Z*Net: 22-Jun-90 #525
From: Len Stys (aa399@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 06/23/90-03:22:14 AM Z
From: aa399@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Len Stys)
Subject: Z*Net: 22-Jun-90 #525
Date: Sat Jun 23 03:22:14 1990
=======================================================================
////// // // ////// ////// Z*Net Atari Online Magazine
// / /// // // // ---------------------------
// /// // // // ////// // JUNE 22, 1990
// / // /// // // ---------------------------
////// // // /////// // Issue #525
=======================================================================
(=) 1990 by Rovac Industries, Inc.
Post Office Box 59
Middlesex, New Jersey 08846
Z*Net Online BBS: (201) 968-8148
=======================================================================
CompuServe 71777,2140 GEnie Z-NET
=======================================================================
===============================
CONTENTS
===============================
THIS WEEK......................................Ron Kovacs and John Nagy
Z*NET NEWSWIRE.........................................................
MACINTOSH VIRUSES.....................................Kristofer H. Cruz
NEW HEADQUARTERS BBS.........................................Ron Kovacs
TOP 20 GAMES IN THE UK.......................................Jon Clarke
CHEAP DISK STORAGE.......................................Jere W. Frazer
PD/SHAREWARE STOP............................................Mark Quinn
ATARI TT WORKSTATION...................................................
ST JOURNAL MAGAZINE REVIEWED................................John Strand
===============================
THIS WEEK
===============================
by Ron Kovacs and John Nagy
DOWNLOAD PUMPING: A POSTSCRIPT
In issue #19, 5/11/90, Z*Net made charges of download falsification
("pumping") on GEnie telecommunication service. In an editorial, we
presented evidence that led us to conclude that some party was
deliberately inflating the online magazine file access counts on that
system, sometime of one, and sometimes of both major magazines. Since
that editorial, there has been a flurry of comments from readers, system
administrators, and other magazines, variously agreeing or disagreeing
or even accusing Z*Net of inventing the matter either to cover up our
own dishonest actions or to try to avoid admitting to having less
popularity than other magazines.
Fortunately, time has provided additional perspective on the matter.
During the week after June 25, GEnie administrators posted messages
saying that they had been monitoring downloads, and that "neither
magazine" was discovered to be altering the counts at that time.
However, they also said that they did discover and talk to a user who
was found to be deliberately pumping the magazines. Details have not
been released as to whom it was or what the degree of pumping might have
been. More recently, here are a few messages from GEnie on the subject,
posted just this week:
------------
Category 26, Topic 2
Message 389 Wed Jun 20, 1990
M.MEZAROS at 00:58 EDT
[Edited] ...Ralph/John/Ron, I'm glad to see that the d/l number
controversy has cured itself. It seems to me that the numbers haven't
changed much, so the people doing the "pumping" are still at it. But at
least all the readers now know that the d/l numbers are not to be taken
as the gospel.
///Mike
------------
Category 26, Topic 2
Message 390 Wed Jun 20, 1990
NHARRIS [Neil] at 11:07 EDT
On the contrary -- we've been keeping track of who downloads the issues,
and we believe there is not currently any tampering being done with the
download counts.
------------
Category 26, Topic 2
Message 391 Wed Jun 20, 1990
STACE [Mark] at 18:19 EDT
Wow !! Maybe that explains why Z*Net is now proving to be more
"popular" ...just as I suspected that it always should have.
Thanks Neil!
Mark
***********************
These messages are reprinted from GEnie. Neil Harris is a senior
administrator at GEnie.
In fact, the access numbers have changed SIGNIFICANTLY since the matter
was discussed openly. Both Z*Net and ST-Report have had their average
counts drop measurably. Numbers here (as of 6/21/90) are split into
those from 1990 before the controversy was brought forward, and those
since GEnie announced that they are monitoring:
Z*NET ST-REPORT
AVERAGE COUNTS BEFORE ISSUE #19 589.8 639.1
AVERAGE COUNTS AFTER ISSUE #21 517.0 476.3
DIFFERENCE IN AVERAGE COUNTS -72.8 -162.8
PERCENTAGE OF DROP -12.4% -25.1%
It should also be noted that ST-REPORT has logged the lowest access
numbers that it has had in the last 15 months, and has had them for
three weeks running in these three weeks since GEnie has monitored the
file accesses.
