STix - June 1991
From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 03/02/94-12:43:29 PM Z
From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: STix - June 1991
Date: Wed Mar 2 12:43:29 1994
STix
----------
ST Information Exchange JUNE 1991
A Monthly Publication of the ST Information Exchange
[---------------------------------------------------------------]
| IN THIS ISSUE |
| ------------- |
| From the Editor's Mess |
| |
| PD Picks |
| |
| Club Election Results |
| |
| Nibbled News |
[---------------------------------------------------------------]
>From the Editor's Mess
----------------------
Surprised? It has been quite some time since STiX has put
together a newsletter. Getting this newsletter probably surprises
you as much as finding out I was editor surprised me.
A couple of months ago, I mentioned I was interested in the
job. "I might be able to do it," I said. "Give me a couple of
old newsletters and the programs I need, and I'll see if I can."
And they handed me the club's PageStream, some fonts, some image
files, and patted me on the back. Instant Editor -- Just Add
Software.
Now, out of excuses, I present the first of a monthly
newsletter. I would like to thank everyone involved with the
effort for their patience. I would like to especially thank John
Cummins, the other editor (no head honcho in this outfit!). He
let me borrow his monochrome monitor so I could finish putting
this little paper together. (Actually, I think he loaned it
knowing I'd be really embarrassed to not have something ready
by the time he came to get it. Am I right, John?)
John and I hope the newsletters will be as informative and
up-to-date as a monthly publication can be. They will definitely
get larger as we discover the direction we want them to take. I
would like to get input from you, the readers, too. What would
you like to see here? Software reviews? Hardware tests? Atari
rumors? Maybe you have an article you'd like us to use? You can
reach us at the Saturday meetings, since we usually attend those.
Also, you can contact us through John's BBS in Stillwater:
Erbid's Place
(405) 377-5819
Stillwater, OK
24 Hours 96/24/1200 Baud
Just leave a message to either Erbid (the SysOp)
or James Bond-007" (me).
----------
INFO-1: Throwing in the Towel?
An Editorial Comment
Although I didn't make it to the May meeting, I did make my
monthly journey to Info-1. What I saw disturbed me. It seems
that Info-1 has removed half of Atari's display area, replacing it
with IBM Windows software packages. All that remained of Atari
software was some aging games, a few applications, and a small
selection of hardware (Magic Sac, a mouse, etc.). Just a month
before, Info-1 had moved its STacy display unit next to the
software shelves. Although the best place to show a computer
probably is next to its software, the STacy is now gone. All that
remains is a lone unit in the display room which looks like it is
slowly being dismantled and sold in parts.
When I leafed through the magazines, it seemed to me that
many new items were being released for the ST. The European mags
had their usual glossy pictorials of many new games. ST Informer
spoke of recent developments in desktop publishing software. Why
was Info-1 decreasing their Atari stock? It is the last bastion
for Atari users in Oklahoma City.
I hope to ask them the next time I visit the store. I hope
to be able to relay either better news or a good explanation in
the next newsletter. Until that time, I have to say if Info-1 is
throwing in the Atari towel, it will be a sad thing for Oklahoma
City. Despite rumors, I have never had a problem returning bad
software or getting assistance there. Although mail-order is
often cheaper, recent experiences have made me appreciate checking
out at least the box before a purchase. (More on that, perhaps,
in my next editorial.) Losing Info-1 as an outlet can only
further frustrate Oklahoma Atari users starved for the latest
software and hardware. (Where else can you find a selection of
Atari magazines like Info-1 has?) Let us hope this is a problem
with space limitations and not the tolling of a bell.
----------
So ends the gloom and doom. On to the news and events!
Your editor,
Michael D. Lewis
PD Picks
--------
This will be a monthly column devoted to spotlighting public
domain and shareware programs. The programs may not necessarily
be new, but the person who contributed the information has found
them particularly useful. These programs can usually be located
on a BBS near you or at a STiX meeting. Filenames may vary.
DCRTCALL.ARC This program from Double Click allows you to press
the right mouse button to call a file selector. It
will also call custom file selectors such as UIS
and Little Green.
DCPOPBAR.ARC Another Double Click product. By pressing the
right mouse button, the user gets menu bar
selections at the location of the mouse.
PAPACNT.ARC The Paperless Accountant. A small program which
helps you keep track of checking, credit, and loan
accounts. It allows you to customize the entry
notations (I changed Heating Oil to Natural Gas,
for example). A good feature is the option to have
cashflow charted by bargraph. Being "paperless,"
it is a good program for someone like me who only
cares to supplement his checkbook figuring.
MOUSER.ARC Those drop-down menus bothering you while you're
working at the top of your document? MOUSER will
not allow the pointer to enter the menu bar until
the right mouse button is pressed.
RAMBABY.ARC An upgrade of the INTERSECT RAMDisk. RAMBABY allows
you to allocate your ramdisk's size through a desk
accessory. Could be handy when you need that extra
few K to download from your favorite BBS or to
print your work.
SUPRBT70.LZH SuperBoot, a program which allows you to choose
programs and desk accessories at boot-up, has
been upgraded. The latest version, 7.0, still
allows you to define function keys for various
program startups and more. Added are frills such
as digitized sounds played at the same time a
picture is displayed during boot-up.
