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-
- | (((((((( | Z*Net International Atari Online Magazine
- | (( | -----------------------------------------
- | (( | January 17, 1992 Issue #92-03
- | (( | -----------------------------------------
- | (((((((( | Copyright (c)1992, Rovac Industries, Inc.
- | | Post Office Box 59, Middlesex, NJ 08846
- | (( |
- | (((((( | CONTENTS
- | (( |
- | | * The Editors Desk...........Ron Kovacs, Terry Schreiber
- | ((( (( | * Z*Net Newswire........................................
- | (((( (( | * Pacific Rim Computer Show..............Terry Schreiber
- | (( (( (( | * Gribnif Sofware Update...................Press Release
- | (( (((( | * Atari Corp Official Announcement.........Press Release
- | (( ((( | * Perusing GEnie...............................Ed Krimen
- | | * 520STFM 1 Meg Upgrade....................Stephen Brown
- | ((((((( | * New World Order.........................Mike Stepansky
- | (( | * Z*Net Archives............December 1987 - January 1988
- | ((((( |
- | (( |
- | ((((((( | ~ Publisher/Editor............................Ron Kovacs
- | | ~ Editor.......................................John Nagy
- | (((((((( | ~ Z*Net Newswire Ltd..........................Jon Clarke
- | (( | ~ Contributing Editor.....................Bruce Hansford
- | (( | ~ PD Software Reviews.....................Ron Berinstein
- | (( | ~ Reporter....................................Mike Brown
- | (( | ~ Assistant News Editor.......................Mike Davis
- | | ~ Z*Net Canadian Correspondent...........Terry Schreiber
- | |
- |----------| $ GEnie Address....................................Z-NET
- | ONLINE | $ CompuServe Address..........................75300,1642
- | AREAS | $ Delphi Address....................................ZNET
- | | $ Internet/Usenet Address..................status.gen.nz
- |----------| $ America Online Address........................ZNET1991
- | |
- | Z*NET | * Z*Net:USA New Jersey...(FNET 593).......(908) 968-8148
- | SUPPORT | * Z*Net:Golden Gate......(FNET 706).......(510) 373-6792
- | SYSTEMS | * Z*Net:South Pacific....(FNET 693).NZ....(644) 4762-852
- | | * Z*Net:Pacific .(INTERNET/@status.gen.nz)(649) 3585-543
- | | * Z*Net:South Jersey.....(FNET 168).CCBBS.(609) 451-7475
- | | * Z*Net:Illinois (Garage)(FNET 621).......(618) 344-8466
- | | * Z*Net:Colorado (Mile High)(FNET 5)......(303) 431-1404
- | | * Z*Net:Florida (Twilight Zone)(FNET 304).(407) 831-1613
- | | Fido Address 1:363/112
- =======================================================================
- * THE EDITORS DESK by Ron Kovacs, Terry Schreiber
- =======================================================================
-
-
- Z*Net is continuing to attempt bringing weekly issues to locations near
- you in an attempt to keep communication costs down. We have added
- another FNET node to our growing family of distribution points and
- encourage you to call. Mile High BBS, one of the long running Atari
- boards in the country. 303-431-1404.
-
- The new committee of WAACE has announced dates of the 1992 WAACE
- Atarifest for October 11-12, 1992.
-
- Z*Net's John Nagy will be reporting live from the NAMM show Saturday
- via CompuServe's AtariArts Forum. The online conference will take place
- at 7pm eastern, 4pm pacific. Please make plans to attend.
-
- - Ron
-
-
- I recently came across some messages that caught my attention and
- normally would just chalk up to the norm. Hypothetical questions
- follow. If you were a GM for XYZ Meats and supplied MacDonalds with
- their meat patties does that mean you can't eat at Burger King? If you
- are a car salesman and sell Toyota does that mean you can't drive a
- Suzuki? If you sell MacIntosh computers can you not own a IBM
- compatible? This issue came to light recently when a certain magazine
- published a column questioning the integrity and motives of Bob Brodie.
- Bob, recently open a BBS system called Z-Net Golden Gate. Although Bob
- is a key figure at Atari he is also a grown man very capable indeed of
- making decisions and judgement calls - that is the reason he was hired
- by Atari in the first place. His decision to affiliate with Z-Net is
- his own choice and his own business. Z-Net is naturally proud to have
- Bob onboard distributing the magazine each week and playing an active
- roll in the F-Net. Give 'er hell Bob!
-
- - Terry Schreiber
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * Z*NET NEWSWIRE
- =======================================================================
-
-
- ST-INFORMER CONTINUES WITH NEW EDITOR
- Last week, Z*Net presented exclusive reporting on the breakup of ST-
- INFORMER Magazine's editorial staff in an ownership dispute. Since
- then, Rod McDonald, publisher of ST-Informer, has secured a new editor
- and writing staff. Brian Gockley is the new editor-in-chief. Brian was
- already a regular writer for ST-Informer before the departure of the
- editorial staff last week, as well as being the coordinator for last
- year's Connecticut Atarifest. The January ST-Informer issue was delayed
- by the reorganization, but now has been printed and is in the mail to
- subscribers and dealers. Writers for the magazine say that the revised
- February ST-Informer deadline is less than two weeks away, inferring
- that ST-Informer will be back on a normal release schedule shortly. The
- new ST-Informer will have a newsprint book-look, similar to that
- established by AtariUser magazine. A number of the pre-existing columns
- will be presented, but not all with the original authors. A few high-
- profile writers have postponed their participation in the revised ST-
- Informer, unwilling to declare their alignments until the dust settles.
- No further word has come from former editor Mike Lindsay and company,
- who have promised to create a new Atari magazine since leaving McDonald
- and associates.
-
-
- FEBRUARY ATARIUSER FEATURES ATARI DEALER LIST
- The February issue of AtariUser Magazine is preparing for shipment this
- weekend and should be at dealer and user groups in the last week of
- January. Editor John Nagy says that this issue was revised at the last
- moment to include an extensive 6-page spread of addresses of active
- Atari computer dealers from across the USA. "There's been lots of talk
- about how there are no dealers left, and we know differently. It's time
- that others did too," said Nagy. The list will be circulated and shared
- with anyone who cares enough help refine and update the list, which was
- developed and verified by AtariUser staff during 1991. The list is more
- complete and accurate than that used by Atari Corp itself until now. It
- will be uploaded to the telecom services after the February publication
- date. The February issue of AtariUser also has a comprehensive overview
- of DTP option on the Atari platform, and a user comparison of PageStream
- and Calamus.
-
-
- ATARI INVEILS NEW MUSIC DIVISION
- Formalizing a unit in operation since January 1991, Atari Corp has
- announce the inception of a new business division named Atari Music.
- James Grunke will lead this new division and commented, "Atari has
- always done a good job making computers with a lot of power and benefits
- for the money. Until this year, however, our developers and retailers
- were understandably unclear on Atari's position in the US music
- industry." When asked why he waited to announce a division that had
- been in defacto operation for almost a year, Grunke stated, "In order
- for Atari to be taken seriously in the US market we have to demonstrate
- over time a consistent ability to deliver. After doing that for a year
- - even in small ways - I beleive our actions will now be perceived for
- what they are: evidence of a serious commitment to becomming a better
- partner with our developers and retailers."
