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Amiga Update (1998-04-20)
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_ __ _ <>_ __ _ ||
/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || A M I G A U P D A T E
/__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ || -News and Rumors-
/ \\_ | \/ ||_ _||_ \__// / \\_|| (An Occasional Newsletter)
BACK FOR THE FUTURE ||
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AMIGA and the Amiga logo are trademarks of Gateway 2000, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
980420
M I T C H S T O N E O N A M I G A ' 9 8
I C O A R E D O E S T H E E L E C T I O N
D I G I T A L U N I V E R S E - C D - R O M
M Y S T I Q U E , C H I L D R E N , A N D A M I N E T
A M I C O N P L A N S
A M I G A I N F O R M E R H A P P E N I N G S
A S I M C D F S - N E W V E R S I O N
A M I G A F O R E V E R 2 . 0
I B R O W S E M A N U A L S A V A I L A B L E
A M I G A O S I N A P D A ? ?
A M I C O M S Y S F O R T H E C O N N E C T E D
B U T W I L L I T S A Y " P O W E R E D B Y A M I G A " ?
A M I N E T C D - R O M 2 4
O N E A R M E D B A N D I T G E T S A M I G A
N E W S F R O M H A A G E & P A R T N E R
E M P L O Y M E N T P O S S I B I L I T Y . . .
Editor's Thoughts and Introduction:
We had a decision to make - get this issue to you right now, or wait
for material for our "Amiga Informer Annex" section. We decided to get
the news out quickly, especially since available space was filling up.
So in spite of the promise in the last issue, it'll be a bit before we
have another "Annex" for your enjoyment. There is some information
from the "Informer" in this issue, though.
The good news is that there's lots of news. And to top it off, like
icing on the cake, we have some quotes from the owner of the Boycott
Microsoft website owner, Mitch Stone. Those of you who attended Amiga
'98 in Saint Louis and heard Mitch speak, know that both the man and
his site are serious about what they're doing. We have some quotes
from his newspaper column about his attendance at the show.
Lots to read this time. Enjoy!
Brad Webb,
Editor
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M I T C H S T O N E O N A M I G A ' 9 8
{Following are some quotations from Mitch Stone, a guest speaker at
the Gateway 98 computer show in Saint Louis (issue 980322). These
quotes are from his "The Accidental Expert" column in the "Ventura County
Star" newspaper. The entire column can be found using a link from Stone's
Boycott Microsoft web site, http://www.vcnet.com/bms/ Brad.}
The Gateway Amiga Computer Show may have convened under the leaden
skies of a late midwestern winter cold snap, but none of the outdoor
chill was reflected on the event floor.
Inside, the trade in Amiga hardware and software flourished like
spice dealing at a Marrakech bazaar. A festive air pervaded the hall
as vendors hawked products from cloth-draped tables, and old Amiga
computers were traded like rare gems. Meanwhile, a non-stop schedule
of workshops convened in the opposite hall.
By all indications, it was your typical computer trade show. Typical,
but for one minor detail: The Amiga computer has been out of
production for years. The Amiga is an orphan.
{Description of Amiga history from Commodore through Escom removed
and a discussion of Stewart Alsop telling the Senate Judiciary
Committee looking into Microsoft as a monopoly that "we want a single
platform, because the benefits are so tremendous" while admiting that
the Windows interface makes his "skin crawl." }
...
Patience, like all virtues, deserves to be rewarded. Normally it
isn't, of course, but in the case of Li'l Orphan Amiga, the years in
the hard scrabble wilderness may have finally paid off.
Amiga's Daddy Warbucks could turn out to be Gateway 2000, the PC
clone-maker based in Sioux City, S.D. In an apparent effort to hedge
its bets against Microsoft and Intel, Gateway purchased the Amiga
assets out of Escom's bankruptcy last year.
So maybe Amiga's days of wandering are over. Or maybe not. Gateway
officials addressing the St. Louis gathering were careful to issue
diplomatic statements containing hope, but few promises.
Either way, the Amiga users have been there and done that. Remarked
conference organizer and TWA pilot Bob Scharp, "I and many other Amiga
fans intend to keep using Amigas until we can no longer purchase,
find, or make the items we need to keep our Amigas going."
Scharp expressed guarded hopefulness about the Gateway deal. "If they
do come up with better Amigas, I'll be one of the first to give it
serious consideration."
The message: With or without Gateway, we'll carry on.
This writer was invited to the Amiga Gateway conference to provide an
after-dinner keynote address on the importance of competition in the
computer industry. After wandering the show floor for an afternoon,
and chatting with a number of people, I was struck by the realization
that I might just as well be lugging anthracite to an industrial city
in the northeast of England.
There's nothing anyone can tell these folks about the value of
choosing products on the basis of their personal needs and
preferences, rather than on the basis of someone else's vision of what
constitutes a "standard."They already understand full well that one
size does not, in fact, fit all. With all due respect to Stuart Alsop,
these steadfast Amiga devotees know better than anyone else that the
object of a computing tool is not to make your skin crawl.
The joyous spirit of survival against all odds permeating the Amiga
Gateway conference was perhaps best summed up by the headline of a
flier circulating on the show floor. It read, "You Don't Need
Microsoft."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-MAIL TO THE E-DITOR
Please list me on the NEW Amiga Update List...Moved to Colorado and
haven't had the chance to make any contacts with Amiga Groups. Do you
have list of web page info in Denver/Boulder/CoSprings Area???
