Z*Net: 31-May-91 #9123
From: Michael Current (aj848@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/06/91-06:23:08 PM Z
From: aj848@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
Subject: Z*Net: 31-May-91 #9123
Date: Thu Jun 6 18:23:08 1991
==(((((((((( == Z*NET INTERNATIONAL ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE
=========(( === -----------------------------------------
=======(( ===== May 31, 1991 Issue #91-23
=====(( ======= -----------------------------------------
==(((((((((( == (c)1989-1990-1991, Z*Net Publishing
Publisher/Editor: Ron Kovacs
Senior Editor: John Nagy
Terry Schreiber, Jon Clarke, Mike Mezaros, Drew Kerr,
Keith Macnutt, Ron Berinstein, Mike Scheutz, Mike Brown
CONTENTS
THE EDITORS DESK................Ron Kovacs and John Nagy
Z*NET NEWSWIRE..........................................
Z*NET BBS MESSAGE BASE REPRINTS......................BBS
MIDI CITY.................................Drew Reid Kerr
INSTALLING THE JRI RAM+ BOARD...............Ben Hamilton
HIGH RESOLUTION..........................Nathan Potechin
LOGIC COMPUTER SHOW..........................From UseNet
Z*NET SOFTWARE SHELF......................Ron Berinstein
GENIE CONFERENCE CALENDER..........................GEnie
CHICAGO ATARIFEST BY ATARI....................Mike Brown
Z*MAGAZINE ARCHIVES...........................Ron Kovacs
=======================================================================
THE EDITORS DESK
----------------
by Ron Kovacs and John Nagy
=======================================================================
** See NEW Copyright and Reprinting Information **
** at the end of this edition. **
While discussion continues in a number of locations about the wisdom or
importance of MAC and IBM inclusions in Atari online magazines, Z*Net
reminds our readers of our solution: Z*NET PC. Although we do feature
a few "other brand" newswire items in Z*NET ATARI ONLINE each week as a
reference point, the bulk of such material can be found in our OTHER
online magazine, Z*NET PC. After only two months of publication, Z*NET
PC has gained a notable and growing following. If you want PC news and
reviews in depth and in volume, you'll find it in Z*NET PC, not in Z*NET
ATARI. We figure you should get what you want when you want it.
Z*Net PC is edited and compiled by Ron Kovacs and Mike Mezaros, former
publisher/editor of the Atari online magazine BetaZine. Currently,
ZPC issues are available on GEnie in the IBM RT and on CompuServe in
the IBMNEW Forum.
On another topic, every month Z*Net receives or sees dozens of user
group newsletters. Many of them reprint articles from our online
magazine, and we are glad to see them use us. However, often the
articles are reprinted without any credits. As the Z*Net Newswire is a
copyrighted feature which a growing number of publications are paying to
carry, proper credits and copyrights MUST be displayed. We've seen our
newswire items appear in many newsletters with no credit, or worse,
appearing to be original work of some club member who just downloaded
it.
If your non-profit club or organization produces a newsletter with less
than 500 circulation, please, feel very free to use any article in Z*NET
(except for a very few that have special notices in them forbidding
reprinting). But PLEASE, don't edit the work to make it say something
it didn't in the original, and DO include the copyright information,
including author's name and the issue of Z*NET that it was originally
printed in. And occasionally, it would be nice if your newsletter told
your membership a bit about us and how they can read us each week...
hopefully on your local BBS.
Organizations or publications with 500 or more circulation or
publications for profit must obtain specific reprinting permission from
Rovac Industries, Inc. Contracts for continuing inclusion of the Z*Net
Atari Newswire and/or Z*Net PC Newswire are also available. Contact Ron
Kovacs at 908-968-2024, the Z*Net BBS at 908-968-8148, or by mail at
Rovac Industries, P.O. Box 59, Middlesex, NJ 08846, GEnie at "Z-NET",
CompuServe at 71777,2140.
=======================================================================
Z*NET NEWSWIRE
--------------
=======================================================================
BRODIE BEGINS FNET PRESENCE FOR ATARI
Manager of User Groups Services and general Atari globetrotter Bob
Brodie has begun participation in the FNET BBS system, talking to users
world-wide via the Z*NET ATARI CONFERENCE within FNET. FNET is a system
of many hundreds of interlinked private bulletin board systems that
share messages and files though automated overnight phone calls. The
Z*NET conference is currently the most popular of many conference topics
available to each FNET BBS, and processes hundreds of messages each
week. Brodie has been giving aid and setting rumors straight while
generally enjoying the new forum. See a related story with excerpts
from Z*NET messages in this issue of Z*NET.
CALAMUS UPGRADE: $69.95 IN JULY
Word from ISD's Nathan Potechin is that Calamus S, the modular
replacement for the current Calamus 1.09N, will be available as an
upgrade in July for $69.95 (U.S.). Watch Z*Net Newswire for the
announcement as to exactly when it is ready. Nathan continues to
encourage owners of the older versions to upgrade NOW to 1.09N ($29.95
from any older level) rather than to wait and pay the whole $100 to get
Calamus S. Calamus S contains every feature 1.09N has plus dozens of
new features and it is totally modular. You can choose to purchase
whatever additional modules you might require ie; the new vector line
art module for use within Calamus, PKS Write word processing module, a
paint module, etc. Nathan expects 2 dozen new modules for Calamus
before the end of this year. Other features of Calamus S include
working in up to 7 windows, 10,000th if a point text increments,
rotation of all graphics, anchoring a picture to a word, text style
attributes allowing global document restyle of tagged text, and lots
more. Calamus S is the monochrome version, SL is the 4-color separation
version. All modules (except color specific ones) will freely
interchange between S and SL, allowing most users to buy S now and
decide to move to WYSIWYG color in SL if and when they have the need.
DYNACADD TT DELAYED AGAIN FOR MORE FEATURES
Planned for release this week, the release of DynaCADD for the TT is
being delayed. A recompiled TT version that takes full advantage of the
TT's capabilities, DynaCADD TT features include: hidden line removal,
bi-directional 3D DXF, 3D faces, compatibility with ray tracing and
rendering packages on other platforms, etc. Says Nathan Potechin of
ISD, "We have held back the release of the TT version of DynaCADD for
ONE additional month. In addition to the long list of features already
added to the not yet released new TT version of DynaCADD, we have
decided to go even further. Now being added are: A Compiled Programming
Language, a fully integrated multi-document editor, configurable command
line interpreter, a script language and non-graphical properties. We
had initially thought to add these features later but finally decided to
do it all now. It will be worth the wait, of that I can assure you....
