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Silicon Times Report Issue 0812
*---== ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE ==---*
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine"
from
STR Publishing
""""""""""""""
March 20, 1992 No.8.12
==========================================================================
STReport International Online Magazine
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida
32205 ~ 6672
R.F. Mariano
Publisher - Editor
-----------------------------------------
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-----------------------------------------
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FNET 0350-STR USA - SE...: The Bounty *<Home of STR>*...1-904-786-4176
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FNET 1031-STR Europe.....: <<< INTERNET - UK>>>.... 011-44-296-395-935
____________________________________________________________________
> 03/20/92: STReport #8.12 "The Original 16/32 bit Online Magazine!"
-------------------------
- The Editor's Desk - CPU REPORT - FAXMODEM CONF.
- AIM HITS BIG TIME! - POWERPOINT OPEN! - PORTFOLIO NEWS
- PHASE 4 REVIEW - ARCHIVERS! - PAPYRUS ANNOUNCED!
- EASE ANNOUNCED! - MAG!X ANNOUNCED! - STR MAIL CALL
-* POURNELLE & SUDDEN VIEW *-
-*** EXCLUSIVE!! CeBIT EYEWITNESS REPORT!***-
-* POWERNET ANNOUNCED! *-
-* MULTI-TOS & MINT *-
==========================================================================
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-* FEATURING WEEKLY *-
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Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information
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to the Atari ST computer arena through an excellent International ST Mail
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WHAT'S NEW IN THE ATARI FORUMS (March 20)
ISD MARKETING ANNOUNCES...
ISD Marketing announces the details of the TINYTURBO030 board from FAST
TECHNOLOGY. See messages 24879-24882 in sec. 17 of the Atari Vendors
Forum (GO ATARIVEN).
MACDONALD ASSOCIATES JOINS ATARI VENDORS FORUM!
Please join us in welcoming MacDonald Associates to the Atari Vendors
Forum! MacDonald Associates publishes ST INFORMER Magazine, and are the
publishers of UNIVERSAL ITEM SELECTOR and UNIVERSAL NETWORK.
Message Section 5 and Library 5 have been established for their use.
Please feel free to send them a message at User ID number 75300,2514.
MacDonald Associates has also uploaded a patch to update version 3.3 of
their Universal Item Selector to version 3.32. Get UIS332.ARC from
Library 5, MacDonald Assoc.
PATCH FROM GRIBNIF FOR STTALKER
Download file STKR01.LZH from Gribnif's Library in the Atari Vendors Forum
(GO ATARIVEN) for a patch to upgrade STalker version 3.00 to version 3.01.
NEW IN PORTFOLIO FORUM
Thanks to Phil Payzant, we now have the public domain version of the
Original Adventure (Colossal Cave) available for downloading in Library 4.
THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE
HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN
OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION
"GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM"
***********************************************************************
> CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
=================
Issue #12
Compiled by: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
-- Amiga 600 Introduced in Brussels
The A600, a new addition to the Amiga line of personal computers, has
been unveiled by Commodore Belgium. The A600 has a redesigned keyboard
with the keypad omitted, a motherboard that has been reduced in size and
is only 35cms wide and 24cms deep but still contains enough room for a
2.5 inch hard drive to be mounted internally.
-- Sanyo Makes Super Transistor
Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. has developed what it calls the world's first
superconducting transistor. Sanyo officials say the transistor has a
theoretical speed 10 times that of existing semiconductor transistors
and that it consumes a hundredth as much electricity, giving it poten-
tial for use in the next generation of supercomputers. However, accor-
ding to company officials, it will be five years before samples appear,
with products not expected on the market until the next century.
-- Production of Windows 3.1 Begins
According to Microsoft officials, Windows 3.1 production is underway and
its debut is planned for April 6th. Microsoft plans to ship at least one
million copies on April 6th, and Bill Gates, chairman of the company, is
predicting Windows 3.1 will be sold out in 30 days.
Right on Windows tail is OS/2 from IBM Corp. It is expected that IBM
will soon announce its latest version of OS/2, a product that IBM hopes
will succeed MS-DOS as the world's most popular operating system.
Both Windows 3.1 and OS/2 2.0 offer a graphical user interface, and
IBM's OS/2 will operate many Windows-based programs faster and easier
than Windows 3.0
-- Electronics Jobs down 3.6%
The American Electronics Association says domestic jobs in that industry
were down 3.6% in December on a year-to-year basis, with 90,000 jobs
disappearing. The group says that since August 1989, the industry has
lost 210,000 jobs.
-- Mac Software Yields Clues to Brain Functioning
Researchers in neurobiology are applauding new software technology under
development at The Imaging and Computer Vision Center (ICVC) at Drexel
University in Philadelphia.
Using a Macintosh computer, ICVC has developed computerized techniques
to map neurotransmitters and receptors in the brain. Until recently,
research was restricted to labs at Drexel but now the ICVC is making
specialized research software available to anyone with a Macintosh
computer.
"Use of our [technology] for study of receptors is very important in the
development of drugs that affect the brain," says Dr. Oleh Tretiak,
ICVC's principal investigator.
Using ICVC's software, investigators are mapping cocaine receptors in
the brain with an eye toward negating the drug's effect. Other
researchers are studying potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease,
ischemia and epilepsy.
-- Getting Tough on Virus Authors
J.J. Buck BloomBecker, the director of the National Center for Computer
Crime, called for the adoption of a new nationwide set of legal guide-
lines concerning computer crime. BloomBecker, speaking at the 5th annual
Computer Virus & Security Conference, proposed 5 points:
1. The creation of a $200 crime law deductible. Damages incurred below
that figure would not be the subject of criminal action.
2. The creation of a civil course of action for inadequate computer
security
3. The making of reckless computing a felony. "Reckless computing" is
classified as anything which could potentially cause damage.
4. The making a careless computing a misdemeanor.
5. The enactment of greater protection against unreasonable search and
seizure.
Bloombecker's recommendations and supporting statements were the subject
of much conversation at his conference session. Donald Delaney, New York
State Police Senior Investigator, decried the setting of a deductible
for computer crime, pointing out that in the struggle against cellular
phone call-selling operations, it is often an arrest for a single call
under $200 that shuts down an on-going multi-thousand dollar fraud
operation.
-- New Anti-Virus Protection
Lance J. Hoffman, professor of electrical engineering and computer
science and Paul C. Clark, doctoral candidate, both from The George
Washington University, have announced the filing of a patent application
for a Smart Card-based anti-virus device.
In a paper issued by Hoffman and Clark, the device is described as in-
volving the attachment of a Smart Card reader to a personal computer and
the installation of a special boot PROM (programmable read only memory)
in the host computer. The paper, "Using Smart Cards To Guarantee Boot
Integrity and Enforce Access Control" (GWU- IIST-92-11), depicts the
boot process: " The boot PROM is hardware-configurable to set an
identifier for the host. During system start-up, the boot program
authenticates the user to the Smart Card. If successful, the PC is
allowed to read the boot sector and other information from the Smart
Card memory, thus effecting system start-up."
Hoffman said, "The Smart Card-based system allows users to always get a
clean 'boot.' It, therefore, defeats all forms of boot sector viruses
and insures that the booting process may be carried out with
confidence."
Hoffman added, "We have distributed the paper to a fairly wide audience
and have received very positive remarks concerning our approach."
-- Cracker Ordered to Undergo Mental Health Treatments
A Lakewood, Colo., computerist who admitted invading space agency
computers has been ordered to undergo mental health treatment and told
not to use computers without permission from a probation officer.
Richard Wittman, 24-years old, was sentenced to three years probation by
US District Judge Sherman Finesilver. Wittman pleaded guilty last autumn
to one count of breaking into a NASA computer.
Agents with NASA and the FBI tracked him down in 1990 and prosecutors
said Wittman had spent four years trying to get into computer systems,
including those of banks.
Wittman, in a plea bargain agreement, admitted gaining access to NASA's
computers "by exploiting a malfunction...in a public access NASA
computer bulletin board service."
Judge Finesilver ordered Wittman not to use computers without permission
from a probation officer and to undergo mental health counselling.
***********************************************************************
:HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
_________________________________
To sign up for GEnie service:
Set your communications software to Half Duplex (or Local Echo)
Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369.
Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that).
Wait for the U#= prompt.
Type: XTX99587,CPUREPT then, hit RETURN.
GEnie costs only $4.95 a month for unlimited evening and weekend access to
more than 100 services including electronic mail, online encyclopedia,
shopping, news, entertainment, single-player games, and bulletin boards on
leisure and professional subjects. With many other services, including
the biggest collection of files to download and the best online games, for
only $6 per hour.
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! Any time during your first month of membership if
you are not completely satisfied, just ask for your $4.95 back.
GEnie Announcements (FREE)
1. An Important Message to MasterCard Users In Canada...........
2. Premiering ViewPort, New Amiga Newsletter at The.............STARSHIP
3. Hot games - Big fun - Huge value - comings and goings........SOFTCLUB
4. Sun enters sign ARIES, life achievements emphasized in the...STARS
5. ASK Leonard Tramiel the LATEST on ATARI and the PORTFOLIO....ST
6. FREE Software & FREE Shipping NOW at.........................OMNI
7. Weekly New Players Night Begins in...........................ORBWARS
8. Ultima Underworlds PLAYABLE DEMO.............................SCORPIA
9. Meet BOOK COVER ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR Lynn Sweat in.........WRITERS
10. Take CONTROL of your HOUSE - Learn how in RTC 3/22 in........RADIO
11. We interrupt to bring you an important message...............BORLAND
12. Heraldry; The Truth About Those Coats-of-Arms................GENEALOGY
13. GeoWorks Users: Dozens of PD fonts - yours for the taking....GEOWORKS
14. Get Answers to Income Tax Questions..........................*HOSB
15. Shuttle Atlantis Launch Scheduled: News and Info in..........SPACE
==============================================================
LEONARD TRAMIEL REALTIME CONFERENCE
Atari's Vice President of Software, Special Guest Speaker
Wednesday, March 25 @ 10:00pm EST
ATARI CANADA REALTIME CONFERENCE
Featuring Geoffrey Earle, General Manager (Atari Canada)
Wednesday, April 1 @ 10:00pm EST
==============================================================
Congratulations are extended to Jim Allen at Fast Technology
following the announcement of his exciting 40 Mhz 68030 TinyTurbo.
Read the details in Category 4, Topic 11, Message 82.
Recent Popular uploads...
23100 G_MAP.ARC X D.BECKEMEYER 920308 8320 284 2
Desc: GEM pgm generates a map of disk data
23127 GOGODNCR.LZH X T.MAYFIELD1 920310 46336 253 12
Desc: Go-Go Dancer as a Desktop Accessory
23070 CAL_62A.LZH (LH5)LZH X V.PATRICELL1 920307 75520 192 2
Desc: Cal v6.2a - Hot calendar accessory!
23109 BLITSIM.PRG X J.FOURNIER 920309 512 182 2
Desc: Simulates a blitter on an ST or TT.
23069 INFORMDA.ARC X GRMEYER 920307 7808 129 2
Desc: Status display DA. Lots of options
23112 FLENCH.LZH X D.PANKE 920309 11264 111 2
Desc: Shrink Degas pics to any size...
23162 PCAG.LZH X M.SLAGELL 920312 6528 107 2
Desc: customizable printer accessory
23143 MEGACHEK.LZH X C.MULLER3 920311 210816 38 10
Desc: The Ultimate Finance & Account Mgr.
23136 HOMEACC2.LZH X ABC.SOLN 920310 173568 52 10
Desc: Demo: Home Accounts 2
23121 BBB_DEMO.LZH X GRMEYER 920309 77824 17 10
Desc: Boffin Brothers Trivia (demo)
23096 GRMRXPRT.ARC X P.COMEAU1 920308 66816 41 10
Desc: Grammar Expert Demo
GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric
Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission
***********************************************************************
> FAXMODEM GENIE CONF. STR FOCUS Charles Smeton in Conference on GEnie
==============================
March 18, 1992
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
On behalf of the Atari ST Roundtable, I welcome all of you to the Joppa
Software RealTime Conference. Before getting started, some business
about how an RTC works.
While the RTC room is in Listen-Only mode, you can only address our guest
when I let you talk.
To get my attention, just /RAIse your hand. Just enter this from your
keyboard: /rai
I'll acknowledge your raised hand as soon as I can, but please be
patient. I -WILL- let you know when your turn is coming up.
Some other RTC commands are:
? - Lists all RTC commands.
/sta - Status (list) of everyone in
the RTC room.
/exi - Exit the RTC, but you remain
logged onto GEnie.
/bye - Log off of GEnie directly from
the RTC.
/rai - Raise your hand. Lets me know
you wish to address our guest.
And now, let's get started.
In this world of instant access and communication, FAX machines have
become a necessary tool of business.
With the growing popularity and increasing affordability of FAX machines,
they are turning up in more and more households all the time.
Personally, it knocks me out that I can order a pizza by sending a fax!
It probably won't be too much longer before FAX machines become as common
place as telephone answering machines.
But with modems, computers, answering machines, caller ID boxes, and FAX
machines all vying for your consumer electronics dollars (not to mention
desk and counter space), it's no small wonder that some of these products
are being integrated. Which brings us to FAX modems for computers and
tonight's Conference guests:
Joining us tonight are Mark Carver and Charles Smeton of Joppa Software.
Joppa has been marketing a Receive Only Fax/Data modem/software package
called JOPPA FAX and now they are about to release a new software product
called "Straight FAX", a send and receive software package for Atari
computers and Class 2 compliant FAX/Modems.
"Straight FAX" is expected to debut at the TAF Show in Toronto next
month, but Mark and Charles are here with us now to give us a preview of
a product that many have been impatiently waiting for on the Atari
computer platform.
And one lucky attendee this evening will win a free copy of "Straight
FAX" later on courtesy of Joppa Software, so make sure to stick around!
Welcome, Mark and Charles! Thank you for being with us tonight. Before
I open the room to questions, do you have any opening remarks you'd like
to make?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes one sec...
Joppa Software Development proudly announces...STraight FAX!
Send/Receive FAX Software for the Atari ST/TT Computers
Manufacturer's Suggested List Price $89.95
The STraight FAX! software works with industry standard "Class 2"
compliant FAX/modems to bring Group III send and receive FAX capability
to the Atari ST/TT Computers. STraight FAX! can also work with Send FAX
modems that comply to the Sierra SendFAX command set, to provide Group
III send FAX capability to the Atari ST/TT Computers.
STraight FAX! Features
======================
Compatible with all Atari ST/TT Computer models:
- 1 Megabyte of RAM Required
- 2 Megabytes of RAM and a Hard Drive Recommended.
- Shielded RS-232 cable required.
