Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 23
Volume 3, Issue 23 Atari Online News, Etc. June 8, 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:
Pascal Ricard
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 #0323 06/08/01
~ Netzero, Juno To Merge ~ People Are Talking! ~ New IBook Has Style
~ MS, AOL Resume Talks! ~ Napster Close to Deal! ~ MagiC SDK Offer!
~ Anti-spam Law Upheld ~ IBM Increases Speed! ~ Snoop-Ware: Bugnosis!
~ Office 97 Support Ends ~ Microsoft TV Software! ~ Brainier Games Wanted
-* Infogrames To Become Atari?? *-
-* Real Virus Piggybacks On Email Hoax *-
-* Microsoft, Red Hat Set Open Source Debate! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Well, it was no surprise at all! My two-week vacation ends, and the nice
weather arrives. Typical! I guess I can't complain too much is was good to
get away from work for a couple of weeks. And, I actually did accomplish
quite a bit out in the yard, now that I look at everything. So it will take
a little longer than I had hoped to get it all done. The "worst" is over,
so that's a plus. And, even though I returned to work this week, I had a
day off to play in a golf tournament, for free, and have a great time! Our
team didn't win, but we placed high (we were two strokes behind the
winners!).
Nothing to update you regarding the anti-spam bill that is still being
discussed on Capitol Hill. I still fume when I think about it. To feel
better, I hung up on no less than a dozen telemarketers this past week.
Usually I just let the phone ring unanswered, but I picked them up and then
hung up on them. At least make the companies end up with phone charges!
Otherwise, it's been a quiet week overall. Nothing really earth-shattering
going on. However, I did learn of an interesting rumor pertaining to Atari
which I will pass along to you in the A-ONE Gaming section of this week's
issue. Other than that, I'll just let everyone get on with this week's
issue and I'll relax.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
General Public MagiC SDK
Hello,
Following a lot of requests, Europe Shareware now offers the MagiC SDK
to all Atari users without any restraint. The kit includes:
o either MagiC Atari or MagiC Mac or MagiC PC, with paper manual
o The GCC kit
o GCC Shell, registered version
o Resource Master, registered version, with paper manual
o Windom libraries with its printed documentation (200 pages)
o EZ Edit text editor (with syntax "colourisation")
o Many development libraries
o Many development tools
All this for only 99.00 Euros !
(reminder: for active developers the price remains 75.00 Euros).
Have a look at the MagiC SDK page:
http://www.europe-shareware.org/atari/logiciels/magic_sdk.html
Best regards,
P. Ricard (ES)
--
Europe Shareware http://www.europe-shareware.org
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I don't have much to talk about this
week, so you're getting off easy. <grin>
I do want to say a few things about the current discussion on the
Timothy McVeigh case and the possibility of having to re-examine the
case, the verdict, and the sentence.
It is one of the cornerstone ideals of the American system of justice
that it is better for a hundred guilty men to go free than for one
innocent man to be wrongly sentenced. While I have no doubt that Mr.
McVeigh is guilty and that his crime does indeed warrant the sentence
that was handed down, what is more important in my mind is the
integrity of the decision and that of the system that handed it down.
The Attorney General of The United States giving a flat-out statement
is usually a bad thing. When it deals with the integrity of our legal
system, it is not only a bad thing, it's the WORST thing.
The slip-shod "because I said so, that's why" attitude of the current
administration makes me nervous. It wreaks of entitlement and
self-serving self-interest.
My heart goes out to the victims and their families, and I realize that
they want... that they need closure. But a victory is a hollow,
meaningless thing unless it is genuine.
Okay, let's get on with the news, hints, tips, and info from the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================
Edward Baiz asks about a new browser called Opera:
"Is there an Opera version for Linux?? I am re-installing that
on my Hades..."
Dr. Uwe Seimet tells Edward:
"Yes, but not for Linux-68K. But just try Mozilla under Linux on the TT.
After that you will never want to use a browser again, because it is so
painfully slow."
Edward tells Uwe:
"I have heard about Mozilla. I probably will try that. It should run
a little faster on a Hades060."
Uwe replies to Edward (and quite rightly, in my opinion):
"A little won't help much."
'Don' asks about CLAB's MKX Falcon:
"Does anyone know if CLAB made their own version of the Falcon
motherboard or did they just modify Atari Falcon motherboard. I thought
they just made mods to the Atari Falcon motherboard but, I could be
wrong. If they did how can one tell which motherboard they have?"
Robert Schaffner tells Don:
"Same Board as from Atari. Small modifications on audio subsystem
and they remove on scsi port internal termination to fit an internal
scsi drive. DOITF030 contains any modification."
Mike Freeman adds:
"From what I could tell, C-Lab bought the remaining Falcon motherboards
from the Atari warehouses when Atari was winding down. So they should
be pretty new boards. On the motherboard's front right corner, there is
a revision letter. This will tell you which board you have."
David Johnson posts this about his choice of hard drives:
"I made the mistake of purchasing an IBM HD. It doesn't seem to be very
compatible with either the onboard scsi interface of my TT (of course
that has problems of its own) or the Link 2 interface i've already got
hanging off my STe.
So, with that in mind. What would be a good scsi drive choice these days
for an atari? Any brands safe? Should any brands be avoided?"
Lyndon Amsdon tells David:
"I am putting a list together slowly (exams take priority) but check out
http://www.lyndonamsdon.co.uk then go to devices and select the SCSI
drives section. Should be there, I think IDE HDs aren't there but you
want SCSI. I will need to add comments like if the drive is from the
same family. eg seagate barracuda then all barracudas should work, as
the firmware is the same throughout the family.
Also, don't get differential SCSI, wide or ultra is fine as long as you
have appropriate adaptor. And SCA is just 80pin AFAIK and again should
work with appropriate adaptor.
What model and size is your IBM and what is the problem?"
Uwe Seimet jumps in again and adds:
"The TT interface is a standard interface that is known to work
flawlessly. It's more likely that there is something wrong with the
termination or cables. Without more details this is hard to tell. I have
never heard of IBM hard disk drives not working with the TT or Falcon.
IBM drives are quite often used for the Atari.
Honestly, I recommend IBM drives.'
David tells Uwe:
"Hmm. It was an IBM Orion DORS 31080S. I tried using it with the term
resistor jumper on and off.
Couldn't get it to work But I'm pretty clueless when it comes to SCSI."
Uwe tells Dave:
"At least one of these settings has definitely been wrong because you
have to terminate according to the SCSI standard. The devices at the end
of the SCSI chain *must* be terminated, the other devices *must not* be
terminated.
A minority of SCSI drives requires the computer to have a SCSI ID of
it's own (initiator identification). This can be solved by software for
the TT and Falcon. But as far as the ST/STE is concerned the only host
adapters that work with such a drive are the LINK96 and LINK97.
In the case of your drive I know that a lot of users (not only Atari but
also Mac users, even experienced ones) had problems with it. Not because
something is wrong with the drive but simply because this drive is
*very* sensitive with respect to wrong termination."
Steve Stupple adds:
"I've used IBM & Seagate with no problems at all.
Make sure the drive is SCSI-1/2 and not ultra wide etc...
Some adapters also don't like parity set!"
Uwe adds:
"The drive may also be SCSI-3. As far as drives with a 16 bit bus
interface are concerned (it's already quite hard to purchase drives that
still have an 8 bit interface) adapters are available. These adapters
are nothing Atari-specific but standard computer equipment."
James Alexander adds his experiences:
"I had a similar IBM 1Gig drive on my STe (I use adscsi+). I formatted
it into 4 equal partitions. My only problem was I forgot that the
dealer I bought my original HD setup from had configured the ICD
drivers not to recognize drives beyond I: once that was fixed I've had
smooth sailing. Of course this hasn't made me immune to problems with
other IBM hardware but that's another story."
Tom Brady asks for help with his new 1040 STE:
"I just got a new 1040 STe (first time ST user) and I have a mono
monitor. I'm using this for MIDI but I don't really *need* to use it
for just that... (could always play a game). I've tried running the
signal through an old 2600 switchbox on my TV but no luck. What do I
need to get the damn TV jack to work?!"
