Floppyshop 2/Floppyshop - 2.zip/Floppyshop - 2.iso/diskmags/0022-3.564/dmg-3557/news.txt/letters.asc

Text File | 1989-04-05 | 18KB | 325 lines

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                                                             Peter A. West
                                                    38/42 Woodfield Avenue
                                                             London W5 1PA

                                                                  2-9-1992

Dear Dave

          I have just got STEN 10 from Floppyshop,  and liked what I   saw
very much.  Is it possible to get hold of all  the  back issues  #0-9 from
you,   as per your note in  'Subscriptions'?    I enclose ten empty  disks
for  this purpose,  also a cheque for £5 to take  out  a year's  subscrip-
tion from #11,  and (I  hope)  enough stamps to cover return postage.

           Although I have not really had time to explore much   of  issue
#10  yet,   I  do have one suggestion to make  regarding   the  'Printing'
function.   It would be a good idea to include a button to select 8  lines
per  inch printing which could save quite a  lot of  paper  --  either  on
its  own,   or  perhaps  combined  with  the 'Mini' option;  I  feel  this
should  really be labelled 'Mini 12' or 'Elite',   though it gives 20  cpi
when combined with  'Condensed'.

          Also a 'Draft' button would be useful since NLQ is  the  default
set  up on my NEC P2200 printer at switch-on,   and I would prefer not  to
change  this.    On  this  printer with its Menu  set-up  instead  of  DIP
switches  you  cannot  set 8 lpi easily in   hardware,  but   a   software
command $1B 30 (d27 48)  does  it;   it  can  be combined with $1B 0F (d27
15)  for  Condensed  and $1B 78 0 (d27 120 0) for  Draft  which  not  only
prints quicker but is,  in my opinion,  more legible in the 17 and 20  cpi
sizes.

           I   have  implemented these settings on  my   version   of  the
Harlekin  II  printer  driver  and  such  options  are  also  included  in
Idealist  2,   which is a lovely program for printing out  text files   in
the   minimum   of space --  it  even  has   multi-column  capability  for
text   consisting  of  short  lines  and  a  30  cpi   option   (condensed
superscript)  coupled with 10 lpi -- though  this  is *really* small.

          You may have heard by now that the South West  Software  Library
is  being  taken over by Nick Harlow of 16/32.    I do  hope that  he  and
other  PD libraries don't have Martyn's problems.   The whole thing  seems
an  awful waste of public money and time --  not to  mention  the  effects
on  Martyn!    I  would  really  like  to   find  out  how  this  nonsense
started!!!

           I   have   just   read   a   detailed   description   of    the
Falcon030  in the German 'ST COMPUTER' magazine,  which really  goes  into
detail.    Seems  a fabulous piece of work -- but I don't  see how   Atari
will  be  able  to  maintain  the  price  of   present   STEs,  since  the
differential seems too small.     It will be interesting to  see just  how
compatible (*or not!*) the Falcon is  with  ST/E software,  specially that
taking  unauthorised  shortcuts.    No  doubt  those   programs  that  had
problems  with the various  TOS  upgrades will continue to do so with  the
Falcon!

          As  I  have advertised in 'ST  Applications',   I  am  a German-
speaking  ST user and am prepared to translate programs  and  instructions
from   the   large  German  PD  library  selection  at  moderate  cost  --
*not* at commercial rates.     I have  translated   embedded text  strings
in a number of .PRG and .RSC files,   though since  I am not a  programmer
this  has  to  be done by  substitution in BYTEMECH  or  a  disk  monitor.
Luckily  in  most cases the German words  are longer  than  their  English
equivalents,   though  I  did have difficulties with one program where the
position as well  as the length of the words mattered:   it re-used  parts
of dialog box strings elsewhere.

          You may use any of the above in any future STEN if  you wish.

                                                      Regards

                                                       Peter



>  Dear Peter,  I'm glad that you're enjoying STEN, and thank you for your
support.   Dave will be adding his own reply to mine,  and will cover your
printer suggestions then.

   Re your SWSL raid comments - I couldn't agree with you  more!   Perhaps
people  ought  to be concerned at the way that Poll Tax revenue  is  being
used  to  protect the profits of the British  Phonographic  Institute,  as
they  seem  to be the group that originated the  complaint.   Their  party
line  is that *any* form of unauthorised sampling of their clients'  music
should  be  treated  in the same way  as,  for  example,  selling  pirated
cassettes.   This is transparent tosh.   There is a convention among  book
publishers  that  short extracts of a work can be used  for  critical  and
other  purposes,  and  non-profitmaking sampling would seem to  fall  into
this area.

  Thanks for offering your translation services to other readers.   I hope
that  it's  appreciated and that *no-one* (as happened a few  issues  back)
seriously expects a word-for-word translation of a 100K+ document...

