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ST-ZMagazine 045
| ST*ZMAGAZINE ISSUE #: 45
||| ---------------------------------------------
||||| November 3, 1989
||||||| ---------------------------------------------
||||||||| Editor: Ron Kovacs
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||||||||||||| Volume 1 Number 45
||| ||| ---------------------------------------------
||| ZMAGAZINE ||| COMPUSERVE: 71777,2140 GO ATARIARTS LIB 15
||| ||| ---------------------------------------------
||||||||||||| GEnie: ZMAGAZINE ST RT BB CAT 31, LIBRARY 25
||||||||||| ---------------------------------------------
||||||||| Copyright 1989, Rovac Industries, Inc.
||||||| Post Office Box 59
||||| Middlesex, New Jersey 08846-0059
||| (201) 968-8148
| ---------------------------------------------
Xx CONTENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue #45
<*> EDITORS DESK...............................Ron Kovacs
<*> ZNet NEWSWIRE........................................
<*> ZNet EUROPEAN NEWSWIRE...............................
<*> SGS NETWORKING ON THE ST................Press Release
<*> HiSoft C REVIEWED.......................D.A. Brumleve
<*> PUBLIC DOMAIN SHELF "Final Edition".......Alice Amore
<*> OPTICAL MOUSE FOR THE ST..................Rich Adkins
<*> SHAREWARE CONTRIBUTIONS..............................
<*> THE ARCHIVE BIT............................Ron Kovacs
<*> THE REVOLUTION Part 3...................Donald Thomas
<*> THE PD SURVEY..............................Mark Quinn
Xx THE EDITORS DESK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Ron Kovacs
November 7th is Election Day, please exercise your rights and VOTE!
As many of you know by now, Sig Hartmann has retired and did so on
November 1st. I want to personally wish Mr. Hartmann great success on
future projects.
Xx ZNET NEWSWIRE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
~ ATARI NEWS UPDATE
* Atari returned to the Top 10 most active stocks this week after a
short absence: Atari Corp 284,000 9 1/2 up 3/4.
* The LYNX, (Atari portable game machine) will appear in the Sear
Christmas catalog and be available after November 15th.
~ ISD will be delaying release of version 1.1 of Calamus until mid-
winter for more upgrades.
~ PAGESTREAM version 1.8 updates can be accessed through authorized
dealers. Bug fixes and a speed-up are the word with this version.
~ CMI seems to be going out of business. Repeated phone calls go
unanswered, and many people being owed funds. More on this story as
it develops.
NEWSWIRE ROUND-UP
=================
~ On November 2, 1989, Toshiba unveiled its notebook-sized personal
computer. The T1000SE, weighing 5.9 pounds, is Toshiba's smallest and
lightest battery-operated portable. The unit is scheduled to begin
shipping in January and will carry a suggested list price of $1,699.
~ An Illinois consumer advocacy organization called (CUB) is in the
midst of a legal battle over Illinois Bell Telephone's (IBT) plans to
institute Local Measured Service (LMS) throughout Illinois. LMS
caused the bills of some modem users to jump as much as 200 percent
when it was implemented outside of Chicago, where telephone
subscribers pay a single monthly charge for local calls. Under an LMS
plan, even local calls are time-measured and charged as toll calls.
Some computer users are concerned about LMS because of the experience
of Chicago residents. When the ICC approved the service for metro
Chicago a few years ago, substantially higher monthly bills were the
result for modem users.
~ Hayes announced its new V-series Ultra Smartmodem 9600 which will
provides CCITT V.32 full duplex 9600 bps dial-up communications and
CCITT V.42bis for data throughput to 38.4 Kbps. The $1,119 modem, to
be shipped next year, offers features such as error-control and data
compression.
~ Texas Instruments has introduced three laptops, including a 12 MHz
80C286-based, notebook-sized PC. The PC, known as the TravelMate,
measures 8.2 inches by 11.7 inches and weighs 6.7 pounds. It features
a 20MB hard disk drive, an enhanced super twist back lit LCD display,
and 1MB of random access memory, expandable to 4MB. Prices are $4,199
for the Model 12, $4,999 for the Model 25, and $5,599 for the Model
45.
~ InfoWorld is teaming up with Hyundai to produce a new series of two
minute television segment called "InfoWorld PC Pointers." The spots
are to debut on ESPN this week.
ZNET FEATURE STORY
==================
Ctsy CompuServe
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote next week on a bill
that would restrict software rentals. David Carle, a spokesman for
committee member Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.), said the Software Rental Bill
(S-198) has already cleared its first hurdle by passing a vote by the
committee's subcommittee on patents and copyrights. If approved by the
committee next week, the bill would move on to a vote by the full
Senate.
In addition to the Senate Judiciary bill, an identical bill is pending
before the House Judiciary Committee. According to Jane Saunders,
general counsel for the Software Publishers Association, the bill will
give software publishers "the right to restrict the rental or lending of
their software for commercial purposes." Saunders said computer
software publishers currently do not have the legal right to prevent
retailers from lending or renting original program disks they have
legally purchased. Instead, owners of software programs now are
prohibited only from renting copies of a program. She said current law
also stipulates that only one copy can be made of each legally purchased
program, and for backup purposes only.
Saunders estimates about 50 commercial software lenders have opened
across the country over the past three years, some of them operating
through the mail. She noted that all are "helping to facilitate
software piracy," because their customers are "really paying a slight
fee to borrow and copy" the programs.
