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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 01 Issue 09
Volume 1, Issue 9 Atari Online News, Etc. April 30, 1999
Published and Copyright (c) 1999
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:
Dan Iacovelli
Remi Vanel
Steve Delaney
Donald A. Thomas, Jr.
To subscribe to A-ONE, send a message to: dpj@delphi.com
and your address will be added to the distribution list.
To unsubscribe from A-ONE, send the following: Unsubscribe A-ONE
Please make sure that you include the same address that you used to
subscribed from.
To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites (more to be added soon):
http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm
http://www.icwhen.com
http://a1mag.atari.org
http://homestead.dejanews.com/ssag
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0109 04/30/99
~ People Are Talking! ~ Don Thomas CO on Delphi~ MS Case Heats Up!
~ Kid Spends Million! ~ FloppyShop Closes Up! ~ 'The Blame Game'
~ No Dream Cast for Sega ~ Avoiding Y2K Scams! ~ AVC Meeting Update
~ New Mountain Available ~ Gaming Goes Wireless! ~ 'Tarzan' to Swing!
-* Chernobyl Author Identified *-
-* Columbine Tragedy - Reader Feedback *-
-* Apple Bullies Student to Hand Over Domain! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I promise to be very brief! There's no getting away from the recent tragic
event in Littleton, Colorado. Nor should there for some time to come. When
is society going to own up to its responsibility to own up to its own
actions? There are millions of people on the internet and I guarantee
they're not all looking up information on how best to plant roses this
spring! There are millions of young people playing video games that contain
a ton of violence. Millions see violence on television daily; read about it
every day in newspapers and magazines. Millions listen to music that many
deem unacceptable. I could cite numerous other examples. The point? We're
not all out somewhere killing people because of the "evil influences" of
these "things". But this type of tragedy should lead us to realize that we
need to be more responsible in our everyday life rather than fuel the
efforts of the zealots who want to sanitize what they consider to be the
'evils of society'. We _have_ met the enemy, and it is us.
Until next time...
Don Thomas To Be Guest in Delphi's Atari Advantage Forum!
On Saturday, May 8th, at 8:00 p.m. EST, Don Thomas of VM Labs (formerly
at Atari Corp. and SCEA [Sony's Entertainment Division - PSX]) will be
the honored guest in Delphi's Atari Advantage Forum.
Don will talk about Atari and a number of topics that Atari users can
relate to - especially today's world of console gaming.
Attendees will be able to ask questions, etc. This will be a formal
conference.
Please spread the word as we'd like to have a good crowd on hand for the
conference - the more the merrier!
The Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi can be reached via the web at
the following address: http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
or on Delphi at GO COMP ATA
Be there or be square!
Atari Video Club
From: Dan@AVC <Dan-AVC@usa.net>
The next net meeting is may 2nd (first Sunday of may) from 5pm till 9pm(CT)
at these following locations:
IRC Efnet CH.#atarivideoclub
Atari video club's web chat room(link is located at meeting page of AVC
online) and on ICQ (my # is 14051068)
Topics are that follows:
sign ups for writers for the jaguar fest issue of the Atari Zone fanzine(this
will be the last call for it)
Sign ups for E-zine only membership
Accepting high scores for Atarimania 8 (see the Atarimania page at AVC
online for game that are used for this year)
Also taking a poll for which atarimania game will be used for fest'99 in MN.
(I'll also be taking about the happening at chicago-area meeting too (see
below)
The Chicago-Area meeting of the Atari Video Club is also on May 2nd
from 1pm till 4:30pm(ct) at the westchester public library in Westchester,
IL
I might have the current issue of the Atari Zone Fanzine ready at the
meeting.
If you interested in attending please e-mail ASAP along with a list of
game equipment you plan on bringing:
TV's (most needed)
Atari game systems (no computers yet sorry)
Games
Surge Protectors (also needed)
and I'll E-mail you more information.
thank you
Daniel Iacovelli
Atari Video Club chairperson
Editor of the Atari Zone Fanzine and E-zine
Webmaster of AVC Online =http://avconline.atari.org
New Version of Mountain
From: Remi Vanel <vanel@club-internet.fr>
Hi!
A new version of Mountain, my video editing software is
available on my web-site.
Here is the news on this version:
Version 0.87 (19/2/99)
----------------------
+ new effect "Vertical Wobbler"
+ Bug corrected in "Vertical mirror"
+ New TimeSpline mode : "Bezier", faster and more intuitive.
+ Interpolation active in "Manual" mode.
+ New screen LDG use, all display mode from 256 colors to 32 bits are
supported.
Version 0.88 (22/4/99)
----------------------
+ new effect "RVB control"
+ Pre-calculated animated preview active (for registered users)
Version 0.89 (24/4/99)
----------------------
+ Bug fixes
+ Most windows are closed before starting an external viewer.
+ Improved redraw when re-sizing windows with Winix or Magic.
Enjoy !!
>> The New Team association <<
TNT Mag Online:
http://perso.club-internet.fr/vanel
Vanel Remi, (K woul / TNT) vanel@club-internet.fr
ATARI rules !
Floppyshop's Final Farewell
From: "Steve Delaney" <floppyshop@cyberstrider.org>
Hi All,
Welcome to the final message from Floppyshop. As you all know, we closed
our doors for the last time in mid-February. A lot has happened since
then and that's really why this message has taken so long to compose.
When we announced our closure, we did not know what sort of reaction to
expect from our customers. We were unsure as to whether we would be greeted
by complete apathy, a trickle of nice letters or a total backlash of angry
letters from those who considered us to be leaving the sinking ship. What
we did get was none of the above and we were literally rendered speechless
(those who know Steve will understand just how difficult it is to do that)!
From day one, we were inundated with orders. Naturally the knock-down
prices were a major contributory factor, but there was more to it than
that.
Customers were buying up everything they had been intending to get round to
purchasing one day, and they wanted to stock up while they could. This mad
rush only really slowed down after our official closing date of 30th
January 1999, something which certainly surprised us! It showed a high
level of trust from our customers, many of whom had been with us for 10
years or more. Nobody was concerned about us disappearing without trace
and failing to supply their goods, like so many others in the Atari market
have done.
Accordingly, trust like that has to be earned and all orders (even those
which arrived after our extended closing date of 12th February) were
honoured up to the time our PO Box closed down.
Equally important were the messages of support we received from customers
during the course of the sale. They ranged from brief telephone calls to
lengthy letters and emails, all of which were most welcome. The number of
Atari users who took the time to thank us for the services we had provided
for them over the years and wish us well in our future exploits, was
phenomenal and indeed totally unexpected. From our point of view, we were
only doing our job and we were not looking for gratitude, though such
messages were well received and most appreciated. Please allow us to express
our gratitude to you. Without an Atari Community in the first place,
Floppyshop would never have existed. It was an important part of our lives
and the memories will remain with us always.
Many customers expressed concern about what would happen to our products
after we closed down. We too had our doubts and were delighted when several
companies and individuals approached us with a view to taking over remaining
stocks. We are pleased to announce our surplus stock of commercial products
and the distribution rights to most of our CD-ROM compilations have been
acquired by our good friend Paul Glover at FaST Club. Paul was probably the
first to start up a PDL shortly after the release of the ST and has a longer
pedigree than us! His expansion into commercial software and magazine
publishing has made FaST Club a household name worldwide. We would like to
thank Paul for ensuring these products remain available to Atari users.
Similarly, our Public Domain/Shareware Library has also been saved from
extinction! In this case, our thanks go to Andrew Plumridge of Falcon's NeST
PDL for his brave and salient rescue of this fine collection (well we would
say that!). Andrew has pledged to update and expand the PDL with catalogue
updates being sent to regular customers in the true Floppyshop tradition.
These two staunch Atari supporters have been prepared to go out on a limb
in order to ensure continuing support for the Atari Community. We trust
you will repay them for their efforts with the same level of support you
have always given us.
It was only natural that all rights to our Sounds & Stuff CD-ROM should
revert to Electronic Cow as they were responsible for its compilation. A
number of the other packages we sold in the last couple of years are still
available through Atari Computing's readers offers.
The "Floppyshop Commemorative Site" is now on the Web. Funny how we had to
close down to find time to finish the site! The main page leads to three
distinctly separate sites. There's a potted history of Floppyshop in our
"Ancient Burial Site" and and a quick roundup of the Atari Scene in our
Contacts Site, finally there's the Virtual Christmas Party which is near
identical to our Christmas 1998 site, suitably updated to take account of
the changes which have taken place since then. "Our Virtual Christmas Party"
site had over 1100 visits, we're looking forward to reaching our "second
millenium" with this one!
All the information on our former releases can be found here as well as full
contact information, not only for those whose who have taken over the
distribution of our products, but also to everyone who's anyone in the Atari
scene.