-
-
- STBOOK FIRST TO ADDRESS MUSIC MARKET
- The Atari STBook is also an interface with direct-to-disc recording
- systems such as Hybrid Arts' Digital Master, with an average hard disk
- access time of 19ms and 40, 80, or 120 MB of storage, composers can
- create, save, edit, and play long and complex compositions with power
- and speed. The STBook has onboard MIDI ports, rs232; parallel; and a
- floppy disk/DMA port.
-
-
- COMPUTER CHRONICLES AT NAMM
- The PBS program with over 700,000 viewers will be filming at noon at the
- NAMM show on Saturday. The will be focusing on Atari in the MIDI field
- and Atari Music. Also planned is another Press Conference and full
- details on the event next week in Z*Net!
-
-
- ATARI SIGNS UP GENERAL ELECTRIC SERVICE NETWORK
- Atari officially announced at NAMM that it's products will be serviced
- by the 250 strong General Electric Service Center network though the
- United States and Canada. Ted Maciejewski, Atari's National Service
- Manager stated that product-specific service programs are currently
- being developed by Atari and GE, and are expected to be fully
- implemented by March 1992. Programs will also be implemented to address
- the service needs of MIDI musicians and dealers. Mail-in service will
- also be available with normal ten-day and optional one-day turnarounds.
-
-
- ATARI COMPUTERS: FIRST WITH FOSTEX CONTROL
- From adding onboard MIDI ports in 1985 to offering computer control of
- three Fostex multitrack recorders in 1992. Available in 8, 16, and 24
- track configurations, these Fostex reel-to-reel analog multitracks
- allows users of Atari sequencing programs such as Dr. T's Omega,
- Steinberg/Jones' Cubase, and C-LAB's Creator and Notator, to operate all
- the machines controls from within the MIDI sequencing environment. A
- system consisting of an Atari 1040ST, Fostex R8 8-Track, MIDI/SMPTE
- converter, and sequencing software starts at $4500.
-
-
- NEW PRODUCTS FROM Dr.T's
- A new Audio/Video production kit for the Atari ST has been announced.
- This package includes the Omega music sequencing and editing
- environment, Hitman cue sheet production tools, and Phantom SMPTE
- syncronizer. Omega features direct support for the Fostex R8 MIDI
- automated tape recorder. This package, with an R8, allows users to take
- complete integrated MIDI control of their studio through their computer.
- Pricing for the Audio/Video production kit is to be announced.
- Available in mid February. Dr. T's has has also made new software
- distribution agreements with Soft-Kat, Britannica and Ingram Micro for
- it's line of MPC and music related titles for PC, Mac, and Amiga. Other
- music and multimedia related products now available through these
- distributors include Intro+ (MIDI starter kits for Mac and PC),
- Adventures in Musicland, Music Mouse (seminal music composing tool for
- Mac, Amiga, and the Atari ST), and assorted Amiga music software titles.
-
-
- Z*NET CANADA BBS UPGRADED
- If you have been wondering what happened to the Z-Net Canada BBS over
- the last two months it has been down for an upgrade. The new system is
- run on a 386-40 DX with a 1.2 gig harddrive and Archiver tape backup.
- The system is being configured to run on FoRem PC a user interface
- familiar to anyone on the F-Net. The board will support F-Net, Fido and
- hopefully a Usenet feed through Binkleyterm. Although primarily a PC
- board, all back issues of Z-Net, Z-Net PC and Z-Mag will be available
- for download. The system will also carry about two hundred megs of
- Atari public domain and shareware. Look for it to be back online about
- February 1st.
-
-
- ATARI PLANS DEALER CONFERENCE
- Atari Canada plans a dealer conference to run concurently with the TAF
- show. Atari will be offering dealers the option of attending and
- picking up the tab through dealer co-op. This is the second time Atari
- has held a Canada wide conference.
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * PACIFIC RIM COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATION SHOW by Terry Schreiber
- =======================================================================
-
-
- A & L Electronic ABSO Blue Prints Limited
- Academy of Learning
- Active Brownlee Business Machines Ltd. Allied Custom Cable Ltd.
- Anixter Canada ANO Office Automation
- Antares Electronics Applied Electronics Limited
- Atlas Travel Avnet Computer
- Azcom Information Systems Inc. B.C. Tel Education Development
- Barry Smith Systemswriter Services Ltd. BC Cellular
- BC Unix Users Group Bird's Eye Project Management
- BTI -Multi Express Borland International, Inc.
- Bytewide Marketing Inc. C-TRON Systems Corp.
- Cabco West Ltd. Cable & Wireless Telecom
- Canadian Information Processing Society Canadian Standards Association
- Cannect Computer Consulting Canon Canada Inc.
- Cantel Inc. Cara Information Systems Ltd.
- Cardz Computer Inc. Chartered Accountants of B.C.
- Clean Up Systems Cognos Inc.
- Coles Book Stores Ltd. Color Image Canada Inc.
- Command Records Services Ltd. Compu-Power Controls Inc.
- Compucable Communications Can. Ltd. Compulys Data Inc.
- Computer Learn Compuvision Technologies Inc
- Conti Computer Systems Corel Systems
- D.H Unwin & Associates Ltd. Daemon Database Research
- Darius Technology Ltd. Darrell May Consulting
- Dasco Data Products Ltd. Datapro Canada
- Davis Technical Resources Ltd. Dell Canada Corp.
- Desktop Solutions Devcom Network Solutions
- Digital Communications Associates Digital Equipment of Canada Ltd.
- DRM Automated Systems Consultants Inc. Epson Canada
- E.T. Communications Inc. Easy DOS it Computing
- Egghead Discount Software EISA Technology Inc.
- EMJ Data Systems Ltd. Faradyne System Group Inc.
- First Image Computer Graphics System Focustronics & Co.
- Fujitsu Canada Inc. Future Tech Systems
- G.W. Computer Systems (Canada) Inc. Garegon Systems
- Glenayre Communications Golden West Group
- Great Plains Software Hampton Power Products (1984)
- Hepting & Associates Ltd. HRS Software Inc.
- Hunt Personnel/Temporarily Yours/Hunt IBM Canada Ltd.
- Image Software Independ Computer Cts Assoc.
- Infopoint Information Technologies Information Access
- InfoWare Sales & Marketing Inc. Intel Corp
- Interchange Interworld Electronics Computer
- Investors Group IWILL Corporation
- JL Plastics Kelly Temporary Services
- Kenchenten Associates Limited Kentech Computer (HK) Ltd.
- Kay Computer Ltd. Kicks Computer System Inc.
- Kodak Canada Inc. LapTECH
- Librex Computer Systems Inc. Logical Methods Software Ltd.
- Lotus Development Canada Limited MacWest Computer Society
- Marcomp-Marine Computers Consultant Master Page
- Matrix Professional Video Systems Inc. Mega Toner Cartridges
- Microsoft Canada Mindtech Computer Solutions
- Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada Inc. Moco Canada
- Monarch Motorola
- Multitech Electronics Murray Multimedia
- National Business Reference&Dev. Corp. National Computer Products
- NeXT Computer, Inc. Nexus Pacific Management
- Northwest Digital Ltd. Optical Storage Systems
- Ortronics Inc. Pacific Ram Distribution Corp
- Pacific Ribbon & Carbon Co. Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
- Peripherals: A high Technology Co. Photo Ident Card Systems
- Plantronics Platinum Software
- Plesman Publications Ltd. PMP Software Services Ltd.
