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////// // // ////// ////// Z*Net Atari Online Magazine // / /// // // // June 15, 1990 // /// // // // ////// // --------------------------- // / // /// // // Published and Edited by ////// // // /////// // Ron Kovacs Issue #524 (©) 1990 by Rovac Industries, Inc. Post Office Box 59 Middlesex, New Jersey 08846 Z*Net Online BBS: (201) 968-8148 ======================================================================= CompuServe 71777,2140 * Cleveland Free-Net * GEnie Z-NET ======================================================================= =============================== THIS WEEK - by Ron Kovacs =============================== I want to thank everyone for the cards and messages sent on behalf of the recent family loss. The many comments were appreciated and passed along to family members. Thanks again. We are running a special ad in our monthly hard copy newsletter from Practical Solutions, which we are sure you might be interested in. For a limited time, you can purchase a TWEETY BOARD for $29.95 by mentioning Z*NET when you place your order. The regular sale price is $59.95. Shipping and handling charges are NOT included in this Z*Net Summer Special price. If you are interested in ordering or more information please call: (602) 322-6100. Too late for publication this week was a capture from our newest registered BBS system, (one that carries Z*NET each week), The Full Moon BBS is available for all modem speeds at (508) 752-1348. Look for a capture of the system next week. If you are carrying Z*Net on your BBS and would like to see your system here, please call the Z*Net BBS at (201) 968-8148 and leave a message to the SysOp. Thanks for reading! =============================== Z*NET NEWSWIRE =============================== ATARI NOT TO APPEAR AT WORLD OF ATARI World of Atari show promoter Richard Tsukiji was notified this week that Atari has decided NOT to support, participate, or even to send a representative to appear at the recently proposed August San Jose WOA. While Atari clearly stated that they were very much interested in supporting a WOA show in the San Jose/San Francisco area, they declined this opportunity due to prior commitments that will consume the available personnel and hardware resources. These include a major Atari appearance at a gaming convention on the weekend immediately following Tsukiji's show dates, as well as firm commitments to fully support the Glendale Southern California Atari Computer Faire, one month later and just down the coast. Atari encouraged Tsukiji to help avoid conflicting event dates by refraining from scheduling any shows within 30 days of another show, and to provide at least 120 days notice to Atari of proposed show dates to allow for rescheduling if required. Tsukiji had earlier stated that he would continue with his plans for the August show date even without Atari's help, but it is possible that he may reconsider now that Atari has declined to appear and has suggested a rescheduling. It would be the first WOA show to occur without Atari providing all of the advertising, equipment needs, and personnel support, without cost to the commercial show series. ATARI TO BE BIG AT MILWAUKEE GENCON Over 50 Atari ST computer systems and likely as many LYNX game machines will be supplied to the Milwaukee GENCON gaming show this August 9th- 12th. The show has traditionally drawn over 10,000 people, many of them costumed and prepared for participation in fantasy role-playing games including Dungeons and Dragons games. The local Atari user group, MILATARI, will have a booth at the show, which permits retail sales of gaming hardware and software. Atari will send a group of representatives to staff the Atari area, and expects GENCON to be a major opportunity to not only show but to actually sell a significant number of machines. GAUNTLET III SAYS NO TO DRUGS The latest of releases for the Atari LYNX game machine is GAUNTLET III, and the lucky few that already have it tell Z*NET that the game is every bit as good as they had hoped. A surprise on the package (a product of TENGEN, a division of Atari Games) is the Seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a quote under the name of William S. Sessions, FBI Director: "Winners don't use Drugs". One hopes that the suggestion, delivered in this manner to competitive young gamers, may find a receptive audience. PCDII FIX This letter was sent to John Nagy from a reader of his COMPUTER SHOPPER MAGAZINE "Atari News and Comment" column. It is presented here by permission. Dear Avant-Garde Systems: Two months ago I purchased P.C. Ditto II by mail order. Upon receiving your product and installing it in my 1040 ST I could not get it to work. I returned the board. It seemed to heat up and not work. With the replacement board I had the same problem. After soldering the leads to the 68000 chip (which I highly recommend) I still had the same problem. Upon checking the voltages of my power supply they were in tolerance. On the