Hello members. I wish to thank everyone at the last meeting for contributing infat the last meeting, we had some really good discussions going! Thanks to Mike and Joe for an impressive hard drive demo asell! The ATARI is very capable of being hooked up to powerful computer devices such as hard drives, and the demo reaffirmed this.
Well, those of you who stuck around saw RAMPAGE load up and freeze with some very pretty music playing in the background but not much else. Glen was going to do some further testing with it, hopefully he has come up with something by now. Time will tell, we will see at the next meeting.
I was able to work out at the software sale at the State Fair and noticed ore thing: there are still PLENTY of ATARI people out there. I ran into many people buying ATARI 8-BIT software and many of them were very interested in the club. Hopefully we’ll see a few of those at the next meeting.
Coming up, we have the birthday meeting in June and a party planning committee is already getting ready to throw the bash! If you want to be involved please come to the next meeting to discuss details. I would like to get another good Game Festival going like the one we had last year except include more people. Perhaps we could do that this month, impromptu though it may be, or do a big one in June.
I am a bit short on major ATARI news this month. The small trickel of mail I was getting dropped short. I will continue to keep everyone informed at the meetings.
I hope to see everyone at the next meeting! Summer fever is bound to start sometime and I would like to get the club’s major business taken care of in these next two months here. PLEASE try to join us at the next meeting.
Happy Computing!
Nathan Block
Equipment Sold Minimum Bid Sold Amount Purchaser 800XL w/64K(No P/S) $35 $35 Pat Krenn 130XE w/128K(No P/S) $50 $50 Pat Krenn
Minutes respectfully submitted by Pat Krenn, Secretary.
==(((((((((( ==
Z*MAG/A\ZINE ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE
=========(( ===
March 9, 1991 Issue #191
=====(( =======
-------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c)1991, Rovac Ind Inc.
Publisher/Editor : Ron Kova Assistant Editor : Stan Lowell
-------------------------------------------------------------
CompuServe: 71777,2140 GEnie: Z-NET
Z*NET BBS: (908) 968-8148 BLANK PAGE BBS: (908) 805-3967
-------------------------------------------------------------
RUMBLES - RAMBLES - RUMORS
==========================
by Stan Lowell, Assistant Editor
A note about the Oasis BBS in the FoReM-XEP network listings. Len
Spencer has re-located to Orlando, FL. and his new number will be listed
in our next edition.
Good news for Express! Professional SysOps! A soon to be released
version will join FoReM-XE Professional in having Y-Modem Batch Upload
capability. More on this later in the New Stuff Coming category!
More Dealers
------------
The "New" Atari Explorer magazine is out. In the letters section there
is a list of places to get Educational software. If you don't have it
yet, look for it at your local dealer, newstand, or bookstore!
More dealers who carry Atari 8-bit software:
Msg# : 2422 - Msgs 8-Bit
To : ALL
From : LARRY CHARPIAT
C-net: The Oasis BBS - Kissimmee, FL.
Subj : 8-Bit PD & Shareware
Nearly 500 disks of Atari 8-bit Public Domain and Shareware and all the
latest disk from Europe. Every program tested and Guaranteed to run.
Send for Catalog and FREE DISK coupon offers.
Bellcom
P.O. Box 1043-E
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J7A5
Msg# : 2430 - Msgs 8-Bit - Net
Sent : 01/05/91 at 7:14 PM
To : LARRY CHARPIAT
From : ARIEL
C-net: Gateway-St. Louis, Mo.
Subj : 8-Bit PD & Shareware
We have ordered PD disks from Bellcom in the past and it is (in my
opinion) one of the best there is. The catalog is very well organized
and the guy that runs it seems to be very nice. I had a problem a few
years back with one of the disks I had ordered and not only did he
replace it (promptly) but sent another disk to make up for any
inconvenience. Bellcom gets an A+ from me.
Msg# : 2484 - Msgs 8-Bit - Net
Sent : 01/11/91 at 6:45 PM
To : ARIEL
From : RAY WILMOTT
Subj : 8-Bit PD & Shareware
BellCom
Ditto...it's one of the best. Good service and a large selection of
quality programs.
