Floppyshop 2/Floppyshop - 2.zip/Floppyshop - 2.iso/diskmags/4671-5.790/dmg-4674/news.txt/feedback.asc

Text File | 1993-10-23 | 30KB | 492 lines

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                     ∙  That Was The STEN That Was  ∙
                     ∙                              ∙
                     ∙       by Colin Maunton       ∙
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Young  Dave (at least) seems to have enjoyed my previous 'review'  of  the
STEN  magazine  in a published letter and has invited me  to  do  another.
Well,  I am sure that if he and other readers can stand reading it,  I can
stand writing it!

I know that he will not expect me to confine myself only to subjects  that
were  on disk,  my thoughts tend to stray and I like to voice my  opinions
sometimes,  but I shall cause no controversy,  nor give offence I hope. If
in  some way I can help STEN in a worthy effort to bring people  together,
share experiences and knowledge, I do so willingly.

I have no special qualification for the job,  I'm just an old,  middle-of-
the-road  user  who was drawn to STEN initially by a review  which  stated
that  games  firmly took second place and that it was a good  vehicle  for
adult  discussion  about  computer and  non-related  subjects.  To  do  so
without some of the infantile bad language found elsewhere is  refreshing!
What  I  found  and  particularly like about STEN  is  its  diversity  and
friendliness.  I hope that you too (will) enjoy it,  most of it anyway, as
I  do.  Not all articles will interest or excite all of us,  some will  be
over our heads,  some 'beneath' us.  But then,  who NEEDS to read it  all?
Well, I suppose I do, now!

I  must  confess  to  having  a  preference  for  'applications'  for  the
computer.  A witty friend of mine,  surveying the new Amiga 600  suggested
that  the price might have been kept down by omitting  the  keyboard,  for
all the use it got.  Yet the same applies to any brand!  It's  unfortunate
that games are the sole interest of some users,  but I take great pleasure
in demonstrating to as many as possible the 'serious' side of  things.  My
personal problem is that I'm not too sure whether I don't play many  games
because I am so bad at them,  or vice versa!  Without games players  there
would  perhaps be less guys drawn into programming,  then where  should  I
be?  The  old  BBC  BASIC was about my upper  limit  in  that  realm,  and
tackling a language now seems formidable,  so long live the games players!
May they forever be in the hi-score tables.  But, to business.

I  hadn't read Zac Bishrey's 'Exodus - the true story' when I last  wrote.
It was in STEN #13,  chapters of it!  Far too much for ME to absorb in one
session.  However,  I have now read it,  every k.byte of it.... and I have
thought about it......  I don't believe a word of it! Surely Zac, you were
pulling  our  legs?   Oil in the desert there may have been but  did  they
really  have DERV for the diesel engine before the Russians  invented  it?
And are ALL Mechanical (Diesel) Engineers Leo's,  or was that Liars?  Your
mention  of  the  'renting  of aprons'  may  have  puzzled  some  readers,
particularly those who didn't study Ancient Egypt at school.  What has  to
be realised is that the wise politicians had not,  at that time, conferred
on the people the 'right to buy'.  There were, therefore, plenty of aprons
to  rent!   Nice  one  Zac,  give me a wave if you make a  west  leg  into
Manston some day..... if your flying is as mad as your writing I'll duck!

But be warned,  the place is alive with Ilyushin 75's in Aeroflot  colours
and  an Antonov 12,  still in military drab,  though with gunless  turrets
and 'patched' chaff dispensers,  doing medical and other relief flights to
Macedonia  and  Armenia.  Strange thing is that the Antonov  was  recently
overflown  by a US U2 'spy-plane' whilst loading,  no doubt checking  what
brands  of aspirin they were taking?  The Concorde too was here for a  day
in  May,  and a DH Mosquito either refuelled or made a low pass  over  the
field.  Add  to  that an invading squadron of Buccaneers for  the  Queen's
birthday fly-past or something and you can see what a busy little spot  it
can  be.  The latter were down from Scotland and,  according to our  local
'rag', are off to the great knacker's yard in the sky shortly.