While 16 million colors aren't that relevant in CADD, we will run with
every configuration from VGA on up. We WILL USE the built-in math
coprocessor."
ATARIUSER 2ND ISSUE SHIPS LATE
The newest and largest circulation Atari magazine, AtariUser, shipped
its second issue this week. This month, 35,000 copies were circulated,
and 40,000 are planned for next month, a circulation totaling more than
all other US Atari magazines, newsletters, and newspapers taken
TOGETHER. This month, features include a major comparison among
Document Processors by Jim Pierson-Perry, a LYNX Resource Guide, a
Viewpoint from Nathan Potechin, the Z*Net Newswire, and the regular
columns covering the ST, TT, MIDI, 8-BIT, LYNX, and Portfolio. The June
AtariUser was delayed for over two weeks by an error of the printer, who
lost the original film for most of the issue. Publisher Steve Lesh says
that his Quill Publishing Company that produces AtariUser has been
assured that "it can't happen again". The July issue of AtariUser
should be shipped to dealers, user groups, and bookstores by the 22nd of
June, and future issues before the 18th of the month. Call 800-333-3567
for subscription and distribution details.
START SALE RUMORS
STart Magazine remains suspended and unsold as of this writing. No
official word has been released as to who may be bidding for what, but
sale efforts continue with a number of parties. Atari itself is said to
have contacted Antic Publishing owner Jim Capparell in hopes of the
purchase of the subscriber base and the Atari portion of the Antic
Software Catalog operation. If this happened, ATARI EXPLORER would gain
between 9,000 and 14,000 subscribers. Other rumors include varied
negotiations with both UK and German publishing concerns who want a US
foothold. Although nothing is concrete, it would appear that STart
subscribers and perhaps even creditors may indeed see something come of
what was once the largest and most respected Atari support magazine.
SOFTSOURCE OPENS ON GENIE
With a minimum of pomp and circumstance, the long-awaited SOFTSOURCE
KNOWLEGEBASE opened this week on the GEnie Telecommunications Service.
The database of "all" Atari hardware and software is planned to include
demonstration versions of most applications, downloadable right from the
database. User can now search for listed products by category of
product, keywords in the description, price range, release date,
languages supported, and more. While the search format is arcane and
user unfriendly, most Atarians can make use of the system by referring
to the Softsource Manual and category lists that are available in the
GEnie ST RT library. Several hundred entries are now in the database,
which was conceived and announced nearly two years ago. Dan MacNamee of
Atari is in charge of the project, which is also to spawn a CD ROM disk
with every known product and demo on it, for real-time use at dealers.
The concept is to allow users to compare and actually see and use major
applications before choosing the right one for their needs and budget.
OFFICE FOR MACINTOSH
Microsoft announced shipment of The Microsoft Office version 1.5 for the
Apple Macintosh which combines four business applications in a single,
economical package, contains updates of two popular Macintosh
IBM CHAIRMAN BLASTS MANAGERS
John Akers, chairman of IBM blasted some of his managers earlier this
month, confirmed after articles appeared in the Wall Street Journal and
the New York Times, IBM confirmed this week. IBM blamed its problems on
the recession. Privately however, Akers told IBM managers the company
had "too many people standing around the water cooler waiting to be told
what to do." Akers is 3 1/2 years away from IBM's mandatory retirement
age of 60 and is beginning to talk in terms of his legacy. "The fact
that we're losing market share makes me goddamn mad. I used to think my
job as a (sales) rep was at risk if I lost a sale. Tell them theirs is
at risk if they lose one," the Wall Street Journal quoted Akers as
saying at a management meeting. Akers went on to state, "I'm sick and
tired of visiting plants to hear nothing but great things about quality
and cycle time and then to visit customers who tell me of problems. If
the people in labs and plants miss deadlines ... tell them their job is
on the line, too,... The company has too many sales representatives
popping out for coffee with their customer and calling it a call."
VISUAL BASIC BEST OF SHOW AT COMDEX
Comdex Show organizers, Interface Group and BYTE magazine editors,
selected the Visual Basic programming system as the most exciting new
product which will have the most industry impact. The Visual Basic
system was introduced May 21, 1991, at a press conference and will be
available in June 1991 for a suggested retail price of $199. German and
French versions are scheduled to ship in August, with other language
versions to follow.
=======================================================================
Z*NET BBS MESSAGE REPRINTS
--------------------------
Z*NET BBS (908) 968-8148
=======================================================================
FNET NODE 593 Conference Code: 20448
Conf : Z*Net Atari Online Magazine
Msg# : 3645 Lines: 20 Read: 6
Sent : May 29, 1991 at 3:37 PM
To : Flash
From : Bob Brodie
Subj : Re: <3409> EA dropping the ST
In message 593/4/3409, Flash writes:
> News just in.. Electronic Arts is going to be dropping the ST line..
> I hope everyone does not follow now that Word Perfect and EA have
> dropped us.
That's incorrect. Electronic Arts has merely split their efforts
between their subsidaries. That is, EA-USA is going to handle *all* of
the MS-DOS stuff. While EA-UK will handle all of the *68000* based
stuff, like Mac, Amiga, and of course, the ST! EA tells me that their
ST products are selling Mostly in Europe, but they are indeed selling!
The thing that has a number of people confused is that they pulled the
plug on their affiliated labels program. That means they will no longer
publish Lucasfilm, and other companies (CinemaWare, etc). Those
companies will have to publish their own stuff now.
regards,
Bob Brodie
Conf : Z*Net Atari Online Magazine
Msg# : 3644 Lines: Extended Read: 8
Sent : May 29, 1991 at 3:30 PM
To : BILL WHITEMAN
From : Bob Brodie
Subj : Re: <3523> AtariUser
Replies: 3653 In message 593/4/3523, BILL WHITEMAN writes:
> In message 593/4/3398, MIKE MEZAROS writes:
> > >>
> > Mike,
> >
> > If there is a cover price of a dollar, how does one call it free?
> > Confusing to me, but again, there must be something I am missing
> > here.
