Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 39
Volume 3, Issue 39 Atari Online News, Etc. September 28, 2001
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2001
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Kevin Savetz
Francois Le_Coat
Carl Forhan
Rick Detlefsen
To subscribe to A-ONE, change e-mail addresses, or unsubscribe,
log on to our website at: www.atarinews.org
and click on "Subscriptions".
OR subscribe to A-ONE by sending a message to: dpj@atarinews.org
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
subscribe from.
To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites:
http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm
http://www.icwhen.com/aone/
http://a1mag.atari.org
Now available:
http://www.atarinews.org
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0339 09/28/01
~ Napster Settlement! ~ People Are Talking! ~ Trade Privacy For ?
~ Punish CyberTerrorism? ~ Judge Says To Settle! ~ MegaPOV Released!
~ New 'War Vote' Virus! ~ STune Is Updated! ~ News From Songbird!
~ Microsoft, AOL Battle ~ C.S.A.A. Guidelines! ~ OS X Update!
-* NetZero, Juno Merger Is Done *-
-* Online Contest Submissions Available *-
-* Nintendo Unable To Meet Increased Demand! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
There's no getting away from the tragedy of a couple of weeks ago. The news
continues and it is difficult not to want to learn as much as possible. But
not only that, but the attacks in New York and Washington affected so many
facets of our lives that there's no avoiding it.
I really had no idea what to write about this week. Everything going on
around us seems to pale, compared to recent events. What was really
important a few weeks ago just doesn't seem to be, today. The things that
we took for granted seems to have surfaced more, and taken priority.
Things will get back to normal, or at least closer - they always do. In
the meantime, we'll all cope with the present as best we can; and we'll
heal.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
MegaPOV 0.7
Hi all,
You would have probably noticed, if you're a fan of Persistence Of
Vision (POV), that POV 3.5 has been released. It's released but source code
has not been yet. It means that POV 3.5 is binary released for Macintosh and
PC platforms, under beta 4. The largest modification relies on the
integration of a big extension of POV called MegaPOV.
You would probably know that POV 3.1g is available from my homepage.
POV 3.5 sources will take a long time to be released. Meanwhile I suggest
that you download the binaries of MegaPOV 0.7 on my piece of WEB. Because
MegaPOV is an extension of POV 3.1g, if you download MegaPOV, you would
require also the corresponding archive of POV 3.1g. The MegaPOV archive
contains principally the executable, besides from the documentation and
examples. The MegaPOV executable (POV3.TTP) will just replace the 3.1g.
There will remain the includes, scenes, the configuration etc ...
You must know that if nothing is declared in the POV script, MegaPOV will
exactly behave like POV 3.1g. You must add :
#version unofficial MegaPov 0.7;
to the script, so that MegaPOV will be taken into account, with all the
extensions.
MegaPOV is an unofficial extension of POV3.1g, but this extension has
been integrated by the POVTeam. So MegaPOV 0.7 is temporary, waiting for
the release of POV 3.5 sources. If you want to have more information
about POV 3.5, there's a beta documentation online at :
http://www.povray.org/working-docs/
and a preview at :
http://povray.co.uk/povray3-5beta-p01.asp
POV 3.5 is partially compatible with MegaPOV 0.7. That's why you must be
aware that your MegaPOV scripts may be partially unportable to POV 3.5.
The difference is a tiny change in the syntax. MegaPOV has been used by the
POVTeam to produce a new version of POV. But you may want to wait for 3.5
version. I must bring to your attention that the GIF image format is not
supported anymore. You will need to translate from GIF to PiNG (PNG) image
format, that is equivalent, unless problems of Intellectual Property of GIF.
MegaPOV is an interesting extension of POV 3.1g (the latest stable release
of POV).
Finally, I will tell you to enjoy POVing ...
See you soon for new news of ATARI front ...
Best regards,
-- Francois LE COAT
Author of Eureka 2.12 (2D Graph Describer, 3D Modeller)
http://eureka.atari.org
mailto:lecoat@atari.org
STune V0.90
The realtime strategy game STune has been released in Version 0.90, which
includes many improvements and bug fixes. Especially you can now select up
to nine units at once. You have even the possibility to build five groups
of selected units.
http://stune.atari.org/
New ST Demoscreens, Pictures and Chipmusic
Following the end of the online competition deadline, the contributions
are now available for download. Nine new demoscreens, ten pictures and
eight chipmusic contributions.
http://www.dhs.nu/
Guidelines For Posting To comp.sys.atari.announce
comp.sys.atari.announce is a moderated newsgroup dedicated
to news relevant to Atari computer users.
** Guidelines for posting to comp.sys.atari.announce **
comp.sys.atari.announce is a moderated newsgroup. In order to be approved,
posts must offer news relevant to Atari computer users.
What kinds of posts will be approved?
* Relevant to Atari computers: 8-bit, ST/TT/Falcon, Portfolio,
Atari's PC clones, or clones of Atari computers.
* Topics may include software, hardware, Web sites and other Internet
resources, events, emulators, and other news relevant to Atari users.
* Commercial posts and press releases are acceptable.
What kinds of posts will not be approved?
* Any post that is not relevant to Atari computer users.
* For sale posts are generally not approved unless they come
from a developer or dealer that wishes to announce new pricing
for product. Sale or auction announcements from end users will
not be approved unless they are, for some reason, extraordinary.
* Posts that are not informative.
* Posts that are not in English.
* Posts that aren't reasonably understandable (due to, for instance,
significant grammar problems.)
How do I post a message?
* Simply use your newsreader to post your message to
comp.sys.atari.announce.
* Alternatively, you may e-mail your post to csaa@savetz.com
* Please do not crosspost. You are welcome to post your announcement
on other relevant newsgroups (for instance, comp.sys.atari.st
or .8bit) but please do so as a separate posting.
* Your post will be reviewed by the moderator, within a few days.
If accepted, it will then be posted to the newsgroup. If it is
rejected, you will receive an explanation via e-mail.
How do I follow up to announcements?
* Follow-ups to c.s.a.a announcements should be posted to
a relevant Atari discussion group such as comp.sys.atari.8bit or
comp.sys.atari.st. Follow-ups should not be posted to c.s.a.a.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE User Group Notes! - Meetings, Shows, and Info!
"""""""""""""""""""""""
JYBOLAC Meeting Oct. 6th
We are having another Atari meeting near Dallas on October 6th,
Saturday. 12 noon till about 10PM at the club house.
813 Link Dr. Duncanville.
email me at webrickd@cswebmail.com
Rick Detlefsen
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Another week has come and gone, and the
trauma that many of us feel seems to be subsiding a bit. I didn't think
that I'd be affected emotionally by the events of the past couple of
weeks, but I've got to tell you that I've had problems sleeping since we
started referring to the World Trade Center as "Ground Zero".
Are the two related? I really don't know. It's not like I have
nightmares or a fear that it's going to happen to me, but I haven't
gotten my normal amount of sleep in two weeks. Maybe it's just the way
we deal with change. And make no mistake about it... the world has
changed.
I want to ask you all again to refrain from lumping people who happen to
practice the same religion or happen to come from the same part of the
world as "all the same". Most people from the middle east are no more
"the same" than the best and the worst anywhere in the world.
I've been somewhat surprised by what I consider a fairly low number of
"revenge" attacks on arab americans in the past two weeks, but even ONE
is too many.
Like everyone else, there's a lot more that I've got to say on this
whole subject, but you've been swamped with opinions from every side
since September 11 and if you're like me you're about to blow a circuit
from it all, so I'll say no more on the subject.
This is going to be a short column. Messages on the UseNet are in kind
of short supply.
I want to mention SETI@Home's TEAM ATARI though. With 47 members, we
have so far contributed 53 years of CPU time to the search for
extraterrestrial life. They're talking about a "SETI@Home II" now. More
new data and finer resolution, along with redundancy checking will make
the next search for ET a little slower on personal computers (but not
Atari computers, unfortunately), but it stands a better chance of
finding an artificial radio signal than the current setup does.
