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Report
Silicon Times Report Issue 0039
ST REPORT WEEKLY ONLINE MAGAZINE
Monday, June 13, 1988
Vol II No. 39
===========
APEInc., P.O. BOX 74, Middlesex, N.J. 08846-0074
PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR
Ron Kovacs R.F.Mariano
=======================================================
ST REPORT EDITOR: Thomas Rex Reade
PO Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida. 32236
Headquarters Bulletin Boards
ST Report North ST Report Central ST Report South
201-968-8148 216-784-0574 904-786-4176
------------------------------------
CONTENTS
========
* Exclusive! INTERSECT Success Story.* GEnie Conference (Virus/Trojan).
* About the Discovery Cartridge......* ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL..........
* Full SUMMER CES Coverage at Chicago...ATARI ON THE MOVE..NEW RELEASES
* My Computer Store..................* REVOLVER, NEW from Intersect....
=========================================================================
Serving you on: Comp-u-serve - Delphi - GEnie
=========================================================================
From the Editor's Desk:
Here we go again......Now comes the new type of "CRUSADER"....who, by his
sheer intelligence, should know better. Let's send the Pirate BBS' our
programs with a "virus" in them...pretty neat thought at first glance, but
then the hammer falls..the software publisher still gets it in the neck!
How? EASY, when the pirate finds the program and infects other innocent
programs, circulates it, then a "good" user gets one of these programs
and it takes him to task, he will never forget WHOSE software it was.
Good public relations are hard enough to achieve as it is. Another would
be crusader says: How can a pirate complain about the results of the
virus? The answer is plain, he cannot...but the industry as a whole
could suffer by the possible damage to the innocents who may be effected
by the very same virus. Of course, we all want to see an end to piracy
but for goodness sake, let's not loose our sanity in doing so. There is
no simple easy solution, but a good start would be... JUST SAY NO!
In my humble opinion, it would be nice, to see the "so called fine,
upstanding businessmen who are renting software get stopped and without a
doubt an end put to the DISTRIBUTORS who are making and selling illegal
copies of both the software and packaging.
We can all start to stop piracy, it is up to each and every one of us as
individuals....JUST SAY NO!.....
REX
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE JUDGES LIST
===============
Service Name
------- ------------
CIS Ron Luks
CIS Dan Rhea
CIS Mike Schoenbach
Delphi Clayton Walnum
Delphi Charles Bachand
Delphi Maurice Molineux
GEnie Darlah Hudson
GEnie Fred Beckman
GEnie Sandy Wilson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ST-Report Official Contest Rules
================================
No purchase necessary.
Deadline for consideration in this contest is midnight August 31, 1988.
Winners will be announced in ST-Report on September 12, 1988. We
guarantee to award all prizes. The prize list will be announced during
the contest.
All readers are eligible to enter except employees of APEInc.
Publishing, CompuServe, GEnie, Delphi and their immediate families.
This contest void where prohibited or restricted by law. We are not
responsible for lost, mis-marked, or delayed art/work.
All submissions must be drawn with any Atari ST drawing program.
All submissions must be drawn by the original artist. Copyrighted art work
will not be accepted.
All submissions become the property of APEInc.
All submissions must be uploaded to specified BBS systems by the deadline
date. All systems have time and date stamping capability. Any entry dated
after 8/31/88 will be void from the contest.
Art Work Requirements
---------------------
All art work considered for this contest must be drawn with any Atari ST
drawing program.
Any person submitting art work must leave an address, telephone number,
and drawing program used.
Artwork must contain the following:
ST-REPORT
The winning entry will be used at a later date for a newsletter or
magazine cover.
Where to Send
-------------
All art work may be uploaded to the following systems.
Syndicate BBS (201) 968-8148
Bounty ST BBS (904) 786-4176
Entries by mail are also permitted. Be sure to use a 3.5 floppy S/S!
You may send to:
ST-Report Logo Contest
Post Office Box 74
Middlesex, New Jersey 08846-0074
(Please include your name, address and telephone number)
Updates
-------
This contest will update uploading areas every two weeks. Contest rules
will not be changed, but judges may be added during the run of the
contest.
Current judge listing will be published next week.
This contest commences May 2, 1988 and will end Midnight August 31, 1988.
If you have any questions, Please leave email on the services at the
following addresses:
CompuServe: 71777,2140
GEnie : ST-REPORT
: R.KOVACS
DELPHI : RONKOVACS
The Source: BDG793
Rules and Regulations:
1). Use any full color program written exclusively for the ST to draw
your own personal design of an ST-Report logo.
2). Art work ported over from any other computer is void.
3). No X-rated art work will be accepted.
4). Winners will be announced by mail, email, phone call or equivalent
on or before September 12, 1988.
5). Judges decisions are final.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A TRUE SUCCESS STORY
====================
by T."Rex" Reade
INTERSECT Software was formed in January 1986 by three partners
Randy Mears, Richard J. Plom and William F. Smith. Their goal was to
write, publish and distribute software for the Atari ST. Randy and Rich
believed the ST would be a smash hit like the C-64 the machine they
started micro programming on.
Randy has a background in computers going back to the early
seventies when he started programming on mainframes. He has worked for
several of the largest mainframe software companies.
Rich started programming in high school on TRS-80's and his C-64 at
home. Actually he started on VIC-20, but he only had that a week until
he found out 2k of RAM was too little for what he needed.
Rich at 16 wrote and sold his own BBS for the C-64. Randy wrote and
sold his C-64 terminal program called Maxterm. They both met in a local
computer store one day and became friends after that. Randy was the
first to own an ST. He had it for a few months while Rich was still
waiting for the Amiga to come out. After Randy showed Rich NeoChrome,
Rich was converted to the ST. At that time Randy was still working for a
Mainframe software company and Rich was an Amiga salesman. When Rich
fell in love with the ST he quit his Amiga job and started work at the
local ST dealer's store where Rich's first program became another in the
many popular VDI graphics demo's. Randy's first ST program was Make512K
written to allow him to use the only terminal program around, ST-TALK,
that only worked on a 512K machine (his 520 had been upgraded to 1 Meg).
Later he added xmodem downloading to a program called TERMST and renamed
it XMOTERM.
Time went by and one night Rich got a call from Randy saying, "Why
don't we organize a software company". Rich loved the idea. They
needed someone to do the marketing, Bill Smith was asked to do the job.
The name "INTERSECT" came up one night when Rich was talking to Randy
on the phone about a name for the company. Rich was working on a re-draw
routine and mumbled the name of a GEM function called RC_INTERSECT.
Randy thought he said INTERSECT for the name, so it stuck. The INTERSECT
logo soon followed, it was drafted by Randy, freehand, one day while he
was at his mainframe job. In January of 1986 they all went to the
lawyer and became a real company.
As INTERSECT, Rich started the music program and Randy started
INTERLINK. Rich decided after a while to restart his music program from
scratch so he released what he had worked on, into the Public Domain, as
Deluxe Piano (the program that was used to make all of INTERLINK's
sounds). The Orchestrator was the name chosen for Rich's music program
and it was then fully underway. By the end of August 1986 "ORCH" was
nearly complete and INTERLINK was getting close. Bill Smith had not been
able to find enough time to get fully involved so Rich and Randy bought
his stock out, on friendly terms. Along came Jeff Rigby, a local store
owner Rich and Randy had known for a while. Jeff was given the
opportunity buy into INTERSECT and did so.
When November 1986 rolled around Rich and Jeff were off to Comdex,
where they wandered around and showed their two prize programs INTERLINK
and the Orchestrator. Trip Hawkins of Electronic Arts happened by and
saw Rich demonstrating The Orchestrator. Trip approached Rich and Jeff
to see if they might be interested in EA marketing The Orchestrator.
INTERLINK was also received well, and Atari approached Rich and Jeff
about marketing INTERLINK. When they returned to Sarasota things had
certainly changed. INTERSECT needed money to market their programs, and
was not yet rich enough to do so. One of the programs had to be sold to
raise money. Which would it be?
The Orchestrator was nearly done and INTERLINK still needed some
things, so The Orchestrator was sold to Electronic Arts. There it was, a
mere 9 months later, sitting on ST Software shelves, transformed into
Music Construction Set for the ST. It can now be seen on shelves all
around the world. With the profits INTERLINK followed, the first product
published by INTERSECT.
A lot of things have happened since then. Randy no longer works
with the Mainframe company and dedicates his full time to INTERSECT,
Rich has been dedicated full time, ever since September of 1987 and
Jeff still runs his store and works part time for INTERSECT. A few
employees can also be seen at headquarters.
The next product will be Revolver, and after that, INTERLINK 2.0.
Looking down the road, we plan to expand our product line both within and
outside of the ST market. But, INTERSECT's favorite computer is still
the ST.
- * -
Editor's Note: Electronic Arts is starting to support the ST with some
vigor, this is a very positive sign and the Atari Userbase should
recognize it as such... Music Construction Set is a fine program, if it is
not in your library, you owe it to yourself to pay a visit to your local
dealer and check it out.
We will review Revolver in the next week or so. ST Report will keep
everybody up to date regarding the date REVOLVER begins to ship. As with
all the fine programs from INTERSECT, you can expect a superb propgram in
REVOLVER and anxiously await it's arrival. REVOLVER promises to be a
BLOCKBUSTER release for the ST. From the pre-release information, just
about every user will have a need for this new program from INTERSECT.