> > Bill
> > >>
> > Me too, Bill, but I'm just going by John's article in Z-Net.
> > According to that, the $1 cover price was only for bookstores who
> > understand the concept of carrying a free mag. Computer dealers
> > were supposed to give it away for free, regardless of cover price.
> >
> > Similarly, at Rutgers our university paper has a cover price of 10
> > cents, But you are not supposed to pay for it. The cover price is
> > there due to legal technicality having to do with postal rates (for
> > alumni subscribers).
> >
> > ///Mike - Z*Net SysOp
>
> Mike,
>
> I have read in other places that there are stores charging the $1.00
> for the magazine. I also understand that is ok with the publishers of
> the mag. Do you happen to know what the official word is on this?
> Should they be charging for it?
>
> Bill
>
It's really a California thing. We have a number of magazines that get
passed around for free, via bulk drop offs at computer stores, and even
user groups. But if you want them to send you the magazine - one copy,
to your home each and every month...you gotta pay for it!
regards,
Bob Brodie
=======================================================================
MIDI CITY
---------
by Drew Reid Kerr
=======================================================================
GEnie D.KERR1 DELPHI DRKERR
THE SOUND OF NO MUSICIANS PLAYING -- AN EDITORIAL
One thing we Atari musicians have been saying for quite a while is boy,
how lucky we are. Yes, we have four big music software manufacturers
keeping us rolling in good bytes -- C-Lab, Steinberg, Hybrid Arts and
Dr.T. Computer game manufacturers in the States may have ditched us,
word processing software programmers may have dropped us, and we get
very little ink in the mainstream media -- but as long as the Atari has
two built-in MIDI ports, we'll get prime treatment.
Don't get too comfortable....
You don't have to own a sampler to know that Digidesign of Menlo Park,
CA announced in December that it has stopped supporting the Atari line.
This means the discontinuation of Sound Tools and Sound Designer for the
Atari. This package is probably the best sample editing program on the
market. It also functions as a sampling unit itself, storing data in
the Atari hard drive and providing the ability to mix samples from
various sources.
I spoke with Digidesign Product Specialist Bob Haskitt, who explained:
"For what we do, the Mac lends itself better." Digidesign's vision is
to have a complete studio functioning from the computer using multiple
card slots. "Atari didn't have the capability of handling multiple
slots," says Haskitt. "We asked ourselves, 'Is it worth it to start
from scratch?' The answer was no."
SampleCell, the Mac-supported unit, exemplifies the Digidesign plan.
Each card slot will serve a different musical function. For example,
one card will handle sequencing, while another will provide a 4-track
system. An additional card would provide another four tracks and so on.
Digidesign is now an "all-Macintosh" company.
Haskitt said that Sound Designer was "always a steady seller." On the
other hand, Sound Tools didn't do too well in the United States because
"customers found Megas too tough to find." Sound Tools sold well in
Canada and Europe. I should note that Sound Tools is probably one of
the most commonly used programs used with dance music and film scores
and soundtracks.
No doubt, this is a severe blow to Atari musicians. A fellow who calls
himself "Midi Mike" sent me piece of e-mail about this, noting there has
been much discussion about this in GEnie's MIDI BB. I haven't found it
myself, but Haskitt said he'd be interested in hearing what musicians
said. Send him a fax at 415-327-0777. Midi Mike said that everyone's
turing to GenWave, which I think is made by Hybrid Arts.
As if that wasn't enough, Atari has not advertised in Keyboard magazine
for about six issues. I was used to seeing the full-color ad on
Keyboard's inside back cover every issue, usually featuring guitarist
Lee Ritenour. Keyboard is the most widely read keyboard player's
magazine in the world -- keep this in mind.
I've addressed this question on the Atari Corporation category in GEnie
and the response from Atari's Bob Brodie was the ads would be returning
soon.
How soon is soon? If Atari has one real foothold in the U.S., it's with
musicians -- and now they stopped advertising to them? Let's say some
kid who's been playing piano picks up Keyboard to get an idea of what's
a hot computer. No Atari ad means Atari probably wouldn't enter his/her
mind. Another potential Atari user lost! Software companies see no
Atari ads... you know the story... it's not very encouraging for them or
us.
If you believe in your Atari's abilities, as a musician, as a computer
buff, or even a tech head, let them know you want them to support your
computer! Let them know you want advertising back in Keyboard pronto!
Are you on GEnie or CompuServe? Put some messages on their part of the
bulletin board! Send a note to Bob Brodie.
I do not want my computer to be a dinosaur.
MIDI NEWSWIRE
YAMAHA'S HOT BOX
What's 370 x 254 x 67 mm in measurement (at least that's what the stat
sheet says) and is flying out the door of music stores across the
country?
It's the Yamaha RY30 Rhythm Programmer (drum machine, to us simple
folk)! I wrote in my last column that new drum machines and modules
seem to be coming out thick and fast. From my reports, this one seems
to have jumped to the number one slot, even over most keyboards!
For around $480, this baby seems to be aimed at slaying Roland's R-5 --
it's $10 cheaper, has a slot for more sounds, has a pitch wheel, and has
the ability to store two waveforms on one pad! In plain English, this
last feature means you can take the attack of one percussion waveform
and mix it with the decay of another! We're talking customization!
On-board memory contains 96 voices, 100 preset patterns (which are
incredible), 100 user patterns and 20 songs. Full velocity sensitivity,
four outs, no effects.
But has Yamaha stopped there? No-o-o. Their TG 33 synthesizer module,
which combines FM and vector synthesis and sells for under $500, is
selling like hotcakes too. About half the preset patches sound like new
age stuff, while the other half mimic real instruments. A very good
buy.
Taking a bath when suddenly an incredible bass riff comes washing into
your head? Yamaha has that licked too -- its QY 10, which is about the
size of a paperback book, is a little mini-recorder with built-in
sounds. For $320, you can take it anywhere and figure out songs in the
most unlikely places. You can dump SY 77 and maybe SY 55 data into it.
Yamaha doesn't own a piece of me, but they are coming back this year to
musicians with a vengeance!
