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Silicon Times Report Issue 0947
SILICON TIMES REPORT
====================
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
=============================
from
STR Electronic Publishing Inc.
November 19, 1993 No. 9.47
======================================================================
Silicon Times Report
International Online Magazine
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155
R.F. Mariano
Publisher-Editor
-----------------------------------------
Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM-4 PM EST
STR Publishing Support BBS Network System
* THE BOUNTY BBS *
FIDO 1:112/35 ~ ITCNet 85:881/253 ~ FNET 350 ~ Nest 90:21/350
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-----------------------------------------
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MNET - Toad Hall BBS.....................1-617-567-8642
______________________________________________________________________
> 11/19/93 STR 947 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!"
""""""""""""""""
- CPU INDUSTRY REPORT - TIME GOES ONLINE - PERSONAL DICTATION
- PLATEMAKER DEBUT - DELL OFFERS PENTIUM - FIREFALL REVIEW
- LOGITECH ERASERHEAD - MONITOR OVERVIEW - APPLE STARCORE
- POWER PC BIG NEWS - TYPE DESIGNER 2.0 - PEOPLE ARE TALKING!
-* COMDEX FALL'94, GREAT SHOW! *-
-* QUADRA 6100 BIG NEWS! *-
-* WINDOWS SHIPS 40 MILLION! *-
======================================================================
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 BBS, invites all BBS systems, worldwide, to
participate in the Fido/PROWL/ITC/USENET/NEST/F-Net Mail Networks. You
may also call The Bounty BBS direct @ 904-786-4176. Enjoy the wonder and
excitement of exchanging all types of useful information relative to
computers, worldwide, through the use of excellent International
Networking Systems. SysOps, worldwide, are welcome to join the STReport
International Conferences. The Fido Node is 1:112/35, ITC Node is
85:881/253 Crossnet Code is #34813, and the "Lead Node" is #620. All
computer platforms BBS systems are welcome and invited to participate.
======================================================================
CIS ~ AOL ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ FIDO ~ PROWL ~ ITC ~ NEST ~ EURONET
USENET ~ CIX ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ INTERNET ~ FNET ~ GENIE
======================================================================
COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME
to the Readers of;
STREPORT 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!
"Enjoy CompuServe's forums; where information is at its very best!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""
Comdex, Comdex everywhere.... The entire Las Vegas showplace is
dominated this year by the IBM and MAC platforms with a push toward total
cross-platform compatibility with the Quadra 610 offering an MS DOS OS
built in its covered later in this issue. As expected, the platform
where our humble offering began, has no booth at all at Comdex FALL'94.
Instead they've put all their eggs in the game machine basket. We shall
see...
Meanwhile back to where the action is. The myriad of new products
announced at Comdex Fall'94 is virtually unbelievable! It'll take at
least the next three to four weeks to cover each of the major categories
and more to look at each in depth. We also begin the Monitor series this
week. Look for reviews of Diamond Computer's product line in the next
few weeks too. They are growing fast.
Next week is Thanksgiving, on behalf of everyone at STReport, please
have a wonderful holiday with all the warmth and safety possible.
Ralph...
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU!
""""""""""""""""
Publisher -Editor
""""""""""""""""""
Ralph F. Mariano
Lloyd E. Pulley, Editor, Current Affairs
Section Editors
"""""""""""""""
PC SECTION AMIGA SECTION MAC SECTION ATARI SECTION
---------- ------------- ----------- -------------
R.D. Stevens R. Glover R. Noak D. P. Jacobson
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 Randy Noak
Jeff Coe
Contributing Correspondents:
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Tim Holt Norman Boucher Harry Steele
Clemens Chin Neil Bradley Eric Jerue
Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing
James Nolan Vernon W. Smith Bruno Puglia
Frank Sereno
IMPORTANT NOTICE
""""""""""""""""
Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc...
via E-Mail to:
Compuserve................... 70007,4454
America Online..................STReport
Delphi......................... RMARIANO
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FIDONET........................ 1:112/35
FNET........................... NODE 350
ITC NET...................... 85:881/253
NEST........................ 90:21/350.0
GEnie......................... ST-REPORT
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
"""""""""""""""""
IBM/POWER-PC/PC SECTION (I)
===========================
IBM 51.875 - 0.875 at 4:24 on 2331700 shares
> CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
"""""""""""""""""
Computer Products Update - CPU Report
------------------------ ----------
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Issue #47
By: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
******* General Computer News *******
** Time Warner Plans Online News **
An interactive news-on-demand service enabling users to choose and
control the content, length and order of their news programming is in the
works by Time Warner Inc. Time Warner said this week the service will be
first offered late next year to customers at Time Warner's Orlando, Fla.,
interactive services experiment, the Full Service Network.
Reports say the new service is to use the resources of the company's
Time Inc. publishing unit and New York 1 News, its 24-hour New York City
cable news service. It will be run by Walter Isaacson, currently Time
Magazine's assistant managing editor, who will become editor of new media
for Time Inc. and president of News-On-Demand; and Paul Sagan, who will
become senior vice president of Time Warner Cable Programming Inc.
The new service will include local, world and national news, business
and finance, sports, reviews, health news and weather.
** Intel Hopes to Set Video Conferencing Standard **
An Intel Corp. executive said this week that the firm hopes its new
Indeo technology will set the standard for PC-based video conferencing.
Richard Pierce, marketing manager for Indeo, told attendees at the
Piper Jaffray conference in New York that the purpose of Indeo is to
develop an open systems architecture in the newly emerging PC-based video
conferencing market.
"We care about desktop video publishing because it is something that
will truly drive growth in PCs," Pierce said. "Our strategy is to drive
the standards," in what is a nascent industry of PC-based video
conferencing.
** Matsushita Sends 30,000 Game Machines to U.S. Each Month **
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. says it has been exporting its $700
Real Multimedia Game Machine, using 3DO Co.'s technology, at a monthly
rate of some 30,000 units since its debut last month.
Reports say the firm plans to put the machine on the Japanese and
European markets next spring.
The machine is equipped with a 32-bit RISC (reduced instruction
command set) chip. Besides games, it also can run multimedia software
such as educational software and photo compact discs on a television
screen.
** Logitech to Market 'Eraser Head' Pointing Device **
Logitech Inc. says it has signed a letter of intent with Interlink
Electronics of Camarillo, Calif., to distribute new pointing sticks based
on Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) technology. The agreement will allow
Logitech to exclusively market compact pointing devices with roughly the
same diameter as a pencil eraser, residing on or near a computer
keyboard.
Similar to the device found on the IBM ThinkPad keyboard, Logitech
notes that pointing sticks based on FSR provide an extremely convenient,
highly accessible and cost effective means of pointing.
Logitech says it intends to market FSR pointing sticks to keyboard
manufacturers and notebook and desktop system manufacturers.
** IBM Being Sued by Woman Engineer **
IBM has been sued by one of its engineers who says her bosses forced
her to have sex with a Pentagon official so IBM could get millions of
dollars in government funding.
Veronica Gunther, 35 years old, alleges superiors threatened to fire
her in 1991 and 1992 unless she maintained a sexual relationship with
Gary Denman, director of the Pentagon's ARPA (Advanced Research Projects
Agency).
Reports say the named defendants in the state court suit, which seeks
unspecified damages, were IBM and two of Gunther's managers, Ray Blonn
and Nancy Green.
IBM spokesman Scott Brooks said the company doesn't comment on pending
litigation and ARPA spokeswoman Jan Walker also declined to comment.
******* IBM Computer News *******
** Windows Shipments Pass 40 Million Mark **
Microsoft Corp. reports that shipments of its Windows operating system
has passed the 40 million unit mark.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software publisher claims that Windows has
been responsible for the founding of more than 500 new companies and for
the direct creation of more than 17,300 jobs outside of Microsoft. It
notes that Microsoft Windows has been responsible for the creation of at
least $280 million in annual revenues for new small companies and for
more than $1.3 billion in incremental revenue for existing small
companies.
Microsoft reports that more than 16,000 software companies throughout
the U.S. now develop Windows-based software. These companies expect their
revenues to increase by 35 percent next year, and they expect Windows
based products to account for at least half of their total revenues, says
Microsoft.
** Dell Offers Pentium PC **
Dell Computer Corp. says its new Pentium-based Dimension XPS P60
computer will start at $2,999, including a super VGA color monitor. The
company said it will start shipping it later this month, with
availability in Canada by Dec. 1. Dell also says it now offers factory
installation of IBM's OS/2.1 operating system on its PCs.
******* MAC Computer News *******
** Apple's IBM-Compatible Unit Unveiled at Comdex **
Apple Computer Inc. has used the world platform of the Comdex trade
show in Las Vegas to unveil its new IBM- compatible Macintosh computer.
Reports say the Macintosh Quadra 6100, DOS Compatible version,
includes both a Motorola Corp. 68LC040 microprocessor to handle Mac
programs and an Intel Corp. 486SX chip to run Microsoft Corp.'s
IBM-compatible Windows and DOS software.
Vice President Ian Diery of Apple's personal computer division said
the system will be marketed to home office users and small businesses,
adding, "We don't want compatibility to be an issue for our customers.
By developing its most compatible personal computer, Apple intends to
provide its users with all of the advantages of the Macintosh platform
while protecting their investment in DOS and Windows-based software."
Apple said it will charge less than $500 over the price of its low end
Quadra 610 for the new machine, meaning it will probably retail for under
$2,000. It also said it will sell a DOS Compatibility Card to upgrade the
Quadra 610 and Centris 610 for less than $500.
Officials with Apple did not say how soon it will begin selling the
new machine.
** Megahertz Reaches Apple Deal **
Megahertz Corp. has reached a long-term agreement with Apple Computer
Inc. to market a Megahertz-produced PCMCIA modem with XJACK for use with
the Newton MessagePad.
The credit-card size modem slides into the Newton's PCMCIA slot and
consumes very little power. Megahertz says Apple will begin shipping the
Newton Fax Modem Card with XJACK later this month through its authorized
Newton distribution channels.
** Power PC Newsletter Debuts **
Macworld Communications Inc. has announced the launch of Power PC
World, a newsletter dedicated to Power PC computing.
The San Francisco-based company says the monthly standalone newsletter
is dedicated to providing IS managers and volume buyers of Macintosh
products detailed, up-to-date information, advice and guidance on Power
PC technology and the transition to RISC-based computing. Power PC is a
new computer platform based on the Power PC microprocessor jointly
developed by Apple Computer, IBM and Motorola.
"The Power PC microprocessor family offers the next big leap in
performance and will provide the basis for the popularization of exciting
new technologies and applications," said Adrian Mello, editor of Power PC
World, and editor-in- chief of Macworld magazine. "The transition to
Power PC is Apple's most important challenge since the introduction of
the Macintosh, 10 years ago."
The premiere issue's topics include: "Power PC -- The Future of the
Macintosh," "Navigating the Power PC Upgrade Path" and "Power PC
Development Tools."
** Apple Computers Will Never Again be Priced Above Market **
Apple Computer Inc. chief executive officer Michael Spindler said the
firm will never again price its products above the market, although it
will maintain its role as a technology innovator.
Spindler said Apple will accelerate delivery of products across many
computing platforms, including Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating
software.
But he said the key to Apple's strategy was to "aggressively" price
computers and software.
"We will not as an industry leader price technology too high -- ever
again," said Spindler.
___________________________________________________________
> PlateMaker STR InfoFile
"""""""""""""""""""""""
*** New Product Announcement ***
IN Software Announces Platemaker
================================
IN SOFTWARE announced the release of PlateMaker. An Adobe Photoshop
Plug-In module that exports DCS 2.0 files. The new specification for DCS
from Quark, Inc. supports multiple plate color separations. With
PlateMaker, it is now possible to export images of multiple plates
utilizing the popular Postscript file format.
The age old problem of duplicating documents to create custom
backgrounds can now be accomplished in a single procedure out of
Photoshop. Color separations can easily be created to include additional
channels for spot colors, PANTONE backgrounds, varnishes, foil stamping,
embossing, of any other special effect. In a CMYK Photoshop document,
additional channels can be created and exported as 5th and 6th plates,
never having to worry about registration problems. Supported modes
include CMYK, Indexed, and Multichannel.
