Atari Explorer Online: 17-Oct-92 #9217
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 10/20/92-07:06:17 PM Z
From: aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: Atari Explorer Online: 17-Oct-92 #9217
Date: Tue Oct 20 19:06:17 1992
ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE MAGAZINE
------------------------------
Published and Copyright (c)1992, Atari Corporation
1196 Borregas Avenue
Sunnyvale, California 94088
~ President, Atari Corporation........................Sam Tramiel
~ VP Software Development.........................Leonard Tramiel
~ Developer Relations Manager........................Bill Rehbock
~ Director, Marketing Services.........................Don Thomas
~ Director of Communications...........................Bob Brodie
~ Corporate Director, International Music Markets....James Grunke
~ Atari Explorer Magazine............................Mike Lindsay
~ Atari Explorer Online Magazine.......................Ron Kovacs
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
October 17, 1992 Volume 1, Number 17 Issue #17
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Editors Desk - By Ron Kovacs
This is ISSUE #17 of Atari Explorer Online Magazine. If you missed our
last edition, not available on the pay services in it's initial release,
we noted in this column that we would be returning to bi-weekly
publishing. However, that may change to a further in-between release
schedule as Z*Net Atari Online Magazine returns next week.
There is NOTHING to read between the lines here. The main reason we are
re-releasing Z*Net Online issues is for industry coverage and commentary
within articles and columns. Atari Explorer Online WILL continue and
contain OFFICIAL Atari related information, comments from the Director
of Communications, Atari Explorer Magazine reprints, Atari Press
Releases, and other Atari specific information. Z*Net will return with
some of the original staff and aggressive community reporting, the Z*Net
Newswire and coverage of the computer industry.
There will be more information forthcoming on thie changes, so stay
tuned for more!
| | | THE Z*NET COMPUTER CALENDAR 1992-1993
| | | Schedule of Shows and Events
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
/// October 24
The Houston Atari Safari at the Houston Marriott Astrodome, 2100 South
Braeswood. Guest Speakers include Bob Brodie, CodeHeads and Double
Click Software. Arrangements have been made with the Marriott Astrodome
for a special room rate for Atari Safari Attendees. The normal room
rate is $79.00. Make your room reservations by October 12th and
identify yourself as an Houston Atari Safari attendee and you will
qualify for the show rate of $59.00. Reservations can be made by
calling the Marriott at 713-797-9000 or calling the national Marriott
number of 800-228-9290. For more informationand times call Bill Kithas
713-855-0815 or Harold Gailey 713-988-3712.
/// November 16th-20th
Fall COMDEX, the biggest computer trade show in the USA. Atari will
again have a major presence at the Las Vegas, Nevada show. The Falcon
line of computer is expected to dominate the Atari booth, with
outstanding demonstrations for the dealer and distributor attendees to
consider.
/// December 4-6, 1992
The Computer Graphics Show 1992 at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center
in New York City. This is a CMC event. For more information call;
(203) 852-0500, extension 234.
/// January 1993
The Winter Consumer Electronics Show comes to Las Vegas, Nevada. CES is
an electronic playground, with everything in the way of high tech toys
for kids and adults. Game consoles and hand-held entertainment items
like the Atari Lynx are big here, and Atari will attend with a hotel
suite showroom. Contact Atari Corp for more information on seeing their
display at 408-745-2000.
/// January 6-9, 1993
MacWorld Expo in San Fransisco California, Sponsored by MacWorld
Magazine. Titled San Fransisco '93 at the Moscone Center.
/// February 1993
NAMM is the largest conclave of musicians each year. Held in Los
Angeles at the Anaheim Convention Center, the variety of sights at the
National Association of Music Merchandisers is wilder than at
Disneyland, just next door. Atari was the first computer manufacturer
to ever display at NAMM in 1987, and has become a standard at the shows.
A trade show for music stores, distributors, and professionals of every
strata, entertainers are seen everywhere at NAMM. Contact James Grunke
at Atari Corp for more information at 408-745-2000.
/// March 1993
CeBIT, the world's largest computer show with 5,000 exhibitors in 20
halls, is held annually in Hannover, Germany. Atari traditionally
struts its newest wares there, usually before it's seen in the USA or
anywhere else. In '93, the Atari 040 machines should be premiering, and
this is the likely venue. Third party developers also use this show to
introduce new hardware and software, so expect a wave of news from CeBIT
every year. Atari Corp and the IAAD coordinate cross-oceanic contacts
to promote worldwide marketing of Atari products, and this show is an
annual touchstone of that effort. Contact Bill Rehbock at Atari Corp
for information at 408-745-2000.
/// 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.
/// September 18-19th, 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.
Editor Note: Parts of this column were provided by AtariUser Magazine.
| | | ATARINET
| | | By Bill Scull
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
AtariNet - You have been hearing about it, noticed a few messages
referencing it, and wonder what it is??
It's a new network for any BBS that supports the Atari home computer.
It's primary intent is to bring all BBS's that support Atari users
together.
It is easily available NOW with the FidoDoor or FiFo program for the
FoReM or Turbo BBS program. After you have installed the door or
utility, you will be ready to access this growing and sure to be,
popular Atari network.
There are currently several nodes already participating, and more are
welcome to join. The following is a listing of some of the AtariNet
Echoes already established and a few on the drawing board.
AtariNet SysOps
AtariNet echoes discussion
Atari products for sale/wanted
Atari supported BBSes
BinkleyTerm ST support
Atari DeskTop Publishing
FIDOdoor Support
FidoNet ST discussion
Atari general discussion
Atari graphics
IOSmail Support
Atari programming
Atari sound/music
Atari tech talk
Atari Explorer Online Magazine
If you'd like further information or would like to join please contact
one of the following people.
US - South East Bill Scull Fido 1:363/112 AtariNet 51:1/0
US - North East Dean Lodzinski Fido 1:107/633 AtariNet 51:4/0
US - Midwest Terry May Fido 1:209/745 AtariNet 51:2/0
US - West Tony Castorino Fido 1:102/1102 AtariNet 51:3/0
Canada Don Liscombe AtariNet 51:5/0
Europe Daron Brewood Fido 2:255/402 AtariNet 51:6/0
| | | T-25 ACCELERATOR REVIEW
| | | By G.T. Cohen
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
1990-92:The T16/T25 Accelerator Boards: A worthy upgrade
Now that 030 boards and computers are here, should anyone even consider
a 16 mhz or 25 mhz board? This article is a personal account of the
pros and cons of the two boards.
My reason for purchasing an accelerator board was to improve the slow
scrolling-speed of text in Word Writer, the popular ST word processor.
