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Text File | 1993-05-09 | 105.8 KB | 2,040 lines

####################################################################### ####################################################################### ##########(((((((((( ##########((( ##(( ##((((((( ##(((((((( ########## #################(( ####(( ####(((( #(( ##(( ##########(( ############# ##############(( #####(((((( ##(( (( (( ##((((( #######(( ############# ###########(( ##########(( ####(( #(((( ##(( ##########(( ############# ##########(((((((((( ##########(( ##((( ##((((((( #####(( ############# ####################################################################### ####################################################################### Z*NET: ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE  Copyright (c)1993, Syndicate Publishing Volume 8, Number 15 Issue #499 May 7, 1993 File:93-15 -----------------------------------------------------------------------  Publisher/Editor..........................................Ron Kovacs  Writer............................................Michael R. Burkley  Contributing Writer.........................................Len Stys  AtariNet Coordinator......................................Bill Scull  America Online Correspondent..........................Bruce Hansford  Z*Net Newswire Correspondent..............................Mike Davis  Z*Net News International Gateway - New Zealand............Jon Clarke ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GEnie..............Z-NET CompuServe....75300,1642 Delphi.........ZNET Internet...status.gen.nz America Online..ZNET1991 AtariNet..51:1/13.0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS |#| The Editors Desk..............................Ron Kovacs |#| Z*Net Newswire.......................................... |#| Dateline Atari! With Bob Brodie...............Ron Kovacs |#| Speedo Starter Kit.........................Press Release |#| Z*Net Calender................................Ron Kovacs |#| Codehead Update............................Press Release |#| Atari Lynx Advertisement........................Len Stys |#| SRG Announces EmailMan.....................Press Release |#| STZIP/LHARC Comparison.....................Steve Johnson |#| The Unabashed Atariophile................Michael Burkley |#| Z*Net BBS List.......................................... ###### THE EDITORS DESK ###### By Ron Kovacs ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- As you have guessed by now, there wasss NO Z*Net issue released last week, and if you didn't notice, you aren't a regular reader and should become one NOW! There are going to be a few more unreleased weekly issues in the months ahead as I am planning a few more well deserved weeks of vacation. We have NO stand in editors at the present time, so we will not be publishing while I am away. On another note, during our absense, the IAAD released the results of its investigation of BBS piracy. This release, which is currently available on all of the online services and *most* BBS systems, has caused a number of piracy discussions in a number of places. I encourage EVERYONE to read it! The file name is PIR_BBS.LZH ###### Z*NET NEWSWIRE ###### Latest Industry News Update ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- SPECTRUM HOLOBYTE ACQUIRES BULLET-PROOF Spectrum HoloByte has announced its acquisition of Bullet-Proof Software USA, which is best known for bringing Tetris to the Nintendo platforms. Bullet-Proof Software, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte, will maintain its present operations in Redmond, Washington. NEW LOGITECH CORDLESS Logitech has announced a new version of MouseMan Cordless featuring Logitech's radio technology, software improvements, hardware modifications for better control and a new level of ergonomic design. MouseMan Cordless will carry a suggested retail price of $149 (U.S.) and will be available in retail stores in August. MouseMan Cordless ships with Logitech's MouseWare software. OS/2 2.0 NAMED PRODUCT OF THE YEAR IBM's OS/2 software has been honored as "Product of the Year" in two categories by the readers of InfoWorld Magazine. These two awards bring to 13 the number of industry citations that OS/2 2.0, which was introduced in March 1992, has won since last December. MOTOROLA INTRODUCES NEW DSP Motorola has introduced its new DSP56L002 24-bit general-purpose digital signal processor (DSP) which operates at 3.3 volts making it optimum for battery-operated and portable applications. To meet the power drain goal of 3.3 volts, Motorola re-designed the DSP56002 as a full CMOS implementation. Motorola also provided additional modularity to the core, memory and peripherals in order to streamline power-usage throughout the part. A phase-locked loop (PLL) is provided to allow the DSP56L002 to use almost any available external system clock for full- speed operation while also supplying an output clock synchronized to the internal core clock. The DSP56L002 is now available for $47, quantity 1,000, in a plastic quad flatpack package. GI TO INCORPORATE INTEL AND MICROSOFT General Instrument, Intel and Microsoft jointly announced that (GI) will integrate Intel and Microsoft computer technologies into its next generation of addressable cable TV converters. These new products will make possible a vast array of new services for the consumer through the cable TV network. With cable now in more than 60 million U.S. households, the enhanced converter would allow consumers to turn their TV sets into personal and interactive gateways to a variety of enhanced programming and services. The possibilities range from on-demand movies to interactive home shopping to information access, all at the push of a button. GI is also working with Microsoft to incorporate technology from the Microsoft Windows operating system, designed specifically for interactive television, into the new converter. One of the first third- party applications expected is on-screen electronic program guides. The first group of electronic guides will likely help viewers search for programming by subject matter among the ever increasing number of cable channels available. Electronic program guides are expected to evolve to include conventional pay-per-view, movie previews, multichannel pay-per- view and video on demand. An example of enhanced programming would include new features in in music television: on-screen lyrics, information about the CD on which a particular song is available (including an opportunity to buy the CD through the viewer's converter), fan club addresses and concert information. DVORAK'S SHOW TO DEBUT ON TSN "Dvorak on Computers," America's No. 1 high-tech talk radio show, announced that beginning May 9, it will offer a new way for listeners all over the country to call-in and interact with their radio show using The Sierra Network (TSN), a revolutionary, on-line, interactive, entertainment service. "Dvorak on Computers" is adopting The Sierra Network as a new communication medium for listener participation in John C. Dvorak's weekly call-in radio show. The Sierra Network's real-time on-line capabilities assure that opinions will be heard and questions will be answered, either by Dvorak himself, co-host and radio personality Leo LaPorte, or some other expert who happens to be on-line. The Sierra Network will be installed on three IBM/PC compatible computers that will be manned in the studio by John C. Dvorak, Leo LaPorte and a full-time mediator. TSN's Basic Membership, available for a flat fee of $12.95 per month, gives members 30 hours of evening/ weekend access to TSN's ClubHouse and TSN basic services and features. With a listening audience of nearly 500,000, "Dvorak on Computers" is the computer industry's leading radio talk show. Produced by the San Francisco-based SNP Radio Network, this nationally syndicated call-in program features commentary by the PC industry's best-known journalist, John C. Dvorak, and popular radio personality Leo LaPorte. First aired in January 1992, "Dvorak on Computers" is broadcast via 48 affiliates in 25 states plus the District of Columbia. PIRATES GET JAIL TERMS A Taiwan court has sentenced three software pirates to prison terms for counterfeiting Microsoft programs. Two offenders received four-year jail terms and a third was sentenced to two years. Taiwan police arrested the counterfeiters last July, in a raid which netted more than 10,000 copies of pirated MS-DOS and Windows programs. IBM SUES NUTRI/SYSTEM IBM has initiated a suit against Nutri/System, alleging the troubled diet-center concern has stiffed it for nearly $1 million this year and failed to return equipment. IBM Credit Corp. filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, saying Nutri/System had failed to make lease payments this year on computers and printers in the 283 company- owned Nutri/System outlets. Nutri/System shocked its customers last week when it announced it had closed its company-owned weight management centers after its banks seized its cash and took control of all of its bank accounts. The suit estimated that the value of the leased equipment was about $863,000. It also said that Nutri/System has $7.3 million in payments remaining under the terms of the current five-year lease, which was signed in July 1991. Nutri/System said last week its owners were near closing a deal to sell the company and that the company would return to "normal" operations early this week. But no subsequent announcement regarding a new investor has been made since then. HP FILES LAWSUIT Hewlett-Packard has filed suit against a California office-supplies distributor for allegedly selling refilled toner cartridges as genuine HP products. The lawsuit alleges that Supreme Office Products of Hollywood, Calif., through its advertising, promoting and packaging, falsely represented to customers that refilled toner cartridges were actually new, factory-produced HP toner cartridges for HP LaserJet printers. HP is seeking a temporary restraining order and injunction that would require that Supreme Office Products cease using HP trademarks and cease advertising, promoting and distributing products packaged similarly to those of HP. The company also is requesting that the court order Supreme Office Products to recall any products that were sold as original HP products. 3DO BOOSTS PRICE ON ITS STOCK OFFERING 3DO has launched its public offering at well above its expected price and amount of shares. 3DO, which is developing a multimedia system that will be available later this year, said it had priced the 2.9 million shares at $15 each, which will raise $43.5 million. The company's orginal registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission called for an offering of 2.1 million shares at a price expected to be between $10 and $12 a share, which could have raised $25.2 million. 