ZNet applauds GEnie for having taken the matter of download
falsification seriously enough to monitor the numbers and announce their
actions. We are pleased to hear that, for now at least, we can believe
the access numbers on GEnie, and that they confirm (again, for now at
least) what we have thought all along - that Z*NET is your first choice
in Atari Online Magazines.
===============================
Z*NET NEWSWIRE
===============================
PORTFOLIO MEMORY EXPANDER AND "DISK DRIVE" AVAILABLE
Dealers have been showing and selling the 256K RAM expander for the
Portfolio computer. Priced between $200 and $300, the unit
substantially increases the size of the palm-top computer, plugging in
on the end of the machine like a triple-sized serial adapter. It also
has a card slot, allowing the use of expanded "internal" RAM memory AND
a pair of memory cards all at once. Also now available is the IBM
compatible "card reader" device that makes the Portfolio memory cards
look like a disk to the computer for ease of file transfers. However,
the card reader is ONLY for IBM compatible computers and CANNOT be used
on a ST, even in an IBM emulation mode. Included with the reader unit
itself (which many Atari owners will find looks frighteningly like an
old XM-301 300 baud Atari Modem) is an IBM internal card, which must be
mounted in a "real" IBM or clone. Sorry, but we know of no plans for an
ST compatible reader.
ATARI INTRODUCES AN EDUCATIONAL PC NETWORK
Atari's MSDOS computers allow students to interact with the computer in
a classroom setting. This state of the art system allows teachers to
provide resource and presentation material through the network. It's
like having and interactive color blackboard for each student. The
network, called Atari gemNet, has been approved for Ontario schools by
the Ministry of Education.
NEW SOFTWARE FOR PORTFOLIO
New software packages include a micro-bookeeper, which puts the
accounting power of a full sized computer in the palm of your hands -
perfect for small businessmen. The TimeKeeper for Portfolio takes
charge of the tedious bookeeping and keeps track of billing and helps
prepare time-sheets. With Transport Logger, truck drivers can quickly
and conveniently keep their driving logs.
ICD MAKES NEW SUPERCHARGER-COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE
While owners of the SUPERCHARGER IBM emulator from TALON have been able
to use their units with ICD hard drives for several months now, ICD has
released a new software set that makes it easier. "This current release
includes full software support for the Supercharger PC emulator," says
a DOC file included with the new drivers, available only on the major
telecommunication systems and ICD's own BBS. Operationally, the user
tells the software ONCE which ID number the SUPERCHARGER is using, and
then all ICD programs will not do any SCSI commands on this ID. "This
means that you need no longer hold down the reset button when booting
the computer with the Supercharger attached. You must also disable
write cacheing when running the Supercharger, otherwise you will never
write to your hard disk." You can set up your booter to disable write
cacheing, or permanently enable write cacheing and turn it off
temporarily with the DESKTOP.ACC or with the CACHEOFF.PRG, included in
the new software. There is also a CACHEON.PRG to turn the cacheing back
on. "Please note that the Supercharger is fully compatible with OLD ICD
Host Adapters. It is NOT compatible with early release versions of the
ICD Advantage and Advantage Plus host adapters. In addition to the
software you will need a hardware upgrade kit which replaces one of the
GAL chips on the Advantage and Advantage Plus boards. The cost for this
upgrade kit is $15.00." ICD Advantage ST Upgrade Offer, 1220 Rock St.,
Rockford, IL 61101. "Note that Advantage and Advantage Plus host
adapters shipped from ICD after the date of this file will have hardware
upgrades in place to be compatible with the Supercharger."
STE MAKES IT INTO U.S. STORES - WITH BUGGED TOS
Dealers across the USA received their first shipments of the long
awaited STE computers this week. They appear to be available in good
quantity, and are selling quickly for prices between $600 and $700.
However, the STE computers Z*NET tested at Los Angeles dealers still has
the "buggy" TOS version 1.6, while the promised version 1.62 is not to
be found. The major problem with 1.6 seems to be the inability to use
most (or possibly any) existing hard drive with the STE... it just won't
find it. Other tell-tale signs of TOS 1.6 is the inability to boot the
computer into MEDIUM resolution, regardless of the settings saved in the
desktop information file. Many prospective buyers we talked to about
the STE are not put off by the lack of the newer TOS, and it is expected
that the replacement TOS 1.62 will be made available for early STE
buyers once it is in sufficient supply.
