›               o=o=o=o=o=›            Editor's Message››            by Alan Sharkis›› Summer has arrived as I write  this. › There isn't a lot of written material› coming my way except what  transpires› in  the  newsgroup  and  on BBSs.  It› would be very difficult to  synopsize› it,  but  most  of  the talk is anti-› spam,  or  deals  with  issues  we've› discussed before.›› So, you'll find lots of files, mostly› games, in this issue.  On side A, the› program that runs from  the  spacebar› is BOMBER.BAS which I found in a disk› image of S. A. G. Disk #3 on our copy› of the Pooldisk.  (In fact, all files› this month are from  the  Pooldisk.) › S.  A.  G.  was  a rather large Dutch› user group, long gone, but  one  that› had a knack for either selecting some› of the best programs around for their› disk  or  creating  them themselves. › Unfortunately,  the  source  of  this› program and others from S. A.  G.  is› not  mentioned on the disk.  S. A. G.› also   had  a  habit  of  translating› documentation,   on-line   help,  and› instructions in programs that went on› their  disks into Dutch.  This is not› one of those programs.›› Also from S. A. G. Disk #3 on side  A› of  this  newsletter is DIAMONDM.BAS,› or Diamond Mine.  It is  without  any› documentation,  so you're on your own› with it, but it combines elements  of› several commercial games.  ›› From  a  user  group  called  R ATARI› (their disk #53B) comes a version  of› the  classic  game, Wumpus.  This one› should be loaded from DOS, since it's› a  machine-language  game (no BASIC!)› that was created, as you'll see, with› the Action! programming language.›› From  Bellcom   Disk   #D051A,   I've› selected  a remarkable program called› Bounce (BOUNCE.OBJ on this newsletter› disk,  no  BASIC!)  It was written in› Action!   by  JOEL  GLUCK  and  first› appeared in A.N.A.L.O.G. Magazine  in› February  of  1985.   It  requires  a› joystick  in port 1.  The trouble is,› I don't know whether  to  call  it  a› game,  a novelty, or what.  The first› screen you get looks like a primitive› joystick drawing program with a black› background.  You draw a few lines  on› the  screen,  and  then place objects› that will become the  bouncing  balls› wherever  you  want  them.   Then you› start the balls bouncing.  The screen› is  redrawn  with  a  red  background› before the  balls begin to bounce off› the margins  of the screen,  AND  off› the lines  you've  drawn  previously.› As   they   do,   they   change   the› background  color  back   to   black,› producing  interesting  patterns.  At› this time, you  can vary the speed of› the balls,  "nudge"  them  a  little,› or stop the process and return to the› drawing screen  for   another  setup.› All  instructions  are   on  the  two› screens.›› The program can be used to illustrate› issues of probability, including fair› and  biased  "tosses", and  may  even› appeal  to  someone  trying  to teach› about  effective  collisions and  the› factors that  affect  reaction  rates› and equilibrium in chemistry.  But it› IS fun to watch.›› Side 2 is special this issue.  I have› found   an   entire   disk  from  the› BOURNEMOUTH and POOLE AUG (their disk› #8),  constructed  by  GAVAN MORAN in› 1989,   which   I    feel    deserves› particular  attention.    It   is   a› TurboBASIC  Character Editor, version› 0.2, and it has lots  of  interesting› features,    including   a   windowed› interface, on-line documentation, and› many  special  effects can be applied› to   a    character    automatically,› including  horizontal  and   vertical› flipping, scrolling, etc.  A joystick› in Port 1 is required.  Just boot the› side.   BASIC is not required, and it› will automatically be disabled if you› forget  to  disable it. Again, it was› on our copy of the Pooldisk.›               o=o=o=o=o=››››