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Silicon Times Report Issue 1323
61
Silicon Times Report
"The Original Independent OnLine Magazine"
(Since 1987)
June 06, 1997 No.1323
Silicon Times Report International OnLine Magazine
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Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155
R.F. Mariano, Editor
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06/06/97 STR 1323 Celebrating Our Tenth Anniversary 1987-97!
- CPU Industry Report - ULTRA EDIT-32 - WINFAX PRO 8
- Wares are BIG BIZ! - Authenticode 2.0 - MS & NET Privacy
- Shareware Listings - Internet Gambling - AOL Users FLEE
- Resident Evil Update - People Talking - Classics & Gaming
APPLE'S NEW USER CREDIT DEALS
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The Publisher, Staff & Editors
1987-1997
Florida Lotto - LottoMan v1.35
Results: 05/24/97: five of six numbers with eight 2 number matches
From the Editor's Desk...
Not too much to discuss this week as all the information from Spring
Comdex is being compiled for next week's issue. But. you must make it your
business to look over Word Perfect 8. They've done a very nice job on this
one. Much better than 7 and holding great promise for their Pro release in
the late summer. At least they didn't go for the "ersatz rtf" file format
we are seeing in Word at this time. To the guys number crunching Office
Pro package. Its time for the "Hat Trick" with file formats to end guys.
We've all had a great laugh but far too many legal and medical professional
offices have been hosed with this jazz. Let's get back to REAL import and
export routines. The rtf thingy just doesn't make it. I've talk to more
irate professionals in the last three months than I have in the last three
years. all because of the horrid file management of Office Pro 97.
Well, maybe some good did come of it my consultation activities have
tripled.
UltraEdit-32 has an update available on their website. This is the
finest quickie editor that has everything one could possibly need to get
the job done. From number crunchers to code crunchers and everyone in
between, this is the very best replacement for both notepad and word pad.
They have gotten our attention. So much so that Ian D. Meade's efforts
have won an Editor's Choice Award for Ultra Edit-32.
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Ralph F. Mariano, Publisher - Publisher, Editor
Dana P. Jacobson, Editor, Current Affairs
Section Editors
PC Section Mac Section Shareware Listings
R.F. Mariano Help Wanted Lloyd E. Pulley
Classics & Gaming Kid's Computing Corner
Dana P. Jacobson Frank Sereno
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STReport Headline News
LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Sony Unveils Notebook PCs
Sony Electronics has introduced its first line of multimedia notebook
computers for the U.S. market. Featuring a 12.1-inch TFT LCD screen, 14.5X
CD-ROM drive, built-in modem and 2.1GB hard drive, Sony's new VAIO
notebooks are based on 150MHz and 166MHz Pentium MMX processors. The
notebooks also come with remote control headphones, which allow users to
listen to music CDs and control CD audio playback functions while the
system's LCD panel is closed. In the same violet and gray color scheme as
Sony's VAIO tower PCs, the VAIO notebooks are designed to fit into a
variety of home and office environments.
"Our aim was for Sony's new notebooks to deliver professional quality
technology to the home user in an easy- to-use, compact package that is
ideal for today's active lifestyles," says Tim Errington, senior vice
president of sales and marketing for Sony Information Technologies of
America. "With high-end specifications, corporate users also gain a top
performance, mobile business tool, while home users have access to full
multimedia entertainment and communication capabilities of the typical home
PC." The notebooks are scheduled to become available in July at prices
ranging from $3,500 to $5,000. More details are available at Sony's Web
site: http://www.sony.com/pc
Picture Publisher 7 Ships
Micrografx Inc. is now shipping Picture Publisher 7, an image editing tool
for professional-quality photo manipulation and Internet graphics.
Previously available as a component in the Micrografx Webtricity and
Graphics Suite 2 software suites, Picture Publisher 7 is now available
standalone product. The updated software includes built-in MMX multimedia
support and numerous other enhancements. Picture Publisher 7 is compatible
with PCs running Windows 95 and Windows NT, and supports Microsoft Office
applications.
"The use of digital imaging to create exciting Internet graphics and
effects is one of the industry's fastest growing graphics categories, and
is of interest to professional artists and PC enthusiasts alike," observes
Eric Cowles, Micrografx's Picture Publisher product manager. Picture
Publisher 7, priced at $99.95, is available at Best Buy, CompUSA, Computer
City, Egghead and Fry's.
Cyrix Releases 6x86MX Processor
Cyrix Corp. has released the 6x86MX, its new MMX-enabled processor. The
Richardson, Texas, chipmaker notes that the device, formerly code-named M2,
delivers Pentium II-class performance at about half the price. "The 6x86MX
processor now enables our customers to deliver high-performance,
MMX-enabled entertainment PCs in the rapidly growing sub-$1,500 category,"
says Jay Swent, Cyrix's acting CEO. Systems based on the 6x86MX processor
are available now through Cybermax, USA Flex and numerous other direct
channel marketers, says Cyrix. In addition, CTX will sell systems based on
the chip in the retail channel starting in July.
Toshiba Unveils New Laptop
Breaking the two-pound weight barrier is a new laptop being unveiled by
Toshiba Corp. this week. The Associated Press says the Libretto 50CT is
the first notebook running on Windows 95 operating software elow hat
threshold, at 1.85 pounds. The Libretto runs on a 75MHz Pentium processor
and is priced at about $2,000. "While hand-held 'palm-top' computers tend
to weigh less," AP notes, "most run on Microsoft Corp.'s more basic Windows
CE operating system, use a smaller keyboard and are limited in what they
can do." In fact, look for Toshiba to unveil aarange of lighter models in
an attempt to solidify its position as the No. 1 maker of laptops:
ú The Portege 300 uses Intel's Pentium MMX chip with multimedia
technology, for better running of graphics and sound. It lists for $3,500
and weighs 3.8 pounds. Two other portable models offer enough power to
replace corporate desktop computers, but at prices lower than the company's
previous similar offerings.
ú Starting at $4,500, the Tecra laptops weigh 6.5 pounds and feature a
powerful 166 MHz Pentium processor with multimedia technology, a CD-ROM
drive and hook-ups for synchronizing information with desktops.
Packard Bell Rolls Out New Unit
Packard Bell NEC's new Platinum 2250X computer now is available for $2,299.
Reporting from Sacramento, California, the Dow Jones news service quotes
the company as saying the Platinum 2250X is based on the new 233MHz Intel
Pentium processor with MMX technology. "The computer can self correct more
than 5,000 common computing errors automatically through SystemSoft's
System Wizard support-call solution software pre-loaded on the system," the
wire service adds. DJ says the system features include a 6.4 GB hard
drive, 32 MB EDO RAM expandable to 128 MB, 256 KB pipelined burst Level 2
Cache memory, 16X CD-ROM and x2 high speed modem designed to support
download speeds up to 56Kbps.
Apple Unveils New Financing Option
Apple Computer Inc. has introduced a new financing plan that aims to make
it easier for college students to acquire Macintosh computers and
accessories. The Apple loan program is available to qualifying
individuals, 18 years of age or older, who purchase Apple-branded products.
The program combines low-interest loans with low qualifying income
requirements and flexible payment options. For example, students can use
co-signers to help them qualify and can lower their payments by deferring
payments on the loan's principal by up to four years. Borrowers can
accelerate their payments or pay off the balance of the loan at any time,
without prepayment penalty.
Having already achieved success with similar loan programs for college
students buying on campus and for educators, the new Apple Loan Program is
designed for individuals who buy at retail stores. "With our Apple
Computer Loan, we want to make buying a Macintosh as easy as using one,"
says Mike Muench, Apple's vice president of consumer and small business
markets. "The Apple Computer Loan is remarkably easy to use, addresses
limited incomes associated with many college students and offers them
deferred principle payments until they graduate, or for up to four years."
Dell Reaches Milestone
Dell Computer Corp. reports that it has shipped its 10 millionth computer.
Dell, the world's No. 3 computer maker, has built PCs since 1984. The
company, based in Austin, Texas, has major manufacturing facilities in
Austin; Limerick, Ireland; and Penang, Malaysia. Dell has become well
known in the computer industry for its fast inventory turns and
build-to-order manufacturing, which allows the early incorporation of
newer, faster and often lower-cost components into its products.
"Dell has set standards for efficiency and customization with our
build-to-order process," says Michael Dell, the firm's chairman and CEO.
"The strength of our manufacturing processes is a significant factor in
Dell's growth and product leadership. We could not have reached this point
without the hard work and continual improvements of our teams around the
world."
CNN, Oracle Team on News Service
A new personalized online news service tailored to the tastes and needs of
the computer user has been unveiled by Cable News Network and software
publisher Oracle Corp. The system, called CNN Custom News, invites users
to fill out a profile form once to select what types of news, weather, and
sports will automatically appear on the Web home page each time they log
on. "Rather than watching CNN 24 hours a day, it edits what you want,"
Time Warner Vice Chairman Ted Turner told United Press International. "You
can see what you want to see when you want to see it."
Appearing during the unveiling at the COMDEX-Windows World trade show at
Atlanta yesterday, Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison said news stories from CNN
and more than 100 other sources are read into the system by a server using
Oracle database technology. Adds UPI, "Many Web application servers
connected to the database server will connect users with the information.
Information not desired on a daily basis can be located through a search."
Ellison pointed out the feature can be accessed by any Web compatible
device. Users who connect with a Web TV box can watch television programs
while simultaneously receiving a ticker of breaking stories and personally
selected stocks and other information at the bottom of the screen. This
scrolling ticker also can be received by personal computers. The service
is available to anyone with Web access free of charge at CNN.com/CustomNews
and is sponsored by Citibank. Other advertising will appear on the
customized pages based on the interests specified by users.
Study: Software No. 3 U.S. Industry
A new report issued by the Business Software Alliance, finds that the
software industry is the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy.
According to the study, the software industry's contributions reach beyond
product sales, generating substantial increases in employment, wages, taxes
and productivity. Compared to manufacturing, software publishing is the
third largest industry, behind only the automotive and electronic
manufacturing industries.
"This study reflects the dramatic economic ripple effect of the nation's
fastest growing industry," says Robert Holleyman, president of the Business
Software Alliance, which represents most major U.S. software publishers.
"By the year 2005, the U.S. software industry will generate more than 3.4
million jobs and $139 billion in wages. These are critical numbers as we
chart the future of our nation's economy." The study was issued as
software industry leaders arrive in Washington to ask Congress for
increased copyright protection, relaxed data encryption export rules and
other legislation favorable to the industry. Copies of the report can be
obtained from BSA's Web site at
Congress May Balk on Net Upgrade
Word is Congress may be skeptical about funding scientists' work on the
next generation of the Internet. In fact, says reporter Aaron Pressman of
the Reuter News Service, "Rather than stumbling over new hardware or
software, the next generation network has quickly run into several road
blocks on Capitol Hill." This week scientists involved with the project --
including President Clinton's top science adviser John Gibbons -- are
heading for a Senate hearing to try to soothe concerns.
Reuters says some lawmakers worry the project lacks focus and is not
sufficiently different from a related university project known as
Internet2. Announced with great fanfare in Clinton's re-election campaign
last year, Internet2 aims to send data at 1,000 times the speed of today's
net, which could spur a host of new uses for the network, some with sound
and video. Candidate Clinton pledged the government will spend $100 million
annually for five years to build the super high-speed network and promote
its use.
"The money was to come from reallocating existing research funds," says
Pressman, "but that plan is already in trouble. In April, the House of
Representatives passed a budget for the National Science Foundation that
specifically barred any spending on the next generation Internet. The bill
is awaiting action by the Senate and could be modified before going to the
president's desk." Last month, 28 senators sent a letter to science
adviser Gibbons complaining about the composition of the next generation
Internet's advisory board. Representing both political parties but all from
rural states, the 28 noted the board's 20 members came from only eight
states.
Said the letter, "Instead of a potentially major positive development,
therefore, 'Next Generation Internet' and Internet2 becomes a significant
source of concern for us." Meanwhile, officials with the National Science
Foundation told the wire service they are confident the program will go
forward. Says NSF spokeswoman Elizabeth Gaston, "Next Generation Internet
is a presidential initiative that will have a lot of congressional
involvement." But some congressional staffers tell Pressman they remain
confused about the administration's priorities, including details of which
agencies get which portions of the budget.
"To some degree," Pressman comments, "the confusion reflects the changing
fortunes of the Internet. While the original Internet, including
connections to universities, was largely funded by government, this time
around higher education and industry are more likely to foot some of the
bill. More than 100 schools have pledged to spend $50 million a year on
Internet2, mainly for higher speed connections and switches. The schools
are also seeking corporate sponsorship."
Microsoft Backs New Privacy Idea
Microsoft Corp. is backing a privacy initiative that is different from one
boosted last week by arch rival Netscape Communications Corp. The plans are
being rolled out in advance of Federal Trade Commission's upcoming hearings
on Internet privacy. Cyberspace writer Elizabeth Weise of The Associated
Press says Microsoft and Netscape "want to convince consumers and
regulators that they can protect personal information on the World Wide Web
and that legal fixes aren't needed."
She notes the flurry of activity follows a threat last year by FTC
Commissioner Christine Varney that the Net industry can expect either
regulation or legislation unless substantial progress is made on setting
privacy standards. As reported here earlier, Netscape is backing the Open
Profiling Standard, a common format proposal supported by 60 high-tech
companies that would enable Web surfers to stop personal information from
being sent automatically from their personal computers to Web site
operators.
Says Weise, "The Netscape standard focused on the ability of Web sites to
plant nuggets of information -- known as 'cookies' -- into a users' PC.
These data files can track which Web sites are visited, what pages are
looked at, even a user's hobbies, then link the data to people's names and
addresses. Site owners can sell the information to advertisers and other
interested parties, without the consent or knowledge of users." As
reported, some users are concerned about this kind of information
gathering. A Georgia Institute of Technology survey recently reported some
users even deliberately give fake information when required to fill out
forms before they can get to a Web site.
As a result, two other plans are on the table:
ú The Platform for Privacy Preferences, known as P3, is being proposed
by the World Wide Web Consortium. Backed by Microsoft and the Center for
Democracy and Technology in Washington, "this standard creates a language
for Web sites and Web users to talk back and forth using the already
existing Platform for Internet Content Selection," Weise says. The P3
standard would allow users to define the information they were willing to
be collected about them when visiting a Web site. "If a given site gathered
more information than they chose to give out," says AP, "a pop-up menu
would alert them and given them the chance to either leave or accept a
lower level of privacy."
ú eTRUST, a kind of "seal of approval" program initiated by the
nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation but now spun off as a separate
for-profit organization based in Palo Alto, Calif. Weise says web sites
that sign up with the program will display icons specifying exactly what
they would and would not do with information gathered from users. eTRUST
sites would be audited to make sure they truly adhered to the standards,
spokesman Curt Kundred told the wire service.
Clinton Urged to Change Stand
President Bill Clinton is being urged by some of the top names in the
computer software business to drop his efforts to regulate data-scrambling
technologies. In an open letter to the president, Microsoft Corp.
Chairman/CEO Bill Gates and 12 other industry titans said U.S.
competitiveness in electronic commerce was at stake in the debate, adding,
"Network users must have confidence that their communications, whether
personal letters, financial transactions or sensitive business information,
are secure and private." The corporate chiefs -- who banded together as
the Business Software Alliance, an industry trade group -- said access to
computer programs with strong data-scrambling, or encryption, capabilities
was "critical to providing this confidence." But, notes reporter Jim Wolf
of the Reuter News Service, even as they argued at a news conference late
yesterday against export controls on encryption programs, FBI Director
Louis Freeh was telling Congress the U.S. is at an "historical crossroads"
on the issue.