************************************************************************
:HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
---------------------------------
To sign up for GEnie service: Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369.
Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that).
Wait for the U#= prompt.
Type XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN.
The system will prompt you for your information.
************************************************************************
GENIE CONFERENCE ON VIRUS & TROJAN CONTROVERSY
==============================================
MAY 09, 1988 GEnie Service - Atari Roundtable
ATTENDEES:
==========
A.FOGLESON DAVESMALL JOHN-CARTER TOWNS
G.WINTERS V.AVERELLO [Holly] HS [Ralph] HOLLYSTOWE
DARLAH - Sysop GW.MILLER SANDY.W G.WOODSIDE
JRWRIGHT J.HILEMAN1 JEFFWILLIAMS R.ROSENDALE1
H.GARLAND G.DOMROW SYNERGIST INTERSECT
B.O.B. DAREKM MAJOR-HAVOC C.DARBY1
G.FIALKA W.V.FISHER F.FIORE1 REX.READE
FEATURING .....George Woodside - George Miller
<DARLAH> George Woodside, can you begin?
<G.WOODSIDE> OK, Virus: Capsule Description:
Basically, it's an unwanted, self-reproducing program. They usually hide
in boot sectors, and reproduce themselves onto the boot sectors of each
floppy inserted into the machine. They reproduce for a while, then start
a destructive phase. One I have, fakes hardware errors, after the system
has run for a while. Another is waiting for another disk to come along,
with a special code. I haven't seen the other disk, so I don't know what
that one will do.
<DARLAH> George, do you have anything to add to that?
<GW.MILLER> The virus disk that's waiting for the code came from Germany.
A disk was stolen from me that was infected. I didn't know it was at the
time. I have written a few just for kicks, that haven't gone anywhere
except, onto Tim Purves boot disks. <GRIN> They just call him nasty names.
However, it would be quite easy to do horrible things to people without
really having to try very hard. My vaccine program detects, and disables
a virus, leaving it on the disk for study. A virus also is installed in
RAM after the disk is accessed. It's possible to FIND the virus disk,
then inadvertently infect other disks. The only safe measure is to find
it, knock it out, then turn off the ST and reboot with a known safe disk.
Another way these things are created is through programs which install
the virus in the boot sector. If you DL a lot from untested sources, you
could get a nasty one.
Thank you both for your opening statements. If anyone has any questions
please use the /rai command and I will take you in order received
<DARLAH> Ken:
[Ken] SYNERGIST> Hi George & George. I'm just wondering where you guys
acquire all these nasty virus-type programs...I have (knock wood)
fortunately not run into any myself.
<GW.MILLER> I got one accidently from GFA in Germany, my other two I
wrote just to make sure I understood the processes. I now test ALL new
disks.
<DARLAH> John:
<TOWNS> How serious of a problem they think this is compared to other
computers.
<GW.MILLER> They are so easy to write, it's just a matter of time. It's
not as serious on the ST as the Amiga, because of the ST OS. However, it
could do things just as nasty as on other systems.
<G.WOODSIDE> I disagree. If it can wipe out your disks, it is as deadly
as it needs to be.
<GW.MILLER> However, it could do things just as nasty as on other systems.
<TOWNS> Do you have any recommendations for users to stay away from
viruses?
<GW.MILLER> Test every disk before exposing other disks. Write protect
may not help. Once the virus is in memory, it will wait for an
unprotected disk. If the write fails, it doesn't care.........
<G.WOODSIDE> Be very suspicious. Write protect every disk you can.
<DARLAH> B.O.B.:
<B.O.B.> HI, George X 2...basically, just a comment...THANX WOODSIDE for
a GREAT program...Excellent GEM usage...Should be used as a primer for
ALL GEM programmers.
<G.WOODSIDE> You're welcome.
<DARLAH> Jeff:
<JEFFWILLIAMS> We've talked about floppy disks so far...what about hard
disks? Are they any less susceptible to infection? And if PROTECT.ACC
won't protect HD's, what can?
<G.WOODSIDE> Just as vulnerable, but not yet a victim. Preventing the
virus. If it strikes, I hope you have a good backup. I doubt a hard
disk attacking virus would care about the hard disk boot sector.
It would spread by another means.
<GW.MILLER> The way the boot sector of an HD is constructed there's just
not enough room to fool with much. If it didn't launch itself somehow it
wouldn't be a virus. Are we talking about virus or a decoy program? It
must launch itself from the boot sector.
<DARLAH> Paul:
<[Paul] HITECH> Thanks.. Is the only time these viri are contagious is
during format?
<G.WOODSIDE> NO. They are contagious all the time once they are active.
(Job 12)<GW.MILLER> No. They will infect any non-write protected disk.
We finally agreed on something!
<DARLAH> Major
<[eric] MAJOR-HAVOC> Do you know if Rompatch is a virus, if not what is
it.
<G.WOODSIDE> <Haven't seen it yet>
<GW.MILLER> I'm not familiar with that program.
<[eric] MAJOR-HAVOC> Sandy said it was from atari France...help any?
<GW.MILLER> The virus itself is a short program that installs itself in
memory and corrupts other disks by copying itself to them. Another DL
VACCINE.PRG (File #1111) from the MichTron RT, and test it.
<G.WOODSIDE> Ah, I know what it is. It is written by a French group,
and distributed by Atari France. It is supposed to be fixes to the
current GEM/TOS ROMs. Not supported by ATARI USA. Not known to be
harmful.
<DARLAH> Major are you done??
<[eric] MAJOR-HAVOC> yeah, thanks!
<DARLAH> Dave:
<DAVESMALL> First, do you think that we are just on the leading wave of a
big viral infection hit, like the Amiga and PC are currently? I've seen
little to nothing at this point.
<GW.MILLER> Yes. We're just behind the wave a little.
<DAVESMALL> Would one solution to be to look at date-stamps of files
uploaded here and elsewhere, and use June '88 as a cut-off date?
<GW.MILLER> I'd advise everyone to be careful. No, I was infected during
March, and didn't catch it until May. I infected a lot of other disks
by then. We almost released a disk with an Amiga Virus on it. Caught
it at the last minute.
<G.WOODSIDE> Lengthy message follows. Please bear with me.
One virus I have here is too big to fit in a boot sector. It uses the
extra FAT sectors to extend itself. That way, a virus can have 2.5 K
(5 sectors) to fit into. This one uses ROM routines, hard coded, to
extend itself even more. I can't tell all that it will do, since it
uses routines in the European ROMS. It will, however, simulate hardware
errors in an ST by illegal memory accesses after the system has been
running for a while. It checks the system clock. With that much code
space to play with, the thing could do anything, including wipe a hard
disk very quickly. It could be spread, and launched, by floppies and look
for hard disk systems. Then, bang, you have a clean HD. You'd never know
where it came from.
Another virus I've heard of, but don't have does a slow (a few bytes at
a time) corruption of the FATs on the floppies. You don't know it is
corrupting all your disks, until you start turning up bad files
everywhere. that's the worst part - You never know what they will do.
<DARLAH> Chuck:
<[Chuck] HDUG> I've hear rumors of 'timed' viruses screaming through
the BBS systems lately. Do you have data on this? Also, word of a virus
eating the computer OS has passed through lately. What this all about?
<G.WOODSIDE> Yes, there is a timed virus. I have a copy of it.
<[Chuck] HDUG> George. How does that timed virus function? What is
causing the timing?
<G.WOODSIDE> I'm not sure what "eating the OS" means. But I just
mentioned the one that that slowly corrupts the FAT. The timed one is a
long story. I won't start that unless pressed to describe it by a
sysop.
<[Chuck] HDUG> ok...well I'd like to see more data on that sometime, if
you have time.
<G.WOODSIDE> OK. Timed virus story.
It uses the elapsed timer in the BIOS reserved memory area. It is
totally quiet until the system has run 3 hours. If it sees a
non-infected disk, it spreads itself, and sets the elapsed timer back to
2:45. after 3:00, it starts another timer watch. Then, at random
intervals, it does a memory write to either the screen RAM or memory
above the screen. It will either corrupt the screen, or cause bombs to
appear from accessing memory above the screen area. I've discussed these
viruses with Atari, and we've agreed to make all we have learned public.
We feel that the virus writers already know what they are doing, so we
need to inform the users. Meanwhile, programs like VKILLer will locate
all known viruses, warn you if you have executable code in a disk, if
the FATs have suspicious data in them, or whatever else comes along.
<DARLAH> D.D.:
<D.D.MARTIN> 2 quick questions, are there any certain "types" of programs
to be wary of?
<G.WOODSIDE> No. Just be wary of everything new.
<D.D.MARTIN> if you find you have been infected.. the best way to
disinfect?
<G.WOODSIDE> Disinfecting is another long one:
1) Get a clean disk by running a program like PENECILN or VKILLER.
2)Power off and wait 15 seconds.
3) Write protect the clean disk
4) Boot with the clean disk.
