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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 02 Issue 31
Volume 2, Issue 31 Atari Online News, Etc. August 4, 2000
Published and Copyright (c) 2000
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
With Contributions by:
Carl Forhan
Kevin Savetz
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To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
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Coming Soon:
http://a1mag.b-squared.net
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0231 08/04/00
~ Songbird CGE2K Report! ~ People Are Talking! ~ AtarICQ Update!
~ New Macs Selling Well ~ Old Hacker's Archives! ~ For Hire: Browsers!
~ Apple Files 'Leak' Suit ~ USPS Testing E-Mail! ~ Atari 8-bit News!
~ Napster Hopes To Settle ~ ICANN Accepts Proposal ~ More CGE Reports!
-* RomNet: 'Napster' For Games? *-
-* Intel Unveils 1.13 Gigahertz Chip! *-
-* Web Comedy Show Becomes Television Series! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I can't remember when I've had a vacation and the weather was downright
awful! Two weeks, and most every day was rainy at some point. Today,
Friday, is the first time I've seen the sun for more than five minutes!
Today was the first time that I could get out in the yard and do some work.
Well, that's almost true - yesterday I foolishly went out under the threat
of rain and mowed part of my lawn. Mowing damp grass - high damp grass - is
not fun! But, today I enjoyed. The sun felt terrific; it's unfortunate
that this vacation is winding down. I did get a lot of reading done, which
was enjoyable. It's a good thing I have another week coming at the end of
the month. The weather had better be nicer than these past couple of weeks!
With the return of the sun, a good thing is that I will be seeing a number
of my old user group friends this weekend at a barbecue that I'm hosting.
Some of the members of what used to be the South Shore Atari Group (SSAG)
will be dropping by for the day. It will be good to see these guys again,
some of whom I haven't seen for perhaps 6-7 years. A few of them still get
together once a month at a local pizza shop and just sit around and talk
shop. Most have gone over to the peecee side of things, but Atari's name
does come up on occasion! It should be a fun day and I'm looking forward to
it.
And then it's back to work! It's not going to be a happy return as I just
learned that my current boss resigned a few days ago. If you may remember,
for the past few months I was trying to have my department reassigned to my
current boss as my old one was, in my opinion, useless. <g> So now that I
accomplished that move, he's leaving! While no one has any details, part of
the reason is typical of what's happening to many people everywhere: stress.
We're all bound by that almighty dollar. We're told to do a lot more with a
lot less. Expectations are growing while reality seems to be diminishing.
No one wants to hear anything except positive attitudes. People are getting
burned out attempting to achieve the impossible (okay, the unlikely!) and
still being pushed harder and harder. This person was the one person that I
didn't expect to "crack" because he always helped his managers and
supervisors maintain our sanity. I'm not looking forward to the day he's
gone and who-knows-what is there in his place! I'm already looking ahead to
that next vacation!
Well, time to make sure I have everything ready for tomorrow's reunion, and
whatever else I can get accomplished.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
AtarICQ Updated to 0.14
A new update of AtarICQ is available for download. Lots of
tweaks and small bug fixes have been made to the shell recently.
The overlay, AICQ.OVL by Dan Ackerman, has also been updated to
v 29. The search function now works very well, but there are
also 2 completely new functions available.
http://gokmase.atari.org
2 New Telnetable BBSs
Thanks to Steve Tucker's APE 98 software, telnetable Atari BBSs are
popping up.
Atari Annex BBS is available at telnet://atari.thebbs.org
Nolan's Nest & SPACE BBS is available part-time at
telnet://209.105.35.10
cc65 v2.5 Crosscompiler Released
From: uz@musoftware.de (Ullrich von Bassewitz)
I'm proud to announce version 2.5 of CC65, a C crosscompiler /
crossassembler combo for 6502 systems.
CC65 has C and runtime library support for many of the old 6502 machines.
The libraries are fairly portable, so creating a version for other 6502s
shouldn't be too much work.
Here is a list of the compiler features:
* Includes a C compiler, macro assembler, archiver, linker, GEOS
resource compiler and a front end (compile & link) utility. The
assembler generates relocatable object files, the linker is very
configurable and allows overlays, ROMable code, split output and
much more.
* The compiler is not quite ISO compatible, however, a large subset
is supported.
* Supported target systems are:
- C64
- C128
- C16, C116, Plus/4
- CBM 600/700 family (programs run in bank 1)
- Newer PET machines (not 2001)
- The Apple ][ (thanks to Kevin Ruland <kevin@rodin.wustl.edu>)
- The Atari 8 bit machines
- GEOS for the C64 and C128
For all these systems a pre-compiled runtime and C library is
available. Supporting more targets is not very difficult since the C
library was written with portability in mind.
* Several system specific support routines like a conio library or
modules for joystick access are available.
* The assembler and linker do also support the 65816 as a target,
however, the compiler is not able to generate code for this CPU and
there is no RTL support.
* Lots of docs and a few sample programs included.
* Easy interfacing between C code and assembler.
* Fullscreen debugger for most machines as a linkable module.
* Full source code available as well as binaries for
- Linux (several RedHat RPMs)
- DOS
- Windows 95/98/NT
What is new in this version:
* As usual many bugs fixed (and new ones introduced, so it does not get
boring:-).
* New -j switch to make the default character signed. New #pragma to do
the same.
* Slightly better code in some situations.
* A lot of new features for the assembler:
- Unnamed labels
- Several emulation features
- Listing support
- New built-in functions
- Include file search path support
* The linker generates an imports list in the map file.
* Completely rewritten symbol table handling for the compiler.
* Lots of code cleanups. One result of this is that the -T option does
now work without clobbering the output in some cases as it was
before.
* Much more code is now shared between the tools.
* Experimental 65C02 support for the compiler.
* Support for the Atari 8 bit machines was contributed by the Atari team:
Christian Groessler <cpg@aladdin.de>
Mark Keates <markk@dendrite.co.uk>
Freddy Offenga <F.Offenga@student.kun.nl>
David Lloyd <dmlloyd@atari-central.com>
* It is now possible to write GEOS programs for the C64 and C128 using
cc65, thanks to the GEOSLib library contributed by
Maciej Witkowiak (YTM/Elysium) <ytm@friko.onet.pl>
* Documentation updates.
* More minor changes.
Support for some features is still missing. To name a few:
* No floats, no bit fields.
* No file routines on most systems. The 8 bit Ataris are the first
machines that do have full file I/O support (besides the ACE port
which was dropped some time ago). Please note that the complete CBM
family doesn't have file I/O support!
* The 80 column mode on the C128 is not supported by the conio library.
More information:
For your convenience, I've put all doc files also on the web server:
http://www.von-bassewitz.de/uz/cc65/doc/
The cc65 main page
http://www.von-bassewitz.de/uz/cc65/
will get updated to reflect the new version in the next few days.
There is also a cc65 mailing list. To subscribe, send a mail to
majordomo@musoftware.de with the command
subscribe cc65
in the body of the mail.
Available packages:
As usual I will provide the complete sources and several binary packages.
There are some binary RPMs for different versions of RedHat Linux, which
is probably one of the fastest ways to get going. Since Linux is also my
development platform, new features and bug fixes are first available for
Linux.
Binaries for DOS and and Windows will follow or may already be available
at the time you read this. While the sources do still compile under OS/2,
I have dropped support for OS/2 binaries, since were almost no downloads
of the OS/2 version.
Download:
For more information and links to the FTP server, see
http://www.von-bassewitz.de/uz/cc65/
For direct download, use
ftp://ftp.musoftware.de/pub/uz/cc65/
Thanks to all who sent feedback and suggestions!
--
Ullrich von Bassewitz uz@musoftware.de
XL/XE ROM Source Code (rev. 2) Available
From: Sidney Cadot <sidney@janis.pds.tudelft.nl>
Hi everybody,
I am happy to announce the availability of the Atari XL/XE ROM
reverse-engineered source code, rev. 2. This latest version uses the
CC65 compiler suite, which includes a blindingly fast macro-assembler
and linker. The packages comprises 7 source files (13887 lines of
assembly) that can be assembled and linked in 0.3 seconds (!) to yield
ATARIXL.ROM and ATARIBAS.ROM, as used in several emulators that are
available.
