Z*Net: 31-May-93 #9317
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/06/93-12:16:40 AM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: Z*Net: 31-May-93 #9317
Date: Sun Jun 6 00:16:40 1993
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Z*NET: ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE * Copyright (c)1993, Syndicate Publishing
Volume 8, Number 17 Issue #501 May 31, 1993 File:93-17
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* Publisher/Editor..........................................Ron Kovacs
* Writer............................................Michael R. Burkley
* Contributing Writer.........................................Len Stys
* AtariNet Coordinator......................................Bill Scull
* America Online Correspondent..........................Bruce Hansford
* Compuserve Correspondent...............................Mike Mortilla
* Z*Net Newswire Correspondent..............................Mike Davis
* Z*Net News International Gateway - New Zealand............Jon Clarke
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
GEnie..............Z-NET CompuServe....75300,1642 Delphi.........ZNET
Internet...status.gen.nz America Online..ZNET1991 AtariNet..51:1/13.0
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|#| The Editors Desk...............................Ron Kovacs
|#| Z*Net Newswire...........................................
|#| Perusing Compuserve......................Michael Mortilla
|#| No Mail Order For The Falcon.....................Len Stys
|#| GEnie Announces New Pricing..............................
|#| GEnie ST RT News.............................John Hartman
|#| What Is The Software Publishers Association?.............
|#| Software Publishers Association Software Guide...........
|#| SPA Answers Your Questions...............................
|#| Z*Net Calender...........................................
|#| My Visit To A Fortune Teller.....................Len Stys
|#| The Unabashed Atariophile.................Michael Burkley
|#| 8 Steps To Put Atari Back On Top...........Tom D'Ambrosio
###### THE EDITORS DESK
###### By Ron Kovacs
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for downloading another edition of Z*Net. If you were looking
for rumors or insults, you downloaded the wrong publication. If you
were looking for a brief overview of Atari happenings, again, you
downloaded the wrong publication.
During the last two weeks I have been reading some interesting
discussions taking place on CompuServe. Some of which is addressed in
Mike Mortilla's column this week. I would like to add my comments on
the subject here.
The Subject: Atari Publications
I have been producing and been involved with Atari publications since
1985. In those years we have seen the passing of STart, Analog, Antic,
ST-Log, and many others, (too many to list). In 1993 we are left with
ST-Informer, AtariUser, if it decides to release an issue, Atari
Explorer, if it decides to release an issue, AIM, if it decides to
publish again, and the European magazines.
The community also has the online magazines. Z*Net, ST-Report, Atari
Explorer Online and CompuNews magazine. I can only speak for Z*Net,
however, as I look at the list, the Z*Net crew has had a hand in all of
them except CompuNews. I am not bragging here, but we did start it all
and we do have a right I suppose to parade that fact, but we won't! :-)
The content of these publications differ as they are all managed by
different people with different tastes. The Z*Net idea of things is to
provide as much information as possible that is of use to its readers.
We also use guidelines which are very simple and easy to follow. I
also ask the writers to stay on topic and provide as much information as
possible without "filling." We do not like to print false information,
damage character, or create controversies. We are not here to make the
news, only publish it.
Over the last year or so we have less news to print as the community has
shrunk. We have changed our focus to compensate for the shrinkage by
offering "Industry News" and articles that are generic and useful across
numerous computing platforms. We do not read the other publications
before we release. We have no idea what other publications are going to
print since we rarely share any information. However, being a part of
the community, there is going to be very little that is not going to be
covered by them all.
If the Atari community begins to grow in the future, the content of all
the publications will change. There will be more to talk about and more
to share. However, if there are going to be critics out there
complaining about any of the coverage within Z*Net, remember, we do it
for the enjoyment. Each issue is put together after we gather our
thoughts and articles. Each issue represents the work that went into it
before you got your hands on it. It takes many hours to edit, write and
compile each issue.
And last, be glad you have an online magazine providing you information.
Excluding the commentary, which I personally dislike reading and the
reason why you don't read much of it here, ... there is plenty of
information that is helpful. I am always reading comments or stories
based on material published in Z*Net. We even get credit sometimes!
Again, thanks for reading. This week our focus is on the Software
Publishers Association.
###### Z*NET NEWSWIRE
###### Industry News Update
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Headlines:
ATARI UPGRADES FALCON
ATARI POSTS LOSS OF $2 MILLION
COMMODORE LOSES $177.6 MILLION
AST TO ACQUIRE TANDY'S PC OPERATION
NEXT SHIPS NEW OS
IBM PC COMPANY INTRODUCES ADAPTER
PC/COMPUTING ESTABLISHES NEW STANDARD
SEGA INSTITUTES RATING SYSTEM
SPECTRUM HOLOBYTE TO PRODUCE STAR TREK FOR 3DO
STAR ANNOUNCES LASER-QUALITY PRINTER
ATARI UPGRADES FALCON
Atari Corp is now shipping the Falcon030 with an 80Meg hard disk. The
original release contained a 65Meg drive. The original drive is no
longer being manufactured and Atari has replaced the device without an
increase in price. On the dealer side of things, Atari now has over
120 dealers signed up for Falcon sales.
ATARI POSTS LOSS OF $2 MILLION
Atari reported its operations for the first quarter ended March 31,
1993. Sales for the quarter were $10.1 million versus $44.1 for the
same period in 1992. Anticipating the decline in sales, the company
instituted additional restructuring programs in the fourth quarter of
1992 and reduced its overhead in the first quarter of 1993 to $5.9
million, as compared to $16.1 million in the first quarter of 1992. As
a result of the lower sales offset by the lower overhead the company
incurred a net loss for 1993 of $2 million, as compared to a net loss of
$13.8 million in 1992. In addition, the company incurred a loss on
exchange of $12.1 million in 1992, versus a gain of $0.7 million in
1993. Commenting on the report, Sam Tramiel, president of Atari, said,
"The company has commenced shipments in small quantities of its new
Atari Falcon030 computers, and initial reactions have been favorable.
We expect production of the Falcon030 to increase during the second
quarter. In addition, the company has released for production its
proprietary chip set for its new multi-media entertainment system called
'Jaguar.' We are currently organizing the launch of this product. The
company has available over $40 million in cash to fund the introduction
of these new products."
ATARI CORP.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Quarter Ended
March 31, 1993 March 31, 1992
Net Sales $ 10,150 $ 44,079
Operating Income (loss) (3,074) (2,351)
Exchange Gain (loss) 731 (12,053)
Other Income (Expense) Net 169 79
Interest (Expense) Net of
Interest Income 45 468
Income (loss) from Before
Income Taxes (2,129) (13,857)
Income Taxes (recovery) (111) (9)
Net Income (loss) (2,018) (13,848)
Earnings Per Common and Equivalent Share:
Net Income (loss) $ (0.03) $ (0.24)
Weighted Average Number of Shares
Used in Computation 57,804 57,585
COMMODORE LOSES $177.6 MILLION
Commodore has reported a net loss of $177.6 million, or $5.37 per share
on sales of $120.9 million for the third fiscal quarter ended March 31,
1993. This compares with earnings of $4.1 million, or $.12 per share on
sales of $194.6 million in the year-ago quarter. For the nine months
ended March 31, 1993 the net loss was $273.6 million, or $8.27 per share
compared with net income of $49.5 million, or $1.47 per share in the
same period of the prior year. Sales for the nine months were $517.2
million compared with $770.3 million in the year-ago period.
COMMODORE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited; $000's)
Periods ended Three Months Nine Months
March 31 1993 1992 1993 1992
Net Sales $ 120,900 $194,600 $ 517,200 $770,300
Cost of Sales 232,200 140,300 618,400 538,300
Gross Profit (Loss) (111,300) 54,300 (101,200) 232,000
Operating Expenses 55,800 49,100 146,100 168,600
Operating Income (Loss) (167,100) 5,200 (247,300) 63,400
Interest Expense, Net 5,000 2,800 13,900 11,200
Other Expense (Income) 5,500 (1,900) 11,700 (100)
Income (Loss) Before
Income Taxes (177,600) 4,300 (272,900) 52,300
Provision for
Income Taxes --- 200 700 2,800
Net Income (Loss) $(177,600) $ 4,100 $(273,600) $ 49,500
Net Income (Loss) Per Share $(5.37) $ .12 $(8.27) $1.47
Average Shares
Outstanding 33,086,000 34,137,000 33,068,000 33,782,000
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited; $000's)
March 31, March 31,
1993 1992
Cash and Investments $ 21,500 $ 60,800
Accounts Receivable, Net 152,100 255,400
Inventories 106,700 202,200
Other Current Assets 10,000 9,400
Total Current Assets 290,300 527,800
Other Assets 83,900 108,200
Total $374,200 $636,000
Current Debt $115,300 $ 71,800
Other Current Liabilities 191,800 165,800
Total Current Liabilities $307,100 $237,600
Long-Term Debt and Other 37,100 60,300
Shareholders' Equity 30,000 338,100
Total $374,200 $636,000
AST TO ACQUIRE TANDY'S PC OPERATION
AST announced last week that it has executed a letter of intent with
Tandy concerning AST's purchase of certain assets and assumption of
certain liabilities relating to Tandy's personal computer manufacturing
operations. The assets to be purchased will include GRiD, Tandy-GRiD
Europe and computer manufacturing plants in Texas and Scotland. The
specific assets to be purchased (which will exclude accounts receivable)
and liabilities to be assumed will be detailed in a definitive purchase
agreement to be entered into by the parties. The purchase price is
estimated not to exceed $175 million. The consideration will be paid in
the form of either cash and three-year promissory notes, or all cash, at
the election of AST.
NEXT SHIPS NEW OS
NeXT Computer has begun shipping its new NextStep operating system for
Intel processors and announced early last week that a partnership with
Hewlett-Packard to bring the object-oriented software to the financial
services community. NeXT also announced distribution agreements with
several major original-equipment manufacturers, including Digital
Equipment, Compaq and NCR. NeXT said it has initial orders for some
25,000 copies of its new operating system. Earlier this year, NeXT
announced plans to exit the hardware business. The company continues
negotiations to sell its hardware operations, including a Fremont,
Calif., automated manufacturing plant, to Japanese electronics giant
Canon, which owns 17.9 percent of NeXT. Steve Jobs, who co-founded
Apple Computer, started NeXT after leaving Apple in 1985. He owns 46
percent of NeXT. The company introduced its first computer in 1988.
The NextStep OS carries a list price of $795, while its developer tools
- special programs that help programmers write programs - will cost
$1,995.
IBM PC COMPANY INTRODUCES ADAPTER
The IBM Personal Computer Company introduced a communications adapter
last week, that has the ability to turn a personal computer into a
complete telecommunications center. The IBM WindSurfer Communications
Adapter utilizes Mwave technology to consolidate the separate data/FAX
modem, audio, voice messaging and telephone answering functions into a
single add-in card. The WindSurfer is a 16-bit ISA busmaster adapter
that occupies a single full-size slot in ISA or EISA systems with a
386SX or greater processor. It operates under Microsoft Windows 3.1
(enhanced mode) and complies with the audio specifications of the
Multimedia PC Marketing Council (MPC), Inc.
PC/COMPUTING ESTABLISHES NEW STANDARD
PC/Computing announced at Comdex that it has established a new
measurement of usability in computer products and will be recognizing
products that meet its qualifications with a usability seal of approval.
PC/Computing is the first publication to create a seal that indicates a
product has passed a rigorous set of usability tests. PC/Computing has
designed a system for clear, concise evaluation of products based on
their usability. The seal will be awarded only to products that meet
PC/Computing's exacting, real world test standards. For more
information contact PC/Computing, published by Ziff-Davis Publishing
Co. Sharon Cornelious, 415/578-7720 Brenda Wheeler, 212/503-3256.
IBM ANNOUNCES "AUDIO SOLUTION BOARD"
IBM has announced the Audio Solution Board (ASB) is now available to the
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market. The ASB offers a
powerful, integrated multimedia single card solution with support for CD
ROM drives eliminating the need for separate cards to run each
multimedia function. The Audio Solution Board is based on Mwave digital
signal processing (DSP) technology which has been recognized as the next
step in bringing multimedia capabilities to the desktop computer.
SEGA INSTITUTES RATING SYSTEM
A new ratings system will begin to appear on Sega video games this
month. Initially, Sega will provide three ratings classifications:
"GA" for general audiences; "MA-13" for mature audiences (parental
discretion advised); and "MA-17" for adults (not appropriate for
minors). An evaluation by a Sega executive advisory council will
determine the rating for each game. Focusing on age appropriateness for
young, teenage and adult audiences, the review process will address the
three following areas: the basic premise and rules of gameplay;
graphical depictions of the characters and background scenes; and the
audio content of the game. Sega also plans to use consumer focus groups
and industry representatives to provide input on game ratings as well.
The ratings system will appear immediately on all new Sega games and
eventually will be included on new titles created by third-party game
developers for the Genesis Game Gear and Sega CD systems.
STAR ANNOUNCES LASER-QUALITY PRINTER
Star Micronics has announced the SJ-144 laser-quality printer that
produces full color and exceptionally sharp, monochrome text and graphic
images. With a print speed of up to 382 characters per second and 360
dots per inch raster graphics resolution, the SJ-144 is an affordable
alternative to more expensive laser printers, a significant and
inexpensive upgrade from color dot matrix printers, and offers both a
price performance and superior technological advantage over current ink
jet printers. With a suggested retail price of $599, the printer is
intended for use by home office and small business PC users who want to
add the advantages of laser-quality color to documents, presentations
and designs. The SJ-144 will be available in July of 1993 and will be
sold in North and South America through Star's authorized distributors
and dealers. For more information, contact Star Micronics,(212) 986-
6770.
