1480 lines
69 KiB
Plaintext
1480 lines
69 KiB
Plaintext
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==(((((((((( == Z*MAG/A\ZINE ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE
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=========(( === November 4, 1991
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=======(( ===== Issue #199
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=====(( ======= ----------------------------------
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==(((((((((( == Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Ind Inc..
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Publisher/Editor : Ron Kovacs
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Assistant Editor : Stan Lowell
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Contributing Editor: Bob Smith
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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CompuServe: 75300,1642 GEnie: Z-NET
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Z*NET BBS: (908) 968-8148 BLANK PAGE BBS: (908) 805-3967
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS
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The Editors Desk.............................................Ron Kovacs
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3-D Modeler For The 8-Bit....................................From F-Net
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What Is An 8-Bit Atari...............................Barton M. Bresnik
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Rumbles, Rambles, Rumors....................................Stan Lowell
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Adventures In Structured Programming - Part 1.............Michael Stomp
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Atari At Seybold..........................................Press Release
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Z*Net Newswire.........................................................
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Summertime Reads - Atariland Style............................Andy Eddy
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=======================================================================
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* THE EDITORS DESK by Ron Kovacs
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=======================================================================
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Is Z*Magazine saved??? For the time being yes...
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There are a number of articles we have received by the readers out there
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and it will keep us alive atleast until the end of the year. We are
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going to release weekly issues until further notice and see what types
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of download numbers we receive.
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For the latest Atari news I suggest you read Z*Net Atari Online
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Magazine, the sister of this magazine. It is released every Friday
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evening. For the latest PC related news and feature stories, read our
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newest publication Z*Net PC. Currently being released bi-weekly and
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going to a weekly format in January 1992.
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Please note that the end is still on the horizon. I really do not
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expect this online magazine to last forever. If the readers continue
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to provide material we will continue. We are looking for regular
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writers and if you are interested, please let us know!
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Thanks for the support!
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See you next week.... Release dates will remain on Tuesday evenings!
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=======================================================================
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* 3-D MODELER FOR THE 8-BIT Captured from F-NET
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=======================================================================
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ChromaCad(tm) 3-D Model Builder 91 program
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With the ChromaCAD Model Builder program, you can build any 3-D model
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you can dream of. You merely start at the bottom and draw the contour
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lines of the model as you work your way up. Add surface colours to the
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model as you draw the lines. You decide you many contour lines to use
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for each model (up to 158) and you decide the elevation of each line.
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Huge scrolling 32767 x 32767 graph allows you to construct contour lines
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as detailed as you want. Supports computer-assisted drawing of lines,
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circles, arcs, ellipses. Displaces models in contour-line form.
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With this program, you will be able to construct unbelievably
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sophisticated 3-D modelsers -- completely free-form, sculptured surface
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-- no -extrude- or -sweep- limitations. You will be able to construct
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models of human heads so accurately that when you display them with the
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ChromaCAD Surface Shader XE 91 program (described below), you will be
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able to recognize the subject from the model!
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ChromaCAD(tm) Surface Shader XE 91 program
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The ChromaCad Surface Shader XE 91 program can display any model
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constructed by the Model Builder program in surface-shaded format from
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any point of view, using up to three lights. Lights can be individually
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varied in intensity and individually set to strike the model from any
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direction. Models can be displayed in a variety of modes, including
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high resolution, colour, and 3-D stereo. Colours can be reassigned
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instantly without replotting the model. Up to 61K of computer RAM can
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be used for image display memory.
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Up to ten models can be individually oriented in 3-D space and displayed
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together to produce on compound multi-model scene. (Terrain model,
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Airport model, airplanes, cars, etc. combined to produce one compound
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multi-model scene.) The program also supports negative, mirror, and
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stepped-tone rendering, automatic clipping, highlighting, ambient
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lighting,, and inside viewing of models.
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View any model in 3-D stereo! (with included 3D stereo glasses.) Watch
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models virtually jump off the screen..
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ChromaCAD(tm) Model Builder 91 program with 136 page illustrated,
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indexed manual (requires 48K Atari) - Order # 21...............$29.95
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ChromaCAD(tm) Sufrace Shader XE 91 program with 69 page manual, 2 pairs
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of Stereo 3-D Glasses and sample Model Disk #1 (contains 10 models)
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requires 130XE (128K Atari) - Order # 35...............$29.95
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If that sounded like a commercial, it's because it was! :-)
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If any Atari 8-Bit users out there are interested, or you know an Atari
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8-Bit user that might be interested, here is the order information you
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need:
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American Techna-Vision
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15338 Inverness Street,
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San Leandro, CA 94579
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Write to this address asking for a catalogue and say what computer/model
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you own (say you saw this commercial on NANET).
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OR
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Phone 1-800-551-9995 for Visa/MasterCard ordering, or phone 1-510-352-
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3787 if you have any other questions. (these are voice numbers and are
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the correct numbers...I just verified them myself). Say you saw this
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advertisement on NANET.
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There are several pictures of rendered images, and they are UNBELIEVABLE
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for an 8-Bit. They look much like Cyber series of software (Antic
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Software) in B/W. *Very* good.
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All this goes to prove that the Atari 8-bit is not hardware outdated,
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only software outdated. These programs are *very* good (from the output
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of them) and I intend to order them.
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=======================================================================
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* WHAT IS AN EIGHT-BIT ATARI? by Barton M. Bresnik
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=======================================================================
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You see a computer for sale at a flea market for only $50... is it
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useful or just a door-stop? Can you play games on an Atari 400?
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Program it in BASIC? Use it with a disk drive or tape recorder? Why is
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this guy selling it?
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The Background:
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Atari made a number of games using the 6502 microprocessor, including
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the 2600, 5200 and 7800. As the 6502 has eight address lines and
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performs arithmetic internally in eight-bit chunks, called bytes, it is
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termed an -eight-bit- microprocesor. Though the game machines have
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neither a keyboard nor any means of data storage other than cartridges
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which contain read-only-memory (ROM), yet they provided the experience
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for building a line of very capable home computers based on the same
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microprocessor. The Ataris are arguably equal or superior to the
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Commodores (Vic, 64 etc.) and Apples (][, ][c etc.), which use the 6502
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and which are still in use in many schools.
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The genealogy of the Atari family begins with the 400, with plastic-
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membrane keyboard, and 800, with type-writermstyle keyboard, both with
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16 kilobytes of random-access-memory (RAM). Additional RAM boards were
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usually added to expand this to 48 k. The operating system (OS) is
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contained in ROM and utilizes additional RAM, occupying about 16 k of
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address space. As the 6502 can address a maximum of 64 k, or 65,536
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bytes using eight address lines, this leaves a maximum of 48k that may
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be -seen- by the processor at once, sufficient for a surprising variety
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of utilities and games. BASIC programming language and game cartridges
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plug into a slot under a little door on top. Note that these cartridges
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are NOT compatible with the 2600 game machine cartridges!
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The XL series has more RAM hidden beneath the OS, a smaller case, no
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cover for the cartridge slot, and a greatly reduced price. The 600XL
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contains 16 k (expansion boards are still available to bring it up to
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64k), the 800XL and 1200XL contain 64k. The 600XL and 800XL also
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contain the BASIC language on ROM, freeing the cartridge slot. If you
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find a 1450XL, it may have some value to collector's, as very few, if
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any, were produced.
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Internally, the 65XE and 130XE and, confusingly, the XE Game Machine are
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similar to the XL series; the 65XE and Game Machine having 64k and the
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130XE having 128k. To fit the extra memory into the 130XE (and into
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compatible expansion boards for the XL series), a 16k block of memory is
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switched with other, unused, blocks so that the 6502 never sees more
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than 64k at once.
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Needed Equipment:
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In addition to an eight-bit computer, you need a monitor or television,
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either color or monochrome; the monitor providing a somewhat sharper
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image. The computer provides both RF output on TV channel 2 or 3 and
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composite video output to a monitor (which has two RCA 'phone jacks in
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back).
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To record documents for word-processing, to load programs written in
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BASIC or to play commercial games, you also need a disk drive or program
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recorder. The early 810 drive is large, noisy and cannot read some
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disks without internal modification to the drive. The 1050 and XF551
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read and write progressively more data to disks, to 360 k for the XF551.
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The 410 and 1010 recorders are usable, but MUCH less convenient and
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reliable than even the 810 drive!