It'll still be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but the next
time around, the needle will be a little bigger and the haystack a
little smaller. SETI@Home isn't the only "distributed computing" project
around, but it's the most successful so far.
If you're of a mind to join SETI@Home, check out the list of our members
and their stats:
http://iosef.ssl.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/cgi?cmd=team_lookup&name=Team+Atari
Well, let's get to the "question and answer" stuff.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================
Martinn Tarneskeen asks about MiNTnet:
"I have installed MiNTnet (thanks to MiNTnet for Dummies III) and have
begun setting up a Sparemint system. I'm already having lots of fun with
it but also several (beginners?) problems. If anyone wants to react to
one or more of the following questions/problems please do.
1. When booting, a message appears that looks a bit like this:
WARNING: mounting unchecked filesystem. Running fsck is red....(end
of screen)
Is this something to worry about, and how can I get rid of this message
safely ?
2. a) When dialing with PPPD I get this message:
/pipe/log: No such file or directory
b) After that connection to my ISP is successful, but I would like to
see more info and confirmation on my screen. I know there is a
verbose option, but when I put connect "/usr/sbin/chat -fv
/etc/ppp/pppchat.myprovider " in my options file
I'm getting no connection at all. With -f (without v) everything
is OK, but I'm not getting any connection info then.
c) When my connection to my ISP is broken unexpectedly (happens
especially during "prime time") I can't dial again using the
pppd command, I can't kill pppd's pid, and I have to reboot
before being able to make a new connection. There must be
an easier way ?
3. Problems with lynx 2.8.1-2 When I hit <d> to download a link I see
Unable to access document.
I expect to see a "download options" to "save to disk", but this
doesn't show up.
Then I quitted lynx to take a look at my hard disk contents:
When I look into my /tmp directory 2 new files are there with names
like L18-1TMP.zip and L18-2TMP.html (the downloaded file was a zip
file).
The first one is the file I tried to download, but with a new
cryptical name.
The second file is a html file containing the "download options" and
"save to disk" and the original and suggested filename for the file
to download. But I never saw this html appearing on my lynx screen.
Also with <o> and
I only see "Unable to access document".
No options settings. No print options. Why are <d> <o> and
not
working for me ?
Besides that: I love lynx. It's probably faster than CAB in text-only
mode. In all the discussions about browsers for Atari one should not
forget this powerful text-only browser.
4. These lines in the mint.cnf file
exec u:\bin\sh u:\etc\rc.net
exec u:\bin\sh u:\etc\rc.local
crash my system during bootup when I'm running (or trying to run) in
protect mode:
MEMORY VIOLATION: type=`. RW=r AA=61FFFFFD PC=1F6732 BP=1C46C0
When using mintnp.prg, everything is OK.
5. Can MiNT handle longer filenames than THiNG can? I downloaded a file
that caused THiNG to come up with an ALERT that my partition
contained filenames that were too long, but I couldn't
get rid of it from the desktop, and the ALERT kept appearing again
and again.
But then I learned how to use commands like ls, and mv.
From the bash I could do things that were impossible on the THiNG
desktop. I found that very long filename and renamed it to a simpler
one. Problem solved.
6. My last question (for now ;).
I'm using rpm to install the packages from the Sparemint archives.
When I run rpm from the bash with something like
rpm -ivh somepackage.rpm
I'm getting an "Illegal instruction" message, and the package is not
installed.
But when I use
rpm -iv somepackage.rpm
the package is installed correctly. This is not normal, is it ?
I hope I will get some useful answers. And yes, I did read the docs
coming with MfD and MiNT and the rpm packages. But there are a lots of
docs, and I don't understand everything of it.
Every help is welcome.
My system: Falcon030, 14MB, MiNT 1.15.12, N.AES 1.2 (Soon to be 2.0),
THiNG 1.27"
Martin Byttebier tells Martin:
"That's [the boot warning] because you haven't shutdown the system
properly. When this happens the system checks the available minix or
ext2fs partitions. BTW: what fs are you using? IMHO, ext2fs is far
better then minix.
You can get rid of it by close down the system properly. AFAIK, the only
app that does that job good is Draco's shutdown.app.
http://wh58-508.st.uni-magdeburg.de/~draco/falcon.html
[The dialing problem] That's because syslogd isn't running. Not quite
sure about it but I think you can start up syslogd automatically at
boottime by adding a line like this in /etc/std.services
syslogd /usr/etc/syslogd. The configuration file for syslogd is
/etc/syslog.conf
Can't help you with Lynx. Lynx works just great on my machine. Maybe a
setup problem? Take a look in /etc/lynx.cnf"
Don Wolfe asks about HD Driver:
"I'm having a boot problem. I decided to write protect the boot sector
of drive C: so I clicked protect boot sector and clicked on the box for
drive C: and clicked OK, all seemed fine till I tried to reboot and get
the message that drive C: is write protected ( Abort-Retry-Ignore )
after using Ignore about a 12 or more times I finally got through the
boot process....
So I figured I better open HD-Utility and remove this write protection,
but the program won't let me remove it, it says drive C: is write
protected... So what am I doing wrong ?????? Please advise !!"
Uwe Seimet tells Don:
"So you have software installed that tries to write on C: during the boot
process.
You should first disable the write protection with the HDDRCONF.CPX, as
the settings made by HDDRUTIL do not get valid before rebooting. Please
also refer to the manual for details."
Don tells Uwe:
"Thanks for the fast reply, I got it fixed earlier tonight by checking
the CPX setting.. What a dummy, I figured I set the write protection
with HD-Utility so I would need to use it to un-set it."
Uwe replies:
"That's basically correct but the settings made by HDDRUTIL are permanent
settings and will be activated after a reboot. The settings made by
HDDRCONF take effect immediately, but are not preserved after a reboot."
Jim DeClercq posts this about his real-time clock:
"Maybe a dollar short and a year late, but my STe now has a real time
clock. Got a Dallas Semiconductor DS1216F chip, (32 pins, for TOS
2.6--earlier TOS uses a 1216E, which has 28 pins) put that under one of
the TOS 2.6 chips, and loaded areal36. That almost worked, so I found
the only Bill Penner in the state of WA, USA, and called him. There
is now an areal37.prg, which displays the year correctly, for years
after 1999.
Someone wanted to know if that sort of thing actually works. It
actually works.
If areal37 does not come up in a web search, I have a copy."
Derryck Croker tells Jim:
"Great! Thanks for passing the info on.
I'll be glad to put it on my web site if you send it to me.
BTW Dallas Semiconducters are now owned by Maxim - who in turn offer
free samples. Just visit their web site and fill out the form."
Hallvard Tangeraas tells Jim and Derryck:
"I haven't been able to find it using the usual websearch, so it would be
nice if you or someone could make it available.
There are probably lots of Atari users who have to set their clocks each
time they boot up, or don't bother and end up with useless file creation
dates."
Chris Simon asks:
"Is the Falcon clock powered by a battery that
needs replacing at some point? Is it easy to locate on the
motherboard?"
Lyndon Amsdon jumps in and adds:
"I've been meaning to ask someone about this. My Falcon's clock
sometimes gets messed up, even stopped! Yet, when I left it over 2 week
holiday I came back and it had work fine all on it's own. When I use it
I sometimes notice it is fine at the start of a session but at the end
its all wrong.
Which program causes this?
I use MAgic, Jinnee and NVDI. Along with various CPXs and autos.
This morning, all NVRAM settings got lost and I end up with it booting
in ST Low and the Atari logo looks horrible. Last time it was on I had
a DMA crash, perhaps it's related?
I get a lot of those crashes and I need to tweak my clock patch to the
ones described in Chips'n'Chips. I believe a little propagation delay
helps."