"Prior to DCS 2.0, output of film needed for CMYK images with spot
colors, varnishes, foil stamping, or any other special effect, re-
quired either additional stripping time to manually strip in these
pieces of film, or to duplicate the document and place each addi-
tional special effect. With PlateMaker, additional channels created
for these special effects can be carried right through to your final
assembly, never having to worry about registration or stripping. In
addition to CMYK, PlateMaker also gives you the ability to save spot
color separations in Multichannel or Indexed color modes. PlateMaker
can increase your productivity when images require more than just
CMYK." says Gregory Hatem, Vice President of IN SOFTWARE.
PLATEMAKER FEATURES
* Full resolution composite for output to CMYK or RGB color printers.
* Single or Multiple file DCS format separation.
* 8 or 24-bit PICT preview for greater accuracy in placement into page
layout packages.
* Apply clipping paths to individual separation plates to create hard
edged masks.
* Create underprint masks for printing on colored papers or textiles.
* Custom angles and frequencies for all plate separations exported.
PlateMaker retails for $US 295.00 and is available from IN SOFTWARE
and select resellers.
IN SOFTWARE is a developer of Desktop publishing products for the
Macintosh. Products include, PlateMaker, a Photoshop plug-in module to
import and export DCS 2.0 format files; and GuideLines, an XTension for
QuarkXPress that builds custom guides.
For further information please contact:
IN SOFTWARE
619-743-7502
619-743-7503 FAX
CompuServe: 73260,1306
AppleLink: INSOFTWARE
America On-Line: INSOFTWARE
In Software, LineWorker, PlateMaker, and Guide Lines are trademarks of In
Software. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners. Prices are subject to change without notice.
________________________________________________
> MONITORS STR Review Monitors - A Comprehensive overview
"""""""""""""""""""
WHICH MONITOR IS BEST?
SHOULD ONE SHOP FOR PRICE, QUALITY or BOTH?
by Ralph F. Mariano
p-1
How many times have you been told or heard; "You get what you pay
for!" Get ready, you are going to be hearing plenty of that is this
series. STR will be presenting a series of articles about monitors, high
priced, "big screen", packaged deals, and ... what the future may or
should hold. As of right now, the series will consist of ten articles
covering sixteen different monitors. Ranging from the "inexpensive high
quality to the expensive high quality" monitors hyped in just about every
hard copy publication in existence. This series is going to attempt to
tell you exactly what we find, hear, see and experience. We'll pull no
punches. In other words, we'll tell it like it is.
While there are always the users who must impress everyone with the
price he/she paid for a particular piece of hardware or software he is
incessantly 'bragging' about, in many cases the user is trying to justify
the long green he recently dropped on this product. Odds are he'll make
a much stronger commotion if he finds that his "pride and joy", when
stacked up against another at a meeting or show, offers little or no
difference in all aspects of comparison. This is the sad part, the part
that truly separates the real products from the heavily hyped mediocre
performers that return a better profit because of better price breaks at
the wholesale level due to cost cutting measures at the design and
production level. This is a fact of life in the marketing world, get used
to it no matter how much "brand loyalty" may be involved.
The plethora of monitors available in the computing world is truly
overwhelming and very confusing. The "El Cheapo" monitors distributors
have this condition in their favor. The average user is faced with
making a harried choice, taking what's offered in a bundle deal or, going
for the most appealing ads. Nine out of every ten purchases become the
first in a line of two or three before the user settles in on a preferred
monitor. Most bundle deals offer a reasonably fair "plain vanilla" vga
monitor. Often it is not indicated whether or not the monitor is non-
interlaced or not. Of course, the non-interlaced is more desirable.
The main focus of this series is to take away the "Dog and Pony"
atmosphere that usually surrounds the user when buying a monitor by
illustrating the benefits derived from purchasing the "better" monitors.
While the expression; "You get what you pay for" is far from true, many
users seem to rely upon the price as an indicator of real quality. One
should always look to the benefits of a given product first.. then
consider its price. The "higher priced" monitors usually offer far more
in the way of benefits both obvious and hidden. Its the benefits we are
concerned with. Benefits like low radiation, low eye strain and product
lifetime.
Beginning next week, we'll begin with the radiation factor. The monitors
we shall be examining are a range of monitors from the " El Cheapo" to
the "high dollar". This does not, by any stretch of the imagination,
mean you can expect the lower priced monitors to take a beating. Stay
tuned, this series will prove to be most interesting. And we are going
to ask questions.
__________________________________________________________
> Force of Habit STR InfoFile
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""
FORCE OF HABIT,
A NEW SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL,
PUBLISHED AS AN ELECTRONIC BOOK
Marian Allen's second novel, FORCE OF HABIT, has been
published by Serendipity Systems in an electronic, Books-On-Disks
edition for users of IBM-PC compatible computers.
Force of Habit is set in the year 2510 and chronicles the
misadventures of Bel Schuster, a professor of Comparative Value
Systems on the Galactic Union training ship affectionately called
"Uncle Gus." "All I wanted," Bel said, "was a new outfit and a
breath of fresh air. Was that so much to ask?" Yes, when the
outfit belongs to an extortion victim who thinks that you're an
undercover cop, and the air is that of an alien planet.
Schuster, on shore leave, blunders into a tangled web of
crime, political intrigue, and Galactic diplomacy. She responds
with a perplexing legerdemain so baroque that, even after the
villains are foiled, no one is quite sure what has happened, and
to whom.
This electronic edition features forward or backward
scrolling of the text, pull-down menus, scroll bars, overlapping
files, mouse support, hypertext, and other windows-like
attributes. It runs on MS-DOS computers with as little as 256K
of memory, however 640K is recommended. Force of Habit is
available on two disks for computers with 360K disk drives, or a
single disk in 720K or 1.2MB size.
* * *
Serendipity Systems has over one hundred electronic books
and programs related to electronic publishing available. For a
hypertext catalog with excerpts, send Serendipity Systems $1.00
and specify disk size wanted. (Overseas readers, send $3.00.)
* * *
Book reviewers can receive a copy by sending in this form.
Send a reviewer's copy of Force of Habit to:
Editor:
Publication:
Address:
City, State, Zip
MS-DOS disk size needed: ___360K, ___720K, ___1.2MB
[This notice may be copied, freely distributed, or posted.]
Force of Habit can be ordered from:
Serendipity Systems
P.O. Box 140
San Simeon, CA 93452
$10.00 per copy, shipped postpaid to North American Addresses.
(Overseas readers should add $2.00 for shipping.)
Disk size (360K, 720K, or 1.2MB) should be specified.
____________________________________________________
> Personal Dictation STR InfoFile
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
** New Product Announcement **
DESKTOP SPEECH RECOGNITION
==========================
by IBM
IBM announced that it will begin shipping the IBM Personal Dictation
System, the most powerful desktop speech recognition technology
available, beginning December 28 at a suggested retail price of under
$1,000.
The IBM Personal Dictation System is based on over 21 years of IBM
research, originated in the Thomas J. Watson Research Center. The
technology, which originally required mainframe processing power, was
first offered in 1992 on a RISC System/6000 platform and is now available
on personal computers with Intel 486 and Pentium chips, putting desktop
dictation within the reach of millions of users.
The IBM Personal Dictation System provides the most accurate large
vocabulary speech recognition capabilities available today. The system
features up to a 32,000 word vocabulary and takes dictation at up to 70
words per minute. Ideal for healthcare professionals, journalists,
attorneys, scientists and business users, this technology changes the way
users interact with and benefit from computers.
The IBM Personal Dictation System, which retails for $499.00 ships
with a U.S. English general business language model. The IBM Personal
Dictation Adapter costs an additional $499.00.
IBM has developed language models that tailor the system's vocabulary
for the specific needs of journalists, emergency medical practitioners
and radiologists. These language models are available for between $499.00
and $599.00 each. A legal language model and additional medical models
are in development and will be available next year.
How Speech Recognition Works
----------------------------
Computerized speech recognition systems convert the spoken word into
text through a series of complex algorithmic equations that isolate,
identify and interpret the individual phonemic components of human
speech. The text is then displayed on a monitor and delivered to an
application, such as a word-processor, and stored, as if it were keyed
in. Text that is input by speech takes up no more disk space than
keyed-in text.
The IBM Personal Dictation System requires the use of "discrete"
speech, which means the user must enunciate words clearly, avoid dropping
the endings from words or slurring words together. Once the user is
finished dictating a document, the text is completed within seconds and
available for immediate editing.
IBM is also exploring possible initiatives and development partners to
port the technology for telephony applications, an emerging market with
strong growth potential. IBM also announced a single 800 number for
information, technical support and ordering for all IBM speech
recognition products. That number is 1-800-TALK-2ME.
_________________________________________________
> GRANDMA & ME STR Review
"""""""""""""""""""""""
JUST GRANDMA AND ME
===================
from Broderbund Software
by Frank Sereno
Fully entitled Mercer Mayer's Just Grandma and Me, this title is the
first in Broderbund's Living Books series of multimedia CD-rom
edutainment programs. It is intended as a learning aid for teaching
reading to children between 3 and 8 years of age. This program is
available for IBM compatible MPC compliant computers and for color
Macintosh computers. Requirements for clones are a 386SX or better cpu
with Super VGA display of 640 by 480 with 256 colors, Windows 3.1, a
sound card with a DAC (Sound Blaster or equivalent), 4 megs of ram and an
MPC compliant CD-rom. On the Macintosh, requirements are an LC/II
series/Performa series machine in 256 color mode running System 6.0.7 or
higher, 4 megs of ram and a CD-rom drive. A large paperback version of
Mercer Mayer's book is included with the program.
Installing JG&M (Just Grandme and Me) is fairly simple in Windows
but there is no automatic installation program. In Program Manager, you
must open the program group where you would like JG&M installed, then
click on File, then select New. Next type in your description and then
select the program file for JG&M. It will be on the root directory of
your CD-rom drive as GRANDMA.EXE. Once that is done, simply choose Done
and an icon of Little Critter will be placed in the program group.
JG&M is an interactive book, the tale of Little Critter, his
grandmother and the fun they have at the beach. Little Critter is some
sort of rodent but I never figured out which species. His behavior is
typical of a 5 year-old boy in that he loves his grandmother, enjoys
playing and that mischief always seems to find him. Little Critter's
exploits will even amuse adults and will certainly keep the attention of
young children.
Each page is displayed as a full-screen fully-colored animated
illustration. The text for each page is displayed and read to the child
by the clear voice of Little Critter. A short animation will follow and
then the interactive play really begins. The child can use the mouse to
click on any object or character in the illustration, thus triggering a
short, amusing animation. Clicking on a flower might cause a bee to come
forth and land on Little Critter's hat or by clicking on a tree a bird
may fly across the screen. The child can also click on the ball at the
start of the text and have the narration read again in its entirety, or
he can click on words to have them pronounced individually. The child
can go to the next page by clicking on the right arrow or to the
preceding page by clicking on the left arrow. To return to the start of
the program, simply click on the page number.
Experts tend to agree that parents should read with their young
children. This program will not replace parents, but it can be a
wholesome and entertaining substitute when parents have too little time.
A child can play with this program for hours as he searches for
animations on each page. He should assimilate words from hearing the
narration and viewing the text on the monitor. This program comes with
little directions for its use because it is mouse-controlled and easily
operated. Just click on everything in sight and watch and listen to what
happens!
I give JG&M my personal recommendation. Broderbund's suggested
retail price is $50, but it is being discounted by most merchants to as
low as $30 for the complete package. If you have the necessary hardware
and young children, this is a great program to spark your child's
interest in books. The program includes English, Spanish and Japanese
versions on the disc, so perhaps you and your children can learn another
language as well!
_________________________________________________________________
> Type Designer 2.0 STR InfoFile
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
*** New Product Announcement ***
** True Conversion and Design of Fonts **
=========================================
Type Designer 2.0, the only low-cost program available on the PC that
correctly converts Type 1 fonts into TrueType format and features
powerful design capabilities is now available from DS Design. Type
Designer's specialized technology preserves the existing hints during
TrueType conversion to achieve the highest quality. Unlike other similar
PC products, there is no distortion of the original letter form and no
loss of the original hints. Even at small sizes and low resolutions,
TrueType fonts generated by Type Designer are virtually
indistinguish-able from the original Type 1 designs.