Msg# : 2514 - Msgs 8-Bit - Net
Sent : 01/13/91 at 8:02 AM
To : RAY WILMOTT
From : Tim Naber
C-net: Road to Damascus-Sacramento,CA
Subj : 8-Bit PD & Shareware
C&T Computer Active has a wide variety of PD & Shareware programs also.
What you don't see at Bellcom I'm sure C&T has it.
C&T Computer Active
P.O. Box 893
Clinton, OK 73601
I have purchased some News Room Clipart, nine disks of Sparta specific
utilities and a couple of good games like Dandy Dungeon, which is the
equvalent of Gauntlet. You can play four players if you are playing on
an 800.
Shareware News
--------------
Msg# : 2507 - Msgs 8-Bit - Net
Sent : 01/12/91 at 1:16 AM
To : JENNINGS FORD
From : Kyle Dain
C-net: Final Frontier-Philadelphia PA
Subj : Printer
Have you heard of the new PICPRINT software for the XL's that will load
ANY of the standard Atari graphic formats, and print them in Color! on
your NX-1000r? Many Many Many features! All for the incredibily low
price of $15.00 +$2.50 ship & hand.
FULL MONEYBACK GUARANTEE IF NOT SATISFIED!
If you're interested, write to
S.A.G.E.
P.O. Box 10562
Erie, PA 16514
Attn: 8-Bit Librarian
**********************************
I wrote PicPrint, and I'm the Librarian both. So if you'd like more
info, write SAGE or leave me msg. here. (You can leave a message on any
FoReM-XEP BBS that carries the 8-bit Networked msg. base - Stan)
***********************************
Rumor Mill
----------
Two rumors that I have seen around:
Rumor #1 - Atari will be coming out with a new line of 8-bits. (This
one first Cropped up on my Networked Message base, and things got a
little out of hand! It started looking like a convention of Wouldn't it
be Nice If...")
Rumor #2 - Atari has sold the rights to the 8-bits!
These seemed a *little* contradictory. Having been an Atarian for a
while, it did seem 'possible' that one of these could be viable!
Well, its not April 1st yet. These were checked into, and...
>>>neither one has *ANY* substance to it!<<<
Atari 8-bit Inter-BBS Networking?
---------------------------------
More than one person is rumored to be 'looking into the feasibility of
the various 8-bit BBS programs networking with each other, and possibly
even Forem-ST boards.
The 8-bit programs of which I am aware of that are now 'capable' of
networking are: FoReM-XEP, Express! Pro, Oasis, and Puff II BBS. There
may be more, but I don't know about them - yet! Of these, only FoReM-
XEP and Express! Pro can "thread" their networked message bases.
Some of the problems which need to be overcome are: different methods
and protocols used, different maximum message sizes, different
procedures used for Networking, and the different formats of the packets.
I will try to find out more information about this and pass it on in a
future article.
New Stuff Coming?
-----------------
Black Box owners might have an alternative to the R-Time 8 cartridge.
Nothing "firm" on this yet, but the concept has been investigated, and
is being pursued. Hopefully, it will come to fruitation. At this point
it will only be for BB owners though.
A New Version of Express! Professional will be released shortly! It
will be the second 8-bit BBS program to offer Y-Modem Batch upload, and
the First to offer Sealink Batch, L-Modem Batch in addition to Y-Modem
Batch! Bob Klass has F-Modem 'waiting in the wings' to sweeten the pot!
A New Multi-Pro! version is presently being Beta tested on three systems
and is working. This version will be capable of running up to 8 Atari
8-bit system off of one hard disk! It takes advantage of Bob Puff's Mux
for the 8-bit systems. As of this writing, I don't have a release date
for this baby, but it should be a hit for those Systems who suffer the
"Busy BBS Blues!"
Well, until next time! If you would like to submit a review, article,
or a rebuttal(ANYTHING is welcomed!), feel free to upload to myself or
Z-NET Online BBS. I can be reached on my BBS (908-805-3967), GEnie
(S.LOWELL), and on Z*Net Online BBS (908-968-8148).
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL USERS GROUP!
SUPPORT ShareWare Authors and others who write for the Atari 8-bit!
Support THOSE who support YOU!
