EnigmA Amiga Run 1995 November/EnigmA AMIGA RUN 02 (1995)(G.R. Edizioni)(IT)[!][issue 1995-11][Skylink CD].iso/earcd/misc/noahsarc.lha/Noahs.Arc/Part2

Text File | 1995-10-05 | 18KB | 338 lines

  So let's begin:

  Well, I'd love to assume since you've got this baby that you've got a
modem..and since you've got a modem you no doubt have downloaded files
before so you have Pkax and perhaps LHA, and from that I can infer you have
Show and Less and probably Conman and Mackie, and thus PrefCh and Select...
but I won't.  You actually COULD be sitting there with the thing barely
hooked together, boxes still scattered around, you've read the "manual" (I
REALLY hesitate to use the word..), maybe hauled up the Notepad and wondered
what in blazes was going on, and...was the book really giving you the right
directions?  Maybe you've actually typed DIR in a CLI window, only to be
confused by a bunch of gibberish rolling by on the screen.  And you're STILL
puzzled about them using icons from religion, menus from a restaurant,
projects from the office, tools from the garage and the notepad off your
desk!  It's called "Par for the course" in one language, "Welcome to the
club!" in another.  And then you get handed THIS by a friend.

                                       *

  Well, the bad news is that you still have to learn the manual.  I'm only
going to fill in the stuff they left out, or worded is such a way that they
might as well've left it out.  No offense to Commodore meant here; computer
manuals are notorious for being poorly-written.  Somebody'll come along any
minute now and tell me this one's one of the all-time greats.  It also, to
be fair, should be noted that the book doesn't claim to be the "manual",
only an "Introduction to..", which it certainly is.  The only question this
leaves, then, is where IS the manual??

  And in case you were wondering why the manual and the DOS books are a
little off the mark sometimes, it's because they're either not upgraded for
your version or else they're just plain ol' wrong.  Pick up the Bantam DOS
book, as mentioned in the manual, and I liked Compute!'s AmigaDOS Reference
Guide, an excellent book, very witty command examples.  Yes, you have to
learn them, yes, there'll be a test.  By the way, it's very obvious which
parts of the books are for us, and which aren't.

  I'm not going to tell you how to use the computer, as such, I'm going to
help you get things set up so that when you DO use the computer, it'll be
more comfortable and natural to use.

  That's my disclaimer.

                                       *

  And as long as we're being serious, I'd sincerely like to recommend you buy
some interesting games for your Amiga.  Now, I know you're a serious person,
and are interested in this computer for very serious reasons, but I, being
of like mind, found that if I took a break now and then..not from the
computer, but just from the serious side..my momentum and interest in the
computer as a whole remained strong.  There's always those one or two games
in any good selection that'll tickle the fancy, so pick up a few.  I'll
mention my favorites later on in the tutorial.  There...that's it for the
serious stuff.  Glad we got it over with.

                                       *

  And an apologetic literary sidenote to the women: As you know, they acci-
dentally left out a couple of words when they invented the English language,
such as a non-genderizing word for "he" and "she".  So it's MUCH easier to
just write to one gender or the other.  So, call me a sexist, but I picked
the guys.  If you'd just substitute a little "she" for every "he" and a
"gals" for every "guys", it would be gratefully appreciated.  And if I call
the computer a "he", well, I call my car a "she", so what can I say?  Hey,
I'd apologize for the inventors' oversight, but I wasn't there.

                                       *

  And YOU...learn to type.  That's right, with all your fingers.  Learning
how to type isn't all gruesome and time-consuming like, say, learning how to
play the piano or something.  Look at it this way:  When was the last time
someone had to show you how to hold your toothbrush?  It's the same deal.
You just spend a little time learning where all 26 are ("No looking at your
hands!") and it's there forever.  It becomes "second nature", as they say.
Get yourself an intriguing Infocom all-text adventure from the local store
and you'll WANT to be able to type, because you'll find NOT being able to a
distraction to your concentration.  Small tutorial is enclosed.

  For what it's worth,learning to type with a monitor in front of you is
MUCH MUCH easier than learning to type with a typewriter, as you can see
your mistakes immediately and clearly, unlike a typewriter.  So appreciate
what you got.

  Be quick.  Be pro.  Learn to type.

