______ _____ / __/___ ______ ____ ______ ______ ______ ______ /\ \_ \/ / __ \/ _\/ /___/ \/ \/ \/\ / \/ \ / / / ____/ /__\ ____/ /___/ / / / / \/ / / _/ / _/ / _/ / _/ / _/ / _/ / _/ / _/ _/ x /_ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ \ / / \___ / \___ / \___ / \___ / \_/.sNs.\___ / \_/\ / \_/ \_/\__ / \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ The VEctroniX NEWSletter Issue #12 [November 30, 1997] Contact VEXNEWS for submissions, un/subscription, information or whatever reason at all: vexnews@mindless.com To get previous issues send an email with the subject "get vexnews #xx" -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- my motivations unresolved things are just never what they seem apathy's currencies deceit pitch bending radiated dreams -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- This issue is a bit special in many ways, I think all issues is really, but it's a good start to say like that! We have alot of guest writers this time which is really good, it means I don't have to write so much myself and we get a better perspective of news. Keep it up, keep the submissions coming! As alot of people have been a bit wondering about what the "Pacifist people" is up to we hereby give you two great stories, one by Muk U.K and the other by Leonard/Oxygene, familiar names to anyone perhaps? ehhh... yeah, I thought so! Then we have sad atari reports, happy amiga reports and well, a little of both this and that... read on! /Phoenix -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [ Contents of VexNews Issue #12 ] 1. Vectronix site under re-construction 2. New Vectronix releases 3. Life isn't easy in Germany 4. Amiga scene look and news report 5. Regression Theraphy 6. Atari-ST Megademo project! 7. A green man's experiences with CD-R 8. ICQ on the Atari!? 9. Oregon Research leaves Atari 10. Around the corner -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [1] VECTRONIX SITE UNDER RE-CONSTRUCTION by Phoenix [phoenix@weirdness.com] As many of you already have noticed both the FTP and WWW site have not been reachable for a few days, this because of some problems, and it's currently changing location and eventually also changing to a real Unix server instead of the shitty Windows NT box it's been running on until now. Everything will be to the better once it's finished, we just ask for some patience! Eventual mirrors of the site have also been considered, nothing is decided or ready yet though! More information will follow as soon as possible! -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [2] NEW VECTRONIX RELEASES by Phoenix [phoenix@weirdness.com] VEXMGPC1.ZIP 1454549 MagiC-PC v1.2 German (c) A.S.H Software [X/2] VEXMGPC2.ZIP 452321 MagiC-PC v1.2 German (c) A.S.H Software [X/2] VEXSTC22.LZH 956405 STarCall v2.2b German (c) INLI Software [1/1] MagiC-PC from Application System Heidelberg is the PC version of their very popular multitasking environment for Atari, in other words it allows you to run Atari programs on your PC! MagiC-PC is not for the gameplayer or demo freak, but mainly intended for more serious applications like desktop publishing or word processing. STarCall is a very powerfull terminal program featuring fax, voice and mailox modules, with other words most things you would ever need for successfull communication. STarCall runs under ST,TT,Falcon,MagiC-PC/MAC. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [3] LIFE ISN'T EASY IN GERMANY by Moondog [undercover_mag@usa.net] I think it's time to tell the world what's going in Germany today. There is no right demo-scene anymore in our country. We had ruled the scene for many years, but these times are over and will never come back. The breakdown of the demo-scene came very fast. Two years ago no one had thought that we can fall as deep as now. Only a handful of activists are left. Ok, some glory names are still around, but mostly it is only hot air. And also the surviving and active teams have problems and believe me, I don't think that the german demo-scene will survive the next year. The INDEPENDENT, they have ruled not only the german scene for years, is really dead. And besides of this alliance there were only a few really independent guys. The most of them were gone. And so without the INDY there is nearly no scene-life here in Germany. I will give you right now an overview about the current situation... ABSENCE / INDEPENDENT ........ ex-Falcon-coding team, now on PC, FORGET IT! We will never see some stuff from them on any ATARI-machine again.... ANIMAL MINE / INDEPENDENT .... THE compact-makers in the past. Today not even a shadow of the old glory is left. It's needless to say that with one SID-compile per year this band is demolating his good reputation... FORGET IT! AURA / INDEPENDENT............ BDC told me that his only activities are on ST SOUNDPAGE at the Inet. AEON is also busy with some homepage-stuff. There will NO demo come anymore from them... FORGET IT! AVENA ........................ Without TAT from UK and A.-t- of CREAM there would be nothing! The rest is on PC and so you can FORGET THEM! CHECKPOINT ................... Their coder is skilled, no question, but he has stopped to do anything and without an active coder you can FORGET IT! CREAM ........................ I got the info that CREAM are working on a new demo for ST! It will be released in spring next year! CRUOR ........................ Except their Falcon-shooter there is nothing in work, no demos... FORGET IT... ESCAPE ....................... One of the last promising teams on Falcon. There is also new demo-stuff in the pipeline besides some other stuff. INTER / INDEPENDENT .......... Still one big demo unreleased (INTERVIEW)... And I don't think that we will see it, becoz the band is on PC now. FORGET IT! STAX ......................... The last compact-makers are still here, but they slowed down their activities. THERAPY ...................... Besides ESCAPE the team with the most power in Germany. Still three active coders, but unfortunately they're working on their SMURF instead of demos. But not hopeless... tnb. ......................... My ex-band. Don't know what's going on, I had no right contact to the last survivors of this band anymore. Still some stuff in preperation, but if DRIZZT doesn't move his ass we will never see it! tSCc. ........................ THE HYPE and perhaps the most known band from Germany today. Unfortunately they're suffering under the inactivity of SCY and DYNA and the de-motivation of MOD. But there is still some stuff in the pipeline! As you can see we're shrinked like mad! Some of you will say that they have seen JACKY / ACF or DARYL of TEX on a party, why not count them, or so... ALL those bands like RISK, RESPECTABLES, TEX, LIGHT, DETONATORS, NEW TREND and NEW POWER GENERATION and and and.... are as dead as the death itself! You can FORGET THEM ALL! We don't need guys running around on the several parties, speaking bullshit instead of sitting down and code something! We need active people and no "Labertaschen". Now a few words in german, becoz I think the one or other isn't satisfied with my words above... > So, mag sein, dass ich dem einen oder anderen auf den Schlips trete, aber > das ist mir egal. Ich kann nicht entscheiden, wer nun hier zur "Szene" > gehört und wer nicht. Ich kann nur soviel sagen: ihr, die ganzen Laber- > säcke da draussen, die auf Parties und Messen rumeiern und von alten Zei- > ten träumen, habt mit den paar AKTIVEN Leuten, die meines Erachtens die > "Szene" ausmachen, soviel gemein wie ein Propeller mit 'nem Haufen Mist. > Von irgendwelchem rissigen Geschwelge in längst vergangenen Zeiten hat > keiner was, am wenigsten die vielbesungene "Szene" zu der ihr gehören > wollt! Aber scheinbar haben wir zu verschiedene Ansichten, als das wir > uns gegenseitig und der Scene in irgendeiner Form helfen könnten... Back to english... For me the german scene is dead. We have about 20 active people here and as you have seen at the INTERJAM'97 the final fall isn't far away. I hope that you don't forget the lonely survivors in the land of the sauerkraut. I think you can understand how hard it is to release the UCM in a land fullfilled with apathetic peoples. But we, the POETS OF DECAY will go on with the release of the UCM, because it could be the only sign of life from Germany in the future! Erm... .. commercial break ... We want to know something about YOUR activities in the ATARI-scene! Just get in touch with us! My current Email-add: ucm_hq@hotmail.com But it will change soon! If you get my new add, please use this one, even if I will not delete the old add. If you don't have any possibility to get in touch via Email just try to find out my snail-mail-add. You will find it in every issue of the UCM and perhaps some old .tnb.productions... We need your info to make the UCM to THE magascene on ATARI and your info can motivate others to go on! Hold up your flagg and show it via the UCM! UCM - the lifesupport machine for the children of the last generation... .. commercial