- Compatible with Class 2 Compliant Send/Receive FAX modems.
- compatible Send/Receive FAX Modems include:
- Supra 96/24, 96/96 and 14.4/14.4 FAX modems
- Zoom FMC 9624
- other Class 2 Compliant modems based on the Rockwell chipset
- Compatible with Send FAX modems that use the Sierra SendFAX command
set.
- compatible Send FAX Modems include:
- Zoom and Zoom Generic 4800 baud Send FAX modem
- Zoom and Zoom Generic 9600 baud Send FAX modem
- Joppa FAX! SF-01 4800 baud Send FAX modem
- Joppa FAX! SF-02 9600 baud Send FAX modem
The STraight FAX! can be used with all standard serial ports on ST, STe,
Mega STe and TT/030 computers and peripheral serial ports tat support the
"Bconmap" specification for additional serial ports.
- Note: Some options are not available on serial ports that do not
support all RS-232 signals.
The STraight FAX! supports all TOS versions 1.00, 1.02, 1.04, 1.06,
1.062, 2.05/6 and 3.05/6.
- Note: Supplied patch programs from Atari are required to be installed
when using TOS 1.04, TOS 2.05 and TOS 3.05.
The STraight FAX! supports all supports all ST/TT graphic resolutions
with a minimum screen width of 80 characters, including Moniterm and
software large screen emulators.
I don't know how that came out.........
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
It came out fine here.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
But that is a brief overview of the product.
The software allows the T/TT to send or receive FAX documents from any
Class 2 compliant FAX/modem.
There are many fax/modems now available and soon available that will work
with the STraight FAX!
I guess we can start taking questions.......
<[SDS] S.SANDERS2>
Does the Fax software work in the background and will there be a FSM-GDOS
or Calamus driver for it?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
The FAX software does not operate in the background at this time. With
the release of Multi-TOS background capability will be investigated.
Yes, there are drivers for both Calamus and FSM GDOS as well as
PageStream.
<[SDS] S.SANDERS2>
Great!
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Let me add one more thing...
The software as it is written will allow scheduled outgoing FAXes while
waiting for incoming FAXes, while waiting other Desk Accessories may be
used. However, if these Desk Accessories block GEM events, then a
scheduled FAX may be delayed or an incoming call not answered.
<MICKEYANGELL>
I have the Joppa SF-02. What upgrade path is available for me?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Mickey we have several upgrade paths that include buying an enhanced send
only version, the full software or the full software and a send/receive
FAX modem.
Mark, can you give the upgrade prices?
Also, registered Joppa FAX! owners will be receiving a letter shortly
with the options.
<MICKEYANGELL>
Thank you. That is all.
<[Mark @ Joppa] JOPPA-SOFT>
Ok.
Option #1 Send Only enhanced version is $20.00.
Option #2 Send and Receive Software is $40.00 and you'll need a Class 2
FAX/Modem such as the new Supra/FAX line
Option #3 is a:
BOCA Research 2400/9600 S/R FAX @ $129
Supra 9600/9600 and software @ $269.00
Supra 14400/14400 and Software @ $329.00
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
These options are only for registered Joppa FAX! owners.
We are now selling the software as a stand alone product and letting the
user choose from the many compatible FAX modems available.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Will you also make modem/software bundles (special prices) available to
new customers?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Joppa Software Development will not, however Joppa Computer Products is
another RTC. :-).
<[Lindle] L.ROMERO6>
I will be setting up a Turbo BBS real soon and will be getting a Supra
Fax modem.....will I be able to put a command in my bbs so my users will
have access to it (i.e. from a door)?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Not at this time, the software will only allow FAX mode.
<[Lindle] L.ROMERO6>
Okay, Appreciate it.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
It may be possible for the BBS to detect that a FAX is calling and run
the STraight FAX!
<[Lindle] L.ROMERO6>
You mean via a fax switch?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
No, actually the modem will indicate a FAX is calling with a result code.
<[Lindle] L.ROMERO6>
Okay....will have to look in the docs for the bbs software, thanks.
<G.ZEPKA1>
can it send to a HP fax at 300 dpi?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
G.ZEPKA1, current Group III fax supports resolutions of 203 x 196 and 203
x 98 DPI. The HP may be able to scale this to 300 DPI as it prints.
This is the basic method the STraight FAX! uses to print received FAXes,
via FSM-GDOS drivers.
<G.ZEPKA1>
Thank you.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
What kind of file is created for the incoming fax and are software and
printer drivers provided to print them? Are you going to be a licensed
distributor of FSM-GDOS?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
The received FAX file is in the same format that outgoing FAX files are
in. It may be FAXed out as is.
The received file can be converted to .IMG format, printed via a GDOS
driver or viewed on screen at different scaling.
At this time we have a license agreement to the FAX FSM GDOS driver. You
will need to contact Atari about purchasing FSM GDOS.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
So, what exactly will the user need to have in addition to Straight FAX
and a compatible modem? FSM-GDOS and what else?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
FSM GDOS is required to print FAX files, however any program that can
print .IMG files can be used, since you can convert the FAX file to an
IMG file. We also support the ScanLite Desk Accessory from Dr. Bobware
for direct scanning of FAX output.
Minimum memory required is 1 Meg and we recommend a Hard Drive and 2 Meg.
We also recommend a good shielded RS-232 cable.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
The FAX-to-IMG feature is part of Straight FAX?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes, the program will convert from FAX to IMG, so that a user without
GDOS or FSM GDOS can use Calamus or PageStream or what ever to print the
IMG file.
<J.D.BARNES>
With Jeff asking the questions we really don't need other users.
What scanners does Scan-Lite support? Does it support the antique
Navarrone, for example?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
ScanLite supports Migraph, Golden Image, DAATAScan and Geniscan Hand
Scanners. We are researching support of full page scanners such as the
Canon/Navarone.
<J.D.BARNES>
Thanks, that is all for now.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
If anyone has the technical information on any full page scanner let us
know.
<C.NICHOLSON1>
would U tell me what U need to use this software i.e.; supra 2400 and...
etc.? what reads the fax that U send what prints the fax U receive. I am
a electronics tech. not a comp or comm tech. and I am fairly new to modem
world.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
OK, the program will take IMG, DEGAS, ASCII Text files and convert them
to a format we call FAX format, this file can then be sent to any Group
III FAX machine.
Received FAX files may be viewed, converted to IMG format or printed via
a GDOS or FSM GDOS printer driver.
Compatible FAX modems include all Class 2 compliant FAX modems such as
the Zoom and Supra.
Also, this is not 100% official but the FONT GDOS program and the
available printer drivers should be available very soon.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Anything else, CN?
<C.NICHOLSON1>
So a group III mach. does the send/rec through a zoom/supra and you need
nothing else.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
The FAX machine on the other end does not know what type of FAX/modem you
are using.
The FAX/Modem and ST/TT call the destination FAX just as a real FAX
machine does. Receive is the same thing, but in the opposite direction.
You go from your ST via Zoom/Supra to a Group III FAX machine and
vice-versa.
<C.NICHOLSON1>
we seem to be talking a different lang. so I will wait until it is out
and on the dealers shelf.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
The FAX/Modem, software, and computer take the place of an actual FAX
machine on your side, CN. Anything else?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
You do not need a FAX machine on your end, that is what the STraight FAX!
program and FAX/Modem function as.
<C.NICHOLSON1>
Thank you.
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
Charles, John, with the plethora of FAX-modems available is there
something that we should look for in the way of compatibility or can we
safely (or near-safely) assume that just about all the FAX-modems we see
advertised would work?
oops- that was supposed to be "Charles, Mark" ... sorry ;-)
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Good Question. The latest technology FAX/modems will indicate that they
comply with an EIA/TIA standard. STraight FAX! supports FAX/Modems that
are "Class 2" compliant, this is an EIA/TIA standard.
Some FAX modems also support an older standard called "Class 1". This is
not supported at this time, but is being looked into. The new Supra
FAX/modems are both Class 1 and Class 2.
There is a simple test to find out what Class a FAX/modem is:
Type AT+FCLAS=? from a terminal program.
If the response is (0,2) or (0,1,2) the modem should work.
If it says ERROR or (0,1) then it either is not a FAX/modem, an older FAX
modem standard or a Class 1.
<[Mark @ Joppa] JOPPA-SOFT>
One other point about the NEW Supra line of FAX/Modems is that they will
have as option at a later date of Caller-ID and Voice-Mail, which is
being looked into by JSD.
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
I see. So it would then be wise to ask the salesperson if the modem is
"Class-2" compliant.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
This should be on the box, we will post a list of what we know works,
such as the Zoom, and Supra.
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
Thanks.
<J.D.BARNES>
Charles, is there some form of redundancy checking in the FAX modems?
How well does this reduce the effect of line interference?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Current Group III FAX does not support a block protocol with error
checking such as Zmodem, Xmodem, etc.
<J.D.BARNES>
Thanks.
<[Joppa-Tech] C..SMETON>
Group III FAX has a self recovery algorithm that allows a raster line to
be lost because of line noise, but it re-syncs on the next line. We have
a special method of compensating for line noise of this type, to enhance
the image. We also have a clean up algorithm to remove stray dots from
the image.
<C.BALDWIN9>
Can I send/Save Faxes directly from programs like Pagestream?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
The printer drivers that we supply for PageStream, Calamus and GDOS
programs allow you to print to disk from these apps directly as FAX
files. You then exit the app and run STraight FAX! to send out the FAX
file(s).
The quality of computer generated FAX files is quite nice. It is not far
behind a Laser Printer.
<C.BALDWIN9>
Great! Where can I get one?
<[Mark @ Joppa] JOPPA-SOFT>
Joppa Software Development's new address is:
PO Box 214
Dallastown, PA 17313-0214
(717)428-3231 / (717)428-0424 FAX
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
That all for you, CB?
<C.BALDWIN9>
Yes, Thanks!
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
We'll take another question, then pause briefly to give away a copy of
Straight FAX.
<MICKEYANGELL>
If I have A SEND/RECEIVE FAX modem; do I only need the software or do I
have to send you the modem?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes, if it is Class 2 compliant you only need the software.
Use the test listed previously or Call us and tell us what FAX/modem you
have. We will step you through the method to verify it.
<MICKEYANGELL>
Thanks.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Okay, now for the neat stuff. Thanks to Joppa Software, we have a copy
of Straight FAX (the software only, no modem) to give away.
You will need your own hardware so if you don't plan on buying a fax
modem, please let the others have a chance to win.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Jeff, this will be sent to the winner once the product ships on April
7th.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Good point, Charles.
Here's what we'll do...
I'm going to ask a question and you have to answer it. Everyone will
have a chance to type in their guesses before I take the room out of
Listen Only mode.
The first person whose correct answers show up will win. Mark and
Charles will be the judges of who has answered correctly.
Remember, type in your answers, but don't hit ENTER until you see the
room has been opened up for talking.
Now the question...
Name three (3) features of the Straight FAX software package.
JEFF.W> I'll give you 20 more seconds from now before I let y'all fire
away with your answers.
[Twenty seconds later...]
Room is now in the talk mode.
<D.A.BRUMLEVE>
Kidpublisher Professional, Kidpainter, Super Kidgrid...
<B.KLASSEN>
send, receive, store F
<J.D.BARNES>
Receive Capability, All Class 2 MOdems, GDOS or FSM GDOS Printout
<MICKEYANGELL>
Send and receive faxes, convert img
<G.ZEPKA1>
SEND, Receive, transmit pagestream on
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
It works with ScanLite!
It works with ScanLite!
It works with ScanLite!
That's three for me! ;-)
<MAG.SOFTWARE>
It does the dishes? :)
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
It looks like J.D.BARNES is the winner, what do you think Mark?
<[Mark @ Joppa] JOPPA-SOFT>
I guess it's JD Barnes.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Congrats JD
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Congrats, JD!
<B.KLASSEN>
Congrats JD
<MICKEYANGELL>
Congrats, JD
<J.D.BARNES>
Thanks, you made it too easy.
<D.A.BRUMLEVE>
Gosh...
<MAG.SOFTWARE>
You mean it don't do the dishes?
:)
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
I think Dorothy and Dr. Bob had good answers too, but not quick enough.
<smile>
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Well JD, if you give you name and address to us privately we will send it
out when it ships.
<D.A.BRUMLEVE>
YO! My answer was first!
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
JD...Send email with your mailing address. Congrats again!
Now we'll resume...
<B.LUNESKI1>
Hello, I purchased a Joppa FAX modem & Just the FAX software about a year
ago and they have performed very well (unsolicited testimonial).
What upgrade path are you offering to Owners of Just the FAX and what are
the upgrade procedures?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Thank You.
The upgrade options were presented earlier in the conference, we will
have a transcript and a Press Release with the full details.
You can call us at the number listed and also we will be sending out
letters to the current owners.
<[Mark @ Joppa] JOPPA-SOFT>
Also, please make sure the registration card is sent in, we have more out
then registered.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Anything else, Bob?
<B.LUNESKI1>
I ALWAYS send my registration cards in :-) That's all thanks.
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
First, off: Happy Birthday, Jeff! Many returns!
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Thank you, Dr. Bob!
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
Mark & Charles, you'd mentioned that FSM-GDOS is required for printing
and we covered that pretty well, I don't mean to repeat anything.
BUT.... did I see mentioned that ordinary old regular GDOS will work too?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes, if you have a older style FSM driver.
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
How about good ol' G+Plus?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Also the newer FSM Drivers will function with the older GDOS and
compatibles.
The FAX FSM Driver we include will work with ANY GDOS
<[Dr. Bob] W.PARKS3>
Ok thanks. That's ALL FOR ME.
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
The only problem for the non-FSM GDOSes is a source of bit mapped fonts
at the proper resolution.
<MAG.SOFTWARE>
Happy B-day, Jeff. Now my questions:
Since I just got here, I'm probably asking things that have previously
been answered. In order to use this, do I simply need the software and a
SEND/RECEIVE FAX modem? About how much would a set up like this cost?
Will it work with ANY printer? And, will it work with ALL Atari
machines?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
If everyone will pause a moment i will upload some more tech info........
The STraight FAX! User Interface Features:
- Full GEM Application
- Drop Down Menus with keystroke command equivalents.
- On screen movable Function Key Bar for most common commands.
- Context sensitive On-line Help available by pressing Help Key.
- Popup Menus make system preferences easy to choose.
- Optional sound effects.
- Enhanced Dialog Box Interface:
Alternate Key button selection
Arrow Key selector list movement
Position Text cursor with mouse over any character of any text edit
field.
Undo Feature
Insert/Type over Text entry modes.
Delete to end of Line
Insert any GEM character using Alternate Key and Numeric Key Pad
(on any TOS version).
