== <> ==›           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›             by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› Here we are, fresh from what promises› to  be the revival of an organization› called   NEAR*US,   which   might  be› looking at a name-change very  soon. › NEAR*US,  for  the uninitiated, is an› umbrella organization of user  groups› in  the North Eastern United States. › It looks  like  we're  headed  for  a› widening    of   the   organization's› responsilities,  both  in  geographic› area and in terms of  the  nature  of› its  means  of   communicating   with› Atarians  of  all  stripes.  Those of› you who know me,  whether  personally› or through my writing, know that I've› always favored a meeting of the minds› of all computer users for the benefit› of all.  Now  we're  faced  with  the› gradual,  but inevitable, dissolution› of the Atari community.  Atari, Corp.› seems  unwilling  and/or  unable   to› concentrate  on  the  manufacture  of› computers.    Will   this   stimulate› separation into two camps -- computer› owners  versus  game system owners --› as  the abandonment of the 8-bit line› seemed  to  widen the already-present› gap between 8-bitters  and  ST  users› several  years ago?  I really hope it› doesn't.  We 8-bitters,  as  well  as› the  ST  fans and the gamers, do have› common roots, common concerns, and  a› great  need for sharing with others. › An expanded NEAR*US, perhaps  with  a› committment  to isolated Atarians who› don't   belong  to  user  groups  via› tele ommunications, may  provide  the› answer.   It  will be a major effort,› exceeding that of the campaign to get› AC started a few years back by factor› of one hundred.  It  will  also  take› the    resources,   time,   financial› committment and leadership ability of› many  in  our  community  to  make it› work.›› Meantime, user groups are doing their› part,  as evidenced by the new letter› reviews  I've  written  below.   It's› obvious  that  user  groups,  through› their newsletters, are a  vital  part› of any effort that NEAR*US will make.› OHAUG, of course,  has  a  world-wide› membership.   That's  about as spread› out as you can get.   The  newsletter› has to be the only attraction to club› membership  for  people  living  some› distance from  our meeting  place  on› Long  Island.   But, I'm going to put› in a pitch to support magazines  like› Current Notes and Atari Classics with› subscriptions, articles and  ads  and› to  GET  ON  LINE!  Dust off that old› modem and put it to use.   Call  your› nearest  IAN or NEAR*US networked PRO› BBS or  an  Oasis,  Carina  or  FoRuM› board.   Call  FidoNet.  Yes, I know,› Fido   operates   mostly    on    IBM› compatibles.   BUT, it carries a most› active and informative Atari National› Echo,  which  is  devoted  to   8-bit› Atarians and their concerns.  If your› local Fido sysop  doesn't  carry  the› echo, prod him to do so.  Sign up for› an on-line service's like  GEnie,  or› Delphi,  or  CompuServe,  or  America› Online.   I've  named  them  in   the› approximate  order  of their Atari 8-› bit participation.   Each  and  every› one  can  also  get you access to the› InterNet where there is lively  Atari› discussion going on all the time.  We› have a great  need  to  contact  each› other,  or  our community will surely› dissolve that much faster.›› (Editor: AL very ably puts into words› the  thoughts and hopes of all of the› OL' HACKERS to "SPREAD THE WORD".  We› will do our part, won't you do yours?› A.P.)›› NOW ON TO THE NEWSLETTERS:›› The Pacesetter for November, 1994  --› PACE  thanks ALEX PIGNATO for sending› the Mask Maker  program,  which  PACE› selected as their DOM for October.  I› used that program to cap off a  kid's› educational software display at OHAUG› several years ago and can  attest  to› its utility and the fun it produces. › JEAN BROKAW of  PACE  reviews  Recipe› Converter,  and  writes a tutorial on› The Print Shop  as  a  signmaker.   A› page  of new Smileys, the result of a› contest run by O'REILLY & ASSOCIATES,› is  submitted  by  PACE  member   JIM› PARRISH.   Smileys are little markers› consisting   of    common    keyboard› characters placed in messages left on› BBSs  and  the  like.   