*++*++*++*++*++*++*++*++*++*++*++*››  MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 1991 MEETING›  -----------------------------------››     This month's turnout for our› meeting was quite small, so in an› effort to wait for others to show up,› the meeting got off to a late start. › At about 1:00PM ALEX PIGNATO,› President, called the meeting to› order, and after a few remarks› advising that he had received calls› from absent members, and about the› "large" turnout proceeded with the› meeting.››   GENERAL MEETING:››     ALEX announced that a few more› checks have been received for RON's› program.  ALEX then displayed a› newsletter from the SAN LEANDRO› computer club in which there was an› article describing the disks on TURBO› BASIC that RON FETZER had sent them. › They had designated the three disks› as their Disks Of The Month.  He then› recommended that everyone in our club› should get a set of Turbo  Basic› disks, and was advised that all tne› members had them.››     ALEX then spoke about BOB› SCHOLAR's modification of the format› of RON's disks to include a File› Reader and a Read Me file.  His new› format condensed the 3 disks into 2› disks.  ALEX then read his letter in› answer to Bob, in which he mentioned› that RON will be lecturing at the› JERSEY ATARI USERS GROUP on TURBO› BASIC today. This is the second time› that J.A.C.G. had requested a guest› speaker from our membership. At this› point, the door opened up, and in› walked HARRY TUTHILL (probably› stopped at every garage sale on his› way).  As HARRY walked in the door,› ALEX asked him if he knew anything› about fixing 130XE's, since he was› having a problem with his daughter's› machine.  HARRY said "NO", but he did› say that he would be willing to› "tamper" with it.  I believe ALEX› declined.›     ALEX then brought up the subject› of sending disks to other people.  He› stressed that when sending a disk to› someone, it would be a good idea to› make and keep a copy of the directory› so that when sending the same person› another disk, you will not duplicate› any programs.››     Since HARRY T. arrived late, some› wise-guy in the bleachers (me) told› him that he missed the door prize. › HARRY still claims that we fixed last› month's drawing so that he did not› win.››     ALEX gave us an impromptu› perception test for laughs.  An› example of the type of questions› follows: If you have two coins, and› one is not a nickel and  the other› is, and they total fifty five cents,› what are denominations of the two› coins?  Answer: a nickel and a half› dollar.  One coin is not a nickel,› but the other one is. Would our› computers have known the answer?››     MINUTES and TREASURER's REPORT:››     The minutes of the SEPTEMBER› meeting were then read, with a› pleasant interruption in the middle› for a coffee break.  I will not give› any details, since the minutes appear› elsewhere in this newsletter.  The› treasurer's report was also given,› and we are still well into the black,› as we go into our SEVENTH year, as a› club!››     CORRESPONDENCE:››     ALEX showed us some materials› (brochures and disk) sent to us› advertising an all ATARI show in› Chicago. JACK said that he is not› going (humor).  ›     A letter from TOM ANDREWS was› read, in which he wrote about RON› FETZER's Turbo Basic Kit.  All the› comments were very complimentary, and› he mentioned that they were selling› copies to the club members for ten› dollars.››     We then heard a letter from› GARDEN CITY ATARI of CANADA in which› they also complimented us on our› newsletter on disk, and mentioned› that they were putting it in their› library.  They too had received a› letter from our "member" in ALGERIA,› AFRICA. A brief mention was made› about a computer show at HOFSTRA› UNIV. right here on L.I. on October› 19th. It is expected that JACK› GEDALIUS will probably attend, and› maybe HARRY too. The SAN LEANDRO club› also lauded RON's TURBO BASIC› PROGRAMMING KIT.  ››     ALEX mentioned the TOAD Company's› catalog in which there was a› reasonable amount of 8 BIT› merchandise advertised. There was› also some 8 bit stuff for sale in the› latest ATARI EXPLORER, although there› was a definite lack of 8 BIT› articles.››     We received a letter from NETA› FILMORE.  She sent another ATARI› sticker from SWITZERLAND, (she has› previously sent stickers and pens› from other countries) and thanked us› for RON's T/B disks.  ALEX sent her a› letter in answer to her letter, and› included our newsletter, and thanked› her for the sticker.