ST Report: 12-Jan-96 #1202

From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 01/22/96-12:10:03 AM Z


From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: ST Report: 12-Jan-96 #1202
Date: Mon Jan 22 00:10:03 1996



                             
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January 12, 1996                                                   No.1202

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 - CPU Industry Report    - Low Cost Items!     - Corel 6 Update
 - MS Layoff Coming?      - Chip Sales UP 40%   - Internet Hangover?
 - More Pentium Power     - Compu-Toys          - Internet Studio
 - SONY PSX Cheats        - People Talking      - Jaguar NewsBits

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               Apple Loss Higher Than Anticipated!




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>From the Editor's Desk...

     The Internet is bustin' loose.. The Games coming down the pipeline are
as plentiful and dandelions in a summer field.  But. most important of all
are the herds of new and updated applications for Windows 95/NT.  Before all
the "cry babies" get started about "being picked on" for their using the
wrong operating system or, being on the wrong platform, this editorial is
for informational purposes only and does not reflect or allude to any
persons, places or situations both now or perhaps in the afterlife!  <g>
It never ceases to amaze me that no sooner does an issue come out in which
the wonders of being part of a supported and thriving platform are made
mention of, almost immediately the accusations of putting down those who are
not on this platform begin to fly.

     The computing community is growing in leaps and bounds.  We now have
.Intel Pentium 166's (that's FAST!) and higher, Itel Triton II Chipsets,
Sync Burst Pipeline Cache on all Motherboards, EDO or Regular RAM, 8x CD-ROM
drives, inexpensive hard disks, etc., the choices are "multitudinous"!  I
might add, it keeps getting better all the time.  As a result, most every
facet of this platform's vitality is alive with innovation and positive
growth.  The wonders that are "just around the corner" in the areas of both
sound and video are going to astound everyone.  The downside is slight.
Slight even for those who have yet to migrate to this platform.  Many
manufacturers and consultants realize the anxiety and intimidation involved
in making the move.  Steps are being taken to ease the transition phase.

     Software, Experience, Learning Curves and Cost are the seriously
intimidating factors  All can be, in one way or another, easily overcome.
All that's required is a tiny bit of courage and a minimal investment.  The
staggering prices are no longer there for entry participants.  Of course,
with some relatively careful planning ahead, one can enter this platform
pretty much prepared for the future at a minimum of initial expense.

     Beginning next week, there will be a series of articles detailing the
advantages of making the change, how to go about it and most of all, the
pitfalls to avoid.  Hopefully, in this series of articles we can plot a
course together and make the move painless and at the same time, cost
effective.  Don't miss the series. "Changing Platforms Painlessly".

                                   Ralph.


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                           STReport Headline News
                                      
                      LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS

                   Weekly Happenings in the Computer World

                        Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson


Online is Lifeline for Blizzard '96     While  some scoff at the notion  of
Many   victims   of  the   infamous     low-cost  gadgets that use  TV  and
Blizzard of 1996 are at home and at     the phone to let people find online
their computers -- giving and often     data on the Internet and elsewhere,
requesting  advice  and  help.  The     the  idea  got broad support  among
record-setting snowstorm has closed     computer executives at the Consumer
major avenues of transportation  on     Electronics  Show this  weekend  in
the  East  Coast from  airports  to     Las  Vegas.   Business writer  Evan
highways, transforming city streets     Ramstad  of  the  Associated  Press
into  icy  expanses  more  fit  for     reports several companies soon will
skiers than drivers.  As has  often     begin    selling   network   access
been the case in other emergencies,     devices that cost $200 to $500,  an
CompuServe   members   are   coming     idea  that  has been  promoted  for
together    through   the    online     months  by  companies such  as  Sun
community  to  ease  isolation  and     Microsystems Inc. and Oracle Corp.
offer  solace  to  others.  Weather     Ramstad  notes some PC  makers  and
Channel  Forum  member  Sandy  Rice     analysts have scorned the idea that
writes,  "I'm  from Louisville  and     people  will  want  something  less
got  17  inches of snow. The  roads     than  a  full-featured system  that
are  too dangerous to go out but  I     starts     at    around     $1,500.
need food. My son is out of school.     Nonetheless, some major players  --
Until  a salt truck comes I'm stuck     including  Compaq  Computer  Corp.,
in  my subdivision. Should I try to     Packard  Bell Electronics Inc.  and
get out or stay in my house?"           Acer  America Inc. -- all told  the
Dave Hall, answering from "under 20     wire  service their developers were
inches  on  Long  Island,"  writes,     playing with different, less costly
"I'd   have  to  recommend  risking     designs focused on network access.
it...cabin  fever is  no  fun,  but     For   instance,  Paul  Chapple,   a
running  out  of food and  supplies     spokesman  for Philips  Electronics
isn't    either...do    you    have     Inc.,   said   his   employer    is
neighbors   who  have  four   wheel     developing a $400 phone to  connect
capability?   Best   not   to   get     to  the  World Wide Web through  an
depressed about it, and give  it  a     online  service that will  reformat
try!  Be  careful,  and  be  safe."     data  on  a  small  screen.    "The
Brian  Foy says, "All the  airports     executives  said they  realize  PCs
are closed as well as New York City     won't ever reach as many households
being under a "Snow Emergency".  As     as  TVs  and  telephones,"  Ramstad
long as everyone stays safe, I love     writes, "but that something will be
the snow. We got around two feet of     needed  to  let everyone reach  the
the  white fluffy stuff.  Pull  out     information      available       in
those sleds and snow shoes."            cyberspace."  Ramstad cited several
By  typing  GO BLIZZARD, CompuServe     devices introduced at CES:
members  can connect to the Weather     z      The   $500  Pippin  cyber-CD
Crisis Menu, listing "Blizzard News       player, designed by Apple Computer
Clips,"  The Weather Channel  Forum       Inc.  and  made first by  Japan's
and  the  CompuServe Weather  area.       Bandai Co. Ltd. It will go on sale
The  Weather  Channel Forum  topics       in  Japan in April and the United
include      conferences       with       States    this   summer.    Other
forecasters       and        on-air       manufacturers also are expected to
meteorologists, library  files  and       make Pippin, which connects to a TV
message  sections.  To  share  your       like a video game machine. It can
personal experiences of the  storm,       play video games, music CDs, send
GO  TWCFORUM,  Message  Section  6,       and receive email, and use Netscape
"Snow and Ice Center," "I'm trapped       software to browse the World Wide
in the Blizz," "Weekend snowstorm -       Web.
-   NY,"   "Buried,"  and   related     z     The $200 Telesmart 4000 by US
threads.!                                 Order    and    Colonial     Data
 Low-Cost Net Devices Coming Soon
Technologies  Inc.,  that  will  be     Tandem  Computers  Inc.   From  the
  adopted to receive email in a few     company's   Cupertino,  California,
  months.                               United  Press International reports
z      A  $300  box  from  ViewCall     Pieper,    who   has   served    as
  America,   a  unit  of   Colorocs     president/CEO   of   Tandem's    UB
  Information Technologies Inc., that   Networks subsidiary since 1993,  is
  attaches  to the TV and  provides     pledging  to focus the  company  on
  World Wide Web access.                "open" system products designed  to
z      A  modem  and  service  from     interconnect  with  a  variety   of
  Catapult Entertainment Inc.  that     different      brands.       Pieper
  allows Sega or Nintendo video games   previously  was  president/CEO   of
  to  be played across phone lines.     AT&T's  UNIX  Systems  Laboratories
  When  players  are  done  with  a     and is credited with turning around
  session of NBA Jam, they can check    the unit from significant losses to
  their Internet email.                 profits  in  less than a  year  and
Zip Drive Gets Portable Power Pack      moving  the  UNIX  system  into   a
Iomega   Corp.   has   unveiled   a     strong  commercial market  position
portable  power pack  for  its  Zip     based on open-systems standards.
drive.  The company, based in  Roy,     Said    Pieper,   "Most   of    our
Utah,  says the rechargeable  power     technologies   have   always   been
pack will be targeted at people who     brought   to  market  with  closed,
want  use  the Zip drive in  remote     proprietary technology. We're going
locations.   When  recharging   the     to    take   advantage   of    more
battery,  users can plug the  power     opportunities to get our technology
pack  directly into a wall  socket,     to  market."   He said Tandem  also
alleviating the need for additional     will    seek    to    expand    its
chargers or power cords.                partnerships with other   high-tech
With  an estimated average run-time     companies  in order to broaden  its
of  approximately  two  hours,  the     product  line and lower its prices.
power  pack weighs less than  eight     Treybig  remains on Tandem's  board
ounces and is about the size  of  a     of directors and will assist Pieper
deck  of cards.  Iomega's Zip drive     in the transition. Pieper will join
uses  100MB disks to provide up  to     the  board and Tandem's board  will
70    times    the   capacity    of     add  several  new  members  in  the
traditional floppy disks with  hard     coming  months  with  the  goal  of
disk-like performance. The unit  is     bringing  in additional  experience
available in parallel port and SCSI     from the computer industry.
versions for about $200. The  disks       Sun Sets Up Separate Java Unit
sell for $15 each.                      Sun  Microsystems Inc. has spun off
"Many  of  our customers carry  the     a separate unit to handle Java, the
Zip drive between work and home, or     evolving  programming  language  it
are  using  it on the road  with  a     developed for the Internet. To head
notebook   computer,"   says   Andy     the  new  division, Sun has  chosen
Grolnick, Iomega's Zip product line     Alan Baratz, formerly president/CEO
manager.  "The new Zip  power  pack     of  Delphi Internet Services  Corp.
gives these mobile professionals  a     Sun   President/Chairman/CEO  Scott
new  level of portability, allowing     McNealy    told    United     Press
them   to   use  their  Zip   drive     International, "We're privileged to
anywhere."   The  power   pack   is     have someone of Alan's stature  and
expected  to ship this  spring  for     background       leading       this
under $50.                              organization.   His    15    years'
   Roel Pieper Named Tandem CEO         experience    in    high-technology
Replacing  company  founder   James     engineering      and      executive
Treybig after 22 years, 39-year-old     management is just what we need  to
Roel  Pieper has been named CEO  of     grow  this critical aspect  of  our
                                        business."
                                        Before  assuming the leadership  of
                                        Delphi,    Baratz    held    senior
management  positions with  IBM  in     "The  sales and orders results  for
New   York,  culminating  in  being     the first nine months of 1995 point
named  IBM  director  of  strategic     to  another  full  year  of  record
development.     Of    Java,    UPI     improvement     for      U.S.-based
comments,  "Since its  introduction     technology companies," says William
last  year, Java has emerged  as  a     T.  Archey, president and  CEO,  of
budding   standard  for  developing     the Washington- based trade group.
Internet   and   World   Wide   Web      Windows Newsletter Debuts on Web
content. It has been successful  in     IDG  Newsletter Corp. says  it  has
large part, industry trackers said,     launched the first World Wide  Web-
because  it  is  not  tied  to  any     based    newsletter   for   Windows
particular  operating   system   or     professionals.   The   Boston-based
microprocessor."                        company    says    its    Winsurfer
McNealy     added,    "Java     has     publication  will  aim  to  provide
revolutionized programming for  the     readers  with  tips and  techniques
Internet    and    other    complex     they  can use to get the most  from
networks.        Creating        an     Windows 95 and Windows NT.
infrastructure     around      this     A   sample  issue  of  the  monthly
revolutionary technology will  help     publication   can  be   viewed   at
us  get the power of Java to  every     http://www.idgnews.com/win95.  A 12-
software  developer for the  public     month  subscription  is  priced  at
Internet  and corporate  intranets,     $49.00.
and  develop  Java as the  Internet      IBM Had Most U.S. Patents in 1995
programming standard."                  IBM Corp. was awarded the most U.S.
Analysts  seem pleased  with  Sun's     patents   for  the  third  straight
move, saying creation of a separate     year,   receiving  a  record  1,383
division shows just how bullish Sun     patents  from the U.S.  Patent  and
has  become  about  Java's  future.     Trademark  Office  in  1995  --  27
Philip  Rueppel of Alex. Brown  and     percent   more   than   any   other
Sons   told   the   wire   service,     company.   The previous record  was
"Essentially,  this indicates  that     1,298  U.S. patents, set by IBM  in
Sun sees the vitality of Java as  a     1994.   IBM  also  led  with  1,087
long-term    solution    and     by     patents  in  1993, the  first  year
separating it, they can make a play     since 1985 that a company based  in
at   making  Java  self-sustaining.     the  U.S.  received the  most  U.S.
They  want  to  capitalize  on  the     patents.
momentum Java has gained."              Trailing  IBM  in the  top  10  for
 U.S. Electronics Sales Set Record      1995, according to IFI/Plenum  Data
New   figures  from  the   American     Corp.,  were  Canon KK,  which  had
Electronics Association  show  that     1,088  patents,  Motorola  (1,012),
worldwide  sales  of  U.S.-produced     NEC  (1,005) Mitsubishi Denki  Ltd.
electronics  products and  services     (971), Toshiba (970), Hitachi  Ltd.
increased 17.4 percent to a  record     (909),  Matsushita  (852),  Eastman
$334.7  million in the  first  nine     Kodak  (772)  and General  Electric
months  of 1995 compared with  $285     (757).
billion   the  same  1994   period.     The   IBM   patents   were   almost
Orders for electronics products and     exclusively   in   the   field   of
services also set a record  in  the     information  processing.   "We  are
first   three  quarters  of   1995,     pleased with the ranking and   will
rising   19.2  percent  to   $339.0     continue  to  work  hard  to  bring
billion from $284.5 billion in  the     these    innovations   to    market
year-earlier period.                    quickly,"  says  Marshall   Phelps,
Third quarter sales increased  17.1     Jr., vice president of intellectual
percent  to  $115.1  billion   from     property and licensing services for
$98.3   billion  in  the   year-ago     IBM.  "IBM  continues to invest  in
period. Orders rose 18.0 percent to     key    technological   areas   like
$114.8  billion from $97.3 billion.
software, networking, data  storage     associate  dean  of the  Wiesenthal
and   microelectronics  --  as  our     center, based in Los Angeles,  says
patent portfolio for 1995 attests."     the some 250 U.S.-based hate groups
      CD-ROM Lists Trademarks           now  "have  a magnificent marketing
Business    owners    looking    to     technology  dumped in their  laps."
trademark  a  new product  can  now     He adds, "They are able to dress up
take  advantage of a CD-ROM  that's     their  message in a way that  looks
designed to offer low-cost security     ... presentable."
against   trademark   infringement.     Notes   Webster,  "The   Wiesenthal
The  Trademark Checker contains the     Center's  request  is  part  of   a
fully  searchable text of all  U.S.     growing    debate   over    whether
federal  trademarks  --  registered     Internet  service providers  should
and  pending,  live  and  dead   --     be viewed as publishers responsible
dating back to 1884.  "You'll still     for  what  moves on their networks,
need   a   trademark  attorney   to     or   carriers  who  simply  provide
process  the application and  do  a     access   to   a   service   without
thorough search of state and common     monitoring  what is  communicated."
law  databases. However,  with  the     While  the Wiesenthal Center argues
Trademark Checker you can  do  most     the  services  are  publishers  who
of   the  work  yourself  and  save     have a civic responsibility not  to
thousands of dollars in legal  fees     promote   bigotry,   Godwin    says
by   screening  out  names  already     Internet   providers   should    be
taken," says Peter Tracy, president     treated   like  bookstores,   which
of  East  Haven,  Connecticut-based     exercise  some  control  when  they
MicroPatent,  which  publishes  the     decide  to  specialize  in  science
software.  The CD-ROM can  also  be     fiction  instead of mysteries,  but
used   by  publishers,  advertising     are not expected to read every book
agencies, publicists and others who     and  be  held responsible  for  the
need   to   check  for  trademarked     books' contents.
words.  The Trademark Checker sells      More Execs Leave Struggling Apple
for $199. Additional information is     More   top  executives  have   left
available  on  MicroPatent's  World     struggling   Apple  Computer   Inc.
Wide       Web      home      page:     Barbara    Krause,   the   computer
http://www.micropat.com.                maker's vice president of corporate
 Group Wants Ban of Net Hate Sites      communications,  and  one  of   the
The  Simon  Wiesenthal  Center,   a     company's  highest  ranking   women
leading Jewish human rights  group,     executives,  has  resigned.   Keith
has   began  sending  hundreds   of     Fox,  vice  president of  the  home
letters    to    Internet    access     division, has also left the firm.
providers asking them to refuse  to     The San Francisco Chronicle reports
carry    messages   that   "promote     that three other high-ranking Apple
racism,  anti-Semitism, mayhem  and     executives are leaving: Jim  Groff,
violence."   The effort  has  drawn     vice    president   of    education
fire  from  civil libertarians  and     marketing;  Peter  Friedman,   vice
access  providers, who argue public     president  and general  manager  of
debate  is the way to defeat  hate.     online     services;    and     Don
Mike Godwin, staff counsel for  the     Strickland,   vice   president   of
Electronic   Frontier   Foundation,     business   and  government   sales.
told    Associated   Press   writer     According  to the newspaper,  Apple
Katharine   Webster  the   Internet     plans   to   announce  company-wide
allows  users  to "show  the  whole     layoffs  after Jan.  17,  when  the
world  what's wrong about what  the     company  will release first quarter
hate  speakers  are  saying."   And     results that could include a  loss.
CompuServe spokesman William  Giles     Apple   hasn't  commented  on   the
told the wire service, "The correct     report.
place to try and put pressure is on          Microsoft Layoffs Coming?
the  people who create the content,     Word  around  Washington  state  is
not  the person who provides accessthat Microsoft Corp. is planning to
lay  off  some employees.   Quoting
from  a report in the Seattle Post-
Intelligencer            newspaper,
Computergram   International   this
morning  noted rumors of  impending
cutbacks  have been circulating  in
Microsoft's   Redmond,  Washington,
headquarters for more than a month.
"Adding  to the uncertainty,"  says
the  newsletter,  "are  lower-than-
expected retail sales of Windows 95
and  a  refocusing of the company's
software development efforts to try
to    get    aboard   the   rampant
Internet."
to   it."   Rabbi  Abraham  Cooper,