8-BIT MODIFICATION
==================
by Dan Knauf
INSTALLING A DRIVE SELECT AND A RESET SWITCH IN YOUR 1050 DISK DRIVE
(This article originally appeared in the Puget Sound Atari News
magazine, the newsletter of the Seattle Puget Sound Atari Computer
Enthusiasts.)
When people see my 1050 disk drives for the first time they seem to
respond to all the levers, buttons, and lights with something akin to
awe. (Is that another way of saying 'confusion' maybe?) I have never
figured out whether this is because they are impressed with what they
are looking at or because they just don't understand why someone would
put all that stuff on his disk drive. Maybe I'm the first really lazy
person they have ever met. Naw... I think they're impressed with the
high technology.
All of my 1050's have one or two drive select switches and a RESET
button on the front. The one 1050 I own that isn't a Happy drive has a
write protect switch and accompanying LED on the front. Two of my Happy
1050's have Happy Controller boards which add two more switches and an
LED. There is nothing complicated about any of these switches - except,
maybe, for the ones on the Happy controller board.
In case anyone is interested, the RESET button RESETs the 555 timer
which causes the drive to RESET. While the RESET button would probably
be usless on a stock 1050, it is handy for Happy and US doubler drives
since both upgrades occasionally forget that they are upgrades.
Especially when used with SpartaDOS since Sparta kicks them into slow
speed sometimes when it encounters a disk error.
Here's how I install my drive select and RESET switches.
Parts: 1 - SPDT center off toggle switch.
1 - normally open pushbutton switch.
some wire and some solder.
Figure 1 is a view of the back left corner of the 1050 motherboard.
This view assumes that the board is upside down and the front of the
board is facing you.
--------------|SIO plug|
|
| 1 2 3 <-- Drive select
| o o w switch pads.
| (Switch wires
| o w w will go where
| 4 5 6 the w's are.)
|
|
|
Figure 1 Bottom of 1050 motherboard
To install the switch, open up the drive by removing the six phillips
screws from the bottom of the drive. Remove the top cover then the
front plate. Next remove the screws that hold the motherboard to the
bottom of the plastic drive housing and lift up the motherboard while
carefully bending out the two plastic ears that hold the sides of the
board down in the front.
Now the important part. You must decide where you want to mount the
drive select switch. I settled on a spot about two inches to the right
of the power LED next to the on/off switch. Once you have decided where
you want to mount the switch check carefully to be certain that
everything will fit ok when you go to put the drive back together.
Myself, I have never put a switch in the wrong place. Well, maybe just
once. (Ok, ok! I never said I was honest!)
Go ahead and mount the switch then run a wire from the center pin of the
toggle switch to pin 5 of the drive select switch as depicted in figure 1.
Run a wire from one of the end poles of the toggle switch to pin 3 of
the drive select switch.
Run a wire from the other end pin of the toggle switch to pin 6 of the
drive select switch.
Now when the toggle switch is in the center position, the drive is set
to drive 1. In one of the other positions it is drive 2 and the last
switch position sets the drive to D4:.
If you want to be able to make the drive D3: from the front, you can
install a SPST switch and run a wire from the two end poles of the SPDT
switch you just installed to the two poles of the SPST switch. Turning
the SPST switch on and setting the original toggle switch to either D2:
or D4: will make the drive respond as D3:.
Now for the reset button. Here is the layout of the 555 timer chip looking
at the bottom of the motherboard with the front of the drive facing you.
1 2 3 4
o w o o
Figure 2
w o o o
8 7 6 5
Decide where you want to mount the pushbutton switch then drill a hole
and mount the turkey. Next, run a wire from pin 2 of the 555 timer chip
(see figure 2) to one pole of the pushbutton switch. Run a wire from
pin 8 of the 555 timer to the other pole of the switch. You're done!
Now hurriedly, re-assemble the drive so you can test out the new bells
and buttons!
MIST PLANS ATARIFEST III
========================
Press Release Indianapolis, IN July 27,1991
For a third year, an AtariFest is planned at Indianapolis, Indiana on
Saturday, July 27th, sponsored jointly by the user groups at
Indianapolis and Bloomington known as MIST (Mid-Indiana ST). The show
was formerly titled the MIST SwapFest, and took place in Nashville,
Indiana. While Nashville is a lovely and scenic place, we thought if
our show was to live up to it's true potential, we would have to
relocate to Indianapolis, where we could find a larger venue.
