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Silicon Times Report Issue 0917
*---== STReport International Online Magazine ==---*
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine"
from
STR Publishing
""""""""""""""
April 23, 1993 No.9.17
==========================================================================
STReport International Online Magazine
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida
32205 ~ 6672
R.F. Mariano
Publisher - Editor
-----------------------------------------
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Support BBS Network System
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_____________________________________________________________________
> 04/23/93 STR 917 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!"
""""""""""""""""
- The Editor's Desk - CPU Report - PORTFOLIO NEWS
- ALDUS PAYS DEVS! - PEOPLE TALKING - PARTS CLEARANCE
- EDITOR LETTERS - MAIL CALL - DC SHAREWARE
- AOL CUTS RATES - PRODIGY MORE $$ - STR Confidential
-* JAGUAR TO TAKE PRIORITY? *-
-*NO TT030'S EITHER? *-
-* "FALCONWAIT" The USERBASE WAITS! *-
===========================================================================
STReport International Online Magazine
The Original * Independent * Online Magazine
-* FEATURING WEEKLY *-
"Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information"
Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information
Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports
===========================================================================
STReport's BBS, The Bounty, invites BBS systems, worldwide, to participate
in the Fido/NEST/Atari F-Net Mail Network. You may also phone The Bounty
BBS direct @ 904-786-4176, and enjoy the wonder & excitement of exchanging
information relative to computers, worldwide, through the use of excellent
International Networking Systems. SysOps, worldwide, are quite welcome to
join the STReport International Conferences. The Crossnet Code is #34813,
and the "Lead Node" is # 350. All BBS systems are welcome and invited to
participate. Support your favorite computer! Teleconference Today!
===========================================================================
CIS ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ NVN ~ GENIE ~ FIDO ~ FNET ~ NEST
EURONET ~ CIX ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ INTERNET
===========================================================================
=============
* ATARI EDITION *
=============
COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME
to the Readers of;
ST REPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine"
NEW USERS; SIGN UP TODAY!
CALL: 1-800-848-8199 .. Ask for operator 198
You will receive your complimentary time
and
be online in no time at all!
WHAT'S NEW IN THE ATARI FORUMS (April 23)
SPEED OF LIGHT GIF VIEWER!
Download file SPOFLT.LZH from LIBRARY 14 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO
ATARIARTS) for a new Speed-of-Light .GIF file viewer. Shows all colors,
squash the picture to fit the screen or just scroll it, adjust flicker,
color quality/levels, etc.
NEW PRINTER DRIVER FOR DESKJET
Download PrintAll Version 1.1 (file PRTALL.LZH in LIBRARY 9 of the Atari
Productivity Forum -- GO ATARIPRO). A Printer driver program for the HP
Deskjet 500 and 500C. Prints multiple file formats in color or
black-and-white in multiple sizes and orientations. Latest version adds
Prism Paint PNT support, Tiny low and medium-res .TNY and Sun
Microsystems' "Rasterfile" .RAS support. Also numerous bug-fixes and
speedups, ability to cancel without quitting and cancel long operations.
This version supercedes PrintAll 1.0. New "CMYK" output options simulates
Deskjet 550C output on 500C printers!
SHAREWARE FROM DOUBLE CLICK IN ATARIVEN
Double Click Software has decided to release DC Xtract Plus as SHAREWARE!
Included in the LZH file are DC Xtract Plus 2.1v and a doc file. Download
file XTRPLS.LZH from LIBRARY 13 of the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN).
Double Click Software has also decided to release DC SEA as SHAREWARE! Make
ARC/LZH/ZIP/ZOO into a self-extracting file. Download file DCSEA.LZH from
LIBRARY 13 of the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN).
MANY NEW FILES IN ATARIPRO!
Lots of new files in the Libraries of the Atari Productivity Forum (GO
ATARIPRO). Type BRO LIB:ALL to check out the most recently entries!!
REVISED PRINTER DRIVERS FROM SOFTLOGIK
SoftLogik has made the following two files available for download from
LIBRARY 11 of the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN):
PS2299.ARC - PostScript printer driver for ImageSetters and Color
PostScript printers version 2.2.99. This is a temporary driver that fixes
problems with v2.2.11 printing to Linos and Color PS printers.
PS2211.ARC - Newest PostScript printer driver version 2.2.11. This driver
is good for users printing to PostScript lasers. For users needing to
print to Color PS and high-rez imagesetters, you should use the v2.2.99
driver.
THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE
HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN
OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION
"GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM"
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""
Here we all are.... still waiting for the elusive bird of paradise...
the Falcon. The User's attitudes and courtesy or, the lack of it whichever
comes first, is evidencing itself throughout the Atari platform. One must
ask one's self to try and understand the frustration levels that pervade
the Atari platform before responding to the outbursts and hateful comments.
Atari is apparently making some very BIG internal changes of direction and
as a result, this activity or, lack of it, appears outrageous to most
folks. In fact its not only mystifying its downright confusing. The
Userbase is receiving mixed messages. The Atari harpers are very busy
crying that the "status quo" is just that while other "zealots" either in
the direct or indirect employ of Atari are extremely busy constructing a
monster of smoke and mirrors. One which will soon become too large to
easily explain away. I have no explanation as to why they are doing so.
In my opinion, its dumb. If Atari would only come forward and tell the
users the truth, no doubt they'd be acclaimed as forecasting geniuses in
the consumer electronics industry. Like giving a reasonable explanation of
why the far east warehouses are dumping the parts inventory. does it mean
no further production of the machines the parts are for? Or, does it
simply mean there is a surplus of parts and they must be sold off? These
are the things that give rise to speculation and rumor. While the company
is not going under by any means, it will never be the company we've grown
accustomed to... ever again.
Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU!
""""""""""""""""
Publisher - Editor
""""""""""""""""""
Ralph F. Mariano
PC DIVISION AMIGA DIVISION MAC DIVISION
----------- -------------- ------------
Roger D. Stevens Robert Glover R. ALBRITTON
STReport Staff Editors:
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Dana P. Jacobson Michael Arthur John Deegan
Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner
John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando
Steve Spivey Doyle C. Helms
Lloyd E. Pulley, Editor Emeritus
Contributing Correspondents:
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Michael Lee Richard Covert Scott Birch
Brian Converse Oliver Steinmeier Tim Holt
Andrew Learner Norman Boucher Harry Steele
Clemens Chin 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
Delphi........................ RMARIANO
BIX........................... RMARIANO
FIDONET....................... 112/35
FNET.......................... NODE 350
NEST.......................... 90:21/350.0
GEnie......................... ST-REPORT
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STR'S "BELIEVE IT? OR.. WHAT?"
<>###############################<>
"There is no comparison! The Atari Falcon
is far superior to the PC platform."
Sam Tramiel, 08/92
About the scathing Forbes Magazine Critique of Atari;
"My new office, which has a better view than my old one, is so far
quite satisfactory. And Richard Miller is in my old office. The
Forbes article was a mish-mash and misconstrued article full of half
truths. We are anxiously awaiting the release of the Atari Falcon to
bring us back to the forefront. The article has given us some
laughs, but otherwise has not affected us."
Sam Tramiel, 08/92
About marketing plans and the future....
"As I said before, all marketing announcements will be made at
Duesseldorf. I will not comment on future models of the Falcon.
WE ARE TALKING TODAY ABOUT A MACHINE.....
WHICH WILL BE SHIPPING NEXT WEEK."
Sam Tramiel, 08/92
A fantastic observation, considering the date it was made...
"I've just returned from Asia, where I saw the first Atari Falcon
production coming off the lines. Let's hope this new offering will
make it in North America. I know that the specs are great."
Sam Tramiel, 08/92
Again, the dates of the statement conflict with the facts now known....
"We have not yet even given the machine to the FCC. And we are only
applying for Class B approval. According to our "experts", it should
pass Class B."
Sam Tramiel, 08/92
"...... We are not working for Wall Street but to
make money for our shareholders and only think long term."
Sam Tramiel, 11/92
psssst.
FYI.... The Shareholder's equity is fine.... NOT!
The Stock is hovering around $0.81
CHRISTMAS '92 has COME and GONE...
AS HAS...
JANUARY 1993, FEBRUARY 1993...
FALCONS ....anyone?
By the Way.... Does the Falcon work well
with
any... of the SLM Laser Printers?? NOPE! NOT YET!
Wanna bet there won't be any?
Better yet...
Which _MAJOR_ US Software Developers & Publishers
are
producing NEW Software for Atari's FALCON???
Besides, who _needs_ a CARTRIDGE PORT anyhow!
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> CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
"""""""""""""""""
Computer Products Update - CPU Report
------------------------ ----------
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Issue #17
By: John Deegan
AMERICA ONLINE CUTS RATES
Effective May first, subscribers will pay $9.95 to access all of AOL's
on-line services for up to five hours per month. AOL says the rate cuts,
associated with a previously announced price increase by Prodigy makes it
capable of becoming the nation's leading on-line service. Under the new
schedules, the monthly fee is cut by more than half. AOL is also offering
Prodigy users a free trial, available by calling AOL's toll free number.