Groups and companies lobbying for the bill include the Software
Publishers Association, ADAPSO, Microsoft, Lotus Development Corp.,
Ashton-Tate, Autodesk, Aldus, and WordPerfect.
Xx ZNET EUROPEAN NEWSWIRE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
~ Last month the 1989 Personal Computer Show took place in London
England. Here is a short review of the happenings:
ATARI on hand showing the 68030 TT, STacy and 286PC.
MIRRORSOFT was demonstrating Fleet Street Publisher 3.
KODAK and ATARI showed off the Atari Transputer Workstation, (ATW).
Kodak had the ATW connected to their new SV7400 still video player and
a color output device.
HISOFT showed off the STacy with the Spectre GCR from Gadgets By Small.
Also on hand were other HISOFT products such as Devpac, HiSoft C, Forth,
FTL Modula 2, HiSoft Basic, Craft2 and Knife ST. HiSoft will be
releasing new products in the future which are: ProFilght, the tornado
simulator, and Lattice C version 5, a C compiler.
SILICA SYSTEMS showed Robokit which allows you to manipulate Robots and
control your own robot arm designs. The product is plugged into the ST
cartridge port, and provides 16 connections for for motors, sensors, and
other various I/O applications.
CP SOFTWARE demoed Chess Player 2150 and Bridge Player 2150.
POWER COMPUTING was demonstrating the SUPER-A board for the ST. This is
a nearly completed internal hard disk, ROM board, and RAM upgrade board.
The RAM upgrade can give you 3mb on the Mega 1 and up to 4mb on the Mega
2.
HYBRID ARTS was on hand showing seven new products. "CHAOS", a new
operating system, (Custom Hybrid Arts Operating System), replaces GEM
and gives quicker multi-program environment. GenEdit, a synthesizer/MIDI
hardware editor. Protozoa, an editor for the new EMU Proteus. Edit
Track and SMPTE which moves to version 2. FM Melody Maker, a cartridge
based sound expander.
Xx SGS: NETWORKING ON THE ST
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Press Release
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Don Ice/ Andrew Carlson
Paradise Computer Systems
3485 B Sacremento Street
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
(805) 44-7130
BBS: (805) 544-3165
LOW COST NETWORK NOW AVAILABLE FOR ATARI ST
Paradise Computer Systems and SGS Software of San Luis Obispo,
California, have developed the first complete networking system for the
Atari ST. The product called SGSnet, allows from 2 to 32 ST's to share
data stored on a hard disk drive connected to a file server.
SGSnet uses the MIDI ports on each ST computer in the network, providing
a data transfer rate of 31,000 baud. The custom hardware used by the
network allows continual operation even if a node is turned off or
removed from the network. Network watching can be monitored from either
the file server or by watching the activity light on the connector box
attached to each node. Up to 500 feet of coax cabling may be used to
connect the network.
The SGSnet network operating system is GEM and TOS compatible. The non-
dedicated file server allows users to run other programs and access
files for word processing or other tasks while handling network
operation. The speed of the file server is minimally affected by
network activity.
Other features of the network operating system include open file
monitoring of up to 100 files by the server, various permission settings
for all nodes, automatic re-login of nodes and automatic file locking.
The system is fault tolerant, meaning that data is constantly checked
for errors and corrected as it passes through the network. SGSnet was
designed to insure hard disk data integrity by refusing simultaneous
write access to the same file. Installation of software is made easy by
an INSTALL program that does everything except put the working disks in
the drive. Hardware installation is as simple as plugging MIDI cables
into each ST system.
SGSnet can be easily used by any person or group with more than one
Atari ST. Schools, small businesses, Atari dealers, BBS SysOps, and
user groups can benefit from this simple, inexpensive way to share data.
Since the full computing power of each ST can be used independently,
SGSnet provides access to the same programs and data files for a large
number of users without slowing down the entire system.
One of the best reasons to use SGSnet is its low cost. The SGSnet
Starter Kit, which contains the hardware and software necessary to
network two ST's, has a retail price of $159.95. Each SGSnet add-on kit
allows the addition of one extra node for only $109.95.
SGSnet is NOW available from Paradise Computer Systems, as well as from
many dealers and distributors. Ordering and dealership information can
be obtained by contacting Paradise Computer Systems.
Xx HiSoft C: A C Language Interpreter
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviewed by D.A. Brumleve
MichTron
576 South Telegraph
Pontiac, MI 48053
(313) 334-5700
$99.95
In college, while my husband-to-be pursued computer science and
chemistry, I studied linguistics. I can remember many a conversation
about his various computer "languages". I thought it was ridiculous to
call a command system a "language". Since learning to program, however,
I have realized that BASIC, C, and others do qualify as languages in
many ways. The similarity is not limited to features such as vocabulary
and syntax. When I program in GFA Basic, I ask myself "How can I say
that in GFA?"-- and the thought processes I experience are very much the
same as if I were asking "How can I say that in German?" Anyone who
knows more than one language will agree that some thoughts can be
conveyed better in one language than in another. It is the same with
computer languages, and even within dialects of the same language. I
have tried, therefore, to familiarize myself with several dialects of
BASIC in order to use the most appropriate and efficient one for the
purposes of a particular program. I am also anxious to broaden my
knowledge of other computer languages for the same reason. The new GFA
3.0 Compiler (and GFA is the BASIC I use most often) allows the use of C
routines in the compiled program, so I have a very strong interest in
learning to use C effectively.