Thanx
Chuck
Charles Lobser
CLobser@aol.com
---
Can any "Amiga Update" readers help Charles out? Other possibilities
are to check the "Amiga Web Directory' at
http://www.cucug.org/amiga.html and the User Group Network at
http://www.amiga.org/usergroups/
Good luck!
Brad
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I C O A R E D O E S T H E E L E C T I O N
18 Apr 98
The 1998 ICOA User Representative election
------------------------------------------
An election was started at the beginning of March to appoint a User
Representative to the ICOA's Steering Committee for the next year.
The election was run by the Jay Miner Society, which was appointed by
the Transitional Steering Committee of the ICOA to do this.
Nominations were opened for a period of two weeks, and voting began a
week after that for another two weeks.
It was clear from the beginning that this was a tight schedule, and a
number of mistakes were made. The nomination period was too short and
not sufficiently well publicised. The voting was also poorly
publicised. As a result, several potential candidates were unable to
complete their nominations in time, and others may have unaware of the
election until it was too late. A disappointingly small number of
votes was cast, and three of the candidates were all but tied, with
several fraudulent votes making it difficult to decide clearly whether
any had won.
After consultation with the candidates, the Steering Committees of
the ICOA and the JMS decided to begin the election again. The JMS will
be working closely with Team Amiga, the User Group Network, and Amiga
magazines to make as many people as possible aware of the election and
able to vote.
Nominations
-----------
Nominations will be open until 30th May. Readers can nominate
candidates if they are quick!
Here's the text from the original press release about the role of
User Representative:
"The User Rep will have a full voting seat on the Steering Committee
for a period of one year, alongside the four seats for those elected
by ICOA members and a permanent non-voting veto seat occupied by an
Amiga Inc representative. This position, combining the roles of
consumer advocate, opinion-gatherer, strategist and community liaison,
will require a serious commitment of time and effort. The JMS and
other user organizations will provide support for this. The Committee
will have face-to-face meetings roughly every 3 months, and will also
attend selected Amiga shows. Expenses incurred by the User Rep in
attending these events will be paid for by the ICOA."
Postal nominations require:
* Name and signature of the candidate, with either an e-mail address
or a postal address and phone number.
* Full names and signatures of five supporters, with either an e-mail
address or a postal address and phone number for each one.
* A statement that the candidate and supporters accept the election
procedures and the decisions of the arbiters. (The procedures will
be available on the JMS web site.)
* An election statement of no more than 500 words for the JMS
election web site to publish on the nominee's behalf. (The JMS
reserves the right to reject any statement whose contents do not
appear to be legal for it to publish.)
Nominations should be sent to:
USA/Canada Andrew Bienhaus
90 Farr Crescent
Cambridge
Ontario N3C 1R6
Canada
Ben Hutchings
19 Lewell Avenue
Marston
Oxford OX3 0RL
Voting
------
The list of candidates should be announced on 2nd June, on the JMS
web site, other Amiga news web sites, newsgroups, and BBSs.
Once voting begins, postal votes must include:
* The full name and postal address of the voter.
* The name of the candidate being voted for, as given on the list
of candidates.
It will also be possible to vote on the WWW or by e-mail (Internet or
Fidonet). Details will be announced later through those networks.
Election web site
-----------------
The URL is <http://www.jms.org/election/>. This is where the full
rules of the election, statements, press releases, voting forms, etc,
will be available.
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D I G I T A L U N I V E R S E - C D - R O M
20 Apr 1998
======
OFFICIAL RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT 980419
ANNOUNCING DIGITAL UNIVERSE V1.03 AVAILABLE ON CD-ROM FOR HALF PRICE
What is "The Digital Universe"?
-------------------------------
"The Digital Universe" is an award-winning astronomical simulator
package for the Amiga computer. Since release, it has become the
standard software package for the amateur and professional astronomer.
With our new lower price, we expect the software to become more
accessible to the casual astronomy enthusiast, and to those interested
in generally learning more about astronomy.
For more information on the capabilities of "The Digital Universe",
please refer to http://www.syz.com/DU/amigacd.html on the web.
The New CD-ROM Distribution
---------------------------
The original distribution of "The Digital Universe" consisted of 14
floppy disks and a printed user manual, all enclosed within a binder.
Since more and more Amiga owners now have CD-ROM drives, we have
decided that a CD distribution of "The Digital Universe" is now more
practical than it would have been a few years ago.
In addition, the entire printed user manual is available online as a
context-sensitive help system. We had many comments from individuals
who said that with the online help and the general user-friendly
nature of the package, they have never needed to consult the printed
manual.
With these factors in mind, and to keep costs down, the new CD-ROM
distribution consists of single shrink wrapped CD-R, with no printed
documentation, box, or user manual. Online documentation is provided
to explain how to install the software, start the program, and access
the online help. For most people, this is all that is required.
The software and databases included on the CD are the complete
functional version of Digital Universe V1.03 that was being shipped on
floppy disk until now. For this reason, existing owners of the
original V1.03 distribution have no reason to upgrade to the new CD
distribution.
