*---== ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---* """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine" from STR Publishing """""""""""""" July 10, 1992 No.8.28 ========================================================================== 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 Support BBS Network System * THE BOUNTY BBS * * TURBO BOARD BBS SYSTEM * FNET 350 ~ Fido 112:35 ~ TNET 100:2/0 904-786-4176 USR/HST 24hrs - 7 days 1200 - 19.2bps V.32 - 42 bis 16.8 Dual Standard FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EST ----------------------------------------- FNET.. 18 ~ TNET 100:3/0: ///Turbo Board BBS Support...1-416-274-1225 FNET.. 75 ~ TNET 100:28/0 Bloom County BBS.............1-415-965-9347 FNET. 350 ~ TNET 100:2/0 The Bounty **...1-904-786-4176 FNET. 489 ~ TNET 100:22/0 Steal Your Face BBS..........1-908-920-7981 FNET 1031 ~ TNET 100:1/0 <<< INTERNET - UK>>>.... 011-44-296-395-935 _____________________________________________________________________ > 07/10/92 STR 828 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!" """""""""""""""" - The Editor's Desk - CPU Report - PORTFOLIO NEWS - ONLINE GROWTH UP - NINTENDO LOSES! - THE "HOLE" STORY - MOD HACKERS BUSTED - LEGAL RIGHTS! - BLUE RIDGE FEST - BRODIE ON DELPHI - DRAGONWARE CO. - STR Confidential -* MORE FALCON SPECS! *- -* CIS MAUG POSTS REWARD! *- -* NEXT & ATARI?? *- ========================================================================== ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE The Original * Independent * Online Magazine -* FEATURING WEEKLY *- "Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information" Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports ========================================================================== STReport's BBS, The Bounty, invites BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the Fido/TurboNet/Atari F-Net Mail Network. You may also call our BBS direct at 904-786-4176, and enjoy the excitement of exchanging information relative to the Atari and other computers worldwide through the use of excellent International Messaging Networks. SysOps, worldwide, are quite welcome to join the STReport International Conferences. The Crossnet Code is #34813, and the "Lead Node" is # 350. All BBS systems are welcome and invited to actively participate. Support Atari Computers; Join Today! ========================================================================== CIS ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ FIDO ~ FNET ~ TNET ~ INTERNET EURONET ~ CIX ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ GENIE ========================================================================== 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 (July 9) VENDOR LISTING UPDATE BEING PREPARED... We're preparing an update to the VENDOR.DAT file that works with the VENDOR.ACC utility. (This is a quick and easy database of current vendors in the Atari community that runs as a .PRG or .ACC and written by Bill Aycock.) If you have any additions or corrections to our current information, please post a message or send an Email to Ron Luks 76703,254 or Bill Aycock 76703,4061 as soon as possible. INVISION ELITE INVISION Elite is a black and white paint program. It has been in intensive development over the past year and a half and is now being introduced to the market from Power Thought Software. Download the following files from LIBRARY 10 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS): INVIPR.TXT - Announcement of INVISION ELITE, mono paint program INVDM2.ARC - Demo of mono paint program, part 2 of 2 INVDM1.ARC - Demo of mono paint program, part 1 of 2 NEW IN ATARI VENDORS FORUM (GO ATARIVEN) Now available in LIBRARY 17 -- the newest Calamus SL demo. A big download, but worth it. Also look in Library 11 for PG22B.LZH, a patch for version 2.1 of PageStream updating it to version 2.2B. Brought to you by the folks at Soft-Logik. The folks from CODEHEAD TECHNOLOGIES have uploaded a series of files that will enable you to print out font charts of all the available URW fonts available for Calligrapher. The files are now available for most all printers in LIBRARY 16. NEW SYSOP IN ATARI 8-BIT FORUM Please join us in welcoming SYSOP*Jeff Kovach 70761,3015 to the staff of the Atari 8-Bit Forum (GO ATARI8). THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION "GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!" """""""""""""""""""""" "The Falcons are coming..." "its a sure thing..." "hey man, they'll be here in time for Christmas..." We've heard it all in the last few weeks. Truth is nobody knows for sure if they'll be here on time or in any appreciable numbers except Atari. Time will tell. I hope they clobber the computer markets worldwide with this new machine. We all need the enthusiasm fix. On another very sad note. It seems STReport does not provide a "significant value" to the ST RT. Therefore, the STReport Free Flag and Free ST.REPORT account have been cancelled by Darlah Potechin, head sysop of the ST RT. "Significant value" eh? Another "word game" . Try this on for size in the significant value department. [A] Twenty three thousand some odd downloads per year are insignificant? [B] Almost eleven megabytes (212 files) of uploads over the years are insignificant? [C] Over ninety seven thousand accesses over the years are insignificant? ... Yeah, right. Now, tell us all.. the _real reason_. Oh well... so be it. I had a paying account before I was given free access and I'll have a paying account once again. The nice part now is there are absolutely "no strings attached" any longer. If the costs of supporting the users becomes too expensive... well you all know the answer to that. I was informed though, by a little birdie, that the "main reason" for the punitive measures being taken was because STReport did not emphasize more toward the ST RT and less toward the other services, the reasoning being there is more activity in the ST RT and STReport was making all the services "appear equal". Talk about wanting "suggestive" composition. Truth is, we are here to support _all the services_ and their respective compliments of Atari users. Reciprocally, the services show their appreciation for the files and subscriber support by providing the free access. Honestly speaking, the ST RT is the only area on any of the services that has really ever complained and does so on an almost continuous basis directly and indirectly. Now they have the distinction of being the only ones ever to take such an negatively aggressive action in attempting to impose its will upon the press. On the other hand, GEnie itself, has treated STReport and its staff very well over the years. We have no complaint with GEnie's management. They have shown every courtesy and their genuine appreciation of our efforts at every opportunity. As always, we are and will remain dedicated to the users. STReport will never take on a "Pollyanna-like" attitude. We will continue to call 'em like we see 'em and provide the "other viewpoint". After all, its the users who expect the bottom line without the pap and they deserve to be told the real story. The truth is, its the _users_ who really support all of us and actually make everything happen. They are and will continue to be the _most valuable_ resource both Atari and the online services will ever have. Unfortunately, there are still those in this community who feel the Atari platform revolves around them instead. 'Tis time they realized they... like us are here to support the users.. all the users. The bright side of all this is the number of Atarians who have sent STReport a GOF (Gift of Time). These folks are truly made of the "right stuff" in our opinion. They actually typify the real Atarian, a free thinking, outspoken individual who enjoys using a high quality computer at an affordable price and won't stand still for unjustices of any kind. STReport will remain on GEnie due to the resounding support we've received in E-Mail and GOF support. Thank you everyone. Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine ps;our new address on GEnie is ST-REPORT THE STORM IS COMING! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! """""""""""""""" Publisher - Editor """""""""""""""""" Ralph F. Mariano PC DIVISION AMIGA DIVISION MAC DIVISION ----------- -------------- ------------ Roger D. Stevens Charles Hill R. ALBRITTON STReport Staff Editors: """"""""""""""""""""""" Lloyd E. Pulley Sr. Dana P. Jacobson Michael Arthur Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando Steve Spivey Doyle C. Helms Contributing Correspondents: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Michael Lee Richard Covert John Deegan Brian Converse Oliver Steinmeier Tim Holt Andrew Learner Norman Boucher Harry Steele Ben Hamilton Neil Bradley Eric Jerue Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing James Nolan Vernon W. Smith Bruno Puglia Clemens Chin IMPORTANT NOTICE """""""""""""""" Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc... via E-Mail to: Compuserve.................... 70007,4454 Delphi........................ RMARIANO BIX........................... RMARIANO FIDONET....................... 112/35 FNET.......................... NODE 350 NEST.......................... 90:19/350.0 GEnie......................... ST-REPORT """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS ================= Issue #28 Compiled by: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr. -- Online Services Grows 61% Since 1987 A new study estimates online services sales grew by 61.1% from 1987 to 1991 -- exceeding $9.6 billion last year -- and says sales are projected to increase another 48 percent in the next five years, yielding a $14.2 billion market by 1996. The 412-page "Online Services: 1992 Review, Trends and Forecast" study, written by analyst Chris Elwell and published by SIMBA Information Inc. of Wilton, Conn., also says: -:- There were 5.4 million online service subscribers at the end of 1991. -:- Leading online services posted a 6.7% sales increase in 1991 compared to 1990. "Real-time online services made up half of the industry's 1991 sales," SIMBA said in a statement. "Business-oriented online services accounted for 96% of 1991 sales. End user/consumer services were the fastest growing segment, but were 4% of industry sales. The report predicts an increase in this segment in the next five years of 145%." -- Dell Corp. Exec's Take 5% Pay Cut About 100 top-level executives at the Austin, Texas, Dell Computer Corp. are taking a 5% pay cut as part of the company's attempts to cut costs. -- U.S. to Ease Technology Export Controls According to Acting Under Secretary of Export Administration Joan McEntee, the U.S. is expected to further ease restrictions on high tech exports, but will not eliminate them entirely. McEntee said she will soon announce relaxed controls for selling computers to Russia and other former Soviet republics. She said computers were important to economic reform. -- Digital Replaces 425C with 450DX2 and Cuts Prices Digital Equipment Corp. struggling through hard times is replacing its DECpc 425c personal computer with a new model, the 450DX2, which the company says has twice the performance at the same price. The new 450DX2 features 4MB of memory and comes with either a 120MB or a 245MB hard disk drive. The 450DX2 is priced from $2,499 to $3,299. Digital also said it is cutting the base price for its entry-level DECpc 316sx to $935 from $1,449 and for its DECpc 320sx to $985 from $1,699. It is cutting prices for its 20MHz 486 PCs by 12 to 18%, and for its notebook DECpc 320P by 17 to 19%. Before the end of the year, Digital expects to roll out a new generation of computers based on a high-powered chip developed by the company called Alpha. -- CIS's MAUG Posts Reward to Catch Trojan Horse Uploader CIS's Apple Computer forums have posted a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who recently sub- mitted a "trojan horse" rogue program to the MAUG/Macintosh Communi- cations Forum's data libraries. The program, caught by the forum staff in a routine virus check, apparently was designed to initialize an Apple Macintosh hard disk and then destroy all files. -- PC Magazine Circulation Hits 1,000,000 PC Magazine says that with the current issue, it will become the world's first computer publication to pass the 1 million mark in paid circula- tion. The magazine said its paid circulation has grown from 112,140 during the first half of 1983 to an average of 921,652 for the six months ending last month. -- UniStor Announces 2.5" Battery-Powered Hard Drive UniStor Corp. today announced the new EasyStor(TM) Portable Data Module (PDM) for IBM(R) PC and compatibles. Battery-powered EasyStor PDMs pro- vide up to three hours of operation on a single charge and range in cap- acity from 40-meg to 180-meg. EasyStor's design allows connection to any standard parallel port and is operational within minutes. UniStor's EasyStor measures 3.4 inches by 1.3 inches by 6.9 inches and weighs less than one pound. EasyStor PDMs also provide users with the convenience and security bene- fits of a cartridge or optical drive without the drawbacks of expense and performance degradation, incompatibility or complicated installa- tion. -- NEW YORK-BASED COMPUTER RING CHARGED WITH INTRUSION, TAMPERING Five young New Yorkers wrecked a local TV station's education program, left electronic grafffiti on an NBC news show, and got 176 credit reports from the TRW credit information company according to a federal indictment charging them with breaking into computer systems. The computerists also allegedly broke into telephone switching computers operated by Southwestern Bell, New York Telephone, Pacific Bell, U.S. West and Martin Marietta Electronics Information and Missile Group. Southwestern Bell contends it lost some $370,000 in 1991 because of tampering by three of the defendants. The group, known as "MOD" which stood for either "masters of disaster" or "masters of deception," was accused in the federal indictment of breaking into computers "to harass and intimidate rival hackers and other people they did not like; to obtain telephone, credit, information and other services without paying for them; and to obtain passwords, account numbers and other things of value which they could sell to others." Indicted were Julio "Outlaw" Fernandez, 18; John "Corrupt" Lee, 21; Mark "Phiber Optik" Abene, 20; Elias "Acid Phreak" Ladopolous, 22; and Paul "Scorpion" Stira, 22. All are from New York City. The indictment alleges that on Nov. 28, 1989, MOD destroyed the informa- tion in the computer of New York's WNET Channel 13 Learning Link, a pro- gram that provided education and instructional material to schools and teachers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. -- Nintendo Finally Loses One? Industry sources are saying a federal court in San Francisco has ordered Nintendo of America Inc. to pay $15 million in damages to Lewis Galoob Toys Inc. Insiders are saying the court ordered the payment as compen- sation for a court-ordered one-year suspension of Lewis Galoob's sales of its Game Genie video game device, which Nintendo charged with infrin- gement of the computer game maker's copyrights. Nintendo is expected to appeal. ________________________________________________________________ > The Hole Story STR InfoFile .....a full-blown "ozone hole" """"""""""""""""""""""""""" THE HOLE STORY THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCARE by Ronald Bailey Reason Magazine, June 1992 In early February, scientists with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ominously warned that a full-blown "ozone hole" rivaling the one over Antarctica might open up over the United States during the spring, zapping Americans with damaging ultraviolet sunlight. Time showcased the story on the front cover of its February 17 issue, warning that "danger is shining through the sky.... No longer is the threat just to our future; the threat is here and now." Sen. Albert Gore (D-Tenn.) thundered, "We have to tell our children that they must redefine their relationship to the sky, and they must begin to think of the sky as a threatening part of their environment." Spooked by NASA, the Senate hastily passed, 96 to 0, an amendment demanding that President Bush speed up the schedule for phasing out the chemicals implicated in ozone destruction. Stung by the vote, Bush changed the deadline for a complete ban on the refrigerants known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from the year 2000 to the end of 1995. Although NASA did not acknowledge it, the "danger" of an ozone hole opening over the Northern Hemisphere had already passed less than a month after the putative crisis was announced. By late February, satellite data showed that levels of ozone-destroying chlorine monoxide had dropped significantly, and scientists could find no evidence of a developing ozone hole over the United States. One NASA atmospheric scientist told me that the agency "really jumped the gun," while another drily commented that "it was perhaps premature for NASA to say that something drastic was about to occur." Why the rush? Why did NASA bureaucrats and scientists feel they needed to frighten the American public? The NASA revelations were exquisitely timed to bolster the agency's budget request for its global climate change program, whose funding is slated to double by fiscal year 1993. "This is about money," Melvyn Shapiro, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told Insight magazine. "If there were no dollars attached to this game, you'd see it played in a very different way." One NASA atmospheric scientist even wondered if it was only a coincidence that Gore's new book of apocalyptic environmentalism, Earth in the Balance, was published just days before NASA held its ozone press conference. After all, Gore chairs the Subcommittee on Science, Space, and Technology, which oversees NASA's budget. And there was another reason for jumping the gun. Environmental activists and their sympathizers in Congress and the bureaucracy were anxious to push President Bush into attending the big United Nations "Earth Summit" in June. Gore likened the alleged ozone crisis to global warming and urged the president to sign the global climate change treaty that is the centerpiece of the Earth Summit. By now everyone (94 percent of Americans, according to one poll) has heard that Earth's protective ozone shield is wearing thin and even has a hole in it over the South Pole. The looming ozone catastrophe purportedly will bring humanity withered crops, collapsing terrestrial and marine ecosystems, skin-cancer epidemics, and populations with seriously compromised immune systems. The culprits in this drama are a group of industrial chemicals purveyed by greedy corporations to pampered and spoiled consumers. Ozone depletion is the perfect ecological morality play. In a morality play, unfortunately, there is no place for ambiguity. Yet the impact of CFCs on the ozone layer is a complex question that turns on murky evidence, tentative conclusions, conflicting interpretations, and changing predictions. It's tempting to ignore these complications, abandon critical thinking, and join in the popular call for *drastic action now*. But we do so only in defiance of reality, for it turns out that ozone depletion is less a crisis than a nuisance, one that can and should be dealt with in a calm, deliberate way. Ozone, which consists of three oxygen atoms, is produced when ultraviolet sunlight splits an oxygen molecule in two and the resulting single oxygen atoms combine with ordinary, two-atom oxygen molecules. Ozone in the stratosphere, some 12 to 40 kilometers above Earth's surface, is continuously produced and destroyed. This cycle of creation and destruction prevents energetic ultraviolet sunlight (in the 280-to-320-nanometer range) from reaching the surface, where it could damage the delicate proteins and DNA on organisms. Ozone is chiefly produced over the sunlight-drenched tropics, from which global air circulation transports it toward the poles. If all the ozone in the stratosphere were compressed to surface air pressures, it would make up a layer only one-eighth of an inch thick. The ozone layer first caught the public's attention in the late 1960s, when some scientists claimed that the exhaust gases of a fleet of 500 Supersonic Transports (SSTs) would erode it. Environmental activists leaped to oppose the SST program. Congress eventually killed the program, giving the emerging environmental movement its first major victory. Scientists later found that SSTs posed no great danger to the ozone layer. The current ozone "crisis" began in 1974, when chemist Sherwood Rowland and his post-graduate fellow Mario Molina calculated that chloro- fluorocarbons had the potential to deplete seriously the sheltering ozone layer. Rowland quipped to his wife, "The work is going well, but it looks like the end of the world." CFCs are extremely stable, nontoxic compounds widely used as coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners. CFCs escape and waft into the stratosphere, where energetic ultraviolet light breaks them down into the highly reactive elements chlorine and bromine. One chlorine or bromine atom can dismember thousands of ozone molecules. Rowland and Molina predicted that increasing levels of CFCs could lead to a 7-to-13-percent decline in stratospheric ozone during the next 100 years. In 1978, as the result of an environmentalist campaign, the United States became the first nation in the world to ban the use of CFCs as aerosol propellants. In the meantime, ozone depletion predictions fluctuated wildly as scientists calculated and recalculated what the effect of CFCs might be. In fact, by 1984, the National Academy of Sciences had concluded that total ozone might *increase* by 1 percent. Then came the Antarctic "ozone hole." British scientists detected a 50-percent decline in ozone just when spring came to the frigid continent in late September and early October of 1984. Many environmentalists and some scientists believed that the ozone hole was a smoking gun that could be traced directly to CFCs. But chlorine floating free in the atmosphere simply could not destroy ozone fast enough to cause the hole. A mechanism was needed. Scientists eventually focused on the thin and very cold ice clouds that float above Antarctica. These polar stratospheric clouds of water and nitrogen compounds form only in the months-long and exceedingly cold polar night. Every winter a strong and stable wind pattern called the polar vortex swirls around the outer margins of the Antarctic land mass. Because the air in the vortex is isolated from warmer air, it is chilled to below -80 degrees Celsius. Nitrogen oxides, which inhibit chlorine chemistry, freeze and drop out of the stratosphere, leaving chlorine and bromine atoms