MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1993 MEETING›    ================================›› NEW MEMBERS:››   DANIEL CARRODANO of  France  joined› our  club.  DANIEL   is   an   expert› programmer and has produced some very› good P.D.  software.  He  sent  us  a› disk,  makng  use  of  the   RAMDISK.› Thanks Daniel.›   STUART  MURRAY  of  Scotland joined› our club. STUART publishes  an  8-Bit› newsletter    in    Scotland   called› "FUTURA". STUART also  reviews  ATARI› CLASSIC  in a very favorable light in› his   newsletter   FUTURA.  See  DEMO› section.›   PETER ARPIN joined our club.  PETER› is  interested  in  learning  how  to› program graphics.›   We  welcome  you  all.  I think you› will get a great  deal  of  enjoyment› out  of  the  club  and you will make› many new friends.›› CORRESPONDENCE:››   MEGA MAGAZINE from Holland is a  8-› Bit  magazine.  We  wrote to them and› sent them a newsletter disk. No reply› to date.›   A message to ALAN SHARKIS from OHIO› via the NEW  NEST  BBS.  The  message› states  "I  would  say  that my 8-Bit› does not crash as much  as  the  ones› that  our  Data Processing department› uses, which are of course IBM 3-3808.› Of  course  you  can't  store all the› information   we  have  on  the  main› frame, on an 8-Bit. It probably would› be cheaper to use 8-Bits with all the› patching, wiring and servicing to the› IBM's..  That is one of the reasons I› have an 8-Bit"›   ALEX  wrote  to  the  president  of› INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS asking for a list› of products still available. No reply› todate.›   ALEX  read  a  1987  Leter  to   an› Editor,  sent when I, (RON) published› the TURBO-BASIC FLYER. It was sort of› nostalgic to hear it.›   A  letter  from  our   member   BEN› POEHLAND,  re  his  final edit of the› February  ATARI  CLASSIC  magazine.He› said it  will  be  in  the  mail,  in› February.›   In  this  issue  we  have  a  great› article  by  our  own ALAN SHARKIS on› the SIOPC2 UPGRADE. With this upgrade› you  can use the PC as a file server,› RAM DISK, etc. for your 8-Bit. It  is› the feature article in this issue. It› is called "SLAVE THE IBM TO  YOUR  8-› BIT  ATARI".  Every  single thing you› want to know about this upgrade is in› the  article.  It is MUST reading for› every 8-BIT'ter.›   ALEX PIGNATO another OL'HACKER  has› an  article  on  how  to increase the› membership of 8-Bit clubs.  The  name› of  ALEX'S  article  is  "WHAT  USERS› CLUBS  CAN  DO  TO SURVIVE AND GROW".› Another article that  should  not  be› missed.  Also read his "LETTER TO THE› EDITOR". He writes that it is to  the› credit  of  the  8-Bit community that› says   "NEVER   SAY  DIE".  OHAUG  is› solidly behind a magazine BY and  FOR› 8-BITTERS. We also granted permission› to use any article in the  OL'HACKERS› NEWSLETTER.›   BEN  replied  that  ALEX  forgot to› mention that OHAUG performs the grunt› labor  required  to  package and mail› out   the  hundreds  of  AC  software› disks. He applauded us for doing  the› work.  We  gave  ourselves a round of› applause(grin!)›   BEN further writes that many people› are  under  the impression that ATARI› CLASSIC is under the control of  AIM.› That  is  not so. ATARI CLASSIC is an› independent  magazine  with  its  own› policies, run by us 8 BIT'ers.›   In TOM  ANDREWS,  (another  member)› article,  he  deals  with some of the› great 8-BIT  programs  that  everyone› should  have.   RON   FETZER'S   (me)› PROGRAMMING KIT is mentioned. TOM has› also a printed program  in  the  A.C.› issue and it is also on the 1st disk.› Do not miss these articles.›   The FEBRUARY issue of ATARI CLASSIC› is  truly a classic. It has even more› information  and  articles  then  the› last time. If you do not subscribe to› it  then  you  are  missing  the most› important periodical for  the  8-Bit.› More  subscribers are needed. Cost to› subscribe to the magazine  is  $25.00› per year. To receive the disk with it› add another $9.00. The address is  as› follows:›      ATARI CLASSIC›      179 SPROUL RD/RT 352›      FRAZER, PA 19355›      If  you  own  an 8-Bit or if you› read   this   newsletter  you  should› subscribe to the  magazine.  