Now,  did  everyone read the STEN #14 editorial?  And about Dave  Mooney's
wife Margaret giving birth to a 9lb.14oz.  girl in March? I'll bet she was
glad when that was over!  But how heavy is that in real money,  like  4.47
Kg.'s  man?  And  Dave's other half John is  transferred  to  Bournemouth.
Nice. How much was the transfer fee and what was your percentage John?

In  the letters section,  Mike Duncan of Queensland was beefing about  the
six scroll icons up there but Dave didn't get his drift,  at least I don't
think so.  The complaint was that the icons don't wait for a  mouse-button
press,  but  are  permanently active.  Too right they  are!  Get  a  mouse
whisker  on them and hey bingo,  a flicker of the screen and you've  time-
warped  to  another  piece.  Dave did his  '...never  had  any  complaints
before'  bit,  I thought he might tough it out and say that it works  okay
in  the northern hemisphere!  Dave tried to replicate (I hate  that  word)
the complained about condition and couldn't,  because he was familiar with
the  system.

Do  it  the  easy way Mike,  use the down/up arrows  on  the  keyboard  to
scroll,  or  left/right  for  a  whole page  shift!    And  what  is  this
criticism  about  critics  '...  a  GFA  programmer  is  the  only  person
qualified to review Public Domain GFA programmes' and likewise '..a  prog.
in ASSEMBLY should only be reviewed by an ASSEMBLY programmer'.  Surely it
is the programme that is under review,  not the author's competence in the
chosen language?  Should plays only be reviewed by playwrights, books only
by  other authors?  I think not.  A naff programme,  play or book is  naff
only in the reviewer's opinion,  though it's an indication that others may
think the same way!  Just a point Mike,  Aussie you may be,  and proud  of
it,  but  why do you label yourself an ex-Scotsman?  I didn't think  there
was any such being!

Rab,  of  Outlaws  PD is teed off.  He is fed up with customers  who  have
taken  him for a ride and dented his trust.  Hands up anyone else who  has
been similarly let down...

Dave M.  is sympathetic, he '...often gets almost no communication, I just
get  a  disk and SAE.' This is when bodies send for the  STEN  of  course.
Well Dave,  the disk label says 'Send disk and SAE to:...' Now what was it
that you were complaining about?  Lack of a stamp would be serious,  and I
wonder  that  you  don't  specify 'stamped  SAE'  to  prevent  it.  As  to
communications,  if  we all sent you a letter you'd have no time for  your
studies, so just be thankful that all you get is bills!

Is it Art - Peter Vincent.  This was a problem about using clip art,  John
Weller's  specifically,   in  1stWordPlus.   Resizing  in  Hyperpaint  was
suggested,  but why not kill two birds with one stone.  Much as 1stWord is
a  great old programme,  good for many things,  it ain't great with  pics.
'WriteOn'  by Compo is,  .IMG pics.  in any resolution may be  resized  to
suit  the  subject and it has eighteen print-drivers with  an    excellent
selection of fonts.  Pics.  and prose can't be on the same line and it has
no built-in spell check, but if you can stand this, read on.

WriteON  was  a cover disk on the ST Format issue  33  dated  April'92.  A
tutorial  is  in that and the subsequent issue.  That's  where  mine  came
from,  in  the  days  when  I could  afford  such  luxuries.  Whether  now
available  as  back issues I know not.  It was also 'given away'  with  ST
Review  issue 13 dated May'93 and tutorials likewise were in that and  the
subsequent issue.  Back issues must be available for that one!   Output to
a  Panasonic  1123  via  the Epson LQ 360X360  driver  gives  first  class
results  to my second class letters and graphics are as good as  any  pin-
printing  can  be,   and  faster  than  PageStream!

Initially  it's  more  complicated  to  use  than  1stWordPlus,   it   has
facilities  that most of us don't use in the styling of  paragraphs,  they
can be set indented,  spaced,  underlined, italicised etc. and the idea is
that  you  choose a paragraph style for your input.  I prefer  to  indent,
space paras.  and change 'attributes' from the keyboard,  so I have set-up
half  a dozen justified bog-standard para.  styles in different  fonts  to
load on bootup and select what I want according to my mood,  or which  way
the wind is blowing.