Unfortunately, the C programmer usually has to work "blind". The code
is typed into a text editor and saved to disk. Then the programmer
exits the editor program and loads the compiler. Then there's linking..
A BASIC programmer can use an "interpreter" to run and test the program
while it is being written. Only when all the bugs are worked out is the
program compiled. I'm accustomed to the interpreter environment, and
I've balked at learning C without it. But no more:
The hassles of programming in C have been relieved with the release of
the HiSoft C Interpreter. This program, developed in France by
Loriciels, lets you write, test, and edit C programs while using only
the one application, just as you do in BASIC. The package promotes the
program primarily to new C users: "Learn to program in C the easy way...
with the HiSoft C Interpreter."
The two disks in the package contain the interpreter, libraries, and a
multitude of sample programs for study. The 329-page manual is wire-
bound, allowing it to rest open on your desk while your hands are busy
on the keyboard. The first forty pages discuss the interpreter program
itself. Another forty pages provide a short tutorial introduction to C
programming. A second tutorial provides an introduction to programming
in GEM. Most of the rest of the book contains an alphabetical listing
of the library functions with explanations and examples of their usage.
Useful appendices and a strong index follow. The style of the author is
friendly and straightforward; as a linguist, I enjoyed very much a
momentary digression in which he quoted a particularly funny line from
the French version of the manual.
The Interpreter will run from disk or from a hard drive. The disks are
not copy-protected. The program will run in medium or high resolution.
Since I do my programming largely in low resolution, I find the lack of
support for low resolution to be a drawback, but, for instructional
purposes in learning the language, two resolutions are sufficient.
HiSoft C's library includes 460 ANSI, UNIX, GEM, C, and DOS standard
functions. There is also a special library of GEM-related functions to
speed up the construction of menus, windows, and dialogs. The program
supports include files, and standard include files are available on the
disks; users are warned not to use include files from a compiler package
when running programs from HiSoft C. In general, HiSoft's Interpreter
is very close to the Kernigan and Ritchie standard.
The editor offers a blank screen with a flashing cursor and a menu bar
at the top. Menu options can be chosen with the mouse--or a
corresponding keyboard macro may be used. These macros can be
permanently modified by the user. Additional macros are available to
speed up various editing functions. You may also provide up to ten
macros yourself, so you can write a whole line of code with the press of
a key. It is possible to load eight program modules into the
Interpreter at a time. The editor has most of the functions you'd
expect in a text editor or a word processor, such as finding and
replacing a string of text and block manipulations of sections of text.
It is, of course, possible to print the program listings in memory. The
program's defaults, such as the macros, the path for loading and saving
programs, selection of word wrap, automatic indentation, automatic
creation of backups, etc. can all be adjusted to suit the user; the set-
up is then saved to disk, and the program will show the user's choices
the next time it is loaded.
The ability to use and alter a myriad of macros and to set defaults are
not the only thoughtful features of the Interpreter to make writing C
much easier. The indentations typical of C code can be made
automatically by the Interpreter. You can set up the program so that,
when you load HiSoft C, it will automatically load into memory the code
you were working on the last time you used it--it will even place the
cursor in the position it was in when you saved it! If you wish, the
Interpreter will create backup files when you save altered code under
the same name as previously-saved code; the older code is renamed with
the ".BAK" extension. It is possible to define and run "projects",
HiSoft C source code which calls executable binary code (compiled
functions). For help with debugging, HiSoft provides a Trace mode and
pointer tests.
The Interpreter offers help files, utilities, and accessories to make
your programming more efficient as well. You can copy, move, delete,
and rename files or create a new folder without leaving the program.
There is a built-in disk-formatter. A calculator is on call to perform
addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division in base 8, 10, and
16. A table of the ASCII code is available in a dialog box. It would
seem that C programmers ignore the decimal ASCII values; as a BASIC
programmer, I found it odd (and annoying!) that only the hex values were
provided. Otherwise, this is a very handy and appropriate feature for
an editor/interpreter, and I'd like to see it included with other
language packages routinely.
Can you really learn to program in C with a forty-page (or eighty,
counting the introduction to GEM) tutorial? Well, no, but you can
certainly get started. A BASIC programmer, especially one using a
modern BASIC such as HiSoft, Omikron, or GFA, will find enough common
ground to feel fairly comfortable with C from the first few lessons. The
author does not expect the tutorial provided to be the sole source for
someone learning C; an appendix cites several additional resources for
learning more about C once the manual's tutorial has been completed.
Even so, the tutorial is very strong in teaching the basic concepts
necessary to C programming. The little programs developed during the
learning process result, for the most part, in text output on the
screen. I would have preferred more work with graphics, but the
concepts presented carry over to virtually any programming purpose. The
program listings in the tutorial and the accompanying explanations are
generally clear. I did find a few mistakes in the type-in code;
fortunately, by the time I got to the faulty listings, I knew enough C
to debug them. (Sometimes, tutorials provide intentional errors to
force debugging by learners. I don't believe that was the case here.)
The interpreter itself is very easy to learn to use, as it has many
features in common with GEM-based word processors and text editors, so
learning to use the program does not distract you from learning to write
in C.
Your HiSoft C programs can be compiled with the use of a separate
compiler. HiSoft recommends Lattice C as "almost totally compatible",
but several other compilers may be able to compile the code also.
