1110 lines
56 KiB
Plaintext
1110 lines
56 KiB
Plaintext
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=======================================================================
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Z*NET ATARI 8-BIT ONLINE MAGAZINE
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-Z*Magazine- - The Original Atari Online Magazine
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=======================================================================
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Issue #201
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January 12, 1992
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=======================================================================
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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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Copyright (c)1992, Rovac Industries, Inc.
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CONTENTS
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* The Editors Desk...............................Ron Kovacs
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* Z*Net Newswire...................Ron Kovacs and John Nagy
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* The 8-Bit State............................Chuck Steinman
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* Carolyn's Corner...........................Carolyn Hoglin
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* Living With An 8-Bit........................Jim Brozovich
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* Structured Programming - Part 3.............Michael Stomp
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* Z*Net: PC Online Magazine Issue #21.................Index
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=======================================================================
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* THE EDITORS DESK by Ron Kovacs
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=======================================================================
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It has been JUST ONE WEEK since we published an Issue of Z*Magazine!!
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The bi-weekly concept however will sooner or later take effect in a few
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weeks. Until that time however, look for regular releases with the
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latest Atari news and 8-bit articles.
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In the next edition, we will cover the Atari 8-Bit FoReM Fnet system
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and take a look at what is available. Also, the JACG BBS in New Jersey
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has returned, look for information next week.
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=======================================================================
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* Z*NET NEWSWIRE
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=======================================================================
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ST-INFORMER BREAKUP: NEW MAGAZINE TO DEBUT
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The editorial staff of ST-INFORMER, a popular monthly Atari tabloid-
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format publication, walked off the job on Monday, January 6, 1992, and
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plan to create their own rival Atari magazine. According to Mike
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Lindsay, Oregon-based editor for ST-INFORMER since its inception nearly
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four years ago, the breakup is the result of a long-standing
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disagreement over ownership of the magazine. Publisher Rod McDonald has
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asserted sole ownership, while Mike and others had believed that the
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magazine was a three-way partnership. Rather than prolong the dispute,
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Mike, Darren Meers (layout), and many of the staff writers have decided
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to leave ST-INFORMER and create their own new Atari magazine. Plans are
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far from complete at this time, but Lindsay says that they may have a
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premier issue as soon as February. Mike also indicated that although he
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has no evidence that ST-INFORMER will not continue to publish, his new
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magazine will voluntarily honor all ST-INFORMER subscriptions in the
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event that McDonald does not choose to stay in the Atari marketplace.
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Of concern to many in the Atari community is the question of whether the
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fragile developer and dealer base can sustain yet another competitor for
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their limited advertising dollars during recessionary times.
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Subscribers, writers, and advertisers are asked to be patient while
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things settle. Z*Net will have more on this story next week.
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ATARI PRESIDENT PRATT RESIGNS!
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Greg Pratt has left as President of Atari Corporation (U.S.) for a new
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position with Creative Labs, Inc., makers of the -Sound Blaster- series
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of sound cards for MS-DOS computers. After seven years with Atari and
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even more years before that with the Tramiel family at Commodore, Greg
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Pratt will leave the president and general manager responsibilities to a
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group of people within Atari including Sam Tramiel and Augie Ligouri,
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and there are no immediate plans to replace him. Greg was chief
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financial officer for many years at Atari, and was named President in
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November 1990 after the departure of Elie Kenan of France. Pratt gave a
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rousing talk on the future of Atari at the Chicago Computerfest by Atari
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in November, 1991 (reprinted in Z*NET issue #9151), in which he
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indicated personal enthusiasm for the company. The agenda and goals
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outlined in his talk will continue uninterrupted, according to other
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Atari officials. Those close to Pratt inside Atari are both saddened by
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his decision to leave the company as well as personally happy for Greg,
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as the opportunity offered by his new position is very attractive and
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challenging. This move had been planned for -some time- according to
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Atari sources, and corporate direction and planning remain unchanged.
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Vice President of Sales Don Mandell will continue to supervise the sales
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organization, with marketing by Bill Rehbock, James Grunke, and Art
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Morgan under the direction of Sam Tramiel. A consolidation of the Atari
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U.S. accounting with Atari corporate accounting has been made, returning
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to the way the company operated in 1985. Pratt assisted in this change
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before his departure. An official press release from Atari Corporation
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on the entire matter is expected soon.
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ATARI ANNOUNCES NEW PURCHASE PLANS
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Atari Canada this week released details on the new purchase plans. The
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packages which include an educational institute, registered company
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employee purchase programs and non-profit agencies. The pricing
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structure, options and flexible payment plan ensures that a computer is
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within the budget of anyone even in these economically troubled times.
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Financing is underwritten by Commcorp Financial Services Inc, formerly
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Norex. CIBC Leasing Inc is owned in part by the Canadian Imperial Bank
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of Commerce. Structuring is done on a lease plan with 24, 36 or 42
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months with payments made by automatic bank withdrawal. On completion
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of all lease payments you own the equipment for $10.00. You may buy out
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the lease anytime before expiration for the discounted payment stream
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(balance of payments less unearned interest), plus applicable PST and
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GST, with no additional fees. In a conference call with Atari Canada's
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Geoff Earl (General Manager) and Murray Brown (Western Canada Sales and
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Marketing Rep) we learn the plan has met with favour by dealers.
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Dealers can only profit from the program. The sale of several hundred
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units are possible just from one contact. The idea is to have one key
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person in the company or organization involved as an administrator to
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handle the transactions. This person would receive as an incentive, a
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Portfolio for any sales above $15,000.00. With most companies realizing
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the advantage of computers in the workplace, some are offering incentive
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plans. A major westcoast city is offering a $500.00 rebate towards a
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computer system for any municipal employee. A west coast telephone
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company is offering a $300.00 rebate to its workers on any DOS
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compatable system. School boards are also the latest to jump on the
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bandwagon and realize that the workplace is not the only place that
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computers belong. The students of today have better equipment at home
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than most schools and probably know more than the teacher about
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computers. Atari Canada has assembled some very good promo material
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available for this plan. Flip charts and brochures are available and
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your local representitive will be pleased to help you with your
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presentations. For more information please contact Geoff Earl at Atari
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Canada (416) 479-1266 or your local Atari dealer. In a similar move,
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Atari US will shortly announce an arrangement with Business Credit
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Leasing Corp to provide -Atari Financial Services- to companies and
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individuals. The plan is to be available through dealers, who can call
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1-800-328-5371 for more information.
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ATARI CORP SALE RUMOR QUASHED
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The backstreets of the Atari community were abuzz with the word that
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Atari Corp was being, in fact had already been sold by the Tramiel
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family. However, official comment this week from Sunnyvale (after the
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Pratt announcement) is -Absolutely not.- While recent stock position,
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debt/asset adjustments, and personnel changes may have triggered the
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rumor, we have been assured that Atari is moving ahead, not for other
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parties to see, but to advance the company for the current ownership.