Speaking before a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on the FBI,
Freeh said, "Uncrackable encryption will allow drug lords, terrorists, and
even gangs to communicate with impunity," adding the government needs a
kind of mathematical "key recovery" system in which a spare key, or
decoder, for encrypted information is held in escrow by a trusted third
party. Wolf comments that in theory this sort of escrowed "key" would give
law enforcement authorities the ultimate ability to unscramble
communications only if authorized to do so by a court. Freeh told the
senators, "Other than some kind of key recovery system, there is no
technical solution," adding the widespread use of strong encryption without
an escrowed key "will devastate our ability to fight crime and prevent
terrorism."
In their appeal to Clinton, the computer chiefs -- including the heads of
Adobe Systems, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Compaq, Intel, SCO, Symantec,
Claris, Digital Equipment, Lotus Development, Microsoft, Novell and Sybase
-- said governments should not impose import or export controls on
encryption products nor "attempt to force use of government-mandated key
management infrastructures." As reported, the Clinton administration
earlier this year began allowing companies to export stronger encryption
technology so long at it involved a spare key, possibly even held outside
the United States. Congress now is considering several bills, strongly
backed by the software industry, to all but eliminate the export controls.
New Net Must Involve Rural U.S.
Powerful senators are warning the White House technical advisors that
development of the next generation of the Internet must involve rural
states or Congress won't fund it. Covering yesterday's hearing before the
Senate Commerce subcommittee on communications, reporter David Lawsky of
the Reuter News Service says senators appeared "unhappy that elite urban
universities seem to have the best representation on a White House planning
committee for a new generation of the Internet," which backers say will run
100 to 1,000 times as fast as the existing one.
Sen. Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican who chairs the Appropriations
Committee, said, "Why proceed with a proposal that will isolate the rural
universities? This proposal leaves us entirely out. You go back to the
drawing boards." As reported, President Clinton made the so-called
"Internet2" proposal a major issue in last year's re-election campaign,
promising the government would spend $100 million annually for five years
to build the super high-speed network and promote its use.
However, some key senators are grumbling. For instance, Committee Chairman
Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican, says, "I am very concerned that rural
states are not being given a seat at the table as critical decisions are
being made," adding that of 20 members on Clinton's advisory committee on
the new Internet, 11 are from California and only eight states are
represented overall. But, members of Clinton's technology team tell Lawsky
they are ready to accommodate the concerns of Congress as they fill
existing vacancies on
the 25-member committee.
For instance, Henry Kelly, acting associate director of technology in the
White House Office of Sciences and Technology Policy, told the wire
service, "It was always our intention to get rural people on the
committee." While Sen. Stevens said the new information highway sounded to
him like an ordinary highway project (where rural states need far more
money than urban states because they "drive five times longer"), director
Neal Lane
of the National Science Foundation said the new Internet "is not
(established) infrastructure like a highway."
Lane said this "is a work in progress, it is experimental. That is the
reason we need the nation's researchers to help us move forward." And Sen.
Burns said that despite the dispute, he thought yesterday's hearing set the
stage for introduction of a bill to provide the needed money. Added Burns,
"We have to find a mechanism to put (the plan) together and present it to
Congress. I personally place a high importance on this project. People in
remote areas should have access to this new technology."
Novell President Set to Leave
Novell Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Joseph Marengi is
expected to step down, according to a published report. Computer Reseller
News reports that Marengi's planned departure comes after the beleaguered
networking company posted a loss of $14.6 million for its second quarter
ended April 30. The company, which is losing shares to Microsoft Corp.'s
Windows NT in the small business market, recently announced plans to cut
its workforce by 18 percent or approximately 1,000 employees. The trade
publication adds that Marengi, an aggressive Novell marketing veteran, will
receive a lucrative severance package. Marengi and Novell could not be
reached for comment. More details are available on Computer Reseller News
Online
http://www.crn.com
Study: AOL Faces User Defection
A new study finds that America Online Inc. faces trouble retaining its most
prized users. The study, issued by FIND/SVP, notes that nearly one-half of
surveyed AOL members who also use the Internet are "somewhat likely" or
"very likely" to leave the service in coming months, including 8 percent
who say they will "definitely leave." "AOL members who said they were most
likely to leave represented some of the most demographically desirable
users of the service -- young family members with multiple incomes," says
Tom Miller, vice president of emerging technologies research at the New
York-based market research firm. "The silver lining for AOL in this picture
is that we also found a higher ratio of 'pass along usage,' meaning
individual AOL members who share accounts. This phenomenon is clearly more
widespread than previously reported. By our estimates, AOL has 30 percent
more users of the service than there are members, or a total of 10.6
million people using AOL's
8 million memberships."
Study Finds PCs Helps Kids
A national survey of families shows that regular access to a personal
computer has improved the grades of the children who use them. The study,
commissioned by PC maker Gateway 2000 Inc., shows that 56 percent of
students ages 10 to 18 reported significant grade improvement after they
began to make regular use of computers. Among children ages 10 to 12, grade
improvements were reported by 67 percent of students. Parents were surveyed
alongside their children and they confirmed that computer use coincided
with improvements in their grades, notes the study.
"Computers are becoming an important tool in helping our children learn,"
says Luanne Flikkema, director of global research at North Sioux City,
South Dakota-based Gateway. "This is the first study that shows a
definitive, statistically significant correlation between PC use and
academic performance. It appears that kids who use PCs have a real
advantage." The survey also finds that the image of computer users as
"nerds" or
"geeks" is overblown. According to the study, 63 percent of children
believe kids who use a PC well are considered "smart" and an additional 28
percent of students consider regular PC usage "cool".
New Mag Helps Net Job Seekers
A new magazine aims to help job seekers find employment via the Internet.
According to its Albany, New York-based publisher, The Internet Job Source
is a new publication devoted to finding the best sites on the Internet for
job hunting. Each 40-page issue contains articles on employment trends,
state and federal government jobs, plus listings of top sites to visit on
the World Wide Web for finding news and information on employers. "The
Internet has started a revolution for job seekers," says Joseph Shieh,
editor and publisher of The Internet Job Source. "With a computer and
access to the Internet, job hunters can find more information on jobs, much
faster than ever before. And they can search for jobs at their convenience,
day or night, seven days a week." More details are available on the
Internet Job Source Web site http://www.statejobs.com
Domain Name Sells for Big Bucks
A an unnamed Texas firm has paid $150,000 for the rights to "business.com,"
the highest price ever reported for an Internet domain name. The deal
shatters the previous record price of $75,000 paid by CNET Corp. last year
for the domain name "television.com," reports idNames.com, the Houston firm
that handled the record-setting transaction. Several other popular domain
names have reportedly been acquired by major corporations for big bucks
over the past few years, but the amounts haven't been publicly disclosed.
"While the price paid for the name is seen by outsiders as an excessive
amount of money for a domain name, companies are just beginning to
understand that their domain names in cyberspace are much more than just a
name," says Marc Ostrofsky, founder of idNames.com. "A domain name in
today's `networked society' represents a company's name, address, phone
number and all-around information access point for the world to do business
with."
Games Ban Pushed for Fed Offices
A ban on computer games in federal government offices is being proposed by
a Republican senator, who also wants to require a person -- not a machine
-- to answer the telephones there. A bill called the "Responsive
Government Act" has been introduced by Sen. Lauch Faircloth of North
Carolina who tells the Reuter News Service he got the idea for the game ban
after his staff took him on a tour of his Web site and he saw how easy it
was to switch from games to work areas on the computer. "So that was the
end of the games in our office," jokes Peter Hans, the senator's spokesman.
"We were showing him the games that were on there and he said, 'There's no
reason that should be on any government computer'."
Faircloth said the computer game ban "could save the taxpayers millions of
dollars recovered from lost productivity." Other parts of the bill, he
said, came from suggestions from constituents "frustrated with the federal
government not always being responsive." Faircloth's measure would require
a person rather than an automated system to answer the main telephone
number at service-oriented federal offices until at least 5 p.m. Eastern
Time. The bill would also require federal agencies to publish main
telephone numbers in local directories, locate service offices in areas
with sufficient parking, and include a telephone number of the author on
all official correspondence.
Calif. Weighs ID Theft Bill
State legislation to protect consumers from thieves who open phony credit
accounts with stolen personal information has been advanced in the
California Senate. Reporting from Sacramento, United Press International
quotes the bill's author, Sen. Herschel Rosenthal, D-Los Angeles, as saying
the measure would allow consumers to block access to their accounts so
thieves couldn't raid them for information. UPI says the bill also would
require credit card issuers to confirm changes of address by sending a
confirmation notice to the customer's former address.
Opposing it are credit bureaus, finance companies and the banking industry,
which say the measure is costly and unnecessarily burdensome to implement.
On the other side is the California Public Interest Research Group, which
praises the proposed law as "the best consumer bill of the year." Identity
theft, says CALPIRG's Jan Golinger, has proliferated with the transmission
of personal information over the Internet and the easy access to credit
cards offered by the industry. He adds that too often consumers don't find
out until it's too late that someone has used their name, address, Social
Security number and other personal information to obtain fraudulent credit.
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
LEXMARK OPTRA C
COLOR
LASER PRINTER
For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent to
you that demonstrates LEXMARK Optra C SUPERIOR QUALITY 600 dpi Laser Color
Output, please send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope [SASE] (business
sized envelope please) to:
STReport's LEXMARK Printout Offer
P.O. Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155
Folks, the LEXMARK Optra C has to be the very best yet in its price range.
It is far superior to anything we've seen or used as of yet. It is said
that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words. The out put from the Lexmark
Optra C is worth ten thousand words! Send for the free sample now. (For a
sample that's suitable for framing, see below) Guaranteed. you will be
amazed at the superb quality. (Please.. allow at least a two week turn-
around).
If you would like a sample printout that's suitable for framing. Yes
that's right! Suitable for Framing. Order this package. It'll be on
special stock and be of superb quality. We obtained a mint copy of a 1927
COLOR ENGRAVER'S YEAR BOOK. Our Scanner is doing "double duty"! The
results will absolutely blow you away. If you want this high quality
sample package please include a check or money order in the amount of $6.95
(Costs only) Please, make checks or money orders payable to; Ralph Mariano.
Be sure to include your full return address and telephone number . The
sample will be sent to you protected, not folded in a 9x12 envelope. Don't
hesitate.. you will not be disappointed. This "stuff" is gorgeous!
A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
Shareware Treasure Chest STR Feature "The Latest & Greatest"
Shareware Treasure Chest
By Lloyd E. Pulley
lepulley@streport.com
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Microsoft Authenticode 2.0 update for Internet Explorer
06/04/97 .32mb Free
Authenticode 2.0 Brings Improvements and Renews Security Feature for
Users Running Internet Explorer on Windows 95 and NT 4.0 Computers. Here
are some of the new features that Authenticode 2.0 will bring to you:
ú Timestamping support, so you can always be sure that the software you
download from the Web was signed during the validity period of a
publisher's certificate.
ú Support for the new code-signing format that software publishers are
now using.
ú Renewal of internal certificates that will expire on June 29 on every
Internet Explorer 3.X client for Windows 95 and NT 4.0.
The last point makes it very important that you download Authenticode 2.0
before June 30. Otherwise you'll begin to see confusing messages while
surfing the Web. If you haven't upgraded by June 30, a number of key
Authenticode certificates on your computer will have expired, which will
result in warnings that perfectly good software components, including
ActiveX Controls and Java applets, are either unsafe to download or that
their certificates are out of date.
Note: You must be running Internet Explorer version 3.02 to download
Authenticode 2.0
Home Page Site - http://www.microsoft.com/ie/security/authent.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
WipeOut XL for Win95 5/30/97 6.00mb Commercial Demo
Requires Direct X and supports Direct3D
Wipeout caused jaws to drop the world over and became an instant classic.
Now WipeOut XL is poised to take anti-gravity racing completely over the
edge. Lightning-fast reflexes rule in this race 'n' chase thriller where
your goal is to stay in the lead and defend your craft against other
pilots. Negotiate hairpin turns, make gut-wrenching drops and initiate
jumps all while blasting your opponents with intimidating weaponry. With
faster, smoother graphics, more tracks, more vehicles, and more weapons,
WipeOut XL sets a new standard in 32-bit gaming.
Home Page Site - http://www.psygnosis.com/wipeout2/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
AVI Screen Saver 2.10 5/29/97 102kb Freeware
If you have AVI, QuickTime, or MPEG movies, this program will allow you
to create a playlist of those movies to play as your screen saver. Features
include: Random play, Looping, Scaling, Password Protection, Power
Management, Mute, and individual movie settings. (QuickTime requires
QuickTime from Apple; MPEG requires ActiveMovie from Microsoft) All feature
requests from Version 1 have been implemented in Version 2!
Home Page - http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~bfcarter/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
BulletProof FTP 32-bit beta 0.3 6/03/97 .19mb Free
Bullet Proof FTP is an FTP client for anyone who's ever been frustrated
by unreliable FTP sites - once you tell it to download a file, there's not
much that'll stop it from retrieving the file. It will never give up on
trying to get the file(s) until you tell it to. It'll keep trying to
connect to an ftp site until it gets in (no limit on the number of
retries). If a connection is broken then it'll automatically reconnect and
keep transferring, continuing from where it left off. Plus many other
features not often found in FTP clients - tagging multiple files in
multiple directories, tagging files while transferring, caching the entire
ftp structure for quick browsing, remote mirroring - and its free.
Home Page Site - http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~aconnell/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Gazillionaire Deluxe 1997 Version 5/29/97 5,124kb Shareware $34.99
An intergalactic game of wheeling and dealing! It's similar to Monopoly
set in outer space. Make billions rocketing from planet to planet, while
buying and selling rare commodities. Up to 6 human players and 6 computer
players compete in this game of financial strategy.
Home Page Site - http://www.gazillionaire.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Quick Color 32-bit 3.0 beta 3 6/01/97 .29mb Shareware
The latest shareware release of QuickColor for Windows 95/NT is now
available, adding extended hotkey support, screen saving and DirectX
querying capabilities to an already rich feature set, including on-the-fly
color depth switching and support for over 500 monitors under NT. Up to 20
applications and shortcuts can be associated with specific display
settings, and launched from the Windows desktop, QuickColor toolbar or
system tray popup menu.
Home Page Site - http://www.entechtaiwan.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Dominion 3.0 5/29/97 1,296kb Shareware $10.00
Announcing, the second game in our Intersoft series. Dominion is a fast
moving strategy board game of territory based on a Scottish classic. It has
two kinds of match play, three levels of computer play. Remote play via the
Internet, a LAN, modem to modem or serial connection. Board Designer,
Sound, Music and our"Never a Wrong Move" interface.
Home Page Site - http://www.wingames.com/wingames/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
McAfee Viruscan for Win95 3.0.2 5/30/97 3.82mb Shareware
An excellant virus scanner that scans all system areas to provide
extensive security including local and network drives, CD-ROMS, floppies,
boot sectors, file allocation and partition tables, folders, files and
compressed files. It also accurately cleans most virus infections from
files, master boot sectors, partition tables and memory back to their virus-
free state.
Home Page Site - http://www.mcafee.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Kyodai Mahjongg 2.01 5/27/97 195kb Freeware
After an award-winning (6 stars at Nonags) v1.21 of Kyodai for Windows
3.1, here is the latest version for Windows 95. The purpose of the game is
to remove all the tiles from a board by pairs, following certain rules.