- Polaroid Canada Positive Presentations
- Practical Peripherals Primax Computer Corporation
- Printech/Five Star Promark Software Inc.
- Q By Javell QMS Canada Inc.
- Qualitas Inc. Quarterdeck Canada
- Quayle Computer Associates Quest Inc.
- Ralph's Radio Ltd. Raven/Datatrain
- Reach Industries Real Trading Co. Ltd.
- RJ Norman & Associates Sayson Technologies
- SCO Canada Inc. Sharp - Minitronics
- Shield Importing Ltd. SIDUS Systems Inc.
- Smart Technologies Inc. Software Exchange Service
- Software Publishing Corporation Standard Computronics Ltd.
- Strachan Computers Ltd. Sunflex of Canada
- Supply and Services Canada Symnatec Canada
- Targus Canada Ltd. Technical Logistics Support Ltd.
- Technoprint Software Inc. TeleSystems
- Texcan Cables Ltd. The Computer Paper
- The Financial Post The Maximizer Specialist
- The Westrheim Group (TWG) Thomas & Betts Corp.
- Toshiba of Canada Totally "Hairy"
- Trade Works Trilan Technologies Ltd.
- Trillum Truger Technologies Inc.
- U.S. Robotics, Inc. Unibind of Western Canada Inc.
- Uniform Network Computer Clinic Unitel Communications Inc.
- Vancouver Cellular Vancouver Community College
- Vancouver Netware Users Group Vancouver NeXT Users Society
- Vancouver PC Users Society Vancouver School Board
- Views West Marketing Viewsonic/Express Micro
- Vision Presentations Inc. Vista Laser
- VTECH Laser Computers Ltd. Wardrobe Playspaces Inc.
- Westech Information Inc. Westwill Enterprises
- WordPerfect Corporation Zentronics
-
- This was the Pacific Rim Computer and Communications Show a miniturized
- Comdex held yearly in Vancouver British Columbia. Noticably missing
- from this list was Apple Computers, Commodore Computers and Atari
- Computers although Atari was present at last years show.
-
- In order not to bore all those people not interested in products for
- other machines I have written two reports. This report contains info
- that could be helpful or generic to the Atari user. The full report
- will be published in this weeks Z-Net PC, Issue #23.
-
- The first area checked out is natually our own booth. Doug Smith of
- Roland Music introduced me to some new MIDI gear last week to be shown
- at NAMM this week. The Roland SCC-1 and Musicator software. The SCC-1
- is a new sound card that has a built-in MIDI interface and produces 337
- different sounds and instruments. It contains the whole library of MT-
- 32 sounds plus hundreds more. A stand alone version will be available
- shortly for the Atari Computer. Musicator is one of the best packages I
- have seen on the Blue boxes to date. I don't profess to be a musician
- but this package has sequencing and notation as well as a sound mixer
- graphical interface for mixdowns and is simplicity in itself to use.
-
- With the crowds we drew you would think that this was the first time
- MIDI had been connected to a DOS box. We were showing it on a Sharp
- PC-6300 (386 notebook that weighs less than 4lbs) using a docking
- station for handling the card.
-
- Practical Peripherals was showing its new 9600 baud modems. When asked
- if they were aware of the new Supra modems announced in a press release
- last week - they were not. I supplied them with a copy of the press
- release the next day - their response - but is it shipping? That was a
- question I couldn't answer but by the look on their face, the Supra is a
- far better value for the money.
-
- Panasonic demonstrated their new color printers. These units were big
- and printed a full three feet wide. The demonstration they used printed
- a picture in two parts each being three feet wide by six to eight feet
- long - a landscape that anyone would be proud to hang on their wall.
- IBM was demonstrating a 600 DPI color laser printer that printed so
- sharp and clear that you actually think it is a decal on the paper.
- Canon showed their newest entry - a color bubble jet printer.
-
- Optical Storage Systems demonstrated the Panasonic WORM laser and CD ROM
- drives. Atarians will be glad to know that both take a standard SCSI
- interface and should easily connect to the ST/TT computers, although a
- software driver might be needed.
-
- Attendance for the three days was very brisk a rough guess would be 15-
- 20,000 with both attendees and exhibitors pleased with the event
- although some people were disapointed in not seeing their favorite
- computer system in attendance.
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * GRIBNIF SOFTWARE UPDATE Press Release
- =======================================================================
-
-
- January 15, 1992
-
- Crazy Dots Video Display Adapter
-
-
- Gribnif Software has announced the imminent North American release of
- their new "Crazy Dots" video display adapter for the Atari Mega ST, Mega
- STE, and TT/030 personal computers.
-
- The Crazy Dots video display adapter allows the Atari computer to drive
- a variety of VGA, Multi-Sync, and other high end color and gray scale
- displays. The adapter supports resolutions up to 1,664 x 1,200 pixels,
- and can display up to 256 different colors or gray levels at once.
-
- Developed by TKR in Germany, the adapter is the fastest of its kind,
- offering the ability to switch the display's physical resolution from
- within any GEM program. Its numerous features include:
-
- o Display up to 256 colors or grey levels from a palette of 16.7 million
- in any resolution from 320 x 200 up to 1,280 x 800 pixels.
-
- o Extended resolution support up to 1,664 x 1,200 pixels in monochrome,
- four, eight, and sixteen color modes.
-
- o Software uses an exclusive "line-a-emulator", for maximum software
- compatibility (depending on the selected display mode).
-
- o Mouse controlled hardware panning, which allows for the display of any
- virtual resolution, regardless of the monitor's maximum physical
- resolution.
-
- o Connects to any Multi-Sync displays via a regular 15-pin VGA
- connector.
-
- o Uses Tseng Labs's powerful ET-4000 graphics controller.
-
- o Includes one full megabyte of display memory, with full Blitter
- access.
-
- o Complete math co-processor support.
-
- o Megabus model includes a bus "pass through" and socket for an optional
- math co-processor.
-
- o Includes a special "Video Application Slot" for future expansions
- options, including: ECL adaptor, Genlock, and True Color display.
-
- Crazy Dots is available in two models. The "Crazy Dots Megabus" model,
- designed to fit into Atari's original Mega ST2 and Mega ST4 computers,
- is available for $949. The "Crazy Dots VME" model, designed to fit into
- Atari's Mega STE and TT/030 computers, is available for $999.