Even with software scrolling accelerators, like Turbo ST and Warp 9, the
speed was still annoyingly slow, especially for paragraph re-formats
which such programs could not accelerate.
The T16's 40% speed improvement was very noticeable when scrolling
through a large document. The improvement was not doubled, but the
scrolling speed was now quite tolerable. In comparison, the text
scrolled as fast as an 386-SX running the Windows-Write word processor.
For most applications the improvement was about 150% or 12 mhz; only for
math-heavy functions like Lharcing and Arcing did the speed approach 200
percent.
Printmaster improved tremendously, as did desktop operations, search and
replace routines, and hard drive operations when using a disk-cache.
PC Ditto software improved in scrolling by 40-50% with the T16, I have
not tried the Spectre GCR Macintosh emulator. Even PC Ditto II, the
hardware emulator board, improved in speed from 4.77 to 5.2 mhz. These
emulators were untested on the T25.
The T25's improvement is very noticeable; dialog boxes and item
selectors appear instantly. All GEM operations improved dramatically,
as did general hard drive cache performance in terms of data
verification when loading and saving. With the exception of most games,
all other programs are noticeably improved in speed. Screen re-draws,
scrolling, and text reformatting on Word Writer are very acceptable at
25 mhz.
STalker, the popular terminal program, slowed down less when doing
background operations like group-dialing, uploading and downloading.
STeno operated even faster, search and replace operations were
lightening fast.
QWK offline message readers, now used by most bulletin boards and modem
users, use ARC and LZH utilities, which are most improved by accelerator
boards. Load times for all compressed files are reduced considerably;
most of my files are compressed using DC Squish v.1.2, like Word Writer,
'squished' from 150k to 75k, and take about one second to unsquish at 25
mhz (about three seconds without). Games that use compression, like
Dungeon Master, also de-compress faster although the disk drives are
themselves never accelerated. All these speed increases, even if they
seem small, save time in the long run, especially if you use programs in
AUTO folders and desktop accessories, which are usually accessed every
time you power-up.
About three out of every four games tested, due to their timing
routines, showed little or no speed improvement with either the T16 or
T25. Games like Blood Money, P-47, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back,
Paradroid '90, Toki, Rambo III, Terry's Big Adventure (a Super-Mario
type game) Stunt Car Racer and Super Hang-On improved only slightly.
Some games improved wildly, like flight simulators and most adventure
games like Populace, Hardball, Sim City, and Major Motion (whose chunky,
awkward scrolling, with the T16 had ice-smooth speed and handling).
Starglider I and II, Plutos, Arctic Fox, Vroom, Outrun, and the four-
disk Formula One Grand Prix improved greatly in both scrolling speed and
'smoothness'.
Arcade enthusiasts will be pleased to find that Rampage, Bubble Bobble,
and Operation Thunderbolt and Operation Wolf run nicely at 16 mhz; about
the same speed as the arcade version. Joust at 16 mhz is playable at
high levels where before it would slow down when too many objects were
on-screen.
At 25 mhz, game speed improvements are even more pronounced. Rampage is
actually too fast: characters and sprites flicker and negatively affect
playability. With games like Vroom, the ST is transformed into an
arcade-speed dream machine.
Pacland, while improved with at 16 mhz, runs at arcade speed with the
T25. Another World and Prince of Persia, two graphic adventure games
which suffer slowdowns due to complex animation sequences, improved
dramatically, and ran at a very respectable speed with the T25.
Dragon's Lair and Space Ace animations ran faster and more smoothly.
Most noticeably, accelerated games ran fast enough to cause great
frustration when played again at only 8 mhz. Chessmaster 2000, and
shareware board games like Monopoly, Sorry and STrabble (a Scrabble
clone) improved dramatically, and made all games played against the
computer more enjoyable by reducing time needed to calculate moves.
For the T16, compatibility problems occurred with Spectrum and its
pictures, which can only be run or displayed at 8 mhz, and about a dozen
games which use hardware tricks tied to an 8 mhz clock speed, such as
Enchanted Lands (and many other games made by Thalion), Silent Service
II, and Prehistoric. If 100% game compatibility or Spectrum use is
important to you, the T16 accelerator board is obviously not for you.
The 16 mhz Adspeed board, as well as Fast-Tech's T20 and T25 boards will
run at exactly 8 mhz, solving the problem in all but a few cases.
The T25 is able to software switch to 8 mhz, which virtually guarantees
nearly 100% software compatibility. Of all applications, only DC Format
refused to work at 25 mhz; it would report an error and not format; but
at 8 mhz it worked flawlessly. The Magic Shadow Archiver (MSA), a disk-
compression and de-compression utility, would report an error but would
still work perfectly at 25 mhz.
I strongly recommend the installation of a hardware switch for T25
owners who enjoy games. The T25 boots in either 25 mhz or 8 mhz, and
requires a 1k program to switch speeds. The latter mode means that you
must install the switch program every time you want your ST to run at
25 mhz. Installing the switch program in AUTO folders, or finding a
disk with the program and swapping it is a time-consuming process
compared to flicking a switch. In addition, Double Click's freeware/
public domain 'DC Bootit' program must be used with many protected games
if they are to run at T25 speed, as their disk formats are often
encrypted, preventing the program from being written to disk. With the
hardware switch, speeds may only be switched in boot-up mode -any other
time will cause a crash.
The price of speed? Accelerator boards of 16 mhz cost about $200-$275
from many mail order outlets. Most boards require expert installation,
which may add $50-$100 to the total cost. The T25 costs $380 US funds,
but it is still less expensive than the 030 boards offered by Fast-Tech
and Gadgets (which cost about $600-$1100). I have used Word Writer on
a TT, and while it is faster than the T25, for the difference in cost
and software compatibility, the T25 wins hands down.
Having owned accelerator boards for a few years, I can say that it
stopped me from looking at PC clones as my only escape from Word
Writer's slow scrolling. I've tried switching down to 8 mhz to see if I
could manage well without it, and the result is an overwhelming "No."
I'd sooner learn the PD ST Writer or the cryptic ProText than return to
Word Writer at 8 mhz. In all, the added zip of an accelerator board in
many utilities and daily applications like arcing, windows, dialog boxes
and spell-checkers, is well worth the cost.
G.T. Cohen is a 23 year old University (of Toronto) student, majoring in
History and Criminology and has used Atari ST computers since 1986, and
is active in local Atari groups and BBS's.
| | | TO BE OR NOT TO BE - PART TWO An Adventure In BBS LAND
| | | By Bob Smith
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
Future installments of this column will appear in Z*Net Atari Online
Magazine. Look for the return next week!