3DO, a joint venture whose backers included AT&T, Time Warner and Matsushita Electric, is designing the player to run audio compact discs, display photo compact discs and run entertainment, education and information software programs. The company is touting the player, first unveiled at the winter Consumer Electronics Show in January, as possessing better-quality graphics than any home computer or video-game machine on the market. ###### DATELINE ATARI! ###### Captured and Edited by Ron Kovacs ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to the May edition of Dateline Atari! with Bob Brodie, Director of Communications for Atari Corp. When last we met Bob, we heard that the Falcon030 had just arrived in Sunnyvale and was about to undergo Quality Assurance before shipping to dealers. In the past weeks we have seen messages of 'Falcon sightings' across the country and we now await mass shipments to the general public. Tonight we hope to hear more news about Falcon availability and about developments in Falcon software. On that note I would like to welcome Bob and ask for his opening comments. Bob, it's show time! <BOB-BRODIE> Welcome to the May installment of Dateline:Atari! Tonight, I don't have a general topic to focus on, so I'd just like to bring you up to date with some of the things that have been happening at Atari, and then I will be happy to take your questions on just about any topic. Note carefully the words "just about"! :) Shipments of Atari Falcon030s continue in the US, and we are pleased with the increasing demand for the product. We have seen a number of dealers that used to carry the line contact Atari and express their interest in carrying the Atari Falcon030. As in the past few months, the bulk of the interest to date has been from the music market. No doubt this is keyed by the extraordinary reviews that the Atari Falcon030 continues to receive in the music media. One of the premier California music magazines, BAM, has indicated that they would like to do an entire issue focusing on the capabilities of the Atari Falcon030. We're very encouraged by the growing demand for the product. Here's the status on a few products that we've discussed at great length in previous versions of Dateline: Atari: Atari Works, SpeedoGDOS, and MultiTOS. Atari Works is being installed on the Atari Falcon030 here in Sunnyvale at present. We will have this product ready to ship to the established user base in 6-8 weeks. The manual is finalized, and we are awaiting production of the manual and the diskettes from the factory in Taiwan. As we have indicated in the past, Atari Works will retail for $129 US, and will include SpeedoGDOS and 14 BitStream fonts. SpeedoGDOS ships with the Atari Falcon030, but at present the manual for SpeedoGDOS is simply a photo-copied version of the manual. We will have "real" manuals in stock in 6-8 weeks, and at that time we will also be shipping SpeedoGDOS to the established userbase. The cost of SpeedoGDOS will be $69 US, including the 14 BitStream fonts. In addition to Atari selling SpeedoGDOS, we have made arrangements with Oregon Research and Compo Software to license SpeedoGDOS from us. Oregon Research will ship SpeedoGDOS for their customers using True Paint. Compo Software has licensed additional fonts from BitStream for them to sell to our users. Be sure to check in the ST RT Library here on GEnie for the official press releases from both of these companies. At the time of this writing, I am not certain what the pricing will be. MultiTOS is shipping with Atari Falcon030s, and shares the same type of photo-copied manual as SpeedoGDOS has. As we have previously indicated, MultiTOS will be available for the established user base. The cost of MultiTOS is $59 US, and is expected to be available in 6-8 weeks as well. We will be accepting orders from our dealers on these products in about a month, so please be sure to let them know at that point in time if you're interested in purchasing these products. At this point in time, I would like to say a special thank you to one of our stalwart contributors to Atari Explorer Online, Andreas Barbiero. Andreas is being shipped out to Japan for a prolonged stay (six months I belive) and will be sorely missed by all of us here in Sunnyvale. I've come to admire his work, both as a writer, and as something of a fill in online representative for me over on Delphi. He's here tonight, using the AEO.2 account on GEnie. I'd just like to say thanks for all of your hard work, Andreas. We'll miss you, and hope you get home soon. With that, I'm ready to take any questions from the floor Lou. <FAIRWEATHER> I live in California. I'd like to buy a package of Falcon, Multisync Monitor and custom hard drive from Toad Computers back east. Will Atari's dealer agt. prevent this? <BOB-BRODIE> Yes it will, David. We do not allow our dealers to mail order unless it is to remote areas or where there is no dealer in the area. In California, we have a number of dealers. There is no reason that I can understand for you to have to order a system from Maryland. They will be available for sale in California at the same point in time that they are in Maryland, unless TOAD has decided that rather than keep their demo units as demos, they want to sell them right away. We would not approve for them to sell all the way to California...there are other dealers here, closer to you that can service your needs without you having to send all the way across the country for a computer. <FAIRWEATHER> When will Falcon's be available for sale in California? Two reasons. California has 8.5% sales tax and Toad makes custom drives and monitors. When do you expect Falcon's to hit the streets? <BOB-BRODIE> You are welcome to purchase your hard drives or monitors from Toad...but we have been very clear with them that they, as well as any other dealer, are not to mail order out of their area. If we find that there are violations, the dealer runs the risk of having his dealership revoked. Garry Tramiel is VERY firm on this. In fact, he actually saw an ad for Toad Computers asking people to call for their Falcon...so he did!! <grin> When they asked him what his name was, he didn't lie either! He said "My name is Garry Tramiel." They said "Right...what's your real name and Garry replied that it was really him. They indicated that they wouldn't sell him a computer, but would be happy to take his order for a monitor or a hard drive. :) The next shipment of Falcons is on the way here via boat at this time. I checked with our factory rep just before the CO began and he indicated that they are about 10 calendar days away. <BRIAN.H> Hi Bob. I know you are working real hard to make the FALCON a success. Therfore, please don't take this personal: What is happening with the Canadian Dealer Agreement? We have a local owner, RGB, who wants to sell ATARIs but need an agreement in order to become a dealer. Can Canadians order Falcons from the USA since there is none in our area? <BOB-BRODIE> Brian, we've already sent out the agreement to the dealers in Canada, and in fact have gotten a number of them back. I thought that RGB would have gotten their's for certain...unless the lead sheet got misplaced. If I can prevail on you just one more time in email to have you send me his info, I'll personally see that it goes out on Monday. And no, we do not want US dealers selling into Canada. <BRIAN.H> Thanks Bob. Rob at RBG hasn't got his yet. I will do right away. How long will it take to get the agreement?? <BOB-BRODIE> Unless our mailman owns stock in Apple, I would think that it should only take about seven days to have snail mail go to Nova Scotia, Brian. <J.BRUNKEN> Bob, with as much trouble as Atari seems to be having in getting a small number of Falcons to the states, when do you think the machines will be available in enough quantity to support the growing number of potential buyers especially if the music industry likes the Falcon? <BOB-BRODIE> Jason, Yes I do. <MIKE-ALLEN> Bob - I understand that you want to protect your dealers, but this mail order thing is a little silly given the almost ALL of NA is remote to Atari dealers. I was really disappointed to read Sheldon's post in re the CT fest. Comment? <BOB-BRODIE> I'm disappointed that he won't be attending the show either, Mike. I think that's unfortunate. However, we have to start helping our dealers that we're bringing on board by helping them make the most of the opportunites that are in their back yard as well. I think that there are a lot of other things that Sheldon could be selling at the CT Show, but respect him very much... I'm not going to debate his decision. Suffice it to say that he has been at other shows in the past where there have been other dealers, and developers. He's a great guy and he'll always do well. The CT Show is a great place for someone like Sam Ash, or Manny's to come to. We've also had inquiries from another potential dealer that is in East Hartford...right in CT. <[Chris] C.OATES2> Hello, Bob. Being a Bay Arean, the news about the possible BAM Issue is great! BAM, being a free magazine, gets a lot of exposure. When should I start keeping my eye out for the Falcon issue, if it happens? <BOB-BRODIE> Hi Chris, the feature article on the Falcon030 is something that I just heard about from James Grunke today. I'm afraid that I don't have a firm schedule just yet. James had indicated that it would probably appear in the September issue or so. <JOHN.KING.T> Bob, I was wondering if you could clear up some of the rumors that have been spread regarding the Atari "clone?" <BOB-BRODIE> Hi John...boy there really has been a lot of discussion about this topic. Most of it seems to be centered over in the Atari Forums on CompuServe, run by Ron Luks. Frankly, I'm stumped by all the controversy! I had written a very brief informative piece for Atari Explorer Online in our last issue about this, and Ron Luks responded by saying he was "Speechless". He didn't stay that way very long! :) Anyway, I had previously discussed this project with the designer of the hardware, Jim Allen, and yesterday the treasurer of the company was here in Sunnyvale, along with their software engineer. I had lunch with the treasurer, and he's really surprised at all the furor about this, too. Lost in the shuffle is the fact that this system will not support ANY of the standard ST video resolutions....it will only run VGA. That will wipe out huge chunks of the software library for the machine simply because so many programs assume that ST video is available to use for the program. The company is very clear about what their intention is/ was. They are discussing building a unit that is aimed at a vertical niche market, specifically doing a touch screen technology for resturants that will be networked, and control a entire point of sale, inventory tracking, etc type of activities. There are NO PLANS to sell this as a general purpose CPU to compete against us. I wish them well with their efforts. It certainly isn't the first VAR to use the Atari platform as a launch pad for their own custom hardware, and I hope that it won't be the last. On a slightly different note, I'd like to express my thanks and admiration to Darlah, and the rest of the sysops of the Atari RTs for keeping such an even keel on a topic that became so controversial so quickly. I hope someone sends a caputure of how it was handled here to Ron Luks. (Editors Note: The mesage string related to this topic are included in this edition.) <P.FORISTER> Do you expect enough Falcons to satisify the amount of initial orders 10 days from now, I don't know how much longer I can wait. Also, I want a picture perfect 640-480 @256 color desktop what monitor do I buy? Will it be interlace? <BOB-BRODIE> Pat, yes I think we'll be able to satisfy most of the backorders. At least the ones that we have TODAY. Monday might bring a different story. :) What is the application that you will be using your Atari Falcon030 for? From the rez that you're describing, I'm inclined to say get a good quality VGA. <JKUEHN> Bob, what happened to the CD-ROM (.XFS) drivers that Bill Rehboch was going to upload (a week or so) after the 3 April RTC here? Several CD ROM users here in the DC area are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the drivers. <BOB-BRODIE> John, I just stuck my head out of the office to look for Bill but he's not around right now for me to ask. I am aware that there are a number of enhancements under consideration for the drivers, but if he said that he was going to upload them, I don't know why he hasn't done it. I'd suggest that you send him a note in e-mail at B.REHBOCK and ask him. It's his baby! <Y.SIU> Thanks, 1st. After CeBIT there has been the rumour that Atari will cancel the annual Duesseldorfer Show, if that is true, why considering that this is one of the most important Atari shows in Europe and will cause great resentment. <BOB-BRODIE> I understand that the Duesseldorf Show has been cancelled. The rationale was that rather than do an Atari only show, the management was looking to participate in a much larger multi platform show in Berlin. <Y.SIU> Will there be someone to fill the obvious leadership gap in Germany? And how will Atari regain the many lost German users? <BOB-BRODIE> Right now we have leadership in Germany...I really don't know what you mean about the "obvious" gap. We expect to regain the users in Germany the same way that we will regain users here by shipping a quality product with applications that will fit their needs, and give them a reason to choose Atari over another computer company. <S.KIEPE> Bob, can you give us an expected quantity of Falcon's in the first shipment, 5, 50, 5000? - and I'm only interested in how many are destined for retail sale! #2, back to the CT fest - It appears that there are NO Atari hardware dealers intending to come to the show (falcon types) so Atari has shut off the market, any chance of a reconsideration? <BOB-BRODIE> Sorry, Steve. We will not give out numbers. I spoke briefly with Brian Gockley today, and he is aware of our position. I recommeded to him that he contact Manny's and Sam Ash...and I will be contacting a lead that we have for a Hartford dealer on Monday to