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SILICON TIMES REPORT ==================== INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE ============================= from STR Electronic Publishing August 20, 1993 No. 9.34 ========================================================================= 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 * FIDO 1:112/35 ~ FNET 350 ~ Nest 90:21/350.0 904-786-4176 USR/HST 24hrs - 7 days 2400 - 38.4 bps V.32 - 42 bis 16.8 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 <Home of STR>...1-904-573-0734 FNET.. 18 : ///Turbo Board BBS Support...1-416-274-1225 FNET. 690 : PASTE BBS....................1-206-284-8493 FNET. 460 : The Atari ST Connection......1-209-436-8156 FNET. 489 : Steal Your Face BBS..........1-908-920-7981 _________________________________________________________________________ > 08/20/93 STR 934 "The Original * Independent * Online Magazine!" """""""""""""""" - The Editor's Desk - CPU Report - PORTFOLIO NEWS - IAAD Listing - People Talking - Philips VDT - AVERKEY DEBUTS - STRAIGHT FAX NEWS - CIS' 20 ?s II - PORN Man Jailed - JAGUAR DOMINATES! - STR Confidential -* WALMART TO SELL FALCON? *- -* NEW DOS 6.0 IN WINGS! *- -* L.A. # 1 CITY OF PIRATES! *- ========================================================================= 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, invites BBS systems, worldwide, to participate in the Fido/PROWL/ITC/USENET/NEST/F-Net Mail Networks. You may also Phone The Bounty BBS direct @ 904-786-4176. Enjoy the wonder and excitement of exchanging all types of 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 platform's BBS systems are welcome and invited to participate. Support your favorite computer Today! ========================================================================= CIS ~ DELPHI ~ BIX ~ NVN ~ FIDO ~ PROWL ~ ITC ~ NEST ~ EURONET USENET ~ CIX ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ INTERNET ~ FNET ~ GEnie ========================================================================= COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME to the Readers of; ST REPORT 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! WHAT'S NEW IN THE ATARI FORUMS (August 20) ATARI IN THE NEWS This is a GREAT TIME for Atari-related announcements. First, the alliance between ATari and IBM for the new Jaguar, and now Gribnif Software announces GENEVA, their new multi-tasking environment. See the GENEVA press releases in LIB 15 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS) or go to the Gribnif section/library in the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN) for additional info. NEW JAGUAR AREA IN ATARI 8-BIT FORUM With the announcement from Sunnyvale on the new JAGUAR Multimedia Entertainment System, we've added a Message Section and Library to the ATARI8 Forum. We invite you to join us in sharing news and views of what promises to be an exciting machine. GO ATARI8 for Section 15 [Jaguar]. TWENTY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FALCON ... ANSWERED BY ATARI CORP. Download file 20Q_01.TXT from LIBRARY 15 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS) for the first 20 QUESTIONS file of questions submitted by the members to Atari Corp and answered by Bob Brodie, James Grunke and Bill Rehbock. AGITATION PUZZLE GAME Download file AGIT.ZIP from LIBRARY 2 of the Atari Arts Forum (GO ATARIARTS) for Agitation. Agitation is easy to learn, tough to solve. This is the most indescribably difficult, infuriatingly impossible program you could choose to run! * create custom puzzles * upload and share * point and click puzzle solving * multiple cheat, peek and help modes * watch the computer solve puzzles * custom graphics and dialogs * check out the other puzzles here online! mono freeware B/STAT VERSION 2.46 NOW AVAILABLE Download file BSTAT4.LZH from LIBRARY 5 of the Atari Productivity Forum (GO ATARIPRO) for version 2.46 of B/STAT. B/STAT is a shareware statistical analysis and business graphics program. It requires a 1 megabyte machine and double sided drive at a minimum. B/STAT makes use of GDOS or SPEEDO GDOS if installed but requires neither. This is version 2.46 of B/STAT and offers some improvements in graphing over earlier versions. B/STAT may be registered online by GOing SWREG and selecting ID # 263. OREGON RESEARCH JOINS ATARIVEN! Message Section 12 and Library 12 have been established for online support of Oregon Research's products. Please read OREGON.TXT in Library 12 of the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN) for an overview of the company. Also, be sure to check out the other files in the Library for in-depth information on their entire product line. NEW SOFTLOGIK DEMO IN ATARIVEN Download file FLAGS.LZH from LIBRARY 11 of the Atari Vendors Forum (GO ATARIVEN) for Sample EPS (Adobe Illustrator) files of the new Flags of the World clipart collection now being sold by Soft-Logik Publishing. The archive contains four flags. THE PORTFOLIO FORUM ON COMPUSERVE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN OFFICIAL SUPPORT SITE BY ATARI CORPORATION "GO APORTFOLIO TO ACCESS THE ATARI PORTFOLIO FORUM" "ENJOY CIS' ATARI FORUMS WHERE CENSORSHIP IS A DIRTY WORD!" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!" """""""""""""""""""""" To all our readers; You are all one hundred percent correct in saying the PC/IBM related articles do not belong in the STReport you "used to know". This is a new era and new time and of course, STReport must and will keep up with the times. Believe me, they are changing rapidly. The new plans for STReport are to be the infrastructure of the publication's new look and future. We are making extensive organizational, layout and coverage changes and as soon as they are all in place you'll see an STReport with many positive and exciting changes thus, offering more than simply something for everyone. We'll be offering a well-rounded, highly informative electronic publication with little or no amalgamation of articles. As for rumors, after the tirades we endured at the hands of certain prominent Atari reps we adopted a policy of "if we can't verify the rumor, then we'll leave it be". As for the coverage of "current events" in the Atari arena, we feel the information we have relative to the backroom politics, the IAAD/Lexicor debacle, (most of which we have yet to reveal) and the corporate activities of Atari's Tramiels (the stock deals & bond sales) are not only newsworthy they're educational and interesting reading. Besides, these things need to be made known. I might add in more than one case these reports have provided the users with the proper backgrounders to enable them to fully understand certain ongoing events in the userbase. The, "they shot who", is a bit extreme but the fact is; we've uncovered more than a few "smoking guns" in this arena. In fact, watch for a story coming up soon about an accelerator manufacturer who has been promising a sixteen meg upgrade (to be added to his product) to a user for what seems like an eternity. Also, look for some interesting revelations about a developer who ships merchandise to dealers without it being ordered! Things are not going well in this platform and that's the bottom line. STReport will not be the "Pied Piper" nor will it embrace a "Peter Pan" attitude of "everything is beautiful". STReport will continue to "say it like it is". Personally speaking, I still use an Atari for many duties but admittedly, I feel the very same uneasy way I did back in the early eighties when I was an avid eight bit user and saw the dead end. I feel the same, foreboding feelings now. Sorry, but that's the kicker and Atari has yet to show me or obviously, many other ST owners any reason to feel otherwise. For the record, I too, like many Atari ST owners, own a number of very powerful PCs but in the same vein, I also own 7 Atari ST computers & 9 Atari eight bit machines and three Lynx hand helds. I did sell my TT030 and I am grateful at this point for having found someone who wanted my "monster TT030" as he called it. If you'll remember ..from my adverts, it had 26mb of on board ram. Now back to STReport, yes, the support BBS is running on a 486/33 with 1.3gb of online storage. There is more storage (CDROM) in the planning stages along with a rotary incoming RS232 system to facilitate up to 250 callers online at the same time. If its successful who knows where it will lead. But that does not spell goodbye to Atari. Not by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, if you are a member of our support BBS system, you too, would know there is a substantial support area (an entire Area, EMail area, discussion area, message bases and file areas) dedicated to Atari owners. We at STReport appreciate your comments and find your expressions of caring quite sincere. May I thank you for your input and at the same time, assure you that STReport will continue to cover this platform which ever way it goes. Again, thank you for posting to us. Ralph.... """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ** STReport International Online Magazine ** NOW AVAILABLE FOR ELECTRONIC HOME DELIVERY DIRECT TO YOUR (E-)MAIL BOX STReport will be E-Mailed to any GEnie subscriber who requests it as an archived (in LZH format) attached file. Instructions for downloading an attached file are provided on page 200 on GEnie (Type M200). Downloading E-Mail utilizes the very same transfer protocols as the GEnie RT Libraries, so there is little or no difference between downloading from a Library and downloading an attached file (also called F-Mail). To request STReport be E-Mailed to you, send subscription request in E-Mail to J.MIRANDO1 requesting such and you will be put on our "paper route" beginning with the next issue. Each issue will be uploaded by Saturday evening and will be available to you immediately. It simply appears in your E-Mail queue! Wait no more for the REAL news and FULL information from the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of computing... Ask for your STReport deliveries to begin today! *** 343 SUBSCRIBERS AND GROWING! *** STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU! """""""""""""""" Publisher - Editor """""""""""""""""" Ralph F. Mariano PC DIVISION AMIGA DIVISION MAC DIVISION ----------- -------------- ------------ Roger D. Stevens Robert Glover R. ALBRITTON Lloyd E. Pulley, Editor Emeritus STReport Staff Editors: """"""""""""""""""""""" Dana P. Jacobson Michael Arthur John Deegan Lucien Oppler Brad Martin Judith Hamner John Szczepanik Dan Stidham Joseph Mirando Steve Spivey Doyle C. Helms Contributing Correspondents: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" Michael Lee Richard Covert Scott Birch Brian Converse Oliver Steinmeier Tim Holt Andrew Learner Norman Boucher Harry Steele Clemens Chin Neil Bradley Eric Jerue Ron Deal Robert Dean Ed Westhusing James Nolan Vernon W. Smith Bruno Puglia IMPORTANT NOTICE """""""""""""""" Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc... via E-Mail to: Compuserve................... 70007,4454 Delphi......................... RMARIANO BIX............................ RMARIANO FIDONET........................ 