No Fragments Archive 12: Textmags & Docs/nf_archive_12.iso/MAGS/TEXTMAGS/ATARI16/INFO91.ZIP/INFO91/591.TXT

Text File | 1992-05-11 | 24.6 KB | 636 lines

Info-Atari16 Digest         Tue, 12 Nov 91       Volume 91 : Issue 591

Today's Topics:
                         8mhz ST = 16mhz 386
                           A clarification
                             ATARI MEGA 2
                            CS_TeX Update
                                 Help
                     Info-Atari16 Digest V91 #588
                  Need help with MWC inline assembly
                New RCC Rules = Higher Telecomm Costs
                           Scheme for atari
                   SCSI tar (was Re: GNU Tar v1.10)
                 Talk to me about TeX and Gemini. . .
                       turn ST into X-terminal?
       UNIXMODE (was Re: GNU UTILITIES POSTED TO ATARI.ARCHIVE)
       Update: Atari Mega4 ST, ICD HD, Spectre GCR For Sale...
                Uploading to the VAX...I can't do it?!
                 using less.ttp as the Neodesk pager
                          WD1772 IC (2 msgs)
                   Wordwriter ST / SLM 804 problems

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 22:07:35 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!transfer!crackers!m2c!wpi.WPI.EDU!jdutka@ariz
 ona.edu (John Dutka)
Subject: 8mhz ST = 16mhz 386
To: [e-mail]

In some benchmarks I ran on my 25 MHz 68030 based machine, it was slightly
ahead of the 33 MHz 80386 DX in both dhrystones and MIPS.
The same goes for a 25 MHz 68040 and a 33 MHz 80486...


--
***** John Dutka, Jr. ********** [e-mail] **************************
Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world.
                -- Lily Tomlin

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 02:13:34 GMT
From: ads.com![e-mail] (Peter Delevoryas)
Subject: A clarification
To: [e-mail]

I want to make this as short as possible, but I need to clear the air.

I bought (with cash) a game from someone through the net. He sent me
the disks and manual. Someone thought I ftp'd (or other) it, creating
an illegal copy.

We then started a 3-ring circus of accusations/misunderstandings.

We have all reconciled our differences ( I hope). I'm happy. I got the
game working. He has my check. The other guy (remember there were 3 of us)
apologized.

Moral of story: People make mistakes.
Lessons learned: People are human.

We now get back to regular programming.

Peter D.

--

 login name:   L1-A
 In real life: Peter Delevoryas
 In any other life: a cheap imitation

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 21:02:12 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!tulane!rouge![e-mail] (Lynch
 James C)
Subject: ATARI MEGA 2
To: [e-mail]

Since I didn't receive any offers on my complete system,
I'll take offers for the following items individually.

ATARI MEGA 2 - new internal 720k floppy
SC1224 color monitor
Golden image mouse
ATARI SMM804 dot matrix printer (paper won't advance. used to work
      great but not any more. I think I have 2 spare ribbons)

SOFTWARE ( I Have manuals for the following items)
Timeworks desktop publisher
1st word plus
Masterplan (spreadsheet)
Uniterm (latest version)

GAMES:
Gauntlet
Dungeonmaster (i have a disk with maps also)
Chessmaster 2000
Shanghai
Leaderboard Golf
STart disks - approx 32 disks dating from 1988 to Feb 1991. with
              magazines. Many utilities/games!!!!
Current Notes magazine - approx last 2 years

I'll consider any reasonable offers for the above items or if you are
so inspired, make me an offer for everything.

Jim Lynch ([e-mail])  W: 318-231-5248
                        H: 318-235-2283

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 16:53:54 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!olymp!sfb256![e-mail] ( Volker A. Brandt )
Subject: CS_TeX Update
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
 (Jacques J. Goldberg) writes:
>As a TeX "veteran" (using it on various platforms since 1982), could I
>suggest that version numbering respects or at least reminds the OFFICIAL
>TeX version used? CS_TeX 2.10 is awfully confusing in 1991 (...)