It's Been Fun, Of That There's No Denying. All that remains is to wish
the Atari Community well for the future and thank everyone for their
friendship and trust over many years. In the words of my late grandfather,
Tom Delaney, Everything In Your Favour's Against You, but as an Atari user,
you'll rise above such things and face the future with a courage and
determination no PC owner could ever hope to match.
Thank you for everything, may you live long and prosper.
Goodbye from
Steve Delaney and Irene Lamb
Commemorative Site at http://www.floppyshop.cyberstrider.org
PS If you want to know what we're up to nowadays, our new company's site
will be going live in a few weeks at http://www.mirrorimages.co.uk
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. You know, there are times (many times)
when I have no idea of what I'm going to write in this space until I
actually sit down and stare at a blank STeno window for a while.
Then there are times when I can't wait to get home from my day job to
fill up that empty space. Today falls somewhere in between the two. I
happened to be reading a newspaper today, and one of their
sharp-as-a-tack columnists was woefully expounding upon the inability of
his co-workers to go without commenting on his decision to grow a beard.
Now a columnist is free to write about whatever he feels the need to
write about, but c'mon guy, with all that's going on in this country and
in this world, the best you could do was to whine about peoples' snide
comments about facial hair?? And if anyone should be sensitive on the
subject of beards, it should be me because I've had one for almost 20
years now.
The plain and simple fact is that having to deal with second glances and
witless comments just doesn't add up against what's going on in Colorado
or Kosovo or even Washington DC.
Back in the deep dark mists of time it would have taken weeks, days, or
hours (depending on how far back into time you go) for the rest of the
country to find out about what happened in Colorado, or what's going on
in Kosovo, or even what's happening in DC. That's the reason that
Election Day and Inauguration Day are separated by so many weeks. That
way there was time to tally up the votes from all over the union and get
the news out... to both the public and the winner, and make whatever
preparations were necessary.
But today we get news instantly. A few years ago we even got to surprise
our own troops on the beach with the sparkling spotlights of news crews
as they arrived in The Gulf. I'm still amazed that the troops didn't open
fire on them. It would have served them right.
We've come to see information as a right instead of as a privilege.
There is no constitutional right to information. And yet so few of us
are willing to actually go out and experience the things we seek
knowledge of. We expect the data to be dumped in our laps in nice
neat little bundles that we don't even have to mull over before we have
an opinion. It's news-de-jour, and no one can even remember what
yesterday's blue plate special was. Can you tell me whatever happened to
Manuel Noriega? Was he ever tried or was he released? Is he still in
jail somewhere or did we let him go?
There are probably a few of you out there who know the answers, but most
won't, and that's my point. It's one of my favorite gripes. The fact
that most people don't even pay attention to what's going on, and don't
even realize that they aren't connecting the dots. That's also what
happens when you can simply pop a CD into your computer and do nothing
more than press a button to get the latest and greatest doo-dads. Sure,
the doo-dads are cool. I just installed a version of ICQ on my Atari,
and I think it's a great resource to have. The difference between 'us'
and 'them' is that we usually have to work at getting something like
that. We get to see all the nooks and crannies and all the cracks in the
molding, while most PC users see only the veneer that covers everything.
That's okay if that's all you want, but I'm one of those guys that
actually wants to know how something works. That's where you find
knowledge, not from having information dumped in your lap.
Well, let's get on with all the information I'm about to drop into your
lap. <grin>
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Dennis Bishop asks about a keyboard for his TT:
"I've seen some posts saying the STe mega keyboard is the same [as the
TT keyboard], but I've not seen one myself, so can't say, now if someone
has an old broken STe Mega sitting around ..."
John Logan tells Dennis:
"I certainly have used TT and MegaST keyboards interchangeably. I
have access to a MegaSTe but have not tried swapping keyboards but I
would guess they would work."
*Editor's note: The are the same keyboard in different colored
cases. When Atari sold the last of their TTs, they were sold with
Mega STE keyboards.
Our old friend Sheldon Winick of Computer STudio adds:
"Atari's TT030, MegaSTe and MegaST keyboards are completely
interchangeable. Is there something wrong with your TT030 keyboard?
Most TT-keyboard problems can be fixed with a new mylar circuit board --
its not a tough job to replace. If you need one, I still have plenty of
them in stock."
Dan Ackerman, author of CAB.OVL and AntMail, posts:
"You wanted it, you got it. I believe I finally got the last of the
annoying bugs out of my port of Micq to the STiK API.
Micq is a very nice command line icq clone from the linux world. Micq is
not my work in the least. I merely did the necessary changes to get it
working under TOS and the STiK API. For complete info on the author and
every place you need for micq help, read the documentation.
I believe all the functions are working now and it has been tested under
STiK and GlueSTiK. STiNG should also work as well.
Now all you need is someone to make a GEM client out of it.
Anyone interested feel free, the original code is under the GPL and I
make no claims to my changes. They should all be #ifdef'd as well so
porting future versions shouldn't be that hard. If you do decide to put
a GEM interface on this code and have any questions about my changes feel
free to email.
Well all this is in the doc files in the archive, so I'll let you go.
Have fun."
This is the version of ICQ that I mentioned earlier. It seems to work
quite well.
Joakim Högberg replies to Dan and mirrors my own thoughts:
"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"
Dr. Clu, having seen the post in another newsgroup, asks:
"So, is there a program for doing ICQ on the Atari yet?"
James Haslam tells Dr. Clu:
"Hot news from the Internet, is that ICQ for STiK/StiNG is finally
available for the Atari!! Dan Ackerman has ported mICQ from Linux, and
it's fully working!
Get it from:
http://www.netset.com/~baldrick/
It's a TOS program, but Dan has included the source code so that someone
else could program a GEM version. I've tried it out and it seems pretty
good, and it's fine under MagiC 6 on my Falcon."
Mike Freeman adds his experience to the mix:
"Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to want to work under Geneva/Neodesk.
Anyone got it working yet with this setup? I get the TOS window to come
up, the letter 'M' in the upper left corner, then four bombs. For some
reason right now, setting it to Multitasking Off like I normally do isn't
turning off the Multitasking mode for this program, too. I'm totally
baffled by that. Anyway, it works under TOS 4.04, so if I absolutely have
to I can use that, but I'd much prefer to get it running under Geneva,
especially with Multitasking on, if possible."
Martin Byttebier tells Mike:
"Yep on my Hades 060 Micq works just fine with Geneva/Neodesk (both the
last version).
I don't use Geneva/Neodesk very often so I can't tell you right now the
secret of my working setup."
Adrian Salmond asks for help with STinG:
"I am trying to get STinG up and running on my Ste. However, when I try
to use the dialer, I get the message "serial driver not installed".
I think I might need HSMODEM (according to the help docs). What is this
and where can I get it??"
Nick Bales tells Adrian:
"Depending on your TOS version, HSModem is either needed or strongly
recommended.
HSModem is a serial port replacement driver. It replaces the built-in
driver, fixes some bugs and gives you a more reliable connection.
Contrary to common belief, it will not break the 19200bps barrier on an
ST.
You can get it from just about any FTP site, or the Quick FAQ. Just make
sure it is running correctly: DRVIN.PRG first in the AUTO folder, then
MFP.PRG, that's all you need from the HSModem package on a stock STE."
Paul Mac tells Adrian:
"On my setup I got this error message because serial.stx was not in the
/sting/ folder.
Make sure all the .stx's are in a /sting/ folder on your route drive
(C:).
Also don't forget to activate sting from the cpx."
Tony Cianfaglione jumps in and asks:
"What is an 'stx' and where would I find it? I've been getting this same
message on my Falcon and haven't been able to proceed further."
Nick Bales tells Tony and Adrian:
"The STX files are the network drivers that come with the STinG package.
They should go into the STING folder that is indicated in the STING.INF
file."
Paul Nurminen posts:
"I just thought I'd let everyone know that my Falcon is now humming
along quite nicely with it's newly installed Nemesis board!
I made the trip to ATY Computer (in Oakland, CA) on Wednesday from Los
Angeles, and it only took me 5 hours to get there. Anyway, Alex did a
very thorough and professional installation job, as expected. I was in
his shop the entire time, and watched as he effortlessly went about
installing everything by the book, testing it as per the Nemesis manual
all the way.
I was a bit worried when we first took a look at the RAM SIMM I had in
there. It was a 70ns model (72-pin / 16meg), but Alex assured me that it
was of very high quality, and that there shouldn't be any problems. And
it turns out the RAM board I have is also a good one. I don't recall the
name but Alex told me it was a German model, and that it was also well
suited for the Nemesis. I guess I never knew for sure which board was in
there since I had an Atari shop in Los Angeles (Alternative Computing -
now strictly MAC/PC) put the RAM board and SIMM in there back in 1995
when they were doing the Cubase Audio mods.
