No Fragments Archive 12: Textmags & Docs/nf_archive_12.iso/MAGS/TEXTMAGS/ATARI16/INFO91.ZIP/INFO91/648.TXT

Text File | 1992-05-11 | 26.6 KB | 670 lines

Info-Atari16 Digest         Mon,  9 Dec 91       Volume 91 : Issue 648

Today's Topics:
                  Atari 520ST Systems for sale: $350
          Atari Chicago Show...if you want details Mail me.
           Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there? (3 msgs)
                       Atari Transputer System?
                 Avatex + TT030 modem problem (again)
                                 DC?
   FOR SALE (really this time), ATARI DTP SYSTEM (major cool stuff)
                         General comparisons
                              New Mouse
                               overscan
   PROFESSIONAL MIDI SEQUENCING PACKAGE FOR THE ATARI ST FOR SALE!
                             Saving paper
                  SUMMARY to "HELP: Mouse is flaky."
                            WIZARD OF WAR

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 18:42:44 GMT
From: agate!darkstar!ucsco![e-mail] (Larry McElhiney)
Subject: Atari 520ST Systems for sale: $350
To: [e-mail]

I've decide to sell my 2 spare Atari 520ST Mono systems which have
been mainly used (lightly) for Midi activities.  Details as follows:


        Atari 520ST Monochrome System  (2ea.)
                (very good condition)

                -Atari 520ST computer
                        w/power supply, mouse, manual

                -Atari SM124 Monochrome Monitor
                        w/power cord, cable, manual

                -Atari SF354 Single Sided Floppy
                        w/power supply, cable, manual

        Price:  $350 per system + shipping costs


Please contact me by email reply to this article or at:

        mchome![e-mail]

Larry McElhiney
[phone] x358

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 11:05:06 GMT
From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!gate.oxy.edu!oxy![e-mail]
 (Thomas VanNess Leavitt)
Subject: Atari Chicago Show...if you want details Mail me.
To: [e-mail]

I'm thinking about going Atari, and selling my 286... what're the going
prices for the TT, MEGA/STE, 1040ST, and 520ST?  My friend's Amiga
impressed me, but I get the sense that the Atari is cheaper... besides,
being a former TI 99/4A owner, I like really unconventional computers.

T.

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 13:31:25 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!bcc.ac.uk![e-mail] (Mr Stephen R Usher)
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Richard Covert) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Steven D. Borrelli) writes:
>>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
 (John Paul Pietrzak) writes:

STUFF DELETED
>
>Also, other people have questioned my concerns over adding
>third party peripherals to the TT/ASV. They seem to think that
>just because a device is a SCSI device it will run on the TT/ASV.
>Well, electrically and hardware wise it should attach to the TT
>just fine. But what about the ASV's SCSI device driver? Can the
>released drivers in the ASV kernal handle any or all third party
>SCSI devices? Can it handle any make or brand of WORM drive?
>Can it handle the Sony 5.25 SMO optical read/write drive? Or the
>newer Sony 3.5 SMO optical drive? Or the new Digital Audio Tape
>1.3/2.2 GIGABYTE tape drives? It would seem to me that even though
>these are all SCSI devices, special ASV device drivers would be
>required for each. and then the question becomes, who is going
>to provide these device drivers? Heck, companies such as Word Perfect
>are refusing to upgrade their existing ST/TT products even now. Do
>you think that they will go out of their way to write ASV unique
>device drivers? I think not!! Can an ordinary ASV developer
>write his own drivers? Well, if the kernal is like most AT&T
>kernals you have to rebuild the entire kernal to add new device
>drivers. Hence you need source code to the entire ASV kernal,
>which I don't think AT&T would Atari Corp to give out for free!!
>AT&T source code licenses can cost upwards of $50,000.00 USA$!!
>

ASV IS AT&T Unix SYSVrel4!

ANY SYSVr4 driver will compile into the kernel and work.. that's what the
standard for SYSVr4 was written for!

