*************************************›           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›              By ALAN SHARKIS›        OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›      ›The  PACESetter  from January 1996 --›Be  sure to check out the Modem  Boot›Camp  article  by ALAN FRAZER and the›following article  on  modem  history›(adapted  from  MERLE BARNES' article›in the July/August Nybbles & Bytes). ›Both  should  offer ample inspiration›to get out  your  modems  and  go  on›line.   PACE  also  ran  a column (no›author mentioned) entitled,  "We  Are›Not  Alone."   In  it,  they  wrote a›superb history and description of the›AAAUA,  another  stalwart  8-bit user›group.  When  reading  this  article,›please  don't  forget  to look at the›games, puzzles,  riddles,  etc.   How›PACE  can  come up with more original›ones each month is a mystery  to  me,›but  they  do have them, and they are›always enjoyable.  ››SLCC Journal for January 1996 -- It's›good  to  know  that  the  SLCC still›publishes  a  newsletter.   The  last›few, including this  one,  have  been›rather  skimpy,  but  still manage to›present some interesting information. ›Read JIM MORAN's minutes on the front›cover.›Update Atari (HACE) for January  1996›--    This   continues   to   be   an›exceptionally            well-written›newsletter.  Not only does GEORE IKEN›write  the  XS  RAM  column, which is›replete with, "XL/XE  and  ST  Rumors›And  Murmers,"  but  in this issue he›also adds  an  interesting  tip  that›would  certainly apply to those of us›who wish to fire  up  an  800  that's›been  in  the  closet  for  a while. ›George follows this  one  up  with  a›reminder  to those who may be sending›a  disk  to  another  user.   It's  a›practice that our user group  follows›when  it  sends out newsletters.  Can›you tell what  the  hint  is?   Check›yourself  by  requesting  this  issue›from me.››(FR)ANTIC (AAAUA) for January 1996 --› There is a review of  ANSITERM  1.0,›an  80-column  terminal  program that›can be used for connecting  an  8-bit›to  the  Internet.  The author of the›program, ROBERT SINCLAIR, has done  a›lot  of  8-bit  work  and  has   also›produced  a  terminal program for the›IBM  platform  that  emulates  a  40-›column ATASCII screen, complete  with›ATASCII  characters.  GREG COBY, (who›makes is presence known  on  FidoNet)›has  written  a  BBS program that I'm›dying to try out.  The only way  that›I  can  do  that, however, is to call›his BBS in California.  I've promised›myself  to  do that, but just haven't›had a chance.  However, Greg outlines›the  commands  for his BBS  editor in›this issue of  (FR)ANTIC.   it  looks›like  a  vey  sensible  and intuitive›editor, and I like the way  that  the›tabs  and  cursor movements are done.›Finally,   there's  an  obituary  for›Jannet Blocker.   I  enjoyed  reading›what  Jannet  wrote in (FR)ANTIC from›time to time, and I, too,  will  miss›her.››Nybbles   and   Bytes   (NWPAC)   for›January/February  1885  --  President›DALE   WOOSTER's   column  is  always›interesting.    In   this   one,   he›describes the move from the PAUGS BBS›that had been run by  the  NWPAC  for›many years to The Iron Horse BBS, run›by MARIO ROBBINS.  Dale mentions that›Mario  has  declined compensation but›has volunteered to do this.  Changing›from  a  user-group  run  BBS  to   a›private  one  has   always   been   a›difficult  move for user groups.  The›private  BBS  sometimes  has  carried›material which is  not  important  to›the user group's members, or contains›material with which the club may  not›want  to  associate.  I don't know if›such was the case in this  particular›move,  but  I  do  know  that  it has›created additional work for sysops in›the  past.   (We in OHAUG experienced›an actual dual BBS in the  past  when›we  called  the  WQNR  BBS.   If  the›caller was an OHAUG member, he or she›automatically  was  switched  to  the›OHAUG side.  If not, the caller would›get  switched  to  the WQNR side.  At›any time,  the  caller  could  switch›from the OHAUG side to the WQNR side,›if the caller  wished  to  enter  the›world  of rock'n'roll.  The late Kris›Holtegaard worked long  and  hard  on›that modificaton.  On the other hand,›our present  association  with  LIAUG›and  with  The  New  Nest has created›little additional work for sysop  Jim›Harris,  since  LIAUG  is  our sister›group.  Jim's only request is that we›USE  the  system!)  In the process of›following   Mario's   posts   on  the›IAN/USF,   I   have   seen   a  truly›dedicated sysop doing  his  best  for›the entire 8-bit community as well as›NWPAC.  May the  association  have  a›long  and happy life!  In addition to›Dale's column, check out the reprints›of  ROWLAND  GRANT's (XIO3, Nov./Dec.