Because some C compilers offer extensions to the usual standards, they
may not be completely compatible with code generated with HiSoft. The
author freely admits that interpreted C runs more slowly than compiled
C; the program is not offered as a substitute for a C compiler. No run-
only version of the interpreter is provided, so programmers who want to
share their products with people who do not own HiSoft C will need to
compile them first.
If you've been wanting to learn C, but haven't known where to begin,
this is a great package for you. I would expect that some experienced
C programmers would also enjoy the interpretive environment especially
when first setting up a program or ironing out the fine points toward
the end, but a programmer who is already comfortable without an
interpreter is likely to find HiSoft C superfluous. If you want to use
the HiSoft C Interpreter, but already own a C compiler, I'd suggest you
check with MichTron concerning the compatibility of your compiler before
you proceed.
Xx PUBLIC DOMAIN SHELF **FINAL EDITION**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Alice Amore
[Editors Note: This is the final installment of the Public Domain
Shelf. Next week Alice begins a NEW weekly focus.]
** ASSASSIN: Fonts are a lot of fun to play with, and can turn an
otherwise drab document into an eye-catching manuscript. In order to
take advantage of the wide variety of fonts available, you must do some
of the "set-up work" yourself. Part of this work involves composing an
ASSIGN.SYS file. ASSIGN.SYS contains information telling your program
which fonts you'll be using, where they're located, and more. Although
the ASSIGN.SYS file can be created using any ASCII word processor, it's
a dreary process and mistakes are easily made, and a different
ASSIGN.SYS file is often necessary for each font-using program.
ASSASSIN makes the task a breeze. Using a simple work space, it prompts
you to load the fonts you want to include, then saves the ASSIGN.SYS for
you. You can quickly whip up an ASSIGN.SYS file for every program
requiring one.
ASSASSIN is shareware from Michael F. Ellis.
** IMG_INDX: This is a "companion program" to IMG CAT, (The demo
program for IMG CAT is called IMG_CATF and is well worth the download
time.) although this program as a stand-alone is quite useful. Where
IMG CAT catalogs your .IMG files by printing an actual catalog using
graphics, IMG_INDX produces an ASCII index of those same files. Each
individual file is listed along with its width and height (both in
pixels and in actual size according to your resolution). The header
contains path information as well as the date, the page, the measuring
system used, and how many images are being processed. The program will
find all .IMG files on your entire system, or look specifically at any
drive you specify. IMG_INDX handles scales for 9- or 24-pin printers in
normal or draft mode, and laser printers in high res or draft mode.
IMG_CAT is shareware from Chet Walters. IMG_INDX is best when used with
IMG_CAT.
** SDRIVER: This is a "stay-resident" program which will allow you to
hook up an Atari 8-bit drive to your ST system. Access to the 8-bit
drive will be just the same as with an ST drive, and all flavors of
8-bit drives are permissible (810, 1050, Rana, whatever). (Note that
only single/sided drives are supported in this version. Higher-capacity
drives will be supported in future versions.) In addition to the drive,
you will need a special cable. You can use Darek Mihocka's "XformerII"
cable, or you can register your program with the author and receive a
suitable cable from him. The cable connects the 8-bit drive to your
printer port. You can also daisy-chain additional drives. SDRIVER can
be copied to your AUTO folder if desired. 8-bit disks must be formatted
using the special (included) program. Once formatted, you can read,
write, copy, delete, and the other usual STuff. Remember that you can
NOT read and write 8-bit files with this set-up, nor can you perform
whole-disk copies. But you can do as much file-massaging as you please.
Be aware that the 8-bit drives are quite a lot slower than the ST
drives. SDRIVER is shareware from James C. McCormick.
** SHANGHAI: This demo has been around for awhile, but was recently
posted. If you haven't seen SHANGHAI, this will show you what the fuss
is (was) about. SHANGHAI is based on the ancient Chinese game of mah-
jongg and involves dominoes-like tiles which must be matched. The game
itself is highly addictive. After trying this demo, you will know if
you can resist. (I couldn't.) The demo includes only one "set" of
tiles, but it will probably take you a few tries to win. SHANGHAI is
distributed by Activision.
** SNOWMAN: Get yourself this file for Christmas and share it with
family, friends, and everyone else in the world! SNOWMAN is a
delightful story told through superb animation and digitized sound. The
original is an award-winning short subject. (Quite by accident, I saw a
videotape of the original advertised on TV but I didn't write down the
800 number.) The SNOWMAN file was created in W. Germany (ST VISION
International User Group) using ST REPLAY 4 and The Grabber. The file
is large, indeedy, but well worth downloading. It will loop and play
over and over again, so run it during your group meetings and in your
stores during the holiday season. The only negative comment I can make
about this file is that there's no way to exit from it gracefully. You
must reboot. SNOWMAN requires 1 meg of memory and runs in low
resolution only. If you must run it from a floppy, you'll need a double
sided disk.
** SNAP_3_0: This is a much-improved version of a much-needed utility.
SNAP allows you to take "snapshots" of your screen whenever the need
arises by hitting the ALT/HELP keys. It's a TSR (terminate and stay
resident) program which means it can be accessed whenever needed. Once
the screen has been "snapped", you will find it on your disk as a DEGAS
picture file. Or, if you'd prefer to send the file to your printer
instead, you can. SNAP is quite reliable, although it isn't guaranteed
to work with everything. It is small enough (less than 37K) to keep in
memory whenever you possibly can. SNAP_3_0 is shareware from Mark
Overgaard.
