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WEST OF SCOTLAND ATARI USER GROUP (Affiliated to The Association of Atari User groups) Issue number SIX, July 1996 June 11th Meeting There was a smaller turnout at the last meeting (about 15 or so) but that is as I expected to happen as we ran into this time of year. AGM It might seem a bit early but there are only another 2 meetings before the AGM in September. I am looking for some input from the membership prior to this meeting. There will be a formal agenda at the meeting. Obviously the steering committee will put together what they think should be on the Agenda, but it is vital for everybody else to have a say too. So I am looking for proposals for the agenda, ideas, thoughts anything at all. Letters(remember SAE) or e`mail are all welcome. As far as finance is concerned, it is looking as if we'll be OK up to the September meeting with what we have in the kitty so far. There will be a set of accounts published in the newsletter prior to the AGM. At the moment I think that we can stick with £5 for a 6 month subscription. Whether this should be collected annually or twice a year is something to be discussed at the AGM. IN THIS MONTHS ISSUE.... COMMS More on the Comms scene and what there is out there. ED's JUKEBOX Still taking a break, but will make a welcome return next month ATARI News Floppyshop are now selling Positive Image. A press release from the is reproduced here 1996 UK Atari Shows Good news... The Shows have now been confirmed :-) Birmingham - 28th September - National Motorcycle Museum. London - 29th September - Osterley Four Pillars Hotel. (Osterley is on the A4 between Hounslow and Hammersmith) Mike Goodman has taken the plunge and booked these venues. Many of the top Atari suppliers have already said they will attend the shows - A list of exhibitors will follow. ST Format are sponsoring the shows. For details contact Mike at Goodman International PDL on 01782-335650, 01728-316132 fax or fdl8@dial.pipex.com The WSAUG MPVGC (est 1996) The first outing was cancelled due to......... The truth is we never had a chance prior to the meeting to test the Golf on the machines that were going to be there. It is difficult at best to get it to work with the Falcons, and it would appear not to like TOS 2.06 at all We will try this again some time over the summer, but I'll try to arrange that we have a better or more suitable chioce of Hardware. Sorry folks JAGUAR Stuff I know of at least one member who has bought, or is about to buy a Jaguar. We await reports........ LOGO COMPETITION We've had one entry for this so far from Ed McGlone. It has already been decided that it will appear somewhere on our WWW pages See you all on the 9th July Al Goold 21 June 1996 COMMS It's easy to get confused by the world of Comms. What is the internet, what is the WWW, what are BBS's etc etc ? There is little doubt that finding your way about is difficult to start with, but if you persevere there is a lot of knowledge and pleasure to be gained. In this and future issues I hope to try to shed a little light on the mysteries that surround comms, and at the same time encourage those of you who don't have a modem, to seriously think about getting one. We'll start with NeST, NeST What is NeST? ------------- NeST (Network ST) is an international network based on FidoNet technology, dedicated to the Atari range of computers, in particular the Atari ST, TT and Falcon. The aim of the network is to provide messaging facilities to all Atari users the world over who are interested in the world of communications and in the ST. Eventually it is planned that NeST will extend to virtually every country in the world, however NeST now links the following countries: United Kingdom, Canada, The United States, Germany, The Netherlands, Australasia, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg and South East Asia. This is by far the largest Atari dedicated network in the world, and it is growing rapidly, with an average of a new country coming online every couple of months. NeST members work closely together to generate a good atmosphere. Within NeST you will not find any political battles, something which can't be said for a lot of other alternets. NeST also has a habit of collecting programmers from every walk of life, including some very well known names, who are either members of the network itself, or affiliated with it. NeST has a wealth of message and file echos, ninety percent of which are echoed round the world, and replies can be achieved within three to four days. The message echoes cover a terrific range, running from software support (ACS, LED, JEKYLL, JeTMail, MakeDiff, etc), programing (GFA, C, assembler etc), and general interest echoes like the common room where chaos rules, and users let off steam, and the Q&A echo where weird and wonderful queries are posted. Or if you are looking for something a little different why not take an interest in Space Empire Elite? The game runs throughout the network, using special programs