FAX Features:
- Supports from 2400 to 14400 Baud Send and Receive FAX rates (maximum
baud rate depends on the FAX/Modem utilized).
- Fine Resolution (203 x 196 DPI) and Normal Resolution (203 x 98 DPI)
FAX modes supported.
- Tone or Pulse Dial.
- Full control of FAX Modem speaker and speaker volume.
- Displays 20 character FAX Identification string of Remote FAX.
- Allows specification of 20 character FAX Identification that is sent to
remote FAX.
Send FAX Features:
- 100 Number FAX Dialing List.
- Automatic Cover Page Generation.
- Multi-Page FAX Documents of up to 255 pages.
- ASCII, Image and DEGAS file formats supported.
- Full GEM Character set supported for ASCII to FAX conversions.
- Send Logs indicates status of all FAX documents transferred.
- Broadcast FAX documents to up to 100 destinations per FAX document.
- Schedule FAX transmission at a delayed time.
- Schedule up to 30 Multi-Page Multi-Destination FAX documents for
delayed transmission.
- Scale Image/DEGAS files during conversion with page positioning
options.
- Automatic optional Page Heading added to the top of each page.
- Automatic Redial upon busy or failed FAX transfer.
Receive Features:
- Receive Logs indicates status of all FAX documents received.
- Automatic Receive FAX can be active while waiting for scheduled
outgoing FAX documents to be transmitted.
- Manual FAX Receive.
FAX View Features:
- View up to a total of four Image, DEGAS or FAX files each in a separate
GEM window.
- Reduced 50% size view.
- Stray pixel clean up.
- Save portion of graphic in view window as an Image or FAX file.
- Auto correction of detected errors in received FAX (due to line noise).
- Scan into a window using a Hand Scanner and Dr. Bobware's ScanLite
(Migraph, Golden Image, DAATAScan and Geniscan Hand Scanners
supported).
Printing Features:
- Print Image or FAX files to any printer supported by user supplied
GDOS or FSM-GDOS printer driver (GDOS, GDOS compatible, FONT-GDOS, or
FSM-GDOS required along with the appropriate printer driver).
- Special support for Atari Laser Printers (SLM-804/SLM-605).
- Convert FAX Files to Image format with optional GEM metafile for
printing via GEM OUTPUT program or importing into any application that
supports Image format files.
- Auto correction of detected errors in received FAX (due to line noise).
Printer Drivers:
- "Print to Disk" FAX Files from the following applications:
- Calamus 1.09x
- Calamus S/SL
- PageStream 1.8x
- PageStream 2.1
- FSM-GDOS driver for applications that support GDOS or FSM-GDOS
printing.
- Printer driver output file path set program/desk accessory allows the
destination FAX filename to be set any valid file path.
Utilities:
- Time Set Utility for ST's without battery backed clock.
- Line Impedance Trimmer adjustment utility for Send FAX modems.
OK that's it!
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
any more questions?
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Jeff - Did that answer your questions? Anything else?
<MAG.SOFTWARE>
I saw it said 'works with any TOS', does this include the new Multi-TOS?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Multi-TOS has not been released yet. It may or may not work. We try to
follow all the rules and work closely with Atari.
BTW, I would like to thank Atari's Bill Rehbock and Mike Fulton for
helping us get the FSM driver built.
<[CANUK] B.KLASSEN>
Hi, will this software work with UIS III, Multi-desk?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes, we have tested many other utilities and there should be no problem.
One utility that caused a problem has been the Neodesk Control Panel,
however.
<[CANUK] B.KLASSEN>
Will it work as a Desk Acc?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Currently it is a program, a desk accessory version would be made
available, but it will require 2+ megs of RAM
<[CANUK] B.KLASSEN>
How about a TT with 8MB? more when I put in the RAM!
I assume it will work in TT MED!! (hope!)
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
TT/030 should be fine. We will announce enhancements like Desk Accessory
and Multitasking when available.
The program requires a graphics mode that supports 80 columns minimum.
<[Sysop] JEFF.W>
Okay. It's time to draw this RTC to a close.
I want to thank Charles and Mark for being with us tonight and everyone
who attended.
Congratulations again to J.D. Barnes, our Straight FAX winner.
Any closing words, Charles?
<[Joppa-Tech] C.S.SMETON>
Yes...
We thank the owners of our earlier products (Joppa FAX!) and look forward
to April 4th and the debut of the STraight FAX!
As we now say.......
Get the
STraight FAX!
for your Atari ST/TT Computer!
Thank You.
=========================================================================
(C) 1991 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May be
reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on GEnie
are *official* information services of Atari Corporation.
=========================================================================
> AIM MAGAZINE GROWS! STR InfoFile AIM hits the BIGTIME!
================================
March 1991
ATARI INTERFACE EXPANDS TO
OVER 100 CLUBS, MORE DISTRIBUTORS
Ann Arbor, MI
In this time of shrinking economies and worries about continued Atari
magazine support, Unicorn Publications is pleased to announce that Atari
Interface is continuing to grow.
User Group Expansion
""""""""""""""""""""
With the March 1991 issue, Atari Interface increased its number of
Participating User Groups to over 100. Currently, there are 105 user
groups whose members are receiving Atari Interface magazine as part of
their club benefits. "We're over 100 clubs now and we expect a fair
number of additional clubs to sign up in the next month or so," said
Editor Bill Rayl. "At least 20 more clubs have indicated they want to
start getting AIM for their members."
As a Participating Club, US-based user groups can have copies of Atari
Interface magazine delivered directly to their member's doors for only 50
cents per issue. Canadian and Foreign clubs can get the magazine for the
same low rate, plus the cost of shipping all copies to one address.
More Distributors Added
"""""""""""""""""""""""
As recently announced in messages on CompuServe and GEnie, Atari
Interface has expanded its US distribution to include approximately 250
additional Waldenbookstores. AIM distribution to newsstands and bookstore
chains in the US, Canada and overseas is handled by International
Periodical Distributors (IPD), one of the largest world-wide distributors
of magazines and books. [IPD can be reached at (619) 481-5928.]
Alternative and eclectic bookstores in the US can get Atari Interface
from Ubiquity Distributors of Brooklyn, NY.
[Call Ubiquity at (718) 875-5491.]
US distribution of AIM to Atari dealers is handled mainly by Pacific
Software Supply, the largest US Atari distributor.
[PSS can be reached at (805) 543-1583.]
Micro-D Distributors of Weston, Ontario, is now distributing Atari
Interface (magazine and ST disk) to Atari dealers across Canada. [Micro-D
can be contacted at (416) 741-9825.]
Braden Ray Software has just signed up to bring AIM to the Australian
and New Zealand market. While Atari Interface was already appearing on
newsstand shelves "down under," the agreement with Braden Ray gets AIM
(and the ST disk) to users and Atari dealers faster.
[Call Braden Ray at 011-61-8-390-3018.]
UK distribution of Atari Interface and the ST/Mega Disk of the Month
is now handled by Bath Publications. According to Bath Publication's
Malcolm Burridge, "I believe [AIM's] quality far outweighs that of the
competition." [Bath Publications can be reached at 011-44-225-840-700.]
Unicorn Publications has been producing an Atari-specific magazine
since December 1987. For more information, contact:
Pattie Rayl,
Unicorn Publications
3487 Braeburn Circle
Ann Arbor, MI 48108,
phone: (313) 973-8825 voice
(313) 973-9137 BBS.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
=================
As a reader of STReport International Online Magazine, you are entitled to
take advantage of a special DELPHI membership offer. For only $29.95 ($20
off the standard membership price!), you will receive a lifetime subscrip-
tion to DELPHI, a copy of the 500-page DELPHI: THE OFFICIAL GUIDE and over
$14 worth of free time.
NOTE: Special offers can be found in your favorite Atari magazines:
START CURRENT NOTES ST INFORMER
ATARI INTERFACE MAGAZINE
SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI
======================
Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access
DELPHI services via a local phone call
JOIN -- DELPHI
--------------
1. Dial 617-576-0862 with any terminal or PC and modem (at 2400 bps,
dial 576-2981).
2. At the Username prompt, type JOINDELPHI.
3. At the Password prompt enter STREPORT.
For more information, call DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-544-4005, or at
617-491-3393 from within Massachusetts or from outside the U.S.
DELPHI is a service of General Videotex Corporation of Cambridge, Mass.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
--------------------
Beginning September 1, 1990, DELPHI will begin offering a new plan
that will save you money! The new plan is called the 20/20 Advantage
Plan and it features 20 hours online for just $20 a month! The $20 is a
monthly fee that covers your first 20 hours online via direct dial into
one of DELPHI's two direct-access lines, or via a special Tymnet 20/20
Access code. It also gets you additional hours at just $1.20 per hour.
And you get free access to several services on DELPHI as part of the
Advantage Perks.
Other telecom services may have additional charges. Canadian Tymnet
users have an additional telecom charge. Office Time access (7 a.m. to 7
p.m., weekdays) may have an additional charge. And of course, other
restrictions may apply. But this is still an amazing deal!
For more information, contact DELPHI at 1-800-544-4005 and ask for
Member Services.
DELPHI- It's getting better all the time!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> The Flip Side STR Feature "...a different viewpoint.."
=========================
A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT
==================================
by Michael Lee
Comments about Sudden View from Jerry Pournelle in the Jerry Pournelle
RoundTable....
I have a new editor, Sudden View, for ATARI that is the best editor
concept I have ever seen. About $70 and it's almost worth going over
to an Atari in order to be able to use that editor. VERY FAST even on
an old 8 mhz Atari too...
...Sudden View is by Rod Coleman who started Sage Computers. It is
written in Modula 2 (Workman FTL Modula 2 at that) and it's really
neat. Best new editor concept I have seen in YEARS.
Only runs on Atari now. May be ported to other stuff later.
...it's just neat. It does things in a very strange and very logical
way: essentially you just do that. Not a lot of mode switching and
menu grabbing. You just -- do things.
Reminds me a bit of the Lilith machines.
More comments from Mark Matlock...
I saw Sudden View editor demonstrated at the Chicago Atari show last
November. It was very interesting and I picked up a flyer but never
got around to sending off for it. I just pulled it from my files since
you mentioned it.
I grew up in the DEC world and my right hand has memorized the keypad
layout of DEC's EDT. That is one of the major reasons I continue to
use my ST, it makes a great DEC keyboard. Also the are a couple good
EDT editors for it. One with the old learn mode of the PDP11's KED.
But I digress here's the address from the flyer:
Sudden Incorporated
5081 S. McCarran
Reno, NV 89502
800-421-4228
----------------
Some help for Zoom modem owners from R.MAYNARD - Cat 8, Topic 10, Msg.
51 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
Regarding difficulties using the ZOOM V.32 Turbo modem - I had a lot
of difficulty at first too. I finally paid a little attention to a
one-page insert in the manual discussing some alternate dialing
prefixes to use to work around difficulties connecting to some
systems. Once I made the recommended changes, I was able to access
systems I had been unable to access at all with the ZOOM modem. These
systems include GEnie via ALADDIN, local BBSs and some Control Data
mainframes, all at both 2400 and 9600 baud. The trick was to include
the following strings before the phone number being dialed:
AT\n3s37=9n0DT (for 9600 baud)
or
AT\n3s37=6n0DT (for 2400 baud)
In the case of ALADDIN, I put this string in the "Reset Command" of
the configuration. Be sure to set the proper "Speed" also.
9600-baud downloads flat-out FLY but beware...it costs a LOT more
than 2400 baud.
----------------
Some comments about Word Perfect - Cat 13, Topic 2, Msgs 48-49 - from
the ST Roundtable on Genie...
From Ken Vandellen...
I wrote a letter to WP Corp. after seeing a post that said thousands
of Europeans want a new version and we should indicate support, too.
The response came yesterday, explaining that "the revenues received
are not near enough to finance a full-fledged 5.0 development effort."
They go on to describe their "Trade-Up" to WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS or
for Windows or for Macintosh...
From Joe Meehan...
To add to what Ken said, WordPerfect is no longer developing (however
they are supporting) Atari, Amiga, or Apple versions of WP. It seems
they don't like to "A" words. <grin>
This information came from their newsletter.
----------------
Comments about Virtual Memory from John Eidsvoog (Codehead Technologies)
- Cat. 28, Topic 13, Msg. 11 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
Virtual memory is a technique which uses hard disk memory to expand
your RAM memory. Software tricks are used (together with special
powers of the latest microprocessors) to swap chunks of memory between
RAM and disk. This will fool a program into thinking that it is
running on a machine with a lot more RAM than actually exists (like
maybe 128 meg). With fast hard drives, efficient caching, and clever
programming, some nice results can be achieved. Virtual memory
requires at least a 68030 or 80386 microprocessor.
----------------
About VeraSoft - Cat. 6, Topic 16, Msgs 38-39 - from the ST Roundtable
on Genie...
Question by M.ABREU...
Can someone supply a phone number for VeraSoft? I'm considering
spending over $150 for DBMAN, but it's hard to do without finding out
at least a few things about the product before I do it.
Answer from Harry Wootan...
VersaSoft Corporation
4340 Almaden Expressway, Suite 110
San Jose, CA 95118.
Phone: 408-723-9044
Remember that they make dBMAN for other platforms. Be sure you're
talking to someone about dBMAN for the Atari ST.
----------------
Some comments about MultiTOS from John Townsend (Atari) - Cat. 14, Topic
34, Msg. 2 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
Yes, Atari did demonstrate the Multitasking TOS at CeBIT. There are
currently no estimated delivery dates or pricing information avail-
able. As soon as real information is available, we will let you know.
PS. And yes, It is based on MiNT (MiNT is _NOW_ TOS! <grin>) from Eric
Smith.
[Will MultiTOS run on non '030 systems?] From Cat. 5, Topic 3, Msg. 7...
According to what I know, that decision has yet to be made. At
present, MultiTOS will run on any ST compatible machine. Whether or
not we will release it for less than 68030 machines is another issue
completely.
There are lots of issues to be considered. For example, you can't do
hardware memory protection on a 68000. This means that if a process
does something bad and overwrites another process, the entire system
could easily crash. Whereas, with a 030 and an MMU doing hardware
memory protection, a bad process that attempts to write in another
processes memory space would simply bus error and terminate, leaving
the other processes intact.
These are the kinds of things that have to be considered before we can
safely ship a 68000 version of MultiTOS. You have probably heard all
of the horror stories from the Amiga and its non-memory protection
implimentation of multitasking on the Amiga 500, etc.
But, basically.. I don't think the decision has been made. In the end,
we will see. I personally hope that we do make it available for 68000
machines. It will probably be slower than most people will like, but
hey.. it will run several programs! Anyway, stay tuned.
----------------
Comments about Captive - Cat. 9, Topic 23, Msg. 113-114 - from the ST
Roundtable on Genie...