It's free, easy to use and extremely addictive.
Home Page Site - http://www.namida.com/mahjongg.en.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Szipw 32-bit 4.0c 5/30/97 1.60mb Shareware
Szipw is the Ultimate Zip file manager for Windows. It supports command
line parameters, Creates and manages backup sets for easy backup operations
, makes Zip archives with long filenames.View Zip files like Disks with a
directory tree, Internal Zip/Unzip. Easy configuration. Easy edit of Zip
comments and file comments. Accepts command line parameters like PKZIP.
Internal File viewer, updates zip file when contents changed. Support Files
and dirs dropped from windows file manager, Add files using a list of
path/wildcards, very usefull when files to compress are in different
locations. Recompression of archives using different password.compression
level. Spanned Disks (multiple diskettes), Hidden/System files, Volume
labels, full PKzip 2.0 Encryption supported.Support for Self Extractable
archives. Allow renaming, changing file date/time, Moving to another dir
(using drag/drop), of the files and directories within the archive.
Internal Zip repair functions.
Home Page Site - http://www.voicenet.com/~jank/astec/szipw.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
GSWin97 2.5 5/27/97 1,710kb Demo
PostScript Viewer! With GSWin97 Demo (from the makers of GoScript(r)
software), you can now view color PostScript documents in Windows 95! This
is a FREE Demo version. Can now automatically view .EPS files with a binary
header (embedded viewable image)!
Home Page Site - http://www.lasergo.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
AnySearch 32-bit 1.0 beta 9b 5/30/97 .66mb Freeware
A plug-in which adds a user-configurable button and text field to your
Netscape browser pointing toward your favorite search engine.
Home Page Site - http://www.privnet.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
SecurityPlus! 4.0 5/28/97 1,960kb Shareware $29.95
File viewer with on-the-fly encryption/decryption. Supports 24 different
file formats including Animated GIF files. Zoom, Full view, Auto-Hide, JPG
options, File Info including CRC, Full privacy of images and any other
files, runs in the tray, +more.
Home Page Site - http://www.softbytelabs.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Pagoo 1.0 5/28/97 319kb Freeware
A free software/service for Windows that lets you receive phone calls
while you're online. This is the new revolutionary way to communicate.
Ideal for people that only have one phone line.
Home Page Site - http://www.pagoo.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Lotus Weblicator 32-bit 1.0 5/31/97 7.50mb Shareware
Lotus Weblicator is a powerful Web information manager that lets you
experience the Web when, where and how you choose, totally unplugged from
the Internet. Once Web pages are on your computer's hard drive you can
unplug from the Internet and work with the information just as if you were
still connected. But because you're working offline, you'll enjoy faster
display times for text, graphic and animation and avoid endless delays on
busy sites. You can also schedule Lotus Weblicator to automatically surf
and copy Web sites to your computer's hard drive while you're in a meeting
or at lunch -- then when you're ready, so is the information.
Home Page Site - http://www.lotus.com/weblicator/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
DDClip Free Audio and Video Editor 2.20 5/29/97 1,829kb Freeware
A non-linear non-destructive multitrack real-time audio and video editor
for Windows95/NT. It allows mix in real time up to 4 CD quality audio
tracks on your PC with any sound card (each audio clip has volume and
balance profile). DDClip is especially effective for video clips scoring,
creating audio commercials, synchronizing voice with music.
Home Page Site - http://www.softlab-nsk.com/Pro/DDClip.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Front Page Sports: Baseball Pro '98 for Win95 5/31/97 34.0mb Commercial
Demo
Requires DirectX 3
Whether you're already a hardcore FPS: Baseball gamer or just getting
ready to step up to the plate for the first time, you'll find Front Page
Sports: Baseball Pro '98 to be the most complete, true-to-life baseball
game available. Play season after season since our career play lets you
manage your athletes from their Rookie season all the way to the Hall of
Fame!
The game features:
* Ultra-deep stats in 2,000 categories
* 28 Major League ball parks rendered in stunning 3D
* Motioned-captured player movement rendered to 16 angles of animation for
smooth moves on the field and more
Home Page Site - http://www.sierra.com/entertainment/bball98/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
VT RESCUE 95 Ed Std 2.2 5/30/97 3,278kb Shareware $45.00
Able to recover, prevent troubles, analyze, repair, control and improve
your Windows 95 system (ScanREG, BootMAN, RegMAN, Diagnosis, File32,
ScanMEM, LoadFailed Search, VTSYS startup control, VTLX task manager and
more ...) In case of a crash, RegMAN will restore your configuration or
create a new one!
Home Page Site - http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/VTVIRTUAL/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Streaming Shockwave 32-bit 6.0 beta 6 Plug-In 5/31/97 1.30mb Freeware
Macromedia Shockwave gives you fully interactive multimedia clickable and
dynamic animations, graphics, text, and audio from directly within your web
browser. Install Shockwave and get immediate access to:
*Thousands of cool web games
*On-demand, streaming audio
*Live concerts and radio
*The latest interactive news, sports, and information.
This new version also streams the animations/movies to your computer
instead of having to wait for the whole thing to download first.
Home Page Site - http://www.macromedia.com/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
NetSelect Business Series 2.0.1 5/30/97 757kb Demo $49.95
An Internet technology based product designed for the traveling business
professional. NBS automates the entire Time & Expense process from
submission to reimbursement and client invoicing - all using the Internet
or an Intranet. It's the first platform independent Tand E solution of its
kind. NBS security and administration functions provide the necessary
mechanisms to securely approve and process T and E transactions.
Additionally NBS allows for seamless integration with any financial
accounting application, reducing redundant data entry and time to process
invoices and reimbursements. The Contact Manager module allows sales teams
and virtual offices to stay up to date with contact information as well as
daily communications.
Home Page Site - http://www.ballou.net/nbs/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
UltraEdit 32-bit 4.31 6/01/97 .89mb Shareware $30
A really good text editor with almost every feature you could want. Some
of it's many features include: Disk based text editing - No limit on file
size, minimum RAM used even for multi-megabyte files, Column mode
editing!!!, Insert columns/ delete/ cut/ add sequential numbers, 100,000
word spell checker, Syntax highlighting - configurable, pre-configured for
C/C++ and VB and some HTML, Hexadecimal Editor - Allows editing of any
binary file, HEX Cut, Copy and Paste support , HEX Insert and Delete of
characters, HEX Find, Replace and Replace All, Multiple files open and
displayed at the same time, and more.
Home Page Site - http://www.idmcomp.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
After Dark Online 2.0 5/30/97 3,041kb Freeware
A collection of screen savers that brings news and information directly
to your desktop. Sources include: DBC Financial, E! Online, Sports
Illustrated Online, USA Today, ZD Net and the Wall Street Journal
Interactive Edition.
Home Page Site - http://www.afterdark.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Web Expander 32-bit 2.19 6/01/97 .35mb Shareware
Web Expander is protocol enhancement utility for Netscape Navigator and
Microsoft Internet Explorer. Web Expander can launch your favorite mail
program from clicking mailto: on Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet
Explorer. Web Expander can launch any program from clicking any protocols.
i.e ftp:, news:, telnet: on Netscape Navigator. Web Expander adds new
protocols you wish for Netscape Navigator. i.e notepad:, webexp: and
more...
Home Page Site - http://spock.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005227/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
TurboZIP 2.0 5/31/97 1,655kb Shareware $39.95
A powerful ZIP and e-mail file manager. The intuitive and versatile
interface makes zipping, unzipping, encoding, and decoding files as easy as
it can be. More importantly, it provides essential supporting tools so you
can fast view, print, search, and launch files within ZIP archives without
first unzipping the archive or having to have the programs that created
them. TurboZIP also creates customizable SFX (Self-extracting EXE) for
unlimited redistribution.
Home Page Site - http://www.turbozip.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Happy Calendar 1.4 5/31/97 1,080kb Shareware $25.00
A flexible desktop calendar/PIM with several handy options. You can leave
a resizable calendar page on your desktop, with the time and Saint of the
Day shown, or access the PIM and other calendar features from a tray icon.
You can choose from six tabbed views of the week, month, or year and enter
or view upcoming events and notes. Happy Calendar's event function includes
different functions for alarms, reminders, and to-do items and is a great
way to keep track of your life. Alarms can feature optional, user-defined
wave sounds, and the notes page offers formatting, Clipboard functions, and
nested groups for notes. Happy Calendar has a lot of nice features beneath
its quiet exterior that could be very useful. Password protection,
encryption, print functions, wallpaper calendar, search facility, runs
program on event. Windows 95 compatible install and unistall provided. Full
32 bit development. Bug removed, added options, shortcuts, note search.
Event can run programs.
Home Page Site - http://www.jimjams.com/xhaca.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Terracide for Win95 6/02/97 11.50mb Commercial Demo
DirectX Required.
Terracide, programmed by Simis, is an atmospheric true 3D game,
encompassing exploration, frenetic combat and puzzle-solving. Mutated ex-
humans, having left Earth generations ago, are returning in their gigantic
ships to destroy their former home world. You are Earth's only hope, flying
the single vessel small enough to penetrate their defences.
The game offers a choice of first or third person perspective views, as you
wind your way through 7 ships over 20 huge levels. Over 20 lethal weapons
will provide you with all the firepower you need. So prepare yourself for
space-based and interior combat as you infiltrate these massive enemy
ships, cleansing and eventually destroying them from the inside.
Home Page Site -
http://www.eidosinteractive.com/terracide/terracide.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Convert-It! 1.2 5/31/97 23kb Shareware $5.00
Converts between Metric and Standard Units, and vice versa. Very easy-to-
use with a Great GUI (graphical user interface).
Home Page Site - http://www.geocities.com/Baja/2857/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Thumbs Plus 32-bit 3.0g beta 2 6/02/97 2.60mb Shareware $65
ThumbsPlus is a graphic file viewer, locator and organizer which
simplifies the process of finding and maintaining graphics, clip-art files,
fonts and animations. It displays a small image (thumbnail) of each file.
You can use ThumbsPlus to browse, view, edit, crop, launch external
editors, and copy images to the clipboard. You can use drag-and-drop to
organize graphics files by moving them to appropriate directories.
ThumbsPlus will also create a slide show from selected graphics, and
install bitmap files as Windows wallpaper. You can print individual
graphics files, or the thumbnails themselves as a catalog. ThumbsPlus can
convert to several formats, either one at a time or in batch mode. You can
also perform image editing in batch mode. ThumbsPlus will also convert
metafile graphics to bitmaps (rasterize). One important new feature in 3.0g
is the ablity to generate Web pages of thumbnails.
Home Page Site - http://www.cerious.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
System Utilities 2.0 6/02/97 3.3mb Freeware
This packet has 4 system utilites including System Editor 2.0, System
Monitor 2.0, System Alarm 2.0, and System Tray 2.0. System Editor 2.0 is an
enhanced system maintenance utility that allows you to edit up to 8 system
files at once efficiently and easily. System Monitor 2.0 has more than 48
things to monitor! It also has a status bar that monitors when your
configuration has changed, when your system settings have changed and a
bunch of other stuff. This utility has the ability to sit in the system
tray. System Alarm 2.0 is an alarm that sits in your system tray. You enter
a time (during that day) along with a message and an executable (optional).
When the time has come, a message bo appears with your message and the
execuable executes (if you chose it to). System Tray 2.0 allows you to take
any executable and put it into the system tray with any icon and any
tooltip.
Home Page Site - http://www.geocities.com/~jon999/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
NetScan Tools 32-bit 3.00 6/02/97 1.00mb Shareware $25
NetScanTools is a shareware application that has many UNIX functions
ported over to a Windows environment. The 32 bit version has: Name Server
Lookup, Finger, Ping, Traceroute, Whois, Daytime, Quote, Winsock Info,
Services, Protocols, NetScanner, Hosts file Management and "What's New At
NWPS"-- a barebones URL grabber.
Home Page Site - http://www.eskimo.com/~nwps/nstdl.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Space Invaders: The Year We Make Contact 2.0 6/01/97 1.0mb Shareware
$5.00
A clone of the orginal Space Invaders to Windows 95. Except with better
graphics, sound, and perhaps even gameplay.
Home Page Site - http://home.thezone.net/~jmccarth/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Spam Hater 16-bit 2.03 6/02/97 .60mb Free
Get lots of e-mail offering you get-rich-quick schemes? Want to hit back?
"Spam Hater" is free Windows software that helps you respond effectively
and makes it hot for these people. It:
* Analyses the Spam
* Extracts a list of addresses of relevant Postmasters, etc.
* Generates a "WHOIS" query to help track the perpetrator
* NEW - Generates a "TRACEROUTE" query to help track the perpetrator's
upstream provider
* Prepares a reply
* Choice of legal threats, insults or your own message
* Appends a copy of the Spam if required
* Puts it in a mail window ready for sending
Spam Hater works with lots of popular e-mail programs directly - there's no
tedious cutting and pasting.
Home Page Site - http://www.compulink.co.uk/~net-services/spam/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
DiscPlay 32-bit 4.0 6/03/97 1.00mb Shareware $15
An audio CD player with some nice features such as: DiscPlay can search
your
entire CD collection for tracks or albums; by title, artist, category,
owner, or user-defined information, DiscPlay offers five different window
sizes, and allows you to specify exactly what information will be displayed
in the window and on the title bar, and Editing playlists and disc
properties is as easy as dragging a track (or a file) onto a list.
Home Page Site - http://www.obvion.com/discplay/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Registry Backup 2.0.0310 6/02/97 990kb Freeware
This utility is make a backup of Windows registry, win.ini, system.ini
and if you want autoexec.bat and config.sys.It run at startup for maximum
protection. Requires the VB 4.0 Runtimes.
Home Page Site -
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Way/3550/index.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
AME Info - Arabian Middle East Business 2.1 6/01/97 1,255kb Demo
$100.00
Database covering details of some 125,000 companies in 13 Middle East
countries. Users can contact selected companies directly by telephone, fax,
e-mail or letter. The software allows the user to seach by company name or
product. Download up to 25,000 records or print labels.
Home Page Site - http://www.ameinfo.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Print Screen Deluxe 3.0 6/02/97 545kb Shareware $29.95
An all new product from the people who brought you Print Screen for
Windows. A powerful and easy to use Screen Capture utility that allows you
to capture your screen in many ways. Capture the Full Screen, Current
Window, a Roped area, a window's Client Area, and much more. Crop the
image, apply visual effects to it, configure your hot key, set a time
delayed capture, and even Zoom in on your image! Supports several file
formats. Also captures DOS full screens.
Home Page Site - http://www.americansys.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Auto Expense Manager 97 1.5 6/02/97 702kb Shareware $39.95
This application is used to track expenses and trip data for multiple
vehicles. It can track all trips and expenses wheather they are business
related or not. The trip entries and expense entries have a field to denote
whether it is business related. Tracks and unlimited number of vehicles,
trips and expenses. Stores insurance and auto club information. Generates
reports for specific date ranges that can be used for tax purposes.
Home Page Site - http://www.turbosystems.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
ContactCoordinator 1.1 6/01/97 1,265kb Shareware $39.95
An Internet-enabled contact manager and universal address book. Use it to
storeweb and e-mail addresses, along with standard address and phone or fax
information. Works with all popular Windows 95 browsers and E-mail
programs. ContactCoordinator provides a common interface for using Internet
Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Eudora, MSExchange, WinFax Pro, and many
other communications programs. And, since it works just like the
WindowsExplorer, you will feel right at home the first timeyou use it. It
is also designed to allow sharing ofcontacts with others over the Internet
or corporate Intranet. You can export HTML files with activelinks that
allow users to download contact information directly from the web page to
Contact Coordinator. Supports import of data in seven popular formats,
including cross-platform vCards. Extendable architecture allows use of "Add-
On Tools" for mail merge, E-mail merge, contact logging, tracking
websiteupdates, and storing Internet Phone & video-conferencing addresses.