> Hello Peter.  Until recently, ie mid November,  I have been printerless.
This  changed with the purchase of a second hand Citizen 24 pin job  which
is fairly impressive. I'll certainly give some thought to your suggestions
and time permitting may implement some of them.  It really does depend  on
my workload now I'm back at college.

In  the meantime you could always load the articles that you want  printed
into a word processor and dump them in the format you like best.     DAVE

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Howdy Dave,

          How are you and the rest of those fine STEN  people?  Everything
OK  eh?  Good good.  My thing is OK as well by the way  (anyone  recognise
this?).

     Some time ago I bought a disk mag,  not STEN I hasten to add.  I gave
it  more  time than it was worth,  and afterwards came to  the  conclusion
that if this is what disk mags are like then you can go and shove them  up
your bottom. I then went back to my copy of "Armchair Hydroplastics".

     And  that was the way it was (cue for a song?) until I  broadened  my
horizons,  and started buying PD from Jake Bain at Caledonia.  As I looked
through  the  menu  I noticed the section on  disk  mags.  Bugger  that  I
thought, and gave it a miss.

     It wasn't until about two weeks later that I decided to have  another
look at that disk mag section.  Well,  the first thing I noticed was  that
Jake  seemed  to be raving on about something called  STEN.  Sounds  OK  I
thought,  and  it  is free.  I was making an order at the time  and  so  I
bunged in a blank to give STEN the old hairdressers.

     When  the package arrived I continued the time honoured tradition  of
ripping  the wrapping to shreds and teararsing up to my grey mate  to  see
what nice things I'd forgotten I'd ordered.

     When  I  finally got round to loading up STEN my first  thought  was,
"that's a nice picture".  After a couple of days I thought that, seeing as
how nothing else had happened,  I might as well try pressing a  key.  Well
you can imagine my surprise when up popped the old index page.  The  rest,
as they say, is his story.

     To  say  I  was impressed would probably  be  correct  actually.  The
standard of layout,  and the ease of use is as high as a very high  thing,
as is the actual content itself.

     I  am a great believer in giving praise where it is due,  so I  would
like to say at this point that I am absolutely marvellous.

     When  I first read about STEN,  in the Caledonia catalogue,  I  could
honestly say that Stockport County F.C.  are magic,  but I must admit that
although Jake made STEN sound ok,  I was a bit apprehensive as to  whether
or  not  it would turn out to be a load of conkers.  I should  have  known
better of course.  I mean, would Jake do you wrong?  No way (man?).

     It's time for you to be smug,  dear people.  I like STEN. I like it a
lot.  For once we have a magazine produced by people who actually seem  to
know  what they are doing and enjoy it,  unlike some other types who  only
do it because it's a job.

     All the articles made great reading,  except the technical stuff, but
that's  only  because it does my head in.   I have  every  admiration  for
people who can speak it like a second language.  Don't get me wrong  here.
It's  not that the technical side of things is beyond me,  it's just  that
at the moment I honestly can't be bothered.  Apathy?  Who cares?

     Ya-da, da-da, da-da. OY.

     "I  say,  I  say,  I say.  What do you get when you  buy  the  latest
edition of ST Format and try to use the cover disk?"

     "I don't know.  What do you get when you buy the latest edition of ST
Format and try to use the cover disk?"

     "A virus!!!"

     "A virus? cosmic"

     But  hey,  that's OK.  I mean,  it was only a "harmless" virus  after
all.  What's  that you say?  There is no such thing as a  harmless  virus?
Surely you jest?  Andy Hutchison, the editor himself, wrote and told me it
was  harmless.  And the fact that he sent me a virus killer disk  as  well
must just have been a matter of courtesy.

     I'm  not  usually  one for sarcasm in letters  but  I  couldn't  help
myself  here.  I could go on and on and on and on and on about this but  I
have just sent a letter to the action man himself and,  at the  moment,  I
am  all complained out.  It should be interesting to read what he  has  to
say next month.  Well,  you may say, the only problem there is that I will
have to buy the magazine. Not me mate, I subscribe. I'm not daft.

     You  know  (music),  I've had a computer of one form or  another  for
quite some time now,  but, like a lot of people, I was just a games player
(fade  in strings).  But over the past few months I have finally  realized
that  there is a better world out there (bring in piano and  wind  section
and begin to build).  A world where PD and shareware can enrich the  lives
of  all  people (continue to build).  A world where  magazines  like  STEN
(cymbal  crash) are available to educate,  inform,  entertain and  improve
the quality of life.  I have seen the way forward.  I have seen the path I
must take (crescendo), I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT (full orchestra climax).

     Well I'll be off now,  I've just sent off another order to Caledonia,
which  includes  the latest STEN.  Though from then on I may just  get  it
straight from you.  This ending is a bit weak,  but it is now 9:05 in  the
evening and I work nights so I will just have to go.

     I will probably write again (oh joy) when I've had a look at the  new
STEN.