This  is› the  LAST  magazine  that   will   be› published  for  the  8-Bit  only. You› ought to support it. There  will  not› be  another!  Besides  it  is a great› magazine with many new  articles  and› features.›   From  the  THE MACHINE BBS(516 764-› 5748) DUTCH LEONARD writes that  some› potential  leaders  and  even  a club› could act as a central clearing house› for  all  8-Bitters. He suggested THE› OLD HACKERS. Thanks forthe compliment› DUTCH.›   A letter from JIM CUTLER our member› from  England  to  BOB  ULSCHMID.  He› tells us that he spent  Christmas  in› North  Wales, eating and drinking too› much but having a good time. He  said› he  is   now   on   COMP-U-SERVE   in› England.›   A  letter  from  CHRIS  CARSON  who› mailed  us  the POLISH DISKS. He said› that he might  join  our  club  at  a› later  date. He is going to summarize› our   newsletters   for   the    PSAN› newsletter. Thanks Chris.›   A letter from DAVE EWENS our member› from   England.  He  thanked  us  for› subscribing   to   their   newsletter› TWAUG.  (Read  ARTICLE  "M".) Dave is› the editor the newsletter.  See  demo› section  for  more  information. ALEX› answered that it was a very well done› newsletter  and  it  will be shown at› this meeting. We liked  the  menu  on› the disk and the labels. The articles› on the plotter (1020) were very  much› appreciated. In all, a great job!›   A  letter  from  GINA  BRYANT   our› member  from  Virgina.  She  tells us› that she is  converting  one  of  her› drives to a HAPPY DRIVE. She tells us› that she is very busy and  she  sends› her  best  regards to all the members› of THE OL' HACKERS. ALEX answered and› said  we  missed  them  all. They are› doing great!›   A  letter  from  DANE  STEGMAN  our› member  from  Akron,  N.Y. He said he› could not get to run  our  newsletter› on  his  XF551  disk  drive.  till he› switched over to  a  1050  drive.  We› can't  figure  out why that happened.› He tells us there is a new  ATARI  8-› BIT  GAMES DISK MAGAZINE. The address› is: CLASSIC 8-BIT  ATARI,  C/O  JAMES› CATALANO,  CHICAGO  ILL. He had ULTRA› SPEED PLUS installed and had the DUAL› DRIVE  UPGRADE  done on his XF551. It› was   done   by   COMPUTER   SOFTWARE› SERVICES.  He  is very happy with the› upgrades and the company that did it.› ALEX  answered  that he was very glad› to hear from  him  and  we  are  very› impressed  by the report on the ULTRA› SPEED  PLUS.  Two  members  expressed› interest now in doing it also.›   A letter from DAVID LANG our member› in  DEFIANCE,  OHIO.  He  mailed   us› information  that  was  requested  by› another  member, TOM WRAY from TEXAS.› He  tells  us  his  wife  is  also  a› computer widow just like most of  our› wives. He is looking for SUB LOGIC FS› SCENERY DISK OF CALIFORNIA. He  tells› us  that he can't wait to receive his› newsletter.›   Another letter from  STUART  MURRAY› our member from SCOTLAND. He sends us› greetings  from  Scotland.  He  is  a› student and studying  for  an  HONORS› DEGREE  in  POLITICAL  SCIENCE at the› University of Aberdeen. He  has  been› 8-bitting  since  1983. He formed the› NORTH OF SCOTLAND ATARI  USERS  GROUP› (NOSAUG).  He  published   a   GREAT!› GREAT!  newsletter  on  disk   called› FUTURA. We have issues #1 - #4 in our› library.   They   now  have  over  40› members in the club. To join his club› is  free. You only pay for the FUTURA› P.D. disk.  (Read  ARTICLE  "M".)  He› also  sent  us  some  SCOTISH   SHORT› BREAD.  It seems when you are a guest› in Scotland that is the  first  thing› you  bring.  The  members enjoyed the› shortbread. It was delicious. We gave› three  cheers to STUART and Scotland.› ALEX answered and thanked him for the› gift  and  the   "FOOT-IN"   of   the› shortbread.  ALEX  said  that  STUART› should  hoist a drink on us in SPIRIT› (grin) that is. ALEX also mailed  him› the  PROGRAMING  KIT  and  the   DISK› MANAGEMENT SYSTEM KIT.›   TOM  ANDREWS  mentions  a  Syracuse› CITY  COURT JUDGE who has an 8-bit in› his chambers!›› ITEM:››   CHRISTMAS in  FEBRUARY  DINNER  was› held    at   Mimmos   Restaurant   in› Rockville Center. Members with  their› wifes  were  in attendance and it was› again a great affair. Wish  you  were› all there.