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
The Emu drum module, Procussion, is off to a moderate start with its
$800 price tag... the Alesis drum module, the D4, will now be out in
September... although the Emu digital piano module, the Performer, has
great sounds, the price is scaring people away. For a slightly higher
price, musicians can buy the Roland U220 sample player module and get
the piano and more.... similar story for Roland's new JD 800 synth with
the programming levers built on top -- it's easy to program but too
pricey... the Korg Wavestation is dropping in price. Was once $1800,
now can be found for $1400. The module should be out this summer....
=======================================================================
INSTALLING THE JRI RAM+ BOARD
-----------------------------
by Ben Hamilton
Sysop of Virtual Reality BBS, Copperas Cove, TX
=======================================================================
SIMM module memory upgrades are rapidly becoming the new "standard" for
memory upgrades to computers, and JRI (John Russell Innovations) of
California have brought the SIMM upgrades to the 520ST and 1040ST with
the introduction of their RAM+ Board.
Many computer supply companies, are recommending JRI's upgrade, so I
took advantage of the recommendation and ordered JRI's "Type C" board.
The Type C is designed for many ST models, including the 520/1040ST with
RAM chips under the keyboard, the 520/1040ST with RAM chips under the
power supply, and the old-style 520ST without internal floppy drive. I
assume that they also provide other models of the board for each type of
ST. A quick call to JRI (the number is listed at the end of this
article) should answer any questions you might have.
When I called JRI, I talked with John Russell himself, who knew which
type of board I needed, and he recommended that he do the installation,
which costs an extra $50. If you feel uncomfortable opening your ST and
if you have little or no experience with a soldering iron, then this is
indeed best left up to a qualified electronics technician. I used to
work for an electronics repair shop, and although I don't have any
"official" training, I felt that I was qualified to do the installation.
I couldn't do without my ST, as it runs my BBS, so I was really "forced"
to do it myself anyway.
After a little thought, I also decided not to try to find a better
price, but to go ahead and order the SIMMs directly from JRI. One meg
x 8 SIMMs are $50 each from JRI, which is a quite reasonable price. I
have heard that they sell for as little as $38, but I was worried that
they would be somehow incompatible with the upgrade board. JRI's docs
to the board mention that low-profile, 120ns or faster chips are
required.
John suggested that he send the board and modules by UPS Blue, and I
received them in UPS's usual timely fashion. The board sells for $125,
and each SIMM (you need two for 2.0 or 2.5 meg and four for 4 meg) was
$50. Shipping and COD was an extra $10 total.
After I received the board, I read the included instructions several
times to familiarize myself with the procedure. Of course, I hadn't had
my ST apart yet, so I didn't know which type of motherboard I had. PC-
board artwork is included in the instructions for each type of ST
motherboard.
The installation procedure is fairly simple, once you do it and realize
what you've done! Everything is included in the installation kit, right
down to the wires, the solder, and the cable ties. Installation
involves removal of the ST Shifter chip, which is moved into a new
board. At this point, a second chip can be installed which allows your
ST to support a 4,096 color palatte. A floppy disk is included in the
kit which has several demos for the new color support. I did not elect
to get the extra chip from JRI (which costs $25) because this computer
is dedicated to my BBS, and I have no need for the extra colors there.
But installation and support of the chip is easily done by just popping
in the new chip to the board socket.
Next the boards (the one that holds the Shifter and the one that holds
the SIMMs) must be secured by a supplied heavy gauge stranded wire.
Convenient grounding points are provided on each board. I felt
uncomfortable securing the RAM board only with the grounding wires, so I
placed a piece of cardboard (the same cardboard that earlier supported
the boards under shrink-wrap during shipping!) between the RAM board and
the ST motherboard. I didn't want to take the chance that any of the
contacts on the underside of the RAM board might touch any of the
motherboard contacts.
After the boards are mounted, a few wires must be run from the RAM board
to the motherboard, and each connection is well-documented in the
instructions. Some of the connections require that various resistors
are removed, and wires are run from the pads where the resistors used to
be. This is perhaps the most unnerving part of the installation -- once
you clip those resistors, you have the feeling that there's no turning
back. Another of the connections goes directly to the MMU, which I
believe is the ST's memory management chip. This is also documented,
although the instructions fail to even casually mention that two of the
chips in the ST resemble each other, the MMU and the other chip, and
since I'm a novice, I'm unfamiliar with the other one. But fortunately,
the instructions also include the possible Atari part numbers of each
chip, so I was able to determine which one was the MMU by its number.
After installation was complete, I put it all back together and fired it
up. Viola! About one hour's work, and I now have a 1040ST with 2.5
megabytes of RAM! And I can upgrade to 4 meg with the addition of two
more SIMMs and a few more changes to the installation. Instructions for
changing to 2.0, 2.5, and 4 meg are included in the documentation.
Upgrading to 2.0 or 4 meg requires the disabling of all of the internal
RAM, and these instructions are also included. The floppy disk contains
a memory tester TOS program, and the remainder of the programs deal with
the 4,096 color option.
If you're living with your ST with only 512K or one meg of RAM, I hope
you decide to upgrade soon, and I give you my personal recommendation
for the RAM+ Board from JRI.
-Ben Hamilton, Sysop of Virtual Reality BBS, Copperas Cove, TX
817-547-1734 1200/2400/9600/14.4K bps HST-DS v.32bis/v.32/v.42/v.42bis
Fnet #422, Fido-Net 1:395/6
JRI (John Russell Innovations)
P. O. Box 5277
Pittsburg, CA 94565
415-458-9577
=======================================================================
HIGH RESOLUTION
---------------
Viewpoints from the Atari Community
by Nathan Potechin
=======================================================================
** Reprinted from the June 1991 AtariUser Magazine by permission. No
further reprinting of this article is permitted except by permission of
Quill Publishing, 818-332-0372. Subscription and distribution
information for AtariUser is available at 800-333-3567.
[Nathan Potechin is President of ISD Marketing, Inc., a Canadian company
that has represented such products as VIP Professional, Masterplan,
STAccounts and Accounts 2.0, as well as Ditek's Calamus family and
DynaCADD. Nathan is also Vice President of Ditek International and
President of the IAAD.]
Atari Corporation's performance over the past few years in continental
North America has been discussed by better writers than I. It's matter
of record. What I'd like to share with you is what some of us have been
doing about it, ad give you a better understanding of what it means to
be a registered Atari Developer in 1991.