When I was last with you, I was telling you about the formidable task of
learning about "Remote Sysoping". As I immersed my self into this, the
questions came fast and furious....do I move this file there or do I
delete this file, do I validate this user at that level, how do I go
into that utility to do this verification.... At this point, the
overriding question of "To Be Or Not To Be" became more and more
difficult to answer.
Anyway, the particular BBS program that I was starting to learn was the
8 Bit version of FoRem. While there are several other BBS programs that
are just as good, this program was made available to me by one of the
local warriors (sysops) and he provided guidance and encouragement.
After all, I was learning the very structure of his BBS and in my
blundering forward (or backwards, depending on your point of view) I
could very easily bring down the BBS. I read and re-read the
documentation, and most times could make little sense of it and just had
to keep at it on a trial and (more than one occasion) error basis. This
particular sysop was extremely patient and understanding. He would just
sigh and explain where I had gone wrong and proceed to let me make the
same mistake again. Before I continue, I just want to thank that 8 Bit
sysop by name. He is George Manolas and he has since left the 8 Bit
world and gone onto other things.
One of the nice things in getting involved was that I found other people
in this net that were most kind and were willing to help me. To this
day, I have found that most all of the sysops that I have gotten to know
are real nice and only too glad and willing to help. More about this
later.
Now back to the my ongoing journey. In learning the usage of the BBS
from the other side, the perspective of the user is forever changed. As
a user, I never gave a thought as to what went on with the BBS and if I
happen to hit a wrong key, the message base might lock up or the file
base might wind up in Hong Kong or the sysops modem might die from
fright, etc. Before I started this journey, as a user I would just dial
the particular BBS, hear the funny little tone and then the next thing I
know I was connected. Boy, I thought to myself, that's power. At any
rate, I would read messages, send them, upload and download files and
generally do what good users do, use the BBS. Again the question came
to mind, do I just enjoy or do I start working as a "remote" sysop? I
started to view users in a different light, something like the store
owner views the customer. These users were the ones that the BBS was
there for, but like some customers there were a few that were the
spoilers. I learned that a very, very few would log on, try to cause
havoc and log off. I guess they thought of it as a game, something on
the order of "catch me, if you can"!! With all of the things that I was
learning on how and what a BBS was, I wasn't prepared for any downsides
of BBS operations and this was a very definite problem. I was giving
thought to the true sysops and what they have to cope with and couldn't
reconcile in my mind if the aggrevation was worth it or not.
(To be or not to be). I decided I would not try and come up with an
answer until I learned more about the world of the BBS as a whole.
As my training went on, I started to pay attention to the various Sysop
message bases on the various boards that I called. The information that
appeared in this forem was extensive and oft times confusing. At any
rate, I would read and try and remember some of tips that appeared.
Some of which I would discuss with other sysops and ask what would be
seemingly endless questions. For instance, I found out that the ST BBS
world was very different from the 8 Bit world, but alot of similarities
existed. This learning process took place over a number of months and
about the same time a very good friend of mine by the name of Dave
Tipton 'tricked' me into looking at an ST that I had acquired, but
really didn't think much about that part of the computer world. I was
having enough of a time getting my feet down in 8 Bit land, especially
with trying to learn and decide if I wanted to be a BBS warrior. So
much to learn, so much to think about, so much many questions and not so
many readily apparent answers. Oh, what a headache I was building up on
a daily basis. Perhaps being a sysop, in whatever form, was too much
for just a lowly user like me and the answer to the question was "Not to
be", but I kept having this nagging question in the back of my mind and
I pushed away the idea of not going on.
So I kept learning, watching, making mistakes and at a rare time doing
something right. This fraternity of sysoping was still much beyond my
grasp, but not entirely. I had just reached about a quarter of my
journey, when a new problem (for me) started to prevail.........
| | | ATARIUSER REVIEWS
| | | Reprinted from the August 1992 Edition
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
Arabesque Professional (ST, STe, TT)
Gribnif Software has brought another German import to the USA in
ARABESQUE PROFESSIONAL, a premium monochrome draw/paint program. Like
CodeHead's Megapaint, Arabesque makes the most of two different graphics
worlds--vector (draw) and raster (paint). It runs in any resolution of
monochrome (ST/TT) and requires at least one meg of memory and a double
sided disk. Arabesque Pro (there is no "vanilla" Arabesque in the USA)
is supported by an excellent 172 page manual and a QUICK TOUR section
that holds your hand while you get used to the different functions. The
3-ring binder and disk are housed in a professional looking box.
Arabesque presents a full-screen work area, plus a small strip at the
top with the cursor coordinates. The (many) toolboxes appear only on
command, saving screen space but making it more difficult to maneuver in
the beginning. After a somewhat steep learning curve, this system
becomes very efficient, and functions can be performed with the mouse or
keyboard equivalents.
Clicking on an icon or hitting the space bar toggles between the mapped
and vector parts of the program. Many icons are ambiguous at first,
requiring extensive use of the manual. But the same icons are used with
both the mapped and vector menus when possible, making it easier to
learn and use the functions in the pop-up menus.
The Bitmap mode is the "paint" mode, with all the tools and functions
you'd expect. Also available are arc segments for both circles and
ellipse's, parallelograms, polygons, and text. Extra special features
include a way of filling shapes with either a gradient fill that can be
rotated in 90 degree increments, and the ability to fill an irregular
shape with whatever is in the buffer, including graphics that can be
loaded into any irregular shaped object. You can also loosely cut out
irregular images and Arabesque will shrink the outer edge of your cut to
the shape of your image, allowing you to paste it somewhere else without
the area outside your image cutting into another image. Special block
functions allow you to manipulate the block in the buffer to invert,
contour (outline), smooth, mirror, rotate, bend, pull (distort width and
length) etc. You can undo changes made from just the last operation or
from the last time you accessed the pop-up menu.
Vector ("draw") mode presents the usual object-art stuff like circles,
ellipses, arc segments, triangles, polygons, and bezier curves. The
nature of vector drawing takes advantage of abilities to stretch, layer,
and re-organize multi-part drawings. The vector mode text function is
more extensive than the bitmap mode text function, making it possible to
edit text after it has been typed in.
Images can be copied between bitmap and vector sections, enabling
creation and saving of art with components of both kinds. Creating a
bitmap image from a vector is a snap, allowing conversions of clip art
for use in some bit-only layout programs. Further, the ability to hand
trace bitmaps with vectors allows you to make jaggie-free blowups of any
scan art. Of course, that's a tedious process for large projects, and
Gribnif's CONVECTOR program (separately available at under $100) will
quickly convert bitmapped files into vector format, and will operate as
an integrated part of Arabesque.
Arabesque allows you to use all of your tools in the magnify mode, just
as you would in your regular viewing mode. This is the first time I've
seen this type of thing, and it's a welcome addition to the program.