-
- To place an order, or for more information, please contact Gribnif
- Software directly:
-
- Gribnif Software
- P.O. Box 350, Hadley, MA 01035
- Tel: (413) 584-7887, Fax: (413) 584-2565
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * ATARI CORPORATION OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
- =======================================================================
-
-
- January 15, 1992
-
- I am pleased to announce that Atari is making all of the released TOS
- development information available to the general public. We are making
- the kit available to fulfil the needs of programmers that already have
- purchased a third-party development package, Atari owners that are
- curious about the 'nuts and bolts' of The Operating System, and anyone
- else that wants to have a detailed understanding of TOS software
- development. If you wish, you may purchase the entire kit for $150.00
- (U.S.) and also get one year of technical support from Atari via the
- private Atari Developer Roundtable on GEnie, 6 issues of the bi-monthly
- Developer Newsletter, ATARI.RSC, and one year of on-going developer kit
- upgrades. If you wish to renew after one year, there is a fee of only
- $40.00.
-
- If you wish information on only certain aspects of Atari TOS computers,
- we also sell sections of the kit separately. The items that are
- available range from every issue of the developer newsletter since 1985,
- to the release notes for the exciting new STBOOK. Every detail a
- software or hardware developer could want is outlined, including MegaSTE
- /TT VME Bus specifications, STE DMA sound, FSM GDOS programming
- information, and more. Please see the order form for details.
-
- You must purchase the $150.00 full kit to be eligible for on-going
- support. I'm sorry, but at this time, you may not purchase a part of
- the kit, and later "upgrade" to the support level.
-
- Developers that are currently not registered with Atari, and have a
- commercial product on the market, or have a product in development, or
- have any other special needs requiring direct unlimited telephone
- support should sign up under the Atari Commercial Developer Program.
- There is an additional fee for this program, but there is no renewal fee
- required as long as you continue product development and support.
- (Educators, universities, and businesses may fall into this category.)
- Please contact Gail Bacani on 408-745-2022 for more information on the
- Commercial Developer Program.
-
- The complete order form follows, outlining all of the documentation that
- is available. Please note that several items include disks containing
- software relating to the documentation. We want to assure that you get
- the most out of your Atari Computer experience!
-
- Sincerely,
- Bill Rehbock,
- Director of Technical Services, Atari Corp.
-
-
- Atari TOS Developer's Kit -- Order Form -- January 4, 1992
-
-
- ________ $150.00 Complete Developer's Kit, including all documents and
- and disks. Includes 1 year of support via Atari-RSC
- Developer Roundtable on GEnie, on-going developer kit
- updates for 1 year, and 6 issues of ATARI.RSC, the
- bi-monthly developer newsletter.
-
- ________ $40.00 One year renewal fee -- 1 year of support via
- Atari-RSC Developer Roundtable on GEnie, on-going
- developer kit updates for 1 year, and 6 issues of
- ATARI.RSC, the bi-monthly developer newsletter.
-
- Document and Disk Packages
-
- ________ $10.00 Atari.RSC Newsletters (Dec. '89, Jan. '90, Feb. '90,
- Mar. '90, Apr. '90, May '90, June '90, July '90, Aug.
- '90, Sept. '90, Oct. '90, Nov. -- Jan. '90-'91, Apr.
- -- May '91, June -- July '91) The Atari Forum (Mar.
- '88, May '88, July -- Aug. '88, Sep. -- Dec. '88 Fuji
- Stripe Newsletter, pages 3 -- 7 (undated) Q & A
- Bulletins (Feb. '86, Mar. '86, Apr. '86, May '86,
- June '86, Feb. '87)
-
- ________ $20.00 Atari GEMDOS Reference Manual Table of Contents (Apr.
- 4, 1986) Introduction (5/22/86) Calling, filenames,
- fileops, processes, vectors, errors (4/4/86) GEMDOS
- functions by number (undated) Funcs (4/10/86) except
- pages (9), (21), and (25) (1-23-89) and page (13)
- (3/7/90) Prg (4/4/86) Pexec Cookbook (6 Sept. 1991)
- Hitchhiker's Guide to the BIOS (Nov. 26, 1985) New
- pages: 5, 7, 12, 16, 38, 56, 75 (1-23-89) New pages:
- 15, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 37a (3-5-90) AHDI
- 3.00 Release Notes (April 18, 1990) Atari CHKDISK3
- Documentation (April 22, 1990)
-
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #4: HDX / System Utilities
- / STE Programming Examples / CHKDISK3
-
- ________ $40.00 GEM Programming Guide
- Volume 1 -- VDI (Third Edition: January 1989)
- Volume 2 -- AES (Third Edition: January 1989)
- GDOS/FSM GDOS Developer Guide (10/91)
- GEM Resource Construction Set (undated)
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #2: MicroEMACS / Source
- Code Examples / RCS
-
- ________ $40.00 Gem DOS Programmer's Tools (undated, copyright 1989)
- Command Shell
- AS68
- MADMAC Reference Manual (ver. 1.00) & update (ver.
- 1.07)
- ALN Docs. (8/12/88) and update sheet (90/01/24)
- AR68 (Archive Utility) (undated)
- DUMP
- SIZE68
- DB Docs. (Release 2, 90/01/24)
- Motorola S-Record Format
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #1: Alcyon C Compiler / ALN
- Linker
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #3: MADMAC / DB Debugger
- / Programming Utilities / CHKDISK3
-
- ________ $15.00 Engineering Hardware Specifications (7 January 1986)
- Intelligent Keyboard Protocol (26 February 1985)
- Chip specifications:
- 6850 ACIA, MC6850 (undated)
- 68901 MFP (undated)
- AY-3-8910 PSG (undated)
- Programmable Sound Generator Manaual (February 1979)
- GIACCESS (page 1, March 7, 1990; page 2, 1-23-90)
- WD 1770/1772 Floppy Disk Controller (undated)
- Atari Monitor Summary Specifications (May 14, 1986)
- 128K ROM cartridge schematics (1-2-85)
- Blitter Chip (17 June 1987)
-
- ________ $25.00 STE Hardware Developer Addendum
- STE features list
- Genlock and the STE
- Video Modifications
- How to Implement Fine Scrolling on the STE
- STE Digitized Sound Developer Information
- TT030 Hardware Reference Manual
- VME Bus Specifications for TT030 and Mega STE
- Products
- Rainbow TOS Release Notes
- STE TOS Release Notes
- TT030 TOS Release Notes
- STBook Expansion Bus Electrical Specification
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #4: HDX / System Utilities
- / STE Programming Examples / CHKDISK3
- TOS Developer's Kit Disk #5: Demonstrator/eXtensible
- Control Panel
-
- $____________ Subtotal
-
- $____________ Tax (CA 8.25%, IL 6.75%, TX 8.25%)
-
- $____________ Total Check #:______________ Date:_____________
-
- Company Name:___________________________ Contact:____________________
-
- Ship to:____________________________________
- ____________________________________
- ____________________________________
-
- ******* Make sure you return both pages of the order form. ********
-
- Please allow 2 - 4 weeks for processing.
- Make checks payable in U.S. funds to Atari Corporation.
- Direct all orders to: Atari Corp.
- 1196 Borregas Avenue
- Sunnyvale, Calif., U.S.A. 94086
- Attn: Gail Bacani
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * PERUSING GENIE Compiled by Ed Krimen
- =======================================================================
-
-
- In the "Atari Corporation Online" category (14)
- from the "Atari's new TOS 2.06" topic (8)
-
- Message 227 Sat Jan 11, 1992
- B.REHBOCK [Bill@Atari] (Forwarded)
-
- If you are interested, please place your orders for TOS 2.06 now.
