Floppyshop 2/Floppyshop - 2.zip/Floppyshop - 2.iso/diskmags/0022-3.564/dmg-3155/638.txt

Text File | 1992-05-11 | 27KB | 686 lines

Info-Atari16 Digest         Thu,  5 Dec 91       Volume 91 : Issue 638

Today's Topics:
                          1040 STFM for sale
                       38400 bps on a MegaSTe?
                            Atari 520 STe
                      Atari sales going up in UK
                           Atari ST DEAD ?
           Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there? (3 msgs)
                       AUTO-SWITCH OVERSCAN TT
                        Backupst; New version
                  CACHEXXX.PRG Where can I find it?
                        Drive reading problem
                    Dungeon Master - help (2 msgs)
                  EEPROM idea? Whats wrong with it?
                        HELP: Mouse is flaky.
                 High density floppies and emulators
                 Why ASV Is A Dead No Future Product
                    WIZARD OF WOR for the ATARI ST

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 06:52:04 GMT
From: ub!galileo.cc.rochester.edu![e-mail] (Ling Cherd Ho)
Subject: 1040 STFM for sale
To: [e-mail]

   Atari 1040Stfm for sale
   1 megabyte of RAM
   $260 + shipping


   I will include the following:

   Procopy ST (copying software)
   ST-Talk (communication)
   Haba Check Minder (checking account reminder)
   Gnictron Football (Football Game)
   Tanglewood (Game)
   The Darkness Rises (Game)
   Fast (ST Dos and other utilties)
   VIP professional (Spreadsheet - Lotus 123 clone)  no manual

   an Atari Joystick, dusk cover

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 07:46:13 GMT
From: van-bc!ubc-cs![e-mail] (Donald Acton)
Subject: 38400 bps on a MegaSTe?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bart Jaszcz)
 writes:
}There is a desk accessory from germany called HSPD_232 that will set
}the port to 38400 or higher (57800 bps, I think)... It would work on a
}16 mhz Mega STe with no problems.
}

This is the second time I have seen someone mention software to run
the serial link at 38K, the first time being several months ago. Is
this software a commercial product, shareware or something that can be
freely distributed? I tried to locate it at a number of archive sites
and I have also used archie and wais software to try to locate this
program but no luck. If this software is something that can be freely
distributed I'd appreciate it if someone could email me a copy, post
it to the appropriate atari binary group or place it on some internet
archive site where I could ftp it.

Thanks
   Donald

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 04:50:01 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!hellgate.ut
 ah.edu!cc.usu.edu!cache.usu.edu![e-mail] (869883 Olsen
 Kurt_Consultant)
Subject: Atari 520 STe
To: [e-mail]

Hello,

        Can somebody tell me about the 520 STe?  Meaning: what kind of
disk drive?  Memory expansion capabilities?  Tos version? Anything else
exciting?

        The reason that I'm asking is that I'm looking at expanding the
memory on my 1040 ST, and got to thinking that it could be nearly the
same price to buy a 520 STe and a couple megs of SIMMS.  Plus I'd get
the latest TOS, right?

Thanks,

Kurt Olsen
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 91 12:21:44 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!mucs!p4.cs.man.ac.uk![e-mail] (Nick Hayes)
Subject: Atari sales going up in UK
To: [e-mail]

Just thought I'd post this little of snippet of info I gleaned from one of
the ST mags available in the UK.  Since the incompatability problems of the
new entry level Amiga have come to light, many stores are angry with Commodore
and are quoted as saying that they cannot afford to stock it anymore.  As a
result of this ST sales are now topping Amiga sales for the first time since
Adam etc.etc.

NOTE: This is not a "my computer is better than yours" post.  The only reason
I even mention the 'A' word was to give the reason for the increased sales.

The down side to all this though is that since Atari flogged its assembly
plant, they are having a LOT of trouble meeting demand in time for christmas.
Can't they do anything right?

Nick.

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 04:40:46 GMT
From: agate!apple!portal!cup.portal.com![e-mail] (William Thomas
 Daugustine)
Subject: Atari ST DEAD ?
To: [e-mail]

Hi ho. Why doesnt everybody just shut the fuck up, once and for all?
Someone way back on this thread said that its useless to have a
flame war, so stop it.

Ive got a buddy whos big on Macs (ones a Quadra, hate that name),
and was telling me that the Amiga fuckheads were posting to
the Mac newsgroups boasting that the Mac cant do video... It
just goes to show you the mentality involved here...