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Long range planning and medium range projects are continuing at full
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speed, further reducing the likelihood of any change of ownership at
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Atari.
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NEW ST BOOK ANNOUNCED - Press Release
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CONTACT: TAYLOR RIDGE BOOKS (203) 643-9673. FIRST THERE WAS C-MANSHIP
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COMPLETE. NOW THERE'S THE ST ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP! Taylor Ridge
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Books has announced the release of The ST Assembly Language Workshop,
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Volume 1, a novice's guide to assembly language programming on the Atari
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ST line of computers. Written by Clayton Walnum, the author of
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C-manship Complete, The ST Assembly Language Workshop, Volume 1 teaches
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the basics of assembly language programming, starting with assembly
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language theory and building up to full-length programs. Covered in the
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260-page book are the most-used 68000 assembly instructions, programming
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style and technique, file handling, printer output, system clocks, color
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palettes, screen flipping, loading pictures, and more. A complete 68000
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instruction reference is also included. When it's released later this
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year, Volume 2 of the series will cover GEM programming, with Volume 3
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tackling various advanced topics. After studying all three volumes,
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readers will have developed the skills needed to write virtually any
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type of program on an ST. Even after reading only volume 1, the novice
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assembly language programmer will be able to write full-featured TOS
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programs. The ST Assembly Language Workshop, Volume 1 comes with a disk
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containing all sample programs and assorted additional files. It is
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priced at $24.95, plus $3 shipping and handling and can be ordered at
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the address or phone number above. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
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ATARI SELLS MILLIONTH LYNX GAME CARTRIDGE
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Atari Corp announced it has sold it's one millionth game cartridge at
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the Las Vegas Winter CES Show, for the Lynx video game system. The
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Lynx, which is the leading color portable and the only system priced
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less than $100, has a library of 40 games. Atari's Entertainment
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Division President Larry Siegel said, -Consumers have responded to the
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value presented by the system and the games. With 75 titles available
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by the end of the year, we'll sell a million more.- Atari's top selling
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title for the year was the award winning Ninja Gaiden, followed by
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Warbirds and Blue Lightning. Blue Lightning, an aerial combat game,
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expirienced a surge of sales during the Persian Gulf War. Warbirds, a
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World War I dogfight game, is the first Lynx title to be in the top five
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games on the Software Publisher's Association listing of best selling
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games. By year end, 75 games will be available for the Lynx, including:
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Super Skweek, Lemmings, NFL Football, Baseball Heroes, Basketbrawl, Pit
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Fighter, Vindicators and Hockey.
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LATEST LYNX UPDATE
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In 1992, the largest color portable software library will get even
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bigger with traditional role playing, classic arcade and more original
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titles for the Lynx. Third party developers continue to contribute
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great games to Lynx players. Telegames, Inc. has reached an agreement
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with arcade giant Tradewest Inc. to publish Double Dragon and Super Off-
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Road, two number one arcade games. This new long-term relationship
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brings Lynx players the best of Tradewest and the best of the arcades.
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In addition, several other third party developers have contracted to
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program titles which will be brought out under the Atari name. These
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companies include: Loriciel, US Gold and Color Dreams, Inc.
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TELEGAMES BREWS UP STORM
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Following up smash hits Qix and The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge,
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Telegames will bring out The Guardians: Storm Over Doria, and Krazy Ace
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Minature Golf. Up to four players can ComLynx in The Guardians, due in
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March. The Guardians, legendary heroes each with a unique set of
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attributes, must locate the Master of Mystical Arts, Quellin, who has
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kidnapped Doria's Prince Creshin and stolen hia crown - the crown that
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controls the weather. As a Guardian you will have to travel across and
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under Doria to find and defeat Quellin through mystical and physical
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combat before Doria is doomed to eternal winter. There are 15 different
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monsters, 30 magical spells and an internal clock that will vary
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responses and activities based on time of day and day of week. In
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Guardians, you can talk to anyone on the streets and use a command menu
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to perform functions such as get, open, break, talk, etc... The
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Guardians will be available in March and has a suggested retail price of
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$44.95.
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DOUBLE DRAGON/SUPER OFF ROAD
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Double Dragon, a two-player game due in July, is regarded as one of the
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greatest fighting games of all time. The twin brothers in Double
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Dragon, masters of the material arts, must fight their way through the
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streets and outskirts of the city to defeat the Black Warriors and the
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evil Shadow Boss. In Super Off-Road, a four-player mud-flinging dirt
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circuit race, there are 8 different stadium tracks and 16 configurations
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to race on. Super Off-Road will be available in August. Both have a
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suggsted retail price of $39.95.
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SHADOWSOFT JOUSTS FOR SUPERHERO STATUS
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Shadowsoft Inc, which recently brought out the classic Robotron with
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Williams/Bally, will put Joust on store shelves in April or May and will
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introduce two original titles; a puzzle game and a superhero title.
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Dave Dies, President of Shadowsoft commented that the Lynx is a great
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system to write games for. -We expect to release 3-4 games for the Lynx
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and expect them to do very well. This is a great system to work with
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because it has excellent hardware scaling and rotation and we plan to
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write games for it as long as possible.- According to Dies, the company
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is looking to license several other titles for the Lynx.
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NEW ATARI 14- FLAT SCREEN ST MONO MONITOR
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To premier at the National Association of Music Merchandisers show
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(January 17-19), the SM147 will be a 14- paperwhite monitor with a flat
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screen. About the same dimensions or even a bit smaller overall than
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the long-standard 12- SM124, the new bigger screen monochrome monitor
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will feature a tilt/swivel base and retail for $259.95 (suggested). The
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new monitor will not have a speaker. The SM124 will probably be
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discontinued, with the SM147 becoming the standard high resolution
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monitor for the STe series.
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=======================================================================
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* THE 8-BIT STATE by Chuck Steinman
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=======================================================================
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The following article is reprinted in Z*Net by permission of AtariUser
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magazine and Quill Publishing. It MAY NOT be further reprinted without
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specific permission of Quill. AtariUser is a monthly Atari magazine,
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available by subscription for $19.95 a year. For more information on
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AtariUser, call 818-332-0372. 8_BIT column for November 1991 AtariUser
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(#7)
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8-BIT ALERT:
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Two years in the making, version 2.0x of AtariLink BBS has been recently
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released. Written in Atari BASIC, it works best when used with
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SPARTADOS but also will work with DOS 2 and others. Supports ramdisks,
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MIO interfaces, hard drives, etc. Contact Pab Sungenis at the CCBBS,
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phone number 609-451-7475, or his own BBS at 609-696-0475 for more
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information.
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THE 8-BIT STATE:
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Getting the Big Picture on the Classic Atari
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The visual images presented by computer systems play a significant role
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in how well a particular computer is accepted. The Atari 8-bit systems
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provide graphics capabilities which are both easy to master and enjoy.