Cost of the V1.03 CD Version of "Digital Universe"
--------------------------------------------------
With the original floppy-based distribution of "Digital Universe", we
had a complicated price structure reflecting the widely varying costs
of shipping the package around the world. The new CD distribution is
much smaller and lighter, and thus shipping charges do not vary as
much. Therefore, we are happy to be able to offer a single price of
$75 Canadian for the package, which includes shipment via air mail to
anywhere in the world.
The lower cost of shipping means that international customers will be
able to obtain "The Digital Universe" for even less than half of its
original cost.
As a rough guideline, you can use the following table to estimate the
equivalent cost in your own currency. The amounts quoted below were
obtained from the interbank rates on April 11, 1998 based on $75
Canadian, and will naturally fluctuate:
United States: 52.62 USD
Germany: 95.84 DEM
UK: 31.44 GBP
France: 321.53 FRF
Switzerland: 79.62 CHF
Italy: 94860 ITL
Finland: 291.20 FIM
Sweden: 414.06 SEK
Australia: 79.82 AUD
Canadian residents must add 7% GST.
Bulk Orders
-----------
Groups interested in obtaining more than 5 copies of the software may
be interested in our bulk purchase plan. As long as we can send all
copies in one batch to a single address, you can obtain an additional
$10 Canadian discount per copy, resulting in a total cost of $65 each.
What about a Version 2.0 for the Amiga?
---------------------------------------
Some of you may be aware of the decision-making process we have been
going through as to whether or not to develop a V2.0 of DU for the
Amiga. So far, we have had a rather encouraging response from our
online survey available on the web at
http://www.syz.com/DU/amiga2.html - if you haven't already filled it
out, we encourage you to do so. At any rate, we are planning on using
a combination of the results from this survey and the sales of this
CDROM V1.03 to help us decide whether or not to develop a V2.0.
If V2.0 is developed, it will sell for our "regular" Digital Universe
price of $150 Canadian.
What about PPC support?
-----------------------
A beta version of a patch to allow the SAS/C compiler to create code
for PPC machines is currently available. In the next little while, we
will be looking at porting "The Digital Universe" to PPC. If you own a
PPC board, are a registered owner of "Digital Universe", and may be
interested in beta testing Digital Universe V1.03 for the PPC, please
let us know. If the PPC version is relatively easy to complete, we
hope to offer it as a free upgrade (via email) to anyone who purchased
V1.03, either on floppy or CDROM.
How can you try out Digital Universe first, before purchasing it?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A demo version of "The Digital Universe" is available on Aminet,
named Dig_Universe.lha and located in the biz/demo directory. It lets
you try out all the features of "Digital Universe", with the following
restrictions:
- only a small subset of the hypertext encyclopedia is included
- it doesn't let you simulate the night sky's appearance after June
1, 1998
- it only shows objects for a region of the sky in the vicinity of
Orion.
Nevertheless, it should give you a good indication of whether or not
"Digital Universe" is for you.
How can you get a copy of V1.03 on CDROM?
----------------------------------------
If you would like to purchase a copy of Digital Universe, you can do
so either directly from us or from one of our distributors. If you
want to contact a distributor, let us know your location and we'll be
able to tell you who might be able to get a copy to you the quickest.
Keep in mind that all prices quoted in this messages are our
"suggested retail prices" and that distributors may sell for more or
less.
We are also always on the lookout for new distributors of "The
Digital Universe". If you think you may be interested in distributing
our software in your region, give us a rough estimate of the volume
you might expect to deal with and we'll send you out more information
about our requirements of distributors and the benefits you'll
receive. Please note that we do not accept exclusive distributorship
arrangements.
If you'd like to order your copy of the V1.03 CD directly from us, or
have any questions about the package, you can contact us at:
Before June 26, 1998
--------------------
Syzygy Research & Technology Ltd.
B 1204-17a St. N.E.
Calgary, AB
T2E 4V5
Canada
Phone: 403-276-1250
email: sales@syz.com
WWW: http://www.syz.com/DU/amigacd.html
After June 26, 1998
-------------------
Syzygy Research & Technology Ltd.
Box 83
Legal, AB
T0G 1L0
Canada
Phone: 403-961-2213
email: sales@syz.com
WWW: http://www.syz.com/DU/amigacd.html
We can accept payment by Visa, Mastercard, or cheque in Canadian, US,
or UK funds. If you wish to order your package online via credit card
on our secure server, you can do so by clicking on the "Ordering via
credit card" link on our web page at
http://www.syz.com/DU/amigacd.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M Y S T I Q U E , C H I L D R E N , A N D A M I N E T
Mystique announces Creation of New Folder on Aminet Just for Children
As hosts of the Amiga's Premier Children's Site, it brings us great
pleasure to announce the completion of Stage Two of our Made For KiDS
campaign for Children's Software on the Amiga.We have overseen the
creation of a new folder on the Aminet solely for children's software
and have introduced a brand new Kids' Software Directory on our site.
This new directory is divided into several different categories and
has been carefully designed to provide you with the information you
want with the maximum of ease and minimum of fuss.It really is the
best way to find software for your children on the internet! Features
of the directory: Comprehensive Reviews Read a quality review of a
title before taking the time to download it! Screenshots System
Compatibility Information RAM Requirements Graphics Modes Supported
Workbench Versions Supported CPUs Supported Languages Supported
(Default is English)
Age Ranges
Don't waste time downloading software that's too easy/hard to use!
