the part of many third party suppliers and developers has been symptomatically evident throughout the electronics industry, especially with calculators & computers. This only seems to occur when a given marketplace is in the process of "imploding". In most recent observations of other "brand name" computer collapses, this is a most familiar "early warning" sign. The next 6-8 months will carry the inevitable "tale of the tape". Atari must make some very serious and widespread changes in the manner in which it does business in the computer world. Else, the "handwritin is on the wall". It sad.. but oh... so true. The three Tramiel kids have made a blistering shambles of the company through the years. Hopefully their "learning curve" is behind them. I think not. It is still quite evident that the politics and vengefull retaliation perpetrated by them upon _any_ entity or person critical of them is still the "order of the day". Unfortunately, as long as their energies and efforts are misguided in these "dead end" directions they are doomed to utter failure. Will they ever wake up? Hard to say. Even the plummeting of the value of Atari stock to 1.58 per share has done nothing to give rise to visible improvement. Ralph @ STReport Thursday, December 12, 1991 - 8:59:26 am 13-DEC-1991 00:35:33.24 From: a Delphi User To: RMARIANO CC: Subj: bug in TOS I got wind of a possible bug in TOS (no versions given, though I assume 1.0 - at least 1.62) that gives STalker and other term programs fits. I would appreciate it if you could include this in an upcoming STR to prod Atari into doing something about it. They barely will acknowledge it's existance, though it was pointed out to them in 1987 or 88 by the author of some programs for the ST, who even wrote a short program that reproduced the problem with 100% accuracy. The problem, in STalker 3.0 anyways, is a flashing menu bar. It's caused if the STalker user has the sounds set to off, because STalker wanted to sound the bell but isn't allowed to. The bell is to tell you that STalker isn't ignoring you, it's just busy at this time. (this happens if you are typing or doing other things while STalker is uploading). It sometimes happens if you're just moving the mouse or even doing nothing! The reason for the 'phantom typist' is the TOS bug - a conflict between some of the interrupt handlers; particularly RS232 output and possibly vertical blank (VBL). Atari has yet to even try to address it and will barely acknowledge that it even exists, yet many users have continuously had this problem at one time or another. STalker is particularly susceptible to this because it it GEM-based and leaves the mouse on. Other programs like Flash and XYZ could have the problem if you could get the mouse pointer to stay on. I ask that you print this in hopes of getting readers to email Atari and urge them to do something about it. I also ask that I be referred to as "a Delphi user" or something like that. Thanks. Reply; Mr. User, It appears that the new 2.06/3.06 should have these aggravations corrected in them. The upgrades are available now to everyone, even owners of older ST comouters. Elsewhere in this issue the details of the upgrade are explained fully. Hopefully, your problem will be addressed and corrected. If not, please let us know. STReport's Staff The regulars and this week's contributors! ---------------- Publisher - Editor ------------------ Ralph F. Mariano PC DIVISION AMIGA DIVISION MAC DIVISION ----------- -------------- ------------ Robert Retelle Charles Hill R. ALBRITTON STReport Staff Editors: ----------------------- Michael Arthur Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr. Dana P. Jacobson Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando Contributing Correspondents: ---------------------------- Michael Lee Richard Covert Roger Stevens Brian Converse Oliver Steinmeier Tim Holt Andrew Learner Norman Boucher Ben Hamilton Neil Bradley Eric Jerue Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing James Nolan Vernon W. Smith IMPORTANT NOTICE ================ Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc... via E-Mail to: Compuserve.................... 70007,4454 GEnie......................... ST.REPORT Delphi........................ RMARIANO BIX........................... RMARIANO FIDONET....................... 