The Amiga is a great machine. I admit. In some aspect itll blow
away the ST. But I will never buy an Amiga. Why? The childish
mentality as above (My computer is better than yours. Doesnt that
sound like a fucking 8 year old telling his friend that he has
a better toy?)

The Atari ST (and friends) is a great machine. And in some aspects, it
too will blow away the Amiga. Get real, get lost, die hard and go
to hell, and never come back, but most of all, get away from your
great Amiga and get a life. I can just imaging that fellow who
did the original posting, sitting there at his Amiga, and
jerking himself off, say "Amiga is great"

Me? I purchased a brand new Atari 520STE for $339. So its only got
512k RAM. So? Ill upgrade it (tho, Ive heard rumor that Atari
built the 520STE with only two SIMMs sockets. Is this trueness?)
Can you buy a brand new Amiga 500 for $339? I dont know, but I
kinda doubt it.

But the sad part is that the 520STE is on backorder from Atari, and
god knows when Ill see it...

Dont bother replying to this address, because it wont exist for much
longer. If you feel the need to flame me, you can mail me at hom
at: ...att!nsscmail!gnat!thoth!azog (soon, hopefully to be
[e-mail], and soon public access unix!)

Later chumps.

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 02:47:52 GMT
From:
 bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!seunet!isgate!krafla![e-mail]
 (Adam David)
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Stig Vidar
 Hovland) writes:
>>
>>I am sure I have mentioned this before-- The TT does not have a 16MHz bus.
[...]
>>The 68030 in the TT are reading from
>>TT-Fastram in the burst-modus, which is as fast as it can be.

>Yes -- 16MHz fast!

The glossy brochures mention 64-bit wide memory. If the TT fast-ram is
64 bits wide at 16 MHz then this would be equivalent to 32-bit RAM at
32 MHz. Does anyone know the REAL story?
The ROMs are a real bottleneck though, 32 bits wide at 8 MHz. - or is some
other hidden factor at work to improve these figures?
--
Adam David.
([e-mail])

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 04:41:32 GMT
From:
 mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!bloom-picayune.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!seune
 t!isgate!krafla![e-mail] (Adam David)
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Stig Vidar Hovland)
 writes:

>I suggest you take a look in a Motorola 68030 manual and read a little about
>this. As every other manufactorer, Atari have to follow certain rules set by
>Motorola if they want their 68030 based computer to work at all. The TT have
>a asynchronous bus, which is not clocked with either a 16MHz or a 32MHz clock.
>Repeat after me: The 68030 _does not have_ a clocked bus.

>|> >The 68030 in the TT are reading from
>|> >TT-Fastram in the burst-modus, which is as fast as it can be.

>If you find this hard to belive, I suggest you send your letters to Motorola
>and ask them for more information on the MC68030.

Yes, this is a very valid comment, but...

The memory timing on the asyncronous bus is governed by *DTACK timing.
*DTACK is generated by the memory / bus control components, such as
DMMU, GLUE etc. which are clocked each at their own speed. *DTACK for
any part of the memory system is generated syncronously with respect
to the component(s) which control(s) that memory, at least on the ST
and probably on the TT. Therefore the asyncronous bus is in fact clocked
syncronously, though the clocking speed varies depending on which memory
area is being accessed.

This is not a complete picture of the whole, but will suffice to show that
things are rarely what they seem to be.

--
Adam David.
([e-mail])

------------------------------

Date: 2 Dec 91 18:00:06 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!olymp!sfb256![e-mail] ( Volker A. Brandt )
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>
 [e-mail] (Christopher M Mauritz) writes:
>[...]  For the price of an Atari system with a decent
>unix configuration, you could EASILY buy an Apple Quadra, a Sun Sparcstation
>ELC, NeXTstation (68040 box) or a low end Apollo/HP box.

Sell me one.  I'd buy it immediately.  What?  You don't have one?  Oh.
Face it, Chris: The US is only the smaller part of the upper half of
one of the five continents ...

