ST Report: 18-Dec-92 #850

From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 12/19/92-06:02:53 PM Z


From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 18-Dec-92 #850
Date: Sat Dec 19 18:02:53 1992



           *---== STReport International Online Magazine ==---*
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 December 18, 1992                                                  No.8.50
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 > 12/18/92 STR 850    "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!"
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               WHAT'S NEW IN THE ATARI FORUMS (December 18)

 PLAY ASTEROIDS BY MODEM!

     Download file RAYOID.LZH from LIBRARY 2  of the  Atari Arts  Forum (GO
 ATARIARTS) for  a three-in-one  package of games.  Includes a game similar
 to  Asteroids  with  great  sounds  (DMA  sound  supported).    Action and
 strategy.  Documentation in English and French.

 VERSION 6.5 OF WHATIS!

     New version! WHATIS 6.5 identifies over 125 file types - ARCs, LHarcs,
 PRGs, pics, ACCs, animations, etc... no more "what kind of  file is this?"
 problems! Runs  as a  PRG or ACC or a TTP-like program on any ST/TT in any
 rez. Short docs included  in  the  ARC.    All  the  features  of previous
 versions, plus adds Warp9 Extend-O-Save modules and five other file types,
 and allows the dialog to be centered with a double-click.

     Download file WHATIS.ARC from  LIBRARY  6  of  the  Atari Productivity
 Forum (GO ATARIPRO).

 GTHOR - ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST OTHELLO PROGRAMS

     Download file  GTHOR.LZH from  LIBRARY 2  of the  Atari Arts Forum (GO
 ATARIARTS) for GTHOR 2.0, an Othello program that is considered one of the
 four  top  Othello  programs  in  the  world.  If you think you're good at
 Othello, try this program!

 STALKER STUFFR BACKTALK UTILITY

     Download file STKSTU.ZIP from  LIBRARY  2  of  the  Atari Productivity
 Forum (GO  ATARIPRO) for "STalker Stuffr", a utility for use with STalker3
 desk accessory.  Use with CLI or Hotwire to automate Stalker tasks.  Run a
 BackTALK script  without opening  the Stalker  window.  Create HotWire LGR
 entries for STalker DA sessions.

 MIDI MUSIC MAKER

     Version 2.21 of Midi Music Maker is now available in LIBRARY 5  of the
 Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS) as file MMM221.LZH.  This program plays 16
 different types of music including SMF. It also  will create  SMF format 0
 or 1  from any  of the  types played. New features include ability to play
 Dr. Ts  (Atari or  Amiga) and  Sound Blaster  CMF files,  full screen file
 display, user  definable keys, selectable drum tracks when transposing and
 several other new features and fixes.

 VERSION 6.4 of WHATIS

     Version 6.4 of WHATIS is now available for download from  LIBRARY 6 of
 the  Atari  Productivity  Forum  (GO  ATARIPRO)  as  file WHATIS.ARC. This
 version identifies over 125 file types - ARCs,  LHarcs, PRGs,  pics, ACCs,
 animations, etc...  no more "what kind of file is this?" problems! Runs as
 a PRG or ACC or a TTP-like program  on any  ST/TT in  any rez.  Short docs
 included in  the ARC.   All  the features  of previous versions, plus adds
 PageStream 2.2 docs and LaserJet II soft fonts to the list.

 PAGESTREAM PATCH

     A patch to convert PageStream  2.1  (UK)  to  PageStream  2.2  (UK) is
 available for  download as  file UKPATC.ARC  from LIBRARY  11 of the Atari
 Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN).  This is equivalent to the US version  of the
 patch which  creates PageStream 2.2 (US). The UK version of PageStream has
 the word 'color' spelled as 'colour' in the Global menu.

 SIMPLY LOADING XTERM2 ONTO PORTFOLIO!

     Download XLOAD.ZIP  from LIBRARY  2 of  the Atari  Portfolio Forum (GO
 APORTFOLIO)  for  a  small  program  and batch file to simplify first time
 loading of xterm2 onto your Portfolio through the  serial port.  The batch
 file is  run from  your PC  and copies xload.com across to your Portfolio.
 Xload.com is then run from your Portfolio to copy xterm2 across. The batch
 file contains  further instructions  and the program has a number of error
 trapping routines. NB. The zip file does not contain xterm2  itself - this
 can be downloaded separately from library 2.

 ULTIMATE ADDRESS BOOK!

     The  ultimate  Address  Book  for  the  PC!  Reads and edits Portfolio
 compatible Address Book files.    Advanced  features!  Commercial Quality!
 Written and  uploaded by Artisan Software. Even dials the modem for you...
 just like the Portfolio dials  over  the  speaker!  Requires  DOS-PC. Save
 feature disabled until registered.

     Download file  ADR_BK.ZIP from  LIBRARY 6 of the Atari Portfolio Forum
 (GO APORTFOLIO).



                  THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE
                          HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN
                OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION

            "GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM"



  """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""



 > From the Editor's Desk             "Saying it like it is!"
   """"""""""""""""""""""


     This year has really flown by...    and  the  times  ...  they  are "a
 changing".    As  an Atarian,  I woe  the condition  of the marketplace at
 this time.  I can honestly say I've loved the hardware's performance.   In
 fact,  I've  taken  every  opportunity  to praise its performance.  I must
 however, after looking at the course of current events, say  the future of
 Atari itself is enigmatic to say the very least.  After having watched the
 company evolve from the very early  days of  the '400-800'  to the present
 genre of machines, all that can be said is an emphatic why!?!
   
     They (Atari  releases the  520ST) had it all going for them.  They had
 (in 1985) the marketplace, worldwide, singing  their praises.   Why  is it
 now they  are the  joke of  the decade  in the computing community?  Tough
 questions.  One indicator is the manner in which they treated the greatest
 consumer market history has ever known.  They, for all practical purposes,
 ignored the US market.  now the US market is ignoring them.  Tis  a deadly
 result to  reap but  this is  the case.   Most potential consumers retort,
 when informed of an  Atari  Computer  being  in  existence,  "Oh  the Pong
 people!"   "They still in business?"  "Really? ...Must be a game machine."
 "You've got to be kidding!"  I am sure there  are those  of you  out there
 who can add to this sad list but 'you get the picture.'
   
     Christmas, a  time for rejoicing the birth of Christ, holds many other
 significant meanings for people  'round the  world.   One of  which is the
 commercial aspect  of the  Christmas Season.   It  has many names like the
 :Yuletide Season etc... but it really boils down to a  time for  sales and
 rejuvenation of establishments in the retail community.  Is this happening
 for the Atari retailers?  Nope.  Ok, so if this was the first year they've
 blown the  Sales Season  it wouldn't  be such a big deal.  Its not though,
 its been this way for a number of consecutive years.  Atari  is now making
 noises  about  trying  to  catch  the "after Christmas market".  That's an
 improvement, in the  years  gone  by,  they  simply  ignored  the dealer's
 complaints  about  missing  the  season  and  tried  to  tell  people that
 Christmas was not a good sales time for computers.  I'd like  to hope they
 do it  up right and proper for the "After Christmas Market".  Its going to
 take something  on a  very high  magnitude to  "revitalize" Atari's market
 worldwide.  In fact...  ahhh ... you've heard it all before.
   
     The  best  thing  at  this  time  is  to  wish all of you a very Merry
 Christmas with all the real meanings  of Christmas  bestowed upon  you and
 your families.   To  those of  other faiths,  the very best of the Holiday
 Season to you and yours!

   
             Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine




 ps; Sam, the movie about the Tucker Automobile is on HBO this weekend.




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  STReport's Staff                      DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU!
  """"""""""""""""

                            Publisher - Editor
                            """"""""""""""""""
                             Ralph F. Mariano


          PC DIVISION         AMIGA DIVISION           MAC DIVISION
          -----------         --------------           ------------
          Roger D. Stevens    Charles Hill             R. ALBRITTON


  STReport Staff Editors:
  """""""""""""""""""""""
          Lloyd E. Pulley Sr. Dana P. Jacobson         Michael Arthur
          Lucien Oppler       Brad Martin              Judith Hamner
          John Szczepanik     Dan Stidham              Joseph Mirando
                    Steve Spivey        Doyle C. Helms

  Contributing Correspondents:
  """"""""""""""""""""""""""""
          Michael Lee         Richard Covert           John Deegan
          Brian Converse      Oliver Steinmeier        Tim Holt
          Andrew Learner      Norman Boucher           Harry Steele
          Ben Hamilton        Neil Bradley             Eric Jerue
          Ron Deal            Robert Dean              Ed Westhusing
          James Nolan         Vernon W. Smith          Bruno Puglia
                              Clemens Chin


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      Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc...
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                      STR'S "BELIEVE IT?  OR.. WHAT?"
                    <>###############################<>

                "There is no comparison!  The Atari Falcon
                   is far superior to the PC platform."


                                                  Sam Tramiel, 08/92


          "As I said before, all marketing announcements will be made at
          Duesseldorf.  I will not comment on future models of the Falcon.

                 WE ARE TALKING TODAY ABOUT A MACHINE.....
                    WHICH WILL BE SHIPPING NEXT WEEK."


                                                  Sam Tramiel, 08/92


     "I've just returned from Asia, where I saw the first Atari Falcon
     production coming off the lines.  Let's hope this new offering will
     make it in North America.  I know that the specs are great."


                                                  Sam Tramiel, 08/92




            "......  We are not working for Wall Street but to
        make money for our shareholders and only think long term."


                                                  Sam Tramiel, 11/92

 psssst.
     FYI.... The Shareholder's equity is fine.... NOT!

                    The Stock is hovering around $1.31 



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 > ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine             The wires are a hummin'!
   """""""""""""""""""""""""""""
         
          
              
                            PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
                            =====================
             
              
 On CompuServe
 -------------
 compiled by Joe Mirando





 Well folks, here we are, just one week from Christmas (as if you needed to
 be told).  I'm afraid I can't compete with Santa in the gift-giving
 department, but if you've got a problem with, or a question about your ST
 computer, read on... you might just find an answer.  If you are one of
 those lucky people who have no questions then read it anyway; you never
 know what you might find.



 From The Atari Productivity Forum
 =================================



 There has always been one facet of the ST computing world that has
 interested me more than any other:  Emulation.  The ability to make your
 computer think that it is actually another type of computer (Mac or DOS),
 and to be able to run programs meant for those other machines has always
 appealed to me because, with one of these emulators, you can in effect
 have two computers.  From the original software version of PCDitto to the
 latest hardware versions of DOS emulators to Gadgets By Small's Spectre
 GCR, the concept of the emulator has stayed pretty much the same, but the
 designs have "grown" or "matured".  One of the necessary evils of an
 emulator is that you must have a whole bunch of 'stuff' to convince your
 ST that it is a DOS machine or a Macintosh.  Even Atari's Falcon030 will
 require a board to do emulation right.

 But in the near future, all of that may change.  Imagine buying a "blank"
 computer that you can "program" to be any type of computer you want.
 Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Magazine tells Boris Molodyi:

     "I was reading in some magazine about a new RISC chip (from a company
     that I never heard of before) than can ...  emulate the 680x0
     (including 40) and 80x86 (including 486) faster than the regular chips
     can.  I'm still waiting for them to send me some literature on it."


 Boris gets interested in the idea and the wheels begin to turn.  Boris
 tells Albert:


     "Yep, it's very interesting. I wonder if it would be possible (I
     believe it would) and worth it to assemble a "black box" that would do
     PC, Mac, Amiga and Atari software simultaneously..."


 While Albert is always open to new and interesting concepts, he (like the
 rest of us) can't pass up an opportunity for a few good chuckles.  He
 posts to Boris:


     "Just get a big black box and cover all the different computers.
     <grin>


 Have you ever noticed that no matter what you have, you always want more?
 Its true.  Just look at the ST.  Its a great machine with a very usable
 graphic user interface, called a desktop.  Even though this interface runs
 circles around most other interface schemes for other brands of computers
 users have wanted more.  There is NeoDesk, DC Desktop, Gemini, and now
 Teradesk.  Using one of these programs can be a learning experience as
 well as a comfort.  Mike Mortilla asks:


     "Does anyone know how to run the TERDESK program from the AUTO folder?
     I've tried everything but can only run it from the Desktop. I've
     translated the docs from German but there doesn't seem to be much on
     running from bootup (translation was done by Ger2Eng.PRG so it's not
     complete.

     I really like the new desktop prg a lot and would like to use it as
     the default. I haven't noticed any discussions about it and wonder if
     anyone else is using it and has found any bugs? Any comments re:this
     program would be most welcome."


 Domingo Alvear tells Mike:


     "If you are using TOS 1.04, you could just set the Teradesk program to
     autoboot from the "Install Applications" menu selection.  Just
     highlight the Teradesk program and then go to the "Install" menu
     selection and select "Auto" instead of normal.  If you are using a TOS
     less than 1.04, you can use a program called STARTGEM or HEADSTART. 
     Both should be in the libraries somewhere.  (Or you could upgrade to
     TOS 1.04...)"


 Mike replies:


     "Thanks! I'm using 1.4 so I'll give it a try. Not to abuse your
     kindness, but do you know how to copy files in Terdesk, or are you 
     aware of how to get it to obey simple desktop commands like that (ie -
     delete, move, etc.)?"


 Dom asks Mike:


     "What version of Teradesk (don't forget the 'a' ;-) are you using?  I
     have version 1.24 and it comes with English docs.  I'll upload it
     tonight, OK?


     P.S.  I really haven't used it much as I use Neodesk.  I was just
     giving you the procedure to have an auto-starting program from the GEM
     desktop."