SPECTRUM HOLOBYTE TO PRODUCE STAR TREK FOR 3DO
Spectrum HoloByte announced last week that it has formed the New
Entertainment Division. The group will oversee the creation of titles
on emerging technologies, including the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and
the various CD-ROM platforms. In exclusive agreements with Paramount
Pictures and Sega respectively, the NED will produce 3DO and Sega CD
games based on the hit television series "Star Trek: The Next
Generation." Drew Pictures' science-fiction adventure "Iron Helix," due
to ship in June for the Macintosh CD-ROM, will be the first of these
titles.
###### PERUSING COMPUSERVE
###### By Michael Mortilla
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
"Mr. Ley, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my
picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark all
these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me,
otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it."
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)
Gathering news for use in ZNET (at least for this column) is not like
true "journalism" as I understand it. No diary or notes need to be
kept. Just a watchful eye on the Atari online community. The way this
magazine is put together is simple, too. The writers send their stories
to the editor/publisher. He puts the whole thing together and uploads
it to the services. There are currently three such magazines "floating"
around the Atari online crowd: Atari Explorer Online, ST Report and this
publication.
On CompuServe recently, Oscar Steele recently posted a message that he
is trying to start another online publication, as well, tentatively
called CompuNews Online. In his original message, Oscar writes:
"In these meager days, we need all the support and news that we can get.
However, after just reading Z*Net, ST Report and Atari Explorer Online,
I believe that these publications have lost track of one of the purposes
of providing a publication: to provide news. A few ads are
understandable, this is a capitalistic society.
The problem is that lot of the information among them is rehashed from
one publication to another. I've read the same press releases three
times in some instances. And each is about 70K in length (compressed)."
He goes on to say that he doesn't want these magazines to disappear, but
would like to provide a "clear, short, and concise online newspaper (not
magazine).
At least one forum member felt pretty strongly in favor of this. Peter
Joseph writes:
"You're so right. Some online mags have more of the _same_ stuff from
week to week than they have _new_ stuff. And they don't even bother to
move it around; they just do a bunch of block cuts/pastes for editorials
and a few 'clips' from stuff I've already read online. Of course, this
is in between all the same, old, boring Sam T. quotes and the same, old,
boring, now-nauseating negativism. They cram all this into a 60K+ file
with a bunch of new headlines getting us to spend 10 minutes downloading
it, only to find it's the same stuff. They justify all this by saying
"we're just reporting the uncensored facts". I say, Blah, Blah, Blah.
I'm sick of the facts, they haven't changed in months. Let us know when
something's changed at Atari, and find something productive to report
for a change.
There Oscar, that's your first editorial. :^)
< Peter >"
I cannot speak for any of the online magazines, including this one; that
is for the editors to do. But I can offer my views on some of these
issues.
I grew up in the New York metropolitan area. With 8 million+ people in
NYC and another 3 or 4 million in the burbs, supporting 6 or 7 or 8
*big* newspapers was do-able. When I moved to the sleepy little town of
80,000 where I current reside, I went into shock when I found we had
only one newspaper. As a composer and performer, this is particularly
difficult. That means that, for the most part, we have one or two
reviewers for our theatre and dance events. There is a "free, artsy"
paper that tries to be the Village Voice and other transient papers that
come and go, but by and large, we have one "real" newspaper. This is
also the case in many other "small" towns of 100,000 or less across the
country.
So how many Atari users are online on all the services combined? I
don't know, but my guess is that our numbers are far fewer than 100,000.
Not only that, but the news reported and the advertisers who send press
releases are for a very narrow and very specific market: The Atari
Community. So how on earth could there be enough news to fill three or
four publications without some duplication? Why do you think so many of
the Atari print magazines have folded?
As far as repetition goes, it's easy to miss an issue or two of your
favorite online magazine. Why should you miss an important
announcement, too? The repetitions are not there as "fillers" but as a
service.
To defend ZNET and the publisher/editor, Ron Kovacs, I would like to say
two things.
One: ZNET also reports news from the computing community at large, with
a slightly wider focus than just the Atari community. The stories also
cover events at Apple, IBM and others. This wider focus is important
because what happens in the computing community, as a whole, is just as
important to the Atari user as the latest release of a new Atari
machine.
Two: When I started writing for ZNET, Ron Kovacs told me personally that
length wasn't as important as content. He'd rather have 500 words of
interest than 2000 words of fill. I usually try to offer between 1000
and 1500 words each week, but don't feel the need to go on endlessly
because of blank space in the publication.
Finally, when I first took on the job of writing for ZNET, the
"standard" was to cut and paste messages from the BBS and leave it at
that. I hated it and added comments between messages, while severely
editing extraneous sections. This technique has been followed by
"other" online magazines since then. Imitation is the highest form of
flattery, but originality is the highest form of art! So I started
paraphrasing and inferring messages, still covering the threads for the
most part. That "works" but I needed more. You can read the messages
for yourself. What I felt was needed was a deeper focus on specific
issues. Like this one!
All along the way, Ron Kovacs has never said I couldn't do this or that,
and has, for the most part, left my writing intact. No censorship or
additions. The cutting has always been on the information which was
repeated elsewhere in the publication.
What's important to realize about these magazines and other
"institutionalized" entities, is that they aren't always the result of a
single mind, but a melding of many minds and personalities. A magazine
is only as good as it's writers, a symphony only as good as it's
players, and a community only as united as it's residents. As far as
the negativism perceived, I can only say that we don't make the news, we
only report it. If I paint a picture of someone with a wart on their
nose, who am I serving by *not* painting the wart?
###### NO MAIL-ORDER FOR THE FALCON030
###### By Len Stys
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Atari U.S.'s Bob Brodie recently announced that the Falcon030 will not
be sold through mail-order. The announcement raises a lot of questions.
What if there is no dealer near someone wishing to purchase Atari's new
computer? What happens if there is a dealership near a person looking
to buy a Falcon030, but he or she does not care to purchase the
Falcon030 from them? Should these people forget about owning a
Falcon030? I asked Bob Brodie these and other questions so that we can
clear up any confusion relating to this topic.
According to Bob Brodie, the main reason why Atari established the "no
mail-order" policy is to protect Atari Dealerships. Bob said, "They
(Atari Dealers) have been complaining loudly for years about the way
that 'the mailorder lowballers' have been taking business away from
them. We've listened to them, we've responded."
Atari Dealers have been complaining about companies that advertise Atari
computers in magazines at very low prices. These mail-order companies
usually sell a lot of computers because of the price that they charge.
Because they sell in large quantities, they make more profit. Atari
Dealerships normally do not sell computers in large quantities resulting
in a smaller profit. They also have a very large overhead that many of
the mail-order companies do not. They must pay rent for a store-front,
electricity, gas, and employees. Atari Dealers charge more than mail-
order companies so that they can stay in business.
Bob Brodie said, "We're taking the higher road in trying to re-build our
dealerships."
Atari Dealers are an important part of Atari's future. In order for
Atari to sell their computers, the company needs to interest people that
do not know what Atari computers are capable of doing. Atari will not
be able to just advertise "BUY ATARI COMPUTERS" in a magazine and hope
that people will order one blindly through mail-order. People must see
and touch the Falcon030 before they buy it. And in order for them to
see and touch it, there must be Atari Dealerships near them.
If people try out the Falcon030 at Atari Dealerships and then order it
through mail-order, dealers will go out of business. And, the Atari
Community will never grow.
Ok, so we now understand WHY Atari established the "no mail-order"
policy. The only question left is how it effects us.
I asked Bob what if there are no Atari Dealers near someone that wishes
to purchase the Falcon030. He responded that the person should contact
the closest Atari Dealership and explain the situation. The Atari
Dealership will then obtain permission from Atari in order to mail the
Falcon030 to this person. Bob explained that protecting dealers close
to this person is only one of the reasons why dealerships must obtain
permission from Atari. Another reason is that Atari records exactly
where Atari computers are being sent. If there is a demand for Atari
computers in this area, Atari will attempt to open an Atari Dealership
there.
Bob did not say this, but it is plain to see that the "no mail-order"
policy also gives Atari a better idea of where Atari users are located.
Right now, Atari has no idea of how many Atari users are in Cleveland,
Chicago, or Los Angeles. In the future, Atari will know exactly where
Atari users are. This is especially useful information when the company
is marketing new products or planning an Atari show.
My next question to Bob was what if there is an Atari Dealership near
someone wishing to buy a Falcon030, but he or she does not wish to
patronize this dealership because of bad experience. He replied that
the person should contact Atari U.S. and let them know of any problems.
Bob said, "We have a number of rep firms now, and I have no problem
sending them out to talk to a dealer that customers have been
complaining about." The person can also contact their next closest
Atari Dealer, explain the situation, and buy their Atari computer from
them.
Sound simple enough? Well, maybe... Remember, Atari still has to
approve each Falcon030 sale that is sent through mail. The term "area"
is not specifically defined and unless everyone at Atari knows their
geography, there may be problems.
So is Atari's "no mail-order" policy a good idea? Only if Atari
increases the number of Atari Dealerships so that competition exists.
If there is only one Atari Dealership in your area, they do not need to
offer you incentives to buy the Falcon030 from them. In fact, they do
not have to charge you anything less than retail.
Atari Corporation has taken a bold first step to help Atari Dealerships.
The more Atari helps their dealers sell Atari computers, the more money
Atari makes. This is simple logic. But, Atari Dealerships must also
overcome second guessing. In the past few years, some dealers were not
100% behind the Atari computers they sold. They often second guessed if
selling an Atari computer to an individual was the right thing to do.
This is not surprising since PC technology was advancing much quicker
than Atari technology. Also, Atari often left dealers in the dark about
a lot of things such as when products that they ordered several months
ago would arrive. Atari Dealerships need to get behind the Falcon030
100% and Atari Corporation needs to continue to convince them that it is
the right thing to do.
###### GENIE ANNOUNCES NEW PRICING
###### Open Letter To GEnie Subscribers
###### From John Barber, GEnie General Manager
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
On July 1st, a new pricing structure goes into effect at GEnie. It's a
big day for us -- the result of months of planning, number-crunching,
monitoring and maneuvering around the competition.
And once again, we're looking forward to showing the online community
that no one offers a better value than GEnie.
We have to admit that over the last few months, it's been difficult to
watch the other major online companies, one after another, proclaim that
their new prices make them "the ultimate value."
But rest assured, we do not intend to give up our leadership position as
the best value online.
GEnie has always offered its subscribers the best combination of
sophisticated services, information, entertainment -- and affordability.
And we've done it once again. Starting July 1st, GEnie will offer you
the lowest hourly connect time of all the major online services;
combined with a highly-competitive monthly subscription fee; and credit
each month for up to four hours online.
Effective July 1st, this is GEnie's new U.S. pricing structure:
% Our monthly subscription fee becomes $8.95 a month.
% Our standard hourly connect rate drops to $3.00 an hour.
% And every month, you'll get a credit for up to 4 hours of standard
$3.00 connect time.
It's about that simple. For our Canadian and international PDN
customers, a complete price chart follows at the end of this letter. It
also contains the fine print regarding prime time, baud rates, etc., so
it's worth taking some time to look over.
SIMPLY BETTER
You might notice one more important benefit to our plan.
We kept it simple. It's easy to understand, easy to live with.
For starters, we've simplified the pricing. All the services formerly
in GEnie*Basic and in GEnie Value are now treated equally, and available
at the same low price -- $3.00 an hour in non-prime time.
Multi-player games, downloading, computing bulletin boards, real-time
conferences -- they're all just $3.00 an hour. (Half what you've been
paying for GEnie Value services!)
GEnie*Basic services, yes, they're now included in the $3/hour group,
too. GE Mail -- it's $3.00 an hour, with no limit to the number of
messages. Internet Mail is now $3 an hour, with no registration fee.
And don't forget. You also get a credit for up to four hours of $3/hour
time, every month.
OK, NOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MY MONTHLY BILL?
Let's cut to the chase. This is what everyone really wants to know.
The answer is -- for the majority of our users, it means very little
change at all, or a change for the better.
When we started working on the price change, we studied the usage
patterns of our active members to see who would be affected, and to what
extent. We concluded that more than 85% would see about the same or
lower bills at the end of the month.
For the people who like to keep to a strict budget each month, this plan
offers a lot of flexibility and a broader range of services than before.
You have a set subscription fee. And for that fee, you get a credit for
four hours of standard connect time to spend just about anywhere on
GEnie.
There's no asterisk-chasing to make sure you haven't strayed into Value
services. Less worry of credit card shock. You can even explore areas
of GEnie you thought you couldn't afford before.
For the active users who spend significant hours a month on GEnie,
especially in the former GEnie Value services, you should see a
tremendous savings. The hourly rate is half what it was before -- and
the best in the business!
Now -- who will see prices rise under the new system? Generally
speaking, anyone who's accustomed to making unusually heavy use of
GEnie*Basic services will have to change his or her usage to keep
monthly bills down.
SO WHY CHANGE?
Maybe you're wondering why we're bothering to change the rate, if so few
people are affected. After all, GEnie has had flat fee pricing for
three years now.
Well, we did it for a couple of reasons. With our new pricing, we can
continue to stay competitive in the marketplace, and we can continue to
improve our service to you.