Back in September 1989, a large group of Atari Developers got together
to have a meeting at the WAACE User Group Show in the Washington, D.C.
area. The result was the formation of the IAAD (Independent Association
of Atari Developers). Since its inception, I have had the honor to
serve as President of this association. The immediate goal of the IAAD
was to help all of our members to help themselves.
Our group of Atari Developers contains people from widely diverse
backgrounds. We have Engineers, programmers in a large variety of
languages, marketing types, hardware gurus and software gurus, all
united by one common goal--survival. Profit is nice too. We are an
unusual bunch in that we chose to develop for the Atari platform,
instead of jumping on the bandwagon of the more prolific platforms. "I
love my Atari" is quite often a fact of life with this group. This
personal feeling is indicative of our own natures, and not a measure of
Atari's success--where reality rears it ugly head.
The fact is, by sharing or pooling our collective knowledge in terms of
advertising, marketing, channels of distribution, trade shows, user
group shows etc., many of our members can receive valuable assistance.
And share we do, in a manner unprecedented in the computer industry.
Some years ago, Atari had substantially greater geographic dealer
representation and market penetration in North America. Then the
erosion set in, making harder and harder to justify basic overhead, let
alone development costs. Meanwhile, the European Atari community was
doing fine, thank you. That's not to say that the International Atari
subdivisions were creating "streets of gold", but they were doing better
than we were here. So one avenue that was available to assist North
American developers was to supply the contact information from those of
us with worldwide representation to those with little or none. This was
done, and it made a difference. It wasn't a cure or a sure thing, but
it meant a lot to some developers.
A major difference in the market and product mix has occurred over the
past few years. As the Atari platform develops, the hardware becomes
more sophisticated. This is a natural progression, offering a challenge
to developers to keep abreast or take advantage of the latest
technology. Products such as two I proudly represent, DynaCADD and
Calamus, use that technology to offer viable, professional workstations
that can not and will not be ignored. A classic example, and one I
enjoy whenever possible, is demonstrating Calamus to someone that
deigned to condescendingly offer a few minutes of their precious time to
see what this "Atari toy" could produce. Two minutes is more than
enough time to create a page using features their DTP software probably
does not have, showing them screen representation that has been WYSIWYG
for over two years, and then output to Atari's SLM804 or SLM605 in
seconds. The usual DTP person usually plans their coffee breaks around
about output time. Products like Calamus on the Atari are a real eye
opener for them, and you may correctly have guessed that this is the
single most enjoyable part of my job.
Consider the above paragraph a preamble of what is to come. I have just
returned from CEPS (Corporate Electronic Publishing Show) in Chicago.
Without a doubt, this show saw the most professional exhibit that Atari
ever created. Do not confuse this with "most expensive", "largest"
etc., because it was not. But it definitely was an excellent
representation of Atari desktop publishing workstations. The brochure
was their most professional to date. The Atari booth location, situated
directly between Linotype/HELL and Ventura, allowed us to show the folks
at Linotype a few things about their imagesetters that they previously
had not known or acknowledged. I can assure you that now, they know.
It also gave us the opportunity to realize just how busy we were
compared to Ventura's booth. I notice things like this.
Others will begin to notice the change as well. July 1991 will see the
release of the next generation of Calamus, Calamus S and SL, as well as
approximately 2 dozen separate modules. Before the end of this year,
DynaCADD will be available on the TT, Amiga, Mac, and IBM under Windows
3.0, with a UNIX version close behind, all file compatible.
I have been professionally involved with the Atari Computers since
August 1985. I was there when my 520 was starving for "anything" that
it could run. I was there through the drought. And I'm definitely
going to be here when Atari finally and firmly establishes it presence
and credibility as a professional workstation, once and for all, in
North America. Personally and professionally, I can't wait.
Nathan Potechin
[AtariUser Magazine offers this space each month to members of our
community, to express themselves on matters of interest to Atari Users.]
=======================================================================
LOGIC COMPUTER SHOW
-------------------
from UseNet
=======================================================================
Here in Zurich there has been the anual logic computer show. There have
been several new very interesting products to see, in particular a
series of new Unix machines in the "popular" class.
The first I've seen is the Mac with A/UX 2.1. It isn't yet a SYSV, and
there are some compatibility problems, but the BSD and SYSV libraries
are included, and the integration of MultiFinder and Unix with X Window
11R4 is really impressive.
I find they are really on the good way. I've been there during about
15-20 min, and Dr. Antonov, the Unix Guru there, I think, explained to
me every detail with enourmous enthusiasm. Althougth I don't have a
Mac, and the price of A/UX 2.1 is to high for me (not to speek about the
X Win., wich is not bundled with), his presentation was fantastic.
The second system I've seen is the Amiga 3000UX. It was also really
impressive! The OpenLook interface operated exactly the same way as the
Sun's OpenWindows 2.0 we have at school, and the price was really
interesting too. The Commodore port of SYSV is the most complete I've
seen for this class of machines. It comes with everything, from the
networking capabilities to the BSD lib. and util. and OpenLook. The guy
there is a student of economical computing at the Univ. ZH (his name is
Blatter), and he let me "play" with the machine, showed me an xterm
connection with another non Unix Amiga, and so on.
At last I came to the Atari boots and I couldn't belive my (x)eyes. The
Unix machine was there and there was nobody around it!!! The windowing
interface looked great. I went there and tried some commands out in a
csh, as the cd, ls, and so on. Then came a man, and with an impolite
voice asked me :"kann ich Ihnen helfen?" (can I help you?) and stand in
front of me so that I could not see the screen!
The message was clear: Take your hands off my machine and get out of
here! I asked him some details about the new machine (btw: how can an
Atari laser work with Unix w/o stopping the processor? I think it is
impossible by soft) and his answer were allways very expeditive and
short. Absolutely no enthusiasm from his side! The only thing he
wanted was that nobody put his finger on the keyboard! (he maybe was
afraid that somebody typed "rm -r /" or something like that).
Anyway he stood all the time with his shoulder between me and the
screen! His name is Mr. Mester, from Atari Germany. I personnaly find
that if they sent some young guy involved in the devloppent of ASV,
instead of this (edited), it would be much better. (Sorry for title on
this bandwidth, but he was really *edited*!)
If this is the Atari policy I think I'll buy an Amiga 3000 UX, wich is
btw ready and can be bought w/o problems (Atari Developer machine will
be out in August!!!).