 Mike thanks Dom for the help:


     "I d/loaded the only version I saw in the Ataripro lib (1.06) but if
     you're u/loading the update I'll d/l it too. Thanks for the
     Auto-install application, it works fine and now copies, etc., work
     fine. I really like the prg a lot and it really seems stable! Even w/
     my MIDI stuff. I'll try it on Stacy tonight <g>."


 Perhaps the most disappointing part of a declining computer market is the
 fact that a lot of good developers and suppliers leave the market for one
 reason or another.  Many times these companies produce one-of-a-kind
 programs or peripherals.  When the company is gone, the product gets very
 hard to find.  Michael Rhodes finds this out as he yells:


     "HELP!  I am looking for a company called TRIO Engineering, Inc. from
     Swampscott, MA that used to produce a software program called
     DIGISPEC.  A program flier was included in my COMPUTEREYES graphics
     grabber and I need this software. Please, does anybody want to sell me
     this program or know how I can contact this company????"


 Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Magazine tells Michael:


     "I don't know what the company (TRIO ENGINEERING) is up to these days
     haven't heard too much.  You might try your local dealer or mail order
     and see if they have something you are looking for with regards to
     DIGISPEC.  You might also try Lexicor software and see since they do
     quite a bit in area of graphics.  You can contact them here on
     Compuserve in the Atari Vendor's forum."


 Hah! finally something that Albert doesn't know right off the top of his
 head!  It's about time.  I was beginning to think that perhaps Albert was
 omniscient.  (What do you want to bet that he has an answer by next week?)




 From the Atari ST Arts Forum
 ============================



 Have you ever bought a new game for your computer, run home with it,
 popped it into the drive, turned the computer on, and been greeted by...
 bombs?  That's right, those annoying little black cherry-bomb-looking
 things that pop up when your computer crashes?  Well, most of those bombs
 were caused because the software writers took shortcuts when writing the
 program (most of the bombs, not all of 'em).  Even something as simple as
 expecting the computer to have no more than 1 meg of memory  can cause a 2
 or 4 meg machine to crash.  Now, looking for a solution to this particular
 problem, John Bonavita posts:


     "Does anyone know how to get older ST games to run on a MegaSTE4?  I
     just picked up Sierra's The Black Cauldron and Defender of the Crown.
     Both bomb out when I try to load them."


 I guess Albert it going to keep his batting average high.  He advises
 John:


     "Have you tried booting your computer (MegaSTE4) clean?  IE with no
     desk accessories or auto folder programs?  Have you turned off the
     blitter if there is one present?"


 John tells Albert:


     "I'll try your suggestions.  What is the program that fools the game
     into thinking that your computer is 1meg?  (I think it's called
     MakeOne Meg?).  Also what's a good reset proof ramdisk."


 Albert replies to John:


     "I think that is name of the program (make1meg).  But there is another
     one I saw just recently in the Atari Pro forum that lets you set the
     sizes from 512K, 1-meg or 2 meg.  About a reset proof ramdisk.   Good
     question since I don't use one I can't make any recommendations.  If
     you repost your message in the Atari Pro forum you should get a more
     detailed response."


 Sysop Brad Hill posts some information about our favorite 'dream machine':


     "The December '92 issue of EQ Magazine gives the Falcon the New
     Contender Award, part of their survey of this fall's AES show.  They
     ran a nice photo of it (it looks _exactly_ like an ST), and offered a
     paragraph synopsis of its features, including the $799 price for a
     stripped-down, 1 meg machine.  it states that units are scheduled to
     ship the first of the year.  (Just in time for the post-Christmas
     rush!)"

     A more comprehensive preview is in the January '93 issue of Keyboard,
 which Mike Mortilla brought to our attention in PRO.

     "Atari may or may not have made the most of their COMDEX exposure, but
     the machine itself seems to be forcing some magazine outlets to take
     notice.  I'd like to see Atari running some BIG ads in the music mags. 
     Serious, groundbreaking ads stuffed with _information_ which would get
     producers to look up from their Macs for a minute.  (Maybe for more
     than a minute.)  I like the ads Alesis is running for the ADAT:  They
     take a few minutes to read, and you've _learned_ something.  Atari has
     to do more than just put their name out (though they _do_ have to do
     that); they have to educate.  The hard disk recording facility which
     will evidently be bundled into every Falcon (!) is a very timely
     feature -- as was the MIDI capability of the STs -- and this time they
     need to make sure people know the significance of what's being
     offered. Customers _and_ developers.      If anybody sees the Falcon
     mentioned or advertised in a music publication, please point it out
     here."


 Sysop Bob Retelle tells Brad:


 "Hmm.. you know, a nice ad campaign might be to combine a lot of the
 features you mentioned..

 (Of course it would have had to have been started long ago, but)

     I think I'd have started with some small quarter page ads in the music
     industry magazines (and any other niche magazines too, probably) that
     only said something like "Atari.. remember us? Well, the Falcon is
     coming"..  then after a couple of runs like that, just to get the
     Atari name remembered, run the same sort of thing, still small, with a
     picture of the Falcon, but no text around it other than the first
     message...

     Then after another couple of months, run a half-page ad with a picture
     of the Falcon at the top, and a list of its features below it, without
     any elaboration...  68030 CPU, DSP, MIDI, SCSI II, IDE, etc, etc.. a
     nice long, attention grabbing list of features..

     Finally, a couple of months before the computers actually hit the
     stores (assuming you'd know when exactly THAT would be), run the full
     page ads you mentioned, with lots of detail about all the features,
     all the applications, all the software (gak), as much info as you
     could comfortably fit.. along with several shots of the Falcon from
     front and back (showing the connectors), and studio shots showing the
     Falcon in "action"..  Then stand back when you open the retailers'
     doors..."


 Brad talks a bit more about these ads:


     "I like that approach very much.  I mentioned the Alesis ads, and if I
     had extended the analogy out to their whole marketing campaign for the
     ADAT, it would have looked very much like what you're suggesting. 
     They began with vague pronouncements that "Everything you've been
     hearing is true".  Nothing else.  (Of course, a lot of hype had
     already been generated about their upcoming machine.)  Their print ads
     got progressively more specific and detailed, and now that the
     machines are in production we have double-page, deeply textual
     documents.

     The ADAT, btw, is an eight-track digital tape deck which has blasted
     onto the marketplace at an astonishing price point, and is now
     enjoying outrageously good reviews.  Alesis is a champion at the
     vaporware game -generating interest in a new product _long_ before
     it's available.  If Atari continues to delay the grand entrance of the
     Falcon, I wish they'd put the time to the same good use!  The ADATs
     are just now becoming available -- in many places there's still a big
     backorder wait -- but everybody's known all about them for well over a
     year.  You'd be amazed how many people put deposits on them a year
     ago!  Alesis was giving demo/seminars with prototypes of the machine
     in music stores all over the country back then.  Well, as you can see
     I admire the way Alesis plays the game... they have single-handedly
     created a new product category.  I like your fantasy ads.  Do you live
     near Sunnyvale...? <g>"


 Sysop Jeff Kovach adds a piece of information to the "magazine coverage"
 list:


     "There is mention made of the Falcon (about a half-page) in a magazine
     named New Media.  I think it's the December issue."


 Have you picked up a copy of ST Format lately?  This is one of the best ST
 magazines out there.  They include TWO, count 'em, TWO disks each month
 packed full of interesting, useful, and fun STuff for your ST.  George
 Yamagata tells us:


     "January ST FORMAT issue #42 is HERE IN THE US!!!  It was scheduled
     for release in Europe on December 10 and usually takes 10 days to get
     here, but was here on Dec. 11 on the Dealer's shelf.  THREE COPIES
     SOLD WITHIN MINUTES OF ARRIVAL AT MY LOCAL DEALER!  Knife, the Hisoft
     disk editing program was the reason.  It is this month's bonus disk,
     yours with the purchase of ST Format.  This is the latest version, 1.1
     with a retail value of $69.95.  I have seen this advertised as low as
     $44.88, but not this low.  Hit your dealers early for this is going to
     be a sell out.  Knife is THE disk editor for the ST and it has saved
     my data and files and has made me monetary compensation by using it to
     save other people's irreplaceable, crashed files.

     Get out those back issues of ST Format, for not only does this issue
     tell you how to use Knife, there were two other articles in previous
     issues that gave in-depth tutorials on its use.  I will try to get the
     ST Format summary up in the CIS Atari Arts library 17, next week to
     let all know what is on the cover disk and inside STF's pages.  This
     shows that Andy Hutchison is really on the stick and STF can only
     reach new heights.  Dealers that I know that sell STF are STeve's
     Software, Computer Game's + and D&P Computing.  Support your local
     dealer!"


 Read that last line again folks!  Support your local dealer!  If you don't
 have a local dealer, or if your dealer doesn't carry ST Format, there are
 a few mail-order companies that will allow you to "subscribe" from them. 
 So there's no reason for you to miss out on the great news and features
 (not to mention all those free programs) each and every month.



 From the Atari Vendor's Forum
 =============================



 This next post combines two of the things that are right at the top of my
 "Things I've Just GOT To Have" list:  The Stacy, Atari's laptop ST, and
 ICD's LINK hard drive interface.  For those of you who've never seen one,
 the link is a very small interface that connects any SCSI or SCSI-2 device
 (Read hard drives, tape drives, floptical drives, and CD-ROMs) to your
 ST/STe computer.  I was amazed at the size of it.  It looks like a
 slightly over-sized printer cable connector.  Well, enough of my babbling,
 let's listen to Bill Turczynski:


     "I have a STacy2 upgraded to 4 megs. with a 20 meg. hard drive.  I'm
     getting a PS Systems 44 meg. removable hard drive to be used with a
     new sampling keyboard.  The SCSI interface for the keyboard isn't out
     yet.  Since this hard drive is my X-Mas gift to me, I was planning to
     try connecting it to my STacy.

     I just got your Link yesterday.  The manual seems to be aimed at the
     machines that don't have an internal hard drive.  For instance, it
     mentions using ID#0 for a Seagate model.  The ID#0 is used for the
     internal hard drive at least with the included Atari software.  Is
     there any special info for a STacy installation?  I assume also that I
     must use the ICD software with the Link too, right?  Your software
     seems a bit more complex but maybe better than the Atari software."


 Its always nice to be able to get information directly from the company
 that made the product you bought, and that's what Bill gets.  Doug at ICD
 tells him:


     "So far, we haven't found the time to finish the Link manual.  We hope
     to have one fairly soon, though.  In answer to your query, you don't
     *have* to use the ICD software with The Link - Atari's software will
     work, although they don't offer the same features (high performance
     caching, floptical support, CD-ROM drivers, etc.)"


 'To print or not to print.  That is the question.  Whether tis nobler to
 use thine dot matrix in GCR mode, or to buy a DeskWriter and by doing
 so...'Well, you get the idea.

 Klaus Hagemeyer asks:


     "Does anybody know if it is possible to connect an HP DeskWriter
     (_not_ DeskJet) to an Atari ST, especially when using Spectre GCR (w/o
     SST hardware)?"


 Mark at Gadgets by Small tells Klaus:


     "The only way to connect a HP DeskWRITER to an ST/Spectre is if you
     also have MegaTalk installed.  MegaTalk adds:  2 Mac-compatible serial
     ports and 1 Mac-compatible SCSI port to your MEGA ST (not for the
     STE).  MegaTalk retails for $300."




 From the Atari Portfolio Forum
 ==============================

 Yes, folks, you read it right!  'People Are Talking' now includes the
 Atari Portfolio Forum on CompuServe!  I can truthfully say that the
 Portfolio is the only DOS machine that I've ever really liked.  Well let's
 dig right in and see what neat things we can find in here.

 Stuart tells us:


     "My port has been on the shelf for a year.  Now I need an organizer.
     Rather than switch to a wizard, is there a program for the port to
     handle and easily search freeform data like the wizard? and has any
     third party ever come out with working 512k expansion (or more) or
     hard drives?"


 Judy Hamner tells Stuart:


     "Welcome back. I think most of your wishes can be taken care of.  I'm
     not sure what you mean by "search freeform data like the wizard". The
     Wizard data is category into tel files, schedule files, etc, similar
     to the Port's apps. You can search any of these files on the Port. If
     you can describe what you want to do in more detail, we can find the
     best way for you. If all you want is to search for a word, for
     example, a program similar to the UNIX grep is available in the
     library.  Since you've been away for a while I suggest you download
     one of the master library archives created by B.J. Gleason and browse
     through our treasure trove of goodies.

     There is information on several new expansion units for the Port.
     Several of us have been very pleased with the Flashdrive hard drive
     from BSE. They also are available for online support.  You may also be
     interested in a file PORT.FAQ which includes to answers to the most
     frequently asked questions."


 Hugh Campbell adds:


     "I have been using HyperList from Atari for just that purpose and
     would recommend it highly..."


 On the subject of reviews and comparisons, Stephan Sayer says:


     "I got pretty disgusted with an article I read in a national magazine
     which compared some of the palmtops in the market and mentioned that
     the Portfolio doesn't have a numeric keypad, which in fact it does at
     least to some degree. While it's not as comfortable as your standard
     'keypad' or as full featured, it is functional and just a num-lock
     away."


 Programmer extraordinaire, (and sysop to boot) B.J. Gleason, says:


     "Jerry Pournelle mentioned the Portfolio several times in the current
     byte magazine..."


 Remember: The most important attribute in a crisis is a sense of humor.
 Cabell Fearn tells us:


     "Being the clever lad that I am I managed to have my batteries die
     right in the middle of saving my address book which seems to have
     effectively wiped it out. Does anyone know how to make it come back? I
     haven't written anything to the memory card since it happened.  Is
     there a program that will restore the address file in this situation?"