You can load/save in all the standard monochrome bit formats, including
the Arabesque default graphic format (.ABM), .IMG, .PAC (Stad), PI3 (un-
compressed ), and .IFF, plus Calamus .CVG format and GEM/3, as well as
.AOB (Arabesque OBJECT). The AOB format takes advantage of all of
Arabesque features like placing bitmap images in a vector drawing, and
it's much smaller than other formats.
Arabesque uses GDOS fonts but doesn't require GDOS itself, even for
printing. Gribnif also says that Arabesque will work perfectly with
FSMGDOS but that you are not currently able to manipulate the fonts as
you might do with a program like OUTLINE ART from ISD Marketing.
Further, a font converter program for making GEM/GDOS files out of
SIGNUM format fonts is included.
While it doesn't have the control over the minute details that Megapaint
does, Arabesque offers the ability to freely experiment with the editing
of files that you are working on. Different versions of a picture can
reside in a number of screens in memory at the same time. I can cut,
paste or do anything between screens, to experiment with as many
different combinations of effects as I can conjure up. Up to 20 pages
can reside in memory.
All in all, this is a powerful, solid, productive tool that's great for
someone who likes to take an idea and play with it, changing it on a
whim. But its professional level power carries a professional level
price. If you plan no more than simple manipulation of images that are
created by other programs, you might be served just as well by some of
the less expensive, simpler paint programs on the market. For a graphic
artist who is serious about the work, Arabesque will stimulate and
accelerate the creative process, something money can seldom buy.
Arabesque Professional, $199.95 from Gribnif Software (new address!),
P.O. Box 779, Northampton, MA 01061. Phone (413) 247-5620. Fax line
(24 hours): (413) 247-5622. -- Steve Blackburn and John Nagy
Lynx Casino (Lynx)
Video gambling games are hard to promote. While such a game lets
players experience the thrills safely, if there are no real winnings,
why bother? Lynx Casino doesn't resolve this paradox, but it does offer
a risk-free alternative to Atlantic City. It's a collection of five
games: Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Slot Machines, and Video Poker. You
start off with $1000, and can get two loans of $500 each, but when the
money's gone, the game ends. You can also ComLynx with a friend for a
mini-junket.
The best thing about Lynx Casino is that it accurately captures the
experience of casino gambling. Authentic rules, odds, and payoffs are
used, and each game allows the same options that the real offers. For
instance, Craps supports everything from Pass and No Pass to Hard Way
and Horn bets, while Roulette uses a Double Zero wheel and allows
numerous number combinations. The only discrepancy is that you're
always the dice shooter on Craps. Statistics are kept for each game
session, allowing Lynx Casino to be played on two levels: casual players
can have fun making bets, while self-proclaimed experts can develop and
exercise strategies.
Graphics in Lynx Casino are decent overall, with a touch of cartoon
whimsy as you guide your on-screen persona among the tables, staff, and
bystanders. You can talk to a few. Most time is spent at the games,
which are drawn with good use of color and detail. Sound effects are
not as interesting; a variety of tunes play during the game, though they
can be turned off if desired. Other than that, sounds are few and
fairly simple.
Lynx Casino is a good, no-nonsense video version of the Vegas
experience. If you want to refine your Craps stratagem, or just enjoy
blowing imaginary money, this game will easily fit the bill. Atari
Corp., $39.95. -- Robert Jung
Hydra (Lynx)
You are known as Hydra, though no government admits you exist. You are
a mercenary whose specialty is the transport of "sensitive" packages,
using your Hydrafoil, a one-man speedboat. There is danger from those
who don't want your cargo delivered. Only the best survive, but you are
the best. Maybe.
This is Hydra for the Lynx, an adaptation of the Atari Games arcade
title. From behind your boat, you pilot through nine levels of rivers
and oceans, grabbing money bags for bonuses and crystals for fuel.
There are gun embankments, enemy ships, jets and more, but you can fly
temporarily to escape. Finish a mission and you compete for money in a
bonus stage, then buy more weapons for the next job.
A hit will destroy your Hydrafoil, but that's okay, as survival is
measured in fuel; the game ends only when you run out. This version is
slightly easier than the arcade, yet remains of average difficulty and
offers unlimited continues. Objects appear in fixed orders, but later
levels use a lot of enemies and a rarity of fuel as challenges. The
controls seem backwards; you press down to accelerate and up to
decelerate, but this doesn't affect playability. Unlike Roadblasters,
the steering is gradual, making driving and aiming easier.
The digitized graphics of the arcade appear fine on the Lynx, though the
colors make some items a little muddled. Judging collisions requires
experience; initial forays will have crashes with obstacles you thought
you avoided. Sounds are good, and consist of your engines, chimes when
items are retrieved, assorted weapons fire, and lots of explosions.
Hydra borrows heavily from the earlier game Roadblasters, and offers
little that's truly different. That doesn't make it any less fun, and
this version is a good adaptation that will be enjoyed by action players
and fans of the original. Atari Corp., $39.95. -- Robert Jung
| | | THE ATARI AMATEUR PRESS
| | | By Tim Duarte
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
The following article is reprinted in Atari Explorer Online by
permission of AtariUser magazine. It MAY NOT be further reprinted
without specific permission of AtariUser. AtariUser Magazine, 249 North
Brand Boulevard, Suite 332 Glendale, CA 91203 Telephone/Voicemail: 818-
246-6277, FAX: 818-242-2129
Andy Eddy gave us an overview of the commercial Atari press. But
there's a whole other world of publishing that many Atari users are not
familiar with--an entirely different level of Atari support called the
Atari "Amateur Press."
The Amateur Press consists of small newsletters on the various
subdivisions of Atari products and interests. They are usually brief,
averaging only 8 to 16 pages, but they contain interesting and useful
information that you won't find in the professional magazines. Each
newsletter varies in content, but most of them contain similar parts:
hardware and software reviews, game solutions and tips, reader-submitted
letters, question and answer columns, "how-to" projects, programming
tips, classified ads, and more.
Don't expect to receive a full-color pages from the amateur press. Most
newsletters are created with desktop publishing software and the printed
pages are usually photocopies. Remember, amateur publishers do not have
large budgets or paid writers. What they do have is a network of highly
informed and highly motivated readers who each take their participation
in the newsletter very seriously. While this often makes the coverage
uneven or quirky, it is seldom boring, at least to others who share the
particular bent of the specific publication.
The following are Atari-related newsletters, with a brief description
and contact information:
APE (Atari Portable Entertainment)
Clinton Smith, 2104 North Kostner, Chicago, IL 60639.