Corel Updates STR Focus
                                      
                                      
                           CorelDRAW 6.0 Build 169
                        Significant Fixes & Features

CorelDRAW Module
User Interface
z    the Layers roll-up would crash when using some 16-bit mouse TSRs under
  Windows95
z    ToolTips for the Node Edit roll-up will now display when the roll-up
has focus
File I/O
z    inability to reopen a file saved as vers. 5. Format in vers. 5.0
z    inability to open some files saved to 5.0 format which contained
bitmaps, when reopening in 6.0
z    AI export improved when exporting text objects
z    no 22-byte 'placeable' header is created on WMF portion of EPS export -
  IPF generated when importing large EPS file with WMF headers
z    New feature: the CMX format can now be opened and saved directly within
  CorelDRAW.
z    Guidelines/Rulers/Grids
z    the moving of slanted guidelines by grabbing with the cursor - snapping
to slanted guidelines
z    Feet weren't marked on the ruler correctly when using Imperial
measurement units
z    several Grid Frequency problems with the grid was set to Meters, Feet,
Miles or Km's
Text/Styles
z    files from previous versions which contained text with line spacing set
  to points was opening with inflated values in Version 6.0.  These files will
  now open to line spacing at 100% of character height.
  Drawing/Editing/Attribute Tools
z    Auto Reduce numeric on Shape Tool Properties was set to .00002.  This
  is now .004.
z    some imported B&W bitmaps were coming in with 256 color palettes - they
wouldn't accept outline or fill assignment
Special Effects
z    couldn't Contour a long string of text
z    unable to edit PowerClips on pages other than Page 1
z    Fit Text to Path roll-up would become unavailable if the roll-up was
'unpinned'
Printing
z    Hairline outlines on plotters were drawn as thicker polycurves - non-PS
  copies were being reset following each job
z    2-sided printing was sometimes not stopping at 50% to allow for paper
flip

Corel PHOTO-PAINT 6.0 Build 169 Significant Fixes Editing Operations
z    Attempting to do a Cut or Copy twice would cause an IPF.
z    Attempting to delete 3 or more Objects at once would cause a lock-up. -
  Attempting to Undo List 16/256 color images after Clr Adj/Transform Effect,
  cause an IPF.
z    Pen, Eraser and Color Replacer strokes were not working for Stroke
  Mask. Effects
z    Attempting to apply a Displacement Map or Canvas in the Effects would
not work.
z    Selecting F1 (default .acl to Help) when Effect list is displayed would
cause an IPF.

File I/O
z    Attempting to open TIFF files with Alpha channels would not work.
z    Attempting to Save a Read Only image would cause an immediate shut-
down. File Management
z    Attempting to suspend printing using the Task Progress Manager would
cause an IPF.

OLE Operations
z    Attempting to select DRAW app during Resample in Paint when doing an
  OLE In-Place Edit would cause an IPF.

Scripts
z    Running a script with no file open would cause an IPF.

User Interface
z    Custom Color Palette would not be maintained; Palette would go back to
  default.

Corel PRESENTS 6.0 Build 169 Significant Fixes New Features:
z    Import Corel SHOW 5 files
z    Paragraph options dialog now available to adjust bullet, indent and tab
spacing
z    New improvements under Win NT:  Runtime Player is now available - Fancy
  coloured bullets now available in the Layout library
z    Import .txt files to CHART data sheet UI/Performance
z    Tooltips available within Libraries dialog for Layouts
z    Speed has been increased in the Libraries and in slide sorter.
z    Generate Slide in Advance option has been added to allow slides to pre-
  load while running presentation - benefit seen in particular with complex
  slides
z    Default set to Autoscan data in CHART data sheet when plotting chart,
  with option  to manually select a data range
z    Enhanced file compression in Runtime Player format File I/O
z    Editing a DRAW .cmx file no longer causes an error when returning to
PRESENTS
z    Importing files with layered objects now fixed
z    Imported Actors and Props (.mlb files) have been fixed Text
z    Header/Footer page numbers now appear correctly throughout presentation
  - Font size list box now updated when resizing artistic text on a slide
z    Edit, Undo Fit Text to Path fixed
z    With Artistic tool selected,  changing selection to text frame on slide
now correctly updates to the Paragraph tool
z    Moving bullets in Outline view to different slides will not unlink from
Master Slide Layout view
z    Changing font attributes in Outline view now correctly unlinking from
the Master Slide Layout
Layouts
z    Removing bullets in Master Slide view now maintains indent spacing -
  Templates are now linked to the Master Slide Layout
z    Frame attribute information for OLE objects now accessible after
  saving, closing and re-opening files

Transitions/Animation/Multimedia
z    Transitions on 3D objects,  preview of transitions on grouped objects,
  text effects now working correctly
z    Text effects using pause at paragraph options now working correctly -
Imported .avi files now display thumbnail
z    Wave editor under NT has been fixed

January, 1996

        Summit96: A Whole New Twist for the Annual Ventura Conference

SAN JOSE, CA  -- The seventh annual conference for Ventura users, Summit96,
is scheduled for the week
of April 22-26, 1996, at the Red Lion Hotel in San Jose, CA, and this year's
event will reflect the many
sweeping changes that are crossing the electronic publishing landscape.

As in the six previous years, the Summit will offer high-quality seminars
and presentations across three full
days, with specific tracks for users of different interests and levels of
experience. Hosted by Rick Altman,
the Summit will feature the most notable authors and publishing specialists,
including Daniel Will-Harris,
Carol Lovelady, Foster Coburn, Byron Canfield, and David Satz. As always,
the Summit Help Center will
be open all day for free drop-in technical support.

Furthermore, the 1996 event will take on a greatly expanded role from
previous years--similar to a mini-
Seybold conference just for Corel users. With two days of optional seminars
and workshops, registrants
can pick and choose the topics they want to learn about, enroute to building
their own personal conference.
Among the highlights during that week:



CORELDRAW SEMINARS

Rick Altman's eight-city West Coast seminar series makes a stop at the
Summit on April 22-23. The
complete agenda for this highly-acclaimed two-day seminar is available at
www.altman.com. Registration
for these seminars is $279 alone, or just $175 if added to the main
conference.



CRASH COURSES

For the most comprehensive overviews on today's hot publishing topics, these
$99 half-day seminars are
the perfect complement to the main event, or excellent appetizers all by
themselves. At the Summit, you'll
find courses on the following topics:
- An Introduction to Ventura
- In Step with Windows 95, Part I and II - Exploring the Internet -
PhotoPaint WOW, Part I and II
- A First Look at CorelXara

The Crash Courses take place on Monday and Tuesday, April 22-23, before the
main event on Wednesday.

LET'S GO SURFING NOW,
EVERYBODY'S LEARNING HOW

It's no secret that Ventura 6 intends to be a major player in paperless
publishing, with built-in support for
HTML, SGML, and Adobe Acrobat. Whether you have been surfing the Web for
years or have been
waiting for the right time to dive in, you'll find all the answers in San
Jose this April. The Summit will
feature an entire track of seminars from Wednesday through Friday dedicated
to Internet publishing, Web
page design, HTML development, portable documentation, effective on-line
communication, and much
more.

Registration for the three-day Ventura conference is $525 for regular
registration and $495 if you sign up
by March 18. This price covers all of the seminars and workshops, access to
the Help Center, breakfasts
and lunches on all three days, numerous social events, and eligibility to
take a dip in our huge prize pool.

The optional seminars on Monday and Tuesday can be added to your Summit
experience or taken on their
own. In any case, the Red Lion is holding rooms for Summit registrants at
$109 for single occupancy and
$129 for double occupancy, and you can reach the hotel at (408) 453-4000.

A ONE-STOP SHOPPING SPREE

Whether you publish on paper or on ether, whether you are a Ventura veteran,
a Ventura neophyte, a
CorelDRAW user, or just looking to break into the world of electronic design
and publishing, you can't do
better than Summit96, the Annual Conference for Ventura Users and Electronic
Publishers.

CONTACT INFORMATION

You can reach host Rick Altman the following ways: PHONE:  408-252-5448
FAX:    408-252-5451
EMAIL:  rick@altman.com   or   CIS 72341,1714

You can receive an immediate brochure on the Summit by calling the
Conference fax hotline at 408-252-
5586, or by visiting www.altman.com.




Special Notice!! STR Infofile                      File format Requirements
for Articles


                          File Format for STReport

     All articles submitted to STReport for publication must be sent in the
following format.  Please use the format requested.  Any files received that
do not conform will not be used.

The article must be in an importable word processor format for Word 7.0..
The margins are .05" left and 1.0"
Monospaced fonts are not to be used.  Please use proportional fonting only
and at eleven points.

z    No Indenting on any paragraphs
z    No underlining
z    Column Format shall be achieved through the use of tabs only.  Do NOT
use the space bar.
z    No ASCII "ART".
z    There is no limits as to size, articles may be split into two if
lengthy
z    Actual Artwork should be in GIF, PCX, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF file formats
z    Artwork (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.)should be sent along with the
article separately
z    Please use a single font only in an article.  TTF CG Times 11pt. is
preferred. (Strong Hint)

     If there are any questions please use either E-Mail or call.

     On another note. the ASCII version of STReport is fast approaching the
"end of the line"  As the major Online Services move away from ASCII.. So
shall STReport.  All in the name of progress and improved readability.  The
amount of reader mail expressing a preference for our Adobe PDF enhanced
issue is running approximately 15 to 1 over the ASCII edition.  Besides,
STReport will not be caught in the old, worn out "downward compatibility
dodge" we must move forward.

Many grateful thanks in advance for your enthusiastic co-operation.

                         Ralph F. Mariano,  Editor
                         STReport International Online Magazine





MS Internet Studio STR Focus


             Microsoft INTERNET STUDIO Visual Publishing System

Microsoft Internet Studio (formerly code-named "Blackbird") is the easy way
to create, publish, and manage a new generation of interactive sites for the
World Wide Web. Internet Studio lets you easily create multimedia Web pages
that incorporate stylized hypertext documents, rich graphics, real-time
sound, and animations. All of this can be done within Internet Studio's drag
and drop layout environment eliminating the need for any programming or HTML
coding. Internet Studio allows you to work with familiar tools, and
incorporate content from any OLE-enabled application such as Microsoft
Office and hundreds of other third party applications. Internet Studio is
also fully extensible via OLE controls and a published SDK.

Product Features:

z    Internet Studio allows designers to easily create rich, multimedia
  pages by dragging and dropping pictures, text, sounds, and other media to
  layout their designs. The model is very much like Aldus Page Maker or
  Microsoft Publisher: Internet Studio provides a full frame-based layout
  environment where no programming or HTML coding is necessary.
z    The Internet Studio system automatically manages content making it easy
  to create sites with constantly changing information. Internet Studio
  dynamically generates and maintains hyperlinks so there are no "dead" links.
  The design environment supports "one button" publishing to easily place new
  content on the server.
z    Since Internet Studio separates design from content and uses common OLE-
  based design elements with a persistent cache, users get high performance
  for rich multimedia pages on-line.
z    Internet Studio is also fully extensible. Designers can use their
  favorite content editing tools (such as Microsoft Office, Adobe PhotoShop,
  Corel Draw, and Macromedia Director). Since Internet Studio is based on open
  OLE controls, third-party software developers can create their own unique
  design elements for use within Internet Studio.

When will Internet Studio be available? How do I get Internet Studio?
A developer release of the Internet Studio design tool has been in beta test
since July, 1995. A beta for publishing on the World Wide Web will be
available in Q1, 1996. Version 1.0 of Internet Studio for publishing on the
Web will be released in 1996.

What Platforms does Internet Studio support?
Internet Studio pages can be viewed by any Web browser on any platform.

How does Internet Studio compare to HTML?
Internet Studio 1.0 outputs HTML, so standard Web browsers on any platform
can display Internet Studio content. In addition, Microsoft is proposing,
through the Internet Engineering Task Force, additional open extensions to
the HTML standards that provide users with a richer interactive experience.
Both Internet Studio and Microsoft Internet Explorer will support these and
other approved extensions to HTML, thereby providing users with an
interactive Web experience. Microsoft will also provide a free,
downloadable, viewer application that will enable the current version of
existing browsers (such as the Netscape Navigator and Spyglass) on Windows
95 and Windows NT to view Internet Studio sites including the full range of
new HTML capabilities. But even if a customer does not have a browser that
supports all of the HTML extensions, sites developed with Internet Studio
are fully "downlevel" compatible, so that these customers can still see the
information.

Does a user need an Internet Studio browser or viewer to view Internet
Studio sites on the World Wide Web?
No, Internet Studio pages can be viewed by any standard Web browser on any
platform.

How does Internet Studio compare to SUN's Java?
Internet Studio and Java are very different. Java is a programming language
while Internet Studio is an online publishing system. Java is designed for
programmers while Internet Studio is designed for online publishers. As a
publishing system, Internet Studio includes open scripting capabilities, but
also includes a frame-based layout environment, hypertext authoring, content
management, one-button publishing, and extensible third-party design
components (based on OLE). While Microsoft will include VBA and C++
scripting capabilities directly with Internet Studio, other programming
languages, like JAVA, can be plugged in based on the open scripting
architecture.

Can I create custom processing scripts in Internet Studio?
Yes. Information on creating Internet Studio extensible actions is provided
with the Internet Studio Technical Reference. These actions are
automatically added to the Internet Studio action dialog so that non-
programmers can easily integrate custom scripts into their pages. Internet
Studio scripting can be done in C++ and Visual Basic for Applications, as
well as other scripting languages based on Internet Studio's open scripting
architecture.

Will Internet Studio include Visual Basicr Scripting?
Yes. Visual Basic will be incorporated as an integrated scripting language
for Internet Studio 1.0.

How much does Internet Studio cost? How will I buy Internet Studio?
Packaging and pricing have not been announced.

Does Internet Studio include content authoring tools?
Internet Studio works with existing Microsoft and third-party content
authoring tools. For instance, graphics, sound, and other multimedia content
can be authored in third-party tools (such as Microsoft Office, Adobe
Photoshop, Macromedia Freehand, etc.), then integrated within Internet
Studio pages using the Internet Studio designer. Internet Studio supports
most popular graphic formats, including BMP, TGA, TIF, PCX, WMF, GIF, DIB,
and JPG. Also, any application supporting the OLE document standard can be
used to author Internet Studio content (for instance, Microsoft Excel charts
and tables, CorelDraw illustrations, etc.) can be embedded in Internet
Studio pages and published online. Internet Studio also includes Internet
Assistant for Microsoft Word for easily authoring hypermedia documents with
links and graphics.

