@database "ar233.guide" @Node MAIN "Amiga Report Online Magazine #2.33 -- December 4, 1994" @{" Turn the Page " link "menu"} _ ____ ___ ______ _______ _ d# ####b g#00 `N##0" _agN#0P0N# d# d## jN## j##F J## _dN0" " d## .#]## _P ##L jN##F ### g#0" .#]## dE_j## # 0## jF ##F j##F j##' ______ dE_j## .0"""N## d" ##L0 ##F 0## 0## "9##F" .0"""5## .dF' ]## jF ##0 ##F ##F `##k d## .dF' j## .g#_ _j##___g#__ ]N _j##L_ _d##L_ `#Nh___g#N' .g#_ _j##__ """"" """"""""""" " """""" """""" """"""" """"" """""" ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ######## TM ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## #### ## ## ## #### ## ## ## #### ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ### ###### ## ###### ## ### ## International Online Magazine "THE Online Source for Amiga Information!" Copyright 1994 Skynet Publications All Rights Reserved // =====================================//==================================== == December 4, 1994 \\// Issue No. 2.33 == =========================================================================== @endnode @node "menu" "Amiga Report Main Menu" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Main Menu == =========================================================================== @{" Editorial and Opinion " link P1} @{" News and Features " link P2} @{" Reviews " link P3} @{" Reader Mail " link P4} @{" FTP and Product Announcements " link P7} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @{" About AMIGA REPORT " link P5} @{" Dealer Directory " link P6-3} Contact Information and Copyrights Amiga Dealer Addresses and Numbers @{" Where to Get AR " link P5B} @{" Commercial Products " link P6} Mailing List & Distribution Sites Online Services, Dealers, Ordering ______________________________________________ // | | // ========//====| Amiga Report International Online Magazine |======//===== == \\// | Issue No. 2.33 December 4, 1994 | \\// == ==============| "THE Online Source for Amiga Information!" |============= |______________________________________________| c.s.a.editor.desk Amiga News Dealer Directory Distribution BBS's Product Announcements Reader Mail AR Reader Survey SPECIAL FEATURES Amiga Report Exclusive: CEI Conference on IRC! Soft-Logik Conference on GEnie Workbench Christmas List REVIEWS CEI A1962 14 inch Monitor ..............................Jason Compton Conundrum ..............................................Jason Compton Music MOD and Sound Effects CD .........................Jason Compton NewIcons .........................................Hermes Trismegistus Magitronic C-SV1500P Monitor ............................William Near GVP ioExtender ..........................................William Near Transition V1.2 ...................Katherine Nelson and Jason Compton @endnode =========================================================================== == The Amiga Report Staff == =========================================================================== @node P8-1 "Editor" @toc P5-1 =========================================================================== == EDITOR == =========================================================================== Jason Compton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Note well: I'll be in various places this Christmas season, so as of December 11, use this information until further notice: Internet Address -------- ------- jcompton@cup.portal.com 1203 Alexander Ave. jcompton@bbs.xnet.com Streamwood, IL 60107-3003 USA Fax Phone --- ----- 708/741-0689 708/332-4599 @endnode @node P8-2 "Senior Editor" @toc P5-1 =========================================================================== == SENIOR EDITOR == =========================================================================== Robert Niles ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Internet Address -------- ------- rniles@rniles.pnw.net 506 W. Orchard Selah, WA 98942 FidoNet Fax ------- --- 1:3407/103 509/697-5064 @endnode @node P8-3 "Assistant Editor" @toc P5-1 =========================================================================== == ASSISTANT EDITOR == =========================================================================== Katherine Nelson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Internet -------- Kati@cup.portal.com @endnode @node P8-4 "European Editor" @toc P5-1 =========================================================================== == EUROPEAN EDITOR == =========================================================================== Michael Wolf ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Internet -------- MikeWolf@bonebag.tynet.sub.org @endnode @node P8-5 "Contributing Editor" @toc P5-1 =========================================================================== == CONTIBUTING EDITOR == =========================================================================== David Tiberio ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Internet -------- dtiberio@libserv1.ic.sunysb.edu @endnode @node P1-1 "compt.sys.editor.desk" @toc P1 =========================================================================== == compt.sys.editor.desk By: @{" Jason Compton " link P8-1} == =========================================================================== It's always nice, when things don't look all that great, to do something that makes a statement. The Amiga situation certainly has been better, and even current users in some circles have started calling it a "dead platform" with "no hope", etc. etc... Tell that to the 450 people who participated in the CEI Conference on IRC last Tuesday-the ones that set records for involvement in any event or channel. To be sure, there were certainly some skeptics among them, but not enough to keep them away from the fourth public forum Amiga Report has held on the buyout. The conference is being translated into at least two other languages, and I have already been approached by journalists from three magazines to do report articles on the conference for their publications. I can't envision holding more conferences with CEI in the near future, but I just contacted C= UK again and made a rather strong case for their participation. Still waiting for a response. The most recent information available is as follows: This past Friday represents the last day Commodore Norristown engineers will be paid. The Commodore money to pay them ran out November 4th (the old UK-signing "deadline", established on that day for that very reason). I do not know what C= UK's response to this is, but CEI plans to negotiate a reduction in their bid with the liquidators, as the liquidator was considering the engineers and their contracts with Commodore to be an asset. With that asset gone, CEI seems unwilling to pay for it. The effect this will have is as yet unknown. CEI still seemed willing to sign the contract next week, but that will likely hinge on how much they try to lower their bid by and how the liquidator will take it. In relating this story to some people, I have been asked what the effect of this would be. Obviously, if any delay occurs, it's bad for the short-term. However, the less money spent on the Amiga, the more money left over to develop and sell it. It's a toss up and a balancing act. There's still no guarantee that any company will get it, but I haven't heard any rumblings from anywhere but Florida in the past couple of weeks. We'll see, as always. Be sure to check out the conference... Jason P.S. For European readers, AR is now available on a Poland WWW site. A German site also exists, but I've lost the URL-will the maintainer please contact me? @endnode @node P4 "Reader Mail" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Reader Mail == =========================================================================== From: owl@davinci.reading.MA.US (Opportunity With Learning) Subject: Review Jason, I wanted to address some of the constraints that I had in writing the program which I think address some of your concerns. I was aiming to be able to run the program on a 2MB Amiga so that I would not alienate people who had only purchased a stock Amiga 1200. Since the program is written in CanDo it started to grow very large as I progressed through the subject matter. I would have preferred to use more colors and a higher resolution for the pictures, however, the size of the program would have been enormous! I have tried to address this issue with the CanDo folks and am waiting to see how the newest version of CanDo fairs. This was also the reason for splitting the program into two programs as described in the user's manual. As for the use of BRU, this was simply a way of packing all of the various multimedia items onto 4 disks. I wanted to use something that I didn't have to license and assumed that everyone would have the program on their machines. I've actually only found one other person who did not have it installed. BRU would not have been needed either if Inovatronics allowed some sort of sharing of libraries, so that each program was smaller than 500K+. I also wanted to let you know that we are working on a second product which will essentially cover optics, electricity, waves, and particles. I have had a lot of good responses to Physics Lab and requests for the second half of the subject matter. This should be available by next summer. -- Opportunity With Learning - Educational Software for the Future 460 Summer Ave. Reading, MA 01867-3819 Lori Vinciguerra - President Internet: owl@davinci.reading.MA.US - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: per.jonsson@deadzone.ct.se (Per Jonsson) Subject: The rise of the Amiga! Hello Jason and Amigareport! I have just red the CEI conference from 29 nov and I feel better than ever about the future of the Amiga rising like Phoenix. I want to thank you all folks on Amiga Report for doing a great "mag". When CEI are (if they are) done with the buyout I'm going to send them a packet of flowers (it's a bit hard with the distance here from Sweden :-) or some choklade to congratulate them. And I hope all you guys ('n gerlies) out there is going to do the same. Why not collecting some dineros in your local Amiga-BBS/Usergroup or whatever and send something to show your suport and joy. This man (Alex) is a miracle, he have been in three (or more?) conferences in less than a year, it's more than C= _ever_ have done officially in _ten_ years (in my knowledge). And the man can listen to the users and he wants to get our opinions. I feel a great pleasure in that. cmp.l #Alex,#D_Pleasence ;Compare Alex CEI with David P. C= UK David P. has never been on a conference (exept for som show in UK) and the only thing you hear (see) from him is his little columns in the English Amiga Mags. My only wish now is that CEI buy C= out so I can buy myself a brand new A4000 with a resent pricetag. And ofcourse so I can sleep in the nights again ;-) (Soon the people will sing and dance in the streets again) Best Regards Per Jonsson /Stockholm/Sweden Fidonet: 2:201/325.3 Email: per.jonsson@p3.deadzone.ct.se - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: "Luis R. Anaya" Subject: Questions and comments to CEI. Hi Jason: I got your email address out from the CEI log and I would like you to forward suggestions and other mumbo jumbo to Alex Amor. Some are suggestions other are comments and others are just plain stupid :). 1. I feel that CEI is not taking into consideration of the Latin American market and its potential very seriously. I'm aware that the support of the strong user base in Europe and the Amiga re-introduction in USA are CEI's priorities. However, after reading the log and after speaking with another person which asked the same question, the question has not been answered what is warranted. I would assume that all Latin American operations are going to be done in the main office in Florida because most of the corporate offices that deal with Latin America markets are there. It does make sense. However, I strongly feel that there is nothing in concrete to address it. What's been feared is that CEI will follow the steps of C='s, *to ignore completely Latin American dealers*, The end result has been lost of revenue and a closed window of opportunity in Latin America, something that right now Apple, Sun, DEC, IBM even NeXT has capitalized with it. NeXT provided a whole lab for the Monterrey Institute for Higher Education Studies, Mexico. They were one of the prefered customer list afterwards, Apple claimed in the Caribbean Business that the Power PC will take 20% of the computer market in Puerto Rico and there was a big order of PPC for UPR@Mayaguez. Perhaps after the re-introduction of the Amiga in USA might re-start the interest in some of the Latin American markets, specially Mexico and Puerto Rico which are the two markets with most direct contact with the USA and are considered key markets for any product that is going to be introduced in Latin America. However that does not guaranteed that the Amiga will be accepted as a serious computer platform if the market is mismanaged and the dealers are ignored. The competition is very strong. Clones abound in Puerto Rico, UPR @ Mayaguez are starting to buy Pentiums to run LINUX in their engineering labs, the same goes with their math department. In other ways, it is not going to be easy and I do not think that ignoring the market would do any good either if the Latin American market is going to be acknowledged (i. e. unless you want their money). 2. Education is going to be very important. However, is CEI targeting the Educational market the way it is supposed to? Engineering Majors will demand to have engineering applications for the to use. GNU Applications are acceptable for computer science majors but serious CAD/CAM, Chemist simulator, structural analysis programs are also important. For other majors, word processors, spreadsheets and Math Cad like programs are going to be the ones that will be used more. Is CEI taking care of the application bundles that should be released at the educational market? Are they going to be addressed by giving other choices of OS?? 3. I would imagine that CEI will continue pushing the Amiga for video applications and multi media. Are you thinking into going into other aspect of the computer development? like client server applications, embedded systems, machinery control systems or mission critical apps (I hate that word)?? Will sample machines are going to be sent to software development companies for evaluation?? Will you do like Silicon Graphics to go around in a trailer and showing people the power of Amiga?? That's all for now. Thanks for your time reading this lines. You can contact me for anything and I wish CEI luck in their future ventures. -- Luis Roberto Anaya-Rivera papo@donuts0.bellcore.com A True PL/1 Hacker papo@briscas.gamekeeper.bellcore.com Bellcore, NJ Ham: N2ZXE+ @endnode @node P2-1 "Press Releases" @toc P2 =========================================================================== == Press Releases == =========================================================================== We forgot SoftWood's contact information last issue... SoftWood P.O. Box 50178 Phoenix, AZ 85076 USA 602-431-9151 PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov 17, 1994 PRESS CONTACT: Ellen Kazmaier tel: 314-894-8608; fax: 314-894-3280 SOFT-LOGIK ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF WORDWORTH AND DATASTORE (St. Louis) Soft-Logik(tm) today announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Digita International(R) that will bring Digita's acclaimed Wordworth(R) word processor and new Datastore(tm) database manager to the United States and Canada. Digita International is the leading publisher of Amiga productivity software in the United Kingdom, and Soft-Logik Publishing is the leading publisher of Amiga productivity software in the United States. With this agreement, Soft-Logik will now market and support Wordworth and Datastore in the United States and Canada. Soft-Logik will also make technical support options available to existing users of these programs in North America. "The American Amiga market has undergone a lot of changes in the last year," said Soft-Logik president Deron Kazmaier. "It is important that Amiga users in the United States and Canada have access to the very best Amiga word processor and database. We will give Amiga users here that access." Wordworth 3.1 is the latest version of Digita's award-winning word processor. It is faster, friendlier, and more powerful than its predecessor. Wordworth includes advanced online help tutorials, intuitive editing, amazing text effects, and supports PostScript(R), TrueType(R) and Compugraphic(R) fonts. Its real-time spell checking, drag and drop editing, tables, built-in printer font support and enhanced PostScript printing make it the best choice for all Amiga word processing. Wordworth is available immediately from Soft-Logik at a direct price of $135, and from all American and Canadian Amiga dealers. Datastore is a new personal database manager. It comes with EasyStart Templates(tm) to get users started quickly, and extensive online help. Datastore features mail-merge with Wordworth, forms with text and graphics, sophisticated queries and a Navigator with VCR-style controls. Datastore will be available in mid-December from Soft-Logik at a direct price of $95, and from dealers. Soft-Logik PageStream(R) 3.0 can import and export Wordworth text. A document filter, which will be available early next year, can be used to load an entire Wordworth document into PageStream to preserve the document layout. This means that people who start a document in their word processor and later need the features of a desktop publisher won't have to start the document over again. This synergy between Wordworth and PageStream makes these programs the best team for Amiga word processing and desktop publishing. @endnode @node P1-2 "The Padded Cell" @toc P1 =========================================================================== == Darkseid's Padded Cell By: Roger Boal == =========================================================================== Top Ten signs you're having/gonna have a bad day 1) The disk drive snaps at you 2) The bird singing outside your window is a vulture 3) The IRS want to interview your hard drive 4) Theres a CBS/CNN newscrew waitingfor you when you get home 5) The Tv is showing emergency routes out of town 6) Your answering machine tells you to mind your own business 7) Your twin forgets your birthday 8) Your mother says good morning Robert and your name is Joe 9) Your boss tells you not to bother sitting down 10) You get up out of bed, wash, dress and then realise its Saturday and you don't have anywhere to go The Amiga's that never where 1) Integrated toaster Makes hot toast while you render (although had samsung won....) 2) Video Toaster II (budget) MMMMMMMm crunchy VHS, spread with butter and strawberry jam 3) The CD64 (pronounce Seedy 64) No need, the british govt fulfills this role 4) Bill Gate Array Similar to the akiko chip array, but fools people into thinking that an expensive, crap machine is multimedia compatibile if you add a cdrom snd cute speakers. Also makes money on a large scale by constantly forcing the user to upgrade. 5) Games on Cartridge I taut I taw a Putty Cart, you did but then they relased it on floppy instead 6) Warp Engine 4000/060 The Imagine canna take it cap'n theyre gonna blow..... 7) Ron Chips A new form of Memory management, which persuades chips to release ram by kicking their pins about, can lead to some chips turning up covered in cement. Also known as the Kray (supercomputer) twins heheheh. 