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The BASIC cartridge is needed for programming and many games in the 800
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and 400, but not in the XL and XE series. Alternatively, get the BASIC
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XE cartridge for the XL and XE machines for one of the most complete
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versions of this language.
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All eight-bits also use standard joysticks and -paddle- (knob)
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controllers, and can be programmed to read a track-ball, but do not
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recognize a mouse. Graphic tablets such as the Koala-Pad are also
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available.
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Other Peripherals:
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The eight-bit computers do NOT have standard RS232 prts for serial or
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parallel communication. Printers may be designed specifically for the
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Atari (such as the XMM801 dot-matrix or 1027 -ink-roller- types from
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Atari or the Alphacom 42 thermal printer) or standard parallel and
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serial ports are available from interfaces, such as the Atari 850 or the
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P:R Connection. The 1020 plotter is an amazing device for its price
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(under $20!), able to produce four-color graphs and alpha-numeric
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characters on 4.25 - roll paper; replacement pens and paper are
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available from Radio Shack.
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Modems include the SX212 1200 baud model, which can directly connect to
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either an eight-bit or ST. For most purposes, the older 300 baud models
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may be too expensive to operate. Other -external- modems can connect to
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the P:R Connection or the 850 interface.
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Software:
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So... you found an eight-bit Atari... How are you going to use it?
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Word-processing is the most common use. Although you can only see 38 to
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40 characters per line, the large text is easy to read. I actually
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prefer typing straight text (as opposed to desk-top-publishing) on my
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800XL, rather than my ST. Word-processing programs on disk include
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AtariWriter Plus (my favorite; it even can alphabetize, which my ST
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programs cannot do) and Speed-Script. AtariWriter cartridges are
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instant-loading, ideal for the dedicated word-processor.
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VisiCalc and other spread-sheets are ideal as a teacher's rank book or
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the family budget.
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The Atari BASIC language provides an ideal environment to learn
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programming, though there are some -bugs- in two versions of Atari BASIC
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which may cause problems when writing a program. The 'C' language is
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available as shareware; it produces rapidly-executing programs which may
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be ported to other computers, even mainframes. Assemblers, from Atari,
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OSS and other software suppliers, allow you to program directly in the
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language the 6502 understands, for greatest speed. A simulation by John
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Horton Conway called -Life- which I interpreted for the Atari runs 800
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times faster in machine language (which is produced by the assembler)
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than in BASIC!
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An incredible number of games have been released for the Atari, many
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available as both disks and cartridges. Some games may be halted in
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mid-play and saved to disk, to be resumed later. Both Atari and Parker
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Bothers have versions of chess (the Parker Brothers' rulebook is
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particularly well written). Other educational games are available.
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Graphic programs, such as Fun with Art from Epyx, allow you to doodle or
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create a scene for a game of your own design (as I used FWA to create my
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simulatin, -Ecologian-).
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In Conclusion:
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The Atari eight-bit computers are still a viable tool, not only for
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learning about computers, but for many tasks. As people abandon their
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old -toys- for new ones, many of these computers have become available
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at bargain prices. I hope one can provide you with as much pleasure and
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utility as I am getting from my 800XL.
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=======================================================================
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* RUMBLES...RAMBLES...RUMORS... by Stan Lowell
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=======================================================================
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Z*Mag to end publication?
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-------------------------
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In a recent issue of Z*Net, Ron Kovacs stated that Z*Magazine would
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cease publication with issue #200. Will this come to pass? Only time
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and YOU, the reader will make that determination.
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Whats the problem? It is the same problem that nearly ALL editors of
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user group newsletters face as each deadline date approaches. Reader
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support, or lack of it. Life is a little easier for a publication that
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can actually pay their authors (How many of those are still around).
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Those that can't, find it difficult at times to get it together every
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month.
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Another problem seems to be one of distribution. Many -potential
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contributors- may not know about Z*Mag or know that we resumed
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publication late last year! This came about because a user in another
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city made a remark (on my Networked 8-bit message base) after I
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mentioned Issue #200 being the -last- one. None of the boards in his
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city carried Z*Mag and he didn't know it had resumed publication! One
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of the suggestions offered on the FoReM-XEP Network was that Z*Mag go to
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quarterly publication. Ron and myself ARE seriously considering this
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suggestion. It *may* be viable if we get enough material uploaded to
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us.
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Contributing to Z*Mag is a GREAT way to get advertising and recognition
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for your user group and/or yourself! More importantly, you are sharing
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your hobby and enjoyment with others. As I write this, there have been
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promises of material from some, so the jury is still out, but there is
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hope! In MY OPINION, if your Newsletter has *ever* re-published
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material from Z*Magazine, you should give something back. If you have
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read Z*Magazine and enjoyed it, how about contributing something to it?
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We can NEVER have too much material! There are things happening in the
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Atari 8-bit world. I see little posts here and there on various
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bulletin boards alluding to new Shareware and new -commercial- software
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from across the oceans, tips, hints, tricks, ideas, etc. As you can
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tell from the sporadic issues of Z*Mag the past year, I don't have the
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time to continue searching and hunting for fresh material. So, we are
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throwing it out to you, the readers. If you want us to continue
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publication, help us. We are YOUR magazine. Z*Magazine, support it or
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loose it.
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When readers asked Ron to resume Z*Mag last year, he asked if I would
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help with the effort by doing an article or column, I said that I would
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do my best, but couldn't make any promises. I have spent many hours
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with a modem looking for fresh material and getting permission to
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publish the material in Z*Mag. I thank those who gave permission,
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especially those who have called and uploaded material to us.
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Lost, but not forever!
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----------------------
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Somewhere between here and Publisher Ron Kovacs, my last article got
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waylaid. No problem, I will just re-upload it! Wrong! Murphy's law
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strikes again! My disk with ALL my information for future articles,
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past articles, and *that* article...got totally hosed up!
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So, what follows is as much as I can piece together from memory.
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ANSI for the Atari 8-bit?
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-------------------------
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The shareware author of the Atascii Emulator for the PC world, Robert
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Sinclair, has been busily working on an -Ansi emulator- terminal program
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for Atari 8-bits. Apparently, a 'beta' version is around. There are a
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few wrinkles to iron out before its final release. Reports I have
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gotten indicate that it really works (with some limitations)!
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R-Time 8 Battery - Practice What I Preach Dept.
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-----------------
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My battery went 'nutso' a few weeks back. I dug out the article on
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replacing it, threw caution to the wind, and did it! It works just
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marvie! Thanks again to Jonathan Mordoski (SysOp - Atari Computer
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User's Technical Exchange, 215-261-0620)!
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Of course I ended up getting a different battery because I left the
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battery number at home...sigh.
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Other New Things
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----------------
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Bob Klass of K-Products is now selling a 'SpartaDos utility package' of
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utility programs for both MIO and Black Box owners.
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The following messages are captures from the repair BBS describe the
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utility package.
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Message: 2(#16773)
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Title: New 8-Bit!
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Author: Sysop*Bob
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To: All
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Posted: Mon 8-Jul-91 at 7:52:00am
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Replies: 0
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There are a few programers out there still supporting the Atari 8-Bit
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user. Just released are DK-Utilities by Dan Knauf, who released all
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rights to K-Products, 4267 W. Midway Dr., Salt Lake City, Ut 84120,
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(801)-967-7400.
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DK-Utilities is a set of utility programs intended for use with Sparta
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Dos, the Black Box, and at least one hard drive. These utilities can
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all be used from the Sparta Dos command line. They have been written in
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two forms Com files and Command files (for BBS Express! Professional
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Sysops), and are available on the Repair Shop BBS 801-967-8738 in the
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online store, price $10.00 plus s/h.
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The disk contains the following files.
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BBFIG.COM -> You can load and save the the main configuration table for
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the Black Box or MIO to/from a disk file.
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BLOCK.COM -> Allows you to lock, unlock or check the status on hard
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drives connected to the Black Box or MIO.
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BOOTMENU.COM -> Is a bootup menu program for Sparta Dos users. It
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provides a menu of up to 32 single Sparta Dos commands to be executed by
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a single keypress.
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BPART.COM -> Is a program to load, save and print partitions lists for
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the Black Box from the Sparta Dos command line. This effectively
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eliminates the 96 partition limit for the Black Box users!
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BSWAP.COM -> This allows you to swap the drive assigns in the
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configuration table to either the Black Box or the MIO interface from
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the Sparta Dos command line.
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DMENU.COM -> Allows you to enter either the Black Box menu or the MIO
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menu from the Sparta Dos command line.