TWEETY BOARD Z*NET SPECIAL CONTINUES
A super SUMMER SPECIAL is being offered through Z*NET from PRACTICAL
SOLUTIONS. For only $29.95, just HALF the regular price of $59.95, you
can get the remarkable TWEETY BOARD stereo sound adaptor for the ST and
MEGA computers. This unit mounts easily inside the ST on the sound
chip, and separates the three distinct and separately programmed sound
channels into three high fidelity outputs. Plug into your stereo system
for sound far superior to what you are used to coming through the single
3 inch speaker in your monitor. It really does sound three dimensional,
and the clarity is astounding. Call PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS and ask for the
Z*NET TWEETY BOARD SPECIAL. PS, 1135 North Jones Blvd., Tucson, AZ
85716, phone at 602-322-6100.
NEW PHONE SERVICE FOR HEARING IMPAIRED
Michigan Bell will provide the personnel and Facilities for a new
service that will bring quality telecommunications services to the
hearing and speech impaired statewide. The relay service expands the
usefulness of the Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDDs),
instruments with a small screen and keyboard on which messages are
typed, then sent over telephone lines. Currently, hearing and speech
impaired customers can use the TDD to converse over the phone only with
someone else who is using a TDD. With the new service, customers using
a TDD will call a statewide 800 telephone number to reach an operator in
a relay center. The operator reads the typed message to the called
party, and in turn types that person's spoken reply into the TDD. The
system works in reverse for persons calling a hearing- or speech-
impaired person. It is projected that in its third year of operation,
the system will handle at least 100,000 calls a month. Users will incur
no additional charges using the relay system; only the normal local or
toll charges based on the calling and called numbers will apply. It is
expected the majority of calls will be local and involve no toll
charges. More then half a million people in Michigan stand to benefit
from the system, according to the Michigan Association of Deaf, Hearing
and Speech Services, which estimates as many as 600,000 Michigan
citizens are hearing and speech impaired. "Thousands of people in this
state can't use the telephone or routine things like keeping in touch
with friends, conducting business or calling for help. The relay system
is going to change that," said Mark Doman, General Manager-public
markets. "We also are creating 100 new jobs at Michigan Bell as a
result."
TOS 2.0 or TOS 3.0?
Last week, Z*Net made mention that Atari had denied having plans to make
major modifications to the TOS operating system version that was
presently powering the TT 68030 computer. We had reported that at the
recent Toronto show, Derek Mihocka had been told by a Canadian Atari
representative that the "TOS 030" was much slower than the eventual "TOS
2.0" that would be in the final production TT. Derek got back to us
since that issue was distributed with additional information.
Specifically, Derek was told by a member of the technical development
department at Atari Canada that TOS 030, which shows up as TOS 3.0 when
checked by QUICK INDEX or other version-checking software, is compiled
from the "C" source code using a 68000 based compiler. The
representative stated that once ALCYON C for the 68030 was available,
the code would be optimized for the 68030 and recompiled, and that the
resulting code would be significantly faster when run on the chip it was
compiled for. Derek concurs in that conclusion, and plans to also
optimize his QUICK ST screen speedup program for the TT. At the Toronto
show, Derek was able to do a port-over of QUICK ST for the TT. Derek
explains, "The results were that Quick ST on the TT sped up graphics
operations by the same factor as on any other ST. i.e., GEM redraws are
about 300% faster that the regular TT with cache on, 5 times faster that
the STE or a Mega ST, and 9 times faster than a blitterless ST. Screen
scrolling was 4 times faster than an ST, and the text benchmarks were up
to 46 times faster than the TT. In other words, instead of offering
graphics and text performance of less than 100% faster than the STE,
Quick ST running on the TT offers about 5 times the performance of the
STE. Now, getting back to TOS 2.0, if Atari is seriously not going to
optimize TOS 3.0 for the 68030 and make up for the fact that they
omitted the blitter from the TT, then all I can say is... ...how can you
ship a "graphics workstation" and provide the very minimal graphics
support? Once Quick ST is optimized for the 68030, the numbers will
improve (considerably I hope). I expect at least 10 times the graphics
performance of an ST."