The Package includes free America Online software and 10 hours of free
on-line time.
ALDUS MAKES GRANTS AVAILABLE
In what can only be seen as a move that'll bring a inundation of updates,
additions and upgrades for Aldus Pagemaker software, its been announced a
well funded grant program where developers are eligible for a portion of
$150,000 in grant money set aside to encourage additions development.
Aldus stated the program is designed to emphasize Additions that are aimed
at the advertising and workgroup publishing markets, especially magazine
and newspaper publishers. Aldus publishes Pagemaker, a high-end DTP
solution suitable for preparing camera-ready professional level
publications. Aldus says the average grant for an Addition ranges from
$30,000 to
$50,000.
COREL SHIPS SCSI, RAID SOFTWARE
Corel has launched two new software products. The first is an extended
version of its CorelSCSI software to drive SCSI (Small Computer Systems
Interface) peripherals. The second is software for redundant arrays of
inexpensive disks (RAID) storage systems. Both packages were unveiled
during the (AIIM) show and conference in Chicago. Corel said the new
CorelSCSI Pro software far exceeds the benefits of the existing package.
Features included are; extended support for compact disk read-only memory
(CD-ROM) drives, including being able to run them on Novell NetWare file
servers and to write data to write capable CD-ROM drives. Additional
support for scanners and the Sytos tape format has been added too. Device
drivers now automatically determine which devices are attached and
reconfigure themselves accordingly. Also, there's a new backup program.
Apple Develops Macintosh-like GUI For PCs!
A recent report in the San Francisco Chronicle states the company has been
using the software on Intel 486-based PCs for several months. The product
could possibly represent a threat to Microsoft's Windows GUI (graphical
user interface). Windows made the PC interface a pleasure when version
3.0, and subsequently 3.1, was introduced. The Windows products make the
PC easier to use by offering a screen filed with icons - images that
represent computer applications - and easily understood pull-down menus.
The Mac interface is generally considered easier to use than Windows, it
offers folders for files and file management, instead of the CLI type line
eight-character file names and sub-directories. Further, according to the
report, Apple' execs are reportedly considering when it would be most
advantageous to release the new, highly competitive GUI product.
Mayo Clinic Family Health Book On CD-ROM
Interactive Ventures Inc. has announced the "Mayo Clinic Family Health
Book". Its on a CD-ROM disk designed to run on the Mac platform. The
program was originally released on CD-ROM for Windows last November.
Additionally, Interactive Ventures, joined with Sony Electronic Publishing
to produce and distribute the CD-ROM disk.
_______________________________________________________________
> ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
=====================
On CompuServe
-------------
compiled by Joe Mirando
73637,2262
Hidi ho good neighbors! Busy, busy, busy. That's what I've been for
the past week! My boss, in his infinite wisdom, decided to move from our
trusty STs to DOS machines and...
Guess who has been "elected" to "make them work"? You guessed it. I
can tell you right now, the next guy who tells me "Everything is easier in
the DOS world" is going to get a fist in the mouth! Even my boss wishes
WinDoze was as easy to use as GEM/TOS.
Well, anyway, on to other things: I heard a great line on one of
those campy, high school-type, "new network" shows (you know, the one with
all those cool sound effects). The line that hit me was "Writers hate
writing... but love having written".
That got me to thinking about the people here on Compuserve. Let's
change the quote to "Techies hate having problems... but love having solved
them".
I know that it fits me pretty well. My next thought was "...and it's
even better when it was someone else's problem. That way, no matter what
the outcome, your "stuff" is safe". Well, I admit that it's not the stuff
of Socrates, but I think that it does ring pretty true.
So let's enjoy some of the problem-solving people for a while...
From the Atari Productivity Forum
=================================
Ron Spear tells us:
"I have tried to download 4 different progs relating to ham radio and
frequency scanners. All of them have crc errors on extraction. Is
there something wrong with the atari forum. I checked out my arc and
lzh progs and they're working fine. I have already wasted 2 hrs on
dload time, and its getting expensive. What is the problem ?"
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Ron Spear:
"There's probably nothing wrong with the files you downloaded so I
hope you haven't deleted them from your disks yet...
The problem is that your LZH extraction utility must be an older
version than the one used to create the files. (If you look at them,
they'll probably all be .LZHs)
The newer versions create smaller files, but unfortunately they're
also incompatible with older extraction utilities. The clue here is
that when that happens, you get CRC errors.
If you download LHARC.TTP from the Library 4, you shouldn't have any
more problems..."
Mark Savage asks about inter-platform connectivity:
"My wife uses Word Perfect 5.1 on a PC compatible when she is at
work.At home she uses an Atari 1040 stfm and would like to know if any
version of Word Perfect is available for the Atari.If so,how much is
it,and is it relatively "bug free".(and,of course,where do we order a
copy in the U.K.?)."
Again, Bob Retelle jumps in to save the day:
"Mark, Word Perfect does have a version of their WP that will run on
an Atari ST, but they stopped developing it at something like Version
4.1 or 4.2
Your wife could use it with her PC version 5.1 as long as she doesn't
use any of the more advanced 5.1 features..
As to where to get a copy, hopefully one of our UK members will have
the numbers for a store or two you could check out.
(If you can find a copy of any of the UK Atari magazines, there ought
to be advertisements from dealers who might have it too.)"
James Port joins in the fun and tells Bob and Mark:
"I recently sent some reviews to Atari Explorer that I wrote on my 386
with WP5.1. To play it safe, I sent them the document file, and a
straight ascii disk file of the document. They told me they were real
happy I included the ascii file as they couldn't load the document
file into the version of WP they were using on their ST."
Peter Joseph adds:
"Right. As far as straight .WP format compatibility, ST 4.1 is only
compatible up to PC 4.2 if I remember correctly. However, if you save
as ASCII files, they all ought to be compatible. That's the safest
way, 'cause who has PC 4.2 anymore? :)"
Our own dear. sweet, Editor-in-Chief, Ralph Mariano, tells Peter:
"Actually, compatibility is complete up to and including WPerfect 5.2
for Windows and Dos. The compatibility is far greater than it was in
the past. Word Perfect accepts many more formats than ever before."
Dick Paddock tells James:
"If you save the document file as a WordPerfect 4.2 file, the ST
version will be able to read it. It will lose any graphics, etc. you
may have included, but all the italics, indents, etc., are preserved.
And vice-versa. If you save an ST file, and import it to WP 5.1, it
will tell you it's not a 4.2 file, but it can convert and use it. Even
the Mac version can handle it (at least Mac version 1.0 can.)"
James Port tells all:
"I didn't realize I could make 5.1 save as though it were only 4.2.
That's very good information to have."
The head-honcho of Sysopdom, Ron Luks, posts:
"Recently, while talking to someone familiar with the Atari line of
computers, and especially the new Falcon, a statement was made that
there was nothing revolutionary hardware-wise about the new machine.
That in fact, much of the basic design was detailed in a published
design application note series released to developers by Motorola to
give people ideas on how best to use Motorola components like the
680x0 CPU's and DSP chips. I asked if this meant it would be easy to
make a Falcon clone and his response was that rather than think in
terms of a Falcon clone, with its inherent strengths and weaknesses
because it is currently a one-model design, a more interesting thought
was "how difficult would it be to make a computer that was
sufficiently hardware compatible to allow it to run the current
universe of Atari software as well as any new software developed for
the Falcon or the TT030?"
He said "imagine a computer that ran your Atari software but allowed
you the ability to specify your choice of a Motorola CPU (a 68030 or
040 at various available speeds), that allowed you to choose a DSP
model, the amount of system RAM you liked, that let you specify the
presence and NUMBER of MIDI In/Out ports, etc...." This would allow
you to pick your own price points and purchase a system that gave you
EXACTLY the features you want/need rather than the path Atari was
following.
He felt, and I had to agree, that in deciding on the Falcon specs,
Atari had to make some compromises in order to try to please the
majority of potential customers and that therein lies a basic design
flaw. I then recalled the endless discussions that have taken place
on the forums here where we basically asked for almost a half dozen
models (detached keyboard, attached keyboard, various numbers of MIDI
ports, etc.)
The main reason any company settles on a single design is to reach
certain economies of scale in production, but since the Atari
marketplace has shrunk to its current size, it is questionable if such
numbers of any specific model would ever be sold. The question then
becomes one of "Why even try to design a single perfect model? Why
not let the end customer pick and choose and work on a design spec
that would bring about modular economies of scale?"
After thinking about this for days, I've come to the conclusion that
there would be room in the Atari marketplace for another manufacturer
of Atari-compatible computers; especially if it would bring to market
a unit that would run our existing software, allow us expandability
along industry standard lines, and would give those people unsatisfied
with the decisions and path of Atari Corp. itself. Obviously, many
details would still need to be worked out, including design and
manufacturing costs but I've been told that much of these are already
being looked at, including the issue of purchasing or even
reverse-engineering TOS and a multi-tasking version of TOS if it
cannot be licensed.
