Z*Net: 4-Oct-91 #9142
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 10/07/91-04:16:44 PM Z
From: aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: Z*Net: 4-Oct-91 #9142
Date: Mon Oct 7 16:16:44 1991
| (((((((( | Z*Net International Atari Online Magazine
| (( | -----------------------------------------
| (( | October 4, 1991 Issue #91-42
| (( | -----------------------------------------
| (((((((( | Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc.
| | Post Office Box 59, Middlesex, NJ 08846
| (( |
| (((((( | CONTENTS
| (( |
| | * Z*Net Atari Newswire..................................
| ((( (( | * The Editors Desk............................Ron Kovacs
| (((( (( | * Speed Wars At Glendale.......................John Nagy
| (( (( (( | * Regulations On Mailorder - Part 2.....................
| (( (((( | * WAACE Atarifest 1991.......................Last Notice
| (( ((( | * Atari At Seybold.........................Press Release
| | * A Flaming Editorial..........................John Nagy
| ((((((( | * Tracker ST - Version 3.0.................Press Release
| (( | * Perusing The Internet...................Bruce Hansford
| ((((( | * Z*Net Software Shelf....................Ron Berinstein
| (( |
| ((((((( | ~ Publisher/Editor............................Ron Kovacs
| | ~ Editor.......................................John Nagy
| (((((((( | ~ New Zealand Bureau..........................Jon Clarke
| (( | ~ Canadian Bureau........................Terry Schreiber
| (( | ~ PD Software Reviewer....................Ron Berinstein
| (( | ~ Reporter................................Dr. Paul Keith
| (( | ~ Reporter................................Bruce Hansford
=======================================================================
Atari News First - Where It Should Be!
=======================================================================
* Z*NET NEWSWIRE
=======================================================================
ATARI DOES SEYBOLD
The Direct to Press division of Atari Corporation made another
impressive presentation at the SEYBOLD Electronic Publishing Show, a
20,000 square foot show in two halls held this week in San Jose,
California. This is the first time in two years that Atari has attended
this publishing show. The range of DTP solutions plus electronic
imaging and lithographic preparation for press included Pagestream,
Calamus, Codehead Software, and the wide 3K line of products. According
to reports from early in the show, floor traffic was light due to
exceptional conference presentations, but the Atari area was well
attended. Most show-goers to this internationally renowned publishing
trade show are getting used to seeing Atari now, and the demonstrations
of state of the art systems at reasonable prices seem to be well
received. See the press material from Atari for Seybold, later in this
issue of Z*Net.
ROLAND IMPRESSED, ATTENDING ALL ATARI SHOWS
Astounded by the great reception and product sales at the Glendale Atari
show in September, the keyboard and music hardware giant ROLAND is
planning to make Atari show appearances a regular thing. Company reps
have asked Atari to advise them of any and all user and trade shows that
will feature Atari products, and have booked a display at the upcoming
WAACE AtariFest in the D.C. area in mid October. Expect them again at
the Chicago Atari Fair in November. Groups that are planning shows
should be certain to coordinating their work through Bob Brodie at Atari
Corp in order to assure that Roland and other interested developers know
of the event. Call Bob at 408-745-2052.
NEW CD TITLES FOR ATARI AS CDAR505 NEARS
Production of Atari's first CD, the Softsource Collection, should begin
in late October and sell for about $30. The CDAR505 CD ROM player may
be in dealers at that same time, beginning the demand for third-party CD
releases. One such company, Computer Rock of the San Francisco area,
was responsible for the two existing domestic Atari ST CD disks and has
several more planned for immediate release. The ST Software Library,
released two years ago, contains the Public Domain library supplied by
Current Notes magazine at that time. The First ST Clip Art Disk was
released in late 1990, and has thousands of IMG and other format clip
art files. To be released in November '91, the Z*NET CD will have over
7,000 fully categorized and indexed programs, plus years worth of
ZMAGAZINE, ST-ZMAG, and Z*NET news releases and news photos. Coming
soon afterwards will be another ST release with complete text and disk
archives of a major print magazine. Planned for 1992 are another clip
art/graphics collection, a Z*NET supplement disk, and at least one other
Atari title, bringing the their catalog to a minimum of seven titles.
Prices for the CD's from Computer Rock, which will each carry up to 500
Megabytes of read-only data (over 700 floppy disks worth), will range
from $39.95 to $69.95. Details on availability will follow soon. To
order existing Computer Rock CD titles, call 415-878-9609, and be
certain to mention Z*NET.
FAST TECHNOLOGY PLANS CHEAP TINYTURBO 030
"We overbuilt the big one" says Jim Allen, developer of the Fast
Technology Turbo 030 accelerator, "and I think the TinyTurbo will
outsell it." TinyTurbo is a miniature execution of the 68030 board that
will give 40 mHz TT speed to ST computers for $699 complete. Expected
to be ready in November, Jim says TinyTurbo will be for the mainstream
user who wants speed but doesn't need the full blown implementation.
With no fast RAM, it will have a 64k instruction cache. More details
are in the article, "SPEED WARS AT GLENDALE", following the Newswire in
this issue of Z*NET.
MORE ON SOFT-LOGIK'S USER GROUP GIVEAWAY
Two weeks ago, Z*Net announced Soft-Logik's Pagestream giveaway. The
response has been so high that the company has asked us to share more of
the details of the offer to streamline their response time. Atari user
groups can get two FREE copies of the desktop publisher PageStream 2.1,
plus another demo copy for their library. A related program will offer
discounts for user group members when they buy PageStream from dealers.
The groups should send a previous and current newsletter, add Soft-Logik
to the groups mailing list, full adress information, group membership
and president name. Or, call Soft-Logik at (800) 829-8608 for specific
instructions before mailing your group's request. Soft-Logik, 11131 S.
Towne Square, St. Louis, MO 63123.
=======================================================================
* THE EDITORS DESK by Ron Kovacs
=======================================================================
We have changed the look and style of Z*Net and of course we hope you
find it comfortable.
The WAACE Atarifest is NEXT weekend and we are going to be there in an
unofficial capacity to report on the events. All east coast Atari
owners should plan attending! Read the WAACE information contained in
this issue for more information.
Dr. Paul Keith is working on his report of the Seybold show and will
have a full report for the next edition of Z*Net!
=======================================================================
* SPEED WARS AT GLENDALE Exclusive Report for Z*NET by John Nagy
=======================================================================
How fast is fast? That's the question that everyone had the answer to
at Glendale... but the answers were as different as the people offering
them. Dave Small, Jim Allen, and ICD each had news of speed.
A major interest point at the Souther California Atari Computer Faire on
September 14 and 15 was ACCELERATION of ST computers. Making first
appearances at major US shows were no less than three new units. But
the biggest crowds were drawn by the "030 Wars" of benchmarks between
the Allen and Small 68030 upgrades. Lets take them one at a time.
