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SILICON TIMES REPORT ==================== INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE ============================= from STR Electronic Publishing Inc. February 25, 1994 No. 1009 ====================================================================== Silicon Times Report International Online Magazine Post Office Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155 R.F. Mariano Publisher-Editor ----------------------------------------- Voice: 904-783-3319 10 AM-4 PM EST STR Publishing Support BBS Network System * THE BOUNTY BBS * ITCNet 85:881/253 JAX HUB ~ FNET 350 ~ Nest 90:21/350 904-786-4176 MULTI-NODE 24hrs-7 days 2400-57.6 bps V.32-42 bis 16.8 USR Dual Standard FAX: 904-783-3319 12 AM-6 AM EST ----------------------------------------- Fido 1:112/35 The Bounty STR Support Central 1-904-786-4176 FNET. 620 : Leif's World ................1-904-573-0734 FNET. 690 : PASTE BBS....................1-206-284-8493 FNET. 489 : Steal Your Face BBS..........1-908-920-7981 MNET - Toad Hall BBS.....................1-617-567-8642 ______________________________________________________________________ > 02/25/94 STR 1009 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!" """"""""""""""""" - CPU INDUSTRY REPORT - Canon goes Power PC - Ventura UGroup - CIS Issues Visa Card - Compaq Wins Suit! - Corel Qwik Tips - WP to ship PPC Ver. - W4Win 6.0a Info - Another Fine MESS! - ALDUS VP Converter - Tandy "Gigastore" - The Old Fishin' Hole -* WINDOWS 3.11 SHIPPING! *- -* MicroSoft LOOSES to STAC Electronics! *- -* 3DO Price$ SLASHED! *- ====================================================================== STReport International Online Magazine The Original * Independent * Online Magazine -* FEATURING WEEKLY *- "Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information" Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports ====================================================================== STReport's BBS - The Bounty BBS, invites all BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the Fido/PROWL/ITC/USENET/NEST/F-Net Mail Networks. You may also call The Bounty BBS direct @ 904-786-4176. Enjoy the wonder and excitement of exchanging all types of useful information relative to computers, worldwide, through the use of excellent International Networking Systems. SysOps, worldwide, are welcome to join the STReport International Conferences. The Fido Node is 1:112/35, ITC Node is 85:881/253 Crossnet Code is #34813, and the "Lead Node" is #620. All computer platforms BBS systems are welcome and invited to participate. ====================================================================== CIS ~ GENIE ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ PROWL ~ ITC ~ NEST ~ EURONET ~ CIX USENET ~ USPOLNET ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ INTERNET ~ FNET ~ AOL ====================================================================== COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME to the Readers of; STREPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "The Original 16/32bit Online Magazine" NEW USERS; SIGN UP TODAY! CALL: 1-800-848-8199 .. Ask for operator 198 You will receive your complimentary time and be online in no time at all! "Enjoy CompuServe's forums; where information is at its very best! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!" """""""""""""""""""""" Tis the end of dear old, February. A few months ago, we advised you of our wanting to go to the RTF (Rich Text Format). Be advised, as of the first issue for the month of March, STReport shall be published in Rich Text Format. RTF is universally acceptable on all platforms and allows the eye appealing use of styles and formats otherwise not available. There are readers and WProcessors that'll readily accept RTF on all platforms. The monthly re-cap for the Macintosh folks is about to become a reality. We may even go to a monthly re-cap for all platforms shortly. Let us hear from you. A separate monthly recap of each platform's articles and reviews makes good sense to us but there is always the reader's input. So please, tell us what you think. Ralph..... """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! """""""""""""""" Publisher -Editor """""""""""""""""" Ralph F. Mariano Lloyd E. Pulley, Editor, Current Affairs Section Editors """"""""""""""" PC SECTION AMIGA SECTION MAC SECTION ATARI SECTION ---------- ------------- ----------- ------------- R.D. Stevens R. Glover R. Noak D. P. Jacobson STReport Staff Editors: """"""""""""""""""""""" Dana P. Jacobson Michael Arthur John Deegan Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando Doyle Helms Frank Sereno John Duckworth Jeff Coe Steve Keipe Guillaume Brasseur Melanie Bell John Donohue Contributing Correspondents: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Tim Holt Norman Boucher Harry Steele Clemens Chin Neil Bradley Eric Jerue Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing James Nolan Vernon W. Smith Bruno Puglia Glenwood Drake IMPORTANT NOTICE """""""""""""""" Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc... via E-Mail to: Compuserve................... 70007,4454 America Online..................STReport Delphi......................... RMARIANO BIX............................ RMARIANO FIDONET........................ 1:112/35 FNET........................... NODE 350 ITC NET...................... 85:881/253 NEST........................ 90:21/350.0 GEnie......................... ST-REPORT Internet.............RMARIANO@DELPHI.COM """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS """"""""""""""""" IBM/POWER-PC/PC SECTION (I) =========================== Computer Products Update - CPU Report ------------------------ ---------- Weekly Happenings in the Computer World Issue #09 By: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr. ******* General Computer News ******* ** Bell Atlantic/TCI Merger Called Off ** Bell Atlantic Corp and Tele-Communications Inc. have called off their planned merger, terminating a $12 billion deal that would have been the largest telecommunications merger in U.S. history. The companies are blaming a change in federal cable TV regulations. They also claim that market uncertainties made it impossible to close the deal, which was announced last October. ** Microsoft Loses Data Compression Suit ** Stac Electronics was awarded $120 million in compensatory damages this week by a Los Angeles federal court jury in its suit against Microsoft Corp. The suit was over Microsoft infringing on Stac's patents for data compression products. But the jury found that the violation was not willful and awarded Microsoft $13.6 million on a counterclaim. Microsoft executives say they will stop selling DOS 6 packages containing the data compression software. But the company won't withdraw software already on store shelves. ** Compuserve Issues its own Visa Credit Card ** CompuServe Incorporated this week introduced its own Visa credit card for CompuServe members. Reports say that the cards are being issued by CompuServe parent H&R Block Inc. and Columbus Bank & Trust of Columbus, Georgia. CompuServe members who use the cards will receive a credit of $27.50 toward hourly CompuServe usage charges. In addition, those who use the cards to make purchases in the Electronic Mall will be offered discounts by various merchants. If the card is used at least six times each year, there will be no annual fee. The Visa Gold version of the card will have an annual interest rate of 12.9%, while the Visa Classic interest rate will be 14.9%. ** Compaq Wins Landmark Keyboard Suit ** Compaq Computer Corp. has won what is believed to be the first jury verdict in a lawsuit brought by a customer who claims to have been permanently hurt by a computer keyboard. Reports say that attorneys are split over the importance of the jury's ruling, which came last week in a state court. Compaq and other major computer makers, including IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc., face a number of lawsuits from people who allege that the repetitive use of the companies' keyboards caused crippling pain and numbness that has ruined their careers. Many of the lawsuits have been consolidated. In the case decided last week, Patsy Heard Woodcock, a former legal secretary in Houston, claimed she suffered wrist injuries because of a Compaq keyboard. She can't lift more than five pounds with her hands. She asked Compaq for $800,000 in damages and lost wages. But jurors, who deliberated for 55 minutes after a 2 1/2-week trial, found that the computer company didn't know its computers could cause injury. ** Motorola Integrates Multimedia Technologies ** Motorola Inc. says it has developed a simpler way for PC makers to add sound and video functions to their machines. Reports say that the company's PC Media product is developed around a chip called a digital signal processor (DSP). It replaces the multiple add-in cards that currently give multimedia capabilities to PCs. The development is part of a push that accelerated in November to incorporate DSPs as a way to make multimedia computers less costly and more flexible. Using software developed by Motorola and other companies, a DSP can be a facsimile, modem or telephone. The chip also has the ability to make sounds or record voices. Improving or expanding on these functions is done through software rather than adding cards of chips. A software developer's kit will cost about $7500. ** Panasonic Cuts 3DO Price ** Because of expanded production, Panasonic Co. has slashed the price of the 3DO Interactive Multi-player game machine from $700 to $500. The CD-based machine was released in December and has been experiencing slow sales, according to industry analysts. ** Galoob and Game Genie Come Out $15 Million Ahead ** Video game maker Lewis Galoob Toys Inc is to receive $15 million from Nintendo of America for wrongfully blocking Galoob from selling its Game Genie product in a copyright dispute in 1990, a federal appeals court has ruled. In 1990 Nintendo sued for copyright infringment and Galoob was enjoined from selling its Game Genie, a device that enhanced computer characters in its competitor's games. However, Galoob defeated Nintendo's claim after the injunction had been in effect for 13 months, and requested the entire bond as compensation for its lost profits. ** Intel Increased Its CPU Market Share in 1993 ** Increasing its market share of the worldwide microprossessor market to 74% in 1993, up from 69% in 1992, Intel continued to dominate the worldwide microprocessor market according to a survey conducted by Dataquest. Second-place Motorola, supplier of the 68xxx microprocessors found in Apple Macintosh computers, had an 8% share of the market. Advanced Micro Devices slipped to third on the list ** Professor Admits to Kiddie Porn ** A 42-year-old Connecticut college instructor has admitted distributing pornographic pictures of children through a computer bulletin board system called "The Sanctuary." Stephen Rioux, who is on paid leave from his job as an administrator in the Tunxis Community-Technical College computer lab in Farmington, pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography over phone lines to computer users. He remains free on $50,000 bond until his sentencing April 18. Rioux was arrested in November after federal agents raided his apartment and turned up computer disks containing more than 600 photographs of children under 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. College officials says Rioux's contract will not be renewed after it expires June 30. ******* General PC News ******* ** Windows 3.11 is Shipping ** Microsoft Windows version 3.11, which Microsoft Corp. describes as a "refresh release of Microsoft Windows 3.1 that implements packaging changes designed to reduce software counterfeiting," has begun shipping. According to a statement from Microsoft, the release also includes updated device drivers and a few minor code changes to address issues such as diskless workstation support. "Most of the updated device drivers and code changes have been previously available through online distribution and Microsoft Product Support Services," the statement adds. "The refresh release product, which will continue to be available as Microsoft Windows 3.1, contains no new features and will not affect current users of Windows." ** Canon to Use PowerPC Chips ** Canon Inc. says it will use PowerPC microprocessors developed by IBM Corp., Motorola Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. in computers and other products. Canon is the first major Japanese company to announce its support for the new CPUs, which are competing against Intel's Pentium chips for dominance in the high-end PC microprocessor market. IBM already offers a workstation using PowerPC technology. The first PowerPC- based Macintosh models are due out next month. Canon says it plans to build a new plant to produce PowerPC-based personal computers in Tennessee. ** Dell Returns to Notebook PC Business ** Dell Computer Corp. is back in the notebook PC business, six months after it suspended shipments. Sources say that Dell is now selling five models it co-developed with AST Research Inc. of Irvine, California. The systems range in price from $1,700 to $4,200, depending on type of screen, size of memory and number of accessories. Dell dropped out of the notebook PC field last August after putting all its resources into notebooks based on '386 microprocessors. At the time, customers has just started gobbling up competitors' products based on the