x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x››Newsletter Review››by Alan Sharkis››Because of the fact that there is a›delay between the time you get the›newsletter and the time I wrote these›articles the appearance is that I›have supplied a steady stream of›reviews to you.  Such is not the›case.  I usually write enough reviews›to keep me well-ahead of newsletter›publication, so I was able to take a›rather long break this time around. ›In fact, you will probably not read›this article until August, at the›earliest (perhaps October?)  Also›realize that I review what AL ATKINS,›bless his heart, gives me and that›there is sometimes a delay at that›end.  AL and ALEX have to read these›newsletters before I do so that›exchange subscriptions can be kept›alive, etc.  But sometimes a very old›newsletter sneaks into the pile and I›write about it because any›information is useful to us, even if›it's years old.››So, we start this review column›with:››Update Atari (H.A.C.E.) of March,›1990 --  GEORGE IKEN briefly›describes data base programs for both›ST and 8-bit.  However, he includes›spreadsheets in this article.  He›mentions two old APX programs; Data›Management System and Data›Base/Report System.  He also mentions›LJK's Data Perfect, Visicorp's›Visicalc, and Synfile Plus and›Syncalc and alludes to some magazine-›based and p/d programs.  In another›article, George gives us a full›review of Diskio Plus, a very›elaborate and flexible replacement›for the familiar DUP.SYS we use in›Atari DOS, SmartDos, and DOS XL.  ››M.U.G. Newsletter of January, 1991 --› The NAPCO newsletter is expected,›and is it's usual good quality.  JEFF›GANAPOSKI's opening editorial is an›interesting point of view.  Read it. ›Also, read the Eight Is Enough›article by PAUL L. PLANTS.  There are›reprints of JIMMY BOYCE's AtariWriter›+ series (the part about the›spellchecker) and CHUCK STEINMAN's›series on the Turbo 816.  A review of›NewsRoom by TED BEAUCHAMP of TAG›(obviously reprinted from its former›run in LIAUG Lighthouse) which points›out the solutions to several›instruction manual-generated problems›that many users have found with›NewsRoom.  It is also a good›description of the good points of the›program.››February, 1991 LIAUG LightHouse --› contains a review by DOUG WOKOUN›taken from Cleveland Free-Net›(6/17/90) of the SpartaDOS X›cartridge.  It is not a complete list›of the features of the cartridge, but›it certainly hits the high points.››JACG Newsletter for March, 1991 --› DAVE ARLINGTON's 8-bit report is not›very full, but does point up the›ability of SynFile as a special-›purpose data base.  Here it is being›used to keep track of a baseball card›collection.››ACORN Kernel for March, 1991 -- JEFF›SUMMERS' Basically Speaking column›concludes the series comparing Atari›BASIC and Turbo Basic with a›description of some TurboBasic›string-handling commands.››B.A.C.E. Line for March, 1991 --› Well, surprise of surprises!  I›never had a chance to see ALEX's›article on Languages before, and here›it is!  His Valgol sort of reminds me›of a program I have for my (ahem!›other computer) that takes a›perfectly good text file and makes›valspeak out of it.  Come to think of›it, the C source code for that›program is included.  (Now, where did›I put my copy of Deep Blue C?)  It's›good to see ALEX in print.››ACE of Syracuse Newsletter for March,›1991 -- VERNON W. SMITH wrote about›KEN WICKERT's efforts with an 8-bit›system to send letters via modem to›our troops in the Persian Gulf area. ›It is a touching story, but KEN›himself adds one that's better in the›form of a reply to one of those›letters from a serviceman named CHUCK›NORMANLY (you GOTTA read them!).  TOM›ANDREWS wrote an article in which he›describes installing a 256K Rambo›memory expansion into an 800XL.  But›this is no routine memory upgrade›column.  TOM also did some›experimenting with the expanded›memory, listed his results, and›suggested more experiments to come. ›It is also interesting to note that›Current Notes contacted ACE and›praised their newsletter as›reflecting a possible 8-bit›renaissance. Could be we're next for›that kind of recognition?