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Silicon Times Report Issue 1008
SILICON TIMES REPORT
====================
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
=============================
from
STR Electronic Publishing Inc.
February 18, 1994 No. 1008
======================================================================
Silicon Times Report
International Online Magazine
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155
R.F. Mariano
Publisher-Editor
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______________________________________________________________________
> 02/18/94 STR 1008 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!"
"""""""""""""""""
- CPU INDUSTRY REPORT - SEGA NoteBook - HP earnings UP 43%
- PCTW Ver 2.0 OverView - Stacker 4.0 - AJ's World - Review
- People Talking - Eric's Solitaire - Dr. Ruth on CD ROM
- Supra 28.8 MARCH - LEXICOR NEWS! - The Old Fishin' Hole
-* Intel Unveils 150Mhz PENTIUM! *-
-* IBM Makes 250,000 PowerPC Chips! *-
-* Boca Research Ships 28.8k BPS Modem! *-
======================================================================
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
======================================================================
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COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME
to the Readers of;
STREPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
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CALL: 1-800-848-8199 .. Ask for operator 198
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"Enjoy CompuServe's forums; where information is at its very best!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""
Eight weeks into the new year and already there is speculation as to
the whereabouts of the Jaguar's "stupendulous... awe inspiring... never
before seen" National Rollout.... {sigh} How sweet it would be to see
it happening instead of all the second guessing. What's that about cat's
and spots and Atari?
Central Point Software has done it again. PC Tools for Windows
version 2 is an absolute knockout! See the article in this week's issue
to find all the wonders it has to offer and then some.
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
Doyle Helms Frank Sereno John Duckworth
Jeff Coe Steve Keipe Guillaume Brasseur
Melanie Bell John Donohue
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
Glenwood Drake
IMPORTANT NOTICE
""""""""""""""""
Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc...
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Internet.............RMARIANO@DELPHI.COM
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
"""""""""""""""""
IBM/POWER-PC/PC SECTION (I)
===========================
Computer Products Update - CPU Report
------------------------ ----------
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Issue #08
By: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
******* General Computer News *******
** Sega to Make Notebook for Kids **
Sega Enterprises Ltd., best known for its video game machines, is set
this September to introduce in the U.S. a simple electric notepad for
users between ages 7 and 15.
The unit will start at $45 and will have such functions as computing
and storing data, video game programs and telephone numbers.
A Sega spokesman is quoted as saying the new products are "toy-like"
electronic gadgets and form a part of Sega's new "youth electronics"
line.
** Nintendo Rejects CD-Roms **
Not compact discs but high-capacity cartridges will be used by
Nintendo of America Inc. to store games with its new video game system.
Marketing Vice President Peter Main said the company chose the
cartridge format over CD-ROM for its new 64-bit system, code-named
"Project Reality," because the former is faster. Nintendo plans to bring
out the new system for arcades this fall and for home use next year.
Said Main, "The cutting edge silicon technology, which will be housed
in the new Nintendo cartridge, is the fastest technology available. When
it comes to speed, no other format approaches the silicon-based
cartridge."
Nintendo said the cartridges will have at least 12.5MB of memory, five
to six times the memory of 16-bit Nintendo games.
The system is being developed with San Francisco workstation maker
Silicon Graphics Inc., which will license its 3D graphics technology to
Nintendo. Nintendo plans to market the home version for less than $250,
AP says.
Main said that Nintendo will continue to study compact disk technology
and has designed Project Reality to accommodate a CD-ROM attachment in
the future.
** Boca Research Ships 28.8k BPS Modem **
Boca Research Inc. says it's shipping a new 28.8K bits per second
(bps) modem. The external version costs $445; the internal
ISA/EISA-compatible model is priced at $395.
Boca notes that the V.Fast modem offers both 28.8K bps data and 14.4K
bps send/receive fax capabilities. The unit is Hayes compatible and
backwardly compatible with lower speed V32.bis, V.32 and V.22bis modems.
The modem ships with SofNet FaxWorks and Data Communications software
for Windows and DOS.
** IBM Makes 250,000 PowerPC Chips **
IBM says it has built more than 250,000 PowerPC 601 microprocessors,
the new chip developed by IBM, Apple Computer Inc. and Motorola Inc. and
sent them to computer makers.
The wire service said Apple is believed to be the largest buyer of the
chips, since it has already announced it will start selling a new version
of its Macintosh PC based on the chip next month.
In addition, IBM uses the chip in one of its RS6000 workstation
computers and plans to launch some personal computers based on the chip
later this year.
Also this week, IBM announced the first price cuts to the PowerPC
chip, which went on sale in September:
-:- The 80MHz version will sell for $417, down from $490.
-:- The 66MHz version now costs $298, down from $350.
-:- The 50MHz version costs $232, down from $275.
(For such prices, computer companies must buy the chips in quantities
of 25,000.)
** Claris Readies PowerPC Applications **
Claris Corp., Apple Computer's software subsidiary, says it will ship
five of its leading applications in "native" versions for the Macintosh
with PowerPC.
The RISC-based PowerPC computers are set for release in March. Some of
the applications are set to ship this spring while others are due out
later this year.
Claris says the "native" applications have been recompiled for the
PowerPC chip and take advantage of the PowerPC's speed and processing
technologies.
The five applications are ClarisImpact, a business graphics
application; ClarisWorks 2.1, an integrated software package; MacWrite
Pro 1.5, a word processor; FileMaker Pro, a database; and ClarisDraw a
drawing program.
** Hewlett-Packard's Earnings up 41% **
Hewlett-Packard Co. this week reported earnings of $368 million (or
$1.42 a share) for its first quarter, up 41% from earnings of $261
million (or $1.03 a share) a year ago. Reports say that revenues for the
quarter ended Jan. 31 were $5.7 billion, up 24% from $4.6 billion in
first quarter of fiscal year 1993.
** Hearst Joins "How-To" Multimedia Venture **
The Hearst Corp. says it has entered into a co-publishing agreement
and acquired an undisclosed equity interest in Books That Work, a Palo
Alto, Calif.-based developer and publisher of multimedia software for the
home "how-to" market.
Hearst and Books That Work will jointly develop and market multimedia
software products. Books That Work currently publishes two software
titles: Design and Build Your Deck and Home Survival Toolkit.
** Dr. Ruth's Sex Data Hits CD-Rom **
Dr. Ruth Westheimer's Encyclopedia of Sex will be in a new format,
CD-ROM disk. The CD-Interactive product is to be among the first new
titles released under the Education and Reference Publishing Group
recently formed by Philips Electronics NV's Philips Media unit.
Computergram International said the disk "has been developed mainly
for the schools market to help address the problem of sex education,"
adding, "The CD-I program will be adapted from a 324-page print version
of the encyclopedia, which will be published by the Continuum Publishing
Group this year."
******* General PC News *******
** Intel Unveils 150mhz Pentium **
Intel Corp. has developed an ultra-fast version of its Pentium
microprocessor. The new CPU runs at 150 MHz, more than twice as fast as
the 66 MHz Pentium, Intel's current top-of-the-line microprocessor.
Intel says it used its new 0.6 micron chip process technology to
develop the chip. The technology is currently in production at two
factories, including Intel's microprocessor plant in Leixlip, Ireland.
Intel hasn't yet announced when the 150 MHz Pentium will be available
commercially.
** Microsoft Money 3.0 for Windows Debuts **
Microsoft Corp. this week introduced Microsoft Money 3.0, a major new
version of its popular personal finance software for the Microsoft
Windows operating system.
Reports say that this latest version features remote delivery of
financial services, allowing users to take advantage of online banking.
The Bank On-Line feature offers immediate 24-hour electronic access to
checking, savings and credit card accounts and lets users check balance
information, transfer funds between accounts, and automatically reconcile
their checkbooks from home.
In addition, new financial planning software in Money 3.0 helps users
plan for and make more informed decisions about loans and mortgages,
savings planning and retirement planning.
The introductory retail price is $34.95. After April 15, the product
will sell for $69.95. Users of Microsoft Money 2.0, Microsoft Excel and
Microsoft Works can receive $5 off the suggested retail price with an
in-box rebate coupon.
** Microsoft to Buy Softimage **
Softimage Inc., which develops computer animation software, is to be
acquired by Microsoft Corp. under an agreement signed by the firms this
week.
The 8-year-old Softimage develops 3-D animation and simulation
software and produces software programs for two-dimensional purposes,
including post-production editing of graphics, text, sound and special
effects. Its products are used by film studios, animation houses,
broadcasters, graphic artists, designers and engineers.
** Dell Sets Omniplex Prices **
Dell Computer Corp. has set the price of its OmniPlex personal
computers to start at $2,599 for the OmniPlex '486. Reports say the new
OmniPlex 486 systems are available immediately.
** Lotus Organizer for Windows Hits One Million Mark **
Lotus Development Corp. reports that its Lotus Organizer for Windows
personal information manager (PIM) has reached the desktops of one
million users worldwide.
The product was released in August 1992. The software publisher says
the one million milestone makes Lotus Organizer for Windows the best
selling networked PIM.
** Compaq Targets Education Market **
Compaq Computer has announced a major push into the education market.
The Houston-based computer maker says it will target both kindergarten
through-grade-12 (K-12) and higher-education institutions. Compaq has
established key distribution channels, partnerships and marketing
programs that will enable education customers to purchase its portable,
desktop and server PCs.
Compaq says it has begun authorizing Certified Education Partners,
resellers with high levels of networking expertise, to sell and support
its products to K-12 and higher education institutions.
Compaq Certified Education Partners are the only resellers who can
offer special education pricing on all Compaq products, excluding
Presario models. The resellers will receive ongoing training and support
from Compaq as well as sales leads and other marketing incentives.
** Stacker 4.0 Increases PC Storage Capacity **
Stac Electronics this week introduced a version of its data
compression technology that is the first such product to increase
personal computer storage capacity beyond a 2-to-1 compression ratio.
Reports say the new Stacker 4.0 software, which is designed to operate
with Microsoft Windows and DOS, uses Stac's Stacker SmartPack developed
through a cross-licensing deal with Novell Inc.
Suggested retail price of the new program is $149 with upgrades from
previous versions available for $49.95.
** Texas Instruments Develops New Chips for Portables **
Texas Instruments has developed a highly integrated set of chips that
combines a T1486 central processing unit with other key system components
to create portable computer systems.
The chips will allow computer manufacturers to design smaller and
lighter weight portable computers because they will use fewer chips with
lower power consumption.
Texas Instruments said it has taken key computer functions that
previously required six or more devices and put them into just three
computer chips.
******* General Mac News *******
** Apple Offers New Inkjet Printer **
Apple Computer Inc. has introduced its new Color StyleWriter Pro, a
$629 inkjet printer for Macintosh systems.
Reports quote Apple as saying the printer offers print quality with
360 dots per inch and will be available worldwide late next month. The
computer maker is gearing the printer to the small office or home office
user.
** WordPerfect and DeltaPoint Offer Macintosh Software Suite **
WordPerfect Corp and DeltaPoint Inc. say they have joined forces with
Intuit Corp., ChipSoft Inc. and Advanced Software Inc. to offer The Home
Office, a Macintosh software suite.
The package features WordPerfect 3.0, DeltaGraph Pro 3, Quicken 4,
MacInTax and InTouch to offer word processing, charting, presentation
graphics, personal and home office finance, tax preparation and personal
contact management capabilities.
The Home Office is available now. The software retails for $599, but
has an estimated street price of under $200."
__________________________________________________
> A.J.'s World STR Review
"""""""""""""""""""""""
KIDS' COMPUTING CORNER
A.J.'S WORLD OF DISCOVERY
by Frank Sereno
A.J.'s World of Discovery is a new educational program for children
ages 4 through 7 years from Sierra On-line. It was developed by Sierra's
subsidiaries Coktel Vision and Bright Star Technology. A.J.'s World of
Discovery includes many activities for children, but beyond that it
serves as a graphical environment for add-on modules. Currently Sierra
offers 4 modules. These are A.J.'s World of Math for ages 4-5 and a
second math module for 6-7 year olds, plus A.J.'s World of Language for
ages 4-5 and another language module for 6-7 year olds.
A.J.'s World of Discovery is available for IBM compatible computers
with a 286-16 mhz CPU, a supported sound board (including Sound Blaster,
Ad Lib and their compatibles), VGA graphics, 550k free memory, 6 megs of
free hard disk space, a 3.5 inch high density disk drive and a Microsoft
compatible mouse. The program comes on three 3.5 inch high density
diskettes. This program can be run from Windows but does not require it.
A.J.'s can also be set up as an application and run from KidDesk.
A.J.'s graphical environment is a small house with a garden near a
lake with various objects placed on the screen. The cursor is
represented by three variations of a hand. If the hand is full then it
is in an inactive area of the screen. If the hand shows a tan index
finger, then it is at an active object which will show a humorous
animation when clicked upon. If the hand shows a red index finger, then
the cursor is at an activity which can be played by clicking the mouse
button.
Sierra divides the activities into two types, Introductory
Activities and Discovery & Learning Activities. The Introductory
Activities are The Clock accessed via the clock on the house, The Garden
which is accessed via the garden and The Music Room which is accessed via
the headset earpiece on the house. The Clock teaches the concept of time
by showing both a digital and analog clock. The different hours can be
clicked on and a graphic will show typical children's activities for that
time. The Garden allows the child to grow several varieties of flowers
and to harvest them when in bloom. The Music Room allows the child to
chose from 12 different songs.
The Discovery and Learning Activities are The Writing Game accessed
via the ink pot and pen, The Picture Maker accessed via the bricks and
trowel, Make a Funny Face via the face in the tube, The Racetrack via the
racecar, The Paint Pot via the paint can, Disappearing Blocks via the
racket and the ball, and The Puzzler via the Rocketship. Each of these
activities has three difficulty levels. When each of these activities is
run, four icons are available. The Juggler is the level icon. A
circular snake is the restart icon. A.J.'s face is the help icon. All
help is both written and audible. A.J.'s house is the quit icon to
return to the main screen.
The Writing Game allows the child to use the computer keyboard or to
click on keys on an on-screen keyboard to make stories. The level one
game shows a picture of an object and the word name on a label. The
child must recreate the name. If the child has difficulty, letters will
be removed to make the selection easier. After three incorrect answers,
the letter will be given. The second level game shows an object and two
action verbs. When the child correctly types either of the verbs, the
corresponding action will take place on the screen. The level three game
is a variation of hangman in which an object is shown along with the
first and last letters of its name with dashes representing the missing
letters. Letters may be selected in any order. If the child chooses a
letter not in the name, then part of a witch's face will be drawn. The
child must fill in all the blanks before the witch's face is completed.
These activities will teach spelling as well as letter and word
recognition.
The Picture Maker allows the child to build scenes on two different
backgrounds. The level one game asks the child to identify an object in
the scene from the graphics on the left. Once the child identifies the
object, it will be animated and its name is shown on the screen. The
level two game shows the name of the object and flashes the object on the
left side of the screen. The third level merely shows the word and asks
the child to find the corresponding object in the scene. These
activities teach children to identify objects and to associate words with
those objects.
Make a Funny Face allows children to combine various facial and body
features with outrageous results. In the level games, the child must
compare and reconstruct a character. In the first level, two faces
appear on screen simultaneously and the child makes the face on the right
to be identical to the one on the left. In the level two game, the two
faces appear again but the target face fades to a silhouette. The target
can be made to reappear for comparison. In the final level, the child
can only show the target once. These activities encourage development in
comparing, recognition and memory.
The Racetrack allows children to design tracks and race cars against
friends or the computer. The various levels allow for a tougher computer
opponent. This game teaches manual dexterity and strategy. My two sons
really enjoy this activity.
The Paint Pot is a painting and art program designed to allow
children to express their creativity. With the higher levels, the child
has access to more complex drawing tools. The child can create his own
art or he can use landscapes and objects that are provided. With the
provided objects, it is much like the old Colorforms pictures. You pick
the background and then "stick" objects onto it. The child can chose a
young man or woman and then dress them by clicking and dragging various
clothing to them. Also available are many cartoon and fantasy characters
such as a talking banana and a roller blading alligator. Pictures can be
saved to the hard drive for later viewing.
Disappearing Blocks is a simpler version of the old arcade favorite,
Arkanoid. The task is to use the mouse to control a racket or paddle to
bounce a ball off the colored blocks, thus causing them to disappear.
