Z*Net: 4-Oct-91 #9142

From: Bruce D. Nelson (aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 10/07/91-04:16:44 PM Z


From: aj434@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: Z*Net: 4-Oct-91 #9142
Date: Mon Oct  7 16:16:44 1991



 | (((((((( |         Z*Net International Atari Online Magazine
 |      ((  |         -----------------------------------------
 |    ((    |         October 4, 1991              Issue #91-42
 |  ((      |         -----------------------------------------
 | (((((((( |         Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc.
 |          |         Post Office Box 59,  Middlesex,  NJ 08846
 |    ((    |
 |  ((((((  |                        CONTENTS
 |    ((    |
 |          |  * Z*Net Atari Newswire..................................
 | (((   (( |  * The Editors Desk............................Ron Kovacs
 | ((((  (( |  * Speed Wars At Glendale.......................John Nagy
 | (( (( (( |  * Regulations On Mailorder - Part 2.....................
 | ((  (((( |  * WAACE Atarifest 1991.......................Last Notice
 | ((   ((( |  * Atari At Seybold.........................Press Release
 |          |  * A Flaming Editorial..........................John Nagy
 | (((((((  |  * Tracker ST - Version 3.0.................Press Release
 | ((       |  * Perusing The Internet...................Bruce Hansford
 | (((((    |  * Z*Net Software Shelf....................Ron Berinstein
 | ((       |
 | (((((((  |  ~ Publisher/Editor............................Ron Kovacs
 |          |  ~ Editor.......................................John Nagy
 | (((((((( |  ~ New Zealand Bureau..........................Jon Clarke
 |    ((    |  ~ Canadian Bureau........................Terry Schreiber
 |    ((    |  ~ PD Software Reviewer....................Ron Berinstein
 |    ((    |  ~ Reporter................................Dr. Paul Keith
 |    ((    |  ~ Reporter................................Bruce Hansford
 =======================================================================

                 Atari News First - Where It Should Be!

 =======================================================================
 * Z*NET NEWSWIRE
 =======================================================================


 ATARI DOES SEYBOLD
 The Direct to Press division of Atari Corporation made another
 impressive presentation at the SEYBOLD Electronic Publishing Show, a
 20,000 square foot show in two halls held this week in San Jose,
 California.  This is the first time in two years that Atari has attended
 this publishing show.  The range of DTP solutions plus electronic
 imaging and lithographic preparation for press included Pagestream,
 Calamus, Codehead Software, and the wide 3K line of products.  According
 to reports from early in the show, floor traffic was light due to
 exceptional conference presentations, but the Atari area was well
 attended.  Most show-goers to this internationally renowned publishing
 trade show are getting used to seeing Atari now, and the demonstrations
 of state of the art systems at reasonable prices seem to be well
 received.  See the press material from Atari for Seybold, later in this
 issue of Z*Net.


 ROLAND IMPRESSED, ATTENDING ALL ATARI SHOWS
 Astounded by the great reception and product sales at the Glendale Atari
 show in September, the keyboard and music hardware giant ROLAND is
 planning to make Atari show appearances a regular thing.  Company reps
 have asked Atari to advise them of any and all user and trade shows that
 will feature Atari products, and have booked a display at the upcoming
 WAACE AtariFest in the D.C. area in mid October.  Expect them again at
 the Chicago Atari Fair in November.  Groups that are planning shows
 should be certain to coordinating their work through Bob Brodie at Atari
 Corp in order to assure that Roland and other interested developers know
 of the event.  Call Bob at 408-745-2052.


 NEW CD TITLES FOR ATARI AS CDAR505 NEARS
 Production of Atari's first CD, the Softsource Collection, should begin
 in late October and sell for about $30.  The CDAR505 CD ROM player may
 be in dealers at that same time, beginning the demand for third-party CD
 releases.  One such company, Computer Rock of the San Francisco area,
 was responsible for the two existing domestic Atari ST CD disks and has
 several more planned for immediate release.  The ST Software Library,
 released two years ago, contains the Public Domain library supplied by
 Current Notes magazine at that time.  The First ST Clip Art Disk was
 released in late 1990, and has thousands of IMG and other format clip
 art files.  To be released in November '91, the Z*NET CD will have over
 7,000 fully categorized and indexed programs, plus years worth of
 ZMAGAZINE, ST-ZMAG, and Z*NET news releases and news photos.  Coming
 soon afterwards will be another ST release with complete text and disk
 archives of a major print magazine.  Planned for 1992 are another clip
 art/graphics collection, a Z*NET supplement disk, and at least one other
 Atari title, bringing the their catalog to a minimum of seven titles.
 Prices for the CD's from Computer Rock, which will each carry up to 500
 Megabytes of read-only data (over 700 floppy disks worth), will range
 from $39.95 to $69.95.  Details on availability will follow soon.  To
 order existing Computer Rock CD titles, call 415-878-9609, and be
 certain to mention Z*NET.


 FAST TECHNOLOGY PLANS CHEAP TINYTURBO 030
 "We overbuilt the big one" says Jim Allen, developer of the Fast
 Technology Turbo 030 accelerator, "and I think the TinyTurbo will
 outsell it."  TinyTurbo is a miniature execution of the 68030 board that
 will give 40 mHz TT speed to ST computers for $699 complete.  Expected
 to be ready in November, Jim says TinyTurbo will be for the mainstream
 user who wants speed but doesn't need the full blown implementation.
 With no fast RAM, it will have a 64k instruction cache.  More details
 are in the article, "SPEED WARS AT GLENDALE", following the Newswire in
 this issue of Z*NET.


 MORE ON SOFT-LOGIK'S USER GROUP GIVEAWAY
 Two weeks ago, Z*Net announced Soft-Logik's Pagestream giveaway.  The
 response has been so high that the company has asked us to share more of
 the details of the offer to streamline their response time.  Atari user
 groups can get two FREE copies of the desktop publisher PageStream 2.1,
 plus another demo copy for their library.  A related program will offer
 discounts for user group members when they buy PageStream from dealers.
 The groups should send a previous and current newsletter, add Soft-Logik
 to the groups mailing list, full adress information, group membership
 and president name.  Or, call Soft-Logik at (800) 829-8608 for specific
 instructions before mailing your group's request.  Soft-Logik, 11131 S.
 Towne Square, St. Louis, MO 63123.



 =======================================================================
 * THE EDITORS DESK                                        by Ron Kovacs
 =======================================================================


 We have changed the look and style of Z*Net and of course we hope you
 find it comfortable.

 The WAACE Atarifest is NEXT weekend and we are going to be there in an
 unofficial capacity to report on the events.  All east coast Atari
 owners should plan attending!  Read the WAACE information contained in
 this issue for more information.

 Dr. Paul Keith is working on his report of the Seybold show and will
 have a full report for the next edition of Z*Net!



 =======================================================================
 * SPEED WARS AT GLENDALE        Exclusive Report for Z*NET by John Nagy
 =======================================================================


 How fast is fast?  That's the question that everyone had the answer to
 at Glendale... but the answers were as different as the people offering
 them.  Dave Small, Jim Allen, and ICD each had news of speed.

 A major interest point at the Souther California Atari Computer Faire on
 September 14 and 15 was ACCELERATION of ST computers.  Making first
 appearances at major US shows were no less than three new units.  But
 the biggest crowds were drawn by the "030 Wars" of benchmarks between
 the Allen and Small 68030 upgrades.  Lets take them one at a time.

