NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18

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Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Path: sparky!uunet!usc!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!destroyer!ubc-cs!unixg.ubc.ca!kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca!ee.ualberta.ca!jpenne From: jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca (Jerry Penner) Subject: GEnieLamp Aug 1992 (Vol 1 No. 5) (5 parts) Message-ID: <jpenne.713864640@ee.ualberta.ca> Summary: part 1 Sender: news@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca Nntp-Posting-Host: eigen.ee.ualberta.ca Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 07:44:00 GMT Lines: 980 GEnieLamp Vol 1/Num 5 August 1, 1992 Part 1 of 5 This article first appeared on GEnie and I was asked to post it on the Internet. My GE-Mail address is J.Penner1 and my internet address is jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca if you need to discuss something regarding this posting. I don't work for GEnie or anything to do with the Internet. ----8<----8<----8<----8<----8<-- cut here --8<----8<----8<----8<----8<---- |||||| |||||| || || |||||| |||||| || || ||| || || || || ||| |||| |||||| || |||| Your || || || || ||| || || |||||| |||||| || || |||||| |||||| GEnie Lamp A2/A2Pro || |||||| || || |||||| RoundTable || || || ||| ||| || || || |||||| |||||||| |||||| RESOURCE! || || || || || || || ||||| || || || || || KANSASFEST!!! ~ SPECIAL A2/A2PRO DOUBLE ISSUE! ~ ~ RUNNING YOUR OWN BBS! ~ ~ THE FUTURE OF APPLE II SOFTWARE ~ ~ CHATTING WITH MATT DEATHERAGE ~ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////////////// GEnie Lamp A2/A2Pro ~ A T/TalkNET OnLine Publication ~ Vol.1, Issue 5 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Publisher............................................Kent Fillmore Senior Editor........................................John Peters Editor (AII).......................................Tom Schmitz Co-Editor (AII).................................Phil Shapiro ~ GEnie Lamp MAC ~ ~ GEnie Lamp IBM ~ ~ GEnie Lamp ST ~ ~ GEnie Lamp Elsewhere ~ ~ GEnieLamp A2/A2Pro ~ ////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ >>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE APPLE II ROUNDTABLE? <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ~ August 1, 1992 ~ FROM MY DESKTOP ......... [FRM] APPLE BITS .............. [BIT] Notes From The Editor. A2/A2Pro - August 1992. HEY MISTER POSTMAN ...... [HEY] HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM] Is That A Letter for Me? A Slight Misunderstanding. PROGRAMMING CORNER ...... [PRO] A2 PRO ROUNDTABLE ....... [PRO] Part II, Apple I. A2 Pro News & Features. ONLINE FUN .............. [FUN] WHO'S WHO ............... [WHO] Search-ME! Who's Who In Apple II. KANSASFEST .............. [KAN] FOCUS ON ................ [FOC] News & Views. Shared Minds: Book Reviews. SOFTVIEW A2 ............. [SOF] COWTOONS ................ [COW] A2 Software Reviews. Mooooooo Fun! THE ONLINE LIBRARY ...... [LIB] SHAREWARE SOLUTIONS ..... [SHA] Yours For The Downloading. FTA Contests. APPLE II HISTORY ........ [HIS] GAMES PEOPLE PLAY ....... [GAM] Apple II History, Pt. III. Focus On Computer Games. LOG OFF ................. [LOG] GEnieLamp Information. [IDX] """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" READING GEnie Lamp GEnie Lamp has incorporated a unique indexing """""""""""""""""" system to help make reading the magazine easier. To utilize this system, load GEnie Lamp into any ASCII word processor or text editor. In the index you will find the following example: HUMOR ONLINE ............ [HUM] [*]GEnie Fun & Games. To read this article, set your find or search command to [HUM]. If you want to scan all of the articles, search for [EOA]. [EOF] will take you to the last page, whereas [IDX] will bring you back to the index. MESSAGE INFO To make it easy for you to respond to messages re-printed """""""""""" here in GEnie Lamp, you will find all the information you need immediately following the message. For example: (SMITH, CAT6, TOP1, MSG:58/M475) _____________| _____|__ _|___ |____ |_____________ |Name of sender CATegory TOPic Msg.# Page number| In this example, to respond to Smith's message, log on to page 475 enter the bulletin board and set CAT 6. Enter your REPly in TOPic 1. A message number that is surrounded by brackets indicates that this message is a "target" message and is referring to a "chain" of two or more messages that are following the same topic. For example: {58} ABOUT GEnie GEnie costs only $4.95 a month for unlimited evening and """"""""""" weekend access to more than 100 services including electronic mail, online encyclopedia, shopping, news, entertainment, single-player games, multi-player chess and bulletin boards on leisure and professional subjects. With many other services, including the largest collection of files to download and the best online games, for only $6 per hour (non-prime-time/2400 baud). To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 1-800-638-8369. Upon connection type HHH. Wait for the U#= prompt. Type: XTX99368,GENIE and hit RETURN. The system will then prompt you for your information. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" /////////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE //// / "When my Apple ][gs eventually conks out, I want to invest in / / an equally powerful computer; Therefore, I think I'll invest / / in a CRAY." / //////////////////////////////////////////////// PROPTOSIS //// [EOA] [FRM]////////////////////////////// FROM MY DESKTOP / ///////////////////////////////// Notes From The Editor """"""""""""""""""""" By John Peters [GENIELAMP] TOP OF THE PAGE The GEnieLamp Computer War contest is heating up with """"""""""""""" entries from several computer platforms. Surprisingly, we have received responses from platforms that GEnieLamp doesn't directly support (like the Amiga and NeXT computers). Even more surprising is the fact that we have received _zero_ entries from the IBM and Macintosh crowd while the Apple II/A2Pro response has been tremendous. The contest is simple: Tell us why you think your computer is HOT. Why and how do you use your computer in everyday life? What are its strengths. What are its weaknesses? What keeps you from switching platforms? There are only a couple of weeks left to get in on the contest, so if you're planning on entering do it now. Just send your entry of 400 words or less to GEmail address GENIELAMP or upload it to Library #8 in the GEnieLamp RoundTable on page 515. And don't forget, there is over $200.00 worth of GEnie online credit time which will be given away! Amigians Ask, Where Is GEnieLamp AMI? I have received several GEmail """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" asking me why we GEnieLamp doesn't support the Commodore/Amiga line of computers. The reason is simple: You already have a great newsletter, Viewport. Viewport is edited by Jim Meyer and published by Livewire editor, Peggy Herrington. And like GEnieLamp, Viewport is distributed via the main menu and is included in your GEnie*Basic package. Check it your copy of Viewport out in the *STARSHIP* RoundTable on page 555. GEnieLamp Elsewhere Update Our "elsewhere" issue is undergoing a complete """""""""""""""""""""""""" make-over. In order to better serve you we are hiring reporters/writers to cover the Computing RoundTables that are currently not included in the GEnieLamp magazines. If you would like to become part of the GEnieLamp team, write to GENIELAMP today. MINI_HUMOR! This small poem has been floating around GEnie lately. I """"""""""" reprint it here for those of you who might have missed it. Spellbound """""""""" I have a spelling checker It came with my PC; It plainly marks four my revue Mistakes I cannot sea. I've run this poem threw it I'm sure your pleased too no. It's letter perfect in it's weigh. My checker tolled me sew. - Pennye Harper [*][*][*] That's about it for this month. Until next time... Take care! John Peters [GENIELAMP] ///////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE //// / "After four years in that game [Air Warrior] there are / / still players that, if I see them coming, all I can do / / is run. The others that I can kill are most satisfying; / / they come back up a minute later cursing you. Gives me / / that warm fuzzy feeling...." / ///////////////////////////////////////// C.TOWNSLEY //// [EOA] [BIT]////////////////////////////// APPLE BITS / ///////////////////////////////// A2/A2Pro - August 1992 """""""""""""""""""""" By Thomas M. Schmitz [TOM.SCHMITZ] WELCOME! Welcome to the August GEnieLamp A2/A2Pro. Now that KansasFest """""""" is over we can catch our breath and take stock of what is happening in the Apple II world. You will find a special section devoted to the best KansasFest post so you are amongst the first to get the scoop on what went down. GEnieLamp A2/A2Pro wants to hear from you! We start on GEnie, but it goes much farther. We encourage you to upload copies of GEnieLamp to your favorite BBS's and to share it with your local usergroup. So it only makes sense that you be able to write us and let us know what you think. Send me a letter telling me what you think about GEnieLamp and our articles. We also want to hear what you do with your Apple II. If you are a developer or programmer, send us a letter telling us what you are doing. If you send us a program we will review it. (We accept Commercial, Freeware, Shareware & Public Domain. Make sure you indicate if we may place it in the GEnie online library.) Do you have fresh news or a hot rumor? Send it in and we will share it with the world. (Subject to editors' discretion and/or verification.) Send your letters and programs to: GEnieLamp A2/A2Pro %Thomas M. Schmitz 6750 Hawaii Kai Dr., 1005 Honolulu, Hawaii 96825 Make sure you have the correct postage since we cannot accept postage due. BULLETIN BOARDS ARE HOT! If you have not been in the message center """""""""""""""""""""""" lately you owe it to yourself to take a visit. Here is a rundown of current events: To help celebrate GEnie's Hot Summer Nights Promotion, the A2 Roundtable will be the host for several Special Guests in Real Time Conferences. Scheduled so far, noted Apple IIgs programmer Bill Heineman has agreed to be a guest on Sunday August 2, to discuss his latest HOT arcade game for the Apple IIgs. Kitchen Sink Software, publishers of a wide variety wonderful 8-bit Apple II software for home, education, and small business, will be the guest on Tuesday August 11. SoftDisk Publishing, makers of Softdisk and Softdisk GS, will be our guest on Thursday, August 20, and have agreed to give away a free subscription or two to lucky attendees! An agreement has been reached with Roger Wagner, publisher of over 100 Apple II and Apple IIgs products, to be our guest. No final date has been set, but watch for announcements within A2 very soon! Tom Zuchowski of the Eamon Adventurer's Guild has also consented to be our guest at a soon-to-be-announced date. Right now the A2 and A2Pro sysops are at the yearly A2-Central Summer Conference speaking to many more Apple II developers and publishers, so expect