Anyway, in the end, it all worked. The Falcon passed all the Nemesis
testing, and runs quite happily in LO and HI. In fact, with the help of
Videlity, I'm in 800x608x256 as I type this up in QED, and it looks very
nice! No screen garbage or troubles at all. Who says 70ns RAM isn't
fast enough?
Ultimately, I am very pleased with the Nemesis. CAB 2.7 looks great in
this resolution, and I have so much more desk space I don't know what to
do with it! I'm also very impressed by how quickly JPEGs are displayed
when in true- color mode, wow! But...
*Some good news:
-I'm using ICD Pro 6.5.5 and it too is working just fine. I did
purchase HD Driver from Systems For Tomorrow though, but haven't
installed it yet.
-The serial port does work now at 115,200 (HSMODEM 7/STinG 1.15)
*Some bad news:
-I did have the hard drive do it's little "pause" thing once so far.
And I thought that was supposed to be a thing of the past with the
Nemesis buffer board installed!? :^(
-I can get a nice 640x480 true-color display when I use the AUTO folder
program HRTC.PRG, and everything looks fantastic and works well. But,
if I try to use Videlity to get into true-color mode, I just get a blank
white screen. And I've tried numerous true-color settings in Videlity
(including of course 640x480). And unfortunately, the guy I bought the
Nemesis/Videlity from in Finland forgot to send the Videlity manual, so
I don't think I have all the information I need (yes I've read the
Videlity HYP file). So, what's the deal? The Nemesis manual even says:
"Using Videlity with Nemesis it is possible to realise true-color
resolutions of 720x528 on a standard VGA monitor, although a
multisync could take this further to 768x576!"
Not here it can't. Even 640x480 is no go in true-color with Videlity.
And running HRTC.PRG along with Videlity doesn't work either.
And obviously 640x480 true-color is possible on my Falcon since as I
said it works when I use HRTC.PRG, just not with Videlity.
(And just to clarify, I'm running under MagiC 5.11/NVDI 4.10)
Anyone have any solutions to this problem?"
Dave Murphy tells Paul:
"The SCSI fix on Nemesis gets rid of SCSI read/write errors when running
some of the higher resolutions and higher clock speeds. Occasionally some
drives may pause during transfers but we couldn't figure out what caused
it. The main symptoms of SCSI problems are programs crashing for no
apparent reason and corrupted data on the drive.
Couple of suggestions here [for the blank white screen]. Firstly make
sure that you're modifying the correct modecode. Double line OFF, 40
columns, TRUE in the modecode box of Videlity. The 80 column mode is only
available on RGB monitors.
Do not enable HRTC as well as Videlity - HRTC is simply a single mode
version of Videlity & will interfere quite badly.
Make sure Videlity runs *after* NVDI in the auto folder.
You should find a line in your MAGX.INF file like this :-
#_DEV 5 26
if the last number is unusually large then you've probably used Blowup
before & the line needs to be changed to a valid modecode.
The line above is 640x480x16
This one is 320x480x65536
#_DEV 5 20
Assuming that's ok the best way to proceed is to delete VIDELITY.INF from
your auto folder so you get no modified modes. Reboot the machine & run
VID_CONF. Select Double Line OFF, 40 Columns, TRUE in the mode code box.
This should now display 320x480 and all you need to do is change the
pixel size button to 1/4 to get 640x480. Save the modified mode (the disc
icon at the bottom right)
Under Magic change res to 32768 colours, 320x480 & you should get a
640x480 screen.
ahem - that really does depend on the monitor. Basically, if you can
display 640x480x256 you'll get 640x480x65536 though most people should be
able to display a fair bit more. 720x528 displayed OK on an old AOC fixed
frequency monitor so most should be able to display that.
Follow the instructions in the Hypertext using the frequency lock button
to get TC modes better than 640x480 or try some of the modes in the
library provided - extra modes may be found on my web site at :-
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/dmurphy"
Paul tells Dave:
"Oh, I see. Well, it's only done the "pause" thing once so far - where
drive light stays on for about 20-30 seconds, then resumes it's
read/write. And it certainly did it a lot more before the Nemesis was
installed. And perhaps this problem might in part be caused by the ICD
Pro driver software? (version 6.5.5) I did buy HD Driver 7 but I've been
too busy playing around with Nemesis/Videlity to install it yet. I'll do
that next week and perhaps the little problem will go away."
Clayton Murray tells Paul:
"I don't think ICD Pro vs. 6.5.5 is what's causing the problem. I have
the same version, and I've NEVER had either of my hard drives do a pause
like that. In fact, before I got ICD I had AHDI (which came with my
Falcon), and I never had a pause using that either. So I suspect it must
be each Falcon's "personality" that causes it to do that pause-thing.
I've never had the problem either before or after the Nemesis
installation. I'm using TOS 4.04. No Magic or NVDI. I'm glad you're
getting things worked out, and that you got NEMESIS finally installed."
Derryck Croker adds:
"Changing hard disk drivers was mentioned as a possible "cure" for this
problem was mentioned in a back issue of Atari Computing.
You should certainly try installing HDDriver."
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
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Reader Feedback! #1
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
Hello there,
First, let me say I love A-one!
Ill be honest, when I first read it, I was disappointed. I was hoping there
would be more atari content, and it really seemed like a PC mag with an
Atari Title. Well then issue 2 came out, read it, loved it, then the third
installment.. Anyways, I actually like how you cover everything, and I
really like your writing style. Now, I actually get excited when I read in
the newsgroup that a new issue is out :-) ...
Take care,
Bengy Collins collins@bulli.com
MagiC Atari powered by nemesized Atari Falcon030.
MagiC Mac powered by Apple iMac 233
Please visit MagiC Online http://bengy.atari.org
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - 'Tarzan' to Swing! THQ for GameBoy!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sony Wins Round Against Connectix!
Red Storm Announces '99 Lineup!
Eidos' 'Greatest Hits'! And more!
metro3D Signs With Nintendo!
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Eidos Interactive's Fighting Force Joins Gaming's Elite as One of
Playstation's Greatest Hits
Core Design Developing Sequel for October Release
Eidos Interactive, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of
interactive entertainment, announced today that their beat 'em up classic,
``Fighting Force," has joined the elite titles chosen to become one of the
PlayStation's Greatest Hits.
Proven consumer demand adds to the value of ``Greatest Hits" titles, which
have an MSRP of $24.99. ``Fighting Force" is the third Eidos title to be
inducted into the ``Greatest Hits" series, following ``Tomb Raider" and
``Tomb Raider II."
``Fighting Force is proving to be an extremely successful title for Eidos
and we're excited to see it join the 'Greatest Hits' series," said Paul
Baldwin, vice president of marketing Eidos Interactive. ``When consumers
see the green stripe on 'Greatest Hits' games, they know they will get a
great game for a great price."
Eidos has also confirmed the return of Hawk Manson in ``Fighting Force 2."
Supporting an all-new 3D engine and a highly advanced combination of
tactical action and adventure, ``Fighting Force 2" will make its debut in
October for the Sony Playstation.
``Fighting Force 2" will be on display for the first time in the Eidos
Interactive booth (#500, South Hall) at the Electronic Entertainment
Exhibition (E3), which is taking place in Los Angeles May 13-15.
Red Storm Entertainment Announces 1999 E3 Line-up
The young game development powerhouse, Red Storm Entertainment, Inc.
surprised the industry at last year's E3 convention with its instant hit
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six.
This year the company plans to introduce a 1999 line-up like no other.
Force 21, a real-time 3D tactical wargame, is the showcase for Red Storm
Entertainment this year. The intense game is played from either the U.S. or
Chinese side as players are put in the role of company commander during
WWIII in the year 2015. Amazingly detailed realism is the highlight of
Force 21, made possible by the game's producer, a former Army Intelligence
Officer, and Red Storm's strategic military advisor, retired four star Army
General, Frederick M. Franks Jr. With terrain based on true location maps
from the National Imagery and Mapping Association and vehicles based on
actual military prototypes, this game is sure to please the hard-core
wargamer, sim player and action lover alike.
Of course, this E3 show would not be complete without unveiling the sequel
to Red Storm's hit game, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. The full sequel, Tom
Clancy's Rogue Spear will be featured in-depth on the E3 cover of PC Gamer
and will be unveiled for the first time in public at the show.
Also showing for the first time at E3 will be the Playstation and Nintendo
64 versions of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. As of this date, the Playstation
version will be released only in Europe and the Nintendo 64 version will
be released in both Europe and the U.S. Stop by to see how the popular PC
game was re-created for these exciting console formats. In addition, Red
Storm will be debuting another Europe-only release, Aironauts, the hot
action/arcade game created by up-and-coming developer Red Lemon Studios.
Red Storm Entertainment will also be offering a sneak peak into their end
of the year title, Shadow Watch, the third installment in the Power Plays
series, as well as a glimpse at what's coming up for the year 2000.
metro3D Signs Licensing Agreement with Nintendo of America Inc.