Totally new was the AdSpeed STe unit, giving the 68000 16 mHz
performance to the 1040 and 520 STe machines. ICD Inc. has had their
AdSpeed available for older models of the ST for over a year, but at
Glendale, Jeff Williams showed their new totally plug-in board for the
"e" series. While it was not installed for testing at the show, it uses
the exact same circuit design that made the "old" AdSpeed fast and
reliable, sharing the top rank of the 16 mHz accelerators. It remains
fully compatible with every software package, allowing downshifting to 8
mHz. The new STe board has a socket ready for a pop-in math
coprocessor, which would gain further speed increases from software
designed to use the chip. To date, that's not much more than ISD's
DynaCADD, but more is likely to come. Price is $349, up $50 from the
regular AdSpeed, largely due to the costs of the sockets and new layout
to fit the new machines. But the ease and safety of snapping it into
place instead of desoldering your old 68000 makes up for the cost.
Also seen for the first time was the "TURBO 25" from Jim Allen's FAST
TECHNOLOGY. It was running in a user group booth all day both days,
proving that heat is not a problem with the sped-up 68000 chips. Jim
had offered the original Turbo16, then recently upgraded to Turbo20.
The Turbo25 is more of a demo unit than an available product at this
time, but when Motorola releases faster rated 68000's, it may be a
commercial reality. It was running the "Boink" demo at a great clip.
Now, to the "oh-thirty" boards that had the eye of every show goer...
Dave Small of Gadgets by Small devoted most of his booth and demo time
to his SST 68030 board, which is completed and virtually ready to ship.
The remaining work to take it past gamma level test into full release is
only on the driver software. Dave wants the thing to run everything
right from the start, since there is no way to "downshift" the unit
short of ripping it out and replacing your old 68000 chip. Dave calls
the unit "available now" in that you can order it and see it and know it
is done and coming at any moment now. It only goes in MEGA computers -
until the adaptor is ready, also "soon".
Jim Allen (Fast Technology) didn't come to Glendale, but he armed Nathan
Potechin of ISD Inc with a Mega ST with Jim's 030 board installed, plus
a newer but uninstalled version of the 030 board to show. Both designs
have a coprocessor socket (as does the Gadgets unit) for the 68881 or
68882 math chip, although none was installed in any of the demo units.
Nathan dutifully demonstrated the Allen product in the DTP area at the
end of the Computer Network booth. Jim's unit, too, is said to be
"available", but like Dave's unit, that doesn't mean you really can walk
away with one just yet. Jim says he should begin shipping units
sometime in late October. It was running fast and furious all day in
the Computer Network booth, doing Calamus SL and DynaCADD flawlessly. A
smaller version of the 68030 system is planned by Fast to be called the
Tiny Turbo, should be ready sometime in November. Jim expects it, at
far lower a price and with a minimum of user configurable options than
the big boards, to be the real seller for speed demons. It will have
64K of cache RAM, run an '030 at 40 mHz, and should be only slightly
larger than the Turbo16/20/25.
While the two companies' boards are similar in concept in that they
substitute the faster and more versatile Motorola 68030 CPU chip for the
original ST 68000, the execution differs significantly.
The Gadgets's board uses no cache RAM other than that built into the
68030, and instead opts for up to 8 meg of "fast RAM" in standard
dynamic SIMMS packs, pluggable in rows as the user wants, needs, and can
afford. By loading programs in this memory, clocked at the same speed
as the CPU, the computer need not "brake" to the 8 mHz motherboard speed
every time it needs instructions. The 68030 can be any of the available
speed ratings, again based on user needs and budget. A 33 mHz 68030 is
not cheap. Faster ones will be more expensive by quantum leaps. The
operating crystal that sets the clock speed for the 68030 is also
pluggable, and Dave demonstrated 33 and 36 mHz operations. He has tried
it at up to 50 mHz, but the dynamic RAM speed becomes a problem. The
show demo units had 80 and 60 nanosecond rated RAM, and when running at
36 Mhz with no wait states (no CPU waiting for the rest of the world to
catch up), the 80 nanosecond chips weren't fast enough to run error-
free. The solution is to add wait-states via the configuration program,
which slows some operations enough to stabilize the RAM, but allows the
full CPU speed on execution.
The Fast Tech board took a different approach to RAM. An external
Static RAM cache is available to the 68030, in a similar fashion as in
most 68000 speeder boards. Here is where the instructions from the
executing programs reside, ready anytime the CPU wants them. The
original design of Jim Allen's board had no "fast RAM" as in the
Gadgets' board. However, another version of the Fast board now offers 4
meg of 32 bit RAM, which completely replaces the motherboard ST RAM.
The result is a completely 32 bit memory path with no video timing
contention, allowing the ST to operate at the full speed virtually all
the time. Jim adds that the 32 bit RAM can be used for/with existing
custom video boards, making ST bound color and big screen add-on monitor
options run at far above TT speeds.
Nathan's demo machine did not have any fast RAM installed, and had only
a 4k cache instead of the production 16K cache, but another board was
being shown by Nathan that did have surface-mounted (not user-
configurable) RAM. This unit arrived too late to be shown in a machine,
so the effectiveness of the fast substitute RAM could not be tested.
The running board was clocked at 40 mHz. Because Nathan (by his own
admission) is a software man and not a hardware man, he could not say
much about the details of the design or driving software of the Fast
Tech board.
Putting a 68030 in an ST requires the use of a different TOS version
than the ST came with. Version 1.4 won't do it. Version 1.6 and above
will. Dave Small has arranged a licensed version of TOS 2.X from Atari
to include with his unit. Jim Allen has had a license to use an altered
TOS 1.6 for six months, with patches for his memory handling built into
his custom ROMs. The job was done by the same folks in Germany that
developed the "Kaos" TOS alternative. Jim says that a free TOS upgrade
for all buyers will be available within a few months, once the details
of his patches to 2.X TOS can be worked out.
So what we had at Glendale presented a worst-case scenario for
establishing a realistic opinion of which board might be better, faster,
cheaper, or less fattening. Dave had no external cache; Jim had no fast
RAM; Dave had 33 or 36 mHz; Jim had 40 mHz; Dave had a memory allocation
/fast RAM/wait state configuration program that adjusts for the current
setup; Jim had a single setup without anything we could see as to memory
handling. It was also suggested that the changes in the routines in
custom TOS's might account for some differences in operation efficiency
over Atari TOS as well. And neither machine, nor their driver software,
was actually in the production form. Yikes. Nope, there is absolutely
no fair way to compare the products at this time.
