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Silicon Times Report Issue 0417
*---== CPU NEWSWIRE ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---*
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine"
_____________________________________
from
STR Publishing Inc.
""""""""""""""""""
April 27, 1990 No.4.17
=======================================================================
CPU NewsWire Online Magazine¿
featuring
STReport ~ Online
__________________________
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida
32205 ~ 6672
R.F. Mariano
Publisher - Editor
_________________________________________
Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT
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FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM - 6 AM EDT
_________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________
> 04/27/90: CPU Newswire¿ #417 The Original 16/32 bit Online Magazine!
----------------------------
- The Editor's Podium - CPU REPORT - CPU STATUS REPORT
- MIDITASKING - PACE SHOW - EXCLUSIVE?
- SUPERCHARGER NEWS - TURBO BOARD BBS - CPU CONFIDENTIAL
---===*** BRAIN DEAD MMU CHIPS? REALLY? ***===---
---===** MARK WILLIAMS CLEARS THE AIR **===---
---====*** PACE SHOW SLATED TO BE A WINNER ***====---
==========================================================================
CPU NEWSWIRE¿
"Only UP-TO-DATE News and Information"
-* FEATURING *-
Current Events, Up to Date News, Hot Tips, and Information
Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports
==========================================================================
CPU/STR's support BBS, NODE # 350 invites systems using Forem ST BBS to
participate in Forem BBS's F-Net mail network. Or, Please call # 350
direct at 904-786-4176, and enjoy the excitement of exchanging ideas about
the Atari ST computers through an excellent International ST Mail Network.
==========================================================================
AVAILABLE ON: COMP-U-SERVE ~ DELPHI ~ GENIE ~ BIX
==========================================================================
> The Editor's Podium¿
The P.A.C.E. Show is on for this weekend, from all the reports we
have received its easy to see where it is drawing folks from all over the
country. This is fast becoming a popular place to be this weekend. One
observation related to me was very interesting. This young man said;
"Maybe just maybe the people will use this show as a statement directed at
Atari, show them by the attendance at this show that we can and will
support the Atari computer platform". After hearing this I thought hmmmm,
not a bad idea, now if the potential attendees are listening....
The AUA has been growing in leaps and bounds across the USA, and
rightfully so, being the only National Organization dedicated to the Users
and the Groups to which they belong. The AUA will be at PACE 'strutting'
their stuff and signing up new members. While there has been some
reference to a 'colorful' past this comes strictly from an association
with another club located in the Pittsburgh area. As a result, STReport
has thoroughly checked out the rumors and folks, as usual, they were just
that ..unfounded rumors.
On to other show related matters, we see where the folks who promoted
the Anaheim WOA show are very busy claiming to be "on the move" and are
indicating they plan shows for June & August of 1990 and April of 1991.
STReport finds it extremely difficult to believe WOA plans to schedule
shows for June and August on top of a number of shows already scheduled on
both coasts. The June date is far too close at hand to hold any
credibility. Especially for those folks who must use the airlines and
schedule saver fares at least thirty days in advance. As for the show in
August? In the dead heat of the summer? And at the peak of summer
vacation time? Hard to believe it'll amount to anything. Unless, of
course, WOA is planning a few shows at those times in Borneo and Diego
Garcia. If however, such is the case, this publication will find it very
easy to wholeheartedly support only those Atari shows that are Usergroup
operated and sponsored. Most of all, the usergroup and its members must
benefit from all the profits, if any, realized from the show.
Meanwhile back to the present and the PACE show, STReport will be
there and of course, we encourage every Atarian capable of attending to do
so. This show is fully and only usergroup sponsored by Atarians for
Atarians.
Thanks for your support,
Ralph......
AT ATARI, USERGROUPS AND USERS COME FIRST!
***********************************************************************
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FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME
to the Readers of;
CPU NEWSWIRE ONLINE MAGAZINE
featuring
STReport Online Magazine
""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine"
NEW USERS; SIGN UP TODAY!
Call any of the St Report Official BBS numbers
(Listed Above)
or
Leave E-mail to STReport - R.Mariano
Be sure to include your full mailing address so your
Compuserve kit can be immediately mailed to you!
ATARI ST ARTS FORUM
An overview
The Atari ST Arts Forum is comprised of a set of communication tools
which together create a unique environment where you can exchange
information with a whole community (located in different parts of the
world) who share your interest in the exchange of information and programs
relating to Atari ST graphics and entertainment (games).
The Atari ST Arts Forum, like all CompuServe Forums, is comprised of
the following major areas:
MESSAGES
The Message Board of this Forum is where you will find many people
corresponding with each other on a 24 hour basis. Being that message
correspondence does not require you to be online at the same time as the
person you are exchanging messages with, you can log-on at any convenient
time to read your waiting messages and reply to them in order to keep a
conversation on-going. This is one of the best methods for meeting new
people from all different types of backgrounds and who are located in
different parts of the world
Enter "MES" at any Forum "!" command prompt or select the appropriate
menu choice to access the Message Center.
LIBRARIES
The Libraries section of the Forum is a resource area containing
thousands of programs, text files, picture files, help files, and text
files such as past transcripts from online national conferences,
professional reports, news, and reviews. Most text material can be read
online or downloaded to your computer system for lasting reference. Our
Libraries are also filled with a wide assortment of Public Domain and
Shareware entertainment and graphics-related programs which will make your
ST do some unbelievable things!
Enter "LIB" at any Forum "!" command prompt or select the appropriate
menu choice to access the Forum's Libraries.
CONFERENCING
Electronic Conference Rooms are areas where members gather for "live"
conversation. You may find several members engaged in a regularly
scheduled meeting or participating in a special conference hosted by a
guest speaker. Impromptu Conferences among Forum members are always
welcome! In addition, watch the News Flash and Conference Announcements
for information on any scheduled Conferences.
Enter "CON" at any Forum "!" command prompt or select the appropriate
menu choice to access the Forum's Conference Center.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements are written by the Forum Sysops and are designed to keep
you apprised of any scheduled events, hot topics, new uploads, and other
useful information pertaining to the Atari Community in general or the
Forum.
There are two announcements that are automatically displayed if you
haven't read the latest update. The News Flash Announcement is displayed
when you first enter the Forum, and the Conference Announcement is
displayed when you first enter the Conferencing area. There are other
announcements that are available for reading from the ANNOUNCEMENTS menu.
These announcements include: The General Announcement, Message
Announcement, Library Announcement, Membership Announcement, Sysop Roster
Announcement, and New Member Announcement.
Enter "ANN" at any Forum "!" prompt or select the appropriate menu
choice to access the Announcements Section.
MEMBERSHIP INTEREST DIRECTORY
The Member Directory is an area where members voluntarily enter their
interests or seek out other Forum members who share your interests. If
you are in menu mode, you will be greeted with the Member Directory menu,
which lists several choices for using the Member Directory. If you are in
"Command Mode" (non-menu mode), you will be greeted with the "Member
Directory !" prompt.
Enter "MEM" at the main Forum menu/command prompt or select the
appropriate menu choice to access the Member Directory.
USER OPTIONS AREA
The User Options area is where you can custom-tailor Forum and
Messages Options to your preference. After making changes in the options
area, you will be given the chance to make the changes permanent or
temporary for session only. Any change made to the NAME, SECTIONS, or
HIGH msg read options are considered permanent changes automatically by
the Forum Software. Of course, you can always make changes to these
options again if you change your mind.
Enter "OPT" at any Forum "!" command prompt or select the appropriate
menu choice to access the User Options area.
Forum Manager/SYSOP and contract holder for all of the Atari Forums on
CompuServe, including the Atari ST Arts and Entertainment Forum, is:
Ron Luks [76703,254]
Assisting Ron in the maintenance of the Atari Forums are:
Mike Schoenbach [76703,4363]** Dave Groves [76703,4223]**
Charles McGuinness [76701,11]** David Ramsden [76703,4224]**
Dan Rhea [76703,4364]** Bill Aycock [76703,4061]**
Dick Brudzynski [76703,2011] Don LeBow [76704,41]
Keith Joins [76702,375]
All the assistant Sysops marked with an "**" in the above list are
responsible for overseeing all the areas of the Atari ST Arts and
Entertainment Forum, including the message board, the libraries, the
announcements, and the conference area.
NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE
***********************************************************************
> CPU REPORT¿
==========
Issue # 64
----------
by Michael Arthur
Remember When....
In 1985, Dayna Communications introduced Mac Charlie, a $1800.00
Hardware IBM Emulator for the Macintosh which featured a 4.77 MHZ 8088,
640K of RAM, two 360K 5 1/4" Disk Drives, MS-DOS Version 3.1, and complete
compatibility with most MS-DOS business software at that time? Or how it
was half the size of a Mac Plus, and had to be connected vertically at the
side of a Mac Plus or SE?
CPU Systems Roundup¿ XXVI
=========================
Dream Systems VI: Changes, and "Peripherals of Note"
----------------------------------------------------
Change is the only constant in the computer industry. As the
capabilities of microcomputers increased during the 1980's, they began to
provide the versatility, performance capability, and speed found in the
workstation field. However, at the same time the workstation field began
providing the functionality, standardization, and price/performance found
in the microcomputer world. During CPU Report's inception, it attempted
to cover this trend using the "Dream Systems" Essays.
This series, which has tried to examine the industry's rate of change
by configuring a list of several powerful microcomputer/workstation
systems which could truly be called the "state of the art". It then had a
Comparison/Contrast Section, which compared them using things like
industry standard computer benchmarks. However, benchmarks can often fail
as a general determinant of computer performance. For example, the
results of many computer performance ratings and benchmarks (VAX MIPS,
Quicksort, Sieve, etc.) can often be skewed by factors such as large
amounts of CPU Cache RAM, susceptibility to being greatly optimized by
certain compilers, or flaws in their design. Resulting in that the
"Comparison/Contrast" segment, originally intended as an objective tool,
ended up being subjective and less accurate in its comparisons.
Therefore, the "Comparison/Contrast" Segment of this series has been
eliminated. In its place a new segment, "Peripherals of Note", is now
featured in this essay. As implied, "Peripherals of Note" will feature
examples of hardware peripherals and computer systems which are both
noteworthy as innovations in the computer industry, and are unique in
their respective markets. "Peripherals of Note" will join the "State of
the Art Systems" List in helping to explore the rate of innovation and
change in the computer industry.
In order to explore this situation in depth, while providing a
broad timespan in which to cover new developments, this "Dream Systems"
series appears once every three months. The "Dream Computer Systems List"
series itself will also continue and expand its focus on workstation-class
system configurations.
After doing some research, I found several pieces of hardware that
could truly claim to be "Peripherals of Note". Shown in no particular
order, here is my list:
Peripheral #1: IBM RISC System/6000 Workstation
------------------------------------------------
The IBM RISC System/6000 uses a new RISC chip architecture, called
the "Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC", or POWER chipset. This
processor is made up of a "superscalar architecture" consisting of seven
separate units, including:
- A ANSI-compatible Floating-point unit (FPU)
- A Fixed-Point Unit (FXU) performing integer processing, memory
addressing operations.
- An Instruction/branch Unit, which distributes instructions to the
FPU and FXU, and coordinates other processor functions.
- A Data/Instruction Cache Unit, which interfaces the POWER chipset
physical memory. It provides either a 32K or 64K CPU Cache.
- A built-in I/O Controller Unit
- MicroChannel Bus Interface Unit
Each of these units receive instructions and operate concurrently,
enabling the POWER processor to process up to four instructions per clock
cycle. The POWER chipset has a 128-bit memory path width, and 20 Megabit
optical links for quickly sending bursts of data to other systems. All
of this results in the POWER chip's capability of processing from
27 - 41 million instructions per second (MIPS), and from 7.5 - 13 million
floating point math instructions per second (MFLOPS). Meaning that the
POWER chip is 2-4 times as fast as Intel's 80486 chip, the Motorola 68040,
or any other microprocessor currently available.
Furthermore, IBM has indicated that in the future, the POWER chip's
Microcode (embedded in ROM) will be field-upgraded to allow it to run
sixteen or more instructions per clock cycle. Meaning that the POWER chip
will support upgrades to provide a significant increase in processing
speed at a comparatively low cost to present RS/6000 Owners.
However, a large part of a computer's performance is based more on
the data transfer speed of its bus architecture than its MIPS or MFLOPS
rating. Therefore, the RISC System/6000 also features an improved version
of the MicroChannel Expansion Bus Architecture, which allows the RS/6000
to fully utilize its processing capabilities. This version features:
- A 64-bit data/address bus width for the low-end POWERstation
Line, with high-end models of the RISC System/6000 using a
128-bit version of the MicroChannel Architecture....
- Vastly improved Data Transfer rates, using a new "Streaming DMA
Burst Mode" to achieve data transfer rates of 40 Megabytes per
second, with sustained transfer rates of 25 - 30 Mbps (Megabytes
Per Second). This is several times greater than many other
computer bus architectures.
- Parity Checking on all data.
In addition, IBM has licensed Silicon Graphics' Geometry Engine
chip (which can generate 91,000 3-D Vectors/second) as standard equipment
on the RS/6000. IBM is selling two types of graphics boards for the
RS/6000:
1) An Entry-level Graphics board, with two versions: A Monochrome
board, able to display 4-bit gray scales (or 16 shades of gray),
and a color board able to display 8-bits per pixel, or 256 Colors
at the same time, out of a 16 million color palette.
2) An optional graphics adapter board called the SuperGraphics
Processor Subsystem (partly developed by Silicon Graphics), which
can generate almost a million 3D Vectors a Second, and has a
24-bit color palette. It comes in two versions: An 8-bit Per
Pixel board (for 256 displayable colors), and a 24-bit per pixel
board which allows the RS/6000 to display 16 million colors
simultaneously.
The IBM RISC System/6000 has a 1280*1024 graphics resolution, and
comes with SCSI and Ethernet LAN Ports, as well as 8 Megabytes of ECC RAM
(which can automatically find and correct memory parity errors) as
standard. IBM will be selling several models of the RISC System/6000,
including these systems:
PowerStation 320
----------------
The low-end model of IBM's RISC System/6000 line, it uses a 20 MHZ
POWER chip to achieve speeds of 27 MIPS and 7.5 MFLOPS. It comes with
8 Megs of RAM standard, 6 Expansion Slots (2 of which are Memory Slots),
a 120 Meg Hard Drive, and a monochrome display w/256 levels of gray
shades. Cost: $13,000.
PowerServer 540
---------------
Meant for the upper-end of the traditional workstation market, the
PowerServer 540 uses a 30 MHZ POWER chip, enabling it to achieve 41.5 MIPS
and 13.0 MFLOPS. Coming with 16 MicroChannel Slots (8 of which are for
expansion memory), it has 64 Megs of RAM standard, a 640 Meg Hard Drive,
and a 128-Bit MicroChannel Bus. Cost: Around $100,000.
PowerStation 730
----------------
The High-end Model of the POWERStation line, it uses a 25 MHZ POWER
chip to achieve 35 MIPS and 11 MFLOPS. It comes with 16 Megs of RAM, and
is the only model to bundle the SuperGraphics Processor Subsystem as
standard. Cost: $74,000.
Peripheral #2: Hercules Graphics Station Card (Video Board)
------------------------------------------------------------
Hercules Inc., who established the Hercules Graphics Standard for IBM
PCs in the early 1980s, has recently introduced a new Video Board called
the Hercules Graphics Station Card. This board is one of the first boards
to combine support of both the new SuperVGA standard, and the TIGA Video
Standard, at a price/performance ratio far better than ANY of the other
video boards available in the IBM marketplace.
The Hercules Graphics Station Card comes with 1 Megabyte of Video
RAM as standard, support for both interlace and non-interlace monitors
(with the ability to be run with almost any multisync monitor), and built
in register level compatibility with CGA, EGA, IBM VGA and the SuperVGA
Standards. Under these modes, it provides these resolutions:
Resolution| # of Colors | Video Mode
----------+-------------+--------------
320*200 | 4, 16, 256 | CGA, EGA, VGA
640*200 | 2, 16 | CGA, EGA
640*480 | 2, 16 | VGA, SuperVGA
800*600 | 16, 256 | SuperVGA
As mentioned before, the Hercules Graphics Station Card also
supports the emerging TIGA Standard. TIGA is a software interface for
34010-based video boards which works independent of graphics resolution,
the size of the color palette, and the amount of displayable colors
available on a board. It is actually a set of functions (or primitives)
which act as a programming "language" in much the same way that a program
can use GEM's VDI to display graphics. TIGA is made up of three elements:
- Applications Interface, which is the actual set of commands which
applications use for graphics operations. This basically
provides the same function as GEM's VDI.