112/35 FNET.......................... NODE 350 NEST.......................... 90:19/350.0 ____________________________________________________________ > STReport CONFIDENTIAL "Reporting ABOUT Atari...not FOR Atari!" ===================== * "Rumors - Tidbits - Predictions - Observations - Hot Tips" * ======================================================== This week our "super snoop" sent in that the revolving door is busy, once again, at Atari. Seems David Harris has left. As has Simon Westbrook who recently came here from the UK with his wife and four children. Seems the words "family operation has a special meaning at Atari as there is an ever increasing number of husband and wife teams working together at Atari. The Millers and the Boconnis. Also, it seems the ever elusive 520 STe units are now in the warehouse. At the same time we are told the new bundles that are shipping are, to some dealers, a letdown. They are complaining the software is all version 1 or original carrying copyright dates of 1985. ... more next week ____________________________________________________ > A "Quotable Quote" ================== "IMITATION & DUPLICATION ARE.. ...THE VERY HIGHEST FORMS OF FLATTERY!" ....Ziggy Zagnut __________________________________________________________ > ABCO SPECIALS! STR InfoFile * NEW HOLIDAY Prices! MORE Products! * =========================== *** SUPER *** HOLIDAY SPECIALS! ** EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! ** NOTICE: ABCO will beat or match * ANY * Invoiced price. We will _NOT_ be undersold! ABCO COMPUTER CONSULTANTS 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) (all cables and connectors installed) - Available for all Platforms - * ICD HOST ADAPTERS USED EXCLUSIVELY * OMTI HIGH SPEED CONTROLLERS * * ICD ADSCSI+ HOST ADAPTERS * FULL SCSI COMMAND SET SUPPORTED * * SCSI EMBEDDED CONTROLLER MECHANISMS * -- QUANTUM: THE "ROLLS ROYCE" OF HARD DRIVES -- WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE!!! >UPS!< (Cont. USA) Deluxe 2 bay Cabinet w/65w auto-switching PS TIME PROVEN to be the most reliable! Model Description Autopark Price ================================================== SGN4951 51Mb 24ms 3.5" Y 439.00 SGN6277 65Mb 28ms 5.25" Y 469.00 SGN1096 85Mb 28ms 5.25" Y 549.00 SQN2055 105mb 12ms 3.5" Y 599.95 SQN1296 210Mb 12ms 3.5" Y 879.00 ================================================== FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00 ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY SUPER CABINET w/250+w PS EXOTIC TOWER CABINETS AVAIALABLE Call for Info! PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only! FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00 ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY SUPER CABINET w/250+w PS EXOTIC TOWER CABINETS AVAIALABLE Call for Info! PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only! CPU ACCELERATOR & MEMORY UPGRADES AVAILABLE & INSTALLED >> ABCO proudly offers the fabulous 1040 & MEGA STe Computers << Call for ABCO's Introductory prices! ATARI COMPUTERS * STILL THE BEST VALUE! If you don't see what you want listed here, call us. Odds are, we either have it or, can get it for you! * GUARANTEED * AT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE! ** 800-562-4037 ** "We service what we sell" ****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ****** * SYQUEST 44MB (#555) >> ABCOFILE "44" << REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE * - SYQUEST 44 MB DRIVE - ICD ST ADSCSI PLUS H/A - ICD Utility Software - 3' DMA Cable - Fan & Clock - Multi-Unit Power Supply (1) 44 MB Syquest Cart. --->> SPECIAL! NOW ONLY __$ 645.00__ <<--- **** SCSI UNITS -> ONLY $549.00 **** WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE! >UPS!