Z*Magazine: 15-Nov-86 #2.7
From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 07/05/93-09:41:13 AM Z
From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: Z*Magazine: 15-Nov-86 #2.7
Date: Mon Jul 5 09:41:13 1993
___________________________________
Zmagazine November
___________________________________
November 15, 1986 Issue 2.7
___________________________________
Publisher,Editor in Chief:Ron Kovacs
___________________________________
Zmag Staff:
Assistant Publisher:Ken Kirchner
Software Reviewer: Eric Plent
Coordinator: Larry Mihalik
___________________________________
Zmag Headquarters (New Jersey)
The Syndicate BBS
Post Office Box 74
Middlesex, NJ 08846-0074
(201) 968-8148 300/1200 24 Hours
___________________________________
Xx Zmag 11/15/86
This week...........
<*> Zmag crosses the Atlantic into
Sweden!!
<*> CompuServe Watch
<*> New Zmag Systems List
<*> Bruce Kennedy Returns
<*> Computer Laws Signed
<*> Editor Notes
<*> Comdex Opens and closes this week.
<*> Next week in Zmag
<*> Zmag Systems List updated
and more......
___________________________________
Xx Zmag Invades Sweden
EasyPlex on CompuServe
Date: 09-Nov-86 13:30 EST
From: Lennart Olsson [76254,467]
Subj: ZMAG now in Sweden!
---Ron---
I enjoy ZMAG very much myself so I
have fed it into my BBS here in
Sweden. Do you mind having a Swedish
BBS in your ZMAG BBS listing?
Currently though, its impossible
for U.S. citizens to reach us.
Although our modem supports 1200
V22 and 2400 V22bis, the telephone
lines don't. As there are different
standards for 300/300 (and we use
CCITT instead of BELL) I don't
think many users can come through
successfully from U.S.
We call our BBS - Sorman
Information eXchange, SIX. It runs
on a Mac+, and carry general
computer news and sections for Mac,
Atari 8-bit, and Atari ST.
The number is +46-470-22183.
P.S. We intend to be the best Atari
BBS in Scandinavia. (I think we
already are, even if we haven't
been online for more than 3 weeks...)
Thanks for a nice Atari magazine,
Lennart Olsson (SIX sysop)
EasyPlex
Date: 13-Nov-86 12:55 EST
From: Lennart Olsson [76254,467]
Subj: Sweden calling...
Hello again Ron!
I AM posting ZMAG on our BBS here
in Sweden. It's ok by me for you
to publish the previous letter.
About our BBS...We are still "in
the starting position", i.e. we are
trying out the easiest maintenance
procedures, system lay-out etc. I
have only posted messages about our
existence on a few other BBSs, so
we have only about 10 users in this
phase. (3 Atari users). However,
the goal is to be the best BBS here
in Sweden. Therefore it requires a
certain amount of planning and
preparations before we open up "for
real". The BBS is completely free
of charge. It is sponsored by a
company.
At the moment you can't establish a
good link to us because the lines
around here aren't too good. We are
working on that. Next week a
representative for the Swedish
Telecommunications company will
visit us and look into our
problems. If everything goes right
we will be able to receive calls
on 300 bps CCITT, 1200 bps V22, and
2400 bps V22bis. Also there may be
a possibility to reach us through
packet switched networks, e.g.
Tymnet and Telenet.
We start out using Red Ryder Host
on a Macintosh Plus. I hope we can
get a machine with several channels
simultaneously sometime.
If anyone would like to try the
noisy phone lines to Sweden the
number is:
+46-470-22183. (The modem can sense
300 CCITT, 1200 V22, and 2400
V22bis).
I have to quit know, but I'll be
back. Thanks for a good ZMAG Ron.
Best wishes,
Lennart Olsson
___________________________________
Xx Antic Analog Blues Part 4
Well, as usual ANTIC did it again.
The "Tech Tips" in the back of the
December issue is bad enough and
stolen enough to make me put this
up here.