For swap, for sale or just for display... whether it's 8-bit or ST...
even game machines... all are invited to bring software, hardware,
gadgets, accessories, books, magazines, etc. Commercial sales and
displays also are invited. Past shows have seen folks like D.A.
Brumleve, SKWare One, AIM, MS Designs, Computer Works, Cal Com, One
Stop, T&H, and others. Last year's show was quite successful, and this
year looks like it'll be even better! We have tentatively lined up ISD,
who will be demoing DynaCadd and Calamus. There are others in the
works, so stay tuned!
MIST AtariFest III will be held at CADRE, Inc. on the north side of
Indianapolis. The address is: 6385 Castleplace Drive, Indianapolis, In.
46250-1902. There will be specific directions in a later posting.
Admission to the 'Fest will be $3.00, and will include a raffle ticket.
We will be raffling hardware from Atari Corp, and software from
attending vendors and developers. Additional raffle tickets will be
available for purchase.
Anyone interested in attending or reserving vendor/developer tables
should contact me by one of the below methods:
For more information, leave mail on GEnie to W.LORING1, or: Call the
BL.A.ST BBS at 812-332-0573 2400bps, 24 hours. Write us at BL.A.ST,
PO Box 1111, Bloomington, IN. 47402. Call me by voice at 812-336-8103.
Vendor packets are in the works, and should be ready to send shortly.
More details will be available at that time.
Brought to you by MIST (Mid-Indiana ST), the merging of the ASCII (Atari St
Computers In Indianapolis) and BL.A.ST (BLoomington Atari ST) user groups.
Thanks for your interest, and we'll see you at the 'Fest!!
Sincerely,
William Loring, President of BL.A.ST
=======================================================================
Z*MAGAZINE Atari 8-Bit Online Magazine is a bi-weekly magazine covering
the Atari and related computer community. Material contained in this
edition may be reprinted without permission, except where otherwise
noted, unedited, with the issue number, name and author included at
the top of each reprinted article. Commentary and opinions presented
are those of the individual author and does not necessarily reflect
the opinions of Z*MAGAZINE or the staff.
=======================================================================
MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO COMPUTORS WAS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WAS BACK IN THE EARLY 70'S. YOU COULD IMAGINE WHAT COMPUTORS WERE LIKE COMPARED TO TODAY. BIG AND BULKY. AT MY SHEETMETAL JOB I HAD IN THE 80'S OUR COMPANY MADE COMPUTOR CABINETS AND MAIN FRAMES FOR COMPANIES LIKE UNIVAC, CONTROL DATA, ETC. WE WOULD START WITH BLUEPRINTS THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO MAKE THE PIECES THAT WOULD MAKE UP THE COMPUTOR CABINETS AND MAIN FRAMES. I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH THE TRUCK DRIVER TO DROP OFF THE FINISH PRODUCTS, BUT I NEVER DID. I WISH I WOULD OF. I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT WENT INTO THE FINISH WORK. WELL NOW I AM A MEMBER OF THE SPACE CLUB, I NOW US A COMPUTOR ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE ALOTS OF FUN LEARNING NEW THINGS. LARRY THE CO-SYSOP HAS SUGGESTED I START DOING SOME PROGRAMING. I SOME DAY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE THINGS INSIDE THE COMPUTOR WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT WORK. ANYWAY I AM GLAD THAT PALMER IVERS0N INTRODUCED ME TO THE CLUB. I HAVE ALOTS OF FUN EVERY MONTH.
WELL ON TO OTHER MATTERS, JULY PROMISES TO BE A EXCITING MONTH FOR THE CLUB. IT IS THE CLUBS BIRTHDAY.I AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON THE FOOD AND REFRESHMENT COMMITTEE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A POTLUCK. A POTLUCK SHEET WILL BE CIRCULATED SO PEOPLE CAN WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY CAN BRING TO THE PARTY. I THINK MEAT AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE OFFICERS. IT MIGHT BE A TURKEY FOR THE MEAT ITEM.
OTHER THINGS, MIKE SCHMIDT AND ME ARE WORKING ON A NAME TAG PROJECT. IF SUCCESSFUL EVERY MEMBER CAN HAVE A SPACE CLUB NAME TAG FOR AROUND A BUCK. I AM LOOKING IN TO ADVERTISING OUR CLUB WITH THE CABLE TV. COMPANIES.