and chlorine monoxides free to attack ozone when the returning sun peeks over the horizon at the beginning of the Antarctic spring in September and October. In effect, the clouds are miniature chemical laboratories where chlorine and bromine reactions powered by sunlight catalytically destroy large quantities of ozone. As summer approaches, the clouds dissipate and the hole is filled with newly produced ozone and ozone flowing down as usual from the tropics. UV levels return to normal. In 1987, concern about the Antarctic ozone hole led 34 countries to reach an agreement in Montreal to cut world CFC production in half by the end of the century. In March 1988, the day after the U.S. Senate ratified the Montreal Protocol on Ozone, NASA's Ozone Trends Panel issued a report indicating that ozone levels over the Northern Hemisphere had been declining by 0.2 percent per year during the previous 17 years. Alarmed, the governments of 93 nations agreed in 1990 to phase out the production of most CFCs, halons, and carbon tetrachloride by the end of the century. They also set up a $240-million fund, to which the industrialized nations must contribute, intended to help the developing world adopt new, non-CFC-based refrigeration technologies. The U.S. share will total $40 million to $60 million. Since 1990, the rate of increase in CFCs in the atmosphere has begun to slacken, and atmospheric chlorine is expected to peak at a little over 4 parts per billion at the turn of the century. The chlorine level is expected to return to 2 parts per billion, the level at which the ozone hole first opened, after the middle of the next century. Despite these projections, a sense of impending doom pervades discussions of the ozone layer. Alarmists warn that the damage has already been done, and public expectations about the impact of ozone depletion are tinged with panic. Accounts in the mainstream news media ignore several key facts that would help to put the supposed hazards into perspective. For one thing, the ozone layer is not evenly distributed to begin with. Its depth is least over the equator, where UV light is strongest, and greatest over the poles, where UV light is weakest. There is generally twice as much ozone over the high latitudes as at the tropics. A 5-percent decline in the ozone layer would increase UV exposure about as much as moving a mere 60 miles south - the distance from Palm Beach to Miami, from Seattle to Tacoma. Furthermore, UV light increases at higher elevations, so people who live in mile-high Denver receive much higher UV exposure than do citizens of Philadelphia, which is located at the same latitude. Yet few people factor the risk of UV exposure into their decisions about where to live. Furthermore, Goddard Space Flight Center scientist Arlen Krueger, who is in charge of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, points out that ozone levels over the United States fluctuate naturally by as much as 50 percent. These periodic wide swings in ozone have no apparent effect on people, plants, or animals. "There is no question that terrestrial life is adapted to UV," says Alan Teramura, a professor of botany at the University of Maryland and probably the world's leading expert on the effects of UV on terrestrial plants. He adds, "Even at a 20-percent decline in ozone we are not going to burn up all the plants on the surface of the Earth or kill all of the people. We wouldn't see plants wilting or fruits dropping unripened from their vines." What would occur would be "subtle shifts" among plants: Those less sensitive to UV would outcompete the more sensitive species. More UV would lead to a gradual shift in the plant communities we would see around us. The impact on plants, if any, by a 5-percent decline in ozone would be masked by the greater effects of other climate factors, such as drought, pests, and frosts. Some crop varieties are sensitive to UV, so lower yields could result. For example, Teramura found a 25-percent reduction in yield after exposing one very sensitive variety of soybeans to a UV level corresponding to a 16-percent decrease in ozone. Apocalyptic environmentalists repeat this finding endlessly as evidence of the dire effects we can expect from a thinner ozone layer. But they fail to mention that Teramura also found several types of soybeans that actually boosted their yields under increased UV, while others were unaffected. Teramura has discovered large variations in UV sensitivity among different types (cultivars) of soybeans, corn, rice, and wheat. He tested 100 cultivars, including 40 types of soybeans, and found that 41 were unaffected by or tolerant of UV. Teramura tested his plants at UV levels corresponding to 16-percent and 25-percent reductions in ozone - decreases that no responsible scientist predicts. Teramura's results mean that, in the unlikely event that a thinning ozone layer ever becomes a real problem, crop yields could be maintained by selecting UV-tolerant varieties. Famine would not result from reduced ozone. This conclusion is bolstered by the fact that in Minnesota UV levels are half those of Georgia and Florida, yet corn and soybean yields in the South generally exceed those in the North. The U.S. breadbasket is not on the verge of being blasted out of existence by UV leaking through a newly porous ozone layer. In fact, corn, wheat, rice, and oats all grow in a wide variety of UV environments now. Teramura's bottom line: "I would start getting concerned at a 10% decline in ozone." Concerned, but not panicked. And he means a sustained 10-percent reduction, not transient fluctuations. So a small decline in the ozone layer poses no great problem for the world's ecosystems. But what about the Antarctic ozone hole that we hear so much about? Isn't UV frying the penguins and the phytoplankton, bringing the ecosystem of the Southern Hemisphere to the verge of collapse? Marine ecologist Susan Weiler testified in 1991 at a hearing held by Sen. Gore that scientists had measured phytoplankton growth-reductions of 6 percent to 12 percent around Antarctica. Marine ecologist Osmond Holm-Hansen of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography gently dismisses Weiler as "more of a politician than a scientist." Since 1988, Holm-Hansen has been intensively studying the effects of UV on phytoplankton, the tiny marine plants at the base of Antarctica's food chain. He found that increased UV may reduce total phytoplankton growth in the full water column by 5 percent at most. He adds that even if there were reductions of 6 percent to 12 percent in phytoplankton growth rates, this would mean a 2-to-4-percent overall reduction in the course of a year, which is well within natural variations in the Antarctic ecosystem. Holm-Hansen also points out that Antarctic phytoplankton naturally tolerate similar levels of UV during the Antarctic summer and that phytoplankton are able to adapt to higher UV levels. "Unlike the scare stories you hear some scientists spreading, the Antarctic ecosystem is absolutely not on the verge of collapsing due to increased ultraviolet light," he insists. Even oceanographer Raymond Smith, who reported the 6-to-12-percent growth-rate declines, acknowledges that "the whole ecosystem does not appear to be collapsing." Ecological apocalyptics also predict that reduced global ozone will mean massive increases in skin-cancer rates. Most light-skinned people are painfully familiar with the damage that UV light can cause - namely, sunburns. The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer is strongly correlated with exposure to UV light. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency predicts that every 1-percent reduction in the ozone layer will cause a 3-percent increase in non-melanoma skin cancers. But Temple University dermatologist Dr. Frederick Urbach, a consultant to the U.N. panel on ozone depletion, says the EPA's extrapolations are not very reliable. "You can crunch numbers in a computer and get whatever result you want to come out," Urbach says. He notes that skin-cancer rates have been going up dramatically in recent decades but adds that "the increases are due to people spending more time outside, not more UV." Moreover, the death rate for non-melanoma skin cancer is negligible, less than 1 percent. "It takes real talent for someone to die of non-melanoma skin cancer," Urbach says. "You basically have to ignore a hole in your skin for years." The weak evidence that UV may slightly lower the body's immunological defenses (after all, sunburn damages the body's largest organ, the skin) has also been greatly exaggerated. Gore and environmentalist Paul Ehrlich even hint that increased UV may make the AIDS epidemic more virulent. By contrast, Johns Hopkins University dermatologist Dr. Warwick Morison says the evidence for UV immunosuppression in human beings is "very incomplete." Apocalyptics are also fanning fears of UV-induced epidemics. But the United Nations Environmental Program says "it should be stressed that the activation of viruses by UV is unlikely to result in an increased rate of infection." In other words, no epidemics due to thinning ozone. In any case, it's not even clear that global ozone is really declining. University of Virginia environmental scientist S. Fred Singer notes that extracting tiny trends from the data is fraught with difficulty because the "natural variability [in ozone levels] is hundreds of times larger than the alleged steady change." In the 1960s the ozone layer "thickened" by 5 percent over the United States. The "thinning" in the 1980s just about brings ozone down to earlier levels, which were not thought to be harmful at the time. In March, meteorologist Dirk De Mure and his colleagues at the Belgian Meteorological Institute published a study showing that the instruments used to measure ozone have probably mistaken reductions in atmospheric sulfur dioxide (due to air-pollution controls) for declines in global ozone. The reduced sulfur dioxide, they wrote, "has induced a fictitious Dobson total ozone trend of -1.69% per decade." The researchers found that, once the sulfur-dioxide trends are taken into account, there appears to be a small upward trend in global ozone. If ozone has declined globally, scientists should be able to measure an increase in ultraviolet light at the surface. Yet there is no evidence of increased UV reaching the surface in the Northern Hemisphere. In fact, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist John Delouisi reports that the network of Robertson-Berger meters that measure UV showed "an average surface ultraviolet radiation trend of -8 percent from 1974 to 1985 using RB-meter data from eight stations located in mainland United States." Furthermore, UV flux in the rural midlatitude Northern Hemisphere (the United States) has declined by between 5 percent and 18 percent during this century, according to NOAA scientist Shaw Liu. He attributes the lessened UV to an increase in clouds and low-level haze resulting from industrial activities. University of Virginia meteorologist Patrick Michaels points out that if we were somehow to eliminate the haze, "the increase in skin cancer would far outweigh anything caused by what we may have done to the midlatitude stratosphere." Moreover, it's wrong to draw conclusions about what might happen to the stratosphere over the United States based on the Antarctic ozone hole. "It's a purely localized phenomenon," says Guy Brasseur at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. The polar vortex limits its size. Brasseur expects the hole to disappear when chlorine levels drop below 2 parts per billion in the next century. Conditions are less conducive to ozone destruction at the North Pole than at the South Pole. In contrast to Antarctica, the Arctic polar vortex tends to break up before sunlight can reach it, owing to atmospheric turbulence caused by the more variable geography of the Northern Hemisphere. And the North Polar stratosphere warms up quickly in the spring, so whatever chlorine monoxide forms is broken down and bound up in nitrogen compounds that inhibit its ability to destroy ozone. So why the furor over a possible ozone hole in the Northern Hemisphere earlier this year? The chief reason is that atmospheric scientists detected elevated levels (1.5 parts per billion) of ozone-destroying chlorine monoxide. Despite the crisis atmosphere generated by NASA's publicity in February, scientists had been predicting since last summer that ozone might decline substantially in 1992. Although all the evidence is not yet in, the chlorine-monoxide peak in the Northern Hemisphere appears to be the result of the 20 million tons of sulfur blasted into the atmosphere during the June eruption of the Philippine volcano Mount Pinatubo. In the atmosphere, volcanic sulfur is transformed into sulfuric acid droplets, which act like polar stratosphere clouds by sequestering the nitrogen compounds that inhibit the formation of chlorine monoxide. Linwood Callis, a scientist in the Atmospheric Sciences Division at NASA's Langley Research Center, found that after the Mexican El Chichon volcano erupted in the early 1980s, ozone was significantly reduced worldwide. David Hofmann, senior scientist in NOAA's Ozone and Aerosols Group, told Insight: "I couldn't understand why NASA didn't come out and say that this could be a very unusual year because of the volcanic eruptions, that maybe what we're seeing is something that we'll never see again." Despite elevated levels of chlorine monoxide and the attendant NASA hype, scientists found no evidence of an ozone hole opening up over the Northern Hemisphere this past spring. A small Arctic ozone hole could develop during an exceptionally cold, still winter, but it would be a rare and transitory occurrence. A Northern Hemisphere ozone hole, if it ever occurred, would happen in February and early March, when people are generally indoors or are well covered and sunlight is weak. While the current scientific consensus is that CFCs are responsible for the Antarctic ozone hole, some distinguished scientists still think that it may turn out to be a natural and transitory phenomenon. The University of Virginia's Singer points out that G. M. B. Dobson, the inventor of the machine that measures ozone, reported very low ozone values - only 150 Dobson units - over Halley Bay, Antarctica, in 1956 and 1957. (By contrast, in the 1960s and '70s, the level was more than 300 Dobson units.) Two French scientists recently published data showing pronounced ozone decreases, down to 120 Dobson units, during the Antarctic spring in 1958. These measurements were taken years before CFCs could have caused any such decline. NOAA meteorologist Walter Komhyr links both Antarctic and global ozone depletion to sea-surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Analyzing data from the last 25 years, Komhyr and his colleagues found that when the eastern equatorial Pacific cooled between 1962 and 1975, global ozone increased. Conversely, when temperatures warmed between 1976 and 1988, ozone declined worldwide. Warm sea-surface temperatures dampen the circulation patterns that replenish ozone supplies at the poles with the huge quantities of ozone produced in the tropics. Warm sea-surface temperatures also retard the winds that break up the circumpolar vortex at the beginning of the Antarctic spring. A stable vortex prevents stratospheric warming that would short-circuit the ozone-destroying chlorine chemistry, which can take place only at temperatures below -80 degrees Celsius. After Komhyr published these data, he says, a number of atmospheric chemists chewed him out because they thought his findings might hurt funding for their CFC projects. If the Antarctic ozone hole may not be due solely to CFCs, what about global reductions in ozone levels? The U.N.'s 1991 Scientific Assessment of the Stratospheric Ozone acknowledges that "there is not a full accounting of the observed downward trends in global ozone." The panel nevertheless insists on attributing global ozone losses chiefly to chlorine and bromine reactions, apparently because they "are the only ones for which direct evidence exists." In other words, we'll blame CFCs because it's the only explanation we have right now. As noted earlier, however, NOAA's Komhyr thinks that some of the decline in global ozone is caused by changes in atmospheric circulation. Since the mid-1970s, he explains, weaker tropical winds have failed to transport ozone-enriched air from the equator to the higher latitudes. Callis, the NASA scientist, analyzes the destructive effects on ozone of highly energetic electrons, the sunspot cycle, volcanic eruptions, the dilution effect from the Antarctic ozone hole, and changing tropical wind patterns. "CFCs come in a very poor last as the cause for lower levels of global ozone," Callis says. He calculates that fully "73 percent of the global O3 [ozone] declines between 1979 and 1985 are due to natural effects related to solar variability." He also points out that global ozone made "a significant recovery between 1985 and May of 1990." Since we passed the solar maximum in 1991, ozone levels will decline naturally until the buildup to the next solar maximum begins later in the decade. Environmentalists often decry the 14 years supposedly lost to inaction after Rowland and Molina first made their predictions about CFCs and ozone. But it's not as if there was nothing to lose by imposing an immediate ban. Environmentalists tend to discount the real and substantial contribution to human well-being that CFCs have made. Cheap refrigeration made possible by CFCs has been a tremendous boon. For millennia people died because they could not prevent food from rotting or becoming contaminated with disease organisms. Cheap refrigeration permits fresh and healthy food to be transported by truck, train, and boat to markets thousands of miles from where it is grown and harvested. Primitive methods of long-term food preservation, such as salting and smoking, filled foods with large quantities of potent carcinogens. CFC-based refrigeration saved millions of lives and enabled billions of people to enjoy much better diets of fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables. Environmentalists can now point to new substitutes for CFCs. But many are toxic and flammable, making them far more dangerous to handle. In addition, the substances cost three to five times more. The extra cost will delay the spread of desperately needed refrigeration to the developing world, where food spoilage is a huge problem. It is probably inevitable that many people will continue to go hungry because of the CFC ban. Aside from the cost of a ban, governments and companies have had to contend with ambiguous data and shifting conclusions about the impact of CFCs on the ozone layer. How many times have theories, put forth in good faith, been shown later to be wrong? In the 1972 Club of Rome report The Limits to Growth, a very distinguished group of scientists, including Jay Forrester and Dennis and Donella Meadows, warned humanity that we would run out of oil in only 20 years. Our government acted on that prediction, making energy conservation the "moral equivalent of war," and ended up wasting billions of dollars on subsidies for synthetic fuel programs. Or consider the dire predictions of activists like Jeremy Rifkin, who warned that biotechnology would let deadly new microbes run amok and upset the balance of nature. Had we acted on such fears and banned biotechnology in the 1970s, humanity would have forgone the new miracle drugs and agricultural products that now promise to alleviate the suffering of the sick and the hunger of the poor. Today scientists agree that early concerns about the hazards of biotechnology were overblown, and the Bush administration recently moved to speed up approval of drugs produced through genetic manipulation. There's ample reason to doubt the similarly catastrophic warnings about CFCs and the ozone layer. It's instructive to recall that climate alarmists Stephen Schneider and Carl Sagan claimed for years that CFCs were particularly potent greenhouse gases, contributing as much as 25 percent to increased global temperatures. But they failed to take into account the first law of ecology: Everything is connected to everything else. Ozone, too, is a potent greenhouse gas, and so when CFCs destroy it the atmosphere tends to cool. According to NASA, ozone decreases largely offset predicted increases in global temperatures due to CFCs. "What had been thought was a major greenhouse gas turns out to be having a cooling effect," noted EPA Administrator William Reilly. Nevertheless, despite a great deal of continuing scientific uncertainty, it appears that CFCs do contribute to the creation of the Antarctic ozone hole and perhaps to a tiny amount of global ozone depletion. If CFCs were allowed to build up in the atmosphere during the next century, ozone depletion might eventually entail significant costs. More ultraviolet light reaching the surface would require adaptation - switching to new crop varieties, for example - and it might boost the incidence of nonfatal skin cancer. In light of these costs, it makes sense to phase out the use of CFCs. But ozone depletion is certainly not the "global emergency" that environmentalists like Friends of the Earth's Elizabeth Cook say it is. The normal processes of science and democratic decision making have proved adequate to correct what might have become a significant problem. In 1990 our national and international institutions hammered out an agreement to control CFCs, the Montreal Protocol, that takes the interests of all affected groups into account (though imperfectly). Calls to abandon a moderate course of action and push up the deadline for the CFC ban are based on exaggerated fears and unrealistic predictions. On the evidence so far, despite the lurid crisis mongering of radical environmentalists, waiting for more information on CFCs and ozone did not cause any great harm to people or to Earth's ecosystems, nor will it. Radical environmentalists argue that the experience with ozone depletion should teach us to respond swiftly and dramatically to the threat of global warming. Rafe Pomerance of the World Resources Institute says the international negotiations over CFCs were merely the dress rehearsal for drastic reductions in carbon-dioxide emissions aimed at preventing global climate change. While replacing CFCs eventually will cost billions, the price tag for abating carbon dioxide could run as high as $600 billion *a year*, according to Maurice Strong, secretary-general of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. He adds that the industrialized nations will have to provide $70 billion more in aid to developing countries each year to help them lower carbon-dioxide emissions. The environmentalists are right