*<>*<>*<>*  THE  ALL MICRO› SHOW NO.6 1992 (ENGLAND)›   by DAVID EWENS, member OL' HACKERS› › Saturday  the  14th november, 5am, my› talking  alarm  clock  tells  me it's› time  to  rise  and get ready for the› big  day  out  at  the AMS6 show (ALL› MICRO  SHOW #6) at Stafford, England.› I go through to the other bedroom and› tell  my  friend  Stuart  Murray it's› time  to  get  up.  He came down from› Aberdeen in the north of Scotland the› day before to stay for the weekend so› that he could travel to the show with› John Mathewson and myself.› › John  (our  chauffeur  for  the day),› arrived at 6am and we set off for the› 3  and a half hour drive to Stafford.› Well!!  we thought it would take that› long,  but  about  half way there, we› got  stuck  in a large traffic holdup› due  to  a  car  crash.    We finally› arrived  at  Stafford  at 10.30am one› hour after the show had started.› › When  we got inside the show hall, we› knew  from  from  our visit last year› that  the  first  thing  to do was to› stop  inside the door, look round and› see  which  stands  were  busiest and› then  head  for them.  These would be› the Atari 8-BIT stands.  It proved to› be  the right decision except that we› didn't  know  which stand to head for› first.    There were 8 stands for the› Atari  8-BIT  only,  so we decided to› split  up  and  see  what  each of us› could  find.  I  decided  to head for› Derik  Fern's  stand (micro Discount)› as  I had placed an order with him by› phone  for  some  new software he had› advertised.      I'd  ordered  a  few› cartridges   including  two  for  the› lightgun  called  CRIME  BUSTERS, and› CROSSBOW.  They were quite expensive,› but   excellent   games.     I  would› recommend that anyone with a lightgun› should  buy  these  games, well worth› the  money.    I had also ordered two› new  disk  programmes  called  TRICKY› PRINT,  and  PRINT-LAB.  Tricky Print› is  a must for 1029 printer users, it› is  a  driver  that lets you have the› full use of Print Shop and Print Shop› Companion.     Print-Lab  is  a  page› designer  programme  written  for use› with  the  1029  and Epson compatable› printers.› › Looking   round  the  stands,  I  was› amazed to see a lot of demonstrations› not  only  hardware  add-ons, but new› software  either on release, or being› released  in  the  very  near future.› There  were  demos being shown of new› games  including  THE  LAST GUARDIAN,› TAGALON, and Tiger Developements were› showing  a  demo  of  their  new game› called  LIZARD,  a  very  good arcade› game.   Most of the stands had a good› selection   of   spare   parts,  also› 800XLs/130XEs  costing  from  #10  to› #20,  and  there were even a few 1050› and 810 drives to be found.› › After  awhile, I met up with John and› Stuart  and we all had our hands full› of  bargains  but  our  pockets  were› getting   empty  very  quickly.    We› decided to take everything to the car› and  store it away and then come back› and  have  a look around at the other› stands.  A friend had told us that he› had  seen a stand selling blank disks› at  #10 for 200, some of these were a› must.    Wandering  round the rest of› the show, we noticed that many stands› were  displaying Atari 8-BIT software› on disk and tape.› › I  only  wish  that Atari would spare› the time to attend one of these shows› and  see  just how much support there› is  for  the  8-BIT machine.  If they› were  to  show  some  interest,  then› maybe  more  software companies would› do the same.› › Mid afternoon, we decided that it was› time  to  head  home.    We  had  had› nothing  to  eat since early morning,› so  decided to stop at a rodside Cafe› for  a good meal.  Just after 6pm, we› arrived  back  home  tired,  but very› happy.     Stuart  and  I  spent  the› evening  going  through  the software› we'd  bought  and  both of us decided› that although we'd spent more than we› had intended, we didn't regret it.› › As  some of you may have heard, I and› some  of  the  other  members  of our› group,    have    started   our   own› newsletter called TWAUG, (Tyne & Wear› Atari User Group).  If all goes well,› we  hope to have our own stand at the› next  AMS show in 1993.  I would like› to   thank   OL   Hackers  for  their› subscription  to  the newsletter, and› also for offerring to give their help› in  the  future.    It  is  very much› appreciated.› › Happy  computing in 1993 to all 8-BIT› owners everywhere.› › (Editors  note:  Thanks  Dave,  for a› most  interesting  view of an ENGLISH› ATARI  show,  we  in AMERICA can only› dream and envy them.)›             ++ end ++›  ›