COMPARING THEM ANYWAY
You wouldn't let me get away without a comparison, so here goes. I hope
to put things more in the way of observations than in head-to-head
competition. And I bet Dave and Jim will each find some justifiable
fault with some part of what I'll report, but this is what I saw and
what I heard, plus what other knowledgeable observers had to say while
watching the various tests and performance measures.
First, understand that neither 68030 system upgrades for ST computers
will make an ST into a TT. What they will do is make the ST very, very
fast at doing what it already does as an ST. Both systems make and ST
faster than a TT while executing ST software. A "real" TT from Atari is
required to run TT specific software - at any speed.
TESTING DAVE'S
The options available with the Gadgets software make testing quite
technical. The configuration program that sets up the fast RAM for
operation, TOS instructions, and the stack also sets the number of wait
states and burst states by simply changing the name of the AUTO folder
file. By changing the name of the same program to TEST, it operates as
a benchmarking and memory stability tester. The faster of the two
Gadgets boards at the show was consistently turning more than 7 MIPS
(million instructions per second), while an unmodified ST does about .5
(one-half) a MIP. With a smile, Dave said he wouldn't compare it to a
"real" TT because he "didn't want to bite the hand that feeds him TOS".
Using Darek Mihocka's QUICK INDEX benchmarking program while running at
33 mHz, 3 wait states, 3 burst states (the most stable configuration for
Mark Booth's demo machine that uses 80 ns SIMMS RAM), these were the
results:
TEST Compared to TT Compared to ST
CPU MEMORY: 121% 861%
CPU REGISTER: 102% 843%
CPU DIVIDE: 103% 1056%
CPU SHIFTS: 104% 3661%
Mark reported that by using 60 ns RAM, a 36 mHz clock speed, and one
less wait and burst state, he was able to reach 151% and 1100% for CPU
Memory numbers. Dave Small explained that the Register, Divide, and
Shift numbers will be almost entirely dependent on clock speed of the
CPU, and should not be significantly affected by any cache or fast RAM
arrangement, and pointed out that his 33 mHz numbers were virtually the
same as the 32+ mHz TT. He added that the "real performance" of any
machine will be more affected by the manner that the operating RAM is
handled, and will be reflected most by the CPU Memory test.
TESTING JIM'S
As mentioned before, there was no adjustable setup program for the Fast
Tech board, as it is already included in the ROM chips on the unit. It
operates at 40 mHz, had a 4K cache and no fast RAM. The Quick Index
numbers:
TEST Compared to TT Compared to ST
CPU MEMORY: 78% 498%
CPU REGISTER: 124% 1024%
CPU DIVIDE: 124% 1278%
CPU SHIFTS: 126% 4465%
Observers noted the 78% memory speed vs a TT, and commented that it was
obviously memory-bound, having to use the slower RAM on the motherboard.
Jim Allen estimates that the larger instruction cache of the production
units alone will increase the memory number significantly, and that the
32 bit RAM equipped unit will "completely blow everything else away" and
run up to double the speed of the demo. The memory equipped unit was,
as mentioned earlier, not installed and running to be tested.
TESTING JIM'S VS DAVE'S
No one was particularly comfortable with the Quick Index numbers being
the only reference for comparison, so several more real-life tests were
suggested. The best seemed to be the calculation and re-draw time for a
complex object using DynaCADD. The file "3DCUP", a three dimensional
wine goblet, was chosen, using a macro that did three views, the final
one being the "hidden line removed" drawing. Average time on the Jim
Allen (Fast Technology) board at 40 mHz, 4k cache, no fast RAM: 54
seconds. Average time on the Dave Small (Gadgets) board at 33 mHz, 3
wait, 3 burst, with fast RAM: 48 seconds. Later, Mark Booth
reconfigured with faster rated RAM, 36 mHz, 2 wait and 2 burst states,
and got 44 second runs for the same DynaCADD test. He estimates by
extrapolation that if it were run at 40 mHz like the Allen board, the
time should be under 40 seconds. Jim Allen, on the other hand, admits
that the demo board without his 32 bit RAM setup should be executing
such tests of real software at perhaps only half the speed of his fully
fleshed out design. He adds that the no-RAM unit and even the TinyTurbo
will be faster than the demo unit in Nathan's computer, due to larger
cache sizes. Nathan also says that Calamus SL runs faster on Jim's demo
board as-is than it does on a TT.
I think that we have certainly proved one thing: comparison of speed is
not exactly possible at this time. Well, maybe two things. These two
boards are REALFAST.
COSTS
Comparing costs is almost as confusing as comparing performance.
Options upon options affect performance and the wallet in inverse
proportion.
Fast Technology hasn't completely solidified all the details of their
pricing, but at this point, these figures look pretty certain: the
"large" board with soldered-in 40 mHz 68030 and crystal, 16k cache -
$1,199; same board with 4 meg of 32 bit RAM installed, $1,999; the Tiny
Turbo 030 with 40 mhz and 64k cache (non-upgradable) - $699. Discounts
are offered for registered FAST TECHNOLOGY and ISD product owners - $500
off the full blown unit, and $299 or $199 off the $1,199 unit for Fast
or ISD owners, respectively. Discounts on the Tiny unit may also be
offered when it becomes available, perhaps in November. More options:
50 mHz 68882 with a 50 and 60 mHz crystal (some video boards can handle
the 60) - $299; virtual memory option making your available virtual RAM
128 meg via hard drive - $299. Installation will be available from Fast
for $100 flat rate, and motherboard swaps will be available for near
zero downtime in professional operations. MAC implementations of the
same boards are planned very, very soon. Call Fast Technology for
details on all pricing and discounts.
The Gadgets SST with no 68030, no memory, and no coprocessor is $599.
What DO you get? The board itself, the driver FastRAM Utilities, TOS
2.X on ROM, and a bunch of empty sockets. You can "roll your own" using
your own parts (Dave suggests you solicit a free sample 68030 from
Motorola, assuming you can concoct a half-decent cover story about a
product you are developing!). Or, buy the parts from Gadgets at prices
they guarantee to be non-competitive, but convenient: 16 mHz 68030 -
$200; plus 4 meg SIMMS (80 ns) - $460; 4 meg alone - $260; 33 mHz 68030
plus 68882 plus 4 meg - $800. Dave heavily encourages professional
installation of the CPU socket in your MEGA computer.
SO, WHICH ONE DO I WANT?
This time, I'm going to slip out without an answer. No doubt about it,
any one of the final versions of either company's board will dazzle and
amaze. All of them will outrun Atari's own TT030 machine by clear
margins. But remember, a 68030 equipped ST is NOT a TT... it WON'T run
TT software, have the extra TT resolutions, or a VME slot. But it WILL
run ST software at speeds never before seen, and be affordable
alternatives to a TT for those persons who will not need the TT features
- at least for now.