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There are a wide range of graphics applications and utilities available
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to simplify the task of producing and displaying images.
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The video portion of the Atari 8-bit system is maintained by two
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integrated circuits called ANTIC and GTIA (or CTIA in very old systems,
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without support of graphic modes 9-11). Unique features of the 8-bit
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are not only 15 different graphics modes, but the ability to have any
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mix of graphics modes on the screen at one time. Through manipulation
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of the -display list-, the full palette of 256 colors can be displayed
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at once.
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Eight graphics modes are best known, while three more were added via
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GTIA, and still others are combinations of the 8:
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Gr. Mode Colors Mode Type Resolution
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------ --------- ---------- ----------
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0 2 Text 40 x 24
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1 5 Text 20 x 24
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2 5 Text 20 x 12
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3 4 Bitmapped 40 x 24
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4 2 Bitmapped 80 x 48
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5 4 Bitmapped 80 x 48
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6 2 Bitmapped 160 x 96
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7 4 Bitmapped 160 x 96
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8 2 Bitmapped 320 x 192
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9 16 Bitmapped 80 x 192
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10 9 Bitmapped 80 x 192
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11 16 Bitmapped 80 x 192
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Graphics 9 gives 16 levels of a single color; Gr. 10 has 9 colors; Gr.
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11 has 16 colors of a single intensity. Each of these extra modes are
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bitmapped 80 x 192 pixels. More information on ANTIC, GTIA, and display
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list programming is available by consulting the Atari Personal Computer
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System Hardware Manual (Atari part number CO16555), and Do Re Atari,
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both of which are available from Best Electronics and B&C
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ComputerVisions.
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One of the easiest to use graphics programs I have seen is the Atari
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Artist package, from Atari. This kit included a full-featured graphics
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program in a ROM cartridge, a decent sized graphics tablet, and a stylus
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to draw with. (Fun Hint: put the pointer on the ATARI symbol on the
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main menu of Atari Artist, and click the buttons - a hidden tune will
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play!) A similar package was produced for many different computer
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platforms including Atari by Koala Technologies Corp., although it had a
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smaller tablet. The program would save and load both compressed and
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bitmapped images.
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KOALA-to-ST starts graphics there
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Chalkboard Inc. released a tablet called the PowerPad for several
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systems, including the Atari 8-bit line. I ran across several of these
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tablets in a clearance table at one of the local computer stores, and
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just had to pick up a few. The tablet size is a full 12 inches square,
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and digitally encoded for better repeatability.
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Unfortunately, very little software was ever released for the Atari so
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it never became that popular. There are two small programs (including
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source) on GEnie which allow programmers to use the PowerPad as an input
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device for their applications (one was in BASIC and the other in 6502
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assembly).
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No conversation of graphics on the 8-bit would be complete without Jeff
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Potter's name being mentioned. Several separate graphics oriented
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programs for the Atari have been written by Jeff, including some which
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extend the capabilities of the machine to a new level. All of these
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programs have been released as shareware, so if you use them, don't
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forget to make the requested contribution!
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One of Mr. Potter's most popular programs is APACVIEW. APAC stands for
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-Any Point Any Color- which means a pixel on the screen can be any one
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of the 256 available colors. The original APAC resolution was 80
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(horizontal) by 96 (vertical), and an interlaced version with double the
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vertical resolution was added in a later release. The APAC program will
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load and display GIF (graphics interface format) pictures, which are
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readily available since it is a hardware independent format.
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Another program called COLORVIEW, will allow up to 4096 colors to be
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displayed at one time on the screen. This is done by a complex series
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of vertical blank and display list interrupts, and multiple images in
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memory. The resolution is the same as interlaced APAC, but the
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technology used to produce the image is totally different to achieve the
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extended palette.
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Because the Amiga is a graphics oriented machine, with an abundance of
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graphics files on the various services and bulletin boards, Jeff wrote
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the ILBMREAD program to convert such pictures to a form usable on the
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Atari 8-bit system. Of course the Atari ST is also well known for its
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graphics, so Jeff wrote a program which would allow Degas, or Degas
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Elite picture files to be viewed on the 8-bit. Of course, people which
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have other computer systems will enjoy GIFNCODE, a utility to convert
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many of the Atari 8-bit picture files to the universal GIF format.
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Jeff Potter can be reached on GEnie at username JDPOTTER, or Compuserve
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ID: 74030,2020.
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BIO: Chuck Steinman is one of the more outspoken promoters of the 8-bit
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cause. In addition to writing for several Atari related magazines, he
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also helps SysOp the 8-bit section on GEnie, and develops products sold
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by DataQue. He can be contacted on GEnie and Delphi at username
|
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DATAQUE, or Compuserve PPN: 71777,3223.
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=======================================================================
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* CAROLYN'S CORNER by Carolyn Hoglin, Orlando, Florida
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=======================================================================
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Reprinted from the Mid-Florida Atari Computer Club Newsletter, 3/91
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Q--> How can I prepare a document with AtariWriter Plus that will be
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compatible with WordStar or another word processing program on a
|
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16-bit computer?
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A--> We have two problems here: The textfile itself (the Atari
|
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document) and the medium (the Atari disk). Both are essentially
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incompatible with a 16-bit computer. This is not to say that the
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job cannot be done. It just takes a little doing.
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Begin by typing your document into AtariWriter Plus as usual, but DO NOT
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use any internal formatting commands, such as for centering, expanded
|
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print, underlining, etc. It doesn't matter how the formatting is set up
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on the Global Format screen because these instructions won't be used
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anyway.
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When you have proofread your text, and everything is A-OK, save the file
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as usual. Now go back to the edit screen. From the top-of-file, press
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[START]-S. When prompted for your search string, hold down the [SHIFT]
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key and hit [ESC] twice, followed by a [RETURN]. Then press [START]-R
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and enter the replace string as [CTRL]-M [CTRL]-J followed by the usual
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[RETURN]. The string will look like a stylized -MJ- and in ASCII it
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translates to a carriage return and a line feed.
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Now for the magic: press [OPTION]-G and all those Atari return symbols
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(ASCII 155) will be replaced by ASCII 13 and 10.
