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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 36
Volume 3, Issue 36 Atari Online News, Etc. September 7, 2001
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2001
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Kevin Savetz
Rob Mahlert
Brian Gentile
Jean Lusetti
Fred Horvat
To subscribe to A-ONE, change e-mail addresses, or unsubscribe,
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To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
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Now available:
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Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0336 09/07/01
~ New Vision Is Out! ~ People Are Talking! ~ Texto! Upgraded!
~ HP To Buy Compaq! ~ MiNT '98 Released! ~ Joe HTML Editor!
~ Atari Program Exchange ~ How To Win Spam War! ~ GEM X-Server Update!
~ No Microsoft Breakup! ~ Atari-User.net Polls! ~ Animator New Release!
-* Ohio Atari Swap Meet Saturday *-
-* Experts Reject "Cleanup Worm" Plan! *-
-* U.S. and France Tangle Over Web Censorship *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The last summer vacation is over, Labor Day comes and goes, school starts,
and a 4-day work week - I'm exhausted!! Returning to work from vacation
during a holiday-shortened week is brutal. The plus side is that the
weekend is here! And no projects lined up that I have to worry about (and
don't tell my wife!).
It's been a really nice week here in New England. Warm days and cool
nights, perfect combination. That's the kind of weather that I like. If
autumn continues like this, I'll be happy.
So, do you think that the Feds wimped out in their case against Microsoft?
I do. The debate and trial has been going on for a long time - why not
finish what they started? Microsoft's patience seems to have won out in the
end. However, I do believe that the company will face some kind of loss in
the end. Perhaps the consumer will finally win something, for a change.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
Browser Poll Results on Atari-Users.Net
The new poll is "Do you have a Multitasking OS on your Atari?"
Stop by www.atari-users.net to cast your vote in our new poll!
On the last poll.. here are the "totals"
Would you "Pledge" funds for a contest to create a new Atari Browser?
Yes - $5 8.64 % (14) = 70
Yes - $15 10.49 % (17) = 255
Yes - $25 26.54 % (43) = 1075
Yes - $50 27.78 % (45) = 2250
Yes - $50+ 11.11 % (18) = 900 (18*50)
Total YES "Pledge" amount 4550
No 5.56 % (9)
Maybe 9.88 % (16)
Total Votes: 162
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED!!
Rob
webmaster@atari-users.net
http://www.atari-users.net
Texto! Text Converter Version 2.0
"Texto!", a text converter tool, has been updated to version 2.0. You can
easily convert your text files:
- from Atari ASCII to HTML,
- from Atari ASCII to Windows ANSI,
- from Windows ANSI to Atari ASCII,
- you can also remove the occidental accents.
This new release brings some enhancements:
- works fine in multitasking,
- multiple file conversions, thanks to the support of enhanced file
selectors (Selectric, BoxKite...),
- should work under all Atari OSes and all screen resolutions,
- it can run as an accessory,
- new interface, easier to use,
- a big part of the source code has been rewritten and improved.
Texto! 2.0 is available on http://strider.atari.org
This is a French site, so here is the direct link:
http://www.multimania.com/toxicmag/prods/texto2.zip
Animator 0.20.2 Released
This version brings many bug fixes, improvements and several new features.
http://removers.free.fr/softs/en/download.php3
Joe (HTML editor) Bug Fix & Rosemary Game Sources
Bug Fix for Joe - HTML editor (1.48 version)
- ISO-8859-1 Filter. You can use no more &entities; (please read the
bug fixes.txt)
- fixed a big crash during communication between Joe and its modules.
- menu and dialog box slowness corrected under MiNT.
- use of XRSC for external resource files (RGF method).
- keyboard overrun behavior improvement.
- some internal small bug fixes
- Well formed HTML. You can deactivate it (ie -> old ).
The GFA sources of Rosemary Rancoon's Strip Game and its development tool
(image convertor) are also available, under the "Schmilblick Goes Forward"
license. That means you can do what you want with it.
URL: http://www.multimania.com/nef/
VISION 4.0e
Hi !
A little message to inform you that VISION 4.0e is out with :
Many bugs fixed :-)
New version of JPEG (DSP) decoder from Brainstorm thanks to Carsten Pauer.
This version is much better for CT2 users.
VISION is available in Italian thanks to Lodovico Zanier
New LDV : Perspective Y
Scale functions ("Change size...", full page, image browser...) are faster
from 2 to 3 times !
Real time zoom speed is increased by 10% to 40% !
Zoom on an image is up to 5 times faster !
All these scale/zoom relative functions are also memory optimized as hey
require *much* less memory to run.
Some totally invisible stuff added in order to prepare for the future
external image modules.
The bit-planes to TOS indexes function (RaRaster2Ind) is 3 to 4 times
faster! I was thinking of optimizing it for long away...
New functions RaTC15RemapColors, RaTC16RemapColors, RaTC32RemapColors,
RaRasterRotateGetDstMFDB, RaRasterRotate, CoGetFunctionOptimizations in
VAPI Rotation, gamma correction and brightness have been moved into LDV
You can edit the LDV parameters values by typing in the current displayed
value
A LDV can change the parameters sent by VISION (may be useful if you want
your LDV to set all parameters to the same value)
VISION can manage the selection, so the LDV has to deal only with a "full"
image (see LDVF_NOSELECTION)
In the "LDV Apply" dialog, we can change the size of the preview and even
hide the source preview in order to increase the size of the destination
preview, here are the keys of interest in the LDV section of VISION.INI :
PreviewDstSize and PreviewSrcSize
If PreviewSrcSize is set to 0, only the destination preview will be
displayed
Some memory optimizations : a lot of static data has been moved to dynamic
allocations like windows, Undo buffers (you can now have 99 Undo buffer PER
image!), etc... Even with the new features VISION saves up some 28 KB of
memory !
MeSCopyMemory8, MeSCopyMemory16 , MeSCopyMemory32 functions are 40% to 300%
faster !