But  don't  let  me put you off Hyperpaint.  It is  invariably  slated  by
reviewers because it hasn't got this,  that or the other,  but I like  it!
If  it had an overlay pixel grid like 'Touch Up' it would be  perfect.....
for me!

News  from Down Under,  courtesy of Dwane O'Dwyer (not necessarily  an  ex
Irishman)  was an eye opener.  We think that we've got it bad but  support
there for the ST is almost non-existent by the sound of it,  and how about
the  prices?  A case of selling the house to buy a Falcon no  doubt.  Keep
the house!  Better have a chat with Mike Duncan from Queensland Dwane,  he
seems  happy  with  mail order from the UK.  In  fact,  drop  over  for  a
'tinnie', he's only just down the road from you!

What was all this fuss about in Technical News!  On sale in Paris did  you
say?  A  salacious,  phallacious Coq Hard Drive for only £800,  I'll  take
two, poor old soul. Could be the 'in' thing this year!

Did  anyone,  seeing  the Armstrong-Jones piccy of Emma  Thompson  in  the
Sunday  supplement  appreciate it as much as I did?  Shame was  that  they
headed it 'Emma's barefaced cheek',  real rag style! The picture was above
that sort of treatment,  a real work of art, after the style of one of the
'old  masters',  though  I  can't  recall  which.  It  was  a  nude,  very
delicately  handled with only an exposed bottom that could  give  offence.
Those  that  know his work will recall that His Snowdonship  uses  natural
light  for most of his pics but this was lighted,  or lit if  you  prefer,
artificially  (I think!),  but beautifully anyway.  She was reclined on  a
draped  chaise-longue,  a three-quarter back view,  her face visible in  a
small mirror.

No  page three or centre-fold this,  but a gorgeous shot,  and  so  clever
too.  You  will know that you hate your own photograph almost as  much  as
you  hate the sound of your own recorded voice,  well WE do if YOU  don't!
It's because we hear and see ourselves differently,  not as others do.   I
don't  know how this can be overcome in the aural mode,  but just  take  a
picture  of  your  favourite person in front of  a  mirror,  so  that  the
subject's  face is a mirror image.  That person will recognise  themselves
and  accept the picture as 'a good likeness' whilst it may  look  slightly
strange to you.  The problem is that our faces are really lopsided and  we
usually see them only in the mirror and accept that image as 'correct'.

Now  whilst  Emma  may  be dismayed at the sight  of  her  thighs  in  the
portrait  (I for one wasn't!) she will be reassured by the  familiar  face
and  think Tony A-J is a genius with the box Brownie,  which he  is.  Look
for  some  of his stuff in your local library if you are  dying  from  the
lack  of  photo  inspiration,  'sgood!  My most memorable  is  a  book  of
photographs of down-and-outs,  taken some years ago.  In those days it was
a  revelation  to  many,  yet even in  today's  'commonplace'  scene,  the
pictures are haunting.

Everybody's  favourite,  Who the Hell!  And this particular one cries  out
for a digitised passport picture,  just to check!

Evelyn  Mills,  learned  and unemployed biochemist (no,  she  didn't  make
fertiliser for houseplants!) will not disclose her least vital  statistic,
her age.  She gives us a clue and,  having done some calculations, she has
to  be  between  thirty-two and seventy-four!  Amongst  other  things  she
enjoys  learning and speaking foreign languages,  which  is  unusual.  She
spent  some  years  in the USA and New Zealand (I can  speak  those!)  and
loves  travel.  She translates French and German so is an ideal  companion
for  anyone  who uses some of their excellent  PD  progs.  Not  only,  but
also...  she  can concoct a really dry Martini (drains the glass?)  and  a
Maori stew.  I prefer beef,  with dumplings of course, but then she claims
to love PEOPLE,  ah well......  except politicians,  of course!