Comments from Mike Allen...
I am enjoying Captive but I was looking forward to it being "fully
enchanced" when I switched to my new Mega STe. Guess what - nada. It
looks and sounds just like it did on my 1 meg TOS 1.4. No music. Also
the volume control doesn't seem to work on the captive Control panel.
Can anyone help me? (It's still a neat game.)
Answers from Fred Percival...
The STe enchancements are stereo sound and the larger color palette.
The reason the game looks the same is because the game saves the color
settings info. Go into the color selector and hit the default button
to get your 'new' colors. It's a slightly different look, which I'd
describe as more desert-tone than earth-tone. You also have 15 stops
on each color bar now, rather than 7. Have you noticed that the sound
effects play faster on the MSTE as well?
----------------
Comments about the upcoming TAF show in Toronto from Bob Brodie (Atari)
- Cat. 11, Topic 6, Msg. 112 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
We're excited to be a part of this show!! Representing the Sunnyvale
crew will be our Portfolio guru, Don Thomas, Director of Technical
Services Bill Rehbock, Manager of Sales Admininstration Shirley
Taylor, and myself.
James Grunke had planned to attend but due to a scheduling conflict
will not be able to attend, and sends his regrets.
This is shaping up to be a very exciting show, and we look forward to
seeing everyone there!
----------------
About the SLM 804 and Phantom of the Laser from Vince Patricelli - Cat.
14, Topic 11, Msg. 69 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
It says in the Phantom of the Laser documentation that power consump-
tion on the SLM 804 drops from >800 watts to <2 watts with the Phantom
installed. Even with the "backdoor" open, it will consume over 300
watts to power a 1.5 watt interface. This along with the noise reduc-
tion (it doesn't make any noise until you need to print) and not one
problem at all since I owned it make it a *must* for anyone with the
Atari laser....and it is only $30 and about an hour to install.
The address is:
Widgets by Decker
2399 SW Palisades Crest Dr.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034 USA
Phone (503) 638-3940
----------------
Comments about the CDAR504 CD ROM from Bob Brodie (Atari) - Cat. 14,
Topic 28, Msg. 166 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
The information that you got off of UseNet regarding the CDAR504 is
wrong. One of the better titles for the CD504 is a Music Education
disk, called SoundScope. It comes from Australia, and plays all types
of music via the CDAR's audio. The examples of classical music t
hat
they have are very nice in particular, especially with a good set of
speakers hooked up.
The CDAR handles ISO9600 and High Sierra format CD roms. Some of the
Mac roms are now using a different format. The CD ROM/Multimedia
conferences seem unable/unwilling to settle on a single format, :-(
Yes, it runs fine with a TT. Among the roms that are more useful for
people (maybe more compelling is a better expression) is the Soft
Logik font CD, that provides hundreds (thousands?) of fonts for use
with PageStream. MetaDOS is supplied with that rom.
----------------
Discussion about how to make for foreign shareware payments - Cat. 2,
Topic 48, Msgs 1-11 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
Question from CHAZ...
How would I make a check out for a 10 pound shareware payment? Do I
write out "ten pounds" and have the bank convert it? I'd like to send
a payment off for Multi Language but haven't purchased anything from a
foreign country before.
Answer from Dorothy Brumleve (Kidprgs)...
Chaz, the personal checks you write must be in $. To send money in
foreign currency, you can ask your bank to write a bankcheck in that
currency or you can send -- shudder -- cash. As there is often a fee
for the former, I tend to do the latter on occassion. You don't need
to have cash in the foreign denomination; typically, it'll be much
easier for the recipient to cash your US$20 bill (or any other
currency) than it is for we land-locked North Americans to find a
currency exchange. So now and then I send a $10 or $20 in the mail --
and now and then I receive such. The mail _could_ go astray, but...
Comments from Darlah (RT Sysop)...
Most large cites have foreign currency exchange houses. they charge a
fee. I can go to downtown Toronto and find NUMEROUS ones. They also
compete over the rate but not to a great degree.
Comments from Frank Bell...
I would recommend a Postal Money Order made out in Dollars. If the
shareware author is asking 10Pounds, for example, send him $20.00. I
your real nice, and you really like the program, send him $25.00 - he
will incure bank changes in cashing your Money Order and might even
have to wait a few days for his money - I think its only fair.
If your shareware author offers updates, maybe you could even up it to
$30.00 and pay his return postage. Postage rates are higher in Europe
while Air Mail is out of this world.
If you send cash then please insure the letter or at least send it
registered.
P.S. In Europe, when we send checks (EuroChecks), the checks are made
out in the _other_ country's currency (the receiveing country). Other-
wise every bank that handles the checks pulls off an exchange expense
of a few percent along with normal handling charces.
Another question from CHAZ...
Thanks for the info - what would 10 pounds be in US dollars,
approximately?
Answer from N.STEEL...
At the moment it's about 1.7 dollars to the pound, but that changes
daily.
If you send twice a many dollars, that will cover the cost of
exchange, but leave little for any extra support.
----------------
Comments from Clay Walnum - Cat. 3, Topic 19, Msg. 36 - from the ST
Roundtable on Genie...
You can order THE ST ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP, VOLUME 1 from...
Taylor Ridge Books
P.O. Box 78
Manchester, CT 06045
The phone is (203) 643-9673
We take checks, money orders, MasterCard, Visa, and can even do COD,
although that costs extra. If you like, I can take a credit number
from you in email and get the book off to you almost instantly. The
book is $24.95 plus $3 shipping.
By the way, big bookstores won't carry Atari books anymore, since the
audience for them is so small.
----------------
From STACE - Cat. 4, Topic 44, Msg. 104 - from the ST Roundtable on
Genie...
Latest news on 68030/68882 pricing..!!!
I haven't confirmed this myself (yet) but I've had two people tell me
now that they've been able to purchase *50mhz* 68030 AND 68882 for
UNDER $200 from Hi Tech (805-966-5454). Further, I've seen a few local
places that have 80ns 1meg SIMMs as low as $30 each!. Wow!! This
030'ing is getting cheaper all the time! :-)
Imagine...SST bare board $599
50mhz 68030 $130
4 1meg SIMMs $120
----
$849
Pop in a 40mhz oscillator and for $849 you can have one SCREAMING '030
system that is also ADDING 4 megs (or, if you prefer, 8 megs) of
MEMORY to your ST system! Throw in another $60 for that 50mhz 68882
and you are still barely over $900 for a real HOT setup.
Now...hypothetically speaking...I understand that there may be another
company's product out there that is going for $898 when equiped with a
68882. Again, hypothetically speaking, doesn't it seem well worth it
to spend an additional $11 ($909 vs $898) for *4* megs of additional
memory for you ST? *4* megs of 32-bit wide ultra-high-speed FASTRAM?
Again...I would recommend that you confirm the availability of the 030
and 882...but I was told $190 for the PAIR is the going rate at Hi-
Tech!
Gee...I wonder what's going to happen when SST bare board finally show
up on the dealer's shelves. You just KNOW how those dealers like to
discount! :-)
----------------
The life of a developer from David Thompson (JMG) - Cat. 6, Topic 32,
Msg. 125 - from the ST Roundtable on Genie...
Who ever said the life of a developer is dull...
Let me tell you all a story of a man named Jed.... Ooops, I was just
gonna tell you about my day today. Starts out very typically... Up
last night till about 6 a.m. working on the new manual and doing some
quotes for the store and other administrative STuff (George was up
almost as late working on the final touches to version 2.0)
Of course the phone starts ringing around 9:30 a.m. with people trying
to sell me duct cleaning (the ducts in my house for those with gutter-
snipe like minds :-) Get off the phone with them and get back in
bed... Sleep for 15 minutes before another call. This time it is one
of those automated sales pitches so I don't even get the pleasure of
hanging up on a human.
BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER!
Got up around 11 a.m. and staggered down to the kitchen to get COFFEE!
Thens it down to the basement to get back to work on the manual and
other things. Today it was the ever exciting taking screen shots of
the program to import into Pagestream. Took a call from Atari Canada
(they're trying to get our store to buy their MSDOS Notebook. Geez,
wish they'd get their ST Book out!)
Then took a couple of calls from the store regarding problems that had
come up, and then took a call from the store about a Mr. Mike Staple-
hurst who had called regarding HyperLINK. (Ah, Finally a tie to this
category!)
DON'T GO AWAY YET, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING!
Turns out the Mike (actually Mick) is from London and is in Hamilton,
Ontario for the day and had heard about our product. Whatcha doin in
town? (Asked much more formally) Mick is one of the sound guys with
Dire Straights who were in town for a concert tonight. Hmmm, finally I
seem to be getting to the point! Anyways, he can't get away from the
Colliseum to come up and look at the product, and right after the show
they're tearing down and moving off to Toronto, so how about you come
down to the concert (free tickets left at the box office) and show me
the product before the show.
One thing leads to another (ie. Clearance from the wife to go without
her, after all, she is seven months pregnant) and George and I are off
to the concert. Free tickets and Backstage Passes later we get shown
into Mick's office... Below the stage! (Sign above the entrance
"Kingdom of the Dwarfs" and my back can vouch for the reality of this)
Take Mick through the various aspects of HyperLINK for about half an
hour and then it's back to our seats for the show.
The show was great!!! We didn't meet Mark Knoppfler - I haven't a clue
if thats close to the spelling of his last name, but what do you
expect (a little loud for my current tastes, just in volume,
definitely not in content... I must be getting old!) And now we get
the status of having HyperLINK being used by a Roady who only last
year was head of the Iron Maiden Computer Club. According to Mick, 3
ST's, 1 PC, and 1 {spit} Amiga! His words and spittle, not mine :-)
The moral of the story... Go out and become an Atari developer, even
though you might not ever get rich, you might get free Dire Straights
tickets!
----------------
Until next week.....
______________________________________________________________
> POWERNET STR InfoFile POWERNET by POWERPOINT SOFTWARE!
=====================
PRESS RELEASE FROM CHRIS LATHAM,
AUTHOR OF UIS 3.1 AND UNIVERSAL NETWORK
UNIVERSAL ITEM SELECTOR AUTHOR FORMS NEW COMPANY
Chris Latham, author and designer of the popular Universal Item
Selector and Universal Network utilities for the Atari ST, announced his
complete separation from Application & Design Software (A & D), the
publishers of the software. Latham states, that as holder of the
copyright on the software code, he will no longer provide any support
for, or upgrades to, the two products. At the same time, Latham
announced the birth of his own software publishing venture, PowerPoint
Software.
The first product from his new company is PowerNet, billed as the most
powerful networking system to date for the Atari ST/TT line of computers.
The system allows you to share hard disk drives or any other peripherals
and access them as easily as selecting a file from your file selector.
PowerNet works with Midi, LanTech LT101 and LT201 cartridges as well as
the Mega STE/TT Local Talk ports.
To introduce the new product, Latham is offering a special limited
'trade-in' for registered owners of Universal Network or SGS Net network
software. The special upgrade plan offers a complete 2 - Node 'Starter
Set' of PowerNet for 50% OFF of the regular $99 price for this package.
To participate, owners of the products must send in their FORMATTED
Original Master Program Disks along with their checks for $49.50 (plus
$5 S&H). Additional Nodes are available for $55 each; Midi connector
boxes for $20 each; Local Talk connector boxes for $25 each; and a
special 'Midi 2-Node Package' (complete with 2 connector boxes) for $120
($20 savings).
For further information, contact:
Chris Latham
PowerPoint Software
P.O. Box 942
Merlin, Oregon 97532
503-479-6635.
__________________________________________________________
> LEXICOR PHASE IV STR Review Chronos 3D Key Frame Animator
===========================
Lexicor Phase IV
Chronos 3D Key Frame Animator
and
Prism Paint
by Clifton Willard
Well it arrived and I opened it with mixed hopes and fears. To some
extent, the Phase IV series from Lexicor will make or break the ST/TT
graphics performance in the near future anyway. There has been a lot of
speculation over the last year about the future of the ST and about the
graphics programs promised by Lexicor. There have been no new graphics
programs for the ST or in the Atari platform for some time and the old
stuff was getting very old very fast. Other platforms were emerging with
new and powerful graphics programs that were becoming more and more
attractive to Atari owners who wanted to upgrade, myself included. The
Cyber series just doesn't cut it any more. The competition was crawling
all over Atari until now that is. I received Prism Paint and Chronos 3D
together and with great excitement. I loaded first one and then the other
and browsed around. Since Chronos 3D is the more significant program, I
will review it first.
FIRST CLASS MANUAL
It is not my intention to rewrite the manual but to review the
program. The manual is first class and provides all the information one
needs to adequately operate the program after a short period of time. The
beginner has not been left out of the picture as is often true in less
considerate manuals. The first four chapters are devoted to the beginner
and include everything from pointing and clicking the mouse to how to use
dialogue boxes to loading objects and running animations. I have never
seen such a thorough job of explanation before in any manual. This is
definitely a big plus for the person who wants to get into 3D animation
but doesn't think s/he can. In Chronos 3D you can, I promise. The length
of time it actually takes you to create your first 3D space saga will
depend on your experience. Once the beginner is brought up to par with
the more experienced users, the manual enables everyone to comfortably and
easily learn the basics of key frame animation. The manual is very well
organized and is easy to get around. The binder is one of those D type
that I personally find difficult. I changed to a regular binder and put
the index in the front of the manual. It is easier to get to if it is in
the front of the book and I need to get to it a often.
The explanations are clear. There are a few mistakes in the tutorials
but they are in the objects provided, not in the manual. I understand
that they will soon or have already been fixed. In one tutorial when you
load the plane into the program, it is not in the position the manual says
it is. In another, the walking man does not have his arms attached to his
body. You can use your head though and make the minor adjustments. I
mention them only so that if you get the program and come across them you
will know what the problem is. These are very minor and I found no other
problems in the tutorials.
KEY FRAME?
The program is "Key Frame" animation. Key frame animation is the
animation production style of the professionals like those at Disney. The
master animator creates the first and last frame of a motion and the
assistant animators create the "inbetween" frames. This is where the term
tweening comes from. In the case of Chronos 3D, you are the master
animator and the program acts as your perfect assistant and does all of
your tweening. You create the key frames that contain the beginning and
ending of your object's changing movement. You then decide how many
frames you want to be inbetween and Chronos 3D provides them by generating
the splines between the two positions. This is key frame animation.
One of the main advantages of this type of animation is that the
animator does not need to know any programming at all. In the past on the
Atari, you had to know a basic like programming language to program Cyber
Control and create 3D animations from within CAD 3D Studio. Chronos 3D
replaces both programs and enables you to do more because you do not need
to know programing to accomplish the movement.