more advanced '486 chip. ** IBM Cuts ThinkPad 500 Prices ** The IBM Personal Computer Co. announced price cuts of up to 20% on its ThinkPad 500 notebook computer. The ThinkPad 500, with a 50/25MHz 486SLC2 microprocessor, 4MB of RAM and an 85MB hard disk, is now priced at $1699. The same model with a 170MB hard drive now costs $1999. ** Digital Unveils High-Speed Graphics Chip ** Digital Equipment Corp. introduced the DECchip 21030 graphics chip, a PCI-based graphics accelerator chip that the company claims provides workstation-class graphics performance at PC prices. Digital notes that the chip supports 3-D CAD, visualization, graphic arts, and other applications that require workstation-class graphics. The first in a family of new Digital graphics chips, the DECchip 21030 will be marketed by Digital and Brooktree Corp., San Diego, Calif, a supplier of semiconductor technology. This chip will be targeted at the high performance PCI-based desktop market, which includes Alpha AXP and Pentium-based systems. Priced at $59.80 in quantities of 5,000, the DECchip 21030 will be available in volume to manufacturers during the second quarter. ** Tandy Opens Miami 'Gigastore' ** Tandy Corp. has brought its Incredible Universe "giagastore" concept to South Florida. The 185,000-square-foot outlet, the first of six Incredible Universe locations planned for 1994, offers more than 85,000 different electronic and home appliance products. ** AMD Offers Clock-Doubled 486SX CPU ** Advanced Micro Devices has expanded its Am486 microprocessor family with the introduction of the industry's first clock-doubled 486SX device running at 50MHz. The Am486SX2-50 microprocessor includes an Am486 CPU core and an 8KB internal write-through cache. The product's pin configuration makes it socket-compatible with existing DX2 motherboards, says the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chip maker. AMD notes that the CPU delivers performance equal to its DX2 equivalent in several standard benchmark tests, including the Landmark CPU, Power Meter 1.8 MIPS and Norton SI 6.0 ratings. ******* General Mac News ******* ** Aldus Ships Persuasion 3.0 ** Aldus Corp. announced the shipment of Persuasion 3.0 for the Macintosh, a major upgrade to its cross-platform software application for creating and managing slides, overheads and computer-based on-screen presentations. The new version features a redesigned user interface, an OLE charting module, controls for slide design and output, and expanded support for multimedia and on-screen presentations. ** PowerPC Version of WordPerfect Set to Ship ** WordPerfect Corp. announced this week that its native PowerPC version of WordPerfect 3.0 for Macintosh is on schedule to ship simultaneously with Apple's first PowerPC-based Macintosh computers. The computers are set to ship next month, according to industry reports. WordPerfect says the word processor has been recompiled and optimized to take advantage of the PowerPC CPU's speed. "We are looking at our shipping date as an extreme competitive advantage," says Mark Calkins, WordPerfect's vice president of corporate and strategic marketing. "None of our word processing competitors have announced plans to ship the same day as Apple's hardware launch. In fact, most of them have announced shipping dates of two to six months later." WordPerfect officials report that the software shows speed increases in scrolling, search- and-replace, spell checking and other common tasks. ____________________________________________ > W4W 6.0a STR InfoFile """"""""""""""""""""" Word 6.0a: List of Fixed Bugs ============================= ------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0a - Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= This article lists the problems in Word version 6.0 for Windows that are corrected in the Word 6.0a upgrade. If you are experiencing one of the problems listed below, you should obtain the Word 6.0a Patch. If you have a network installation of Word 6.0, you cannot use the Word 6.0a Patch to upgrade your installation; you must obtain a full Word 6.0a disk set by mail (free of charge). To obtain this disk set, call Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, call Microsoft International Customer Service at (206) 936-8661. How to Obtain Word 6.0a ----------------------- You can obtain the Word 6.0a Patch from the following sources: - On CompuServe, the Word 6.0a Patch is located in LIB 2 of the MSWORD forum. Download PATCH.EXE. WORD 6.0 PROBLEMS FIXED IN WORD 6.0A ==================================== Disk Error While Saving, Embedded Object Becomes a Box ------------------------------------------------------ When you move an embedded object within a document using either cut-and-paste or drag-and-drop, and you then (full) save the document, the object may change appearance and will be uneditable. The object usually becomes an empty square box. Subsequent save attempts will result in "Disk is full," "too many edits," or "operation will be incomplete" error messages. Problems Caused By SHARE.EXE Corrected in VSHARE.386 ---------------------------------------------------- Word 6.0a includes an updated VSHARE.386 file. This revised version of VSHARE.386 ships with Word 6.0a to replace SHARE.EXE. This version of VSHARE.386 provides greater compatibility with many applications running under Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and later. To run Windows in standard mode, you still need SHARE.EXE. "General Mail Failure" Error Editing Routing Slip on a Mail Gateway ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you edit a routing slip in a Word document, a "General Mail Failure" error message may occur. No kerning with Adobe Type Manager (ATM) Fonts ---------------------------------------------- ATM fonts do not print kerned, because ATM fonts use an older application program interface (API) for kerning; this API is not supported in Word 6.0. Word 6.0a supports the older API. "Not available" Error Messages with Adobe Type Manager (ATM) Fonts ------------------------------------------------------------------ Word displays the following error message for a group of Adobe Type 1 fonts, even though they are available on the system: The font '<font name>' is not available on your system. Do you want to use it anyway? No Anti-Aliasing for TrueType Fonts ----------------------------------- On a computer running an ATI Crystal Font video driver (or similar driver), the Crystal fonts are displayed with clean, nonjagged edges due to anti-aliasing. TrueType fonts, however, are displayed with jagged edges because no anti-aliasing occurs. Can't Remove Space Around Footnote Reference Marks -------------------------------------------------- By design, Word 6.0 places white space after automatic footnote reference marks. In response to customer requests, Word 6.0a inserts the white space as a regular space character to the right of the footnote reference mark, which means you can edit or remove it if you want. Dr. Watson Errors in Examples and Demos --------------------------------------- The Dr. Watson program displays errors when you choose the Examples And Demos command from the Help menu. Cannot Remove Borders on Pictures --------------------------------- Sometimes you cannot remove a portion of a border from an inserted picture or object, even when you choose None in the Format Borders And Shading dialog box. Cross-References Updated Incorrectly ------------------------------------ Bookmarks for captions change (shrink) to include only the caption label (instead of the full text of the caption) when you insert new captions later in the document. When you update cross-references to these captions, the cross-reference includes only the caption label. SEQ Field Displayed Incorrectly ------------------------------- The result of a SEQ (sequence) field in the header and footer pane displays "1" or "0" (zero) instead of the correct number in the sequence; although the displayed version of this field is incorrect, the printed version of is correct. Password Displays in Converted File ----------------------------------- If you save a password-protected document in another file format, the password appears as text in the converted file. GP Fault Creating New Document Based on Template With Link to Excel ------------------------------------------------------------------- When you start Word with the /n switch, a general protection (GP) fault occurs if you create a new Word document based on a template that contains a link to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Fonts Printed Without Kerning ----------------------------- Fonts do not print kerned in point sizes larger than the Kerning For Fonts setting in the Format Fonts dialog box. Fonts print kerned only if they are formatted with the point size specified by the Kerning For Fonts setting. Word 2.x Mail Merge Document Loses Data Delimiters in Header ------------------------------------------------------------ When you open a Word 2.x for Windows mail merge main document, and if the data document is not a Word 2.x table, Word 6.0 removes the delimiters from the header record, which concatenates all the field names in your data document. In other words, Word reads the header record as a single field name (for example, NameAddressCityZip). Different Hierarchy for Choosing Which Same-Name Macro to Run ------------------------------------------------------------- Word 6.0 follows a different set of rules than Word 2.x to determine which template macro to run when two macros have the same name: Word 2.x runs the macro from the template attached to the document in which the insertion point is currently located, while Word 6.0 runs the macro from the template from which you launched the macro. Word 6.0a includes a the following new WordBasic macro command: WW2CallingConvention([-1,0]) You can use this command to set either the Word 2.x or Word 6.0 macro precedence method. Cannot Open Password-Protected Paradox 3.5 Files ------------------------------------------------ A "File Access Denied" error occurs and you cannot open (via ODBC) a password-protected file created in Paradox version 3.5 or earlier because Word 6.0 does not prompt you for the password. You can open these files in Word 6.0a because the ODBC driver prompts you for the password. Insertion Point Scrolls Off Screen with WordPerfect Help On ----------------------------------------------------------- If the WordPerfect Help option is selected and you press ENTER several times, Word 6.0 scrolls the insertion point off the bottom of the screen instead of advancing the screen. Cannot Create Non-File Links ---------------------------- In Word 6.0, you cannot create a link to server an application that does not use a filename to reference data. For example, Word 6.0 is incompatible with a database program that references a database by name and does not use the name of the file. Computer Hangs Launching Word as Server When WordPerfect Help Is On ------------------------------------------------------------------- If the Navigation Keys for WordPerfect Users option is turned on and you launch Word from another OLE 2 program, your computer may hang (stop responding) when you press the ESC key. Sometimes it takes a while for the hang to occur. GP Fault Updating Large Number of Links --------------------------------------- A GP fault may occur when you update a large number of links (typically from 80 to 200). "Out of Memory" Error Opening Microsoft Excel 5.0 Chart ------------------------------------------------------- When you open an embedded Microsoft Excel 5.0 chart using the Open command (to edit the chart in a separate Microsoft Excel window), an "Out of memory" error message occurs. This does not happen when you edit the chart in place (in situ) in Word. Key Assignments Not Saved in Templates -------------------------------------- Word does not save template key assignments to the TAB and SHIFT+TAB keys. GP Fault Running Find File Command ---------------------------------- If you start Word using the /n switch and then open the Find File dialog box (by choosing Find File from the File menu), a GP fault occurs if the View option is set to Preview in the Find File dialog box. Wrong Chapter Numbers on Last Page of Document ---------------------------------------------- The chapter number always displays as "1" on the last page of your document in page layout view, regardless of the actual chapter number. Wrong Chapter Number with Page Break Preceding Heading Paragraph ---------------------------------------------------------------- When your document includes chapter numbers in the page number, if a page break immediately precedes a heading paragraph that marks the beginning of a chapter, the wrong chapter number appears in the header or footer on that page. Error Messages About Printer Port --------------------------------- By design, Word 6.0 confirms the validity of a port before printing. If there is no port present, Word displays an error message. With some configurations, however, Word incorrectly concludes that the printer port is not present and displays a "Local Port Not Present" error message. GP Fault with INCLUDETEXT Field ------------------------------- If you insert an INCLUDETEXT field that references a bookmarked table cell in another document, a GP fault occurs. This error does not occur if the bookmark is not in a table cell. DATE Field Result Clipped in Invoice Template --------------------------------------------- The result of the DATE field in the third column, first row, of documents based on the Invoice