All this stuff on http://vision.atari.org download page:
http://www.multimania.com/jlusetti/telee.htm
See you, Jean
http://vision.atari.org
jlusetti@free.fr
Gem X-Server Update
The superb project that let you use X-Window programs in GEM have been
updated with a new release, with bug fixes and speedups.
http://x11.freemint.de/
GEMMA: A New Look for TOS
Gemma is a new TOS-look that provides all windows with a fresh and
innovative design that can compete with the look of other operating
systems. It is optimized for modern screen resolutions and color depths.
http://lacs.onlinehome.de/atari/gemma
About Time ST Emulator for BeOS!
I've tried it out and it's a work in progress right now. I haven't run
anything except to get to the desktop with TOS 2.06. It runs so far with
floppy disk images which I don't have any of. Maybe I'll have to make some or
go to the Little Green Desktops and get some. If anybody wants a screen
shot I can gladly forward one to you.
Here's the proper URL for the main page http://hatari.sourceforg
Jim and Jeff,
You can see it in action this weekend you like at the Columbus Swap Meet
if you attend. I'll be there with the Songbird Items FS/Demoing.
X11-Server/GEM v0.13 Released
The highly active development of the GEM-based X-Windows server is going
on at rapid speed. A new update was released today with the following
additions:
- Implemented support for 16/24/32 bits color depth graphic modes.
- Fixed a tricky bug which was responsible for white drawings over white
background on graphic depths >= 16 bits.
- Fixed a bug which crashes the AES if a client tries to change the root
window (desktop) background.
Download it from the URL below.
URL: http://x11.freemint.de/
AUTHOR: A Loyal Atarian
MiNT '98
Changes since Rel. 1.0:
* New MiNT-Kernels and File systems (Rel. 1.1)
* Installation on ext2-Filesystems realized (Rel. 1.1)
* AdMiNTools supports ext2-Filesystems (Rel. 1.1)
* Debugged Samba-Paket. Networkprinting realized (Rel. 1.2)
* Documentation now as HTML-Version on CD. (Rel. 1.2)
Important: First off 20 Orders the CD will be produced.
http://www.ag-computer.de
Atari Program Exchange Lives!
I am proud to announce the Atari Program Exchange archive.
http://www.atariarchives.org/APX/
The APX archive offers information about the Atari Program Exchange and
downloadable software. All the software that's available is with the
permission of the copyright holders, so it's nice 'n legal.
Currently, 62 APX titles are available for download. A list of
downloadable titles is below. The archive is far from complete, but this
is a start. Even if a program isn't downloadable, the site offers
information about it.
Want to help? If you can put me in touch with APX authors that haven't yet
been contacted, or provide APX software/catalogs that aren't yet accounted
for, the archive will be better for it.
Downloadable APX titles ---
Advanced Musicsystem
Air Raid!
Alien Egg
Attank!
Babel
Blackjack Casino
Bumpomov's Dogs
Calculus Demon
Chameleon CRT Terminal Emulator
Dandy
Data Management System
Decision Maker
Deep Blue C Compiler
Deep Blue Secrets
Dice Poker
Diskette Librarian
Dog Daze
Dog Daze Deluxe
Domination
Downhill
DSEMBLER
Eastern Front (1941)
Easygrader
Excalibur
Extended fig-FORTH
Family Budget
Family Cash Flow
Family Vehicle Expense
Frogmaster
Galahad And The Holy Grail
Game Show
Getaway!
Gossip
Insomnia (A Sound Editor)
Instedit
Instedit - Microsoft BASIC version
Isopleth Map-Making Package
Lemonade
Mantis Boot Tape Development System
Math*UFO
Mathematic-Tac-Toe
Melt-Down
Memory Match
Microsailing
Monkey Up A Tree
Newspaper Route Management Program
Polycalc
Preschool Games
Pro Bowling
Puzzler
Quarxon
Rabbotz
Real Estate Cash Flow Analysis
Seven Card Stud
Snark Hunt
Solitaire
Source Code For Eastern Front (1941)
Stereo 3-D Graphics Package
The Magic Melody Box
The Midas Touch
Weakon
Weekly Planner
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE User Group Notes! - Meetings, Shows, and Info!
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Atari Swap Meet
A reminder to all:
Jaguar Corner at the Ohio Atari Swap Meet
Columbus, Ohio - Come join us for fun and games at the Atari Computer
Enthusiasts of Columbus annual Atari Swap Meet to be held on September 8,
2001. This annual event boasts a wide selection of Atari games and systems
for sale. Last year the event had many items available for the Atari ST,
8Bit computers, 5200, 7800, and 2600.
This year, the Jaguar Corner will be at the Swap Meet. The Jaguar Corner is
your chance to play the most popular and rare games available for the Atari
Jaguar video game console.
Featured games available for view and play are:
- New games from Songbird Productions (http://songbird.atari.net/)
including Skyhammer, Protector, Hyper Force, and Soccer Kid for the Jaguar;
and Lexis, Championship Rally, PONX, Remnant, and more for the Lynx.
- Doom and Air Cars in 2 Player, 2 Console Network Play
- BattleSphere from Scatologic (www.scatologic.com) available for play and
demo
- Jaguar CD with games such as Primal Rage, Vid Grid, Blue Lightning,
Battlemorph, and World Tour Racing
- Popular Jaguar games such as Towers II, Worms, Zero 5, Defender 2000,
Atari Karts, and Breakout 2000
- JUGS (www.buyjugs.com - The Jaguar Underground Game Server) which allows
the downloading of underground, homebrew games into the Jaguar. Underground
games available for play include Asteroids, Gorf demo, Jagmania, Jag
Tetris, and Native.
The Jaguar corner is being promoted by Fred Horvat (fmh@netzero.net) and
Brian Gentile (mail@addie.cjb.net) of Addie's Atari Page
(www.addie.cjb.net). The Atari Swap Meet is being run and promoted by the
Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Columbus
(http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/acec/acec.html).
The Atari Swap Meet and the Jaguar Corner will be held from 9:00 am to 3:00
pm on September 8, 2001 at:
Oakland Park Community Building
980 Lenore St.
Columbus, Ohio 43224-3351
Directions: From I-71, take the E. North Broadway Street exit east, turn
left onto Maize Road, and a quick right on Lenore Avenue.
Admission: The price of admission to the Atari Swap Meet is $4 per person
and $6 per vendor table (includes one admission). The Jaguar Corner costs
nothing!
