No Fragments Archive 12: Textmags & Docs/nf_archive_12.iso/MAGS/TEXTMAGS/ATARI16/INFO91.ZIP/INFO91/511.TXT

Text File | 1997-04-16 | 25.8 KB | 668 lines

Info-Atari16 Digest         Sat, 28 Sep 91       Volume 91 : Issue 511

Today's Topics:
                            ARJ? (2 msgs)
                            ARJ? K.I.S.S.!
                     Atari Laser Printer for SALE
                             ATARI ON TV
                      GEM Font Inquire functions
                      Help on FTP downloading..
                            HP 97548 disk
             lharc 2.01e vs zoo 2.1: some tests (2 msgs)
           Need ST program to convert .DFX to .GEM or .IMG
    People dumping machines (was.. Atari Mega 2 system.. for sale)
                          Rap/Dance - Atari
                     REPOST:  Atari Games 4 Sale
                    Software suggestions Wanted..
           Zoo with GEM interface (Was: Re: ARJ? K.I.S.S.!)

Welcome to the Info-Atari16 Digest.  The configuration for the automatic
cross-posting to/from Usenet is getting closer, but still getting thrashed
out.  Please send notifications about broken digests or bogus messages
to [e-mail].

Please send requests for un/subscription and other administrivia to
Info-Atari16-Request, *NOT* Info-Atari16.  Requests that go to the list
instead of the moderators are likely to be lost or ignored.

If you want to unsubscribe, and you're receiving the digest indirectly
from someplace (usually a BITNET host) that redistributes it, please
contact the redistributor, not us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 08:16:28 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake!steve@ariz
 ona.edu (Steve Yelvington)
Subject: ARJ?
To: [e-mail]

[In article <[e-mail]>,
     [e-mail] (Piet van Oostrum) writes ... ]

 >>>>>> [e-mail] (Steve Yelvington) (SY) writes:
 >
 >
 > SY> I've always used a single startup module for all Sozobon-compiled GEM
 > SY> applications (except Desk Accessories, of course).
 >                                            ~~~~~~~~~
 > Not "of course". You can have a startup module that also deals with desk
 > accessories correctly (although I don't know if that uses undocumented
 > features, so it might not be legal).

It's legal -- or at least, there is a legal way of doing it. (Details on
request.) I have a startup module for Sozobon C that will work for a PRG or an
ACC. But there are some significant shortcomings, such as no argument parsing,
no stream i/o (including buffered file i/o), no support for the environment,
etc.

I don't know if it's possible (or desireable) to write one all-encompassing
startup module. There are too many rules that a DA can't violate. The
dual-mode approach has its uses, but in general, if you want to write a Desk
Accessory, then write a Desk Accessory, and if you want to write a program,
then write a program.
 --
 Steve Yelvington, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
 [e-mail] (In winter we walk on water)

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 18:59:19 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!watserv1!watdragon!rose.waterloo.edu!cjherborth
 @arizona.edu (Chris Herborth)
Subject: ARJ?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Piet van Oostrum)
 writes:
}>>>>> [e-mail] (Steve Yelvington) (SY) writes:
}
}
}SY> I've always used a single startup module for all Sozobon-compiled GEM
}SY> applications (except Desk Accessories, of course).
}                                           ~~~~~~~~~
}Not "of course". You can have a startup module that also deals with desk
}accessories correctly (although I don't know if that uses undocumented
}features, so it might not be legal).
}--
}Piet* van Oostrum, Dept of Computer Science, Utrecht University,
}Padualaan 14, P.O. Box 80.089, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
}Telephone: [phone]   Uucp:   uunet!mcsun!ruuinf!piet
}Telefax:   [phone]   Internet:  [e-mail]   (*`Pete')

Oooooo Piet, I'd LOVE to get my greedy little hands on a startup module
like that!  There's been some demand for a screen saver like AFter
Dark on the Macs (which loads different modules to run as the screen
saver effects) on GEnie, and I thought I'd write on...  Unfortunately,
I'm not enough of an assembly hack to write the startup module you'd
need to Pexec() from inside an accessory, and not crash the ST...

Has anyone got a startup module that'll let me run the program from an
acc via Pexec()?  Or some other means or running an external program
from an ACC?

---------------=============================================---------------
Chris Herborth                                 [e-mail]
3B Hons English RPW                           [e-mail]
 Disclaimer: This is your brain: "*"  This is your brain on USENET: "."...