see what we can do about getting him onboard quickly so he can participate in the show. Again, this really isn't as new a policy as you might think...the Glendale Show for YEARS has had a policy that prohibits dealers from out of the area from coming to the show to sell hardware. They have always allowed them to come and sell software, and a couple of Northern California dealers discussed coming down to sell their eight bit products at Glendale. But they have never allowed ST type product sales by out of area dealers. <J.BRUNKEN> Bob, You have repeatedly mentioned new dealers on both coasts, Hows the dealer outlook for those of us who live in the heartland? (Iowa's Great.... Not!) 2nd, Can you tell us anything new on the Jaguar? <BOB-BRODIE> Funny you would mention Iowa, I sent out a dealer application just yesterday to a prospect in Iowa. We don't have a rep that is working that area for us yet, so that is a "hole" that we have in the map that we need to work on. Just checked the dealer list: Mason City Music, in Mason City. 515-423-2277 is their phone number. <D.VICHA> Bob, the IAAD report about software piracy, mentioned that TOS 1.4 and AW were listed ... is Atari planning any action or assisting the IAAD in prosecuting the pirates? <BOB-BRODIE> Yes, I have already spoken with our corporate counsel about this situation, and he is investigating the best way for us to proceed with this. Obviously, we have been damaged by the pirates, and we will strive to perserve our rights, as well as our partners in the IAAD's rights. Portions of the investigation to determine the real names of the operators of these BBS has already been done. We will be pursuing them. <D.VICHA> Has anyone in Sunnyvale called Ed & Carol at Software Plus in Chicago. They've been longtime Atari dealers and they've been ignored? <BOB-BRODIE> Software Plus was sent a dealer app. If they haven't gotten it, please ask them to fax me at 408-745-2088, or if you wouldn't mind, send me email on them and I will be happy to send them out an application. <FAIRWEATHER> Does the dealer agt. also prevent selling Falcons for less than MSRP? Or from advertising discounted prices? Goodman Music is advertising $999 Falcons but they are talking about 4 megs no HD. Will that config be in the 1st shipment? <BOB-BRODIE> David, we consider the dealer agreement to be a confidential document, so I really don't want to get too far into a discussion about it. However in answering your questions this one time, Goodman's pricing is correct for a 4 meg Falcon with no HD. And I'm not sure if that is in the next shipment, my guess would be that we're still getting just the 4/65s in the next shipment. <Y.SIU> Mr. Brodie, what will Atari do about the Skandinavian, specifically Swedish market, I understand that the Falcon is retailing there for 16000 SK..that is nearly 2800 U$D! And secondly will Atari bundle any graphics software with the Falcon? <BOB-BRODIE> Yat, I'm not 100% up to speed on the plans for Sweden. I'm an employee of Atari US, not corporate. However, the last that I recall hearing we were setting up a distributor in Sweden to sell our products for us there. I honestly do not track the prices of our products...I find that North America keeps me quite busy all by itself. Re the graphics bundle, we're always open to proposals from our developers, and certainly the dealers and distributors are welcome to bundle as well. However at this time, we're quite comfortable with the Falcon shipping with the software that it is....Atari Works, MultiTOS, SpeedoGDOS, etc. <A.RIDLEY1> Will Canadian Deaalers be getting new Falcons or has Atari decided to stick with US dealers? <BOB-BRODIE> We just sent out the dealer agreement to Canadian dealers about two weeks ago, and we have already gotten a number of them back. As I indicated earlier in the CO to Brian. So, no...we're not "sticking with US dealers". I bet the US dealers would have another term for that. :) <A.RIDLEY1> The 2nd question is in regards to preference of old dealers over new ones comming on line, will Falcons ship to everyone equally or will the old dealers have first shot at the new machines. <BOB-BRODIE> The dealers will get their machines in the sequence that we are able to sign them up. If an established dealer hasn't returned his paper work for his Falcon dealership, he will not get the product. There are sweeping changes to the Terms and Conditions of the agreement, and we must be sure that the current dealers agree to the new terms and conditions prior to them accepting the product. <MIKE-ALLEN> I heard that due to problems with D2D that it isn't shipping with the Falcon. true/false/comment? Also when will Atari post a list of 'official' dealers? or will they? <BOB-BRODIE> True, D2D is not shipping today. We are getting updates from them on a daily basis, and will ship D2D to everyone as soon as we have a version in hand that is satisfactory. No, we will not post our dealer list. If you have a question about where to purchase our products, tell us where you are, and we'll be happy to refer you to a dealer. The mail order thing has almost been amusing a few times, Mike. We had a dealer here in California ask if they could sell a Falcon to a customer in Australia! BTW, there is a dealer in New Mexico now...Grandma's Music in Albuqueque. <J.WHITE99> Naturally, Bob, we here in SoCal have a large focus on the musical applications of the F030 but there appears to be a strong interest out there in its multimedia potential as well. Are there any developers about to release products that can be discussed that fill the non-music side of the platform? <BOB-BRODIE> Jeff, Lexicor is working on a comprehensive suite of products that will serve many of the needs of the multimedia platform. We published a document entitled an Atari Perspective on Personal Integrated Media that I can send to you that will outline many of the applications that we felt back around COMDEX were key to MultiMedia. Naturally, there are more today. Just this afternoon, Bill Rehbock was visited by a developer with "Apple Roots" that does Morphing software. He's intersted in trying out an Atari Falcon030 as well. :) <J.WHITE99> What kind of support is Atari giving a company like Lexicor who has a long history of developing products to elevate the standard of the platform and it's interactivity with others? What else besides Lexicor? <BOB-BRODIE> Jeff, we enjoy a excellent ongoing dialog with Lexicor, and the other products might take a while to list tonight. For example, COMPO is working on a video titler package, another product called In Shape that is a direct competitior to Lexicor's Chronos/Phoenix, Digital Arts has a whole slew of stuff, like DA's Vektor...which is in stock at Pacific Software TODAY BTW. <C.CASSADAY> Bob, can you clarify the word on mail-order to non-dealer supported areas? The individual who you spoke to in San Antonio is having second thoughts about opening up his store. Do you have signed dealer agreements from anyone else in Texas? Where can we buy Falcon's if there are no other Texas dealers, and no places like Computer STudio, or TOAD to mail-order them from? <BOB-BRODIE> Chris, we HAVE opened a dealer in San Antonio...it is Hermes Trading Co, Inc. There are located at 4100 San Pedro in San Antonio, and they're phone number is 210-734-5898. <Y.SIU> What is the status for a proper TT upgrade such as a Falcon040 with external case and keyboard and how is the deal with Brainstorm going (ref:mpeg player) as this is important for a Multimedia market. <BOB-BRODIE> Yat, we're firing up the factory lines again to build proper TTs rather than a "proper TT upgrade". At CeBIT, a number of third party company's showcased Falcon Towers, it really isn't a big deal to have that done. I have indicated in the past that we are working on an 040, but that is all that I have to say about that project. I will not give out prospective specifications or other info on that tonight. Sorry. <J.VOGH> Can SPeedoGDOS support postscript and any dealers in Oklahoma? <BOB-BRODIE> Speedo does not do PostScript at this point in time, sorry. Re the dealers in Oklahoma, Norman Music Center, in Norman OK 405-321- 8300 <J.BRENNER1> Hi Bob, my dealer sent in his dealer agreement as soon as he received it. Will orders be filled on a fist come first serve basis. When will Canadian suggested retail be announced. Re/Lexicor, I think the package is called NO COMMENT (grin) <BOB-BRODIE> John, Yes, orders will be basically on first come, first serve. If there are other issues that come up, like account problems those will have to be resolved as well before we will ship. If you're commenting about the question re BrainStorm, anyone that is a developer that is interested in doing JPEG/MPEG things should be talking with Bill Rehbock, preferably in email here on GEnie at his address of B.REHBOCK. <S.KIEPE> Can you come up with a dealership in San Diego, CA (the 6th largest city in the US) and #2, how is Atari going to regain Lynx dealers - they've all but disappeared. <BOB-BRODIE> Computer Plus in San Diego is in discussions with us now. Garry Tramiel is on the road visiting some of the major retailers even as we speak discussing the Lynx situation with them. And we have also opened up an 800 line to serve our Lynx customers who cannot find a local dealer near them: 800-221-EDGE. <B.WELSCH> Hi Bob, Hope you will make the Kansas City Show and talk to Attendees, also my local dealer asked me to ask you to call him about his demo machine ;-) I HOPE THAT ATARI WOULD HAVE A PRESENCE. <BOB-BRODIE> Bruce, that you for the invitation. I will certainly give it due consideration. And I will be certain to call your dealer on Monday to discuss his unit with him. Thanks for relaying that along to me. <[Host] ST.LOU> Bob, all the inquiries about dealers, agreements and mailorder would seem to be a sign of swelling interest among real purchasers! I would like to wish you and Atari well in meeting this demand. :-) Thanks for coming tonight. <BOB-BRODIE> Thank you, Lou. As always, it has been a pleasure to meet with our many supporters here on our *Official* Online Home: GEnie! I've enjoyed this relatively brief Dateline:Atari! tonight, and thank everyone for coming out to share this time with us. ###### SPEEDO STARTER KIT ###### Press Release ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- Speedo(TM) is a new typeface format developed by Bitstream that will revolutionize the way you work and the quality of your documents. You may have used bitmap fonts in your applications. Bitmap fonts are only available in a few sizes, and are often crudely scaled and reproduced (resulting in "jaggies"). Bitmap fonts also use separate files for screen and printer fonts, and thus occasionally vary between what you see on screen and what is printed, ruining the desired "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG). These problems are of the past. Speedo fonts can be scaled to any size, and are always scaled at the highest quality for both screen and printer. WYSIWYG is maintained because Speedo does its work with a single font file. You may have used outline fonts in your applications. Speedo sets a new standard for outline fonts. It uses Type 1 hinting to increase resolution and accuracy for sharper quality at low resolutions. Speedo fonts also include extensive kerning data, with an average of 300-500 kerning pairs per font, for perfect character spacing. There are over 1000 Speedo fonts, from traditional to original designs. SpeedoGDOS(TM) is the type manager that brings this technology to your Atari. SpeedoGDOS uses dynamic font caching to scale Speedo fonts within a limited amount of memory. It also allows you to easily add fonts to your system, change printer drivers, and more. COMPO's Speedo Starter Kit includes everything you need to add Speedo to your system, including SpeedoGDOS, an assortment of printer drivers, and 20 outline fonts. It is compatible with all applications that use GDOS, including word processors, desktop publishers, graphics applications, and others. Some applications support Speedo fonts directly, such as That's Write 3. Printer drivers are provided for Canon Bubblejet, HP Deskjet, HP Laserjet, HP Paintjet, SLM series laser printers, 9-pin dot matrix, and 24-pin dot matrix (including NEC-compatible 360x360 dpi) printers. Additionally, other drivers are included with specific third party applications, such as Toad Computer's STraight FAX! A wide variety of fonts is included: Dutch 801 Roman (Bitstream's version of Times) Dutch 801 