First, although they credit "the
sysop of the Atlantis BBS" for much
of the stuff, a lot of it comes
directly out of our book ("Inside
Atari DOS", published by COMPUTE).
Other pieces of the "tips" came
from COMPUTE, ANALOG, the Atari DOS
2.0s manual, and (to be fair) ANTIC
itself in earlier days.
COME ON ANTIC!
We don't mind seeing this stuff for
the umpteenth time (after all,
there are always new users who don't
have 5 years of back issues), but
don't go making out like this is
brand-new, hot-off-the-press,
exciting discoveries. Okay?
Second, whatever you do, please
DON'T take their advice about
"ERROR 164".
They give a pair of POKEs which,
supposedly, will allow you to load
a file which has bad file numbers.
The ONLY time you should use this
is when you are reading (for example)
old MyDOS disks (or others of that
ilk) where the file numbers were
purposely omitted. If your file is
REALLY damaged and DOS tells you so
via error 164, you have about one
chance in 1024 that the sector link
is correct, so "LOAD"ing the file
(as they recommend) is almost surely
suicide. And "SAVE"ing the result
can only be asking for trouble. I
would never attempt this process on
anything but text files. Even then,
I would strongly recommend getting
a sector editor and learning how to
use it. This patch to DOS method
is a sure way to ruin.
Third, I can't figure out why
anyone would want to put their disk
directory out on the disk in a text
file (virtually all commercial
programs allow you to read the
directory, and the code to read it
from BASIC is essentially identical
to the code to read a text file..
only the OPEN mode number is
changed). However, if you can
somehow find a use for it, here is
a MUCH shorter and easier method of
doing so than ANTIC's version:
10 OPEN #1,8,0,"D:DISKDIR" :REM
(or any file name)
20 OPEN #2,6,0,"D:*.*" :REM
(or *.BAS or whatever)
30 TRAP 50
40 GET #2,X : PUT #1,X : GOTO 40
50 END
This relies on a little known
"feature" (a feature is a
documented bug) of DOS 2 and most
of its derivatives. If you OPEN a
file for output BEFORE you open the
directory, you can do this kind of
copy. Neat feature: the new disk
directory file will not appear in
the text file list! (Maybe not so
neat if you were counting on it
being there. Oh well.)
Enough. Just hate to see stuff
readily available in most every
reference work appearing as if it
were news. I bet that between
"MAPPING THE ATARI" and "Your Atari
Computer", all but one or two of the
"tips" in ANTIC are in already
copyrighted material.
Enough said?
Bill Wilkinson
OSS and COMPUTE! and other sundry
places.
73177,2714
___________________________________
Xx MAGAZINES-ON-A-DISK
As retailers devote less space to
low-priced software in favor of high
-profit hardware, a new distribution
channel is emerging --subscription
-based software magazines.
While major publishers like Compute!
and Antic publications have hopped
on the bandwagon in the past year
with magazine and disk combinations
for the Atari 520 ST, the king of
the field is Uptime.
First published in 1984, Uptime
gives subscribers a disk of 10
Apple II games and utilities in
addition to reviews, ads and
articles.
The venture, based in Newport,
R.I., should reap more than $1
million this year, Publisher Bill
Kelly told Soft*Letter, a monthly
newsletter that analyzes trends and
strategies of the software
publishing industry.
Kelly has added a Macintosh edition
and plans to unveil a PC version,
although no release date has been
set.
More than 30,000 subscribers pay
Kelly $66 for the Apple version or
$90 for the Mac edition.
While early issues were largely
Kelly's work, he has built a
network of 300 freelance programmers
to write Uptime. In-house editors
clean up the code and test all
programs before publication.
Keeping an ear on readers' needs is
part of Kelly's success. His
surveys show the Apple II readers
want home and education programs,
while Macintosh users want business
applications.
"The most important factor is the
variety of programs," he said.