Does Internet Studio support VRML?
Yes. Microsoft has announced that Intervista is providing enhanced VRML
capabilities for Internet Studio. Microsoft has also licensed 3D editing
software from Calagari to include with Internet Studio allowing designers to
create rich 3D worlds published online. Finally, programmers can create
sophisticated 3D animations within Internet Studio titles using Windows 95
based technologies such as Reality Labs and OpenGL 3D APIs.

Does Internet Studio support Macromedia Shockwave?
Yes. Macromedia demonstrated an OLE Control for delivering and viewing
Shockwave for Director movies within Internet Studio pages at their recent
User's Conference.

Does Internet Studio support Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. Internet Studio pages will be able to take full advantage of content
stored as Acrobat PDF files. Adobe has announced an Acrobat control for
Internet Studio that enables Acrobat files to be used directly within
Internet Studio pages.

Can I create Electronic Eforms in Internet Studio?
Yes. Microsoft will supply a set of Internet Studio Eform controls that
allow content providers to create rich MAPI-based Eforms without any
programming. Internet Studio will also support all standard HTML forms.

Does Internet Studio support secure transactions?
Yes. Internet Studio sites will support Secure Transaction Technology (STT)
for financial transactions, and SSL and PCT for secure communications across
the Internet.

What about security when downloading OLE components?
There will be security measures for downloading OLE components that are part
of Internet Studio pages. Companies will be able to certify their OLE
components and code scripts so consumers can choose to only download
components supplied by clearly identified, known companies (based on digital
signatures).

Can I use Internet Studio to develop CD-ROM titles?
Yes. While Internet Studio is optimized for developing online interactive
pages, content providers can publish standalone Internet Studio applications
to CD-ROM.

Can I use Internet Studio to develop applications for Interactive TV?
Microsoft has announced no plans for Interactive TV and Internet Studio.
Microsoft is committed, however, to ensuring that content providers'
investment in content creation and content authoring tools follows a logical
progression from narrow-bandwidth media to higher-bandwidth media.

c1995  Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.  Microsoft  Visual  Basic
and  Windows are registered trademarks and MSN and Windows NT are trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation.  All other products or tradenames mentioned herein
are  the property of their respective owners.  The information contained  in
this  document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation  on  the
issues  discussed  as  of  the date of publication. Because  Microsoft  must
respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be  a
commitment  on  the  part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot  guarantee  the
accuracy  of any information presented after the date of publication.   This
document  is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.



            A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N
                  FARGO PRIMERA PRO COLOR PRINTERS - 600DPI
For a limited time only; If you wish to have a FREE sample printout sent  to
you that demonstrates FARGO Primera & Primera Pro SUPERIOR QUALITY 600dpi 24
bit  Photo  Realistic  Color Output, please send a  Self  Addressed  Stamped
Envelope [SASE] (business sized envelope please) to:
                       STReport's Fargo Printout Offer
                                P.O. Box 6672
                      Jacksonville, Florida 32205-6155
Folks,  the FARGO Primera Pro has GOT to be the best yet.  Its far  superior
to  the newest of Color Laser Printers selling for more than three times  as
much.   Its said that ONE Picture is worth a thousand words.  Send for  this
sample  now.  Guaranteed you will be amazed at the superb quality.  (please,
allow at least a one week turn-around)
            A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N-A T T E N T I O N




Apple/Mac Section

John Deegan, Editor



EDUPAGE STR Focus    Keeping the users informed




                                   Edupage
Contents

CompuServe's Can Of Worms
New Supercomputing Competition
Two Phone Companies Want ISDN Rate
Increases
AT&T Lured To The Web
More Pentium Power
Boosting Internet Bandwidth
Canada's National Education Network
Satellite Provides Remote Links
Online Shopper Demographics
Net Spreadsheets
Barons Of Bytes Among Canada's
Richest
Court Rejects Challenge To Indecent
Broadcast Laws
Court Hears Lotus, Borland Case
Blizzard Strains Online Resources
Chip Sales Up 40%
64-Bit Chips Set To Overtake 32-Bit
Cousins
DSVD Modems -- Poor Man's ISDN?
IRS, FBI Eye Internet With
Suspicion
Students In Cyberspace
Bell Canada Fights Back
Microsoft's "Simply Interactive"
Plans
Human Rights Group Wants Ban On
Cyberhate
Internet Hangover?
CompuServe's Motives Questioned
Oracle Plans To Ship First Internet
PC In March
Compu-Toys
Cell Phone Rates On Their Way Down
Smart Phone
NCR Retakes Its Maiden Name
Internet Provider Takes On Phone
Company
Canada A Hotbed For Crackers
Dole Criticism Of Telecom Bill
Perot Systems Links With Swiss Bank
Corporation
Apple Loss Higher Than Anticipated
Resume Buzz Words For '96

     CompuServe's CAN OF WORMS          which is increasingly  popular with
After   cutting  off   subscribers'     computer  users connecting  to  the
access  to more than 200 electronic     Internet.   The two companies  have
bulletin boards that feature  adult     found that average subscribers  use
material last week,  CompuServe now     the   service 47 hours a month,  or
is  trying to find a technical  way     more than three times what had been
to  block  only German subscribers,     anticipated when the companies  set
whose  government  originally   had     the   current   rates.     Industry
lodged  the  complaint against  the     analysts are questioning the wisdom
commercial     online     provider.     of  raising ISDN rates  at  a  time
Industry  executives  are  pointing     when  cable companies are beginning
out  that  this  would  set  a  bad     to    provide  low-cost  high-speed
precedent,   possibly   encouraging     digital phone service and access to
other governments to make their own     computer networks.  (New York Times
demands      regarding      content     5 Jan 96 C2)
restrictions.   Every country  will            AT&T LURED TO THE WEB
now  jump in and say we don't  want     AT&T  is abandoning the proprietary
any    antigovernment   propaganda.     system  it spent $50 million  on  a
Every  country  in the  world  will     year  ago  in favor of  moving  its
push  its  own  local hot  button,"     business-oriented  online   service
says  a  University of Pennsylvania     directly to the Internet.  The AT&T
professor.  (WSJournal 5 Jan 95 B2)     Business Network will open its site
  NEW SUPERCOMPUTING COMPETITION        on the World Wide Web in mid- 1996.
The National Science Foundation  is     "We  believe that some people  will
planning a new competitive  process     want  to  buy  just plain  Internet
for     allocating     funds     to     access," says the president of AT&T
supercomputer  centers,   beginning     New  Media  Services.  "Others will
in 1998, after funding for the four     want something more -- they'll want
currently  supported supercomputing     to   buy  that  access  along  with
centers  expires.  The four centers     meaningful    content."      AT&T's
--   located at Cornell University,     current  Interchange system  offers
the University of California at San     information from CNN, McGraw Hill's
Diego,  the University of  Illinois     Standard & Poor's Rating Group  and
at    Urbana-Champaign,    and    a     Dow   Jones  &  Co.   (Wall  Street
collaborative  effort  between  the     Journal 5 Jan 95 B2)
University   of   Pittsburgh    and             MORE PENTIUM POWER
Carnegie Mellon University -- share     Intel   has  two  new  super-speedy
about   $65  million   a  year   in     Pentiums for use in home and  small
government funds.  The new  program     office desktop computers -- running
will      encourage      consortial     at    150-   megahertz   and   166-
arrangements among companies, state     megahertz, respectively.  Officials
governments, universities and other     at  IBM, Dell Computer and Hewlett-
federal agencies.  "It's an attempt     Packard  all said their   companies
to  draw  more of the resources  of     would  be building computers  using
the  country  into   the  program,"     the  new chips, and Advanced  Logic
says NSF's assistant director.  The     Research   says  it  has   a   150-
program  solicitation can be  found     megahertz   machine  for  sale  now
at:                                     starting at $2,195 and a 166  model
                                        for  $2,495.  (Investor's  Business
<http://www.cise.nsf.gov/cise/asc/P     Daily 5 Jan 95 A12)
rogSol.html> (Chronicle  of  Higher         BOOSTING INTERNET BANDWIDTH
Education 5 Jan 95 A23)                 Internet  service  provider   iStar
TWO PHONE COMPANIES WANT ISDN RATE      beefed  up  the  capacity  of   its
             INCREASES                  network   with  new  links  between
Pacific  Bell  and  U  S  West  are     Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa  and  the
seeking  to  more than  double  the     American  portion of  the  Internet
rates they charge for ISDN service,     and    increased    its    Internet
bandwidth   28   times.    (Toronto                   RICHEST
Financial Post 5 Jan 96 p39)            Pioneers on the information highway
CANADA'S NATIONAL EDUCATION NETWORK     have  been  ranked  as  among   the
     A  $500,000 pilot project will     richest  people  in  Canada.    Ted
evaluate    a   proposed   National     Rogers   of  cable  giant    Rogers
Education  Network that will  bring     Communications came in fifth with a
together    Canada's     commercial     personal  fortune of  $1.4-billion.
training   schools,   universities,     (Ottawa Sun 5 Jan 96 p4)
colleges,  non-profit  schools  and     COURT REJECTS CHALLENGE TO INDECENT
school boards.   (Ottawa Citizen  5               BROADCAST LAWS
Jan 96 A1)                              The  Supreme  Court  has  rejected,
  SATELLITE PROVIDES REMOTE LINKS       without  comment, a  constitutional
Ottawa-based TMI Communications saw     challenge  to  a 1992  federal  law
its   $500-million  MSAT  satellite     that  bans indecent  radio  and  TV
investment  start to pay  off:  the     programming   during  daytime   and
world's  most   powerful  satellite     "primetime"  evening  hours.    The
will   provide   voice   and   data     Federal  Communications  Commission
transmission   service   throughout     defines indecency as "language that
Canada,   the   US,   Mexico,   the     depicts  or  describes,  in   terms
Caribbean   and  Latin  America  to     patently  offensive as measured  by
millions of people in remote areas,     contemporary   community  standards
including Canadians who live in the     for the broadcast medium, sexual or
85%  of  the  country outside   the     excretory  activities  or  organs."
reach  of  cellular phone  systems.     The  appellate court judgment,  now
This  mobility comes  at  a  price,     upheld by the Supreme Court,  ruled
however,   since   handsets    with     that    the    law    served    the
antenna  cost between   $5,000  and     government's      interest       in
$6,000  and  calls  are  $2.50  per     "supporting   parental  supervision
minute (Ottawa Citizen 4 Jan 96 C5)     of  what  children see and hear  on
    ONLINE SHOPPER DEMOGRAPHICS         the  public airwaves."  One of  the
"It's  mostly young, male  nerds...     unsuccessful  appeals  argued  that
techno-weenies.      The     buying     the law would restrict  American TV
population    on   the    Net    is     and  radio  audiences "to  watching
essentially social misfits.  People     and  hearing  only programming  fit
who  are comfortable in public will     for  children."  (New York Times  9
go   to   a  store,"  says  Seymour     Jan  96 A5)
Merrin,   head   of   a   technical       COURT HEARS LOTUS, BORLAND CASE
research firm, who estimates   that     The  Supreme Court heard  arguments
online  shopping  ultimately  could     by   Lotus's  lawyer  that  Borland
represent  6%  to 8% of  all  mail-     International  Inc. violated  Lotus
order  sales.  (Investor's Business     Development   Corp.'s copyright  on
Daily 8 Jan 96  A10)                    its    Lotus    1-2-3   spreadsheet
         NET SPREADSHEETS               commands by using all 469  of  them
Formula                    One/Net,     in    Borland's   former    Quattro
at:<http://www.visualcomp.com    >,     software.   "The expression  is  in
offers Web surfers using Netscape a     deciding  what words  to  use,"  he
way  of  viewing  and  manipulating     told  the court.  Borland's  lawyer
spreadsheets embedded on Web pages.     disputed   the   claims,   however,
For  example,  a site  might  allow     saying  that  the software  allowed
investors to make online "what  if"     users  to  choose between  Borland-
comparisons of different investment     designed    commands    or    Lotus
strategies based on financial  data     commands,  because so many  already
which it provides to those visiting     were   familiar  with   the   Lotus
the  site.   (Computerworld 26  Dec     software.   "Whatever  word   Lotus
95/2 Jan 96 p68)                        used  to  operate its system,  that
  BARONS OF BYTES AMONG CANADA'S        word  is  not  copyrightable,"   he
                                        said.   Lotus is seeking more  than
                                        $100   million   in   damages   for
copyright  violation.   (Investor's     experts  emphasize   the  need   to
Business Daily 9 Jan 96 A28)            expand   the  horizon  beyond   64:
 BLIZZARD STRAINS ONLINE RESOURCES      "Today's  move toward  64-bit  file
There's no such thing as a snow day     systems  and 64-bit processing  are
anymore for many knowledge workers,     just  stages  in the  evolution  of
and  the stress placed on telephone     information  technology.    It   is
and   online   services   yesterday     important to recognize this and not
proved   it.    UUNet's   president     develop solutions for 64-bit   that
estimated that high-speed  business     are  not sufficient for 128-bit and
use of the Internet was down by  as     beyond."  (Information Week  1  Jan
much  as 15% yesterday, while dial-     96 p39)
up  home  users' rose 60%.  America       DSVD MODEMS -- POOR MAN'S ISDN?
Online reported a 60% increase from     Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data
normal levels, and AT&T said  long-     modems can deliver some of the bang
distance   calls   were   up    35%     of  ISDN  modems without having  to
yesterday  morning,  with   a   15%     shell  out  the bucks.  The  modems
increase   in   conference    calls     allow simultaneous transmission  of
during  the  day.  Nynex  said  the     voice  and data to the same  person
number of residential calls was  up     equipped  with the  same   kind  of
60%   and  Bell  Atlantic  reported     DSVD    modem.     Although     the
their  residential  call  load  had     stipulations  are  restrictive,  it
nearly   doubled.    (Wall   Street     could  conceivably  allow  you   to
Journal 9 Jan 95 B1)                    receive technical  support  from  a
         CHIP SALES UP 40%              help  desk while staying  in  voice
Revenue      from     sales      of     contact with them, or allow you  to
semiconductors rose 40% last  year,     work  on  documents  simultaneously
to  $154.7  billion,  according  to     with   a   long-distance  co-worker
preliminary results compiled  for a     without  the  added  expense  of  a
new   study  by  Dataquest.   North     second  phone  line.  International
American  chip  makers'  lead  over     Data Corp. predicts as  many as 35%
Japanese  competitors  narrowed  to     of  the  19 million modems sold  in
0.3%, down  from 1.2% last year  --     1996  will be DSVD devices, selling
with   North   American   suppliers     for around $300.  "DSVD will be the
claiming  39.8% of  the  market  to     next major modem advance throughout
Japan's 39.5%.  Dataquest  predicts     the  world,"  says  a  manager  for
healthy sales in the future, fueled     MultiTech   Systems   Inc.,   which
by   global  demand  for  PCs   and     manufactures      the       modems.
corporate  networks, and  estimates     (Investor's Business Daily 8 Jan 96
chip  sales  will top $300  billion     A10)
by  the  year  2000.  (Wall  Street         IRS, FBI EYE INTERNET WITH
Journal 9 Jan 95 B2)                                 SUSPICION
64-BIT CHIPS SET TO OVERTAKE 32-BIT     The     Clinton    administration's
              COUSINS                   reluctance  to ease  up  on  export
If  you  think  you're  on  top  of     controls  for  encryption  software
things  because you  just  switched     stems  in part from pressure   from
over  to  a  32-bit  system,  think     U.S. law enforcement agencies,  and
again  -- 64-bit chips are expected     the   owner  of  a  New  York-based
to  be  the norm by the year  2000.     software    company   sees    heavy
Driving the change is the need  for     lobbying  behind  the  government's
speed   to  run  graphics-intensive     desire  to regulate content on  the
computing  applications and  heavy-     Internet:  "I  think  the  Internal
duty  databases.  So  far,  Digital     Revenue  Service and  the  FBI  are
Equipment Corp. is one of  the  few     watching  this one very  carefully.
64-bit chip suppliers with its  own     They   wouldn't  mind  seeing   the
64-bit  operating system -- a  must     government  set  a  precedent   for
for taking full advantage of the 64-    deciding what can and cannot go  on
bit   architecture.   But  industry     the  Internet."  The IRS fears that
                                        easy    access   to    cheap    and
                                        sophisticated  encryption  software
will  make  income  and  sales  tax     Engineering  conference  in  April.
evasion  too  easy,  and  the   FBI     (New York Times 8 Jan 1996 C2)
worries    about    criminal    and       HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP WANTS BAN ON
terrorist    plots    hatched    in                  CYBERHATE
cyberspace, but some observers  say     The  Simon  Wiesenthal  Center   is
government control tactics are  too     asking    university    presidents,
little,   too   late.    A   Hudson     Internet      access     providers,
Institute      economist      says,     commercial online services such  as
"Electronic   money   gets   really     AOL, CompuServe, Prodigy and MSN to
interesting  when you  realize  how     make  a  voluntary pledge to refuse
impossible  it is to  put  national     service to any individual or  group
walls around it, mandate the use of     that   wants  to  use  the  Net  to
national  currencies,  or   require     promote    racism,   anti-Semitism,
that    transactions   go   through     mayhem  and violence.  A  spokesman
banks...  The country will have  no     for   the  Center,  a  well-  known
practical choice but to rely   more     Jewish  human  rights  group,  says
than   ever   on   voluntary    tax     that   the  Internet  gives  people
compliance.  That means  tax  rates     "incredible   power   to    promote
will  have  to be kept  as  low  as     violence,     threaten       women,
possible   on   people    and    on     denigrate    minorities,    promote
businesses."  (Investor's  Business     homophobia,  and  conspire  against
Daily 9 Jan 96 B1)                      democracy."   Some civil  liberties
      STUDENTS IN CYBERSPACE            organizations   are  characterizing
Officials in Ontario's Ministry  of     the Wiesenthal Center's proposal as
Education are developing  plans  to     censorship and the director of  the
introduce credit courses that would     Institute  for  Historical  Review,
be  available  through  a  computer     which  challenges the existence  of
network  for high school  students.     the  Holocaust, calls the  proposal
Students   in  rural  centers   and     "outrageous    and   hypocritical."
adults  trying  to  complete   high     (New York Times 10  Jan 96 A1)
school    through    correspondence             INTERNET HANGOVER?
programs  could see courses  online     A  senior VP at International  Data
by  this  fall.  (Toronto  Globe  &     Corp.  predicts widespread consumer
Mail 9 Jan 96 A3)                       disillusion with the Internet:  "We
      BELL CANADA FIGHTS BACK           also  believe  the   Internet   and
Bell  Canada criticized independent     World  Wide Web phenomenon will  go
Internet   service  providers   for     from  an  intoxication stage  to  a
making "entirely untrue" statements     hangover stage during the next  two
alleging  that the phone  company's     years.   About  20%  of  the  large
marketing    teams   are    sending     firms will jump off the Web because
potential  customers to  BellSygma,     the  consumer demographics are  not
which    operates   the   company's     developing   quickly  enough.   But
Sympatico Internet service.(Toronto     just  as  those 30 to 35  companies
Star 9 Jan B3)                          jump off, another 175 will hop  on.
 MICROSOFT'S "SIMPLY INTERACTIVE"       The  growth  in online  subscribers
               PLANS                    will  continue to be  very  strong,
With   a  new  development  program     but  there will be underlying  high
called  "The Simply Interactive  PC     turnover  rates as  users  who  are
for  1997," Microsoft hopes to work     underwhelmed by content on the  Web
closely        with        hardware     cancel  and  turn  on  their  TVs."
manufacturers  to  make  the  PC  a     (Investor's Business Daily  10  Jan
consumer-friendly "appliance"  that     96 A6)
will  "turn  the PC into  the  best       CompuServe's MOTIVES QUESTIONED
platform     for     entertainment,     CompuServe's recent action to  shut
Internet         access         and     down   subscriber  access  to   200
communications."  The plan will  be     newsgroups carrying sexual  content
presented  at the Windows  Hardware     was   motivated    more   by   U.S.
politics  than  German  objections,     growing  at about 28% a  year,  and
apparently.    Reports   that   the     sales  of educational and reference
action  was in response to Bavarian     software  grew by 142%  last  year,
government complaints are false  --     according  to IDC/Link Inc.  Not to
the  incident  was  sparked  by  an     be  left  out, Packard Bell expects
inquiry from a district attorney in     to  launch its family-oriented add-
Munich   regarding    the   alt.sex     ons,     dubbed    Packard     Bell
groups. Leaders of all four parties     Interactive, and rumor has  it  IBM
in  the  Bundestag have spoken  out     and  Microsoft also are  developing
against any legislation to regulate     child-sized  hardware and  software
the    Internet  and   agree   that     this  year.  (Business Week 15  Jan
existing criminal law in Germany is     96 p38)
sufficient to handle any  potential     CELL PHONE RATES ON THEIR WAY DOWN
legal  misconduct.   It's   rumored     Cellular  phone rates,  which  have
that,   rather  than  reacting   to     remained high for years in the face
German   authorities,  CompuServe's     of  enormous  consumer growth,  may
restrictions   were   enacted    in     finally    be     responding     to
response to  legislation pending in     competitive pressures and beginning
Congress against "indecent" digital     to  drop.  Subscriber growth  rates
content  in  an effort  to  bolster     are slowing down, and wireless wars
CompuServe's   reputation   as    a     have  ignited in New York,  Chicago
morally  responsible online service     and  Washington, DC.   Figures  for
provider.  (STERN Infomat 03/96)        the largest 15 carriers in the U.S.
ORACLE PLANS TO SHIP FIRST INTERNET     show  a  12%  growth rate in  1995,
            PC IN MARCH                 down  from  63% the previous  year.
Oracle   Corp.   is   putting   the     And    the   advent   of   personal
finishing  touches  on  its   first     communications  services  may  push
Internet  PC,  which it  says  will     prices  down even further, possibly
ship in March, and is working  with     another 10% to 40% according to  an
Acorn  Computer Group on  a  second     analyst     at    EDS    Management
version.  The new device will  meet     Consulting  Services.  (Wall Street
the  $500 price goal, but will come     Journal 11 Jan 96 B1)
without    a   monitor.    Instead,                 SMART PHONE
consumers will use cables  to  hook     Colonial     Data     Technologies'
it  up to their television sets  or     Telesmart  4000 phone  incorporates
PCs.    The   manufacturing   cost,     the ability to send e-mail over the
according to Oracle's VP of network     Internet,  pay  bills   and    bank
computing,  is under $200  --  $100     electronically, type and send  text
for  four megabytes of RAM, $30 for     messages  directly to pagers,  shop
an  ARM   7500 microprocessor,  and     from   electronic   catalogs,   and
the  rest  for the keyboard,  mouse     manage  calls via a  full range  of
and   network  connections.   (Wall     Caller   ID  services.  The  device
Street Journal 11 Jan 96 B2)            includes a graphic display  screen,
            COMPU-TOYS                  magnetic  card reader, alphanumeric
One  of the widely awaited products     keypad,  v.22 modem and  processor,
debuting  at  the  recent  consumer     and    is    priced   at   $289.99.
electronics show was the  new  line     (Newspage Business Wire  8 Jan 96)
of brightly colored  and over-sized         NCR RETAKES ITS MAIDEN NAME
computer attachments built for kids     NCR,   which  became  AT&T   Global
by  Compaq Computer in league  with     Information   Systems   when   AT&T
Fisher-Price Inc.  The first fruits     acquired  it in a hostile  takeover
of   the  partnership  are  a  $150     in  1991, will  become known  again
Wonder  Tools Cruiser -- a  driving     as  NCR, now that the current  AT&T
toy that steers a toddler through a     reorganization is spinning  it  off
computer  game  --  and    a   $130     as   a   separate   company.    The
keyboard  scaled  to  fit  a  small     company,  whose initials originally
child's hands.  The team may hit it     stood  for  National Cash Register,
big  this  year  --  shipments   of
electronic   learning    toys   are
will  return  to  focusing  on  the     Systor,  which is SBC's information
manufacture  of   computer  systems     technology  subsidiary.  (Financial
for  retailers,  banks,  and  large     Times 10 Jan 96 p14)
companies.  (New York Times 11  Jan     APPLE LOSS HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED
96 C5)                                  Although    Apple    had    already
 INTERNET PROVIDER TAKES ON PHONE       projected  losses  for  its  fiscal
              COMPANY                   first quarter, which ended December
Canada's  largest Internet  service     29th,  the actual figure  for   the
provider  iStar is challenging  the     loss  turns  out to be about  twice
phone companies head-on by offering     what  analysts  had  expected  ($68
private   networks   to  businesses     million), putting more pressure  on
communicating   on  the   Internet.     Apple CEO  Michael Spindler.   (New
Secure*net,  known in the  industry     York Times 11 Jan 96 C1)
as a virtual private network allows     
companies  to  transmit   data   to          RESUME BUZZ WORDS FOR '96
remote offices over lines dedicated     Employers  of  information  systems
to one client for a fraction of the     experts in 1996 will be looking for
cost many companies pay for leasing     people   who  know  the   Internet,
transmission   lines   from   phone     client-server      computing     or
companies. (Ottawa Citizen  11  Jan     networking,  according  to   hiring
96 C6)                                  executives.  "IS organizations  are
    CANADA: HOTBED FOR CRACKERS         looking  for people experienced  in
Security  consultants say  computer     working    with    the    Internet,
hackers  have  breached  a  leading     particularly   regarding   security
American  satellite  TV  direct-to-     issues   and  building  firewalls,"
home company's  security system  to     says  the  CEO  of a Santa  Monica,
steal   programming  for   decoding     Calif.  consulting  firm.   In  the
signals.   (Toronto Financial  Post     client-server  area,  expertise  in
11 Jan 96 p3)                           C++,   Visual   Basic   and   Forte
  DOLE CRITICISM OF TELECOM BILL        programming is in demand,  as  well
Senator  Majority Leader  Bob  Dole     as    front-end   graphical    user
says  there  need to be changes  in     interfaces,  relational   databases
the     telecommunications     bill     and help-desk support.  Programmers
recently  negotiated by  a   House-     who   otherwise  would  be  in  the
Senate     conference    committee,     $50,000  to $60,000 salary category
because  the  proposed  legislation     might  see  an  extra  $10,000   to
would  contain a provision he  says     $20,000   tacked   on   for   these
would  provide  "corporate welfare"     skills,    say   some    recruiting
to TV broadcasters by allowing them     experts.  (Information Week  1  Jan
to  use,  without charge, a portion     96 p64)
of   radio  spectrum  for   digital
services such as high-definition TV
and  interactive TV.   The  Federal
Communication    Commission     has
indicated  that  the   spectrum  at
issue could be worth $40 billion on
the  open market.  (New York  Times
11 Jan 96 C4)
PEROT SYSTEMS LINKS WITH SWISS BANK
            CORPORATION
Perot   Systems  and   Swiss   Bank
Corporation  will  jointly  develop
and   market   financial   industry
related   information    technology
products  and services,  and  Perot
Systems  will  buy a 40%  stake  in