 Stephan Sayer tells Cabell:

     "I think I downloaded an unerase utility from this forum quite some
     time ago.  Try searching for unera1.zip. That's what it's called in
     the library here on my BBS, MaxMac (313-971-9125)."


 The Portfolio is (in my opinion) the best palmtop computer there is.  But
 what do you do if you need to print something out?  This question also
 occurred to Bob Richards.  He asks:


     "Is it practical to get a small portable printer to work with the Port
     while I am on the road?

 If so, does anybody have any suggestions ?"


 Don Thomas, Director of Marketing Services, tells Bob:


     "The Portfolio and a parallel interface ($49.95 msrp) provides
     connection to any IBM standard parallel printer. Popular choices are
     notebook printers such as the Canon BJ10e or the Kodak Diconix. An
     even small printer is designed to print small notes, receipts and logs
     off the Serial Interface ($79.95 msrp). A popular serial printer is
     about the size of two or three packs of cigarettes and is made by
     Extech Instruments. Their phone number is 617/890-7440."

 Now THAT is what I call customer support!  Way to go, Don.  (I bet you
 that we'll be hearing as much from Don in the Portfolio section of this
 column as we do from Albert Dayes in the ST-related sections)

 Remember those memory cards that someone had talked about making for the
 Portfolio?  They were to come in 1 meg, two meg, and 4 meg sizes.  I've
 been waiting for these 'flash cards' to hit the streets for a while now. 
 I had wondered why I never heard anything more about them.  Now I know
 (but only because I read ahead ;-)  Explaining the 'no-show' status of the
 Flash Cards, Mark Reves tells us:


     "There is no way in hell to get any chips, Intel has closed the
     production line, they did a run of about 1/2 M chips  and then closed
     it down to shift prod. over to japan.  Now if you need 10000+ 512k
     cards leave me a message here.."


 B. J. Gleason replies:


     "It is a real shame to hear about intel shutting down the line... 
     those cards would have been nice..."




     Well folks, that's about all for this week.  I'd just like to take a
 moment here to wish one and all a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. 
 C'mon back next week and relax a while as you listen to what they say
 when...


                            PEOPLE ARE TALKING


   ____________________________________________________________________





 > Straight Fax NEWS STR InfoFile                 Changes Galore...
   """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""




 12/16/92

                          IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
                                 from the
                      DEVELOPER OF THE STRAIGHT FAX!

     As of today December 16, 1992, Joppa Software Development will no
 longer be the marketing agent for the STraight FAX!  FAX Communication
 Software for the Atari ST, STe, TT/030 and Falcon030 computers.  All
 marketing rights and distribution will be handled by the developer of the
 software under the company name of NewSTar Technology Management, which is
 owned by the developer of the STraight FAX!

     We ask all our registered STraight FAX! users to bear with us during
 this transition.  For the moment all upgrades will be delayed while things
 settle down.  Please look for future announcements as the develop.

     We ask that this announcement be distributed through the Atari
 community as it may be impossible for us to contact all registered
 STraight FAX! users about the change of support.

     Also, we ask that all any questions be forwarded to the addresses
 below.  Registered users may send us private mail at the addresses below
 with their complete registration information (please include your
 registration number, date of purchase, name as registered, address, etc.).
 NewSTar Technology Management is committed to providing the best possible
 support for the STraight FAX! customers and ask for your understanding
 during this transition.

     We request that all Atari users, dealers and distributors to not
 purchase any copies of the STraight FAX! from Joppa Software Development
 or Joppa Computer Products as they are no longer licensed to distribute
 the STraight FAX!

     Please look for future announcements from NewSTar Technology
 Management regarding this matter.

 Thank You,
 Charles Smeton

                          Compuserve: 73047,2565
                          GEnie:      C.S.SMETON

                       NewSTar Technology Management
                               P.O. Box 0122
                       Columbia, Maryland 21045-0122



  ***********************************************************************

                             IMPORTANT NOTICE!
                             =================

     STReport International Online Magazine is available every week  in the
 ST Advantage  on DELPHI.   STReport readers are invited to join DELPHI and
 become a part of the friendly community of Atari enthusiasts there.


                          SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI
                          ======================
       Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access
                  DELPHI services via a local phone call

                              JOIN -- DELPHI
                              --------------

                Via modem, dial up DELPHI at 1-800-695-4002
                                  then...
                When connected, press RETURN once or twice
                                  and...
               At Password: type STREPORT and press RETURN.

     DELPHI's Basic Plan offers  access for  only $6.00  per hour,  for any
 baud rate.  The $5.95 monthly fee includes your first hour online.

   For more information, call: DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-544-4005

   DELPHI is a service of General Videotex Corporation of Cambridge, MA.

                        Try DELPHI for $1 an hour!

     For  a  limited  time,  you  can  become a trial member of DELPHI, and
 receive 5 hours of evening and weekend access  during this  month for only
 $5.  If you're not satisfied, simply cancel your account before the end of
 the calendar month with no further obligation.   If you  keep your account
 active, you  will automatically  be enrolled  in DELPHI's 10/4 Basic Plan,
 where you can use up to 4 weekend and evening hours a month for  a minimum
 $10 monthly  charge, with additional hours available at $3.96.  But hurry,
 this special  trial offer  will expire  soon!   To take  advantage of this
 limited offer,  use your  modem to  dial 1-800-365-4636.  Press <RET> once
 or twice.  When you get the Password:  prompt, type  IP26 and  press <RET>
 again.   Then, just  answer the  questions and within a day or two, you'll
 officially be a member of DELPHI!  

                 DELPHI- It's getting better all the time!



  ***********************************************************************




 > IAAD MEMBER LIST STR FOCUS!            IAAD Developer Listing
   """""""""""""""""""""""""""



                Independent Association of Atari Developers
                              Member Listing
                             December 15, 1992
                                      
     The IAAD is an organization of third-party hardware and software
 developers supporting the Atari ST family of computers.  Unique in the
 industry, the IAAD works to provide its membership with help in marketing,
 packaging, technical matters, and other issues of interest to third-party
 commercial developers.  This listing has been prepared to familiarize the
 public with our members and some of their products.  We hope you will find
 it useful.
  
 Each entry has the following format (when applicable):
      Member Name
      GEnie Address
      Company Name
      Mailing Address
      Phone(s)
      Product Names

     The listing is provided below in ASCII format.  An additional file is
 available in CardFile format.  Please note that the product listing is not
 comprehensive nor detailed, and new products are continually released. 
 Please feel free to contact individual members for information about their
 listed products.  For more information about the IAAD, contact any Board
 Member.
  
 IAAD Board Members:
      D.A. Brumleve, President
      James C Allen
      Nathan Potechin
      Nevin Shalit
      Chet Walters
  
 Member Listing:
  
 James C Allen
 J.ALLEN27
 FAST Technology
 14 Lovejoy Road
 Andover MA 01810 USA
 508 475 3810 (fax)
 508 475 3810
 Turbo25/TinyTurbo030/Turbo030/TurboRAM
  
 David Beckemeyer
 D.BECKEMEYER
 Beckemeyer Development Tools
 P.O. Box 21575
 Oakland CA 94620 USA
 510 530 0451 (fax)
 510 530 9637
 Hard Disk Sentry/Hard Disk Toolkit/SCSI Tape Kit
  
 Robert M Birmingham
 R.BIRMINGHA4
 13630 SW 101 Lane
 Miami FL 33186-2814 USA
 305 385 1942
  
 Dorothy A Brumleve
 D.A.BRUMLEVE
 D.A. Brumleve
 P.O. Box 4195
 Urbana IL 61801-8820 USA
 217 367 9084 (fax)
 217 337 1937
 Kidpublisher Professional/Super Kidgrid/Kidpainter/Multiplay/
 Telegram/Creative Discovery Packet/Learning Games Packet
  
 John Cole, Lee Seiler
 J.COLE18, LEXICOR
 Lexicor
 415 453 0271
  
 Phil Comeau
 P.COMEAU1
 Wintertree Software Inc.
 43 Rueter Street
 Nepean ON K2J 3Z9 Canada
 613 596 1575 (fax Attn)
 613 825 6721
 The GramSlam Grammar and Style Checker/Grammar Expert/
 Spelling Sentry
  
 Brad Cox
 BAREFOOT
 Barefoot Software
 19865 Covellow Street
 Canoga Park CA 91306 USA
 818 727 0632 (fax)
 818 727 7143
 SMPTETrack/EditTrack/GenEdit/EZ Score+/Hybriswitch
  
 Manfred Doewich
 CYBERCUBE
 Cybercube Research Ltd.
 126 Grenadier Crescent
 Thornhill ON L4J 7V7 Canada
 416 886 3261 (fax)
 416 882 0294
 CyReL SUNRISE M16-1280 True Color High Resolution Graphics Card/
 CyReL SERENADE M16-1280 True Color High Resolution Graphics Card/
 CyReL VidiMix8 Desktop Video Module/CyReL Serial Mouse Manager/
 CyRel Palette Master
  
 Paul Dube 
 P.DUBE
 Elan Software
 550 Boul. Charest Est P.O. Box 30232
 Quebec G1K 8Y2 Canada
 418 683 9189 (fax)
 418 692 0565
 Solutions
  
 John Eidsvoog, Charles Johnson
 J.EIDSVOOG1, CODEHEAD
 CodeHead Technologies
 P.O. Box 74090
 Los Angeles CA 90004 USA
 213 386 5789 (fax)
 213 386 5735
 G+Plus/MultiDesk Deluxe/HotWire/CodeKeys/CodeHead Utilities/
 Warp 9/Calligrapher/MaxiFile/Lookit & Popit/MIDIMax/MIDI Spy/
 Avant Vector/MegaPaint/Cherry Fonts/Genus Font Editor/
 TOS Extension Card
  
 Robert Engberson
 COMPO
 Compo
 104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121
 Pacifica CA 94044 USA
 415 355 0869 (fax)
 415 355 0862
 That's Write/Write On/C-Font/CompoScript/That's Address/Musicom/
 PC Speed/AT Speed/AT Speed C16
  
 Lauren Flanagan-Sellers
 WORDFLAIR
 Goldleaf Publishing Inc.
 700 Larkspur Landing Circle Suite 199
 Larkspur CA 94939 USA
 415 257 3515
 WordFlair II
  
 Rick Flashman, Dan Wilga
 GRIBNIF
 Gribnif Software
 P.O. Box 779
 Northampton MA 01061 USA
 413 247 5622 (fax)
 413 247 5620
 NeoDesk 3/NeoDesk CLI/STalker 3/STeno/XBoot/CardFile 4/
 Convector Professional/Arabesque Professional/XBoot III/
 Crazy Dots 8/Crazy Dots 15
  
 David Fletcher
 DITEK
 Ditek International
 2800 John Street Unit 15
 Markham ON L3R 0E2 Canada
 416 479 1882 (fax)
 416 479 1990
 DynaCADD
  
 George Geczy, David Thompson
 JMGSOFT, D.THOMPSON66
 JMG Software International, Inc.
 892 Upper James Street
 Hamilton ON L9C 3A5 Canada
 416 575 0283 (fax)
 416 575 3201
 HyperLINK
  
 Tyson T Gill
 T.GILL7
 GT Software
 12114 Kirton Avenue
 Cleveland OH 44135-3612 USA
 216 252 4272
 CardFile (distr. by Gribnif)
  
 Tom Harker, Doug Wheeler, Hans-Peter Labude
 ICDINC, DOUG.W, ICD.GMBH
 ICD, Inc.
 1220 Rock Street
 Rockford IL 61101 USA
 815 968 6888 (fax)
 815 968 2228
 The Link/AdSCSI Micro ST/AdSCSI ST/AdSCSI Plus ST/AdSpeed ST/
 AdSpeed STe/FA-ST Hard Drive Kit/FA-ST Tape Backup/Cleanup ST/
 ICD Professional Hard Drive Utilities/ICD Tape Backup Software/
 Advantage Micro ST/Advantage ST/Advantage Plus ST/STHA/
 Personal Pascal
  
 Doug Harrison
 D.S.HARRISON
 P.O. Box 66236
 Baton Rouge LA 70806-6236 USA
 Opus (shareware)/Lookit & Popit (distr. by CodeHead)
  
 Craig Harvey
 C.HARVEY
 Clear Thinking
 P.O. Box 715 
 Ann Arbor MI 48105 USA
 313 971 6035 (bbs)
 313 971 8671
 EdHak/Metapsychology Primer
  
 Harlan Hugh
 H.HUGH
 Power Thought Software
 116 Sumach Street
 Toronto ON M5A 3J9 Canada
 416 594 9355 (fax)
 416 594 9355
 INVISION Elite (distr. by DMC)
  
 John 'Hutch' Hutchinson
 FAIR-DINKUM
 Fair Dinkum Technologies
 P.O. Box 2
 Los Alamos NM 87544 USA
 505 662 7236
 CrossWord Creator II/Word Search Creator/Cryptographer/InfoDisk/
 Cyberdrome: The Hoverjet Simulator/Puzzle Pack
  
 Gene Kane
 GENEXRX
 Xerox Corp 
 101 Continental Blvd. M/S ESC1-257
 El Segundo CA 90245 USA
 310 333 2707
 Printer Drivers For Xerox Printers
  
 Deron Kazmaier
 DERON.K
 Soft-Logik Publishing
 P.O. Box 510589
 St. Louis MO 63151-0589 USA
 314 894 8608 or 800 892 8608
 PageStream/ImageClub Clip Art/ImageClub Fonts/Business Forms
  