>

>So, for all of these reasons I don't believe that the TT/ASV is
>"special" enough to survive. In fact, I predict now, for one
>and all to read, that the TT/ASV will NEVER been released as
>more then a "Developer" package for the present incarnation of
>the TT hardware. Maybe in 1993 or 1994 when the rumored 68040
>super-TT comes out it will be released. But not for the present
>TT hardware.
>
>these are just my views. I for one would love to buy a TT/ASV
>because I really need/want a good Motif based X Windows workstation.
>But I want color and I want support. Neither of which Atari can
>provide. I plan to wait until Spring when the next version of
>A/UX comes out. A/UX 2.01 doesn't run on the new Mac Quadra 700
>machines (see even Apple makes blunders!!). But A/UX version 3.0
>will fix that. And A/UX supports color as well as ll of the normal
>Mac peripherals. We shall see.
>
>
>--
>Richard E. Covert                 [e-mail]
>CACTUS                  ..!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!covert


Steve
--
Addresses:-
JANET:-         [e-mail] or    [e-mail]
Internet:-      [e-mail] or    [e-mail]

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 18:41:32 GMT
From:
 cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu![e-mail]
 ester.edu (Mark Choi)
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

On 08-Dec-91 in Re: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any o..
user Richard [e-mail] writes:
>Why are these other machine more compatible? Simply because they have been
>out longer then ASV. ASV is still in the post-beta "developer" stage
>so there are fewer ASV users. Thus fewer GNU programs have been
>ported to it. Thus, the compatibility factor is still largely unknown.
>You can't say how compatible ASV is with MOTIF/Sun Open Look/GNU
>sw until you get a released ASV to use. And ASV still hassn't been
>released as a commerical, off the shelf, product!!


Although at the present price, I think that the TT/ASV is a class A
ripoff, some one needs to take a course in logic here. This is the most
rediculous argument I have ever heard. He disproves his own conclusions
with his premise, and then touts it as a proof.


On 08-Dec-91 in Re: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any o..
user Richard [e-mail] writes:
>Second, for the same dollars can you buy someone else's UNIX box.
>Since you can't run TOS/GEM programs from within an X Windows
>window, owning previous GEM programs is no reason to buy a TT/ASV.
 AS you are not forced to run UNIX, and can boot up in TOS, and port the
deata files over to UNIX, YES IT IS.


On 08-Dec-91 in Re: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any o..
user Richard [e-mail] writes:
>Also, other people have questioned my concerns over adding
>third party peripherals to the TT/ASV. They seem to think that
>just because a device is a SCSI device it will run on the TT/ASV.
>Well, electrically and hardware wise it should attach to the TT
>just fine. But what about the ASV's SCSI device driver? Can the
>released drivers in the ASV kernal handle any or all third party
>SCSI devices? Can it handle any make or brand of WORM drive?
>Can it handle the Sony 5.25 SMO optical read/write drive? Or the
>newer Sony 3.5 SMO optical drive? Or the new Digital Audio Tape
>1.3/2.2 GIGABYTE tape drives? It would seem to me that even though
>these are all SCSI devices, special ASV device drivers would be
>required for each. and then the question becomes, who is going
>to provide these device drivers? Heck, companies such as Word Perfect
>are refusing to upgrade their existing ST/TT products even now. Do
>you think that they will go out of their way to write ASV unique
>device drivers? I think not!! Can an ordinary ASV developer
>write his own drivers? Well, if the kernal is like most AT&T
>kernals you have to rebuild the entire kernal to add new device
>drivers. Hence you need source code to the entire ASV kernal,
>which I don't think AT&T would Atari Corp to give out for free!!
>AT&T source code licenses can cost upwards of $50,000.00 USA$!!


man, someone is asleep at the wheel. If it is indeed binary compatible
with sysVr4, then ANY sysVr4 driver will work. Period. If it is not,
then it is garbage. But that is not what you are trying to say. You
should try to better understand the subject of your posting before you
open your mouth, or move your fingers, in this case.

I must say, I would never buy a TT unless the price were cut in half,
but to make a cogent argument, the facts have to be corect, as well as
the logic, both of which are lacking here. There are many good reasons
NOT to buy a TT/ASV, none of which are presented here.


mark

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 18:59:47 GMT
From:
 cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu![e-mail]
 ester.edu (Mark Choi)
Subject: Atari Sys 5 Unix- any owners out there?
To: [e-mail]

At least here in the US, NeXT is cheaper than TT/ASV IT JUST IS.

mark

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 15:46:02 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!yorkohm!minster![e-mail]
Subject: Atari Transputer System?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> Iain Laskey
 <[e-mail]> writes:
>The OS was an existing multitasking one for transputers, right now the name
>escapes me!

It's called Helios, and is still available from Perihelion Software (not to
be confused with Perihelion Hardware, which was bought by Atari).