- Dealers that are on-line on GEnie were notified as of Thursday night
- that they will be available. They should be on their way to dealers
- toward the end of next week. The retail price on the Two-Chip set is
- $60.00 These are 32-pin EPROM packages. There are some STE's with
- 28-pin masked ROMs that are either soldered in or in 28-pin sockets that
- will have to be removed and have 32-pin sockets installed. I am giving
- advanced notice to dealers and end-users, so that no one is suprised
- when they open up their STE to "pop the chips in". A very good
- percentage of the STE's in the field have the 32-pin EPROMs, and it will
- be just a swap. When going from the 28-pin package to the 32-pin
- package there are solder pads that need to be altered. Instructions
- will ship with the ROMs.
-
- By the way... the 1.44 megabyte drive kits are on their way too. (Sorry
- that this part is a little off topic :-) The price on the upgrade kits
- are: $139.00 for the MegaSTE --- $149.00 for the TT The kits include:
- 1.44 meg floppy drive, AJAX High-Density Controller, and the
- corresponding TOS, either 2.06 (MSTE) or 3.06(TT)
-
- -Bill Rehbock, Atari Corp.
-
- Permission is granted to reprint this posting only if it appears in its
- entirety.
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "The Software Library and Other Utilities" category (2)
- from the "Superboot" topic (28)
-
- Message 91 Sat Jan 11, 1992
- G.W.MOORE [Gordon Moore] at 19:44 EST
-
- Hi Super Boot Users!
-
- Version 7.2 of Super Boot has been completed and has already been
- uploaded. The major goal of this release was to make Super Boot
- compatible with all models of ST's and STE's and all versions of TOS and
- in all built-in resolutions. Some of the new features:
-
- o Fixed bug where 4 hidden programs (SUPERBT,SUPERBTA,STARTGEM,HEADSTRT)
- were being removed from the file list but Super Boot would not
- substitute in other programs in their place. So if you had 25 AUTO
- programs but only 1 column selected to display them (1 column = 19
- files), Super Boot would only show 15 instead of 19 of the files on
- the file selection screen
-
- o Fixed bug where STE's had 00/00/28 date on files like DESKTOP.INF
- which are copied in Super Boot.
-
- o Increased Cold Boot time factor to allow for longer boot up in TOS
- 2.05 and greater. Cold Boot detection should now work correctly on
- all models.
-
- o Allow colors from expanded STE color palette. Two buttons were added
- on the color selection screen (color monitors only) called "512
- Palette" and "4096 Palette". Click on "4096 Palette" if you have an
- STE machine for expanded color.
-
- o Changed final update screen to show selected F-key and other
- miscellaneous data such as if Super Boot was bypassed, if it timed out
- waiting for a keypress, etc.
-
- o 8 character root filename of DESKTOP.INF is now user-specifiable to
- allow for NEWDESK.INF or anything else that comes down the pike.
-
- o Fixed #Z line for TOS 1.4 and greater to be line # 5 in the .INF file
- instead of the first line, to prevent 2 #Z files in the same .INF file
- (in case resaved).
-
- o Made F-keys for default configuration user selectable.
-
- o Pictures and Sound Files can now be shown sequentially. The
- SEQUENTIAL method shows pictures in order (still one picture each
- boot) so that you will be sure to see them all. If you were using
- RANDOM before you probably noticed that you might see one picture
- several times and others you might never have seen.
-
- o Monochrome color selection should now work correctly and the menu is
- more informative.
-
- o Other minor bug fixes....
-
- File is SPBT72.LZH and is about 120K.
-
- On other matters.... I think this is the first message I've ever posted
- on this matter, but I would just like to remind everybody that if you
- are using Super Boot and have not registered your copy, please take the
- time to register it. Make yourself a note or whatever, I know its easy
- to forget or postpone it. It's pretty clear from the consistent number
- of downloads from one version to the next that not everybody who is
- using it has registered. You only have to register once, I wouldn't
- think of asking someone to register again for a newer version. And to
- everyone who has registered, thank you very much for supporting Super
- Boot.
-
- Gordon Moore
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Telecommunications" category (8)
- from the "Flash II" topic (2)
-
- Message 61 Wed Jan 15, 1992
- J.TRAUTSCHOL [jtrautschold] at 22:39 EST
-
- Jeff...
-
- No cast in concrete date yet! But we're definitely getting closer. The
- majority of the manual is finished and being imported into PageStream as
- I write. I've finished the design of the packaging and am sending that
- off to a service bureau tomorrow for output.
-
- The program itself has been "locked" so to speak...we are adding no new
- features...only finishing up with bug fixes. I just spent the last two
- weeks banging away as hard as I could at *all* of the script commands
- (old and new .DO stuff) to see if I could break any (I did!) and Paul
- Nicholls is now working on fixes.
-
- We're still shooting for a 1st Quarter 1992 release and I'm pretty sure
- we'll make it. I'm making plans to attend the Toronto show the first
- weekend of April and I *definitely* plan on having product there for the
- show!
-
- John T.
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Atari Corporation Online" category (14)
- from the "Mega STE" topic (14)
-
- Message 194 Mon Jan 13, 1992
- R.JONES82 at 03:33 EST
-
- Just a word to some of you St users that are thinking of jumping ship to
- another platform. I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine that
- sold his St and bought an Amiga because of the plentiful software and
- better games. He told me his is missing his St already. He said while
- most games on the Amiga are only better in the sound department the
- utilities and wordprocessing on the Amiga were much harder to use. said
- the Hardrive seemed slower and the Floppy access was way slower on
- loading programs. Said the Amiga desktop is clumbsy and hard to use.
- I've talked to other people who said the same thing about their IBMS So
- hang in there guys, the grass may be greener right where we are.
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Atari Corporation Online" category (14)
- from the "The GEM Clipboard?" topic (16)
-
- Message 8 Sat Jan 11, 1992
- B.REHBOCK [Bill@Atari] at 03:46 EST
-
- Yes, applications do need to be written to take advantage of Operating
- System Services. Ok, here is the deal, I will personally send a can of
- Jolt Cola to every U.S./Canadian developer that adds proper SCRP_READ/
- SCRP_WRITE support into their commercial applications in 1992. The
- application must also otherwise adhere to the GEM/TOS standard. (Proper
- menus, windows, respect for desk accessories, etc.) I will consider
- shareware/freeware if it's really good. To apply, send a copy of the
- application to:
- Atari Corporation
- 1196 Borregas Ave.
- Sunnyvale, CA 94086
- Attn: Bill Rehbock/Jolt Cola Offer
-
- -Bill
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Hardware" category (4)
- from the "HDrive-1.44MB HDFD for the ST, from Opi" topic (17)
-
- Message 47 Wed Jan 15, 1992
- WUZTEK.OPI [Paul Wu] at 06:54 EST
-
- Rob,
-
- HDrive is compatible with ALL TOS versions. The only difference with a
- TOS 2.06 is that you'll be able to format a HD under the format disk
- option on the Desktop. If you have an older TOS, you must format HD
- diskette with our program or other software such as Diamond Back II
- which supports High Density disks.