 Totally new was the AdSpeed STe unit, giving the 68000 16 mHz
 performance to the 1040 and 520 STe machines.  ICD Inc. has had their
 AdSpeed available for older models of the ST for over a year, but at
 Glendale, Jeff Williams showed their new totally plug-in board for the
 "e" series.  While it was not installed for testing at the show, it uses
 the exact same circuit design that made the "old" AdSpeed fast and
 reliable, sharing the top rank of the 16 mHz accelerators.  It remains
 fully compatible with every software package, allowing downshifting to 8
 mHz.  The new STe board has a socket ready for a pop-in math
 coprocessor, which would gain further speed increases from software
 designed to use the chip.  To date, that's not much more than ISD's
 DynaCADD, but more is likely to come.  Price is $349, up $50 from the
 regular AdSpeed, largely due to the costs of the sockets and new layout
 to fit the new machines.  But the ease and safety of snapping it into
 place instead of desoldering your old 68000 makes up for the cost.

 Also seen for the first time was the "TURBO 25" from Jim Allen's FAST
 TECHNOLOGY.  It was running in a user group booth all day both days,
 proving that heat is not a problem with the sped-up 68000 chips.  Jim
 had offered the original Turbo16, then recently upgraded to Turbo20.
 The Turbo25 is more of a demo unit than an available product at this
 time, but when Motorola releases faster rated 68000's, it may be a
 commercial reality.  It was running the "Boink" demo at a great clip.

 Now, to the "oh-thirty" boards that had the eye of every show goer...

 Dave Small of Gadgets by Small devoted most of his booth and demo time
 to his SST 68030 board, which is completed and virtually ready to ship.
 The remaining work to take it past gamma level test into full release is
 only on the driver software.  Dave wants the thing to run everything
 right from the start, since there is no way to "downshift" the unit
 short of ripping it out and replacing your old 68000 chip.  Dave calls
 the unit "available now" in that you can order it and see it and know it
 is done and coming at any moment now.  It only goes in MEGA computers -
 until the adaptor is ready, also "soon".

 Jim Allen (Fast Technology) didn't come to Glendale, but he armed Nathan
 Potechin of ISD Inc with a Mega ST with Jim's 030 board installed, plus
 a newer but uninstalled version of the 030 board to show.  Both designs
 have a coprocessor socket (as does the Gadgets unit) for the 68881 or
 68882 math chip, although none was installed in any of the demo units.
 Nathan dutifully demonstrated the Allen product in the DTP area at the
 end of the Computer Network booth.  Jim's unit, too, is said to be
 "available", but like Dave's unit, that doesn't mean you really can walk
 away with one just yet.  Jim says he should begin shipping units
 sometime in late October.  It was running fast and furious all day in
 the Computer Network booth, doing Calamus SL and DynaCADD flawlessly.  A
 smaller version of the 68030 system is planned by Fast to be called the
 Tiny Turbo, should be ready sometime in November.  Jim expects it, at
 far lower a price and with a minimum of user configurable options than
 the big boards, to be the real seller for speed demons.  It will have
 64K of cache RAM, run an '030 at 40 mHz, and should be only slightly
 larger than the Turbo16/20/25.

 While the two companies' boards are similar in concept in that they
 substitute the faster and more versatile Motorola 68030 CPU chip for the
 original ST 68000, the execution differs significantly.

 The Gadgets's board uses no cache RAM other than that built into the
 68030, and instead opts for up to 8 meg of "fast RAM" in standard
 dynamic SIMMS packs, pluggable in rows as the user wants, needs, and can
 afford.  By loading programs in this memory, clocked at the same speed
 as the CPU, the computer need not "brake" to the 8 mHz motherboard speed
 every time it needs instructions.  The 68030 can be any of the available
 speed ratings, again based on user needs and budget.  A 33 mHz 68030 is
 not cheap.  Faster ones will be more expensive by quantum leaps.  The
 operating crystal that sets the clock speed for the 68030 is also
 pluggable, and Dave demonstrated 33 and 36 mHz operations.  He has tried
 it at up to 50 mHz, but the dynamic RAM speed becomes a problem.  The
 show demo units had 80 and 60 nanosecond rated RAM, and when running at
 36 Mhz with no wait states (no CPU waiting for the rest of the world to
 catch up), the 80 nanosecond chips weren't fast enough to run error-
 free.  The solution is to add wait-states via the configuration program,
 which slows some operations enough to stabilize the RAM, but allows the
 full CPU speed on execution.

 The Fast Tech board took a different approach to RAM.  An external
 Static RAM cache is available to the 68030, in a similar fashion as in
 most 68000 speeder boards.  Here is where the instructions from the
 executing programs reside, ready anytime the CPU wants them.  The
 original design of Jim Allen's board had no "fast RAM" as in the
 Gadgets' board.  However, another version of the Fast board now offers 4
 meg of 32 bit RAM, which completely replaces the motherboard ST RAM.
 The result is a completely 32 bit memory path with no video timing
 contention, allowing the ST to operate at the full speed virtually all
 the time.  Jim adds that the 32 bit RAM can be used for/with existing
 custom video boards, making ST bound color and big screen add-on monitor
 options run at far above TT speeds.

 Nathan's demo machine did not have any fast RAM installed, and had only
 a 4k cache instead of the production 16K cache, but another board was
 being shown by Nathan that did have surface-mounted (not user-
 configurable) RAM.  This unit arrived too late to be shown in a machine,
 so the effectiveness of the fast substitute RAM could not be tested.
 The running board was clocked at 40 mHz.  Because Nathan (by his own
 admission) is a software man and not a hardware man, he could not say
 much about the details of the design or driving software of the Fast
 Tech board.

 Putting a 68030 in an ST requires the use of a different TOS version
 than the ST came with.  Version 1.4 won't do it.  Version 1.6 and above
 will.  Dave Small has arranged a licensed version of TOS 2.X from Atari
 to include with his unit.  Jim Allen has had a license to use an altered
 TOS 1.6 for six months, with patches for his memory handling built into
 his custom ROMs.  The job was done by the same folks in Germany that
 developed the "Kaos" TOS alternative.  Jim says that a free TOS upgrade
 for all buyers will be available within a few months, once the details
 of his patches to 2.X TOS can be worked out.

 So what we had at Glendale presented a worst-case scenario for
 establishing a realistic opinion of which board might be better, faster,
 cheaper, or less fattening.  Dave had no external cache; Jim had no fast
 RAM; Dave had 33 or 36 mHz; Jim had 40 mHz; Dave had a memory allocation
 /fast RAM/wait state configuration program that adjusts for the current
 setup; Jim had a single setup without anything we could see as to memory
 handling.  It was also suggested that the changes in the routines in
 custom TOS's might account for some differences in operation efficiency
 over Atari TOS as well.  And neither machine, nor their driver software,
 was actually in the production form.  Yikes.  Nope, there is absolutely
 no fair way to compare the products at this time.

 COMPARING THEM ANYWAY

 You wouldn't let me get away without a comparison, so here goes.  I hope
 to put things more in the way of observations than in head-to-head
 competition.  And I bet Dave and Jim will each find some justifiable
 fault with some part of what I'll report, but this is what I saw and
 what I heard, plus what other knowledgeable observers had to say while
 watching the various tests and performance measures.