Home Page Site - http://www.logicpulse.com/cocohome.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Microsoft Entertainment Pack 6/04/97 2.50mb Commercial Demo
Power up your gray matter for The Puzzle Collection -featuring games by
Alexey Pajitnov, the Russian mastermind behind Tetris. 10 original mind-
twisting puzzles with infinite variations - you do the math. They are easy
to play, but to master them is another story. You'll find they are so
challenging and addictive your brain will beg for more. The Puzzle
Collection includes a full spectrum of multi-level quick fixers and
strategic sticklers. Just see if you can stop after one level!
Home Page Site - http://www.microsoft.com/games/puzzle/default.htm
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Defense Of The Squid Man 1.1 6/02/97 2,787kb Freeware
A Windows 95 shoot-em-up game with three progressively more difficult
levels of game play (including animation, music, and sound effects), plus
an integrated background story and instructions. Control Squiggler Q.
Squidman to destroy the space pirates' ships, before they destroy
Squiggler, his family, and the fantastically luxuriant and fulfilling life
to which they have all become accustomed!
Home Page Site - http://multiverse.com/~jvgeier/Defense.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Zeus 32-bit 1.0 final beta plug-in 6/04/97 1.80mb Free beta
ZEUS is a VRML 1.0 plug-in for Netscape Navigator, Netscape Communicator
and Microsoft's Internet Explorer version 3.x and version 4. VRML (Virtual
Reality Markup Language) is a file format that allows a VRML client to view
and easily navigate a 3D world using a mouse or other input device.
Developed using some of the latest proprietary techniques, ZEUS is more
than 5 times faster on some worlds than other VRML plug-ins and has the
following features: Gouraud Shading Textures Full Lightsourcing Lines.
Home Page Site - http://www.zeus.virtek.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
NSCDPlayer 1.00 Beta 2 6/02/97 1,890kb Freeware
A Windows 95/NT application for playing audio cds. It is 100% compatible
with the Windows 95/NT cd player. Allows searching, viewing, and editing of
artists, titles, and tracks from one easy to use interface.
Home Page Site - http://www.solgate.com/~kschreib/nscd_features.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Net2Phone 16-bit 8.23 beta 6/04/97 1.30mb Free program -
Service costs $$$
Net2Phone is a new technology which makes it possible to place domestic
and international calls from a personal computer to any telephone in the
world. Net2Phone enables Internet users with sound-equipped PCs to initiate
calls from their computers and transmit them over the Internet to IDT's
phone switches. The switches then convert the signal from the "packet
switch network" Internet environment to the "circuit switch network"
telephone environment. And then to its' final destination - any ordinary
telephone. The result is real-time uninterrupted voice communication
between the two calling parties." Look out AT&T :)
Home Page Site - http://www.net2phone.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
EliaShim's ViruSafe 95 2.3 6/02/97 3.5mb Demo $30.00
MSOffice 7.0 support. It has a VXD scanner (Virtual Device Driver) with
an integrated SmartScan option. This offers an online protection against
both known and unknown viruses, and 100% protection against polymorphic
computer viruses. The technique of the stand-alone ViruSafe-WEB version has
been integrated in the new ViruSafe95 product; now one can surf without
care the Internet and download files from WEB and FTP sites.
Home Page Site - http://www.eliashim.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
ViruSafe WEB 4.0 6/02/97 1,088kb Freeware
ViruSafe-WEB is a unique Plug-In Anti Virus for Internet Web Browsers.
Whenever user downloads a file from the internet, ViruSafe-WEB will
automatically scan this file, even before it is saved to the disk. It can
scan programs, compressed ZIP files and WORD documents. If a virus is
found, ViruSafe-WEB will suggest erasing the infected file and thus get rid
of the virus. If no virus is found, user will be prompted to save it.
Home Page Site - http://www.eliashim.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Pegasus E-Mail 32-bit 2.54 Official Release 6/04/97 1.80mb Freeware
A really good E-mail program that's free. It has a lot of nice features
like a spelling checker, mailing list support, and much more.
Home Page Site - http://www.pegasus.usa.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
TextPad 32 3.0 Beta 5 6/02/97 1,179kb Shareware $27.00
TextPad is the most powerful and flexible text editor on the market.
Clean and uncluttered, the interface does not get in the way. Yet hiding
just a few mouse clicks away are powerful search and replace, macro
commands, and a highly customizable interface. When you need more than
notepad can offer, TextPad is the obvious next step.
Home Page Site - http://www.textpad.com/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Polyview 32-bit 2.90 beta 5a 6/04/97 1.40mb Shareware $20
PolyView is a BMP, GIF, JPEG, photo-cd, PNG, and TIFF graphics viewer,
file conversion, and printing utility for Windows NT and Windows 95.
PolyView features fast image rendering, panning, and zooming that is
optimized for Windows 95 and Windows NT. PolyView is a 32 bit application
that uses multithreading to enhance usability and allow time consuming
operations, such as image file reading and writing, to be performed in
parallel with user interface operations. PolyView's multithreaded nature
also allows the reading and writing of multiple image files at the same
time. With its image appearance manipulation, copy and paste facilities,
and DDE execution capabilities, PolyView is an excellent companion to your
favorite Web browser.
Home Page Site - http://www.netins.net/showcase/polybytes/
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
SB NewsBot 32-bit 4.4 6/05/97 .46mb StatusShareware $15
SBNews/News-Robot is designed to automatically download and uudecode
files from binary newsgroups. Binary newsgroups contain binary files which
are typically encoded via uuencode and sent as text. These newsgroups are a
popular means of distributing images across a wide area, and this is the
primary purpose that SBNews was designed for. It has some nice features
including a built in JPEG viewer, Dupe-Checking capabilities, logging, and
some miscellanious statistical functions.
Home Page Site - http://smbaker.simplenet.com/sbnews/sbnews.html
Name/Version Release Date Size Price
Internet Neighborhood 32-bit 1.1.25 6/05/97 1.00mb Shareware
Internet Neighborhood is a Windows 95 Shell Extension which is used for
browsing remote FTP sites as if they were directories/folders on your local
computer! With KnoWare's Internet Neighborhood, there's no longer any need
for those 'Explorer Like' applications and utilities; It's all integrated
into your existing namespace. Why launch a separate application to browse a
remote FTPsite, download the file, close the application, then run
Explorer? Simply launch Explorer directly, browse your way through the
Internet neighborhood, then drag-drop the files/application directly into
your file system.
Home Page Site - http://www.knowareinc.com/
EDUPAGE STR Focus Keeping the users informed
Edupage
Contents
Edupage In French
Market Test For Wireless Cable TV
Services
AT&T/SBC Merger Looks Like Decision
To Stay At Home
Are The Phone Companies Dancing --
Or Getting Ready To Fight?
Scholastic Sheds Computer Magazine
@Home's New IPO: Will Investors
Rip The Bags Open?
French Secrecy Law Evaded By
Internet Users
Anonymous Harassment On Net Eludes
Florida Law
Software Business: "Major Engine
Of The Modern Economy"
Gates, Hawking Team Up On British
Research Center
Intranets Aim At Employee Services
K56flex Technology Gets A Boost
PGP Granted Export License
Women And Technology
Will Microsoft Stay In "Access"
Business?
NASA Puts Stop To Teenager's
"Cracking Spree"
The Ultimate Internet Name Fight --
Who Owns "Internet"?
Microsoft Miffed By Student
Name-Poacher
Employee Goofing Up, Productivity
Down
PointCast Pushes Onto College
Campuses
Service Aimed At Nabbing Music
Pirates
Disenchantment With The Net
Intel's New Products = New Profits
Netscape Launches New Products In
Browser Battle
CNN To Offer Personalized News
Indictments For Computer Chip Theft
Green Tools For Business Students
Name Speculators Eye New Domains
What's In A (Domain) Name? Maybe
$150,000
Internet Gambling
EDUPAGE IN FRENCH
We are pleased to announce that a new French version of Edupage is now
being managed by the Centre de recherche informatique de Montreal (CRIM)
http://www.crim.ca. Edupage-fr will be produced by Dtech
http://dtech.qc.ca, CRIM's technology watch service, and will be
distributed by one of CRIM's divisions, the Reseau interordinateurs
scientifique quebecois (RISQ) http://www.risq.qc.ca. To receive Edupage
in French, send a message to majordomo@dtech.qc.ca, and in the body of the
message type: subscribe edupage-fr. [Nos salutations aux abonnes de la
version francaise d'Edupage et mille mercis et bonne chance a notre bonne
amie Josee Marianne Proulx, la pionniere qui a fait du francais la premiere
langue dans laquelle Edupages' est taille une place en dehors des
Etats-Unis.]
MARKET TEST FOR WIRELESS CABLE TV SERVICES
Pacific Telesis, a unit of SBC Communications, has begun a small-scale
commercial rollout of wireless cable TV services in Los Angeles and Orange
counties. Why the caution? "We want to make sure customers accept it on
a paying basis as well as they did when we gave it to people for free."
(Wall Street Journal 30 May 97)
AT&T/SBC MERGER LOOKS LIKE DECISION TO STAY AT HOME
Telecom industry analysts are interpreting the merger talks between
long-distance carrier AT&T and local phone service provider SBC, the
largest of the regional Bell operating companies, as a retrenchment from
global telecom competition by AT&T. AT&T's most recent business reversal
in Europe was a decision by Telefonica, its partner in Spain, to withdraw
from the partnership and form a new one with Concert, the global alliance
between MCI and British Telecommunications. (Financial Times 29 May 97)
ARE THE PHONE COMPANIES DANCING
OR GETTING READY TO FIGHT?
Discussing the plans of long-distance carrier AT&T to merge with regional
Bell operating company SBC, Federal Communications Commission chairman
Reed Hundt says: "The telecom law invited everybody to fight each other.
It's natural that these companies would explore the possibility of dancing
instead of fighting. It's up to government to tell them when their
combinations, alliances and mergers are pro-competition and when they're
anti-competition." But Congressman W. J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-La.), chairman
of the House Commerce Committee's telecommunications subcommittee, says:
"Is there any real difference between getting down to two or three or four
big competitors through mergers or having a dozen competitors fight it out
to get to two or three or four large competitors? The outcome is the
same." (Washington Post 1 Jun 97)
SCHOLASTIC SHEDS COMPUTER MAGAZINE
As part of a retrenchment effort, Scholastic Corporation plans to sell off
its consumer magazine Home Office Computing. Although the magazine is
profitable, it does not fit with Scholastic's new strategy of focusing
strictly on the education market. (New York Times 30 May 97)
@HOME'S NEW IPO: WILL INVESTORS RIP THE BAGS OPEN?
An initial public offering of stock in the company @Home, Inc. for $7 a
share will the latest test of investor interest in Internet-focused
companies. @Home provides high-speed Internet access and a package of
content via cable modems. When the company was founded in 1996, venture
capitalist John Doerr said optimistically: ``It's not a matter of `Will
the dogs eat the dog food?' They're ripping the bags open.'' But the
company has accumulated a deficit of $38 million, and the new prospectus
says that @Home ``expects to incur additional substantial operating and
net losses for the foreseeable future.'' (San Jose Mercury News Center 1
Jun 97)
FRENCH SECRECY LAW EVADED BY INTERNET USERS
A French law requiring that opinion polls be kept secret during the week
before a parliamentary vote was evaded by tens of thousands of French
Internet users who accessed Web sites on which the polls had been posted
anonymously. The Le Monde newspaper editorialized: AFrom here on, it is
the globalization of communications that renders the law obsolete.@ (AP 31
May 97)
ANONYMOUS HARASSMENT ON NET ELUDES FLORIDA LAW
Two Florida men who had been arrested for anonymous harassment on the
Internet have now been released. A chief assistant state attorney in
Florida explains: "It's simply not criminal under statute in the state of
Florida. I'm not condoning this activity. All I'm saying is that I'm left
powerless to do anything about it." The two men are 19-year-old former
high school students who had used a Web site to allege that a teacher and
student at their school were engaging in homosexual relations. The
statute cited in the men's arrest prohibits anonymous publication of
material that holds a person up to ridicule or contempt; however, the
Florida state attorney's office concluded that the statute is an
unconstitutional infringement of the right to free speech. (St. Petersburg
Times 31 May 97)
SOFTWARE BUSINESS:
"MAJOR ENGINE OF THE MODERN ECONOMY"
A study sponsored by the Business Software Alliance, an industry trade
group, says that the computer software business now ranks as the
third-largest manufacturing industry, pays wages twice the national
average, and generated revenues of $102.8 billion last year. BSA's
president says: "We see the study as a framework for saying to leaders in
Washington that software is a major engine of the modern economy. And as
we move to a new generation of software -- software used and distributed on
the Internet B it is essential to have policies that encourage innovation
and protect intellectual property." (New York Times 3 Jun 97)
GATES, HAWKING TEAM UP ON BRITISH RESEARCH CENTER
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has pledged a multimillion-pound grant to set
up a research center in Cambridge, England. The company plans to run the
center as a business and will keep it separate from Cambridge University,
although there will be "very close links" between the two, allowing
Cambridge professors to work at the center part time. The arrangement for
the center, which is considered Microsoft's "big project" for the new
millennium, was brokered by a small group of Cambridge University
academics, including renowned mathematician Stephen Hawking, who taught
Microsoft executive Nathan Myhrvold. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 1 Jun 97)
INTRANETS AIM AT EMPLOYEE SERVICES
A survey by Creative Networks predicts the use of corporate intranets will
rise by 110% this year, and Ziff-Davis's Computer Intelligence research arm
estimates that 45% of large companies already have an intranet installed.
While much of the growth initially was fueled by a desire to provide
Net-based purchasing and sales opportunities, companies now are devising
ways to use their intranets to deliver information, benefits and services
to their employees. High on the list for intranet/Internet use are
health-related services: IBM has paired with Allina Health System to
provide HMO members with general medical information, enrollment services
and appointment scheduling over the Internet, and Blue Shield of California
offers some of its 1.5-million subscribers Net-based services through
Healtheon Corp., an online healthcare company started by Jim Clark, who
also founded Netscape. (St. Petersburg Times 2 Jun 97)
K56FLEX TECHNOLOGY GETS A BOOST
A consortium of companies backing the K56flex modem technology developed by
Rockwell Semiconductor Systems and Lucent Technologies says it will
upgrade 1 million Internet ports to be compatible with the technology by
the end of September. The announcement comes on the heels of U.S.
Robotics' announcement that it will offer current users of its x2
technologies free upgrades to the International Telecommunication Union
standard that will be announced next year. The ITU standard likely will
combine elements of both K56flex and x2 technologies. (InfoWorld Electric
30 May 97)
PGP GRANTED EXPORT LICENSE
Pretty Good Privacy Inc. has obtained U.S. government approval to export
128-bit encryption technology B without key-recovery features -- to foreign
subsidiaries and branches of large U.S. companies. The branches and
subsidiaries are not allowed to re-export, resell or transfer the
encryption software without government authorization. "As far as we know,
Pretty Good Privacy Inc. is now the only company that has U.S. government
approval to sell strong encryption to the worldwide subsidiaries and branch
offices of such a large number of U.S. corporations, without having to
compromise on the strength of the encryption or add schemes designed to
provide government access to keys," says a PGP VP and general counsel. (BNA
Daily Report for Executives 2 Jun 97)
WOMEN AND TECHNOLOGY
A recent survey commissioned by Avon Products Inc. shows that contrary to
the popular perception of females as technophobes, women increasingly are
embracing technology as a business ally: "Women view technology as the
leveler," says the pollster. "They see it as an integral tool in the
workplace and for entry into fields they felt might not have been
available to them." Eighty percent of the 400 women surveyed said
technology was a good way to get into male-dominated fields, and 75%
attributed a recent advancement at work to their ability to use
technology. The more women used technology at work, the more likely they
were to earn salaries higher than $25,000. (St. Petersburg Times 2 Jun
97)
WILL MICROSOFT STAY IN "ACCESS" BUSINESS?