For the latest details on the Jaguar Corner, see Addie's Atari Page
(www.addie.cjb.net).
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Another week has come and gone and Mother
Nature is giving those of us in the northeast a preview of the coming
autumn. This past week has been fairly moderate as far as temperature
and humidity are concerned. Maybe it's all in my head, but I've started
to notice the days getting shorter and the sun changing position in the
sky already.
Each season has its own attractions, but Fall will always be my
favorite. Sure, Summer is great for vacations at the beach and barbecues
and such, and winter has skating and skiing, if you're into those.
Spring is a time of renewal when everything regenerates itself after its
long sleep.
But Autumn is a time of relaxation. The green growing things are closing
up shop and getting ready to rest for a while. It's that feeling of
relaxation that appeals to me. Of course, it's not all a cake-walk. The
falling leaves need to be gathered up (right, Dana?) and there's always
something going on, but by-and-large, it's time to throttle back a
little bit and relax....
And anyone who knows me knows that relaxing is what I do best. <grin>
Now let's get to the news and stuff from the UseNet...
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================
Tim Conrardy posts this bit of info for MIDI folks:
"PRESTO released as Shareware. Presto page completed.
For those of you in the dark, a fantastic MIDI composition package by
Dr Guerino Mazzola has just been released as shareware. I have been working
on the page which has screen shots and lots of info about it.
Finally got it done. Plan to do a tutorial sometime, but for
now...this is enough info as well as full docs and also the Prestino
slide show tutorial available in the english docs zip. Looks like a very
cool Composition package. Definitely worth looking into. You will only
find this on the Atari platform!!Makes it worth keeping the ol' ST!
The shareware fee is only &10.00 in american money. Support Atari
programmers and send it in!Details on the page.
http://sites.netscape.net/timconrardy/presto.htm
BTW: please let me know if you can get to the page as I have been
having problems lately accessing my site ( netscape.net problem)."
Bob King tells Tim:
"If it's of any relevance, all the web pages you refer to are immediately
loadable using Explorer on a Mac G3 and also with iCab.
Presto looks great, thanks to you and the good Dr Guerino Mazzola."
Oliver Graf asks about problems with his new hard drive:
"I bought a new, larger hard disk for my Mega ST 4: I removed the
Quantum LP 52 S from my ddd Microdisk and replaced it by an
LPS 540 Lightning. The new drive formatted and partitioned well
(C is now 100 MB, D is 440 MB). After doing that, I attached
the old drive and copied its files to the new one. That worked, too.
Now my problem: When accessing the new drive, the ST crashes
irregularly after approx. 15 minutes throwing three or four bombs.
Even when I want to see the info about C or D on the desktop
the machine crashes with three bombs. Sometimes it doesn't
boot from the hard disk. It doesn't recognize the DMA device
or it hangs during initialization (green LED is on constantly).
When I attach the 52 MB drive additionally it boots but still
crashes sometimes. What's wrong? Same happens with an
LPS 240."
James Alexander tells Oliver:
"Here are a few things to check:
Cables & termination (I know this is Uwe Seimet's favorite thing to check
first). but since your old drive worked this might not be it.
Try using a different hard disk driver program, like the HDdriver demo
for example. You should also make sure that only the last drive in the
chain is terminated because it's easy to forget this when changing things
around. Also something to consider is parity enabled on any of the
drives? Not all host adaptors for atari ST's get along with this
feature. and make sure no scsi id's are the same on more than one drive
when trying several drives together."
'Galen' adds:
"Then again, it might be (cables or termination). When changing drives,
cables that have not been moved for years are flexed and physically
moved. In certain cases, this can cause problems. This rather looks
like a cabling or termination problem. What software driver are you
using to access the drive?"
Oliver tells Galen:
"I tried the Micro Disk driver and AHDI 5.
Is it possible that the host adapter doesn't work with 240 MB or
higher drives? The Atari doesn't boot when I connect only the
540 MB drive (the terminated one). After adding the 52 MB
drive (not terminated) it works."
Uwe Seimet tells Oliver:
"No. The drive's capacity is not relevant here."
Derek Hunt asks about a problem he's having with floppies:
"Some years ago my STFM was upgraded to 4Meg,internal HD & DD
floppy (with connection for additional external drive),switchable
TOS 1.00/2,06.Later a CD Rom,external HD/DD floppy and Hard Disk
was added. Recently the internal floppy has been playing up. The
problem is:
Double clicking on the internal drive will open up the disk to
show its contents. Double clicking on a folder will open it
up. Then the problem starts. Trying to start a .PRG brings up the
info that the disk is faulty. .DOC.TXT files etc can be opened
and read. This is the same whether the disk is HD or DD. There is
no problem using the external drive with the same disk. The
warning also appears if the disk has Auto start.
Your ideas would be appreciated. Zetnet-Atarians have kindly
supplied some help such as attempting to clean the drive etc.If I
decide to change the drive would a PC one fit without the usual
mods as the fitted unit is DD/HD?"
Lyndon Amsdon tells Derek:
"OK, sure is the floppy drive from what you say. I'd get a PC drive, or
if you're not that bothered you could put a DD drive in but then you may
find that'll go after a few months as they are getting rather old :)
Anyway, you'll need to switch the drive to ID 0 or DS 0 via a jumper or
usually a solder pad. If it doesn't have this then you need to cut a
track inside the floppy unit and solder a jumper wire, contact me if you
need to do this.
Next you might need to make a modification to the way the drive senses
disk changes, there is info on Hallvard's site for this. Otherwise you
may corrupt disks!
You may also need to make a modification to the drive to make your HD
module detect HD or DD disk. It depends which module you have, I
presume TUS right?
Also, I've found that modern PC floppy drives just can't cut it for
these oddly formatted disks, eg 80+ tracks and 11 odd sectors. My
Falcon has a PC floppy drive and if I want to install Positive Image or
Lattice C disk 6 then I have to get out my old Falcon floppy drive.
Damn annoying, this occurs on two out of two PC floppy drives I checked
with."