LAST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CLUB FOR THE HARD DRIVE DEMONSTRATION LAST MONTH.
MIKE WEIST
Disc Librarians:
Joe Danko and Glen Kirschenmann
The month of May has rolled around and is flirting with our patience while we try to imagine what a whole week of nice weather might be like. Well, maybe by the time of the meeting on May 10th...... This has not been one of my best months, I just got back my first term paper with D on it, UNISYS is still losing money by the trainload and my deck project is still only half finished. On top of that, for the second month in a row I lost my box of DOM working disks after the meeting. It’s somewhere in the house, I guess. I had the May DOM all made up a month in advance and just had to do it over again while poor Mike Schmidt waits for this article and it is nearly a week late. My, how depressing. Letting my hair down is good therapy for me if possibly a little boring for all you dues paying members out there. By golly, I am determined not to suffer alone. Did anyone make it to the BIG SALE at the fairgrounds? I was too busy getting my old deck torn down on Friday and the new one up on Saturday. I just barely got the flashing secured in time for the rotten weather we have bad lately.
MAY 1991 DISK of the MONTH:
SIDE 1 - TAIG DOM #5
ALCOHOL.BAS
Basic program that will help you find out if you are legally
sober without the assistance of a peace officer.
ALIEN.BAS
A very simple shoot’em up game.
BEGINTYP.BAS
A typing tutor program.
BOOKLIST.BAS, BOOKLIST.DAT
A database program tailored to keep track of your books and
publications.
CHOPSTIX.BAS
You guessed it, it plays chopsticks. Over and over and
over....
CONCENTR.BAS
A heavy-duty version of the popular find two of the same
objects game.
DDHELPER.BAS
A utility program for Dungeon&Dragon afficienados.
DOGGIES.BAS
Move the doggies around. Why?
ERRTRAP.BAS
BASIC error trapping code you can tack on to your programs
that will explain programming errors in English.
GALLERY.BAS
A simple shooting gallery game. Maybe someone could cleanup
the target missle-graphics.
HANGMAN.BAS
The classic word/letter guessing game.
HORSE.BAS, HORSE.DATA
Fascinating animation of a running horse.
PLUSZERO.BAS
A variation of the chase-the-line game.
TTT.BAS
TIC-TAC-TOE game.
SIDE TWO
TAIG DOM #6
Side 2 is an adventure game in BASIC that takes simple text
commands to move about underground on search of...adventure.
The game uses lots of little files. in, fact this game uses
all 64 files that Atari DOS will allow. The game has commands
to allow online editing of the game nodes and other utility
commands.
To move aboutt the caves enter direction words such as NORTH, EAST, WEST, SOUTH. Utility commands are available to make changes to the structure of the game:\NEW, \GOTO, \LIST, \PRINT, \CHANGE and \EXTEND.
THERE WILL BE NO BBS CORNER THIS MONTH.
EDITOR
FOR SALE:
WHILE OUT VISITING GARAGE SALES SATURDAY, I CAME ACROSS A 65XE GAME SYSTEM AND A XF551 DISK DRIVE. SHE SAID IT HAD ONLY BEEN USED ONLY A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEY PAID $195.00 FOR THE XF551 ALONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AT TOYS ‘R’ US.
THE PRICE FOR THE DISK DRIVE IS $65.00 AND FOR THE 65XE GAME SYSTEM IS $40.00. YOU CAN CALL TOM SCHUE AT 757-7858 FOR MORE DETAILS.
THERE WAS NOT A REPORT FILED ON THE BBS OR WITH ME BY THE TIME THIS NEWSLETTER WENT TO PRINT. IT WILL HAVE TO BE STATED AT THE NEXT MEETING AND INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES.
EDITOR
Published by the Saint Paul Atari Computer Enthusiasts (SPACE), an independent organization with no business affiliation with ATARI Corporation. Permission is granted to any similar organization with which SPACE exchanges newsletters to reprint material from this newsletter. We do however ask that credit be given to the authors and to SPACE. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of SPACE, the club officers, club members or ATARI Corporation.