*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*››           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS›             by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› This  has  been  quite  a  summer.  I› found it  nearly  impossible  to  get› this  newsletter  out,  what with the› summer-long   illnesses   within   my› family,  but  I had lots of help from› the   Internet,    the    sympathetic› understanding  of   my   fellow   Ol'› Hackers,  and,  most of all, the high› quality and quantity of material that› I  knew  I  could find, in user group› newsletters.  Now, I'm  ready  for  a› vacation!›› L.V.A.U.G.  News for March/April 1998› -- This is truly a nostalgia  issue. › There are photographs of the XL line,› including the 1400XL and 1450XLD,  an› ad showing the Atari 1200XL (complete› with an apparently erroneous  picture› of  an  800)  priced  at  $419, and a› number  of  short,  type-in  programs› from   such   sources   as   COMPUTE!› magazine.  There is also a reprint of› an article from the January 20,  1998› ALLENTOWN    MORNING    CALL    about› Northampton    Community    College's› online classes to teach the basics of› the Internet.  Another article,  this› time from the November 18, 1997 issue› of  the  ALLENTOWN  MORNING  CALL  by› CHRIS ALLBRITTON  of  the  Associated› Press points up the ways in which the› World   Wide   Web  has  taken  on  a› commercial  quality  which  makes  it› difficult for the disabled to use the› Web.  (Some of the problems described› in this story that tend to limit  the› participation    of   the   disabled,› particuarly  the  visually  disabled,› also make it difficult for  Atari  8-› bitters  who  want  to access the Web› with our machines  -- Ed.)   Finally,› the  issue reprints (from PACESetter,› February 1997) a set  of  Web  sites,› hints,  and  definitions  that can be› helpful.  The Ziggy cartoons  (always› my  favorite!   --  Ed.)  abound,  as› usual.›› L.V.A.U.G.  News for May/June 1998 --›  The issue starts off with a FARMER's› VERSION of COMPUTER WORDS -- good for› a chuckle.  There's an article by TED› BRIDIS  of  the  Associated  Press as› printed in the ALLENTOWN MORNING CALL› of  April  15,  1998  about  a  joint› effort  of sveral firms to produce an› ultrafast data pipeline.  It will not› be  available  to  ome  users, but it› will be available  to  academics  and› professional researchers.  It is said› to be able to transmit  the  contents› of  Encyclopedia  Brittanica  in  one› second,  rather than the twenty-seven› hours it would take  conventionally. › There's  a   collection   of   e-mail› messages  stimulated  by a section of› DE RE ATARI written by CHRIS CRAWFORD› that    deals   with   the   internal› architecture of the Atari 8-bits  and› the  function  of the special chips. › It's   important   reading,  although› somewhat technical.  The last article› is  reprinted  from   the   ALLENTOWN› MORNING CALL, November 4, 1997 and is› written by MICHAEL J. HIMOWITZ of the› BALTIMORE  SUN.   It deals with using› the Web to  handle  College  Searches› and Applications.  And yes, the Ziggy› cartoons continue.›› S.C.A.T.   President's   Letter   for› Summer  1998  --  There  was a lot of› activity in this user group.  The  8-› bit  side centered around a cartridge› called BEAM  RIDER,  demonstrated  by› JOE  CHIKO, and (also demonstrated by› JOE)   an   OHAUG  Newsletter  disk. › President NICK DiMASI did a fine  job› of  describing  the general format of› OHAUG Newsletter disks, and suggested› that  his  members with 8-bit systems› look at more of them.›› IMAGE for July 1998 -- It is indeed a› pleasure  to  see that the 8-bits are› alive in this mainly ST organization.