1:112/35 FNET........................... NODE 350 ITC NET...................... 85:881/253 NEST........................ 90:21/350.0 GEnie......................... ST-REPORT """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > CPU STATUS REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS """"""""""""""""" Computer Products Update - CPU Report ------------------------ ---------- Weekly Happenings in the Computer World Issue #34 By: John Deegan ATARI CORP. REVEALS PLANS FOR JAGUAR RELEASE - The Atari Jaguar, Atari Corp.'s 64-bit interactive multimedia entertainment system was unveiled at its headquarters yesterday to rave reactions and applause from the press. Atari's goal is to establish the Jaguar as the industry standard for interactive multimedia performance, made in the United States at an affordable price. Open to targeted gaming publications, as well as national and local media, the news conference served to show the press actual working Jaguars. A prototype of the CD peripheral, to be introduced next year, was also shown. The press had an opportunity to view several games in development, which included titles such as "Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy," a spectacular true color, three dimensional multi-faceted game, "Alien vs. Predator," based on the blockbuster motion pictures from 20th Century Fox, and "Cybermorph," showcasing the Jaguar's ability to manipulate 3D shapes in a 3D world in real time. In addition, Atari President Sam Tramiel announced plans to distribute 50,000 Jaguars in the New York and San Francisco markets this year, with a national roll-out next year. "We plan an aggressive advertising and marketing campaign for the fall," said Tramiel. "And by next year, we plan to sell more than 500,000 units." The news conference also served to bring to light technical aspects of the Jaguar which had not been made public until now. Presentations were made giving an overview of the Jaguar's 64-bit system architecture and actual proprietary chips which took Atari three years to develop. "The system's 64-bits are true 64-bits," said Tramiel. "There is over 100 times more power in this compact unit than both the SNES and the Genesis." MICROSOFT IS SAID TO BE PREPARING NEW VERSION OF DOS 6.0 - Sources close to Microsoft Corp. are saying the software publisher is preparing to release a new version of its DOS 6.0 operating system. Reports are that the new release will be out this fall and includes protective measures designed to prevent problems with DoubleSpace, the new DOS's compression option. Microsoft has denied the alleged flaws. PHILIPS OFFERS VIDEO ON DEMAND DECODER - Philips Consumer Electronics has announced a compact digital set-top decoder for Video on Demand (VOD) applications over telephone wire. The designated Home Interactive Multimedia Terminal converts 1.5 Mbit/s digital TV signals into NTSC or Pal analog signals for display on standard television sets. First applications are expected to be in Video Dial Tone (VDT) where telephone companies are experimenting with delivering digital TV signals into the home via existing twisted-pair telephone lines. Typically, hundreds of movies will be stored on a telephone network server. The user at home will view an on- screen catalog of the available movies and order selections. The control system receives signals from an infrared remote control and relays them back into the communications network. This enables interactive control of remote source material with VCR-like functions such as Play, Stop, Pause, etc. It also allows data from the video server -- such as the movie catalog -- to be displayed on the screen. The highly integrated Home Interactive Multimedia Terminal combines three systems in one compact unit; a standard T1 communications interface system, an MPEG-1 decoder and a control system. While viewing television, it's still possible to use the telephone line for regular calls. Billing for telephone can also be separated from billing for the TV services. MAN DRAWS PRISON TIME FOR DISTRIBUTING PORN THROUGH A BBS - A Campbell, Calif., man has been sentenced to five years and eight months in state prison for distributing pornographic materials through a computer bulletin board system. The man, William David Steen, also has been ordered to pay a $1,200 fine. Steen pleaded no contest in March to charges he distributed pornography through the BBS to two Sacramento teenagers. Authorities say Steen used the BBS to make contact with the teens in 1991 and later provided them with computer equipment and pornographic materials. L.A. NAMED TOP PIRACY CITY - Los Angeles now is the nation's top city for software piracy, according to research by the Software Publishers Association. In a statement from Washington, the SPA says that during the year ending June 30 it brought 34 piracy cases -- including suits and audits of businesses and other organizations for compliance with federal copyright laws -- to a close in L.A. The SPA says New York and San Francisco rank second and third as America's most notorious cities for software pirates. The SPA concluded 28 actions against pirates in New York and 18 in San Francisco. Fourth and fifth-ranked cities in the SPA study are Houston and Dallas, with 14 and 10 cases respectively. Meanwhile, the SPA says its work also: -:- Ranks California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois, respectively, as the top five states for anti-piracy actions over the past three years. Together, they account for nearly two-thirds (62%) of the SPA's actions. -:- Shows that since 1990, five types of organizations were most likely to be involved in anti-piracy actions: manufacturers, consul- tants, retailers, financial service providers and engineering firms. Manufacturers were involved in 24% of the actions, while consulting firms were implicated in 22%, retail businesses in 15%, financial service providers in 9% and engineering firms in 7%. FEDS TO FUND CHIP RESEARCH - The U.S. Commerce Department has drafted a plan to subsidize research on certain types of computer chips. Sources say the plan is the clearest sign yet of the administration's desire to help high-technology industries in the international marketplace rather than through protectionist tariffs on imports. An unnamed administration official said that while the U.S. reliance on imports of the devices "doesn't present an immediate threat to national security, improving the capabilies of the domestic industry is desirable for both economic and national security." The plan calls for the creation of a federally financed research center for chip packages and more research spending on chip packaging materials. It also calls for Defence Department advice to the domestic industry on how to win more military contracts, and a working group of federal and industry officials to review ways to increase efficiency. The total cost of the effort has not been worked out. __________________________________________________________ > ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" PEOPLE... ARE TALKING ===================== On CompuServe ------------- compiled by Joe Mirando Hidi ho good neighbors and neighborettes! Yet another week has come and gone in AtariLand, and the questions, answers, hints and tips just keep on coming here in the Atari Forums on CompuServe. It continually amazes me that the "action" never dies out in the Forums, but it never does. So let's just dig right into the wisdom to be found in the Atari Forums... From the Atari Productivity Forum ================================= Rob Rasmussen asks about graphics formats: "Could someone please tell me what an IMG (image) file is? Is it a high rez mono picture, like a Degas PC3? Is it a multi-platform format, where one created on a PC could be viewed on a ST and vice versa?" Charles Smeton of NewSTar Technology tells Rob: "The Image file format is a DRI (Digital Research) format for bitmapped graphics and is popular on the Atari and PC platforms (i.e. PC GEM and Ventura Publisher). Unlike Degas graphic files, Image files are not limited to screen sizes and can be up to 65535 x 65535 pixels. Most Image files are monochrome (single bit plane) black and white graphics, but color is also supported in Image files (although less popular than other color formats such as GIF and PCX). Image files became very popular with the advent of Desktop Publishing on the ST and are supported by virtually every ST DTP program. Also some word processors will import Image files (such as First Word Plus and Atari Works). Many "paint" type packages exist to create/edit Image files such as Touch Up, MVG, Megapaint, etc. Most scanner packages can also save Image files. I routinely exchange Image files between my PC and ST/Falcon computers as it is a well known format that has been around for a number of years. BTW, STraight FAX! can also import and export Image files." Carl Barron adds: "IMG is a bit image format. The size of the image is stored in the image file and is not dependent on any screen resolutions. I scan to get 300 and 400 dpi images [ST hi is 72dpi approx.]. It is possible to encode color img files but it is rarely done, these days as no conclusive color standard evolved. The format originated with PC gem BUT is rarely used on a PC these days. It does use a variety of compression techniques, one is similiar to pc?'s rle compression. The format is transportable to intel, provided you have intel software to read it." Rob thanks Charles and Carl, and asks more questions about graphics: "Thanks for the info on IMG files. So an IMG that is 65,535 x 65,535 pixels (a rather large monitor I would think!) could also be viewed on a smaller monitor? Is that where the compression comes in? One thing I still don't really understand is monitor resolutions. For instance, 320x200, 320x400 or 640x200. For some reason it always seemed to me that the lowest rez, ST low rez, would be the one that is monochrome, while the higher ones would have more colors. But I know it's the opposite. Why? Are those numbers the number of horizontal and vertical pixels across the screen? If so, a bigger physical size monitor screen would seem to automatically give you more pixels." Charles explains" "With Image files, you dont have to think of screen size limitations. An Image file that is too large to fit on the screen can be scaled to fit on the screen or viewed in part in a scrolling window, with the appropriate software such as Touch Up, MVG, etc. The compression is a method to reduce the size of the file that contains the image. Degas Files are uncompressed so a 640 x 400 Hi Rez Degas (.PI3) file is 256000 pixels, at 8 pixels/bit in a monochrome mode, thats 32000 bytes for the bitmap data. Degas Elite (.PC3) files use a compression called RLE (Run Length Encoding), where consecutive bytes of the same value are represented by a count byte and the data byte that is repeated. Since graphics can have many areas that are solid in a single color, this can reduce the size of the graphic when saved as a file. Image files use a similar form of RLE compression to reduce the size of the files. Screen Resolutions for the ST are: ST High Rez: 640 x 400 x 2 colors (monochrome) ST Medium Rez: 640 x 200 x 4 colors ST Low Rez: 320 x 200 x 16 colors" Rob has another question about this "size thing": "So the size of an IMG is saved in its header. If I save a graphic as an IMG, is there any reason why I wouldn't want it to be the size of my screen? If I have an IMG that I have to scroll in a window to see it all, then I assume whoever created it had a higher rez monitor. If he views an IMG that I created, I guess it would not even cover his whole screen." Charles puts it in perspective for us: "Different users have different size screens, dont think of screen resolution as a limiting factor. The purpose of graphics goes beyond the screen and eventually on to paper. The ST High Rez screen resolution of 640 x 400 is 91 x 91 DPI (dots per inch). That represents 7.03 x 4.40 inches (about the true size of a ST High Rez display if not adjusted internally). A letter sized sheet of paper is 8.5" x 11". Laser Printers and Deskjets are 300 x 300 DPI. If you take a 640 x 400 ST High Rez screen snapshot and try to print it on a 300 x 300 DPI printer at a 1:1 pixel ratio, then the 640 x 400 screen would be 2.13 x 1.33 inches in size. However, if you try to make it fit into the same 7.03 x 4.40 inches as its monitor representation, it will appear very blocky and of poor quality. When you scan a sheet of paper at 300 DPI with a full page scanner it is about 2550 x 3300 pixels in size. Image files are for use in DTP applications, where the resolutions are much higher that the typical displays today. Bob Wilson jumps in and adds: "The standard ST's screen consumes 32,000 bytes regardless of the resolution With mono that means that you can store a screen of sze 640 by 400 (number of bytes is width times height divided by 8) since each pixel takes only 1 bit. In the 4 color mode each pixel requires 2 bits for encoding. To make up for this fact the screen was reduced to 200 pixels vertically. In the 16 color mode each pixel needs 4 bits to be encoded so they reduced the width to 320 to keep the 32,000 byte screen. A larger monitor does not give more pixels in this case just bigger ones. It is the same as TVs. A 46 inch TV may have more phosphors than a 10 inch TV but the reality is that the signal sent to the TV determines the resolution." Bill Gibson asks: "Where would be the best place to get some help with GEM programs running on a PC? We are having real difficulties with this at work." Sysop Bob Retelle tells Bill: "What kinds of problems are you having with GEM programs..? Since GEM is closely tied into the Atari operating system, there are a lot of people here who are knowledgable about the Atari version... it's just possible that their experience might be of help." When David Hagood askes about the availability of Atari's multitasking system, MultiTOS, Tom Mynar tells him: "I picked up a copy from MidCities Computers, Bellflower CA on Tuesday. Flash has some problems. I have to close all the desktop disk windows or they appear in the middle of the screen (and keyboard interrupts seem to be lost). Word Perfect INSISTS on being the active window. I can select another, but as soon as I let go of the mouse button - WP jumps in on top. PageStream and LDW Spreadsheet work like a charm. Don't run it on an 8mhz machine, it's way too slow. I have a T25 (faster 68000 chip, not a 6030). It seems to run just a little slower than normal. I love the new desktop ! I've got LDW, PgS and Flash over as icons. However, Flash has to have it's directory open in a window when it starts up - or it can't find any of its' files. I heard over on G***E that Flash 2 is pretty close to being patched to work properly. Oh yah, it cost $54.95." From the Atari ST Arts Forum ============================ Daniel Rodgers asks Sysop Brad Hill: "I noticed that you are sysop and hope you can help me here. I am a ibm clone user (486 dxII 50 w/norton DT) and which to view some of the excellent graphic on this board. Is there any hope in this." Sysop Ron Luks tells Daniel: "There is a DEGAS picture viewer available in one of the IBM forums. You can find it in the IBM File Finder. Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, there is no file viewer for the Spectrum pictures. However, as an IBM owner, you might want to consider the GEMULATOR board/software. For Approx $230 you can have an entire Atari ST inside your PC running at warp speed. This Atari emulator supports a very wide range of existing Atari software including the graphic file viewers. More info is available in the EMULATOR section of AtariPro." David Burns asks about picture viewers for his ST: "I have a MEGA/STE (4-meg) with mono, a 2400 baud modem, HP Laser-type printer. I have been semi-impressed with photos here, in photo forum, and in space forum, all in GIF format. What is LZH? How do I view photos that have been ARCed? What is Spectrum 512? Which of the methods will produce the best images on my MEGA?" Sysop Ron Luks tells David: "LZH is another compression format (simlar in concept but not format to ARC files). You need to decompress both ARC and LZH files before viewing on your mega STe. The decompression utilities can be found in lib 4 of AtariPro (ARCLZH.PRG is the filename)." From the Atari Vendors Forum ============================ When Darryl Ross asks about Atari dealers in his area (North Carolina), Ron Luks tells him: "The biggest ATari dealer I'm aware of is Computer Studio in Asheville, NC. You can find his address and phone number in this weeks STReport. As for Atari publications, I know of only two: ST Informer Current Notes" In a humorous mood, Peter Joseph tells Ron: "There's one other Ron, although I'm not sure it's as big as Computer Studio. It's at 1196 Borregas Ave. in Sunnyvale, CA. Heh heh." For anyone who doesn't know, that is Atari's address... Peter, you cheeky monkey! Ron throws in the towel with Peter (well, sort of): "Ok, ok. I meant the biggest dealer in NC. (and Sheldon may in fact sell more Atari's than Atari themselves." On the subject of FAXmodems, Reinhold Urbschat asks: "I'm running into a setup problem for a SUPRA FAX MODEM V32bis. What I did is I configured the high speed modem with the setup program MDM_INIT.PRG. However, when I built up a connection to my friend having the same ATARI MEGASTE4 but a different high speed modem (Zyxel) my friend could read exactly what I typed on the terminal, whereas I got sometimes garbage, sometimes real words back on the terminal screen. We played with different speeds of the modems and the computer-to-modem transfer rate, and even changed the different flow controls. Nothing helped. There must be an error somewhere in the setup of hte modem and/or the communication software, because the Hardware worked fine with a different modem and 2400 baud only, no error correction, no data compressing. Does anybody know what the problem really is?? I'd really appreciate any valid hint for a possible solution of this." Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Magazine asks Reinhold for a bit more info: "What version of the ROM do you have in your Supra? Supra is supposed to be coming out soon with version 1.8 of the roms." Dazzz Smith tells Albert: "I beleive the 1.8 Roms are on indefenite hold at the moment Albert. 1.7 Roms would be OK, as the 1.8 improvements are on the fax side." John Devlin tells Dazzz: "I recieved email from Supra about 2 weeks ago stating that they should be releasing a new rom very shortly.." Dazzz replies to John: "I think Supra may have changed their minds since then John. :-) This info is second hand BTW so I dont know how correct it is." Albert Dayes jumps in and tells Dazzz: "I just ordered mine (rom v1.8) on Friday for $19.95... It should take a week for me via US mail. They shipped the same day I ordered." Dazzz perks up and tells Albert: "Oh good, I can order mine then after this call." While on the subject of ROMs for the Supra Faxmodem, Rob Rasmussen asks: "How does one go about changing the ROMs in a Supra Fax Modem? I don't think I need to yet, since the one I got several months ago has version 1.200-H. But when the time comes I'll need to know." Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Magazine tells Rob: "Its pretty simple to change the roms. Just open the case, pry/pull out the chips carefully and plug in the new ones. It helps if you a chip inserter but its not too hard at all. Supra includes detailed instructions on how to perform the operation. If you don't feel comfortable you can send your modem back to Supra. All you really need is a flat head screw driver for chip removal. (GO SUPRA) if you want more details from Supra tech support directly. Mark White is the current rep on-line." Back on the subject of Reinhold's problem, Christian Martens asks him: "You wrote that everything is ok with the (Atari?) hardware using a _2400_ bps modem. I'm sure your'e using max. speed between the Atari and the Supra V32bis, normally 19200bps. Do you have a RTS/CTS patch program in your AUTO folder? Do you have problems with lost datas during other connections than the one you mentioned? What terminal program do you use? The best flow control is RTS/CTS and it looks like you have problems with it. The bug is in all TOS releases, even in 2.06 (and in 4.04) :-(" Reinhold tells Christian: "Thanx for your reply to my original email. You're right that the computer 2modem transfer rate is set to 19200 bps. Yes, I have a sort of patch program for high speed modems (RTS/CTS) in my Auto folder. Normally I don't experience any problems with lost data during 2400 bps connections. The terminal program that I'm using is Connect, the update version, which has been configured for RTS/CTS. Any more ideas what I can try to solve this phenomenon from previous mail #31766?? BTW where are you at home? May be we could connect each other thru our modems (which one do you have?) and could find out some more ..." We'll keep you posted folks. In the meantime, Subir Chatterjee asks: "How can I tell which version of ROM my SupraFAXmodem has? It is the 14.4kb, V.32bis/V.42 model and I want to determine if I need an upgrade to have it detect fax & voice." Albert Dayes of... aw heck, you must remember him... well, anyway, Albert tells Subir: "If remember correctly its ATI3 will tell you what Rom code revision you have. Check your Supra manual (page 34-35) I think." Okay Albert, now you're just showing off! ;^) Elsewhere (in the CodeHead topic, to be specific), Tom Mynar asks CodeHead Technologies about compatibility between Warp9 (their screen accelerator) and MultiTOS: "So, folks, anything resolved on the MultiTOS issues ? I'd like to get Warp-9 to work, I like a few fonts it loads. I can't get EasyDraw to recognize the fonts G+Plus has defined. In fact, Easydraw aborts and the G+.ACC says that G+ is not loaded. Is there some magical order to placing the MultiTOS, GPLUS and WARP9 files in the AUTO folder. BTW, the utilities disk AUTORG (SP?) has a lot of trouble with the screen in MultiTOS. I have to boot w/o MT and change the AUTO, then reboot W/ MT. Any help appreciated (I know you guys are P.O. at Atari for backing out on some of the "documented calls")." Peter Joseph tells Tom: "I'm in a similar boat. After buying Warp9 at the Connecticut show I've now found that the Diablo printer driver in my AUTO folder on C: refuses to load with Warp9 in there with it, no matter what order it's in. Further unless Warp9 loads early, I've found the mouse accelerator won't work. I can't get the fill pattern to load with it either. Sheesh! It may be something I'm doing wrong, but for now I've gone back to an early version of QuickST and MACCEL3.PRG for mouse acceleration and screen saving. I hope Warp9 doesn't turn out to be money not-so-well-spent. :(" Tom tells Peter: "Hum. I haven't had any problems like that. However, the order of things in the AUTO folder is EXREAMLY PARTICULAR. So, don't give up (the mouse accel. in Warp9 is really good)." From the Atari Portfolio Forum ============================== Dave Stewart tells us about the latest LYNX game: "I've been playing Gordo some more, and I'm now *almost* to level 3 ... it's very addictive. It's got a bit more "puzzle solving" to it than Scrapyard Dog (mostly physical, though ... i.e. figuring out the right way to make a nearly impossible jump) and it has more depth of screen to it (you can go up and down as well as side-to-side in most screen). I think it's safe to say that your wife will enjoy Gordo 106 if she likes Scrapyard Dog. It's kinda like combining Scrapyard Dog and Toki, with a bit of Pacland thrown in." Don Thomas of Atari posts: "Mr. Patton tells me the premise is a monkey in a science lab. I guess the monkey has a tendency to let other animals out and the scientist must fin a way to correct that little bugaboo in his research." Dave fills Don in about the game: "Actually, it's from the *monkey's* point of view ... the scientists are definitely the bad guys (they're doing cosmetic testing on bunnies and stuff like that ... ugh!) Definite socio-political messages in the game (anti-testing, anti-hunting, etc.) ... it's fun!" JF Davington posts his thoughts on the "socio-political thing": "Another sign of the "Sterilised society" refusing to see life as it is. Don't get me wrong, I do believe some of the testing done on animals is unjustified but then again this practice has saved many lives. Same goes for hunting, or for anthing else: abusive pratices are terribly wrong. The sad thing is that this abusiveness gives a bad name to activities and practices that are usefull and, in some cases, necessary for the well being of society as a whole. Sorry if this looks out of place but as a conservationist it bothers me too see a game, if this is the case, that bases itself on issues of such a nature. To me its no better than a game of which the object is to kill as many people or tanks or whatever: it sends a wrong (or at the very least incomplete) message." Dave explains a bit about his perception of the game: "I don't disagree ... generally, I like games where the idea is to solve a puzzle, not to use brute force. I was just commenting on the fact that this game definitely has undertones along a political line, but it is done tongue-in-cheek." JF tells David: "Hope I didn't sound to much like a sour_puss. I'm convinced the game is fun to play and provides a good challenge to gamers. Its that <anti-> bit that got me going and I was a bit pissed about an issue at work (which is salmon conservation) that is a bit screwed by "ANTIs" at the moment. Anyhow, I'm sure most gamers will be more enthralled with the tricks and twists of the gam than what image it borrows for its purpose. I hope I didnt make you feel guilty about playing it <grin>..." Dave tell JF: "Nah ... I rarely feel guilty about playing a game because of its content ... I usually feel guilty because I've got so many other things to do that I shouldn't be playing with the Lynx <grin>" Dan Shearer gives us some bad news about the long-awaited, much heralded, Universal I/O. The U I/O is an add-on for the Portfolio that gives you a serial and a parallel interface AT THE SAME TIME! In addition, there was to be a 512K version that would expand the memory in your Portfolio up to 640K. Well, Dan tells us: "Due to the slowness of sales in our Universal I/O interface, production of the unit has been scaled back. This with the increased memory and chip prices has set this product back. We had to raise our prices :( and discontinue buying RAM :(. The 512K versions are just too costly to build right now and unless someone orders about 200 units at a time, we are forced to take orders on back-order only and ship when we have 25 units. I have 9 units left in Stock only and when these are gone the wait will be at lest 3-4 weeks. :( Sorry about this, but we are getting killed by some of our prices from our vendors. Please call your local Atari dealer and get these things while you still can. Dan - BSE Inc. - Bearer of Bad news :( " For anyone who sees symbols like ;^) or 8-] or :-( but doesn't know what they mean, I'll give a quick explaination: ;^) or ;-) This is a happy face or a smirk. it is usually used when the sender has just told a joke. :^) or :-) This is another happy face. It is used to convey genuine pleasure. 