Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Silicon Times Report Issue 1111
SILICON TIMES REPORT
====================
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
=============================
from
STR Electronic Publishing Inc.
A subsidiary of
STR Worldwide CompNews Inc.
March 17, 1995 No. 1111
======================================================================
Silicon Times Report
International OnLine Magazine
Post Office Box 6672
Jacksonville, Florida 32221-6155
R.F. Mariano, Editor
Featured in ITCNet's ITC_STREPORT Echo
-----------------------------------------
Voice: 1-904-783-3319 10am-4pm EST
STR Publishing Support BBS
* THE BOUNTY INTERNATIONAL BBS *
Featuring: * 45GB * of Download Files
Operating with * Mustang Software's WILDCAT! BBS v4.01 *
Fully Networked within the following Nets:
ITCNet 85:881/253 JAX HUB ~ FIDO Net 1:112/35
Prowl ~ USPOLNet ~ FNET 350 ~ Nest 90:301/3
Delivered via Subscriber List through Internet
904-786-4176 MULTI-NODE 24hrs-7 days
2400-115.2 bps V.32-34 v.42 bis 28.8
Hayes Optima 28.8 V.FC Data/Fax
USRobotics D/S Data/Fax 28.8 V.34 Everything
FAX: 904-783-3319 12am-6am EST
-----------------------------------------
The Bounty STReport Support Central .... 1-904-786-4176
FNET. 620 : Leif's World ................1-904-573-0734
FNET. 690 : PASTE BBS....................1-206-284-8493
FNET. 489 : Steal Your Face BBS..........1-908-920-7981
MNET - Toad Hall BBS.....................1-617-567-8642
______________________________________________________________________
> 03/17/95 STR 1111 "The Original * Independent * OnLine Magazine!"
"""""""""""""""""
- STR INDUSTRY REPORT - PC's IN 33% of Homes - DEC Starion
- MPEG V Standard Released - Toshiba; Tiny LCD - Math Ace
- FIFO 16550 TIPS - Checkered Flag Review - WIN'95
- CENSORSHIP PETITION - Jaguar News - STR Confidential
-* 400,000 WIN95 BETA PACKS TO SHIP *-
-* INTEL PLANNING 'P7' CHIP *-
-* APPLE STOCK FALLS AMID RUMORS! *-
==========================================================================
STReport International OnLine Magazine
The Original * Independent * OnLine Magazine
-* FEATURING WEEKLY *-
"Accurate UP-TO-DATE News and Information"
Current Events, Original Articles, Tips, Rumors, and Information
Hardware - Software - Corporate - R & D - Imports
==========================================================================
STReport's BBS - The Bounty BBS, invites all BBS systems, worldwide, to
participate in the ITC/Fido/Internet/PROWL/USENET/USPOLNet/NEST/F-Net Mail
Networks. You may also call The Bounty BBS direct @ 1-904-786-4176.
Enjoy the wonder and excitement of exchanging all types of useful
information relative to all computer types, worldwide, through the use of
excellent International Networking Systems. SysOps and users alike
worldwide, are welcome to join STReport's International Conferences. ITC
Node is 85:881/250, The Fido Node is 1:112/35, Crossnet Code is #34813,
and the "Lead Node" is #620. All computer enthusiasts, hobbyist or
commercial on all platforms and BBS systems are invited to participate.
==========================================================================
CIS ~ DELPHI ~ GENIE ~ BIX ~ FIDO ~ ITC ~ NEST ~ EURONET ~ CIX
USENET ~ USPOLNET ~ CLEVELAND FREE-NET ~ INTERNET ~ PROWL ~ FNET ~ AOL
==========================================================================
SOFTWARE CREATIONS BBS is proud to distribute Silicon Times Report
STReport International OnLine Magazine
--------------------------------
With more than 130 Lines of PCBOARD access, Internet, Telnet and
X.25 local access in every major city world-wide through SprintNet
Software Creations delivers the files!
--------------------------------------------------
Silicon Times Report joins names like Apogee Software, Borland,
id Software, TriSoft, Interactive Gaming, PC Techniques, Coriolis,
Fastgraph, PC Information Group, and many more.
--------------------------------
Real-Time Credit Card Approval and Membership Upgrades
The Software Download Store - for on the spot
purchase/approval and download ability!
--------------------------------
Call 1-800-4SWCBBS (479-2227); Fax 1-508-365-7214 for more information!
-----------------------------------------------------
So, Get the latest releases from SOFTWARE CREATIONS BBS
"Home of the Authors"
* Software Creations, Voted #1 BBS for 1993 & 1994 *
1200/2400 V.42/MNP Lines : (508) 365-2359
2400-14.4k HST US Robotics Lines : (508) 368-7036
2400-16.8k V.32/V.42bis US Robotics lines : (508) 368-7139
14.4-28.8k V.32/V.42bis/V.fc Hayes Optima lines: (508) 365-9352
14.4-28.8k V.32/V.42bis/V.32terbo/V.fc US Robotics lines: (508) 368-3424
========================================================================
COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME
to the Readers of;
STREPORT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Original 16/32bit OnLine Magazine"
NEW USERS; SIGN UP TODAY!
CALL: 1-800-848-8199 .. Ask for operator 198
You will receive your complimentary time
and
be OnLine in no time at all!
"Enjoy CompuServe's forums; where information is at its very best!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
LottoMan Results: 03/11/95: four 2# matches
----------------
> From the Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""
As I stepped outside to see what the weather was going to do... I
tripped over a brown box in the doorway. After noting we were in for some
rather nasty weather. (Thunderstorms) I went inside to see what was in
this box. Lo and behold its Windows'95! And it sez; "Final Beta Build!"
How about that I mumbled to myself... they're right on schedule. That's
new and different to any computer user.
After reading the docs I proceeded to install this baby. While the
installation took close to two hours.. (there is a reason) It really did
go smoothly and efficiently. Its gorgeous! Look for a full review of
Win'95 beginning with the first article next week. At this point.... all
that can be said is... "Win'95 is _very_ impressive." Its much faster
than WFWG 3.11. Faster in every respect of the word. The graphics, the
I/O..everything. I am in hog heaven doing this week's issue with
WordPerfect for Windows 6.1 running on Win'95. Look out Apple... this is
a good one! Its plug n play all the way. Even the SCSI, SCSI2 and SCSI
Wide goodies went right in without so much as a hiccup. Something tells
me I am going to enjoy doing this review.
If you are so inclined, Microsoft is going to be releasing Win'95 to
some four hundred thousand users worldwide.. Give 'em a call and get
yourself on the list. You won't be sorry.
Ralph...
Of Special Note:
----------------
STReport will be branching out further to Internet's userbase in the
very near future. We've received numerous requests to receive STReport
from a wide variety of Internet addresses. As a result, we're putting
together an Internet distribution/mailing list for those who wish to
receive STReport on a regular basis, and we'll UUENCODE each issue and
mail it to you.
If you're interested in being added to our mailing list, please, send
your requests to either "dpj@delphi.com" or, RMARIANO@DELPHI.COM. Look
for mailings to begin by October first. We are also considering a number
of Internet ftp sites in which to post our issues for as well. Whatever
we can do to make STReport available to you. we'll try it!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's Staff DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU!
""""""""""""""""
Publisher -Editor
""""""""""""""""""
Ralph F. Mariano
Lloyd E. Pulley, Editor, Current Affairs
Section Editors
"""""""""""""""
PC SECTION AMIGA SECTION MAC SECTION ATARI SECTION
---------- ------------- ----------- -------------
R.D. Stevens R. Niles J. Deegan D. P. Jacobson
STReport Staff Editors:
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Michael Arthur John Deegan Brad Martin
John Szczepanik Paul Guillot Joseph Mirando
Doyle Helms Frank Sereno John Duckworth
Jeff Coe Steve Keipe Guillaume Brasseur
Melanie Bell Jay Levy Jeff Kovach
Marty Mankins Carl Prehn Paul Charchian
Contributing Correspondents:
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Dominick J. Fontana Norman Boucher Clemens Chin
Eric Jerue Ron Deal Mike Barnwell
Ed Westhusing Glenwood Drake Vernon W.Smith
Bruno Puglia Paul Haris Kevin Miller
Craig Harris Allen Chang Tim Holt
Patrick Hudlow Tom Sherwin
Please, submit letters to the editor, articles, reviews, etc...
via E-Mail to:
CompuServe................... 70007,4454
Delphi......................... RMARIANO
GEnie......................... ST.REPORT
BIX............................ RMARIANO
FIDONET........................ 1:112/35
FNET........................... NODE 620
ITC NET...................... 85:881/253
NEST........................ 90:21/350.0
America OnLine..................STReport
Internet.............RMARIANO@DELPHI.COM
IMPORTANT NOTICE
----------------
STReport, with its policy of not accepting any paid advertising, has over
the years developed the reputation of "saying it like it really is". When
it comes to our editorials, product evaluations, reviews and over-views,
we shall always keep our readers interests first and foremost. With the
user in mind, STReport further pledges to maintain the reader confidence
that has been developed over the years and to continue "living up to
such". All we ask is that our readers make certain the manufacturers,
publishers etc., know exactly where the information about their products
appeared. In closing, we shall arduously endeavor to meet and further
develop the high standards of straight forwardness our readers have come
to expect in each and every issue.
The Staff & Editors
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> STR INDUSTRY REPORT LATE BREAKING INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS
"""""""""""""""""""
IBM/POWER-PC/PC SECTION (I)
===========================
Computer Products Update - CPU Report
------------------------ ----------
Weekly Happenings in the Computer World
Issue #11
Compiled by: Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
******* General Computer News *******
>> Oracle Enters Video Data Market <<
Database software publisher Oracle Corp. is targeting the news in-
dustry as a market for its Oracle Media Server video server.
Oracle Vice President Farzad Dibachi is quoted as saying that Oracle
is talking to a half a dozen news organizations. He predicts the quick
storage and retrieval devices will make it easier for journalists on
deadline to quickly organize and edit the typical newsroom's large array
of news feeds coming in from the field.
Oracle reportedly has a deal with Sony Corp. to develop and sell
digital electronic newgathering video systems, involving Sony's hardware
for video production and editing. Dibachi said Sony and Oracle will
demonstrate a prototype of their digital video news system at a National
Association of Broadcasters meeting next month.
>> MPEG Video Standard Released <<
The Open PC-MPEG Consortium has released the OM-1 DOS MPEG API
(Applications Programming Interface), the industry's first standard set
of MPEG DOS commands for PC game developers.
The organization notes that the OM-1 standard provides PC game devel-
opers with a set of MPEG commands which will work on the wide variety of
MPEG playback boards now entering the market. It adds that software
developers will be able to produce high-quality MPEG video titles with
the assurance that they will work on all PCs with OM-1 compliant MPEG
playback boards.
According to OM-1, the standard will allow software companies to take
advantage of the video and audio compression provided by MPEG. Current
digital video titles can be converted from grainy, jerky playback in a
small window to full-screen, TV-like video and CD quality audio.
>> Poll: Home Computing at 33 Percent <<
More than a third of U.S. households now have computers, according to
the Software Publishers Association's fourth annual study of computers
in the home.
A SPA statement says, "A full 57% of IBM compatibles purchased in
1994 contained '486 chips. In addition, PC users are making far more
informed and educated hardware decisions than they did one year ago. The
number of respondents answering 'Don't Know' declined drastically over
the past year."
In addition, of all the computers purchased for home use in 1994,
more than 60% of buyers said this was their first home PC. Three-
quarters of both first-time and experienced PC purchasers said that at
least one person in their household uses a computer at work.
SPA research director David Tremblay said in the statement, "If the
home PC market in 1994 were described in a word, it would be 'more.' Far
more households are using PCs now than were a year ago. They are spend-
ing more time on their PCs, and are using more types of application."
Other findings:
-:- 55% of all PCs purchased were equipped with CD-ROM drives.
-:- 73% of 1994 buyers said their systems included modems and 25%
said presently use an online service.
-:- While the survey showed a dramatic rise in Windows use over the
past year (from 53% in 1993 to 79% in 1994), only 31% of present
non-Windows users said they would begin using that platform in
the coming months.
-:- Word processors, used on 87% of home PCs, and entertainment soft-
ware (78%) are the two most commonly used types of applications
on home PCs.
-:- 70% of those surveyed supported the idea of a games rating sys-
tem. "This coincides," says the SPA statement, "with a vast
increase in the use of recreational software, with 59% of re-
spondents saying they utilize their PCs for entertainment. When
given a choice of rating systems, PC users favored one that
discloses potentially objectionable content over a system which
gave general age group recommendations by 55% to 37%."
>>DEC Unveils New Starion Line <<
An entire Pentium-based PC line called the Starion will be offered in
the retail market by Digital Equipment Corp., which says the units will
start at $1,999, including monitor. The computers will carry a 3-year
limited warranty.
Sources quote the computer maker as saying it has signed agreements
with Tandy Corp.'s Incredible Universe and Nobody Beats the Wiz to sell
the Starion line.
After entering the retail market last November, Digital offered
Starion models exclusively through Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Clubs
and CompUSA.
>> New CD Technology Demonstrated <<
At the International Tape Association (ITA) annual meeting for the
optical and magnetic media industry, Sony Corp. and Philips Electronics
held the first public demonstration of 3M's dual-layer, single-sided CD
technology.
The dual-layer technology will be implemented in the 7.4GB disc
players that Sony and Philips have proposed in their High Density
MultiMedia CD specifications.
The dual-layer demonstration used a standard-density disc with an
extra information layer on it.
Each dual-layer, single-sided disc will provide up to 270 minutes or
four and one half hours of uninterrupted digital video. The Philips/Sony
specifications will be fully backward compatible with all existing CD
formats. Additionally, High Density MultiMedia discs can be produced at
existing disc manufacturing facilities.
>> Toshiba Marketing Tiny LCD <<
Japan's Toshiba Corp. has begun selling what it claims is the world's
smallest liquid crystal display panel for use in portable computers.
It's reported that the 9.5-inch, 0.45-kg panel is on sale for use in
compact computers smaller than notebook size with a sample price of
150,000 yen. The panel can display 260,000 colors by using six-bit LCD
driver integrated circuits.
A Toshiba spokesman said the firm plans to start mass production of
the display in May at a rate of 20,000 units a month, adding it expects
Japan's LCD market will grow 40% to about 784 billion yen this year.
>> Apple Stock Falls Amid Rumors <<
Apple Computer Co.'s stock took a beating this week. The fall is
attributed to concerns over sales of its high-end Power Macintosh
products, as well as rumors that a powerful rival may be about to make a
major acquisition that would threaten Apple's market share.
Apple insists sales of its Power Mac machines, on which it has staked
much of its future, are ahead of expectations. However, analysts said
investor concerns about Power Mac sales persist, due partly to conf-
licting views about whether personal computer sales in general are
beginning to slump.
Apple said it still expects second quarter earnings of about 95 cents
a share.
One rumor that hurt Apple's stock is that Hewlett-Packard Co. may buy
Packard Bell Electronics Inc., although Packard Bell flatly denies the
story. Investors are worrying such a combination could damage Apple,
since it would create a PC giant that could cut prices so much that
Apple's market share would shrink further.
>> Oracle Wants to be Closer to Apple <<
Responding to rumors that his software firm wants to take over Apple,
the chief of Oracle Systems Corp. says his firm has been seeking "tigh-
ter alliances" with Apple Computer Inc. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said,
"We are trying to do tighter alliances with Apple. It has not been easy;
all these rumors have made them uneasy."
Reports say that Oracle and Apple have an alliance to jointly produce
set-top boxes for interactive TV and that Ellison has been a vocal ad-
mirer of Apple's Macintosh operating system and their other computer
technologies.
Said Ellison, "We think they have great technology -- their OS, their
QuickTime technology," referring to Apple's operating system and a new
software movie innovation.
He added he thinks Apple would be a better company if it only made
software and not hardware also, "but he acknowledged that such a
transition would be difficult for any company."
>> Apple Reduces Performa, Quadra $$$ <<
Prices on Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh Performa 630 and Quadra 630
computers have been cut by up to 20% and the company says it has
improved the speed of others.
In a statement, Apple said it also has:
-:- Increased the hard-drive configurations of its PowerBook 520 and
520c models to 240MB.
-:- Doubled the speed of the internal CD-ROM drives on the Power
Macintosh 6100 DOS Compatible system.
Under the new pricing, $2,759 will buy a Power Macintosh 6100 DOS
Compatible powered by both a PowerPC 601 microprocessor and a 486 DX2/66
microprocessor and equipped with 16MB of RAM, a SuperDrive floppy disk
drive, a double-speed CD-ROM, 500MB hard disk and built-in Ethernet
port.
Also Apple says it cut the price of the PowerBook 520c 4/160 to
$2,280 from $2,499 and the price of its Quadra 630 to $1,039 and its
Performa 630 to between $1,199 and $2,049.
