*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›             by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› Wow!   The weather has been a see-saw› these past few days.   I  planned  to› sit down and write this column today,› never   suspecting   that  we'd  have› temperatures   approaching    seventy› degrees on Long Island.  Earlier this› week, April 1st to be exact, we  were› hit  with  snow.   No,  it was no big› deal on Long Island,  but  it  played› havoc  with  a  good  part   of   the› northeast.   So,  I'm  debating  with› myself whether to write the column or› go out and enjoy the weather,  and  I› just  decided  to  write  the  column› early  and then enjoy the weather.  I› guess that's a good compromise.›› Speaking  of  compromises,  sometimes› that's what computing is all  about. › The perfect computer with the perfect› operating   system  and  the  perfect› software is a myth.  Our needs  vary,› and we have to go with the compromise› that suits those  needs  best.   I've› been  playing  with   computers   for› fifteen  years,  and  I've  seen many› changes.  Most of those  changes  are› part of an effort to achieve the best› (and most profitable) compromise  for› a large number of users.  For many of› us, the  platform  that  remains  the› best  compromise is still the Classic› Atari.  For others, like myself,  the› Classic  Atari  no  longer  holds the› position   of   workhorse   in    our› computing  lives,   but   remains   a› comfortable  old  friend whose limits› have still not been reached.   I  try› to  push  those  limits in my own way› and applaud the efforts of others who› continue  to  push them.  As evidence› of   the   vitality   of   these  two› categories of Classic Atari users, we› need only point to the continuance of› user groups  and  their  newsletters,› which  keep Atari users supplied with› technical support, the reliability of› kindred  souls, and the challenges we› need to keep using our  machines  and› to  keep  pushing  their capabilities› further.›› (FR)ANTIC (AAUA) for December 1996 --› Editor MANUEL GARCIA's  Editors Notes› column touches on the process of user› group    survival   despite   serious› challenges to that survival over  the› years.   He  gives a few hints on how› the group can continue  in  spite  of› all  the  challenges  it  now faces. › It's a MUST READ for everyone in this› user group.  Should any of us wish to› visit   San   Antonio  in  1997,  the› group's meeting calendar is  included› in  this  issue as well.  An index of› ANALOG   MAGAZINE,  issues  1-66,  by› article, is also included.›› Cenacle-News  for  December  1996  --› Club Cenacle is  a French user group,› and  we've  received their newsletter› only   sporadically.   However,  this› issue was soon  followed  by  a  much› larger one (see below) and we hope to› get more.   The front cover discusses› new  products  available  to the club› from   Micro-Discount   in   England,› reviews  a  series  of  programs from› Futura (NOSAUG, Scotland) and  Polish› sources,  notes  with   sadness   the› passing of ALEX PIGNATO and gives the› new contract addresses for OHAUG.›› LVAUG NEWS for January/February  1997› --  This  is  the Lehigh Valley AUG's› tenth anniversary issue.  It contains› some  retro  material.  There  is   a› reprint  for an ad with specs for the› 800XL.    There  is  a  list  of  BBS› Commandments     which     Originally› appeared  in  the  LCACE  Journal  of› March  1993,  and which was reprinted› in the July 1996 PACESetter.  There's› an  article describing the Guttenberg› Project and how changes in the nature› of  the  Internet  have  disappointed› MICHAEL  S. HART, the founder of this› project.   In  the  days  of  massive› marketing  campaigns  filling  up  E-› Mail,   Web   and  Usenet  bandwidth,› Hart's project to  put  thirty  books› per month on the Web remains a worthy› endeavor but  must  be  frustrating. › There  is  a  type-in  program   that› provides  us  with  exercises for our› peripheral   vision.    There  is  an› explanation of the various types of 5› 1/4"  floppy  diskettes   and   their› ratings.   Although  this information› may seem dated, consider for a moment› the fact that such media may becoming› scarce, yet  it's  what  we  Atarians› must  use.   A  wealth  of  cartoons,› puzzles  and  humorous  articles fill› out this issue.›› Cenacle-News  for  February  1997  --› This issue is  quite large (a 41-page› booklet)  and  gives  a more thorough› idea of the  club's  activities  than› I've      ever      seen     before. › Unfortunately, it is the  last  issue› to  be  done by Editor REMI GALLOPIN,› who's leaving Club Cenacle.  