5) Run the clean up program on all you other disks, except be careful
not to wipe out disks which must be self booting, such as many games,
TOS disks (pre-ROM stuff),
<DARLAH> Dave:
<DAVESMALL> I've heard of several software developers releasing
sabotaged versions of their programs onto pirate BBS's, to destroy
their pirate BBS's disk database. I'm curious as to opinions on this
practice.
<G.WOODSIDE> I consider it unwise. I wouldn't do it.
<DAVESMALL> George > Why not? Pirate programs only..clearly marked, etc.
<GW.MILLER> If it hurts the pirates, it couldn't be bad.
<G.WOODSIDE> I think it's too easy for the software to wind up other
places. And, if it can be traced, you could be held responsible.
<DAVESMALL> True; but who's to say who created the program, for instance?
We had this happen to us by accident , a clown by the name of Dr. Typo
released a cracked ver 4.52 of Magic Sac that accidentally zeroed the
partition sector of the hard disk, killing it. Got me thinking it
wasn't a bad idea -- (as long as the program is clearly marked "pirate
version")
<GW.MILLER> I know of one pirate that accidentally created a program
which began crashing peoples HD's when he thought he removed the
protection
<DAVESMALL> If pirate BBS's get dropped/harassed, they'll give up; it's
too easy right now. Why not release bugs into known pirated software?
<G.WOODSIDE> I've been in this business long enough (over 20 years) to
know that things wind up travelling to the strangest places. I won't be a
party to any sabotage.
<DARLAH> Are you saying this is a way to combat piracy?
<DAVESMALL> Darlah > yes
<DAVESMALL> Darlah > is happening now, in fact.
<TIMPURVES> Dave. If you mark a program as "pirate version" what idiot
would actually run it ?
<DARLAH> One has no problem if they BUY their software no?
<GW.MILLER> Whatcha gonna tell the judge? "I stole this program....and it
crashed my HD?"
<DAVESMALL> Tim > Lots of idiots .. look at the cracked Michtron software
catalog on, say, the board in Long Island.
<G.WOODSIDE> And, what's to stop a malicious person from changing the
warning?
<DAVESMALL> George > Nothing, it's a risk. You could CRC the program,
though. Tactics could be, I dunno, zeroing the HD, burn up the monitor
(excuse me), or whatever. Is this ethical?
<G.WOODSIDE> Anyone capable of cracking a program is capable of altering
a CRC or warning.
<TIMPURVES> Another point is many people think I should have a backdoor
in my BBS (a type of virus that I could start remotely) if this were the
case it could/would give this product a bad name. Is it worth the risk?
<DAVESMALL> True, if they know what they're looking for. Typical pirate
BBS has 100's of programs, though -- how they going to know which one
did it?
<GW.MILLER> I can't condone this practice, but I can understand it.
<DAVESMALL> Piracy is helping kill the ST ... almost anything to combat
it is worthwhile.
<G.WOODSIDE> I agree with GW.MILLER. I'll stay away from this sort of
thing.
<DARLAH> Ken:
<[Ken] SYNERGIST> Anything that wastes a pirate's hard disk is fine by
me.
<G.WOODSIDE> How long will it take before the word that some copies of
XXX will kill a drive spread and sales of XXX are halted?
<[Ken] SYNERGIST> Gee, and then that program won't get pirated any more.
Darn. I don't think it would harm legit sales if it was handled properly.
On the lighter side...have either of you seen any "benevolent" virus
programs?
<G.W.MILLER> Sales are very short on all ST products. Initial sales,
weeks.
<G.WOODSIDE> I think the word spreads too fast. Not to mention the
retailer that gets copies from a pirate distributor. Then everyone is
getting sued.
<[Ken] SYNERGIST> I read recently about a program that made it onto some
Aldus disks that gave a "peace to all mankind" message, Aldus was
perturbed.
<G.WOODSIDE> There was a MAC one like that. I'm opposed to any program
doing anything behind the user's back.
<[Ken] SYNERGIST> But if G.W. insists... what kind of case would the
retailer have if he obtained his s/w through illicit means? "Gee, judge,
this car I stole had a faulty engine and it blew up and I lost my legs...
I'm gonna sue the dealer."
<G.WOODSIDE> the retailer may not know the distributor is pirating, or
the wholesaler, etc.
<GW.MILLER> That's not so far fetched. I know of cases just like that.
The courts aren't on the side of the honest. they were designed to
protect the rights of the accused, then we lost control of the whole
thing back during the 60's.
<DARLAH> B.O.B.:
<B.O.B.> WISH LIST for the NEW (version 3) ROMS...How about, in ROM, a
bullet-proof SYS-CALL checker that..alerts the user access the Boot
sector? Then allows him/her to Verify if the access is Benev/Benign?
(sorry, after BOOT-UP) (or is that too late)
<G.WOODSIDE> The boot sector of every disk is accessed when the disk is
first inserted. That is how the OS gets the disk characteristics. And,
also, how the viruses are spread.
<DARLAH> Apostle:
<DARLAH> Bryan:
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> Do programs like Tim Purves' protect keep these
virus from doing harm to hard drives with these vires, or is it
wishful thinking? I had a directly on my hard disk suddenly stop showing
me the 5 largest files.
<TIMPURVES> Brian:
Protect works by intercepting the system vectors rabs() trap 13 and trap
14 and alerts you if any program tries to call them this way there are
many ways around this. Including writing directly to the hardware,
killing know rom addresses and several other tricks. The only real way
to protect from this kind of stuff is with more hardware and/or common
sense
<G.WOODSIDE> Let me add: Good BACKUPS!
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> Thanks... BTW, the files are still there...just
don't show up. (with the desktop program)
<DARLAH> Dave:
<DAVESMALL> What's GEnie doing about viruses in general? Other sysops?
<DARLAH> What is Genie doing about it??
<DAVESMALL> Yep -- about viruses in DL libraries. Been problems? Seen
any in ST?
<DARLAH> We check programs as thoroughly as possible. We have seen none
though we did recently get warned we had one, It proved to be false
<DAVESMALL> Which would agree with...George's "it's just coming closer"
statement...
<DARLAH> People tend to yell viruses when a prg does not function even
though it is not a virus. It is the 1st thing that comes to mind.
<DAVESMALL> I've seen the discussions, glad they're false (so far).
Mac and PC areas been burned yet?
<DARLAH> Mac area has
<DARLAH> Apostle:
<APOSTLE> What is the difference between a virus and a trojan, or is it
the same?
<G.WOODSIDE> A virus spreads itself to other disks.
<APOSTLE> Yuck...
<APOSTLE> One more question...What, may I ask, is "goergia"?
<DARLAH> end of convo
<G.WOODSIDE> I dunno. Go Ahead?
<APOSTLE> Cute...
<DARLAH> Holly:
<[Holly] HS> I don't really have a question, but a couple statements on
Trojans...(Programs, not birth control devices.. *grin*) There have been
some reports in the BBS world of some doors programs that are actually
Trojans. One is called AMIGA.PRG, These have seemed to appear on FoReM
mostly, apparently...The programs have keywords that do something like
give the user access to your files, or search for appropriate password
files... not just for the BBS, but FoReM (sorry Michtron folks) uses
FNetting and you can use PCPursuit with it. It can find those files and
make them available as a d/l through the database. It's been suggested
that people start changing passwords and such frequently just in case you
happen to call a BBS that's been infected by one of these Trojans in
order to keep from getting (oh, I just *can't* resist) screwed...
<DARLAH> any comments George? If not, DD can speak
<G.WOODSIDE> Not really. It is about the same thing I've heard.
<D.D.MARTIN> GW... Is there such a thing as a "profile" of the people
that are creating these virus(s) (what __is__ the plural?) It is like
trying to second guess a "criminal mind"
<G.WOODSIDE> I wouldn't know. I'm not in the psych field. And, I use
"viruses".
<D.D.MARTIN> I just can't imagine anyone that is "into" computing g
generating this kind of problem and opening up a bag of worms... he also
becomes a potential victim of someone else's virus or even his own coming
back to haunt him...Is it just the "challenge" of the thing?...
<G.WOODSIDE> That's beyond me. Might be the challenge, though.
<DARLAH> Ken:
<[Ken] SYNERGIST> Interesting stuff...I just wanted to mention that
TurboDOS, which is a product of Atari France, is *not* a virus or trojan
program in its own right. It is a GEMDOS performance enhancer. I have
heard somewhere though, that virus infected copies of TurboDOS have been
found... if anyone knows anything about these, please* let Atari know
about it.
<DARLAH> Bryan:
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> Holly.. Yes, this is really a big problem for
sysops. Not only do we have to check out the door programs to see if
they run..We also now have to make sure that there are no hidden doors
on..them. A very heavy task. I encourage any Forem sysop on the net, if
and when he finds a virus door... send Fmail to all right away!
<[Holly] HS> I know of one that is supposed to use "OPEN SESAME"...
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> That's what is the problem... right.
<[Holly] HS> I might suggest getting a good disk editor and checking
every program out that way... the one person who is supposed to be
<TIMPURVES> Maybe we need a program to log all File accesses to a
another file to see what files the program has accessed?
<[Holly] HS> doing the ones I've heard of is pretty vain and generally
can't resist throwing some little tidbit onto the disk like "HERE IT
IS..." or some such...
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> That's fine as long as they are in ascii or
such but....