 Alex Kiernan, David Link, Dave Nutkins
 HISOFT
 HiSoft
 The Old School 
 Greenfield Bedford MK45 5DE England
 +44 525 713716 (fax)
 +44 525 718181
 Devpac 3/HiSoft BASIC 2/Lattice C/HighSpeed Pascal/FTL Modula-2/
 WERCS/Harlekin 2/HiSoft C/ProFlight/K-Spread/K-Comm/K-Word/K-Data 
 (HiSoft products distr. by Oregon Research Associates)
  
 Gregory J Kopchak
 GREG
 It's All Relative
 2233 Keevan Lane
 Florisant MO 63031 USA
 314 831 9482
 It's All Relative/BookMaker/Forecaster3/AbbreviatorST/
 PhotoCD Conversion
  
 Bob Luneski
 ORA.TECH
 Oregon Research Associates
 16200 S.W. Pacific Highway Suite 162
 Tigard OR 97224 USA
 503 624 2940 (fax)
 503 620 4919
 Diamond Back II/Diamond Edge/Knife ST/Ultimate Virus Killer/
 DevPacST 3/DevPacTT/HiSoft BASIC 2/Lattice C 5.5/HiSoft C/
 HighSpeed Pascal/FTL Modula-2/Tempus 2/WERCS/Harlekin 2/
 True Paint/ProFlight
  
 Henry Murphy, Carl Stanford
 H.MURPHY, C.STANFORD
 MS Design
 611 West Illinois Street
 Urbana IL 61801 USA
 217 351 6412 (fax)
 217 384 8469
 FontPak 1 & 2/Wheeler Quick Art CD-ROM/
 Wheeler Quick Art Image Disks
  
 Tom Nielsen
 ESTEEM
 eSTeem, inc.
 72 Shades Crest Road
 Hoover AL 35226-1014 USA
 205 987 9208
 eSTeem PILOT
  
 Mark T O'Bryan
 M.OBRYAN1
 Paradigm Software Products
 1369 Concord Place Suite 3-B
 Kalamazoo MI 49009-2201 USA
 616 372 5972
 Omni-Banker ST
  
 W. David Parks
 W.PARKS3
 Dr. Bobware / Wizworks!
 P.O. Box 45
 Girard OH 44420 USA
 216 539 5623
 ScanLite/MVG: MultiViewer Graphica/MVG Modules Disks 1, 2, & 3
  
 William Penner
 BPENNER
 Medical Designs Software
 3235 Wright Avenue
 Bremerton WA 98310 USA
 206 479 2157 (bbs)
 206 373 4840
 ECTStat/IOLCALC/MultiWriter/SERIALFX
  
 Mario Perdue
 M.PERDUE
 M.P. Graphics Systems
 P.O. Box 501289
 Indianapolis IN 46250-6289 USA
 317 335 3775
 Noids-II
  
 Nathan Potechin
 POTECHIN
 DMC Publishing
 2800 John Street Unit 10
 Markham ON L3R 0E2 Canada
 416 479 1882 (fax)
 416 479 1880
 Calamus 1.09N/Calamus SL & modules/Calamus Font Editor/
 The Guide to Calamus Desktop Publishing/Outline Art/
 INVISION Elite
  
 Roger Richards
 R.RICHARDS2
 Synergy Resources
 754 N. Bolten Avenue
 Indianapolis IN 46219 USA
 317 231 4158 (fax)
 317 356 6946
 GEMvelope!/SynthView DW-8000/SynthView K1
  
 George Richardson
 G.RICHARDSO1
 Merlin Group, Inc.
 96 Hoyt Street
 Kearny NJ 07032-3311 USA
 201 998 0932 (fax)
 201 998 4441
  
 Chris Roberts
 DRAGONWARE
 DragonWare Software Inc.
 P.O. Box 1719
 Havre MT 59501-1719 USA
 406 265 7300
 G Man/Satellite Locator ST/Smoke Art/Dragon Battery/Battery.ACC/
 Omikron Basic/FreeWay/DBRS ST/D_Graph ST
  
 Eric Rosenquist 
 E.ROSENQUIST
 Strata Software
 94 Rowe Drive
 Kanata ON K2L 3Y9 Canada
 613 591 1922 (fax)
 613 591 1922
 STalker & STeno (distr. by Gribnif)
  
 Nevin Shalit
 NEVIN-S
 Step Ahead Software, Inc.
 496-A Hudson Street Suite F39
 New York City NY 10014 USA
 212 627 5830
 TrackerST/Tracker For Windows
  
 David M Small
 DAVESMALL
 Gadgets by Small, Inc.
 40 West Littleton Blvd. #210-211
 Littleton CO 80120 USA
 303 791 0253 (fax)
 303 791 6098
 Spectre GCR
  
 Josh Snyder
 J.SNYDER7
 Cali-Co. Superior Software
 P.O. Box 9873
 Madison WI 53715 USA
 608 255 6523
 Mah-Jong Solitaire
  
 Gene F Sothan
 EFS
 Sothan Software / IB Computers
 9395 North Wall
 Portland OR 97203 USA
 503 286 8816
 IB Harddisk Backup
  
 John Trautschold
 J.TRAUTSCHOL
 Missionware Software
 354 N. Winston Drive
 Palatine IL 60067-4132 USA
 708 359 9565
 lottODDS/Printer Initializer/Flash II
  
 Melinda Turcsanyi
 M.TURCSANYI
 MUSICODE Software
 5575 Baltimore Drive Suite 105-127
 La Mesa CA 91942 USA
 619 469 7194
  
 Clayton Walnum
 C.WALNUM1
 Taylor Ridge Books
 P.O. Box 78
 Manchester CT 06045 USA
 203 643 9673
 C-manship Complete/ST Assembly Language Workshop/
 GFA Basic Toolkit/VDI Quick Reference/AES Quick Reference/
 TRB Shareware Companion
  
 Chet Walters
 C.WALTERS1
 WizWorks!
 P.O. Box 45
 Girard OH 44420 USA
 216 539 5623
 Image Cat/Mug Shot!/Coalesce Image Merger/Ma Hubbard's Cupboard/
 Mug Shot Data
  
 Sterling K Webb 
 S.WEBB7
 SKWare One
 P.O. Box 277
 Bunker Hill IL 62014 USA
 618 462 2171 (evenings)
 Seurat/ColorScan/Auto*Art/PS-2GDOS
  
 Norm Weinress
 N.WEINRESS
 Weinress Consulting
 3236 Velma Drive
 Los Angeles CA 90068 USA
 213 876 7704
 D.E.K.A.
  
 Steve Whitney
 S.WHITNEY
 655 South Fair Oaks Avenue I-103
 Sunnyvale CA 94086 USA
 815 968 6888
  
 James D Yegerlehner
 J.YEGERLEHNE
 Apprentice Software
 22205 Swan Road
 South Lyon MI 48178 USA
 313 437 0526
 Neural-network Construction Set



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         GEnie    ******     **  ST                         ** ** **
         ATARI       **     **  Roundtable                  ** ** **
                ******     **                              **  **  **
                                                          ***  **  ***
  The Official Online Resource of Atari Corporation     ***    **    ***
  

 Atari  ST  Roundtable                         

   |====================================================================|
   |                        Atari  ST  Roundtable                       |
   |====================================================================|

            Happy Holidays from the Atari Roundtable and GEnie!

 This month Darlah will be bringing you multiple Holiday Treats. The first
  two are a color and mono version of OXYD a HOT new game. "Darlah's Treat
   of the Month" at 475;9 on the menu is the MONO version of OXYD.
    "Darlah's Treat of the Month II" at 475;10 is the COLOR version.

      Category 9 Topic 45 contains useful information on how to use this
       game. See Category 21 Topic 7 for explicit hints and tips. This
        game will keep you busy for hours on end. It has multi-levels,
         each level having its own unique puzzle. Please share your
          experience, hints and tips as you play. Both the Color and Mono
           version of OXYD are TT/ST/STE compatible!

            -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 FAIR-DINKUM Technologies have just uploaded a brand new, fully functional
  DEMO version of CYBERDROME - THE HOVERJET SIMULATOR by Rhea-FX.
   CyberDrome combines the realism of a real-time flight or tank simulator
    with arcade action and the exploration of an adventure/maze game. This
     is a great demo, check it out; File # 26949.


   No. File Name             Type Address      YYMMDD Bytes   Access Lib
 ----- ------------------------ - ------------ ------ ------- ------ ---

 26973 ESCAPE_D.ARC             X V.VALENTI    921216  144640      3  10
       Desc: A graphic adventure playable demo.
 26971 GCR_SALE                 X R.HANDLEY    921216     256     14  26
       Desc: Spectra GCR for Sale
 26968 HDWRSALE.TXT             X K.BRICK      921215     512     41  26
       Desc: 1040ST,SM124 mono, ICD ADSCSI SALE
 26967 BORDERS1.LZH             X D.COLASONO   921215   97792     34  18
       Desc: 8 CHRISTMAS BORDERS AT 300DPI, IMG
 26966 META_BIT.LZH             X GRMEYER      921215  135168     23  28
       Desc: Meta-Bit a German Meta File utility
 26965 ATARIHAM.RSC             X R.MORROW10   921215     512      3  21
       Desc: 1 ham radio icon for TOS 2.06.
 26964 IAAD_DIR.ASC             X D.A.BRUMLEVE 921215   10496     28  14
       Desc: Updated IAAD Member Directory
 26963 HDSALE1.TXT              X J.PIERCE5    921215    1152     31  26
       Desc: Two hard drive packages for sale!
 26962 SOLUTION.LZH             X P.DUBE       921215  288768     21  10
       Desc: Mathematical software for the ST/TT
 26960 STALKY08.ZIP             X P.LEFEBVRE   921215   11648     14   7
       Desc: STalker type ahead buffer v0.8
 26959 ISAC_1.ARC               X TQUINN       921215   56192      7  13
       Desc: ISAC & ALBERTT MSGS 6/16/91-2/15/92
 26958 ANSICOLR.LZH             X S.PRICE19    921215    2816     16   7
       Desc: 8x7 ANSI font for STalker
 26957 JEKLSHEL.LZH             X S.PRICE19    921215    6784     23   7
       Desc: Jekyll Shell for STalker
 26956 FIRESALE.TXT             X M.HARRILL    921215    1408     55  26
       Desc: TT,SLM804 and more for sale
 26955 PAC_CATG.TXT             X V.VALENTI    921215    4608     30  26
       Desc: WINTER PAC CATALOG AVAILABLE
 26954 CDROM.TXT                X E.NIKOLAISE2 921215    1280     49  26
       Desc: Atari CD ROM and STuff FOR SALE!
 26953 RYU.LZH                  X D.COLASONO   921215   34304      5   5
       Desc: RYU FROM STREET FIGHTER II 300DPI
 26952 MONKEYS.LZH              X D.COLASONO   921215  262656      6   5
       Desc: 10 ASSORTED MONKEYS SCANNED @300DPI
 26951 DONATELL.LZH             X D.COLASONO   921215   21248     16   5
       Desc: DONATELLO IN 300 DPI IMG
 26950 ANIMALS.LZH              X D.COLASONO   921215  312576     10   5
       Desc: VARIOUS ANIMALS AT 300DPI IMG (12)

   
     Regular Open Conference every Wednesday night, 10PM EDT, 7PM PDT
          DTP conference every Monday at 10PM eastern in room 3.

         GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric
            Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission


  ***********************************************************************


 > DMC OPEN LETTER STR INFOFILE         SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
   ============================


   ** An Open Letter to the Registered Customers of DMC Publishing **

      I made a mistake, certainly not the first time I have done so, and
probably, even with the best of intentions, not the last.

      I started working on the latest DMC Customer Mailout in October. I
handled the mailout to Australia and New Zealand first. We went direct to
our customers there this time, rather than using Atari Australia. Due to
the right-sizing of Atari Australia, who handled Calamus support for me
previously, and its impact upon my own Calamus user base there, they had
not received an update since the February release. I am now becoming much
more blase over receiving long-distance telephone calls from Australia. I
received 4 today alone. I have to get these people online! :-) Regardless,
I handled them first and then rewrote parts of the customer mailout for
North America. And that's where I made a mistake.

      It took us three weeks to complete the mailout here. I never
anticipated it would take so much time to fold up those posters and stuff
from 11-14 pages into an envelope. Day to day operations cannot be allowed
to stop simply to stuff envelopes so the actual mailout stretched out
longer and longer. The end result is that many customers, important
customers (ALL OUR CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT) are only just now receiving
their customer mailout, weeks after others received theirs. With the
holiday season upon us NOW and the offices of DMC Publishing closing the
afternoon of December 24, 1992 and re-opening January 4, 1993, it has
become clear that I have done some of my customers a diservice for which I
can both apologize and maybe even make amends.

      I am pleased to announce that I will extend the terms of all the
promotions enclosed in our customer mailout. As of right now, the 40%
promotional discount on all original typesetter fonts from AGFA
Compugraphic, Linotype and URW, the ridiculous clearout prices on VIP,
Masterplan and STAcounts, the dynamite sale prices on the Calamus Font
Editor, Outline Art, Calamus 1.09N, the Clip Art, the User 2 Users disks
etc. is hereby officially extended to January 31, 1993. Please accept this
extension as a token of our appreciation to you all, our Registered
customers and allow me to take this opportunity to wish you all the very
best through this holiday season and a very Happy New Year.

