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Amiga Update (1996-09-12)
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/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || Amiga Update -News and Rumors
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AMIGA and the Amiga logo are trademarks of Amiga Technologies, GmbH
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960912
D I R E C T O R Y O P U S 5 . 5 A N N O U N C E D
M O N S T E R S O F T W A R E C L O S E O U T
P I O S G O E S I T A L O N E
About this issue's stories:
One of the most popular and long running products for the Amiga is
Directory Opus. We have a product announcement from them for the latest
version to lead off this issue.
A company named Frankenstein Software is having a closeout due to their
distributor ending U.S. operations. Take a look and see if there might be
something there you'd enjoy.
We combined several items on PIOS for our last story. We've not paid all
that much attention to the recently formed PIOS as we've been unsure
whether they're really a player in the new Amiga market or not. So far,
the only product they've actually shown is a Macintosh clone. The company
includes several former Amiga people, including Dave Haynie. For many
years Haynie was one of Commodore/Amiga's top engineers. From the start,
there seemed to be strained relationships between the new Amiga
Technologies and its owner (first Escom and then VIScorp). Recently PIOS
has decided to several relations with VIScorp - or was it the other way
around? In any event, we bring you a copy of their recent announcement and
also some background information. We have copies of a statement from Mr.
Haynie and a PIOS birth announcement.
What does this PIOS situation mean for the Amiga community? We honestly
don't know but we'll keep an eye on it.
Some time ago we promised a review of Termite TCP to compliment our review
of the other new Amiga networking "stack", Miami. We hope to have that
review in the next issue. There was a recent upgrade to TTCP which we have
just gotten and begun using, and we wanted some experience with that first.
Hope you enjoy this issue,
Brad
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L A T E S T D I R E C T O R Y O P U S A V A I L A B L E
Product Information:
Thank you for your continuing support of Directory Opus and the
Amiga! After more than 12 months of extra development, GPSoftware
is pleased to announce the release of the new version the Amiga
world's most popular directory and file management utility.
Directory Opus 5.5 is more of a new version than just a simple
update and contains many changes and enhancements over the original
product.
After receiving many comments and suggestions from loyal users of
Opus, almost every facet of the new program has been examined and
subjected to user scrutiny, backed up by extensive field testing
from very persistent Beta testers. This release extends the
original Opus 5 concepts and provides many significant improvements
in both operational power and usability. From the feedback we have
received so far we are confident that you will enjoy this new
product more than ever!
Take a look at the following enhancements to see why an upgrade is
a must!
. A new Icon Action Mode gives all the power of name mode Listers
but with icons.
. Button banks and Listers need no longer be activated first in
order to see right and middle mouse button clicks.
. WorkBench Replacement Mode has been enhanced. Use Opus 5.5 with
complete confidence to replace the standard Workbench.
. An integrated OpusFTP capability lets you access remote Internet
sites directly from standard Opus Listers.
. Button banks can now be borderless with a sleek minimal dragbar
instead of a full window border.
. New Filetype-specific pop-up menus allow special menus for icons
and files. Use Filetypes to add custom menus for different types
of files and icons.
. Custom buttons have a pop-up menu giving access to an extended
selection of commands.
. New independent HotKeys are now supported.
. New Scripts system allows functions to be executed upon most
system events.
. Custom menus have been improved with multiple user menus with
sub items.
. New Automatic Filetype Creator allows you to create and test
Filetypes with ease.
. A font viewer is now included. Just double-click on a font to
view it.
. Listers now have field titles, single-click re-sorting by
fields, plus a new version field which reads the internal version
information from each file.
. New colour remapping of button and icon images with support for
'Magic Workbench' and similar systems.
. Cybergraphics RTG now supported.
. You can now selectively hide unwanted drive icons from the Opus
main window.
. Enhanced clipboard support provides full cut, copy and paste in
gadgets and file Listers.
. Listers are no longer blocked while busy - you can now resize,
iconify, and scroll busy Listers.
. Icon and Lister snapshots are now stored separately from
Workbench.
. Listers can now display a background picture or pattern.
. A new internal Opus CLI allows you quickly test commands and
ARexx scripts.
. Several new internal commands and many new ARexx commands have
been added or extended with new features. You can now even add you
own internal commands with ARexx.