This is a valid point.  There is a new version in the works that has a number
of improvements (totally new shell, previewer in a GEM window etc) that I'm
currently beta-testing.  I'll ask Christoph to change his numbering scheme
before the release of this new version.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bitnet:   UNM409@DBNRHRZ1                              Volker A. Brandt
UUCP:     ...!unido!DBNRHRZ1.bitnet!unm409             Angewandte Mathematik
Internet: [e-mail]                (Bonn, Germany)

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

Date: 13 Nov 91 00:31:26 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!waikato.ac.nz!aukuni.ac.nz!kcbbs![e-mail]
 u (Stuart Price)
Subject: Help
To: [e-mail]

Haha is that a joke?

Stuart Price
Auckland, New Zealand
[e-mail]      <--Usenet Address
Stuart Price 3:772/90          <--Fidonet Address

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

Date: Mon, 11 Nov 91 18:18:36 CST
From: Mike Dorman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Info-Atari16 Digest V91 #588
To: Atari List <[e-mail]>

To set the SX212 to auto-answer mode, you have to set S-register #1 to
the number of rings you want it to pick up on (so ATS1=2, should do it).

I'm 99% sure on it being register 1, but I could be wrong--it *IS* an
s-register, though, so if S1 doesn't work, try some others.

Mike.

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 22:08:17 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Layne K. Jensen)
Subject: Need help with MWC inline assembly
To: [e-mail]

I recently acquired a copy of Mark Williams C version 3.06.  I have scoured
the manual to find out how to include in-line assembly code in the C source
program, but cannot find any references to it.

Am I somehow missing the part of the manual that discusses it, or does the
compiler not support in-line assembler?  If you know how to do it or know
that it isn't possible, I would appreciate hearing either way.  Apologies
if I have somehow missed the obvious.

Layne Jensen                         [e-mail]
Naval Ocean Systems Center           ...!sdcsvax!noscvax!jensen
San Diego, CA

--
Layne Jensen                           [e-mail]
Naval Ocean Systems Center             ...!sdcsvax!noscvax!jensen
San Diego, CA

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 00:27:15 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!li
 nac!mp.cs.niu.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!roma![e-mail] (William Magro)
Subject: New RCC Rules = Higher Telecomm Costs
To: [e-mail]

|> >calls during the day.  This drops to $0.03 per call at night.  It sucks.
 They have
|> >the nerve to print:  "Volume discount saved you $0.22 this month\n" on my
 bill....
|> >
|> >Bill
|>
|> And you have the nerve to criticise the various Bells for being self-serving
|> while at the same time advocating that those of us who make a few calls a
|> month should subsidize your unlimited calls by paying a flat rate.
|>
|> -- Scott

Previously, everyone had the option of paying by the call.  So that *no one*
who made few calls had to subsidize those who made many.  The flat rate was a
simple way for people who made a lot of calls to pay.  $5.50/month was enough to
cover all the calls by all of these people.  The move to charging for each call,
then, was in the interest of increases revenues--it was not some great
 liberator.

When combined with the other under-regulated policies of the phone company, it
 is
infuriating.  What other company do you know of that can charge you $65.00 just
to start doing business with them?  Only an under-regulated monopoly could ever
 try
such a thing.

--Bill

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 22:54:04 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!edcastle![e-mail] (Simon Kinahan)
Subject: Scheme for atari
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] (Luis Mandel) writes:

>Does anybody know if there is an interpreter SCHEME public domain for ATARI ?
>Many thanks

 Yes XSHEME available on lancs.pdsoft (sorry I don't know the numeric
address but if you mail me I can find it out for you). This version has
OOP extensions but also contains normal SCHEME as a subset.

=============================================================================
             [e-mail] aka Simon Kinahan
                    :-) Nerd and Proud of it (-:

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 15:55:34 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!olymp!sfb256![e-mail] ( Volker A. Brandt )
Subject: SCSI tar (was Re: GNU Tar v1.10)
To: [e-mail]

In article <alanh.689513529@krypton> [e-mail] (Alan Hourihane)
 writes:
>       Well, I've recompiled my port of GNU Tar v1.10 with patchlevel 14 of
>the MiNT libraries and now it should support symbolic links when used with
>MiNT v0.9. I've had no way to test this yet, so if anybody has problems,
>please tell me about them.
(...)
>       I've just laid my hands on Paul Moreau's code for accessing SCSI
>tapes through Tar, so when I get chance I am going to incorporate it into
>GNU Tar v1.10.