Italic Dutch 801 Bold Dutch 801 Bold Italic Swiss 721 Roman (Bitstream's version of Swiss) Swiss 721 Italic Swiss 721 Bold Swiss 721 Bold Italic Bitstream Cooper Black Monospace 821 Park Avenue VAG Rounded Symbol Monospaced More Wingbats SWC Bernhard Modern Roman Futura Extra Black Pica 10 Pitch Zurich Condensed Zurich Bold Condensed Zapf Calligraphic Roman (Bitstream's version of Palatino) The Speedo Starter Kit is available now from COMPO Software for $59.95. Additional font packs are also available, as are individual fonts from the Bitstream Typeface Library. To order or request more information, contact: COMPO Software Corp. 104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121 Pacifica California 94044 USA Tel: 415-355-0862 Fax: 415-355-0869 GEnie: COMPO ###### THE 1993 Z*NET COMPUTER CALENDAR ###### Schedule of Shows, Events and Online Conferences ###### ---------------------------------------------------------------- ### May 11-13, 1993 SunWorld '93 exposition and conference, held in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. The second annual event is the largest trade show in North America dedicated to the Sun, SPARC and Solaris industry. SunWorld '93 will feature a full day of in-depth tutorials, which are being developed in association with Sun Educational Services, to be followed by three days of conference sessions and an exposition. The three-day exposition will feature more than 175 leading vendors in the industry including Adobe Systems, AT&T, Computer Associates, Hewlett- Packard, Informix Software, Insoft, SAS Institute, Solbourne, SPARC International, Sun Microsystems, SunPro, SunSoft and WordPerfect. For more information about attending SunWorld '93 call Lynn Fullerton at (800) 225-4698 or to receive information about exhibiting contact David Ferrante at (800) 545-EXPO. ### May 24-27, 1993 Spring Comex in Atlanta Georgia. ### June 3-6, 1993 Summer Comsumer Electronics Show, (CES), in Chicago, Illinois. ### June 12-13, 1993 CT Atarifest '93 at the Windsor Court Hotel in Windsor Connecticut. This year the Atarifest has relocated to a new hotel with excellent room rates ($35.00 per room), free and plentiful parking, easy access from Interstate 91, I-95, I-90, I-84, I-80, an in house Sports Bar, a bigger ballroom and is located just 1 mile from Bradley International Airport (free shuttle service for hotel guests). Tentative commitments from A&D Software, Gribnif Software, Barefoot Software, Toad Computers, Computer Studio, Baggetaware, Derric Electronics, E.Hartford Computer Repair, MegaType Software, Wizztronics and GFA Software Technology. For further information, call Brian Gockley at 203-332-1721 or Doug Finch at 203-637 -1034. E-mail can be directed to B.GOCKLEY or D.FINCH7 on GEnie or to 75300,2514 or 76337,1067 on CIS. ### June 22-23, 1993 Lap & Palmtop Mobile Computing Expo at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. Exhibitors will show the latest in mobile computing, software, pen, peripherals and communications from the industry's leading manufacturers. In conjunction with the exhibits is the Mobile Systems Solutions Conference series. Featuring over 80 leading industry experts speakers, the conference provides vital information needed to build or improve your world of mobile computing. ### June 26-27, 1993 The Kansas City AtariFest '93. The location for the show is Stadium Inn, 7901 E 40 Hwy. Ticket prices at the door will be 5.00 dollars each day. Advance tickets will be 4.00 dollars each, for advance tickets, please send 4.00 dollars per ticket to: Kansas City AtariFest, P.O. Box 1653, Lee Summit, MO 64063 or if you belong to a user group please mail a request for a user group information pack. To make room reservations please call 1-800-325-7901, we are also working with a local travel agent to get special airfares for the show. You may call 1-800-874-7691 to take advantage of the special fares. For more information please leave Email as follows; GEnie, B.welsch, J.krzysztow, for CompuServe, Leave for Jeff Krzysztow at 74027,707, or you can call (816)224-9021, or mail to the address listed above. ### July 24-25, 1993 The Blue Ridge Atari Computer Enthusiasts (BRACE) and Computer STudio host the Fourth Annual Blue Ridge AtariFest in Asheville, North Carolina. Saturday show time is from 10am - 6pm and Sunday show times are from Noon to 5pm. Free booth space is available for Atari developers. This Atarifest will be taking over the Courtyard Shop (mall) area at the Westgate Shopping Center (location of Computer STudio), and also plan on using vacant store spaces for seminar sessions. Seminars will be 45 minutes in length, and developers are welcome to conduct a seminar on their product line or approved topic of their choice (seminars are limited, so first come, first served). For additional information, please contact: Sheldon Winick on GEnie - S.WINICK or at the Computer STudio at (704) 251-0201 or contact the show coordinator Cliff Allen on GEnie - C.ALLEN17 or call (704) 258-3758. ### August 3-6, 1993 MacWorld Expo at the Boston World Trade Center, Bayside Exposition Center and sponsored by MacWorld Magazine. This event is titled Boston '93. ### August 23-27, 1993 Interop '93 (#2) at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco, California. ### August 25-29, 1993 ONE BBSCON '93 at the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a four day exposition presented by BoardWatch Magazine. There will be three days of educational services, a trade show exhibit area with over one-hundred vendors on hand. For further information on this event and for registration information contact: Peg Coniglio at ONE Inc., 4255 South Buckley Road, Suite 308, Aurora, Colorado 80013. Voice: (303) 693-5253; Fax: (303) 693-5518; BBS: (303) 693-5432. ### September 18-19, 1993 The Glendale Show returns with the Southern California Atari Computer Faire, V.7.0, in suburban Los Angeles, California. This has been the year's largest domestic Atari event, year after year. Contact John King Tarpinian at the user group HACKS at 818-246-7286 for information. ### September 20-22, 1993 The third MacWorld Expo, titled Canada '93 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, sponsored by MacWorld Magazine. ### September 21-23, 1993 Unix Expo '93 in New York City, New York. ### October 7-8, 1993 Lap & Palmtop Mobile Computing Expo at the Chicago Mart/Expo Center in Chicago, Illinois. Exhibitors will show the latest in mobile computing, software, pen, peripherals and communications from the industry's leading manufacturers. In conjunction with the exhibits is the Mobile Systems Solutions Conference series. Featuring over 80 leading industry experts speakers, the conference provides vital information needed to build or improve your world of mobile computing. ### October 27-29, 1993 CDROM Exposition at the World Trade Center, Boston MA. ### October 27-29, 1993 EDA&T Asia '93. The Electronic Design and Test Conference Exhibition at the Taipei International Convention Center in Taiwan. Exhibit space is still available. For more information contact: Betsy Donahue, Chicago, fax: 708-475-2794. ### November 7-10, 1993 GeoCon/93, an international conference and showcase for software products developed outside the U.S. at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge, Mass. The conference program will include three days of workshops on topics of interest to overseas developers entering the U.S. market. Workshop presenters will discuss such issues as how to negotiate distribution and licensing contracts, setting up a business in the U.S., manufacturing and fulfillment, technical support, packaging, research sources, and how to market through direct, retail, and catalog channels. For additional information, contact Tom Stitt, associate publisher, Soft letter, 17 Main St., Watertown, Mass. 02272-9154; telephone 617-924-3944; fax 617-924-7288, or Colleen O'Shea, director, Soft letter Europe, 2 um Bierg, 7641 Chirstnach, Luxembourg, telephone 35.2.87119; fax 35.2.87048. ### November 15-19, 1993 COMDEX Fall '93. Las Vegas Nevada. If you have an event you would like to include on the Z*Net Calender, please send email via GEnie to Z-NET, CompuServe 75300,1642, or via FNET to node 593 or AtariNet node 51:1/13.0. ###### CODEHEAD ANNOUNCES DIGITAPE: DIRECT-TO-DISK DIGITAL RECORDING ###### Press Release ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- DigiTape and Atari's new Falcon 030 computer combine to give you a complete professional-quality home recording system. DigiTape is an 8-track "simulated tape deck," with a modular plug-in/ plug-out mixing board and 4 modular digital effect racks. It uses the amazing DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chip built into the Falcon to give you direct-to-disk digital recording that equals or surpasses conventional analog tape decks. There are two versions of DigiTape; here's a brief description of the features of each version: DigiTape Light - Suggested retail: US $149.00 --------------------------------------------- o mixing board with up to eight tracks (two for record, up to six for simultaneous replay) o sampling frequency selectable between 8 to 50 kHz in 16-bit stereo o modular digital effects such as reverb, echo, flanger, vibrato, distortion and more. (Developer's documentation available for writing DSP effects modules). o recording time with 55MB hard disk space: approx. 3 min 30 sec with 6 tracks at 25 kHz o frequency analyzer (for tuning guitars and other instruments) o online digital effect processor: 2 x 2 possible chained stereo effect combinations o all connections are through the Falcon's standard microphone-in and headphone-out jacks DigiTape - Suggested retail: US $199.00 --------------------------------------- (includes the following additional features): o virtual track management of up to 64 tracks o burn in of digital effects ("print" effects on recorded tracks) o digital remix to hard disk: up to six tracks into two tracks with full digital effect mixing and stereo placement control o cut, copy, and paste functions -- both destructive and nondestructive o sample zoom function for accurate editing and "cutting" Availability of DigiTape and DigiTape Light will be announced shortly. For more information, contact: CodeHead Technologies P.O. Box 74090 Los Angeles, CA 90004 Phone: (213) 386-5735 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm Pacific Time) FAX: (213) 386-5789 BBS: (213) 461-2095 ###### ATARI LYNX ADVERTISMENT ###### By Len Stys ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to see a real great advertisement, I urge you to go to your local book store or drug store and pick-up the May issue of VIDEOGAMES & COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT. Once you have the issue, flip to the middle insert (right after page 48). The 8-page advertisement is for the Atari Lynx and believe me when I say so, it is nothing less than fantastic. I am the type of person that believes everything can be better. But, there is honestly no room for improvement in this advertisement. I am majoring in Marketing at Baldwin-Wallace College near Cleveland, Ohio. I am also a member of the American Advertising Federation. Many people buy magazines for articles, I buy magazines for the advertisements. I then sit and critique each ad in the magazine I buy. If I was giving out awards, Atari would win one for this advertisement. The creative elements of the ad: visual, headline, and copy are all strongly executed. The basic design principles (unity, harmony, sequence, emphasis, contrast, and balance) have been followed. Yes, Atari has done something right and if this ad is any indication of Atari's future marketing, watch out video game industry, here comes Atari! On the front of the insert is a drawing of a kid's face with sunglasses that shows a reflection of the Lynx that he is playing. The kid's hair is standing up as if he is shocked by something (perhaps a good product?). He is obviously enjoying himself by the big smile on his face. And, the Lynx game Dracula is clearly a theme of the ad by the bats, gloomy background, and bite marks on the kid's neck. The artwork is really good. In fact, the art alone will attract the attention of every reader of the magazine. And this is good because distinction is the most important element of any advertisement. On top of the advertisement in big bold yellow letters is the headline that reads: "PUSH YOUR MIND TO THE EDGE WITH THE POWER OF ATARI LYNX!" The headline includes the word "mind" to tie in with Atari's previous