<[Holly] HS> That might not be a bad idea, Tim.
<[Bryan CRU-DP] BDHALL> Tims idea sounds better... go for it!
<TIMPURVES> It wouldn't be very hard to write an evenings work and it
would be done.
<[Holly] HS> Or at least a program that would log *attempted* accesses...
there's a difference.
<TIMPURVES> If anyone attempts to write such a program Email me when they
start. I may get some time to write one and we don't want duplicated
efforts
<DARLAH> Rex:
<REX.READE> The "open sesame" thing is dead...the correct file is on the
forem support bbs and the fact is.....there is a file there to log all
disk accesses also, the trojan that would copy the userlog to the
database and rename it thus making it available for d/l has be corrected
by a trap. Individuals can d/l the corrected versions of the online
games and also get the trap program for forem from the support bbs, as
a matter of fact, Matt has been busy with it and a few other corrective
measures for the past few days. The entire situation has really been
blown out of proportion...for the one main BBS that made all the noise
was on the west coast.......and he is the ONLY ONE SO FAR TO ACTUALLY
SWEAR TO THE FACT THAT THESE THINGS DID HAPPEN.....MAYBE just maybe, it
has been nipped in the bud........I have a number of good friends who
run boards as I do myself, and we have NEVER seen any such problems or
back doors or any of the other so called panic things that seem to crop
up every so often......
<[Holly] HS> Rex, the problem is that there are still existing copies
of the OPEN SESAME program running around. Not everyone has gotten
the replacement. The program it involves, btw, is apparently NOT
a PD program. They also must incur the cost of d/l'ing from there.
<DARLAH> Ok I am going to open the floor, I want to thank everyone for
attending but most of all our guests
<DARLAH> George.... final statements?
<G.WOODSIDE> One final warning...When a virus spreads, it is in the boot
sector of a floppy disk (usually)...That means it gets loaded before any
other software. Programs which monitor vectors and system calls will
miss the virus, since it is installed and running behind their level of
monitoring. So, there is no sure fire cure, or absolute safety. Just be
careful, out there...
<DARLAH> Thank you for coming..please stay if you wish
<REX.READE> The Forem Support BBS #: 617-877-0257....hope this helps.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE
=============================
QUESTION - Does the Discovery Cartridge allow my ST to run IBM PC
programs?
ANSWER - No, but the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE can help you do this. There are
products on the market that can permit your ST to run some IBM PC
programs. Without any additional hardware, your ST computer can directly
read and write some disks from the IBM PC. All IBM PC floppy disks are
written using the MFM coding scheme. Your Atari ST can operate on those
disks that are written at the 250K "double density" data rate. You may
want to add a 5.25 inch drive mechanism to your ST. The DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE can ease the problem of connecting a standard (non Atari) drive
mechanism.......... See that section below.
A special "high density" 5.25 and/or 3.5 inch drive mechanism
can be added to your ST to access "high density" IBM PC disks which use
data rates up to 500K. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE could be used to access
these "high density" drives while your standard ST cannot. The ability
to access "high density" drives with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE will not be
included in our first software release.
QUESTION - Can the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE ease the problem of connecting
a standard 5.25 inch drive mechanism to my ST?
ANSWER - Yes, but read on. As part of our "USER CONFIGURABLE OPTIONS" a
3rd and 4th drive can be connected to your ST. In this circuitry for the
third and fourth drives, the disk drive signals are buffered to be
compatible with a standard IBM PC type drive. Also, our software package
allows handling drives with step rates slower than 6 milliseconds.
However, unless you are a technician familiar with disk drive
interfacing, you are better off purchasing a drive already set up to be
compatible with your ST. Even though it costs more, there will be fewer
problems in the long run. Your dealer may be able to help you utilize
the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE's drive interface in connecting a standard disk
drive. The only assistance HAPPY COMPUTERS can provide is through the
documentation that comes with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE. We will not
approve or deny approval of any particular after-market disk drive
product for use with our DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE.
QUESTION - Since my hard disk is already drive C and D, and my RAM DISK
is drive E, what drive letters can be used for the 3rd and 4th drive
option?
ANSWER - Our software includes an installer program that lets you decide
which drive letters are to correspond to the 3rd and 4th drive. Any
currently unused letter in the range C-P may be used.
QUESTION - Will all programs on my ST be able to use the 3rd and 4th
drives connected to that option on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE?
ANSWER - No, only software that calls the standard disk drive I/O
software in the ST computer's BIOS will work. Also, our software driver
must be installed to allow programs to access these extra drives. This
allows having up to four drives connected and accessed at one time. The
installation of our software driver is similar to that required for a
RAM DISK.
Software programs that directly access the disk drive hardware through
the hardware registers in the ST will not be able to access the 3rd and
4th drive option. Our DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE adds new hardware registers
that permit the 3rd and 4th drive selection. These registers are not a
part of the standard ST hardware description, but are documented in the
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE's manual. A special case of a program that does not
function with the 3rd and 4th drive option is the disk format utility
built into the ST's desk top software. The format program will not allow
you to format any drive letter higher than drive B. There are various
solutions around this problem.
Even though a particular program may not work with the 3rd and 4th drive
option, this option may still be of use. Suppose you had a 5.25 inch
drive connected as the third drive. By flipping the "DRIVE 3 SWAP"
switch on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE (optional), this 5.25 inch drive would
then become drive A or B, which should then work with more programs. The
limiting factor in this case would be that the 3rd drive connected must
be capable of the 6 millisecond stepping rate, since our software which
allows the slower stepping rate would not be active.
QUESTION - Does the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE make my ST COMPUTER read and
write disks faster?
ANSWER - No. Unlike the 8 bit Atari COMPUTER, the ST COMPUTER's disk
hardware is a full parallel interface. No hardware speed improvement
device is needed. Software improvements such as RAMDISKS, track
buffering and format interleave are available on the market.
QUESTION - What are the physical characteristics of the DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE?
ANSWER - With the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE plugged into your ST or MEGA
COMPUTER, the cartridge enclosure extends about 4.5 inches to the left of
the computer housing. This allows room for 3 disk drive connectors on
the back of the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, and also provides clearance for
MIDI cables, as some ST computers have the MIDI connections next to the
cartridge port. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE's enclosure extends about 2
inches forward from the front edge of the cartridge electrical socket.
Since the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE already extends quite far (4.5 inches)
to the left, HAPPY COMPUTERS decided to put the optional 2nd cartridge
expansion socket on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE facing toward the front of
the computer. The drive 3 swap and ROM bank select switches also face
toward the front.
QUESTION - Do disk copies made by the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE require that
the CARTRIDGE be installed to run the copy, like some copies made by the
8bit HAPPY?
ANSWER - No, The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE does not have to be present to run
the copies. Refer to the section in our original literature which
compares the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE to the 8 bit HAPPY for further
information.
QUESTION - Are software upgrades required?
ANSWER - Like all other computer programs, improvement is always
possible. Please do not expect our first software release to contain
every possible feature. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE hardware device contains
no software on ROM or EPROM, so no hardware upgrade should ever be needed
or required. All improvements will be by virtue of disk based software.
From time to time, we will offer new software upgrades which will include
new features and further utilization of the power of the DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE's hardware. Software upgrades are not free. We notify our
customers when they are available, and how to order them. The charge is
usually nominal.
QUESTION - Does the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE and all of its features work with
all drives and all ST computers?
ANSWER - We have designed the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE to work with all
standard 520ST, 1040ST and MEGA series computers made by Atari to date.
Computers that have special modifications that affect the processor
speed, performance, interrupt system, or disk drive interface may not
operate with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE.
The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE works perfectly with the internal drive in those
computers that have them. No internal wiring or modification is needed,
as all signals needed are present on the disk drive connector at the back
of the computer. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE always plugs into this
connector with a cable that is included, even if there are no external
drives.
Our information indicates that Atari has shipped a variety of drives,
with various internal differences. A particular drive may work perfectly
in all respects with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE. Then again, even though a
drive may seem to function properly for all normal DOS and file
operations, it may have some problems performing some of the extended
functions that the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE provides. For example, some
drives may not be able to position the read/write head past the 80th
track; and this may be required to copy a particular disk. It is
conceivable that a particular drive may have trouble reading or writing in
the MACINTOSH format. The MACINTOSH format uses a data bandwidth on the
outer tracks that is higher than normal MFM 250K.
The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE has no control over the quality of disk reading
and writing, head positioning, or other restrictions that a particular
drive mechanism may cause. To assist the user, our software package
includes diagnostics that will test a disk drive, and measure its
performance in these respects. Our test should allow the user to
determine if a particular drive functions well enough to do the job
required. If there are problems, the user may need to substitute a
different drive. It may be possible to substitute a better drive
mechanism that plugs right in, taking the place of the one originally
provided by Atari. Your computer dealer may be able to help you in doing
this.
Our diagnostic cannot determine if a drive is out of alignment.
Only a qualified technician can test and adjust all aspects of your disk
drive.
QUESTION - Does the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE allow my Atari ST computer to run
programs from the MACINTOSH computer?
ANSWER - No, but the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE can help you do this by adding
the ability to translate disks from MACINTOSH format to the MAGIC format
used by the MAGIC SAC, without the need to have a MACINTOSH computer
connected to your ST computer. There are products on the market that
can permit your ST to run some MACINTOSH programs. One of these is the
MAGIC SAC from DATA PACIFIC.