 First, understand that neither 68030 system upgrades for ST computers
 will make an ST into a TT.  What they will do is make the ST very, very
 fast at doing what it already does as an ST.  Both systems make and ST
 faster than a TT while executing ST software.  A "real" TT from Atari is
 required to run TT specific software - at any speed.

 TESTING DAVE'S

 The options available with the Gadgets software make testing quite
 technical.  The configuration program that sets up the fast RAM for
 operation, TOS instructions, and the stack also sets the number of wait
 states and burst states by simply changing the name of the AUTO folder
 file.  By changing the name of the same program to TEST, it operates as
 a benchmarking and memory stability tester.  The faster of the two
 Gadgets boards at the show was consistently turning more than 7 MIPS
 (million instructions per second), while an unmodified ST does about .5
 (one-half) a MIP.  With a smile, Dave said he wouldn't compare it to a
 "real" TT because he "didn't want to bite the hand that feeds him TOS".

 Using Darek Mihocka's QUICK INDEX benchmarking program while running at
 33 mHz, 3 wait states, 3 burst states (the most stable configuration for
 Mark Booth's demo machine that uses 80 ns SIMMS RAM), these were the
 results:

         TEST        Compared to TT      Compared to ST
     CPU MEMORY:         121%                 861%
     CPU REGISTER:       102%                 843%
     CPU DIVIDE:         103%                1056%
     CPU SHIFTS:         104%                3661%

 Mark reported that by using 60 ns RAM, a 36 mHz clock speed, and one
 less wait and burst state, he was able to reach 151% and 1100% for CPU
 Memory numbers.  Dave Small explained that the Register, Divide, and
 Shift numbers will be almost entirely dependent on clock speed of the
 CPU, and should not be significantly affected by any cache or fast RAM
 arrangement, and pointed out that his 33 mHz numbers were virtually the
 same as the 32+ mHz TT.  He added that the "real performance" of any
 machine will be more affected by the manner that the operating RAM is
 handled, and will be reflected most by the CPU Memory test.

 TESTING JIM'S

 As mentioned before, there was no adjustable setup program for the Fast
 Tech board, as it is already included in the ROM chips on the unit.  It
 operates at 40 mHz, had a 4K cache and no fast RAM.  The Quick Index
 numbers:

        TEST        Compared to TT      Compared to ST
     CPU MEMORY:          78%                 498%
     CPU REGISTER:       124%                1024%
     CPU DIVIDE:         124%                1278%
     CPU SHIFTS:         126%                4465%

 Observers noted the 78% memory speed vs a TT, and commented that it was
 obviously memory-bound, having to use the slower RAM on the motherboard.
 Jim Allen estimates that the larger instruction cache of the production
 units alone will increase the memory number significantly, and that the
 32 bit RAM equipped unit will "completely blow everything else away" and
 run up to double the speed of the demo.  The memory equipped unit was,
 as mentioned earlier, not installed and running to be tested.

 TESTING JIM'S VS DAVE'S

 No one was particularly comfortable with the Quick Index numbers being
 the only reference for comparison, so several more real-life tests were
 suggested.  The best seemed to be the calculation and re-draw time for a
 complex object using DynaCADD.  The file "3DCUP", a three dimensional
 wine goblet, was chosen, using a macro that did three views, the final
 one being the "hidden line removed" drawing.  Average time on the Jim
 Allen (Fast Technology) board at 40 mHz, 4k cache, no fast RAM: 54
 seconds.  Average time on the Dave Small (Gadgets) board at 33 mHz, 3
 wait, 3 burst, with fast RAM: 48 seconds.  Later, Mark Booth
 reconfigured with faster rated RAM, 36 mHz, 2 wait and 2 burst states,
 and got 44 second runs for the same DynaCADD test.  He estimates by
 extrapolation that if it were run at 40 mHz like the Allen board, the
 time should be under 40 seconds.  Jim Allen, on the other hand, admits
 that the demo board without his 32 bit RAM setup should be executing
 such tests of real software at perhaps only half the speed of his fully
 fleshed out design.  He adds that the no-RAM unit and even the TinyTurbo
 will be faster than the demo unit in Nathan's computer, due to larger
 cache sizes.  Nathan also says that Calamus SL runs faster on Jim's demo
 board as-is than it does on a TT.

 I think that we have certainly proved one thing: comparison of speed is
 not exactly possible at this time.  Well, maybe two things.  These two
 boards are REALFAST.

 COSTS

 Comparing costs is almost as confusing as comparing performance.
 Options upon options affect performance and the wallet in inverse
 proportion.

 Fast Technology hasn't completely solidified all the details of their
 pricing, but at this point, these figures look pretty certain: the
 "large" board with soldered-in 40 mHz 68030 and crystal, 16k  cache -
 $1,199; same board with 4 meg of 32 bit RAM installed, $1,999; the Tiny
 Turbo 030 with 40 mhz and 64k cache (non-upgradable) - $699.  Discounts
 are offered for registered FAST TECHNOLOGY and ISD product owners - $500
 off the full blown unit, and $299 or $199 off the $1,199 unit for Fast
 or ISD owners, respectively.  Discounts on the Tiny unit may also be
 offered when it becomes available, perhaps in November.  More options:
 50 mHz 68882 with a 50 and 60 mHz crystal (some video boards can handle
 the 60) - $299; virtual memory option making your available virtual RAM
 128 meg via hard drive - $299.  Installation will be available from Fast
 for $100 flat rate, and motherboard swaps will be available for near
 zero downtime in professional operations.  MAC implementations of the
 same boards are planned very, very soon.  Call Fast Technology for
 details on all pricing and discounts.

 The Gadgets SST with no 68030, no memory, and no coprocessor is $599.
 What DO you get?  The board itself, the driver FastRAM Utilities, TOS
 2.X on ROM, and a bunch of empty sockets.  You can "roll your own" using
 your own parts (Dave suggests you solicit a free sample 68030 from
 Motorola, assuming you can concoct a half-decent cover story about a
 product you are developing!).  Or, buy the parts from Gadgets at prices
 they guarantee to be non-competitive, but convenient: 16 mHz 68030 -
 $200; plus 4 meg SIMMS (80 ns) - $460; 4 meg alone - $260; 33 mHz 68030
 plus 68882 plus 4 meg - $800.  Dave heavily encourages professional
 installation of the CPU socket in your MEGA computer.

 SO, WHICH ONE DO I WANT?

 This time, I'm going to slip out without an answer.  No doubt about it,
 any one of the final versions of either company's board will dazzle and
 amaze.  All of them will outrun Atari's own TT030 machine by clear
 margins.  But remember, a 68030 equipped ST is NOT a TT... it WON'T run
 TT software, have the extra TT resolutions, or a VME slot.  But it WILL
 run ST software at speeds never before seen, and be affordable
 alternatives to a TT for those persons who will not need the TT features
 - at least for now.

 The cheapest unit will be the Tiny Turbo, and if it performs anything
 like the larger unit Fast had at Glendale, it will be a great deal.  The
 middle rank in pricing brings options from both Gadgets and Fast, and
 their performance may be similar.  Probably.  Tests of the products when
 they are actually shipping will tell more.  At the top end, the
 versatility of the very configurable Gadgets board may make it a good
 choice for those who want it all.