› CHUCK  LAMB,  8-bit  SIG Chairman and› Librarian,   demonstrated   the  ANDY› FLOYD Cross-Stitching program but had› problems with the print-out.  He also› ran Andy's PUSH-IT, a SOCOBAN clone. › The club also used their ST to run ST› Xformer and reported that some  8-bit› programs  that  they attempted to run› under  this  emulator  didn't  work. › They apparently had  the  cable  that› allowed loading the programs into the› ST from an 8-bit drive, and that  did› work.›› (FR)ANTIC  for June/July 1998 -- It's› good to  see  this  newsletter  again› after  a long absence.  This issue is› short, but promising.  Editor  MANUEL› GARCIA lists the addresses of:›› Best Electronics› 2021 The Alameda #290› San Jose, CA 95126›› and›› B&C ComputerVisions› 5917 Stope Way› El Dorado, CA 95623-4716›› and  also  lists  several WEB URLs of› interest to 8-bitters, some of  which› aren't  up  any more.  There's also a› reprint   of  an  extensive  article,› reprinted from the June 1991 issue of› (FR)ANTIC  by   NIR   DARY   on   the› structure of an Atari DOS disk.›› JACG  Newsletter  for  July  1998  --› Editor  TOM LASKOWSKI discovered that› Hasbro has not demonstrated  the  new› Atari  computer.   (I  believe Hasbro› has stated  categorically  that  they› will  not  produce  computers -- Ed.)› He seems to be upset that  Web  sites› are  disappearing, but is resigned to› the fact  that  this  is   the  case.› Elsewhere  in  the issue there is, of› course, another announcement  of  the› World  of  Atari '98 show.  JOSEPH E.› HICSWA  reviewed  the  PACESETER  for› June  98,  and  NEW  ATARI  USER  for› March/April   1998.    TOM   LASKOWSK› reviewed  the  Trenton  Computer Fest› that was held in April.›› The PACESetter for July 1998 --  This› issue  has  a front page that's hand-› colored  and enhanced  with  glitter.› It's  quite attractive.  I understand› that some of the  front  covers  were› produced  on a different computer and› photocopied  in  color.   There's  an› interesting   URL   listed   in   the› newsletter  where  you  can   get   a› program  that emulates 32-bit code so› that  it can run under  Windows  3.1.› It's  said that not all programs will› run, and that they will run  slowly. › (Interesting.  The latest Atari 8-bit› emulators  for  the  PC  will  run  a› tremendous   number  of  programs  at› near-normal   speed   --  Ed.)   JEAN› BROKAW contributes an article  about,› "Diskaholics,"  which is full of good› advice.  Editor WALT  LEWIS  outlines› the  procedure  for typing in a BASIC› program.  Walt  also  contributes  an› article,  complete  with diagrams, on› how to hook up  more  than  one  disk› drive  in  an  Atari  8-bit   system.› There's  a  reprint of an ALAN FRAZER› article,   originally  in  AIM  (Fall› 1992), about repairing that  annoying› gear  in  the  1020 plotter.  CHARLES› KELLY (SNACC) tells us how to replace› the pressure pad in a disk drive with› the plug from a BIC pen.   There's  a› reprint  of  a JERRY WHITE article on› how to solve the dilemma of two files› on  the  same  disk  with  the   same› filename.   There's also a reprint of› a TOM HUDSON review of  Miner 2049er.› The  usual puzzles, interesting URLs,› etc., fill out the issue.›› L.V.A.U.G. News for July/August  1998› --  This issue, with a picture of the› Jaguar   game    system    and    its› accessories  on the cover, provides s› with a column called THE CUTTING EDGE› from Gamepro of October 1993.  It's a› review of the Jaguar  system  and  is› quite  favorable.   A TODD COPILEVITZ› article   talks   about   where   the› Internet is heading and its potential› effect on society, business, etc.   A› third  article  can  be  found  (plug› intended  --  Ed.)  reprinted  in our› Laugh Corner.  What I can't  reprint,› sadly, are all of the cartoons.  