8) The Mac-Amiga The Scots didnt like it so it was scrapped Digital SuperHighway.... Roadkill ??? The internet as it stands is a global community, basically free of advertisingie Junk Email..., without social, economic or political divide. You could be reading this a jew in Palestine, an Arab in kuwait, an American in New York, a Brazilian in Puerto Rico, a Frenchperson in Paris. You could be jewish, catholic, hindu, muslim, protestant, a pagan, an atheist, you could be liberal, republican, nationalist, it doesnt matter the net doesnt judge, and from what I've seen racism and bigotry isn't tolerated. So why am I writing this, well I'm worried where the net is heading, and as it seems that the net will invade our lives be it Superhighway or whatever, how will it affect us.Well, the suppositions are that the net will allow us to get and send all sorts of information, wrong.. our govts are afraid of this and will restrict us, one only has to look at the clipper chip in the us and what happened to the guy who wrote the PGP program to see ample proof. The net will allow us to get newspapers on our computers, book flights, do our banking, do our shopping and get videos on tap. Hmm all very well and good, but have you considered the ramifications. If this happens you won't need newspapers, or magazines if thats true what happens to the newsagents and the printers, no work = no job. The same goes for shops, travel agents, video stores and banks, all you'll need is a computer and a few programmers. Also I like having to go out into the real world and interact with real people and do real things. Its called social behaviour , deny it to someone and they begin to feel isolated, not a good thing in anyones book. We need human-human interaction in more ways than the most basic (ie sex), it keeps our minds and souls healthy. Try locking yourself in a room for a week, dont meet anyone and only talk via the net, dont talk to anyone socially, it is mentally tough...I guess what Im trying to say is, we need to keep the net free and clean. It is a tool for us to live our lives with, not a way of living our lives, all Im saying is dont rush into the future without some consideration. Im cutting short here as I want to get feed back on this (plus I have to go to class in about 5 min), if you agree/disagree Mail CKB426@ujvax.ulster.ac.uk and leave your message. I'll put the best bits forward in a later artcicle. Oh yes it is relevent to the Amiga as the amiga could be one of the machines chosen to drive the home end of the net, just be careful with the future, we dont know what'll happen..... Youve heard their side Youve laughed at the far side Youve fallen on your backside Now read the Darkseid...... @endnode @node P1-3 "Reality Check" @toc P1 =========================================================================== == Reality Check By: rbeekman@xs4all.nl == =========================================================================== lately we have been bothered repeatedly with letters like the one from John Gustafsson in the last issue of amiga report telling us what 'we' need ... which basically boils down to; an a4000/060 with a cd-rom ( 100% cd32 compatible ), 10 Mb ram and 1 Gig Hd space ..... and all of this for only $9.95..... almost all of those letters make it sound like this is 'the only way the amiga will survive' i think it is time for a reality check..... what is happening while all amigans are picking their noses ??? just the other day i read an article about the new VideoCube from a company called ImMax, it is a non-linear on-line editing system based on ( you guessed it.... ) a powermac.... non-linear video-editing has been available on a professional level for about 4 years now, non-linear on-line video-editing ( which requires a much, much higher picture quality ) is pretty new and several companies are now introducing their new systems... what have we got for the amiga to show ??? nothing really... at least not something that can compete as an editing-system with any ( new or old ) of the other non-linear editing system ..... sure these systems cost an arm and a leg ( and you'd probably have to sell your grandma too ... ), but you get what you pay for ..... i do a lot of broadcast video-editing work and about a year ago the company i work for needed a new video-titler, so i suggested to buy an amiga 4000 and use scala for the titling .... they did shop around and get some offers so they new what the prices were, but then the 'ones that had to decide' refrased the question to "are we going to continue on the amiga-level or are we going to continue on a professional level?" .... so they ended up buying a 'professional' titling system that costed them $50000 ( btw it runs on a MC68020 with a 68881 and a lot of custom circuitry... ) sure there has been a lot of ignorance influencing these people, but i think that the amiga community at large is very much responsible for this image of a gamesmachine-and-good-for-nothing-else that the amiga has to put up with...... after all.... commodore has never done any marketing what so ever.... so the image the amiga has is based on what amiga owners had to show... if you think you need an amiga 4000/060 with cd-rom, 32Mb ram and 1 gig hd, then why is it that you do not want to pay for it ???? how many of you have bought the par-system for home-use ???? none probably.... ok there may be some wealthy exception to the rule .... but lets face it .... most of the expensive and resource-hungry hard- and software are of no use to the vast majority of home-users ..... i don't see any dads editing their summer-holiday videos on a non-linear video-editing system..... knowing the trouble involved in the process.... sure... the par is targeted at the low-cost video-production marked, but hey, it's a big world out there and any company is only going to invest once every 3 to 5 years in equipment so they tend to go for the 'bit more expensive but very compatible with larger systems and easily expandable'-systems..... hate to say it but the amiga-based systems up until now lack in this field..... if the amiga is ever going to conquer the world as the best multi-media-machine-ever then you have to seriously address these kind of things ... people who really need the hardware are willing and able to pay for it... only those who think that it would be cool to play rise of the robots on an amiga 4000/060 with cd-rom, 32Mb ram and 1 gig hd do not want to pay the full price... if you really do need the hardware options then this means that you are in some way or another involved in a professional video or multi-media business, which means that you can and have to adjust your hourly rates to be able to offer your clients exactly what they want, to properly serve them and thus you will have no problem spending the above mentioned arm and leg..... if you are not involved in a professional video or multi-media business and still think you need the hardware, you either now why it is priced as it is or you should just sell your computer as obviously you are incapable of valuing it correctly anyway..... there also is another way of looking at the whole situation; what do you want the amiga to support or be able to do ??? anything ? or just anything that doesn't cost anything ??? the last one ofcourse being the least exciting one.... face it, cutting edge technologies cost an arm and a leg and if you want the amiga to be able to handle these technologies then some conditions have to be met..... and those will involve expensive hard- and software setups... so what does the world look like right now? until very recently almost all of the sound-studios outside the u.s. were using atari as their main 'do it all' computersystem.... right now they are almost all switching to macs..... amongst the non-linear video editing systems the macintosh has always had a very firm base.... several leading systems were based on macs and that seems to continue or even increase..... the developments in this field are still moving incredibly fast and it seems that the end of this will not be reached for some time to come .... so basically it might not be too late to join the game .... but we will all have to get used to soft- and hardware demanding certain minimum setups ( eg .... A6000/xICS, 32Mb ram, several gigs hd, etc ... ) it should not be any issue at all to drop support for ks<3.0 .... the difference between ks3.0 and 3.1 are minimal so one *might* consider supporting both...... but frankly, i can't blame the new company if they were to abandon ks<3.1 altogether.... what i think is the only way to make the amiga survive is to have it outperform any powermac setup conceivable, no matter what the costs are... as said before, those who need it are willing and able to pay the price.... this makes it possible to mass-produce the new technologies, and thus dropping the prices and slowly bring these technologies into reach of the ordinary user..... the amiga will never be a widely supported, meaningful system if it keeps conforming to those stuck in the past and unwilling to spend some extra money to at least keep up.... nor will it ever get anywhere by demanding that everything should always be able to run on a cheapest setup available, again, sorry but if you are unwilling to pay for a proper system ( by this i mean a system capable of handling your tasks in the best possible way ) then where do you get the nerve to demand everybody else to conform to your standards..... sorry, you lose .... again, you get what you pay for and so far the amiga has cost next to diddly... @endnode @node P2-3 "CEI Conference on IRC" =========================================================================== == CEI Conference on IRC! == =========================================================================== On Tuesday, November 29th, an unprecedented IRC conference was held with Alex Amor from CEI. It would not have been possible without the help of numerous channel operators and monitors, particularly Bewdah (Boodah), who basically did all of the work of maintaining the question queue. It is estimated that at least 450 people participated, either in the conference channel or on one of the numerous echo channels that were established. On behalf of Amiga Report Magazine, I'd like to invite everyone to the first EVER Amiga Buyout IRC Conference. The conference will go something like this: /msg the moderator, me, with a short summary of your question. You'll be put on a list, which will be g iven out periodically by Boodah, the list keeper. Excessive messaging of the ops, moderator, or guest will NOT be tolerated. We have someone here specifically to do kick/banning. I appreciate that everyone showed up, but also, not everyone can ask a question. Follow-ups are impossibilities with such a huge crowd. By the way folks, congratulations on the largest IRC event as far as we are aware of. Alex, do you have any opening words? Yes. We are overwhelmed by the response from around the world today. The support has been incredible, our hope is to finalize the deal shortly and bring back the Amiga! Will you [alex] consider using GLint chips for the amiga? [GLint is a 3D gfx chip from 3DLabs -Thanks EdS] No, the Commodore engineering team was working on a chip set with superior performance with a lower cost. This chip was internally referred as a 3d/risc chip set. Alex- how do you plan on providing educational support? The university I work for is considering closing its amiga lab. Educational support is very important to the new Amiga company. Our plan calls for a comprehensive support staff exclusively for education. Additionally, special pricing as well as special configurations for e ducation should make the Amiga quite attractive for all schools. We are currently working on a plan that provides the least expensive solution for students than anything else thats available. Amix is not the only Amiga Unix any more, but I feel it could be the best, and thus commercially viable, if development were to be continued immediataly . Are there any plans to restart development/support of Amix? Support for Amix is possible. Development on the 68040 processor needs to be finalized. There is no reason the new company wont support Unix, it's cheap and makes sense. ok what my question is what do you think about DSP? and also about 040 fo r a base cpu for the amiga (ie 040 1200, 040 cd32) and WHat about amiga dos on a risc machine?(no windows nt) one more thing what about tcp/ip in amiga's? thanks. A multiple part question I see.... First and foremost, DSP are good and necessary but, the co-developmen t of applications is necessary. As the price of the 68040 is reduced it will make the processor attractive for low end platforms. The general transition has been to start with the advanced processors on the high end machines and migrate to the low end as price permits.... The OS needs to migrate to a new processor within the next twelve months. There is no reason that the new Amigas can't be multi-os machines. AmigaDos firs t and everything else is just the topping on the cake. How much of the marketing budget would go into pan-Europe ? The marketing budget is fully dependent on a number of factors that include the size of the market... the potential for Amigas. I realize that a number of individuals in Europe are afraid the CEI will ignore their market. This is not the case. I fully understand the popularity of the Amiga and the amount of marketing support which it needs in Europe. In order to run a profitable company we must capitlize on the strengh ts of all the markets. Marketing is Europe will be directed to the consumer market and the d eveloping video market. While in North America the main emphasis will be on the professional multimedia markets. Will next Amiga have the ZorroIII bus, or what bus will be used in future Amiga? The Zorro bus is as important to the Amiga as AmigaDos. I believe the next generation machine should have the Zorro and the PCI bus. This will enable developers t o add products relatively easilly. Ok, everyone, quick reminder: You only get to ask one question, and that's if you're lucky. If you've asked to be on the list already, DON'T ASK AGA IN. That, and perhaps we can clear up some questions with this following salvo: 1. What is the current status of your bid and the negotiations? 2. Are you making any deals with the UK? CEI is in the final negotiating stages with the trustee. If all goes well and there are no legal roadblocks there is a possibility that the con tract can be signed early next week. The inventory situation remains murky . Commodore's raw material inventory was moved from the old C= factory to a warehouse where a number of product were lost or misplaced. Our goal is to reintroduce the Amiga as soon as possible so the material issue is important. There is also an abundance of legal issues which are being resolved. If all goes well an announcment will be made upon the signing. As far as the UK status, CEI is willing to work with whatever party to make the Amiga succesfull. Our plan calls for opening up a new operation i n the UK and Germany within the next sixty days. These operations will be staffed by the most competent individuals possible (either old/new Amiga management) and new blood. Possibly CBM's biggest mistake was the bungling of AppShell/AppBuilder. Will you be rekindling this project and/or undertaking a similar new project? I'm afraid that I am not familiar with this project. If its good, sells Amiga and helps the market, yes. [AppShell/AppBuilder is a development tool to help designing well integrated GUI/ARexx interfaces, basically.] Alex well i wanted to know what is after the 68060? is it the PowerPC (that what i think should be the best) or PA-RISC or something else!!! IBM/Apple is pushing us towards the PowerPC. We have had talks with HP on the PA-RISC. This is a determination that needs to be made by the new engineering team. Obviously, we want the most powerful Amiga for the least amount of money. Porti ng the operating system will be a key component to the new processor for the Amiga. Kati-AR> Two parter: 1. You mentioned education. Where will the educational software come from? The most popular titles out now are on CD and aren't available for t he Amiga. 2. Will future versions of WorkBench look more "slick"? Many people now use hacks and new icon packages to make their desktops more attractive. Part one.....the biggest boost to educational software is to get more computers out in the field. The easiest way to accomplish this is through special models and pric ing for education. As the Amiga being the first multimedia computer it makes no sense why every Amiga does not come with a CD-ROM drive built in. The utilization of a multiple OS machine al so makes sense. We have a very long list of cosmetic improvements for workbench. Sorry to interrupt, but what about including a better text editor, paint program, term program, etc ala IBM OS's? Ed really stinks. ABSOLUTELY....What about a terminal program to communicate with Internet? The possibilites are boundless. I fully realize that our look and feel needs to be more professional and "zappier". [Commodore used to have Internet software.. Bundling AS225 shouldn't be out of the question even today] [AS225 is too complex] We need a communication package that's user friendly. Its important to remember that there is a possiblity that the Amiga might be the first computer a customer has purchased. Ease of use is extremely important. We would like to provide a complete out of the box solution for both the home and the business. There is no reason that advanced home Amigas can't have communication capabilities already built in from the factory. alex: Is there a possibility that you will look into entering the Mexican or Latin-American market, which is growing rapidly? The Mexican market has always been strong for Amiga amiga ;-) First, Thomas (ProComp) sends his regards and regrets he couldn't be here. Q1: Any plans to start production of the A3000+ instead of 4000 models and/or 3000+ motherboards as upgrades for current A3000-owners? Q2: Will you, if you decide to go with the PPC, make the Amiga MkII-ser ies compatible with the new hardware specs for PPC-machines from IBM/Apple/Motorola? No. The first order of business is to restart production on the A1200, A4000 and A4000T. The ability to offer upgrades is one that will be explored early in t he game. The value and loyalty of our existing customer base will not be ignored. How many people will you have developing new Amigas that have actually developed Amigas or hardware for Amigas before? And how big will the development team be? When we acquire the assets from Commodore we will be getting 17 engineers. Plans call to increase that number to 103 by the end of the year. We will also be working closely with other manufacturers i.e. Ameristar for networking, etc. What does CEI plan to do to support Amiga Users' groups? Discount programs, promotional materials, regional demonstrations, loan support programs, etc. Will you continue to make and support CD32's Yes. But, I see the future as an Amiga 1200 type machine with a built in CD. We must be realistic that competing with the big boys(Nintendo, SEGA) will be extremely difficult. Lets take the advantages of our technology and move them forward. The CD32 is a great unit for interactive kiosk applications. The next machine utilizing the new technology has a better chance agaisnt the big boys. Unfortunately, C= lost too much valuable time with the CD32 and trying to bring it back will simply cost too much. <_lisa_> It seems that now that market is in its mature phase that marketing will be critical, especially as the big boys excercise hold-and-maintain strategies .How will you fight this? Also It seems that now that market is in its mature phase that marketing wil l be critical, especially as the big boys excercise hold-and-maintain strategies .How will you fight this? Also 1) will the amiga ever make it back into mass merchants sand 2) would y ou like a fresh outta grad school MBA for your Marketing Department? Another two parter I see. First the Amiga is still, even today, viable against the big boys of the computer market. There is no one that makes a personal home computer that can do what the 1200 does and sells for that amount. If we concentrate on the markets which the Amiga can win hands down there is no reason we cant repeat the formula of the Commodore 64. By moving forward with the new technologies that Commodore posseses we can play a signi ficant role in new developing markets. (Set-top boxes, interactive display s tations, etc.) As for the second part our marketing has to be controlled by creative (read "unusual") marketing approach. We simply need the best people (PERIOD). What are your plans for Europe? In prior conferences you have mainly talked about the US. Do you have enough funds to market properly in Europe also? 2. Are you plannning to hire the former C= employees back (eg. Dave Haynie) ? Al so,> with the rehiring of C= employees would you consider AAA? As far as I know the plans for RISC are based on the opinions of 17 engineers, who do not k now AAA? Once again Europe is extremely important! C= sold 85% of their computers in Europe. We will devote whatever resources are necessary to make the European market flourish. There are a number of ex-Commodore employees who have offered their services once the ac quisition is complete. Of course we are thrilled to build a new Amiga Team uti lizing some of the old players. 2 downers of NTized (boo!) Amiga: 1. will repel loyal Amigoids, who love its close relationship between CPU/ custom chips/OS 2. will have hard time attracting people who already have NT machines alex: what is your opinion? HUH? Translation: Do you want to use Win NT? The Amiga is unique due to its OS and custom chips. This does not remove the possibility of running multiple OSs. Remember, the Trojan Horse. Wait till they see our operating system. PS. Most people will not purchase an Amiga because it will run NT but , some will not buy it because it doesnt. two parter from people outside: 1. You mentioned getting old C= employees back. Most of the old dev team is at Scala and 3DO it seems. Do you have plans for co-development with Scala? 2. What is planned for future sound support in Amiga? CO-development with Scala is not out of the question. CEI has an excellent relationship with SCALA. We look forward to working with them in the future. Part two...DSP. [Sound is one of the things where even the current OS compliant software is VERY close to hardware. Getting it moved to something else will be quite a challenge. Good luck.] How are your plans for porting AmigaOS to a risc cpu? As native and how fast will applications be available than? Porting the AmigaOS is large task that we plan to undertake almost immediately. In order to properly implement a port it is important to have developers co-assis ting. Our role includes full complete co-developer implementation of the porting. When the ported OS is released applications that fully utilize the OS need to be present. Alex, hi. Re: upcoming trade shows. VTU/Calif next month and CES/Vegas Jan '95. What are CEI's plans to be at and/or display at either of these shows. specifically CES wuld make for a great venue to "relaunch" the amiga? Time constraint is critical. Once we have wrapped up the purchase of the Commodore assets we will immediately begin an extremely aggressive show schedul e. But, to start prematurely does not make sense. I will be attending a number of shows in the next few weeks to meet privately with developers and supporters. The amiga used to be big down here in Australia until commodore screwed all the distributors. Are there any plans to re-start Commodore Australia and rebuild the userbase down here? I know plenty of people who really don't want to sell their amiga (Me included). Yes, we are having conversation with a number of key players in the Australian market. Our immediate plans do not call for opening an office but, working closely with allies. Is a CD-ROM unit with CD32 and MPEG support for the A4000 on the list of immediate releases once things get going? YES! mr amor, many people have said that amiga is dead technology, limited by its custom chips, why spend money on it? There are over 400 users here with us at this time. Orders for thousands of computers are being submitted. The Amiga OS can do things that Windows never even dream of at a cost no one can match. The There are over 400 users here with us at this time. Orders for thousands of computers are being submitted. The Amiga OS can do things that Windows never even dream of at a cost no one can match. The Amiga is dead? C= only had a developers program which cost a lot of money. Do you plan on a "cheap" support program for PD/ShareWare authors who just want the documentation of the latest OS. Yes, the developers are an integral part of making the Amiga succesful. Many developers are small companies working out of their homes. We fully realize that all individuals need to be update with the latest informations. Don't you get the feeling that this whole thing could possibly be too little too late? Especially in the shaking up of the market which begun this summer and probably won't end for a couple years? All of the companies in the industry have become highly competitive, and the market tends to polarize around the "winning" (not necessarily the best) standard(s). Do you really think CEI is equipped to cope with this enormous threat? YES! Our intent is not to compete directly with the IBMs and Compaqs of the world. The market is fragmenting and customers are being wiser when shopping for products. The Amiga can do a lot more for a lot less. No I dont expect miracles but, the ability to viably compete in the market is more than just an opportunity. 