template (INVOICE.DOT) is truncated on the right side when you print it. ___________________________________________________ > CORELDRAW TOOLBOX STR InfoFile """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" CORELDRAW TOOLBOX SHORTCUTS TO PRODUCTIVITY by J. Scott Hamlin When it comes to productivity, there is just one thing to remember: The computer is faster than you are. Getting the computer to carry out even a few commands is worth the effort because it executes them faster than you. A shortcut is money in the bank, so here's your first deposit. Mighty Macros ------------- If you've used macros in programs such as WordPerfect, you already appreciate their potential. It surprises to me how many Windows users don't take advantage of its Recorder utility. For this example, I will use the macros I have created for CorelDraw's Nudge feature. Now that CorelDraw nudges down to one thousandth of an inch, I am constantly changing the nudge increment. To speed things up, I have created macros for useful nudge settings, such as .001, .005, .01, .05, etc. To create a macro, start Recorder, which is probably in your accessories group. Start CorelDraw. Hit Alt+Tab to maximize Recorder. If something other than Recorder comes up, such as Program Manager, keep holding down the Alt key and hit Tab until Recorder comes up. At this point, you will be prompted to name the macro (you have 40 characters to work with so you can be specific). Next, choose a key combination. Use the CorelDraw 4.0 quick reference booklet to find the key combinations already used by Draw. In general, Shift+Alt and Control+Shift key combinations are fair game. For this example, select the Alt key and type in the number 1 in the Shortcut Key box. Click on the Record Mouse down arrow, select Ignore mouse, and click OK. Now hit Control+J and then Alt+N. Type .001, Enter, and then Control+Break (pause) to stop recording. Select save macro, and you're done. Now select Save under the File menu, name your new Recorder file, and exit. Windows will store the Recorder file in the Windows main directory with an REC extension. Using File Manager, locate the REC file you just saved and drag and drop it into the Startup Group. Exit File Manager and double click on the Startup Group. Select the Recorder file and select Properties under the File menu in Program Manager. Select Run Minimized and click OK. Restart Windows, and the Recorder file will load automatically, ready and waiting to perform your macros. Remember that the Recorder has to be running in order for the macros to work. Since you cannot edit macros after they have been recorded, don't bother to fill out the Record Macro Name in the Recorder dialog box until after you have your macro the way you want it. After you've recorded the final version of the macro, select Properties in the Macro menu and enter your description. When you create other macros, remember to update the Recorder file by saving it. Other ideas include macros to toggle Interruptible Display, Crosshairs, Snap to Guidelines and to call up the Weld, Clone, and Guidelines Setup functions. Remember too that you can nest macros, or put one macro inside another. Whenever you find yourself doing something over and over again, think macro, because saving keystrokes means saving time. Clipboard Culprit ----------------- If you're working with CorelDraw and another application such PageMaker or PhotoShop, chances are you're cutting and pasting. On systems with 8Mb of RAM or less, two applications running simultaneously make the computer run brutally slow. The clipboard is partially the culprit because it has to remember what you've copied, which means it takes up precious RAM. To quickly alleviate the problem, copy a simple object such as a small line to the clipboard after you've cut or copied a complex graphic with multiple blends and fractal fills. Your computer will breathe a sigh of relief. Slow Animals ------------ When you open the Symbols library, a 386 or slow 486 can take a few seconds to draw all those pesky animals. Speed things up by creating a new symbol library with a simple object such as a circle and name it something that will alphabetically come before Animal, such as AAA. That symbol library will then pop up first and take much less time to draw. You can use a similar trick with Mosaic. If the last directory you view has many graphics in it, you'll have to wait for Mosaic to reload those thumbnails the next time you open it. To cut this time, after you've used Mosaic, change the directory you're viewing to one that has no graphics in it such as a TEMP directory or your PSFONTS directory. When you open Mosaic, you won't have to wait for it to bring up a bunch of thumbnails before you can use it. De-fault is Yours ----------------- If you type some text and then change the text to your favorite font, you're working too hard. The fewer times you have to alter text, the better. Because I often use Futura Medium Bold for headlines and New Brunswick for body text, I've avoided significant tedium by changing my Artistic Fonts default to 42-point Futura Medium Bold and Paragraph text to 18-point New Brunswick. Make sure nothing is selected and hit Ctrl+F2. Select the font and size you prefer for headlines and click Apply. When the Text Attributes box appears, make sure that Artistic Text is the only item selected by clicking on Paragraph Text, and hit OK. Repeat the process for Paragraph Text, but make sure Paragraph Text is selected. Other Time Savers ----------------- If you print multiple PRN (print to file or Postscript) files for slides or transparencies, this tip is a real time saver. When printing to disk, don't print to a floppy. Instead, print to a temporary directory on your hard drive and then copy the file(s) to a disk. If you're not using CorelDraw's new speed features such as Clone, Styles, and Templates, take the time to learn them it'll pay off in productivity. For example, Styles lets you set hotkeys to apply certain style settings, so there is real speed potential there. Work in wireframe mode whenever possible and use the interruptible display. If you are duplicating several complicated objects, the last duplication will always draw first. You can save time by duplicating and clicking on the duplicate to reposition it before waiting for the screen to redraw. Finally, seven or eight levels of Undo is usually sufficient. By using all 99 levels of Undo, your file will eat up precious RAM, which translates into more waiting. ---- This article on Speed and Productivity tips is provided courtesy of Corel Magazine. It is an example of the useful articles that you will find in each issue of Corel Magazine. Each article is designed to maximize your productivity and increase your skills in CorelDraw. This article is representative of the useful tips and tricks you can expect to find in Corel Magazine. Designed for the serious computer graphics user, Corel Magazine boast a bold, dynamic look and editorial format. Each volume covers issues of concern to the graphic design professional and the business presentation graphic user. Plus, Corel Magazine will take you beyond the limits of your imagination with coverage of the best illustration techniques, drawing methods, and Corel software applications. For a subscription call: (800) 856-0062 or (512) 219-3138 or fax (512) 219-3156. J. Scott Hamlin is a freelance graphics designer in Austin, TX. Reach him on CompuServe at 73132,1013. _______________________________________________ > ALDUS/VENTURA CONV. STR InfoFile """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ALDUS VENTURA PUBLISHER CONVERTER ADDITION ========================================== The "VP Converter..." Addition lets you convert Ventura Publisher chapter files (.CHP) to PageMaker files. The "VP Converter..." Addition is compatible with Ventura Publisher 3.0, and has been lightly tested for compatibility with Ventura Publisher versions 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2. The "VP Converter..." Addition lets you convert Ventura Publisher chapter files (.CHP) to PageMaker files. Since PageMaker and Ventura Publisher do not share all of the same features, you may have to modify the PageMaker file after conversion. For example, a 41-page chapter in Ventura Publisher may convert to a 39-page publication in PageMaker 5.0. More information on which features and formats convert is included below. The "VP Converter..." Addition is compatible with Ventura Publisher 3.0, and has been lightly tested for compatibility with Ventura Publisher versions 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2. If you are unable to convert a chapter file created with versions 4.0 or higher, use the VP43.EXE utility included on your Ventura Publisher Utilities disk to convert the chapter file to Ventura Publisher 3.0 format. You can then convert the 3.0 chapter file to a PageMaker publication using the "VP Converter..." Addition. Note: Because the converter doesn't support most word-processing formats, you'll need to convert all of the text files in your Ventura file to ASCII before using this Addition. To convert your Ventura text files to ASCII: 1. In Ventura Publisher, use the pointer tool to select the frame or underlying page containing a text file you want to convert. 2. Choose File Type/Rename... from the Frame menu. For New Name, type the path and filename of the ASCII file for your text. For Text Format, select ASCII. Then click OK. 3. Choose Save from the File menu. 4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each text file. This is not necessary for frames containing text that you typed in Ventura (such as captions or frame text). To convert a Ventura CHP file to a PageMaker publication: 1. In PageMaker 5.0, choose "VP Converter..." from the Aldus Additions submenu on the Utilities menu. 2. Select the Ventura chapter file you want to convert, and click OK. Features and formats supported by the "VP Converter..." Addition Text file formats imported by the "VP Converter..." Addition Text file format Extension 7-bit ASCII .TXT Text generated by VP .GEN Text file formats that the "VP Converter..." Addition can't import Text file format Extension 8-bit ASCII .TXT DCA .RFT Microsoft Word .DOC Microsoft Word for Windows .DOC MultiMate .DOC PRN to Table .PRN Word Perfect 4,5 .WP WordStar 3, 4, 5 .WS Xerox Writer .XWP XyWrite .TXT Support for picture files The "VP Converter..." Addition converts most but not all picture files from your Ventura chapter file to a new PageMaker file. The table below explains which picture formats you can expect the VP Converter to handle. If your Ventura file contains a picture format that VP Converter does not support, try using a graphics program (such as the one that created the picture) to save it to a supported format. Picture file format Extension Supported? Notes AutoCad .SLD N PageMaker can't import this format CGM .CGM Y DCS image file .MAS Y Encapsulated Postscript .EPS Y GEM (line art) .GEM Y GEM/HALO DPE .IMG N PageMaker can't import this format HPGL .PLT Y .HPG Y Select the"HPGL filter" during conversion to place .HPG files. Lotus PIC .PIC Y Mac Paint .PNT Y Macintosh PICT .PCT Y PC Paintbrush .PCX Y TIFF .TIF Y VideoShow .PIC Y Windows metafile .WMF N PageMaker's supported "placeable" WMF format differs from the standard format VP supports. Support for text attributes and features Text item or feature Supported? Notes Allow breaks within Y Auto-numbering N No numbers or codes will show. Automatic pair kerning Y Supported at the paragraph level only, not file-wide or frame-wide. Big first character N Tip: Use the "Drop Cap..." Addition after conversion. Bold Y Box characters N Codes appear in text. Box text characters Y Bullet paragraph attribute N Column balance N Tip: Use the "Balance columns..." Addition on selected pages after conversion. Column break before Y Column break after N Column break before N and after Cross References N Codes appear in text. Define Colors N Colors redefined with a new name and new color model convert as the 8 standard Ventura colors. Double-underline N Appears as a single line. Equations N Codes appear in text. First line indent Y One line only. First line outdent N Font Y You may need to update font ID numbers in the ALDUS.INI file for fonts to convert correctly. Footnote numbers N Numerical numbers appear but may not be in sequence Ventura last displayed. Frame anchors N Codes appear in text. After conversion the frame appears on the page in approximately the same position last displayed in Ventura. Grow inter-line to fit N Horizontal alignment: N decimal Horizontal alignment: Y Tip: If large spaces appear with justified left, center, right, justified alignment, remove any soft carriage returns that display in PageMaker's story editor. Hyphenation Y In from right to decimal N Index entries Y Inter-line spacing Y (leading) Inter-paragraph spacing N Italic text Y Keep with next Y Letter spacing Y Marker names N Codes appear in text. Move down to first N baseline by inter-line or cap height Next Y position: N Beside last line of previous paragraph Orphans (minimum N Tip: Use "Orphan control" in the "Paragraph lines at bottom) specifications" dialog box after conversion. Overall width (frame-wide) N Frame-wide widths are converted to column-wide widths. Overall width (column-wide) Y Overscore N Appears as strike-thru. Page break before Y Page break after N Page break before N and after Page break before/ N until left Page break before/ N until right Relative indent N Repeating frame Y Exception: Contents of a frame hidden on a given