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FLUSH.COM -> This will flush the print spooler on the Black Box.
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LF.COM -> Turns on/off the line feed option on either the Black Box or
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MIO.
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PR.COM -> Turns on/off printer port works only on the Black Box with
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any DOS.
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RS.COM -> Turns on/off RS232 port works only with Black Box, but with
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any DOS.
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SOUND.COM -> Turns on/off the sound works only with Black Box, with any
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DOS.
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SPOOLER.COM -> Works with any DOS but only with Black Box and computers
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with extended memory. Turns the printer spooler on/off.
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WHO.COM -> Works just like Sparta Dos's HUH.COM only WHO works with
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either the Black Box or the MIO, shows the status of all drives on the
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system. If you are using the Black Box, the Hard Drive partition names
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are listed after the drive assigns data.
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Hope several of you find Dan's efforts useful...
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Bob Klaas
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(3/250+) ATARI 8-BIT:
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If you are the owner of either a BB or an MIO, have a hard drive and/or
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run a BBS, this looks like a very useful package to me!
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BobTerm 1.21
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-------------
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After hearing about version 1.21 of BobTerm for months, what follows is
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the Update.txt from the archive. Let me mention that this program is
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*NOT* FREEWARE, it is Shareware! This means if you try it, like it, and
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USE it, you *should* send the requested donation to the author. If a
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program is 'good enough' for you to use on a regular basis, it is good
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enough to have the donation sent to the author, whomever it may be!
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BobTerm has long been acclaimed as one of the best full featured
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terminal programs for the Atari 8-bit. On to Bobterm! Changes from
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version 1.10 include 15 bug fixes and 37 enhancements and modifications!
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Some things are gone, having been replaced by new things.
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(UPDATE.TXT - Reprinted with permission.)
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The following is a list of changes from version 1.10 of BobTerm to the
|
|
current 1.21 version:
|
|
|
|
Bug Fixes:
|
|
----------
|
|
1. Connects at 19200 Baud within the dialer will no longer switch down
|
|
to 1200.
|
|
|
|
2. The delay between redials has been increased to work with a wider
|
|
range of modems and settings.
|
|
|
|
3. The line editor now allows full ATASCII cursor editing (editing
|
|
filenames, macros, etc...).
|
|
|
|
4. The first character of a macro may be any character, including a
|
|
pause.
|
|
|
|
5. ATASCII<->ASCII protocol translation with MIO problem fixed.
|
|
|
|
6. FModem upload to FoReM boards finally fixed.
|
|
|
|
7. A couple bugs that caused the header and first blocks of each file
|
|
in a batch transfer to be repeated were tracked down and fixed.
|
|
|
|
8. Obscure XModem padding problem fixed.
|
|
|
|
9. Fixed various lockup points when using the MIO.
|
|
|
|
10. When saving the capture buffer, a disk error now causes an error
|
|
message to be displayed (none was shown before).
|
|
|
|
11. RAM-based OSes may now be used. An example of this is the HAPPYXL
|
|
program that gives high speed data transfer with modified 1050
|
|
drives.
|
|
|
|
12. A lockup problem occurring when capturing and using the XEP driver
|
|
was fixed.
|
|
|
|
13. The filename entry prompt for a full capture buffer makes sure the
|
|
name you enter is good before saving (it used to just erase the
|
|
buffer).
|
|
|
|
14. Doing a COPY <file> E: in the command processor interface for
|
|
SpartaDOS 3.2 now works.
|
|
|
|
15. The 835/1030/XM-301 modem handler has been re-written to properly
|
|
tone dial, as well as respond with the proper messages in the proper
|
|
timing.
|
|
|
|
16. Dialing manually drom the dialer no longer unmarks the highlighted
|
|
entry, and will not perform any automatic logon.
|
|
|
|
Enhancements/Modifications:
|
|
---------------------------
|
|
1. The non-batch receive protocols are self-adapting, in that they will
|
|
automatically adjust to the sender's protocol (If you select a CRC
|
|
protocol).
|
|
|
|
2. Protocol sends are slightly faster.
|
|
|
|
3. The FAST CIS XMODEM receive protocol now supports 1k block sizes. I
|
|
suggest you use the 1k block sizes (by specifying the protocol to
|
|
CompuServe with PRO:X1K), as it causes the data stream to be
|
|
continuous.
|
|
|
|
4. In the batch file selection area, pressing -A- at a file query will
|
|
mark ALL the rest of the files in the directory mask you have
|
|
entered. This saves having to hold -Y- for all the entries.
|
|
|
|
5. Separate pathnames are stored in the config for upload, download,
|
|
and capture. This saves having to type the path all the time.
|
|
|
|
6. Separate upload and download default protocols.
|
|
|
|
7. Spaces are inserted between successive RETURN characters in ASCII
|
|
Sends, so your formatting will be preserved in message editors that
|
|
normally 'eat' the blank lines.
|
|
|
|
8. Fine Scrolling is now available. Use Shift Control S to toggle.
|
|
Its status is saved in the system config.
|
|
|
|
9. The Word Wrap flag is now saved in the system config.
|
|
|
|
10. Parity is now supported. Use the VT-52E for Even, VT-52O for Odd,
|
|
and ASCII for No parity. Vidtex has not been eliminated, use the
|
|
VT-52O for CIS Vidtex emulation.
|
|
|
|
11. The VT-52 emulation is more compatible with VT-100, ANSI, and a few
|
|
other emulation modes. It does not support the entire VT-100
|
|
command set, but its better than it was before.
|
|
|
|
12. The timer/clock will keep the proper time on 50Hz PAL systems.
|
|
|
|
13. Internal BASIC is automatically disabled for all DOSes. This took
|
|
some serious probing into SpartaDOS to make work. Also, OSS carts
|
|
are also disabled under all DOSes except Sparta.
|
|
|
|
14. The Dialer's Print List option has been removed, and the buffer
|
|
size has been decreased by 256 bytes. This had to be done to make
|
|
room for the new features. If you wish to make a hardcopy of your
|
|
dialing list, you may use an older version of the term for this.
|
|
The dialing list format is the same.
|
|
|
|
15. The Capture buffer may now be viewed before it is saved. The view
|
|
function is accessed by the [C] command from the main term menu.
|
|
|
|
16. The TONE/PULSE selection was moved from the main menu to the dialer,
|
|
where it was actually used.
|
|
|
|
17. The modem's result messages returned when using the dialer are now
|
|
displayed. (BUSY, NO DIALTONE, etc...)
|
|
|
|
18. The dialer now depends upon the modem's result codes rather than the
|
|
carrier detect signal, and so should work with just about any hayes-
|
|
compatible modem, regardless of configuration (the messages have to
|
|
be returned in verbal as opposed to numeric).
|
|
|
|
19. The dialer now has an option of sending the first macro upon
|
|
connection. This can be used for automatic logons. I suggest
|
|
adding one or two Control Ps in the beginning of the first macro to
|
|
account for the time needed for the other modem to properly connect.
|
|
|
|
20. The Long Distance code feature now supports the ability to embed the
|
|
BBS number within the LDX code. See the main documentation for
|
|
information.
|
|
|
|
21. When a DOS function is completed, you are returned back to the DOS
|
|
Functions menu.
|
|
|
|
22. The DOS Functions have been assigned letters instead of numbers, the
|
|
letters corresponding to the same ones used by DOS 2.x. This should
|
|
make operation friendlier and easier.
|
|
|
|
23. The Command Processor interface for SpartaDOS now has a feel much
|
|
more like the real DOS.
|
|
|
|
24. The ability to copy a single file is now available in the DOS
|
|
functions!
|
|
|
|
25. The Atari 850 Interface handler is loaded every time; you don't have
|
|
to power it down prior to coldstarting.
|
|
|
|
26. Any handler BobTerm loads will be unlinked when the term is exited.
|
|
This should prevent random lockups that happened with various DOS
|
|
and handler combinations. Note: it is recommended you use the
|
|
[Q]uit command to exit the term, rather than pressing RESET.
|
|
|
|
27. The Control 1 function to start/stop printing may now be used in the
|
|
View a file, View capture buffer, and command processor interface
|
|
functions.
|
|
|
|
28. The macro processor has been enhanced with two new functions: a
|
|
Control D will cause a 1/2 second delay. This is useful for
|
|
generating the HHH sequence for logging on to GEnie.