8^0 or :^0 Used to convey surprise (the "0" makes an open mouth and the "8" simulates eyes wide with surprise. Oh, by the way, it's easy to customize these little signs into "self-portraits. In my case, since I'm loosing hair on the top of my head, and since I have a beard and moustache, I usually use the following sign to convey a "smirk": (;^{> Pretty cute, huh? Not too long ago, I met someone at a show that, up until that time, I had only "seen" on-line. When I introduced myself, his first comment was "hey, whaddaya know, you look just like you do on-line!" I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not, but I'll take it as one. Well, I just thought I'd take a moment to explain those little groups of punctiation marks. That's about it for this week, folks. Be sure to tune in again next week, same time, same channel. Be ready to sit back, kick your shoes off, and relax. And always listen to what they are saying when.... PEOPLE ARE TALKING _______________________________________________________________ > CIS' 20 Questions II STR FOCUS! COMPUSERVE'S ATARI 20 QUESTIONS # 2 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" COMPUSERVE'S ATARI ANSWERS 20 QUESTIONS ======================================= PART II Ronnie, Please accept my apologies for this taking so long to get to you. I've been incredibly busy here at Atari, and there is so much to do in so little time. I've taken the liberty of combining a few of the questions together since I felt they were best handled by a single answer. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Q: We have heard that LlamaZap for the Falcon is finally finished, and the code has been sent to Atari US for duplication and packaging. How soon will LlamaZap be on sale in the US and Europe? From Bob Brodie: Llamazap is still in our software testing group, it has not been approved for released yet. I've been contacted by a UK based magazine that tells me that they have spoken to the programmer. They state that the programmer indicated that he's finished with the program. Our policies require it to go through an extensive software testing program here before it will be released. In the US, our plans are to bundle at least a couple of the games for the Falcon030 with the new controller pad. Llamazap is a leading candidate to be sold in that fashion. I would expect to see it in the fall. Pricing on the controllers isn't 100% firm right now, but I would look for it to be in the $20-30 range. Q: When the Falcon was first announced, there were comments indicating that a DSP modem was possible. Is this still being worked on by anyone? From Bob Brodie: Yes it is. There have been a few problems in getting this product implemented, especially at the price/performance point that we want it to be done at. We're working closely with a third party developer to make this happen. I'm confident that it WILL be done, it's just a question of when. Q: MultiTOS is reported to be fairly slow on the Falcon. Is Atari working on faster code? Is the slowness due to slow video routines that something like Warp 9 could cure? From Bob Brodie: I've heard all kinds of opinions about how fast (or slow) MultiTOS is. It's my impression that people reactions depend on what they've used before. If they had any experience with a Multitasking OS before, they probably recognize it to be pretty efficient. If they haven't...they might not be impressed at all. Certainly we're very interested in seeing updates to MultiTOS. But it's only been shipping for a short period of time, so I don't believe it's realistic to expect an update this soon. Perhaps later this year. Re Warp 9, well...yes and no. Warp 9 will improve the screen re-draws speed, but there is always another sacrifice: compatibility. This isn't a slam against Warp 9, I use it on one of the systems in my office here at Atari. The VDI is designed to be what it is, a VIRTUAL interface that should work in ANY rez. Warp 9 doesn't work in any rez, which is why it gets upgraded every time we release a new machine. From Bill Rehbock: I use NVDI on my Falcon030 daily. It works great with MultiTOS, and I'm very happy. But, I can hardly wait to be able to use Warp 9! Q: What is the practical number of channels of Direct-to-disk recording and playback that the Falcon can support with an SCSI-2 drive? I've been hearing that SCSI-2, as fast as it is, isn't fast enough for the full eight channels supported by the Falcon. Also, what's the highest channel count using an IDE drive? From James Grunke: The Falcon030 SCSI-2 hardware does have the bandwidth to support 8 channels of digital audio at 50Khz. We have done a proof of concept here but it is not easy to move that much data, the software must be well written. As well, limitations would include the access speed of the external drive. Applications using SCSI-2 on the Falcon030 handle digital audio in the following ways: Available now in Europe with US release pending, Digitape from Trade iT uses eight tracks, two for record with the remaining six for simultaneous playback, this should work on IDE as well as SCSI-2 drives. Available soon, the Steinberg Cubase Audio/Yamaha CBX-D5 system will use the SCSI-2 port for its 4 track system. I understand that you can link two 'D-5's to achieve 8 tracks total. Cubase Audio for Falcon (available later this fall) specs show that 4 tracks are used for record/playback along with 4 voices of sample playback. Available now, D2D 4TFX uses 4 tracks via SCSI-2 or IDE drives. Please contact developers directly for more information. Q: With current technology, about how many true color video frames per second should the Falcon be capable of handling in a video playback application? Is this faster than what Windows video can do these days? From Bill Rehbock: There are a lot of variables that have an impact on the answer to your question. It will depend on the exact rez that you are in, and if sound is included. At 320x200, 60 frames per second on a Falcon is very doable. Movies do 30 frames per second (with sound), most animated cartoons are running at 12 frames per second, so you can see that we're pretty competitive. Re the comparison versus Windows, again, there are too many variables to tell what kind of performance to expect. It would depend which Windows application you were comparing it to, and what kind of hardware Windows was running under. For example, the Intel Smart Video Recorder playback rate is approximately 20-30 frames per seconds. The price on the card alone is $549 (street price), and requires a 25 Mhz 486SX, and includes Intel's Indio video compression chip. Q: Now that the Falcon is shipping worldwide, what are the best selling, Falcon specific (or Falcon enhanced) applications (the top 3 or 4 please)? (And if the top three are all MIDI apps, what's the best selling non-Midi app) From Bill Rehbock: We don't require our developers to report there sales to us, so they don't. But MusiCOMM appears to be doing well, as is True Paint, and Atari Works <shameless plug>. We really like Phoenix Render, but I don't think it's selling to well. On the game side, Ishar is selling well, and Transarctica looks terrific. Q: At the most recent shareholders meeting, Sam Tramiel commented that although the Falcon030 was not selling as well as anticipated, Atari is nonetheless committed to staying in the computer market and that there will be additional Falcon models. Can you please tell us about some of the models under consideration? From Bob Brodie: Sorry, it is not our policy to discuss unannounced products. I am happy to confirm for you that as we stated when we announced the Atari Falcon030, there is a new family of computers being produced by Atari. The Falcon030 is the first of that family of computers. I've seen prototypes of future machines, and I believe that you'll be pleased with the results. Q: In the last question and answer session it was stated that Atari plans to tell everyone about the Falcon030 but not until their is enough product to meet the demand. The Jaguar right now is already in very hot demand and Atari definitely needs to make sure they can meet it, how does Atari plan to do that as customers who can't get the product might be turned off and move to another platform? From Bob Brodie: First of all, it's important to note that we plan to ship initially only to New York and San Francisco markets with the initial shipments of the Jaguar. We don't plan on being able to supply ANY of the demand outside of those areas. We're already getting calls from potential dealers outside of that area, and we tell them we won't sell to them until next year. One of the ways that we will make sure that people will not get turned off is by the extensive coverage that we will have in the magazines. We've already seen some write ups by the Jaguar in a few of the gaming magazines, and we continue to work very closely with some of the biggest mags in the field to ensure their coverage. I've personally spoken to a number of the editors and writers that have seen video tape footage of the Jaguar. Universally, they are thrilled, and very excited about the Jaguar. They want review units _NOW_! And that I'm certain what that really means is that they want to play the machine, not just write about it!! We're being very up front about our sales plans for the Jaguar. People will either have to order it from either New York or San Francisco based stores, or wait for the product to be available in their area. The level of excitement in the game media is very high, and I'm sure that will splash over into the public as well. Q: Finally, When will Atari make public the names of 3rd party companies for the Jaguar? From Bob Brodie: I expect to make some press releases later this month on the Jaguar, but I'm not sure exactly when we'll make that one. Certainly within the next 90 days. Q: According to rumors, the Jaguar game machine has some very significant technological capabilities. Is there a public target date for it yet? From Bob Brodie: The Jaguar definitely has some very significant technological capabilities...that's a fact, not a rumor!! The unit will be available for sale in the fall season in New York and San Francisco. Q: If the recently announced numbers of the Atari/IBM deal are to be taken at face value, the $500 million figure equates to 2.5 million units at a retail price of $200. How long is the contract with IBM to last? Who will be able to sell the Jaguar (just current Atari dealers)? From Bob Brodie: The contract with IBM is for 30 months. Obviously, we're looking toward high volume retail outlets, but neither do we want to exclude our dealers that sell our computer products. At this point, I think it's reasonable to assume that the dealers will be able to purchase the Jaguar through distributors. Q: The press releases about the new Jaguar relationship with IBM state that IBM will be responsible for building and 'distributing' the Jaguar? Exactly what is meant by 'distributing?' Does this mean people will be able to order it from IBM, too? Or will IBM simply ship the completed units to whomever Atari tell them to? From Bob Brodie: Distributing them means that IBM will warehouse and ship the products for us. The orders will still come to Atari, and then we will notify IBM whom to ship the product to. IBM will not be selling the Jaguar. Q: Will there be a Jaguar version of LlamaZap? From Bob Brodie: We would prefer not to discuss any titles other than what we've released in our press releases at this time, sorry. Q: I have gotten conflicting reports concerning the TT030 going back into production. If it's true, will it be available to the public? I've been trying to buy one, but nobody has any. From Bob Brodie: Yes, it will be available again. Try calling Winners Circle in Berkley, CA. Their phone number is 510-845-4814. I happen to know that they have a new unit in stock as of today (8/14/93), as well as a used unit. Q: I was a beta tester for the World Clock program for the Portfolio. The testing was finished about a year ago but I haven't seen it announced to the public yet. What's the status of this program? Atari Corp has not announced any new software or peripherals for the Portfolio for a long time. There have been a few rumors but nothing concrete about a Portfolio II model. Is the Portfolio dead? From Bob Brodie: At this point in time, we are devoting almost all of our energies toward the Jaguar. All Portfolio projects are on hold. Q: We were told a few months ago that ATARI EXPLORER magazine was "under review" and that an announcement about its continuing status would be made "shortly." When (if ever) can we expect the next issue? From Bob Brodie: At the time we made that statement, we were in negotiations to have Atari Explorer produced as an out of house publication. Negotiations to have Atari Explorer Magazine restarted as an out of house publication have broken down. While Atari still believes in the magazine, it is not profitable at this time, and we cannot afford to publish it at a loss. However, we are very optimistic that with the success of the Jaguar, we will be able to renew publishing Explorer again. ************************************************************************* IMPORTANT NOTICE! ================= STReport International Online Magazine is available every week in the ST Advantage on DELPHI. STReport 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! TOP TEN DOWNLOADS (8/18/93) (1) ST ZIP 2.3 (2) STREPORT 9.33 - 08/13/93 (3) AEO: VOLUME 2 ISSUE 14 (4) GALAXIAN.ZIP (5) SYSTEM INFO, TELLS ALL! (6) GEMBENCH 3.03 (7) WORLDWIDE 