You can design your own high-quality fonts in Type 1 and TrueType
format. Special symbols can be created such as mathematical and chemical
symbols, special language characters, and you can even create a font with
your company logo. EPS files that were designed in a draw program can be
imported into your font. The outlines from TrueType fonts can be
retrieved for editing, altering and adjusting. Plus, you can assign and
rearrange any character to any key on the keyboard.
Type Designer also has functions for mirroring, italicizing, rotating
and stretching individual character parts. Single characters can be
modified or a complete font can also be modified by using the global
command. There are ten levels of undo to make it simple to move back and
forth through the design process and experiment with your design.
Type Designer's powerful features include a test option which allows
you to view the behavior and design of font characters at any point size
on the screen. You have the ability to edit individual existing kerning
pairs and add your own. The editing options make revising fonts easy by
allowing you to automatically insert reference points at the outer most
positions on the character. If you have two many curves, or reference
points, you can automatically remove unneces-sary points and join the
curves to clean up and improve the quality of your outlines.
Type Designer operates under Windows 3.1 and contains clear dialogues
and extensive contact sensitive help to give you ease of use and control
over the font creation and conversion process. Drawing lines and curves
can be accomplished through a mouse or by entering screen coordinates.
Type Designer 2.0 retails for $119.
For more information contact;
DS Design
2440 SW Cary Parkway, Suite 210,
Cary NC 27513
(800) 745-4037 (919) 319-1770 Fax (919) 460-5983.
_______________________________________________
> Kinesoft News! STR InfoFile
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""
** New Product Announcement **
** It's a Wonderful Life on CD-ROM **
=====================================
Kinesoft Development, a developer and publisher of innovative software
announces the release of a two-CD compilation of the classic Frank Capra
film "It's a Wonderful Life", starring James Stewart, for Multimedia PCs
running Microsoft Windows. This exciting new release is distributed
exclusively through MicroProse Software, Inc., a Maryland-based leading
publisher and distributor of software for personal computers.
The "It's a Wonderful Life", Multimedia Edition contains not only the
complete, feature-length cinematic classic in digital format, but also an
extensive array of supplementary material, providing an interactive
resource to the American film classic. The two CD-ROM set includes over
two hours of video and more than a gigabyte of information, including the
original "Coming Attractions" feature for the 1946 release. In addition,
this set provides:
* The Original Release Version of "It's a Wonderful Life", Digitally
Transferred, Complete and Un-Cut using the latest in PC-based
digital video technology
* The Complete Final Script
* Audio Commentaries by noted film and media historian Walter
Podrazik
* An Extensive Film History also by noted film and media historian
Walter Podrazik
* Film Reviews both past and present
* Extensive Scrapbook of Film Clips and "Behind the Scenes" Photos
* A Brain-Twisting Trivia Quiz
* Biographies of all the Major Actors as well as performers
considered, but not cast, by director Frank Capra
* and much more...
The depth, quality and flexibility of the "It's a Wonderful Life",
Multimedia Edition marks a milestone in digital entertainment that is
nearly equivalent to the enormous impact the film has had on movie
audiences over the years.
The "It's a Wonderful Life", Multimedia Edition was designed to be
engaging: to provide viewers with an ability to learn more about this
well-loved film, interact with the program and choose how they view the
wealth of information provided in this CD set. Product features were
developed to cater to individual users preferences. These include:
* Users can view the movie in the size and resolution that works
best, customizing the product for their multimedia system.
* Interactivity allows users to switch from the video to the script,
keeping both synchronized.
* A unique "visual index" allows the user to instantly access any
scene or section of the movie quickly and easily.
* A bookmark feature which allows users to mark favorite sections or
to "save" their place, enabling them to return to the movie or
script at any point and pick up exactly where they left off.
* All of this is presented in a smooth, intuitive user interface
which allows quick and easy access to the wealth of information
provided.
The complete CD set, carrying a suggested retail price of $79.95, is
scheduled for release November 1, 1993. Distributed internationally by
MicroProse Software, Inc., it will be available through major
distributors, retailers and mass merchants.
A Multimedia PC (486 or higher processor equipped with CD-ROM drive
and sound card), SVGA card capable of 256 colors at 640 x 480 resolution,
4MB RAM, a hard drive, MS-DOS 3.1 or later and Windows 3.1 or later are
required to run "It's a Wonderful Life", Multimedia Edition.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
:HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
_________________________________
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 Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric
Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
___ ___ _____ _______
/___| /___| /_____| /_______/ The Macintosh RoundTable
/____|/____| /__/|__| /__/ ________________________
/_____|_____|/__/_|__|/__/
/__/|____/|__|________|__/
/__/ |___/ |__|_/ |__|_/____ Managed by SyndiComm
/__/ |__/ |__|/ |__|______/
An Official Forum of the International Computer Users Group
*** STReport available in MAC RT ***
ASCII TEXT
for ALL GEnie users!
.____________________________________________________________________.
| Help Desk - Having a problem with your Mac? Stop by the HD for the |
| answers! In the RTC from 9pm to 12pm EDT in ROOM 1........ (605;2) |
!____________________________________________________________________!
.____________________________________________________________________.
| A SyndiComm Round Table |
| (Tom Weishaar & Kent Filmore) |
|____________________________________________________________________|
| |
| Hosted by: |
| Chief SysOp: (Unk) DAVE.REID |
| |
| -- SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS -- | -- SOFTWARE LIBRARY -- |
| Education ....... (Rob) R.WHITELOCK | Chief Librarian: RANDY.SIMON |
| Mac Hardware ..... (Nick) N.PASSINO | Asst Librarians: |
| (J) W.GLENN1 | (Steve) S.MACK |
| Games ............ (Bart) MAC.GAMES | (Anne) ANNE-INDA |
| Telecommunity ........ (Kent) DRACO | (Phil) P.VALIQUETTE |
| PowerBooks...... (Doc) D.E.JOHNSTON | |
|_____________________________________!______________________________|
| --- Weekly RTC Schedule --- | -- Help Desk Schedule -- |
| (All Times Eastern) |
| Educational Mac Mon 9:45pm Rm 3 | Mon-Fri 9:00pm-12:00am Rm 1 |
| About PowerBooks Tue 9:45pm Rm 2 | Sunday 10:30pm-12:00am Rm 1 |
| Telecommunity Wed 9:45pm Rm 2 | ___________________________ |
| Macintosh Games Wed10:30pm Rm 3 | To enter GE-MUG RTC, type.. |
| Macintosh Hardware Thr 9:45pm Rm 2 | MOVE 605;2 and choose room # |
| Sunday Night Fight Sun 9:00pm Rm 3 |______________________________|
|_____________________________________!______________________________|
| **** IMPORTANT INFORMATION **** |
| For COMPLETE information and TIPS on downloading, be sure |
| to read item # 4 on page 605 -"About The RoundTable" |
!____________________________________________________________________!
MAC/APPLE SECTION (II)
======================
AAPL 33.000 - 0.375 at 4:01 on 1097900 shares
Randy Noak, Editor
/--------------------------------------------------------------------\
| * GEnie-MUG NEWS * for the week of 11/15/93 - issue 36 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| What's Hot and Happening This Week In GEnie's Macintosh User Group |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------/
GEnie-MUG News Editor: Eric Mueller (DLAND.ERIC)
entire contents copyright 1993 by Eric C. Mueller
WELCOME to the GEnie-MUG RoundTable newsletter! This quick bulletin gives
you an idea of what's cooking in the GEnie Macintosh User Group (GEnie-
MUG). I'm Eric Mueller, and I write this file every week so that you can
find the action in GEnie-MUG: the latest controversy in the bulletin
board, the hottest files in the library, and the hippest chats in the RTC
rooms. I'm always interested in your comments on this file, and would
love to hear them.
If you're new to GEnie or GEnie-MUG, you can read about GEnie-MUG
(including information on what GEnie-MUG has to offer and the layout of
the system) by typing "M 605;4". Additionally, the GEnie-MUG help desk (a
live hotline) is available in the GEnie-MUG RTC (type "M 605;2" then
choose room 1). For more information and a schedule of times, type "M
605;4".
THE BIG NEWS THIS WEEK ON GENIE is that the two sister roundtables to
GEnie-MUG, MacPro and Mac-PS, have received overhauls! MacPro, the
Macintosh Programmer and Developer RoundTable on page 480, is now under
the caring hand of Matt Deatherage (M.DEATHERAGE), who has completely
reorganized the bulletin board and library areas of the roundtable. About
30 megabytes of new files are in the library, and there's a new staff,
too. Check in and check out what Matt has done with the area---I was
thrilled and I think you will be too. Mac-PS, the Macintosh Product
Support RoundTable on page 606, now has all of the online Macintosh
support in one place, including all beta testing and other support-
company related happenings. It also has a new library area for software
updates! Both new RoundTables are in place and ready for you to enjoy, so
look 'em over today.
EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD ASSISTANT, and if you're an illustrator who uses
Adobe Illustrator, you'll be interested in ILLUSTRATOR ASSISTANT. This
utility prints an Illustrator (or other EPS) file to a PostScript printer
in a format idea for creating a reference book of an art library. The
utility prints the file name, path, icon, preview type, date, fonts used,
and more at the top of the page. I'm going to be using this utility to
get a handle on all this clip- art building on my hard drive. If you
think that Illustrator's Assistant is what you need, check out GEnie-MUG
library file #31012, ILL. ASSISTANT 1.2.4, right away! (To download a
file from the GEnie-MUG libraries, type "m605;3" and then "6".)
WANT TO GET INTO THE DESKTOP PUBLISHING game but don't know where to
start? Don't fret; it's a common problem around these parts---it's hard
to tell where to begin. How can you tell what software is best for you?
Is it appropriate to plunk down roughly $600 for PageMaker, when
Microsoft Word might do everything you need? GEnie-MUGgers aren't immune
from this sort of soul-searching; this very topic has been hot in the
bulletin board for the past week and it's ready for you to join in. See
category 2 ("SOFTWARE: Daily Business"), topic 3 ("MS Word 5.1"),
messages 58 through the end of the topic, and good luck.
DISK DRIVE PROBLEMS may be plaguing the new Macintosh AV machines; GEnie-
MUGger Jack Mello has reported a snag with his company's brand-spanking-
new AV machines being unable to read 800k floppy disks! Luckily, others
in the GE-MUG bulletin board have answers to the cause of the problem
(including a theory about why it's happening), and best of all, a
solution to the snafu. Sound like something you're interested in? See all
the details in category 23 ("MACINTOSH: Quadras & Centris"), topic 7
("Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV"), messages 145 through the end of the
topic.
WANT THAT POWERBOOK TO STAY AWAKE nights, diligently (or is that
digitally?) crunching numbers, sending email, faxing the folks, and just
generally keeping busy? You can, with INSOMNIAC, a new utility for the
PowerBook that causes it to wake up at a time (or times) you specify.
Want it to pop up at 2 a.m., to download software from a long distance
BBS? No problem. You can use Insomniac to have your PowerBook wake
several times during the night, or even to have it wake at the same time
every night or every week. If you have a PowerBook that can be set to
wake itself up (as the PowerBook 100 and Duos can), check out Insomniac
v1.0.2, file #31013, in the GEnie-MUG library today! (For more
information on Insomniac, download file #31015.)
HARD DRIVE HALLUCINATIONS are the subject of messages in GEnie-MUG this
week, as GEnie-MUGger David Inman wonders aloud if there are gnomes in
his hard drive. (He adds, "I believe that there are gnomes in many of my
appliances as evidenced by constant breakdowns and generally cantankerous
behavior. They probably arrived years ago in the VCR and spread out from
there.") The problem seems to be that his hard drive turns on
occasionally, for just a moment, makes a few noises, and then clicks off.
Weird, huh? Luckily, it turns out that the gnomes are helpful, or at
least that's the general consensus. Find out all the news on the hard
drive hallucinations in category 23 ("MACINTOSH: Quadras & Centris"),
topic 9 ("Noises in the Centris?")!
HERE'S AN OFFER THAT CAN'T BE BEAT: with the latest version of
GIFConverter, now available in the GEnie-MUG libraries, you can display
any GIF, JPEG, TIFF, RIFF, MacPaint, Thunderscan, Startupscreen, RLE, or
PICT (even compressed!) file on any Macintosh! GIFConverter is a great
picture-handling utility that's been around darn near forever; the
author, Kevin Mitchell, has always been adding features and providing
slick upgrades to the software. If you don't have any software to view
GIF or JPEG images, those two features alone make this software alone
well worth the $40 shareware fee. Check out the fully-functional version
of GIFConverter v2.3.4, now available in the GEnie-MUG libraries as file
#31008. (For more detailed information on GIFConverter, check out GEnie-
MUG library file #31014.)
JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON comes the new "Christmas" font, a
beautiful calligraphic font perfect for Christmas party invitations or
other handiwork where you want a flowing, sharp script-type font. This
font is close descendant of the "MacHumaine" font and a distant relative
of "BlackChancery," a popular Adobe font. Check out the freeware
Christmas font in TrueType form as GEnie-MUG file #31005 or as a
PostScript Type 1 font as GEnie-MUG file #31004, and... Merry Christmas!
THAT'S ALL for this week. Until next week, continue to stand for
possibility with Macintosh!
____________________________________________
> From the Editor's Desk "Once again, things are hoppin'"
""""""""""""""""""""""
by Randy Noak
Mac Report Editor
Once again things are hoppin' here at Mac Report HQ. I finally got
my new modem up and running, got a new Syquest cartridge, and caught up
on some of my DTP work. All in all a good week.
In this week's Mac Report be sure and look for Jeff Coe's review of
Firefall Arcade. It's a good one! Also, check out the special offer on
SITcomm from Aladdin Systems. As always, be on the lookout for any
FREEBIES that might buried somewhere in the column.
It's COMDEX time again and many, many trees are giving their lives
to enable you and I, dear reader, to have the good fortune to read reams
of press releases. It's all for a good cause I suppose. I've gathered a
passel of press pulp this past week, and have attempted to separate the
wheat from the chaff (so to speak). Read about it all elsewhere in the
column.
I received my FREE issue of Nautilus CD, and, all-in-all, I'm
impressed. Lotsa games, game demos, clip art, fonts, QuickTime movies,
and more, done up in an appealing interface. It truly is an interactive
magazine. I hope all of you that own CD-ROM players have called to
request your FREE issue. In case you missed it, the number is: 1-800-448-
2323. This is one that is absolutely FREE. No shipping, handling,
nothin'. FREE!
Now, on to the rest of the column. Reviews, news, advice, and
commentary. Enjoy.
______________________________________________
> FIREFALL ARCADE STR Review
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
FIREFALL ARCADE
===============
By Jeff Coe
"Deep within the nuclear ground Fireworms breed. They soak up
minerals that are necessary for the survival of the human race. Your job
is to rid the tunnels of these ferocious Fireworms. The Fireworms creep
and crawl through the mineral fields searching for humans to feed on. But
they are blind, and, while they cannot see you, they will eat you if they
run into you! As you blast your way through each tunnel you'll clear out
mineral barriers. Occasionally, a mineral barrier will yield a vital ore
that will activate special guns on your ship. The Fireworms have friends,
so watch out for their allies!"
That's the setup. You can forget that! What you have here is a
pretty decent version of the old arcade classic 'Centipede', with a
little dash of 'Galaxian' thrown in for good measure. While I can't give
it very high marks for originality, 'FIREFALL ARCADE' is a well done
piece of programming. Just like in the arcade original, you control a
shooter at the bottom of the screen. You have full movement left and
right, but can only go up the screen about one fourth of the way.
Littering the screen are various geometrically shaped objects that you
may have to blast through to get a clear shot at the advancing
"Fireworm", or just to clear out some elbow room for yourself. The "worm"
starts at the top, and marches back and forth across the screen, dropping
down one row whenever it runs into something. A worm is made up of a
continuous row of identically shaped objects. It will stay together until
you blast one of those body parts, and then it will separate at the point
of the hit. It's quite common to end up with a half dozen or so segments
coming at you independently, all originally part of one worm. After you
wipe out all the segments of one worm, another starts from the top. All
the other elements of Centipede are here too, but with different names. I
won't go into any more detail about them here. If you've played
Centipede, you'll recognize all the old regulars.
FIREFALL ARCADE consists of 9 levels of play, each level containing
6 Fireworms for you to defeat. After you complete a level, you are taken
to a bonus area. This is where Galaxian comes in. The bonus areas are
blank screens, with you in your usual place at the bottom. A number of
larger shapes will come swooping out in single file and spiral their way
around the screen for a bit. You need to blast as many of them as you can
to rack up bonus points. The shapes do not shoot back at you, so there is
no danger of loosing a life. You start the game with 3 lives, and can
earn an additional life for every 200,000 points you score. There are
also a variety of power-ups you can collect to give you better weapons,
shields, free lives and invincibility.
(Special Note to Centris owners - There is a special version of the game,
selectable from the main menu, designed just for high performance
Macintoshes. This version actually plays a little slower than the normal
mode, which makes it more playable on a fast machine, but gives longer
worms, and more sound and animation.)
The Plus Side -
The graphics, while small on the screen, are very well done. Some of
the shapes are 3D, with very realistic shadow effects. The background of
the main playing area is just black, but the border areas where your
score, number of lives remaining, and the level indicators are located is
done in a realistic gray brick pattern with what looks like neon lights
encircling it. Very well done!
The sound is outstanding. Each level has its own tune, and the rest
of the sound effects sound like high quality samples. By the way, the
music and sound effects can be toggled on or off independently of each
other, and the volume can be turned up or down from within the program,
so there's no need to adjust the sound with your Sound Desk Accessary,
which is a good thing since you don't have access to your menus while the
game is loaded.
Also under the category of sound is the fact that FIREFALL ARCADE
comes with an improved Sound Manager from Apple that adds a few new
features to the standard extension that came with my LC II. The new one
is version 3, and no I don't know what the old one was. I never looked,
but I know this one's better. According to the documentation that came
with the game, this new Sound Manager actually makes FIREFALL ARCADE play
faster. When installing the game on your hard drive, you have the option
of also installing the new Sound Manager. Which brings me to ...
The Minus Side -
The game takes up just a bit over 3 megabytes of space. That's not a
lot, but if all the new games require Hard Drive space, I can see where
I'll need a bigger drive soon!
The only other thing I should mention is that your shooter kind of
floats around at the bottom. You don't have much exacting control over
it, which can take a bit of getting used to in order to get it to react
the way you want it to. After a few games, it's not a problem, but can be
a little aggravating at first.
System Requirements:
A Mac LC or higher; Hard Drive; 256 colors and 3-MB of free RAM. The game
can be played with the mouse, the keyboard, or a Gravis GamePad.
FIREFALL ARCADE is published by : Inline Software
308 Main Street
Lakeville, CT 06039-1204
(203) 435-4995
_____________________________________________
> MAC Games STR FOCUS!
""""""""""""""""""""
Have you seen Inside Mac Games Magazine yet? It's an electronic
format magazine complete with illustrations and screen shots of the games
reviewed. Look for a review of IMG in a future issue of Mac Report.
INSIDE MAC GAMES MAGAZINE
=========================
Inside Mac Games (IMG) is a full-color electronic monthly magazine
covering the latest news and information on Macintosh entertainment
software and hardware, as well as reviews, sneak previews, and feature
columns written by industry experts. IMG marks a new era in electronic
publishing as it combines in-depth reviews and insider perspectives from
the Mac entertainment market within a stunning on-screen design, screen
shots, QuickTime movies and graphics format. The magazine is aimed at
all levels of Macintosh gaming enthusiasts, from the casual buyers who
want the most from their gaming entertainment dollar to the consummate
hacker who wants the inside track on what's hot and why.
Since its release in February, IMG has already raised a cache of praise
from readers all over the country, as evidenced by the flurry of
messages in various online forums. "To say I am impressed would be an
understatement!" says Neil Shapiro, Chief Sysop for CompuServe's Mac
Entertainment Forum and noted industry writer. Thanks to modern
technology, that magazine has spread to over 40 countries with an
estimated readership of 30,000 Macintosh gaming enthusiasts, making IMG
a smash hit.
Inside Mac Games is available in both Paid Subscription and Free Preview
editions. Paid advertisements will appear in both editions. A monthly
promotional version is available on services like America Online,
CompuServe, GEnie, the Internet, Nautilus CD-ROM, and bulletin boards
around the country. Subscriptions to Inside Mac Games are available in
two formats: an e-mail version that is uploaded directly to your mailbox
on the Internet for $18/year, or a floppy-disk version that is mailed to
a street address for $28/year ($38 International). The disk version has
additional reviews, screen shots, QuickTime movies, and a Shareware Game
of the Month. Inside Mac Games accepts VISA and MASTERCARD
For more information, contact:
Tuncer Deniz, 708/486-0636
3862 Grace Lane
Glenview, IL 60025
_______________________________________
> SITcomm Offer STR InfoFile
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Here's that special deal on SITcomm that I mentioned up-column.
Pretty liberal terms. I'll try and get a copy and let you know how it
stacks up against the competition.
Special SITcomm Pricing Announced
=================================
Watsonville, CA (November 3, 1993) -- Aladdin Systems today announced
special pricing to Aladdin customers and users of competing
telecommunications products for their newly released product,
SITcomm(tm). For 65% off of the list price, registered users of any
Aladdin commercial or shareware product (StuffIt Deluxe, StuffIt
SpaceSaver or StuffIt Lite) can purchase SITcomm for $39.00. Registered
users of competing telecommunications programs (such as White Knight,
Smartcom, MicroPhone II, or ZTerm) can purchase SITcomm for a low price
of $49.00. The suggested retail price of SITcomm is $120.00.
Qualifying users can order SITcomm from the company by
phone: 408-761-
6200, fax: 408-761-6206,or online via AppleLink/America Online: ALADDIN,
CompuServe:75300,1666, GEnie: ALADDINSYS, or Internet:
aladdin@well.sf.ca.us . There is a tax for California residents and a fee
for shipping and handling. (Registered users of Aladdin products will
need to provide Aladdin with the serial number of the product used. Users
of competing telecommunications products need to provide Aladdin with the
name of the competitive product used.)
SITcomm is a communications program which allows Macintosh users to
easily connect to commercial online services, bulletin board services
(BBS) and the Internet. SITcomm is an easy-to-use solution which offers
unique features such as automated logons, auto-expansion of compressed
files, built-in compression, translation of non-Macintosh files, and
scripting with AppleScript or UserLand Frontier.
SITcomm and other Aladdin Systems' products are distributed in the U.S.
and Canada by Ingram-Micro and Merisel. SITcomm is available from dealers
worldwide and by mail order companies including MacConnection,
Mac'sPlace, MacWarehouse, and MacZone. European distribution is handled
by Iona Software (phone 353-1-366328).
Founded in 1988, Aladdin Systems, Inc., is credited with creating the
compression standard for applications and communications for the
Macintosh platform. The company s product line includes StuffIt Deluxe
and StuffIt SpaceSaver, award-winning products which offer comprehensive
solutions for compression, translation, and archiving. Aladdin is one of
the few remaining pioneers committed to the shareware and freeware
philosophy of software distribution and marketing. For more information
about Aladdin Systems or its products contact the company at 165
Westridge Drive, Watsonville, CA 95076; (408) 761-6200.
____________________________________________
> QUADRA STR InfoFile A true, cross-platform solution.
"""""""""""""""""""
Macintosh Quadra 610 Computer
=============================
MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE AFTER 8:15 AM, EDT, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1993.
Apple Unveils Plans for Macintosh Quadra Computer with MS-DOS- and
Windows-Compatibility
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--November 15, 1993--As part of its commitment to
provide cross-platform computing solutions, Apple Computer, Inc.
today announced it is developing a Macintosh Quadra computer with MS-
DOS- and Windows-compatibility. Packed with the powerful Motorola
68LC040 and an Intel486 SX microprocessors, the Macintosh Quadra 610,
DOS Compatible version computer is being designed to enable users to
run Macintosh, DOS and Windows applications. The company will unveil
its plans for the product today at Comdex, the largest personal
computer tradeshow in the U.S.
The Macintosh Quadra 610, DOS Compatible version, which is planned
to be preinstalled with MS-DOS 6.2, is being designed to provide users
with multiple-platform options and protect their current investment
in software. Apple's goal is to deliver a product that is ideally
suited for home office users and small businesses with cross-platform
computing needs. At the touch of two keys, users will be able to
switch from the Macintosh computer environment to DOS and back again.