-
- On the note of disk drives, we may be selling a version of HD disk
- drives with the same face plate as the Atari disk drive "real soon now".
- This drive will only fit in newer STe and TTs. The price will be a
- little higher than our Teac drive and will require our new HDrive+
- controller board which will contain a special chip. More on that later.
-
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Atari Corporation Online" category (14)
- from the "Notebook and Pad?" topic (7)
-
- Message 210 Wed Jan 15, 1992
- B.REHBOCK [Bill@Atari] at 03:58 EST
-
- The external floppy that will be available for the STBOOK is powered by
- 4 AA batteries, has a single cable that connects to the STBOOK, and
- automatically draws power from the AC adapter that is connected to the
- 'BOOK if it's there. The price of the external floppy will be very
- competitive.
-
- Exercise: Run Windows on a $2000 20MHz 386SX Laptop. Show a friend the
- STBOOK side-by-side against it. Ask them which one feels faster. (This
- obviously works best if the friend has never seen an ST before.)
-
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- In the "Atari Corporation Online" category (14)
- from the "Mega STE Hard Drive" topic (20)
-
- Message 11 Sat Jan 11, 1992
- B.REHBOCK [Bill@Atari] at 03:59 EST
-
- I will be releasing the new hard disk formatting and boot utilities
- hopefully next week to the public. Thanks to Atari's "not releasing it
- to mere mortals" right away, it went through two last revisions to work
- out the kinks before a general release. It has not been made to support
- the Supra/ICD partitioning scheme. There are good reasons for this, but
- I am sorry that I am unable to go in to detail at this time. You will
- all really, really like the new driver!
-
- Whoever is having the MSTE hard drive problem, please check or have your
- dealer check to see if the drive has the termination resistor packs
- installed. If the packs are installed, remove them and see whether or
- not the problems persist. You should also have him check the drive
- cable, as well as the host adapter connection to the motherboard.
-
- -Bill@Atari
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- And finally,
-
- In the "Lynx - The Game Machine" category (36)
- from the "General Lynx Info and Discussion" topic (5)
-
- Message 117 Mon Jan 13, 1992
- E.SCHOFIELD at 01:38 EST
-
- =======================================================================
- Announcing a new quarterly Lynx newsletter:
- PAGS - Portable Atari Gaming System
-
- PAGS is a quarterly newsletter which caters to the Atari Lynx portable
- gaming system. Each issue of PAGS will feature 6-10 new game reviews,
- editorials, news & information, and hot new gaming tips.
-
- PAGS is a non-profit newsletter and is produced by Eric Schofield, John
- Karakash, and Charles Wells. Reviews and comments from readers are
- welcome. Readers who write reviews for PAGS will be compensated as
- well. For every 4 articles which appear in PAGS, the reviewer will
- receive a $10 gift certificate to Babbage's or Electronics Boutique.
- All reviews must be 250-500 words in length and should discuss graphics,
- sound, difficulty, playability, and lasting appeal.
-
- The release schedule for PAGS in 1992 will be March, May, August, and
- November. Reviews must be submitted by the 20th of the preceeding month
- of release. Reviews must be typed or word processed and can be sent to
- our address. We will also accept f-mail through GEnie. The files must
- be in ASCII format and the mail address is E.SCHOFIELD.
-
- A 1 year subscription to PAGS costs $12. Please send either a personal
- check or money order to PAGS.
-
- PAGS
- P.O. BOX 37692
- RALEIGH, NC 27627-7692
- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * ATARI 520ST FM 1 MEG UPGRADE by Stephen Brown
- =======================================================================
-
-
- Having recently upgraded a 520ST FM to 1 Megabyte memory successfully,
- I wanted to let others know how I did it. There are several warnings
- that I want to give you first though:
-
- 1) This upgrade will void your warranty.
-
- 2) This is NOT a beginner's project! Even though the following should
- take you step by step through the process, I have to assume that you
- know the basics of working on a printed circuit board. There is no
- way to warn you about every situation that might arise in the upgrade
- process.
-
- For example, do you know how to control the solder flow? What do I do
- if I break something? What if after I get it all back together it
- doesn't work???? You have to be aware that YOU are trading off the
- chance of damaging your Computer for the monetary savings of upgrading
- yourself and learning the joy of Hardware Hacking. For myself, I think
- the experience is well worth the risks.
-
- The items that you will need are:
-
- 1) 16 256K 150ns Dynamic Rams (cost around $3.50 a piece)
- 2) 16 16pin Soldertail DIP Sockets (cost around $2.00 total)
- 3) 16 .1uf Ceramic Disc Capacitors (others can be used, but this is what
- I used. around $2.00)
- 4) A coil of core resin solder (Radio Shack # 64-001. $.89)
- 5) A 25 watt soldering iron (Radio Shack # 64-2070. $4.95)
- 6) Phillips screwdriver and a small regular screwdriver.
- 7) Small pliers
- 8) Wide masking tape
- 9) Paper bag
- 10) A prying implement. I used a carving fork but a thin pry bar should
- work as well.
-
- OK..OK..stop laughing!!! Your sitting there saying "He wants me to take
- a crowbar to my ST!! "; One interesting problem I came up against trying
- to take the Motherboard out of the case bottom; was that it was "glued"
- onto the posts that support the disk drive. More about this later.
-
- 11) A #61 drill (This size matches the DIP Socket legs nicely.)
- 12) A Flexible Shaft Drill. (Undoubtedly, the hardest item to come by.
- A jeweler, woodworker or many other craftspersons might let you
- borrow one. You do have a friend in one of these fields don't you?
- A RENT-ALL place might have one also. I don't recommend any other
- type of drill; the flexible shaft allows precise drilling.)
-
- 13) 6 to 10 ft piece of wire to ground yourself.
- 14) Small scissors or wire cutters. (To trim excess capacitor leads.)
-
- Are you ready to start? OK Step by step now.
-
- 1 - Ground yourself with the wire. If you remove the center screw in
- the electric wall socket plate and wind one end of the wire around
- the screw and then screw it back into the wall. Now wrap the other
- end of the wire around your bare wrist.
-
- 2 - Turn your computer over and take out all the screws. There aren't
- any screws under the label.
-
- 3 - Carefully flip the computer over and remove the cover.
-
- 4 - Lift up the keyboard and fold it over to the right and lay it down.
- Using the pliers, gently pull off the connector.
-
- 5 - You will see 2 metallic shields; 1 covering the power supply and the
- other at the back of the drive area. Remove screws to detach the
- shields. There is also a small RF shield to remove in the area
- where the UNDO key would be. You'll notice that these are metal
- screws (closer threads) and most of the rest will be regular screws.
- Don't mix em up when you put everything back together or you might
- strip the holes.
-
- 6 - Look at the Disk drive connectors... The larger connector just pries
- off to the left with the small screwdriver. The smaller connector is
- a locking one; you have to pry up the top flap so the locking tab
- will slide out when you pry the connector off; again it slides off
- to the left. Lift up the Drive and set aside in a safe place.
-
- 7 - Now you have to take out the Power Supply board. There are 2 screws
- holding it in place and you have another locking tab type of
- connector. After all of these have been removed, you'll notice that
- the Power Supply board has 2 tabs that slide it into place on the
- Motherboard; just work the board free keeping these tabs in mind.