Aggressive New Contender in Gaming to Develop and
Publish Titles on Leading Platforms
metro3D, inc., an aggressive new contender in console and PC gaming,
announced it has signed a strategic licensing agreement with Nintendo of
America.
Under the terms of the deal, metro3D will develop and publish games in
North America for Game Boy Color as well as the Nintendo 64.
Although a new company, metro3D boasts an accomplished executive team,
including former Capcom heavyweights George Nakayama, president of metro3D,
and Joe Morici, the company's vice president of sales and marketing, who
managed Capcom's North American operations during its most profitable
period.
The duo possesses extensive experience in bringing top-selling titles to
market and were responsible for launching the Street Fighter II family of
titles, which collectively sold over 13 million units, and the highly
successful Megaman franchise. They were also instrumental in securing the
first exclusive licensing agreement with the Walt Disney Company for
interactive rights to key properties, prior to the formation of Disney
Interactive. Some of these titles included The Little Mermaid, Mousecapades
and Ducktales, among others.
At metro3D, Nakayama and Morici intend to leverage their game expertise in
operations, sales, marketing and distribution, and couple it with metro3D's
existing development talent, to build a successful publishing business.
Console titles for the popular Nintendo platforms will be the cornerstone
of their operation in 1999.
``As a new game company with tremendous potential, we recognize the
strength of being a Nintendo third-party licensee right from the start,"
noted Morici. ``Nintendo boasts a huge installed base and will enable us to
bring our exciting line-up to as many gamers as possible. Our product line
will consist of classic arcade favorites as well as original titles that
are certain to resonate with Nintendo enthusiasts everywhere."
Taking full advantage of the Nintendo platforms, metro3D's 1999 titles will
be introduced at the forthcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this
May. These include Game Boy Color titles Chase HQ: The Secret Police,
Puzzle Master, Bubble Bobble, Ninja, Armada, and The Cage. The company will
also showcase a number of titles for other next generation systems.
``We're pleased to add metro3D to the Nintendo third-party roster," stated
Howard Lincoln, chairman, Nintendo of America. ``George and Joe have a deep
understanding of the industry and know what it takes to bring great
products to market. We're excited that the company's first titles will
appear on the Nintendo platforms."
Disney's Tarzan Swings Onto the Playstation
Adding to an already impressive line-up of family-friendly titles, Sony
Computer Entertainment America announced today the July 20 release of
Disney's Tarzan - a 3D action platform game chronicling the courageous
journeys of this legendary jungle hero. Based on the upcoming animated
adventure of the same name from Walt Disney Pictures, Tarzan, available
for the PlayStation game console, plunges gamers into an exciting tale of
exploration and adventure.
Taking on the role of Tarzan (and, in select levels, the role of Jane or
Terk, Tarzan's ape friend), players must navigate through a variety of
exotic and scenic environments, interact with an array of characters, and
overcome challenging obstacles. The 14 different jungle environments are
all brought to life through lush scenery and menacing enemies, and each
level features its own unique setting and objective. As the second
videogame title to be released under Sony Computer Entertainment America's
publishing agreement with Disney Interactive, Inc., Disney's Tarzan
combines the charm, emotion and drama from the movie to immediately
immerse gamers into the feature film experience.
"By integrating the storyline from the upcoming movie and offering
challenging interactive gameplay, we expect Disney's Tarzan to appeal to
gamers of all ages," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony
Computer Entertainment America. "As the latest addition to our growing
library of family-friendly titles, Disney's Tarzan further strengthens
PlayStation's position as a viable entertainment option for the entire
family."
Disney's Tarzan also features optional difficulty settings (from easy to
hard) with gameplay complexity progressing from start to finish. This
action-packed adventure utilizes a variety of different game scenarios,
enabling Tarzan to ride on an elephant, swing from vines, climb up cliffs,
and even surf on trees, all in a quest to save his family and find his
place in the world. While exploring, players can also discover hidden areas
to obtain bonuses and power-ups.
Animated sequences from the feature film will be used throughout the game
to help tell the story, and many of the original characters' voices from
the movie will be featured in the game.
Connectix Stops Sales Of PC Software for Sony PlayStation
Connectix Corp. of the U.S. has been served an interim injunction by a U.S.
district court on selling its software that allows people to play Sony
PlayStation video games on their personal computers.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the developer of PlayStation, filed a
request on Jan. 27 with the court to ban sales of the software. SCE claims
Connectix infringed its copyright as the U.S. firm illegally copied part of
PlayStation's internal program, SCE officials said Friday.
Connectix is banned from selling the software until official judgment is
given on the case. It claims developing the software did not infringe
copyright.
The California-based firm developed and marketed software allowing
Macintosh computers made by Apple Computer Inc. to play PlayStation video
games. The company was also developing similar software for use on personal
computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Sony Lands Legal Punch in Round Two of Emulator Battle
In what appears to be its first victory against PlayStation emulator
makers, Sony Computer Entertainment America obtained a preliminary court
injunction against Connectix, prohibiting the sale and distribution of the
Mac and PC versions of its PSX emulator, Virtual Game Station (VGS).
VGS is the best selling software ever on Connectix's online store
(http://www.connectix.com), the company says.
The San Francisco federal district court found that in developing VGS,
Connectix infringed SCEA's copyrights and caused "trademark dilution." It
also found that Connectix copied the PSX BIOS for use in the development
of the emulator.
Connectix President Roy McDonald acknowledges that his company used the
PSX BIOS in its development of VGS. However, the finished product was
"wholly-owned original code by Connectix," he tells mmWire.
Despite the injunction - arising from the suit Sony filed in January
(mmW, Jan. 29) - Connectix can and will develop updates to the Mac version
and finish its PC version of VGS. The company is evaluating whether it can
post the Mac updates on its Web site, but all past updates to the emulator
will remain on the site, McDonald says.
McDonald reiterates his desire to work with SCEA on the project in the long
run and bring "enhanced consumer choice to the Macintosh and PlayStation
communities."
VGS v1.1 "has the technology to discriminate against pirated CDs," but
could, in theory, play discs copied off a game's master CD, McDonald
acknowledges.
The injunction is good news for Sony, which last week had a request denied
for a temporary restraining order to delay the launch of Bleem's PC-based
PSX emulator bleem!
THQ Extends Agreement With Electronic Arts for
Flagship Titles On Game Boy Color Platform
Hit List Includes: NHL 2000, NBA Live 2000, Madden NFL 2000, NASCAR
2001, TriplePlay 2001, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000 and FIFA 2000
THQ Inc.today announced that it has entered into an agreement with
Electronic Arts (EA) to develop and distribute several of EA SPORTS'
top-selling games for Nintendo Game Boy Color.
The titles include ``NHL 2000," ``NBA Live 2000," ``Madden NFL 2000,"
``NASCAR 2001," ``Triple Play 2001," ``Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000" and
``FIFA 2000." The products are scheduled for individual release in the
last half of 1999 and early 2000.
``The ever-growing market for Game Boy Color should provide an excellent
environment for these proven titles," stated Alison Locke, senior vice
president of sales and marketing at THQ. ``Adding these well-known,
sought-after titles to our extensive library should extend THQ's position
as the premier provider of software for the Game Boy Color system."
``As in the past, our relationship with THQ continues to be instrumental in
extending EA's line to all gaming audiences," stated Nancy Smith, senior
vice president, Electronic Arts. ``We look forward to our future success in
the Game Boy Color market."
As the number one, third-party Game Boy publisher, THQ is set to compete
strongly in the Game Boy Color market with a sports roster that offers
something for every sports fan.
Experience the thrill of authentic NASCAR tracks and drivers in ``NASCAR
2001." Hit the PGA tour with the man who revolutionized the game in
``Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000." ``NBA Live 2000" offers exciting gameplay
from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Kick your way into the World Cup
``FIFA 2000," the most successful soccer video game franchise ever. Make
the big plays and earn a trip to the Super Bowl with Coach Madden in
``Madden NFL 2000." ``Triple Play 2001" brings major league baseball to
life with inning after inning of homerun baseball action. Slam the boards
and score a hat trick with ``NHL 2000."
Multi-Platinum Hip-Hop Artists, Wu-Tang Clan, Join Forces With Activision
to Create Title for Playstation Game Console
Arena-Based Fighting Game, Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, Slated for Fall Release
Creating a new benchmark in popular culture, multi-platinum selling hip-hop
recording artists the Wu-Tang Clan and their executive producer Oli
``Power" Grant have teamed up with Activision, Inc. to create Wu-Tang:
Shaolin Style, an arena-based fighting game for the PlayStation game
console. Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style marks the first time that an original
video game property has been designed specifically for a rap group. The
game, which is expected to be released this fall, will feature three
exclusive never-before-heard music tracks from the influential hip-hop act.