- Communications Driver. This is a TSR program which sends
commands given by the AI to the 340x0-based video circuitry, and
passes the results back to the computer.
- Graphics Manager. This program communicates with the CD, and
acts as the board's driver software. It accepts commands given
to it by the CD, processes them with the video circuitry's
hardware, and outputs them back to the CD.
Several applications now have Software Drivers to make their
applications take advantage of TIGA, including Digital Research's IBM
version of GEM (as well as X/GEM, a multitasking version of GEM), AutoCAD,
WordPerfect, Time Arts' Lumena, and Microsoft Windows. Under TIGA, the
Hercules Graphics Station Card has a 16-million color palette, and
supports resolutions ranging from 512*480 with 32,768 displayable colors,
to 1024*768 with 256 displayable colors. Most TIGA boards currently out
only give a 1024*768 resolution, and only provide 16 displayable colors.
One of the most unique aspects of Hercules' new graphics card is its
price. While ALL other TIGA boards which provide the same capabilities
(besides VGA Support) cost around $3000 - $5000.00, the Hercules Graphics
Station Card only costs $1024.00. It seems that this may be yet another
example of "Power Without the Price"....
Peripheral #3: Elmtech Research's PARSEC ST Graphics Unit
----------------------------------------------------------
Ever since the Atari ST was introduced, one of its weakest points has
been its graphics capabilities. Even though it is fast and versatile, the
Amiga, Mac II, and IBM have always had the upper hand in the graphics
arena. A few hardware boards in the US, including the Moniterm 1280*960
monitor, and Image Systems' High Resolution Color Board, have aimed to
remedy this situation. Recently, Datel Computers introduced the Parsec
Graphic Interface, an ST Peripheral from England which may rank as one of
the best video boards available for any computer....
The Parsec comes in an Aluminum Case which (at 11 1/2 inches wide, 11
1/4 inches long, and 2 inches high) resembles a Mega ST in both size and
style. It uses a 50 MHZ version of Texas Instruments' TI 34010 graphics
processor, which is capable of processing graphics operations
independently of the ST's CPU.
Here is an average list of its performance capabilities in certain
applications:
Line Draw Rate : 1.25 Megapixels/Sec.
Copy Block : 3.12 Megapixels/sec
Average Blit Move : 25 Mbits/Sec. 32-Bit Multiply: 0.29 MIPS
Horizontal Line/Fill: 50 Mbits/Sec. 32-bit Multiply: 6.25 MIPS
The Parsec Unit has external RS-232, SCSI, and Video Ports. It also
has support for internal expansion cards like the ELM 8768 (discussed
later), and Video RAM Expansion Cards. It requires a non-interlaced
monitor, and supports a 640*480 resolution for use with less expensive
multisync monitors..
Three versions of the Parsec Unit are currently available:
1) Parsec 4768. This is the basic model, which is currently sold by
Datel Computers in North America. It has 768K of Video RAM, and a
1024*768 resolution with a 4096 color palette. It displays 16 colors
per line, meaning that it can display 4096 colors at the same time
onscreen. Cost: $1400.00....
2) 8768-8 Upgrade Kit. This card, which fits inside the ParSec Box, uses
a Brooktree Bt473 RAMdac, enabling it to have a 16 million (24-bit)
color palette. It has 1.875 Megs of Video RAM onboard, supports up to
4 Megs of VRAM, and also has an external connector for Elmtech's
Digitizer/Genlock, an optional product which also works with the
Parsec Unit.
Here are its resolutions:
- 1024*768, with 32,768 displayable colors
- 1024*768, with 256 displayable colors. This mode is
double-buffered, providing for smoother graphics for CAD and
Animation design.
3) 8768-16 Upgrade Kit. This Version of the 8768-8 has 2.5 Megs of
Video RAM, and has a double-buffered 768*576 resolution with
32,768 displayable colors out of its 24-bit color palette. This
board, and the 8768-8 Card, aren't available in the US....
However, while the Parsec has extremely powerful graphics
capabilities, it does not support ordinary ST GEM applications. In order
to solve this, Elmtech Research has also developed the Topaz GEMulator, a
tool which converts GEM-based programs to the Parsec, so that they then
pass all of their GEM Calls to the Parsec board. Programs ported in this
manner will then run faster, taking advantage of the processing and
graphics capabilities of the PARSEC board. At this time, Datel Computers
is bundling two "GEMulated" programs (Chimera F/X and Da Vinci Art) with
the Parsec. However, other software companies are also considering support
of the Parsec board....
Peripheral #4: Xircom's Pocket Ethernet Adapter Cartridge
----------------------------------------------------------
Most Ethernet solutions available in the computer industry consist
of two alternatives: A Built-in Ethernet Port, or an Expansion Slot Card
which provides an Ethernet Port. However, while these solutions are both
relatively inexpensive and extremely efficient, there are several arenas
in which they are not feasible. For example, the majority of Laptops and
Portable Computers now available don't have an Expansion Slot, and almost
no Laptops have a built-in Ethernet Port. However, a new product called
the Xircom Pocket Ethernet Adapter has the potential to allow almost any
computer to access an Ethernet LAN (Local Area Network).
Xircom's "Pocket Ethernet Adapter" is actually a pocket-sized
Cartridge with a built-in Ethernet port which plugs into a bidirectional
parallel printer port. Using a National Semiconductor Ethernet Chip, it
also has a 32K Data Buffer. However, because it uses the parallel port,
performs data transfers 10-15 percent slower than ordinary Ethernet
Boards. Software drivers are now available for Novell Netware, TCP/IP,
and other LAN Network products. Cost: $600.00. Xircom Inc. can be
contacted at 1-818-884-8755.
One noteworthy fact is that all of the products in this list are
now shipping....
Part I of this series has featured a list of several hardware
peripherals in the microcomputer/workstation field which can truly claim
to be both uniquely innovative, and noteworthy in their specific
marketplaces. In Part II, CPU Report will attempt to compile a list of
"Dream Systems", or noteworthy configurations of several microcomputer and
workstation systems that could currently be the best in the industry, and
shown the individual features which make the system. But just as this
issue alone indicates several changes in the structure of the Dream
Systems Essay, the hardware peripherals shown above certainly indicate
certain trends in the computer industry....
CPU MacNews¿
===========
Electronic Arts, 32-Bit QuickDraw, and Studio/32
------------------------------------------------
At MacWorld, Electronic Arts recently announced Studio/32, a new
version of its Studio/8 graphics program which supports 32-Bit Quickdraw,
enabling it to display up to 16 million colors simultaneously with the use
of a 24-Bit Color Video Board. Studio/32 also features:
- Support for the Pantome Color Matching system, CMYK, HSV, and
RGB Color models.
- Image processing tools for performing functions like resizing,
rotation, and anti-aliasing of pictures.
- Internal support for four-color separations.
STudio/32 will be shipping in the Summer of 1990. Cost: $700.00,
with upgrades from Studio/8 available for $150.00.
But ponder, if you will, this question:
1) IBM is rumored to be preparing to introduce a $1500.00 80286-based
MS-DOS System, with 640K of RAM, VGA Graphics, and CD-ROM support. If
this comes to pass, how will it affect the Atari ST and Amiga's
chances of penetrating the US Home/Small Business market?
2) Should Atari market the ATW and 68030 TT as Unix machines and systems
for "higher education" in the US?
> CPU STATUS REPORT¿ >>>LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS<<<
=================
- Washington, DC JAPANESE COMPANIES DOMINATE TOP 10 U.S. PATENT LIST
--------------
The Department of Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office has now
released a list of the number of US patents obtained in 1989 by companies
worldwide. Curiously, Japanese companies made up the bulk of the top ten
firms to obtain the most patents for original technologies, designs, and
idea implementations. This list includes:
1) Hitachi Ltd. - 1,053 patents 6) Mitsubishi Corp.