We found that, under the former pricing, a small number of our customers
were making heavy demands on our service -- demands which began to
outpace our infrastructure and capacity. The result was a level of
performance that pleased no one. Not you. Not us. And yet, while
other companies were eliminating or reducing their flat-rate access, we
were holding to ours.
Something had to change. And a price restructuring was the best
solution for the majority of our users.
Now, with the new rates, no one group of members is unduly favored;
GEnie can continue to stay highly competitive among online companies;
and we can continue to improve our service to you.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKS
There are other changes involved here besides our prices. "Staying
competitive" means offering you better products, better service and
better system performance.
Right now, we have a number of improvements in the works. We're
developing new front-end software packages for Windows and Macintosh
systems -- look for more on that over the coming months. We're making
technical improvements to enhance our performance and speed. We'll be
adding new services soon, along with new bulletin boards and of course,
we'll continue to update our software libraries with more valuable
files.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
GEnie has always been the very best service for people who really enjoy
being online, and who expect great products and the best value for the
time they spend with us.
That's not going to change. In fact, this new pricing structure should
make it even easier for you to enjoy everything we have to offer. We're
looking forward to seeing you online.
Sincerely,
John Barber
General Manager, GEnie
GEnie Pricing (effective July 1, 1993)
+-----------------+----------------------+
GEnie Services | U.S. (U.S.$) [5]| CANADA (CAN $) |
+-----------------------------+-----------------+----------------------|
|Monthly Subscription Fee | $8.95/month | $10.95/month |
+-----------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+
|Hours Credited Per Month [1] | Up to 4 hours | Up to 4 hours |
+-----------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+
|Hourly Connect Charge | $3.00/hour | $4.00/hour |
+-----------------------------+-----------------+----------------------+
|GEnie Premium Services |Prices vary per individual service. |
| |These include: Charles Schwab Brokerage |
| |Services (not available in Canada), Dow |
| |Jones News/Retrieval (R), The Official |
| |Airline Guides Electronic Edition (R) |
| |Travel Service, QuikNews clipping |
| |service, Telebase Investment |
| |ANALY$T (SM),ARTIST (R) gateway. |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+
Additional Charges (where applicable) [4]
+-----------------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Prime Time Surcharge [2] | $9.50/hour | $12.00/hour |
+-----------------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|9600 Baud Surcharge | $6.00/hour | $8.00/hour |
+-----------------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Communications Surcharge: | | |
| R800S Service [3] | $6.00/hour | -- |
| Extended Network | $2.00/hour | -- |
| SprintNet | $2.00/hour | -- |
| Datapac | -- | $6.00/hour |
+-----------------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
| [1] Credit for up to 4 hours of standard $3.00 U.S. ($4.00 CAN$) |
| connect time. Hours credited apply to current month only. |
| [2] Prime-time: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. local time on weekdays only. The |
| prime-time surcharge is in addition to $3/hour charge. Prime- |
| time surcharge is waived for selected holidays. Residents of |
| Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Arizona and Puerto Rico, please verify |
| hours with GEnie Client Services. |
| [3] "800" Service surcharge waived at 9600 baud. |
| [4] State taxes will apply in some areas. |
| [5] International PDN subscribers billed in U.S.$ at U.S. rates. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
###### GENIE ATARI RT NEWS
###### By John Hartman
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
= GENIE SYSTEM NEWS =
New Usage Guidelines and Terms and Conditions...........*POLICY
GEnie Services has revised its Usage Guidelines, as well as its Terms
and Conditions. These revisions become effective Sunday, May 16, 1993.
Please be sure to review these new documents by typing *POLICY or POLICY
at any GEnie menu prompt.
GEnie Announces Rate Restructure Effective July 1, 1993.....*NEWRATES
May 24, 1993 -- GEnie today announced a new pricing stucture, for the
U.S, and Canada, that reduces hourly connect rates by 50%. Effective
July 1, GEnie's standard hourly connect rate drops to $3.00 per hour
($4.00 Canadian). The monthly fee has been restructured, and moves from
$4.95 to $8.95 (from $5.95 to $10.95 in Canada), which will include up
to four hours of standard connect time access to most GEnie services,
such as software downloads, bulletin boards, email, an Internet gateway,
multi-player games and chat lines. This change also eliminates the
GEnie*Basic package.
For a further description of the new pricing structure, please type
*NEWRATES or M620 at any GEnie menu prompt.
= CURRENT DARLAH'S TREATS =
DARLAH'S TREAT F2_DEMO.LZH Option 9 on PAGE 475
FLASH II DEMO - version 2.1
You'll be able to test as many of Flash II's features as possible in
this demo version. Naturally, many features of the program are either
disabled or limited. Product support is available in the Atari RT
Bulletin Board Category 8, Topic 2. Uploaded by Missionware Software.
= LAST WEEK'S NEW PRESS RELEASES =
28787 HOMESHOW.TXT X B.GOCKLEY 930520 5760 26 14
28783 SHOW1.ASC X B.WELSCH 930520 2048 21 14
= LAST WEEK'S NEW DEMO RELEASES =
28790 C_PSLIB.ZIP X AEO.1 930521 79488 16 10
28748 ECCBDEMO.LZH X BAGET 930516 83200 35 10
28737 LOV_2.ZIP X JLHOFFMAN 930515 103168 35 10
28735 LOV_1.ZIP X JLHOFFMAN 930515 132992 35 10
= LAST WEEK'S TOP 10 DOWNLOADED PROGRAMS =
28736 DCX22B.LZH X P.LEE14 930515 44288 265 40
28734 DCSEA22B.LZH X P.LEE14 930515 32256 194 2
28750 HARDWARE.LZH X L.SMITH70 930516 9984 114 3
28774 MGDPK212.ZIP X L.SMITH70 930519 26496 103 2
28797 DUPFIND.ZIP X A.FASOLDT 930521 13440 99 2
28753 MAGI.ZIP X L.SMITH70 930517 7680 98 2
28808 PAULA22A.ZIP X A.FASOLDT 930522 49792 89 29
28761 TVINFO.LZH X R.MORROW10 930518 7552 86 21
28804 LTMF_120.ZIP X A.FASOLDT 930521 57856 76 2
28725 STARPLAY.LZH X J.ROY18 930513 40448 70 29
###### WHAT IS THE SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION?
###### Overview
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
The Software Publishers Association (SPA) is the principal trade
association of the microcomputer software industry. Founded in 1984 by
25 firms, the SPA now has more than 900 members, which include the major
business, consumer and education software companies and smaller firms
with annual revenues of less than $1 million. The SPA is committed to
promoting the industry and protecting the interests of its membership.
The SPA has two membership categories: full and associate. Software
firms that produce, release, develop or license microcomputer software
and are principally responsible for the marketing and sales of that
software are eligible to apply for full membership status. Firms that
develop software but do not publish are also eligible. Associate
membership is open to firms that do not publish software, but provide
services to software companies. These members include vendors,
consultants, market research firms, distributors and hardware
manufacturers.
Business, Consumer, and Education Sections
Full SPA members can choose to be part of the Business, Consumer, and
Education Sections by contributing 25% of their dues to one or more of
these specialized subgroups. Section participation comes free with
membership, and it entitles members to information on a specific segment
of the industry. Many members devote all 25% of their dues to one
section, and some elect to join all three sections. Either way, you
will be invited to participate in section meetings, projects, the
planning of SPA meeting sessions, and other activities related to
specific software markets.
Business Section: The Business Section comprises the largest subgroup
of the SPA membership, with representative companies ranging from small
start-ups to some of the largest software firms. The group focuses many
of its activities and meetings on licensing and managing software
assets, as well as tax-related issues. The Business Section also played
an integral role in developing the SPA Resource Guide for Developing
Your Software Business, which is collection of articles covering key
issues in the industry such as marketing, distribution, PR, and finance.
Consumer Section: The Consumer Section is comprised of publishers of
consumer games, recreation software, home productivity programs, as well
as other companies specializing in consumer software. The Consumer
Section will be offering free to its members the results of its End-User
survey, which will scrutinize hardware and software purchases of 1500
households with computers. The Section also publishes a quarterly
newsletter focusing on consumer software issues. The group meets
several times a year at SPA meetings and trade shows, including Summer
and Winter CES, to discuss projects and issues affecting the consumer
software industry.
Education Section: With member companies publishing software for the
K-12 and higher-education markets, the Education Section plays an active
role in this segment of the industry. Past projects have included a
School Software Survey, the Education LAN Survey, the Report on the
Effectiveness of Microcomputers in Schools, among others. Programs are
also being developed to promote awareness of software piracy amongst
teachers and students. The Education Section comes together at SPA
meetings and other educational conferences throughout the year.
International Activities
SPA Europe was created to promote and provide services to the European
software industry. Now in its second full year of operation, SPA Europe
represents more than 100 European software publishers, re-publishers,
distributors, SPU manufacturers, and other undustry-related firms, in 15
different countries from Iceland to Turkey. Companies interested in
joining SPA Europe should contact the membership department at:
SPA Europe
2 Place de la Defense
World Trade Center, CNIT BP 416
92053 Paris La Defense, France
Tel: 33-(1) 46 92 27 03/04 Fax: 33-(1) 46 92 25 31
Programs and Benefits
SPA Semiannual Conferences: The SPA meets twice a year, on the east
coast in the Fall and on the west coast in the Spring. The conferences,
which attract more than 1000 attendees, offer members an opportunity to
meet with industry leaders and executives. Attendees participate in
informative sessions, discuss issues and mobilize their efforts in
committee meetings, which focus on the consumer, education and business
markets.
European Conference: The European conference, hosted by SPA Europe, is
an opportunity to meet with more than 350 peers in an informal setting.
It also offers a chance to learn more about the European software
industry and the forces that drive international markets. For the past
3 years, the European Conference has been held in Cannes, France.
Market Research Program: Each month, participating publishers receive
detailed market sales reports. Members use the SPA's monthly aggregate
sales reports to track software industry trends, the relative sizes of
market segments and their own market share. Members that participate in
this market research program submit sales figures and information to the
national accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. in Washington, D.C.,
The reports are available only to the SPA members who share their
confidential sales figures and information. Individual company sales
data is not disclosed. According to many of the SPA's members, the
reports are the most reliable source of market data available to the
industry.
Salary Survey: The SPA conducts the software industry's most extensive
salary survey. The annual survey focuses on human resource practices,
and short and long term compensation for more than 30 positions common
to companies in our industry. Participants receive the survey results
free of charge.
CEO Roundtable: Chief Executive Officers of member companies meet in
small groups with other CEOs of non-competitive firms to discuss
informally a wide range of business problems including marketing,
personnel and breaking into the distribution channel.
Contracts Reference Disk and Manual: The Contracts Reference Disk and
Manual (CRD) is a compendium of legal contracts used in the software
industry. Although it is not intended to replace an attorney, it is an
indispensable tool that includes everything from nondisclosure
agreements to site-licensing agreements. It costs $300 for nonmembers,
but is free to members.
Lobbying: The SPA provides industry representation before the U.S.
Congress and the executive branch of government and keeps members up-to-
date on events in Washington, D.C., that effect them. The fight against
software piracy is among its top priorities. The SPA is the industry's
primary defense against software copyright violators both in the United
States and abroad. Litigation and an ongoing advertising campaign are
ways in which the SPA strives to protect the copyrights of its members.
SPA Newsletter and Complimentary Subscriptions: Members receive the SPA
News on a monthly basis. The newsletter updates members on SPA programs
and activities. Special features include start-up success stories and
"country profiles" covering international marketing and distribution
issues. In addition, members receive complimentary subscriptions to
industry publications, including Jeffrey Tarter's Soft*letter, Digital
Information Group's Software Industry Bulletin and Broadview Associates'
Perspectives.
Award Programs: The SPA Excellence in Software Awards recognize products
that have achieved a high level of excellence, as determined by the SPA
members. They are the software industry's version of the movie
industry's Oscars. Members vote to award prizes in 25 categories,
including best software program, best entertainment, best business
application, best home learning and best new use of a computer. The
winners receive national publicity.
The Sales Certification Program awards certifications to software
products that reach outstanding sales levels of 500,000; 250,000;
100,000; and 50,000 units sold. Gelfand, Renner & Feldman, the
accounting firm that manages the Recording Industry of America's
certifications, conducts the sales audits for the SPA.
Special Interest Groups (SIG) All SPA members may choose to join any
number of Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Each SIG maintains individual
memberships (unlike the SPA membership, which is corporate) with dues of
at least $100 per person per SIG.
All SIGs are member driven. While some SIGs have chosen to produce
reports, initiate projects, and assemble sessions at SPA conferences,
others use the group as a forum for information exchange, discussion and
networking. Refer to each SIG description for its specific activities.
All SIGs meet formally at least twice a year at SPA conferences. Some
SIGs meet more frequently at other industry trade shows, such as COMDEX
and CES.
CD SIG: The CD SIG was formed to promote the CD as a viable medium in
the computer industry. Through a better understanding of the
implications of this emerging technology, this SIG plans to assist
members in planning and profitably executing CD programs.
International SIG: As a coalition of software publishers and
distributors involved in international markets, the International SIG
seeks to provide members with information on creating partnerships and
business alliances in overseas markets. The SIG aims to help its
members develop and sustain profitable international sales and
operations through reports, resource guides and international sessions
at SPA conferences.
Macintosh SIG: The Macintosh SIG consists of Macintosh software vendors
that work to facilitate the sharing of information and resources. The
SIG promotes the common business interests of companies developing,
publishing, marketing or reporting on products for the Apple Macintosh
computer.
