*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››          NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›            by Alan Sharkis›      OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› Spring has sprung  in  the  New  York› Metropolitan  area.    A   long-range› weather  forcast   for   "significant› snow" in April heard on a local radio› station turned out  to  be  an  April› Fools  joke.   As  far  as I can see,› temperatures are finally climbing out› of  the mild, but still wintery range› they occupied for  the  last  several› months.    With   the   increase   in› daylight hours  hibernation  is  also› ending  for  many  species, including› Atari 8-bit user group members!  This› is reflected in some of the following› newsletter reviews:›› LVAUG News for January/February  1999› --  There is a reprint of Subject 1.2› from the faq on Atari 8-bit computers› (ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/NEWS.ANSWERS› atari-8-bit/faq)  --  a  well-written› piece entitled, "What Can I  Do  With› An  8-Bit  Atari?"   The  article not› only covers what can be done with the› computer,  but why our Classic Ataris› are  a good  choice for  doing  those› activities.  There's another reprint,› this  time  of  an  article  by HENRY› YANOSHAK (The  Intelligencer  Record,› 10/23/98.)   The  article describes a› law, proposed by  Representive  James› Greenwood,  and  signed  by President› Clinton, that makes it more difficult› for  children  to access pornographic› Web sites.  The law has already  been› challenged,  and  even  the   Justice› Department  feels that it has serious› flaws.  Read  the  article  and  form› your  own  opinion  about the chances› that   the  law  will  survive  legal› challenges.   A  third  reprint  (LOU› DOLINAR writing in Newsday as carried› by  the   Allentown   Morning   Call,› 12/8/99)  deals  with the reasons why› disk   drives  in  PCs  keep  getting› bigger and bigger for less  and  less› money, and why the author thinks this› is a good  idea.   There  is  another› article (author unknown) dealing with› filename extensions.  There are  also› many  cartoons  and  one-liners  that› will have you laughing.›› (FR)ANTIC  for  February 1999 -- This› is the source of "Two  Digits  For  a› Date,"  which  is  reprinted  in  its› entirety  in  this issue of the OHAUG› Newsletter.   Strangely  enough,  the› same faq article in the above  review› of  the  LVAUG  Newsletter appears in› the February (FR)ANTIC as  well.   So› does a reprint of TOM HUDSON's review› (7/98 issue  of  The  PACESetter)  of› MINER  2049ER.   My son used to spend› hours and hours  playing  this  game.› To  end  the issue, there's a reprint› of   the   November/December    LVAUG› Newsletter  article  on  fixing   the› console keys of 130XE keyboards.›› IMAGE  for  March  1999  -- Editor ED› BIAZ discloses a Web site  called  XL› Search  that holds an index of 16,000› Atari 8-bit files.  I've just got  to› go        to        that         site› (http://www.sonic.net/%7Enbs/xlsearch)› right now and check it out...››      (several minutes later ...)›› Well, the page is no  longer  on  the› server.   I did a site search for the› term "XL," and came up with nothing. › But  when  I  tried a site search for› "Atari," some 45 pages were returned.› Most  of them were not 8-bit related,› but some were, so if you want to  try› it,  you  just  might  find something› interesting.  I'll do the same  AFTER› I write this column.›› SLCC  Journal  for  April  1999  -- I› assume that  BOB  WOOLLEY  wrote  the› small  blurb  in the upper right hand› corner of the first page (just  above› the  picture  of  the  1200XL.)   The› blurb  states that if the author gets› it   finished,  he  will  bring  that› heavily-modified machine to the  next› meeting.  What are the modifications?› How about  something  called  SmartOS› that  lets  you modify the OS code, a› 512K   memory  upgrade  with  battery› backup and an IDE hard drive?   We'll› see  next issue (I hope -- Ed.)  Also› in this issue, we learn with  sadness› that  former  SLCC   librarian,   BOB› SCHOLAR  lost  his wife.  We send our› sincere condolences, Bob.›› PACESetter for  March  1999  --  This› issue  reprints  an article by ROBERT› PUFF (12/15/97) in which he describes› how Atari 8-bit computers like the XL› and   XE   series   work   fine    by› themselves,  but  become  flakey when› connnected to other devices  via  the› PBI  or  are modified to  accept very› large memory upgrades.  Among the PBI› devices is Mr. Puff's  own BLACK BOX.› The article goes on to describe three› modifications  that should make these› computers  rock  solid.   In  another› article, PACE member TOM RUSSELL  has› written  a  series  of  beginner-type› questions to editor WALT LEWIS, which› Walt proceeds to answer.  In  another› article,  this one reprinted from the› OHAUG Newsletter of  5-6/92  by  JOHN› PICKEN  (originally  from  PSAN 4/90)› entitled, "Your Other Computer."  No,› John  is  not talking about a PC or a› Mac.    He's   talking   about   your› printer.   Indeed,  a printer is very› computer-like,   and   the    article› explains  just  how  this  is so.  It› then goes on to explain how  you  can› get  more out of your printer through› software control.›› Cenacle Newsletter for March 1999  --› This  is  issue  number  13  for  the› French group.   I've  dusted  off  my› High  School  French  again  (allergy› victims  beware) and I'm attempting a› synopsis of this issue.  Editor  REMI› GALLOPIN  has set some priorities for› the Year 2000, and  using  8-bits  is› clearly  one  of  them.  To that end,› there is a list of games  with  their› descriptions  on the last page of the› issue.  The games include  many  that› were first released for the 2600 game› console and  then  enhanced  for  the› Atari 8-bit computer:››            Miss Pacman›            Pengo›            Pole Position›            Space Invaders›            Megamania›            River Raid›            Moon Patrol›            Super Cobra›            Spy Hunter›            Jungle Hunt›            Pitfall›            Miner 2049er›› There  is  also  a  list  of  several› programs  in  the  club's library (on› page   2.)    