Was your spelling of HeSSeltine just a Freudian slip Evelyn,  assuming you
mean the Rt.Hon.Michael Heseltine,  MP.? I call him the Rt.Hon.as the duly
elected  member for Henley and Michael,  not because he is any  friend  of
mine but because as an MP.  he is a public servant and I believe in  being
friendly  towards  servants!  I note that you would also  like  a  flatbed
scanner!  So would I, and ceiling mirrors and concealed microphones. I see
that you are hoping for a fairy godmother with a Falcon, you n' the rest!

Mike  Mee  claims  to be sociable.  His  non-computing  interests  include
'...the usual cavorting between bedsheets'.  Well,  yes,  that's sociable,
but what's usual?  I mean,  don't most of us use duvets these days?     He
too wants a Falcon.

Derek  Clegg  claims...the  Volvo driver was at fault.  I now  put  on  my
skidlid  as  an  ex  RAC/ACU motorcycle instructor  and  advise  you  that
perhaps  he was,  but you shouldn't have let him hit your  bike!  The  old
adage  is 'Treat every road-user with 'L' plates up as a fool,  and  every
road-user  without  'L' plates up as a b----- fool' It's the only  way  to
survive on a bike because you are your own 'crumple-zone',  the Volvo  has
one  built  into it!  As for paying £757 for third-party F&T  insurance  I
sympathise.  You too want a Falcon.  How about a trade-in,  buy the Falcon
and  settle  for a Honda 50?  You wouldn't be seen  dead  on  one?  You're
right, statistically it's less likely!


James,  age thirteen, is from my county town of Maidstone. Kent has one of
the  lowest educational budgets per capita,  and it  shows!  James  didn't
include  SPELLING.DIC in his books to avoid,  but perhaps his  version  of
1stWord doesn't have it.  Or is he too lazy or too proud to use it? Use it
boy,  or we shall never write about you again!  But he is not all bad,  he
commends 'One foot in the grave' and is a good story teller,  or was!  I'm
not  sure if he made his exit due to an overdose of Smarties or just  went
off for a Falcon...I hope he got it!


Michael  Herman is an old guy of fourteen!  With unlimited funds  he  will
buy  most  of the world except Scotland.  Two things worry me  about  this
project.  The first being what he will do with it (take advice from Evelyn
above)  and  second,  why not Scotland?  He also wants  a  sandwich  maker
(toaster?).  Well Michael,  have ours, but provide your very own sandwich-
toaster-cleaner-upper,  especially if you are intent upon your speciality,
fried  egg sandwiches.  The girls in our village bakery shop are  provided
with  these each Wednesday morning for reasons which I forget,  and  refer
to  them as 'Yukky' sandwiches.  With egg running down their chins  I  can
understand why,  and I just have to stand there with the fresh,  hot bread
in  my  hands and drool!  You have good taste Michael,  but  please  don't
imagine  that  this is a commercial for Champs Bakery of Station  Road  or
the Editor will delete it!

And  thinking  about  funny guys, our Co-op Computer Club did  a  bit  for
Comic Relief.  We tried to get the official game of 'Sleepwalker' but none
of  the  dealers  had received it so our Chairman  phoned  and  faxed  the
distributors for information.  They very kindly sent us copies of a  three
minute  demo.  of  the  game  for  the 'punters' to  play  and  a  lot  of
promotional  posters and caps.  We charged public players and  donned  red
noses and shook buckets,  raising a tidy sum.  We could only get the demo.
for the Amiga,  a strange situation,  but never mind!  Since then some  of
our members have been looking for the full game,  though as the days go by
there  is less interest.  Was this a little hitch in production or a  case
of  bugs  in  the programme I wonder?  Some very good animation  in  it  I
thought,  and it could have done very well if it had been available in the
shops  in good time.  In fact I think there is only one club purchaser  up
to now, for the ATARI too!