The cheapest unit will be the Tiny Turbo, and if it performs anything
like the larger unit Fast had at Glendale, it will be a great deal. The
middle rank in pricing brings options from both Gadgets and Fast, and
their performance may be similar. Probably. Tests of the products when
they are actually shipping will tell more. At the top end, the
versatility of the very configurable Gadgets board may make it a good
choice for those who want it all.
But wait - there's more to come! ICD Inc., makers of AdSpeed and the
Advantage ST Host Adaptor, will privately admit to doing continuing
development on a 68030 accelerator. When I asked for details, Jeff
Williams of ICD said "Nice try!". ICD has a firm policy against
discussing products that are not finished. Their AdSpeed line is a good
example. While CMI, JRI, FAST, and other companies began the
acceleration game, they talked to the press endlessly, long before a
product could be bought. ICD announced their AdSpeed long after the
others, but were ready to sell it when they announced it. And it was an
outstanding execution. Expect the same course of action and quality if
and when the curtain goes up on an ICD '030 product.
SO?
I'll take any one of them if I can afford to! It looks like there's not
a bad choice available in the lot. Good luck!
FAST TECHNOLOGY, P.O. Box 578, Andover, MA 01810, 508-475-3810.
GADGETS BY SMALL, 40 W. Littleton Blvd #210-211, Littleton, CO 80120,
303-791-6098.
=======================================================================
* REGULATIONS ON MAILORDER Part 2
=======================================================================
(This document is from the Federal Trade Commission, San Francisco, CA.
It contains the various regulations regarding mail order purchases.)
(3) Wherever a buyer has the right to exercise any option under this
part or to cancel an order by so notifying the seller prior to shipment,
to fail to furnish the buyer with adequate means, at the seller's
expense, to exercise such option or to notify the seller regarding
cancellation. In any action brought by the Federal Trade Commission
alleging a violation of this art, the failure of a respondent-seller:
(i) To provide any offer, notice or option required by this part in
writing by first class mail will create a rebuttable presumption that
the respondent-seller failed to offer a clear conspicuous offer, notice
or option;
(ii) To provide the buyer with the means in writing (by business reply
mail or with postage prepaid by the seller) to exercise any option or to
notify the seller regarding a decision cancel, will create a rebuttable
presumption that the respondent-seller did not provide the buyer with
adequate means pursuant to paragraph (b)(3) of this section.
Nothing in paragraph (b) of this section shall prevent a seller, where
he is unable to make shipment within the time set forth in paragraph (a)
(1) of his section or within a delay period consented to by the buyer,
from deciding to consider the order cancelled and providing the buyer
with notice of said decision within a reasonable time after he becomes
aware of said inability to ship, together with a prompt refund. (c) To
fail to deem an order cancelled and to make a prompt refund to the buyer
whenever:
(1) The seller receives, prior to the time of shipment, notification
from the buyer cancelling the order pursuant to any option, renewed
option or continuing option under this part;
(2) The seller has, pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section,
provided the buyer with a definite revised shipping date which is more
than thirty (30) days later than the applicable time set forth in
paragraph (a)(1) of this section or has notified the buyer that he is
unable to make any representation regarding the length of the delay and
the seller (i) has not shipped the merchandise within thirty (30) days
of the applicable time set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section,
and (ii) has not received the buyer's express consent to said shipping
delay within said thirty (30) days;
(3) The seller is unable to ship within the applicable time set forth
in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and has not received, within the
said applicable time, the buyer's consent to any further delay;
(4) The seller has notified the buyer of his inability to make shipment
and has indicated his decision not to ship the merchandise;
(5) The seller fails to offer the option Prescribed in paragraph (b)(1)
of this section and has not shipped the merchandise within the
applicable time set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(d) In any action brought by the Federal Trade Commission, alleging a
violation of this part, the failure of a respondent-seller to have
records or other documentary proof establishing his use of systems and
procedures which assure compliance, in the ordinary course of business,
with any requirement of paragraph (b) or (c) of this section will create
a rebuttable presumption that the seller failed to comply with said
requirements.
Note 1: This Part shall not apply to subscriptions, such as magazine
sales, ordered for serial delivery, after the initial shipment is made
in compliance with this part.
Note 2: This part shall not apply to orders of seeds and growing
plants.
Note 3: This Part shall not apply to orders made on a collect-on-
delivery (C.O.D.) basis.
Note 4: This Part shall not apply to transactions governed by the
Federal Trade Commission's Trade Regulation Rule entitled "Use of
Negative Option Plans by Sellers in Commerce", 16 CFR Part 425.
Note 5: By taking action in this area, the Federal Trade Commission
does not intend to preempt action in the same area, which is not
consistent with this part, by any State, municipal, or other local
government. This part does not annul or diminish any rights or remedies
provided by this part.
In addition, this part does not supersede those provisions of any State
law, municipal ordinance, or other local regulation which impose
obligations or liabilities upon sellers, when sellers subject to this
part are not in compliance therewith. This part does supersede those
provisions of any State law, municipal ordinance, or other local
regulation which are inconsistent with this part to the extent that
those provisions do not provide a buyer with rights which are equal to
or greater than those rights granted a buyer by this part. This part
also supersedes those Provisions of any State law, municipal ordinance.
or other local regulation requiring that a buyer be notified of a right
which is the same as a right provided by this part but requiring that a
buyer be given notice of this right in a language, form, or manner which
Is different in any way from that required by this part.
In those Instances where any State law, municipal ordinance, or other
local regulation contains provisions, some but not all of which are
partially or completely superseded by this part, the provisions or
Portions of those provisions which have not been superseded retain their
full force and effect.
Note 6: If any provision of this part or its application to any
person, Partnership, corporation, act or practice is held invalid, the
remainder of this part or the application of the provision to any other
Person, partnership, corporation, act or practice shall not be affected
thereby.
Note 7: Section 435.1(a)(1) of this part governs all solicitations
where the time of solicitation is more than 100 days after promulgation
of this part.
The remainder of this part governs all transactions where receipt of a
properly completed order occurs more than 100 days after Promulgation
of this part.
=======================================================================
* WAACE ATARIFEST 1991 Last Notice!
=======================================================================
WAACE AtariFest '91:
The WAACE AtariFest is Saturday and Sunday October 12 and 13 in Reston,
Virginia, about seven miles East of Washington D.C.'s Dulles Airport.
The show is again at the deluxe Sheraton Reston International Conference
Center, with outstanding facilities for the show, demonstrations, and
seminars. Show hours are from 10AM to 5PM both days, with special
events including a swap meet, a cocktail party, and a banquet on
Saturday evening.