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Kids Computing Corner


Frank Sereno, Editor

                         The Kids' Computing Corner
                           edited by Frank Sereno
                                      
Last week I started a contest to win free software from Brighter Child
Software and American Education Publishing.  Here are the contest rules:

                               FREE SOFTWARE!!
                                      
I have two software packages, and I will give away one each to two lucky
readers.  The packages are Muppet Reading & Phonics and Muppet Reading &
Phonics II.  Both programs require on IBM compatibles: a minimum 386 CPU,
Windows 3.1 or greater, 4 MB RAM and a CD-ROM drive; for Macintosh: 256
colors, System 7, 4MB RAM and a CD-ROM drive.  Each sells for around $25.

Here are the rules:

1.   Send an e-mail to me at this address - fsereno@matrix.uti.com
2.   In the body of the letter, simply write Muppet Contest Entry and
  include your real name.  I will send an e-mail to acknowledge all received
  entries.
3.   If you do not have access to Internet e-mail, entries can be mailed to
  Frank Sereno, 528 West Ave., Morris, IL 60450  Entries via U.S. Mail will
  NOT receive an acknowledgment due to Postal efficiency and my poor bank
  account.
4.   All entries must be dated by 11:59 p.m. on January 31, 1996
5.   Only one entry per household, please
6.   Employees or staff of STR Publishing, American Education Publishing and
Tebay Communications are not eligible
7.   The first name chosen will receive his choice of the programs and
second name will get the remaining program
8.    Taxes, if any, will be the responsibility of the winners.  Shipping
  will be paid by STR Publishing (ME!)
9.   Winners will be notified by e-mail or regular mail and will also be
  announced in this column

I would like to thank American Education Publishing, Brighter Child Software
and Tebay Communications for providing the software for this contest.  Both
programs were reviewed in 1995 and received good marks.  The software is
very easy for younger children to run and very entertaining.  Children of
all ages love the Muppets!


                   Rumpelstiltskin's Labyrinth of the Lost
                              Windows 95 CD-ROM

for all ages
MSRP $49.95

TerraGlyph Interactive Studios
1375 Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
708-413-4100


Program Requirements
                    CPU:         486/33
                    RAM:        8 MB
                    OS:           Windows 95
                    Video:        640 x 480, 256 colors
                    HDISK:     100k
                    CD-ROM:  Double-speed
                    Misc.:        Sound card, mouse

Fairy tales have fascinated children for hundreds of years.  As adults, we
hold fond memories of being told these stories by our grandparents and
parents when we were young, and now we retell these classic tales of good
versus evil to our own youngsters.  TerraGlyph has provided another way that
we can share these stories.  Rumpelstiltskin's Labyrinth of the Lost combine
beautiful computer animation, enthralling music and intriguing game play to
teach the story of the poor miller's daughter and the impish man who could
spin gold from straw.

The game starts with a beautifully animated opening sequence which tells the
story of the miller's untrue boasts of  his daughter's spinning abilities
and the consequences she will face if she cannot turn a roomful of straw
into gold.  These animated sequences can be skipped in later gaming sessions
by clicking the left mouse button.

Once the daughter has been left alone with her impossible task,
Rumpelstiltskin appears.  He offers to spin the straw into gold, but only if
the daughter can find a treasure in the labyrinth.  You must guide her
through this maze, searching the eight oracles for the three golden orbs
which can be traded for the treasure.  You can choose from several game
options.  The game can be easy or hard with the hard version requiring the
collection keys which correspond to the colors of the oracles.  The other
option is whether to have the oracle ask questions to permit opening the
oracles.  If you answer incorrectly, another questioned is asked.  Answering
the second question wrong causes the oracle to lower back into the floor and
you must leave the room and come back before you can try again.  If you
cannot find the orbs and return the treasure to Rumpelstiltskin, then the
miller's daughter loses her life.

On the third night, Rumpelstiltskin not only requires his prize from the
labyrinth, but also her first born child.  Feeling she has little to lose
because she doubts if she can succeed, she agrees to his contract.  If you
are successful in the labyrinth, the miller's daughter marries the king and
in one year she will have a son.  The imp returns and demands the child, but
the queen refuses.  He offers her a deal.  If she can go to the labyrinth
and learn his name, then he will not take her child.

Rumpelstiltskin's Labyrinth of the Lost provides a wonderful adventure for
the young and young-at-heart.  The graphics are appealing.  The animations
are equal to those of the best animated cartoons.  The voice
characterizations are bravura performances.  The music is fantastic.  Each
song sets the appropriate mood for that scene.  The songs of the miller's
daughter are exceptionally poignant and beautiful.

The interface is a point and click design which is very simple and elegant.
The cursor changes shape to indicate the available options in each screen.
A white slanted cursor over an object indicates that an action is related to
that object.  In various scenes, this cursor will start brief animations
such as mice running through a doorway.  In the labyrinth, this cursor will
open the oracles when the left mouse button is pressed.  Straight white
arrows which point left, right, up or down are exit cursors and are used to
exit a scene in the direction of the area.  Moving the cursor to the lower
left corner of the screen enables the orb cursor.  Clicking now will start
the options menu in which players can choose game options, read on-line help
or save a game in progress.

Rumpelstiltskin offers several gaming options which will keep the game
challenging and entertaining through several plays.  This game is especially
fun if you play it along with your children.  You can take turns answering
the oracle questions and mapping the maze.  This activity can really bring a
family together.

Educational content is lacking.  The oracle questions do provide
intellectual stimuli, but these questions are not suitable for younger
children due to their difficulty.  The program would be much improved if the
player could choose the types of questions and grade level difficulty.  For
example, if a ten-year-old child wished to study spelling, he could pick
"Spelling" and "Grade 4" from the option menu.  But since the questions have
random difficulty and topic, Rumpelstiltskin gets a low score for
educational value.