>> Schedule+ Joins Office Suite <<
Microsoft Corp. says it will enhance Schedule+, a calendaring and
scheduling program, and incorporate the product into the Windows 95
version of Microsoft Office.
Microsoft notes that more than three million people currently use
Schedule+, making it the industry's leading time- management product.
Microsoft Office is a business software suite with more than 9 million
users.
Microsoft Schedule+ is scheduled to become available this summer,
shortly after the release of Windows 95. A stand alone version will be
offered for $99 ($79 for current users).
>> 400,000 Win95 Beta Packs to Ship <<
More than 400,000 test versions of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 95 soft-
ware are to ship this month in order for beta testers to work out the
bugs ahead of the official launch in August.
According to Microsoft chief Bill Gates, he does not expect any more
delays in the shipment of the next generation Windows. The exact sche-
dule will depend on the feedback they get from the beta testers, but it
is expected that shipping will start in August.
>> Intel Already Planning 'P7' Chip <<
P6 isn't out yet, but Intel Corp. already is thinking of P7.
Reports this week say that Intel is at work with partner Hewlett-
Packard Co. on the next-generation microprocessor, code-named P7, which
is to appear in 1997. The chip is expected to work at about twice the
rate of today's top-of-the-line Intel chip, the Pentium.
>> Digital Adds Three to Celebris Line <<
Three more Pentium-based models have been added to Digital Equipment
Corp.'s Celebris desktop PC line.
Digital reports the new new models are the Celebris 575, priced at
$2,449, the Celebris 5100 slim-line model priced at $3,399 and the
Celebris FP5100 full-profile model priced at $3,499.
This brings the number of systems in the Celebris line to eight and
all models now are available.
>> NEC Unveils CPU for PDAs <<
NEC Electronics Inc. says it has developed a new high-speed, low-
power 64-bit MIPS RISC- based microprocessor. The device is designed for
use in personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other mobile computing
systems.
The company reports that the CPU, dubbed the Vr4100, is an embedded
processor and is part of NEC's 64-bit MIPS RISC microprocessor series
that includes the Vr4000, Vr4400 and the Vr4200. The company expects to
offer sample quantities in June.
"Manufacturers of battery operated devices such as PDAs and other
personal communicators are demanding low-power, high-performance CPUs
that will enable them to provide an attractive solution to end users,"
says Basheer Ahmed, a product marketing manager for NEC Electronics.
NEC says the Vr4100 includes more than 450,000 transistors and has a
die size of 5.0 x 5.0 millimeters. The device has an operational voltage
range of 2.2 to 3.6 volts. The chip's external clock runs at 10MHz while
the internal clock operates at a maximum 40MHz.
>> Apple Named Tops in Multimedia <<
Market researcher Dataquest has named Apple Computer Inc. as the
leading worldwide multimedia personal computer vendor.
Reports are that Apple, which sold 2.4 million CD-ROM-based units in
1994, has 22.9% of the worldwide market share of multimedia personal
computers.
In its 1995 "Multimedia Market Trends" report, Dataquest reported
that the worldwide multimedia personal computer market grew by 312% last
year, largely driven by a strong U.S. home computer market.
Multimedia PC shipments reached 10.3 million units in 1994 -- a
dramatic increase from the 2.5 million units sold in 1993. Dataquest
defines a multimedia personal computer as one that has a CD-ROM player
and sound capabilities.
>> Canada Finds Virus Just in Time <<
A potentially damaging virus in the electronic version of the
Canadian government's budget has been found just before it was
distributed across the country.
Sources say that Medialand Ltd., an Ottawa software duplicator,
detected the virus as it was preparing to duplicate for the government
thousands of copies of the budget on diskette.
This is the first year that Canada provided the complete text of the
federal budget and all its supporting documents in electronic form.
Banks, accountants, and tax consultants can load the government software
into their computers to provide fast analysis for their clients.
Canada's Finance Department screened the budget's master disks twice
for viruses before turning them over to Medialand for duplication, and
found no problems. As an added precaution, Medialand used an advanced
screening system named ThunderByte to check the master disks one more
time -- and this time spotted a virus.
>> New Zealand May Be Cut From 'Net <<
If a new anti-pornography bill becomes law, New Zealand's primary
link to the Internet may have to be cut.
Reports from Wellington, New Zealand say parliament member Trevor
Rogers "is pushing his Technology and Crimes Reform Bill through the
house, saying it was designed to prevent computer pornography from
falling into the hands of minors."
Officials with Waikato University in Hamilton, which is the country's
main Internet connection, are quoted as saying implementing the require-
ments of the bill would be impossible as it stands.
Says AFP, "The bill proposes hefty fines and confiscation of equip-
ment for anyone who broadcasts, transmits or receives 'objectionable
material' over their network for pecuniary gain. However, it gives a
defense to 'network operators' who have no knowledge or reason to
believe that the information was objectionable."
The bill defines "network operators" as telecommunications companies
which are registered under the Telecommunications Act, such as Telecom,
Clear and BellSouth, but doesn't include third-party operators, such as
anyone else who runs a network for profit.
John Houlker, manager of the Waikato gateway, said the national links
would also have to go, adding, "We will take further legal advice, but
so far it looks like we would have to shut down."
Also, Victoria University would be forced to sever its network con-
nections if the bill went through in its present form, according to
Frank March, its director of information services.
Meanwhile, MP Rogers says opponents are losing sight of the intent of
his bill, which he says is to prevent harmful pornographic material
ending up in the hands of minors. He said it was never his intention to
restrict information flows, and he was prepared to "substantially change
and clarify" the bill to make it work.
And New Zealand Attorney-General Paul East is advising parliament the
measure would breach the Bill of Rights guarantee to freedom of
expression and appears to violate the prohibition against unreasonable
search or seizure.
_______________________________________
> FIFO TIPS STR FOCUS!
""""""""""""""""""""
FIFO & 16550A TYPE SERIAL PORTS
===============================
If you are using WFW, you will want to check if the QLII installed a comm
driver. In your system.ini file, there is a section called [boot]. Make
sure there is a line that says COMM.DRV=COMM.DRV, if not, change it.
Also, I do not remember if I sent you this. Make sure you have done these
changes. BTW, S11 register changes the dial speed.
Windows for Workgroups 3.11 COMM.DRV
------------------------------------
Unlike previous versions of Windows 3.x and Windows for Workgroups 3.1,
WFW 3.11 uses a new and different internal architecture for the Com port
driver. The COMM.DRV in WFW 3.11 uses what is known as the "VCOMM
architecture".
The COMM.DRV supplied with WFW 3.11 can properly handle 16550A type serial
ports, but ONLY if additional entries are inserted into the [386 Enh]
section of SYSTEM.INI. By default, only the receive FIFO is enabled on a
16550A serial port.
Without the additional SYSTEM.INI entries, the transmit FIFO capability of
the 16550A serial port will be inactive. If the transmit FIFO is not
activated, 14400bps, and even 9600bps, fax SENDING may experience random
or frequent failures.
Note: Microsoft's Technical Reference documentation on serial port FIFO
settings continues to be INCORRECT. The following settings were
determined by examining the WFW 3.11 SERIAL.386 source code and verifying
FIFO operation using a hardware monitor.
Enabling FIFO support in WFW 3.11
---------------------------------
To fully enable the FIFO capabilities of a 16550A serial port, insert the
following entries into the [386Enh] section of SYSTEM.INI;
COMXFifo=2 <-- This entry can be omitted, but if present, MUST be set to
2, not 0 or 1
COMXTxFifo=1 <-- 1 activates 16 byte (non configurable) transmit FIFO,
default of 0 deactivates transmit FIFO
COMXRxTrigger=8 <-- Receive FIFO IRQ threshold, must be 1, 4, 8, or 14
(if entry is omitted, default is 8)
- where X is the Com port number
Note: These entries will be ignored if:
---------------------------------------
* You do not have a 16550A type serial port
* You are not running the VCOMM version of COMM.DRV (which comes with WFW
3.11)
* You are using WFXCOMM.DRV (which is not compatible with WFW 3.11)
___________________________________________
> MATH ACE! STR Feature Frankie's Corner
"""""""""""""""""""""
The Kids' Computing Corner
--------------------------
Math Ace
CD-ROM versions for Windows and Macintosh
ages 8 to 14
suggested retail $39.95
from
Sanctuary Woods
1825 South Grant
San Mateo, California 94402
415-286-6110
IBM Requirements Macintosh Requirements
CPU: 386SX CPU: ?
RAM: 4 megs RAM: 4 megs
Video: SVGA Video: 256 colors/13" monitor
Hdisk: 1 meg Hdisk: 1 meg
CD-ROM: Single-speed CD-ROM: Single-speed
OS: Windows 3.1 OS: System 7.0
Misc: Sound card, mouse
by Frank Sereno
Math Ace combines an arcade game with animated math lessons to provide a
rich learning experience. More than three thousand math programs
involving seventy math, geometry and algebra concepts are presented to the
student. Questions advance in topic and difficulty as the child develops
proficiency at each level.
The program consists of several modules. The first is the arcade game
which is played on a game field of computer chips. Children will guide a
robot helper, Bit-Bot, to surround a virus which destroys the math
archives by consuming the computer chips. The child can choose from two
levels of questions and three virus speeds. In higher levels, two or more
viruses must be eradicated.
Some twists are added to the game in higher levels. The virus will
challenge players to a duel to prevent them from capturing a chip. If the
challenge is refused or lost, another virus may hatch. Winning a duel
will scramble an unhatched virus egg. The duels become more complex as
the child advances in the game. Another feature is the code breaking
game. Some chips will have a key on them. Winning that chip will start
the code game. The child must rearrange the six numbers to match the
computer code. The player is not penalized for an incorrect answer, but
his last three guesses are shown on the screen to aid in breaking the
code. This game module will not make a youngster forget Doom, but it is
challenging while teaching children math concepts.
The next module is the Smart Lab. The child can choose to study specific
concepts at a particular grade level or he can answer random questions.
On the right-hand portion of the screen is a Help Panel which will display
and explain several problems similar to the one to be solved. The top of
the screen shows an answer meter to show the child's level of knowledge.
Once a series of questions has been answered, the program will show the
percentage of correct answers, the length of time between each correct
answer. It will also recommend the speed of the virus that the child
should compete against in the arcade game.
The program also includes an indexed reference section that contains text
information to rival most mathematics textbooks. The information can be
rather dull and complicated. Personally, I think presenting the lessons
orally would make it more interesting and easier to digest.
The final section of the program is the Video Bytes section. Here math
concepts are presented to the child in humorous animations. About thirty
topics are covered with forty-five minutes of video. Most of the concepts
are simpler and for younger students. These animations are very well
done. I think older students would have benefitted if more complex
concepts had been given such video treatments as well.
The graphics in Math Ace are varying in quality. The basic game screen is
a bit plain and could use more color to be eye-catching. Some animations
are excellent while others are merely good. The sounds are good.
Sometimes it is difficult to understand Bit-Bot or the virus because those
voices were altered to sound more computer-like. The music is okay but I
didn't find it appealing for my tastes.
Math Ace uses a point and click interface. In some screens, the interface
had many options which could confuse younger players. Help is available
for most screens but it is text rather than spoken. The program user
manual explains the program very thoroughly but contains no information
for troubleshooting problems. Technical assistance is available by
calling directly to Sanctuary Woods at your expense.
Math Ace can be challenging and stimulating but it doesn't rank high on
fun. The game requires math skill and some strategy but it doesn't
provide much excitement. Many Video Bytes are amusing but those will only
be viewed a few times before the child memorizes and tires of them.
The program does have a lot of educational value. I was amazed to learn
how much higher math I had forgotten since high school. I do believe the
program would be a better teacher if more audiovisuals had been used to
explain more difficult math concepts.
Math Ace is a fairly good value. It does have a sound educational basis
but the gameplay may not be enticing enough for children to take full
advantage of it. The program includes a $10 offer for Wizard, an add-on
designed for students in grades nine through twelve. Also included is an
offer, valid through May 31, through which Sanctuary Woods will donate one
copy of the program to your local school system. The program does not
come with a satisfaction guarantee but defective media will be replaced
for free during the first ninety days. The licensing agreement does not
allow the purchaser to sell this product without the permission of the
publisher and the warranty cannot be assumed by a second buyer. My
recommendation is that you preview this program before purchasing.
Ratings
Graphics ............ 7.5
Sounds .............. 8.0
Interface ........... 8.5
Play Value .......... 7.0
Educational Value ... 9.0
Bang for the Buck ... 7.0
Average ............. 7.83
Thanks for reading!
__________________________________________
> Creative NewsWire STR Spotlight Creative Technology News & Updates
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Creative Announces Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x
Edutainment and Productivity Multimedia Upgrade Kit
Includes High Performance Quad-Speed CD-ROM Technology
SINGAPORE -- March 1, 1995 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF)
today announced Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x, the newest addition to
its expanding multimedia upgrade kit product line. Sound Blaster
Multimedia Home 4x offers an internal quadruple speed CD-ROM drive, Sound
Blaster 16, speakers and a hands-free microphone. With 24 software titles
from leading publishers including Microsoft, Electronic Arts and Intuit,
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x is the ultimate upgrade kit for both
edutainment and productivity. The kit has a suggested retail price of
USD$579 and is expected to ship in March of 1995.
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x features industry standard hardware. The
quad-speed CD-ROM drive provides a 600KB per second transfer rate; a
better than 250ms access rate; and is multi-session, Kodak Photo
CD-compatible.
Its IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) interface, unlike proprietary
inter-faces, is better suited to handle the high-speed transfer rates of
quad-speed drives. Sound Blaster 16, which provides CD quality stereo
sampling and playback, is upgradeable to wave table synthesis for
symphonic instrument sounds and special effects.
"Not only does this kit offer the consumer the latest in quad-speed CD-ROM
technology, the bundled software represents a tremendous value," said W.H.
Sim, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative Technology. "With
11 premiere titles from Microsoft and additional titles from other
software vendors, the Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x kit is a complete
offering for the whole family."
Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x features the following software from The
Microsoft Home Collection:
Microsoft Cinemania '95
Microsoft Golf, Multimedia Edition
Microsoft Encarta '95
Microsoft Bookshelf '94
Microsoft Ancient Lands
Microsoft Dangerous Creatures
Microsoft Musical Instruments
Microsoft Works 3.0, Multimedia Edition
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Scenes: Undersea Collection
Microsoft Publisher Design Pack: Special Occasions
Three entertainment titles from ORIGIN Systems, Pagan:Ultima VIII, Strike
Commander and Wing Commander II; two entertainment titles from Electronic
Arts, Syndicate Plus and Seawolf; one productivity offering from Intuit,
Quicken Deluxe; and seven audio utilities from Creative are also bundled
in the kit.
"Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x gives the PC user an interactive center
to learn, work and play," said Kim Federico, product marketing manager,
multimedia kits for Creative Labs, Inc., Creative Technology's U.S. sub-
sidiary. "It's perfect for family use because it brings together quality
hardware and strong educational, entertainment and productivity software
from multimedia leaders."
Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a family of
sound and video multimedia products for PCs under the Blaster family name.
The company's Sound Blaster sound platform enables PCs to produce high-
quality audio for entertainment, educational, music and productivity
applications, and has been accepted as the industry standard sound
platform for PC-based software.
# # #
Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Multimedia Home 4x are trademarks of
Creative Technology Ltd. E-mu is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems,
Inc., ShareVision is a registered trademark of ShareVision Technology,
Inc., Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, Intuit
is a registered trademark of Intuit, Inc. and Electronic Arts is a
registered trademark of Electronic Arts. All other products mentioned
herein are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized
as such.
Creative Technology Ships New Edition of Best-Selling Multimedia Kit
Sound Blaster Discovery CD Revamped to Offer Exciting New Software Titles
SINGAPORE -- February 6, 1995 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF),
the leading multimedia provider, today began shipping a new edition of the
highly popular Sound Blaster Discovery CD multimedia kit. Sound Blaster
Discovery CD New Edition combines the Sound Blaster 16 technology with
added educational and entertainment software titles from EA*Kids and
ORIGIN Systems respectively, two subdivisions of Electronic Arts. The
previous edition of Discovery CD, in addition to being the best-selling
multimedia upgrade kit in 1994, earned PC World's World Class Award and
Multimedia World's Reader's Choice Award for the best multimedia kit.
"The PC is playing an increasing role in children's education and is
making it easier for adults to access data," said W.H. Sim, Creative's
chairman and chief executive officer. "By bundling quality educational
and entertainment software titles in Discovery CD New Edition, Creative
will further its commitment to provide solid, high-performance progressive
products at attractive price points."
With a suggested retail price of USD$379.95, Discovery CD New Edition
includes a total of 18 titles together with the same great hardware
provided in the previous edition of the kit.
