›              o=o=o=o=o=››           Editor's Message›            by Alan Sharkis›› I put this issue together in a hurry.› You  will  see  the  evidence of that› here   and   there   throughout   the› newsletter.   Life  has been a little› rough around here lately, but  should› smooth out soon.  In addition, we had› only  two  weeks  from  the  February› meeting  to  the  March  meeting,  at› which the newsletter will  be  mailed› out.   As  I write this, I am missing› one   file  --  the  minutes  of  the› February   meeting!   If  it  doesn't› appear   and   another   article   is› substituted,  it  is because I didn't› get it in time.  However, as you will› see  in Jack's message, we spent time› at the last meeting teaching  Barbara› Keller  how  to upload the minutes to› my PC.  So, if the minutes do appear,› you  will   know   that   they   were› transmitted  to  me via modem instead› of snail-mail.  We're moving into the› modern  age,  folks!  Hold on to your› hats.›› The   program   that  runs  from  the› spacebar on Side 1 this  issue  is  a› Simon clone called BLINKY.  It's more› difficult   than   Simon,    however,› because  you  use  the number keys at› the top of your keyboard  instead  of› hitting  large  buttons  that  are in› close proximity to the lights.   AND,› Blinky  has seven lights to watch and› listen to, not  just  four!   As  you› will note, the BASIC file is only two› sectors long.  I could call  that  an› April   Fool  joke,  but  it   isn't.› Blinky  is  a  classic  example  of a› machine-language program that uses  a› BASIC loader.  If you run it from the› spacebar, you will  notice  that  the› colors  are  incorrect,  making   the› game's objects hard to see.  When you› get   to   the   game  screen,  press› <RESET>.  That will restore the black› background,  but the game will remain› in memory, ready  to  play.   If  you› copy the program to another disk, the› colors should be normal  without  the› need to press <RESET>.  But if you do› that,   be   sure   to   copy    both› BLINKEY.TXT  and  BLINKEY.OBJ.   This› program  came  from  the  July-August› 1996  issue of the TWAUG Newsletter. › Also on Side 1 is  the  very  popular› adventure  game,  DUNE.   I've put it› here   in   Discomm  form  (DUNE.DCM)› because it was important to  maintain› the  special DOS with  which it came.› I've also  put  the  DISCOMM  program› (DISCOMM.COM)  on  Side 1 so that you› can  easily  convert  DUNE.DCM  to  a› complete disk.  You'll need  a  blank› disk  for  the  process,  of course. › Unlike the  library  disk,  the  DUNE› disk  will  be single-density.  After› the Discomm process is complete,  you› will  find  three  text  files on the› disk;    DUNE.DOC,    DUNE.VCB    and› DUNE.CHT.  Print all three  out,  and› read  DUNE.DOC  and  DUNE.VCB  before› playing the game.  It would even be a› good idea to have them present  while› you  play.    If   your   frustration› tolerance  is  low, you might want to› sneak a peek at DUNE.CHT, too.   DUNE› comes to us via Pool Disk Too, from a› club called BRE -- thier disk  number› 098.   Please  note  that  there  are› three informative articles on Side 1,› in   addition   to   the  usual  ones› (minutes,  messages.)   One,  by  JOE› HICSWA   (choice   B  on  the  menu,)› provides   hints   and   undocumented› commands  for  XLENT Word  Processor.› The second (choice I on the menu,) by› yours truly, acknowledges a potential› problem you might have had  with  the› last  newsletter  disk  and  suggests› how this will  be  remedied  starting› with this issue.  The third (choice J› on the menu,) also  by  me,  is  some› late-breaking  news  that   Atarians,› particularly  those  who  spent hours› calling BBSs as I did, will find very› exciting.   Also  please  note   that› there   are   several   changes   and› additions in the  e-mail  list.   All› changes  and  additions in the e-mail› list are marked with asterisks.›› On Side 2, the program that runs from› the  spacebar  is  QT.BAS, from ANTIC› Magazine of January, 1985.  I had  an› interesting  time  typing   in   that› program when it first came out.  That› process helped push me toward a  disk› subscription!   But  now,  here's the› April Fool joke.  I'm not giving  any› instructions for this game.  You have› to figure out (or remember) what  the› little  bird  is  supposed to do with› the blocks of ice,  and  you  have  a› time  limit  to beat!  Also on Side 2› look  for  TRIVIA.BAS,  a  fast-paced› trivia quiz with  six  categories  to› choose  from,  TRIAD.COM,  a  classic› shoot-'em-up,  and   RAILKING.COM,  a› very   involved    but   interesting,› one-to-four player, railroad-building› simulation     game,    maybe     the› predecessor  of the  popular Railroad› Tycoon series for the ST and PC.  The› file,  RAILROAD.DOC is  also on  this› side, and I suggest that you copy  it› and RAILKING.COM to another disk with› DOS files on it.  You can use the DOS› <C>opy  command to  copy RAILKING.DOC› to  your printer  and read about  the› game before you play it.  Since  this› is a game that must be saved (I doubt› that it can be finished in one night)› you would do well to have it  on  its› own disk,  along  with DOS files  and› the text file.›› I hope you enjoy this issue.››              o=o=o=o=o=›››