*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››          NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›            by Alan Sharkis›      OHAUG Newsletter Librarian››I've  been  very  busy  with  lots of›things lately.  I've installed a  ton›of  things  on  my Pentium, including›WordPerfect 6.1  for  Windows  and  a›brand  new  Hewlett-Packard   Deskjet›660C  color inkjet printer.  So what,›you   say?    Isn't   that   outright›treason?   Well,  not if you consider›the fact that I've also  installed  a›test  copy of a software package that›works with my SIO2PC cable but brings›in several new features.  The program›is called Atari  Peripheral  Emulator›(APE).  It allows me to use the Atari›through my Pentium's  internal  modem›and  printer  -- yes, that same color›inkjet printer!  I won't be  able  to›print  colors,  graphics,  or ATASCII›characters (I don't think)  but  text›is  no  problem.   As for that modem,›well, it's rated at 28.8Kbps, but its›speed  is  restricted to 2400 baud in›this trial copy of the  program,  but›if  all  goes  well,  I'm  going   to›register  it  and  test  out the full›registered version at 19.2  Kbps  and›write a review for you.››It  seems  that  people  in the Atari›user groups  around  this  hemisphere›have been busy too. Read on.››The  NVACE News for September 1995 --› Jim Ullom writes about a topic  near›and  dear  to  my heart: transferring›files from the 8-bit to  a  PC.   Jim›restricts  his  coments  to the null-›modem approach, but covers it well.››UPDATE  ATARI  (HACE)  for  September›1995   --   Although   there  are  no›specific 8-bit articles, please  read›XSRAM  by GEORGE IKEN.  There are two›uses of 8-bits that he describes that›might  surprise  you!   Did  you know›that 8-bit computers  of  all  makes,›including  Ataris,  are still used by›cable   companies    for    scrolling›messages?   Did  you  know  that  the›joystick  ports on an Atari 8-bit are›bi-directional and allow for programs›to run robots and other devices?››L.V.A.U.G.  News  --  This  is a very›full issue.  No real  8-bit  articles›are  included,  but  you must read it›anyway.   General  interest  articles›abound and are fascinating.   There's›one  that covers the potential use of›computer chips  in  the  human  brain›(seriously!), another that deals with›vocabulary you may come across  while›on-line,  a third is a reprint of the›Aspirin Cake  Recipe  from  the  June›1995  issue  of the PACESetter, and a›fourth  deals  with  the  process  of›finding   good   homes   for   orphan›computers.››XIO3  (GCACE)  for  September/October›1995  --  "Expand  Your  8-Bit!"   by›ROWLAND  GRANT  has  some   fantastic›ideas  for  just that.  In fact, it's›where I first  heard  of  the  A.P.E.›software  I  described  at the top of›this column.  Also  included  in  the›column are descriptions of Bob Puff's›Black Box, and an 8-bit emulator that›runs on the Macintosh.  Other tidbits›are included in the  article,  so  be›sure  to  read it all.  An article on›Dot Matrix  Printer  Care  by  Harvey›Hoopfer rounds out the issue.››(FR)ANTIC (AAAUA) for October 1995 --› This issue  contains  material  that›really pertains to AAAUA members, but›is typical, I believe of  most  8-bit›user  groups.   I  refer   to   their›hard/software  inventory  on the back›cover and RUSSELL  STOWE's  State  of›the  Association  column.   But JAMES›MARTIN has contributed a well-written›column  entitled  "My  First  Time." ›It's    worth    reading   (and   not›pornographic, if that's what you were›thinking!››The  JACG Newsletter for October 1995›--  This  seems  to  be  a  temporary›format, but represents  a  return  to›print  newsletters  for the JACG!  We›congratulate them for bringing out an›issue after too long a gap.  There is›no 8-bit article.  A  quick  perusal,›however,  of the ST-based DOM reveals›that a German 8-bit emulator has been›released.   The arcived file includes›a version for the ST and another  one›for the Falcon 030.  Documentation is›in German.  Also in  this  issue,  on›the  front  cover, is a request for a›Polish alphabet font  for  the  Epson›5000  24-pin  dot-matrix printer from›JOE HICSWA.  Can anyone help?››MVACE News for October 1995  includes›a  humorous  article  about  computer›viruses.››The  PACESetter  for  October 1995 --›  VITO   A.   RAIA   submits  another›vocabulary list for  us.   This  one,›entitled,  "So  What  Else  Is  New?"›includes several terms I haven't seen›elsewhere.   JEAN  BROKAW  submits  a›column on printer maintenance  and  a›second one on special printer control›codes and how to send them from AW+. ›JOHN SLEZAK is the featured writer in›the  Getting  to  Know  You  column. ›There is a reprint  of  JEFF  PAYNE's›Smilie  Dictionary from the July 1995›issue of the ABACUS (Atari  Bay  Area›Computer  Society),  and  one of ALEX›PIGNATO's article on OHAUG.  It's  an›update  to  the  OHAUG   story   that›appeared  in Z*Magazine back in 1987,›and  was  printed  again  in  Current›Notes and AC.››PACESetter for November 1995 --  JEAN›BROKAW  advises  that the Clearwater,›Florida  Public  Library  will  offer›free Internet access to anyone with a›2400  baud  (or  better)  modem, with›restrictions.  The library  will  not›allow  chat  groups  or   access   to›pornographic    material.      Sounds›reasonable.   Jean  also   gives   us›methods  for   safely   thawing   and›cooking    turkeys    and     recipes›appropriate  to  Thanksgiving and the›days  after,  AND  an  original  poem›designed to motivate entries into the›club's  Creepshow  Contest,  AND   an›article  on   presenting   demos   (I›learned  about  sentence  length from›the late Casey Stengel and  the  late›Robert  Wagner, Jr. -- A.S.).  ROBERT›HAMILTON   is  the  subject  of  this›month's Getting to Know You  column. ›JOE  HICSWA  writes about JACG in the›We Are Not Alone  column.   You  must›read  the  column  entitled, "A Short›Story" (author unknown.››So, you see, the activity continues. ›New people are joining the community,›old-timers are still  active  or  are›re-activating, and the 8-bit's demise›is still far away.››*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››››