                                      *

  Okay, some basic definitions to make sure we're all on the same page:

      device   -   The whole "container", like df0: or Ram:  View them as
                   different file cabinets if you want.

      directory-   Just like a drawer in the file cabinet, it holds stuff.

      drawer   -   Workbench name for a directory.  Basically, a drawer is
                   a directory with an icon to open it as a window, so you
                   can operate things with the mouse.

      file     -   Just a general term used every which way, meaning some-
                   thing made up of bytes, meaning anything stored on a disk.

      command  -   A CLI instruction to do something to/for/with a file,
                   stored in the c directory.

      program  -   A file that is Run, like the Clock.

      tool     -   In general, any program.  Specifically, a program that
                   performs a certain, individual task, such as the IconEd.

      project  -   A file that needs a tool to run it, like a Notepad note
                   (the project) needs Notepad (the tool) to display it.

      textfile -   A text document like this one that you Type, or, more
                   properly, a text document that you display with a Type
                   program, like the "More" program in Utilities.

      scriptfile - A textfile full of CLI commands that you Execute.  Also
                   called a "Batch File" 'cause it batches commands together,
                   as well as a "Command Sequence File", but that doesn't
                   count 'cause it's too many words.

      format   -   If I say something like "look in the Tool Types box for
                   the correct format", I mean to check out EXACTLY how the
                   command or whatever is laid out; spaces, quote marks,
                   capital letters, etc.

      Format   -   The command in the System directory.  New disks ALWAYS
                   have to formatted, so if I say a "blank" disk, I assume
                   one that's been formatted.  Called Initialize by the
                   Workbench, although no one knows why.

      Info     -   There are two Infos, you'll use them both.  One's in the
                   c directory with the rest of the commands, the other's
                   from activating an icon and using the Workbench pull-down
                   Info menu.  You'll do a lot with this window.

      .info    -   Tagged on the end of a file name (tool, project, disk)
                   means it's that file's icon.  An icon is how you run a
                   program from the Workbench, it doesn't need to be there
                   for the program to run.  Type "Clock" in a CLI and up pops
                   the Clock, "bypassing", as it were, the icon.  There will
                   be programs you always run through the CLI and you'll
                   delete the .info file (the icon).  Other programs, mainly
                   ones you download, you'll have to borrow or make an icon
                   for because they were too cheap to include one.

                   If you see JUST a ".info" when you Dir a directory, that's
                   the window's "file marker" or something.  Type "Dir Ram:"
                   and it should be empty (unless you've got that CLIPS and
                   ENV business in it).  Double-click the Ram icon to open
                   the window.  Close the window and "Dir Ram:" again.
                   You'll see ".info" listed, the (newly-created) window's
                   small claim to existence.

                                       *

  And three general references:

  - The "Workbench" isn't the computer, as such, it's a means of accessing
the computer through the mouse and icons.  When your computer is booting up,
it's using the CLI to execute the two scriptfiles "startup-sequence" and
"startupII" located in the s directory.  The screen you see as it's booting
up is a CLI process, or "task", in operation, the same CLI as the one found
in the System drawer.  THAT'S the computer.  DOS means Disk Operating
System, and when you're using the CLI, that's exactly what you're doing:
Operating the Disk (floppy or hard) System.  When you're "in DOS", that is,
using the CLI, at that point you're looking at the computer as people have
been looking at computers for two decades now, with a big blank screen and
a ">" in front of them.

  The Workbench screen, the thing that pops up with the icons on it, is a
Commodore deal (and a few others companies as well) that's the basis for the
term "user-friendly".  That's because of the ease of using the mouse, as
well as such thoughtful touches as requesters asking us if we `REALLY want to
delete this stuff?'  Those requesters drive the old hands in the audience
just nuts, but you can just BET that somewhere not far down the road you'll
activate the wrong icon, swing the menu down to Discard, and JUST before you
hit the "ok to discard?" box, you'll realize with a humbling flash of sanity
that, no, you really didn't want to at all.  THEN you'll want to kneel down
and kiss the ground before the All-Wise and All-Knowing gods at Commodore.

  When someone mentions "the computer", you have to think DOS first and
Workbench second.  There's very little you can do with the Workbench that
you can't do with the CLI, but LOTS of things you can do with the CLI that
you can't with the Bench.  Hey, they just said "friendly", not "smart".


  - When it comes to "Ram" and "memory", look at them as one and the same.
Ram IS memory, only you can see it, add to it, make directories in it, etc.
Ram is what makes the memory visible.

  An example:

  Let's say you've got some 600K of memory available after booting up.  You
put a bunch of programs, about 100K's worth, into Ram for whatever reason.
Now you've got about 500K of memory available.  Let's say you've got a neat
animation you want to show that's about 70,000 bytes, and the tool to run it
is about 30,000 bytes, so together that's 100K needed to show the animation,
and since you've got 500K available, no problem.  In that light you can go
right down to zero before you're out of memory.

  There are two different types of memory, "chip mem" and "fast mem", but for
our purposes right now there's really no difference.  You'll learn as much
as you need to know about them along the way..just be glad you've got the
FastMem pack.  The first 512K just kind of sets the computer up and gets it
ready to do something.  That second 512 is what you do it WITH.


  - A "BBS" is a computer Bulletin Board Service, and you should make one of
your primary goals getting a modem and calling some local BBSs.  They're
just regular ol' people running these things, so don't be hesitant or shy.
A BBS consists of a software program, computer, modem and phone line donated,
essentially, to the good of Amigakind.  Some are "message-base" only, and
don't have any programs, most have a bunch of both.  The reason the BBSs are
so important is because they contain small programs, "tools" in our language,
that are almost vital to the proper working of our computer, and we want em'.