                                              Sincerely
                                          Nathan Potechin
                                     President - DMC Publishing


                __________________________________________




 > CHRISTMAS! STR FOCUS     .......A familiar tale, with a new twist!
   ====================



                        THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
                        ==========================


        'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ship
               Not a circuit was buzzing, not one microchip;
               The phasers were hung in the armory securely,
             In hopes that no aliens would get up that early.
             The crewmen were nestled all snug in their bunks
              (Except for the few who were partying drunks);
             And Picard in his nightshirt and Bev in her lace,
             Had just settled down for a neat face-to-face...
             When out in the halls there arose such a racket,
         That we leapt from our beds, pulling on pants and jacket.

                 Away to the lifts we all shot like a gun,
            Leapt into the cars and yelled loudly, "Deck One!"
        The bridge Red-Alert lights, which flashed through the din,
                 Gave a lustre of Hades to objects within.
          When, what, on the viewscreen, should our eyes behold,
         But a weird kind of sleigh, and some guy who looked old.
            But the glint in his eyes was so strange and askew
                 That we knew in a moment it had to be Q.

              His sleigh grew much larger as closer he came.
          Then he zapped on the bridge and addressed us by name:
              "It's Riker! It's Data! It's Worf and Jean-Luc!
                It's Geordi! And Wesley, the genetic fluke!
             To the top of the bridge, to the top of the hall!
               Now float away! Float away! Float away all!"
            As leaves in the autumn are whisked off the street,
            So the floor of the bridge came away from our feet,
                And up to the ceiling our bodies they flew,
          As the captain called out, "What the hell is this, Q?!"
             The prankster just laughed and expanded his grin,
               And, snapping his fingers, he vanished again.

             As we took in our plight and were looking around,
           The spell was removed, and we crashed to the ground.
             Then Q, dressed in fur from his head to his toe,
                Appeared once again, to continue the show.
                    "That's enough!" cried the captain,
                        "You'll stop this at once!"

              And Riker said, "Worf! Take aim at this dunce!"
                "I'm deeply offended, Jean-Luc," replied Q,
              "I just want to celebrate Christmas with you."
           As we scoffed at his words, he produced a large sack.
             He dumped out the contents and took a step back.
         "I've brought gifts," he said, "just to show I'm sincere.
             There's something delightful for everyone here."
                He sat on the floor and dug into his pile,
            And handed out gifts with his most charming smile:
             "For Counsellor Troi, there's no need to explain.
                 Here's Tylenol-Beta for all of your pain.
          For Worf I've some mints as his breath's not too great,
                And for Geordi LaForge, an inflatable date.
              For Wesley, some hormones, and Clearasil-Plus;
                For Data, a joke book; for Riker, a truss.
               For Beverly Crusher, there's sleek lingerie,
        And for Jean-Luc, the thrill of just seeing her that way."
           Then he sprang to his feet with that grin on his face
             And, clapping his hands, disappeared into space.
            But we heard him exclaim as he dwindled from sight,
            "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good flight!"


         Based on "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore
                Adaptation Copyright 1990, Eric R. Rountree



         ________________________________________________________






 > GUEST EDITORIAL STR FOCUS!    Falcon Mania is really Falcon Anemia!
   """"""""""""""""""""""""""




                   FALCON MANIA IS REALLY FALCON ANEMIA!
                   =====================================



 by Joe Mirando, STReport Editor

     Those of you who have read my columns or some of my articles may have
 noticed that I tend to get quite folksy and down-homey in my ramblings. 
 For those of you who enjoy it, get ready for a treat.  For those of you
 who find it to be of little value and feel above it, tough luck guys.

     This editorial will take a radically different track than most you've
 seen.  Well okay, there is one editorial in particular that this may
 remind you of.


             ================================================
             =   YES SAMANTHA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS...    =
             =                                              =
             =He Just Won't Be Delivering Falcons This Year.=
             ================================================


     The other day my four and a half year old goddaughter, Samantha, came
 to me and asked the question that every adult dreads hearing from a small
 child.  Samantha is a very intelligent and, at times, precocious, child so
 I knew that this question would be asked sooner rather than later.

     As I sat at my computer doing the things that computer users do,
 Samantha appeared from around the corner and smiled the sweet smile of a
 child who...  wants something.

     "Hi Sammy" I said, "what're you doing"?

     "Nothin'" said Sammy with a troubled look on her face.  "Ummm... Unka
     Joe?  

     Is there REALLY a Santa Claus"?

     So there it was.  The question that children have been asking since...
 well, since parents have been telling children that there IS a Santa
 Claus.  What could I have done?  Four and a half is a bit young to have
 one of the most wonderful myths ever conceived deflated and debunked
 before her very eyes.  "Yes Samantha, there is a Santa Claus" I said.  I
 chuckled a bit at the unintentional plagiarism.  But there it was:  I had
 committed myself on the "Santa Issue".

     "Did YOU ask Santa for a special present"?  Samantha asked.

     "Yes, I did, Sammy.  I asked Santa for a Falcon".

     "Y'mean a bird"?  She asked with wide eyes.

     "No Sammy", I answered, "Its a new computer".

     "How come you want a new one?  Is this one broke"?  Samantha is
 nothing if not inquisitive.  She was now going to continue to ask
 questions until I ran out of answers.  Well, I guess I let myself in or
 this when I didn't say 'I don't know'.

     "No Sammy, this ones not broke.  But the Falcon will do more things".

     "But Unka Joe, your computer does stuff that my daddy's can't... how
 come you want that new one"?

     Now that was a good question.  Was it my psychological need to have
 the "latest and greatest", or the prestige?  Perhaps it was an actual need
 for the elevated capabilities of the Falcon.  I still really don't know. 
 "I don't know, Sammy.  Why do you want Santa to bring you a new doll when
 you have one already"?

     Samantha pursed her lips and thought about it for a moment.  Then her
 face brightened and she said "Just 'cuz".  She smiled as if all had been
 explained.

     "Thats the same reason I want a Falcon" I said.

     "Oh" came her reply.  "Do you think Santa will bring it for you"?  She
 asked.

     "No", I said, "Santa isn't going to bring it for me".

     "Were you bad this year"?  She asked with the impish grin that only a
 child can get away with.

     "No Sammy, I wasn't bad.  Santa won't have any Falcons to give to
 anybody this year".

     "Where are the Falcons, then"?  

     "I don't know, Sammy.  For a while it looked like the people that want
 to sell them were going to get a few to sell for Christmas... uh, for
 Santa I mean.  But there aren't any available yet".

     Leave it to a child to keep on asking questions.  "How come", Sammy
 asked, now quite interested in the whole affair.

     "That's a good question too." I answered her.  "I haven't heard why, I
 just know that there won't be any for Christmas".

     "Can Santa get you one from somewhere else?"  She asked.

     "No Sammy, there aren't any anywhere.  Not even in Germany. That's
 where the first Falcons were supposed to show up".

     "How come"?  She asked again.

     "I don't know.  I guess because they wanted to sell a lot of them real
 fast, and Germany is the place to do it".  Being an adult, I assumed that
 the question had been answered to my niece's satisfaction.  Guess again!

     "But if they want to sell a lot of them, why don't they make a lot and
 sell them everywhere"?

     Darn.  This kid wasn't going to give up.  "Well", I began, "I guess.."

     "Samantha, where are you?  Are you bothering Uncle Joe?"  It was
 Sammy's mother calling from the next room.

     "I'm helping Unka Joe".  Samantha yelled back.  "I'm not doin'
 nothin'".

     "C'mon",  her mother said, "it's time to go home.  We've got to get
 ready to go see Santa".

     "Okay", said my niece, her face all aglow.  She started for the door
 and then turned back to me and said, "Don't worry, if I get to sit on
 Santa's lap, I'll tell him he should get you a Falcon... after I tell him
 the stuff I want".

     She then left the room and while telling her mother that she was going
 to "tell Santa to get Unka Joe good stuff" got her jacket on and went
 home.

     Once Samantha had left I thought about the truth of the old saying
 "Out of the mouths of babes oft'times come gems".  Sammy had asked a good
 question:  "Where _are_ all the Falcons"?

     For many months, we have heard about the Falcon030; how fast it is,
 how many colors it can show, how good the sound is, the built-DSP chip,
 etc.  Please, don't get me wrong, the Falcon is an outstanding computer. 
 But there is one major problem with it:  Its not available.  We were first
 told that the Falcon would be shipping in October.  Then we find out that
 they were to be shipping to Germany in October.  Then, we were told that
 they would be available in limited quantities in November'92 in the United
 States.  Then we hear that was North America (The U.S., Canada,and
 Mexico), so it didn't necessarily have to be the United States that the
 Falcons would be shipped to.  Then we were told that every dealer would
 have two Falcons for Christmas.

     Well, where are they?  It is now one week before Christmas and there
 are no Falcons for sale anywhere.  Not in Germany, not in the U.S.,
 Canada, or the North Pole.  I fully understand that there are a multitude
 of things that can hold up production of any item, be it an entry-level
 computer or a fast-attack submarine. But the bottom line is that there are
 no Falcons for Christmas.  No Falcons for dealers to sell, none for
 customers to buy, not a single one to go with that remarkable Kodak Photo-
 CD system.  Christmas is the single biggest season of the year for
 dealers.  What goes for dealers goes for the manufacturer.

     It has been said that Atari is not interested in the stock market, but
 in making money for their stock holders.  Perhaps Atari management would
 do better to take an interest in making product for their dealers and
 customers.  Selling assets and moving numbers from one column to another
 is fine for a while, but sooner or later there must be product to be sold.

     Recycled assets are no substitute for fresh income.  It is going to
 be a cold winter for Atari dealers and would-be customers.  The
 prolonged wait for the Falcon will also hurt Atari itself.  People
 looking for a computer for the holidays will not wait for the Falcon
 to come out, they will buy a DOS machine, Amiga, or Macintosh.  Once
 bought, the likelihood of someone dumping one of those computers
 because the Falcon finally makes its appearance is very slight.  The
 sales are lost.

     Perhaps Santa Claus will appreciate the lightened load, but the rest
 of us wish the Falcon was here, now.



       _____________________________________________________________





 > SANTA'S HELPERS STR InfoFile          WHERE TO FIND THOSE GOODIES!
   ============================




                    PRODUCT SOURCES FOR ATARI ENTHUSIASTS
                    =====================================
   
   
   
   ATARI CORPORATION                     Computer Studio
   1196 Borregas Avenue                  40 Westgate Parkway
   Sunnyvale, CA. 94086                  Asheville, NC 28806
   (408) 745-2000                        (800) 253-0201 
   Mft. Hardware/Software                Authorized Atari Dealer
   
   ABCO Computer Electronics             Gribnif Software
   P.O. Box 6672                         P.O. Box 779
   Jacksonville, FL. 32221               Northampton, MA 01061
   (904) 783-3319                        (800) 284-4742
   Full Line Dealer & Mass Storage       NeoDesk-XBOOT-Stalker-Steno
   
   Rising Star Computers                 Mid City Computers
   P. O. Box 20038                       9406 Flower St. 
   Dayton, OH 45420-0038                 Bellflower, CA 90706
   (800) 252-2787                        (310) 867-0626
   Full Line Dealer                      Authorized Atari Dealer
   
   A & D Software                        DMC Publishing Inc.
   226 NW 'F' Street                     2800 John St., Unit #10
   Grants Pass, OR 97526                 Markham, Ontario, CA L3R 0E2
   (503) 476-0071                        (416) 479-1880
   Universal Item Selector               Calamus, DynaCadd etc...
   
   JOPPA Computer Products               L & Y Computers
   PO Box 326                            13644c Jefferson Davis H'wy.
   Seven Valleys, PA 17360               Woodbridge, Va.  22191
   (800) 876-6040                        (703) 494-3444
   16 and 8 bit Support                  Atari products and Software
   
   ASDE Inc.                             Maxwell CPU
   151 Rue Jolicoeur                     2124 W. Centennial Dr.
   Hull, Quebec Canada J8Z1C8            Louisville, CO  80027
   (819) 770-7681                        (303) 666-7754
   Geography Tutor etc...                Expose - Silhouette
   
   Atari Interface Magazine              Step Ahead Software Inc.
   3487 Braeburn Circle                  496-A Hudson Street Suite F39
   Ann Arbor, MI 48108                   New York City, N.Y.  10014
   (313) 973-8825                        (212) 627-5830
   Atari Magazine and Monthly Disk       Tracker ST 
   
   B&C ComputerVisions                   Mars Merchandising
   2730 Scott Blvd.                      1041b St. Charles Rd.
   Santa Clara, CA 95050                 Lombard Il.
   (408) 986-9960                        (817) 589-2950
   Atari Products & Supplies             Atari Products & Accs.
   