3 Questions: 1) How will developer support under CEI differ from the former C=? 2) will CEI do what it takes to get the support from SAS (SAS/C) back ? 3) And last, what is CEI betting on, AAA or the so called "HOMBRE" project ? CEI will work closely with developers. This include joint ventures, joint marketing programs, bundling the developers products with the machines and getting input on the direction of the company. Getting SAS back on line with the Amiga is critical. CEI will do whatever is necessary to obtain this support. The final decision on which technology to go with has not been made. By having the machines share a common bus with graphics not located in the motherboard will allow greater flexibility. What will be the price range for the new Amigas? I don't know much about the OS so does it have mem. protection and stuff? There is not a lot of room in the low end Amigas, they were cheap to begin with. The high end Amigas need to be priced more realistically. Our goals are to utilize the original formula that made C= succesful in the beginning. The most powerful machine for the least money. The last few years they seemed to have forgotten this. Interrupt: This will, of course, involve more high-profile floor scrubber marketing, will it not? GA Q1: How will you support dedicated Amiga dealerships in favor of mail-or der multi-platform houses to enhance the image and strength of the Amiga? Q2: Have you considered buying SC from SAS and develop it yourselves? Strict market controls need to be implemented. The Amiga is not a PC clone and should not be treated like one. The profitable survival of the dealership is crucial to selling a specialized product like the Amiga. We have not considered the purchase of SC at this time. This is all fine & dandy but are there NO REAL news just a bunch of IF' s & THEN's, i mean C= UK is 99% sure of getting the ami so are you, real news so meone must know something, we are still in the DARK here, if this takes much longer even i jump ship. IS THAT A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? Comment. Next question. HI Alex, will future releases of the Amiga-OS support memory-protection by MMU like OS/2, UNIX and others? As a programmer, I think we should care about the efficient OS and multitasking of this machine too... what does CEI think about it? Remember, I'm not an engineer or a programmer. I believe that the market expects that all Amigas be equipped with MMUs. Multiple processors, Multiple users and multiple screens & keyboards in one machine? oh and memory protection in next mahines? Sorry, your question is beyond me in this mode. will CEI designed amigas have both chunky and planar modes, and will they remove videodma from stoping the processor (dual port video ram) Yes, the work to convert is already existing in the CD32. This question is also beyond me, due to its technical nature. hello alex: what kind of support do you plan to give in foreign countries(private resellers, subsidiaries..)? Major centers of operations will be UK, Germany, Canada and the US initially. Expansion into Norway and Italy are possible. Our goals are to work with partners in the remainder of the world to fullfil the market needs. When will massive multiprocessing (or at least multiprocessing:) be sup ported in AmigaOS and on which CPU? WAlso where can users send their ideas on im provements on amiga? (an email would do:) The first question is way to technical to be addressed by me in this media. We are happy to take suggestions by regular mail to the following: CEI 5555 West Flagler Street Miami, FL 33134 USA Att: Amiga Suggestions Once we have accomplished the acquisition we will publish the E-mail address. Or send your suggestions to "JASON@floorscrubber.com". He will forward them to us on a timely matter. Interrupt: No, no, it's jcompton@bbs.xnet.com, but that's an excellent name for when I get a site running...:) When can we see RTG ? It's even more important than RISC. RTG is the top item on our need list. It's time has come. [I've been asked what RTG is, RTG == Retargetable Graphics, which allows a standard graphics interface no matter what the graphics characteristics of your display device] Are you negotiating with Microsoft or Lotus about porting Word or AmiPro ? (Final Writer still doesn't cut it, IMHO) We are talking to a number of different players in both the hardware and software industry. At this time I am not liberty to give out any specifics. If we can introduce a mu lti-OS machine this would by default give the Amiga users a broader base of programs. You mentioned cosmetic enhancements with the OS, what type of enhancements might you mean? We have taken a close look at the SGI, Windows, etc. They look and feel more professional then our beloved Amiga. [geez, give me GEOS-C64 rather than Windoze, please ;)] Will the 1200 keep it it current shape as "all-in-one-case" computer, or will it be keyboard + case? And what will be the name of the company? I believe there is room for improvement on the basic Amiga 1200. This does not necessarily mean a redo on the machine but, might mean new models (A1 400, A1600, etc.). The working name is currently Amiga Technologies International, remember this is subject to change depending on the legal types. [NeXTSTEP would be a much better model :)] [agreed] [Walk through doors, don't crawl through windows - is that what you wanted , Timmer? ;)] Why has this taken over 6 months? Can you explain the difficulties so that the skeptical among us understand? First of all you must remember that Commodore was once a billion dollar company. There were 35 different companies located in over 20 different countries. It is a legal nightmare. So far the only people who have made money have been the lawyers and trustees. The majority of the legal matters have been settled and that why the actual transfer of property is close at hand. The problem with the Phillipine inventory has also caused the most recent delays. [Lawyers are known for drwing things out as they get paid by the hour - :)] Hopefully, all these issues have been or will be resolved by the end of the week. alex: any idea when CEI will have an inventory ready for those who've a lready placed deposits on some offbeat CBM equipment like a c65 :) We have taken no deposits on any offbeat Commodore equipment. When the inventory becomes available we fill orders on first in first out basis. Would you consider contracting out some of the OS work, eg. the improvement of the GUI? I know that we at Phantom Development have already done a lot of ground work in this area. Yes. We welcome the opportunity to work with developers to move our plans ahead. [I'm sure Pepo here would love a chance to have a look at Intuition source :)] The amiga has always been a great sounding machine since the 500 What ideas have CEI got for the enhancement of the amigas sound capabilities? 16bit audio, built-in midi support? Again, DSP is instrumental (pun intended) to move the Amiga in the sound theater. Alex Any chance of EVER seeing the A3000+? And did you enjoy this enough to want to do another IRC conference? ;) I believe you will see a machine that will have all the capabilities of the A3000+ and more. I have enjoyed the opportunity to be with you this afternoon. Hopefully, next time we can report that we are moving forward with the Amiga instead of just talking about it! Score, ANOTHER conference!! :) Ok, the conference is coming to an end. Just to wrap up... Many people have expressed interest in working for the new company. What do you suggest they do at this point? We need everyones help in order to be successful. The one big difference is CEI is willing to listen where C= did not. Let us know. What sort of presence, realistically, could you have at this Winter CES? I would think that by now, it's too late to get table space. CES is out of the question at this point. Ok, everyone, that'll do it. Stick around for the wrap ups and legalities... * Bewdah thanks Alex for his time for the entire non-voiced crowd. "Thanks mucho Alex!!" Thanks to Alex Amor, President of CEI, for taking the time to be here today. Thanks to the over 400 people who showed up, either actively or in a listening mode, for the conference. Thanks to the channel ops for looking imposing, and thanks to Bewdah for doing the grunt work of maintaining the list and handing out voice. His help was invaluable. Thank you all for attending. I would like to give a special thanks to the moderators and all who have assisted in setting up this conference!;-) Comments can be directed to CEI at the address they gave you a while back, or directed to me, jcompton@bbs.xnet.com, and they'll eventually get to them. That should about do it. Thanks to everyone for making this a surprising success. @endnode @node P2-4 "Soft-Logik Conference" @toc P2 =========================================================================== == Soft-Logik Conference on GEnie == =========================================================================== (C) 1994 by GEnie and the Soft-Logik Roundtable. May be reprinted only with this notice intact. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369 (in Canada: 1-800-387-8330). Upon connection type HHH (and then RETURN). At the U#= prompt type IAMCOOL (and then RETURN). At the offer code prompt, enter PAJ528 (and then Return). Have a major credit card ready. For more information in the United States or Canada, call 1-800-638-9636. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- OCTOBER 30, 1994 The following is a transcript of the real-time conference with Deron Kazmaier, president of Soft-Logik Publishing Corporation, on GEnie. This transcript has been edited only for spelling and clarity. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- <[Michael] SL-DEV> Welcome! In conference with us tonight is SoftLogik President Deron Kazmaier. This conference will have two parts. The formal part of the conference will begin now and will be in listen-only mode. When you want to ask a question, you will have to 'raise your hand' by typing /RAI and then pressing Return to get my attention. Please prepare your questions before your turn or keep them short. After the formal part of the conference there will be an informal segment where everybody can talk freely. <[Michael] SL-DEV> Remember that Deron isn't here in conference with us very often. Use this opportunity to ask him questions about the future of Soft-Logik and PageStream, not when bug X will be fixed or what the technical support phone number is. I can answer those questions for you at any time. <[Michael] SL-DEV> I'm going to post a few words from Deron before we get started... "Thank you for coming to tonight's conference. I'm glad to have this opportunity to speak with you in person. Tonight is my chance to share with you our plans. I know you all have a lot of questions, and I'll answer them all in a minute. First I would like to outline our directions for the future. "Our main priority at this time is PageStream3 for the Amiga. We are committed to finishing the unimplemented features, and fixing any problems in the program. We want to make it the best desktop publisher possible. I don't have anything new to announce for the Amiga at this time, and I think most of our customers would be happiest if we'd concentrate on finishing version 3. "The answer to whether or not there will be a PageStream 3.0 for the Atari is no. I know that there are many people out there who love PageStream and who would love to upgrade to 3.0; however, we have come to the conclusion that it would not be profitable to do a new version. "We don't think we could sell enough copies of a new Atari version to justify the development expense. We have analyzed it every possible way---not writing an Atari specific manual, contracting the programming to somebody else, etc---and it just doesn't make sense. If it was at all financially possible, we would do it. We had hoped that Atari's success with the Jaguar would lead to revitalized sales of their computers, but that has not happened unfortunately. "I hope that the Atari and Amiga users here who are thinking about changing computers will continue to use PageStream into the future. If you've been wanting to buy a Macintosh or Windows computer but shudder at the thought of leaving PageStream, I have good news for you. There will be PageStream for Macintosh and PageStream for Windows. "I can't tell you when they will be available, but we have already begun work on them. The first version for each platform will be very similar to the finished version of PageStream3 for the Amiga with just a few features specific to each platform. We will have a very affordable upgrade path from the Amiga and Atari versions. Subsequent versions will add support for other machine specific features. There will also be a Windows version of TypeSmith, our font editor." <[Michael] SL-DEV> That's the end of Deron's prepared words. The floor is now open to questions. Remember to type /RAI to raise your hand to ask a question. <[Michael] SL-DEV> I'm going to cheat and put the room in talk mode, but please, still type /RAI to raise your hand to talk. It's just easier for me to work this way. I'll tell you when to speak. Room is now in the talk mode. <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Deron, given the situation concerning Commodore, how much longer will you be able to support the Amiga? A related question, what platform and OS is PageStream 3.0 being ported to? PowerMac, Windows, Windows NT, OS/2? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, I won't lie and say forever. I think it will be for several more years to come. The Atari basically stopped being financially viable years ago. The mac will require system 7 or above, and the PC will be windows 3.1 or later, using win32s for 3.1, or native on NT or later. <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Thanks, Deron. Will there be a feature similar to the Art Board on PPage in PS3? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Artboard in PageStream3? We hope to make the white area around the page a pasteboard where objects in that area will show on any page. GA Even though there are many more IBM's and Mac's out there there are also some heavey hitters already in the market. Do you really feel you can get enough of that market to make that financial viable when you have abondoned the Atari market for financial reasons? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, 1/10 of 1% of the windows market would do us better than the Atari. We have had more requests from x-atari users asking for a windows version, than from atari users asking for an atari version. We may not become #1 or #2, or even #5, but we are used to selling much less than they are ;-) GA As of 6 months ago, Pacific seemed to still be selling the Atari version at a steady clip. And how many of those 1/10 of 1 % can you actually guarantee will actually buy verses pirating? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I'm sorry. I know bad news is hard to believe, but I still have to put food on the table, and Atari is not doing that. It has been less than 3% or our sales for over 3 years (since before the last release on the atari). <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> When is an upgraded Art Expression going to be available? Oh, for a heavyweight-class EPS solution...Again, FOR THE AMIGA. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> BAD NEWS: we are not going to do a new version of AE. GOOD NEWS: We will be doing a structured drawing extension that provides similar functionality. PGS3 already has arexx, fountain fills, etc. Selling you a new program would be cruel (but I can take your money twice if you like :-) GA Will PS3 have the ability to bend text on an arc and will it be able to do a fit text to box like PPage4? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Yes and Yes (not exactly the same but close). In the drawing extension only. GA My question: will we see cross platform file compatibility, and will we see drivers for the 560C and Stylus for new versions (plus Atari?) <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> PageStream3 uses a very nice (IMHO) file format we developed called IFF DOC. It is very extensible, and will be used on all of our future programs. 560C is 550C compatible (the 600x300 only works in text mode, not graphics mode). Stylus, yes we plan to add it. GA <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Deron what about a version of PGS 3.0 for Unix? Especially the free/PD Unixes? I've heard that FrameMaker is coming out for Linux. GA. For the latecomers, here's a recap.... <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Unix? Not anytime soon. GA <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Thanks. <[Michael] SL-DEV> For those who arrived late, here's a news summary: 1st priority is to finish the unimplemented features of PageStream3 Amiga and to fix any bugs. There will not be a new version of PageStream for Atari. There will be versions of PageStream for Macintosh and Windows, and TypeSmith for Windows. <[Buzz] B.STRATTON> Will the drawing extension be a seperate program included in the PgS package or part of the PgS program? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> It's just a figment of our imagination right now :) We plan to make it a seperate program that gets loaded just like a filter, but will integrate itself seamlessly into the program. GA <[Buzz] B.STRATTON> Thanx <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> Acrobat is a big deal in the world at large. Can we get it too? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> One of the nice things about our new filter system is that we can write doc loaders for just about anything, given time (which we don't have much of these days :) We believe that acrobat will be a big deal on the Mac and PC, and since the code is the same you'll get it on the amiga. GA I support SL's continued efforts with my checkbook. I hate the thought of switch platforms but I need a hassle free environment. What can we expect your efforts to produce in the end? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Could you clarify? GA I mean what is it you are attempting to accomplish for the Amiga in terms of DTP? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> With app.library on each of the 3 platforms mentioned, the core code will be shared, so as we develop new features to stay competive on the mac and pc, you'll get them as well (for a fee ;) GA Gotta go now - Deron and Michael, I just wanted to say thanks for your contributions to the Atari (& Amiga) world over the years - it was fun while it lasted - and good luck in the Big Pond of MacWindows. If Amiga survives will you stay with us or go like Gold Disk? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> As long as the Amiga makes us enough money to cover our expenses, we will support it. Like I said before, I won't lie and say forever. I don't know what the future holds for Amiga or Soft-Logik (my crystal ball is on backorder). Like I said, it should be easy to develop for the Amiga now that the OS specific stuff has been written, and I'm not expecting to many new OS releases :(... <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Why was HotLinks dropped from PageStream 3.0? GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Scott: HotLinks was dropped in favor of a better system. <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> In what way is it better? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> The file system notification allows us to do the same things as hotlinks, and allow non-hotlinks applications to offer partial support. For example, if you take a picture in PGS and make it external, if you take and load that picture in AdPro, modify it, and save it back out, PGS will automatically update the document just like "hotlinks". The concept works the same, just with a different program. Instead of a program called "hotlinks", its the OS doing some of the work. We have to do more work in pagestream, but it's better. GA What's the status of documentation of the IFF DOC format and information for developers that might want to do extensions for PageStream 3.0? Could you talk about its extensibility? 3rd party Printer drivers? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> IFF DOC has been documented for a very long time. We used it inhouse so that Dan could write a program we call xray that examines the contents of a document file to ensure everything is OK. However, I'm not anxious to release it since more than 1 person has asked for it, and the reason was always something like "I want to import pictures in pgs, so can I create a document that you can load". However, when we get the extensions documented (which requires a _lot_ since you must use app.library) I'll release them so that if the extensions doesn't cut it, you can use the doc. GA When do you think the full upgrade (the one you mail to users) will be available? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Do you really want a time from the man who said PGS would ship in August of 93? Our problem is that we have never done a project so large (and the amiga has never seen one so large either). We are all working long hours to get it done, and it will be done asap. GA <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> Why not have Pageliner show the styles like GoldDisk's AE? That couldn't have that much overhead if they could do it. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> it does in 3.0c. Look at appendix B in your manual. That is them. GA <[Buzz] B.STRATTON> Uh, what's acrobat? Short answer would be just fine. GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Its kind of like EPS for documents, + the ability to parse and edit them like adobe illustrator. GA <[STEVE] S.MARKOW> In regards to PgS 3.0 Atari, you mentioned for Amiga "as long as you cover your expenses". How much would it take to cover expenses for an Atari 3.0, in terms of commitments from present users, and if you won't, would you be willing to allow a third party to take it over and get a 3.0 version out? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> A year ago I contacted some people I thought might be interested. No one even nibbled. It's even worse now. GA To get a little more specific, will ATARI PgS file formats be importable in the new Mac/Win PgS versions. There's two Atari PgS pro users here with 600 megs of files to consider! Actually, _more_ than 600 megs... <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, pgs3 amiga loads pgs2 files, and the filters will compile on any of the machines, so I expect that we will offer those filters to those who are upgrading. No extra effort on our part :-) GA <[Bill] W.NEAR> About that fit text to box thing. Will there be a button that will just recalculate the point size until the text fits? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> You can do it now with text objects and arexx in just a few lines of code. How about it mike? GA <[Michael] SL-DEV> Sure. :) How much is it worth to you? :) <[Bill] W.NEAR> It should be included like it was with PPage. :-) <[Michael] SL-DEV> W.NEAR: send me email with more detail on what you want it to do. I'll write it when I have a chance and upload it to the library here. <[Bill] W.NEAR> Thanks <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> SL-Prez, any chance of SL releasing a word processor based on PGS 3.0. Or even releasing the filters PGS 3.0 uses to handle PC & Mac wordprocessor file formats? GA. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Scott: I don't see a word processor coming from pgs3 code. Just too different. What about the filters? I don't understand. GA <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> No Amiga wordprocessos hcan handle PC/MAC file formats, I was hoping you'd release the code to do that. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Yes, again, on the PC and Mac, we will have to support the native file formats, and when we write those filters, you'll get them on the Amiga. Going to those platforms really will breath life in the Amiga version for years to come. GA <[Bruce] B.MAUGER1> I am a atari user and I'm sorry that you will not be suporrting it! however....just bout a PC and wondered it upgrade possible from platform to platform <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Yes! Basically, we will offer an upgrade from Atari (and amiga) to either mac or pc (just as we do now from Atari to Amiga and Amiga to Atari). Our biggest hope to keep the pagestream family of users as our customers for years to come. GA Just a comment: one of the most frequent PageStream extensions mentioned on the Internet is an article editor. oops. I mean equation editor <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> The way objects are support in pgs3, it should be easy to make tables, graphs, crossword puzzles and yes, even equation editors. We will probably do a simple one and let others do it one better. GA <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> RIGHT-AMIGA-u is Undo everywhere else. Why not TypeSmith? Is this a German thang?... And what about that there TypeSmith upgrade that has been mentioned? I love this program---but I would like to see a MONSTER...On the AMIGA! If there were leading edge programs on a platform earlier on, we wouldn't face the question of "defection". <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> RIGHT-AMIGA-Z is _the_ standard for undo. See made 147 of the Amiga style guide (published by commodore) as proof :) What was your question about typesmith? We have not annouced any major update to it, unless your just talking about 2.5a. GA <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> right <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> 2.5a should be next week. No comments have come back from the beta to prevent it from being released, and shipping is getting restless. GA 2.5a looks fine here <[STEVE] S.MARKOW> Deron, you still did not answer my entire question. #1) with enough $$ committed from users, would you do Atari 3.0 #2) If yes, how much and #3) If a third party would "nibble", would you let them do it? (a 3.0 version)..GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, we once figured that an Atari version would cost around 80k. That doesn't count lost dev time, nor profit potential vs other projects. We have received less than 150 letter/faxes/ email. That works out to an upgrade price of $533 :) I know you don't like the news, I don't either. I've spent many years programming for the atari, and don't like the idea of loosing that investment. But sales for the Atari in the last 3 years wouldn't pay the bills for a month. GA <[Bruce] B.MAUGER1> (as you see I need the spellchecker part hehe) anyway..with all the Atari people here perhaps you will reconcider your position. I DO love your product. I am not a programmer but... I am willing to find some who could do it!??? GA <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Soft-Logik, any thoughts on distributing PGS 3.0 on a CD-ROM with lots of clipart? GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> We did (heck, it would save us about 20% in COG), but the 40 users would not be enough. I'll keep it in mind. Maybe CDROM is more prevelant on the Amiga than I think it is. GA <[Dave] D.KNOELL1> Any ideas on scripting language support in Windows version ala REXX? The implementation in PgS3 is one of the unique things seperating PgS from the "bunch". :-) <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, we _have_ to support visual basic. If we do an OS2 version, we would definately support rexx there. If IBMs version of windows takes off we would support it as well. The macro functionality will _not_ go away!!! GA <[Buzz] B.STRATTON> From your point of view. If the Amiga goes bye bye. Which platform do you like to work with the most as a user? I'm talking overall useability. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I'm on a mac write now ;) (my fears are that windows will win). Everyone in the office has a mac for database work. Only 3 people have PCs :-) GA <[Bill] W.NEAR> When using a text frame with more than one column is it possible to resize one individual column within that frame? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> no. Its one object divided internally. We might allow different divisions in the future, but not short term. However, you will _never_ be able to flow 2 different articles into it. Its main purpose is to allow easy change for column format. GA Well, now that it's posed, we'd like to place an order for PgS Windows. How soon can you deliver? By the by, it looks like my new Atari/Mac/DOS software concern will be pressing CD-ROMs ;) [We're frankly concerned the Mac is dying, though] <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Good god. You don't expect me to pin a date on something like that? We can't predict the mac and pc versions since it is so new for us. While some people here have "prior history", most don't. Another comment: OS/2 is approaching 10 million copies and OS/2 users really want native OS/2 apps. That MAY be where the Amiga users head if Amiga manufacturing never resumes. I'm going OS/2 on my PC as soon as Warp ships. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I must admit, OS/2 is #3 on our future list. But we don't have a single copy here, so don't hold your breath. GA [turning blue] <[Bruce] B.MAUGER1> Mike and Deron I would like to thank you for a great product. I understand your point and if you ever reconceder I will BUY it! thanks again. GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Thank you. Perhaps someday we will cross paths on the Mac or PC. See ya there! GA <[greenboy] D.GREEN25> Back to AE---we dealers have been calling in at SoftLogik and told "out-of-stock but soon available" for months now on AE. Be nice to see superb On-All-Fronts DTP Amiga. Most developers stop at Less-Than-Optimum for the auxillary programs (TypeSmith, AE?). PgS3 might be the giant it was touted as, but we need the whole ball of wax. That is what makes the main program work, Fonts and Art (well, text too). <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, "available soon" is a relative term :) However, that "availability" is in the form of an extension. We will probably sell a PageStream3 bundle with the drawing extension, but I don't see a stand alone ArtExpression in our near future. GA As a buyer of the original Publishing Partner, I have to say that I am dissapointed that there will not be a future version of your terrific software for the Atari. :-/ My question is, will tech support for Ataris continue? GA <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> As you know, tech support goes paid 90 days after your first call after August 15(?) so we don't stand to loose much money. However, it won't be forever. No final decision has been made, but no new versions/updates will be released. GA <[Travis] AEO.MAG> I understand your decision, even though I am dissapointed you had to make it. Once PageStream 3 is "finished", what's a reasonable amount of RAM to run it in? Has PageStream been tried with any of the virtual memory programs like Gigamem? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I think we should bump min requirements to 4 meg. BTW, 3.0c has gone down 50k :-) However, even if we add another 200k of code, that won't make much difference. Gigamem has been reported to work, and others as well. GA Will we be able to print in less ram than with the current version? I mean print quickly <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> yes, some day. We hear the same cries in the night as you do. GA ;-) <[Bill] W.NEAR> Will AE be avail. to registered users of PS3 and for how much? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Bill, I don't understand your question. AE is out of stock (no manuals!) and we don't plan on reprinting. If you mean the extension, yes, and we don't have a price (cheap for those who already own AE v1). GA <[Dave] D.KNOELL1> Deron, are you going to develop on a NT workstation? I'm currently using DEC Alpha's (150MHz) and love 'em. Windows NT (3.5 Daytona) ain't too bad either. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Dave, we are using NT (now 3.5) on an Intel platform. Let me know in email about your system. We are spoiled around here when it comes to hardware ;) GA <[Bill] W.NEAR> OK thanks guys and keep supporting the Amiga!!! <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> Is the problem with moving objects fixed in 3.0c? they resize when moved <[Michael] SL-DEV> Rick: I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean the grid snap problem? <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> If I make an object exactly 3" by 3" and then move it interactively. It resizes to 3.01" by 3.01" (something like this). I have to use nudge to move objects so they don't resize (like when making a table). <[Michael] SL-DEV> Rick: I can't duplicate that right now (I just tried). I'll look into it tomorrow. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> This is news to us. However, mike will check it out and get back to you on that. There is a problem in 3.0b or earlier where objects get snapped wrong that is fixed in 3.0c. But the size of the object is not effected (unless your resizing :) <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> Also, I need to printout math symbols (like square root, +/-, etc.) in Postscript. Where can I get the fonts? Unless there is some option that I have set incorrectly. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> You have it already. its called symbols. GA <[Bill] W.NEAR> Will 3.0c be out Nov 1st as stated? <[Michael] SL-DEV> 3.0c: probably, Deron's leaving for Germany. :) (Skipping out of the country... :) <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I'm done, just working on little things until I leave while the rest finish there jobs. <[Dave] D.KNOELL1> Deron.... have a cold one over there for me!! <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> I was going to drink my Framboise lambic, but it has a cork in it!!! I only have a bottle opener. I had a Anchor porter instead. I brew my own, so beer is near and dear to my heart. I just wish I had more time for such hobbies... <[Bill] W.NEAR> Thanks for PS3 guys, I look forward to bragging to my Mac and IBM buddies! :-) <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> Have you looked at the S-Plus eps clip I uploaded? Can't get PgS3.0b to print them. <[Michael] SL-DEV> Rick: no, but I have the file in my test directory to look at when I have a chance. I have lots of files to test out. (I have to finish the TypeSmith 2.5a master disk first.) <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Well, I think we are about done. Lets talk about the big stuff (just kidding). <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> Where can I get fonts with square root, +/- and other math symbols that will print in Postscript? I have tried Symbol font. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> symbol font has those things. I just checked the sample sheet for it. <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> But they will not print! <[Michael] SL-DEV> They won't print: from 2.2 or 3.0? PostScript or non-PostScript? <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> They do not print in PgS3.0b in Postscript. I have tried numerous times. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> You'll be happy with the 3.0c driver then. I just finished font reencoding, so that you get all kinds of goodies in the normal fonts even (like TM and (R) from helvetica). Something I've been wanting to do for years... <[Rick B.] R.BILONICK> You mean that the square root in Times will now actually print in Postscript? <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> O_postscript times doesn't have such a character. You have to use symbol. Reencoding just reveals characters found in the font, doesn't make new ones! <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> Thanks for holding the conference, Deron. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> No problem. Disappointed in attendance, but it did last long. I think we lost about half when we said no Atari. Glad to be here. I get the messages through my mail, but don't get much a chance to get online. can you say ball and chain? I knew you could. <[ScottJ] S.CORLEY1> I noticed the dropoff in attendance when the dropping of Atari support was announced. I guess the big surprise that Mike Loader mentioned in his post wasn't a good one for Atari owners. <[Michael] SL-DEV> Scott: the big surprise was the announcement that we were going to work on win and mac versions. I can't believe the no atari 3.0 came as much of a surprise. <[SL-PREZ] DERON.K> Mike beat me to the punch :) what will come first...mac or windows? <[Michael] SL-DEV> Depends on which horse you're betting on. :) We started the windows version before the mac version, but the mac version is going easier so you never know... @endnode @node P2-5 "Workbench Christmas List" @toc P2 =========================================================================== == Workbench Christmas List By: @{"Katherine Nelson" link P8-3} == =========================================================================== What would YOU like to see in a new version of Workbench? New icons, more utilities, etc? How about commercial software pack-ins? Let me know! By Christmas I hope to have a comprehensive list of suggestions for future Workbench versions. If you think anything is missing or could be better, write to me at: e-mail: kati@cup.portal.com or postal: Katherine Nelson 35 W 852 Highland Ave. Elgin, IL 60123-5043 USA ALL recommendations will be put on a sort of "Wish List", and be sent to whomever purchases the Amiga Technology. I can definitely get it noticed at CEI if they win, and I will try my damnedest to get C= UK to read it if they win. Please send me your opinion, since the more input the new Amiga company gets about the OS, the more they can improve upon it. Katherine Nelson Assistant Editor @endnode @node P3-1 "Review: CEI A1962 14 inch Monitor" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: CEI A1962 14 inch Monitor By: @{"Jason Compton" link P8-1} == =========================================================================== What does one do when the 1950 goes on the blink? Well, if you're lucky enough to have a 3000, you can always settle for a VGA monitor...it'll work. But if you've also got an AGA machine (and I have a CD32) you want something a bit more friendly...on the other hand, if you're a 24-bit board user, you may want something with a bit more range to it anyway. Electrohome came up with a monitor to solve this problem, and CEI commissioned their own line of them. (Well, it's just CEI's sticker on an Electrohome monitor, but the outcome is the same.) Enter the A1962. In essence, it's intended to be a direct 1960 replacement. It offers the all-important 15khz range, and will scan up to some of the more impressive modes (which, for lack of a 24-bit board in my current arsenal, I'm unable to test.) So, what's to say? Picture quality is crisper than I'm used to on the 1950, although I found that I had to play with the contrast and brightness a bit to get away from the "default" settings, which strike me as far too dark. Scan-changes snap very quickly and with an audible click from the monitor. HAM8 pictures look lovely, and regular operation is comfortable to look at. I was a bit disoriented at first by the monitor, as its tube curvature seems more extreme than the 1950, but it actually seems to have less glare. While vertical size and horizontal position knobs exist, there is no vertical position or horizontal size, which is a bit upsetting. (You would think that if a 1950 has it, a newer, better monitor would...) The monitor cable itself is somewhat shorter than the 1950's, which isn't a problem for my 3000, but is a slight inconvenience for my CD32/SX-1, residing a few feet away. It still connects...barely. Probably the weirdest thing about the monitor is that it comes, standard, as a power lead designed to plug into the out-port on power supplies. Neat, but they don't include a cable if you happen to have, say, a 3000 and don't have that beefy of a power supply, in which case you have to dig a cable up... The relatively few brands and numbers of monitors of this type have lead them all to be rather expensive, and the A1962, which comes in around US$500, is no exception. If you've gotta have it, you've gotta have it, but I'm also inclined to try to hang onto my fading 1950 for as long as I can before dropping more money than it takes to buy two CD32s these days... The upshot: A good monitor for the job it's intended for. Shame about the price, though, as with the rest of its kind these days. Creative Equipment Int'l 5555 West Flagler St. Miami, FL USA @endnode @node P3-2 "Review: Conundrum" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: Conundrum By: @{"Jason Compton" link P8-1} == =========================================================================== From the cellar of Pete Storonskij comes Conundrum, his latest offering to the shareware game market. You remember Pete "Mangled Fenders", don't you? He's a great guy. Hell of a programmer, and quite creative. Well, actually, I don't know if he's a great guy, I'm only basing that on his penchant to send me his games for free. Anyway, Pete was inspired by hexagonal bathroom floor tile enough to write Conundrum, which I suppose must be described as a puzzle game. I've always had mixed feelings about puzzle games. I guess I just feel stupid when I'm unable to do well at them. Conundrum seems to be designed for people like me...it has a VERY gentle learning curve. The flip side of that is that experienced players have to start at very high levels, but I'll get to that. The game is laid out on a flat hexagonal grid. Levels start with a pattern of tiles on the grid, with numbers ranging from 1-9. You have to use your tiles, which can be numbered from 1-9, to change all numbered tiles to blank tiles. When you put two tiles next to each other, they "negate" based on who has what number. If the numbers match, they're both negated. Sounds easy? Yeah, it is, when you get the hang of it. Your only two enemies are the clock (10 seconds to make each move-blow it, and the game's over) and the possibility that you can "trap" numbered tiles entirely inside of negated tiles. Your only hope then is to blow them up, which is something you can do when you start getting blow-up tiles in your arsenal. This is fun. I like it a lot. After a while, the first 50 levels or so are nearly no challenge, so it's a good thing he lets you start at 1 up to 100 in intervals of 10. The most striking thing about the game is the way it plays...it's sharp, snappy, and again, fun. The least striking thing is the sound. Bad, bad, bad. Please, audio artists, help Pete out in the future... Incidentally, Pete is now selling his entire collection of games for a mere US$10. If he hadn't given them to me already, I'd buy them. :) It's really a good deal, breaking down to $2.00 per game, and the mileage on them (especially Conundrum and Mangled Fenders) is considerable. Conundrum is, in short, an enjoyable and reasonably laid-back puzzle game. You won't get a head rush, but you won't get ulcers, either. Pete W. Storonskij 200 'A' St. Lincoln, Nebraska 68502 USA @endnode @node P3-3 "Review: Music MOD and Sound Effects CD" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: Music MOD and Sound Effects CD By: @{"Jason Compton" link P8-1} == =========================================================================== Well, the name should pretty much remove all doubt. This compilation of almost 3000 mods and over 6000 sound effects is on CD-ROM, and that's it. The CD is non-bootable, so you'll need either a regular Amiga or some way to boot-and-switch on a CD32/CDTV. Theoretically, anyone should be able to handle using the CD. The layout isn't elegant (basically, everything is alphabetical, so it's like searching through a junk drawer) The selection, like any compilation, has its bright spots and its clunkers, but GuitarSlinger is on there, which is enough for me. Dividing up the mods by style, or partitioning off some of the more prolific artists would have been nice, but more time consuming for Better Concepts, I'm sure. The sound effects...well, if you like random sound effects, these are for you. The only specific divisions are for Beavis and Butthead (oh boy), Speech, and Effects. The speech directory contains quite a bit of random babbling... The selection ensures that your US$20 will keep you occupied for quite a while, even if there is at least one 400k