PC Ditto board and on the 68000 chip they were low. Without the board hooked up the 68000 chip voltage was normal. I took two leads from the big filter cap. underneath the keyboard and connected them to the 20 and 40 pin of the math coprocesser socket. The problem was solved, there is 200 hours on the board and it works great. I think you should have power leads on future boards therefore it would fix a problem on an otherwise very good product. I also recommend using a small wide screwdriver to carefully bend the resistors down to reach all the pins on the 68000 chip. Please keep me in mind when future updates come out. Thank you, Mark Barrouk Wilkes Barre Pa. ATARI TO FINALIZE MIDITASKING AT NAMM This weekend is the Summer NATIONAL MUSIC MERCHANDISERS SHOW (NAMM), held in Chicago, Illinois. Atari will be there with a major presence once again. The Atari ST with its MIDI ports, and particularly with the STACY portable, has stayed a favorite machine for many musicians. On hand for this show will be Frank Foster (back from touring with FLEETWOOD MAC in support of Atari), Bill Crouch, Bob Brodie, MIDI reps Mike Groh and John Morales, and others. Another MIDI developer meeting is scheduled, and the final input is to be received on the ATARI MIDITASKING system, under development by INTELLIGENT MUSIC of New York. The project is virtually completed and is hoped to be ready for commercial release this summer. Atari representatives have been careful to say that although the MIDITASKING system is indeed a multi-tasking operating system for all Atari ST computers, it is optimized and intended for use with MIDI applications. Although other programs are likely to work properly under the MIDITASKING system, this is to be seen as a fortuitous occurrence rather than by design. MIDITASKING will be sold through Atari Corp for a mere $12.95. NEODESK 3 TO BE SHOWN TO USERS IN BOSTON Atari Corp's Bob Brodie will be missing Father's Day with his family this weekend in order to appear at a dealer promotion in Boston this weekend before he continues on to NAMM. Bob will be part of the festivities at the BIT BUCKET, a Boston dealer, while GRIBNIF SOFTWARE displays their new NEODESK VERSION 3.0 for the first time in public. Rick Flashman of Gribnif told Z*NET that it has been far more of a major product than they expected, with some major additions coming late in the project. Version 3 of the popular desktop replacement system will include significant upgrades in window handling that will enable the use of icons in some windows and text in others simultaneously. Split windows, folders on the Desktop, and much, much more will be also included. "We figured that if we put everything in it this time, people would not be able to ask for more", says Rick. He says that a vacation will be welcome when the final touches of NEODESK 3.0 are at last put on the commercial release, due very soon. GRIBNIF is also relocating to a new facility that will more than double their working area. NEW MANAGEMENT AT ATARI CORP UNITES USA, CANADA, FRANCE A longtime friend of the Tramiel family and the former President Director General of ATARI FRANCE, ELIE KENAN has come to the US to take the new position of GENERAL MANAGER, NORTH AMERICA at Atari Corporation. Many internal management adjustments are being made by existing Vice Presidents and such. Plans for Mr. Kenan to continue to manage ATARI FRANCE along with Canada and the USA are still in flux. Kenan is at Sunnyvale now, talking to staff and making plans. ATARI ADVANTAGE ON HOLD Despite posters proclaiming the ATARI ADVANTAGE at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, the namesake of that promotion was not shown. The "Advantage" system is a 520STFM, bundled with a LOT of software, and retailing at under $400. It has been promised for many months, but just short of the CES appearance, CEO Sam Tramiel ordered the package back into the planning phase. It is said that Sam wants the productivity software dropped from the plan, stating that GAMES were what made the C64 the most popular inexpensive computer in the world, and that GAMES would do it again for the ADVANTAGE system. Meanwhile, Sam's Father and chairman of the Board, Jack Tramiel, wants the productivity applications (word processor, database, spreadsheet) included... and in fact wants the price to be under $300! Those who have seen the currently proposed selection of software (with good joysticks and all) say that it is a "can't miss" mixture of powerful applications and superior games. Perhaps things will be worked out at the Tramiel home this Father's day? TOS 2.0 FOR THE '030?? NOPE Atari officials deny that the TOS operating system planned for the TT 68030 computer will be significantly changed from that in the current display machines when it finally reaches market. Expected to debut commercially later this year, the TT will have either exactly the same TOS or so close to it as to not be an issue, according to several Atari contacts. In an article released on the major