The last edition of ReRUN (November/December 1991) marked a turning point in the history of RUN's disk series. For years we have published an accompanying booklet with our bi-monthly ReRUN disks. With the last edition we did away with the booklet and placed the documentation on the disk.
We were uncertain how well this move would be received by our ReRUN subscribers. To gather feedback, we included a Letter to the Editor option on the new disks. Now folks can use the ReRUN disk as a mini-word processor to write and print their responses.
No sooner had we sent the disks out than the responses began flowing in, and our fears were laid to rest. Nearly every letter was positive. We've already heeded some of the advice offered and you can expect to see a more refined product with every edition. The following are excerpts from letters we received:
"Your new format is great. It creates a brighter, livelier atmosphere and is most easy to use. I LIKE IT!"
James Bagent
Clifton Heights, PA
"This is a remarkable improvement. Now you're competing with LoadStar.
"I needed a good sprite editor. How about a search catalog of all your disks and a good character editor?"
Jack Barnes
Dallas, TX
"I'm impressed with this new format. Although it needs polish, it's a vast improvement over what you had.
"One little change I'd like to see early on is single keystrokes for operations, rather than the present control-key combinations. Also, an incorporated program cataloger/library would be convenient for tracking programs without having to thumb through lots of paper or loading several directories."
Wayne Bramble
Marshall, MI
"I like it. Although I haven't tried all the features yet, it's easy to see a big improvement. Just eliminating the need to go to a publication for information or documentation is enough to get my vote of approval."
John Brown
El Paso, TX
"I think this new format is the best I've seen. However, I'd like to see a 1581 as drive 9 incorporated into it, as I have a lot of programs on a 1581. I'd also like to see the year of the issue along with the month at the top of the screen. Once you get a few years under your belt, it could be handy."
Andre Cardinal
Richmond, B.C.
Canada
"The new format looks exciting. I'm looking forward to future issues of ReRUN."
Edward Carroll
Haskell, NJ
"This is a major upgrade for the C-64/128. I urge all Commodore users to start a subscription to ReRUN. It's the best step you can take for your computer."
C.J. Casey
Queensland, Australia
"I really like your new interface. It makes your disk so much easier to use.
"I would like to see a table of contents file that would list what each program does and what files are needed to run it. This should be in a text file that could be printed out. Also, a line would be helpful for separating the different programs on the disk. Finally, your editorial would be better if you placed the issue months on each page."
Jacob Clark, Jr.
Warminster, PA
"'Improvement' is an understatement; this interface is GREAT! However, I kinda' hope some kind of screen-color control is made available; the Help screens are hard to read.
"Thanks for the VIP club and the $10. I'll use it to renew my subscription!"
Norma Cooper
Kent, WA
"Being able to print out the instructions for all the programs is a big help. Even though the instructions are in the magazines, I don't always have a needed issue at hand."
Cecil Crider
Redford, MI
"Well, I guess I like the new way of doing things. I DO know that your supplying the code makes it possible for me to use programs I wouldn't have time to enter myself."
Jay Earnshaw
Cheyenne, WY
"FANTASTIC! That sums up your new disk look! It's been a long time coming, but the wait was worth it!
"For the most part you've done a fine job, but there are a couple of minor changes I'd like to see: First, the main-menu screen is harder to read than some of the others. Could a routine be added to let the user select the screen colors? Second, how about a doc printer that would read all of the .txt files and let them be printed selectively, instead of having to individually load and print each one?"
Norris Elwood
Clearfield, UT
"I think you've gotten off to a good start with your new interface. But, as with all things, there's room for improvement. You need options for two-drive copying and for changing the screen colors (they're horrible). Also, I couldn't get the joystick option to work."
Ron Hooper
Pacific, MO
"The new format? I like it. No more hunting for the proper book for a disk; no more reading the table of contents to find a program. Just run the disk and you've got it all.
"The capability to save to another disk, run, and print to screen is very helpful. Again, it's all there, in your C-64, with one loading of the bimonthly disk.
"With all the information to be loaded, the time would seem too long without the excellent graphics. Sound might be added as an extra."
Jack Klages
Columbus, OH
"I LIKE IT! I LIKE IT! No more books to get lost! Everything is on the disk! And it's a good idea to save the cost of a catalog with each mailing.
"I would like to see more user-friendly programs: spreadsheets, word processors, conversion programs. Most of the programs I've seen on disks like this are incomplete and hard to understand. I'd like to see a problem clinic once in a while, too."
Albert Kremer
Chicago, IL
"From what I can see from this first new ReRUN disk, you deserve a big THAT-A-BOY. I especially like the docs on disk and the copy utility.
"The new format will help new Commodore users. There are more and more all the time seeking out our club, and we recommend your magazine to them all.
"You've done an excellent job in the past, and it looks like you plan to do an even better job in the future. THANKS!"
Richard Malzan
Sioux Falls, SD
"I think the disk is great! It's such a big improvement, I can't believe it!"
Harry Miller
Woodbridge, VA
"Congrats, Tim! The new VIP is the greatest since #1, and I have them all! Suggestions: an option to change the colors in the menu for better contrast, art displays and music programs, a clinic by Ellen Rule, and a GEOS Q&A or tips."
Richard Olson
Depew, NY
"You sure brightened up ReRUN. Even the color is nice to look at.
"Send Us a Letter would be even nicer if you could type on the inside without the addresses. Also, if a user-defined address could be typed in, the letter could go to others!"
George Remillard
North Adams, MA
"HOORAY! You finally did it. You put the documentation on disk with the programs. This will let me have the docs at hand anytime I run a program, or print them out to file in a regular notebook and then read over for detail. It will also let me take my disks from one place to another without the need for a separate pack of documentation.
"I did have a bit of a problem: I couldn't make selections with the fire-button on the Suncom controller plugged into to my C-128."
Kenneth Robinson
Kent, WA
"Thank-you very much for the means to write to you. I like this easy device for printing letters and envelopes.
"The November/December ReRUN disk is the best ever. At first I thought something had happened to the booklet. I learned that you had not printed any this time when I took my good old Commodore from the cupboard and starting using it next to my Atari MEGA 1 and IBM PS/2."
Aimo Ruoho
Helsinki, Finland
"My first thought when opening my disk mailing envelope was 'Oh-oh! They forgot the booklet--I better call.' My next thought was, 'Let's see what's on the disk first.' Having gotten to the Send Us a Letter section, I've decided to write about how the new style of ReRUN strikes me. 1)My Suncom joystick in port 2 does not control pages. I have to use the cursor-up and -down keys. 2) My Star NX 1000 printer, with Super Graphix by Xetec, works beautifully just as directed by your program.
"I wish there was a little more room to write. As you can see, I'm a little long-winded."