There are eight different tables and the three levels allow for faster
ball movement. This game will develop hand-eye coordination, judgment
and reflexes.
The Puzzler asks that the child reconstruct a picture by moving
disordered rectangles back to their proper places. There are three
different pictures. At level one, there are 9 pieces. At level two
there are 12 pieces and at level three there are 20 pieces. In each
puzzle there is one open rectangle. Clicking on any rectangle will move
it to the open rectangle. When the puzzle is completed, it will be
animated as a treat for the child. This game is intended to develop
visual discrimination and spatial relationship skills.
Included as an enticer to buy the add-on modules, Sierra includes
four sample exercises, one from each of the available modules. Access is
gained to these samples by clicking on the door to A.J.'s house and then
clicking on the EX square. In these exercises, additional icons are
added to the interface. A box in the lower left corner counts the number
of correct answers. An icon of a thumb must be clicked when the child is
satisfied with his response to the program. An eraser icon allows the
child to change his answer.
The Animals' Food is the exercise from the World of Math for ages 4
to 5 years. The child develops skills in basic counting, one-to-one
correspondence and visual memory skills as they provide an equal number
of pieces of food for the animals displayed. In level one, there are
smaller number of animals. In level two the number of animals is
increased. In the last level, larger numbers are used and the animals
disappear from view forcing the child to remember the number of animals.
Matching Pictures is the sample from World of Language for ages 4 to
5 years. This exercise develops observation of details, visual memory
and matching by having the child compare and match pictures. A single
picture or part of a picture is displayed for a short time and then the
child must find the match among five pictures at the top of the screen.
Visiting the Castle: Who's Left? develops counting, adding and
subtracting skills. It is World of Math for 6 to 7 year olds. A bus
transports people to and from the castle. The child must provide the
number of people in the castle after each transport. Level one uses four
transports while level two has six transports and level three has eight
transports.
The final sample is from World of Languages for ages 6 to 7 years
and is Find the Animal's Home. This game develops matching, visual
memory, picture/word association and reasoning skills by having the child
turn over two cards at a time from a deck of fourteen. In level one, the
child must match the animal to a picture of its home. In level two, he
must match a picture and a name, for example a picture of a donkey with
the word "stable." In level there, he must match either two names or a
picture and a name.
Sierra also includes a scoring and evaluation screen for parents and
teachers to evaluate the child's progress. Unfortunately, it only works
with the add-on modules but the manual does explain the many features.
It is available by pressing F10 from the main screen. The child can
judge his progress by earning candies for each five points gained in an
exercise. Once he quits a game, the candies will be placed on the tree
on the main screen.
A.J.'s World of Discovery is being offered FREE directly from
Sierra. All that must be paid for this program is a $7.00 shipping and
handling fee. Sierra has always had high fees for shipping and handling.
The add-on modules are available for $19.95 each or two for $34.95 plus
$4.00 for shipping and handling. The Sierra On-Line Sales Department can
be reached Monday through Friday from 7:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. Pacific Time
at 1-800-326-6654.
This program is excellent and the price cannot be beaten. The many
activities and levels will offer many hours of fun and learning for
children of the target ages of 4 to 7. The example lessons from the
add-on modules look promising and I hope to do a review of these at a
later date. As always, thanks for reading!
______________________________________________________
> PCTOOLS FOR WINDOWS V2.0 STR FOCUS! THIS IS THE ONE!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
PCTOOLS FOR WINDOWS VERSION 2.0
HAS
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANT FOR WINDOWS!
Summary of New Features
-----------------------
Central Point Electronic Registration
-------------------------------------
New electronic registration for PC Tools for Windows
Central Point Anti-Virus
------------------------
New detection and cleaning engine
Virus Analyzer for generic detection of unknown viruses
Scan compressed files using new scan option
Customize alert sounds
VSafe audit trail
Ability to detect more than 2000 viruses
Central Point Backup
--------------------
Redesigned user interface
Configurable menus, toolbar, and context-sensitive pop-up menus
Options and Configure menu consolidated into tab-style dialog boxes
New include/exclude file selection dialog box
Unlimited number of include/exclude statements
Auto-compare during or after a backup
New quick access to device configuration dialog box
CrashGuard
----------
New CrashGuard application
Desktop
-------
New File Companions
Configurable Desktop Title Bar
Path requirement removed
Enhanced Task Manager
Multiple selection supported
Ability to delete file pointed to by desktop item
Enhanced search dialog
WYSIWYG ordering of Launch List/Autostart/Template folders
New command to Restart Windows
"Hot spot" and "cold spot" support for screen savers
Zip file directory items
Quick Launch available on any menu
Item/Folder Templates
Ability to print, mail, and view from item popup
Support for replacement Task Managers
New Auto-sync Folders and Desktops
New Desktop Builder application
DiskFix
-------
Advanced DoubleSpace Support
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
Emergency Disk
--------------
Option to save current AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
File Manager
------------
Sorting on all columns of File List
Moveable and resizable File List column headers
File List column header Popup Menu
New File Type column in File List
Enhanced Advanced Settings dialog
New Compare Files dialog
New File Information dialog
Added support for PKZip 2.x and LHA 5 files
Enhanced Compress File dialog
Ability to Show File Icons
New Drive Information dialog
Enhanced Select Files menu/dialog
Ability to print files as generic text
Added support for File Manager extensions
Viewer added to Find/Browse Dialogs
Enhanced Print List dialog
Added support for user specified text editor
Enhanced Associate dialog
Added ability to create disk image files
Direct access to Backup, Optimizer, and Diskfix
History list of most recently accessed directories
New File Type and Location Sets
Enhanced viewer functionality
Background sorting and drive logging
Integrated SmartFind and Undelete
Ability to find duplicate files and deleted files
New DOS-like command line
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
Icon Editor
-----------
Ability to import multiple icons via drag and drop
Install
-------
Automatically Invokes the Applications Desktop Builder
Menus/Toolbars (all applications)
---------------------------------
Balloon Help
New Customize dialog
Mini-Icon and Spacer support in the Toolbar
Toolbar is now File Drop Aware
Optimizer
---------
DoubleSpace support
Faster optimization
Added Drive Map Color customization dialog
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
Scheduler
---------
Run missed events option
Screen Capture
--------------
New Screen Capture application
Screen Savers
-------------
New Sand Sculpture screen saver
New Clock screen saver
SmartFind
---------
Now integrated with File Manager
System Consultant
-----------------
Additional Recommendations
Implement and Undo Ability for Recommendations
New Administrator Mode for Disabling Recommendations
Added System file Explanations and Editing
New Topic for WNUSER.INI
Ability to View User-Specified .INI Files
Ability to Print Non-Formatted Reports
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
Tutorials
---------
New interactive tutorials
Undelete
--------
Now integrated with File Manager
Viewers
-------
Zooming and auto-sizing ability
New clipboard support
ZIP drag and drop support
Over 20 new formats supported
In Depth Overview
-----------------
Central Point Electronic Registration
-------------------------------------
New electronic registration for PC Tools for Windows. You can register
PC Tools for Windows Version 2 on-line with our automatic registration
program.
Central Point Anti-Virus
------------------------
New detection and cleaning engine. Virus Analyzer for generic detection
of unknown viruses. The Virus Analyzer uses an expert system to look for
virus code inside your files. The expert system is designed to use the
accumulated expertise of Central Point's virus team to identify new
viruses.
Scan compressed files using new scan option. You can now scan for
viruses in compressed files, including compressed files within compressed
files. Viruses are sometimes placed in compressed files to evade
signature based detection methods.
Customize alert sounds. If you have a sound card or speaker driver, you
can now play a .WAV file when a virus is detected. Select one of your
own or use the supplied SIREN.WAV file.
VSafe audit trail. VSafe now creates an audit trail containing a log of
VSafe alert messages, the time and date they occurred, and the user's
response. Network administrators can use this file to keep track of any
verification alerts for users on the network.
Ability to detect more than 2000 viruses! The new expanded virus
detection can scan for more than 2000 different viruses.
Central Point Backup
--------------------
Redesigned user interface. Configurable menus, toolbar, and
context-sensitive pop-up menus. Options and Configure menu consolidated
into tab-style dialog boxes. New include/exclude file selection dialog
box. You can now access the selection commands from either the Toolbar
or menu.
Unlimited number of include/exclude statements. There is no limit to the
number of directories or files selected for backup or restore.
Auto-compare during or after a backup. You can now choose to have Backup
automatically compare files during or after the backup is complete.
New quick access to device configuration dialog box. It is now quicker
and easier to configure your backup devices by selecting a new device
from either the Toolbar or menu.
CrashGuard
----------
New CrashGuard application. Highly-configurable CrashGuard displays
system memory usage, system resources, clock, calendar, disk space, and
current desktop and current office names. CrashGuard gives warnings when
available memory, resources, and disk space become dangerously low.
Desktop
-------
New File Companions. File Companions give you access to file operations
from within your application's Open and Save dialog boxes by clicking on
the mini File Manager button next to the system close box or by clicking
the right mouse button anywhere within the dialog. The list of commands
can be customized by editing the [FileCompanions] section in the
WNUSER.INI file.
Configurable Desktop Title Bar
------------------------------
You can configure all three sections of the Desktop Title Bar.
Double-click on any section of the Desktop Title Bar to cycle through PC
Tools for Windows title, two different date/time formats, office name,
Desktop list, and resource display.
Path Requirement Removed. PC Tools for Windows no longer requires that
its base directory be in the DOS PATH environment variable.
Enhanced Task Manager
---------------------
The Task Manager has been improved to show a mini-icon for each entry in
the list, the amount of memory used by an application, and the desktop
name on which it is running or the 'Tag Along' status of an application.
It can be brought up by double-clicking on the background, pressing
Ctrl+Esc, or selecting Task Manager from the Desktop Window menu in the
desktop.
Multiple Selection of Items Supported
-------------------------------------
Multiple items can be selected and operations performed on the set of
items. Methods of selection are: rubberband selection, left mouse click,
Ctrl+left mouse click, and Shift+left mouse click. Ctrl key combination
toggles the specified items selection state and shift key combination
adds to the current selection.
Ability to Delete File Pointed to by Desktop Item
-------------------------------------------------
A file item can be set to be directly linked to the file system. The
data file is deleted when the item is deleted and the following
conditions are met: Delete Referenced File On Item Delete checkbox is
checked in the File Item Properties dialog and the Use file Item Delete
Referenced File Property is checked in the Advanced Settings dialog.
Desktop does not delete executable files.
Enhanced Search Dialog
----------------------
The search dialog has been enhanced to search for items based on type,
field and/or contents. The scope of search can be set to current desktop,
current office, or all desktops.
WYSIWYG ordering of Launch List/Autostart/Template folders
----------------------------------------------------------
The order of the quick launch menu list can be controlled by placing the
items in the desired order in the folder. System will order the menu
items by scanning left to right and then top to bottom. Same is true for
templates folder. The initial starting order of the applications in
Autostart can be controlled.
New Command to Restart Windows
------------------------------
A Restart Windows command is now available. You can place this command
anywhere on the menu or on the tool bar.
"Hot Spot" and "Cold Spot" Support for Screen Savers
----------------------------------------------------
A hot spot for screen saver is provided in lower-left corner of the
screen to initiate the screen saver within few seconds if a mouse is left
in that position. Similarly, a cold spot is provided in upper-right
corner of the screen to indefinitely disable the initiation of the screen
saver.
Zip File Directory Items
------------------------
A directory item can now also refer to a zip file. The system will treat
the zip file as a directory of zipped files.
Quick Launch Available on any Menu
----------------------------------
Quick Launch and Template are now enhanced menu item commands and can be
placed anywhere in the menus.
Item/Folder Templates
---------------------
A folder can be set up as a template folder (similar to quick launch
folder). You can put all of your template documents in it and use that
item to create new documents. To create an item based on a template,
select the Template command from the container menu in which the new item
is being created. The system will ask for the new file name and refer the
new item to the newly created document file. An empty folder will be
treated as a folder template and all the settings of the folders will be
transferred to the new folder being created using that template.
Ability to Print, Send Mail, and View File from Item Popup
----------------------------------------------------------
Three new menu items appear on the item pop-up menu: Print, Send Mail,
and View. The file referred to by the selected item will be printed,
mailed as an attachment, or viewed.
Support for Replacement Task Managers
-------------------------------------
When PC Tools installs, it replaces the Windows Task Manager
(TASKMAN.EXE) with its own Task Manager. You can change it to use
TASKMAN.EXE or any other task manager by changing the line in SYSTEM.INI
that reads "taskman.exe=c:\cps\wndt /tm".
New AutoSync Folders and Desktops
---------------------------------
AutoSync folders allow the synchronization of a directory with a folder
or desktop. The synchronization can be automatic or manual. For manual
synchronization, the menu command "Folder (or Desktop) Synchronize" will
cause the folder (or desktop) to be synchronized with the specified
directory and file types. The directory and file types to synchronize
are specified in the Properties dialog box of the folder or desktop. To
specify a directory tree (i.e. a directory and all of its
subdirectories), a '+' can be added to the directory name (e.g.
"c:\winword\+"). To specify multiple file types, separate each with a
comma (e.g. "*.xlc, *.xlw, *.xls"). Wildcard characters can also be used
when specifying the file type (e.g. "*.xl?").
When a folder (or desktop) is synchronized, an item is created (if it
doesn't already exist) to represent each file in the specified directory
that matches the specified file types. Any items that represent files
that have been deleted are deleted as well. Sub-folders or manually
created items are left undisturbed.
If Automatic Mode is checked in the folder or desktop's properties box,
synchronization will be automatic. This means that when a file gets
deleted from a linked directory, the corresponding item disappears from
the AutoSync folder or desktop. Also, when a new file is created in a
linked directory, a corresponding item is automatically created in the
AutoSync folder or desktop.
Any desktop or folder can be made into a AutoSync desktop or folder via
its Properties dialog box.
New Desktop Builder Application
-------------------------------
When installing PC Tools for Windows, a new Applications desktop will be
created in your default office. The Applications Desktop creates file
items that point to the application executable and directly beneath the
application item a AutoSync folder is created that is linked to the
associated data files for that application. The Desktop Builder Icon is
located in the Setup Folder in the PC Tools Desktop. It can be used to
create a default office, build a PC Tools desktop, build an application
folder, or import all program manager group files.
Diskfix
-------
Advanced DoubleSpace support
----------------------------
DoubleSpace drives can now be fully analyzed and repaired.
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
-------------------------
The drive analysis report can be mailed via either MAPI or SMI. The mail
option is available from the report dialog.
Emergency Disk
--------------
Option to Save Current AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS Files. The
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files from the boot drive can be saved to the
Emergency Disk.
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
-------------------------
The files that would normally go on the EDisk can be mailed via either
MAPI or SMI. The mail option is available from the settings dialog.
File Manager
------------
Sorting on All Columns of File List
-----------------------------------
Sorting can be performed on all columns of the file list. This may be
done by left mouse button clicking on any of the column headers or going
to the Custom Sort dialog box from the View menu.
Moveable and Resizable File List Column Headers
-----------------------------------------------
The file list columns may be moved and resized. To move a column, drag
the column header to a new location. To resize, move the cursor on top
of the dark separator line to the right of the header that you want to
resize.
File List Column Header Popup Menu
----------------------------------
A right mouse button click on the file list will bring up a pop-up menu
from which you can display/hide any or all of the available columns.
New File Type Column in File List
---------------------------------
In version 1, the Type column displayed the file extension. This is now
labeled "Ext." The File Type column shows a description of the file.
This may be Application, Directory, Compression, a registered document
description, or simply the extension and "File" appended to it if no
other category applies.
Enhanced Advanced Settings Dialog
---------------------------------
The virus scanning and the tree caching options which were in separate
dialogs in version 1 have been consolidated and moved into this dialog.
Several unnecessary advanced settings options present in version 1 have
been removed. At the bottom of the dialog are two entry fields where a
user-specified text editor can be specified.
New Compare Files Dialog. This dialog is used to perform a direct binary
comparison of two files.
New File Information Dialog. This dialog displays file and directory
information. The Branch Size button computes the total size of all files
in all subdirectories when you are viewing information about a directory.
Added Support for PKZip 2.x and LHA 5 files
-------------------------------------------
File Manager now compresses and decompresses files using ZIP 2.xx and LHA
5 compression methods. In regards to the LHA archive program File
Manager only supports the -lh5- compression method.