David Wade tells Tom:
"A couple of thoughts. Firstly you may need to unplug the mono monitor.
When that is plugged in it changes the line sync to a rate you TV can't
understand. Secondly the TV output jack is RF so it should just go to
the TV antenna/aerial socket and does not need any other converter. If
your TV has RGB/SCART inputs you get a much better picture from those.
You need a lead which goes into the monitor socket on the STE.
Instructions for making a lead for these appeared on here a little ago.
Try searching the list archives at groups.google.com (was Deja News).."
Mike Freeman adds:
"If I'm not mistaken, you can use an old game switchbox, like the ones
that came with the Atari 2600's, and use a terminal adapter that has
screw terminals on one side (which the box connects to) and a coaxial
connector on the other to connect to the TV. They may now even make the
boxes with the coaxial connector built in. If you're in the U.S., any
Radio Shack or equivalent store should carry both of these."
Well folks, that's it for this time around. Tune in 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 - Infogrames To Change To Atari??!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Sega and Sony To Link Consoles Via Web!
'Dragon Ball Z'! 'Commander Keen'!
And much much more!
->From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Under different circumstances, and perhaps if this happened a few years ago
I might be more excited about the possibility. I found a message on the
Jaguar Interactive II web site, as well as having the "news" sent to me via
various sources. The message was found on Atari Times web site and it
stated that there were rumors floating around about the possibility that
Infogrames, who purchased Hasbro Interactive which included the rights to
Atari, will change its name to Atari. One of the reasons given, as you'll
see elsewhere in this section, was that the Atari name is more recognizable.
While it would be great to see the Atari name out in the forefront more,
let's not get carried away with this news. First of all, it hasn't been
verified that it's going to happen. And if it does, it really doesn't mean
much. In fact, if this does happen, the thing that most true Atari fans
hated hearing would become a reality - that Atari is a gaming company! For
true Atari fans, most of us hated to hear the typical comment made when the
name Atari was mentioned: "Oh, Atari. Didn't they used to make video
games?" Atari was much more than that! It's true, many of us first got
hooked on the Atari name back when the Atari 2600 console exploded onto the
scene. But Atari was more than that. The 8-bit computers, the ST through
Falcon computers, the Lynx and Jaguar, the clones, etc. Atari is as much of
a culture as it is a company.
So Infogrames changes its name to Atari. It won't be the same company that
brought you the joys of yesteryear - not even close. Infogrames is a game
publisher. And not all games that they publish were created internally! So
they stick the Atari name on a piece of game software. It's just not the
same. Atari died in the early '90s.
I know I'll read and hear people say (or fantasize) that Infogrames will
build a new game console. Or that they'll create a new computer with the
Atari name. Or... Keep dreaming! I'm sure I'll be blasted as an Atari
heretic for not buying into the hopes and dreams of a few. Sorry. I've
been a fan of Atari products since the 2600. I still own and use them on a
daily basis. Infogrames' potential change to the Atari name will do no more
than keep the name alive. And the company will need to publish a lot of
great games for the new and future game consoles to stay "alive".
Otherwise, especially the way things are going in today's world, the company
will get gobbled up by someone else and the name will go back into obscurity
once again. I was a dreamer too, and had some wild ideas of where I thought
Atari was headed with the Atari Falcon, the Lynx and Jaguar. Then reality
took hold and I stopped dreaming. Too many setbacks and disappointments to
even consider that Atari would ever manage to make a strong comeback again.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Sega and Sony to Link Game Consoles Via Internet
Japanese game maker Sega Corp and Sony Corp's game unit plan to enable
users of their consoles to play video games via the Internet.
The move, letting Sega's Dreamcast console connect with Sony Computer
Entertainment's (SCE) PlayStation 2 -- the industry's first cross-console
networking -- is aimed at expanding the online gaming market, a Sega
spokesman said on Tuesday.
The announcement came as little surprise to the share market as the firms,
once rivals in a game hardware battle, said in January they would
collaborate in online game applications and services.
Sega, in the midst of dramatic transformation to a game software maker
after pulling the plug on its loss-making game hardware business, plans to
release a new version of its popular online game software series in August
for Dreamcast.
This will be followed by the release of the same titles for PlayStation 2
and personal computers.
The discontinued Dreamcast console, launched in 1999, was the first
advanced game system offering realistic graphics and online play, and has
attracted around 800,000 online members, nearly 30 percent of the total
Dreamcast users in Japan.
Sega, known for its ``Sonic The Hedgehog" game character, is also
discussing similar deals with Nintendo Co Ltd. and Microsoft Corp, both of
which are ramping up for the release of new high-powered game boxes later
this year, the spokesman said.
The agreement is also part of Sony's groundwork for an online strategy,
with the aim of making the PlayStation 2 a home entertainment center rather
than just a game machine.
Sony, the market-share leader with its PlayStation series, envisages its
consoles becoming all-in-one consumer entertainment systems, complete with
the ability to play movies and music and to browse the Web.
Infogrames, Inc. Reveals Its First Dragon Ball Z
Game, The Legacy of Goku
Phenomenally Popular Property Headed to Game
Boy Advance This Winter
Unveiling the first details surrounding its lineup of eagerly anticipated
video games based on the Dragon Ball Z property, WizardWorks, a division
of Infogrames, Inc., announced today The Legacy of Goku for the Game Boy
Advance. Developed by Webfoot Technologies, Inc., The Legacy of Goku is an
action-adventure game complimented by engaging role-playing elements, that
challenges players to defeat enemies throughout various quests in an effort
to save Earth from the Saiyans, and save the galaxy from the evil Frieza.
As the story unfolds, players explore vast lands and interact with numerous
characters as they attempt to complete their quest.
``Dragon Ball Z has a loyal following in the millions, and our primary
goal with The Legacy of Goku is to provide them with a compelling
interactive game that stays true to the cartoon series," said Paul Rinde,
senior vice president and general manager of WizardWorks. ``To that end,
we've incorporated the same distinctive visual style and deep character
development, and combined them with proven game features such as multi-play
and dynamic story telling."
In The Legacy of Goku, the kidnapping of Goku's son sets off a chain of
events that ultimately threatens the safety of the galaxy. Powerful alien
forces converge on Earth to acquire the powerful Dragon Balls -- objects
which when brought together grant the possessor a single wish. Ultimately,
the stage moves to the distant planet of Namek, one of the sources of the
Dragon Balls, where an entity of mind-boggling strength, Frieza, is
preparing to gain immortality by enslaving the galaxy. It's up to Goku and
his friends to stop Frieza before it's too late.
Throughout The Legacy of Goku, players can build up and maximize their
character's powers to aid their quest during future battles. Success in
combat depends on mastering the balance of Melee versus Ki fighting. In
story mode, the primary mode of single-player action, players move from
chapter to chapter, completing quests and fighting battles. However, gamers
can also play several chapters at once, simultaneously controlling
different characters and accomplishing different tasks.
id Software and Activision Save the Cosmos With the
Release Of Commander Keen for Nintendo's Game Boy Color
id's Original Hero Hits Retail Shelves
America's spunkiest alien basher is powering up his ray gun and blasting
onto retail shelves with the release of Commander Keen for the Game Boy
Color from id Software and Activision, Inc. An action-packed, comedic quest
to save the cosmos, Commander Keen is rated ``E," for ``Everyone," by the
ESRB and is considered suitable for ages six and older. Commander Keen is
also compatible with the Game Boy Advance system available early this
summer for a suggested retail price of $29.99.
``Our philosophy at id is simple -- we make games that we want to play,"
said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. ``Commander Keen is a perfect
universe for the Game Boy Color and delivers straight-up fun for people of
all ages." Based on id's original Commander Keen series on the PC,
Commander Keen finds precocious 8-year-old superhero Billy Blaze on an
all-new quest to save the cosmos. With his trusty Neural Ray Gun in hand,
Billy must battle his old alien adversaries, the Droidiccus, Shikadi and
Bloogs of Fribbulus Xax, in a race to uncover the super-powerful plasma
crystals hidden on three separate alien worlds.
A scrolling platform game, each of the three unique alien worlds in
Commander Keen contains several multi-level maps rife with progressively
precarious puzzles. Throughout the adventure, Keen will encounter more than
35 different aliens, as well as mega-bosses, puzzles, slime pits, magical
platforms, secret rooms and teleporters.