Djordje Vukovic adds:
"I have experienced very similar symptoms when power supply to floppy
was not within tolerance. Contact resistance on power supply connectors
may have increased because of age and oxidation so even if the computer's
power supply gives correct voltages they do not reach the floppy, or
even the motherboard.
So, use a digital voltmeter and check if voltage delivered to floppy
drive is 5V +/-0.1 V (theoretically, tolerance could be +/-0.25V but it
would be good to be on the safe side). Check 12V too (tolerance for this
is not so strict). Also, check if the computer motherboard gets 5V
+/-0.1 V.
Eventually, it may turn out that the drive is faulty- maybe the head has
become mis-aligned, or it is not stepping properly. From what you say, it
seems that the first track is read correctly (i.e you get the directory)
but then the drive does not get to the correct track to read the file
itself (it may be accidental that you can read some files anyway,
depending on where they are located).
Oh, and what about your DD/HD switching circuit? Are you sure there is
not any fault there? Also, is the step-rate set correctly?
When I installed a HD drive I found out that it could not read properly
disks which were formatted with 84 tracks. Upon inspection it turned
out that there were mechanical stops in the drive which limited head
travel. Careful shaving of these stops for a fraction of a millimeter
with a scalpel cured this problem (there is a little utility program out
there which can be used to check how many tracks a drive can handle)."
Djordje Vukovic now asks about a problem with STiNG:
Some time ago I noticed a problem which seems to appear more and more
often now, when I download a large file from the net (using Sting or
Stik, it doesn't matter). It goes like this: if average transfer speed
drops significantly from theoretical, download sometimes stops
prematurely, without any error messages, although only part of the file
has been transferred. This seems to happen with some sites more often
than with others.
It happens in the same way when using CAB and Newsie. For example, I
use a 14400 modem and usually get transfer speeds of about 1600-1700cps.
I had a case where a file transfer invariably stopped prematurely after
a while if average transfer speed was about 1300cps or lower. I mention
that it is not the question of timeout values set in CAB (or Newsie),
because a transfer just stops in the middle of a receiving, i.e. it does
not timeout.
Is there something I can do in configuring Sting in order to prevent
this, or is the problem "on the other end"? I almost have a feeling that
there is some timer on the ftp server or on my ISP's machines which
estimates how much time it should take to transfer a file and aborts
a transfer if this time is exceeded."
Edward Baiz tells Djorkje:
"I know people were having the same problem with Cab and Dan Ackerman
put together a new Cab.ovl file that took care of that. Do you have the
latest version of the Cab.ovl?"
Djordje replies:
"In fact, for a long time I have been using Booklage's ovl. When I
installed it, it appeared to work significantly faster than Dan's.
But I will download the latest Ackerman's ovl and see what happens."
Well folks, that's it for this time around. Tune in again next week,
same time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying
when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Planetweb's Dreamcast Internet Browser!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Rocket Power! Tennis 2K2!
NBA 2K2!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Planetweb Launches Browser v3.0 for Sega Dreamcast
Broadband Support and Instant Messaging Delivers
Superior Consumer Experience
Planetweb, a global leader in application software solutions for the
consumer electronics market, announced the release of the Planetweb
Internet Browser v3.0 for the Sega Dreamcast. By delivering a host of new
product features, including instant messaging and broadband support,
Planetweb and Sega continue to improve the interactive entertainment
experience of over four million U.S. Sega Dreamcast users. Sega.com Inc.
encapsulated the first online solution for the U.S. gaming console market
with the launch of SegaNet, the world's first online console gaming
network, and continues to deliver high quality online console gaming via
the Sega Dreamcast.
Bringing console gaming capabilities to a new level, gamers are, for the
first time ever, able to utilize the power of broadband Internet access
with the Planetweb Internet Browser v3.0 for Dreamcast. Strengthening the
bonds between SegaNet's community of online gamers, the new browser also
includes instant messaging capabilities and a new personal portal that will
deliver daily content exclusive to Dreamcast users. A host of additional
features includes Flash 4.0, updated JavaScript, and the ability to play
applet-based web games. These additions expand on the current features
already enjoyed by Sega Dreamcast users, including dial-up 56K modem
access, MP3 playback, email, chat, full-screen movie playback and file
downloads for the Sega Visual Memory Unit.
``Planetweb is proud to continue our support for Dreamcast fans by
delivering an updated browser including broadband support and the latest in
Internet technology," said Ken Soohoo, president and CEO of Planetweb.
``We maintain a long-standing relationship with Sega and will continue to
provide the latest and most advanced features to the Dreamcast community."
``Planetweb has been instrumental in delivering advanced Internet
technology to Sega console users," said Ryoichi Shiratsuchi, CEO,
Sega.com. ``With new features like instant messaging and broadband support,
the Planetweb Internet Browser v3.0 for Dreamcast allows our community of
console gamers to connect and play online like never before."
Pricing and Availability
Beginning September 4th, Planetweb is offering the opportunity to preorder
the browser for a promotional price of $14.99 + $4.99 for shipping and
handling. Following the three week preorder promotion, on September 30th
the browser will be available for $19.99 + $4.99 for shipping and handling.
The Planetweb Internet Browser v3.0 for Dreamcast can be purchased via the
Internet directly from Planetweb at http://dreamcast.planetweb.com/upgrade.
THQ Ships "Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue" for PlayStation
Nickelodeon announced the release of ``Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue"
for PlayStation.
``Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue" is now available at major retail
outlets nationwide and features the ``Rocket Power" gang playing together
in skateboarding, surfing and roller hockey competitions. ``Rocket Power,"
the number-three-ranked show on all kids TV among kids 6 - 11, is produced
by Klasky Csupo, creators of Nickelodeon's top-rated show, ``Rugrats."
``Our first 'Rocket Power' videogame release, 'Rocket Power Gettin' Air'
for Game Boy Color, remains a top ten-seller since its March release
according to NPD TRSTS Data," stated Alison Locke, executive vice
president, North American Publishing. ``Its all-ages, extreme sports appeal
make 'Rocket Power' a great brand for the PlayStation marketplace this
holiday."