mod that is on there twice, once with an extra space and once without... If you're a Paula fan and have a CD-ROM drive that's anxious to spin away merrily loading MODs up, you'll have a great time. Better Concepts, Inc. 10 Mandon Terrace New City, NY 10956 914-639-5095 @endnode @node P3-4 "Hermes Hyper-Text Review 'NEWICONS'" ____________________________________________________ | | | H E R M E S' H Y P E R - T E X T R E V I E W | | | | O F | | | | * * * * N E W I C O N S * * * * | |____________________________________________________| @{" Program Info " link H1} What it is and does! @{" Packaging & Installation " link H2} What you get and how to get it there? @{" Program Specs " link H3} Configuration, Compatability @{" About NEWICONS' Author(s) " link H4} Who's Responsible? @{" Program Cost " link H5} Pay-Back Time! @{" Where! " link H6} Getting yer hands on this-here thing! @{" Review / Opinion " link H7} Just the Facts! @{" Bugs " link H8} If any? @{" Review By Hermes " link H9} The Dude that wrote this darn thing! @endnode @node H1 "Program Info 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 ___________________________ PROGRAM INFO / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "NewIcons" is not "just another set of icons". NewIcons is a completely new concept in revolutionizing Icon-Management within the Amiga. With the advent of Kickstart 3.0 (NewIcons runs on 2.1 as well), Commodore took a bold first step towards retargetable Graphics. There isn't a device independent graphic engine yet, but there is a new pen arbitration system which allows applications to obtain a given color, or the one which is closest to it if there are not enough free pens. It's simply ridiculous that, on a system capable of displaying a 256 color Workbench screen, and with a pen arbitration system like the one described above that icons are limited to 8 colors. Now, various solutions have been proposed, ranging from "use some colors and hope they are right" to "allocate some pens and reserve them for icon display", but they all miss the point, which is: · Why should I, the user, have to care about the icon palette? · Why should I set the system palette in a way decided by someone else (the icon designer) and not the way _I_ like it? When you display a picture on the Workbench screen using MultiView, you don't have to care about the palette: the system chooses it for you. So why should one care about the palette used by icons? The system should take care of it, not the user. Unfortunately, icons don't carry palette information. Therefore, NewIcons defines a new standard for icon files, and writes a system patch to make the system recognize it. · The new standard is backward compatible, that is, users not running the patch program should see the standard 4-color icons. · Manipulation of icons by users not running the patch program will not cause the new icon information to be lost. · Remapping of the icons to the Workbench palette is fast. · Icon data is compressed to reduce disk usage. · The patch works even on Kickstart 2.0 systems, with limited features. The new icon information gets stored in the ToolTypes, so it is completely backwards compatible. The "newicon.library," takes care of reading and writing the imagery in the ToolTypes; it also hides away the special ToolTypes so that when one asks for information about an icon only the standard ToolTypes are shown. A patch program supplied intercepts calls to icon.library, redirecting them to newicon.library, so that Workbench and all other applications transparently get the new icon imagery. (NOTE: The above taken from program documentation, with minor changes made) @endnode @node H2 "Packaging and Information 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 _________________________________________ PACKAGING AND INSTALLATION / "NEWICONS" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Supplied Stuff: "NewIcons.lha" · "newicons.library" library · "newicons" program · "defIcons" program · "patchopenwb" script (3.0 use only) · installation script and installer program · "newicons.guide" guide · Icons (lots and lots of um) · Icon utilities: "copy_new_icon," "copy_default_icon," "Kill_Icon," "replaceImage", and "injectbrush." · 2.0 and 3.0 preset paletts (just to head you in the right direction) · Building Blocks (Templates for making your own NewIcon icons) · Screen IFF for seeing what it will look like NewIcons comes with everything that you need to get started: Icons, Library, Patches, and Programs. An installation script takes care of the installation of the programs and the writing of the new ToolTypes information, into your existing icons. The icons that the install script missed, because they were non-standard icons not supplied from Commodore, get changed by two easy to use point-N-click programs, "Copy_New_Icons" and "Copy_Default_Icon." Now keep in mind that while all this icon changing is going on, none of your original icon information is getting affected. However, I did find that on occasion, the "copy_default_icon" program did change the base icon information, so I would suggest that you hold off using this program until you are sure that you are going to continue using the system. The "kill_icon" program removes the icon information from the ToolTypes section and returns your icon back to its original state. The "patchopenwb" program is intended to fix the WorkBench 3.1 bug of the crashing that occurs when the Workbench screen is closed and then reopened. I could not verify if this patch worked because I have 2.1. However, a friend of mine who has 3.1 said that the "patchopenwb" program did not fix the 3.1 problem, but the NewIcons package did seem to work well regardless. The "replaceimage" program is supplied to change the ".info" information into a small 1/4" cube. You use this program on all of your icons if you decide to keep NewIcons and reclaim some disk space. The old ".info" information is only needed for the positioning of the icon images and is no longer used to display graphic information (as long as the icon has "NewIcons" information in the ToolTypes. Otherwise the system will use the old ".info" file for icon display.) The "injectbrush" program takes two IFF's and turns them into a NewIcons icon. You can make your own from scratch or use the supplied templates located in the "BuildingBlocks" drawer. @endnode @node H3 "Program Specs 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 ___________________________ PROGRAM SPECS / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ · Allows up to 256 color icons on an AGA machine. (!) · Icon colors are color correct on an AGA system no matter what your palette is set to. They automatically appear in perfect color. · Default icons for dozens of file types automatically appear for files without icons FAST. Recognizes file types in a very efficient manner. If you click on a "fake" icon, your appropriate user-defined default tool will appear in the "Execute command" text field automatically! · Make a brush, convert it to an icon. It will appear on your workbench in the exact proper colors you created it in, no matter what your palette is set to. Imagine making gorgeous icons from your digitized pics, in more than 16 colors! · Icon images are compressed to maximize disk space. They are uncompressed faster than you can say "NewIcons"! · Also KS 2.04 compatible (16 color icon limitation). · Fix that ugly Cross-DOS icon to look like a standard NewIcon. · Unique icons for RAM-Disks and CD-ROM's that don't have icons. · A complete set of beautiful, standardized Workbench icons, drawn by artist Roger McVey. And more on the way! · Comprehensive set of utilities to allow you to manipulate your NewIcons. · FREEWARE! Why would anyone want to pay cash for icons? · Very stable. Beta Tested/Updated for over a year. (NOTE: The above taken from program documentation) @endnode @node H4 "Program Authors 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 ______________________________ PROGRAM AUTHORS / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The programs and documentation were written by Nicola Salmoria Via Piemonte 11 53100 Siena ITALY E-Mail: MC6489@mclink.it The icon artwork was done by Roger McVey E-Mail: r.mcvey@genie.geis.com The installer script and documentation were written by Philip A. Vedovatti E-mail: vedovatt@u.washington.edu (NOTE: The above taken from program documentation) @endnode @node H5 "Program Cost 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 ___________________________ PROGRAM COST / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The documentaing states that "The software is FreeWare. It is freely distributable as long as the archive remains intact, and only a nominal fee is charged for its distribution." I'm not sure what a "distribution fee" is, but if you like the program I would at least drop the authors a line or a card telling them so. @endnode @node H6 "Where? 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 HOST NAME and DIRECTORY: Any Aminet site such as ftp.wustl.edu under: /pub/aminet/util/wb ftp.netnet.net under: /pub/aminet/util/wb src.doc.ic.ac.uk under: /aminet/util/wb @endnode @node H7 "Review 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 _____________________ REVIEW / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ At first glance, by looking at the supplied screen-shot, I was not extremely impressed. I said to myself "Oh just another set of icons!" However, after going through the docs and actually installing the program, I was quite impressed with the new look and operation. The icons look like icons and not like some battle-ship grey sigils, trying to look real. Over the past year, I've come to desire icons to look like icons and not icons looking like the real thing, as many of the icons out there are slated toward. If I want the real thing, I'll go open up one of my real dresser drawers. Anyway, icons that look like stylized representations of objects give the Amiga the high-tech appearance it truly deserves. Also, all of the icons are identical in size, depth, and feel, which adds a ferment of precision to the bench. And, then, there is color. Not just color! But COLOR! With NewIcons I am not restricted to a mere 3 shades of grey, and a light pink thrown in for appeal. I can have RED, GREEN, YELLOW, VIOLET, whatever I want (256 whatever I wants with an AGA machine). And an icon still looks like an icon! If I decide to change the palette or the screen depth, I will not find bright violet colored drawers jumping off the screen and into my retinas. The program is intelligent enough to look at the new palette and assign new colors to the ones that no longer fit. You don't even need to reboot to see the new color scheme. All you have to do is close the window and reopen it for the changes to take effect. As far as speed, the actual drawing of the icons onto the screen takes a bit longer than usual, but it is tolerable. I have a 25 megahertz 030 processor; so, a 7 megahertz 68000 may be a bit too slow for the impatient. I'm not sure though. This drawing-parameter is an individual taste kind-of thing. The background processes are very system friendly and don't seem to hog any CPU time that I can detect. This parameter is important to me, as I don't like greedy CPU programs, no matter how good they look or work. The other thing that I found great was the addition of new pseudo-icons for the many kinds of files that are out there. Opening up a drawer now gives me an immediate understanding of what kind of files are there and what they do. (i.e. sound files have a different icon from iff's, text file icons are different from amigaguide file icons, ect) I suggest that you try NewIcons. All in all it is a great new addition to the Amiga and the Workbench. And if you really like the icons, Nichola and Roger have a whole set of NewIcons backdrops to go with those good-looking icons (available in a separate package). Many thanks to the creators of NewIcons, Nichola, Roger, and Philip for taking my Amiga out of unintelligent grey and into intelligent COLOR! @endnode @node H8 "Bugs 'NEWICONS'" @toc P3-4 ___________________________ PROGRAM BUGS / (NEWICONS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The installation and programs seem to work fine and there is no apparent conflict between with the NewIcons background processes and any other programs that I run. Also, I have not experienced any strange Gurus since using NewIcons either. As I have said before, the "patchopenwb" patch for 3.1 does not seem to work, though its use or non-use does not seem to affect the workings of "NewIcons" on 3.1 machines. The program "copy_default_icon seems to alter the icon's ".info" file and reset it to Commodore's default; however, I may have misunderstood the purpose of this program as not effecting the ".info" file. If you do a clean-up of the window, the pseudo-icons seem to lose their default project settings. This is not a major problem as Commodore's operating system does not even allow for such a thing. It's just that you very easily get used to double clicking on a pseudo-icon and seeing "more mydoc.txt" or "display greatpix.iff" in the WorkBench execution panel. So when it's not there due to a clean up, you have to go do a backspace and manually enter the parameter -- which is what you had to do anyway if you didn't have NewIcons. @endnode @node H9 "About Hermes" @toc P3-4 __________________ REVIEW BY HERMES ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Hermes Trismegistus E-mail: hermes@intercom.com I welcome your comments and suggestions about my review or if you just want to say hi! Please allow several days for me to get back to your E-Mail. @endnode @node P3-5 "Review: GVP ioExtender" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: GVP ioExtender By: William Near == =========================================================================== HARDWARE: GVP ioExtender MANUFACTURER: Great Valley Products Inc. 657 Clark Ave. King of Prussia, PA 19406 Tech Support: (215) 354-9495 (automated voice) (215) 337-9922 (fax) (215) 337-5815 (BBS) 72662,51 (Email on CompuServe) DESCRIPTION: High speed serial and parallel expansion for A2000/3000/4000 computers PURCHASED FROM: Software Hut 313 Henderson Drive Sharon Hill, PA 19079 (800) 93-AMIGA - orders (610) 586-5701 - info (610) 586-5706 - fax PRICE: I paid $115 U.S. this includes $6 S&H SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Amiga 2000/3000/4000 running Workbench 1.3+ SYSTEM TESTED ON: Amiga 2000 (Rev 4.4), ECS chip set, GForce '030 accelerator @ 50 MHz., 2 megs CHIP + 6 megs FAST memory, 2 standard floppy drives, Quantum LPS270S hard drive with Trumpcard Professional controller, Epson LQ-510 printer DSS 8+ audio digitizer SupraFAXModem V.32bis. PACKAGING: The foam lined box contained the ioExtender board wrapped in a static resistant bag, one floppy disk of software, and a manual with registration card attached. INSTALLATION: You must first configure the ioExtender board for the proper configuration before installing it in the computer. The parallel port on the ioExtender can be set, by use of a jumper, to behave as either an Amiga (with 5 volts supplied on Pin 14) or an IBM (with no power supplied) standard parallel port. Make sure that this jumper is set correctly as you can damage peripherals connected to the parallel port that are not expecting the voltage sent through the cable. The ioExtender board's serial port may be set, by use of two jumpers, to act as a Null Modem port (this just switches the Transmit Data (TXD) and the Receive Data (RXD) lines. If you have purchased the optional second RS-232 serial port (I didn't), connect its ribbon cable to the 10-pin header at the top of the board (you must also set one jumper to tell the ioExtender that an additional port is present.) Once the ioExtender board is configured correctly, it easily installs in any empty Zorro slot in the computer. If you have the optional serial port attached you can just install it in an adjacent, empty Zorro slot. Now you can attach your printer and/or modem cables to the ports on the ioExtender. The board's parallel port is a standard DB-25 port while the serial port is a DB-9 configuration. I only had a DB-25 to DB-25 cable for my modem, so I had to purchase a DB-9 to DB-25 cable in order to connect my modem to the serial port. The software contained on the floppy disk uses the Commodore Installer program which makes it a breeze to place the files on your hard drive. The ioExtender's files consist of: SetDevice (placed in the C directory), GVPio (placed in the Expansion directory), GVPPortHandler (placed in the L directory), GVPioControl and GVPSerial (both placed in the Prefs directory), and finally one line is added to your User-Startup script. SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION: There are three ways to make your software use the ioExtender's ports. The first, and best way, is to make your communications software directly address the board's serial port by replacing the serial.device with gvpser.device in the configuration area. I did this with GPFax v2.342 and TERM v4.1a and it works flawlessly in both instances. The second method involves the use of two logical devices: GVPpar0: and GVPser0:. Some programs will allow you to specify a logical device as an output device and this is also the preferred method when programming in ARexx (according to the manual.) The third method involves the intercepting of all calls to the Amiga's parallel and serial ports and redirecting them to the ioExtender ports via the GVPioControl software. GVPioControl: This is the GUI that controls the redirection of serial and parallel port calls by setting conditions for the SetDevice program. SetDevice is run each time your computer is turned on and it monitors the Amiga's serial and parallel port activity. The GUI presents you with a series of rollover gadgets: Serial Port, Unit, Mode, Parallel Port, and Unit. Also included are: Save, Use, and Cancel buttons. Serial Port - you may select either the Amiga's internal serial port or the ioExtender's serial port as the default. Unit - you may select a unit number for the serial port in the range of 0-11. This makes it possible to control up to 12 optional serial ports on your Amiga in addition to the one internal port. Mode - this option allows you to select one of the following for each unit number: RS-232, MIDI, or AUX. The RS-232 setting is the standard option which makes use of the DB-9 serial port on the board. The AUX setting uses a 34-pin Option header which is reserved for future use. The MIDI option has a predefined setting for connecting MIDI devices to the ioExtender. Parallel Port - you may select either the Amiga's internal parallel port or the ioExtender's parallel port as the default. Unit - you may select a unit number for the parallel port in the range of 0-5. This makes it possible to control up to 6 optional parallel ports on your Amiga in addition to the one internal port. Save - this button is used to permanently save the new settings and exit the GVPioControl program. Use - this button will use the current settings and exit the GVPioControl program, but it will not save the settings permanently. Cancel - this button will exit the GVPioControl program and any changes made will not be saved or used. GVPSerial Preferences: This is the GUI that allows you to control the ioExtender's serial port(s). The GUI presents you with the following options: Baud Rate, Input Buffer Size, Handshaking, Parity, Bits/Char, Stop Bits, and Unit Number. Also included are: Save, Use, and Cancel buttons. Baud Rate - the serial port on the ioExtender is capable of baud rates up to 115,200 bps. The range of slider settings is from 110 to 115,200 bps. The slider also has three settings that appear past the 115,200 setting, they are: MIDI, CUSTOM, and MAXIMUM. MIDI - this setting is used when a MIDI device is attached to the ioExtender's serial port. The typical MIDI setting is 31,250 bps. CUSTOM - this setting is used when you wish to enter a custom transmission rate. When you use this setting you must access the Miscellaneous pulldown menu and select the Set Custom Baud Rate menu item. A requestor will appear with a text field that may be used to enter your own custom rate. If you enter a value that the ioExtender is incapable of delivering, you will see a display showing the actual baud rate achieved and the percentage of variance from the entered rate. MAXIMUM - this setting will drive the ioExtender's serial port as fast as it can. Input Buffer Size - the serial port on the ioExtender has a 16 byte hardware buffer for receiving and transmitting data. This slider lets you adjust the software buffer to be used as a cache for incoming data while your program is doing other tasks. The slider has a range of 512 to 65,536 bytes. According to the manual, a 2 meg Amiga system can easily support a 16k serial buffer. Handshaking - this radio button selection offers: XON/XOFF, RTS/CTS and None protocols. Parity - this radio button selection offers: NONE, EVEN, ODD, MARK, and SPACE parity bits. Bits/Char - this radio button selection offers: 5, 6, 7, or 8 Bits per Character settings. Stop Bits - this radio button selection offers 1 or 2 Stop Bit settings. Unit Number - this gadget allows you to select which serial port you are controlling by using the + and - buttons to select one of the twelve (range of 0-11) possible choices. As you cycle through the possible choices a text line located below the selector will show the identity and location of the selected port. The GVPSerial Preferences program also contains three pulldown menus: Project, Edit, and Miscellaneous. Project - this menu contains an Open choice for loading a predefined settings file, a Save As menu choice for saving a settings file that does not become the default settings file for the GVPSerial Preferences program, and a Quit menu choice for exiting the program from the pulldown menu instead of from the close gadget. Edit - this menu contains a Reset to Defaults choice for resetting the preferences icon to the factory defaults, a Last Saved menu choice for restoring the user-defined settings as contained in the preferences icon, and a Restore menu choice for resetting the selected unit to its settings which were in effect before the most recent changes were made. Miscellaneous - this menu contains the Set Custom Baud Rate choice as described in the Baud Rate/CUSTOM section earlier in this review. The GVPSerial Preferences GUI also contains the Save, Use, and Cancel buttons which serve the