to suggest that the example of ozone depletion is relevant to the debate over global warming. But the example indicates that we should be skeptical of environmental "crises." The relevant lesson is not, "He who hesitates is lost," but rather, "Look before you leap." Contributing Editor Ronald Bailey, producer of the weekly PBS series Technopolitics, is writing a book on apocalyptic environmentalism to be published by St. Martin's Press. _____________________________________________________________ > STR Portfolio News & Information Keeping up to date... """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM """"""""""""""""""""""""" On CompuServe! by Judith Hamner 72257,271 Our German friends have uploaded several new Pbasic programs. Many of them have the prompts in German, but this should not present too much of a problem in use. ZEIT.BAS is a clock program that will beep once every minute. HEXDEZ.BAS will convert from hex to decimal. The program can handle very large numbers. EFFZIN.BAS will calculate the real interest rate for a loan. ASCI.BAS displays all of the ASCII characters with their numeric values. The latest version of Pbasic is available in the forum library. Don Thomas of Atari has uploaded a letter written to the editor of PC Laptop in response to an article in the July issue. See PCLAP.TXT for his comments. More information is available for those considering attendending the Connecticut AtariFest. CTSTAY.TXT contains information on various lodging options including hotels and B&B's. The file also contains local tourist attractions. EAPB.EXE contains another demo which runs on IBM compatible PC's. This is an electronic version of the APB. LISP-T.COM is a tutorial on LISP programming in PREAD format. Another PREAD file is KLING.COM, a tutorial on the Klingon language for Star Trek fans. For a pleasant diversion YAGO.EXE offers Yet Another Game of Othello, the popular board game. What is your HQ? Find out with the Hacker Quiz. This amusing test is offered in two versions. HQUIZ.EXE offers the test with computer scoring. HACKER.COM contains a text file of the questions in PREAD format without the scoring feature. *********************************************************************** IMPORTANT NOTICE! ================= STReport International Online Magazine is available every week in the ST Advantage on DELPHI. STReport readers are invited to join DELPHI and become a part of the friendly community of Atari enthusiasts there. SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI ====================== Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access DELPHI services via a local phone call JOIN -- DELPHI -------------- Via modem, dial up DELPHI at 1-800-695-4002 then... When connected, press RETURN once or twice and... At Password: type STREPORT and press RETURN. DELPHI's Basic Plan offers access for only $6.00 per hour, for any baud rate. The $5.95 monthly fee includes your first hour online. If you spend more than 200 minutes online a month, you'll save money by enrolling in DELPHI's optional 20/20 Advantage Plan. You'll enjoy up to 20 hours online each month for the ridiculously low price of just $20.00! And if you go over that 20 hours, the rate goes up to only $1.20, still 1/5th the price of other services. There is no signup fee for joining the Basic Plan. There is a fee of $39 when you join the 20/20 Advantage Plan, a one-time $19 signup fee and your first month's $20 fee. These connect rates apply for access via Tymnet or SprintNet (within the continental United States) during home time (7 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and all day weekends) or via direct dial around the clock. Telecom surcharges apply for daytime or international access via Tymnet or SprintNet. See Using DELPHI online for detailed information on telecom surcharges. For more information, call: DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-544-4005 DELPHI is a service of General Videotex Corporation of Cambridge, Mass. :IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: DELPHI INTRODUCES THE 10/4 PLAN. Effective July 1, 1992, all Basic Plan members will be upgraded to the 10/4 Plan and receive 4 hours of usage each month for only $10! For full details, type GO USING RATES. SprintNet home time to begin at 6:00 p.m.! Effective July 1, 1992, you may access DELPHI via SprintNet beginning at 6:00 p.m. local time without incurring a telecom surcharge. To find the SprintNet node nearest you, type GO USING ACCESS. DELPHI- It's getting better all the time! *********************************************************************** > BRODIE ON DELPHI! STR FOCUS! Delphi's Informal Conference w/Brodie """"""""""""""""""""""""""" CHIT/CHAT AT ITS BEST ===================== JDBARNES> Gordie. before you came I was saying that it would be nice to talk about getting Atari users to unite. Shall we take a vote? .Gordie> JD, I think you're right. There is a certain strength to be gained in numbers. But, the motives of the group can't be co-opted to serve a single person or group's agenda. JDBARNES> Gordie, I do think that Atari users can gain a lot by facing up to the fact that they have to provide most of the support they need on their own. .Jerry> Hey, I realized THAT years ago. That's why I joined DELPHI! .Gordie> But, the group has to be lead in such a way as to ensure that it represents the will of the group, and not just the leaders. JDBARNES> I agree completely. I feel that the AUA made a mistake by not providing for renewal of its leadership. Jerry, there are many people in the community who do not use the online resources. .MegaSTer7> Leadership is a precious and rare commodity. So few have any... .Jerry> Oh, I agree, JD, but "support" has to start with some sort of existing communications NET i.e. DELPHI, GEnie, Compu$pend .Gordie> Exactly, JD. Without an accessible structure, it's not worth joining. IMHO. JDBARNES> Actually the interests of the user community and ATari are some what divergent. Atari needs to sell computers. The users need to help each other understand what they have. Atari gains precious little by providing the kind of support the users need. .Gordie> Not necessarily, JD. By supporting the customers you already have, you gain their respect. Which translates into word-of-mouth advertising. You can't buy that kind of advertising. .Hudson> They gain little in the short-run but they would make up for that in the long-run. KENHELMS> Are other user groups having as much trouble retaining old members and attracting new members as ours is? .Dana> Yes, Ken, we're a dying breed. .JJ> Yea, our User group is all but dead... .JD> With regard to the user groups, I think that problem is epidemic. .JD> Don't forget, Gordie, that most of the problems users encounter are with stuff from third parties. Atari has no effective way to provide that breadth of support. .Gordie> True. That's something that the developers need to do, possibly as a group. KENHELMS> Our group is far from dead, if fact we are probably the most active group in the area. But we used to have around 100 members (5 years ago) and now we are probably around 30. .Jerry> I agree, Gordie. I am constantly referring my local ATARIANS to the computer stores I have received the best service/prices from... and often send them to the Mail order houses! .Raven> I think we have about 40+ active in our group still. .JD> Kenhelms, the group I belong to was at 300 people 7 years ago. .JJ> we have about 4-5 avg show up at our group.... *sigh* .Raven> We used to be over 500. .JD> Another one in the area was at 800. Now we get about 10 and they get about 30. .Raven> Our membership has increased a little this year. .MegaSTer7> 40-50 in Orlando, with perhaps a little over half really active. .JD> Gordie, the developers need help on this too. Note that the IAAD has only about 60 members. Most of the powerhouses really do not belong, especially the foreign ones. .Gordie> True, JD, and many of the members have a hard time sharing information. They think it'll hurt their business, so instead of cooperation, they jealously guard what they have. .Raven> We were down to about 20. .Jerry> But what is the difference in the activity level and events AT these meetings between now and back then JD? .JD> Jerry, the interest in the library is less, but the tutorials have about the same interest. .MRainey> How far do you guys have to drive to get with a group? The nearest one to me is at least four hours away. .Raven> Used to be 10 minutes. I moved so it is about 30 mins. .Jerry> John, are you still in Riverside? .Raven> Yes, I am still in Riverside, but I belong to a group in Orange. .MegaSTer7> 18-20 min here... .JJ> our group meets one block from my Apt... < so I usually get to bring the equipment :) .MRainey> I use Delphi as a substitute for a user group, I guess. .H.> Fort Wayne has several computer user's groups. The IBMers don't want you unless you are a power business user. The Mac users are a bunch of snobs. Amiga users group tends to fade in and out. One of the most consistent groups in town is a TI99 users group (go figure). .Jerry> I would think that an Atari user group WOULD have difficulty staying focused. I only know a few users and we all use our Ataris for VASTLY different things. .JD> Our local Mac group still gets 200 or so to the meetings. No snobbishness that I have seen. The IBM group has a mailing list of 5,000 for their magazine. .JD> One example of a useful activity for as larger scale organization would be the publication of an index of all available software. .Gordie> Excellent idea, JD. And one that the IAAD could help with, thereby showing their dedication to the user. .Dana> I thought that the IAAD already put together that list of software?! .JD> Another idea would be training videos in some of the productivity software. .Gordie> They have a list, but how extensive it is... Who knows? .Gordie> The IAAD product brochure was a voluntary effort. Not all developers partook of the opportunity to display their wares. .JD> Oh, the IAAD brochure. Pretty slim pickings, but a step in the right direction. .Dana> According to Brodie. only 20% of Atari users own modems! .JD> I believe that 20% figure. .Dana> That's too low to be believeable, JD. .Raven> I don't think Bob will get the response he is looking for on here. .JD> No, Dana, I have checked it with our own people, and they are the ones who are more likely to use modems. I think Bob is getting exactly the response he is looking for. It would be nice, but almost impossible, to surprise him. .Raven> I had to bug him constantly and almost beg him to come over here. I think he is just going to sign us off now. .Gordie> I think if he'd take the numbers into consideration, he might find that he gets a better response, as a percentage of the total users, here, than the raw numbers might indicate. .JD> The whole thing was a lot of foolishness. Atari should pursue their self-interest wherever they see it. .JD> I think that another service that the user organization could offer to the magazines is an improved PD watch. They are usually way late and way off base. .Gordie> But, JD, is that more a function of publishing deadlines than anything? .JD> Not entirely, Gordie. They often have no idea of the the true effectiveness of the stuff they do highlight. ** BOBBRO just joined "Weekly CO..." (15 members now) ** .Gordie> Hi, Bob! .Terry> Evening, Bob. .Hudson> Hi Bob! BOBBRO> Good evening, all! .MegaSTer7> HIya BOB!!!!! And the MEGA STe is PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .Raven> Good evening Bob. .Hudson> What's new Bob!!???!! .H> Good evening Bob! BOBBRO> Hello, John! How's life with a daughter!! :) .Raven> She's great Bob! .JJ> My MSTe is less than perfect *sigh* .Jerry> Actually we were debating the User Group/Online situation...which is better, should cost be the determining factor in choosing an online service...etc. .Raven> I have seen some reports/Rumors on the Falcon. Can we get any stats on it yet Bob? BOBBRO> Jerry, well they all have their pros and cons. Part of it is a question of international support (which is more of our pain than it is for the average user). I don't think Delphi has international connections yet, which is something of a limitation. None of the services cover the globe YET, which means that they all have some attraction! And of course, NONE of them charge the same rate across the globe. So pricing isn't even a commonality. Pretty amazing, eh? .MegaSTer7> Mr. Brodie, is it 16/32 Mhz software selectable? .Jerry> This is an "unofficial" conference, Bob, so we'l ALL keep our lips shut! .JJ> Bob, do you have any idea WHY there are some 2.05 1.44 MSTe folks who can use 1.44 with no problem, and others that cannot use it at all reliably? .Raven> Can we get some real Stats on what it will be/have/do/etc? .Jerry> Unofficial stats, that is. .JD> Bob, how does the rollout in BOston look right now? BOBBRO> Hmmm, can't give real hard stats yet. Care to be more specific?? .Raven> I saw some stats from overseas. Impressive. I was wondering about the validity of them. BOBBRO> John, some of them are accurate, some of them are WAY offbase. I can say that it has a 68030 in it, a DSP chip, a 1040 case... True SCSI, lots of colors, dynamite sound. And you're gonna ... want to have more than one of them!! :) Oh yes, and MultiTOS!! .Jerry> Why would I want MultiTos AND more than one computer, kind of redundant, eh? .JD> No, Jerry, think of all the Mac IIs that are networked under MultiFinder. .Raven> There was mention of a slot for a 386sx card. .JD> Can MultiTOS be switched off for the host of applications that are hostile to it? BOBBRO> John, sorry no comment on specific speeds, or bus info. Soon!!!:) .JD> I think that 16 MHz with MultiTOS will be a good start. Let the high speed mavens wait for something better. BOBBRO> JD, MultiTOS is still undergoing some enhancements. So I'm not sure what the correct answer is to your question. So far, I haven't found too many applications that don't work well with it. To be sure, there will be those that want to run Chaos Strikes Back and PageStream at the same time. :) .JD> Just take a look at any application that builds its own desktop. That is hostile to MultiTOS. .Gordie> Realistically folks, wouldn't it be best if they actually got them out the door, and worry about enhancements later? The whole community needs the boost in sales, soon. Tricking it up can wait. .H> What is Atari bring to show at MIST later this month? BOBBRO> Haven't decided what I'll bring yet, Hudson. .Raven> Will we see the Falcon at Glendale? BOBBRO> There is an excellent chance of that, yes John. .Raven> COOOOLLL!!!!! .JD> Bob, could you comment on the nature of the "rollout" in Boston? BOBBRO> The event in Boston is a general meeting of the Boston Computer Society. One of the most prestigous computing groups in the world. Their membership is among the most influential in the world for many of them also are computing professionals, like the staff at BYTE Magazine is part of BCS, as is Stewart Alsop, Editor of InfoWorld Magazine, and many others. Virtually every significant computer has been shown at a General Meeting of the BCS. Of cours that also includes the original Atari 520 ST back in 1985. The NeXT was also first shown at a BCS Meeting. So our hope is that this exposure will aid us in recapturing the attention of the computing world by showing the Falcon 030 at a BCS Meeting. This is not to say that it is the end all and be all, but that it would be an excellent place to START such an effort. whew.. .Jerry> Bob, will Atari ever go back to designing and supporting basic software packages for their computers like you did in the early days? BOBBRO> We have a number of projects in the works that I think will meet your expectations, Jerry. .Jerry> Oh, no expectations, Bob. Just curious. After all, you're the only ones in a position to be ABLE to develop cutting edge software at the SAME TIME as the new hardware! .JD> Jerry, from what I hear hey are doinga good job of getting machines to developers for that work. .JD> Thanks, Bob, I think thatexplains it nicely. Does it mean that the machines wil be availbale to the public shortly thereafter? BOBBRO> If shortly means later this year, yes. .Hudson> Bob, is Atari going to be present at Connecticut? BOBBRO> Hudson, yes...I will be there as will Bill Rehbock .Hudson> With the Falcon? BOBBRO> Probably not. .MegaSTer7> Bob, just how compatible/incompatible will the Falcon be to present ST/STe/TT software? BOBBRO> Applications will prove to be highly compatible. Many games ... will do fine, too. However some of the old stuff WILL fail. .Gordie> Some of the old stuff fails on my STe. Such is life. .Jerry> Well, that's expected. When you make VAST improvement to any system, that includes phasing out some "loved" old things. The best of the best will get upgraded to match the newer technology...they rest will become fond memories. BOBBRO> We do have a goodly number of Falcons out to developers now, which I personally regard as a GREAT sign. .Gordie> Europe or US, or both? BOBBRO> Both. .Hudson> You mentioned NeXT.. Is there any truth that there is a "meeting of minds" between Atari and NeXT? BOBBRO> Hudson...no comment. :) .Jerry> I take that as comment in itself, Bob. :-) .Gordie> Aha! New rumor! Ross Perot buys Atari, merges it with NeXT. BOBBRO> I figured that you would! Gordie, that's OLD news!! .Hudson> I'm buying 3000 shares tomorrow!! .Gordie> hehehehehe BOBBRO> One of the columnists in NeXT World started that months ago! Actually, I've been fooling around with a NeXT some at a class that I'm taking. A TT blows it's doors off. It's an impressive machine, but for all the horsepower it has, I think it's slow. .Jerry> I think we all know that we have secretly had the most powerful computers for years...eh? .JD> Bob, I think that is a consequence of Unix. BOBBRO> Good possibliity, JD. What ever causes it, it's there! .JD> All those little daemons have to be fed. .Hudson> How has the response to the LYNX Batman Return add been? (have) BOBBRO> It's been selling VERY well. We're quite pleased!! .Sky> Bob, is Atari making any add-ons for TT, to keep it up w/Falcon? .JD> Up with? It's still the top of the line. .Sky> Colors, resolutions, etc? Digital Stereo etc? .Gordie> Those could be boards. There are third party boards out now. Should Atari compete with them? BOBBRO> The TT offers a VME slot for those things to be handled with. .Gordie> Competing with your own developers is not a good way to keep them happy. BOBBRO> Digital Stereo is something that a couple of music developers have provided for some time now. .JD> Right, Gordie, the third party world is more flexible with that stuff. .Ken> What is available for the VME slot (compatible with my MSTe)? BOBBRO> Graphics Boards are available for the VME Slot. Crazy Dots from Gribnif is GREAT! .JD> Bob, could you give a brief list? .Hudson> B ut will it be compatible in three years (Crazy Dots) BOBBRO> Yes, it will. They did a really GOOD job with the product. .JD> Do you still need a second monitor with Crazy Dots? BOBBRO> Depends on what rez you want to run, JD .JD> 256 colors Bob. BOBBRO> JD, in what rez? 1280x960x256 is a pricey monitor!!! .JD> I could be happy with 640 x 480. I only have room for one monitor on my desk. 1024x768 would be OK. BOBBRO> You can probably use the exisiting color monitors then. .JD> But I need Crazy Dots to give the extra colors, right? BOBBRO> Yes, on a Mega STE you need a board to get those results. .Sky> What is the highest res. colors that a PTC1426 will handle? BOBBRO> I've put the 1426 at 800x600x256 .Jerry> Bob, this is a wierd question and I may be speaking from a faulty standpoint (my info that is,), but as I understand the IBM world history, they made their technology accessible to the business world by releasing the technical designs to allow for other companies to create hardware. Eventually this led to a plethora of companies creating, selling, supporting and developing for IBM "compatible" machines. I wonder if Atari has ever considered what would happen if you followed a similar tactic. Once many companies are creating and supporting Atari "clones" won't that eventually have the same effect on ATARI'S bottomline by increasing knowledge, awareness and desire for this "new" (to them), inexpensive, powerful and easy to find computer system(s)? It's hard to "let go", but the idea of greater returns in the long run (MUCH GREATER) would make it worth it. BOBBRO> Jerry....ask IBM what they think of all the clones! :) .Jerry> I know they probably think they are garbage, but it CREATES business FOR IBM in the long run, and one EVERYONE asks the same first question: "Is it IBM Compatible?" Ahhh! BOBBRO> Really, the only winner in the clone wars is MicroSoft IBM isn't a fan of that technology. .Ken> Bob, we were talking earlier about how user groups are loosing. How do you see the health of the Atari User Groups? BOBBRO> Ken, I think it's directly tied to our poor sales. Not good. .JD> Bob, we were also talking about the possibility of an independent group, more professional than the AUA. Do you see any value in that? BOBBRO> JD, I see tremendous value in it. And I've actually (in the past) participated in such a group. It was called ACENET, in So Calif. However, the group failed. Largely because people wanted results but did not want to put the effort into the obtaining of the results. .JD> Bob, I agree that it is too easy to become unfocussed with such a thing. BOBBRO> So, while I love the concept, I question the possibility of such an effective implementation of a project. .JD> It takes the right people, Bob. I also am not sure that they are still around. BOBBRO> Ask John King Tarpinian about ACENET. Lots of people promised, to do lots of things. He and I were the only ones that did. .JD> That is an interesting piece of history, Bob. Those who forget their history are condemned to relive it. BOBBRO> In short, leadership is a key component of such an endeavor. As is an inspired force of cooperative people. One is nothing without the other. .Hudson> Bob: We were talking last week about how there were no dealers in the Boston area anymore..How easy/hard is it to become a dealer? BOBBRO> It's pretty easy with distributors on hand now. .JD> Hudson, all it takes is money. .Gordie> Bob, aren't there requirements for service still? Or have they been relaxed? BOBBRO> Not if you purchase via distribution. .Hudson> Could you send me some information/literature/laws/etc. about how to become a dealer? BOBBRO> Hudson, send me email. I'll have Mike Groh contact you. .Jerry> Bob, you know we all are on the DELPHI voting wagon, so our BIAS is given. If we promise not to inundate you with responses here (that's YOU GUYS, hear?), can you give us an update on your online "poll" and how the numbers are coming down, etc....? BOBBRO> Jerry, GEnie is the runaway