page will become visible after conversion. Ruling line above text Y See "Ruling line attributes" for more detail Ruling line around frames Y Ruling line around paragraphs N Ruling line attributes: Supported: color; styles (weights) convert to nearest whole point size in PageMaker. Not supported: width, space above, space below rule 3, user-defined height of rule, pattern shades (convert as a solid line), dash width, dash spacing, custom indent, custom width (dashes convert as a solid line). Double 1/2 pt, Thick-Thin, Thin-Thick, Three line, Triple 1/2 point and user defined rules convert the first line thickness only. Ruling line below text Y See "Ruling line attributes" for more detail Small N Characters become small caps. Small cap size Y Spacing: add above Y when not at column top Spacing: add in above always N PageMaker doesn't add space above if text is placed at top of column. Spacing above Y Space above and space below paragraph paragraph are added together in PageMaker. (Ventura uses whichever is greater: space above or space below.) Spacing below Y Space above and space below paragraph paragraph are added together in PageMaker. (Ventura uses whichever is greater: space above or space below.) Spacing in from left Y Spacing in from right Y Spacing settings for N left page only or right page only Strike-thru Y Strike-thru height and shift N Subscript Y Subscript shift down Y Subscript size Y Superscript Y Superscript shift up Y Superscript size Y Tab auto-leader N Tab leader Y Tab leader spacing N Leader converts with no spacing. Tabs Y Exception: Ventura numbers tabs but does not require you to place them in any order from left-to-right. When the converter discovers a tab setting that is not in left-to-right order, it stops converting tabs for that paragraph. Tables N Table codes appear in text; table contents may appear separated by commas. Text rotation N Tracking Y Underline Y Underline height and N shift Variable definitions N Codes appear in text. Vertical alignment N Vertical justification N Widows (minimum N Tip: Use "Widow control" in the "Paragraph lines at top) specifications" dialog box after conversion. Word spacing Y (minimum, normal, maximum space width) Support for Ventura graphics Graphic feature Supported? Notes Box text Y Circles Y Fill patterns Y Fill transparent N Lines Y Line end styles N All lines convert with square ends Rectangles Y Rounded rectangles Y Corners will be more rounded after conversion; however, you can change them in PageMaker. Send to back, N Graphics convert in the same stacking order bring to front as they were created in Ventura, not in their last displayed order Show graphic on all pages Y Support for page layout, picture formatting, headers, footers, indexes, TOCs, and footnotes Feature Supported? Notes Double-sided Y Broadsheet page size is not supported. Double-sided, N Must insert a new page before page 1 before start on left conversion. New page becomes right page after conversion. Footer Y Exception: For single-sided, start-on-left documents, left footer is lost. Footnotes Y Footnote text appears at end of story after conversion (even if footnotes were turned off but previously created). Numerical numbers appear but may not be in sequence Ventura last displayed. Frame anchors N Codes appear in text. After conversion the frame appears on the page in approximately the same position last displayed in Ventura. Frame background fills Y Pattern fills convert to closest screened fill in PageMaker. Frame captions Y Supported for Right, Left, Above, Below, and Caption labels extended. Frame padding N Header Y Exception: For single-sided, start-on-left documents, left header is lost. Hidden repeating frames N Hidden repeating frames appear on the master pages in PageMaker. Image settings N for grayscale images Index features Y Inserted pages Y Custom pages appear as they do in Ventura except for unsupported features Inter-col. and vertical rules Y May need to correct display by sending some rules behind other elements on the page. Landscape Y Margins and columns Y Supported for custom widths and gutter sizes frames with text. Page sizes Y Picture cropping N Picture dimensions convert properly but you may need to adjust the areas you want cropped. Picture scaling N Converts picture at original size. Slight differences in display may be apparent after conversion. Portrait Y Ruling lines for frames Y Multiple lines for above, below, or around are and pages supported. Single-sided Y Single-sided, left N Converts to single-sided right pages; left-page start on left headers and footers lost in conversion. Single sided, right Y Table of contents features N Vertical alignment N Vertical justification N Additional notes If your Ventura chapter file contains footnotes, the "VP Converter..." Addition will place an invisible box on the master pages in PageMaker 5.0 that corresponds to the location of the footnotes in the original chapter file. All footnotes will appear at the end of their corresponding story. If you notice that text in your converted chapter file flows in an unexpected manner, go to the master pages in your publication, choose "Select all" from the Edit menu, and delete invisible boxes that appear in the expected place for footnotes. You will then need to manually copy and paste footnotes from the end of each story into their correct locations. Links in Ventura chapter files must be up-to-date to ensure correct conversion in PageMaker. It's best to use the "Copy All" command in Ventura Publisher when making copies of chapter files and their associated files. Ventura chapter files with more than 256 frames will not convert using the "VP Converter..." Addition. You can have the converter keep a log file to help diagnose any problems you may have converting a file. When you use this feature, the converter creates a file called DEBUG.LOG in the root directory of your current drive. You can open this file in a text editor such as Windows Notepad to see a record of the Additions commands the converter uses to create the publication in PageMaker. The log information may help you determine why certain features or attributes from Ventura are not being recreated in PageMaker. To make the converter automatically record a log of Additions commands, locate the ALDUS.INI file in the USENGLSH directory of the ALDUS directory and open it in a text editor such as Windows Notepad. To the end of the file (or immediately above any bracketed heading), add the following lines: [VP2PM] DebugLog=ON Then save ALDUS.INI. To stop the creation of this file, remove these lines from the ALDUS.INI and save ALDUS.INI. You can delete the DEBUG.LOG without causing any problems to the converter. Whether or not you take the above steps to create a DEBUG.LOG, the "Ventura Converter..." Addition automatically creates a file called CONVERT.LOG if errors occur while running the converter. The CONVERT.LOG file is stored in the directory that contains the Ventura chapter you are converting and is automatically displayed on screen in Windows Notepad when the conversion is complete. Once you have the information you need from this file, you can delete it from your hard drive. Beyond a basic set, the fonts in your Ventura chapters will not convert to PageMaker if you have assigned them as a character level attribute or tag attribute. You can solve this problem in two steps: First, find the font ID number of the fonts you use most often. Second, make specific entries into the ALDUS.INI. These steps are described below: 1. Find the font ID number. You have two ways to find the font ID for the fonts that are not converting. For the first method, run the converter. When the converter does not make a font match, it starts Windows Notepad and displays a log file, CONVERT.LOG, as described above. The file lists the ID numbers of the fonts and their associated tag names. For the second method, use Windows Notepad (or a word processor if the file is too large for Notepad) to open up the ASCII text file that represents the text for your chapter. You will see text that looks something like this: <F9P16M>Hello, this is AGaramond.<F255P255D> <F52569P16M>This is Impact.<F255P255D> The font ID number is the 1-to-5 digit number after the <F and before the P at the beginning of the line. 2. Create an entry for the font ID number in ALDUS.INI. Locate the ALDUS.INI file in the USENGLSH directory of the ALDUS directory and open it in a text editor like Windows Notepad. At the end of the file (or immediately above any bracketed section head), create a line with the section heading [VP2PM]. Underneath, add a line for each font like this: FontIDXXXXX=FontName where XXXXX is the font ID number you obtained earlier and FontName is the name of the font as it appears in the "Font" list in PageMaker's "Type Specifications" dialog box. When you are finished, your new lines might look like the example below: [VP2PM] FontID9=AGaramond FontID52569=Impact Now restart PageMaker and convert your chapter. The converter will successfully convert your font assignments. Aldus, the Aldus logo, and PageMaker are registered trademarks of Aldus Corporation. Ventura Publisher is a registered trademark of Corel Corporation. Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp. ______________________________________________________ > Ventura Usergroup STR InfoFile """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Ventura Publisher Users (VPU) ============================= Hello. Welcome to this introduction to Ventura Publisher Users (VPU) and the TAGline newsletter. We hope in this short file to answer some of the questions commonly asked about VPU and TAGline. What is VPU? ------------ VPU is a non-profit making user group. It consists of people, like yourself, who have an interest in Corel Ventura Publisher, DataBase Publisher, and other applications that work with these products. VPU is based in the UK and was formed in 1986. The group is run by a committee and board of directors who are elected annually. We provide a range of services that includes a magazine called TAGline, regular meetings, Masterclass training days and notes, some technical support, a range of useful software utilities, and occasional publications of interest to Corel Ventura users. We also maintain an up-to-date wish list of features that our users would like to see in future versions of Ventura. Can you join if you are outside the UK? --------------------------------------- Yes. Although we are based in the UK, VPU has a worldwide membership. New members from any country are welcome, and tVPU benefits from the exchange of information and opinions from our widespread membership. What is TAGline? ---------------- TAGline is a magazine published ten times a year and distributed to our members worldwide. It contains regular features on Questions and Answers, Hints and Tips, Typefaces, Copyediting, News and Views as well as interesting reviews of Ventura related products. The best way to find out about TAGline is to read it. In the library you will find an information pack called VPUTAG.ZIP that contains information about VPU and TAGline, together with some sample pages. Simply download it and look at the sample pages. Alternatively read the next section on how to get more information on VPU and TAGline. How do I join? -------------- Joining is simple. Send Anne Gray a message with your postal address in one of the following ways and she will send you all the details: - via CIS on 100012,1554 - via fax on +44 234 713757 - via phone on +44 234 241234 during UK office hours - via post to VPU, 49 Olney Road, Emberton, OLNEY, Bucks, MK46 5BU, UK We look forward to welcoming you to the growing family of Corel Ventura users in VPU. