*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›             by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› In  the  interest of conserving space› on the disk, I'm going  to  skip  the› usual   thematic   introduction   and› summary.  (I'm allowed  to  do  that;› I'm also the editor, Ed.)›› The  SLCC  Journal  for April 1997 --› The club  accepted   nominations  for› officers,  and  more will be accepted› during the next two  meetings.   They› report that two user groups, NCACE in› Santa  Rosa  and STAR  in  Sacramento› folded.  They also  report that   the› IBM  side   is  proliferating.  Aside› from  a mention  of their  8-bit  DOM› and its demonstration by BOB SCHOLAR,› there is nothing 8-bit specific.›› (FR)ANTIC for May 1997 -- The Library› News,   as   reported   by  librarian› RUSSELL STOWE, includes the  addition› of  some  disks  and  files that I've› never heard of before.  They  may  be› of interest to you, and I suggest you› check   out   this  issue  if  you're› interested in changing boot disks  to› files,  or transferring tape to disk,› or in a program that splits  a  130XE› into      two     computers     (non-› multitasking.)  Some FidoNet messages› have  been  printed  in this issue to› show  how  a  local  sysop,  probably› running on an IBM platform, has  made› the  Atari  National Echo availabe to› callers in the San Antonio area,  and› has  thus  made   it   possible   for› messages  to be sent and received all› over   the   country   without   long› distance  or  Internet  charges.    A› threesome of type-in programs (Hydra8› from   CURRENT   NOTES,   May   1990,› Darklite  from  FRED KWEDER and Frost› from ANALOG #12)  are  reprinted  and› explained.  Try them out.›› TWAUG  for  May/June  1997 -- This is› issue   27,  and  I  have  previously› demonstrated its accompanying disk at› a  meeting.   A series of articles by› ROGER LACEY, called Atari8 SIO -RS232› explains   how   an   interface   and› software can be built to link  an  8-› bit  with  an  ST  for the purpose of› file   transfer.   The  articles  are› well-written,   explaining    theory,› construction,  and  use of software. › There is also an article by  MAX  for› the  user who has just received an ST› and has no instruction manual for  it› (apparently, STs are either a popular› upgrade   path   from  the  8-bit  in› England, or they are being  discarded› by  ST  owners  in  favor  of   other› platforms and being made available at› low cost to  8-bitters,  Ed.)   DAVID› RUSSELL continues his series on 8-bit› graphics modes What appears to be the› entire  text of MICHAEL CURRENT's FAQ› on 8-bit computers from May, 1997  is› reprinted.   The  FAQ is revised from› time to time and usually published in› the  comp.sys.atari.8bit newsgroup on› the Internet.   It  is  a  very  good› source    of   information   on   the› computers, their history  and  unique› design.›› L.V.A.U.G. News for May/June 1997 -- › Literally sneaking  into this review › column  at  the last  minute  is this› useful  issue, as  well as  one from › July/August  (see below.)   In it you› will fine a list of hints  on handing› in computer-prepared  homework, etc.,› for  young  students.  It  originally› appeared in a  1986 issue of COMPUTE!› Magazine.  There  is also a  glossary› (no  source  mentioned) of  computer-› related terms.  Even more useful is a› list    of   error    messages   WITH› EXPLANATIONS.  Again,  no source  for› this  list  is indicated.  The  issue› also contains some very good cartoons› and old Atari-related ads.›› S. C. A. T.  President's  Letter  for› Summer 1997 -- Also sneaking into the› review  column at the last  minute is› this  letter.   Indications of  8-Bit› activity  in  this user  group are  a› demo by RORY McMAHON of PC XFormer at› their May  meeting and  several demos› by  JOE CHIKO, including F-15  STRIKE› EAGLE and ASHIDO, a new game from the› the European company, KE-Soft.›› (FR)ANTIC for June 1997 -- This issue› is devoted to a listing of the club's› library.   I  have also received this› library on disk in AW format, as  was› discussed    in    the   last   OHAUG› Newsletter.›› IMAGE  for  July  1997  --  No  8-bit› specific  information  here,  but  at› least a  mention  of  8-bit  activity› within  the  group,  in  the  form of› demos by 8-bit Librarian CHUCK LAMB.›› SLCC Journal for July 1997  --  There› is little to report here, except that› Robert Scholar's DOM contains  a  lot› of  material  from  OHAUG  disks, and› interesting   material   from   other› sources  as  well.   I have a copy of› the DOM  and  it  will  go  into  our› library  at  the September or October› meeting.›› The PACESetter for July 1997  --  You› HAVE  to  see the cover!  Somebody (I› found out late it was President KATHY› SEVERANCE)   took  a  lot of time and› trouble to add color and  glitter  to› the cover of this issue.  JOHN POWELL› has written a good  review  of  Print› Power.   An article by HANDS, INC. on› Repetitive Motion  Disorders  of  the› Upper  Extremity  is  reprinted.   It› deals    with    the     description,› incidence,  prevention  and treatment› of such  injuries  as  carpal  tunnel› syndrome,  De  Quervain's Tendonitis,› and trigger fingers.   