Enhanced Compress File Dialog
-----------------------------
You can compress files to a file that does not have a standard
compression file extension (.zip, .arc, .pak, .lzh) and specify which
compression method you want to use. You can also choose between using
ZIP 1.0 and ZIP 2.0 compression methods.
Ability to Show File Icons
--------------------------
The file list can replace the standard bitmaps displayed at the left of
the file name with either a normal-sized icon or a miniature icon, based
on the file type or application.
New Drive Information Dialog
----------------------------
This dialog displays the physical and logical characteristics of the
drive. If the drive is a DoubleSpace drive, additional information is
given at the end of the Type: field.
Enhanced Select Files Menu/Dialog
---------------------------------
A cascade menu contains file selection options. The Select Files dialog
is available by selecting the Some... menu option. Select All selects
all files and directories whereas Select All Files selects only the files
(including compression files). The Select Files dialog no longer has the
Invert button. There is a new Sets... button that allows you to access
predefined file type sets.
Ability to Print Files as Generic Text
--------------------------------------
The ability to print any file as generic text has been added. When the
appropriate checkbox is checked, all files, whether they are real text
files or binary files, will be printed as if they were plain ASCII text.
Added Support for File Manager Extensions
-----------------------------------------
Microsoft File Manager Extensions are now supported. The extension menu
items are placed at the bottom of the Tools top-level menu. There are
certain File Manager Extensions that are designed to specifically look
for the Windows File Manager and will not function correctly with the PC
Tools for Windows File Manager.
Viewer Added to Find/Browse Dialogs
-----------------------------------
All Browse and Find dialogs that display filenames now have a viewer at
the bottom of the dialog. The viewer is displayed or hidden by clicking
on the Viewer button.
Enhanced Print List Dialog
--------------------------
You can now choose any standard Windows font to be used to print the
list. The selected font is displayed at the bottom of the dialog.
Added Support for User Specified Text Editor
--------------------------------------------
Selecting the Edit Text menu command launches the text editor specified
in the Advanced Settings dialog box passing in the first selected file as
a command line parameter.
Enhanced Associate Dialog
-------------------------
This dialog has been redesigned. Please refer to the manual or help for
details. Briefly, you can now create new document types and the
associations are listed by type rather than by application file name.
Added Ability to Create Disk Image Files
----------------------------------------
You can use Copy Disk to make an exact image of a floppy diskette to a
file.
Direct Access to Backup, Optimizer, and DiskFix
-----------------------------------------------
Some of your favorite PC Tools are now only a menu item away. You can
launch DiskFix and Optimizer by clicking on the DiskFix... and
Optimizer... items in the Disk menu or the drive popup menu. You can
launch Backup by clicking on the Backup... item in the Tools menu or from
the file, directory, or drive popup menu.
History List of Most Recently Accessed Directories
--------------------------------------------------
File Manager keeps track of the last nine directories you navigate into.
You can easily change to any of those directories by clicking on the Back
To item in the Tree menu, and then clicking on the desired directory - a
convenience if you have been looking at directories on a variety of disk
drives.
New File Type and Location Sets
-------------------------------
File Manager provides the ability to associate a list of file masks to a
file type set name and a list of drive and subdirectories to a location
set name. This can be accomplished by selecting the Edit File Type
Sets... and Edit Location Sets... commands, respectively.
File Type Sets are supported in the following dialogs: SmartFind, Find
(the Find dialog is accessible in the file command dialogs like Copy
Files and Move Files), Custom Filter, and Select Files. Location Sets
are supported in the following dialogs: SmartFind and Find (the Find
dialog is accessible in the file command dialogs like Copy Files and Move
Files).
Enhanced Viewer Functionality
-----------------------------
The ability to reduce the size of an image file (bitmap, GIF, etc.),
enlarge the size of an image file, fit that image file to the display
window, and copying all or selected portions of most viewed files have
been added. See the Viewers section below and the manual for more
information.
Background Sorting and Drive Logging
------------------------------------
While File Manager is busy scanning your drives and directories for
files, or busy sorting the files it has found, you can continue to work
in other applications.
Integrated SmartFind and Undelete
---------------------------------
The Undelete and SmartFind applications present in version 1 have become
part of File Manager. File Manager has a Show Deleted Files menu command
to display deleted files and an Undelete command to undelete selected
deleted files. You can also Undelete To... files to a different
directory from where it was deleted and Purge deleted files from a
directory. Version 1 File Manager's Search... command has been renamed
to SmartFind... and incorporates all the features of the Version 1
SmartFind application's search options as well as adding a few new ones
such as Find Duplicates and Find Deleted. You can use the new location
sets and file type sets with SmartFind by clicking on the Sets... button.
Ability to Find Duplicate Files and Deleted Files
-------------------------------------------------
SmartFind has added the ability to find duplicate files (files with
identical file names) and deleted files.
New DOS-like Command Line
-------------------------
You can manage files with the File Manager command line, using DOS
commands or special File Manager commands, such as ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, and
SCAN. Please refer to the manual or Help for details. Help on a
specific command is displayed by using a "/?" parameter after the
command, e.g. "COMPRESS /?". The command line is displayed and hidden by
selecting the Command Line command from the Options menu.
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
-------------------------
Selected files can be mailed via either MAPI or SMI. The mail option is
available from the settings dialog.
Menus/Toolbars (all applications)
---------------------------------
Balloon Help
------------
Toolbars in icon-only mode can now display a Balloon text description of
the button the cursor is on top of. This setting can be controlled via
the Toolbar styles dialog or the Toolbar popup.
New Customize Dialog
--------------------
All Applications have new Customize dialog boxes for configuring menus,
shortcut keys, toolbars, and custom commands.
Mini-Icon and Spacer Support in the Toolbar
-------------------------------------------
All Application Toolbars now support the use of mini-icons. You can
customize each toolbar to fit your needs including specifying the
placement of spacers between toolbar icons. Use the Customize dialog box
to customize toolbars.
Toolbar Is File Drop Aware
--------------------------
Dropping a file on a custom command will initiate that command with the
file as its parameter. For example, dropping a Write file onto a Write
command bar will open the Write application with the corresponding Write
file.
Optimizer
---------
DoubleSpace support
-------------------
DoubleSpace drives are now fully supported and optimizable.
Faster optimization
-------------------
Optimization speed has increased by the addition of the Turbo Mode. The
Turbo Mode retains all of the safeguards but doesn't allow the user to
switch to other apps while optimizing.
Added Drive Map Color customization dialog
------------------------------------------
One can now control the individual block colors of the main screen
fragmentation panel.
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
-------------------------
The fragmentation and analysis report can be mailed via either MAPI or
SMI. The mail option is available from the report dialog.
Scheduler
---------
Run Missed Events Option
------------------------
This option is enabled by default. When enabled on Scheduler startup,
Scheduler will attempt to run those scheduled events it found during the
last shutdown and this current startup. When this option is disabled,
all such missed events are skipped and treated as if they had occurred.
System Consultant
-----------------
Additional Recommendations
--------------------------
System Consultant can now generate over 45 different recommendations,
including recommendations based on an analysis of any hard drives
attached to your system. To see the recommendations for your system click
the 'Recommend' button on the System Consultant Toolbar.
Implement and Undo Ability for Recommendations
----------------------------------------------
System Consultant can now implement many of the recommendations in its
recommendation list. To implement a recommendation just click the 'Do It'
button. A complete history list of implemented recommendations is
maintained so that you can undo recommendations at any time in the
future.
New Administrator Mode for Disabling Recommendations
----------------------------------------------------
An Administrator Mode has been added for network installations of PC
Tools for Windows in which the administrator desires to limit user access
to selected recommendations. To switch to Administrator Mode press
Ctrl+Shift+F12 from any System Consultant Topic.
System File Explanations and Editing
------------------------------------
System Consultant now provides line-by-line explanations and context
sensitive editing of all your system files. Select AUTOEXEC.BAT or
CONFIG.SYS from the DOS menu, or any of the three .INI file items from
the Windows menu.
New Topic for WNUSER.INI
------------------------
The PC Tools for Windows WNUSER.INI file has been added to the list of
.INI files that can be viewed and edited by System Consultant.
Ability to View User-Specified .INI Files
-----------------------------------------
The user can now add .INI files to the System Consultant menu to view any
program's .INI file (line-by-line explanations are not provided).
Ability to Print Non-Formatted Reports
--------------------------------------
A 'Print without Formatting' checkbox has been added to the System
Consultant 'Print Report' dialog so that reports can be printed to
text-only files without bold or underline formatting.
New MAPI/SMI Mail Support
-------------------------
A 'Send Mail' button has been added to the System Consultant 'Print
Report' dialog so that reports can be mailed directly from System
Consultant on systems with MAPI or SMI mail support.
Viewers
-------
Zooming and Auto-Sizing Ability
-------------------------------
While viewing a graphics file, such as a bitmap, you can view at 25%,
50%, 100%, 200%, or 400%, or fit the graphic to the window, by selecting
from the View menu or viewer popup menu. When Fit to Window is selected,
the graphic will be either reduced or enlarged to fill the entire window.
The QuickZoom feature allows you to toggle between faster zooming and
better quality zooming. This feature is only available in the File Viewer
application.
Clipboard Support
-----------------
While viewing a file, you can select text or graphics and copy the
information to the clipboard for pasting into another application.
Formatting will be preserved when copying text. You can use the keyboard
or the mouse to make a selection in a text, spreadsheet, or database
file. You must use the mouse to select from a graphics file. The copy
command can be selected either from the application menu or from the
viewer popup menu.
ZIP Drag and Drop Support
-------------------------
You can now drag a file from within an archive file in File Manager and
drop it on the standalone File Viewer application, which will then open
and view that file.
Disk Image (DSK) Viewer
-----------------------
You can view vital statistics about disk image files created by PC Tools'
File Manager or Copy Disk applet.
AutoCAD Drawing Interchange Format (DXF) viewer
AutoCAD DXF files view as vector files.
Font Viewer (FON,FOT,TTF) Viewer
--------------------------------
You can view information about raster, vector, and TrueType font files,
as well as viewing a font sample in that font.
Icon Library (ICL,NIL) Viewer
-----------------------------
You can view the Icon Libraries created by PC Tools for Windows (ICL) and
by Norton Desktop for Windows (NIL). You can also view any icon library
stored in a format that is a Windows resource-only DLL stub.
Program Manager Group Files (GRP) Viewer
----------------------------------------
You can view the icons and text for Program Manager Group Files. This can
be useful, for example, when you wish to preview a GRP file before
importing it into our Desktop.
Wave File (WAV) Viewer
----------------------
You can view interesting information about a WAV file, such as the
sampling rate, mono vs. stereo, type of file, and so on.
Video for Windows (AVI) Viewer
------------------------------
You can view information about an AVI file, such as the length in minutes
and seconds, the frame rate, the dimensions of each frame in pixels, and
so on.
AutoDesk Flick and FLI (FLC,FLI) Viewer
---------------------------------------
You can view information about the older AutoDesk Flick and newer
AutoDesk FLI files, such
as the number of frames, frame dimensions, and
so on.
MIDI File (MID) Viewer
----------------------
You can view summary information about a MIDI file, such as number of
channels, playing time, and so on.
Quattro Pro for Windows (WB1) Viewer
------------------------------------
Spreadsheet files created by Borland Quattro Pro for Windows 1.0 are
supported.
Enable (DOC)
------------
You can view files created by Enable's word processor, versions 1.1, 2.0,
and 2.15.
WordPerfect 4.x, 5.2, and 6.0 (WP) Viewer
-----------------------------------------
We have added support for WordPerfect files created by versions 4.x, 5.2,
and 6.0.
Office Writer (DOC) Viewer
--------------------------
You can view OfficeWriter files created by versions 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and
6.a.
Q&A Write (DOC) Viewer
----------------------
You can view Q&A Write 1.0, 3.0, and 4.0 files.
Disk Image (DSK) Viewer
-----------------------
You can view vital statistics about disk image files created by PC Tools
for Windows 2.0, PC Tools Pro, and DR DOS 7.0.
DCA FFT (FFT) Viewer
--------------------
You can view DCA Final Form Text files.
MS Works for DOS Viewer
-----------------------
You can view document files created by Works 2.0 for DOS.
MacWrite II Viewer
------------------
You can view files created by MacWrite II versions 1.0 and 1.1.
Microsoft Word for Macintosh Viewer
-----------------------------------
You can view files created by Microsoft Word for Macintosh versions 3.0
and 4.0.
This is the second of four installments covering Central Point's PC
Tools for Windows version 2.0. This is a very powerful desktop system
that deserves to be a part of everyone's system.
Order PC Tools Version 2.0 for Windows or PC Tools Pro version 9.0 for
Dos by Calling 1-800-333-0744.
Call today to upgrade... either for Windows or Dos 49.95. Order before
3/29/94 and get Drive Rocket FREE! And... you can also get Print Cache
or Uninstaller for only 29.95ea. Or... take advantage of PC Tools BUNDLE
DEAL: Get PCtools for Windows or DOS with Uninstaller, PrintCache and
Drive Rocket for only 99.95. Order Now! 1-800-333-0744.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
: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.
Are your friends "busy" buddies? Are they being left out in the
cold because their online service doesn't have room for them? Is
"Almost OnLine" as close as they're getting to BEING online? Are
they faced with busy signals, "come back later" messages and slow
response?
Well, we know how frustrated they must feel. We've been there --
done that! But, that's no longer the Case on GEnie. We've got the
room, we've got the fun and we've got the greatest users....people
just like you! So why not invite your buddies to join you on GEnie?
We've designed a slick promotion in order to give you the
opportunity to be a hero to your friends. To get them back online,
get them some free time, and introduce them to GEnie Services. What
you don't have to tell them is that you get something out of the
deal, too!
For each new user you bring to GEnie, we'll waive their first
month's subscription fee, and give them a total of TEN free hours of
standard connect time -- that's a $38.95 (C$50.95) value! If you
and your buddy are still active GEnie subscribers three months from
the date your buddy signs up, YOU get five hours of FREE standard
connect time -- a $15.00 (C$20.00) value for each buddy you sponsor!
And, for a limited time, you can even qualify for SPECIAL PRIZES!!!
In addition to the five hours of standard connect time, prizes
will be awarded to the three sponsors who bring in the most
qualifying buddies between February 3, 1994 and March 31, 1994. The
third-place Buddy sponsor will receive a GEnie satin jacket. The
second-place Buddy sponsor will receive a 9600 bps modem. And the
first-place buddy sponsor will receive a $500 gift certificate good
at your favorite computer store.
Like everything good, there are a few rules for the GEnie Buddy
Bonus Program. You'll find the complete promotion rules on the
GEnie Services Buddy Bonus page (type BUDDY or M1111). Be sure you
review the complete rules before you contact your friends.
So, if your buddies have been bragging about that other online
service, just remind them that a pretty interface ain't worth squat
if it doesn't log on! Bring them over to GEnie....we may not be
pretty just yet, but we're definitely more fun! And, if a GUI is
that important to them, tell them that we'll have both Mac and
Windows front ends before the other guys get more computers!
GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric
Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission
From GEnie's Atari Area:
= LAST TWO WEEK'S TOP 10 DOWNLOADED PROGRAMS/FILES =
------------------------------------------------------
31767 LZH_299.LZH X GRMEYER 940126 175872 177 40
Desc: LHARC 2.99 with shell
31787 SHOCKER2.ZIP X D.DREIBELBIS 940129 480384 169 8
Desc: great mono shareware game
31782 GBNCH330.ZIP X GRMEYER 940129 97024 140 2
Desc: GEMBench v3.30 benchmark program
31869 DEAD_MON.TXT X R.CONSTAN 940206 14592 135 27
Desc: How to fix that dead SM124 Monitor!
31784 PROFILE.LZH X GRMEYER 940129 77952 127 2
Desc: Profile - System Information Display
31770 SURPRISE.LZH X MUSE 940127 13440 125 16
Desc: The Elephant of Surprise EOS module
31864 TWINDOWS.ZIP X G.FUHRMAN 940205 9600 110 16
Desc: another Throne clone for Warp 9 EOS
31748 TVST15.LZH X AEO.5 940125 18944 108 2
Desc: TotalView, a text file viewer.
31728 CS63B.ZIP X M.MOTOGAWA 940123 17664 107 2
Desc: Version 6.3b of CalShow!
31768 TWRPTCH2.ZIP X V.VALENTI 940127 54400 105 8
Desc: Towers ver 1.2-- fixes a few bugs.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
___ ___ _____ _______
/___| /___| /_____| /_______/ 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!