TURBO ST, VERSION 1.82 ENHANCEMENTS
(1) When drawing expanding zoom boxes with dotted lines, the blitter is
no longer used if it is present. As it turns out, our 68000 code was
faster. (2) The code to display VDI text was rewritten to save space.
In addition, a new faster algorithm to display non-byte aligned text on
monochrome and Moniterm monitors was used. (3) Several other minor
improvements were made to either save space or improve the speed of VDI
calls.
CORRECTIONS
===========
The following corrections have been made to Turbo ST, since the 1.8
release on March 25, 1990.
(1) Text in low and medium resolution is now clipped correctly to the
right hand edge under all circumstances (fixed 3/29/90). (2) The screen
will no longer get dimmer when the Atari control panel is used with
Turbo ST on color monitors (fixed 4/5/90). (3) The Hippo Disk
Utilities, which sometimes passed invalid character codes, will no
longer crash with Turbo ST. (4) The public domain SELECTRC program,
which allows foreign characters to be displayed when using an english
keyboard, now works correctly with Turbo ST. (5) Transparent colored
text on a colored background, as used primarily by TRACKER-ST, will now
always be displayed correctly. (6) When zooming in with DEGAS on a
monochrome monitor, the fill colors will now always be correct. (7) Key
presses will no longer disappear from the keyboard buffer, when a
program makes a GEMDOS call to display characters. This had the
potential to affect PHASAR and some unix like shells. (8) The THUNDER
spelling checker should work again with Turbo ST (the 1.8 release broke
it). One beta tester, however still reports problems. (9) Very large
circles on the Moniterm monitor are now drawn correctly. (10) A few
other minor changes were made to either better mimic the behavior of TOS
or protect against potential errors.
APPLETALK NETWORKING
Apple announced this week a program that will make it easier for
developers to offer the Macintosh computer's interface when providing
networking services. AppleTalk is a set of local-area networking
protocols built into every Macintosh and used for connecting Apple and
other manufacturer's computers with each other and with shared
resources. The AppleTalk Licensing Program makes it easier for
mainframe and pc manufacturers to offer network services that are
compatible with Macintosh pc's networked today. This program is part of
Apple's goal to extend AppleTalk to all computer environments.
NYNEX AND APPLE
At the recent PC Expo (held this week) NYNEX and Apple unveiled the
first commercial installations of both electronic and print advertising
media produced on Macintosh computers, using one production staff.
DISMISSAL OF APPLE FRAUD SUIT
The Supreme Court this week let stand a ruling that dismissed a
stockholder lawsuit alleging securities fraud by Apple and its top
officers for making misleading, optimistic statements before it
introduced its Lisa computer in 1983. The justices declined to review
a federal appeals court ruling that there was no evidence that Apple and
its officers did not believe the statements were accurate.
MOTOROLA RECEIVES STAY
Motorola stated this week that it had been granted a temporary stay by
Judge Howard T. Markey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit in Washington, D.C. Under the terms of the stay, Motorola will
file its formal appeal to the court no later than Friday, June 22. In
the meantime, the company indicated that it is continuing its
negotiations to settle its dispute with Hitachi.
ACCLAIM AND NINTENDO
Acclaim has entered into an agreement with Nintendo who will become the
publisher of two Acclaim Game Boy titles in Europe. Acclaim's Kwirk
and Wizards & Warriors X: Fortress of Fear for the Game Boy compact
video system will be marketed by Nintendo in Europe under the Nintendo
brand name.
MICROSOFT MOUSE
Microsoft announced the availability of a new Mouse package. The new
package is identical to other Microsoft Mouse packages except that it
provides no application software. The Mouse package has a suggested
retail price of $125.
MCI NEW LD SERVICE
MCI unveiled a long distance service aimed specifically at an $18
billion business market. MCI Vision is designed to provide small and
mid-size businesses with features and capabilities that have
traditionally been available only to the largest national firms. It
offers customers a menu of long distance features that can be tailored
to their business, new billing and management aids and broad volume
discounts based on combined long distance usage for all of a company's
calling -- all at prices based upon a flat per-minute rate, regardless
of the distance or volume of calls. MCI customers can sign up for MCI
Vision now, with service beginning in mid-July.