even more exciting Real Time Conference announcements for August! A2 will also be conducting an Upload Contest in the A2 Libraries. Every week the GEnie Sysops will choose their favorite new Apple II 8-bit and new Apple IIgs specific upload, and the uploaders will receive TWO FREE hours in A2 and A2Pro RoundTables. August is THE time to upload your favorite piece of software, or your neatest file, or WHATEVER you think would interest other Apple II users - don't put yourself down, you'd be surprised what others might like! The BIG contest is already happening in A2 and A2Pro. Joe Kohn, author of ShareWare Solutions, a monthly article in A+/InCider magazine is sponsoring a contest for the best, neatest, most awesome levels for the FTA game Bouncin'Ferno. Bouuncin' Ferno is an amazing arcade game for IIgs users, available from the A2 Library as: File #18948 BOUNCNFERNO.BXY Desc: Bouncin' Ferno game from the FTA! The game includes a level editor, which can be used to create your own levels. Those who create the best new levels may win prizes from the contest sponsored by Shareware Solutions. To help Mr. Kohn's contest, A2 has decided to allow GEnie users to "get in on the action" early. Create your own levels for Bouncin' Ferno, upload them, and maybe WIN A PRIZE! The winner will win TWO FREE WEEKEND DAYS in the A2 and A2Pro RoundTables, and the runner up will receive ONE free weekend day. Whether you win in A2 or not, you'll also be eligible to participate in the Shareware Solutions column, so check out Bouncin' Ferno and create those levels right away! 8-Bit Apple II users should not feel left out, because A2 is also sponsoring a contest for Print Shop Graphics. Create a new Print Shop Graphic (in either New Print Shop or original format) and upload it to enter our contest. Winner will receive TWO FREE WEEKEND DAYS in the A2 and A2Pro Roundtables, runner-up will receive one free weekend day. /////////////////////////////////////// GEnie_QWIK_QUOTE //// / "I always assumed it meant "read the font-editor manual". / / What do I know. <g>" / ///////////////////////////////////////// CHERRY.FONTS //// [EOA] [HEY]////////////////////////////// HEY MISTER POSTMAN / ///////////////////////////////// Is That A Letter For Me? """""""""""""""""""""""" By Thomas M. Schmitz [TOM.SCHMITZ] >>> APPLE II ODDS & ENDS <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""" RTC HUMOR If no-one has told you, insanity abounds in the Apple II RT. """"""""" Just look at this clipping from a live RoundTable Conference: <A2.HANGTIME> KFest? <A2.HANGTIME> 5 days, 10 hours, 29 minutes, 18 seconds until KFest <A2.HANGTIME> KFest? <A2.HANGTIME> 10 hours, 29 minutes, 9 seconds until KFest ... YAY!! <A2.HANGTIME> KFest? <A2.HANGTIME> 10 hours, 29 minutes, 8 seconds until KFest ... YAY!! <A2.HANGTIME> Are you enjoying yourself, Hang? <A2.HANGTIME> Why, yes. As a matter o' fact I am. SO there. <A2.HANGTIME> Man you're weird <A2.HANGTIME> Define weird. <A2.HANGTIME> YOU are the definition of weird! <A2.HANGTIME> In who's eyes? Yours? <A2.HANGTIME> Yes mine. <A2.HANGTIME> Pttthhhh. Look who's talking! <A2.HANGTIME> - --===[} Hang <A2.HANGTIME> Oh yeah? ---===[] <A2.HANGTIME> OUCH! <A2.HANGTIME> Yeah, serves you right. <A2.HANGTIME> Yeah, but I just threw a pie, you threw a pie TIN! That's not very nice. <A2.HANGTIME> I'm not a noce person. <A2.HANGTIME> I know you're not a "noce" person. You also can't type worth $#!+ <A2.HANGTIME> B-P> You know I meant "nice", you dork. <A2.HANGTIME> on <A2.HANGTIME> your <A2.HANGTIME> knees <A2.HANGTIME> Oh my? Now I'm not sure who's taking? Is it you, or me? <A2.HANGTIME> I don't know. But I'll make it easier for you ... I'll leave. bye <A2.HANGTIME> Okay, later. More on SoundSmith DISCLAIMER: These are my personal views and not that """""""""""""""""" of Seven Hills, my users' group, or any other group. I may not disclose any proprietary information and will not willing do so. If I do so, it is involuntary. As a Seven Hills Partner and "kind of" beta tester (I was real late on Express - but the final version doesn't conflict with Pointless like one of the early ones did), I have seen SoundSmith in a "commercial form". I also signed a non-disclosure agreement. It was/is nice. I played with it quite a bit. I can not / will not discuss the program itself. The only BBS I ever saw it on was the Seven Hills area (closed to non-Partners) here on GEnie, but then, except for my brief monthly forays onto AOL, this is my only BBS. If some Seven Hills Partner let it out by giving it away to a pirate BBS, then shooting is too good for that person. Hot coals, v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y, maybe. I really liked the "commercial version". As the PD librarian of a users' group, I had played with SoundSmith, but never kept it because of the way it never liked my system configuration (i.e., it wouldn't run off my hard drive and I hate booting from a floppy). So I used AOL's pre-System 6.0 version of SynthLAB and later FTA's freeware NoiseTracker (I just listen to other people's compositions). When I was in Germany I wrote to FTA and to Huibert Aalbers. I even paid for Photonix II prior to it's release (still don't have it...). Olivier and Huibert are talented guys, but they were writing for a platform that was never even supported in Europe to a tiny fraction of it's US support - slim as that was! Sr. Aalbers might be tempted if _every_ person who _uses_ SoundSmith: (a) paid their shareware fee; and (b) deluged Seven Hills with prepaid orders for the "commercial version" - AND cheerfully and uncomplainingly accepting