The MAGIC SAC product is a combination of hardware and software. The
hardware portion of the MAGIC SAC is a CARTRIDGE that holds the MACINTOSH
ROMS and a battery backed up clock circuit. Our DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE has
the option to operate with the MAGIC SAC software, either by installing
the ROMS and clock circuit in the space provided on the DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE board, or by plugging the MAGIC SAC cartridge into the optional
cartridge jack on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE.
See the section on FACTORY and USER CONFIGURABLE options in this article
for further information.
HAPPY COMPUTERS does not offer any opinion or information concerning the
ability of the MAGIC SAC to run MACINTOSH programs. For the purpose of
this discussion, we assume that the MAGIC SAC does this function.
HAPPY COMPUTERS does not offer any warranty concerning the performance of
products made by other companies.
IMPORTANT:
The option to install ROMS or EPROMS such as MACINTOSH ROMS directly on
the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, to facilitate running the MAGIC SAC software
without the need to plug in the MAGIC SAC hardware, is a new option. It
was not described in our November 1987 literature.
QUESTION - How does the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE compare with the TRANSLATOR
from Data Pacific?
ANSWER - Compared to the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, the TRANSLATOR is a bad
design.
TRANSLATOR vs DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE
---------------------------------
Without a hardware upgrade, your ST computer cannot read or write the
variable speed GCR data on MACINTOSH formatted disks. Your ST can only
read and write MFM data at the 250K rate. The TRANSLATOR was designed
specifically to allow your ST to read and write MACINTOSH disks. That is
the only thing the TRANSLATOR can do. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, which was
designed to read and write virtually any disk format, can read and write
MACINTOSH disks as just one of its full range of features.
Both the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE and the TRANSLATOR plug in-line with the
disk drive cables, allowing both of them to access any internal and
external floppy drives that are accessible by your ST computer.
The data pathway between the TRANSLATOR and the ST COMPUTER is through
the midi port. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE plugs into the ST computer's
cartridge port. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE can move large amounts of disk
data and programs through its cartridge port connection at the top speed
of the 68000 microprocessor in your ST. Unlike the midi interface, the
cartridge port does not suffer from a data bottleneck of serial to
parallel conversion. The TRANSLATOR transfers disk data at the midi port
speed which is much slower. Use of the midi port as the transfer
interface causes some disk operations with the TRANSLATOR to take almost
15 minutes. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, with its full parallel cartridge
interface can do the same job in about 3 minutes. Using the slow midi
ports to transfer disk data with the TRANSLATOR is a bad design.
The TRANSLATOR requires its own power supply. Since the DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE's modern design uses small amounts of electricity,
no separate power supply is needed.
The software that supports the TRANSLATOR is an integral part of the
MAGIC SAC software. This allows ST computers equipped with both the
TRANSLATOR and MAGIC SAC to directly run MACINTOSH programs from
MACINTOSH formatted disks. It may even be possible to directly run some
purchased MACINTOSH programs that are copy protected. Only those copy
protected programs that do not try to access MACINTOSH hardware registers
will function. There may be other reasons why you can't execute a
particular copy protected MACINTOSH program with the TRANSLATOR. Neither
the TRANSLATOR nor the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE can precisely duplicate the
timing and hardware environment of the MACINTOSH disk system.
The software that supports the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE could also be an
integral part of the MAGIC SAC software. It would be easiest to
accomplish this if HAPPY COMPUTERS and DATA PACIFIC reached an
appropriate agreement. This hasn't happened yet...........
As of this writing, the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE cannot be used directly with
MACINTOSH FORMATTED disks while the MAGIC SAC is running a MACINTOSH
program.
Although the TRANSLATOR can allow your MAGIC SAC equipped ST to directly
operate with MACINTOSH formatted disks, it is extremely slow in doing
this. The user will have much faster operation if the MACINTOSH disk is
first converted into the MAGIC FORMAT. A MAGIC FORMAT disk can be
directly read by your ST COMPUTER's drive, with no TRANSLATOR or
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE connected. The floppy disk controller in your
standard ST is very efficient at reading and writing MAGIC FORMAT disks
since they are in the MFM format which a standard ST directly handles.
Both the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE and the TRANSLATOR can be used to convert
MACINTOSH formatted disks to and from the more efficient MAGIC FORMAT.
The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE is much faster than the TRANSLATOR at doing this.
The slow speed of the TRANSLATOR may really bog you down. Computers were
not invented to keep people waiting!
Since the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE is only needed to do format conversion, and
since this is the most efficient way of using the MAGIC SAC, it is not
important to have the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE operate online within the MAGIC
SAC software.
DATA PACIFIC's literature that documents the problems with their
TRANSLATOR attests to a problem formatting disks in MACINTOSH format
using the TRANSLATOR. They claim that this is due to an RPM problem in
some Atari drives. This requires that the disk be formatted on a
MACINTOSH, even if you want to write data with your ST, or else a
MACINTOSH may not be able to read the disk. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE can
compensate for both large and small speed variations in your Atari drive,
and does not require formatting on the MACINTOSH. The lack of
compensation for drive speed in the TRANSLATOR is a bad design.
The bottom line is that the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE does much more than the
TRANSLATOR, converts disks to and from MACINTOSH format more accurately
and faster than the TRANSLATOR, and the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE costs less
than the TRANSLATOR.
QUESTION - Will the Discovery Cartridge convert MACINTOSH formatted disk
files into Atari files?
ANSWER - It could, but our first software release will not contain this
feature. Instead, you could convert a MACINTOSH formatted disk into the
MAGIC format, and then use the MAGIC SAC to convert this into an Atari
file. The same holds true for the opposite direction.
QUESTION - Can I purchase the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE together with the MAGIC
SAC?
ANSWER - No, not at the present time from HAPPY COMPUTERS. However, you
can purchase an option with your DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE that allows plugging
in the MACINTOSH ROMS and includes a battery backed up clock. This may
permit the MAGIC SAC software to operate without the need to plug in the
MAGIC SAC cartridge. HAPPY COMPUTERS cannot supply the MACINTOSH ROMS at
this time. Your dealer may be able to put together the best package that
meets your needs.
MORE OPTIONS
Our original literature describes the features available as USER
CONFIGURABLE OPTIONS to the standard DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE. In addition,
there is one additional feature available. There are positions to mount
two 28 pin EPROMs or ROMs. Usually these will be 27C256, 27C512, or
MACINTOSH ROMS. If you place MACINTOSH ROMS in these sockets, and also
install the optional battery backed up clock, you should be able to use
the MAGIC SAC software, without the need to plug in the MAGIC SAC
hardware cartridge. We have tested this. However, we cannot guarantee
the performance or compatibility of another company's product.
There is also a position for one additional switch. With 512K EPROMS,
this switch selects one of two banks for access by your ST computer.
This would allow two 256K programs to be resident inside the cartridge,
and permit access to one or the other according to the position of the
switch.
FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS
We will offer factory installation of options on new DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGES before shipment. Once a unit is shipped, option installation
will not be available at the prices shown here. Our first option
package includes the option for the third and fourth drive, including
the switch to select the third drive into the drive A position.
Note: with computers that have an internal drive A, this switch selects
the third drive into the drive B position rather than the drive A
position. It is possible to rewire the internal drive to be drive B,
and this would allow the 3rd drive to be switched to drive A.
HAPPY COMPUTERS cannot provide details on this.
Also included are the 28 pin sockets for ROM or EPROM. Note that the
ROM / EPROM sockets are empty. HAPPY COMPUTERS does not supply the
ROMS / EPROMS that the user may wish to plug in. All of the software
needed to operate the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE is disk based.
The battery backed up clock is also included. We have noticed that some
of the other battery backed up clock options for the ST suffer from poor
accuracy. Our circuit has been designed to allow us to trim each unit
to reasonable accuracy.
The only options possible that are not included in our first options
package are the optional jack for a second cartridge, and the switch that
would allow selecting the high and low banks of a 512K EPROM.
The switch that allows the user to select the low or high banks of 512K
EPROMS may be added on to the first option package. If 512K EPROMs are
used, this switch is required, or else only 256K would be addressable.
If 256K EPROMs or MACINTOSH ROMS are used, the switch could be used. If
the switch is not installed, a wire jumper must be installed in its place.
This wire is required to determine whether pin 1 of the ROMs / EPROMs is
high or low. MACINTOSH ROMS (from Apple) require that pin 1 be set low,
while 256K EPROMs may require that pin 1 be set high. A wire may be
soldered in, or it may be pushed into the socket pins when the ROMs /
EPROMs are plugged in. As long as it makes good firm contact, it doesn't
matter whether the wire is soldered in or pushed into the socket.
CARTRIDGE JACK OPTION
There is a position on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE board for mounting a 40
pin female jack for plugging in a 2nd cartridge. Due to the already wide
area that the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE occupies (4.5 inches to the left of the
computer), HAPPY COMPUTERS determined that desk space would be best
utilized if the jack for the 2nd cartridge faced forward. With the
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, a second cartridge will plug in from the front.
This precludes the use of some L shaped cartridges as a 2nd cartridge
with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE.