Besides Creative's Sound Blaster 16, the industry standard 16-bit sound
card, Discovery CD New Edition features a double-speed, internal CD-ROM
drive and stereo speakers. Four new entertainment titles, Electronic
Arts' Syndicate Plus, ORIGIN Systems' Pagan: Ultima VIII, Strike Commander
and Wing Commander II; and two innovative educational offerings, EA*Kids'
Peter Pan: A Story Painting Adventure and Eagle Eye Mysteries: Original,
are bundled within the kit. Also provided in the kit are six standard
utility programs and the following software titles:
The Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia
Altamira Composer SE
HSC's Digital Morph
Aldus Gallery Effects, Volume 1
HSC's Kai's Power Tools
Aldus PhotoStyler SE
"By offering consumers an exciting combination of strong titles from
Electronic Arts, one of the top educational and entertainment software
publishers in the world, along with the foremost in sound card technology
from the PC audio leader, Creative continues to provide consumers with
unprecedented value and demonstrate its position as the industry's primary
multimedia provider," said Rich Buchanan, director of video and CD-ROM
technology.
Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a family of
sound and video multimedia products for PCs under the Blaster family name.
The company's Sound Blaster sound platform enables PCs to produce high-
quality audio for entertainment, educational, music and productivity app-
lications, and has been accepted as the industry standard sound platform
for PC-based software.
# # #
Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Discovery CD are trademarks of Creative
Technology Ltd. E-mu is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. and
ShareVision is a registered trademark of ShareVision Technology, Inc. All
other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners
and are hereby recognized as such.
Creative Announces TV Coder External
New Output Device is Portable and Features up to 16.7 Million Colors
SINGAPORE -- March 1, 1995-- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq:CREAF) today
announced TV Coder External, an external video output solution that
features up to 16.7 million colors and allows users to connect a PC or
notebook computer to virtually any video display device, including a tele-
vision, RGB projector and VCR. Because the product is portable and easy
to use, individuals now have a simple way to bring full multimedia
presentations to any video display unit. TV Coder External has a
suggested retail price of USD$229.95 and will begin shipping in March.
"TV Coder External is a practical tool for individuals who want to enhance
the effectiveness of their presentations by enlarging them from a standard
VGA screen," said Hock Leow, vice president of video and graphic products
for Creative Labs, Creative Technology's U.S. subsidiary. "For example,
sales people can bring their presentation to a large TV or projection
system through a TV Coder External connection. The product can also
assist instructors in creating their own training video by attaching it to
a VCR to record images from a computer onto a tape."
Features Of TV Coder External
TV Coder External provides multiple video output connections, including
composite video, S-Video and RGB output for projection, and is compatible
with virtually all SVGA cards. It features output of up to 16.7 million
colors at 640x480 in NTSC and PAL modes and up to 64K colors at 800x600 in
PAL mode. The product includes simultaneous output of both VGA and video
timings, and a built-in filter for a flicker free, easy to read output
display. The user can adjust brightness, contrast and color for optimal
viewing conditions. In addition, TV Coder External supports both
Microsoft Windows and DOS interfaces, and is compatible with any PC.
"Even gaming enthusiasts will enjoy using TV Coder External which can turn
any game, usually played on a 14-inch computer screen, into a larger
interactive entertainment experience on their television," added Leow.
Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a family of
sound and video multimedia products for PCs under the Blaster family name.
The company's Sound Blaster sound platform enables PCs to produce high-
quality audio for entertainment, educational, music and productivity app-
lications, and has been accepted as the industry standard sound platform
for PC-based software.
# # #
Sound Blaster and TV Coder are trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd.
E-mu is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. and ShareVision is a
registered trademark of ShareVision Technology, Inc. Microsoft and
Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other
products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and
are hereby recognized as such.
Creative Announces Sound Blaster Value CD Multimedia Upgrade Kit
New Product Provides Cost-Effective Entry Into Multimedia
SINGAPORE -- February 13, 1995 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF)
today announced Sound Blaster Value CD, a new multimedia upgrade kit that
offers high performance hardware and twelve quality software titles at a
suggested retail price of USD$349.95. Sound Blaster Value CD is a
solution for PC users who desire a complete multimedia system and the
flexibility to customize their own software collection. The product
includes a 16-bit Sound Blaster sound card that is upgradeable to advanced
signal processing and wave table synthesis. Sound Blaster Value CD is
expected to ship this month.
"Whether you're an end-user or systems integrator making a purchase for
the home, school or corporate environment, Sound Blaster Value CD is a
cost-effective way to incorporate multimedia technology into your PC,"
said W. H. Sim, chairman and chief executive officer of Creative
Technology. "Users will find that a multimedia computer can provide them
with a complete center for reference, interactive entertainment and
productivity."
Sound Blaster Value CD features Sound Blaster 16, a double-speed CD-ROM
drive, speakers, six utility titles from Creative and the following
bundled software.
The Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia
HSC Digital Morph
Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 SE
Altamira Composer SE
Aldus Gallery Effects, Volume 1
HSC Kai's Power Tools
"Sound Blaster Value CD is a wonderful way for PC users to enter into
multimedia computing because it provides industry standard hardware and a
strong foundation of software titles on which users can build," said Kim
Federico, product marketing manager, multimedia kits, for Creative Labs,
Inc., Creative Technology's U.S. subsidiary.
Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a family of
sound and video multimedia products for PCs under the Blaster family name.
The company's Sound Blaster sound platform enables PCs to produce high-
quality audio for entertainment, educational, music and productivity
applications, and has been accepted as the industry standard sound platform
for PC-based software.
# # #
Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Value CD are trademarks of Creative Tech-
nology Ltd. E-mu is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. and
ShareVision is a registered trademark of ShareVision Technology, Inc. All
other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners
and are hereby recognized as such.
Creative Announces Wave Blaster II for the
Sound Blaster 16 Family
New Wave Table Synthesis Daughterboard Builds on the
Success of Sound Blaster AWE32
SINGAPORE -- January 23, 1995 -- Creative Technology Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF)
today announced Wave Blaster II, the newest addition to its expanding
Blaster family of innovative multimedia products for the PC. Wave Blaster
II is a general MIDI wave table synthesis daughterboard for Creative's
line of upgradeable Sound Blaster 16 audio cards. Wave table synthesis
enables users to produce realistic instrument sounds. Wave Blaster II,
which has a suggested retail price of US $199.95 and begins shipping
today, uses E-mu Systems' EMU8000, the same integrated audio digital
signal processor found on Creative's popular Sound Blaster AWE32.
In 1994, Sound Blaster AWE32 received much acclaim through numerous
awards, including PC/Computing's prestigious MVP (Most Valuable Product)
Award in the multimedia hardware category. Sound Blaster AWE32
represented 19 percent of Creative's North American sound card sales
during the fourth quarter of last year. The product also ranked third out
of ten listed on Ingram Micro's Best Seller list in December.
"Because of the dramatic acceptance of the Sound Blaster AWE32 platform,
an increasing number of wave table software titles have become available
in the marketplace. As a result, the demand for high performance, wave
table synthesis audio boards continues to grow," said Steffanee Foster,
audio product marketing manager for Creative Labs, Inc., Creative
Technology's U.S. subsidiary. "Wave Blaster II is a perfect solution for
Sound Blaster 16 audio card users who want enhanced audio playback
capabilities from their entertainment titles as well as for those who want
to create and edit their own high-quality MIDI music."
Using E-mu Systems' patented digital sample playback synthesis, Wave
Blaster II provides 2 MB ROM of samples, including 128 instruments and
sound effects and over 400 percussion sounds. The product also incorp-
orates 32-note, 16 channel polyphony. Wave Blaster II supports General
MIDI, Sound Canvas, and MT-32 sound sets. Additionally, it offers users
special effects such as pan, chorus, reverb and QSound.
Included with Wave Blaster II is Cakewalk Apprentice for Windows, a 256
track graphic MIDI sequencer that has an interface that is easy to use and
allows users to view and edit music in piano roll, event list and staff
notation. A MIDI adapter cable is included for connecting MIDI
instruments to Sound Blaster 16 audio cards.
Creative Technology Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets a family of
sound and video multimedia products for PCs under the Blaster family name.
The company's Sound Blaster sound platform enables PCs to produce high-
quality audio for entertainment, educational, music and productivity
applications, and has been accepted as the industry standard sound
platform for PC-based software.
CONTACT INFORMATION
-------------------
Theresa Pulido Lisa Kimura
Creative Labs, Inc. Copithorne & Bellows
(408) 428-6600, ext. 6416 (415) 284-5200, ext. 209
Creative Technology Ltd. was incorporated in 1983 and is based in
Singapore. Creative Technology's U.S. subsidiaries include Creative Labs,
Inc., E-mu Systems, Inc., Digicom Systems, Inc. and ShareVision
Technology, Inc. Creative also has other subsidiaries in China, Europe,
Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. The company's stock is traded on
Nasdaq under the symbol CREAF and on the Stock Exchange of Singapore.
# # #
Sound Blaster and Wave Blaster are trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd.
E-mu is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc. and ShareVision is a
registered trademark of ShareVision Technology, Inc. All other products
mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and recognized
as such.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
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
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
:HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GENIE ACCOUNT:
_________________________________
Set your communications software to Half Duplex (or Local Echo)
Call: (with modem) 800-638-8369.
Upon connection type HHH (RETURN after that).
Wait for the U#= prompt.
Type: XTX99587,CPUREPT then, hit RETURN.
GENIE Information Services copyright 1995 by General Electric
Information Services/GENIE, reprinted by permission
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
___ ___ _____ _______
/___| /___| /_____| /_______/ The Macintosh RoundTable
/____|/____| /__/|__| /__/ ________________________
/_____|_____|/__/_|__|/__/
/__/|____/|__|________|__/
/__/ |___/ |__|_/ |__|_/____ Managed by SyndiComm
/__/ |__/ |__|/ |__|______/
An Official Forum of the International Computer Users Group
*** STReport available in MAC RT ***
ASCII TEXT
for ALL GENIE users!
MAC/APPLE SECTION (II)
======================
John Deegan, Editor (Temp)
> STR Editor's Mail Call "...a place for the readers to be heard"
""""""""""""""""""""""
Editor's MailBag
""""""""""""""""
Messages * NOT EDITED * for content
-----------------------------------
Subject: #88296-Apple mktg fails again - Msg Number: 88300
From: Larry Buchan 100012,651
To: Lofty Becker(SYSOP) 76703,4054
Forum: MACCLUB Sec: 03-Community Square
Date: 12-Mar-95 19:26:45
(It also, in my opinion, means that those of us who have built up
expertise on a particular platform are a little defensive about that - and
upset at the thought that our hard-won investment will be of little value.
Yeah <g> -- I told my students this week about the "baby duck syndrome".
The first thing you see becomes "mother" and you follow it HW or SW wise
for ever!
As to file naming, I don't see why you prefer a system that disallows
longer file names. Nobody makes you use more than two characters if you
prefer (
Simply because so many people [ ie 3rd party APP providers ] WILL USE long
filenames -- simply BECAUSE the facility is there. That means I have to do
a LOT more typing to get the filename specified.
Apple has never limited who can develop for its machines. At one point it
had a "certified developer" program that required some showing of likely
capacity to produce software.
OK -- I have to admit I'm talking of the late '70s to mid '80s. It just
struck me that Apple programming was confined to a pretty closed and
elitist society. It's so far back though that I've probably confused
several related issues for other firms.
As a footnote -- I've just read ST1108.ZIP in the IBMSW forum
SILICON TIMES REPORT
====================
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE MAGAZINE
=============================
from
STR Electronic Publishing Inc.
A subsidiary of
STR Worldwide CompNews Inc.
February 24, 1995 No. 1108
======================================================================
And it's very interesting on the Apple vs IBM issue -- AND on opinions
from an Amiga/Atari [ I can never tell the difference ] convert to Win95
<g>. Maybe interest you to read it. It certainly filled me in on the
DETAILS of the opposing claims which I hadn't read to date. I'll watch
future issues with interest. March 30th appears to be the day of decisions
??
Larry
Larry,
I am that "convert" and believe me, when I say I ran MAC wares for
quite some time on my Atari with the Spectre Emulator I did. I might add,
I enjoyed the environment. But.. Now, with all that behind me and seeing
all the powerful programs found on the mac also appearing with great haste
on the PC platform.. (Where I am now and have been for three years)
things are rapidly changing. Photoshop V 3.0 fro
m Adobe, for example, on
the PC in Win'95 is a veritable powerhouse and 32bit speed demon all
wrapped in one. It all happening as fast a one of those microwave popcorn
bags grow. As the "video" news breaks ...we'll have there for you.
Ralph...
****
Date: 03-14-95 Msg # 2
From: TDAUBENSPECK Conf: (0) New Mail
To: RMARIANO Stat: Public
Subj: petetion Read: Yes
Hi. I just read your most recent newletter (which I enjoy weekly), and
found a bit to complain about in the section about censorship.
Specifically, it is not a good idea to ask people to place their names on
a petetion that they haven't read. Even if they are told it is a good
idea by a respected person like yourself. I would prefer to think that
folks would have a chance to review the bill itself (on the internet?) and
then have the chance to read the petetion statement before signing on. We
have the technology.
You have to admit that signing a blank check is not a good idea.
Tracy Daubenspec
Tracy,
We felt that the issue of censorship on the internet was so important
that the readers should be made aware of the situation. But you are
correct and we appreciuate your taking the time to let us hear from you.
Here is the petition and the signature instructions as you request.
Ralph...
Date: 03-07-95 Msg # 7172
From: PAUL SIMARD Conf: (121) ITCSysopOpsE
To: ALL Stat: Public
Subj: Net Laws Read: Yes
I had a user upload this to my bbs. I have found it to be interesting
and figure others will too. Since it affects us all.
*** PROTECT THE MAIL-NETS READ THIS MESSAGE ***
This document is an electronic Petition Statement to the U.S. Congress
regarding pending legislation, the"Communications Decency Act of 1995"
(S. 314) which will have, if passed, very serious negative ramifications
for freedom of expression on Usenet, the Internet, and all electronic
networks. The proposed legislation would remove guarantees of privacy and
free speech on all electronic networks, including the Internet, and may
even effectively close them down as a medium to exchange ideas and
information.
For an excellent analysis of this Bill by the Center for Democracy and T
echnology (CDT), refer to the Appendix attached at the end of this docum
ent. The text to S. 314 is also included in this Appendix.
This document is somewhat long, but the length is necessary to give you
sufficient information to make an informed decision. Time is of the ess
ence, we are going to turn this petition and the signatures in on 3/16/9
5, so if you are going to sign this please do so ASAP or at least before
midnight Wednesday, March 15, 1995.
Even if you read this petition after the due date, please submit your si
gnature anyway as we expect Congress to continue debating these issues i
n the foreseeable future and the more signatures we get, the more influe
nce the petition will have on discussion. And even if Congress rejects S.
314 while signatures are being gathered, do submit your signature anyway
for the same reason.
Please do upload this petition statement as soon as possible to any BBS
and on-line service in your area. If you have access to one of the major
national on-line services such as CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL, etc., do try
to upload it there. We are trying to get at least 5000 signatures. Even
more signatures are entirely possible if we each put in a little eff
ort to inform others, such as friends and coworkers, about the importanc
e of this petition to electronic freedom of expression.
Here is a brief table of contents:
(1) Introduction (this section)
(2) The Petition Statement
(3) Instructions for signing this petition
(4) Credits
(Appendix) Analysis and text of S. 314 (LONG but excellent)
******(2) The Petition Statement
In united voice, we sign this petition against passage of S. 314 (the "
Communications Decency Act of 1995") for these reasons:
S. 314 would prohibit not only individual speech that is "obscene, lewd,
lascivious, filthy, or indecent", but would prohibit any provider of te
lecommunications service from carrying such traffic, under threat of
stiff penalty. Even aside from the implications for free speech, this
would cause an undue - and unjust - burden upon operators of the various
telecommunications services. In a time when the citizenry and their law
makers alike are calling for and passing "no unfunded mandates" laws to
the benefit of the states, it is unfortunate that Congress might seek to
impose unfunded mandates upon businesses that provide the framework for
the information age.
An additional and important consideration is the technical feasibility of
requiring the sort of monitoring this bill would necessitate. The
financial burden in and of itself - in either manpower or technology to
handle such monitoring (if even legal under the Electronic Communication
s Privacy Act) - would likely cause many smaller providers to go out of
business, and most larger providers to seriously curtail their services.
The threat of such penalty alone would result in a chilling effect in the
telecommunications service community, not only restricting the types of
speech expressly forbidden by the bill, but creating an environment
contrary to the Constitutional principles of free speech, press, and
assembly - principles which entities such as the Internet embody as
nothing has before.
By comparison, placing the burden for content control upon each individual
user is surprisingly simple in the online and interactive world, and there
is no legitimate reason to shift that burden to providers who carry that
content. Unlike traditional broadcast media, networked media is
comparatively easy to screen on the user end - giving the reader, viewer,
or participant unparalleled control over his or her own information
environment. All without impacting or restricting what any other user
wishes to access. This makes regulation such as that threatened by this
S. 314 simply unnecessary.
In addition, during a period of ever-increasing commercial interest in
arenas such as the Internet, restriction and regulation of content or the
flow of traffic across the various telecommunications services would have
serious negative economic effects. The sort of regulation proposed by
this bill would slow the explosive growth the Internet has seen, giving
the business community reason to doubt the medium's commercial appeal.