Marketing SIG: The Marketing SIGs goal is to promote successful
marketing in the PC software industry by allowing participants to share
information and ideas regarding relevant marketing issues. SIG projects
have included a biannual marketing newsletter, planning the marketing
bootcamps at SPA conferences, and a collection of 450 tips called "The
Do's and Don'ts of PC Software Marketing."
Pen Computing SIG: The Pen Computing SIG offers players in this
emerging market an opportunity to network and discuss issues relevant to
pen computing. The SIG aims to promote awareness of pen computing in
the industry and acts as an information source for companies involved in
this emerging technology.
Public Relations SIG: The PR SIG offers public relations professionals
within the SPA and the software industry an opportunity to share
information, network and discuss common concerns.
Software Production Services SIG: Formerly the Packaging SIG, the
Software Production Services SIG was recently reorganized to meet the
needs of packagers and publishers alike. The group intends to act as an
information source for its members, and broaden its focus to include
translation, distribution, project management, as well as packaging
issues.
Workgroup Computing SIG: The newly-formed Workgroup Computing SIG aims
to foster the growth of groupware capabilities and market acceptance by
enabling vendors of PC LAN products to share information on issues
related to this emerging segment of the industry. The Workgroup SIG is
currently soliciting new members who have an interest in groupware
technology.
###### SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION SOFTWARE GUIDE
###### ISSUES OF ETHICAL SOFTWARE USE
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
THE LAW
Software is automatically protected by federal copyright law from the
moment of its creation. The rights granted to the owner of a copyright
are clearly stated in the Copyright Act, which is found at Title 17 of
the US Code. The Act gives the owner of the copyright the exclusive
rights to "reproduce the copyrighted work" and "to distribute copies ...
of the copyrighted work" (Section 106). It also states that "anyone who
violates any of the exclusive rights of the copyright owner ... is an
infringer of the copyright" (Section 501), and sets forth several
penalties for such conduct. Persons who purchase a copy of software
have no right to make additional copies without the permission of the
copyright owner, except for the rights to (i) copy the software onto a
single computer and to (ii) make "another copy for archival purposes
only, which are specifically provided in the Copyright Act(Section 117).
Software creates unique problems for copyright owners because it is so
easy to duplicate, and the copy is usually as good as the original.
This fact, however, does not make it legal to violate the rights of the
copyright owner. Although software is a new medium of intellectual
property, its protection is grounded in the long-established copyright
rules that govern other more familiar media, such as records, books, and
films. The unauthorized duplication of software constitutes copyright
infringement regardless of whether it is done for sale, for free
distribution, or for the copier's own use. Moreover, copiers are liable
for the resulting copyright infringement whether or not they knew their
conduct violated federal law. Penalties include liability for damages
suffered by the copyright owner plus any profits of the infringer that
are attributable to the copying, or statutory damages of up to $100,000
for each work infringed. The unauthorized duplication of software is
also a Federal crime if done "willfully and for purposes of commercial
advantage or private financial gain." Criminal penalties include fines
of as much as $250,000 and jail terms of up to 5 years.
USE OF SOFTWARE
Anyone who purchases a copy of software has the right to load it onto a
single computer and to make another copy "for archival purposes only."
It is illegal to load that software onto more than one computer or to
make copies of that software for any other purpose unless specific
permission has been obtained from the copyright owner. The law applies
equally, for example, to a $25 game and a $750 project management
program. Each product reflects a substantial investment of time and
money by many individuals. Software development involves a team effort
that blends the creative talents of writers, programmers and graphic
artists. Piracy diminishes the value of a program and further, deprives
the developers of fair compensation.
Software piracy inhibits innovation. The software industry is filled
with new developers trying to break into a crowded market. They can
survive only if their products are purchased. Each theft makes staying
in business more difficult.
RENTAL OF SOFTWARE
It has always been illegal to rent unauthorized copies of software.
However, concern over the fact that the rental of authorized or original
software frequently resulted in the creation of pirated software led
Congress to enact the Software Rental Amendments Act of 1990 (Public Law
101-650), which now prohibits the rental, leasing, or lending of
original copies of any software without the express permission of the
copyright owner. Consequently, it is important to recognize and comply
with this clarification of the copyright law.
USE OF SOFTWARE BY SCHOOLS
Public or private educational institutions are not exempt from the
copyright laws. To the contrary, because of their unique position of
influence, schools must remain committed to upholding the copyright
laws. Just as it would be wrong to buy one textbook and photocopy it
for use by other students, it is wrong for a school to duplicate
software (or to allow its faculty or students to do so) without
authority from the publisher.
Some people claim that software publishers should allow schools to copy
programs because it is the only way some school systems can afford to
provide enough software for their students. However, the acquisition of
software is no different than any other product or service required by a
school. Schools purchase books, audio-visual equipment and classroom
furniture, and they pay a fair price for them. Newer and better
software can be developed only if the software development team receives
a fair price for its efforts.
Many software firms offer special sales arrangements to schools. These
include discounts for additional copies of programs, reduced-priced lab
packs (a quantity of programs sold together) and site license agreements
(an arrangement that allows a school to make a specified number of
copies for one location at a fixed price). Schools should make every
effort to uphold the law, because it is by their example that students
will learn to have respect for intellectual property.
USER GROUPS
The personal computer industry owes much of its success to the
proliferation of user groups. These groups provide a valuable service
as forums for sharing computing experience and expertise. User groups
should, however, ensure that their meetings are not used to promote
illegal duplication or distribution of software.
The unauthorized duplication or distribution of software by user groups
or at user group meetings places many people in a vulnerable position.
The individuals who duplicate or distribute software, as well as the
user group itself and the owner of the meeting place, may be held
responsible as copyright violators.
A close relationship between user groups and the software publishing
community is mutually beneficial. User groups should encourage ethical
software use among their members. Likewise, software publishers should
respond to users' needs for proper support and updates.
BUSINESS USERS
In the workplace, softlifting is characterized by two common incidents:
extra copies of software are made for employees to take home, and extra
copies are made for the office. Both situations mean a greater number
of computers can run more copies of the software than were originally
purchased.
Unless a special arrangement has been made between the business user and
the publisher, the user must follow a simple rule: one software package
per computer. This means that a copy of software should be purchased
for every computer on which it will be used. For example, if the
business has 10 computers on which employees use spreadsheet software,
it must purchase 10 copies of such software. If there are 25
secretaries using word processing software on their computers, each
secretary must have a purchased copy, etc.
Another option that has proven successful is for firms to enter into
special site licensing purchase agreements with publishers. These
agreements compensate the publishers for the lost sales they might have
made on a package-by-package basis because the company agrees to pay a
certain amount for a specific number of copies they will make and not
exceed on site. At the same time, they eliminate the possibility that
copyright violations will occur. By buying as many programs as it will
need, a company removes the incentive for employees to make unauthorized
copies. Adhering to these rules will pay off in the long run, because a
firm that illegally duplicates software exposes itself to tremendous
liability.
Many software applications are sold in "Local Area Network" (LAN)
versions. If your company has a LAN, be sure to follow the publisher's
guidelines for the use of software on the LAN. It is a violation of the
copyright laws and most license agreements to allow a single-copy
version of software on a LAN to be simultaneously accessed by more than
one user.
Finally, it has been found that when companies enact a policy statement
stating their intention to ensure employee compliance with copyright
regulations, the risk of software piracy is reduced.
REPORTING COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS
The SPA has established a special toll free number for reports of
copyright violations: 1-800-388-7478. The SPA has filed many lawsuits
against individuals and companies engaged in the unauthorized
duplication of PC software and will continue to do so when it becomes
aware of situations that warrant such action.
SPA MATERIALS
The SPA has a variety of materials about the legal use of software. Our
Self-Audit Kit describes procedures appropriate for ensuring that a
business or organization is "software legal." The Kit includes SPAudit,
a software management tool, and is available free of charge to
businesses and organizations (DOS or Macintosh versions). In addition,
the SPA has a 12 minute videotape on the subject of software piracy
entitled "Its Just Not Worth The Risk." The video is a useful tool for
instructing business users about the legal use of software products and
is available for $10. We also publish additional brochures and a poster
on the subject of software piracy. Please call or write the SPA if you
are interested in obtaining any of these materials.
CONCLUSION
Most people do not purposely break the law. They would never consider
stealing money from someones pocket. But those who copy software
without authorization are stealing intellectual property and they should
understand the consequences of their actions.
If you are an individual user, dont break the law. Everyone pays for
your crime. If you are part of an organization, see to it that your
organization complies with the law, and that it issues an appropriate
policy statement that is signed and respected by all involved.
SAMPLE CORPORATE POLICY STATEMENT
Company/Agency Policy Regarding the Use of Microcomputer Software
1. (Company/Agency) purchases or licenses the use of copies of computer
software from a variety of outside companies. (Company/Agency) does
not own the copyright to this software or its related documentation
and, unless authorized by the software developer, does not have the
right to reproduce it for use on more than one computer.
2. With regard to use on local area networks or on multiple machines,
(Company/Agency) employees shall use the software only in accordance
with the license agreement.
3. (Company/Agency) employees learning of any misuse of software or
related documentation within the company shall notify the department
manager or (Company's/Agency's) legal counsel.
4. According to the US. Copyright Law, illegal reproduction of software
can be subject to civil damages of as much as $100,000 per work
copied, and criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
(Company/Agency) employees who make, acquire or use unauthorized
copies of computer software shall be disciplined as appropriate under
the circumstances. Such discipline may include termination.
(Company/Agency) does not condone the illegal duplication of
software.
I am fully aware of the software protection policies of (Company/Agent)
and agree to uphold those policies.
Employee Signature and Date
SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
1730 M St., NW, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202-452-1600 Fax: 202-223-8756
Piracy Hotline-1-800-388-7478
Everyone benefits from a healthy computer software industry.
With each passing year, evolving software technology brings us faster,
more sophisticated, versatile and easy-to-use products. Business
software allows companies to save time, effort and money. Educational
computer programs teach basic skills and sophisticated subjects. Home
software now includes a wide array of programs that enhance the user's
productivity and creativity. Computer graphics have turned PCs into a
veritable artist's palette, and new games are increasingly inventive.
The industry is thriving and users stand to benefit along with the
publishers.
Along the way, however, the problem of software theft has developed, and
threatens to impede the development of new software products.
Romantically called "piracy," the unauthorized duplication of software
is a Federal offense that affects everyone: large and small software
publishers and legitimate users. Even the users of unlawful copies
suffer from their own illegal actions. They receive no documentation,
no customer support and no information about product updates.
When a few people steal software, everyone loses.
This guide is intended to provide a basic understanding of the issues
involved in ethical software use. It will tell you what the laws are,
how to follow them and why you should adhere to them. We encourage you
to make and distribute copies of this article.
This guide is only one component of an ongoing effort by the Software
Publishers Association to increase public awareness of software piracy.
If you have any questions about the legal use of software, or would like
additional copies of this column, please call the Software Publishers
Association at (202) 452-1600.
###### SOFTWARE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
###### Answers To Your Questions
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Is it Okay to copy my colleague's software?
No, it's not okay to copy your colleague's software. Software is
protected by federal copyright law, which says that you can't make such
additional copies without the permission of the copyright holder. By
protecting the investment of computer software companies in software
development, the copyright law serves the cause of promoting broad
public availability of new, creative, and innovative products. These
companies devote large portions of their earnings to the creation of new
software products and they deserve a fair return on their investment.
The creative teams who develop the software programmers, writers,
graphic artists and others also deserve fair compensation for their
efforts. Without the protection given by our copyright laws, they would
be unable to produce the valuable programs that have become so important
in our daily lives: educational software that teaches us much needed
skills; business software that allows us to save time, effort and money;
and entertainment and personal productivity software that enhances
leisure time.
That makes sense, but what do I get out of purchasing my own software?
When you purchase authorized copies of software programs, you receive
user guides and tutorials, quick reference cards, the opportunity to
purchase upgrades, and technical support from the software publishers.
For most software programs, you can read about user benefits in the
registration brochure or upgrade flyer in the product box.
What exactly does the law say about copying software?
The law says that anyone who purchases a copy of software has the right
to load that copy onto a single computer and to make another copy "for
archival purposes only." It is illegal to use that software on more
than one computer or to make or distribute copies of that software for
any other purpose unless specific permission has been obtained from the
copyright owner. If you pirate software, you may face not only a civil
suit for damages and other relief, but criminal liability as well,
including fines and jail terms of up to one year.
So I'm never allowed to copy software for any other reason?
That's correct. Other than copying the software you purchase onto a
single computer and making another copy "for archival purposes only,"
the copyright law prohibits you from making additional copies of the
software for any other reason unless you obtain the permission of the
software company.
At my company, we pass disks around all the time. We all assume that
this must be okay since it was the company that purchased the software
in the first place.
Many employees don't realize that corporations are bound by the
copyright laws, just like everyone else. Such conduct exposes the
company (and possibly the persons involved) to liability for copyright
infringement. Consequently, more and more corporations concerned about
their liability have written policies against such "softlifting".
Employees may face disciplinary action if they make extra copies of the
company's software for use at home or on additional computers within the
office. A good rule to remember is that there must be one authorized
copy of a software product for every computer upon which it is run.
Do the same rules apply to bulletin boards and user groups? I always
thought that the reason they got together was to share software.