Local Downloads
Covering the entire planet, courtesy of the incredible Aminet
archives! We believe this new format to be a great enhancement over
the Aminet's format as it is specifically designed to help you get the
best, most suitable software for your children.The creation of this
directory has taken a considerable amount of time and shows our
commitment to children's software on the Amiga. Check out our website
for even more pages for kids including:
Web Forum
Make your voice heard on the future of children's software on the
Amiga. Original Stories For children to read online or download to
read later!
Made For KiDS
Full details of the Made For KiDS campaign including its aims and
objectives and details about how you can help! We would like to thank
Urban Mueller for his support and work in creating this new
folder.Urban, we couldn't have done it without you - keep up the great
work! We would also like to express our thanks to Haage&Partner who
have shown their support for our projects by generously sponsoring us
of a copy of their excellent StormC software to aid our developments.
This, in conjunction with the sponsorship of our company by Amiga
International, shows the overwhelming support for Mystique and for our
efforts to ensure the future of the Amiga as a computer of choice for
children and education. Finally, we would also like to announce the
opening of the new CP Support Site.Here you will find information
about, screenshots, reviews and downloads of CP - the Amiga's Premier
Children's Software. Surely a section of the site you can't afford to
miss! We would be very grateful if you could please complete our short
Survey on the future specs of CP, so that we may identify the base
configuration for CP and better serve your child's computing needs!
All the best...
Conor Kerr Director, Mystique Corporation International
E-Mail: ck@mystcorp.u-net.com
Web: http://www.mystcorp.u-net.com
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A M I C O N P L A N S
Amiga Central Ohio Network Announces the 3rd Annual Midwest Amiga
Exposition
AmiCON - The Amiga Central Ohio Network is proud to announce The 3rd
Annual Midwest Amiga Exposition! We are excited to bring this dynamic
event to the Amiga community, and we want you to be a part of it!
Where: Hyatt Regency 350 North High Street Columbus, OH. 43215 (614)
463-1234
When: October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
With the continued success of the Midwest Amiga Exposition we are
able to expand and grow to serve the Amiga community better than ever
before! The Midwest Amiga Exposition was created for users by users in
order to bring the community closer together. See and test drive the
newest, most exciting Amiga products and systems available! Attend
informational classes and seminars, and meet the people who support
and develop for the Amiga. Everything Amiga under one roof for three
days straight! This year we have expanded the floor space to almost
7,000 square feet. More than double the size of last years show!
Exhibitors can now rent space by the square foot with several size
booths available: 6x5, 8x5, 13x11, 16x11, and 20x20. Six foot display
tables with tablecloth and skirting are furnished with rental space
for no extra charge. For those exhibitors who want a professional
look, pipe and drape is also available for rental on a per foot basis.
Along with many Amiga notables and guest speakers, we will also have
hourly prize raffles, games, contests, and a GRAND PRIZE drawing to
highlight the event! Seminars and classes are becoming an integral
part of any serious Amiga show. Vendors and developers are anxious to
present new and updated products to an eager community. We are
committed to bringing top quality seminars to the Amiga community in
order for you, the end user, to get the most out of your Amiga.
To better serve show attendees, single day and two-day tickets for
the Midwest Amiga Exposition will be available this year. And, don't
worry about rushing to buy tickets ahead of time, all tickets will be
available at the door to the show, thus eliminating any possible
problems with "tickets lost in the mail".
On Friday, October 2nd developers from all over the world can meet to
find out the latest in Amiga affairs. Classes and seminars will also
be offered on that day as well.
Saturday, October 3rd, and Sunday, October 4th, the show floor will
be open along with seminars and classes. Hourly prize raffles, games
(with prizes!) and just about every company that sells something for
the Amiga will be there.
About the Hyatt Regency: The Hyatt Regency Columbus hotel at the
Greater Columbus Convention Center is the setting for the 1998 Midwest
Amiga Exposition. Superb downtown location is just minutes away from
Columbus International Airport and allows for easy access for both
guests and exhibitors. This hotel features many amenities including
indoor swimming pool, airport shuttle, currency exchange, safe deposit
boxes, covered parking, and room service all at an exceptional value.
Mention our show to the Hyatt when you call to reserve and you are
eligible for a special Midwest Amiga Exposition discount rate! General
Admission Tickets: $8.00 for a one-day pass (good either Saturday or
Sunday), $12.00 both days. Some seminars may be extra.
The Amiga needs a presence, and it also needs dedicated people
working in unison to help promote what we think is simply the best
home computer available yesterday, today and tomorrow! Shows like ours
help potential and current users find out what is available, how they
can get it, and where the Amiga is headed. Join us, this year, at the
1998 Midwest Amiga Exposition, as we celebrate the machine and the
people that make it all possible! Look for our ads in all major U.S.
Amiga publications, and our banner on your favorite web sites, coming
soon!
Visit http://www.amicon.org/mae.html for more information and
exhibitor registration.
Email: Dave Pearce - dpearce@infinet.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A M I G A I N F O R M E R H A P P E N I N G S
14 Apr 1998
Greetings all. Just a brief announcement to fill you in on the latest
happenings at The Amiga Informer.