Even if the overall Atari marketplace is smaller than in years past, I
still think there is enough interest, especially in niche areas, to
make this venture not only possible, but profitable. There is always
the debate about whether or not Atari Corp can "bring back" former
Atari owners and developers to a new machine, but no one has publicly
addressed the issue of whether someone else besides the Tramiels would
be more or less successful in this task.
I do not know if this will ever come to pass, but I am sure it is
being ACTIVELY considered by some folks in the Atari community with
credentials that merit respect. I've promised to open up a discussion
that will surely generate some feedback from the Atari community and I
encourage you ask your friends including ex-Atari owners about their
interest in this idea. Would you (they) have any interest in an
"Atari-compatible" computer from a source other than the current Atari
Corp.? What sort of interest?"
Oscar Steele of Purple Mountain Computers tells Ron:
"As long as the ST compatible computer marketplace grew bigger as a
result it's a good idea. Kind of like what's being done with
Gemulator, with software we can emulate TT medium resolution,
something that needs expensive hardware, etc. to do on a standard
ST.... I've been thinking that if the Tramiels sold Atari that
someone could bring the company back up to being a profitable and
successful corporation."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Ron:
"While we're "blue skying", ask your developer friend what he thinks
about the feasibility of adding some kind of ISA bus compatibility to
the design.
I know there would be a great deal of problems to overcome, as the ISA
bus is specifically oriented toward Intel devices, while a Falcon
clone would obviously be a Motorola design, but it would open up
endless possibilities like $69 Sound boards, $99 Ethernet cards,
etc...
Not for primary expansion of the computer, but as an "auxiliary" set
of slots.
As for the idea of an Atari clone, I've *always* thought that the very
best thing that could ever happen to Atari computer owners and users
all over the world would be for someone to clone the system. Even
Atari Corp could stand to benefit from it..."
Greg Wageman jumps in and posts:
"I've gotta second that. With the rapidly declining prices in the
PClone market, Atari should leverage on that wherever possible.
To their benefit, they've already done it by supporting IDE hard
drives (which are $100-$200 cheaper than the equivalent embedded-SCSI
drive on the street) and by supporting standard SVGA connectors and
monitors. I'd like to see this trend continue with RAM expansion at
least, if not with buss support for add-on cards. The
little-indian/big-indian thing isn't a big deal, not with today's ASIC
technology."
Bob Retelle replies to Greg's reply:
"Speaking of ASIC technology and "economy of scale", the PC system I
just built has all of its I/O built around one expansion card that
does High Density floppy disk I/O, IDE hard drive I/O, parallel port,
2 serial ports and a game device interface... all for $17
I really wish there was some way we could utilize that kind of
thing.."
C. J. Mitchell adds his thoughts:
"I suggested to Bob Brodie months ago that Atari incorporate IEEE bus
connectors in their machines. To provide a low cost alternative to the
Hp workstations we have to use now. You see i work for a company that
uses IEEE bus workstations to control off the shelf, and custom built
test sets. We are constantly looking for low cost alternatives to the
Hp I basically got the brush off, and some part line spiel about how
many boards Atari sell to OEM manufacturers."
Ron Luks tells C. J.:
"This sort of feedback is very important to the folks who are
considering producing an Atari-compatible computer. One of the aspects
they have stressed to me is their desire to support as many industry
standard interfaces (IEEE. PCMCIA, SCSI2, IDE, etc) as is possible.
Stay tuned to this thread and thx for the feedback,"
Bob Retelle adds:
"That kind of expandability would be great in a truly general purpose
computer...
At least providing some kind of fully implemented industry standard
interface would open up much wider markets... who knows..? Maybe
they WOULD sell lots of boards to OEM manufacturers then..!"
Thomas Stilhoff jumps in and posts:
"IEEE-Bus:
there is a german oem?manufacturer building "ieee-buses" around
atari-boards into 19"-RackCases. They are called Rhotron."
The Dazzz-Man himself, Dazzz Smith, posts:
"Yes I agree that the Falcon is/was a product of a committee based
system i.e. Its full of compromises and that putting out a keyboard
attached to shell with the option of adding a large range of system
options is the ideal computer, don't you think somebody would have
done it, if it was feasible?
PC's do it to an extent but are limited by their OS, Atari's would I
guess have an even more difficult time with their OS!
The basic problem is that to accommodate all this you need a more
expensive base machine and convincing people to lay out more money on
an easily expandable system may be hard to do.
You've really opened up a can of worms here Ron :-) I wont say
anything further because I have to be at work in ten hours, and to
reply in full would take that long, so i'm just gonna jump in on other
peoples points."
CodeHead Charles (Charles F. Johnson) tells Ron:
"There are tons of potential stumbling blocks in the way of someone
who tries to build a Falcon clone, as I'm sure you know - and of
course, there's no guarantee a clone maker would do any better than
Atari has. But if someone could actually pull this off, I'm sure
they'd be able to count on support from CodeHead."
Ron tells Charles:
"Thx, Charles. I know they are watching for comments exactly like
yours to gauge what kind of support they can expect if they come to
the marketplace with this unit.
Personally, I think having the Codehead products available to them
would be the biggest sort of endorsement they could get."
John Zangrando posts:
"I agree. Warp 9, Multidesk Deluxe, Hotwire, Maxifile, Codekeys and
Midimax have helped make my MSTE a viable machine in a world of much
faster hardware. Having the Codeheads work with an 040 would keep it
from becoming "obsolete" in a world of 060 's . This is important to
people when they lay down there hard earned dollars. Eight months
after I bought my MegaSTE Atari dropped it like a hot potato. There
is not much software available to us anymore, but there is some GOOD
software.
" IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME"
Pattie Rayl, sysop and Editor of Atari Interface and Connect Magazines,
tells Ron:
"One of the biggest problems that's been in the Atari market is the
fact that not many systems were produced. If that changes, ie if
someone really can make lots of machines, that really will help all
the Atari community."
Now that would be something to see, wouldn't it? Imagine an
Atari-Compatible computer. But, other than ease of use, what would be the
selling-point?
In a discussion about the Gemulator, the ST emulator for DOS machines, Bob
Retelle says:
"I don't have one myself, but I've been following Darek's
announcements on UseNet as he continues to improve the product."
Tim Myers tells Bob Retelle:
"Interesting! Do you have a rough speed equivalent ie a 25mhz 386 to
get 8mhz Atari.
I still don't see the point of it myself. People who want to run Atari
software usually already have an Atari ! Would you sell yours to buy a
Gemulator if you had a PC."
Not me.
Bob Retelle tells Tim:
"I agree that the market for the GEMulator is rather small.. maybe
another group that would buy it are those who just don't have room for
two complete computer systems, and for whatever reason, need to have a
fully functional PC compatible.
I don't remember the exact figures, but I think you still need a fast
'386, preferably a '486 to get full ST speed under the emulator.. it's
much better than it was at first, but you still need a fast PC."
From the Atari ST Arts Forum
============================
Bill Perry asks:
"Is there a way to convert files with extensions .spc, mge or to gif
format?
I've tried Leadshow, Alchemy and Lha programs with no luck."
Bob Retelle tells Bill:
"Bill, there are some programs that will convert various graphics
files to GIF format, but they need to be run on an Atari ST computer.
I don't know of any PC programs that will convert Atari specific files
to GIF format.
There IS at least one viewer that will let you view DEGAS files (
.PI1, .PI2, and .PI3 files), then you can use a screen capture program
to save the screen and convert it to GIF, but I don't know of anything
that will work with SPECTRUM ( .SPC or .SPU) files."
Greg Wageman posts:
"I uploaded source code for a Spectrum reader/unpacker. I think it is
in the Ataripro library.
Alex's suggestion re the Pic Formats doc is an excellent one. I use
it as my Atari format "bible"."
Philippe Cairic posts:
"Actually there are quite a few files around the place describing
Spectrum format (and they are often contradictory).
I will let you know when I am through. (though it might take some time
since I'm working on it after hours...)"
Tony at GST Software Products tells all:
"Ages ago I did a converter which took the SPU (uncompressed files)
and converted them to a PCX format on the PC. I'll try and find my
notes and the source code and if you have any problems I see if I can
help you on it."
Continuing a conversation about some of the software bundled with the
Falcon030 and whether perceived shortcomings were due to the machine or the
software, Jaime Sacadura posts:
"Actually i would prefer if it was a problem with Breakout, instead of
the Falcon TOS.
I was not very happy, to know that a machine bought a few weeks ago,
with TOS 4.01 inside, is really an "old" machine with a TOS filled
with bugs. And see the surprise of a friend of mine, when i told him,
that is Falcon 030, bought last week in England, with TOS 4.02 inside,
isn't the latest and hottest machine on earth, but an old version that
needs to be upgraded. I can just say that he wasn't amused and i'm
sort of responsible for his purchase.