To  "read"  a› Smiley, you incline your head to  th‚› left.   Those   reproduced   in   The› Pacesetter  may  violate the original› intention   of   a   Smiley  (it  was› supposed to show the emotion  of  the› message   writer),   but   they   are› extremely clever.  The  usual  clever› sayings, poems, puzzles and a reprint› of   the   STEVEN   BERG  article  on› builidng a  computer  desk  for  your› Atari  8-bit  system  round  out  the› issue.›› (FR)ANTIC  for  November, 1994 -- BOB› HUDDLESTON writes a review of Eastern› Front  (1941).   Bob  was  tempted to› write this review after  seeing  that› the  game  was  just released for IBM› compatibles!  It was  a  favorite  of› his for many years.  His review isn't› entirely favorable.  Bob's  philosopy› of  what a strategy wargame should be› may not be yours, but his  philosophy› is interesting enough for you to read› the   review.   RUSSELL  GIBSON,  who› wrote  the  Keypad  Driver  Moderator› program that appeared in  the  August› 1994 (FR)ANTIC, has begun a series in› the November issue about how  such  a› program  can  be  written.   It looks› like   an   interesting  approach  to› programming.  There is also a reprint› of the DOS 2.5 Ramdisk Update article› by RICK DETLEFSEN of Austin ACE.›› Nybbles       and      Bytes      for› November/December 1994  --  President› DALE WOOSTER has a lot to say in this› issue.  In his first page article  he› mentions  the  fact  that   a   local› retailer  had lots of requests for 8-› bit  software  recently.   Dale  said› that for some unknown reason,  people› are  dusting off their classic Ataris› and using them again.  (I  wonder  if› the  PC  XFormer's   appearence   has› anything  to  do  with  it  -- A.S.) › Dale     also     contributes    some› interesting news  in  his  Late  News› Flash  column,  a  great  recipe  for› chili,  and   yet   another   TextPro› update.   Vice-president MERLE BARNES› writes an interesting anecdote  about› his  computer and his grandson.  It's› a must-read.  A  reprint  of  ROWLAND› GRANT's  Atari  8-Bit  Affairs column› from   October  XIO3  completes  this› issue.›› S.L.C.C. Journal for December, 1994 -› - BOB SCHOLAR gives us a quick review› of TEDIT, from Analog #54.  This text› editor,  like  most,  is  not a full-› blown   word-processor,  but  can  do› simple text  manipulations  in  those› instances  where  you just don't want› to load a full-blown word-processor. › Take  a   look.    President   ROBBIE› BRIDGES has an interesting message on› the inside of the back cover.  See if› you  can  tell  what  he means in his› last sentence.›› XIO3 for December, 1994 -- The  GCACE› gang  has been busy gathering news in› lots of areas.  Of specific  interest› to the OHAUG is ROWLAND GRANT's Atari› News and Rumours column, which starts› on  the  front page, and his Atari 8-› Bit Affairs column  which  starts  on› page 12.  The latter article is quite› full,   and   mentions,   with  great› praise, our own  RON  FETZER's  First› XLent Word Processor Template.›› The  Pacesetter for December, 1994 --›  There is a reprint of JOE  HICKSWA's› article  on  using  a semicolon after› directives in First  XLent  from  the› OHAUG Newsletter of September/October› 1994.  RON FETZER's article about the› First    XLent   template   is   also› reprinted,     and    JEAN    BROKAW,› Pacesetter editor commented that  she› tried  the  template and that it was,› "extremely helpful."  There is also a› reprint  of  JOHN COLLINS' article on› shipping     hardware     from    the› September/October  issue  of  Nybbles› and Bytes.›› It's clear that 1995 will be  a  year› of  challenge  to the Atari community› at large, and to  owners  of  classic› Ataris  in  particular.   Let me take› this  space  to  wish  our  community› continued survival and success and to› wish  each  and   every   individual › reading this column a Happy, Healthy,› Enjoyable and Prosperous New Year!›› (Editor:  O.K. gang, lets   meet  the› challenge!  USE YOUR MODEMS,  "SPREAD› THE WORD"...COMMUNICATE with all  the› other ATARIANS. Thats how we can make› our ATARI'S continue to be of  value!› A.P.)› *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›