2) Toshiba Corp. - 961 7) Phillips (Europe) - 745
3) Canon Inc. - 949 8) Siemens (Germany) - 656
4) Fuji Corp. - 884 9) IBM - 623 patents
5) General Electric - 818 10) Eastman Kodak Corp. - 589
- West Chester, PA COMMODORE ANNOUNCES AMIGA 3000, HYPERCARD CLONE
----------------
At the recent "WHICH COMPUTER?" Show in England, Commodore
announced the Amiga 3000, a 68030-based version of the Amiga. The A3000
has 2 Megs of RAM Standard (or 1 Megabyte of slower "Chip" RAM and 1 Meg
of standard, or "Fast" RAM), an SCSI/DMA Port, and an improved version of
the ECS (Enhanced Chip Set). It also features four Zorro III 32-bit
Expansion Slots, and a "beta" release of KickStart 2.0.
Kickstart 2.0, while 512K large, has hooks for Virtual Memory
(using the 68030 chip), and will later support Compugraphic Outline Fonts,
as the new Amiga font standard. The new version of the Amiga's Enhanced
Chip Set features a "flickerfixer" chip which eliminates interlace flicker
from Amiga graphics. It also supports NTSC/PAL Video, and has these
resolutions:
- 320*200 with 4096 Colors displayable at the same time.
- 640x256 with 64 displayable colors out of a 4096 color palette.
- 640x960, with 4 displayable colors out of a 64 color palette.
- 1280x400, with 4 colors out of a 64 color palette.
Interestingly enough, Commodore also indicated that Amiga Unix
won't be available for at least another 6-9 months. Also, the A3000
supports up to 6 Megs of RAM on board. 3 models of the A3000 are
currently planned:
1) Amiga 3000 with a 16 MHZ 68030 chip, 16 MHZ 68881 Math Chip, and
a 40 Meg Hard Drive. Cost: $3300.00.
2) Amiga 3000 with a 25 MHZ 68030 chip, 16 MHZ 68881 Math Chip, and
a 40 Meg Hard Drive. Cost: $4000.00.
3) Amiga 3000 with a 25 MHZ 68030 chip, 16 MHZ 68882 Math Chip, and a 100
Meg Hard Drive. Cost: $4500.00.
Commodore also announced AmigaVision, a new Hypercard-like program
allowing one to design "courseware" which uses graphics, text, and sound
elements. Unlike Hypercard though, it allows "courseware" to run without
its own menus being visible, and uses a "flowchart" environment for
creating programs. It also supports the AREXX Interprocess Communications
protocol standard. Interestingly, Commodore, taking advantage of the
current excitement over "multimedia" applications, called Amigavision an
example of "multimedia authoring software". Cost: $150.00....
- Redmond, WA IBM TURNS OVER MUCH OF DOS, OS/2 DEVELOPMENT TO MICROSOFT
-----------
In a recent reorganization of its OS/2 Programming Centers, IBM has
scaled back on direct design efforts for DOS, OS/2 Standard Edition and
Presentation Manager. IBM will now give Microsoft a list of its
requirements for DOS and OS/2, and will help to design certain aspects of
OS/2 Presentation Manager. IBM has also integrated its DOS and Windows
development in a new "DOS/Windows" department....
Reason: IBM has redirected its programming efforts towards OS/2 Extended
Edition, an enhanced version of OS/2 Standard Edition which features an
SQL Database Manager, a Communications Manager, and other elements of its
Systems Applications Architecture (or SAA). SAA is designed to help make
software on any IBM computer, from the PS/2 to IBM Supercomputers, easily
portable to another IBM system. Interestingly, it also seems that while
over 300,000 copies of OS/2 have been sold, that over two-thirds of OS/2
sales have been for OS/2 Extended Edition, with OS/2 Standard Edition only
selling 100,000 copies....
- Indianapolis, IN PUBLIC DEBATE BEGINS ON NEW PHONE TARIFF FOR BBSes
----------------
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has recently permitted
Indiana BBS Users and Sysops to obtain Public Hearings debating a new BBS
Tariff instituted by Indiana Bell, which classifies all Bulletin Board
Systems there as Businesses. This means that Indiana BBS's will now have
to pay more expensive business phone rates, even if they do not ask for
money or donations.
Interestingly enough, Indiana Bell rationalized this move by saying
that BBSes "occupy a lot of time" on its Phone System, and that they
require "additional equipment to handle the load." They also managed, at
first, to institute this BBS Tariff without a previous Public Hearing....
_____________________________________________________________
> MIDITASKING CPU/STR PROBE¿ LET'S GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE!
==========================
ctsy GEnie RT
IS MIDI-TASKING MULTI-TASKING OR NOT?
OR
WHEN IS MIDI-TASKING NOT MIDI-TASKING
TOWNS [John @ Atari] at 01:30 EDT
I spoke with Leonard Tramiel, Vice President of Software about this
issue. Leonard is my boss and the majority of his responsibilities
center around the management of Operating Systems Software Development
for the ST/TT product lines.
He assured me that I am right on this issue. Miditasking is designed
as a software solution for MIDI programs out there. It is not broad
enough to be a complete solution for TOS in regards to multitasking.
As I stated earlier, if you are a developer and would like info on
the Miditasking standard that has been adopted by Atari for MIDI
APPLICATIONS, please give Frank Foster a call and ask him about it.
-- John Townsend
Atari Corp.
REMO at 21:57 EDT
John T.
Leonard also spoke with Frank and he now concurs with your statement.
MIDI-Tasking is to be viewed as a "specific response to power MIDI
users". This is not to say that it cannot work with non MIDI applications
but these cases are fortuitous and not the offical Atari-supported goal of
MIDI-Tasking. All Atari developers, regardless of ilk, should contact
Frank if you are interested in the software. Frank's actual quote went on
to say that the Atari policy is that 68000-based machines are not viewed
as desirable for multitasking support. This, presumably, deferrs to the
68030 machines (TT) which come with a MMU for hardware assistance in
multitasking. And so it goes.
Jim Pierson-Perry
D.BECKEMEYER at 21:11 PDT
Right, so this leaves Atari with the perfect "solution". When it is for
media hype, midi-tasking is a full blown multi-tasking system and when it
comes to support, midi-tasking is midi-only. I appreciate your offers
Jim. I realize you are just trying to help. It seems to me like Atari's
got the engineering department and then there's Frank Foster and his pals
-- the two don't seem to mesh all the time. I think by Frank evaluating
and selecting midi-tasking and defining it as a "standard", thereby
ramming down our respective throats, he isn't starting in on the best
terms.
-- David
TOWNS [John @ Atari] at 01:02 EDT
I would like to address this issue again:
1. The Miditasking system was presented to over 80 MIDI developers
at the recent NAMM show. It was adopted as a standard there and
was information was given to all of the developers who wanted
it.
2. The standard is for MIDI APPLICATIONS! Please say that again. It
is not designed as a solution to a multitasking TOS. Please read
that again. While it does work with a number of Non-MIDI programs,
it is not being promoted as a multitasking system for the ST
related products.
3. There is NO media hype involved. We are not promoting this as a
Multitasking System at all!
Is this clear? Does this make sense?
-- John
BOB-BRODIE [Atari Corp.] at 16:21 EDT
Let me turn over the keyboard to Frank Foster for a couple of moments:
When I met with several key MIDI developers over two years ago, they
all agreed that a multiple program envirnment standard would be a good
idea.
Never the less, they all went and did their own thing. ie; M*Ros, MPE,
HybriSwich, SoftLink, ST-Ram. But this discussion continued at MIDI
developer meetings at every NAMM show since. and now even arch-rivals
C-lab and Steinberg are ready to support this system.
Believe me, its hard enough to get the MIDI developers to agree on
something let alone everyone else. The selection of the early version of
ST-Ram as our choice for the system to be refined into "MIDItasker" was
after a study of each of the MIDI based systems on the market. Please try
to remember that I am a marketing person trying to keep the ATARI platform
as the best possible system for MIDI. The purpose of this standard is to
make MIDI software as compatible as possible in real-time use. The most
important parts are actually the data-sharing and SMPTE and MIDI driver
capabilities. The fact that the Atari MIDI community was able to get
together on this is something that deserves your support, at least that's
my opinion.