It's really, really, very disappointing. We are talking about a ROM
based Operating System!!!!
Atari just can't sell machines and afterwards say to the customers: -
I'm sorry , your machine has an "old" TOS version and some software
isn't going to work. (Incidently, i have just bought TRUE PAINT, and
you are right, as some True Color functions like Fill don't work with
4.01 or 4.02 versions of TOS, and are not going to work, according to
the manual, even with a disk based TOS)
With the Macintosh, for example, Apple would say: - I'm sorry, the
7.01 version of the OS we gave you with the machine, has bugs, here
you have new disks with the fixed version.
Not that simple with a ROM based OS, so ATARI should know better!!
Are we going to get new ROM's?. NO!! We are going to pay for them!!
When and if they became available!
In the mean time, we are left with new and already crippled hardware
and software, and that old feeling, of someone who knows ATARI for six
years and shouldn't be surprised with these sort of things.
That aside, i have two questions:
1- Which is the latest TOS version? (hopefully with fewer bugs)
2- A disk based TOS or some sort of TOSfix is not going to solve these
problems? (it doesn't seem to, at least according to Hisoft)
Answers anyone?"
Pattie Rayl tells Jaime:
"I know this won't make you feel any better, but this has always been
the case with new Atari hardware. The first batch out get
"beta-tested" by the over-eager Atari enthusiasts. I personally got
lucky with the Mega/STe we got, since most of the chips were socketed
rather than soldered in to their holes, but we didn't get the latest
version of TOS in that system either."
From the Atari Vendors Forum
============================
Lee Hoffner tells Mark at Gadgets by Small:
"Some of the problems _I'm_ having with System 6.0.5 under Spectre
2.65 may be (now that you've got me thinking about it) due to the fact
that my System files are copied, not installed. This is due to the
fact that since I didn't buy a Mac, I never got system disks.
Is there anyway to get System disks (not 7.0 since that's out of the
question with Spectre) without buying a Mac?"
Mark gives Lee some advise:
"First of all, you are probably taking a gamble by using System 6.0.5
with Spectre version 2.65 in the first place. Support for System 6
wasn't really very solid under 2.65 when compared to the current
version, Spectre 3.0.
But, you do have a >very< good point. Just copying a set of System
files is not the proper way to go. They need to be installed for the
particular system that you are running (in this case, Spectre is a Mac
Plus clone). All Apple dealers and most Macintosh user groups should
be able to supply you with the proper system installation disks."
Lee adds:
"I just bought Generic CADD for the Mac, a program which I have been
running on my 386SX for 2 years now. The Mac version is wonderful;
truly an amazing program . . . until I have it redraw the screen. Now
THERE'S an opportunity to get a sandwich, write checks for your
monthly bills, etc.
The problem is this: CADD needs a math co-processor to run fast. And I
think that Spectre probably needs to be tooled up, too. My questions:
1) Are there math co-processors for the ST (I run a Mega 2 upgraded to
4 meg RAM) and will Spectre (and subsequently the Mac System software)
recognize them as being present in Macintosh mode?
2) What kind of accelerators are there available to make my 16Mhz Mega
run faster? (I seem to remember reading in a Gadgets newsletter that
Gadgets had made an internal board of some kind. What does it do and
which machines does it support?"
Mark tells Lee:
"Gadget's accelerator board is called SST. It fits in the Mega ST's
(not Mega STE) expansion slot. It sports a 68030 cpu and slots for up
to 8 megs of super-fast RAM. It also has a socket for a 68882 math
chip.
Unfortunately, at this time the support under Mac mode (Spectre) for
the math chip is spotty. Some applications seem to "see" it and
others don't. Also, Spectre currently does not support the fast RAM on
the SST. Without these two important features, the speedup you would
receive wouldn't be significant enough to justify the expense (IMHO).
However....Dave is working feverishly away at Spectre 3.1!! These
features are on his list of fixes and improvements for Spectre.
Whether or not they will find there way into the very next version of
Spectre is not know at this time. Dave hasn't really given me a
concrete run-down on the fixes and improvements.
Other developers may or may not have accelerators that will be of
help. I quite honestly do not know of the shipping status of any other
accelerator manufacturer."
From the Atari Portfolio Forum
==============================
Ira Adams asks Sysop BJ Gleason about another palmtop computer:
"How does typing on the Zeos keyboard compare with typing on the
PF? I've just about decided that I need something a little more
than my PF, and even though I really want a Powerbook, the Zeos
seems like a more reasonably-priced alternative. I've always
found the PF keyboard to be remarkably easy to do rapid typing
on (with a little practice), and don't want anything that would
be a step downward in that respect."
BJ Gleason answers:
"pacing on the Port, it is almost impossible to hit two keys at the
same time... not so on the zeos. They are chicklet like keys, and
run right next to each other...
If you want a cheap zeos from zeos, call their outlet store: 612
486-1900
They sell units returned within 30 days for half price... about 300
dollars..."
Ira tells BJ:
"Chicklet-type keys doesn't sound very promising, but maybe it's worth
a try (but I REALLY want a PowerBook!!!)."
Reed Early asks about the 1/2 meg memory cards available from Optrol:
"You say the Optro 524 K card works - but how.
Is it a Ram card acting as drive A:? Does it retain memory
on a Portfolio system crash? I am a novice to these machines
and I want to know the way it functions.
Why do they call it a Flash Ram Card if it doesn't act as RAM
but as storage memory?
What is the cost and where can I get one?"
Larry Land tells Reed:
"The Optrol card has 3 user areas. The first 64K is a boot disk and
can only be loaded all at once and can't be written to file by file.
The next 450K is a large D: drive. There is also a 128K RAM disk that
is only active when the Port is on. The provided utilities allow for
complete management of the card. The projected life of the card is 10
years. Hope this helps."
Brian Johnson posts:
"I don't know about 1Meg cards, but the 524K cards also have 128K of
standard RAM. This is used during the CLEAN process. The program
copies the data from the chip to be cleaned to the RAM, flashes the
chip (erasing it), and then puts the data back.
Since the FlashCard programs only use this data during the clean
process, the programmers thought it would be cool if we could use it
as a RAM disk the rest of the time, so they included a driver to do
just that. The caveat is that if you remove the card or your Port
shuts off (manually or automatically) the data in the 128K RAM area is
lost. This makes it handy for quick use but not recommended for
serious storage. (The manual does contain a warning to this effect.)"
Egon Rinderer posts:
"I am curious. I have a port, and I would love to be able to take it
on trips with me when I don't necessarily need my laptop, so that I
can check my email. I know this is possible, but I need some
specifics. First, what is the best pocket modem to get. All that I
want is a straight 2400 Bd that I battery powered. I have heard that
line powered modems can cause problems, if this is untrue, then please
correct me. Secondly, I need to know what is the best comm program to
run my modem with. Thirdly, I need to get a memory card. What size
should I get and where do I get them for the best price. Finally, I
know there is a way to set up your compuserve account with multiple
login configs. How is this done? From what I remember, when you
login, you add a key to the end of your user ID or something. If
anyone knows what I am talking about, please let me know."
Andy Rathbone tells Egon:
"I've been using a Practical Peripherals 2400 bps pocket modem for a
year or so with the Portfolio, and it works great. It's line-powered,
so I don't need to worry about batteries.
Called the PPI modem, I believe, it's been more dependable than my
wife's fancier 14,400 bps Worldport portable modem, which rips through
batteries.
I use ACOM, available in the libraries here. When I log on, I upload a
small text file that says:
SET WIDTH 40
SET BLANK NO
SET LINES 16
That sets CompuServe's parameters to match the Portfolio, more or
less. Hopefully somebody else can chip in with answers to your other
questions."
Well, that's about it for this week folks. Tune in again next week and
listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
***********************************************************************
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
=================
STReport International Online Magazine is available every week in the
ST Advantage on DELPHI. STReport readers are invited to join DELPHI and
become a part of the friendly community of Atari enthusiasts there.
SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI
======================
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DELPHI services via a local phone call
JOIN -- DELPHI
--------------
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then...
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Try DELPHI for $1 an hour!
For a limited time, you can become a trial member of DELPHI, and
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where you can use up to 4 weekend and evening hours a month for a minimum
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this special trial offer will expire soon! To take advantage of this
limited offer, use your modem to dial 1-800-365-4636. Press <RET> once or
twice. When you get the Password: prompt, type IP26 and press <RET> again.
Then, just answer the questions and within a day or two, you'll officially
be a member of DELPHI!
TOP TEN DOWNLOADS (4/21/93)
(1) MSA V. 2.2
(2) STREPORT 9.16
(3) LITTLE GREEN SELECTOR
(4) DC XTRACT PLUS 2.1
(5) SILKMOUSE 3.1
(6) SPOFLT21.LZH
(7) AEO: VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 8
(8) LHA 2.01
(9) REHBOCK.ARC
(10) GEM-VIEW VERSION 2.20
All of the above files can be found in the RECENT ARRIVALS database for at
least one week after the posting of this list. Please Note that in the
case of online magazines, only the most current issue in the database at
the time of this compilation is considered for the Top 10 list. Also, for
all files, a submission is eligible for the Top 10 list for only four weeks
after its original uploading.