end ... Ok, I have to go now and hope that the one or other doesn't laugh about my words, it's too sad to make jokes about it! The scene is a part of our life and has brought a load of funny and cool hours for us. We should not smash this part of us into the trashcan because of lazyness and so one. Some of you talking about scene and friendship and so I ask you: if all those ppl around are your friends and you're sitting back, watching their suffer without help them, are they really your friends?! Friendship means for me to be there for my friends, to help them, and this up to the last consequence... think about it, Moondog / poets of decay 11/97 last message: if you want to know something about the scene in the others countries just read the UCM, you don't have another joice! -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [4] AMIGA SCENE LOOK AND NEWS REPORT by sLAPSHOt [slap.slt@usa.net] First I wanna tell you that this is my very first article for any "public" mag I write and my English is not well too as you can see! Anyway... I just want to give you here some small Amiga warez and demo scene overlook (whats left of the great Amiga scene and what not) and a report from the Amiga Show "Computer'97" which was held on 14.-16.11. in Cologne/Germany. First we come to a small Amiga warez scene overview... Some years ago groups like Trsi, Classic, Paradox or Skid Rows ruled the Amiga warez scene, but most of the old dudes has gone, only some are left as i.e. Trsi and Delirium. There are mostly new crews with new and also senior guys. Some time ago, lets say some years ago, every day there came majors for Amiga! Yes, everyday there were major releases... lotsa games and tools. Major games and tools, no public domain stuff! And you found boards for Amiga everywhere on the globe! The Amiga scene was much bigger than the PC pirate scene! PC pirates were just kids against the Amiga freaks! But these glory days are over... they've just gone, like on Atari and C64 too. Nowadays there'e new groups like Hellfire or Lightforce with just a few of the old scene members. Anyway, there're much groups existing for the Amiga, although most don't release only qualitiy stuff, many lamers around, many fakers! But as I already told you there are much high qual releases too! Generally the same counts for the Amiga demo scene which is infact not that glory as it was years ago with all the great groups like Scoopex, Kefrens, Silents and all the others, but like in warez there're much new high quality groups called Artwork, Black Lotus or Jormas. The scene is changing... both scenes, the warez and the demo scene! Friendship once was not only a word, the scene was build of friendship! These days most don't care about friendship, they only care about biz! Much group wars, much fakes go around. This may sound a bit hard or unglory to you, but if you take a look to the all so famous (hahaha) PC scene you would see that the PC scene is much more extreme as the Amiga scene is. ANYWAY, the Amiga was and IS the best and ultimate computer scene for me and for many others! There'e are still few very nice releases and the Amiga International company will release a new OS soon. There're also new CPU Turbo cards for all kind of Amiga computers and the PPC from Motorolla is coming up to bring the Amiga new glory and more speed as anybody of you can imagine! :-P Amiga Internation also gave the license to some other companies to build and develop Amiga clones and new Amiga hardware using Amiga custom chips and Amiga copyrighted software. The first Amiga PPC software is on it's way and a new OperatingSystem (called p.OS = power.OS is released, much better than old Workbench or new Senseless95 from Microshit!) Btw, I totally forgot to tell you about Amiga parties. Surely there're still many Amiga parties i.e. The Party, The Assembly or Symposium.. also many smaller Amiga parties all over the world.. the next bigger party is The Party in late december in dk! Many people will come, the organizers hope for over 1500 Amiga users and nearly 2000 PC lamerz... great demos will be released as every year! See you there.. =) The best sign that Amiga lives was some days ago... the Amiga Show in Cologne/Germany called "Computer'97". This show was a big success for Amiga. Much new profsional software was introduced (such as a new 3D raytracing program with OpenGL support, 68060 and PPC optimized version and much much more..) also new games such as a DukeNuke'em convertion to Amiga and AmiQuake. More