Happy Thanksgiving and an early Merry Christmas!
In less than two weeks, on December 13th will be the meeting of the year and you will NOT want to miss this one! The December meeting will be one huge party with food and fun for all ages.
PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO ATTEND THE DECEMBER MEETING !!
The December meeting will be very important for many reasons. As many of you remember, I was trying to interest the club in some software that we could purchase fairly cheaply. Due to the November meeting disaster, we didn't vote on it at the November meeting. DECEMBER WILL BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAY YES OR NO. Unbelievably, Mr. Brian Hill of PlayWright Software gave me another month to appeal to club members. I would like the opinion of the whole membership on this issue.
Also, there will be a vote on a potential bylaw change. Larry Serflaten has a proposal that was drawn up as a result of some member's questions at previous meetings. You will want to give your input on this as well. I will also be passing around a rather large survey sheet for you to give your advice to the club about where it should head in 1992.
And the last reason you should come to our December meeting is because it will be FUN FUN FUN. Our last meeting of the year will prove to be the biggest and best yet, and you will not want to miss it. The Officers Board asks only that you PLEASE bring some food to share with the membership. The club will be providing the main course as well as drinks and we are asking everyone to bring food to complete our banquet. If you didn't sign up on the list at the meeting, please bring whatever you would like to share with the club. It can be either home-made or store-bought, it does not matter. The Officers Board hopes that everyone will be courteous and bring something to share with their fellow club members. Among the events will be a raffle, video game contest, and some trivia as well as other potential surprises. I hope you will be there, it should be lots of fun!
See you in December!
Nathan Block
7:56 PM President Nathan Block opened the meeting. The meeting started late due to scarce attendance.
It was the last Meeting for Ken Modeen as vice president. All other officers and chair persons wished to run for their positions again this year, they all ran unopposed. Sherm Erickson was introduced as the nominee for the position of vice president. A vote was taken, the vote was unanimous to re-install all The 1991 officers with the exception of Ken Modeen as he decided not to run again this year. Sherm Erickson was unanimously elected the vice president. Nathan talked about the software he had available from the software distributor wishing to sell his entire stock to S.P.A.C.E. The titles were available for all members present to review.
Nathan discussed the Christmas party with the membership present and made available a list that all could volunteer their services or food items. The group will purchase a large ham for the Christmas party with club funds.
Nathan Block announced that the S.P.A.C.E. programming team is holding a programming contest open to the membership but excluding the team members. The best program within 100 lines of BASIC code wins the $10 cash prize. Try your hand at it and bring the program to the Christmas party program contest. There will be a trivia game as well. Raffles, as always, will enhance the festivities. Nathan has written a skit that he would like to put on during the Christmas party. He is looking for Three volunteers to act along with him in the skit
The motion was made to buy 800XL power supplies for an 800XL computer and a 600XL computer that the club would like to raffle off in the future. These were donated machines. If you run across any 800XL power supplies please purchase two of them (the club will gladly reimburse you) or let Nathan Block know where they can be purchased.
Please try to attend The Christmas Party on Friday the 13th of December, it's guaranteed to be a great time.
8:21 PM the meeting was closed.
Conf : Atari 8bit - UseNet Msg# : 193
Sent : Nov 19, 1991 at 15:12:00
To : All From : James Hague
Subj : Where Are We Going?
(1) Where can Mr. Average Joe buy Atari equipment, now that it has been officially dumped by Atari? In order to put together a decent system you have to bascially root through dumpsters to find the appropriate used components. There *is* a market for a very nice low cost computer system for handing useful applications, but if you can't walk into a store and buy an Atari XE, then no one is going to.
(2) Along the same lines, there doesn't seem to be a way to expand the Atari 8-bit user base. There are no new users, and eventually the old-timers will give up and buy a PC clone.
(3) No available places for service. If a machine breaks down, you have to fix it yourself, provided you have enough documentation to know how. Most Atari machines are rock solid, but disk drives are another story. If Atari machines are to continue, there needs to be an easily obtainable and *inexpensive* (around $100) IBM compatible 3 1/2" drive. And just using 3 1/2" disks would give a bit more respectability to the machine. The 1050 has to be completely eliminated.