ad campaign "Grey Matters." The word "power" is a very good word to use when attempting to sell a video game system since children can relate to it. In almost every popular cartoon, the word "power" is used repeatedly. Children have learned that the more power someone or something has, the more he/she or it can do. Both, Nintendo and Sega have played on this word to sell systems, why shouldn't Atari? I also want to mention that not only does the cover use very bright colors, but so does the entire insert. Color attracts attention and creates mood. There is no gloom here, only positive Lynx attitude. On the next page of the insert is a buy two games and get one free deal. The deal gives present Lynx owners an incentive to purchase more Lynx games. The deal also gives potential Lynx owners a final reason to go out and buy the Lynx. Excellent strategy! But, there are still quite a few unhappy Lynx owners that are waiting for their free game from past Atari deals! If Atari does not honor its offers in a quick and efficient manner, it may hurt future game sales instead of improving them. A person that does not receive their game will think to themselves--Atari promised me a game and is not delivering, they sure are a rip-off! Would you buy anything else from a company that you thought was ripping you off? Of course not! The insert focuses on two fantastic games--Dracula and Checkered Flag. These games have received praise from just about everyone that has played them. Atari, you are advertising your best products, good going! The pages advertising Dracula not only contain the same fantastic artwork as the cover, but also brings in an actual picture of the Lynx running the Dracula game. The person holding the Lynx has a small cross in one hand and garlic in the other. Real nice touch! The pages advertising Checkered Flag also has great artwork. There is also a picture of a kid driving a car with a baseball cap on backwards that says "ATARI"--very impressive! I would like to bring your attention to the fact that this is the first real time Atari is putting as much emphasis on their name as the Lynx. Atari must be realizing that their name is still a powerful force in the video game industry. Also, people need to start recognizing the name "Atari" for when the company starts selling the Jaguar tabletop console. Yes, the company seems to be bringing back their "video game image", but it is better than no image at all. Pit Fighter, a very popular game and an excellent conversion according to reviewers is advertised under Checkered Flag. Again, Atari is advertising a very good product that will no doubt help increase Lynx system sales. In the middle of the insert are screen shots of 34 games each with their item number to make ordering fast and easy. The screen shots are very sharp. A potential Lynx owner will be impressed by the Lynx's graphics. There is also an accessory listing that shows pictures of each item. This list is to the side of one of the pages making it visible, yet not the focal point. A smart move since accessories don't sell game systems, but will inform people that they exist. The back of the advertisement shows the features of the Lynx as well as a comparison with other systems. Atari continues to stress "power without the price" by the headline stating the reduced price of the Lynx from $99.99 to $79.99. Atari's advertisement plays on popular words, songs, and statements. The comparison chart has "Not" instead of "No" when other systems do not have a feature. This is a nice WAYNE'S WORLD of saying, these systems just do not match up. Another statement: "THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO VROOOOOM" is a play on the popular song: "Things That Make You Go Hmm" (I hope I got that right). And lastly, the statement is made: "It just goes to show you -- bigger is better!" A lot of companies have played on the "bigger is better" or "bigger is not always better" statement. If there is a Fretter's Electronic Store near you, you may remember a theme used by the retailer: "It just goes to show--Fretter is better!" The statement is catchy and convincing. And perhaps the "big" statement can be used to tie in with a "Giant" theme when Atari markets the Jaguar--who knows? A few more things that should be mentioned. The 1-800 order number is listed on every page. The reader cannot miss it. On the bottom of the back page is a list of retailers that carry the Lynx. Toys'R'Us is not listed. Some people criticized a Lynx letter writing campaign I started several months ago stating Toys'R'Us did not drop it. But, if you go to your local Toys'R'Us, you'll find that the Lynx is not even displayed. If you are one of the many people that think Atari should be promoting the fact that they are an American owned video game company, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see the bottom of the last page. There is a statement that says: "Atari: an American company traded on the American Stock Exchange." Way to go Atari! As you might have guessed, I'm one of those people. It is about time the company started letting everyone know! In the future, Atari may want to stress retailers before their 1-800 number. It is pretty sad that Atari has to sell a great product like the Lynx through mail-order. I hope Atari does not plan to do this with the Jaguar. Also, the Lynx's most distinguishing characteristic is comlynxing. Since BattleWheels by Beyond Games is approaching, Atari may want to push comlynxing heavily in their ads. Maybe with "double pack games," Atari can start a comlynxing craze. I guess I'll wrap this article up. I don't know who the members of the creative team were that put this ad together, but I would love to shake their hands. This is the type of ad we would expect from an innovative company like Atari. Bravo! ###### SRG ANNOUNCES EMAILMAN ###### Press Release ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- SRG Software presents EmailMan? 1.0 A Dedicated Database For Keeping Track Of Email Addresses! Have you ever been in the middle of sending someone a letter online and then forgotten their email address? Do you do online mailings where you need to send the same letter to a lot of different people, keeping track of all the addresses and typing them all in? Do you belong to several different online services where you know many different people and have to keep track of all their addresses? Well, my friend, if you answered Yes to any of the above questions, then EmailMan? is for you! EmailMan? is a dedicated database for keeping track of email addresses. With it you can Load, Save, Find, Add, Edit, Delete, and Transmit up to 200 email addresses in each database file. And it's all available from within any GEM compatible program too! Even your favorite terminal program! Just run it as an accessory... Never again do you have to remember or type in another email address! FEATURE LIST ~~~~~~~~~~~~ o Runs as a program or a desk accessory in all resolutions on all Atari ST, STe, TT, and Falcon computers. o Up to 200 names, email addresses, and notes (each 30 characters in length) can be Loaded, Saved, Found, Added, Edited, Deleted, and Transmitted in each database file. o Can be controlled with either the mouse or the computer keyboard. o Addresses can be marked for Saving, Deleting, and Transmitting user selected groups. o Autoload a select email database upon running. o Email addresses can be typed into any other open GEM compatible application. o In addition to email addresses, the configuration variables Start String, Delimiter, and Carriage Returns can be transmitted for added onscreen formatting. o Special transmitting mode to allow addresses to be typed in even while EmailMan(tm) remains open. o Save the onscreen window position with the configuration variables for automatic window placement upon running or opening. Excellent for those with large screen monitors! o Can be used with CodeHead Technologies MultiDesk (Deluxe) as a resident or non-resident accessory. o Can be used with CodeHead Technologies Warp9 for added screen redraw speed and keyboard control of alert boxes. To see this amazing new utility at work for yourself, try the free demo version which is available now on all the major on-line services. To order a registered and full working copy of EmailMan?, send a check or money order (drawn on a US bank) made out to Scott R. Garrigus in the amount of $10.00 to: SRG Software Attn: EmailMan P.O. Box 5 No. Salem, NH 03073 GEnie: S.GARRIGUS PAN: GARRIGUS Internet: garrigus@pan.com ###### STZIP V2.2 VS LHA V2.01 COMPARISON ###### By Steve Johnson ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- Captured from GEnie ST RT This is a performance comparison between Vincent Pompey's STZip v2.2 ZIP archiver and Roger Burrows' LHA v2.01 LZH/LHA archiver. This comparison does not, nor does it intend to compare the aesthetics of each archiver and is only intended to compare the overall raw performance of the two. To make as fair a comparison as possible, I chose several different types of files to archive, from picture files to ASCII text files to executable and data files, and also combinations of these file types. STZip v2.2 was set to use the 'best' deflate compression and LHA v2.01 was used to produce -lh5- format LZH/LHA archives. All tests were done on the same system (a 1040STE w/ TOS 1.62 and 4MB RAM) under the same circumstances (e.g. no RAMdisk, same source/destination file paths, etc. for BOTH). Following are the results of each archive tested (times listed are in min:sec format): File: PCSPICS2 - a collection of Photochrome picture files (uncompressed) - 1,121,488 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 849,405 bytes ( 75.7%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 826,477 bytes ( 73.7%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time 6:00 9:25 Extract time 3:00 2:42 File: GOGOST50 - GoGo ST v5.0 (uncompressed) - 161,661 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 52,965 bytes ( 32.8%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 52,873 bytes ( 32.7%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time 1:30 1:14 Extract time :31 :20 File: ZNET9312 - Z*Net Online Magazine #9312 (ASCII text file) (uncompressed) - 118,093 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 46,113 bytes ( 39.0%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 48,232 bytes ( 40.8%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time :41 1:00 Extract time :17 :13 File: PGS22 - my entire PageStream v2.2b folder w/ subdirectories (uncompressed) - 3,792,526 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 1,865,944 bytes ( 49.2%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 1,886,210 bytes ( 49.7%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time 33:08 32:57 Extract time 12:36 10:18 File: SAMPLES - a collection of digital sample files (uncompressed) - 128,199 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 92,892 bytes ( 72.5%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 91,799 bytes ( 71.6%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time :47 1:07 Extract time :26 :21 File: MIDISTUF - a collection of MIDI song files (uncompressed) - 622,546 bytes (100.0%) (STZip v2.2 - deflate(best)) - 105,320 bytes ( 16.9%) (LHA v2.01 - lh5 format) - 100,579 bytes ( 16.2%) STZip v2.2 LHA v2.01 ---------- --------- Archive time 6:02 5:23 Extract time 2:08 1:09 As you can see from the above results, sometimes STZip v2.2 is faster than LHA v2.01 and vice-versa, although when STZip IS faster, it's usually a more noticeable difference. On the other hand, in EVERY case, LHA v2.01 was faster at extracting the archive, and quite noticeably so on larger archives. In most cases, LHA v2.01 also produced a smaller archive. STZip v2.2 seems to only really yield better compression with text files (especially pure ASCII ones). Both formats are usually within a few percentage points in amount of compression, though for non-'text-heavy' files, LHA v2.01 seems to yield better overall compression than STZip, however slight. As previously noted, this comparison does not take the aesthetics or operation of the archivers into consideration. That is left up to the individual to decide for himself or herself. Steve Johnson GEnie: STEVE-J *** PERMISSION TO REPRINT IS GRANTED BY AUTHOR *** ###### THE UNABASHED ATARIOPHILE ###### By Michael R. Burkley ###### Special Expanded Edition ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- Spring has finally sprung in Niagara Falls, NY. The grass is growing (just cut for the first time today), the flowers are blooming (we just had our annual Daffodil Festival), and the mosquitoes are humming (one less than earlier this evening! I should have save it for a test of a program I downloaded [see below] but I didn't think of it at the time!). I enjoy Spring. It's not too hot (I always say that you can put more clothes on, but that there's only so many that you can take off), the daylight lasts longer, and I can get out and "smell the flowers" (no pollen allergies for me, thank God). I'm looking forward to doing a lot more walking, and hopefully getting rid of a bit of my "winter fat" (which was there last summer unfortunately). But right now I want to take you on another sort of walk. This walk is through some of the best PD/SHAREWARE and Commercial Demos available on any platform. Let's go! 1040BS is a humorous look at a hypothetical (that's the BS part) IRS simplified tax form under the Clinton Administration. There's quite a list of possible "joint filers" and addresses "homeless specify the location of your dumpster." Here's the line on listing your income: "Wages, salaries, tips pandering income, etc. (ie, everything you made last year)." Lots of other satire. Requires PageStream 2.x to view. 2PLANETS are two .PCS pictures created with Phoenix Object Render from Lexicor Software by Mick Poche'. One is of Saturn, rings, bands and all (I like how you can see the stars through the rings), and the other is of a softly green planet circled by a large moon (or satellite, to be more exact). Both are excellent. You need a .PCS viewer to view these files. 