games will follow, now and very soon! Amiga International and 2 other companies introduced their new Amiga Models and clones, other companies introduced impressive Amiga hardware i.e. a very fast 3D gfx-card and other stuff like a new sound/midi card. As you can see Amiga is back, better than we all thought. Me for example never thought that Amiga will comeback like this way, but it happen... nice and I hope it will come to the big public. Well, I hope you got a small view into Amiga live as it happens today, if you want more infos don't hestitate to email me or just call my board The Junction which supports *latest* Amiga and Atari warez^demos. PS: Sorry my bad English grammer. ;( -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [5] REGRESSION THERAPY by Mug U.K [mug_uk@mindless.com] Regression Therapy .... Who are we? What are we doing? ....................... And more importantly, why are we bothering? 1. Who are we? -------------- Regression Therapy contains (for the moment) an old GFA-Basic coder who used to dabble in packing, linking and training Atari games. You may remember some of my fun utils of the ST era. The ones I am most known for are Multi Depacker and Super/Professional Virus Killer. Now do you remember? It's me, MUG U.K(tm)! There are no other members at the moment, but there's lots of interest on the Pacifist newsgroup, but at the moment everyone else is either too busy or too lazy :) I am not having a go at anyone at all :) 2. What are we doing? --------------------- So far I've unpacked and repacked (and added trainers/link-file loaders where possible) to as many of the old LSD hacks that were on the first compilation disks. I will be the first to admit that some of the titles are pure garbage, but LSD released them (as disk fillers) and so shall I! I've got a few CDs coming soon full of the older hacks and cracks which will need sorting out and there are a few of the games in their original unpacked (but cracked) format which would allow me to work out why making a trainer for them is a bitch! They are mostly the Atari/Williams arcade conversions that were done by Andromeda Software (way back in 1986/87!) and I hate to be beaten:) Other problems that I am battling with are the GEMDOS bugs in Pacifist at the moment. My link-filer works fine on TOSBox, but the link-files are designed for use with Pacifist and they will only work from disk images at the moment. The main stuff I am doing is similar to what the Conceptors did (according to Grazey/PHF). They re-released older titles in link-filed/trained/packed versions compared to the original cracks that were done by the likes of BOSS/CSS/TBR/STCS (remember those groups ?). If anyone has got any Conceptors menus, please get in touch. No point re-doing someone elses' re-releases. We are not aiming for any form of Falcon compatibility as there (to my mind) no point. I do not have the machine and have no use for one. Maybe my Atari heart is not all there and is some vision of Bill Gates in a devil mask (for some Atarians, that's what owning a PC is like :) !) The whole point of this exercise is to get the older games working under Pacifist. Very few of them used DMA loaders (phew .... one area of my knowledge that is very empty!) but if someone fancies teaching me how to do a DMA loader ..... ? 3. Why are we bothering? ------------------------ Pacifist ... that's all the reason I need give. When I left my Atari behind (back in 94) there was little else left for the scene to do. Push the STE that bit further or migrate to the Falcon. The second option I had no intention of doing ... like it or not, the PC allows you access into job whereas the Falcon limits you to the music industry and sweet F.A. else! My current job involves working on a PC Helpdesk answering tons of questions from beginners through to Einsteins (or so they think!). If I hadn't left the Atari scene when I did, I doubt I would be in this job. Pacifist allows me to remember the fun days (before I really had to earn a crust) when the disks of bootsectors for my Virus Killer came through the door, along with disks full of packers and the appropriate source code as that packer wasn't detected via Multi Depacker. In the midst of all this, I was a member of a few small UK packing crews (The Source, Special F/X, Adrenalin and a few "guest appearences" on other groups disks). I learnt the basics of 68000 and used this knowledge to hack the odd piece of music from the games, depack the odd file and train/pack games and demos for