›               o=o=o=o=o=››             Editor's Message›› This is my first issue of the  OHAUG› newsletter.  I've put what I feel is› a reasonable amount of work into it,› but  much of the material for it has› been contributed by others.   That's› the  way it should be.  User groups,› and   by   extension,   user   group› newsletters are supposed to be about› sharing.    One  thing  we  do  very› successfully   in   OHAUG  is  share› information.  Let it  continue  that› way,  and let this newsletter be, as› it has always been,  a  vehicle  for› that sharing.  I'm going to work for› that.›› But, just as user groups  may  be  a› wider  circle  than  the  individual› member, the Atari 8-bit community is› a much wider circle  than  any  user› group;  even  the  biggest of them. › ALEX PIGNATO was aware of that,  and› maintained   cordial   contact   and› sharing with user  groups  all  over› the  world.  He saw to it that OHAUG› was one of the founding  members  of› NEAR*US,  an  association  of   user› groups  in  the   Northeast   United› States.   If  I can maintain what he› did, with regard to this newsletter,› I'd  be  very happy.  I feel that it› was because of Alex,  as  one  small› example,   that  ABBUC allowed us to› include SOCOBAN in this newsletter.›› I'm now going to  bite  off  what  I› hope  will  be more than I can chew,› and delight in the help I know  I'll› get with it.  In this newsletter and› subsequent ones I'm going  into  two› areas  that   we've   only   briefly› touched on at OHAUG.›› One  of  those  areas  is   Internet› involvement.   By  now,  most of you› should know that the Atari 8-bit  is› just  as  capable  of  sharing   the› Internet as any mainstream computer. › Of  course,  you  need  the  correct› software and as fast a modem as your› machine can handle.  But some of the› components of the  Internet  --  The› World  Wide  Web, Usenet Newsgroups,› Internet E-Mail and FTP Sites -- are› available  to  us.  To that end, I'm› going to ask not only that you  send› us your Internet E-Mail addresses as› was asked before, but that  you  try› the suggested WWW and FTP facilities› that I mention this month.›› I realize that many of you will need› to  learn  the very basic beginnings› of communicating with a modem before› you  can  take  advantage   of   the› Internet.   You'll  also wonder just› what   advantage  the  Internet  can› offer you, given your  own  personal› circumstances.     RON   FETZER   is› handling   correspondence   (another› thing  Alex  did  so well) and he'll› forward   anything  that's  Internet› related to me.   In  fact,  you  can› contact  me  directly  if you really› need those basic questions answered. › I  hope  the few small articles I've› included  with  this  issue  of  the› newsletter will help  those  of  you› who are slightly more advanced.›› Interest in the 8-bit Atari may have› diminished, but those who stay  with› it  are  as  doggedly  loyal as it's› possible  to  be.   Many  former  8-› bitters   have   turned   to   other› platforms,  or  have  taken on these› other   platforms   in  addition  to› keeping their Classic Ataris.   Many› of  them,  in  turn, have used those› more  mainstream  machines  for  the› benefit   of   the    Atari    8-bit› community.   Some have developed WWW› Pages and FTP sites  that  are  just› overwhelming.         Some       are› communicating   via   all  that  the› Internet has to offer.  And some are› trying  to  do  the  impossible with› impressive,  though  still  partial,› success.  Read on.›› Emulation is a process in which  one› computer works, in part or in whole,› like another  computer.  It  can  be› done  in  hardware  or in software. › There has been a vast  proliferation› of Atari 8-bit emulators in the past› two years.  They are coming out  now› at  a  pace   that   is   constantly› accelerating.  Atari 8-bit emulators› come  in  two  flavors.   There  are› total machine  emulators,  in  which› another  computer  acts just like an› Atari   8-bit.    Then   there   are› peripheral  emulators,  in which the› other  computer  acts  as  the  disk› drives, ramdisk, printer  and  modem› interfaces for an operating Atari 8-› bit.    To   this  date,  all  total› emulation  of  the  Atari  8-bit  is› being done with software and is  far› from  perfect.  Peripheral emulation› requires both hardware and software,› and  is  also far from perfect.  The› unique  properties  of  the  Classic› Ataris   make   them   difficult  to› duplicate on other platforms.   But,› imitation  is  the sincerest form of› flattery,   and   so   the   efforts› continue      --     not     without› controversy.›› I've   been   asked   by  the  vice-› president of my  other  user  group,› LIAUG,  to  write  an   article   on› emulators.   It will be serialized. › And   it   will   appear   in   this› newsletter,  as  well.   I intend to› give copies to  AC  and  CN,  should› they wish to publish it.  Try biting› off more than  you  can  chew  while› your  head  is  in  a noose!  I will› need help and support on  this  one,› folks,  and  I hope you come through› for me.››               o=o=o=o=o=›››   ››