 But wait - there's more to come!  ICD Inc., makers of AdSpeed and the
 Advantage ST Host Adaptor, will privately admit to doing continuing
 development on a 68030 accelerator.  When I asked for details, Jeff
 Williams of ICD said "Nice try!".  ICD has a firm policy against
 discussing products that are not finished.  Their AdSpeed line is a good
 example.  While CMI, JRI, FAST, and other companies began the
 acceleration game, they talked to the press endlessly, long before a
 product could be bought.  ICD announced their AdSpeed long after the
 others, but were ready to sell it when they announced it.  And it was an
 outstanding execution.  Expect the same course of action and quality if
 and when the curtain goes up on an ICD '030 product.

 SO?

 I'll take any one of them if I can afford to!  It looks like there's not
 a bad choice available in the lot.  Good luck!

 FAST TECHNOLOGY, P.O. Box 578, Andover, MA 01810, 508-475-3810.

 GADGETS BY SMALL, 40 W. Littleton Blvd #210-211, Littleton, CO 80120,
 303-791-6098.



 =======================================================================
 * REGULATIONS ON MAILORDER                                       Part 2
 =======================================================================


 (This document is from the Federal Trade Commission, San Francisco, CA.
 It contains the various regulations regarding mail order purchases.)


 (3)  Wherever a buyer has the right to exercise any option under this
 part or to cancel an order by so notifying the seller prior to shipment,
 to fail to furnish the buyer with adequate means, at the seller's
 expense, to exercise such option or to notify the seller regarding
 cancellation.  In any action brought by the Federal Trade Commission
 alleging a violation of this art, the failure of a respondent-seller:

 (i)  To provide any offer, notice or option required by this part in
 writing by first class mail will create a rebuttable presumption that
 the respondent-seller failed to offer a clear conspicuous offer, notice
 or option;

 (ii) To provide the buyer with the means in writing (by business reply
 mail or with postage prepaid by the seller) to exercise any option or to
 notify the seller regarding a decision cancel, will create a rebuttable
 presumption that the respondent-seller did not provide the buyer with
 adequate means pursuant to paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

 Nothing in paragraph (b) of this section shall prevent a seller, where
 he is unable to make shipment within the time set forth in paragraph (a)
 (1) of his section or within a delay period consented to by the buyer,
 from deciding to consider the order cancelled and providing the buyer
 with notice of said decision within a reasonable time after he becomes
 aware of said inability to ship, together with a prompt refund. (c)  To
 fail to deem an order cancelled and to make a prompt refund to the buyer
 whenever:

 (1)  The seller receives, prior to the time of shipment, notification
 from the buyer cancelling the order pursuant to any option, renewed
 option or continuing option under this part;

 (2)  The seller has, pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section,
 provided the buyer with a definite revised shipping date which is more
 than thirty (30) days later than the applicable time set forth in
 paragraph (a)(1) of this section or has notified the buyer that he is
 unable to make any representation regarding the length of the delay and
 the seller (i) has not shipped the merchandise within thirty (30) days
 of the applicable time set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section,
 and (ii) has not received the buyer's express consent to said shipping
 delay within said thirty (30) days;

 (3)  The seller is unable to ship within the applicable time set forth
 in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and has not received, within the
 said applicable time, the buyer's consent to any further delay;

 (4)  The seller has notified the buyer of his inability to make shipment
 and has indicated his decision not to ship the merchandise;

 (5)  The seller fails to offer the option Prescribed in paragraph (b)(1)
 of this section and has not shipped the merchandise within the
 applicable time set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

 (d)  In any action brought by the Federal Trade Commission, alleging a
 violation of this part, the failure of a respondent-seller to have
 records or other documentary proof establishing his use of systems and
 procedures which assure compliance, in the ordinary course of business,
 with any requirement of paragraph (b) or (c) of this section will create
 a rebuttable presumption that the seller failed to comply with said
 requirements.

 Note 1:   This Part shall not apply to subscriptions, such as magazine
 sales, ordered for serial delivery, after the initial shipment is made
 in compliance with this part.

 Note 2:   This part shall not apply to orders of seeds and growing
 plants.

 Note 3:   This Part shall not apply to orders made on a collect-on-
 delivery (C.O.D.) basis.

 Note 4:   This Part shall not apply to transactions governed by the
 Federal Trade Commission's Trade Regulation Rule entitled "Use of
 Negative Option Plans by Sellers in Commerce", 16 CFR Part 425.

 Note 5:   By taking action in this area, the Federal Trade Commission
 does not intend to preempt action in the same area, which is not
 consistent with this part, by any State, municipal, or other local
 government.  This part does not annul or diminish any rights or remedies
 provided by this part.

 In addition, this part does not supersede those provisions of any State
 law, municipal ordinance, or other local regulation which impose
 obligations or liabilities upon sellers, when sellers subject to this
 part are not in compliance therewith.  This part does supersede those
 provisions of any State law, municipal ordinance, or other local
 regulation which are inconsistent with this part to the extent that
 those provisions do not provide a buyer with rights which are equal to
 or greater than those rights granted a buyer by this part.  This part
 also supersedes those Provisions of any State law, municipal ordinance.
 or other local regulation requiring that a buyer be notified of a right
 which is the same as a right provided by this part but requiring that a
 buyer be given notice of this right in a language, form, or manner which
 Is different in any way from that required by this part.

 In those Instances where any State law, municipal ordinance, or other
 local regulation contains provisions, some but not all of which are
 partially or completely superseded by this part, the provisions or
 Portions of those provisions which have not been superseded retain their
 full force and effect.

 Note 6:   If any provision of this part or its application to any
 person, Partnership, corporation, act or practice is held invalid, the
 remainder of this part or the application of the provision to any other
 Person, partnership, corporation, act or practice shall not be affected
 thereby.

 Note 7:   Section 435.1(a)(1) of this part governs all solicitations
 where the time of solicitation is more than 100 days after promulgation
 of this part.

 The remainder of this part governs all transactions where receipt of a
 properly completed order occurs more than 100 days after Promulgation
 of this part.




 =======================================================================
 * WAACE ATARIFEST 1991                                     Last Notice!
 =======================================================================

 WAACE AtariFest '91:

 The WAACE AtariFest is Saturday and Sunday October 12 and 13 in Reston,
 Virginia, about seven miles East of Washington D.C.'s Dulles Airport.
 The show is again at the deluxe Sheraton Reston International Conference
 Center, with outstanding facilities for the show, demonstrations, and
 seminars.  Show hours are from 10AM to 5PM both days, with special
 events including a swap meet, a cocktail party, and a banquet on
 Saturday evening.

 Vendors committed to appear at press time included:

 Accusoft
 D. A. Brumleve
 Codehead Software
 Phil Comeau Software
 Current Notes Magazine
 Debonair Software
 eSTeem Inc
 FAST Technology
 ICD Inc
 ISD Marketing Inc
 JMG Software
 Joppa Computer Products
 L & Y Electronics
 Michtron
 Micro Creations
 Musicode Software
 Rio Computers
 SLICCWARE
 Step Ahead Software
 ST Informer/A & D Software
 Toad Services
 Unicorn Publications/Atari Interface Magazine
 Wizworks

 Call the Sheraton Reston Hotel at 703-620-9000 and mention the WAACE
 AtariFest for hotel rates of $59 per night for single or double
 occupancy, $66 for triple and quad.  The Sheraton address is 11810
 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 22091.