``Commander Keen on the Game Boy Color features the same irreverent wit and
memorable characters that made the original such an unforgettable
experience," said Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision
Worldwide Studios. ``With classic gameplay and scores of colorful
characters, Commander Keen promises an addictive experience to a whole new
generation of hand-held gamers."
Embark on a Heroic Adventure With ICO
This Summer on the PlayStation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America announced the Summer 2001 release of
ICO, a unique, heroic adventure available exclusively for the PlayStation2
computer entertainment system. Taking advantage of the technological
capabilities of the PlayStation 2, 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.
The heroic adventure of ICO will captivate players as they wander into a
mysterious forgotten world. In this mythical land, every generation a young
boy is born with horns and traditionally sacrificed to help cleanse the
community of evil spirits. 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
begins to rock the 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, as well as himself,
from the wicked queen and the evil spirits that reside within the castle.
``ICO utilizes the technology and power of PlayStation 2 to deliver a
riveting storyline featuring breathtakingly brilliant landscapes,
beautifully-rendered 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 logical puzzles and adventure which features graphics so
realistic, gamers will find it difficult to differentiate reality from
fantasy."
Not easily deterred or intimidated by the queen or other evil elements
lurking throughout the adventure, 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 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 summer.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has not yet
rated ICO.
THQ Ships 'GT Advance Championship Racing'
for Game Boy Advance
THQ Inc. announced the release of ``GT Advance Championship Racing" for
Nintendo's highly anticipated Game Boy Advance system.
``GT Advance Championship Racing" for Game Boy Advance has already gained
critical acclaim as a realistic, fun and intense racing game featuring
authentic cars from top manufacturers. Developed by MTO, Co. Ltd. in Japan,
``GT Advance Championship Racing" for Game Boy Advance will be available
at retail outlets nationwide on June 11, with the launch of the Game Boy
Advance hardware.
``THQ is a strong supporter of Nintendo's handheld systems and plans to
extend our No. 1 third-party Game Boy Color publisher position to the
highly anticipated Game Boy Advance," said Alison Locke, executive vice
president, North American Publishing, THQ. ``We currently have more than 15
games in development and are thrilled to have such a strong title available
day and date with the hardware launch."
True gamers are giving ``GT Advance Championship Racing" for Game Boy
Advance high praise from within the videogame community:
* ``... most impressive real-world handheld racing game available!" --
IGNPocket.com
* ``There's never been a handheld racing game like GT for pure racing
fun." -- Nintendo Power
* ``... is a must-buy for racing fans." -- Electronic Gaming Monthly
``GT Advance Championship Racing" for Game Boy Advance features more than
40 authentic cars with parts that can be upgraded from eight top car
manufacturers including Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi. As players progress,
they can unlock cars with varying acceleration, top speeds and overall
handling in order to master the 32 tracks. ``GT Advance Championship
Racing" also allows players to race head-to-head with friends using the
Game Boy Advance link cable.
Activision Brings the Speed, Action and Insanity
of World's Scariest Police Chases to the
PlayStation Game Console
Fans of FOX Broadcasting's hit television show ``World's Scariest Police
Chases" can now experience the adrenaline-pumping action of the series
from the driver's seat with Activision Inc.'s launch of World's Scariest
Police Chases for the PlayStation game console. The title, developed by Big
Ape and produced by Fox Interactive, features the running commentary of the
series' host, retired Sheriff John Bunnell, and is currently available in
stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $39.99. World's Scariest
Police Chases carries a ``T" (Teen - Mild Animated Violence and Mild
Language - content suitable for persons ages 13 and older) rating from the
ESRB.
``World's Scariest Police Chases allows gamers to experience the visceral
thrill of chasing down criminals and bringing them to justice," said Larry
Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide Studios. ``The
arcade-style gameplay and over-the-top content will keep players
entertained for hours on end."
World's Scariest Police Chases for the PlayStation game console is a wild,
no-holds-barred driving game that puts players in control of the action as
a police officer chasing and apprehending law-breaking criminals. Players
will take on over 20 action-packed missions with a slew of hazardous,
breakneck chases as they try to avoid being captured for such crimes as
drunk driving, drug smuggling and terrorism. Players will pursue their
suspects in 13 different vehicles through an interactive city, taking
shortcuts and using aggressive tactics as necessary to apprehend them. The
game also features a multiplayer cooperative mode that allows two players
to team up as a driver and his or her gun-toting partner to apprehend
criminals. As in the television show, the game features running commentary
from retired Sheriff John Bunnell, complete with extreme hyperbole and the
requisite bad puns.
Midway Sports Asylum Delivers Exclusive 4-On-4,
Adrenaline-style Hockey Videogame NHL Hitz 20-02
NHL Hitz 20-02 Provides Realistic Hockey
Action Combined with Big Hits, Big Checks and
Lightning-fast Gameplay
Midway Sports Asylum announced that NHL Hitz 20-02, an all-new
adrenaline-style, 4-on-4 hockey videogame, is in development for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox videogame system from
Microsoft and the Nintendo GameCube.
Officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA with real NHL teams and
players, NHL Hitz 20-02 is scheduled to ship in Winter 2001.
Developed by the accomplished hockey development team Black Box Games,
Ltd., NHL Hitz 20-02 brings the realism of over-the-top hockey action to
players in stunning detail, with rich animations and robust player models.
NHL Hitz 20-02 features lightning-fast gameplay, play-by-play commentary
and a ``never-before-seen" interactive 3D crowd that reacts based on the
action on the ice -- crowds will bang on the glass, throw hats on ice and
walk out on bad games. Gamers will definitely feel the burn of a 125MPH
slap shot as the frenzied fans heckle them from the bleachers.
In true NHL fashion, players skate full-speed into the boards to retrieve
a loose puck, sacrifice their bodies by sliding in front of a 125MPH
slapshot and throw down their gloves to defend their team. NHL Hitz 20-02
also features Midway's classic ``on-fire mode" where players will
literally catch fire and become unstoppable.
``NHL Hitz 20-02 will set the standard for hockey videogames on the
next-generation platforms," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of
marketing, Midway. ``NHL Hitz 20-02 has a great mix of frenetic gameplay,
hockey realism and revolutionary features."
Players will have the chance to play as their favorite NHL star presented
in amazing detail with real player stats and attributes. Shatter the boards
and slice through the net in 30 arenas with 32 unique and hidden fantasy
rinks and unlockable secret players and teams.
Mini games with authentic NHL super skills competitions help players hone
their skills before games, while multiplayer hockey allows one to six
gamers (PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and Xbox) to battle it
out head-to-head. Gamers can also create the ultimate ice warrior with the
Create-A-Player feature.
NHL Hitz Key Features
* Adrenaline-Style, Over-the-Top Gameplay -- Players leap, glide, check,
fight, 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 Asylum On-Fire Mode -- Players and teams catch
fire and become almost unstoppable
* Fully 3D Modeled Crowd -- First interactive 3D crowd in any sports
videogame
* Fantasy Stadiums, Hidden Teams and Players -- Secret arenas for every
team presented in a unique fantasy setting, as well as hidden teams
and special players to unlock along the way
* Next Generation Graphics -- Photo-realistic graphics that deliver
hockey like never before
* Big Players -- Huge player models with real player faces and
expressions
* Mini-Games -- Including skills competitions straight from the official
NHL and NHLPA super skills competition
* 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 break the glass, putting players over
the boards
* Different Player Skill Sets -- Real player stats, abilities and
attributes
* Multiplayer Hockey -- One to six players
* Ice Deterioration -- As the game progresses, the ice will show
wear-and-tear
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. Ships 'Fur Fighters:
Viggo's Revenge' for the Playstation2 Computer
Entertainment System
The fur will surely fly at retail, as Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. has
shipped its award-winning new game, Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system.
Heralded by the leading dedicated video game publications as one of the
best titles ever published for the next-generation system, Fur Fighters:
Viggo's Revenge is an action-filled adventure, with rich characters,
environments and features.
``Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge is testimony to the creative talent of
Bizzare Creations and offers a truly unique gaming experience, which has
already generated incredible reviews among the media," said Evan Stein,
vice president of Brand. ``On the heels of our successful launch of Crazy
Taxi for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Fur Fighters:
Viggo's Revenge expands the breadth and depth of our product lineup for the
next-generation systems and is poised to be a 'must have' title among
consumers."
The media had the following to say about Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge:
``...The Reigning King of PS2 Action Games! 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars"
*Gamers' Republic
"One of the best playing, best looking and most clever games ever
made...should be played by everyone that owns a PS2. Rating -
99%/Platinum``
*PS2 Extreme
``One of the more enjoyable deathmatch experiences on the PS2"
*PSM: PlayStation Magazine
Developed by Bizzare Creations, Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge is a
humorous, zany experience set in an original cartoon world. Once upon a
time, peace and serenity surrounded Fur Fighter Village. That peace is
shattered by General Viggo as he begins to enact his plans for world
domination. Realizing the Fur Fighters are the only thing standing in the
way of his diabolical plan, he decides to make a preemptive strike. What
the General doesn't know is that he just messed with the wrong bunch of fur
balls.
Features of Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge include:
* More than 30 levels set in six progressively tougher worlds;
* Over 25 types of characters with a total of six differently skilled
characters;
* 20 bizarre weapons, all-new enemies and additional power-ups;
* 15 multiplayer 'Fluffmatches' supporting up to four players
split-screen.
Fur Fighters: Viggo's Revenge is available for the PlayStation2 computer
entertainment system for an expected retail price of $49.99.
Midway Sports Asylum's Ready 2 Rumble Boxing:
Round 2 Packs a Punch as Launch Title for
Nintendo's Game Boy Advance
Midway Sports Asylum announced that its popular boxing title Ready 2 Rumble
Boxing: Round 2, is now available for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo's
highly-anticipated new 32-bit handheld video game system.
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 brings a new level of style and attitude to
handheld gaming, combining the intense boxing competition and outrageous
action that made Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 a huge success on home
consoles.
``Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 for the Game Boy Advance is a great
addition to the handheld system," said Helene Sheeler, vice president of
marketing, Midway. ``Players will be wowed by the high resolution graphics,
unique boxers and incredible 3D rotating ring."
The Game Boy Advance version features 11 characters including Ready 2 Rumble
franchise fighters Afro Thunder and Jet ``Iron" Chin, along with new-comers
to the circuit, Robox RESE-4 and Mama Tua. Each character fights their way
through the world's top competitors using signature combination punches and
training techniques, allowing players to unleash a ``Rumble Flurry" on their
opponent.
Rounding out the characters are celebrity boxing announcer Michael Buffer,
``The Voice of Champions" and his famous ``Let's Get Ready to Rumble"
trademark call, and two hidden celebrity boxers - NBA big-man Shaquille
O'Neal and ``King of Pop" Michael Jackson - who enter the ring with
distinctive flair and personality. Superstar Jackson was motion-captured and
digitally photographed so that his seemingly endless dance moves and
inimitable style could be incorporated into the game. As with each of the
characters, Jackson and O'Neal appear as larger-than-life ``Rumble-ized"
versions of themselves.
Four different player modes are available on Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2
for the Game Boy Advance. Players can choose Arcade Mode to pick a boxer and
an opponent for a quick fight or compete for the belt in Championship Mode
by bringing a boxer up through the ranks. Produce a number one contender
with various training techniques including speed bag, heavy bag and barbell
lift in the Training Mode. Test a fighter's stamina in Survival Mode by
facing 11 fighters using only one energy meter.
Characters
Afro Thunder - franchise Rumble boxer/aspiring actor
Lulu Valentine - boxer/fashion designer and fastest punch on the Rumble
circuit
Johnny ``Bad" Blood - brother of former Rumble boxer Jimmy Blood
Angel ``Raging" Rivera - showboat boxer who prefers flash over technique
Mama Tua - mother of former Rumble boxer-turned-wrestler Salua
Robox RESE-4 - state of the art boxing robot
Joey T. - hitman turned boxer
Jet ``Iron" Chin - boxer/trainer, a.k.a. ``the Beast from the East"
Rumble Man - Michael Buffer
Shaquille O'Neal - 1999-2000 NBA MVP
Michael Jackson - the King of Pop
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 Game Boy Advance Key Features
Enhanced Graphics: A higher resolution - 240x160 - and double buffering
presents larger, more colorful boxers and a 3D rotating ring
Rumble Flurry: With each hard-hitting blow to an opponent, players receive
a letter to spell the word ``RUMBLE" and unleash the flurry
Unlock secret boxers
Training Games: Interactive training games added to guide players through
Championship Mode
Password System: Save a championship run with the easy to use password
system
Michael Buffer: The ``Let's Get Ready to Rumble" call of famed boxing
announcer Michael Buffer
Game Makers Pushing for More Brains
Batman winces!
And a legion of video game players share his pain, weep like toddlers and
reach for their wallets!
That's what game makers hope will happen.
After years of stuffing store shelves with games offering little more than
guns and gore - a genre often called ``twitch" - game makers are realizing
their aging audience is yearning to stimulate more than just trigger
fingers.
Gamers want puzzles, plot twists and penitence.
With some raging exceptions, such as top-seller ``Myst," brainier
adventure games have bombed among the industry's most lucrative audience -
the 20-something man who buys at least one new game every month.
Now, however, inspired by best sellers like ``Half-Life," even producers
with the most mindless and macho of reputations say their new games are
eschewing a rapid-fire button in favor of more storytelling and, believe it
or not, emotion.
``You can only shoot so many enemies or destroy so many buildings," said
Reid Schneider, a producer with San Francisco-based game maker Ubi Soft.
``At some point, people want to feel involved in something."
In Ubi Soft's ``Batman: Vengeance," scheduled for release in September,
the Dark Knight's face grows pinched when he's wounded, giving the
real-world player a silicon glimpse of pain.
Ubi Soft credits the move away from stony-faced heroes to the PlayStation
2, released last fall. The console's Emotion software engine let developers
add facial expressions to characters during game play.
Some software designers attribute the changes to an aging market that's
careering toward a third decade of gaming.
Others say this simply the technology evolving naturally, that more
computing power means pixilated heroes and villains can be smarter, faster
and vulnerable. In short, more lifelike than ever before.
Still others credit 1998's ``Half-Life," which married action to a deep
and complicated plot and gave players the chance to play god. The game is
full of terrified scientists, edgy guards and balky machinery.
In ``Half-Life", players get to crawl into the skin of a scientist who
must battle creatures from another dimension after an experiment at his lab
goes awry.
``Players have experienced in-your-face shooting in the past, and now they
want more," said Todd Hollenshead, chief executive of Id Software, a
developer in Mesquite, Tex. ``Call it 'been there, done that.' Players are
looking for the next thing that is going to wow them."
Id has long been the boss of twitch and is credited with popularizing
shooting games with a first-person perspective.
The company's titles include ``Quake," ``Quake II" and the earlier
``Doom," which Id says has been downloaded from the Internet more than 15
million times.
``Quake II" has been on the shelves a year longer than ``Half-Life",
which is considered the series' biggest blockbuster. But ``Half-Life" has
sold 800,000 more copies than ``Quake II" - a 50 percent difference -
according to the companies.
That's a testament to the changing tastes of players.
So, in Id's upcoming ``Return to Castle Wolfenstein," players will have to
carve their way through a horde of virtual Nazis. They'll also have to read
clues from an on-screen clipboard if they want to win.
And they'll have to think before attacking. For instance, shooting an enemy
instead of silently knifing him could trigger an alarm.
The Nazis themselves will also be more lifelike, able to behave in several
different ``modes," instead of just the usual sleeping or attacking. They
might lose sight of a player who ducks around a corner, act nervous if they
hear noises or play with a radio if they grow bored.
``Schindler's List" it's not, but it's a far cry from earlier games in
which enemies automatically attacked and always seemed to know where the
player was, Hollenshead said.
Smarter bad guys need more computing power.
Thankfully, developers say, improved graphics accelerators and chips can
handle the chore of creating detailed backgrounds and entertaining
foregrounds without hogging memory or crashing the PC.