** STWEL3_4: Although ST Writer Elite has seen its last version, this
is yet another version with a few nice fixes/enhancements.
- The Search/Replace which precluded null replacement has been fixed.
- Global Search and Replace is now roughly 60 times faster.
- The free memory byte counter can now accommodate up to 95 megs to be
compatible with the TT (which can handle more than 25 megs of RAM).
- In non-GEM mode, in many instances, the Enter keys acts the same as
the Return key.
- The placement of the cursor with the mouse now updates the line/
column numbers immediately.
- An Info Status line has been added on the GEM menu screen. It keeps
track of the name and path of the current file.
- When you over save a file which exists, you are warned about it, and
the alert box tells you the name of the file you are attempting to
overwrite.
- If you have TOS 1.4 in ROM, file selector boxes now indicate their
function.
- All disk I/O has been updated and thoroughly debugged.
ST WRITER ELITE was programmed by Bruce Noonan, M.D.
** TOUCHDWN.SEQ: For all you football fans, get real slo-mo enjoyment
with TOUCHDWN.SEQ. Made with CyberPaint via capture with VIDI-ST, this
shows a touchdown pass during a Rams v. Bills game. Requires 1 meg of
memory, color, and ANIMATE4.PRG to run. Provided by ST*ZMagazine.
The following three games are among the programs to be found in the
current issue of ST-LOG. Although the programs are available online,
full documentation is included in ST-LOG, so please be fair to everyone
and buy ST-LOG to get the most from these programs.
** CAPITAL: CAPITAL ST is a board game for the business-minded.
Programmer: Bryan Schappel.
** UFOTO: UFOTO puts you behind the camera as you try to take
photographs of an elusive UFO.
Programmer: Albert Baggetta.
** SEASIDE: A matching game for children of all ages. This time we
find ourselves at the seashore looking for sea creatures. Another
winner! Programmer: Frank M. Hundley.
Xx OPTICAL MOUSE FOR THE ST
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Rick Adkins, AUGIE
AUGIE -
PC Widowmaker BBS 3/12/24/9600hst
(714) 688-3204, PCP Colton Exchange
If you are like me, you've really not been impressed by the Atari ST
mouse. Why? Atari's mouse uses the old style mechanical type mechanism
that becomes dirty after only a few months of use. Additionally, the
left and right buttons do not function that well when it comes to
clicking.
But what can you do about this? Well, you can do what I have done...
replace it! I ran across a 'techie' (from another Atari users group)
who gave me a diagram which shows how to hook up a Xerox Optical mouse
to an ST! An optical mouse has no moving parts to wear out, and it is
much smoother in it's operation.
THE PROJECT
1. Purchase a Xerox mouse (part number 18K00200). Note: The only
problem you may run up against is locating this item! I purchased a
used Xerox 18K00200 mouse at a local computer swapmeet. (If you are in
the Southern California area checkout the General Dynamics computer swap
meet held once a month in Fullerton.)
2. All you have to do is remove the Xerox connection and replace it
with a FEMALE DB9 connector. Just solder the Xerox colored wires to the
NEW DB9 connector using the diagram below. The Diagram is viewed from
the backside of the NEW DB9 connector.
Brown__
|
Orange____ | ___Red
Yellow____ | | | _____ NO Connection
| | | | |
---------------------------
\ o o o o o /
\ o o o o / This is the back side
\_____________________/ of the NEW DB9 connector
| | | |
Blue_________| | | |_______Black
Grey________| |_______Violet
No connection to the GREEN wire of the XEROX mouse.
This new optical mouse will now read any DOT pattern platen you can find
and... It works just fine on your Blue Denim LEVIS pants leg!
Xx SHAREWARE CONTRIBUTIONS: Are They Adequate?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions and donations are the foundation on which shareware
software is built. While many programmers might choose to release their
programs as public domain or freeware, it is only fair that those who
dedicate hundreds and hundreds of hours and literally thousands of
dollars into equipment, software and expenses, receive some small return
for their efforts.
Many shareware programs actually approach and even surpass commercial
software quality. And while commercial programs typically ask for
anywhere from $30 to $50 and more, most shareware authors ask for half
those amounts and many times, much less.
Programs like SHEET (the shareware spreadsheet from Chor-Lung Ming) or
VAN TERM (a shareware telecommunications programs from William Van Nest)
do everything their commercial counterparts accomplish at a fraction of
the suggested price. Shareware products like MANUAL MAKER (Craig
Daymon's nifty little program which transforms ASCII files into
attractive manual-type printouts) or ST XFORMER (Darek Mihocka's Atari
8-bit emulator) have no commercial counterpart at all.
One of shareware's strongest assets is the ability of ST enthusiasts
everywhere to actually try a particular program before they decide to
register as a user by forwarding a contribution to the programmer.
Shareware programs are typically distributed by shareware authors by
several means and end up being available to end users via on-line
services, bulletin boards, user groups and public domain/shareware disk
services.
However, this try-before-you-buy method of distributing shareware is
also actually the weak link in the chain. It's simple for ST users (or
any computer users for that matter) to obtain shareware software and
just as simple for them to neglect, ignore and otherwise forget to
forward contributions.
In the seven months we've published the Shareware Connection, we've had
far more negative comments from shareware authors regarding
contributions than any other type of input. We've had authors tell us
they've received absolutely no funds for their efforts while noticing
hundreds of downloads via on-line services. Other have told us that
while they are not totally dissatisfied with funds sent from registered
users, these contributions are considerably less that what they desired
or expected.