- Put the PS Board in a safe place.
-
- 8 - Twist the little metal holding tabs that hold the metallic RF shield
- down and remove all the rest of the screws that hold the metallic RF
- shield in place. These screws also hold the Motherboard to the
- bottom of the case.
-
- 9 - As you have probably noticed, the RF shield does not want to come
- off easily. It is hanging up on the back side of the computer....
- In order to get the RF Shield off it's CROWBAR TIME!
-
- 10- This will hereafter be known as THE INFAMOUS STEP # 10. If you look
- at the posts that the Drive was resting on, you'll probably notice
- they look like they are supposed to stay attached to the
- Motherboard. But if you carefully look under the Motherboard in
- that area (A flashlight helps here), you'll see the posts are
- attached to the bottom of the case too! ATARI applied a solvent or
- glue where the case post meets the Motherboard post. This bond has
- to be broken somehow.....
-
- In my case, I took a long carving fork (You know the one that hangs
- on the wall next to the spatulas and soup ladles?) and reached under
- and popped the posts free. The large spoon that hangs next to the
- potato masher might work even better!
-
- Seriously though, if anyone out there knows of a better way to
- accomplish this let us know.
-
- 11- Now that the Motherboard is free from the case, you should be able
- to work it free from the back slots in the case.
-
- 12- Take off the RF shield. Set it aside. The bottom of the
- Motherboard has another RF shield on it with an insulating liner
- between it and the Motherboard. Gently pry up the front of the
- Motherboard with the screwdriver and you can then work it free from
- the bottom RF shield. Set the bottom RF shield and insulating liner
- aside.
-
- 13- Now enjoy the beauty of your well designed Motherboard.
-
- 14- You should be able to identify the area where the new socketed rams
- will go right above the existing rams. The capacitors go between
- the rams. (If you can't find this area, you have either don't have
- a 520ST FM or have no business attempting this upgrade!) The
- existing 512K is that row of chips closest to the front of the
- computer.
-
- 15- The next step is to "mask off" the area where you'll be drilling the
- holes so that no drilling scraps will short out anything later. In
- other words, cut up the paper bag so that you can tape it to the
- board around the drilling area. Use as big a piece as possible so
- that there will be no seams for drillings to slip into.
-
- 16- Now comes the drilling of 288 holes (16 for each Ram and 2 for each
- capacitor.) The drilling is pretty much straightforward; just drill
- thru the center of each solder hole and don't tilt the drill. Take
- your time. Occasionally clean the scrap off the drill and work
- area. After all the holes are drilled, flip the board over and
- thoroughly clean up the scrap and burrs around the holes.
-
- 17- Insert a DIP socket from the top of the board, flip over and solder
- all the legs. You'll find that if you place the soldering iron tip
- to the side of the leg and apply the solder to the iron and leg
- simultaneously, it flows perfectly. After all the DIP sockets are
- in place, pull the legs of the capacitors though their holes and
- snugly seat the capacitors next to the rams. They do look high but
- the RF shield does fit over them. Solder the capacitors in place
- and snip off the excess wire.
-
- 18- Check all the solder joints!!!! Make sure every leg has been
- soldered and hasn't shorted out against another one.
-
- 19- Get your new Rams and notice that there is a notch on the top of
- each one at one end. This notch should face the back of the
- computer when you insert each Ram into it's DIP socket.
-
- 20- Now you have to put the computer back together. After you have the
- computer back together, power it up and test it out.
-
- If you don't have a Ram testing program, power up a Ram sensitive
- program like a word-processor or after loading ST Basic type ?fre(0);
- if you get 712592, congratulations!!
-
- If you power up and you get garbage or nothing or upon checking your
- memory you only have 512K, you'll have to open the computer up again and
- check all your solder joints and everything else. There is a
- possibility that you had purchased a bad Ram or 2 but not likely. If
- all else fails, you can reach me on GEnie at the EMAIL address of
- S.BROWN7. Even though I warned you you were taking a chance on
- upgrading yourself, I might be able to help.
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * NEW WORLD ORDER Created by Mike Stepansky
- =======================================================================
-
-
- For years, I have been hearing about some of the entertainment software
- sales for the ST are dipping and to some extend, hurting the software
- developer's living. The worse scenario, as we know it, would cause some
- of the programmers to give up and move on to the PC or Mac platform to
- make a living.
-
- While I thought about that for couple of hours on my bed, I realized
- that I do have the energy to create a solution to a problem for SPA or
- officials in the field (where? who to contact?) to CURB this terrible
- pirating plagues in the ST community. So, I finally decided to put
- myself in a thinking mode....and asked myself "what really makes the ST
- user wanting/vying to copy games and pass it down?". It takes some
- timely research in my mind as I go to bed in the wee morning. ta-da!
- (the sound of trumpet with St. Michael, the Archangel, falling down to
- the earth to save the Atari developers, please don't ask me if I am the
- extraterrestrial being like in the Book of Revealation!) :-)
-
- Guess what? I think I have a brilliant SOLUTION to stop this piracy in
- the Atari ST/TT community. (No joking!). I have two solutions. The
- first one is very easy. Second one is a lengthy, technical one.
-
- Are you ready? Here we go....
-
- 1) Develop games in a cartridge format! That is what Jaguar game
- console and perhaps Falcon computers are for - to eliminate the
- piracy in the 1990s! Unfortunately, I have seen some 8-bit games
- that were copied (somehow) out of the cartridge format. Kaboom! and
- Space Invaders were the only ones I know of and still have them in a
- file format!!!!
-
- 2) Secondly, I realized that, almost always, most ST/TT pirates (or even
- casual users) want to have a copy of those games and enjoy it. Now,
- notice my line here: "enjoy it". Of course, "to enjoy it" one must
- "RUN" (execute) the program in order to play it. That is where my
- second solution to the problem of ST piracy technically. I need your
- help to make my protocol really works in the Jaguar and Falcon
- system!
-
- First of all, let's make a realistic scenario about a "good" ST user who
- wants to buy ST software in his local Atari dealer. When he asks a
- dealer for a demonstation (ie. Space Pac-Man, the one with blackholes
- moving around the maze). It sounds great, he buys it and then go home
- and open the box up. To his surprise and his puzzle, all he gets is a
- registration card and a beautiful fun-reading, colorful manual for this
- Space Pac-Man. Impatiently, he would sign it up in the card and mail it
- right away. <BTW, the only thing he did was to jot down HIS COMPUTER's
- 24-pin jumpers setting (enough for more than 2,000,000 ST users out
- there in the USA alone) and perhaps his ID verification number. It
- might sound like a credit card security, yes - it is! Think about that!
- 24-pin creates a combination of up to 16.7 million ID code, one for each
- computer (ST/TT should have one - grin!).>
-
- Then perhaps 5 days later, he would receive it in a mail package,
- carefully protecting the disk. With his shaky hands, he boot up HIS
- (note emphasis here) computer to play it, either by clicking it on the
- file menu or even AUTO boot itself. Hours after hours, he would enjoy
- playing with it. So much for the non-technical part here...of course,
- ST user/player don't want to deal with the technical part supposedly.