I wish that Atari could do more things like this. The bottom line is,
if you can run more than one sequencer at the same time and not have to
buy a new SMPTE interface for each program. Musicians will buy multiple
products from different companies. Developers will sell more product.
Unlike some of the other application areas in the MIDI arena there are all
most too many choices. This utility is designed to allow the end user to
use the best of both together. We did it for the developers and end users
knowing that in the long run we will sell more computers because of it.
Thanks for your support ... Frank Foster
A final note from me: I think that it is important to make very
account!! clear that we are NOT shoving this down anyones throat. The
current version of the product is clearly described as BETA, it is clearly
in testing stages right now, and is in no way a final product. The next
time we plan a face to face with the MIDI developers is at the NAMM show
in Chicago. If you think you ought to be there, then please feel free to
send me e-mail, or contact Frank directly at the office. I am asking for
e-mail because I usually do not frequent CAT 18. Thanks for your time,
and attention. Best regards to all,
Bob Brodie
D.BECKEMEYER at 23:17 PDT
OK, so what about all us non-MIDI developers? I still say you
actually are ramming this down our throats, whether you say you are or
not. I mean I could *say* that I wasn't posting this message, but really I
am.
I am not going to go to a Namm show just so I can be told about
midi-tasking. I don't have any reason to be at a Namm show -- I don't do
MIDI.
My point about, is it doens't mattter whether you *say* it is only for
MIDI or not, people are going to expect it to be usable and supported for
other stuff too, meaning that all of us are stuck with it, whether it's
the official way or not.
John, I know you are just in the middle on this. I didn't mean to
flame you. I also realize that Frank thinks he's doing something great
too and probably had no intentions of hurting developers.
-- David
Editor Note:
We have often been categorized as too critical when it comes to Atari
and its dealing with the userbase. We ask only one question here; "Is
this miditasking TRUE multi-tasking or are we again involved in a shell
game of words?" On one hand we are told it is multi-tasking and on the
other hand, we are told it is a means to an end and not necessarily multi-
tasking. As far as 80 developers in attendence that's great. Now, if
only they develop goodies for the ST too!
The bottom line is;
The 68000, while an excellent CPU, is not an efficient multi-tasking
CPU. While midi-tasking may provide a solution of sorts to the midi
world, it is by no means a multi-tasking environment for general use in
the ST community. This was erroneously reported the case by a number of
publications shortly after the recent NAMM show in California. Again, we
mention that if any MIDI developers care to gain solid, correct
information pertaining to midi-tasking development you must participate in
the discussions on the PAN network.
_______________________________________________________________
> PACE ATARI SHOW CPU/STR FOCUS¿ Let's meet at the Show!
=============================
Announcing THE NORTH EAST ATARIFEST '90
Sponsored by PACE
(Pittsburgh Atari Computer Enthusiasts)
Where: Chartiers Valley High School, near Pittsburgh, PA
Located just off I-79 at the Heidelburg / Kerwin Heights exit
Within 15 minutes of the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport
Easy access from from the PA Turnpike via Exit #3
When: April 28th & 29th
Time: Saturday the 28th - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday the 29th - 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Users Groups: Tables are available to any Officially Atari Recognized
User's Group for only 25.00 per table.
Need more Information?:
Call the PACE BBS at 412-571-0891 and read the show message base.
Validation is immediate!
Or call 412-843-0628 voice after 5:00pm EST
If you've ever been to a show that PACE has put on before, you'll know
that they are well attended by the best of retailers & developers.
The show is being held at:
Chartiers Valley High School.
Directions:
From the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport:
Get on the Parkway (I-279)heading towards Pittsburgh. (The Parkway is
directly in front of the Airport.) When you see Interstate 79, get on it
going south. (The on-ramp has a sign indicating that I-79 will take you
towards Washington, PA). Get off I-79 at the Heidelberg / Kerwin Heights
Exit. Then simply follow the signs to the High School. (The signs will
tell you to go Left at the light, and left at the next light.) The school
is a little ways down on your left side. It is surronded by a cyclone
fence.
From the PA Turnpike:
Get off at exit 3 Bear to your right when getting off. (Heading towards
Pittsburgh/Wexford). Get on I-79 going south. Get off I-79 at the
Heidelberg / Kerwin Heights Exit. Then simply follow the signs tot he
High School. (The signs will tell you to go Left at the light, and left
at the next light.) The school is a little ways down on your left side.
It is surrounded by a cyclone
fence.
Need Furthur assistance?
Call 412-843-0628 after 4:00 EST.
Dear Fellow Atarian,
Have you been looking for support for your Atari computer? I have a
suggestion for you. Make plans now to attend the upcoming North East
ATARIfest '90 being sponsored by the Pittsburgh Atari Computer Enthusiasts
(PACE)! The ATARIfest will be held on April 28th (10:00am - 5:00pm) &
29th (12:00pm - 5:00pm) at the Chartiers Valley High School. Chartiers is
easily accessable to many major highways as well as an International
Airport. If you've ever been to a PACE show, you already know they are
attended by the biggest names in the Atari world. Among those already
signed up are Best Electronics, Alpha Systems, I.C.D., Seymour-Radix,
Cal-Com, Joppa Computers, Toad Computers, 2econd Childhood, Innovative
Concepts, Etc. Aside from the dealers, there will also be many Users
Groups on hand ready and willing to stock your personal library with the
best Public Domain software available today! If you've been "Looking for
support in all the wrong places", come to the North East Atarifest '90
and find out some of the right places!
To Atari 8-bit users, We know the market and support for your
machines has dropped off over the past couple years. To help you we are
making sure we've got some place for you to turn as well. 2econd
Childhood has a ton of titles for the 8-bits, and they will be there in
full force. Innovative Concepts has some great products for you as well,
and so does Best Electronics. We are still looking for more companies to
come to provide you with the help you want & deserve.
To Atari ST/MEGA owners, come see the latest products in an
everchanging & growing 16-bit world! Come see what you've been reading
about all winter! As a fellow Atarian, I know the problems we all have
to deal with in the Atari world. They are not undefeatable! To see Atari
Computers become a force to be reckoned with, WE NEED YOU! Attend and
show the dealers that your still there and that you appreciate them
selling products for our computers!
Thank you fellow Atarian!
Bruce J. Markey
PACE Address:
P.O. Box 13435
Pittsburgh, PA 15243
PACE ST BBS 412-571-0891 3/12/2400 24 hours
PACE 8-Bit BBS 412-343-1422 3/12/24/9600 24 hours
PACE/show Information:
Bruce J. Markey, President P.A.C.E.
616 16th Ave
Beaver Falls, PA
15010
(412) 843-0628 (voice) (After 4 EST)
This file updated last at: 12:54am on 4/21/90
This is the current vendor/developer/supporter list for the North East
ATARIfest '90 being sponsored by the Pittsburgh Atari Computer
Enthusiasts.
THESE are the REALLY dedicated ATARI supporters.
If your on this list, Thanks, We can't wait to see you in Pittsburgh.
If you're not, you should be, contact us at (412) 843-0628 (after 4
EDT). We still have some space left, but it's being grabbed up quick.
North East ATARIfest '90 show dates:
Saturday April 28th 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday April 29th 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Current Vendor List
-------------------
1st Stop Computers
2econd Childhood Computer Workshoppe
Alpha Systems
Antic Publishing
ATARI Corp. (Note: Sunday only appearance by Bob Brodie)
BEST Electronics
Branch Always Software
Cal Com Inc
CodeHead Software
Diverse Data Products
Double Click Software
Enigma Software
Gribnif Software
ICD Inc.
Innovative Concepts
Joppa Computers
Michtron
Music Sweet Music
Rite-Way Computers
Seymour/Radix
Talon Technology
Toad Computer Services
Unicorn Publications
WizWorks
Users' Groups Attending
-----------------------
Pittsburgh Atari Computer Enthusiasts [P.A.C.E.]
North East Ohio ST Atari Group [NEO-STAG]
Spectrum Atari Group of Erie [S.A.G.E.]
Southwestern Pennsylvania Atari
Computer Enthusiasts [S.P.A.C.E.]