NO PROGRAMMING NEEDED
Chronos is an intuitive program and in a way is the opposite end of
the spectrum from Cyber Control or ST Control. In both those programs you
used numbers, mathematical expressions, and numerical positions in space
to create your object movement. In Chronos 3D, you use a mouse and point
and click. It is important to realize that this is a different style of
thinking. I found that I had to learn to think differently about
animation in Chronos. You can't easily use numbers to create the perfect
circular or perfect spiraling movement. At first I found this very
frustrating. With practice I became more comfortable with this free hand
style and now I find it liberating. For alignment purposes, Chronos 3D
provides a grid that is adjustable. You can set this grid and position
your objects using the grid as a guide. An artist that is gifted in
visualizing spacial relationships correctly will have no trouble with this
concept. Though I am good at it now, I miss the access to the numbers.
One problem with the lack of numbers is that you do not know where your
object has been moved. Every time you call up the "explicit" dialogue
box, used to enter exact numbers, it shows zero (0). If you have rotated
an object several times or even once, there is no way to know how far you
have rotated that object up to that point. If you make a mistake in one
of your key frames, you must click on each one and visually determine
which one has the error and then judge the correction needed. This is
frustrating and at times difficult to deal with. I do find this a
drawback to the program. I understand however that there is some interest
in doing something about providing a history for either each key frame or
object. This might be in the form of an Desk Accessory.
There is one feature however that is great help in the number problem
and that is a feature called trace. If you click on an object and then
click on trace, the program will generate a thread like line showing the
movement of that object from the beginning of your motion to the end.
This is wonderful and with a little practice you find that you can do
quite will without the numbers.
OPEN TYPE PROGRAM
It is appropriate at this point to explain that this program and
series for that matter may be considered a shell type program. Independent
programers can and are encouraged to develop modules or utilities that
provide additional power to the programs. This is a real plus for the
series. Interested programers should contact Lee Seiler at Lexicor.
The desktop of the program provides easy access to all of the
features, dialogues and sub menus of the program. There are also key
board equivalents to most of the features, menus and dialogues. I can't
stress enough how powerful this program is and the variety of things it
can do. Though I can't cover all of the assets of this program I will try
to cover most of the main features that give it it's power.
First let me state that there are no limits to the number of objects
of the number of points in each object as in the Cyber series. The only
restriction is your computer memory. There is also no restriction as the
length of your animation. This is also dictated by your hardware and
memory. Also chronos 3D will load any 3D object form the Cyber series
including Cyber Texture objects.
TIMELINES AND RAILROAD TRACKS
Chronos 3D uses what are called timelines to record the motion of an
object. You can think of a time line as a railroad track and the object
as a single railroad engine with no cars following. The idea is that you
draw the tracks any way you want and the train engine will follow them
just like a real train. If you can lay out model train tracks on your
living room floor then you can animate with Chronos 3D. You lay the tracks
in chronos 3D by moving the object with the mouse. You decide how long the
track will be by adding sections to the track. In Chronos 3D, these
sectioned are called frames. If you want your object or engine to take a
long time to go from point A to point B, you add a lot of sections to the
track or in Chronos 3D, you add frames. This metaphor will hopefully help
you understand the concept of time lines.
One of the unique features of Chronos 3D is that you can copy these
time lines and apply them to other objects. You can make a copy of the
tracks and put another engine on them. You can also copy any part of the
track and put any engine on it you want. The limits are your imagination.
To take this metaphor a little further, Chronos 3D will let you do
different things to your engine as it travels along it's track. The
engine or object can get bigger, smaller, wider, narrower, taller,
shorter, longer, turn in any direction or combination of directions with
just a click or two with the mouse. Also Chronos 3D has no limit on the
number of tracks or engines, time lines or objects. In addition to moving
engines, you can move the camera and any or all of spot lights or point
source lights. The tracks, time lines hold everything together. You can
cut and paste tracks/time lines the same way you cut and paste clip
buffers in drawing programs. It is no more difficult then that.
NO NEED FOR HIERARCHY, JUST CYCLE
Another feature that really sets Chronos apart from other 3D animation
programs is a feature called cycling. Cycling is sort of like changing
engines several times as it travels down the track. The tutorial in the
manual is as good example as any I could think of for demonstrating this
concept. There are 15 different variations of the same object that you
load in as one object. In this case the object is a walking man. Each
variation is a different position in the total walking motion. You load
each into the cycling feature in a specific order. The cycling feature
then plays them in the order in which you entered them. The feature
cycles through the objects and the result is motion or in this case a man
walking. It is very impressive and very simple. As a comparison, in CAD
3D and Cyber Control you had to develop a hierarchy of objects and then
move this hierarchy and it's parts individually. It was complicated and
difficult for those of us who are not experienced programmers. In Chronos
3D, this same effect is accomplished easily and simply with no
programming. All you really do is to load the objects in the sequence
you want them to be played. This is really nice. You create the different
variation of the objects in Cyber Sculpt or Dynacadd if you are really
serious and load them into Chronos 3D. This is a powerful feature and
enables anyone to easily create movement that before has been restricted
to the pros.
There is an undocumented variation of this feature call object
instancing. Essentially you create several different variations of a
single object cycle. Chronos 3D does not use the actual loaded object as
the object manipulated in the program. chronos 3D makes copies of the
loaded objects and uses them for the movement. Using different first
objects in the cycling feature, you can have as many copies of the cycle
as you want. I created an army of walking men using this technique. I
used a through away object, (box1, box2, box3, ...) as my through away
objects. I then varied the starting object. In the first man I used box1
and man01, man02,... In the next I used box2, man04, man05,... You must
complete the cycle so that in the second man, the last man loaded into the
cycling feature was man03. You hide the through away object box1,
box2,... and record your animation. It is very powerful. Do the
tutorial in the manual and then try this instancing.
TURN A MAN INTO A BIRD AND FLY AWAY
Another feature that is part of the cycling feature is morphing.
Morphing comes from metamorphing meaning changing completely from one form
to another. This powerful technique is also very simple. You create an
object in CyberSculpt and save it. You then change that same object into
another from using the editor and the listed tools. You then save that
object and quit. In Chronos 3D, you load each object, and in the cycle
feature you load the first object into the morph box and then click the
number of frames you want the change to take place over and load in the
second object. Go to preview and check it out! Using this feature, you
could turn a man into a bird and have him fly away right in front of your
eyes and dazzle every one even yourself. These two features, cycling and
morphing are worth the price of the program alone.
THE CAMERA TRACKS AUTOMATICALLY
The camera in Chronos 3D is no less powerful then the other features.
Keep in mind that many of the greatest films in history were shot with one
camera and many still are. You can move the camera in any position you
want and save that position for future use. These saved positions are
called tripods and you can save up to 8 of them in any one film. There is
one exciting feature in Chronos 3D that really makes complicated things
easy and the amateur look professional and that is tracking. You can
easily with just a few clicks of the mouse have the camera track a moving
object. This is very nice. This tracking feature can be used with
anything. You can have objects track each other and start the tracking at
any point in the track/timeline you want. You could have a ball come into
the camera view and then have the camera follow/track the ball until it
hits the window pane and breaks it into a thousand pieces. You can also
track an object with the spot light. It is a nice feature.
Not only can you move and manipulate objects in Chronos 3D but you can
also determine how the object looks and the degree of its visibility. In
the appearance menu you can choose from three styles of shading; Flat,
Gouraud and Phong. In Flat shading, each triangle is shaded individually.
Gouraud on the other hand calculates how light affects each point or
corner of a triangle and then dithers and blends the color of these points
toward the center of the triangle. Phong shades each pixel in each face.
You can also choose the dithering style you want. None means that
only solid colors are used in the rendering. Fixed means that the dither
patterns are the same from frame to frame. Random means that the dither
patterns vary randomly from one frame to the next. This latter mode
creates a nice glittering effect and adds to the sense of movement in
space of an object.
You can even decide if you want the faces to be blended together
giving a smoother object. This can really make a round object look really
round without those face edges that are so telltale of low rez and 16
colors.
Each object in your animation can be treated independently of other
objects in these appearance modes. One object might be flat shaded but
another may be Phong shaded in the same animation. This feature can among
other things help distinguish objects from one another and create effects
not otherwise possible.
FADE IN, FADE OUT
Another powerful feature is called visibility. This feature has to do
with the how visible an object is in any given frames. 100 percent
visibility means that the object is fully rendered. 50 percent means
that 50 percent of the object is transparent and 0 visibility means that
the object is invisible in the animation. This visibility can be tweened
over any number of frames creating a fading in or out effect. Using around
50 percent visibility can give an object a transparent look like glass or
fog or water. Objects can come and go within an animation or the whole
animation can fade in or out. Again as in so many of the features of
Chronos 3D, the only limits are your imagination and your hardware.
CHRONOS 3D IS FIRST CLASS
It must be apparent by now that I think Chronos 3D is a first class,
simple to use, 3D object animator. It must be kept in mind however, no
matter how good a 3D animation program is, there is no substitute for
pre-planning your animations. Should you purchase Chronos 3D and I
strongly recommend that you do, read the manual and methodically do the
tutorials. Then decide to create a simple animation of your own and do it
in chronos 3D. It is the best way to learn the program. This is a
powerful program and one needs to approach it purpose and forethought
(pre-planning). Chronos 3D does not create objects nor does it tell you
where to move them. If you really want to create good animations and
learn to be comfortable with chronos 3D, you must pre-plan. Get a piece
of paper and make some sketched ideas of what you want to happen to those
objects of yours. Think it through first. Have some idea of where you
are going and then use Chronos 3D to get you there and always reserve the
right to change your mind. That is your part. There is help though.
Unlike any other company that I have known about in the Atari platform,
Lexicor is providing classes on Compuserve to teach you how to use their
series to create your prize winning animation <no grin>. These classes if
you will include everything you ever wanted to know about and be able to
do in 3D animation. Lee Seiler is an accomplished artist and is in a
position to really help anyone from the novice to the expert with these
classes. Though I have been doing 3D animation for a few years now, I plan
on attending every class and do every homework assignment. That's right
homework assignment. These classes provide an opportunity to learn how
to do this stuff. I know of no better way. It seems to me the ultimate
educational opportunity for "Chronies" <grin> both new and old. The
syllabus is now on Compuserve and I suggest that you look it over. If
you do not have a modem or are not a member of Compuserve then get it
from someone who is.
Nothing is perfect and Phase-4 is no exception. Keep in mind that
chronos 3D is only one of several parts to a complete graphics animation
package for the Atari ST and TT. As I said in the beginning of this
review I received both Chronos 3D and Prism Paint, the first two parts of
the Phase-4 series. Chronos 3D no doubt is a first rate program but Prism
Paint falls short of the power that you would expect from the developers
of Chronos 3D.
PRISM PAINT DISAPPOINTING
I believe that part of my disappointment in Prism Paint was my
expectation that it would be an update/upgrade to CyberPaint. It is not
and does not even come close. With a few differences, Prism Paint is on
a par with Degas Elite. Prism Paint is a first rate basic drawing
program that was created as a tool to touch up Chronos 3D animations. In
addition to standard brushes, boxes, circles, rectangles, lines, rays,
k-lines spray, draw, you can have unlimited frames and splined curves and
it runs in all ST and TT resolutions. It will also run is the 24 bit
color board rez of 512 X 512 with some 262 thousand colors on the screen
at once out of a pallet of 16 million. For single pictures this is a
great program. Slides and other graphic stills can be created easily and
comfortably. But that's all. There is no tweening, no pixel effects, no
font importation, no ADO, no bluing, and so forth. Because of this there
is no way to create a traveling background or any background for that
matter for your Chronos 3D animations in full TT resolutions. You can
load Chronos 3D DTL files into CyberPaint but that limits you to
CyberPaints resolutions. I may be the exception but I used Cyber
Control/CAD 3D2 in conjunction with CyberPaint to create complete
animations. My expectation was that PrismPaint would enable me to
continue this combination of 2D backgrounds, mats and tweened touch-ups
and 3D object animations. Not so at this time anyway. I would not
however let this prevent me from using Chronos 3D. I have a feeling that
this situation will not last too long. The need and demand are there,
either Lexicor or some other developer will fill the gap. There are
several programs that could be updated to surpass CyberPaint including
Prism Paint. I think that the idea is that users expect that new programs
will be upgrades of existing programs. This is not the case with Prism
Paint.
OPINION
As should be apparent from the review I could not recommend Chronos 3D
more. It is a first rate program with few flaws. I would like to see a
history system for object movement to help hone the movements. I
understand that there is an anti-alias feature and a spot shadow feature
in the currant release update but I have not received the update yet so I
cannot comment. Chronos 3D comes with a key that you must plug into the
printer or serial port of the computer for the program to work. There are
many who might complain about this security device but I am not one of
them. would rather have a security device and the program then no
program. Giving a program to your buddy or pirating programs can kill
the company that brought you that program. These developers are not
multi-billion or even multi-million dollar concerns. They are people like
you and me and they work hard and invest a great deal so that we can have
programs of Chronos 3D's quality. It would be foolish not to protect the
investment. Enough said about the security device.
I also recommend prism paint. Though it is a basic program, it is the
only one that will take full advantage of the resolutions of the TT and
the new resolutions of the new 24 bit color boards. You do need it for
touching up Chronos 3d animations even if you have to do the touch up one
frame at a time. Both programs are well worth the expense and Lexicor
seems to be putting the Atari ahead of the other guys. The support that
Lee Seilor is giving on Comp-u-serve is unprecedented and should be taken
advantage of by anyone the least bit interested in computer graphics.
The ability to easily put graphics on video with the new 24 bit color
boards lets desktop video "chronies" almost compete with the big boys with
an ST. Keep in mind that the phase-4 series works on the ST as well as
the TT. The cost of the series is small in comparison to the increase in
quality. I look forward to seeing the other programs in the series and
also in getting my 24 bit color board.
____________________________________________________________
> STR Portfolio News & Information Keeping up to date...
================================
THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM
=========================
On CompuServe
by Judith Hamner 72257,271
WTP700.BAS is a PBASIC program that will convert Wizard telephone
files to Portfolio .adr format. This will be welcome for users of both
machines. Thanks to Tony Davids for a useful upload. The code should
also be easily converted for use with other Basic's. PBASIC is available
in the forum library.
Don Thomas has several new entries in his series of graphics files of
corporate logos. REVLON.PGC is the Revlon Cosmetics logo. PGSHOW is
required to view .PGC files. BBUY.ZIP contains an animation of the Best
Buy logo. IBM.ZIP is an animation of the IBM logo. WINTEK.ZIP contains
an animation of the Wintek logo along with some .PGC images. TAF.ZIP
contains several .PGC screens of the Toronto Atari Federation in honor of
their upcoming ACE '92 show. All of the animation files will run
standalone.