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This modified file must be saved from the AtariWriter Plus menu by
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pressing [CTRL]-S to SAVE ASCII. Give the file the extender of -.ASC-
|
|
so that you will not get it mixed up with the first saved file. It's a
|
|
good idea to keep both files, because if you want to edit the text
|
|
later, it will be much easier to work from the first file - and then do
|
|
the global-replace bit and ASCII SAVE again - than to work in the ASCII
|
|
file itself. (The latter appears to be one huge paragraph when viewed
|
|
in AtariWriter Plus.)
|
|
|
|
Well, now we have solved our first problem. We have a file that, byte
|
|
for byte, will be compatible with most word processing programs on 16-
|
|
bit computers. But this file is still on our Atari-formatted disk
|
|
(single, enhanced, or double density) which will not be readable by a
|
|
16-bit computer. There are several ways to handle this:
|
|
|
|
1) If you have both computers yourself and also a null modem, you can
|
|
boot each computer with its own terminal program and send the Atari
|
|
ASCII file to the 16-bit (Atari, IBM, or what-have-you) computer.
|
|
|
|
2) If you have both computers, but do not have a null modem, you can
|
|
upload the ASCII file from your Atari to a BBS that features F-Mail.
|
|
Then call the BBS back with your 16-bit computer and download the
|
|
same file. Be sure to erase the file from the BBS once you have
|
|
downloaded it.
|
|
|
|
3) If the converted file is for someone other than yourself, you can
|
|
either contact your friend directly via modem; or you can upload the
|
|
file to a BBS, where he or she can download it to the 16-bit
|
|
computer.
|
|
|
|
Finally, you'll have a 16-bit file on a 16-bit disk, which can be loaded
|
|
into any word processor and formatted to suit your needs.
|
|
|
|
If you have any questions concerning word processing in general or
|
|
AtariWriter Plus in particular, send them to the editor of the MFACC
|
|
Bulletin. We'll try to publish the answers promptly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* LIVING WITH AN 8-BIT by Jim Brozovich
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
Reprint from Michigan Atari Magazine
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you are like me, you purchased your Atari system years ago when only
|
|
the Fortune 500 could afford an IBM system. The trusty old Atari has
|
|
been much help in family budgeting, income tax preparation (via Antic
|
|
Syncalc spreadsheets), and helped immensely in my recent job search.
|
|
But at work, IBM was king, and I became a power user of Lotus 1-2-3,
|
|
Javelin Plus, and custom built decision support models.
|
|
|
|
This lead to a desire to upgrade to a -real- machine and relegate the
|
|
trusty old Atari to a kid's game machine. Being the frugal sort, I
|
|
always resisted this temptation by making my Atari a more robust machine
|
|
with every conceivable upgrade possible, ranging from the Newell 256KXL
|
|
memory upgrade including the Ramrod XL operating system with 80 Column
|
|
upgrade and to two US Doubler equipped 1050s. But no matter whether I
|
|
added extra memory or 80 columns in Atariwriter Plus+ or double density
|
|
drives, I still did not have IBM compatibility.
|
|
|
|
As the price of IBM clones dropped, more and more co-workers were buying
|
|
their first PCs or scraping their C64s for the new clones. Eventually,
|
|
I became the outcast and was looked upon as being the strange one for
|
|
not being able to take work home. Once again, I was faced with the
|
|
prospect of scrapping an investment of over $2500 in hardware and
|
|
software and years of accumulated knowledge about the intricacies of
|
|
applying the 8bit Atari to productivity applications.
|
|
|
|
I was almost ready to make the plunge to the IBM world when I noticed an
|
|
ad in Antic Magazine for the Happy 7.1 Upgrade and software claiming
|
|
that it gave IBM file compatibility to the 8bit Atari without resorting
|
|
to null modem cables or telephone hook-ups. Also, Happy dropped their
|
|
price from $249.95 to $99.95 (does this say something about the life
|
|
cycle of 8bit products?) which made the decision easier. I promptly
|
|
called up my friendly mail order house because no local merchants
|
|
stocked the product. By the way, it's getting harder to find any 8bit
|
|
products on store shelves in the Detroit area. Anyway, less then a week
|
|
later the man in the -Big Brown Truck,- UPS to those of you without
|
|
kids, delivered my Happy 1050 Upgrade, Happy Disk Controller, and
|
|
Version 7.1 software.
|
|
|
|
Being a hardware hacker made installation a simple matter for me, no
|
|
soldering or desoldering required. But if you can't tell the difference
|
|
between a Phillips screwdriver and and a floppy disk, you might want to
|
|
find someone to do the installation for you. After printing out the
|
|
documentation, I was eager to translate an Atari file into IBM format so
|
|
that I could take it to work to and see if this thing really worked.
|
|
Much to my chagrin, I discovered the Happy cannot Format IBM disks so
|
|
the test had to wait.
|
|
|
|
Formatting disks for use with the Happy 1050 must be done from the
|
|
MS-DOS machine using the Format A:/1 command because the 1050 is single-
|
|
sided and the IBMs, except some early PCs are double-sided. After
|
|
formatting a supply of disks on the IBM machine, I proceeded to make
|
|
copies of files from the Atari to the IBM and visa versa.
|
|
|
|
My objective in this whole process was to be able to transfer numeric
|
|
data between Syncalc and Lotus 1-2-3 and textual data from Atariwriter
|
|
Plus to IBM readable ASCII text files. The later proved easy once I
|
|
learned to use the Save ASC option from Atariwriter Plus and use the
|
|
Text Translation = Yes Option in the IBMXFR program supplied by Happy.
|
|
The resulting text files on the IBM had none of the the text formatting
|
|
options they had in Atariwriter Plus. My IBM word processor,
|
|
Volkswriter, was able to load the files with only one problem. That is,
|
|
any imbedded print characters in the files such as Cntl U for
|
|
underlining caused the data within the print codes to be garbled in the
|
|
translation. Removing all of the embedded characters with Atariwriter
|
|
Plus before saving the files in ASC format solved the problem but it
|
|
does make compatibility a little less complete because the necessary
|
|
formatting commands must then be reentered in the IBM file.
|
|
|
|
The Syncalc translation process proved to be much more complicated. My
|
|
first attempts were with DIF files created by Lotus 1-2-3 version 2.01.
|
|
The Happy IBMFXR program translated them OK, but when I tried to load
|
|
them into Syncalc using the Load-Data Option, weird things happened --
|
|
only part of the file came through and some of it was garbled. Going
|
|
from a Syncalc DIF to Lotus 1-2-3 was OK but I couldn't go from 1-2-3 to
|
|
Syncalc.
|
|
|
|
A little bit of research turned up the fact that with Version 2.01 of
|
|
1-2-3, Lotus made some changes in the way the program's Translate
|
|
Utility creates DIF files. To be more explicit, in version 2.01 of
|
|
Lotus, the Translate Utility ignores all non-needed blank cells when
|
|
creating a DIF file. This is different from the previous versions of
|
|
Lotus and other programs that account for all the cells in a range
|
|
including the blank cells when creating the DIF file.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, a way around this problem was suggested in the June 1987 issue
|
|
of Lotus magazine on page 132. To create an old style DIF file in Lotus
|
|
2.01 use the following procedure from within 1-2-3:
|
|
|
|
1) Retrieve the file to be translated.
|
|
2) Put a label-prefix apostrophe in cell A1-type an Apostrophe hit
|
|
Enter.