"The magazine format is definitely
seductive," said Soft*Letter
publisher Jeff Tarter. "As the
magazine idea catches on, moreover,
we'll probably see a proliferation
of special interest editions from
various publishers -- desktop
publishing utilities and fonts, for
example games from major entertainment
software developers and 1-2-3
add-ons. It's a sensible way to
sell software and disk magazines
may even turn out to be a primary
distribution channel for a whole
category of small programs."
For information, contact:
Uptime 401/847-2455 or
Soft*Letter 617/868-0157.
___________________________________
Xx COMDEX OPENS IN LAS VEGAS
The 8th annual Computer Dealers
Expo -- Comdex/Fall -- opened this
week with the keynote address
delivered by William C. Lowe,
president of IBM's Entry Systems
Division.
Lowe addressed the problems of
small systems manufacturers and
resellers in a speech called "Turning
Challenge into Opportunity."
Running through Friday, Comdex/Fall
is largest dealer-oriented computer
show in the world. Sponsored by the
Interface Group, it showcases new
products and advancements for
potential distributors, as well as
seminars dealing with the retail
industry.
As in past years, the show is too
large to fit a single site, so
exhibits were scattered among the
convention center and four area
hotels -- Bally's Grand, the Las
Vegas Hilton, the Riviera and the
Sahara.
With some 1,200 exhibitors
registered, the show does not
appear to have suffered the slump
affecting lesser exhibitions.
One possible reason for the
popularity of this year's show is
two specialized all-day seminars
that were set for Thursday. Focusing
on CAD/CAM and desktop publishing,
they dealt with all aspects of
retailing these advanced computer
applications.
Meanwhile, there are a few notable
absences from the show. Apple,
Ashton-Tate and the Commodore Amiga
appear to have left room on the main
showroom floor for Atari.
Atari, last year the only major
name consigned to the West Hall, is
this year in the Convention Center
East Hall with the rest of the
larger companies.
Of course, IBM is expected to be a
show standout, but third-party
vendors appear to be equally divided
between IBM and compatibles and
Apple Macintosh-support.
___________________________________
Xx ATARI ANNOUNCES STOCK OFFERING
Atari Corp. has begun an intial
public stock offering of 4.5 million
common shares.
The Wall Street Journal reports
that the shares should raise about
$52 million. Atari plans to use the
proceeds to help pay its debt with
Warner Communications Inc., which
sold Atari to Jack Tramiel for $240
million in notes.
After the offering, managed by
PaineWebber Inc., Atari will pay
Warner $36.1 million and issue to
Warner 7.1 million shares or 25
percent of the 28.3 million Atari
shares outstanding. At that time,
Tramiel and family members will own
53 percent of Atari's stock.
___________________________________
Xx Zmag Calender
Nov. 17-18
Boston, Westin Hotel
Copley Place, Dataquest's
"Electronic Publishing Market
Analysis Conference," featuring
industry speakers. For details,
call 408/971-9000.
Nov. 17-19
Cambridge, Mass., Hyatt Regency,
"Strategic Issues in Managing
Information Technology: Achieving
Significant Improvements in
Productivity and Effectiveness,"
sponsored by Decision Support
Technology. Admission is $995. For
more details, call 617/354-6400.
Nov. 21-23
San Diego, Intercontinental Hotel,
Society of Telecommunications
Consultants conference. For more
information, contact STC at
One Rockefeller Plaza
Suite 1410
New York, NY 10020, or call
212/582-3909.
___________________________________
Xx CompuServe Watch
#: 173722 S0/General
10-Nov-86 21:10:21
Sb: #ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: KEITH 76703,4061 (X)
I seem to remember a write-up for a
chip addition to the Indus GT which
converts the drive to read CP/M. My
kids are all studying using an (oh
my) Apple at school. Is it possible
to add an Apple chip to the Indus
GT to trick the Atari into thinking
it is an Apple?
This modification would be a
bonanza for backing up the well
entrenched Apple program for schools.