``'Rocket Power' is one of the most popular shows for kids, with 36 million
viewers each month," stated Steven Youngwood, Vice President, Interactive
Products and Publishing, Nickelodeon. ``These kids can now snowboard,
rollerblade, skateboard and BMX as Otto, Reggie, Twister and Sam in their
own interactive competitions in Ocean Shores."
In ``Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue," national sports chain Sno-Mart is
moving to Ocean Shores and threatening to steal business from Rocket
Boards, Reggie and Otto's dad's extreme sports shop. Players take on the
role of Reggie, Otto, Twister or Sam and compete as ``Team Rocket" in
various extreme sports competitions to secure valuable publicity for Rocket
Boards.
For more information on ``Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue" for
PlayStation, the upcoming ``Rocket Power: Dream Scheme"for Game Boy
Advance and ``Rocket Power: Extreme Arcade Games"for PC, visit
www.thq.com.
Sega Sports Launches Basketball
and Tennis On Multiple Platforms
Sega Sports NBA 2K2 Debuts on Nintendo
Gamecube and Sega Sports Tennis 2K2 Heads for
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system
Sega Sports announced the launch of ``Sega Sports NBA 2K2" for the
Nintendo Gamecube, and the ``Virtua Tennis" hit sequel ``Sega Sports
Tennis 2K2," for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system from Sony
Computer Entertainment Inc. This move builds upon Sega's commitment to be a
platform-agnostic third party publisher, reinforcing its key objective of
becoming the world's leader in interactive entertainment. ``Sega Sports NBA
2K2" and ``Sega Sports Tennis 2K2" will first launch on the 128-bit,
Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast video game console this fall, with ``Sega
Sports NBA 2K2" arriving on Nintendo Gamecube and ``Sega Sports Tennis
2K2" premiering on the PlayStation 2, both in the Spring of 2002.
``Our entire 'Sega Sports NBA 2K' series has sold extremely well and 'Sega
Sports Tennis 2K2's' predecessor was heralded as the premier title in its
genre," said Peter Moore, president and COO, Sega of America. ``The
impending launches of these sequels on multiple platforms are a testament
to the unparalleled gameplay that only Sega Sports can deliver."
``Sega Sports games have an established reputation for quality and
authenticity," said Greg Thomas, president, Visual Concepts, a member of
the Sega group. ``Gamers can expect nothing less with these two titles. We
are excited to take advantage of the power inherent in both the PlayStation
2 and the Nintendo Gamecube."
The Sega Sports roster of next generation titles announced today includes
(in order of launch):
* ``Sega Sports NBA 2K2" with Philadelphia 76ers Guard Allen
Iverson (Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation2, Xbox, Nintendo
Gamecube)
* ``Sega Sports Tennis 2K2" with Venus Williams and Serena Williams
(Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation2)
These games will be rated ``E" for everyone and will be available at
retailers nationwide for $49.95 each.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
HP Buying Compaq for $20.3 Billion
Hewlett-Packard Co. and Compaq Computer Corp.'s $20.3 billion merger would
make sense even if the computer industry hadn't taken such a beating over
the last year, company executives say. But sheer survival is a big
motivating factor.
Both companies have lost ground in PC sales, there is a big overlap in
their product lines that will translate into consolidation and thousands of
job cuts, and a combined company would still lag far behind IBM Corp. in
the lucrative outsourcing and services market.
And while the merger carries risks ranging from antitrust concerns to
difficulty pulling off a massive integration, Compaq chairman and chief
executive Michael Capellas said the lousy business climate gives the
combination better odds of succeeding.
``It is easier to do when times are tough because you have impetus and
drive to get you there," Capellas told reporters in a joint news
conference with Hewlett-Packard chairman and chief executive Carly Fiorina.
The stock swap deal would create a giant manufacturer of personal
computers, computer servers, printers and high-tech services with $87
billion in revenue.
Investors and analysts, however, had their doubts about the combination.
Shares of Compaq fell $1.27 cents Tuesday to close at $11.08, a drop of
10.3 percent. Shares of Hewlett-Packard plunged $4.21 to close at $19, an
18 percent decline. The value of the deal dropped almost $5 billion, from
$25 billion when it was announced Monday night.
Some analysts questioned whether the two companies can achieve the huge
cost savings they anticipate, and maintain market share while being forced
to cut overlapping products amid a slump in technology sales.
``The combined company isn't going to address a larger market than they
have today," said Martin Reynolds, research fellow at Gartner Dataquest.
Fiorina and Capellas first met in 2000 and had spoken informally several
times until their talks escalated into merger negotiations earlier this
year.
``For me it wasn't a eureka moment," Fiorina said. ``It was gathering
momentum."
The two executives then engaged in merger discussions so secretive they
didn't bring in investment bankers to help until a business plan for the
new company was in place.
For good reason.
After Fiorina tried to stitch together a deal last year to buy the
consulting arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers for as much as $18 billion,
negotiations fell apart after word of the talks was leaked to the press. On
Tuesday, Fiorina smiled as she told analysts there were no leaks to the
media about the Compaq deal.
If the HP-Compaq merger succeeds, Fiorina will lead the combined company
and Capellas will be her second-in-command. About 15,000 overlapping jobs
will be eliminated, leaving the combined company with about 135,000 workers
worldwide.
Both Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP and Houston-based Compaq have been hard hit
by technology sector downturns in the past year. Each had already imposed
layoffs to deal with shrinking profits.
Compaq and HP are Nos. 2 and 4 in worldwide PC sales, but their combined
total would surpass leader Dell Computer Corp., according to Gartner
Dataquest. Compaq ranks first in worldwide server sales, while HP is fourth
behind Dell and IBM.
Dell spokesman T.R. Reid said his company, which has increased its PC
market share this year through deep price cuts and direct sales to
businesses and consumers, wasn't worried about facing a new competitive
threat. In fact, Dell shares rose 93 cents Tuesday, or 4.3 percent, to
close at $22.31 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
The new company will be called Hewlett-Packard and will keep its
headquarters in Palo Alto, though it will maintain a substantial presence
in Houston, where Compaq is based. The Compaq name will still be used for
some products after the merger, but Fiorina declined to give details.
The companies are willing to make divestitures to see the deal through, she
said, but did not elaborate.