Chris adds:
"My problem was that when I booted up I got a nonsense date. As
suggested, a reset of the NVRAM has seemed to fix it - it looks like
the NVRAM got corrupted in some way.
As far as I'm aware, it's only the Control Panel that sets the clock,
but I may be (probably) wrong. But it's possible that the NVRAM can
go AWOL on its own accord. I did have problems initially with my
NVRAM in general which seemed to be all messed up, but the utility
I've got to reset it solved all that.."
Claes Holmerup tells Chris and everyone else:
"It is a Lithium battery which looses it's power after a couple of years
-but it's moulded into the NVRAM chip, so you have to exchange the whole
chip.
Look at my website to find compatible NVRAMs - on the Troubleshooting
page... http://www.holmerup.com"
Richard Stevens asks about adding a hard drive to a TT:
"I've just tried adding a hard drive (SyDOS44i) with changeable hard
drive cartridges to my TT via the ACSI port, and can seem to format
and partition the drive via the Atari TT hard drive utilities disk, but
cannot seem to get icons on my desktop to actually access the drive.
It has been a while since I have tried to do this sort of thing on an
Atari and am getting quite confused. Can anybody help?"
Bill Freeman asks Richard:
"Did you use the Atari desktops dropdown menu to create a new drive icon
for the drive? Atari doesn't automatically add a drive icon, you have
to do it manually. If you already have a "C" icon, make a copy and name
it "D". That will become the icon for the external drive."
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 - Nintendo Cannot Increase Shipments!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Lady Sia! ICO! Scooby-Doo!
SpyHunter! Acclaim Lineup!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Nintendo Says Can't Raise U.S. GameCube Shipments
Japanese gamemaker Nintendo Co Ltd said on Tuesday it will likely be unable
to raise planned shipments of its GameCube console to meet increased demand
from U.S. retailers.
Major U.S. retail chains such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc have asked Nintendo to
increase its shipments of the GameCube to offset an expected shortfall in
supply of Microsoft's XBox machine, an executive at Nintendo America said
last Friday.
``It seems impossible for us to make any change to our GameCube shipment
plan for this year given the limited production capacity," Hiroshi
Imanishi, a director at Nintendo, told Reuters.
``We can't just shift some of the consoles which were made for the Japanese
market to the U.S. market because such a move would upset Japanese
retailers, who are also asking for more consoles," he said.
On Friday, Microsoft Corp announced it was delaying the launch of the XBox
by a week to November 15 and backed off an earlier commitment to have
between 600,000 to 800,000 units available at launch.
Analysts, retailers, and video publishers now expect that Microsoft will
ship about 300,000 XBox units for the launch, a forecast the company would
not discuss on Friday.
Its competitors, such as Nintendo and Sony Corp, said the delay would give
them an edge in the crucial year-end shopping season.
Nintendo, which released the GameCube home game console in Japan ten days
ago, plans to ship at least 700,000 units for its November 18 launch in the
United States, aiming to ship a total of 1.1 million units by the end of
this year.
``It would be difficult for us to ship more than 1.1 million players this
year in the U.S. market, but we will consider boosting production early
next year if we confirm solid demand for the new console there after the
release," Imanishi said.
The Kyoto-based company, perhaps best known as the creator of Pokemon
games, shipped 450,000 GameCube consoles on the September 14 launch in
Japan. It plans to add 50,000 this month, 100,000 in October, 200,000 in
November and 500,000 in December, according to a Nintendo spokesman.
All New Remake of Midway's Classic SpyHunter
Explodes Back Onto the Scene Armed and Ready to
Save the World
Midway Games Inc. announced that the all-new remake of its popular 1980's
action-racing game, SpyHunter will ship this week for the PlayStation2
computer entertainment system.
``The remake of SpyHunter will take gamers on an explosive thrill ride
where the 'hunter is the hunted' with relentless mission-based gameplay,"
said Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. ``SpyHunter takes
all of the original game elements -- villains, weapons vans, theme music --
and combines them with the power of the PlayStation 2 to create an
electrifying gaming experience."
With a next-generation 3D design, incredible high-tech weaponry and a sleek
new vehicle (the G-6155 Interceptor) the SpyHunter player is on a mission
to save the world, and must make split-second decisions while engaging in
offensive attacks and defensive counter-attacks. The SpyHunter player can
never relax while maneuvering through 14 high-adrenaline missions, which
play out in a variety of exotic worldwide locations.
To add even more intensity to the relentless action, Island Gold Recording
act Saliva recorded two new versions of ``The SpyHunter Theme." Based on
the Peter Gunn theme song, a new lyrical version as well as an instrumental
format are included in the game. The Memphis, Tennessee rockers also
recorded a music video containing behind-the-scenes footage of their
recording session, which will be available in the SpyHunter videogame DVD
feature. The music video for Saliva's song, ``Your Disease," which
features their unique blend of musical genres -- hard rock with hints of
hip-hop and grunge -- is also an unlockable reward on the SpyHunter DVD
content.
The ultimate counterintelligence prototype vehicle with morphing abilities,
the G-6155 Interceptor has offensive and defensive weapons including 25mm
cannon machine guns and heat-seeking missiles. The G-6155 Interceptor
morphs on the fly into a deadly high velocity speedboat, a turbo jet
watercraft or a super charged motorcycle and its Turbine engine (horsepower
classified) helps players to escape and evade the relentless onslaught of
enemy fire.
The daring reconnaissance missions lead the SpyHunter player around the
globe to exotic locations (Panama, Key West, England, Germany, France,
Middle East and Venice). Each location is modeled to a high degree of
photo-realism and provides recognizable landmarks and scenery to offer
compelling visual themes.
In SpyHunter, the player must always be ready for action as heavily-armed
enemy vehicles lurk around every corner ready to strike at the first sight
of the Interceptor. Weapons vans appear throughout the game to equip the
Interceptor with offensive weapons including machine guns, missiles, EMP
weapons and counter-attack weapons such as oil slicks, smoke screens and
flame throwers. Players have no choice other than being totally immersed in
the action with the clandestine plot that unfolds throughout the game,
revealing the ultimate secret of SpyHunter.
SpyHunter Key Features
* The G-6155 Interceptor, SpyHunter's new vehicle morphs on the fly into
a deadly high velocity speedboat, a turbo jet watercraft or a super
charged motorcycle and contains offensive and defensive weapons
including 25mm cannon machine guns and heat-seeking missiles
* Explosive weaponry for both offensive attacks including machine guns,
missiles and EMP weapons, and counter-attack weapons such as oil
slicks, smoke screens and flame throwers
* All-new 3D design with photo-realistic levels and recognizable
landmarks and scenery
* 14 in-depth missions encompassing exotic worldwide locations, Panama,
Key West, England, Germany, France, Middle East desert and Venice
* DVD Content:
* Behind-the-Scenes making of SpyHunter
* Saliva's ``The SpyHunter Theme" song and music video along with the
``Your Disease" music video
ICO Takes Gaming Community by Storm, Declared
One to Watch This Holiday Season for PlayStation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced the release of ICO, a
unique, heroic 3D adventure role-playing game available exclusively for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Hailed by gaming enthusiasts as
one of the hottest software titles to look out for this holiday season, ICO
will astound gamers of all ages with its beautiful graphics, immersive
storyline and a complementary blend of adventure, role-playing, fighting,
puzzle and strategy elements.
``ICO utilizes the technology and power of PlayStation 2 to deliver a
riveting storyline featuring breathtakingly brilliant landscapes,
intriguing characters and spectacular lighting effects," said Ami Blaire,
director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
``Gamers will truly enjoy this unique interactive experience filled with
complex puzzles and adventure, featuring graphics so realistic, gamers will
find it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy."
In development for more than 2 years, the heroic adventure of ICO will
captivate players as they wander into a mysterious forgotten world, where
every generation a young boy is born with horns. Ico, this generation's boy
born with horns, is consequently kidnapped from his village and taken to an
isolated castle where he is placed in a tomb to be sacrificed.