``Wu-Tang is on the leading edge of a hip-hop phenomenon that is
influencing youth culture around the world," said Mitch Lasky, senior vice
president, Activision Studios. ``They are the perfect partner for a game,
not only because they have instant credibility, but also because Wu-Tang
has developed a highly evolved martial arts mythology that incorporates the
unique personalities of the band members. In addition, Wu-Tang's diverse
hip-hop audience lines up with the core PlayStation audience of 12- to
25-year olds."
``The urban/Asian influences we use in our music will provide an original
look and feel for a video game -- especially a hardcore fighting game like
Wu-Tang," said RZA, the creative force behind the Wu-Tang Clan. ``We are
huge video game fans and are excited to be working with Activision to help
us take our style to a whole new dimension. This game is going to be off
the hook."
Inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan's affinity for kung-fu films, Wu-Tang: Shaolin
Style is an adrenaline-pumping, arena-based fighting game that allows
players to assume the role of one of the nine Wu-Tang Clan members,
including RZA, Method Man and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The game challenges
players to master the art of fighting as they attack, block and counter
attack menacing enemies in 10 realistic urban and ancient arenas modeled
after New York and China.
Wu-Tang's Shaolin martial arts philosophy is incorporated in the game's
story mode which features 36 chambers that correspond to the 36 death
points found on the human body. Players can attain each chamber in order
to unlock secret doors and gain additional special moves.
One of the first fighting games to offer a two- to four-person multi-player
mode, Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style gives gamers the option to team with or
against each other for quick, action-packed battles. The title also
includes a practice mode in order for players to learn their character's
unique moves.
NYKO Technologies Introduces Exclusive 900MHz RF MAX 900,
Permitting Wireless Gaming for Leading Game Systems
Cordless System Brings More Fun to Family Gaming Centers,
Expanding Multi-Player Gaming Capabilities and More!
NYKO Technologies Inc., leading innovator and manufacturer of accessory
products for video game fans, has introduced the RF MAX 900, a patented
wireless accessory that delivers the RF wireless gaming experience to
owners of the world's most popular video gaming systems including Sony
PlayStation, Nintendo64, SNES and Sega DreamCast.
Using state-of-the-art 900MHz wireless RF (radio frequency) technology,
NYKO's RF MAX 900 accessory eliminates line-of-sight interference common
with infrared (IR) type wireless devices. This means that kids and family
pets can run between the TV and an active player without interrupting the
action.
Another benefit of this advanced RF technology is that it is able to
transmit signals up to 30 feet away, allowing gamers to play comfortably
from the sofa instead of huddled on the carpet in front of the TV set. The
RF MAX 900 may even be used with multi-player games.
In addition, 900MHz technology allows the gaming action to continue
nonstop; there is no lag in transmitting signals that could slow up the
game in process -- a problem commonly associated with infrared-type
devices. And because wires never get in the way of a game's twists and
turns, playing action is smoother and more natural than ever before.
Designed for owners of PlayStation, Nintendo systems (N64 and SNES) and the
soon-to-be-released Sega DreamCast, the NYKO RF MAX 900 is scheduled for
late-spring delivery to major game and toy retailers with a suggested
retail price of $39.95. The RF MAX 900 was designed and manufactured in the
United States.
NYKO's wireless technology allows use of virtually all controllers and game
accessories, including specialized items such as dual-shock controllers,
Rumble Paks(TM), mouse and trackball devices and memory paks.
Avid gamers who rely on multi-tap adaptors will find that the NYKO RF MAX
900 helps them expand the number of players who can join together in the
action, boosting the limit to eight players a session, up from three.
``NYKO's wireless accessory is truly convenient and a great addition to the
family gaming center, offering more fun and flexibility than ever before,"
said Robert J. Rienick, vice president of sales and marketing, NYKO
Technologies.
``The RF MAX 900 saves consumers money because it eliminates the need for
extra RF adaptors and costly infrared wireless controllers. One product
works perfectly with all your gaming accessories."
NYKO's RF MAX 900 (UN-80080) has a 90-day limited warranty.
Sega Downcast On Profits As Dreamcast Disappoints
Japanese videogame giant Sega Enterprises Ltd. Wednesday forecast a gaping
annual loss and admitted its dream of toppling rival Sony Corp.'s
PlayStation remained elusive.
Sega said it made an estimated consolidated net loss of 45 billion yen
($378 million) in the year ended March 31, due largely to write-offs from
its overseas amusement facility operation and domestic inventories of its
32-bit Sega Saturn game consoles.
The game maker recorded a consolidated net loss in 1997/98 of 35.6 billion
yen ($299.2 million).
Although ready to battle Sony last November with the debut of its powerful
Dreamcast game console, Sega's sales of the 128-bit, Internet-capable
Dreamcast console and software were smaller than hoped for and dashed the
company's hopes of returning to profit.
Like its rivals, the company suffered the dual woes of slow domestic sales
amid Japan's recession and a strengthening yen, which eroded the value of
repatriated profits and hurt its pricing power overseas.
In the wake of its latest loss forecast, credit rating agency Moody's
Investors Service Inc. announced it may downgrade Sega's Ba1 senior
unsecured long-term debt rating, already at a speculative grade.
``Moody's will assess Sega's new restructuring plan, the potential success
of Dreamcast, as well as its financial flexibility which could receive
downward pressure," it said.
Dubbing Dreamcast its ``PlayStation killer," Sega had high hopes of
eroding the commanding market position held by Sony's popular console.
It said in a statement those hopes were dashed, however, as "sales were
negatively impacted by delays in overall development and production of the
new console, coupled with more fierce competition with other makers
especially after January 1999."
Launched in Japan in November, Dreamcast sales totaled 900,000 units by
March, falling short of Sega's forecast of one million.
It said sales of software titles totaled three million units against a
projected five million.
``It was the wrong move for Sega to pick a fight with giant Sony," said
Makoto Ueno, a senior analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research. ``Just like
Toyota and Honda in the auto industry, Sega must target a different type of
game user in this mature market."
Sony Wednesday said shipments of its PlayStation totaled 21.6 million units
in 1998/99, up from 19.37 million units a year earlier. It is poised to
launch the next-generation PlayStation II in Japan at Christmas.
To help restore profitability, Sega said it would cut 25 percent of its
work force, or about 1,000 workers, partly via voluntary retirements, by as
early as March 2000.
Sega also plans to close some 100 mostly small amusement facilities in 1999
and cut executive jobs and salaries.
Sega Downgrades, Announces Restructuring
Sega Enterprises Co. Ltd. said Wednesday that it expects full year sales
and profits for the fiscal year just ended to come in below previous
estimates and well below last year's figures. Reacting to the performance,
it announced plans to close loss-making game centers and reduce its staff
number.
The latest forecasts from the company predict group sales for the year to
March 31, 1999, will be 266.40 billion yen (US$2.24 billion), well below
its previous forecast of 310.00 billion yen ($2.60 billion) and 19.7
percent lower than sales in the previous year.
The group net earnings forecast was revised from a profit of 1.60 billion
yen ($13.43 million) to a loss of 45.00 billion yen ($377.83 million). In
fiscal 1997, the company reported a group net loss of 35.64 billion yen
($299.24 million).
With sales down and profits sinking deeper into the red, Sega said it plans
to close around 100, or 11 percent, of its unprofitable game centers across
Japan. Job cuts at the company could be as higher as 1,000, or 25 percent
of all employees, and come as early as March 2000, warned company president
Shoichiro Irimajiri at a news conference.
At parent company level, Sega revised its sales forecast to 214.50 billion
yen ($1.80 billion) from 245.00 billion yen ($2.06 billion) and 271.41
billion yen ($2.28 billion) a year ago and said the year-earlier net loss
of 43.30 billion yen ($363.56 million) is expected to grow to a loss of
32.80 billion yen ($275.40 million). It had previously predicted a parent
net profit of 4.60 billion yen ($38.62 million).
The bad news comes and Sega is locked in an all-or-nothing battle against
Sony Corp. and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. in the home game market.
Its recently launched Dreamcast console offers superior graphics and
performance to any machine on the market but Sony has hit back by revealing
a successor to its PlayStation, dubbed PlayStation 2, is on the drawing
board.
Such is Sony's power in the market that the promise of a new machine could
be enough to prevent many buying a Dreamcast now, destroying the one year
lead Sega has on Sony.
The new PlayStation will do more than just play games, offering users the
ability to access the Internet and play DVD discs. Sega has recently
announced plans to added a removable media drive to the Dreamcast to make
it more suitable for Internet access and more competitive against the new
PlayStation.
Exchange rate: $1 = 119.10 yen
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Littleton Reflection
PLAY THE BLAME GAME
By Donald A. Thomas, Jr. - curator@icwhen.com
Permission to reprint in entirety
Tuesday, April 27, 1999
* PR Newswire - "WAR GAMES, A Battle for Children's Minds"
* States News Service - "Tipper Gore says parents must question
their children about their violent video games"
* BusinessWire - "Teen Violence -- Are Video-Games and Media the Enemy?"