same function as their counterparts in the GVPioControl program described earlier in this review. OTHER STUFF: The manual has a section that describes various modem and printer setups. According to the manual you could have five separate ioExtenders with their optional serial ports attached, thus giving you the capability to attach ten modems to your Amiga and a BBS package. Also, if you are using GVP's DSS 8 audio digitizer, you can attach it to the Amiga's internal parallel port and it will function properly since it bypasses the system-level operations and accesses the circuitry directly. I have a DSS 8+ audio digitizer and I have used it simultaneously with my printer attached to the ioExtender's parallel port, both work flawlessly! At the end of the manual there is a trouble shooting section which describes many common problems with setting up and using the ioExtender's hardware and software. SUMMARY: The ioExtender is an invaluable addition to your Amiga if you have the need for additional high-speed serial and parallel ports. It's really nice to have my modem, printer, and audio digitizer all connected at the same time. No more turning the computer on and off to connect the printer or audio digitizer to the Amiga's internal parallel port. Also, I can now play a MOD, print a file, and upload or download files at 14.4k without ANY hardware overruns! I had originally purchased a MultiFaceCard III to serve the same purpose. I found that card's parallel port to be incompatible with Workbench 3.1 on the A2000 and you could not access the Amiga's internal parallel and serial ports when the MFC III was active. I had to create two icons using ICONX, one to redirect the output to the Amiga's internal ports and the other to redirect output to the MFC III's ports. This arrangement was very clumsy and since the MFC III's parallel port didn't work under WB 3.1, I couldn't attach my printer and audio digitizer at the same time. This effectively nullified any reasons for buying the MFC III in the first place! For my purposes, even though the GVP ioExtender was approximately $30 more it was the better buy as compared to the MFC III. @endnode @node P3-6 "Review: Magitronic C-SV1500P Monitor" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: Magitronic C-SV1500P Monitor By: William Near == =========================================================================== HARDWARE: Magitronic C-SV1500P multisync monitor MANUFACTURER: Magitronic No address or phone numbers given. All support is supplied by the dealer. DESCRIPTION: 15 inch multisync monitor with full digital controls PURCHASED FROM: Lake Erie Systems and Service Inc. 5321 Buffalo Road Erie, PA 16510 (814) 898-0704 - voice (ask for Bob Lechner) (814) 899-1384 - fax PRICE: $440 U.S. WARRANTY: 2 years parts and labor 2 years on the tube SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Any Amiga capable of Horizontally syncing between 30 KHz. and 64 KHz. SYSTEM TESTED ON: Amiga 2000 (Rev 4.4), ECS chip set, GForce '030 accelerator @ 50 MHz., 2 megs CHIP + 6 megs FAST memory, 2 standard floppy drives, Quantum LPS270S hard drive with Trumpcard Professional controller, ICD Flicker Free Video 2 board TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: Screen Size - 15 inch flat screen with non-glare, dark tinting Dot Pitch - 0.28mm Display Colors - Infinite Resolution - 1280 x 1024 non-interlaced (max.) Compatibility - All graphics modes with horizontal frequencies between 30 kHz. and 64 KHz. Horizontal Sync. - 30 KHz. to 64 KHz. Vertical Sync. - 55 Hz. to 90 Hz. Bandwidth - 75 MHz. Input Signal - Video: RGB Analog Sync: TTL Separate Signal Cable - 15-pin D-connector Dimensions (HxWxD) - 14.25" x 14.5" x 15" Radiation - Low radiation model meets MPR II 1990:10 standards FEATURES: - The monitor is an off-white color and has a lighted power button and a control panel door on the front. There are no speakers included with the monitor. - This monitor supports the Energy Star requirements for reducing power consumption. Since the Amiga doesn't output the proper control signals, this feature doesn't work. Sometimes, while rebooting into PAL mode when using Degrader, the monitor would go into its power saving mode. The only way I've found to recover from this is to reboot the computer. This isn't a major problem since it doesn't occur very often. - A tilt/swivel base is included with the monitor. - The power cord that was included with this monitor was the type that is made to connect into the special monitor power connection on the back of most PCs. The dealer that I purchased the monitor from gave me a standard 3 prong power cord for use with the Amiga. - The signal cable is a hard-wired, 15-pin, D-shell connector. I used the 9-pin to 15-pin adapter that came with my Flicker Free Video 2 board to connect the monitor to my Amiga. - Behind the control panel door are the following controls: * Degauss button * Memory Recall button - the monitor comes with 10 preset screen modes that are not very useful with an Amiga attached. You can add additional presets to the monitor's memory for non-standard signals. For some reason, the user-defined screen mode entries are mentioned in the manual, but the steps necessary to do this aren't covered in the manual. * Both the Horizontal and Vertical display size can be digitally controlled from a set of four buttons. This feature is very handy for eliminating all ugly black borders on the Amiga's display area. I can actually stretch the display too far in both directions! * Both the Horizontal and Vertical position of the display can be digitally controlled from a set of four buttons. Again, this is a very nice feature for Amiga owners. After you've stretched the screen to a desirable size, you can then center it on the display area. * The Brightness can be digitally controlled with two buttons. The Brightness control has a wide range of settings from too bright to too dark. * The Contrast can be digitally controlled with two buttons. The Contrast control also has a wide range of settings. * By pressing the left and right screen positioning buttons simultaneously you can control the Pincushion/Barrel compensation of the monitor. * By pressing the left and right screen size buttons simultaneously you can control the Trapezoid compensation of the monitor. COMMENTS: I must admit that I was a little concerned about the Magitronic name, at first. The dealer assured me that they had used many of these monitors on clone systems with no problems whatsoever. The two year warranty, digital controls, 15 inch, .28 dot pitch screen, and the unavailability of a good multisync monitor made specifically for the Amiga at the time, all influenced my decision to purchase this monitor. It's really nice to be able to resize the screen both horizontally and vertically with the digital controls. Also, the ability to center the display on the screen in both horizontal and vertical directions is a nice feature not found on many other monitors. No more ugly black borders as found when using many other clone-type monitors. I did lose some of the Amiga's display modes when using this monitor even though I am using a flicker fixer. I lost DblNTSC and DblPAL under WB 3.1, and Super72 modes. The Super72 is no great loss, but it would have been nice to use the higher resolution of the DblNTSC mode (since all of these modes are 4 colors, it's not too much of a loss because I always run a 16 color Workbench.) SUMMARY: This is a very nice monitor and it suits my needs quite well. I suppose the ability to sync lower than 30 KHz. would have been nice because then I could disable the flicker fixer and regain those lost screen modes. At any rate, I'm very happy with the monitor and would recommend it to any Amiga user. @endnode @node P3-7 "Review: Transition V1.2" @toc P3 =========================================================================== == Review: Transition V1.2 By: @{"Jason Compton" link P8-1} and @{"Katherine Nelson" link P8-3} == =========================================================================== Transition has but one purpose in life-converting images from one format to another. A few bells and whistles have been thrown in along the way, but the primary focus is getting from one .extension to another. What options do you have? Well, you go from incoming IFF (several formats, but some less popular ones are unsupported, like SHAM and PCHG), GIF, JPEG, PCX, PBM+, or BMP formats, and go out to the same. The primary loss is that you can't output IFF EHB (64 color) pictures. Too bad. The entire program runs from a single custom screen loaded with buttons and string gadgets. Input/output file, output file selection and scaling options (scaling can be done to any aspect, or with aspect ratio preserved to that of the original). You can delete the input file immediately upon completion (nice!), greyscale, select ordered or Floyd-Steinberg dithering, or use an embossing algorithm to give the pictures a 3D look...the closest parallel is to say that they look like imprints in grey sand. Before we go on, let's just take stock of what's above-everything works fine, except the aspect ratio selector. According to the manual, with Preserve Aspect Ratio selected, only one of width or height needs to be input, and the other will be automatically computed. This doesn't happen...if you don't input both dimensions, you wind up with a file of size zero. Oops. At the same time, even if you select "Normal", you still need to enter the values. If you leave them both at zero, it will load the input file before telling you...this area looks to need some work. If JPEG is your output poison, you can go with a "quality" selection (100-0, progressively worse as you go) and a "smoothing" selection (to counter the effects of lower quality), and an option to optimize output, which quite honestly didn't seem to do much but take up time. But, it's all up to the pleasure of the person doing the transitioning... Color correction is in place in the form of gamma level and brightness controls. They work as you would expect. Batch processing is available if you're working on massive projects. The relevant buttons are below the color correction. At the bottom of the screen is a progress bar, which is designed to show you how far along your transition is. We've never seen it updated more than 4 times, though, in trials lasting up to 2 minutes on a 4000/040. Often, the bar will jump from 44% to completion. The "convert" button lives here, as well as "About", "Work Dir" (conversion requires a temporary directory. Hard drive is suggested, as the conversions can use large amounts of space before they're complete. A very helpful table is included in the manual to give you an idea.), and "Quit". That rounds it up. Transition does the job it's supposed to, with acceptable speeds. (A couple of trial runs Katie did are listed below.) Besides the aforementioned negatives, the program could certainly do with a cancel option once transitioning has begun, and the requester slider bars turn black against a black background when you click on them. Weird. A built-in option to immediately view your converted work would be appreciated-as it is, you need to use another program to do so. For the current going rate of US$30, though, it's tough to say no. After all, Transition will basically work on any Amiga, although based on the repeated warnings against using it on a 68000 system, you can imagine the horror of trying. Trial runs on a 4000/040: 152K GIF: -> iff Floyd-Steinberg - 1 minute, 45 sec No dither - 50 sec 249k No dither is a little lighter than F-S. -> jpeg 75% qual, 10% smooth - 30 sec 100% qual, 0% smooth - 30 sec 51k 75/10 looks more realistic than 100/0 (barely) -> 256 color PCX 30 sec 193K Little longer than original GIF No other difference. *** It should be noted that this is Transition V1.2. V1.0 is found on the Micro R+D CD-ROM Vol. 1, but incurs bugs fixed and misses some features, such as Floyd-Steinberg for ILBM, requester path fixes, a stray Enforcer hit, and recoded assembly. Transition V1.2 distributed by: Better Concepts, Inc. 10 Mandon Terrace New City, NY 10956 914-639-5095 voice 914-634-7097 fax @endnode @node P7-1 "On the Ball V1.30 demo" @toc P7 TITLE "On The Ball" Calendar/Addressbook/To-Do List/NotePad VERSION V1.30-demo Version V1.30 has over 50 improvements over V1.20. COMPANY Pure Logic Software 789 Butterfly Road Quincy, CA 95971 205-802-7345 (Voice/Fax/Tech Support) DESCRIPTION On The Ball gracefully binds four powerful applications in a symmetrical multiwindow environment. Calendar: * View and print adjustable appointment schedules from eye-catching: week-at-a-glance, month-at-a-glance, or year-at-a-glance graphical views. * 11 Powerful repeat modes automatically re-schedule appointments: Selected day(s) of week, Bi-weekly, Monthly, or Yearly, Repeat on second Tuesday of each month, (example) ...and more. * Can search forward and backward through all appointments. * Create shadow appointments to remind you days in advace. * Ability to review past appointments while the computer was off. Addressbook: * Sorts and searches by any field. * Mailing Labels: Print or copy to the clipboard all or selected records. Choose from many built-in generic label configurations or design your own layout. * Attatch notes to records to associate as much personal or professional information as you like to each record. * Dialer/Auto-redialer can automatically bring up your contact's note and append a new time-date stamp to help you automate transcripts of your contacts. * Ability to print custom phone lists or address lists. To-Do List: * Prioritizes things you need to get done with optional due dates. * Print your daily agenda or a comprehensive to-do list. * Search To-Do List. NotePad: * Jot down and organize stand-alone notes. * Load/Save feature makes NotePad a powerful and handy text editor. * Easily attatches notes to individual Calendar, ToDo List, and Addressbook entries. * Fast smooth-scrolling, resizable notes have standard editing features such as search and replace and cut-and-paste to the clipboard. Configurable: * Create your own colorized "Tags" (ie. "Personal", "Birthdays", "Urgent", "Project X", etc.) to help you classify and prioritize information so you can focus on specfic categories of entries in all applications and all views. * Extensive Arexx support with sample routines provided on disk and in manual. * Modular save files Compatible: * For all Amigas: 500 through 4000, WorkBench 1.3-3.x compatible. * Automatically takes advantage of many WB2.0+ features, if available. (ie. prints compugraphic fonts, font requester, etc.) * Multi-Lingual interface modules and interface for: English, German, French, Swedish, & Dutch. and MUCH more! HOST NAME The new demo is available for anonymous FTP on Aminet, for example: wuarchive.wustl.edu The demo will also soon be available on Fred Fish and most BBS's. DIRECTORY Currently in /pub/aminet/new. Will be permanently moved to: /pub/aminet/biz/demo FILE NAMES OnTheBall_V130.lha 221k OnTheBall_V130.readme 6k DISTRIBUTABILITY On The Ball is not shareware, it is commercial. The demo of On The Ball is a freely redistributable program under the condition that all accompanying files are included. Users are granted a limited 30 day license to use this demo for the purpose of evaluation only. After that time, you must send the $40 registration fee to: Pure Logic Software 789 Butterfly Rd. Quincy, CA 95971 USA Registered users will receive the latest commercial version of the program, a professionally printed manual, and access to future upgrades at a negligible price. On The Ball is also available from most Amiga retaillers. CONTACTING PURE LOGIC SOFTWARE 1) Contact the 24hr Pure Logic Software phone line for: techinical help, order info, Dealer/distributor info. Fax retrieval, sending a FAX, requesting promotional material for your user group. 2) Questions and comments can also be emailed to: * Jason Freund, freund@cis.uab.edu, 205-802-7345 * Gabe Dalbec, dalbec@cs.arizona.edu, 602-770-9561 OTHER See our review featured in Amazing Computing, November, 1994. @endnode @node P7-2 "Wacom Driver 1.16" @toc P7 [ Minor edits to improve the English. -Dan ] TITLE Wacom Digitizer Tablet driver for the Amiga. VERSION Version 1.16 COMPANY Private developer. AUTHOR Roland Schwingel Lilienthalstrasse 9 92421 Schwandorf Germany Email: roland.schwingel@extern.uni-regensburg.de Phone: +49-(0)9431-5779 DESCRIPTION With this program you can use wireless tablets manufactured by Wacom with the Amiga. The tablet is connected to the serial port of your Amiga (Multi-I/O boards are also supported.) The driver is suitable for tablets of the SD, UD and KT series. Both the pressure-sensitive and the non- pressure-sensitive modes are supported. The driver enables you to control the Amiga mouse pointer with your tablet. Appropriate buttons on the tablet's input devices are mapped to the normal mouse buttons. Therefore the driver can be used with (almost) any program. Also, a software interface is implemented which enables you to map unused buttons in your own applications and/or to use the pressure and coordinates in your own applications. Some sample source in C is included to demonstrate the usage of the interface. Under AmigaOS 3.0 or better the tablet data is also directly used by Intuition and passed to every window where an application can use it. A small program with source in C is included to show how an application can get the data from intuition using the Commodore tablet interface. Driver settings are made using an intuitive graphics user interface (GUI). Also, a German catalog file is supplied which you can use with Workbench 2.1 or later. German and English documentation included. NEW FEATURES New in Version 1.16 (07. November 1994): * Now also supports the new KT series. (eg. ArtPad) * UD tablets with a ROM version 1.2 or greater can be driven with double resolution and double pressure range. This is also supported now. * The main window now also has menus. * The cycle and button gadgets with keyboard access are highlighted when the corresponding key is pressed. * The layout of checkbox gadget has changed. When running AmigaOS3.0 or better they are looking much better with bigger fonts. * The requester which appears when the tablet is not switched on now has a retry-button for much easier reinitialising. * Revised tablet recognition. It is now more flexible when some of the internal tablet settings (DIP-switches or memory settings) are not set to factory settings. But please set your tablet to factory de- faults! * Revised SD-510C handling. There have been problems with a certain ROM-version of this tablet. There is a major new version (2.0) in preparation. It is planned to be released by the end of December or begining of January. This version will finally include an AREXX-Port and a completly new mouse emulation (likely to be faster than Amigamouse). SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS * At least Kickstart and Workbench 2.04. On 2.1 or 3.x you can use german localization. * Wacom tablet of the SD, UD or KT series. HOST NAME Available on servers in the aminet. e.g.: Scandinavia ftp.luth.se 130.240.16.3 Germany ftp.uni-erlangen.de 131.188.1.43 USA ftp.wustl.edu 128.252.135.4 ... ... ... DIRECTORY Aminet: /pub/aminet/hard/drivr FILE NAMES Wacom_116.lha ----- 204643 Bytes Wacom_116.reamde -- 2054 Bytes PRICE The program is shareware. Requested fee: US$20 (or 25DM) DISTRIBUTABILITY May be distributed freely as long as all files remain complete and unmodified. Also refer to the program's documentation. @endnode @node P7-3 "Textfield Gadget 2.0" @toc P7 TITLE textfield.gadget VERSION 2.0 AUTHOR Mark Thomas mthomas@cs.utexas.edu DESCRIPTION The textfield.gadget is a BOOPSI gadget for text entry, supporting multiple lines, borders, two cursor types, an optional notepad look, font setting, style setting, and much more. The 2.0 version fixes some bugs and offers some new features: faster scrolling, true read-only mode, modified flag, accept/reject sets of characters, read line lengths, highlight text programmatically, IntuiText label support, and copy/copyall/cut/paste/erase/undo program- matically. A programmer who is familiar with BOOPSI can use this gadget by simply creating an instance, attach it to a window, then when needed, read the text from the gadget when necessary. All the text entry is handled by the gadget itself. When finished with the gadget it can simply be removed from the window and deleted. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The gadget requires OS 2.04 and up. From the user's standpoint, for OS 2.04 and 2.1 the gadget must be placed in a drawer where application that uses it exists, and for OS 3.0 and up the gadget can be installed in SYS:Classes/Gadgets. HOST NAME It is available on Aminet. Aminet's main site is ftp.wustl.edu (128.252.135.4). DIRECTORY /pub/aminet/dev/gui FILE NAME textfield.lha PRICE I do not require a fee to be paid by end users of the gadget, but the programs that use the gadget may require paying a fee of some sort, which should be directed to the author of that software, not me. The cost for using this gadget in a program is that I get a copy of the software package it is used in, at no cost to me. The purpose of this requirement is that I will be able to evaluate future needs of the gadget. Also, there should be mention of the gadget and author in the programs and documentation of the programs that use the gadget. In programs you can drop a short line in the About requester: textfield.gadget by Mark Thomas. The License file in the archive has more information. DISTRIBUTABILITY The archive may be distributed only in its entirety to anywhere, such as ftp sites, a BBS, or a disk collection such as Fish disks. The textfield.gadget file itself, and portions of the documentation pertaining to editor keyboard sequences can be distributed with software packages that use the gadget. OTHER Please send any bug reports or suggestions to me. There is a fully working example program that uses the gadget in the archive. There are normal and MUI examples. Enjoy! @endnode @node P7-4 "Serial Stratego 1.5" @toc P7 TITLE Serial Stratego VERSION 1.5 AUTHOR Daniel Oberlin Current mailing address: 3A Gaslight Village Ithaca, NY 14850 Current Email: fkrj@crux2.cit.cornell.edu DESCRIPTION Allows people to play Stratego, a popular board game, over a serial connection. Gameplay can take place over a null modem connection, Modem, or while logged onto a remote host using Internet Relay Chat, talk, or write. The program is unique in that it uses a robust packet sending algorithm which transmits and receives packets using standard printable characters, and filters out screen escape codes. During game play, messages may be sent, and optionally played through the SPEAK: device. Be sure to skim the documentation before trying the program. New Features added to this version: - Sound effects. - CRC Error detection. - Save game and recover after disconnections. - Some minor problems have been fixed. DISTRIBUTABILITY May be distributed freely. I would be honored to have this placed on a Fish Disk. The program may not be sold to make a profit. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Runs on any OS. Uses the SPEAK: device, but this is not a requirement. DIRECTORY Found on aminet sites such as ftp.cdrom.com (192.216.191.11) in the directory pub/aminet/game/2play. FILENAME SerStratego.lha 105804 bytes long. PRICE Shareware, 5$. @endnode @node P7-5 "DoIcon 1.2" @toc P7 [ Minor edits to improve the English. -Dan ] TITLE DoIcon VERSION 1.2 AUTHOR Lars 'SFX' Eilebrecht Glueck-Auf-Strasrasse 23 57223 Kreuztal (Germany) SFX@appl1.hrz.uni-siegen.de Shadowfox@IRC DESCRIPTION DoIcon is an icon information and manipulation tool. It is designed for quick shell usage and can be used with programs like DirOpus. Any option of DoIcon can be used with file patterns. Features: o Displaying of icon related values... Type, Defaulttool, Stacksize, Highlightmethod, Position, Dimensions, Tooltypes and number of bit-planes o Manipulation of the above listed values... o Manipulation of tooltypes (add, change, toggle, delete, clear) o Strip number of bit-planes. o Converting icons to 8 bit-planes (For icons not displayed correctly on >8 color WBs) o Remapping icon colors (1.x style <-> 2.x/3.x style) o Remapping icon colors (MagicWB 8 color -> standard 4 color) (Two different remap-methods are available) o Deleting icons (with Workbench refresh) o Recursively deleting old 1.x ".info" drawer files o Converting icon image data to C source code o Calling of Workbench information requester from Shell o Search & replace of a specified default tool (pattern support) o Search & replace of specified tooltypes (pattern support) o Search & delete of a specified tooltype (pattern support) o Checking of tooltype values for specified tooltypes o Support of file patterns and recusive directory scanning! o Full locale support, you can use DoIcon in your preferred language (Currently english, german and finish are supported.) FUTURE Simply tell the author what feature you need. :-) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS DoIcon needs at least Kick/WB 2.04. For locale support it needs WB 2.1+. The requester option needs Kick/WB 3.x. HOST NAME DoIcon has been uploaded to the Aminet Site ftp.uni-paderborn.de (131.234.10.42) and should be available on all other Aminet sites. DIRECTORY pub/aminet/util/cli FILE NAME DoIcon12.lha RELEASE DATE 12. November 1994 PRICE DoIcon is FREEWARE! (But the author would like to get some mail if you use DoIcon.) DISTRIBUTABILITY The DoIcon archive is freely distributable, but it is copright (c) 1994 by Lars Eilebrecht. OTHER If you have access to IRC (Internet Relay Chat), you can get the latest DoIcon archive via "dcc". Just type "/ctcp Shadowfox doicon" and you will get a dcc send request for DoIcon. Accept the request with "/dcc get Shadowfox". (The authors IRC-client normally is reachable 24h/day!) @endnode @node P7-6 "ShadowStart 1.0" @toc P7 TITLE ShadowStart VERSION 1.0 AUTHOR Lars 'SFX' Eilebrecht Glueck-Auf-Strasse 23 57223 Kreuztal (Germany) SFX@appl1.hrz.uni-siegen.de Shadowfox@IRC DESCRIPTION ShadowStart is a small utility that should be called from the startup-sequence. If the space bar is pressed down a requester pops up, asking you if you want the WBStartup-drawer, the User-Startup script or both to be disabled. This means, you can bootup a "clean" Workbench, without any programs in WBStartup or User-Startup executed! (source code is included.) FUTURE Ideas and suggestions are always welcome! SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS ShadowStart needs at least Kick/WB 3.0 HOST NAME ShadowStart has been uploaded to the Aminet Site ftp.uni-paderborn.de (131.234.10.42) and should be available on all other Aminet sites. DIRECTORY pub/aminet/util/boot FILE NAME ShadowStart10.lha RELEASE DATE 16. November 1994 PRICE ShadowStart is FREEWARE! (But the author would like to get some mail if you use it.) DISTRIBUTABILITY The ShadowStart archive is freely distributable, but it is copright ) 1994 by Lars Eilebrecht. OTHER If you have access to IRC (Internet Relay Chat), you can get the latest ShadowStart archive via "dcc". Just type "/ctcp Shadowfox shadowstart" and you will get a dcc send request for it. Accept the request with "/dcc get Shadowfox". (The authors IRC-client normally is reachable 24h/day!) @endnode @node P7-7 "PriMan 2.0" @toc P7 TITLE PriMan, a configurable task priority manager VERSION 2.0 AUTHOR Barry McConnell Internet: bmccnnll@tcd.ie FidoNet: 2:263/150.2 DESCRIPTION PriMan is an easy-to-use, configurable, Style Guide-compliant utility to monitor the tasks running on your Amiga, and perform some actions on them, in a similar manner to TaskX (amongst others). Major new features since v1.1 include: - Totally revamped interface. Now PriMan has menus, keyboard shortcuts for everything, and an improved settings window. - Can signal tasks with Ctrl-C/D/E/F, and also freeze them! - Can close screens as well as windows. - Menu to change a task's priority to preset values. - Works well with Virtual Memory and sysihack. - Can use SIMPLE or SMART refresh windows. - Can open on either the front screen or the default public screen, and follow you around screens when you press its hotkey. - Better support for Shell users. - Online help and AmigaGuide documentation. FILENAME PriMan20.lha LOCATION Available for FTP from any Aminet site, eg. ftp.cdrom.com. (192.216.191.11) Also FREQ'able from 2:263/150. If you like, e-mail me and I'll send you it uuencoded. DIRECTORY /pub/aminet/util/moni SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Any Amiga running Release 2 or greater. DISTRIBUTABILITY FreeWare. @endnode @node P7-8 "EpsLab 1.02" @toc P7 TITLE EpsLab VERSION 1.02 AUTHOR Alessandro Sala E-Mail: tser1500@cdc8g5.cdc.polimi.it or sala@aix1.cdc.polimi.it Regular mail: Via Grandi, 16 20014 Nerviano (MI) ITALY DESCRIPTION The main purpose of EpsLab is to add a preview image to Encapsulated PostScript (EPSF) files. The preview image allows for faster manipulation and better representation of EPSF images imported into many word processors, DTP systems, vector graphics programs etc. Also, EpsLab can also convert many single-page PostScript files to EPS files with preview image, by locating the position and extension of objects drawn on the page. The preview image can be provided by the user in the form of a TIFF or Windows MetaFile image, or it can be created by EpsLab by interpreting the PostScript code. The output of EpsLab can be either the MS-DOS binary EPSF format, which has a TIFF preview image appended, or the Encapsulated PostScript Interchange (EPSI) format, which has an embedded ASCII preview. EpsLab features: - Fully localized, font-sensitive GUI - Creation of either uncompressed or compressed TIFF previews - Selectable density of the preview image - ASCII and AmigaGuide documentation SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The only basic requirement is AmigaOS 2.0 or better. Memory requirements depend on the size and complexity of the EPS/PostScript files you want to convert, but 1 Mb of chip RAM and 1 MB of fast RAM will suffice in most cases. Creation of preview images is done using the included post.library by Adrian Aylward. Included is also a rather simple PostScript font (FunkyFont by Radical Eye Software), but you may want more fonts so you can get better previews. One good source is Post, a freely distributable PostScript interpreter, also by Adrian Aylward. You can find it on Aminet in /pub/aminet/text/print as Post186enh_bin.lha. With Post you can also find an optimized version of the post.library which takes advantage of the math coprocessor (FPU) if you have one. Localization requires AmigaOS 2.1 or better. HOST NAME wuarchive.wustl.edu or any Aminet site DIRECTORY /pub/aminet/util/conv FILE NAME EpsLab_1.02.lha (151034 bytes) PRICE Free. DISTRIBUTABILITY EpsLab is Freeware, meaning that it can be freely copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, but remains Copyright 1994 by Alessandro Sala. @endnode @node P7-9 "ImageFX 2.0 Demo Pictures" @toc P7 TITLE IFX2Demo.LHA AUTHOR Kermit Woodall of Nova Design, Inc. (Kermit@cup.portal.com) Nova Design, Inc. 1910 Byrd Avenue, Suite 214 Richmond, VA 23230 USA (804) 282-6528 Customer Support/Information (804) 282-3768 Fax (804) 282-1157 Upgrade Orders (also 1-800-Image-69 US/Canada only) DESCRIPTION This archive contains twenty images created solely using ImageFX 2.0 on an Amiga 3000 with six megabytes of RAM and what few remaining megabytes were left over on my 50 megabyte hard drive. All images are in a 1:1 aspect ratio with a 256x256 resolution. All are stored in the JPEG format. The images demonstrate such effects as Lightning, texture, PaintFX, and much more. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS You will need a viewer for your Amiga that supports JPEG. ViewTEK or REND24 are recommended. [ Note: ViewTEK is on Aminet in ] [ /pub/aminet/gfx/show/ViewTEK21.lha -Dan ] HOST Aminet FTP sites (ftp.luth.se [130.240.18.2], wuarchive.wustl.edu [128.252.135.4], etc). FILENAME ifx2demo.lha - 286346 bytes PRICE Free - distribute as much as you like! DISTRIBUTION Freely redistributable as long as archive is intact. All rights reserved. Not to be re-sold, except for duplication/disk or with express written consent from the author. @endnode @node P7-10 "Epson Stylus Color Driver" @toc P7 TITLE Epson Stylus Color Driver VERSION 1.0 COMPANY Endicor Technologies, Inc. P.O. Box 29000 #355 San Antonio, TX 78229 USA Internet: info@endicor.com, sales@endicor.com Voice: 1-210-650-4988 Fax: As above. AUTHOR Ty Sarna Phone: 1-210-650-4988 x1 Internet: tsarna@endicor.com DESCRIPTION This is a standard ("Preferences") Amiga printer driver for Stylus Color inkjet printer from Epson. It features resolutions up to 720x720 dpi, with optional MicroWeave printing (an Epson feature that uses overlapping passes to reduce banding). Resolutions are selected by the Preferences density setting: Density 1 180x180 Density 2 360x180 Denisty 3 360x360 Denisty 4 360x360, MicroWeave Denisty 5 720x720 Density 6 720x720, MicroWeave Density 7 720x720, MicroWeave (identical to Denisty 6) The driver implements horizontal and verical whitespace stripping, as well as Epson compression mode 2 ("TIFF v4.0 packbits mode") to minimize the amount of data that must be sent to the printer and improve printing speed. A beta tester reported speed on an Amiga 3000 comperable to that of a 66MHz 486 with Epson's MS-Windows driver. The driver implements a very simple color correction for 720dpi modes to prevent them from printing excessively dark. This gives results similar to other drivers on the same printer (for example, the PageStream 2.x LQ2550C driver). We are investigating a future update with improved color correction, which will provide more accurate colors and better gradation. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Workbench 1.3 or higher. - An Epson Stylus Color printer (of course). PRICE The price is $44.95. However, we are now offering a special introductory price of $34.95 for all orders received before January 1, 1995. Texas residents add sales tax (6.25%). San Antonio residents add Texas and San Antonio sales tax (totals 7.75%). Shipping and handling is $2, or $4 for UPS Second Day Air. We can offer electronic delivery for orders prepaid by check or money order, in which case there is no shipping charge. We can accept payment by check, money order, or COD ($4 extra). Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards at this time. We are looking for distributors who can. All prices in US funds. Please contact us by phone or email for international orders. You may wish to use electronic delivery to save on shipping. When ordering by mail, please include: Name, shipping address, postal address, phone number, and method of delivery. If you include an Internet or FidoNet email address, we can use it to notify you of updates rather than using traditional mail. DISTRIBUTABILITY Copyright (C) 1994 Endicor Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is commercial software. OTHER The driver takes advantage of Stylus Color features not present on older ESC-P2 printers, such as compression mode 2 (packbits). Because of this it will not work on previous Stylus printer models. @endnode @node P7-11 "Plantation 1.0" @toc P7 NOTE This announcement prepared by Chris Hurley, one of the program's authors and a principle of interVISUAL Software. TITLE Plantation-Scalable Distributed Rendering for Lightwave 3d VERSION Version 1.0 COMPANY interVISUAL Software 1080 Horseshoe Rd. Augusta, GA 30906 USA (706)793-4007 chrish@shell.portal.com DESCRIPTION Plantation is a distributed rendering solution for Lightwave 3d. Plantation orchestrates the rendering of Lightwave scenes by multiple Lightwave-equipped Amigas on a network. Working in tandem, the networked computers spread the work of rendering an animation across the entire network, decreasing rendering time and increasing productivity. FEATURES Plantation will manage the rendering of any number of scenes up to memory limitations. Plantation is flexible in the number of networked Amigas it will support: any number up to the limit imposed by your license and your network. Unattended rendering of multiple scenes on a single machine is also supported. Plantation Supports the DPS-Personal Animation Recorder, with no additional setup, or waiting. Faster machines do not wait on slower machines while rendering to the PAR. Plantation supports nearly any network that can provide shared access to a drawer, including Enlan-DFS, Envoy, Parnet, AmiTCP (with NFS). Plantation features an upgradable license. Start with a two-user license, and upgrade to a 5, 10, or unlimited license with a simple phone call. An attractive, easy-to-use Intuition interface makes Plantation a pleasure to use. An installation script for use with the Installer is included. Plantation was carefully tested with Enforcer to eliminate as many machine-crashing bugs as possible. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Lightwave-equipped machines running: Workbench 2.0 or later Network software and hardware supporting a shared drawer. PRICE US Prices: (license size determines the number of active machines) 2 user $100.00 5 user $150.00 10 user $200.00 20 user $300.00 shipping/handling $4.00 Custom licenses and upgrades are available. Release date: Shipping November, 1994. DISTRIBUTABILITY Plantation is a commercial product. Send check or money order to: interVISUAL Software 1080 Horseshoe Rd. Augusta, GA 30906 Dealer inquiries are welcome. Information sheets are available via fax-on-demand at phone number above. OTHER Basic Knowledge of AmigaDOS may be required. @endnode @node P7-12 "Kill the Little Dudes" @toc P7 TITLE Kill the Little Dudes VERSION 1.0 AUTHOR Craig Burlock Submitted by: Philip Mulholland n1pjmulh@aelmg.adelaide.edu.au (I have internet access, the author doesn't so he asked me to upload the game and also to announce it.) DESCRIPTION Action platform game involving collecting pods, little dudes and death. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS 1 MB Memory PAL Video Tested and works on WB 1.3, 2.0 & 3.0 DOWNLOAD Any Aminet site eg ftp.etsu.edu 192.43.199.20 DIRECTORY pub/aminet/game/jump/ FILES KTLD.lha 126159 KTLD.readme 239 PRICE Shareware donation $5 Australian or equivalent, or whatever is considered appropriate. DISTRIBUTABILITY Freely Distributable @endnode @node P5B-1 "Amiga Report Mailing List" @toc P5B =========================================================================== == Amiga Report Mailing List == =========================================================================== If you have an internet mailing address, you can receive Amiga Report in @{"UUENCODED" link P5B-1-1} form each week as soon as the issue is released. To be put on the list, send Email to jcompton@bbs.xnet.com and in the body of the message ask nicely and briefly to be added to the list. ie: Please add me to the mailing list for Amiga Report magazine. My addresss is . Your account must be able to handle mail of any size to ensure an intact copy. For example, many systems have a 100K limit on incoming messages. ** IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLEASE be certain your host can accept mail over ** ** 100K! We have had a lot of bouncebacks recently from systems with a ** ** 100K size limit for incoming mail. If we get a bounceback with your ** ** address in it, it will be removed from the list. Thanks! ** @endnode @node P5B-1-1 @toc P5B UUEncoding/Decoding ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (thanks to Bob Tomasevich for the quick tutorial) What is uuencoding and uudecoding? ---------------------------------- uuencoding is converting a binary file into text (ASCII) which can be sent through mail or Usenet. uudecoding is reversing the process (e.g. converting the file back to binary). Why would I want to do this? ---------------------------- You have to send a binary file to a user who does not have FTP access, or the user is too lazy to FTP the file. What is the normal procedure? ----------------------------- 1. Convert the binary file into ASCII, using uuencode. 2. Send the file, through email, to the user. 3. The person on the receiving end gets the email, which may be split into parts. If the email is split into parts, the parts must be combined, in the order received, into one file. 4. Receiving person converts the file back into binary, using uudecode. What does a uuencoded file look like? ------------------------------------- The start always has: begin 644 So, for the file happy-happy-joy-joy.txt, it would look like: begin 644 happy-happy-joy-joy.txt The encoded file begins right after: M1TE&.#=A@`+@`9<````$`*QB15=2.+&/@R(Y)XM8.=J]H+*%7BL6#8]F6EP_] M*$=E5"L?L-Z8A-:#60\@$,9P27-4-YB#;4HY)U!L9KZNE\O"O["#;8]82SDF> M&[%J4FI',.&:E`48#="4@SE41M61(`)N(`-^(`1.($5>($9N($=^($A.((E>((IN((M^((Q.(,U>(,YN(,]^(-!+ &V"\"`@`[& `` end <-- the end of the encoded file size 151341 <-- size of the original file So, how would I do this on the Amiga? ------------------------------------- There are many uuencode/decode variants out there, but most usually have kept the old UNIX command line, which can be confusing to novices, or, require you to remove all mail headers and other, non-uuencoded text. Luckily, Asher Feldman took the time to write UUxt. What is UUxT? ------------- It is a program which performs both the uuencode/decode operations in one executable, AND, can also pack/unpack LhA archives. Tell me more. ------------- The UUxT archive contains UUxT, the CLI version, and UUxtGUI, the Workbench interface. I will give a short summary of how to use both. Detailed instructions are included in the UUxT archive. CLI Version: ------------ Running UUxT without any options gives the following: UUxT Version 2.1a Copyright (c)1993 Asher Feldman USAGE: UUxT [option] [archive name] options: a - encode l - LhAencode x - decode u - LhAdecode showing the format of the command line and the valid options. Some example command lines: 1. Normal encoding - UUxt a filename.uue filename-to-archive 2. Normal decoding - UUxt x filename.uue 3. LhA archiving and encoding - UUxT l filename.uue filename.lha file1 file2 ... 4. Decoding and LhA unarchiving - UUxT u filename.uue For LhA encoding and decoding, you will need LhA by Stefan Boberg. Workbench (GUI) Version: ------------------------ Below is a ASCII rendition of the UUxT-GUI window (from UUxtGUI doc): ____________________________________________________________ |+| UUxT-GUI Frontend v1.0 (c)1993 Asher Feldman | +------------------------------------------------------------+ | ______________________ ______________________ | | |InFile | | |OutFile| | | | +-------+--------------+ +-------+--------------+ | | (1) (2) (3) (4) | | ____________ _____________ | | Operation |@| Decode | Lha Name | | | | +-+----------+ +-------------+ | | (5) (6) | | _________ | | | START | | | +---------+ | | (7) | +------------------------------------------------------------+ (1) Clicking on this brings up a requester to select the file you want to perform the operation shown in gadget (5). (2) You can manually type here the filename of the file affected by the operation indicated in gadget (5). (3) Used only for encoding, brings up a requester to select where the encoded file should go. Selecting an existing file will cause the existing file to be replaced by the encoded file. You can also use this requester to create directories. (4) You can manually type the filename of the file to be the encoded file. (5) The operation to perform on file shown in (2). The operations are the four provided by UUxT (uuencode/uudecode/LhAEncode/LhADecode). (6) The name of the archive created with the LhAEncode option. Ignored when any other operation is selected. (7) Does the encode/decode/LhAEncode/LhADecode and pops up a requester indicating if the operation was successful or not. I need this! Where can I get it? --------------------------------- If you use the Internet from a local BBS, you may find it there. If not you can FTP it from wuarchive.wustl.edu, in the directory pub/aminet/arc/UUxT.lha It should also be on the Aminet mirrors. Thanks for the explanation! How can I reach you if I have questions? --------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet -------- bob.tomasevich@nezuld.com bobt@ais.net @endnode @node P5-4 "Copyright Information" @toc P5 =========================================================================== == _ _ __ ___ _ == == /\\ |\\ /| || // \ /\\ == == / \\ | \\ /|| ||(< __ / \\ == == /--- \\| \/ || || \\_||/--- \\ == == /______________________________\\ == == / \\ == == Amiga Report International Online Magazine == == December 4, 1994 Issue No. 2.33 == == Copyright 1994 SkyNet Publications == == All Rights Reserved == =========================================================================== Views, Opinions and Articles presented herein are not necessarily those of the editors and staff of Amiga Report International Online Magazine or of STR Publications. 