|
|
|
|
29. A Control N in a macro will cause it to link to the next macro.
|
|
Thus, you are no longer limited to 31 characters in a macro! Note
|
|
that neither the Control N nor the RETURN that follows it will be
|
|
sent.
|
|
|
|
30. The curly brace characters in the Ascii character set are translated
|
|
to Control A and Control D characters (for open and close). The
|
|
braces may be sent by pressing the same keys.
|
|
|
|
31. The chat buffer may now be sent without a RETURN at the end. Type
|
|
an ESC prior to hitting RETURN. (Note: version 1.21 fixes a bug in
|
|
1.20 that would not let a space be the last character before the
|
|
ESC.)
|
|
|
|
32. The $7F character in the Ascii character set is now ignored. This
|
|
serves no useful function, and caused problems on GEnie.
|
|
|
|
33. Attract mode is disabled while the dialer is busy dialing numbers.
|
|
|
|
34. The messages on the top status line have been enhanced.
|
|
|
|
35. The term screen is displayed while using a transfer protocol. It
|
|
was found that BobTerm could keep up with 19200 Baud transfers with
|
|
the screen fully on; so the top three lines indicate the transfer
|
|
status, and the rest of the screen displays the term screen. Note
|
|
that any bad bytes received while in the transfer are sent to the
|
|
term screen, so if you start a transfer while the other side is
|
|
still sending, you will be able to see the incoming data.
|
|
|
|
36. The BOBTERM.CNF file is now larger, and is not compatible with
|
|
config files created by older versions. Delete any old config files
|
|
you may have.
|
|
|
|
37. The ST-specific VT-52 color setting commands are now ignored instead
|
|
of being displayed.
|
|
|
|
That's all I have documented that was changed. Its possible that there
|
|
may be a couple minor things that have slipped past me. Please be sure
|
|
to read the main documentation for more detail on the enhancements.
|
|
|
|
When uploading BobTerm to a BBS or giving it to a user, upload the whole
|
|
ARC file, or make sure the disk contains ALL the data files unaltered.
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
|
|
Bob Puff 04/27/90
|
|
Suite 222
|
|
2117 Buffalo Rd
|
|
Rochester, NY 14624
|
|
CompuServe Mail: 76702,1076
|
|
GEnie Mail: BOB.PUFF
|
|
|
|
Computer Software Services(CSS) has moved since Bob Puff acquired sole
|
|
ownership. The NEW voice phone number is: (716) 429-5639. Their BBS
|
|
number is still the same: 716-247-7157.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Until next time! If you would like to submit a review, article, or a
|
|
rebuttal (ANYTHING is welcomed!), feel free to upload to myself or Z-NET
|
|
Online BBS. I can be reached on my BBS (908-805-3967), GEnie(S.LOWELL),
|
|
and on Z*Net Online BBS(908-968-8148). Both of us are PCP node: NJNBR
|
|
Starlink node: 3319
|
|
|
|
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL USER GROUP!
|
|
SUPPORT ShareWare Authors and others who write for the Atari 8-bit!
|
|
Support Z*Magazine!
|
|
Support THOSE who support YOU!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* ADVENTURES IN STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING - Part 1 by Michael Stomp
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. ERROR FREE INPUT
|
|
|
|
The basic idea of structured, or top-down, programming is that one
|
|
breaks a program down into modules that are relatively self-contained
|
|
and produce a single, easily defined, result. Then each module is
|
|
further broken down into other modules, and so forth until one reaches
|
|
rather simple operations that can be used throughout the program. This
|
|
produces code that is clean, logical, and easy to read and modify.
|
|
Depending upon the language one uses, these modules are called
|
|
subroutines, functions, or procedures, and are an integral part of
|
|
programs written in C, ACTION!, or an extended Basic like BASIC XL/XE or
|
|
TURBO BASIC XL. The syntax may vary form language to language, but the
|
|
ideas remain the same.
|
|
|
|
One can think of these modules as 'black boxes' with one entry point and
|
|
one exit point. If the conditions upon entry and results upon exit are
|
|
clearly defined, the insides of the 'box' are immaterial -- at least at
|
|
the level of program design in which they are used. What is important
|
|
is that each module 'completes a thought'.
|
|
|
|
However, handling error conditions that may arise can get a little
|
|
tricky. The last thing you want to do is to just jump off to some error
|
|
handling section, as that will take you out of the well-structured
|
|
program logic, with no way to get back. In such cases, the best one can
|
|
usually do is to restart the program from the beginning -- not at all
|
|
satisfactory to the user. No, if the module is to be a 'complete
|
|
thought', any errors that may occur within a module should be handled
|
|
within the module.
|
|
|
|
As an example of this, I want to present a simple module for the input
|
|
of numerical values. This example is in TURBO BASIC XL, but can easily
|
|
be translated into other languages.
|
|
|
|
The 'complete thought' that we want this module to perform is this: when
|
|
calling the module, a string containing the prompt to be printed is
|
|
passed, the module gets the input from the user, and does not return a
|
|
value until it gets a legal value, which is returned. Period. That's
|
|
it.
|
|
|
|
PROC VALUES
|
|
DO
|
|
? PRMPT$;
|
|
TRAP #BADVALUE:INPUT S:TRAP 0
|
|
EXIT
|
|
# BADVALUE:? CHR$(253)
|
|
LOOP
|
|
ENDPROC
|
|
|
|
(I didn't include any line numbers, although they are needed when you
|
|
enter the code, because they are immaterial. Use any line numbers you
|
|
want; the program doesn't use them.) The essence of this routine is the
|
|
'infinite' loop bounded by DO...LOOP. The only way out of this is via
|
|
the EXIT command, and one only gets to it if a legal numeric value in
|
|
input. If something other than a legal number is typed, the INPUT S
|
|
command will produce an error, and the TRAP command directs control to
|
|
the line labelled #BADVALUE, where the console speaker is beeped and the
|
|
program goes around the loop again. The TRAP is turned off immediately
|
|
after the INPUT S statement, since one does not want an error somewhere
|
|
else in the program to dump one into the middle of this procedure! One
|
|
uses this procedure by a call like:
|
|
|
|
PRMPT$= -Altidude, in feet-
|
|
EXEC VALUES: ALTITUDE= S
|
|
|
|
(Don't forget to DIMension PRMPT$!)
|
|
|
|
While functional, this procedure has some drawbacks; one is that
|
|
repeated bad values will result in the prompt being printed down the
|
|
screen, which will cause the screen to scroll and mess up the whole
|
|
appearance of the thing. We can cure this by passing along the location
|
|
to print the prompt. (I like to pick a single line on the screen and
|
|
put all prompts there.) Another drawback is that it doesn't do any real
|
|
checking on the input. We can remedy that by passing along the legal
|
|
range for this value. And, I like to include a default option, one the
|
|
user can select by just pressing RETURN. This default can be almost
|
|
anything, but let's implement one in which RETURN means 'keep the
|
|
present value'. The 'improved' version looks like this:
|
|
|
|
PROC VALUES
|
|
DO
|
|
POSITION CLMN,ROW:? BLK$
|
|
POSITION CLMN,ROW:? PRMPT$;
|
|
INPUT A$
|
|
IF LEN(A$)=0
|
|
EXIT
|
|
ELSE
|
|
TRAP #BADVALUE:SS=VAL(A$):TRAP 0
|
|
IF (SS>=LR AND SS<=UR) THEN S=SS:EXIT
|
|
ENDIF
|
|
# BADVALUE:? CHR$(253)
|
|
LOOP
|
|
ENDPROC
|
|
|
|
One needs to DIMension a couple more strings here: BLK$ is a string full
|
|
of blank spaces -- enough to clean off one screen line. (I always like
|
|
to keep a BLK$ handy in a program; it can come in useful many places.)
|
|
A$ must be long enough to hold any input typed. CLMN and ROW hold the
|
|
column and row where the prompt is to be printed. LR and UR are the
|
|
lower and upper ranges of legal values for the variable being inputted.
|
|
SS is a temporary variable to hold the value typed in until it is
|
|
checked to see if it legal or not. One calls this procedure by
|
|
something like:
|
|
|
|
CLMN=5:ROW=15:S=ALTITUDE
|
|
PRMPT$=-Altitude in feet-
|
|
LR=0:UR=1000:EXEC VALUES
|
|
ALTITUDE=S
|
|
|
|
Notice that one must preset S to the old value since it will not be
|
|
changed if the default is chosen -- RETURN pressed. The reason A$ is
|
|
used for the input is so a simple RETURN can be used for the default --
|
|
anything is legal in string input! A string length of zero means only
|
|
RETURN pressed. Now the TRAP surrounds the VAL command, where the input
|
|
is converted to a number. An error here will mean the input was non-
|
|
numeric. And finally, the number input is checked against the legal
|
|
range, and rejected if it is outside that range.