We all know that we Europeans are squeezed dry by US companies, charging
from 50 to 200% more for their products.  No George Bush "free trade" lies
can cover this up.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bitnet:   UNM409@DBNRHRZ1                              Volker A. Brandt
UUCP:     ...!unido!DBNRHRZ1.bitnet!unm409             Angewandte Mathematik
Internet: [e-mail]                (Bonn, Germany)

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 10:23:42 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!@locus.ucla.edu (Roger Sheppard)
Subject: AUTO-SWITCH OVERSCAN TT
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>
 [e-mail] (Christian Wieninger) writes:
> Hello,
>
> does anyone use AUTO-SWITCH OVERSCAN TT. In Germany
> they sell the extension for 300 DM. Is it worth it?
> I was told, that there are no longer black margins.
> But, what quality you get for example when viewing
> pictures in TT low? What about the auto-switch? Does
> it work right? Are there any problems with this ex-
> tension?
>
> Thanks, Christian.


Is there such a thing, from what I have read it is only posible to use
the Overscan on the ST/FM MEGA not STE/MEGA STE or TT..




--
***  Roger W. Sheppard      *      [e-mail]  ***
***  85 Donovan Rd        *    *   GEnie.  R.SHEPPARD5               ***
***  Kapiti                        At least I don't Flicker,         ***
***  New Zealand..          *      not like a dying light globe      ***

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 09:10:36 GMT
From: mcsun!sun4nl!alchemy!prisma![e-mail] (Fred Appelman)
Subject: Backupst; New version
To: [e-mail]

A new version of BackupST is available from

131.211.80.5    archive.cs.ruu.nl       # FTP server Dept. Computer Science RUU

Ths filename is: ATARI-ST/utils/backupst.zoo

BackupST is a hard disk backup program for the AtariST. It should run
on all the different models that are available.

The highlights of the package are:

        Backup, Restore and List data
        Interactive Restore/List tool
        Integrated Gem Interface
        Configurable
        ....  (much more)

This is the last version of this software package. It's no longer
possible for me to do further developments on this package. This
because I no longer own an AtariST.

If someone is interested in fixing bugs, or enhancing the product, send
me mail, and I will send you the sources. The software is not fully
documented, (This because I never had the intention of giving the sources
away), but it is well structured. (At least I think so) If you have
problems understanding my sources, I will try to help you as good as
possible.

        *** PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I CAN NO LONGER FIX PROBLEMS ***
                *** I NO LONGER OWN AN ATARI ***

Fred

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 01:25:12 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!csus.edu!beach.csulb.
 edu!nic.csu.net!csun.edu!kithrup!hoptoad!wet![e-mail] (Ed Krimen)
Subject: CACHEXXX.PRG Where can I find it?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mr
 Stephen R Usher) writes:
>
>I'm trying to find cacheXXX.prg, the hard disk cache program.
>
>I can't seem to find it on A.A, though there are a number of other cache
>programs.
>
>The reason I ask is that I've got fed up with the hard drive thrashing away
>on my TT whilst just doing a directory listing of the mntlib15 source
>directory! (It's even worse when I'm trying to compile it.. thrash thrash
>thrash... more time is spent searching the disk than compiling the code!)

You may also want to try Cold Hard Cache 3.5, if it works on the TT; I'm
sure it would though.  It's cachev35.lzh on atari.archive.

CACHExxx will still "thrash" your disk around since it doesn't cache THAT
much.  CHC will buffer more.  I used it before I ran ICD's software (with
their host adapter, which is required).


--
   |||    Ed Krimen
   |||    [e-mail]
  / | \   E.KRIMEN (GEnie)

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 06:40:09 GMT
From: ub!galileo.cc.rochester.edu![e-mail] (Ling Cherd Ho)
Subject: Drive reading problem
To: [e-mail]

Recently I have been having problem reading some Mac disk under
my A drive of my 1040Ste using Spectre. I get disk unreadable etc
message very often. However everything is fine when I switch the
disk to my external drive. So, I assume that somethign is wrong with
my A drive. However, nothing starnge happen when I am using the A
drive under Atari mode. Could somebody point me out
what could be wrong with the drive?
Can it be dirty? Could somebody recommend a drive head clening tools
if so?

Also, a while ago, I have been having some problem formating
mac disk (in Mac emulation) using my external drive. It cancelled
the formatting while trying to create the desktop. However, it is fine
now. Does the order the chain of the spectre and the drive matter in
this case because I chain the catridge after my drive as opposed to
what I did before.

thanks

..
    Ling Cherd
.

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 01:18:49 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.ed
 u!gvlf3.gvl.unisys.com!tredysvr!cellar![e-mail] (Brian 'Rev P-K'
 Siano)
Subject: Dungeon Master - help
To: [e-mail]

        Actually, I thought Chaos Strikes Back was both easier and harder. In
terms of strengths and skills needed, it was a bit easier; I found I could
get by without fighter skills as long as I could keep lobbing fireballs
about. But in terms of layout and design, I found that it was a LOT harder
than the original-- designing a dungeon with that many knots in it deserves a
lot of recognition.