Special Upgrade Offer for Registered Users!
If you are an Opus user who has registered direct with Schatztruhe,
look out for a special upgrade offer in your letter box over the
next two weeks. Otherwise you are required to send in your original
Opus disk or a similar proof of ownership when placing an upgrade
order at Schatztruhe.
*******************************************
Ordering information:
Full version (English) DM 119,00 Update (English) DM 79,00
Just send an E-Mail to stefano@tchest.e.eunet.de including your address and
the products you want to order. Please do not forget to include your credit
cards details.
*******************************************
Stefan Ossowski
--
Stefan Ossowskis Schatztruhe Gesellschaft FCr Software mbH
Veronikastr. 33 - 45131 Essen - Germany
Phone: ++49-201-788778 Fax ++49-201-798447
EMail: stefano@tchest.e.eunet.de WWW: http://www.schatztruhe.de/
Visit our Web site, join our mailing-list and obtain a FREE CD.
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S O F T W A R E C L O S E O U T D E A L S
Frankenstein Software Closeout
P.O. Box 138; New York, NY 10116-0138, USA Email:
71175.1676@CompuServe.com Tel: (516)538-6420 (7pm-11pm EST) 24HR FAX
SERVER (612)397-9675 (ORDERS) (Licensed in Nassau County, NY)
As our distributor, RAW Entertainment has discontinued operations in the
U.S., for a limited time (until March 30, 1997), Frankenstein Software is
now offering the following titles directly for VisCorp Amigas* (all orders
require $5.00 shipping and handling and 8% tax for New York State
residents):
PowerFootball
******************NEW*****************************************
A strategy/arcade solitaire football simulation in which the user can
design plays and then attempt to execute them on the field. PowerFootball
is a compact, mouse-controlled game with arcade-style graphics and 8-way
scrolling. This simulation also features advanced artificial intelligence
for the computer coach and for each player position.
System requirements: ALL Amigas (A500-A4000) with AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher
and at least 512K RAM and 512K free disk space. Can run from floppy (via
autoboot or Workbench) or hard disk (installer included).
PowerFootball is now available at $19.99 American Express, Visa,
MasterCard, check, or money order (international customers can use
Eurochecks drawn from a U.S. bank).
Mongol Commander
****************Version 2.0***********************
At 12MB disk space and 4MB RAM, Mongol Commander is a high-end simulation
of the campaigns of Genghis Khan and the Mongols (1206-1405) in Eurasia.
It features an operational level game that uses a zoom-down mode with
scaling bitmap animation on a fractal landscape for combat resolution.
Mongol Commander also features a real-world logistical system based on
animal physiology and 13th century ecological conditions.
Mongol Commander now features enhanced graphic routines from the 1995
edition, hotkeys, and a 47-page historical reference manual.
System requirements: A 68030 (or faster) CPU, AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher, 4MB
RAM, and 12MB of hard disk space (installer included).
Mongol Commander is now available at $49.99 American Express, Visa,
MasterCard, check, or money order (international customers can use
Eurochecks drawn from a U.S. bank).
Bravo Romeo Delta
***************Version 3.0*********************************
Bravo Romeo Delta is a real-time, global scale, menu-driven simulatioin of
a hypothetical limited nuclear war in 1992. Users can sieze command of
either the strategic nuclear forces of the United States or Soviet Union.
This is the most advanced openly-available simulation of modern warfare,
modeling strategic command/control/communications, early warning networks,
air defenses, and every strategic weapon, ballistic missile sub, warhead,
and bomber in the 1992 arsenals.
Version 3.0 features optimized simulators, allowing realtime (no more
pauses) simulation of attacks with as much as 2,000 warheads, as well as
background stereo sound effects.
System requirements: ALL Amigas (A500-A4000) with AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher
and at least 512K RAM and 800K free disk space. Can run from floppy (via
autoboot or Workbench) or hard disk (installer included).
Bravo Romeo Delta is now available at $39.99 American Express, Visa,
MasterCard, check, or money order (international customers can use
Eurochecks drawn from a U.S. bank).
Thank you for your patronage!
* Prices and specifications subject to change.