|
|
|
|
The first EXIT command is where the default is implemented; doing
|
|
nothing means keep the old value, but there are other possibilities one
|
|
can use here. One I have used is to have the program pick a random
|
|
value within the range. You can do this by replacing the EXIT by:
|
|
|
|
S= LR+RAND(UR-LR):EXIT
|
|
|
|
Other possibilities should occur to you, should your program have some
|
|
special needs. Happy computing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* ATARI AT SEYBOLD Press Release
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Systems Group
|
|
--------------------------
|
|
A division of Atari Computer Corporation NEWS RELEASE
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contacts: Harry Miller SEYBOLD BOOTH NUMBER 942
|
|
Public Relations Counsel
|
|
(510) 938-5663 Office
|
|
(510) 939-5655 Fax
|
|
Bill Rehbock
|
|
(408) 745-2082 Office
|
|
(408) 745-2083 Fax
|
|
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
|
|
|
|
PROFESSIONAL SYSTEMS GROUP SHOWS NEW HIGH QUALITY, DIGITAL
|
|
PUBLISHING SOLUTIONS AT SEYBOLD SHOW
|
|
|
|
-Direct To Press- Products Offer Added Features, Speed, Quality
|
|
|
|
Compatibility With Existing Standards Makes New Platform
|
|
The Logical Alternative
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunnyvale, California - September 23, 1991 -- The Professional Systems
|
|
Group, a division of Atari(tm) Computer Corporation, will show its
|
|
Direct To Press digital publishing solutions at the Seybold Publishing
|
|
Conference and Exposition on October 2-4 in San Jose. At their booth,
|
|
the Professional Systems Group will demonstrate the irrefutable logic of
|
|
choosing their TT030 computer as a publishing platform.
|
|
|
|
Each of the pre-press solutions possesses clear advantages over the
|
|
existing competition. Those advantages are manifest in a richer feature
|
|
set, quicker speed of operation, and in visibly higher output quality.
|
|
As if that weren't enough, the Direct To Press systems are affordably
|
|
priced compared to other alternatives. Direct To Press systems provide
|
|
output quality one would expect from much more expensive dedicated
|
|
typography system.
|
|
|
|
Direct To Press includes full-featured, high quality, and high
|
|
performance tools for every phase of pre-press work from document
|
|
processing ans design to photo retouching and imagesetter film output.
|
|
|
|
Direct To Press is a solution provided by the Professional Systems
|
|
Group. This solution combines software, hardware, and support to
|
|
implement a superior publishing system. Design and typography output
|
|
workstations take advantage of the sophisticated graphics and pure
|
|
processing power of the Atari TT030(tm), the company's high performance
|
|
computing platform. Available as custom configurable systems, Direct To
|
|
Press is targeted at pre-press and printing service bureaus and in-house
|
|
design and productions departments, as well as freelance designers,
|
|
artists and publishers. Systems based on the Direct To Press products
|
|
and concept are distributed through a network of value-added resellers
|
|
and dealers.
|
|
|
|
Publishing System Hardware Platform
|
|
|
|
The Atari TT030 provides the ideal computing platform for the Direct To
|
|
Press publishing tools. It features a 32MHz Motorola(tm) 68030
|
|
microprocessor with on-chip cache and memory management as well as a
|
|
68882 math coprocessor, 8MB of RAM (expandable to 26MB), and 80MB hard
|
|
disk, and a wide range of video and storage expansion options. Output
|
|
for proofing purposes is provided by the 300 dot per inch Atari SLM605
|
|
(tm) laser printer. The SLM605 features a small footprint, high quality
|
|
output, and fast 6 page per minute operation.
|
|
|
|
The TT030 performs even better in graphics-intensive applications than
|
|
the specifications would indicate. Several factors help explain this
|
|
phenomenon. First, the machine's architecture vastly reduces screen
|
|
redraw time by using a 64-bit wide video data path. Next, the TT030
|
|
uses DMA (Direct Memory Access) channels for disk, video, printer, and
|
|
sound data transfer. And, up to 10MB of video RAM can be used. These
|
|
hardware advantages are leveraged by an operating enviroment that
|
|
minimizes overhead without sacrificing ease of use or power.
|
|
|
|
-We designed the TT030 to be a great platform for sophisticated
|
|
publishing applications,- said Greg Pratt, Atari Computer Corporation.
|
|
-But the performance and output quality that our strategic software and
|
|
hardware partners have achieved makes these systems a compelling choice.
|
|
When you consider that most system selections are based on output
|
|
quality, speed of operation, ease of use, and affordability, we really
|
|
are 'the logical alternative.' You can't afford not to look at the
|
|
TT030 and the Direct To Press system solutions.-
|
|
|
|
Three Software Product Families Meet a Broad Range Of Needs
|
|
|
|
The Direct To Press solutions generally follow one of three
|
|
complementary approaches: Soft-Logik's PostScript(R)-based PageStream(R)
|
|
2 provides direct compatibility with that industry standard. The
|
|
Calamus(R)SL and tms Cranach Studio(R) family of high-end publishing
|
|
applications, including proprietary SoftRIPS(R) for specific models of
|
|
typesetters and imagesetters deliver a wide range of features and fast
|
|
performance. And the ReTouche Professional(TM)/Didot Professional(TM)
|
|
family of digital lithography, line art, and page layout tools uses
|
|
proprietary hardware technology to create raster images of pages within
|
|
the host software, eliminating the need for an external RIP, and uses
|
|
specialized hardware to greatly enhance output speed and quality. Files
|
|
can be easily exchanged among the tools, and with many other industry-
|
|
standard desktop publishing programs: The TT030's floppy disk format is
|
|
identical to that of MS-DOS, so data files on floppies can easily be
|
|
transferred. Similarly, file transfer can be accomplished via an
|
|
Ethernet network. Most of the applications can import and export files
|
|
from popular applications on other platforms.
|
|
|
|
Professional Systems Group is a new division of Atari Computer
|
|
Corporation whose mission is to provide superior computing solutions for
|
|
vertical market segments where output quality and execution speed are
|
|
the highest concern. Professional Systems Group combines its computing
|
|
platforms with high performance software and peripherals to meet and
|
|
exceed the needs of these demanding audiences.
|
|
|
|
Atari is a registered trademark, and TT030 and SLM605 are trademarks of
|
|
Atari Corporation. Motorola is a trademark of Motorola, Inc.
|
|
PageStream is a registered trademark of Soft-Logik Publishing
|
|
Corporation. Calamus SL and Calamus Outline Art, Calamus SoftRIP are
|
|
registered trademarks of DMC/Ditek International. tms Cranach Studio
|
|
is a registered trademark of tms GmbH. PostScript is a registered
|
|
trademark of Adobe Systems. ReTouche Professional CD, Didot
|
|
Professional, ad the Image Speeder are trademarks of 3K Computerbild.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* Z*NET NEWSWIRE
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
ATARI DOES SEYBOLD
|
|
The Direct to Press division of Atari Corporation made another
|
|
impressive presentation at the SEYBOLD Electronic Publishing Show, a
|
|
20,000 square foot show in two halls held this week in San Jose,
|
|
California. This is the first time in two years that Atari has attended
|
|
this publishing show. The range of DTP solutions plus electronic
|
|
imaging and lithographic preparation for press included Pagestream,
|
|
Calamus, Codehead Software, and the wide 3K line of products. According
|
|
to reports from early in the show, floor traffic was light due to
|
|
exceptional conference presentations, but the Atari area was well
|
|
attended. Most show-goers to this internationally renowned publishing
|
|
trade show are getting used to seeing Atari now, and the demonstrations
|
|
of state of the art systems at reasonable prices seem to be well
|
|
received. See the press material from Atari for Seybold, later in this
|
|
issue of Z*Net.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ROLAND IMPRESSED, ATTENDING ALL ATARI SHOWS
|
|
Astounded by the great reception and product sales at the Glendale Atari
|
|
show in September, the keyboard and music hardware giant ROLAND is
|
|
planning to make Atari show appearances a regular thing. Company reps
|
|
have asked Atari to advise them of any and all user and trade shows that
|
|
will feature Atari products, and have booked a display at the upcoming
|
|
WAACE AtariFest in the D.C. area in mid October. Expect them again at
|
|
the Chicago Atari Fair in November. Groups that are planning shows
|
|
should be certain to coordinating their work through Bob Brodie at Atari
|
|
Corp in order to assure that Roland and other interested developers know
|
|
of the event. Call Bob at 408-745-2052.