        Although I'd really like to sell my ST and upgrade to an MS-DOS
mosheen, I'd be willing to hang onto the ST if the next Dunegon Master sequel
comes out.

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 06:42:30 GMT
From: apple!portal!cup.portal.com![e-mail]
Subject: Dungeon Master - help
To: [e-mail]

Anthony Howe asked about the trap in Dungeon Master between two closed doors
and a corridor blocked by a flashing transporter field.

The only way to get through this area is with quick timing.  Make sure NONE
of the party members is overloaded (no LOAD in the yellow or red).  If need
be, just drop stuff until they are in the green... you can recover the stuff
later.

Use the keyboard cursor keys for movement.. the mouse is just too slow.

Time your movement to the flashing of the field.  When it's just about to
go off, hit the up arrow TWICE, no more.  You'll discover why this is
when you successfully get past the field.

BobR

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 04:58:46 GMT
From:
 mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!bloom-picayune.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!seune
 t!isgate!krafla![e-mail] (Adam David)
Subject: EEPROM idea? Whats wrong with it?
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Logajan)
 writes:

>[e-mail] (Mark Lehmann) writes:
>>Of course Atari would have to put a 512K to 1Mbyte EEPROM in the ST, but
>>that would be better to pay for 1 expensive EEPROM than to continuosly upgrade
>>the mother board.

>I think the biggest production EEPROMS are 128k*8.  You'd need two of them
>for the current TOS 1.4.

FPROMS are becoming available in all EPROM sizes, and relatively soon will
almost completely replace EPROM technology. Once this actually happens,
prices of FPROM components will be lower than comparable EPROM would have
been, because it is cheaper to manufacture in solid plastic than in ceramic
with a quartz window. This is not my personal prediction, it is inevitable.

>EEPROMS require no special hardware -- no special voltages. So the issue is
>only one of component expense and reliability.  Since EEPROMS are writeable,
>there is a risk that the user could accidently erase his OS.

You did keep your original copy on disk, didn't you?
I assume there will be a non-eraseable loader ROM, of course.

>Cost is the real killer.

Not for much longer... (see above)

--
Adam David.
([e-mail])

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 05:21:44 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!pinelr@arizo
 na.edu (Robert Jeffrey Pinelli)
Subject: HELP: Mouse is flaky.
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>
 [e-mail] (Corey Liu) writes:
>My original ST mouse (1988) is acting flaky.  The
>pointer will only move down when I direct it upwards
>or downward.  Right/left motion is fine.
>
>I've noticed a gradual decay of its behavior over the
>past week where it would move the pointer only down
>sometimes, but now it seems stuck in the downwards
>mode.
>
>Is anybody familiar with this problem?  Is it just the
>untimely death of my ST mouse?  Is it a virus?
>
>If it's the mouse, can it be fixed easily?  If not,
>any suggestions/prices on a new one?  I hear that
>Golden Image makes a nice one.  How about the new
>STe/TT mice?  Cost is a major consideration,
>performance is secondary.
>
   I know of a FREE fix for it that's almost guaranteed to work.  Try cleaning
it.  Pop off that little slide covere over the ball and take the ball out.
Now scrape all that greyish back gunk of the x/y rollers and the pressure
roller.  It may take a sharp object since it tends to get really packed
on.  Since you didn't mention cleaning your mouse, I assume that it's
been building up garbage in there since you've had the computer.  I've
had the problem before and a good cleaning will usually do the trick.

   If in the even this doesn't seem to do it, then my next guess would be that
one of the wires in the mouse cord is severed, most likely in the joint
where the cord meets the mouse.  Try jiggling that junction while moving the
mouse around and see if it sometimes works when you hold it in certain
positions.  I've had this problem too, and my cord needed to be replaced.
I was lucky and knew someone who had a spare.  However, spares should be
inexpensive and if you are handy with some simple electronics, you should
be able to fix it yourself (at the expense of shortening the cord a little.)

   --Rob

------------------------------

Date: 5 Dec 91 04:46:16 GMT
From:
 mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!bloom-picayune.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!seune
 t!isgate!krafla![e-mail] (Adam David)
Subject: High density floppies and emulators
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gerald
 Greenberg) writes:

>Does anybody know if any of the ways to get a 1.4 meg floppy
>to work on an ST will also allow the floppy to work as a high
>density floppy with Spectre in Mac mode and/or with ATSpeed in
>msdos mode?