MAC/APPLE SECTION (II)
======================
Randy Noak, Editor
"RAH, RAH, SIS BOOM BAH, GET THAT MOUSE AND DESIGN"
Sorry. I couldn't help myself. I'm all fired up after a day at Aldus
University. Aldus University is Aldus Corporation's series of seminars
on the use of PageMaker and Freehand. The course I took was titled, "Mac
PageMaker Tips, Tricks & Techniques". Very intense. Very worthwhile. I
learned the "right" way to do all sorts of neat design elements, and, I'd
have to say, probably doubled my knowledge and efficiency in the use of
PageMaker. The only downside of all this was that the course cost $295.
The upside to that was that my company paid for it. What a deal.
That's not all that's been going on here at Mac Report HQ. First, my
wife had jury duty. This means that your humble Editor received the call
to perform many of the functions that had, heretofore, been the sole
province of my spouse. Needless to say, it's not as easy as it looks.
Second, I've been, among everything else, trying to get the first issue
of Mac Report Monthly out the door. It's now in the hands of the
Associate Editors for proofing, so it should be available for download
soon. Last, but not least, I picked this week to come down with a nasty
cold. I've been miserable. I'm feeling better now though. I'm still sick,
but a couple of neat things happened this week to boost my spirits.
I finally figured out which extension was causing me some problems
with some of my applications. I dumped it, and all has been well since.
No more crashes! Life is good. I also received the books I had ordered
from the Mac Professionals Book Club, "Desperately Seeking Solutions",
"Macintosh Secrets", "Live Wired", "Guide to System 7.1", and "The Mac is
Not a Typewriter". Lotsa good reading there.
This week's issue contains a review of "Eric's Ultimate Solitaire"
by Jeff Coe and a passle o' press releases. Let's go!
>Eric s Ultimate Solitaire STR Review
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
ERIC S ULTIMATE SOLITAIRE
=========================
by Jeff Coe
Most traditional board games and most card games don t translate
very well to the computer. First of all, you usually play them with two
or more people, and since most computer game players play solo you loose
the human interaction that makes the game fun in the first place.
Secondly, if you do get a multi-player game on the computer, it s usually
a real pain trying to cram everyone around the keyboard to play. Then you
have to put up with the "Don t look while I set up my pieces " (or take
my turn or whatever...)". It s more bother than it s worth in most
cases. Solitaire on the other hand is supposed to be played alone. You
just can t do it any other way. What s more, the computer takes care of
moving all those piles of cards for you, and you never have to worry
about the family pet running across the table and scattering your deck!
With that in mind, I'm going to sum up the rest of this review for you
right now. If you enjoy solitaire, go buy this game. Eric s Ultimate
Solitaire is the very best solitaire program I've ever played on any
computer platform. Period.
There are probably hundreds of different solitaire games or versions
of the same game out there, but the programmers at Delta Tao chose to
include only seventeen of them in Eric s Ultimate Solitaire. Why
seventeen? Because that s how many names fit in a menu on a Mac Plus
without having to scroll. Works for me. All the common titles are here;
Klondike, Yukon, Poker Square, Towers, etc.. and some that I had never
heard of, such as Spider, Forty Thieves and Calculation. There are more
as I said above, but I don't see much point in listing them all. Every
game is rated as to how difficult it is to play, and to how much time it
takes to play it. There is also a help screen for each game that gives
you the basic rules of play, but it doesn't tell you everything. There
are a few surprises hidden in there for you to figure out on your own.
Game Options
There are a few options you can choose from when you play. One of
the most handy is called Autoplay. With Autoplay turned on, cards will be
automatically played (hence the name) up to the Foundation piles. For
those not familiar with solitaire, the foundations are the piles you are
trying to get all the cards onto, usually in order and in suit, starting
with the Aces and going up to the Kings. In some cases you might not want
to automatically move those cards up, and Eric's Ultimate Solitaire (EUS
from now on) is smart enough to know when not to do it for you.
Sound effects can be toggled on or off. While I personally like the
sound of the cards being shuffled and dealt, it's nice to have the option
of not hearing that stuff.
There is also an option where you can have every game you play be a
winnable game. If you've played solitaire much, you know that even if you
play every card perfectly and make no mistakes, there are games that just
can not be won. It's the luck of the draw as they say. EUS has a database
of sorts with games that can be won, and in fact as you use the software
and win some games, it adds those games to its database. However, just
because a game is winnable, it doesn't mean you will win it! It just
means that it's possible to win it. I should also take this time to tell
you that EUS keeps track of every game you play, and keeps you updated as
to how many times you've played a particular game, and how many times
you've won at it. You can review this information for all seventeen
different solitaire games. However, if you have the Always Winnable
option turned on, these games do not get figured into your statistics.
EUS has very nice graphics. Every game has it's own deck design, and
all the cards are easy to read. A nice touch is that you are given the
option of selecting the background design to be used for your games.
There are several to choose from, ranging from a nice looking leather
texture to some subdued designs incorporating the card suits (clubs,
diamonds... ). None of these are what you would call wild, so that they
don t in any way distract you from the cards. You can even choose a solid
color for a background if you prefer.
Other items found under the Options menu allow you to review your
Statistics for wins and losses, or check on how other players are doing.
You can set up some Preferences for yourself too. Things like whether
you're right or left handed, whether you want the Autoplay option on all
the time, whether you want to see your stats after each game and stuff
like that. This is also where you can review the rules of the current
game, and get a list of some keyboard shortcuts.
Other Menus
In addition to the Options menu, there is a Game menu that lets you
choose from the entire list of solitaire games. Under the Players menu
you can add or delete the names of different players from the list, or
select which player you are. Every player has his or her own stat
information saved in their preferences file, so everyone that uses EUS
should have their own entry in this menu. There is a File menu where you
can end a game (give up), restart the same game over again, or quit. One
of the nicest features of EUS is found in the Edit menu. You can take
back your previously played cards with the Undo command. I haven t tested
this, but I think you could almost backspace your way all the way from
the end of a game to the first card played!
Game Play
Basically the entire game is mouse controlled. There are a few
keyboard equivalents for those that prefer to type, but the best bet is
the mouse. Cards can be drug in the same way you'd drag anything else on
your desktop. A single click on your deck will cause the correct number
of cards to be dealt. You can also double-click on a card and it will
automatically be moved to the most logical new location, whether that
would be to your foundation or another pile. The most fun way to play
your cards is to toss them. You do this by starting a drag, and just give
the card a little flick and release the mouse button. The card will fly
across the screen and home in on the correct pile or foundation. It's
pretty cool to get your cards flying around and curving back and forth
while you play. EUS will not let you make an illegal move either, so you
can toss cards all over the screen and they ll always end up where they
belong! The only other feature you would need to know about, is the use
of the Shift key. When you hold down either Shift key, all the currently
playable cards on the screen will be highlighted. It doesn t tell you
where they go, but at least it gives you your options. Sometimes you can
stare at a screen for minutes on end and not be able to come up with a
good move. The Shift key can point you in the right direction.
Read the Book
The only other item I want to tell you about is the instruction
manual. In addition to giving you everything you need to know about
installing, troubleshooting (although I have yet to see a bug!), and
playing the game, it's just down right funny! These are people that don t
take themselves too seriously, which is a nice change. I look forward to
seeing more software from Delta Tao.
The Technical Stuff
Eric s Ultimate Solitaire is published by:
Delta Tao Software, Inc.
760 Harvard Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 730-9336
Eric s Ultimate Solitaire requires a Macintosh computer with at least 2
MB or memory, running System 6.0.5 or greater. It supports color or
monochrome monitors, but you really should get color to get the most from
the graphics. EUS runs fine off of a floppy, but the publisher recommends
installing it on your hard-drive for speedy loading.
In closing, as I said at the start of this review, if you like solitaire,
buy this game! Enjoy!
________________________________________
> Supra FAX/Modem STR InfoFile
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
It had to happen. I bought a Performa 450 and immediately, prices plummet
and Apple brings out even faster models for less money. I buy a 14,400
baud modem and, of course, a 28,800 is fast on it's heels. Why me?
SupraFAXModem(tm) 288 Offers V.Fast Speeds for Under $400
=========================================================
ALBANY, OR, FEBRUARY 1994- The SupraFAXModem 288 raises the standard on
performance with data speeds of 28,800 bps while maintaining Supra's
commitment to value-oriented pricing. Scheduled to ship in March, the
external model will carry a selling price of $399 while the internal
SupraFAXModem(tm) 288i will debut at just $349.
"These products represent a huge leap forward in technology," said Kenny
Richards, Manager for PC Products at Supra. "Not only can users benefit
from speed that's twice as fast as the current V.32bis standard, they
also get the benefits of an outstanding feature set at an unbelievable
price."
Based on the Rockwell(tm) V.FC (V.Fast Class) chipset, Supra's new modems
utilize the core technology that is expected to be defined by the ITU-TSS
in the V.34 (V.Fast) standard later this year. When the V.34 standard is
finalized, it will be incorporated into the full line of SupraFAXModem
288 products. In the interim, V.FC appears to be the clear leader as a
standard for 28,800 bps data communication. Wide-spread acceptance of
the V.FC standard will ensure compatibility with modems from more than 60
other vendors, including Hayes, Microcom, and US Robotics.
By contrast, the V.32terbo standard, which is accepted by a smaller
number of modem manufacturers, can go no faster than 19,200 bps. And
despite the fact that these modems are half as fast as Supra's 288
products, they do not offer a competitive price advantage.
True Top-Of-the-Line Technology
Both Supra's internal and external modems offer technology that goes
beyond the basics of V.FC technology. By utilizing flash ROM, both of
these V.Fast Class products add a new level of flexibility to modem
communications. Future enhancements can be made without any hardware
adjustments-just download new code information into the ROM.
Plus, the SupraFAXModem 288i utilizes SupraSmart(tm) UART technology
buffering to reduce the risk of data loss during high speed transmission.
This includes a16550 UART which, combined with V.42bis compression,
enables data speeds of up to 115,200 bps. The product also includes a
Windows driver called RHSI (Rockwell High-Speed Interface) which
increases the throughput capabilities ofthe on-board UART.
The SupraFAXModem 288 external, packs this performance into Supra's
highly-praised tiny desktop modem with a revolutionary alphanumeric
status display which makes it a breeze to track all modem activity. It
also includes a hardware handshaking cable that enables up to 115,200 bps
communication on computers equipped with a 16550 UART.
Both modems also include custom Supra features such as Silent Answer(tm)
which allows both voice and fax communication on a single phone line. If
it detects fax "CNG" tones, the modem routes the call to fax software.
Otherwise, the modem sits silently on the phone line while the call is
answered by the user or by an answering machine. Another feature, Caller
ID, lets users identify incoming calls before answering.
Full-Featured Functionality
Both modems support industry-standard protocols including the full range
of Bell, MNP, and ITU-TSS (formerly CCITT) standards. Among the
supported features are MNP10 for improved performance on cellular
connections. Both modems support the highest-available fax speed of
14,400 bps. They also support Class 1 and 2 fax commands and are
compatible with Group 3 fax machines.
The modems also feature a five-year warranty, Hayes compatibility,
extended AT commands and result codes, compatibility with most popular
telecommunications software, autoanswer/autodial, a modular phone jack,
and non-volatile memory that stores two user configurations and four
phone numbers.
Both the desktop faxmodem and internal card include all the software,
cables and instructions the user needs for getting started with high-
speed data and fax communication. The bundle includes FaxTalk(r) for
Windows for flawless fax transmission, CompuServe Information Manager(tm)
for Windows, and COMit(tm) for DOS and Windows-a data communications
program designed specifically for high-speed communication.
For Macintosh owners, Supra offers the SupraFAXModem 288 Mac package for
desktop users and the SupraFAXModem 288PB an internal modem for PowerBook
models 100-180c. Both packages include all the software, cables and
instructions the user needs for getting started with high-speed data and
fax communication. The bundle includes MicroPhone(tm) LT, CompuServe
Information Manager(tm), and the CCL scripts required for Apple Remote
Access(tm). Packages also include FAXcilitate(tm), fax software that
brings a new level of flexibility and ease-of-use to Macintosh faxing.
For additional information, contact Supra's customer service at:
1-800-727-8772.
_______________________________________
> APPLE'S Press Releases STR Feature
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
THIS RELEASE MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1994 AT
8:36 AM, EST
Apple Launches Low-Cost Color Inkjet Printer
Makes It Easy for Small Offices and Home Offices to Produce Colorful
Documents at an Affordable Price
TOKYO, Japan--February 16, 1994--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced
the Apple Color StyleWriter Pro, a color inkjet printer for
Macintosh computer systems that delivers professional-looking color
documents at an affordable price.
Priced at $629 (U.S.), the Apple Color StyleWriter Pro is
particularly well-suited for the small office and home office. It
provides superior print quality, color performance and versatility.
The Color StyleWriter Pro offers superior print quality with 360
dots per inch (dpi). It has a 44 percent greater resolution than the
standard 300 dpi, enabling quality images from an ink jet printer
with sharp text and vibrant color.
Users may print color documents in one of three ColorSync modes
depending on their needs: photographic, business graphics or spot
color. Apple's ColorSync delivers optimized color matching so that
the colors the user sees on the display monitor are the same colors
that the printer outputs. Individual color ink cartridges and plain
paper printing decrease the cost of printing for the Color StyleWriter
Pro user. Individual ink cartridges allow the user to easily replace
only the color that is empty. Previously, all colors were available in
the same cartridge making it necessary to replace the entire color
cartridge when one color was empty, wasting the other colored inks.
Plain paper and a draft mode option for proofing that uses less ink
also decrease the cost for the user. Other media types, like
transparencies, may be used for added quality and flexibility. The
Color StyleWriter Pro prints up to two pages per minute in monochrome
and a half a page per minute in color.
The Apple Color StyleWriter Pro includes 64 TrueType fonts and
allows printer sharing and password protection using ColorShare
software. The Color StyleWriter Pro is designed for use with any
color capable Apple Macintosh personal computer with 4MB of RAM, a
hard disk drive and System 7 or later. It ships with a 100 sheet
paper tray that automatically feeds up to 15 envelopes and is
compact, weighing only 11 pounds.
Apple plans to make the Apple Color StyleWriter Pro available in
late March 1994 through Apple authorized resellers worldwide. For
further information, customers in the United States should call the
Apple Referral Center at (800) 538-9696. Customers outside the United
States should contact their local Apple representatives for
information.
THIS RELEASE MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1994 AT
8:30 AM, EST
Apple Launches Digital Camera for Macintosh and Windows
Personal Computers
QuickTake 100 Delivers Price/Performance Breakthrough; Offers Fastest
Way to Bring Images into Documents
TOKYO, Japan--February 16, 1994-- Apple Computer, Inc., today
announced the QuickTake 100, a digital color camera that makes it
easy for people to bring photographic images into their computer
without film development or scanning. Priced at just $749 (U.S.),
the QuickTake 100 delivers fast, digital color image capture that was
once available to professionals only.
A lightweight, portable device for use in mainstream business,
education and design the QuickTake 100 will work with both desktop
and portable models of Macintosh and Windows computers. The camera
features point-and-shoot simplicity and includes the basic set of
functions that users have come to expect from an automatic camera
such as, automatic exposure, a built-in flash and focus free
operation. Within seconds, images can be downloaded from the camera
into any standard software application for use in business documents,
presentations, reports or design projects.
Easy Operation and Connection to Personal Computers
The QuickTake 100 is designed for ease of use and fast, quality
capture of natural images. To use the camera, users simply complete
three easy steps: point and shoot a picture, load images into the
computer and manipulate the images as desired.
Point and Shoot a Picture
-------------------------
Weighing only a pound with its batteries installed, the QuickTake 100
is portable and easy to use. It comes equipped with a built-in
automatic flash and easy-to-read icons that monitor the flash,
battery, number of pictures, selected resolution and self-timer. The
QuickTake 100 captures images in two sizes, 320x240 and 640x480
pixels, and stores those images in internal memory until users are
ready to download them. The camera's memory can store up to 32
standard-resolution images or eight high-resolution images. The
QuickTake 100, which runs on standard AA batteries, includes three
NICAD batteries and an AC battery recharger.
Load Images into the Computer
-----------------------------
To load images into the computer, users simply plug a serial cable
into the printer or modem port and run the installed QuickTake
software. Images are transferred within seconds. The camera's
software control panel offers drag-and-drop copying of images or
direct import into any common publishing software program.