Subscription: $6 for 5 issues (1 year)
AU's Lynx Columnist Clinton Smith provides a comprehensive newsletter
for the Lynx gaming system. It's published quarterly, with a special
Christmas issue. Clint packs 16 pages with news features, detailed
solutions, strategies, and tips, step-by-step instructions on how to
find "easter eggs" in the games, and more. APE is the leading
newsletter in the Lynx community.
Classic Systems & Games Monthly
Jeff Adkins, 11 Windsor Attica, NY 14011. Subscription: $16.50 for 10
issues (one year) ($1.75 for sample). Jeff and his staff not only write
columns about the 2600, 5200, and 7800, but they tackle Intellivision,
Colecovision, Odyssey 2, and other classic games systems as well. CS&GM
issues are large (July was 18 pages) and published monthly. A "game of
the month" is showcased in each issue, and just reading the reviews
makes you want to set up and revive your old game systems and join in on
the fun.
Digital Press
Joe Santulli, 29 Cupsaw Ave., Ringwood, NJ 07456. Subscriptions: $6 for
6 bi-monthly issues (one year). "Gaming as a Way of Life." Very
similar to CS&GM, Joe and the staff at DP cover all classic systems and
the July/August issue was 22 pages. The difference is that coverage of
new systems, such as the Sega Genesis and Nintendo, also fill the pages.
The newsletter also has its own distinct personality, which comes across
as a friendly, yet punchy style. Columns worthy of note are the Worst
of/Best of software articles.
Take It With You
Perfection Applied, 454 West 1010, North Orem, UT 84057.
Subscriptions: $18 for 6 bi-monthly issues (one year). This newsletter
is geared toward the palmtop computer user. Not only does it provide
Portfolio coverage, but also covers the Sharp Wizard and Hewlett Packard
95LX. Time-saving tips, useful tricks, and how to's are featured.
2600 Connection
Tim Duarte, P.O. Box 3993, Westport, MA 02790. Subscription: $6 for 6
bi-monthly issues. Would you believe there is a newsletter that is
devoted to supporting the ancestor of all videogame systems -- the Atari
2600? I should know, I'm the publisher and editor! My latest, issue
#11, featured an interview with Warren Robinett (author of Adventure),
the solution to Crossbow, a story on rare and collectible games, and
more in its eight pages.
The Lynx
Phil Patton, 131 Dake Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Subscriptions: $12
for 12 monthly issues (one year). Phil's newsletter provides coverage
for the portable Lynx, Atari ST, and oddly enough, gaming on the IBM PC.
Other columns include Ask the Wiz Kid (a question and answer column), ST
Action (game column), and Ramblings of an Amoeba (the IBM column).
The Shape of Gaming to Come
Darren Krolewski, 12311 Conservation Trail, Utica, MI 48315.
Subscriptions: $5 for 6 bi-monthly issues (one year). Darren's
newsletter focuses on many of today's newer systems, including the Lynx.
Also, the newsletter discusses where the industry is headed. Virtual
Reality was featured in a recent issue. Darren also publishes a "closet
classic" review once and awhile.
ZAP!
Terence Micharoni, 142 Justin Ave., Staten Island, NY 10306.
Subscriptions: $6 for 6 bi-monthly issues (one year). Terence provides
coverage of the cartridge-based Atari systems, as well as the 8-bit
computer games. He also supports a large number of non-Atari classic
systems, too. The head-to-head game system comparisons, such as the
Atari 5200 vs. Colecovision or the Atari 2600 vs. Odyssey 2, are quite
interesting to read. ZAP! recently expanded to 10 pages.
I'm sure there are other newsletters out there, and I apologize for
those I missed. Newsletters start up and cease publishing quickly. If
you know of other Atari-related newsletters, send the addresses to
AtariUser magazine so we can do a followup in the coming months.
If you're interested in obtaining some of the newsletters above, but are
unsure about a subscription, many of the editors will send a sample
issue. Include a dollar bill or a few postage stamps when requesting a
sample. Remember, these amateurs are not publishing to make a profit;
they publish because they enjoy it and regard it as a hobby. If you
send a check or a money order for a subscription, make the payment
payable to the editor/publisher's name, not to the newsletter itself.
Most banks refuse to accept any check payable to the newsletter because
it is not a registered, legal business.
The Atari Amateur press is a reliable source of information for niche
subjects that don't get much coverage in the professional Atari
magazines. Find your niche and take some time to check out the
newsletters that match you. You won't be disappointed.
BIO: In real life (away from producing his own newsletter about the
Atari 2600) Tim Duarte teaches 8th grade English and History in New
Bedford, MA.
Some of the specialty "magazines" are "electronic," existing only as a
text file to be downloaded or read online via modems. For our purposes
this month, we'll look at the "hard copy," or printed newsletters.
We'll also narrow our view to exclude "club" publications for now.
What lies ahead for the Atari Amateur Press? There's still room for
more newsletters. How about a newsletter devoted to the Atari 5200?
7800? 8-bit computers? If you think you'd like to start up a
newsletter, write to an editor. Most of them are happy to help out and
give advice to newcomers.
| | | WRITE A FEW LETTERS!
| | | By Andreas Barbiero
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
We all are aware of the dwindling number of software developers for the
Atari platform. With the introduction of the Falcon 030, we hope for a
turn-around. But what can we do about the software we could be using
now? There has been a slew of marginal games ported to the ST, a
reflection of the endless series of cheap software programs around for
all computers, and sales on them have been slow. Publishers seem to
notice it more on the ST. You can blame it on lower Atari sales, the
economy, sunspots, or A LACK OF VOCAL USERS. If these companies KNEW
that if they'd produce good software for us, we would buy it, maybe they
will convert the GOOD stuff and not just the junk everyone else buys on
other platforms.
We are a discerning userbase, we know what we like, and we won't buy
garbage. In England, ST Format has had a very successful campaign with
their letter writing campaign, succeeding in getting Civilization from
MicroProse, and possibly even Eye of the Beholder 3, for the ST market.
Now, the programs don't have to be games, they could be professional
packages, which actually would be easier to convert! Recently FoxPro
agreed to port over some serious business software, just before
Microsoft bought them out. We are hoping that Microsoft honors its new
subsidiary's past agreement and completes the software! So in a mood of
optimism, I am cutting out most of the leg work for everyone by writing
a generic form letter for you to print out, or copy by hand, and a
couple of specific ones to the big software houses. I am also including
the list of software houses so kindly compiled by Zenobot in his
excellent ST gamer's digest. Thanks to ST Format and Zenobot for their
efforts!
In case you are curious, here are some of the best PC games available,
don't be afraid to substitute your own!