* States News Service - "Study Links Violence To Video Game"
* Reuters - "House to seek report on kids, media violence"
* ZDNet News - "Did the Internet contribute to Littleton?"
Fifteen valuable souls were lost on Tuesday, April 20. Nearly a dozen more
remain hurt or hospitalized. Many more are traumatized and may be cursed
to a future of nightmares and flashbacks. To make things worse, these were
mostly kids. Our children. Our hope and promise for the future.
Today, April 27, the newswire services are filled with stories of how video
games or movies may have contributed to the massacre one week ago at
Columbine High school in Littleton, Colorado. I have been a part of the
video game industry since the early eighties. I have worked for major
game companies in this industry. I have been there ever since "Pac-Man"
has evolved from a whimsical dot-eating pie into the three-dimensional
killing machines that are found in today's graphically exact virtual
worlds full of blood and terror.
For the record, I agree with all my heart that video games and movies and
music have all played a big part in this and similar tragedies.
I also think the teacher that taught these kids about Nazi Germany is at
great fault. The linguist who dared to teach these kids how to speak
the unspeakable in the German language should be questioned. The store
that sells black trench coats is suspect. Al Gore, our self professed
father of the Internet, sure has a lot to answer for open access to
bomb-making information. Certainly the library had a significant role in
all this and that includes the authors, the publishers as well as the
librarians.
Of course we should not forget to examine the parent's role. As our
illustrious President William Jefferson Clinton recently stated, while
pausing from the bombing in an undeclared war against Kosovo, "As parents,
we need to teach our children that violence is not the answer to their
problems". It's clear that Mr. and Mrs. Harris and Mr. and Mrs. Klebold
failed to follow the President's lead on that one.
So while all these factors clearly played a role in what added up to a
"Doom"-like slaughter of fourteen cherished children and one heroic
teacher, I wonder what we are willing to do to as a society to improve
our lives and make a meaningful change.
If the argument against video games has any validity at all, are our kid's
lives worth the outright ban on games based on extreme violence? I say,
"yes"! I would have given up all violent games to save just one teenager
in Littleton. In the least and possibly more realistically, game publishers
should invest some of their huge profits in channels to investigate the
tendencies toward or the prevention of violence inspired by their products.
Can we expect such announcements at the upcoming E3 video game industry
tradeshow May 13 through 15 in Los Angeles?
If trench coat apparel had any affect on this at all, are we willing to
require kids to wear presentable clothing to school?
If there is even the slightest possibility that gun control is a valid
influence, are we prepared to stop the NRA from holding a conference on
the front porch of Littleton's pain?
If teachers are gun shy about disciplining children before they get out of
control, are we prepared to look at ways to grant them more authority?
If films can distract our children from leading productive lives in any
way, are we prepared to hold theater owners responsible for upholding
the rating system? Do we monitor what our kids rent or watch unsupervised?
Will we set their television viewing patterns?
How many parents are using this time to read the lyrics in their kids
music just in case there is even a remote possibility that cop killer
music does affect their thinking?
I regret that I may know the answer to all these questions. I am afraid
that the cost of careless freedom to most of us in the United States is
selfishly worth the loss of a few dozen kid's souls each year.
Personally, I am as angry right now as those kids that stormed the school.
You won't believe me because I will not show it in the same way that they
did. In the world I grew up in, society was responsible for teaching me
how to endure life's pain and to look for constructive ways to vent my
anger.
Hence my article.
Hence my web site: http://www.icwhen.com/columbine.
Hence my question for you: "How are you going to play the blame game?"
->A-ONE Reader Feedback! #2 - Columbine HS Tragedy
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
[Editor's note: spelling errors edited for clarity]
Hi,
I made this lines in response to the editorial that writes Dana P.
Jacobson and the article of Donald A. Thomas Jr. regarding the massacre
that two children made in a school in Colorado.
Psycologists always try to explain everybody that violence comes from
all the external objects that the people (and in this case children)
are exposed: movies, television, videogames, newspapers, music, etc.,
etc., etc.
People almost always try to made a way to anything an end in itself. I
know about students in the university that converts in professors,
researchers, etc. in the university because they believe that this is
the end of their career. They don't understand that the university is
a way to fulfill the aspirations to be a professional, and their
career at the university is also a way, not an end. That students
(some were partners of mine in the careers) can't maintain a job in a
company related to their professions, just because their limited
vision of the end of the "life's road".
The same principle applies to our lives and that of our children. We
think that a videogame, or a book, or a TV program simply "insert an
attitude" in our children, but they only takes that they were learner
from his or her parents (and teachers).
Seeing Friday, the 13th movie makes me a killer?... or play Street
fighter makes me a racist?... Of course not. But, if I had learning
that killing people isn't bad, and I have collect guns and learned to
use it, and if my parents also mades me hate anybody that don't have
my same skin color, etc., etc., etc., maybe at the beginning of my
independent life I will be a killer, or at least a man that don't
think twice if I must kill somebody for any reason.
Our education at the first years of our life makes the difference if I
play Quake (for example) just for fun or if I play it obsessed with
kill all the monsters in the game, trying every time to kill them in a
better way.
I recently had an experience with my first daughter (she is 3 years
old). At times she goes to sleep late and stays in our bed watching
the same programs that we see. I see the TV programs normally as if
she isn't in the room. I noted her attitude about killing people and
death. She begins to see it naturally, without question why the other
guy takes a gun and kills people. She begins to think at this way
because of my fault. So my wife and I begins to explain why people
dies and why, at times, people can hurt people. Explain her that this
isn't good, and clarifying that those things that she see in TV are
not real.
This is the reason because I can't see Milennium!.
We, as parents, are very busy with our daily labors to take all the
time our children must get. But this is not an excuse to not educate
her or him at the level they need. We also must watch every piece of
information they learn, to help in the process of assimilation, and to
question his or her teachers if something is wrong with that.
Don't look for easy explanations that avoids our responsibility. The
future of our society and our world is in our hands. We must make
children that don't have discrimination or status prejudices, that can
discriminate the good and the evil, that think that every life in the
world is divine.
Only in that way we could have a better world... And you see that we,
and our children will continue playing Doom,
Quake, etc., without
worrying about it.
Alejandro Aguilar R.
P.S. Dana, I don't believe this is a political subject...
[Editor's comment: Ale, thanks for your comments regarding the Columbine
High School tragedy. I only disagree with your final comment regarding this
being a political subject - it is. The reason that I say this is because of
the massive attention and "blame" that this event has generated. I believe
that this tragedy should receive a lot of attention. As to the blame,
there's plenty to go around. I'll go as far as stating that these kids may
have been "numbed" to violence because of the proliferation of it in games,
the internet, and other sources. They may have felt ostracized for being
different. Their parents probably (more likely than not) didn't understand
their kids as well as they should have. But I do not believe that these
things caused these kids to do what they did. They are the ones to blame.
This was a long and premeditated act. These were intelligent kids. They
didn't just react in a random fit of rage one day; this was carefully
planned. Political? You bet. Just keep your eyes on the media and see
what people and politicians attempt as a result of this tragedy.]
Alejandro,
You are correct and I agree with you. The only exception I take is with
your final PS to Dana. It is very much a political issue. The political
part, in my mind, is not your specific points, but how we get others to
understand the validity of those points. It does no good for you and me
to send messaages that agree with each other back and forth, we need to
apply real, hard, politically-orientated peer pressure on other adults
to bring their children up responsibly also.
I am frustrated by the fact that the kinds of things you say are right,
but we do not have society mechanisms in place any more to compel
people to live by those standards. These are social problems, not
individual ones in my view.
--Don
Best Wishes,
- Donald A. Thomas, Jr., Curator
curator@icwhen.com
http://www.icwhen.com
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Taiwanese University Reveals CIH Author
A Taiwanese University revealed the name of who it believes is the author
of the destructive CIH computer virus on Thursday.
Identified as Chen Ing-Hau -- whose initials spell CIH -- the alleged
virus writer was a student at the Tatung Institute of Technology when he
created the harmful software, according to an Associate Press report. The
university had punished Chen last April when the virus damaged some of the
Institute's systems, said Lee Chee-Chen, dean of student affairs at the
Taiwanese school, according to the report.
Chen -- a senior at the time -- was given a demerit but neither expelled
nor criminally prosecuted, and later joined the military service to serve
out Taiwan's two-year compulsory term, stated the report.
The university did not hand down a harsher sentence on Chen because he had
warned students not to spread the virus, stated Lee in the AP report.
The CIH computer virus is the most destructive virus attack, yet. On
Monday, CIH slammed South Korea and Turkey, crashing more than a half a
million computers by reformatting hard drives and, in some cases, zapping a
key chip on the computers' motherboards. The U.S. saw perhaps 10,000 cases,
mainly in universities and with individual users at home.