|
|
3) Copy A1 to the entire relevant portion of the spreadsheet as
|
|
follows:
|
|
|
|
/C From A1 Push Return
|
|
-To A1..(Type period) Push End Key, Push Home Key.
|
|
|
|
4) The file will look erased but you will notice that a label-prefix
|
|
apostrophe has been placed in each cell of the relevant portion of
|
|
the spreadsheet.
|
|
5) Re-load the original file using the File Combine, Copy, Entire File
|
|
method.
|
|
6) Re-save the file under a new name. This yields a file with no non-
|
|
blank cells for the Translate Utility to ignore.
|
|
7) Translate this new file to DIF using the Lotus Translate Utility and
|
|
your single sided Atari readable disks. The new file will load into
|
|
Syncalc with no problems.
|
|
|
|
One point that must be made is that spreadsheets transferred in this way
|
|
will not work from one program to another ie. Syncalc spreadsheets will
|
|
not run in Lotus 1-2-3 and visa versa. The documentation supplied with
|
|
the Happy 7.1 Software makes this clear. Using the DIF files described
|
|
above is only a way of transferring data between programs and not a way
|
|
of transferring models between programs.
|
|
|
|
As far as program compatibility goes, it may be possible to move
|
|
Visicalc models from the IBM to the Atari and use Syncalc's translate
|
|
utility to get them into the Atari. This of course assumes that there
|
|
are people still out there using Visicalc on the IBM PC. In general, if
|
|
you are really looking for complete compatibility between your work
|
|
based IBM and your Atari 8bit, the Happy 7.1 Upgrade will not serve your
|
|
needs. You'll have to go out and buy a clone or an ST to get full
|
|
program compatibility.
|
|
|
|
This limited compatibility didn't hinder me from getting utility out of
|
|
the program because the applications I was attempting to coordinate
|
|
between the two machines involved only the exchange of data and not the
|
|
transfer of models. In other words, if you want to be able write a memo
|
|
on your Atari at home over the weekend and then take the disk in to work
|
|
and print it out and distribute on your IBM on Monday, then the Happy
|
|
7.1 Upgrade is for you. If, on the other hand, you are developing a
|
|
capacity planning model in Lotus 1-2-3 and want to be able to see your
|
|
kids before they go to bed, your choices are more limited, either buy
|
|
the clone or ST or learn to work late.
|
|
|
|
My own applications point up a limitation that you have on the Atari
|
|
8bit, for productivity programs, that you don't have on more robust
|
|
machines like the IBM. Namely, what I do is go on-line with Dow Jones
|
|
News Retrieval and download stock prices and news headlines about a
|
|
certain group of companies. This data is entered into a Lotus 1-2-3
|
|
spreadsheet that does some calculations on the data and serves as a base
|
|
for editing the news headlines and then finally is used to print out a
|
|
report. In Lotus, I can import my downloaded ASCII data directly into
|
|
the spreadsheet which I can't do with Syncalc.
|
|
|
|
In Syncalc, I must type in the numeric portion of the data directly into
|
|
a spreadsheet model, then I Print the file to disk as a print file.
|
|
This file can be loaded into Atariwriter Plus and then merged with the
|
|
rest of downloaded file which Atariwriter Plus can load and edit. This
|
|
resulting file can then be converted into IBM format for distribution.
|
|
It would be nice if Syncalc would allow you to import ASCII text files
|
|
into a spreadsheet thus saving an extra step that is not required on the
|
|
IBM PC. If anyone knows of any utilities that can translate ASCII text
|
|
files into DIF, Syncalc, or Visicalc format, I would like to here from
|
|
you.
|
|
|
|
One other feature of the Happy 7.1 Upgrade you might want to consider
|
|
before you purchase it, is its obvious ability to make backup copies of
|
|
your protected software. If you are like me, all of the productivity
|
|
programs that I use regularly are copy protected and in many cases the
|
|
manufactures are going out of business, merging or simply not
|
|
distributing there products locally anymore. This means it is becoming
|
|
increasing important to have backups of your software because if you
|
|
destroy your original disk, it might be next to impossible to easily
|
|
replace it in these days of sparse 8bit software availability.
|
|
|
|
The Happy 7.1 Upgrade performs this task admirably even on the Synapse
|
|
software where it has to use PDF files to make copies that only run on a
|
|
Happy equipped drive. Even with these limitations, it nice to know I
|
|
now have backups for my protected disks. In conclusion, now that you
|
|
are aware of the limitations of this product, if it still looks like
|
|
something that will fill your needs for limited IBM file compatibility,
|
|
then I heartily recommend you buy the Happy Version 7.1 Upgrade. After
|
|
all, $99.95 is still a lot cheaper than the $999.00 needed to get into
|
|
an acceptable XT clone machine that is also being made obsolete by the
|
|
boys from Big Blue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
* ADVENTURES IN STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING - Part 3 by Michael Stomp
|
|
=======================================================================
|
|
|
|
|
|
III. OTHER DIRECTIONS
|
|
|
|
My last article prompted some reader feadback. To wit: that they had
|
|
been fed top-down design in a programming class and found it to be
|
|
indigestible. They were told, as is so often the case in programming
|
|
classes, that Top-Down was THE WAY. Thus, they abandoned structured
|
|
programming altogether, and sought their own way. Not necessary; in the
|
|
world of programming there are many mansions; top-down is but one.
|
|
|
|
Perhaps I should have been a bit more systematic in my presentation
|
|
before. I'll try to correct that now, and sketch the many different
|
|
methods a programmer can follow, and when each is applicable. And,
|
|
equally important, when not applicable. (This characterization of
|
|
methods follows that of P.J. Plauger in a series of articles in Computer
|
|
Language magazine.)
|
|
|
|
TOP-DOWN DESIGN
|
|
|
|
In this method, you design a program by decomposing it into successively
|
|
less abstract modules; when you get to the level of the atomic
|
|
statements of the language, like INPUT or PRINT, you are done. That's
|
|
the purist's view of top-down. Some even set rigid limits, such as -no
|
|
module should take more than one page to list the source code-, or -no
|
|
module should contain more than seven statements-, and similiar.
|
|
|
|
In practice, you usually run into problems well before reaching the
|
|
atomic level, and find some modules that stubbornly resist further
|
|
factoring. Areas with lots of branches and loops are usually handled
|
|
better other ways. And trying to design recursive routines by this
|
|
method will drive you mad! Also, you will usually find that your modules
|
|
are not usable as subroutines that can be called from many places in the
|
|
program.
|
|
|
|
There are a couple of benchmarks you can use to judge when top-down
|
|
decomposition has become unfruitful; coupling and cohesion. Coupling is
|
|
a qualitative measure of the degree to which two modules interact. The
|
|
higher the coupling between two modules, the more you have to keep the
|
|
innards of one in mind when you write the other. If you find you are
|
|
passing an inordinate amount of parameters from one to another --
|
|
especially status flags -- your modules are too coupled, and probably
|
|
shouldn't have been separated in the first place.