Eye of the Beholder - SSI
Eye of the Beholder II - SSI
John Madden's Football- Electronic Arts
Secret of Monkey Island II - Lucasfilm
Sim Ant - Ocean
Sim Earth - Ocean
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe - Lucasfilm
WordPerfect 5.1 - Wordperfect Corp.
FoxPro - Wordperfect Corp.
Lucasfilm PO Box 10307 San Rafael CA 94912 (415) 721-3300
SSI 675 Almanor Ave Sunnyvale CA 94086-2901 (408) 737-6800
Ocean Software Ltd. 6 Central St. Manchester, M2 5NS
Electronic Arts 11-49 Station Rd Langley, Nr. Slough, Berkeshire SL3 8YN
WordPerfect 1555 North Technology Way Orem, UT 84057 (801) 225-5000
Dear _________________________,
Please covert _______________________________________ for the Atari ST
series of computers, especially consider the capabilities of the STe,
Mega STe, TT and Falcon 030 computers. I think your better quality
software would sell in the United States, and, if available, would
seriously consider buying this program for my Atari. Thank you.
I think this program, made for the Atari, would be a good idea because:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
My name is:____________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I own an ATARI_________________________________________________
Dear SSI,
Please consider a conversion of the Eye of the Beholder series and other
of your excellent programs to the Atari computer platform. We
appreciate your past developments and would greatly enjoy any further
conversions to the Atari line of home computers. The built in
capabilities of the ST, STe, Mega STe and TT computers are only
surpassed by the abilities of the new Atari Falcon 030, with XGA quality
graphics, Digital Signal Processing, and 16 bit stereo sound built in,
and standard with every new Falcon 030.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
My name is__________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Dear WordPerfect,
I am writing to ask you to please allow the conversion of the software
developed by FoxPro, for the Atari to continue. Sales of high quality
software for the line of Atari computers continues in the United States,
and also in the lucrative European markets. I would be interested in
purchasing these and other packages if made for the ST, TT and Falcon
series of home computers. I also wish to thank you for your support of
WordPerfect for the Atari, and would ask you to make an update to 5.1
available for my computer. Thank you.
My name is:_____________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
I own an Atari__________________________________________________
| | | WHAT IS MULTIMEDIA?
| | | By Andreas Barbiero
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
Several new terms have been coined lately, and amongst the most common
is the buzzword 'multimedia.' There have been some pretty neat ads
sponsored by IBM on TV espousing this new 'era' of computing targeted to
the lucrative education market. Smiling children point at touchscreen
monitor making elephants dance and serious adults talk about how amazing
and educational "the fusion of sound and graphics is. I can just see
those little kids saying "yeah, whatever lady. . .look what I can make
this giraffe do. . ."
Well, maybe that wasn't the best description of multimedia, but at least
its more interesting than saying, Multimedia is the integration of sound
and graphics into a unified, interactive presentation in an attempt to
represent the immediacy of TV images and the audio impact of a CD player
in displaying the visual and audio experiences of a real place,
situation, or object. For instance the software would allow you to hear
the music of Mozart while watching a video clip from the movie
'Amadeus,' and reading a historical account of his life. Being able to
point at a country on a map of the world and getting the name, stats,
and hearing the national anthem is a fusion of several separate computer
operations, and possibly even educational.
You may have noticed that the term keeps getting larger as I go along,
and really, multimedia has yet to be fully defined and standardized.
The hardware, as well as software, varies from system to system and
varies according to whom you talk to, or try to buy a computer from.
Mostly, when you see a system touted as multimedia it includes items
like a CD-ROM and high resolution monitor, a soundcard and speakers.
DOS, as in most applications, is completely useless here, so Windows is
considered standard for a PC based multimedia system. Unfortunately for
the PC user Windows still has some major bugs and is really just a
shell. Intercommunication between multitasked operations is not
possible. The system requirements for working Windows into viable
operation is a hidden cost in purchasing a computer. High speed
graphics boards are needed, as well as a powerful CPU. Costs of such a
beast are relative to how hip you want to be. A basic system can range
from $1399 to well over $3000. The CD-ROM unit is central to this type
of system, and with the narrow profit margins of PC's these days, more
and more dealers are trying to popularize this path as the way to re-
instill excitement in Intel based computers and consequently garner more
sales. CD-ROMs are in the process of becoming a mature product, are
relatively inexpensive, and software for them is becoming more available
and cheaper, but like a lot of other consumer products, the CDROM may
not standardize fast enough before something better comes along. With
the popularity of CDs in the audio business, such things as Laserdiscs
are making a comeback from the sluggish growth experienced in the early
80s. Interactive CDs have been slow to catch on, and the advent of
CD-ROM units for the profitable game console units has been pending now
for several years. Without a standard, the market can only suffer.
Writable optical disks live in the rarified price ranges in upscale
computer magazines, but they ARE available for under $2000, and with
storage in the gigabyte range, they are almost worth the prices they
command. Kodak is making a big step into the digital field with their
Photo CD technology. Taking CD-I a step further, they are allowing
people to preserve their photographs, a hundred at a time, on a single
CD and play them back on a TV or computer. This is an excellent method
of bringing this technology to the public in a way that is interesting,
obtainable, and usable to the common person.
Breaking down the barriers between technology and its applications in
going to be the next big step with computers. A multimedia system is
going to have to breach this barrier. A computer packaged with the
right hardware and software built in and priced correctly could make
inroads into households which would not normally buy a computer. It
would be like an appliance. People don't want to open their TVs and
stereos to add cards or learn what an AUTOEXEC.BAT file is, they want
something to fit on their TV cart and just simply work. The REALLY
interesting side to this is, once it is IN their homes, and they
suddenly realize they are comfortable with it, other purchases become
possible. Game software at first, probably, but then comes business and
professional software.
Common home computers just don't fit the bill. Yes they are affordable,
but are they as indespensible to the average household as a VCR or a
answering machine? Not yet. THIS is what multimedia can do for us.
All this sounds very interesting, but is it practical with today's PC?
There is now a decent library of CDs available, covering all topics of
interest, from business cross-references to disks full of GIFs. Faster
processors allow the combination of 16bit sound and graphics, which are
more than sufficient for the average user not expecting to use a Silicon
Graphics professional graphics workstation.
Virtual Reality will take some time before it comes really practial, and
able to simulate a human, or even a chair. (despite the ignorant
ramblings of the 'post modern cyber-' community) The most advanced 80486
would be taxed to its limits to handle even part of what is needed for
Virtual Reality, never mind the data crunching needed for display a
symphony with accompanying audio and information. Thats why there are
$1000 speaker/CDROM units, and a plethora of cards for music, advanced
graphics, and even TV tuners. All these are hardware options rather
than software options. The basic computer needs the ability to run a
modem, digitize music, manipulate video data from hardware designed into
a high speed bus, without the need for a lot of extra hardware. There
should be no need for a card to run a modem, and another card for a
printer port, and ANOTHER to listen to music. All this should be built
in and at the discretion of the software used.
