*=*=*› MINUTES OF  DECEMBER 10, 1995  MEETING››      Our  Secretary  and Treasurer RON› FETZER has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  and› can   not   perform   his   OL'HACKERS› functions.   So,   starting  with  the› December 1994 meeting we are going  to› fly  with  the  old revoling Secretary› method each month. ALEX  then  decreed› that  it's only fair to use the system› that has worked for  the  U.  S.  Army› since  the  year  1776.  The "Military› System" was first used by the American› Amry  in the Revolutionary War. Let me› explain. The selection each month  for› Secretary  will  be  in  alphabeticaly› order.  For  December,  AL ATKINS (not› one   "A"  but  unfortunately  two  of› them).›› CORRESPONDANCE››       BILL  SMINKEY's  letter  to  RON› sending   in   his  1995  annual  dues› stating he  would  not  want  to  lose› contact  with  a  great group like the› OL'   HACKER'S.   Bill  thinks  he  is› receiving   a  bargain  value  in  the› newsletters each year.›     JOSEPH E. HICSWA and JOHN  JOHNSON› were other outer-of-towners to send in› their  1995  dues.  JOE  also  sent  a› modified, modified, modified  copy  of› "DRAW  POKER"  to  ALEX, complementing› him for doing an outstanding job  with› the sound and graphics. Not only is he› proud of him but is honored that  ALEX› took  the time to improve the program.› Further stating that with people  like› ALEX  the ATARI just might bounce back› again.›      ALEX responded by  congratulating› him  for  being  made   President   of› J.A.C.G.  ALEX  also called and sent a› card to  SAM  CORY  offering  the  OL'› HACKERS  condolance  to SAM whose wife› passed away after a long illness.›      TOM ANDREWS Forwarded a very long› letter  stating  his  father  is doing› well   and   his  brother  is  getting› married. He mentioned the THANKSGIVING› DAY  dinner  his  family  had. A truly› AMERICAN THANKSGIVING dinner with  all› of the down on the farm home cooking.›      His  latest programming effort is› to modify the fantastic  "PRINT  STAR"› program, and it's presently being Beta› tested. Tom is very much in demand  as› a  writer, by CURRENT NOTES, and ATARI› CLASSIC magazines and  is  considering› other  possibility  of  writing  for a› commercial magazine.›      The OL' HACKER'S were very  sorry› to  hear  that  A.C.E. of Syracuse has› disbanded     (membership     dwindled› drastically  over the past year). They› will only meet informly as a group  in› the  future.  No  longer  will dues be› collected and the treasurary is  being› used to maintain their BBS.›      JIM  CUTLER,  England,  has   the› distinction   of   sending   the   OL'› HACKER'S the first CHRISTMAS  CARD  of› the season. With it came twenty pounds› Sterling as payment for his 1995  dues› (though that might be excessive and we› just might owe Jim some change).›       DANE   STEGMAN  is  looking  for› "CROSSWORD MAGIC"  by  Mindscape.  His› copy does not print on his ATARI XM801› printer. Our members were requested to› check this out, if possible›      DAVE   EWENS,   Newcastle-on-the-› Tyne,  ENGLAND, plans to attend the 8-› Bit AMS show in ENGLAND. He'll make  a› report  on  his  findings and he sends› his best to the OL'HACKER'S.›       TOM   SMITH   of   SAN    DIEGO,› CALIFORNIA,  adviseson  how to get rid› of the question marks printed  on  the› screen  with  Input  commands.  (  RON› FETZER  added,  that  for TURBO BASIC,› just use (,) Comma ).›       ROBERT   BUMAN,   S.A.G.E.  Club› President, (no longer the  S.A.G.E.  8› BIT  mailman   and   the   "SAGE*CAT""› programmer,)  wote a letter to ALEX to› thank him for his  kind  comments  and› for  the  shareware  donation,   which› OHAUG sent him. He returned the check,› and said "I'm proud to say I can count› all  my  donations  on two hands. Your› letter  will  go  into  my  "SAGE*CAT"› memento folder.  Your  check  will  be› returned  for  what  you  have done to› perpetuate and nurture the 8-Bit ATARI› enviRONment."    A   nice   compliment› indeed, THANKS BOB!›       JOHN   POWELL,  our  member  and› NWPAC, Arizona, member  sent  his  new› address   and   wondered   about   our› Newsletter Disk, evidently  they  went› to "never-never land" as they were not› returned   to   the   OL'    HACKER'S.› Hopefully,  the  next  newsletter disk› can find  JOHN's  new  address  easier› than  the  old  address.  (Could it be› that the Post Office  has  lost  their› "RETURN TO SENDER" stamp).›      STUART  MURRAY,   SCOTLAND,   has› cheers  for  the  new  "ATARI CLASSICS› MAGAZINE".   He   includes   the   OL'› HACKER'S NEWSLETTER in his advertising› and   calls   it  the  best  "American› Newsletter". Another great compliment.› THANKS STU!››   DEMOS››      With  STUART MURRAY's letter came› FUTURA #13, Summer '94.  Its  OL'H.  #› 530.  The  DOM  menu  contains  "ATARI› News",  "Editorals",  "Slamming   Part› II",  Sam's  Hardware  Warehouse, "The› World of "G" and Your Printer" by ALAN› HITCHEN.  