By list price, this title is moderately priced.  It does not have a
moneyback guarantee, but it does have a ninety-day warranty against
defective media.  Rumpelstiltskin provides for many hours of family fun and
encourages interest in the classic Grimm's fairy tales.  If you are looking
for something that is beautiful, mesmerizing and uplifting, then
Rumpelstiltskin's Labyrinth of the Lost is the program for you.

                                   Ratings
                                      
                              Graphics . . . . . . . . .  9.5
                              Sound . . . . . . . . . . . 10.0
                              Interface . . . . . . . . .   9.0
                              Play Value . . . . . . . .  8.5
                              Educational Value . . .  6.5
                              Bang for the Buck . . .  8.5
                              Average . . . . . . . . . .  8.67

That's all for this week.  Be sure to enter the Muppet Software contest.
And I thank you for reading!








Sony Playstation Titles List  STR Spotlight





Title                                   Publisher           Gameplay/Style

1.   3D Lemmings                      Psygnosis
  Strategy/Puzzle
2.   A-Train IV                          Maxis                   Strategy
3.   Agile Warrior                       Virgin                  Flight
Simulator
4.   Air Combat                          Namco                   Flight
Simulator
5.   Alien Virus                         Vic Tokai               Adventure
6.   Bases Loaded '96: Doubleheader                Jaleco
Sports
7.   Battle Arena Toshinden                   SCEA                    Combat
8.   Blazing Dragons                          Crystal Dynamics        Combat
9.   Brain Dead 13                       ReadySoft               Action
10.  Criticom                            Vic Tokai               Action
11.  Cybersled                                Namco
Futuristic Strategy Combat
12.  Cyberspeed                          Mindscape               Futuristic
Racing
13.  D                                   Acclaim            Action RPG
14.  Dark Stalkers                       Capcom             Action
15.  Defcon 5                            Data East               3D
Action/Adventure
16.  Descent                             Interplay
Flight/Combat
17.  Destruction Derby                        Psygnosis
Demolition Racing
18.  Discworld                                Psygnosis
Adventure
19.  Doom                                Williams           3D Adventure
20.  ESPN Extreme Games                  SCEA                    Racing
21.  FIFA Soccer                         Electronic Arts         Sports
22.  GeomCube                            American Technos        Puzzle
23.  Gex                            Crystal Dynamics        Platform
24.  High Octane                         Electronic Arts         Futuristic
Racing
25.  Incredible Toons                         Capcom             Platform
26.  Jumping Flash!                           SCEA                    Action
Strategy
27.  Jupiter Strike                           Acclaim            Flying
Shooter
28.  Kileak: The DNA Imperative               SCEA                    3D
Adventure
29.  King's Field                        ASCII                   3D
Action/Adventure
30.  Krazy Ivan                               Sony Interactive Studios
Action
31.  Loaded                              Interplay
Strategy/Action
32.  Mortal Kombat III                        SCEA                    Combat
33.  NBA In the Zone                          Konami             Sports
34.  NBA Jam                             Acclaim            Sports
35.  NFL Full Contact                         Konami             Sports
36.  NFL Gameday                         SCEA                    Sports
37.  NHL FaceOff                         SCEA                    Sports
38.  NHL Hockey                          Electronic Arts         Sports
39.  Novastorm                                SCEA                    Sports
40.  Off World Interceptor                    Crystal Dynamics        Racing
Shooter
41.  PGA Tour                            Electronic Arts         Sports
42.  Panzer General                           SSI
Strategy/War
43.  Philosoma                                SCEA                    Action
44.  Powerserve 3D Tennis                     Ocean                   Sports
45.  Primal Rage                         Time Warner             Action
46.  Quarterback Club                         Acclaim            Sports
47.  Rayman                              Ubi Soft           Platform
48.  Resident Evil                       Capcom             Action
49.  Revolution X                        Acclaim            Action
50.  Ridge Racer                         Namco                   Racing
51.  Road Rash                                Electronic Arts
Futuristic Racing
52.  Shell Shock                         US Gold            Action
53.  Shock Wave                          Electronic Arts         Futuristic
Flight Simulator
54.  Space Griffon                       Atlus Software               3D
Action/Adventure
55.  Starblade Alpha                          Namco                   Action
56.  Street Fighter the Movie                      Acclaim            Combat
57.  Tekken                              Namco
Combat/Action
58.  The Hive                            Trimark            Action
59.  The Raiden Project                  SCEA                    Shooter
60.  The Raven Project                        Mindscape
Strategy/Action
61.  Theme Park                          Electronic Arts         Strategy
62.  Total Eclipse                       Crystal Dynamics        Action
63.  Twisted Metal                       SCEA                    Driving
Shooter
64.  Viewpoint                                Electronic Arts         Flying
Shooter
65.  WWF Wrestlemania                    Acclaim            Sports
66.  WarHawk                             SCEA                    Flight
Simulator
67.  Warhammer                           Mindscape               Action
68.  Wing Commander 3                    Electronic Arts         Futuristic
Flight Simulator
69.  WipeOut                             Psygnosis               Futuristic
Racing
70.  X-Com                               Microprose              Strategy
Shooter
71.  Zoop                                Viacom             Puzzle


Playstation Hints, Cheats and Secrets

All buttons are designated by the names below. They will appear throughout
the FAQ as these symbols.

LEFT 2 (L2)              RIGHT 2 (R2)
LEFT 1 (L1)              RIGHT 1 (R1)

    BU   U   FU                              /\
      \  |  /
       \ | /                            []             O or ()
    B---(|)---F
       / | \
      /  |  \                                X
    BD   D   DF


Assault Rigs
This code is not confirmed, although very likely true.  Also this code may
only work on European PS.
Codes are entered during the game, not when it is paused..

z    ALL WEAPONS      L,R,L,L,R,L,R,R,U,D,U,U,D,U,D,D  On the screen it says
  "Max Weapons added... oh yes"
z    INVINCIBILITY         L,X,L,X,L,L,X,R,X,R,X,X    On the screen it says
  "Invincible ! Yes, indeedy"
z    LEVEL 42 PASSWORD   (),X,/\,(),/\,[]

Criticom
Level Codes for Criticom
               LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3
z    DAYTON           sier                eter
z    DELARA              phan                king
z    DEMONICA            gone                worl
z    EXENE               sphe                wing
z    GORM                cham                marv
z    SID                 odth                batm
z    SONORK              play                chro
z    YENJI               spid                star

Destruction Derby
Enter these codes instead of your name for some goodies.

z    !DAMAGE!    Makes your car invincible
z    nPLAYERS  Select number of cars (Only on Practice)
z    REFLECT!       Hidden track:  Ruined Monastery

DOOM (Custom PSX Edition)
Level Passwords:
 ULTIMATE  DOOM                              DOOM II
 1 Hangar:                    WLHYHCPWWW          31 Entryway:
WLHYHCP999
 2 Plant:                     PFX7ZN3NNN          32 Underhalls:
WLHYHCPCCC
 3 Toxin Refinery:            WLHYHCPVVV          33 Gantlet:
PFX7ZN3666
 4 Command Control:           PF7XZ3NMMM          34 The Focus:
WLHYHCPBBB
 5 Phobos Lab:                P7XFZ3NMMM          35 The Waste Tunnels:
PFX7ZN3555
 6 Central Processing:        PL1RY81LLL          36 The Crusher:
LWHYHPC555
 7 Computer Station:          LWHYHPCPPP          37 Dead Simple:
PF7XZ3N444
 8 Phobos Anomaly:            PFX7ZN3TTT          38 Tricks & Traps:
WLHYHPCDDD
 9 Deimos Anomaly:            WLHYHCP000          39 The Pit:
PL1RY81333
10 Containment Area:          PFX7ZN3SSS          40 Refeuling Base:
LWHYHPC777
11 Refinery:                  WLHYHCPZZZ          41 'O' of Destruction:
PFX7ZN3!!!
12 Deimos Lab:                PFX7ZN3RRR          42 The Factory:
LWHYHPC888
13 Command Center:            WLHYHCP222          43 Downtown:
PFX7ZN3999
14 Halls of the Damned:  PFX7ZN3QQQ          44 Suburbs:
LWHYHPC999
15 Spawning Vats:             WLHYHCP111          45 Tenements:
PFX7ZN3888
16 Hell Gate:                 PFX7ZN3FFF          46 The Courtyard:
LWHYHPC!!!
17 Hell Keep:                 WLHYHCP444          47 The Citadel:
PFX7ZN3777
18 Pandemonium:          PFX7ZN3DDD          48 Nirvana:
WLHYHCPMMM
19 House of Pain:             WLHYHCP333          49 The Catacombs:
PFX7ZN3YYY
20 Unholy Cathedral:     PF7XZ3NCCC          50 Barrels o' Fun:
WLHYHCPLLL
21 Mt. Erebus:                LWHYHPCDDD          51 Bloodfalls:
PFX7ZN3XXX
22 Limbo:                     PL1RY81BBB          52 The Abandoned Mines:
LWHYHPCXXX
23 Tower of Babel:            WLHYHPC555          53 Monster Condo:
PF7XZ3NWWW
24 Hell Beneath:              PFX7ZN3KKK          54 Redemption Denied:
WLHYHPCNNN
25 Perfect Hatred:            WLHYHCP888     Secret Levels:
26 Sever of the Wicked:  PFX7ZN3JJJ               1 Fortress of Mystery:
PF7XZ3NVVV
27 Unruly Evil:               WLHYHCP777               2 Military Base:
LWHYHPCZZZ
28 Unto the Cruel:            PFX7ZN3HHH               3 The Marshes:
PFX7ZN3222
29 Twilight Descends:    WLHYHCP!!!               4 The Mansion:
WLHYHCPQQQ
30 Threshold of Pain:         PFX7ZN3GGG               5 Club DOOM:
PF7XN3N111

Cheat Codes: All cheat codes are entered while the game is paused.  They are
combinations of buttons and d-pad  buttons.  If you do not get the code,
unpause and pause again and try it again.  Most messages will appear on the
bottom  of the screen.
z    LEVEL SELECT:                   R,L,R2,R1,/\,L1,(),X  Lets you choose a
  level to warp to right after you enter the code.
z    ALL POWERFUL MODE:          D,L2,[],R1,R,L1,L,()  GOD Mode or
Degreelessness Mode    You become invincible.
z    LOTS OF GOODIES:         X,/\,L1,U,D,R2,L,L  Gives you all weapons,
ammo for them, all keys for current level, etc.
z    MAP ALL LINES:             /\,/\,L2,R2,L2,R2,R1,[]  Maps all walls and
  boundaries for the current stage.
z    MAP ALL THINGS:            /\,/\,L2,R2,L2,R2,R1,()  Maps all objects as
  blue triangles including enemies, items, weapons etc
z    X-RAY VISION:                   L1,R2,L2,R1,R,/\,X,R  This one utilizes
  the PSX hardware's "see-through" effect for you to be able to see through 1
  layer of wall or sprite. No message appears at the bottom of the viewing
  window for this one.

ESPN Extreme Games
1 CHEAT'S FOR ALL
At the "Choose Settings" screen, go to "Exhibition" and then choose
"Continue Season". When asked to choose your memory card, choose "No".
Now enter the password:
237
190
190
080
000
000
176
113
219
This will give you a good character with $5030 in cash, all the good
vehicles, first place in the season, many season points, and first place in
the first 2 races.

FIFA 96
z    Start a game, pause it, select options, and enter a code. You will hear
  a "click." Exit the options menu, and go back to menu with Resume Game as a
  choice.
z    Press []. You will get a secret options menu. Gray choices require
  another code..
z    Use Left/Right on control pad to change settings.

z    Invisible Walls       X,X,X,/\,[],[],[],/\
z    Curve Ball               /\,[],X,/\,X,X
z    Super Power         /\,[],/\,/\,/\,/\,/\,/\,/\,/\,
z    Super Goalie             [],[],[],[],[],/\,/\,/\,/\,/\,
z    Super Offense            [],[],[],[],[],/\,X
z    Super Defense            /\,/\,/\,/\,/\,X,/\
z    Shootout                 [],/\,[],X,[],/\
z    Stupid Team              [],/\,X,[],/\,X
z    After entering the following codes (using the same method to enter the
  above codes), go back to the Main Menu (you must quit your game) and select
  OPTIONS to see new choices found at the bottom.
z    Formal (tuxedos)           [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,X,/\
z    Federation                    [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,X,X     Data and Spock
z    Dynamic Duo              [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,/\,[]   Batman and Robin
z    Default Color Pallete    [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,/\,X
z    Invisible                     [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,X,[]    just hair,
shorts, shoes,
z    Oktoberfest                   [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,/\,/\
z    Dream Team               [],[],/\,/\,X,X,[],[]
z    EA Custom Teams     [],/\,X,[],/\,/\,[],[]
z    Crazyball :                   X,[],/\,X,X,/\,[],X

LOADED
z    Ammo
1.   Pause the game
2.   Hold L1 and L2 for 10seconds
3.   Still holding L1 and L2, hit D, R, (), L, R, (). Then hit X to use
4.   Note: the game could glitch if you go over 15,000)

z    Health
1.   Pause the game
2.   Hold L1 and L2 for 10seconds.....
3.   Still holding L1 and L2, hit R, R, L, D, D, U, and /\ and ().
4.   Health will become an option.  Hit X every time health is low!!!
5.   This code is not easy to do, keep trying.  If the code is used right
  after you die, but before you are on your next life you will be able to move
  around as the spot on the floor.  This is useless since you can not shoot at
  anything or be killed, but it is weird!

Mortal Kombat III
z    Ultimate Kombat Kode at the Copyright Screen: 360 clockwise circle
  (d,b,u,f)  Then it says enter the Ultimate Kombat Kode. Unlocks Smoke
Hit each button this number of times:
z    L1=0
z    R1=1
z    SQUARE=0
z    TRIANGLE=6
z    CIRCLE=U+1   (Hold Up while hitting once)
z    X=6
Enter these codes after the Prepare for Kombat screen:
z    Extended Menu #1 Hit X, R1, R2  - You will hear a Cymbal and you know
  you entered it right.  Go to the Kombat Kube and hit UP, you will get a ?,
  hit a button.  This is gives you  options like: SMOKE ON/OFF  or  FATALITY
  TIME ON/OFF
z    Extended Menu #2 Hit X, (), /\, R1, R1, R2, R2, R1, R1. Shao Kahn will
  say "You'll never win". Then hit Up at the Kombat Kube and you'll get the ?
  menu with two more options: 1 HIT KILLS  and  1 ROUND BATTLES

NBA JAM TE
Hold L1 and R1 while entering these initials and birthdates.

z        Adrock                           ADR  APR 6
z        Eric "Air-Dog" Samulski             AIR     JAN 21
z        Benny                               BEN    SEP 20
z        Boo-Boo                             THI     NOV 1
z        Larry Bird                          LAR  JAN 15
z        Carol "Blaze" Blazekowski      BLZ  JAN 14
z        Brutah                              GOW  JUL 17
z        John Carlton                        CAL       MAR 25
z        Catling                             CAT  JAN 2
z        Prince Charles                      CHA  MAY 4
z        Asif "Chow-Chow" Chaudhri      CHD  MAY 5
z        Bill Clinton                        BIL  JUN 3
z        Hillary Clinton                     HIL  NOV 6
z        Crunch                              WOL  MAR 7
z        Sal Divita                          DIV  JUL 3
z        Facime                              DEL  OCT 19
z        D. Falcus                           DAZ  AUG 6
z        Jason Falcus                        JAS  NOV 16
z        Fumungus                            GUN  JAN 11
z        Tony Goskie                         GOS  JAN 6
z        Gordon                              GOR  JUL 3
z        Gorilla                             APE  APR 2
z        Gray                                ROB  FEB 23
z        Heavy D                             HEA  JAN 9
z        Neil Hill                           ZIG  APR 7
z        Thomas Higgins                      TOM  FEB 19
z        Hodgeson                            HOG  DEC 31
z        Hugo                                HOR  JUN 12
z        Hutchinson                          BAR  APR 9
z        Jax                                      JAX  MAR 1
z        Jazzy Jeff                          JAZ  OCT 9
z        Kabuki                              KUB  APR 14
z        Chris Kirby                         CHR  DEC 18
z        Shawn Liptak                        LIP  JAN 14
z        McHugh                              BAA  JUL 12
z        Magic Hair                          STH       DEC 8
z        Max                                 LIZ  AUG 7
z        MCA                                 MCA  APR 9
z        Mike D                              M D  JUL 1
z        Jay Moon                            JAY  AUG 24
z        Moore                               MOE  JUN 8
z        Mike "Mad Mike" Muskett        MUS  DEC 24
z        Snake Palmer                        SNK  JUN 15
z        Pistol                              WAN  JUN 10
z        Renaldo                             REN  FEB 4
z        Jamie Rivett                        REV  JUL 6
z        Sequoia                             SAW  APR 10
z        Shelly                              SHY  JUN 8
z        Will "Fresh Prince" Smith           FRS  FEB 2
z        Frank Thomas                        FNK  JAN 8
z        Tunnicliff                          SAT  MAY 7
z        Mark Turmell                        TUR  JAN 31
z        Weasel                              DAN  JAN 2
z    Completed Season:                       FIN  JAN 1
z    Final Game of Season                    END  Jan 1

Enter these codes at the "Tonight's Matchup" VS screen...

z    Baby Mode:                      [],() five times
z    Big Head Mode:                     [],X,(),/\ 5 times-
z    Huge Mode:                         /\,X  5 times-
z    Mammoth Head Mode:            [],/\,(),X  5 times-
z    Manpower:                          R,R,L,R,X,X,R
z    Powerup Defense:                   R,U,D,R,D,U
z    Powerup Dunks:                     L,R,X,(),(),X
z    Powerup Fire:                      D,R,R,(),/\,L
z    Powerup 3PTS:                      U,D,L,R,L,D,U
z    Quick Hands:                       L,L,L,L,(),R
z    Shot Clock Display:                U,U,D,D,/\
z    High Arc Shots:                    U,D,U,D,R,U,(),(),(),(),D
z    1 Hit KO (1 opp):                  U,U,U,U,L,L,L,L,(),()
z    1 Hit KO (2 opp):                  U,U,U,U,L,L,L,L,(),X

Extended Roster: At the Selection screen, hold Select and spin pad 720
degrees counter-clockwise.