Manipulate the Image
--------------------
Once the image is loaded into the computer, users can adjust and
manipulate it in a variety of ways. For example, images can be
cropped, rotated or scaled to different sizes.
QuickTake 100 Availability
--------------------------
Apple , the sole supplier of the QuickTake 100, plans to make the
product available through Apple authorized resellers and Apple direct
sales channels. The Macintosh version of the QuickTake 100 camera is
expected to ship worldwide in late March of 1994. The Windows
version is scheduled for worldwide release in June, 1994.
THE FOLLOWING RELEASE MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE A
8:15am, EDT, Wednesday, February 16, 1994.
Apple's Multimedia Leadership Takes Center Stage at MacWorld Tokyo
Largest Macintosh Show in the World Highlights New Multimedia and
Imaging Products.
MACWORLD, TOKYO--February 16, 1994-- Apple Computer, Inc. plans to
emphasize its leadership in multimedia computing in front of more
than 120,000 expected attendees at this week's MacWorld Tokyo
exposition. At the show, Apple will rollout the world's first
affordable digital camera--the QuickTake 100--as well as a suite of
new products that make it easy for people to work with vibrant,
colorful images on their computer. Additionally, Apple will formally
announce that it shipped--according to plan--more than 1 million CD-
ROM players in 1993.
Independent industry research reveals that Apple's Macintosh
computer holds the number 2 position in sales in Japan, with
approximately 14 percent of the booming Japanese market for personal
computers.
In a series of keynote presentations during the week, Apple
executives will discuss the following:
Executive Keynotes Underscore Multimedia, New Technologies
In his MacWorld Tokyo keynote address on February 17, Ian Diery will
highlight the QuickTake 100 digital camera for Macintosh and Windows
personal computers and the Color StyleWriter low-cost color printer,
along with the recently introduced Macintosh LC575. Diery will also
discuss the progress Apple has made in its efforts to continue its
leadership in innovation in the multimedia area and will give an
update on the soon to be announced "Macintosh on PowerPC".
In their joint MacWorld Tokyo keynote address on February 18, Gaston
Bastiaens, Vice President and General Manager of Apple's Personal
Interactive Electronics Division, and Dr. Rick LeFaivre, Vice
President of Apple's Advanced Technology Group will explore new ways
of computing. Bastiaens will talk about Newton's pivotal role as the
launchpad for sophisticated mobile communications. LeFaivre will
lead the audience through a parade of demonstrations featuring
technologies that will profoundly change the user's experience in the
future.
Satjiv Chahil, Vice President of the New Media Group at Apple, and
Eikoh Harada, Apple Japan's Director of the Business Market Division,
will open the February 19 keynote, highlighting the impact of
multimedia on business, personal productivity and entertainment. New
technologies such as FireWire, QuickTime 2.0, the Apple Media
Authoring Solution and the Apple Professional Video Production
Solution will be demonstrated, along with interactive MIDI, video
performances and multimedia kiosks. Special guest appearances by
famous Japanese and American musical artists will be featured. World
renowned musician Peter Gabriel will close the session with a
demonstration of a new art form that combines technology, video and
music.
MacWorld Tokyo Exposition
Organized by IDG World Expo/Japan, The Japan Industrial Journal, and
Nippon Broadcasting System, this year's MacWorld Tokyo will provide a
showcase for over 300 companies, displaying products in more than
1140 booths.
With 65 booths at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center, Apple
Computer's exhibit will occupy the largest space at the exhibition.
Apple will highlight a wide range of hardware and software products,
including its popular PowerBook line, Macintosh desktop models,
Newton MessagePad technologies, imaging products and the latest in
system software.
Following are highlights of Apple's newly announced products:
Apple QuickTake 100
-------------------
The QuickTake 100 digital color camera makes it easy for people to
take pictures and bring the images into their computer without film
development or scanning. The QuickTake 100 delivers fast, digital
color image capture that was once available to professionals only.
The Macintosh version of the QuickTake 100 camera is expected to ship
worldwide in late March of 1994. The Windows version is scheduled
for worldwide release in June, 1994.
Apple Color StyleWriter Pro
---------------------------
The Apple Color StyleWriter Pro color inkjet printer for Macintosh
computer systems delivers professional-looking color documents at an
affordable price. The Apple Color StyleWriter Pro is particularly
well-suited for the small office and home office. Apple plans to
make the Apple Color StyleWriter Pro available in late March 1994
through Apple authorized resellers worldwide.
THIS RELEASE MOVED OVER THE PR NEWSWIRE AT 8:16 AM, EST, FEBRUARY 16,
1994
Apple USA Spins Off User Group Function
CAMPBELL, California--February 16, 1994--Apple USA, a division of
Apple Computer, Inc., today announced it has negotiated a three-year
contract with User Group Connection. User Group Connection is a
privately held company that was formed out of the nucleus of Apple's
former user group department.
The contract provides for User Group Connection to continue overall
management of the Apple user group program and to maintain the
relationship between Apple and user group members. In addition, the
User Group Connection announced several new marketing opportunities
for vendors.
By making the internal user group management function an independent
company, user group members get access to expanded information. User
Group Connection continues to interface closely with Apple to provide
Apple-specific product and program information, but has the
additional advantage of providing information from other companies as
well. For example, User Group Connection distributes a monthly
mailing that includes detailed information about software solutions
from outside vendors in addition to Apple hardware products.
"We will continue with the services we've always provided to user
groups," said Ray Kaupp, president of User Group Connection. "Now,
however, we are able to include non-Apple vendor information as well.
As an independent company we can broaden our scope of information to
user groups and open up new marketing opportunities for developers."
"User groups have always been extremely important to Apple," said Jim
Buckley, president of Apple USA. "They are a market voice that we've
always listened closely to, especially for product evaluation and
feedback. By becoming an independent company, User Group Connection
can take advantage of a very strong relationship with Apple while
growing as a service company. And in the current economic climate,
moving from a cost center to a profit center not only makes good
business sense, it also allows User Group Connection to maintain a
certain amount of focus in providing support information and
centralized services to the user group network."
Enhanced Marketing Opportunities
User Group Connection broadens visibility and elevates interest in
user groups as a qualified target market. User Group Connection has
devised several new programs to reach this target. These programs
include customized mailings to user groups; sponsorship of the
Macworld user group breakfast meetings in San Francisco and Boston;
and promotion of developer products on UG-TV, a periodic satellite
broadcast to user groups.
An additional benefit to user groups is the User Group Member
Purchase Program. This program allows members of Apple Authorized
user groups to buy refurbished Apple equipment at reduced rates.
User groups interested in becoming Apple Authorized should call
1-800-538-9696, ext. 500. Vendors interested in exploring marketing
opportunities through User Group Connection can call Sam Decker,
manager of vendor relations, at 408-461-5725.
Located in Scotts Valley, Calif., User Group Connection was
incorporated October 1, 1993. The staff of seven includes Ray
Kaupp, president and general manager, Carmela Zamora, manager of User
Group programs and events, Andrea Sutera, manager of marketing and
communications, Sam Decker, manager of vendor relations, Robert
Venter, manager of operations, Sherri Jackson, customer relations,
and Mary Anne Mather, editorial development and special projects.
User Group Connection can be contacted via telephone: 408/461-5700,
AppleLink: USER.GROUPS, or America Online: APPLE UGC.
THIS RELEASE MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1994 AT 8:34
AM, EST
Apple Computer's PowerBook Duo Ranked as the No. 1 Selling Subnotebook
in the U.S. and Europe by Dataquest
Record 200,000 PowerBooks Shipped During Apple's 4th Quarter of 1993
CUPERTINO, California--February 7, 1994--Apple Computer, Inc., today
announced that independent research shows the Apple PowerBook Duo
to be the best selling subnotebook computer in both the U.S. and in
Europe. The research was conducted by Dataquest, a leading worldwide
market research firm, and is made available as a part of a complete
report which tracks unit shipments for a variety of computer product
categories.
With the introduction of the new PowerBook Duo 250 and 270c, Apple
Computer shipped a record 200,000 PowerBooks in Q4 of 1993. Although
independent findings have not been published, this record shipment
underscores the Duo's number one position and the success of Apple's
market share strategy.
According to Dataquest findings, the PowerBook Duo held a 38%
market share in the U.S. and a 29% market share in Europe against other
subnotebooks. These results are based on Dataquest's most recent
research available of subnotebook and notepad market shares for the
first three quarters of calendar 1993.
Dataquest projects the notebook market as a whole to grow at an
average annual rate of 22% from 1993 to 1996, but during this same
period the subnotebook market is expected to explode at an average
annual rate of 104%.
Dataquest defines the computer subnotebook category as a notebook
computer without an internal floppy disk drive that weighs
approximately 4 pounds or less, and has computing capability similar
to desktop computers. Apple focuses its PowerBook Duo development
efforts on a subnotebook which stresses performance and
functionality, balanced with size and weight, without sacrificing
performance and functionality to achieve small size and weight.
____________________________________________
That's it for this week. Next week I hope to be over this cold. As
always, please feel free to send your comments or questions to me at:
America OnLine: STReportRN
Compuserve: 70323,1031
GEnie: R.NOAK
**********************************************************************
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But hurry, this special trial offer will expire soon! To take advantage
of this limited offer, use your modem to dial 1-800-365-4636. Press
<RET> once or twice. When you get the Password: prompt, type IP26 and
press <RET> again. Then, just answer the questions and within a day or
two, you'll officially be a member of DELPHI!
DELPHI-It's getting better all the time!
**********************************************************************
ATARI/JAG SECTION (III)
=======================
Dana Jacobson, Editor
WHAT'S NEW IN COMPUSERVE'S ATARI FORUMS (February 18)
LOWER CONNECT TIME RATES
CompuServe members billed under the Standard Pricing Plan now pay lower
rates for access to extended (hourly priced) services. The new rates
forCompuServe's extended services are $4.80 per hour for access at 300,
1,200 and 2,400 bps, and $9.60 per hour for access at 9,600 and
14,400bps. This pricing change reflects up to a 40 percent reduction from
previous rates for extended-service products. Communications network
andproduct-specific surcharges still apply.
The monthly basic services rate of $8.95, which provides access to more
than 50 product areas, remains unchanged, as do rates for CompuServe
members billed under the Alternative ("pay-as-you-go") Pricing Plan.
Through this pricing reduction, CompuServe is passing along cost savings
realized by the use of advanced technology and "commodity"-priced
hardware in its host computer systems.
For complete information about CompuServe's Standard and Alternative
Pricing Plans, to check your current billing option or to change from one
billing option to the other, GO CHOICE.
JAGUAR LOGO DEMO
Check out JAGUAR.ZIP in LIBRARY 11 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS)
for the ATARI Jaguar Logo in 3D format! All created with CyberTrace,
CyberSculpt Chronos-3D Keyframe animator and Prism-Paint 1.5. Resolution
of the animation is 640x480 16 color TT Med. A must download for Jaguar
fans. requires the FLM player and an ATARI system that can display
640x480 16 colors NOVA graphics card users can play the animation.
NEW VERSION OF WHATIS!
Download file WHATIS.ZIP from LIBRARY 6 of the Atari Productivity Forum
(GO ATARIPRO) for WHATIS 6.6. This program identifies over 160 file
types -ARCs, LHarcs, PRGs, pics, ACCs, animations, etc... no more "what
kind of file is this?" problems! Runs as a PRG or ACC or a TTP-like
program on any ST/TT in any rez. Short docs included in the ARC. All the
features of previous versions, plus adds Redacteur file types to the
list.
Download LHA299.ZIP from LIBRARY 4 of the Atari Productivity Forum (GO
ATARIPRO) for LHArc version 2.99. Now includes a great GEM shell, fully
MTOS compatible and with many neat features. Allows for processing of
multiple archives and many additional functions.
_____________________________________________
> From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I hope that you all had an enjoyable Valentine's Day. It's actually
been an enjoyable week, with no snowstorms or other poor weather, for a
change. It may even reach 50 degrees here in the Northeast!! It's about
time.
Last week I briefly touched upon something that seems to continue to
be supported by my observations. During periods of anxious waiting for
new products, tempers and attitudes tend to flare and show signs of
impatience. So it seems to be with new games for the Jaguar; and for
some, the Jaguar itself. I can understand the impatience for new games.
People always seem to have a "need" to have a _lot_ of new games to
choose from. For many, four available games for the Jaguar seems to be
too little. For others, it's enough to keep them interested and playing
while waiting for new games. Still, for some, they've taken a "wait and
see" attitude to see where the Jaguar is heading; and they haven't bought
the Jaguar yet. Personally speaking, I haven't bought one yet. I'd like
to, but I fit into that last category, and then some. I know there will
be more games coming out soon. How many more, I don't know. Will they
be games that _I_ might enjoy? I don't know that either. I don't want
to make a $250 investment in a game machine right now because there are
only a few games available. I want to wait until there is a good amount
of titles available to make some good decisions as to what to buy rather
than buy games just to have something to play, regardless of the type of
game it is. I'm sure that many have bought some of the available games
just to have a new game to play rather than something new that will
definitely interest them. I used the same decision process when buying
my Lynx, and have never regretted it. I made a wise purchase and enjoy
playing it still. I want that same enjoyment, and then some, with the
Jaguar. I also want the time to enjoy it, something I don't have right
now!!
So, I guess that people need to spend more time enjoying their
Jaguar play rather than concentrate (for now) on the lack of new games.
As I mentioned last week, the Jaguar is only a little more than 2
months old. It takes time to develop and produce the quality games
that will make us marvel at the power of the Jaguar. Let's see what
happens in the next few weeks...
The last few weeks I've been concerned with the lack of new Atari
computing news, including new hardware and software. I happen to also
do an occasional review of new software for Current Notes. I just
recently received a note from Paul Lefevre, CN's new Atari editor,
about some new products he's received to review. He mentioned quite a
few, so things aren't as bleak as they may appear. Now if I can just
finish the current product review so I can take a look at another, I'll
be happy!! Anyway, look for some new things to be out soon, if not
already. I also recommend getting a copy of Current Notes to check
out; it's a great magazine!
I got my first view of signs of Spring the other day when I saw a
message, the first this year, of news of the Connecticut AtariFest '94
show in August. News of Atari shows always piques my interest,
especially if the show is within reasonable driving access for me!
I hope to start to see more of these announcements in the near future
as an AtariFest is an integral part of the Atari computing "lifestyle."
Look for the CAF '94 announcement later on in this section.
Last week I dropped a subtle hint that we'd see a review of Geneva
in this week's issue. Apparently, the hint was too subtle! Joe
Mirando has called me a number of times to apologize, but that review
still isn't ready. Joe's getting married in the summer, and he and his
fiancee have been extremely busy doing some apartment hunting. After
numerous calls, Joe has promised that it will be ready soon!
Speaking of reviews, in last week's issue I put out a call for
reviewers, etc. I left the available online addresses that I could be
reached and inadvertently left the wrong Compuserve address! Since I
don't often leave myself messages, I simply had a memory loss. The
correct CIS address is 71051,3327. I do want to emphasize, while I'm
at it, that STReport can use your help to provide as much useful
information as possible each week. We all have our opinions of the
Atari scene. Many of us are online and are active. Reviews of new
software and hardware is the best alternative to learning about a new
product without having to buy it first. And more. We need people to
help bring such information to our readers. We're not looking for
professional writers. We're more than happy to go over your writing
and make necessary corrections. All contributions are welcome,
regardless of the subject. We're also looking for feedback, especially
directed toward the Atari section of STReport. What are your likes or
dislikes? What would you like to see in future issues? Be specific,
or generalize - whatever your opinions are, we want to hear them.
We're striving to make STReport informative. To do this, it helps to
have a good-sized staff to work with each week. STReport doesn't write
itself; at least I don't think so! If you're interested, even on an
irregular basis, I'd like to hear from you. Everyone will benefit from
your contribution(s).
On that note, let me cut this short. We have quite a bit of news
and announcements in this issue. Meanwhile, enjoy the nice weather
while it lasts!!
Until next time....