Ok, that's all! I'm sorry to write something like that, 'cause I was
really excited at the idea I could see the ASV jewell, but it wasn't
what I expected. I hoped that I could write a good description of what
I would see, but I didn't see very much...
Ciao --- Rick
Opinion expressed here are mine, and I'm proud of them !!!
=======================================================================
Z*NET SOFTWARE SHELF
--------------------
by Ron Berinstein
=======================================================================
LHA130.ARC is the newest LHA variety, well suited for making and
unmaking .LZH files. LZH11319.LZH is the latest optimized LHARC
version, also well suited for .LZH files, and now well suited for use
with Charles F. Johnson's ARCSHELL (ARCSH25.ARC). UNLZH172.ARC has also
been known as a reputable, very fast .LZH extractor. XLHARC12.LZH still
another variety. And those looking for files that will self extract
might well be interested in SFX_LZH.LZH. And interesting also is
PFXPAX.LZH, a runtime LZH compressor. Then again, there are also some
good old standbys like LHARC060.LZH, and LHARC102.ARC. Others like
FASTLZH2.LZH (other versions as well).
.ARC files as well can be changed to the smaller .LZH format too! Many
folks use ARCLZH30.LZH for exactly that. And while on the subject of
.ARC files... Which .ARC file program should you use to uncompress a
software file that has folders in it? Of course, easy answer. You all
knew the answer right away, right? ARC602.TTP will do it! And now
ladies and gentleman arm yourselves with your compressors and extractors
and proceed to the next paragraph, wherein you will find plenty of
chances to use them!
O_LZHLST.LZH is a verbose file lister for .LZH files. Using it you
will be able to tell in advance just what that .LZH file contains.
DCR_TMAG.ARC DC Real-Time Magnifier will give you 8X magnification of
the screen! Get close up where it counts; fat-bits in programs that
don't have them! Great for paint programs. Move the mouse and the
screen is updated in real-time! 100% assembly. ST, STe and TT
compatible.
Calamus Users Alert:
WINDSORD.LZH Strong strokes, solid serifs characterize this unique
face. Converted from the Mac Type 1, using the great MegaType
utilities. Enjoy!! For Calamus only...
UPPERWES.LZH You've seen the New Yorker magazine; you remember the
unique typeface used for the logo. Well, thanks to David Rakowski and
his Mac, you can now have that same typeface to create your own New
Yorker magazine! Converted from the Mac Type 1 using the great MegaType
utilities. For Calamus only...
UNCIALDS.LZH A CELTIC looking font, this one reminds you of St.
Patrick and the Emerald Isle. Converted from the Mac Type 1 using the
great utilities from MegaType. For Calamus only...
RECYCLE.LZH A Calamus font converted from the Mac Type 1, Recycle
consists of various recycling symbols in place of letters. I don't
think everyone will want this, but if you do any work where you need to
indicate recyclability, you'll want this font. For Calamus only...
GALLERIA.LZH You've seen this typeface around, in various logos, among
other things. Converted from the Mac. For Calamus only...
A New ALaddin!
ST_ALAD.ARC ST Aladdin v1.23 - Latest version of this excellent GEnie
navigation program.
TRANSLIB.ARC The MIDI TransLibrarian is a shareware desk accessory for
the Atari ST that allows you to load and save System Exclusive data from
any MIDI device.
DUALFORM.ARC Dual Form creates discs that can be used on both single,
and dual sided drives, but does so in a unique way. It creates a folder
called, "side 2" on the disk. Single sided drives can read everything
except that folder. Double sided drives get to read everything.
F_FEED.ARC ACC & PRG (just re-name) to send a form feed to the
printer. Handy for starting a new page with files printed from the
desktop and some other programs. GFA 3 source included.
STWEL41.LZH ST Writer Elite 4.1 - Bug fixed, if file ended in ^Z,
print to disk would not terminate. New Feature - Print device defaults
to Printer, but if changed will remain on that setting. Fully
configurable to color, default file specifier, tabs, format line. 3
fonts in TT med and high res, just update files. Use UNLZH 1.7x to
decompress!
STW_GS41.LZH ST Writer Elite 4.1 Spanish and German versions. See
description of ST Writer Elite 4.1 , English version, for changes.
BMAKER19.ARC - Book Maker takes ASCII files and generates POSTSCRIPT
code for use with UltraScript to print the file in "Book format" (four
pages per sheet of paper -- two pages per side). - Options include page
numbering, Cover Page creation, multiple fonts and more. Fixes
pagination with pt. sizes less than 10, and includes PRINT QUEUE for
BATCH printing.
Tis' the day of the Indianapolis 500!
INDYCAR.LZH It's that time of year in Indiana when the Indy cars start
to run in the Indianapolis 500, so the author of this file thought he'd
sample some of the sounds of the race.
RECERCAR.ARC This is a big piece for HUGE pipe organ. Comprises three
files: READ.ME (more about the music) an .MTS file (Atari Master Tracks
Pro format), and a .MID file (Type 1 MIDI file--no expression in the
tempo).
Ok, become a "beta tester" - Now's your chance to give important
feedback to a developer. Download BENCH.LZH for the info.
BENCH.LZH The NBM benchmark program. Tests your machine through five
specific routines, including math, memory fetch/store, disk drive read/
write and dialog box draw. Results of tests on many machines are
included. More results are needed. If you have results that are not
yet included in the database, you are requested to help participate.
DBLEFEAT.LZH This accessory from Claus Brod(author of PoolFix_CB) will
disable the growing and shrinking box effects associated with GEM
windows and dialog boxes; it will also allow redirection of drives - a
program that always looks for files on drive A can be redirected to
another drive! Full English documentation included. Shareware.
GEMVW104.LZH Updated version of GemView! Even newer than the previous
very recent upload!
ENG_DRAC.ARC English AND color version of Drachen. Drachen is a
Shanghai type game. Quite popular and worth the download...
STREE104.ARC STree lets you search your drives for files meeting a
specification - wildcards, attributes, size, date & time and bytes
within a file - and then manipulate the matching files just like the new
TT desktop. This new version fixes some occasional compatability
problems.
Well SORT these out!
FILESORT.LZH A simple way to sort ascii lists and stuff... simply feed
it to this program and voila! This program, Filesort v1.0, is FREEWARE.