You may find the package on my Atari web-page at:
http://ch.twi.tudelft.nl/~sidney/atari
I'd appreciate any comments you may have, and I would also like to
mention that I would welcome outside involvement for improving the
quality of the source-level comments in the code.
Best regards,
Sidney Cadot
sidney@ch.twi.tudelft.nl
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE User Group Notes! - Meetings, Shows, and Info!
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Old Hacker's Atari User Group Newsletter Archive
A nearly complete archive of newsletters from the Old Hacker's Atari User
Group is now available at http://www.atariarchives.org/oldhackers/
The site contains downloadable versions of the group's newsletter disks
from 1990 through 2000. Disks are available in ATR, DCM, and ZIP formats.
Each newsletter contains original articles plus a selection of software.
Due to declining membership, The Ol' Hackers Atari Users Group will close
its doors after its final meeting in December 2000, but the newsletter
archive will remain.
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I don't know how many actual people read
this column, but I guess that Mother Nature does. After last week's
mention of the odd weather, it has turned warm (not hot, but warm) and
incredibly humid. That's what I get for opening my big mouth, I guess.
As a matter of fact, as I write this I can hear thunder in the
background. A sure sign that the dog days of summer are on the way.
News on the Atari scene is, as you might expect, very slow. I can
remember back when Atari computers were recognized as what they are...
powerful, friendly computers that were easy to afford. Dedicated Atari
magazines, major columns in "mainstream" computer magazines, mentions
in media articles, placement in movies and television, and most
importantly, they got some respect.
No, respect doesn't make the computer run any faster or allow it to
show more colors, but it does make it easier to continue using an old
computer, forgotten by most of the rest of the world. Luckily, I've not
usually been swayed by what's new and/or cool. If something strikes my
interest, I try it. If I find it useful or interesting, I stay with it.
Atari computers fit in nicely with what I want to do... They're easy to
use, they don't have millions of options that I'll never use... or even
figure out... and, most importantly to me, it just feels right.
Since you're reading this, I'm guessing that you understand. If you
don't, I'm afraid that there's no way to explain it to you. "It feels
right" is the only way to put it.
Even Linux, the OS I use on my PC, doesn't measure up to the 'feel'
I've come to expect from good old TOS. From the disk-based TOS
that shipped with the first 520 to the steroid enhanced version on the
Falcon... and even MiNT and MagiC... the feel is pretty much the same.
It's the feeling you get when you're in the company of a friend. You
know what I mean? You pretty much know what to expect from each other
and things just tend to flow and it's... comfortable.
There seems to be a real shortage of worthwhile posts on the UseNet
this week, so there really isn't much here. Sorry.
Let's take a look anyway...
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Bill F. posts this about questions concerning how the SCSI interface on
a TT should be terminated:
"Regarding the advice in this thread to remove the termination resistors
at the TT's SCSI port when an external SCSI drive is connected.
I got out my TT owners manual and on page 1-12, in effect it says, to
add an external SCSI drive, turn off power, plug in SCSI cable, turn on
power.
It is puzzling that Atari Corp would not say anything in the TT owners
manual about the terminators at the port if it was really necessary to
remove them. Would Atari design the TT so that it required opening up
the case and removing terminators just to add an external drive? Is it
possible that Atari incorporated some circuitry to automatically
disable the internal terminators if an external drive is connected?
Has anyone here ever seen any official documentation from Atari Corp
about TT SCSI port termination?
None of my Macs require fiddling with internal terminators to add an
external SCSI drive, and it seems like a very similar situation on both
the TT and the Macintosh."
Lonny Pursell tells Bill:
"It's a pity the manual is that vague. Some how I'm supposed to magically
know the TT has T-style chain, and I just find this out only a few
days ago on this thread. I don't see where a generic scsi faq is helpful
if you don't know that you have a T-style chain to begin with or how
to identify one. I still say some simple block diagrams specific to Atari
models would help people.
I've had 3 devices hanging out there for nearly 8 years now and those
resister packs you mention have been intact. Also the internal drive
was shipped to me with it's term missing. So by all standards it
should of failed miserably. I managed to find an old drive that
was identical to mine and have put the term in place, I also pulled
the packs from the motherboard. It all works just as it did before.
I'm baffled.
So after 8 years of improper termination, it is now correctly
terminated I hope."
"Galen" asks about Direct to Disk software:
"I've been experimenting with the Falcon's D2D software and have
come up against a couple of annoyances, the largest being that
the .TRK format seems to be atypical. Does anyone have a link
to another direct to disk program for the Falcon? I experimented
a bit with something called StudioSON and really liked how it could
record .WAV files. I did not, however, like how it kept blowing up!"
Ken Macdonald tells Galen:
"If you treat the *.trk format as "raw" in 525.prg, you should be able
to convert to any other appropriate format."
Galen tells Ken:
"True, but the conversion process happens far slower than real
time. A test recording took 14 seconds of sound and converted
it in about 3 minutes!"
Ben Hills adds:
"You could also try QUiNCY. QUiNCY is an eight track recorder that
used to be a commercial package sold by Parx, but is now shareware.
Take a look at : http://gbarges.free.fr/quincy_e.html ."
Galen replies to Ben:
"QUiNCY looks impressive. If it will also work with MIDI files
it would be worth the requested $40."
Joshua Jaijankoski asks for help with his SyQuest drive:
"I am having trouble with my SyQuest drive. I have HDDriver 7.80 and I
can't get to use the drive. The driver recognizes the drive but the OS
(magic) doesn't install the icon for it. Kinda like a CD-ROM, I'd like
an icon on the desktop and when I put a cartridge in it would read it.
The drive works perfect BTW. Any suggestions?"
Steve Sweet tells Joshua:
"Have you set the correct cluster size and minimum number of partitions in the
removable media section of HD-Driver. Set these, re-boot and all should be
well. YOu may have to re-scan drives with MAGXDESK after mounting a
disk."
Hallvard Tangeraas asks for help with an IDE interface:
"I'm working on a Mega-ST at the moment, where I'm trying to install
among other things an IDE harddisk (using a pre-built and tested C't IDE
interface).
I have nothing but problems :-(
I don't know if it's the computer or something else, but being a Western
Digital harddisk, I've heard that these have problems booting on Atari
systems, for some strange reason (I have no idea why).
The drive is a "Caviar 22500".
I've used HDDriver, which supports IDE, and have tried both using the
harddisk itself and a boot floppy disk. On the latter I put the
"hddriver.prg" (I think that's the name) inside an AUTO folder, but it
doesn't work! On the other hand, if I boot the computer, then afterwards
double click that actual program it boots the harddisk fine.
(??!?!??!).
So what's up with all of this, and how do I solve the problem?
And what was the key combination again for bypassing the harddisk
booting, so it only boots straight to the floppy?"
Roger Cain tells Hallvard:
"You need to "Install" the driver on the HD. This is not the same as sticking
it in the /AUTO/.
Just run up the driver from the floppy and then use the supplied utils. to
do the Install. This will write a special block of code to the HD boot
sector which searches for and loads the driver file from the HD root
directory (the driver file will be placed there by the install
process)."
Hallvard tells Roger:
"I know. I was talking about the floppy for that installation.
As far as I know, putting the program in the AUTO folder should boot the
harddisk, right?
I've used the install utilities. It results in 3 bombs and a
lockup of the computer.
I've worked it out now!
It turned out that I should NOT have the "Master" jumper in place as I
thought!!
I know next to nothing about IDE, but I'm guessing I'll need to set one
device to "Master" and the other one to "Slave" if I for example add an
IDE CD-ROM unit to my machine, and because of this, only 2 IDE devices
can be used on each bus. Can anyone verify this?
Anyway, after removing the jumper, my computer didn't show 3 bombs as
usual and lock up, but instead went straight to the desktop.
Unfortunately my Western Digital drive couldn't boot as stated by others
as well, but with the aid of a floppy disk with an AUTO folder
containing "HDDRIVER.PRG", it booted just fine.
One problem solved, ### more to go!"
Jorgen Nyberg asks about the new version of NEWSie:
"Is it just me, or is Newsie 96r1, a lot faster then older version?
Loading newsgroups goes 2-3 times faster than before, is it something
to do with compatibility with my news server or is it faster?
Anyway, thanks John!"
James Haslam tells Jorgen:
"I think it's true. The time between each message request and data actually
flowing seems to have more than halved!
Have you also noticed that when you connect to the server, it now checks
each subscribed newsgroup?