We ask that the Senate halt any further progress of this bill. We ask
that the Senate be an example to Congress as a whole, and to the nation at
large - to promote the general welfare as stated in the Preamble to the
Constitution by protecting the free flow of information and ideas across
all of our telecommunications services.
******(3) Instructions for signing the petition
======================================
Instructions for Signing This Petition
======================================
It must first be noted that this is a petition, not a vote. By "signing
" it you agree with *all* the requests made in the petition. If you do
not agree with everything in this petition, then your only recourse is to
not sign it.
In addition, all e-mail signatures will be submitted to Congress, the
President of the United States, and the news media.
Including your full name is optional, but *very highly encouraged* as that
would add to the effectiveness of the petition. Signing via an anonymous
remailer is highly discouraged, but not forbidden, as an attempt will be
made to separately tally signatures from anonymous remailers.
Because this is a Petition to the U.S. Congress, we ask that you state,
as instructed below, whether or not you are a U.S. citizen. We do
encourage non-U.S. citizens to sign, but their signatures will be tallied
separately.
Signing this petition is not hard, but to make sure your signature is not
lost or miscounted, please follow these directions EXACTLY:
1) Prepare an e-mail message. In the main body (NOT theSubject line) of
your e-mail include the ONE-LINE statement:
SIGNED <Internet e-mail address> <Full name> <US Citizen>
You need not include the "<" and ">" characters. 'SIGNED' should be
capitalized. As stated above, your full name is optional, but highly
recommended. If you do supply your name, please don't use a pseudonym or
nickname, or your first name -- it's better to just leave it blank if it's
not your full and real name. If you are a U.S. citizen, please include at
the end of the signature line a 'YES',and if you are not, a 'NO'. All
signatures will be tallied whether or not you are a U.S. Citizen
****************************************************
Example: My e-mail signature would be:
SIGNED dave@kachina.altadena.ca.us Dave C. Hayes YES
****************************************************
2) Please DON'T include a copy of this petition, nor any other text, in
your e-mail message. If you have comments to make, send e-mail to me
personally, and NOT to the special petition e-mail signature address.
3) Send your e-mail message containing your signature to the following
Internet e-mail address and NOT to me:
PLEASE, WE NEED EACH OF OUR READERS TO DO THIS NOW....
send an e-mail message to:
S314-petition@netcom.com
**********************************************************************
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
=================
STReport International OnLine Magazine is available every week for your
reading pleasure on DELPHI. STReport's readers are invited to join DELPHI
and become a part of an extremely friendly community of enthusiastic
computer users there.
SIGNING UP WITH DELPHI
======================
Using a personal computer and modem, members worldwide access
DELPHI services via a local phone call
JOIN --DELPHI
--------------
Via modem, dial up DELPHI at 1-800-695-4002
then...
When connected, press RETURN once or twice
and...
At Password: type STREPORT and press RETURN.
DELPHI's 20/20 Advantage Plan
20 Hours for Only $20!
-----------------------------
Advantage Members have always enjoyed the lowest DELPHI access rates
available. On the new 20/20 Advantage Plan, members receive their first 20
hours of access each month for only $20. If you happen to meet someone
OnLine or find some other diversion, don't worry because additional usage
is only $1.80 per hour.
20/20 Advantage rates apply for access via SprintNet or Tymnet from within
the continental United States during home time or via direct dial around
the clock. Home Time is from 6pm to 6am weekdays. Access during business
time carries a surcharge of $9 per hour. These rates apply for most
services, but note that there are some surcharged areas on DELPHI which
are clearly marked with a "$" sign.
Who is eligible to take advantage of the plan? Any DELPHI member in good
standing. Applications are reviewed and subject to approval by Delphi
Internet Services Corporation.
It's easy to join. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply
OnLine -- at any time -- for membership in the DELPHI 20/20 Advantage
Plan. Your membership becomes active at 4 a.m. Eastern Time on the first
billing day of the following month.
The $20 charge will be billed to you at the beginning of the month to
which it applies. Any portion of the 20 hours not used in any month does
not carry forward into the next month.
Advantage rates may be changed with 30 days notice given OnLine.
TRY DELPHI FOR $1 AN HOUR!
For a limited time, you can become a trial member of DELPHI, and receive 5
hours of evening and weekend access during this month for only $5. If
you're not satisfied, simply cancel your account before the end of the
calendar month with no further obligation. If you keep your account
active, you will automatically be enrolled in DELPHI's 10/4 Basic Plan,
where you can use up to 4 weekend and evening hours a month for a minimum
$10 monthly charge, with additional hours available at $3.96. But hurry,
this special trial offer will expire soon! To take advantage of this
limited offer, use your modem to dial 1-800-365-4636. Press <RET> once or
twice. When you get the Password: prompt, type IP26 and press <RET> again.
Then, just answer the questions and within a day or two, you'll officially
be a member of DELPHI!
DELPHI-It's the BEST Value and getting BETTER all the time!
-* ANNOUNCING: DELPHI INTERNET JET *-
--------------------------------------
Windows-based graphic interface for the otherwise text-only Delphi online
service. In addition to providing the user with a graphic interface,
Delphi Internet Jet can be configured to automatically gather Delphi
Internet e-mail and forum messages, and place them into a QWK packet for
the user's existing QWK mail reader! Complete instructions for setup,
operation, Delphi membership, and a FREE five hour trial included in the
INTJET.TXT file.
************************************************************
ATARI/JAG SECTION (III)
=======================
Dana Jacobson, Editor
> From the Atari Editor's Desk "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
In the last week or so, I've come to appreciate my Atari computers
just a little bit more. Ironically, this appreciation is due to a
couple of my employees who have recently purchased PC systems. Even
more ironic is the fact they aren't experiencing problems with their
machines to make me appreciate mine. Quite the contrary, they're
having a ball. Listening to them, both novices, talk about the fun
that they're having exploring this technology reminds me of the
excitement that I had when I got my first ST back in 1987.
I still enjoy using the ST (whichever one I decide to use at a
given moment) to this day. It's familiar, fun, and extremely reliable.
It does any of the tasks that I require in a computer system; and it's
ten years old! By today's standards, my systems should be in a museum
somewhere!
Sure, my systems aren't as fast as today's, but so what. Sure,
PCs today visually more attractive with better graphics, but after
awhile, who notices those things? But for me, and many people, a
computer system is a tool in which to get things done. My livelihood
doesn't depend on getting a project done a few hours or days faster.
In fact, my life doesn't depend on anything that can be accomplished by
using a computer. It's simply a tool in which I can do things which I
enjoy; and couldn't do otherwise. It fits my needs well.
Sure, it might be fun to have a Pentium machine with all the
latest technology accompanying it. But you know what? All the glitz
would wear off after awhile, either due to repetitiveness or something
even newer. Eventually, a newer machine would become just a tool,
again. Same cycle, different machine.
What I do miss about staying with my machine of choice is much of
the atmosphere that I could rely upon. The local dealer(s) that I
could visit any day of the week and browse the shelves of endless
software and talk with my fellow Atarians. The various local bulletin
boards that were proud to state that they supported Atari computers.
The banter on these systems was fun, and educational. The online
services were deluged with literally hundreds of new messages daily.
If you missed a day, either locally or on the services, you were buried
in messages! The hundreds of new files to choose from and download
from any given system. I used to spend hours accumulating these files
for myself and my BBS users! The disks that I used to fill up in any
given week! I could probably go through them today and delete 75% of
the stuff that's sitting on them - I'd be in floppy disk heaven with
hundreds of "new" disks to fill (and free up some much-needed hard
drive space!). The developers whom I grew to know and rely on for
updates and new programs. Atari developers were the finest people
around. Nowhere have I experienced such camaraderie. AtariFests!
These shows, themselves, are unique to Atari users.
Nostalgia is fun. As with most things, things change over time.
Technology is always moving forward; these days it seems to move faster
than most things in life. Everything's changed for the Atari user of
yesteryear, unfortunately (to some extent). The only thing that will
remain a constant is the enjoyment that my Atari systems still provide.
I seriously doubt that that will ever change, completely.
Thanks for the opportunity to let me be in a different frame of
mind for a change. For today, I can bask in the enjoyment of things
Atari; tomorrow I'll hear about some of the new things my employees
have learned about their new "toy" - something that I can relate to
from my own first experiences.
Until next time...
___________________________________________
Delphi's Atari Advantage!
TOP TEN DOWNLOADS (3/15/95)
(1) DL VIEWER V.1.10 *(6) WORLD CLOCK 1.0A
*(2) HACE 9412 *(7) 3X CD-ROM ON AN ATARI
(3) LYNX - WWW TEXT BROWSER *(8) PIANO MOD FILES + BONUS
(4) HSMODA06 SERIAL PORT ACCEL *(9) MAGGIE V.13
*(5) ATARI E-MAIL ADDRESS LIST *(10) HACE 9501
* = New on list
HONORARY TOP 10
The following on-line magazines are always top downloads, frequently
out-performing every other file in the databases.
STREPORT (Current issue: STREPORT 11.10)
ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE (Current issue: AEO: VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3)
Look for the above files in the RECENT ARRIVALS database.
_____________________________________________
> Zero-X! STR MIDI InfoFile! - Digital Sound Processing Software
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
____________________________________________________
-= Zero-X =-
DIGITAL SOUND PROCESSING SOFTWARE
for Atari computers
____________________________________________________
Who is Zero-X made for?
Anyone who uses a sampler, sample-player or a hard disk recording
system and has access to an Atari computer.
What is Zero-X?
Zero-X is a tool for helping you with the tedious and sometimes
hopeless work of looping your sounds.
Zero-X is a tool for editing your sampled sounds or BeatLoops.
Zero-X is a tool for fast transfer of your samples, to and from your
sampler/sample-player.
Zero-X is a tool for conversion of audio files, to and from different
file formats (programs).
Zero-X is a product of lots of research. The development team consists
not only of computer engineers but also of musicians & sound engineers.
We started out talking to friends and colleagues (musicians and sound
engineers) and quite soon realised that there were lots of people
(including us) looking for a product like Zero-X. We use Zero-X
ourselves professionally in our studio.
We have been concentrating on usefulness, high quality result, speed
and ease-of-use.
And low price!
Zero-X AutoSearch, a time saver!
What took months using the best competitor's most powerful autoloop
tools is done in a minute with Zero-X AutoSearch (and the result is
usually even better). With Zero-X you will have time left to be
creative.
Hardware recommendations
Zero-X can be run on "any "Atari computer, but to take full advantage
of all the features in Zero-X a Falcon with at least 4 MB RAM is
necessary. A hard disk is recommended but not required. Monitor:
640x400 mono or better.
Falcon : Crystal clear 16 bit, 8 to 49 KHz, monitoring of your samples.
Very fast DSP calculations. SCSI dump.
TT : 8 bit monitor of your samples, SCSI dump.
STE : 8 bit monitor of your samples.
ST : no sound (as yet!)
The Future of Zero-X
Zero-X is a fast growing product. Even though we will be concentrating
on getting as much out of Atari Falcon as possible, we will continue
supporting the ST/E and TT.
High priority are given to features such as supporting more Midi and
SCSI dump protocols, fast time stretch/pitch shift etc.
There will always be very generous upgrade offers.
Features:
=========
True AutoLoop (AutoSearch)
The fastest and most powerful true autoloop (autosearch) on any Atari
computer.
Zero-X is able to find the most optimal loop positions in your sample,
i.e. best fitting start and end, we call it AutoSearch.
It can also, at the speed of light, return the best fitting loop start
to a loop end defined by the user, i.e. the classic AutoLoop.
All of this with a single mouse click!
Loop prepare
Powerful features for modifying your sounds for a better loop result
Gate, change a fading part in the sample to equal volume.
Visual Crossfade, makes a smooth fade between loop start and loop end.
Edit features
Very useful functions, such as
Cut, Copy, Paste, Fade Out, Optimize volume, Silence, SmartCut, Digital
NoiseGate, Mix etc
BeatLoop
Lots of functions for editing a drum loop.
- AutoDrumLoop
- Calculate BPM, - DrumSplit; split up your drum loop into individual
drums and send them as individual drums to your sampler
- Create a standard Midi file from your drum loop, so you can change
the tempo in a sequencer program without the need of timestretch and
exchange some drums etc.
(something like Recycle on Mac and PC)
Sample Conversion
Convert files of any size to and from:
- CuBase Audio (non compressed .AIF)
- Avalon (Sound Designer 1 .SD)
- PC/Windows (.WAV)
- DAME (.TKE)
- WinRec (.DVSM)
- "Standard Atari" (.AVR)
- Raw sample data (.RAW)
- 8/16 bit, Stereo/Mono, Signed/Unsigned
Sample Transfer
With features such as batch dump/receive etc.
- Standard Midi Sample Dump
- Standard SCSI Sample Dump-SMDI
- Manufacturer specific sample dump (Ensoniq etc)
Free demo version!
Distributors:
UK : the Digital Village (Paul or Simon)
US : Wizztronics (Steve Cohen)
Germany : SoundPool (Thomas Baumgaertner)
Distributed in Sweden by Copson Data, Linkvping.
Ph & Fax +46-13-16 41 04, Fax +46-31-81 21 39.
Internet peter@vinga.trillium.se
Please contact your local dealer or Copson Data for more information.
USA, NY, Wizztronics, Steve Cohen
Internet :s.cohen27@genie.geis.com
Fax & Phone :Int+1-516-473-2507
Germany, SoundPool, Thomas Baumgaertner
Fax :Int+49-07046-90 215
Phone :Int+49-07046-90 315
UK, Digital Village, Paul or Simon
Fax :Int+44-81-447 1129
_______________________________________________
> Tetrhex! STR InfoFile! - Tetris-like Games
""""""""""""""""""""""
********************************
* *
* TETRHEX 1.23 *
* *
* written by Vincent Lefevre *
* *
********************************
TETRHEX is a shareware game, or rather a group of Tetris-like or
Columns-like games, being played on a hexagonal board, with hexagonal
cells. TETRHEX runs on the Atari Falcon 030 with every kind of color
screen, but should be able to run on any Atari (or other TOS-based
computer) having at least a 68030 and a Falcon compatible (i.e.
interlaced planes) graphic mode 256 colors >= 640 * 480, possibly
with a substitute operating system (TOS/GEM compatible).
Main features:
_ You can modify existing rule files and create your own rules in a
TETRHEX-specific language.
_ TETRHEX uses GEM functions, except for some displays. Therefore
it is compatible with many system programs (in the AUTO folder):
NVDI, SpeedoGDOS, Screen Blaster card, Outside, MiNT/MultiTOS, ...
_ TETRHEX can display outline fonts if SpeedoGDOS or NVDI 3 is active.
You can choose the fonts. TETRHEX automatically selects the most
suitable font height, according to the font and the text to display.
_ Many options; configuration on 2 levels as Unix-like options:
permanent (in a file) and at the start.
_ You can play on the whole screen or in a GEM window (AES 4.1 is
supported: the window can be iconified).
_ List of languages to use in order of preference, particularly useful
because of the help in rule files. By default, the language of the
system is preferably used.
_ The hexagonal board has a variable size (4 different sizes).
_ TETRHEX can save up to 255 scores for each rule and each size of the
hexagonal board.
_ You can give a group of re-locatable routines enabling TETRHEX to
communicate with the outside. Possible applications (some routines
don't exist yet): playing with the Joypad (instead of the keyboard)
or even playing using your voice (thanks to the DSP), having .MOD
modules played in background at given moments, putting images at the
background, making the computer play, ...
Vincent Lefevre
e-mail: vlefevre@ens.ens-lyon.fr
_______________________________________
> STR NewsPlus
""""""""""""
-/- Prodigy Glitch Zaps E-mail -/-
Nearly 5,000 electronic mail messages from the Internet to
subscribers of the Prodigy online system have been lost because of a
glitch in new Prodigy software, officials with the company say.
Prodigy officials have told The Associated Press the trouble
occurred during a two-hour period Thursday after the system installed
new software for speeding up e-mail to and from the Internet. After the
problem was discovered, it took about five hours to correct, AP says.
"The lost messages were sent from 11:51 a.m. to 1:58 p.m. EST
Thursday," says the wire service. "In addition, there were 473 messages
sent to the wrong people. Some Prodigy customers received multiple
copies of mis-delivered e-mail."
Prodigy says it notified its customers of the problem and was also
able to electronically contact senders of the misdirected messages but
not the senders of the lost messages.
Said Prodigy spokesman Brian Ek, "We sure don't feel good about it.
We figure the best thing we can do is go out to our members and the
electronic community and let people know what happened."