While many have grumbled about the lack of effective CDROM drivers from
Atari, ICD has taken the MetaDOS driver and updated it. Available this
month is the LINK, a SCSI host adaptor for the rest of us who aren't
lucky enough to own a TT or Mac with a built in SCSI port. Drivers are
available to use just ab out every optical, floptical, and any other
SCSI storage device available today, including the ability to read PC
CDROMs. Music and graphics has always been a strong point for Atari.
With the universal MIDI interfaces on our beloved machines, and the
excellent DMA STe stereo audio, we can still laugh at all those PC cards
advertized to play digital sound. The non-EISA bus PCs just can't keep
up with DMA driven audio, when you look close at the specifications,
only a couple are capable of sample rates above 22kHz. A far cry from
the 50kHz available on the average STe selling for about $350. So far
an inexpensive Mega STe at $850 is keeping up pretty well. Already we
have added in a bunch of 'options' on a PC, and not bought anything else
but a SCSI interface on the Atari.
All goes well until the spectre of MULTITASKING rears its ugly head.
No-one who has used it can say that Windows is an effective multitasking
environment. System 7 on the Mac has a lot of the same bugs as Windows
and is just as piggy, although it IS a real operating system and already
based on a graphic user interface. OS/2 applications have just started
to ship, with about a thousand available today. That makes the ST
software market look absolutely huge! OS/2 2.0 is a much more mature
product than was available at first, and purportedly handles
multitasking MUCH more efficiently than Windows. But it is just as
greedy with the system as the other programs. Atari users have been
waiting for MultiTOS just as avidly as they have been waiting for FSM
GDOS. From all sources it appears that M-TOS is going to be a versatile
and well designed product capable of handling the power of 32bit
processors. And it is available with the Falcon030, sooner than Windows
NT or the new OS/2 is available for the PC. Atari already has a more
than decent GUI that doesn't weigh upon the computer like some other
programs. An Atari needs at least 4 megs of memory to multitask well,
and I have seen PC users require up to 8 megs just to get Windows
running, before the applications are added in! So, now we have defined
what at minimum is needed to work a multimedia system on a system
affordable by an individual. And as far as purchasing a system, at list
prices, Atari grabs the top of the heap. The Falcon 030, Atari's new
entry level machine is equipped with enough power to manipulate video
images and 16bit stereo sound better than most other systems around.
With the correct software, any sort of video or audio manipulation is
possible. From a simple playback of a MOD file, to having a full 8
track digital recording studio, the Falcon is designed to handle these
tasks at a minimum of processor overhead and without the need for
'optional' hardware linked through a bottleneck bus. Super VGA is nice,
but at anything above 256 colors, it gets monstrous on memory
requirements. A 640 X 400 True color mode (not including overscan
modes) is simply awesome.
And then there is the DSP, this chip can grab video images and crunch
them faster than most video capture boards made. Making that videophone
computer available with the right software, and a cheap camera, right
out of the box! The 68030 driven DSP should be able to outperform
QuickTime video easily. Lexicor should be able to do this, and if they
create a standard, compatable with playback of QuickTime video, they
will be on top of the heap with video manipulation as well as animation
software! This is what is needed. The PC architecture of adding cards
to fill the newer needs of the user, while a great idea, is now being
limited by the very bus it depends on to run the cards. If you compare
what a MSTe or TT has in the way of built in ports, only one expansion
port is REALLY needed.
I would prefer to see in the future an Atari with the processor direct
connector again, and a fuller implementation of the VME, or a design in
the motherboard for custom graphics expansion. All the Multimedia
hardware hooks into the PC bus somehow. Music cards have SCSI
interfaces, and video cards are locked into the 10MHz, 16 bit bus of the
standard PC.
While an ST can handle enough of these functions to do an acceptable
job, to be honest, newer machines are needed. 030 boards and graphics
cards are available for just about every machine, but for an entry price
around $799 the Falcon can outperform on price any similar upgrade
available for older Ataris and PCs alike. This is not to say an older
ST is completely left out, there are addons to allow up to 16 megs on a
ST, and even more options available through the 030 speedup boards. The
Falcon 030 is the start of a new type of computer. The sense of
discovery I experienced in 1980 with my Atari 800 is gone, but replaced
with the excitement of being able to outperform the graphics workstation
of those days with a computer capable of sitting on my stereo cabinet,
as well as performing admirably on-stage as a MIDI/SIMPTE engine for a
professional rock band. As long as we get MetaDOS drivers, MultiTOS,
and inexpensive memory for our machines, Multimedia won't be synonmous
with IBM, but instead we will have an affordable, usable system based on
a present, or future incarnation of Atari's new Falcon.
Delphi: ABARBIERO F-NET Andreas Barbiero
| | | ARE YOU A COMPUTER GEEK?
| | | From Usenet
| | | ----------------------------------------------------------------
It's striking more and more people! Like a plague it sweeps the nation!
It knows no bounds - black, white, tall, short, thin, fat, that dweeb
sitting next to you - maybe every your family members! Computer
Geekdom!
Are you worried about yourself? Do you feel drawn towards computer
displays? In shopping malls do you slow down by money machines? Do you
drop computer buzzwords like "Disk" and "Mega" in conversation? Do you
own a Car-Computer?
If you've answered yes to one of the above, it may already be too late.
Do this test now, and see if your future holds fun, fortune and
adventure, or 3 Meg floppies and a guest appearance on "The Worst of
Oprah", a 467 part repeat series..
Try and be honest - remember, you're only cheating yourself.
1. A friend opens a magazine full of scantily-clad members of your
preferred sex. Do you:
A. Openly Ogle
B. Act Non-Chalant
C. Comment "Gee, that's got to be at least 400 dpi, colour!"
D. Slip the hand down the pants for a bit of good, old-fashioned
executive relief.
2. You're at a party. Someone comes over and asks you your star sign.
You:
A. Tell them to bugger off
B. Lay them one in the groin, then tell them to bugger off.
C. I don't go to parties.
D. I don't get invited to parties.
3. You're at the head of a large queue in front of a cash-register in a
large department store. The register gives a >beep< and stops dead.
You:
A. Wait patiently
B. Plant all the stuff you were going to buy in a nearby baby
carriage and call the store detective (to while away the time)
C. Break out your ever-present C64 notebook and try to debug the
thing
D. I don't know
4. You're shopping for some personal hygiene equipment when the chemist
runs up saying the prescription database on his 386 is corrupt.