Users to Work in Two Environments at the Same Time
---------------------------------------------------
The Macintosh Quadra 610, DOS Compatible version is planned to
feature dual processors, enabling users to work in both environments
simultaneously. The Macintosh Quadra 610, DOS Compatible version is
being designed to feature a 25 MHz 68LC040, powering the Macintosh
computer environment, and a 25 MHZ Intel486 SX, which runs DOS or
Windows-based software. Because the Nobody home...dual processors will
work independently, users will be able to run Macintosh and DOS or
Windows' applications in tandem and even cut and paste data between the
two environments.
Dual monitor support is designed to provide customers with the
option of viewing the Macintosh and DOS environments at the same time,
allowing the user to add the second display monitor without
purchasing an additional video card. The Macintosh Quadra 610, DOS
Compatible version is expected to support most VGA, SVGA and
multisync monitors as well as the Apple 14" or 16" Macintosh Color
Displays.
Apple expects the same hard drive to run Macintosh, MS-DOS or
Windows applications and plans to offer an optional internal CD-ROM
drive designed to run Macintosh, DOS and Windows CD-ROM discs, providing
users with access to the hundreds of exciting CD-ROM titles currently
available. In addition, Apple expects DOS and Windows applications
to print to any Apple- or Macintosh-compatible printer through a
built-in serial port or optional Ethernet port.
Comparable in cost to most Macintosh- or DOS-only systems today, the
Macintosh Quadra 610, DOS Compatible version is expected to be priced
at a U.S. ApplePrice of less than $500 over the Quadra 610 model.
Upgrade Information
-------------------
A DOS Compatibility Card for Macintosh is being planned for Quadra
610 and Centris 610 owners to upgrade for less than $500 in the U.S.
Apple will provide pricing and availability information when the
product is completed and ready for release.
Editor Note;
At least one STReport Editor is considering purchasing a Quadra DOS
compatible. For Me though, I'll wait for PowerPC.
Apple is moving full-tilt into the software publishing biz. Here's
the info.
__________________________________________
> APPLE COMDEX NEWS! STR FOCUS!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
DISTRIBUTED AT COMDEX.
Apple's StarCore Group
======================
Background Information
StarCore is a newly founded international software publishing and
distribution group within the Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE)
division of Apple Computer, Inc. StarCore s mission to help Apple
become the premiere worldwide publisher and distributor of mobile
computing and multimedia software for Newton technologies and
multiple CD-ROM platforms.
StarCore is strategically positioned to bring to market both
software products under is own name as well as affiliate labels, for
which it serves as a powerful distributor and marketing partner with
access to thousands of outlets worldwide. StarCore s affiliation with
multiple software companies will enable Apple to have a strong software
selection to support upcoming Newton technology and CD-ROM platforms.
Headquartered at the Apple campus in Cupertino, California, the
StarCore group has brought together an impressive management team,
the members of which have, in the past, made significant
contributions to a number of international computer and consumer
electronics milestones, including bringing to market the first pentop
computer and the introduction of the first CD-ROM drive for a video
game system. The team members have equally impressive backgrounds in
strategic development, sales, product marketing and financial
consulting for computer, multimedia and video game software companies
worldwide, including Accolade, Electronic Arts, NEC, Lucasfilm Ltd.,
Atari and Apple.
StarCore Publishing
-------------------
The StarCore team is actively involved with the companies for which
they publish software, handling all of the packaging, production,
manufacturing, sales and marketing for these titles. Apple s long-
standing relationship with manufacturing companies, such as Sony and
Epson, allows StarCore to receive very reasonable component pricing,
which independent software publishers could not obtain independently.
StarCore published titles receive broad-based marketing support in
the areas of national advertising, public relations, point-of-
purchase merchandising, event marketing, packaging and software
clubs.
In addition, StarCore published titles will be tailored for
distribution to audiences in the United States, Europe and the
Pacific regions.
Affiliate Label Program
-----------------------
Software companies working under the StarCore affiliate label
program greatly benefit by gaining access to Apple s large distribution
network. In addition, StarCore assists affiliate labels in marketing
their products through in-store promotions, catalogs, brochures and
public relations.
Distribution
------------
Apple will distribute StarCore software through approximately 4,000
outlets nationwide, plus an additional 2,000 outlets in Europe and
the Pacific. StarCore published titles and affiliate label titles
receive access to the same number of retail outlets. Distribution is
handled both directly and through leading software distributors
worldwide. Apple maintains warehouses in the United States and
multiple locations throughout Europe and the Pacific.
MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE AFTER 8:15 AM, EDT, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1993.
Apple's StarCore Group Announces:
Six New Multimedia Titles
For
The Macintosh
CUPERTINO, California--November 10, 1993--Apple Computer's StarCore,
a newly founded software publishing and distributing group within its
Personal Interactive Electronics division, has announced six new CD-
ROM titles for the Macintosh that promise to open up a whole new
world of interactive "edutainment" for children and adults, alike.
Apple's multimedia software development group, Discovery Studio,
based in San Francisco, has created two new CD-ROM titles uniquely
designed to promote interaction between family members by allowing
players to choose individual difficulty levels that put them on equal
footing. The two titles, Travelrama USA, a cross country postcard
game and Wacky Jacks, a CD game show, also look and "feel" like
three-dimensional board games rather than flat, one-dimensional
computer titles.
Travelrama USA takes players, ages seven to adult, on a coast-to-
coast scavenger hunt in which they travel from city to city
collecting postcards--and actually learn U.S. geography along the
way. Each player is given a list of five postcards to collect--three
featuring specific places and two general topic cards, such as
monuments or lakes--which they obtain by making their way to
individual cities or by trading cards with their opponents.
Travelrama USA features a richly detailed, realistic map of the U.S,
illustrating routes and mileage to destination cities and more than
600 postcards featuring full color, digitized photographs of actual
U.S. cities and attractions.
Another title from Apple's Discovery Studio that promotes family fun
is Wacky Jacks, a CD game show featuring the voiceover of veteran TV
host, Don Pardo. The fun begins in a cartoon TV game show studio,
where "Wacky," a helpful, but slightly loony character announces the
contestants, which players select from the studio audience.
Wacky Jacks features four action-packed, colorful games that test
players' knowledge and skill: a fast-paced game in which players
must match pairs of pictures from a game board that is constantly
changing; a tic-tac-toe type game in which you capture squares by
correctly answering trivia questions; a hangman game where picture
titles help you fill in the blanks of the mystery phrase; and a
picture puzzle game in which you have to unscramble the pieces of a
large-screen image. As in Travelrama USA, players can choose their
own level of difficulty, which affects the level of trivia questions,
speed of action and complexity of puzzles.
Players can also access the album, a colorful set of 500 picture
cards used in all the Wacky Jacks games, with fun facts on a variety
of themes, including people, animals, places and everyday objects.
Travelrama USA and Wack Jacks currently run on Macintosh computers
with color screens (LCIII & up) and will be available under Apple's
StarCore label nationwide for a suggested retail price of $39.95.
For younger children, Apple's StarCore group is introducing the
Peter's Adventure series, four multi-lingual education and discovery
titles for the Macintosh. These new CD-ROM titles, developed by
Arborescence in Paris, feature beautiful colors, lively music and
highly detailed animated images that combine to create a fascinating
educational experience for the child.
Peter's Number Adventure; Peter's Magic Adventure; and Peter &
Santa Claus all feature voiceover options, including English, German,
Spanish and French, which can be accessed with a simple click of the
mouse. Peter's Alphabet Adventure features both French and English
voiceovers.
Peter's Number Adventure, an "explore and discover" number activity
for children, features 10 different worlds--from a zero-shaped ferris
wheel to a nine-shaped orbiting space station--which children simply
click on to reveal the games and puzzles hidden within. The title
contains 10 activities, including a simple finger-counting game and a
gallery full of pictures to paint. Each hidden game and puzzle
familiarizes the child with numbers, yet no math skills are required.
In Peter's Alphabet Adventure, animals help children learn the
alphabet by associating their names-- Anthony the Albatross to Zelda
the Zebra--with their species. A short poem underscores the sound of
the letter and the name of the animal before the child embarks on an
adventure with each one. Children will have fun matching animal
tracks with the creatures who make them or eggs with the birds that
lay them, all the while learning their ABCs.
In Peter's Magic Adventure, children join Peter in familiar
household and outdoor surroundings, yet find them filled with adventure.
Unlike adventure games for older children, no one wins or loses. The
object is simply to explore--children can leap from scene to scene,
including a whimsical tour of the ocean floor and a trip to the far
side of the moon, and animate almost every object with a click of the
mouse.
Peter & Santa Claus invites children to follow Peter to the North
Pole where they are welcomed into a wonderland of animated toys and
games. Children can learn how to assemble toys in Santa's play room;
color a picture of Peter at the North Pole; click on reindeer who
will break into a chorus of carols; and race to see who can pack the
most toys into Santa's sleigh before he takes off.
All of the Peter's titles have a suggested retail price of $29.95.
Apple's StarCore group publishes and distributes software on CD-ROM
for the Macintosh and on PCMCIA cards for personal digital assistants
using Newton technology. Apple's StarCore titles are focused around
six software categories: edutainment, sports, entertainment,
reference, business applications and self-improvement. Apple is
positioned to become the premiere worldwide publisher and distributor
of multimedia and mobile computing software, which will be brought to
market under both the Apple StarCore name and an affiliate label
program.
MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE AFTER 8:15 AM, EDT, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1993.
Apple's StarCore Group Announces New Line Of Software For Newton
MessagePad And Compatibles
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--November 15, 1993--Apple Computer Inc.'s StarCore, a
new software publishing and distribution group within the company's
Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division, has announced more than
a dozen new titles for the Newton MessagePad and other products based on
Newton technology. All these titles are scheduled to be
released nationwide before Christmas 1994.
Apple's StarCore software library, ranging from games to reference
applications to business titles, will augment the entertainment and
utility value of the MessagePad and other products based on Newton
technology. Software titles are formatted either on PCMCIA cards that
slot into the Newton device, or on floppy diskettes. Titles released
on diskettes can be transferred from either a Macintosh or Windows-
based personal computer to a Newton device, using the optional Newton
Connection kit.
Software companies which have already committed to exclusive
distribution through Apple's StarCore affiliate label program for
Newton titles include, Avalon Engineering, Inc.; Dubl-Click Software;
Ex Machina, Inc.; Fingertip Technologies, Inc.; Great Plains
Software; Pastel Development; Saltire Software, Inc.; Slate Corp.;
and State of the Art, Inc.
For people needing background information on major corporations,
StarCore is publishing Fortune 500: Guide to American Business, which
puts an enriched electronic version of the Fortune 500 and Service
500 information right at their fingertips.
Users can access a wide range of topics including sales per
employee; five-year financial performance; sales history; profits and
earnings per share; and income as a percentage of assets for America's
largest businesses. In addition, users can search and sort, compare
five-year performance of two companies and prepare graphs. Fortune 500:
Guide to American Business retails for a suggested retail price of
$99.95.
Fodor's '94 Travel Manager: Top U.S. Cities will put all the
information travelers would find in eight separate hardcopies of
Fodor's city guides in the palms of their hands. Within each city,
users can view their location and receive detailed driving directions
from one place to another, taking into account one-way streets and
turn restrictions; query local restaurants for their menu offerings
and credit card policies; and find addresses and phone numbers for
businesses and hotels. In addition, users can even access elusive
information, such as ATM and fast food locations. The suggested
retail price is $119.95.
Money Magazine Business Form, uses templates to organize and fill
out the most commonly needed business and personal finance forms
including expense reports, sales invoice/order quotations and project
schedules. The suggested retail price is $49.95. The title comes on a
floppy diskette that users can download from their personal computer
to their Newton device.
For people on the lookout for smart new ways to manage their
finances Apple will also publish Money Magazine Financial Assistant.
"Financial Assistant" helps users manage most everyday financial
decisions including loans, budgets, property transactions and
investments by automatically making all the necessary calculations.
"Financial Assistant" will be available this fall on a floppy
diskette that can be downloaded to a Newton device. The suggested
retail price is $59.95.
On the entertainment side, Apple is publishing Dell Crossword
Puzzles & Other Games, a fun-filled electronic book containing hundred
of puzzles, cryptograms and word searches from the "master" of
brainteasers. A great feature of the software is that it will give
the user "hints," if requested, such as circling incorrect letters.