(4) The status of all that old software needs to be resolved, including stuff published in Antic, ANALOG, and COMPUTE!. If any of it goes public domain, there should be someone, or an organization, which takes the time to catalog it, make sure it works on all machines and has proper documentation, and distribute it via mail order and BBS. Public domain needs to be explicitly marked as such to prevent copyright confusion in the 8-bit world; it may lead many people to believe that you can copy anything. An 8-bit magazine is desperately needed. Atari Interface is a fairly nice little magazine, but it is split between the ST and the 8-bits and could use a bit of polishing. (Question: why does everyone think that the 8-bits and STs have something in common?). And 8-bit software really does need to move ahead if the machines are to have a future. Geez--anyone ever notice that the same articles and programs kepts repeating during Antic's final few years? Another stupid random number door prize program, a simplistic joystick-based drawing program, a tic-tac-toe game, another Tetris clone. Bleah. Why am I saying all this? Well, I used to be a die-hard Atari user, and I used to write for Antic and ANALOG, and I just plain *like* the 8-bit computers. I programmed an 800 from 1982 to 1988, then "officially" moved to the PC world (I had been using one on the side since 1984). I really miss the simplicity of the 8-bit machines. On the PC, things are so contrived--you have to go through all sorts of contortions to do anything, whereas on the 800 there is usually a nice simple little way of solving the problem. This lets you concentrate on writing applications and such, without having to worry about how to work around the hardware. I really wish that the 8-bit market would settle down and grow, but in all honesty I don't think it is ever going to happen. Sigh.
Conf : Atari 8bit - Usenet Msg# : 194
Sent : Nov 19, 1991 at 15:44:00
To : All From : Dill
Subj : Re: Where Are We Going?
James, you are certainly justified in your anger over the demise of the Atari 8bit. I myself have an 800 that I paid $900 for many years ago. It is a -great- machine. I feel the reason it didn't get as much respect as it should was because people heard 'atari' and thought 'video games.' (Atari didn't do too much to change this either..) However, we just have to face facts here. It is nice to be nostalgic (sp?) but there are no real reasons for anyone to support the atari anymore. Develop software for it?? Why? What? -ANYTHING- that could be developed on the Atari, could be made better on a 386 machine. The performance standard has risen. It is the same philosophy that the car industry runs on. Auto manufacturers do not still support 1940 auto's. Why should they. The only people who still own them are enthusiasts, and they are resourceful enough to dig up their own help. The market is simply not there for 1940 era auto technology. Sure the Atari market has shrunk, but it is not like the trend will continue until there is NO ONE around talking 8 bit. There will -always- be enthusiasts like us to talk and keep it alive. Usenet and the like are exactly the forum that will keep it alive also. Don't let it bother you too much that atari support from the business end is just about dead. They are there to make money, not support a few die-hards like us.... It is up to -us- to keep it alive, however possible. God bless our souls....
Conf : Atari 8bit - UseNet Msg# : 195
Sent : Nov 19, 1991 at 14:19:00
To : All From : Dean John Garraghty
Subj : Re: Where Are We Going?
This article was quite and interestinf one to read, and compliments my views
exactly. I am an 8-bit supporter here in the Uk, where support is not too bad,
and where there are plenty of users. There is an 8-bit only magazine here in
the UK called Page 6/New Atari User, which is run and edited by people who
have been around since the early days. They do US subscriptions as well. Their
address is:
Page 6,
PO BOX 54,
STAFFORD, ST16 1DR, ENGALND.
Also, I produce
an on-disk newsletter which goes out to about 20 people. Hopefully you should
have received my other article about Digi-Studio my new product for the Atari,
so I won't go into it here. I will continue supporting the Atari for many
years to come, and will continue working to bring new software. I have no time
to play games on my machines. I want more from the Atari, and I try and bring
more by releasing my own software. I also have other people in the UK working
on new software for me, which I am also hoping to release next year. I will do
my best to make all this easily available in the US, and possibly other
countries as well if there is a demand.
Long Live the Atari 8-bit!!