A demo of Missionware's FLASH 2 is in Recent Arrivals.
DELPHI- It's getting better all the time!
***********************************************************************
> CT FEST'93 STR SHOW NEWS The Summertime Atari Event!
""""""""""""""""""""""""
THE CT ATARIFEST '93!
=====================
JUNE 12 & 13, AT THE WINDSOR COURT HOTEL
WINDSOR, CT. (JUST ABOVE HARTFORD)
Free Parking!
Low Room Rates!
More Vendors!
More Floor Space!
CONNECTICUT SHOW TO FEATURE ATARI'S LATEST ENTRY
================================================
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 12)
More than 1,000 Atari computer enthusiasts are expected to converge
here June 12 and 13 at Connecticut AtariFest '93, and are certain to debate
whether the star of the show -- THE LONG-AWAITED FALCON030 COMPUTER --
lives up to its advance billing.
Yep, that ACT Atari Group is running another major NorthEast computer
event. Last year's successful CT Fest had over 700 attendees, which
merited a larger location, so we've moved a mile away (exit 42 on I-91)
into bigger and better quarters. We're just as convenient to reach as
ever, and only two hours from Boston or New York! The new hotel has
excellent room rates ($35.00 per room), free and plentiful parking, easy
access from Interstate 91, I-95, I-90, I-84, I-80, an in house Sports Bar,
a bigger ballroom and is located just 1 mile from Bradley International
Airport (free shuttle service for hotel guests).
The Falcon030 is a perfect low cost tool for the professional artist,
with 8 track, 16 bit musical capabilities, truecolor graphics and a 32 bit
DSP chip. The Falcon will be bundled with several music programs,
including a 4 track 'Direct to Disk' editing and recording program, a sound
sampler and an all purpose productivity package called AtariWorks.
The Hartford show will likely be one of the first encounters the
general public has with the new machine and software leading designers have
produced for it. Atari was performing quality control tests on the latest
production models shipped to the Sunnyvale headquarters in mid-April.
The two-day event will feature more than 40 exhibitors, including
several of the top names in music software development and MIDI equipment.
Tentative music exhibitors include Barefoot Software (formerly Hybrid
Arts), Digital F/X, Steinberg/Jones, Pro Musica, Compo Software and others.
The show, sponsored by ACT Atari Group, will be held at the Windsor Court
Hotel, just off Interstate 91 at exit 42.
Connecticut AtariFest'93 promises to showcase the work of several
musicians and will include some live music sessions.
Other vendors will demonstrate new equipment and software that will be
of interest to musicians whether they're on or off the job. Among them,
organizers have received tentative nods from A&D Software, ABC Solutions,
Baggetaware, Barefoot Software, Compo Software, Computer Studio, Derric
Electronics, East Hartford Computer Repair, Gribnif Software, ICD Inc.,
MegaType Software, Soft-Logik Publishing, Toad Computers, Wizztronics. Last
year 14 user groups participated, and that number is expected to grow by
June.
A Home Business and Entertainment Expo that will focus on high-tech
gadgetry designed for home use is also planned. Central activities will
include a New England Lynx Tournament for the gamester in the family, a
Portfolio corner for the on-the-go palmtop computer user, and other
technology such as VCRs, lap/palmtops, voice messaging systems, satellite
receivers, CD-ROM, fax-modems, large screen TV, printers, audio-video
components, cellular phones, office supplies, video games or add-on units
and accessories.
We'll have our annual New England Lynx Competition, with multiple
Comlynxed competitions underway at all times. Last year's winners took
home prizes ranging from games to accessories to complete Lynx Systems!
Bring your best player and join the fun.
We'll have the Portfolio Corner, staffed with industry pundits and
filled with every imaginable palmtop peripheral! Last year we had a few
Portfolios disassembled at the booth, a real insight into surface mount
technology!
For those of you with an eye towards seminars, we'll have them in
abundance, last year's question and answer session with Bob Brodie drew
standing only crowds! In addition, we had John Eidsvoog's walk through the
Codehead graphic tools, Jeff Naideau of Barefoot Software showing off
EdiTrack Platinum, Dave Troy of (Guess[ribbet]) Computers, STReport's Dana
Jacobson and Joe Mirando and many, many others.
And to top things off, come out and see the Falcon 030 in all its
glory. By then we expect to see some rad new programs out and some really
excitement! All in all, we hope to have the best Northeast show yet, and
we look forward to your participation. Make your plans now for the most
exciting Atari Weekend this spring!
For further information, call Brian Gockley at 203-332-1721 or Doug
Finch at 203-637-1034. We can also be found on GEnie in Category 11 or on
Compuserve in the Atari Forums. E-mail can be directed to B.GOCKLEY or
D.FINCH7 on GEnie or to 75300,2514 or 76337,1067 on CIS.
________________________________________________________________
> STR Editor's Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
""""""""""""""""""""""
Editor's MailBag
""""""""""""""""
Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-----------------------------------
About last week's presentation of the brochure commentary obtained from the
Atari areas..
53094 17-APR 03:27 General Information
STR
From: BRYEDEWAARD To: RMARIANO (NR)
I was unpleasantly surprized to see my Falcon Brochure message plastered in
STR as if I had written it for you. This was a message written for the
Delphi forum and it should have at least been presented as such. I am not
a writer for STR.
I'm afraid you have allowed you sense of vengeance to cloud your
journalistic professionalism. STR has become a place for you to vent your
anger at Atari at the expense of those who believe in your journalistic
integrity. I'd like to think that there are two types of readers: those
who have already left this platform, and those who know how to interpret
what they see in STR, but I know that there will be more people affected
by the relentless Atari-bashing. Your inclusion of a letter by Bill
Halvorsen demonstrates all to well your intent to demoralize the user base.
Since Atari can do nothing right in the eyes of STR, I beg of you to
turn your talents to other platforms that make the grade and stop trying
to destroy a platform in need of recovery. Your magazine is obviously not
interested in trying to part of the solution, but rather the resounding
amplifier of the problems. You and I both know that there is more to this
story than just "bad-management" and that the Falcon complications were
neither intentional or anticipated, but you sit judge and jury over Atari
and show readers a picture baised by a personal dislike for the company
you allegedly support. As you expand into other platforms, I hope you
find a place where management makes no mistakes, and product difficulties
do not exist so you can let this "dying, disillusioned" platform be.
-Bry
Editor:
Mr. Edwards, don't be surprised, please re-examine where the item in
question appeared in STReport. It appeared exactly where it belonged; in
the area of STReport we reserve for the special presentation of
particularly interesting items found on Delphi. Its sad to see such
recriminations emanating forth when in fact, you presented an eloquent
observation of the Falcon brochure. Indeed you should be complimented for
your commentary.
As for STR enjoying some sort of clouded journalistic posture, I'm
afraid that's an opinion and it too, you are entitled to. As for STR being
part of any solution, that can always happen if Atari's top brass ever
decides to pay attention to the information coming form the users. As for
the remainder of your accusations they need no attention as they are as
emotional and inaccurate as those you credit STR with. Neither myself,
STR, its staff or any of our contributors have ever "played judge and jury"
over Atari that is totally untrue and pure fabrication. All we have ever
done is present the facts and give our readers the opportunity to see both
sides of the coin. Thus, enabling our readers to make well informed
decisions.
Finally, to the matters about the old, well worn out "love it or leave
it" diatribe, please understand I too, enjoy using my Atari computers and
find little or no fault with the hardware at all. My complaint is the
manner in which the management team does things. Or, should I say doesn't
do things.
From CIS' Atari Fora...
#: 38922 S17/Community Square
18-Apr-93 19:30:40
Sb: #38802-ST Report
Fm: Tim Myers 100025,2627
To: STReport - Ralph 70007,4454
I really am at a loss to understand the inability to sort out the serial
bugs. If I was a cynic I'd say they don't care but I'm not (yet!) so I
won't <g>.
You do have quite a reputation for being a figure of controversy Ralph and
it does precede you! I look at it like this. Everybody has the right to
voice their opinions. I read those opinions and any facts presented with or
I can find relating to the arguments. I might learn something that changes
or re-enforces my viewpoint. If I read something that doesn't stack up with
what I know then I assess and re-evaluate. I might end up dismissing the
new info and stick to my previous opinion. I might change my opinion. But
if people don't write stuff that's controversial or they consider
news-worthy I wont be in the position of being able to make an informed
decision. That's what free press is all about isn't it? When people
condemn from a position of ignorance you get witch hunts like S. Rushdie
where most of the people doing the condemning hadn't even read the book!
I love my Stacy but have doubts about the company that produced it. They
may yet pull round or they may flounder on the rocks only time will tell.