Even after 7 short months of existence we feel we've established
ourselves as a link between users and programmers. Our existence has
already caused at least 3 public domain/shareware authors to update and
release new versions of their programs and at least one programmer to
release software he hadn't even intended to release. Now we want to
help make the shareware market as strong as possible in the ST community
and that means getting the public more informed about shareware and the
importance of contributions.
Our first step in actually helping this change take place is to gather
more facts. This is where our readers, users and programmers alike come
into the picture. We need your input.
Programmers need to take the time to forward us information regarding
their programs and their contributions to date. We need information
like how long your program (or programs) have been available, how many
contributions or registered users you've attracted and why you think
your methods of attracting contributions are either successful or not.
We also need to hear from users of shareware software. Why do you feel
shareware authors receive less donations than they deserve and why you
either do or do not forward funds. At what point do you feel a program
is worth a contribution? After you use it once, twice, five times, ten
times? Do shareware authors ask fair amounts for their software?
Should they request specific amounts or leave the contribution up to the
individual and why?
We need as much input as possible. If you're a shareware author and
feel you haven't received your fair share of registered users, don't
pass up this chance to make that fact known. We'll pass all comments
along to our readers in a future issue. If you'd like to make some
statements but would rather remain nameless in our article, please state
that and we'll withhold your name. If this request is not made, we will
use specific quotes whenever applicable.
It should take us just a few weeks to compile this information, so you
can expect our complete report sometime this fall. In the meantime, get
your friends and fellow programmers to forward their comments to us so
we can get an accurate representation of the state of shareware
contributions and support.
Xx THE ARCHIVE BIT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Ron Kovacs
From the ZMagazine Archives
1 YEAR AGO - NOVEMBER 1988
==========================
Atari reported they will be giving credit for purchasing Atari
cartridges, they are sold presently at a cost of $10 to $30 each. Atari
will give prizes and a two week vacation. If this experiment works,
they will continue this promotion as a way of luring more people to
purchase Atari products.
The first Atari Canadian Users Convention takes place in Toronto Canada.
On display were all of Atari's products including the 260ST. New
products talked about included the 68030 chip-based ST scheduled for
shipment in early 1989 with enhanced resolution, stereo chip, more
colors and the NEW TOS. Other products discussed included the lap top
ST, an ST based game machine, and a new ST light light guns with games
cable of utilizing it. One of the games announced was "Crossbow".
On November 17th, 1988 ZMagazine and ST-Report editors Ron Kovacs and
Ralph Mariano spilt an organized publication because of controversy
surrounding editor Mariano. In January, STZMAG surfaced as a
replacement to ST-Report Magazine.
An Anti-Virus law was proposed by Michigan state lawmakers that would
impose penalties against anyone convicted of creating or spreading
computer viruses. This proposal came to light based on the virus attack
earlier this month on military and research computers linked by ARPANET
and other computer networks. Luckily, this virus did not cause any
damage other than down time to all involved.
Atari's Holiday Promotion was unveiled that offers free game cartridges
to buyers of Atari video game systems and software. The "Atari Holiday
Bonus Software Program" lets consumers who purchase an Atari 2600 or
7800 game system between November 21 and December 31 receive a bonus of
two free game cartridges direct from Atari. Through December 31, Atari
offered a $50 consumer rebate on the purchase of the Atari XE.
GFA Systemtechnik informed MichTron that they intended to begin
marketing all their products, world wide, by themselves. GFA was going
to start a new company in the USA called GFA U.S.A. Hearing this,
HiSoft approached MichTron about publishing their products in the United
States.
Atari attends the 10th Comdex showing Ultrascript which was said to be
ready in early 1989. DTP processors on hand included PageStream,
Publisher ST, DeskSet, and Calamus. The PC4 and PC5 were on display
with no word on US shipping dates. At the same show Commodore announced
the Amiga 2000HD.
2 YEARS AGO - NOVEMBER 1987
===========================
Atari showcases the ABAQ at Comdex. The Abaq, based on a "transputer"
chip, runs more than 10 times faster than a PC/AT technology and more
than 5 times faster than the 68020 with math processor. Atari unveiled
its new CD player capable of reading CD-ROM disks and of playing musical
CD disks. The CD-ROM is supported by a Mega and ST-compatible DMA
interface, and would retail in early 1988 for under $600. Also at
Comdex, the Mega's SLM804 Laser printer, Deskset, WordPerfect, and
Microsoft Write. Atari's IBM compatibles were shown, the PC2 (XT
Compatible) and PC4 (AT Compatible), PC3 (VGA Graphics Operation), which
join the PC1 already available at $799. Sam Tramiel states "I can see
Atari Mega computers with laser printers as desktop publishing stations
exchanging data with a satellite group of PC1's as LAN stations. An
entire office environment can be created. The PC, the Macintosh, and
the Atari computers co-exist. Each can do the things they do best."
Atari announced "Moses PromiseLAN," a local area network that can
connect up to 17 PCs using off-the-shelf telephone wire. They will also
be developing Moses PromiseLAN adaptors for its Mega and ST computers.
Thus, the Mega and Atari laser printer will be able to share data with
PCs and Apple Macintoshes.
3 YEARS AGO - NOVEMBER 1986
===========================
Commodore's bankers renew a credit line of 140 million to keep things
rolling. Earlier in the year they defaulted on loans while banks held
off calling in the bucks.