 For additional WAACE information: John D. Barnes, 7710 Chatham Rd, Chevy
 Chase, MD 20815, GEMail: J.D.Barnes,  CIS: 73047,2565



 =======================================================================
 * ATARI AT SEYBOLD                                        Press Release
 =======================================================================


 Professional Systems Group
 --------------------------
 A division of Atari Computer Corporation        NEWS RELEASE


 Contacts:   Harry Miller              SEYBOLD BOOTH NUMBER 942
             Public Relations Counsel
             (510) 938-5663  Office
             (510) 939-5655  Fax
             Bill Rehbock
             (408) 745-2082  Office
             (408) 745-2083  Fax

                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    PROFESSIONAL SYSTEMS GROUP SHOWS NEW HIGH QUALITY, DIGITAL
               PUBLISHING SOLUTIONS AT SEYBOLD SHOW

 "Direct To Press" Products Offer Added Features, Speed, Quality

     Compatibility With Existing Standards Makes New Platform
                     The Logical Alternative


 Sunnyvale, California - September 23, 1991 -- The Professional Systems
 Group, a division of Atari(tm) Computer Corporation, will show its
 Direct To Press digital publishing solutions at the Seybold Publishing
 Conference and Exposition on October 2-4 in San Jose.  At their booth,
 the Professional Systems Group will demonstrate the irrefutable logic of
 choosing their TT030 computer as a publishing platform.

 Each of the pre-press solutions possesses clear advantages over the
 existing competition.  Those advantages are manifest in a richer feature
 set, quicker speed of operation, and in visibly higher output quality.
 As if that weren't enough, the Direct To Press systems are affordably
 priced compared to other alternatives.  Direct To Press systems provide
 output quality one would expect from much more expensive dedicated
 typography system.

 Direct To Press includes full-featured, high quality, and high
 performance tools for every phase of pre-press work from document
 processing ans design to photo retouching and imagesetter film output.

 Direct To Press is a solution provided by the Professional Systems
 Group.  This solution combines software, hardware, and support to
 implement a superior publishing system.  Design and typography output
 workstations take advantage of the sophisticated graphics and pure
 processing power of the Atari TT030(tm), the company's high performance
 computing platform.  Available as custom configurable systems, Direct To
 Press is targeted at pre-press and printing service bureaus and in-house
 design and productions departments, as well as freelance designers,
 artists and publishers.  Systems based on the Direct To Press products
 and concept are distributed through a network of value-added resellers
 and dealers.

 Publishing System Hardware Platform

 The Atari TT030 provides the ideal computing platform for the Direct To
 Press publishing tools.  It features a 32MHz Motorola(tm) 68030
 microprocessor with on-chip cache and memory management as well as a
 68882 math coprocessor, 8MB of RAM (expandable to 26MB), and 80MB hard
 disk, and a wide range of video and storage expansion options.  Output
 for proofing purposes is provided by the 300 dot per inch Atari SLM605
 (tm) laser printer. The SLM605 features a small footprint, high quality
 output, and fast 6 page per minute operation.

 The TT030 performs even better in graphics-intensive applications than
 the specifications would indicate.  Several factors help explain this
 phenomenon.  First, the machine's architecture vastly reduces screen
 redraw time by using a 64-bit wide video data path.  Next, the TT030
 uses DMA (Direct Memory Access) channels for disk, video, printer, and
 sound data transfer.  And, up to 10MB of video RAM can be used.  These
 hardware advantages are leveraged by an operating enviroment that
 minimizes overhead without sacrificing ease of use or power.

 "We designed the TT030 to be a great platform for sophisticated
 publishing applications," said Greg Pratt, Atari Computer Corporation.
 "But the performance and output quality that our strategic software and
 hardware partners have achieved makes these systems a compelling choice.
 When you consider that most system selections are based on output
 quality, speed of operation, ease of use, and affordability, we really
 are 'the logical alternative.'  You can't afford not to look at the
 TT030 and the Direct To Press system solutions."

 Three Software Product Families Meet a Broad Range Of Needs

 The Direct To Press solutions generally follow one of three
 complementary approaches: Soft-Logik's PostScript(R)-based PageStream(R)
 2 provides direct compatibility with that industry standard.  The
 Calamus(R)SL and tms Cranach Studio(R) family of high-end publishing
 applications, including proprietary SoftRIPS(R) for specific models of
 typesetters and imagesetters deliver a wide range of features and fast
 performance.  And the ReTouche Professional(TM)/Didot Professional(TM)
 family of digital lithography, line art, and page layout tools uses
 proprietary hardware technology to create raster images of pages within
 the host software, eliminating the need for an external RIP, and uses
 specialized hardware to greatly enhance output speed and quality.  Files
 can be easily exchanged among the tools, and with many other industry-
 standard desktop publishing programs: The TT030's floppy disk format is
 identical to that of MS-DOS, so data files on floppies can easily be
 transferred.  Similarly, file transfer can be accomplished via an
 Ethernet network.  Most of the applications can import and export files
 from popular applications on other platforms.

 Professional Systems Group is a new division of Atari Computer
 Corporation whose mission is to provide superior computing solutions for
 vertical market segments where output quality and execution speed are
 the highest concern.  Professional Systems Group combines its computing
 platforms with high performance software and peripherals to meet and
 exceed the needs of these demanding audiences.

 Atari is a registered trademark, and TT030 and SLM605 are trademarks of
 Atari Corporation.  Motorola is a trademark of Motorola, Inc.
 PageStream is a registered trademark of Soft-Logik Publishing
 Corporation.  Calamus SL and Calamus Outline Art, Calamus SoftRIP are
 registered trademarks of DMC/Ditek International.  tms Cranach Studio
 is a registered trademark of tms GmbH.  PostScript is a registered
 trademark of Adobe Systems.  ReTouche Professional CD, Didot
 Professional, ad the Image Speeder are trademarks of 3K Computerbild.



 =======================================================================
 * A FLAMING EDITORIAL                                      by John Nagy
 =======================================================================


 Yes, a real editorial in Z*Net!  Many readers have noted that they are
 rare, and a few have been pestering us to be more vocal.  A very few
 more have been saying that Z*Net is Atari Corp's mouthpiece, with only
 the news that Atari sees fit for the public to know, while another
 magazine touts itself as being ABOUT Atari instead of FOR Atari.

 Nonsense.  Z*Net is, above all, FOR the ATARI USERS.  It's been our
 judgement that pompous commentary, barracuda headlines, and veiled
 insults do little to help the user of Atari equipment get the maximum
 enjoyment from their computer, and so they have little reason to be in
 Z*Net.

 Recently, a writer submitted an article for publication in Z*Net.  It
 was turned down.  He then posted it as a standalone file on GEnie with a
 tag line that said it was what Z*Net wouldn't tell you.  Why did this
 happen?  How often does this happen?  Is Z*Net censoring the news???

 Articles are often reviewed and returned for re-write by magazines, and
 Z*Net is no exception.  Even our regular Z*Net correspondents have had
 their material cut or returned when the content or tone failed to meet
 Z*Net's purpose.  Often.