leader. No one else is close. I was even surprised at the response on there. .Gordie> But, with the numerical superiority of GEnie, that shouldn't be surprising. BOBBRO> After that, it's pretty close with Delphi and the FidoNet. With the FNET close behind. I've gotten more responses from Carina Net than CIS. Which is really disappointing. Carina Net is an 8 bit network. .DevotedAtarian7> Carina net may outlive us all, those 8-bits live forever! .Raven> Bob does Delphi actually have a chance then? BOBBRO> Yes, a VERY real chance. .Jerry> How many are there on GEnie, DELPHI, etc.? BOBBRO> Jerry, I got more than 1000 letters on Genie. .Jerry> How many on DELPHI? And I was really asking about the number of Atari MEMBERS on each service. BOBBRO> Jerry, asking the number of each service is like asking us... how many computers we've sold. You won't get a straight answer. CIS say they have over 10,000 Atarians online. I don't buy it. .Jerry> Why? BOBBRO> Because they know that numbers draw developers/manufacturers. I assess a network like CIS/GEnie/Delphi by message and downloads .JD> I will have to say that CIS's message traffioc and download counts don't seem to reflect those numbers. .Jerry> SO by CIS numbers you've had DISMAL repsonse to your poll. What about GEnie, what do they say is their userbase? BOBBRO> Well gang, the wife says that it's dinner time here. So I will have to wish you all a pleasant evening. Thanks for making me feel so welcome here. I've enjoyed the evening. .Gordie> Thanks for the time, Bob. .JJ> well bob no response on 2.05 and 1.44 then? BOBBRO> JJ- They work! What else .Raven> Bye Bob. Come again SOON! .JD> JJ, he told you that the combo works. I have however, heard that some hard disks suck up too much power for the combo to work whoops.. sorry then... didn't catch that line from you bob. with the Ajax chip. BOBBRO> JJ, followup?? .JJ> my 2.05 1.44 doesn't work which is why I asked .DevotedAtarian7> Perhaps warranty service would be in order? .JJ> would 2.06 help our not? BOBBRO> You might want to try a file that John Eidsvoog has out for setting the floppy seek rate. He says that helps. .JD> Sorry, JJ. I read 2.06 I haven't heard that 2.05 supports HD. .JJ> ok, thanks for the response Bob will look for it/ BOBBRO> Ok, I really have to run. She's back again! :) Night all!! BOBBRO> - signed off - *********************************************************************** This transcript was heavily edited to improve readibility. However, only spelling errors were corrected and extraneous material was deleted. The gist of the conversations was left unchanged. *********************************************************************** This transcript is of an informal Conference, held July 7th, 1992 in the Conference area of the ST Advantage on DELPHI. Permission to reprint this transcript is given, provided it is left intact and unchanged. *********************************************************************** > FALCON REVEALED STR InfoFile ATARI ADVANTAGE TO TELL ALL! """""""""""""""""""""""""""" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | o | ATARI ADVANTAGE ANNOUNCES COMPLETE FALCON COVERAGE! | o | | | """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" | | | o | ATARI ADVANTAGE is proud to announce the first North | o | | | American hands-on preview of Atari's hot | | | o | new '030 computer -- THE FALCON. | o | | | | | | o | Complete Falcon coverage in the June/July issue of ATARI | o | | | ADVANTAGE features over 10 devoted pages, including | | | o | uncensored, up-close photographs that give you the first | o | | | look at Atari's new entry level marvel. | | | o | | o | | | Detailed explanations on Digital Signal Processing, video | | | o | capabilities, and many other Falcon facets take you into | o | | | the architecture and clarify all rumors. We will also | | | o | unravel the mystery of true color, stereo digital sound, | o | | | how RAM sizes work, and other Falcon features which has | | | o | everyone else guessing. | o | | | | | | o | Don't have a subscription yet? If you'd like to get your | o | | | hands on this issue before it has sold out, you can do so | | | o | by purchasing the June/July of ATARI ADVANTAGE from your | o | | | local dealer or directly from us. To reserve your | | | o | personal copy, please fill out the form below. | o | | | | | | o | Order your subscription today so you can be assured of | o | | | getting this issue (which is sure to be a collector's | | | o | edition) and future exciting issues covering the latest | o | | | developments in the world of Atari. | | | o | | o | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUBSCRIPTION "2 FER" SPECIAL """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Yet another way to take ADVANTAGE of us! Find a friend and the two of you can subscribe for $15 each! Don't have any friends? $30 will buy a two year subscription. It's hard to lose either way! Like all great offers, this one is good for only a limited time! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sorry, we can't take telephone orders for a subscription at this low price. Just print, clip and mail or E-Mail the following form: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - All subscriptions submitted with this form will begin with the June/July issue which includes the Falcon coverage. ( ) YES! I want to take ADVANTAGE of the 2 fer offer. Please begin two, one year subscriptions for me and my pal for $15 each. ** ( ) YES! I want to take ADVANTAGE of the 2 fer offer, but I want to keep the savings to myself. Please enter my two year subscription for $30. ** ( ) YES! Sign me up for a one year subscription at the regular price of $22. ** ( ) YES! Please send me the June/July issue with complete Falcon coverage. I have enclosed $4 which includes postage and handling. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ** In Canada and Mexico add $6 per year for postage; outside the U.S., Canada and Mexico add $10 per year for postage. Subscriptions payable in U.S. funds. ( ) Check or money order enclosed ( ) Bill Me - Subs only ( ) Charge my: ( ) VISA ( ) Master Card Card # _______________________________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date _______________ (Signature required for processing all billed and V/MC orders) Name ____________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ________________________________________________ Phone _____________________________ GE920630 Please make checks or money order payable to ATARI ADVANTAGE Magazine. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ATARI ADVANTAGE Magazine PO Box 803 Merlin, OR 97532 (503) 476-3578 GEnie: AT-VANTAGE CompuServe: 70007,3615 PDN: ADVAN2 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Editor Note; At last, the truth be known, just remember folks where you read about the Falcon first.. over a year ago in our crystal ball feature. Be sure to give Atari Advantage a try, its a first class USA publication right up there with AIM, Current Notes and Informer. ____________________________________________________________ > BLUE RIDGE FEST STR SHOW NEWS LAST MINUTE DETAILS """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" SUMMER FUN WITH ATARI ===================== Sub: Blue Ridge AtariFest Banquet Just a note of reminder to any of y'all who wish to attend the Banquet after the show on Saturday night. I need to get an accurate head count so if you're intending on attending and haven't yet sent in your reservation, please fill out the form below and E-mail it back to me with a credit card number if you'd like it charged to your credit card account. We're looking forward to a great time on the 18th! BLUE RIDGE ATARIFEST '92 BANQUET Computer STudio has finalized arrangements for an after show banquet at the Pisgah View Ranch. This will definitely be somewhat different from the usual semi-formal type hotel affairs of the other shows, and will be a real down-home, country party in the mountains! Dinner will be served family-style....... as long as you keep eating, they'll keep serving! And check out the menu: Tossed Salad Country Ham Fried Chicken Cornbread Dressing Rice and Gravy Green Beans Sweet Potato Souffle Homemade Rolls Beverages Homemade desserts After dinner, there will be live entertainment in the air-conditioned barn, guaranteed to bring out he 'country' in everyone! There's also volleyball and shuffleboard if anyone still has the energy after the excitement of the show. Or how about just sitting on the porch and enjoying our clean mountain air. ===================================================================== BLUE RIDGE ATARIFEST '92 - BANQUET RESERVATION FORM: Name: _______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: _________________________ State: _________ Zip: ___________ Phone Number: ( ) _________________________________ Number attending: ______ Adults @ $17.50 each = $_______________ ______ Children under 6 @ $8.75 = $______________ TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED ............ $_______________ Credit Card: VISA: # _________________________________________ EXP. ____________ MasterCard # _____________________________________ EXP. ____________ American Express # _______________________________ EXP. ____________ Discover # _______________________________________ EXP. ____________ Banquet tickets and a map of directions to the Pisgah View Ranch will be mailed to those with confirmed reservations. PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO "COMPUTER STUDIO" and mail this completed reservation form along with your check to: Computer STudio Westgate Shopping Center 40 Westgate Parkway - Suite D Asheville, NC 28806 _________________________________________________________ > LICENSING HOAX! STR Feature "LEGAL-RIGHTS PIRATES" """"""""""""""""""""""""""" THE GREAT SOFTWARE LICENSING HOAX ================================= By: Albert Silverman From: The Mac RoundTable on Genie INTRODUCTION This is the first article in a series on "piracy"--with a reverse twist. This series currently includes the following articles: (1) Great Software Licensing Hoax.. (LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY1) (2) Software Copyright/License Quiz..(LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY2) (3) Great School Copyright Robbery. (LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY3) (4) San Diego County--Truth Squad.. (LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY4) (5) ADAPSO and SPA--Trade Pirates.. (LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY5) (6) Aldus--Snaring a Pirate Chief!. (LEGAL RIGHTS PIRACY6) Long the software industry's target of accusations and suspicions about the handling of your software, you will undoubtedly be surprised to learn that those who express deep concern about your stealing THEIR software are simultaneously, in a perverse sort of retribution ("let's get them before they get us"), attempting to steal YOUR legal rights! Since these "legal-rights pirates" (the computer software industry, operating under the broad legal direction of its trade associations, SPA and ADAPSO) have much to gain by misrepresenting the law at your expense, their modus operandi remains a well-kept secret, even to the not-too-smart worker bees buzzing around the legal offices of the various software companies! Due to many factors, topped by the general lack of readily available, affordable, and comprehensible legal information about the handling of computer software, many users (by default) have turned to the one source which is understandably eager to supply legal disinformation at no charge--the legal-rights-pirate! Needless to say, accepting such advice from THIS particular source is akin to hiring the fox to guard the chicken coop. Most users, however, simply ignore all advice about the legalities of software handling, from whatever source. Whichever option is chosen, computer users across the entire spectrum remain abysmally ignorant of these very important laws. Justifying his legal-rights piracy in the name of an anti-piracy campaign geared to "educating" the software user about the law, the rights-pirate has several ingenious tools in his pseudo-legal bag of tricks, for specialized use against various segments of the computer- using community. His most effective weapon for pulling off this heist against the community at large is the so-called "software license." Everyone who purchases commercial software will, sooner or later at the time of purchase, be forced to agree with the software publisher to refrain from numerous activities involved in the handling of the software. For the reasons stated above, it is virtually certain that, before you read this article, you will not have the foggiest notion whether or not you are legally REQUIRED to observe all of these restrictions to which you have been forced to "agree"--with no say in the matter. It is clear that you cannot prevent the theft of something which you do not even know that you possess! In order to be able to separate the licensing wheat from the chaff, it is necessary to learn some basic principles about the law. These principles are put to good use in the "Copyright Game" which you are unwittingly playing against the publisher of your commercial software. This is a most fascinating and intellectually stimulating word game, which is totally unlike any other game that you have ever played. Despite the example set by the software industry in its anti-piracy tactics used against the software user, it is NOT necessary to be a pirate in order to catch a pirate. This invaluable knowledge will enable you, without breaking any law, to foil the high-paid legal strategists who lie awake nights, dreaming up ingenious ways to steal your legal rights (translation: your dollars and/or operating freedom). The price?--putting some of those unused brain cells to work. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND THE LAW Computer software belongs within the class of intellectual property, the creator of which has been given important protection in the copyright laws (contained in Title 17 of the United States Code) passed by the U.S. Congress. At the same time, the software user has been given certain corollary protections in order to prevent either undue inconvenience or economic hardship. That is, the U.S. Congress has established a balance-of-copyrights, which carefully weighs the rights of the software copyright owner (who is usually represented by the software publisher) against the right of the software user to use the software in a practical manner, without undue financial penalty. Since the Congressional balance-of-copyrights is a delicately crafted compromise between opposing interests, neither party (software publisher or software user) affected by this compromise gets everything that it desires. Hence it is only natural for software publishers to make a determined effort to evade objectionable elements of this Congressional compromise, in order to obtain an undue economic advantage--at the expense of the software user, of course. This is the Great American Way. THE UNSIGNED SOFTWARE LICENSE The software publisher's primary instrument for accomplishing this objective is the Software License. In its most common form, brilliantly crafted for convenient use against the computer-using masses, this is an impressive legal-appearing document (referred to as a "License Agreement") which is usually printed in small type on an envelope containing the computer disk(s). There is a common popular misconception that an agreement is not valid unless it contains the signatures of all participants. However, if a party (the software user, the subject of the current discussion) who is forced to accept such an UNSIGNED agreement (known as a "contract of adhesion") is to be held legally liable to perform in accordance with its terms, the one who is doing the forcing (the software publisher) must meet three mechanical drafting requirements. Although it was not true in the past, the modern common unsigned Software License Agreement, having been fine-tuned over a long period of time in order to meet objections from the courts, usually meets these three requirements, which are as follows. First, the software publisher must make the software user aware of the existence of an agreement before he/she is given access to the computer disk(s). This requirement is normally met by printing the terms of the agreement upon a sealed envelope containing the computer disk(s). Alternatively, the document containing the terms of agreement may be included somewhere within the software package and referenced on the sealed envelope which contains the computer disk(s). Second, the software publisher must retain the title to the software, since the sale of the title precludes the publisher (but not the copyright law!) from exercising any future control over both the handling and the transfer of the software. Simply stated, you can't be using something which you OWN under a license (lease) from the one who sold it to you. This requirement is normally met by the inclusion of a statement, accompanying the terms of agreement, which says that the software publisher is retaining the title to the software. Third, the terms of the agreement must be clear and understandable by one who possesses an "average" English literacy. This requirement is usually met (although this is more and more debatable, in view of the ever-decreasing general state of literacy) in a manner which will satisfy the courts that the user, without his/her signature, has been made aware of both the existence of an agreement and its terms. Occasionally, however, a document which is masquerading as a software License Agreement will fail to meet these clear drafting requirements; due to its defective execution, the user cannot be held liable for failing to comply with its terms. Typically in such a case, the terms of the agreement will be printed in the instruction manual and the user will be given access to the computer disk(s) without being made aware of the existence of a license agreement in the instruction manual. In addition, the user will not be made aware that the software publisher is retaining the title to the software: a key requirement. Since there is no law which requires that the user read the instruction manual (indeed, many users plunge helter-skelter into the program without even opening the manual!), the user-in-a-hurry, or the user who has difficulty reading an instruction manual, may violate the terms of an "agreement" of which he/she is unaware. CONFLICT OF LAWS: STATE VERSUS FEDERAL A license agreement (a form of contract) is always enforced under STATE contract law. If the software user fails to comply with some particular term of a properly-executed agreement, the software publisher can, in theory, prosecute the violation in state court, citing as his authority the applicable state law which enforces contracts. It should be emphasized that the publisher's meeting of the three mechanical drafting requirements for valid execution of the agreement is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for its enforceability. Specifically, in order for the agreement to be enforceable, it is also necessary that there be no superior law; i.e., which takes precedence in regulating the identical user conduct. With regard to the handling of copyrighted computer software, there are two different laws (STATE contract law and FEDERAL copyright law) which may conceivably seek to control some specific user conduct. As a typical example, the software publisher may (for his own special reasons) wish to prevent the software user from making more than one "archival" (backup) copy of his/her software. Having met the three mechanical drafting requirements, it might appear that he can accomplish this objective by forcing the software user to agree to abide by this restriction as a condition for obtaining a license to use the software. If there were no other law regulating the user's making of backup copies, state contract law authority would be able to enforce this particular restriction--uncontested. Fortunately for the software user, however, the federal copyright law ALSO has something to say about the user's right to make backup copies. Given that there are two different laws, both of which seek to control the user's making of backup copies, such a CONFLICT OF LAWS must be resolved by the courts as the first order of business. Contrary to what one may be led to believe (by those who have some hidden purpose for doing so), the resolution of this particular conflict is clear-cut. In general, when both a state law and a federal law seek to regulate the identical user conduct, the federal law always wins. In other words, dear software user, even though you may have "agreed" with the software publisher that you will not make more than some arbitrary number of backup copies, you cannot be forced to honor your agreement. Period. Double period. Lest there be any question at all about this fundamental fact of legal life, it was confirmed in a test case (Vault Corporation v. Quaid Software, Ltd.) sponsored by the software industry, originally heard in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 12, 1987 and confirmed in its entirety on appeal in the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on June 20, 1988. One of the issues addressed in this case was the enforceability of the Louisiana Software License Enforcement Act. This Act was passed to validate a model of the Software License Agreement, which was developed by the industry's trade association for general industry use. In this very important decision, the court concluded that, because Louisiana's License Act touched upon the area of federal copyright law, its provisions were preempted and Vault's license agreement was therefore unenforceable. Despite the software industry's resounding defeat in the federal courts, the common Software License Agreement (which is essentially the same as the Vault License Agreement) continues to be used by the industry as a strategic ploy to coerce the legally- ignorant software user into abandoning certain of his/her legal rights. Even though most of its restrictions are unenforceable, its coercive effect is achieved by the threat of some vague and ill- defined penalty (termination?) for violation of the agreement. The software publisher of course has no intention of suing for breach of agreement, since his restrictions are unenforceable. ILLEGITIMATE (UNENFORCEABLE) LICENSING RESTRICTIONS The making of backup copies is just one of seven areas of common user conduct which lie within the exclusive province of the copyright law and hence cannot be controlled by means of an agreement between the copyright holder (or his representative) and the software user. These are: (1) Making of backup copies (2) Use of unauthorized (user-made) copies (3) Software rental (4) Transfer of unauthorized copies (5) Program modification and/or adaptation (6) Reverse engineering, disassembly, decompilation, etc. (7) Use of the copyright notice Here is a brief explanation of the remaining six areas of conduct: (2) Every software license agreement seeks to prohibit the use of a single copy of the software on more than a single CPU (computer) at a time. Such conduct falls within the exclusive province of the copyright law. Why? Because the use of a single copy simultaneously on more than one computer cannot occur without the use of unauthorized copies, made either permanently on floppy disks or temporarily via a network. (3) The copyright law currently forbids the rental of copyrighted computer software. (4) The copyright law provides that any exact user-made backup copies may be transferred along with the original copy from which these copies were made. Hence any attempt by the software publisher to forbid the transfer of exact backup copies, while at the same time permitting the transfer of the original copy from which they were made, invades the exclusive province of the copyright law. (5) The copyright law permits a computer program to be modified and/or adapted, as an essential step in the utilization of the program in conjunction with a computer. In addition, modification and/or adaptation may be required in order to create a derivative work based upon the program: a conduct which is regulated under the copyright law. (6) Reverse engineering, disassembly, decompilation, etc., may be required singly or in combination as a step in the creation of a derivative work. Therefore, in addition to program modification and/or adaptation, such activities are also regulated under the copyright law. (7) The copyright law regulates the manner in which a copyright notice is to be used. When all of the copy-related restrictive clauses in the typical unsigned software license agreement are examined in the light of these seven "off-limits" areas of user conduct, it will be found that very few (if any) of them are enforceable! There are also other preemptive federal laws which may regulate some aspect of software user conduct. For example, the export of computer software to certain countries may be forbidden by federal law. Hence any clause within a license agreement which seeks the user's "agreement" not to export the software to one of these countries is also unenforceable, etc. IN A NUTSHELL: Even though a so-called License Agreement may be properly executed, the fact that most of its restrictive clauses are unenforceable by virtue of conflict with federal law means that it is mostly a worthless mass of fine print and a waste of valuable space! AFTER THE HOUSECLEANING What remains after all of the illegitimate (unenforceable) clauses are consigned to their proper place in the trash heap? Typically, there is a "legitimate residue," which consists of (1) performance promises (such as warranties) by the software publisher, and/or (2) possible relaxations upon the use of unauthorized copies (such as permitting the use of the software on a network or on multiple computers within a classroom), and/or (3) perhaps two or three restrictive clauses which ARE enforceable under state contract law authority. Here are three examples in the third category: Example #1: A typical enforceable restriction is that which prohibits the simultaneous use of a 5-1/4" disk and a 3-1/2" disk on separate computers, in the event that separate copies are furnished on dual media. Since both copies are furnished by the software publisher, the use of these copies is NOT regulated under the copyright law; hence their use is legitimately controlled by means of a license agreement. Example #2: The copyright law gives the copyright owner the exclusive right to make the "first sale"; i.e., to transfer the title to the first user. After the first sale is made, the copyright law does not prevent the user who owns the title to the software from transferring (other than for purposes of rental) a publisher- furnished copy of a computer program to another party. Hence if the software publisher wishes to prevent the user from transferring the software (either temporarily by nonprofit lending or permanently by sale), he must (1) retain the title, (2) license its use, and (3) prohibit its transfer by means of a clause within the license agreement. Example #3: A software publisher may furnish a second copy of a copy protected program (a "pseudo-backup" copy) and prohibit the simultaneous use of these two copies on separate computers by means of a clause within a license agreement. This is a legitimate licensing restriction, since both copies are furnished by the software publisher. What do you do after you've heaved out the "licensing trash"? The fact that most software-handling conduct cannot be controlled by means of an agreement with the software publisher does NOT mean that you are free to handle your software in any old manner that you may see fit. What it DOES mean is that, if you are handling your software in a manner contrary to a licensing restriction, but which falls within an area of conduct that is regulated under the copyright law, the software publisher's only recourse for preventing this conduct is to file suit against you in FEDERAL court for copyright infringement--NOT in state court for breach of contract. For example, if you make two backup copies of your software, contrary to a clause within the license agreement which permits you to make only one backup copy, the ONLY recourse which is available to the software publisher for preventing you from doing so is to file suit against you in federal court for copyright infringement. He will not do this, of course, since such conduct does not violate the copyright law. Therefore, your indicated strategy is simply to ignore all licensing restrictions which seek to regulate your conduct in the above seven off limits areas that are regulated under the federal copyright law. However, you must still comply with ALL federal laws, copyright or otherwise. In the rare case, some particular conduct which the software publisher seeks to control by means of a licensing restriction may (believe it or not!) accurately represent the intent of the software copyright laws. In such an event, you will of course "obey" the restriction. But be sure that you understand this point of extreme conceptual importance. You are NOT complying with such a restriction because you have agreed with the software publisher to do so. Rather, you are doing so since your compliance is required under FEDERAL law, without regard to the wishes of the software publisher. What does the software publisher gain by using unenforceable clauses in a License Agreement? This is a crucial question, since the software publisher obviously will not go to the expense of employing a phoney Software License without a good reason for doing so. Stay tuned as his pseudo-legal licensing strategy is laid bare upon the operating table: "Rewriting" the copyright laws--without an act of Congress! For the most part, a clause within a license agreement which is unenforceable by virtue of a conflict with the copyright law will attempt to restrict your handling of the software more narrowly than the scope of regulation intended by the U.S. Congress. If the user can be intimidated into following the software publisher's demands, under the threat of some vague and ill-defined penalty for violation of a license agreement, the publisher will have accomplished his major purpose, which is to tilt the balance-of-copyrights in his favor, but without requiring an act of Congress! Three very common examples should suffice to illustrate this point. Example #1: The software publisher will invariably attempt, by means of a licensing restriction, to prevent your use of a single copy of the software simultaneously on two or more computers. While this restriction USUALLY represents the intent of the copyright law, there are important exceptions. These are exceptions in the copyright law under the doctrine of "fair use" which, under special circumstances, permit the use of an unauthorized copy of computer software simultaneously with the original copy (or with another unauthorized copy) on another computer. Thus under special circumstances, you may, without violating the copyright law, engage in conduct which is prohibited by the use-on-a-single-CPU licensing restriction. Example #2: Almost invariably, the software publisher will attempt, by means of a licensing restriction, to prevent the user from making more than a single backup copy of a given software program. However, the copyright law contains no limit upon the number of backup copies which can be MADE, as opposed to their simultaneous USE on separate computers. Example #3: The software publisher will probably attempt to prohibit you from disassembling the software in order to discover the program's construction. Yet, since the copyright law regulates the creation of a derivative work based upon the software (which may require the disassembly of the program), this is an area of conduct which is off limits within a license agreement. To the software publisher's great chagrin, the mere act of disassembly does NOT, in itself, constitute an infringement of the copyright law. Therefore you may disassemble away to your heart's content, just so long as you do not use this information to create a derivative work: an exclusive right that is granted to the copyright owner. Happy discovering! "Educating" the software user--guess who's doing the teaching! For many reasons, virtually all software users are abysmally ignorant of the provisions of the software copyright laws. Were the software publisher simply to follow accepted legal procedures (i.e., letting the user discover the nature of these laws on his/her own), it is virtually certain that copyright law violations would run rampant, due to ignorance of the law. Hence the software publisher's claim that the license agreement serves the very important purpose of educating the software user about the provisions of the copyright laws. One thing is certain; the software user is not going to learn about these laws without a very strong push. It is nevertheless essential that any such user education be conducted impartially and ethically. The use of a so-called license agreement as an instrument for this purpose fails dismally to conform with this requirement. To the contrary, it is HIGHLY UNETHICAL to embody whatever interpretation of some provision of the copyright law as a restrictive clause within a license agreement. If the software publisher wishes to supply the software user with his own special copyright law interpretation, he can easily do so in an accompanying explanation without legal force, while identifying it exactly for that. Most important, such an aboveboard procedure lacks the COERCION of a licensing restriction (bogus though it may be), with its accompanying threat of some vague and ill-defined penalty for its violation. "Termination" (shudder!) The typical unsigned software license agreement contains a clause which states that the license will be automatically terminated if the user violates any of its terms. It is hoped by the software publisher that the threat of your being terminated (shudder!) will be sufficient to coerce you into obeying all unenforceable restrictions within the license agreement. This threat is pure gibberish, however, since a bonafide license can only be revoked following prosecution for violation of an ENFORCEABLE clause in the agreement. Facing off against five "rights-pirates" Over a period of some two years, I wrote to five prominent software companies, requesting the legal enforcement authority for specific restrictive clauses within their Software License Agreements, which are modeled after the agreement (rejected by the federal courts long ago!) approved by the industry's trade association. The companies which were contacted were:(1) Microsoft (2) Claris (3) Adobe (4) Symantec (5) Aldus. All of these companies seek to restrict the number of backup copies which the user may make, despite the fact that the making of backup copies is clearly off- limits within a license agreement. All five of these companies were asked how they proposed to enforce this ubiquitous restriction. All of these companies also seek to prohibit the user from activities (such as adaptation, modification, reverse engineering, disassembly, decompilation, etc.) which are also off-limits within a license agreement, since they may be required in order to create a derivative work. In addition to the restriction upon the making of backup copies, two of these companies (Symantec and Aldus) were asked how they proposed to enforce these very common restrictions. In view of the fact that there is no credible (i.e., legally viable) answer to my questions, the forthcoming answers were eagerly anticipated; the effort was certainly worth it! Here are the amusing(?) results: Microsoft Microsoft's Monica Smith (Legal Assistant) responded quickly and emphatically that it is contract law which is used to enforce these licensing restrictions. But she then proceeded to explain how the copyright law forbids the user from making more than one backup copy! Can it be possible that Ms. Smith does not know that it is impossible to enforce a restriction upon the making of backup copies with BOTH state license law and federal copyright law? Her response is nonsensical, since only ONE law can regulate the making of backup copies by the user. This is of course the federal copyright law, which preempts state contract law when there is a conflict. Hence Ms. Smith's confident statement that contract law is the legal authority for this licensing restriction is WRONG. Claris It took four letters to Claris (including a letter to the company president), over a time span of some 2-1/2 months, for me to pry out a response to his routine query! Clearly this was a question which Claris was working very hard not to answer. The response which finally came from Derek Witte (Director of Legal Services), when ordered to provide it by the company president, was indeed a satisfying culmination to the author's efforts. Mr. Witte claimed simply that "the legal authority for this restriction is that of common law contract." Unlike Microsoft's Smith, however, he did not bring the copyright law into the picture-- where it clearly belonged! In common with Ms. Smith, his claim is WRONG. His short letter closes tersely: "If you require further clarification of this or other legal matters, I suggest that you retain counsel." This is "The Sting" of the software company's legal worker bee when you ask a question which he/she is unprepared to answer. Mission accomplished! Adobe I waited for one month for a reply from Adobe; it was clear that further effort would thus be necessary. In response to a follow-up letter, Adobe's Steve Peters (Legal Counsel) responded quickly, explaining that the copyright law does not permit the user to make more than a single backup copy. But he did NOT answer the author's question, which sought the legal authority for the enforcement of this restriction upon the user. Apparently he was afraid that, were he to answer in a straightforward manner that "the copyright law is the authority for this restriction," he would then have been asked WHY this unenforceable restriction appears within a license agreement. Believing that my inquiry was based upon his desire to make more than one backup copy without violating the agreement, Mr. Peters generously offered to "consider a request to revise the terms of the license to fit your circumstances"!! Needless to say, I declined to accept this generous offer. Symantec Symantec's Rebecca Ranninger (Legal Counsel) offered up a novel response. First, she failed to address the two specific clauses which were the subject of my query. Instead, she began: "In response to your inquiry as to the legal authority which renders our license agreement enforceable, I refer you to basic contract law." For your information, Ms. Ranninger, the inquiry was not about the GENERAL enforceability of Symantec's license agreement; it was about the enforceability of two specific clauses within this agreement. Continuing with her non-answer to the question, she states: "In addition, to the extent that the agreement prohibits copying and other uses of the software, Symantec relies upon the relevant federal and state trademark and copyright infringement laws, specifically the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. SS 101 et.seq.) and other federal and state laws. It is a violation of federal law to make unauthorized copies of the Software." INCREDIBLE! Ms. Ranninger sees no problem with a "licensing" restriction which can only be enforced under the authority of the copyright law! Can it be possible that she does not understand that the software user cannot "agree" with Symantec to obey the provisions of the copyright law? For Ms. Ranninger's information, it is NOT (repeat: NOT) a violation of federal law to make unauthorized copies of the Software. It is strongly suggested that she read Sections 117 and 107 of the copyright law. Where on earth did she ever get this notion? Perhaps it came from Mars. Aldus: bearding the Lion in his den! It was extremely difficult to pry a response out of Aldus; and when it finally did come, some two months after my ROUTINE inquiry, the question was STILL not answered! Here is what it took to get this non-answer: (1) two letters to the Aldus Customer Service Department, (2) a follow-up telephone call (which was answered in an arrogant manner by an individual who refused to provide both his name and the answer to the author's question), and (3) THREE letters to Mr. Paul Brainerd, the company president. This response from Ms. Leann Nester (Corporate Counsel), instead of providing the legal enforcement authority for the restrictions which Aldus seeks to impose upon the software user, merely explains the mechanism by which the execution of the agreement is validated! That is, it simply explains that, by opening the sealed package containing the so-called agreement, the user is legally bound by the terms to which he/she has agreed. Note that all of the other software companies understood exactly what I was asking for, even though their low- level legal representatives provided wrong and/or nonsensical answers. Refusing to be put off by Nester's evasive non-answer to his question, my stubborn persistence with Aldus' president finally paid off in a telephone call from Curt Blake, Aldus' legal chief AND a current leader in formulating the software industry's licensing strategy. It was clear from the substance of this call that the game had now moved into the Big League arena. Blake steadfastly refused to provide a written answer to the question of Aldus' enforcement authority for the two specified clauses in its License Agreement. The reason, of course, is that ANY answer that is given about enforcement authority for an unenforceable clause will necessarily be an admission that the so-called license agreement is a fraud. Clearly Blake did not want to acknowledge this fact with HIS signature. Initially, Blake claimed that he could not provide a written answer to the question of enforcement authority because "the software copyright laws are changing so fast"! When reminded of the Vault v. Quaid decision which confirmed the long-established preemption of state license law by federal copyright law (it hasn't changed one whit in a great many years), he then claimed that a decision in the federal appellate court in Louisiana carries no weight in the federal district which encompasses Washington state, stating that the circumstances in the Louisiana decision do not have nationwide applicability. When reminded that the industry's model license agreement which was thrown out of federal court in Louisiana was essentially the same as Aldus' current license agreement, still being used almost four years later, Blake again shifted gears and stated that "it takes time to incorporate court decisions." This backtracked on his claim about different circumstances and was a tacit admission that the circumstances involved in the use of Aldus' license agreement are indeed precisely the same as those surrounding the discredited Vault license agreement. Just how long does it take, Blake? Champ, Chump, or Chimp? Now that you are aware of the licensing strategy that is being used against you in this software Copyright Game, you will counter with one of the following trio of optional strategies: Option #1 (Champ) The winner in this game will simply ignore all of the UNenforceable restrictions within the license agreement. As a general rule (assuming of course that all three mechanical drafting requirements have been met), there will be just two, or at most three, enforceable restrictions upon your conduct. You must obey these in order to avoid breaching your agreement. First, you must obey any prohibition upon lending your software. Second, if you are permitted to transfer the license permanently (i.e., to sell the software), you must obey any requirements for notifying the software publisher when you have sold the software. If you are asked to provide the publisher the name of the transferee and/or provide the transferee with a copy of the license agreement, you must do so. And third, you must obey any prohibition upon the use of more than one publisher- furnished copy simultaneously on separate computers. That's all there is to it. Simple. The Champ will understand that the copyright laws prevail, regardless of what the software publisher may be trying to force you to do in his phoney license. This means of course that an effort (heaven forbid!) will be required in order to learn the provisions of these laws. Above all, be sure to DISREGARD any claims about the copyright law which may either appear within the license agreement or be distributed under the guise of "legal information" by the software publisher and/or his trade associations. Be forewarned that the legal offices of the software companies are filled with the likes of a Monica Smith or a Steve Peters or a Derek Witte or a Rebecca Ranninger or a Leann Nester. Would you accept advice about your legal rights from any of THESE individuals? Would you hire a known burglar to guard your house while you were out for the evening? Option #2 (Chump) This option, obeying ALL of the restrictions within the so-called license agreement, is the one which the software publisher is making such a determined effort to force upon you. If you are apathetic and/or unwilling to make the worthwhile effort that is required to be a winner in this challenging game, yet are beset with worries that your legal ignorance might lead you to violate some law or another, then this Chump option may well be an ideal choice. Be aware, however, that the Chump