It also would save a lot of Atari
fans by providing a system for
homework for the price of a modified
dedicated disk drive.
Bruce Kennedy 72327,1500
#: 173782 S0/General
11-Nov-86 03:28:20
Sb: #173722-#ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500 (X)
The reason that Indus can put CP/M
into the drive is that CP/M is a
"generic" operating system that does
not really depend on any particular
type of disk drive, screen size,
keyboard layout, etc., etc., etc.
(Well... CP/M _does_ have a bias
toward 80-column screens, but it is
not as rigid about this as Apple is
about....but read on.)
In other words, the Indus drive
_BECOMES_ the computer and the
Atari becomes simply yet another
terminal hooked to yet another CP/M
computer. Normal environment in the
CP/M world, where graphics are
generally unheard of. CP/M is
pretty much a strictly 24-lines-
of-80-characters-ASCII-only system.
Enter the APPLE: As quirky as the
Atari may be about its graphics,
the APPLE II is quirkier! And if
you ain't got Apple graphics, you
ain't got an Apple. How do you
propose to emulate an Apple's
display on an Atari? It would be
like putting a standard audio
cassette tape and stuffing it into
your video recorder. The two just
do not mix.
Summary: forget it. An Atari
cannot be an Apple. An Apple cannot
be an Atari. It is only throught
the medium of generic systems (e.g.,
CP/M, where graphics, sound, disk
sizes, etc., etc. matter not) that
these machines can be even faintly
compatible. (Even here, though,
the Apple does _NOT_ use a standard
floppy disk drive...Apple CP/M
disks are NOT compatible with any
other CP/M disks. The INDUS CP/M
adaptation IS compatible with
several popular CP/M brands.)
'nough said?
#: 173791 S0/General
11-Nov-86 09:03:53
Sb: #173782-#ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: Bernie Bildman 70045,665
To: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714 (X)
Bill,
As an aside I just bought the MIDI
DJ, which is a MIDI sequencer with
disk drive. It IS the Indus drive
(now marketed by Natioal Logic)
with RAM chip and ROM within allowing
the completely different function.
Nice little machine.
Bern
#: 173803 S0/General
11-Nov-86 12:21:09
Sb: #173791-ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714
To: Bernie Bildman 70045,665 (X)
I knew they had it in the works.
Nice to see they finally finished
it.
#: 173834 S0/General
11-Nov-86 18:12:55
Sb: #173782-#ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714 (X)
THANKS, BILL. THAT RESPONSE IS A
GOOD ONE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF
ZMAG. MY LAST EFFORT AT STUPID
QUESTIONS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
REEVEKEY, A PUBLIC DOMAIN KEYPAD
CUSTOMIZER. THIS TIME OUT, WE CAN
CLOSE THE BOOK. THANKS FOR THE
DETAILED RESPONSE.
72327,1500
BRUCE KENNEDY
#: 173958 S0/General
12-Nov-86 21:14:40
Sb: #173834-#ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500 (X)
I have seen numerous references to
it, but I don't know what it is,
so... I give up: What is "ZMAG"?
#: 173964 S0/General
12-Nov-86 21:26:42
Sb: #173958-#ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714 (X)
ZMAG IS A COMPILATION OF MESSAGE
DOWNLOADS, REVIEWS, SUGGESTIONS,
ESSENTIALLY AN ELECTRONIC VERSION
OF A CLUB NEWSLETTER. THE IDEA IS
TO NETWORK NATIONALLY TO PULL THE
ISSUE TOGETHER. LOCAL CLUBS THEN
WILL HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH MATERIAL
FOR A SOLID LOCAL NEWSLETTER. WHEN
THERE IS A LOT OF HOT NEWS GOING
ON, IT IS A GREAT WAY TO DOWNLOAD
ALL THE HOT RUMORS FROM ONE PLACE,
IF YOU HAVE A DEDICATED EDITOR.