-Dana
Delphi's Atari Advantage
TOP TEN DOWNLOADS (2/16/94)
(1) BRODIE FEB 4 CONFERENCE *(6) MASTERBROWSE 3.5
(2) COMPUTER PATIENCE *(7) NEODESK 3D ICONS SET 3
(3) JENS SENDS SHOCKER 2 (8) TWO COLUMN PRINTER RELEASE 6
(4) HSMODA02 HIGH SPEED PORT FIX *(9) TEDDY TERM 2.10
(5) MARCEL WORD PROCESSOR V. 2.2 *(10) NEODESK 3D ICONS SET 2
* = New on list
HONORARY TOP 10
The following on-line magazines are always top downloads, frequently
out-performing every other file in the databases.
ST REPORT (Current issue: STREPORT #10.07)
ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE (Current issue: AEO: VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2)
______________________________________
> STR Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
"""""""""""""
STReport's MailBag
""""""""""""""""""
Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-----------------------------------
It's always welcomed to get feedback from our readers. Needless
to say (but I will anyway!), I was pleasantly surprised to receive a
letter the other day from a reader that has been away from the Atari
scene for quite some time, but recently ventured into the Atari Forums
on Compuserve. Here's what he had to say:
To the Publisher/Editors of STR magazine:
I have just **discovered** your magazine on CompuServe. I have been
downloading it from the Mac Club forum, section 8.
It's terrific!! Where has it been hiding all this time??
How many issues in total are available on CompuServe? I have found
No.1003 to present.
As a long time Atari owner, I particularly like the Atari section even
though I am a Mac freak at the moment. I am going to drop a line to Dana
as well.
Many thanks. CompuServe always amazes me when I find a pearl like this
hidden in its massive database.
Regards, Peter.
cc: Dana Jacobson [71051,3327]
---
~ QMPro 1.52 ~ Compuserve; The Service by which all others are judged!
Date: 16-Feb-94 21:01 EST
From: Peter J. Visima [74065,252]
Subj: STR / Atari
Dana:
I have just left a message to the Publisher regarding how I have just
discovered STR on CompuServe. It's terrific. As I mentioned in my note
to the Publisher, I am a long-time Atari user. There's a 400 and 130XE
in the closet gathering dust and also a not over-used 1040ST sitting
beside my Mac.
That brings me to my main reason for this note. Although we have enjoyed
many years with the Atari, it just doesn't get the use it once did. Do
you have any feel for what my system may be worth?
It consists of an original unmodified Atari 1040ST, color monitor, 20
meg. hard drive, and various software (store-bought but probably worth
zilch). An Atari friend of mine says that musicians are particularly
nuts over wanting these machines (because of the built in MIDI, no
doubt).
My guess is that if I can get a few hundred bucks out of it, I can turn
that money into some of the game software for the Mac that the kids have
enjoyed on the Atari (they both have Lynx machines as well!!).
I appreciate your contribution to the newsletter, and even if I dump the
old ST, I will always have a soft spot for Atari. (The 400 I'm keeping
for 50 years for its antique value <grin>).
P.S. I left this message to your address as listed in STR #1006
(73057,327) and it bounced back as being no good. I hope this address
from GO DIRECTORY works!
Receipt of message acknowledged
(Editor's note)
Peter,
Thanks for the pleasant surprise waiting in my mailbox. While I
occasionally get some letters from our readers, it's rare that I get
one who "discovers" STReport after being away from the Atari scene for
some time. I'm glad that I can be that gritty piece of sand to help
generate the "pearl" that you've recently discovered!
As to selling your Atari equipment and software, I'd recommend
that you set it up and use it a little. Perhaps the excitement you
once had might be rekindled! The Atari computers, while not as
actively supported as it once was, is still a viable and enjoyable
machine. It might also be a great gift for one of your children while
you use the Mac!!
To be perfectly frank, your system is not worth anywhere near what
you may have paid for it originally. Systems like yours may fetch a
couple of hundred dollars, at most. You may find that you can't get
that much. The older machines just aren't holding any monetary value
with many new machines of any platform going for under $1,000 new. In
fact, I just purchased one of my BBS user's MegaST 4 systems, including
a _ton_ of commercial and PD software and a number of peripherals for
$100!! Granted, I got one helluva bargain, but used equipment is not
worth what it once was. You may be better off, as I mentioned, letting
your children enjoy it while they can. No matter what it may be worth,
it's still a fine machine!
I appreciate your kind words and compliments for our Atari
contributions to STReport. Comments like these only make the effort
more enjoyable and worthwhile. I hope that you continue to read
STReport and keep track of what's happening in the Atari community.
I also hope to hear that you and/or your children start to use your
1040 ST again. Thanks for the letter.
P.S. Thanks for the reminder about the errant CIS ID I posted last
week! I almost forgot to make the correction in this issue, but your
letter was a great reminder.
Here's another letter I received from NewSTar Technology Management's
Charles Smeton regarding the latest version of STraight FAX!
February 17, 1994
Dear STraight FAX! Owner,
NewSTar Technology Management would like to inform you about
the availability of STraight FAX! Version 2.10. Our records
indicate that you are a registered owner of a copy of STraight
FAX! between Versions 1.00 and 1.07 that has not yet upgraded to
STraight FAX! Version 2.10. If you have already upgraded to
STraight FAX! Version 2.10, please disregard this offer. If you
have upgraded to STraight FAX! Version 2.00, then you are
eligible for a FREE maintenance upgrade to Version 2.10 by
calling our support BBS and requesting the maintenance upgrade
as a file to download (see below for details).
As a registered owner of STraight FAX! Version 1.xx, you are
eligible for a special upgrade price for a limited time. From
now until March 31, 1994, you can upgrade to STraight FAX!
Version 2.10 for only $25.00 (US). If you purchased a new copy
of STraight FAX! Version 1.xx on or after June 1, 1993, then the
special upgrade price is only $20.00 (US) (proof of purchase
date is required).
After March 31, 1994, the upgrade price will be $30.00 (US) +
$3.00 (US) for shipping and handling. Note: All orders shipped
outside of North America will require a $5.00 (US) shipping and
handling fee, regardless of when the upgrade is ordered.
Registered owners in the UK and other parts of Europe can
order the upgrade from the STraight FAX! UK distributor, System
Solutions (see below for details).
If you have sold your copy of STraight FAX! to someone else,
please let us know about the change of ownership by sending a
letter via postal mail or E-Mail that indicates the name and
address of the new owner. Please include your name, address and
the 10 digit Registration Number. Also, if possible pass this
upgrade notice on to the new owner, or let the new owner know
that they can contact us and we will send them the upgrade
information.
STraight FAX! 2.10
------------------
STraight FAX! has been a leading Atari FAX software package
since its introduction in April of 1992. But since then, we've
added a host of features that make it easier to use, more
accessible and more compatible,
Now, with the release of STraight FAX! 2.10, popular Class 1 and
Class 2 FAX Modems are fully supported. This means that STraight
FAX! is compatible with a wider range of FAX Modems that ever
before, including less expensive Class 1 Only FAX Modems and
high end Class 1 and Class 2 FAX Modems.
Support for Class 1 also means greater compatibility and
reliability with remote FAX devices, so you can FAX around the
world without worry.
We've also added features to make STraight FAX! 2.10 a joy to
use. Like a Quick Dial feature, for sending Faxes to locations
that you don't plan on Faxing every day.
Or you might like the new STraight FAX! Manager for seamless,
system wide Faxing from your favorite applications, including
Pagestream, Calligrapher 2/3, That's Write 2/3, Calamus, and
Speedo GDOS based applications such as Atari Works. Just create
a document using one of the applications above, select the
special STraight FAX! "Print to Disk" driver from the
application's printer driver selector, (optionally activate the
STraight FAX! Manager CPX to select the path/filename for the
generated FAX files), and print the pages of the document from
the application's print command.
If you are using MultiTOS or Gribnif's Geneva, you can have
STraight FAX! sitting by idle and ready to send the generated
FAX without quitting the application. Just tell the STraight
FAX! Manager to send the FAX and the STraight FAX! pops up with
all the generated FAX files ready to go!
Normal TOS users can run STraight FAX! as a Desk Accessory and
also send or receive Faxes without quitting the application. If
you are limited on available memory and do not want to run
STraight FAX! as a Desk Accessory, you can quit the application,
run STraight FAX! and it will automatically find the generated
FAX files and be ready to send!
Don't wait another day to discover the FAX revolution. It's here
and working now on your Atari computer. Get it straight with
STraight FAX!.
STraight FAX! 2.10 Features
---------------------------
Send and Receive Faxes using any Class 1 or Class 2 FAX Modem.
Runs as a program or Desk Accessory.
Send Faxes using a SendFAX Modem.
Print Received Faxes to any GDOS supported printer with special
support for the Atari SLM Laser printers.
Export Faxes to Image, PCX, TIFF, Windows/OS2 Bitmap or
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) formats. EPS files can be printed
directly from the GEM Desktop to a PostScript printer or printed
with a PostScript Interpreter.
Send ASCII Text, Mono Image, High Rez Degas/Degas Elite, Mono
PCX, GEM Metafiles, First Word, First Word Plus, Word Writer ST
and FAX files.
Broadcast Faxes to up to 100 Destinations.
Phone List editor with Load, Save, Merge, Sort, Insert and
Delete capabilities.
Flexible Import of Gribnif's CardFile 4 Data files directly into
Phone List.
Schedule FAX transmissions at a later time (up to a year in
advance).
Quick Dial feature allows entry of a FAX name/number on the fly
for infrequent destinations.
Manual Send and Receive features allows initiating a FAX Send or
Receive from a voice call.
Supra FAX Modem Caller ID support (including support for the
Canadian Caller ID format).
Caller ID/Remote FAX ID can be used to reject incoming "Junk"
Faxes from a user de
fined list of Bad FAX callers.
Direct scanning from within STraight FAX! via the ScanLite Desk
Accessory.
Automatic merging of left and right scans from a hand scanner
when used with The Tray scanning tray.
Full Page direct scanning support for the Navarone/Canon IX-12
series scanners with our optional driver ($19.95).
View up to 7 Image, Degas, PCX, GEM Metafile or FAX files at a
time, each in a GEM window.
Enhanced Image editing/processing features such as copy/paste a
defined clip area to/from a selected file or the Atari
Clipboard, Clear/Invert/Thicken a defined clip area, Reduced
(50%) View and Enlarged (FAX page size) view, Clean Up stray
pixels, Rotate and Flip Image and Draw/Erase pixels.
Supports enhanced user interface features on Falcon TOS 4.02+,
MultiTOS and Gribnif's Geneva such as 3D buttons and sliders and
Hierarchical drop down menus. Supports MultiTOS features such as
Drag and Drop and Iconifying windows.
Enhanced FAX Send and Receive Logs now contain additional
information:
- Date and Time of transfer.
- Name of destination (send) or Comment (receive) which may be
edited by the user to allow annotation of the logs.
- Destination FAX Number (send) or Caller ID (receive).
- Remote ID string from destination FAX.
- Name of first FAX file sent or received.
- Transfer attempt number (send only).
- Total pages sent or received.
- Duration of transfer.
- Resolution of transfer (Normal or Fine).
- Established baud rate of transfer.
- Cover Page sent (send only).
- Modem Type (SendFAX, Class 1 or Class 2).
- Status of transfer.
The detailed FAX Send or Receive Log information for an entry
may be printed to a line printer or copied to the Atari
Clipboard.
FAX Receive Log Management Commands:
- View FAX.
- Print FAX (via GDOS).
- Rename received FAX files.
- Delete received FAX files.
- Export received FAX files to Image, PCX, TIFF, Bitmap or EPS files.
- Add the Caller ID/Remote ID to Bad FAX List.
- Add the names of the received FAX files to File List.
- Add the Comment/Caller ID or Remote ID to the Phone List.
"Print to Disk" drivers included to print pages of a document
from with the following applications:
- Softlogik's Pagestream 1.8x
- Softlogik's Pagestream 2.x
- DMC's Calamus 1.09x
- DMC' Calamus S/SL
- Compo's That's Write 2.xx
- Compo's That's Write 3.xx
- Codehead Technologies' Calligrapher 2/3
- Original Atari GDOS based applications (GEM Output, Migraph Outprint)
- Atari FSM/Font GDOS based applications (Goldleaf's WordFlair II)
- Atari Speedo GDOS based applications (Atari Works)
The STraight FAX! Manager (Auto Folder TSR and CPX Module)
simplifies the "Print to Disk" of FAX files from an application.
The STraight FAX! Manager allows the user to name generated FAX
files and it keeps track of them and communicates with STraight
FAX! to automatically enter the generated FAX files into the
File List in STraight FAX!.
Also included are special printer drivers for Ditek
International's DynaCADD 2 to generate Image files (.IMG) in the
proper resolution for import into STraight FAX!.
Support's Supra's Silent Answer feature to allow single line
Voice/FAX sharing.
Enhanced Atari Clipboard support:
- Paste Image, GEM or ASCII Text from the clipboard into a
defined clip area in a window. Pasted Image files may be scaled
to fit into the clip area with or without preserving the aspect
ratio.
- Image files may be pasted in either Replace, Transparent,
Reverse Transparent, And, Reverse And, Xor or Reverse Xor mode.
- Copy a clip area defined in a window to the clipboard.
- Copy/Paste text fields from the Cover Page to/from the
clipboard.
- Copy detailed FAX Send/Receive Log Information to the
clipboard.
Context sensitive on-line Help available with the Help Key or
"?" button in dialogs.
Over 60 user selectable parameters such, including the new:
- Quick Dial dialog enable.
- Time Format (12 or 24 hour).
- Desktop color and fill pattern.
- Prompt on File Overwrite.
- Default ASCII Text File Extension.
- Default File Path for Image, Degas, PCX, GEM, ASCII Text,
First Word/Plus and FAX files.
- GDOS Print Quality (Final or Draft).
- Tab Width in ASCII Text File conversion.
- Ignore Busy Signal
- Local Area Code.
- Maximum AT command size (for newer FAX Modems that support
255 character command buffer).
- Init String for FAX Modems that require special initialization.
- Auto Baud parameter for FAX Modems that support automatic
baud rate detection.
- Caller ID parameter for FAX Modems that support Caller ID
detection.
- Clipboard Image Paste options for scaling, preserving aspect
ratio and expanding clip area to fit.
Optimized FAX import and export routines to reduce conversion times.
Load and Save user preference files to change the entire system
configuration on the fly.
Run an external text editor from within STraight FAX!
Enhanced Dialog User Interface:
- Popup Menus and Check boxes to ease setting user selectable
parameters.
- "Fly Dial" dialogs can be dragged to any position on the screen.
- As a dialog is dragged to a new position, the screen is
restored to display what is under the dialog.
- Enhanced text edit field key commands.
- Keyboard equivalents for button selection.
Compatibility
-------------
STraight FAX! 2.10 requires an Atari 520 ST, 520STFM, 1040ST,
STacy, Mega ST, STe, ST Book, Mega STe, TT030 or Falcon030
computer with a minimum of 1 Megabyte of RAM. 2 or more
Megabytes of RAM are recommended for printing and viewing Faxes
due to the large size of uncompressed FAX images.
STraight FAX! will operate with TOS 1.00, 1.02, 1.04 (Rainbow
TOS), 1.06, 1.062, 2.105-2.106, 3.05-3.06, 4.01-4.04 and
MultiTOS. TOS 1.04 or higher is recommended due to memory
allocation problems on earlier TOS versions. 4 or more Megabytes
and a 16 MHz or higher speed CPU is recommended when used with
MultiTOS.
Due to the size of FAX files, a hard disk is recommended.
Printing FAX documents and importing GEM Metafiles requires a
version of GDOS and an appropriate GDOS printer driver. The
original Atari GDOS (and compatibles), Font GDOS, FSM GDOS, and
Speedo GDOS are supported. Font GDOS or Speedo GDOS are
recommended. Importing GEM Metafiles requires the MEMORY.SYS
GDOS driver to be installed as device number 61. Speedo GDOS is
required to render text objects in GEM Metafiles.
STraight FAX! 2.10 will send or receive FAX documents using an
industry standard Class 1 or Class 2 FAX Modem. STraight FAX!
will also send FAX documents with a SendFAX Modem (based on the
Sierra Semiconductor chipset).
To determine the Classes supported by a FAX Modem:
Type the command:
AT+FCLASS=?
from a terminal program (end the command with a carriage return).
The response will be of the form:
0,1 for a Class 0 (Data) and Class 1 FAX Modem
0,2 for a Class 0 (Data) and Class 2 FAX Modem
0,1,2 for a Class 0 (Data) and Class 1 and Class 2 FAX Modem
ERROR for a SendFAX Modem or Data only Modem.