Also I used to get a few zero length messages which would stop the
process, but apart from one today that keeps getting stuck after about 2K,
I haven't had to press the Escape key much. Here's hoping that one is
fixed too!"
Well folks, that's it for this week. 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 - CGE 2000 Reports! Deer Avenger 3!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" RomNet: 'Napster' For Games!
PSX2 Availability At Launch??
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 for PlayStation
and Sega Dreamcast Races Onto Store Shelves
Acclaim Sports announced that Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 will be in
retail outlets nationwide for the PlayStation game console on Thursday,
August 3 and Sega Dreamcast on Tuesday, August 8. This is the first
supercross title for Sega Dreamcast. Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 is the
follow-up title to the smash hit Jeremy McGrath Supercross 98, which was
recently added to the official PlayStation game console ``Greatest Hits"
program.
``We're very excited to be releasing Jeremy's game for the PlayStation and
Sega Dreamcast. We know that gamers will appreciate the extra effort that
went into making this game great," commented Steve Felsen, brand director
of Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000.
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 utilizes an all-new racing engine, which
features state-of-the-art graphics, physics and motion. Gamers will be able
to race as or against the legendary Supercross champion Jeremy ``Showtime"
McGrath, John Dowd, Greg Albertyn, Sebastian Tortelli, and other superstar
riders on a full season circuit using 125cc and 250cc bikes. Jeremy McGrath
Supercross 2000 also features: eight supercross stadium courses; eight
licensed motocross tracks; a custom 3D track editor; motion-captured
riders; authentic rider uniforms and bike designs; and an over-the-top
stunt competition.
McGrath, an avid gamer, worked as a consultant to the game developers and
provided insight into track design, racing strategies and bike physics. The
game also features commentary from McGrath as players race through indoor
and outdoor circuits. Since he began racing in 1989, McGrath has set
countless records. Considered the ``Michael Jordan" of Supercross, he has
captured the 250cc Supercross title seven times and holds the record for
the most career wins and championships. McGrath rides for Chaparral Yamaha.
``This game definitely captures the thrill and essence of supercross
racing. I know fans are going to have an awesome experience playing it,"
said McGrath.
Why Can't They Leave Bambo Alone? Hunters to Get
Their Due This Fall in ``Deer Avenger 3...D and
Deer Avenger Dreamcast"
Now the Game Is As Good As the Joke; Available on
Dreamcast for the First Time
Simon & Schuster Interactive announced today that Bambo, the avenging stag
from the best-selling hunting parody "Deer Avenger"
will star in two new installments entitled DEER AVENGER 3...D (Windows
98/95) and DEER AVENGER DREAMCAST (Dreamcast game console). In this
unique twist on the hunting simulation genre, DEER AVENGER is now as good
as the joke and will be one of the first popular casual games developed for
Dreamcast. Both games utilize 3D accelerated graphics to create an exciting
``hunting" experience loaded with great humor, hilarious story lines and
slapstick comic situations for engaging gameplay and hours of fun. DEER
AVENGER 3...D is estimated to release in September 2000. DEER AVENGER
DREAMCAST is estimated to release in November 2000.
``The Deer Avenger parody series is becoming increasingly popular,
evidenced by the fact that we now own approximately 16 percent of the
hunting simulation market," said Jeff Siegel, vice president and creative
director for Simon & Schuster Interactive. ``By launching this game on the
Sega Dreamcast, we are bringing the unexpected fun that Deer Avenger
delivers to a new audience of gamers."
Bambo, Deer Avenger's hero character, is trying to spend a little ``quality
time" with his amorous girlfriend when their interlude is interrupted by
the frantic pleas of the forest animals. ``Help us!" the animals cry.
``The hunters are back!" Bambo easily dismisses their pathetic cries for
help and turns back to Jane. Upset by the animals' cries, Jane explains to
Bambo that she cannot ``get in the mood" until the animals are safe. Angry
and frustrated, Bambo sets out to find and eliminate the obstacles that are
keeping him from his true love. He will make them pay...dearly.
Players hunt in four different hunting environments during the summer or
winter seasons. Explore in rich 3D environments, complete with lakes, trees
and other obstacles to hide behind, climb over or swim through. Players
encounter over a dozen 3D characters with varying degrees of skill and
intelligence, and have access to Bambo's arsenal of 10 weapons that are
accumulated after each kill. Bambo's own extremely lethal particle farts
can also locate, lure, scare or destroy the hunters.
DEER AVENGER 3...D and DEER AVENGER DREAMCAST are being developed by
veteran Deer Avenger creator Hypnotix, Inc. DEER AVENGER 3...D for PC will
be available in September. DEER AVENGER 3...D DREAMCAST is estimated to be
released in November. A 3D-accelerator card is recommended for optimum
graphic viewing on PC-based machines. A Dreamcast game console is required
for DEER AVENGER DREAMCAST.
DEER AVENGER 3...D for PC and DREAMCAST will be rated by the Entertainment
Software Rating Board (ESRB). More information can be found at
www.esrb.org.
THQ to Publish "Chicken Run" for Game Boy Color
THQ Inc. announced an agreement with Blitz Games to publish and distribute
``Chicken Run" for Game Boy Color. The game, based on the hit animated
summer blockbuster ``Chicken Run", will release worldwide in fall 2000.
``The movie 'Chicken Run', has proven to be a fun-filled family hit and is
on its way to break $100 million in the domestic box office this summer,"
stated Germaine Gioia, vice president, licensing, THQ. ``The Game Boy Color
system is more popular than ever, and we are delighted to be working with
DreamWorks and Blitz Games in adding such a high-profile title to THQ's
extensive Game Boy Color library."
``The story of 'Chicken Run' -- a flock of chickens trying to escape
Tweedy Farm before they're turned into chicken pies -- lends itself very
easily to an interactive adventure," said Rick Rekedal, Head of Toys and
Licensing for DreamWorks Consumer Products. ``We're delighted to be working
with THQ and Blitz Games on the Game Boy Color release."
``Given their tremendous experience and proven track record on the popular
hand-held system, THQ is the best Game Boy Color publishing partner," said
Philip Oliver, managing director, Blitz Games. ``With 'Chicken Run,' we
hope to offer a fun, highly addictive Game Boy Color adventure for kids of
all ages."
``Chicken Run" for Game Boy Color is a mission-based adventure allowing
players to maneuver through each level as the movie's hero Ginger. Based on
the movie, Ginger's objective in the game is to lead ``Hut 17" and the
rest of the chickens on the farm in their escape from the perils of Mr. and
Mrs. Tweedy's chicken pie machine. Each level will feature movie-inspired
environments and obstacles that Ginger can use to lead her friends to
freedom.
PSX2 Launch Day Availability Examined
Several retailers have stopped their PSX2 preorder campaigns. We take a
look at the retail plans for major retailers as they prepare for the PSX2
launch.
Several premier video game retailers have stopped their preorder campaigns
for the Sony PlayStation 2 console. The reason behind the move is the
expectation of retailers such as Electronics Boutique and Funcoland that
the initial supply of PSX2 consoles, accessories, and games will not match
the expected demand. At this time, it is likely that gamers who preorder
the console now will not receive their PlayStation 2 on October 26, the
system's launch date.
GameSpot spoke with major retailers regarding the availability of the
PlayStation 2 console at both their online and standard retail outlets.
Each company and its plans for PSX2 preorder and launch sales is detailed
below:
Electronics Boutique has stopped all preorders at its standard retail
outlets. It is still taking orders online through EBWorld.com, but the
company does not guarantee that customers ordering online now will receive
their console on October 26.
Babbages/Gamestop is taking preorders for the October 26 shipment through
its online store, Gamestop.com. However, customers who have placed their
orders after July 3 are not guaranteed to receive the console at launch.
The company's standard Babbages and Gamestop stores are only taking
preorders for the third shipment - set to arrive around Christmas.
Funcoland has stopped preorders at its standard retail stores and does not
expect to restart the campaign before launch. The company is still taking
preorders online through Funcoland.com, but customers who order after
August 1 may not receive the console on October 26.
Toys 'R Us has also stopped all standard preorders at this time. In fact,
the company does not expect to restart the preorder campaign. However, it
hopes to receive some additional units of the console that will be
available on a first-come, first-served basis. Its online store
(ToysRUs.com) is still taking preorders, but launch day availability is
once again suspect.