Email: 71175.1676@CompuServe.com
Tel: (516)538-6420 (7pm-11pm EST)
24HR FAX SERVER (612)397-9675 (ORDERS)
(Licensed in Nassau County, NY)
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P I O S A N D V I S C O R P D I S A G R E E M E N T
- P I O S S T A T E M E N T
PIOS Computer AG, Hildesheim, Germany, 24th August 1996.
New Product announcements from PIOS Computer AG has been eagerly awaited
by both the visitors to our Web-Page (over 46000 since May '96) and the
marketplace throughout Europe and the USA.
Unfortunately this delay has been caused by the inability to secure a
working agreement with Viscorp over the rights to the AMIGA patents and
licenses.
Despite repeated efforts by PIOS management Viscorp have discontinued
discussion, without giving any reasons or otherwise. This is despite
initial talks and drawing up an agreements early June of this year.
In order for PIOS to meets its business goals of providing RISC products
for both the AMIGA community and other computer users, we feel that the
time has now come to provide an new impetus into the marketplace. We can
no longer accept the Viscorp vision for AMIGA as being based on reality and
will immediately announce a range of products designed to give the AMIGA
and other computer user the power and performance they need for the next
decade. ( watch this space for Product announcements.....)
PIOS is committed to providing high performance, affordable products
through the year 2000 and beyond.
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION FROM PIOS:
A Statement by Dave Haynie {Formerly of Commodore/Amiga}
Our general hardware philosophy at PIOS is simple: we will work to bring
back Amiga compatible hardware that restores the price/performancefactors
and user confidence that will allow the Amiga's successful reintroduction.
Along with that, we want to bring back the excitement Amiga systems once
generated. In keeping with tradition, a powerful low-end system is one
initial target. We believe that a careful hardware design coupled with the
economies of the AmigaOS, and its superior handling of multimedia related
issues, can deliver a new class of home computer at a price that Wintel
systems can't match.
While price is critical here, we expect to deliver powerful, modern systems
that play great games, network easily, and offer productivity and
multimedia performance hereto for only available in high-end systems.
Above a certain price point, we expect to build systems that follow the
existing industry standards for PowerPC system compatibility. Integrating
Power PC Platform conventions (PPCP) offers the user a choice of operating
systems, making PIOS systems a sound investment even when the AmigaOS is
the primary OS of choice. Use of standard hardware components such as JDEC
memory modules, IDE and SCSI peripherals, PCI bus expansion cards, and very
probably a number of new emerging standards helps keep hardware costs down,
thanks to industry-wide economies of scale. This lets us provide a better
initial system value and it makes such systems easier and cheaper to
upgrade or customize once in user's hands.
Dave Haynie
---------------
Happy Birthday!
Wednesday, May 15, is a remarkable date in the history of computer consumer
products.
After the failure of ESCOM to revitalize the AMIGA, under the lead of
former AMIGA-President Stefan Domeyer a brand new company was founded:
PIOS Computer AG
The shareholders explained their commitment to enter that riscy market and
to create a successor for the AMIGA community. Dr. Klaus F. Bröker, an
international well respected business lawyer, was elected as the Chairman
of the Supervisory Board. After the first meeting of the Supervisory
Board, Dr. Bröker stated:
" This was the start of a new company, but if you add the experience and
background of all founders, PIOS will show it´s will to succeed very soon.
We decided to enter the North American Market already in the initial phase.
Together with our partners, Mr. Dave Haynie and Mr.Andy Finkel, we will
found PIOS U.S. Incorporated within the next four weeks."
The President and CEO, Mr. Stefan Domeyer, explained the goals of PIOS:
I know exactly the reasons we failed with AMIGA. The only chance to keep
it alive is a new start, without some burdens due to the history. I think,
the key to success is simply to exceed our customers expectations on
performance, quality and price. We must do it as fast, but as good as
possible. So, we will form some strategic alliances with companies who
have shown their capabilites in design." One of the initial shareholders is
Mr. John Smith, who will leave AMIGA Technologies to build the UK
operation of PIOS for Great Britain and all affiliated markets. John Smith
said:" I want a new generation of Power PC´s, and I want to make it
successful in UK!"
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Amiga Update on the net: recent issues available in html format at:
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All back issues available (ASCII text only) at:
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Copyright 1996 by Brad Webb. Freely distributable, if not modified.
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_ __ _ <>_ __ _ || Brad Webb/AmigaUpdate
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