50 MILLIONTH PLAYER
Nintendo added its 50 millionth player to the growing list of home video
game enthusiasts earlier this week. In addition, sales of the Nintendo
Entertainment System continue to be strong. Nintendo will satisfy
player demand with 80 new games for the second half of 1990; providing
annual sales projections of 70 million NES game paks.
COMPACT DISC WITH LARGE MEMORY
Nippon Columbia Co of Japan said this week it has developed a compact
disc that can store four times as much information as a conventional CD
of the same size. The new disc measures 3.14 inches in diameter, and
can hold 80 minutes of music, almost as much as a standard 4.72 inch CD.
Originally developed to record music, the disc can also be used to store
other data. The company expects to start selling the new disc in two
or three years, after new CD players are developed. The disc cannot be
used on conventional CD players.
PC EXPO
The Eighth Annual PC EXPO exceeded 65,000, a record crowd for the spring
event for corporate volume buyers and resellers of computer products and
services. Show officials also reported that exhibitor re-sign for space
in 1991 has exceeded expectations, resulting in PC EXPO expanding into
two additional halls at the Javits Center in New York. More than
150,000 net square feet was sold, generating over $5 million in sales
revenue in three days for next year's Ninth Annual PC EXPO in New York,
June 25-27. More than 200 new products were introduced at the 1990 PC
EXPO. WordPerfect, Apple Computer, Intel, Toshiba, Texas Instruments
and IBM, launched their latest hardware and software.
TEXAS TO GET NEW AREA CODE
Beginning in November, when you call Paris or Tyler, Texas; or other
cities in north and northeast Texas, you will need a new area code: 903.
The new 903 area code for north and northeast Texas will be introduced
Nov. 4 and will affect 194 cities in Texas generally north, east and
southeast of the Dallas metropolitan area. Those cities are now in the
214 area code.
==========================
MACINTOSH VIRUSES!
==========================
by Kristofer H. Cruz
(Reprinted from the Puget Sound Atari News, June 1990)
When Dave Small boasts about Spectre GCR compatibility with the Mac, he
catches himself realizing that it really IS compatible! Unfortunately,
this compatibility includes the Mac viruses too! Here are some more
recent ones....
WDEF
The first one is called WDEF. It is most unusual because it escapes
most virus detection programs. It has been found at Eastern Washington
University as well as other Inland Empire Institutions. It attaches
itself to the desktop file when it infects a disk. From then on, any
disk that is inserted will become infected. If your disk or folder
icons take unusually long to open - suspect this virus. It can be
killed by rebuilding the desktop. To do this, simply restart your hard
disk and hold down the COMMAND and OPTION (GCR owners: CONTROL and
ALTERNATE) until you are asked if you wish to rebuild your desktop.
Answer yes. Do this to all of your disks suspected of the WDEF virus.
Zucchini Strikes!
(MacWeek 4/3/90) The next one to hit the scene was discovered by an
Italian consultant. It is known as the Zucchini virus. It disables the
mouse pointer and renders the Mac useless. Virus Detecive, a shareware
desk accessory, can be programmed to detect the Zucchini with this
search string (put on one line):
Resource Start & Pos -1256 & Data 082A#F1655#30832 ;for finding Zuc.
virus
Version 4.0 of Virus Detective will incorporate this addition.
Trojan Horses
(InfoLink 04/90) The University of Alberta has reported two Trojan Horse
public domain programs that are extremely damaging. Trojan Horses are
applications that promise to do one thing but are actually intent on
deleting your files or entire hard disk. It has been discovered in
Canada (MacWeek, 13 Feb. '90) that the public domain packages MOSAIC and
FONTFINDER were embedded with code that will activate after February 10,
1990 and will destroy the directories of all mounted disks when run.
This warning is a little late, but maybe one person out there will be
saved data loss.
Compatability does have its price!
===============================
NEW HEADQUARTERS BBS ADDED
===============================
by Ron Kovacs
Art by Ethan Rider
In an effort to provide more local distribution of Z*Net Online, we have
added a few BBS systems to our growing list and selected a few as local
headquarter systems, providing atleast 5-10 of the past issues.