Vendors committed to appear at press time included:
Accusoft
D. A. Brumleve
Codehead Software
Phil Comeau Software
Current Notes Magazine
Debonair Software
eSTeem Inc
FAST Technology
ICD Inc
ISD Marketing Inc
JMG Software
Joppa Computer Products
L & Y Electronics
Michtron
Micro Creations
Musicode Software
Rio Computers
SLICCWARE
Step Ahead Software
ST Informer/A & D Software
Toad Services
Unicorn Publications/Atari Interface Magazine
Wizworks
Call the Sheraton Reston Hotel at 703-620-9000 and mention the WAACE
AtariFest for hotel rates of $59 per night for single or double
occupancy, $66 for triple and quad. The Sheraton address is 11810
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 22091.
For additional WAACE information: John D. Barnes, 7710 Chatham Rd, Chevy
Chase, MD 20815, GEMail: J.D.Barnes, CIS: 73047,2565
=======================================================================
* ATARI AT SEYBOLD Press Release
=======================================================================
Professional Systems Group
--------------------------
A division of Atari Computer Corporation NEWS RELEASE
Contacts: Harry Miller SEYBOLD BOOTH NUMBER 942
Public Relations Counsel
(510) 938-5663 Office
(510) 939-5655 Fax
Bill Rehbock
(408) 745-2082 Office
(408) 745-2083 Fax
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROFESSIONAL SYSTEMS GROUP SHOWS NEW HIGH QUALITY, DIGITAL
PUBLISHING SOLUTIONS AT SEYBOLD SHOW
"Direct To Press" Products Offer Added Features, Speed, Quality
Compatibility With Existing Standards Makes New Platform
The Logical Alternative
Sunnyvale, California - September 23, 1991 -- The Professional Systems
Group, a division of Atari(tm) Computer Corporation, will show its
Direct To Press digital publishing solutions at the Seybold Publishing
Conference and Exposition on October 2-4 in San Jose. At their booth,
the Professional Systems Group will demonstrate the irrefutable logic of
choosing their TT030 computer as a publishing platform.
Each of the pre-press solutions possesses clear advantages over the
existing competition. Those advantages are manifest in a richer feature
set, quicker speed of operation, and in visibly higher output quality.
As if that weren't enough, the Direct To Press systems are affordably
priced compared to other alternatives. Direct To Press systems provide
output quality one would expect from much more expensive dedicated
typography system.
Direct To Press includes full-featured, high quality, and high
performance tools for every phase of pre-press work from document
processing ans design to photo retouching and imagesetter film output.
Direct To Press is a solution provided by the Professional Systems
Group. This solution combines software, hardware, and support to
implement a superior publishing system. Design and typography output
workstations take advantage of the sophisticated graphics and pure
processing power of the Atari TT030(tm), the company's high performance
computing platform. Available as custom configurable systems, Direct To
Press is targeted at pre-press and printing service bureaus and in-house
design and productions departments, as well as freelance designers,
artists and publishers. Systems based on the Direct To Press products
and concept are distributed through a network of value-added resellers
and dealers.
Publishing System Hardware Platform
The Atari TT030 provides the ideal computing platform for the Direct To
Press publishing tools. It features a 32MHz Motorola(tm) 68030
microprocessor with on-chip cache and memory management as well as a
68882 math coprocessor, 8MB of RAM (expandable to 26MB), and 80MB hard
disk, and a wide range of video and storage expansion options. Output
for proofing purposes is provided by the 300 dot per inch Atari SLM605
(tm) laser printer. The SLM605 features a small footprint, high quality
output, and fast 6 page per minute operation.
The TT030 performs even better in graphics-intensive applications than
the specifications would indicate. Several factors help explain this
phenomenon. First, the machine's architecture vastly reduces screen
redraw time by using a 64-bit wide video data path. Next, the TT030
uses DMA (Direct Memory Access) channels for disk, video, printer, and
sound data transfer. And, up to 10MB of video RAM can be used. These
hardware advantages are leveraged by an operating enviroment that
minimizes overhead without sacrificing ease of use or power.
"We designed the TT030 to be a great platform for sophisticated
publishing applications," said Greg Pratt, Atari Computer Corporation.
"But the performance and output quality that our strategic software and
hardware partners have achieved makes these systems a compelling choice.
When you consider that most system selections are based on output
quality, speed of operation, ease of use, and affordability, we really
are 'the logical alternative.' You can't afford not to look at the
TT030 and the Direct To Press system solutions."
Three Software Product Families Meet a Broad Range Of Needs
The Direct To Press solutions generally follow one of three
complementary approaches: Soft-Logik's PostScript(R)-based PageStream(R)
2 provides direct compatibility with that industry standard. The
Calamus(R)SL and tms Cranach Studio(R) family of high-end publishing
applications, including proprietary SoftRIPS(R) for specific models of
typesetters and imagesetters deliver a wide range of features and fast
performance. And the ReTouche Professional(TM)/Didot Professional(TM)
family of digital lithography, line art, and page layout tools uses
proprietary hardware technology to create raster images of pages within
the host software, eliminating the need for an external RIP, and uses
specialized hardware to greatly enhance output speed and quality. Files
can be easily exchanged among the tools, and with many other industry-
standard desktop publishing programs: The TT030's floppy disk format is
identical to that of MS-DOS, so data files on floppies can easily be
transferred. Similarly, file transfer can be accomplished via an
Ethernet network. Most of the applications can import and export files
from popular applications on other platforms.
Professional Systems Group is a new division of Atari Computer
Corporation whose mission is to provide superior computing solutions for
vertical market segments where output quality and execution speed are
the highest concern. Professional Systems Group combines its computing
platforms with high performance software and peripherals to meet and
exceed the needs of these demanding audiences.
Atari is a registered trademark, and TT030 and SLM605 are trademarks of
Atari Corporation. Motorola is a trademark of Motorola, Inc.
PageStream is a registered trademark of Soft-Logik Publishing
Corporation. Calamus SL and Calamus Outline Art, Calamus SoftRIP are
registered trademarks of DMC/Ditek International. tms Cranach Studio
is a registered trademark of tms GmbH. PostScript is a registered
trademark of Adobe Systems. ReTouche Professional CD, Didot
Professional, ad the Image Speeder are trademarks of 3K Computerbild.
=======================================================================
* A FLAMING EDITORIAL by John Nagy
=======================================================================
Yes, a real editorial in Z*Net! Many readers have noted that they are
rare, and a few have been pestering us to be more vocal. A very few
more have been saying that Z*Net is Atari Corp's mouthpiece, with only
the news that Atari sees fit for the public to know, while another
magazine touts itself as being ABOUT Atari instead of FOR Atari.
Nonsense. Z*Net is, above all, FOR the ATARI USERS. It's been our
judgement that pompous commentary, barracuda headlines, and veiled
insults do little to help the user of Atari equipment get the maximum
enjoyment from their computer, and so they have little reason to be in
Z*Net.