That leaves the computer's main processor free to ``think" for the
opponents.
The developments are coming just in time for older players like Rob Stein,
27, of Wilmington, Del.
Stein has forsaken former favorite ``Quake" for an online ``Half-Life"
version called ``Counterstrike" - the No. 1 action game played online, the
company says.
``There is a realism in 'Counterstrike' that adds to the game," Stein
said. ``The weapons are based in the real world, and it is also a strategic
and a team-based game, which makes it a better game."
He's noticed his fellow gamers maturing.
``When I was a kid, nobody older than me played video games," Stein said.
``Now ... there are a lot of 30-year-olds."
Indeed, 39.1 percent of personal computer gamers are age 36 or older and
nearly a third of PC gamers are ages 18 to 35, according to the Interactive
Digital Software Association, a trade group.
In the world of console games - Sega Dreamcast or Nintendo 64, for example
- roughly 36 percent of the audience is 18 to 35. Another 21 percent is 36
or older.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
[Editor's note: The following message was found on the Jaguar Interactive II
web site, and not verified as of time of publication]
Infogrames to Change Their Name to Atari!
Read this on the Atari Time Machine Web Site and Atari Age.
ATM Exclusive:
Date: 7th June 2001
It has come to our attention, that a decision has been made at Infogrames
to change its name to Atari. This news has been confirmed by very reliable
sources, and will come into affect before the end of the summer, or even
sooner. Sources indicate that the decision was made due to the lack of
awareness in some global territories of the existing Infogrames brand, and
that the head of Infogrames, Bruno Bonnell (Chairman & CEO) was very aware
that the Atari brand would be a stronger and more recognizable asset for
the company.
At this time, we do not have any other information as to the future
direction of the company under the Atari brand, but it seems that all
software published under the existing Infogrames brand will change
worldwide to Atari.
Of course, if any of this information changes, we will update this page
immediately. ATM and AHS only provide this information based on extremely
reliable sources, and cannot be responsible for any errors or omissions at
this time.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Microsoft, AOL Reconvene Talks
AOL Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are back at the bargaining table
over whether AOL's software will be included in the soon-to-be released
Windows XP operating system, after talks broke down late last week.
``We're back at the table, we're happy to be back at the table, and hope to
reach a mutually beneficial conclusion." said Microsoft spokesman Jim
Cullinan. A five-year deal that gave AOL coveted placement on the Windows
desktop and made Microsoft's Internet Explorer the default browser on
America Online's flagship service expired on January 1. Windows XP is
scheduled for an October 25 launch. The talks to renew the deal were called
off when the companies, both vying to become the dominant force on the
Internet, could not agree to terms.
Although the talks are now back on, a source close to the negotiations said
the companies are still ``far apart" on key issues, ``from technical
questions to the overall relationship."
``When you consider over the past few years, the efforts by AOL and
competitors to bring legal action against Microsoft, that isn't really a
good atmosphere for a positive relationship," the source said.
One potential sticking point is whether AOL's software will support
Microsoft's Windows Media Player in addition to its current support for
RealNetworks Inc.'s RealPlayer format. RealNetwork's stock plunged May 29
on concerns that AOL would sign an exclusive deal supporting Windows Media
Player. But a source close to AOL said, ``There is no validity to the
notion that the RealPlayer would be disadvantaged by anything in the
discussions."
``Carriage (or placement) on Windows is no longer a meaningful mechanism
for advancing AOL's subscription growth," the source added. ``From our
perspective, these discussions are not a big deal. If they move forward,
that's terrific, but if they ultimately don't, that's fine too."
Microsoft and AOL have also sparred over instant messaging, with Microsoft
asking AOL to make its service -- by far the world's largest -- open to
compatibility with other IM services. But the source close to AOL said the
companies have agreed to delay discussing IM until a ``later round of
discussion."
The March 1996 deal now being renegotiated was central in the U.S.
antitrust case against Microsoft, currently being reviewed by a federal
appeals court. At issue was whether Microsoft used its dominance of the PC
desktop to increase its power in the Internet market. Helped by the AOL
deal, Internet Explorer supplanted Netscape as the dominant way to navigate
the Web; Netscape was eventually purchased by AOL.
For AOL, placement on the ubiquitous Windows desktop helped propel it to
its current position as the No. 1 Internet access provider, with some 29
million subscribers to its flagship service.
Napster Close to Distribution Deal with Major Labels
According to sources close to the proceedings, music-swapping pioneer
Napster is in the final stages of negotiations with three of the five
major record labels to distribute their music over Napster's new pay
subscription service.
AOL Time Warner's Warner Bros. music division, Bertelsmann A.G.'s BMG
Entertainment and the EMI Group are seeking to have Napster license their
music from their MusicNet partnership for an undisclosed period of time.
MusicNet, which will use a new secure technology developed by RealNetworks,
is working to create a viable platform from which to distribute the
companies' music.
Under the deal presently being negotiated, Napster would act as one of
MusicNet's distribution affiliates. Napster, which boasts over 70 million
members, would offer Warner Bros., BMG and EMI a large and loyal target
audience to aid in their quest to dominate the digital music realm.
Approval of the deal, however, will not cancel the lawsuit that is still
pending between Napster and the five major record companies for alleged
copyright violations. Moreover, AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann and EMI would
each reserve the right to void the agreement should Napster fail to
demonstrate its ability to maintain an acceptable level of security in
distributing their music files.
"This deal will likely be contingent on Napster's filtering technology
continuing to evolve and satisfy Judge Patel's directions," Gartner Group
senior music analyst P.J. McNealy told NewsFactor Network.
If all involved parties approve the proposed deal, Napster may find itself
once again positioned to become the leading distribution channel for
online music. Last fall, Bertelsmann agreed to finance Napster's plan to
change over from its present state to a fee-based subscription service,
but events including Bertelsmann's decision to ally with the MusicNet
partners had left Napster's fate up in the air.
"If this deal goes through, it is a major step in rehabilitating the
Napster brand to one that is friendly to copyright holders," McNealy told
NewsFactor.
The other two major record companies, Sony and Vivendi Universal, recently
partnered to form a rival Internet service called Duet. The MusicNet group
is hoping that its alliance with Napster and its substantial user base will
lure Sony and Vivendi Universal into signing on with MusicNet.
According to McNealy, all five labels need to be on-board in order for
Napster's rehabilitation to fully succeed. "Having three of the five is
interesting, but only five out of five is compelling to consumers,"
McNealy told NewsFactor.
Giga Information Group analyst Jim Grady told NewsFactor that he found the
developments surprising in light of the bitter court disputes between
Napster and the five major labels. However, Grady said that perhaps the
labels' motivation proved the wisdom of the proverb about keeping one's
enemies close.
"There was a fear that Napster would cut a deal with AOL or another large
media conglomerate that would recognize Napster and then compete directly
with the major labels," Grady told NewsFactor. "What's often ignored here
is that there is an opportunity for some other media conglomerate to form
an Internet-centric label" that could get an edge on the Big Five.
As a result, said Grady, the major labels are purchasing new technologies
in order to gain a competitive advantage against its rivals. Moreover,
uncertainty over the future of Internet music is also driving these deals.
"[Companies like] Napster and Aimster have pushed the major labels into
it," said Grady. "Given a choice, they'd rather not have to capitulate to
[these new media companies], but the goal is to have the same control over
the industry as before."
And Napster's is the only technology that has really been tested, Grady
added.
Microsoft, Red Hat Set Open-Source Debate
After claiming last month that the open-source model is flawed and
"responsible for releasing unhealthy code," Microsoft Senior Vice
President Craig Mundie is set to debate the issue at an open-source
conference in July.
Mundie is expected to explain why Microsoft's vision of "shared source"
software, where the software giant makes the source code of some of its
products available to customers and partners while still maintaining the
intellectual property rights, is better than open source. An open-source
application is one where people have the right to see and change its code
and are bound to freely distribute any changes they make.
Michael Tiemann, chief technical officer of Red Hat, will present the case
for open source. Red Hat sells a popular version of Linux, the open-source
operating system and rival to Microsoft's Windows. The debate will take
place at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention in San Diego, Calif., July
26.