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" :HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT: _________________________________ Set your communications software to Half Duplex (or Local Echo) Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type: XTX99587,CPUREPT then, hit RETURN. Are your friends "busy" buddies? Are they being left out in the cold because their online service doesn't have room for them? Is "Almost OnLine" as close as they're getting to BEING online? Are they faced with busy signals, "come back later" messages and slow response? Well, we know how frustrated they must feel. We've been there -- done that! But, that's no longer the Case on GEnie. We've got the room, we've got the fun and we've got the greatest users....people just like you! So why not invite your buddies to join you on GEnie? We've designed a slick promotion in order to give you the opportunity to be a hero to your friends. To get them back online, get them some free time, and introduce them to GEnie Services. What you don't have to tell them is that you get something out of the deal, too! For each new user you bring to GEnie, we'll waive their first month's subscription fee, and give them a total of TEN free hours of standard connect time -- that's a $38.95 (C$50.95) value! If you and your buddy are still active GEnie subscribers three months from the date your buddy signs up, YOU get five hours of FREE standard connect time -- a $15.00 (C$20.00) value for each buddy you sponsor! And, for a limited time, you can even qualify for SPECIAL PRIZES!!! In addition to the five hours of standard connect time, prizes will be awarded to the three sponsors who bring in the most qualifying buddies between February 3, 1994 and March 31, 1994. The third-place Buddy sponsor will receive a GEnie satin jacket. The second-place Buddy sponsor will receive a 9600 bps modem. And the first-place buddy sponsor will receive a $500 gift certificate good at your favorite computer store. Like everything good, there are a few rules for the GEnie Buddy Bonus Program. You'll find the complete promotion rules on the GEnie Services Buddy Bonus page (type BUDDY or M1111). Be sure you review the complete rules before you contact your friends. So, if your buddies have been bragging about that other online service, just remind them that a pretty interface ain't worth squat if it doesn't log on! Bring them over to GEnie....we may not be pretty just yet, but we're definitely more fun! And, if a GUI is that important to them, tell them that we'll have both Mac and Windows front ends before the other guys get more computers! DON'T GET _IN-LINE_ ....GET ONLINE! GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ___ ___ _____ _______ /___| /___| /_____| /_______/ The Macintosh RoundTable /____|/____| /__/|__| /__/ ________________________ /_____|_____|/__/_|__|/__/ /__/|____/|__|________|__/ /__/ |___/ |__|_/ |__|_/____ Managed by SyndiComm /__/ |__/ |__|/ |__|______/ An Official Forum of the International Computer Users Group *** STReport available in MAC RT *** ASCII TEXT for ALL GEnie users! MAC/APPLE SECTION (II) ====================== Randy Noak, Editor Random Thoughts from Mac Report HQ (or, Hey, if they can do this in MacWorld and MacUser, so can I ) Just when we thought it was over, Northwest Indiana gets hit with 7 inches of new snow! Yep, after being lulled into thinking that Winter was over by 60 degree temperatures, old Mother Nature decided to play a little "joke". Hmmm. I wonder why no one is laughing? Be that as it may, Mac Report HQ stands ready to provide a little warmth via news and reviews. I'm getting real excited about the soon-to-come PowerMacs. By all indications, they should provide Intel and Microsoft some real competition in both price and performance. Compatibility is reported to be very high with existing Mac applications (speeds somewhere between a fast 68030 machine and a slow 68040) , and most developers are busily re- compiling their software to run in PowerMac native mode (speeds 2-4 times the fastest Quadra!). All that speed means that just about everything that you now have to wait for your Mac to do will take place in real- time. Like I said, I'm real excited about this. Now all that remains is for me figure out how to "explain" that I "need" a PowerMac to my wife. If anyone has any ideas on how to do this without causing extreme marital strife they will be _most_ welcome! Regular readers of Mac Report may recall that my New Years Resolution was to start using Quicken to track my personal expenses and checking account. This is the first resolution that I have ever kept and I could kick myself for not doing this sooner. For the first time, my checkbook actually balances! I feel, well, in control. The master of my finances. My wife and I have also started tracking all of our spending in hopes (yes it does spring eternal), of getting our complete financial house in order. This is also working well. Also working well is my Supra 144LC faxmodem. I use it with AOL's software, CompuServe's Navigator and Information Manager, and with GEnie Nav Lite. All work well with the Supra. This is my second Supra modem (the first being a 2400 baud modem) and I've been very pleased with them both. Supra gets a big "thumbs-up" from Mac Report. In this issue, Games Editor, Guillaume Brasseur reviews Another Fine Mess, a shareware game, GEnie's Bill Martin gives us a sneak preview of the "Lindy", and we present news about the Flash and Artistry. Check it out! _______________________________________ > Another Fine Mess! STR Review """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" ANOTHER FINE MESS ================= by Guillaume Brasseur, Associate Editor - Games "Another Fine Mess" is a game that you scavenger hunters will truly enjoy. This is Ray's second game, following "Ray's Maze that he created a while back. For you ancient Macintosh users, this game resembles the ancient murder mysteries of "Déjà Vu", "Déjà vu 2" and the "Dark Castle" adventure. It was created using the World Builder program that allows you to see what scene you are in and to interact with the game as well. As you start, you are assigned the character of Fearless Frank that you will use to play the game. You have to go through a series of scenes while solving mind-boggling puzzles to survive. The game has roughly 310 rooms of play in which you have to pay attention to every detail to go on. You need to go through almost all the rooms to win the game. The object is to collect as much maximum point value prizes as possible so that Frank's trip is successful. At the beginning you will enter a store. There, you have to choose between many objects that you can buy that will help you through the game. Be very wise in your decisions, some objects are more valuable than others. I also suggest that you convert as much money as possible into Raybucks for they will help you pay for your expenses throughout the trip, not to mention bribing some characters into giving you information. When you are done, you head east towards the maze. The game in itself is not made up of full color animation as the new games are but it does have its charm. Solving the riddles and puzzles that are presented to you should keep you distracted enough as to not to even notice that detail. Every detail of a scene must be examined, from dots on a wall to a rock in a swamp. The game is full of comedy. At some point, a rock will say turn me over only to reveal a sigh of relief. As Ray put it, "If you are allergic to bad puns and warped humor, this game is not for you!" No matter how upset you get of dying and loosing, do not curse at the game because it will lower your moral character status. You must also watch out for interesting features such as jump doors. They may help you by getting you out of hard situations but they are sometimes tricky. When an unstable jump door appears, it is wisest to save your game and then go through because you have a good chance of finding yourself in front of the barrels of 100 tanks about to fire. This game is shareware so it will not cost you anything. I do suggest however that you send the $10 dollar registration fee to Ray because he will send you vital information that will really help you out. After all, what is a measly $10 dollars considering that it can save you many hours of anger, desperation and confusion. As I have said above, this game was not created using the most advanced of technologies but it is great for strategy and thinking. Ray has really done a good job in designing such a complete game, considering that it involves so many scenes and clues. You can obtain this game through shareware and it will bring you many hours of enjoyment and action. It will also tell you a lot about Ray for this game was designed using his relatives (he says, and I quote, "the Faerie Queen is modeled after my wife, Cris") and his attitude. This game is just plain non-stop fun and I invite you all to check it out. Furthermore, Ray is designing a new game, "A mess O' trouble" and is planning to design a CD-ROM game similar to "Myst". With the talent he has showed in designing this game it wouldn't surprise me if his new games were to become best sellers!!! (Editor's Note: Another Fine Mess is available for download from most online services. Also, AFM is _not_ 32-bit clean, so be sure and turn off 32-bit addressing before starting to play) _____________________________________ > Artistry STR InfoFile """"""""""""""""""""" Artistry covers Fractal Design Software ======================================= Karen Sperling, who wrote the Painter manuals and Companion, is starting a how-to newsletter called Artistry that will cover all of Fractal Design's software. The mag will be enthusatically supported by FD. It will feature: -Illustrations created with Painter, X2, Dabbler, ColorStudio and Sketcher. -Simple, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. -Profiles of artists who use Fractal's software. -Examples of their work and explanations of how it was created. -Tips and tricks for special effects. -News about seminars and books. -Information about related subjects, like output. -Many other news stories, features and departments, too numerous to mention! Artistry will be published 10 times a year. Subscriptions are $49.95 for 1 year, 10 issues; $89.95 for 2 years, 20 issues. To subscribe, send a check or money order payable to Artistry, the newsletter, to Karen Sperling, 342 E.65th St.-2RW, New York, N.Y. 10021. Be sure to include your name, title and company if any, address. Karen is looking for contributors. ___________________________________ If you slave "over a hot laser printer" like I do, this next item should be of great interest. Flash Magazine The Premier Journal of Desktop Printing The Flash Magazine is a bimonthly, full color, glossy magazine all about laser printing and desktop publishing (circulation including newsstands of 50,000). Each issue contains dozens of laser printing tips and techniques as well as feature articles exploring topics like: Laser Printer Maintenance & Repairs You Can Make; Specialty Papers; Tricks & Techniques in to Get the Best Copy; Papers and Your Printer; Going to Press; Publishing a Newsletter on Your Laser; Transfer Toner; New Laws Affecting Consumers and Computer Users; Business Issues; Desktop & Self Publishing; The Environment; and much more. What do readers & reviewers say about the Flash Magazine? "Flash Magazine, the brain child of Walter Jeffries, is one of those peculiar and endearing Vermont institutions that is reminiscent of Mother Earth News, The Old Farmer's Almanac, or Ben & Jerry's Ice cream...The Flash has achieved cult status among Jeffries' 18,000 readers. If you use a laser printer, you owe it to yourself to get a subscription to the Flash." - Warren Keuffel, Computer Language Magazine "The Flash is one of the few publications I read cover to cover. It has the highest useful content ratio of any publication I read. Thanks for providing a great Service!" - Terry Swensen, Lenexa, KS "You don't have to be a rocket Scientist to understand it!" - Dianne Altieri, Varre, MA "If you spend too much time hovering over a hot laser printer, the Flash may be just the publication you're looking for." - Victoria von Biel, Power Tools, MacUser Magazine If you own, use, or covet a laser printer then you owe it to yourself to read the Flash! Subscriptions are $15/year (6 issues) in the USA, 2 years for $28, 3 years for $39. Add $10 per year in Canada and Mexico and $20 per year in other countries. Foriegn orders shipped airmail. First class subscriptions are available in the USA for $10 extra per year. Cover price is $3.95US, $4.95Canadian. Ask for it at your local bookstore or newsstand! Due to the high demand for back issues of the Flash, BlackLightning has published Flash Compendium (ISBN 1-881676-00-5 $12.95) a book of the best of the Flash from the first issue through the summer of 1992 plus many new articles never before published. All of the articles and illustrations are completely updated and indexed for easy reference. The book is also available on CD-ROM as the Laser Printer Companion ($49.95) which includes many articles that were not included in the book form as well as the Fall 1992 issue. Add $3 per item for shipping in the USA, $5 to Canada or Mexico, $8 to other countries "[Flash Compendium] is the most enlightening computer book I have ever read...a must-have for all laser printer owners." - Book reviewer James Moran, CompuServe Magazine To subscribe or order the book or CD: (Checks & Visa/MC accepted) Flash Magazine, BlackLightning Publishing, Inc., Riddle Pond Road, West Topsham, VT 05086. Fax (802) 439-6463 CompuServe [73130,1734] Tel (802) 439-6462 1-800-851-7809 For a sample copy of the Flash Magazine send a self addressed stamped ($1.21) envelope (large size 6"x9") to Holly at the postal address above she'll send you a sample copy. Readers outside the USA can order a sample pack for $10 to cover airmail postage using Visa or MasterCard. _____________________________________ From Bill Martin on GEnie comes this enticing preview of the "Lindy" ,Apple's second-generation Newton. Reports regarding the features of the second Apple Newton device, codenamed "Lindy" are starting to solidify. Due sometime in March, this second generation Newton will offer several changes and enhancements. Among these are: A re-designed case: Taller, and slimmer in the middle, this Newton will sport a top-hinged cover that folds out of the way and clips to the back of the unit when in use. The case is slimmer because one complaint regarding the original MessagePad is that some find it hard to hold. Lindy is narrower overall than it's predecessor, but is especially so where most people will grasp it. Re-located PCMCIA II Card Slot: As the cover of the new unit is hinged at the top, the card slot has been moved to the side, allowing unobstructed access. Increase in memory: The original MessagePad shipped with 640K of RAM. The new Lindy will contain 1 MB of RAM, which allows for much more room for things like: More user data - almost three times the current space. Improved handwriting recognition - More room for this function to be performed. Deferred handwriting translation: A potentially big new feature is the Lindy's ability to save your handwritten text as "digital ink" (something the current MessagePad _can_ do) and then later, when it's more convienent, translate it into