The Atari Compendium/The Atari Compendium (Toad Computers) (1994).iso/files/umich/telecomm/fzt_d220.lzh/READ.ME

Text File | 1992-07-07 | 35KB | 612 lines

READ.ME
==== ==

                                                        July 6th, 1992
                                                        1:00 PM

     Welcome to version 2.20 of the FreeZe Dried Terminal.  This is not a
major upgrade from the previous version, 2.12, but it does include some new
useful features.  There were several problems with v2.12 which needed to be
fixed before I can take a break from these updates and do version 3.0.  If
you have received a disk containing a .KEY, but FZT v2.12 or below have told
you that the .KEY was invalid, please try the KEY with version 2.20.  It
should work properly.  (The older versions would not accept some KEYs made
by my user database program.)  If you have sent in your registration and
have not received anything from me yet, expect it shortly.

     We at FreeZe Dried Software would like to begin to serve you in any
way we can.  We would like to build a name for ourselves as a company that
you can count on.  We have made some serious mistakes in the past, but its
been an interesting learning experience.  In order to expedite any future
registrations and support existing users to the fullest extent possible, the
following are effective immediately:

- Any registration that I cannot immediately get in the mail, I will send a
  postcard or phone you alerting you of this fact.
- On the registration form, there is an option to send your KEY through
  F-Mail to you on a Crossnet networked BBS, or the FzDS support BBS,
  CodeHeadQuarters, etc instead of thru normal mail.  (This will not include
  the program, just the KEY.)
- Any E-mail or postal mail I get will get answered as soon as I can.  I
  have not been making it a habit of answering all of my mail, but I need to
  start doing so.
- We would like to put in a business line for comments, suggestions,
  complaints, orders, support, etc for all FzDS products, along with setting
  up a FzDS support BBS.  I will be posting the numbers for these if and
  when they are put in.
- I should be getting a GEnie account shortly for FreeZe Dried Software.  If
  you have an account on GEnie, you will be able to contact us easily.

     FreeZe Dried Software will be making its debut with a booth at the
Southern California Atari Computer Faire, Version 6.0, AKA The Glendale
Show.  The show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 12th and
13th, 1992 at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale,
CA.  We expect to be showing off FZT version 3.0, along with a new line of
software.  It promises to be interesting, at least.   (If you like FZT or
another FzDS product, and would like to see more from us, we'd like to know
your ideas for new software.)

     I would like to set up a business line for FreeZe Dried Software for
orders, comments, and support, as well as a BBS and possibly a fax.  We are
currently developing quite a few nice utilities, and are thinking of going
commercial instead of shareware.  A lot of thought has to go into this yet,
but stay tuned.

     Sean Price has moved to a new location.  His FzDS support board is now
run on RatSoft BBS software, has changed names from "Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy" to "Sanctuary from the Law", and the new number is
[phone].  M.Z. Tech mail order has not yet been set up at his new
location, but will be soon.


Thank you,
                                     Aaron Hopkins
                                     FreeZe Dried Software



                                                        March 22, 1992
                                                        11:30 PM


     Well ladies and gentlemen, here is version 2.12 of the FreeZe Dried
Terminal.  I believe it is the best version to date of the finest terminal
program available for the ST.

     I wish to announce that unless v2.12 has some major flaws, this will be
the last version for a few months.  I believe that eight versions in
seven months is a good record, and has brought FZT to a very nice point.
Rest assured that I am continuing developement of FzDSTerm, but it has come
to a point were some major rewriting is in order, and I can't do this and
still release versions every month or so.  There have been a few things that
I have wanted to do with FZT for a LONG time, and I now believe I have the
opertunity to do so.  I want to put in the new user interface that I have
been working on, which will take some time in itself.  It looks and feels
great, to say the least, and will reduce the program size along with the
amount of RAM FZT uses.  It is resolution independant, uses pure VDI, is
fast, attractive, consistant, and will make FZT more fun and easier to work
with.

     There have been a few things nagging me about FZT that I definitely
want to change.  The scrollback and text editor use a method of storing
their text which is slow, buggy, and inefficient.  I want to convert them to
use something I have come up with.  This will be nicer for people with less
memory, as they will stay a fixed size.  It also is nice for those of us
with a bit more RAM, as there will not be a fixed limit on the number of
lines that each will store.

     I want to completely rewrite the protocols, and add Z-modem and CIS B+
to them.  Once finished, they will become an internal part of FZT.  This
will be nicer on floppy users.  I will definitely keep the external protocol
slots, if you were worried.

     I want to improve the IGS emulation, one way or another.  I should be
getting in touch with Larry Mears, the author of the IGS emulator accessory
and Interlink .EMU module.  I want to figure out a way to have his modules
be able to load into FZT, meaning I don't have to update my IGS emulation at
all, and the newest version of IGS will always be supported by FZT.  I also
want to add VT-100, VT-102, VT-200, VT-220, and VT-3xx.  I have had many
requests for these, and I believe a complete terminal should be able to
handle these DEC emulations.

     I would like to update the script files.  I am not sure whether or not
I want to keep the .DO compatible format, or create something new and better
of my own.

     Stay tuned for this version of FZT.  It should blow everything else off
of the planet.  I will also be accepting 20 or so people as beta-testers for
this upcoming version.  If you have had major problems with FZT in the past,
have a TT or a weirdo graphics board, or are just a FZT addict, and are
a registered user, have free time, are willing to write a lot of bug
reports, and can afford calling my support board every once in a while, let
me know.


     I would like to apologize to my registered users.  You all have been
great to me, and I appreciate it.  Many of you have been waiting quite a
while for your registered versions and are sick of waiting.  Today I read a
bunch of back-mail off of the FZT conference on GEnie.  I believe that
calling FZT "Thiefware" is going a bit too far, though.  Please don't start
slamming the software for mistakes I have made.

     This has all been a learning experience for me, I must say.  FZT has
been spread around the globe by word-of-mouth advertising.  It has been
built up with a reputation of being some of the finest Shareware ever to
appear for the ST.  If you have sent in your registration fee, then it seems
that you believe this too.  It hurts to see people accusing me of
"destroying the reputation of all ST shareware."  But I believe they are
referring to my customer support, not my programming abilities.

     If you have sent in your registration, and received it in a satifactory
period of time, I would hope that you would let others know this.  If you
have sent in your registration, and are only now getting your registered
copy, I would hope that you would let others know that I am not a crook,
that the software performs as advertised, and that my customer support
leaves a little to be desired.

     If you have not sent in your