This› month,   Ziggy   is   joined  by  The› Lockhorns,   Family    Circus,    and› others.›› XIO3  for July/August 1993 -- ROWLAND› GRANT   wonders   if  Atari  Classics› Magazine  is  dead,  but  notes  that› parts of it, particularly  the  8-bit› video  improvement article have shown› up   on   the  Web.   BOB  KLAAS  has› completed his  CD-ROM,  while  ERNEST› SCHREURS  states  that Pool Disk 2 is› nearing completion (I have a  release› date  of  October   26,   1998   from› Ernest's  brother and co-producer, BO› SCHREURS   --   Ed.)    Atari   8-bit› emulators continue to be released and› refined.  Atari800Win  is  one  such.› MARK  SIMONSON  has  created a set of› three Atari 8-bit fonts  in  TrueType› form.   THOMAS  DRAKE reports using a› SCSI Syquest EZ-135  drive  with  his› Black  Box.   CSS  President BOB PUFF› stated   that  he  would  do  another› production run of the  Black  Box  if› there are enough orders.  DAVID FIRTH› released the TCL programming language› for  the  Atari  8-bit.   It produces› very fast code, like Action!, and  is› available  on his home page.  Rowland› also brings us  up  to  date  on  the› career of CHRIS CRAWFORD.›› JACG  Newsletter  for  August 1998 --› Editor   TOM   LASKOWSKI    had    an› interesting  experience  on the  Web.› He had previously claimed  that  some› of the search engines on the Web were› useless.  Tom entered the URL for B&C› ComputerVisions     (www.myatari.com)› into Altavista and came up  with  111› matches.  One, believe it or not, was› the URL of Best Electronics!  (One of› the  others  that  he found was Atari› Gaming Headquarters,  a  JOHN  HARDIE› opus  --  Ed.)   Tom also promises to› include biographical sketches of some› of the less-familiar names in Atari's› development in the next  issue.   Tom› also contributes an article about the› way in which WebTV  ties  TV  to  the› WWW.   JOSEPH  E.  HICSWA reviews NEW› ATARI   USER   for   May/June   1998,› PACESetter  for  July  1998, ORPHANED› COMPUTERS &  GAME  SYSTEMS  for  June› 1998,  and   OHAUG   Newsletter   for› May/June  and  July/August 1998.  Joe› also  reviews  TETRAD,  a  game  from› Hayden Software.  Finally,  SAM  CORY› writes an interesting piece of advice› to Joe regarding becoming a pilot.›› The PACESetter  for  August  1998  --› This  issue starts with  a reprint of› a   JOAN  RYAN  review  of  CROSSWORD› MAGIC.  (By the  time  Joan  reviewed› this  program   it   was   owned   by› Mindscape,  which  was   subsequently› taken over by another company -- Ed.)› Later   in   the  issue  JEAN  BROKAW› attributes   the   program   to   L&S› Computerware,      the       original› publishers.  She prints a puzzle, but› gives icons as the clues, rather than› words.   It's  challenging.   Try it.› ALAN FRAZER reviews  Chain  Reaction,› from  the  January  1987   issue   of› COMPUTE! Magazine.  Alan also reviews› Awardware from  Hi Tech  Expressions.› There's  a reprint of a JAMES VINCENT› BRADY   (Ft.   Worth   Star-Telegram)› article about the effects of magnetic› fields    on    recorded    material,› including computer disks.  WALT LEWIS› gives us the procedure for taking the› directory of a Print Shop  Icon  Disk› and  making a Word Processor file out› of   it  using  SpartaDos.   He  also› starts a series entitled, "Guess What› Works  For  Me," which is supposed to› be  a  relatively  painless  way  for› members to get their name in print in› the newsletter.  Walt starts the ball› rolling by describing  how  create  a› printed,  alphabetized disk directory› to put into a disk  envelope.   (Hey,› Walt,  if  nobody can tell you how to› get the sheet of paper to feed to the› end, I will -- Ed.)›› *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›››