|
|
|
|
Cohesion is a qualitative measure of the degree a module stays intact as
|
|
you go about debugging and/or enhancing the program. The lower the
|
|
cohesion the more likely you will find the need to break it up into
|
|
multiple modules as you make changes in the whole program. On the other
|
|
hand, a module with high cohesion can (relatively) easily be picked up
|
|
out of one program and dropped into another, with little or no changes.
|
|
|
|
All in all, top-down design is a good way to start out designing a
|
|
program. Just be alert for the point in the decompositon when it stops
|
|
working for you, and consider other methods at that point.
|
|
|
|
BOTTOM-UP DESIGN
|
|
|
|
As its name implies, in bottom-up design you begin with low-level
|
|
routines and build up a supply of useful tools. Build enough of them
|
|
and you can see how to write fancier routines that call on the ones you
|
|
wrote earlier. If you guess right, eventually you will be able to write
|
|
a main routine that calls on your library of lower level stuff to do all
|
|
the hard work. This is very much like writing your own language, with
|
|
all the same problems.
|
|
|
|
The operative word above is -guess-, for if you don't start with a clear
|
|
idea of the program as a whole (or lots of experience) your low-level
|
|
routines may turn out to be ill-defined, and will need to be rewritten,
|
|
and rewritten,... Better to begin with another method of design, and
|
|
keep your eyes open for candidates for your low-level library. Ones
|
|
that will have low coupling and high cohesion. (Those benchmarks
|
|
generally apply to many methods of design.)
|
|
|
|
I must confess to a weakness for bottom-up design myself, especially
|
|
when I start playing around with a new language. I want to amass a good
|
|
library of utilities -- whether I really have a need for them or not.
|
|
The danger in this, I have found, is that it is very easy to spend all
|
|
one's time building tools, and never get around to building anything
|
|
with them!
|
|
|
|
INSIDE-OUT DESIGN
|
|
|
|
The name of this method suggests that you are working from the middle of
|
|
a program (the processing of data) out to the edges (the I/O interface),
|
|
and the edges are relatively less important. This method focuses on the
|
|
actual expression of a module, typically as you labor to capture an
|
|
algorithm in executable code.
|
|
|
|
The outward sign of a module ripe for inside-out design is one heavy
|
|
with tests and branches; lots of logic and loops. (Cases where the
|
|
previous two methods run into trouble.) This method involves you in the
|
|
full complexity of the program at the most detailed level, and is the
|
|
only method used by most spaghetti coders. It is better to use other
|
|
methods to reduce the program to a set of functionally cohesive modules
|
|
before applying this method. To do otherwise is to invite confusion and
|
|
disaster!
|
|
|
|
RIGHT-TO-LEFT DESIGN
|
|
|
|
In this method, you focus on the structure of the output data being
|
|
generated by the module. The name derives from the convention of
|
|
drawing data flow diagrams with input on the left and output on the
|
|
right. The premise is that the structure of a program should closely
|
|
model that of the data generated, be it data in memory, printed output,
|
|
or screen display.
|
|
|
|
Two examples of cases where this method is applicable are printing
|
|
reports from some kind of database, and the XModem/YModem send routines
|
|
in BBS programs.
|
|
|
|
Right-to-left design works this way: look at the data the module is to
|
|
generate. Described its structure in terms of a few basic primitive
|
|
forms, recursively applied. Then write your program to reflect closely
|
|
the structure you imposed on the data. The primitive forms you need
|
|
are:
|
|
|
|
1) Sequence - one thing after another;
|
|
|
|
2) Repetition - zero or more instances of the same sort of thing, with
|
|
the count determined by some test;
|
|
|
|
3) Alternation - exactly one of a choice of alternatives, the choice
|
|
being determined by some test.
|
|
|
|
(Information theorists claim to have proved that +any+ data structure
|
|
can be composed from these three primitives. I wouldn't know; I haven't
|
|
seen the proof myself. But I'm willing to accept the idea.)
|
|
|
|
Now the way to turn this data structure into structured code is simple;
|
|
use a sequence of statements to generate a sequence of data; use a loop
|
|
-- WHILE-WEND, REPEAT-UNTIL, DO-EXIT-LOOP, or FOR-NEXT -- to generate a
|
|
repetition of data, and an IF-ELSE to generate an alternation of data.
|
|
Once you have determined the data structure, you have practically
|
|
written the code!
|
|
|
|
Right-to-left design is an effective organizing principle only if the
|
|
structure of the output dominates the problem. If the output is
|
|
trivial, particularly compared to the calculations involved or the
|
|
structure of the input data, this approach is not fruitful. If input
|
|
data structure is dominant, you should consider:
|
|
|
|
LEFT-TO-RIGHT DESIGN
|
|
|
|
As you might expect, this method focuses on the structure of the input
|
|
data to a module. It is very similiar to right-to-left design in many
|
|
ways, with some possible complications unique to itself. As described
|
|
above, you consider the input structure as made up of three primitive
|
|
types -- sequence, repetition, and alternation -- and structure your
|
|
code accordingly.
|
|
|
|
The main difference this time is, your program does not have complete
|
|
control over the structure, and you have to be prepared to handle
|
|
invalid or incomplete data, and possibly an arbitrary ordering of the
|
|
primitive types. This can often mean -looking ahead- at the next bit of
|
|
data to determine what to do with the current bit.
|
|
|
|
But first, let us consider an example in which the structure is pretty
|
|
well fixed: reading a disk directory. The structure, broadly speaking,
|
|
is:
|
|
|
|
1) a repetition of zero or more fixed-length records, one for each file;
|
|
2) a sequence of one record giving the number of free sectors, and
|
|
3) an End-Of-File indication.
|
|
|
|
(We won't consider the structure of each record in this example.) This
|
|
suggests a loop structure, with possibly a singular -sequence of
|
|
expressions-:
|
|
|
|
OPEN #1,6,0,-D:*.*-
|
|
REPEAT
|
|
INPUT #1, A$
|
|
PRINT A$
|
|
UNTIL A$(3)<-A-
|
|
CLOSE #1
|
|
|
|
(I've omitted the DIMensioning of A$.) This just reads each record and
|
|
prints it, including the count of free sectors. The loop is terminated
|
|
when the third character of a record is a numeral where one would
|
|
usually get the first character of the file name; that record must be
|
|
the free sector count. If you wanted to treat that record different
|
|
from the rest, you would have to make a change so as to -look ahead-,
|
|
as:
|
|
|
|
OPEN #1,6,0,-D:*.*-
|
|
INPUT #1, A$
|
|
WHILE A$(3) >= -A-
|
|
<process file name>
|
|
INPUT #1, A$
|
|
WEND
|
|
CLOSE #1
|
|
<process free sector count>
|
|
|
|
In both cases we don't worry about the End-Of-File since we use the
|
|
record with the free sector count for our termination test. With a
|
|
looser input data structure, we would need to use the End-Of-File to
|
|
terminate the loop. In Basic, by setting a TRAP right before the INPUT
|
|
statements to take us out of the loop. Other languages have other ways
|
|
to handle this, that could be put right in the test condition in the
|
|
WHILE or UNTIL statements.