Upgrade Details
---------------
STraight FAX! 2.10 has a suggested List Price $109.95 (US).
Registered STraight FAX! 1.xx users can upgrade to version 2.10
by sending in their 10 digit Registration Number, original
master disk and $25.00 (US). Registered users who have purchased
STraight FAX! version 1.xx on or after June 1, 1993 can upgrade
to version 2.10 for $20.00 (US). Proof of purchase date is
required to qualify for this price. These special upgrade prices
are available until March 31, 1994.
The upgrade price includes a new version 2.10 master disk, a 164
page manual, a quick reference guide and shipping within North
America. Upgrade orders outside of North America, please add
$5.00 (US). US funds only. Major Credit cards accepted. Please
allow 1-2 weeks for delivery.
After March 31, 1994, the upgrade price will be $30.00 (US) +
$3.00 (US) for shipping and handling. For orders outside of
North America, the shipping and handling fee will be $5.00 (US).
Please mail upgrade orders to:
STraight FAX! 2.10 Upgrade Offer
570F Ritchie Highway
Severna Park, Maryland 21146 USA
For more information contact:
Voice: +1 410 544 6943
FAX: +1 410 544 1329
BBS: +1 410 544 6999 (300-14400 baud, allow up to 60 sec to
connect)
GEnie: C.S.SMETON
CompuServe: 73047,2565
Internet: c.s.smeton@genie.geis.com
Registered STraight FAX! 1.xx owners in the United Kingdom and
Europe may upgrade to STraight FAX! 2.10 by contacting System
Solutions at the following locations:
The Desktop Centre (London Showroom)
17 19 Blackwater Street
London, England SE22 8RS
Voice: 081 693 3355
FAX: 081 693 6936
Windsor Business Center (Windsor Service Center)
47/48 Building 2
Vansittart Road Windsor, England SL4 1SE
Voice: 0753 832212
FAX: 0753 830344
CIX: SSOLUTIONS
Internet: ssolutions@cix.compulink.co.uk
Please contact System Solutions for the exact upgrade price in
UK pounds, as the price will vary due to the exchange rate.
Please mail change of ownership notices to:
NewSTar Technology Management
P.O. Box 122
Columbia, Maryland 21045-0122 USA
or send private E-Mail to:
GEnie: C.S.SMETON
CompuServe: 73047,2565
Internet: c.s.smeton@genie.geis.com
BBS: +1 410 544 6999, Charles
Please include the previous owner's name & address, the new owner's name
& address and the 10 digit Registration Number.
Registered STraight FAX! 2.00 owners can request the STraight
FAX! 2.10 maintenance upgrade for FREE as follows:
Please call our tech support BBS at the number listed above.
Send private E-Mail to user "Charles" requesting the maintenance
upgrade from version 2.00 to 2.10. Please include your name,
address and 10 digit Registration Number. Call back within 2-3
days, and the maintenance upgrade file archive will be in your
mail box.
Users on GEnie can also send private E-Mail to the GEnie address
listed above to request the upgrade. The maintenance upgrade
archive will be sent as an attached file in your GEnie mail box.
Sorry, the maintenance upgrade archive file can not be sent via
CompuServe or via the Internet.
To be eligible for this FREE maintenance upgrade from version
2.00 to version 2.10 (as well as future maintenance upgrades),
you must be a registered owner of STraight FAX! 2.xx, which
means that we must have your Registration Card on file. If you
have not done so, please fill out and return the Registration
Card in order to become a registered owner. Only registered
owners are eligible for technical support and upgrade offers.
Registered owners of STraight FAX! 2.00 can also receive the
maintenance upgrade to 2.10 by sending $3.00 (US) to the upgrade
address listed above. Please include your name, address and 10
digit Registration Number and also indicate that you are
requesting the maintenance upgrade from version 2.00 to 2.10.
STraight FAX! is marketed for NewSTar Technology Management by
Toad Computers and is distributed in the United Kingdom by
System Solutions.
All programs and products mentioned are trademarks or copyright's of
their respective companies.
____________________________________________
> PHOENIX 2.0 STR InfoFile
""""""""""""""""""""""""
PHOENIX U.S.A. - XENOMORPH Update (Version 2.0)
===============================================
LEXICOR SOFTWARE is proud to announce the release of PHOENIX 2.0 in the
U.S.A.
The following pricing structure is U.S.A. only, European Prices and
Distribution at your closest Lexicor Dealer.
For European Sales you may contact: * For North American Sales
contact: *
*
email: europasales@lexicor.com * email: usasales@lexicor.com
*
LEXICOR EUROPE * LEXICOR SOFTWARE CORPORATION
36 Queensberry Street, Suite 6 * 1726 Francisco Street
Boston, MA 02215 * Berkeley, CA 94703
Tel: (617) 437 0414 Fax: (617 437 9413 * Tel: (510) 848 72 -21 / Fax:
-13
Pricing Structure is as follows (these Prices are valid for North
America,
European prices vary from Country to Country!)
PHOENIX 1.0 Upgrade Policy, return the original disk and payment of 49.95
U$D and you will receive your PHOENIX 2.0, PHOENIX 1.0 will be known as
entry level PHOENIX and be still available for 69.95.
PHOENIX 2.0 Standard Price will be only 89.95! All Prices do not include,
tax, shipping and handling costs.
Now to some inside information on Phoenix 2.0
NEW GEM BASED INTERFACE and MULTITOS Support
--------------------------------------------
Runs Completely under MultiTOS (tm) and supports it completely i.e. you
can Render your images in the background! so now rendering your images
will not tie up your computer completely.
NEW TOOLBOX INTERFACE
=====================
Options to render in
Polygon
Gouraud
Phong
Phong/Shadows
You can now also preview in the resolution of your choice, when Rendering
Phoenix will open up a window of the rendered image and a status bar.
New Palette options, next to best and fixed, you can now render with the
Palette of your choice in the option custom designed palette! This is a
very important new feature that is extremely useful for 8bit animations
and fast playback!
NEW ENHANCED OBJECT WINDOW
--------------------------
Shadows, No Shadows, Caustic Shadows
This New set of features will allow you to turn off the Shadows for
individual objects, this would decrease rendering times for objects that
may never need to cast shadows. Caustic Shadows will simulate the caustic
focusing of lights due to refraction, works best with partially
transparent objects.As well as.....
the usual powerful functions such as specular refraction, break points,
individual glow factors for objects and object transparency and a new
Surface Texture and enhanced Color Texture Menu!
New improved Textures
---------------------
Alongside the old wood grain, marble and image mapping many new texture
as well as bump mappings have been now included!
Surface Textures
----------------
- Ripples creates a rippled water appearance with small random ripples
- Waves creates ocean type waves
- Bump Mapping produces a bumpy surface
- Eroded very similar to bumps, a small variation of it
- Image Mapping will allow you to use an image (SPC, GIF, TGA) to
pertubate the surface.
Additionally, you can control the animation factor to every respective
Surface Texture for example in Waves or Ripple produce an animation cycle
of any frames per cycle of your choice! Create realistic moving waves and
ripples!
Color Spline Textures
---------------------
This is the new texture mapping in Xenomorph that allows you to have a
lot more control over the individual texture rather than the old
textures. You can specify the texturing method, describe the color
spline, sequence of colors thus adding various texture layers over each
other. It is nearly like a user defined texture mapper with Bozo,
Gradient, Agate, Granite, Marble, Wood type layers per texture layer.
Color Spline has to many features to go in detail about them, check out
our 24bit Color Texture Images (TEXTURES.TGA) to see just some of the
power of this new option. On the disk there are over 100 new textures and
texture layers available to the user. A Texture list at the end of this
message.
NEW RENDERING OPTIONS
---------------------
- Fog Create your own fog effects of your rendered images.
- Background Color, select the color to render in the background of your
choice
- Background Image, select the image of your choice to render in the
background
COLORED LIGHTS
--------------
Now Xenomorph can light an image with a user-specific light so you can
produce a red-light spotlight, mix it with other lights of different
colors to produce some amazing and interesting effects.
TEXTURE MOTION CONTROL and MORPHING LOCK
----------------------------------------
Control your textures in animation so your texture will flow with your
animation as if it is a real part to a moving object! With the new
morphing lock function this can be now be done with morphing animations
done with Chronos and combined with ANM-Link the missing link to render
CHRONOS animations with the power of the Phoenix Rendering Engine!
Standard Features of Phoenix
----------------------------
o Render Objects with smooth shading, no more polygon edges!
o Objects will render with highlights
o Objects may be textured with wood grain, marble, or wrap and
image around the object
o Each Object may have it's own color palette
o Number of Objects is limited only by memory
o 4 different light source type, up to 21 lights in a scene.
o 3 different camera types. Maneuver the camera anywhere in a
scene.
o Graphical object, light and camera positioning editor.
o View and save rendered images as 512 color Spectrum SPC files,
2 to 256 color GIF files, or true color (24bit) Targa files at any
resolution.
o Simple animation capabilities, or render CTL script animations
(Cyber Control v.1.1 required for CTL animations) or use the new
ANM-LINK (relativity) to render Chronos Key-frame animations with
morphs and cycles.
o Several tutorial and sample objects included
o Runs in any 80 column color or monochrome resolution
o Full math co-processor support
o Plus much much more!
There is a lot more to the new Phoenix, especially the new powerful Color
Spline to give you close to absolute texture control. Lexicor Software
will soon come with a special disk of over hundreds of new textures for
use in Phoenix, but here a small list of the Textures available straight
away in the Phoenix 2.0 disk.
- Wood
User definable with grain color and width, Object Texture Ratio, view
- Marble
User definable with color bands, turbulence, base color, grain, view,
Object
Texture Ratio and more
- Image Mapping
Load SPC, TGA or GIF to map in S map (Plane, Cube, Cylinder or Sphere),
O Map (Reflection, Obj Normal, Obj Center, S Map Norm), Tiling (single
or tiled, morph lock, view control, turbulence and Mask (no mask,
foreground or opaque mask) on the object of your choice with your own
created image.
Brand new Textures that come with Phoenix 2.0 (and only useable in
Phoenix 2.0) can be altered in the Color Spline Texture Control, also
only individual layers of that Texture can be saved, loaded and/or
manipulated.
WOOD Types: STONE Types: SKY Types: MISC Types:
----------- ------------ ---------- -----------
Cherry Wood Agate Blue Apocalypse Brass
Dark Wood Agate Brown Clouds Candy
Pine Wood Agate Sapphire Sky Blue1 Cork
Rose Wood Gradient Pink Sky Blue2 Fire/Flame
Sandy Wood Jade Sky Blue3 Peel
Tanned Wood Marble Blood Sky Bright Rust
Toned Wood Marble Red Sky Blood Iron Rust
White Wood Marble White
Yellow Wood Pink Lab
And 7 more Wood and 24 more Stone types! Each having their own
individual characteristics!
* Texture Layers not included on the list, only complete named Textures
* All in all 125 Textures are included on the Phoenix 2.0 disk for the
User And LEXICOR will be releasing texture disks loaded only with brand
new textures such as Popcorn that will look like real popcorn when
rendered! Absolutely amazing!
The true strength of Phoenix lies in its ease of use, and this ease of
use has been thankfully preserved in Phoenix 2.0, don't be baffled by the
wealth of new Textures and the incredible new functions, it will only
take a very short while to master it.
On the Internet you may contact us on staff@lexicor.com or
support@lexicor.com, optionally you may also email Lexicor@world.std.com
On COMPUSERVE contact 75300,763 or 73073,142 or visit us in topic 11
(LEXICOR) on atariarts or atariven (type go atariarts).
GENIE contact LEXICOR or Y.SIU or visit us at the GRAPHICS RT on page
1415 (type m1415) in Category 22 (LEXICOR SUPPORT) or just type GRAPHICS
to enter the forum.
On DELPHI contact LEXICOR or LEXICORWORLD or visit us in the Atari
Advantage Area (type go com atari).
__________________________________________________
> CTFEST '94 STR SHOW NEWS
""""""""""""""""""""""""
**********************************************************************
** O U R F O U R T H A N N I V E R S A R Y ! S H O W ! ! ! **
** /-----------\/------------/ **BOSTON** **
** / * * / **
** / / **
** ,/ CT ATARIFEST '94 / **
** ,/ ________________________/ **
** **NY** /__,/ **
** **
** CONNECTICUT ATARIFEST '94 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday 8/27/94 **
** August 27-28, 1994 at the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday 8/28/94 **
** Windsor Court Hotel, **
** Windsor Locks, CT Sponsored by **
** (Hartford area). ACT Atari Group **
** (WMAUG,DBUG,AOGUGH,CCCC & STAR) **
**********************************************************************
THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE FASTEST GROWING ATARI SHOW...
Atari Software & Hardware! Free Parking! Low Room Rates!
TT030s, FALCONs, JAGUARs!
ACT Atari Group is running another _MAJOR_ Northeast computer event.
Last year's successful move to the Windsor Court Hotel means only one
thing: ENCORE! CT Fest '94 is just as convenient to reach as ever - only
two hours from Boston or New York. The hotel has excellent room rates,
free and plentiful parking, easy access from Interstates 91, 95, 90, 84,
80 and is located just 1 mile from Bradley International Airport (free
shuttle service for hotel guests). Join us for an informal, low cost
dinner Saturday night, and mix with old friends.
What about the Jaguar? Come on out and get (64)BIT! We'll have the
largest Jaguar competition in New England, with the latest games and
gear. With all the excitement generated by this hot new machine, you owe
it to yourself to get the personal skinny.
We expect an even greater number of vendors this year, surpassing the
excellent turnout of the past shows. CAF '93 vendors included:
* A&D Software * Gribnif Software
* ABC Solutions * Kurlan Music
* BaggettaWare Software * Lexicor Software
* Barefoot Software * Marcel Software
* Best Electronics * MegaType Software
* Clear Thinking * Oregon Research Associates
* Codehead Technologies * Soft-Logik Publishing
* CompuServe Information Services * Software Spectrum
* Computer Zone * Straight Edge Software
* Derric Electronics * Thin Air Labs
* East Hartford Computer Repair * Toad Computer
* Evangelo's Software * Wizztronics
* GEnie
In addition to our commercial supporters, many user groups came from
hundreds of miles away to be with us for CAF '93. Those in attendance
included The Boston Computer Society, Western Massachusetts Atari User
Group, Atari ST and Mega Users of Montreal, South Shore Atari Group
[Mass], Atari User Group of Greater Hartford, Scranton Area Atari User
Group (PA) and Long Island Atari User Group (DBUG-Danbury and FACE-
Fairfield [both CT] were represented in the ACT Atari booth). Most user
groups offered numerous demonstrations, public domain disks and great
clip art collections, with most of the groups offering "recycled"
hardware and software items.
We'll have our Lynx Competition, with multiple Comlynxed competitions
underway at all times, the Portfolio Corner, staffed with industry
experts, an endless stream of door prizes and seminars in abundance (in
the past we've had everyone's favorite Atari Corp. Director of
Communications Bob Brodie, John Eidsvoog of Codehead, Jeff Naideau from
Barefoot, Dave Troy of Toad Computers, Joe Mirando & Dana Jacobson from
STReport and many others). Stay tuned for this year's list of speakers.
All in all, we hope to have the best Northeast show yet, and we look
forward to your participation. Make your plans now for the most exciting
Atari Weekend this summer!
CONNECTICUT ATARIFEST '94 TRAVEL TIPS
BY CAR: Traveling Interstate 91 Northbound, take Exit 41, a right off the
exit ramp and another right at the next stop sign. You can see the hotel
from there. Southbound, take Exit 41 and bear right; the hotel is
straight ahead. Call the CT Tourism Division at (800) CT-BOUND.
BY AIR: Many airlines serve Bradley International Airport. Call your
travel agent for a list. Many area lodgings offer a courtesy van from the
airport; make arrangements by using one of the phones in the baggage
claim area.
BY RAIL: Rail passengers can reach Windsor Locks aboard several trains
that run daily between Washington, D.C., Boston, and several points
between the two. For information about fares, schedules, restrictions and
connecting trains, contact Amtrak by phoning (800) USA-RAIL.
WHERE TO STAY: The Windsor Court will be offering special rates for CAF
'94 attendees, call them at 203-623-9811 (Fax 9808). There are many other
hotels in the area: Bradley International Motor Inn, Budgetel Inn,
Courtyard by Marriott, Days Inn - Tobacco Valley, Fairfield Inn, Harley
Hotel, Holiday Inn - Windsor Locks, Homewood Suites, Journey's End -
Springfield (Mass.), Ramada - East Windsor, Sheraton - Hartford
(Downtown), Sheraton Tara - Springfield and Simsbury Inn.