Steve Rider is the SysOp of the Full Moon BBS in Massachusettes and will
be assisting Z*Net as a local distributor. The following is artwork
provided by his son Ethan.
_______ +----------------+
| ____/ |\ /| |\ |\ | Worcester Mass |
| | | \ / | | \ | \ | 508-752-1348 |
| ---/ | | | | | | | | |170 Megs Online |
| __/ | | | | | | | | |Running FoReM ST|
| | \ \_____/ / | |__ | |__ +----------------+
|_| \_______/ |____\ |____\
___ ___ ___ ___
| \ / | ***** ***** | \ | |
| \ / | ********* ********* | \| |
| \ \/ / | *********** *********** | \ \ |
| |\ /| | *********** *********** | |\ |
| | \/ | | ********* ********* | | \ |
|___/ \___| ***** ***** |___| \__|
Worcester Area Z*Net Online Distributor
===============================
TOP 20 GAMES IN THE UK
===============================
Compiled by Jon Clarke
_|_ Gallup Software Chart June 1990 _|_
The top 20 selling Games in the United Kingdom
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Last Title Company Marks from 10
month month
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 8 Rainbow Islands Ocean 8
2 new Midwinter Microprose 9
3 new Italia 1990 Codemasters 7
4 11 Captain Blood Smash 16 10
5 2 Operation Thunderbolt Ocean 8
6 4 Advanced Ski Simulator Codemasters 7
7 7 Player Manager Anco 7
8 new Manchester United Krisalis 9
9 5 Chase HQ Ocean 9
10 6 Batman-The Movie Ocean 8
11 1 Chaos Strikes Back Mirrorsoft 9
12 new SAS Combat Codemasters 8
13 9 Ghouls and Ghosts US Gold 9
14 3 Bomber Activision 9
15 12 Extra Time Anco 8
16 new Ninja Warriors Virgin 8
17 10 Hard Drivin' Domark 9
18 20 Treasure Island Dizzy Codemasters 6
19 new Supercars Gremlin 7
20 new Prohibition Smash 16 9
=======================================================================
Please note not all these games are avalible in the USA
=======================================================================
==========================
CHEAP DISK STORAGE
==========================
by Jere W. Frazer
(Reprinted from the Puget Sound Atari News, June 1990)
This article is intended to suggest two types of economical, compact
storage for 3 1/2" floppy disks. I don't claim that either of these
ideas is original, but anybody who hasn't heard about them already might
find them useful. And the prices are right: a dustproof container that
holds 50 disks for $2.00 and a two drawer filing cabinet that stores 400
disks for $10.00.
I ran across the first suggestion in PSAN (I think) several years ago.
A 4"x6" card file will hold 50 disks. The old fashioned wooden ones
with fancy joinery and nice wood grain look particularly handsome, if
you can find any in thrift shops or somewhere. I don't know if the
metal ones are a good idea or not. (Could they get magnetized and
destroy your data? If anyone knows, please tell me.) I do know they
usually look pretty battered by the time they are old enough to be
affordable as second hand items. Last year when I discovered how cheap
disks could be when purchased by the hundred, I went shopping in office
supply stores. Several types of plastic ones are available. Often they
are extremely overpriced for our purpose. Would you believe a smoky
plexiglass card file for $16.00? The most common variety is made by
Sterling Plastics. Avoid these, because they taper too much at the
bottom to hold computer disks.
I finally found the W.T. Rogers "New Traditional Home Office 4"x6" Card
File", also called "Office Basics 4"x6" Card File". It holds 50 disks;
the lid snaps down to exclude dust; the design is pleasing with well
defined lines set off by smooth and matte textures; it comes in several
pastel colors (in case you want to color code your containers); and they
only cost $2.00. (Just last week I saw them at Pay 'N' Save for $1.99.)
They work fine as is, although I recommend putting a piece of corrugated
cardboard, cut to size, on the bottom. This keeps the disks from
hanging up on the little plastic ridges on the bottom. I find these
quite useful for storage of bulk purchased blank disks. They are
stackable.
The other suggestion came from the May 1990, issue of START Magazine.