Issue 13 of The Amiga Informer is now available. In this issue we
bring you complete behind the scenes coverage of the Amiga98 show,
including an insightful interview with Jeff Schindler and coverage of
the ICOA DevCon. We also bring you articles on Browser plug-ins, Java
and Javascript, Playable TV, another installment of Eye on Graphics
and Ask Dr. Amiga. This issue's reviews include: Visual FX volume 1-3;
Melody Sound Card; CrossMac; AmIRC; Amiga Forever; Uropa2; and,
OnEscapee. Get your issue through any of the retailers listed on our
website or in each issue, by subscription, or by calling us toll free
at 888-882-6442.
The second round or questions for Amiga University are now posted
These questions are a bit harder than the first set, so you will have
to do a little more thinking. Visit http://www.amigainformer.com and
follow the links to Amiga U. Enter our trivia contest and be entered
to win of over a dozen prizes. We're giving away nearly $2,000 in
prizes this time so don't miss out on your chance to win!
We have an exclusive review now posted to our website. If you are
interested in Video, you'll want to read the Soothsayer's review of
Play's Trinity system. Billed as a "Video Toaster Killer" the Trinity
system doesn't seem to meet everything it claims. Read the review in
our "Outspoken Amigans" section.
You can also get another perspective of the Amiga98 show from Dr.
Michael Tobin. See what he has to say in the "News" section. We will
also post an eye-opening letter from Andreas Kleinert about Piracy.
Look for it soon.
Many of the articles, columns and reviews that appear in issue 12
will soon be posted to our website. Keep your browser pointed to The
Informer's homepage if you missed this issue. We are always posting
new information to our site as it comes our way, so check us out soon!
Thanks much,
Fletcher Haug
Editor, The Amiga Informer Magazine
eldritch@mhv.net
http://www.amigainformer.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A S I M C D F S - N E W V E R S I O N
Asimware Innovations Inc. Releases AsimCDFS v3.9a
April 4th, 1998
Asimware is proud to announce today's release of AsimCDFS v3.9a.
This is a maintenance update for the AsimCDFS v3 package.
The update highlights include: Added support for the following
drives: Memorex CRW620 CD-RW drive Pioneer 32X CD-ROM drive NEC 4X6
ATAPI CD-ROM changer Sony CDU625 CD-ROM drive Pinnacle RCD4X4 CD-R
drive Pinnacle RCD4X12 CD-R drive Pinnacle RCDW226 CD-RW drive
AsimCDFS v3.9 also added the following: fixed DosPacket problem
Registered users can obtain this release via our WWW or ftp site.ftp:
ftp://ftp.asimware.com WWW: http://www.asimware.com You will need your
AsimCDFS serial number to obtain access.
The AsimCDFS software package is a CD-ROM control system which allows
the user to read most CD-ROM discs with an Amiga computer and a
suitable SCSI or ATAPI CD-ROM drive.
AsimCDFS is equipped with the following advanced features: access to
ISO 9660, High Sierra, Rock Ridge and Macintosh HFS CD-ROM formats;
FishMarket, a CD-ROM disc containing the public domain Fred Fish
collection; AsimTunes, an audio librarian/controller providing
advanced librarian and playback features; support for direct
digitizing from standard audio CDs and playing audio via the Amiga
hardware; CDTV and CD32 emulation modules, complete with autobooting
from CD-ROM discs; integrated support for Kodak and Corel PhotoCD
discs. Colour WorkBench icons are created for easy identification.
Support for resolutions from 192x128 up to 3072x2048; support for both
SCSI and ATAPI CD-ROM drives; preferences editor for all AsimCDFS
settings; and, full ARexx command set available for all programs.
Asimware Innovations Inc. is a Canadian software development house
providing innovative software solutions since 1992. We are specialists
in DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW technologies.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A M I G A F O R E V E R 2 . 0
09 Apr 1998 19:00:13 +0200
Amiga Forever 2.0 is finally available!
Suggested Retail Price DM 119.00
Ordering information:
The most convenient method of placing an order is to use our
electronic order form located at http://www.schatztruhe.de/order.html.
You can also send an E-Mail to stefano@schatztruhe.de including your
address and the products you wish to order.
*******
Amiga Forever 2.0 finally began shipping this week. We would like to
thank all customers for their interest and patience in waiting for
this release.
Amiga Forever 2.0 includes state of the art software to satisfy two
major needs of many Amiga users: to share data between Amiga and other
systems, and to use their existing Amiga software and data on
non-Amiga hardware. Additionally, software, tutorial and reference
files are included which are likely to be of interest to any Amiga
enthusiast.
Amiga Forever includes hundreds of pages of documentation in HTML and
AmigaGuide formats, with thousands of useful links and cross
references. Both the full and the upgrade versions of the product
contain:
Multi-platform CD-ROM plus Amiga floppy disk (to run the data sharing
software on Amiga computers without CD-ROM drive).
Exclusive interview with Jay Miner, "Father of the Amiga", on topics
ranging from the birth of the Amiga to computers and society, in text
format and on three audio tracks.
Amiga Explorer 2.0 networking software, which allows you to connect
an Amiga to one or more PCs, and access Amiga files (including virtual
ADF and ROM files), directories and volumes directly from the Windows
Desktop. Amiga Explorer is easier to install and configure than other
networking tools, and includes direct support for serial (null modem)
cable connections, in addition to TCP/IP.
MSH filing system to allow all Amiga computers to read and write
MS-DOS floppy disks.