 Is it censorship?  No and Yes.  An example: a writer submitted a story
 about the hard drive cover on Mega STe 1's.  It detailed the facts about
 how it was apparently designed to prevent retrofitting a drive by the
 end user without Atari's own replacement parts.  It then went on to say
 that this was another example of how Atari is trying to shaft the user
 for its own gain, and that we shouldn't stand for it.  We ran the story,
 up to where the facts stopped and the commentary began.  Readers, you
 aren't fools.  If we tell you that Atari has rigged their system to
 prevent home or third-party additions, you can understand what that
 means to you.  You DON'T have to be beaten on the head with what you
 ought to think and feel about it.  You gain nothing by it.  And the news
 story meshed with an editorial is not the way we choose to do business
 at Z*Net.

 Was the editorial content censored?  In a way.  It certainly was
 submitted and did not appear.  Why not?

 Our decisions on running of content, whether positive, negative, or
 neutral, is based on the usefulness of the information.  There are times
 when a commentary or editorial is useful.  Those tend to be when:

 1.   The writer has a unique position of information or viewpoint that
      causes his opinion to be unusual and informative, OR

 2.   The writer has made a unique or unusual analysis of common events
      such that his discussion is informative and thought provoking, OR

 3.   The editor believes that some actual change for the better could
      occur as a result of the editorial.

 Now you know why editorials are rare in Z*Net.  Really, that is all
 there is to it.  If the opinion material is just another in a string of
 standard complaints about product availability, release dates, lack of
 dealers, lack of advertising, etc., what's the point in running it?  80%
 of our readers could have written the same viewpoint from memory.  The
 other 20% is happy enough with their own situation and has no need or
 desire to be told to be unhappy.  So nobody needs it.  Out it goes.
 We've been asked often enough why we don't join in blasting Atari Corp
 for what we must obviously see as flaws.  Heck, if it's obvious, who
 needs to repeat it in Z*Net?  There's plenty of other places to go to
 read blasting.

 This editorial fits criteria #1.  We feel that our position has not been
 explained sufficiently until now.

 In the case of the article that was recently uploaded and released as
 "the file Z*Net refused to run", the story was about the author's
 personal difficulty getting satisfactory printing with an Atari laser
 printer.  He then discussed what he felt was a lack of support from
 Atari.  Then he bridged into a multi-point list of what he felt customer
 service should be, and then called and rated some Atari developers
 against his list.  Why didn't Z*Net run it?  First, because it read like
 the angry item it in fact was.  Next, because it contained extensive
 pure editorial information -- what this writer says a company SHOULD DO
 for technical service.  Finally, it rated companies based on their
 responses to a request for technical service, but without regard to the
 differences between a sole part time developer like Branch Always
 Software and the large PC development houses who presumably meet the
 author's measures.  No account or quarter was given in the article of
 what and where the principals were during the "test period."  The period
 spanned the Glendale setup and show, a time when Brodie and many
 developers were away from home, providing a service to a different
 crowd.  We felt that this made the conclusions unfair and not
 representative of what users can "normally" expect.

 Sure, when a person has a problem with software X, it does him little
 good to know that the person who is X-MAKER CORP is busy doing something
 else, no matter what.  But we felt that the realities of the small ST
 market need to be part of an analysis, and they were ignored.  The
 article had significant merit, but not as written.  It didn't go in
 Z*Net.

 Finally, we are most often asked to be more vocal against Atari
 policies.  Why should we?  If Atari was about to be changed by the force
 of words in the existing media, don't you think it would have happened
 by now?  We report what is really happening, in a manner that tries to
 tell the whole story, and let the reader form their own opinion.  To
 preach the endless liturgy of doom only accomplishes the spread of
 dismay for those who would otherwise be using their Atari to their
 satisfaction.  Worse, rather than to "wake up" the management of Atari
 to what the writer wants them to do, Atari bashing is more likely to
 cause those same officials to discard the entire message as well as the
 messenger.  The more severe and/or consistent the criticism is, the more
 Atari insulates itself from anything meaningful that might be somewhere
 in the message.

 In Category 18 (Flames), Topic 22 on GEnie, a former Atari zealot is
 currently torching everyone while he leaves for MAC country.  One of his
 weapons: reciting the story that Atari fired their UNIX guru as their
 typical reward for a job well done.  The source of this?  We can guess
 it came from an online magazine that headlined the "revolving door"
 whose latest victim was the head of the UNIX project.  Yep, that
 treatment, in what the editors concede is the "rumor and Inquirer-like"
 section of their mag, certainly got the predictable (and probably
 desired) fist-waving reaction from the crowds.  But while the basis for
 the story was true, the presentation lacked detail and allowed inference
 of a firing, when the reverse was the case.  David Plummer was hired
 under contract for the sole purpose of doing the UNIX kernel for Atari.
 He finished it, gave his notice, and is moving on.  Less drama there, to
 be sure.  The full story won't get the troops inflamed.  But should they
 be?  NO!  The full story holds the happy fact that the project is
 complete!  But the writer in Cat 18 has found the reality he has been
 led to expect by what he read and the pervasive negative tone of the
 messenger: Atari is stupid and fires all the good people.  No matter
 what the actual truth is, he is now dutifully spreading his reality --
 apparently backed up by a major online magazine's story -- to everyone
 he can.  Perhaps MANY current and potential Atari owners will be
 needlessly swayed to further discontent by this man's story or their own
 conclusions after reading the "confidential" report.  Just another in a
 series of proofs that 3/4 of a truth can equal a lie.

 I'm not suggesting that everything Atari does makes sense to me.  But
 aren't things bad enough without creating new and fictional disasters,
 all for nothing more than the pleasure of being a firebrand?  Z*Net
 feels that innuendo has no place in presentation of news.  It incites
 far more than it informs.

 We hope this will help our readers understand why Z*Net consists of the
 NEWS and helpful features whose purpose is to increase the pleasure of
 using Atari computers.  Our magazine won't partake in the pointless
 whining or mob-mentality rabble rousing.  I bet you like us this way.
 Besides, you always can find plenty of the other kind of treatment if
 you want to.  Just not in Z*Net.



 =======================================================================
 * TRACKER ST VERSION 3.0                                  Press Release
 =======================================================================


 Step Ahead Software
 496-A Hudson Street, #F39
 New York City, NY  10014
 Contact: Nevin Shalit  212-627-5830

 STEP AHEAD SOFTWARE RELEASES TRACKER/ST v3.0

 Step Ahead Software, Inc. is pleased to announce version 3.0 of Tracker
 /ST, the leading mailing list/mail merge program for the Atari ST, STe,
 Mega Ste and TT series of computers.  Version 3.0 represents a major
 upgrade to Tracker/ST, with many exciting and powerful new features.
 Tracker/ST v3.0 will begin shipping on October 12th, 1991 at the WAACE
 Atarifest in Washington, DC.

 Some of Tracker/ST v3.0's new features include: One-click telephone
 dialing (modem required), duplicate-name warning when adding names, the
 ability to copy a single name from one database to another with a simple
 keyboard or mouse command, completely unlimited filtering, and a
 powerful new report which prints out Tracker/ST's unique Long Notes for
 as many people as the user requires, with one single command.

 "Telephone dialing, duplicate-name warning, and moving names between
 databases were the top three requested features for Tracker/ST," says
 Nevin Shalit, president of Step Ahead Software.  "For example, many of
 our users work with two files, a 'Leads' file and a 'Customers' file.
 Tracker/ST v3.0 lets you copy a name from the Leads file to the
 Customers file in an instant, with no retyping whatsoever.  It's the
 ultimate in convenience.  Similarly, the duplication warning system
 prevents you from accidentally adding a name that is already in your
 Tracker/ST database."