Fiorina said she plans to visit Europe within several weeks to meet with
Mario Monti, Europe's top business regulator, to ease any concerns.
The European Commission rejected General Electric Co.'s proposed $41
billion merger with Honeywell International two months ago, claiming the
combination would hurt competitors. It was the first time Europe had
rejected a combination of American companies that had already been approved
by U.S. regulators.
The U.S. Justice Department has no comment Tuesday on the Hewlett-Packard
deal, said spokeswoman Gina Talamona.
The various antitrust reviews are expected to take six to nine months, and
the merger is expected to close in the first half of 2002.
The new HP would be 64 percent owned by HP shareholders and 36 percent
owned by Compaq shareholders. Capellas and four other Compaq directors
would join HP's board.
HP and Compaq said the deal would save them $2.4 billion a year by 2003,
but Reynolds, of Gartner Dataquest said that won't be easy. Both companies,
he said, have long product lines that customers will not want to see phased
out.
The new HP will continue to face short-term challenges as well. Revenue for
the next two years is projected to dip by less than 5 percent, said HP's
Bob Wayman, who will remain as chief financial officer.
Compaq lost $279 million in the most recent quarter; HP posted a net profit
of $111 million in its last quarter, but that marked an 89 percent decline
from the previous year.
In June, Capellas outlined a broad reorganization plan bringing Compaq's
services division into the forefront in the company's work. Hewlett-Packard
has moved in a similar direction under Fiorina, who has brought about a
broad reorganization of the 63-year-old Silicon Valley institution since
taking over in 1999.
Compaq was founded in 1982 by three executives who left Texas Instruments
to design a portable computer that could run the same software as IBM's new
PC.
Hewlett-Packard was launched in a Palo Alto garage in 1938 by the late
William Hewlett and David Packard with $538 of their own money.
U.S. Abandons Microsoft Breakup Effort
The Bush administration shifted strategy in the landmark Microsoft Corp.
antitrust case on Thursday, dropping the push to break up the company in
order to get other sanctions against the software giant ``as quickly as
possible."
In abandoning the previous administration's line of attack in the
three-year-old case, the U.S. Justice Department also said it would not
pursue an unresolved claim that Microsoft Corp. illegally tied its Internet
Explorer browser to its Windows operating system.
``The Department is seeking to streamline the case with the goal of
securing an effective remedy as quickly as possible," the agency said in a
statement.
Analysts say they now expect the two sides to settle the legal wrangling.
Rather than break up the software powerhouse, the government said it will
ask for restrictions on Microsoft's business tactics that would be modeled
after a set of interim sanctions handed down last year by the trial court
judge in the case, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson.
That remedy, among other things, would ban Microsoft from threatening or
intimidating PC manufacturers who support rival software and requires the
company to give outside software developers greater access to the Windows
source code, the basic programming instructions for its software.
It also would ban Microsoft from bolting so-called middleware into Windows
unless it is made removable from the operating system. Middleware is
software that connects two otherwise separate applications.
The remedy also requires Microsoft to license Windows under uniform terms
to all personal computer makers and give them flexibility to modify the
initial ``boot-up" sequence of the operating system.
Justice Department officials declined to elaborate further on exactly what
sanctions they will be seeking. And the government was silent on the issue
of Microsoft's plans to launch its new operating system, Windows XP, to
consumers on Oct. 25.
``The change to a more pro-business Bush administration made a breakup
unlikely," said Brendan Barnicle, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities.
``The reality of a settlement becomes more likely without the threat of a
breakup hanging over the company's head."
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush was informed of the
Microsoft decision on Wednesday and played no role in it. ``It was a legal
matter handled by the Justice Department," said McClellan.
But Microsoft's critics in the software industry privately expressed
skepticism about the decision to ``unilaterally disarm," as one put it.
They said Judge Jackson's interim remedies will not restore competition.
``Those as the final solution would not be acceptable," one Microsoft
critic said.
But Steve Houck, a former state prosecutor on the Microsoft case, said the
company is far from off the hook.
``In many ways this is more problematic for Microsoft than breaking up the
company," said Houck, who argued the case for New York Attorney General
Elliot Spitzer before leaving for private practice. ``They're going to have
to live one way or the other with 18 states and DOJ looking over their
shoulder."
After an initial jump on the news about the Justice Department's tactics,
Microsoft stock fell as the market digested the news, closing down $1.72,
or almost 3 percent, to $56.02 on the Nasdaq. About 55.7 million shares
traded hands.
Microsoft Chief Financial Officer John Connors, appearing at a conference
on Wall Street on Thursday, said company executives ``are anxious to move
forward to a fair and expeditious settlement."
``We have said for some time that we are looking forward to a fair and
expeditious resolution and that's what we continue to strive for," Connors
said.
Since its 1975 founding, Microsoft has grown to become the world's most
valuable software company, with annual revenues of over $25 billion a year.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in June upheld
Jackson's ruling that Microsoft holds a monopoly in the PC operating
systems market and used illegal tactics to defend it.
But the appeals court reversed his order that Microsoft be split in two as
an appropriate remedy for the violations. The court sent the case back to a
different district court judge to sort out several remaining issues.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly will hold hearings to decide what sanctions to
impose on the software giant to prevent future abuse of its monopoly.
She had also been set to consider whether the company violated the law by
tying its Internet Explorer browser into the Windows operating system, a
fight the Bush administration said it would no longer wage.
The Justice Department said on Thursday that pursuing that claim ``would
only prolong proceedings and delay the imposition of relief that would
benefit consumers."
Government attorneys are expected to argue that the Windows XP upgrade,
packed with new features, is further evidence that Microsoft continues to
illegally use its monopoly power. But government sources have said the
Justice Department has no plans to seek an injunction halting the release
of the long-awaited upgrade.
The two sides have been ordered to work out a proposal on how further
proceedings should be structured, with a report due to Kollar-Kotelly by
Sept. 14. A meeting on the status of the case before the judge has been set
for Sept. 21.
``In view of the Court of Appeals' unanimous decision that Microsoft
illegally maintained its monopoly over PC-based operating systems -- the
core allegation in the case -- the department believes that it has
established a basis for relief that would end Microsoft's unlawful conduct,
prevent its recurrence and open the operating system market to
competition," the Justice Department said.