Off-World Interceptor
To max your cash, go to buy a Vivisector, then:

>From the Options screen enter:
[],X,(),[],X,(),[],X,(),[],X,(),[],X,(),[],X,O, L1

[] X O (six times), then L1 You will hear a sound if done correctly.


Ridge Racer
z    Bonus Cars: Beat Galaga when the game is loading
z    Black Car:  Beat the Time Trial Extra Course
z    Extra Courses: Win all races
z    Mirror Mode: At the beginning of the race, turn around and run into the
wall past the starting point.

Twisted Metal
Level Passwords:
z    Warehouse -                (),/\,[],(),()
z    Freeway -                     X,[],[],O,/\
z    Park -                        X,/\,[],O,[]
z    Cyburbia -                    X,[],/\,/\,/\
z    Rooftop -                     [],/\,X,O,X
z    Fight for your life           [],/\,0,[],[]
z    *Helicopter View      (),(),/\,X, space  Enter this code before
  entering a level code.  This view only works on Arena, Rooftop and Fight for
  your life.  While playing press DOWN+START a few times until you get the
  helicopter view
z    Infinite Weapons           /\,Space,[],(),()
z    Invincibility                 [],/\,X,Space,()
z    Weird                         /\,X,/\,/\,()
z    Minion                        /\,X,(),[],/\

WARHAWK
**Note: a double space means nothing is entered there

[],[],O,[],X,[],/\       = Preview Epilog Text
/\,  ,O,[],/\,X,X,[]     = Check Special Upgrades Text
O,O,O,  ,X,/\,X,X        = Warhawk A-La Mode (Infinate Weapons, Invincible)
/\,/\,O,/\,[],/\,/\,X    = Infinate Weapons (Non-Invincible)
[],O,[],[],/\,X,/\,/\    = Thor Mode (9999 Flash-Bombs)
X,O,O,[],X,/\,O,/\       = Kali Mode (Super Swarmers, Ultra-Lockons)
/\,X,  ,O,O,X,/\,[]      = Preview Movies
/\,X,/\,[],[],[],X,/\    = Face to Face with Kreel
/\,X,[],/\,O,[],X,X      = Kreel's Door is Open
/\,X,[],O,/\,X,/\,[]     = Above 3rd Force Field
/\,X,/\,/\,/\,X,O,/\     = Above 2nd Force Field
/\,X,X,[],O,[],O,X       = Above 1st Force Field
/\,X,/\,[],O,X,O,O,      = Stormland
/\,O,O,/\,/\,X,[],/\     = In with the Gatekeeper
/\,O,O,[],/\,O,O,X       = West Gauntlet Boss
/\,O,X,/\,O,X,/\,[]      = East Gauntlet Boss
/\,O,/\,O,/\,X,[],[]     = Gauntlet Level
[],[],X,O,/\,O,[],/\     = Volcano Boss is Active
[],/\,X,X,X,/\,O,[]      = Volcano Level
X,[],/\,O,X,/\,[],[]     = Airship Rear Hanger Open
X,O,/\,/\,O,O,O,X        = Post Transformation Airship
X,/\,X,[],[],/\,[],/\    = Airship Level
O,O,O,[],/\,/\,[],/\     = Approaching Uma
O,[],/\,[],/\,/\,/\,[]   = In Canyon with Crystal
O,/\,X,[],O,O,/\,/\      = In Canyon with Belle
O,[],O,[],X,O,O,/\       = In Canyon with Amber
O,/\,/\,X,O,O,[],O       = Canyon Level
/\,O,X,/\,O,O,X,[]       = Desert All But Done
/\,[],X,/\,O,[],O,X,     = Pyramid Has Risen
/\,[],X,/\,X,X,[],[]     = Desert Level

WIPEOUT
z    Access Rapiier class: Highlight 'one player' Hold L2,R2,L, Start and
  Select. Then press X
z    To access FireStar (the secret hidden track) Highlight 'one player'
  Hold L1,R1,Right, Start, Square and Circle. Press X Firestar should be at
  the bottom of the track list.
z    Turbo Start Is achieved by having the red rev bar on the second line
  from the end when the announcer says 'go'. best way is to press accelerate
  as the orange light comes on (possibly slightly different depending on the
  vehicle) or in the middle of the announcer saying 'one'.

WWF Wrestlemania
Select Screen Codes:
z    Random Select: Hold UP and press START.
z    COMBO Meter Auto-Fillup: Hold L1+R2 and press [], X, O, /\    "COMBO"
  should appear under the picture on your side.












Atari Interactive
software/Jaguar/Computer Section

Dana Jacobson, Editor


>From the Atari Editor's Desk              "Saying it like it is!"

     I do have to apologize (again) for the dismal content of this week's
Atari computing section.  It's not all my fault mother nature had a major
role to play, as well!  The weather here in New England, and much of the
east coast has been horrendous the past few weeks; and this week was/is no
different.  My chronic back problems have worsened due to the amounts of
shoveling being done (over and over again!); and sitting in one spot for any
length of time only makes it worse while the back stiffens up.  And, there's
another storm coming and due to arrive by the time you read this issue!
Ahhh, to be young again and really be able to appreciate this weather rather
than have to figure out where to put all of this stuff!  Oh well, it's nice
to look at, for awhile...

     Consequently, my Falcon CD-ROM article didn't get finished this week.
About all I can muster is an editorial winter lament.  I really hate
excuses!  But, it does give me the opportunity to talk to you, the readers
of STReport, and see if I can drum up some literary support.  As I'm sure
I've mentioned a number of times in the past, we're always looking for
original articles related to Atari computing being contributed for
publication in these pages.  In the past few months, I've noticed a lot of
knowledgeable people posting information on the online services, as well as
the UseNet Atari newsgroups.  You're everywhere.  Why not consolidate your
information, expertise, and enjoyment of Atari computing by contributing an
article now and then in a publication that would carry it to a worldwide
distribution?  Everyone would be able to appreciate your contributions,
rather than a limited readership that may miss out because a message header
on the UseNet may be misleading and people skip reading your
message/article?  Think about it, jot down your ideas, and drop me a line in
e-mail about it.  Just write me at: "dpj@delphi.com" and we'll get the ball
rolling.  There are still a number of worthwhile topics and
software/hardware making its way to Atari users that we'd all benefit from
learning more about.  You can help make this happen; I'd like to hear from
you.

     In the meantime, if you're on the east coast of the U.S., get stocked
up with food and other necessities.  Get the blankets out, warm up the Atari
computer and stay busy (and warm!).  And I'll be trying to figure out how
and where to remove the snow from the past two storms and also this new one
rapidly approaching.....my poor back will never forgive me!

Until next time...

                               Jaguar Section
1.   IG Online Expands to Print!
2.   Games!  And More!


>From the Editor's Controller  -  Playin' it like it is!

     The news of Atari's new Atari Interactive division has brought with it
a new level of "what's going to happen to the Jaguar" rumors.  A lot of
speculation has been bandied about with regard to this news.  Is Atari
expanding?  Is Atari abandoning the Jaguar to focus on PC-game development?
Is the end near for Atari altogether?  Will Jaguar games be abandoned and re-
focused on the PC?  You name it, it's likely that the thought has occurred.

     My take on all of this is that Atari is looking for the means to
survive, and prepare itself in case the Jaguar falters as much as the public
already feels that it has.  Atari can't limit itself to one product.  PC-
gaming will never be a bad move with the growing number of PCs making into
households these days.  If Atari creates good conversions of their classics,
mixed with some great originals, they should be able to do well.  Yes, I
said "should".  I said the same thing when the Jaguar arrived.  As we all
know, having great hardware and software does not automatically equate to
success.

     Who knows what kind of sales Atari had over the holidays?  I don't
know, but the first quarter financial reports should give us a pretty good
idea.  Did the price drop to $99 help?  Did it generate a LOT of sales?  I
wish that I had an answer.  Atari's Ted Hoff announces 20 titles for 1996.
A conservative number, to be sure, but realistic.  However, those 20 titles
are all names that we've seen before, on lists that are at least a year old.
These are not what one would consider "new" games, but ones we're already
aware of that haven't appeared yet either due to delays or lack of focus.

     Yes, the games are coming, as we all hoped.  They're even coming in
bunches.  Finally, we have some choices and an ironic situation for many in
that we have to choose what to buy and wait a bit before we have more
disposable cash to buy that second or third game that we wanted to buy when
it first appeared, but couldn't!  Will it last?  Will we see NEW titles
being considered for 1996, or even 1997?  Third-party games?  New
developers?  At this point, I really don't know.  I think we'll know by the
time the second quarter financial reports are out, if not sooner.  I won't
make any predictions.

               Until next time...


Jaguar Catalog STR InfoFile  -   What's currently available, what's coming
out.

Current Available Titles

CAT# TITLE                    MSRP      DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER

J9000     Cybermorph                    $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9006     Evolution:Dino Dudes          $19.99    Atari Corp.
J9005     Raiden                        $29.99    FABTEK, Inc/Atari Corp.
J9001     Trevor McFur/Crescent Galaxy       $19.99    Atari Corp.
J9010     Tempest 2000                  $39.95    Llamasoft/Atari Corp.
J9028     Wolfenstein 3D                $29.95    id/Atari Corp.
JA100     Brutal Sports FootBall        $69.95    Telegames
J9008     Alien vs. Predator                 $69.99         Rebellion/Atari
Corp.
J9029     Doom                     $69.99    id/Atari Corp.
J9036     Dragon: Bruce Lee             $29.99    Atari Corp.
J9003     Club Drive                    $29.99    Atari Corp.
J9007     Checkered Flag                $19.99         Atari Corp.
J9012     Kasumi Ninja                  $29.99    Atari Corp.
J9042     Zool 2                        $19.99    Atari Corp
J9020     Bubsy                         $19.99    Atari Corp
J9026     Iron Soldier                  $29.99    Atari Corp
J9060     Val D'Isere Skiing            $39.99    Atari Corp.
     Cannon Fodder                 $49.99    Virgin/C-West
     Syndicate                $69.99    Ocean
     Troy Aikman Football               $69.99    Williams
     Theme Park                    $69.99    Ocean
     Sensible Soccer                              Telegames
     Double Dragon V               $59.99    Williams

J9009E  Hover Strike                    $39.99    Atari Corp.
J0144E  Pinball Fantasies               $59.99    C-West
J9052E  Super Burnout                   $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9070     White Men Can't Jump          $49.99    Atari Corp.
      Flashback                    $59.99    U.S. Gold
J9078E  VidGrid (CD)                              Atari Corp
J9016E  Blue Lightning (CD)             $59.99    Atari Corp
J9040      Flip-Out                $49.99    Atari Corp
J9082      Ultra Vortek                 $69.99    Atari Corp
C3669T Rayman                 $69.99    Ubi Soft
      Power Drive Rally            $69.99    TWI
J9101      Pitfall                      $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9086E  Hover Strike CD            $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9031E  Highlander I (CD)               $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9061E  Ruiner Pinball                  $59.99    Atari Corp.
      Dragon's Lair                $69.99    Readysoft
J9097E  Missile Command 3D              $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9091E  Atari Karts                $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9044E  Supercross 3D                   $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9106E  Fever Pitch Soccer              $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9043E  I-War                      $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9069     Myst (CD)                $59.99    Atari Corp.
     Primal Rage                   $69.99    Time Warner
     Battlemorph                   $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9055     Baldies                       $59.99    Atari Corp.
J9089     NBA Jam TE                    $69.99    Atari Corp.
     Zoop                     $49.99    Atari Corp.

Available Soon

CAT# TITLE                    MSRP      DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER
     Defender 2000                 TBA       Atari Corp.
     Fight For Life                TBA       Atari Corp.
     ...Mutant Penguins            $59.99         Atari Corp.
     World Tour Racing             TBA       Atari Corp
     Breakout 2000                 $49.99         Atari Corp.
     Max Force                $59.99              Atari Corp.
J9021     Brett Hull Hockey             $69.99         Atari Corp.

Hardware and Peripherals

CAT# TITLE                    MSRP      MANUFACTURER
J8001     Jaguar (no cart)                   $99.99         Atari Corp.
J8904     Composite Cable               $19.95
J8901     Controller/Joypad             $24.95         Atari Corp.
J8905     S-Video Cable                 $19.95
     CatBox                        $69.95         ICD
J8800     Jaguar CD-ROM            $149.99   Atari Corp.
J8908     JagLink Interface             $29.95         Atari Corp.
J8910     Team Tap 4-Player Adapter)         $29.95         Atari Corp.
J8907     Jaguar ProController               $29.95         Atari Corp.
J8911     Memory Track                  $29.95         Atari Corp.
J8909     Tempest 2000:  The Soundtrack      $12.99         Atari Corp.


Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile  -  The Latest Gaming News!