the various groups I was in. What else needs to be said about the emulator? It allows lots of ex-Atarians to remember the good old days. Same as any of the other (decent) emulators out there. I use them all for this reason (C64, Spectrum, Arcade emulators and console emulators). Some of the computers/consoles I've never used, but I enjoy them all. Who said the 80's was dead? If the fashion industry can tell us that naff clothes I *had* to wear when I was growing up are in vogue, then why not allow emulator authors/supporters to dip their fingers in the past as well? After all, it was only 15 years ago, a small black box with multiple coloured stripes down the bottom right hand side was released to an expectant public! 4. Where are we? ---------------- Webpage is at: website.lineone.net/~mikemee or if you can lend a hand, contact me: mikemee@lineone.net or mug_uk@mindless.com I am especially after someone who doesn't mind having a peek around the link-file source and adding a RAMdisk option to it. I have the source from an old Orion link-filer to do a RAMdisk option, but my coding skills are not up to the task (remember I prefer GFA BASIC !). Also someone with some knowledge of hacking DMA loaders? I would like to learn this art, and I understand the basics, but need to know if it is possible (or just stupidity) to convert a DMA loader back to FREAD to enable my link-filer to work (or is this a waste of time ?). -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [6] ATARI-ST MEGADEMO PROJECT! by Leonard [leonard@mygale.org} I (Leonard/OXYGENE) had some times left last month. Then it comes up a strange idea !! Since I stop the ATARI ST, I worked on many things. (Games, StSound and 68000 coding for fun !). Then I realize I had now some ATARI screens, so the idea came: "Why not create another ATARI Megademo ??!!". The Demo I want to do is an "old but good" style megademo, in the tradition of the best and famous ATARI demos. (I mean Union or Cuddly demos !). That is, the demo will contain a MainMenu, and all screens must be very impressive (I mean not a shitty "design" screen, wich takes 2 minutes to display a logo !). The Demo will be release in a very strange way: I want to do a "Never Finished" demo, where many people can put their screens in it ! That is, the demo will never has a definitive version ! When somebody wants to add a screen in it, he just contact me. I'll look at every proposition. My ambition is to contact and ask screen every great old ATARI crew as TEX, The Carebears, The Lost Boys etc... Maybe the first version will contain only 3 or 4 screens, and then, just imagine Nick of the Carebears sending me a TCB screen !! Whoh, what a great idea ! I Need Help! I want to know how many people codes 68000 today on ATARI ST. So, if you are interested by the project, contact me ( leonard@mygale.org ) I'll can send you preview. For the moment I need help on these subjects: Give me all suggestions about the Demo Name (remember the fact it must be a "traditional" demo as the best one, and it's never finished ! Send me your unreleased screens you have on your harddrive ! Give me any comments and suggestions about anything ! Today I have already coded some stuff for the demo. I can only told you some things about the mainmenu. It's a multi-directionnal 4 pixels scroller in fullscreen. (as the great cuddly demos). The sprite of you little guy (just call him "charly", ha ha) is 64*80 pixels high. Ok that's all. Remember this can be the biggest ST project never acheived ! I really hope all ST great people will contact me fast !! -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [7] A GREEN MAN'S EXPERIENCES WITH CD-R by Green Tommy [greeny@cenacle.se] During the last months, I've had the joy of owning a CD-recorder. Or maybe joy is a too strong a word. With a recorder, also comes all friends, that's constantly nagging you about using it, I used to be one of those, and it's not until now I've realised what a pain in the *ss I've been... hehe, but to my defence I'd like to say that we were a couple of guys who bought the CDR together, and it just so happened that one poor sod got to have it at home. :) But it does have a positive effect aswell, with the friends, also comes CDRs they want copied, which also helps expanding your softwarelibrary. Backups have become an easy task, and with the price of CDRs constantly falling, who cares if a CDR is useless in 2 or 3 months? Anyway, that was not what Metallinos has been nagging me for. He wanted a