Other  powerful features are› the ability to display or  print  text› files  and  run  programs was the main› reason for the  change  in  the  menu,› from the good old "VIEW DOCS". Another› well done newsletter!›      DALE WOOSTER,  President  of  the› NORTHWEST  PHOENIX  ATARI  CONNECTION,› known  as  NWPAC,  Arizona, sent their› SUPERB    "Christmas    Disk",    also› containing the latest version  of  "PS› LABEL7"  with  more  than  three dozen› Holiday Icon Labels. They  are  to  be› commended,  they  really  do things up› right   out  there!  Side  one  has  a› HORIZONTAL   and   VERICLEl  scrolling› displays of colorful messages.  Either› of  these  display  messages  can   be› changed  or  edited  as  desired.  The› horizontal   scrolling  message  read:› "This Christmas Greeting shows you our› appreciation    for   your   continued› support of the ATARI 8-Bit connection. › We  hope  that  the past year has been› joyful   and   life  has  enriched  in› spirit, health and fortune.  We  8-Bit› users  have  withstood another year of› scorn  by  fellow  users  with  bigger› machines. We have added  one  year  of› life  to  a  computer  that  has  been› declared dead a long time ago. 1995 is› rapidly   approaching   and   we  look› forward to the  NEW  YEAR  with  great› enthusiasm  and  knowledge  that  many› programs will be developed and the old› improved upon. We know  that  we  will› make  new  friends  and share the same› interest with them. But  unfortunately› we  will say goodbye to a few who will› leave the 8-Bit community. We know  as› surely  as  the sun raises in the East› that this time Dale,  Merle  and  John› (Editor  Oficers  of  NWPAC)  will  be› sitting  and  preparing  a new seasons› greetings for each  of  you.  A  MERRY› CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR."  What a› nice thought--THANKS NWPAC!›      PACE, FLORIDA, OLH  DISK  #  527,› sent  a  copy  of  their  DOM,  also a› HOLIDAY DISK consisting of Winter  and› Christmas  programs.  Side  1 included› favorites such as "SKI", "SANTA", "NEW› YEAR", "FIREWORKS", eleven programs in› all. Side 2 is chock full  of  15  AMS› Christmas Music songs.›      LVAUG  Disk,  OLH  #  528,  is  a› GAMBLING  CASINO  disk that has "VIDEO› POKER" and "SLOT MACHINE"  games.  The› graphics and games are really great.›      TWAUG #12, NOV/DEC 94, OLH # 529,› Also came in with a game  disk.  Their› DOM  side  1,  menu  showed  "GEMINI",› "SPARE  TIRE",  "DIGITALIZER",  "CARGO› SHIP",(The  old Battleship game). ALEX› displayed   some   excitement    while› demonstrating  CARGO SHIP, he beat the› computer (Now at long last we  finally› know  how  he  spends his spare time).› Side 2 had games plus  some  utilities› like  "SEARCH",  "TO  BASIC",  "DOCS",› "BLDEMO  1&2"  "TURBO", "DRIVERS.ARC",› "ARC.COM".›      SLCC, NOV.94, Issue 1211,  OLH  #› 531,  Side  1  ALEX  displayed a large› grin   (Ear-to-Ear)  when  he  spotted› "FANTAN", on the menu.  Ready  or  not› the  members  were  shown  the   finer› points  of  this  card  game, which is› also one he  likes.  Inaddition  other› programs  were "LOST CITY" (Action for› 1 player),  "MY  SHAPE"  (Text  game).› Side  2,  was  formatted  in  Enhanced› Density,  with  No Basic had (5) Great› Eurpean Demo's and  Compute  Magazines› "SKI".›       BEE    WEE   SOFT,   ABBUC   BIT› BYTER,(GERMAN), OLH # 532, Sent a DISK› with   a   "SPECIAL   DOS"   that   is› compatibile   with  "SPARTA  DOS"  and› "SPARTA DOS-X". The  disk  includes  a› manual, and 23 pages of DOCS.›      ABBUC  #16,  OLH DISK # 533 is in› Enhanced Density has "BONANZA"  w/Docs› and "SPEED BALL".›      LVAUG 11/94 Disk, OLH # 534. When› viewing the menu you  are  allowed  to› make  your  selections either with the› ARROW keys or a JOYSTICK. The programs› on  this   disk   include   "DESKTOP",› "MAILLIST"  (Ed.  There is an upgraded› version of this in the Library),  DESK› CALCULATOR",              "PRINTMAKE",› "PRINTMAKE.TEXT",  "ANTIC WRITER.COM",› "CONVERSION.COM",  "ANTIC  TEST  1&2",› "EASY FIND", "EASY 80". Sure  looks  a› real nice collection.›      NEAR*US - At a monthly meeting of› LIAUG (Pat Mulvey, President) had many› NEAR*US  members  as  guests.  Some of› those  attending  were  BEN  POEHLAND,› John Mordoski, Vice President of LVAUG› and  from  the  OL' HACKER'S were ALEX› PIGNATO,  ALAN  SHARKIS,  RON  FETZER.› ALAN SHARKIS' report on  this  meeting› on December 3rd can be found elsewhere› in this newsletter.›› TREASURY REPORT››      RON FETZER gave the clubs healthy› Treasury Report.›› HEY, WHA HAPPENNNNED?››      Then  came  the  "SHOCKER" of the› year. Before  HARRY  TUTHILL  realized› what had happened the December meeting› was adjourned. For the first  time  in› memory  of  the   OL'   HACKER'S   the› unthinkable  had  occurred,  "NO  DOOR› PRIZES!".  Look  at  the  bright  side› HARRY,  maybe  in  January  1995  this› catagory  will  again  be added to the› monthly   agenda.  If  not,  maybe  in› February you can circulate a partition› to bring back the "DOOR PRIZES".››     Respectfully submitted AL ATKINS›               ** End **››