-/- CompuServe to Buy Spry Inc. -/-
Seattle-based Spry Inc., producer of the Internet in a Box software,
is to be acquired by CompuServe Inc.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal this morning, reporter Jared
Sandberg says the deal calls for the exchange of about $100 million in
stock and cash, "believed to be the largest Internet-related
acquisition."
Spry's software offers a suite of Internet-related utilities,
including a web browser called "Air Mosaic" that enables users to enter
and browse through the multimedia portion of the Internet known as the
World Wide Web.
CompuServe and Spry are "just a really nice fit," CompuServe
President/CEO Maury Cox told the Journal. Cox noted the two already had
signed an agreement in October to help CompuServe's commercial customers,
such as Visa International Inc. and Federal Express Corp., gain access
to the Internet.
Noting Internet software, access and consulting expertise, is
expected to become a $4 billion industry in two years, Cox added, "It
just seemed if we were together we could move faster."
-/- Internet Writer Released on Bond -/-
A college student accused of threatening a classmate by writing a
rape-torture fantasy on the Internet has been freed on $10,000 personal
bond pending his trial April 3.
In Detroit yesterday Jake Baker, 20, was released into the custody
of his mother and allowed to return with her to the family's Boardman,
Ohio, home. In making the order, U.S. District Judge Avern Cohen also
ordered Baker to stay off the Internet, United Press International
reports.
Baker had been jailed without bond at a federal prison in Milan
since his arrest last month. Judge Cohen said psychiatric exams he
ordered this week indicated the suspended University of Michigan
sophomore was neither psychotic nor an imminent threat to society.
Baker was indicted last month by a federal grand jury for allegedly
using the global computer network to threaten a woman he met in a
Japanese class at the University of Michigan.
Prosecutors allege Baker broke the law by naming the woman in his
graphic tales of death and sexual torture.
UPI quotes Baker as contending he did nothing wrong, that his
writings were fiction, but also said he apologized after leaving the
courtroom yesterday.
Said Baker, "I'm sorry to even have used a real person's name. It's
not going to happen again."
-/- Second Man Named in Internet Case -/-
A five-count superseding indictment has been issued against a
college student accused using Internet to post threats against a female
classmate. And, for the first time, another man has been indicted for
allegedly joining an e-mail exchange involving threats.
In Detroit, United Press International says the latest indictments
supersede the original charges against 20- year-old Jake Baker, a
Boardman, Ohio, student indicted last month on allegations he transmitted
threats against an Ann Arbor woman he met in a University of Michigan
class.
The new indictment also adds Arthur Gonda of the Toronto area to a
case, according to U.S. Attorney Saul Green. "Gonda's whereabouts, age
and information about his possible arrest were unavailable," UPI said.
As reported earlier, the case centers on text posted on the Internet
in the form of stories about rape, torture and murder.
Notes UPI, "Baker has admitted he wrote at least one rape-torture
fantasy and posted it on the Internet, using the computer access he
received as a UM sophomore. After he was freed on a personal bond last
week after a month in jail, Baker apologized for using the name of a
student as the victim of the fantasy. But his attorney said he'll argue
Internet stories are protected by the right to free speech."
Baker has been released into the custody of his mother in Ohio. A
judge also ordered him to stay off the Internet.
Originally, Baker's trial was to begin April 3, but it's now unclear
whether the latest indictments will change the trial date.
Green allege Baker and Gonda broke the federal law against
transmitting threats across state or international borders. The new
indictments charge Baker wrote and transmitted "numerous stories and
e-mail messages over the Internet" between September and December 1994.
Details of the messages were included in the indictments but were not
reported by UPI.
-/- Film Rights to Mitnick Book Sold -/-
Worldwide film rights to a book about how the FBI caught fugitive
computerist Kevin Mitnick last month in Raleigh, North Carolina, have
been acquired by Miramax Films.
The Associated Press quotes a story in the Hollywood Reporter as
saying Miramax paid an undisclosed amount for rights to the book
"Catching Kevin: The Pursuit and Capture of America's Most Wanted
Computer Criminal," by consultant Tsutomu Shimomura and New York Times
reporter John Markoff.
AP says the book will be published by Disney-owned Hyperion, a
sister company of Miramax.
As reported earlier, Shimomura helped track down Mitnick who was
indicted last week on 23 counts of computer access fraud.
-/- BBS Sysop Sentenced in Privacy Case -/-
The operator of the Massachusetts-based Davey Jones Locker bulletin
board system, who pleaded guilty in December to violating copyright
protections of commercial software, has been sentenced to 24 months
probation with six months home confinement.
Richard D. Kenadek also will be monitored by use of an electronic
bracelet for the first three months and will forfeit all computer
equipment related to the operation of the BBS.
The 43-year-old Kenadek of Millbury, Massachusetts, had faced up to
one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.
The Software Publishers Association's four-month investigation of
the BBS precipitated an FBI investigation that concluded with Kenadek's
indictment last August.
In a statement from Washington, D.C., Sandra A. Sellers, the SPA
director of litigation, said this was "the first time the criminal
statute under the copyright law has been used to prosecute a bulletin
board operator," adding, "This is a crucial turning point on the road
to eliminating piracy among bulletin board operators."
She said Kenadek's prosecution "sends a message to bulletin board
operators that both civil and criminal remedies will be vigorously
pursued for the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted software."
At the time of the FBI raid, more than 200 commercial copyrighted
programs were available to subscribers for downloading from a special
section of the Davey Jones Locker BBS.
The SPA also filed a civil suit against Kenadek, which was settled
in conjunction with Kenadek's guilty plea. Settlement terms include a
provision prohibiting him from operating or assisting in any BBS for
one year.
_______________________________________
JAGUAR SECTION
==============
More Checkered Flag!
CatNips!
Atari 4th Quarter Finance Report!
Mortal Kombat III! Defender 2000!
Minter News! And much more!
> From the Editor's Controller - Playin' it like it is!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I apologize for my negligence in last week's issue; I had announced
the week earlier that we were going to reveal our "Name the First 20
Jaguar Titles" contest winners last week - I forgot to include that
information. If you remember, we started the contest sometime before
Christmas. At the time, we felt that 20 games would be a reasonable
number of games available and that this contest would run a month or
two and we'd have plenty of titles to make things interesting for this
contest. Well, as we all know, the numbers of games didn't quite make
it out in time. We decided to extend the contest in the hopes that
we'd have 20 titles out without the need to prolong the contest. It
didn't happen, at the time. So, we decided that after about 15 titles
were out, we'd stop at 17 (knowing that two more games were imminent at
the time!). We had a number of entries that were close to being
correct; and couple that were "perfect scores" to that point.
Anyway, with the excuses out of the way, let's get to the winners!
We had two entries that had the first 17 Jaguar game releases correct!
Both winning entries were received within four days of each other, so
the first winning entry received will be awarded the first prize; the
second getting second prize - real scientific! <grin>
The winners: 1st prize - Karen Anderson and Andre Pomerleau, a
team effort from SUNY (State University of New York)
Prizes include the Jaguar dealer banner and a
Jaguar teeshirt.
2nd prize - Jason Wheatly, a 17-year old high school
student from Los Angeles.
Prizes include a Jaguar teeshirt and the "Jag Rules"
rubber stamp.
Both winners will also receive an AvP and Iron
Soldier poster.
Congratulations to our winners!! And thanks to the many who sent in
entries. Some of your guesses were extremely interesting! There were
some titles that were included that haven't even been mentioned as
possible games yet!
We're looking forward to putting together another contest, so look for
it in the near future. By the way, we've decided not to print the
winning entries a we're considering a similar contest, but with many
more titles to put in order by release. We don't want to make a future
contest too easy for you all!
There have been a few games released for the Jaguar: Troy Aikman
Football, Syndicate, and Theme Park. Other than the football game,
these releases haven't been getting the usual online activity as their
predecessors have received. Perhaps these games haven't had too much
activity with regard to distribution yet. Hopefully, we'll hear a lot
more news about these games soon. And, we hope to have reviews of
them, and upcoming games, soon!
With March, and the first quarter of 1995 almost at a close, it
appears that the Jaguar CD-player isn't going to make it out on time.
Although the player is ready, it appears that the games just aren't
ready yet. If you recall, Atari stated some time ago that the CD-
player wasn't going to be released until there were six CD titles
available. Current estimates for the release is now April or May. As
we learn more specific details, we'll bring them your way.
Although the Sega settlement makes it look much better, Atari's
financial report for their 4th quarter report for 1994 was released
earlier in the week; and it's improving. Imagine what might have
happened had Atari had an impressive Christmas season this past year!
Details of this report can be found later in this issue.
We've got a lot of ground to cover this week, so let's get to the
rest of this week's issue. We hope you find it interesting!
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 $49.99 Atari Corp.
J9005 Raiden $49.99 FABTEK, Inc/Atari Corp.
J9001 Trevor McFur/
Crescent Galaxy $49.99 Atari Corp.
J9010 Tempest 2000 $59.95 Llamasoft/Atari Corp.
J9028 Wolfenstein 3D $69.95 id/Atari Corp.
JA100 Brutal Sports FtBall $69.95 Telegames
J9008 Alien vs. Predator $69.99 Rebellion/Atari Corp.
J9029 Doom $69.99 id/Atari Corp.
J9036 Dragon: Bruce Lee $59.99 Atari Corp.
J9003 Club Drive $59.99 Atari Corp.
J9007 Checkered Flag $69.99 Atari Corp.
J9012 Kasumi Ninja $69.99 Atari Corp.
J9042 Zool 2 $59.99 Atari Corp
J9020 Bubsy $49.99 Atari Corp
J9026 Iron Soldier $59.99 Atari Corp
J9060 Val D'Isere Skiing $59.99 Atari Corp.
Cannon Fodder Virgin
Syndicate Ocean
Troy Aikman Ftball $69.99 Williams
Theme Park Ocean
Available Soon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CAT # TITLE MSRP DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER
CatBox $69.95 ICD
Hover Strike $59.99 Atari
Jaguar CD-ROM $149.99 Atari
Hardware and Peripherals ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CAT # TITLE MSRP MANUFACTURER
J8001 Jaguar (complete) $189.99 Atari Corp.
J8001 Jaguar (no cart) $159.99 Atari Corp.
J8904 Composite Cable $19.95
J8901 Controller/Joypad $24.95 Atari Corp.
J8905 S-Video Cable $19.95
> Industry News STR Game Console NewsFile - The Latest Gaming News!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
13-MAR-1995 09:39
ATARI CORPORATION ANNOUNCES RESULTS FOR THE YEAR
AND FOURTH QUARTER 1994
SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Atari Corporation
(AMEX: ATC) reported today its results for the year and fourth quarter
ended December 31, 1994.
For the year ended 1994, NET SALES were $38.4 million as compared
to $28.8 million for the year ended 1993, an increase of 33%. Increased
sales were a result of the sales of Jaguar, the Company's 64-bit
multi-media interactive entertainment system and related software.
Primarily as a result of settlements of patent litigations, the Company
reported NET INCOME for the year 1994 of $9.4 million as compared to a
NET LOSS for 1993 of $48.9 million.
For the fourth quarter 1994, NET SALES were $14.9 million as
compared to $8.5 million for 1993, a 75% increase. Primarily due to
significant marketing expenses of $8.0 million and an inventory
valuation adjustment of $3.6 million, the Company incurred an operating
loss of $12.6 million in 1994 as compared to $21.9 million operating
loss for the fourth quarter of 1993. As a result of the Company's
ongoing research and development, the wholesale price of Jaguar was
reduced in the first quarter of 1995 to allow retailers to sell Jaguar
at a price of $159.99. Accordingly, the Company has adjusted the value
of its existing inventory and anticipated purchases through the period
until cost reductions become effective. During the fourth quarter of
1994, the Company closed its transactions with Sega Enterprises Ltd.
which resulted in an income item of $29.8 million after contingent
legal expenses and the sale of approximately 4.7 million shares of the
Company stock for $40.0 million. As of December 31, 1994, the Company
had $81.0 million in cash and marketable securities and shareholders'
equity of $67.1 million. As a result of the items previously
discussed, the Company reported for the fourth quarter of 1994, NET
INCOME of $17.6 million as compared to a NET LOSS of $22.6 million for
1993.
Commenting, Sam Tramiel, Atari Corp. president, said, "We are very
pleased to offer Jaguar for $159.99, thereby making new 64-bit technology
competitively priced against older 16-bit systems. Although we are
disappointed that our expectations for Jaguar were not met in the fourth
quarter due to delayed game software, we believe we have taken corrective
actions to ensure an ongoing stream of software through 1995 and beyond.
Today, we have announced a publishing arrangement with Williams
Entertainment for 'Mortal Kombat III' and will be announcing another
significant arrangement with a major software publisher shortly. Those
titles, along with some of Jaguar's current hit titles such as 'Tempest
2000,' 'Alien vs. Predator,' 'Doom and Val d'Isere Skiing' will be added
to the list of titles that will be available for Jaguar."
ATARI CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share)
Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
Dec 31, Dec 31, Dec 31, Dec 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993
Net Sales $14,921 $8,525 $38,444 $28,805
Operating Income (loss) (12,595) (21,861) (24,047) (47,499)
Exchange Gain (loss) (5) (709) 1,184 (2,234)
Other Income (Expense) Net 77 288 484 854
Settlement of Patent
Litigation 29,812 -- 32,062 --
Interest (Expense) Net
of Interest Income 316 (291) (289) (251)
Income (Loss) Before
Income Taxes 17,605 (22,573) 9,394 (49,130)
Credit for Income Taxes(a) -- -- -- (264)
Net Income (loss) $17,605 $(22,573) $9,394 $(48,866)
Earnings Per Common and
Equivalent Share:
Net Income (loss) $0.30 $(0.39) $0.16 $(0.85)
Weighted Average number
of shares used in
computation 59,460 57,177 58,962 57,148
(a) No income tax expense as a result of the utilization of the
Company's Net Operating Loss Carry forward and Deferred Tax Assets.
-0- 3/13/95
/CONTACT: August J. Liguori, 408-745-2069, or Sam Tramiel, 408-745-8824,
both of Atari/ (ATC) CO: Atari Corp. ST: California IN: CPR SU: ERN
-/- Atari Stock Falls On Disappointing Results -/-
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Reuter) - Atari Corp., which makes personal
computers and video game systems, reported an operating loss in the
fourth quarter Monday, sparking a drop in its stock.
The stock fell 43.75 cents or 11 percent lower at $3.4375 on the
American Stock Exchange.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company said it had an operating loss
of $12.6 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31, after it spent $8 million
in marketing costs and adjusted the value of its inventory by
$3.6 million. This compared with a $21.9 million operating loss in the
year-ago period.
Sales rose 75 percent to $14.9 million from $8.5 million.
After one-time gains, Atari reported net profits of $17.6 million
for the quarter, compared with a net loss of $22.6 million in the
year-ago period.
Reuter/Variety
___________________________________________
CONTACT: Ron Beltramo Terry King Atari
Corporation Williams Entertainment Inc
408/745-8852 903/874-2683
For Immediate Release
"MORTAL KOMBAT III" WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ATARI JAGUAR
SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 13 - Atari Corp. and Williams Entertainment
Inc. are pleased to announce that Atari will be publishing "Mortal
Kombat III" for the Atari Jaguar 64-bit multimedia system. "Mortal
Kombat" is one of the most frequently requested video game titles from
Jaguar enthusiasts.
"Letters have been pouring in daily telling us that gamers want `Mortal
Kombat' for the Atari Jaguar," indicated Sam Tramiel, president of
Atari Corp. "We at Atari are dedicated to the mission of giving the
enthusiastic Jaguar game players exactly what they are looking for
and `Mortal Kombat III' will give them the latest version of the
`Mortal Kombat' series of arcade hits."
"Mortal Kombat III" is the third in a series of outstanding coin-op
games incorporating true-to-life graphic images into a challenging
fighting experience. Williams Entertainment Inc. is the home video
subsidiary of WMS Industries Inc., the company that created "Mortal
Kombat" and "NBA Jam" for the arcades.
"Mortal Kombat III" for the Atari Jaguar will feature true-color
graphics and all the sounds and action of the arcade version of "Mortal
Kombat III." Planned release will be within the second quarter of 1996.
Williams Entertainment already has other popular video game titles
scheduled for release on the Jaguar platform. "Troy Aikman Football" is
currently available to be followed up shortly by "Double Dragon V."
Electronic Gaming Monthly says of "Troy Aikman Football," "... the
Jaguar version is the best yet." Saturday morning cartoon fans will
recognize the fighting lineup in "Double Dragon V" with eye-popping
animated action.
Other software hits being developed in partnership between Williams
Entertainment and Atari Corp. include new adaptations of classic games
such as "Joust" and "Defender." "Defender 2000" is being developed with
three distinct play modes (the classic favorite, "Defender Plus," and
"Defender 2000") for the Jaguar by Jeff Minter of "Tempest 2000" fame.