››(FR)ANTIC for March, 1991 -- MANUEL›GARCIA writes a review of Atartris›II, the second version of a popular›8-bit Tetris clone.  He describes a›feature not often seen on games. ›This is the "join-in" feature which›allows a second player to join the›game after the first player has›started without interrupting the›game.  President ALVAN SHERRILL's›Beginner's Column discusses an›analogy between learning (for humans)›and programming (for computers).  It›also touches on how commercial›software is most likely autobooting›and how the user must disable BASIC›at loading, while p/d and shareware›is often not autobooting and often›needs BASIC or another language.  He›gives a procedure for finding out›just how a disk's boot status can be›discovered, and how you should mark›your disks after discovery so that›you will always know how to load›them.  NIR DAREY, a member who lives›in Israel, wrote a very complete›article about how sectors are written›and mapped.  For the techies among›us, this is welcome knowledge.  It›will be continued in later editions›of (FR)ANTIC.  There are reprints of›"In Praise of Older Computers" by›JOHN PICKEN of PCACE, and "Having 8-›Bit Copying Problems?", by ACE of›Syracuse's KEN WICKERT.››Keeping P.A.C.E. for March, 1991 --› there is a reprint of JIM COX's›article on using a Happy-modified›1050 to create MS-DOS readable›disks.››Nybbles and Bytes for March/April,›1991 -- This is a QUALITY newsletter,›totally 8-bit, and produced with an›8-bit.  It includes both parts of›JOAN RYAN's (ACE of St. Louis)›reviews of the No Frills Print Shop›Utility Disk which I URGE all members›to see.  Not only are the›descriptions complete, but samples of›the disk's labeling utility are›reproduced and the labels are›fabulous!  JOHN COLLINS gives us a›type-in graphics program in his›"Drawn and Quartered" column.  There›is a reprint of DAVID PLOTKIN's July,›1986 column from ANTIC on number›crunching in BASIC.  Beyond that,›look around how the NWPAC has put›Nybbles and Bytes together.  It is a›clear indication of what our 8-bits›can do with a little imagination and›a good printer.››XIO3 for March/April, 1991 -- This is›a newsletter I haven't seen before. ›The Canadian group G.C.A.C.E. that›produces it has done a superb job. ›The first page Atari News and Rumours›column by ROWLAND GRANT  mentions›that DARECK MIHOCKA, the designer of›the ST Xformer has produced an›emulator for MS-DOS machines that›will let them run Atari and Apple 8-›bit software.  (Reviewer's Note:  I›don't think Apple will let that one›get by in the courts!)  DARECK has a›number of ST projects available›through his company, Branch Always›Software, although he is now employed›by Microsoft.  There is a description›of the SIO2PC that is fairly›complete, and a mention of the KE-›SOFT 8-bit German games being sold by›Software Infinity.  ROWLAND has also›given us a rundown of Club Cenacal›Atari, the French 8-bit club.  It's›an interesting article and compares›somewhat with the activities of›ABBUC.  RON DEPOL tells us how to fix›XL and XE keyboards and JOHN PICKEN›describes the process by which›desktop publishing, albiet sans›WYSIWYG , can be done on an 8-bit›with TextPro, DD III, and MyDos or›SpartaDos.››LIAUG LightHouse for April, 1991 --› RICK BURTON's (RACE) the Basics of›BASIC, reprinted from March, 1990›AIM, tells us how to get those nice›large letters on the screen in›various graphics modes.  the "8-Bit›Odds-n-Ends" column by JIM HARRIS›returns after a year's absence and›gives us concrete examples of why we›8-bitters have reason for hope in the›form of new products, mostly›shareware and p/d.››L.V.A.U.G. News for April, 1991 --› This issue is full of reprints that›I have reviewed in this or previous›Ol' Hackers newsletters.  ››M.U.G. Newsletter for April, 1991 --› Sad to say, NAPCO has produced a›very small newsletter this motnth. ›They did reproduce a flyer›advertising the club and seeking new›memebers.  They did reprint a letter›from KEMAL EZCAN mentioning that the›KE-SOFT line, marketed by Software›Infinity, was a result of discussions›started by HORST DEWITZ about a year›ago.  they also reproduced JIMMY›BOYCE's AtariWriter+ column, the one›in which he describes personal›dictionaries.