Recently, a writer submitted an article for publication in Z*Net. It
was turned down. He then posted it as a standalone file on GEnie with a
tag line that said it was what Z*Net wouldn't tell you. Why did this
happen? How often does this happen? Is Z*Net censoring the news???
Articles are often reviewed and returned for re-write by magazines, and
Z*Net is no exception. Even our regular Z*Net correspondents have had
their material cut or returned when the content or tone failed to meet
Z*Net's purpose. Often.
Is it censorship? No and Yes. An example: a writer submitted a story
about the hard drive cover on Mega STe 1's. It detailed the facts about
how it was apparently designed to prevent retrofitting a drive by the
end user without Atari's own replacement parts. It then went on to say
that this was another example of how Atari is trying to shaft the user
for its own gain, and that we shouldn't stand for it. We ran the story,
up to where the facts stopped and the commentary began. Readers, you
aren't fools. If we tell you that Atari has rigged their system to
prevent home or third-party additions, you can understand what that
means to you. You DON'T have to be beaten on the head with what you
ought to think and feel about it. You gain nothing by it. And the news
story meshed with an editorial is not the way we choose to do business
at Z*Net.
Was the editorial content censored? In a way. It certainly was
submitted and did not appear. Why not?
Our decisions on running of content, whether positive, negative, or
neutral, is based on the usefulness of the information. There are times
when a commentary or editorial is useful. Those tend to be when:
1. The writer has a unique position of information or viewpoint that
causes his opinion to be unusual and informative, OR
2. The writer has made a unique or unusual analysis of common events
such that his discussion is informative and thought provoking, OR
3. The editor believes that some actual change for the better could
occur as a result of the editorial.
Now you know why editorials are rare in Z*Net. Really, that is all
there is to it. If the opinion material is just another in a string of
standard complaints about product availability, release dates, lack of
dealers, lack of advertising, etc., what's the point in running it? 80%
of our readers could have written the same viewpoint from memory. The
other 20% is happy enough with their own situation and has no need or
desire to be told to be unhappy. So nobody needs it. Out it goes.
We've been asked often enough why we don't join in blasting Atari Corp
for what we must obviously see as flaws. Heck, if it's obvious, who
needs to repeat it in Z*Net? There's plenty of other places to go to
read blasting.
This editorial fits criteria #1. We feel that our position has not been
explained sufficiently until now.
In the case of the article that was recently uploaded and released as
"the file Z*Net refused to run", the story was about the author's
personal difficulty getting satisfactory printing with an Atari laser
printer. He then discussed what he felt was a lack of support from
Atari. Then he bridged into a multi-point list of what he felt customer
service should be, and then called and rated some Atari developers
against his list. Why didn't Z*Net run it? First, because it read like
the angry item it in fact was. Next, because it contained extensive
pure editorial information -- what this writer says a company SHOULD DO
for technical service. Finally, it rated companies based on their
responses to a request for technical service, but without regard to the
differences between a sole part time developer like Branch Always
Software and the large PC development houses who presumably meet the
author's measures. No account or quarter was given in the article of
what and where the principals were during the "test period." The period
spanned the Glendale setup and show, a time when Brodie and many
developers were away from home, providing a service to a different
crowd. We felt that this made the conclusions unfair and not
representative of what users can "normally" expect.
Sure, when a person has a problem with software X, it does him little
good to know that the person who is X-MAKER CORP is busy doing something
else, no matter what. But we felt that the realities of the small ST
market need to be part of an analysis, and they were ignored. The
article had significant merit, but not as written. It didn't go in
Z*Net.
Finally, we are most often asked to be more vocal against Atari
policies. Why should we? If Atari was about to be changed by the force
of words in the existing media, don't you think it would have happened
by now? We report what is really happening, in a manner that tries to
tell the whole story, and let the reader form their own opinion. To
preach the endless liturgy of doom only accomplishes the spread of
dismay for those who would otherwise be using their Atari to their
satisfaction. Worse, rather than to "wake up" the management of Atari
to what the writer wants them to do, Atari bashing is more likely to
cause those same officials to discard the entire message as well as the
messenger. The more severe and/or consistent the criticism is, the more
Atari insulates itself from anything meaningful that might be somewhere
in the message.
In Category 18 (Flames), Topic 22 on GEnie, a former Atari zealot is
currently torching everyone while he leaves for MAC country. One of his
weapons: reciting the story that Atari fired their UNIX guru as their
typical reward for a job well done. The source of this? We can guess
it came from an online magazine that headlined the "revolving door"
whose latest victim was the head of the UNIX project. Yep, that
treatment, in what the editors concede is the "rumor and Inquirer-like"
section of their mag, certainly got the predictable (and probably
desired) fist-waving reaction from the crowds. But while the basis for
the story was true, the presentation lacked detail and allowed inference
of a firing, when the reverse was the case. David Plummer was hired
under contract for the sole purpose of doing the UNIX kernel for Atari.
He finished it, gave his notice, and is moving on. Less drama there, to
be sure. The full story won't get the troops inflamed. But should they
be? NO! The full story holds the happy fact that the project is
complete! But the writer in Cat 18 has found the reality he has been
led to expect by what he read and the pervasive negative tone of the
messenger: Atari is stupid and fires all the good people. No matter
what the actual truth is, he is now dutifully spreading his reality --
apparently backed up by a major online magazine's story -- to everyone
he can. Perhaps MANY current and potential Atari owners will be
needlessly swayed to further discontent by this man's story or their own
conclusions after reading the "confidential" report. Just another in a
series of proofs that 3/4 of a truth can equal a lie.
I'm not suggesting that everything Atari does makes sense to me. But
aren't things bad enough without creating new and fictional disasters,
all for nothing more than the pleasure of being a firebrand? Z*Net
feels that innuendo has no place in presentation of news. It incites
far more than it informs.
We hope this will help our readers understand why Z*Net consists of the
NEWS and helpful features whose purpose is to increase the pleasure of
using Atari computers. Our magazine won't partake in the pointless
whining or mob-mentality rabble rousing. I bet you like us this way.
Besides, you always can find plenty of the other kind of treatment if
you want to. Just not in Z*Net.
=======================================================================
* TRACKER ST VERSION 3.0 Press Release
=======================================================================
Step Ahead Software
496-A Hudson Street, #F39
New York City, NY 10014
Contact: Nevin Shalit 212-627-5830
STEP AHEAD SOFTWARE RELEASES TRACKER/ST v3.0
Step Ahead Software, Inc. is pleased to announce version 3.0 of Tracker
/ST, the leading mailing list/mail merge program for the Atari ST, STe,
Mega Ste and TT series of computers. Version 3.0 represents a major
upgrade to Tracker/ST, with many exciting and powerful new features.