telecommunication services earlier this month, Darek Mihocka, a programmer and owner of BRANCH ALWAYS SOFTWARE, related what he was told at the Canadian premier of the TT. Among other comments, Darek said that representatives there said that the TOS in the demo TT was "much slower" than the "final" version, to be called TOS 2.0, that would be in the production machines. This appears to be misinformation from enthusiastic area representatives. The TOS for the TT is commonly called "TOS OH-THREE-OH" at Atari. Final development of the TT is virtually complete, although there remain enough problems of compatibility with 1.44 MB floppy disk drives that Atari is considering releasing at least the first production units with the older 720K drives. FIRST STOP COMPUTERS MOVING - (Press Release) If you haven't been able to reach 1st STOP Computers for the past couple of days, don't be dismayed. We're only moving. We will be back in business Monday, the 18th of this month (June 1990) at 9:00 a.m. EDT. We will be back in full swing under totally new management next week, so please give us a call. Our toll-free number is still 1-800-252-2787, for all 50 states. Our new info/tech number is 1-513-254-6423. Our hours will be 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST Monday thru Friday and 10:00am. to 6:00 pm on Saturday. Our main business, for those of you who may not know us yet, is supporting Atari ST owners. We handle the software and peripherals at the best possible prices with the best possible service. We also accept Master Card, Visa, and Discover Card purchases at no extra cost. Look for our ads in STart, ST Informer, Current Notes, and other popular Atari publications. A new part of our business is the production and sales of PC clones. When we realized that such a large portion of ST owners were also owners of PCs, we figured that this would be a natural direction for 1st STOP. We are also now handling the most popular lines of PC software for use with our PCs as well as with PC Ditto II, PC Speed, and SuperCharger ST (which we also handle). We thank you for bearing with us during the move. If you've never called us, give us a try. If you have called us in the past, thanks for your business... we think you'll be pleased with the changes. Steven Schoemann, Bruce Hansford, Doug Hodson, Ken Lare. Dayton, Ohio FORECASTER III - (Press Release) Florissant, Missouri - June 10, 1990 Randall Kopchak announces that "Forecaster III" is now available for the Atari ST and Mega series. "Forecaster III" will predict the weather, analyze current atmospheric conditions, and display a weather almanac for the day. Heating and cooling degree days can be calculated along with windchill factor and apparent temperature. "Forecaster III" will display weather graphics from Compuserve and other sources. It will also create weather radar maps similar to those on your local news from digitized radar data available from WeatherBank and other services. Bonus templates are included with "Forecaster III" to track and chart daily weather records using most of the popular spreadsheet programs on the Atari ST. "Forecaster III" runs on either color or monochrome systems with a minimum of 512 K of memory. "Forecaster III" is available for $25.00 postpaid from Randall Kopchak, 2233 Keeven Lane, Florissant, MO 63031. For more information: Voice: (314) 831-9482 before 10:00 p.m. EST. E-Mail: Compuserve 70357,2312 - GEnie GREG - Delphi GREG AUTOSWITCH OVERSCAN - (Press Release) Stefan Hartmann, Keplerstr. 11 B, D-1000 Berlin 10, West-Germany, Tel.: ++49 30 3442366. FAX : ++49 30 3122639. We have still further developed the OVERSCAN-modification to our new product: AutoSwitch- OverScan. It features now full support of the Blitter(1.2)- and the new 1.4 TOS and is a little hardware circuit board with 2 GALs on it, that increases the screen resolutions of the STs to: Monochrome Mode: 688*480 pixel (on the old SM124) 704*480 pixel (on the newer SM124) 752*480 pixel (NEC Multisync GS) 720-736*480 pixel (most of the other Multisyncs) 768*480 pixel on a special modified SM124. (Modification board soon available) all the modes run with 71 Hz image frequency Color Modes: 60 Hz: 416*240 pixel (still 16 colors per pixel) 832*240 pixel (still 4 colors per pixel) (We have now also included the 60 Hz Color modes for our friends in the US, so they can record their animations on their NTSC VCRs !!!) 