*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*› (Editors  Note:  While  this  N/L is › not current, it  has    never    been› printed. Because  it  is  still  full› of too much interesting info and news› and to make up for last N/L lack of a› review  it's  being printed.)›  ›        NEWSLETTER REVIEW››            by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› "If you want something done, give  it› to  a  busy  person."  I'm looking at› the remainder of this month  and  all› of  next  month and wondering how I'm› going to get through it.   Well,  not› actually  wondering.  I KNOW how I'll› get through it.  Planning is the key,› and  I am planned for every minute of› May  and  June!   If  something  else› drops into my lap, there's simply  no› time  for  it!  But I did carve out a› piece of time to do these  newsletter› reviews.   We  may  lose  Atari  (the› company,    not    the    community),› according  to  some  people.   Should› that  happen,  some  people  might be› persuaded to give up  their  8-bits. › The  reality,  of course, is that the› company has not really  supported  us› for  years, and that we have survived› very nicely, thank you, without them.› I  see  no  reason  why  that   can't› continue.   If I can spread the word,› albeit   late,   about  things  other› people   and   user   groups  in  the› community are doing, I'm happy to  do› so.› › Talk about late. The first newsletter› handed to me for review is  one  year› old. It  doesn't  matter, though, for› the information init is several years› older than  that.  Why  recycle  this› stuff?  Its simple.  We can't all  be› expected toremember every programming› technique, or every product released.› If the material actually  solves even› one problem for someone, then you bet› I'm  for  spreading  the  word.  But,› there's also new material in some  of› the newsletters.  Think of it!  Atari› hasn't supported us for a few  years,› but  people  are  always  writing new› shareware    and    p/d     programs,› commercial   games  are  still  being› imported from Europe, and  the  large› committment  needed  to  produce  new› hardware  is still undertaken by some› brave souls.  It  would  be  nice  to› have  support  and  recognition  from› Atari.   But it's also nice that they› provided us  with  the  machine  that› seemingly  won't die.  Let's not lose› sight of that, either.›› The W.A.N.D.   for   May/June,   1992› features   a  handful   of   programs› and program fragments in  BASIC  that› produce some   interesting  graphics.› On the first page, for exammple, is a› reprint  of  a  JAN  IVERSON   (DACE,› 12/85) fragment that scrolls a screen› horizontally   without  resorting  to› HSCROLL.      Several     interesting› geometric  screens  come  out  of   a› reprint  of  a  FRANK  KWEDER article› that appeared in the Jan/Feb issue of› Current  Notes.  Frank took IBM Basic› programs  and  translated  them  into› Atari BASIC.  He could have used  the› TurboBasic  MOD  command, but found a› way around it.  Also included is  the› most  descriptive  review  I've  ever› seen  of  Video  Title  Shop.  It's a› reprint of STEVE  HOFFEE's  November,› 1991   Current   Notes   review   and› explains how graphics can be added to› the  program from outside sources.  A› reprint of a March 1992  Nybbles  and› Bytes  article,   second   in   their› series,  on Game Hints for Commercial› Software   (no   author   listed)  is› amazing in its scope.  I've found the› AT+/SPD  Modification  Program,  from› LVAUG  to  be  most  helpful over the› years.  A reprint of  CHARLES  COLE's› November  1991 review of this program› is thorough and  accurate.   For  the› uninitiated, the AT+/SPD Modification› Program    allows    you    to    use› AtariWriter+ with disk-based  and  X-›  Cart  versions  of  Sparta  Dos.  It› adds the ability to  access  up   to › eight  drives,   so   that  you  can › set   up multiple  ramdrives  on  an › expanded  machine.   A  reprint  of a› ROGER HELLER (JACS)  article  on  how› his   wife   came  to  use  Ataris in› her   business  and  a  ROLLY  HERMAN› article on  printing  in large  type › (lots   of   samples  here) round out› the   issue. ›› The SAGE Scroll  for  February,  1993› reprinted  a  section from The Secret› Guide to Computers, by  RUSS  WALTER.› I  had the book  out of the  library,› and  especially  liked  that section.› The 8-bit Section features a  reprint› of  a  review   of   YEMACYB/4   that› was written  by  ELDRIDGE  STOCKS for› the STATUS Newsletter, October, 1991.›› NewsLine   (ACE  of  St.  Louis)  for› Jan/Feb, 1993 is  a  sight  for  sore› eyes.  I was saddened not to see this› fine newsletter for what seemed  like› an  eternity.   Now, it's back, and I› have to tout an article by  LEN  STYS› with  the  unlikely title, ATARI USER› GROUPS   --   The  Wind  Beneath  the› Falcon's Wings.  Len  would  like  to› return to the heyday of Atari, with a› Department of  User  Group  Services,› User  Group  Information  Network, an› Atari User Group Newsletter,  company› presence  and  sponsorship   of   all› shows,  a  gift  catalog, etc., etc.,› all to promote the Falcon.  He  feels› that  the  strengh   of   the   Atari› community  today  resides in the user› groups and that Atari, Corp. must tap› that  strength  to  make the Falcon a› success.  Could it be, Mr. Stys, that› Atari, Corp. could not -- has not the› resources  --  to  undertake  such  a› venture at this time?  I fully  agree› that the strength is in user groups. › We 8-bitters have  proven  that  many› times  over.  