coded by NeST members to coordinate and send inter-BBS attacks through the network. NeST allows the use of almost any mailing software, be it F-Net/Crossnet or FidoNet technology, to be used to collect mail, giving a very flexible system of mailing. Point systems are given rights too, if they take a 'Pvt' address in the master NeSTList, they are allowed full participation in the network, including taking part in votes on major changes within the network, something which is rarely allowed in other networks. One item that worries some users, and sysops is cost, that is network fees for linking into the network itself. With NeST no such fees exist, as each member works freely to gain the best connections, minimising mail costs as much as possible. If you want to join a network that's friendly, fun, well informed and conscious of what's going on, well why not try NeST, I don't think you'll regret it! For more information contact: Daron Brewood - 90:90/0.1@nest.ftn - 95:150/0.1@fanfiles.ftn - dbrewood@nest.demon.co.uk - dbrewood@cix.compulink.co.uk I look forward to hearing from you... DB (*OB*Here's a list of UK BBSs from which you can access the NeST network. Name Location Sysop Name Phone 42BBS Hants Colin Fisher-McAllum 01256 895106 680+ Hull Peter Buscada 01482 509700 Ad.Lib Chester Le Street Andy Curtis 0191 370 2659 All At Sea Coventry Antony Lacey 01203 601448 Chameleon Yate Martin Stacey 01454 881095 DanSoft Carnforth Daniel Horne 01524 732957 Dog House Royston Neil Burton 01763 230043 Dream Machine Cardiff David J. Thomas 01222 689812 Druid Prestatyn Peter Carr 01745 853503 Dysfunctional Doncaster John Richardson 01302 744241 Empire Ipswich 01473 692882 Folkestone Folkestone Robert Darling 01303 249306 Fortress Plumstead Kevin Osborne 0181 244 9825 Fractal Dorchester Tim Putnam 01305 266304 Keith's Point Derby Keith Jackson 01332 662988 Magic Castle Birmingham Mick Coleman 0121 430 3761 Penske Kidderminster Andy Taylor 01562 743661 PMT Blackpool Paul Seed 01253 344819 STandard Felixstowe Karl Foley 01394-271550 SysTem BBS Shotts, Scotland Paul Leonard 01501 825756 Tavern London Paul Baker 0181 445 6514 T.G.M Bradford Paul Simmonds 01274 787361*OB*) ATARI NEWS Positive Image Floppyshop have announced the release of Positive Image, a high end image processing tool developed primarily for the Atari TT and Falcon 030 but which also runs capably on a standard ST. Positive Image has come about as a result of extensive research into professional photographic image retouching packages on non-Atari machines. The result is an image processing studio, such as has never before been seen running on Atari computers! Positive Image runs on any TOS based computer but is enhanced to take full advantage of the improved hardware on the STE, TT and Falcon, especially the DSP on the Falcon. The blitter (if present) is also used to maximum effect. There are two versions of Positive Image, one for 68000 based ST/e's the other for 68030 machines (including PAK 68/3 accelerated ST/e's and Apple Macintosh machines running MagiC Mac). The basic 68000 version contains all the features of its big brother, being limited only by the slower processor speed and lower resolution displays. If your ST/e, TT or Falcon has a processor accelerator or graphic card fitted, this too will be used to its fullest capabilities. Positive Image is the ONLY GEM based image processing program to allow the editing of 24-bit True Colour graphics on an ordinary ST in any resolution (including low res!). A high spec system is not necessary in order to run Positive Image, but the program will take full advantage of the increased processing power if it is there! The following is a list of the program's main features:- System Compatibility ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * Minimum requirements: 1 Meg of RAM only, 4 Meg of RAM (or more) and a hard drive are recommended for serious use. * Supports all screen resolutions (including ST low res) on the ST/e, TT and Falcon including overscan, all virtual screen drivers and the various resolution boosters such as Autoswitch Overscan on the ST and all known hardware and software resolution boosters on the Falcon 030. * Compatible with all official releases of TOS (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.62, 2.05, 2.06, 3.05, 3.06, 4.01, 4.02, 4.04) and the developer version of 4.92. * Fully compatible with GDOS 1.1, AMC GDOS, FontGDOS, FSM GDOS, SpeedoGDOS v4, SpeedoGDOS v5, NVDI 3 and NVDI 4 with regard to both font and printer support. * Compliant with all 100% GEM compatible graphics cards. * Fully compatible with MagiC Mac. * Fully compatible with Gemulator 4. * Supplied in two versions for the different models in the Atari range. The basic program runs on any Atari and the 68030 version runs on any 68030 or 68040 based TOS compatible system and takes advantage of the DSP in the Falcon. Multi-Tasking Features ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * Fully compatible with Multi-TOS, Geneva and MagiC 3 or 4. * Supports extended