The suggested retail price is $79.95. An abbreviated version of this
product, Dell Crossword Puzzles, also comes on a floppy diskette for
a suggested retail price of $49.95.
For murder mystery fans, Apple is publishing Columbo's Mystery
Capers, which pits the player and the Newton device against some of
the most quirky, under-handed and money-hungry murderers ever to hit
the small screen. Each of the 50 picture-based "whodunits," which can
be solved in a matter of minutes, opens with an artist's rendering of
the crime scene and a text introduction. The player's challenge: to
ferret out the evidence hidden in the picture--it could be love
letters, a train schedule or even a school of fish--and catch the
murderer. Columbo's Mystery Capers carries a suggested retail price
of $79.95.
Additional new floppy diskette software available from affiliate
labels distributed by Apple's StarCore group this fall includes:
ContactPad: allows Newton users to manage information relating to
their contact database, including appointments, phone calls and
notes. The suggested retail price is $149.95.
Day-Timer Meeting & Expense Pack: automatically organizes
expenditures by type, account and business trip, and assists users in
planning, conducting and following up on meetings. The suggested
retail price is $129.
Expense It!: allows any business person who travels to easily
record and compile expenses on their Newton device and then upload the
files to popular spreadsheets used on personal computers. The suggested
retail price is $139.95
Fingertip for Golf: a personal, mobile golf scoring product
designed for use while the player is actually on the links. The
software incorporates club usage, yardage, shot results, fairways and
greens hit during 20 rounds of golf to evaluate the player's strengths
and weaknesses. The suggested retail price is $159.
GoFigure: combines more than 15 different calculators into one
easy-to-use program, allowing users to instantly compute everything from
food measurement conversions to calculus problems. The suggested
retail price is $79.95.
Personal Time & Billing: Allows the mobile professional to capture
and assign time and expense information for clients or projects. The
suggested retail price is $149.
PocketCall: gives users access to on-line communications services,
including CompuServe and America On-Line, to obtain news, visit
special interest groups, exchange mail or even call a corporate
computer system. The suggested retail price is $149.
PresenterPad: provides business people with the tools to create and
manage slide presentations and pre-scripted speeches, and turns their
Newton device into a mini teleprompter. The suggested retail price
is $89.
Apple's StarCore group publishes and distributes software on CD-ROM
for the Macintosh and on PCMCIA cards and floppy diskettes for the
Newton technology platform. Apple's StarCore titles are focused
around six software categories: edutainment, sports, entertainment,
reference, business applications and self-improvement. Apple is
positioned to become the premiere worldwide publisher and distributor
of multimedia and mobile computing software, which will be brought to
market under both the StarCore name and an affiliate label program.
Editor Note:
A golf scoring program? I just knew there was a reason I wanted a
Newton. More big news is that the System software for PowerPC is now in
beta-testing. This is exciting news since it looks like Apple will be
able to keep to it's planned release schedule.
MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE AFTER 8:15 AM, EDT, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1993.
Macintosh System Software for PowerPC Goes Beta; More Developers
Commit to Macintosh Platform on PowerPC
LAS VEGAS, Nevada--November 15, 1993--Apple Computer, Inc. today
announced that it has passed a major milestone in the development of
Macintosh systems based on the PowerPC microprocessor. System 7 for
PowerPC has reached the beta stage, which means that development work
for the software has been completed and is now undergoing final
testing. System 7 is the operating system for Macintosh personal
computers. Apple made the announcement at the COMDEX show, which
opened here today. Additionally, six more key developers from around
the world announced support for the Macintosh with PowerPC platform.
"Reaching beta for System 7 on PowerPC means we're right on track
and on schedule for the delivery of the first Macintosh systems based on
PowerPC in the first half of 1994," said David Nagel, general manager
and vice-president of the Company's AppleSoft division. "This is one
of the most significant milestones of this project and things are
really looking good."
Macintosh systems based on PowerPC will be compatible with thousands
of current Macintosh software applications, which means that
customers will be able to run existing Macintosh applications on
newer systems based on PowerPC. "Developers and early customers are
lining up behind the platform. They're especially pleased with the
high levels of compatibility and with the exceptional performance of
native applications," said Pierre Cesarini, manager for PowerPC
system software in AppleSoft.
Applications written especially for System 7 on PowerPC ("native"
applications) will feature groundbreaking performance.
"It took us less than a week to have an early version of Painter up
and running native on a PowerPC processor-based Macintosh and we
already seen speed improvements of 2 to 4 times versus the Intel
version of Painter running on a Pentium! It's really amazing," said
Mark Zimmer, president of Fractal Design Corp., developer of Painter
- a breakthrough graphic application that simulates natural media.
"We have been impressed by what we have seen so far, it looks really
promising for Apple's future."
New developers show support
---------------------------
Six additional third-party Macintosh developers, spanning the U.S.
and Europe, today announced plans to deliver new versions of their
applications that tap the power and performance of Macintosh with
PowerPC. The six developers include the following:
-- ABVENT SA, France-based developers of ZOOM, a three-dimension
modeling and rendering package targeted principally for product and
industrial design use.
-- Brossco Oy, Finland-based developers of Voyant, a graphical
reporting tool for relational databases.
-- CTM Development SA, Switzerland-based developers of personal
communications and telephony applications, including VoiceAccess, a
line of voice-mail solutions, and TeleSearch CD-ROM based telephone
directory solutions.
-- Dantz Development Corp., a leading worldwide supplier of backup
software for standalone and networked Macintosh computers including
Retrospect, Retrospect Remote, DiskFit Direct, and DiskFit Pro.
-- Graphsoft, Inc., developers of a range of software products for
engineers, architects, illustrators, and designers, including MiniCad,
a 2D/3D CAD package, Blueprint, a 2D CAD application, and Azimuth, a
mapping program.
-- Hi Resolution Ltd., U.K.-based developers of several
applications desktop control and network control, monitoring, and
management products for education and corporate markets, including
MacPrefect, MacVisa, and MacSupervisor.
This brings the total number of developers who have announced
applications support on Apple's PowerPC platform to 24.
__________________________________________
> STR Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
"""""""""""""
STReport's MailBag
""""""""""""""""""
Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-----------------------------------
The mailbox here at Mac Report HQ has been jammed lately as mail order
houses attempt to entice me to purchase some of their fine wares for the
Holiday Season. It's not that I don t want to fill yet another Syquest
cart with yet another "must have" program, it's just that, for some
strange reason, my creditors insists that I pay my bills each month. Go
figure. Anyhow, until I win the lottery, I'll have to content myself with
"window shopping". Be that as it may, here's the "picks of the litter".
So to speak.
With the Holiday Season fast approaching, what better way to make your
Mac Report Editor say, "Bah, Humbug" than to remind him that tax season
is also just around the corner. The folks at Chipsoft evidently had that
in mind when they sent me a reminder to purchase MacInTax. Lots of other
bargains abound in their flyer too. If you need tax-prep software, give
them a call at 602-295-3110.
Gold Disk sends notice that, "Now It's Easy To Create Spectacular
Multimedia & Slide Presentations!". Gee whiz. Where am I gonna find
software to help me do that? Hey! What a coincidence! Gold Disk just
happens to publish a program that does just that. Astound. All kidding
aside, it looks pretty neat. The user can animate text and charts, add
QuickTime movies and music, add buttons for interactivity and more. One
can even distribute across platforms with the included runtime players.
If presentations are your bag, call Gold Disk at 1-800-982-9888. You get
$300 off the list price and Special Edition MusicBytes and Mr. Sound FX
thrown in for free.
Plenty of catalogs arrived this week as well. MacConnection (1-800-800-
2222), ClubMac (1-800-258-2622), Tiger Software (1-800-666-2562)and
Mirror Technologies (1-612-633-4450). If you want a catalog, give them a
call.
Speaking of giving a call, when you call any company mentioned in Mac
Report, please let them know that you heard about them in STReport.
Thanks!
That's it for this week. As always, please feel free to send your
comments or questions to me at:
Compuserve: 70323,1031
GEnie: R.NOAK
America OnLine: STReportRN
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ATARI/JAG SECTION (III)
=======================
ATC 7.500 - 0.625 at 4:05 on 1101100 shares
> From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
by Dana P. Jacobson
I'd like to take this opportunity to make a sad announcement about a
loss in the Atari community. A few days ago, Current Notes
Editor/Publisher Joe Waters posted a note on CompuServe. Last month,
former Current Notes ST Editor Frank Sommers passed away. Sommers, a
longtime member of the Current Notes staff, had recently "retired" from
CN active duty, but was a steady "advisor" to Joe and the rest of the
staff. His death was sudden. We here at STReport would like to express
our sympathies to Frank's family, as well as his family at Current Notes.
He will be missed. Waters mentioned in his post that he will soon be
posting all of Sommers' articles and reviews to the online services, as
soon as they are compiled for posting. As did Waters, I would recommend
that you take an opportunity to read some of those articles. Frank
Sommers was an avid Atari user and his writings were quite good. To all
who knew Frank, either personally or through his work at Current Notes;
I'm sure that you'd agree. Again, our condolences...
Not much happening on the Atari computing front these days. The
focus, still, is on the Jaguar. Word has it that Jaguars have started
shipping to retailers this past week; and authorized Falcon dealers have
reported that they've been told to expect their orders to be shipped next
week. There have been some rumblings that there may be some delays; and
that some of the retailers might not get their full orders due to
shortages. It also appears that the 50,000 Jaguars slated for this
initial roll-out are almost sold out (see article below). All in all,
the news seems to be positive. Atari appears to have done well, and the
Jaguar has been gaining a lot of support and praise. Have you seen the
television ad yet? I saw it earlier in the week on a New York station,
via cable. It's a 2-parter (first half comes on, a few other
commercials, and then the second half appears). I think the ad will get
the word out, especially now that people are considering getting ready
for the holidays.
---------------Reprinted from Newsbytes-------------------
Atari Jaguar Intro'd, Can Atari Meet Demand? 11/09/93
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1993 NOV 9 (NB) -- The Atari Jaguar,
introduced last Thursday in New York, has impressed Wall Street, but may
not be able to meet demand. The enthusiastically received $250 video-game
player is priced hundreds of dollars below the competing 3DO product and
has the backing of IBM and Time Warner.
About 50,000 Jaguars are expected to ship before Christmas, with 10,000
slated for the European market and the remaining 40,000 divided between
stores in the New York and San Francisco areas. But Newsbytes sources
said already the machines are almost sold out and manufacturing more, in
time for a planned national rollout in January, could be difficult. IBM
is contract manufacturing the Jaguar at its facilities in Charlotte,
North Carolina.
Atari said the Jaguar runs on a 64-bit chip and can display over 16
million colors as well as three-dimensional (3D) objects. A compact disc
read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive can also be added. Several well-known
game developers announced support for the system including: ID Software,
Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Accolade, Interplay, Microprose Ltd.,
Microprose US, Gremlin Graphics Ltd., 21st Century Software, and UBI
Software.
The Jaguar is targeted to bring Atari back into markets now dominated by
Nintendo and Sega. Atari has faced hard times, but Wall Street appears to
be enthused about the company's comeback, as the stock price has climbed
from dismal levels of below a $1 per share in April to close Friday at 11
and 3/8. The company is publicly held with the chairman holding 46
percent and Time Warner holding another 25 percent.
(Linda Rohrbough/19931108/Press Contact: Monique Marchi,
Cunningham Communications for Atari, tel 408-982-0400, fax 408-
982-0403)
___________
As you've probably noticed, the big news in the computing arena this
week is COMDEX, finishing up as we speak. Atari, for the first time in a
few years, did not officially attend this year for whatever reason(s).
However, it's been noted that Atari's Garry Tramiel is in attendance.
Apparently the Falcon is on display at the Motorola booth and the Jaguar
is on display at the IBM booth. Although I don't know the extent of the
displays, it is good to know that Atari has some presence at this major
industry show!
As I mentioned in a few of my initial offerings a few weeks ago,
we're doing some re-vamping of STReport, including the Atari coverage.
At that time, I mentioned that I'm looking to increase coverage of the
major online services as well as other areas; and that I'm also trying to
beef up the Atari staff. Well, I hope to be able to announce one, and
perhaps as many as three new staff members within the next week or so.