>  ###############################
>  # Iain R Laskey               #
>  # [e-mail] #
>  ###############################

Mathew

| Mathew Lodge              | "Baldrick, are the words 'I have a cunning plan' |
| [e-mail]  |  heading towards this conversation with ill      |
| Summer: lodge%alsys@uknet |  deserved confidence?" -- Blackadder III         |

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 18:21:24 GMT
From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!caen![e-mail] (Scott D
 Anderson)
Subject: Avatex + TT030 modem problem (again)
To: [e-mail]

Some time ago (maybe two weeks) I posted here about a problem with my modem
and my TT030. Some kind user replied that it could very well be that my cables
had crossed wires. Unfortunately, I have lost the response :( Could that same
user (or another) please send me their corrected cable pin-outs (achieved
through use of a breakout box) ?

Thanks in advance,
Scott Anderson

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 18:08:20 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!galileo.cc.ro
 chester.edu!uhura.cc.rochester.edu![e-mail] (Ling Cherd Ho)
Subject: DC?
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Sharon L
 Skwara) writes:
>
>re: doesn't 1st word do that?
>
>  I dunno, but it would be nice to pop open a window in ANY program and do
>ALL typing via mouse - who would need a keyboard except for rare cases?
>It could be an ACC from the menu, or an AUTO program accessible by say
>a "double-click" on the right button, or keyboard press.  Sure would be nice
>to do all this modeming without ever touching the keyboard.
>
>                                       [e-mail]

I don't think using the mouse to replace the keyboard to enter
text will make life more comfortable. But what I have experience is
that it is useful when you are sitting beside a poor typist typing on
the computer and you can use the mouse to quickly amend his mistakes.

..
   Ling Cherd
.

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 15:09:12 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.
 ohio-state.edu![e-mail] (David Butler)
Subject: FOR SALE (really this time), ATARI DTP SYSTEM (major cool stuff)
To: [e-mail]

I know I've put this stuff up for sale before, but this time I'm REALLY REALLY
doing it... The amounts below are, I believe, extremely reasonable. If anybody
is interested in EVERYTHING below, I will take $140 off the price and sell it
all to you for $2850. Any reasonable offer will be considered, but I will
probably wait at least a week if the offers are too far below what I would like
to get (to see if anyone wants to offer more).

I have never shipped COD before. Does anyone know how this is done?


Ok, here is what I have for sale:      I would Like to Get this much $:

Mega 2+2 with;
     Isaac card (1024*768*16 colors)
     AdSpeed (16/8 mhz card)
     4 megs ram
     TOS 1.4
     Best Power Supply
     Overscan
     Extra shielding for Spectre GCR
     Extra Internal Fan                      $1000

ISAAC card Seperately                        $400  ($599 new)

MEGA 2+2 as above, without ISAAC             $700

2 Complete 50 meg ICD hard drive systems
     28millisecond drives, everything
     you need is here to plug in.
     These are the ICD FAST drives!          $350 each

Migraph Handscanner with Touchup             $275

Spectre GCR with ROMS! (latest software)     $350

1024*768 NON-INTERLACED multisynch monitor
     (for use with ISAAC or whatever
      else you have that can use it)         $400

SM124 MONO Monitor                           $75

Track Ball                                   $25

Calamus (latest version before SL)           $50

Calamus Outline Art                          $50

Calamus font Editor                          $25

Cherry Fonts Times & Garamond                $10 each

Neodesk 3.0                                  $15

Quick ST 2.0                                 $5


In all cases you pay shipping!

I will probably be sending everything COD, unless someone has a better
suggestion.

Of note is that I don't have many of the original boxes, I simply did not have
room to keep them. I'll purchase some nice boxes and padding to ship everything
in though, so you will get some sort of nice box to clutter your house up with.

Everything is in good condition and works well. I can ship the Hard Drives as
are, or I can reformat them. Anyone who buys the ISAAC card will get a set of
disks which includes my settup (to save them the hassel of getting it going
themselves, what a pain...)

Also, If anyone needs support for whatever they buy, I intend to stick around
for a while on comp.sys.atari.st, OR you can e-mail me. Either way, you get
support (for Atari?... WOW!)

Respond ASAP, I'm in a slight hurry, and may be inclined to sell the items to
the first person who offers me enough... You may call me at (614)-297-7967 as
well.