Yes. Bulletin boards and user groups are bound by the copyright law
just as individuals and corporations. However, to the extent they offer
shareware or public domain software, this is a perfectly acceptable
practice. Similarly, some software companies offer bulletin boards and
user groups special demonstration versions of their products, which in
some instances may be copied. In any event, it is the responsibility of
the bulletin board operator or user group to respect copyright law and
to ensure that it is not used as a vehicle for unauthorized copying or
distribution.
What about schools and professional training organizations?
The same copyright responsibilities that apply to individuals and
corporations apply to schools and professional training organizations.
No one is exempt from the copyright law.
I'll bet most of the people who copy software don't even know that
they're breaking the law.
Because the software industry is relatively new, and because copying
software is so easy, many people are either unaware of the laws
governing software use or choose to ignore them. It is the
responsibility of each and every software user to understand and adhere
to copyright law. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. If you are part
of an organization, see what you can do to initiate a policy statement
that everyone respects. Also, suggest that your management consider
conducting a software audit. Finally, as an individual, help spread the
word that the users should be "software legal."
The Software Publishers Association produces a Self-Audit Kit that
describes procedures appropriate for ensuring that a business or
organization is "software legal." For a free copy of the Self-Audit
Kit, including a sample corporate policy statement and "SPAudit," a
software management tool, please write to the following address. Please
specify the format (DOS or Macintosh) and disk size (3.5" or 5.25" for
DOS) with your request.
"Self-Audit Kit"
Software Publishers Association
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20036
(800) 388-7478
Special thanks to Aldus Corporation for their contribution to this
artcile. We urge you to make as many copies as you would like in order
to help us spread the word that unauthorized coping of software is
illegal.
###### THE 1993 Z*NET COMPUTER CALENDAR
###### Schedule of Shows, Events and Online Conferences
###### ----------------------------------------------------------------
### June 4, 1993
Dateline Atari! returns with Bob Brodie. This GEnie RTC begins promptly
at 10pm EDT. Type M475;2 at any GEnie prompt.
### June 5-10, 1993
Special Libraries Association 84th Annual Conference & Info Exposition.
Cincinnati Convention Center, Cincinnati OH. Special Libraries
Association, Alisa A. Nesmith, 1700 Eighteenth St. NW, Washington DC
20009 (202)234-4700, (202)265-9317 (fax).
### June 12-13, 1993
CT Atarifest '93 at the Windsor Court Hotel in Windsor Connecticut.
This year the Atarifest has relocated to a new hotel with excellent room
rates ($35.00 per room), free and plentiful parking, easy access from
Interstate 91, I-95, I-90, I-84, I-80, an in house Sports Bar, a bigger
ballroom and is located just 1 mile from Bradley International Airport
(free shuttle service for hotel guests). Tentative commitments from A&D
Software, Gribnif Software, Barefoot Software, Toad Computers, Computer
Studio, Baggetaware, Derric Electronics, E.Hartford Computer Repair,
MegaType Software, Wizztronics and GFA Software Technology. For further
information, call Brian Gockley at 203-332-1721 or Doug Finch at 203-637
-1034. E-mail can be directed to B.GOCKLEY or D.FINCH7 on GEnie or to
75300,2514 or 76337,1067 on CIS.
### June 15-17, 1993
Multimedia '93 - Earl's Court 2, London England. Blenheim Online, Cat
Maclean, Mktg Mgr., Blenheim House, 630 Chiswick High Rd., London
England; +44 (0)81 742 2828, +44 (0)81 742 3182
### June 22-23, 1993
Lap & Palmtop Mobile Computing Expo at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim,
California. Exhibitors will show the latest in mobile computing,
software, pen, peripherals and communications from the industry's
leading manufacturers. In conjunction with the exhibits is the Mobile
Systems Solutions Conference series. Featuring over 80 leading industry
experts speakers, the conference provides vital information needed to
build or improve your world of mobile computing.
### June 23-26, 1993
Digital World '93 - Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills CA. Seybold
Seminars, 29160 Heathercliff Rd., Suite 200, PO Box 6710, Malibu CA
90264-6710; (800)433-5200, (310)457-8500, (310)457-8599 (fax)
### June 26-27, 1993
The Kansas City AtariFest '93. The location for the show is Stadium
Inn, 7901 E 40 Hwy. Ticket prices at the door will be 5.00 dollars each
day. Advance tickets will be 4.00 dollars each, for advance tickets,
please send 4.00 dollars per ticket to: Kansas City AtariFest, P.O. Box
1653, Lee Summit, MO 64063 or if you belong to a user group please mail
a request for a user group information pack. To make room reservations
please call 1-800-325-7901, we are also working with a local travel
agent to get special airfares for the show. You may call 1-800-874-7691
to take advantage of the special fares. For more information please
leave Email as follows; GEnie, B.welsch, J.krzysztow, for CompuServe,
Leave for Jeff Krzysztow at 74027,707, or you can call (816)224-9021, or
mail to the address listed above.
### June 29 - July 1, 1993
PC Expo-NY - Javits Convention Center, New York City.
### July 24-25, 1993
The Blue Ridge Atari Computer Enthusiasts (BRACE) and Computer STudio
host the Fourth Annual Blue Ridge AtariFest in Asheville, North
Carolina. Saturday show time is from 10am - 6pm and Sunday show times
are from Noon to 5pm. Free booth space is available for Atari
developers. This Atarifest will be taking over the Courtyard Shop
(mall) area at the Westgate Shopping Center (location of Computer
STudio), and also plan on using vacant store spaces for seminar
sessions. Seminars will be 45 minutes in length, and developers are
welcome to conduct a seminar on their product line or approved topic of
their choice (seminars are limited, so first come, first served). For
additional information, please contact: Sheldon Winick on GEnie -
S.WINICK or at the Computer STudio at (704) 251-0201 or contact the show
coordinator Cliff Allen on GEnie - C.ALLEN17 or call (704) 258-3758.
### August 3-6, 1993
MacWorld Expo at the Boston World Trade Center, Bayside Exposition
Center and sponsored by MacWorld Magazine. This event is titled Boston
'93.
### August 23-27, 1993
Interop '93 (#2) at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco, California.
### August 25-29, 1993
ONE BBSCON '93 at the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This
is a four day exposition presented by BoardWatch Magazine. There will
be three days of educational services, a trade show exhibit area with
over one-hundred vendors on hand. For further information on this event
and for registration information contact: Peg Coniglio at ONE Inc.,
4255 South Buckley Road, Suite 308, Aurora, Colorado 80013. Voice: (303)
693-5253; Fax: (303) 693-5518; BBS: (303) 693-5432.
### August 31 - September 2, 1993
Fed Micro '93. Fed Micro CDROM and Multimedia Conference & Exposition.
Washington Convention Center, Washington DC.
### September 18-19, 1993
The Glendale Show returns with the Southern California Atari Computer
Faire, V.7.0, in suburban Los Angeles, California. This has been the
year's largest domestic Atari event, year after year. Contact John King
Tarpinian at the user group HACKS at 818-246-7286 for information.
### September 20-22, 1993
The third MacWorld Expo, titled Canada '93 at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre, sponsored by MacWorld Magazine.
### September 21-23, 1993
Unix Expo '93 in New York City, New York at the Javits Convention
Center.
### October 4-8, 1993
Image World New York, Javits Convention Center, New York City.
### October 5-7, 1993
NetWorld 93, Dallas Convention Center, Dallas TX.
### October 7-8, 1993
Lap & Palmtop Mobile Computing Expo at the Chicago Mart/Expo Center in
Chicago, Illinois. Exhibitors will show the latest in mobile computing,
software, pen, peripherals and communications from the industry's
leading manufacturers. In conjunction with the exhibits is the Mobile
Systems Solutions Conference series. Featuring over 80 leading industry
experts speakers, the conference provides vital information needed to
build or improve your world of mobile computing.
### October 19-21, 1993
PC Expo-Chicago, McCormick Place East, Chicago IL.
### October 27-29, 1993
CDROM Exposition at the World Trade Center, Boston MA.
### October 27-29, 1993
EDA&T Asia '93. The Electronic Design and Test Conference Exhibition
at the Taipei International Convention Center in Taiwan. Exhibit space
is still available. For more information contact: Betsy Donahue,
Chicago, fax: 708-475-2794.
### November 1-3, 1993
Online/CD-ROM '93, Washington DC.
### November 7-10, 1993
GeoCon/93, an international conference and showcase for software
products developed outside the U.S. at the Royal Sonesta Hotel,
Cambridge, Mass. The conference program will include three days of
workshops on topics of interest to overseas developers entering the
U.S. market. Workshop presenters will discuss such issues as how to
negotiate distribution and licensing contracts, setting up a business in
the U.S., manufacturing and fulfillment, technical support, packaging,
research sources, and how to market through direct, retail, and catalog
channels. For additional information, contact Tom Stitt, associate
publisher, Soft letter, 17 Main St., Watertown, Mass. 02272-9154;
telephone 617-924-3944; fax 617-924-7288, or Colleen O'Shea, director,
Soft letter Europe, 2 um Bierg, 7641 Chirstnach, Luxembourg, telephone
35.2.87119; fax 35.2.87048.
### November 15-19, 1993
COMDEX Fall '93. Las Vegas Nevada.
### June 4-11, 1994
GEC '94, Milam ITALY. Centrexpo, Sheila Palka/Delia Associates, PO Box
338, Route 22 West, Whitehouse NJ 08888 (800)524-2193, (908)534-6856
(fax).
If you have an event you would like to include on the Z*Net Calender,
please send email via GEnie to Z-NET, CompuServe 75300,1642, or via
FNET to node 593 or AtariNet node 51:1/13.0.
###### MY VISIT TO A FORTUNE TELLER
###### By Len Stys
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
I just got back from a visit to a fortune teller and I thought I would
share with you what I saw in the crystal ball! Since fortune telling
isn't always right, let's just consider what I found out fictitious, but
possible!
The fortune teller informed me that Atari Corporation is a company that
is capable of great fortune or great disaster. I asked her what she
meant and she told me that a lot of things need to happen before
everything the crystal reports becomes true. I asked her what kind of
things and she replied,
"Oh young Z*Net writer! There is so much that you do not know! Atari's
management must acquire a great confidence!"
I said, "A great confidence???"
"Hush!!!" she demanded. "A great confidence that they are making the
right decisions. A great confidence that will make it easy for them to
stand behind the products that they create! A great confidence that
will give them the power to manufacture these products in large
quantities and advertise them heavily!"
I replied, "Is that all?"
"No foolish young one," she told. "There is much more. The company has
been through a lot of bad luck as of late, but they must not give up.
They must persevere! The company must find and keep a positive
attitude; a positive attitude that anything is possible."
"Is anything really possible?" I asked.
She answered, "Yes, but only if one puts his or her mind to it! And
that is what it will take for the company to succeed."
I questioned, "So, the company controls its own destiny?"
"No" she replied. "Not anymore. The company must rely on something
else. Something that may help the company become the largest technology
company going into the year 2000."
"What?" I asked.
"Atari Community" she answered. "Atari Dealerships, Atari Developers,
Atari User Groups, and Atari Publications hold the key. The key to the
company's success."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yes" she smiled. "Working together...they will go far."
"How far?" I asked.
She laughed, "Don't ask stupid questions young one!"
The fortune teller set her crystal ball to March, 1994. And then I
looked and saw something unbelievable. The future of Atari...
THE LYNX
--------
The Lynx color portable video game system is selling for $79.95. There
are over one-hundred games available for it. Atari Corporation must
have advertised it heavily in Fall, 1993 because it is available in over
10,000 retail stores. There are also "double-pack" comlynxable games
available for families with more than one Lynx.
The new suggested retail pricing is: $19.95, $24.95, $29.95., $39.95,
$49.95., $59.95.
The battery saved games cost $59.95.
THE JAGUAR
----------
The Jaguar 64-bit video game system only has 2 megs of memory, but is
expandable to 4 megs by a port on the side of the system. The Jaguar is
cartridge based, but a CD-ROM player can be added to it. Also, the
system is "multi-media expandable" which means that you can add computer
hardware to it.
The suggested retail price is $149.95.
There were forty cartridge games available. The suggested retail
pricing of these cartridges is: $39.95., $49.95., $59.95.
When a company representative was asked why the prices were so low
compared to other 16-bit cartridges, she replied, "We have a different
philosophy than our competitors. We like to produce products that are
affordable to consumers."
Atari must have advertised the Jaguar heavily in Fall, 1993 as well
since the console is available in more than 10,000 outlets.
THE JAGUAR-CD
-------------
The Jaguar-CD 64-bit video game system has 4 megs of memory. The
console has a cartridge slot, but also a CD-ROM player. The system is
also "multi-media expandable."
The suggested retail price is $399.95.
There were only twelve CD-ROM games available. The suggested retail
pricing is the following: $59.95, $69.95. According to a company
representative, the reason for the higher price is because of video and
music royalties.
ATARI CD-ROM PLAYER
-------------------
This CD-ROM player is unlike CD-ROM players on the market today since it
can access data off of CD-ROMs much quicker. This allows for motion
video without any delays. One unique feature about this CD-ROM player
is that it is portable and can play audio discs.
The suggested retail price is $249.95.
ATARI VIRTUAL REALITY PACKAGE
-----------------------------
This virtual reality package includes a helmet and controls that connect
to the Jaguar 64-bit video game system. The virtual reality games
actually put you in the game.
The suggested retail price is $149.95.
There were only two virtual reality games available at the time. Each
of them cost $79.95.