50 Hz: 416*280 pixel (still 16 colors per pixel) 832*280 pixel (still 4 colors per pixel) The color modes are ideal for OverScan-Animations to record on VCR-Tape! You get pixels all over the TV-set-screen! The hardware is supported with a 30 KBytes assembler code program which starts itself out of the AUTO-folder and patches the TOS and GEM to the new resolutions. This software, now after one and a half year of development-time, makes sure, that ALL ST-programs run !!! The AutoSwitch-feature decreases the resolution to the normal resolution e.g. of 640*400 pixel if a program does not yet support BigScreen Application (like STAD or SIGNUM or CAD3D for example). So if You double click STAD from the extended desktop resolution, zack, the ST switches back to normal mode, You can paint Your picture, You quit STAD, zack, You are back on the 704*480 pixel desktop; all without resetting or rebooting Your ST!!! No more hazzle with a mechanical switch! The switching is done with the free pin of the keyboard ACIA 6850, pin 5 RTS-Output: poke the adress FFFC00,$D6 switches Overscan on, FFFC00,$96 switches Overscan off. We have new XBios-functions which support the Overscan resolution and make programming under AutoSwitch-OverScan very easy! AutoSwitch-OverScan is delivered complete with the hardware board, a 50 page manual and the software on disk. The hardware board (size:2*2 inches) has to be soldered with 10 cables inside Your ST. AutoSwitch-OverScan runs on all STs, except the new 1040 STE, which has a noncompatible graphics chip set !!! ( So don't buy a 1040 STE, if You decide to use AutoSwitch- OverScan !) AutoSwitch-OverScan will be available for US and UK citiziens at the end of June 1990 for about 90 US$ or 50 english pounds. (including airmail express delivery) In Germany it is already available for 120 DM. We are still looking for US and UK distributors! For more information on AutoSwitch-OverScan call: ++49 30 3442366 West-Berlin, the 3th June 1990 Sincerely, Stefan Hartmann. PC WORLD UPDATE PC World, a magazine for management PC users, announced it has acquired PC Resource magazine and will merge its circulation into PC World beginning with its October 1990 issue. PC World will increase its circulation rate base from 500,000 to 550,000. PC Resource will publish its last issue in August. NEW YORK TIMES ANNOUNCES CHANGES Flora Lewis will retire as the foreign affairs columnist of The New York Times on Dec. 31 and become the newspaper's senior columnist. She will be succeeded as the foreign affairs columnist by Leslie H. Gelb, the deputy editorial page editor and Op-Ed page editor. MINISCRIBE UPDATE MiniScribe announced that the closing of the sale of substantially all its assets to Maxtor Corp. will occur on June 30, 1990. After the closing Maxtor, which has been operating the company since the Bankruptcy Court sale on April 4, 1990, will conduct MiniScribe's business through Maxtor Colorado Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary. NEW ALL CHARGE 386 MEMORY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE All Computers announced new memory management software for 80386-, 80386SX-, and 80486-based computers that boasts the highest throughput of any LIM 4.0 software manager. New All Charge 386 is available for $99. All Charge 386 supports XMS, LIM 3.2 and LIM 4.0. The memory management software also handles exploding and imploding device drivers by rear-ranging high memory to accommodate them. All Computer Inc. (416) 960-0111 NAKED CORRECTIONS OFFICER A prison guard wearing only briefs and bloodied from a self-inflicted chest wound, stole a police car Friday then led police on a high-speed chase through Dutchess County. The police car burst into flames after the man slammed it into a car wash and was arrested by officers who had followed him on the chase. There were no injuries. The incident began when police in Poughkeepsie, located about 60 miles north of New York City, received a call about 2 p.m. "of a large naked white male" found collapsed in a field. Officers found the man bleeding profusely from an apparently self-inflicted knife wound to the chest. As officers attempted to administer first aid, the man attacked and overpowered one of the officers and stole his car. The corrections officer at the Dutchess County Jail, headed north in the cruiser with police close at his heels. The chase ended at Pete's Mobil gas station and car wash, but not before Tobin hit two parked cars and struck the car wash building. The vehicle burst into flames as Tobin was being subdued by two officers. Tobin underwent surgery for his wound at Vassar Brothers Hospital. Police said he will be charged with reckless endangerment, grand larceny, felony criminal mischief and numerous vehicle and traffic violations. In Tobin's home police found a large amount of blood and a large bloody kitchen knife that Tobin apparently used to stab himself. TAPCIS AUTHOR DIES Howard Benner, author of the popular TapCIS communications program, died last Friday from complications of malignant melanoma, which he had been battling for some time. The 44-year-old, credited with developing the field of automated communications programs in the early 1980s, will be buried in Westfield, Mass., this week at a private service. MICROSOFT AND EVEREX SUE A counterfeiting ring alleged to have introduced more than 30,000 copies of Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system into the US market has been broken up by authorities working with Microsoft and computer maker Everex Systems. Seizure orders filed in conjunction with the suits were issued in April last Friday the US Marshal's