SECURE.ZIP is an animation routine for those worried about losing
their Portfolio. Put it in your autoexec.bat to get a laugh at the
expense of those who dare try to use your machine. LOST.ZIP is another
humorous animation to try to help find lost Portfolios. It will encourage
the finder to return it to you.
David Stewart has good news for those who have trouble deciding which
.PGC screens to take along on their ram card. PGCVIE.ZIP is a Windows 3.0
program to view .PGC files on your desktop computer. David has also
uploaded some .PGC files of his own. RECYCL.PGC is a graphic of the
recycling symbol. If you've been curious, DAVE.PGC contains a picture of
Dave himself. This file demonstrates what is possible with inexpensive
equipment. You might even decide to have the Portfolio boot with your own
picture.
_______________________________________________________________
> ARCHIVERS! STR Spotlight "...a brief over-view.."
========================
One Man's Opinions
==================
by Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
Senior Staff Editor
This article is meant to be a brief over-view of the four major
compression programs in the ST market; ARC602 (shareware from Darin
Wayrnen), STZIP1.1 (Postcardware from Vince Pomey), ZOO2.1 (author
unknown), and LZH201 (shareware from Thomas Quester).
All of the programs were used with a shell (in my opinion, without a
shell available, the .TTP extension means Trash This Program). Charles
Johnson's ARCShell 3.1 (shareware from Little Green Footballs) was used
with ARC602 and LZH201. ZOOShell .06b (freeware from Steve Yelvington)
was used with ZOO2.1. STZIP1.1 comes with its own shell. (BTW, you have
sent in your shareware payments haven't you?) Now on with the overview...
Due to some incompatibility problems between DCSea and TOS 2.05 >, in
the last few months I have been forced to use ARC602, LZH201, STZIP1.1 and
ZOO2.1 files in my PD Watch disks for ST Informer. (Sometime one
compression method with work with DCSea where another one will not.) So I
have gotten fairly used to the idiosyncrasies of all four formats.
LZH201, ZOO201 and STZIP1.1 _can_ all create a file that is relatively
close in size (within 500 bytes on an average 30-60k file), so created
file size isn't that important of a consideration between the three. All
four handle folders, so that is also a tossup between them.
ARC602
------
Probably the most compatible between various systems. Also the one
that most ST owners have. It's 99% backward compatible with older Arc'ed
files. It has the worst compression of all four - sometimes making a file
that is 50% larger than any of the other three. This might not seem like
much until you start working with 100-400k files (which are not the
exception anymore). It is also the slowest compressing and decompressing
of all four.
STZIP1.1
--------
Probably the fastest in compression of all four. However the current
version's still buggy and can create files that are considerably larger
than they should be. Sometimes you have to manually go through each file
in an archive and compress each one in different modes to get the file as
small as it should be (this is important to me because I want the files on
my PD Watch disk to be as small as possible so I can get as many files on
each disk as possible).
The shell is nice but limited (the author doesn't seem to realize
there are people that have partitions greater than drive L). Also, I have
had to reset my system several times once I exit from the shell as my
system has frozen up after using it. The program/shell has great potential
- but it is "not there yet".
ZOO
---
The slowest in compression among ZIP/ZOO/LZH. As I noted earlier, it
does create as small of a file as the other two. However, I've seen no
viable reason for the average ST user to use ZOO. It doesn't do anything
that STZIP1.1 or LZH doesn't already do...and do faster. I understand it
does have some commands that LZH doesn't have (I don't know about
STZIP1.1) but I don't think they are commands that the average ST user
would miss (I know I don't).
ZOOShell .60b is nice and complete. It is fully GEM with drop down
windows and on-line help screens and the author should be commended for
making it easy to use but still powerful.
LZH201
------
Not as fast compressing files as STZIP but faster than almost anything
else in the ST market. From what I've seen on the major on-line services
and private Bbss that I'm on, LZH201 is rapidly becoming, if not the
defacto standard for the ST, at least the second standard. Next to ARC,
probably most ST owners have a copy of this program on their systems.
It's 99% compatible with the older LZH'ed files (XLHARC files are the
exception, but they're also the exception to most other LZH programs).
When it comes to de-compressing files, it is a tossup whether STZIP or
LZH201 is faster. If STZip is faster, it is by a negligible amount. The
author is constantly upgrading the program and its speed (sometimes too
often...IMO). If you don't want your LZH'ed files in 201 format, LZH201
has the ability to switch back into Level 1 mode (which is needed with
DCSea). One thing I don't like is that only one version out of five
(approx.) has been translated into English before it reaches the US
shores. While this isn't that important (if you use ARCShell 3.1), I do
like my programs to be in English if possible.
However, to be completely fair, I feel the only reason it's as usable
as it is because of Charles Johnson's ARCShell 3.1. Before ARCShell 3.1
came along, I would not use LZH201 because it was too command
incompatible with the older versions of LZH and ARCShell. However, with
the introduction of ARCShell 3.1, it has made using LZH201 and getting to
all of it power a breeze.
In summation, when you combine LZH201 and ARC602 with Charles
Johnsons' ARCShell 3.1, you have an awesome triad that can handle 98%+ of
all ST files that the average ST owner will run into.
No matter how good STZIP1.1 and/or ZOO2.1/ZOOShell60b are, you still
have to own a LZH pro-gram and an ARC program of some kind (and probably
ARCShell 3.1) as the vast majority of the ST files come in one of those
two formats. Since neither ZOO or ZIP give many (if any) advantages over
LZH201 in features that the normal ST owner will use and need, I feel that
all they do is 'muddy the water' - make a user have to have more
compression programs on their drives in order to be compatible.
Of course, there are users who have to be ZOO or ZIP compatible due to
types of files they handle (UNIX) or who need some particular feature of
one of these two programs. But I feel these are the exception and not the
rule.
Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
Staff Editor for ST Report
Editor Note:
Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr. is a long time staff editor for ST Report but also
has produced the PD Watch Disk for ST Informer for the last 3 1/2 years
under the ED OTEY pseudonym.
__________________________________________________________
> CeBIT 1992 STR INTERNATIONAL HOTLINE CeBIT 1992 in Hannover, Germany
====================================
-** EXCLUSIVE EYEWITNESS REPORT! **-
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Before leaving Karlsruhe for a little vacation in Paris tonight I
finally managed to write a little CeBIT report for STReport and meSSAGes.
As usual, please correct my typos and my style. I know it's not as good
as it used to be, but I haven't had too many chances to speak English
lately, and also I'm in kind of a hurry (a train is not waiting...)
===============================
CeBIT 1992 in Hannover, Germany
===============================
by Oliver Steinmeier
New records concerning the number of visitors and exhibitors were
reported from Hannover, where the world's largest computer fair took place
from March 11 - 18. To give you an impression of how big this show is let
me just list some figures: 500,000 visitors, 5,000 exhibitors from 40
countries, 20 huge fair halls.
Of course, Atari had its traditional booth in Hall 7 where Atari
itself and about 50 developers showed their (new) products for the ST/TT
and Portfolio. As expected, the booth was crowded by people of all ages
all the time; and it sure was a pretty stressful time for everybody
working there. Answering the same questions over and over again must be
pretty boring ("No, this program won't be available before May...").
The most important news from the Atari booth in my eyes was something
that couldn't be seen there. I'm talking about the fact that NO NEW
MACHINES WERE SHOWN THERE, at least NOT TO THE PUBLIC. A couple of ST
Books were shown, lots of STEs and TTs could be seen, but no Falcons, no
Sparrows and no Turkey...
Instead of showing new hardware, Atari surprised the visitors with the
first presentation of the new MultiTOS that is based on MiNT, looked
pretty good to me, and will be available for all STs and TTs. The
average user, however, will have to wait a couple of months before he/she
can start a compiler in the background while editing the source file.
Atari says that MultiTOS will not be available before fall. Hopefully,
this year's fall... MultiTOS does not restrict the number of processes
running simultaneously. The only limitation is the size of the Atari's
memory. When running on the TT, MultiTOS makes use of the MMU to protect
programs against each other.
Atari's second new product is ATARI UNIX which is now available for
the TT. According to a demo shown on the ST Books, Atari's smallest ST
will finally be available here in April. The STylus, the sensation of
last year's CeBIT, wasn't shown, and I didn't hear anything about it.
Independent developers showed a variety of new software. Application
Systems unveiled 'PURE PASCAL', developed by the same people who already
gave us 'Pure C'. 'Pure Pascal' is said to be compatible to Turbo Pascal
on MS-DOS platforms; and although this is hard to believe, a friend of
mine who got a demo version said that it is even faster than Pure C. The
price for Pure Pascal is 398 marks ($240).
Maxon announced a new version of MultiGEM called MultiGEM II. The
limit of six parallel processes has been removed. Also from Maxon is
MultiTeX, a new TeX implementation that kicks in some kind of
multi-tasking which allows you to edit a file while printing a DVI file,
for example.
Bela is offering another multi-tasking extension for TOS called
'MAG!X' (pronounced 'Magics') which, according to Bela, is available right
after the fair. It looked pretty good to me. 16 simultaneously running
programs with a maximum of 16 windows, new GUI, new desktop and a price of
only 149 marks ($90) are the most important facts about 'Mag!x'.
A new word processor called 'PAPYRUS' is hitting the market, the
program will have to prove that it's worth 298 marks ($180).
The German version of DataDiet was shown for the first time and caught
a lot of interest. Artifex also presented the new desktop replacement,
called 'EASE'.
And now the latest news about Atari's top secret project called
'FALCON 030': All I know about it comes from a pamphlet called "Inside
Falcon 030 - The official non-technical report", which according to the
subtitle is covered by a non-disclosure agreement. But since I didn't
sign anything... A kind developer let me have a brief look into the
document, and -- except for that cover page, it was just a collection of
blank pages! Rumors say that a German software developer played this hoax
on Atari.
The German Atari magazine 'Atari Journal' covered the show in special
editions every day. These were produced live at the Atari booth in a
special DTP center. Visitors were able to see the entire process of
making a magazine. Everything from writing the articles to printing the
magazine was done in public.
What else was there to be seen in Hannover? Of course, lots of other
products for the ST that I missed seeing or wasn't interested in. MS DOS
book computers with color displays were presented by many PC companies,
with prices around 12,000 marks ($7,200).
Apple, of course, featured the MacIntosh PowerBooks, and gave away 10
'PowerBook 100' computers in a lottery every day (still waiting for my
prize...). The smallest PowerBook 100 now costs less than 3000 marks
($1800).
At the Commodore booth the new Amiga 600 was unveiled, a complete
Amiga 500Plus in a case as small as a C64. The Amiga 600HD comes with a
20 Megabyte hard disk installed in that tiny case. The entire thing looks
like a toy, is aimed at the consumer market and supposedly is meant to be
the successor of the meanwhile nearly 10 year old C64. The new machines
will be available right after the show, at least that's what Commodore
said.
One thing I nearly forgot to mention is the new Atari ABC N386SX
notebook, a 80368SX machine (20 MHz) with a 40 or 60 MB hard disk, VGA
graphics and all the other stuff that makes it a typical MS-DOS notebook.
I didn't see it myself, but a CeBIT magazine had a report about it.
If you asked me for a resume I'd say that even though there was no new
hardware. The presentation of MultiTOS at least showed Atari's dedication
to the ST line. Sure, I'd have loved to see a neat new machine, but -- to
be honest -- what does it help us (and Atari) if we know about it and
can't buy it right away? The ST Book was shown in Hannover last year, and
it looked pretty good already, and it, nevertheless, took Atari more than
a year to get it out to the dealers. Atari has to do some improvements to
its development team, other (PC) companies bring out new notebooks twice a
year. But bashing Atari all the time for not shipping a machine that
obviously wasn't ready to be shipped doesn't help to keep the Atari scene
together. One conclusion Atari apparently has drawn from this bashing is
that they won't show anything anymore before its development is nearly
finished. Let's hope they find a way to speed up the development of new
machines...
If you have asked yourself what 'CeBIT' stands for here is the answer:
It's an acronym for:
"Welt-Centrum - Buero, Information, Telekommunikation"
^^ ^ ^ ^
and in English this means:
"World Center - Office, Information, Telecommunications."
Oliver Steinmeier
Atari Journal
Germany
Email: uk14@dkauni2.bitnet
P.S.
A Happy St. Patrick's Day I want to wish you guys over there. Last
year I was able to celebrate it in Miami - with GREEN BEER. Brrr, that's
some of kind of strange drink for a German :-)
____________________________________________________________
> COMPOSCRIPT STR InfoFile "state of the art PostScript interpreter"
========================
CompoScript
===========
Goldleaf Publishing, Inc. is proud to announce the arrival of
CompoScript, the state of the art PostScript interpreter for your Atari
ST/TT.
CompoScript enables you to print PostScript files on non-PostScript
printers. In addition, a PostScript file can be shown on the screen and
there is an option to convert it to a graphic file, so that you can
subsequently import it into a graphics or DTP program which does not
support PostScript.
If you use DTP, Text, CAD, Graphics, Music Notation or Presentation
software, then you will almost certainly benefit from CompoScript. Many
programs can produce PostScript files, and by using CompoScript you know
you will get the best quality possible, both on screen and printer. If you
use programs on other operating systems, such as Macintosh, MS-DOS, Amiga,
or Windows, you can save your files to disk and print them with
CompoScript, providing flexibility and compatibility.
CompoScript obsoletes other PostScript interpreters
with its amazing features :
Compatibility
-------------
A high degree of compatibility means no specialized fonts or
customizing your software for the interpreter;
Flexibility
-----------
CompoScript can be configured to automatically print selected files
without any user input, and automatically delete files after printing.
It can drive your printer directly or through the operating system.
You may configure memory usage and the built-in virtual memory, and
edit resolution for file conversion or screen display; even edit
screen angle and frequency for grey scale output!
Typefaces
---------
CompoScript uses hinted PostScript Type 1 fonts, the highest quality
font format available. It includes the standard 35 font set (designed
by Bitstream) and not only can these fonts be used by other
applications, but any Type 1 font may be used in CompoScript as a
built-in font, simply by telling CompoScript the font location! In
addition, the entire Bitstream Typeface Library of Type 1 fonts is
available - over 1000 fonts!
Screen Preview
--------------
Optionally view your file onscreen, at any resolution up to 600 dpi.
Then press a key to immediately print the file.
File conversion
---------------
Convert PostScript files or clip art to GEM Image (.IMG) or TIFF,
popular file formats supported by almost all applications.
Font Control
------------
Define or edit font aliases for printing files with fonts you don't
own, or for changing font definitions.