ATARI MODEM
-----------
This 2400 data/9600 fax modem has a suggested retail price of $99.95. A
special adaptor can be purchased for $29.95 that allows the modem to be
connected to a Lynx.
SUPER STAR RAIDERS
------------------
One of the most successful games of the Atari 2600 was Star Raiders.
This game is a true multi-player game. The game allows up to two
Jaguars and eight Lynx systems to play simultaneously. One Jaguar
(mother ship) and four Lynx systems (space fighters) can be connected
together. At the same time, the Jaguar can be connected through modem
or LAN cable to another Jaguar and four Lynx systems.
FALCON030 (without DSP but capable of being added)
--------------------------------------------------
4 Megs without hard drive.................................$599.95.
4 Megs with 85 Meg hard drive.............................$799.95.
Atari DSP board...........................................$199.95.
FALCON030 (with DSP)
--------------------
Custom (no memory, no hard drive).........................$699.95.
4 Megs without hard drive.................................$799.95.
4 megs with 85 Meg hard drive.............................$999.95.
4 Meg, 8 Meg, 16 Meg memory boards are available.
85 Meg, 120 Meg, 200 Meg hard drives are available.
These Falcon030s were sold in BOTH, Atari Dealerships and stores like
WaldenSoftware and Circuit City. The custom Falcon030s are restricted
to Atari Dealerships.
FALCON030 16 MHz NOTEBOOK COMPUTER
----------------------------------
Custom (no memory, no hard drive).........................$1199.95.
4 Megs with 85 Meg hard drive.............................$1499.95.
4 Megs with 85 Meg hard drive, 1.44 floppy drive..........$1599.95.
2400 data/9600 fax internal modem.........................$ 149.95.
FALCON030 MOTOROLA 68030 32 MHz INSIDE PC-STYLE CASE
----------------------------------------------------
Custom (no CPU, no hard drive)............................$unknown
4 Megs with 120 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
4 Megs with 120 Meg hard drive, CD-ROM player.............$unknown
8 Megs with 120 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
8 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
CD-ROM player.............................................$unknown
The prices of these computers are unknown. The custom computer was said
to be priced just below the 4 Megs with 120 Meg hard drive since Atari
Corporation wanted to offer both, but encourage consumers to purchase
computers with memory, etc. Each of these computers are capable of
accepting a Motorola 68040.
FALCON040 MOTOROLA 68040 32 MHz INSIDE PC-STYLE CASE
----------------------------------------------------
8 Megs with 120 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
8 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
8 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive, CD-ROM player.............$unknown
CD-ROM player.............................................$unknown
The FALCON030 and FALCON040 are housed in the same case. The only
difference is in color. Both offer expandability and are very DSP
oriented. Atari wanted to be the "KING OF DSP" and decided to offer
systems that could not be beat where DSP was concerned. Each case
allows the user to add three different storage devices in the front.
One 3.5" disk, one tape back-up, and one CD-ROM player fit comfortably.
The hard drive is internal. Each computer's memory, by the way, is
expandable into the gigabytes.
FALCON040 MOTOROLA 68040 40 MHz INSIDE MINI-TOWER CASE
------------------------------------------------------
Custom (no memory, no hard drive).........................$unknown
8 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive............................$unknown
8 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive, CD-ROM player.............$unknown
16 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive...........................$unknown
The FALCON040 inside of a mini-tower case was designed for those that
needed more power and expandability than the FALCON040 PC-style case
computer, but not as much as a tower case computer. This computer is
also very DSP oriented. Atari is rumored to be using the same case for
a Motorola 68060 based computer.
FALCON040 MOTOROLA 68040 40 MHz INSIDE TOWER CASE
-------------------------------------------------
Custom (no memory, no hard drive).........................$unknown
16 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive...........................$unknown
16 Megs with 200 Meg hard drive, CD-ROM player............$unknown
The FALCON040 inside of a tower case is a real power horse. This
computer is the most expandable of them all with the greatest amount of
power. The computer has been created with DSP totally in mind. Atari
is rumored to be using the same case for a Motorola 68060 based
computer.
The crystal ball then became cloudy and I could see no more.
I said to the fortune teller, "This is all impossible!"
She replied, "Impossible is a word found in a fool's dictionary.
Anything is possible. Anything!"
###### THE UNABASHED ATARIOPHILE
###### By Michael R. Burkley
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes a wrong number can be the right number after all. A few days
ago I was trying to find someone who was buying some software from me.
Unfortunately, I had misplaced his phone number and address! I just
remembered his last name, and the town in which he lived. So calling
information I got three different numbers, one of which might have been
the correct one. I called the first and explained the situation. The
woman who answered didn't know if her husband had an ST or not, but she
said, "It's probably him <her husband>. He is always buying something
for his computer. Every chance he gets he spends money on something he
'just has to have.' I know it's his hobby, ay, but we need the money
for other things, like food and clothes!"
She was hurting, and we talked for awhile. Sometimes people will share
astounding things with total strangers. I hope I helped just by
listening, but more than that I hope that her husband will start
listening to her hurt. She certainly made me think. By the way, I did
have the wrong number, because she looked and saw that her husband's
computer was an IBM clone.
The pattern she was experiencing is not unique. I've seen some bad
cases of "computeraholism" before. It's something I struggle with
myself (don't ask my wife!). But it's not worth it. No matter how much
of an "Unabashed Atariophile" I am, my family is worth far more than my
STe. I hope it is the same for you. Think about it.
Money is almost always an issue in marriages (and in the single life as
well!). Here are some money-oriented programs that might help you get
that aspect of your life under better control.
First, some older files...
AMORT gives you a DETAILED look at the amount of money you are spending
for a loan. It will print out the principle paid, the interest paid and
the totals for each month of the life of your loan. Interest payments
really add up, don't they? Color or mono.
BANKING2 is the Banking Comparison Shopper by Rod Smith. _Consumer
Reports_ magazine has discovered that banking costs vary widely even in
the same city. This program will help you sort through the maze of
charges, surcharges, and creative fees that banks and savings and loan
companies charge you. You can save big bucks--enough to by an STe
(almost!). C.R. showed that the difference in cost was $301 per year
for an "average-balance customer" between the least expensive and the
most expensive savings institutions in New York City. Check out this
program as see how much you might save! Color or mono. Docs included.
Printer supported but not required. By Roderick W. Smith. SHAREWARE.
BIGBUX14 by Thom Rechak of Krystalware is a new version of a good
financial program. If you need to know how much money you will end up
owing on a loan, or how much you can afford to borrow, this program is
for you. Just about every financial question you might have can be
answered by this program (except where to get the money!) SHAREWARE.
Color or mono. Docs included.
BUDGET is Budget Maker, ver. 1.0 by Robert M. Balay. This program will
help you make a budget for yourself. Making budgets is not a
particularly exciting task, but it is almost necessary if you want to be
comfortable with your finances. Knowing where you choose to spend your
money can help you to put your money where you choose, and that relieves
A LOT of stress. Color or mono. Docs and a sample budget included.
SHAREWARE.
Now for a financial program I just downloaded this week, and then on to
the rest of the new downloads...
MEGACHCK is a demo of Mega Check v.2.0 by Chris Muller of Muller
Automation (dated 1993). This fully working demo (with only a 30
transaction limit) will allow you to easily (well, fairly easily!)
track your finances, personal, investment, and business. GEM based, it
has features that I really appreciate. It doesn't require you to learn
any arcane language to use it. It interacts with you in plain English,
and tells you what to do in the same way. Here are just some of it's
features: A built-in alarm that won't let you forget to pay your bills
or create a needed report; fully automated checkbook balancing; prints
out your checks on any printer; add or edit any number of accounts
(limited only by your computer's memory); configurable warnings when
specific account balances get too high or too low (avoid account charges
and limit risks in various investments; run "what if" projections; track
appreciation/depreciation; add extended notes to any transaction; built-
in address/phone database; very powerful report generation--and all in
the "background" as well, which increases your productivity, and
extensive on-line help. Color or mono. ST--TT compatible. Requires at
least one meg of RAM. This uncompresses to 808K so you will either need
a Hard Drive or a floppy formatted to at least 80 tracks and 10 sectors
per track.
A_CARD1 is a very nicely done Calamus 1.09N .CDK Mother's Day Card by
Wally W. (dated April 28, 1993). I used it for my card to my Mother
this year (and my wife's mother, too). It's very nice with fancy
borders and a nice flower on the front. Also included are three nice PD
Calamus Fonts, "Celtic," "Chancery," and "Fancy Chancery." I realize
that you're probably reading this past Mother's Day, but the card can be
adapted for other uses as well. After the paper comes out of the
printer you fold it in fourths and then everything is rightside up and
in the corrects place.
BLRUT20 is the B.L. Rasmussen's Utilities v.2.0 (dated May 2, 1993).
This is a series of 26 utilities that are usable on any ST (TOS 1.0-Mega
STe) in any resolution. All are interactive, menu driven, and FAST
(they're written in Assembly). Copy, move, sort, display directory
listings (to screen, disk or printer) and disk info., back-up any drive
to any other, compare disks and files, format disks, output data (ASCII
or Hex) to the screen or to your printer, show free RAM, display key
ASCII code values, a sector editor, and much much more. Now updated to
work with disks with 9 or 10 sectors per track, and 80 or 82 tracks.
Docs included. 395K uncompressed. Bud is a neat guy. I've had some
nice conversations with him,. and he's updated several of these
utilities just because I suggested some things I would like to see done.
Now that's service!
CEBIT93 is a demo for the Falcon030 written for the CeBit'93-fair in
Hannover, Germany. It was released under the TWID-label, coded by Duke
of The Respectables with nice grafix done by Tyrem (using the brilliant
Eclipse-Paint a sort of Truecolor-Neochrome), McFly (Title-Pic) and some
GIFF-Pics. The sound is a 25Khz sample played in loop-mode, it is
called "our darkness" and was performed by Anne Clark. Some of the
features of this demo are:
Some realtime rotated, bended and zoomed letters.
Truecolor starfield with 32 greyscales
Text zooming stuff
8 plane finescrolling of a nice girl, and
Blitter-processed textscrolling
I wish that I had a Falcon to review this stuff!!!!!!!!!!
CIV is the Civilization Cheat program v.2.60 by Jeffrey Wisniewski
(dated April 25, 1993). Civilization by Microprose is an excellent game
(so I've been told). This cheat program will allow you to start the
game with $30,000, which I imagine would be a big help! Color or mono.
Tested on TOS 1.0--2.06 but it should work on any TOS. The original
release (I think called CIVCHEAT or something like that) had a bug in
it. This fixes that. Docs included.
DEMO_DG is a completely working demo of the Dragon Grapher v.1.0D by
Christopher W. Roberts and Lori Roberts of DragonWare Software (dated
1993). This very easy to use program will allow you to load, create,
save _and_ print out a large variety of graphs. If you have GDOS or a
GDOS clone installed you can insert a variety of text fonts and styles
(if you don't have GDOS you can't print out and you only have the system
font to work with). You can make Pie, Bar, Horizontal, and Vertical
line graphs (with multiple variables of each type). You can save your
graphs in the program's own format or as .PI3, IMG, MAC, IFF, DOO, or
GEM meta files! How is this a demo if it does all this? It writes a
"D Graph Demo" across any graph you create (Hey! It is a demo!). Color
or mono. If you ever need to create a graph then this program is for
you! STe compatible (at least, though I expect that it is compatible
with everything, being from DragonWare!)
GEMVW223 is GEM View v.2.23 (dated February 28, 1993). It is an
________ amazing picture viewing program! Many people claim that it is
the best around. With this program you can view MANY different picture
formats inside a GEM-Window. Supported picture- formats are: *.GVW
(the author's own format), *.GIF, "GIF 89a Images, *.SUN, *.PAC, *.IFF,
*.BMP, *.RLE, *.IMG, *.GEM, *.NEO, *.ART, *.PIC and P(123), *.TN[123Y],
*.DOO [640x...], *.SPU, *.SPC, PC Paintbrush (monochrome *.PCX), *.XBM,
VIDAS, 24-bit TARGA (and saves them, too), and RSC-Files (also extended
INTERFACE format, but no color-icon- support). Grayscale dithering
supported for 4, 8, 16, 64 and 256 colors. Supports MacPaint, PBM-
Pictures, ImageLab, JPEG-Images (the first ST viewer that really works-
-or so I've been told), true color BMP and color .IMG files, and more!
This version loads "TIFF"-Pictures--"uncompressed, Hohe Packungsdichte,
PackBits Mac--RLE) and NeXT--RLE. It saves GIF87a and TIFF pictures,
too. It runs under MultiTOS and MultiGem with no problems (get ready
for the future!), and runs as an accessory or a program. Includes
excellent monochrome support -- even for GIF pictures -- and is very
fast. Now you can keep in memory more than one picture at a time. This
version has been adapted to allow for even greated compatibility with
the TT and STe, and some other "bugs" were fixed as well. Can now be
run as a .PRG or an .ACC. The interface has been improved and expanded.
The program version now allows access to accessories. This program does
so so much more than even this long description includes. Highly
recommended. SHAREWARE ($20) by Dieter Fiebelkorn. The program is in
English and Docs (German) are included. Color or mono (and high color
and true color boards). ST/STe/TT/Falcon compatible. Requires at least
1 MEG of RAM. If I remember rightly the only disadvantage of this
program is that it only displays pictures in the resolutions in which
they were created (I'm not sure about this, and I haven't checked it--
anyone know?). This file also contains an expermental version of WINX
2.0. This seems to be a program that will allow you to expand the
available number of windows (up to 127) your system can display.