It was not immediately known whether those countries would seek
prosecution of the CIH author.
The virus, long suspected by U.S. anti-virus software firms to have
originated in Taiwan, infects computers running Windows 95 and 98 when a
previously-infected program - one with the .EXE extension -- is run.
The most common, year-old variant is known as Chernobyl, because the date
on which it activates is April 26, the anniversary of that nuclear disaster
in the former Soviet Union. That variant was the main culprit in Monday's
attack. It's also the original virus written by Chen.
Other variants of CIH trigger on June 26 and the 26th of every month. The
virus was first identified in the United States last May.
On Tuesday, anti-virus software makers stated they believed the writer
would not be caught. "Ninety-nine percent of virus writers won't ever be
found," said Dan Takata, senior software support engineer with computer
management firm Data Fellows Inc., on Tuesday. "For CIH ... the writer
knows a lot. No way [he's going to be found]."
Apparently, none of the companies knew that the Tatung Institute of
Technology had already identified the writer.
Canadian Teenager Settles Trademark Dispute With Apple
A Canadian high school student who made international headlines earlier
this year in a trademark dispute with California computer giant Apple
Computer Inc. has pulled the plug on his David vs. Goliath crusade.
Abdul Traya, a 17-year-old student at Crescent Heights High School in
Calgary, Alberta, agreed late last week to withdraw his claim to the domain
name appleimac.com, which he registered last summer for his home-based
Internet-site hosting service.
The domain name, essentially an address on the fast-growing World Wide Web,
eventually drew the wrath of Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple and its lawyers.
The computer maker, which had just launched its new translucent computer,
the iMac, fired off a stern legal letter in February condemning Traya's
``blatant cyberpiracy" and demanding surrender of the domain name.
Traya, a self-confessed admirer of Apple, countered with a demand that
Apple donate 30 iMacs to a Calgary school.
The dispute simmered for a couple of months as Traya became a cause celebre
to hundreds of thousands of followers in the online and offline worlds. His
Web site received about half a million visitors in the week following
Apple's warning.
Interest in his business also blossomed.
But the would-be cyber warrior, apparently fatigued by the legal battle,
finally surrendered his slice of the apple in exchange for a pocketful of
legal fees and a token payment from the computer maker.
Apple refused to comment on the case, but Traya's lawyer confirmed the
legal battle was over.
``The matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties," Brian
Clark told Reuters.
Ownership of domain names has become one of the most nebulous issues in the
growing Internet-related business world.
U.S. toy maker Mattel Inc. recently launched two separate lawsuits against
holders of Web sites for allegedly violating the trademark of its
40-year-old Barbie doll.
Microsoft To Question Rivals' Executives
Microsoft Corp. will pursue a new line of defense against antitrust charges
when it questions executives from rival technology companies during an
ever-growing recess from its trial.
In an effort to buttress Microsoft's claim that the trial has become
irrelevant, lawyers for the software giant will examine an executive from
Netscape Communications Corp. in Washington Wednesday and a senior officer
of Sun Microsystems in San Francisco Friday.
Next week, Microsoft will examine America Online Inc. Chief Executive
Officer Steve Case and another AOL executive in Washington.
Microsoft's civil trial, which was supposed to resume in April and then on
May 10, will likely be delayed again as Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson
continues to hear a criminal drugs case.
The Justice Department and 19 states allege Microsoft abused monopoly power
it holds over the Windows operating system for personal computers.
In a trial that began last September and adjourned in February, the
government has tried to prove that Microsoft competed unfairly, focusing on
the company's bitter battle over Web browsers against Netscape
Communications Corp.
But Microsoft says America Online Inc.'s acquisition of Netscape makes the
government approach irrelevant.
It hopes to use the depositions of Netscape executive vice president Peter
Currie and Sun chief operating officer Michael Papov this week, and others
later, to prove its point.
``We believe this entire transaction undermines the government's case and
proves that there is extraordinary competition throughout the industry,"
said Jim Cullinan, a spokesman for Microsoft. ``These depositions can be
valuable in resolving this lawsuit, by showing the intense competition this
deal brings to the industry."
On May 5, the AOL president of the Interactive Services Group, Barry
Schuler, will testify. Case will testify on May 7. The Justice Department
had no comment.
The depositions will be the first in the case open to the public, because
of an appellate court ruling. A number of news organizations, including
Reuters, has gone to court to seek the open examinations.
However it is expected that Sun and AOL will try to close much of the
questioning, arguing it will deal with confidential forward-looking
business plans.
Microsoft will have plenty of time to depose the witnesses it needs because
of the slow pace of Judge Jackson's criminal drug case. Prosecutors have
been presenting evidence for five weeks and it's unclear when they will
finish and the defense will begin.
When the Microsoft trial does begin again, the two sides will each present
rebuttal witnesses. Those witnesses are to be identified next week.
One other slim possibility is that the case may be settled. Last month,
after a court hearing about when the trial should resume, Microsoft and the
government announced that they would pursue settlement negotiations.
The two sides said there would be no information about the talks and
whether they were taking place. So far, that silence has not been breached.
Case Against Microsoft Supported
Executives from the nation's fifth-largest computer maker complain in newly
disclosed testimony about restrictions they face from industry-giant
Microsoft Corp., which the government contends limits choices for consumers.
But in a surprising admission, one of those executives from Packard Bell
NEC Inc. also complained that Microsoft refused to let Packard Bell impose
its own limits on which Internet providers customers could easily use.
The frank exchange was included in 270 pages of transcripts released
Monday, and came during a deposition last fall with lawyers preparing for
the Microsoft antitrust case.
The trial is currently in a lengthy recess and is not expected to resume
before the middle of next month.
In a strange twist to government claims that Microsoft restricts consumer
choice, Mark Donahue told lawyers that Packard Bell NEC over the summer had
asked to remove the software giant's list of Internet providers within
Windows and substitute its own. Microsoft balked.
Those companies, listed within a special ``Online Services" folder, allow
consumers to open subscription accounts easily and begin using the Internet
within minutes of turning on a new computer.
Karma Giulianelli, a Justice Department lawyer, asked Donahue how
Microsoft's decision affected Packard Bell NEC's ability to make lucrative
sales deals, called ``bounties," for itself with Internet providers.
``I suppose it allows for multiple choices for the end user, whereas
Packard Bell NEC would like to limit the choices to the end user for the
purpose of signing up for an online service," said Donahue, a senior
product manager.
He added that his company's request to Microsoft was motivated by
``financial reasons."
Giulianelli appeared so surprised by Donahue's candor that she said
abruptly: ``I have no further questions right now."
Of the three interviews with Packard Bell NEC officials, Donahue's was by
far the most favorable toward Microsoft.
A senior executive for the computer maker, Mal Ransom, complained that
Microsoft can afford to impose tight restrictions because Windows is ``the
only viable choice" among computer operating systems.
Another official, Jon Kies, told lawyers that previous requests for
Microsoft to be more flexible, such as allowing tailored installations of
Windows for some customers, are met with the question: ``What is the
benefit to Microsoft?"
``If we cannot find or provide a solid benefit to Microsoft, then there's
not much likelihood that the request is going to be granted," complained
Kies, a senior product manager.
As part of its antitrust case, the government alleges that Microsoft
illegally wields its influence as the manufacturer of Windows, the software
that runs most of the world's personal computers.
It complains, for example, that Microsoft forces computer makers who buy
Windows also to include its Web software, discouraging them from
distributing rival Internet software, such as Netscape's popular browser.
Ransom, a senior vice president of marketing, said it makes no sense for
computer makers to offer both Internet products because they're so similar:
``It's kind of like which brand of water do you want?"
Transcripts from those interviews were among the first to be released of
more than 90 taken in preparation for the trial. The others, including
those of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, were expected to be made public
later this week.
A federal appeals court ruled this year that an obscure 1913 law allows the
public to read the transcripts from those depositions, which come from some
of the high-tech industry's most powerful players.
Netscape Wondered If Fear Might Scuttle AOL Deal
A Netscape executive testified Wednesday his company wondered at one point
if America Online's fear of Microsoft Corp. might scuttle AOL's plans to
purchase Netscape.
But Peter Currie, chief financial officer of what is now the Netscape unit
of AOL, said in his out-of-court deposition for the Microsoft antitrust
trial that the deal finally went through at a value of $10 billion.
``We did wonder if AOL would by acquiring Netscape secure the animus of
Microsoft," Currie said in answer to questions from a Microsoft lawyer.
Currie said that AOL's fears became Netscape's concern because his company
believed that if ``AOL got weak-kneed or cold feet this deal would
vanish."
Currie was called as part of Microsoft's preparation to rebut government
charges that it illegally used monopoly power.