It  came› with two disks which will go into our› library.  One of those disks contains› UNARC.COM  and  a  tremendous  set of› utilities in arced  form,  but  these› files  have  been  password-encripted› and  will  not unarc properly without› the password.  (See the April Minutes› for  the  password.)  The articles in› the issue include Remi's  reviews  of› programs  from various sources, BRUNO› ROUDOT's   rather   complete   2-part› article      on      Atari       disk› drives(including a description of the› functions of all 13 SIO  lines),  his› translation  of  RICH   MOORE's   "C"› copier    (not    the     programming› language).   There  is  a translation› into French  (done  by  OHAUG  member› DANIEL    CARRODANO)   of   GARY   S.› DOMBROW's   (Analog,  February  1986)› article  on  modifications  to  DOS. › Daniel   has  also  translated  other› articles in the issue.  In fact,  the› articles  are  so  numerous  and   so› informative  that  it would take more› than this column can hold to properly› summarize    them.     Therefore,   I› strongly suggest that  you  brush  up› your  high  school  French  (or   get› someone  who  can  do it for you) and› read the issue cover to cover.›› (FR)ANTIC for February 1997 --  Check› out  TODD   SUNRUNNER's   President's› Veiwpoint  column.   Todd's  optimism› and enthusiasm is to be admired.  His› vision for the  future  of  AAAUA  is› bright  and  exciting,  and  he   has› specific  agendas  in mind.  Pictures› of those attending  AAAUA's  February› meeting  are  included in this issue,› so now you can put a face to the many› familiar  names  from the San Antonio› group.    Former   president  RUSSELL› STOWE brings  up  the  concept  of  a› cross-platform club once again.  Time› will tell if, unlike the  last  time,› the  AAAUA  members  will accept it. › There is also a short type-in program› to demonstate video artifacting  (The› program works  --  I've  tried  it  -›  ed.)›› The  PACESetter for March 1997 -- The› editorial by JEAN  BROKAW  makes  the› point  that  it's  time  for  PACE to› admit   to  the  existence  of  other› platforms and perhaps carry  articles› on    cross-platform   use   in   its› newsletter.  They've chosen to  begin› by reprinting my series on emulation.› (I'm flattered and  grateful,  but  I› just  wish  to  reiterate that what I› wrote was based on emulators as  they› existed  at  the  time  I wrote about› them.  They've improved even  in  the› few  months  between then and now, so› watch out for new version numbers and› features! -ed.)  An article entitled,› "Let Your Fingers Do The Walking"  by› BILL  QUINN of the Tampa Bay Computer› Society  Bits  and  Bytes  calls  our› attention to the  government  offices› on the WWW, and how these can be used› to get government publications,  even› IRS  forms,  with  computers.    JEAN› BROKAW includes some tax tips and web› sites   of   her   own,  including  a› delightful  tax  court  story.   Jean› also   gives   us   a  procedure  for› designing   Easter   Eggs   with  the› graphic editor feature of  The  Print› Shop.   There  are also many puzzles,› one-liners, etc., in  the  PACESetter› tradition.›› SLCC  Journal  for March 1997 -- This› newsletter   clearly   reflects   the› cross-platform  nature  of the SLCC. › But its 8-bit side  is  reflected  in› several  places  -- the club minutes,› the DOM  program  list,  the  officer› list  and the fact that BOB WOOLEY is› its editor.›› (FR)ANTIC for March 1997 -- President› TODD  SUNRUNNER  has written a column› which exhorts AAAUA members first  to› come  to  meetings and second to come› with lists of questions  they'd  like› answered.   He  has also imbedded two› type-in prorams in his  column,  both› of  which  work  and  are interesting› uses of BASIC.  Try  them  out.MANUEL› GARCIA  reviews  Printpower.  On  the› back  cover,  Manuel  also writes his› opinion   of  why  the  AAAUA  should› include other platforms.   He  quotes› the constitution of the AAAUA to show› that   such   a   change  is  neither› authorized   nor  prohibited  by  the› club's  constitution.   There's  also› another type-in program  from  Analog› Magazine  which does windo graphics. › I've tried that one,  too,  and  It's› quite good.›› TYNE  &  WEAR for March/April 1997 --›  This group  from  the  UK  has  been› printing  its  newsletters in booklet› form   for   some   time  now.   