There  is much gnashing of teeth concerning the FALCON,  or should  I  say
THE  Falcon,  in  our club.  One of our guys has been  drooling  over  the
conjectured specifications,  the leaked specifications,  and the  official
specifications,  the  proposed  availability date,  the  revised  proposed
availability  date and the revised,  revised proposed  availability  date.
Not  one piece of information published about it anywhere that was  public
domain  evaded his eagle eye.  Meanwhile,  he visited a computer  fair  in
Germany to touch one and off-loaded his old 2½meg.  STF.  and hard  drive.
Playing  his  kids'  Amigas between phone calls he must  have  bitten  his
fingernails to the elbow.   Came THE day,  he was off to SE London for his
Falcon  and  doubled down to Brighton for a switchable  monitor,  a  round
trip  of  a couple of  hundred  miles.  Unfortunately......the  connecting
cable  didn't,  a  quick phone call and a request to pop it in  the  post.
Unfortunately........well   somehow  it  got  lost.   More  phone   calls.
Eventually,  a  cable  that fitted at  both  ends.  Unfortunately......the
monitor   doesn't  suit  the  Falcon,   but  there  is  one   that   does.
Unfortunately......it's made by Commodore,  the Amiga people.  Not that he
has   anything  against  Commodore  you  understand,   it's   just   that,
unfortunately.....they  took it off the market within a day or two of  him
discovering its suitability.  But currently he has a third monitor,  and a
lead that will not fit an ST,  but a replacement one is on the way!  So he
hasn't yet got the Falcon going to the limit,  but he will, no matter what
it  costs.  Meanwhile,  he  has purchased a very  nice  colour  bubble-jet
printer which makes stuff from his old 9 pin look like the rubbish it  is.
Stop press!  It's all hooked up and having seen the Falcon working I can't
say that I yet need (or deserve) one!

STENs  interview  with  Steve Delaney of Floppyshop  was  interesting  and
showed what a busy guy he is,  but I could never do that for a living. You
must have to eat and breathe computers to stand the pace!


Creative  Technology  and  the 'Etch-a-Sketch',  was this  a  joke  title?
Bought them years ago for the kids' birthdays and such,  quite fascinating
of  course  but as for using them,  murder!  I could do a  faster  picture
freehand  with the ATARI mouse,  behind my back,  standing on one leg  and
with  one  eye closed!  Full marks to the artist,  he is a martyr  of  the
first  water,  given the Etch-a-Sketch and six months I would draw  him  a
medal. Talking of which...

.... I  heard  a  news item on the radio a short  while  back,  about  the
police  in the west-country,  trying to track down,  or  even  crack-down,
upon a disk that was in circulation.  It apparently gives instructions  on
how to make explosives from common,  everyday ingredients. Must be for the
PC  or Amiga of course,  couldn't be OUR boys!  But they were at pains  to
stress  that,  though  much  of this was  GCSE  chemistry,  the  resultant
mixtures  could  be  lethal,  indeed  the  mere  mixing  of  some  of  the
constituents  posed a risk.  When you see the result of the IRA's  use  of
fertiliser  as  a  base for some of their 'car bombs'  it  is  a  worrying
thought that some of our kids could be encouraged to play around and  blow
off  limbs  or worse.  Definitely not to be  encouraged,  especially  with
fertiliser!  I well remember sharing a ton of pig manure with a  neighbour
many  years  ago.  That  particular fertiliser  didn't  need  mixing  with
anything.......!

Another  STEN  interview,  this  time with Jeremy  Hughes  the  spare-time
programmer.  What spare time?  I have been toying with the idea of getting
'C-Font'  for a while now and he has made up my mind for me.  We all  have
our  little problems in understanding some things.  There were  three  for
me,  the gearbox on a car/bike,  two-way switching of electrics and how  a
sewing machine makes a stitch.  I have had expert and patient  instruction
on  the first two and I have seen ultra-high speed cinematograph  pictures
of the third.  None the wiser,  I have just accepted that in this life you
can't know everything,  and left it at that!  Now, this late in life comes
number  four,  fontlists and all that stuff in programmes.  Yes,  I  shall
definitely get 'C-Font'!

STOS  basic  tutorial  by Lozian and Pascal without the  Quiche  by  Derek
Clegg   What can I say about these?  I shall have to claim that not  being
conversant  with either language I am not qualified to say  anything!  But
there  they  are,  for  those of you who are engaged  in  the  pursuit  of
knowledge,  and it's good that someone will pass it on to you, good on yer
guys.