report/review/compilation of my experiences to share with all of you VexNews Readers out there. But don't worry, despite forcing me to do this, I have a gruesome revenge awaiting him.... ;-) Finally, we come to the point: My first CD-recorder was the HP4020i. Writing at a slow 2x you'd think almost any computer could keep up with it, and it did. Unfortunately, the software that came with it wasn't what you'd hope for. HP has this deranged illusion that everything they do, is good. When it comes to printers, that may very well be the case, but not CDRs. They feel so secure that their stuff is good, that they refuse to offer support if you use your HP4020i together with other hardware and other software than the one they have supplied. The hardware might be okay, but the soft was not good. It was easy to use, no problems there, worked? Yes, on about every second record. The problem was that it "lost" subdirectorys. And if you wanted to make a clean CDimage copy, it was not possible, no such function. (actually they had another program for that, but frankly, I didn't feel like giving HP another chance to fuck up my recordings.) By this time, I got my new 200MHz K6 and continued my efforts with win95 instead of 3.11. Out went HPs own proggys, in went, tadaa: Gear for win95 by Elektroson! This was better! Much better. Now the CDR actually worked as advertised. But not Gear... Damn! I was furious when I found my computer hanged on several occassions during writing of a record. Turned out that Gear is highly unstable, and a restart of the computer is necessary EVERYTIME you want to write a new CDR. First time, it works 99.9% of the times. Second time about 50% of the times without hanging, third time never. A pity on an otherwise good prog that's easy to use. It was by this time I bought me another CDRec. A Yamaha CDR-400. 6/4spin. Nothing much to say about it really, solid as a rock. Works asadvertised etc. Although the software that came with it sucked. (Win-On-CD) Didn't feel comfy with right away, so out it went! And my latest CDrec. Teac CDR50S or something like that. (4/4) I've had it for a few now, and it seems to be working flawlessly aswell. I've also stopped using Gear. Although I don't really do much CD-recording, it does irritate you a lot when you have to reset the 'puter between the "takes". Now I'm using Adaptec Easy-CD Pro 95. First time I used it, I succesfully burned a backup as a "music-CD". What?!? I thought. Well, it just so turns out, that the default settings for a DATA-CD makes it look like a music CD. Amasing! Whoever decided upon the default setting must have had quite a few puffs on the haschisch that day to vote for that kind ofmusic! Anyway, once I sorted THAT out, it turned out that it works as solid as a rock. doesn't hang, forget about subdirectorys or any other of a number of bad things. Conclusion: ----------- Actually, I have yet to discover a CDRecorder that is truly bad. All of my recorders have been working flawlessly in the end. So I can't really give you any good advice on recorders.Get it cheap, get it the speed you need. The same seems to be the case with CDR-media. I have yet to find a badbrand. All that I've tried has worked well for *my* purposes. So I have let the price decide which one to buy. For Metallinos that likes statistics, here's a few on CDR's that I'm currently using, all values extracted with Easy CD Pro 2.0.039 or something similar. Feel free to send me a newer version. :) Maybe I'll lose that irritating default-settings... ;-) Delta, green freemb: 649.5, freesect: 332550. freemins: 73:54 min This one was REAL cheap. it's not quite 74 min, but it seems to be working flawlessly (at least for me) Ricoh, gold freemb: 651.2, freesect: 333450. freemins: 74:06 But these findings, that are valid for me, may not be for you. People making CDRs in a much larger scale than I do, or ever will for that matter, (they live on it) claims that the combination of CDRs and recorder is the keything when making a CDR that will work on all CD-rom readers out there. Apparently, older and cheaper readers are not capable of reading all brands of CDRs, or all brands of recorders either forthat matter. But there's supposedly combinations of media and brands that arefoolproof. HP-writer and kodak gold CDR is one of them. If you know of more combinations that you know works on all readers (mitsumi, esp. older ones are known to be "picky" about what you put in them, same goes for Samsung), please write to vexnews! Unfortunately, I can't say that the same troublefree operation exists with CDR-software.There is clearly good and bad apples to be found here. Below you see a small compilation of the programs I've tested, and their pro's and con's. Program: HPSS CDR: HP4020i Mfg: HPPro's: Ease of use Con's: "Forgets" subdirectorys, and with no pattern. Lottery! Several programs to do all the diff. ways of recording Rating: 1/10 Program: Win-On-CD CDR: Yamaha CDR-400mfg: CeQuadrat Pro's: Only got CD-imaging and record image to work Con's: Not a very easy program. Rating: ?