Yes, they all do. The responsibility lies with the emulation software
whether the device can be accessed in its full capacity. In many cases
it will turn out to work, even if not explicitly intended. There are
some exceptions though...

--
Adam David.
([e-mail])

------------------------------

Date: 2 Dec 91 18:19:02 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!olymp!sfb256![e-mail] ( Volker A. Brandt )
Subject: Why ASV Is A Dead No Future Product
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Richard Covert) writes:

>1) The Tt030's native (Atari original equipment) color resolution
>   is too coarse to support X Windows. Proof of this fact is that
>   Atari requires the user of their monochrome monitor, and does
>   not support ASV under color.

Wrong.  Atari does not support the TT color monitor at this time.  There
definitely will be a color X server, and I'm sure it will run on the TT
monitor.  And the Unix is really targeted for the new 040 machine due to
be shown at CeBIT 92.

>2) The TT030 is underpowered, but overpriced. The Tt030 may  run a
>   a CPU rate of 33MHz but it memory access is restricted to a slow
>   16MHz. And UNIX is VERY VERY memory intensive. Hence, the TT030
>   should be better classed as a 16MHz 68030 machine. Which is too
>   slow for X Windows, esecpically w/o a video graphics accelerator
>   card to offload the video from the 68030 CPU.

Tell that to all the SCO users with 286 and 386 machines.  Garbage if I ever
saw garbage.  And in SCO V3.2 Vers 4 there will be long filenames! :-)

>3) The TT030 is overpriced.

Look at mac prices and shut up.

>4) No Big Name Vendors will support the TT/ASV. Proof of this is the
>   fact that Atari can't provide a commerically supported C/C++
>   compiler for the ASV. Instead Atari is merely packaging the public
>   domain FSF GNU compilers. While these are fine tools, they should
>   be classed as "experimental" and aren't commerically supported.
>   Do you really think that you can call someone at Atari to get help
>   when you find a project killing bug in the GNU compilers? I think not.

1. Gcc is not PD.  It's Free Software.
2. Show me ONE vendor who sells a NATIVE-CODE C++ compiler (not a front end
   that converts to C) at no extra charge.
3. Atari supports their gcc ports -- and you can get all the source for the
   compiler, an advantage that you have to pay megabucks to other vendors.
4. Ever heard of Sys V Rel 4 binary compatibility (I think it's called ABI
   or something like that)?  If there ever is a real Mac Sys V, you could just
   interchange apps with your beloved idol.

>5) No third party support for peripherals. In this day and age of
>   650 meabyte magneto-optical read/write disk drives, and 1.3
>   gigabyte Digital Audio Tape drives, where are these for the
>   TT/ASV?

In any store that sells standard SCSI peripherals.

>6) ASV won't support TT programs. It is a known fact that the ASV
>   package can't run TOS/GEM programs. So, that means exiting UNIX,
>   which is no simply task in of iis self, and rebooting into TOS.
>   All other systems (SCO UNIX and MAC A/UX) allow their native OS
>   programs to run from within their UNIX. But once again Atari
>   Corp is too little and too late.

Will this be a drawback for such serious Unix users as you?

>[...] is going to buy ASV just to play games (and we all know that the
>TT030 is just a fancy games machine !!).

No comment to that ...

>sincerely yours for the flaming

No problem, we all know you, Richard!! :-)
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bitnet:   UNM409@DBNRHRZ1                              Volker A. Brandt
UUCP:     ...!unido!DBNRHRZ1.bitnet!unm409             Angewandte Mathematik
Internet: [e-mail]                (Bonn, Germany)

------------------------------

Date: 4 Dec 91 20:37:24 GMT
From:
 olivea!spool.mu.edu!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.
 edu!ohstpy!miavx1![e-mail]
Subject: WIZARD OF WOR for the ATARI ST
To: [e-mail]

>>>Anybody interested in 'Wizard of Wor' ? Or have I spent my time for a thing
>>>nobody wants to have ?
>>>
>
>>I would be very interested!  I burned up many hours playing Wiz of War on my
>>old atari 8-bit.
> ditto
>

double ditto

--Dennis

                  also known as...    |   HELLO, I'm a signature virus!
   [e-mail]    |          Join in the fun
   Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum.    |       and copy me into yours!

------------------------------

End of Info-Atari16 Digest
******************************