office helped in the raids, which netted business records and more than 1,000 copies of the counterfeited software. An additional 2,000 copies were surrendered by four defendants in response to an order issued by a federal judge. The defendants in the case are J&S International, JIP Design and Joe Fok, American MultiSource Inc, Manufacturing Service Inc., Benny Lee and Norman and Susan Chan, Micro-Generation, Micro-Generation corporate officers Thomas Wu, Michael Wu and Frank Ho; and Asia Source Inc. corporate officers, Tai Yen Chu, Robert Young and Christi Liang. RADIATION EMISSIONS Apple Computer Chairman John Sculley says the company hired outside experts to study radiation emissions from its monitors. So far,they have found no health hazard. CNN had broadcast a report based on the July cover story in Macworld which termed as "worrisome" results in recent tests of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic emissions from monitors used with the Macintosh. Macworld based its report on tests of 10 monitors regularly used with the Mac. LOTUS UNIX 1-2-3 Lotus unveiled a version of 1-2-3 for personal computers running Unix System V Release 3.2. The Single-user Edition of 1-2-3 for Unix System V has a suggested retail price of $695. The Multi-user Edition costs $1295. Additional-user Editions retail for $495. MODEM USERS ASSOCIATION Modem User's Association of America (MUAA) is a new non-profit organization that plans to lobby against telephone companies when they propose rates that impact telecommunication users. MUAA would act as a central clearing house for information of interest to BBS users and operators, link local and regional modem user groups into a nationwide network, and unify all modem users and the services and systems they use. It would also establish a lobbying effort in Washington to push for legislation favorable to modem users and would fight, state-by- state, against outrageous rate increases and demands from telephone companies and others. Additional information about MUAA is available by calling (913) 478-9239. =============================== WHY ATARI SHOULDN'T ADVERTISE =============================== by John Nagy This feature is a reprint from the April/May ST-JOURNAL MAGAZINE, presented here by permission. THIS ARTICLE MAY NOT BE REPRINTED IN ANY OTHER PUBLICATION OR NEWSLETTER WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM ST- JOURNAL, 113 West College Street, Covina, CA 91723, 818-332-0372. Individual copies of the first issue of ST JOURNAL are available from the above address for the cover price of $4.50, and subscriptions are $29.95 a year. Welcome to my first column for ST JOURNAL. When I was asked to be a part of this effort to bring a new quality magazine to the Atari public, I was also encouraged to use my column as an outlet for my opinions and viewpoint. Most of my other writing (for COMPUTER SHOPPER, ZMAG/Z*NET, START, ST WORLD, ST-INFORMER, and others) has been largely news reporting or reviews. Until now, my only full blown (cough!) editorial work has been as part of the newsletter I produced for CHAOS, my old user group in Lansing, Michigan, for whom I began MICHIGAN ATARI MAGAZINE and GREAT LAKES ATARI DIGEST. While my views often pepper my reporting, I thank ST JOURNAL for the chance to take a thought and just fly with it. And I thank the readers in advance for their participation in the flight. My headline ought to catch some attention... after all, most every Atari lover on the planet thinks Atari is missing the boat by not advertising. After all, advertising is the essence of being American! To suggest that Atari should NOT advertise is to invite argument, if not heavy projectiles, from every corner. Yet, I believe that a massive advertising campaign would be disastrous for Atari at this time. There are too many other things that need to be in place first. Lets look at what happened recently to our competition. Commodore Business Machines has probably has as much pressure from its Amiga supporters to do major advertising as Atari. Consumer testing showed that "Amiga" was less likely to be identified by random folks as a "computer" than were several bogus brand names, invented for the sake of the testing. Last fall and winter, Commodore decided to reverse that. A major national TV advertising campaign was launched featuring big name personalities and state-of-the-art overproduction. The whole world saw a house get levitated, the Pointer Sisters and Tip O'Neil drop over, and more. In all, it all cost enough that Commodore-watchers said that it would take a 38% increase in Amiga sales just to pay for the ads. Surprise, sales have gone up closer to 10%. But rest assured, the Amiga does lots better in name recognition today. People now know what they're not buying. And Commodore is worse off than before it started. Now, sure, many of us think the ads were terrible. I heard that Atari was pitched the EXACT same ad campaign about a year earlier, and they turned it down. No matter what you put