|
|
|
|
When the input data structure is not so strictly controlled as this, the
|
|
logic can be much more complicated. What you have to do then is -parse-
|
|
the input, similiar to a language processor. In that case, instead of a
|
|
data structure one considers a -grammar- of allowed input, and what
|
|
action should follow each input type. You may not have consider it as
|
|
such, but the simple menu program in Part II is an example of such a
|
|
-parser-. The logic determines what to do for every input record
|
|
(keypress), including illegal ones. (In that case, the -grammar- was
|
|
simple enough that no -look ahead- was needed.) In general though,
|
|
parsing can become quite complicated, and whole books have been written
|
|
on the subject.
|
|
|
|
Left-to-right design is an effective organizing principle only if the
|
|
structure of the input dominates the problem. If the output structure
|
|
is non-trivial as well, this approach is not fruitful. You may then
|
|
have to consider outside-in design -- to be discussed next time.
|
|
|
|
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=======================================================================
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* Z*NET: PC ONLINE MAGAZINE ISSUE #21 Index
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=======================================================================
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>> This Week In...
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Z*NET PC INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
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January 8, 1992 Volume 2, Number 1 Issue #21
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* The Editors Desk............................Ron Kovacs
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* Z*Net Newswire........................................
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* Year In Review: 1991......................Mike Mezaros
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* Telecommuncations Act of 1991..............Kalob Axlon
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* The Graphical Edge........................Mike Mezaros
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* Sound And Music On The PC...................Mike Davis
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|
* Midi Interfaces...............................Jim Maki
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* Survey Results..............................Ron Kovacs
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|
* Image Alchemy...............................Mike Davis
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|
* Top 100 Portfolio Downloads.................Ron Kovacs
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* Format Of ZIP Files - Part 1....................PKWARE
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* Intel Announces SysOp Offer...........................
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* Modem Noise Killer.......................Mike McCauley
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OUR FIRST WEEKLY RELEASE!
|
|
Now you can read Z*Net PC each and every week!
|
|
Stay current with Z*Net PC, the NUMBER ONE
|
|
PC-related electronic magazine!
|
|
|
|
Z*Net PC is a free, WEEKLY magazine in electronic (ASCII) format that
|
|
features news, reviews, commentary, and other information of interest to
|
|
users of IBM PC and compatible computers.
|
|
|
|
This is merely a comprehensive table of contents.
|
|
|
|
The complete Z*Net PC Issue #21, featuring all of the articles outlined
|
|
in this file, is available on...
|
|
|
|
COMPUSERVE: In the IBM Applications Forum (GO IBMAPP) as ZPC21.ZIP.
|
|
^^^^^^^^^^
|
|
The latest Z*Net PC issues are placed in -New Uploads- (library #0) in
|
|
the IBMAPP forum for several weeks. After that, they are moved to
|
|
-Demo/Misc- (library #8). ALL BACK ISSUES OF Z*NET PC ARE AVAILABLE ON
|
|
COMPUSERVE, so now you can easily complete your library of our issues!
|
|
|
|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
|
|
!!!! Z*NET PC : YOUR NUMBER #1 ONLINE INFORMATION SOURCE !!!!
|
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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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IT COSTS LESS THAN 50 CENTS* TO DOWNLOAD THE AVERAGE Z*NET PC ISSUE
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|
FROM COMPUSERVE AT 2400 BAUD. LOOK HOW MUCH MUCH YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY
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WITH Z*NET PC! THE PRINT MAGAZINES, AT $3 TO $4 A POP, WITH OUTDATED
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NEWS, SIMPLY CAN'T COMPARE! Not today, not tomorrow -- not ever!
|
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|
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* - Z*Net PC is free. Normal connect charges apply while downloading.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>Z*NET NEWSWIRE, PC EDITION...............................Z*Net Staff
|
|
|
|
The Latest Industry News and Events. Why Wait Weeks for the Print
|
|
Magazines to Bring You The News That Z*Net PC Offers Today??
|
|
|
|
*>WINDOWS 3.1 TO RUN 32-BIT APPS
|
|
*>DIGITAL RESEARCH FIXES DR-DOS 6.0 BUGS
|
|
*>LAN MANAGER DEAD?
|
|
*>IBM RELEASES OS/2 2.0 -LA- ON TIME
|
|
*>ERGO TO INTRODUCE 486 LAPTOP
|
|
*>QUARKXPRESS FOR WINDOWS IN DEVELOPMENT
|
|
*>AMIGA UPGRADE FOR C-64 OWNERS, STUDENTS
|
|
*>HEWLETT-PACKARD EMPLOYS PRESENTATION DESIGNED BY SYSTEMAX
|
|
*>IBM EXPANDS PERSONAL SYSTEMS GROUP
|
|
*>IBM SUPPORTS NEC'S PC
|
|
*>NEUROCOMPUTER DEVELOPED
|
|
*>PEN-BASED DOS IN JAPAN
|
|
*>COMPAQ REDUCES STAKES IN CONNER
|
|
*>WINDOWS NT ON DEC-STATIONS
|
|
*>INTEL'S SPEEDY C COMPILER
|
|
*>JAMES BURKE TO KEYNOTE WINDOWS & OS/2 CONFERENCE
|
|
*>DELL ANNOUNCES NEW 486'S
|
|
*>MS WINDOWS VISUAL BASIC SDK
|
|
*>MAJOR PIRACY CASE SETTLED OUT OF COURT
|
|
*>FORD DRIVING SIMULATOR
|
|
*>WASHINGTON D.C. VERSUS VIRII
|
|
*>LOTUS NOTES READY TO SHIP
|
|
*>1000 APPS FOR ADLIB GOLD CARD
|
|
*>VIRUAL REALITY GAMES
|
|
*>WORDPERFECT TRADEUP
|
|
*>HP DESKJET RE-INKING KIT
|
|
*>THE PORTFOLIO -PORT-A-THON- ON COMPUSERVE
|
|
*>FOX COMPUTER BREAKS ALL THE RULES
|
|
*>TOSHIBA DROPS PRICES
|
|
*>HARVARD GRAPHICS FOR WINDOWS
|
|
*>WINGRASP INTERFACE
|
|
*>WORDPERFECT 5.0 FOR SILICON GRAPHICS
|
|
*>Z*MAGAZINE RETURNS
|
|
*>Z*NET USENET/INTERNET ACCESS
|
|
*>IBM STOCK PLUMMETS
|
|
*>CANDLE INTRODUCES NEW VERSION
|
|
*>PC MAGAZINE SELECTS GENERIC CADD
|
|
*>HP, NOVELL ANNOUNCE RELATIONSHIP
|
|
*>WANG INTERFACE UNIT
|
|
*>COGNOS DESKTOP SOFTWARE DIVISION
|
|
*>TV ON YOUR WINDOWS DESKTOP
|
|
*>SMITH CORONA EXPANDS
|
|
*>NEW NETWARE FOR OS/2 2.0
|
|
*>MITSUBISHI TO IMPORT U.S.-MADE CHIPS
|
|
*>CHANGE YOUR WINDOWS CURSOR
|
|
*>486/25 NOTEBOOK FROM TOSHIBA
|
|
*>GENIE SERVICE AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA
|
|
*>DELL REPORTS RECORD INCOME
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>1991: THE PC YEAR IN REVIEW...........................by Mike Mezaros
|
|
|
|
Take a look back and see what the world had in store for us in 1991. We
|
|
examine the events that changed the way we compute, and in a few cases,
|
|
changed the way we viewed the world. The technical innovation that
|
|
allowed CNN to broadcast live from the Gulf War, the ACE consortium, the
|
|
IBM-Apple alliance, Microsoft's FTC investigation, the game that
|
|
predicted the Soviet coup, and SO MUCH MORE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>OPPOSING THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1991.............by Kaleb Axon
|
|
|
|
A new bill before congress may allow phone companies to charge BBS
|
|
operators COMMERCIAL rates -- here are the important details, and what
|
|
you need to do if you oppose this legislation!