Tracker/ST v3.0 will begin shipping on October 12th, 1991 at the WAACE
Atarifest in Washington, DC.
Some of Tracker/ST v3.0's new features include: One-click telephone
dialing (modem required), duplicate-name warning when adding names, the
ability to copy a single name from one database to another with a simple
keyboard or mouse command, completely unlimited filtering, and a
powerful new report which prints out Tracker/ST's unique Long Notes for
as many people as the user requires, with one single command.
"Telephone dialing, duplicate-name warning, and moving names between
databases were the top three requested features for Tracker/ST," says
Nevin Shalit, president of Step Ahead Software. "For example, many of
our users work with two files, a 'Leads' file and a 'Customers' file.
Tracker/ST v3.0 lets you copy a name from the Leads file to the
Customers file in an instant, with no retyping whatsoever. It's the
ultimate in convenience. Similarly, the duplication warning system
prevents you from accidentally adding a name that is already in your
Tracker/ST database."
Unlimited filtering is another major addition to Tracker/ST v3.0. In
previous versions only simple filters--such as people from the state of
California--were permitted. Version 3.0 of Tracker/ST lets you set any
imaginable multiple filter for reports, mailing labels, and mail merges.
Says Shalit, "This feature allows the Tracker/ST v3.0 user to target
mailings and reports with unlimited precision."
Other new features in Tracker/ST v3.0 include the ability to export
names in any format (for use with WordPerfect, WordUp, WordFlair II, and
virtually any other word processor or database), expanded default
settings, and the ability to retain Tracker/ST's extended Long Notes
when doing an export and import within the program.
Of course, Tracker/ST v3.0 contains all the original features that have
made it the leading program of its type for the Atari, including the
ability to store an unlimited number of names in an unlimited number of
separate files, label printing to all printers including laser printers
and the Hewlett Packard Deskjet, and the world's easiest single-click
mail merge system. Tracker/ST's only requirements are 1 megabyte of RAM
and a double sided disk drive. The program is not copy protected and
installs easily on any hard drive system.
Step Ahead Software is also making a special introductory offer for
Tracker/ST v3.0. Until the end of this year, Tracker/ST v3.0 will be
available for the same $79.95 price as earlier versions of the program.
On January 1st, 1992 the retail price of Tracker/ST v3.0 will rise to
$99.95.
Registered owners of Tracker/ST v2.0 and greater may upgrade to v3.0 for
$25 ($30 after 1/1/92). Users should not send in their original disk,
but must include their completed registration card with their upgrade
order if they have not already done so.
For more information about Tracker/ST v3.0 please call Step Ahead
Software at 212-627-5830.
=======================================================================
* PERUSING THE INTERNET Compiled by Bruce Hansford
=======================================================================
Date: 24 Sep 91 00:47:48 GMT
>From: microsoft!darekm@uunet.uu.net (Darek MIHOCKA)
Subject: Emulate? What about the other way.
CATHRYN@bdt.COM writes:
>How about an ST emulator card which would fit into a slot of a PC
>clone. So I could run old ST software and clone software without
>having computers take over the house!
Yes, why emulate CGA graphics on a slow ST when you can run ST software
on a Super VGA.
GEMULATOR (Son of Xformer!) is in the works and I hope to have it ready
by next summer. It is a 68000 emulator for 386/486/ based PCs. My
latest benchmarks of the 68000 emulator are giving me .3 MIPS on a 386/
20 and .9 MIPS on a 486/33. In other works, 900,000 68000 instructions
can be emulated on a 486/33 per second. An 8 Mhz 68000 can at best
execute 2 million instructions per second, but that's an ideal number.
Typically, most software executes at about .5 MIPS. So you can see that
software-only emulation can be done on a 486 or a fast 386 can be done
at real time.
GEMULATOR is a 32-bit protect mode program, so it cannot run on a 286 or
8086. If you need any more info, send me private email.
- Darek
Darek Mihocka. Quick ST 3 for the ST/TT. All views expressed are my own.
Branch Always Software, 14150 NE 20th St. Suite 302, Bellevue, WA 98007
-----------------------------------------
Date: 24 Sep 91 00:59:55 GMT
>From: darling@arizona.edu (Thomas Darling)
Subject: What to buy next...
cmm1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Christopher M Mauritz) writes:
> Atari was (and is to a lesser extent now) THE machine to own for MIDI
> use. The built in ports (but not MIDI thru) and a wealth of relatively
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Irrelevant. Nobody needs MIDI THRU on their sequencer.
> inexpensive software made it very attractive for this and many
> professionals use Ataris exclusively.
True, but not to the market specified. The best MIDI programs for the
Atari have always been $300+ for sequencers, $100+ for editor/libs. And
pros don't settle for built-in MIDI ports exclusively; they get multiple
separate out systems like C-Lab's UNITOR. Pros can't make do with only
16 MIDI channels.
> Well, that has changed. There are now many more MIDI adapters and a
> lot of software available for Mac and PC clones.
Well, the Mac, Amiga, and IBM are really competing for the hobbyist
market, the person who already owns a computer and decides to get into
music. In the U.S., there seem to be many Macs in pro studios, but not
really any IBMs or Amigas. And for studios with heavy MIDI bandwidth
(using simultaneous sync and poly-key pressure, etc.) the Mac is not
even an option; the beast will choke and cause all manner of timing
nightmares.
For whatever reason, only the Atari seems able to cope with severely
jammed MIDI data in a timely manner.
The Atari has a specific niche in the market. It's not a big niche, but
they're all alone in it.
darling@cellar.UUCP \\\ Thomas Darling * record production * dance re-
mixing uunet!cellar!darling \\\ Fact HQ Studio * The Cellar BBS:215/336
-9503 * FACT
---------------------------------------
Date: 24 Sep 91 14:02:59 GMT
>From: micro@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Klaus Pedersen)
Subject: ST Magazines (was Re: More Lies From Atari?)
carter@cae.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) writes:
>They would probably look a bit more professional looking if they would
>simply dump the crappy ST DTP software they use to make the mag with.
>PM 4.0/MS WORD 4.0 make a great combination and a much more capable
>feature list to make DTP easier and more fun to do.
I don't know what you are talking about, but some of the best looking
ST mags are produced on an ST. The list includes German TOS and the
brand new Danish ST mag 'STT forum'. There is also the DMC show-off
mag. 'Cicero' (??) which started as a separate mag, but it is now given
away with ST-magazin.
All these mags. are produced on ST/TT with calamus and then photoset.
--------------------------------------
Date: 25 Sep 91 12:49:44 GMT
>From: ggranger@arizona.edu (Greg Granger)
Subject: What to buy next...
Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes:
> >The Atari has a specific niche in the market. It's not a big niche,
> >but they're all alone in it.