< (Cont. USA) COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED AND READY TO RUN! Cart and Utility Software Included! EXTRA CARTS: $ 74.50 DRIVE MECH ONLY: $ 349.95 ****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ****** * TWIN SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVES ... PROGRAMMER'S DELIGHT * SPECIALLY PRICED ** $995.95.00 ** Includes: * TWO * cartridges! * SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE AND HARD DRIVE COMBINATIONS * - Syquest 44 Model [555] and the following hard drives - ** 50mb SQG51S $789.00 105mb SQG105S $989.00 ** LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE ** ANNOUNCING THE NEW! -> ABCO CD-ROM! ** :Special Introductory offer: ABCO CD-ROM $389.95 (limited time only) 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) * IBM - MSDOS - AMIGA - ATARI - APPLE - MACINTOSH * ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> SUPERCHARGER - AT/PC SPEED - GCR LARGER units are available - (Custom Configurations) *>> NO REPACKS OR REFURBS USED! <<* - Custom Walnut WOODEN Cabinets - TOWER - AT - XT Cabinets - Atari SLM 804, SLM 804PCV Laser Toner Kits Memorex 2108, 5287 Oasys Laserpro 5287, 5308, Express 830, Express Series II Silver Express, Gold Express ** $41.95 shipping Included ** Atari SLM 605 Laser Toner Kits AT&T 593, CAF Laser, DSI Laser, DTP Systems, Epson EPL-6000 Facit P6060, Fontx Syslaser, Harris3M 2006, M-Tally MT905 Microtek Turbo PS, OAS Laserpro Executive, Packard Bell 9500 TEC LB 1305, Toshiba PageLaser 6 ** $41.95 shipping included ** (TWO Toner Carts Incl.) Panasonic Laser Toner Kits Panasonic KX -P 400 series, Panafax UF-750 Facimile ** $41.95 shipping included ** -- ALL TONER KITS * IN STOCK * -- * Toner Starter Kits-$62.95 * * Replacement (804) Drums-$186.95 * ABCO's Replacement Toner Advantages =================================== A Few Pointers about the NEW and SUPERIOR replacement Toner Cartridges from ABCO Computers. Quality ------- o Better density the OEM Toner under all testing conditions. (AVG 1.40-1.50) o Formulation completely compatible with the OEM initial toner and supply toner. This replacement Toner may be added to the Laser Printer along with OEM initial toner or supply toner. o The NEW replacement initial toner will maintain a high level of quality "much longer" using the replacement toner. o Much smaller drop in density is realized when printing in the continuous mode. Test Pattern: 10 graphic pages 1000 text pages (3 alternating pages) Time Schedule: 330 prints continuously 1 hour pause, 3-4 times a day normally 1000 copies a day maximum 1400 copies a day OEM ABCO'S NEW STANDARD --- ------------------- Density 1.30 - 1.40 1.40 - 1.50 Yield 92.1 g/1000 copies 95.3 g/1000 copies Waste toner 20.3 g/1000 copies 14.3 g/1000 copies Transfer Rate 78% 85% >> MANY other ATARI related products STOCKED << ALL POWER SUPPLIES UL APPROVED -* 12 month FULL Guarantee *- (A FULL YEAR of COVERAGE) WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE! >UPS!< (Cont. USA) QUANTITY & USERGROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE! _________________________________________ DEALERS and DISTRIBUTORS WANTED! please, call for details Personal and Company Checks are accepted. ORDER YOUR NEW UNIT TODAY! CALL: 1-800-562-4037 -=**=- CALL: 1-904-783-3319 Customer Orders ONLY Customer Service 9am - 8pm EDT Tues thru Sat ABCO is EXPANDING!! CALL FOR INFORMATION! GOOD NEWS! ========== ABCO Computer Consultants now has a SUPER computer goodies catalog available. Drop us a note and we will mail your copy to you! You'd be surprised at the variety of products we offer at substantial savings. Don't wait! Send for your catalog now and get the great Christmas Discount Coupons. It'll make Santa feel great about the holidays! ABCO COMPUTER CONSULTANTS ========================= P.O. BOX 6672 Jacksonville, Florida, 32205-6672 904-783-3319 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport International Online Magazine Available through more than 10,000 Private BBS systems WorldWide! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" DECEMBER 13, 1991 16/32bit Magazine copyright 1987-91 No.7.49 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors/staff, PCReport, STReport, AMReport, MCReport. Permission to reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Each reprint must include the name of the publication, date, issue # and the author's name. The entire publication and/or portions therein may not be edited in any way without prior written permission. The entire contents, at the time of publication, are believed to be reasonably accurate. The editors, contributors and/or staff are not responsible for the use/misuse of infor- mation contained herein or the results obtained therefrom. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""