Surrounded by solitude, Ico rocks the walls of his tomb, causing it to
tumble and break open, freeing him on the floor below. In the fall, Ico is
knocked unconscious and dreams of a young princess trapped inside the
castle, calling out to him to rescue her. Ico awakens, and is astonished to
find out his dream has become a reality. Realizing his fate, Ico sets off
to save the princess and himself from the wicked queen and evil spirits
that reside within the castle.
ICO prepares gamers for a perilous escapade through a vast environment of
challenging puzzles, from complex brain teasers to simple mazes. As he
leads the princess through the secluded castle, murky dungeons, shadowy
corridors and magnificent river scenes, Ico, not easily deterred or
intimidated by the evil elements lurking throughout the adventure, must
battle spine-chilling monsters and confront the sinister queen.
ICO takes full advantage of the technological capabilities of the
PlayStation 2 to deliver stunning graphics, interactive backgrounds,
intriguing character interaction and cinematic cut-scenes, guaranteed to
excite and capture the attention of gamers for hours on end this fall and
throughout the holiday season.
Key features in ICO:
-- Inviting and vibrant worlds each have their own true-to-life
architectural style.
-- Players embark on a heroic journey that will challenge both hard core
and casual gamers.
-- Solve a wide variety of puzzles from simple mazes to complex brain
twisters.
-- ICO incorporates elements from puzzle, adventure, strategy, fighting
and RPG genres.
-- Deep, mysterious storyline will captivate gamers for hours.
-- Beautiful, realistic graphics take full advantage of the capabilities
of the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.
-- Run, jump, climb, swing and fight in brilliant interactive backgrounds
that come to life with spectacular lighting effects and immersive
gameplay.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates ICO ``T"
for Teen.
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. Prepares for
Forthcoming Holiday Season
Company to Release 11 Titles for Next-Generation and
Hand-Held Platforms During First Quarter of its Fiscal 2002
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. announced that it will release 11 titles during
the first quarter of its fiscal 2002 for the next-generation and hand-held
platforms. The Company will launch a broad array of products throughout the
holiday season, including:
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system:
- 18 Wheeler - ESRB Rated "E"
- Burnout - ESRB Rated "E"
- Jeremy McGrath Supercross World - ESRB Rating Pending
- Legends of Wrestling - ESRB Rating Pending
- Paris-Dakar Rally - ESRB Rated "E"
Nintendo GameCube:
- All Star Baseball 2002 - ESRB Rated "E"
- Crazy Taxi- - ESRB Rated "T"
- Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 - ESRB Rated "T"
Microsoft's Xbox video game console:
- Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 - ESRB Rated "T"
Nintendo Game Boy Advance:
- Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 - ESRB Rated "E"
Nintendo Game Boy Color:
- Mary-Kate and Ashley Crush Course - ESRB Rated "E"
Acclaim's holiday lineup will also feature the Company's six titles which
were successfully launched during the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2001
which ended on August 31, 2001, including Fur Fighters, Dave Mirra
Freestyle BMX 2, NFL QB Club 2002 and XG3 Extreme G Racing for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, mary-kateandashley Crush
Course for the PlayStation game console and Paris-Dakar Rally for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system which was released in Europe.
In total this holiday season, the Company will offer nine titles for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system; three titles for Nintendo's
GameCube; one title for Microsoft's Xbox video game system; one title for
the PlayStation game console; and two titles for Nintendo's hand-held
platforms.
THQ Ships ``Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" for
PlayStation One and Game Boy Advance
THQ Inc. announced the release of ``Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" for
Sony PlayStation One game console and Nintendo Game Boy Advance.
Based on Warner Home Video's upcoming all-new exclusive-to-video release of
the same name, ``Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" for PlayStation One and
Game Boy Advance are scheduled to be on store shelves nationwide the first
week of October.
``As one of the most widely recognized cartoon properties, Scooby-Doo
continues to be a favorite among kids and adults across all mediums
including television, books, home video and soon a major theatrical release
from Warner Bros. Pictures," said Germaine Gioia, Vice President,
Licensing, THQ. ``THQ is thrilled to bring the newest adventures of
Scooby-Doo to PlayStation and Game Boy Advance, adding to our robust
library of kids' games."
``Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" for PlayStation One and Game Boy Advance
bring the story and characters of Warner Home Video's upcoming
exclusive-to-video release to life in a brand new interactive adventure for
families to enjoy. With the help of Fred, Daphne and Velma, players will
search with Scooby-Doo and Shaggy as they fend off a variety of new
monsters and classic villains in pursuit of the Phantom Virus. Mirroring
the humor of the Scooby-Doo cartoon, ``Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase"
features seven movie-inspired environments to play through and plenty of
Scooby Snacks.
Deceptively Simple, Completely Addictive -- THQ
Ships Tetris Worlds for Game Boy Advance
THQ Inc. announced the release of Tetris Worlds for the Game Boy Advance,
the next generation of Tetris -- one of the most popular video game
franchises ever created.
Tetris Worlds features all of the addictive block-dropping gameplay Tetris
is known for, along with new updated modes such as ``Fusion Tetris" and
``Hot-Line Tetris." Players will be able to test their skills in the
classic version of Tetris, or the latest cutting-edge variations of the
game. Developed by 3D6 Games, Tetris Worlds will also feature multiplayer
capabilities allowing two Tetris fans to compete directly against one
another.
``As portable gaming goes, the Tetris franchise has always shined on
Nintendo's handheld systems," stated Jeff Lapin, vice chairman and COO,
THQ. ``Whether it's a quick game to pass the time or an attempt to master
one of the new modes, Tetris Worlds and Game Boy Advance are a great fit."
``Tetris Worlds gives fans of this classic series several exciting new ways
to experience Tetris," said Henk Rogers, CEO, Blue Planet Software, the
game design and development company administering the Tetris license.
``Players can test their skills in the `Cascade Tetris' or `Sticky Tetris'
games, or link two Game Boy Advance units and compete against a friend."
Tetris Worlds will also be available for the PC and PlayStation 2 computer
entertainment system this holiday followed by a Nintendo GameCube version
in early 2002.
Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Set As
Holiday Title for the Nintendo GameCube
Activision, Inc. announced that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, the eagerly
awaited sequel to the best-selling action sports game of 2000, will be a
premier title for the Nintendo GameCube platform and will launch on the
new game system this holiday season. Additionally, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
will be the only skateboarding game available for the Nintendo GameCube
this fall.
``We are excited to partner with Nintendo to bring this key franchise to
the new platform," states Ron Doornink, President and COO, Activision,
Inc. ``Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 will be one of the handful of third-party
titles available for the Nintendo GameCube this holiday season. The game
takes full advantage of the hardware's advanced technological and graphics
capabilities to offer Nintendo consumers a revolutionary gaming
experience."
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 lets players once again ride as the legendary Tony
Hawk or one of 12 other top pros. Building on the franchise's intuitive
control scheme, the game lets players perform hundreds of tricks and combos
in some of the world's most popular skate locations including Los Angeles,
Canada and Tokyo. Players navigate through eight obstacle filled levels
that include intelligent traffic and pedestrians. The game's all new goals
and rewards system offer hours of endless challenges.
In addition to riding as one of the greatest pro skaters ever, players can
also create their own custom characters with the game's robust
Create-A-Skate feature. Choosing from hundreds of options, players can
customize the look for each character by choosing height, weight, skin
tones, accessories and tattoos.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is rated ``RP" (``Rating Pending") and will
carry a suggested retail price of $49.99.
THQ Ships "MX 2002 Featuring Ricky Carmichael"
for Game Boy Advance
THQ Inc. announced the release of ``MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael"
for Nintendo Game Boy Advance.