on TV, most of us know for a fact that the computer won't lift houses. And the folks that come over to see a computer are more likely to have a pocket protector full of mechanical pencils and tape on the bridge of their glasses than they are to be stars, politicos, or sports heroes. The poor Amiga played a minor background role in the commercials. Actually, I proposed a counter campaign. Imagine a white screen with a voice over: "The house has landed. The rock stars have gone home. (Fade in on a fella alone with a computer) It's just you and your computer. Did you choose the right one?" You get the idea, but I digress. If Atari were to advertise now, even if the ads were GOOD, what would happen? Rise in interest in the machines. Search for dealers by the most interested. Frustration in not finding any or at least not enough. More frustration in finding that dealers have no stock of many key items. Final frustration in finding that stock shortages have been the rule for years, with no real reason to expect it to change in the immediate future. Abandonment of interest in the Atari. Again, people would have a much firmer grip on the matter of which product they were not buying. As I understand it, advertising is used to create a demand for a product you wish to supply. Atari clearly can't meet the demand that already exists for their products, let alone a demand for more. If you don't have the product or can't get it to where the demand is, you had best not be tweaking up the demand. But won't Atari go under if they don't sell more machines, and don't they need more exposure to sell machines? No, and No. From where I sit, it looks like Atari is a money making venture for the Tramiels. Maybe even good money. I think that they see it as a real tossup as to whether it is worth the effort to get their manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, etc. into a condition where an ad push would be workable. If a multi-million dollar monumental effort can as easily net a loss as a gain, is it worth while to tamper with a gentle success? Taken as an international product, Atari is doing well for a small company. But somehow, and for some reason, we "believers" think that is insufficient. EVERYBODY ought to recognize the power and value of our chosen machines, and everyone ought to have one. And we tend to feel that Atari is missing its shot to be a major player in the USA computer marketplace. Meanwhile, the "best kept secret" of the computer world keeps chugging away. If this thing were a toaster, or maybe a burger, we wouldn't likely be as wrapped up in the emotional issue of wanting it to be such a widespread success. But for many of us, the Atari computer is far more than a machine... it is a cause. And somehow, we think that the current owners of our cause are wrong to withhold it from the rest of the huddled masses. Irrational. I'd really like to see Atari do better with its dealers. And better with manufacturing and distribution. And still better with timely release of new products. Developers would like to see it too, and have much more a stake in Atari's success than we users (and writers). But improvements of significant scale must occur in these channels before there would be any point in a major advertising push. For the moment, it looks like Atari is addressing these channels. Time will tell. But remember, Atari has been around for over 10 years now, and really shows no sign of folding its tents, despite a low profile. In the meantime, I personally would prefer to see Atari chug along a slow but profitable course than to see it roaring towards financial ruin. Wouldn't you? =============================== KX-P1124 UPGRADE =============================== by William Whitton Panasonic has become known of late as a supplier of quality printers for the computer enthusiast. Performance, price and compatibility have served to make this entire line of equipment some of the most sought after computer peripherals in America. One fairly recent addition to the Panasonic line of printers is the KX-P1124, an excellent 24 pin printer that I've seen selling for as low as $249 in numerous locations. This printer has only one relatively small short-coming to mention, it only sports a buffer of 6k, far too small for most serious users needs in general. What we will describe in this short article is a way to easily increase the 6k built-in buffer to one that is a wolloping 32k! Panasonic sells this 32K upgrade chip for $60, yet we will show you how you can do it yourself for the paltry sum of about $12! You will first need to purchase a 32Kx8 Low Power CMOS static ram IC, 120 nanoseconds or better to upgrade the 6k chip that currently resides in your printer. One suitable chip is the Hitachi 62256LP-12 which can be purchased from Microprocessors Unlimited, located in Beggs, Oklahoma. Their phone number is (918-267-4961), and the last time I checked they were selling this very chip for $9.95 each, plus shipping, bringing the total cost to approximately $12. Let us proceed: 1. On the front of the printer you will find what we will for now call the "single page feed panel". Open this panel, and then GENTLY pry the front faceplate off the printer by inserting a flat headed screwdriver in the narrow vertical seam that is located about one half inch behind front faceplate with the KX-P1124 logo on it. Carefully unplug the ribbon cable that is connected to the front control panel. 