It is great for BBS sysops who need to sort a list of whatever, as well
as for anyone who uses ASCII lists! BTW, this program will sort
ANYTHING ascii! It is even fun to sort text and try to figure out what
it was!! ha!
DIR15.LZH Utility to sort/search for files with several criteria or
masks. Works on folders, files, and partitions. GFA BASIC 3.5 source
included.
ELFBOO.ARC ELFBOOT is a new startup utility for the ST, which is
offered as shareware by Elfin Magic Software. Put it in your AUTO
folder. The author boasts that this program compares to commercial
offerings! It offers GEM-like mouse control!
FMC.LZH FMC.PRG means forced media change, or this small .prg will
force TOS 1.0 to recognize a disk change by simply pressing <Esc>.
(Apparently some versions of TOS 1.0 didn't do that.)
SUNMOON.LZH Sun_Moon.lzh is a PD program showing rise/set times of the
sun and moon for various selectable cities.
The above files were compiled by Ron Berinstein co-sysop CodeHead
Quarters BBS (213) 461-2095 from files that were either directly
uploaded to CodeHead Quarters BBS, or downloaded from GEnie, Compuserve,
and Delphi online services.
=======================================================================
GENIE CONFERENCE CALENDER
-------------------------
from GEnie
=======================================================================
DTP CONFERENCE AND FREE TIME OFFERED
Monday June 3, 1991, the ST RT on GEniw will host it's first DTP
conference with Ron Grant, New SysOp, and offer free time during the
conference to the attendees.
WIN FREE PAGESTREAM FONT DISKS DURING "FONT NIGHT" IN THE SOFTLOGIK
ROUNDTABLE!
This coming Tuesday, June 4th, will be "Font Night" in the SoftLogik
RoundTable. We'll be having our first monthly PageStream Conference and
the theme will be "Fonts for Atari and Amiga PageStream." All
PageStream users (and other interested parties) are invited to join our
panel of Font Masters to ask questions about the fonts they create. The
font makers will discuss the various disks they offer, what programs
they use to create their fonts, where they get their inspiration for
fonts, and much much more. Learn what "hinting" is, how to get the most
out of your PostScript and Non-Postscript printer (as concerns fonts),
and more!
Each of the font creators has donated a high-quality PageStream font
disk for this event, and we'll be randomly selecting winners of these
disks throughout the evening. In addition, one lucky winner will
receive every Adobe Type 1 font in the SoftLogik RT by US Mail -- no
downloading time or expense! These Adobe fonts can be printed using
PageStream 2.1 which is currently available for the Commodore Amiga and
will be available very shortly for the Atari ST.
Tuesday, June 4th, from 9:45 to 10:45pm Eastern Time.
The SoftLogik Real Time Conference Room on GEnie. Type "M385;2" or
"SOFTLOGIK" (without the quotes) at any GEnie prompt.
In addition to the team of SoftLogik Sysops, we'll be joined by Safari
Fonts President Jay Pierstorff, Cherry Fonts President Todd Johnson,
font creators Dennis Palumbo, Bernie Lagrave and others..!
=======================================================================
CHICAGO COMPUTERFEST BY ATARI
-----------------------------
by Mike Brown
=======================================================================
Lake County Area Computer Enthusiasts, in cooperation with Atari Corp.,
present the Chicago Computerfest by Atari, November 23 and 24th 1991.
Show hours will be 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days.
1: Chicago - My kind of town.
Chicago is known by many names- "The Second City", "The Windy City" and
so on. Chicago is in the heartland of the nation, bordered on the east
side by Lake Michigan, and the west side by one of the busiest airports
in the world, O'Hare International.
When you bring your family with you to the Chicago Computerfest, they
will have plenty to do and see if they tire of the show itself.
2: Show concept
The Chicago Computerfest has been brewing for over a year; The first
thoughts about sponsoring an international computer show began after our
highly successful "Atari SwapFest" held in June, 1990. With help and
support from Greg Pratt, Bob Brodie and others at Atari Corp. we began
the process of putting this show together.
I think that you will be impressed by the "polished" appearance of the
facility that we have chosen - the facilities and services provided to
participants at this show are the same that have been provided to larger
computer oriented shows, such as the Softsource show that was held the
Ramada O'Hare this past April.
We are confident that this broad reaching publicity will improve the
demographics of our show compared to other Atari-focused shows of the
past. As Atari's Bob Brodie said, "...we must quit feeding on
ourselves...".
The Exhibits area
The standard exhibitor booth will be professionally piped and draped,
the booth will be clearly marked with a professionally printed sign and
will contain one 8' draped table and two chairs. One 115 volt / 20 amp
electrical outlet will be provided upon request (please note power
requirement on contract form) to each booth.
Additional power may be ordered at $55.00 per drop (consisting of two
outlets). Telephone service will be provided to exhibitor booths if
needed (requires that the exhibitor have a Ramada room number to charge
calls to). Please give at least 60 days notice prior to the show
opening date if you will be requiring additional power or telephone
hookups.
In addition to the above, we are able to provide items such as display
cases, and special lighting for booths. Storage service is available
for exhibitors prior to, and during the show. Please contact us for our
special services rate list.
The Gaming area
Last year, I had the good fortune to attend the GenCon (North America's
largest "Gaming" convention) in Milwaukee as a guest of the MilAtari
user group and Atari Corp. Atari made a very strong showing at GenCon -
many people who didn't even know that Atari made computers (or had
thought that the company was out of business) were exposed to the 50+
machines available for use.
All of the latest Atari ST games were available for attendees to play,
and two full MIDI-maze rings drew a staggering number of attendees day
and night, the entire run of the show (a week) into this unique real
time multiplayer game.
By special arrangement with MilAtari, and through the cooperation of
Atari Corp. we will bring the excitement of GenCon to the Chicago
Computerfest! There will be two full MIDI-Maze rings with ongoing
competitions. The "open gaming" will allow attendees to reserve an ST
system and select a popular game title of their choice to play. There
will be LYNX competitions for fun and for prizes.
Admittance to the gaming area will require the purchase of a general
admission ticket, and the "gamers" will have to gain entrance through
the exhibits area - that means additional potential sales and exposure
for YOU.
The Learning area
The space adjoining the main convention hall will be configured as a
"classroom" setting. This area will be available for developers to
teach, in a "hands on" environment, the use of their products.