You should consider to rewrite it or at least modify it.  I have looked over
Paul's code during the weekend and found a number of things that should be
changed.  No offense to Paul is intended, I'm happy to have his code to look
at and learn from it.

Unfortunately, the tar and driver work ONLY for Archive streamers in QIC24
mode.  I couldn't get it to work with my Wangtek 5150 ES at all.  At first
I thought it would be enough to modify the resident driver, but there are
device-dependent parts in the C code of the tar utility as well.

I have not tried to compile the tar source for lack of time (and also since
I don't have Mark Williams C -- I guess some changes for Turbo C are needed)
so I can't tell you if it will work at all but I'm confident I'll get some-
thing to work after all :-).

Another thing bothers me: the driver is currently hooked into the BIOS trap,
thus creating extra overhead for every BIOS call the system or a user program
makes.  I believe this is A Bad Thing. (Hello Allan P :-)

Nowadays there are more ways to make a driver resident than a BIOS extension.
I'm currently trying to decide between (a) using another trap (say, #6) for
the interface, and (b) not using any trap but a function jump table pointed
to by a cookie.

Method (a) would allow us to use the same mechanism as BIOS and GEMDOS calls,
but would require some housekeeping to check if the trap was in use etc.
Method (b) makes the tape function look like part of the user program, thus
one could pass parameters in registers etc.  So I'm leaning towards (b) right
now.

What do people think?  I like the idea of a modular driver that several tools
(like tar, mt, cpio, dd etc) could use without having to cram all the SCSI I/O
stuff into each binary.  If we do it right lots of wheel-reinventing might
be avoided.

Let's agree on a standard and I'll implement it for Wangtek streamers.
I've set Followup to comp.sys.atari.st.tech since I believe it's a technical
topic.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bitnet:   UNM409@DBNRHRZ1                              Volker A. Brandt
UUCP:     ...!unido!DBNRHRZ1.bitnet!unm409             Angewandte Mathematik
Internet: [e-mail]                (Bonn, Germany)

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 02:31:34 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!linac!att!bgsuvax![e-mail]
 (Thanatos)
Subject: Talk to me about TeX and Gemini. . .
To: [e-mail]

        Okay. . .  First of all:  How do I get Gemini to work with an
english resource file?  I read German, but I'd like my environment to be
in my native language. . .  Second:  I just set up CS-TeX and it looks
wonderful.  My question is: I try to TeX a file and it says 'can't find PLAIN
format file, create it!'  So, I create it, the file PLAIN.inf goes in the
proper place, but it still can't seem to find it. . .  Ideas?

        If these are common questions, post a response. . .  otherwise email
to [e-mail]


Thanks for your help.

_______
 / hanatos
                aka Jason Demlow

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 03:04:06 GMT
From: milton!raven.alaska.edu!acad3.alaska.edu![e-mail]
 (RICHARDS KENNETH G)
Subject: turn ST into X-terminal?
To: [e-mail]

Is there any software (preferably PD) which can turn my old ST into an
X-terminal?

Thanks,

Ken Richards
[e-mail]

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 00:33:47 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!news-server.ecf!helios.physics.utoronto.ca
 !julian!uwovax.uwo.ca![e-mail] (Eric Smith)
Subject: UNIXMODE (was Re: GNU UTILITIES POSTED TO ATARI.ARCHIVE)
To: [e-mail]

OIn article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
 (Jeff Jackson) writes:

[ about the UNIXMODE environment variable ]
> By default, bash will set it to "/.,rCLAHdb".
> These characters mean:
> [ descriptions deleted ]
> The only ones you would every probably want to modify are "rC" to
> select another file system as root and "d" if you use MiNT.  MiNT
> users will probably want to use the string "/.,rULAHb".

If you're running with Minix partitions under MiNT, than UNIXMODE
just gets in the way. You have to use some special options to turn it
off -- MiNT users in such a situation will probably want to set
UNIXMODE to "/cu". MiNT already has real symbolic and hard links on
Minix partitions and on drive U:, and supports long case-sensitive
file names -- hence the "c" (turn off case mapping) and "u" (don't
try to stuff file names into 8.3 format).