An article by John Damiano entitled "Night of the Overflowing Disk
Storage Boxes; VHS Tape Holders Make a Great Place to Store Floppies"
started me off. The WhereHouse had two-drawer cabinets for storing 24
video casettes for $9.99. Other places have the same sort of thing in
the same general price range. Some are made of wood and plastic; others
of particle board and plastic. (You can't tell the difference by the
package.) All are covered by a simulated Walnut finish. These units
are shipped and sold inside a corrugated cordboard box. Do not discard
these boxes.
The videocassette storage units have two drawers with small flimsy
partitions inside. Break them out with a pair of pliers. These drawers
are about 7 3/4" wide inside (or just a little bit wider than two disks
side by side). You need to make a tray of some kind that will fit
inside each drawer that will allow two rows of disks with a partition
between them. The material will obviously need to be very thin. The
author of the START article made his out of door skins (a very thin
plywood that comes from lumber yards only in 4'x8' sheets). This is
expensive overkill. Corrugated cardboard will work very well. It is
also easy to work with and can be measured, cut, folded and glued into a
sturdy box shape that will fit into the drawer. The cardboard box that
you bought the videocassette unit in is just the right size to make two
sturdy trays to fit the two drawers. You will still have to scrounge
two more pieces of cardboard (4"x13 1/2") for the center partitions of
the drawers.
Blocks of wood or cardboard or styrofoam, etc. can be used to keep the
disks in unfilled rows from falling over, or to separate categories of
disks when you have gotten around to sorting them out. Since I
converted two units, I know that these disk file cabinets are quite
stackable.
I hope you have as much fun as I did on this one evening project. I
again want to thank John Damiano, the author of the START article (May
1990 issue), for this excellent idea. Now if anybody out there knows a
good storage unit for commercial software packages, I would like to hear
about it. I am reluctantly being forced to use book shelf space for
them (which I would rather use for books).
===============================
PD/SHAREWARE STop
===============================
by Mark Quinn
Author: The Knowledge Vine File name: KV_PARK_.ARC
File type: Educational Game Program names: BUTTERFLY IN THE PARK
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In BUTTERFLY IN THE PARK, a child can reveal moving and stationary
objects with the aid of a roving butterfly (and the mouse). As more
objects are revealed, the scene (and what a scene!) takes shape. There
is a zoom feature, too.
If you or someone you know has a very young child, do him/her a favor
and download this game/adventure. This file, as well as the two other
Knowledge Vine files I've mentioned in past issues of Z*NET, are well
worth the download time, and then some.
Author: James R. Glenn File names: VSQUARED.LZH; VALGUS.ARC
File type: Game Program names: VALGUS SQUARED; VALGUS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
From the docs to Valgus Squared:
"...In VSQ, the seven familiar Valgus pieces are back, but they are
tired of falling straight down the screen! Instead, they will come at
you from all four sides of the 27x27 playing area. In the middle of
this area is a solid 3x3 block. When a piece hits this block or any
other pieces that have fallen before it, it will become locked into that
place, and a new piece will drop from a randomly chosen side. The
object of the game, instead of completing lines across the screen, is to
complete squares around the center block. The first square out is 5x5,
the next is 7x7, and so on. To help you keep track of which square each
position on the screen belongs to, once a piece has fallen, each of its
four constituent blocks will change colors. Thus, at the beginning of
each round, blocks in the 5x5 square will be blue, those in the 7x7 will
be green, then yellow, orange, red, purple, and back to blue again to
restart the cycle. When you complete a square, all the squares on top
of it will move in. Once you complete a certain number of squares (5 on
the first level, 7 on the second, and so on) the round will end and you
will be awarded a bonus. Your bonus is determined by the number of
empty squares around the perimiter and how far you are into the game.
The playfield is then cleared and a new round begins..."
As you can see, Valgus Squared is Tetris with a good twist, a twist that
should keep PD/shareware game players happy until the next variant comes
along. The program ran well...until I finished a round and let the game
run for awhile on _my_ machine. Then I got a "FATAL ERROR" and was
forced to go back to the desktop. Shucks. But as you can also see from
the clear docs above, VSQ has a lot of potential.
On to Valgus. Yo, ho-ho! After playing it for about half an hour, I
could tell this game has a couple of nice touches. Valgus is much more
faithful to its parent than its brother above. The one major difference
I noticed between Valgus and Tetris was a vertical wall that had been
added to each side of the 'well' on one of the levels.