Atari Corporation will provide a number of complete ST systems, overhead
LCD screen Projector, and PA system to be used for this teaching area.
The room will be set up classroom style with the "instructor" at the
head of the group.
There will be an additional charge for attendees to participate in these
class sessions, advance registration (due to the limited capacity) will
be required.
The Seminar area
There will be 3 seminar rooms available to attendees. Each room will be
capable of seating an average of 50 persons per room.
These rooms will be available at no additional cost for exhibitor use
during the course of the show for group product demos and Q & A
sessions.
Other Attractions
Other special events planned for the course of the show will be: a
Welcome Reception Friday night in the 9th floor Penthouse Ballroom,
(sponsored by Atari), A Saturday Night Banquet (we are assured that the
food WILL be edible!) in the Grand Salon (A number of famous guest
speakers are planned to speak at the Banquet), a MIDI conference, and
conferences sponsored by Atari to educate dealers on technical aspects
of the Atari ST/TT line.
There will be a general Q & A session in Salon A-B-C both days with
Atari Corp. It is expected that Bob Brodie will give his usual fast
paced talk about "The State of Atari". Seating capacity for the
presentation is approximately 300.
About the show facility
The Ramada Hotel O'Hare is situated just outside the northeast gate to
O'Hare International Airport, near the intersection of I-90, I-294, and
I-190. There is complementary shuttle service provided for hotel guests
from all airport terminals.
We have negotiated a highly competitive $60.00 a night (plus tax) rate
based on double occupancy, for Computerfest attendees. Please use the
inserted reservation card for other rates. It is necessary to use the
special Ramadareservation card to obtain these discount prices.
The hotel accepts: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diner's Club,
Eurocard, Mastercard, Multicard and Visa.
The hotel is a modern "Barrier Free" design allowing access to the show
facilities by all attendees.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Public transportation is available to downtown Chicago as well as the
greater Chicago area.
Chicago's Union Station offers Amtrak service to/from the continental
USA and Canada.
A number of rental car agencies are based in the immediate area.
Because of the large number of companies - prices are very competitive.
If you wish us to check prices for you, please indicate the class of
car and extras that you desire, and we will be glad to send you
information via GEmail.
Driving to Chicago Computerfest by car is easy- the show site is just
Northwest of the intersection of I-190, I-294, and I-90. The Ramada can
be reached by taking the Higgins road exit off of I-90 and turning north
at Mannheim Road - the hotel can be found at the Northwest corner of
Higgins and Mannheim road.
Fees and admissions
Admission to the Chicago Computerfest by Atari will be $6.00 per day at
the door. A two-day ticket set will sell for $10.00. The Learning
Seminars will require advance registration and an additional fee; as
soon as our program is set, we will send all of the details.
If you have a question or suggestion, please don't hesitate to contact
us in writing, via my GEmail address (M.BROWN56) or via the show hotline
number. We are eager to help and serve you - tell us what you need!
How to reach us
Chicago Computerfest by Atari
C/O LCACE
P.O. Box 8788
Waukegan, IL 60079-8788
24hr Hotline- 708-566-0682
=======================================================================
Z*MAGAZINE ARCHIVES
-------------------
June 11, 1986
=======================================================================
WHAT IS ZMAG?? (1986)
MSG#: 1621 Lines=16 Recv
SENT:JUNE 10,1986 AT 10:03 PM
TO: WODEN-SYSOP
FROM:RICHARD SCHRAUDNER
SUBJ:ZMAG?
Zmag seems to be a GREAT idea. When I think back to my early atari
days, up all night keying in Compute programs & now fully immersed in
the "mainstream" of computer technology, I'm amazed at the oportunitues
to learn & enjoy. Zmag seems to fill an additional void that goes
beyond an individual board or even network. I'll D/L some more as time
allows & get it up to the Fun house (a bit hard to get to during
available hours). Thx & looking forward actually meeting.
Message # :243
Date & Time :06/08/86 23:27:26
Subject :HELP/OPINION
To :RON KOVACS-SYSOP
Sent by :THE SOCIALIST
First of all you must have some weird control stuff in your main menu
which is screwing me over something bad over here... Jus' doesn't look
right in ASCII.
Now for the "who asked you?" Department. Very honestly, I think this
BBS is going downhill and I think something should be done about it!
First off, why cant you be indepentdant? Why must you be in a big
interstate network, have a big interstate magazine extending all the way
to Chicago, and be so damn stuck up.............I mean, you're still the
same but you seem to want to jump on the bandwagon, and as a result this
BBS isnt just a BBS, it is a collection of BBS's all the way around the
tri-state area. I am beginning to feel like I'm on some big timesharing
thing like Compuserve or something. My suggestion, drop the whole thing
and stop catering to all these stupid BBS's and user groups. I have
never heard of BAT, or even BAUD, before a month or so ago. And I don't
care. I also don't care wut BBS's are in this great Network which in my
opinion is a fluke..............This ZMAG concept is full of (edited)
and will never last.
Note: What the heck happen to this guy... <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Z*NET INTERNATIONAL ATARI ONLINE is a free weekly publication of ROVAC
INDUSTRIES. All content in this edition is Copyright, 1991 by the
original authors and by ROVAC. Information and viewpoints are
presented by the individual authors and not Z*NET. Z*Net is not
affiliated with Atari Corporation. Material in this issue may be
reprinted without specific permission of Z*Net PROVIDED THAT: the item
is not otherwise indicated as NOT being reprintable; the group doing
the reprinting is non-profit; the reprinting will have a circulation
of not more than 500; the reprint shall bear the copyright of Rovac
Industries as well as the author's name and issue number of this
edition of Z*NET. Syndication rights to the Z*NET NEWSWIRE and other
services are available under contract. Contact Rovac for more
information at 908-968-2024, the Z*Net BBS at 908-968-8148, or by mail
at Rovac Industries, P.O. Box 59, Middlesex, NJ 08846, GEnie at
"Z-NET", CompuServe at 71777,2140. Z*NET USA (East) BBS FNET NODE 593
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--
Michael Current '93 Internet: currentm@carleton.edu
Carleton College Cleveland Free-Net: aj848
Northfield, MN 55057 telephone: (507) 663-4962
-----------------------------------------
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