The Max Headroom Show gains popularity as Max appears in Conference on
CompuServe. Max Headroom was best known for his witty, off-the-wall
comments made while interviewing rock groups and other pop artists.
Newsweek dubbed Max the "the TV talk show host of 1986 -- no, make that
the year 2000."
The Software Publishers Association announced it was offering a $100
reward to anyone turning in information about computer bulletin board
systems that distribute copyrighted software. As reported in Zmag, in
order to collect the bounty, tipsters HAD TO provide the name, telephone
number and log-on information of a pirate BBS, as well as the street
address and name of the sysop, a disk containing copyrighted materials
downloaded from it and a printout of other copyrighted material posted
there. $500.00 was paid out to date.
Antic Online a CompuServe Forum was unable to reach a mutually
acceptable contract with CompuServe, and found it necessary to
discontinue ANTIC ONLINE. They would later kiss and make up.
Supra Corp notified owners of it's 30MB Hard Drives manufactured by NEC
that the drives may develop encoding problems. In a message sent to
users of the Atari Developers Forum on CompuServe, Supra said that some
disk drives manufactured between August 15 and October 15, 1986, have
been known to fail after extended use. Encoding problems can lead to
scrambling of the disk directory and subsequent loss of data. To
determine if your Supra 30MB drive was manufactured during the suspected
problem period, check the identification plate on the bottom of the
drive. The manufacturing date shown is in the format of MDDYY or
MMDDYY. Users who suspect a problem with their drive should contact:
Supra Tech Support (503)967-9081.
ZMagazine makes it's debut in Sweden on at least three BBS systems.
Sorman Information eXchange, SIX. It runs on a Mac+, and carry general
computer news and sections for Mac, Atari 8-bit, and Atari ST. The
number is +46-470-22183.
Atari entertains the masses at the 1986 Comdex show with Publishing
Partner from SoftLogik, and 8-bit products like the XEP80, SX212, and
the long awaited BLiTTer chip promised for early 1987 for $120. Sam
Tramiel states "Atari is bringing its philosophy of "Power Without the
Price" to the wider peripheral market."
Xx THE REVOLUTION Part 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Donald Thomas
Copyright 1989, Artison Software
THE CALENDAR
WEEK 1
PRIOR TO AND INCLUDING January 6, 1990 "LET'S GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD!"
Write a letter, once a week each to the following three individuals:
SAM TRAMIEL, President PRODUCER
Atari Corporation 20/20, ABC TV
1196 Borregas Ave 1330 Avenue Of The Americas
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 New York, NY 10019
The Editor's desk of your local newspaper.
Tell Sam Tramiel that you have joined "The REVOLUTION" and are prepared
to wage the war in favor of better consumer exposure of the Atari
computer lines. Ask for his recognition and support. This will leave
no doubt in Atari's mind that the campaign has substance and they
better be building a few more computers next year for the U.S.
Tell 20/20 and your local paper, in your own words, that you have
joined "The REVOLUTION"; a consumer interest movement organized to
build public awareness about the best available computer values. Tell
them the organization has chosen Atari as a well rounded computer which
is easily adapted for education, business, music and leisure. As an
active member, tell them you request their coverage of the campaign.
This activity will be a major step to alert the media that they need to
be aware that something is going on.
WEEK 2 January 7 through January 13, 1990
NATIONAL ATARI PUBLICATION RECOGNITION WEEK
During this week, choose one or more Atari orientated publications.
There are many. Artisan Software can provide you with addresses or
phone numbers of your favorite publication if you wish. When
subscribing, include "My subscription is in the spirit of 'The
REVOLUTION'!" on your order.
Also during this week, choose a topic concerning "The REVOLUTION" and
write a minimum of two paragraphs about your opinions of it. Send it
to the editor of your chosen publication.
WEEK 3 January 14 through January 20, 1990
NATIONAL RUBBER STAMP WEEK
Rubber Stamp week? Yep... that's what the man said! Every office
supply store offers them and they are not expensive. Write:
Join The REVOLUTION...
Use an Atari Computer!
on a piece of paper and take it to your office supply store or local
printer. In less than a week, you will have a powerful tool to stamp
on every envelope you mail out and your message can reach dozens of
people with each letter. Mail sorters and carriers, the recipients and
their families or co-workers will see the growing movement advertised
on every envelope you mail. You will need to get a stamp pad; please
use red. Go stamp happy and stamp everything you can.
It may cost a little more for the convenience, but you may order this
stamp from Artisan Software for $22. California, add 6% sales tax.
Send your order to: Artisan Software, P.O. Box 849, Manteca, CA 95336
WEEK 4 January 21 through January 27, 1990
NATIONAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT WEEK
There are two things two do during this week. First, review your
library of computer software and see if there is any you own that you
may have "inadvertently" received and did not pay for. Choose a title
you use from time to time, or admire because of its quality. Send a
check to the publisher, anonymously if need be, and thank them for
their Atari software support. Shareware qualifies.
Secondly, find a non-Atari software publisher in magazines or by asking
around. Write a letter addressed to the President of that firm and ask
them why they do not support the Atari computer and if they will please
consider it. Ask them for a reply. Be polite.
WEEK 5 January 28 through February 3, 1990
NATIONAL "GO TO A BARR" WEEK
Let's band together for a special episode of ROSEANNE...the most
popular sitcom now being broadcast.
In this episode, the family wins a home computer (an Atari) with a
"REVOLUTION" strike force around every corner to help them set it up.