WE DO, IN RON KOVACS HERE ...SEE
DL7 "ZMAG", AND IN CHICAGO IN
CLINTON SMITH. SMITH'S WORK IS
BEING UPLOADED HERE BY TIM OROSZ.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT
ZMAG, BILL. TALK TO KEITH LEDBETTER
ABOUT THE IDEA, TOO. HE HAS A SET
OF ALL MY ORIGINAL ISSUES. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE A DISKFULL, I WOULD BE
HAPPY TO SEND YOU A SET.
BEKz 72327,1500
#: 174026 S0/General
13-Nov-86 13:25:54
Sb: #173964-ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
I won't ask for a diskful yet...let
me see what is here, first.
Speaking of DL7, did you see
GOOFS.ANT (I think that's what I
called it. Anyway, it is goofs in
ANTIC mag.) You are welcome to
ZMAG-ize it.
Same topic: Did you look at the
December ANTIC, at the list of "100
best Atari 8-bit products"? At
least, that is what they claimed
the list is. Actually, two of the
items in the list are the 520ST and
the 1040ST. (Hmmm....these are best
"accessories" for an 8-bit
machine??? Is ANTIC trying to tell
us something?) And one of the
items was "Picture Plus and Lister
Plus". They counted that as two
items. Admittedly, they were once
sold separately, but now ANTIC sells
them in "The Catalog" as a single
item.
Anyway, point is that there were
only 97 items in their supposed
list of 100 products. (Only Bill
Wilkinson would be dumb enough to
count them.)
This all came about because I was
curious as to how many "Catalog"
products were in the top 100. If
you count "Picture/Lister" as a
single product, count is 13 out of
66, or about 20%. That is somewhat
lower than last year's figure.
Does that mean the ANTIC products
are getting worse or that the other
products are getting better?
Personally, I suspect neither: I
think ANTIC took a lot of flak from
advertisers and decided to
soft-pedal a bit.
By the by, I never actually counted
last year's list, so I could be
wrong on my figures. If I can find
Dec. 1985 issue, I will count and
compare. (Nasty, aren't I?)
Last p.s.: Atari products only got
5 of the 66 spots. I think that is
too low, given 13 for ANTIC.
"Print" all this in ZMAG!!!!!
#: 173732 S0/General
10-Nov-86 22:30:46
Sb: #ZMAG CHICAGO BBS
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: RON KOVACS 71777,2140 (X)
Ron:
Here are some additions to your
national Zmag BBS List.
The first two boards to carry a
Zmag download section were the
predecessor to Blue Moon, still run
by Sysop Gerry Feid. The other
board was Centari, run by Tim Siml,
and at the time co sysoped by Alan
Reeve ("REEVEKEY"). The concept
never made it, so I made my own
version just about the time Keith
Ledbetter put out Express! I used
it as a vehicle to spread the word
about Express! and to help organize
the hacking effort which was going
on without much organization at the
time. We put together some co-op
programs/utilities which were
pretty neat. Do you have the 80
column routine? The marquee program
for reading the Zmag at club
meetings? Well, let's talk.
I will be putting together some of
the early issues for you, since
they still offer material you can
use today in your current issues.
zmag chicago bulletin boards:
Windy City 312 775 2970
Blue Moon 312 457 2219
Claug 312 889 1240
Bruce Kennedy 72327,1500
#: 173929 S0/General
12-Nov-86 17:47:06
Sb: #173732-#ZMAG CHICAGO BBS
Fm: Ron Kovacs [Zmag] 71777,2140
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500 (X)
Bruce, Thanks for the message, I
have a few of your early Zmag
issues. Clint Smith gave me info on
starting Zmag locally and it has
grown ever since. I have all the
Zmag utilities and also the newest
ZREAD16. If you any more info I
would appreciate it. We are
starting to gather good people who
are willing to write reviews and
also a person to help edit. Thanks
for starting Zmag. I will ad those
numbers to the list. Thanks! Ron
#: 173955 S0/General
12-Nov-86 20:59:25
Sb: #173929-#ZMAG CHICAGO BBS
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: Ron Kovacs [Zmag] 71777,2140
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO BRING
SELECTIONS AND MESSAGES FROM ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY. WE NEED A SERVICE
LIKE COMPUSERVE AS A DEPOSITORY AND
FORUM FOR DISTRIBUTION. YOU HAVE
MADE THAT HAPPEN, RON.