According to Bill Rehbock Atari's VP of Software Business Development,
"`Dactyl Joust' will bring the classic game alive as a first person
perspective, fully texture-mapped Joust in a realistic, three
dimensional environment." Atari will market these games for the 64-bit
Jaguar system while Williams Entertainment will license and market them
for high performance PCs.
These distinct agreements between Atari Corp. and Williams Entertainment
are indicative of the strong relationship these two companies have
established. Williams Entertainment is one of the first third-party
licensees to begin working with Atari on the Jaguar 64-bit platform and
remains a strong supporter of the system with top software titles.
Atari Corp. markets interactive multimedia entertainment systems,
including Jaguar, the world's first and only 64-bit system and the only
video game system manufactured in the United States. Atari is
headquartered at 1196 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94089.
###
Jaguar is a trademark of Atari Corp. Atari is a registered trademark
of Atari Corp. Other products named may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their owning companies.
> Jaguar Game Title STR Review - "Checkered Flag"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
- Available Now -
Review By: Dominick J. Fontana
(CIS: 74766,2154)
Date of Review: 3/12/95
Basic Information:
Difficulty Level: Very Difficult
Type of Game: Car Racing
Format: Cartridge
Developed by: Rebellion
Published by: Atari Corp.
List Price: Originally $49.99
(Now it can be found on sale for $29.99.)
Opening Comments:
I wanted to like Checkered Flag (CF), but I didn't. The main
reason was that it was much too difficult to use the joypad to steer
the car.
How To Play:
CF is a one-player car racing game. The object is to race your car
around a track for a certain number of laps in the shortest possible
time, in order to beat your computer opponents.
There are nine options that you may select before playing. The
options are as follows:
Color - You may select the color of your car.
Weather - You may select from Sun, Rain, or Fog.
Airfoil - You may select Low or High. This affects the drag on your
car and therefore how the car handles. It also affects the speed of
your car. A Low Airfoil allows you to achieve higher speeds, at the
expense of car handling. The car is more difficult to control with
this setting. It is better used on straight tracks. A High Airfoil
makes the car easier to control, but it slows you down. It is better
used on curvy tracks.
Tires - You may select Dry or Wet. Generally, you may want to use Dry
tires for Sunny weather and Wet tires for Rain or Fog, although some
experimentation is in order.
Gearing - You may select Auto5 or Man6. Auto5 is an automatic
transmission with 5 gears. The game shifts gears for you automatically
when you attain the proper speed. Man6 is a manual transmission with
6 gears. You must change gears yourself with the joypad. It is more
difficult to control, but your car can go faster.
Drones - You may select from 1 to 5. This represents the number of
cars you will be racing against.
Race - You may select from Single Race, Free Practice, or
Tournament. In a Single Race, you have one race and then the game is
over. It is useful to practice racing against the competition on the
different tracks before you enter a Tournament. Free Practice allows
you to race on a single track without any competition. This mode is
useful to learn how to control your car on the different tracks.
Tournament engages you in a full racing season that consists of racing
against 5 computer opponents on all 10 available tracks.
Laps - You may select from 1 to 99 laps. This determines the length
of the race.
Track - You may select from one of ten tracks, except in Tournament
Mode, where you race on all ten tracks.
After selecting options, you may go to the Configure Screen.
This allows you to change the Controller Configuration, change the
Track Map, and change the Tachometer Display. For the controller, you
can change the functions of the A, B, and C buttons. For the Track Map,
you can turn it off, have it on but static, or have it on and spinning.
Spinning means that the map changes directions as your car changes
directions. The Tachometer display can be turned on or off.
You can also adjust the music volume and the sound effects
volume. These volume settings, plus the best lap time, your car color
and transmission type, selected track, number of laps, configuration
options, and the top five Tournament results are saved to cartridge.
The play screen displays your car and the other cars on the
track, together with the speed of your car, the gear you are in, the
tachometer, your position, best lap time, current lap time, the track
map (an overview of the track with the position of all cars and with
your car circled), and the lap counter.
On the controller, by default the A button is used to accelerate,
the B button is used to brake, and the C button is for cruise control,
while it is held down. Keys 1 to 6 on the keypad allow 6 different
views of your car. Key 0 toggles the music on and off, while * and #
reset the game. Joypad left and right steer your car in the respective
directions, while joypad up and down shift gears up and down when in
manual transmission mode. Option toggles between the Options and
Configure Screens and Pause is used to pause/un-pause the game and to
set volume levels. There is no keypad overlay for the game. The Game
Manual is adequate.
Opinion:
I was disappointed with this game. The biggest problem is that I
found it very, very difficult to steer the car with any degree of
accuracy using the joypad. By its nature, the joypad is not a good
controller choice for a driving game. But in this game, the steering
was programmed to be much tougher than it should be when using the
joypad. The steering was awkward and non-intuitive and detracted
tremendously from my enjoyment of the game. No matter how hard I tried
or how many hours that I practiced, I just couldn't get the hang of
the steering controls. This ultimately affected my opinion of the
entire game. I have played other driving games with a joypad and the
steering was better than it is in this game. As such, I would say that
it is the fault of the programmers for making the steering controls so
unwieldy.
Because of the problematic steering, I would often crash and this
became very frustrating very quickly. As a result of this major flaw,
the game simply wasn't much fun for me to play. It's a shame because
if the steering had been implemented properly, the game would have had
a lot more playability. I enjoyed Pole Position on the old Atari 5200
much better than CF, and that game is about 13 years old.
I also didn't like the graphics. They were polygon rendered and
looked blocky. In particular, the tires on the cars looked funny and
didn't convey the feeling of movement. The scenery was also
unspectacular. The tracks were varied in their layouts, but there was
still a similar look from track to track. The grandstands were dull
and uninspiring. It did not create the impression that there were
actually fans in the stands rooting you on. There are pit-stops, but
they are just for effect. You can't use them and there is no purpose
to them other than as scenery. One nice touch is the inclusion of
yellow arrows on the tracks to warn you of upcoming turns.
You have 6 different views of your car. One view places you in
the car where you can see your driver and how he turns the steering
wheel and shifts gears. In this view, you can see your car's two
rearview mirrors. I expected this to add a nice touch to the game,
since you could monitor the car's approaching you from behind. However,
in practice, the mirrors were not really useful, since if and when cars
passed you, they passed you in a flash. Another view is slightly behind
your car at ground level. Two other views place you slightly behind
your car and give aerial views at two different low levels of
elevation. The final two views place you further behind your car and
give aerial views at two different high levels of elevation.
There is music during the game, that can be toggled off. I enjoyed
the music and kept it on. The music was neither spectacular, nor
offensive. I found that it kept my adrenaline pumped up during the
races and enhanced my enjoyment of the game. The sound effects were
generally good. I particularly liked the screeches that the car made,
and it made them in the right places, too. If you gunned the
accelerator or made a turn too fast, the car would screech. However,
I was a bit disappointed with the engine sounds. It sounded more like
a tank than a racing car. I would have also liked audience cheers when
you passed the stands, but all in all, the sound effects were good and
enhanced the gameplay.
There is no qualifying lap before each race in order to determine
your pole position. However, in Tournament Mode, your starting position
is based upon the results of the previous race. At the start of each
race you cannot see the other cars around you. You feel as if you are
racing in isolation. There is a digitized male voice that says,
"Gentleman, start your engines," and then lights flash. When the green
light flashes, the race begins.
The endings of the races are also a disappointment. There is no
flag, bell, or any other indication when you are on the last lap
(other than the lap counter). There is also no checkered flag when you
cross the finish line, which is a bit odd, considering the name of the
game. The ending is almost anticlimactic. You are never really sure
where the finish line is. You just cross the line as you do for all
the other laps, and then your car is automatically slowed down and
stopped by the game before you go to the Results Screen. If you are
behind the leaders, then when they finish the race, the game
automatically ends. You are not permitted to finish the race yourself.
You are then taken to the Results Screen, which shows pictures of
all the cars, in what place all the cars finished, the total time to
finish the race, together with the best lap time and best lap speed for
each of the cars. This screen was also poorly implemented. There is
absolutely no indication as to which is your car. You have to remember
what color you picked for your car and then look for that color on
the Results Screen. It seems it would have been a simple matter to at
least have an arrow pointing to your car on the Results Screen.
The actual races themselves would have been fun, if the steering
had not been so difficult. Basically, you press the A button to
accelerate. When you release the button, your car will start to slow
down. If you want to keep your current speed, you press Button C to
engage cruise control, which functions only if you continue to keep
the button pressed. You use the B button to brake. While cruise control
sounded like a good idea, in practice, I wasn't that fond of using it.
If I were able to maintain my speed without crashing so much, it might
have been more useful. But with all of my crashes, I found it was a
bit of a nui
sance to have to repeatedly accelerate and then use cruise
control to maintain my speed, and then release cruise or use the
brake to make turns, and then accelerate again to get back up to
speed, use cruise again, and then crash, and have to start the
process all over again. All in all, controlling your speed in the
game wasn't that bad, but I never really felt that I mastered the
technique.
On the other hand, steering your car was a total nightmare. I
practiced for days on end, but I could still never master the
technique. Ultimately, the horrendous steering control is Checkered
Flag's downfall. In certain instances, when I was able to maintain a
good speed without crashing, the game was exhilarating. The movement
of the car was exciting and I derived tremendous enjoyment from
speeding around the track, especially when I was able to pass the
other cars. There was no slowdown, even with a number of cars on the
screen at the same time. The game did capture the thrill of driving
and was a lot of fun, whenever I was able to drive for a period of
time without crashing. But because of the steering, I was not able to
drive for long, without crashing. As a matter of fact, after all the
hours that I played the game, I was rarely able to complete even one
lap without crashing, if I used a speed of 90 mph or higher. And even
if you could maintain that speed without crashing, you would still
come in last. So you needed to maintain an average speed of well over
100 mph in order to be among the leaders, and at that speed, I simply
could not control the car for very long, without crashing. And this
was in Auto5 Mode, where you don't have to shift gears yourself. In
Man6 Mode you also have to use the joypad to shift gears. So I am a
bit annoyed at the programmers for denying me the pleasure of playing
what could have been a fun game, because they made the steering too
difficult.
Another problem with the game was the cars that you raced against.
You really could never find yourself neck-and-neck with another car,
zooming down the track. If you crashed, the other cars would pass you
in a flash. If you caught up to another car, you could usually pass it
right away. So normally, you felt as if you were racing by yourself,
since you didn't see your opponents that often. Also, many times the
other cars would bump you from behind, forcing a crash. Or if you
tried to pass a car, the car would get in front of you, forcing an
accident. The game seemed to be a matter of catching up to the pack,
bumping a few cars to make them crash, and then passing them. If you
were able to maintain your speed, then fine. But the moment you
crashed, the other cars would zip by you in a second. You then had to
try to catch the pack again.
After awhile, I felt it was better to be the pursuer, rather
than the pursued. If I took the lead at the beginning of the race, it
seemed as if the pack would stay right behind me waiting for me to
crash. Yet it seemed that none of the other cars crashed while they
were pursuing me. It was tough to keep up this pace for the entire
race. But it seemed that when I fell behind the pack, they went slower,
giving me some time to catch them. So I would generally try to stay
right behind the pack for the entire race and then try to pass them
on the last lap. I was never able to win even one race in all the time
that I played, and I came in second only once. The rest of the time,
I placed third, fourth, or fifth, and many times, sixth.
The bottom line is that the race didn't seem realistic to me. And
if you crashed 3 or 4 times at the beginning of the race, which I
often did, it was virtually impossible to ever catch the pack. That's
why the game was no fun for me. I found myself resetting the game,
time after time, after I had crashed a lot on the first lap. And to
make matters worse, one crash seemed to cause another crash, which
caused another crash, etc. It's one thing to crash, when you miss a
turn. But after the crash, I wanted to recover as soon as possible.
The game made that difficult to do, especially in tunnels or where
there were walls involved. Whenever I hit a wall and crashed, I just
couldn't seem to straighten out right away to get back on track. I
would sometimes crash into the wall 3, 4, or 5 more times before I
could straighten the car out and get back in the race. This was very
frustrating for me and took away from my enjoyment of the game.
If you are able to master the steering controls, the game can be
very enjoyable, and would be well worth its new discounted price. I
have heard of some people who have mastered the controls and who have
enjoyed the game very much. Despite the game's other flaws, if you can
steer the car at top speeds for extended periods of time, I think you
will have a lot of fun with this game. I was not able to, and
therefore found the game a disappointment and not much fun to play.
Closing Comments:
The game would have, could have, and should have been fun, if not
for the very difficult steering controls. To me, this was a major
design flaw in the game. The steering and control of the car should
have been easier. You can't enjoy the game, if you can't play it.
Ratings (based on 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest):
Graphics: 6.5
Sound FX/Music: 7.0
Control: 3.0
Game Manual: 7.0
Entertainment: 5.5
Overall Rating: 6.0
Quick Ratings Comments:
Graphics: I don't like polygon graphics.
Sound FX/Music: Decent music and good sound effects, but the engine
sounds could have been better.
Control: Horrendous. The car was too hard to steer. The steering
controls were the major impediment to my enjoyment of the game. I've
played for countless hours and I still don't have the steering down
pat, although I have improved. Even if I am able to eventually master
the steering and have fun with the game, it shouldn't take so much
time before you are able to enjoy a game.
Game Manual: Okay, but I don't like the new manuals that are written
in three different languages. I also thought that the Steering and
Wheel Memory sections of the Maneuvering chapter could have been
elaborated on and made much clearer.
Entertainment Value: Very low entertainment value because of the
problematic steering controls. You can't race for very long without
crashing (at least, I wasn't able to). It's tough to be competitive
and that detracts from the game's entertainment value.
Reviewer's Overall Rating: I gave it a just passing mark of 6,
primarily due to the steering controls. I also didn't like the polygon
graphics. Despite a few other minor complaints, if the car were easier
to control and steer, I probably would have given the game about 7.5
or 8.
Summary:
At its original price of $49.99, I would have said to stay away
from this game because the car is very difficult to steer and control.
You will crash an awful lot at first and that makes the game tedious
to play. However, at the discounted price of $29.99, and if you have
the patience and time it takes to master the steering controls, you
might want to give Checkered Flag a try.
_____________________________________
> Jaguar Online STR InfoFile Online Users Growl & Purr!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
THE UNOFFICIAL
|\
| \ _____________________________________
| \ |
| \ ___ __ ___ | ___ _ ____|
| / __ |_ __ |\ | __| __ |_| / __ __ __
|__/ ___ | ___ | \| |__| ___ | \ / | | | | | |
| |__| |__| |__|
- F A Q - |_________________
/_\ ========== ____/ > > >
/_\ /_\ \
" _____ _____
_____ __ " | O O | _____ | O O |
__ | O O | |::| " | O O | | O O | __ | O O |
|::| | O O | |::| X | O O | | O O | |::|| O O |
__|::|___| O O |__|::|____"__X___| O O |_| O O |__|::|| O O |
Maintained by JAM
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
This FAQ is in no way connected to Atari Corp.
All information is tentative to final release.
Certain features/elements may not be included in the final
version. This game is being developed by Jeff Minter's muse,
and therefore anything can change without notice on a whim.
No portion of this document can be reproduced with the intent
for profit. Notification of reproduction would be nice! :)
Send comments/contributions to: MARSTELLER@wcdc03.pgh.wec.com
Last update: 3/7/95
################################################################
- WHAT IS DEFENDER 2000?
Defender 2000 is based upon the original arcade game
manufactured by Williams in the early eighties with a
90's spin. It is being programmed by Llamasoft, namely
Jeff Minter.
It will offer fast, smooth graphics while
retaining excellent playability. Jeff's personal goal
for the game: "To make your thumbs bleed!"
################################################################
- WHAT IS THE PLOT?
As society evolved, our natural resources became depleted. We
searched for other ways to supplement these resources. Today,
teams of Miners excavate a nearby Asteroid Belt for its life-
supplying minerals. As a member of an elite System Defense Team,
it is your job to ensure the safety of the Asteroids and the
workers that live on them.
But all is not roses.
The hostile Alpha Proximian Empire has failed at an invasion of
our planet. With their failure, they have issued an attack on
the Asteroid Mining Belt. The Alpha Proximian Empire knows that
if they can destroy our resources, we will be helpless - and they
will rule. The invasion fleet has orders to abduct the Humanoids
working in the belt. Knowing that their life is doomed, the
Humanoids will kill them selves upon leaving the Asteroid's
atmosphere. In this situation, the 'energy' of the Humanoid will
be absorbed into the Lander's ship and turn it into a Mutant.
This is were you come in, with your attack ship AKA "Threshold",
the salvation of the planet relies in your many years of
training. Kill all the aliens before the Humanoids are
sacrificed or the Asteroid will be destroyed along with the place
that you call "Home".
################################################################
- WHO ARE THE *KNOWN* PLAYERS?
YOU: The Threshold 2000 (Attack Ship)
FEATURES: Sub-light engines, hyper-reverse, hyperspace.