(Actually, MiNT users will probably want to forgo the tos port of
bash and the file utilities entirely; Dave Gymer has ported bash 1.10
to MiNT (it will support MiNT job control and running background
processes) and I ported the file utilities (which support MiNT 0.9's
link(), symlink(), chmod(), chown(), chgrp(), and stat() calls).
The only advantage of UNIXMODE right now is that it works on plain
TOS disks; the disadvantage is that it doesn't do links properly
on Minix or other kinds of disks (e.g. MiNT's drive U:) and it won't
work with, say, a UNIXMODE MiNT file system for TOS disks.)

> Note that programs compiled with
> the MiNT libraries do not know about UNIXMODE.

True. That was deliberate -- as I pointed out above, UNIXMODE just
gets in the way of the features in the MiNT kernel.

Actually, I rather think that UNIXMODE was the invention of a complete
idiot (I can say that, since I'm only insulting myself :-) and an
idea whose time has passed. I really, really wish that I hadn't
invented it, or at least that I had made the default to be "absolutely
no translation" instead of "mangle all the file names into upper case
and truncate them to 8.3".

The proper place for symbolic links or for special file name processing
is in the kernel. I hear that Edgar Roeder has written a UNIXMODE trap#1
handler -- that's a good idea. And, of course, MiNT is in some sense the
ultimate UNIXMODE trap#1 handler, except that I haven't gotten around
to writing the UNIXMODE file system yet (there isn't much incentive for
me, since I have several nice big Minix partitions). In principle,
it shouldn't be hard, and it won't require a new version of MiNT since
file systems are now loaded by MiNT at bootup time.

That's one reason that I recommend using the MiNT libraries for programs
now instead of the gcc libraries. The only filename translation that
the MiNT lib. does is translating / to \ and vice-versa, and omitting
the drive letter from getcwd() when it's done on drive U:. Everything
else is left up to the kernel -- so if Atari ever decides to implement
a nifty new case-preserving file system with long file names, its
hands aren't tied (and even if Atari doesn't, Stephen Henson already has,
in the form of minix.xfs for MiNT).

Sorry for the long and somewhat rambling nature of this post. I hope also
that it's clear that I lay the blame for the misfeatures of UNIXMODE
on my own shoulders entirely, and I'm not trying to flame you or anyone
else who chooses to use UNIXMODE; it is useful under (the present version
of) TOS, but I generally think it was implemented in the wrong way.
--
Eric R. Smith                     email:
Dept. of Mathematics            [e-mail]
University of Western Ontario   [e-mail]

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 02:48:36 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!csus.e
 du!beach.csulb.edu![e-mail] (Steve La)
Subject: Update: Atari Mega4 ST, ICD HD, Spectre GCR For Sale...
To: [e-mail]

Atari Mega4 ST complete system........................$ 975 obo
  * Jin mouse
  * Kraft Joystick (brand new)
  * Monitor Master switch box
  * Atari Monochrome monitor with stand
  * Stereo sound board installed
  * Software: Falcon, mission disk, Strider II, Dungeon Master,
              Shadow of the Beast, ST Control, dBMAN, Goldrunner,
              Tempus, Shadow background multitasker, Switch Back,
              King Quest I, II, III, Golden Path, Courier Command,
              Karate Kid II, Slaygon, Jupiter Probe, Tower Toppler,
              Sky Fox, Bloodwych, and much more
              Most software have original disks, boxes and manuals.
  I've designed an one-of-a-kind, dual, switchable
  TOS Operating System on ROMs (TOS 1.0 & TOS 1.4)
  with LED indicator.  Very unique!

Atari ST 85 Megabytes hard disk.......................$ 395 obo
  * ICD host adapter
  * 2 built-in fans
  * LED indicators
  * Seagate ST296n SCSI hard disk

Spectre GCR Macintosh Emulator........................* SOLD *
  * complete with manual and disks
  * including Macintosh 128K ROMs
  * Original Macintosh System 6.0 disks
  * All necessary cables

I will pay for all shipping costs.