9600 TYMNET/SPRINTNET (8) 8/9/93 AU! PRESS RELEASE (9) BOB BRODIE CONFERENCE (10) KABOOM All of the above files can be found in the RECENT ARRIVALS database or at least one week after the posting of this list. Please Note that in the case of online magazines, only the most current issue in the database at the time of this compilation is considered for the Top 10 list. Also, for all files, a submission is eligible for the Top 10 list for only four weeks after its original uploading. DELPHI- It's getting better all the time! ************************************************************************* > AVERKEY! STR InfoFile LEXICOR INTROS THE AVERKEY! """"""""""""""""""""" This is an Official Press Release by LEXICOR SOFTWARE EUROPE AVERKEY ======= by ADDA Technologies from Jong-Ho County, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. We are proud to announce that we have got direct distribution rights from ADDA Technologies for this great piece of Multimedia Hardware. The Averkey is the fitting Link that bridges your VGA Signal, be it TT Medium,Falcon or NOVA Graphics Board resolution to your Video System in either PAL or NTSC. It has not only got a Composite Video Output but also a S-VHS Output for prime quality. Add your Television, VCR and large screen display to your computer hardware. Move your presentation from the VGA Monitor to the world of Video with Averkey! AVerKey features reflect the latest in multimedia hardware design. Through its compact size and powerful internal design, the AVerKey can be quickly installed to convert a number of VGA Modes eg. 640x480 to NTSC or PAL Systems. As an added feature, the AVerKey features a state-of-the-art built in flicker filter. This filter helps overcome the inherent flicker problems which arise when linking the VGA environment with video. The Averkey adjustment control's the brightness of your TV (Video) Display. Since VGA scan rates are almost twice that of a Television the display quality of the Television signal is inferior to that of VGA. This is especially true of picture stability when displaying single line. Single line display will result in television flicker unless a flicker free function is employed. The AVerKey has such a built-in "flicker-free" feature which stabilizes VGA Graphics on a television Monitor. This feature greatly improves the display quality of your Animations in either Prism Paint, Da's Vektor, Chronos, Phoenix or any other Atari Software that will work in VGA Modes. Besides helping reduce flicker, this feature even further reduces brightness to a comfortable level. Price: $289.00 U.S. Dollars. Shipping and Tax not included. Availabitlity: Now System Requirements: Any kind of VGA based System. This includes NOVA Graphics Card and TT Medium. The Averkey has not been tested with any other Atari Based Graphic Card and can therefore not guarantee it running on anything else. Software: DOS Software already included, Atari Software available end of September. However Software is not required to run the Averkey. The Software will however allow the Averkey to switch down its scan rates to as low as 320x200. Display Mode Supported: All standard VGA Modes. 640x480 mode in 256, 32k, 64k or even 24bit in NTSC or PAL (720x400 in NTSC Max.) 800x600 mode if using Cirrus, CL-GD 6410 VGA chip or Tseng Labs. ET-4000 with frequency synthesizer as ICS 2494-237 in PAL. One VGA Input Signal (Analog RGB 15 pin display connector, 0.7 Volt p.t.p.) Four Output Signals: 1 x Composite Video, 1.0 Volt peak to peak RCA Jack Connector 1 x S-VHS Y and C Video, Mini-DIN 4 pin connector 1 x RGB Output 1 x Standard VGA card Signal (15 pin) FCC Warning: It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A Computing Device pursuant to subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection in a commercial environment. Additional hardware to the Averkey: Averkey GENLOCK Board which will allow your Averkey to have Genlock capabitlities. Lexicor Software and ADDA Technologies are working closely together to give you the best possible value for our Customers. We Believe that the Averkey is one of the best VGA to Video Scan Line Converters for the price. LEXICOR SOFTWARE U.S. 1726 Francisco St. Berkeley, CA 94703 U.S.A. Tel: (510)848-7621 Fax: (510)848-7613 LEXICOR SOFTWARE EUROPE Cottagegasse 69 A-1190 Vienna AUSTRIA Tel: (1) 36 75 91 Fax: (1) 36 91 787 ___________________________________________________________________ > NVN WANTS YOU! STR InfoFile Another Network Supports Atari! """"""""""""""""""""""""""" NVN - THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK! =============================== The Atari computer platform has support on yet another top notch telecommunications service! National Videotex Network (NVN) maintains an area just for our favorite computers. Type GO ATARI Order an extended NVN Membership of 6 or 12 months, pay for it in advance and receive a bonus in connect time at no additional charge. NVN lowers its connect time charges! $5/hour non-prime time (EST. 7pm - 9am weekdays and all day weekends) $8/hour prime time (EST 9am - 7pm weekdays) Choose from two great subscription plans: 6-Month Membership ================== Pay just $30 for a 6-month Membership and receive a usage credit that entitles you to $15 of connect-time in the Premium services of your choice. Your total savings using this plan would be over $20! 12 Month Membership =================== Pay $50 for a full year's Membership and get even more free time on-line. We'll give you a $25 usage credit to use in your favorite premium services or try out new ones. You could save as much as $45. NVN now offers Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). For a $2 per month service charge, customers may have their NVN online charges automatically debited from their personal checking accounts. Please contact Client Services for this new feature! For more information about either of these plans.. Please, give us a call at; 1-800-336-9096. You can join NVN one of two ways... By voice phone 1-800-336-9096 (Client Services) or via modem phone 1-800-336-9092. NVN Highlights -------------- 1. For the newcomers .... 2. NEW (MODIFIED) REFERRAL PROGRAM LET'S YOU EARN $10 USAGE CREDITS! 3. A library built *just* for business people 4. Board Certified Psychiatrist heads up the new Substance Abuse Forum 5. VETERANS: Please report to the Military Forum <GO MILITARY> for C&D. 6. Step out into the Great Outdoors Forum <GO OUTDOORS> 7. We've got just the cure for your medical information needs 8. The Diabetes & Hypoglycemia Support Forum is now online. 9. SOUND OFF!!! Take our Game Survey 10. Let's talk about Coins 11. Call all DISNEYphiles! Join the gang! <GO AMERICA>. 12. Amiga Forum now available for Amiga and Desktop Video enthusiasts! 13. NEW Email enhancements are on-line. Including personal mailing lists! ____________________________________________________________________ > NOVA CARD NEWS! STR InfoFile NOVA SPECS and UPDATE NEWS! """""""""""""""""""""""""""" NOTICE: SPECIAL NOVA CARD UPDATE ======================== Announcement from Lexicor Software Corp. ---------------------------------------- As of Monday 19th July 1993, the Special NOVA Deal offered by Lexicor Software for the NOVA Graphics Card is over. The NOVA Mega and the NOVA VME 16M will now both have the same price of 599.99 U$D. The price for the SUPERNOVA has not changed and will cost: 999.99 U$D The 32K Graphic Card is only available on Special Order and will cost 429 U$D both the Mega and the VME. For these Card's there may be an added handling Price. Shipping cost are excluded from these prices. Technical Specifications ------------------------ NOVA Megabus 16M ---------------- Maximum Frame Rate : 90Mhz Video RAM : 1 Megabyte RAMtype : DRAM Maximum Color's : 16,7 Million Colors (24bit) Maximum Resolution (>70Hz): 1024x768 in 256 Color's Maximum Resolution (15bit): 768x512 Maximum Resolution (24bit): 640x400 Virtual Resolution : YES Automatic REZ Switch : YES Upgradeable : YES VDI for 24bit : YES VMG : YES HARDWARE Accelerator : NO NOVA VME 16M ------------ Maximum Frame Rate : 90MHz Video RAM : 1 Megabyte RAMtype : DRAM Maximum Color's : 16,7 Million Colors (24bit) Maximum Resolution (>70Hz): 1088x832 in 256 Color's Maximum Resolution (15bit): 800x600 Maximum Resolution (24bit): 640x480 Virtual Resolution : YES Automatic REZ Switch : YES Upgradeable : YES VDI for 24bit : YES VMG : YES HARDWARE Accelerator : NO SUPERNOVA --------- Maximum Frame Rate : 135MHz Video RAM : 2 Megabytes RAMType : VRAM Maximum Color's : 16,7 Million Colors (24bit) Maximum Resolution (>70Hz): 1280x1024 Maximum Resolution (15bit): 1024x768 Maximum Resolution (24bit): 800x600 Virtual Resolution : YES Automatic REZ Switch : YES Upgradeable : YES VDI for 24bit : YES VMG : YES HARDWARE Accelerator : YES For more information check our previous releases on the NOVA Card. The Virtual Resolution are programmable via the VMG. The VDI of the NOVA has proven to be very compatible with our Software and many other Software applications as well. There is also a NOVA Special disk available soon that has some NOVA Specific program's on it, including NOVA Mines, the game, and the special Calamus SL driver that will enable Calamus SL to run in 15/16bit in 15/16bit color mode. Yat Siu Lexicor Software Europe LEXICOR SOFTWARE CORP. 1726 Francisco ST. Berkeley, CA 94703 Phone 510-848-7621 FAX 510-848-7613 _______________________________________________________________ > STR Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard" """"""""""""" STReport's MailBag """""""""""""""""" Messages * NOT EDITED * for content ----------------------------------- From Delphi's Areas Concernd readers comment about STReport's added coverage format. 58541 16-AUG 21:16 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58530) From: MNEITZEL To: DPJ PC version of WordPerfect for an ASCII file?!! Talk about overkill! I hope that its not the DOS version, under version 6 its is a real bear. Matthew 58571 17-AUG 07:57 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58541) From: RMARIANO To: MNEITZEL Really Matthew?? In what way is WP ver 6.0 a "bear"?? Word Perfect Corp. is the _only_ firm that offers a superb ASCII TEXT PRINT DRIVER that will allow many of the print functions normally reserved for hard copy printers only. The very same driver has been part of the WP ensemble since Atari's 4.1 version and before on the PC. There is no overkill involved at all. In fact, when one considers the excellent spell checker, Thesaurus and Grammar Checkers available. The thought of overkill is non-existant. The true situation is Word Perfect is to word processors what every other word processor would 'like' to be. For the record, the DOS version of Word Perfect 6.0 is perhaps the easiest of DOS versions ever released. The menus (all drop-down like the ST's) work flawlessly. Yes Matthew, I have all the latest versions of Word Perfect's Software. There are no "bears" in what Word Perfect offers. In fact, had Atari taken Word Perfect seriously and took the right steps to preserve the relationship with WPerfect, I dare say the credibility for the Atari platform would be far greater than it is today. On top of which, the Atari platform would be enjoying a superb series of products that are virtually unbeatable and widely accepted, wordwide, as the very finest available. Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine 58576 17-AUG 19:45 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58571) From: MNEITZEL To: RMARIANO I meant WordPerfect up to 6.0 was a bear, I have not seen 6.0 in action yet. Besides WordPerfect making an Atari version would not asure all the Creditibility that you say it would. WordPerfect 4.1 for the ST did not sell because it had a lot of problems to begin with that scare people like me away from the product. I would have loved to see 5.1 for the ST. But it would have not made the St Platform. You have been buying too much of the marketing that exists in the PC world. Yes, Wordperfect is a good prog ram, but it is not all that you have made it out to be in your last paragraph. I don't care for the program and it will never sell a computer to me. Maybe you should realize that the ST, Next and amiga platforms got screwed because of a "PC bias" that isn't true . I wish that ST Report was more like Amiga Report. I would have loved to see an article on the 060on new products (such as the screenblaster, Pc cards for the Falcon). But what I get is more PC stuff. To tell you the truth I would not mind the ar as getting decent coverage on the ST and maybe some coverage on other Platform (they do exist you know!). I still think I am getting a "you are a fool, go buy a Pc " attitude in St Report and from you, Ralph. Maybe I am wrong, I hope so. Matthew 58577 17-AUG 19:47 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58573) From: MNEITZEL To: DPJ Dana, I always like to hear from you. I hope Ralph is using something outside of DOS (at least not MS-DOS)! DOS is dead you know... Matthew 58586 17-AUG 20:38 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58577) From: DPJ To: MNEITZEL Why thank you, Matt. ;^) It's nice to be heard from! I'm glad that I don't have to rely on DOS on my new PC at work although I have to occasionally fake it if our network system goes offline so I can get into Windows, which is where I launch the 3-4 programs that I use regularly at work (only!). Dana @ STReport International Online Magazine FORUM>Reply, Add, Read, "?" or Exit> 58599 17-AUG 22:47 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58543) From: MICKEYANGELL To: CMILLAR Look out world, I agree with Chris. <grin> I agree too much IBM stuff in STReport. But I can only complain. After all Ralph and friends are the ones write write STReport and it is free. No one is forcing me to read it. I miss the TXT2 format. Now STReport looks like any other text file. 58615 18-AUG 01:44 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58574) From: FBRUCH To: DPJ (NR) Just wanted to add my two cents worth. I agree with the others that STReport spends too much space on long reviews of IBM software. For example a few issues back a very long description (really an advertisement) for Wildcat appeared. I can't believe there were no Atari BBS programs that could have been described like FoReM, Turbo, Express, or Rastsoft. While I do like to keep up with the goings on of the rest of the computing world (that includes Macs- not just IBM), I really don't thing a LONG ad for IBM PC software belongs in an online magazine suppossedly aimed at Atari users. I would be really surprised if the majority of STReport readers did not agree with me- care to take a poll on it??? Editor Note: ------------ Perhaps, the reader didn't notice the RATSOFT BBS coverage in STReport 9.30. In fact, we covered many projects going on in the ST platform. Did everyone MISS this issue or conveniently overlook its existence? The bottom line is; we go were the news and new products are for that week and every week we publish in. While it would be different for us, we are not about to begin bringing back old articles, calling it nostagia while merely using that stuff as filler. "Tis time to take the blinders off and pay attention to the BIG computing world that's out there all 'round us. They have product, programs and support coming out of their proverbial ears! Do we? 58627 18-AUG 08:06 General Information RE: ST report? (Re: Msg 58576) From: RMARIANO To: MNEITZEL Matthew, I am not falling prey to any advertising hype in the PC arena. Truth is, I _own_ a copy of every version of Word Perfect since I started using it at ST version 4.1. I might add that the 4/19 update to 4.1 for the ST made the program rock solid for the ST. Incidently, that version is the version I still use when using an ST. I do use other machines. In fact, its the right thing to do if we are to give proper unbiased coverage to other marketplaces. Look for a new MAC editor shortly and better coverage of the MAC platform. As for ST news... when its there, you'll find it in STReport right along with the news and info from other platforms. Perhaps, just perhaps... you sense a leaning toward the PC because of our covering and providing info on all the new goodies being released for the PC. Its on a daily basis. How many full bodied, robust applications have you seen released for the ST/Falcon in the last six months? Of those how many do you own or, felt a need to own? Now, let's look at the Utility areas. How many new utility programs are there? Then comes the DTP arena... how many full power, totally new or re-written DTP and their associated programs have been released into the ST/Falcon market in the last six months. We can then go to the telecommunications area. And on and on..... The point is.. that although the ST/Falcon machines may be neat to use and equally as easy, there is a serious problem of third party support. Its on the dramatic wane and its not the fault of the users. They can only buy and use so many programs. The problem is loss of marketshare. (read: NEWUSERS) As such, developers have a tendency to take a very conservative approach to this particular market. After all, it costs a small fortune to develop the high quality programs I speak of. If the projected sales are not there, you cannot expect or really hope for the investments being made by developers to bring this sort of programming out to a dwindling marketplace. The solution is simple.. Atari is the bottom line. They must turn this situation around. It appears they are putting the majority of their hopes in the Jaguar. The Falcon is not performing (sales wise) anywhere near as expected. Of course, how can it?? Dealers are hogtied, distribution is near zero, mail order is out of the question, advertising is zero and the company heads are still, incredibly, belligerent. Does this sound like a company whose goals are to succeed in gaining real marketshare in the computing community? When was the last time you saw a real promotional campaign put on by Atari to energetically distribute and sell the Falcon? STReport covers the computing community.. we provide you with the info of what's going on, what's new and what's on the horizon. Atari, at this time, is "Jaguar-minded". At this point, its a great concept and two steps beyond a thought and a prototype. Its not on the market, its missed one major photo opportunity already 07/26/93.. the next is August 19th. Certainly we all hope it envigorates Atari's future in the computing area. Truth is... its highly unlikely. Ralph @ STReport International Online Magazine From GEnie's Atari RT an Omnious Warning as the numbers grow... Atari-ST RoundTable Category 4, Topic 11 Message 15 Sat Aug 07, 1993 M.TABOR1 (Forwarded) WARNING WARNING WARNING CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION All persons considering Fast Technology products. I sent a $300.00 in April 1992 to Fast Tech as a deposit on a soon to be completed TINY TURBO 30 accelerator. It has been well over a year and I have not so much as receipt for my deposit though it has been confirmed by phone. May 20, 1993 I sent a registered letter requesting a refund and I have not received a response. When the deposit was made product was promised in 8 to 10 weeks it has now been 16 months and I don't feel that a refund request is out of line after this much time. Not only is the product way behind schedule, but my computer needs have changed and I need my $300.00. So far Fast Tech has not responded to US Postal Mail or Genie electronic mail so be warned. Mark Tabor CAUTION CAUTION WARNING WARNING WARNING MARK K. TABOR [M.TABOR1] ---------- Straight Fax News Atari-ST RoundTable Category 4, Topic 24 Message 199 Thu Aug 12, 1993 C.S.SMETON [STraight FAX] at 22:02 EDT August 11, 1993 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NewSTar Technology Management announces... STraight FAX! 2.0 ================= STraight FAX! has been a leading Atari FAX software package since its introduction in April of 1992. But since then, we've added a host of features that make it easier to use, more accessible and more compatible. Now, with the release of STraight FAX! 2.0, popular Class 1 and Class 2 FAX Modems are fully supported. This means that STraight FAX! is compatible with a wider range of FAX Modems that ever before, including less expensive Class 1 Only FAX Modems and high end Class 1 and Class 2 FAX Modems. Support for Class 1 also means greater compatibility and reliability with remote FAX devices, so you can FAX around the world without worry. We've also added features to make STraight FAX! 2.0 a joy to use. Like a Quick Dial feature, for sending FAXes to locations that you don't plan on FAXing every day. Or you might like the new STraight FAX! Manager for seamless, system wide FAXing from your favorite applications, including Pagestream, Calligrapher 2/3, That's Write 2, Calamus, and Speedo GDOS based applications such as Atari Works. Just create a document using one of the applications above, select the special STraight FAX! "Print to Disk" driver from the application's printer driver selector, (optionally activate the STraight FAX! Manager CPX to select the path/filename for the generated FAX files), and print the pages of the document from the application's print command. If you are using MultiTOS, you can have STraight FAX! sitting by idle and ready to send the generated FAX without quitting the application. Just tell the STraight FAX! Manager to send the FAX and the STraight FAX! pops up with all the generated FAX files ready to go! Normal TOS users can quit the application, run STraight FAX! and it will automatically find the generated FAX files and be ready to send! Don't wait another day to discover the FAX revolution. It's here and working now on your Atari computer. Get it straight with STraight FAX! STraight FAX! 2.0 Features ========================== Send and Receive FAXes using any Class 1 or Class 2 FAX Modem. Send FAXes using a SendFAX Modem. Print Received FAXes to any GDOS supported printer. Export FAXes to Image, PCX or Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) formats. EPS files can be printed directly from the GEM Desktop to a PostScript printer or printed with a PostScript Interpreter. Send ASCII Text, Mono Image, High Rez Degas/Degas Elite, Mono PCX, GEM Metafiles, First Word, First Word Plus, Word Writer ST and FAX files. Broadcast FAXes to up to 100 Destinations. Schedule FAX transmissions at a later time (up to a year in advance). Quick Dial feature allows entry of a FAX name/number on the fly for infrequent destinations. Manual Send and Receive features allows inititiating a FAX Send or Receive from a voice call. Supra FAX Modem Caller ID support. Caller ID/Remote FAX ID can be used to reject incoming "Junk" FAXes from a user defined list of Bad FAX callers. Direct scanning from within STraight FAX! via the ScanLite Desk Accessory. Automatic merging of left and right scans from a hand scanner when used with The Tray scanning tray. Full Page direct scanning support for the Navarone/Canon IX-12 series scanners with our optional driver ($19.95). View up to 7 Image, Degas, PCX, GEM Metafile or FAX files at a time, each in a GEM window. Enhanced Image editing/processing features such as copy/paste a defined clip area to/from a selected file or the Atari Clipboard, Clear/Invert/Thicken a defined clip area, Reduced (50%) View and Enlarged (FAX page size) view, Clean Up stray pixels, Rotate and Flip Image and Draw/Erase pixels. Supports enhanced user interface features on Falcon TOS 4.02+ and MultiTOS such as 3D buttons and sliders and Hierarchical drop down menus. Supports MultiTOS features such as Drag and Drop and Iconifying windows. Enhanced FAX Send and Receive Logs now contain additional information: - Date and Time of transfer. - Name of destination (send) or Comment (receive) which may be edited by the user to allow annotation of the logs. - Destination FAX Number (send) or Caller ID (receive). - Remote ID string from destination FAX. - Name of first FAX file sent or received. - Transfer attempt number (send only). - Total pages sent or received. - Duration of transfer. - Resolution of transfer (Normal or Fine). - Established baud rate of transfer. - Cover Page sent (send only). - Modem Type (SendFAX, Class 1 or Class 2). - Status of transfer. The detailed FAX Send or Receive Log information for an entry may be printed to a line printer or copied to the Atari Clipboard. FAX Receive Log Management Commands: - View FAX. - Print FAX (via GDOS). - Rename received FAX files. - Delete received FAX files. - Export received FAX files to Image, PCX or EPS files. "Print to Disk" drivers included to print pages of a document from with the following applications: - Pagestream 1.8x - Pagestream 2.x - Calamus 1.09x - Calamus S/SL - That's Write 2.xx - Calligrapher 2/3 - Original Atari GDOS based applications (GEM Output, Migraph Outprint) - Atari FSM/Font GDOS based applications (WordFlair II) - Atari Speedo GDOS based applications (Atari Works) The STraight FAX! Manager (Auto Folder TSR and CPX Module) simplifies the "Print to Disk" of FAX files from an application. The STraight FAX! Manager allows the user to name generated FAX files and it keeps track of them and communicates with STraight FAX! to automatically enter the generated FAX files into the File List in STraight FAX!. Support's Supra's Silent Answer feature to allow single line Voice/FAX sharing. Enhanced Atari Clipboard support: - Paste Image, GEM or ASCII Text from the clipboard into a defined clip area in a window. Pasted Image files may be scaled to fit into the clip area with or without preserving the aspect ratio. - Copy a clip area defined in a window to the clipboard. - Copy/Paste text fields from the Cover Page to/from the clipboard. - Copy detailed FAX Send/Receive Log Information to the clipboard. Context sensitive on-line Help available with the Help Key or "?" button in dialogs. Over 60 user selectable parameters such, including the new: - Quick Dial dialog enable. - Time Format (12 or 24 hour). - Desktop color and fill pattern. - Prompt on File Overwrite. - Default ASCII Text File Extension. - Default File Path for Image, Degas, PCX, GEM, ASCII Text, First Word/Plus and FAX files. - GDOS Print Quality (Final or Draft). - Tab Width in ASCII Text File conversion. - Local Area Code. - Maximum AT command size (for newer FAX Modems that suppport 255 character command buffer). - Auto Baud parameter for FAX Modems that support automatic baud rate detection. - Caller ID parameter for FAX Modems that support Caller ID detection. - Clipboard Image Paste options for scaling, preserving aspect ratio and expanding clip area to fit. Optimized FAX import and export routines to reduce conversion times. Load and Save user preference files to change the entire system configuration on the fly. Run an external text editor from within STraight FAX! Enhanced Dialog User Interface: - Popup Menus and Check boxes to ease setting user selectable parameters. - "Fly Dial" dialogs can be dragged to any position on the screen. - Enhanced text edit field key commands. - Keyboard equivalents for button selection. Compatibility ============= STraight FAX! 2.0 requires an Atari 520 ST, 520STFM, 1040ST, STacy, Mega ST, STe, ST Book, Mega STe, TT030 or Falcon030 computer with a minimum of 1 Megabyte of RAM. 2 or more Megabytes of RAM are recommended for printing and viewing FAXes due to the large size of uncompressed FAX images. STraight FAX! will operate with TOS 1.00, 1.02, 1.04 (Rainbow TOS), 1.06, 1.062, 2.05-2.06, 3.05-3.06, 4.01-4.04 and MultiTOS. TOS 1.04 or higher is recommended due to memory allocation problems on earlier TOS versions. 