But complacency is the enemy of progress IMO and somebody needs to keep
prodding them and being a devils advocate. That's you Ralph ! Thankfully
your output is rarely censored <g>, unlike a certain on line echo I USED to
read from the US where good solid biting criticism was rewarded by having
the moderator threaten to remove your node. Sad IMO. There's nothing wrong
with criticism so long as it's constructive. You say it as you find it. I
may not agree with your view all the time but I like to be able to read it.
"I would love nothing more than to have the opportunity to praise Atari to
the high heavens.... When they provide the reasons for such, you can rest
assured it'll happen."
Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine
Tim Myers
United Kingdom CIS ID: 100025,2627
Editor;
How timely and appropriate your letter is Tim. On another service,
I've been accused of everything but the Salem witch hunts. It never ceases
to
amaze me about the emotional level we are continually faced with in the
Atari platform. The truth is, truth can hurt and hurt plenty but it must
be presented for the benefit of others so they too, may enjoy the ability
of making informed decisions. STR is continually accused of being biased,
playing judge and jury, grinding an axe, etc.. When in actuality, all we
are doing is presenting, like Sgt. Joe Friday says; "Just the facts". As
many of our readers will attest to, that's the most absurd litany of
accusations yet to manifest itself for one reason. We have always praised
the hardware Atari produces, even with its minor faults, our criticism has
always been directed solely towards its management, both high and low
level. Thank you again for the level headed, honest appraisal of the
current situation and especially for reading STReport along with the other
sources of Atari related information.
***********************************************************************
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+----------------------------+ +-----------------------------+
Voted Best New RT on GEnie, 1993
The Windows RT is proud to Welcome
Berkeley Systems, Inc.
Makers of:
"After Dark for Windows"
and
"Star Trek, the screen saver"
Online Support Area
Windows Bulletin Board
Catagory 27
Pick Item 1 from the Windows Menu
and type 'SET 27' in the BB
GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric
Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission
***********************************************************************
> BLUE RIDGE ATARIFEST'93 STR SHOW NEWS "The Summertime Atari Event!"
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
1993 Blue Ridge ATARIFEST
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The Blue Ridge Atari Computer Enthusiasts (BRACE) and Computer Studio
invite you to participate in the Fourth Annual Blue Ridge AtariFest in
beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. Show dates and times are:
Saturday July 24, 1993 10am - 6pm
Sunday July 25, 1993 Noon - 5pm
Just as in previous years, we have arranged for FREE Booth space for Atari
developers!! (We're only requesting the donation of a door prize).
We can promise both developers and show-goers an energetic and exciting
show with as enthusiastic a crowd of Atarians as you'll find anywhere, plus
the support of Computer Studio in the mall.
We're once again taking over the Courtyard Shop (mall) area at Westgate
Shopping Center for the show (location of Computer Studio), plus the use of
vacant store spaces for seminar sessions. Seminar sessions will be 45
minutes in length, and developers are welcome to conduct a seminar on their
product line or approved topic of their choice (seminar sessions are
limited, so first come, first served).
This year's show dates also coincide with Asheville's annual Bele Chere
street festival, when downtown Asheville is closed to vehicular traffic and
becomes what must be one of the largest street fairs in the country.
Westgate Shopping Center is one of the primary Park-and-Ride shuttle
centers for transporting people to and from downtown, and we've arranged to
have the shuttle service pick up at the front entrance of the mall and drop
off at the rear entrance, so everyone taking the service from Westgate WILL
walk through the AtariFest exhibition area sometime during the day. This
will be a great opportunity to showcase Atari and Atari related software
and peripherals, and introduce them to people who aren't already Atari
owners. Bringing in NEW blood is the key to the growth of this platform,
and this will be our opportunity to begin that process with a captive
audience.
Additional discussions of the show, as well as confirmations of your
participation, are welcome in GEnieMail and in the Blue Ridge
AtariFest topic 13 in Category 11 here on GEnie.
HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
HAPPY ATARI COMPUTING.
IT'S HAPPENING IN ASHEVILLE!
Where: Westgate Shopping Center - Asheville, N.C.
Take any major highway into Asheville (US 19-23, US 26 or I-40) to the
I-240 loop, then take the "Westgate/Hilton Inn Drive exit" into the
Westgate Shopping Center parking lot.
When: 24-25, July 1993
Time: 10:am to 6:pm SAT
12 Noon 'til 5pm SUN
Points of contact:
Come for a day or come for the weekend,
but do come and enjoy yourself.
Great Smokies Hilton Resort Hilton Inn Drive (704)254-3211
Toll-free reservation phone number 1-800-733-3211
Radisson One Thomas Wolf Plaza (704)252-8211
Rate: $62.00 per room (1-4 people)
====== Additional Hotel / Motel Information ===========
Days Inn I-26 and Airport Road (704)684-2281
I-40 Exit 55 (704)298-5140
Econo Lodge US 70 East, I-40 Exit 55 (704)298-5519
Holiday Inn 275 Smoky Park Hwy (704)667-4501
Toll-free reservation phone number 1-800-HOLIDAY
Red Roof Inn I-40 and US 19-23 Exit 44 (704)667-9803
Toll-free reservation phone number 1-800-843-7663
Budget Motel I-40 Exit 44 (Enka-Chandler)
West Asheville Exit (704)665-2100 Best
Western Asheville Central 22 Woodfin St (704)253-1851
========= Local Bed & Breakfast lodging Information =========
Aberdeen Inn 64 Linden Ave (704)254-9336
Albemarle Inn 86 Edgemont Road (704)255-0027
Applewood Manor 62 Cumberland Circle (704)254-2244
The Bridle Path Inn Lockout Road (704)252-0035
Cairn Brae B & B 217 Patton Mountain Rd (704)252-9219
Carolina B & B 177 Cumberland Ave (704)254-3608
Cedar Crest Victorian Inn 674 Biltmore Ave (704)252-1289
Corner Oak Manor 53 St. Dunstan (704)253-3525
Cornerstone Inn 230 Pearson Dr (704)253-5644
Flint Street Inn 100 & 116 Flint Street (704)253-6723
The Lion and The Rose 276 Montford Ave (704)255-7673
The Ray House B & B 83 Hillside St (704)252-0106
Reed House 119 Dodge St (704)274-1604
The Wright Inn 235 Pearson Drive (704)251-0789]
(1-800-552-5724)
A more complete listing of Bed & Breakfasts can be obtained through the
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Reservations should be made immediately, as July is the height of our
tourist season.
=========== CAMP GROUNDS ================
(reservations are a must during this time of season):
Mount Pisgah:
About 20 miles southwest of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway at
mile post 408.6 (National Park Service). 690 acres. Elevation 5000'. One of
the nicest campgrounds in Western North Carolina. 67 tent sites, 70 RV
sites. For reservations: P.O.Box 749, Watnesville, N.C. 28786; phone (704)
235-9109. No showers. Groceries and restaurant. Nature program. 14 day
stay limit.
Lake Powhatan:
4 miles south of Asheville on State road 191, 3.5 miles west on SR
806. 30 acres. 98 tent/rv sites. Reservation available thru Mistix
1-800-283-CAMP. Disposal station. No showers. Swimming; lifeguard; fishing;
nature trails; bicycles. 14-day stay limit.
While in the area, you might want to consider a little sightseeing,
and include a visit to the Biltmore House here in Asheville (the largest
single family residence ever built in the U.S.--its a "castle"). A visit to
the Biltmore can be a full-day's activity as you will want to view the
house, visit the winery, and walk some of the grounds and gardens.
Hours:
The House 9 am to 6pm The Gardens 9am to 7pm
Conservatory 9am to 5:30pm
The Winery Monday-Saturday 11am to 7pm Sunday 1pm to 7pm
Other areas of interest include; the Thomas Wolf home (adjacent to the
Raddison), the Blue Ridge Parkway and Folk Art Center. A drive up the Blue
ridge Parkway to enjoy the higher elevations and incredible views of our
mountains. Perhaps a hike up to Mount Pisgah and look back down to
Asheville(you can see Mt. Pisgah from most anywhere in Asheville). A short
drive from Mt. Pisgah will take you to Sliding Rock (for those of you
travelling with kids who are still kids at heart), the Cradle of Forestry
(first forest school in the country), waterfalls, trout hatchery, etc. For
the adventurous, white water rafting on the Natahala River near Bryson
City (approx one and a half hours from here).
There's obviously loads more to see and do around Asheville (in
addition to the Blue Ridge AtariFest and a visit to Computer Studio :-). If
any of y'all would like maps and additional tourist info of the area I
might suggest contacting the Chamber of Commerce:
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
151 Haywood Street
P.O. Box 1010
Asheville, NC 28802
704-258-6111 FAX: (704)251-0926
___________________________________________________________________
> A Little Humor STR FOCUS! A breath of Fresh Air!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
From the Pournelle RT on GEnie
"Good Stuff"
Category 4, Topic 24
Message 128 Tue Apr 20, 1993
T.BARRINGER [The Troll] at 23:00 EDT
Not specifically computer-related, but quite applicable to many IS depts:
THE PLAN
In the beginning was the Plan.