- (can you say a 40 years old religous person or 9-yrs old dumb kids?)
-
- Now, if his brother, the ST piratee, copy this game without any problem
- overnight. Then, he visits over his friend house (or upload BBSes to
- raise access level or huge credits in return for more pirated games) to
- enjoy this great Space Pac-Man. Now here is the technical part which
- starts to show up.....
-
- To sysop's or the downloader's amazement and with frustration, the Space
- Pac-Man failed to execute the program, although there are existing
- required files (ie. proper pathnames, folders, proper spelling). He
- might download this 300K file over the modem again (1200 baud or even
- 300 baud)....UnLZH it....RUN it again....no go - period.
-
- "What the HELL #%$^&* went wrong?!?!", said the pirate user, with his
- grim and mean, sly-looking face, thinking his BBS system has a virus...
- ha ha ha - wrong buddy boy!
-
- MY BLACK STEALTHY SECRET?? It is because the program (the one who has
- the original disk) examines the ID code, perhaps embedded in TOS ROM,
- and those tiny 24-pin jumpers setting in HIS computer (owner). When the
- program finds and matches the code in the computer - it RUNS, execute
- the game flawlessly. Of course, changing the jumpers inside the
- computer will void the warranty and also won't RUN the game, unless he
- switch it back where it was. It is like a Key inside the computer -
- like a fingerprint - all jumper has its own combo pattern.
-
- Now, here is what we all have been waiting for: the pirated user, in
- the story above, later finds out that the program requires the proper
- combination (ID) of the 24-pin jumper setting in his brother's computer.
- So, without the permission of his brother, he might open up and copy
- down the jumper codes and UPLOAD to the BBS or pass down to somebody
- else who reads the codes and tries to look for that code in the pirated
- version of Space Pacman.....
-
- Again, up to that point, my solution will still BAR the pirated users/
- d/l'ers to change the jumper sequence code in the "pirated" Space Pac-
- Man in order to RUN it. Why??? Simple. The codes must be in a
- compressed format and thus, making it very difficult for the hacker, or
- even the most advanced hackers to find that multiple/double "garbled"
- jumper sequence codes somewhere in the program. (BTW, compressed format
- must have the equivalent binary codes to match the computer's jumper to
- make the program exectuble - not copy-protection scheme!)
-
- Result: he/she gives up and buy the software! This is it!
-
- I realized it sounds VERY GOOD....but then I discovered what happens if
- you want to SELL the computer but KEEP the original software? No big
- problem here! All you have to do is to return that copy of card and
- original disk to the software developer AFTER you examine the new jumper
- sequence codes inside the used/new computer you got from your friend.
- Of course, this required a minimum fee for the developer to "patch-out"
- the older code in the program into the NEW ones so that it ONLY CAN BE
- EXECUTE ON YOUR ATARI COMPUTER and nobody has this CODE!!
-
- "What about the Pirated user side?", you might asked. He/She still can
- NOT run and play this game, and can not crack/search multiple compressed
- code in the program, even if he/she is using the DISASSEMBLY program.
- Since he has a non-original disk (pirated disk), he would NOT dare to
- attempt to send this disk to the developer or he/she will be arrested by
- the SPA or FBI, whichever the course of action is the most imminent to
- halt this pirated user and destroy the pirate disk. If he didn't send
- it to developer, he would have NO CHOICE but to format it and keep it as
- a blank disk. A forceful one at that!!!
-
- The ONLY WAY the pirated user will KNOW the jumper set code is to STEAL
- or Open up his relative's computer(s). If he got that Space Pacman from
- the BBS, it is UNLIKELY he will ever find out "WHO" (full name) uploaded
- this "number 1 program of the year" Space Pacman and "WHAT" the codes
- sequence are from the "source" computer somewhere in the USA. Again, if
- your cousin opened the computers up and messed up the jumper codes, it
- is their fault for being a pirate user...it's their problem. Tough one
- at that again!
-
- What if any user, be it good guys and pirated users SPREAD the words
- around in the BBS about the owner's computer's codes sequence?? That
- will happen but it is useless and IMPOSSIBLE for the hackers to find the
- compressed code in the program. That is a double-backup security here!!
- (grin) I think this is it!
-
- The only drawback in my solution would be "trading the software"...which
- means that each software has to go with the computer....that is the
- second part I am trying to figure it out. But I think this problem
- should be solve easily....how? By joining the ST/TT User Group or ST/TT
- Club to tryout/play those games a bit longer than the dealer before you
- might considered buying one!
-
- What do you think of my "curbing piracy" solution?
-
- In summary, the user's security registration card and a proper sequence
- of 24-pin jumper code setting might be only solution to curb the piracy.
- Although it is NOT a 100% cure but it will elevate the problem of piracy
- within the ST communities as we know it. But I doubt that some hackers
- out there can beat my solution....let's make a bet! Perhaps, my
- solution could be somewhere around 95-98% cure. I don't know...I will
- have to wait and see what you guys think my idea.
-
-
- =======================================================================
- * Z*NET ARCHIVES
- =======================================================================
-
-
- ANTIC PUBLISHING INC., COPYRIGHT 1988 REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.
-
-
- ATARI GETS TOUGH ON TV BY Gregg Pearlman, ANTIC ASSISTANT EDITOR
- In the wake of a Christmas season in which Atari Corp.'s video game
- sales were more than twice those of the same period last year, Atari
- plans to keep the ball rolling by launching a major first-quarter
- national television advertising campaign featuring six new commercials,
- according to Michael Katz, president of Atari's electronics division.
- The commercials will be aired in the top 30 markets in children's and
- prime-time viewing hours and will include syndicated and cable
- programming. Katz said that first-quarter spending will be comparable
- to what Atari spent in the fourth quarter of 1987 when the company sold
- out of two of its three game systems, the new XE Game System and the
- older 7800. The new Atari 2600 commercial, like the previous one, uses
- rap music while heavily promoting the new games available for the 2600.
- The new XE commercials include a testimonial/endorsement commercial
- presented by the presidents of four computer game companies; a
- commercial comparing Atari's baseball game with Nintendo's; and three
- more promoting the range of new games for the XE. Atari also announced
- new playable, self-running point-of-sale display units for the 7800 and
- XE systems, available at no charge to retailers.
-
-
- ATARI NEWS** ATARI PC: MYTH OR FICTION? January 6, 1988 --
- "I'm sure that I will never see" "Atari's duplicate PC..." That song's
- been sung for months. There's been little evidence of the IBM clone
- Atari started showing a year ago. But according to a classified
- advertisement in the San Jose Mercury News, Atari is seeking a
- "Production Development/Sustaining Engineer for our growing line of
- PS2/PCAT/PCXT systems." So keep on your toes -- it may not be far away
- after all.
-
-
- ATARI NABS COUNTERFEITERS December 17, 1987
- Agents of the U.S. Customs and U.S. Marshals Services seized 2,000
- counterfeits of Atari's 2600 video game system at Terminal Island in the
- Port of Los Angeles on December 17. The imitations were manufactured by
- Fund International Co., Ltd., of Taiwan, and distributed in the United
- States by P.S.D. Inc. of Canoga Park, California.
-
-
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