Industry analysts are speculating that Microsoft will eventually drop out
of the Internet service provider business and concentrate instead on
providing information services ("content," as it's described in the
industry). But Microsoft Network (MSN) denies it plans to stop providing
network access services and says it will be trying to enlarge its own
subscriber base while offering MSN as a content package to other Internet
service providers. A Microsoft marketing executive says: "We didn't
expect to make money in the overall business for two to three to four
years" -- when the network has 30 million subscribers (up from the current
15 million). "At that size, when you get 30 million people going on
regularly, then you have a mass medium." (San Jose Mercury News Center 3
Jun 97)
NASA PUTS STOP TO TEENAGER'S "CRACKING SPREE"
Delaware law enforcement officers seized the personal computer of a
teenager charged with invading Web site of NASA, the National Aeronautics
and Space Agency in Huntsville, Alabama, and posting the message: "We
own you. Oh,what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive," and
calling the NASA site administrators "extremely stupid." A NASA statement
described the teen's hacking as "a cracking spree" and said, "We live in an
information environment vastly different than 20 years ago. Hackers are
increasing in number and in frequency of attack." (USA Today 3 Jun 97)
THE ULTIMATE INTERNET NAME FIGHT
WHO OWNS "INTERNET"?
In 1990 the word "Internet" was registered with the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office as a trademark by a Reston, Virginia, company called
Internet, Inc. (now called Honors Technologies Inc.) which runs the "MOST"
automated teller machine network for 450 member banks, savings and loans,
and credit unions. Recently, Honors Technologies has sent letters to other
companies, warning them that their use of the word "Internet" is a
trademark infringement. But Don Heath, chief executive of the Internet
Society (also, coincidentally, located in Reston) says: "We think it's
preposterous that anyone should trademark the word 'Internet.' Our
objective is the cancellation of the trademark so that it can be used by
anybody." Honors Technologies maintains it is interested only in
restricting the use of the word by companies in the banking business.
(Washington Post 2 Jun 97)
MICROSOFT MIFFED BY STUDENT NAME-POACHER
Here's another name controversy in the news. Microsoft is taking action to
stop a California college student from continuing to use a WWW page he
developed using the name "microsoftnetwork.com," which he had registered
through the Internic domain-name clearinghouse. The student has also
registered more than a dozen other addresses with names related to
Microsoft products. A Microsoft spokesman says the student "is clearly
involved in copyright infringement, trademark infringement and unfair
trade practices. We will try to contact him and request him to stop.
Failing that, we'll send a cease-and-desist letter requesting he stop
infringing upon our name." (New York Times 3 Jun 97)
EMPLOYEE GOOFING UP, PRODUCTIVITY DOWN
Informal estimates of "employee goofing" -- surfing the Web for personal
entertainment on company time B range anywhere from 5% to 40% of the Web
sites accessed during an employee's work hours. A video production
manager at IBT who wrote his thesis on "goofing" says he estimates that
each employee with access to the Internet loses at least one to two hours
of productivity per week through goofing. In addition to lost
productivity, workers who surf the Web during work hours also clog up the
network: "Network-based games and online pornography take up a lot of
bandwidth," says a marketing director at a company that makes blocking
software. "The IS manager is the first one to notice this sort of
activity, because it tends to slow down the network for everyone else."
Industry experts urge companies to formalize Internet usage policies, both
to protect productivity and to avoid liability. "If you ask most people
what the Internet is, they'll tell you it's a collection of networks or the
next great medium," says one attorney. "I tell them that the Internet is
a productivity sinkhole and a fount of legal liability issues. That's why
you need those policies to be in place." (CommunicationsWeek 3 Jun 97)
POINTCAST PUSHES ONTO COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Internet "push" technology pioneer PointCast is developing the PointCast
College Network, which will enable university administrators to feed
announcements and other information to all the computers on a campus so
that the students working in a lab, for instance, will see messages
alerting them to new parking policies or entertainment events on campus.
The company plans to supply free software to the campuses and will provide
a new set of channels aimed at the college crowd, offering news and
entertainment. (Chronicle of Higher Education 6 Jun 97)
SERVICE AIMED AT NABBING MUSIC PIRATES
A newly formed company called Intersect, Inc. is marketing a product aimed
at detecting unauthorized use of copyrighted music on the Internet.
MusicReport uses Audio Video Scan technology to search for RealAudio, MPEG
Audio Layer 3 and other media formats commonly used to deliver video and
audio over the Internet. It also provides the source of each file,
including the Internet service provider, the domain name, and a list of
files for downloading. The product was developed in response to music and
film industry concerns over misuse of copyrighted material. (InfoWorld
Electric 3 Jun 97)
DISENCHANTMENT WITH THE NET
As universities jump onto the Internet 2 bandwagon, one professor who
directs a university program to deliver technical courses via the Net sees
disenchantment with the current Internet's flea-market-like atmosphere as a
hidden motivation: "Saying that classes will be conducted on the Internet
these days is like saying the classes are being offered on 'The X-Files.'
Many universities, well aware of this distaste, would prefer to be
associated with Internet 2. It's not merely a matter of bandwidth."
Futurist Paul Saffo says it's just an unfortunate phase, however: "It
takes time to take a raw, untamed technology and turn it into a compelling
medium. All media go through adolescence; the Web happens to be going
through a particularly rough one." (Scientific American Jun 97)
INTEL'S NEW PRODUCTS = NEW PROFITS
Saying his company is in the midst of a massive chip transition, Intel CEO
Andy Grove says that by next fall, about 90% of the company's
microprocessor revenue will come from sales of new chips, especially
MMX-based Pentiums and the newer Pentium II. The company expects the PC
market to grow at a compound annual rate of about 17% through the rest of
the decade. (Investor's Business Daily 4 Jun 97)
NETSCAPE LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCTS IN BROWSER BATTLE
Still fighting to keep its Web browser dominant in the industry, Netscape
CEO James Barksdale promises "an unmitigated flurry" of promotional
activity in the next few weeks, including the formal launch of both
Communicator and the new version of its SuiteSpot server software. At the
same time, Netscape will introduce its "Great Internet Tune-up." From any
of the four major Web search engines, users will be able to download new
software by clicking on "tune-up@Netscape." The company hopes to persuade
at least 10 million users to download the new software within 30 days of
its June 11 release. (Wall Street Journal 4 Jun 97)
CNN TO OFFER PERSONALIZED NEWS
In a joint venture with Oracle, Cable News Network's CNN Interactive will
be offering an advanced personalized news service on the Internet, using
linguistic analysis to identify themes and topics among the news stories
filed by CNN reporters, and to match them against a reader's profile of
interests. (Financial Times 4 Jun 97)
INDICTMENTS FOR COMPUTER CHIP THEFT
Federal prosecutors have indicted 17 individuals for their involvement with
an Asian organized-crime syndicate responsible for armed robberies in May
1995 of more than $10 million worth of Intel Pentium chips from two
companies in Orange County, California. (New York Times 4 Jun 97)
GREEN TOOLS FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS
The Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development,
representing 125 international companies, and AISEC, the largest student
organization in the world, have developed a program to improve
environmental literacy ( http://www.wbcsd.ch/foundation/ ). Students
passing the exam will receive a certificate that will be recognized by all
member companies in job applications. (Toronto Financial Post 5 June 97)
NAME SPECULATORS EYE NEW DOMAINS
The seven new top-level domain names haven't been introduced yet, but
speculators already are eyeing the new possibilities hungrily, and some
entrepreneurs have established "preregistration" services, offering to take
reservations for $15, with an additional $35 due if they're successful in
securing the deal. If they fail, they get to keep the $15. One of these
services claims it's already received 1,800 preregistrations. "We're
already seeing the beginning stages of a rush to get these new names as
more people are finding out about it," says the operator of a
preregistration service. To date, more than 1 million Internet addresses
have been officially registered through Network Solutions, 90% of them with
the ".com" suffix. (Wall Street Journal 5 Jun 97)
WHAT'S IN A DOMAIN NAME? MAYBE $150,000
An undisclosed company in Houston, Texas, has paid $150,000 to purchase the
domain name "business.com" from the British company that had registered it
without charge four years ago. The company that brokered the purchase
claims the price is the highest ever paid for a domain name. (New York
Times 5 Jun 97)
INTERNET GAMBLING
Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), the new chairman of the technology subcommittee
of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wants to restrict gambling on the
Internet: "Yes, we know we are facing a challenge with enforcement, but
society does need to say what is right and wrong even when it is hard to
enforce. It's still a crime, even though it's in a new venue." But David
McClure of the Association of Online Professionals counters: "It's not the
job of ISPs [Internet Service Providers] to play nanny to people who use
the Web, and government shouldn't legislate morality and place that onerous
burden on business owners. Providers are easy targets for legislators who
don't know how to deal with complex international technology." (USA Today
5 Jun 97)
Edupage is written by John Gehl (gehl@educom.edu) & Suzanne Douglas
(douglas@educom.edu).
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WinFax PRO 8.0
Toronto, Ontario - May 28, 1997 - In response to customer feedback,
Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq: SYMC) announced enhanced integration with
Microsoft Outlook is now available in WinFax PRO 8.0, the first full-
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Lotus Organizer phonebook support, and multiple enhancements to address
customer support issues are also available free to WinFax PRO 8 customers
using the product's built-in LiveUpdate technology. Users need only click
on the LiveUpdate menu item to automatically update their software via
modem or Internet connection.
"The ability to view all my e-mail and fax messages from one message
center, within one application, is very important to me," remarked Kenny
West, of www.pilotgear.com. "I am pleased to see that I can now view my
WinFax messages within MS Outlook, and use the Outlook phonebook for all
my contact information."
To improve their productivity, customers using Office 97 and WinFax now
have the option to set up an integrated message center on their PC, with
the ability to view WinFax and Talkworks message folders within Outlook,
and to drag and drop WinFax messages into other Outlook folders. Users
also have the convenience of initiating a fax from the Outlook message
view.
"I count on WinFax and Talkworks as reliable messaging solutions for my
business," said Bruce Smith, VP and General Manager of Summit Machine Tool
Manufacturing. "I ran into some issues running WinFax PRO 8 with a new OEM
version of Windows 95. Symantec identified the problem quickly, and
provided a "fix" in this update release. They also gave me the opportunity
to test the solution, and I am happy to report that my problem is solved."
"Our LiveUpdate technology makes it easy to respond quickly to changes in
the technology our customers are using, making them more productive, and
reducing the need for technical support calls. We address changes made by
other vendors that affect our product, such as keeping our modem
compatibility lists and print drivers current." said Ralph Musgrove,
Product Manager for WinFax PRO 8.0. "In the case of MS Outlook, our growing
base of Office 97 users wanted the same high level of integration of the
phonebooks and message viewing options that we provided with Microsoft
Exchange, and I am pleased that we have been able to
deliver it to them."
Phonebook Support
WinFax PRO works with Symantec ACT!, the popular contact manager, and
personal information managers (PIMs) such as Outlook and Lotus Organizer,
by allowing users to use their existing phonebooks to save the time and
hassle of re-entering contact information. Users can view supported
phonebooks within WinFax, drag and drop entries from any of the phonebooks
into the WinFax recipient list.
How LiveUpdate Works
With the click of a button, LiveUpdate launches a Wizard to guide users
through the software update process. First, LiveUpdate detects the
availability of an Internet connection or modem and automatically connects
to a Symantec server. Once LiveUpdate is connected to the Symantec site,
the system downloads the appropriate file information specific to that
product, eliminating the need for users to scroll through information not
applicable to their product. For example, if a user was enacting LiveUpdate
from WinFax PRO 8.0, LiveUpdate would locate and download all new
information related to that product. Once the user confirms that they want
to enact the update, LiveUpdate then completes the operation. To further
boost productivity, LiveUpdate works in the background so that users may
continue to work while the program is updating. Current and future
purchasers of WinFax PRO 8.0 can find and execute LiveUpdate under the help
menu in the main WinFax program screen.
Product Availability
WinFax PRO 8.0 is available at retail for an estimated street price of
$99.00USD. WinFax PRO 7.5 users can upgrade for $19.95 (plus shipping and
handling). Users running all other versions of WinFax PRO or WinFax LITE
can upgrade for $49.95 (plus shipping and handling). To order, or for
further information on upgrades, customers can contact Symantec at 1-800-
441-7234.
System Requirements
WinFax PRO 8.0 requires a 486 computer (Pentium recommended) with a minimum
of 8MB RAM (16MB recommended), Windows 95 or Windows NT (3.51 or 4.0), 25MB
disk space for a minimum install (44MB for a full install) and Class 1,
Class 2, Class 2.0 or CAS-compatible fax modem. A voice capable fax modem
is required, and a sound card recommended, for TalkWorks.
For more information on WinFax PRO 8, visit the WinFax product information
area on our web site: http://www.symantec.com/winfax/
Symantec Corporation helps make users productive and keep their computers
safe and reliable anywhere and anytime. Symantec offers a broad range of
solutions and is acclaimed as a leader in both customer satisfaction and
product brand recognition. The company is focused on addressing customer
needs in three main application areas: the Norton product line of anti-
virus and PC-assistance products; the pcAnywhere, WinFax and ACT! product
lines that cater to remote user productivity; and the Cafe product lines in
Internet development tools.
Founded in 1982, the company's global operations span North America,
Europe, Japan and several fast growing markets throughout Asia Pacific and
Latin America. Traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SYMC, Symantec
Corporation is based in Cupertino, California and employs more than 2000
people. Information on the company and its products can be obtained by
calling (800) 441-7234 toll free, (541) 334-6054 or accessed on the World
Wide Web at http://www.symantec.com.
Kids Computing Corner
Frank Sereno, Editor
fsereno@streport.com
Ray Dream Studio
Version 4.1 for Windows 95
Fractal Design
(800) 846-0111
http://www.fractal.com
Special Price through June 30 direct through Fractal Design
$199 Purchase or Upgrade
Regular price $299
Review by Donna Lines
If you've been looking for a 3D illustration and animation package with
impressive power and extensive features, yet is easy to use AND affordable
-- look no further, Ray Dream StudioT is for you.
Ray Dream StudioT has features usually found only in expensive, cumbersome,
high-end graphics programs. The program features four seamlessly
integrated components, Ray Dream Designer, Ray Dream Animator, Dream Models
and the Extensions Portfolio.
The Scene Wizard helps you create the background for your illustration
quickly and painlessly. Ray Dream StudioT includes 500 models that are
fully featured and animatable, ready to drag and drop into your scene. You
can create new models using the Model Wizard or free form a model with the
Model Window. Color the models using the any of the 350 shaders, such as
wood, marble, metal, or wallpaper, just to name a few. Use the Shader
Editor to edit the shaders or create your own.