computer-readable text. The current MessagePad must perform the translation immediately, which sometimes slows down the performance of the unit. This hinders it's usefulness for tasks such as note-taking. The new Lindy should be much better at this. Power source: Apple is moving to four "AA" batteries on the Lindy. This is different from the four "AAA" batteries found in the original MessagePad unit. One benefit here will be the increase in battery life, as AA cells contain more energy than their AAA counterparts. Apple will also offer a stand-up charger for the Lindy, allowing you to slide the unit into a stand, and not have to remove the batteries. This will, of course, require that you use rechargeable batteries. While some things will be different, some will be similar. The icons found at the bottom of the current MessagePad's screen will also appear on the Lindy. This means that the same means of controlling the device and its software will be used on the new unit. The screen, however, will be slightly (four pixels) shorter than the MessagePad. What about the nifty Newton stylus? Well, it gets revamped in the new unit. It will be round, and will telescope to fit into a spring-loaded slot in the side of the case. As Sharp has decided not to manufacture the next Newton for Apple, the Lindy will be produced by the Taiwanese firm Inventec. _____________________________________ That's it for this week. As always, please feel free to send your comments or questions to me at: America OnLine: STReportRN Compuserve: 70323,1031 GEnie: R.NOAK ********************************************************************** IMPORTANT NOTICE! ================= STReport International Online Magazine is available every week for your reading pleasure on DELPHI. STReport's readers are invited to join DELPHI and become a part of a friendly community of enthusiastic computer users there. SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI ====================== Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access DELPHI services via a local phone call JOIN --DELPHI -------------- Via modem, dial up DELPHI at 1-800-695-4002 then... When connected, press RETURN once or twice and... At Password: type STREPORT and press RETURN. DELPHI's Basic Plan offers access for only $6.00 per hour, for any baud rate. The $5.95 monthly fee includes your first hour online. For more information, call: DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-544-4005 DELPHI is a service of General Videotex Corporation of Cambridge, MA. Try DELPHI for $1 an hour! For a limited time, you can become a trial member of DELPHI, and receive 5 hours of evening and weekend access during this month for only $5. If you're not satisfied, simply cancel your account before the end of the calendar month with no further obligation. If you keep your account active, you will automatically be enrolled in DELPHI's 10/4 Basic Plan, where you can use up to 4 weekend and evening hours a month for a minimum $10 monthly charge, with additional hours available at $3.96. But hurry, this special trial offer will expire soon! To take advantage of this limited offer, use your modem to dial 1-800-365-4636. Press <RET> once or twice. When you get the Password: prompt, type IP26 and press <RET> again. Then, just answer the questions and within a day or two, you'll officially be a member of DELPHI! DELPHI-It's getting better all the time! ********************************************************************** ATARI/JAG SECTION (III) ======================= Dana Jacobson, Editor > From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!" """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Here we go again!! Winter has seemed to not give up its hold on us yet. Another major storm hit New England Wednesday and another is predicted for Friday!! I guess this is nature's way of getting us back for a terrific weekend last week. Oh well, where'd my shovel go...? A bit of old trivia for you. I couldn't remember where I had first heard of STReport, until a few days ago. I'm not sure whether or not I mentioning purchasing a friend's Atari system recently. That system included lots of software, both commercial and public domain. Included with the PD software were a lot of old STart, Analog/ST-Log, and ST X-Press magazine disks. I was going through them to see which ones I already had, to re-format the duplicates. As I was looking over the ST X-Press disks, something on the disk's label caught my eye. Among other things, "STREPORTS" was boldly visible. Naturally, I had to take a look at this. The disk contained 3 back issues of STReport; this particular disk was from December of 1988. I read through the issues and was surprised that I had remembered reading them before. Ironically, a lot of what was being said back then is still being said today. It's amazing that in some ways, things haven't changed all that much with Atari. It's nice to know, however, that STReport really made that much of an impact in those years to be included on a great Atari magazine's monthly disk. In those days, the aforementioned Ron Kovacs and Ralph Mariano were a team publishing the magazine. A sign of better times...? Some interesting Jaguar tidbits have crossed my path recently. The national rollout, although slow and perhaps delayed, has started, finally. Atari's Don Thomas recently stated on Compuserve that the ad campaign and other plans would be starting within 30-45 days. Details of that announcement are later in this issue. What bothers me, somewhat, is what's happened to push back this rollout. Atari, so far, is late by a quarter. Is this something to be concerned about? I don't know. Earlier in the month, there was an announcement from IBM about layoffs in their North Carolina plant. Coincidentally, that plant is the one responsible for the manufacturing of the Jaguar. One can't help but wonder whether or not this layoff has had any influence on the delays that Atari has experienced. The IBM announcement is included in this issue also. Is this history repeating itself? One can only wonder because of past Atari experiences. No one really wants to believe that the Jaguar may be plagued by similar product delays and other problems of the past. Certainly, we all want Atari to succeed with _every_ new product that they develop. Atari's successes are _our_ successes. Hopefully, we'll be able to provide some answers to these questions in the near future. Speaking of Atari history, there have been numerous on-again, off-again policies that either allowed, or "banned" various mail order dealers from selling Atari hardware. When the Falcon was finally released, Atari's new dealer contract stipulated that mail order was not allowed except in rare cases. Well, now that Falcons aren't being currently produced, or overly supported by Atari, they've decided to once again allow mail order sales of the Falcon. This also includes advertising Falcon prices. To-date, I've seen 2 online ads for Falcons from 2 established Atari dealers, including prices. While I understand this revamped policy will allow better penetration of Falcons, one concern is what will happen to the smaller Atari dealers that can't compete? The original policy was adopted to give every dealer an equal chance, but that's now gone if people are willing to shop around and take advantage of mail order. I view this change with mixed emotions, at best. In the long run, I hope there are more Falcon sales, but will it be a case of "too little, too late." For over a year now, we've heard complaints from Atari SLM printer and Falcon owners that the printer was not usable on the Falcon. Over and over again we heard that there were 3rd party developers working on an adaptor to overcome this problem. Well, it was recently learned that there is not a solution to this problem, from Europe. It's too bad that SLM owners have to pay (again) for the ability to use their Atari lasers, but at least there's a way. Further on this issue is an announcement with details about this new adaptor. Well, this issue has some interesting announcements, some as mentioned above. As usual, our weekly columnists/editors also have provided us with some interesting stuff this week. I'd better finish this week's issue up soon to get ready for snowstorm #2 this week! Until next time... Falcon Accelerators!! > STR FOCUS! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The 32 mhz accelerator boards for Falcon 030 computer are finally here. There are two versions: (1) The Eagle Sonic 32 when in use will deactivate the original 16 mhz 68030 processor and all function will be taken over by the accelerator board. This board fit into the Falcon internal expansion port no case modification is required. Installation requires some soldering, price $459. (2) The Mighty Sonic 32 has all of the features as Eagle Sonic and optionally, it can be populated with up to 32 meg of TT fast RAM using 1 or 4 meg simm. Due to the size of this board, it will not fit into the Falcon case and some soldering is required, price $659. Please call ATY Computer at (510) 482-3775 to order. Thank you Alex Yu, Owner Jaguar Ads to Start Again!!> STR InfoFile """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" According to Atari's Don Thomas earlier this week, Atari will be re- starting their national advertising campaign in the next few weeks. According to Thomas: "I was told today that I can spill some beans... Advertising in New York for the Jaguar has been turned back on. San Francisco will soon follow. Within 30 to 45 days, ads (TV) will begin appearing in LA, Chicago, Boston, Washington, Dallas, Detroit and Atlanta. The "barf" commercial will be used. I was not permitted to argue with statistics that showed clearly that that commercial worked! Then again, I don't personally approve of blood and guts games EXCEPT that seems to be what sells and I am MORE FOR providing the consumers what they want. This information and list is subject to change pending final media buys, scheduling, market changes, etc. BTW, there are MANY reasons for the selection of markets. For instance, Radio Shack (Incredible Universe) is located in Dallas/Ft. Worth. It only makes sense to offer them a local feeling of the impact. Marketing is a strategy that involves numerous levels... we don't only sell to end users, but to the distribution and retail channels too. In any case... F.Y.I." -- Don Thomas Jaguar Kiosks For Sale! In another announcement from Don Thomas: "For those who have seen the Jaguar store Kiosk or display, it looks a lot like an arcade machine. It has an arcade pedestal, stereo speakers, crisp color monitor and ergonomic presentation. This display was designed and is being used for in-store display purposes. It is also ideal (in my opinion) for recreation rooms, doctor's offices and other professional waiting areas that like having a high-tech look or like impressing their clients (great therapy too! <g>) After being prodded by some people in E-Mail, I have received permission to make these available for just those types of purposes. I do not have sales brochures on this and I am not particularly interested in making a business out of selling these as they do not represent our mass market offerings, BUT I sure wish I could afford one (they ain't cheap) for my home. BTW the kiosk is complete and pre-assembled for the most part (includes color monitor, monitor cable, speakers and speaker wires). The ONLY item missing is the Jaguar system... you must supply that. Maybe some of you who saw these at CES can step in and tell everyone how cool they are. Again, these were not intended for end user use and are not priced for that purpose, but I thought it would be neat if I could get approval to make them available. SERIOUS inquiries can be directed to me in E-Mail. Feel free to distribute this notice as you wish, but all interested parties MUST contact me in E-Mail on CompuServe (75300,1267). Payment terms will be prepaid on Visa, MasterCard or Cashier's Check. I reserve the right to revoke this offer at any time without notice. Price discussed in E-Mail only." -- Don Thomas Atari Corporation _________________________________________ > SLM Interface! STR InfoFile A _VERY EXPENSIVE_ SOLUTION """"""""""""""""""""""""""" Heatseeker: the Falcon030--SLM interface! ========================================= Current Version: 1.01. Specification: Interface between Falcon030 and SLM 804 or SLM 605. Supplier: R.O.M., Berlin Raschdorffstrasse 99 13409 Berlin Germany Phone: +49 / 30 492 41 27 FAX: +49 / 30 491 93 67 If you're calling the phone lines, please think about time differences. Berlin's in the Central European Time Zone (CET), which is Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour. FAX lines are open 24 hrs. a day. Includes: -"Heatseeker" interface-hardware. -GDOS-driver-software. -DIABLO printer-emulation. -Drivers for 1st Word Plus and similar. -Drivers for That's Write, Composcript etc. -Installation-, setup- and test software. -FontGDOS or SpeedoGDOS (Speedo causes extra costs) including raster, or (in the Speedo-package) vector fonts, the usual device-drivers (such as MEMORY.SYS, META.SYS), installation-accessories and CPXes. -Special configuration CPX for the Diablo emulator. -Documentation. Price: 199.