the "final beta" without a manual until any bugs are worked out. [BTW, I have suggested in the past that Apple II users could commission programers to write programs for them. In other words, Bill Heineman gets, say $5,000 for a program, we raise $5,000 and pay him for his work. If any one of these "alliance" operations ever got off the ground, that would be one vehicle to raise programmers' commissions with. Perhaps GEnie could even be convinced to allow electronic fund raising?] Seven Hill's is committed to the GS. People who pirate their programs in these day of faint support should be ashamed - by doing so they are actively helping to kill a fantastic platform (the GSd a very good company (Seven Hills, not Apple!). I hope they enjoy their putrid PC's when that's all that's left. Try my suggestions of getting people to pay the shareware fee and trying to preorder the finished program. Money talks, all else walks. Just remember, you'd also have to be happy with the "final beta" until Huibert Aalbers' ruffled feathers are smoothed. Mike (On all but beta testing information, you may quote me in print if you credit me) Murley (M.MURLEY3, CAT 6,TOP12, MSG:4,/M645;1) Best of Music Studio Just thought you would all like to know what is in """""""""""""""""""" A2's Best of Music Studio Songs (file 18976). (You must have Music Studio to listen to these files. Allatrk.SNG Alla Turca -- Mozart Annies.SNG 11747 Annie's Song -- John Denver Beethvn5th.SNG Benhur.SNG 3944 Blackbird.SNG Blue.Moon.SNG 6943 Bo.Rhapsody.SNG 13897 Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen Bolero.SNG 13896 Bolero -- Ravel Brickwal.SNG 15027 Another Brick in the Wall -- Pink Floyd Bristl.Stmp.SNG 10998 The Bristol Stomp BumbleBee.SNG 13898 Flight of the Bumblebee Can.Can.SNG 16173 Cantina.B.SNG 16174 Star Wars Cantina Band Closer.SNG 6858 Closer to the Heart -- Rush Colour.SNG 15139 Colour My World -- Chicago Concerto.SNG 2849 DownUnder.SNG 16244 Dwarves.SNG 13630 March of the Dwarves Entertainer.SNG 13334 Every.Day.SNG Falcon.Crest.SNG 16247 Flashdance.SNG 13959 Games.Play.SNG 16563 Games People Play GBusters.SNG 15136 Ghostbusters Theme GGROBAR.SNG Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Ghostriders.SNG 14216 (with Wavebank) Heartbreak.SNG 13960 Help.Rhonda.SNG 3557 Here.There.SNG Here, There, and Everywhere -- Beatles Hill.St.SNG 13410 Hill Street Blues Theme I.Hav.2.Do2.SNG 6047? All I Have to do is Dream Invention10.SNG 5362 Invention12.SNG 5362 Invention15.SNG 5362 Linus.Lucy.SNG Lion.Sleeps.SNG 10998 Wimoweh (Lion Sleeps Tonight) Lollipop.SNG 4238 Lonely.SNG 3647 Only the Lonely Lucifer.SNG 16562 Mork.SNG 13371 Mork and Mindy Theme Mple.Lf.Rag.SNG 16246 Maple Leaf Rag -- Scott Joplin Nacht.MIDI.SNG 3947 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik -- Mozart NineToFive.SNG 13372 One.Ur.With.SNG 6938 Love the One you're With Overture.SNG 6828 Overture -- Rush Paint.Blak.SNG 2878 (with Wavebank) -- Rolling Stones People.Eat.SNG 4239 Purple People Eater -- Sheb Wooley PeterGunn.SNG 13370 Play.W.Fire.SNG 2878 (with Wavebank) -- Rolling Stones Rock.Round.SNG 10998 Rock Around the Clock RockUSA.SNG 3444 Rudolph.SNG 16243 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Running.SNG 3445 S.L.T.Wind.SNG 4803 She's Like the Wind -- Swayze Sd.Silence.SNG 13901 Sounds of Silence -- Simon & Garfunkel SilanceAG60.SNG 4028 Sounds of Silence -- Simon & Garfunkel Sinfonia12.SNG 16573 Soliloquy.SNG 6862 -- Rush Something.SNG 6862 -- Rush Soolaimon.SNG 14497 -- Neil Diamond Spaulding.SNG 16172 Hooray for Cpt. Spaulding - Groucho Marx Spirit.SNG 6858 Spirit of the Radio -- Rush St.Else.SNG 15190 St. Elsewhere's Theme Surfin.USA.SNG 3557 Syrinx.SNG 6862 Temple of the Syrinx -- Rush Under.Sea.SNG 13023 Under the Sea Vincent.SNG 15271 -- Don McLean Wonderful.SNG 16565 Wonderful! Wonderful! Yakety.Yak.SNG 10998 Z812.SNG 15138 1812 Overture Cello.WBNK 15193 For Falcon Crest Theme Rock2.WBNK ? For Rolling Stones Songs Tim Tobin A2 Head Librarian (A2.TIM, CAT3, TOP6, MSG:42/M645;1) PRE-KANSASFEST NEWS Even Before the KansasFest convention began Zip """"""""""""""""""" Technologies announced new, faster accelerators for the II GS -- up to 14 megahertz! But if you already have a Zip and want to save money you can make the upgrade yourself. Lunatic found this on the Internet: Article 38578 (266 more) in comp.sys.apple2: From: bazyar@teal.csn.org (Jawaid Bazyar) Subject: High Speed '816s from Sanyo Date: 4 Jul 92 18:18:47 GMT Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc. Lines: 32 I was talking to Bill Heineman and he mentioned a new chip that's available from WDC. It's a fairly standard 65c816, except for two things: o It runs at 14MHz o It was reengineered almost from scratch by Sanyo to run at 14MHz This is no joke; I called WDC and asked them (talk to 'Deb'). They have them, they cost $95 just like the old 'high speed' (not) chips they had. And, they have what's probably an unlimited supply of them. You can pump your Zips up to 12.4MHz (their gate array is now the bottleneck, although there are about 100 Zips out there with faster gate arrays). Transwarps can probably go the full 14MHz, though I don't know for a fact. There is no power supply boosting necessary; these chips run straight off the regular 5V (they were reengineered, remember?). Just plug 'em in, put in a new crystal, hope you particular accelerator card doesn't have some odd fault, and GO! Ultra fast IIgs's. WDC will require you to look at some outdated (and because of the new chip, obsolete) information on modifying TWGS's and Zips before they'll let you order the chip; but that's free, and well worth a IIgs at 12 or 14 MHz.