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 00:18:41 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs
 .ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!ncoast![e-mail] (Bill Shroka)
Subject: ARJ? K.I.S.S.!
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Townsend) writes:
>|[Super long discussion on the merits of CLIs for programming, etc.]
>
>On the subject of ARJ port for the ST. I have a simple request:
>
> - Either include the GEM interface as Ken Badertscher has asked
>   for (you know, CLI version that when it is run from the desktop
>   will present a GEM interface..)
>
>   or
>
> - Make the source to your port available so that someone like myself
>   or Ken Badertscher can do the GEM version ourselves.

Is this an open offer?  If so, I may just take you up on this for the ST
Zoo port.  The Zoo source is available and I don't have any objections to
having Zoo use GEM if it has been launched from the desktop.  As a matter
of fact, it would make alot of GEnie users extremely happy :-)

If either of you gentleman are willing to do the GEM portion of Zoo, contact
me in E-mail and we'll discuss it more in-depth (ST Zoo may be going through
some significant changes now that we're merging with the mainstream Zoo
source).

>
>Last point.. Programmers use CLIs. Users don't. Well, Atari users don't
>anyway :-)
>
>-- John Townsend                               ames!atari!towns
>   Atari Corp.                                 [e-mail]



--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Shroka
[e-mail]
uunet!usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu!ncoast!bjsjr

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 01:59:26 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!milano!cactus.org![e-mail] (Richard
 Covert)
Subject: Atari Laser Printer for SALE
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Michael Albo)
 writes:
>
>
>What's the problem ? Is my price to high? This printer works
            ~~~~~~~
It might be that the laser printer is an Atari and nobody wants
that dog!!


>very well with spectre as well as atari applications.
>Make me an offer.
>
>For anyone using an ST its just great.
>----------------
                                 ~~~~~~ ha ha ha!!

I had one of those dogs and sold it and bought a real
laser printer.

The SLM804/605 require an ST with a minimum of 2.5 megs of RAM
as an data is preformatted in ST RAM before being dumped to the
printer.

Also, the various emulators (diable 630,epson etc) are all buggy
as hell.

I have seen used HPLJII compatible laser printers for under
a grand. and they don't require a 4 meg ST to use.

Just face it it takes a special person to buy a SLiMe laser
printer these days.

And for you all Atari Apologists, I know that the SLiMe is
greased lightning because of its DMA interface, but have you
ever tried a fancy laser printer on a PC with the vidoe interface?
Just as fast as the SLiMe, so there!!


--
Richard E. Covert                 [e-mail]
CACTUS                  ..!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!covert

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 17:21:04 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu
 ![e-mail] (Eric Glover)
Subject: ATARI ON TV
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>
 [e-mail] (David Butler) writes:
>>On the show "Growing Pains" on ABC, if there is a scene with computers
>>in it, they usually use a Mega ST. (Last weeks episode had Carol moving
>>into her dorm room, and she had a Mega ST set up on her desk.
>>
>
>This may be old hat, but if anyone ever watched Friday The 13th., The Series
>(great show), you should have noticed that every computer in it (at least that
>I ever saw) was an Atari ST! Pretty neat huh? Does anyone know what happened to
>this show, it used to be on FOX, and I can't find it anymore,

Friday the 13th: The Series was cancelled last fall, after its syndication
run. Atari Canada must be the antithesis of Atari U.S.; Ie Cool,
Active, Viable.

Other STs on TV, My Secret Identity[Syndicated/CBC] and Parker Lewis
Cant Loose [Fox]

Supposedly the machines in Star Labs on the Flash where also STs, but I
could never get a clear enough recording of the show.

>- David Butler -
>
>"innagaddadaviddababy"

Why is it that Atari U.S. is so sad compared to the rest of the world.
Eric .R. Glover

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 17:17:41 GMT
From:
 europa.asd.contel.com!darwin.sura.net!gatech!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!dku
 ug!imada![e-mail] (Klaus Pedersen)
Subject: GEM Font Inquire functions
To: [e-mail]

soren@.vlsi.auc.dk (Soeren Michelsen) writes:

>It will be released as a shareware offer when I've done with the initial
>coding.

Great...

>Currently Term/ST (as it is called) runs on mono ST's only (I wrote my
>own screen I/O in the window - standard v_gtext() being is *much* to slow
>for high speed modeming) but I expect it to run on most STs later on.