HAPPY COMPUTERS cannot guarantee any cartridge for use as a 2nd
cartridge. With no changes other than the installation of the 2nd jack,
we have determined that the MAGIC SAC and the DESK CART seem to work
properly when used as a second CARTRIDGE with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE,
but we cannot guarantee that this applies to all existing and future
MAGIC SAC and DESK CART cartridges.
If the 2nd cartridge jack is used with a MAGIC SAC or a DESK CART, the
options on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE board for the battery backed up clock,
and EPROMS / ROMS cannot be used, as they would interfere with the ROMS
and clock on the MAGIC SAC and DESK CART. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE's
option for the third and fourth drive may still be used with a MAGIC SAC
or DESK CART plugged in as a second cartridge.
The jack used to implement the 2nd cartridge may not always be available
to HAPPY COMPUTERS. We reserve the right to cancel orders for the second
cartridge jack option if the jack is not available.
The second cartridge jack may be ordered by itself or in conjunction with
the option for the third and fourth drive. It cannot be ordered with
the ROM sockets or battery backed up clock option.
There are a limited number of address and select signals at the ST
CARTRIDGE jack. With some modification, it may be possible to adapt the
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE to be used as a 2nd cartridge, or to allow various
other cartridges to be used as a 2nd cartridge. The DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE
board has been designed to simplify this type of modification. Other
than the documentation that comes with the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE, HAPPY
COMPUTERS cannot provide assistance concerning this type of modification.
NON-FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS
Any of the options allowed by the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE's design may be
installed by a qualified technician. Soldering is required. No wiring
is needed in most cases, except for the ROM / EPROM pin 1 jumper as was
discussed above. The components are simply soldered into the holes
provided on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE board. Most of the components are
readily available from electronics components suppliers.
Complete schematics, parts lists, and component placement diagrams of the
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE board and options are included with the DISCOVERY
CARTRIDGE documentation. No documentation is available concerning HAPPY
COMPUTERS' custom HART chip in the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE.
IMPORTANT - HAPPY COMPUTERS warranty on the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE is made
void by any modification made to the DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE once it leaves
our factory. All options that are installed by HAPPY COMPUTERS will be
covered by HAPPY COMPUTERS' warranty. You void your entire warranty if
options are installed by anyone other than HAPPY COMPUTERS.
ADVANCE ORDERS AND OPTIONS SHIPMENT
You may use the attached order form to order factory installed options
for your DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE. If you want to add these options to an
existing order, you must place your options order before we ship your
unit. There will be an extra charge to add factory installed options
to a unit we have already shipped; place your order immediately! All
option orders must be paid by check or money order. No COD, Credit Card,
or Phone orders accepted. Call (408) 778-5984 for up to date delivery
information, please..... Do Not Call our Office.
Editor Note: Check ST Report regularly we will let you know when the
DISCOVERY CARTRIDGE is being shipped.........
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANTIC PUBLISHING INC.
COPYRIGHT 1988
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
=================
Report from the Summer Consumer Electronics Show
by Andrew Reese START Editor
(Chicago, Ill, June 4, 1988) Chicago in June can be beautiful, but
getting to the Summer Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here can be anything
but... You don't need to hear a litany of travel woes, but suffice it to
say that the crowning blow was a collision at the cabstand at O'Hare
International Airport between a cab and a rent-a-car bus! But your
faithful reporter made it to the show for this first report for you.
Summer CES is a monster of a show -- there are some 1400 exhibitors
in 730,000 net square feet of display space.
Over 100,000 attendees will march the aisles this year seeing games,
audio, video (even adult video), telephones of every type and description,
fax machines and almost anything else that might sell between now and
Christmas. And Atari is here...
Yes, Atari is here at CES, but it's different from Comdex, the
Computer Dealers Exposition in April. Here, the Entertainment Electronics
Division (video games) holds sway and the computers take a back seat -- at
least this year. No new 16-bit computer products were shown and the 8-bit
products were all games for the 2600, 7800 and XE game systems. In fact,
only three ST's were here in the Atari display area and all were playing
MIDI -- well, they weren't actually in the area, more like grafted onto
the back of Atari's black game temple. But Atari's games were here and in
profusion.
Another notable impression from Atari -- the Electronic Entertainment
Division, at least, is willing to spend money and lots of it to promote
their game systems and software. Mike Katz, president of the division,
announced a $10 million advertising campaign at a press conference held
just before CES. This campaign will include TV ads to run for the rest of
the year, including ones featuring such sports stars as Washington
Redskins quarterback Doug Williams. And in the trade dailies here at the
show, Atari bought lots of ad space. They're serious about selling games,
folks -- they want to double the sales of their games systems this year
for the third year in a row. I can't wait for them to get just as serious
about selling computers in the U.S.!
Of course, Atari's direct game competitors are here as well.
Nintendo bought 20,000 square feet of display space. Yep, that's not a
glitch: 20,000 square feet. Their area was filled with third-party
developers showing dozens of new games. But the chip shortage has hit
even Nintendo and they have had to scale down their optimistic projections
from 40-million units (carts) to 30-million. Sega is showing a
combination of arcade stand-alone games and their home game system, now
available with 3D glasses. Sega's display area is not as big in area as
Nintendo's and not as well positioned as Atari's, which is just at the
foot of the main escalator into the hall.
And now to the software. This is a game show for the most part and
all of the majors were here and some surprises. The only significant
serious business product I saw w
as LDW Power, a new high-speed,
high-capacity, GEM- based, 1-2-3-compatible spreadsheet from long-time
Atari faithful, Logical Design Works. This package features built-in
graphing, high-speed re-calculation, efficient use of memory and comes
with a 232-page manual and lots of little features of the kind that make
the difference between a product you use grudgingly and one you turn to
with a smile. Available now for the eminently reasonable price of $150.
Activision was here -- or should I say Mediagenics, the new name for
the umbrella company that gathers together such names as Activision,
Gamestar and Rainbird (formerly Firebird) under one corporate logo.
You'll still see the individual names, but the company is Mediagenics.
Their big promotion this year -- at least overall -- is a new Pete Rose
baseball game -- but not for the Atari, sorry. But Rainbird is a
different story entirely.
Rainbird is hitting the streets in the next few months with a great
line-up of hot games. First is Carrier Command, the long-awaited 3D solid
graphics flight and vehicle simulator. It is available now for the ST at
a price of $44.95 and is not copy-protected. I played this gem and it's
hot, a great futuristic combination of strategy, tactics and arcade
action.
Next up for Rainbird will be Starglider II, a solid 3D version of the
great ST game. Due out in July at a price of $44.95, this version adds
lots of features that would have been thought impossible a few years ago.
The screen refresh rate is nothing short of spectacular and the variety of
weapons and inter-stellar travel broaden the appeal from the original,
which was a landmark game in its day. And speaking of the original, it's
being re-released at a new lower price of $24.95. Oh, you won't believe
it, but the ST and Amiga versions of Starglider II come on the same
disk...it's bootable by either!!!!!
And Rainbird will release a whole series of new ST games over the
next few months. They are really going to support the ST with a broad
range of entertainment software, much of it priced at the very reasonable
price of $24.95. Thanks for the vote of confidence in the viability of
the ST market!
Lots and lots of arcade classics are being translated to the ST.
Capcom, a new name to the Atari market is bringing Bionic Commando, Side
Arms, Street Fighter and 1943 to the ST this summer. The first three are
arcade-style hit, kick, shoot and kill games with animated figures doing
your dirty work. The last is the top-view aerial game set at Midway
Island during WWII. They look like pretty darned good ports and should do
well with Atarians hungry for more ACTION!
On a calmer (??????) note, Sierra On-Line showed some dynamite new
games due out in the next few months. If you liked Leisure Suit Larry in
the Land of the Lounge Lizards, well, he's back and "Looking for Love (in
Several Wrong Places)." A funny, funny adult game and great-looking
follow-up to my wife's favorite game. Due out toward the end of the
summer.
And for all you King's Quest fans, KQ IV is on its way with
MIDI-output music!!! Sierra and Roland are working together to develop an
MT-board for IBM computers that will allow them to play the original
stereo score by William Goldstein directly. The ST version will follow,
but because of the ST's built-in MIDI ports, that will be the avenue used
by the games designers. The game itself is called "The Perils of Rosella"
and takes you -- Rosella -- on a perilous voyage to save your ailing
father's life. There's an introductory cartoon that sets the stage and it
runs ten minutes! It's a b-i-g game and the graphics are getting better
and better with each generation of Sierra games.
Watch your back, Sonny Bonds! Jesse Bains, the Death Angel, has
escaped and is out for revenge in "Police Quest II -- The Vengeance" from
Sierra On-Line. Looks real good and due out (hopefully) before the fall.
You want action? You want video arcade games on your ST. Well, in a
surprise announcement, Taito ( pronounced "Tie-Toe") is releasing eight
arcade ports over the next few months. Due out in July at a $39.95 retail
price are Alcon and Bubble Bobble, while Arkanoid will accompany them at
$34.95. Then in the fall will come Gladiator, Operation Wolf (a dynamite
-- and gory -- first- person soldiering game), Qix, Rastan and Renegade,
all at $39.95. Save up your quarters, gamers!