WEAPONS: Lazer torpedo gun unlimited ammo (feeds off engines).
Smart bombs, Limited.
Llightning Llaser (Classified, but kicks butt).
A.I. Droid, Extra set of eyes and lazers
that thinks for itself.
THEM: Landers- Capture Humanoids and kill them.
Mutants- Hyper fast kamikaze killer.
Bombers- Plant stationary charges.
Baiters- Very fast with very accurate aim.
Pods- Not hostile until engaged.
Swarmers- Small, mean enemies (formerly Pods).
################################################################
- WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT GAMES IN D2K?
Defender 2000 is a combination of three games:
1. Defender Classic
2. Defender Plus
3. Defender 2000
DEFENDER CLASSIC:
The name says it all. A carbon copy of the original.
This version will contain sampled sound effects from
the original arcade game.
DEFENDER PLUS:
Defender Plus retains the same format as the classic
With a few twists.
Expect to see more detailed animations of the game
characters, new weapons, and most of the features of
Defender's sequel - Stargate! There will also be a new
control method. A new routine for the game's explosions
will cause the average player to enter a hypnotic state
and worship llamas.
The A.I. Droid from T2K will make a return appearance
with a larger dose of intelligence. These Droids, I say
Droids because you can accumulate two, will toast nearby
enemies as well as rescue falling humanoids.
DEFENDER 2000:
Anything Goes! Look for lots of new meanies and mega
weapons. Go Vertical, scroll that is. 2000 will offer
horizontal and vertical movement of your Defender allowing
for some big guys to fill the screen. Beautiful, detailed
backgrounds will offset the nasty bad guys. Just for
variety each level will have multiple and different themes.
################################################################
- WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WILL THE GAME HAVE?
YES! The score for D2K will be performed by the same
musicians (Imagitec) that created the rippin tunes from T2K.
The musicians should have at least twice the MEG to
work with (the project is leaning toward the CD media).
A feature call "Q Sound" will be utilized in the game.
"Q Sound" is a recording process which produces three
dimensional sound from conventional stereo speakers.
A music feature that was absent from T2K, a sound check,
may be available in the finished version of D2K.
Expect to hear some sweet samples in the soundtrack.
And don't be surprised to hear a beastie bleating or mooing
in there somewhere! I wonder who thought of that? :)
################################################################
- HOW MANY PLAYERS?
Right now the main focus is on a one player game. But
there are a few maybes:
Two players with player #2 controlling the A.I. Droid
Two players with a split screen for the 2K version.
JagNET and Modem capabilities not yet decided.
* Remember that these are NOT definite!
################################################################
- HOW MANY LEVELS?
Lots! Expect it to surpass T2K by containing 100 or
more levels!
################################################################
- WHAT IS THE GAME CONTROL LIKE?
In Classic there are two modes:
1. Standard: up/down/left/right on the joypad,
no Thrust button
2. Arcade: a configurable pad with Thrust/Reverse buttons
In Plus/2K contains Standard controls with the additions:
Holding the fire button will produce continuous rapid fire.
While firing use left/right, and you can accelerate in
either direction while holding the ship orientation
constant. This will allow you to shoot at an enemy
while retreating from it.
Button C: Smart Bomb
Button B: Fire
Button A: Llightning Llaser/Tractorbeam
Keypad keys 3,6,9,#: Hyperspace
################################################################
- WILL THERE BE ANY EASTER EGGS?
Yes. Jeff is planning to have a lot. The more there are,
the more people will talk about the game.
Some of the EEs being considered:
Turn all the humanoids into llamas.
Turn you ship into Flossie the Prettiest Sheep in the World.
Some hidden Llamasoft classic games.
################################################################
- WHAT OTHER FEATURES WILL THE GAME CONTAIN?
Bonus Rounds! D2K will contain transitional bonus rounds
similar to T2K. Expect them to be based upon the same
mind altering 1st perspective rounds in T2K.
Game AI. One of the major complaints of the original Defender
game was the difficulty of learning how to play the game.
The learning cure has been flattened to allow 'Greenhorns'
to become addicted to the game instead of becoming
frustrated and tossing the cart. Expert players need not
fret, for the higher levels are challenging even to the
gamers with three eyes. This way everyone will enjoy the
game.
If the game is pressed to a CD. There may even be some
Defender history worked into the game. The possibility
of an interview with Eugene Jarvis the creator of Defender,
Stargate and Robotron has been discussed.
60Hz, 60Hz, 60Hz! This game is going to be FAST!
################################################################
- RUMORS -
There may be an occasional 'Offender' wave where you get
to commit alien genocide.
################################################################
- OTHER D2K SOURCES -
HTTP sites:
The Jaguar Homepage http://www.bucknell.edu/~svensson/
- contains general game information
Yak's Zoo http://hyrax.med.uth.tmc.edu/misc/zoo/zoo.htm
- Get it from the goat's mouth
################################################################
- CONTRIBUTORS/SOURCES -
Jeff Minter and Flossie
Me, Myself and I
Electronic Games: Volume One, Number Six - August, 1982
Special Thanks:
Christian "SVEN" Svensson
Atari, for planting the seed when I was 10.
Can't get any simpler than this!
################################################################
Send Comments, Suggestions and Contributions to:
Internet mail: MARSTELLER@wcdc03.pgh.wec.com
Jim Marsteller Jr. - JAM
412-244-6667
From CompuServe's Atari Gaming Forums:
10-Mar-95 04:21:11
Sb: #Sega Saturn Announced
Fm: SYSOP*Jeff Kovach 74777,3071
To: All
On Thursday, Sega officially announced that their new Saturn game
system will make it's US debut on September 2nd. The event is being
called 'Saturnday' by company officials.
While the price is not yet set in stone, it was announced that it is
expected to be between $350-$400. Also, they are planning to sell
500,000 units in the US during the 4th quarter. Over 20 games should
be available upon launch, with 100 in the stores for Christmas.
Things are beginning to heat up!
And more from Jeff:
Okay, I've gotten an answer from Jeff Minter regarding the ability to
duplicate effects on the VLM by playing the same music using the same
VLM settings:
---------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.atari
From: llamaman@ix.netcom.com (Jeffrey Minter)
Subject: VLM Question for Llamaman
Date: 15 Mar 1995 01:19:48 GMT
> Are the patterns generated by VLM somewhat random, or are they
>completely dependent upon the music? For example, if I find
>that a specific cool-looking pulsing effect, will I get this
>exact same thing if I play the same song again with the same
>parameters? Just curious... thanks!
They are dependent on the music input and the settings of various
parameters, some of them under user control. So, for any given setting,
you should get similar effects if you play the same tune.
\
(:-) - *very* surreal test of my parallax/tiling scroll on the Jag -
/ floating Flossies over pulsing plasma...
CATnips.... Jaguar tidbits from Don Thomas
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I am pleased to confirm rumors that "Theme Park" is in some stores now
and being shipped so that your favorite Jaguar retailer should have
copies this week. "Theme Park" is a product by Ocean and follows their
recent release of "Syndicate". In "Theme Park", you design and operate
the functions of an amusement park with unbelievable attention to
detail... from the layout of a world class roller coaster to the small
change of a hot dog sale, you must close the season profitably.
If you cannot find a retailer in your area with a copy of "Theme Park"
or other recent releases such as "Syndicate", "Cannon Fodder" or "Troy
Aikman Football", contact one of the fine mail order firms below:
~*~ GREAT MAIL ORDER PLACES TO BUY JAGUAR GAMES ~*~
B&C Computers ...................... (408) 986-9960
Steve's Software ................... (916) 661-3328
Toad Computers ..................... (410) 544-6943
I have heard that some "Cannon Fodder" fans might encounter a quirk on
a snowmobile level. I haven't seen that level yet myself, but I am told
that the problem is solved if the player presses 'B' during the rank
promotion routine. If you happen to encounter this and want more
information, contact Virgin @ 805/546-9036.
By the way, I am getting a lot of feedback praising "Cannon Fodder".
That game has a lot of appeal to watch as well as play.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Those looking for great Atari Lynx software, don't forget to keep in
touch with your favorite Lynx mail order company. B&C tells me they have
new shipments of "Bubble Trouble" ($44.95) and "Super Off-Road" ($44.95)
in stock. Both of these games are by Telegames.
B&C also has received a new game called "T-TRIS" which is based on a
similar game by a similar title. They tell me the sound is okay and the
graphics are a little less than stunning, but the game play is fantastic.
It sounds to me like this game is perfect for "Klax", "Pinball Jam" and
"Shanghai" fans.
For more information regarding the availability of "T-Tris" for the Atari
Lynx, call B&C ComputerVisions at 408/986-9960.
_________________________________________
> ONLINE WEEKLY STReport OnLine The wires are a hummin'!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
PEOPLE... ARE TALKING
=====================
On CompuServe
-------------
compiled by
Joe Mirando
CIS ID: 73637,2262
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I hope everyone enjoyed St. Patrick's
Day... It's the one day of the year when we _all_ get to be just a
little bit Irish. I'm always a little bit Irish... 1/8 to be exact.
Along with the 1/2 Polish, 1/4 Italian, and 1/8 German (A friend of mine
tells me that that's a recipe for a guy who gets mad easily... and can't
figure out why. What gets me is that that sometimes fits! <grin>)
Well, anyway, I hope that everyone enjoyed the day and observed it
safely. Drinking and driving... Saint Pat don't play dat!"
I'd like to use an old Irish greeting in keeping with the day...
God bless all here.
Okay, let's get on with all the interesting and useful news and
information that magically appears every week right here on CompuServe...
From the Atari Computing Forums
===============================
"LW" asks for:
"Help!
I use my Atari 1040st for MIDI/music but I think I should upgrade my
operating system. BUT... I have no idea how or where or what!
My current system configuration is:
TOS Ver 1.2 (22.04.1997, "BLiTTER TOS")
GEM DOS Ver 0.19
AES Ver 1.32
Questions:
What is 22.04.1997, "BLiTTER TOS" ????
What is AES?
Should I upgrade TOS & GEMDOS (are there a later versions)?"
Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Online tells LW:
"You can upgrade to TOS v2.06 which is the most current version.
There are boards from various manufactures that allow you to use it in
older Atari machines.
An easier upgrade is to TOS 1.4 which would just involve swapping
chips in your 1040ST. It has quite a few benefits over TOS v1.2 or
lower.
LW asks Albert:
"Where would I purchase either of there things (chips or boards)? Is
there any reason I should stay away from v2.06? Any idea on either's
cost?"
ALbert replies:
"Toad Computers (410)-544-6943 should probably have everything you
need. I'm not sure on the pricing but I would assume the TOS chips
would be under $100.
The issue with TOS 2.6 is that it would require a hardware
modification. The TOS 1.4 update would not require one. That was the
main issues between the two chip sets that I wanted to bring up. There
are boards or other hardware modifications that do allow for both TOS
1.4 and TOS 2.06 to be present in the same machine also."
Our old pal Simon Churchill tells LW:
"Just a note for you as your main question has been answered
previously.
TOS Ver 1.2 'Blitter TOS'
Blitter Tos was the first ST operating system to include the routines
and space on the mother board for an extra CHIP called the BLITTER. I
beleave the STE has the chip fitted as standard. A socket can be put
onto the motherboard and the chip added, however I have done this and
it's not much fun soldering 64 or more pin's!
GEMDOS
The 'Graphics Enironment Manager Disk Operating System' - GEMDOS is the
hardware controling part of TOS and has nothing to do with GEM. What
it dose is control disk managment, memory allocation and other
function's very similar to MS-DOS. No guesses to were most of it come
from.
AES
The 'Application Environment Services' - AES which is a part of GEM is
a large library of routines which provide window's and the likes which
you see. The AES also talk's to the lower level's of TOS via the VDI
section.
Naturaly there is more than the above in the O/S. I have not included
the VDI, BIOS and XBIOS section's, Also there is the GDOS area which is
an external program that run's with TOS to add and expand certain
funtion's: I.E. Printing, Font's and some Vector graphics.
The O/S has seen many undates and TOS 2.06 is the fastes, safest and
most reliable version. Although TOS 1.4 would be an improvment it
dose suffer from a few added bug's and requires patches to help thing's
run that bit smoother.
Hope this has expanded your understanding and helped."
Chris Allison adds:
"There is an upgrade available for your machine. In the UK the best
people to talk to would be Compo Software in Huntingdon.
The version of TOS in your machine is v1.2 which was called BLITTER
TOS 'cos support for the Blitter chip in the mega series was added. THe
other version numbers you mention are parts of the operating system.
The OS is split into two main areas - TOS and GEM. Tos handles things
like Memory management and disk i/o and Gem gives you all the pretty
icons on the screen and handles the user interface. Gem is split into
two other parts - a program control part -the AES and a device
interface part - the VDI.
I hope this hasn't confused you."
Myles Cohen asks Sysop Jim Ness, the author of QuickCIS:
"How do I disable call waiting while using QuickCIS...
Where does the *70 go in the CNF file...
I've dialed *70 outside the program and I get a dial tone...
Does that mean I have to put a few pauses in before the CIS phone
number...
How does one put pauses in the phone number...
Please write a short, pithy treatise on the above questions..."
Sysop Keith Joins tells Myles:
"Include it in the phone number entry. It should look like
ATDT*70,,5551212 or whatever your connect number is. The commas create
a pause to allow you to get back to the dial tone before the phone
number is sent."
Sysop Jim agrees:
"As Keith said, just add the *70 and one or more commas in front of
the phone number being dialed."
Myles tells Jim:
"Both you and Keith deserve a big pat on the back...Thanks to both of
you..."
See that? Myles is not only an interesting and informative guy to talk
to, but he's well-mannered too.
Meanwhile Byron Followell tells us that he's been...
"scoping out the net, trying to learn as much as I can and find a local
provider. I've finally found one that'll give me over 420 hours of
access per month for only $19.95. No extra, no hidden costs, that's it!
I'm sorry to say (not really) that i'm going to have to go with that
and drop Compuserve.
This is just to say goodbye to everyone i've met here and say, to the
few I've helped, glad I could be of service, and, to the ones who gave
me help, a heartfelt thank you. Now i've got one more favor to ask of
one and all. I know there are bound to be several (possibly many) Atari
sites on the net. I'd really aprreciate any addresses for Atari related
(Jag, Lynx, ST, and 8-bit) Usenets, FTP sites, WWW sites or anywhere
else I can turn to for Atari news and files on the net.
As usual, any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Again, I hate to say
goodbye to everyone, but, I have to go where the best deal is and,
with CServe nickel and dime-ing me to death every month, the net seems
to be that place to be. Hope to hear from you all soon and maybe i'll
see you 'round the net."
Sysop Bob Retelle, a real net surfer (just watch him hang ten) tells
Byron:
"Maybe we'll see you back here once you *really* experience the
"net"... :)
In the meantime, one of the primary atari sites is:
atari.archive.umich.edu
Unfortunately they're almost always busy, but even if all their ftp
slots are filled they'll give you a message listing several other
"mirror" sites that have the same content they do. Usually you can
find one of those that isn't too busy."
Ringo Monfort of Lexicor tells Byron:
"Well, I'm sorry to see you go away from CIS, regarding Internet
information please email me at "ringo@netcom.com" on the net and give
me your internet mailing address. I will send you FTP, gopher and www
information. Take care. Ringo @ Lexicor Tech. Support. PS, On the net
you can find Lexicor Software at: ftp ftp.std.com and try the cd
pub/atari/graphics/lexicor."
Dave Faulk posts:
"I would like to be able to view some of the grafics in this forum on
my PC. 486 Color. Using windows would be a plus. Is there a Shareware
I should download?"
Albert Dayes of Atari Explorer Online Magazine tells Dave:
"There should be a few programs in the library that allow you to do
that. Search the library using the keyword IBM and you should find most
if not all of them."
Michael Godfrey asks:
"Can someone tell me how to get on the Internet?, I would like a local
dial in for Atlanta Ga. I have no idea even how to get an account."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Michael:
"To access the Internet you need what's called a "service provider" to
get you into the net.
Some BBSs are now providing that service, and local Internet only
services have begun offering access too... you'll need to check any
local computer newspapers in the Atlanta area to find out how to
contact them (for example, here in Michigan we have the "Michigan
Computer User" newspaper which is given away free at computer stores..
it lists several local Internet service providers).
In the meantime, you can access many Internet services right here on
CompuServe. Just GO INTERNET for more information."
On the subject of Atari computers vs. <fill-in-the-blank>, Richard Brown
posts:
"I've read this string with much interest. However, when we're talking
the pros and cons of the various systems, some seem to think my
favoring Atari has something to do with blinders. I should, perhaps,
preface my comments with: I have various flavors of Silicon Graphics,
all manners of Macintosh, all manners of 486, all manners of Pentium,
and all manners of Atari around here. And I'm willing to bet my
"average" system on each of these platforms would spell "extreme power
user" by any standard. I often think of RAM in 128Mb chunks - hard
disks in 80Gb or larger arrays - so, when I'm sitting there at a high
end IBM running OS2/Warp and find that copying from the hard disk to a
floppy causes an irrecoverable system crash - don't tell me that
OS2/Warp on a Pentium 100 with 64Mb RAM and gigs of HD beats even an
Atari 1040 ST - for THAT function, Atari is the winner. Sure, I think
that bug will get fixed in Warp, but many aspects of that OS is a BIG,
roll on the floor and laugh 'til you're blue, joke.