THE NEW OPPORTUNITY IS TO MOTIVATE
THEM ISSUES WHERE WE ALL TURN
LOOSE, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO
RESEARCH A SUBJECT, LIKE BBS FOR
BUSINESS, OR THE LATEST AND BEST IN
NON ATARI MONITORS FOR THE XL AND
130. IF YOU SAW THE "IN SEARCH OF
PERFECT RESOLUTION" ISSUE OF ONE OF
THE EARY ZMAGS, YOU'LL SEE WHAT I
MEAN.
MORE LATER. THANKS AGAIN FOR SOME
FINE WORK AND DEDICATION. I KNOW
HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES.
BRUCE "Z" KENNEDY
PROVIDENCE RI BEKz
72327,1500
#: 174048 S0/General
13-Nov-86 17:55:55
Sb: #173955-ZMAG CHICAGO BBS
Fm: Ron Kovacs [Zmag] 71777,2140
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
Bruce, You are one of the few who
really understand what happens on a
weekly basis. If you have any
thing you would like to contribute,
please do, There are a few readers
who were reading your issues on my
BBS back in January. They would
surely like seeing your name again.
I will print your messages in this
weeks issue if I have the space.
Thanks for starting a fine
publication. I only hope I can
continue providing good material.
Talk soon
Ron
#: 173960 S5/Application pgms
12-Nov-86 21:17:17
Sb: #173933-#SPEEDCALC/SIDEWAYS
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: Michael L. Wood 72347,2001 (X)
YES IT IS CALLED SIDEPRINT,
AVAILABLE FROM ATA A GLANCE. THEY
RUN ADS IN THE ATARI BOOKS.
86 RIDGEDALE AVENUE
CEDAR KNOLLS NJ 07927.
WORKS, BUT ONLY HANDLES 75 SECTOR
FILES. IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE OUT
OF YOUR CONVENTIONAL PROGRAM, SET
YOUR PRINTER WITH (ATARIWRITER)
CONTROL O 27 CONTROL O 65, SAME
TECHNIQUE CONTOL O IN FRONT OF EACH
CONTROL CODE: 27 65 5 15 27 83 0.
TINY TYPE GIVES YOU DOUBLE THE
CELLS PER LINE, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
BEKz 72327,1500
#: 173978 S5/Application pgms
12-Nov-86 22:57:47
Sb: #173960-SPEEDCALC/SIDEWAYS
Fm: Michael L. Wood 72347,2001
To: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500 (X)
Thanks, Bruce... I need it for
SpeedCalc spreadsheet application
(i.e. multi column entries) without
chopping data into PaperClip chunks.
#: 174076 S0/General
13-Nov-86 22:20:12
Sb: #174026-ATARI FOR APPLE HOMEWORK
Fm: BRUCE KENNEDY 72327,1500
To: Bill Wilkinson 73177,2714
WATCH FOR GOOF.ANT ET MESSAGE IN AN
UPCOMING ISSUE OF RON KOVACS' ZMAG!
THANK YOU FOR THE COPIOUS RESPONSE
OF WIZARD OF THE ATARI OPERATING
SYSTEM...
BEKz 72327,1500
___________________________________
Xx Computer Laws
Congress and the president want to
take a bite out of computer crime,
and that's just what they will do
with the enactment into public law
(99- 474) of the Computer Crime and
Abuse Act (S 2281 and HR 4718).
President Reagan signed the bill
into law late in October following
numerous congressional hearings and
compromises over a period of
several years.