2. After removing the faceplate, you'll find 3 brass Phillips head screws that are holding on the top cover, remove these. The top will now swing upward from the the front and will move "rear-ward" as if there was a hinge on the hind quarters. 3. Glancing down at the back of the printer, you will see two indentical chips currently in place, with another empty socket located directly to the left. That is where the 32k ram chip is to be installed. Place the chip in the socket ensuring that the dimple on the chip faces the rear. 4. Now reassemble the printer in exactly the reverse order. Easy eh? =============================== ONLINE MAGAZINE COMMENTARY =============================== Another week has gone by, and after reading the gloom, doom, and despair of STReport, I find myself wondering why I ever purchased an Atari Computer. It usually takes a lot for me to get vocal, but I feel compelled to speak out now. I have owned an Atari ever since the 1200XL came out. Even though the system was an 8bit, I really enjoyed it. That 8bit was my introduction into computing and it sold me on computers. Then in 1985, the ST's came into being. My mouth "drooled" at the thought of having so much power for a reasonable price. I jumped on the ST bandwagon and purchased a 520ST without ROMS and two DS disk drives. The only software for the machine was Logo, and a few programs from Haba Software. I remember the first time I turned on the machine... I could not keep my mouth shut. You know how your mouth forms an "O" when you get surprised, well mine stayed that way for at least a week. I just could not get over how easy the machine was to operate. Later I purchased the ROMS when they became available and almost every piece of software that was released....even Haba "C". Can anyone remember that program? By this time, the 1040ST was out and I ended up swapping up to it. I now had a whole Meg of RAM and a built in drive. Good new's and praise for the machine was all I ever read. Even Byte magazine covered the Atari in several of their issues. Atari appeared to have a very bright future. As time went on, and software became plentiful, I kept upgrading. I now have 2.5megs in my 1040, a Spectre GCR, color & mono monitors, HP LaserJet IIP, FaST 85meg HD, Cardinal 2400baud modem with MNP level 5, and lot's of software. There are some very talented people producing GREAT Hardware Hacks and Software Hacks for the Atari, and I support their efforts by purchasing their products. This brings me up to now. Week after week I kept reading about Atari's demise in STReport and a few other online mag's, and week after week I began to wonder if I should sell my machine and go IBM or Mac. Well, to STReport and any other magazine that wishes to publish nothing but doom for the Atari, I say NO! What I am going to do is stop READING your magazine. There are so many good things the Atari computers can do that all of the articles in these mags could easily focus on Productivity instead of Destructivity. (Not sure if that's a word or not but it fits). I have to agree with the magazine that Atari is rolling downhill pretty fast, but giving it a push over the edge is not the answer. Focusing on positive aspects of the computer and getting the most bang for the buck is still the way to win friends and influence people. The Spectre GCR and Turbo16 are about the best hardware hacks I have seen and I am putting back a little money each week so I can get the T16 installed. Being able to run Mac software out of the box is a REAL THRILL and it brings back some of the enthusiasm I felt when I first purchased my ST. I know of at least 10 people who have purchased Atari Computers because of me showing off it's capabilities. Just one look at what all these fantastic machines can do, and almost everyone wants one. The biggest hurdle for Atari has always been in Advertising and Letting people know about their machine. Well, Atari does not appear to be interested in this, and they just might sink because of it, but a magazine that preaches Atari's demise week after week only speeds up this process. Come On Guys! Let's pull together and focus on what the machine can do! I for one am very tired of the BASHING! Every computer has it's problems, and Atari has it's share. Well, enough of this. I just felt I had to express my opinion. I wish only the BEST for anyone supporting the Atari Computers, and I have started writing to Software Publishers and letting them know I appreciate their efforts toward Atari Software. One Guy's Opinion! Ross Greger (B.GREGER >>> GENIE