Printer Support
---------------
CompoScript supports the following printers :
Atari SLM 804/605 laser printers - Epson, Star, NEC, Panasonic, OKI,
Seikosha & compatible 9 & 24 pin printers - Canon BubbleJet and
compatible bubble jet printers - HP DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, and DeskJet
500 ink jet printers - HP, Epson, NEC and compatible laser printers
CompoScript supports 360x360 dpi printing, data compression, and
unidirectional / bidirectional printing for printers that include
these features.
Price
-----
Despite it's incredible feature list...
CompoScript has a SRP of only $349.95.
CompoScript runs on any Atari ST/STe/TT with at least one megabyte of
memory and a hard disk. For more information, please contact us.
Goldleaf Publishing, Inc.
700 Larkspur Landing Circle Suite 199
Larkspur, California 94939
Tel : 415/257-3515
Fax : 415/454-8106
*** SETTING NEW STANDARDS ***
__________________________________________________________
> SFAN ALIVE & WELL! STR FOCUS "SFAN is starting out on the right foot"
============================
SFAN.. MOVING RIGHT ALONG
=========================
by Kevin Fason
Director of Viewer Relations
The Trimbles have been hinting about new jobs and possible move from
Houston, but we've had to be very secretive about details. Now we can
tell you exactly how thrilled we are to be a part of The Space, Fantasy &
Adventure Network (SFAN)! It is exactly the project that every fan, at
one time or another, has dreamed about; a special television network
especially for the genre.
SFAN is starting out on the right foot: no fancy promises, no
grandiose plans. Just good, solid programming with professional
production crew and businessmen who'll see that we stay on the right track
during the growing pains. SFAN won't have big production shows right
away, but it's a possibility, down the line, if you help SFAN become a
real network.
So what do the Trimbles have to do with SFAN? Well, I'm going to be
<ahem!> Director of Viewer Relations. I'll get _paid_ for what I've been
doing free all these years -- helping people, talking to fans, going to
conventions, writing newsletters! John will be Traffic Control (TV
production title for Tape Librarian) with his own bailiwick; wildlife
posters on the wall and many shelves of old SF movies to care for.
Mike Kelley is an amazing man who makes things happen. He's the SFAN
Founder (read: "dreamer with a goal"), a long-time fan who talks so
convincingly about his ideas that you'll believe in them, too.
Now is the time to make our own specialized network happen. Miss this
chance and fandom may never have another; the industry will just shrug and
turn away from us once more.
We are calling on friends, fans, clubs & newsletters to help in a mail
campaign to support SFAN! Call your friends and pass the news. Remember
the original _Save STAR TREK_ mail campaign? If you were in on it, here's
another chance to make history. If you missed that one, this is an
opportunity to be able to look back, years from now, as you enjoy SFAN and
say, "I was part of making that dream come true!"
Help us make SFAN a reality!
(Just a note...if you will check the January '92 issue of ATARI
EXPLORER and the interview with Walter Koenig, you will find my name.)
Letter from the Founder (me):
Enclosed please find information on The Space, Fantasy & Adventure
Network (SFAN) which we are releasing to fans and interested groups in
advance of our pending nationwide press release. We feel it is vitally
important to give priority to fandom before the news media hears about
SFAN.
We did not wish to live down premature public announcements, so the
difficult task of forming SFAN has been accomplished mainly out of the
public eye. The project moved slowly and steadily through careful
planning and funding projections necessary for a solid business. We have
carefully combined science fiction writers with the scientific community,
celebrities, hard-edged business acumen _AND_ the fan world for an
unbeatable combination of talents to work for SFAN and make it a reality.
The cable and television industry, as well as fandom itself, has been
barraged for several years with conflicting claims and press releases
about an attempt to launch a supposedly similar concept. The result of
this multiple media blitz is a genuine cynicism among cable and
entertainment executives about the viability of any such project.
SFAN can convince these executives that the necessary programming
exists to support our specialized network for many years. However, these
same people need to know that a large audience is impatiently waiting for
SFAN. Fans will have to demonstrate their support for this project to
lend it credibility with the powers that be.
Please pass word to your membership, family, and friends. You are
authorized and encouraged to reprint this information (or the entire
pages) in your newsletters or correspondence, especially the addresses of
the cable multi-system operators (MSOs). Ask everyone to help by writing
letters to the five MSOs at the listed addresses, making known their
wishes for SFAN, a viable Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, and Horror
network. Aim these letters at the MSOs to arrive beginning in mid-to-late
April...but if word is passed to you later, it's _never_ too late to add
your letter to the stacks.
Fans are discerning enough to understand their influence. They were
the determining factor in major national efforts: the SAVE STAR TREK
campaign in 1968, the naming of the first space shuttle, and the saving of
the space program, as well as many regional campaigns. That's why we are
making a direct appeal to fandom.
SFAN cannot happen without its potential viewers: we need you and
your invaluable support. We know that fans, if addressed with the honesty
and respect they deserve, will do whatever is needed to make their dreams
a functioning and successful long-term reality.
Michael Kelley Founder
Just what is the...
SPACE, FANTASY & ADVENTURE NETWORK
and what is it offering you?
The Space, Fantasy & Adventure Network (SFAN) is the first and only
satellite/cable television channel to be developed by a team combining
enough imagination to understand the needs of a specialized audience and
the practical business expertise necessary to make it a viable reality.
Development has happened primarily under wraps so SFAN would not have to
live down unrealistic public promises.
Our special recipe for SFAN: began with Walter "Chekov" Koenig as a
spokesperson and host/producer of a movie/TV oriented talk show, add HIGH
FRONTIER space advocacy group, stir in Atari Computer Corporation, throw
in Bjo Trimble (whose letter-writing campaign saved STAR TREK in 1968:
she afterward worked with Roddenberry), throw in industry development,
executive, marketing, production, and engineering professionals, fold in
a programming content and format _nothing_ like a cross between MTV and
The Disney Channel, spice with our slogan from Arthur C. Clarke ("Science
fiction is the only _genuine_ consciousness- expanding drug!"), and mix
all this in the determined hands of a Science Fiction, Fantasy,
Adventure, and Horror devotee. Combine it all and serve SFAN to an eager
fandom.
At this moment, we are in the final stages of negotiation with other
STAR TREK original cast members. Cooperation from a number of renowned
science fiction and fantasy writer awaits only SFAN's successful
acquisition of funding.
SFAN is in negotiation for funding at this moment and we are taking
this opportunity to give STAR TREK and _other_ enthusiast groups a "sneak
preview" of our existence and forthcoming public announcement and ask for
your support. We need you to help convince the cable industry of the
existing audience and support SFAN
can expect. They only understand the
concrete reality of numbers.
Successful negotiation for funding will enable SFAN to launch promptly
(within six months of funding), but that does not guarantee carriage by
the largest cable multi-system operators (MSOs). The top five MSOs
constitute almost 40% of the nationwide cable systems and are on record as
doubting the audience and availability of programming for a channel like
ours.
Back in 1968, NBC received over one million letters to save STAR TREK
from cancellation after its second season; a half million letters resulted
in naming the Space Shuttle Enterprise; and a half million letters twice
helped save the space program budget. The source for all of these
letter-writing campaigns has been, and continues to be, dedicated fans.
Bjo Trimble was pivotal in all these efforts and, as our Director of
Viewer Relations, has made as our goal delivery of a half million letters
demanding SFAN to each of the top five cable multi-system operators. It
is the sort of reality they understand.
You can make yourself and your friends part of the success of SFAN by
writing to the cable MSOs, proving you do exist and that you demand more
than "The Persian Shopping Channel". However, writing to your local cable
company is a waste of your time and stamps. Your letters serve only to
fill their wastebaskets. You have to hit the cable MSOs at the Executive
level.
The addresses and names of the top five cable MSOs, as well as a
sample letter and Bjo Trimble's revised "How-To", are provided for your
convenience. SFAN looks forward to hearing from you and serving you for
years to come.
Target date for that flood of letters is mid-to-late April, 1992.
It can _only_ happen with you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIVE LARGEST CABLE MULTI-SYSTEM OPERATORS:
#1 Tele-Communications Inc.
John C. Malone, Pres. & CEO
Suite 600
4643 South Ulster Street
Denver, CO 80237
Phone 303-721-5500
#2 (ATC-Warner-Paragon)
American TV & Communications Corp.
Joseph P. Collins, Chmn. & CEO
300 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902-6732
Phone: 203-328-0600
Fax: 203-328-0690
Warner Cable Communications
James L. Gray, Pres. & CEO
400 Metro Place North
Dublin, OH 43017
Phone: 614-792-7000
Paragon Communications
James P. Cottinham, CEO
300 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902-6732
Phone: 203-328-0600
#3 Continental Cablevision Inc.
Amos B. Hofstetter, Jr., Chmn. & CEO
Pilot House
Boston, MA 02110
Phone: 502-223-3401
#4 Comcast Corp.
Ralph J. Roberts, Chmn.
1234 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3723
Phone: 215-685-1700
#5 Cox Cable Communications
James O. Roberts, President
1400 Lake Hearn Drive
Atlanta, GA 30319
Phone: 404-843-5000
I strongly support The Space, Fantasy & Adventure Network (SFAN), a
new cable television channel about to launch its services.
As an enthusiastic viewer of this type of programming I urge you to
carry this service as soon as possible.
Based on the success of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and
horror movies, box office revenues as well as the amount spent on books,
souvenirs, and collectibles, SFAN is an obvious choice for your systems.
I again encourage you to immediately make SFAN available to your
subscribers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
These are Bjo Trimble's rules on how to write effective letters...this
has worked before on some major efforts. If you want to see us succeed,
may I suggest that you write both to the cable MSOs and to Atari
encouraging them to increase their involvement (looks very good right now,
but it couldn't hurt!). I'm tired of being an orphan computerist!
HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE LETTERS:
1. Write a short, sincere individual letter to EACH multi-system operator
(MSO) saying that you want The Space, Fantasy & Adventure Network (SFAN) -
When mail is counted, your letter will truly make a difference.
2. THEN: Ask 10 people to write letters. They write letters and ask 10
people to write letter. They write letters and ask 10 people to...(get
the idea?). Don't be judgemental; there are many "closet" science fiction
fans out there: fellow workers, neighbors, church groups, classmates,
civic & other clubs, etc.
3. Don't address a V.I.P. (executive) familiarly, act smart, use
insulting language or tell a corporation their business - you are asking a
favor; the privilege of getting SFAN, your own special-genre network. The
wrong attitude will nullify your letter.
4. Be pleasant. Corporations seldom get anything but complaints, so a
cheerful, upbeat letter can make a CEO more receptive.
5. Don't use form letters, mimeographed letters or multiple carbons -
Such letters give the impression that only a small segment of fans are
doing all the writing. (But computer letters are okay.)
6. Sign the letter - anonymous mail is sleazy & it is either thrown away
or put in the "nut" file.
7. Use company letterheads or club stationery if you have a right to it.
Corporations are sensitive to potential "pressure" groups.
8. Don't misrepresent yourself - Corporations are geared to ferret out
spurious claims. Such tricks will not help SFAN and someone may check it
out for a news story.
9. Don't barrage local cable companies with letters. They aren't
interested unless MSOs accept SFAN first.
10. Use petitions to get names from those who won't bother to write a
letter. Corporations understand that only a percentage of people will get
off their fat apathy to write letters; signatures on a petition can show
how many MORE people want SFAN on their cable. The petition should have
at least one contact address.
11. Keep letters on the subject of getting SFAN on cable everywhere.
12. Don't send your letters to SFAN; we'll just have to remail them. Send
letters directly to the five MSOs listed in this mailing. SFAN would like
to know about your mail campaign, however.
13. For this mail campaign, it's not necessary to use business-sized
envelopes; personal stationery is fine. Postcards may also be used.
14. Target: Mid-to-late April, 1992.
Letters to Atari:
Mr.Sam Tramiel, President
Atari Computer Corporation
P. O, Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 9408
SFA Network, Suite 372
1807 Slaughter Lane, #200
Austin, TX 78748-6200
That's all...remember we'll be glad to send the printed version if you
request it. So let's write and get the SFA channel to our local TV's!!
Sounds like SFA will deliver, unlike the sci-fi channel! And hell, since
atari's are being used, maybe Atari will help out, so write to them too!
___________________________________________________________
> ///TURBO BOARD BBS VER. 2 STR Spotlight
=======================================
TURBO BOARD ST VERSION 2 INFORMATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turbo Board ST Version 2 is a total rewrite of our original BBS program.
Over a year's work has gone into the total rewrite of Version 1, and Bill
Miller has really outdone himself this time! We think we have a very good
BBS program indeed!
The ///Turbo Board Support bbs is running at bps rates from 1200-14400 if
you would like to give us a call, the number is 416-274-1225
Our F-net number is node 18, if you are calling from an ST bbs in the
Fnet.
John Miller, Bitblit Systems
Turbo Board Version 2's NEW Features
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Expanded User privileges and Bitmaps for Passwords
-KByte/File Ratio System
-Smart Batch uploading & User File Description Editing
-Ymodem-g uploads for HST users
-BBS Handles/Real Name system
-Full User File Editor
-Masked Sysop commands (For Co-sysops)
-Many NEW Sysop Functions, including new File Editor and Password Editor
-Execute files from Main menu commands
-Sysop definable Menus and Prompts
-Main Menu commands and functions fully programable (also Submenus)
-Many New Copy and Save Functions for Fmail, and other files
-Quick help edit prompt in message editor
-Modular BBS, (Main Module only uses about 80K of memory) for greater
free memory -lots- when running Binkley (Fido Mailer)
-NEW Database, you can use archives, and users can easily upload new
database entries, entries have access levels
-BBS handles line answering instead of modem
-NEW SIG system for grouping message bases, fully configurable by Sysop
-Quick Chat and DOS keys from local console
-NEW Turbo System Generator with expanded features
-UPDATE program for Turbo V1 and Forem ST Sysops to convert to V2
-New Version 2 Manual (addendum for Version 1 Turbo Owners)
-And many other new small features not listed here that are improvements
over our Version 1.0
Additional Features of Turbo 2.1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 2.1running Version 2.0
New features include:
-New Gem BBS Executive Version 3.0 Totally rewritten and enhanced version
-QWK compatible Qmail system in Message Bases
-Integrated Full Screen Editor, with Merge and Copy file features for
sysop
-Binkley Mailer may be run as front door, or from BBS
-New Event Scheduler for all batch files
-Many smaller enhancements
Under Developement
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have been promising this for a long time, and the Next version of Turbo
Board will contain -fully- Fidonet Compatible message bases. No need to
run Fifo, or Fidodoor. This new version is presently under developement.
$89.95 US - USA and International List price for new Sysops
$69.95 US - Special price for Current BBS Sysops (Supply current BBS
number and information)
$29.95 US - Special Update offer for Registered Turbo Version 1 Sysops
(Turbo 2 addendum instead of Turbo 2 manual)
Write or call for more information.