The 18 states' attorneys general also suing Microsoft supported the
government's decision.
``Since the court of appeals decision, the states and the Department of
Justice have directed their efforts to one objective -- the quickest and
most effective remedy possible," Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said in
a statement.
The ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. John Conyers of
Michigan, expressed skepticism about the decision and asked the department
to list all contacts with the White House involving the case.
But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vermont Democrat Sen.
Patrick Leahy, said he was cautiously optimistic, "that this case will be
resolved more quickly for the benefit of all consumers."
France, U.S. Tangle Over Internet Censorship Issues
A court in France is considering whether to force that country's Internet
service providers (ISPs) to block access to U.S. sites that contain "hate
material," particularly those featuring content sympathetic to Nazis.
The proceedings are being presided over by the same judge who last year
ordered U.S. portal Yahoo! to block French citizens from gaining access to
auction sites that featured Nazi memorabilia. Yahoo! last year banned all
hate-related material from its auction sites, a policy emulated earlier
this year by rival eBay.
The trial, which began Tuesday, marks the latest conflict between the
global nature of the Internet and the rights of sovereign countries to
impose laws over their own citizens and the foreign companies that provide
Net access.
The trial is also being seen as a major test of free speech on the Web,
and once again, elements in France and the U.S. are at odds. The judge,
Jean-Jacques Gomez, will decide if foreign companies that do business in
France can be forced by the government to censor portals to which they
provide access. French law prohibits the exhibit or sale of objects that
incite racial hatred.
The trial is the result of a lawsuit brought by several anti-racist
groups, including France's International Action for Justice, against 13
French ISPs, including AOL France.
The groups are suing to force the ISPs to censor U.S. portal Front14.org,
which hosts Web sites for roughly 400 organizations. Some of the groups
hosted by the portal are based in Europe and post racist and anti-Semitic
content.
As in the Yahoo! case, the judge is expected to determine whether such
censorship is technically feasible. The Yahoo! trial was interrupted for
weeks while court-appointed technicians tried to determine whether
censorship technology was practical.
Yahoo! complied with the decision and banned auctions of Nazi items, but
is challenging the decision in a U.S. court. Experts view the appeal as a
legal showdown over whether foreign courts can be used to influence
publishing law in the U.S.
The French ISPs maintain that they should not be forced to act as online
censors. Lawyers for the plaintiffs are expected to argue that the U.S.
First Amendment isn't applicable in France. A ruling isn't expected for
months.
The tensions in the Internet trial are being underlined by yet another
case involving the U.S., France and Nazi-era events. A group of Holocaust
survivors is suing the state-owned French railway in a U.S. court.
The plaintiffs, according to court documents, are French Jews who were
deported to Nazi death camps before and during World War II. They claim
the railway, SNCF, deported the refugees on its own, without orders from
the Nazi hierarchy, and that the railroad profited financially from doing
so.
Political parties with Nazi ties have experienced a resurgence in recent
years in Europe and the U.S. In the United Kingdom, a political party that
allegedly has Nazi ties, the British National Party, has been accused by
British authorities of inciting race riots in three northern England towns
earlier this year.
The party, which accepts no non-white members, has gained a significant
following and has alarmed anti-racist groups.
In the U.S. earlier this week, a hacker disabled a site called "Whitepower
American Skinheads" for three days. The hacker allegedly breached the
site's security and destroyed critical files.
Experts Reject Code Red II 'Cleanup Worm' Plan
Another purported do-good virus called "CodeGreen" has been launched on
the Internet, scanning systems for Code Red II infections and applying a
patch as it spreads. But security officials say the worm cannot be
trusted.
Security experts, who almost unanimously dismiss the idea of fighting a
virus with a virus, say the concept is interesting and may hold promise on
a tightly-controlled computer network but is nothing but trouble "in the
wild" on the Internet.
"The danger of using a worm or virus is that there's no way to recall the
thing if it started doing something bad," Symantec Anti-virus Research
Center (SARC) director Vincent Weafer told NewsFactor Network. "There are
just too many variables to take into account."
Weafer said CodeGreen, reportedly written by a German author known as "Der
HexXer," scans the Internet for Microsoft IIS servers infected by Code Red
II and runs through a series of steps before downloading security patches.
But there is some concern over whether it is the right patch and about the
installation method.
After applying its patch, the worm starts off several threads in order to
propagate, according to Weafer, who said the worm's spread is limited to
German operating systems.
"It is getting out [and] modifying machines," Weafer told NewsFactor.
Still, experts say, the uncertainty of the Internet at large makes a
benign virus unlikely.
"It's an interesting idea, but you can have a lot go wrong," eEye Security
official Marc Maiffret told NewsFactor. "You can be the one crashing
servers, putting up faulty patches and installing them improperly."
Maiffret, whose firm is credited with discovery of the Code Red virus,
said the idea of a virus-fighting virus was discussed when the worm was
first discovered. However, he explained, security firms would not and
could not release a virus to fight a virus because "it's completely
illegal."
"It's breaking into servers," he said, adding that it's nearly impossible
to test a do-good virus.
"As much as it's supposed to be static, the Internet is its own life
form," Maiffret said. "It's not something that you can test very easily."
While he agreed that the unpredictability of both viruses and the Internet
make anti-virus worms unlikely, Weafer said that virus-like code could be
used on a corporate or other network that can be controlled. He added that
Symantec has launched such patch mechanisms "in the corporate space."
"That's very different from a worm that looks for infected systems on the
Internet," Weafer said.
Weafer added that commercial scanning mechanisms that alert users to
infection are more comprehensive and robust than a virus, which could
cause a system to crash or slow down a network.
Maiffret downplayed the significance of CodeGreen, saying it would "not
necessarily do any good and not necessarily do any bad." He told
NewsFactor that an effective virus-fighting virus is "doable."
"But nobody has the right to launch anything like that," he said.
Maiffret also said that if the code were written so well and "so tight,"
it could spread too successfully and slow down a computer network.
Network Associates director of anti-virus research Vincent Gulotto told
NewsFactor that the security industry has discussed the idea and there is
agreement that a "good virus" is a bad idea.