-(81%) Again, *THIS IS NOT A JOKE*. WDC's phone number is 602-962-4545. Jawaid Bazyar | Ask me about the GNO Multitasking Environment Procyon, Inc. | for the Apple IIgs! bazyar@cs.uiuc.edu | 11738 W Aqueduct Drive --Apple II Forever!-- | Littleton, CO 80127 (303) 933-4649 End of article 38578 (of 38932)--what next? [npq] We do not know anyone who has done this themselves as of this writing, but the logic behind the posting is sound and the people quoted are reliable. No, I do not plan on pulling out my welding torch and performing surgery. You need to know what you are doing to attempt this. >>> WHAT'S NEW <<< """""""""""""""""" Warp Six in the Works Just to keep everyone up-to-date, I'm working on """"""""""""""""""""" the next version of Warp Six BBS, which will either be 8.9.4 or 9.0. So far, I've re-written the forum module to support hundreds of messages per forum. Any other suggestions will be welcome. --- Jim Ferr, Fantastic Software GEnie: J.FERR TechLink BBS (416) 513-5544 9 Fulton Crescent rem.com Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 2C8 Author of Warp Six BBS - Shareware (J.FERR, CAT10, TOP10, MSG:50/M645;1) New AppleNET Coming Soon AppleNET v2.0 may sport a slightly different """""""""""""""""""""""" name from current AppleNET versions! This will be to emphasize the major changes that have taken place from current AppleNET versions to the new version under production. AppleNET 2.0 is like nothing you've ever seen. X/Y/Zmodem transfers, file enclosures, new user fields, more efficient storage of data... EVERYTHING has been revamped completely! As AppleNET's new author, I'm trying to make it the best possible software I can, and I'm going to need all the user/sysop feedback I can get. As a small show of my gratitude, if anyone suggests an extension to the AppleNET name that I like and use, I'll give you full credit in the AppleNET v2.0 docs! So let me know what AppleNET name extensions (eg: AppleNET Pro, AppleNET Doo-Dah, etc.) you'd suggest! -Derek Fong (M.POTTER4, CAT41, TOP 2, MSG:2/M645;1) Spaced-out Price Increase Well, I hate to do it but I find that I must """"""""""""""""""""""""" increase the price of Astronomer GS if you buy it directly from me (there is no change if you download it from GEnie. A major increase in the prices I must pay for disks and Xerox is the reason. Here's the latest breakdown: The Works: 7 Disks, Manual w/ labels is $41 Registration and Manual Only : $28 (you get the program from GEnie) This price increase is effective 15 July 92. and are for U.S. orders only. Orders from other countries may cost substantially more to cover the cost of postage. If you have questions, post them here or in E-Mail I'm L.Bell13 or write to: Larry Bell, 2537 Jefferson St, Long Beach, CA 90810. (L.BELL13, Category 13, Topic 14, Message 10) FantasyWorks ~ The Elite Fantasy Football League Management System ~ """""""""""" FantasyWorks version 3.0 is now available from FantasyWorks Software, Inc. for the start of the 1992 NFL season. FantasyWorks again remains the ONLY Fantasy Football software for the Apple II line. Fantasy Football is a seasonal event that coincides directly with the National Football League's 17-week season. A commissioner runs a league where members become team owners by drafting a team of NFL players and decide who to play each week. Each NFL player scores points based upon their performance in actual NFL games. FantasyWorks gives you everything you need to run a top-notch Fantasy Football League on your Apple (or Mac LC or LC II with Apple II emulation card) using Classic AppleWorks, Publish It and your favorite telecommunications software. Our thick 300-page manual covers everything from publishing your own league newsletter to setting up a league hotline. The included telecommunications scripts automatically capture NFL stats from Computer Sports World (CSW) and Fantasy Point Scoring is accomplished automatically using the included UltraMacro TaskFiles within AppleWorks. Basic, Distance, Performance and our "Elite" method are included. If necessary, custom scoring TaskFiles are available separately. FantasyWorks Version 3.0 runs with AppleWorks 3.0 and includes more than 60 templates to help manage a proficient Fantasy Football League and requires at least two 5.25" drives or a single 3.5" drive. A TaskMaster version of all TaskFiles are available free for those AppleWorks owners who don't have TimeOut UltraMacros. Version 3.0 will have many enhancements such as automatic weekly scoring sheets and automatic ranking of NFL players. Numerous customer requests were also added. Registered owners can upgrade to Version 3.0 for $14.95. A version compatible with AppleWorks 2.0 is still available for an additional $14.95. A discount coupon to join CSW is also included. Fantasy Football is becoming more popular each year and now has 5 paperbacks and 3 magazines dedicated to it. There's lots of stuff here so if you want to start your own league, now's the time to do it. The NFL season is almost here. FantasyWorks normally sells for $74.95 but is available to GEnie members through December 1st for $59.95 plus $6 s/h (Canadian members, please add $1 s/h). Please identify yourself as a GEnie member when you order. Visa and MasterCard orders are accepted. FantasyWorks BBS ONLINE A new BBS dedicated specifically to Fantasy """"""""""""""""""""""" Football called the "Fantasy Football Information Exchange" (FFIE). Access to the FFIE is FREE through November 1st. After Novemebr 1st, our initial, first-year membership fee is $14.95 plus $4.95 per month for usage. All FantasyWorks owners who are registered by October 1st, 1992, do not have to pay the monthly fees in their first year online. The FFIE will include: NFL draft reports, rookie info, player ratings, injury status reports, various fantasy forums, NFL stats, FantasyWorks software updates, weekly scouting reports, and more. The BBS will be officially online in mid to late August and enrollment will be limited. BBS#: (214) 642-9559. >>> APPLE HEADS WANT TO KNOW <<< """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" IIGS Music Thoughts \/\/ell, it's kinda funny when people ask to hear """"""""""""""""""" "computer" music with "real" instruments in it. Sure, it can be done, but that's far from where the strengths of computers lie. The reason you see so much "euro-disco-industrial-pop-dance" music available for our favorite computer is because that's the kind of music that is being CREATED on computers, predominantly, in the first place. As such, it's ideal for the translation to something that we can play on our own machines. One example I'd like to make is a song in the library called ACID.BXY. I would consider this song not just an approximation of a "real world" song in the style of acid house dance music, but actually an example of that music ITSELF. Obviously, the music style of acid house dance music is predominantly created on computers, with a lot of samples. Anyway, there are still quite a number of artists who use computers to make their music and who DON'T end up making "euro-disco-industrial-pop-dance" music. For example, there is a CD called Bachbusters, recorded by Don Dorsey in 1985, which is a selection of Bach pieces done entirely with synthesizers (using an Apple II Plus as a synchronizer/sequencer). These synthesizers were dedicated musical instruments, though (a Fairlight was used, for example), which become increasingly difficult to duplicate with a IIGS when you're trying to make it sound like a "real instrument." Now, synthLAB can be pointed out as an example, but almost all of the people who actually MAKE music on the IIGS who I've seen comment do not take synthLAB very seriously, due to quite a number of shortcomings (difficulty in creating instruments is one -- even the original author did a bunch of tricks to create his instruments and used MPW IIGS to assemble them, from what I've heard). It's surely possible to do forms of music other than "euro-disco-industrial-pop- dance" with NoiseTracker and SoundSmith, but I don't think you should be too upset if you don't see very much of it, since the "euro"etc. music is where their strengths lie. -= Lunatic (: Hmm, neat trick, talking about acid house and Bach within the same message.... (CAT3, TOP4, MSG:78/M645;1) Mac Icons on the IIGS |)ave, here's another way to do it that may """"""""""""""""""""" be a bit easier: Use the program called Resource Spy (I know it's in A2Pro, and it may be in A2, as well) to open the original Mac Desktop file and copy the Calvin and Hobbes icons out of it. Resource Spy will save them directly as IIGS Finder icons. Now all you have to do is edit their attributes in an icon editor, and maybe colourise them if you want. Set the file type attribute of each one to $FFF1, if your hard drive is SCSI. If it's not SCSI, set it to $FFF3, or maybe even $FFFD (this is what an older Sider partition would use). Set the file names of each icon to the names of your partitions. Finally, put the new icon file in the Icons folder on your BOOT disk, to make sure that they will show up. Whatever you do, don't put the icon for a partition in the Icons folder of that partition itself (except for the boot partition) or the icon won't show up. The reason for this is that, except for the boot partition, Finder shows the icon for the partition first, and THEN reads all of the icons on that partition. On the other hand, at the urging of myself and probably several other people, Finder 6.0 reads all the icons on the boot volume FIRST, and then shows that volume on the desktop. Having all of your volume/partition icons on your boot volume makes sure that they're always in memory before Finder starts looking at other devices. BTW, once you've got 'em working, why not upload them so we can all take a look? -= Lunatic (: (CAT9, TOP2, MSG:142, M645;1) Hyper Card Update Info I know why the upgrades for HCGS aren't available """""""""""""""""""""" thru Apple dealers (I had a big hand is establishing that policy, so I should know... <grin>). We wanted a single point of contact for customers upgrading and we wanted to keep the cost as low as possible. If the upgrade went through the "dealer" channel, it would have _HAD_ to be packaged like a regular product (fancy box, etc) and that would have driven the cost up quickly. Instead, we chose to go through APDA. As reality unfolded, APDA worked out a deal with Resource Central to allow RC to take over distribution of APDA's A2 packages - including the soon-tob-be-released (at the time this happened, HCGS v.1.1 hadn't quite been released yet) HCGS v.1.1 upgrade package. By putting the product through APDA, we could do away with the traditional packaging requirements and get the cost down considerably. As for why RC wasn't sent a list of registered owners - _THEY WERE_! But that doesn't solve the problem you mentioned (avoiding having to send in your Installer & Tour disc [not "discs", "disc", only one disc and it's named "Installer and Tour"]). See, the vast majority of HCGS customers never bothered to send in their registration cards, so we had no way of telling RC who those users were. We