Developed by Tiertex, this 3D action sports title brings 30 professional
riders and freestylers, 16 licensed and fantasy events, plus tunable bikes
to the next generation in handheld gaming. ``MX 2002 featuring Ricky
Carmichael" for Game Boy Advance is now available at major retail outlets
nationwide along with the previously released PlayStation®2 version.
``Building upon the recent success of 'MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael'
on PlayStation 2, we are pleased to now be bringing the franchise to Game
Boy Advance," stated Michael Rubinelli, vice president, product
development, THQ. ``It marks the seventh title in THQ's growing catalog of
products for Game Boy Advance."
``MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael" features a 30 rider roster
complementing Ricky Carmichael with seven of the current top 10 from the
250cc and major 125cc class factory riders, as well as some of the
flashiest World Freestyle Association professionals. Riders can perform
tricks and combos as freestylers like Carey Hart, Trevor Vines and Mike
Jones or race as top names including Ricky Carmichael, Mike LaRocco and
Kevin Windham.
3DO Ships High Heat Major League Baseball
2002 for the Game Boy Advance
The 3DO Company announced that it has shipped the Game Boy Advance version
of the High Heat Major League Baseball 2002 game to retail outlets
throughout North America and online stores. This new addition to 3DO's
award-winning baseball series will be the first and only baseball game for
the Game Boy Advance handheld game system licensed by Major League Baseball
Properties, Inc. and the Major League Baseball Players Association in 2001.
3DO's High Heat games have already been named the top baseball games on
their respective platforms by several key gaming publications including
Official PlayStation Magazine, PSE2 Magazine, and Computer Gaming World.
High Heat Major League Baseball 2002 on the Game Boy Advance is on the
same track. ``Easily the best handheld baseball game I've ever played,"
said Drew Williams, Nintendo Power reviewer.
Vladimir Guerrero of the Montreal Expos and his brother, Wilton, of the
Cincinnati Reds, true fans of the High Heat series, are endorsing this
year's editions. Interestingly, 3DO discovered last year that the Guerrero
brothers were actually using High Heat (for PlayStation) not only for fun,
but also as a training tool to scout opposing Major League Baseball
pitchers! What better endorsement for High Heat Major League Baseball
2002? Now they will have a version to take on the road and so will you.
Some of the key features for High Heat MLB 2002 for the Game Boy Advance:
-- 5 different modes of play (Batting Practice, Exhibition, Season,
Playoffs, and Home Run Derby)
-- 9 different kinds of pitches
-- Current 2001 season teams and player rosters
-- Every Major League ballpark, including new stadiums such as Miller
Park, SAFECO Field and PNC Park
-- Auto-fielding option for easy playing
-- Official Major League Baseball and MLBPA licensee
Midway Sports Delivers All New Adrenaline-Style
Hockey Videogame -- NHL Hitz 20-02
Midway Sports announced that NHL Hitz 20-02 shipped for the PlayStation 2
computer entertainment system. NHL Hitz 20-02 is also scheduled to ship
later this fall for the Xbox videogame system from Microsoft and the
Nintendo GameCube.
``We are truly changing the hockey videogame category with NHL Hitz 20-02,
which caters to both hockey fans and action game lovers alike," said
Helene Sheeler, vice president of marketing, Midway. ``NHL Hitz 20-02
delivers the most intense and exciting aspects of hockey every minute you
play the game."
Developed by the accomplished hockey development team Black Box Games,
Ltd., NHL Hitz 20-02 is the only videogame with larger-than-life,
adrenaline hockey, big hits, rocket goals and exciting gameplay. Officially
licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA with real NHL teams and athletes, NHL
Hitz 20-02 features 3-on-3 (plus goalies), lightning-fast gameplay,
play-by-play commentary and a ``never-before-seen" interactive 3D crowd.
The crowd will do the wave, react to the action and increase and decrease
in size between periods depending on the importance of the game and the
score. Gamers will definitely feel the burn of a 125MPH slap shot as the
frenzied fans heckle them from the bleachers.
To add even more NHL realism, New Jersey Devils' defenseman and 2001 NHL
All-Star Scott Stevens signed an exclusive deal with Midway to be the
signature athlete for NHL Hitz 20-02. The MVP of the 2000 Stanley Cup®
Playoffs appears on the package cover and in NHL Hitz 20-02 advertising
materials.
NHL Hitz 20-02 also features an in-game jukebox, with some of today's
hottest songs and bands including chart-toppers ``Rollin"' by Limp Bizkit
and ``Make Me Bad" by Korn. The jukebox allows gamers to choose from and
listen to popular, pulse-pounding tunes while playing the game.
Mini games with skills competitions help players hone their skills before
games, while multiplayer hockey allows one to six gamers (PlayStation 2
computer entertainment system) to face off against one another. Gamers can
also create the ultimate ice warrior with the Create-A-Player feature.
NHL Hitz 20-02 Features
* Adrenaline-Style, Over-the-Top Gameplay--Players leap, glide, check,
pass and score on would-be defenders
* Outrageous, Over-the-Top Animations -- Watch out for the blistering
``on fire" puck
* NHL and NHLPA Licensed Product -- Play your favorite NHL teams and
players
* Classic Midway Sports On-Fire Mode -- Players and teams catch fire and
become almost unstoppable
* Fully 3D Modeled Crowd -- First interactive 3D crowd in any sports
videogame
* 30 Arenas -- Players choose from a variety of arenas
* Fantasy Stadiums, Hidden Teams and Players -- Secret arenas presented
in a unique fantasy setting, as well as hidden teams and special
players to unlock along the way
* Big Players -- Huge player models with real player faces and
expressions
* Mini-Games -- Including skill competitions
* Create-A-Player -- Allows players to design their ultimate ice warrior
* High Powered Play-by-Play -- Commentary to describe all of the
outrageous action
* Big Hits -- Aggressive hits that can break the glass
* Different Player Skill Sets -- Real player stats, abilities and
attributes
* Multiplayer Hockey -- One to six players (PlayStation 2); One to 4
players (Xbox and Nintendo GameCube)
* In-Game Jukebox -- Allows gamers to hear the following songs while
playing:
For the PlayStation 2
-- Limp Bizkit - "Rollin'"
-- Korn - "Make Me Bad"
-- Fuel - "Scar"
For Xbox and Nintendo GameCube
-- Limp Bizkit - "Rollin'"
-- Korn - "Make Me Bad"
-- Staind - "Mudshovel"
-- Fuel - "Scar"
-- Good Charlotte -- "Festival Song"
-- 6 Gig -- ""Hit the Ground"
-- Errortype 11 -- "Better Than the Superbowl"
-- Lifer -- "Parade"
TDK Mediactive Ships ``Lady Sia" for the Game Boy Advance
Warrior Princess ``Lady Sia" Embarks
on Journey to Defeat Beastmen
TDK Mediactive, Inc. announced that Lady Sia for the Game Boy Advance
system has shipped. In this anime-style adventure, the energetic and
impulsive warrior princess, Lady Sia, uses her sword and her wits to save
her magical world from a violent race of beastmen.
``Lady Sia's engaging personality and unlikely heroism make her a character
both male and female gamers can relate to." said Vincent Bitetti, chief
executive officer of TDK Mediactive. ``The release of Lady Sia on Game Boy
Advance demonstrates TDK Mediactive's ongoing commitment to creating
innovative, challenging character-based games with broad appeal."
Guiding Lady Sia on her quest to save her homeland from the cruel and
conniving beastmen, gamers encounter four action-packed worlds that
include: The Human World, Peripheral Realms, Sia's Kingdom, and The T'soa
Empire. With 36 magical maps to explore, Sia collects weapons and spells
as she battles across land, sea, and air to go head-to-head with her
archenemy, Onimen. Lady Sia lets players slip into a fantasyland where they
will come across seemingly unstoppable enemies and bosses that make for
intense, heart pounding action.