Mundie attracted a storm of criticism after making his original comments
at New York University's School of Business. In a speech, he argued that
open-source code can be a security risk. He also said developers writing
and releasing open-source software such as the Linux operating system
would not be able to create powerful, easy-to-use programs that are
broadly accessible to consumers.
In a report issued around the time of his speech, Mundie also claimed that
the companies who offer open-source software to consumers don't have a
valid business model.
"A common trait of many of the companies that failed is that they gave
away for free or at a loss the very thing they produced that was of
greatest value--in the hope that somehow they'd make money selling
something else," wrote Mundie.
Linus Torvalds, open-source advocate and creator of Linux, was unimpressed
by Mundie's comments and accused him of disregarding the basic principles
of intellectual property that have driven science for hundreds of years.
"Mundie throws all that away because he wants Microsoft to own it all and
to make tons of money from it," Torvalds said in an interview last month.
NetZero, Juno To Form Second-Largest ISP
Faced with mounting losses and investor backlash against dot-com stocks,
the last two independent companies offering free Internet access announced
that they will merge in an all-stock deal worth US$70.7 million.
NetZero of Westlake Village, California, and New York-based Juno Online
Services, said late Thursday that combining the former rivals will create
the second-largest Internet service provider in the U.S. with 7 million
subscribers -- second only to AOL Time Warner's AOL, which has 29 million
users.
The deal essentially eliminates competition in the free Internet access
space, a move analysts said has been coming for months.
"When the online advertising market dried up last year, it sent out a
message that ISPs had to charge a fee or go out of business," Lydia Leong,
an analyst with Gartner Dataquest, told NewsFactor Network.
The new company, which will be called United Online, said service will
continue to be free. Both service providers offer a number of fee-based
premium options and services to about 1 million billable customers.
The two companies hope that the 7 million total subscribers will be enough
to attract more advertisers to their combined site -- something neither
could accomplish alone.
The only other major free-access player is Bluelight.com, which is more of
a marketing vehicle for owner Kmart Corp.
Until the announcement, NetZero and Juno had been fighting each other in
court. NetZero was defending a patent it owns regarding the delivery of
ads, and Juno lost a patent infringement case over Eudora e-mail software.
Juno CEO Charles Ardai said the combined company had more than $200
million in cash as of March 31st. Costs associated with the restructuring
and transaction will drain $20 million to $25 million from the coffers.
"Where we stood," Ardai told NewsFactor, "each company had the same kind
of pull on advertisers as a magazine. But anything over 5 million
subscribers is something of a magic number for many advertisers."
Not everyone was impressed with the deal. Michael McQuary, president of
fee-based EarthLink, said in a published report: "If you add more weight to
a sinking ship, it will sink that much faster."
Few ISPs make money when they charge customers the average $20 a month
fee, which led to McQuary's barb. EarthLink has about 4.8 subscribers.
AOL last month announced it would begin charging subscribers $23.90 per
month for unlimited access, a 9 percent increase from the current $21.95
fee.
Youssef Squali, Internet analyst for FAC/Equities, told NewsFactor that
the merger is coming about a year too late.
"They are putting two non-working models together," he said. "What's the
point?"
Wall Street has treated the two firms poorly over the past year, driving
their stock down. NetZero, which was trading at $8.50 a year ago, opened
Friday at 95 cents. Juno, meanwhile, has seen its stock fall to $1.48 from
$13.50 last year.
Because its price has fallen below $1 per share, NetZero was facing a
possible delisting from Nasdaq.
Under terms of the deal, NetZero shareholders will end up with about 61.5
percent of the new firm. Juno shareholders will hold about 38.5 percent --
getting a premium of about 15 percent.
Mark Goldston, chairman and CEO of NetZero, will become chairman, CEO and
president of United, and will continue to operate out of Southern
California. Ardai will leave after the merger is completed later this
year.
Real Virus Piggybacks On E-mail Hoax
It sounds like the newest twist in a second-rate thriller: Just when you
were lulled into thinking it was a harmless prank, the killer virus
attacks!
A hoax e-mail warning people that their PCs might contain a virus duped an
untold number of people into deleting the sulfnbk.exe file from their hard
drives last week. But now some computer users are receiving another e-mail
with "sulfnbk.exe" in the subject line--and this time it may actually
contain a harmful virus.
People who have received the virus say that launching the attached
application lets loose a worm that could do substantial harm to the user's
computer and to the machines of everyone on their e-mail lists.
"My concern is that because of the original hoax, people will have their
guard down where this file is concerned," a system administrator wrote in
an e-mail message. The company's anti-virus software caught the worm on a
worker's computer.
But antivirus experts say a prankster did not send computer users a hoax
to lull them into an actual attack. The sulfnbk.exe file is safe and does
not contain a virus. Instead, a second attachment in the same e-mail
contains the harmful W32Magistr@MM virus.
The virus, dubbed "Magistrate," has a variety of official file names that
include numbers before the @ symbol. First detected March 13, Magistrate
files may also be named W32Magistr.24876@mm.
Most anitvirus software detects and destroys Magistrate before it harms
users' computers, but letting Magistrate loose could have disastrous
consequences. Security experts at Symantec rate it a four on a scale of
1-5 for its potential danger, which includes system crashes and the
release of confidential information.
The self-propagating worm infects Windows files and sends itself to all
addresses in the Outlook/Outlook Express e-mail folders, the "sent items"
file from Netscape and the Windows address book. Although it picks random
copy from infected users' hard drives, Symantec cautions that the virus
could send confidential Microsoft Word documents to others on the user's
e-mail list.
E-mail sent from machines infected with Magistrate may have up to two
attachments, as well as randomly generated subject lines and message
bodies.
The sulfnbk.exe hoax began at least a month ago and quickly spread around
the world as computer users, on heightened alert after a slew of media
reports regarding nasty viruses, passed e-mail warnings about the
potential threat. Many people deleted sulfnbk.exe--a Windows system file
that helps identify long file names.
Magistrate-infected computers then received the well-intentioned warning
and spammed others with e-mail. The randomly generated subject line reads
"sulfnbk.exe" and includes the harmless sulfnbk.exe file. The other
attachment is the Magistrate virus.
"Magistrate is a particularly nasty one," said Vincent Weafer, director of
Symantec's antivirus research center. "It's definitely in the wild because
we still get fairly constant reports of it."
Rob Rosenberger, editor of virus information site Vmyths.com, says the
quick spread of the sulfnbk.exe hoax and the piggyback Magistrate virus
reflects the complicated propagation of viruses, but it's also a simple
indictment of security companies and the antivirus software they sell.
"People don't trust their antivirus software," Rosenberger said. "For
years, we've been given antivirus software that regularly fails, and when
it fails it fails spectacularly.
"People have been conditioned over the years that their antivirus software
will fail. People trust their eyeballs more than they trust software, so
when they see an e-mail from their friend warning of a virus, they believe
it more than the software."
Confusion about which warnings are hoaxes and which are real could mount
in the future as virus
creators become more sophisticated. Microsoft
called the sulfnbk.exe hoax an example of "social engineering," and
experts agree that computer users may soon become the target of hackers
who play sophisticated psychological games with computer users.
Symantec has already detected legitimate viruses sent after hoax viruses
meant to lower computer users' guard. Rosenberger calls the increasingly
common phenomenon "ex-post hoaxo."
"I've got a funny feeling that hoaxters are going to create more ex-post
hoaxos," Rosenberger said. "It wouldn't be hard for somebody to write a
worm that spreads itself as sulfnbk.exe. The e-mail can say, 'Hey Connie,
in case you got duped by the hoax, go ahead and put this attachment in
your Windows/command directory.'"
IBM Announces Major Computer Chip Speed Boost
IBM claims to be rewriting Moore's Law with a new chip technology that will
increase chip speeds by up to 35 percent, the company said in a statement
released Friday morning.
The "breakthrough" method stretches the silicon on the microchip, speeding
the flow of electrons through the transistors and reducing the amount of
power required to run the chip. The new technology could be available on
chips as early as 2003, IBM said.
IBM scientists will present details of the new technology at a chip
conference next week in Kyoto, Japan.