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEW CD TITLES FOR ATARI AS CDAR505 NEARS
|
|
Production of Atari's first CD, the Softsource Collection, should begin
|
|
in late October and sell for about $30. The CDAR505 CD ROM player may
|
|
be in dealers at that same time, beginning the demand for third-party CD
|
|
releases. One such company, Computer Rock of the San Francisco area,
|
|
was responsible for the two existing domestic Atari ST CD disks and has
|
|
several more planned for immediate release. The ST Software Library,
|
|
released two years ago, contains the Public Domain library supplied by
|
|
Current Notes magazine at that time. The First ST Clip Art Disk was
|
|
released in late 1990, and has thousands of IMG and other format clip
|
|
art files. To be released in November '91, the Z*NET CD will have over
|
|
7,000 fully categorized and indexed programs, plus years worth of
|
|
ZMAGAZINE, ST-ZMAG, and Z*NET news releases and news photos. Coming
|
|
soon afterwards will be another ST release with complete text and disk
|
|
archives of a major print magazine. Planned for 1992 are another clip
|
|
art/graphics collection, a Z*NET supplement disk, and at least one other
|
|
Atari title, bringing the their catalog to a minimum of seven titles.
|
|
Prices for the CD's from Computer Rock, which will each carry up to 500
|
|
Megabytes of read-only data (over 700 floppy disks worth), will range
|
|
from $39.95 to $69.95. Details on availability will follow soon. To
|
|
order existing Computer Rock CD titles, call 415-878-9609, and be
|
|
certain to mention Z*NET.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MORE ON SOFT-LOGIK'S USER GROUP GIVEAWAY
|
|
Two weeks ago, Z*Net announced Soft-Logik's Pagestream giveaway. The
|
|
response has been so high that the company has asked us to share more of
|
|
the details of the offer to streamline their response time. Atari user
|
|
groups can get two FREE copies of the desktop publisher PageStream 2.1,
|
|
plus another demo copy for their library. A related program will offer
|
|
discounts for user group members when they buy PageStream from dealers.
|
|
The groups should send a previous and current newsletter, add Soft-Logik
|
|
to the groups mailing list, full adress information, group membership
|
|
and president name. Or, call Soft-Logik at (800) 829-8608 for specific
|
|
instructions before mailing your group's request. Soft-Logik, 11131 S.
|
|
Towne Square, St. Louis, MO 63123.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* SUMMERTIME READS - ATARILAND STYLE by Andy Eddy
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following article is reprinted in Z*Net by permission of AtariUser
|
|
magazine and Quill Publishing. It MAY NOT be further reprinted without
|
|
specific permission of Quill. AtariUser is a monthly Atari magazine,
|
|
available by subscription for $18 a year. For more information on
|
|
AtariUser, call 800-333-3567.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[EDITOR'S NOTE: AtariUser originally planned to include a monthly guide
|
|
to the contents of the major Atari support magazines. However, the only
|
|
magazine that was willing to cooperate was STart, and of course, they
|
|
are now history. So, we commissioned Andy Eddy, a magazine professional
|
|
with Atari experience, to do an objective look at Atari publications.
|
|
We promised a free hand, and he shared his opinions frankly. We didn't
|
|
think it was quite right to include a review of AtariUser with these, so
|
|
make up your own!]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atari Interface
|
|
3487 Braeburn Circle
|
|
Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (313) 973-8825
|
|
Frequency: Monthly
|
|
Issues Reviewed: February, March, April/May 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant: Overall yet lightweight coverage.
|
|
3.5 STARS ***1/2
|
|
|
|
Summary--Atari Interface Magazine (AIM) bills itself as -a monthly
|
|
publication that also serves as an official newsletter of several
|
|
independent Atari user groups.- Several? It lists over 60
|
|
participating Atari user groups.
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--AIM is an attractive package, from its color cover to its
|
|
basic layout design. (The great cover of the March issue, created on
|
|
the TT, looks like a painting.) It gets its information across quite
|
|
well, without many hitches along the way.
|
|
|
|
The production of the magazine is good, too. It's printed on good
|
|
paper, and the typography is clean--showing that the ability of the ST
|
|
in DTP is adequate.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--The articles in AIM are friendly, for the most part
|
|
informative (more on this in a second) and easy reading. And,
|
|
similarly, the editing doesn't impose on the writers' musings.
|
|
|
|
One other thing that jumped out at me was an article called -Public
|
|
Domain, It Doesn't Have to be Sold to be Good!- While the article
|
|
starts off describing the benefits of PD software, it turns into an AIM
|
|
Monthly Disk pitch. Editorial should be clear of advertising, and a
|
|
magazine must be careful with that regard.
|
|
|
|
Utility--While issues of AIM I looked at are over 50 pages of editorial
|
|
material and advertising, I came away feeling like I was missing
|
|
something--there didn't seem to be enough -information- in there. For
|
|
example, the February issue had about 20 pages of ads out of the 55
|
|
pages, a sizable chunk. Add to that about a dozen pages of club news
|
|
(mainly listings of when the clubs meet and where, which would be best
|
|
run on an occasional basis, as opposed to every month). And the table
|
|
of contents spans two pages, including the 60-plus clubs that
|
|
contribute. This really doesn't leave much for the reader to sink their
|
|
teeth into.
|
|
|
|
Also, some of the editorial material seemed to be, as described in the
|
|
Atari Explorer review, somewhat limited in its focus. For instance, the
|
|
February issue included a 1-1/2-page -review- of Vampire Empire, an aged
|
|
ST game, which doesn't so much review the game as describe it. In that
|
|
same issue, there is also a long article comparing two MIDI keyboards.
|
|
Given the limited editorial space in AIM, I think it could have offered
|
|
a better mix of material to suit the reader.
|
|
|
|
In all fairness, the March issue seems to be a little better balanced
|
|
with articles on the STe, the issue of Byte magazine not covering Atari
|
|
products in its DTP overview, a piracy test and an article on London's
|
|
16-bit Computer Faire, among others. It still seemed to be a tad
|
|
-thin.-
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--Though AIM is pleasing to read, I can't overlook the
|
|
fact that there just doesn't seem to be enough to dig into. Perhaps
|
|
this will change in future issues, and the foundation is there if it
|
|
does. 3.5 STARS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Puget Sound Atari News
|
|
P.O. Box 110576
|
|
Tacoma, WA 98411-0576 (206) 566-1703 (Jim Chapman, coordinator)
|
|
Frequency: Monthly
|
|
Issues Reviewed: February, March/April 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant: Potpourri
|
|
2.5 STARS. **1/2
|
|
|
|
Summary--Self-described, the Puget Sound Atari News is the newsletter of
|
|
the -participating non-profit Atari computer users groups. The contents
|
|
of PSAN are a compilation of club news, hobby and industry news and
|
|
articles about Atari computers and supporting software and hardware.-
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--Being a newsletter, PSAN is understandably rougher in its
|
|
appearance, and more basic in its layout. This doesn't hinder its
|
|
ability to pass on information, and the publication's staff does a good
|
|
job of putting it together. Also, the magazine is created using Atari
|
|
computers and related software.
|
|
|
|
On the critical side, some of the articles were composed at an
|
|
uncomfortably small point size. At the same time, there were some
|
|
filler cartoons unrelated to computers that could have been lifted for a
|
|
better, easier-to-read layout. The editor could also drop a story in
|
|
favor of a cleaner magazine.
|
|
|
|
But the bottom line is that the PSAN is a nice-looking package
|
|
considering that it's not a professionally created magazine (like Atari
|
|
Explorer), and is fairly comfortable and clean for a laser-printed
|
|
publication.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--Much of the writing comes from other sources, such
|
|
as GEnie and other club publications, so some leniency needs to be given
|
|
for consistency of writing and editing. The expected quantity of typos
|
|
and grammatical errors are found, however they don't diminish from the
|
|
information that PSAN passes on.
|
|
|
|
PSAN also builds itself up by adding some supplements, such as Z*Net
|
|
(-The International Atari Newsletter-) and a Club News section.
|
|
|
|
Utility--Newsletters not only try to provide reviews and news within the
|
|
world the club was formed to partake in, but also cover the club news
|
|
itself. PSAN is no different, and does the job well. In the issues
|
|
looked at, there were articles and reviews on such subjects as database
|
|
programs, color printing, hardware projects and program reviews--there
|
|
was even a review of the same game by two different people for better
|
|
perspective. PSAN also includes the 8-bit user, devoting space to that
|
|
often-neglected community.