Address) =============================== REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPTS =============================== PART 28 - "GOOD LUCK, AARON" by Donald A. Thomas, Jr. (c)1990 ARTISAN SOFTWARE (This is PART 28 of a series of articles published and distributed by Artisan Software. Please feel free to copy and distribute this article as you please provided you include all unedited text. Also feel free to upload to boards and communication services. These articles are designed to entice you to take constructive action. Write to involved parties and tell them how YOU feel about the subject.) We, the dedicated Atari user, have seen many a supporting business entity come and go. One such institution has been the publishing industry. Notwithstanding any internal operations problems, ST X-PRESS, RESET, ANALOG and ST APPLICATIONS are among the fine magazines we will continue to miss as they helped fill our ongoing desire to learn more about our powerful systems. Yet, amid the consequential void, evolves new opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. ST JOURNAL has been introduced as a promising news source and others have been rumored to be available soon. Most recently, key Atari figures have heard from a young new voice out East. Aaron Smith, of Trenton, New Jersey is anxious to debut a new publication he plans to call ATARISOURCE. He names CURRENT NOTES as a prototype of what he hopes to produce. The initial 16-page bi-monthly issue is scheduled to be released in July or August and will focus on issues such as telecommunications, flight simulation and software reviews. He hopes to cover a wide variety of topics, some old, some new, but all with a refreshingly new approach that he and his contributors plan to offer. I had an opportunity to speak with Aaron just prior to the CES show in Chicago and was impressed with the energy in his voice. At merely 17 years of age, Aaron comes across as vividly professional with an undeniable dedication to his project. ATARISOURCE will invest one third editorial to 8-bit and two thirds editorial to 16-bit users. Annual subscriptions for 6 issues is only $12. He indicates that the editorial for the first issue is already well planned and is wrapping up a call for subscriptions and advertising support now. As with any new publication, there exist a risk to new subscribers that the first issue will never materialize, but Aaron is convinced that it will and he has convinced me of that as well. He has shared some of his short term goals and, as ambitious as they are, they appear to be sound and a good working strategy. His long term objectives sound realistic and achievable. Reviewing the media kit I requested, it appears that the magazine will be supported by three BBS's. UNI-SYS can be reached by dialing (215) 281-0243, ALIEN ST can be reached by dialing (609) 882-6826 and DEADBEAT BBS can be reached by dialing (609) 853-8084. Information about ATARISOURCE can be obtained on these boards. It appears that nearly twenty people and staffing and contributing to ATARISOURCE and I know other contributors are being solicited. If you wish to consider advertising in Aaron's ATARISOURCE or if you wish to support his hard endeavors by subscribing, call (609) 584-8447 or write: ATARISOURCE MAGAZINE c/o MAGE PUBLISHING COMPANY 112 Park Lane Trenton, New Jersey 08609 I am impressed enough with Aaron's start-up efforts that I will be sending a paid subscription form in to him along with a copy of this article. I encourage you to consider supporting him. Us writers and publishers know how critical a base is to get a project as this off the ground. GOOD LUCK, AARON! WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE SUPPORTIN' OUR SYSTEMS! For information on how you can "JOIN THE REVOLUTION" and actively support the exposure of Atari computers, send $6.00 to ARTISAN SOFTWARE, P.O. Box 849, Manteca, California 95336. An ST/MEGA compatible disk-based HANDBOOK will be rushed to you by return mail. The HANDBOOK is also available from ST INFORMER, CURRENT NOTES, MEGABYTE COMPUTERS (Hurst, Texas), COMPUTER STUDIO (Asheville, North Carolina) and as a download from COMPUSERVE, GENIE and DELPHI. ======================================================================= ======================================================================= Z*Net Online Magazine is a weekly released publication covering the Atari community. Opinions and commentary presented are those of the individual authors and do not reflect those of Rovac Industries. Z*NET and Z*NET ONLINE are copyright 1990 by Rovac Industries. Reprint permission is granted as long as Z*NET ONLINE, Issue Number and author is included at the top of the article. Reprinted articles are not to be edited without permission. ======================================================================= ======================================================================= ZNET ONLINE Atari News FIRST! Copyright (c)1990 Rovac Industries, Inc.. =======================================================================