  While it's nice to have a brand-new modem and some snazzy software, you
really don't need to spend much money to get online.  Modems are a dime a
dozen at the used electronics fairs/flea markets/stores, etc, and you can
pick up phone numbers and a cheap, crude but workable software program at
your local Public Domain/ShareWare outlet.  After that, it's just phone line
charges to your local BBS.  There's no charge to become a member; only the
big boards like CompuServe and GEnie charge.  If the board you call wants
money, forget 'em.  There are thousands of free Amiga-only BBS's across the
country, and many many more multi-computer boards that have great Amiga
sections.  I remember being kind of shy at first, and thinking "Gee, I've
already got TONS of stuff to figure out, what do I need any more for?", but
I quickly learned that not only do the programs you download from a BBS make
your computer easier and more enjoyable to operate, but in the process of
incorporating them onto the Bench, you learn bunches about the computer
at the same time.  As a budding Amigalite, you should be in the state of
mind where you can't WAIT to be online!

                                       *

Update Note:  Well, here it is years later, and the "Information Highway" has
been laid right through our back yards.  Definitely find yourself a local
"server" and connect up to the Internet.  Use the World Wide Web as your
interface, lotsa fun.

                                       *

  Smiley faces:

  Know what a smiley face is?  Tilt your head to the left and this is a
smile :)  They're used extensively in computer talk and can add a lot of
feeling to a textfile or a BBS message.

  A little sad, are you?  Then you're a  :(

  What's that?  You're angry?  Then you're a definite  :[

  Is that a sly wink?  ;>

  Add a nose for a little character  :^)

  Look at that big cheesey smile! :D

  You get the idea.

                                       *

  Basic assumptions:

   - You're using a backup copy of Workbench1.3.  I'm going to tell you to
(gasp!) delete some stuff to make a little room, but don't worry, it's all
faithfully there on your master.  Actually, you're supposed to have a master
backup of the master, even, so you never have to touch the original.  Again,
in theory, this holds true for EVERY good master disk you have: bench, paint,
processor, game, you name it.  Blank disks are only a buck apiece.  Can you
see any OTHER part of your system that's that cheap?  Live it up, buy lots
and lots of disks.  Put a master backup set of all the really good stuff in a
closet somewhere, away from the computer.  I like the Sony 2DD disks; they're
reliable, have colored labels, and, best of all, the labels actually peel off
months down the road and don't leave all this crap behind.  That kind of
engineering marvel is enough to sell me on a product any day.  You think I'm
kidding?  You want to put labels on top of labels making the disk thicker,
you want to have maybe a gummy edge roll back and have it get stuck in the
drive, you go right ahead.  I don't use White-Out, either, just because of
the possibility of it flaking.  When thinking about how to handle the disks
and drives, the words "reverence" and "awe" spring to mind.

  Update Note:  Well, trust Big Business to screw up a good thing.  The "new"
Sony disks come with impossible-to-peel-off labels, all the same ugly puke-
green and with this lovely "SONY" printed across them.  Oh well.  I could
have just deleted the previous paragraph, but there may still be a bunch of
the "good" ones around (maybe my area is a "demographic testing ground"), so
thought it worth leaving in.

  Update II Note:  They dropped the ugly green labels. :)

                                       *

   - Whenever I give a command to type in a CLI window, I'll put it in
quotes.  There are very few times that you actually use quotes anywhere
so I don't think we'll run into any confusion.  If I list out a string of
CLI commands, like so, I won't use quotes:

                             Dir df0:devs
                             Delete System.info
                             Run Clock


   - When I capitalize the word "Type", it's the CLI command to type a docu-
ment, or, more properly, a textfile.  As mentioned in the Read1st file, you
should copy the included Type program (Less1.1) to your c directory, wiping
out your original and semi-worthless Type command.  I say "semi-" because it
does have one tiny role yet to play, but I'll let you figure it out.


  And one more little thing:

   - NEVER remove a disk while the light is on!!!

  There's only one "Disk Drive Rule", and that's it.  There ARE a few
exceptions, like sometimes a game might ask for Disk 2 and the light
stays on, and I have a PAL-boot disk where the light stays on, but I've NEVER
yanked out the disk while using it without worrying.

                                       *

Non-Update Notes:

  Most people have hard drives these days, but there are still a surprising
number of floppy-based systems, so at this time I've decided not to change
all the "df0"s to "dh0"s.  Shouldn't be any big deal.

  If you're running under 2.x or 3.x, the tutorial's not updated for them,
but the majority of the text remains the same.  When things don't jibe with
what's here in the tutorial, don't sweat it.

  In the next section we're going to get downright serious, so set aside
some time, have a couple copies of Workbench on hand, and let's do it.

                                       *