-Steve
  ___   _____   ____   _  _   ____       _       __           Steve La
/ ___) (_   _) | ___) | || | | ___)     | |     /  \       Network Manager
\__  \   | |   | _)_  | || | | _)_      | |__  | || |     [e-mail]
(____/   |_|   |____)  \__/  |____)     |____) |_||_|      [phone]
CALSTATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH, 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, CA  90840

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 00:43:07 GMT
From: psinntp!ultb!ritvax.isc.rit.edu![e-mail]
Subject: Uploading to the VAX...I can't do it?!
To: [e-mail]

I too have been unable to up/download from Rochester Institute of Technology's
 VAX system, despite making attempts with three or four different ZMODEM
programs. I've had no problem with BBSes, however. I'm starting to wonder if
there is some Atari-VAX interface problem when it comes to ZMODEM. I've found
 that Kermit works fine, but is too slow to attempt downloading anything large.
 Does anyone else have this problem with ZMODEM and VAX?


-Joe Mitzen
"RIT : A Wholly Owned Subsidary of the CIA"

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 01:05:13 GMT
From: mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu![e-mail] (maximum
 entropy)
Subject: using less.ttp as the Neodesk pager
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill
Silvert) writes:
>In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jeff
 Jackson) writes:
>
>>>I still want the source to this guy
>
>>Unless I am confused, "less" is port of GNU.  GNU stuff is available
>
>So far as I am aware, less has nothing to do with gnu.  I don't know
>where you can get ST sources, but the Unix code for version 1.77 is
>available for ftp from biome.bio.ns.ca in pub/unix.

GNU is currently distributing LESS as it will probably be the file
pager used with the GNU operating system.  So, you can get LESS at
most sites that distribute GNU software, including prep.ai.mit.edu.
I believe they are distributing it but not currently doing any work on
it.

Disclaimer:  I do not work for GNU and I certainly don't speak for
them.

--
[e-mail]
entropy. . .it's not just a good idea, it's the second law.
Boycott AT&T, Lotus, Apple, Ashton-Tate and Xerox.  Join the League for
Programming Freedom!  Write to [e-mail] for more information.

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

Date: 11 Nov 91 22:55:18 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnu
 s.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!boulder!ucsu!spot.Colorado.EDU![e-mail]
 (Peter Jesinger)
Subject: WD1772 IC
To: [e-mail]

[e-mail] (Jeff McWilliams) writes:


>In article <[e-mail]>,
>[e-mail] (Gerard Pinzone) says:
>>
>>
>>Is there any way this chip could be "upgraded" to handle high density
>>disk drives?
>>
>>I've seen high density mods for the ST, but there was always a catch...
>>--

>From what I heard the best the 1772 can do is 720K or whatever can
>be obtained from twister format etc.  1.44m upgrades will by necessity
>include a different Floppy Controller.

I have a 1772 in my ST which can do 1.44m (actually I have a 1.2 MB 5 1/4
drive connected to my ST). The only thing you have to do is to double the
clock rate for your 1772. The problem is, that not all of them can handle
with the double clock rate, the first I had couldn't after I exchanged it,
the new one could. As I have heard, usually 1772-02-02 can handle with the
double clock rate, the one I have now is of that type.


--
Peter Jesinger (EMail: [e-mail])

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 00:35:40 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!hobbes.phy
 sics.uiowa.edu!news.iastate.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!roma![e-mail]
 (William Magro)
Subject: WD1772 IC
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]>,
 [e-mail] (Peter Jesinger) writes:

|> I have a 1772 in my ST which can do 1.44m (actually I have a 1.2 MB 5 1/4
|> drive connected to my ST). The only thing you have to do is to double the
|> clock rate for your 1772. The problem is, that not all of them can handle

When one performs such a modification, does s/he lose the ability to do 720K
 format?
If so, what is the effect on emulators such as GCR or IBMulators?

--Bill

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

Date: 12 Nov 91 05:36:18 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!menudo.uh.
 edu![e-mail] (Edward S. Chen)
Subject: Wordwriter ST / SLM 804 problems
To: [e-mail]

I am trying to use my SLM804 in Diablo630 emulation mode
on Wordwriter ST on a Mega2 system.  After running Atari's
Diablo emulation, and loading the Diablo630.cfg (in
wordwriter), I can only print the first page correctly.

All subsequent pages contain overstrike lines (ie: three
lines are printed on top of each other), and stray characters.
Any and all help would be much appreciated...

[e-mail]
--Ed Chen

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.. I want you to lie on the bed, (and) get ready for my polygon ...
                                                    --- Paul McCartney

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

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