 Unlimited filtering is another major addition to Tracker/ST v3.0.  In
 previous versions only simple filters--such as people from the state of
 California--were permitted.  Version 3.0 of Tracker/ST lets you set any
 imaginable multiple filter for reports, mailing labels, and mail merges.
 Says Shalit, "This feature allows the Tracker/ST v3.0 user to target
 mailings and reports with unlimited precision."

 Other new features in Tracker/ST v3.0 include the ability to export
 names in any format (for use with WordPerfect, WordUp, WordFlair II, and
 virtually any other word processor or database), expanded default
 settings, and the ability to retain Tracker/ST's extended Long Notes
 when doing an export and import within the program.

 Of course, Tracker/ST v3.0 contains all the original features that have
 made it the leading program of its type for the Atari, including the
 ability to store an unlimited number of names in an unlimited number of
 separate files, label printing to all printers including laser printers
 and the Hewlett Packard Deskjet, and the world's easiest single-click
 mail merge system.  Tracker/ST's only requirements are 1 megabyte of RAM
 and a double sided disk drive.  The program is not copy protected and
 installs easily on any hard drive system.

 Step Ahead Software is also making a special introductory offer for
 Tracker/ST v3.0. Until the end of this year, Tracker/ST v3.0 will be
 available for the same $79.95 price as earlier versions of the program.
 On January 1st, 1992 the retail price of Tracker/ST v3.0 will rise to
 $99.95.

 Registered owners of Tracker/ST v2.0 and greater may upgrade to v3.0 for
 $25 ($30 after 1/1/92).  Users should not send in their original disk,
 but must include their completed registration card with their upgrade
 order if they have not already done so.

 For more information about Tracker/ST v3.0 please call Step Ahead
 Software at 212-627-5830.



 =======================================================================
 * PERUSING THE INTERNET                      Compiled by Bruce Hansford
 =======================================================================


 Date: 24 Sep 91 00:47:48 GMT
 >From: microsoft!darekm@uunet.uu.net (Darek MIHOCKA)
 Subject: Emulate?  What about the other way.

 CATHRYN@bdt.COM writes:
 >How about an ST emulator card which would fit into a slot of a PC
 >clone.  So I could run old ST software and clone software without
 >having computers take over the house!

 Yes, why emulate CGA graphics on a slow ST when you can run ST software
 on a Super VGA.

 GEMULATOR (Son of Xformer!) is in the works and I hope to have it ready
 by next summer.  It is a 68000 emulator for 386/486/ based PCs.  My
 latest benchmarks of the 68000 emulator are giving me .3 MIPS on a 386/
 20 and .9 MIPS on a 486/33.  In other works, 900,000 68000 instructions
 can be emulated on a 486/33 per second.  An 8 Mhz 68000 can at best
 execute 2 million instructions per second, but that's an ideal number.
 Typically, most software executes at about .5 MIPS.  So you can see that
 software-only emulation can be done on a 486 or a fast 386 can be done
 at real time.

 GEMULATOR is a 32-bit protect mode program, so it cannot run on a 286 or
 8086.  If you need any more info, send me private email.

 - Darek

 Darek Mihocka. Quick ST 3 for the ST/TT. All views expressed are my own.
 Branch Always Software, 14150 NE 20th St. Suite 302, Bellevue, WA  98007
 -----------------------------------------

 Date: 24 Sep 91 00:59:55 GMT
 >From: darling@arizona.edu (Thomas Darling)
 Subject: What to buy next...

 cmm1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Christopher M Mauritz) writes:

 > Atari was (and is to a lesser extent now) THE machine to own for MIDI
 > use.  The built in ports (but not MIDI thru) and a wealth of relatively
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
         Irrelevant.  Nobody needs MIDI THRU on their sequencer.

 > inexpensive software made it very attractive for this and many
 > professionals use Ataris exclusively.

 True, but not to the market specified.  The best MIDI programs for the
 Atari have always been $300+ for sequencers, $100+ for editor/libs.  And
 pros don't settle for built-in MIDI ports exclusively; they get multiple
 separate out systems like C-Lab's UNITOR.  Pros can't make do with only
 16 MIDI channels.

 > Well, that has changed.  There are now many more MIDI adapters and a
 > lot of software available for Mac and PC clones.

 Well, the Mac, Amiga, and IBM are really competing for the hobbyist
 market, the person who already owns a computer and decides to get into
 music.  In the U.S., there seem to be many Macs in pro studios, but not
 really any IBMs or Amigas.  And for studios with heavy MIDI bandwidth
 (using simultaneous sync and poly-key pressure, etc.) the Mac is not
 even an option; the beast will choke and cause all manner of timing
 nightmares.

 For whatever reason, only the Atari seems able to cope with severely
 jammed MIDI data in a timely manner.

 The Atari has a specific niche in the market.  It's not a big niche, but
 they're all alone in it.

 darling@cellar.UUCP \\\ Thomas Darling * record production * dance re-
 mixing uunet!cellar!darling \\\ Fact HQ Studio * The Cellar BBS:215/336
 -9503 * FACT
 ---------------------------------------

 Date: 24 Sep 91 14:02:59 GMT
 >From: micro@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Klaus Pedersen)
 Subject: ST Magazines (was Re: More Lies From Atari?)

 carter@cae.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) writes:
 >They would probably look a bit more professional looking if they would
 >simply dump the crappy ST DTP software they use to make the mag with.
 >PM 4.0/MS WORD 4.0 make a great combination and a much more capable
 >feature list to make DTP easier and more fun to do.

 I don't know what you are talking about, but some of the best looking
 ST mags are produced on an ST.  The list includes German TOS and the
 brand new Danish ST mag 'STT forum'.  There is also the DMC show-off
 mag. 'Cicero' (??) which started as a separate mag, but it is now given
 away with ST-magazin.

 All these mags. are produced on ST/TT with calamus and then photoset.
 --------------------------------------

 Date: 25 Sep 91 12:49:44 GMT
 >From: ggranger@arizona.edu (Greg Granger)
 Subject: What to buy next...

 Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes:

 > >The Atari has a specific niche in the market.  It's not a big niche,
 > >but they're all alone in it.

 > Unfortunately, the problem seems to be that not all the inhabitants of
 > this particular niche are aware of the fact that Atari "owns" the
 > turf...

 > A couple of years ago, I attended a live MIDI music concert as part of
 > the Summer Arts Festival at the University of Michigan...
 > The lady I was with looked in vain for Amigas on stage, and I did the
 > same for Atari computers...   not a one was to be seen.  The entire
 > concert was performed via Macintoshes and IBMs.

 > During the introductory talks by members of the School of Music
 > faculty, the word Atari was never even uttered.

 > Yes, I know Atari "owns" the MIDI market...  but someone seems to have
 > forgotten to tell everyone else.