Lady Sia features the following:
* 36 magical maps across four unique worlds
* 32 bizarre enemies, including Chameleonmen,
Waspmen, a Giant Walrus and a Foxwoman
* Enormous boss sprites
* Full-screen magical effects
* Dozens of secret passages, bonuses, and goals
* 32 Megabits ROM game pack
Lady Sia is rated ``E" for Everyone by the ESRB and is available now at a
suggested retail price of $39.99. More information about the game can be
found at http://www.ladysiagame.com/
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Atari Update From Songbird
THE FUJI LIVES ON...
Infogrames is keeping the Atari name and classic fuji symbol alive... look
for more products to display this cherished brand in the future.
http://www.infogrames.com
JI2 PROBLEMS ON ATARIHQ
The Atari fan-favorite message board, Jaguar Interactive 2, has been out of
commission for almost a week. The editors are trying desperately to get
things running again. If you are an expert on CGI scripts and/or bulletin
boards and would like to help, please send an email to editor@atarihq.com.
In the meantime, please do not bombard them with questions on the status of
JI2. Just check back every now and then on the web to see if the board is
operational.
While JI2 is out, how about posting at one of these message boards instead:
http://www.ataricentral.com
http://www.ataritimes.com
[Editor's note: JI2 is back!]
PROGRESS REPORT ON NEW PRODUCTS
Songbird is diligently coding away on two new products: Protector SE for
the Jaguar, and CyberVirus for the Lynx. Hopefully one of these will be
available in time for Christmas, but it naturally is very slow-paced
working on these games in one's spare time. Stay tuned to the Songbird web
page for updates on these games, and watch for new screen shots and
playtester previews coming soon!
http://songbird.atari.net
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Napster, Publishers Reach Preliminary Settlement
Song-swap company Napster on Monday cleared some of its legal hurdles by
reaching a preliminary settlement and licensing deal with thousands of
music publishers who had sued it for copyright infringement.
Under terms of the deal, Napster agreed to pay $26 million to music
creators and copyright owners to settle damages for past, unauthorized uses
of music and also an advance of $10 million against future licensing
royalties for music used on a new secure, fee-charging service it hopes to
launch this year.
The agreement -- announced by the National Music Publishers' Association,
its Harry Fox Agency licensing arm, the Songwriters' Guild of America and
Napster, marks the latest effort by Napster toward reinventing itself from
music industry renegade to an accepted competitor among a slew of online
music services gearing to launch this year.
Napster has been talking with publishers since thousands of them filed a
class action suit against the service months ago. At its peak, Napster
enabled millions of users swap songs for free.
To compensate rights holders, Napster and any other online music service
needs to obtain licenses for both compositions and sound recordings.
Publishers and songwriters generally own the rights to compositions, while
recording companies own copyrights to the recordings.
Under the deal announced Monday, Napster said a percentage of revenues
generated from its new service will be paid to copyright holders, with
songwriters and publishers getting one-third of that designated amount and
recording companies getting two-thirds.
Members of the music publishing industry -- which has also been at odds
with the recording industry over online royalties -- called the Napster
deal a breakthrough.
``Under this deal, publishers and songwriters will receive a
proportionately larger percentage of royalties than they had in the past,
which comes to about five or six cents per song on a physical CD," said
Edward Murphy, president and chief executive of the NMPA.
A spokeswoman for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
declined to comment.
The world's big labels like Vivendi Universal's Universal Music, Sony
Corp.'s Sony Music, Warner Music and its parent AOL Time Warner Inc., EMI
Group Plc and Bertelsmann AG's BMG have also been negotiating with
publishers as a behind-the-scenes dispute over royalty rates threatens to
undermine these labels' plans to launch commercial services as alternatives
to Napster.
Sources said the recording giants tentatively reached a deal with
publishers in the past couple of weeks.
``I'm optimistic that a licensing agreement with recording companies will
soon be reached, but it will involve different services (than the Napster
deal), such as on-demand streaming services," said Carey Ramos, a lawyer
for music publishers.
Even as Napster appears to have reached another major milestone, experts
believe its chances of survival are still slim given the billions of
dollars in damages it potentially faces from a copyright lawsuit filed
against it by the recording industry giants.
Napster's chief executive officer Konrad Hilbers said on Monday that
negotiations with the recording giants were continuing. ``We're optimistic
the RIAA is not going to close the door. We're negotiating on a daily
basis," he said.
The labels first sued Napster in December 1999 for copyright infringement
and succeeded in getting an injunction, which barred Napster from offering
copyrighted material on the service. Napster shut down voluntarily in July
2.
In June, it clinched a deal to be a distributor for MusicNet, an online
music joint venture backed by RealNetworks Inc., Warner Music, EMI and BMG,
but some of the labels said they would not let Napster carry their music
until it had proven it has developed a secure service that pays royalties.
The remaining major labels, Vivendi Universal and Sony have formed another
music subscription service called Pressplay.
New 'War Vote' Virus Deletes Computer Files
Computer security experts on Monday warned of a new virus that deletes
files while masquerading as a program that will allow people to vote on
whether the United States should go to war over the Sept. 11 hijacker
attacks.
The ``Vote Virus", which so far is not wide spread, circulates via e-mail
to users of Microsoft Corp.'s Outlook e-mail program, said Simon Perry,
vice president of security solutions at Computer Associates International
Inc.
The virus, punctuated by strange grammar and a mix of lower- and upper-case
letters, appears with the subject line: "Peace between America and
Islam!" and the body of the e-mail reads: ``Hi. Is it a war against
America or Islam!? Let's vote to live in peace!" Perry and other experts
said.
When the attachment entitled ``WTC.exe" is opened, the virus tries to
delete all the files on the computer's hard drive and sends copies of the
e-mail to every address listed in the computer's address book, he said.
The virus also defaces any Web pages that are hosted by an infected
computer to read: ``America ... few days will show you what we can do!!!
It's our turn ))) ZaCker is so sorry for you," according to Perry.
In addition the virus, which is a worm because of its self-propagation
capabilities, deletes the Windows directory files, tries to download a
``backdoor" on the computer and unsuccessfully attempts to reformat the
system, said Vincent Gullotto, senior research director of Network
Associates Inc.'s Antivirus Response Team. A ``backdoor" would enable
someone to get remote access to the computer without permission.
The virus also can delete antivirus software on the computer, according to
Vincent Weafer, director of Symantec Corp.'s Antivirus Research Center.
The virus is believed to be the work of an opportunist and not associated
with the Sept. 11 jetliner attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon
in which nearly 7,000 people feared dead.
``There is no evidence that this is related to the people who carried out"
the attacks, Perry said.
Virus writers have discovered that they can easily dupe people into opening
emails by appealing to their prurient interests.
For example, popular viruses have purported to be photos of naked women or
love letters, like the ``I Love You" virus that caused an estimated $8.7
billion in global damage last year.
Researchers are worried that the new, dangerous virus might spread quickly
because of its supposed relation to the debate over U.S. retaliation for
the attacks.
``We feel this is likely to get quite a high pickup in that a lot of people
are going to click on this," Perry said. ``If the news about this doesn't
get out before people get their e-mails, they're at risk."
Perry said he expects there will be more socially engineered viruses
related to the topic of war and terrorism.
``What this is a sick sense of humor," Perry said. ``Chances are this is
not any kind of cyber-terrorism. It's just cyber terror."
``If this was truly politically motivated there would have been more of a
message some place in the code," noted Gullotto.
While Symantec and Network Associates reported only a couple of customer
infections each, between five and 10 large corporate customers of Computer
Associates have been infected since the virus first appeared on Monday
morning, Perry said.
Researchers do not know where it originated from but it has not yet hit
Europe and Asia, he said.
The software companies are working to update their antivirus programs to
detect and protect computers against the new virus, researchers said.
Apple To Release OS X Update Saturday
Apple Computer will release on Saturday an operating system update designed
to improve performance and add capabilities to the original version of Mac
OS X that debuted in the spring.