"The concept of strained silicon enhancing the flow of electrons has been
around for about 10 years," IBM Research vice president of science and
technology Randy Isaac told NewsFactor Network.
"What's new this time is that we've built it into conventional transistors
-- the kind used in today's chips -- and that's the first time that's been
done."
The strained silicon takes advantage of the natural tendency of atoms to
align with each other. When silicon is put on top of a substrate with
atoms spaced farther apart, the silicon atoms stretch to line up with the
substrate atoms below.
In the strained silicon, the resistance is reduced, allowing electrons to
flow up to 70 percent faster. This can lead to chips that are 35 percent
faster, IBM says.
Moore's Law, which has been an industry "standard" for decades, says that
chip speeds will double every 18 months as transistors are continually
miniaturized. The strained-silicon method rewrites Moore's Law in that it
significantly increases chip speed without altering transistor size, Isaac
told NewsFactor.
"This is a way to improve the performance without making [transistors]
smaller," Isaac said. "It shifts the curve, giving you better performance
without reducing the transistor size."
The new technology is not expected to make chips any more expensive,
because IBM's existing factories will be able to manufacture the new chips
simply by changing the substrate used in the manufacturing process, Isaac
said.
"By using a strained silicon substrate, you can use exactly the same
factory and get a 35 percent performance boost. Usually to get that much
[improvement] you need a whole new factory," he said.
IBM has produced a number of significant developments in semiconductor
technology in the last several years. In 1997, the company began
substituting copper for aluminum on chips, improving the connections
between transistors. IBM credits its labs with five "major breakthroughs"
in chip technology in less than four years.
"Most of the industry is struggling with extending chip performance as we
approach the fundamental physical limits of silicon," Isaac said in a
statement.
"We're able to maintain our technology lead by focusing our research on
innovative ways to improve chip materials, device structures and design."
IBM predicts that the strained silicon technology will give Big Blue a
two-year lead over its competitors in the industry.
Net Privacy Group Offers Free 'Snoop-Ware'
A non-profit Internet privacy group released free software Thursday that
it says enables online users to find out whether they are being tracked --
and, if so, who is doing the tracking.
The Privacy Foundation said its "Bugnosis" is a browser extension designed
to identify the increasingly widespread "bugs" that are often hidden in
Web pages, surreptitiously collecting information about users and passing
it on to others.
"Our goal with the software is to reveal how Web bugs are tracking all of
us on the Internet, and to get companies to 'fess up about why they are
using them," the foundation's chief technology officer, Richard Smith,
said in a statement.
"Any company that uses Web bugs on their site should say so clearly in
their privacy policies and explain the following: why they are being used,
what data is sent by a bug, who gets the data and what they are doing with
it."
Web bugs -- 1 x 1 pixel graphic files embedded in the code of Web pages --
are becoming standard practice for advertising and marketing companies. A
company called Intelytics recently scanned 51 million Web pages and found
that nearly a third used tracking devices, and of the top 100 e-commerce
sites, 74 used bugs that tracked visitors from third-party Web sites.
Internet tracking and security company Security Space offers a monthly
report identifying companies that benefit from Web bugs. That list has
included such online giants as Yahoo! and America Online, as well as
online ad company DoubleClick.
Some of the data collected by bugs might be considered unobtrusive, such
as that which companies use to gauge the effectiveness of ads, confirm
purchases, or collect demographic data for "online profiling" purposes.
But bugs can also be used as small eavesdropping devices, and are often
used to tell other companies where to put their "cookies," those text
files marketers put on computers to identify users and their buying
habits.
"They're watching what you do on the Internet," Smith told NewsFactor
Network. "Sometimes, they use [bugs] to give away your name and e-mail
address, even though they sometimes say they never do that sort of thing.
That's where you get into some legal issues."
Bugs can determine the IP address of the computer that fetched the bug,
the URL of the main Web site, the URL of the Web bug image and a
previously set "cookie value." That means, for example, that a user's
e-mail address, given in confidence at one site, can be sent to any number
of third-party sites without the user's knowledge or permission.
Also, such personal information as health interests, political
affiliations and sexual disclosures can be shared.
"Whatever is expressed at one Web site could be carried by a Web bug to
many other Web sites," the Privacy Foundation site explains.
Bugnosis works with Internet Explorer 5 or greater for Windows. It
analyzes the Web pages a user visits and sounds an alert when it finds any
Web bugs. It also provides some details about the bug in a small window,
and makes the Web bug visible on the page. In some cases, it can provide
the e-mail address of the company that placed the bug.
It cannot block bugs, nor can it detect spyware or surveillance software.
At the moment it also cannot detect bugs sent via e-mail, but developers
plan a subsequent version to scan Outlook and Outlook Express e-mails.
Court Upholds Washington Anti-spam Law
The Washington state Supreme Court finds that a state law cracking down on
junk e-mail doesn't violate interstate commerce laws.
The Washington state Supreme Court upheld the state's strict anti-spam
law, which prohibits senders of unsolicited e-mails from forging headers
or faking addresses when sending messages to or from Washington-based
computers.
In a ruling issued Wednesday, the court said the anti-spam law does not
violate federal interstate commerce regulations, overturning a lower court
finding that it unfairly burdened companies.
"To be weighed against the act's local benefits, the only burden the act
places on spammers is the requirement of truthfulness, a requirement that
does not burden commerce at all but actually facilitates it by eliminating
fraud and deception," the ruling stated.
Washington approved its anti-spam law in 1998. Four months after the law
went into effect, the state attorney general filed its first spam suit
against Jason Heckel, an Oregon resident who had been sending unsolicited
offers of an online booklet titled "How to Profit from the Internet" for
$39.95.
Last year, a trial judge ruled the act "unduly restrictive and
burdensome"--partly because it requires companies to distinguish between
Washington residents and those living in other states. The judge also
awarded Heckel attorney's fees. However, the state attorney general
appealed that finding, resulting in Wednesday's ruling.
Since Washington passed its law, about 18 states have enacted some type of
prohibition on spam, though the regulations have had little teeth because
they've been difficult to enforce.
Anti-spam legislation also is moving through Congress. The federal bills
would outlaw some spam practices such as using fake e-mail addresses.
Critics think the proposed regulations have only a slim chance of passing,
however. The bills have become progressively weaker under criticism from
people who say they violate free-speech rights and commerce laws. Two
weeks ago, a House committee cut wording that would have let consumers sue
spammers who don't follow requests to be removed from a mailing list.
Microsoft TV Software Debuts
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday launched its bid to carve out a share of the
fledgling interactive television market with the commercial rollout of the
world's first broadband set-top boxes.
Interactive television, offering Internet access and online services
through TV sets, is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue
worldwide in coming years. The market for personal computers, meanwhile,
has registered sluggish growth.
Portugal's TV Cabo became the world's first cable company to deploy
advanced set-top boxes running Microsoft's new TV software.
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer described the launch as ``a
landmark day" for interactive television because it introduced innovative
technology which can expand the market and provided a new source of revenue
for the software powerhouse.
``I'm very optimistic about the market on a global basis for interactive
television," Ballmer said during a news conference.
Microsoft officials declined to provide details of their sales targets but
said they hoped the launch would draw potential customers to its new
product.
``People will look at it and say it's something they want to go for," said
Jim Beveridge, Microsoft's head of television sales in Europe.
London-based analysts Ovum Consulting predict the number of households
worldwide capable of receiving interactive television will grow from 62
million to 357 million by 2006, while revenue from sales made is expected
to grow from about $58 million last year to $44.8 billion.
Microsoft has spent the past six years investing in the research and
development of software for interactive television in the hope of tapping
that potential market, according to Ballmer.
However, months of setbacks, including snags with adapting the architecture
of its PC operating software to the more limited processing power of
set-top boxes, delayed the debut.
Tests over the past six months in Portuguese homes were successful, TV Cabo
said.
``We all believe the technology is ready," Ballmer said.
Microsoft faces competition from rival systems developed by Liberate
Technologies Inc. and OpenTV Corp., both based in California.
TV Cabo was selected as Microsoft's partner because of its ``foresight and
vision" in developing interactive television, Ballmer said.
The set-top box device provides online shopping, home banking, games,
digital video recording, Internet access and e-mail.