labors under a very serious disadvantage. Even though you will be violating neither the agreement nor the copyright law when you conform with all of the software publisher's licensing restrictions, it is virtually certain that you WILL be giving up some of your legal rights under the copyright law. As previously emphasized, the software publisher's self-serving copyright law interpretation, embodied (camouflaged) as various licensing restrictions, will generally misrepresent the intent of the copyright law, to one degree or another. If you are willing to walk his plank in response to his strong-armed attempt to pirate your legal rights, then you are the perfect Chump. So go ahead and jump--Chump. Option #3 (Chimp) And finally, you can take the path of least resistance by exercising this third option, which is simply to ignore the entire license agreement while also remaining ignorant about the provisions of the copyright law. Needless to say, this popular option is the overwhelming majority choice, particularly in a society in which a large percentage of the population (including computer users) has difficulty comprehending written English, much less legal Mumbo- Jumbo. The Chimp hears no law, sees no law, or speaks no law which regulates the handling of his/her computer software. Laws? WHAT laws? If you opt for this alluring choice, it is a virtual certainty that, sooner or later, you will violate either a legitimate licensing restriction or the copyright law or both. But unless your violation is blatant, and if it does not cost the software publisher more than the cost of his prosecuting you in the courts, there is little likelihood that you will be apprehended. However, you should be aware that, if you make a monkey out of yourself and DO get caught and punished, the penalties are severe. So which shall it be: CHAMP, CHUMP, or CHIMP? CONCLUSION For the most part, the various software companies who are using licensing agreements comparable to those discussed above have simply abandoned their individual responsibilities and accepted the broad strategy put in place several years ago by their industry trade associations. From the answers which were received to my routine enforcement question about licensing restrictions, the evidence is very strong that the lower-level "worker bees" who perform the routine tasks in the legal offices of these companies have little understanding of the legal principles which apply in a CONFLICT OF LAWS situation. This lack of understanding is underscored by the typical worker bee response, claiming that the software user must "agree" (in the legal sense) with the software publisher to obey the copyright law!! This is a NONSENSICAL contention within the established framework of preemption of state contract law by federal copyright law. Yet the worker bee is perfectly content (in his/her ignorance) to crank out anything but sensible answers when faced with a simple question about legal enforcement authority. On the other hand, of course, those who are in charge in the various software company legal offices (such as Curt Blake, Aldus' General Counsel) DO understand the nature of the industry's unethical licensing strategy. But as illustrated in the sixth article in this series on piracy ("Aldus-- Snaring a Pirate Chief!"), making contact with someone who DOES understand the industry's strategy requires extreme perseverance. SUMMARY The copyright owner (the creator of a certain class of intellectual property) possesses certain rights involving the duplication and distribution of his material, which are granted to him by the U.S. Congress. He can only seek redress for violation of his copyrights through the FEDERAL courts, which possess the sole authority for enforcement of the copyright laws. In theory, the copyright owner may additionally restrict the manner in which his material is handled by means of a legal agreement with the user. Such an agreement is commonly executed without the user's signature at the time of purchase. In contrast with the copyright law, any breach of the license agreement can only be prosecuted through a STATE court. A necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the enforceability of such an agreement is that the copyright owner (or his representative) retain the title to the material and license its use. Given the proper execution of the agreement, a sufficient condition for its enforceability is that any handling restriction which is imposed upon the user by the copyright owner (the software publisher, in the case of computer media) can ONLY be in an area of conduct which is not regulated under the copyright laws. In other words, the software publisher cannot restrict user conduct more narrowly in scope than is spelled out in the copyright laws. Hence, any area of software user conduct which is regulated under the copyright law is off-limits within a license agreement; i.e., it cannot be enforced through the courts. Despite this well-established point of law, the software publishing industry as a whole continues to license the use of software with an agreement which seeks to impose restrictions upon the software user that are narrower in scope than the intent of the copyright laws. The purpose of such unenforceable licensing restrictions is to evade objectionable features of the copyright law by coercing the legally-ignorant user into obeying restrictions which are not legally required, under the threat of some vague and ill-defined penalty for breaching the phoney agreement. The only safe counter (for the user who wishes to retain his/her full legal rights) against this UNETHICAL licensing strategy is knowledge of the law. Note: The provisions of the copyright laws which have been described are those which were in force as of April, 1992 and are subject to certain change at some time in the future. What is certain NOT to change, however, is the preemption of state licensing laws by the federal copyright law. Hence in the future, as today, any attempt by a software publisher to use a license agreement as a legal instrument for evading certain provisions of the copyright law which he finds particularly objectionable will continue to be UNENFORCEABLE by the courts. Period. Become a Champ! Read all about it in "THE COPYRIGHT GAME, ETC.--A Strategic Guide for the Computer Software User," by Albert Silverman. ISBN 0-9527435-1-8. 330 pages in nominal 8-1/2"x11" format, softbound with an attractive cover. What is the purpose of this book? Replacing the legal Mumbo-Jumbo with plain English, it provides an all-inclusive, detailed, and impartial explanation of the computer software copyright laws, using past court cases for clarification of obscure language in the written letter of the law. Since there is NO commercially-generated distortion, it is likely that you will find some surprises; i.e., which run contrary to the industry's self-serving "interpretation" of the law. Thoroughly debunked is the industry's attempt to pirate your legal rights by the use of a phoney "licensing strategy." Included is a detailed and entertaining analysis of several leading Software License Agreements. In summary, you are provided with sufficient and accurate information (i.e., the legal FACTS) to permit you to handle your computer software in the manner intended by the U.S. Congress, while safely ignoring those industry perversions of the law which seek to gain for it an unfair advantage--at YOUR expense. Exposed in great detail is the outrageous software industry piracy of the legal rights of unsophisticated software users (directed by unconcerned educational administrators) within the California public schools. For the first time ever, this well-hidden scheme has been unearthed (with supporting and incriminating documentation from my extensive research into the inner educational sanctum) and is being made public. Although this ongoing effort is particularly well-organized in California, the premier "computer state," it blankets the entire nation, leaving no educational level uncovered. The disastrous result of this exceptionally cozy relationship between the computer software industry and the California Department of Education is explained. If you are at all concerned about the way in which this illicit educational-commercial "partnership" affects the integrity of computer education in your public schools and drains away your tax money to line the software industry's pockets with unwarranted profits, this book is essential reading. What will NOT be found in this book? Since its sole purpose is to ensure that you understand precisely what conduct is required for your (simultaneous) compliance with federal copyright law and state licensing law, there are no sermons about your "moral" or "ethical" obligations. That is, it is only your hard and fast LEGAL obligations which are addressed. The industry's "moral suasion" is most often an attempt to get the software user to obey the law; i.e., it is a substitute for the economically-unfeasible prosecution of small- scale violations of the copyright law. On the other hand, there may also be a piratical attempt to make an end-run around the law. That is, when there is NO ground for legal action against the software user, the industry may seek to gain its own way, either by shaming the user with claims of immoral and/or unethical conduct or by the use of a phoney (and usually coercive) "license." This book sorts it all out for you. The price of $19.92 (check or money order) includes $4.50 for handling, shipping by UPS, and sales tax if shipped to a California address. A street address is required for shipping purposes. Off-the-shelf delivery from: INTELLOGIC PRESS P.O. Box 3322 La Mesa CA 91944 Any questions? If you want information about the subject matter of this article, or if you want more information about my book, send me a message by GE Mail. My GEnie mail address is A.SILVERMAN4. Or you may write to me at the above address, enclosing a stamped, self- addressed envelope if you would like a reply. *********************************************************************** :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 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 Here I am, back from an exciting vacation. Our vacation wasn't meant to be exciting, it just turned out that way. We've lived in Arizona for six years and never have visited the Grand Canyon, so we had decided this would be the year to go. How were we to know that Danny Ray Horning would decide to visit the Grand Canyon the same week as we did? For you who don't live in Arizona, Danny Ray Horning was an escaped convict from the Arizona State Prison. He was serving four life terms and is also wanted on a murder charge in California - he is accused of dismembering his victim and burying the parts in various locations. He eluded posses, searcher, dogs and all of the latest government equipment for over four weeks before finally being caught - naturally they caught him after our vacation was over. So you can see, this added more excitement to our vacation than we were expecting. From information I just received, it looks as if this might be my last column for STReport. As many of you might already know, I get most of my on-line posts from Lloyd Pulley, a staff editor with ST Report. He just called to tell me that Darlah - the main sysop of the ST Roundtable on Genie - has decided to take away the STReport free flag. Since I no longer have a Genie account, this would mean that I wouldn't have an easy way to give you the Genie posts. Joe Mirando is doing a great job with the posts from CIS, so that means there is little left for me to do. So unless Darlah has a change of heart, this looks as if it's my last column. The last two years have been enjoyable and I can only hope that you'll miss my column as much as I will. ---------------- Questions and answers about undeleting files on the ST - Cat. 2, Topic 12, Msgs 10-16 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Question from S.GOLDFEIN... I have been told by people on the local BBS Systems that any File Undeletion utilities for the Atari ST do not work all that well. I was wondering if this is true, and if it is how come. If there is one that works well, could someone please tell me which one it is. What I want it for is so that if I accidently erase a file, then I can go back and immediately unerase it. Answer from TW3 (Gary)... How well file undeletion utilities work depends on whether the files one is trying to recover is stored as contiguous sectors or fragmen- ted, and also whether the dish has been written to since the file was deleted. When you delete a file, the contents of the file is not erased. What happens is that the directory entry is marked as deleted by changing the first character to E5(hex) and the FAT (File Allocation Table) is modified to show the disk sectors which hold contents of the file are available for being written. When a computer writes a file to a disk, it checks the FAT for avail- able sectors and takes the sector closest to the FAT on disk. If it needs another sector to hold the file, it checks the FAT again and again takes the sector closest to the FAT. So the first sectors to be written are probably sectors that have been freed by deleting files. And since files don't all end up the same length, they don't end up neatly filling up the same size groups of sectors so files can end up scattered among the space freed by several files. Such files are fragmented. Unfragmented files that haven't had any of their sectors re-written have excellent chances for recovery. Fragmented files that haven't had any of their sectors re-written CAN be recovered if one has the patience to sift through and piece together the various sectors that make up the file. If any of the sectors have been used by another file, obviously the first file's information isn't there anymore if it has had it's sectors overwritten; no chance of recovery at all. Answer from Ron Hunter... In a word, NO. The way in which the 8-bit stored data on the disk, a linked list of sectors, and the way the ST stores data, a sector map, are different. There are advantages to each, but the ST method does not lend itself to undeleting. IF the file is written into consecutive sectors, AND you haven't written anything to the disk since the deletion, then you can undelete it. If some of the sectors have been reused, or they weren't consecutive, then undeleting will usually not work. ...A defragger will make files contiguous (occupy consecutive sectors). This makes it possible to recover them if they are deleted, IF no other data has been written to the disk which reused those sectors. ---------------- Have you ever wondered what the graphics word 'dither' means? - Cat. 2, Topic 20, Msgs 5 & 7 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Question from Bill Storey... Does anyone want to define "DITHER"? It sounds like when I can't make up my mind! :-) Answer from Chris Herborth... Dithering is a way to fool your eye into thinking there are more colors onscreen than there actually are. It uses a mixture of pixels of one color and pixels of another color. For example, on a monochrome screen, to get grey you have one pixel white, the next black, the next white, etc... That why, from a few feet back, the monochrome desktop looks grey, even though it can't possibly be grey, since there are only two colors (black & white). ---------------- Questions and opinions about the CMI Processor Accelerator - Cat. 4, Topic 1, Msgs 1-5 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Question from B.BLACKERBY... Interested in obtaining information regarding the CMI Processor Accelerator boards. Any tips, comments, other info would be greatly appreciated. Answer from Tom McComb... Dump it and get a FastTech, ICD or Gadgets product. They work. Answer from Jeff Williams (ST Sysop)... ...and they are supported by their manufacturers. More information from Ron at Atari Advantage Magazine... The CMI boards only provided a 10% or so performance increase, hardly worth the trouble of installing one. ---------------- Do you own a DeskJet Printer - Cat. 4, Topic 9, Msgs 13-22 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Question and problems from Mick Poche... Has anyone had any luck, good or bad, refilling the newer high- capacity ink cartridges? I bought one, and it certainly printed a lot of pages (mostly graphics, and several poster-sized printouts through PGS), although I couldn't even begin to guess how many. Anyway, I decided to try and refill the sucker, with MESSY results! I used Parker brand Quink, which I had seen suggested by a couple of users here. Well, the ink came out through a small hole in the bottom of the cart, and also through the print-head area, but eventually came to a slow drool. I decided to give it a shot, so I installed the cart into the printer, and when I turned it on, the print head shot off to the left at warp speed, slamming itself to a stop. Hmmmmm. I turned it off, and tried again. ZOOM! Back to the right, slamming to a stop again, but this time it slung ink everywhere, and I noticed all of the panel lights flashing on and off. Turned it off, unplugged it, and took a look-see inside. Well, a gigantic drop of ink had plopped onto the circuit board, and being conductive, was shorting everything out. After about a hundred paper towels (ok, so I'm exaggerating), I got it all nice and clean, and working like normal again. I tried plugging the strange little hole on the bottom of the cart with a piece of tape, and it stopped leaking from there, but it still oozed steadily from the print-head thingy. The design of the high-capacity carts seems quite different from the smaller ones, so I think I'll stay away from them as far as refilling is concerned. Answer from Steve Liversidge... I think your experiences explain one of the reasons HP developed this new cartridge. More help from Chris Herborth... JetFill is now selling wimpier version of its easy-to-use DJ cartridge refiller. They now come in a black box (as opposed to the old white one). The new ultra-hypodermic needles are rather fragile, and you have to push STRAIGHT down on the plunger. If you push a little crooked, ink shoots up the side towards you. Does anyone know how to get this ink out of denim? :-( My jeans, my hardwood floor, my desk, my mousepad, my ST manual (I only use it for the character set charts in the back, but still...), and several anonymous pieces of paper were all splattered... And this is after biking around all morning looking for them (windy day, there are lots of hills in Waterloo), and having to hand in an essay two hours late because I ran out of ink while printing out my draft copy... >:-( Sandy Wilson (RT SysOp) to the rescue... Chris is not having a good day! I've been able to get most of the old water soluble ink out of most things by just washing with a lot of water and/or soap. I don't know about the new ink. Alcohol works on some inks, but it also does a job on some of the things you are trying to clean. Good luck. Response from Ted Evans... THANKS, Mick..... After reading your post, I think I'll just buy new ones... Final comments from Mick Poche... Although the high-capacity cartridges proved disasterous for refilling, the original ones seem to work fine, provided you use the correct type of ink. I still plan on refilling them. ---------------- Want to speed up your DeskJet? OutBurST might be the way to go - Cat. 4, Topic 9, Msgs 23-26 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Questions from Barney Poston... Can anyone tell me about adding memory to my DeskJet 500 to increase the speed of PageStream printouts? I'm already using OutBurST with good results but I understand there can be a quantum leap in speed if memory is added. Where do I buy the hardware? Can I install it myself? Does it come with complete instructions? How difficult is it to install? What is the cost? Will it speed up other printing, like from word processors, as well? Answers from Tom Yurick... The way I understand it, PageStream output will not benefit from adding memory to the Deskjet. The pages are 'built' in the computers memory. OutBurST provides the fastest output to the printer. I'm pretty sure that the memory cartridges for the Deskjet are only for downloading softfonts, and not of any use with PageStream. I know that with my DJ+ there was no difference with the 256K cartridge installed. If there is a new piece of hardware for increasing the buffer memory on the DJ series, I'd like to know more about it too. More help from Scott Sanders (SDS)... Adding memory to a Deskjet series printer will not print a document any faster but it will free up your computer faster. However, with dense graphics output, even the memory cartridge is not going to help much. ---------------- Information about the proper paper for your ink jet and laser printing from Rick Brown - Cat. 4, Topic 9, Msg. 15 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... REHASHING THE PAPER ISSUE: I've been sampling some excellent papers from LASEREDGE, which produces some papers specifically for ink jet and laser printing. Their many products include Laseredge Lite, Laseredge HR-10, 20, 60, and 65. HR-10 and HR-20 are specific to ink jet, while 60 and 65 are unique, resin- coated papers specific to laser printers. I can attest to the superior nature of these papers, having thought my NEC LC890 was moreso a paperweight than a printer until trying HR-60 and HR-65. Deskjet 500C printing to the HR-10 and 20 is equally impressive. I did meet a rep and saw some papers in development, some for the DJ that are nothing short of astounding. The quality, as the rep explained through microphotographic side-views of printed DJ samples, comes from specially developed emulsions (like the resin coating) that improve DJ output by virtually eliminating capillary bleed and soak-in problems. The paper, as it happens, is manufactured by a technical papers company in New York. A sample kit is available: * 250 sheets of Laseredge (TM) Lite for laser and ink jet printing * 50 sheets each of HR-10, 20, 60, and 65 * plus technical info, dealer info and if it still exists, a deal on a Mac (ask for model HR-SK-M) or IBM (HR-SK-D) display font (thrown in on disk at no extra charge- though I'm not sure if this part of the deal is limited)--Call toll-free 1-800-642-7286 (MasterCard and Visa accepted) or send $19.95 + $3 postage/handling to: CF, Incorporated P.O. Box 1327 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33302-1327 fax (305) 751-6336 Of course, I make no warranties as to this deal, but it could change the way you print and your expectations when you print. I don't know that I'd use it for draft or rough printing, but as "final copy" paper it is outstanding (and therefore could last a long time). Judging by my own printed samples, this was $20 well spent. My apologies if this message is