*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›››           NEWSLETTER REVIEW››             by Alan Sharkis›        OHAUG Newsletter Librarian›› Some  you  may be wondering why there› is  such  a  large  gap  between  the› publication of a club newsletter  and› its review in this column.  There are› many factors to consider.  First,  we› don't    always    get    newsletters› promptly.  That's tied up in the fact› that   some  clubs  distribute  their› newsletters to members who show up at› meetings and then send the rest out. › If   I   were  running  a  club,  I'd› probably get the newsletters into the› hands of the paying membership first,› and   then   worry   about   exchange› programs,  etc.   So, it's reasonable› for  that  delay  to  be  built  in. › Second, the mail is not,  as  we  all› know,    perfect.     Finally,    all› newsletters  we receive are mailed to› ALEX.  It wouldn't be  very  wise  of› him to just pass them to me quickly. › He   can  take  out  items  that  are› CURRENT and should  be  displayed  or› discussed at meetings before I get to› review   them   in  print.   Finally,› there's   the   fact   that  our  own› newsletter is  sometimes  so  crammed› with  good  stuff that an article has› to be left  out.   Last  month,  Alex› asked  me  if  he  could do that with› mine.   I  agreed,  knowing  that  it› would delay the reviews a bit  more. › However,  I  believe  that  our  club› keeps  on  top of developments in the› 8-bit world to such  an  extent  that› the delay isn't really that serious a› handicap for us.  We all  have  other› sources  of  information.   At  least› three  of us that I know about belong› to other Atari  clubs.   I'm  one  of› them, and when I go to my other club,› I still see demos  of  items  that  I› reviewed,  or  heard   discussed   or› demonstrated  at  Ol'  Hackers   long› before  the  other  club  got  them. › Please  don't feel that I'm trying to› dissuade you from reading this column› because  Ol'  Hackers  "scoops"   the› other  clubs  so often.  My intention› is just the opposite.  I want you  to› read  this column, simply because the› 8-bit world is still so big,  varied,› and  dynamic  that Ol' Hackers simply› can't scoop everyone,  much  as  we'd› like  to  do  that.   Believe me, the› delays are necessary outcomes of  the› information-gathering  process.    In› fact,  I  remember  cases  where long› after   commercial   products    were› released  and  had  become   popular,› people  begged  magazines  like ANTIC› and ANALOG to review them.   I  think› we still do better than that.››       Lets continue with the reviews!››   B.C.S.  Computers for January, 1992› reports   that  the  Boston  Computer› Society's Atari  8-bit  group  had  a› meeting  with  a  program  devoted to› chess    software.     Sargon    III,› Chessmaster  2000,  Colussus,  Parker› Brothers' Chess, and Atari Chess were› demonstrated.   RICH  WELD  describes› the  features  of  each, and compares› some   to  Battle  Chess,  a  popular› program that runs on 16-bit machines.› The  SAGE  Scroll  for February, 1992› reprints a DAVE  HARRIS  (UFFDA/FMAIG› NewsWire  2/90) article on how to get› started with  Atari  computing  on  a› tight  budget.  An ED BACHMAN (Z*NET,› 11/90) article  reviewing  the  X-COM› Wedge  2.0 is also reprinted.  It's a› must-read, even a must-have  for  all› disk-based SpartaDos users. ››   The  February, 1992 issue of Update› Atari   (HACE)   has   many  articles› referring to their library disks  and› DOSs  from  A.I.M.   Because  we have› many of these same  programs  in  our› library,  I heartily suggest that you› get this newsletter from me and  scan› it. ›   ›   The  February,  1992 issue of LIAUG› Light House contains a reprint of the› BARTON M. BRESNICK (11/4/91) article,› "What Is An 8-Bit  Atari?",  and  the› fifth  and  last  of  my  series   on› selecting    modems    and   terminal› programs. ››   The  W.A.N.D.  for  February,  1992› contains  a  page  of  the   funniest› computer-related  cartoons  I've seen› in a long time.  It also reprints the› Drawn  and  Quartered column in which› JOHN   COLLINS  (Nybbles  and  Bytes,› 2/92) gives us an assortment of Atari› facts,  as  well  as  his  Pop-up Pix› program listing.   There  is  also  a› reprint  of  GEORGE IKEN's (H.A.C.E.,› 1/92) BASIC Disk Management  System. › This  utility  will allow several DOS› commands to be issued from  within  a› BASIC  program.   A  listing  of  the› program,  which  is  a self-contained› module, is also included.   From  the› same issue of Nybbles and Bytes comes› a reprinted list of  game  hints  for› commercial  software.   President  of› the  Westchester  club, Rolly HERMAN,› also writes a  column  on  using  the› SX212 modem with BobTerm.››   (FR)ANTIC  for February, 1992 has a› great column by Vice President  BILLY› WASHBURN  on   the   intricacies   of› programming  in  for the 1020 plotter› in BASIC.  President ALVAN SHERRILL's› Beginners'    Column   concerns   the› AtariWriter cartridge.   There  is  a› hint,  submitted  by JAMES MARTIN, on› usint the Light Pen with the  130XE. › Ther  is  the  second part of MATTHEW› BAKER's article on Atari  Art.   This› one  covers R-Draw, a drawing program› that he likes.  LARRY ALLEN continues› his    tutorial     on     SpartaDos.› Subscribing  members, too, contribute› their fair share.   JACK  LEA  writes› about  a  session  with the Miniature› Golf program.  ED HALL  brings  us  a› trivia  quiz that's a real challenge.››   MUG  Newsletter  for February, 1992› contains a reprint of the JIMMY BOYCE› (CACE) AtariWriter+ column about mail› merge.  The March, 1992 issue of SLCC› Journal has a column by Bob Wooley in› which he handles a  number  of  8-bit› issues,  but none of his own hardware› hacks.    It's    well-written    and› deserves a look.››   The  First  Quarter,  1992 issue of› 8:16 has a  Notice  Board  page  with› some rather interesting information. › Too bad the items listed  on  it  are› almost all sold in England.  There is› one item from a local publisher  that› deserves  our  attention,   however. › It's    from   Aerion   Software   of› Riverdale, and it's an adventure game› called,  "Fury:  The  Wrath of Taljun› Cathu."  The paper  also  includes  a› full-page  insert  ad  for Chroma-Cad› and a multi-page insert listing their› 8-bit  p/d   library,   among   other› things.   There is a reprint of CHUCK› STEINMAN's (A.I.M., 1/90) article  on› dual  memory  usage  in  applications› using  the  Turbo  816 modification. › KEN SUMRALL tells us how to modify  a› 600XL  so   that   it   gives   split› luma/chroma,  composite  video,   and› audio  just  like the output of other› 8-bits.  There is  a  competition  in› which  eight   short   programs   are› printed.   You  have  to identify the› language in which each  is  written. › The languages run on 8-bits or on the› ST.  There  is  a  reprint  of  JIMMY› BOYCE's  (A.I.M.,  3/90)  article  on› AtariWriter+.   This  is  the  one in› which Jimmy tells us how to construct› a  printer  driver  for the Panasonic› KXP-1080i   printer.    MIKE   BARNES› writes  a great retrospective article› about his 800.     ››    +*+*+*+*+* END +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*   ››