Have you thought about using your superfast text-blit routines in a
off-screen buffer and then blit the buffer onto the screen with the
VDI?
This would not cost much time, but it would work on all ST's and TT's
and on yet unconcived machines and graphics cards.
You can blit the buffer to the screen, when there is a halt in the incomming
serial stream or when the serial buffer get below a certain mark, or the
simple way - make a text-line and blit it to the screen, make the next...
Ofcause - you might want to include the v_gtext() option too, so that
people can use outline fonts in the terminal window...

>Now, I have some problems which I hope some of you could help me with:
[...]

>3) My application sees AC_CLOSE messages AFTER the desktop has been
>   taken over by a double clicked .PRG application. Am I doing something
>   wrong here - I thought AC_CLOSE messages was sent to .ACCs *before*
>   the Desktop was closed down?

This is because the program you start, don't use the AES. In the old TOS
the ACCs won't get their AC_CLOSE message until it is their turn (and the
dispatcher runs on AES calls) this means that there have to be a certain
number of AES calls before all ACCs have received their message. In the
new TOSes 2.0x and up, the AES makes sure that all ACCs get their messages
before the appl_exit call terminates. It is therefor safe to allocate memory
on TOS 2.0x and up.

On lesser TOSes you should only allocate memory on the desktop.
- it is a good idea anyway...
You can check if you are on the desktop with the PID pointer in the
system header. (your ACC start it's life on the desktop - allways!).

On the new TOSes you get a AC_CLOSE when the rez. is changed:

          case AC_CLOSE: if (OnDesktop()) Panic_rez_change();

This is a really nice trick, not that is have anything to do with your
questions though...

-Klaus

------------------------------

Date: 26 Sep 91 22:29:00 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acn
 s.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Help on FTP downloading..
To: [e-mail]

I am experiencing a horrible problem with downloading FTP files from FTP sites
.. This is the oprocedure I follow:
1) FTP material from the FTP site to the IBM 370 mainframe..
2) KERMIT the material from the IBM maionframe to my Atari ST.
-
The problem with this is nothing I have downloaded thus far has executed nor de
compressed propwerly..  I am decompressing the file FINE.. THAT is not the prob
lem (I tried to download a .prg file and IT did not work!)
-
What am I doing wron?   I did the FTP BINARY..  that idea has been ruled out..
 Do I have a protocol problem?  Is it impossible to download a binary file from
 a CMS mainframe to an Atari?  Help?!
-
Ken
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 17:49:55 GMT
From:
 pa.dec.com!hollie.rdg.dec.com!decuk.uvo.dec.com!decuk.uvo.dec.com![e-mail]
 c.com (Les Carleton)
Subject: HP 97548 disk
To: [e-mail]

Hi all,

I've just got an HP 97458 (I think) hard disk. Unfortunately I don't have
any info on it. I think its SCSI (connectors look similar), but I'm not much
at identifying disks from their cases (I'm not particularly happy about
plugging it into my ICD SCSI on by ST to test it).

Can anyone give me any information on this mystery disk or any clues as
to connecting it to my ST.

Cheers

..Les...
--
___________________________________________________________________
Les Carleton                   /  Tel: [phone]          \ \
Digital Equipment Corporation /  Email: [e-mail]     \ \
CSC/UK Ultrix Support Group  /  "The Software Lifeguard"           \ \
----------------------------+  "Open Standards ... Free Software"  / /
    "My opinions, My Mind, Don't take that away from me!"         / /
_________________________________________________________________/_/

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 17:49:01 GMT
From:
 europa.asd.contel.com!darwin.sura.net!gatech!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!dku
 ug!imada![e-mail] (Klaus Pedersen)
Subject: lharc 2.01e vs zoo 2.1: some tests
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] (John Henders) writes:
>       < extensive zoo vs lharc test deleted >
>       Thanks for an excellant test article. The only real world test you
>missed was extraction of existing archives, where lharc is a considerable
>improvement over it's predecesors. I'm sure zoo rates highly there too.

One thing I don't like about ZOO is that you can't add recursive (at
least I can't get mine to eat 'zoo a// a large/*'.

-Klaus

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 10:08:18 GMT
From: van-bc!jonh![e-mail] (John Henders)
Subject: lharc 2.01e vs zoo 2.1: some tests
To: [e-mail]

In <[e-mail]>, William Rosenkranz writes:
>
        < extensive zoo vs lharc test deleted >

        Thanks for an excellant test article. The only real world test you
missed was extraction of existing archives, where lharc is a considerable
improvement over it's predecesors. I'm sure zoo rates highly there too.
        My one big gripe with zoo is that it breaks multiarc, a nice muli
archiver shell I discovered shortly before zoo 2.1's release. With the old
version of zoo, the command x// extracted all files recursively too
folders, now the only command that does this is -extract, which doesn't
fit on the multiacr command line. ( one problem with Gem dialogs is that
the programmer must anticipate the maximum length of any command ever to
be used. If he underestimates, something always comes along that is too
long. Another good example is Gus, which truncates long subject lines.)
        Is my version of zoo broken, or is there a switch that I missed?