"This is the release that everybody is going to end up using," Apple Chief
Executive Steve Jobs said Tuesday morning at the Seybold Seminars
publishing conference here.
As previously reported, Mac OS X 10.1 will be available free for OS X
owners through Apple's stores and other Mac retailers. The update is free
through Oct. 31 at the stores. If ordered from Apple, it costs $19.99. The
boxed version, which costs $129, will also be available Saturday.
Michelle Fernando, an editor at Ask Jeeves, said she uses a Mac at home
and had not planned to upgrade to Mac OS X. But watching the demonstration
Tuesday changed her mind.
"I wasn't really pleased with the initial release of OS X. Since seeing
this, I'm totally convinced I have to get a new computer. I have to get
X," she said.
The key capability of the new version is DVD playback and burning. In
addition, the computer turns on faster, programs open more quickly, and
windows get resized in less time.
On Tuesday, Apple also demonstrated several new software titles updated to
take advantage of OS X's features. They include Microsoft's Office v. X,
which will come out in November, and Alias Wavefront's Maya 3D graphics
program, which is available now. Adobe Systems also previewed GoLive, a
Web design program.
Although the presentation lacked some of the oohs and ahs of a Macworld
Expo keynote, Apple highlighted improvements it made to OS X that are of
particular interest to graphics designers, such as improved handling of
color and more powerful scripting features.
Some of the improvements are also aimed at giving Mac users more control
over the tweaks that OS X made to the familiar Mac interface. For example,
the OS X toolbar known as the Dock can now be moved to the sides of the
computer screen rather than being fixed at the bottom.
In addition, Apple introduced a faster option to go along with the
"genie-in-a-bottle" effect that occurs when a file is sent to the Dock.
With the new option, a graphic scales down as it heads to the Dock, which
speeds up the process.
Jobs also said Microsoft will make available a free trial version of Word
that can take advantage of the update's new features.
The long-awaited Mac OS X debuted in March, completing nearly seven years'
work to create a next-generation OS for the Mac. At the time, however,
many Mac watchers viewed it as incomplete.
Apple dealers say they are hoping the new version of Mac OS X--along with
third-party applications that take advantage of the operating system's new
features--will help spur holiday sales and perhaps deflate some of the
enthusiasm around Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.
NetZero, Juno Complete Merger
NetZero Inc. and Juno Online Services Inc., two of the country's leading
Internet service providers, completed their merger Tuesday and officially
became United Online Inc.
The merger was finalized following approval by both companies' stockholders
at their respective meetings.
The new company, with headquarters in Westlake Village, has more than 6.7
million users in the United States and Canada and unaudited quarterly
revenues totaling $41.3 million for the period ending June 30, according to
a statement it issued Tuesday.
It will begin trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker
symbol, ``UNTD."
Microsoft Accuses AOL for Letter
Microsoft accused archrival AOL Time Warner of engineering a letter sent on
behalf of six states that criticized the soon-to-be-released Windows XP
operating system.
The states, which are not involved in the current Microsoft antitrust suit,
sent the letter to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer this week.
The attorney general who signed the letter, William Sorrell of Vermont,
confirmed that the original draft was written by a lobbyist who works for
Microsoft critics, but he had no apologies.
Windows XP includes many features that replace competitors' stand-alone
products and will reach users as early as next week. It has been criticized
by prosecutors and competitors.
Microsoft and government prosecutors said this week they were talking about
a settlement. A federal judge will set a schedule for penalty hearings on
Sept. 28.
Sorrell wrote that Windows XP ``may involve additional unlawful attempts
by
Microsoft to maintain its operating system monopoly."
``Microsoft may have constructed this new product without due regard for
relevant legal rulings, and without due regard for other issues involving
consumer choice and consumer privacy," Sorrell wrote on behalf of his
state as well as Arkansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
An electronic copy of the letter reveals that the original author is
Jeffrey Modisett, a former Indiana attorney general. Modisett's current
employer represents Microsoft rivals Oracle and AOL Time Warner. The head
of ProComp, an anti-Microsoft group, said Modisett formerly worked for the
group as a lobbyist against Microsoft.
Microsoft spokesman Vivek Varma blamed AOL Time Warner for the letter.
``It's a shame that AOL has this much influence in the process," Varma
said. ``That doesn't seem to be in the best interest of consumers."
In an interview, Sorrell shrugged off that criticism. He said both
competitors and Microsoft showed Windows XP to Sorrell's staff and were
given an opportunity to present their points of view.
``The concerns that are addressed in the letter are concerns that I had and
five other (attorneys general) had as a result of the information made
available to us by Microsoft, by Microsoft's competitors and based on our
own analysis," Sorrell said.
Sorrell said his interest in Windows XP was sparked when a fellow attorney
general asked him what he thought of the case. A member of his staff
attended a presentation by Modisett, who was known to represent Microsoft
rivals, and Modisett provided a proposed draft of a letter.
But Sorrell said he and the other five attorneys general changed the letter
``a minimum of 70 percent" beyond what Modisett originally wrote.
Modisett did not return repeated phone messages.
AOL said the company had nothing to do with the letter.
Mike Pettit, who heads ProComp, said he and Modisett have talked with
several state attorneys general who aren't a party to the antitrust case.
ProComp is financed by Microsoft rivals such as Oracle, Sun Microsystems
and Netscape, now part of AOL Time Warner.
Sorrell had strong words for Microsoft and referred to reports that a group
paid for by Microsoft used the names of dead people in a supposedly
grass-roots campaign to lobby Utah's attorney general.
``To say that Microsoft can do what it wants to influence (attorneys
general), and Microsoft competitors should be hamstrung and not be able to
do that: frankly I just don't buy it," Sorrell said.
``Since my name's on the letter, I'll stand behind it."
New Microsoft Judge Says Negotiate
The new judge in the Microsoft antitrust case ordered both sides to work
around the clock to settle the long dispute, citing economic fallout from
the terror attacks as one reason for haste.
``There's no reason this case can't be settled," U.S. District Judge
Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Friday. She said she would appoint a mediator
in two weeks if sufficient progress isn't made toward settlement.
Kollar-Kotelly said the issues have been argued in and out of court for
more than six years, and both the government and the software maker could
spend their money better elsewhere.
``In light of the recent tragic events affecting our nation, this court
regards the benefit which will be derived from a quick resolution of these
cases as increasingly significant," the judge wrote in an order after a
morning hearing.
She told both sides to start negotiating ``24 hours a day, seven days a
week." She encouraged settlement at every opening during the hour-long
hearing.
Besides the case, Microsoft also is dealing with a shaky economy and the
coming release of two key products: the Windows XP operating system upgrade
and its first major foray into the video game business, X-Box. Even though
a quick settlement would end the proceedings, business restrictions sought
by the government would affect the company for years.
``One of the reasons they've been trying to delay this is that it's much
easier to just go to court all the time," Giga Information Group analyst
Rob Enderle said. ``A conduct remedy would mean a cross-section of the
company would have to deal with it daily."
Although Microsoft and the Justice Department said they didn't need a
mediator to oversee settlement talks - a tactic that already failed once -
Kollar-Kotelly said one will be appointed Oct. 12 unless the case is
settled by then. She said she expects regular updates on the talks'
progress.
``We're certainly pleased with the schedule," Assistant Attorney General
Charles James said on the courthouse steps.
Likewise, Microsoft spokesman Vivek Varma said the company ``looks forward
to resolving this case as soon as possible."
The hearing was the first time the new judge presided over the historic
antitrust case. An appeals court overturned U.S. District Judge Thomas
Penfield Jackson's original verdict to break Microsoft in two, and Jackson
was removed from the case for making pejorative statements against
Microsoft executives.
The federal appeals court, in a unanimous ruling, said Microsoft was guilty
of holding an illegal monopoly and sent the case back to the district court
to decide a new penalty.