   Branch Always Software                ATY Computer
   14150 N.E. 20th St.                   3727 13th Ave
   Bellevue, WA 98007                    Oakland, CA 94610
   (206) 885-5893 FAX                    (510) 482-3775
   GEMULATOR!                            Authorized Atari Dealer
   
   Best Electronics                      Migraph Inc.
   2021 The Alameda Suite 290            200 S. 333rd St.
   San Jose,  CA  95126                  Federal Way, WA 98003
   (408) 243-6950                        (206) 838-4677
   THE Atari parts source & Supplies     Top Notch Graphical Products
   
   Computer Garden                       MicroTyme
   WestSide Mall                         4049 Marshall Road
   Edwardsville, PA  18704               Kettering, OH  45429
   (800) 456-5689                        (800) 255-5835
   Discount Software                     Discount Hardware & Software
   
   Carter Graphics & Computers           MS Design
   914 W. Sunset Blvd.                   611 West Illinois
   St. George, UT 84770                  Urbana, Il.  61801
   (801) 628-6111                        (217) 384-8469
   Atari Products                        Custom Font Designs
   
   CodeHead Software                     Prospero Software
   P.O. Box 74090                        100 Commercial St.
   Los Angeles, CA 90004                 Suite 306 Portland, ME 04101
   (213) 386-5735                        (207) 874-0382
   Software Products "Codekeys"          Software Products
    
   Comput-Ability                        Rio Datel Computers
   P.O. Box 17882                        3430 E. Tropicana Ave., #65
   Milwaukee, WI 53217                   Las Vegas, NE 89121
   (414) 357-8181                        (800) 782-9110
   Distributor-Hardware/Software         International Products
   
   CompuServe Information Service        San Jose Computer
   P. O. Box 20212                       640 Blossom Hill Road
   Columbus, OH 43220-0212               San Jose, CA 95123
   (614) 457-0802                        (408) 995-5080
   Online Services                       Atari Products
   
   D.A. Brumleve                         Seagate Technology
   607 West Illinois Street              920 Disc Drive
   Urbana, IL  61801                     Scotts Valley, CA 95066
   (217) 337-0674                        (800) 468-3472
   High Quality Kiddie Software          Hard Drive Mechanisms
   
   Debonair Software                     Sideline Software
   P.O. Box 521166                       840 NW 57th Court
   Salt Lake City, UT 84152              Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
   EL CAL The Math Machine               (305) 771-9035
   Atari Support Products                International Software Source
   
   Zephyr/STPlus                         The Sterling Connection
   P.O. Box 1197                         P.O. Box 4850
   Berkeley, CA. 94701                   Berkley, CA 94704
   (800) 759-1110                        (800) 624-2355
   Atari Support Products                TurboST "The Software Blitter"
   
   Double Click Software                 ST Informer
   P.O. Box 741206                       909 NW Starlite Place
   Houston, TX 77274                     Grants Pass OR  97526
   (712) 977-6520                        (503) 476-0071
   Software Developer                    Monthly Newspaper
   
   Duggan DeZign Inc.                    Atari Advantage Magazine
   16 Oak Ridge Dr.                      P.O. Box 610121
   West Warwick RI 02893                 Houston, TX 77208-0121
   (401) 826-2961                        (713)) 526-6438
   "Designs with Fun in Mind!"           Storm Telcom Program
   
   Fast Technology                       Fouch Software
   P.O. Box 578                          1823 w 8th St.
   Andover, MA 01810                     Erie, PA  16505
   (508) 475-3810                        (814) 455-1294
   16Mhz 68000 Accelerator               Mailing Manager ST
   
   Gadgets by Small                      Comp Software Inc.
   40 W. Littleton Blvd.                 104 Esplinade Ave. #121
   #210-211, Littleton, CO 80120         Pacifica, CA. 94044
   (303) 791-6098                        (415) 355-0862
   Spectre GCR MAC Emulator              Write On, That's Write etc.
   
   Goldleaf Publishing, Inc.             Oregan Research Associates
   700 Larkspur Landing Circle,          16200 SW Pacific H'way #162
   Suite 199  Larkspur, CA 94939         Tigard, OR 97224
   (415) 461-5703                        (503) 620-4919
   WordFlair Document Processor          Diamond Edge, Diamond Back II
   
   Dr. Bobware                           Wiz Works!
   180 N. Hazeltine Avenue               P.O. Box 45
   Campbell, OH.  44405-1024             Girard, OH.  44420
   (216) 743-4712                        (216) 539-5623
   MVG & Modules  Graphics               Image Cat - MugShot!
   
   GEnie Information Services            Taylor Ridge Books
   401 N. Washington Street              P.O. Box 48
   Rockville, MD 20850-1785              Manchester, Ct.  06040
   (800) 638-9636                        (203) 643-9673
   Online Services                       Cmanship  'C' programming
   
   Hayes Microcomputer Inc.              US ROBOTICS INC.
   705 Westech Drive                     8100 No. McCormick Blvd.
   Norcross, GA  30092                   Skokie, IL  60076
   (404) 662-7100                        (800) 982-5151
   Modems - TeleCom                      Modems-BBS Sysop Program
   
   ICD Inc.                              Soft Logik
   1220 Rock St.                         11131F S. Towne Sq.
   Rockford, Il. 61101-1437              St Louis, MO  63123
   (815) 968-2228                        (314) 894-8608
   Hardware Peripherals                  PageSTReam DTP Software
   
   Innovative Concepts (I.C.)            Beckemeyer Development
   31172 Shawn Drive                     PO Box 21575
   Warren, MI 48093                      Oakland, CA  94620
   (313) 293-0730                        (510) 530-9637
   Full Service Dealer                   Hard disk Sentry, Utility      
   
   Mirrorsoft Ltd                        Supra Corp.
   118 Southwark St.                     1133 Commercial Way
   London, UK SEI OSW                    Albany, OR  97321
   011-43-928-1454                       (503) 967-9075
   UK Software Dev.                      Modems - Hard Drives
   
   GT Software                           Word Perfect Corp.
   12114 Kirton Avenue                   1555 Technology Way
   Cleveland OH  44135                   Orem, UT  84057
   (216) 252-8255                        (801) 222-5800
   Software Dev.                          Word Perfect WP

   Paradigm Software                     Atari Explorer Magazine
   1369 Concord Place, Suite 3-B         P.O. Box 6488
   Kalamazoo, MI  49009                  Duluth, MN 55806
   (616) 372-5972 x313                   (218) 723-9202
   Universal MIDI Librarian              Dedicated Atari Magazine
   
   Spectrum HoloByte                     STR International.
   2061 Challenger Dr.                   PO Box 6672
   Alamedo, CA  94501                    Jacksonville, FL 32205
   (415) 522-3584                        (904) 783-3319
   Falcon F16 Software                   STReport Online Magazine



                       ______________________________





 > STReport CONFIDENTIAL    "Rumors Tidbits Predictions Observations Tips"
   """""""""""""""""""""





 - New York City, NY                          ATARI SUBS CLOSED
   -----------------
   
     It has  been reported  that, ATARI  SWITZERLAND and  ATARI SWEDEN have
 both been CLOSED and  ATARI GERMANY  has MOVED.   What  about the reported
 construction of  Atari Germany's  alleged new headquarters and warehousing
 facility?  Atari Germany, once  regarded  as  the  vanguard  for  Atari in
 Europe as it was the central control point, is reported to be operating on
 an extremely small scale  at this  time.   Atari has  been steadily losing
 market share  in Europe.   Atari,  at one  time, used to report its bigger
 share of income came from Europe.





 - New York City, NY                       NEW YORK DEALER UPSET!
   -----------------
   
     Its been rumored the dealer who made his misgivings known  at a recent
 New England Show, is once again prepared to keep his word about the timely
 arrival of new equipment.  "Its once again Christmas and guess what???  NO
 PRODUCT!"  It was made mention that more will be said after the holiday.





 - Baltimore, MD                         GEMULATOR VERY SUCCESSFUL
   -------------

     According to  our roving  reporter, its  be said  the Gemulator (Atari
 Emulator for the PC) is really quite successful.   It  was noted  that the
 device allows  Atarians to  get into the PC platform at their own speed by
 allowing the user to utilize his ST software on a  new PC.   One  user had
 stated; "I  like it  because I'm  not forced  to rebuild all at once which
 would be crippling financially."



 - Chicago, IL                           KESMAI TO DROP ATARI SUPPORT
   -----------
   
     Kesmai, authors of Air Warrior on GEnie, announced today they will not
 be supporting  Atari Computers  (or monochrome Macs) in future versions of
 the very popular online game, Air  Warrior.   No customers  and no support
 from Atari  were specifically  mentioned.   Amiga, however, is still being
 supported.  There's also a special SVGA version that should hit the stores
 any day now.



     ________________________________________________________________





 > STR Mail Call             "...a place for the readers to be heard"
   """""""""""""


                            STReport's MailBag
                            """"""""""""""""""


                    Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
                    -----------------------------------


 From GEnie's ST RT


 "Where the ACTION is".. about the Falcon030

 Category 14,  Topic 20
 Message 100       Wed Dec 09, 1992
 M.HEMBRUCH [Mattias]         at 21:50 EST
  
 T.MCCOMB > People who have seen/used/played and worked with the Falcon030
 (myself included) ARE IMPRESSED.


 Wow! If I were you, I'd start buying lottery tickets - the odds would be
 in your favor (not many people have seen/used a Falcon) :)

 I'm starting to take Thunderbird's side in this. The Falcon needs
 advertising.  No and/or/but's about it. I would LOVE to get a chance to
 try the Falcon.  Will it happen within the next year? I doubt it. I'm in
 Canada, and the local Atari dealer is now a PC dealer.. From the looks of
 things, I doubt Atari will even get any Fall-con's to Canada within 6
 months.. Sure, maybe EVERYONE who has tried one is dying to buy 3
 Falcons.. I would certainly give it a look-see..

 How will people who have NOT heard of the Falcon give it a try?

 Umm.. let's see.. Picture a typical non-computer owner (Atari's proclaimed
 target). Wakes up one day (would have to be several months from now due to
 delivery delays) and says: Today, I will find a new computer product I
 have never heard of before, and see if it will meet my needs better than
 this PC which could get a GREAT deal on, or this Apple, which, if I could
 afford it, would also meet my needs.

          After rolling dice, looking for 4-leaf clovers and casting lots a
 few times, he concludes that this new piece of equipment, which will
 totally astound him even though he has never heard of it, must be being
 produced by Atari. Great! I know where to go.

         Now, he looks in the phone book for an Atari dealership. Hmm..
 Strange.. None in the phone book.. Surely in the surrounding area, having
 a total population of over 400 000, there MUST be ONE Atari dealer. Hmm.
 No?? Well, let's try Mega-tropolis w/ a population of over 2.5 million.
 Ahh. The phone index. Ahh. Computers. Let's see.. PC stores - pages
 515-575. Apple - pages 576- 595. Commodore - pages 596-599. Others - 600.
 Ahh. Page 600. Let's see.. Atari - WOW - there IS an Atari dealer here!!
 Ok, let's call.. Hello - I'm interested in the Atari line of products and
 - Sorry - we stopped selling Atari 3 months ago. You might try xxx.

         Strange - why would anyone STOP selling this great new item, which
 will probably change my life?? Let's try xxx. Hello. I'm interested in
 Atari products. Yes - we have a closeout special on today. Buy one, get 3
 free - we need the space to store more PC's.. We're moving 'em faster than
 we can stock 'em. I was wondering if Atari brought out any great new
 machine recently? Well, they did mention something about a bird.. Falcon I
 think it was called.  Sounded good. Most people are still waiting for them
 to ship.

 He mutters to himself: Falcon.  Great name.  Better than 486 SLCDX2-LB or
 II VXIS-CD. Certainly sounds good. Wish I could find a place to buy one..
 At least, I THINK it's called Falcon, and it probably is QUITE good.

 Mattias
  ------------

 Category 18,  Topic 20
 Message 139       Wed Dec 09, 1992
 B.CARRIER [Bruce]            at 23:18 EST
  
  Right on T- Bird!

  Merry Xmas to all you Atari supporters (who don't like T-Bird), who are
 typing their messages on a brand-new Falcon 030 computer.

 Maybe you can put T-Bird down with a fourth-of-July message on your new
 Falcon.  Halloween?  Twelfth of Never?
  ------------

 Category 18,  Topic 20
 Message 140       Thu Dec 10, 1992
 D.ENGEL [Thunderbird]        at 06:15 EST
  
 What ever happened to the rumor that U.S. dealers were getting their first
 shipment yesterday?

 Not again...

 Happy 4th of July, Bruce!!! ;-)

           _____________________
               \hunderbird


  ------------


 Category 18,  Topic 22
 Message 143       Wed Dec 09, 1992
 D.ENGEL [Thunderbird]        at 20:39 EST
  
 See Flat:

    A few weeks ago, I had a bit of comic relief when certain individuals
 kept insisting that nobody uses RCA jacks anymore.  Somehow, they came to
 the conclusion that because someone claimed those tiny battery operated
 speakers with 1/8" stereo plugs were the cat's meow when it comes to
 speakers.  To demonstrate how silly the whole argument was, I played
 "Devil's Advocate" and adamantly defended the RCA jacks, mocking the whole
 discussion.  Once they figured out that I was making fools of them, they
 shut right up.  Only a small minority have not actually figured out what
 was going on, and persist in trying to belittle the RCA jack.  How anyone
 can derive such an insecurity over a connector is really perplexing.

 I wouldn't give it a second thought.

            ________________________
                 \hunderbird


  ------------


 Category 18,  Topic 20
 Message 145       Fri Dec 11, 1992
 J.RICHTER [J.RICHTER]        at 02:27 EST
  
 Everybody,

 I just got back from Portlands LAST dealer.. He says that Falcon030 has
 been delayed to March of 93' !!  Remember the words? "We will not
 introduce a new system until we've got our hands on a stock pile to sell"
 .... When will the ____ ever stop.  My dealer is SUFFERING.. he can't sell
 his OLD inventory because everyone is waiting for the Falcon030! How long
 can ATARI continue punishing their dealer network! If this dealer goes
 under.. I can GUARANTEE every remaining ATARI user in this area will NEVER
 buy ATARI again!!!! Does anyone care?

  ------------


 Category 1,  Topic 19
 Message 3         Wed Dec 16, 1992
 D.FISK2 [David]              at 21:11 EST
  
 ...and another one bits the dust.