AES messages from Multi-TOS, WinX, Geneva and MagiC 3 or 4. * Supports the Xacc and AV protocols for sending messages between programs. * Support for Multi-TOS and MagiC 3 and 4's drag and drop protocol whereby a group of images are dragged onto an open window and are all loaded in a single operation. General Features ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * Extensive file support allows the following graphic formats to be imported: AIM, Degas, Windows and OS/2 Bitmap, EZ-Art Pro, IFF (including Deluxe Paint ST, standard HAM, high res HAM, HAM6, HAM8, HAM12 and 24-bit HAM), IMG (including HyperPaint X-IMG and conventional X-IMG), InShape, Imagelab, JPEG, MTV Raytrace, NeoChrome, PC Paintbrush, Photochrome, Portable Network Graphic (PNG), Prism Paint, True Paint, Spectrum 512 (both 50hz and 60hz pictures), TrueVision Targa, TIFF v6 (including CCITT fax and JPEG support) and Tiny. * Saves out in most popular formats including TIFF, BMP, JPG, PNG, TGA, XIMG, EZA, P?1 and NEO amongst others. * Full support for true (i.e. non paletted) 256 level Greyscales, fully preserving the colour depth. These are even supported for image formats which do not ordinarily handle this type of image! * Comprehensive file information (filename, format, compression method, dimensions, memory required, memory free) given when loading images. * Handles conversions between monochrome, 16 colour, 256 colour, Greyscale and True Colour, performing colour quantisation or palette boosting as necessary. * Colour selection compliant with both RGB and CMY standards. * Supports separate editing of the red, green, blue and mask channels with colour images. * Subject to memory and/or available hard drive space, an UNDO buffer is available at all times, allowing 'mistakes' to be reversed easily. UNDO works for almost all operations in Positive Image. * All images are stored internally in 24-bit format and all operations are carried out on the 24-bit representation held in memory. This ensures that the same quality results are obtained whether pictures are edited in monochrome or True Colour. * Near-instantaneous screen redraws in True Colour mode. * Images can be intelligently rescaled and anti-aliased to suit the size of your paper (or the dimensions of your choice provided they do not exceed that of your paper!). Realistically you can print out an image at up to 400% of its original size at 300dpi without any noticeable loss of quality. * Optionally uses windowed dialogues which may be moved to a more convenient location when work is being obscured. Access to the menu bar or other GEM applications is also supported when running under Multi-TOS with this feature enabled. * Multiple dialogues can be open at the same time and you can move between them freely, even under single-tasking TOS. In fact different tools can be active for different images and Positive Image always remembers the currently selected tool for the appropriate image! * Includes its own virtual memory feature which runs on any Atari with a hard drive. Positive Image is also fully compatible with TT Fast RAM and virtual memory drivers on the TT and Falcon such as Outside. * Supports multiple loading of up to five images at once from the Selectric file selector and inserts the filemasks for supported formats into Selectric's list of masks. These features are also available to users of the Freedom file selector. * Makes use of the GEM Clipboard for cutting and pasting of blocks. * Allows you to specify your Clipboard directory and creates a Clipboard for you if you don't already have one. * Retains multiple blocks in the Clipboard to facilitate easier creating of montages. * Clipboard support includes the ability to clear all blocks or delete individual blocks after use. * Support for Brainstorm's DSP based JPEG decoder on the Falcon. * Standard GEM compliant keyboard shortcuts for all menu options. * Iconification of images to maximise desk space. * All your preferred settings can be saved as default to save valuable time when next using the package. * Floating toolbar with short tool descriptions being displayed (except in 40 column modes) as you hover over their icons. * GDOS fonts may be unloaded when not in use, in order to save memory. * All the common text attributes such as bold, italic, underline and outline may be applied to your text and previewed on screen before use. * Powerful block handling features include the choice of 11 different overlay methods with user definable transparency feature. * The ability to use any of the RGB channels of the block or image as a mask channel when pasting blocks. * Supports the creation of 3D random dot stereograms and foreground enhanced stereograms. * Sixteen zoom levels allow you to scale an image up or down to a maximum factor of eight. When zoomed (in or out), blocks, brushes etc are all scaled accordingly. Outsize images can be zoomed out to view the entire image for pasting blocks or defining localised regions for processing. Zooming in allows fine editing right down to