Ray Dream StudioT allows you to use unlimited lights. Included are a
number of different types of lights, e.g., bulb, spotlight, beam, and
distant light. You can view your scene through unlimited cameras and even
add a panoramic camera to spin and rotate through your scene for an
interesting perspective. Viewing your 3D scene from different angles also
helps ensure that everything is placed properly in the scene.
The Ray Dream Designer User Guide includes one tutorial to step you through
your first project -- modeling a castle that will eventually become part of
a fish tank scene. For this tutorial you will free-form model some parts
of the castle and drag and drop ready-made models for other parts, giving
you excellent hands-on experience in the various aspects of modeling.
Before you start the tutorial, read through the preceding chapters to help
you become familiar with the program's features and terminology.
Animation features include a fully editable timeline -- giving you precise
control over key events. These include behaviors such as bounce and spin;
deformers - bend & twist and shatter; and my favorite, rotoscoping - you
can use an AVI or QuickTimeT movie as a background for your animation.
One of the most advanced animation features is Inverse Kinematics. Inverse
Kinematics uses "intelligent" links between parent and child objects. You
specify the constraints on the objects restricting the types of movement.
For example, you can link an upper leg to a knee to a foot, when the foot
is moved the knee and upper leg move with it. If it sounds too
complicated, don't worry. The third animation tutorial will give you hands-
on experience.
Ray Dream StudioT is extendible, which means that it was designed to be
used with third party plug-ins. Included on the program CD ROM are demo
versions of five Extensions packages from RAYflect, Inc., Zenstar Software,
and Radical F/X. With these extensions, you can add special lighting, such
as a cone of light (as if from a flashlight or movie projector) or sphere
of light. You can add special animation effects such as atomize and
dissolve; explode; black hole; or even add special lenses to add
photographic realism to your illustrations. Fractal Design is offering the
Radial F/XT extension FREE for a limited time when you buy Ray Dream
StudioT direct from Fractal Design. With Ray Dream StudioT's
extensibility, you'll never outgrow this program.
Ray Dream StudioT offers Internet support. Export your scenes to VRML (for
a virtual world) or save your files as a GIF or JPEG. You can also export
in TIFF, PICT, BMP, or TGA format. Export animations as QuickTimeT, AVI
and sequenced bitmap format.
If you want more hands-on experience than the four included tutorials
provide, I suggest that you buy a third party Ray Dream StudioT guide.
Fractal Design directly offers illustration and animation tutorial videos.
I recommend The Ray Dream Handbook by Craig Patchett and John Sledd
(published by Charles River Media). It is available at a discount through
Fractal Design's web site. The book includes input from twenty top Ray
Dream StudioT artists. The book also includes a CD-ROM that contains many
examples from the featured artists. These illustrations will surely stir
your imagination and show you the true capabilities of this program.
Ray Dream StudioT offers the desktop computer user a truly powerful, easy-
to-use program that makes it easy to get professional results. If you are
ready to try your hand at animation or 3D illustration, Ray Dream StudioT
is for you!
NOTE: Fractal Design has announced a major upgrade to Ray Dream StudioT.
Version 5 is expected to ship sometime during the 3rd quarter. Anyone
purchasing Ray Dream StudioT after May 19th will receive the upgrade free
(plus a shipping and handing charge) directly through Fractal Design.
Version 5 will support MMXT technology, run faster than its predecessors,
and incorporate several new features including a new rendering engine --
"ThinkFish's LiveStylesT. This engine will give 3D artwork traditional 2D
looks varying from photorealism to paintings to cartoons. The full version
is expected to retail under $300. Customers who do not qualify for the
free upgrade may purchase the upgrade for $99 from Fractal Design.
System Requirements:
486 or Pentium running Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 (recommended)
12 MB free RAM (16 MB recommended)
20 MB hard drive space for program files plus 20 MB free disk space
CD-ROM drive
The City of Lost Children
PC CD-ROM
Street Price: $49.95
For ages 13 and older
(Mild animated violence)
Psygnosis
919 East Hillsdale Blvd
Foster City, CA 94404
(415) 655-8031
http://www.psygnosis.com
Program Requirements
OS: DOS 6.22
CPU: 486DX4/100Mhz
HD Space: 40 MB
Memory: 8 MB
Graphics: 640 x 480, 256 colors
CD-ROM: Double-speed
Audio: Sound Blaster compatible
review by Jason Sereno (jason.sereno@mules-ear.com)
The City of the Lost Children is one of the latest and most exciting
offerings from Psygnosis. The program is loosely based on the very popular
French movie of the same title. City of the Lost Children contains
seventeen characters who are very distinct. You can see them in 3D movie
sequences. The plot is very dark and displays gloomy yet breathtaking
landscapes with very compelling characters so will always find yourself
intrigued. The program uses advanced 3D technology and many different
camera angles that the player can manipulate. It has a great soundtrack
that really adds dimension to the game too. The City of the Lost Children
is truly remarkable and is unlike any other game on the market today.
The game has some new characters and locations that were not included in
the film. The City of the Lost Children was originally a French motion
picture about a mysterious man suspected of many kidnappings in a small
town. The man, Krank, is actually an evil scientist who is aging
prematurely because he lacks the ability to dream. He is trying to
compensate for his premature aging by stealing the dreams of children.
Krank takes the children to his laboratory so he can tap into their dreams
and stop the aging process. When Krank kidnaps Denree, Strong Man
(Denree's older brother) determinedly attempts to rescue him. Strong Man
eventually teams up with Miette, an orphan who is also the main character
in the story. She is doing evil deeds for her school teacher when she
first meets Strong Man. Miette and Strong Man embark on a series of many
wondrous, but harrowing, adventures on their way to rescue Denree from the
evil scientist.
These three characters are not the only ones present in the game. The City
of the Lost Children contains seventeen characters with individual
personalities and agendas. Each character has responsibilities and seems
to stay in one location most of the game. Psygnosis opted to use motion-
capture technology instead of full motion video to bring the characters to
life. The producers used motion-capture technology to immerse the
characters into the 3D-rendered landscapes. It really shines in the small
details like the way that Miette's dress moves when she walks.
The game seems almost cinematic when you are playing it. This is because
Psygnosis approached Marc Caro, the movie's cinematic director, to add new
locations and camera angles to the game. The colors are a mixture of light
and dark hues that blend together beautifully. While playing, the gamer
can toggle between two drastically different camera angles. One camera is
usually far away while the other displays a closer look at your
surroundings. When playing, the cameras will switch automatically as
necessary.
Musically, The City of the Lost Children is very captivating. Right when
you are in the middle of the game in a new and eerie place, the music will
climax and add tension. The music seems to play a very important role in
the gamer's experience. At times, the music is almost unnoticeable
because you are paying close attention to the dialog. When Miette is
alone, the music is unmistakably present.
The City of the Lost Children may not be suitable for children under
thirteen. There is some animated violence and the plot might seem too
scary for smaller kids. At fifteen, I found the game very suitable for
kids of my age and the violence wasn't very graphic either. The game does
get somewhat complicated and you may find that the problem solving may be
too complex for smaller kids. Even I was sometimes lost. I found that if
you think logically and plan out your steps the program becomes easier to
play. The City of the Lost Children is one of Pysgnosis' finest products
to date. It is a must buy for any serious gamer who is looking for a great
challenge. City of the Lost Children has the perfect amount of music,
animation, and story that add up to make one great game that you will want
to get lost in!
Special Notice!! STR Infofile File format for Articles
File Format for STReport
All articles submitted to STReport for publication must be sent in the
following format. Please use the format requested. Any files received
that do not conform will not be used. The article must be in an importable
word processor format for Word 6.0 and/or Word Perfect 7.. The margins are
.05" left and 1.0" Monospaced fonts are not to be used. Please use
proportional fonting only and at Twelve (12) points.
ú No Indenting on any paragraphs!!
ú No Indenting of any lines or "special gimmickery"
ú No underlining!
ú Columns shall be achieved through the use of tabs only. Or, columns
in Word or Word Perfect format. Do NOT, under any circumstances, use the
space bar.
ú Most of all.. PLEASE! No ASCII "ART"!!
ú There is no limits as to size, articles may be split into two if
lengthy
ú Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF file formats
ú Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent along with the
article separately
ú Please use a single font only in an article. TTF New Times Roman
12pt. is preferred. (VERY Strong Hint)
If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call. On
another note. the ASCII version of STReport is fast approaching the "end of
the line" As the major Online Services move away from ASCII.. So shall
STReport. All in the name of progress and improved readability. The
amount of reader mail expressing a preference for our Adobe PDF enhanced
issue is running approximately 15 to 1 over the ASCII edition. I might add
however, the requests for our issues to be done in HTML far outnumber both
PDF and ascii. HTML is now under consideration. We'll keep you posted.
Besides, STReport will not be caught in the old, worn out "downward
compatibility dodge" we must move forward.
However, if the ASCII readership remains as high, rest assured. ASCII
will stay. Right now, since STReport is offered on a number of closed
major corporate Intranets as "required" Monday Morning reading.. Our ascii
readers have nothing to worry themselves about. It looks like it is here
to stay.
Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation and
input.
Ralph F. Mariano, Editor
rmariano@streport.com
STReport International Online Magazine
UltraEdit / UltraEdit-32 - v4.31The editor for all your editing needs.
UltraEdit is an excellent replacement for NOTEPAD and a lot more, with
support for unlimited file sizes, 100,000 word spelling checker, full HEX
editing capabilities, configurable syntax highlighting for programmers,
column editing. UltraEdit has all the features you will need. UltraEdit
handles multiple files at once, even if they are multi-megabyte files. It
is Disk based and only requires a small amount of memory, even for very
large files. UltraEdit-32 is designed for Windows NT and Windows 95, and
UltraEdit is designed for for Windows 3.1. One fee allows use of both
products.
Standard Features:
- Disk based text editing
- No limit on file size, minimum RAM used even for multi-megabyte files
- Multiple files open and displayed at the same time
- Column mode editing!!!, Insert columns/ delete/ cut/ add sequential
numbers
- Drag and Drop Editing
- File sort (with remove duplicates, ignore case, ascending, descending)
- 100,000 word spell checker
- Syntax highlighting - configurable, pre configured for C/C++, VB, HTML
and Java
- Automatic word wrap at specified column with hard return
- Insert file into an existing document at cursor position
- Drag and Drop support from the file manager
- Configurable toolbar
- Splitter windows
- Insert and overstrike modes for editing
- Multi-level undo and redo
- UltraEdit is Windows 3.x CUA compliant
- Find and Replace - Also allows selection of text between caret and
find target when shift key is pressed, Replace all in select area Find in
Files, Replace In Files
- Goto Line Number/Page Break
- Font Selection for display and printer. (Supports all fonts installed
including TRUE-TYPE fonts)
- Print support with headers, footers, margins and page breaks.
- Automatic Line Indentation
- Tab Settings
- Word Wrap Support
- Hexadecimal Editor - Allows editing of any binary file - HEX Cut,
- copy and paste support
- HEX Insert and Delete of characters
- HEX Find, Replace and Replace All
- Bookmarks - Unlimited number of Bookmarks
- Multiple Windows of the same file
- Comprehensive macro support, including saving and loading
- Context Sensitive Help
- Automatic backup file generated with (.BAK) extension in the directory
of the original file
- UltraEdit retains its screen position each time it is used
- Line & column number display (line number display may be disabled)
- Pop-up menus with right mouse button.
- Text conversion to lower or upper case and capitalization.
- Unix/Mac to DOS Conversion
- DOS to Unix conversion
- Auto detect UNIX/Mac files
- Convert Word Wrap to CR/LF's allowing word wrap to be written to file
with hard returns
- Convert CR/LF's to Wor
d Wrap (removes CR/LF's from file)
- Template Support
- More ...
Also:
- UltraEdit accepts a command line input and so can be used to replace
NOTEPAD or other editors that are called up from a file manager by clicking
on a file.
Registration
You are limited to 45 Days of use for an unregistered version. UltraEdit
is a shareware program. If you find it useful and continue to use it you
are obligated to register it with the author by sending $30.00
(Ohio Residents add $1.65 Sales Tax) to:
Ian D. Mead
8209 Chestnut Hill Ct.
West Chester, OH 45069
USA
Free upgrades for at least 1 year.
Upgrade fee is $15.00 (Ohio residents add $0.83 Sales Tax)for previous
registered users.
VISA/MASTERCARD/American Express Accepted
For VISA/MasterCard/American Express orders, include:1) Name of card
holder2) Address of card holder3) Name and address of user if different
from card holder
4) Expiration date of card
5) Card #.
Credit card orders may be faxed or telephoned to (513) 779 8549, or sent to
my E-Mail address (see below).
Compuserve Registration
UltraEdit may also be registered online on compuserve by typing GO SWREG
and following instructions for registering using ID 2662 dor UltraEdit and
ID 4017 for UltraEdit-32.
This will entitle you to an authorization code, the latest registered
version, and technical support.
For CompuServe registrations, a newer version is not sent out if the latest
version is available on CompuServe.
E-Mail Address
Internet: idm@idmcomp.com
CompuServe: 71613,2654
WWW http://www.idmcomp.com
Return Policy
No refunds are issued after an authorization code has been issued.
Exchanges are allowed if appropriate.
This program may be freely distributed provided it is unmodified, no charge
is made for the software, and all of the following files are included:
1) READ.ME - This File
2) UltraEdt.EXE - Executable File
3) UltraEdt.HLP - UltraEdit help file
Latest Version
The latest version of UltraEdit/UltraEdit-32 may be found in several
places:
The following www page:
http://www.idmcomp.com
In the WINUSER Forum on CompuServe, an official distribution and support
online resource for future updates. Search for ULTRAEDIT.ZIP, and
UEDIT32.ZIP.The Windows Users Group Network (WUGNET), operators of the
oldest and largest independent support resource forum (WINUSER) for Windows
Users on CIS with nearly 1,000,000 active members is recognized in the
press, user groups, developers, and Microsoft as the foremost resource for
shareware
publishers on CompuServe and the Internet.
On the Internet on several sites, including; ftp.streport.com, CICA and
other sites.
History
// History - Purged changes prior to v4.20
V4.20 - ASCII file compare under file menu
- Replace in files
- Replace in all open files (option under standard replace)
- Command line improvements:
a) The command line parameter /r will open the specified files for
read only.
b) Wildcard support: you may now specify *.c to open all c files.
c) You may specify that the filename on the command line contains
a list of file to open:
uedit32 filelist.txt /f
where filelist.txt contains a list of files, each on a separate
line.
- New spelling checker engine that supports French, German, Spanish,
Italian, Finnish, Swedish and Dutch. Download dictionaries
separately. Alos support multiple user dictionaries and can share
Microsofts custom dictionaries.
- New column markers to indicate the lines extending beyond specified
columns (View menu).
- Added option "Save File As Input Format" also that allows a Unix
file to be opened and then save as Unix format automatically when
used in conjunction with the "Auto Convert Unix Files" function.
- User selectable reference help files. From the Help menu you may
add help files that you want UltraEdit to be able to reference
with keyword searches. Great for adding help support for your
programming API.
- Syntax Highlighting improvements:
a) Fixed //* problem with comments for C/C++
b) Added support for selectable colors for all 6 languages
c) Added 5 user colors per language (was 3)
d) Added color selection for strings (stings not recognized if
cross multiple lines)
- Added FORTRAN_LANG key word for syntax highlighting to support
'c', 'C' and '*' as comment indicators if in first column.