You:
A. What's a prescription database?
B. What's a 386?
C. What's personal hygenie?
D. What was the question again?
5. A friend wants to borrow a record off you. You
A. Lend it out, and tell them it's a boomerang.
B. Tell them to go buy it.
C. Consult the database to see that status of the record concerned
D. Sell it to them for a beer.
6. You'd most like to meet:
A. The person who wrote "Gulag Acapeligo"
B. The person who wrote "War and Peace"
C. The person who wrote MSDOS
D. A person who can write
7. You win a "Grocery-Grab" at a local supermarket. You've got one
minute to pack a cart with as much stuff as you can. You start:
A. In the Liquor Section
B. In the Confectionary Lane
C. At the Pencil Bar
D. At the cash register
8. You've been hit by a car and your life flashes before your eyes.
The thing you remember most vividly is:
A. Your Mother's voice as a child
B. Your first Love
C. The Ascii table.
D. The tire pressure was maybe a little too high
9. You get to compete on blind date. You have one statement to change
the choosers mind about you. You say:
A. I've got a 12 inch tounge
B. I can go all night
C. I'VE GOT A 386SX with 64K Ram Cache
D. I've killed 5 people
10. You feel naked without your:
A. Electric Guitar
B. Wallet
C. VT100 reference guide
D. Axe
11. You see someone standing on a ledge, about to jump. You can save
them if you say the right thing. You say:
A. I know things are bad, but do you want to talk about it?
B. I feel you just need someone to talk to
C. Want to come and play on my C64?
D. I bet you haven't got the guts.... . . . Oh, I see you did...
12. You told your best friend the first time you:
A. Had Sex
B. Had Oral Sex
C. Got a Ram expansion
D. Killed a cat.
13. No-one understands you like:
A. Your Mother
B. Your Father
C. Your PC
D. Your Parole Officer
14. For your 18th birthday you wanted:
A. A Car
B. A Shaver
C. A C64 Cassette Drive
D. Some Piano Wire, and the Neigbours Cat
Mostly A's:
You're normal. Boring Boring Boring. You're the sort of person who'll
justy fritter their way thru life enjoying themselves and having a good
time. Shame on you!
Mostly B's:
You're mostly normal. Nothing a little ECT can't clear away in any
case. You mostly come into the "Mostly A's" above.
Mostly C's:
Geek Alert! Break out the pocket protector! With a set of horn rims
and a pocket calculator, you're ready for Revenge Part #72. You can be
the person that gets beat up all the time.
Mostly D's:
So you're a socipath; But that doesn't mean you're a bad person. Just
keep taking the Lithium and everything'll be fine
Are you STILL a computer geek?
Ok, so you lucked out last time - you were about as socially adjusted as
a onion and jelly sandwhich, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE CHANGED! You may not be
a computer geek any more! It's possible!!! (Not probable, but
possible) Test yourself now!
1. It's a stag party for one of your friends. You and the rest of your
friends all put money in for:
a. A set of driving mirrors
b. A stripper
c. A stripper with a set of driving mirrors
d. A VGA screen so he can check out alt.sex.pictures.of.girlies
2. You want to improve your social life. You
a. Ask people to go out with you.
b. Join a club to meet new people
c. Drink yourself unconcious and forget about it.
d. What's a social life?
3. You ideal partner would have:
a. Looks
b. Intelligence
c. Money
d. A 1.2 Gig Hard Drive, Twin floppies + SVGA screen, and 5 Meg
Memory
4. You have the most horrific nightmare of your life. It involves:
a. You driving off a cliff
b. You showing up somewhere with no clothes on
c. A hungry alsation, your private parts and some tomato sauce.
d. A tax on pocket protectors and thick glasses
5. You're on blind date. The question you would ask is:
a. "Name the weirdest place you ever kissed someone"
b. "Name the weirdest place you ever made love"
c. "Name the weirdest place you ever played soggy biscuit"
d. "Name the weirdest place you ever booted MSDOS 4"
6. Your role model is:
a. Rudolf Steiner
b. Mother Theresa
c. Charlie Manson
d. R2D2
7. Your favourite fashion accessory is:
a. Winklepickers
b. Collar Studs
c. An axe
d. What's fashion?
8. If you had your life to live again, would you:
a. Make no changes
b. Make a few changes
c. Make a lot of changes
d. Upgrade to SVGA
9. Your favourite pickup line is:
a. "I've just won the lottery"
b. "Has anyone seen the keys to my Porsche?"
c. "$hit, I'm pissed"
d. "I'm superuser at work.."
10. During sexual climax, you think of:
a. Your partner
b. Your partner's body
c. Yourself
d. The 487 co-processor at 52 Meg
Scoring
-------
You don't really need the score card do you? Mostly A's or B's means
you're the normal run-of-the-mill, 90212 (the house next door) walk
alike, talk alike that gives us real jerks a bad name; C's mean you're
a.. Well, frankly, I don't know what you are, but it's probably
treatable with large amounts of voltage, and D's of course means that
you've got a fantastic career stretched out in front of you as far as
your nose can see. Happy camping.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can subscribe to the bi-monthly hard copy Atari Explorer Magazine
for $14.95 for 6 issues, $39.95 for 18 issues. Canadian subscribers
should add $5.00 per 6 issues,foreign subscribers should add $10.00 per
6 issues. Checks must be drawn in US funds on a US bank. Send orders
to Atari Explorer, Post Office Box 6488, Duluth, MN 55806. VISA and
MasterCard orders, call (218) 723-9202.
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Reprints from the GEnie ST Roundtable are Copyright (c)1992, Atari
Corporation and the GEnie ST RT. Reprints from CompuServe's AtariArts,
AtariPro, AtariVen, or Aportfolio Forums are Copyright (c)1992, CIS.
Reprints from AtariUser Magazine are Copyright(c)1992, Quill Publishing
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Material published in this edition may NOT be reprinted without written
permission, unless otherwise noted in the article. Opinions presented
herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily
reflect those of the staff. Atari Explorer Online Magazine is Copyright
(c)1992, Atari Corporation. The Z*Net Newswire is an independent column
and organization not affiliated with Atari Corp. and is Copyright 1992,
Z*Net News Service/Ron Kovacs.
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Help stamp out software piracy in the Atari community. Report any and
all pirate activity to the Software Protection Agency, this includes
your local bulletin boards. Please capture all information during your
call and provide your password and logon information. This is a needed
item in order to close down an illegite system.
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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.
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Atari Explorer Online Magazine
"The Official Atari Online Journal"
Copyright (c)1992, Atari Computer Corporation
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