We're working on some ideas at the moment, so until those details have
been finalized, I won't mention any names yet! At the moment, all that
I'll say is that Delphi will be well represented. I'll be focusing on
CIS next, and then GEnie. I'm also working on getting some coverage from
Europe, as well. Things _are_ looking up.
Well, with what appears to be an issue "dominated" by COMDEX
coverage this week, we'll cut out shorter than usual this week. As we
learn more about what's happening with the "Cat", we'll make sure to let
you all know. And please, if there are comments, suggestions, questions,
or even complaints - let me know. I'm interested in hearing from you.
Until next time...
-Dana
___________________________________________________
> ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
PEOPLE "R" TALKING
====================
On CompuServe
-------------
compiled by
Joe Mirando
Hello again friends and neighbors. I just had a wierd thought
(another weird thought, actually). Wouldn't it really freak you out to
find out that I was not a real person, but an interactive computer
program that could scan the libraries here on CompuServe and winnow out
the good stuff for you? Well, it might not freak _you_ out, but it
_would_ freak my fiancee out (although I think she believes that I've had
some sort of electronic implants already anyway).
Well, at any rate, Thanksgiving is this coming week and Christmas is
only a month after that. It looks like there will be a good supply of
Jaguars (at least in New York and San Francisco) for the holidays. If
someone had told me last year that Atari would have product available for
Christmas I would have told them that they were nuts.
Okay, enough of this. Let's get on with the reason we're here in
the first place... the great information available every week here on
Compuserve.
From the Atari Productivity Forum
=================================
Myles Cohen, one of the regulars here on CompuServe, asks:
"Does anyone know how to diagnose and fix a cartridge port... It used
to work until I did something that involved my scanner... which caused
it to not work any more...
Now everything on the MEGASTE works normally...except the
fershlugginer cartridge port...
I've already asked this...but never got an answer...And no...I can't
take it to a repair shop...because I use it every day...and it works
beautifully except for the two progs that use the port...one of which
is Notator...even if I knew of a repair shop in my area...which I
don't..."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Myles:
"What happened with the scanner when the cartridge port stopped
working..?
I'm not sure if the cartridge lines are buffered electrically or
not.. that would be a good place to start.
There's also the possibility that the actual cartridge connector has
been loosened from the motherboard traces. It might be a good idea to
try resoldering the connections with a low-powered soldering pencil."
Myles fills Bob in:
"I don't know...but the scanner was the last thing I had plugged into
the port when it stopped working...
Not being a hardware person...I have no idea what that last sentence
means...nor how to go about it..."
Bob counts off a couple of possibilities for Myles:
"If you remember the problems Brad has had with his ST, the trouble in
both cases turned out to be an IC chip that goes between the
sensitive internal cirtuitry of the computer and the "outside
world"...
The chip effectively "buffers" the computer from the static
electricity, random voltage spikes on the telephone line, and all
kinds of unfriendly influences like that.
In many cases, these "buffer chips" will give their "lives" to
protect the rest of the system from these things. Replacing them is
generally a pretty easy operation, and the chips themselves are fairly
common and inexpensive.
It's almost like replacing a blown fuse.
Now the ones Brad had trouble with were on the MIDI port and the
RS-232 serial port.. I'm not sure if the cartridge port has similar
"buffers" or not... it would be good electrical design to have them,
but they do add to the cost of the computer. (I'll see if I can trace
the lines on my 520 and try to tell if there's anything I can identify
as buffering on the cartridge port).
That's an electronic possibility... the other thing I mentioned is a
"mechanical" possibility.
In inserting and removing cartridges and other devices, there's a lot
of physical force applied to the joints where the actual cartridge
socket is soldered onto the computer's motherboard. Over time, that
force can break the tiny solder bonds that make the electrical
connections. Sometimes it will result in erratic operation as the
board flexes and causes the connections to open and close, and other
times it can just render the connector completely inoperative...
(this is a common problem with most motherboard mounted connectors
like joystick connectors and keyboard sockets).
As long as there isn't any serious damage to the motherboard itself,
the fix is to carefully re-solder the connections.
Either solution (assuming that's the problem) will require some
electronics expertise.. the buffer chips on the ST are all soldered
to the motherboard, so replacing one is not just a matter of unpluging
it from a socket.
If you know anyone who's done electronics repair, it would be fairly
simple for them to do for you... nothing is Atari specific, or
requiring any special info. Any electronics repair shop could do the
re-soldering or chip replacement if it turns out that's the solution."
Myles gives us some more information about his predicament:
"There are new developments...
I've been on the phone with a distant...from me...electronix guru who
listened to my tale of woe and suggested that I should use a
multi-tester on the outside pins...first and last...of the cartridge
port on the MEGASTE to see if there was conductivity...my reading
showed zero...
He then told me that the MegaSTE's cartridge port is protected a 1/2
Amp microfuse narked F-121 and which can easily be found on the
motherboard very close to the port...that all I had to do was to test
it for conductivity...which if I got a zero reading needs to be
replaced...I got a zero reading...
Now all I have to do is find a 1/2 Amp microfuse to replace it...I
guess that Best Electonics is my best bet...
What a great diagnostician you turned out to be...Just look at the
line on the top of this message that I quote from your pevious note..."
Well Myles, good luck with your cartridge port problem... at one time or
another, every computer owner has to deal with problems like this.
Luckily, there are people like Bob Retelle to help the rest of us out.
Meanwhile, Elaine Eedson asks about a program to make using CompuServe
even easier:
"Could anyone give me any information about navigation programs for
Atari ST that are comparable to CIM. I'm looking for one that can be
used and act like CIM."
Jim Ness tells Elaine:
"There are no CIM equivalents for the ST. CIM is a CompuServe
product, and CompuServe has only made PC and Mac versions available.
There also is no other similar program, in terms of navigating by
Point-and-Click methods.
There is QuickCIS, a true navigator program. QuickCIS quickly
gathers all mail and messages for you, and then logs off. You read it
all offline, and your replies can be posted on your next call.
QuickCIS can be found in Library 4 here."
Stefan Daystrom of Barefoot Software tells Elaine:
"CIM itself is only available in IBM/compatible and Mac versions. If
you _really_ need something _just like_ CIM, the only way on the Atari
would be to run an IBM or Mac emulator (typically involving adding
hardware).
However, if you're paying for the use of your account, why spend time
online "live", with _whatever_ user interface, when you can use an
_automated_ navigator that'll log on, capture all the messages you're
interested in, log off, let you read them and reply to them at any
speed you want ("off the clock"), and then log on again for just a
minute or two to upload all your replies? _That_ you can get for the
Atari with QuickCis. (Also get QCMsg_II, an improved message reader
that works with QuickCis. You _can_ you QuickCis by itself, but
you'll have a lot more flexibility in reading and replying to messages
if you use QCMsg_II with it.)
An automated navigator such as QuickCis will cut your connect time
with CompuServe _way_ down. If you have enough (offline!) time, you
can then use that to expand to reading other areas of CompuServe that
you might not have been able to afford if always using it "live".
It'll also cut down the amount of time your phone line at home is tied
up with modem calls..."
Take it from me Elaine, QuickCis is the way to go!
Now for "something completely different" from Rob Rasmussen:
"My ST knows exactly what month/day/year and time it is even though I
no longer have my DeskCart or any other clock installed! At least
sometimes it does, right now for example. I have not set the clock in
the XCONTROL panel (I hardly ever do). I turned my computer and hard
drive on today (Megafile 60) and used the programs TouchUp, Prism
Paint, PicSwitch, QuickCIS, EdHAK, Hotwire, Maxifile and maybe a few
others. But nowhere did I set the time. When I noticed this the other
day I thought later I'd imagined it! DeskCart used to be my time
keeper, but I took it out a few months ago. The CALendar accessory
also displays the correct month, day and year. This is really odd! I
know some HD's have clocks - could it be retaining the time from when
I used to have DeskCart? Somehow I don't think so but I have no other
ideas. How can this possibly be happening?!! <g>
Not that I'm complaining, I like not having to set the clock!"
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Rob:
"What kind of hard drive interface do you have..?
Some of them have clocks built-in as an additional feature.
The way these things work is that there has to be an external clock
of some kind that keeps regular daily time... then when you boot up
your ST, some kind of AUTO folder program has to read the time of day
out of the external clock and put it into the ST's internal clock.
(For example, I have a clock chip that hides in an IC socket that's
installed under one of the TOS ROM chips in my ST... and an AUTO
folder program that reads the time into the ST's internal clock at
boot up..)
If you *don't* have anything in your AUTO folder that would read the
time out of something... and you *don't* have anything that would
store the current time-of-day when your ST is turned off, maybe it's
time to take it in for its 50,000 mile exorcism..."
Rob tells Bob:
"I don't know about the hard drive interface - the Megafile just plugs
into the ST's hard drive port.
My auto programs are Shadow, Warp 9, Desk Manager, Spooler, Codekeys,
LGS, Hotwire and REGACC (for Lookit and Popit). Nothing I know of here
that would set the clock. I used to have Codehead's CLOCKSET in the
auto folder, but removed it when I took out DeskCart. Nowhere in the
Megafile manual did I see mention of a clock. Totally strange!"
Rob tells Bob about one interesting finding:
"I just did a cold boot and after all the auto programs loaded, I
checked the control panel, it was the wrong time (April, '89). I
loaded a few other programs to see where this odd (but rather nice)
time-keeping ability kicks in. Using QuickCIS to call Compuserve is
what does it!!!!
I made a Normal call, captured an announcement, a few messages and lib
descriptions , then it logged off. The Xcontrol panel now displays
the correct date and time! 7:31 AM 11/16/93. Any files I save are
saved with the correct time. This is one bug that I consider a
feature, but who can explain it? I know Hotwire has a clock, but other
than calling CIS, nothing in my system could be retaining the time,
unless it's the ghost of DeskCart. It resented being replaced by the
scanner! Seriously, could CIS be setting my clock???"
Jon Sanford tells Rob:
"I think it is a feature of QuickCIS to set the system clock if it is
off by more than a certain ammount. Amazing what little bits of info
stick after reading a doc. 4 or 6 times...."
Rob re-reads the documentation and tells Jon:
"Well, you're right! There it is, kinda hidden in the docs :^}. How
come I never knew about this? Maybe since I had the cartridge clock I
ignored this nifty feature."
Bob Retelle jumps in and adds:
"Wow.. I knew QuickCIS was a good program, but this is pretty
amazing..!
Er.. that is.. Of course.. just another special little advantage of
using CompuServe and QuickCIS.."
Jim Ness, the creator of of QuickCis, tells us:
"That was a feature requested by James Port. He had a 520ST with no
clock, but wanted his .MSG files to have a real timestamp. So, I
worked out a routine which compared the CIS time to the ST time, and
if it was off by more than 24 hours the clock would be set to CIS
time.
The 24 hour deadband was to account for someone calling in at approx.
midnight, or someone calling across a time zone or three."
While on the subject of calling up an on-line service, Stefan Daystrom
talks a bit about Alan Page's latest "baby", STORM:
"This isn't exactly a bug, but I thought I'd point out one other
problem with your 7-scanline med rez font besides readability (and it
bothers me _more_ than the readability <grin!>):
It makes Storm _slow_!!!!!
Well, what it does is it makes graphics accelerators like TurboST
which accelerate the stock fonts (in TurboST's case, 8x16, 8x8, and
6x6) unable to kick in, thus reducing Storm to standard GEM speeds
(which makes it seem real slow compared to Flash, which _does_ run at
TurboST speeds).
I recall reading a message where you said it you were planning to
handle this by a special emulation; does that mean it could not be
combined with other emulations? (On the other hand, do I still need
to use Vidtex on CIS just to be able to download using CIS B
protocols, as I did in Flash, or can I just use the same TTY emulation
for CIS as I do for most BBSs I call? If the latter, then I'm less
worried about it being a special TTY emulation that might use the 8X8
font in med rez...)"
Alan Page tells Stefan (and the rest of us):
"Actually, ALL my GEM text is done using custom code, no matter what
the font. Much of the speed comes from trying to update large blocks,
rather than one character at a time. I thought it was rather fast,
actually. CIS-B will work with any of the terminal emulations. I
normally log on to CIS with VT100. VIDTEX, however, does have an
option in the setup to switch to an 8 scanline font, with 21 lines in
medium rez. Select "Emulations" in the Settings menu, click on VIDTEX,
then click on Config. Warning: switching will erase the terminal
screen! When I finally publish some source, people will be able to
customize the emulations extensively, including the ability to use
stock GEM text."