ATARI PLANS MAJOR PUSH IN VIDEO GAMES
Chicago, June 6, 1988--Atari Corp. will introduce 45 new video game
titles, said Michael Katz, president of Atari's Entertainment Electronics
Division, at the Consumer Electronics Show, according to the Reuter News
Service. Katz said that Atari will continue its successful licensing
program by signing licensing agreements with various computer game
companies for successful games from other formats. According to Katz, 1988
industry sales are projected at $1.9 billion, up from $1.1 billion last
year.
ST NEEDS TO GET TOUGH ON BUSINESS
T.R. Reid of the Washington Post calls The Atari ST a "powerful,
easy-to-use, bargain-priced computer with dazzling graphics and formidable
sound capabilities," but he raises some questions about the computer's
ability as a serious business tool. WordPerfect, Reid said, is an
excellent business application for the ST, "but beyond word processing,
the Atari is not really a match in the business environment for MS-DOS or
Macintosh machines."
Reid is quick to point out that "it's not that the computer itself is
incapable" -- just that the software companies that produce major league
packages for MS-DOS and Mac aren't taking advantage of the power in the ST
(with the exception of WordPerfect). On the other hand, he discusses such
Atari-specific programs as the SideKick-like Partner ST from Timeworks,
which puts a calculator, Rolodex, appointment calendar and other tools
onto your ST desktop. He also cites ST ports (such as The Software
Toolworks' Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing) that are better than their MS-DOS
counterparts.
Avant Garde's MS-DOS emulator, PC-Ditto, comes under fire in Reid's
article. "Even compared with the performance of a rickety old IBM-PC," he
says, "running MS-DOS stuff on the ST is a sensation akin to riding a
tricycle in the Indianapolis 500." On the other hand, he calls Data
Pacific's Magic Sac, which lets you run Macintosh software on the ST, a
"somewhat more successful" effort.
Reid feels that desktop publishing should be a natural for the ST --
the features required for desktop publishing happen to be the ST's
strengths: "lots of memory, sharp graphics, a versatile laser printer."
Reid likes the fact that the Atari laser printer has no built-in fonts or
page-description software -- making the printer more versatile than many
"smart" printers, and holding the price down as well.
(Chicago, Ill--June 7, 1988) Well, we've tramped the show floor -- or
should I say floors -- for four days now and seen a wealth of new game
software for the ST. The software publishers seem to understand what it
takes to compete in the ST game market these days: excellent graphics and
sound.
The ST and Amiga are roundly acknowledged to have the best around.
The MS-DOS/Tandy world may have the bigger market, but developers
for that market at CES bewailed the lousy -- and non-standardized -- PC
sound. And PC games are just beginning to exploit EGA low resolution
graphics. And guess what that is: 320 X 200 with 16 colors. Sound
familiar? That's the ST low res that we've had for three years. As for
the 640 X 350/64-color EGA mode, game designers acknowledged in a panel at
CES that this resolution is just too expensive in terms of processor time
and RAM and disk space to be at all practical for game animation.
O.K., so what do the Road Runner and Captain Blood have in common?
They're both new games from the minds at Mindscape. To quote Mindscape:
"Ground breaking in its graphic technology, Captain Blood uses both
fractal and vector graphic techniques to produce some of the most stunning
visuals ever seen in a computer game. [Very, very true -- Ed.] . . .
Torka, Captain Blood's solar system sweetheart, has promised to bear him a
thousand little Bloods. But there's just one hitch. Half a dozen Captain
Blood clones are scattered around the galaxy and they're sapping his
energy. Your mission is to search the stars for the pesky clones and
destroy them." The graphics really are spectacular and while I can't
vouch for the plot, this could be the smash game of the year. It's due
out in August for $49.95.
After that plot, Road Runner is pretty predictable. Based on the
arcade game, you're the Road Runner trying to escape Wile E. Coyote.
It's not "Gone With the Wind," but the graphics are cute. Due this month
at $49.95. Then there's Paperboy, due out in July for the same price with
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom following the month after, both
arcade hits priced at $49.95. Then there's Superstar Ice Hockey ($49.95,
this month) and Indoor Sports ($49.95, July). And a new joystick, the
Mindscape Power- players Joystick ($24.95, now). That's six new games and
a joystick -- not bad at all!
Now to Data East. Their new titles are all priced at $39.95.
Available now is Platoon, based on the movie. I have some reservations
about a game that requires you to "frag" your superior officer to win, but
it follows the movie in this respect and is otherwise a playable war game.
Also available now is Speed Buggy, Lock-On (a flight simulator), Karnov
(a graphics adventure) and Ikari Warriors (a two- player interactive
graphic adventure). Coming in July will be Shackled and in the fourth
quarter, Robocop will make his ST debut. That's seven more games...
A new publisher, First Row Software Publishing, has released its
first ST game. Called Prime Time, it's a humorous role-playing game that
puts you in the position of a TV network exec setting up a programming
schedule. The plays-on-words are fun and the strategy is (unfortunately)
all too realistic. $39.95 and look for a review in the October 1988 issue
of START Magazine. Add one more to the list...
Cinemaware, publishers of Defender of the Crown, announced that
several of their successful games would be released in ST ports over the
next few months at $49.95. Sinbad is a combination role-playing, strategy
and arcade game, due for a July release. The graphics have been enhanced
from the Amiga version and are really beautiful. Next out -- in August
will be the King of Chicago, the gangster graphic adventure game, followed
in October by Rocket Ranger, a graphics adventure/strategy/arcade game.
Also announced but without release dates were The Three Stooges and TV
Sports Football. And that adds five more games.
Avalon Hill announced its first ST product, Spitfire 40. This World
War II flight simulator will be available this month at $49.95.
Epyx announced a number of new products. Art Director and Film
Director (formerly scheduled to be released by Broderbund) will be
released on the ST at $79.95 for the package this summer. This art and
animation package adds several new features to the world of animation
programs on the ST and is a must have for any animation buff. Epyx is
also releasing California Games (skateboarding, surfing, etc.), Death
Sword (martial arts), Arctic Antics: Spy vs. Spy III (Mad Magazine's
Marginal Capers characters), Final Assault (unique mountain-climbing
simulation; third quarter, $39.95), Battleship (based on the board game;
third quarter, $29.95), Dive Bomber (guess), Tower Toppler (3D arcade
climbing game; fourth quarter, $39.95), Sports-a-Roni (humorous
multi-player sports game; third quarter, $24.95), Street Cat (feline
role-playing at its finest), Metrocross (skateboarding arcade game) and
Technocop (futuristic chase game; third quarter, $39.95). Specific
release dates and prices for the other products were not announced. but
watch your dealer's shelves and the pages of START and ST Resource for
more news. And that adds a whopping twelve more titles!
Mastertronic also made a number of product announcements: Available
now under the Arcadia label (distributed by Electronic Arts) is Awesome
Arcade (three arcade games in one $49.99 package), Roadwars (unique
rolling ball arcade shoot-em-up, $29.99) and Rockford (Boulderdash
spin-off, $29.99). And available in the late fall under the Melbourne
House label will be a port of the popular arcade game, Double Dragon, not
to mention Middle Earth, a massive graphics adventure game based on
Tolkien's wonderful characters. And under the Mastertronics label, we'll
see Chopper X, Ninja Mission, Outcast and Kikstart II. Dates and prices
of this last series were not announced, but this ambitious publisher is
adding a total of nine ST products to the market.
SSI, Inc. announced Shiloh: Grant's Trial/West, which should be
available now or very soon, Warship (shipping in June or July) and Heroes
of the Lance, derived from the first of the DRAGONLANCE modules of
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. This is a good-looking role-playing game
that adheres to the AD&D standards and allows the player to control eight
characters in a battle against evil. It's due out in late July at a
$39.95 price. Oh, and Electronic Arts is now distributing SSI's
software.
Also to be released through EA are three games from Leisure Genius, a
Virgin Games label. All are based on board games. Scrabble is out now
for the ST and it will be followed by Scruples later this year and Risk
early next year. From Interstel via EA comes Dragon Force (July, $44.95),
an elite paramilitary combat simulation.
Finally, Paragon (again via EA) is releasing Wizard Wars, a
graphics-intensive fantasy role-playing game (September, $34.95) and
Guardians of Infinity: To Save Kennedy, a unique time-travel role-playing
game with interaction with over 125 real characters. It's due out this
fall at $44.95. Also coming is Master Ninja in August and Twilight's
Ransom, a graphic text adventure set in the present day, due out later
this year.
Timeworks announced that they will be releasing their five graphics,
design and font packs for use with Desktop Publisher ST later this year.
These will allow the newsletter publisher to brighten up his or her
publication. All are priced at $39.95 and the first two, Font Pack 1 and
Design Ideas are due out in August.
Spectrum Holobyte announced Tetris, the first entertainment software
to come out of the Soviet Union. It's out now for various Apple computers
and due out for the ST soon.
Broderbund also made a splash at CES with their new products. Star
Wars, based on the arcade classic, is due out this fall at a price of
$39.95 and a really dynamite skiing program, Downhill Challenge, is priced
at $29.95 also with a fall release date. If you remember Choplifter!, an
8-bit classic, then you will be interested in Broderbund's next release.