The   user   group  has› definitely branched  into  supporting› PCs, as the rest of the issue shows.›› XIO3  for March/April 1999 -- ROWLAND› GRANT's 8-Bit Affairs column has some› very  interesting  news.   He  states› that  ATARI CLASSICS Magazine is down› to  one  issue  per  year.   He  also› mentions the PROJECT  PHEONIX,  which› is    supposed    to    provide   PPP› connections and a Web browser for our› 8-its  some  time  this  spring.   If› successful, it might be marketed as a› cartridge by Video  61.   CRYSTALWARE› INC.  has joined a number of software› game houses that  are  now  producing› older  games  in more modern clothing› for the PC and Mac  markets.   EDWARD› WILLIAMS  is using upgraded 600XLs in› industrial    control   applications.› CURT VENDEL has more pictures of rare› and almost-produced Atari hardware at› his  site.  As we all know, some very› talented people worked for  Atari  in› the early days.  One of the engineers› who developed  the  SIO  bus  is  now› working  for  Microsoft and is one of› the   patent  holders  for  the  USB.› Rowland also states that your  editor› is  leaving  the Atari 8-bit world in› December   to  devote  more  time  to› Linux.  This is not  quite  accurate,› as  I explained in another article in› this issue of  the OHAUG  newsletter.› Perhaps  the  innacuracy is partially› my fault.  I happened to mention,  in› a  posting in comp.sys.atari.8bit and› other places, that  one  of  my  user› groups (LIAUG)  may convert to Linux.› But the real reason that I must  give› up  the  8-bit  is  that the time and› room it now occupies will be taken up› with  my  becoming  a  consultant  in› adaptive technology.›› PACESetter for April 1999 -- PACE has› a Website!  It can be found at:››      http://pace.atariworld.com›› and it's loaded!  Atariworld.com, the› parent site, is shared by ABUG (Atari› Boise User Group) and is a member  of› the  Atari  WebRing.   In   addition,› there  are  links  to  all  the  PACE› officers'  e-mail  addresses  at  the› PACE  site.  This issue also contains› a   review   and   instructions   for› SHANGHAI,    some    information   on› printing  out  BASIC  programs  using› pokes, and several articles reprinted› from    the     March/April     OHAUG› Newsletter.›› JACG Newsletter for April 1999 -- The› JACG has set up  (via  President  JOE› HICSWA)  a  free computer chess setup› at  one of their  local  restaurants.› Joe   has,   of   late,   been   very› interested   in  setting  up  surplus› equipment   to  solve  various  local› social needs.  Read about it on  page› 5  of  this  issue.   Joe  has   also› contributed  an  article (and most of› his  articles  are  in  the  form  of› letters) on  how  to  load  programs.› Joe  also plans to take anoter cross-› country motorcycle  trip this summer.› But unlike other trips, when he would› send  out  postcards  describing  his› activities,   this   trip   will   be› documented  on  a  laptop and modemed› into a JACG member who will volunteer› to type up and send the postcards for› him.   Sounds  interesting,  Joe!   A› large (two-page) ad  for the  Trenton› Computer Festival  was  run  in  this› issue,  as  well as a full listing of› the sites on the Atari WebRing and  a› screen  dump  of  the  Atari  Central› site,  which replaced Toad Computer's› site.›› SLCC Journal for May 1999 --  Because› of  the  changed  date  in  our   own› meeting  calendar, I am able to break› the suspense  you  are  probably  all› feeling  about  BOB  WOOLLEY's 1200XL› project.    It's  described  in  this› issue.  The machine's memory has been› boosted  to  576K,  including  a 512K› ramdisk that cannot be  erased  by  a› power-down.   Bob  states that the OS› and   and   memory   locations  $D600› through   $D7FF   are  "programmable,› permanent and write-protectable."  He› has  also  included  an internal 1.2-› gigabyte IDE hard drive which is also› programmable,  backed up by a battery› and write-protected.  The hard  drive› is    divided   into   seven   active› partitions, all designated  as  D1:. › How  can  he  do  that?  I don't know› precisely, but  Bob  states  that  he› uses    <CTRL-F1>   to   select   the› partitions and that there  are  three› front-panel  LEDs  that  allow him to› see which  one  is  selected  at  any› moment.   The  issue  also  has  some› rather     interesting     PC-related› material.  Take a look.››  AND SNEAKING IN AT THE LAST MINUTE:›› The PACEsetter for  May 1999 --  This› issue  is   heavily   involved   with› hardware   issues,   reflecting   the› club's  many  demonstrations  in  the› past  few   meetings.  However,   the› hardware goes beyond  Atari  hardware› and begins  to touch on the PC.  Read› the minutes for details.  There is an› excerpt  from IAN CHADWICK's  MAPPING› THE  ATARI  which explains how  PEEKS› and   POKES   are   used   in   BASIC› programming  and   how   values   get› stored in memory.  One of the members› (not identified -- I  think it may be› WAL T LEWIS -- Ed.)  wrote   a  funny› piece about his (or her?) experiences› with  a PC.  There is a  reprint of a› rather important website (if you have› a  PC  and  are  looking  for  device› drivers.)  It's <WinDrivers.com>, and› it seems    to   contain    important› diagrams  as  well.  There is  also a› screen dump  of a website  maintained› US Robotics (now a division of 3COM.)› This   site  gives   directions   for› troubleshooting WinModems.  Since the› WinModems  are internal (PC)  modems,› what  is at that  site is of  limited› value for the Atari 8-bit.  But since› the WinModem line is included in many› stock PCs, it's good  information  to› have.  The URL is:››   <http://www.usr.com/home/online/›    trblshot/10551.htm>››› *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››››