 I just received my copy of the MACE (Midlands Atari Computer
 Enthusiasts) Newsletter in the mail yesterday, and one of the articles
 goes as follows:

 "ATARI BACK IN KEYBOARD - Atari is  back advertising in Keyboard
 magazine, the most widely read professional musician's magazine in the
 country.  In the August issue (with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman on the
 cover), Atari has taken co-op ads with C-Lab (Notator, Creator) and Dr.
 T (numerous editor/librarians and sequencers).  The Atari logo is large
 and clearly seen in both ads.  There will be an Atari/Dr. T ad in
 Electronic Musician this month as well.  Bob Brodie of Atari says,
 "We've also done similar things in PC-related magazines with some of our
 Portfolio developers."

 They also make mention that the CDAR505 will be shipped in September,
 and FSM GDOS will be shipped around Oct. 1 (I'll believe it when I see
 it!).  Unfortunately for the CDAR505, "it won't even work on an ST
 machine as shipped.  Instead of having the ACSI/DMA port and a SCSI port
 as announced, it will have only the 'pure SCSI' port that is the
 industry standard.  It'll plug right into a TT or a MAC, or any computer
 that has a SCSI host adaptor.  So ST owners will need to use an ICD or
 other host unit to access the CD player."
 ---------------------------------------



 =======================================================================
 * Z*NET SOFTWARE SHELF                                by Ron Berinstein
 =======================================================================


 105 degrees has been the normal daily temperature around Los Angeles and
 the valleys here in southern California for the past few days.  Lucky
 for most computer users that their equipment is usually installed in
 cool environments!  I guess that proves that learning how to use your
 Atari will provide you a more comfortable style of living!...  <smile>

 Here at the Software Shelf school we are finding it difficult to believe
 that summer has even left us.  Knowing it has though, I have taken the
 liberty of providing a list of possibilities for you to choose from.  So
 here they are, files to make a "cool" environment even cooler!

 First, files for the those of you in statistics class..

 BSTAT241.LZH  is a sophisticated graphing and statistical analysis
 program.  B/STAT requires 1 megabyte and a double sided drive.  When
 this shareware program is registered you receive an apx. 175 page manual
 explaining how easy it is to use! <smile>   This is an in depth program,
 and it was designed for the serious user.

 STOCK32.ARC  STock->Smart, the program's name, has evolved.  With the
 addition of a portfolio spread sheet, up to seven charts on screen at
 one time, calculation of portfolio value with a single key press,
 automatic chart group loading, automatic chart updates from new data,
 very user friendly, and this is still a Shareware program!  Graphic
 oriented, and is designed to use the Stock data available from GEnie.

 CHCKBOOK.ARC  This is a newer version of the original.  It includes some
 important error fixes and easier to use interface.  This program is a
 checkbook program that sorts your transactions by date.  It is easy to
 use and very functional!

 And for those with publishing majors...

 GRTCON21.LZH  Converts ASCII files to 1ST WORD format.  Also it receives
 ASCII files via the serial port, and either saves them as ASCII or
 converts them to 1ST WORD format.  Those with Calamus that can import
 1st Word format, as well as others, might find this program useful.
 LZH201d was used to compress this file.

 FONTEQ.ARC This is a modified FONTEQV.V2 file for Pagestream version
 2.1.  There is a DOC file in this arc.  SPEEDS UP SCREEN DISPLAYS UP TO
 60% !!!  A must have for pagestream 2.1 users.  READ THE DOC FILE FIRST.

 24BIT.ARC is a short 24 Bit Color discussion contained in a few recent
 GEnie *PHOTO, electronic photography, SIG messages.  Also a request for
 feedback - here is the chance to get Atari's capability in this area at
 least mentioned if you know something about it.  If you like what you
 read here go back and get at least the rest of Sept's *PHOTO, Cat. 25
 (all topics) messages.

 And for a BIT of confusion... another file with the same name!

 24BIT.ARC will allow you to switch the TT to using 24 bit addresses.
 This lets some programs that would otherwise abort, run on the TT.
 However, normally it should not need be used.  The majority of the
 programs it makes usable were compiled with older versions of GFA Basic.
 (Listed as 24bit_.arc on CodeHead)

 And for the knowlegeable user...

 PPUR37.LZH  Prichard's Pursuer 3.7, PRG & ACC.  Automatically handles
 all chores of using PC Pursuit.  Calls up to 100 BBS's, tracks & logs
 chargeable connect time (avoid the 30 hour cap), links to your term
 program's scripts/macros/recordings.  New features--uses key commands.
 *Shareware*  LZH201d was used to compress this file.

 MDDPATCH.ARC  This program will patch your copy of MultiDesk Deluxe from
 CodeHead Software, eliminating a couple of small bugs and updating it to
 version 3.2.  Directions are included in the patch program.  And
 remember -- CodeHead Software means support!

 RAMFILES.LZH  This is a very nice ramdisk auto-loader.  It can have
 configuration files and load in files from multiple drives/directories.
 It will also back them up with .BAK extensions added to the old files if
 you wish.

 UNCLEVOL.ARC  provides help for those who are tired of formatting a disk
 just to change it's name..?  This wee accessory\program lets you change
 a floppy OR hard disks Volume Label (aka Disk Label) at ANY time!

 And finally for this week, your astronomy teacher has asked me to assign
 you these files to explore.

 GNOMPLOT.ARC  shows the stars at several limiting magnitudes &
 magnifications.  *You can click on a star and have all the stars in the
 contellation blink on and off, great for learning the constellations!*
 Unusual projection scheme is designed for plotting meteor trails.  You
 will like this planetarium program, it also generates nice stellar
 backgrounds for art.

 MOONCRAT.ARC is German, but highly useable.  It shows the Moon with
 phase for any date, with over a hundred main craters and the Apollo,
 Surveyor, and Lunakhod landing sites.  Use ARC602ST.TTP or other current
 ARC utility to extract.  TESTED->TOS 1.0/1.4 MONO WORKS BEST COLOR
 MISSES SEVERAL FEATURES INCLUDES GFA BASIC RUNTIME PROGRAM.

 The above files were compiled by Ron Berinstein co-sysop CodeHead
 Quarters BBS (213) 461-2095 from files that were either directly
 uploaded to CodeHead Quarters BBS, or downloaded from GEnie, Compuserve,
 and Delphi online services.


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 GENIE
 To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369.  Upon
 connection type HHH (RETURN after that).  Wait for the U#= prompt.  Type
 XJM11877,GEnie  and  hit  RETURN.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 COMPUSERVE
 To sign up for CompuServe service, call 800-848-8199.  Ask for operator
 198.  You will be sent a $15.00 free membership kit.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Z*NET  Atari Online Magazine is a weekly publication covering the  Atari
 and related computer community.   Material contained in this edition may
 be  reprinted  without  permission  except  where  noted,  unedited  and
 containing the issue number, name and author included at the top of each
 article  reprinted.   Opinions  presented are those  of  the  individual
 author  and  does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the  staff  of
 Z*Net   Online.    This  publication  is  not  affiliated   with   Atari
 Corporation.   Z*Net,  Z*Net  Atari  Online and Z*Net News  Service  are
 copyright (c)1991,  Rovac Industries Incorporated,  Post Office Box  59,
 Middlesex,  New Jersey 08846-0059.  Voice (908) 968-2024, BBS (908) 968-
 8148 at 1200/2400 Baud 24 hours a day.   We can be reached on Compuserve
 at PPN 75300,1642 and on GEnie at address: Z-Net.  FNET NODE 593
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       Z*NET Atari Online Magazine
                Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Industries, Inc..
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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