/10 (not sure that I gave this prg a fair chance) Program: Gear For Windows (v. 4.01) CDR: ? mfg: Elektroson Pro's: Easy to use. Con's: Unstable! Must be restarted after EACH recording! Rating: 4/10 Program: Adaptec easy-CD pro win95 CDR: ? mfg: Adaptec Pro's: Rock solid! Although you should defrag everything that you are going to record on-the-fly it's usually not needed! Con's: Default option on dope? Watch it! Rating: 8/10 You're still with me? Amazing! I thought you'd all fall asleep afterthat. Feel free to feedback, or whatever people do nowadays! (I must warn you, I'm not very interactive) :) If you for some reason feel like learning more about CDR, check out theFAQ! Text and HTML versions of this FAQ are available from: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/comp.publish.cdrom.hardware/ http://www.cd-info.com/CDIC/Technology/CD-R/FAQ.html Although I must say that I don't agree with everything that is said in it about the quality of different hardware, and it definately lacks good reviews on the software available, it is a good place to learn more about the workings of a CDR... And if I still got your attention, is there anybody who knows where I can get an ethernet card for my F030? // Green Tommy -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [8] ICQ ON THE ATARI!? by Phoenix [phoenix@weirdness.com] We have written about ICQ in VexNews before, now Faltrion seems to be interested in writing an atari version, if Mirabilis can just be persuaded to let him do it! Therefore, they must know there is a interest for this, please read the included mail and follow the instructions... Atari user, ex-atari user or whatever, please help to bring this very cool utility to the atari as well! ICQ 98a beta is now available for Windows 95/NT, this new version features powerfull configuration and filterfunctions among many other new things, you have problems with some users? Put them on invisible or ignore list! Ahhhh... finally some peace around here... ;-) http://www.bluedragon.net/icq98a.exe --[ Cut ]-- Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: ICQ on the Atari Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 09:47:57 -0000 Hi All, If you would like to see ICQ on the Atari please email Mirabilis etam@icq.com and tell them that you do :-) Also tell them that Christian Andersson faltrion@alfaskop.net who has already contacted them, is willing to write it for them for FREE :-) ICQ is a PC based program for the Internet that allows you to be alerted when other users, that you have previously set up in it, come on-line. It then allows you to send them messages and chat in an IRC type style. It is very useful, and it would be great if we could have an Atari version :-) We have to get Mirabilis to agree, because of copywrite on the protocols. SO MAIL THEM NOW!!!! Mirabilis: etam@icq.com -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [9] OREGON RESEARCH LEAVES ATARI by Phoenix [phoenix@weirdness.com] There's not often there is any positive news to report these days, and this is certainly no exception. Oregon Research who brought us the Diamond programs is now leaving the Atari platform, and to be honest, who could be shocked about this really? Not many software companies can make a living on the Atari today, especially not the ones outside of Germany. Many are those who complain about Application System Heidelberg, but soon they will be the only ones who are left! So wake up, and support them if possible, or you'll soon get to witness the very end of the commercial Atari market! ps. don't forget to supply what you buy to us, or you'll see the very end of the Atari cracking scene as well... ;-) --[ Cut ]-- From: orres@user1.teleport.com (Oregon Research) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Diamond Back/Diamond Edge Source Code Sale Date: 26 Nov 1997 16:37:54 -0800 ----- Diamond Back 3 & Diamond Edge 2 Source Code Sale ------ After 10 years of developing and supporting the Atari platform with the