-- DM (currently ca. 110 Dollars). Optional: -SpeedoGDOS 4.2 package. -Calamus/Calamus SL driver Features: The hardware was designed to be very error-tolerant. The problems you might have had using the old "SLMC" controller when switching off the laser with the computer turned on or booting with an offline laser do not longer [sic] exist. You can now turn the laser on and off whenever you want. The hardware is very small and handy and does not consume as much space as the SLMC-controller. Its current size is 50mm*77mm*13mm. The Heatseeker is easily installed and can as well be easily removed with a single grip. The software provides a maximum of compatibility, since it is licensed original-Atari-software that was modified to control the Heatseeker-hardware. This allows to run even those programs that are relatively close to the hardware. Programs printing plain ASCII-text work as well as those printing bitmap-rasters through the functions provided by the Diablo-emulator. Even Gnu-Ghostscript, Gnu's postscript emulator, runs without any problems. The memory consumption is very low (at about 100 k). Compatibility to GDOS-applications such as Xact, Prolist or such is provided through a GDOS-driver that can handle scalable SpeedoGDOS-vector fonts as well as graphics. The package includes special drivers for some programs, such as That's Write or Composcript. Easy-to-use CPXes allow fast configuration of your system. ________________________________________ > The Old Fishin' Hole STR Feature """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" The Old Fishin' Hole ==================== -A Guide to the Online PD/Shareware Waters. by John R. Duckworth It seems that the famous winter flu has finally caught up with me. Between coughs and sniffles, I've noticed that life in 'Atariland hasn't gotten much easier. Most of us still have no local dealer, new commercial entertainment software for the Falcon030 is virtually non-existent, and for those of us lucky enough to own one of those nifty, cutting-edge Jaguar units...we'll have to be satisfied playing one of the few games that have thus far been released. But enough about the negative, this column is dedicated to the public domain and shareware efforts of the Atari community, and although offerings as of late have been rather slow, most of those packages presented have been of extremely high quality...hopefully this trend will continue. This week I'll take a look at a fun arcade-type game and also a nifty little utility which has just been updated. "Winglord" by Victor Bruhn is, at it's simplest level can be described as a "Joust" clone. But, instead of winged ostriches, this version features winged unicorns. A player may enter the competition alone, with a computer controlled helper, or with another human player to work as a team against the several varieties of unicorn-riding enemies. In addition to the above mentioned baddies, yellow-jacket bees will come to battle the games in many of the levels. Against these new enemies, the player can unleash special missile weapons...which are one of the few refreshing new twists to the old theme. As the game progresses, the levels get more challenging and the players are transported to different arenas. The player and enemy characters in the game are nicely animated and move about the screen smoothly...although the are a bit small in size. The game also could utilize more colors, but since it was designed to work on all of the 680x0 systems...the common denominator for the screen displays of course is ST low resolution which is what the game uses. One advantage of running on an STe or above is the addition of great sound effects which utilize the DMA sound available on these models. While "Winglord" is no breakthrough in game ideas or design, it is a very playable game with exciting promise. The shareware demo version available online is only playable up to level 19...to reach higher levels the user will need to get the registered version from the author at a very reasonable fee of eight dollars. Next up is "The Revenge Document Displayer" v. 3.10 by Stuart Coates a programmer in Great Britain. "The Revenge Document Displayer" (known as RDD the rest of this article) is yet another text reader. While I have reviewed several such programs in the past months, RDD is neither the best nor the worst of its class. Let me preface the following review by stating that I tested this package on a Falcon, and users of other models may get different mileage out of it than I did. I was extremely happy to see that an old favorite of mine had finally been updated to run on the Falcon. Well, as it turns out, RDD 3.10 and I did not get along from the start. After the installation process, which happens to be a very nifty idea (the program which is extracted from the archive is actually an installer which in turn extracts the RDD program from itself per user specifications) I attempted to simply run the program to see if I could take a look at a text file. As soon as the file selector box appeared on my monitor, the system froze...time for a reboot. Second try, the same thing happened. Next, I decided to boot from a clean system (except for my atari mouse accelerator, which I am never without), but the program still refused to continue. So, after great thought, I booted without the mouse accelerator...and what do you know...it ran fine. But do I really want to have to use my system without my beloved accelerator? No. But you are the master of your system, so decide for yourself. Once the program is up and running it is like any other text displayer, although unlike "MasterBrowse", it is not GEM compliant and will probably not run under multitasking operating systems. The program has most of the other standard displayer functions like blocking, searching, printing, and bookmarks. Some of the unusual features which can be useful include switching between the ST and IBM character sets, a 50/60 Hz toggle, and limited picture viewing. This program runs very fast in ST medium resolution and scrolling with the mouse make the text fly by, but in Falcon high resolution modes scrolling slows down to a crawl. If you aren't happy with your current text file viewer then maybe you should check out this program...or better yet give "MasterBrowse 3.5" a try. I expected a bit more from this update, perhaps faster scrolling on higher resolutions and better compatibility. Old favorites die hard, but in this case it may be a long time before I download another version of "The Revenge Document Displayer". Well, that's all for this week...I need to get some rest. See y'all online. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Old Fishin Hole Tackle Box * | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Winglord | | Delphi: Atari Advantage - READ WINGLORD | | | | Revenge Document Displayer 3.10 | | Delphi: Atari Advantage - READ REVENGE | | CompuServe: Atari Productivity Forum- RDD31.ZIP (lib. 4) | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ * The Tackle Box is meant to provide assistance in finding files mentioned in the column. It should not be considered a COMPLETE listing and is provided for convenience only. Delphi Atari Advantage files should be found in the Recent Arrivals section of the database until moved to their appropriate sections. _____________________________________________ > ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" PEOPLE... ARE TALKING ===================== On CompuServe ------------- compiled by Joe Mirando Hidi ho firends and neighbors. Its time once again to check out all the hints, tips, gossip, and news available on CompuServe, the best "rest area" on this here electronic highway. So let's check it out... From the Atari Productivity Forum ================================= Greg Wageman continues a conversation from last week about JPEG and GIF graphics compressions: "JPEG images can be 24-bit color, which means they'll be at least 3 times larger (uncompressed) for an approximately equivalent GIF, which by definition can be at most 256 colors (8 bit with a color table). Depending upon how much "loss" you are willing to accept, you can vary the compression rate of JPEG compression. JPEG can give you up to 100:1 compression (very lossy), although 10:1 gives good results." Sysop Bob Retelle tells Greg: "That's true about the source of the picture file, Greg.. I guess I was assuming that Ralph had been using a "standard" GIF image in his experiments. I'd started doing some JPEG experiments of my own, to see how much the lossyness affected the image quality at different settings, but gave it up because the system I was using (a '286 PS/2) was just too slow... now that I have a faster system, it might be interesting to try it again.." Sysop Jim Ness jumps in and posts: "Graphics Works for Windows is a great program for that type of conversions. It's what I used to convert over 1 meg of Targa pics of the Jaguar to about 180k of JPEG shots. GWS uses a 1-100% "quality" setting, and I used the 80% setting. I personally could not see any difference in quality at that setting." Rob Rasmussen continues another discussion. This one's about finding a monitor for the Falcon030: "So if I had a VGA monitor, which I understand can do 640 x 480 max, then no way can I get more out of it from a Falcon with Screenblaster? Like you said, I think I need the SVGA for higher rez like 1024 x 768, but I'm not clear on how high SVGA can go. Other than size, is there a big difference between different models?" Sysop Bob Retelle, in the very rare situation of not knowing the correct answer, tells Rob: "Actually I'm not really certain how software "resolution enhancers" like Screenblaster really work... that is, I don't know if they really do provide a "true" higher resolution, which would require a higher resolution capable monitor, or if they can "fool" a regular VGA monitor into displaying what appears to be higher resolution... Maybe someone who's used that kind of setup on a Falcon could fill us in... (Actually, there's not a whole lot of cost difference any more between VGA and SVGA monitors in the same screen size... a 14" SVGA monitor would be worth getting over a 14" VGA for the slight difference in cost...)" Yat Siu of Lexicor tells Rob and Bob: "By expanding over the monitors limitations you can either blow it up <grin> or use the virtual resolution modes..i.e. scroll around on a higher resolution. If the monitor says 640x480max I have two things to say. 1) Don't buy it new unless it's real cheap <smile> 2) and yes, 640x480 is all it can handle and if you plan to purchase a Screenblaster or BlowUp then don't get it unless you like Interlace modes." Jim Ness explains a bit about how the Screenblaster works: "Screenblaster provides an external synch to the Falcon (which has that as one of it's connector pins). The faster "clock" allows a higher resolution, using the rest of the Falcon video hardware. There is also a piece of software, which loads new values into the video registers, to set up various resolutions common to SVGA monitors. People have had pretty good results with it. So, to Rob's question: Buy a decent $350 monitor, which advertizes 1024x768 non-interlaced. The monitor will be good enough for anything the Falcon can put out." Rob Rasmussen asks a slightly different question about the monitor: "OK, I now know not to settle for VGA because I'll want higher rez. Can't get more out of it. A monitor that advertises 1024 x 768 - is this a SVGA monitor? If so, I'll also want to use 640x480 sometimes. I'm not sure, but if I run some ST programs on the Falcon, wouldn't I need the monitor to display the 3 ST resolutions as well, or can they just run in the higher rez? If the SVGA monitor can display all those lower rezes, would that mean it's a multiscan monitor?" Sysop Bob tells Rob: "The industry has stopped "naming" all those resolutions. My own 14" monitor, which can go up to 1024x768x256 non-interlaced (higher, if interlaced) says UVGA on the bezel. I think that's just a marketing ploy, not an official designation. FYI, my monitor is an Acer 34T, commonly available at discount retailers for a little over $300. The 15" version (56T, I think) usually goes for about $450. It's rare these days to find a monitor capable of scanning down as low as the ST resolutions need. Mine certainly won't. If you find one, it'll probably be pretty expensive." Rob adds: "On the ST, programs need to run in a certain rez. Some will run in all 3, some only in low, some only in high, etc. I also knew an Atari monitor (or TV on early STs) had to be used with the ST, not VGA or any other monitor, because of how the ST was designed. So in a way, I'm surprised that those programs will now run in (S)VGA rez on a Falcon. I suppose the ST was more the limitation than the monitor, and that the programs are not actually rez-dependent." Boris Molodyi tells Rob: "Actually, those old programs that run only in certain resolutions would run on Falcon's compatibility mode on SVGA monitor, because Falcon's ST resolutions, while internally being the same (same number of pixels and colors), are different in their scan rates. I.e., Falcon's scan rates, when using SVGA monitor, are SVGA compatible, instead of being (much lower) frequancies that the original ST used." Yat Siu tells Rob: "Once you have an SVGA Monitor you can do any Rez (i.e. 1024x768) from STlow to Blow Up (1280x1024 uhm or 1024x768). 