By the way, you really should read my cool .sig file ;-)

- David Butler -      [e-mail]

                     -Kaleidoscope woman
                      in rhinestoned levi's jeans
                      dancing in the sunset
                      sketching day's last scene-     - Willie Phoenix -

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 16:38:20 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio
 -state.edu!linac!att!news.cs.indiana.edu!lynx!nmsu![e-mail]
 (LELAND)
Subject: General comparisons
To: [e-mail]

Hello! I have been reading about some of the nasty posts you Atari guys have
been getting from some of the Amiga and other lists. I for one would like to
apologize for them, though I haven't written any myself. I've never understood
the rivalry between various computer systems, and would hope that people in
both our communities would have the sense to wise up. Neither Commodore nor
Atari have ever been noted for their brilliant marketing. You have Jack Tramiel
and we have Irving Gould. What a combination! Between the two of them they
almost have a whole brain.
Anyway, I for one would be interested in hearing about what is new and
interesting coming out for the ST. I understand Atari has implimented a blitter
chip on their new 68030 machines. Is this true? How does it work, and who is
writing programs that take advantage of it?

Thanks in advance,


Darrell Leland

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 15:32:36 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!sersun1![e-mail] (Oke S)
Subject: New Mouse
To: [e-mail]

I've been using a Genius Mouse for the last 2 years since my Atari model gave
up, and wouldn't use any other.

                        Simon.

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 13:40:19 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!glasgow!bru-cc![e-mail] (David T Smith)
Subject: overscan
To: [e-mail]

  Is there anyone out there who has got sources on how to display spectrum 512
  images in overscan? I have just got hold of the overscan demos and one of the
  demos does this but it is not compatible with the STE.

  Is the extended spectrum 512 viewer that is avaliable in the public domain
  compatible with the STE? Does it work in full overscan ie knocks out the side
  boarders as well as the top and bottom. Does it come with sources so you can
  display your own spectrum pics, in overscan.

  Would anyone be intereted in me posting the fullscreen construction kit to
  BART? This displays pictures in overscan but only in 16 colours hence the
  questions about a spectrum 512 compatible one.

  Talking about spectrum is there a version that is capable of running at 50Hz
  as the only copy I,ve seen works at 60Hz only and does it fully support the
  STE,s 4096 colour palette?

              Thanks Dave Smith

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 15:19:23 GMT
From: aurs01![e-mail] (Jonathan Whitcomb)
Subject: PROFESSIONAL MIDI SEQUENCING PACKAGE FOR THE ATARI ST FOR SALE!
To: [e-mail]

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Chuck Zwicky)
 writes:
>
>    -------------------------------SOFTWARE------------------------------
>    --------------------------SEQUENCING-PACKAGE-------------------------
>    -------------------------------FOR SALE------------------------------
>
>                              PACKAGE INCLUDES:
>         +++++++++++++ Dr. T's KCS LEVEL II SEQUENCER +++++++++++++
>    MPE -the MULTIPLE PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT-
>    PVG - the PROGRAMMABLE VARIATIONS GENERATOR & MASTER EDITOR
>    TIGER- The Interactive Graphical Editor!
>    QUICKSCORE- MUSICAL NOTATION AND SCORING PROGRAM/MODULE
>    ++++++++++++++++++THE PHANTOM SMPTE INTERFACE+++++++++++++++++++
>   *******************************************************************
>   THIS PACKAGE IS WORTH OVER $800! I WILL SELL IT TO YOU FOR $400!
>   *******************************************************************
                               ~~~~
Once again, I'll point out that Dr.T's KCS Omega package (which is an upgraded
version of KCS Level II with LOTS more features and no copy protection) lists at
$450, and the Phantom SMPTE interface lists for $250.  That's a total LIST price
of $700.  Both of these products can be had for much less (Dr. T's was selling
the Phantom direct for under $100 a few months ago).

If you bought this package and wanted to upgrade to KCS Omega it would cost you
$75, so you'd end up paying $475 total.  You can get a brand new version of KCS
Omega and the Phantom for around the same price or less.

I'm not trying to undermine Chuck's sale... this is a great sequencing package
 (I
use KCS Omega myself and love it).  I just don't see where he gets off saying
 that
the package is worth $800.
**********************************************************************
Jonathan Whitcomb                    UUCP: <[e-mail]>
Alcatel Network Systems              Delphi: JBWHIT
Raleigh, NC                          GEnie: J.WHITCOMB3

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 14:31:45 GMT
From: mcsun!news.funet.fi!funic!nic.funet.fi![e-mail] (Kimmo
 Lahtinen)
Subject: Saving paper
To: [e-mail]

In atari.archive.umich.edu and nic.funet.fi there is a package
called

idea_31.lzh

It is in atari/print* . And it saves paper by printing with
small letters upto 9 columns. It is a German shareware with
English documentation. There is also some handy utilies like
chamelion which can be used to load and sometimes unload
ACCessories.