BTW, I am a DEVELOPER on the IBM platform, and that's because that's
where the MARKET is, but, surprise! A LOT of the development happens on
my Atari TT - that is, the creative part - because, even though I have
ALL the programs on ALL those other machines, they simply can NOT match
the Atari in many important areas. Call it biased, but as a developer,
time is money, and my Macs and IBM's waste money. If the Mac 8100 or
Pentium outperformed the TT, I'd be there in a heartbeat. From where I
sit right now, I can touch a TT, a Mac PowerBook, and two IBM's pigged
out in the extreme ($15,000+). Even though Atari has ceased machine
production, I find that all too often, push comes to shove, and due to
the INABILITY of these other platforms to perform, I am FORCED to jump
on the TT, and even, sometimes a Mega 2, on which we have developed
some intense text facilities to do things you CAN'T do on a Mac or PC
(that is, until we port the code and sell it on those OS's). Why do it
on the Mega? It's a free machine and the coding, unlike Mac and
Windows, et al, took only HOURS. The PC version will take days, at
least.
In the real world, no single computer can hack it for all things. We
use Macs for what they're worth. Same for PC's. Same for SGI's (ever
try word processing on an SGI? Why?). The point is: it astounds me how
viable this "ancient" Atari technology is, in SPITE of all things Mac,
PC, and SGI (which you find upon your $40K-$400K (or more, MUCH more)
purchase has about an 18 month lifespan until it is hopelessly
obsolete.)
The problem, IMHO, is that when Atari users decide another platform
offers something they need, they ABANDON their Atari and have no way to
objectively compare their decision. Or they have a limited focus on
what they expect from their machines. I have IBM graphics hackers
around here that scoff at all things IBM _except_ 3D Studio. And then
the Mac guy says "3D Studio is a joke next to Electric Image!" to which
the SGI says "Get real. Alias yawns in your general direction!"
So, here I am, pecking on a PowerBook thinking the ST Book was kinda
nice... and now that I think about it, about 10 times faster than this
clunker on anything to do with the file system."
Sysop Bob Retelle tells Richard:
"I agree that each different system has its strengths and weaknesses..
The Atari systems were always easy to use and usually represented very
good value.
Unfortunately we'll never be able to see how far they might have gone.
(Incidentally, I run OS/2 all the time, and do lots of copying from HD
to floppy, sometimes at the same time as multitasking one or two other
processes, and have never had it crash.)"
Carl Katz asks:
"Is there a company that makes a "modem switching" box? I use a music
program that uses my modem port as part of the program's hardware
hookup and I am constantly plugging and unplugging my modem and syncbox
from my 1040- it can't be the best thing for the modem port plug over
the long run."
Sysop Bob tells Carl:
"You can get what's known as an "A-B Switchbox" to hook between your
modem port and the two devices you want to switch between.. then you
can change from one to the other with the turn of a knob.
Check at any well equipped computer store.. be sure to get a box that
matches the type of connectors you have (most likely they're standard
DB-25 RS-232 connectors). You'll also need a short male to female
cable to run from the switchbox to the computer.
Also check the "gender" of the connectors. You'll probably want the
common connector to be female (the one that goes to the computer), and
the switched connectors to be male (the ones that go to the modem and
sync box).
I use this kind of box to switch my modem between my ST and PC..."
Carl tells Bob:
"Thanks... I knew that this type of box had to exist, it's just that
two of the stores that I called here in Montreal said they had never
heard of such a switcher for modems, only for printers.
I guess I'll try calling another store here or consult one of the
vendors on Compuserve."
Bob replies:
"Keep on checking, as those "serial switchboxes" really do exist.
Actually the companies who make the printer switchboxes also make
quite a wide range of other styles too, in addition to the serial and
parallel boxes.
There are switchboxes allowing you to use one IBM keyboard and monitor
for several different PCs, others for switching different styles of
connectors, and even what they call an "X" switch that allows reversing
two connections..
I originally planned on using that for my ST/PC modem setup, as it
would let me reverse the connections between my old 2400 baud modem and
my 9600 baud newer one, so both computers would always have a modem
attached, but I could decide which one had the faster modem just by
turning a switch. I found the regular "A-B" switch first though, and
just got that one.
Let me know if you still have trouble finding a suitable switchbox,
and I'll look up the names of some electronics catalogs I know have
them for you."
From the Graphics Support Forum
===============================
On the subject of PNG, the front-runner for a new graphics standard,
Steve Sneed Posts:
"I think you'll see freeware GIF->PNG converters popping up very soon
after PNG is ratified. Other alternatives may well come into being as
well, but PNG looks like it has the best chance of succeeding."
Larry Wood, the Graphics Support Forum's Administrator, tells us:
"As the Forum Administrator for The Graphics Forums on CompuServe, I
can state catagorically that GIF will not be left behind as the new
24-bit format emerges. CompuServe and The 'Go Graphics' Group, along
with every Forum Administrator and most BBS Operators I have spoke
with, are planning on supporting three formats, GIF, JPG and the new
24-bit, whatever that turns out to be. Also, I would note that many of
the shareware authors who support their programs here on CompuServe,
have already signed up with Unisys in order to continue GIF support.
For the most part, although they see the bookkeeping as being a pain,
they don't feel the royalty is out of line.
Also, I would add that in my opinion, independent communications
software developers, like Steve, are making a mistake by dropping GIF,
but of course, that is their choice to make, not mine. I think it will
continue to be around for a long time to come."
Steve Rimmer of Alchemy Mindworks tells Larry:
"Just to keep in touch with reality, we're one shareware author which
DOES feel the Unisys royalty is WAY out of line."
Glen Tippetts posts:
"Let me see if I can add some perspective to this little Unisys
inconvenience.
NeoSoft has three programs that allow users of these programs to create
their own salable executable programs. Up until a few weeks ago these
three programs supported including GIF images into the compilation, and
displaying them at run-time. We saw no problem with this since we had
licensed the graphics handling from Genus, a very reputable company.
We have a large number of registered users of the three products. When
we learned about the Unisys situation, we immediately took GIF support
out of the products, notified our user base of the demand for royalties
by Unisys, and sent out new upgrades free of charge to registered users
(this all took about 2 months). Unfortunately a number of users had
developed fairly complex publications (programs) over the past few
months, and are therefore exposed to the Unisys royalty claim.
Since we have no way to monitor what or how many publications
(programs) are created by a registered user we cannot make an
accountably to Unisys. We charge $90 to register NeoBook Pro, no
run-time fee, no royalty.
We have already been contacted by the attorney of one of our users,
stating that if Unisys claims a royalty from them they will in-turn
sue us for the costs.
I would hope that we would win the case, but even if we did, all it
would take is about 1% of our user base suing us to put us out of
business because of legal fees. And as far as I know we have done
nothing wrong.
And in my opinion everyone should drop the Unisys encumbered GIF as
quick a they possibly can. Perhaps I'm just sensitive."
Diana Gruber tells Glen:
"Let's see... your customer writes a GIF-based program. Unisys sues
them for royalties. They in turn sue you. You in turn sue Genus. Genus
in turn sues CompuServe. Not a lot of software development getting
done, but the lawyers sure are having fun. :)
BTW, as you know, Genus is our number one direct competitor. And
although I like them very much (Chris Howard and I are great friends) I
disapprove of the way they are handling this. They immediately signed
up with Unisys and passed the costs along to their customers. They
didn't put up much of a fight. :(
We could have used them on our side."
Roderick Frank interjects:
"...You could then turn around and in-turn sue Compuserve for
misleading us all about the free-to-use nature of the format. Somebody
at Compuserve clearly didn't do thier homework, or ignored it. I know
no one wants to bite the hand that leads us but it seems to me that CIS
has gotten off pretty lightly in this whole discussion."
Well, that's an interesting spin, but _I_ for one don't see any
culpability on CompuServe's part. They paid their royalties, which
allowed them to provide the LZW-bearing code that allowed users like you
and me to view GIF files. I don't remember ever seing a post here on
CompuServe (or anywhere else) that said "Hey! The LZW algorithm that
makes GIF work is free... You can use it in a program and never have to
pay for it". It would seem to me that anyone interested in using the
LZW algorithms in a program would do the research required to find the
patent and patent-holder. CIS has never made a secret of the fact that
they had an arrangement with Unisys... you just had to look and listen
to know about it.
That's about all for this week folks. Tune in next week and be ready to
listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
_____________________________________
> STReport CONFIDENTIAL "Rumors Tidbits Predictions Observations Tips"
"""""""""""""""""""""
- Louisville, Colorado NAVCIS Version 2 to be HMI
--------------------
NavCIS, the powerful CompuServe Navigator, is about to become even
more powerful. Our roving reporter discovered just this past week, NAVCIS
version 2 will be fully HMI compliant. That's powerful and fast. Version
1.6 is scheduled to be the last ASCII version. HMI, the heart of the CIS
system, allows superior features to be access including the new FTP
facility CIS offers.
- Sunnyvale, CA ATARI HAS A WINNER WITH JAGUAR
-------------
Atari Corp. Long known for superior hardware designs and anemic
marking and advertising, is about to become the "comeback kid" of the
gaming world if all the chips fall in the right places.. Their latest
offering "JAGUAR" is a true 64bit game console that will soon be offering
a CDROM and a strong CDRom library. While their most recent earnings
statement leaves something to be desired, it sure does read a great deal
better than those from their computing days. Most market analysts are
quietly murmuring that if Atari blitzes the market within the next sixty
days they'll walk away with the American consumer's confidence and
entertainment dollars. As one observer said; "Time will tell."
- Philadelphia, PA WIN'95: A TRUE "QUANTUM LEAP?"
----------------
Mr. Super Snoop.. Always diligent with the big ear... came up with
these few tidbits. A group of "system" lovers had an opportunity to see
and work with WIN'95 for a few hours. Unanimously, they felt that it was
indeed a threat to their favorite "system" setup. They saw the Plug N
Play work flawlessly and marveled at how easy the setup is. At the same
time, other, more experienced users from the world of MSDOS, were thrilled
at the power, speed and versatility Win'95 offers. One was overheard
saying this version of Windows is "no doubt, a quantum leap over anything
that was ever called windows in the past. MS will sell millions of
copies."
- Redmond, WA MICROSOFT SHIPS FINAL WINDOWS 95 BETA;
----------- ON TRACK FOR AUGUST RELEASE
Microsoft Corp. today shipped on schedule its final test copy for the
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 95 operating system to 50,000 beta testers
worldwide, confirming that Windows 95 is on track for delivery in August
1995. This latest release, known as beta three, marks the final testing
release of Windows 95. Microsoft also confirmed that it is on schedule to
begin shipping the Windows 95 Preview Program release to 400,000 corporate
evaluators at the end of the month.
"Beta three is a solid release and an important step in meeting our
time line for shipping Windows 95 in August," said Brad Silverberg, senior
vice president of the personal systems division at Microsoft. "Our goal
continues to be to deliver a high-quality product that will unlock the
potential of personal computing for everyone. Feedback from beta testers
is critical to us as we focus on this goal."
The Windows 95 beta test program, the most extensive ever conducted
by Microsoft, has involved numerous software developers, corporate
customers, VARs, system integrators and consultants in a rigorous 18-month
test cycle. According to Silverberg, this unprecedented level of quality
testing is critical to help ensure that Windows 95 is compatible with
existing hardware and software, stable and as easy-to-use as possible.
Beta Reviews Positive
---------------------
Selected early recipients of beta three, who received the build last
week, report that the code is stable and broadly compatible with legacy
hardware and applications they have tested.
"This is the most solid build of Windows 95 Microsoft has released,"
said beta tester Hank Coleman, chief financial officer for Southern
Hospitality Systems. "The product is living up to its promise of offering
a new version of Windows that is powerful, easy to use and fully
compatible with legacy hardware and software."
"The beta three release exceeded our expectations in quality and
performance," said J. Paul Grayson, chairman and CEO of Micrografx Inc.
"Micrografx is fully committed to offering Windows 95-based versions of
our leading graphics applications, such as ABC FlowCharter, Micrografx
Designer(TM)and Picture Publisher(R). Our customers will enjoy increased
performance and productivity with Micrographx's new 32-bit applications
for Windows 95, which will include OLE 2.0, multithreading and the Windows
95-based interface."
"Compaq is excited about the final beta release of Windows 95," said
John Rose, senior vice president and general manager of the desktop PC
division at Compaq Computer Corp. "Through the joint testing efforts of
Compaq and Microsoft, we see increased high-quality with each new release,
which is in line with Microsoft's commitment to provide a high-quality
Windows 95 product this August."
"This beta release of Windows 95 provides our customers with a great
tool to help them start their migration to Windows 95," continued Rose.
"Compaq also will use the final beta release to plan our internal
corporate migration. We will continue to jointly test Windows 95 on
Compaq(R) PCs to ensure that our customers receive a high-quality
solution. Because all Compaq products now shipping are Windows 95-ready,
we look forward to delivering the final Windows 95 release to our
customers."
Windows 95 Preview Program
--------------------------
Beta three will become the foundation of the Windows(R) Preview
Program, a preshipping copy of Windows 95 that will be distributed to more
than 400,000 individuals and organizations to facilitate their migration
to Windows 95. A nominal charge of $32 for the Preview copy of Windows 95
covers the cost of materials and technical support. The Preview Program
release is scheduled to begin shipping at the end of this month.
Individuals interested in participating in the Windows 95 Preview
Program should subscribe to the WINNEWS newsletter by sending an
electronic mail message to Enews@Microsoft.nwnet.com with the words
SUBSCRIBE WINNEWS as the only text in the subject of the message.
The retail version of Windows 95 is scheduled to be available in
quantity in August 1995. Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, French, German,
Italian, Pan-European and Swedish versions of Windows 95 are scheduled to
be available 30 days after the English version of Windows 95 ships.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft 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 and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Micrografx
Designer is a trademark and Picture Publisher is a registered trademark of
Micrografx Inc. Compaq is a registered trademark of Compaq Computer Corp.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport's "EDITORIAL CARTOON"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> A "Quotable Quote" A true "Sign of the Times"
""""""""""""""""" Really ..GOOD STUFF!
If you think you have a problem with computer addiction..
you probably have.
Here are the warning signs:
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE HOOKED?
13 Symptoms of Computer Addiction
1. During a 2am call to the bathroom you check your e-mail.
2. When your neighbor mentions taking a drive, you think not miles but
mbs.
3. When channel-surfing the infomercials, you grab the remote control and
double-click.
4. Down at the local computer store they know your name and favorite
chip.
5. Your favorite movies are Brainstorm, Tron, War Games, and, of course,
2001; your preferred Murder She Wrote episode is the one in which
Jessica solves the case of the fatal disk error.
6. So many relatives and friends call you when they need help with their
computers that you're considering installing a 900 number.
7. There's an ISDN line running into your home, and the notion of low
baud rates reminds you of nursery schools and training wheels.
8. You have chronic lower back pain, knots in your shoulders, and a cramp
in your mouse finger, and you can't see more than three feet in front
of your face.
9. Your penmanship looks worse than it did in the fourth grade.
10. You call your PC "Cousin 'Puter".
11. You call your computer chair "The Seat of Power."
12. Never mind those old 5.25-inch floppies, you still have those hoary
8.5 inchers!
13. For that matter, you don't throw out bad floppies, you decorate them
and use them as drink coasters.
Remember, DENIAL IS NOT A RIVER IN EGYPT.
....David Winograd(SYSOP) 71333,1574
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STReport International OnLine Magazine
-* [S]ilicon [T]imes [R]eport *-
AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE ON OVER 70,000 PRIVATE BBS SYSTEMS
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
STR OnLine! "YOUR INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCE" March 17, 1995
Since 1987 copyright 1995 All Rights Reserved No.1111
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
All Items quoted, in whole or in part, are done so under the provisions of
The Fair Use Law of The Copyright Laws of the U.S.A. Views, Opinions and
Editorial Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of the
editors/staff of STReport International OnLine Magazine. Permission to
reprint articles is hereby granted, unless otherwise noted. Reprints
must, without exception, include the name of the publication, date, issue
number and the author's name. STR, CPU, STReport and/or portions therein
may not be edited, used, duplicated or transmitted in any way without
prior written permission. STR, CPU, STReport, at the time of publication,
is believed reasonably accurate. STR, CPU, STReport, are trademarks of
STReport and STR Publishing Inc. STR, CPU, STReport, its staff and
contributors are not and cannot be held responsible in any way for the use
or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained
therefrom.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