I  think  it's› extremely  important for all computer› users   to    read.     The    fourth› installment of my series on emulators› is reprinted.  A Daffy-Nitions column› and  some very good puzzles, cartoons› and riddles round out the issue.›› (FR)ANTIC for July 1997 -- The  AAAUA› has  a  PC section at this point, and› it is  functioning  well.   At  least› part  of  it,  according  to   Editor› MANUEL  GARCIA,  has provided service› to the 8-bit section in the  form  of› scanning    and   video-capture   and› imaging services.   If  you  look  at› this  issue, you will see evidence of› it  in  the  photographs  of  various› AAAUA members.  LOU KELLY  has  taken› over  as  president  after the sudden› departure   of  TODD  SUNRUNNER,  and› MANUEL GARCIA is doing double-duty as› editor and Vice-President.  Librarian› RUSSELL  STOWE  reports  that  he  is› finished     working     on    adding› descriptions of the club's copies  of› TWAUG  disks  to  the  library,   and› descriptions  and  cataloging  of the› OHAUG disks  is  his  next  project. › There  is an article (author unknown)› reprinted from the  July/August  1995› TWAUG  newsletter  that  deals   with› damaged  disks,  their   causes   and› fixes.   It's important information. › There   is   also   a   reprint    of› (FR)ANTIC's  NIR  DARY  article (from› 4/91) on the format  of  Atari  8-bit› diskettes.›› L.V.A.U.G. News for July/August  1997› -- Editor  LARRY TISCHBEIN  continues› to improve  this newsletter by adding› humor  in the  form of  cartoons  and› little sayings,  and his inclusion of› the  "Quipsels"  and  "Always Tired?"› columns  (no sources are  mentioned.)› He  has  also included  the  Question› List (Index)  from  MICHAEL CURRENT's› popular Atari 8-Bit Q&A which appears› regularly  on the  Internet.  There's› another  Internet-based   article  in› this issue, entitled,  "What Can I Do› With An 8-Bit Atari?"  A  source  URL› for the article is included.  A story› by  TIM BLANGGER  (Allentown  Morning› Call, 6/17/97)  serves to  illustrate› how a large, popular and free BBS has› now become a commercial venure.›› XIO3  for  July/August  1997  --  The› GCACE continues as a very viable club› and   a  great  source  of  news  and› information.   ROWLAND  GRANT's  News› and Rumours column, although light on› the  8-bit  side, continues to follow› JTS/Atari  happenings  with  a  great› deal  of  detail.   His 8-Bit Affairs› column   this   month  outlines  JOHN› HARRIS' MAE, which has recently  gone› into  our   library.    This   Macro-› Assembler  Editor is now freeware and› can satisfy  many  of  the  needs  of› assembly-language    programmers   in› novel ways.  John also has a  version› for  the  85816  chip,  which is also› back   in   the   news.    John    is› manufacturing      an     85816-based› character generator for video display› boards.  STEVEN TUCKER's A. P. E. has› been upgraded to  version  1.15,  and› now  includes new printer options and› loading options (it also  includes  a› device  for   transferring   cassette› images  as  developed by the SCHREURS› BROTHERS from the PC  to  the  Atari,› Ed.)   Rowland's  column also talks a› little   about   cassette   operating› schemes, as well as assorted problems› that plague 8-bit computers and their› solutions.›› The  PACESetter  for  August  1997 --› JOHN POWELL sent  the club a list  of› filename  extenders  and  their  uses› that  was compiled by a friend of his› (CHARLES   KNOOTZ.)   It's  about  as› extensive a list as I've seen.   John› invites  all  to  add  to  it  if  we› encounter  an  extender that's not on› the   list.    KATHY   SEVERANCE  has› written   two   short  articles;  one› dealing with the common  practice  of› users talking to their computers, and› the other entitled,  "Atari  Lives!" › Both  are  interesting.   A  humorous› list  of comuter terms, and the usual› puzzles, games and cartoons are  also› to be found in this issue.›› IMAGE  for  August   1997  --  Here's› another latecomer.  For  those of you› with  other platforms,  the  club has› issued  a warning about  a virus that› can affect Amigas, PCs, and Macs.  It› is transmitted by Internet e-mail and› bears the  word,  "Deeyenda," in  the› subject line.  Under no circumstances› should you open this mail.  Delete it› immediately.   It  will  search  your› hard drive for  valuable information,› such  as  credit   card  numbers  and› passwords.  It will send this data to› an unknown Internet address the  next› time you log on to your ISP.  Then it› will wipe out your hard drive.  It is› memory-resident and highly dangerous.› Luckily,  our 8-Bits  are  immune  to› that  sort  of  nonsense.   Editor Ed› BAIZ has  also remarked about  a BBS,› The  Atari  Connection.   It's  phone› number  is  (801) 280-7486.  The  BBS› has 5 gigabytes of  Atari 8-bit files› on line,  and even has  some  on-line› games for you  to play when you call.› Since most  8-Bit programs are  under› 100 kilobytes in size, there are lots› of files  there.  In his Meeting Memo› column, Ed also talks about a meeting› at  Chuck Lamb's house  at which many› 8-Bit files  were  demonstrated, some› of which were very old but still ran.›› *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››››