individual pixels. * Fully illustrated in-depth 136 page manual which covers not only the use of Positive Image itself but also the fundamentals of image processing. Includes extensive cross-referencing, a glossary of over 250 terms used within the manual, a guide to the various graphic file formats and a handy trouble-shooting section. Written by a former regular contributor to several popular Atari magazines. Falcon Specific Features ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * 3D graphic interface. * Compatible with 32Mhz and 40 Mhz accelerators (including BlowUp-FX). * Fast DSP code handles most processor intensive operations such as rescaling, rotating, filtering, dithering and such like. * Works on both VGA and RGB monitors as well as ordinary TV sets. * Fully compatible with ScreenBlaster BlowUp030 and other resolution enhancers. Printer Support ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * Fully supports printing from any version of GDOS or SpeedoGDOS. * Also includes its own printer drivers as an alternative to those available with the various GDOS versions. * Non-GDOS based printer support includes all 9-pin and 24-pin Epson and IBM models, HP DeskJet (colour and mono), HP LaserJet, IBM ProPrinter, Epson Stylus (mono and colour) and Postscript printers. * Supports half-toning, random dithering, clumped (the method used by newspapers) and Floyd-Steinberg dithering as options to use when printing out. * Uses data compression when printing to HP Laserjets and Deskjets to reduce printing time. * Images can be printed to disk if memory is low. These files can then be double-clicked from the GEM Desktop and sent directly to the printer. They can also be printed out from PC, Mac and Unix machines if you transfer them via a PC formatted disk. * Can export images in PostScript format. Image Processing Features ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ * All the usual tools such as Brightness/Contrast, Contrast Stretch, Negate, Threshold, Histogram and Equalise are present as well as many revolutionary new ones. * Images can be rotated to any angle in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction to an accuracy of one degree. Uses DSP on the Falcon. * Real-time mirroring of images. * Comes supplied with six commonly used image processing filters (including smooth, sharpen and remove noise) built-in. * Allows the user to create his/her own external filters for use with Positive Image. The package includes about a dozen useful pre-defined external filters including Blur, Emboss, Erode and Vibrate. * Supports 256 level (8-bit) masking. Includes a configurable gradient mask tool which allows you to create your own masks. * Allows processing of user defined rectangular, circular, elliptical and bezier area definitions within Greyscale and True Colour images without affecting other areas of the image. * Powerful auto-trace tool supports user-defined tolerance level to allow easy selection of multi-coloured areas of similar RGB value eg; could be used to select a sky background. * Pixel precise area selection of any shape supported by use of Alpha Channel handling. * Image warping (two different implementations supported) and shearing enable life-like twisting and distorting of images. The closest you'll get to morphing on a non-frame based package. You must see these features to believe them! They are fully operational in the demo version! * Supports gamma correction of images for screen and/or printer. Image Retouching Features ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Besides having a powerful compliment of image processing tools, Positive Image includes a number of localised retouching tools with user definable brush size and shape. These are for the main part, similar in concept to those found in any standard graphics package, but further enhanced to fully exploit the image processing capabilities of Positive Image. The retouching tools are as follows:- * Sharpen/Blur - A dual purpose tool which applies a local high pass sharpen (or blur) filter to the pixel beneath the mouse. * Dodge/Burn - A dual purpose tool which lightens or darkens each pixel in the area beneath the mouse, when used on Greyscale or True Colour images. * Eraser - Erases any given area with the eraser adopting the size of the currently selected brush. * Fill - A standard fill tool as found in most graphics packages but with user control over opacity, fade and strength. * Spraycan - A traditional airbrush tool with the added advantage that you can set opacity, fade and strength to suit. * Paint - A standard painting tool which applies your chosen colour to the image relative to the size and shape of your selected brush. * Pencil - Identical to paint except that it always works at single pixel level, regardless of the size of the brush. * Rubber Stamp - A multi-purpose cloning tool. * Full user configurability of all image processing tools allowing you to set the Opacity, Fade and Strength to make them work like 'real' paint! All retouching tools