525 is Five to Five, v.0.9 by Harald Schönfeld and Bernd Spellenberg (dated April 1, 1993). This is a useful utility (!) that converts digitized sound samples to and from the following formats: - DVSM (Falcon); - AVR (ATARI); - SND, AU (Sun, Mac, NeXT); - WAV (PC); and - raw data. Compatible with any 680x0 Atari. MultiTOS compatible. Docs included. German and English program versions are included. 7UP_ENGL is the English version of a very capable GEM based text editor from Germany named 7-UP by Michael Thänitz (translated by Mike Valent-- thanks Mike!). This is v.2.09d dated July 14, 1992. 7UP uses all the advantages of GEM and more. It is mouse and/or keyboard controlled, allows up to seven windows open at one time, uses GDOS if available (with various size fonts even without GDOS!), includes programmable function keys, imports its own desktop with icons, and much, much more. Extensive docs. SHAREWARE. ST--Falcon compatible with any amount of RAM. Color or mono. This is an excellent program! AEO_0208 is the April 17, 1993 issue of Atari Explorer Online. The Editor's Perspective...Albert Dayes looks at Atari Works' Database. A closer look at the newer Cubase/Falcon030 offerings. Bill Rehbock's GEnie RTC .Hot new Falcon030 products debut at CeBiT 93. Andreas tells his thoughts on the Pentium, monitor size, market size, and the state of home brew beer. Brodie & Pradip's GEnie RTC .. Atari Works straight from the author! Drivezilla Returns! More on Gregg's quest for the Fujistu hard drive. Brodie & James Grunke's GEnie RTC A look at the Falcon030 from Atari's music meistro. Krimen on GEnie ...Ed gives us some topical messages found on GEnie. Notes from the Internet ..Power T-Communing, Atari style. GEnie News ..New files & happenings on Atari's Official Online Resource. Shutdown ... Hindsight. ALAD_MAN contains a Calamus 1.09N .CDK and replica system font that will allow you to view and/or print out (if you have Calamus--it's worth it to get it!) a 12 page illustrated tutorial for configuring and using Aladdin, the GEnie on-line navigator. It's not the whole manual, that's available elsewhere, but it's a start for beginners. ANSIUTIL is a series of four ANSI related programs and a mono emulator that will prove very helpful to you if you wish to call out on your modem and use ANSI graphics on your ST. Compiled by Andy MacCallum these programs are: EDITVT52 is the Text Screen Editor v.2.1 by Damien M. Jones (dated July 17, 1990). This program is useful anytime you need to create a text screen. It allows you a flexible method for adding color to old text screens and for making new ones. You can use this to make screens for a BBS, but anywhere one screen of colorful (or plain and drab) text is needed, this program comes in handy. This program does NOT handle animation! It produces text files that start in the upper left corner and proceed to the bottom of the screen. The only difference between its files and normal ASCII files is the VT52 color control sequences that are automatically inserted for you. Color only. Docs included. STe compatible. NOPROENG is NoPro, an ANSI Animation program by Stefan Zimmer v.1.1 (dated 1991). With this program's help you can create ANSI animations. The program is in English, but the docs are in German. Mono only. This file contains CHICFONT, a program that changes the system font to the Chicfont, and a VT100 emulator, both of which must be installed for the program to operate correctly. SHAREWARE (hey, remember to support Shareware authors even if they live far away, OK?) Q_ANSI is QANSI v.1.0, a program that converts Quick BBS ST VT-52 to ANSI. It also has an excellent doc file describing just what the ANSI standard is and how Quick BBS ST implements it so you can see all of those neat online ANSI graphics. Color or mono. STe compatible. ST_ANSI is Captain's ANSIpaint v.1.0 by Dirk Hoeschen. This program will allow you to "paint" ANSI logos with an IBM-Character-set so that you can use them in any ANSI based program. This has a very nice interface and is easy to use and save/load your files. Works on my STe (though I have to disable UIS 3.2 for it not to crash when I try to load or save any work). Mono only. Docs included. SEBRA by Patrik Persson is one of the best (if not the best) mono emulators available. I reviewed it a number of articles back. If you have a color monitor, GET THIS. (that's simpler than reviewing it again and saying more words but the same thing!). ATOMP_36 is the Atomik Cruncher3 v.3.6 by Altair (dated Feb. 23, 1993). This program will allow you to compress your programs (very efficiently, I compressed a 124K program down to 53K, though it won't compress .ACC's), resource files and text files to save space on your disks. I don't know what good it is to compress text files unless you have a special reader program, but you can do it. Resource files won't work with your programs either unless they are written to unpack the special format used. Now compatible with Warp 9 from CodeHead Technologies. No docs and uses the "F" keys to control the various options. AWARI_Z is a working demo of Buttonz Awari by MajicSoft. By the authors of ButtonzBasic, an excellent utility shell for GFA Basic, this demo gives you a modernized version of this three thousand year-old African strategy game. It's excellent and challenging. I've enjoyed playing it. It comes from a group of games called Mancala, in which seeds are moved from cup to cup around a board in an attempt to capture opposing seeds. The strategy of these games is highly complex and demands a fine mathematical calculation of possible moves and their results. The game has 3D buttons (hence the name Buttonz Awari) and instead of using cups to hold the seeds, we use digital registers to hold numbers. The game offers two different variations and three different artificial intelligence levels for the computer player. It also allows two player mode with either the mouse, joysticks or keyboard (but only one player against the computer in the demo). As an extra feature, tournament mode allows for a match type game to be played. An optional timer mode, allows for fast under pressure gaming. Hard drives and modem play are supported (but no modems in the demo--I think). Color or mono. ST-- Falcon. Docs included. Recommended. BATTERY is D-Battery v.1.0 (dated 1993) from DragonWare Software. It is an .ACC for use with the Stacy portable computer and DragonWare's Battery Kit. It will check the amount of time you have used your Stacy on its battery and will remind you when it is time to recharge. It's smart in that you can tell it when you recharge and when you are operating off of AC. SHAREWARE. Mono only. Docs included. BROCHURS is a series of twenty-five Calamus .CDK templates by Jimmy Carter (not the ex-President!) for use with Calamus 1.09N (it should also work with Calamus S and SL). Each .CDK represents one of Paper Direct's pre-printed paper designs. This file contains all of the designs in the "Brochures" section of their catalog. For the most part, these templates are full-page designs made up of several thick and thin Calamus frame borders approximating the appropriate design. Just load these into Calamus, design your page using the template, and print out your material using the appropriate Paper Direct paper. Paper ordering information included. 159K uncompressed. CAMEL is a series of files (SPU and RD1) that you can use with Phoenix Object Render from Lexicor that will allow you to view a WWI Sopwith Camel. You must have Phoenix to view this file. CF4035A is the CardFile™ 4.03 to 4.05 Patch Program from Gribnif Software. You need CardFile v.4.03 (an unmodified master disk) for this free upgrade. Lots of upgraded features here! If you have CarFile v.4.03 then this file is for you! There was a patch just released to v.4.04, but that had a bug in the AutoPre option in the autodialer. That has now been fixed. CLIP_ART is a series of nine nicely done .IMG clip art files. A banner- bursting "GREAT!," a cute turtle, two sheep, two rainbows, a very nice picture of two tiger lillies, a seal, and a smiling sun are all included. DCX_FYI contains six text files about theoretical and actually-being- developed Single-Stage-To-Orbit craft. It has some facinating information in it (see below). I recommend it highly. 1_SSTO is "The SSX Concept," a text file by Jerry E. Pournelle, Ph.D. (dated 1993) that tells the idea behind a single-stage to orbit craft. He details some design parameters and possible ways of achieving such a craft. As always with Dr. Pournelle, this article is informative and solidly grounded (or more apropos, "ethereally invested"?). He believes that SSX [the single-stage to orbit craft] is possible; that an SSTO ship could be built and flown in fewer than four years and for less than a billion dollars. Wouldn't it be great? Let's try it! DCS_STAN is a text file entitled "SSTO, A Spaceship for the Rest of US). SSTO craft are "Single-Stage-To-Orbit vehicles. This file (dated March, 1993) details the expensive and dangerous way we now use to reach orbit and then points to a much cheaper and potentially safer method--the SSTO. It details design plans and current contracts that have been let by NASA and other government agencies. VERY interesting. The projected timeline is pretty amazing as well! DCX_TOUR is a text file by Andy Cohen describing his tour of the Delta Clipper-X (a protype Single-Stage-To-Orbit craft now under development). Dated March 12, 1993, this file is facinating! According to this it's almost ready to go! DCX_WHY is a text file taken from the Delta Clipper public relations flier by McDonnell Douglass Space Systems Company. It details some of the reasons why this SSTO craft is being developed now. It describes the DC-X 1/3 scale prototype and what is intended to be learned from it. The file also includes some other information about SSTO's. SSTO_NUS is a brief article by Dana Hartsock that tells the news (as of the first week in Feb., 1993) about the DC-X 1/3 scale model of a SSTO craft presently being developed by McDonnell-Douglas. It's almost completely built and testing will soon start. WOW! SSX2 is a reply by Jerry Pournelle, Ph.D. (dated Jan. 29, 1993) to criticisms of his post 1-SSTO. Some people feel that he is insulting people with his lack of "operational data on single stage to orbit" craft. He says, "Of course, because there aren't any--yet." He then goes on to say, with considerable acuity, that we should get that data. I agree! DELPHIBT is a series of BackTALK scripts for Delphi by Paul Lefebvre (dated Jan. 13, 1993). These scripts (found on GEnie no less!) will help you to automate your STalker usage on Delphi. They will allow you to get a list of files in the Recent Arrivals database, automatically download files, check mail and forum messages (and either display them or save them to a file for later use), and use a simple type-ahead buffer (in case you don't own STeno, or