Atari Users' Association [A.U.A.]
Westmorland Atari Computer Organization [W.A.C.O.]
Midi Atari Users Group [MAUG]
Seminars Planned
----------------
Desktop Publishing - ISD. Nathan himself will be conducting
it! Featuring the entire Calamus Desktop Publishing Solution.
ISD has also donated an entire Calamus Solution Package as a
Door Prize! (719.00 value!)
MIDI - Cal-Com Grant will be putting on a MIDI seminar
featuring some of the latest developments in the MIDI world.
Dr. T's demo disks, T-shirts, Pins, etc have been donated.
Mass Storage - Toad Computer Service David & Co. will be
on hand to answer all your questions, and clear up any
confusion you may have.
Multi-Club Newsletters - Unicorn Publications Bill & Patty
will be talking about the advantages of combining forces.
Emulation (IBM) - Talon Technology. Rich will be there to
show you SuperCharger. This unit has an ungrade path, and
rates 4.4 on the Norton Scale.
Emulation (MAC) - Shane.. Unfortunatly, Gadgets by
Small won't be able to make the show. They have however donated
2 Spectre's for Door Prizes. (Which we haven't recieved yet..)
I got an offer last night on the PACE BBS from someone I only
know as "Shane". He offered to show MAC emulation (GCR) with
his newly recieved STacy 4!!!
ST-Report's Ralph Mariano will be giving 2 seminars SAT/SUN!!
Derek from Branch Always will be giving a seminar too!!
He has also donated a couple Quick ST 2.0's for door prizes!^[!
For you 8-bitters, DATAQUE will be demoing their TURBO 816
Board!!!
And Last but certainly not least, Bob Brodie will be on hand
on Sunday to answer all of your questions about Atari Corp.
All this and Much, Much, More! Don't forget all the Users' Groups that
will be on hand with the latest Public Domain Software available, and that
great one-on-one support only a Users' Group can provide!
Door Prizes
-----------
We've received bunches of door prizes to give away over the 2 day span.
Thanks to all supporters that have donated so far!!
(BTW: If you promised us a door prize, and haven't sent it yet,
please don't forget us or, bring it with you! Remember, we can't announce
what company donated something if we don't have it to give!!!)
If you are a supporter and can't make it to Pittsburgh, Please help us out
with a couple door prizes.. Simply send your door prizes, and some
literature on your products to:
PACE
% Bruce J. Markey
616 16th Ave.
Beaver Falls, PA 15010
This is my home address, UPS will not deliver to the clubs PO Box!
Lodging for the North East ATARIfest '90
being held in Pittsburgh. April 28th & 29th.
Knights Inn (412) 221-8110
I-79 & State Route 50, Bridgeville, PA
This is a nice motel located within 3 miles of the Atarifest.
Single 29.95/night Double 37.95/night
Knights Inn (412) 922-6900
Steubenville Pike, Crafton, PA (Crafton Exit of I-79)
This is a nice motel located about 5 minutes from the Atarifest.
Single 34.47/night Double 35.92/night Reserve 2wks ahead!
Marriott (Airport) (412) 788-8800
Parkway West (I-279), Coraopolis, PA
This is a very nice hotel located between the airport and the
Atarifest, Approx 10 minutes drive to show.
Single 79.00/night Double 79.00/night
Fri/Sat Package 69.00/night Reserve 2wks ahead!
Marriott (Greentree) (412) 922-8400
Marriott Drive Greentree, PA (I-279 & Greentree Exit)
This is a very nice hotel located between the Atarifest & Downtown
Pittsburgh. Approx 10 minutes drive to show.
Fri/Sat Package 59.00/night includes Cont. Breakfast
Motel 6 (412) 922-9400
Steubenville Pike Crafton, PA (I-79 & Crafton exit)
This is a decent motel, no frills, good price, clean.
Single 23.93/night Double 30.47/night
Parkway Center Inn (412) 922-7070
Parkway Center Mall Greentree, PA (I-279 & Greentree Exit)
This is a "Best Western" style hotel. Pretty nice.
Fri/Sat/Sun 48.95/night (package)
Clubhouse Inn (412) 788-8400
Cambells Run Road Robinson Twp.
Single 64.00/night Double 72.00/night
This is a very nice hotel. Located between Airport & Atarifest.
Access limited coming FROM airport (you have to get off an exit
earlier) Reserve Early!
Fri/Sat (1 or 2 persons) 49.95/night (package)
Hampton Inn (412) 922-0100
Steubenville Pike Crafton, PA (I-79 & Crafton Exit)
Located about 5 min. from Atarifest.
No room service, but everything else.
Single 61.00/night King or Double 66.00/night
Envoy (412) 922-0120
Trumbull Drive Greentree, PA (I-279 & Greentree Exit)
Single 24.95 Double 30.95
Hilton (412) 262-3800
Parkway West Corapolis, PA (I-279)
Very Nice Hotel. Reservations a good idea
King 65.00/night (inc. Cont. Breakfast)
Double 55.00/night (Inc. Cont. Break)
Also, Weekend Romantic Getaway (Fri. Sat) 75.00/night Includes
Cont. Break. & Champagne
Holiday Inn (412) 922-8100
401 Holiday Drive Greentree, PA (I-279 & Greentree)
Single 101.00/night Double 111.00/night
Fri/Sat 57.00/night
Holiday Inn (412) 787-2244
Steubenville Pike Robinson Twp. (I-279 & Robinson Twp. Exit)
Single 69.00/night Double 76.00/night
Fri/Sat 34.95/night
Red Roof Inn (412) 787-7870
Steubenville Pike Robinson Twp.
Nice place. Clean.
Single 33.95/night Double 40.95/night
1 week reservation needed
Between Airport & Atarifest
Royce Hotel (412) 262-2400
Thorn Run Road Ext. (Airport)
Fri/Sat/Sun 55.90/night
Nice!
1 week Reservation needed
Sheraton Hotel (412) 343-4600
Fort Couch Rd (South Hills)
Fri/Sat/Sun 59.00/night
If you have any questions,
Call 412-843-0628
(after 4 EDT)
Thanks & we'll see you at the ATARIfest '90!!
___________________________________________________
> SUPERCHARGER NEWS CPU/STR FOCUS¿ The latest developments and news
===============================
SUPERCHARGER
============
by R. Betson
It's been a very busy week here at Talon Tech.. If you currently have
a SuperCharger on order you may get it in the next couple of days. We
shipped out over a hundred just today.
If you have any tech support problems and have called Talon, and have
not had your call returned, please be patient just a little longer. We
will return your call as soon as possible. As you would expect with a new
product like ours, our new customers have lots and lots of questions. So
if you have left a message for someone to return your call, look for it
in the next day or so.
PCTOOLS 5.5... Our mouse driver is not compatible with this version of
PCTOOLS. Even some older versions of MOUSE.COM are not compatible with
PCTOOLS 5.5. I would suggest using a newer version MOUSE.COM or other
mouse driver.
OUR ADS... Because of the lead time required by many magazine
publishers some of our current adds do not reflect changes made to
SuperCharger. So to keep you informed of the new changes I will list them
now. First, SuperCharger is being shipped with a joy stick power adaptor
and not the external five volt power supply as advertised. SuperCharger
is sold with one megabyte of memory and not 512k. The memory in
SuperCharger can be used by your Atari ST as a 1meg ram disk. The price
is $450.00 and not 399.00, due to the added memory.
Next Stop P.A.C.E
I will be at the P.A.C.E show in Pittsburgh this weekend. So if your
in the area, come by and see me. I will will give a seminar on
SuperCharger.
Mouse Movement... Mouse movement on a real 286 is moderate at best and
really can't be compared to the ST's mouse movement. Some factors that
determine mouse movement are; screen resolution, mouse driver and the
program. Sometimes using a different mouse driver can help. I like to
use a Mouse Systems Mouse driver if it is available.
The "Hot Key"... Your right the "Hot Key" feature is at present a
little tricky to work. I hold down both the Control and Alternate keys at
the same time, while I am holding down those two key I hit the Back-Space
key quickly a few times. This usually does the trick for me. We are
looking to have this problem fixed.