highest quality software and hardware available, we are forced to permenantly close Atari operations. This is done with a sad heart and only because we can no longer make a living selling Atari software and have been forced to take other jobs. As part of the shut down we are liquidating our entire inventory of Oregon Research and HiSoft software at cost. We are also selling all of our Atari harware to the highest bidder. This was posted seperately for North American distribution only. In addition, we will be offering for sale the source code to Diamond Back 3 and Diamond Edge 2. Bids, orders, and inquries can be e-mailed to atarisale@orres.com or FAXed to (503) 624-2940 Source Code ----------- The terms of sale are PrePaid Check. All sales are final no returns or refunds. No residual technical support is included as part of the source code sale unless specifically negotiated seperately. We are offering the complete source code to both Diamond Back 3 and Diamond Edge 2 for sale. Initially offers will be collected for an exclusive sale to a single party. If no satisfactory offer is received for exclusive rights then the source code will be offered for sale on a non-exclusive basis. Offers may be made for either product individually or for both. Preference will be given to offers for both products. Both products are written in a combination of Lattice C 5.6 and Devpac 3, both of which will be provided if required as part of the sale as well as the InterFace resource construction program. Bids, orders, and inquries can be e-mailed to atarisale@orres.com or FAXed to (503) 624-2940 Thank you, Bob Luneski Oregon Research -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- [10] AROUND THE CORNER by Phoenix [phoenix@weirdness.com] Yesterday I got this message on the Leatherstrip mailinglist, posted by nobody less than Claus Laursen himself, with the words to spread it around. And when God demands, the people obeys! Although, I liked this poem very much, and it got me to think for a second! Later this evening I was sitting on the bus on my way to a concert (great concert btw!), then I saw an old familiar face from when I was just a little kid. In front of me I remembered him crying, he was always lonely and also had problems at home I think. Maybe it's wrong to say he was victim of mobbing, but it wasn't far from it I think. I felt bad and thought how easy it would have been for me to just say hello to this guy, and be nice and do things with him, but I didn't, like everybody else I did nothing, and 15 years after I get a bad conscience? Or maybe I was just feeling deeply sorry for him, picturing how it must have been like, being all alone... I think the thing is that there's alot of people out there, being lonely, not having any friends at all. Despite what all of you who reads whis might think, there _is_ a real life out there, far from this scene shit of thing we're living in, and in the end it means everything. So you better take care of it, care for your friends and don't waste your or anyone else life! "Around The Corner" By Henson Towne Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end, Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, And before I know it, a year is gone. And I never see my old friends face, For life is a swift and terrible race, He knows I like him just as well, As in the days when I rang his bell. And he rang mine If, we were younger then, And now we are busy, tired men. Tired of playing a foolish game, Tired of trying to make a name. "Tomorrow" I say "I will call on Jim" "Just to show that I'm thinking of him." But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, And distance between us grows and grows. Around the corner! - yet miles away, "Here's a telegram sir, Jim died today." And that's what we get and deserve in the end. Around the corner, a vanished friend. Remember to always say what you mean. If you love someone, tell them. Don't be afraid to express yourself. Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you. Beause when you decide that it is the right time, it might be too late. Seize the day. Never have regrets. And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they have helped make you the person that you are today. Pass this along to your friends. It could make a difference. The difference between doing all that you can or having regrets which may stay with you forever. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- The Vectronix News Mailing List (c) 1997 Vectronix, All Rights Reserved.