WalMart and Target have not initiated a preorder campaign for the Sony
PlayStation 2. Both retailers will be selling the console, games, and
accessories on a first-come, first-served basis. For those who haven't
preordered yet, these major department stores may provide the largest
supply of PSX2 consoles on launch day.
These policies are being implemented at most locations across all of the
retail chains.
New Napster-like Service Allows Game Swapping
Taking a page from Napster's strategy, a group of programmers has begun a
project to let people swap games for video game consoles such as the
Nintendo 64 or Sega Genesis.
The site, called, RomNet, permits participants to exchange software copied
from video game cartridge chips called ROM, or read-only memory. The
software extracted from ROM then can be played on personal computers using
emulation software such as UltraHLE.
While sites already exist from which people can download the games, RomNet
offers the same sort of flea market ambience that Napster brought to MP3
music files. Instead of only being able to find games at a central server,
users can browse for games located on any and all of the computers hooked
into RomNet. In addition, because the files aren't stored on a central
server, it becomes more difficult for developers to crack down on software
pirates.
Napster is a file-sharing service that is in the midst of a lawsuit
brought by the Recording Industry Association of America. Though Napster's
fate is uncertain, there's no question the company would be worse off if
it stored MP3 music files itself instead of just providing a service that
enables members to locate those files on each other's computers.
RomNet is aware of piracy issues, but curiously has made its file-sharing
terms more liberal just in the past day.
Yesterday, the RomNet site said, "Users may not download a ROM unless it
is known to be freeware and not copyrighted." Today, though, those terms
were relaxed: "Users may not download a ROM unless they own the game
itself," the site states. The new terms appear to expand the universe of
games exchanged on the site to include those protected by copyrights.
Some fear that "peer-to-peer" software sharing, such as what Napster
enables, will threaten the entertainment industry by making it easy to
evade copyright restrictions on redistribution of music, movies and other
digital information.
Regardless of how files are shared, there are legal issues surrounding the
use of video game ROMs on ordinary PCs.
Emulator software that allows PCs to play discs intended for game consoles
has proven to be a legally contentious business for companies such as
Bleem and Connectix, which have been embroiled in court battles with Sony.
Emulation poses a real financial threat to Sony, Nintendo and others who
depend upon game sales to survive. These companies generally sell their
consoles at a loss, making up the difference through software sales.
The first version of RomNet went live last week, and already thousands of
users have visited the site. Lead programmer Jeffrey Freeman has been
issuing steady upgrades to the client software to improve connection speed
and other factors.
One potential concern with the RomNet software is that it displays the
Internet addresses of those sharing files--information that people who are
worried about copyright enforcement aren't likely to want broadcast.
Searching on the site reveals software for Nintendo's Gameboy, Super
Nintendo and Nintendo 64 gaming systems, as well as for Sega's Genesis.
Games online include commercial titles such as "Goldeneye," "Pokemon,"
"Sonic the Hedgehog," "Afterburn," "Tetris," "Earthworm Jim" and others.
Games can be copied by backing up the program to a Zip disk, then
transferring the Zip disk to a hard drive, programmers familiar with the
technology said.
SegaNet Offers Console Gamers Online Quake III
Arena Gameplay at QuakeCon 2000
At QuakeCon 2000, SegaNet, the only online high-speed console gaming
network, announced it will make Quake III Arena available for online game
play to the public for the first time. Competing over the Internet, Sega
Dreamcast gamers will be able to play Quake III Arena against fellow
QuakeCon attendees.
``Gamers can now experience Quake III Arena, one of the Internet's most
popular games, online with the Dreamcast," said Charles Bellfield,
director of marketing communications, Sega of America.
The Sega Dreamcast version of Quake III Arena has exclusive new arenas, a
completely re-designed user interface and menu system, as well as an
innovative two to four-player split screen option for non-stop action.
Players are invited to test their skill against history's fiercest warriors
while prowling dark hallways and courtyards in gothic arenas and
frightening futuristic spacescapes.
SegaNet, the only high-speed online console gaming network will offer
gamers 3-D multiplayer games, chat, community, cheat codes, tournaments and
content. SegaNet is also an ISP service for Sega Dreamcast and PC users,
offering gamers the best in speed, consistent low latency, customer service
and access to all other areas of the web, including personal e-mail
(name@sega.net). Additionally, SegaNet will provide gamers content on
complementary areas of interest, including music, TV, movies, sports and
e-commerce.
InterAct Introduces an Internet-Friendly GameShark for Game Boy
InterAct Accessories will introduce a new GameShark for Game Boy with
Internet connection and 2,000 Pokemon codes. This new GameShark will be
available to retailers nationwide in September, coinciding with the
highly-anticipated release of Pokemon Gold and Silver. This upgraded
version will now allow gamers to download codes from their PC directly to
their GameShark.
The new GameShark for Game Boy has upgraded its internal cheat list by
featuring hundreds more game-busting codes. This product will include a
link cable and a PC software support CD that allows gamers to log onto
GameShark.com with their PC and download codes directly into the GameShark.
Pokemon fans will receive an added treat: a Pokemon Code Book with 2,000
codes for Pokemon Red/Blue, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Trading Card and
Pokemon Pinball will be included with each new GameShark for Game Boy. Game
Boy gamers will be able to reach new levels when playing their favorite
Pokemon game.
``GameShark has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in gaming
because of the unique experience this product brings to consumers," said
Dean Stoyer, Director of Marketing for InterAct Accessories. ``We made sure
that this new version of the GameShark for Game Boy is targeted at the
gaming needs of the Pokemon fan."
In addition, the new version of the GameShark for Game Boy will support
hundreds of codes with its massive memory. Gamers will also be able to
exchange game codes with other GameShark owners via an infrared transfer
feature.
The new version of GameShark for Game Boy will be available in September,
2000 at all major toy and electronic retailers nationwide in time for the
anticipated release of Pokemon Gold and Silver. The GameShark for Game Boy,
with the upgrade features listed above, will continue to carry the same low
MSRP of $29.99.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Songbird CGE2K Report
Wow, just got back to MN early this morning after a fun but exhausting
expo. Not sure what attendance was like this year vs. last year, but I do
know that Sunday attendance was a big improvement over last year. And I
stayed VERY busy at the Songbird booth the entire time! It was rare that I
had more than 5 minutes go by without someone wanting to try a Jag or Lynx
game, see some unreleased stuff, etc. People got to play Lynx Cybervirus,
Eye of the Beholder, and Relief Pitcher, while on the Jag side we did have
Phaze Zero and a prototype 'shareware' cart for demo.
Songbird customers got to pick up the new Songbird Jaguar games at great
prices, and I went through almost all the assorted Jaguar stock I brought
with me. Lynx sales were a little slower than I hoped, but the new games
were still well received and I even found some new customers for Ponx and
Lexis! Not to mention equipping a few former INTV and 5200 developers with
low-cost Lynx developer kits which was great fun... =^)
I didn't get much time to stop by other booths, but it is always great to
chat with Hasbro, Telegames, B&C, CGE staff, and the rest.
Thanks to everyone who made this another incredible event! I hope to see
even more people attend next year. Considering the exclusive game releases,
great deals on new and old merchandise, the chance to meet former and
current game developers, the swap meet, and the one-of-a-kind museum, I
think there are plenty of reasons to make CGE a 'must-go' event for
classic/Atari gamers.
Sincerely,
Carl Forhan
Songbird Productions
http://songbird.atari.net
From Jaguar Interactive message boards:
Re: CGEXPO - DISASTER??? OR FLOP??????????
>Just waiting for information about the CGEXPO since Saturday. Only Carl
posted some stuff. Was this just a flop or what????
Well, I've been to all three of the shows so far (WOA and the two CGE's)
and this one was kinda mediocre. On the plus side, there were tons of
people there and Ralph Baer once again made an appearance. Someone brought
tons of laserdisc arcade machines (Cliffhanger, Cobra Command, Badlands,
Dragon's Lair, Thayer's Quest among others) all set to free play.
On the down side, the number of special guest speakers who actually showed
was way down from last year. As a result, some of the panels were one or
two people and not very well organized. Some panels went late or started
late and the organizers seemed to be constantly running in and out to keep
things on track. This lack of organization was one thing that really made
WOA '98 a disappointment for me. Last year, the panels were extremely well
organized, although the panels were too large. I wish they could find a
happy medium or offer two panel tracks so that you could choose who you
wanted to see and all of the speakers would have an opportunity to speak.
