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- Path: news.uh.edu!barrett
- From: mcox@access.digex.net (M D Cox)
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews
- Subject: REVIEW: AMOS PD CD
- Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
- Date: 21 Sep 1994 18:55:13 GMT
- Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett
- Lines: 176
- Sender: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator)
- Distribution: world
- Message-ID: <35pvih$4hg@masala.cc.uh.edu>
- Reply-To: mcox@access.digex.net (M D Cox)
- NNTP-Posting-Host: karazm.math.uh.edu
- Keywords: programming, CD-ROM, AMOS, BASIC, commercial
- Originator: barrett@karazm.math.uh.edu
-
-
- PRODUCT NAME
-
- AMOS PD CD
-
-
- BRIEF DESCRIPTION
-
- The AMOS PD CD is a complete archive of the AMOS PD Library disks.
- These disks were also called APD and contain files for use with AMOS, a
- BASIC-like programming language.
-
-
- AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION
-
- Name: Weird Science
- Address: 1 Rowlandson Close
- Leicester
- Leicestershire
- LE4 2SE
- England
-
-
- DISTRIBUTION
-
- Main places to buy the CD-ROM as far as I know:
- USA:
-
- Northwest Public Domain
- PO BOX 1617
- Auburn, WA 98071-1617
- USA
- Phone: (206)351-9502
- Email: nwpd@connected.com (John McNab)
-
- UK/Europe:
- Weird Science, as listed above
-
-
- LIST PRICE
-
- Suggested retail price is about $19.95 (US).
-
-
- SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
-
- HARDWARE
-
- An Amiga equipped with a CD-ROM drive, such as the Commodore
- A570, CDTV, CD32 or any supported third party CD-ROM
- drive.
-
- No memory is recommended or required by the CD, but AMOS
- should have 1MB or more to work with.
-
-
- SOFTWARE
-
- AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher is required.
- Works fine with AmigaDOS 2.x and 3.0.
-
- Requires a suitable CD-ROM file system such as AsimCDFS,
- AmiCDFS, Babel CDFS, or Xetec CDFS. Parnet and Sernet
- can also be used to access the CD ROM drive via the parallel
- or serial port.
-
- AMOS is required if you want to view the source code and the
- special 'banks' that the programs use. You can use
- Easy AMOS, AMOS v1.36, and/or AMOS Professional v2.0.
-
-
- COPY PROTECTION
-
- None.
-
-
- MACHINES USED FOR TESTING
-
- Amiga 1200, 4 MB Fast RAM, 2 MB Chip RAM.
- 465 MB hard disk (120 MB internal, 345 XDS IDE external)
- Overdrive CD ROM
- Paravision 1230XA 50/50 accelerator
- C= 1084 monitor
- AmigaDOS 3.0
-
- Amiga 500, 1 MB Chip RAM, 4 MB Fast RAM
- 46 MB TrumpCard 500 hard disk
- A570
- C= 1084 monitor
- AmigaDOS 1.3
-
-
- THE BASICS
-
- For those not familiar with AMOS, here is a brief introduction.
- AMOS, written by Francois Lionet and sold by Europress, is a BASIC-like
- language for the Amiga. It includes many special commands that let you take
- control of the Amiga's special capabilities. The best part is that it is
- very easy to learn and use. With one command, you can have a sprite or BOB
- flying across the screen.
-
- Unfortunately, official support for AMOS has stopped due to the
- demise of Commodore. There is a party of dedicated AMOS users, however, that
- are looking for the rights to obtain the source code and continue providing
- free PD upgrades.
-
-
- REVIEW
-
- The CD is organized into groups of directories that span the entire
- AMOS PD collection. Each APD disk is placed in its own subdirectory so that
- you can just copy the contents of a directory onto a bootable floppy disk
- and distribute it to your friends. Even the C, S, L, DEVS, etc. directories
- are there.
-
-
- INSTALLATION
-
- Simply place the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
-
-
- CONTENTS
-
- As mentioned earlier, the CD contains the entire AMOS PD Library
- collection (#1 - 620). The library is run by Len and Anne Tucker and is
- endorsed by Europress. There are over 33,000 files. There are 1600 AMOS
- source files, 100 sprite banks, 260 CTEXT/TURBO PLUS banks, 800 audio
- samples, oodles of music banks, and a few PD extensions for AMOS and AMOS
- Pro. Program categories are Eurodemos (Digital Orgasm), utilities
- (Adventure Toolkit), music (Maverick music disks), games (Super Battlezone),
- and many others.
-
- Also included are a few of the TOTALLY AMOS disk magazines, also run
- by Len and Anne Tucker.
-
-
- LIKES
-
- The best part of this CD is that it is so cheap and contains the
- entire AMOS PD library! If you use AMOS, this CD is a definite must. The
- source code is invaluable, and the banks are totally usable in your own
- programs (as long as you comply with the author's wishes, if any).
-
-
- DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS
-
- It would have been nice also to provide an LHA archive of each disk
- so it could be placed on a BBS and/or downloaded to the crappy MSDOS
- machines I have at work.
-
-
- COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS
-
- The AMOS PD CD is just like the Aminet CD, except that it is geared
- specifically toward AMOS users. Even non-AMOS users may find a few nice
- games, demos, and/or utilities that they like.
-
-
- CONCLUSIONS
-
- If you have AMOS, you MUST have this CD. It is the PERFECT excuse
- to tell your significant other that you need a CD ROM drive! Hey, it worked
- for me!
-
-
- COPYRIGHT NOTICE
-
- Copyright 1994 Michael David Cox. All rights reserved.
-
- ---
-
- Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
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