 A few days ago I received E-Mail from a major GEnie on-line entertainment
 contractor that they will be ending their support of the Atari platform
 effectively the start of the New Year. While this comes as no great
 surprise to me; it is, in itself, a telling indicator of the direction
 other software houses will be taking.

 As they said to me :

 - Atari has described new models which have technical potential but have
 - not produced them in a timely manner.  We have been unable to get
 - development systems from them or technical support.  We have not seen
 - moves from Atari in the marketplace which would encourage us to have
 - confidence in the future of their product.

 If this company, with its on-line access to the Atari RT info, sees fit to
 drop its support; what chance is there for new and continued support from
 software developers not on-line?

 Well software houses come and go but, as I look up at my book case to a
 virtual wall of Atari software boxes that have "moved on" to other
 platforms, it makes me wonder if it is time to move on too...(not for
 awhile however because of money flow problems).  :-)

 It would not be the first time a "superior" product died because of the
 inability of its marketing. That's life.

      Cheers,
             David F. Fisk

 (not really into a discussion about the vendor/contractor in question -
 they say they will be posting in their RT soon)


 Category 1,  Topic 19
 Message 4         Wed Dec 16, 1992
 MIKE.KELLER [ST Aladdin]     at 23:43 EDT
  
 David, really wish you hadn't jumped the gun on this. Some of us are
  waiting for the announcement before jumping in with both feet!


   mike.k

  ------------

 Category 1,  Topic 19
 Message 5         Thu Dec 17, 1992
 D.FISK2 [David]              at 02:31 EST
  
 -jumped the gun on this

 ??? Excuse me??? It's been posted in their RT for some hours now.

 Aside from that, what is there jumping the gun about my making mention of
 E-Mail addressed to me? Granted it was also sent to other Atari users of
 the contractors area...but...insofar as "I" have not been made a party of
 your group about to "jump in with both feet" I have no second thoughts
 about making mention of the general circumstances. :-)

 What is of interest here; and I will make mention of it once again in case
 you missed it; is the perception this outfit has formed about the Atari
 Platform ie. : that while it has potentially very good hardware, there are
 very real management problems regarding its marketing.

 Good luck with your quest. Another time you might wish to include others
 who have had a direct interest in the situation.

 It would be great to see Atari succeed but after watching the last 4-6
 months activity I am not too optimistic.  I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

      Cheers,
             David F. Fisk


 Category 14,  Topic 42
 Message 48        Sun Dec 13, 1992
 G.LABREC [Greg @ Atari]      at 22:19 EST
  
 D.A.B. - We didn't send out a copy to all the dealers but I did send a lot
 of press releases out.  I sent out sample copies to some of the larger
 distributors, and quite a few went out of the country where the catalog is
 very much in demand.  The UK was pre-ordering months before it was
 complete.

 J.P.C. - Toad was one of the dealers I fax'ed a press release to.  If they
 don't have any it is because they didn't order any.

 J.B. - Actually, there are a few changes since I went to press. Atari
 Switzerland and Atari Sweden have both been closed and Atari Germany has
 moved.  I also received a late change and in my haste I saved out the
 correction in one place but not another.  DMC Publishing, which is
 correctly identified in the company list at the back of the catalog, is
 incorrectly listed as ISD Publishing in the catalog listings.


  ------------

 Category 14,  Topic 20
 Message 161       Mon Dec 14, 1992
 B.CARRIER [Bruce]            at 22:44 EST
  
  >> I forgot who it was, forgive me, but the person who said he wasn't
 dumping Atari (and his beloved Mega), for an Amiga - "because of my huge
 software investment" - I think he was speaking for an awful lot of us.

  How many of us want to learn Messy DOS, acquire a representative MAC or
 Amiga library?  But if we  could buy a clone, MAC, or Amiga and still use
 our software - how long would we stay with this lame excuse for a company
 of liars and broken promises. In category 27, a Mega 4 system with PC
 SPEED, is going for $450! Does anyone think that this person is seriously
 selling such a nice computer system to wait for Atari to deliver a Falcon? 
 He's already got another one.

 Atari is now the laughing stock of most computer magazines.  Most of them,
 and it is painful to read, have us dead in the water.   It is most grating
 to read the rantings of Amiga rags, who actually had the most to lose at
 the now almost certain death of Atari. We should have been 68000 allies,
 not small enemies, shooting each other in the foot.

 If the Amiga can survive, it probably will be the computer of choice for
 most ex-Atarians.  We should start reading the ads, or at least the many
 computer magazines that still feature Amiga.

 Don't gloat Amigans reading this, it wasn't us that buried Atari, and it
 certainly wasn't you.

  ------------

 Category 3,  Topic 19
 Message 74        Fri Dec 11, 1992
 HISOFT                       at 13:30 EST
  
 Mike,

 "Stolen" is right the word - you should have asked us first  before
 posting that, especially as immediately above that is the  explicit
 copyright notice.

 Dave N.

  ------------


 Category 3,  Topic 19
 Message 78        Fri Dec 11, 1992
 M.ALLEN14 [Mike Allen]       at 20:28 EST
  
  
  * a sample GEM program supplied with DevpacST version 2

  * Source code Copyright (C) 1988 HiSoft. All rights reserved.
  * No part of this source may be reproduced, transmitted,
  * transcribed, or stored in a retrieval system, or translated
  * in any form or by any means without the prior written
  * permission of HiSoft.



 Dave N.,

 I do apologize - I meant no harm to HiSoft did not mean to infringe upon
 HiSoft's copyright.

 I only meant to post it as an example.  Actually there are 17 lines of
 comments between the above notice and the code I posted.  To be perfectly
 honest, I did not notice the copyright.

 Again, please accept my apologies.  I shall be more careful in the future. 
 I hope you don't object to my posting the copyright that I managed to
 miss.

 The HiSoft DevPac is an outstanding product for the ST (and the TT and
 F030) and I have learned a great deal from not only the documentation but
 the example programs.  My only motivation was to pass on some of what I
 had learned.

 Yours with a red face,

         Mike Allen

  ------------

 Category 2,  Topic 15
 Message 40        Tue Dec 15, 1992
 AEO.3 [Lyre]                 at 06:24 EST
  
 Greetings Everyone!

 Let me tell you a little about Opus and me.

 It all started way back when - not sure of the actual date, but it's been
 a few years.  Anyway, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine obtained a
 copy of an Atari magazine which had Opus 1.?? on it. Having recently
 purchased SwiftCalc and finding that it didn't meet my needs, I told my
 friend that I wouldn't mind a copy of Opus.

 After all it was free - it was on the disk that came with the magazine. 
 Right?  Well, it's not.  Opus represents someone's programming efforts.

 Efforts that had biased my opinion on spreadsheets so much that when I
 found Opus 2.20 in the ST Library I made sure I downloaded it. However,
 even then it wasn't free.  A few months ago, someone mentioned that they
 had considered creating a printed manual for Opus. I said, hey yeah, write
 it.  Being an "unregistered user" and stating this, this person said -
 heck, you use the program more then I do and I'm registered, why aren't
 you?

 That got me to thinking.

 Why didn't I register?  After all, here was a great spreadsheet that I'd
 used enough to know the basics.  Nothing fancy, but I could produce what I
 needed with some trial and error.  Yet I had not registered.  No big deal,
 it was a shareware program.

 On the other hand, the Atari community (Atari Corp, programmers,
 retailers, etc) had invested their time, effort and money in producing or
 selling their products.  D. S. Harrison (Opus' author) had done the same
 thing.  If I paid these other people in the Atari market, why didn't I pay
 the author of Opus?  Because it was *only* shareware?

 As if that made any difference!

 We all know that Atari computers have their strengths and weaknesses - as
 does any other computer system.  One of these weaknesses being that our
 computer of choice is viewed as a "game machine."  But then, I hadn't
 *paid* for anything other then a game machine had I?

 So, please as one Shareware ABUSER to any potential others out there, pay
 for the shareware that you use.

 Consider what would have happened if no one paid for CodeHead's products. 
 Or what about DMC's Calamus?  Or any of the other great companies that
 have successfully created and marketed products for the computer system we
 all use.

 Where would we be then?

                                                 Lyre

 PS: Yes, I am a registered user of Opus at this point.  I just received
 today my copy of Opus 2.32 - you're missing an excellent program.

  ------------


 Category 4,  Topic 42
 Message 35        Wed Dec 16, 1992
 K.HOUSER [Kevin MQ Def]      at 01:23 EST
  
 Joey, Hmm... I wasn't very clear. :)

 Nyaaa... I meant there are no real dealers in Atlanta. I consider Sheldon
 a *REAL* Atari dealership. :) But I don't like to trek to Asheville to see
 stuff in person. It is just too far to go & play with the new toys & pick
 up a quick program or two. Not like running down to Sears in the Mall (3
 or 4 mile drive) and picking up a Performa 600, or a '486 w/ SVGA, and/or
 some software. :) Now *that* is convenient.

 If only Atari would GET A CLUE! I wouldn't have bought my old 600XL if I
 HADN'T SEEN THE DARN THING IN PERSON (it happened to be Sears and Service
 Merchandise) first. No Atari stuff in those stores anymore. [8'(

 Heheh, but I'll have to check out the Microtek scanner. If I were to buy
 one for connection to my Falcon (*od knows when it will arrive), should I
 get the Mac version or the PC version? Or does it matter? They are selling
 them locally at CompUSA and other stores.

 --Kevin

  ------------

 Category 19,  Topic 11
 Message 147       Wed Dec 16, 1992
 E.DANIELS1 [Smoke Eater]     at 06:02 EST
  
  I just spoke to Richard at RIO today, and he feels that there will be no
 further support from Beta Systems for the SuperCharger. ( His outlook for
 the Atari isn't much better, and who can blame him...? )
  My purpose for the post is I have ordered the upgraded software, V. 1.5
 from RIO, but because they haven't received any 'kits' from Beta Systems,
 there are NO MANUALS! Someone out there willing to help out with either
 their manuals for sale, or ( sorry I tried to buy them ) copies of same. I
 just bought my SuperCharger used and have it for evaluation, but I really
 don't want to keep it with old software after reading that V. 1.5 fixes
 most known problems. I haven't even tried to hook the SuperCharger to my
 Mega ST4 yet, as without V. 1.5 I feel I'd be doomed to repeat all the
 problems you have posted so far...( Ahhh the state of Atari no...? ). I do
 have calls into Germany and England to track the real story of
 SuperCharger support, so when I find out, you'll find out...Thanks in
 advance for your support...

  ------------


 Category 14,  Topic 20
 Message 186       Wed Dec 16, 1992
 J.RICHTER [J.RICHTER]        at 22:16 EST
  
 Soul Manager,

 I am sitting in front of a $1495 486-33DX with NON-INTERLACED 1024x768 x
 256 color system with 120meg HD, local bus C31 Windows accelerated
 video!! This thing will run The Designer Drawing program at DOUBLE TT030
 speed with PageStream!! .... This is a TRUE 32bit system INCLUDING the
 Data Bus (Eisa based) and there is some AWESOME Windows 3.1 software
 available... Excel4.0, Word for Windows 2.0b, AmiPro3, Corel Draw,
 Designer, Pagemaker 4.1 and on.. and on.. and on. This speed is with a
 16bit OS.. when Windows32 is released you can DOUBLE my current speed... I
 am sorry.. Until you use the current crop (last couple of months) hi-speed
 486SX/DX local bus video accelerated clones you know not from which you
 speak!! An 040 Falcon.. hmmm maybe..  but If they can't sell the
 Under-Powered Falcon030 in any quantity.. how will they release a
 Falcon040? I am talking strictly general purpose computing here... I you
 HAVE to HAVE the DSP and don't need MultiTOS and 14meg memory then It's
 not a bad deal!!.

 Atari's ONLY hope is to release the Falcon030 at HALF-PRICE and get the
 040 out there as SOON as humanly possible.. I am an ATARI LOVER.. and it
 DOES hurt to tell the truth!! The Falcon030 is at LEAST one year late.. at
 the current price..

  ------------

 Category 14,  Topic 20
 Message 187       Wed Dec 16, 1992
 J.ALLEN27 [FAST TECH]        at 22:52 EST
  
 Scuttlebutt has it that Apple will release a new machine in February, it
 looks like the MacIIvx but has a 68LC040 chip, with 4 Megs of ram and an
 80Meg drive, it will sell for $1799 list!!! Boy that target keeps moving,
 eh? ;-)

  ------------

 Category 14,  Topic 20
 Message 195       Thu Dec 17, 1992
 J.ALLEN27 [FAST TECH]        at 04:57 EST
  
 The TT Tower is a joke speedwise, it's just a TT. But a Turbo030 system
 with a CrazyDots card can definitely outpace most any 486/33 with
 localbus....on a local bus system the disk transfer rates finally come to
 equal the STs rates with ICD software ;-) Now if you stuff a DX2-66 chip
 in, and the newest S3 chip...35 million Winmarks...you've gone into
 hyperspace ;-)

 BTW, there is a company now selling a 486/33 motherboard, w/o CPU or RAM
 for only $220...absolutely state of the art, 3 VESA localbus slots, and
 64Megs of ram max, latest single chip "chipset", on a board size smaller
 than a "baby AT". I was blown away when I saw it....but I'll wait till
 they have a P5 compatible socket in the next rev. If you get that board,
 add a $500 DX2-66 chip, and your current ram (in my case 32Megs), then the
 new S3 "xxx928" based localbus board for $499, and a caching localbus IDE
 board with 1 Meg cache $399, and for about $1,500 you can really start
 cooking!!!