The other parts of the show like the vendors were the same as last year and
many vendors even brought the same stock as last year (telegames, B&C, and
United Game literally had identical stock as last year). The "exclusive"
prototype games which were sold were interesting but overpriced in my
opinion. I bought the Odyssey 2 cart signed by Mr. Baer for $25 which I
thought was reasonable. The Colecovision carts were $30 and $40 and didn't
quite sell out. The INTV booth had several "protos" as well, but at $25-$30
each, I passed on them. They will be selling them on their site as well, so
I don't think I missed out.
I think in general the show was good, but as a general rule I think these
things should get better year after year. Unfortunately, there was little
improvement this year and maybe even some slippage. That's just my opinion.
Playing Around at the Classic Gamers Expo
Compared to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the Classic Gamers Expo
(CGE) is just a speck. E3 fills the entire Los Angeles convention center
and spills out into neighboring buildings. By comparison, CGE fits nicely
into a single ballroom of the Plaza Hotel, a good-sized downtown Las Vegas
hotel.
Mind you, this is a downtown hotel, not a strip hotel such as the MGM Grand
or Caesar's Palace with auditoriums that are large enough to host
heavyweight title fights. The ballroom used for CGE would be appropriate
for a really big bar mitzvah.
The attendance is much smaller, too. E3 has hundreds of exhibitors
displaying their products to tens of thousands of attendees. CGE had 18
booths and hundreds of attendees.
But don't let the size fool you. The Classic Gamers Expo may be small; but
an elite and highly-educated crowd of people attend this convention with
money to spend and specific ideas about what they are looking for.
Take, for instance, Michael Mize, a space shuttle technician who traveled
from Coco, Florida, to attend the convention. Mize owns seven arcade games,
15 additional arcade boards, and somewhere between 6,500 and 7,000 game
cartridges.
Asked what brought him to CGE, Mize says the convention is one of the only
places he can go to add to his collection. "In part it is the exclusivity
of some of the game releases," says Mize. "If you want it, you gotta come
here to get it."
Not everything that Mize bought at this year's convention was old. A few of
the exhibitors such as Songbird Productions and Intellivision Productions
released new games for such 70's and 80's systems as Intellivision,
ColecoVision and Atari 2600.
While the new games for ColecoVision and 2600 such as Steamroller may have
a certain novelty about them, they are graphically primitive compared to
today's games. Looks, according to Mize, are very deceiving.
"Maybe the graphics aren't there, but the play is there. Look at
games like Venture, Cosmic Avenger, and Bump and Jump on ColecoVision, and
they look like stupid, silly games; but no one has been able to replicate
that kind of gameplay."
Former Atari game designer Howard Scott Warshaw explains it a different
way. "If you offer to give a kid Disney's Space Mountain or a ball, nine
out of ten kids will take Space Mountain; but it's the tenth kid that's
going to have the friends. You get bored of all of the fancy things after
a while, but that ball has lasting value."
Warshaw, who holds a special place of honor and derision in the annals of
gaming history, is the only Atari game designer to have sold more than 1
million copies of every game he made. On the other hand, along with such
classics as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Yar's Revenge, Warshaw created the
infamous E.T. cartridge, the game that some blame for the downfall of
Atari.
Warshaw temporarily left the video game industry for several years during
which time he worked in video production. He returns to CGE every year,
putting up with jokes about E.T. and signing copies of Yar's Revenge while
selling Once Upon Atari, a video he produced about the history of Atari.
(Once Upon Atari is available at www.scottw.com.)
Walking along the floor at CGE, you are constantly reminded that the video
game industry was once an American industry. Attendees at the show sorted
through stacks of Atari, Coleco and Intellivision games in search of the
rare item they needed to complete their collection. Sega and Nintendo were
barely visible at the show; and with the exception of a PlayStation CD
filled with classic Intellivision games, Sony was unrepresented.
One of the highlights of CGE are the celebrities who attend it. This year's
convention included the likes of Ralph Baer, the engineer who created
Odyssey, the first home game console; Joe Decuir, co-designer of the Atari
2600; and Keith Robinson, the former Mattel employee who now owns the
rights to Intellivision.
One of the most interesting guests at this year's CGE was Billy Mitchell,
the man Namco dubbed "Video Game Player of the Century." On July 3,
Mitchell scored the world's first perfect game of Pac-Man, logging in
3,333,360 points and not missing a single fruit or ghost as he played the
game until a long-known but seldom reached programming glitch stopped his
game.
Walking the floor and trying his hand at the classic coin-operated games
along the wall, Mitchell demonstrated that his skills were not limited to
Pac-Man. He played through level after level of Zaxxon with ease; but when
I asked him which game he was best at, he smiled and said, "It sure as hell
isn't Zaxxon. These days I'm more into Donkey Kong."
So what is the attraction of these classic games and why are they still
popular 20 years later? Many of the people at the show say it is nostalgia,
but Howard Warshaw has a different view. "We look back at these games and
tend to remember the best ones, the ones we really liked. Of course they're
going to seem better than the latest games. When you think about today's
games, you think about the good and the bad ones. When you think about the
classics, you remember nothing but the best."
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Intel Unveils 1.13 Gigahertz Chip
Intel on Monday introduced a Pentium III processor running faster than one
gigahertz, beating rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. to the punch for
bragging rights to the speediest computer chip on the market.
AMD earlier this year beat Intel to the market by a few days with the first
chip to run at one gigahertz, and plans to begin shipping a 1.1 gigahertz
chip on Aug. 28.
Processors are the ``brains" of personal computers. One measure of their
performance is the ``clock speed," measured in hertz, or cycles per
second. Intel's new Pentium runs at 1.13 gigahertz, or 1.13 billion cycles
per second.
Intel and other chipmakers, who typically get much of their profits from
such high-end chips, have accelerated the introduction of faster chips
because of breakthrough manufacturing technologies.
Much of the existing software on the market today requires far less
processing power than the fastest chips provide, although the new chips
demonstrably speed up games and graphics.
The new 1.13 gigahertz chip is priced at $990 when shipping in units of
1,000 to computer manufacturers, although Intel noted it will be available
only in limited quantities.
Because of production problems, Intel has made few of the gigahertz chips
it introduced earlier this year.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel later this year will begin shipping a
Pentium 4 chip that initially runs at 1.4 gigahertz, while AMD will begin
shipping its first Athlon processors for notebook computers.
New Macs Enter the Retail Channel
Not every model is available, but less than two weeks after Steve Jobs'
dramatic hardware announcements at Macworld Expo New York, Apple's latest
iMacs and Power Mac G4s are finding their way into retail channels and
selling in healthy numbers, resellers told MacWEEK. Although the Power Mac
G4 Cube won't hit retail shelves until early August, resellers report that
they are taking significant preorders for the new model.
"Apple is doing a good job shipping these products as it said it would,"
said Dan DeVries, Executive VP of sales and marketing for MacMall, a Mac
catalog site. MacMall currently has the new Power Mac G4 400s in stock, and
he expects MP G4 450s this week and 500MHz MP G4s the week after. He added
that MacMall has taken substantial numbers of pre-orders for the new MP
Power Macs. "These Macs are made for graphics professionals, and that is
one of the markets we specialize in," he said.
The new iMacs are also moving into the channel quickly, DeVries said.
MacMall already has Indigo iMac DVs, and Graphite and Snow iMac DV SEs, and
expects Ruby and Sage iMac DV+ models by the middle of the week. The $799
entry-level iMac is expected in September.
On the brick-and-mortar side, Circuit City announced the day before Jobs'
keynote that it would re-enter the Mac market, selling iBooks, iMacs and
AirPort products. Bill Cimino, a Circuit City spokesman, told MacWEEK that
the retail chain will have the new iMacs in special displays with DV
camcorders by August 1. Cimino added that Circuit City will carry some
Apple-specific software in addition to dual-platform games.
At ComputerWare, a Mac-only reseller in San Francisco, manager Jeff Korst
reported that all of the new Macs were selling well. He said the store has
the new Power Mac G4 400s and 450s in stock, as well as the iMac DV+ and
iMac DV SEs.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to discuss sales numbers, but said that the
company is pleased with the response so far.