                                          All the best wak,

                                            DAVE HOBDAY.



>  Dear Dave,  there's not a lot I can say to that,  except for,  "does it
hurt  anywhere else?" and,  "are you seeing anyone about it?"  I  used  to
have the same problem, but mine was due to the wheel falling off.   JOHN

> I'll have two!                                                    DAVE

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16.09.1992                                              ROBERT GILMOUR
                                                        OUTLAW P.D.S.
                                                        174 PRIMROSE LANE
                                                        ROSYTH
                                                        DUNFERMLINE
                                                        KY11 2UW

Dear Dave,

            I  thought I would reply to John Weller's reply to  my  letter
concerning smaller PD libraries in STEN 10.  I take great offence at being
called  a thief by someone who obviously hasn't read what I said about  my
operation  in  my catalogue disk.  Just to set  the  record  straight,  my
operation  is  not  now,  nor will it ever be as far as I  can  see  a  PD
library. Got that? Good!

     Surely  the  whole  point of Public domain software is  to  make  the
software available to anybody that wants it,  and people like my self  are
simply trying to make the stuff available to a wider audience.  And as for
copying  someone  elses  catalogue text,  I typed  every  description  out
myself  apart from one.  Incidentally,  the text I used  from  Caledonia's
library was credited to Jake,  and I asked permission beforehand!

     I  have also obtained new software through my own sources and not  by
taking it from other libraries' disks.  (eg Mindlock,  The Wiz.)  Okay, so
it's  only two programs I'll admit,  but at least I'm bloody  trying!  The
reason  I make such an issue about this is that I want to distance  myself
from  the nurds who think that just because they have a couple of  hundred
disks  they're entitled to call themselves a PD library!  This  was  quite
prevalent for a while but thankfully it seems to have settled down now.  I
sympathise  with  John's experience but at least I do  everything  in  my
power  to  make  sure  that all the  software works  to  the  best  of  my
abilities. My conscience is at rest on that score at least.

     Enough of that I think.  Hopefully the matter can rest there.  I have
nothing  personal  against John Weller (How could I?  I've never  met  the
bloke!)  but felt I had to fight back on behalf of the  smaller  operators
who make the effort to make Public Domain stuff cheap to  collect.  Anyway
Dave,  thanks  for reviewing my operation in STEN 10.   No  complaints  on
that  score.  I  hate scroll text in viewer programs as  much  as  anybody
else,  but  the particular program that I used for my catalogue files  was
all  that was available that displayed the files in the way I wanted  them
displayed.  I  could have used the HitchHikers Revenge displayer program  I
suppose, but there you go, I've made my choice.  Sorry about the length of
this letter, but I felt I had to make my viewpoint clear.

     Got modems now, eh lads?  I'm trying to get hold of one myself and if
I  manage to get one I'll be putting all my PD disks online  (hopefully!).
It will operate off Floppy drives unfortunately,  but I ever manage to get
a bloody job,  the first item on the agenda will be a hard drive.  Someone
told  me that  the new Atari Falcon has a modem built in!  Wonder if  it's
true?   I want one!!!  A  friend of mine got an Amiga 600 a month ago, and
now  he's  trying to sell it!  Doesn't that tell  you  something?   Nearly
Forgot,  he's now trying to get his ST back,  so far without any luck.....
And  this from the guy who told me that I was talking a load of ****  when
I said he would regret selling it!

                                                 Best Regards,

                                                      RAB.


> Dear Rab,  apologies are definitely in order!   None of the comments  in
STEN  #11  were  aimed at you specifically,  and  they  certainly  weren't
intended to be taken personally.   I work for BR and,  believe me,  if I'd
wanted to be rude, then I'd have been *very* rude.

Let me explain myself....   You're right, I hadn't read Dave's description
of  your service when I wrote my reply to your letter.   Your  letter  had
been  passed  on  to  me by Dave,  and I'd  assumed  that  what  you  were
operating was a small,  but still commercial,  PD library.   I had no idea
that  you  were supplying the programmes solely  as  disc-for-disc  swaps.
That  puts  a whole new complexion on it,  as that's the way that  PD  was
*intended* to be distributed.   I normally check my facts very  carefully,
but in this particular case I seem to have slipped up.   Please accept  my
apologies  if  I have in any way created the wrong impression  about  your
service.

My objection to the small,  commercial, libraries is that many of them are
simply  'disc-shifters' who couldn't give a toss about the future  of  PD.
Most  of  them just want to turn a quick £ for the least amount  of  work.
The  PD  resource is sturdy enough not to be damaged by the efforts  of  a
few  short-sighted fools,  but that doesn't mean that we  should  tolerate
them.   If a library (large or small) is only interested in cashing-in  on
this  resource,  and not adding to it in any way,  then we should say  so,
and not sit back and suffer it.

                                                           JOHN


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