4 or more Megabytes and a 16MHz or higher speed CPU is recommended when used with MultiTOS. Due to the size of FAX files, a hard disk is recommended. Printing FAX documents and importing GEM Metafiles requires a version of GDOS and an appropriate GDOS printer driver. The original Atari GDOS (and compatibles), Font GDOS, FSM GDOS, and Speedo GDOS are supported. Font GDOS or Speedo GDOS are recommended. Importing GEM Metafiles requires the MEMORY.SYS GDOS driver to be installed as device number 61. Speedo GDOS is required to render text objects in GEM Metafiles. Ordering and Upgrades ===================== Suggested List Price $109.95 (US) Registered STraight FAX! users can upgrade to version 2.0 by sending in their original master disk and $25.00 (US). Registered users who have purchased STraight FAX! version 1.07 on or after June 1, 1993 can upgrade to version 2.0 by sending in their original master disk and $20.00 (US). Upgrade price includes version 2.0 master disk, version 2.0 manual and shipping within North America. Upgrade orders outside of North America, please add $5.00 (US). US funds only. Major Credit cards accepted. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery (after the official release date). Please mail upgrade orders to: Toad Computers STraight FAX! 2.0 Upgrade Offer 570F Ritchie Highway Severna Park, Maryland 21146 USA For more information contact: 410-544-6943 (Voice) 410-544-1329 (FAX) 410-544-6999 (BBS, 300-14400 baud, allow up to 60 seconds to connect) GEnie: C.S.SMETON CompuServe: 73047,2565 Internet: c.s.smeton@genie.geis.com or 73047.2565@compuserve.com STraight FAX! is marketed for NewSTar Technology Management by Toad Computers and is distributed in North America by Eastern Front Distributing Company and Pacific Software Supply. All programs and products mentioned are trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies. ---------- Atari-ST RoundTable Category 4, Topic 24 Message 200 Thu Aug 12, 1993 C.S.SMETON [STraight FAX] at 22:25 EDT To: All, STraight FAX! 2.0 is expected to be released on or about September 1, 1993 (depending on logistical problems for manual printing). Orders for STraight FAX! 2.0 upgrades will be taken at this time, but no checks will be cashed or credit cards charged until the order is shipped. Orders will be processed on a first come first serve basis. Registered users can purchase version 2.0 at the Glendale Show on September 11-12, 1993. Please bring your master disk and Registration Number. Thank You, Charles @ NewSTar Technology Management ---------- In the field TT030s not having FCC Class B confirmed .. FINALLY! ( There were NEVER _any_ Class B TT030 machines ever made! ) Atari-ST RoundTable Category 18, Topic 23 Message 183 Tue Aug 17, 1993 S.WINICK at 06:50 EDT Steve: >> ...They did so implement the modifications. There are a few >> people here that can testify to owning a Class B TT030. I think it may be a case of a few people here who can testify to not properly reading, or understanding, the FCC classification sticker. Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ---------- Atari-ST RoundTable Category 18, Topic 23 Message 184 Tue Aug 17, 1993 POTECHIN [Nathan @ DMC] at 09:17 EDT In a recent survey, Coca-Cola Classic ranked 2nd as the most purchased item in a supermarket in the USA. Marlboro's ranked 1st :-) Sheldon is correct. Atari did get FCC approval for a modified TT but never actually produced that version. No Class B TT's have ever been manufactured. Nathan @ DMC ---------- From CIS, all is NOT happy in Lala land... #: 41968 S8/Hot Topics 19-Aug-93 22:39:20 Sb: #41960-games vs computers Fm: LEXICOR Software 75300,763 To: SYSOP*Ron Luks 76703,254 Ron, Given that what you observe is on the money and the past sales distribution between the US and foreign markest where the US got just under 20% of the market, does this mean the US can expect 20% of 20% of the expected market? If what you say is correct and if the current trend with the Falcon continues...eg many still sit on the shelf unsold it would appear that the Computer market and the future of the Computer software developer is about at an end. I would guess that what remains is the current installed user base and those who retain their current Atari system and upgrade it with Color cards, and those who retain their current Atari in spite of buying new systems like the PC and Amiga. What ever happned to the landslide multimedia solution? Where is the hardware support for such applications and just where is the Multimedia market the current Atari systems are pointed at? Lee@Lexicor P.S There are current hardware and software solutions but not at the nickel and dime level. ______________________________________________________________ > Political Viruses STR Feature """"""""""""""""""""""""""""" Jerry Pournelle RT Category 4, Topic 24 Message 64 Fri Aug 13, 1993 NADINE.K [Aladdin Lass] at 18:57 EDT This was posted on the Telejoke board, and with the permission of Gary (JOKEMASTER) I thought I'd pass it on. === JOKEMASTER'S COMPLETE LIST OF BOGUS VIRUSES POLITICAL VIRUSES BILL CLINTON VIRUS This virus mutates from region to region. We're not exactly sure what it does, but may be taxing to your system. BILL CLINTON VIRUS - Strain 2 It doubles the files on your hard drive while it states it is decreasing the number of files, increases the cost of your computer, taxes its CPU to maximum capacity, and then uses Quicken to access your bank accounts and deplete your balances. AL GORE VIRUS Not strong enough to act on it's own, but when combined with another virus it hops on a bus and travels around the system. ROSS PEROT VIRUS Similar as the Jerry Brown Virus, only nicer fonts are used, and it appears to have a lot more money put into it's development. Unknown effects, but just when you think it's quit... IT'S BACK! ROSS PEROT VIRUS - Strain 2 Activates every component in your system, just before the whole thing quits. ROSS PEROT VIRUS - Strain 3 After several years, the damage caused by this little virus is still unclear. It often displays impressive graphics which have little relevance to the users interests or needs. Source: JOKEMASTER (some from various sources) #3707C Keywords: Virus,Original,Computer,Political ___________________________________________________________________ > STReport CONFIDENTIAL "Rumors Tidbits Predictions Observations Tips" """"""""""""""""""""" - Little Rock, AK Rumors abound that WALMART will carry the Falcon --------------- Walmart, the "other half" of Sam's shopping clubs, a creation of Sam Wollman, is rumored to be gearing up to carry and sell the Atari Falcon computer. While all the details of "the deal" are sketchy its also rumored they'll only be carrying the one mb, no hard drive version of the Falcon. "That ought to make it "shine" on the shelf next to all the power house 386/486 PCs and MACs they already carry at both types of stores." remarked one market observer. - Sunnyvale, CA JAGUAR TO DOMINATE ATARI'S DIRECTION ------------- For ten years Atari Corp., the company that originated video games, has been hunting for a hit product. Atari's computer offerings are hardly known and its hand-held Lynx game machine is selling slowly if at all. Hopefully this fall, when Atari launches the Jaguar, a new high powered 3-D game system it hopes will assist them to achieve total domination of Nintendo and Sega and all other video game systems now being developed. "Sega, Nintendo. They are the competition we're going after," said Atari president Sam Tramiel. "We've never believed in launching incrementally better designs. You really have to make quantum leaps in performance," said Richard Miller, Atari vice president for technology, as the company showed off the Jaguar for the first time. The Jaguar, controlled by buttons on a pad, connects to a tv set and runs games in 3-D (simulated). The device will (sometime in the future) play audio CDs and Kodak's photo CDs. Initially, it will be intro'ed in New York and San Francisco for Christmas 1993, and nationwide, hopefully, in January. Atari's Jaguar is targeting the mass consumer market & will sell for $200, an optional compact disc player will cost an additional $200. An IBM Corp. factory in Charlotte, N.C., will build the machine, but IBM is not at all involved in the marketing of the Jaguar. The Jaguar runs on 64-bit processors that are considerably faster and more powerful than the 16-bit systems sold by Sega Corp. and Nintendo Inc. The Jaguar is twice as powerful as a number of 32-bit systems due later this year. "These two chips took about three years to develop. They are a major breakthrough in technology," Miller said. "We plan to market and advertise Jaguar very, very heavily. We realize that's been our weakness in the past," Sam Tramiel said. Atari will spend $3 million on marketing in this year's fourth quarter and $45 million in 1994. Atari made it known they have about $40 million cash on hand to launch Jaguar. Atari is also considering going to the public for additional financing in 1994. - San Francisco, CA LEXICOR APPARENTLY LOST ALL FREE FLAGS ON GENIE ----------------- STReport has learned Lexicor Software has lost all its free flags for the Atari STRT area on GEnie Information Service's system. Lexicor who imports a number of popular, high powered video and graphics products as well as develops a number of excellent software packages here in the USA, had used the flags to access GEnie's STRT to support its customers there. Reportedly, Lexicor was apparently at if they didn't retract certain claims and offer certain apologies.. allegedly by the STRT contractor, the flags would not be re-instated. This unfortunate saga unfolded approximately three months ago and was covered completely in STR issues 930, 931, 932 and 933. The sad part is the users will suffer for the sake of "massaging of egos" and of half truths being given to the userbase by the IAAD. Following this item is the IAAD Listing of members in it is the names of its board of directors all fourt of them. STReport is fully aware of one of them abstaining from the vote to expell Lexicor from the IAAD. We ask; "Is what the IAAD did correct and ethical when one or more of the IAAD boards members voting for the expulsion of Lexicor should, by virtue of either their business activities or consumer complaints, have also abstained?" Let's face it, this whole matter was a disgrace upon the Atari community and has literally finished the IAAD as any type of respectable, unbiased organization of developers helping developers for the good of the platform. Its become a political puppet for a few whose ethics are really questionable as a result of this debacle. Perhaps its time the IAAD told the WHOLE TRUTH about this tragedy. ___________________________________________________________________ > IAAD MEMBERS LIST STR InfoFile """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Independent Association of Atari Developers Member Listing August 15, 1993 The IAAD is an organization of third-party hardware and software developers supporting the Atari ST family of computers. Unique in the industry, the IAAD works to provide its membership with help in marketing, packaging, technical matters, and other issues of interest to third-party commercial developers. This listing has been prepared to familiarize the public with our members and some of their products. We hope you will find it useful. Each entry has