--
          John Henders                      [e-mail]
          Vancouver,B.C                     or ubc.cs!van-bc!jonh!jhenders

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 02:26:31 GMT
From: mtu.edu![e-mail] (Mike O'Connor)
Subject: Need ST program to convert .DFX to .GEM or .IMG
To: [e-mail]

Could anyone assist me in this department?  I'm not the one who owns
or uses this ST, so my knowledge in this area is zero zip zilch.




 Mike O'Connor                       | "FEEL the POWER of the WIND!"
 NIC Database:  MJO17                |
 Internet:  [e-mail]              | -Whirlwind pinball game
 UUCP:  ...!ttardis!mjo              |

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 01:53:14 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!milano!cactus.org![e-mail] (Richard
 Covert)
Subject: People dumping machines (was.. Atari Mega 2 system.. for sale)
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
 (Gregory Carter) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Thomas Darling)
 writes:
>>[e-mail] (David Butler) writes:
>>
>Er, I just realized how much of dupe apple is pulling on people who buy
>its hardware, after talking with my ECE Prof, he really put me straight
>about just HOW BAD you get ripped off when you buy ANY Apple computer
>hardware...
>
>Folks, its the ripoff of the century, especially when Apple manufactures
>IIFx motherboards for about $500 bucks a piece.

I wonder about that $500 price cause the 40 MHz 68030 CPU must cost
a couple of hundred bucks by itself. But I doubt that the IIFX costs
more then a grand, and they sell it for $5,000 so Apple seems to be making
a fortune.

But, if it is true then how come the TT030 with 8 meg RAM and 50 meg
drive retails for $3800?? I can't believe that the TT030 is more expensive
to build than a Mac IIFX. So, shouldn't the TT030 be under 2 grand not
pushing four?

>
>--Greg

I agree that the mac hw is just too expensive but look at the software
that is available. and then decide if you can justify the hw costs.

for me, I need a UNIX X windows machine and can't wait for Atari to
release their ATX (if they ever do now that they let their UNIX Guru go).

So, if I get a Mac iici for $4000 ($3300 for a IIci with 5 mgs RAM, 105mg
hd) + $600 for color monitor/video board + $150 for keyboard I can use
my Sony SMO optical drive with it for free. then I can put AUX on my
optical drive and run MAc off of my hard drive and off of the optical.

Plus I can get a CD ROM drive NOW with real software for it.

And for less than a TT030 with ATX would cost. The TT030 ATX package
is going to cost $2,000 from what I hear.

And the Mac isn't likely to be an orphan computer in a couple of months.

So, yes the Mac's hardware is way overpriced but you can get gigs and
gigs of great Mac apps and stuff on CD ROM right now!!

Even NASA is releasing CD ROMs for both the PC and the MAC.

so, for me, buying a Mac is much more logical (even with Apple's
inflated prices) than buying another Atari product.


--
Richard E. Covert                 [e-mail]
CACTUS                  ..!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!covert

------------------------------

Date: 26 Sep 91 20:04:50 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!news-s
 erver.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!geac!censor!isgtec![e-mail] (Ken Newman)
Subject: Rap/Dance - Atari
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
[e-mail] (Michel Forget) writes:
|> > >Last I heard, Mick Fleetword was using an ST, and Tangerine Dream had
|> > >13 of them...

|> > B.B. King was using an ST a few years ago. I'm unsure if he still is.

|> While we are adding to the list, the Arsenio Hall Show uses an Atari

|> Anyone else have something to add?


For big name acts, how about Madonna on tour? The synth wizard apparently
runs around underneath the stage using Atari's running KCS (gag!).

The Pointer sisters use/d Atari.

Lee Ritenour, Dave Brubeck use Atari.

Donny Osmond uses Atari.

Several heavy metal acts use Atari, I can't remember them all, I think
Blue Oyster Cult is one.

Numerous top ten movies have soundtracks and effects done with Atari's
using ADAP, SmpteTrack, Notator, etc.
- kn

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 17:19:38 GMT
From: news.mentorg.com!mntgfx![e-mail] (Doug Cooley)
Subject: REPOST:  Atari Games 4 Sale
To: [e-mail]

I've sold a good chunk of the games I posted, but a few are
still hanging around.  If you buy one of the $12 & up games,
I will throw in one of the $8 games for only $4.