But, I can't really see› Atari, Corp. putting in that kind  of› effort until they are able to rebuild› their company.  Meantime, it's up  to› user  groups  that  support the ST to› promote the Falcon, to get dealers to› carry  it,  until  Atari can do so on› its    own.› › The February,  1993 issue  of  M.U.G.› Newsletter  continues  (Part  2)  the› Derek  C. Signorini  history  of  the› infamous difficulty at the Pittsburgh› show.   The  February,  1993 issue of› (FR)ANTIC contains (no author listed)› a  listing  of  filename  extenders, › shorter   than  most,   but with some› special hints on how to use them.  It› also  contains   a very  interesting › Tips   column   by THELMA  SUNVISON.  › Thelma  discusses the  STRING   TOO  › LONG     error    in  AtariWriter+.  › This     error      message    isn't › explained  anywhere in the AW+  docs,› and  is  troubling,   to   say    the› least.   Thelma  clarifies  what   it› means  and  how  to  avoid  it.    In› another column, Thelma announces that› the club is selling a  $2  for  those› who  wish  to  play the Texas Lottery› and want their  Atari  to  help  them› pick  the  numbers.  There is a press› release that TransWorld  Exchange  is› putting  out  a  $5 disk of Fig-FORTH› modules used to create  some  of  the› Polish  disks.   There are also other› interesting  press  releases.   Check› them out.  Speaking of Polish  games,› ED  HALL  mentions  them  in  his New› Software     column,    along    with› announcements of Futra, Space Trouble› II,  and  Megablast.   JAMES LAVINIER› details the procedure for  installing› a  hard  drive  on  an 8-bit system. › JACK LEA wrote  an  article  that  is› sure  to  make  some  people  laugh. › Disregard  the  bad   spelling.    It› contributes  to  the  charm  of   the› piece.   I  refer  to  RED  FACED and› DOGHOUSED.›› Between  Bytes  (JACS) for  February,› 1993  contains a   great  article  by› ROGER  HELLER  on poking numbers into› memory from  BASIC  data  statements.› It  explains not only  why   this  is› done, but how  the  programmer  knows› what  numbers   to   use   and   what› addresses   to   choose   for   them.› › The  JACG  Newsletter  for  February,› 1993  has some interesting articles. › SAM COREY's 8-bit LIBRARIAN's  REPORT› mentions  our  club's  newsleter as a› great source of information.  Thanks,› Sam.   We try.  WILLIAM BINGHAM has a› super programming column, inspired by› his  purchase of a Black Box with its› built-in Assembly Language  Monitor. › With  it,  he was able to improve the› Word Magic program's directory screen› routines.   DAVE  ARLINGTON continues› his series on a review of  Ultima IV.›› The March, 1993  issue  of  (FR)ANTIC› contains a column on Disk Drives Care› and   Feeding   by   RUSSELL  STOWE. › Russell provides us with seven  great› hints  on  keeping   drives   working› properly.   Russell aslo has a column› on sector copiers that explains  what› they  do and gives several examples. › In an interesting portrait  entitled,› "Lighting  Candles in the Dark", JACK› LEA has  highlighted  DON  BELL,  the› proprieter  of  Bellcom  (the  p/d  -›   shareware    company).      It's   › great  reading.   Another   portrait,› this  time  a    self-portrait    is › about  MANUEL GARCIA and it entitled,› "Game    Player  Bargain   Hunter."  › THELMA   SUNVISON tells  us   how  to› merge one file into another   using  › AtariWriter+.   The AAAUA    thanks  › OHAUG  for  several programs   they  › are  putting   on   a  library  disk › that   OHAUG   originally supplied to› them.› › The  March, 1993 issue   of  S.L.C.C.› Journal  continues with BOB WOOLLEY's› series on interfacing the 1200XL  and› an IDE hard drive.  There is  also  a› very   amusing   article  -  Computer› Virus  News- that should get at least› a chuckle.› › M.U.G.  Newsletter  for  March,  1993› continues -- you guessed it   --› Derek  C. Signorini's  series on  the› Pittsburgh debacle.›› Nybbles and  Bytes  (N.W.P.A.C.)  for› Mar/Apr,  1993  reprints  a   Current› Notes  review  by  CHARLES  COLE   of› SpartaDOS  X.   I  use  my X-Cart for› many  applications,  and  I  have  to› agree with Charles on  everything  he› said  --  positives  as well as a few› negatives -- about  this  cartridge. › JOHN  D.  KASUPSKI  of WNYAUG has two› articles in this issue.  One is about› reasons to connect a hard drive to an› 8-bit system and  has  been  reviewed› here    previously.     The    other,› reprinted  from  the  excellent disk-› based   POKEY   newsletter,  is   his› review of  BBS Express PRO.  In  that› review,  John  mentions  the IAN, The› New  Nest, and   Sysop   JIM   HARRIS› who  is, as we all  know,  a  member › of  LIAUG  and OHAUG.›› The  L.V.A.U.G.  News for April, 1993› contains reprint of THELMA SUNVISON's› (FR)ANTIC TIPS Column from  January  › 1993      dealing      with       the› importance of keeping cables straight› and  untangled.   It  also   contains› MICHAEL  STOLIKER's  fifth  SpartaDos› tutorial,    dealing    with     disk› structure.   An  article  on computer› crime, reprinted  from  The  S.A.G.E.› Scroll  of  January,  1993  is   also› included.›› The M.U.G. Newsletter for April, 1993› continues  the   DEREK  C.  SIGNORINI› story previously  referred   to   in    this  column. Third installment›› Finally, the S.L.C.C. Journal creates› something of an April 1  flavor  with› its front-page headline.  Take a look› and see what I mean.  But, there's no› 'fooling  around'  in  BOB  WOOLLEY's› continuation  of  the 1200XL/IDE hard› drive                        series. › +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* ››