"Unless you're going to take that virus and walk it from machine to
machine -- just letting it loose on a network is not a good idea," Gulotto
said.
"That's dangerous."
New Variant of Magistr Virus On the Loose
Virus researchers have discovered a new variant of the destructive Magistr
virus that destroys local and network files and can also overwrite data
stored on the CMOS and BIOS chips.
Known as Magistr.B, the new virus arrives in an e-mail and can carry
multiple message attachments. The virus itself is contained in a file
called readme.exe, and the user must open the file for the virus to
execute.
The virus is reported to be spreading quickly in Europe, but has not been
seen in the United States yet, anti-virus vendors say. The virus is a
variant of the original Magistr.A virus, which has been around since early
2000 and is still one of the most common viruses on the Internet.
In addition to destroying files, Magistr.B also overwrites win.com and
NETLDR, the operating-system loaders for Windows, and destroys any file
with a .ntz extension, which are files used by AV software, according to
an alert released by security vendor Vigilinx Inc.
The new virus also disables any active copies of Zone Labs Inc.'s
ZoneAlarm personal firewall that it finds.
The virus spreads via e-mail and generates random subject lines of up to
60 characters. Unlike many other mass-mailing viruses, Magistr.B can pull
addresses from the files of several e-mail clients, including Outlook,
Outlook Express, Eudora, Netscape Messenger and some Web-based mail
clients.
How to Win the War Against Spam, Scourge of the In-box
Are your credit card bills TOO HIGH? Do you want a FREE lifetime
membership to Absolute Free Smut?! Would you like to have a guaranteed
residual income for as little as $10 without having to recruit and
promote?
My answers to these questions are no, no, and no, but that doesn't prevent
inquiries like these from jamming my e-mail in-boxes day after day. The
three queries above are copies of actual spam--unsolicited e-mail--I've
received in the last 24 hours.
SPAM IS, in my opinion, the scourge of the e-mail in-box. What's spam?
Loosely defined, it consists of commercial advertising or solicitations
for services you'd never in your wildest dreams think of using or buying.
(A word of clarification: the term spam shouldn't be applied to things
you've actually signed up for, like e-mail newsletters such as AnchorDesk,
even if you get a lot of them.)
Why does spam bother me so much? Aside from the obvious annoyance factor,
there are actually some sound reasons not to like spam. First, it's the
only form of mass marketing that the receiver pays for. Those coupons and
credit-card solicitations in your real-world mailbox have postage on them
that's paid for by the sender. With spam, you, the recipient, foot the
bill by paying your ISP for the online time you spend reading, deleting,
or otherwise dealing with the messages.
Second, spam can and does clog or crash mail servers (including the
unwitting intermediary mail servers that spammers sometimes use), takes up
resource time when postmasters at ISPs must deal with complaints, and can
slow down or prevent e-mail receipt and delivery.
Third, spam is generally completely useless to the recipient (when have
you ever acted on an unsolicited e-mail offer?), is often fraudulent, and
can even be illegal. According to spam.abuse.net, spammed child-porn
offers have already been spotted--and just the possession of such
material, even if you didn't request it, could put you in violation of
U.S. law.
How do spammers find us? From lists of e-mail addresses, which are not
that tough for them to get. If you post on an Internet bulletin board or
in a Usenet newsgroup, spend time in chat rooms, use an online service, or
have your e-mail address listed somewhere online, chances are you're
already on a list. On top of that, spammers make use of e-mail programs
that crawl the Web looking for address or even sift through major online
services like AOL, Yahoo, and Hotmail to compile lists.
So how can you reduce spam? It's not easy, but there are steps you can
take. These online resources will help.
Fight Spam on the Internet!. This group has great resource pages that
explain more about spam, tell you what not to do in response to spam
(tips: don't threaten violence or try to hack the spammer's site), and
answers frequently asked questions about where spam fits into free
speech laws, censorship issues, and whether it's even legal.
Elsop's Anti-Spam Page. This site is a gold mine of information about
spam and provides links to dozens of anti-spam resources. Elsop, or the
Electronic Software Publishing Corporation, produces an
industrial-strength link-checking and Web site-management tool called
LinkScan. It doesn't look like it makes or sells anti-spam products
specifically, but my hat's off to them for creating this resourse
page.
Beating the E-Mail Scammers. Michael A. Banks's site will show
you exactly what to do about spam, from getting off lists to
complaining to a spammer's ISP. My favorite feature: an explanation of
how to decipher message headers from spammers who provide fake "from"
and "reply-to" addresses (i.e., moneyman@yousucker.com). Run down the
real domain name and IP address, and you can send a complaint to the
postmaster and maybe get the spammer's account shut down. (Heh heh heh.)
Death to Spam. This no-frills site paints itself as "an objective
overview of unsolicited e-mail and the techniques available to defend
your in-box." It has more detailed information about locating IP
addresses, standardized responses you can send to spammers, and a cool
suggestion on how to disguise your e-mail address on a Web page by
using mail forms.
Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (CAUCE). This
all-volunteer organization helps lead the fight against spam and
provides the latest news about unsolicited commercial e-mail
(UCE), gives you updates about pending anti-spam legislation, and even
some true spam tales that'll have you fuming in sympathy.Anti-spam
software from ZDNet. If you'd rather not do it yourself, why not let
the spam-filtering duties fall to some software? This is a list of
what ZDNet Downloads has to offer.
These resources will help you arm yourself against spammers and begin
fighting back. And, of course, should you wish to pay your respects to the
hapless lunchmeat product whose name was shanghaied to label this e-mail
onslaught phenomenon, don't forget to visit the real deal: Spam.com.
=~=~=~=
Atari Online News, Etc.is a weekly publication covering the entire
Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted
at the beginning of any article, to Atari user groups and not for
profit publications only under the following terms: articles must
remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of
each article reprinted. Other reprints granted upon approval of
request. Send requests to: dpj@atarinews.org
No issue of Atari Online News, Etc. may be included on any commercial
media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service or
internet site, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without
the expressed consent or permission from the Publisher or Editor of
Atari Online News, Etc.
Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do
not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All
material herein is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing.