And the Plan contained the Assumptions.
And the Assumptions were without form.
And the Plan was without substance.
And darkness was on the face of the Workers.
And they spoke among themselves, saying,
"It is a pail of dung, and none may abide the odor thereof."
And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying,
"It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong,
such that none may abide by it."
And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying,
"It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another,
"It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
And the Directors then went unto the Vice Presidents, saying unto them,
"It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went unto the President, saying unto him,
"This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor
of the company, with powerful effects."
And the President looked upon the Plan, and saw that it was good.
And the Plan became Policy.
This is how Sh*t Happens.
________________________________________________________________________
> NVN WANTS YOU! STR InfoFile Another Network Supports Atari!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""
NVN - THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK!
===============================
The Atari computer platforms has support on yet another top notch
telecommunications service! National Videotex Network (NVN) maintains
an area just for our favorite computers. Type GO ATARI
Order an extended NVN Membership of 6 or 12 months, pay for it in
advance and receive a bonus in connect time at no additional charge.
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NVN now offers Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). For a $2 per month
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For more information about either of these plans..
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NVN Highlights
--------------
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3. Get your copy of DOS 6.0 Upgrade - FREE -!
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12. Refer to NVN for all of your reference needs...
13. Enjoy NVN services while saving time and money!
_______________________________________________________________
> STR Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
"""""""""""""
STReport's MailBag
""""""""""""""""""
Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-----------------------------------
From CIS Atari Fora
"Broken Hearts and Dreams".....
#: 38936 S9/News/Product Info
19-Apr-93 09:09:34
Sb: Atari Loss of $21.9M
Fm: SYSOP*Mike Schoenbach 76703,4363
To: All
ATARI LOSS AT $21.9 MILLION DOLLARS
(April 19)
Atari Corp. reports it is posting a net loss of $21.9 million for the
fourth quarter compared with a $4.4 million net loss for the same period a
year earlier.
In a statement from Sunnyvale, Calif., Atari said net sales for the quarter
were $25.5 million compared with $96.1 million for 1991. "As part of the
company's restructuring program," said the statement, "the company recorded
$7.4 million in restructuring charges and $14.1 million in inventory
write-downs. These charges were partially offset by a reversal of $9.0
million of previously estimated loss for discontinued operations." Atari
said it also incurred a loss on exchange of $5.3 million as compared with a
$4.1 million gain in 1991. For the year, Atari's net sales were $127.3
million compared with $258 million in 1991. The company net loss for the
year was $73.6 million, compared with net income of $25.6 million for 1991.
"In the year 1992, the company took inventory write-downs of $37.6
million, and as part of its restructuring program, made provisions
totalling $17.1 million," Atari added.
--Charles Bowen
More grief over the non-arrival of the Falcon...
#: 38969 S17/Community Square
20-Apr-93 11:09:04
Sb: #38816-platforms
Fm: Clive Parker 100012,2571
To: Sysop*Brad Hill 71333,2165 (X)
Apparently the other two glossy UK mags do not yet have a Falcon (ST USER
and ST REVIEW) and I hear that the editor of ST Review wrote to Atari UK
demanding "his" Falcon at once. Atari told him where to stick it
(allegedly) and the mag was all set to close down with issue 12, which
included a long caustic editorial blaming Atari for non-coo [(sorry) for
non cooperation meaning that they had to close down. ST Review have been
"rescued" by the publishers of ST User and will continue to appear.
ST User previously rescued ST World, changed to a quarterly for 3 issues,
then changed it to a free supplement with User for 2 issues. Then it
vanished.
BTW, I refer to the UK Atari User, not the US Mag.
Anyway, Falcon software is starting to arrive for review. Full reviews of
TruePaint and MusiCom will be in issue 47 (June) of ST FORMAT.
Clive Parker, ST FORMAT
#: 38970 S17/Community Square
20-Apr-93 11:17:32
Sb: #38939-platforms
Fm: Clive Parker 100012,2571
To: MacDonald Associates 75300,2514
We never received a TT either, and our publisher declined the option of
buying one. Perhaps the reason the TT never took hold in the UK was that it
was never reviewed.
We bought a MegeSTE and reviewed it, retailers reported a massive upsurge
in sales and enquiries for about six weeks after the review was printed.
BTW, Atari do not advertise very much in the UK. They have not placed any
ads in ST FORMAT for the Falcon as yet, although they have advertised in ST
User. This was a special case 'though for reasons I cannot discuss.
The TT was only ever advertised (briefly) in Atari specific magazines in
the UK.
It's sad.
Clive Parker, ST FORMAT
#: 38732 S8/Hot Topics
12-Apr-93 01:45:50
Sb: #38207-#Falcon Programs Test
Fm: Mike Fulton 75300,1141
To: JAIME SACADURA 100010,2150 (X)
Actually, the problem with Breakout in true color mode that you are seeing
is due to a bug in GEM VDI, not Breakout.
Breakout works correctly in True Color mode, but there is a bug in GEM VDI
with user-defined fill patterns in some of the earlier versions of
Falcon030 TOS (v4.01 & maybe v4.02).
This problem has been fixed in current versions of TOS. At some point down
the road I would expect that you'll be able to get a TOS upgrade that will
solve that problem.
It has been noted by several people that Breakout and Landmines don't
really show off the capabilities of the machine. I would agree with that
to some degree, but keep in mind that these programs will also work on
older ST, STE, and TT030 machines. If you want to see something that
really takes full advantage of the machine, we've got games like LlamaZap
coming out that will only work on a Falcon030, and they definitely show off
the machine's capabilities.
Mike Fulton
#: 39000 S8/Hot Topics
20-Apr-93 18:07:45
Sb: #38732-#Falcon Programs Test
Fm: JAIME SACADURA 100010,2150
To: Mike Fulton 75300,1141
Thanks for your reply, Mike.
Actually i would prefer if it was a problem with Breakout, instead of the
Falcon TOS.
I was not very happy, to know that a machine bought a few weeks ago, with
TOS 4.01 inside, is really an "old" machine with a TOS filled with bugs.
And see the surprise of a friend of mine, when i told him, that is Falcon
030, bought last week in England, with TOS 4.02 inside, isn't the latest
and hottest machine on earth, but an old version that needs to be upgraded.
I can just say that he wasn't amused and i'm sort of responsible for his
purchase.
It's really, really, very disappointing. We are talking about a ROM based
Operating System!!!!
Atari just can't sell machines and afterwards say to the customers: - I'm
sorry , your machine has an "old" TOS version and some software isn't going
to work. (Incidently, i have just bought TRUE PAINT, and you are right, as
some True Color functions like Fill don't work with 4.01 or 4.02 versions
of TOS, and are not going to work, according to the manual, even with a
disk based TOS)
With the Macintosh, for example, Apple would say: - I'm sorry, the 7.01
version of the OS we gave you with the machine, has bugs, here you have new
disks with the fixed version.
Not that simple with a ROM based OS, so ATARI should know better!!
Are we going to get new ROM's?. NO!! We are going to pay for them!!
When and if they became available!
In the mean time, we are left with new and already crippled hardware and
software, and that old feeling, of someone who knows ATARI for six years
and shouldn't be surprised with these sort of things.
That aside, I have two questions:
1- Which is the latest TOS version? (hopefully with fewer bugs)
2- A disk based TOS or some sort of TOSfix is not going to solve these
problems? (it doesn't seem to, at least according to Hisoft)
Answers anyone?
Jaime Sacadura
#: 39058 S8/Hot Topics
23-Apr-93 06:07:14
Sb: #39000-Falcon Programs Test
Fm: Mike Fulton 75300,1141
To: JAIME SACADURA 100010,2150
The problem with fill patterns has absolutely nothing to do with the
Falcon030 hardware, and the fact that the machine may have an older version
of TOS in ROM doesn't mean that it's an old machine. It most likely means
that it was made just before v4.04 went into production. In fact, since
all machines older than about 3 months were intended for developers, you
most likely have a machine that has been build since the start of the year.
The current version of TOS still has a few problems with fill patterns, so
in that respect, yes, a disk-based version won't help. Not now, anyway,
but that doesn't mean a disk-based version a month from now wouldn't do the
trick.
The current version of TOS for the Falcon030 is v4.04, but that has _just_
started to be produced at the factory (as opposed to eprom chips burned for
developer machines, which is much more expensive).
Would you rather not have the machine, because there are still a few bugs
in the OS that need to be ironed out? I'm sure you could find somebody to
take it off your hands. Then when we have a perfect OS with no bugs, then
you can get your machine. I know that sounds sarcastic, but to be
realistic, there are always going to be some bugs in any software. You do
the best you can, but some things slip by you.