Paul's more capable STalky). Docs included. Paul has written a slew of other programs as well. They are all excellent! Check them out! I also recommend both Delphi and GEnie. They are both excellent. I'm glad I'm a member on both! ECCB7 is a very interesting file that details all of the new features of The ElieMouse Complimentary Coloring Book v.7.0 (dated April, 1993). He keeps on improving and improving this version. It's amazing! He also lists his current software and offers an amazing sale and upgrade offer. EZ_BACK is EZ-Back, the freeware SyQuest/Floptical Backup by Larry D. Duke for Purple Mountain Computers, Inc.. EZ-Back is an incremental backup utility. Tt backs up your hard drive partitions to a SyQuest™ drive, a Freedom Floptical Drive™, or any other hard drive partition you have on your system, using an incremental backup scheme. In other words, it only backs up those files which are new or have changed in date, size, or file attributes since your last backup. This allows successive backups to be done more quickly. It does lots more, too. This works on any Atari 680x0 computer (most likely the Falcon, too) that has at least one meg of RAM and a color or mono monitor. Docs included. FLTDLG_2 is a set of files by RoadKill (Christian G. Rountree) that will show you how to write Floating Dialog boxes and Floating Toolboxes (something you need to know how to do if you want your code to be MultiTOS compatible). This is version 2 (dated April 26, 1993) which fixes which fixes a few minor bugs in version one (released just a few days before--that's support!). These files were written in Lattice C 5.52, but is easily portable. Docs, C source, a demo program, and teaching docs are included. F_SWITCH is an .ACC from DragonWare Software for use with GDOSFSM, FONTGDOS, or SPEEDGDOS. It will not work with earlier versions of GDOS. F_SWITCH allows you to create lists of BIT-Mapped fonts that can be assigned to up to 20 different programs. Now you can switch ASSIGN.SYS files without having to reboot! Docs included. There are two versions of this program with the same name, and the same docs! Make sure when you download this file that you get the one that says it is the update (GEnie file # 28509 but why didn't they change the name!!). GUITAR is a .SEQ color animation by Barry Summers of a space-going guitar flying near a planet and being re-fueled by a space tanker. The guitar then flys off past you. ANIMATE4 program included. HANGMAN by John R. Duckworth is an .ACC version of this well-known game. Bootup with this .ACC (or use MultiDesk Deluxe or Chameleon to load and unload at will, but you must keep the data file in your bootup drive). Guess the letters of the word until you die or get the word right! There are three categories of puzzles: Cinema, Personalities, and locations. Thanks for a nice diversion John (and I like your taste in music, too). Color or mono. Docs included. HUGGS is a cute .IMG file that you can print out and use as a coupon for a free hug from "any cooperating human." Very nice (though not as nice as a hug!). JIMIVIOL is a fairly poor quality .SPU picture of Jimi Hendrix playing a violin from a from a black and white promo film made for his 1968 single "Burning of the Midnight Lamp". The pic grabbed using Vidi-ST and was "colorized" and touched up using UNISPEC's color editing tools. MARIOCK3 is another User to User file from DMC Publishing, the Calamus et.al. people (only available through GEnie or DMC). This file by Mario Georgiou contains a series of CK3 filters for use with Calamus S and SL. The filters allow you to adjust and add colour to monochrome, greyscale and colour raster graphics. The CK3 filters also allow the Thresholding and posterization of colour raster graphics. Docs included. Thanks guys for your excellent support! MD_ENGL is the English version of MyDraw v.1.06g by Helmut Neumann (dated March 27, 1992). MYDRAW is a Drawing program for the Atari and closes the Gap between the pixel-oriented programs and the unhandy and expensive CAD-Programs. Using GDOS, MyDraw allows you to create and modify GEM metafiles (vector graphics like the kind produced by Easy Draw). This program was useable in its German language version (it is GEM based and so fairly easy to work around), but this English version makes it even more useful. It allows you to create and save objects, rotate them, insert text, draw freehand or with a multitude of tools, and many other functions. I recommend this program. SHAREWARE. GDOS or GDOS clone required (possibly FMSGDOS compatible--it seems to work OK according to Mike Valent). Mono or large screen monitors only. English docs included (translated by Mike Valent. ST--TT compatible. MDIAL_10 is MultiDialog (GEM-Dialogs in Windows) by Helmut Neukirchen (dated April 4, 1993). MultiDialog is an AUTO folder, .ACC, or standard program that puts nearly any GEM-dialogbox into a GEM-Window. The result is that you can access the menu-bar or other applications while a dialog is running. This is especially VERY useful for multitasking TOS- releases (it allows some non-MultiTOS compatible programs to work in a multitasking environment!). Though MultiDialog was designed to work with Atari's MultiTOS it runs with all other TOS versions, too (i.e. TOS 1.0 - 4.xx and multitasking enhancements like MultiGEM or Magix--or so the author hopes. German menus but English docs that tell you all the German/English equivalents are included. MUSQUITO is the Brutel Solutions Mozzie Repeller II program by Adam Crow and Jon Clyne (dated August 1990). This program is designed to ward off mosquitos by causing your ST to emit soundwaves of around 22KHz. You can't hear them (unless you have hearing beyond the normal range). Supposedly mosquitoes can hear it and it drives them wild. They go on a blood feast and drain anyone dry who is near the sound source (no, I'm just kidding!). Actually they don't like the sound and so they stay away. Just install it and forget it! I have my doubts about the effectiveness of this program (I seem to remember _Consumer Reports_ trashing the concept), but I'm going to capture one of those little mosquitoes I just saw today and try it out! It would be NICE if it worked! Docs included. OUTSIDMO is the Outside v.3.0 Demo. This is a virtual memory manager for the TT and Falcon. It will add two megabytes of virtual memory to those machines. From reading the (German) docs it looks like this program will help the TT to be more compatible with some programs that presently crash on it, will speed up ROM access by 30% (by copying it into RAM), and much more. The full version will add more (hey, it's a demo!). PHENXPCS is a series of four .PCS format pictures created by Barry Summers using Phoenix Object Render and Photochome (which converted the GIF backgrounds). One picture is of a saucer invasion over L.A., another is a spaceship in an asteroid belt, another spaceship with mother Earth in the background, and the last 3D block woman next to a 3D lotus car with ancient Rome in the background. A PCS viewer is included (pictures must be in drive A with this viewer). Not great, but OK quality. PIR_BBS is a text file written by Dorothy Brumleve on behalf of the Independent Association of Atari Developers (IAAD) and the entire Atari community. She tells of the investigations of the IAAD into pirate BBS's around the country. The dishonesty and blatent thievery that this article exposes outrages and sickens me. Huge amounts of copyrighted, commercial files are available for downloading on large numbers of pirate boards. I hope the people running and accessing those boards are prosecuted to the full extent of the law! This is a "must-have" file. POLARICE is Polaricze by Jason Holliday (updated April, 1993). This SHAREWARE color-only game places you somewhere in the Arctic. Earth has been invaded by Aliens intent on stealing our water supply and polariczing the Earth (whatever that means!) You have to stop them! Joystick controlled, this game requires you to learn how best to attack each of the variety of different aliens. Find your way to the mother ship and destroy it! Multiple screens which you access by moving to the left or right. Capture the ski mobile, master your weapons, and save the Earth! Joystick controlled. A STOS game with digitized sounds. TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible (at least). RD1SATRN is a file by Mick Poche' that contains an RD1 file and 2 GIF pictures for creating a Saturn-like planet and stars with Phoenix Object Render from Lexicor Software. See 2PLANETS for an example of the results in Photochrome STE PCS format. Docs included. SHARPCON is the Sharp JX-9500H Configuration Utility by Anthony Watson of Mountain Software (dated May 1, 1993, but I downloaded it a week before that!). If you have a Sharp JX-9500H laser printer this file will allow you to configure it to your hearts content. It works with the printer in its HP-II and Epson FX-80 modes. It runs as a .PRG or an .ACC (just rename it). If you don't have a Sharp JX don't bother with this! SNDSRCH is Sound Search by David Becker (dated 1993). This mono only SHAREWARE game is just like Concentration except it uses sounds instead of pictures. The game presents you with twenty buttons bearing ten matching sounds. When you choose two buttons that sound the same the buttons disappear and you get another chance to choose. There are over 60 different sampled sounds! Each time the program is run, it's a different game! This memorization game is fun for kids and adults alike. The author has included a utility that allows parents to choose sounds, turning some on and some off as they wish. Requires at least one meg of RAM. The registered version doesn't include any advertisements and has complete docs (which aren't needed, but register anyway, OK? Who else produces such excellent mono software in such amounts? Thanks David!). SPACE1 contains three text files about theoretical and actually-being- developed Single-Stage-To-Orbit craft. Two of thes (1_SSTO and DCX_NUS are duplicates of files found in DCX_FYI, but the third, MOONBILL is new). MOONBILL is a text file describing the "Lunar Resources Data Purchase Act presently before Congress (dated March 13, 1993). Designed to bring private industry and government agencies into a ground-breaking partnership that will turn America back towards lunar exploration, this bill seems quite useful. Descriptions and suggestions to encourage passage are included. SQUAROFF is a very interesting game by Andrew (evilandi) Oakley entitled Square Off (written in 1991 with STOS). This game is joystick or keyboard controlled. Basicly you need to start at the start and finish at the finish, picking up as many points as you can inbetween. Of course, there are a few obstacles in the way! It is like an arcade/maze game with monsters, teleport pads, disappearing trails, and one way paths. It talks, too, and has nice sounds. It begins with very easy levels that show you how the game works and then moves on up to crazy (50 levels included)! I like this game, and my son does, too. Color only. STe compatible (at least). Docs included. An enhanced version of this game (with 25 more levels and an editor) is available from Budgie UK (ST Plug is the North American distributor). STDCAT52 is STDCAT V5.2b by Bob Silliker. Stdcat is a program that can be used to catalogue diskettes and hard disk partitions. It is a GEM window application using four (4) windows to display various parts of a catalog. You can configure this program to your heart's content. A catalog is organized into sections with each section containing a number of disks, disk contains paths (folders), and paths containing files. Each section, disk, path and file can have a comment associated with it. Mouse or hot key controlled. Color or mono. Docs included. SHAREWARE (i.e.: if you use this send him a <signed> check!). I have only heard good comments about previous versions of this program (things like, "The Best!" and "Wow!", etc., and this version seems to be continuing the tradition. STe compatible (at least). STKR_KIT is the Stalker Kit by Gordon R. Meyer of DO NOT STAMP Software. It contains two utilities for use with STalker. They are: STalker Toggle v.1.0 (dated April 23, 1993). This is a small utility program for use with the STalker3 telecommunications desk accessory from Gribnif and Strata Software. Toggle simply instructs a currently loaded copy of STalker3 to enable or disabled itself. This allows you to automatically set the status of Stalker prior to running another