Please support shareware authors.
--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kimmo Lahtinen                      E-Mail : [e-mail] or
Finnish Meteorological Institute             [e-mail]
                                    Phone  : [phone]
Possessed by a Spirit               G3 Fax : [phone]

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 11:36:07 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.claremont.edu!jarthur
 .claremont.edu![e-mail] (Corey Liu)
Subject: SUMMARY to "HELP: Mouse is flaky."
To: [e-mail]

I want to thank everybody who replied to my post about
my flaky mouse (Atari original)!  I tried to respond to
everyone via e-mail.  I apologize if I missed anybody.

Four dominant suggestions were made as to what might be
wrong with my mouse.  Let me try to summarize.

1. Dirty mouse.  Extensive mouse use over time will
result in the roller ball picking up dust and trapping
it inside the mouse.  This can disrupt smooth operation
of the mouse ball rollers, or block the light path for
the motion sensor photodiodes.  A good cleaning of the
mouse is the best solution to this problem.  Best
results are obtained if you can open the mouse up to get
at the rollers more easily (a small tweezers can help a
lot).

2. Bad cable connection.  Wire fatigue can occur in the
mouse cable.  This most likely happens around the area
where the cable enters the mouse.  Diagnosiong this as
the problem is usually a matter of jiggling wire while
moving the mouse to see it the motion of the pointer is
affected.
        Fixing this is a matter of locating the bad
area and cutting that section of cable out.  Shortening
the mouse cord a bit won't hurt it.

3. Mouse virus.  There exists a virus that will reverse
movements of the mouse pointer (up=down, right=left,
etc.).  VKILLER at atari.archive was suggested as the
program to use for virus scanning.

4. Dead photodiode.  The Atari mouse works on the
principle of spinning rollers attached to circular
plates with regular holes cut in them.  Photodiodes are
sandwiched arond the plates.  When the rollers spin,
light is detected through the passing holes.  Thus, the
faster you move your mouse, the faster the pulses of
light through the holes, tranlating to faster pointer
motion on you screen.  If a photodiode dies, this most
likely results in a loss of directional motion.
        This problem does not seem to be an easy fix.
Obtaining a new mouse seems to be the best bet.


My problem seems to lie with the dead photodiode
suggestions.  The symptoms (gradual decay of upward
motion over a weeks time) seem to match this theory the
best.  Plus, I cleaned my mouse, and jiggled the cord,
both of which accomplished nothing.  The possibility of
a virus causing my mouse problems was eliminated
straight off when I borrowed my friend's trak-ball and
the problem disappeared.

So, I am essentially in the market for a mouse now.
The Golden Image mouse has received the most
recommendations.  Others receiving votes were the
new-style Atari mice, the Beetle mouse, a very-simple
Amiga mouse conversion, and slightly more involved
convertion of MS-DOS style mice.  Anything else out
there worth looking in to?

Once again, thanks to everyone out there who helped me
out.  I really appreciated it.

Aloha,
Corey

----------------------------------------------------------
"This must be the place I waited years to leave." - P.S.B.
Corey Liu               (__)    [e-mail]
Harvey Mudd College     |oo|             [e-mail]
Claremont, CA            \/--Moo!      [e-mail]
----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 9 Dec 91 11:41:08 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.co
 lumbia.edu!ira.uka.de!uka!uka![e-mail] (|S| Florian Dingler)
Subject: WIZARD OF WAR
To: [e-mail]

Hi there out in the world!

After reprogramming the whole variable-section (about 18 hours during last
weekend) I was able to compile the source code successfully. This morning,
after a rather sleepness night, I added some features which make the monsters
more aggresive (the game gets harder altogether). I ARCed and UUEed it and
sent it to atari.archive. Hope that it arrived there.
Can anyone sent me the email-address of the person who is responsible for
comp.sys.atari.binaries ? Thank you.

So, get the prerelease and test it. Tell me how you like it. The main
release will be out somewhere around January. And have a nice X-mas.

f.

P.S. I'll never use GF*-Basic again. Horrible errors. Never again. Never.


--[signature]-----------+------------------------------
 Florian Dingler        |  [e-mail]
 Litzenhardtstrasse 22  |  [e-mail]
 W-7500 KARLSRUHE 1     +------------------------------
 Tel.:[phone]  |  living to make history ...
 Fed. Rep. of Germany   |

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

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