Multi-tasking and Task-switching.  Raymond Mortimer  ' Well if that's  all
it's for,  saving a few minutes reloading it's of no interest to me,  I've
plenty of time.' These were my first thoughts,  I personally see no  point
in doing things just because they can be done,  but I read on.  And it hit
me,  how should I be typing my piece for STEN? Why, from rough (and I mean
rough) notes on sheets of computer paper that I can barely read!  Wouldn't
it  be  good  to refer to STEN,  then back to  typing,  rather  than  this
method. Thanks Raymond, when may I have the Falcon?


Take three books.  Sorry Dave (is it Dave, lack task switch!) but I forgot
my borrower's ticket!

Truepaint-  Art  package by Raymond Mortimer (again) Some people  get  ALL
the  work,  or have all the money!  I thought this was a  good  review,  a
thorough review of a programme which sounds full of promise.  I shall wait
until the niggles are sorted and get it for when my Falcon comes!


PD library catalogues review by Dave Mooney There has obviously been  some
improvement since I was into PD in a big way.  At that time half the stuff
wouldn't  run  on my then recent TOS 1.62.  I have no  gripe  whether  the
order  comes  back  in  two days or ten days,  but  I  appreciate  a  full
description  of anything before I buy it,  which is why I am usually  only
tempted after reading a review!  Some catalogues I have seen are as bad as
the  sort  of useless small ad.you might see in your  local  paper  'Girls
bike, Pink, £35 ono.' Sort of suck it and see!

Epson  Stylus 800 review by Dave Cowling.  Another quality write-up  of  a
quality  printer,  unfortunately with a matching price.  But it  certainly
sounds  (and  looks) good!  I thought my Pan.1123 was the  cat's  whiskers
until I saw some inkjet printing...  yet this sounds a better bet in  jets
because of the piezo technology.

Llamatron  and  Cheats by James Matthews.  The cheat was  that  it  wasn't
about Llamatron,  but Revenge of the Mutant Camels instead!  But the sheer
madness of it all went for Llamatron just as well,  funny thing is that  I
love  one,  hate the other!  I hope Grandad II isn't a let-down after  the
first.

Ultimate  GFA  Database-  Neil Warwick.  Reviewed  by  Dave  Mooney.  Dave
explained  that  this  wasn't a programmers  guide,  except  to  reference
sources,  some of which would doubtless be difficult to obtain. Isn't this
what  the ATARI lads are about?  Neil has knocked up a d/base for his  own
benefit and here he is,  sharing it with other GFA programmers!  It's this
spirit which helps the world go round.

Floppyshop's 'Around the World'.  Reviewed by Dave Mooney.  ...who  didn't
go a lot on it!  Take no notice of him!  It's well known that STEN is  not
primarily a games magazine,  only Editors of Games magazines are qualified
to  review games....?   But it's all subjective and Dave's idea of a  game
is Dave's idea of a game.


Pix  with Everything by John Ash.  Well....  yes.  I don't know  how  much
Compos'  Vidi ST costs but I think I'd save up for a second-hand  scanner!
Copying  a pic.  with a video camera then 'grabbing' it in Vidi  sounds  a
bit  Heath Robinson.  The optical distortion you are  currently  suffering
just might be reduced by using stronger lighting,  I shan't bore you  with
the  details,  but  try  your  current setup outdoors  on  a  bright  day,
daylight being brighter and cheaper than most lights!  For the technically
minded,  most  video-camera  lenses  are made from  the  bottoms  of  beer
bottles,  whilst 'proper' cameras use milk-bottle bottoms. Work it out for
yourself!

The Amiga 1200 Alternative,  an anonymous contribution?  I should think so
too!  I don't understand all the technicalities and can only endorse  what
was  said  via a third party.  The Falcon and the club  member  previously
referred  to,  for the sake of anonymity I shall call him Steve  (Jones!).
He  was  fed up with the waiting and bought the 1200.  He thought  it  was
better  than nothing,  having sold his ST!  Then he gave it to his son  to
replace a 500.  For what he wants,  the Falcon knocks seven shades out  of
the  1200,  and I believe him!  I have seen both in action and I must  say
that  I  am unimpressed by neither.  Mind you,  if one should land  on  my
doorstep.......