 Or just wait till Gateway offers the same ;-)

 The new S3 chip does 640x480 16M colors, 800x600 32K colors, 1024x768 256
 colors, and 1280x1024 16 colors. Boy what a nice chip. And it has
 genlocking hooks built in, so a multimedia board with it, an ATT
 compression chip, and ATT DSP chip, and you'd have one heck of a nice
 multimedia setup....full NTSC/PAL overscan genlock 30 frames per second
 video record/playback, and 44Khz 16bit digital stereo audio. And I happen
 to know the company that is cooking this setup up...I'll let you know when
 it's ready...and it's CHEAP ;-)

  ------------


 From CIS...
  
 More about the Amsler Comdex review...

 #: 77055 S8/Hot Topics
     09-Dec-92  01:32:29
 Sb: #76944-Atari at COMDEX
 Fm: Greg Wageman 74016,352
 To: John J. Amsler 70275,676

 John,

 FWIW, I enjoyed your review.  You seemed to this reader to be attempting
 to provide a balance between your praise and criticism, which any
 *unbiased* reader could see.

 Not having been there myself, I can't comment on the accuracy of your
 impressions, but as someone who doesn't stand to gain anything by either
 Atari's demise or its success, why should you conceal anything?  (In fact,
 all of us here stand to *lose* something if Atari Corp. should go under,
 whether or not the corporate mouthpiece acknowledges it or not.)

 Thanks from this long-time Atari users for trying to call 'em as you see
 'em.

     -Greg


 #: 77540 S17/Community Square
     16-Dec-92  17:12:58
 Sb: #77531-Falcon:  Flies or Dies
 Fm: SYSOP*Ron Luks 76703,254
 To: SYSOP*Bob Retelle 76702,1466 (X)

    You're right.  A lot of people seem to apply a double standard when
 talking about Atari's vs the PC world.

     I found Nathan's comments in this weeks Z*net issue to be a particular
 case in point.  He blasts Ralph for being very hard on Atari Corp. (Ralph
 is, but thats a different issue).

     The feature (by Nathan) was talking about the apparent success/failure
 of Atari at the recent COMDEX.  Nathan went into detail about how poor the
 overall attendance was in the Sands Expo Center.  He was absolutely
 correct about this (I was there and saw it first-hand) because the Sands
 Pavilion was VISIBLY empty.  All the exhibits there were sparsely
 attended with only a couple of rare exceptions.

     He went on to detail the politics and background which was (according
 to my separate sources) right on target.  He concluded that after 3
 consecutive years of low attendance, the Sands Expo Pavilion was a
 complete failure.

     I wouldn't disagree with his analysis except to say that it was
 obvious that he doesn't apply the same 'standards' to the performance of
 Atari Corp itself.  It was readily apparent to me (and I'm sure anyone
 else reading his piece) that he's much more forgiving of the Tramiel's
 performance than the interface Groups performance over the same time
 period.

     Now, I'm friends with both Nathan and Ralph and I don't want to get
 in between them on this issue (or any other for that matter) but I do have
 to say that Ralph (for all his faults and his good points) is much more
 consistent in his performance judgement standards.

      I think too many of us are too close to the Atari scene to give a
 fair appraisal of Atari's performance.  Our judgments are also affected
 by our investment in Atari hardware and software (its much easier to be
 forgiving and hopeful when we have a big investment on the line).

      The line between honest appraisal and hopeful evaluation is one that
 I admit I often have trouble keeping distinct.

                                                       Ron



 #: 77504 S17/Community Square
     16-Dec-92  10:08:53
 Sb: #77301-#Falcon:  Flies or Dies
 Fm: Atari Interface 70007,4640
 To: SYSOP*Bob Retelle 76702,1466 (X)

 BobR,

 I do know that Mike had to take a full time job in the last year or so to
 keep Double Click around ... He used to work full time for DC, until the
 market shrank too much.  He was programming for PCs I believe.  I know
 Paul Lee was programming on PCs as his full time job.  Migraph is
 supporting the Atari market because they have PC products to actually pay
 the bills.  CodeHeads are working on developing for the Mac.  Gadgets is
 looking into PC products. The list goes on.

                         Pattie


 #: 77506 S17/Community Square
     16-Dec-92  10:18:13
 Sb: #77348-Falcon:  Flies or Dies
 Fm: Atari Interface 70007,4640
 To: Bob Ledbetter 71043,3442 (X)

 Well, I can only tell you why we purchased a Macintosh system (which we're
 quite happy with)....  We do dtp, color dtp.  PageStream is great, but
 there aren't programs out there to support color dtp like there are on the
 Mac.  We had the choice of spending $4,000 on a scanner/interface and
 software from Goldleaf (are they still in business?), and keep using the
 Atari software that wasn't as good as Mac stuff, or spring for more and
 get a new system with all the excellent software available for the Mac.

 We went with a Mac IIci with 24-bit color board, 1200 dpi color scanner,
 beautiful color monitor, and CD ROM package.  We got PhotoShop and Color
 Studio with the scanner, which sweetened the deal quite a bit.  We now had
 the tools we needed to make PageStream do what we wanted. The problem is
 there isn't enough market to make software companies take the time to
 develop software for the Atari; software like Color Studio and PhotoShop.

 I didn't see any discussion about Atari Journal closing up.  Atari Journal
 was a German ST publication.  Things are so bad now that even places that
 were considered Atari Meccas are dying.

                         Pattie



 From Delphi....
   
 Among other things  ...Atari's overall performance is discussed

 FORUM>Reply, Add, Read, "?" or Exit> 
 44934 12-DEC 04:59 General Information
      Computer Chronicles
      From: SCHUYLAR     To: ALL

 They had a Comdex show tonight. They mentioned the Commodore 1200 and TONS
 of stuff about Multimedia, sound etc. But NOTHING about the Falcon or
 Atari. What a drag, I'm wondering if they ignored Atari, or if Atari
 didn't chase them down to show them the new product?

                                                        Schuylar

 44946 12-DEC 11:04 General Information
      RE: Computer Chonicles (Re: Msg 44934)
      From: OCS          To: SCHUYLAR


 - They had a Comdex show tonight.  They mentioned the Commodore 1200 and
 - TONS of stuff about Multimedia, sound etc.  But NOTHING about the
 - Falcon or Atari.  What a drag, I'm wondering if they ignored Atari, or
 - if Atari didn't chase them down to show them the new product? Schuylar

 Well, the latest issue of C'T magazine has about five pages about Comdex,
 and they emphasize on multi-media stuff.  Guess what they say about the
 Atari booth... I'll quote EVERYTHING here:

 "Von dem Gros der Besucher unbeachtet blieb das Debuet des Falcon030, der
 von Atari als die Multimedia-Alternative fuer den Heim-Anwender
 eingefuehrt wurde."

 My translation:

 "Unnoticed by the vast majority of the visitors was the debut of the
 Falcon030, which was introduced by Atari as the multimedia alternative for
 home users."

 That's all! One sentence in a five-page article!

 C'T in my eyes is the most influential German computer magazine, very
 similar to Byte (they very often cooperate with Byte).  Unlike Byte they
 do cover the Atari market to some extend.  This issue contains a review of
 The Calligrapher, for example, and two months ago the entire editorial was
 dedicated to Atari (and the situation on the Atari market).  The next
 three issues will contain a series of articles about the KBS operating
 system for the Atari (co-authored by me <grin>).

 Now what does this Comdex coverage mean? They could hardly have said
 anything more devastating...

 I read the AEO special edition.  Bob Brodie was complaining about the
 coverage of certain magazines about Atari's COMDEX presentations.  Hmmm,
 I wonder if AEO's report written by Bob Brodie was authored by Mr. Bob
 Brodie, Director of Communications of Atari Corp. (and thus merely a press
 release of the company), or by Mr. Bob Brodie, a journalist who happened
 to be in Las Vegas.  I wonder if he wrote this article in his spare time,
 or while he was working for (and getting paid by) Atari.

 Complaining about the fact that STReport and Z*NET didn't have their staff
 writers at Comdex is one thing.  Getting paid by Atari for being at Comdex
 and thus having all the time of the world to see what's going on at the
 Atari booth is another thing.

 As for the Commodore 1200, the machine is already being sold here for less
 than 900 marks ($560).

 Oliver


 FORUM>Reply, Add, Read, "?" or Exit> 
 45123 16-DEC 01:33 CPU/STR Newswire
      RE: ? (Re: Msg 45090)
      From: BOBTROW      To: DPJ (NR)

     Underneath everything negative that I have ever read in STR, I always
 have had the feeling that Ralph HOPES and PRAYS that what he
 reports/predicts ends up wrong.  If I was riding in a bus headed for a
 ravine I would prefer to have some like Ralph & Co. tell me so than have
 someone tell me ..... "END OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION AHEAD".  They both could
 mean the same thing, but very different results can happen depending on
 how you interpret each one.

  Bob T.

  (I read STR and am not ashamed to admit it!)



 From the FNET.... about Falcon's alleged FCC Certification

 Conf : Atari 16/32 Bit
 Msg# : 1756/1765  Lines: 10  Read: 1
 Sent : Dec 12, 1992  at 1:43 PM
 To   : Don Liscombe
 From : Edward Kovarski at Fnet Node 66, The Bre(/\)ery _ Ajax_Canada _
 Subj : Re: <1734> Falcon FCC Certification #

 In reply to:

 - This FCC number thing is going just a little too far, fellows. Just give
 - it a month, and check your Atari dealer for Falcon stock.  At this
 - point, everyone has their opinions, and Atari states it has the FCC
 - number, and large stock to ship next month.  The proof will be at your
 - dealers, one way or the other. 

 This is exactly what I said previously.  It will all be known when the FCC
 number will be printed on the machines at the retailer. Until than it is
 unknown speculation.




  """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""



                      STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON"
                      """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""



 > A "Quotable Quote"           "... A SIGN OF THE TIMES...."
   """""""""""""""""


     Atari concentrated on marketing mainly in Europe because of many vague
     reasons..."

                  "ITS A PROVEN FACT, AS THE USA GOES...
                          ....SO GOES THE WORLD!"

                                     ..... MARSHAL

     "Ignoring the US market has led to the largest and most powerful
     purchasing public to be totally ignorant of a fine line of machines
     for far too long!"


                                              

  """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""




 > ABCO SPECIALS! STR InfoFile  * 1992 HOLIDAY Prices!  MORE Products! *
   """""""""""""""""""""""""""    ------------------------------------



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                 NOTICE:  ABCO will BEAT OR MATCH * ANY * 
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                         =========================
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                    FAX: 904-783-3319  12 PM - 6 AM EDT
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                 are clock/calendar and cooling blower(s).
                                        
            *-ALL ABCO HARD DISK SYSTEMS ARE FULLY EXPANDABLE-*
                    (you are NOT limited to two drives)
                      - Available for all Platforms -
                                        
       -* ICD LINK & ADSCSI PLUS HOST ADAPTERS USED EXCLUSIVELY *- 

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                       (Prepaid Orders - Cont. USA)

                                  *_*_*_*

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            DELUXE 2 bay Cabinet W/65w Auto PS & Blower $119.00
                    <<<Coming Soon! ABCO Mini-Tower>>>
       Case & ICD LINK or ADSCSI PLUS Host [Hard Disk Ready] $259.95

                          -STAND ALONE PRODUCTS-
                Model      Description    Autopark    Price
            ==================================================
               SGN4951      51Mb            Y         329.00
               SQN1096      85mb            Y         359.00
               SQN2055     130mb            Y         399.00
               SQN1296     213mb            Y         569.00
               SQN4055     340mb            Y         689.00
            ==================================================
             Standard "Shoebox Cabinet style is also available

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              MODERN TOWER CABINETS AVAILABLE Call for Info!
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                     """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
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                            ONE Cart Included!

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         - Syquest 44 Model [555] and the following hard drives -

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                  Or, YOUR choice of Hard Disk Mechanism!

                 LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS
                      CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE

           Listed above are a sampling of the systems available.
      Prices also reflect various cabinet/power supply configurations
    (over sixty configurations are available, flexibility is unlimited)

              * IBM/MSDOS - AMIGA - ATARI - APPLE/MACINTOSH *

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           LARGER units are available - (Custom Configurations)

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                      CALL FOR PRICING & AVAILABILITY
                  386/486 25 MHZ - 33Mhz - 50Mhz - 66Mhz
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                            Memorex 2108, 5287
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         Facit P6060, Fontx Syslaser, Harris3M 2006, M-Tally MT905
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           Panasonic KX -P 400 series, Panafax UF-750 Facsimile
                      ** $41.95 shipping included **

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                    * Replacement (804) Drums-$187.95 *

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               the exclusive U.S.A. distribution rights for
               ** Bitblit Software's ///Turbo Board BBS. **
               This fine Atari ST BBS system software and
               user support is available through ABCO to all
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                 QUANTITY & USERGROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
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                ABCO is EXPANDING!!  CALL FOR INFORMATION!

                   SEND FOR YOUR NEW ABCO CATALOG TODAY!


 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
                  STReport International Online Magazine
                     -* [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport *-
 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
 STR Online!           "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE"     December 18, 1992
 Since 1987      copyright (c) 1987-92 All Rights Reserved          No.8.50
 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
 Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
 the editors/staff of STReport  International Online  Magazine.  Permission
 to reprint  articles is  hereby granted, unless otherwise noted.  Reprints
 must, without exception, include the name of the  publication, date, issue
 number and  the author's  name .  STReport and/or portions therein may not
 be edited in any way without prior written  permission.   STReport, at the
 time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate.  STReport, its staff
 and contributors are not  and cannot  be held  responsible for  the use or
 misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom.
 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""


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