Apple Suit Calls Attention to iBook Rumor
Apple Computer's recent lawsuit to clamp down on leaks has inadvertently
put the spotlight on rumored details of the company's next iBook notebook
computer.
In a lawsuit filed this week, Apple alleged that an unknown individual who
goes by the name of "worker bee" posted information to the Internet about
Apple's new mouse and dual-processor PowerMacs before their introduction
last month. Apple also said that "worker bee" posted information last
month about a third product Apple has yet to introduce.
The third product appears to be a new version of the iBook with a faster
processor, as the notebook was a subject of a post from the anonymous
person that day.
The ironic twist is a sidelight in the closely followed case. Apple,
notorious even among computer companies for its obsession with secrecy, is
doggedly trying to ascertain the identity of "worker bee" and stop the
leaks.
As reported earlier, Apple subpoenaed Yahoo to disclose any information
the company had on "worker bee." The anonymous poster allegedly put photos
of the mouse and PowerMac on two GeoCities Web sites; GeoCities is owned
by Yahoo.
In its legal documents, Apple security official Robin Zonic refers to
several postings in the forums of the AppleInsider rumor site. Zonic also
says in a filing that "on July 25, 2000, I found postings from 'worker
bee' that included detailed specifications for an as-yet unreleased Apple
product."
"Worker bee" that day posted details on the upcoming iBook to
AppleInsider's forums in response to a question from a reader. But Zonic
did not say whether the posting was to AppleInsider, so it is possible
Apple is referring to a posting somewhere else.
"Worker bee" said the iBook would contain "up to 466 MHz, DVD, 1 firewire
port, 8Mb of VRAM, screen size will remain the same, don't know about new
colors...yet."
Apple would not comment on details regarding the new iBook or comment on
whether the iBook was the product referred to in its legal documents.
If that is the posting to which Apple is referring, it must have been
somewhere on the mark to qualify as a trade secret, according to
intellectual property lawyer Daniel Harris, of Brobeck Phleger & Harrison.
Harris said that some, but not necessarily all, of the information would
either have to be correct or at least on the drawing board.
"It wouldn't be confidential if it wasn't talked about within Apple,"
Harris said.
Microsoft Releases First Bug Fixes for Windows 2000
Software giant Microsoft released the first batch of updates and bug fixes
for Windows 2000 on Monday, a move expected to boost sales as it makes its
new flagship computer operating system more secure, reliable and easier to
use in concert with other software.
Service Pack 1 fixes scores of problems ranging from security issues to
ensuring compatibility with more software and devices, and boosting the
overall reliability of the program, Microsoft said.
The update, available a day earlier than the Aug. 1 release date Microsoft
had promised, can be ordered on CD or downloaded from the company's Web
site.
Windows 2000 is the Redmond, Wash.-based company's newest operating system
to power corporate networks or Web sites.
Costing more than $1 billion and taking three years to develop, it was
unveiled in February and is considered Microsoft's most stable and powerful
product yet.
Although sales of Windows 2000 have far outstripped those of Microsoft's
previous business operating systems, many analysts have said uptake has
been slower than expected.
Apart from a recent sluggishness in the market for business computers,
analysts have cited a wait-and-see attitude among many businesses wary of
investing in a new product until initial problems could be fixed.
Now that Service Pack 1 is available, more companies could decide to deploy
Windows 2000, they said.
Microsoft Cookie Tool Stirs Controversy
What began as an effort to give Web browser users more control over their
privacy has put Microsoft in the cross-fire of Web advertisers and privacy
advocates.
With Internet Explorer 5.5, Microsoft is testing a cookie management
feature that blocks certain kinds of cookies -- data records created by a
browser that preserve information about Web sessions.
The seemingly innocuous add-on has raised the ire of Web advertising
services and e-commerce vendors that claim the feature unfairly excludes
them from the benefits of cookies: driving traffic and ad dollars to a
site and supplying key demographic data to e-businesses.
Microsoft's technology blocks cookies that come from outside companies or
advertisers that supply content to a site. These third-party cookies
enable services to track, but not identify, a user throughout the Web. The
feature concerns some parties that fear the Redmond, Wash., company is
once again using its heavy hand.
"Whether this act is pernicious or not, Microsoft has set themselves to be
the arbiters of what technological options will be available to Web
servers in terms of screening the information," said Jason Mahler, general
counsel of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, in
Washington.
Others, however, view the cookie management application as a step in the
right direction to improve Internet privacy.
"Privacy advocates have been asking for this since 1996," said Jason
Catlett, president of Junkbusters Corp., a Green Brook, N.J., company that
develops software to combat cookies and other marketing tactics. "The
issue here is that third-party cookies are tracking Web surfers' movements
across the Web without them knowing it."
Nevertheless, cookies are absolutely crucial to many e-commerce business
models. Sites rely on the services of companies such as DoubleClick Inc.
and Engage Technologies Inc., which use cookies to measure site traffic in
order to target advertisers. Third-party cookies allow smaller sites to
band together and have ads sold and delivered by ad networks to compete
with larger Web sites.
With the cookie management feature in IE 5.5, every third-party cookie
sent to the browser generates a dialog box that asks the user whether to
accept or block the cookie. Users can check a box that eliminates further
warnings.
"I tried it. Forget it. You just have to turn it off," said Rich LeFurgy,
head of the Internet Advertising Bureau, in San Francisco. LeFurgy said
users receive too many cookies to have a dialog box pop up every time a
server wants to send one.
Users receive no warning when a first-party cookie -- one that returns
only to the site to which the user is connected -- is set on their hard
drives. In effect, IE 5.5 treats third-party cookies as less secure
technology than first-party cookies. Further, LeFurgy and others said, the
barrage of "security alert" dialog boxes will scare users, inviting them
to shut off third-party cookies.
"This is a beta test to test market acceptance of the concept of
differentiated cookie settings," said Richard Purcell, director of
corporate privacy at Microsoft. "We find that when there's a third party
involved [privacy] information is generally hard to get. So we began
planning ways that our technology might be useful to consumers."
Fear of third-party cookies is an understandable position given the
notorious case of New York-based DoubleClick, which was investigated in
May for plans to connect aggregate cookie data with a database that
included names, addresses and other personal information. DoubleClick
eventually backed off its plans; officials there had no comment on
Microsoft's cookie management technology.
Such incidents, however, are an example of the pressure that e-businesses
and advertisers are under to capture critical customer data.
"The average consumer doesn't understand what they're giving up when they
block cookies," said Stefan Tornquist, marketing director at
Bluestreak.com Inc., a Newport, R.I., online advertising and marketing
company that offers technology that tracks traffic without cookies or in
conjunction with cookies. "Today's invasion of privacy is tomorrow's
convenience."
Bonnie Lowell, chief technology officer of the Personalization Consortium
and co-chair of the group's privacy committee, also extolled the virtues
of cookies -- as long as they're used prudently.
"I really would be concerned if people thought [Microsoft's cookie
management] was the answer to the online privacy problem," Lowell said.
"People have an expectation that all cookies are bad, but most are good
cookies."
Nevertheless, the issue of cookies will likely end up under the microscope
of the government on an ever-increasing pile of high-technology issues.
Late this week, the Federal Trade Commission endorsed a plan by members of
the Network Advertising Initiative, including DoubleClick, Engage, AdForce
LLC and others, to regulate themselves under a set of privacy principles
that give consumers more control over what those vendors do with data
collected through third-party cookies.
Napster Hopes to Settle, Foes Less Receptive
While Napster Inc. hopes to settle its copyright legal battle with the
recording industry outside of court, industry sources said the song-swap
company's opponents were less enthusiastic about a deal.
``I think there is an opportunity for a settlement," Hank Barry, chief
executive officer of Napster told Reuters this weekend, but added there
were no substantive discussions.
Officials at the big five recording companies, which are among the firms
suing Napster -- alleging that it facilitates wholesale music piracy -- as
well as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) declined to
comment on the prospects for a settlement.
However, a high-ranking music industry source familiar with the situation
said, ``There may be talks occurring but a settlement is unlikely."
Barry said Napster has been constantly reaching out to try to bring both
sides together and that he would continue these efforts following Friday's
last-minute reprieve by a federal appeals court that reversed a U.S.
District Judge's order to shut the song-swap service down last Friday.