     New Print Games Magazine:          200,000.
           Announcement!                Throughout    the    last     year,
From: Jeremy B Horwitz                  Intelligent   Gamer   Online    has
<horwitz@acsu.buffalo.edu>              received
     Before I post this                 industry-wide   acclaim   for   its
announcement, let me say thank you      accurate, comprehensive and  up-to-
to some very special people.            the-minute  coverage of  new  video
Intelligent Gamer Online has been       game  products. "We  knew  that  IG
lucky enough to have the greatest       Online was special when we saw it,"
readers in the world -- citizens of     explains Steve Harris, president of
the Net and online services who         Sendai,  "and  we know  that  these
have been exceptionally kind to         guys will make a great addition  to
those of us at IG Online as we've       Sendai's winning team."
spent the last year working to          The    Intelligent   Gamer   Online
bring information to the masses.        service  has  been the  subject  of
Because you've been so good to us,      rave
we're making this announcement to       articles   in  several   magazines,
our friends in the online world         where  it  has  been deemed  "well-
before the business wires get wind      designed      and     informative,"
of the news. Needless to say, we're     "arguably  the  most reliable"  and
very happy to offer the online          "unrivalled." Named both "Cool Site
world the chance to get involved in     of  the Day" and "Cool Place of the
something of this magnitude.  We're     Day,"  Intelligent Gamer Online  is
about to embark upon a new              read worldwide and has been used as
adventure, and we're asking for         an  information source  by  printed
your support and advice in these        magazines  from the United  States,
very exciting times. If you have        Europe, Australia and Asia.
any suggestions or questions once       "We  realize  that there  are  many
you've read this announcement,          video  game magazines on the market
please address them to me.              already,"   comments   Joe    Funk,
- Jer Horwitz                           Sendai's  Editorial Director,  "but
   SPECIAL ADVANCE ANNOUNCEMENT:        Intelligent  Gamer's   content   is
Sendai Signs to Bring Intelligent       unique.  On the Internet, hard-core
Gamer Online to Newsstands              gamers  trust  IG,  people  in  the
Chicago,  Illinois  --  January  5,     industry quote IG, and parents rely
1996    --    In    an    exclusive     on  IG for advice on which games to
arrangement,  Sendai  Media   Group     choose  for their kids. There  will
announced today that it has  signed     definitely   be   room    in    the
with Intelligent Gamer Online's Jer     marketplace for a product  of  this
Horwitz  and  Anthony  Shubert   to     quality."
bring    the   Internet's   leading     "We're thrilled to be working  with
supplier       of      game-related     Sendai  on this new venture,"  says
information onto newsstands.            Jer Horwitz, who will become Editor-
Beginning  with  the  March  issue,     in-Chief    of   FUSION/Intelligent
Sendai's   FUSION   magazine   will     Gamer.  "We've worked very hard  to
become   FUSION/Intelligent  Gamer,     win  the trust and respect  of  our
providing  game  players  with  the     readers and the industry at  large,
first  word  on the next generation     and we've succeeded. This agreement
of  gaming. Editorial content  will     will bring Intelligent Gamer's high
focus    on   insider   news    and     standards    to   a   much    wider
information,    lengthy    hands-on     audience."
reviews  of upcoming game products,     The new magazine's Editor at Large,
and  hard-hitting  interviews  with     Anthony  Shubert, notes that  "when
the  developers and executives  who     we  were  just  starting  out,  one
are  shaping the video game and CD-     magazine's  editor  told  us   that
ROM landscapes. The first issue  of
the   new  magazine  will  have   a
projected distribution in excess of
'Intelligent    Gamer'    was    an     Times' Managing Editor in the front-
oxymoron,  and  that's   just   the     page  story.  "Rather, the 'simply'
attitude   we've  proved  outdated.     in  Simply Interactive is  intended
Surrounded  by so many  new  titles     to   emphasize  Microsoft's  highly
and  new types of hardware, today's     ambitious  plan  to  clean  up,  or
gamer  is a careful consumer  first     unify,   much   of   the   software
and   foremost,  and   that's   the     surrounding  its   Windows  95  and
audience we reach."                     Windows NT operating systems."
The  Sendai  Media  Group  produces     "Simply  Interactive PC is a  theme
magazines targeting the male  youth     that  is guiding our investment  in
market  that range from  ELECTRONIC     Windows,     to    deliver     more
GAMING    MONTHLY,   the    leading     interactivity," said Carl  Stork, a
magazine   covering  the  exploding     director  of  Microsoft's  personal
world  of electronic entertainment,     systems division. However, he noted
and   CINESCAPE,   which   provides     that  Microsoft  has  not  formally
coverage  of  action  and   science     discussed       the     technology.
fiction  film  and TV  productions.     "Anything  we do until  we  say  it
Sendai's publications are  read  by     publicly is highly speculative," he
more   than   35   million   people     said.   "We  reserve the  right  to
annually world wide.                    change our mind."
Intelligent  Gamer  Online  can  be     According  to  Microsoft  documents
found on the Internet's World  Wide     obtained  by Electronic Engineering
Web  at  http://igonline.escape.com     Times,  the  Simply Interactive  PC
and                                     will   be  a  collection  of   open
http://www.utiweb.com/~igonline,        specifications  including   a   new
and  in  the video games forums  of     family  of  32-bit Windows  drivers
leading commercial online services.     bringing     advanced    multimedia
  Microsoft Quietly Develops The        capabilities   to   an    x86-based
     "Simply Interactive PC,"           system, rather than a product  from
According To An "Exclusive Report"      Microsoft.   However,  the  company
  In Cmp's Electronic Engineering       has    trademarked   the    "Simply
               Times                    Interactive  PC" name  and  may  be
MANHASSET,  N.Y.  --  An  exclusive     planning  to  license a  logo  that
article  in the January 8 issue  of     would  appear on each system  sold,
CMP's  Electronic Engineering Times     in  a manner  similar to the widely
reveals   that   Microsoft    Corp.     used    "Windows-compatible"    and
(Nasdaq-NNM: MSFT) is working on an     "Intel Inside" stickers.
ambitious  strategy to  create  the     In a side-bar to the article, Wolfe
"Simply  Interactive PC." According     notes   that   Microsoft's   Simply
to  company  documents obtained  by     Interactive PC would drive  Windows
Electronic  Engineering Times,  the     95   from   its  current    design,
Simply  Interactive PC would  be  a     consisting  of a mix of 16-and  32-
streamlined           Windows-based     bit  software, to a new, all-32-bit
information appliance envisioned as     code  base  scheduled  for  release
"the     best     platform      for     next year.
entertainment, Internet access  and     Although   the  streamlined   Win32
communications." And, sources close     driver    model   (WDM)   now    in
to  the  effort believe it has  the     development  will  run  under   the
potential  to  steal the  spotlight     current  version  of   Windows  NT,
from   the  $500  Internet-  access     Microsoft     would     have     to
PCsomething that's been the subject     significantly modify  much  of  the
of  heated industry design activity     underlying technology in Windows 95
in recent months.                       to   support the WDMs.  "Currently,
"Despite its name, the PC Microsoft     Windows 95 is heavily geared toward
envisions is not a simple, stripped-    Visual Basic-type drivers known  as
down  platform,"  writes  Alexander     VxDs,"  writes Wolfe.   "To  handle
Wolfe,     electronic   Engineering     WDMs,   Microsoft  will   have   to
                                        jettison all of the 16-bit code  in
Windows  95  and convert  it  to  a     leading game makers to give users a
fully 32-bit operating system."         taste   of  the  power,  ease   and
According    to    a   presentation     excitement  of  gaming  under   the
prepared by Stork for delivery at a     Microsoft(R)  Windows 95  operating
recent  design preview and obtained     system.    The   CD   features   39
by  Electronic   Engineering Times,     playable  trial-version  games  and
Microsoft "will continue  to  offer     demonstrations            developed
two   complementary   versions   of     specifically  for  Windows  95  and
Windows    for    the   foreseeable     offers      a     state-of-the-art,
future." But as Wolfe notes, "after     interactive      3-D      graphical
1998,  the two OS's could begin  to     interface.
resemble  each  other  in  all  but     Games  developed  for  Windows  95,
name."                                  including  all  the titles  on  the
Electronic    Engineering    Times,     Games  for  Windows  95  CD,   take
published  by CMP, is  the  leading     advantage  of AutoPlay  technology,
publication covering the high  tech     which  makes installation of  games
OEM industry.  The   well-respected     on  Windows 95 as easy as inserting
weekly  is  the  only  source  that     a  CD  into a computer.  New  games
delivers news of both business  and     designed for Windows 95 exploit the
technology   to   the   engineering     operating   system's   power    and
community  and  technical/corporate     features   to   surpass   MS-DOS(R)
management     at     U.S.      OEM     operating  system-based  games  and
organizations.   CMP  Publications,     deliver    fast,    high-resolution
Inc.  is the only provider of high-     graphics,   high-fidelity    sound,
tech   publishing,  marketing   and     great multiplayer connectivity  and
information services to  reach  the     digitally    precise,    responsive
entire   spectrum  of   the   high-     joystick  control  --  all  without
technology  market.   Through   its     installation hassles.   Only  games
unique market position, CMP reaches     designed  specifically for  Windows
the  builders  of  technology  with     95 offers this combination of great
Electronic    Engineering    Times,     game   performance  and   ease   of
Electronic  Buyers' News,  and  OEM     installation.
Magazine; the sellers of technology     "Finally, users don't need to worry
with    Computer   Reseller   News,     about installing new games on their
Computer   Reseller   News/Germany,     PCs,"  said Brad Silverberg, senior
Computer    Retail    Week,     and     vice   president  of  the  personal
VARBusiness;  and  the   users   of     systems   division  at   Microsoft.
technology   with  InformationWeek,     "Windows 95 offers users everything
Interactive      Age       Digital,     that   an  MS-DOS-based  or   game-
CommunicationsWeek,                     machine  game does, plus  automatic
CommunicationsWeek   International,     installation, a broad  spectrum  of
Informatiques   Magazine,   Network     titles,  unparalleled  quality   of
Computing, WINDOWS Magazine, HomePC     game  play, and access to  advanced
and   NetGuide.   All   of    these     technology   such  as   multiplayer
publications  and   a   series   of     gaming.   The Games for Windows  95
innovative   news   services    are     CD   is  a  great  way  for  anyone
available  on  the World  Wide  Web     interested in gaming to try hot new
through      CMP's      TechWeb(TM)     titles  and experience the benefits
(http://techweb.cmp.com),       the     that Windows 95 offers as a leading
online technology source.               game platform."
 Microsoft Games For Windows 95 CD      Thirty-Nine Windows 95-Based  Games
   Coming Soon To Retail Outlets        Featured
LAS  VEGAS -- Microsoft Corp. today     The  Games for Windows 95 CD offers
announced   that  the   Games   for     users  hours of exciting game play,
Windows(R) 95 CD is scheduled to be     featuring    the   hottest    games
available  at  retail outlets  Jan.     developed for Windows 95.   The  CD
15,  1996,  priced at approximately     includes fully playable samples  of
$9.95.   Microsoft has allied  with     the following titles:
  z    Al Unser Jr. Arcade Racing       1995.   Leading  game manufacturers
  (Mindscape Inc.)                      joined   Microsoft   in   launching
z    Arcade America (7th Level)         Windows 95 as a game platform in  a
z    Atari 2600 Action Pack             special industry event on Oct.  30,
(Activision Inc.)                       1995.
z    Battle Beast (7th Level)           Leading    third-party   developers
z    Beavis and Butthead in Virtual     worked aggressively to deliver  new
  Stupidity (Viacom New Media)          Windows  95-based  game  titles  in
z    Commodore 64 15-Pack               time for the holiday season and are
  (Activision)                          committed  to  Windows  95  as  the
z    DogZ (PF. Magic)                   platform of choice for new games in
z    DOOM for Windows 95 (id            1996.
Software)                               "Our  first  original  Windows  95-
z    Double Switch (Digital             based title, Full Tilt! Pinball, is
Pictures)                               selling very well, as is the native
z    Endorfun (Time Warner              Windows 95-based version of SimCity
Interactive Inc.)                       2000,"  said  Robin  Harper,   vice
z    Full Tilt! Pinball (Maxis)         president  of marketing  at  Maxis.
z    Fury3 (Microsoft)                  "Since   consumers  have  exhibited
z    Havoc (Reality Bytes)              such  enthusiasm for both new games
z    The Hive (Trimark Interactive)     and  adaptations of existing  games
z    Ice & Fire (Zombie)                on  Windows  95, all  future  Maxis
z    Locus (Zombie)                     entertainment  software   will   be
z    MechWarrior 2 (Activision)         developed for this platform."
z    Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure       Windows  95  offers  features  that
(Activision)                            make it the platform of choice  for
z    Pressure Drop (Starhill            gaming,   including  AutoPlay   for
Productions)                            automatic  game  installation;  the
z    Return Fire (Time Warner)          new   DirectX  APIs  for   enhanced
z    Shanghai: Great Moments            graphics,  sound, joystick  control
(Activision)                            and  multi-player connectivity; and
z    SU-27 Flanker (Strategic           Plug  and Play to simplify hardware
Simulations Inc.)                       setup.
z    TriTryst (Virgin Interactive       "Windows  95  is the  showcase  for
Entertainment)                          unparalleled   game  play   through
z    Under Pressure (Starhill           faster,   enhanced   graphics   and
Productions)                            increased sound capabilities," said
z    Zork:  Nemisis (Activision)        Bobby  Kotick, chairman and CEO  of
Also included are demonstrations of     Activision  Inc.  "Whether  running
13  other  game titles for  Windows     an  action,  adventure  or  mystery
95.                                     title,  Windows  95  maximizes  the
Windows  95  Is the PC Platform  of     potential  to  bring consumers  the
Choice for the Game Industry            most cutting-edge gaming experience
The game industry strongly supports     available."
Windows  95.   Forty  of  the  game     "The  tidal wave of new titles  for
industry's  leading  companies  are     Windows 95 and the release  of  the
shipping  more than  75  games  and     Games  for  Windows 95 CD  are  the
accessories  specifically  designed     latest   evidence  of  the   gaming
to  exploit the power and  features     industry's shift to Windows  95  as
of    Windows    95.     Commercial     the  primary PC platform  for  game
availability of game titles and the     play,"  said Tim Bajarin, president
Games  for  Windows 95 CD  are  the     of  Creative  Strategies  Research.
latest steps in the game industry's     "By  the  1996  holiday  season,  I
move   to  Windows  95.   Microsoft     expect  that  most new game  titles
announced  enhanced gaming  support     will  be  designed specifically  to
in  Windows 95 at the Computer Game     take  advantage  of the  impressive
Developers Conference in April 1995     gaming capabilities of Windows 95."
and delivered the final Windows  95
Game  Development Kit in  September
System Requirements
To  play  the Games for Windows  95
CD,   users  need  a  Windows   95-
compatible PC, 8 MB of memory and a
compatible    sound    card.      A
compatible joystick is optional.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq:
MSFT)  is  the worldwide leader  in
software  for  personal  computers.
The company offers a wide range  of
products  and services for business
and  personal  use,  each  designed
with  the  mission  of  making   it
easier   and  more  enjoyable   for
people  to  take advantage  of  the
full  power  of personal  computing
every day.
NOTE:   Microsoft, Windows and  MS-
DOS     are    either    registered
trademarks    or   trademarks    of
Microsoft   Corp.  in  the   United
States and/or other countries.  All
other   trademarks  and  registered
trademarks  are  the  property   of
their respective owners.