repetitious for some. BTW- I believe dealer inquiries are also invited at this time. ---------------- Here's a post that will be of interest to anyone who was unsatisfied with F-19 SF for the ST. Cat 12, Topic 4, Msg. 63 - From the Games RT on Genie... I have contacted MPS-UK concerning the ST version of F-19SF. I suggested and they agreed to provide a exchange policy similar to the Amiga policy. It is: Mail in your original F-19SF to: MPS Customer Service 180 Lakefront Drive Hunt Valley, MD 21030 Attention: Steve/ST F-19SF Include the game you would like to exchange for - only currently pub- lished titles, which we will forward to the UK. This offer is opened only to registered owners of F-19SF ST and will expire 07/30/92. After 07/30/92 all customer support for F-19SF ST regarding the exchange will need to be directed to the UK office. Please note also that all support for ST products will be provided by the UK office only. Hopefully this will satisfy current owners of F-19SF ST. Thanks, -Quentin, MPS Labs ---------------- Information from J.DIETT1 about SubLogics Flight Simulator II - Cat. 9, Topic 2, Msg. 23 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... For those that enjoy SubLogics FLT.SIM.II, SubLogic has just released the GREAT BRITAIN scenery collection for the ST. It incorporates new and improved scenery and Excellent graphics - especially runways, taxiways, airports and cities. The flying area incorporates England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland. It is available direct from SubLogic for $59.95 plus $4.00 shpg. I believe that the sale of this program will determine if SubLogic will port over A.T.P. (airline transport pilot) for the ST. I have been in a campaign to get this available for the ST. If you call or write to SubLogic be sure to tell them "I WANT A.T.P. FOR MY ATARI ST". SubLogics U.S. number is 1-800-637-4983 ---------------- Upgrade information about That's Write 2 from Robert (COMPO) - Cat. 13, Topic 15, Msgs 37 & 39 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... THAT'S WRITE 2 ================== That's Write 2, a major upgrade, will be shipping soon - later in July, I expect. Upgrade orders are now being accepted, and will be shipped in the order received. Upgrade prices are as follow : . . . from That's Write 1.5 $ 60.00 . . . from Write ON $160.00 Payment must be in US dollars and may be made by check, money order, VISA, or MasterCard. If you have any questions, drop us a message or call. COMPO Software Corp. 104 Esplanade Avenue Ste. 121 Pacifica Cal ifornia 94044 USA Tel 415-355-0862 Fax 415-355-0869 ....That's Write 2 works with MultiTOS. It also doesn't bypass GEM, but rather adds to it legally, resulting in an interface that is very similar to GEM, but has features that I wish were added to GEM. That sounds pretty rough, huh? But you understand . . . it's nice, and it's legal. The font material - we have information on understanding fonts and printer drivers for That's Write and Write ON. It's pretty handy, just for knowing what filenames are doing what, and is essential if you're going to be creating, converting,or modifying fonts for use with That's Write and Write ON (of course, C-Font does it automatically). There are also disks with examples and such to make it really clear. The whole kit costs $5.00, and we'll need to know what printer you're using. ---------------- Questions about the 40 folder 'bug' - Cat. 14, Topic 32, Msgs 26-35 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie... Questions from S.GOLDFEIN... Could someone please explain to me what exactly the TOS Folder bug is and what exactly the FOLDERxxx.PRG does. Also, I have heard that there are some other programs from Atari like a CACHExxx.PRG and so forth and was wondering what this does also. Answer from TW3... The TOS 40 Folder bug is a problem with the original TOS's only allocating memory sufficient to handle 40 folders. With floppies only it rarely was a problem but with a hard disks it isn't that hard to have over 40 folders. More than 40 folders can exist on a hard disk without problems as long as they aren't opened. Closing them again doesn't free up the memory, that's the essence of the bug. Everything works fine until TOS see more than 40 folders, then files start "disappearing"; they aren't really gone (yet), they just don't show up. They can be trashed (overwritten) if one writes to the folder or drive from which the files are missing, but they will reappear following a reboot. Until TOS sees 40 folders again, when different files vanish. All in all, it can make one doubt one's grip on reality! When it happened to me, I became certain that either the computer or I was losing it mind. It was reassuring that it was the computer. FOLDRxxx.PRG is a program that modifies the amount of memory set aside allocated for handling folder directories. The amount is set by replacing the "xxx" in the file name with the number of ADDITIONAL folders to be accommodated. I named mine FOLDR216.PRG which gives me a total of 256 folder capacity on my system with a 110MB hard disk; I only have 214 actual folders at last check but it is good to be certain of not running out of folder memory. I was surprised that when I got my TEC TOS 2.06 upgrade that it came up on the screen and told me to increase my folder memory with FOLDRxxx.PRG, so I guess that the problem crosses all versions of TOS. The newer versions just handle it much better. Hope I helped. More comments from Jeff Wisniewsk... As has been said before about the 40 folder bug and the new TOS. In the new TOS the limit has been increased and the computer now handles the counter correctly (when you close a folder/window it is taken off the count). To currently hit the limit in the new TOS, you would have to have a lot of windows open at the same time (current limit is 7) and you will never hit it.. Scott Sanders (SDS) helps out... Actually, the '40 folder bug' isn't really a bug at all. The memory which TOS uses for several things such as path specifications and memory chunks comes from an internal heap. When TOS 1.0 was released media demands weren't that high. Rather than 'fix' this thing by adding more folders and demanding more of a users system ram, FOLDRXXX.PRG allows a user to allocate as much as he thinks is necessary. For many users, this program isn't even necessary. If you own a hard disk you might want to try FOLDR100.PRG and you'll probably not have any more problems. I think I'm correct in saying that this is similar to the MS-DOS land where in the CONFIG.SYS file you have to have two lines like: FILES=20 BUFFERS=20 These lines specify the maximum number of open files and buffers available to the system. This isn't exactly what the Atari uses them for but a similar concept. ---------------- Some information from Stan Slonkosky - Cat. 4, Topic 40, Msg. 60 - From the Jerry Pournelle RT on Genie... These are some messages from Supra's BBS about some bug fixes for their relatively new v.32 or v.32 bis modems: 6/23/92 Supra will be sending a new ROM for its SupraFaxModem v.32/bis modems to all registered owners approximately mid-July. This new ROM fixes several fax related problems, incorporates Supra's code to initiate a fall back under adverse line conditions, and other Supra enhancements to Rockwell's code. 6/1/92 Supra has signed an agreement this week with Rockwell that Supra will write the ROM code to allow a Rockwell chipset-based V.32bis modem to fall back to slower speeds when encountering adverse line conditions. Both the SupraFaxModem v.32 and v.32bis will include this new ROM beginning in June. Rockwell is planning to incorporate Supra's code solution late this year for its other OEM customers. ---------------- Here's one from Kirk Darling that has nothing to do with computers but I thought was interesting - Cat. 2, Topic 8, Msg. 268 - From the Jerry Pournelle RoundTable... The problem between men and women is this: women are telepathic and men aren't. Women are born that way, and to them it is completely natural. They don't realize that men can't read minds as they can. Men, not having been born telepathic, don't realize that women can do it and they can't. Women don't believe that men aren't telepathic. They simply think that men are obstinate. Have you guys ever noticed how two women can meet and hardly say a word, yet dislike each other intensely? That's because unbeknownst to us men, the two women told each other off telepathically. My mother used to say "I know what you're thinking, boy." I thought she was just saying that as a figure of speech. Now I know better -- she DID know what I was thinking. Have you guys ever noticed that sometimes your wife or girlfriend gets angry at you for no reason at all? It's because she was telling you something telepathically and you didn't get it. Once you realize that women are telepathic, it all begins to make sense. ---------------- Until next week (maybe)..... ________________________________________________________________ > DRAGONWARE CONFERENCE STR FOCUS! GEnie's Dragonware Conference """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Dragonware Software Realtime Conference July 8, 1992 <[Sysop] JEFF.W> On behalf of the Atari ST Roundtable, I welcome all of you to the Dragonware RealTime Conference featuring Chris Roberts and Chris Latham. Before getting started, some business about how an RTC works. While the RTC room is in Listen-Only mode, you can only address our guest when I let you talk. To get my attention, just /RAIse your hand. Just enter this from your keyboard: /rai I'll acknowledge your raised hand as soon as I can, but please be patient. I -WILL- let you know when your turn is coming up. Some other RTC commands are: ? - Lists all RTC commands. /sta - Status (list) of everyone in the RTC room. /exi - Exit the RTC, but you remain logged onto GEnie. /bye - Log off of GEnie directly from the RTC. /rai - Raise your hand. Lets me know you wish to address our guest. Let's get right to it... Chris and Chris -- Thank you for being with us this evening. Before we start shooting questions at you, perhaps you can each tell us a bit about yourselves and about Dragonware and about the Dragonware product line? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> First we will start with a text file we have prepared. To start out, we want to give a brief product history of DragonWare. In other words, a commercial announcement. DragonWare Software Inc. originally was a ShareWare company making Atari 8 BIT software. In September of 1991 DragonWare introduced it's first commercial software release for the Atari TOS based computers: "THE G_MAN 2.0". Nearly a year later, DragonWare has released version 3.0 of the G_MAN, new hardware products like The Dragon Battery for the STacy, and many new software products. The G_MAN 3.0: GDOS/FONTGDOS utility. Creates ASSIGN.SYS files and EXTEND.SYS files. Finds errors in the original GDOS file name layout. The G_MAN 3.0 is the only commercial GDOS ASSIGN.SYS and EXTEND.SYS AUTOMATIC INSTALLER that is program independent. (including FontGDOS and files; 5 disks in total) $44.95 SmokeArt Volumes one and two: $19.95 each Over 200 IMG drawings in each collection of clip art. The Satellite Locator ST: $19.95 Give this program a longitude and latitude and it will tell you where to aim your home satellite dish to find any geosyncronus satellite in orbit. Now the NEW STUFF! On June 16th Chris Latham agreed to join DragonWare Software. As an immediate result there will be three new products released in the next 3 months. PowerNet 1.5: Universally compatible Local Area Network (LAN) Share Hard Disks, Printers programs files in 3 ways: MIDI TT/STE LAN ports LanTec cartridge ports. Available NOW $99.95 for two nodes. FLEXOR: The FLEXible item selectOR. available in the 4th quarter. AtariTalk2 AppleTalk compatible LAN. Available September 1992 (we hope) FontKit Plus 3.5 $74.95 shipping Aug 15. ********************************************** * SPECIAL ON-LINE COUPON * * $10.00 OFF on any DragonWare * * Product! when ordering direct. * * * * 0419 Expires August 1 1992 * * * * Phone 406-265-9609 * ********************************************** Print out this coupon to save on our products! That is IT....... CHRIS do you want to add anything? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Not at this time <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> OK Jeff, Let em rip. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> We'll start with questions from the floor... What will be the difference between UIS III and FLexor? Better right? [grin] <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Infinitly scalable item selector. It will scale to fit any screen size and expand the file listing as well. It will also be much more friendly with no hidden functions. Obviously a more mature product? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Yes, even the scroll bar arrows are at the top so those with large screen monitors will not have to move their mouse everywhere to scroll files. Thanks for the info. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> There have been a couple folks asking in private /SENds about a capture on that coupon. I have it in my capture buffer and it will be included in my transcript that I'll be uploading to Software Library #13 tomorrow. Next Question... <[Dave] D.SMITH200> Will Ataritalk support Gadget's Megatalk Board, for those of us without Mega STE/TT's? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Presently what we are talking about is a Spectre level INIT to access the TT/Mega STE systems... However, we plan to release a DMA/SCSI device for standard STs, 1040STEs, etc. Oh one more thing. The Gadgets boards possibly in the future. <[Dave] D.SMITH200> Sounds good. Would this INIT allow a real mac to access Atari on a Net? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> I'd like to support megatalk boards, but I'd need one, and a mega to plug it into. <[Dave] D.SMITH200> You can borrow mine. Dave says the'll ship in about two days. I'll be glad to loan it if it helps development. The board, that is. You're on your own for the Mega... <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Two days? Where have I heard that before :^) <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Dave, Yes, if it was running AppleShare. <[Dave] D.SMITH200> OK Just Email me if you're interested. That's all, Thanks. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Well, maybe some other user wouldn't mind loaning it to me for awhile. :^) <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Nevin Shalit asked me to ask this question.... Will your LAN setup let you hook into an existing Novell system to print only? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> no <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> YES!!!!! <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Hmmmm. <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> AtariTalk2 will if you are using a Novell Server. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Rebuttal, Chris L.? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Chris , I think he asked if the current LAN would work with a Novell server. <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Not the current PowerNet. Sorry. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Current or future, whichever product that it might work on. So the answer is that AtariTalk2 will be able to do this, correct? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Chris? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> The future product will be AppleTalk compatible, which means you could get into a Novell server that supports AppleTalk <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Saved. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Okay, thanks. Rob is next. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> Hi Chris... my question is twofold, and you partially answered the first prt earlier, but here goes anyway: Will your network allow someone to use the LAN port on their MSTE and go to a standard ST, say, through the cart port? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> No. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> What I want to do is network my MSTE to my BBS machine, a 520ST. Okay... hold on... Secondly, what kind of transfer speeds does it support? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> It will be a DMA device on SCSI 7 for the older machines. the current LAN in your case will require MIDI. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> We are looking into Whatever the underlying hardware supports. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> DMA would be good, since it would probaly be faster. Good idea. ;) That's it. Thanks! <[Sysop] JEFF.W> What about the transfer speeds? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Chris? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> It depends on the hardware... For LocalTalk, the transfer speed is around 18-20k per second. For Lantech carts (for those who have them), figure about 22k per second. MIDI ports we won't discuss :^) <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> It is faster than copying a floppy and carrying it to the other machine. <[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3> This one's for Chris. No, not that one. The _other_ Chris. Yeah, you :-) I was wondering, as I'm sure others are, ... where on GEnie is your support topic. With all this interest in LAN, I expect you'll have a lively one. And I'd like to know where I can lurk :-) <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Category 4, Topic 18. <[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3> Great! I'll be lurking there, thanks! <[OakSprings] K.CAVAGHAN2> Just wondering what changes have been made to PowerNet as opposed to Universal Net? Also, if Powernet & Ataritalk could be used on the same system? (ie: from a MSTE->520->a newer machine) <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> CS? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> PowerNet and Universal Net are incompatible. Yes, PowerNet and AtariTalk will work on the same system. <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> We have yet to hear any questions on G_Man. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Before G_Man... I'm a intrigued by the networking possibilities, but slow on all the details... What is Powernet compared to AtariTalk2? How are they similar and how are they different? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Ok. First off... PowerNet is a proprietary network, it's good for connecting ST to ST, but not to other platforms or networks. This is plenty for many people in the Atari community who don't need connectivity with other platforms... AtariTalk 2 is a gateway for ST/TT users to link into other platforms in businesses that already have existing LANs or network capable laserprinters <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Thank you. I was able to understand that. :-) <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> PowerNet is great if you waant to share printers and disk files between machines and is highly reccommended for ST only LANs. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> What kind of background access will Powernet provide on ST's? Will the user notice much of a slowdown? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> It depends on the hardware... Lantechs are known for taking up lots of CPU time. Local Talk on TTs is great because it is driven by DMA. However with MegaSTEs, you will notice a slow down. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> What if I used the DMA verision on both machines? Would that help? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Yes. That would remove the burden from the CPU. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> Cool... Also, how will a remote system access another computer's hard drive? Will it be a MiNT-style disk drive (i.e. U:) with folders for each of the remote machines partitions? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> You get a drive letter that represents the network. Within that drive, other nodes appear as folders. Within those folders, are the machine's available resources ( disk drives, printers, and other CON type devices). With AtariTalk, you will have a Mac like chooser where you can mount partitions and assign them to drive letters of your choice. Printer access will be as on the Mac, you would use Chooser to pick a printer to print to. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> How many machines will PowerTalk support? I missed the opening banner... what is the price on the DMA setup? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Go ahead Roberts <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> We haven't set a price on the DMA device yet. We are hoping to come in under $100.00 <[CSL] C.LATHAM> And we are hoping real fast. <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> PowerNet will support scads of nodes. Chris could tell you the upper limit. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> AppleTalk LANs by their nature are basically unlimited in number of nodes. LocalTalk has a recommended (by Apple) limit of 32 nodes. Anymore than that and you should use a router. <[Rob] R.GLOVER3> Cool... I'll check out your Topic for more info. Thanks! That's all. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> A quick question...when will the public get to see these LAN products in action? Will you be demonstrating them at an upcoming Atari show? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Yes, we will be demonstrating PowerNet at the Glendale and hopefully an AtariTalk2, hooked to a Mac. PowerNet is available now. Chrises, how much acceptance has PowerNet had? As a very satisfied Universal Network User I wouild like to know why I should switch. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Since it is a new product, we are just getting it out on the market. Universal Net is an old product, and I don't believe that it is being supported, but I can't be sure. Do you need Beta Testers for AtariTalk? <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Roberts? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Uh...Well, those who have Mac, appleTalk LAN access and IBM (Novell) access, send us GE-mail to DragonWare. We'll see. From your description it souynds like PowerNet uses much of the same methodology as Universal. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Since I designed both UNet and PowerNet, of course they are similar, but that's where the similarity ends. :-) I'm afraid that that doesn't tell me very much. <[CSL] C.LATHAM> Give me a call. And I can answer anyone's specific questions easier than we can on here. Jeff, you can call the next questioner. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Thanks, JD. A G_Man question. Let's say I am awestruck by GDOS and ASSIGN.SYS and EXTEND.SYS files. I've got a couple different GDOS setups spread across my hard disks. Will G_MAN combine all these for me and create a single cohesive 'order' on my system instead of the mess I currently have? It will save a lot of disk space too! <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> The nature of G_Man is to be a universal Font installer. It requires the user to place all his GDOS fonts and drivers in one single folder. Then, the program allows you to create ASSIGN.SYS files based on what you have in this folder. One of the common problems is getting fonts that have the same internal ID number. If installed without correcting this it could make for major trouble with GDOS. The G_Man automatically corrects this as it creates the ASSIGN file. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Cool! So I would take all my fonts and drivers, shove them into the same folder, and let G_Man do the rest? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Correct. You would create a separate folder for your GDOS FSM fonts (if you have any). These folders can reside anywhere. I keep mine inside a folder called FONTS inside my auto folder. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Is there any provision for working with G+Plus and creating specific .SYS files for specific applications? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Yes. G_Man will let you name your assign file anything you wish and even split them so that one file is used for printer drivers and fonts and the other for screen fonts only to save memory. There are provisions for disabling entire font faces or certain point sizes to help you customize your assign file. I take it that G-Man supports FONTGDOS. The modern method is with a CPX gadget. Does g-man work this way also? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Yes. It will create extend files required by FSM GDOS and FONTGDOS. Not at present. The problem is with the restricted size in the CPX format. G_Man has a lot going on on the screen that helps reduce confusion by the user. We do however provide FONTGDOS with Atri's CPXs and accessories with the 3.0 revision. Chris, I notice that you are offering a Stacy battery. How do you feel about the STacy? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> WE think the STacy and the ST Book both have places in the Atari market. Do you think the new Falcon wil be more portable in some ways? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> In what way portable?? The Book seems a bit slow in arriving. It doesn't weigh alot. (the Faclon, that is). <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> Not for us to say . We aren't Atari. <[W.A.A.C.E.] S.HOFFMANN> If you'd like to be at W.A.A.C.E., I can give you any information you might need to make your decision. <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> We'd love it. Send GE mail on all data. <[W.A.A.C.E.] S.HOFFMANN> Okay. GA <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> We hope to attend WAACE and Glendale this year. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> It's about time to wrap this up. Before we draw to a close, anything you'd like to touch on that we may have missed during the Q&A, Chris and Chris? <[Chris R] DRAGONWARE> We just want to say thanks to anyone who attended. We're new and this I hope will help us continue to produce products for the TOS platforms. Thanks again. <[Sysop] JEFF.W> Thank you, Chris Roberts and Chris Latham, for being with us and answering our questions about Dragonware products. Best of luck to you! And many thanks for all who our friends who attended. ========================================================================= (C) 1992 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May be reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on GEnie are *official* information services of Atari Corporation. ========================================================================= > STR ACCOUNTS SUSPENDED STR Spotlight FREE ACCOUNTS SUSPENDED! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STREPORT'S FREE ACCOUNT ON GENIE SUSPENDED ========================================== Below, we present a series of posts relative to the suspension of STReport's free account on GEnie. From GEnie's ST RT Category 15, Topic 6 Message 86 Thu Jul 09, 1992 J.NESS [Jim] at 10:48 EDT Swampy - It would be a shame, if ST Report stopped appearing here. Whether Ralph's decision, or someone's here, it would be foolish. Obviously, it would still be available elsewhere, but still... And I HOPE it has nothing to do with John Nagy's complaint of last week, in which online service management became involved. A recent court decision held online services blameless for what is posted there, as long as they can show that the contractor (ie, Darlah, here) makes the final decisions on Keep or Delete. That would, however, leave the contractor in trouble, if something nasty was posted, and not removed. I'd hate to think that one of Ralph's "enemies" (of which there seem to be many) finally got that kind of handle on someone at GEnie. -JN ------------ Jim; Its a scary thought thinking there may be some other "influence" at work in this matter. If such were the case, and it were eventually exposed, I am sure the flurry of justification excuses would be many. I might add however, I doubt this matter amounts to anything more than personalities, powerplays and a sprinkling of insecurity. As for the obvious, well.... we need not discuss that as its clear the other service is the main object of contention. Category 15, Topic 6 Message 87 Thu Jul 09, 1992 DARLAH [RT~SYSOP] at 14:55 EDT Jim: The ST Roundtable has NOT asked Ralph to stop uploading his magazine nor has this ever come up in discussions with him. If it does happen, it will be Ralph's decision and not ours. ------------ Darlah; That is very true, you have not asked that we stop uploading STReport to your area, but its clear, that to do so and support both this RT and our readers, we must pay. Granted, uploads are free, but the ancillary activities of gathering info from GEnie will now cost us. Category 15, Topic 6 Message 88 Thu Jul 09, 1992 D.D.MARTIN [Swampy] at 18:26 EDT NATHAN -- Ralph told me. So what's the big deal? Ralph certainly can pick and choose which online services STR will be available on. I have a second Syquest on order from ABCO and called Ralph to give him information on the length of the cable I needed for it and request information about some utility files. He told me it appeared that ST-REPORT may no longer be available on GEnie and that his free flag was being pulled "due to his lack of support for GEnie". (This sure mystifies me when I note the full page GEnie ad in the ABCO catalog. Did GEnie _pay_ for the ad because they support _Ralph_, or did Ralph print the ad for _free_ because _he_ supports GEnie?) As Jeff Williams said last night in the live conference "Ralph is always free to upload STR to the Genie library." True, but _why_ should he? Obviously, if management is going to pull his free flag, they don't want him here. Someone also said that STR could be re-uploaded from another service. This is _not_ true. If you read the copyright in the magazine, Ralph holds the exclusive rights to STR and all material in it. The whole situatioin smacks of back room politics. It is incomprehensible to me why GEnie would jeapordize the 20,000+ yearly downloads of STR to other online services. It doesn't make good _business_ sense to me so I have to assume it is not a _business_ decision. ------------ Category 15, Topic 6 Message 89 Thu Jul 09, 1992 DARLAH [RT~SYSOP] at 20:08 EDT DD: Thank you for sharing your opinion with us. I will not and can't discuss flags or internals with anyone except the holder of that account. This is procedure. Unfortunately that will leave you with making assumptions based on limited knowledge. I apologize for that. I must admit though that your last line is furthest from the truth than we could possibly get. Beyond that, there will not be a discussion from the Atari ST staff. It will have to remain one sided, if that is what you desire. I must say though that your letter gave me insight. Thank you for that! ------------ D.D.; I thank you for your clarification and support. Its sad to see that this whole affair leaves you with the impressions it has. Perhaps time will mellow that impression. I must admit though, you've given me an entirely new perspective from which to observe this entire matter. Facts may be facts, but appearances are what's seen by observers worldwide. Thus, its easy to understand your perception of the ongoing events. I had never calculated the annual download activity before. Amazing, simply amazing. As for why the account and flag were torpedoed, I can and will only say it was because we were not "pro ST RT" enough to satisfy Darlah. Category 15, Topic 6 Message 90 Thu Jul 09, 1992 ISD [Nathan] at 20:33 EDT I'm surprised D.D.. I spoke with Ralph today and he told me that he had no intention of leaving GEnie. Personalities aside :-), the FACT remains that GEnie is absolutely the best place to be if you own an Atari computer, in terms of out and out information, support and everything else. Most of all, I love the atmosphere, the back and forth, the exchange of ideas, of concepts, of anything and everything both relating to, and having nothing whatsoever to do with my Atari. Sharing my own enthusiasm for my Atari computer with literally thousands and thousands of others with the exact same enthusiasm, brings me pleasure and I suspect that it does the same for you. Nathan @ ISD ------------ Nathan; You are quite right and I thank you for taking my calls as it served to preserve some semblance of common sense and rational thinking in this entire matter. Although I must admit, I did contemplate removing the 212 files I own from the ST RT library, I saw the error of that action in that it would hurt the users and accomplish nothing much else. Regardless of the situation, we support the users no matter where they may be. Indeed you are correct that the majority of Atarians are here, I must however, point out the numbers of users here who have already informed us of having either "re-activated old accounts or subscribed elsewhere" was quite surprising. Even more surprising was the number of G.O.T. messages we received this morning alone. The Atari userbase is indeed grand! It may be small, but its filled with wonderful people. Category 15, Topic 6 Message 91 Thu Jul 09, 1992 ATARIUSER [John King T.] at 22:42 EDT DD: Then how does STReport get onto those 10,00 plus BBS worldwide if, "Ralph holds the exclusive rights to STR and all material in it?" Do you mean to say that Ralph does all the uploading himself? That must be one hugh phone bill!!! :~} JKT ------------ John King Tarpinian; I know or would like to think you are trying to make a funny... As a matter of fact, I do hold the _exclusive rights_ to STReport and _do_ make the decision as to where and through whom it will be made available. As it stands now, there is little or no restriction placed on its distribution. The only requirements are that it remain intact, unedited and circulated in its entirety. Good luck on the upcoming show, it shows promise to be a good one. _______________________________________________________________ > GEnieLamp Contest STR InfoFile Computer WARS??? """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" >>> THE ANNUAL GEnieLamp COMPUTER WAR CONTEST! <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Take Your Best Shot! Here's your chance to boast about your favorite """""""""""""""""""" computer system, whether it is a Timex/Sinclair or a Cray Supercomputer or something inbetween. Plus, you can win GEnie online credit time! How? Simple. All you have to do is to convince me why you think I should _upgrade_ to your computer system. Or if you are an Atari STer, why you think I should stay with the Atari ST. What's In It For YOU? Wow! Over $250.00 worth of GEnie online credit, """"""""""""""""""""" that's what! Take a look... 1st Place............$150.00 worth of GEnie credit. 2nd Place.............$60.00 worth of GEnie credit. 3rd Place.............$25.00 worth of GEnie credit. Honorary Mention......$12.00(*) (*) Entries selected for publishing in upcoming issues of GEnieLamp will receive $12.00 worth of GEnie time _upon_ publication. The Details """"""""""" o The contest is open to all GEnie members. (If you are not a GEnie member, maybe now is the time to join!) GEnieLamp staff writers and GEnie employees/contractors are welcomed to submit articles, but are not eligible for prizes. o Contest entries are to be 500 words or less and in ASCII format. At the top of your article, be sure to include your name and your GEmail address. o Deadline for submissions is no later then midnight, August 15, 1992. o When you are ready, you can upload your entry to the temporary library #8 in the GEnieLamp RoundTable (M515;3). o All entries become the property of GEnieLamp Online Magazine. o Entries will be judged by the GEnieLamp Editors, Co-editors and Columnists. Judges decisions are final. So what'cha you waiting for? This is an easy contest! You're writing about something you love, your computer system. Boot up that word processor and fire the first shot! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Anyone want to give it a shot??? John GEnieLamp ST Co-Editor _______________________________________________________ > STReport CONFIDENTIAL "Rumors Tidbits Predictions Observations Tips" """"""""""""""""""""" - Santa Fe, NM Falcon Visual by "Super Snoop" ------------ First off, I had the good luck to see one these "rare birds" first hand. Yes, it was a 1040 case and yes it was black (dark gun metal grey) and had yellow lettering on the keys. But the yellow keys are going to get gone... meaning they are going to produce it with white lettering. Yes it has the DSP. Yes it comes in ram configs up to 14 megs, and yes it has an internal HD. To be specific a conner 42 meg IDE, one of those real tiny 2" jobs. Qindex displayed TOS 2.7. Speeds were impressive, although because this was a European model, the video was seen on a converted sc1224 and would display normal low and medium and lowrez above 256 colors. Medium rez would be 16 colors. Now I was told by my confidant this was because of the video not being in US spects-NTCT or what ever it is. Um, lets see, it has the apple talk port, the monitor port was one of the DB15's I believe. It had a SCSI-2 port, and all of the normal ones minus the DMA. (I cant remember seeing one, I was more interested in the SCSI-2 port!) Is this a problem for the SLM owners? I don't believe it will be, because the SLM's are SCSI anyhow, with the laser box being just a host correct? Anyhow, the color is quite attractive, not flashy or overbearing. Needless to say it was a screamer, even at 16mhz. I am a little confused though, the individual who had the machine (who shall remain nameless lest I die in my sleep) had a small book that said FALCON-030 developers guide (or something similar) but when the machine booted it said Booting SPARROW HD. What is the command line thing all about? It appeared to boot into a command line. Then the user could send it to the desktop. Editor Note; According to our information, Atari will be making a special cable available to SLM owners thus making the transition to the Falcon quite painless. - London, UK FALCONS, FALCONS EVERYWHERE! ---------- ST Format (August issue) has published more details about the new Falcon, from sources within Atari. Price :- 550-600 UKP 260,000 colors, up to 32,600 on screen at once. User defined screen modes up to 1000 x 960 pixels. 16 channel 8-bit stereo sound. Stereo sound input. Direct to hard disk recording at up to 50Khz. Genlock locking built in. 1 Mbyte RAM expandable to 16Mbytes internally. Analog Joystick ports! There is also Falcon specific software to be ready by launch date and Third party hardware add-ons. One other interesting note is that Atari are claiming better ST compatibility on the Falcon than the Mega STE and the TT. Dazzz P.s. All this and Multi TOS too? - Northhampton, MA GRIBNIF OFFICES MOVED! ---------------- Gribnif Software has moved to new offices. The following address and telephone numbers are effective immediately: Gribnif Software P.O. Box 779 Northampton, MA 01061 Main line (including technical support): (413) 247-5620 Fax line (24 hours): (413) 247-5622 - Miamisburg, OH USENET FEEDS ARE ON SATELLITE! -------------- ISS is now transmitting and offering for sale their Usenet newsfeeds via satellite. If you are tired of late news, dropped articles or having only a limited selection of newsgroups, search no longer. We have the answer! A small Ku-Band satellite antenna and indoor satellite receiver/ modem that delivers approximately 40 megabytes of data to your machine in a 24 hour period. Full U.S. continental coverage as well as southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Cost $1800 per system. Visa, Mastercard, Checks accepted. For orders, information, etc. send mail to pagesat@netcom.com .. Please include Full Name, Address, and Telephone number when contacting ISS via Electronic Mail. For faster response, call 1-800-227-6288 (415) 424-0380 9AM 5PM PDT Stephen D. Williams SDW Systems (513) 496-5223 Pager (513) 439-5428 VMail Object Oriented R&D Internet: sdw@world.std.com Source Distribution CIS: 76244.210@compuserve.com GNU Support By Horse:10028 Village Tree Ct., Miamisburg, OH 45342 ICBM: 39 34N 85 15W """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON" """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > A "Quotable Quote" "...Nice Try... but ...NO CIGAR!" """"""""""""""""" "The MORE intense the GAME is played..... the BETTER all PLAYERS become!" ...Boss "Huey" Long """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > ABCO SPECIALS! STR InfoFile * NEW 1992 Prices! MORE Products! * """"""""""""""""""""""""""" -------------------------------- Special for the Summer! 15% off on all orders of 150.00 or more! ** EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! ** NOTICE: ABCO will BEAT OR MATCH * ANY * Advertised or 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 * * MAXTOR - SEAGATE - QUANTUM * WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE!!! >UPS!< (Cont. USA) VISA - MASTERCARD - NO SURCHARGE! *** NEW!!! ULTRA MODERN "SUPER STYLE" CABINET *** DELUXE 2 bay Cabinet W/65w Auto PS & Blower *** 90 DAY LIMITED OFFER!! *** - AT NO EXTRA COST! - Cabinet & ICD ADSCSI Plus Host [Hard Disk Ready] $259.95 Model Description Autopark Price ================================================== SGN4951 51Mb 3.5" Y 419.00 SQN1096 83mb 3.5" Y 519.00 SQN2055 120mb 3.5" Y 574.95 SQN1296 213mb 3.5" Y 839.00 SQN4055 340mb 3.5" Y 1310.00 ================================================== Standard "Shoebox Cabinet style is also available FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00 ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY "SUPER CABINET" w/250+w PS MODERN TOWER CABINETS AVAILABLE Call for Info! PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only! Many other configurations available. 20mb - 3.5gb NOTICE - NOTICE - NOTICE - NOTICE """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" SPECIAL PURCHASE! * 83mb - 1345mb * Hard Disk Mechanisms Call for SUPER PRICING!! Limited Time Only!! FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00 ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY SUPER CABINET w/250+w PS EXOTIC TOWER CABINETS AVAILABLE Call for Info! PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only! FAST TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR UPGRADES AVAILABLE & INSTALLED ***** >> ABCO proudly offers ATARI PRODUCTS << Call for ABCO's * HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PRICING! * ATARI COMPUTERS * STILL THE BEST VALUE! ***** Original Atari Mouse replacement: $35.00 NEW! If you don't see what you want listed here, call us. Odds are, we either have it or, can get it for you! * GUARANTEED * AT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE! * ** 800-562-4037 ** "WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL" ****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ****** * SYQUEST 44MB (#555) >> ABCOFILE "44" << REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE * - SYQUEST 44 MB DRIVE - ICD ST ADSCSI PLUS H/A - ICD Utility Software - 3' DMA Cable - Fan & Clock - Multi-Unit Power Supply (1) 44 MB Syquest Cart. --->> LIMITED TIME SPECIAL! NOW ONLY __$ 579.00__ <<--- **** SCSI UNITS -> ONLY $489.00 **** WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE! >UPS!< (Cont. USA) COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED AND READY TO RUN! Cart and Utility Software Included! EXTRA CARTS: $ 69.50 DRIVE MECH ONLY: $ 339.95 ****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ****** * TWIN SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVES ... PROGRAMMER'S DELIGHT * SPECIALLY PRICED ** $895.95.00 ** Includes: * TWO * cartridges! * SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE AND HARD DRIVE COMBINATIONS * - Syquest 44 Model [555] and the following hard drives - ** 50mb SQG51S $759.00 105mb SQG105S $959.00 ** Or, YOUR choice of Hard Disk Mechanism! LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE ** ANNOUNCING THE NEW! -> ABCO CD-ROM! ** :Special Introductory offer: ABCO CD-ROM $359.95 (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 Facsimile ** $41.95 shipping included ** -- ALL TONER KITS * IN STOCK * -- * Toner Starter Kits-$62.95 * * Replacement (804) Drums-$186.95 * ABCO is PROUD to announce the acquisition of the exclusive U.S.A. distribution rights for ** Bitblit Software's ///Turbo Board BBS. ** This fine Atari ST BBS system software and user support is available through ABCO to all Turbo customers in the USA. Call for current pricing. >> 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 VISA - MASTERCARD - NO SURCHARGE! Personal and Company Checks 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! SEND FOR YOUR NEW ABCO CATALOG TODAY! THE CATALOGS ARE DONE! & BEING MAILED! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport International Online Magazine [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport Available through more than 10,000 Private BBS systems WorldWide! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STR Online! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" July 10, 1992 Since 1987 copyright (c) 1987-92 All Rights Reserved No.8.28 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 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 STR editors, contributors and or staff are not responsible for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""