Unfortunatly, it doesn't work on my STe (I think it will only work on
German ROMS, if I remember correctly).
GORDIE is a series of three scanned pictures (2 .IMG and 1 .PI3) of
Gordie Meyer, the Delphi Atari Advantage SIG Manager. Gordie owns and
operates a pizza shop that produces fantastic Pizza (so I've been told
<sigh>), and he does one great job at Delphi, too. It's nice to put a
face alongside of the help! Thanks Gordie.
GROCRY30 is the Grocery Lister v.3.0 by Randy Hoekstra (dated March,
1993). This SHAREWARE program is a household utility that allows you to
compile a list of grocery items complete with current price and total
estimated cost. Making shopping lists is a sure fire way to save money
grocery shopping, and you also stand a better chance of not forgetting
the _one_ thing you were going to the store to buy in the first place
(how many times has that happened!). This version adds the ability to
mark products according to their aisle number in your favorite market,
to mark if a coupon is available, and to indicate the taxable status of
an item. Money is always a consideration (some would say a problem).
The Grocery Lister will allow you to pick and choose from a list of
items and prices you can quickly maintain, and then compare the sum of
their prices with your spending goal. You can then add or eliminate
items from your list with a simple click of your mouse (or with the
comparable keyboard command). And what good would all of that be if you
couldn't print out your list? Not much good, so of course you can print
out your shopping lists (in a variety of formats). This file contains a
utility to convert your v.2.x files to the new format. Color only.
Excellent docs included. Color or mono. ST--TT compatible.
LABORANT is Laborant Professional v.1.00 by Jens Schulz (docs dated
April 12, 1993). This is a very powerful Chemistry program, useful for
all chemistry students and professionals. If you have something to do
with a chemical problem, this program can help you. The docs are in
German, unfortunately. It will work in all screen resolutions equal to
or greater than 640 by 200 dots (color or mono) and is compatible with
TOS 1.0-Falcon.
MBROWSE2 is MasterBrowse 2.0 by Michel Forget (dated April 28, 1993).
According to the author this is "the *BEST* ST(e)/TT/Falcon Text File
Viewer!" I think he's on to something there. Color or mono, this
program is very full-featured. Of course you can read any text file in
a GEM window, and do it very fast with either mouse or keyboard control.
You can mark blocks, set bookmarks, page through text in set increments
and much more! Search for up to three text strings at once (forward or
backward), print out your files or blocks of files, use batch files,
supports the Atari Clipboard, etc., etc.. I can load up to seven
documents on my STe at once (the docs seem to suggest that the number is
unlimited except for memory requirements and "available window handles."
You can install this as an alternated file reader for the GEM desktop or
for any alternate desktop). This is truely an amazing program. I
recommend it to you! Very extensive docs (and well supported as shown
by the Version History file). SHAREWARE.
MIDIMIX1 is MIDIMIX v.1.0 by David E. Rutherford (dated 1993). MIDIMIX
is a mouse controlled .ACC designed to run by itself or with other midi
applications such as sequencers, drum machines, etc.. It offers 16
channel fader control of volume, pan, hold and any other control change
parameters your midi equipment supports (up to 128 different controllers
and 10 preset control buttons which can be reset and saved to disk.
Docs included. Color or mono. SHAREWARE.
MINE_2E is MineSweep v.2.131 by Uwe Poliak (dated May 19, 1992).
MineSweep is both a puzzle and a trial of patience. You have to find
the hidden mines, which are scattered over the whole field. The program
tells you when you land on a mine (boom!) or how many mines are next to
you when you land on a clear space. That way you can figure out where
all the mines are (or better yet, where all the clear spaces are!). You
can choose between a variety of different levels, which differ in the
number of mines or the size of the playground (and thus in difficulty!).
This runs as both a program and an accessory, and in a re-sizable GEM
window. ST--TT compatible with 640*400 pixel res. or better (mono or
TT res.). Docs included.
NOBOOT is AUTOBORT by L A Eldridge (dated 1992). Autobort is a small
program which resides in the AUTO folder on your boot-up disc drive. It
allows you to abort the AUTO folder boot up after a reset. The position
which 'AUTOBORT' has within the AUTO folder will determine which files
can be skipped after a reset. Color or mono. Docs included.
PAMFLITE is Pamphlet Lite - Release 2 by JWC (dated April, 1993).
Pamphlet Lite is a booklet printer that will allow you to print out your
ASCII test in a booklet form. It uses landscape mode two sided printing
on 8.5 x 11 inch paper to give four 5.5 x 4.25 inch pages on each sheet
of paper. Each page can have a heading (either the page number, the
pamphlet, name or both). Sheets are put together by stapling them in
the middle, between the pages. This version is completely GEM based and
should work on any ST--Falcon (not yet tested on the Falcon) in any
resolution. At the moment only a DeskJet printer driver is included
(because that was the only printer the author had which could do the
landscape printing this program requires), but instructions on creating
your own printer drivers are included. Complete docs are included as
well as CodeKey (from CodeHead Technologies) macros for this program.
PI3_SNAP is a very useful mono SnapShot utility! It has a timer so you
can set it to go off in a certain amount of time, run and "set up" the
working program exactly as you want it, and then have the screen shot
taken (mono Degas, only)! Up to 99 pictures may be taken and saved on
one disk (a hard drive in that case) before you need to rename the .PI3
files. ST--Falcon and MultiTOS compatible. From DragonWare Software.
SHAREWARE.
SCRIBA21 is the Volume 2, Issue 1 of Scriba Communis Responsi. This is
a Norwegian disk magazine, offering a slice of Norwegian life (mostly in
English). There is also a fair amount of technical information here
(about the Falcon and other matters). Worthwhile if you're curious
about how Atarians around the world think and play (pretty wierd in
places!). ST--Falcon compatible. Floppy or hard drive. Color or mono.
SONNETS is a demo version of The Sonneteer v.1.0 by Albert Baggetta.
This program will allow you to do in-depth study of some of the Sonnets
or Shakespeare and the poetry of John Donne. This demo only includes
selected works of these poets, the complete program will offer the
complete sonnets of Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, John Keats, Elizabeth
Browning, William Wordsworth, and John Donne. Browse through the
poetry, seach for key words, expressions, or phrases, study patterns in
the poems, print out your selections, and much more. An obscure word
dictionary, information about each poet and of poetry in general are all
also included. Mouse or keyboard controlled. Color or mono. Docs and
ordering information included. Finally a text file listing all current
Baggetta_Ware.
SPBATTLE is a .SEQ animation produced using Vidi ST and Cyberpaint v.2.0
and created by Danny Powers of MoenPowers Software. Two spaceships move
towards you and fire on an enemy (or each other--I don't remember).
Anyway, if you're a fan of these programs or of Danny then get this
file, otherwise I wouldn't recommend it (sorry).
SPRTED13 is SpiritEd v.1.3. This is a GEM-based text editor that
operates as a desk accessory. It is now compatible with all resolutions
and any TOS version (MultiTOS compatible as well). It is written to
provide an ability to take notes and prepare lessons from within
SpiritWare's Bible concordance program (a demo of which is available
both on Delphi and GEnie), but since it is a general-purpose text
editor, it can be used to edit text from within any application,
including the GEM desktop. Spirit Ed uses a MAC-like pull down menu
system (like STalker and STeno). It provides basic editing capabilities
including cutting, copying, pasting, searching, and replacing. It also
has an undo function that allows you to cancel the last operation that
was performed. Several new and useful features have been added to this
well-supported .ACC. Mouse and/or keyboard controlled. Saves are
allowed. SpiritWare products are produced by servants of the Lord Jesus
Christ at Fifteenth Avenue Bible Church in Seattle, Washington for the
edification of His body. Color or mono. Docs included.
STARWAR is the .SEQ animation of an X-Wing Fighter which speeds towards
you, turns and approaches the Death Star (DS), which is visible in the
distance. The DS then breaks up. I thought this was a very good
animation except for the breakup of the DS which was a bit too "chunky."
Color only. Use ANIMATE4.PRG to view.
STARWARS is an excellent .AVS color animation. It is a scene from a
space battle with ships whizzing around blowing up others and getting
blown up in turn. The sound file with this features battle noises and
voices. Color only. At least one Meg of RAM. Includes AVS Player.
After I downloaded this file I found out that I already had it, listed
under another name: BATTLE. That file said the animation was from by
MegaSoft Entertainment, but this archive didn't include any such
information.
STZVSLHA is a very interesting text file by Steve Johnson that compars
the raw performance of Vincent Pompey's STZip v2.2 archiver and Roger
Burrows' LHA v2.01 (-lh5-) archiver. I was surprised at the results.
Recommended.
TAPECD is Tape Squeezer (TS) v.1.0 by Collin Heggerud, Irene Law, and
Jay Heggerud (not dated, but the author[s] uploaded it on May 1, 1993).
TS is a very interesting program that can help you make up tapes from
CDs, albums, or other tapes. You choose the songs, enter their play
time, and Tape Sueezer will fit them onto the tape for you. You can
also enter a list of songs and their playing time and let Tape Squeezer
choose the most compact arrangement for you. No longer will you have a
tape run out just before the end of the song! This is a fully working
demo except that you cannot save your files (you can reap the results
of the the program arrangeing your music, but you have enter the data
each time) Color or mono. ST--TT compatible. SHAREWARE.
TBX_ELEC from ABC Solutions is a free library of 71 electronic symbols
for use with tbxCAD (only). tbxCAD is, according to the reviews I've
seen, an up-and-coming CAD program for a very affordable price.
Uploaded April 24, 1993.
TLINK373 is TripLinK! v.3.73 by Mike Caldwell (the most recent date I
can find is June 5, 1992). This is a FEDBBS (a "Front End Development
Bulletin Board System"). While this IS a comprehensive BBS (supporting
Instant Graphics, VT-52 and ANSI graphics) it is NOT just a BBS. It is
a Complete Front End System Manager for your ST Computer. Most other
BBS programs don't allow you to use your ST for anything else when they
are running. This BBS lacks that "feature." You can call other
programs, access the menu bar and accessories, and more--all while
running the BBS. It also will help you to manage your files,
uncompressing files, searching for specific words in files and searching
for the files themselves. The author has tried to make this as user-
friendly to configure and start as he possibly could. Mouse and
keyboard controlled. Docs written by a programmer, not a writer (in the
author's own words!). Uncompresses to 775K. Color or mono. TOS 1.0--
1.62 compatible (and least but probably more--I just can't find it
mentioned).
TUZZLE30 is Tuzzle (The Tile Puzzle) v.3.0 by Anthony Watson of Mountain
Software (dated May 1, 1993). This program or accessory game will run
on any Color or Mono ST or above (but you only get sound effects on a
machine with DMA sound). Do you remember those sliding puzzles from
your childhood (I do. While I started many I don't think I ever
_finished_ one!). Tuzzle has four levels of play. The faster you
complete the puzzle the more points you earn. ST-Falcon compatible.
SHAREWARE!! Support Shareware or you won't see excellent programmers
like A.W. around for much longer!
CLR_CONV is another User-to-User from DMC Publishing. For use with
Calamus SL, this archive containing color tables, CFTs, and a tutorial
on color format conversion for the DMC family of design and publishing
products.
CLR_TABL is another User-to-User Tips file from DMC Publishing. For
use with Calamus SL, this archive contains 168-color & 256-K tables in
a larger 'reference' format, along with a corrected 256-gray CFT and
table. Color conversion worksheet included. This file supplements
CLR_CONV (see above).
WD108 is WHATDAY v.1.08 by Chuck Grimsby (dated April 23, 1993). This
is a command-line controlled program that will tell you anything you
want to know about a specific day you enter. If you want to know what
day of the week your birthday was, it can tell you. If you want to know
the Stardate of any specific dat, it can tell you. If you want to know
how many days today is from the start or the end of the year, it can
tell you. It can tell you the system clock's time; how long your
computer has been running this session, generate random numbers...LOTS
of stuff. Docs included. STe compatible (at least).
WINREC_1 is WinRec v.1.21 by Andreas Binner and Harald SchGOfeld (dated
March 9, 1993). WinRec is a direct to disk recording program for the
Falcon computer (it even allows you to do Karaoke with a mike!).
Supports real-time sample packing which can be unpacked during play.
The pack rate is 50% and the loss of sound quality is VERY small. From
what I can see in the docs this is an excellent program (now I wish I
had a Falcon to test it!). Requires a Falcon. SHAREWARE.
XTR22A is the newest version of DC Xtract v.2.2a by Paul W. Lee.. This
formerly commercial ("bought through a store") program is now commercial
SHAREWARE ("paid for because you are honest"). DC Xtract is a Wonderful
archiving utility. If you remember I reviewed the first Shareware
release of this program two weeks ago, and pointed out that while I
thought it was wonderful it had some serious bugs that limited it's
usefulness to me (I decided to keep on using the version I got with the
DC Utilities package I purchased long ago). The author has fixed all of
those problems. Not only that he has added the newest ZIP format to the
program. Now this handles all of the newest ARC, LZH, ZIP, and ZOO
formats (while it uncompresses the new lh-5 format it only compresses in
the older lh-5 format--but that's no big deal for me). I thought that
he had extracted all of the bugs from this program (pun intended), but
unfortunately, I did find one, and a fairly major one at that. While
compressing a series of files and folders using LZH the program will
only compress the files that are in the root directory, it completely
ignores the folders. I'm sure that will be fixed in the next update!