Originally introduced in the Senate
by Sen. Paul Trible (R- Va.) and in
the House by Rep. William Hughes
(D-N.J.), the measure will expand
the protections against computer
crime currently governed by the
nation's first computer crime
statute (18 USC 1030), enacted in
the last days of the 98th Congress
in 1984.
This updated law will clarify
specific portions of the first
statute making it punishable for
unauthorized users to electronically
trespass into the federal
government's computers or the
computers of federally insured
financial institutions with the
purpose of intentionally destroying
computer data or committing fraud
via computer.
In addition, the same offenses will
be covered when the crime itself is
interstate in nature, as well as
permit prosecution of those who
traffic in computer passwords
belonging to others.
Federal computer crime laws have
notoriously lagged behind the
technology. A majority of states
have enacted their own laws, but
computer crime transcends the
boundaries of states, requiring an
effective national law.
This was originally in Zmag in
October. The following is an
additional Law just signed recently
by President Reagen.
American law is finally evolving to
keep pace with the communication
revolution created by the new
technology, as President Reagan
signed into public law (99-508)
October 28th. the Electronic
Communications Privacy Act (HR 4952
and S 2575).
The measure has been called
landmark legislation, since it is
considered to be the most important
privacy bill passed by Congress since
the 1984 Cable Act and is perhaps
the fourth most significant
communications policy since the
1934 Communications Act, reports
Communications Daily.
Recognizing that we don't
communicate exclusively by voice
anymore, the new law will ensure
privacy rights for individuals
using high-tech forms of electronic
communications, including cellular
telephones, direct computer-to-
computer links and electronic mail.
Introduced in the Senate by Patrick
J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and Charles McC.
Mathias (R-Md.) and in the House of
Representatives by Robert Kastenmeier
(D-Wis.), the legislation updates
the 1968 wiretap law and extends
federal protections against
wiretapping to other, newer forms
of communication.
Specifically, it imposes civil and
criminal penalties on individuals
who intercept an electronic
communication or access a computer
to obtain private electronic
communications without
authorization. It also requires law
enforcement officers to obtain a
warrant or court order to tap wires
or obtain information in a private
electronic communication.
The measure received bipartisan
support from a wide variety of
individuals and organizations,
including ADAPSO, the Electronic
Mail Association, the cellular
telephone industry, telephone
companies and the American Civil
Liberties Union. President Reagan
supported the bill from its
introduction.
The few objections to the bill were
centered around privacy protections
granted to cellular phones, which
operate by broadcasting radio
signals from a car transmitter to
large antenna some distance away.
Conversations can be picked up
quite easily by various radio
receivers.
The language of the bill was
changed at the last minute so that
eavesdropping on a cellular phone
call is illegal only if it is
"intended," as opposed to "willful."
This will protect those who
accidentally pick up a conversation.
___________________________________
Xx Editor Notes!!
Due to a serious disk problem list
week, a few columns of information
have been lost. I send my apologies
to Eric Plent our new Software
reviewer, He uploaded two reviews
this week and I moved them around
and they ended up on a bad disk.
Both articles will appear here next
week. Also, the Basic Programming
column was deleted. This will also
appear next week.
___________________________________
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___________________________________
XX Next week in Zmag!!
November 22, 1986 Issue 2.8
----------------------------
Software reviews by Eric Plent
Antic Analog Blues Part 5, in the
edition, Jack Lee responds to the
article by Ken White, read last
weeks issue for details.
Info on December Zmag, and whats
ahead for 1987.
Basic programming function and
user code definitions (continuing
article).
PD files for Atari 8 bitters. Info
on whats available on CompuServe
and Delphi.
Supra Hard Drive?? You might have
read the article in Antic, But let
but I will tell you all the trials
and tribulations of a Supra owner,
and the problems to date.
Zmag debuts in JACG newsletter.
and more.....
___________________________________
Zmagazine New Jersey Edition 2.7
November 15, 1986
___________________________________
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