›   The  club  voted  to send $25.00 to› the NEW NEST BBS and  $25.00  to  THE› MACHINE  BBS. We feel that these BBS'› are doing a vital job  in  the  8-Bit› community  and   they   deserve   our› support.›› DEMOS:››   ALEX  demoed  the  FUTURA DISK from› Scotland. We saw Disk #2.  We  saw  a› great  game  where  you  had to put a› ball   in   a   moving  barrel.  VERY› DIFFICULT! Another game  you  had  to› push  a  log  into  a  certain  spot.› OUTSTANDING  graphics.  We also heard› the DRUM MACHINE from Poland. You can› create any kind of rythmic sound that› you want - GREAT! On side one we  saw› a  beautiful menu program. We saw the› BEST racing program  any  of  us  had› ever seen. It blew our minds.›    On   FUTURA   DISK   #1   we   saw› FOOTBALL(Soccer).   It  is  like  the› arcade game where you rotate  players› on  a  stick.  Very nice! We also saw› the game ALIEN - very nice.  On  side› two we heard some great music.›   These  4  FUTURA   DISKS   are   an› outstanding bargain at any price. You› should have them in your library.›   ALEX demonstrated his program  that› lets  you  FORMAT,   write   DOS.SYS,› DUP.SYS  and  RAMDISK.COM on the disk› without you doing anything at all. It› is  all automatic. You can do as many› disks as you want. There is a version› for  DRIVE  #1  and DRIVE #2. A great› utility. I use it all the time. It is› a  must  have  utility.  Also  in our› Library.›     ALEX      demonstrated      BASIC› ENHANCEMENTS. What this disk does is,› it creates  BASIC  MODULES  that  are› written  to  your  own disk such as a› lock, unlock, directory, slow  scroll› etc.  There are 16 options available.› These modules can be  used  alone  or› can  be  incroporated  into  your own› program. ALEX wrote the DOCS  in  the› beginning  of  the  program   and   I› contributed  the  SLOSCROL  module to› the program. It is  like  creating  a› MACRO  for  a   BASIC   program.   An› outstanding disk. A great programming› aid!›   We also saw ANTICPAC. It takes  any› BASIC  program  and turns it into raw› decimal data statements with a  BASIC› loader  on top. Great for those READ-› DATA statements  with  numbers.  When› run  it  will write the original file› exactly  as  it  was  written.  Fixes› ATARI REV. B bug  of  the  OS  system› that  adds  16 sectors every time you› save a  program.  It  also  has  some› other great utilities in it›   We  saw a screen dump program. This› utility loads itself into PAGE  6  of› the  memory  and  then  you can print› text in GR 0. It  is  a  SCREEN  DUMP› program.  All these 3 programs are on› one disk. Can't beat that!›   We saw the  TWAUG  newsletter  disk› issue #1 from our members in England.› The graphics were great on the  disk.› This issue has a lot of games on it -›   UNCLE   HENRY'S   NUCLEAR    WASTE,› REBOUND,    STAR    SECTOR   DEFENSE,› WHEIGHTY DEMO, EXTENDED  MEMORY  TEST› (Tests  your  RAMDISKS).  It also has› the  ATARI  PLOTTER  (1020)  PROGRAMS› #1,2,3,4. A great disk to have.›   We saw some games from Poland. They› are  distributed  by  CHRIS   CARSON.› There  are  5  games on this disk. We› saw GABI. A squirrel  has  to  gather› nuts  for  the  winter and a place to› crack them. Graphics are outstanding.› A  very  good  game. We tried to play› DZUNGULA. We  could  not  get  it  to› load. HAROLD said we have a good copy› in the library. It is  a  board  game› with  animals   that   have   various› powers.  There  is  a  doc  text   in› English  that explains what the games› are about.›   ALEX demoed  our  revised,  revised› WELCOME  DISK. ALEX said "this is the› last revision"(Yeah sure - grin).›   We put a disk with  all  the  PRINT› SHOP  OL  ' HACKERS ICONS and lots of› P.S. UTILITIES in the library.›   We saw  a  French  disk  from  CLUB› CENACAL.  All  card  games in French.› Interesting but NON PARLVOUZ FRANCE.›   JAMES MCGOWAN sent  us  a  modified› AUTORUN.SYS  that  lets  you read the› newsletter with a joystick.  A  great› improvement. See article.›› DOOR PRIZES:› BOB ULSCHMID- ALAN SHARKIS -JOE LEBER› -AL ATKINS› Submitted by›                 Ron Fetzer› >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>END<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<››