Inverse Video... This feature only works in Hercules mode only. The
key sequence to toggle between white on black or black on white will only
work while in Hercules monochrome. To get into Hercules mode you will
have to have monochrome monitor. Run "SETVIDEO.COM H" this will change
your screen resolution to Hercules mode.
Support?.... We too, would like to have the reputations that the likes
of Gadgets, Gribniff and Code Head have achieved. As a long standing
member of the Atari community I too understand the value of support.
Unlike the above mentioned developers we do not manufacture our product.
We instead import products from around the world. The only draw back to
importing a product is the response time in correcting a specific problem
(IE: Software changes). Here at Talon we communicate with our product
developers sometimes on a daily basis. In SuperChargers case this means
calls to London and Germany. You can be assured that Talon is here to
stay and is committed in supporting it's products.
Compatibility List... I am still compiling a compatibility list. You
can help by continuing to list the programs you have successfully run.
Thanks to those who have allready listed programs.
>Richard Betson
>Talon Technology Inc.
__________________________________________________________________
> TURBO BOARD ST BBS CPU/STR InfoFile¿ A far better way to go
===================================
YOU WERE WONDERING ABOUT ///TURBO BOARD'S NEW FEATURES?
NEW Features:
-Conference Fmail (in any message base)
-Ability to View, and Type Fmail arc files
-Force Email read option
-Optional Password Save after Newuser.txt
-More file extensions recognised as Binary files (no ascii? prompt)
-Improved Message Editor (also R-emacs support if you so desire)
-ARC(V6.02) LHARC, and ZIP verbose listings
-TYPE a text file from any ARC or LHARC file
-LZHdl.LZH in the ARCtools (ZIPdl.ZIP still under developement)
-Integrated MSDOS style CLI/BATCH shell
for running Batch files,
and BinkleyTerm mailer support
-External program hooks, Executive, Chat.prg, Survey.bat, Syspas.bat,
Fmail.bat, Logon.bat
-Greetings message can be entered at logoff by registered users.
-Sysop can now have a No-window VT-52 option if he chooses
-Help key for Function key assignments displayed
-Undo key will attempt to abort any file transfer in progress
-Any alternate CHAT program can be used by the sysop if he so chooses
-Improved (greatly) paging control ( *More?(Y/N/C) prompt)
-Ringback working for long distance callers
-Many bugs that were present in FoReM ST are eliminated in this program
(you sysops know what they were...)
-MSH program NO LONGER needed for the Doors programs
-Program size 200K, saves memory, and doesn't loose any!
-Faster execution than FoReM ST on initialization, and operation
-Smaller Window Size, frees up 2 lines on the Window
-PLUS all the features of FoReM ST, including FULL F-net and Crossnet
support
-Fidonet message bases, are under developement, but Binkley and Fidodoor
work just fine.
This board is FoReM ST data file compatible, meaning that all the data
files that you use for FoReM will work on this board. Please Remember
that ///Turbo Board ST ver 1.0 is only a start.
Future Features will include:
- Fidonet Message bases
- KByte Ratios
- Batch uploading
- Ymodem-g uploads for HST users
- BBS handles
- User definable Prompts, and menus
- Sysop Defineable User Macros (like Fcustom)
*******
Limited Time Offer! April 20/90
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our List price for ///Turbo Board is $85 US ($99 CDN). For a limited
time, we will offer ///Turbo Board ST at a reduced price! Until May
31,1990 you will be able to order ///Turbo Board ST with it's manual and
one Year's free support for only:
Canadian residents please add 8% PST.
If you would like to have ///Turbo Board ST sent to you on Overnight
Delivery, please add $20 to cover costs, otherwise we will ship via the
postal service regular Air Mail.
///Turbo Board is not yet released, but we hope to have it ready by
the end of May. We are giving people this opportunity to sample our
program and to also reserve their copy of our program.
John Miller
----------------------------- Cut here --------------------------------
TURBO BOARD SPECIAL OFFER ORDER FORM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SYSOP'S REAL NAME:_______________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS :_______________________________________________
TOWN/CITY :_______________________________________________
STATE/PROVINCE :_______________________________________________
COUNTRY :_______________________________________________
ZIP/POSTAL CODE :_______________________________________________
BBS NAME :_______________________________________________
NUMBER :_______________________________________________
FNET NODE # :____________
FIDO NODE # :____________
Amount Enclosed:* $60 US ($75 CDN+ 8% PST if Ont resident)*
$20 for Overnight delivery
_______
Total:_______
* Remember this price is only good until May 31, 1990, then there will
be no discount! (Regular price is $85 US $99 CDN)
Send your cheque or money order to:
Bill Miller
1580 Liveoak Dr
Mississauga, ON
Canada, L5E 2X6
American residents, remember to check for correct postage.
_________________________________________________________
> "EXCLUSIVE"? CPU/STR OnLine¿ "WAR OF THE WORDS"
============================
WHEN IS EXCLUSIVE, EXCLUSIVE?
============================
In the world of news and reporting, there are, unfortunately, few
(very precious few) principles most professionals and semi-professionals
are expected to follow. This is because there are many resources and
methods employed in obtaining the news, some so sensitive that the law
respects confidentiality in the world of news reporting and investigation.
On this basis, those principles that are in place are tenaciously adhered
to. Without the stabilizing force of these principles of respect,
plagiary would run rampant. Online magazines are no exception.
When 'reporting the news', one has a number of responsibilities that
'come with the territory' and in the final analysis, the most important of
these is showing respect for the intelligence of the readers you are
intending to reach. In using the terms; "exclusive or original" when, in
fact, the story(s) are continuations or retransmissions of either feature
items from other publications or, ongoing news developments is ambiguous
and not in the best interests of the readers. Additionally, while there
is no implied copyright on news, it is possible to copyright the format
and presentation methods or the news itself when it is obtained from
independent sources of news, as API, UPI, REUTERS, NEWSBYTES and NEWSGRID
will firmly attest.
Regarding the ongoing Atari Explorer storyline, Mr. Nagy writes;
"Ralph chose to run the story before we did, but that didn't make him a
"source". Hmmmm Talk about sour grapes. STReport candidly responds;
Ralph didn't run anything, STReport did. And it is true, STReport did run
the story first. STReport thanks Mr. Nagy for confirming this fact.
Pointing out further, since STReport released the original bulletin first
and was the only publication carrying the story at all at the time, then
by God, we were an "exclusive source" of information pertaining to the
story at that time. The point of confirming the story is made mention of
and vaguely insinuates that STReport did not verify its information. What
better confirmations than the magazine in question and, in this case, our
irreproachable industry contact who confirmed every last bit of
information presented in both our bulletin and story?
While there is no owning a general news story based on who is or was
first to report the story unless possibly, the publication of origin is at
the time, the sole source of the story and has the item copyrighted at the
time of release. However, in most all situations, there remains the
common courtesy of "exchange of information." (If publication A picks up
a story or item from publication B or, runs an item that parallels a story
of the same event in another publication, the right thing to do, at least,
is to make mention of, or refer to the originator of the story.)
We find, once again, continued ongoing attempts being made at trying
to detail the particulars on how STReport performs its investigative
reporting and its timetables in both releasing its news and the efforts
taken to obtain newsworthy information. For the record, the postmark on
the envelope in which the copy of the Spring 1990 Explorer arrived was
dated 04/02/90. Our bulletin was dated 03/24/90 and we reprinted the
bulletin by combining it and the "Official Atari Press Release" in
STReport 413, 03/30/90. Further, in STReport 414, 04/06/90 in the
STReport Confidential column, we presented "Explorer Dared Atari to ACT"
which presented actual excerpts and quotes from both the editorial by
Staples and the article by Ahl.
As far as how many person(s) have been contacted and interviewed
concerning the Explorer matter, this is totally irrelevant. What is of
utmost importance is; "of all those who were contacted, how many had real
information about the story." The truth, as we found it, revealed there
were few people who had ANY solid information prior to, or at the time of,
the story's release and now too, for that matter.
STReport does compliment Mr. Nagy on the composition and presentation
of the Explorer story. Which, by the way, actually was enjoyable reading.
Also, STReport welcomes the opportunity to relish Mr. Nagy's verifying
that STReport was, without a doubt, first to break the news story
concerning the Explorer matter. In fact, we find it most gratifying to
find ourselves thanking Mr. Nagy for including a number of the quotes we
submitted in our earlier release thus, reinforcing their accuracy and
authenticity.