I recommend this program to you! It's great! I thought I was done, but
I want to talk some more about this. One feature I like is that you can
configure the program to automatically choose the correct compression/
de-compression routine based on the name of the file you are
manipulating. Another is the ability to set the maximum number of files
you will allow in an archive. This can save you RAM memory, while
allowing you to still uncompress those huge archives when needed. Mouse
and/or keyboard controlled. Docs included.
And, as you know, I like PhotoChrome picture files (.PCS) and so I
thought I would share some that I downloaded this week.
ARK is a PCS picture of of the Hebrew "Ark of the Covenant" somewhat as
is described in "The Book of Exodus" chapter 37 in the Bible.
CASTLE1 is a nice photo of a castle in .PCS format. The castle is by a
body of water and the view is along a walled road leading up to the
castle.
CRACKSKY is an interesting .PCS picture of a sky with cracks in it!
"The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!" It sure looks like it here!
CURLEY is a B&W .PCS picture of Curley from the Three Stooges.
DRAAKJE1 is a very detailed .PCS picture of a swordfighter wielding a
HUGE flaming sword in a battle to the death with a dragon. This is one
of the .PCS pictures that flickers quite a bit (though not to a greatly
bothersome degree).
HILL is a .PCS photo of Benny Hill, the late British "comedian."
PLACE is a .PCS drawing of a fractal seaside at dawn (or sunset).
Yellows, purples, and greens predominate.
SEINFAB4 is a B&W .PCS photo of Seinfield's "Fab Four" from the TV show
Seinfield. The quality is "OK" if you really like the show (I have
never hear of it since I don't watch that much TV), but otherwise it
flickers quite a lot.
WADSHILL is a beautiful and peaceful .PCS photo of a wooded and hilly
countryside with a lake in the distance. In the mid-range of the
picture stands what looks to be a tower fortress, though I'm not really
sure of what it is. The sky is beautiful, too.
ZAP is an excellent .PCS picture of lightning hitting the distant
horizon. This picture flickers a bit -- which is perfect for the
subject! The lightning appears to be flashing (in a subliminal sort of
way).
That's it for now.
Take care,
Michael
All of these files can be found on one or more of the following on-line
services: GEnie (M.BURKLEY1), Delphi (MRBURKLEY), The CodeHead BBS
(213-461-2095), Toad Hall (617-567-8642), and The Boston Computer
Society's Atari BBS (617-396-4607) (Michael R. Burkley). Drop me a
line!
Michael lives in Niagara Falls, NY. He is a former Polyurethane
Research Chemist and is presently the pastor of the Niagara Presbyterian
Church.
###### 8 SIMPLE "LOW-COST" STEPS TO PUT ATARI BACK ON TOP
###### Commentary by Thomas D'Ambrosio
###### ---------------------------------------------------------------
Loyal Atarians, long knowing the superiority of their hardware despite
the "contempt" of PC/Clone/Mac/Amiga owners, each probably has their own
idea of how to make Atari successful. I'm not much different. But, in
my recent attempts to pursue starting my own business, I have seen what
other companies do to survive. Here are my "Eight steps to putting
Atari back on top without breaking the bank." I am quite serious about
this:
Since the one factor nearly every Atarian agrees upon is "a need for
advertising", I will save the obvious step for last. Instead, let's
look at what other companies do to survive....
One Lynx is worth a thousand carts.
-----------------------------------
"General Electric" is a huge, multi-billion dollar enterprise. They
build aircraft engines for Boeing, electrical generators for nuclear
reactors, and even own the NBC television network.
So, why do they waste their time making, and advertising "lightbulbs"?
Answer... "fast money". When GE needs a quick million, they get the
infusion of "quick cash" that comes from a low cost, high quantity,
consumer product.
1] Atari should push the "Lynx", then create a demand for "software"
for them. "Lynx carts" can be stamped out, sold relatively cheaply,
and generate the quick cash needed to develop their higher end
products like the Falcon030 and TT.
Who says a "computer company" can't sell "games" and still be taken
seriously?
Show 'em your stuff.
--------------------
Apple Computers is touting their color Mac-II. I saw this ad:
"4Mb, expandable to 10Mb. 68030 cpu. 80meg HD.
Processor Direct Slot, LocalTalk port, 'AppleTalk'
LAN software, color monitor included... $1299"
Do the specs sound familiar? Two of the new Mac's tout a maximum ram
configuration of 10 megabytes. Maximum color of 32767, no "video sync"
ports, "MIDI" ports, mic out jack, or DSP.
That supplied "AppleTalk" software is a benefit. It means a plug-in
"network" out of the box. You need "multiple" computers to form a
"network", and if someone is interested in a Falcon's "networking"
capabilities, they may purchase more than one to do it.
Also seemingly forgotten is a time honored technique back in the golden
days of computer advertising: the Comparison Ad. Back then, it seemed
every computer manufacturer had a "comparison" ad showing the
superiority of their machine over the competition. Atari had a very
successful "comparison ad" when the ST debuted. Remember the ST
"Ferrari" ads? Those sold a lot of 520's.
2] Don't be afraid to go head to head with the big guys. If you believe
your product is good enough to out perform a more familiar product,
others will believe it too.
You are "unique"... just like everyone else.
--------------------------------------------
Next, offering "Works" type software with each machine is a step in the
right direction, but it doesn't demonstrate what "your" machine can do,
that the others can not.
Only a Falcon has a built-in DSP capable of "voice recognition". Yet, I
have not heard of a single product exploiting this feature. The Falcon
includes an "AppleTalk compatible" LocalTalk port that would allow the
Falcon to be plugged right into an existing LocalTalk net. Yet, no
networking software is provided.
When people see what _only_ a Falcon can do, PC's and Mac's are no
longer an option when they don't even offer those features.
3] Bundle software that takes advantage of the systems "unique"
features.
Changing with the times.
------------------------
Next, update the current hardware.
4] Now is the time for a TTe, supporting all the Falcon's video modes,
possibly a 40 or 50mHz 68030, _no_ DSP, but include the long needed
"cache" (maybe 64K?) that the 68030 begs for.
Omition of "cache ram" on the TT was a severe mistake on the part of
Atari, and adding the Falcon's video modes does much to widen the user
base.
Eventually allow for a DSP "upgrade" to the TT via the VME bus, so that
Atarians can have the "faster Falcon" many demand, but without forcing
Atari to design an entirely new machine.
Move it or loose it.
--------------------
5] On the, yet unreleased 14-meg Falcon, accelerate the CPU to 25mHz.
The reason Atari did not go with a 33mHz 030 was "cost". However, Atari
can safely accelerate the same 16mHz 68030's they are presently using to
25mHz, thus producing a faster machine for little added cost.
Apple offers a 33mHz 030 color Mac. Atari could easily compete here,
without substantial investment. This also creates an added incentive
for users to buy the high-end Falcon030, whose only difference from the
lower model Falcon's is the amount of expensive "Atari supplied" ram.
There's something different about you... is that a new dress?
-------------------------------------------------------------
6] Offer an updated "Portfolio-II", with built-in "windowing GUI" in
ROM, and increase the Port's display to a full 80 columns across.
A simple GUI might require some ROM space, but "software" is a far
cheaper way to improve the appearance/acceptability of a machine than
expensive hardware attachments ever could. (Just like "Window's" did
for the PC market.) "Psion" already sells such a "palmtop" with GUI
directly competing with the Portfolio.
Increasing the display to a full 80 columns increases the appearance,
compatibility, and usefulness of the port as well. (Someone else
mentioned adding the "harddrive boot code" to the Port's DOS. How hard
and/or costly could this be?)
"When I snap my fingers, you will remember nothing."
----------------------------------------------------
In 1982, a poll of our nations schools, done for the department of
education, revealed that more children knew the name "Atari" than the
name "Reagan", a President who had already been in office for over a
year.
As long as "Atari Coin-Op" is successful with arcade machines in every
country in the world, "Atari Corp" would have better luck getting the
world to forget the name "Sony". Stop fighting it, it's not gonna
happen.
What Atari considers a "liability" today was a "strength" back then.
The theory behind the short-lived XEGS 8-bit computer was "sneaking a
computer into the home in the guise of a 'game machine'." That's how
Atari got into my home, what about yours?
7] Play on your strengths. Don't reject them.
Penny wise, and dollar foolish.
-------------------------------
Lastly, as we all have been insisting till we were red in the face, and
our throats turn hoarse... "advertise". But, most importantly, be
_smart_ about it. A nice ad in an "Atari specific" magazine is wasted
money if the ad appears nowhere else. That's often referred to as
"preaching to the choir."
Atari has correctly placed "MIDI" ads in popular "music" magazines, but
Atari's are so much more.
Along with "music" ads in "music" magazines, needed are ads:
* Demonstrating "networking" in "business computing" magazines.
* "Desk Top Publishing" ads in DTP magazines, as well as the
aforementioned "business" magazines.
* "Video graphics" in DTV magazines, showing off "true color", "Photo-
CD", and the Falcon's easily Genlock-able video.
* Suggest the telecommunications possibilities of a DSP equipped
computer in computer-communications magazines, and scientific
magazines like Omni and Discover. (Both are good magazines for most
any ad.)
* Demonstrate the mathematical power of the DSP in both "graphics" and
"business".
* And also, make sure that the electronics chain stores that carry the
Lynx also run Lynx ads in their weekly circulars. I see "Gameboy"
and "Gamegear" ads every Sunday for the "Best Buy" Home Electronics
Superstores. If you think games only sell during Christmas, you are
making a serious mistake.
There are 4.8-Million birthdays in the U.S. each week, and if even just
.01% of them buys a Lynx, that's almost 500 units a week. And then they
buy $50 carts as well.
A "music" ad has as much place in a "business" magazine, as a DSP ad
does in "TV Guide".
8] Don't just advertise, consider your audience. A misplaced ad is
money wasted.
The view from on top.
---------------------
None of the steps I mentioned would require a significant investment, or
dramatic change in operations. Neither must all these steps take place
simultaneously. But, I can assure you, that if each step is followed
through to the end, I don't see how Atari could be anything but "on top"
once again.
Tom D'Ambrosio - Computer Systems Analyst, and aspiring entrepreneur.
=======================================================================
**--DELPHI SIGN-UP--**
----------------------
To sign up for Delphi call (with modem) 800-695-4002. Upon connection
hit return once or twice. At Password: type ZNET and hit <Return>.
=======================================================================
**--GENIE SIGN-UP--**
---------------------
To sign up for GENIE call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection
type HHH and hit return. Wait for the U#= prompt and type in the
following: XTX99436, GEnie and hit return.
=======================================================================
**--COMPUSERVE SIGN-UP--**
------------------
To sign up for CompuServe service call (with phone) 800-848-8199. Ask
for operator #198. You will then be sent a $15.00 free membership kit.
=======================================================================
**--ATARINET INFORMATION--**
--------------------
If you'd like further information or would like to join AtariNet please
contact one of the following via AtariNet or Fido: Bill Scull - Fido
1:363/112 AtariNet 51:1/0, Dean Lodzinski - Fido 1:107/633 or AtariNet
51:4/0, Terry May - Fido 1:209/745 or AtariNet 51:2/0, Tony Castorino
Fido 1:102/1102 or AtariNet 51:3/0, Don Liscombe at AtariNet 51:5/0,
Daron Brewood - Fido 2:255/402 or AtariNet 51:6/0. You can also call
the Z*Net News Service at (908) 968-8148 for more info.
=======================================================================
Reprints from the GEnie ST Roundtable are Copyright (c)1993, Atari
Corporation and the GEnie ST RT. Reprints from CompuServe's AtariArts,
AtariPro, AtariVen, or Aportfolio Forums are Copyright (c)1993, CIS.
Reprints from Delphi are Copyright (c)1993, Delphi and the Delphi Atari
Advantage SIG.
=======================================================================
Reprints from AtariUser Magazine are Copyright(c)1993, AtariUser. NO
AU article MAY BE REPRINTED without the written permission of the
publisher. You can subscribe and read ALL of the informative articles
each and every month by contacting AU at (818) 246-6277. For $15.00 you
will receive 12 issues. Send your payment to AtariUser Magazine, 249
North Brand Boulevard, Suite 332, Glendale, California, USA, 91203.
Foreign delivery is $30.00 in US funds.
=======================================================================
Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Corporation. Atari Falcon030,
TOS, MultiTOS, NewDesk and BLiTTER are trademarks of Atari Corporation.
All other trademarks mentioned in this publication belong to their
respective owners.
=======================================================================
**--** Z*NET OFFICIAL INFORMATION **--**
--------------------------
Z*Net Atari Online Magazine is a weekly online publication covering the
Atari and related computer community. Material published in this issue
may be reprinted under the following terms only: articles must remain
unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of each
article reprinted. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise
noted at the beginning of the article, to registered Atari user groups
and not for profit publications. Opinions present herein are those
of the individual authors and do not reflect those of the staff. This
publication is not affiliated with the Atari Corporation. Z*Net, Z*Net
News Service, Z*Net International, Rovac, Z*Net Atari Online and Z*Net
Publishing are copyright (c)1993, Syndicate Publishing, PO Box 0059,
Middlesex, NJ 08846-0059, Voice: (908) 968-2024, BBS: (908) 968-8148,
(510) 373-6792.
===~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==
Z*Net Atari Online Magazine
Copyright (C)1993, Syndicate Publishing - Ron Kovacs
===~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==
-----------------------------------------
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