››B.A.C.E. Line for April, 1991 -- This›issue has a number of old, but›interesting reprints.  Two deal with›piracy, one with smoke as the force›behind anything electronic (no, I'm›not kidding!  It's well done, and›funny.), and a nice, nostalgic one›about 8-bits.››The ACORN Kernel for April, 1991 --› JEFF SUMMERS goes over some of the›machine language routine commands in›TurboBasic like BLOAD, BRUN, DPOKE,›MOVE, BPUT, BGET, %PUT, and %GET. ›JOHN McGOWAN has included copyrighted›articles on TextPro Macros and›TextPro configuration.››The W.A.N.D. for April, 1991 -- This›issue contains reviews of older›programs reprinted from a number of›sources.  It also contains a BASIC›program that will permanently change›an Atari Planetarium disk so that›that disk can be run on a 1050 drive›with a U. S. Doubler installed.››Update Atari (HACE) for April, 1991 -›- There is a review of the Atari›light gun and Crossbow (a game for›the gun) taken from The Knoxville›Atarian.››The W.A.N.D. for May, 1991 -- This›issue, like the last one, contains›mostly reprints of articles done›elsewhere.  However, this time the›articles are much more practical. ›JEFF SUMMERS of ACORN's Basically›Speaking (the string-handling›installment) occupies the fist page. ›Then there is a reprint of a review›of "Rommel: Battles for Tobruk" from›the February 1987 issue of Current›Notes.  A delightful article›entitled, "A Word Processor With a›Life-Time Guarantee" will enchant all›who read it.  The AIM review by JOHN›KACMARCIK of the MIO is reprinted, as›is DONALD FORBES' JACG Newsletter›comparison of Atari spreadsheets. ›There are several reprinted articles›with type-in programs or routines on›various topics, and a construction›article for adding surge protection›to a common outlet strip.››The May, 1991 LIAUG LightHouse --›› There are no specifically 8-bit›articles in here, but how many Ol'›Hackers know that LIAUG's bbs, The›New Nest gives Ol' Hackers special›access when they call?  Read the›story that JIM HARRIS wrote about his›taking over the bbs from PAT MULVEY›and see what sorts of things you're›missing by not calling the BBS.  No›modem, you say?  That can be remedied›very easily and inexpensively.  Stay›in touch with 'Ol Hackers and find›out how!››The ACORN Kernel for May, 1991 --› JEFF SUMMERS writes several articles›in this issue.  First, he gives a›warning that I saw on many BBSs and›echoes that STart was not paying its›authors.  By now, of course, we all›know that STart, and ANTIC, no longer›publish.  JEFF also writes about his›experiences using his IBM and a null-›modem cable to mass store his Atari›disks.  Essentially, he discomms the›Atari disks to files, null-modems›them to the IBM, stores them›temporarily on one IBM floppy or the›hard drive, then ZIPs (an MS-DOS›compaction program) ten of them onto›one 1.44 megabyte 3.5" floppy.  Other›small, general interest articles›abound in this issue.››The LIAUG LightHouse for June, 1991 -›- JIM HARRIS, the sysop of The New›Nest continues writing about the›board in his column, 8-Bit Odds-n-›Ends.  There is a reprint of the›CHUCK STEINMAN article about adding›another POKEY chip to your 8-bit to›get stereo sound.  It also mentions a›modified Pokey Player that can›produce stereo sound with existing›Pokey Player files.  It is available›through GEnie, CIS, and the author's›BBS; filename GUMBY.ARC.››The LIAUG LightHouse for July, 1991 -›- This issue came with a flyer from›Software Infinity advertising its new›German 8-bit games.  The prices are›exceptionally low, and the titles and›descriptions sound great, even to›this non-gameplayer.  There is an›article by DON LeBOW that is›reprinted from Z*NET of May 4, 1990. ›It's a review of BobTerm 1.20. ›However, just preceeding that, JIM›HARRIS reviews 1.21!  Well, guys, I›have 1.22, an unofficial release that›corrects a couple of minor bugs, but›that's just bragging.  Get anything›higher than 1.0 and you have a›bargain.››x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x›