The reversal by an appeals court on Friday was a stinging defeat for the
RIAA, whose suit against Napster has turned into a landmark case over
copyright protection on the Internet.
While members of the recording industry declined to speak on the record
about the matter, many voiced their skepticism regarding the likelihood of
a settlement.
``Napster doesn't even have a business plan. There's really nothing they
could offer us in settlement talks except a mailing list of people who want
free music," said one recording company executive requesting
anonymity.
Another executive noted that if the recording industry were to settle, it
would effectively ``sink our case."
Others agree that with scores of users flocking to Napster and other
file-sharing services, the best the recording industry could hope for is a
legal victory, which would establish parameters for intellectual property
on the Internet and hopefully discourage investors from backing companies
like Napster.
``Nobody thinks the technology is going away. The point is to win the suit
and keep the venture capitalists away from it (Napster)," said another
record executive.
Not everyone is so sure a settlement can't be reached, however. ``I think
it's inevitable," said a source at a big record label.
The challenge is for the two sides to arrive at a business model that would
enable the recording industry to capitalize on Napster's base of more than
20 million music fans.
Sources said the two sides sharply differ on whether the appropriate model
for getting money from Napster should be based on a per transfer fee or a
blanket percentage of any revenues like a radio station as well as other
models. The recording industry has been criticized for creating its own
problem by dragging its feet on digital downloading.
Several experts, however, see difficulties in applying any of these
traditional models to Napster or other file-sharing services.
``Record labels may be able to move into that, but there are some difficult
technological issues to get to that point," said Malcolm Maclachlan, an
analyst with International Data Corp..
A multi-industry forum known as the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI),
created to come up with a standard for anti-copying technologies, has been
dogged by delays.
The SDMI on Monday announced it began work on amending its specification
for portable devices such as cell phones, radios and voice recorders.
The companies represented by the RIAA in the lawsuit include Seagram Co.
Ltd.'s Universal Music, Bertelsmann AG's BMG, Sony Corp.'s Sony Music
Entertainment, Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Music Group and EMI Group Plc.
AltaVista Unveils New Features
Internet search engine operator AltaVista Co. is still trying to find its
identity, but CEO Rod Schrock believes the firm's long quest for profits is
nearly over.
As AltaVista announced another makeover of its popular Web site, Schrock
disclosed in an interview Tuesday that the Palo Alto-based company lost
roughly $30 million on $70 million in revenue during the quarter ending
July 31.
The company lost $237 million on revenues of $34 million in last year's
second quarter, which ended June 30. AltaVista has since changed from a
fiscal year ending Jan. 31 instead of Dec. 31.
The company has reduced its quarterly losses by about $20 million during
the past six months and Schrock now expects the 5-year-old company to post
its first quarterly profit by the end of this fiscal year. He suggested
that AltaVista will revive a long-delayed initial public offering of stock
as soon as the company is in the black.
The company, which has lost about $800 million since its inception,
indefinitely postponed a $19-per-share IPO in April in the midst of a mass
technology stock sell-off.
Although many tech stocks have recovered from that shock, investors still
have little interest in unprofitable Internet-related companies.
``The market certainly has been seesawing, but we are going to be
profitable by the end of the year and profitable companies deserve to be
public," Schrock said.
AltaVista's latest changes feature a multimedia search function that will
allow users to view the various images fetched after a request. The site
also has introduced a ``Power Search" function that enables users to
narrow the scope of their requests by clicking on easy-to-understand menus
instead of relying on ``Boolean" language - a formulaic way of wording a
request.
Lydia Louizides, a Web technology analyst for Jupiter Communications, said
AltaVista's renovations are an improvement because the site now places
greater emphasis on entertainment, sports and e-commerce. ``Those are the
places where people really seem to want to go on the Web."
Danny Sullivan, an analyst with SearchEngineWatch.com, said AltaVista's
changes are more in style than substance.
``This strikes me as a sort of a facelift," he said. ``This is more about
AltaVista trying to make things right, rather than the company making a big
breakthrough in its technology."
Regardless, AltaVista believes the retooling of its search engine will help
continue its recent surge in popularity among Web surfers trying to find
specific information, images or sounds.
A recent survey by StatMarket ranked AltaVista as the second most popular
search engine behind Yahoo! The survey said AltaVista held 16.6 percent of
the search engine market as of July 4, up from 9 percent in April 1999.
The June rankings of NielsenNetRatings placed AltaVista behind Yahoo! and
Lycos in the search engine race, but ahead of Excite - a portal that the
company trailed earlier in the year.
Including all sites, AltaVista's online network was the eighth most popular
destination on the Web with 15.6 million unique visitors in June, according
to Media Metrix. The June figure represented a 27 percent increase from
February's traffic.
Besides its main site, AltaVista also owns shopping.com, ragingbull.com and
a more streamlined search engine, raging.com, introduced three months ago.
Most of the company's progress has come since last October when management
stepped up AltaVista's marketing efforts under a new regime. The company -
now controlled by CMGI Ventures after previous ownerships under Digital
Equipment and Compaq Computer - budgeted about $120 million for the past
year's marketing efforts.
Web Body To Accept Address Plans
The Internet's oversight body said Thursday it will accept proposals next
month for expanding the pool of online addresses used to find Web sites.
New domain names such as ".movie" or ".travel" would help relieve the
crowded field of dot-coms. They would be the first global suffixes added
since the 1980s, when Net use was limited to academics and bureaucrats.
``We're within striking distance," said Andrew McLaughlin, chief policy
officer for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
``Barring some disasters, we'll start seeing new names early next year."
As the Internet grows, the pool of short, simple names shrinks. So the
Internet needs new domain suffixes, the same way the phone system often
requires new area codes.
At stake is a New Economy increasingly dependent on the Net and on
customers' ability to easily find Web sites.
ICANN will issue formal guidelines as early as Friday. For a $50,000
application fee, any company or organization may propose a new suffix.
Applications will be accepted Sept. 5-Oct. 2, and two weeks of public
commenting will follow.
The Net organization will review the proposals and approve a half dozen or
so new names at its annual meeting in November.
Several questions remain on how the new names would blend with existing
ones. For instance, would Ford Motor Co., the owner of Ford.com,
automatically have the right to any new name, even if former President
Gerald Ford wants it for a presidential library? And would a name like
".museum" be open to anyone, or only to exhibitors?
ICANN has not made any decision on these or many other issues, and has
asked applicants to propose solutions. Many critics believe ICANN should
have settled these matters ahead of time.
But McLaughlin said the group wanted input from the Internet community to
avoid appearing ``top down and heavy-handed."
In making a final decision, the organization will also consider how the new
name would be managed and what needs it would fulfill.
Meanwhile, ICANN finished registering voters to elect five board members
this fall. Those members would contribute to future policy decisions on
domain names and other Net issues.
More than 158,000 Internet users signed up, far greater than the 10,000
that ICANN initially expected. As a result, the registration system broke
down, and many users were unable to register in time.
Voting will take place by continent in early October.
Four North Americans are on the ballot so far: Lyman Chapin, chief
scientist of BBN Technologies in Cambridge, Mass.; Donald Langenberg,
chancellor of the University System of Maryland; Lawrence Lessig, law
professor at Harvard University; and Harris Miller, president of the
Information Technology Association of America.
For Hire: Someone to Browse When You Can't
Lenny Young's epiphany came while riding in a cab through Manhattan.
The cab driver got lost on his way to Rockefeller Center, so Young, in from
Los Angeles on business, used his cell phone to call a friend in the city
who located the directions on the Web and passed them along. Then the
friend suggested going out to dinner that night, and used the Web to pick a
restaurant and give Young directions.
That's what everybody needs, Young remembers thinking, someone who's online
when you can't be -- an Internet valet.
The notion led Young to start iNetNow (http://www.inetnow.com), a private
Los Angeles start-up that employs a crew of ``expert surfers" to assist
people finding information online when they are away from their computers.
The year-old company is one of several looking to serve the needs of people
who use cell phones to access information from the Web while they are in
their cars or otherwise on the move.
The vast majority of these companies are so-called ``voice portals" that
let people listen to audio menus or speak their questions into a telephone
handset and use speech recognition technology to process the request and
send it to the caller in the form of prerecorded sound bites.
iNetNow, on the other hand, relies on plain old human beings to listen to
questions, search and deliver answers.
``The best way to mirror the full extent of the Net is to talk to a person.