Conf : Atari 8bit - UseNet Msg#: 201
Sent : Nov 30, 1991 at 3:32:00
To : All From: C.L Freemesser
Subj : Re: Miscellaneous questions
(Eric Sokolowsky) wrote:
> Where is The Black Box available? What are its
capabilities? What kinds/costs of hard drives can be
connected to it? Can IBM floppies be connected to it? <
The Black Box is manufactured and exclusively sold in
North America by Computer Software Services. Retail
price is $199.95 for the base model, or $249.95 for a Black
Box with 64K printer buffer. The Black Box Enhancer
(which is a ROM replacement with lots of neat features)
sells for $49.95. The Black Box will accept any SCSI
embedded hard drive, or an MFM/RLL drive with a SCSI
converter, such as The Adaptec 4000a. It will also accept
SASI converters, like the Xebec S141a. CSS sells these
converters, as well as complete hard drive systems (which
includes the BB). The Floppy Board, an add-on to the
Black Box, will be available in December. The standard
version lets you connect up to 4 360K or 720K floppy
drives, read/write IBM & ST disks, and access the drives at
parallel bus speeds (@36 sectors/sec). The deluxe model
gives you all this, plus lets you hook up 1.2MB and 1.44MB
high density floppy drives, as well as a version of The Super
Archiver built-in. Standard FB will sell for $109, while the
deluxe version is $149. Let me just say that yes, I do work
for Computer Software Services. However, I'm not trying to
sell anything, but just state the facts of what is available.
BTW, just to get the goats of anybody out there who has
been patiently waiting for a Floppy Board, I have 9 Floppy
Boards sitting next to me right now. Not prototypes, but
PRODUCTION models. It wont be long folks!
> Thanks in advance.
You're welcome, in retrospection. :^)
Conf : Atari 8bit - UseNet Msg# : 202
Sent: Nov 29, 1991 at 22:21:00
To : All From : Alan L. Nelson
Subj : Re: Pirate BBS - please commetn
(Andrew Roazen) writes:
>Copyright law in the U.S. states that if a holder openly
neglects to enforce their copyright or outright refuses to
prosecute violators, they are in effect giving up their rights
to the work--and someone else could decide to copyright
the work for themselves. Ludicrous as it sounds, this is the
case. Still, you'd have to prove the software<
BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTT. Wrong.
There is NO basis for your ASSUMPTION OF COPYRIGHT
logic. It simply doesn't work that way. You could BUY the
copyright from the original author, but you could never just
ASSUME the rights to it. PERIOD. The copyright law only
grants protection to those who ORIGINATE the work (or
their employers). If you didn't create it, contract for it, or
buy an assignment of the rights, you cannot copyright it
yourself. Now, your statement about abandonment of the
work MAY be an arguement, (called the Doctrine of
Latches in legal terms), but *I* wouldn't bet the farm on the
outcome. We now return you to the regularly scheduled
atari.8bit discussions ...
Here is a tidbit from Nathan:
When the CHOOSE YOUR PATH option appears in
between arcade sequences, follow this pattern and you will
make it through each screen without repetition. This will
save you the possibility of losing all your men by repeated
encounters. If you don't follow this pattern, you will have to
repeat arcade sequences and you will not make it to the
end of the game.
The Pattern: (Shoot IN ORDER)
Red, Blue, Red, Red, Green, Blue, Blue, Red
Have fun and good luck! - Nathan Block
Here is the proposed change to the By-laws, the vote was delayed due to a poor turn out at the last meeting :
ARTICLE X
Section 6
Family members living at one address on a permenant
basis will be eligible for a collective membership upon
payment of the annual dues for the first year. A collective
membership entitles the family group to receive the same
benifits due an individual member.