Stefan Daystrom tells Alan:
"Hm, I may have crossed circuits to jump to conclusions <grin / red
face>!
I don't have a 9600/14400 modem yet, so my sense of speed was not
based on _online_ speed (I've never seen it get behind relative to the
RD light on my modem, though it somehow _feels_ as if the pacing is
different than I'm used to!) as much as the speed with which the
window redraws when I flip between the capture buffer and terminal
windows.
But now that I look at it closer, the delay I see is probably just
the window drawing white behind the text, when it's topped, before the
text is drawn.
If I'm spoiled by even _greater_ speed, I realize now that's it's
from using QCMsg_II, which doesn't _need_ to redraw the window when I
flip between messages, _only_ the text. So _obviously_ it's going to
be faster since it has less to do!
So you're right, the text is actually rather fast! Sorry for making
assumptions..."
From the Atari ST Arts Forum
============================
Shawn Laughnin asks:
"Does the Atari require a special (i.e. Atari) joystick? I remember a
time you could buy a host of generic joysticks in chain stores. Its
been a while since I've noticed them ."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Shawn:
"Yup, the "Atari Joystick" is a thing of the past, just like most
things Atari..
Used to be any joystick had to be "Atari compatible"... now they're
all Nintendo.. I wonder why that is..."
Master Sysop Ron Luks adds his own thoughts:
"Yes, the Atari uses a special joystick. There used to be scads of
different brands of joysticks that worked on your atari (anything that
used to be compatible with the former industry standard Atari 2600
game machine and 8-bit computers) but these are becoming hard to
find."
Rob Rasmussen asks about "doing" graphics with some of the whiz-bang
graphics packages out there:
"...The positioning of 16 colors/shades of gray in the palette - that's
what I don't get. I'm used to coming from the other direction, where I
create a picture in Prism Paint, starting on a blank screen with
default colors in the palette which I can change. But how does a
scanned picture, or the software TouchUp, decide which position in the
palette a gray, black or white will be? Even if I can use the feature
in Degas Elite and PP that maps the colors gradually between any two,
I'm still stuck with maybe 2 objects on the screen that I want to be
different colors, but they can't be because they're in the same
palette position. If I scan a picture lighter, there may be more
shades of gray and maybe certain pixels would be in different pal
positions, but the picture looks undefined with not enough detail.
I saved some scans as GIFs, others as PC1. I only have a color
monitor. When I try to load a GIF, I get a dialog with a 'gray scale'
button (using this makes everything too dark) and the dimensions of
the GIF which I find will not fit on the screen. Other scans will all
fit on the screen. It looks like the GIF really is just the top of the
scan - there is no way to scroll or print it. Any comments anyone?
This really is all a puzzle I hope to understand one day!"
Lee Seiler of Lexicore Software tells Rob:
"First install EP10 so you have access to 4096 colors, Next use Prism
Paint for the whole job. Hold the Alt Key when booting to get the
Grey scale Select dialog. Then, when you load the color pic it will
auto Grey scale, the machine pallet will also have the correct Grey
scales auto set. Now when you save out as a PI file it will be in 8
grey scales including the required desk top reserved pallet."
Rob asks for clarification:
"I have an ST, not an STE. I thought I was limited to 512 colors. What
is EP10 and where can I get it? If I can get 4096 colors then this is
incredible!"
Lee explains to Rob:
"Many, many ST owners have installed the video shifter from JRI but
never realized that the 4096 colors were not always there, this is
also the case with the STE, Mega STE, and TT. Many programs which
could use the 4096 don't, due to a little tic in the OS, EP10 deals
with this problem and while no difference is apparent, things like GIF
and Spectrum Images are much richer and look better because you see
"Better or More correctly matched colors" and with software that does
access the full 4096 you see a slight increase in speed, or so I am
told.
You get EP10 Free with all Lexicor purchases, we put it on all
current Utilitiy and resource disk sold with Lexicor products."
Rob tells Lee:
"I looked for EP10 on my Lexicor disks, but those are older programs,
so I guess it wasn't included. You mentioned the JRI video shifter -
is this required for an older ST to get 4096 colors? I would LOVE to
have more screen colors than 512 to choose from. Often I want colors
that are between 2 available ones that are right next to each other.
The picture I'm starting out with is a mono IMG and PI3. Is this what
I could gray scale before converting to low rez PNT or PI1 ? If I can
do this on an ST with EP10, then I'll need to get that or something
similar."
Lee explains exactly what is needed:
"Yes and no.
You do need the JRI hardware first, if you have the STE, the 4096 are
there but unaccesable. EP10 fixes the bug for all 4096 systems no
matter how it happens. If you are using the PI3 you should be able to
load it into a grey scale Prism paint mode of at least 16 shades of
grey.
This then is saved as a Gif which can then be reloaded into a color
Gif which you can then reset from grey to color and save as color.
EP10 is in all our libs as far as I know, knock on Ringo's door and
ask him to point you at it or E-Mail it to you."
Mike Myers asks Sysop Ron Luks about converting Atari files over to
DOS (I know, I know, I've mentioned this a lot... but the question
keeps getting asked, so I guess that not everyone reads this column
all the time [and you know who you are]):
"Is there a program available which will allow the conversion of ATARI
ST .lzh files to IBM .gif files / .jpg files and back? I have an IBM
and a friend has a ST. We have looked in the forums under viewers,
utilities, and anything else we could think of."
Before Ron can answer, Sysop Bob Retelle tells Mike:
"There should be a conversion program that will run on an ST and
convert DEGAS format pictures to GIF, which your friend could display
on his IBM..
It's been a looong time since I remember seeing it, but I think its
filename was something like CNV2GIF. There should also be something
similar that will convert Spectrum 512 pictures to GIF format too, but
the name of that one eludes me at this moment.
As for converting the other way, there shouldn't be a need to convert
GIFs and JPGs, since we have some pretty good viewer programs for the
ST for those graphics formats."
Ron Luks tells Mike:
"LZH is a compression method. GIF is a picture file format.
There is an LZH utility for the PC. (LZH files are created/processed
witha utility called LHARC). Think of LZH as another type of ARC or
ZIP files. GIF is a graphics picture format like TIFF, or PCX, etc.
One has nothing to do with the other.
I dont know of any JPEG utilities for the Atari ST."
Boris Molodyi jumps in and adds:
"As I recall, GEMVIEW loads JPEG files (and so you can save them in
different format). Also, Studio Photo from Compo can load JPEG pics."
A column containing both the words "Atari" and "Graphics" wouldn't be
complete without mentioning the Jaguar, Atari's hot new video game
machine. Bob Retelle posts:
"One thing I've been wondering though.. since Atari has said virtually
nothing concrete about the Jaguar beyond the official Press Releases,
and about the only other source of real information was the Press
conference they held recently in New York, just what exactly is all
the "Jaguar talk" you mentioned about..?
There's a "lot of Jaguar talk" on the InterNet newsgroups too... but
most of it is just rumors and unfounded speculation, along with the
"3DO vs Jaguar" flaming that never gets anywhere...
Jaguar developers are under NonDisclosure Agreements, so they can't
say anything, and the only other source of Jaguar "news" has been
leaks from some of the companies working on games.
It just seems that "a lot of Jaguar talk" would be pretty useless
until we actually get to see and use the machines themselves... once
that happens, I'm sure the areas here will pick up.."
John Brenner tells Bob:
"All the Jaguar talk on GEnie is trivial. Everone asking eachother if
they saw the commercial. How great it looks. How well it is being
marketed. Which store chain has confirmed if they are going to carry
it. There is also some people talking about having ordered one and
that some stores have already pre-sold hundreds of units. It's like a
bunch of sports fans rallying around a sports te
am. Talking about the
new uniforms, or the new stadium. No better, no worse. I have no
interest in such things, but I have not bothered Ignoring permanently
that CAT. Perhaps because I enjoy looking at so many happy people."
From the Atari Vendor's Forum
=============================
Rafael Hermoso asks:
"Is Neodesk 4 out yet? If not, when? If so, where can I purchase it?"
Rick Flashman of Gribnif Software tells Rafael:
"No, NeoDesk 4 is not out yet. We've been forced to delay its
shipping until early '94. Part of this delay was that we wanted to
insure that Geneva was as bug-free as possible and that we had
resolved any minor issued that might have arisen as of its initial
release. We now believe this strategy has paid off, as we've been
able to correct some minor problems with Geneva (that only showed up
after shipping) and therefore we now have a substancially more solid
package."
John Brenner tells us:
"After many years I am still using INTERLINK to do any BBS'ing
outside of GEnie. I have just D/L a file on this system and did
not remember how slow XMODEM transfer was. Are there any Interlink
TXF files in the libraries that support the other protocals available
on Compuserve. And which one is most recommended?"
Jim Ness nudges John about "getting with it":
"Geez, John, with all the terrific ST terminal programs out there, you
are still using good old Interlink? There's Flash II, STalker, and
now the shareware gem STorm...
All three of those support CIS B and ymodem-g, the two fastest
protocols."
John tells Jim:
"I used to have Flash before I got Interlink many years ago. I never
looked at Flash II since I never liked Flash to begin with. I D/L
STorm last week. I also dont' like very much the way it is set up.
I have a friend who uses STalker. He has to buy another program to
do on-line editing. So, I just don't see the need to change. I have
a capture buffer, I can edit, save paste...everything I need.
I use Alladin, you know where, and now it looks like I will use
QuickCIS to log on here. So I really don't see why I should change.
I only upgrade software that no longer suits my needs.
I was starting to think I might need something for here since I
couldn't get QuickCIS to dial, but all has now fallen into place
and I think I'll be very happy with it. Thanks for writting it.
I'll have to read the doc....there must be a fee for something
that will save me so much money! <Grin>"
From the Palmtop Forum
======================
Kent Peterson pats the Compuserve Sysops' proficiency at getting new
files (like Kent's new programming language) "up and ready":
"You guys are a lot faster than the sysops of some other forums. BTW,
the HP folks seem to be going into a download frenzy on this little
bit of Port technology, I decided to cast their way. Did you ever post
PBASIC over there?"
We're still waiting for and answer from BJ... that kind of negates
the compliment in the first place, doesn't it?...
Don Thomas of Atari Corp posts:
"Every once in a while I am beginning to see messages in langauages
other than English... German, for instance. It sure would be cool if
CIS had some sort of translation process built-in... either on demand
or automatically."
Sysop BJ Gleason tells Don:
"As a person who has done a lot of work with Natural Language
Processing and such, it is a very tough, if not impossible task. One
of the best jokes about it is:
A program translates from russian to english and back. The
program puts in the phrase:
"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
It is translated to russian, and then the russian is fed back
and the translation comes back as:
"The wine is good but the meat is spoiled."
Back on the subject of the Jaguar again, Don Thomas tells us:
"I stopped by an Electronics Boutique this past weekend in Pleasanton,
CA (40-50 miles East of San Francisco). I pretended to be Joe Blow
consumer and observed two 3DO systems on a shelf. The salesman said
they are not selling well, BUT he would love to take my pre-order for
the Jaguar. He said he didn't know what game came with it or how many
controllers, but that he couldn't find an end to the waiting list the
store had established for the Jaguar. It felt good.
My son even said this past Friday without me asking that all the kids
at school were talking about the Jaguar (he's ten). He told me that he
felt good telling his friends that his Dad worked at Atari."
Well folks, I intended to use use information on other palmtops in
this column but, as usual, I've run out of room.
So c'mon back next week and see what else I can shoe-horn into this
column. Just think of it as some little sports bar somewhere in Boston.
A place where... oh heck, I've gone this far. I'd might as well say
it... A place where everybody knows your name. It's easy to just leave
your troubles at the door for a while and absorb some of the hints, tips,
and information available on CompuServe. But if you don't subscribe to
CompuServe, this column is the next-best thing. Just make sure that you
remember to listen to what they are saying
when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
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> A "Quotable Quote" "A day at the beach......"
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STR Online! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" November 19, 1993
Since 1987 copyright (c) 1987-93 All Rights Reserved No.9.47
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