Officially licensed Amiga ROM and OS files from version 1.0 to
version 3.0, to be used for Amiga emulation.
UAE Amiga emulator for Windows and DOS, and Fellow for DOS. All
emulation support files (Amiga ROM and OS, Cloanto Amiga software,
Picasso 96 drivers, etc.) can easily be used by other implementations
(Linux, Be, Next, etc.) of these emulators, as well as by future new
versions. Experimental versions of UAE for PowerPC Amiga and PowerMac
systems are included.
Picasso 96 drivers for the UAE emulation software, supporting palette
modes up to 256 colors, as well as true color.
Cloanto Personal Paint 7.1 (paint, animation and image processing
software), DirDiff 5.1 (file synchronization and replication software)
and AmiToRTF 4.2 (to convert texts from Amiga to Windows formats),
usable on a "real" Amiga as well as in the emulation environment.
Amiga Interactive Guide, by Gareth Knight: an encyclopedia of Amiga
technology, history and opinions.
All upgrades and extensions for Windows and DOS required by the
emulation software: Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0, DirectX for
Windows 95, VESA shareware software for DOS and Windows.
Tutorials and FAQs on data sharing, emulation, floppy disks, serial
links, TCP/IP, UAE, Fellow and much more.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I B R O W S E M A N U A L S A V A I L A B L E
7 Apr 1998
IBROWSE 1.2 MANUAL UPDATE
Just to keep you updated on the new manual situation, our printers
advise us that we can expect delivery later this week, some two weeks
ahead of schedule. We'll begin shipping as soon as we take delivery,
which means the first ones to go out should be falling on your
doormats either late this week or early next week.
Keep in mind that we have lots and lots of orders for the new manual
(thank you) and it may take us a week or so to ship them all. Please
don't panic unless you haven't received yours by May 1st.
HAVE YOU ORDERED YOUR NEW MANUAL YET?
As you are well aware, iBrowse has changed a great deal since its
original release, so much so that version 1.2 bears little resemblence
to the program described in the current iBrowse manual, which was
written for version 1.0. That's why we have prepared a completely new
manual rather than an addendum manual.
May we take this opportunity to remind you that if you order your new
1.2 manual before May 1st you can save over 50% on the published
price. Until May 1st the price to you is just 5.95UKP plus shipping
(on May 1st that rises to 11.95UKP).
Shipping costs: UK 1.25UKP, Europe 2UKP, Rest of world 4UKP (airmail)
(For our Stateside customers the special offer price of the manual
translates roughly to 9.80USD plus 6.60USD shipping. If you want an
up-to-date price conversion, why not use http://www.oanda.com/ )
To buy your iBrowse 1.2 manual at the special offer pre-publication
price of 5.95UKP plus shipping, simply call us on freecall 0500 223
660 (Intl. 00 44 1525 718 181) or fax us on 01525 713 716 (Intl. 00 44
1525 713 716), or email your order to:
ibrowse-sales@hisoft.co.uk
When ordering we need your name, address and daytime phone number,
your credit/debit card details and your iBrowse serial number. Our
sales and despatch staff have been given very strict instructions - no
serial number, no manual, no exceptions! (So please don't give them a
hard time about it!)
If you would prefer to pay by cheque or money order, that's fine. Simply
make your cheque or money order payable to HiSOFT SYSTEMS and post your
order to:
HiSOFT SYSTEMS
iBrowse 1.2 Manual
The Old School
Greenfield
Bedford MK45 5DE
England
Remember, to buy your iBrowse 1.2 manual at the exclusive special
offer price of 5.95UKP plus shipping (saving over 50% on the published
price), we must have your order before May 1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A M I G A O S I N A P D A ? ?
09 Apr 1998
Due to recent hardware developments it's now possible to design and
build a PDA running the amiga operating system. As we all know the
Amiga OS is very suitable for PDA's due to its small size and low
hardware requirements.
This PDA will run at about the same speed as a standard A1200, which
should be sufficient. After all, you wont be raytracing on a PDA :)
It will have a grayscale display at a resolution of about 640*200.
There will be a choice of 4, 8 or 16 mbytes of memory.
Most existing amiga programs will run on it. Software that bangs the
amiga hardware wont run since the PDA wont contain the amiga custom
chips.
It will at least have a PCMCIA port and a serialport.
Before we start to design this we need to know if there is a market
for it out there so please answer these questions.
1. Do you want a Amiga PDA?
2. How much would you be willing to pay? ( be realistic)
3. If you own a company would you be interested in investing in this
product? ( we will need funds )
4. Any comments?
Please send your reply to e96pega@mh1.hh.se and don't post it in the
newsgroup.
Thanks for your time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A M I C O M S Y S F O R T H E C O N N E C T E D
6 Apr 1998
TITLE
AmiComSys - Amiga Communicator System
VERSION
1.17b
AUTHOR
Hakan Parting (hparting@hem.passagen.se)
DESCRIPTION
AmiComSys or Amiga Communicator System is a new Internet application
for the Amiga OS.
The alone days on the net have gone. With AmiComSys you always will
have company while you are surfing.
You can see if your Amiga buddies are online, or why not find new
friends?
With the people online you can exchange messages, which pops up on
the screen. If you prefer to chat private with one of your friends,
that's also possible, with the nice private chat feature, PChat.