›1995) Atari 8-Bit Affairs  column,  a›type-in  program  for  the  "Science-›Fiction  Pocket  Computer," by THOMAS›DAUGHTON   (May   1989   Mile    High›Magazine)  "Do-It-Yourself   Keyboard›Repair,"  by  JOHN  NAGY  (April 1988›Michigan    Atari    Magazine)    and›"Nintendo Controllers for  the  Atari›8-Bits," DALE WOOSTER and JOHN POWELL›(Jul./Aug. Nybbles & Bytes.)››XIO#   (GCACE)  for  January/February›1996   --   This  issue  is  PACKED! ›ROWLAND   GRANT's   Atari   News  and›Rumours column has to be read even if›it  doesn't  mention  8-bit  material›once.   It  foreshadows  what  we all›know happened to Atari just  a  month›later.   For  those  of  you  who are›addicted to  games,  DOUGLAS  SKRECKY›has contributed a Game Machine Review›column,   also   very  predictive  of›Atari's moves early this  month,  and›ROWLAND  GRANT  writes   about   some›cartridges,  apparently  abandoned by›Atari, that wound up  at  retailers. ›Rowland also includes news about FTe,›some SpartaDOS utilities from  Nelson›Neives,  and  more  on   A.P.E.,   PC›XFormer, the Pool Disk, BEN POEHLAND,›DALE  WOOSTER  and  CLAY  HALLIWELL. ›There is also a long and  informative›continuation of JOHN PICKEN's article›on RAM/ROM Control on XL/XE.››(FR)ANTIC (AAAUA) for February 1996 -›-  Editor  MANUEL  GARCIA states that›the source  of  several  articles  in›this issue are messages that appeared›on the FidoNet National Atari  Echo. ›They  were  sent  to  Manuel  by MIKE›MAZZOLA, sysop of  the  Quantum  Leap›BBS.   One  such article is a type-in›program by WINSTON SMITH.  this  very›short  proram  checks  to  see  which›version  of  BASIC is running in your›computer.    "PC   to   8-BIT,"    by›ALEJANDRO  GALLEGUILLOS,  is  a  very›complete  (though  not  really up-to-›date on version  numbers  --  A.  S.)›description  of  the  many  ways   to›transfer  data  between  Atari 8-bits›and PCs.(Many of  the  software-based›solutions that Alejandro mentions can›be found on the pool disk and will be›transferred  to  our  library if they›run on the Atari side.  If  you  need›something  that  runs on the PC side,›just ask me  for  a  copy  --  A.S.) ›Courtesy  of DAVID GOSTL, we have the›text of the press release of  Atari's›merger  with  JTS.   President   TODD›SUNRUNNER  contributes  a  very funny›article about his  first  experiences›with  computers.   There's   also   a›source    for     exact     mechanism›replacements  for  the   XF551   disk›drive.››The  PACESetter for February, 1996 --›  This  issue  features  articles  on›using   AtariWriter   +.    I    used›AtariWriter  +  after  a few years of›using       the       cartridge-based›AtariWriter.  I found it to be a very›flexible program.  In fact,  many  of›the  study  guides  I produced for my›students   in   chemistry,   computer›applications,  physics,  etc.,   were›originally  done  on  AtariWriter and›AtariWriter     +.      (They    have›subsequently been transferred  to  my›PC    clone,    where    after   some›reformatting, they have survived  PFS›Professional  Write,  WordPerfect 5.1›for DOS,  and,  finally,  WordPerfect›6.1 for Windows -- A.S.)  AtariWriter›+ made  it  easy  to  create  printer›drivers  for  the two printers I used›with my Atari.  I was  even  able  to›create  downloadable  character  sets›for  both printers to accommodate the›special characters I had to use.  But›now,  reading  this  issue   of   The›PACESetter,  I've even picked up more›tricks.    CAROLYN   HOGLIN's    fine›articles  from  the Mid-Florida Atari›Computer   Club   Bulletin   (various›dates)are  reprinted.   These include›articles on addressing envelopes with›AW+,    skipping   half-lines   while›printing,  alphabetizing  lists,  and›making labels. PACE's own JEAN BROKAW›contributes  an article about the AW+›Proofreader and about the problem she›encountered when she accidentally set›the global menu to  double  columns. ›There  is  a  reprint  of  a  PAUL A.›ALHART article (June 1991 A.I.M.)  on›a  modification  for AW+ that changes›the key repeat rate.  There are  also›tips  by  THELMA  SUNVISON  (February›1993,  March  1993  (FR)ANTIC.)   And›what would an issue of The PACESetter›be  like  without  the  usual  games,›puzzles, etc.?  This issue has  them,›too.››SLCC Journal for March 1996 -- Again,›read JIM MORAN's minutes.››The PACESetter for March 1996 -- This›issue  reprints  the  press   release›dealing  with  the sale of GEnie.  (I›can state first  hand  that  the  new›owner,      Youvelle      Renaissance›Corporation,  has  every intention of›retaining the  old  GEnie  through  a›variety of payment plans and options,›but   is  also  selling  an  Internet›provider service.  Whether GEnie  can›survive  under  these   circumstances›only  time  will  tell. -- A.S.)  The›Getting to Know You column this month›features  Editor  JEAN BROKAW.  There›is a review (no author mentioned)  of›TOM  HUNT's  Snapshot  program.  WALT›LEWIS has contributed an article that›tells  how  to  print   labels   with›TextPro 5.2.  ›››*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›››