Dan Gorlin, Choplifter's author, has created Typhoon Thompson in Search
for the Sea Child, an arcade adventure based on the arcade game Airheart.
It should be shipping soon at a price of $34.95.
Accolade, publishers of Test Drive, has announced Bubble Ghost, a
cute arcade game (available now at $34.95) and Mini-Putt, a crazy
miniature golf game (available in the third quarter at $44.95.
Thunder Mountain, publishers of low-price software, also announced a
line-up of ST games. Summer Challenge, Tau Ceti, Tai-Pan, Winter
Challenge, Leviathan, Top Gun and Wizball are priced at $14.95. Release
dates were not announced, but add six more to your list.
Titus, publishers of Crazy Cars, announced Off-Shore Warriors and
Fire and Forget, both for summer release and both for $39.95. Good
graphics and digitized sound.
Three-Sixty, publishers of Dark Castle, announced a new (and easier
to play) animated adventure game aimed at younger players, Warlock. It's
cute and should play well -- in June for $39.95.
If my math is right, that makes a total of seventy-three new titles
in this report, plus those from my last report. It looks like a very good
year for ST software, especially entertainment software.
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ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL
======================
One of the more serious and truly outrageous forms of piracy is right
under our noses and for some silly reason we don't see it...or is it
because certain DEALERS don't want to see it?
I am talking about the DEALERS who allow their employees to copy new
arrivals of programs, (DEMO or FULL), allegedly for the purpose of
becoming knowledgeable about the programs. I submit that this practice
should come to a screeching halt! The worst is the dealer who knowingly
allows this thing to go on with full knowledge that the employee is going
to share it with his/her friends! How about the dealer who takes the
shrink wrap off, makes a copy of the application program to his hard disk
and re wraps the package for sale to the public as new!
JUST FOUND OUT!....Three distributors of Computer goods/software are under
close investigation for bootlegging software, packaging and labels too!
This week has provided more eye openers for this author...
HOW ABOUT winning an ATARI DMP2000 COMPUTER?????? According to the Time
Share Developer in Florida selling the apartment/condo deals every person
who attends the presentation can win the above mentioned computer, along
with a monitor and printer! One of the folks who attended this "thing"
came to me and told me all about the deal on the ATARI COMPUTER.......
ATARI DMP2000 COMPUTER......hand held calculator!
PRINTER ....................the tape in the calculator
MONITOR.....................the LCD window on the calculator
COME ON ATARI!!!! Get your name off this junk! Please don't let the Name
be beaten into the mud with BAD REAL ESTATE HUSTLES.....
WHY IS THE ATARI NAME ON THOSE CALCULATORS TO BEGIN WITH???? It is common
knowledge you make no royalties from it's use.
FOR REAL???.........Sig Hartmann is supposed to be taking over the show
circuit for ATARI..........should be interesting.........Cheech and Chong
strike again...........
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MY COMPUTER STORE
=================
By Bob Rosendale
"Welcome to Zowie Computers, the Store with a Difference." They said
to me when I entered the store. "How may I help you?" the salesman
asked. I told him that I was just looking, that I wanted to see what
brands he was selling. "Well, we sell all brands of computers, but since
we have just opened we currently have just Atari Computers, you know,
Power without the Price." he said with pride.
I told him that I use Atari Computers and have done so since 1983 and
that I even have gone through a couple of the game systems and that I was
always looking for stores that carry Atari products.
"You have come to the right place. Today is our Grand Opening, in fact
you are out first customer. So take your time and look around, if you
have any questions be sure to ask." I was almost shocked with his
pleasantness, but figured I would look around before casting my first
impression.
I was really surprised to see all the hardware and software that was in
the store. There was an 8-bit section with 800XL's and 130XE's, they even
had the new drives and modems in stock. They had software for the 8-bit
machines that I heard about but had not seen. I walked over to the ST
section and my jaw about hit the floor, I think I even tripped over my
tongue. Right in the middle of their ST display was a MEGA 4, connected
to a Laser Printer. Also connected was a video camera and it was obvious
that "Computereyes" was loaded because a picture of the salesman was on
the screen of the monitor.
I heard the salesman say, "So you like our new toy?". He said to stand
over in front of the camera and he would show me how it worked. "Since
you are out first customer, we really ought to get your picture to add to
our collection of pictures.
A few minutes later out came two copies of my picture. He handed me one
and took the other one over to a table and put it in a picture frame and
labeled it "Our First Customer". He then went to the back wall of the
store. I finally saw what he meant by "collection of pictures". There on
the wall were digitized pictures of all the Presidents and First Ladies of
the United States. There was also a picture of Morgan Fairchild, with the
caption: "Always in our Heart". There were also pictures of The Three
Stooges in aviation gear captioned: "Aim High". I was pleased when the
salesman placed my picture next to Morgan's.
I went over to the ST software display and noticed more titles that I
had not seen before. Above the display cases was a sign: "If you don't
see it, ASK" and "Ask any of our staff to demonstrate any of the
software". I knew I was going to really enjoy doing business with this
store.
I picked out one of the newer games and went over to the cash register.
The salesman looked a little disappointed that their first customer was
only going to buy one piece of software, and a game at that. "What
equipment do you have at home?" he asked. I told him I had a 520ST/FM
with a built in single sided drive, an external single sided drive, a
modem, and that I use my color TV as a monitor.
His eyes gleamed as he said: "I can really help you today. Remember,
that you are our fist customer and we want you and your friends as
customers. As our first customer, if you have $100.00 to spend, we will
let you buy up to $500.00 worth of merchandise and still on charge you
$100.00 (plus $6.00 sales tax)." It was time to retrieve my jaw. I was
finally able to get a color monitor and a printer and not have to worry
about the price.
I told the salesman that I would take a color monitor and a printer and
as he went off to get them I went over to read the desktop publishing
program boxes again. When the salesman cam back he said that most of those
programs really needed one megabyte of memory to get the full potential of
the software. But if I would tell my friends about the service department
was having a free diagnostic check clinic that coming weekend that they
would throw in the upgrade at no additional cost.
I told him I only lived a couple of minutes away and would go get my
keyboard. I was home and back with my keyboard in a flash. He said
that it would only take a few minutes to install the upgrade and to take
my time and load a couple of the programs to get the feel of them.
About 20 minutes later the salesman said that the upgrade was completed
and that if I had made my final choices that he would write up my bill.
He wrote on the bill:
Color Monitor
Printer
Word Perfect
Memory Upgrade
--------------
Total: $100.00
Tax: 6.00
----------------
Grand Total: $106.00
The salesman asked me how I wanted to pay for it and I told him with a
check. As I reached into my back pocket, my elbow hit something. It was
then that I realized it was the night table next to my bed, and in the
words of the "Dallas" writers, it had all been a dream.
I was heart broken, not because it had been a dream, it was because I
was again going to have to wait and wait, along with the store and its
other Atari customers to find out what Atari is going to do next.
Atari, I am wide awake and I am waiting!
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SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH IN ATARI ST SOFTWARE
NOW AVAILABLE WITH
REVOLVER
SARASOTA, FLA, June 9, 1988
INTERSECT Software today announced a July release date for REVOLVER for
the Atari ST computer system.
REVOLVER can take a program (TOS, GEM, TTP) and stop it at any
point then write it to disk, allowing you to continue where you left off at
a later time! It does this by taking a picture of the entire computer's
memory and saving it as a compressed file on the built in RAM DISK, a
FLOPPY DISK, or a HARD DISK. You can also set a timer to save your
program at specified intervals, protecting you from a possible data
disaster. Additional convenience features such as Full Disk
Commands, Control Panel options and Screen Snapshot make
REVOLVER the ultimate utility. REVOLVER is not a desk accessory
and is therefore active at all times, even within TOS environments.
The "Roll out" and "Roll in" capabilities supply a much needed
convenience to the user allowing him to effectively swap back and forth
between applications at any time. Because disk is the storage medium
for "Rolled out" programs there is no limit to the number of "Swapped"
programs and, once "Rolled out" a program can be "Swapped" back in,
even after a cold boot!
Using REVOLVER is easy, it is activated by depressing both shift keys
along with the "Alternate" key. Once activated, it is controlled via the
mouse.
A partial list of REVOLVER's features follows, all readily available
within GEM, TOS and TTP environments:
- "Roll in" and "Roll out" all ST memory (includes Desk Accessories)
- Warm reset proof Ramdisk, handles large and small memory models
- 40 Folder fix, lets you select the number of additional folders
- Print Spooler, lets you select its size and turn it on or off
- Extended disk commands, support "Wild cards" and "Hidden" files
- VT-52 Emulator
- Control Panel options, setup RS232, printer and console options
- Screen snapshot to .NEO picture file
- Select "Warm" or "Cold" re-boot, with the mouse
REVOLVER: 49.95 - * -
INTERSECT Software Corp. Contact: Randy Mears
2828 Clark Rd., Suite 10 (813) 923-8774
Sarasota, FL 34230
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ST-REPORT Issue #39 June 13, 1988 (c)'88 APEInc.
All Rights Reserved. Reprint permission granted except where noted in
the article. Any reprint must include ST-Report and the author in the
credits. Views Presented here are not necessarily those of ST-Report or
of the Staff.
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