If you want to chat more public, there's a public chat room, HotLine.
You can also send files to your friends, with the SendFile feature.
So you can keep track of your friends AmiComSys also includes a
friends book, where you can enter name, email and comments. The
friends book is also used with the feature which allows you to hide
people logged in to server, which are not your friends. If you don't
want to hide others, you can configure the program to highlight your
friends in the client list.
The graphical interface is fully configurable like every other MUI
(Magic User Interface) program.
As of version 1.17b the feature list looks like this:
Send text messages.
Shows a client list with all people logged in.
Send Web- or Chat-requests. i.e homepage addresses and IRC channels
A message history buffer, which saves all the received messages.
Auto saving of the history buffer.
Logging.
A versatile ARexx interface.
File transfer.
Hotline, i.e the public chat room.
Private chat.
A friends book.
Show all, highlight friends, or show only friends.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Amiga Kickstart 37+ (WB 2.04+)
A TCP/IP-stack like Miami, AmiTCP3.0b2+ or compatible.
AMarquee.library v.47+. Available from Aminet, e.g.
ftp://se.aminet.net/pub/aminet/comm/net/AMarquee1.47.lha
The MUI costum class NList.mcc v.19+. Available from Aminet, e.g
ftp://se.aminet.net/pub/aminet/dev/mui/MCC_NList0_75.lha
Kickstart v.37 users also need the MUI-costum class Textinput.mcc
v.13+.
Available from ftp://ftp.vapor.com/pub/misc/textinput_13.36.lzx
MUI 3.8+. Available from http://www.sasg.com
AVAILABILITY
Available from the official homepage located at:
http://amicomsys.tibb.at
It's also usually available from Aminet. But the one there is not
working. Should have been corrected by the time you read this.
The location is
ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/comm/net/AmiComSysMUI.lha
PRICE
The requested shareware fee is 120 SEK or 16 US$.
DISTRIBUTABILITY
It's distributed as copyrighted Shareware.
Copyright 1997-1998 by Hakan Parting
----------------------------------------------------------------------
B U T W I L L I T S A Y " P O W E R E D B Y A M I G A " ?
WHITESTONE, N.Y., March 31 --
The 1998 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) is proud to
announce the complete list of the fifteen manufacturers that will
debut vehicles at this year's Show, including nine worldwide
introductions -- a record for the 98-year-old exhibition. A
spectacular showcase of more than 1,000 cars and trucks, the '98 NYIAS
will feature global debuts from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti,
Isuzu, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Suzuki.
Chevrolet World Debut Tracker
Honda World Debut Mini-van
Hyundai World Debut Avatar
Infiniti World Debut G20 sedan
>> Isuzu World Debut Amiga Hard Top <<<
Lincoln World Debut LS6 and LS8 sedans
Mitsubishi World Debut SST Spyder Concept
Subaru World Debut Impreza 2.5 RS coupe
Suzuki World Debut J2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A M I N E T C D - R O M 2 4
17 Apr 1998
Aminet 24 CD-ROM is available!
Suggested Retail Price DM 25.00 Subscription price DM 19.80
US$1 = DM 1.81 given current exchange rates.
************
Ordering information:
The most convenient method of placing an order is to use our
electronic order form located at http://www.schatztruhe.de/order.html.
You can also send an E-Mail to stefano@schatztruhe.de including your
address and the products you wish to order.
************
Aminet CD 24, dated April 1998, contains 1 gigabyte (uncompressed) of
software in thousands of archives. Since the release of Aminet CD 23
more than 500 MB new software has appeared. The current edition
includes a special Aminet-version of IBrowse 1.2., the famous browser.
An inexpensive upgrade path to the full version is offered.
Contents of Aminet 24
Directory Size Files Contents
biz 30 MB 86 Business software
comm 37 MB 171 Communications
demo 99 MB 61 Graphics & sound demo
dev 63 MB 117 Development software
disk 7 MB 26 Disk & HD tools
docs 63 MB 92 Documents
game 95 MB 201 Games
gfx 52 MB 110 Graphics software
hard 1 MB 13 Hardware related
misc 25 MB 61 Miscellaneous
mods 203 MB 460 Music modules
mus 27 MB 58 Music software
pix 190 MB 219 Pictures
text 10 MB 40 Text software
util 30 MB 234 Utilities
----------------------------------------------------------------------
O N E A R M E D B A N D I T G E T S A M I G A
6 Apr 1998
TITLE
Sovereign Slots
VERSION
1.00
AUTHOR
Steven Goodwin
steev@egrab.globalnet.co.uk
DESCRIPTION
This is a simple, but very enjoyable game of slot machines -
also known as one armed bandits, penny slots, fruities, and
any other number of colloquisms!
* Nudge pot
* Hold feature
* Hi-lo skill shot
* Configurable game boards (Babylon 5, Star Trek and standard
setups included)
* Smooth animations
* Full colour graphics (EHB, 64 colour)
* Whizzo sound effects and music
* Key shortcuts (to stop the wheels spinning for ages)
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
None
AVAILABILITY
Aminet, for example:
ftp://ftp.doc.ic.ac.uk/aminet/game/misc/slots.lha
DISTRIBUTABILITY
Freely distributable.
Copyright 1997 by Steven Goodwin.