The system is operated from a wireless keyboard or a handheld remote
control device.
Ballmer said Microsoft also is developing a lower-end set-top box with a
more limited range of features.
TV Cabo is charging $13 per month for the box and access to the interactive
service. An initial cost of $127 will also be charged.
TV Cabo president Jose Graca Bau said his company expected to show a profit
on the system after three years. The cable company has almost 1 million
subscribers.
``Of course, interactive TV is only now being born and everyone has to
change the way they use their TV sets," Graca Bau said.
Interactive TV has spread quickly in Europe, though its growth has been
slower in the United States.
The interactive satellite system of Britain's BSkyB, controlled by Rupert
Murdoch's News Corp., has nearly 5 million subscribers, while the
comparable service of France's Canal Plus has 1.5 million users. Canal Plus
operates similar services in Spain, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Scandinavia and
parts of Africa.
New IBook Has Style
Not long after the first Macintosh appeared in 1984, Apple computers began
resembling other PCs in beige boxes. Back then, the company seemed to
``Think Different'' mainly with its operating system and hefty price tags.
After Steve Jobs returned in 1997, the style pendulum swung in the other
direction with egg-shaped iMacs, sleek Cubes and iBooks laptops that looked
like Fisher-Price toys. But the price was still premium.
Now, with the introduction of its latest iBook, Apple got it right. This
laptop is light, stylish and cool without looking like a toy. It performs
well, is loaded with features and boasts a very competitive price.
The base model with 64 megabytes of memory and a CD-ROM lists at $1,299.
The high-end model, tested here, costs $1,799 and includes a combination
DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive and 128 megabytes of memory.
The iBook sets up within minutes. Instead of a heavy black block, the power
supply is a silver disk only slightly larger and heavier than a deck of
cards. The cord wraps inside to prevent tangling.
At only 4.9 pounds (2 pounds less than the previous iBook models), 1.35
inches deep and about as wide and long as a sheet of paper, the iBook is
small and light enough to carry around.
The lithium-ion battery lasts up to 5 hours between recharges, long enough
to play a full-length movie on DVD.
Internet setup was a breeze, both via the included 56K modem and Ethernet.
So was the optional $99 AirPort card, which snaps underneath the keyboard
and provides wireless connectivity to a $299 base station plugged into our
high-speed home network.
Before long, my wife was pulling up recipes off the Web in the kitchen and
looking up information on bugs from the garden. Instead of browsing endless
summer reruns from the couch, I checked out Web sites - when I could pry
the iBook away from my wife.
This iBook is much more than just another nifty Web appliance, though.
It comes with software that can create MP3 files from compact discs, burn
CDs and play DVDs, depending on the options purchased. It handles typical
desktop applications, such as the AppleWorks and Microsoft Office for Macs,
with no trouble.
I ripped several CDs and surfed the Internet at the same time. Unlike my
733 MHz Pentium III desktop PC, the iBook with its 500 MHz PowerPC
processor managed to create MP3 files without popping and clicking noises.
Its rounded edges and silvery-white finish are a welcome departure from the
iBook's colorful 1999 predecessors - not to mention the countless gray and
black PC notebooks sold today.
In an elegant touch, the white Apple logo on the top of the case glows when
the machine is on.
It goes into sleep mode when the lid is closed - and reawakens when
reopened, unlike my PC laptop. When in sleep mode, a white light softly
pulses at the front of the unit.
Two Universal Serial Bus ports and a single FireWire ports for high-speed
peripherals are easily accessible on the left side, next to its Ethernet
and modem connections.
A unique hinge lowers the screen below the main unit - something that will
make for easier viewing in tight areas such as an airplane seat.
Though the monitor is only 12.1 inches measured diagonally, the
active-matrix display is among the sharpest and richest I have seen. The
screen supports a resolution of 1,024-by-768 picture elements, so there's
plenty of real estate.
My grandmother, who uses a 19-inch monitor on her home PC because of poor
eyesight, had no problem reading text on the iBook.
The biggest problem is the size of the hard drive. At only 10 gigabytes, it
can quickly fill up with audio and video files. Apple does offer a 20 gig
drive, but it costs another $200. External hard drives are another option,
but portability is lost.
I also found the iBook's stereo speakers to sound a bit tinny, and one had
an annoying rattle. Through headphones, the sound quality rivaled that of
my home stereo.
Like all its other recent Apples, the iBook does not include a floppy disk
drive. But who really uses those any more?
If the CD burner option is purchased, CDs are a good portable data medium.
Another option - especially for those with high-speed Internet connections
- is Apple's iDisk, an online storage service.
IBooks with 128 megabytes of memory also can handle Apple's new OS X
operating system. I did notice a significant slowdown when starting up and
launching applications in OS X compared to OS 9.1.
But once the applications were loaded, they ran smoothly and were always
responsive. As promised, the new operating system handled crashes very
well, allowing sick programs to die without bringing down the entire
system.
My Epson Sylus 740 printer and Rio 600 MP3 player each were instantly
recognized by OS X after plugging them into the USB port.
With its sleek look, flexibility and price, the iBook is clearly targeted
at the education and home users. Students who want to do research online,
write reports and run multimedia applications will be more than satisfied.
OS X also opens up a new realm for Apple users. Based on an open-source
variant of the stable Unix operating system, OS X has an established core
of developers, particularly in universities.
By Matthew Fordahl, AP Technology Writer
Microsoft Ends Free Support for Office 97
In another move at least partly aimed at prodding people to upgrading
their software, Microsoft has ended its free support for customers of its
most popular business software product.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant on Friday began charging for
person-to-person troubleshooting advice regarding Office 97. People
wishing to pay the fee may call Microsoft or submit a personal service
request on Microsoft's support site. Or they can scan Microsoft's online
support library and try to find answers themselves for free.
The move is part of the company's year-old policy to provide free support
exclusively for the current version and the immediately preceding version
of its software. For the company's office productivity suite, that means
Microsoft will provide free support for Office XP, which debuted last
week, and its predecessor, Office 2000.
CIBC World Markets analyst Melissa Eisenstat said the new fees may not go
over well with Office 97 customers, who now have two options: pay
Microsoft $14.95 per service request or buy an upgrade to Office XP.
"They've got customers by the short hairs," Eisenstat said.
The company also axed free support for Visio 5.0, Frontpage 98 and Outlook
98 as of last Friday. Microsoft will continue to provide free phone
support for Office 98, a Mac-only version of the software, as well as the
current Mac version, Office 2001.
Analysts have said Microsoft is under significant financial pressure to
convince Office customers to upgraded to the XP version. Office and other
desktop applications accounted for 37 percent of Microsoft's $6.46 billion
in revenue in the most recent quarter, and the company needs a steady cash
influx as it prepares to launch its new Windows XP operating systems and
the Xbox video game console.
Yet Office customers have been reluctant to upgrade in the past.
Approximately 55 percent of the world's 120 million licensed Office
customers still have the 97 version, according to Microsoft. Approximately
5 percent have Office 95, which no longer comes with free personal
assistance, and the remaining 40 percent have Office 2000.
Microsoft outlined a new licensing program last month that forced the
majority of its business customers to either upgrade to Office XP before
Oct. 1 or pay a heftier purchase price later. In the process, Microsoft
raised costs anywhere from 33 percent to 107 percent for the majority of
customers, according to Gartner.
It also eliminated the most popular licensing plan for upgrading to new
versions of its software, replacing it with a new program called Software
Assurance. The new program guarantees customers access to the latest
versions of Microsoft's business software, including Office and Windows.
Microsoft support managers could not be reached to comment on the fee
structure, but a company representative sent an e-mail to CNET News.com,
calling the new structure a "positive step to enable customers to plan
their use of Microsoft products and their migration to new product
versions."
The Microsoft Product Support Lifecycle site also hailed the policy for
helping people make a "graceful" transition to updated versions of the
popular suite of Office software.
"Periodically, Microsoft will expire support for products which have
recorded a low or zero support demand for a significant period of time,
allowing you to enjoy our full focus on your current products," the site
says. "When a product does reach the end of it's lifecycle, Microsoft is
committed to making your transition a graceful one."
=~=~=~=
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.