________________________________________________________
> CPU NEWSWIRE CONFIDENTIAL¿ Sayin' it like it is.....
=========================
- Chicago, IL. **** MARK WILLIAMS CO. WILL SUPPORT ATARI ****
-----------
Contrary to the information received concerning whether or not Mark
Williams will be upgrading their "C" program, we are happy to announce
that the individual who relayed the information was "mistaken." After a
telephone conversation with Mr. Robert Swartz president of Mark Williams,
it appears that they are deeply engrossed in developing a program called
COHERENT for the IBM and therefore, the upgrades for the ST are currently
in a holding pattern but definitely not dropped. The current version of
Mark Williams C is 3.0.5.... Released 1988-89
Atari Corporation has contacted the Mark Williams Company concerning
their support for the Atari ST Computers. The following is their
statement:
Last week, issue number 416 of CPU News Wire Online Magazine printed
a story entitled "Mark Williams Co. Kisses Atari Off" in the CPU NewsWire
Confidential. In it, an unamed source within Mark Williams Co. was
attributed with the statement that Mark Williams Co. had "...no intentions
of providing any further upgrades for the Atari ST market."
This is incorrect. Mark Williams Company is fully committed to the
Atari ST marketplace, and looks forward to both additional upgrades for
our existing products, as well as ports of future products, such as
Coherent. Mark Williams Company regrets any problems this misinformation
may have caused.
Robert Swartz
President
Mark Williams Co.
Category 26, Topic 2
Message 254 Wed Apr 25, 1990
TOWNS [John @ Atari] at 02:35 EDT
I also hope that you will pay attention to the file recently
uploaded by Bob Brodie and print it _verbatim_. This is regarding
the information you published on Mark Williams Co. future plans
for the ST computer.
-- John
As John has so "diplomatically" requested, we present the item that he has
"demanded" be published verbatim. Verbatim? Did he expect that we would
change it? Sheesh! Amazingly John saw fit to post this absurd message,
for what purpose I'll never know. Perhaps he, in his infinite wisdom was
unaware that the entire matter was rectified at a higher level long before
he posted this nonsense.
And.... the saga continues, below we present two very recent posts
pointing out the glaring need for an update to MWC.
ctsy CIS
24-Apr-90 11:39:41
Fm: J. N.
To: D. S.
Have you heard anywhere what it is that causes TOS 1.4 to choke on the
MWC files? I'll be receiving a free copy soon, and I can experiment a bit
with it. Under the best of circumstances, maybe there is a way to run MWC
programs through a filter to fix them.
24-Apr-90 18:09:05
Fm: D. S.
To: J. N.
I had a reasonably long talk with the tekkie and the bottom line
seemed to be the compiler and linker bindings - he seemed to feel it
went beyond simply re-directing the GEM AES/VDI files. I'm sure a patch
to the BIN file prg modules could be whipped together by the original
author(s) at minimal expense in terms of time and expertise, but MWC is
not currently disposed to either patch or upgrade ... When you get your
copy, do just the basic GEM Menu routine from the lexicon under menu. If
you can manage to get it to run, let me know <grin>!
- Sunnyvale, CA. **** MMU CHIP "FINE" -> ATARI ****
--------------
It appears that the MMU chip we labeled as "brain dead" isn't dead
after all, its a newer design that collides with certain third party
items which do not comply with Atari's guidelines. A old friend pointed
out a familiar, but forgotten expression used in R & D circles regarding
the memory upgrades that fail to work properly with the new MMU chip, they
are as follows; B.A.D. "Broken As Designed". As we promised, the tests
revealed that the upgrades that were having a problem with the newer MMU
chip seemed to become miraculously cured when an older MMU chip apparently
having a different design was inserted. This means that the newer chip
seems to have much tighter tolerances than its predecessor and therefore,
will have problems with memory upgrades that do not follow the rules.
- San Francisco, CA **** NEW ST SOFTWARE PRODUCTS TO DEBUT ****
-----------------
The DaVinci contract has been finalized, and now, this fine product is
set to be released by Electronic Arts UK end of May beginning of June. A
most important feature of this new program insisted upon by EA was STe
compatibility and utilization of the 4,096 color palette. DaVinci brings
Deluxe Paint's versatility and power finally to the ST. Another new
blockbuster about to debut Lexicore's powerful new 3D animation program
said to arrive late this summer. Lexicore, by the way, is a group of
former Antic programmers. Reportedly this new software product will
deliver more than all the features of Sculpt to the ST. Since it is mouse
driven, it is said to be very user friendly.
______________________________________________________________
> Hard Disks CPU/STR InfoFile¿ Affordable Mass Storage....
===========================
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are clock/calendar and cooling blower(s).
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* ICD HOST ADAPTERS USED EXCLUSIVELY * OMTI HIGH SPEED CONTROLLERS *
* ICD ADVANTAGE HOST ADAPTERS * FULL SCSI COMMAND SET SUPPORTED *
* SCSI EMBEDDED CONTROLLER MECHANISMS *
51mb #SGN4951 529.95 65mb #SG60101 619.95
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* SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE AND HARD DRIVE COMBINATIONS *
- Syquest 44 Model [555] and the following hard drives -
50mb SQG51 $1279.00 30mb SQG38 $1199.00
65mb SQG09 $1339.00 85mb SQG96 $1399.00
LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS
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uses standard 3.5" floppy disks and Floptical disks
Will access and read your present library of floppys
$789.95 approx.
CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE
Listed above are a sampling of the systems available.
Prices also reflect various cabinet/power supply configurations
(over sixty configurations are available, flexibility is unlimited)
*** ALL Units: Average Access Time: 24ms - 34ms ***
ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> SUPERCHARGER - PC-DITTO/II - SPECTRE/GCR
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ORDER YOUR NEW UNIT TODAY!
CALL: 1-800-562-4037 -=**=- CALL: 1-904-783-3319
Customer Orders ONLY Customer Service
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**********************************************************************
: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: XTX99587,CPUREPT then, hit RETURN.
**** SIGN UP FEE WAIVED ****
The system will now prompt you for your information.
THE GENIE ATARI ST ROUNDTABLE - AN OVERVIEW
___________________________________________
The Roundtable is an area of GEnie specifically set aside for owners and
users of Atari ST computers, although all are welcome to participate.
There are three main sections to the Roundtable: the Bulletin Board, the
Software Library and the Real Time Conference area.
The Bulletin Board contains messages from Roundtable members on a variety
of Topics, organized under several Categories. These messages are all
Open and available for all to read (GEnie Mail should be used for private
messages).
If you have a question, comment, hot rumor or an answer to someone else's
question, the Bulletin Board is the place to share it.
The Software Library is where we keep the Public Domain software files
that are available to all Roundtable members. You can 'download' any of
these files to your own computer system by using a Terminal Program which
uses the 'XMODEM' file-transfer method. You can also share your favorite
Public Domain programs and files with other Roundtable members by
'uploading' them to the Software Library. Uploading on GEnie is FREE, so
you are encouraged to participate and help your Roundtable grow.
The Real Time Conference is an area where two or more Roundtable members
may get together and 'talk' in 'real-time'. You can participate in
organized conferences with special guests, drop in on our weekly Open
COnference, or simply join in on an impromptu chat session. Unlike
posting messages or Mail for other members to read at some later time,
everyone in the Conference area can see what you type immediately, and can
respond to you right away, in an 'electronic conversation'.
**********************************************************************
> A "Quotable Quote"¿
=================
"TIS BETTER TO REMAIN SILENT AND BE THOUGHT A FOOL..."
.. THAN TO OPEN ONE'S MOUTH AND REMOVE ALL DOUBT!"
...Ziggy Zircon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CPU/STR¿ "Your Independent News Source" April 27, 1990
16/32bit Magazine copyright ½ 1990 No.4.17
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
the editors, staff, CPU NEWSWIRE¿ CPU/STR¿ or CPU Report¿ . Reprint
permission is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. All reprints must
include CPU NEWSWIRE, CPU/STR or CPU Report and the author's name. All
information presented herein is believed correct, the editors and staff
are not responsible for any use or misuse of information contained herein.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