This version uploaded by the author.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
N E W S F R O M H A A G E & P A R T N E R
17 Apr 1998
HAAGE & PARTNER NEWS April, 1998
Tornado3D v1.5 - The storm rages on!
Version 1.5 of the 3D-rendering-program Tornado3D is immediately
available.A number of improvements and extensions have been made from
version 1.0 and special attention was paid to the wishes and
suggestions of the program users.
The latest version offers, among other things, the possibility to
render single objects using conventional raytracingand freely combine
them with objects rendered by other means. Freeform-deformation-cages
offer much easier and realistic object-morphing and the newly added
field-renderingand broadcast encoding make Tornado3D fit for recording
animations to video in the highest possible quality.
For creating objects from scratch Tornado3D now offers the popular
spline-skinning method. Additionally, a number of spline-paths in
pre-defined shapes (such as squares, circles) are available in the
object-menu.
Creating animations has now become even easier and more intuitive -
almost any kind of keyframe is created automatically. On top of that
Tornado3D now offers a pose-manager that makes maintaining the object
properties much easier and also enables you to inter- and extrapolate
new keyframes from existing ones.
The Virge-chip on the CyberVision64/3D graphics-card is now fully
supported - this results in a much faster computation of the preview
images, the speed of which is unsurpassed even by a 68060 CPU.
Regarding object materials there are news as well: Tornado3D now
offers displacement maps and textures.Displacement maps, unlike
bumpmaps, cause a real modification to an object's geometry which
makes possible numerous and realistic effects that could not be
achieved through bumpmapping, which is a purely optical effect.
The camera-model used by Tornado3D now offers an almost complete
simulation of a real reflex camera, the technical parameters of which
can be adjusted within very large limits. Hand in hand with that goes
an improved depth-of-field simulation and better control over the
motion blur effect.
For beginners Tornado3D now offers useful hints and tips that are
displayed upon program start and whenever the user desires.
Project saving has been made safer and more convenient - all objects
used in a project are stored in a dedicated project-directory - thus
it is not possible anymore to accidentally store a project and forget
to save the objects it contains. Furthermore, Tornado3D now offers
'quick-access' menus for objects and projects which contain the six
most recently loaded projects/objects.
On top of that a large number of details were improved which can not
all be listed here.
Version 1.5 is shipped to all registered users directly by Eyelight.
HAAGE & PARTNER NEWS April, 1998 - Part 2
New Support Employees
We are proud to be able to announce that we have been able to improve
our support by adding five new people.They started to care for
requests by e-mail some days ago and they are also present at the
respective mailing lists.
Please welcome Udo, Martin, Klaus, Sebastian and Philipp :-)
There is also a new and improved support page on our web site that
covers all kinds of support we offer for our products.
http://www.haage-partner.com INFORMATION: info@haage-partner.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
E M P L O Y M E N T P O S S I B I L I T Y . . .
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
16 April, 1998
The Animals' Agenda, a national not-for-profit animal rights magazine
in Baltimore, Maryland seeks a one-year, full-time Video Coordinator
for its new Library & Archive Program. The position, which is located
at Agenda's offices in Baltimore, MD, is an excellent opportunity for
individuals with strong concerns about animals to learn more about the
growing field of animal rights and related subjects.
DUTIES:
* Organize a newly-acquired archival videotape collection of animal
rights-related speeches and events.
* Dub tapes to new tape stock for purposes of archival preservation.
Note electronic or physical problems with tapes.
* View, catalog, and short list videotapes on a computerized logging
system.
* Integrate other donated materials into collection as they are
acquired.
* Coordinate requests for footage.
* Other tasks as assigned, including identifying and acquiring
appropriate reference materials and other publications.
QUALIFICATIONS:
* Experience with broadcast or professional videotape and videotape
record equipment preferred.
* Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
* Training/experience as videotape or film cataloguer desirable.
* Must be able to work on own initiative.
* Experience and / or training in library or archival practices
preferred.
* Familiarity with animal protection issues and organizations.
* Knowledge of Microsoft Office products and Access highly desirable.
* Familiarity with Amiga hardware and Operating System, AmigaDOS &
AREXX, and Video Toaster would be advantageous. Especially if you have
some diagnostic/repair skills (Ie., fixing a fuse, being able to
replace a faulty chip in an Amiga 2000).
SALARY:
$17,000 (or $327/week for 52 weeks), one year, full time depending on
qualification and experience. Flexible work schedule is possible. The
position is available immediately.
Please send cover letter and resume to:
Mr. Kim W. Stallwood Editor in Chief The Animals' Agenda PO Box 25881
Baltimore, MD 21224
Fax: 410-675-0066 E-mail: office@animalsagenda.org
Please, no telephone calls.
Thank you!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Amiga Update on the net: some issues available at:
http://www.sharbor.com/amiga/news/ (in html format)
Australian Mirror Site: http://www.comcen.com.au/~paulm/index.html
All back issues available (in ASCII text) at:
http://www.globaldialog.com/AdventureCentral/AU/index.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 1998 by Brad Webb. Freely distributable, if not modified.
======================================================================
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/\\ |\ /|| || / ` /\\ || Brad Webb/AmigaUpdate
/__\\ | \ / || || || ___ /__\\ || bandr@globaldialog.com
/ \\_ | \/ ||_ _||_ \__// / \\_ ||
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