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>THE GRAPHICAL EDGE....................................by Mike Mezaros
|
|
|
|
Is Microsoft getting a bum rap? Digital Research doesn't think so --
|
|
they're claiming that Microsoft won't give them the help they need to
|
|
ensure that Windows 3.1 works properly with DR-DOS! But is there more
|
|
to the story? Plus - How do the IBM-Apple agreements relate to the fall
|
|
of the Soviet empire? Is the -Purple Alliance- doomed to failure?
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>SOUND & MUSIC ON THE PC.................................by Mike Davis
|
|
|
|
Part 3 of our examination of modern PC audio! Covered in this issue:
|
|
the SoundBlaster VOC and ROL formats, Microsoft's Multimedia Windows WAV
|
|
format, the Amiga's MOD format, and the Mac's SND format. What are they?
|
|
How can you play them, edit them, and convert them on the PC? Get some
|
|
new insight into the PC sound connection and the new age of mulitmedia
|
|
that we are stepping into.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>MIDI INTERFACES FOR THE PC................................by Jim Maki
|
|
|
|
What can you do with MIDI, the music standard musicians demand? How to
|
|
choose a MIDI interface and MIDI-compatible software, and which options
|
|
are currently available! The perfect guide to MIDI for those interested
|
|
in the musical capabilities that only MIDI can add to the PC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>Z*NET SURVEY RESULTS.................................................
|
|
|
|
How many of our readers are using true-blue IBM's? How many are using
|
|
a clone, a Mac, an ST? Which online services do our readers call, and
|
|
which do they prefer? How many are running Windows? Which hard copy
|
|
magazines do they value the most? How long have they been involved with
|
|
computing? The answers to these questions and MORE are presented here
|
|
in the results of our first-ever Z*Net PC Reader Survey!
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>IMAGE ALCHEMY 1.51 REVIEWED.............................by Mike Davis
|
|
|
|
Mike Davis examines Image Alchemy, the shareware image conversion,
|
|
manipulation, and compression package from Handmade Software. Is it
|
|
worth downloading? Find out about Image Alchemy's features, strengths,
|
|
and weaknesses in this thorough and insightful review.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>TOP 100 DOWNLOADS FROM CIS PORTFOLIO FORUM...........................
|
|
|
|
Owners of Atari's DOS-command compatible palmtop PC: find out what your
|
|
fellow Portfolio users have been accomplishing with their machines!
|
|
This list is compiled from the CompuServe Atari Portfolio forum (GO
|
|
APORTFOLIO) and lists the top 100 downloads during 1991!
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>THE FORMAT OF ZIP FILES..................................Ctsy. PKWare
|
|
|
|
Find out what makes PKZip tick! Part one of a three part series.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>INTEL ANNOUNCES SPECIAL SYSOP OFFER......................News Release
|
|
|
|
Intel now offers special low 9600 baud modem prices for qualified BBS
|
|
system operators - as low as $299. Here are the details and the order
|
|
form you need to take advantage of this special offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>>THE MODEM NOISE KILLER...............................by Mike McCauley
|
|
|
|
How to build you own line noise filter for around $10! If line noise is
|
|
making your telecommunications too noisy for comfort, this article is a
|
|
MUST READ!
|
|
|
|
~ Publisher/Editor...........................................Ron Kovacs
|
|
~ Assistant Editor...........................................Mike Davis
|
|
~ Contributing Editor......................................Mike Mezaros
|
|
~ Contributing Editor....................................Bruce Hansford
|
|
~ Columnist...................................................Jim Manda
|
|
~ Z*Net New Zealand Managing Editor, Asst Publisher..........Jon Clarke
|
|
~ Z*Net Canada, Assistant Editor........................Terry Schreiber
|
|
~ Assistant News Editor.......................................John Nagy
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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To sign up for DELPHI service, call (with modem) (800) 695-4002. Upon
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connection, hit <return> once or twice. At Password: type ZNET and
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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To sign up for GEnie service call (with modem) (800) 638-8369. Upon
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connection type HHH and hit <return>. Wait for the U#= prompt and type
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XTX99436,GEnie and hit <return>.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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To sign up for CompuServe service call (with phone) (800) 848-8199. Ask
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for operator #198. You will be promptly sent a $15.00 free membership
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kit.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
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Z*Net International Atari Online Magazine is a weekly publication
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covering the Atari and related computer community. Material published
|
|
in this edition may be reprinted under the following terms only. All
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articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and author at
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the top of each article reprinted. Reprint permission granted, unless
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otherwise noted, to registered Atari user groups and not for profit
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publications. Opinions present herein are those of the individual
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authors and does not necessarily reflect those of the staff. This
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publication is not affiliated with the Atari Corporation. Z*Net, Z*Net
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News Service, Z*Net International, Rovac, Z*Net Atari Online and Z*Net
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Publishing are copyright (c)1985-1992, Syndicate Publishing, Rovac
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Industries Incorporated, Post Office Box 59, Middlesex, New Jersey,
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08846-0059, Voice: (908) 968-2024, BBS: (908) 968-8148, (510) 373-6792.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Z*Magazine
|
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Copyright (c)1992, Rovac Industries, Inc...
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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