CD  ROM Technology Mike Mee.  Who also hasn't got a Falcon,  (or a  duvet)
has  the  ideas.  What he needs is business  development  partners  and/or
investment.  Well,  I'd  like  to help but it's a matter of living  on  my
occupational  pension until I pick up my state pension  too....if  there's
any left.

Diskbox Dilemmas by Michael Herman,  who-doesn't-want-to-buy-Scotland! (if
you  change  your  mind,  don't  buy it  from  Dave  Mooney)  Michael  has
discovered the shoebox and offers a 'Blue Peter' solution to your  storage
problems.  You  must be a games man Michael,  surely nobody has  so  many?
[HOLD] I have just counted mine,  forty-eight,  and one in the drive. They
are  in a forty capacity box,  must be something wrong there!  Two  games,
fifteen  data  of  one  sort or  another,  two  utilities  and  the  rest,
programmes.  Richard Karsmakers' UVK is in its own plastic case (can't  be
too  careful!) and I have my batch of backups out of harm's  way.  If  you
ever need any of my shoeboxes Michael,  drop me a line! I don't hang on to
disks as you may tell,  especially blanks. I send mine to Dave Mooney with
text on and never get them back.    Yet!

Real  Programmers don't eat Quiche (revisited) This was a  laugh,  a  real
out loud,  belly laugh! Who wrote it? I have dabbled only in BBC BASIC and
when  typing-in  the conditional 'ELSE',  always thought  of  the  precise
tones  of  an older BBC announcer intoning the  word!  Very  aristocratic!
Never was it used as a conditional threat though,  '.add these two numbers
OR ELSE' Wonderful stuff!

Auctions  - the ST.  By John Ash of Dartford.  Was about what to look  out
for,  and avoid,  at car-boot sales and the like.  Seems that he may  have
landed  the  job of buying a load of duff gear and  telling  us  why!  Now
John,  to  answer one of your queries.  I know nothing about computers  as
you  may  have surmised,  but I do happen to know about  drawing  tablets!
Vets. use them on livestock to rid them of parasitic bowel worms, honest!

Just a Box of Rain.  John Weller. This was writing as a craft! Now whether
you like or loathe squirrels,  don't you just have to love what John wrote
about that particular one,  and his subjects in general.  At least I  read
your piece John,  and appreciated it.  I fail to see just how anyone could
not! A nomination for the Nobel best-piece prize!

A  Shareware  Miracle Jake  Bain.  Another  literary  masterpiece!  Forget
computers,  let's just applaud a well told story.  Of course,it was just a
story,  wasn't it?  But didn't you just live out the scene over a drink by
the Loch.  I don't really believe it but where does this Olf Polari Public
Domain Library hang out?    A nice piece Jake,  with a serious message.  I
look  forward to Ian Scott's GRANDAD II,  and if it's not too late  for  a
suggestion,  would you ask him if Lucy Lastic could have a more  prominent
part, or parts(!) in it? Call me a fetishist if you like!

'Sticks and stones may break my bones,
....... But whips and chains excite me'.

The  Diary of John R Loomis.  Stephen Ticehurst.  Could this be  the  next
generation of writers?  The subject was chilling,  the atmosphere was well
captured,  and this was very well done. I should like to see more, but can
you  do  it  when  it's not for marks Stephen?  I'll  just  bet  that  you
can......

Well,  that  was the STEN that was,  it's over but don't let it  go!  'Our
best  yet' said the Eds.  After only three issues I wouldn't know,  but  I
agree that it gets better with each issue.

It's all down to you,  the reader.  Write!  The Editors will print most of
what you say and the SPELLING.DIC will delete your expletives.  Who knows,
you may win the Falcon!    ... well Dave, the others all give things away,
so I just thought it might be a good idea if ....



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