In Canada: The US: Europe & UK:
Bitblit Systems ABCO Computer Consultants L.B. Van Bokkem
1580 Liveoak Dr PO Box 6672 100 Broughton Ave
Mississauga, ON Jacksonville, FL Aylesbury, Bucks
Canada L5E 2X6 USA 32205-6672 England HP20 1QB
800-562-4037
bbs# bbs# bbs#
416-274-1225 904-786-4176 +44-296-395935
____________________________________________________________
> STReport's Editorial Page "Saying it like it is."
From the Editor's Desk
----------------------
Lets see now........ we've heard of the Sparrows and Falcons what's
next? Cockatoos and Cockatiels?? Maybe, but if one reads between the
lines.. one finds some real progress being made. I said that and I may
have to pay for it later but I want to believe that progress is, in fact,
being made. The low and high end product mysteries are a delight to
dabble with as they sure keep the interest levels up and brightly shining.
One product is not a mystery, the NEW USR Dual Standard HST modem.
This is one fast, sure footed telecommunications tool. When connecting
with a similar modem an HST 16.800bps connection is made and announced as
"CONNECT 16800". At all other times including V.32 with all other modems,
a 14.4 connection is made. In tests, this modem was checked with a
similar modem and 100k files transfered at better than 2000bps repeatedly
using normal phone lines. One of these modems has been in use on the
Bounty for approximately 3 weeks operating flawlessly with solid connects
with everything from 1200 baud to the maximum. If you have a Dual 16.8
and would like to try it out with a similar modem give us a call at
904-786-4176.
The "rumored" new machines are, to say the least, very exciting. But
please remember since it is all rumor, we must not take what we are
hearing too seriously. For example, the rumor that the ASCSI port is
being _dropped_ in favor of a SCSI port. Far too many users have called
us; "all shook up and upset" about the loss of the DMA port. They're
lamenting about "how are they going to connect their SLM 804/605 laser
printers to the new machines?" I think the added SCSI port is a grand
idea. I also think that Atari has taken the DMA port into consideration
and that matters are well taken care of. Rumors can be fun... but you
must remember they are just that.. RUMORS and they must not be taken
seriously.
Ralph...........
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU!
----------------
Publisher - Editor
------------------
Ralph F. Mariano
PC DIVISION AMIGA DIVISION MAC DIVISION
----------- -------------- ------------
Roger D. Stevens Charles Hill R. ALBRITTON
STReport Staff Editors:
-----------------------
Lloyd E. Pulley Sr. Dana P. Jacobson Michael Arthur
Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner
John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando
Steve Spivey Doyle C. Helms
Contributing Correspondents:
----------------------------
Michael Lee Richard Covert John Deegan
Brian Converse Oliver Steinmeier Tim Holt
Andrew Learner Norman Boucher Harry Steele
Ben Hamilton Neil Bradley Eric Jerue
Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing
James Nolan Vernon W. Smith Bruno Puglia
IMPORTANT NOTICE
================
Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc...
via E-Mail to:
Compuserve.................... 70007,4454
GEnie......................... ST.REPORT
Delphi........................ RMARIANO
BIX........................... RMARIANO
FIDONET....................... 112/35
FNET.......................... NODE 350
NEST.......................... 90:19/350.0
____________________________________________________________
> STR Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
=============
STReport's MailBag
==================
From GEnie
Category 16, Topic 7
Message 7 Mon Mar 16, 1992
L.ROCHA1 [Lou Rocha] at 16:04 EST
This is a long message. Turn on your text capture if you are NOT using
Aladdin.
Welcome back to USER to USER. Here is a listing of the USER to USER files
in LIB 30 with a more detailed description.
PLEASE NOTE that you need to have SL in order to LOAD or PRINT the ARC
files listed below. The TXT files are compatible with any text reader or
wordprocessor.
LIBRARY 30 - ISD PRODUCT SUPPORT
No. File Name Type Address YYMMDD Bytes Access
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
23260 DBL_3.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920316 14720 1
Desc: Convert 1.09 double pages to SL
This CDK explains how to restore the master page (header/footer
frames) to the left page when you convert 1.09N double pages to
SL format. 23260 is an update on 23203 but info is same.
23207 DBL_4.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 30848 35
Desc: How to convert 1.09 to SL format
This CDK is the same as DBL_3.ARC but has screenshots added.
23171 DBL_PAGE.TXT X L.ROCHA1 920313 1920 45
Desc: How to convert double-page CDK's
This file is an ASCII export of the CDK in DBL_3.ARC. READ
online if you wish.
23264 PANTONE1.ARC X D.SIMMER1 920316 32128 1
Desc: 1st 2 of 4 Pantone palettes with CDK
This file contains a CDK explaining Pantone Color Matching and 2
files containing specific Pantone settings for loading into SL.
23265 PANTONE1.TXT X D.SIMMER1 920316 7296 1
Desc: Pantone Color System palettes/SL
This file is an ASCII export of the CDK in PANTONE1.ARC. READ
online if you wish.
23259 PG_NO_3.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920316 12032 1
How to do page numbering in SL
This CDK demonstrates a workaround for creating automatic page
numbering in SL. The master pages do not accept the [PG]
placeholder in this version. 23259 is an update on 23184 but
info is the same.
23208 PG_NO_4.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 31488 36
Desc: How to do page numbering in SL
This CDK is the same as PG_NO_3.ARC but with screenshots added.
23170 PG_NUMBR.TXT X L.ROCHA1 920313 1280 53
Desc: How to use page numbering in SL
This file is an ASCII export of the CDK for PG_NO_3.ARC. READ
online if you wish.
23172 RULERS_1.TXT X L.ROCHA1 920313 1408 61
Desc: How to adjust text rulers
This file is an ASCII export of the CDK for RULERS_3.ARC. READ
online if you wish.
23209 RULERS_3.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 14080 33
Desc: How to adjust margins/indents in SL
This CDK will explain how to set left/right margins and indents
right on the text ruler.
23210 RULERS_4.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 28544 38
Desc: How to adjust margins/indents in SL
This CDK is the same as RULERS_3.ARC but with screenshots added.
23206 SL_MAP.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 81152 43
Desc: Chart of SL Command Groups
This is a 22 x 30 inch wall chart of SL's command groups,
command icons, function names and chapter references. You must
print using the TILING function and SCALING at 40% on legal size
paper.
23215 SL_MKEYS.LZH X A.VALENT 920314 15616 30
Desc: Calamus SL keyboard template inc PKS
A very nice reference sheet for the various keybindings active
in the release version. Combine with the SL_MAP for quick recall
of functions, locations and access methods.
23221 TEMPLATE.ARC X L.ROCHA1 920314 29568 23
Desc: Ready-to-use CDK for writing TIPS
A CDK with information for those interested in writing a TIPS
page. Text Styles and Master Pages are ready for you. Just
apply your text and screenshots (for level 4 projects).
Coming REAL SOON NOW....
K_SHORT.ARC K Settings for use as a color table.
TSTYLE.ARC A tutorial on using the 8 command groups in the Text
Style module.
STY_DEMO.ARC Sample pages showing the incredible variations and
control over text styles with a ready-to-use Text
Style List.
*******
USER to USER TIPS Forum is supported by ISD. Write a TIPS page and
earn cash discounts on ISD products.
____________________________________________________
> A "Quotable Quote" "....a virtue often forgotten"
==================
"TO ERR IS ONLY HUMAN......
....TO FORGIVE IS SIMPLY DIVINE!"
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> ABCO SPECIALS! STR InfoFile * NEW 1992 Prices! MORE Products! *
=========================== --------------------------------
****** TAX TIME SPECIAL!! TAKE 10% OFF _ANY_ PACKAGE!! *****
** EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! **
NOTICE: ABCO will BEAT OR MATCH * ANY *
Advertised or Invoiced price * WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD!
ABCO COMPUTER CONSULTANTS
P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32236-6672
Est. 1985
_________________________________________
Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM - 4 PM EDT
BBS: 904-786-4176 12-24-96 HST
FAX: 904-783-3319 12 PM - 6 AM EDT
_________________________________________
HARD DISK SYSTEMS TO FIT EVERY BUDGET
_________________________________________
All systems are complete and ready to use, included at NO EXTRA COST
are clock/calendar and cooling blower(s).
*-ALL ABCO HARD DISK SYSTEMS ARE FULLY EXPANDABLE-*
(you are NOT limited to two drives)
(all cables and connectors installed)
- Available for all Platforms -
* ICD HOST ADAPTERS USED EXCLUSIVELY * OMTI HIGH SPEED CONTROLLERS *
* ICD ADSCSI+ HOST ADAPTERS * FULL SCSI COMMAND SET SUPPORTED *
* SCSI EMBEDDED CONTROLLER MECHANISMS *
* MAXTOR - SEAGATE - QUANTUM *
WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE!!! >UPS!<
(Cont. USA)
*** NEW!!! ULTRA MODERN COLOR COORDINATED SLEEK CABINET ***
DELUXE 2 bay Cabinet W/65w Auto PS & Blower
*** 90 DAY LIMITED OFFER!! ***
- AT NO EXTRA COST -
Model Description Autopark Price
==================================================
SGN4951 51Mb 3.5" Y 439.00
SGN6277 65Mb 5.25" Y 469.00
SGN1096 85Mb 5.25" Y 549.00
SQN1055 105mb 3.5" Y 599.95
SQN2055 170Mb 3.5" Y 689.00
SQN3055 240Mb 3.5" Y 939.00
SQN4055 426Mb 3.5" Y 1610.00
==================================================
FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00
ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY "SUPER CABINET" w/250+w PS
EXOTIC TOWER CABINETS AVAILABLE Call for Info!
PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only!
FULLY ASSEMBLED SCSI DRIVES DEDUCT $60.00
ADD $35.00 for 4 BAY SUPER CABINET w/250+w PS
EXOTIC TOWER CABINETS AVAILABLE Call for Info!
PLEASE NOTE: The above is partial listing only!
FAST TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR UPGRADES AVAILABLE & INSTALLED
*****
>> ABCO proudly offers the fabulous 1040 & MEGA STe Computers <<
Call for ABCO's * VERY SPECIAL * Introductory prices!
ATARI COMPUTERS * STILL THE BEST VALUE!
*****
If you don't see what you want listed here, call us.
Odds are, we either have it or, can get it for you!
* GUARANTEED * AT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE!
** 800-562-4037 **
"WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL"
****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ******
* SYQUEST 44MB (#555) >> ABCOFILE "44" << REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE *
- SYQUEST 44 MB DRIVE - ICD ST ADSCSI PLUS H/A
- ICD Utility Software - 3' DMA Cable
- Fan & Clock - Multi-Unit Power Supply
(1) 44 MB Syquest Cart.
--->> SPECIAL! NOW ONLY __$ 645.00__ <<---
**** SCSI UNITS -> ONLY $549.00 ****
WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE! >UPS!<
(Cont. USA)
COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED AND READY TO RUN!
Cart and Utility Software Included!
EXTRA CARTS: $ 69.50
DRIVE MECH ONLY: $ 329.95
****** SPECIAL - SPECIAL ******
* TWIN SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVES ... PROGRAMMER'S DELIGHT *
SPECIALLY PRICED ** $995.95.00 **
Includes: * TWO * cartridges!
* SYQUEST 44MB REMOVABLE MEDIA DRIVE AND HARD DRIVE COMBINATIONS *
- Syquest 44 Model [555] and the following hard drives -
** 50mb SQG51S $789.00 105mb SQG105S $989.00 **
Or, YOUR choice of Hard Disk Mechanism!
LOWBOY - STANDARD - DUAL BLOWER CABINETS
CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE
** ANNOUNCING THE NEW! -> ABCO CD-ROM! **
:Special Introductory offer:
ABCO CD-ROM $389.95 (limited time only)
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)
* IBM - MSDOS - AMIGA - ATARI - APPLE - MACINTOSH *
ALL UNITS COMPATIBLE WITH --> SUPERCHARGER - AT/PC SPEED - GCR
LARGER units are available - (Custom Configurations)
*>> NO REPACKS OR REFURBS USED! <<*
- Custom Walnut WOODEN Cabinets - TOWER - AT - XT Cabinets -
Atari SLM 804, SLM 804PCV Laser Toner Kits
Memorex 2108, 5287
Oasys Laserpro 5287, 5308, Express 830, Express Series II
Silver Express, Gold Express
** $41.95 shipping Included **
Atari SLM 605 Laser Toner Kits
AT&T 593, CAF Laser, DSI Laser, DTP Systems, Epson EPL-6000
Facit P6060, Fontx Syslaser, Harris3M 2006, M-Tally MT905
Microtek Turbo PS, OAS Laserpro Executive, Packard Bell 9500
TEC LB 1305, Toshiba PageLaser 6
** $41.95 shipping included **
(TWO Toner Carts Incl.)
Panasonic Laser Toner Kits
Panasonic KX -P 400 series, Panafax UF-750 Facsimile
** $41.95 shipping included **
-- ALL TONER KITS * IN STOCK * --
* Toner Starter Kits-$62.95 *
* Replacement (804) Drums-$186.95 *
ABCO is PROUD to announce the acquisition of
the exclusive U.S.A. distribution rights for
** Bitblit Software's; ///Turbo Board BBS. **
This fine Atari ST BBS system software and
user support is available through ABCO to all
Turbo customers in the USA. Call for current
pricing.
>> MANY other ATARI related products STOCKED <<
ALL POWER SUPPLIES UL APPROVED
-* 12 month FULL Guarantee *-
(A FULL YEAR of COVERAGE)
WE PAY SHIPPING & INSURANCE! >UPS!<
(Cont. USA)
QUANTITY & USERGROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
_________________________________________
DEALERS and DISTRIBUTORS WANTED!
please, call for details
Personal and Company Checks are accepted.
ORDER YOUR NEW UNIT TODAY!
CALL: 1-800-562-4037 -=**=- CALL: 1-904-783-3319
Customer Orders ONLY Customer Service
9am - 8pm EDT
Tues thru Sat
ABCO is EXPANDING!! CALL FOR INFORMATION!
SEND FOR YOUR NEW ABCO CATALOG TODAY!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport International Online Magazine
Available through more than 10,000 Private BBS systems WorldWide!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" March 20, 1992
16/32bit Magazine copyright 1987-92 No.8.12
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
the editors/staff, PCReport, STReport, AMReport, MCReport. Permission to
reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Each reprint
must include the name of the publication, date, issue # and the author's
name. The entire publication and/or portions therein may not be edited in
any way without prior written permission. The entire contents, at the
time of publication, are believed to be reasonably accurate. The STR
editors, contributors and or staff are not responsible for the use or
misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