> Unfortunately, the problem seems to be that not all the inhabitants of
> this particular niche are aware of the fact that Atari "owns" the
> turf...
> A couple of years ago, I attended a live MIDI music concert as part of
> the Summer Arts Festival at the University of Michigan...
> The lady I was with looked in vain for Amigas on stage, and I did the
> same for Atari computers... not a one was to be seen. The entire
> concert was performed via Macintoshes and IBMs.
> During the introductory talks by members of the School of Music
> faculty, the word Atari was never even uttered.
> Yes, I know Atari "owns" the MIDI market... but someone seems to have
> forgotten to tell everyone else.
I just received my copy of the MACE (Midlands Atari Computer
Enthusiasts) Newsletter in the mail yesterday, and one of the articles
goes as follows:
"ATARI BACK IN KEYBOARD - Atari is back advertising in Keyboard
magazine, the most widely read professional musician's magazine in the
country. In the August issue (with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman on the
cover), Atari has taken co-op ads with C-Lab (Notator, Creator) and Dr.
T (numerous editor/librarians and sequencers). The Atari logo is large
and clearly seen in both ads. There will be an Atari/Dr. T ad in
Electronic Musician this month as well. Bob Brodie of Atari says,
"We've also done similar things in PC-related magazines with some of our
Portfolio developers."
They also make mention that the CDAR505 will be shipped in September,
and FSM GDOS will be shipped around Oct. 1 (I'll believe it when I see
it!). Unfortunately for the CDAR505, "it won't even work on an ST
machine as shipped. Instead of having the ACSI/DMA port and a SCSI port
as announced, it will have only the 'pure SCSI' port that is the
industry standard. It'll plug right into a TT or a MAC, or any computer
that has a SCSI host adaptor. So ST owners will need to use an ICD or
other host unit to access the CD player."
---------------------------------------
=======================================================================
* Z*NET SOFTWARE SHELF by Ron Berinstein
=======================================================================
105 degrees has been the normal daily temperature around Los Angeles and
the valleys here in southern California for the past few days. Lucky
for most computer users that their equipment is usually installed in
cool environments! I guess that proves that learning how to use your
Atari will provide you a more comfortable style of living!... <smile>
Here at the Software Shelf school we are finding it difficult to believe
that summer has even left us. Knowing it has though, I have taken the
liberty of providing a list of possibilities for you to choose from. So
here they are, files to make a "cool" environment even cooler!
First, files for the those of you in statistics class..
BSTAT241.LZH is a sophisticated graphing and statistical analysis
program. B/STAT requires 1 megabyte and a double sided drive. When
this shareware program is registered you receive an apx. 175 page manual
explaining how easy it is to use! <smile> This is an in depth program,
and it was designed for the serious user.
STOCK32.ARC STock->Smart, the program's name, has evolved. With the
addition of a portfolio spread sheet, up to seven charts on screen at
one time, calculation of portfolio value with a single key press,
automatic chart group loading, automatic chart updates from new data,
very user friendly, and this is still a Shareware program! Graphic
oriented, and is designed to use the Stock data available from GEnie.
CHCKBOOK.ARC This is a newer version of the original. It includes some
important error fixes and easier to use interface. This program is a
checkbook program that sorts your transactions by date. It is easy to
use and very functional!
And for those with publishing majors...
GRTCON21.LZH Converts ASCII files to 1ST WORD format. Also it receives
ASCII files via the serial port, and either saves them as ASCII or
converts them to 1ST WORD format. Those with Calamus that can import
1st Word format, as well as others, might find this program useful.
LZH201d was used to compress this file.
FONTEQ.ARC This is a modified FONTEQV.V2 file for Pagestream version
2.1. There is a DOC file in this arc. SPEEDS UP SCREEN DISPLAYS UP TO
60% !!! A must have for pagestream 2.1 users. READ THE DOC FILE FIRST.
24BIT.ARC is a short 24 Bit Color discussion contained in a few recent
GEnie *PHOTO, electronic photography, SIG messages. Also a request for
feedback - here is the chance to get Atari's capability in this area at
least mentioned if you know something about it. If you like what you
read here go back and get at least the rest of Sept's *PHOTO, Cat. 25
(all topics) messages.
And for a BIT of confusion... another file with the same name!
24BIT.ARC will allow you to switch the TT to using 24 bit addresses.
This lets some programs that would otherwise abort, run on the TT.
However, normally it should not need be used. The majority of the
programs it makes usable were compiled with older versions of GFA Basic.
(Listed as 24bit_.arc on CodeHead)
And for the knowlegeable user...
PPUR37.LZH Prichard's Pursuer 3.7, PRG & ACC. Automatically handles
all chores of using PC Pursuit. Calls up to 100 BBS's, tracks & logs
chargeable connect time (avoid the 30 hour cap), links to your term
program's scripts/macros/recordings. New features--uses key commands.
*Shareware* LZH201d was used to compress this file.
MDDPATCH.ARC This program will patch your copy of MultiDesk Deluxe from
CodeHead Software, eliminating a couple of small bugs and updating it to
version 3.2. Directions are included in the patch program. And
remember -- CodeHead Software means support!
RAMFILES.LZH This is a very nice ramdisk auto-loader. It can have
configuration files and load in files from multiple drives/directories.
It will also back them up with .BAK extensions added to the old files if
you wish.
UNCLEVOL.ARC provides help for those who are tired of formatting a disk
just to change it's name..? This wee accessory\program lets you change
a floppy OR hard disks Volume Label (aka Disk Label) at ANY time!
And finally for this week, your astronomy teacher has asked me to assign
you these files to explore.
GNOMPLOT.ARC shows the stars at several limiting magnitudes &
magnifications. *You can click on a star and have all the stars in the
contellation blink on and off, great for learning the constellations!*
Unusual projection scheme is designed for plotting meteor trails. You
will like this planetarium program, it also generates nice stellar
backgrounds for art.
MOONCRAT.ARC is German, but highly useable. It shows the Moon with
phase for any date, with over a hundred main craters and the Apollo,
Surveyor, and Lunakhod landing sites. Use ARC602ST.TTP or other current
ARC utility to extract. TESTED->TOS 1.0/1.4 MONO WORKS BEST COLOR
MISSES SEVERAL FEATURES INCLUDES GFA BASIC RUNTIME PROGRAM.
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
To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon
connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type
XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMPUSERVE
To sign up for CompuServe service, call 800-848-8199. Ask for operator
198. You will be sent a $15.00 free membership kit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Z*NET Atari Online Magazine is a weekly publication covering the Atari
and related computer community. Material contained in this edition may
be reprinted without permission except where noted, unedited and
containing the issue number, name and author included at the top of each
article reprinted. Opinions presented are those of the individual
author and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff of
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Z*NET Atari Online Magazine
Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc..
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