Jaguar Developers STR InfoFile  -  Current Developer Lists & Titles

Game Title               Date Game Type           MSRP      Publisher

Air Cars            TBA  Racing/Combat            $59.99    MidNite Ent.
Alien vs. Predator       NOW  Role Play/Adventure      $69.99    Atari
Assault                  2Q/96     Action/Combat            $59.99
MidNite Ent.
Atari Karts              NOW  Driving                  $59.99    Atari
Attack Mutant Penguins   2/96 Arcade                   $59.99    Atari
Baldies (CD)             NOW  Action/Sim               $59.99    Atari
Battlemorph (CD)              NOW   Flying/Action           $59.99    Atari
Battlesphere             TBA  Space/Combat             TBD            4-Play
Battlestar               TBA  Space/Combat             TBD            ?
Battle Wheels            TBA  Racing/Combat            TBD            Beyond
Games
Blue Lightning (CD)           NOW  Flying/Action            $59.99    Atari
Braindead 13 (CD)        TBA  Action/Adventure         TBD
ReadySoft
Breakout 2000            6/96 Puzzle                   $49.99    Atari
Brett Hull NHL Hockey    2/96 Sports                   $69.99    Atari
Brett Hull Hockey (CD)   4/96 Sports                   $69.99    Atari
Brutal Sports Football        NOW  Sports/Combat            $69.99
Telegames
Bubsy                    NOW  Action/Adventure         $19.99    Atari
Cannon Fodder            NOW  Action/Adventure         $49.99    Virgin
Chas. Barkley Basketball 1Q/96     Sports                   $59.99    Atari
Checkered Flag           NOW  Racing                   $19.99    Atari
Club Drive               NOW  Racing                   $29.99    Atari
Commander Blood(CD)      2/96 RPG                 $69.99    Atari
Cybermorph               NOW  Flying/Action            $59.99    Atari
Dactyl Joust             TBA  Action                   TBD       Atari
Dante (CD)               6/96 Action                   TBD            Atari
Defender 2000            2/96 Arcade                   $59.99    Atari
Doom                NOW   Action/Combat           $69.99    Atari
Double Dragon V          NOW  Action/Adventure         $59.99    Williams
Dragon: Bruce Lee Story       NOW  Combat                   $29.99    Atari
Dragon's Lair (CD)       NOW  Adventure           $69.99    ReadySoft
Dragon's Lair 2(CD)      TBA  Adventure           TBD            ReadySoft
Dungeon Depths      2Q/96     Action/Adventure         $59.99    MidNite
Ent.
Evolution: Dino Dudes    NOW  Puzzle/Adventure         $19.99    Atari
Fever Pitch Soccer       NOW  Sports                   $59.99    Atari
Fight For Life           2/96 Combat                   TBD            Atari
Flashback           NOW  Action/Adventure              $59.99    US Gold
Flip-Out            NOW  Puzzle                   $49.99    Atari
Formula 1 (CD)      1Q/96     Racing                   TBD            Atari
Highlander I (CD)        NOW  Action/Adventure         $59.99    Atari
Highlander II (CD)       3/96 Action/Adventure         TBD       Atari
Highlander III (CD)                5/96 Action/Adventure         TBD
Atari
Horrorscope              TBA  Combat                   TBD       V Reel
Hover Strike             NOW  Action/Combat            $39.99    Atari
Hover Strike CD          NOW  Action/Combat            $59.99    Atari
Hyper Force              TBA  ?                   TBD       Comp. West
Iron Soldier             NOW  Action/Strategy          $29.99    Atari
Iron Soldier II (CD)               4/96 Action/Strategy               $59.99
Atari
I-War (a.k.a. Netwar)         NOW  Action/Adventure         $59.99    Atari
Kasumi Ninja             NOW  Combat                   $29.99    Atari
Magic Carpet (CD)        11/96     Action/RPG               TBD       Atari
Max Force (CD)      1Q/96     Action                   $59.99    Atari
Missile Command 3D       NOW  Action/Arcade            $59.99    Atari
Mortal Kombat 3          9/96 Fighting            TBD       Atari
Myst (CD)           NOW  Interactive Novel        $59.99    Atari
NBA Jam T.E.             NOW  Sports                   $69.99    Atari
Phase Zero               9/96 Action/Arcade            $59.99    Atari
Pinball Fantasies        NOW  Arcade                   $59.95    Comp. West
Pitfall/Mayan Adv.       NOW  Arcade                   $59.99    Activision
Power Drive Rally        NOW  Driving                  $69.99    TWI
Primal Rage (CD)         NOW  Fighting            $69.99    TWI
Raiden                   NOW  Action/Adventure         $29.99    Atari
Rayman              NOW  Action/Adventure         $69.99    Ubi Soft
Rise of the Robots(CD)   TBA  Action/Arcade            TBD       TWI
Robinson's Requiem       2/96 Adventure           $59.99    Atari
Rocky Horror (CD)        10/96     Adventure           TBD       Atari
Ruiner Pinball           NOW  Arcade                   $59.99    Atari
Sensible Soccer               NOW  Sports
Telegames
Sky Hammer (CD)          8/96 Flying/Action            TBD       Atari
Soccer Kid               TBA  Sports                   TBD       Ocean
Soul Star (CD)           5/96 Action/Sci-Fi            TBD       Atari
Space Ace (CD)      TBA  Space/Combat             TBD            ReadySoft
Super Burnout            NOW  Racing                   $59.99    Atari
Supercross 3D            NOW  Sports                   $59.99    Atari
Syndicate           NOW  Simulation               $69.99    Ocean
Tempest 2000             NOW  Action/Adventure              $39.99    Atari
Theme Park               NOW  Simulation               $69.99    Ocean
Trevor McFur             NOW  Action/Adventure         $19.99    Atari
Troy Aikman Football          NOW  Sports                   $69.99
Williams
Ultimate Brain Games               TBA  Puzzle                   TBD
Telegames
Ultra Vortek             NOW  Action/Adventure         $69.99         Beyond
Games
Val D'Isere Skiing       NOW  Sports                   $39.99    Atari
VidGrid (CD)             NOW  Puzzle/Music                  ---
Atari
Wayne Gretzky (CD)       2/96 Sports                   TBD       TWI
White Men Can't Jump
(w/Team Tap)             NOW  Sports                   $49.99
Atari/TriMark
Wolfenstein 3D           NOW  Combat/Action            $29.99    Atari
World Tour Racing        3/96 Sports                   TBD       Atari
Zero 5                   7/96 Space/Combat             TBD            Atari
Zool2                    NOW  Action/Adventure         $19.99    Atari
Zoop                NOW  Puzzle                   $49.99    Viacom

[Editor's note: Titles, scheduled release dates, and prices are verified
from Atari - all subject to change]





ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine          The wires are a hummin'!


                            PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
On CompuServe

compiled by
Joe Mirando
73637,2262
     Here we are friends, the second week of 1996. And in the span of two
weeks, we in the Northeast, face our third winter storm.  It  reminds me of
Reginald Vel whatever-his-name-is from Diehard singing:  Oh the weather
outside is frightful... da da da da da delightful...  Yep, you guessed it...
I've got cabin fever.  I hate the snow.  I hate the cold.  I hate just about
everything.  And I hate the fact that I hate it.  Well, that's okay.  As
long as I've got a modem and a phone line I'm happy.  And, if present
developments are any indication, I'll be able to log on to CompuServe with
my ST for a long time.   There is now some real grass-roots interest in
getting a HMI-enabled program for the ST.  Let's take a look.


>From the Atari Computing Forum.

On the subject of the number of         pages.  This doesn't mean you have
colors "needed" to access               to  _look_ at 'em. ;-)  Especially
CompuServe using CIM or a HMI           if your program is an off-line
navigator I post:                       browser."
"...I believe that many of the          
"colors" in an HMI-type of program      Ben at TOC Oz. posts:
could use the built-in patterns in      "Regarding telecommunications
monochrome  mode... It might not        packages for CIS : I recently spoke
look like the Windows version, but      to someone who is very capable of
it would be something for those who     writing such a   package. They
wanted it."                             often look into these forums, to
                                        judge the salability of their
Sysop Bob Retelle replies:              efforts.  The context of our
"Heh... I remember playing midimaze     conversation was : They want to
in monochrome...  it used the           know how many C-LAB Falcons are
internal fill patterns to indicate      going to be bought, so that the
the different colors, and was it        project will be viable, and I want
ever a pain..!                          to know how many up to date, high
                                        quality products are available to
(Pattie Rayl tried to use it first      my C-LAB Falcon customers.
and couldn't figure out if she was      
supposed to be shooting the             YOU CAN NOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE
"slants" or the "stripes"...   they     OTHER !!!!! The Falcon is HERE NOW
finally gave me the mono monitor        ....  where's the purchasers,
because I'd just shoot everyone,        where's the peripherals ... ?, They
and it didn't matter what pattern       are out there, ...  they just have
they were..!)                           to be brought together !
                                        
You're probably right though.. in       If any one else says that they
this application, I'll bet it would     either have to swap platforms or
work just fine."                        die with their STs, I will start
                                        believing you are stupid,  and
I reply to Bob:                         can't be helped as you don't want
                                        to be....any of you Celtic/Anglo
  "I remember playing midimaze in       types should know the story of the
mono as well... you sure had to use     dog and the  thistle !  You're only
your imagination.                       whining because your either lazy,
                                        or stupid, or both !  (that's the
   >You're probably right though..      context of the dog/thistle story)
in this application, I'll bet it        Put your money where your mouth is
would work just fine.  <                ! contact the C-LAB dealer in your
                                        country !  C-LAB are only shipping
  No one would ever mistake it for      small  numbers, because the average
VGA, but as long as it lets us          user is not being switched on to
"see" what's on CIS, I'll be            it's superior multi media
happy... for a while.  <g>"             abilities.  C-LAB Falcons motto  is
                                        "power without price", and it is
Mark Kelling adds:                      indeed just that !
  "As for color in CIM: hey, it         
just brightens up the icons, nearly     Just ask Alberto Sanchez how fast
everything is still just text           Apex Multimedia is, if you don't
online anyway.                          believe me !  Everything has to
                                        start somewhere,  don't complain
  If the new online areas are any       ... show interest !  then more and
indication though, the future will      more Falcons will start shipping,
be in photo realistic shades.  Most     which will encourage more
of the new areas save splashy,          developers, which will encourage
Internet Web looking welcome pages.     more users, which will mean more
The Mall, Money Mag., Internet Q&A,     Falcons etc.
are just some of the many --  and       
word is that Forums are next in         Everyone who inquires at my office,
line to get full color welcome          is also interested in using
telecommunications of some sort.        available for Macs and PCs.  The
With each new enquiry,  is the          money you save using MacNAV in a
possibility of another customer for     year alone will more than pay for a
CIS. the logic is obvious.(if not       PowerBook. My Compuserve bills
read above). For those who              dropped **DRAMATICALLY** the minute
experience financial  difficulty, C-    I switched over. I wound up saving
LAB have provided upgrade path to       hundreds of dollars.  The Falcon is
the Mark X, which has obvious           wonderful for many things...but
benefits for both customer and          here on CompuServe...it is to
developer, bringing O/S's,              laugh. Use the right  tool for the
hardware, and bug fixes, to a           job."
standard, which means that              
developers, and customers will have     Carl Barron tells Ben:
more confidence in the platform !       "I have a 18 meg TT, CD-ROM,
                                        500+megs of working hard drives and
Renewed interest in the platform        soon a graphics card, so why would
will trickle down to more interest      I want a  'new' falcon?   That is
in some sort of ST compatibility,       an interesting question.  If I need
which will benefit  those who           a falcon to navigate CIS on an
simply can't afford a Falcon, ...       Atari m680x0, I see no future in
consider ZERO-X by SoundPool, if it     the program.  For a reasonable
finds itself on a Falcon it will        price I would by this program, if
use the  DSP, otherwise it won't !      it ran at least on my TT.  I no
It doesn't bomb and tell you to go      longer believe in supply side
away.  Also consider many owners        economics, or the trickle down
who have both an ST,  and a             theory."
Falcon... (As STs don't die ;-),        
some form of compatibility is           Michel Vanhamme tells Carl:
necessary. If instead of the Falcon     "I agree. While I am not a great
it was a Mac, or     clone, this        programmer, I cannot see why
wouldn't be the case ! and the STs      someone would need a specific
and ST support would be set on the      machine to be able to run a CIS
long and narrow path of attrition,      front end. Of course, there _are_
till  they are only found in            some obvious hardware requirements:
museums !                               a minimal resolution (640*400 or
                                        480), some colors (16 - I've tried
This message is being written on a      it on a PC and it works) if you
C-LAB Falcon Mark II 14/811. So         want the CIS icons and all that, a
somebody has one !, and I live on       hard drive, some  RAM. All this
an island in the  middle of the         means at least two unmodified
ocean, far away from America, or        machines would do the job: TTs and
Europe ! How did it get here ? How      Falcons. There are also some people
did I know they were available ?        who have put graphics cards in
How could I afford to buy one ? How     their STs so that should work too.
come you can read this message ?        
                                        But, IMHO, that would leave a lot
If you can answer these questions,      of people out still, who would only
then I'll stop thinking you are         be able to run at a suitable
stupid, or lazy !"                      resolution in mono. I  see only one
                                        solution to that:  suppression of
Frank Heller tells Ben:                 the graphics, but I don't know if
"Zero-X is manufactured by Copson       navigation would be possible
Data. SoundPool distributes it to       without  graphics.  Anyway, all the
certain areas of the World.  And        above _only_ applies to an
I...uh...have a C-LAB Falcon...but      'AtariCim'... No need for the
I don't communicate on the service      colors for a navigator. Tapcis is a
with it. For that, I use a Mac 520c     DOS navigator, hasn't one icon or
PowerBook. I gave up a L O   N G        image in its display, and will
time ago trying to find a decent        become HMI compliant nevertheless.
front end for the Atari to              
communicate here.  Nothing made for     Bottom of the line: I don't see why
the Atari compares  to the stuff        only a Falcon would be capable to
run a CIS front-end.  Just my two       stuff is not loaded while online.
cents,                                  A full CIM will require at least
                                        640x480x16, 2-4megs of ram to run
Michel (I _have_ a Falcon BTW ;-)"      at all. Sound, who needs much
                                        sound."
Mark Kelling tells Michel:              
"CIS _wants_ you to use a CIM-type      Michel Vanhamme adds his thoughts:
program with all the pretty             "I think that would be the
graphics!  Just think, every time a     approximate hardware requirements.
forum (or for now  areas like Mall      I suppose even 2 meg RAM would be
and Newsstand) change their             sufficient if very  well
Greeting graphic you - the users -      programmed, since 4 meg on this
spend valuable time waiting for         borrowed PC under Windows here do
those   pretty pictures to arrive       the job, if you get my drift..."
through your modem.  I am happy to      
see that some Navigator type            Steven Van Rossen posts:
programs will make the move  to         "I am new to the HMI discussion,
HMI, this means we won't be locked      but it all sounds very interesting.
in to using only whatever CIM           I do develop programs for the Atari
software CIS determines is "best"       and I still intend to do. As far as
for us.  :-)   (Like that other         I can deduce from all available
service heavily advertised on TV)       information, it won't be that easy
                                        to develop an AtariCim (or
Since there is a DOS navigator set      whatever)  but I think it is worth
to go HMI, there is absolutely _no      the try. Why deprive us Atarians
reason_ why there can't be one for      from one of the world's best online
Atari systems.   Heck, you could        services.
write one for an Atari 400 if CIS       
would just release a specs sheet        I am willing to give developing
listing what HMI expects to see         AtariCim a try, but not alone. So
when  you communicate.  I do know       here is what I propose:
for a fact that all text sent back      1.   Since everybody is willing to
and forth in Mail and Forum               invest in it, why don't we invest
Messages is compressed and  placed        in it by contributing all in some
into B transfer protocol packets.         way. This means: user  developed
The decompressing for view of these       software. This means that
packets does take some horsepower         interested developers can co-
on the  part of your computer, so a       develop, other people can design
CIM type program may be beyond the        icons or write help  files, others
capabilities of a slow CPU.  Still,       can beta-test along with the
you could make an  off-line               developers. I am sure every one of
navigator where the actual time           us has a skill to contribute. Hey,
factor is not that important.  (The       if on the  Internet they could
software could download your mail         write Linux, why couldn't we make
and  messages and then logoff and         AtariCim?
expand everything for you to view       2.   If there is enough interest
and reply to later!)                      for a joint effort, I am willing to
                                          manage the project (in my
Sorry to carry on so! I'll step off       professional life, I do the same)
my soapbox now ;-)"                       and do large chunks of the
                                          developing.
Carl Barron adds:                       3.   If this project goes on, we'll
"I think a navigator, is possible         have to convince Compuserve that
fairly easily with 4megs and a hd         this project will succeed (as they
at any 80 col. resolution.  If it         expect every HMI application to
is going to ignore stuff,  it can         market Compuserve). This will be
return received ok without checking       the thorough part I suppose.
it, as it is tossing it anyway,         
etc.  Just speculating. But a           Bottom line, please if you are
navigator similar to  quikcis           interested in this proposal, reply
should be doable on perhaps a 2 meg     to this message... So - just to
st.  especially if the off-line         give an impression of what we all
need - here are some  skills I
already identified:
1.   Legal advice. If anyone of you
  is a laws specialist, grab your
  chance. We need to check how this
  project should be legally
  organized; Copyright CIS, ownership
  of user developed sources
2.   Developers. For myself I can
  offer GEM experience and
  application experience. I know C. I
  do have a GEM library with  full
  source control to make color
  buttons, windowed dialogs and all
  good stuff we need. I know Windows
  API.  I have a  PC which can be
  helpful comparing the 'AtariCim' to
  existing PC applications. But it is
  too much too do it all alone.
  Unless we're willing to wait to the
  year 2000 :-). Input is welcome on
  Compuserve B protocol (Jim?) and
  Telecom...
3.   People who are experts in icon
  drawing and which have access to
  WinCIM. The application would need
  its own version  of icons both in
  color and monochrome.
4.   Graphics experts: let us
dither these HMI color images to
good looking monochrome images for
those with monochrome  screens. Who
has such routines...

I'm convinced if we line up we can
find enough competence under the
Atarians to build together our
AtariCim..."

     If you have any ideas, impressions, or suggestions, write to Mr. Van
Rossen at 100256.3406@compuserve.com and let him know what you think.
      That's it for this week.  Tune in again for the next installment, same
time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...

                             PEOPLE ARE TALKING


                             EDITORIAL  QUICKIES


Almost a year later... and

                           Newt is STILL a Beaut!!
                                      

 When are the people going to realize Newt and his buddies really do have a
             "CONTRACT" on the USA not with or for the Country.
                                      
     Will the "Washington Big Whigs" ever LEARN to Represent the People
                  instead of Resenting them??  Not likely!



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