- Long or short filename support passing file names in the
Dos/Windows and Tools commands. If the %F, %P, %N and %E are lower
case the name passted to the application is the long file name and
the user should put the %f in quotes i.e.
c:\somecommand "%f" or
c:\somecommand "%p%n"
- Other changes
V4.20a - Bug Fixes:
Vertical Scroll Bar Thumb Size
Openning files with UNC convention "\\computer name..."
Fix possible crash with syntax highlighting (reported once)
V4.20b - Bug Fixes:
- Vertical Scroll Bar Thumb Drag
- Possible GPF if word-wrap set to wrap at column and insert CR/LF
- Syntax Highlight related display fixes
v4.30 - Drag and Drop Editing (including column and hex modes)
- Directory Specification for optional default Save Directory
- Replace All in Selected Text Only
- Option to "not" rember last file opened and open from the default
directory (including the directory specified in the shortcut when
first started)
- Feature to insert a string at a known increment in a file
- designed to help DB users add delimiters (CR/LF often) at the
end of every record. (File Menu, special,
"Insert String at Every Increment")
- Macro menu item to specify macro to be loaded at startup
- use to be on the command line but this can be awkward these
days.
- Syntax Highlighting Block comments now supported with Word Wrap
turned on.
- Case manipulation functions now work on selected text correctly
when in column Mode
- Improved HTML support syntax highlighting support
- Allow multiple language dictionaries to be used at one time
- TeX/LaTeX support with LATEX_LANG flag for syntax highlighting
- EBCDIC file conversion
- Fix for long delay when accessing drives nolonger available on
most
recent file list.
- IntelliMouse scrolling support
- Reformat Paragraph will work on complete file if selected
- Set color for selected text
- Enhanced user time/date specification for templates.
- EBCDIC File Conversion (File - Conversions)
- Trim Trailing Spaces (Format menu)
v4.31 - INI file selection using command line (allows different
configurations and personal configurations on shared stations
across network)
- File Type Associations in Advanced Configuration (32-Bit only)
- File Compare - Option for showing Differeces Only,
not complete file
- Regular Expressions Support tagged expressions for find/replace
- Configurable Keyboard Mapping in Advanced Configuration
(32-Bit only)
- Word Count in Search Menu (includes line count)
- Macro option to continue when search string is not found
- Block Cursor in Overstrike Mode
- DDE Support with full command line options
- Page setup header/footer alignment commands
- Bug fixes
Windows is a registered Trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Classics & Gaming Section
Editor Dana P. Jacobson
dpj@streport.com
From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
It's been a long week (so what else is new??). I wish we could turn
the clocks back 20 or 30 years, to a time when we were younger and didn't
have a care in the world - or at least too many! There has to be a better
way to go through life, but I have a feeling that that utopia is left for
those financially well off, and not the typical working class like most of
us. <grin> It's time to break out of the mundane routine!
Speaking of the mundane - not so with Atari users! Lots of interesting
items for you this week, including what we hope to be a fairly regular
column from our new correspondent, Mark Showalter. Mark's a musician and
uses Atari computers in his work. We'll see what he has to say this week,
and in future issues. Welcome aboard, Mark!
So, with plenty of news and STuff this week, let's dive right in and get to
the rest of this issue - I can ramble any time! And no, we still haven't
found a house yet. Grumble...
Until next time...
TITAN DESIGNS & BLACK SCORPION SOFTWARE
PRESS RELEASE
Dated: 1st June 1997
Quite a few new developments have taken place at TITAN/BSS. Prices of
several programs have been lowered, and we also have some new adaptors for
internally fitting IDE and SCSI hard drives to the Falcon.
Atari Shows
We were very pleased with the response from both Birmingham and London
shows, finding that products like 14MB memory upgrades, Nemesis and
Videlity were in great demand (even though we ran out of Nemesis during the
Birmingham show!). The introduction of the Power Pack - APEX Intro,
Nemesis & Videlity - was also very well received and, although intended as
a show offer only, we will continue to offer this bundled package for the
foreseeable future.
A lot of interest was expressed at the sheer power that was available to
the forthcoming APEX Alpha software, currently in development by Black
Scorpion. Although attendance at the Glasgow show was disappointing, sales
were reasonably encouraging.
Titan Designs/Black Scorpion Software
6 Witherford Way, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 4AX. U.K.
Tel: +44 (0)121-693 6669
Fax: +44 (0)121-414 1630
e-mail: 100345.2350@compuserve.com
Browse our Web site for full details on any product:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/TITANWEB/
NEWSie v0.78
NEWSie v0.78 by John Rojewski is released. There are toolbars in many of
the windows (buttons) now (The default is set off) and NEWSie supports user
defined function keys too.
NEWSie has support for cc (Carbon Copy), but "only" in a one-line and
multiple users can receive cc, if they are included with a nickname. The
ability to cancel a post to a newsgroup now exists by pressing the 'c' key
for a selected article in the Overview window. This works only while
online, and only for articles that match your email id. NEWSie also speaks
French now (Alain Vondra).
You will find NEWSie at:
http://www5.tripnet.se/~mille/english/newsie.html (web_apps.html)
and of course at:
http://www.primenet.com/~rojewski
Peter Rottengatter has updated STinG, The TCP/IP-stack. No support for PPP
yet, but improved functionabilty for some of the routines.
You can find a STinG support page at:
http://www5.tripnet.se/~mille/english/sting.html
Best Regards
Mille Babic
eMail: mille@mail5.tripnet.se
http://www5.tripnet.se/~mille (English, German, Swedish, Croatian)
Atari Falcon CPU40MHz:DSP50MHZ (12MB RAM 540MB+1.0GB HD)
N.AES Operating System with MiNT Kernel and N.Thing Desktop
JTS Offers High Capacity Slim-profile Notebook
TAIWAN (June 2) BUSINESS WIRE -Computex--June 2, 1997--JTS Corp.
(AMEX:JTS), a world leader in the development of hard disk drives, Monday
announced four new additions to its 3.0-inch Nordic family of slim-line,
high-performance hard drives for notebook computers. The offering
includes some of the industry's highest available capacity notebook drives
in 12.5mm and 10.5mm heights.
This introduction marks JTS' migration to Magneto-Resistive (MR) heads and
features slim profile 3.24 Gigabyte (GB) and 2.69GB as well as ultra-slim
2.1GB and 1.6GB notebook hard disk drives. "MR head technology combined
with 3.0-inch media will significantly impact the future of the portable
hard disk drive market," said Tom Mitchell, president and chief executive
officer, JTS Corp.
"It will enable our 3.0-inch Nordic disk drives to provide customers even
better performance and higher capacities than 2.5-inch disk drives. "At 1
gigabit (Gbit) per square inch, this is our first offering with MR heads
and is an important step in the industry transition to a 3.0-inch portable
hard disk drive standard. We will more than double our capacity using
advanced MR heads by the end of the year."
The four new hard disk drives bring the total number of products in the
Nordic family to seven. JTS is currently shipping 12.5mm 2.1GB and 1.6GB,
and 10.5mm 1.4GB Nordic hard disk drives to major notebook Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The Nordic 3.0-inch portable hard disk
drives offer numerous benefits when compared to 2.5-inch alternatives
including overall lower power consumption, higher capacity, greater
reliability and better performance.
The Nordic Family features 1 Gbit per square inch MR head technology, a
digital PRML read channel, 512K cache buffer, and can withstand up to 350Gs
of shock. They also offer SMART (Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting
Technology) capability, industry-leading power management commands, an
average seek time of less than 12 milliseconds, a disk rotation speed of
4103 RPM and PIO Mode 4 transfer rates of up to 16.6 MB/sec.
Like all JTS hard disk drives, the Nordic family is encapsulated to lock in
quality, protect against handling and ESD damage, improve drive reliability
and provide for easier installation. This unique feature gives the
installer the ability to handle the drives on all surfaces without touching
the PCBA. This technology also reduces electromagnetic radiation
interference to and from the units. The MTBF is an industry-leading
500,000 hours and each drive is backed by a three-year warranty.
Samples of the new Nordic Family additions are available now with
production volumes in August.
ATARI & MIDI
By Mark Showalter
Hello.
This is the first in, hopefully, a series of articles on Atari computers &
Midi. I am a composer/arranger/performer, & I rely heavily on my Atari for
all my sequencing. I then transfer the files to my rack sequencer, which
after using my Atari for sequencing, I wouldn't go back to for all the tea
in China unless my Atari died. I'm using a 1040Ste with 4 meg ram; a
Syquest EZ135 Hard Drive; & I'm running Edit Track Gold from Hybrid Arts as
my sequencing software, although I generally won't be discussing any topics
that directly rely on Edit Track. I must say though, at this point, that
the un-mix channels feature is both very powerful &, as far as I know,
unique to Edit Track. This feature allows you to select a track with
multiple midi channels, & extract each channel to a separate track. This is
especially great if you transfer a sequence from some other source, you can
then separate each midi channel to edit the sequence.
Well, there are two basic tips I want to go over today, & both relate to
the dreaded Midi timing problem. As many of you may have experienced,
dense sequences, especially if they have a lot of CC# info ( i.e. volume or
panning changes occurring in real time & not fixed mix points, like say a
sea wave that swells in volume & pans across the stereo field ), can cause
audible timing problems. Although I haven't noticed it happening too much
on my hardware sequencer in my rack, it definitely occurs on my Atari, &
I've found several ways of avoiding this. Here are two of them.
1) Edit bass lines to remove note overlap.
2) Edit percussion tracks to the shortest possible note duration.
In the fi st inttance, I find it's really silly to have bass lines with
overlapping notes. For one thing, unless you're doing an up-right bass, as
is commonly used for Jazz, overlapping bass notes don't do anything except
muddy up your bass lines & often take the punch out. Also, it means you've
got two notes sounding, which robs your polyphony available from your sound
module. Now, unless your particular patch or configuration is set to
mono-phonic play, for as long as the previous note is sounding over the new
one, you've lost one note. Also, this means your sequencer is doing twice
as much work as necessary for something you usually won't be able to hear
anyway. So, you go into your edit window, & make sure that all note on's
are followed by note off's before the next note on occurs.
Although I have a Graphic Edit window, it find it easier to use the Event
window for this procedure. It's simple to scroll through the events & I can
easily spot two note on's side by side. I then move the note off for the
previous note to a point behind the new note on. How far back you move the
note off depends on how punchy you want the part to sound, & what the tempo
is. At slow tempos, you probably won't need to go back more than 5 to 10
ticks. Now, at a faster tempo, you may find it necessary to go further.
Now, you've read my word " punch ", but may not know what I mean. When I
use the word, I'm referring to what a normal bass player would do ( if
there is such a thing as a NORMAL bass player 8-) ! ), which is to play
each note as a single line note & not play many overlapping notes,
especially for songs that need a strong & rhythmic bass line. So, an
example would be, the bass line to Van Morrison's " Brown Eye Girl ", which
is somewhat Island or reggae sounding. In order to keep the punch or
rhythmic quality to the song, the bass line must be keep clear & " punchy,
& you can do this by editing the bass line as I've previously described.
Also, keep in mind that some bass patches do not fully re-trigger unless
the note off occurs, especially when it comes to synth patches. Obviously,
your own ear will ultimately have to tell you if there's any difference, so
go with what sounds right to you, but I strongly recommend trying this tip
out. It'll at the very least help with timing errors by cutting down on the
work load on your computer.
Now, the second tip involves percussion parts. There are two basic ways
that sounds are triggered on any module. One is a fixed sample, like a
conga slap, that will sound regardless of how you play it. Holding the note
generally won't make any difference. Then, there's, say, a flute, that will
sustain as long as you hold the note & the patch will respond. Most
percussion patches are the first type, they only respond to a note on, then
play whatever & they are done. In order to clean up your percussion tracks,
shorten the duration of the notes to the smallest value possible & still
trigger the sounds. My drummer uses an Alesis D4 module, & I've so far
found that it still will play my backing percussion parts (say, conga &
bongos, shakers. claves, while he's playing the set pads i.e. kick drum,
snare, etc.), with the note duration as short as a 10 ticks. This also
applies to my Roland GM sound module. Now, there are even some older drum
machines, like my Sequential Circutes 420 TOM, that don't even use note
off's. So, it doesn't matter what the note duration is, the unit ignores
duration anyway. This will also help cut down on your sequencer's load by
having the note off's occur at the shortest duration possible, therefore
note having to keep track of a lot of sustained notes that don't need to be
sustained. This will also cut down on the number of events that must be
sent out together. Say, you're doing a song at 120 bpm. A quarter note
sustains for say, 95 ticks at a resolution of 96 ticks to the quarter note.
If most of your rhythms are quarter & eight notes, derating your percussion
notes to 10 ticks will put all of the note off's nowhere near the other
note offs.
I hope you find this info of value, & I welcome any comments; responses; or
questions you may have. If you want to contact me, feel free to e-mail me
at: 105273,2344 or post a message on the midi area of the Atari forum, or
at the Midi forum. Especially let me know what kind of computer you have &
what software you are using, as that is going to be the subject of a later
article. Thanks & make lots of Atari music.
GAMING SECTION
World Tour Racing! Resident Evil!
Sony Gaming TV! Thunder Truck Rally!
Jaguar Gaming Journal Back! And more!
From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
Well, World Tour Racing should start arriving in people's hands any
day now. I haven't heard much about this game, so I'm looking forward to
hearing your comments - drop us a line and let us know what you think.
Resident Evil, Director's Cut sounds intriguing - check out the article
about it later in this issue - love those monster games! Lots of
interesting news and articles this week, so let's get right to it, shall
we!
Until next time...
Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
The Terror of Resident Evil Is Screaming Its Way...
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. (June 5) ENTERTAINMENT WIRE -June 5, 1997--Capcom
Entertainment today announced that it will release its best-selling video
game Resident Evil(TM) for the Sega Saturn(TM) in the third quarter of
1997. The game that created an entirely new genre originally released
last year for the Sony PlayStation held the number one spot for six
consecutive months. To date Capcom has shipped more than 2.5 million units
worldwide and although no longer in production, it continues to sell.
The availability of Resident Evil for Sega Saturn comes as great news to
Sega owners who have lobbied Capcom steadily for this release for the past
year. Capcom will sell Resident Evil at a suggested retail price of
$49.99. Not only will the Sega Saturn version of Resident Evil have all of
the macabre elements of the original version, it will also include
enhancements only available on the Sega Saturn. Resident Evil's design
team has added a new monster, a weapon and other hidden surprises.
Also exclusive to the Sega Saturn version is the Arena Battle/Survival Mode
where players must use their skill to battle a continuous onslaught of
zombies and monsters that approach with relentless speed. "Capcom is
excited about bringing Resident Evil to the Sega Saturn," said Robert
Lindsey, senior vice president of sales and marketing. "The demand from
Saturn owners has been overwhelming. We feel they will be pleased with the
results and expect Resident Evil to be the number one selling Saturn title
this Christmas."
"Sega's first priority is delivering quality titles for the Sega Saturn
users," said Bernard Stolar, COO, Sega of America. "I believe our
customers will be very impressed with the enhancements Capcom has made to
the Sega Saturn version of this hit title." For those that do not know,
Resident Evil is a third-person perspective, horror action adventure game
with elements of role-playing and puzzle solving, and lots of the strange
and macabre. It is the first video game to truly capture the kind of
action, suspense and drama that directors like John Carpenter, Alfred
Hitchcock, and Sam Raimi have been able to achieve on film.
The 3D environment has been pre-rendered with gorgeous texture maps and
unbelievable shadows and light sourcing. Players control a polygon
character, who is seen through shifting noir-style, third-person
perspective camera views that change as the character moves. Players are
forced to think carefully, as the game relies on very little screen text,
forcing the player to really examine the surroundings. Resident Evil also
features full-motion video introduction and ending sequences, as well as
incredible computer-animated cut scenes.