1024x768 is a resolution accepted to be known as the "VESA" standard (?). Most SVGA are multiscan......" Jim Ness Posts: "Toad just started advertising mail order service over on GEnie. Remember, the Falcon was supposed to only be sold by authorized dealers, who each had a territory? There was this big stink about having to sign the new, more restrictive, dealer contract for Falcons. Toad says they just signed an addendum allowing them to sell via mail order. So, Atari has given up on their idea. It actually was not a bad idea, for a product that would be in great demand. The Falcon just never met that criteria." Sysop Bob Retelle tells Jim: "Deja-vu... sounds like the last time Atari made a big noise about "protecting their dealers" by prohibiting mail order, and then letting it die quietly in the night when they suddenly realized they didn't HAVE any dealers left to protect... Toad may be one of the few sources of Falcons left in the world, so it makes sense to let them sell to anyone who wants one.. Have "addenums" been given to everyone who was forced to sign the Falcon agreement?" Jim adds: "Toad is the only one I've seen who announced mail order service. I expect Computer Studio in North Carolina will follow. They are very well thought of and have taken email orders for non-Falcon equipment for years." Charles Smeton of NewSTar Technology tells Jim Ness: "I expect that each dealer will have to decide on their own if they will sign any addendum to their original Falcon dealer agreement. To the best of my knowledge, this is a recent developement. Maybe some input from someone at Atari would be helpful to fill in the details." Peter Breger asks about upgrading TOS versions: "Hi there ! I am trying to upgrade my 1040STFM to a higher TOS. The board has two ROM chips in pos U63,U67. There are no sockets soldered onto the PC board. I have now soldered these in to allow the 6 ROM chips to be plugged in. The PCboard is version C070789-001 REVD. I have tried plugging in a TOS 1.4 version that I have previously used on a 520ST, but cant get past the blank screen before the boot is aborted and restarts again. Apart from a bad solder job, what else is wrong ? Does this 1040 need a different ROM set, or are there printed circuit connections missing on this version of the PCboard ?" Sysop Bob Retelle tells Peter: "I know there was a definite procedure for upgrading a 2 chip TOS machine to the 6 chip version of TOS 1.4... I don't know if we still have it in our software libraries here, but it would be worth looking for. Possibly someone else here might still have it too... I don't remember any of the details, but I do recall there were some chip select lines that had to be enabled, I believe..." Mike Myers tells us: "I need a simpe way to reset my computer's internal clock when I boot. I checked the library, and downloaded a couple, but couldn't figure the documentation, or there was none. HELP! Sysop Bob Retelle tels Mike: "If you're using the Control Panel ACCessory you can change the time it displays by clicking your mouse pointer in the time and date displays, then typing in the correct time and date." Mike tells Bob: "I don't believe I have that accessory. I bought the computer and programs from a family member, who doesn't remeber what he put into it about 9 years ago. What is the control panel accessory?" Bob tells Mike: "The Control Panel ACCessory is a small program that lets you control many of the functions of the ST... the original one comes on a disk with the computer if you buy it new (you may or may not have gotten that disk when you bought your computer used). If you have the "Language Disk" with an Atari label on it, the Control Panel ACCessory is on that disk. We also have the program available here in our software libraries. There's a newer version called the XCONTROL PANEL that has a lot more features in it too... it also lets you set the time when you boot up. I'm not sure what the filename would be, but if you BROwse in the software libraries (use ALL when it asks you which library) using a keyword like CONTROL, it should turn up. There are also a number of other programs you can run when you boot up that will let you set the time and date... BROwsing with a keyword of TIME will probably turn those up too." Greg Wageman tells Mike: "I downloaded an auto folder date/time setter from the libraries here. It's really smart about how it handles your input, initializing its guess about the current data/time from the last time you booted your computer with it. To change a field, you only have to type the minimally-unambiguous new info. FOr example, if you last booted on Friday, February 18, 1994 but today is Sunday, you can just type "sun" and it will figure out the rest. Once the keboard clock has been set by this program, you will not have to type anything; it resets the system clock from the keyboard clock (unless of course you power off the computer). I had to get such a program because I switched from a SCSI host adaptor with a built-in battery-backed clock to an ICD Link, which has no clock." Our pal Brian Gockley of ST INFORMER posts this about the Falcon: "The Falcon represents a good value improvement over the older ST machines, but has not sold particularly well. It has three main drawbacks, 1) the clone price wars have pushed computer prices so low that the Falcon is actually a bit steep, 2) the video resolution is fixed at 15bit, with a max resolution of 640 x 480 (third parties take it higher), and 3) it was put into a one piece case, virtually identical to the 520/1040, so there is little room for internal upgrades, older style bus devices and there is no detached keyboard. There have been a decent number of new Falcon applications released, that take advantage of the extended palette, DSP chip, etc., but developers have taken a wait and see attitude. On the other hand, the Falcon comes with a very good startup software package; including AtariWorks, a PIM calender, a system sound manager, a Direct to Disk music recording package, a real time sound effects generator, a Talking Clock and some games. It sports a very nifty looking desktop with full color icons and Multitasking capabilities. You can now open dozens of windows, place your favorite files/programs/folders on the desktop, and control everything with keystrokes or a mouse. The Falcon has an internal IDE drive (85Mb) that is whisper quite, though it pushes the case up a tad, as well as a true SCSI port on the back. It has a microphone port that accepts a mini DIN connector, which then allows you to record your voice directly to a file, or attach that file to your document. You get a slew of resolutions, including a no palette 320x200 screen w 64,000 colors available at once. Technologically, the 16Mhz 68030 is not exactly the latest thing, but at the lower resolutions (e.g 640x480-16 colors), it is quite snappy. There are a few 68040 board that have been shown, with a German company releasing one first. So far, report of compatibility have been high, and dozens of software patches have been cobbled together to fix older wayward programs. Right now, it is an excellent upgrade path for a knowledgeable user who doesn't need the horsepower of a TT, but wants a complete overhaul. In fact, that is what the Falcon really is, an upgrade for all the aspects of the ST line that people have been asking for. It may not meet the prices of the clones, or the complete value of a Mac, but it will run your Atari software, and provide a fast, clean, easy to work with environment with a minimum of fuss. I know that the Gribnifs have been selling a Falcon compatible version of the BOrland programming suite, but I will leave it to others to address that aspect/ All in all, if Atari had simultaneously brought out a 24bit, 68040 based tower with multiple expansion bays, then they would have shown the user base that they were intent on the continued evolution of their computers. This would have sold more Flacons as well, as folks decided they didn't need the big brother model. Now that they have moved back into video games, there has been talk about their next 040, but there will be at least a several year wait. In this time, we at ST Informer Magazine will continue to search for and report on all of the developments and enhancements available for ST/TT/Falcon users." From the Atari ST Arts Forum ============================ Sysop Jim Ness tells us: "CIS is slowly upgrading every 9600 node to 14400, as the "data highway" becomes capable of supporting the higher rates. Unfortunately, it's become almost impossible to keep the GO PHONES database current. They tend to run a week or two behind. In most cases, these nodes have had 14400 modems for as long as two years, but have been inhibited to 9600 because the link back to CIS could not handle the higher load. It's always a pleasant surprise to suddenly notice you're moving at 14400, isn't it?" Mitchell Porras posts: "I recently downloaded GEMVIEW.LZH and used LHARC.TTP to unpack it. It leaves me with GEMVIEW.PAX what do I need to use this program? How do i un PAX it? I appreciate youre advice." Yat Siu of Lexicor Software tells Mitchell: "What you need is the GEMview install program, PAX files are only a part of the emview installation process... By the way, I uploaded GEMView 3.01 onto this forum , so lookout for it!" From the Palmtop Forum ====================== James King asks Atari's Don Thomas about getting another Portfolio: "My Portfolio was stolen Tuesday evening. It was in my briefcase, which was stolen at a rental car agency in Burbank. I miss it so badly. But, before I try to buy a new one, I would like some insight into its future. It seems to be harder to buy. Is Atari going to continue to support it? Is there something new in the works, that I should wait for? Greg Warnusz chimes in and posts: "I would like to know [also] what Portfolio users, and especialy developers, can expect in the near future. A couple of years ago I registered as a developer, created a product, and sold one before I got a day job. While my day job seems secure, the market for my Portfolio-based product is serendipitously warming up, and I want to market some more. Can I count on availability of Portfolio's, PC Card Drives, serial interfaces, etc., for a few more years? If not, maybe you or other readers can suggest palmtops that accept RS-232 serial interfaces, store files, and allow transfer of those files to a desktop PC." Don Thomas tells James and Greg: "Atari's focus right now is on our new Jaguar 64-bit game system. While we have not abandoned the Portfolio, the palmtop market has neer exploded in a way that we thought it might. We have a strong corporate market for the Portfolio which we are catering to right now. I doubt any manufacturer can make commitments on products for years to come. I can tell you that the Portfolio was brought to market in 1989 and I still no of no plans to stop making them available." Werner Zemanek adds his own thoughts on this matter: "Atari has opened the Palmtop market with its good old Portfolio. From point of sales it would be a wise and marketing oriented decision to come out with a new version that could help to "harvest the fruits" of this pioneer work. To get an answer to your question: Simply add together all wise and marketing oriented decisions of this company done during the last years and you know how many new Portfolios we can expect. :-( Werner PS: They still seem to have a large stock of machines - this could guarantee support until this stock is sold out or Atari disappears... - whichever comes first." Janis Kelly tells us: "Last week I had weird crash on my Port, ad I'm wondering if anyone has any clues about what happened. I had the thing online to CompuServe, trying to upload a file to FAX to a hysterical client (aren't they all?). First it would not pluck the file from the card in the A: drive. Then it wouldnt respond at all. I shut the whole thing down and hit reset, but the screen was frozen. Displayed a "Divide by zero" message and would not respond to any commands. Eventually I changed the batteries in everything -- Port and card -- but still no luck. So I took the batteries out of the Port (by the way, had it plugged in the the adapter when I was on line and this whole thing started). Still got same message when I started it up again. Today, three days later, I tried again, and it works fine. So what gives? And more to the point, is this likely to happen again?" JF Davington tells Janis: "After having used the Port fairly heavily for a couple of years I have come to expect it to do weird crashes once in a while :-| . However, since I always work out of drive a: these crashes usually have little or no impact on the data I carry. I've FDISKed c: to its minimum size as to keep a maximum of memory available for the programs I use and regurlarly backup my data to the PC. I also have not had a crash that a cold boot could not fix." Don Thomas, a good guy even though he works for Atari, tells Janis: "If you encounter a more serious error than usual (like Divide by Zero), you should always cold boot your system to flush out the problem. Leaving the Portfolio idle as you did for a while accomplished the same as a cold boot, so it worked again." Well folks, that's about all the room we have for this week. C'mon back next week to this locality... aw heck that's just TOO darned corny to try to get away with. Just be sure to tune again next week and be ready to listen to what they are saying when... PEOPLE ARE TALKING """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON" """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > A "Quotable Quote" Is that... Michtron's George?? """"""""""""""""" "THE TROUBLE WITH EATING ITALIAN FOOD IS THAT FIVE OR SIX DAYS LATER...... .....YOU'RE HUNGRY AGAIN!" - George Miller """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > DEALER CLASSIFIED LIST STR InfoFile * Dealer Listings * """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" --------------- ABCO Incorporated ================= P.O. 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