Each› newsletter is accompanied by  a  disk› or  two,  and the disk for this month› is quite  good.   The  April  minutes› should  reflect  some of the programs› on   it.   What  is  obvious  in  the› magazine is that  there  are  several› members  with STs who would like more› ST-related     material     in    the› newsletter, and would  like  to  find› out  more  about  transferring   text› files  from  the  8-bit  to  the ST. › Articles include one  on  programming› sound  for the 8-bit by TOMO, and one› on multiple  1029  printer  fonts  by› "TomoHawk"  (are   these   the   same› person?)   We  don't  see the 1029 in› the United States.   M.  TOMLIN,  who› contributed some programs to the disk› accompanying  this  issue,  writes  a› short note about the programs.   MIKE› ROWE  has  a   long   article   about› programming  graphics display lists. › MIKE BIBBY continues  his  series  on› binary  arithmetic.  There is also an› article on the Atari Assembler-Editor› cartridge  that summarizes all editor› commands.›› LVAUG NEWS for  March/April  1997  --›  The  minutes  of  the  LVAUG   March› meeting  reflect  the  visit  of  PAT› MULVEY (President of LIAUG, member of› OHAUG and sysop of The New Nest  BBS)› and  MARK  GLICKSMAN  (President   of› NEAR*US  and Vice-president of LIAUG)› to thier meeting.  As in the previous› issue, old Atari ads are reprinted --›  these are for  the  1400XL  and  the› 1450XLD,  which  never  made  it   to› market.   Articles include a humorous› Glossary  of  Computer  Terms  and  a› reprint of a Beginners Column  review› of  Synfile  by  JOHN.  W.  DASHNER. › Puzzles and cartoons again adorn this› issue.›› XIO3 (GCACE) for March/April 1997  --›  This  issue  features   a   lot   of› information that's specifically 8-bit› and   some   general  information  we› should know.  First, ROWLAND  GRANT'S› News and Rumours column informs us of› happenings at JTS, the fate of Jaguar› systems   and   of   relatively   new› software that was  produced  for  the› Jaguar, and a lot of ST developments,› including the development of more  ST› clones.  In his 8 Bit Affairs column,› Rowland   writes  about  the  release› Alternate   Reality  and  Dungeon  by› author PHILIP PRICE.  He also goes on› to describe the ANTIC ONLINE project,› BEN   SMITH's   contributions   as  a› continuing Atari  retailer,  our  own› CURT  VENDEL's  development of an IDE› interface   for  the  1090  expansion› unit, the sad news of  MIKE  HOHMAN's› apparent  desertion,  the  release of› the Ice-T  terminal  program  version› 2.72,  and the continuing improvement› of MARKUS GIETZEN's XL-It! emulator. › Also  on  the 8-bit side, JOHN PICKEN› has developed two new packages.   One› is  RAMJET,  a  package  of  two  new› ramdisk  handlers  and  utilities for› disk-based SpartaDos and a new set of› modifications  for  MyDos.   ED  HALL› contributes  a  great article called,› "Komputrz   &    Kre8ivity,"    which› explores  the  use  of  computers  in› creative writing.›› The PACESetter for April 1997 -- JEAN› BROKAW   has  raised  an  interesting› question --  one  that  was  recently› raised  in  the   comp.sys.atari.8bit› newsgroup as well -- "What do uou use› your computer for?"  She includes the› results  of a survey recently done by› Fannie Mae and asks club  membes  for› articles  that answer that question. › We could do with some  on  this  end,› too!   The  club  has  reprinted  our› July/August  article  on  income tax,› and  the  second  installment  of  my› article on emulaton.  They have  also› included  a  type-in   program   that› produces  the  sound of rain, and the› usual puzzles and riddles.  They also› make  reference  to  an "E-mail borne› virus."  There is some  clarification› needed  here.   The   virus   doesn't› affect  Atari computers.  Perhaps the› assumption   is   that   the   person› receiving the E-mail is doing so on a› PC.  If that's the case, rest assured› that  no  E-mail  message  can affect› your PC, but a file  attached  to  it› can!   If  you  receive  E-mail  from› somebody  you don't know, and there's› a suspicious  file  attached  to  it,› delete the file.›› So,  there  you  have  it  --   ample› evidence  that  user  groups not only› continue to  support  the  8-bit  for› what it has done to date, but they've› pushed for and achieved  improvements› even in this "antiquated" platform of› ours.›› And yes, for those of you who believe› that  I've  turned  to my PC to write› this column, April Fool!›› *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›››