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--Again, I don't want it to appear as a strong criticism,
|
|
but the PSAN is a newsletter in magazine format, and it suffers from
|
|
some minor attendant problems. However, its strength is that it offers
|
|
something for everyone. 2.5 STARS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ST Informer
|
|
280 Peach Street
|
|
Merlin, OR 97532 (503) 476-0071
|
|
Frequency: Monthly
|
|
Issues Reviewed: March, April 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant: Wide and agressive.
|
|
4.5 STARS ****1/2
|
|
|
|
Summary--It's easy to spot ST Informer because it's the only newspaper-
|
|
style ST publication that's out. And its cover page is newspaper-like
|
|
also, featuring some newsier items like press releases and reports.
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--ST Informer is a really nice presentation of material,
|
|
and jams a lot of information into its pages. Though it offers almost
|
|
no color to speak of, its neat four-column layout is smooth to follow
|
|
articles through. It appears that ST Informer keeps the same style from
|
|
month to month, placing new-product announcements and a feature on the
|
|
front page, columns near the front, etc. This makes the reader feel at
|
|
home with each issue, much like you'd feel driving the roads of your
|
|
home town.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--The content of ST Informer is all top drawer, and
|
|
the editors make sure there is a good quantity of material for everyone,
|
|
as well as the specialty stuff. For instance, the April 1991 issue
|
|
contained articles on new Atari products in the works, the new NeoDesk
|
|
3.02, the second part of a RAM upgrade article, as well as a study of
|
|
electrostatic discharge and its effect on computers, in addition to many
|
|
reviews of ST products.
|
|
|
|
It also appears that the editorial staff has a good idea of what they
|
|
are doing. The material is showcased well and grammatically correct.
|
|
|
|
Utility--Even though there is a fair amount of advertising in ST
|
|
Informer, the staff still seems to put a load of stuff in there. Each
|
|
issue is chock full of reviews, product announcements, tutorials and
|
|
columns, among others. The columns in particular cover most of the
|
|
regular needs of the reader: game reviews, new products of interest, a
|
|
rumor column and a Q&A help section. The latter two are quite helpful--
|
|
the rumor column gives the readers a fill of hot tidbits (for instance,
|
|
did you know that a STacy was used on-stage at a Sting concert),
|
|
potential stories and insight, while -The Help Key- provides some basic
|
|
ST-specific techniques and answers questions that most users don't have
|
|
anyone handy to answer.
|
|
|
|
It's apparent that ST Informer can fill one other gap that most other
|
|
publications can't: timeliness. It would appear that ST Informer has
|
|
almost no lead time (the time it takes for a magazine to get into
|
|
readers' hands after it is completed) because the April '91 issue
|
|
featured a reader letter commenting on a review in the March '91 issue.
|
|
What this means is that ST Informer is more like a newspaper because the
|
|
editors can place stories into it at the last minute.
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--ST Informer has something for everyone, and presents
|
|
special-interest material in a way that can draw in those readers who
|
|
may not normally raise their eyelids. This is a well-produced
|
|
publication. 4.5 STARS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ST World
|
|
2463 Latona Court NE
|
|
Salem, OR 97303 (503) 393-9688
|
|
Frequency: Monthly?
|
|
Issue Reviewed: April 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant: Too early to tell.
|
|
2 STARS **
|
|
|
|
Summary--After a hiatus with a strange story behind it, ST World seems
|
|
to be back with new management, though there is some doubt that it has
|
|
returned to a regular monthly schedule.
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--ST World is mainly a black-and-white publication, printed
|
|
on newsprint--some of the ink will end up on your hands after a good
|
|
read-through. It also employs a fairly large point size, which not only
|
|
makes it easy to read (like a kid's book), but also lets each article
|
|
take up more space, thus filling the magazine quicker.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise, the layout is very simple: three-column layout for most of
|
|
the magazine, switching to two-column for a feature article. The
|
|
magazine employs very few graphics, but offers an -identity- by showing
|
|
pictures of its columnists next to their work.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--This is a problem area, one that the editors should
|
|
address in future issues. For instance, ST World uses the straight
|
|
quote marks that signal a less-than-professional look. Also quirky is
|
|
the schizophrenic mix of punctuation inside quotes in some articles,
|
|
while being placed outside quotes in others. This leads me to believe
|
|
that the editors are leaving it up to the writers, again showing editing
|
|
to be below standard. The writing could also use some tweaking, but a
|
|
few of the articles show great promise.
|
|
|
|
One thing that really bothered me was the Errata section. While error
|
|
gremlins always manage to creep into even the best publications, ST
|
|
World (with a long history of typos and layout errors) seems to dwell
|
|
too much on the mistakes of the previous issue. Apparently, the titles
|
|
on four articles were switched, which is bad enough on the surface, but
|
|
becomes worse when too much attention is paid to it. As a reader, I'm
|
|
not too concerned with the mechanics of why a mistake happened. But as
|
|
an editor, on the other hand, I can't subscribe to the explanation that
|
|
these were flukes--even the most difficult, four-color magazines have
|
|
room to check proof pages for mistakes, particularly those in headlines.
|
|
'Nuff said.
|
|
|
|
Utility--Unfortunately, this department didn't help my view of ST World.
|
|
While there are some attractive articles in the issue I reviewed, there
|
|
are also some pieces that are well-written but hit a very small
|
|
audience. How many of you are interested in a super-techie article
|
|
called -V.32, the CCITT and the Tale of the 9600 Baud Modem-? How about
|
|
an article on -Clients and Servers-? I'm not saying that technical
|
|
articles don't have their place in general-interest magazines, but this
|
|
stuff belongs in Byte or InfoWorld more than an Atari magazine, in my
|
|
view. A magazine that wants to gain subscribers can't overestimate its
|
|
market.
|
|
|
|
This is not to say that ST World is empty of helpful or well-directed
|
|
writings. It features a good mix of game reviews (both for Lynx and
|
|
ST), a smattering of press releases and a preview section, among the
|
|
previously mentioned articles. A better mix of game coverage, -serious-
|
|
hardware/software reviews and other articles of interest is needed.
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--Suffice it to say that I wasn't that pleased with the
|
|
-new- ST World. It would be good to see more issues; I only had one to
|
|
work with, and couldn't prove the rumors of it being monthly. 2 STARS.
|
|
|
|
Hey, what about the -online- magazines? These are -free,-
|
|
electronically transferred, available on CompuServe, GEnie, Delphi,
|
|
F-Net, UseNet, and countless private bulletin boards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ST Report
|
|
Post Office Box 6672
|
|
Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6672 (904) 783-3319
|
|
Frequency: Weekly
|
|
Issue Reviewed--May 24, May 31, June 7, 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant---A Current Affair- Meets the ST.
|
|
3 STARS ***
|
|
|
|
Summary--One -publication- takes the prize as the National Enquirer of
|
|
the ST world, and that's the electronic ST Report. Though over time it
|
|
has been proven to be a rumor monger, it has also been counted on by
|
|
many each week for insight and no-holds-barred reporting. What the heck
|
|
is ten minutes of downloading worth to you?
