<>**<>› 8-Bit Uses for an ST Mouse› by Brent Fisher› ----› (Ed. In trying to find material for› the OL' HACKERS newsletter, I have› looked back on old files and with the› desire to bring you info, this is› another oldie but goodie that you may› have missed, but should know about!› A.P.)› ----› Now is the time for all good men,› naahhh that's not it. Oh, hello› everyone. I was just thinking of› something else in preparation of this› fine feature article that I am writing› to...well you might call it a› rebuttal...no, better yet call this a› reply or even just a continuation of› an article by Jay Pierstoff called› Commodore 1350 Controller that I saw› in issue #147 of Zmagazine.›› I realize that this article (it is a› reprint from a July 1986 issue) is a› couple of years old, so I will try to› not be too hard on it, but still I› think that a few points need to be› covered. First, it is now possible to› purchase a ST mouse and it readily› hooks up to any 8bit computer.›› With the ST mouse you can play a very› mean game of Missile Command. To be› quite honest, that is the only reason› I bought my mouse. You would be› surprised at how well your scores do› after you get a mouse pad. You say› what good will the mouse do if you can› only use a joystick with Missile› Command.›› Well, you see that is not entirely the› case. Atari way back when they› released the cartridge, I really don't› know when they did it but I know it› was one of their first, released it› with a little extra that Atari› apparently didn't know about.›› Way back in the days before Tramiel,› Atari was owned by Warner, the company› didn't allow their programmers to put› their names on the games that they› programed. So the programmers› sometimes added a little bonus that› the company wasn't privy to, such as› the one in the Missile Command› cartridge and probably exists today in› the XEGS version. If any of you own a› CX22 Track-ball you may have noticed› that it has a switch on the bottom› left hand side that says Joystick and› next to that Track-ball. Well it› seems that the ingenious programmer› knew about this product coming out and› added a Track-ball handler to his› creation. I know, I know, you're› saying get on with it all ready but› hey if I didn't give you some Atari› lore who would.›› Well anyway, if you press the Control› key and the 'T' key together you will› notice that the screen will flash and› as soon as you plug in the Track-ball› you will have proportional control› over the targeting cursor. Ah ha you› say but what has this to do with my ST› mouse, well if you plug in the mouse› you will notice that it also gives you› proportional control over the cursor› in Track-ball mode.›› While we are sort of on the subject of› the Track-ball, Mr Pierstorff also› mentions that the Commodore mouse acts› like joystick. Well, that's fine, but› those of you who own the Track-ball› also know that I described in the› previous few lines that it will also› work as a joystick.›› I realize that not there are not as› yet that many applications for a ST› mouse, but there are a few. For› instance, both of the new graphic› operating systems are said to use the› ST mouse for pointer movement and the› public domain program Icon Shop allows› the use of the mouse also. Another› point mentioned is that Atari has not› released an 8 bit mouse as yet. Well› near as I can tell, we really don't› need one, especially if you pick up a› Track-ball. I have seen these gems› advertised for around $7 to $10, and› they really do make a good› investment.›› ---------------end--------------------›