THIS LAST MONTH HAS BEEN A BUSY MONTH FOR ME TRAVELING TO FELLOW SPACE CLUB MEMBER'S HOUSES. A LOT OP MILES PUT ON THE OLD CAR, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE WORKNG ON THE COMPUTER. AFTER LAST MONTH'S MEETING I JOINED FELLOW SPACE CLUB MEMBERS FOR A SUNDAE AT SNUFFY ON LARPENTER AVE. WE ALL HAD A FUN TIME AND HAD A CHANCE TO TALK COMPUTER TALK. AFTER THIS I HEADED OVER TO LARRY'S HOUSE(SPACE SYSOP). LARRY 1S STILL EAGER TO TEACH ME HOW TO PROGRAM, I THINK EVERY TIME I GO OVER THERE I LEARN A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRAMING. EVERYTIME I GO OVER TO LARRY'S HOUSE IT SEEMS I AM OVER THERE UNTIL THE WEE HOURS OF MORNING, WORKING ON THE COMPUTER WITH LARRY. I HAVE HAD TO VISIT MIKE SCHMIDT'S HOUSE THIS LAST MONTH. WHEN OVER TO HIS HOUSE I AM ALWAYS AMAZED WHEN MIKE USES HIS HARDDRIVE SET-UP. IT WOULD BE NICE SOME DAY TO HAVE A HARDDRIVE SET-UP LIKE HIS, MAYBE SOMEDAY.
I HAVE VISITED SHERM ERICKSON'S HOUSE TWICE LAST MONTH. THE FIRST TIME I VISITED HIM WAS A NICE DAY. THE SECOND TIME I VISITED HIM WAS THE SNOW STORM OF NOVEMBER 28, 1991. I GOT THERE BUT WAS STRANDED BECAUSE OF ALL THE SNOW WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE. MY CAR WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE MOVED ABOUT A INCH. I DECIDED TO ACCEPT SHERM'S OFFER OF STAYING OVER FOR THE NIGHT. DURING MY STAY AT SHERM WE WORKED ON PROGRAMS LIKE NEWSROOM, ATARIWRITER, PLUS OTHER PROGRAMS. WE HAD A FUN TIME AND IT WAS ALSO A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. FOR BREAKFAST I WAS TREATED TO THE BIGGEST BEST TURKEY SANDWICH, COMPLIMENTS OF SHERM AND HIS WIFE. AFTER THIS SHERM AND I WENT OUT AND TACKLED 12 NCHES PLUS OF SNOW. IT WAS FUN SHERM GAVE HE ON THE JOB TRAINING ON HOW TO USE HIS TRACTOR DRIVEN SNOWBLOWER. IT IS A SMALL TRACTOR, BUT IT DOES A GREAT JOB OF THROWING SNOW. ONE THING THAT STICKS IN MY MIND, WAS WHAT SHERM SAID TO ME WHILE WORKING ON THE COMPUTER, THERE ARE TWO LEVELS OF THE ATARI COMPUTER-THE USER THAT JUST USES THE COMPUTER AND THE ATARI USER WHO WANTS TO KNOW HOW THE COMPUTER AND PROGRAMS WORK. INTERESTING. THE LAST PERSON I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR NEWEST SPACE CLUB MEMBER MIKE CABLE. MIKE JOINED US WITH HIS GRANDPA AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING WITH THE HELP OF NATHAN AND SHERM ERICKSON, MIKE WENT FROM HAVING A 800 ATARI AND CASSETTE PLAYER TO A ADDING ON A DISC DRIVE (THANKS TO NATHAN) AND A 1030 MODEM WITH BOB-TERM PROGRAM (THANKS TO SHERM ERICKSON). WHEN OVER TO MIKES HOUSE IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THE FUN LIKE HAS WORKING WITH HIS COMPUTER SYSTEM. I THINK MIKE WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE SPACE'S PROGRAMMING TEAM. MIKE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SPACES BBS. SET-UP, I AM SURE THAT LARRY(SYSOP) CAN MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. THE SPACE CHRISTMAS PARTY IN DECEMBER PROMISES TO BE A GOOD TIME. SHERM, NATHAN, AND I HAVE MEET ON A SATURDAY TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE PARTY. THERE WILL BE HAM AND BEVERAGES SUPPLIED BY THE CLUB MEMBERS BRING A POTLUCK ITEM. THERE WILL BE A RAFFLE. AND THERE WILL BE FOR-SALE TABLES WITCH MIGHT HAVE SOME INTERESTING ITEMS FOR SALE. COME AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE AND HAPPY NEW YEARS. MIKE WEIST
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.