Write to:
ROSEANNE BARR
c/o ABC TV
2040 Ave OF The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Tell her your nifty plot idea (as stated above) and ask for a special
episode to be produced. Tell her every Atari fanatic in America will
watch. Who knows, if they do it, maybe we can get Atari Corp. to
sponsor it.
WEEK 6 February 4 through February 10, 1990
NATIONAL GOODWILL WEEK
In honor of Valentine's Day on February 14, call your local Hospital
and ask for the name of a child who may benefit form a little
recognition and attention. Design a large outline of a heart on a
paint program. Print it out and write: "On behalf of 'The REVOLUTION";
a national Atari computer user interest group, I wish for you a speedy
recovery. We admire your strength!" Sign and send it to the address
the Hospital gives you. You may make the "card" as fancy as you wish,
but artistic skills are not required.
Parents, have your children pass out Atari generated Valentine's to
classmates.
WEEK 7 February 11 through February 17, 1990
NATIONAL PRESIDENT'S WEEK
In honor of President's Day, let's wish Mr. George Bush a pleasant one.
To insure the publicity value, send your wishes to have a
"REVOLUTIONARY PRESIDENT'S DAY" to the President in care of:
CBS TV
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Send a cover letter to the network asking them to wish the President
well in our behalf over the air. Mention our cause in your letter.
WEEK 8 February 18 through February 24, 1990
NATIONAL USER GROUP RECOGNITION WEEK
If you do not belong to a user group, find one in your area and join.
If you already belong, make it a project to ask a minimum of one friend
to be your guest to the next meeting. It's preferred that your invited
friend does not own an Atari computer. This will be an opportunity to
share information on why they may wish to consider one.
Call your local newspaper and ask for the local news desk. Ask them to
print announcements of meetings for your local group on a regular
basis.
To be continued...........
Xx THE PD SURVEY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Mark Quinn
File name: XENON_II.ARC
Program name: XENON 2: MEGABLAST
Program type: Game demo
Programmed by: The Assembly Line (Designed by the Bitmap Brothers)
Warn them all. Warn the wives, girlfriends and mothers of ST joystick
jockeys everywhere. The Assembly Line has produced a button bouncing,
blister buster (ahh--alliteration) of a game. The last time I had as
much fun playing a game was--err--when someone gave me a demo of
"Nebulus" (or "Tower Toppler"). You can play level one of this
'production', and it has so many nice touches it's hard to list them
all, so I'll list the ones I noticed.
Ok, it's time to put on your "it's an awfully silly scenario, but it's
fun" cap. You're flying vertically through space (which is hard to do)
in a cavern straight out of "Fred Flintstone meets Flipper" in something
that looks like an early cartoon/Air Force jet against stars and a
background of Something Weird (Is it a tree? Is it mass of bronzed
frog eggs? Is it a web? Why, it's all three!) and some 'spurnatozoa'
(that's my term, not the programmers') with weird looking glossy paint
jobs--complete with racing stripes--arc down toward you. You blast them
back down to level 56 of hyper hades, collecting the shiny bubble thing
that's left behind.
Some of the nicer touches include a "Continue Game" option, the ability
to leave the bottom of the screen, reverse thrusters, which can
sometimes stop the vertical scrolling (another nice touch is that the
screen 'bounces' when it's 'struggling against your thrusters') and get
your ship out of trouble when it's stuck somewhere, a rocket launcher
complete with its own engine that will reattach to a new ship after the
last one has been destroyed, centipedes which segment when you shoot
them in a different way than in the classic game, a bonus weapon that
attaches itself to the rear of the ship and lobs photon torpedoes at any
aft-stabbing enemies--you get the picture. (At least you will if you've
downloaded or intend to download this game demo.)
(The following program runs in monochrome ONLY.)
File name: BOUBLE.ARC
Program name: Bouncing Bubbles
Program type: Game
Programmed by: Paul Bininda
Yet another in the "shoot, shoot some more and duck" category. The
object in this Space Invaders derivative, at least for the first few
levels (if you can make it to level forty you'll be the winner of...my
undying admiration), is to keep these Super Balls (boubles) from
crushing your ship. Once your ship is crushed it just sort of sits
there like a squashed mosquito (in full, glorious high res), giving you
time to think of new ways to avoid looking like a dead bug.
This is another pleasing example of German PD. Wunderbar!
File name: MARSFACE.ARC
"MARSFACE.ARC" contains GIF and Spectrum pictures of an "anomaly" on
Mars. A mesa in one of the images the Viking 1 probe transmitted in '76
looked (after some image enhancement was done on the transmission)
unsettlingly like a face.
Here's an excerpt from one of the text files in the archive.
"1976. Viking-1, orbiting over the Cyndonia region of Mars, transmits
frame 35A72 to JPL. The first tiny, high-contrast print shows a mile-
long face-like mesa. Though Viking's mandate is to 'search for any
evidence of life on Mars, now or in the past' the Face is dismissed
without investigation as an 'oddity of light and shading' and filed
away."
The rest of the file goes into much, much more detail about the
discovery of the Face and how the scientific community "stonewalled"
efforts to delve deeper into the mystery.
(I'd end this with a "modem face", but I don't think it's appropriate.
Here's looking at you, kid.)
=======================================================================
ST*ZMAGAZINE ISSUE #45 NOVEMBER 3, 1989
Copyright (C)1989, Rovac Industries, Inc..
=======================================================================