Club Election Results
---------------------
Officers for the year of 1991 were elected a couple of months
ago. Although it is no longer news, here is the list of those
elected (or appointed . . . heh heh) to STiX posts.
President Steve Balch
Vice President Fred Hoipkemeier
Secretary Kenneth Love
Treasurer Carolyn Lumry
Librarian Moh Severson
Editors Michael Lewis
John Cummins
Hospitality Bill Puckett
Communications Bill Hallman
Belated congratulations (or condolences . . . heh heh) to
everyone. Here's to another good year for STiX.
Nibbled News
------------
The following informative tidbits were taken from various
sources. Two of the sources were the online electronic magazines
Z*NET INTERNATIONAL and STREPORT. For those of you with modems
who cannot find these on a BBS near you, it would be worth your
time to convince a SysOp to carry them.
STart Magazine Finished?
STart Magazine, published by Antic Publishing, announced that
publication will cease until the magazine is sold. Twenty
thousand subscribers will be given substitute subscriptions to
other publications. STart was the only "slick" commercial,
independent magazine produced in the United States. Remaining are
Atari's bi-monthly Atari Explorer, the newsprint mags ST Informer
and AtariUser, and various user group publications.
Atari VP Speaks Up
Richard Miller, the Atari Vice-President of Research and
Development, recently answered questions for GEnie users in an
online conference. His first comments were directed toward the
concern for high-density (1.44mb or so) floppy drive mechanisms.
Although no machines have been shipped with such mechanisms, he
pointed out the announcement that inexpensive upgrades will be
available in the near future. Miller did say that Atari will be
offering hard drives up to 600mb before year's end.
The new Atari laptop, the ST Book, should be shipping after
the Dusseldorf Atari show and will cost around $1500. Miller
confirmed that Atari is developing a palmtop computer. Miller
announced that the Mega STE received FCC Class B approval on May
15, 1991.
New STs on the Way
The Mega/STe computers are coming! The new 16mHz, TT-styled machines
are now shipping to the U.S. and Canada at new reduced prices: $1,699
retail for a 2 meg RAM, 50 mbyte hard drive unit. A Mega/STe 1 may
become available at or below $1,000 that would have only one meg of RAM
and no hard drive, allowing the user to upgrade as he desires later.
ST Package for Schools
D.A. Brumleve of KIDPRGS announced that his company offers an
ST package designed for preschool through Grade 1. The package
includes a 1040STe, 11 programs, mouse and mousepad. The programs
include public domain and commercial software specially modified
to suit the needs of the classroom setting. He presented
it at the Midwest Association for the Education of Young Children
conference in Des Moines, April 18-20, and it was well-received by
onlookers.
Interested teachers and directors of preschools, day care
centers, at-risk programs, or Kindergarten-Grade 1 can contact
Brumleve at 217-337-1937 to request information and literature.
MULTIGEM Arrives
Are you a power uslways looking for that extra
modification, gadget, or patch that will squeeze an extra
nanosecond of speed or add another use to your ST? If you have
seen the higher-end Macintosh machines, then you may have been
envious of their multi-tasking ability. REVOLVER and various
other switching programs are nice, but they are not true multi-
tasking. Now there is MULTIGEM.
MULTIGEM uses the accessory slots of the desktop for
programs. Up to six programs may be loaded at a time. If
the program is written for MULTIGEM then it will actually run
along with other programs. Otherwise, MULTIGEM will load multiple
programs in separate windows and allow you to switch between them.
Reports are that MULTIGEM works on all STs and TTs, although
only with the original desktop. Desktops which replace GEM
generally are not compatible. MULTIGEM and an accelerator board
could make a very productive combination.
[----------------------------------------------------------------]
|The _STix Newsletter_ is a monthly publication of the ST Infor- |
|mation Exchange (STix). STix is a place for people who own or |
|are interested in Atari ST, Mega ST, STe, and TT line of compu- |
|ters to meet and discuss common interests. Any use of brand |
|names, company names, logos, and other proprietary items associ-|
|ated with companies mentioned in the _STix Newsletter_ are |
|intended as a means of identifying said companies and are not |
|meant to infringe upon the owner's rights. All articles are the|
|sole property of the authors and reflect the author's views. |
|Articles do not necessarily reflect the views of _STix News- |
|letter_, ST Information Exchange, its officers, or its members. |
|Attempts have been made to give proper credit wherever it is |
|necessary. |
[----------------------------------------------------------------]
STix Officers: Pres. : Steve Balch _STix Newsletter
V.P. : Fred Hoipkemeier is always looking
Sec. : Kenneth Love for articles. If
Treas. : Carolyn Lumry you would like to
Lib. : Moh Severson contribute, you
News Ed.: Michael Lewis may send it to our
Hosp't'.: Bill Puckett address or give it
Comm. : Bill Hallman an officer.
STix Newsletter June 1991
--
Michael Lewis "Now that you're dead, your usefulness
ar224/ CWRU Freenet to me has ended!! But I'll keep your
shoes. HA HA HA!!" -- Lightning Bug
'J-Men Forever'
-----------------------------------------
Return to message index