program which requires exclusive use of the serial port Stalker is using. It may be run from the desktop, but is best used with a CLI or shell that allows 'chaining' of programs. STalker STuffr v.1.5 (dated April 23, 1993). This is a small utility that instructs a currently loaded copy of STalker3 to load and execute a BackTALK script. This allows you to execute BackTALK scripts of all types without having to open the STalker3 window and select the script manually. It also allows for automation of STalker tasks through the use of a CLI or similar batch-style program scheduler. Finally, users of HotWire can use Stuffr to create Ledger entries for sessions involving the STalker3 desk accessory. Stuffr can be executed from the desktop, a CLI, or a shell such as HotWire. STSTOK40 is the STock->Smart v.4.0 demo by Mark Cawthon (the author of GOGO->ST). STock->Smart is a stock charting program with a portfolio spread sheet. Up to four chart windows may be displayed at any time, along with one portfolio window. A terminal program, which allows easy access to GEnie's FREE daily quotes, and a daily to historic quote converter program are part of STock-> Smart. Chart high/low/close, closing only, volume, weekly-daily, moving averages, etc. All daily quotes are converted to the historic format used by GEnie's QUOTE$ historic database and appended to the previous records for each stock you choose to track. Download past price history on any security in the GEnie QUOTE$ download format and instantly see the chart. Use the line drawing feature to highlight trends and help make price forecasts. Lines are retained when the chart is resized and may be saved with a chart for later update! This demo version of STock->Smart has been rigged to track just five set stocks and only 12 transactions per portfolio, but all other features are 100% operational. ST/STe/TT compatible (with at least 512 K of RAM). Color or mono. It seems to be a high quality program. I only wish I had enough money to buy enough stock to make it useful to me! TERASECR is The Secrets of Teradesk by Al Fasoldt v.1.0.1 (dated April, 1993). Teradesk by Wout Klaren is an unusual adn powerful desktop replacement for the ST and TT. This file gives you a lot of the "ins and outs" of this program. Al Fasoldt has written "The Secrets of NeoDesk" which is a fascinating look at the hidden power of NeoDesk. This file does the same for TeraDesk. I recommend it (and TeraDesk, of course) to you. TITEDEMO is a working demo (save disabled) of the TITED text editor v.1.00 by Raymond Hill (dated 1993). This .PRG/.ACC text editor is blazingly fast in scrolling through text files (so much so that the first five minutes are spent in scrolling past the spot you wanted!). Extensive use of pop-up windows, dialog boxes, and icon-based selections all make TITED very easy to use. I especially like how the program handles scrolling through text files (you see the file scroll by in "real time" as you move the scroll box). All the standard features are implemented (blocks, selects, text marking, deletes, Undo, merge, and much more). The Atari Clipboard is supported as well! One more feature that I have not seen anywhere else is this program's ability to read and save files in a Mac compatible way. You can load ASCII files originating from an Apple Mac and write them as well (well, only in the registered version can you save files). Compatible with any 680x0 Atari computer. Resolution independent. Docs included. TOSERROR by John Townsend formerly of Atari [sigh] is a text file that tells you "Everything you never wanted to know about TOS error numbers." If you've ever had a program crash or not run and seen those "TOS Error #..." messages appear, then this file is for you. STUNAR is ST UNARJ 2.20 by Jorge Cwik v.1.0 (dated 1991). This program can extract and list 'ARJ' archive files. It's fully compatible with archives created by ARJ 2.20, the PC program by Robert K. Jung. Note that this is the first ATARI ST version, 2.20 means compatible with the 2.20 PC version. Compatible with ARCSHELL by Charles F. Johnson. Color or mono. Docs included. UVK58DMO is a working demo of the Ultimate Virus Killer v5.8 by Douglas Communications (dated Feb. 26, 1993). This demo comes from Europe, but the program is now being distributed in North America by Oregon Research Associates (the people who saved my bacon by fixing my trashed SyQuest disk--the one that had seven weeks of downloads that I hadn't backed up! --by using their Diamond Edge software). The limit in the demo is that while you can detect viruses, you cannot kill them, and that while you can immunize your disks against further virus infection, you can only do so to one disk each time you start the program, you can look but not repair commercial bootsectors, and it advertises itself. This program will allow you to check for link viruses (the kind that modify your programs), identify/ restore commercial boot sectors (they appear as viruses on most virus programs), and will alert you to odd vectors in your ST's operating system. A list of features is included, but no docs. I recommend this program! Unfortunately it is necessary. Color or mono. ST--Falcon compatible. That's it for now. I hope you enjoy the Spring wherever you are (unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere and it's Fall!). Take care, Michael All of these files can be found on one or more of the following on-line services: GEnie (M.BURKLEY1), Delphi (MRBURKLEY), The CodeHead BBS (213-461-2095), Toad Hall (617-567-8642), and The Boston Computer Society's Atari BBS (617-396-4607) (Michael R. Burkley). Drop me a line! Michael lives in Niagara Falls, NY. He is a former Polyurethane Research Chemist and is presently the pastor of the Niagara Presbyterian Church. ###### Z*NET/AEO FNET SUPPORT BBS ###### Compiled by Ron Kovacs ###### --------------------------------------------------------------- *SOME* systems have not been listed as they were NOT included in a recent FNET information date file. The following systems are part of the AEO/Z*Net Online Conference in the FNET. These systems participate in the conference which receive the latest editions of Atari Explorer Online Magazine and Z*Net Atari Online magazine weekly. 8 Jeff Bath Universal ST 414-496-0724 45 Mike Hawkins The Prairie Chip ][ 307-632-7958 66 Don Liscombe The Brewery 416-683-3089 72 Russell Schwartz STEP BBS 503-297-6542 74 Lamarr Kelley H.A.U.G. BBS 205-722-0900 94 Jerry Cross Facts Line 1 313-736-3920 123 Rick Berry EastSide BBS 618-254-6077 181 Brett Hainley NovelConcepts BBS 713-729-7555 182 Gary Mcallister Hillside 206-362-2317 204 Steve Rider The Closet Door 408-736-8069 224 Dick Pederson Flash BBS 314-275-2040 287 Walter Hudson Starlight BBS 215-879-8886 304 Bill Scull The Twilight Zone 407-831-1613 307 Norstar PayBax BBS 302-836-4816 319 J. Townsend Atari Base 408-745-2196 390 Joe Burke Bear's Den 803-574-6738 410 Smitty ACE Information 513-233-9500 423 White Seeker BILINE BBS 303-791-2592 462 Brian Watters Atari ST Connection 209-436-8156 467 Robin Sherwood Forest 718-522-0768 478 Dennis Mcguire Spectrum Atari Group 814-833-4073 504 Quartermaster Media 2000 410-360-1356 523 Lesley-dee Dylan Leftover Hippies BBS 416-466-8931 546 Mark Antolik Bear Swamp BBS 513-644-0714 593 Ron Kovacs Z*Net News Service 908-968-8148 595 Barry Torrance Temple of Doom 403-436-0328 596 Jay L. Jones Super 68 206-630-1261 602 Bruce Faulkner Cartoon Haven BBS 719-574-7406 610 Frank Kish The Songwriter's Den 908-859-5999 619 Milt Boren Tron 2 BBS 416-336-1236 623 Shawn Zweers Radio STation 416-934-6801 632 Clueman London Smog BBS 714-546-2152 633 Randy Rodrock The Dark STar BBS 801-269-8780 642 Wiz Hero's Haven 304-525-3339 647 Tom Allard E.H.C.R. 203-528-7693 648 Waltzer The Mosh Bit 206-574-1531 655 Roger Allman Wizzard's Castle 803-469-6988 657 Scott Haynes The Round Table BBS 513-528-5833 658 Scott Haynes Cin'Tari OnLine 513-528-7463 669 Al Peterson Dateline: Atari BBS Brooklyn, NY 670 Martin Crommie Puddle City 503-289-9429 675 Stan Sharp Eleventh Hour BBS 706-796-3805 678 Kim Stahn A.C.O.R.N. 219-744-1396 685 Gary Gorski JACG BBS 201-690-5224 689 David Barker Speedy's Raceway 513-353-4098 690 Kerry Bowman Progressive Atari ST 503-686-3276 693 Chris Thorpe Z*Net South Pacific 644-4762-852 701 John Curtis Conqueror Connection 817-539-8228 702 Long John Silver Mother of All BBSs 416-332-5810 729 Adrian Gruber **StarBase1** 407-381-2610 734 Max Denebian Alternate Eternities 503-649-7915 746 Bill Butler WORLD SPACE 604-420-2647 754 Dave Lloyd Skyline BBS 303-457-0320 755 Bob Smith InnerCore 407-294-5183 756 Joseph Wilson Hidden STar Services 503-463-9022 757 Tom Denison CHAOS BBS 517-394-6852 758 David Scarpa W.M.A.U.G Junction 413-786-3870 # # # ======================================================================= **--DELPHI SIGN-UP--** ---------------------- To sign up for Delphi call (with modem) 800-695-4002. Upon connection hit return once or twice. At Password: type ZNET and hit <Return>. ======================================================================= **--GENIE SIGN-UP--** --------------------- To sign up for GENIE call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH and hit return. Wait for the U#= prompt and type in the following: XTX99436, GEnie and hit return. ======================================================================= **--COMPUSERVE SIGN-UP--** ------------------ To sign up for CompuServe service call (with phone) 800-848-8199. Ask for operator #198. You will then be sent a $15.00 free membership kit. ======================================================================= **--ATARINET INFORMATION--** -------------------- If you'd like further information or would like to join AtariNet please contact one of the following via AtariNet or Fido: Bill Scull - Fido 1:363/112 AtariNet 51:1/0, Dean Lodzinski - Fido 1:107/633 or AtariNet 51:4/0, Terry May - Fido 1:209/745 or AtariNet 51:2/0, Tony Castorino Fido 1:102/1102 or AtariNet 51:3/0, Don Liscombe at AtariNet 51:5/0, Daron Brewood - Fido 2:255/402 or AtariNet 51:6/0. You can also call the Z*Net News Service at (908) 968-8148 for more info. ======================================================================= Reprints from the GEnie ST Roundtable are Copyright (c)1993, Atari Corporation and the GEnie ST RT. Reprints from CompuServe's AtariArts, AtariPro, AtariVen, or Aportfolio Forums are Copyright (c)1993, CIS. Reprints from Delphi are Copyright (c)1993, Delphi and the Delphi Atari Advantage SIG. ======================================================================= Reprints from AtariUser Magazine are Copyright(c)1993, AtariUser. NO AU article MAY BE REPRINTED without the written permission of the publisher. You can subscribe and read ALL of the informative articles each and every month by contacting AU at (818) 246-6277. For $15.00 you will receive 12 issues. Send your payment to AtariUser Magazine, 249 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 332, Glendale, California, USA, 91203. Foreign delivery is $30.00 in US funds. ======================================================================= Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Corporation. Atari Falcon030, TOS, MultiTOS, NewDesk and BLiTTER are trademarks of Atari Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned in this publication belong to their respective owners. ======================================================================= **--** Z*NET OFFICIAL INFORMATION **--** -------------------------- Z*Net Atari Online Magazine is a weekly online publication covering the Atari and related computer community. Material published in this issue may be reprinted under the following terms only: articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of each article reprinted. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted at the beginning of the article, to registered Atari user groups and not for profit publications. Opinions present herein are those of the individual authors and do not reflect those of the staff. This publication is not affiliated with the Atari Corporation. Z*Net, Z*Net News Service, Z*Net International, Rovac, Z*Net Atari Online and Z*Net Publishing are copyright (c)1993, Syndicate Publishing, PO Box 0059, Middlesex, NJ 08846-0059, Voice: (908) 968-2024, BBS: (908) 968-8148, (510) 373-6792. ===~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~== Z*Net Atari Online Magazine Copyright (C)1993, Syndicate Publishing - Ron Kovacs ===~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==