››     We also received a letter from› JOHN AALTO, President of LIAUG.  He› wrote about NEAR*US; ALEX did not go› into detail, except to say NEAR*US› was  contacting new user groups.››     All members present filled out a› survey to be sent to ATARI INTERFACE› magazine.  The survey asked about› equipment, income, age, wants and› needs, etc.  They will be mailed to› the magazine in Michigan.››     Mention was also made about› DAMARK still selling the ATARI 1200› baud modem for $25.00, but now does› not mention the ATARI name.››     A letter was also received from› BEN POEHLAND with which he included› his dues.  He also included some› updates on the status of CURRENT› NOTES and ATARI INTERFACE magazines. › He thanked RON for his T/B disks and› mentioned that he could probably use› the docs as is, for an article in the› magazine (he will check that out with› RON).  ALEX sent BEN a return letter› in which he again bring up the› subject of the lower rate for CN› magazine subscrition.››     ALEX then commented on the lack› of attention while the month's› correspondence is being read. He› stated that it is discourteous and› rude, to the speaker, or the person› making a demo, who puts in effort to› bring info to the members. He asked › that we all use common courtesy!››     DEMO's: ››      ALEX gave a short verbal› explanation of how to download text› from the screen to a printer while on› a BBS.››     From there, ALEX demoed a disk› from the SAN LEANDRO club called› "SLMENU.BAS" which included a text› reader and menu setup.  Programs› could be run directly from the› directory.  Next was a program to› address envelopes, "ADDRESS.ENV"› followed by a program put together by› ALEX called "HELPMODS.BAS"...a› compilation of small programs to› determine revisions of Pokey chips,› ROMs, XL, and Basic.›     Also demoed by ALEX was a text› directory program "DISKLIST.BAS"› which reads directories into a text› file in any drive including RAMDISK,› which in turn can be printed out just› like any other text file (can use a› word processor or the DOS COPY› function to P:).  This was demoed and› printed out on a printer (printer› brought in by ALEX. An 8 year old› STAR GEMINI 10X, and still working). › A program to print order forms was› also shown. It will be found in side› 2 of this newsletter, as› "OHORDRBL.ANK", and must be run from› BASIC. Another printing utility for› printing text files in 38 or 40› columns was also demoed, called› "PRNTDOCS.BAS", then "THANKS.BAS",› which prints out a cute THANK YOU› note for a gift you received.  Lastly› a program for printing CHRISTMAS› wrapping paper, "XMSWRAP.BAS" was› shown (some of us had seen it› before).››     JACK GEDALIUS demoed a graphics› disk by STEVE DONG done on a TOUCH› TABLET, with many fantastic pictures,› with glowing colors.  The disk› included an explanation of each› picture.››     Among the other demos were a menu› program from ENGLAND, a graphics› program showing spiral patterns,› which could be altered by changing› parameters.››     HAROLD PEGLER demoed MYDOS and› explained the similarities to› SPARTADOS.  MYDOS will be in our› library as a two disk set.››     ALEX then showed another version› of a document printer,› "PRNTDOCS.BAS", that made it much› easier to change back and forth› between 40 and 80 column.  He also› showed "XEDUP.BAS", a disk copying› program, and then an amusing program› called "COMKIL.BAS".  This was› followed by a STAR TREK game called› "TREKST.BAS", with docs, and a math› program "MATH WORKSHOP" for kids by› PAGE SIX from ENGLAND.››     HAROLD PEGLER ran a demo disk on› Visicalc.  It was interesting to› those of us that are into using› spreadsheets.››     DOOR PRIZE:››     ....... ALEX punctuated Harold's› demo with an announcement that there› would be no door prize drawing since› he forgot to bring the door prizes.› (finally figured out a way to beat› HARRY).››     ALEX finished up the meeting by› reading parts of letters from JIM› CUTLER from ENGLAND and NIEK› VANDERLEE from CANADA.  JIM sent his› regards to AL ATKINS, and to club› members. NIEK is on his way to EUROPE› for a vacation, and will probably› have some ATARI news when he gets› back. Our honarary member SAM CORY of› J.A.C.G., is undergoing an operation,› and we all wish him well, and hope he› is on his feet real fast.›› Submitted by Temp. Secretary,›                      STAN SCHENFELD››            <<<<<<<<<<<<<**END***>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>› ›