If the case isn't settled by Nov. 2, a penalty will be devised in court,
Kollar-Kotelly said and set a swift schedule for that phase that sided with
prosecutors in most aspects.
``The government basically got what they wanted," University of Baltimore
law professor Bob Lande said.
Microsoft had argued that the government should specify the scope of the
penalty first. Kollar-Kotelly dismissed that argument.
``It is premature to now address the appropriateness of specific provisions
when the government itself has not specified" the scope of their case, she
said.
The Justice Department has said it is no longer seeking to break up
Microsoft but is opting instead for restricting the company's business
practices. Prosecutors have not said what restrictions they would seek.
The judge set a tentative hearing date of March 11, 2002. Both sides are
scheduled to offer penalty proposals in December.
Kollar-Kotelly firmly brushed aside multiple requests from Microsoft to get
more time for various aspects of the case, noting that the government and
Microsoft requested seating for 28 lawyers.
``I'm assuming all of these people have something to do with the case. If
you don't want to use all of these resources, settle the case," she said,
adding an extra push before ending the hearing: ``Good luck with your
settling efforts."
Battling Terrorism: Trading Digital Privacy for Nothing?
In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and
the World Trade Center, many Americans have expressed support for more
intrusive online security and surveillance activities, and a large number
seem willing to sacrifice a measure of long-cherished civil liberties.
Comments on Internet message boards support formal surveys. A typical
writer said: "I can't imagine anyone having anything to fear [from] having
email scanned by a computer program unless they have something to hide."
Another agreed, saying: "By all means, read my e-mail and follow my every
move on the Net if it means avoiding another catastrophe like the one
we're reeling from."
But can laws based on such sentiments, however patriotic and
well-intentioned, be effective in identifying and apprehending terrorists?
And would such laws erode the basic civil freedoms upon which American
society is based?
On September 13th, the U.S. Senate passed the Combating Terrorism Act of
2001, which includes an amendment allowing for increased monitoring of
people's activities in cyberspace, including viewing of citizens' to-from
e-mail header data and tracking of visited Web sites.
The government likens the principle involved in gathering this information
to federal law enforcement agencies' gathering of phone numbers -- a
simple process -- as opposed to the labyrinth of rules and regulations
that must be followed when tapping phone conversations.
But Richard Hunter, managing vice president of research firm Gartner Inc.,
told NewsFactor Network that citizens agreeing to such measures are
"trading their privacy for nothing."
The sort of thinking expressed by both the writers quoted above and by
lawmakers is "based on the assumption that increased monitoring and
increased technology will do the job," Hunter told NewsFactor. "They're
assuming that these sorts of technology function the way a metal detector
on a beach does -- that we'll sweep [the entire telecommunications and
Internet systems] and manage to find all the terrorists."
But it's easy for terrorists to evade such measures, now and for the
foreseeable future, said Hunter. Only careless terrorists will be caught
using such monitoring technologies, and terrorists are rarely careless.
Hunter expressed skepticism that this sort of evidence-gathering would be
an effective way to apprehend terrorists.
"When police investigate a murder, they direct their investigation outward
from a small group of potential culprits, versus winnowing [potential
suspects] from the entire population," Hunter said.
The methods championed by Attorney General John Ashcroft and Senator Orrin
Hatch (R-Utah), in which investigators comb through terabytes of
cyber-data in the hopes of finding the terrorist in the haystack, won't
produce the desired effects, Hunter said. Moreover, he added, they may
well divert attention and resources from approaches that could get better
results faster.
"As Americans, we tend to believe that machines and technology do a lot,"
said Hunter. "But they don't do everything and may be particularly
ineffective against certain enemies" like the ones presently threatening
the nation's safety.
Hunter added that the new powers being authorized by Congress may do
little else than turn private lives into public information. And if these
powers are being invoked because the country is in a state of emergency,
then people need to ask when, exactly, they will be repealed.
"We could be in this state of war for generations," said Hunter, noting
that after over 80 years of battling the Irish Republican Army, the
British still contend with terrorist bombings.
Said Hunter: "It's disturbing to see such enormous monitoring powers being
given to the government, essentially without any limit on when these
powers will be revoked. [Such laws] have the potential to put a lot of
power into corrupt hands."
Hackers, Spammers May Be Punished as Terrorists
A coalition of privacy and civil liberties groups are stressing the need
to preserve individual rights and limit government authority as officials
seek broadened powers to fight terrorism. But legislation saying that
hackers and spammers can be punished as though they were terrorists has so
far aroused little negative reaction.
Lawmakers have acknowledged the need to balance new terror-fighting tools
with existing civil liberties, but the inclusion of the Computer Fraud and
Abuse Act (CFAA) in the terrorism crackdown could result in harsh
penalties -- ranging up to life in prison -- for hackers and senders of
unsolicited e-mail, also known as spam, according to legal and security
experts.
"It may not be something we like, but breaking into a computer or defacing
a Web site isn't terrorism," Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) legal
director Cindy Cohn told NewsFactor Network.
"It's not right in our society to equate low-level offenses with our
highest level of offense. There's no link to terrorism here."
A number of privacy and other civil liberties groups, including the EFF,
the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and the Electronic Privacy
Information Center (EPIC) have been critical of broadened electronic
surveillance powers and the immigrant-detainment aspects of the proposed
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, but few have focused on the effects of CFAA
violations that might be treated as federal terrorism offenses.
Cohn credited Security Focus editorial director Kevin Poulsen for
highlighting the issue after reading through the lengthy terrorism act, on
which the U.S. Department of Justice has requested swift action from
Congress.
Poulsen, who discovered the terrorist treatment for cybercrime by
cross-referencing different parts of the legislation and focusing on
definitions of terrorism, told NewsFactor that in 30 years of denial of
service (DOS) attacks and Web defacements, no cybercrime has ever compared
to terrorism.
"None of that comes close to what we saw on September 11th," Poulsen said.
"It's just that we don't want to cheapen the word terrorism to include
things that aren't. We don't want to over-exaggerate crimes
unnecessarily."
Legal observers complain that the broad anti-terrorism act includes
measures that are wanted by law enforcement, but not necessarily related
to terrorism.
"There are many things in this statute that don't have anything to do with
terrorism, but are a way for law enforcement to sneak in some of their pet
projects," Cohn said.
"The Anti-Terrorism Act is a big, complicated thing. One of the things it
does is to change what is defined as a terrorist act."
Securty Focus's Poulsen said there might be valid reasons for increasing
the penalty for -- or heightening enforcement of -- cybercrime laws, but
asserts that the matter does not belong in the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Treating hackers and spammers like terrorists is also a disservice to
victims of higher-level crimes like terrorism, according to Cohn.
"We're talking about no statue of limitations, we're talking about life
imprisonment and changing the rules for harboring and concealing," EFF
senior staff attorney Lee Tien told NewsFactor.
"What they're doing in response to terrorism -- I'm willing to have that
debate -- but sticking garden variety stuff into that box is just crazy."
Cohn added that the "harboring" aspects of the CFAA in anti-terrorism
legislation might mean "your mom" in the case of Web defacement, which is
often traced to teenagers, also known as "script kiddies."
Still, Cohn said she is encouraged that Congress has deliberately
approached the anti-terrorism measures requested by federal officials.
"There has been some response [by lawmakers]," Cohn said. "This isn't a
speeding train. We can actually have some impact."
=~=~=~=
Atari Online News, Etc.is a weekly publication covering the entire
Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted
at the beginning of any article, to Atari user groups and not for
profit publications only under the following terms: articles must
remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of
each article reprinted. Other reprints granted upon approval of
request. Send requests to: dpj@atarinews.org
No issue of Atari Online News, Etc. may be included on any commercial
media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service or
internet site, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without
the expressed consent or permission from the Publisher or Editor of
Atari Online News, Etc.
Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do
not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All
material herein is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing.