didn't want to leave those users out, so RC established a policy that solved the problem at minimal hassle to the customer (a single floppy can be easily mailed in a normal envelope - I've done it often when sending out updates to ShareWare subscribers). If I left something unanswered, let me know... Tim S. (my opinions are my own) (TIM.SWIHART, CAT5, TOP3, MSG:22/M645;1) Running Astronomer GS Boy...I don't know if a floating point engine will """"""""""""""""""""" help or not. I'm not familiar with them on the Apple. Remember, Astronomer is a 16-Bit program. As for the speed...I know it seems slow but there's a reason for it. All calculations are done in double precision and I don't use many of the approximation equations used by other programs. Where ever possible, I use the most accurate calculation algorithums available (see Astronomical Algorithums by J. Meeus). The emphasis has always been on accuracy vs speed. Having said that, I have found that some folks have had problems with incompatible DA's Inits etc that cause the program to slow WAY DOWN. Try booting from System 6 holding the shift key down till the thermometer appears then run Astronomer and see if it improves. You must also remember that for some routines the farther your date is from present, the longer calcs may take. For a quick test, find the Sun Rise/Set time for your area on a date in 1991 (any date). If the calc takes less than 60- sec you're probably OK. For most folks it should take less than 20 sec. (L.BELL13, CAT13, TOP14, MSG:8/M645;1) Laser Computer Ram >R.ROEHNER [RJ] """""""""""""""""" >I could use Prosel 8 to load the whole thing into >this RAM disk and then when it came time to check my spelling I would >press open-apple V as I do now, but the dictionary would already be in >memory so there would be no need to swap discs? And Nibbler, when you >say the Laser ram expansion behaves like the RamFactor from AE, what is >RamFactor and is it something that could be used with the Laser? I haven't attended here in awhile but just noticed all of the discussion on using the Laser 128EX's RAM disk. For the Laser, Copy II+ is also a great utility for loading the RAM disk, as well as ProSel 8. Like Prosel, you can copy all of the files in an entire directory by designating it, or you can copy the files one-by-one. Copying individual files has the advantage of allowing you to increase desktop space by being selective about which subroutines you wish to use. For example, you can leave out spread sheet, database, printer routines, dictionary or various TimeOut apps, if you want to increase desktop space. Use only your word processor and dictionary, your database, whatever. Both ProSel and Copy II+ version 9 can be configured to launch apps from RAM. Since the RamFactor was mentioned, I thought I'd also add that if this card is used with the Laser in the expansion box, I believe that you can increase the Laser's RAM beyond 1 MB. The Laser's built- in RAM card is 1 meg only, while Ramfactor can go beyond 1 meg. I should also comment about "Autocopy 2." If you want to get really fancy, Applied Engineering supplies a little utility with their RAM cards called "Autocopy 2." It is an uncompiled basic program that you can go into and edit to suit your needs. Basically, Autocopy 2 copies everything in the directories you designate onto your RAM disk...automatically at bootup. The advantage to Autocopy 2 over ProSel and Copy II+ is that it occupies very little memory if you're trying to cram a lot of apps on a single microfloppy. With Autocopy 2 installed on your microfloppy, you can simply boot a disk. (It takes awhile for 500K + of applications to load to RAM, so go get a cup of coffee.) When you come back, press "return," et voila! No muss, no fuss; everything is the re in RAM. You only have to know a little bit of basic, i.e. "load," "list," "save," etc., and ProDOS file structure. The docs that come with Autocopy 2 tell you the rest to let you customize it for yourself. I believe that there are also some basic programs in the Genie library that will do the same thing. I've always wondered why Apple didn't encourage programmers to use these kinds of copy routines in their programs by manufacturing and selling their machines off-the-shelf with more RAM than the basic 64k or 128k. A stock Apple IIe or IIc with 512K or 1 MB would have been a nice product 6 or 8 years ago. It sure would have been interesting to see what kinds of programs developers would have come up with for an Apple with that kind of memory. It would have kept Apple IIs more competitive (sigh!). Not being a programmer or engineer, I've never seen much difference between "extended" RAM, "expanded" RAM or RAM disk. Heck, if you can call a program's subroutine from memory instantly, what's the diff?? Good Luck, J-Bird (J.CURTIS8, CAT2, TOP2, MSG:59/M645;1) SoftSwitch on 6.0 The SoftSwitch.Init file does have a problem with """"""""""""""""" System 6.0. You can disable (or just remove) the SoftSwitch.Init file, and as Luny mentioned, the only drawback is loss of the hot-key features. You can also just mail your SoftS witch disk back to RWP with $10, and we'll re-copy the disk with the latest version which works fine with System 6.0, and mail the disk back to you. -Roger Wagner (ROGER.WAGNER, CAT32, TOP5, MSG:98/M645;1) Modem to Modem >I am wondering if two people with ordinary BB type """""""""""""" >software - TIC for me and the MS-DOS equivalent - >can communicate in this way. My brother and I do this all the time, now, between his PS-2 and my IIgs (ProCOMM to ProTERM). A secretary who does private work