I got an error on my machine when I ran the game from a floppy, but I
got no such error when I ran it from the same floppy with the hard drive
online.
Quinn's Quickies"
TOONSMTH.ARC
Shareware, by Albert Baggetta. Reproduce a mixed up tune. Don't worry
you don't have to know how to read music to play the game.
CINEMA.ARC
Shareware, by Albert Baggetta. "Children's Animation Program", and
that it is. Your kids will have a lot of fun with this one. Kids can
save their animations to disk.
===============================
ATARI TT WORKSTATION
===============================
The following specifications are extracted from Press Releases received
from Atari Canada Corp.
Technical Specifications
ARCHITECTURE
------------
CPU: Motorola MC68030 running at 16MHz (Optional MC68881/MC68882)
Memory: RAM 2 Meg standard, available expansion up to 8 Meg RAM, 26 meg
using 4 MBit DRAM
Data Storage: Built-in 3.5 Inch floppy disk with additional floppy port,
30 meg hard disk
DISPLAY
-------
RGB and Monochrome monitor support
4096 color, 320x200 to 320x480 with 256 colors
640x480 with 16 colors, 640x400 duochrome mode
1280x960 Hi-Res monochrome
USER INTERFACE
--------------
Keyboard: Standard QWERTY typewriter format, seperate key cluster,
seperate numeric keypad, 94 keys and 10 function keys.
Mouse Interface and Joystick Port built in
I/O PORTS
---------
SCSI and ASCI with DMA, both built in
Two asynchronous serial ports, expandable to four
Parallel and MIDI ports
AppleTalk Interface
Internal A24/D16 VME card slot
Stereo 8-Bit PCM sound
Real Time Clock with NVRAM
OS
--
Atari TOS and GEM in ROM
==========================
ST JOURNAL REVIEWED
==========================
by John Strand
(Reprinted from the Puget Sound Atari News, June 1990)
In these times when many ST magazines have gone under, a new ST magazine
has emerged. This new magazine is the ST JOURNAL. Key staff members
include: Editorial Director - Tim Lewis (who was previously the Editor
in Chief of ST X-PRESS for their last issue); Senior Editor - Marion
Carter; Senior Correspondent - John Nagy; and Staff Columnists Jim
Allen, Margaret J. Carter, John King Tarpinian and Norm Weinress. The
Publishing Director is Steven W. Lesh.
The issue I received was the preview issue (April/May 1990), so some of
the news was old but not all of it. There was an article on a Russian
text processor called PolyText that will be marketed in the U.S. But,
don't kid yourself, this is a very professional looking magazine. Every
one of it's 72 pages was glossy like START (76 pages counting the front
and back covers). The layout, I think, was very well done. There were
about 20 pages of advertisements, 15 of them were full page and even one
from Atari on the Stacy 4 saying "This computer was made for music".
Many of the advertisements I have seen in other ST publications before,
but there were others that I had not.
Looks like ST JOURNAL will carry Z*NET each month just like PSAN. They
have also teamed up with BRE Software to sell a monthly disk for $7.95
plus $2.00 for handling.
Well, how much is this fancy new magazine going to cost me? ST JOURNAL
will cost $29.95 for a yearly subscription (Canada and foreign add
$25.00). Is it worth it? I think so. This magazine reminds me very
much of ST X-PRESS and if you liked ST X-PRESS, you will like ST JOURNAL
even better.
ST Journal
113 W. College Street
Covina, CA 91723
(818) 332-0372
=======================================================================
=======================================================================
Z*Net Atari Online Magazine is a weekly released publication covering
the Atari community. Opinions and commentary presented are those of the
individual authors and do not reflect those of Rovac Industries. Z*NET
and Z*NET ATARI ONLINE are copyright 1990 by Rovac Industries. Reprint
permission is granted as long as Z*NET ONLINE, Issue Number and author
is included at the top of the article. Reprinted articles are not to be
edited without permission.
=======================================================================
=======================================================================
ZNET ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE The Online Magazine of Choice
Atari News FIRST!
Copyright (c)1990 Rovac Industries, Inc..
=======================================================================
--
-----------------------------------------
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