o=o=o=o=o=››            Editor's Message›› You   know,  there  aren't  too  many› difficult decisions about content for› me to make as editor.  But here's one› that I had to make, and  I  apologize› if  it  upsets  any  of  you.   In my› editorial I asked  if  those  of  our› members  who  use  their  8-bits   to› access  the  Internet  would  write a› short   article   describing    their› experiences.   Although  I  knew that› ONE   of  you,  at  least,  would  be› forthcoming, I figured that  I  ought› to  cover myself, so I mentioned that› I was looking for such an article  in› the  CSA8   newsgroup.    Well,   BOB› WOOLEY,  in his position as editor of› AC MAGAZINE, forwarded to me  a  pre-› publication copy of an article he had› received   from   our   member,   TOM› ANDREWS,  on that very topic.  I have› chosen NOT to include that article in› this  issue  of  the OHAUG Newsletter› for two reasons.  First, we  made  an› agreement  with  AC  back  when   BEN› POEHLAND was editor of that magazine.› We agreed that if any of our  members› submitted  an  article to AC and that› article was accepted for publication,› we'd hold off putting it into our own› newsletter     until     after    its› publication in AC, and  then  include› it  in  our  newsletter only with the› permission of AC and the  author.   I› think  that's  a fair agreement.  The› community  at  large  will  have  the› benefit of the article, and it  won't› be  delayed  until a small segment of› that   community,   namely  our  user› group, has had a crack  at  it.   I'm› pretty  sure that neither Tom nor Bob› will object if the  OHAUG  Newsletter› reprints the article after it appears› in AC.   Second,  it  would  make  no› sense at all to call for something in› one issue of the newsletter and  have› that  something  appear  in  the very› same issue!  So, although I know  you› all  want  to  see Tom's article, you› have a choice.  You can wait until it› appears  in  the   OHAUG   Newsletter› (probably  next  issue,)  or, you can› read   it  in  AC.   If  you  haven't› subscribed to AC, perhaps  this  will› be an incentive?›› Speaking  of  that  editorial, I took› the liberty  of  reading  it  to  our› local  members  at the last meeting. › I'm happy to state, as was  reflected› in  the  December  minutes,  that the› local members showed interest in both› of  the  improvements  I  suggested. › There  will  undoubtedly be more said› on this topic in the next few  issues› of this newsletter.›› Many  of the programs we put into our› newsletter have come  from  the  Pool› Disk,  a CD-ROM of both individual 8-› bit files and "disk images."  All are› public domain, shareware or freeware.› The Pool Disk was produced by Bo  and› Ernest  Schreurs in The  Netherlands.› There will be a Pool Disk II, it will› be  released  shortly,  and  it might› even turn out to be a  double CD-ROM!› What's  more,  it's cost will be much› less than the cost  of  the  original› Pool  Disk.   When  I know that it is› available and the price is announced,› I will ask the user group to buy  it.› Pool Disk II promises  to  have  some› rather  rare, but very good, programs› on it.›› The "spacebar" program on Side  1  of› this issue of the OHAUG Newsletter is› OREGON.BAS.  It's  a  text  adventure› based on a ficticious pioneer journey› on the  Oregon  Trail,  and  probably› predates  the  well-known educational› program of that name.  Also, look for› GTIAPAD.BAS,  a  drawing program that› uses the special graphics modes  that› the  GTIA   chip   introduced.    The› program was modified to add Koala Pad› control   to  the  existing  joystick› control.  Both  the  author  and  the› modifier  have  their  names  on  the› title  screen.  Both  programs   came› from our copy of The Pool Disk.›› On  Side 2, the "spacebar" program is› SMOKEY.BAS.  It's  a  text  adventure› that  is based on the old "Smokey and› the Bandit" movie.  Play is  fun  and› self-explanatory.  You will also find› a   machine-language  program  called› REPAIR.COM.  This program solves  the› problem  of  BASIC  programs that RUN› but WON'T LIST, due to problems  with› the  disk  (NOT  DUE  TO  AN  ALTERED› VARIABLE  TABLE.)   My  advice  is to› copy this file to  a  new  disk  that› also  has the DOS files on it, run it› from  the  DOS  menu,  and  READ  THE› INSTRUCTIONS before attempting to use› it.   There  are  several things this› program won't do  reliably,  and  you› should try it on a COPY of your BASIC› program (not the original.)  Finally,› on  Side  2   is   the   maze   game,› ICECAVES.BAS.  The title screen lists› all the  moves,  so  copy  them  down› before  playing.   All three of these› programs on Side 2 come from our copy› of the Pool Disk.››              o=o=o=o=o=››››