They have everything you don't have when you're calling from a phone:
high-speed access, the ability to interact and a display device that's
bigger than your phone," Young said.
It's an intriguing concept. One that is so new it's too early to tell
whether people will go for it. iNetNow has been offering free searches to
Los Angeles residents since March, and will start charging on Sept. 1, when
the service goes nationwide. Young won't say how many calls his crew is
handling. However, investors like the business. So far, venture capitalists
have poured $17 million into it, and the company is in the middle of
raising another $30 million.
It might not use speech recognition, but iNetNow is far from low tech.
Each of iNetNow's 50 ``expert surfers" sits in a workstation with a
networked computer that is attached to two, 21-inch displays. Surfers use a
custom-built search engine to look up information on four Web sites at a
time. Answers to commonly asked questions about topics such as weather or
sports go into a knowledge database, so next time a caller inquires on that
topic, the surfer can retrieve the information in seconds.
iNetNow's surf team is comprised mainly of young men and women who have
recently moved to Los Angeles with dreams of acting, writing or directing,
but don't mind making $12 a hour while they wait to hit it big.
Jacob LaCivita was the company's first expert browser back in September
1999 and retains the title of ``alpha surfer."
``Back then it was just me, the Net and a phone. I'd take calls from
employees and investors" to see if it worked, said LaCivita, who has
temporarily put plans to be a screenwriter on hold.
On a recent Monday afternoon in the company's mid-Wilshire headquarters,
more than a dozen iNetNow surfers man the phones. Other shifts work through
the evening and night.
In one cubicle, a surfer named Stephen helps a caller who wants to know
when the Texas Rangers are playing next, who is pitching and where he can
get tickets. With little trouble, Stephen finds the information on ESPN
(http://www.espn.com), and the Ranger's Web site
(http://www.texasrangers.com).
Sitting next to him is Neil Henderson, an aspiring actor and writer in his
early 30s, who worked as a bartender before hiring on at iNetNow. Henderson
takes a call from someone looking for the tracks on Madonna's new CD, which
won't be released until September. While talking to the caller, Henderson
simultaneously searches Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com), CDNow
(http://www.cdnow.com), Ask Jeeves (http://www.askjeeves.com) and Google
(http://www.google.com) but doesn't find the information. He tries
Madonna's record company, Maverick (http://www.wbr.com/maverick/), also
without luck. He checks a few more sites, and Gary, another surfer, pitches
in, but the caller decides to hang up. The call lasts 3-1/2 minutes, well
under iNetNow's five-minute limit.
When they're stumped, surfers continue looking anyway, ``and if I find it
I'll call back," Henderson said. Sure enough, minutes later Henderson and
Gary find a Madonna fan site and an online music news service that have the
information, and Henderson passes the info on to the caller.
Beginning Sept. 1, iNetNow will charge $4.95 a month for five calls, $11.95
a month for 12 calls or $21.95 a month for unlimited calls.
Eventually, Young wants to team up with a speech-recognition-based voice
portal such as TellMe (http://www.tellme.com) or BeVocal
(http://www.bevocal.com) that would offer iNetNow's expert surfers as a
premium service.
Postal Service Testing E-Mail
The folks who deliver mail the old-fashioned way want to help you use the
Internet to track that Mother's Day card - or simply e-mail it to Mom's
house.
Worried that e-mail and online bill-paying could take a fatal bite out of
first-class mail in coming years, the Postal Service is testing a variety
of e-services for Americans, including one that would assign virtually
everybody an e-mail address.
Customers could be notified by e-mail about an incoming bill or package,
which they could then reroute to another street address.
Another service, set to begin a three-year consumer test next month, would
allow customers to send e-mails to a post office to be printed and
delivered as first-class mail - much like a service already provided by a
private company.
A third program, already available, lets customers pay bills online through
the Postal Service's Web site.
Benjamin Franklin, the nation's first postmaster, would be amazed.
Postal Service spokeswoman Sue Brennan called the e-projects ``a way for
customers to choose how they want to get their correspondence."
The post office predicts that in 2003, first-class mail, now a $35 billion
business and its top revenue-producing service, will begin an unprecedented
decline at the hands of booming e-mail and online billing services.
Under its own online bill system, the Postal Service charges customers $6
per month to send 20 electronic transactions, or $2 per month and 40 cents
apiece for unlimited transactions.
The e-mail-to-paper system would cost about 41 cents per message - eight
cents more than current 33-cent postage.
Under the e-mailbox proposal, virtually every American would be assigned a
free e-mail address corresponding to their street address. Customers could
simply link the service to any present e-mail address they have, or opt for
a special online postal box. Customers could then get an e-mail address
using their initials, followed by their nine-digit ZIP code and the last
two numbers of their street address - with ``usps.com" tacked at the end.
For instance, Bill Clinton (1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C.,
20500-0003) would get the e-mail address: bc20500000300(at)usps.com.
Not the sort of thing you'd rattle off at a cocktail party, but it's tough
to replicate.
It's no news that Americans are avid e-mailers. A new study by the Pew
Internet and American Life Project found that more than 90 million people
have Internet access. Of those, about 84 million use e-mail regularly,
while 16 million have used some sort of online banking service.
But followers of e-commerce had mixed reactions to the postal e-mail
proposal.
``They're in catch-up mode," said Donald Heath, president of the nonprofit
Internet Society, based in Reston, Va. ``It sounds like they're not in
touch with the reality of the Internet at this point."
Heath said most people who would use the service already have e-mail - and
that the rest probably wouldn't log on for the tracking service.
``As schemes go, this one isn't bad," said Rob Enderle of Giga Information
Group, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based technology research firm. ``It
absolutely makes sense - they are in the business of delivering mail, and
e-mail is a form of mail. So ignoring that mode is a way of making yourself
obsolete."
The Postal Service already waded into the brave new world of e-mail in
1998, when it began testing a kind of certified e-mail service called
PostECS, which sends electronic receipts for contracts and other important
documents transmitted over the Internet.
Last year, it rolled out its heralded online postage system. The Postal
Service says 280,000 customers have printed $22.6 million worth of ``online
stamps" since July 1999, but the service has yet to deliver a profit.
Gene Johnson, chief executive officer of Mail2000, a Bethesda, Md., company
that translates e-mail messages into first-class mail, said customers would
probably find little use for the Postal Service e-mail tracking system, but
insisted that reports of the death of first-class mail are greatly
exaggerated.
``We really don't see where it's going to disappear," he said. ``Even our
customers who want their messages delivered electronically, they want to
see the hard copy."
Web Comedy Show To Become TV Series
In an example of how Internet companies and the entertainment industry may
collaborate in the future, a short animated series on a Web site will
become a half-hour, live-action show on a major cable network.
Showtime Networks Inc. has licensed ``Starship Regulars," a comedy series
on the Web site Icebox.com. The show, which will debut on the Web Aug. 11,
will be turned into 13 live-action episodes for the cable network's 2001
season.
Icebox.com will become executive producer of the show and will receive a
portion of the revenue generated by the program. The show's creator is Rob
LaZebnick, one of Icebox.com's co-founders. LaZebnick serves as a
co-producer of the Fox Television series ``The Simpsons" and will also be
co-producer of the Showtime version of ``Starship Regulars."
Using the Web as an incubator for ideas that later become television shows
or motion pictures is a strategy being pursued as an alternative to
creating ``destination" sites that showcase original programming. Many of
the high-profile Web sites, such as the Digital Entertainment Network,
Warner Bros.' Entertaindom and Pop.com, have either folded or retrenched
after discovering that producing original programs solely for the Internet
doesn't pay.
Instead, sites such as MediaTrip.com are forming close relationships with
studios, which would rather spend thousands of dollars on inexpensive
``Webisodes" in the hopes of finding a hit than millions on unsuccessful
television pilots or films.
Unlike some Web sites, which solicit short films and animation from
novices, Icebox.com from the start sought to sign established writers such
as Larry David, who created ``Seinfeld," and Jonathan Katz, who created
``Dr Katz: Professional Therapist."
The Web site debuted in June and soon after was approached by executives
from Showtime, who wanted to preview all the series Icebox.com had planned,
according to Icebox.com chief executive Steve Stanford.
``Starship Regulars" is a comedy about rank-and-file crew members aboard a
military spaceship. The Web version will consist of 15 three-minute
episodes.
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