for me uses a rickity old XT clone and an out-of-date term program to communicate with my IIgs over the phone. She types up my dictated notes on her machine using WordPerfect. Calls my computer and uploads her files. I can turn them into AppleWorks WP files effortlessly using either ProTERM or Beagle's Textloader. >My understanding is that if the two computers and their modems are using >Hayes protocols and text files, it doesn't really matter what operating >languages they're using. Amen! It is amazing to me how stupid a lot of IBM folks are when it comes to connecting different systems over the phone. My brother once had a PROFESSOR in a telecommunications class tell him that it was impossible for IBM and Apple Systems to talk to one another. It simply couldn't be done, period, even with Hayes-style modems and ASCII. IBM folks seem to like this techno-myth. I think it is something like the caste social system in India where one group is perceived as beneath another and therefore unworthy of communication. >Sounds like ProTERM is one of the programs which does at least VT100, >and its scripts may allow integration. Can anyone confirm this? Yep. But there are others, too. In my experience, if there are problems in hooking into an IBM system, the problem usually lies with some deficiency or limitation in the IBM system's equipment or software, rather than the Apple. -J-Bird (J.CURTIS8, CAT12, TOP6, MSG:33/M645;1) RAMdisk Settings From your comments I take it that you have a ROM 01 """""""""""""""" like I do. One factor to remember when setting a RAMdisk is NEVER set a different Max and Min size - never. It causes problems - which is the reason the capability was removed in the ROM 03 machine. Remember PT3 claims all unused memory for itself - then if the RAMdisk has to expand to receive more data, it seems to me that it might well be "lockup-city". I learned about the possibility of problems very early and never had any reason to want to make the sizes different when I wanted a RAMdisk. Try setting up Copy Full if these lockups occur. -Dale (WA The copy buffer is full. You should Write, Print, or Clear the buffer. Formatting Dos 3.3 Press W,P,C,or ESC 3, you need """""""""""""""""" command INIT HELLO. INIT formats n the first 3 (or was it 2?) tracks. When you boot this disk it will look for n AppleSoft startup program named HELLO and run it. HELLO was the traditional name - it could be anything. A BRUNnable binary file might also work as the HELLO program - I'm not sure of that, though. Copy the game files from the DOSless disk to the bootable one, make sure the menu or staratup program, if any, is named HELLO, and you should have a self-starting game disk. If you can't fit all the files on the bootable disk, you'll have to make two bootable disks and put some games on each. -Bill Dooley (A2.BILL, MSG:63) Why Use SuperConvert? I imagine that some folks who've been using """"""""""""""""""""" SHR.Convert for years have never bothered to purchased SuperConvert, so I'll give you one good reason to spend the $28 that mail order vendors are charging for SuperConvert. In an online conversation with Jason Harper, I was commenting that it seemed to me as if SuperConvert can create a GIF graphic 10 times faster than SHR.Convert did. Jason Harper, the author of both programs, admitted that when he wrote SHR.Convert he hadn't implemented GIF file creation properly. He fixed it in SuperConvert. I'm not the type to sit in front of my computer with a stop watch, so I don't know if that "10 times faster" is accurate. But, SuperConvert is a heckuva lot faster than SHR.Convert. That's just one good reason to buy SuperConvert. But, by no means, is it the only reason! -Joe Kohn (J.KOHN], CAT3, TOP8, MSG:4/M645;1) Want An Extra Phone? You may be able to hook up an extra phone in you """""""""""""""""""" computer room and not know it. Most phones are wired with 4 wires. R/G/Y/B. Red and Green are the main lines and yellow & Black are/or can be the second lines. At my house this is how it is. I set up one line with the modem and the other for a telephone. I also went a step further and installed a toggle switch so I can switch between lines for the modem and have a two line phone in the room. This gives me the most versitility with a teenager in the house:) If you only have one incoming line you can use a splitter and have the phone and modem on one line. I did that before I had two lines. ( (_) Bob Cherry (R.CHERRY2, CAT10, TOP2, MSG:138/M645;1) NoiseTracker And Amiga MODs are in a totally different format from """"""""""""""""""""""""""" SoundSmith songs. Beyond that, one really big difference between the types of files is that MODs can (and usually do) have instruments larger than 64K in them. This requires a special program such as NoiseTracker, MODZap, or soniqTracker to dynamically swap data in and out of the limited 64K of sound RAM in the IIGS. It's a lot like displaying a 3200 colour picture: the computer is so busy doing the work of presenting the data to you that it can't really do much else. This precludes anyone from effectively writing a CDA or NDA player for MODs, because you can't be running some other program while the MODs is playing. The MOD players that are out there _do_ have other things happening while the music is playing, but it's very limited. Only a few simple graphic displays that don't take up much processor power are possible. It can be compared to the way DreamGrafix is able to edit 3200 colour pics. -= -Lunatic (: (LUNATIC, CAT6, TOP7, MSG:131/M645;1) -- Jerry Penner jpenne@ee.ualberta.ca | "Wanna buy a duck" (Hi Joe :)