the following format (when applicable): Company Name Member Name Mailing Address Phone(s) Product Names The listing is provided below in ASCII format. An additional file is available in CardFile format. Please note that the product listing is not comprehensive nor detailed, and new products are continually released. Please feel free to contact individual members for information about their listed products. For more information about the IAAD, contact any Board Member. IAAD Board Members: D.A. Brumleve, President James C Allen Nathan Potechin Nevin Shalit Member Listing: Anthill Industries Judith Baumgardner P.O. Box 361 Mt. Vernon OH 43050-9998 USA 614 393 1524 Apprentice Software James D Yegerlehner 22205 Swan Road South Lyon MI 48178 USA 313 437 0526 Neural-network Construction Set Baggetta_Ware Albert Baggetta P.O. Box 759 Agawam MA 01001 USA Eliemouse Complimentary Coloring Book/The Comic Book Collector/ The Mis-Adventures of Eliemouse/Shakespeare: The Sonnets Barefoot Software Brad Cox 19865 Covellow Street Canoga Park CA 91306 USA 818 727 0632 (fax) 818 727 7143 SMPTETrack/EditTrack/GenEdit/EZ Score+/Hybriswitch Beckemeyer Development Tools David Beckemeyer P.O. Box 21575 Oakland CA 94620 USA 510 530 0451 (fax) 510 530 9637 Hard Disk Sentry/Hard Disk Toolkit/SCSI Tape Kit Robert M Birmingham 13630 SW 101 Lane Miami FL 33186-2814 USA 305 385 1942 Cali-Co. Superior Software Josh Snyder P.O. Box 9873 Madison WI 53715 USA 608 255 6523 Mah-Jong Solitaire Canoe Computers Tony Ridley 11006 150 Street Edmonton AB T5P 1S1 Canada 403 487 6838 FrankenSTein/Warp 16 Accelerator/Tiny Ram chro_MAGIC Software Innovations Jim Collins 516 North Jackson Joplin MO 64801 USA 417 623 7393 Guitaristics/Pianistics/Pianistics Encyclopedia/Pianistics Professor Clear Thinking Craig Harvey 2753 Plymouth Road Suite 137 Ann Arbor MI 48105 USA 313 971 6035 (bbs) 313 971 8671 EdHak/Metapsychology Primer CodeHead Technologies John Eidsvoog, Charles Johnson P.O. Box 74090 Los Angeles CA 90004 USA 213 386 5789 (fax) 213 461 2095 (bbs) 213 386 5735 G+Plus/MultiDesk Deluxe/HotWire/CodeKeys/CodeHead Utilities/ Warp 9/Calligrapher/MaxiFile/Lookit & Popit/MIDIMax/MIDI Spy/ Avant Vector/MegaPaint/Cherry Fonts/Genus Font Editor/ TOS Extension Card Compo Robert Engberson 104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121 Pacifica CA 94044 USA 415 355 0869 (fax) 415 355 0862 That's Write/Write On/C-Font/CompoScript/That's Address/Musicom/ PC Speed/AT Speed/AT Speed C16 Cybercube Research Ltd. Manfred Doewich 126 Grenadier Crescent Thornhill ON L4J 7V7 Canada 416 886 3261 (fax) 416 882 0294 CyReL SUNRISE M16-1280 True Color High Resolution Graphics Card/ CyReL SERENADE M16-1280 True Color High Resolution Graphics Card/ CyReL VidiMix8 Desktop Video Module/CyReL Serial Mouse Manager/ CyRel Palette Master D.A. Brumleve Dorothy A Brumleve P.O. Box 4195 Urbana IL 61801-8820 USA 217 367 9084 (fax) 217 337 1937 Kidpublisher Professional/Super Kidgrid/Kidpainter/Multiplay/ Telegram/Creative Discovery Packet/Learning Games Packet DMC Publishing Nathan Potechin 2800 John Street Unit 10 Markham ON L3R 0E2 Canada 416 479 1882 (fax) 416 479 1880 Calamus 1.09N/Calamus SL & modules/Calamus Font Editor/ The Guide to Calamus Desktop Publishing/Outline Art/ INVISION Elite Ditek International David Fletcher 2800 John Street Unit 15 Markham ON L3R 0E2 Canada 416 479 1882 (fax) 416 479 1990 DynaCADD Dr. Bobware W. David Parks 180 N. Hazeltine Avenue Campbell OH 44405-1024 USA 216 743 4712 ScanLite/MVG: MultiViewer Graphica/MVG Modules Disks 1, 2, & 3 Elan Software Paul Dube 550 Boul. Charest Est P.O. Box 30232 Quebec G1K 8Y2 Canada 418 683 9189 (fax) 418 692 0565 Solutions eSTeem, inc. Tom Nielsen 72 Shades Crest Road Hoover AL 35226-1014 USA 205 987 9208 eSTeem PILOT Fair Dinkum Technologies John 'Hutch' Hutchinson P.O. Box 2 Los Alamos NM 87544 USA 505 662 7236 CrossWord Creator II/Word Search Creator/Cryptographer/InfoDisk/ Cyberdrome: The Hoverjet Simulator/Puzzle Pack FAST Technology James C Allen 14 Lovejoy Road Andover MA 01810 USA 508 475 3810 (fax) 508 475 3810 Turbo25/TinyTurbo030/Turbo030/TurboRAM GT Software Tyson T Gill 12114 Kirton Avenue Cleveland OH 44135-3612 USA 216 252 4272 CardFile (distr. by Gribnif) Gadgets by Small, Inc. David M Small 40 West Littleton Blvd. #210-211 Littleton CO 80120 USA 303 791 0253 (fax) 303 791 6098 Spectre GCR Goldleaf Publishing Inc. Lauren Flanagan-Sellers 700 Larkspur Landing Circle Suite 199 Larkspur CA 94939 USA 415 257 3515 WordFlair II Gribnif Software Dan Wilga, Rick Flashman P.O. Box 779 Northampton MA 01061 USA 413 247 5622 (fax) 413 247 5620 NeoDesk 3/NeoDesk CLI/STalker 3/STeno/XBoot/CardFile 4/ Convector Professional/Arabesque Professional/XBoot III/ Crazy Dots 8/Crazy Dots 15 Doug Harrison P.O. Box 66236 Baton Rouge LA 70806-6236 USA Opus (shareware)/Lookit & Popit (distr. by CodeHead) HiSoft Alex Kiernan, David Link, Dave Nutkins The Old School Greenfield Bedford MK45 5DE England +44 525 713716 (fax) +44 525 718181 Devpac 3/HiSoft BASIC 2/Lattice C/HighSpeed Pascal/FTL Modula-2/ WERCS/Harlekin 2/HiSoft C/ProFlight/K-Spread/K-Comm/K-Word/K-Data (HiSoft products distr. by Oregon Research Associates) ICD, Inc. Tom Harker 1220 Rock Street Rockford IL 61101 USA 815 968 6888 (fax) 815 968 2228 The Link/AdSCSI Micro ST/AdSCSI ST/AdSCSI Plus ST/AdSpeed ST/ AdSpeed STe/FA-ST Hard Drive Kit/FA-ST Tape Backup/Cleanup ST/ ICD Professional Hard Drive Utilities/ICD Tape Backup Software/ Advantage Micro ST/Advantage ST/Advantage Plus ST/STHA/ Personal Pascal It's All Relative Gregory J Kopchak 2233 Keevan Lane Florisant MO 63031 USA 314 831 9482 It's All Relative/BookMaker/Forecaster3/AbbreviatorST/ Photo CD Conversion/Photo Show/View and Script/Kodak Photo CD Images JMG Software International, Inc. George Geczy, David Thompson 892 Upper James Street Hamilton ON L9C 3A5 Canada 416 575 0283 (fax) 416 575 3201 HyperLINK M.P. Graphics Systems Mario Perdue P.O. Box 501289 Indianapolis IN 46250-6289 USA 317 335 3775 Noids-II MS Design Henry Murphy, Carl Stanford 611 West Illinois Street Urbana IL 61801 USA 217 351 6412 (fax) 217 384 8469 FontPak 1 & 2/Wheeler Quick Art CD-ROM/ Wheeler Quick Art Image Disks Medical Designs Software William Penner 3235 Wright Avenue Bremerton WA 98310 USA 206 479 2157 (bbs) 206 373 4840 ECTStat/IOLCALC/MultiWriter/SERIALFX Merlin Group, Inc. George Richardson 96 Hoyt Street Kearny NJ 07032-3311 USA 201 998 0932 (fax) 201 998 4441 Missionware Software John Trautschold 354 N. Winston Drive Palatine IL 60067-4132 USA 708 359 9565 lottODDS/Printer Initializer/Flash II MUSICODE Software Melinda Turcsanyi P.O. Box 1109 Oakhurst CA 93644 USA 209 642 2380 NewSTar Technology Management Charles Smeton P.O. Box 122 Columbia MD 21045-0122 USA 410 544 1329 (fax) 410 544 6943 The STraight FAX! Oregon Research Associates Bob Luneski 16200 S.W. Pacific Highway Suite 162 Tigard OR 97224 USA 503 624 2940 (fax) 503 620 4919 Diamond Back II/Diamond Edge/Knife ST/Ultimate Virus Killer/ DevPacST 3/DevPacTT/HiSoft BASIC 2/Lattice C 5.5/HiSoft C/ HighSpeed Pascal/FTL Modula-2/Tempus 2/WERCS/Harlekin 2/ True Paint/ProFlight Paradigm Software Products Mark T O'Bryan 1369 Concord Place Suite 3-B Kalamazoo MI 49009-2201 USA 616 372 5972 Omni-Banker ST Power Thought Software Harlan Hugh 116 Sumach Street Toronto ON M5A 3J9 Canada 416 594 9355 (fax) 416 594 9355 INVISION Elite (distr. by DMC) SKWare One Sterling K Webb P.O. Box 277 Bunker Hill IL 62014 USA 618 462 2171 (evenings) Seurat/ColorScan/Auto*Art/PS-2GDOS Soft-Logik Publishing Deron Kazmaier, Mark Wetzel P.O. Box 510589 St. Louis MO 63151-0589 USA 314 894 8608 or 800 892 8608 PageStream/ImageClub Clip Art/ImageClub Fonts/Business Forms Sothan Software Gene F Sothan 9395 North Wall Portland OR 97203 USA 503 283 4566 IB Harddisk Backup and Restore/Autosort/Writeboot Step Ahead Software, Inc. Nevin Shalit 496-A Hudson Street Suite F39 New York City NY 10014 USA 718 858 4164 TrackerST/Tracker For Windows Straight Edge Software Frank Pawlowski P.O. Box 6407 Nashua NH 03061 USA 603 672 8150 FPPRINT/OutBurST! Strata Software Eric Rosenquist 94 Rowe Drive Kanata ON K2L 3Y9 Canada 613 591 1922 (fax) 613 591 1922 STalker & STeno (distr. by Gribnif) SuperSoft John Buckner 731 North Clinton Grand Ledge MI 48837 USA 517 627 6965 TeleView Tele/TeleView BBS/D.A.M.I./The Fisherman Synergy Resources Roger Richards 754 N. Bolten Avenue Indianapolis IN 46219 USA 317 231 4158 (fax) 317 356 6946 GEMvelope!/SynthView DW-8000/SynthView K1 Taylor Ridge Books Clayton Walnum P.O. Box 78 Manchester CT 06045 USA 203 643 9673 C-manship Complete/ST Assembly Language Workshop/ GFA Basic Toolkit/VDI Quick Reference/AES Quick Reference/ TRB Shareware Companion TEAM Software Marshall Lake P.O. Box 7332 Washington DC 20044-7332 USA 703 538 4598 (fax) 703 533 2132 A Day at the Races/A Day at the Races Companion/ 3 Days at Gettysburg Weinress Consulting Norm Weinress 3236 Velma Drive Los Angeles CA 90068 USA 213 876 7704 D.E.K.A. Wintertree Software Inc. Phil Comeau 43 Rueter Street Nepean ON K2J 3Z9 Canada 613 596 1575 (fax Attn) 613 825 6721 The GramSlam Grammar and Style Checker/Grammar Expert/ Spelling Sentry WizWorks! Chet Walters P.O. Box 45 Girard OH 44420 USA 216 539 5623 Image Cat/Mug Shot!/Coalesce Image Merger/Ma Hubbard's Cupboard/ Mug Shot Data Xerox Corp Robert L. White 101 Continental Blvd. M/S ESC1-257 El Segundo CA 90245 USA 310 333 3497 Printer Drivers For Xerox Printers Zocra Technologies Craig Buchanan 4-319 Mackay Street Ottawa ON K1M 2B7 Canada 613 741 5817 STyle/STipple """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" :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. GEnie Information copyright (C) 1991 by General Electric Information Services/GEnie, reprinted by permission """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON" """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > A "Quotable Quote" Is it really true?? """"""""""""""""" "There is no comparison! The Atari Falcon is far superior to the PC platform." Sam Tramiel, 08/92" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" > DEALER CLASSIFIED LIST STR InfoFile * Dealer Listings * """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" --------------- ABCO COMPUTER CONSULTANTS ========================= P.O. Box 6672 Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155 Est. 1985 1-904-783-3319 FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER IBM/MSDOS-PC-CLONES-MAC-AMIGA-ATARI CUSTOM - MADE TO ORDER HARDWARE SOFTWARE, SUPPLIES & INSTRUCTION """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" COMPUTER STUDIO =============== WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTER 40 Westgate Parkway - Suite D Asheville, NC 28806 1-800-253-0201 Orders Only 1-704-251-0201 Information FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER Authorized Atari Dealer """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" EAST HARTFORD COMPUTER ====================== 202 Roberts St. East Hartford CT. 06108 1-203-528-4448 FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER Authorized Atari Dealer """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" MEGABYTE COMPUTERS ================== 907 Mebourne Hurst, TX 76053 1-817-589-2950 FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER Authorized Atari Dealer """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" SAN JOSE COMPUTER ================= 1278 Alma Court San Jose, CA. 95112 1-408-995-5080 FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER Authorized Atari Dealer """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" CompuSeller West ================ 220-1/2 W. Main St. St. Charles, IL., 60174 Ph. (708) 513-5220 FULL LINE COMPUTER DEALER Authorized Atari Dealer """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" (DEALERS; to be listed here, please drop us a line.) """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STReport International Online Magazine -* [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport *- AVAILABLE ON OVER 20,000 PRIVATE BBS SYSTEMS """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" STR Online! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" August 20, 1993 Since 1987 copyright (c) 1987-93 All Rights Reserved No.9.34 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Messages quoted in whole or in part are done so under the Fair Use provision of the US Copyright Laws. USPC Title 17. Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors/staff ofSTReport International Online Magazine. Permission to reprint articles ishereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints must, without exception,include the name of the publication, date, issue number and the author'sname. STR, STReport and/or portions therein may not be edited in any waywithout prior written permission. STR, STReport, at the time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate. STR, STReport, its staff and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained therefrom. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""