All games are originals, and include complete documentation.
Some with boxes, no warranty cards.  As always, games are
first come, first serve.  Unless noted, all games require a
color monitor.  All prices include shipping (which I find to
run about $1.50 + $.25/game).

I don't read this newsgroup, so please, no posts to comp.sys.
atari.st for me.  If you must get ahold of me, call me in
the evening at home and leave a message.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Paladin - Medival version of Breach 2, earlier generation of the
        same system.  While not as slick, it is still a lot of
        fun.  HD installable, and has a build your own editor.
        Don't miss this, it is a winner, especially at this
        price.  Lots of scenarios available on the usual services
        such as GEnie.
        $12
Midwinter - You are one of 31 people on an ice-bound island
        which has erupted into war.  Control hang-gliders,
        various snowcats, or ski your way over the landscape.
        This has not gotten a lot of press, but it is very
        addictive and has a great feel to it.  A seriously
        good way to eat up your time.  Boxed.
        $16
Dr. T's MT-32 editor/lib - Professional quality editor librarian,
        I don't have an MT-32 anymore, so out it goes.  Has a
        backup disk.  This was originally more than $100 retail.
        $16
------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy one of the above, and take one of the below for only $4!  What
a deal!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
RoadWars - Arcade game.  *Not* a Car Wars clone!  Drive along and
        blow stuff up.  Boxed
        $8
Knight Orc - Graphic Text adventure.  Boxed.
        $8
Zak McKraken - Lucasfilms Cinemaware.  Kind of a text adventure,
        but not really.  Pretty funny in places.  HD install,
        lots of entertaining extra stuff, like an Enquirer clone
        newspaper.
        $8

I am available at work from 8AM to 5PM PST.  E-mail sometimes
makes it to my site, sometimes not.

    Doug Cooley
    Work #:  [phone]
    Home #:  [phone]
    e-mail:  [e-mail]


--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doug Cooley                | My company doesn't hold me responsible for
Mentor Graphics Corp.      | their opinions, and I don't hold them
[e-mail]    | responsible for mine.  So there.

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 07:58:07 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u43610@ar
 izona.edu
Subject: Software suggestions Wanted..
To: [e-mail]

I have a basic 512K ST with a monchrome monitor..  AND I have access to FTP sit
es about anywhere..  This brings about a question(s)..  Does anyone reccoment a
 title or titles of good FTP software that works on a Monochrome ST?
-
I am looking for a Good Drawing program as well as some "neat-o" demos or games
. Any suggestions?  (I keep downloading stuff that is for the Color ST or for
the 1040ST etc.. )
-
Please, if the site is other than atari.archive.umich--Do tell what site--Also-
- what directory..  Thanks in advance!
-
Ken.

------------------------------

Date: 27 Sep 91 12:04:54 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!laura!tommy![e-mail] (Rainer Klute)
Subject: Zoo with GEM interface (Was: Re: ARJ? K.I.S.S.!)
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Bill
Shroka) writes:
|> Is this an open offer?  If so, I may just take you up on this for the
|> ST
|> Zoo port.  The Zoo source is available and I don't have any objections
|> to
|> having Zoo use GEM if it has been launched from the desktop.  As a
|> matter
|> of fact, it would make alot of GEnie users extremely happy :-)
|>
|> If either of you gentleman are willing to do the GEM portion of Zoo,
|> contact
|> me in E-mail and we'll discuss it more in-depth (ST Zoo may be going
|> through
|> some significant changes now that we're merging with the mainstream Zoo
|> source).

You could use Arcgsh 3.5. It offers a nice GEM interface to Zoo (and some
other archivers) with full Zoo functionality and starts up automatically
upon double-clicking on a .ZOO file. (Well, actually Arcgsh does not yet
support Zoo's new 'h' option. However, Arcgsh 4.0 is in the making, which
will have the 'h' option. And for those LHarc users among you :-( it will
come with a configurable LHarc interface. You can adopt it to just that
LHarc variant you like, resp. you are forced to use.)

--
  Dipl.-Inform. Rainer Klute      [e-mail]
  Univ. Dortmund, IRB             [e-mail]
  Postfach 500500         |)|/    Tel.: [phone]
D-4600 Dortmund 50        |\|\    Fax : [phone]

------------------------------

End of Info-Atari16 Digest
******************************