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--Well, the look is what you make it. After all, ST Report
|
|
is a text file, so looks aren't really under consideration. But its
|
|
-flow,- how the magazines moves from article to article and the choice
|
|
of articles in each issue is smooth enough. ST Report also features its
|
|
share of regular columns that cover all subjects.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--Room has to be given to a weekly publication for
|
|
some sloppiness. ST Report does a good enough job of making the
|
|
articles readable, though there are some of the traditional mistakes in
|
|
punctuation, grammar and spelling.
|
|
|
|
Another benefit about ST Report is the fact that there isn't much
|
|
advertising in it, though there are ads just the same. However,
|
|
advertisements for CompuServe, Delphi and GEnie help more people get
|
|
into a position of downloading ST Report--and getting involved with
|
|
online activities--so it's easy to overlook. Besides, the best thing
|
|
about an electronic publication is the reader's ability to skip ahead if
|
|
an article or advertisement annoys.
|
|
|
|
Utility--Wait a minute. Isn't the name of this publication ST Report?
|
|
Why, then, are there extensive articles on other PCs (-CPU Report-) and
|
|
the Macintosh (-Mac Report-)? It's certainly a change from when I used
|
|
to read ST Report regularly, and I'm not sure it's appropriate.
|
|
However, when I used to read it regularly, it was ST specific--and about
|
|
50K in size. Now the ST Report files fill about 120K each, so I guess
|
|
the readers can handle the extraneous non-ST filler. It's up to them to
|
|
determine whether other industry news is required reading--even though I
|
|
find it to be inappropriate for a magazine named ST Report. Yet, the
|
|
articles are in-depth, particularly the -CPU Report-, which is packed
|
|
with technical insights and views on the industry.
|
|
|
|
On the ST side, there are some helpful sections, such as the -A Little
|
|
of This, A Little of That- column, which singles out some of the more
|
|
important threads on the online services. This not only gives readers
|
|
who aren't online cruisers a view of what type of action takes place
|
|
there, but also answers some of the questions of the day, like what the
|
|
status of GCR and System 7-compatibility is and aging troubles with
|
|
particular hard drives. If only the rest of the -magazine- was more
|
|
beneficial.
|
|
|
|
Finally , the editor, Ralph Mariano, is one of Atari's biggest fans--and
|
|
detractors. He is brutally honest about when Atari messes up, perhaps
|
|
to a fault, which is something of a wake-up call for the company at
|
|
times. Though the readers get a benefit out of his rantings, they often
|
|
go overboard, and have at times made him look like he is trying to
|
|
create headlines. Again, the National Enquirer provides an apt
|
|
comparison.
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--If you can get by the snooty, smarmy rumor-slinging
|
|
theatrics, the -I know something you don't know- reporting (which
|
|
attempts to bring people back week after week like a soap opera) and the
|
|
non-ST text, ST Report isn't really that bad for what it tries to
|
|
accomplish. And it's pretty painless to download or have copied from
|
|
another ST user. 3 STARS.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z*Net
|
|
P.O. Box 59
|
|
Middlesex, NJ 08846 (908) 968-2024
|
|
Frequency: Weekly
|
|
Issue Reviewed--May 17, May 24, 1991
|
|
Editorial Slant--All the News That Fits.
|
|
4 STARS ****
|
|
|
|
Summary--Ron Kovacs started ST Report as an offshoot of his ZMAGAZINE,
|
|
and then...well, it's not important. After too much bad blood, Ron
|
|
abandoned ST Report to Ralph Mariano, and now does Z*Net. It does its
|
|
best to stick to reporting, both the visible on the behind the scenes
|
|
stuff.
|
|
|
|
Look and Feel--Again, as with ST Report, Z*Net's layout is nothing more
|
|
than what you get when you load the file in your text editor of choice.
|
|
Hey, you can make it two or three columns if you want, but its the
|
|
content that matters.
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|
|
|
The -Feel- of Z*Net is comfortable, the kind of vision you get by
|
|
peering in on the evening news on TV. Z*Net tries to keep the reader
|
|
informed of what the happenings are in the Atari community, without too
|
|
much fluff or non-specific reportage. In comparison to ST Report, Z*Net
|
|
also has its share of columns, though much better focused to the Atari
|
|
world. And no advertising at all.
|
|
|
|
Writing and Editing--The columns we just spoke of are nicely written
|
|
and, again, well focused. For example, the -Z*Net Software Shelf- by
|
|
Ron Berinstein is a regular porthole to the new software appearing for
|
|
the ST owner. Not only does this column offer a listing of new products
|
|
and what they can be expected to do, but it also leads in the body of
|
|
the article with some humorous and friendly--okay, sometimes eccentric--
|
|
chatter. As mentioned before, this adds personality and freshness to a
|
|
publication. Z*Net also has a nice mix of technical and non-technical
|
|
coverage.
|
|
|
|
The editing is subject to the usual breaks in consistency, but Z*Net
|
|
also features a good amount of reprinting--the issues I looked at
|
|
included transcripts of online conferences and reprints of features from
|
|
AtariUser--so it is pretty clean grammatically.
|
|
|
|
Utility--The fact that material is reprinted from other sources makes
|
|
Z*Net's utility rating suffer somewhat, although most conference
|
|
transcripts are mercifully condensed by the Z*Net editors.
|
|
|
|
An important issue, though, is that Z*Net features almost entirely
|
|
Atari-related news, with the exception of the -Z*Net Newswire,- which is
|
|
industry-wide coverage, though a lot less intense or technically
|
|
oriented than ST Report. (It, however, turned my head to see news
|
|
stories in the May 17, 1991, issue on the death of John Maher, publisher
|
|
of Down Beat magazine, the retirement of Harry Reasoner from the 60
|
|
Minutes TV show and the recent changes in Zenith computer prices. Hmmm,
|
|
must've been a slow Atari-news week.)
|
|
|
|
A major benefit is that 95% of Z*Net is solid Atari coverage, and the
|
|
issues generally were less than 50% the size of the similar ST Report,
|
|
clicking in at about 55K in size.
|
|
|
|
Overall Rating--Most of Z*Net is meaty Atari reporting, something that
|
|
makes it a big draw for Atari-computer owners. It doesn't take much
|
|
time out of your week to download and scan through it, and you'll
|
|
probably walk away with a few tidbits of knowledge that will help you be
|
|
a more-informed user. 4 STARS.
|
|
|
|
That about covers the regular periodicals, both print and electronic.
|
|
Certainly the cost wouldn't preclude you from getting a hold of a few to
|
|
receive the varied benefit that some of these publications offer. And,
|
|
needless to say, one man's ceiling may be another man's floor. For that
|
|
reason, you should look into the content of the magazines I covered here
|
|
to see if you get something out of them that I didn't--or even simply
|
|
disagree with me.
|
|
|
|
Finally, there are many European Atari coverage magazines being imported
|
|
with varied regularity. When reading foreign mags, understand that the
|
|
ST is treated differently in other parts of the world, and may feature
|
|
products not available or usable in North America. Also keep in mind
|
|
that the cover prices only indicate the price in their respective
|
|
countries; import costs may not enter into the equation. Check with
|
|
your local Atari store or contact the publishers directly for more
|
|
information on how you can get a copy. A pair of British magazines and
|
|
one German magazine were in my grab-bag:
|
|
|
|
ST Format, The Old Barn Somerset, Somerset, England TA11 7PY0458 74011.
|
|
Monthly, in English.
|
|
|
|
Atari ST User, Europa House, Adlington Park, Macclesfield, England SK10
|
|
4NP0625 878888. Monthly, in English.
|
|
|
|
Atari PD Journal, HolbeinstraBe 606000, Frankfurt am Main 70, Germany
|
|
06151 56057-8. Monthly, all in German.
|
|
|
|
Happy reading!
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIO: Andy Eddy, a long-time Atari journalist, is currently Executive
|
|
Editor for VideoGames & Computer Entertainment and TurboPlay magazines.
|
|
He can be reached on Delphi as VIDGAMES (where he is sysop for the World
|
|
of Video Games SIG), CompuServe at 70007,3554 or GEnie at VIDGAME.
|
|
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
GENIE
|
|
To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon
|
|
connection type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt. Type
|
|
XJM11877,GEnie and hit RETURN.
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
COMPUSERVE
|
|
To sign up for CompuServe service, call 800-848-8199. Ask for operator
|
|
198. You will be sent a $15.00 free membership kit.
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Z*MAGAZINE Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine is a bi-weekly magazine covering
|
|
the Atari and related computer community. Material contained in this
|
|
edition may be reprinted without permission, except where otherwise
|
|
noted, unedited, with the issue number, name and author included at
|
|
the top of each reprinted article. Commentary and opinions presented
|
|
are those of the individual author and does not necessarily reflect
|
|
the opinions of Z*MAGAZINE or the staff. Z*Magazine Atari 8-Bit Online
|
|
Magazine, Z*Net Atari Online Magazine, Z*Net are copyright (c)1991 by
|
|
Rovac Industries Inc, a registered corporation. Post Office Box 59,
|
|
Middlesex, New Jersey 08846. (908) 968-2024. Z*Net Online BBS 24
|
|
Hours, 1200/2400 Baud, (908) 968-8148. We can be reached on CompuServe
|
|
at 75300,1642 and on GEnie at Z-NET.
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
Z*Magazine Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine
|
|
Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc..
|
|
=======================================================================
|