I don't know what the mechanism for getting a TOS upgrade would be,
especially since you are in the U.K., but I'm sure it will be possible at
some point down the road.
There are actually very few differences between TOS v4.01 and v4.04. It's
mostly small bug fixes. The fill pattern problem is probably one of the
most serious bugs that still hasn't been fixed.
Mike
From GEnie...
The questions keep coming but answers are few and far between...
Category 4, Topic 36
Message 127 Tue Apr 20, 1993
SLP at 19:45 EDT
DD, I actually think that sound and graphics (read games, home video
editing, and playing with music) are a much bigger market than serious DTP
work, especially with a home computer. I do think that Atari just doesn't
realize how important CD ROM will be in the very near future (now?), and I
hope they don't miss the boat on that.
I also think that it would be a mistake to buy a TT over a Falcon. The
bird will have much more third party support, and will be a more powerful
computer as well with the addition of hardware. Why saddle yourself with
old technology.
------------
Category 4, Topic 36
Message 128 Wed Apr 21, 1993
STEVE-J [Steve @ NLS] at 02:17 EDT
SLP - Atari DOES realize how important CD-ROM will be. They've stated
since last Fall that they don't expect CD-ROM to REALLY get big until late
'93, though. The CD-ROM driver for MultiTOS will read ALL (and
auto-detect) major CD-ROM formats, including Photo-CD. The only question I
have about it is: What about non-MultiTOS Atari users??? They've released
the latest (and supposedly LAST) version of the MetaDOS CD-ROM driver for
ST's and compatibles, but it only handles High Sierra and ISO9660 (or
whatever) formats AND is apparently buggy. Atari NEEDS to see to it that a
non-MultiTOS CD-ROM driver for all TOS-based machines is also made
available.
Anyway, there is a RUMOR that Atari is working on a CD-ROM drive that will
interface with the DSP port, will be as fast as current CD-ROM drives, and
will cost only around $200 (to be available late Fall or early Winter '93).
Since a CD-ROM drive will be expected for the new Jaguar game console, this
doesn't seem too unbelievable.
------------
Category 4, Topic 36
Message 129 Wed Apr 21, 1993
D.D.MARTIN [Swampy] at 19:57 EDT
SLP
Well said... But don't worry, I'll have up to date technology when I
purchase my Centris 610. %^)
Funny you should mention DTPing and the current market. I had a friend ask
me today for recommendations for buying a computer. I first asked him what
he wanted to do with it. 'Oh, write letters, keep track of bills, play
some games, and put together the little theater programs so they are camera
ready'. (He does plan to get an HP Laser Jet for the printer since he has
one in the office and knows the difference between LJ output and
dotmatrix). He also said that he and his wife would like to write a book
on "how to start a community theater and do things like a nice Christmas
newsletter in lieu of Christmas cards next year (data base/mail merge).
Maybe, after buying his computer and getting comfortable with the software
and o/s he will start to look around at other things his computer can do..
ie. multi-media. This guy is, to me, a typical late 20's yuppie who does a
little word processing for his job at the bank.
A Mercedes is a wonderful automobile with lots of bells and whistles and
high speed and luxurious appointments. Like the Falcon, it has a niche
market based on economics and status. It is still and must always be a
method of transportation that gets you from point A to point B.
Pragmatists like myself aren't drawn to the bells and whistles and fine
leather interior. I need to get from point A to point B in an economical
and safe manner. Haul the kids, take the dog to the vet, pick up
groceries, run errands, get to work. Those are _basic_ transportation
needs for most families and it doesn't require a Mercedes to do it. If my
Pontiac or Chevy has a couple amenities like a good tape deck, power
windows etc. I'm happy.
BTW..speaking of CD-ROMs... Atari showed the very first CD-ROM at Comdex
way back in 83-84-85 (?). It was up and running on an ST with Grolliers
encyclopedia on the disk. They could have lead the world, but as usual,
they put it on the back burner and never proceeded with it. :(
Hugs...Swampy
------------
Apparently Atarians are not alone... An Amigian goes PC
Category 4, Topic 33
Message 246 Tue Apr 20, 1993
T.KIM4 [Tae Kim] at 18:13 EDT
Ok dudes, I finally did it. Tae Kim became a clonehead last night.
This is what I ordered:
GATEWAY 2000 486DX2/66 TOWER VESA local bus 2 32-bit slots Pentium
upgradable (ZIF socket) 8 ISA 16-bit slots ATI Ultra Pro w/ 1 meg 1280X1024
available 8 megs ram 256k cache 340 meg IDE hd 3.5 and 5.25 disk drives 15"
Crystal Scan flat-screen monitor by Mag (PC Mag editor's choice) Phillips
CD-ROM 375 ms and 150k transfer rate Microsoft Mouse, MS DOS 6, MICROSOFT
WORD/BOOKSHELF CD, WINDOZ 3.1 Anykey Keyboard for $3250 shipped to my door
also ordered a Pro Audio Spectrum 16 sound card (CD quality) and 2 CD
titles.
This machine should SCREAM. Reasons for getting it:
1. AmiPro 3.0 (superior wordprocessing)
2. Games Games Games (It's sad that I say this now, two or three years ago
I'd kill myself if I thought this would happen. Alas, Strike Commander, 7th
Guest, Aces of Pacific, SVGA Links386 Pro; Titles like this change people)
3. Consultant work. (How can I grub money in the Amiga market?
When I can get tons of money by teaching people how to install cards, IRQs,
set up databases, etc. etc. Even though the PC is a pain, it has its
advantages. hehe ;) 4. Computer for college! Of course I still have the
5oo. The amiga will always have a special place in my heart, but Commodore
just couldn't compete with the clones. It's just sad to say. The support
AIN't There here in the states.
I'll be around in the Amiga RT. But just a few topics, like this one and
the Amiga Resource topic. Oh well.
------------
From the ever popular and highly informative FNET...
Conf : Atari 16/32 Bit
Msg# : 3025/3036 Lines: Extended Read: 1
Sent : Apr 20, 1993 at 7:24 PM
Recv : Apr 22, 1993
To : Ralph Mariano
From : Roadkill at Fnet Node 652, >Pengoland BBS<
Subj : Re: <3016> THOUGHTS?
Previously Ralph Mariano wrote:
> Believe it or not, that's a very smart decision on your part. You
> know there's 60 million put aside to advertise and promote the game
> machines... LYNX, Jaguar etc.. The Jag is gonna be quite the machine.
> They do need devs for the Jaguar and are taking on programmers left and
> right. They just hired seventeen people for the game machine end of the
> business whilst they laid-off 22 some odd people in the computer end. I
> also rumored they may discontinue all but the Falcon at the end of this
Electronic Gaming Monthly said (approximately): Atari is planning to do
the same (as 3DO) with their Jaguar 64bit RISC based Mega system with
add-ons for hard drives, keyboards and VR goggles to draw the computer
heads.... (hmmmm Sound like a whole computer to me. Maybe with atari
emulation??? Don't know, so don't take my word for it!)
Game pro said: Atari told us recently that they wouldn't be at the
summer CES and would instead be showcasing their Jag at a private
conference some time after June. They said that the Jag would be VERY
expandable and that there would be available a AV for playing LYNX games
over the TV. Seeing is believing.
Hmm..... I want to see this thing!! By the time they release the
developers info, I'll have enough money save for either a Jag dev kit or a
PC dev kit.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> A "Quotable Quote" "Famous..... last words"
"""""""""""""""""
"...... We are not working for Wall Street but to
make money for our shareholders and only think long term."
Sam Tramiel, 11/92
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> DEALER CLASSIFIED LIST STR InfoFile * Dealer Listings *
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ---------------
ABCO COMPUTER CONSULTANTS
=========================
P.O. Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32236-6672
Est. 1985
1-904-783-3319
ATARI-AMIGA-PC-CLONES-MAC
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE & SUPPLIES
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
COMPUTER STUDIO
===============
WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTER
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Asheville, NC 28806
1-800-253-0201
Orders Only
1-704-251-0201
Information
Authorized Atari Dealer
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MEGABYTE COMPUTERS
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907 Mebourne
Hurst, TX 76053
1-817-589-2950
Authorized Atari Dealer
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SAN JOSE COMPUTER
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1278 Alma Court
San Jose, CA. 95112
1-408-995-5080
Authorized Atari Dealer
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CompuSeller West
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220-1/2 W. Main St.
St. Charles, IL., 60174
Ph. (708) 513-5220
Authorized Atari Dealer
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(DEALERS; to be listed here, please drop us a line.)
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STReport International Online Magazine
-* [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport *-
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STR Online! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" April 23, 1993
Since 1987 copyright (c) 1987-92 All Rights Reserved No.9.17
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Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
the editors/staff of STReport International Online Magazine. Permission to
reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints
must, without exception, include the name of the publication, date, issue
number and the author's name. STReport and/or portions therein may not
be edited in any way without prior written permission. STReport, at the
time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate. STReport, its staff
and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible for the use or
misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom.
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