The Justice Department and 19 states allege that Microsoft competed
unfairly against Netscape in the market for Web browsers. Microsoft wants
to show that that the competitive landscape changed once AOL acquired
Netscape and formed an alliance with Sun Microsystems Inc.
Currie was called for the narrow purpose of describing how the deal was put
together.
The depositions continue Friday in San Francisco and again next week in
Washington, when AOL Chief Executive Officer Steve Case will testify.
Meanwhile, thousands of pages of past depositions were being made public.
Justice Department lawyer David Boies cautioned reporters not to expect
much from those documents.
``If you find anything in those pages that is not already in evidence at
the trial we have not done our job," he said. ``Our job was to pick out
what is best."
He said that, at most, reporters could expect to find supporting evidence.
Boies also said that the trial would begin again in late May.
Lawsuit Filing Says Microsoft Tried Squashing Rival
Microsoft Corp. pressured computer makers and aggressively used its
publicity machine to smash the threat posed by a rival operating system a
decade ago, according to court documents.
Caldera Inc., which owns rights to the system known as DR-DOS, filed a
private antitrust suit against Microsoft in 1996 seeking $1 billion or more
in damages. Its court filing Wednesday outlined what it said was a
seven-year campaign by the software group to maintain dominance of its
MS-DOS operating system.
According to Caldera, the campaign culminated with the strategic decision
by Microsoft to merge MS-DOS and Windows into Windows 95, not for any
technical reasons, but to, ``put a bullet in the head of would-be
competitors."
Microsoft, which has moved to dismiss the lawsuit, said the court filing
was publicity stunt of no legal importance.
``This is exactly what you would expect someone to do if they were trying
to prop up a groundless lawsuit," said Mark Murray, a Microsoft spokesman.
Caldera's story extends back to the earliest days of the personal computer
industry and Microsoft Corp.'s origins in the 1970s. But it sheds a harsh
new light on the company's aggressive business practices of the 1990s being
challenged by government regulators in a separate antitrust suit.
In particular, Caldera's allegation that Microsoft integrated its MS-DOS
operating system and Windows interface chiefly to harm its competitors
could bolster government charges that Microsoft used similar tactics in the
browser wars. The government says Microsoft integrated its Internet
Explorer browser with Windows mainly to harm rival Netscape Communications
Corp.
Caldera's 188 page ``statement of facts" filed in federal court in Salt
Lake City and posted on the Internet contends that Microsoft Chairman Bill
Gates identified the rival DR-DOS as a threat soon after the product was
released in 1988.
Gates initially sought ways to ``break" DR-DOS, by making it incompatible
with certain applications and finally Windows, according to the Caldera
documents.
Later, Gates and other executives hit on the idea of giving computer makers
a significant price break if they agreed to pay Microsoft based on how many
computers they shipped -- regardless of which operating system was
installed.
The practice, which Microsoft agreed to end in a 1994 antitrust consent
decree, effectively eliminated competition from rival operating system
makers.
In one case, Microsoft offered computer maker Commodore Business Machines
the option of paying $1.65 million for 55,000 copies of MS-DOS, or $30 per
copy, or $1.8 million for 220,000 licenses on a per-processor basis, about
$8 per copy.
Rival DR-DOS would have had to charge less than $1 per copy for its
operating system to be competitive, said Caldera, which bought the rights
to the product after former owner Novell Inc. stopped marketing it in 1994.
Microsoft contends that its practices were aimed at simplifying the
licensing process, not harming rivals.
In another case, Microsoft successfully pressured Vobis Microcomputer AG,
Germany's biggest computer maker, to stop shipping its computers with
DR-DOS, according to depositions cited in the court papers.
In what Caldera calls a case of naked tying, Microsoft executive Joachim
Kempim told Vobis it would have to pay more for Windows alone than for
Windows and MS-DOS together.
The Caldera papers also outline a practice of using influential trade
publications to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt, known as FUD in the
computer industry, in the minds of Microsoft customers.
In response to the well-received DR-DOS version 5.0, Microsoft began
planting stories that it planned its own advanced version of DOS long
before any such product was close to shipping," Caldera says.
One internal Microsoft document cited in the filing refers to, ``an
'aggressive leak' campaign...to build an anticipation for MS-DOS 5.0."
A separate Microsoft document detailed the company's objective to, ``FUD
DR-DOS with every editorial contact made."
Microsoft says its public statements were consistent with internal shipping
schedules, which sometimes slipped.
Microsoft went further and denied Novell access to early test versions of
Windows in an effort to ensure incompatibilities. In some test versions,
Microsoft created a pop-up message warning users against attempting to run
Windows on non-Microsoft versions of DOS, according to the documents.
Tips To Guard Against Y2K Scams
Federal Trade Commission advice for consumers to guard against Y2K scams:
-Never provide personal information, including bank account or credit card
numbers, over the phone or online unless you're familiar with the business
and have initiated the contact. Scam artists can use that information to
commit fraud against you.
-Be on the alert for unauthorized charges to your credit card. If you
haven't authorized a charge, don't pay it - dispute it. Follow your credit
card issuer's procedures for disputing a charge.
-Ask your financial service provider about its plans to deal with Y2K. If
you're uncomfortable with the response, consider doing business elsewhere.
-If you don't normally keep financial records, start doing so. That way
you'll have proof if something happens to the computerized records. At a
minimum, keep a six-month paper trail - three months before and after the
date change - on significant transactions, such as mortgages, stocks and
insurance, as well as banking and credit card records.
-Consumers can call the federal Year 2000 hotline for more information or
to call a specialist toll-free at 1-888-USA-4-Y2K.
Boy Bids $1 Million on Internet Site
A 13-year-old New Jersey boy probably won't soon forget who Sir John A.
Macdonald is after bidding $900,000 on the Internet for Canada's first
prime minister's bed.
The boy's parents have also discovered their son placed several bids
totalling more than $1 million over the last month using the facilities of
eBay, a giant U.S.-based Internet auction house.
``I'm really not supposed to talk about it," the boy told the Kingston
Whig-Standard on Saturday afternoon. ``I'm off the Internet now."
During his eBay shopping spree, the boy - identified by The Star-Ledger of
Newark in Wednesday's editions as Andrew Tyler of Haddonfield, N.J. -
placed several other bids including $15,000 for a 1955 Ford convertible and
$125,000 for a Superman comic. He also placed bids on a physician's office
clinic in Florida, two mobile kitchens for movie shoots and a Van Gogh
painting.
Internet Auction House says the boy sent his bid on the 1860s era bedroom
suite, purported to have once been owned by Canada's father of
confederation, last Tuesday evening.
The suite went up for auction April 15 and had gained bids of up to $12,000
before the boy's bid arrived.
Because of eBay's bidding system, the boy - who has become what is known at
eBay as a `deadbeat' bidder - would have been billed only $400,000 because
his bid hit the reserve bid price demanded by the suite's owners and no
other bidder offered more than $400,000.
Auction House owner Aubrey Garrett spoke to the boy's mother over the
weekend.
``I said he bought a $400,000 bedroom suite and she said, `I'm
hyperventilating'," Garrett said.
``We're not looking at this as a funny story," the boy's father said
Saturday, asking that reporters stop calling his home.
On Monday, eBay spokeswoman Jennifer Chou said minors are not allowed to
place bids.
But, she admitted the company operates on an honour system, and anyone with
a computer online can sign on.
The Internet Auction House is considering legal action against eBay for
failing to head off the prank.
EBay officials said Monday they had suspended the boy's account.
Intel Unveils Fastest Celeron Chip
Semiconductor maker Intel Corp. introduced its fastest chip yet for the low
end of the PC market, a Celeron chip running at 466 megahertz, in an
ongoing drive to gain market share in the low-cost consumer segment.
Intel also launched a chipset to work with the Celeron, adding more
functions and reducing the overall cost of a PC motherboard, the main board
of a personal computer.
``We are deadly serious about this segment," said Paul Otellini, executive
vice president and general manager of Intel's architecture business group,
at a press briefing. ``We are very, very cognizant that this is where the
growth is."
Otellini pointed to data released over the weekend by two leading market
research firms which showed that PC unit shipments saw better-than-expected
growth, including an unexpected surge in the low-end consumer sector.
The chipset, called the Intel 810 chipset, integrates three dimensional
graphics and enables software-based audio, modem and digital versatile disk
functions that would typically require additional add-in cards.
``It reduces the cost (of the total PC at retail) by $50 to $100, depending
on their price points," Otellini said.
Intel said that the chipset will be available in June and that Dell
Computer Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. plan to launch new
PCs with the fastest Celeron and the chipset at that time. Other PC makers,
including Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Gateway Inc. are
launching new systems with the Celeron 466 this week.
Intel said that the 466 megahertz Celeron is priced at $169, in quantites
of 1,000. The Intel 810 chipset will range in price from $25.50 to $32,
depending on the cache memory, in quantities of 10,000.
=~=~=~=
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