WHAT TO DO:
For further information, call Angela or Brian Gockley at
203-332-1721. E-mail can be directed to 75300,2514 on CIS.
_______________________________________________
> The Old Fishin' Hole STR Feature
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
THE OLD FISHIN' HOLE
====================
A Guide to the Online PD/Shareware Waters.
by John R. Duckworth
One piece of computer hardware that almost no system owner is without
these days is the printer. Not long ago even 9-pin dot matrix printers
were priced out of the reach of many hobbyists. Presently though,
printers such as bubble jets or even some of the moderately priced lasers
are more readily available to the masses. Seeing that the Atari platform
had been lauded as the ultimate desktop publishing system, many public
domain and shareware programs have been released over the years to take
advantage of the inexpensive combination of Atari computers and better
than letter quality output. One such program is the center of this week's
column. "Two Column Printer" by Jonathan Corey is an extremely useful
printing utility which will allow users to conserve resources while
maintaining high quality output. The program does it's conserving by
printing ASCII files in a two column (hence the name) 'magazine style'
format. To save even more paper "Two Column Printer" feature an option to
format the output to print on both sides of the paper.
Using "Two Column Printer" couldn't be easier. The program is
entirely GEM based, and all functions and options are set from pull down
menus. The first step which must be completed before trying to print is
the selection of a printer driver. There are approximately ten drivers
included with the package and most printers should be compatible with one
of them either directly or by adjusting a dip switch. I tested the
program on a Canon bubble jet, and although there was no direct support
for the Canon mode, one flick of a switch set my printer to emulate an
Epson LQ and the program printed perfectly. If someone does create a
BJ-10 driver....please...e-mail it to me, I hate having to reset the mode
each time I want to print using the "Two Column Printer". The
documentation provided with the program does contain _detailed_
instructions for creating your own drivers, but after spending an hour or
so trying to look up the correct information in my manual, I gave up...I
just wasn't meant to program printer drivers. After loading and testing a
driver, it may be merged with the program itself to make it the default
driver.
Next an ASCII file may be loaded and formatted for printing. A simple
viewer is available to make sure that the file loaded is actually the
correct file you wish to print. At this point a dialog box is displayed
allowing the user to change many format settings such as the font to be
used, width and length of pages, blank line filter, type of sort to be
used, and whether to print to the printer or disk. Most of the options
are self-explanatory, but those which may be slightly unclear have built
in help buttons (as a matter of fact the program also have a nifty help
menu). Once you are sure of the settings, press the 'print' button
and....presto! The user now has his/her file printed in an easy to read,
paper saving format.
I can't recommend "Two Column Printer" enough, especially for
printing source code to those long programs. The latest version is 6.0
which was released about a month ago, and the author seems to continually
enhance and upgrade the program to be compatible with as much hardware as
possible (even though he expects no payment for his hard work!). Download
the program and then drop the author a note...most people don't realise
how important feedback is to programmers.
That's it for this edition. Nibbles from new programs were
practically non-existent this week, hopefully we'll have better luck in
the coming month. See ya next week...same time...same place. As always
e-mail and suggestions, comments, or late Valentines
to:JDUCKWORTH@delphi.com.
Go USA!
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Old Fishin Hole Tackle Box * |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Two Column Printer |
| Delphi: Atari Advantage - read TWO COLUMN |
| GEnie: Atari ST RT - #31631 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
* The Tackle Box is meant to provide assistance in finding files
mentioned in the column. It should not be considered a COMPLETE listing
and is provided for convenience only. Delphi Atari Advantage files should
be found in the Recent Arrivals section of the database until moved to
their appropriate sections.
______________________________________________
> ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
=====================
On CompuServe
-------------
compiled by Joe Mirando
Hi there friends and neighbors. I must say that I really can't believe
that we've gone almost a full week without a snow storm here in the
northeast. Perhaps we'll be able to coast right into spring without any
more of that white stuff falling from the sky... nah, my luck has never
been that good.
Well, at least phone service hasn't been affected. So no matter what
the weather has been like outside, I've been able to log on to
CompuServe to catch up on the goings-on in the computer world from
around our world. And being the nice guy that I am, I'm going to share
some of it with you right now. So let's take a look at what people are
saying on CompuServe...
From the Atari Productivity Forum
=================================
First off, our own dear, sweet, unassuming Editor/Publisher, Ralph
Mariano asks:
"Is it just me or, does GIF make a smaller file than JPEG?? I took
about 20mb worht of Image files (all high quality line art B/W) that
I've collected over the years and converted it to GIF format. A friend
suggested JPEG. I tried it on a few of my larger image files and it
made a file quite a bit larger than the GIF version of the same image
file. I check both the conversions for quality and they were all as
good as the original IMG file. Is it just me or does JPEG make BIG
files compared to GIF???"
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Ralph:
"The compression achieved with JPG depends on what you specify when you
run it to compress graphics files...
I don't know what the default is if you don't specify, but in general
the JPG versions of graphics files I've seen are around 1/3 the size of
the GIF version of the same file.
That's with some loss of graphic detail though... at 100%, it might
indeed end up with a larger file. I've never tried that though..."
Dan Koudelka posts:
"I tried to download QuickCIS from utility libary QWKCIS.PRG during
decompression got message error while writing then bad zip header what
is a zip header? is this error on my side or is there something wrong
with the file?"
Sysop Dan Rhea tells the other Dan:
"Dan, you might want to try the decompression again, but make sure you
have plenty of free disk space first.
If that doesn't work, I can only imaging that you got a bad download
(it happens every once in a while). Oh yea, you are set up as 8bit, no
parity right? Finally, have you had trouble getting other files? Oh
yea, one more, if you still have problems. Let me know what Modem, Comm
program and setup string you are using, as well as your download
protocol."
Henri Tremblay posts:
"I just received the January issue of ST Informer and one thing I
notes is that there are no more ST or STE for sale in the advertisers'
ads. The Falcon is mentioned with "CALL!" as a price. One cannot find
a new monitor, it seems. So, where are we going? I would have bought
a Falcon if I had seen one, but here in Canada all dealers have turned
belly up or to other platforms. What am I supposed to do if I wished
to upgrade. Il would have bought Atari Works if my ST had more than 1
meg, and maybe Straight Fax and other products. Now the PCs all come
with a built-in faxmodem/answering machine, etc. Some with built-in
CD-ROM. Should I buy a clone and a GEMULATOR to upgrade my ST's
memory. It seems the only alternative left.
These were just reflections I have from time to time. I often go to
see the PCs and Macs but I keep on waiting for something else. All my
ST friends now have clones and are enjoying them. It is strange
though how some people would have hesitated to buy Atari Works for $109
and then go to buy a clone for $3000."
Master Sysop Ron Luks tells Henri:
"The ST and STe's have been cancelled by Atari. According to Sam
Tramiel, Falcons are still available, but are primarily of interest to
musicians and the MIDI market. Atari plans to devote all its efforts
to the Jaguar game machine and "may decide at a future date to re-enter
the computer marketplace."
Henri replies:
"I did not know Sam Tramiel had said that about the future of the
Falcon. That explains why we don't hear much about it. I wonder if the
Falcon is selling well even in the music world. I hope Atari succeed
with the Jaguar but I have doubts."
Ron tells Henri:
"Sam said that to me at the recent WCES show in Las Vegas this past
January. I don't know that there have been any major public
pronouncements from Atari Corp about the fate of the current computer
line (i.e. the falcon) other than "Atari is putting all its present
resources behind the Jaguar..."
Frank Hense tells Ron:
"One of the better Atari dealers told me he just received a large
order of TTs :-) offered me a trade for my MSTE4....
I don't think the Falcon will last long at the price--to my knowledge
only one has been sold to the Atari user base here in S.A. even tho
they are in stock at the local music store. Of course we don't have a
working dealership here either.....
Now if the keyboard was detached, then maybe it would sell, still the
price is really questionable when 386s are around $800.....( now don't
anybody fuss at me about what kind of 386 you get at that price - just
walk thru BEST BUY and look)."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Frank:
"Actually the "benchmark" for PC prices seems to have dropped even more
than that.. a good reference now is that '486 systems are lower than
$999!
I just saw a Pentium based system listed for $1995 too.. how much
Falcon can you buy for that..?"
Frank replies to Bob:
"Don't blink or they'll be givin' 'em away. Well almost anyway. The
price on CD -ROMs is really falling also. I paid $299 for a TEXEL 3028
for xmas. That's about half what they were last year and not half the
performance. I saw some in Computer Shopper for $289 last issue.
I picked up a 345mb MAxtor for my BBS for $289 from Dell in Austin and
I remember paying $500 for my Sh204 in 1987. Remember what we were
paying for STs in those days."
Bob continues the thought:
"And just think... I paid *more* for my 8-bit Atari 810 disk drive
than I did for my *entire* first 520ST system..!
Amazing the way prices and features work in inverse proportion to the
"norm" of the world here in the computer world..."
Frank extends the thought yet again:
"Funny I can remember what I paid for my 600XL in 1982, but not my
1040s( that's plural)...
I guess what we are seeing in the computer world is market forces at
work, too bad it doesn't work for autos. Actually it's truly amazing
what's being crammed into those little chips... The cuthroat nature of
the computer world is a little frightening. I'm amazed that the
little local guys can survive, yet somehow they do, must be more a
factor of local support than price. I know I'm happy I bought
mine(386) from the guy next door.
SAD Atari users can't find a guy next door anymore. We're in the 10th
largest city and are without a full service dealership..."
Sysop Ron Luks jumps in and adds his thoughts:
"Yes, at the selling price, the Falcon was about 18 months too late to
be price attractive compared to other platforms. The attached keyboard
was also a major drawback from the beginning.
I still like my MSTE4, although I can see where the TT might have some
appeal in specialty situations where more horsepower is needed."
John Devlin asks for help:
"Around two months ago there a message posted about a CD rom for the
Atari St computer.
Can anyone point me to the message number, as a friend would like to
order one for his ST board."
Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Online tells John:
"That is the Gemini CD-ROM disc (for the Atari ST) and its available
from Walnut Creek. Also its being sold by Its All Relative ... his CIS
ID is 70357,2312. Greg is also the developer of Photo Show for the
Falcon. The CD-ROM is ISO-9660 complaint so it will work on any
platform."
Rob Rasmussen asks Sysop Bob Retelle about Falcon video modes:
"You had said Falcon True Color can be displayed on a SC1224 monitor,
but that it would look very blocky, since each pixel is 15 bits. But
the ST's limited 32K of video RAM is not a factor here, since the
Falcon's VRAM is programmable. Is it the 1224 itself that's limited to
showing this blocky display?
I was told a VGA monitor can display a maximum rez of 640 x 480. Does
this mean you can't go beyond this if you use ScreenBlaster or BlowUp?
I realize a monitor has to be capable of displaying the highest rez you
want to display from the computer(without interlacing?), even if you
have extra VRAM like from a TT graphics card. I take it the multiscan
monitors go way beyond VGA.
For that matter I've been wondering how high a rez SuperVGA can
display, and how it differs from VGA. A dealer recommended a Magnavox
CM2089 for use with the Falcon (I'm real close to making a purchase).
Do you know if this is VGA, SVGA or multiScan? Does anyone know if
there's anything special about this monitor as opposed to another brand
I could get locally at Comp-USA?"
Bob tells Rob:
"I think the "blocky" true-color display was when I was talking about
the hypothetical possibility of doing 24bit color on an Atari 800.. the
Falcon's display is actually quite nice..!
You're right that the capabilities of the monitor can limit the highest
resolution you can display, even if the video card in your computer
can go higher... it's a matter of the monitor simply not being able to
scan fast enough to display all the data the video card is sending it.
For example, I have a Super VGA video card in my PC that's capable of
displaying up to 1024 x 768 x 256 colors... but the monitor I'm
currently using is only a regular VGA monitor from an IBM PS/2 model
30... if I try to switch into the Super VGA modes, the monitor goes
berzerk, displaying only jagged bars of random colors, and whining
pitifully as it tries to keep up with the video card. (This is one of
those "don't try this at home" kinds of things, as I understand the
wrong display modes can actually damage a monitor.. I just wanted to
see if I could push it...)
I'm not familiar with that monitor model you mentioned, but you should
be aware that the Falcon can only display normal VGA modes as it comes
out of the box.. a Super VGA monitor would be wasted, unless you plan
to eventually add hardware modifications that would make use of the
extra resolution capabilities. (Or if you plan to eventually migrate to
a different computer platform that CAN use the higher resolution
easily)."
Danny Bates tells us:
"I have a 1040st with an external hard drive (atari sh205). For some
reason I cannot get the computer to acknowledge that a hard drive
exists, even when I do a disk install, and I'm wondering if there is
supposed to be a systems boot disk that should have come with the hard
drive (I bought it used so there's no telling what was supposed to be
with it) to give the 1040 the ability to look for this hard drive?
I guess my three basic questions are:
1. Does anybody out there own one of these hard drives and could
possibly tell me how to get this thing configured so it will read?
2. Does anyone have a manual and/or systems disk for this hard drive
that I could somehow get a copy of?
3. Is there such a thing as Atari customer support anymore?"
Sysop Dan Rhea tells Danny:
"There is a disk with a set of utilities that format and partition you
SH205. It also sets up the drive to autoboot (i.e. the HD boots, not
the floppy drive).
I'll look around and see if I can find the utilities here for you (and
make sure they work with your machine and not just the newer ones). If
not, you should be able to get Atari to help you by sending you a new
disk (there may be a nominal fee though).
For now, try this...
1. Turn everything off
2. Put a blank (formatted) floppy in drive A:
3. Start up the hard drive and wait about 15 seconds
4. Turn on the monitor and then the ST.
5. If the HD is still setup properly, it should boot after
looking at the floppy drive once.
I hope this works for you. If not, we'll dig deeper. Let me know what
your results are with the above instructions."
John Devlin tells us:
"I must admit I didn't want to leave the Atari scene, but I want to
start storing my photograghs on CD rom, and the my STe was not capable
of providing good enought graphics, unless I wanted to spend plenty of
money on a 24bit graphics card.
My PC has a 24bit SVGA colour card that cost 57.58 UK pounds.
The PC so far has cost me 240 pounds, to build, I have sold off my STe
and Hires monitor, so from the cash from that I am about to go shopping
for a SVGA colour monitor.
Oh, well I better get ready to go out, I am off to Tottingham Court
Rd, this has the most number of electrical retailers, so all going well
I should have a nice new monitor later."
From the Atari ST Arts Forum
============================
Wes Pinter asks:
"Can somebody tell me why I'm only getting 205 bytes per second with my
downloads at 19,200 (14.4)baud??? I just downloaded a file that was
295296 bytes. This should have taken from 3-5 minutes by my
calculations (1000 bytes per sec) but ended up taking about 25 minutes.
This is crazy! I know I should be able to get about 1,000 bytes per
second, since this is what I average on the local BBS's. I'm using
Flash II and I have tried CIS-B, CIS Quick B, and Ymodem. Not one of
them was faster than 217 bytes per second. Could there be a problem
with CIS??? What about Flash 2? I would greatly appreciate any help in
this matter, since I can't allow myself (or afford) to d/load in such
an inefficient manner."
Sysop Jeff Kovach tells Wes:
"You may have your port set at 19200 and are using a 14.4 modem, but
are you calling a high speed CompuServe node? When you connect, what
speed does your modem report it's connecting at? It sounds like you
are calling a 2400 bps node. If you ARE calling a high speed node,
you'd be best off typing GO FEEDBACK and leaving a message to
CompuServe detailing the problem. You may also be able to get your
account credited for the time that you had the slow download."
Carl Barron tells Wes:
"At 9600 I get between 850-1000 cps from flash II/cis B/vidtext mode,
depends on system load. As this node I use is 9600 I don't set it
faster.
Make sure FII is configured for 19200 baud, rts/cts, and you are
calling the 14400 baud number. Flash II does work at 19200/14400. but
I don't currently have a 14.4 local node at this time."
Well folks, the column is kind of short this week, but I figure that it
just leaves more room for someone else. Besides, its getting late and
you really shouldn't be up this late. <grin>
Just be sure to come back next week, same time, same channel, and be
ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
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