may be used in Positive Image's variable zoom mode to ensure pixel precise accuracy, Price ¯¯¯¯¯ Positive Image is available NOW. It normally costs 79 pounds + P&P, but you can order your copy at a special introductory price of just £65.00 + P&P (£2) Contact:- Floppyshop, PO Box 273, Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K. AB15 8GJ. Tel:\Fax: 01224 586208, International +44 (0)1224 586208 email: sdelaney@steil.wintermute.co.uk NEWS FROM OTHER ATARI USER GROUPS/CLUBS The WeST of Scotland Atari User Group are pleased to welcome The Wessex Atari User Group to the growing fold of Atari specific User Groups. Roy Goring (WSAUG member #41) is a leading light in the group and a head WAGger. Maybe if any of us are on holiday in that area we can manage a meeting, conversely if any WAGger are on hols in Scotland you're welcome to drop by. CURRENT MEMBERSHIP LIST For various reasons since the group started there has been some messing about with membership numbers. So that there is no confusion I have included a list of the membership as of todays date (21 June 1996). As you'll see we've now got a total of 49 members. Hopefully we'll break the half century sometime this month or next. For general interest I have included the town of origin of all members. It is not my intention to publish addresses and telephone numbers. It may be possible in the future to have an encoded database of the membership, but that would entail everyones agreement. MEMBER: NAME: TOWN: 01 Alasdair Goold Johnstone 02 Sandy Thomson Howwood 03 Stuart McAllister Beith 04 Andrew Wilson Houston 05 Brian Stanton Troon 06 Eddie McGlone Glasgow 07 Jennifer Routledge Paisley 08 William Copeland Beith 09J Andrew Irvine Wishaw 10 Kerr Reid Glasgow 11J Lee Anne Reid Glasgow 12 David Owen Glasgow 13 Peter Watters Kilbarchan 14 David Smith Balloch 15 Jim Webster Greenock 16J Tracy Webster Greenock 17J Lorna Webster Greenock 18 Ken Johnston Glasgow 19 David Rodger Renfrew 20J Sara Goold Johnstone 21 Bill Perrie Renfrew 22J Craig Thomson Howwood 23J Carrie Thomson Howwood 24 Graham Brydson Howwood 25J Douglas Stevenson Glasgow 26 Marshall F. Middleton Paisley 27 Margaret Gilliland Patna 28J Paul Leonard Shotts 29 Thomas Fleming Glasgow 30J Peter Campbell Glasgow 31 H Harry Sideras Birmingham 32J Stuart Mackie Glasgow 33 Derek McMenamin Alexandria 34 Fraser Blacklaws Livingston 35J Stuart Gilliland Patna 36J David McMenamin Alexandria 37 Craig Petherick Glasgow 38 Guy Baldwin Dumfries 39H Paul Walsh Alloa 40 Domhnall Dodds Edinburgh 41 Roy Goring Havant 42H Colin Fisher-McAllum Whitchurch, Hants 43 Joseph Mooney Glasgow 44 Campbell Murray Motherwell 45H Robert J Paton Neilston 46J Alastair Lang Paisley 47 Duncan Lang Paisley 48 Mark Bradley Dalkeith 49 Eric Anderson Beith 1996 MEETINGS All meetings will take place within the upstairs lounge of The Railway Inn, Main Street, Howwood. The doors will be open from 7pm . The formal opening of each meeting will take place at 7:30pm. The propos dates for the meetings to be held in 1996 are as follows. All dates are provisional at the moment and will depend on both the response to the groups as a whole, and the suitability of the Railway Inn. 1996 MEETINGS 11 JUNE 9 JULY 6 AUGUST 3 SEPTEMBER - AGM 1 OCTOBER 29 OCTOBER 26 NOVEMBER 24 DECEMBER -NO MEETING SOFTWARE PIRACY The WeST of Scotland Atari User Group does not condone software piracy and will not allow the group meetings be used to copy commercial software. Next Month............ With a bit of luck we'll see the return of Ed's Jukebox, I hope to have an article ready on the superb "Freedom" Item Selector, and we'll have something else on Comms. I'm not sure what yey, but I genuinely believe that it is the way forward for Atari Users, and will keep all of us from not only Scotland and the UK, but from all over the world in Contact. An example of this is "Current Notes" magazine. This is an excellent bi-monthly mag, reminiscent of ST Applications which is published in Canada. You can now get a years subscription (6 issues) for £33 from Denesh Bhabuta, 203 Parr Lane, Bury BL9 8JW (dbhabuta@cix.compulink.co.uk). I would suggest getting in contact with him first to confirm availability. The WSAUG is now also in contact with The Nova Scotia Atari Computer Users Group, and with luck I'll have a copy of the Groups next newsletter at the July meeting for you to have a look at. The message areas on 42BBS continue to thrive, and I have to thank Colin Fisher-McCallum, the sysop for his support for not only us, but all User Groups. He has quite a few local areas now including, ours, ANL's and TUG's. I hope to see you all at the next meeting. I appreciate that as it's the holidays it's likely to be a bit quiter than in the past, but we have anticipated that. Remember to think about the AGM. As I said way back in issue one, "It's your User Group, Use it or lose it". CREDITS This Newsletter was prepared using Papyrus Gold with N.V.D.I.4 and printed at 300 dpi on a Hewlett Packard Deskjet 500C. Editor: Al Goold (© WSAUG, 1996)