In Resident Evil you control either Chris Redfield, the slacker pilot and
sharpshooter; or Jill Valentine, the tough demolition's expert, of
S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Squad), sent in to investigate your
fellow teammates' helicopter crash. Once at the crash site, however,
you're quickly chased into a nearby foreboding mansion by a pack of
monstrous creatures.
Inside, you become separated from your squad, and are forced to solve the
mysteries on your own as you search for your missing compatriots. Besides
your quick wit, there are items to be found along the way, including
bazookas, shotguns, flame-throwers, pistols, knives, medicine, batteries,
keys and maps. You're going to need them because this house is filled with
acid-spitting zombies, giant spiders, horrid frog-like creatures, mutant
dogs and a host of other tricks and traps guaranteed to make you sweat and
beg for more.
Capcom's Masterpiece of Horror Returns in Resident...
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. (June 5) ENTERTAINMENT WIRE -June 5, 1997--Capcom
Entertainment today announced details of Resident Evil Director's Cut, an
uncut and enhanced version of its horror masterpiece, Resident Evil. As an
added bonus, Director's Cut will also include an exclusive, interactive
demo of Resident Evil 2, one of the most anticipated games this year. True
to its title, Director's Cut features elements and scenes not in the
original multi-million unit selling blockbuster. This includes graphic
cinematic opening sequences and cut scenes never before released in the
U.S.
Other new levels of terror exclusive to the Director's Cut include more
enemies in different locations, alternate character graphics, haunting new
camera angles and music, and rearranged items and puzzles. Players will
also discover a new monster when a dead colleague comes back to life.
Resident Evil Director's Cut is a two disc set and is appropriately rated
"M" for mature audiences. A PlayStation exclusive, it is slated to release
in September at a suggested retail price of $39.99.
"Sony PlayStation owners are receiving an excellent value with Resident
Evil Director's Cut," says Robert Lindsey, vice president of sales and
marketing for Capcom Entertainment. "Not only are they going to see and
play an uncensored version of the horror classic, they are also getting a
sneak peak at its successor, Resident Evil 2, easily the most anticipated
game of '98. All of this combined with a very attractive suggested retail
price of $39 makes the Director's Cut a must-buy for PlayStation owners."
Resident Evil Director's Cut features three levels of difficulty to provide
any player a challenge. As in the original version, in Resident Evil
Director's Cut you control either Chris Redfield, the slacker pilot and
sharpshooter; or Jill Valentine, the tough demolition's expert, of
S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Squad), sent in to investigate your
fellow teammates' helicopter crash.
Once at the crash site, however, you're quickly chased into a nearby
foreboding mansion by a pack of monstrous creatures. Using wits and
weapons, you must battle the likes of acid-spitting zombies, giant spiders,
horrid frog-like creatures, mutant dogs and a host of other tricks and
traps guaranteed to make you sweat and beg for more.
Buckle up! Psygnosis Releases Thunder Truck Rally
FOSTER CITY, CALIF. (June 4) BUSINESS WIRE -June 4, 1997--Adding to its
growing lineup of action-packed driving titles, Psygnosis has released
Thunder Truck Rally, a fast-paced, off-road racer for the Sony PlayStation
game console. Whether flying across the desert in a baja buggy or driving
over parked cars in an oversized truck, Thunder Truck Rally offers players
plenty of options for a dirt-busting good time. The game has an
approximate retail price of $49.95.
Developed by the same team that created Psygnosis' award-winning
Destruction Derby and Destruction Derby 2, Thunder Truck Rally features
realistic texture-mapped 3D landscapes with complete 360 movement and
stunning special effects, including dust clouds, blizzards, mist and lens
flare for an authentic racing experience. The game allows drivers complete
freedom of movement while zooming at insane speeds through changing weather
patterns and terrain.
Players can choose between two types of vehicles -- low-slung desert
buggies or earth-moving giant trucks -- developed using an artificial
intelligence program that calculates the forces on each vehicle's wheels
for accurately-modeled suspension and car body effects. For example,
driving too quickly over very bumpy terrain will cause the truck body to
start bouncing out of control -- possibly turning over!
Thunder Truck Rally features a variety of different racing environments.
Players will be smart to start out on some of the 12 Training Modes to hone
their skills before entering the Endurance Race. Practicing on the short
circuits and stadiums, players can learn the layout and fine-tune their
performance in handling obstacles, including earth mounds, dips and water
jumps. When players feel confident about their driving skills, they can
enter the Thunder Truck Rally Endurance Race, a four-day, five-stage
competition featuring 500 miles of some of the most punishing terrain and
weather conditions imaginable. To complete each stage, players must beat
either a set time or finish in one of the top three positions.
For the ultimate in reckless four-wheel action, players can also wreak
havoc as they speed over the roofs of battered cars in the Stunt and
Challenge mode, where they'll win points based on the amount of damage they
cause. Thunder Truck Rally offers players the choice to view race
highlights with three different camera options. In the Preset Mode,
cameras are fixed in different locations for panning and blimp/helicopter
views; in Programmable Mode, players can position cameras around the track,
focusing on specific cars throughout the race; in the Film Director mode,
they can set up their own dramatic, moving sequences, replaying highlights
with the camera zooming and panning from a variety of angles. With all
these features, gamers would be crazy not to add Thunder Truck Rally to
their sports racing library of Psygnosis titles.
Sony Targets New TV At PlayStation Owners
TOKYO, JAPAN, 1997 JUNE 3 (Newsbytes) -- By Martyn Williams. Sony
Corporation [TOKYO:6758] [NYSE:SNE] has launched a new television targeted
at users of its popular PlayStation consumer video games console. The TV
features a direct RGB input to give players a better picture than
conventional television sets. The 21-inch conventional aspect ratio set
also features two prominent speakers, just below the screen, that allow
player to enjoy the stereo
sound on games. This is part of an "SD Speaker System" on the set, said
Sony. The KV-21SP1 will go on sale in Japan on July 5 with a price tag of
53,000 yen ($455). Monthly production is set at 5,000-units per month.
Jaguar Online STR InfoFile - Online Users Growl & Purr!
According to Bits of Fun, WORLD TOUR RACING (CD) began shipping on
Wednesday, June 4th 1997.
Hello Atari enthusiasts:
I have several great items of interest to announce.
The response of those wanting to be apart of the return of The Jaguar
Gaming Journal is very strong. The mailing list includes a portion of the
members who have requested JGJ. Among the members are Jeff Minter, Don
Thomas, Albert Dayes, Dana [Jacobson] of STReport, Purity web design.
Francois B. and Frank Slater have been contacted. The Atari Preservation
Society welcomed JGJ with open arms, but I did it under my other e-mail
account!
* Work on the new JGJ Web page will begin this week. The site will
probably become the main foundation of the new JGJ. With me going to
college in the fall, it would be tough to put out a monthly or bi-monthly
issue of JGJ. Instead, starting in September, there will be bi-weekly or
monthly updates to the site.
* New issues, however, will be produced. They will definitely be produced
in June, August, December, and January. The issues will be e-mailed to
each of you, and posted on several online services.
* Our site may feature IRC conferencing, but it will depend on your
browser capabilities. The site is currently being designed with Microsoft
Internet Explorer 3.0. in mind. I also know that Navigator 3.0 Gold
supports IRC chat, as does many of the internet services such as Netcom and
Juno. The site should be open by June 30.
* Including with this update is the first edition of The Jaguar Gaming
Journal, at the time called Jaguar Journal. Although it may seem written
on a younger level (it was the first edition in 1994), it is pretty neat.
I will be sending an issue, one every 10 days, to people on this list.
Anyone who joins now will not receive this issue, and will have to wait
until the next.
Until the new site is up, please visit my current sites:
http://members.aol.com/jglmac
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Jeffrey_Norwood
(include the _ when typing it in)
Please visit our sponsor on the Web. The place features great Jaguar games
at low prices.
http://www.vglq.com
http://www.vglq.com
Thank you,
Jeffrey Norwood
President/Editor-in-Chief
The Jaguar Gaming Journal
ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
On CompuServe
Compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@streport.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well, I FINALLY got a hard drive for
my MegaSTE. It took a while to find one (but only because I wasn't looking
very hard). I can cheerfully report that the Seagate ST3390N works just
fine with Atari ST computers. It's a 340 megger, which is smaller than I
was looking for, but I found the price very attractive (it was recently
removed from a laptop PC and replaced with a larger drive and
sold just to offset the cost of the new one). I had at first worried about
whether or not it was only the hard drive that had gone bad, or the
controller too. It turns out that the controller was just fine and all is
now well with my setup. Of course, the very day that I got this drive, I
got a call from my brother who said, "Hey Joe, I just found my old 300 meg
SCSI drive from my PC... I don't use it anymore... you wouldn't have any
use for it, would you?" Isn't that the way it always happens? Well at any
rate, the drive is in and running just fine. I'll be taking my brother's
300 meg drive and using it as a backup for the time being (hey, he DID
offer, you know! <grin>).
Well, let's get on with the reason for this column in the first place...
all the news, hints, tips, and info here on CompuServe.
From the Atari Computing Forum
When Michael Lotosky asks about the availability of Atari ST emulators
for the PC, Mark Showalter tells him:
"Toad computers has software emmulaters for the PC to run Atari
sofware. You can inquire at info@toad.net. I'd be interested in
knowing what Atari hardware you have. I'm looking for a Mega ST to
use in my equipment rack for live performing."
Eckhard Zeitz adds:
"There is an Atari emulator for PC (ie you can run Atari programs
on your pc) called PaCifiST.
The actual version is 0.44. You can get it on
http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~gidouin/pacifist.html.
Some of you may know that OXO Concept has released several demo versions
of WENSuite (Web, Email, and News) over the past several weeks. I
haven't had the time to try it out yet, but it is supposed to have PPP
capability. Having heard this, Karen Stimson asks:
"Has anyone been able to get this demo to work with Compuserve?
The best I can do with it is to get as far as dialing in and then I
always get an "ERROR" message in the status box. I can't figure
out how to configure the Dialogue section to logon to CIS and I've
tried a zillion different combinations. Can anyone help me with
this?"
John Raymond tells Karen:
"No. I am getting the same error message when trying to connect.
It fails at the PPP connection. Does anyone know the correct
compuserve DNS number? Does anyone know how to configure the PPP
dialogue?"
Carsten Baron adds:
"...Yes, I have the same problem. Can anybody write the
preferences of the PPP?"
Michael McDade asks about what he needed to be able to run current
programs like the AOL <shudder, shudder> access program and WinCIM on his
8 bit Atari:
"
I did, eventually, write to America Online explaining what type
of disk drive I have(Atari 1050).
GOOD NEWS!!! They sent me a floppy disk. Just what I needed.
BAD NEWS!!! An incompatible program disk.
Since I had so many all together, I gave away 2 AOL disks to 2
friends each."
Michael, I've got news for you....
Friends don't let friends use AOL! <grin>
Rick Detlefsen tells Michael:
"A hard drive or 850 wold be no help in any case. Even if the
disk were 5", it would be a foreign format that the atari can't
read, and the programs would be useless. A hard drive on any
system is only useful for programs that will run on that system, or
for data it can use or pass along."
Michael then asks:
"So, if all disks sent to me are bootless for 800xl, 1050 or
program recorders what options am I left with; pertaining to this
new internet age as well as these AOL, PRODIGY AND WinCIM disks ?"
Tom Harker of ICD tells Michael:
"It is called unsolicited junk mail. Throw them in the trash.
You need a Win/tel machine to run these programs. Most software
now requires Microsoft Windows these days and you won't find that
on an Atari 800XL."
Martin Spinks asks for info:
"I have a good B & W 520 STFM but insufficient memory to run the
CUBASE software I have purchased. Is it still possible to buy
memory upgrades, in whatever form, for this model. There don't
appear to be any dealers in Atari left here in New Zealand. If
anyone can help an E mail message would be most welcomed."
Albert Dayes tells Martin:
"You should still be able to find ram boards for the 520STF. There
is a list of dealers in North America in a file called dealers.txt
which can be found in the library. Some of those dealers have web
sites. I believe toad computers is at www.toad.ne, for example."
Mark Busse asks for info for a friend:
"I have a friend who has a 1040ST, he has upgraded them memory,
and installed the PC processor upgrade too. Does anyone know
if/how to operate a parallel ZIP drive via the LPT on the PC so
that it may save and write accross to the Atari."
Albert Dayes again comes to the rescue and tells Mark:
"Only the SCSI ZIP is supported on the ATARI."
Tom Harker of ICD explains:
"The Atari ST parallel port does not have enough handshake lines
to support parallel port hard drives that are found on the PC."
Meanwhile, over in the Atari Gaming Forum, Fred Horvat adds to the list
of...
"Good Jaguar Games
AVP
Battlemorph
Rayman
Doom
Breakout 2000
Iron Soldier II
Pinball Fantasies
Missle Command 3D "
Gary Kato tells Fred:
"Thanks for the list! Are these cartridges or CDROMs? So far, I
don't have a CDROM drive for the Jaguar yet."
Fred replies:
"AVP
Battlemorph <===== CD-ROM
Rayman
Doom
Breakout 2000
Iron Soldier II <===== CD-ROM
Pinball Fantasies
Missle Command 3D
Many others are fun games like
Flip Out
Atari Karts
Evolution Dino Dudes
Super Burnout
Blue Lightning <====== CD-ROM
Tempest 2000
One bonus if getting into the Jaguar now is that it is very cheap
compared to other newer gaming systems. $49.95 for the unit and 3
games and games average $10 each except for new releases."
Our old friend Don Thomas, formerly of Atari, now of Sony America, adds:
"A lot has happened just in the time since Iron Soldier I.
Pentiums are faster, there's MMX and Duke Nuke 'em puts Wolfenstein
to shame many will tell you.
Few games came close to fully exploit the Jaguar for many reasons.
A primary reason is that every game published was within the first
couple years of release. There was a trend toward higher quality
games, but Atari couldn't keep the system alive to see those games
fully evolve. Another reason is that Jaguar never fostered the
level of support that the more popular systems did. Although
talented people worked on Jaguar games, they were not always very
well financed or otherwise supported.
Another reason is that Atari wisely put a 68000 on board. This was
as much as a mistake as a good thing. The value was that it lured
programmers to the Jaguar that might otherwise be intimidated by a
completely alien system... everyone is familiar with the 68000. The
bad part was that it was too easy to exploit the familiar 68000 and
just dabble with the cool proprietary stuff especially when timing
was critical to get games out.
Having said all that, Jaguar games have a magical fun factor that
was popular in almost every Atari video game system. Other systems
are fun too, but the "fun factor" was somehow unique to Atari
<g>... at least to us who adored their products so much. <grin>"
Hans-Martin Krober mirrors my own thoughts when he tells Don:
"Congratulations - very well said. God, I miss those times!"
Fred Horvat asks:
"Is World Tour Racing CD a CD-R like Iron Soldier II or a normal
CD?"
Randy Baer tells Fred:
"They claim to have all the CD problems fixed, so it will be on a
'regular' CD..."
Well friends, that's about it for this week. I know it's short, but I've
got me some file restoring to do. <grin> Tune in again next week, same
time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
D-DAY Normandy, France: June 6, 1944
They paid the Highest Price for Our Freedom
STReport International OnLine Magazine
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STReport "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" June 06, 1997
Since 1987 Copyrightc1997 All Rights Reserved Issue No. 1323