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. Amiga Report and/or portions therein may not be edited in any way without prior written permission. However, translation into a language other than English is acceptble, provided the original meaning is not altered. Amiga Report may be distributed on privately owned not-for-profit bulletin board systems (fees to cover cost of operation are acceptable), and major online services such as (but not limited to) Delphi and Portal. Distribution on public domain disks is acceptable provided proceeds are only to cover the cost of the disk (e.g. no more than $5 US). Distribution on for-profit magazine cover disks requires written permission from the editor or publisher. Amiga Report is a not-for-profit publication. Amiga Report, at the time of publication, is believed reasonably accurate. Amiga Report, its staff and contributors are not and cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of information contained herein or the results obtained there from. Amiga Report is not affiliated with Commodore-Amiga, Inc., Commodore Business Machines, Ltd., or any other Amiga publication in any way. All items quoted in whole or in part are done so under the Fair Use Provision of the Copyright Laws of the United States Penal Code. Any Electronic Mail sent to the editors may be reprinted, in whole or in part, without any previous permission of the author, unless said electronic mail is specifically requested not to be reprinted. =========================================================================== @endnode @node P6-1 "Editor's Choice" @toc P6 =========================================================================== == Editor's Choice == =========================================================================== These are selected products, reviewed by myself, that I've liked. So, I've landed them and decided to sell them at the lowest price I'm authorized. All prices are in $US. | Issue | Approximate | Amiga Report | Product | Reviewed | Retail Price | Reader Price | ---------------------------------|----------|--------------|--------------| | | | | | |Swifty 3-button mouse | 2.28 | $39.95 | $22.75 | | | | | | |GPFax Amiga Fax Software | 2.30 | $100.00 | $60.00 | | (Class 1 and 2) | | | | | | | | | |Micro R+D CD-ROM Volume 1 | 2.25 | $79.00 | $53.95 | | (Includes Transition graphic| | | | | converter and loads of | | | | | artwork) | | | | | | | | | |Micro R+D CD-ROM Volume 2 | 2.26 | $99.00 | $59.95 | | (Includes entire Nature's | | | | | Backdrop series) | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orders may be placed via check, money order, or postal cheque, made out to Micro R+D. Visa/Mastercard accepted via post or E-Mail. No CODs. Mail all orders to @{" Jason Compton " link P8-1}. Orders will be processed by Amiga Report and drop-shipped from Micro R+D. In the US, add $5/$10/$20 for UPS shipping, ground/blue/red label, respectively. Overseas: It is recommended that you consider $20 to be the minimum cost for shipping. If you plan to order more than one item, E-mail for shipping cost. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sidewinder's Future Shock II CD is now available through Amiga Report. Featuring 15 Amiga-generated tunes totalling 71 minutes, Eric Gieseke's work is captured on an Amiga-independent media. Available for US$12.00. Please add $5 for shipping. Make check or money order payable to @{" Jason Compton " link P8-1}. Orders will be drop-shipped from Sidewinder Productions. For overseas orders, please contact through E-Mail before ordering. @endnode @node P6-2 "Area52 Price Listing" @toc P6 AREA52 Price Listing for September/October 1994. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Although many Amiga mail order companies and dealers are becoming harder to locate, it only makes room for us smaller dealers to bring you the same products at the same prices you would expect from the largest mail order house around. Over the summer we at AREA52 have been slowly expanding our product line to contain hardware such as hard drives, monitors, and accelerators, along with software from various smaller developers in the area. Here are some of our prices, but look for more in the October issue of Video Toaster User. We welcome you to compare prices! 17" AOC SVGA monitor, digital controls, .28mm 1280x1024 NI $625 14" SVGA monitors, many brands, .28mm, 1024x768 NI 260 Warp Engine 68040 for A4000, 0mhz, SCSI2 750 Cyberstorm 68040 for A4000, 0mhz 750 Personal Animation Recorder 1499 Conner 540 megabyte IDE hard drive, PAR compatible 299 Conner 810 megabyte IDE hard drive 499 Conner 1.0 gigabyte IDE hard drive, PAR compatible 625 Micropolis 2210A 1.0 gigabyte hard drive, IDE, PAR compatible 699 Micropolis 2217A 1.7 gigabyte hard drive, IDE, PAR compatible 950 Micropolis 2210 1.0 gigabyte hard drive, SCSI2 699 Micropolis 2217 1.7 gigabyte hard drive, SCSI2 950 Micropolis 2217AV 1.7 gigabyte hard drive, SCSI2 999 Fujitsu 530 megabyte SCSI hard drive 350 Fujitsu 1.0 gigabyte SCSI hard drive 625 Samsung 251 megabyte IDE hard drive 199 Samsung 426 megabyte IDE hard drive 250 Barracuda 2.1 gigabyte SCSI2 hard drive 1350 Barracuda 4.2 gigabyte SCSI2 hard drive 2599 Seagate 42 megabyte 2.5" IDE hard drive for A1200, A600 150 Seagate 210 megabyte 2.5" IDE hard drive for A1200, A600 299 Seagate 340 megabyte 2.5" IDE hard drive for A1200, A600 425 Seagate 524 megabyte 2.5" IDE hard drive for A1200, A600 625 External drive bays 1 drive bay $99. 2: $150, 4: $250, 8: $475 Most drives are 2 year minimum to 5 year warranty on larger drives. MTBF of 23 years on all drives! Most drives are 3.5" half height. Order (800) 730-0082, or FAX 24 hour orders to (516) 476-1615. NY State residents may order using (516) 476-1615. NY State residents must add 8% sales tax. VISA and MasterCard accepted. COD accepted by money order or cash equivalent. Prices subject to change. @endnode @node P6-4-1 "Delphi" @toc P6-4 =========================================================================== == Delphi Internet Services -- Your Connection to the World! == =========================================================================== Amiga Report International Online Magazine and the Amiga Report Coverdisk are available in the Amiga SIG on DELPHI. Amiga Report readers are invited to join DELPHI and become a part of the friendly community of Amiga enthusiasts 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 Username: type JOINDELPHI and press RETURN, At Password: type AMIGAUSER and press RETURN. For more information, call DELPHI Member Services at 1-800-695-4005 SPECIAL FEATURES ---------------- * Complete Internet connection -- Telnet, FTP, IRC, Gopher, E-Mail and more! (Internet option is $3/month extra) * SIGs for all types of computers -- Amiga, IBM, Macintosh, Atari, etc. * An active Amiga SIG hosting conferances, Usenet, Latest wares, and FTP Gopher coming soon * Large file databases! * SIGs for hobbies, video games, graphics, and more! * Business and world news, stock reports, etc. * Grolier's Electronic Encyclopedia! DELPHI - It's getting better all the time! @endnode @node P6-4-2 "Portal" @toc P6-4 =========================================================================== == Portal: A Great Place For Amiga Users == =========================================================================== The Portal Information Network's Amiga Zone The AFFORDABLE alternative for online Amiga information ------------------------------------------------------- The Portal Online System is the home of acclaimed Amiga Zone, a full- service online SIG (Special Interest Group) for Amiga owners and users. You can dial into Portal to access the Amiga Zone in various ways: direct dial to our San Jose, CA area banks of high-speed modems (you pay for the phone call if it's not local), or though any SprintNet indial anywhere in the USA, (with a small hourly fee) or via the World-wide Internet "telnet" program to portal.com (no hourly fee). Even Delphi and BIX users can Telnet into Portal for a flat $19.95 a month, with *unlimited* use. Portal is NOT just another shell account. Its Online system is fully menu-driven with on-screen commands and help and you can easily customize it for your terminal program and screen size. Some of Portal/Amiga Zone's amazing features include: * 2.5 GIGabytes of Amiga-specific file space - we have so much Amiga Stuff online, we've lost count! * The *entire* Fred Fish collection of freely distributable software, online. ALL 1000 disks! * Fast, Batch Zmodem file transfer protocol. Download up to 100 files at once, of any size, with one command. * Twenty Amiga vendor areas with participants like AmigaWorld, Elastic Reality (ASDG), Soft-Logik, Apex Publishing, and others. * 38 "regular" Amiga libraries with over 10,000 files. Hot new stuff arrives daily. * No upload/download "ratios" EVER. Download as much as you want, as often as you want, and never feel pressured doing it. * Live, interactive nightly chats with Amiga folks whose names you will recognize. Special conferences. Random chance prize contests. We have given away thousands of bucks worth of Amiga prizes - more than any other online service. * Vast Message bases where you can ask questions about *anything* Amiga related and get quick replies from the experts. * Amiga Internet mailing lists for Imagine, DCTV, LightWave, EGS, Picasso, OpalVision & others feed right into the Zone message bases. Read months worth of postings. No need to clutter your mailbox with them. * FREE unlimited Internet Email with 5 meg of free storage. * A FREE UNIX Shell account with another 5 meg of free storage. * Portal has the Usenet. Thousands of "newsgroups" in which you can read and post articles about virtually any subject you can possibly imagine. * Other Portal SIGs (Special Interest Groups) online for Mac, IBM, Sun, UNIX, Science Fiction, Disney, and dozens more. ALL Portal SIGs are accessible to ALL Portal customers with NO surcharges ever. You never worry "Ooops... Am I paying for this area?" again! * The entire UPI/Clarinet/Newsbytes news hierarchy ($4/month extra) An entire general interest newspaper and computer news magazine. * Portal was THE FIRST online service to offer a full package of Internet features: IRC, FTP, TELNET, MUDS, LIBS. And you get FREE unlimited usage of all of them. * Our exclusive PortalX by Steve Tibbett, the graphical "front end" for Portal which will let you automatically click'n'download your waiting email, messages, Usenet groups and binary files! Reply to mail and messages offline using your favorite editor and your replies are sent automatically the next time you log into Portal. (PortalX requires Workbench 2.04 or higher) * Portal does NOT stick it to high speed modem users. Whether you log in at 1200 or 2400 or 9600 or 14.4K you pay the same low price. To join Portal or for more information call: 1-800-433-6444 (voice) 9a.m.-5p.m. Mon-Fri, Pacific Time 1-408-973-9111 (voice) 9a.m.-5p.m. Mon-Fri, Pacific Time 1-408-725-0561 (modem 3/12/2400) 24 hours every day 1-408-725-0560 (modem 96/14400) 24 hours every day or enter "C PORTAL" from any Sprintnet dial-in in the USA, or telnet to "portal.com" from anywhere. Call and join today. Tell the friendly Portal Customer Service representative, "The Amiga Zone and Amiga Report sent me!" [Editor's Note: Be sure to tell them that you are an Amiga user, so they can notify the AmigaZone sysops to send their Welcome Letter and other information!] The Portal Information Network accepts MasterCard, Visa, or you can pre-pay any amount by personal check or money order. The Portal Online System is a trademark of The Portal Information Network. SLIP, UUCP and custom domain accounts are also available. @endnode @node P6-4-3 "GEnie" @toc P6-4 =========================================================================== == GEnie: Internet access, online games, and more == =========================================================================== * What is GEnie? GEnie is a commercial on-line service that offers many services at a reasonable monthly rate. Some of the general services are: - Over 150,000 software files to download - Uploads to GEnie are free of any connect charges, so upload those Public Domain programs to add to the Starship Amiga Roundtable's vast selection of programs for free! - Real-time chat - Dozens of special-interest discussion areas - Challenging multi-player games with graphics (yes, there are Amiga front-ends) - Worldwide news, weather and sports - Electronic mail to and from the Internet - FTP Service which provides users with interactive access to any of the millions of files available for public access on the Internet - Usenet Newsgroups Service which allow users to participate in the global discussion areas collectively known as USENET - Outbound Telnet Service which enables users to connect to other host computers through the Internet - GEnie Mall with nearly 40 different vendors - Starship Amiga Roundtable which contains gigabytes of Amiga-only files - Commodore Roundtable for VIC-20, C-64, C-128 and other Commodore computers - Other Amiga software companies have their own Roundtables for customer support such as Soft-Logik where all the latest program patches and support files are available for their products - AmiAladdin Support Roundtable for getting the latest updates to the GEnie Aladdin software which is used to make maneuvering the GEnie menu system much easier and faster. This is a specific area for the Amiga version of this software which is free of charge - Hundreds of other areas and services available * How do I sigh up for GEnie? You may sign up for GEnie service by one of two methods: (1) Using your modem (8N1 half duplex 300/1200/2400 baud) dial 1-800-638-8369. Upon connection immediately enter HHH (Return), don't wait for any on-screen prompt. At the U#= prompt type SIGNUP (Return). You may use a major credit card account or your checking account (US only.) (2) Call GEnie client services via voice at 1-800-638-9636 or 1-301-251-6475 from outside the US and Canada. @endnode @node P5B-2 "Aminet" @toc P5B Aminet ~~~~~~ To get Amiga Report from Aminet, simply FTP to any Aminet site, CD to docs/mags. All the back issues are located there as well. (ftp.cdrom.com or ftp.wustl.edu are two sites) @endnode @node P5B-3 "World Wide Web" @toc P5B World Wide Web ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AR can also be read with Mosaic (in either AmigaGuide or html form). Reading AmigaReport with Mosaic removes the necessity to download it. It can also be read using programs found in UNIX sites such as LYNX. Simply tell Mosaic to open the following URL: http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/Web/People/mjw/Computer/Amiga/News/AR/index.html Or, for those in Europe, the Polish site is: http://sun1000.ci.pwr.wroc.pl/AMIGA/AR/ Mosaic for the Amiga can be found on Aminet in directory comm/net, or (using anonymous ftp) on max.physics.sunysb.edu Mosaic for X, Macintosh(tm) and Microsoft Windows(tm) can be found on ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu @endnode @node P9-A1 "Omaha Amiganet" @toc P5B-4A * OMAHA AMIGANET * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running DLG Professional * Andy Wasserman, Sysop 24 hrs - 7 days FidoNet: 1:285/11 AmigaNet: 40:200/10 Line 1: 402-333-5110 V.32bis Line 2: 402-691-0104 USR DS Omaha, Nebraska @endnode @node P9-A2 "NOVA" @toc P5B-4A * NOVA BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site Support BBS of The Chattanooga Amiga Users Group * Running MEBBSNet BBS * Wayne Stonecipher, Sysop AmigaNet 40:210/10.0 40:210/1.0 40:210/0.0 FidoNet 1:362/508.0 An Amiga Software Distribution Site (ADS) 615-472-9748 USR DS 16.8 24hrs - 7 days Cleveland, Tennessee All AR back issues are kept online. All new users receive access to the AR on the first call. Any AR issue may be file requested with proper name. To obtain the current issue you may FReq Proper name, AR.LHA or simply AR @endnode @node P9-A3 "PIONEERS BBS" @toc P5B-4A * PIONEERS BBS * ** A PREMIER GENEALOGY BBS ** ** WEST COAST - Amiga Virus Busters Support BBS ** ** CD32 REVIEW Support BBS ** AND NOW Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running EXCELSIOR! BBS * Michael & Marthe Arends, Sysops FidoNet: 1:343/54.0 206-775-7983 Supra 14.4k v32.bis 24hrs - 7 days EDMONDS, Washington New users can call and get ANY copy of Amiga Report. Just call using the Name "Long Distance" and the password "Longdistance"(without the quotes of course). Users using this account will have full access to ALL past and present issues of AMIGA REPORT starting with the premier issue. The latest issue of Amiga Report can be Freq'ed (FileREQusted) from here as "AR.LHA", Freq's are valid at ANY time. @endnode @node P9-A4 "CIUA BBS" @toc P5B-4A * CIUA BBS* Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Portugal * Running Excelsior/Trapdoor/AmigaUUCP/AmiTCP * Celso Martinho, Sysop FidoNet 2:361/9 Internet: denise.ci.ua.pt +351-34-382080/382081 (V32bis soon V34) 24hrs - 7 days. @endnode @node P9-A5 "Amiga Junction 9" @toc P5B-4A * AMIGA JUNCTION 9 * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- United Kingdom * Running DLG Professional * Stephen Anderson, Sysop Sysop Email: sysadmin@junct9.demon.co.uk Line 1 +44 (0)372 271000 14400 V.32bis/HST FidoNet 2:440/20 Line 2 +44 (0)372 278000 14400 V.32bis only FidoNet 2:440/21 Line 3 +44 (0)372 279000 2400 V.42bis/MNP Voice: +44 (0)956 348405 (24hrs) Direct Sysop Voice Line Internet: user_name@junct9.royle.org Special Interest Areas: - Bjork / Sugarcubes Fan Club - Research of Lucid Dreaming @endnode @node P9-A6 "BitStream BBS" @toc P5B-4A * BITSTREAM BBS * The BBS of the Nelson (NZ) Amiga Users Group Official Amiga Report Distribution Site BITSTREAM BBS is running on an Amiga 2000/030 with 7MB RAM 800MB of Hard Drive Space and a 650MB CD-ROM Drive Line 1 : 24 hours, +64-(0)3-548-5321, SupraFaxModem 28k8 VFast Class Modem Supplied by Supra. Hard Drive Controller Supplied by Micro World We use the XENOLINK Professional BBS Software v1.91 Sysop: Glen Roberts Co-Sysop: Peter Lowish FidoNET 3:771/850.0 MaxNET 90:301/150.0 AmigaNET 41:644/850.0 @endnode @node P9-A7 "Realm of Twilight" @toc P5B-4A * REALM OF TWILIGHT BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Canada * Running Excelsior! BBS * Thorsten Schiller, Sysop Usenet: realm.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca UUCP: ...!uunet.ca!tdkcs!realm FIDO: 1:221/302 Fish: 33:33/8 24hrs - 7 days 519-748-9365 (2400 baud) 519-748-9026 (v.32bis) Ontario, Canada Hardware: Amiga 3000, 105 Meg Quantum, 213 Meg Maxtor, 5 megs RAM @endnode @node P9-A8 "Metnet Triangle" @toc P5B-4A METNET TRIANGLE SYSTEM Official Amiga Report Distribution Site UK Support for Mebbsnet * Running Mebbsnet and Starnet 1.02a * Jon Witty, Sysop FIDO: 2:252/129.0 24 hrs - 7 days Line 1: 44-482-473871 16.8 DS HST Lines 2-7: 44-482-442251 2400 (6 lines) Line 8: 44-482-491744 2400 Line 9: 44-482-449028 2400 Voice helpline 44-482-491752 (anytime) Fully animated menus + normal menu sets. 500 megs HD - Usual software/messages Most doors online - Many Sigs - AMIGA AND PC SUPPORT Very active userbase and busy conference Precious days and MUD online. AMUL support site. @endnode @node P9-A9 "Amiga-Night-System" @toc P5B-4A * AMIGA-NIGHT-SYSTEM * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site - Finland * Running DLG Professional * Janne Saarme, Sysop 24 hrs - 7 days InterNet: luumu@fenix.fipnet.fi FidoNet: 2:220/550.0 +358-0-675840 V.32bis Helsinki, Finland @endnode @node P9-A10 "Ramses Amiga Flying" @toc P5B-4A * RAMSES THE AMIGA FLYING * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- France * Running DLG Professional * Eric Delord, Sysop Philippe Brand, Co-Sysop Stephane Legrand, Co-Sysop Internet: user.name@ramses.gna.org Fidonet: 2:320/104 +33-1-60037015 USR DS 16.8 +33-1-60037713 V.32bis +33-1-60037716 1200-2400 Ramses The Amiga Flying BBS is an Amiga-dedicated BBS running DLG-Pro on a Amiga 3000, 16MB RAM, 2GB Disk space, 3 lines. We keep a dayly Aminet site mirroring, NetBSD-Amiga complete mirror site from ftp.eunet.ch (main site), Amiga Report, GNU Amiga, Ramses is the SAN/ADS/Amiganet French coordinator. @endnode @node P9-A11 "Gateway BBS" @toc P5B-4A * THE GATEWAY BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running Excelsior! BBS * Stace Cunningham, Sysop Dan Butler, CoSysop 24 hrs - 7 days InterNet: stace@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil FidoNet: 1:3604/60.0 601-374-2697 Hayes Optina 28.8 V.FC Biloxi, Mississippi @endnode @node P9-A12 "EMERALD KEEP BBS" @toc P5B-4A * Emerald Keep BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribation Site * Running DLG Professional * Michael mac Nessa, Sysop 24 hrs - 7 days FidoNet: 1:2250/2 AmigaNet: 40:206/1 618-394-0065 USR 16.8k DS Fairview Heights, IL @endnode @node P9-A13 "Amiga BBS" @toc P5B-4A * Amiga BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running Excelsior! BBS * Alejandro Kurczyn, Sysop FidoNet 4:975/7 First Amiga BBS in Mexico (5) 887-3080 9600 V32,MNP Estado de Mexico, Mexico @endnode @node P9-A14 "The Stygian Abyss" @toc P5B-4A * THE STYGIAN ABYSS BBS * 312-384-0616 14.4 USR Courier HST 312-384-6250 14.4 Supra V.32 bis (FREQ line) 312-384-0716 2400 USR Courier FIDONet-1:115/384.0 CLink-911:6200/2.0 NWNet-206:310/0.0--206:310/1.0 PhantomNet Central States Cooridinator-11:2115/0.0--11:2115/1.0 FaithNet Central States Cooridinator-700:6000/0.0--700:6000/1.0 AMINet Chicagoland HUB-559:2/5.0 Chicago, Illinois Over 4 GIGS of files I Over 3700 MODS I Over 120 On-Line Games Tons of digitized sounds I Over 15,000 GIFS Supporting: Amiga I IBM I Macintosh I C=64/128 SIR SAMMY-SysOp Enter.......If you dare!! @endnode @node P9-A15 "Amiga Do PC BBS" @toc P5B-4A * AMIGA DO PC BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribuition Site - Brazil * Running Excelsior! v 1.18 * +55-192-33-2260 Weekdays: 19-07 (-3 GMT) Weekends: 24 hours Fidonet: 4:801/44 RBT: 12:1212/1 Virinet: 70:101/17 Internet: fimoraes@dcc.unicamp.br Francisco Moraes, sysop Campinas, SP Freq AREPORT for the newest issue avaiable. @endnode @node P9-A16 "Comm-Link BBS" @toc P5B-4A * COMM-LINK BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running Excelsior Pro * 604-945-6192 USR DS 16.8 24 hrs - 7 days Fido: 1:153/210.0 AmigaNet 40:800/9100.0 InterSports: 102:540/305.0 PussNet: 169:1000/305.0 InterNet: steve_hooper@comm.tfbbs.wimsey.com Steve Hooper, Sysop Port Coquitlam, B.C. Canada @endnode @node P9-A17 "Phantom's Lair" @toc P5B-4A * PHANTOM'S LAIR * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running CNET 3.0 * FidoNet: 1:115/469.0 Phantom Net Cooridinator: 11:1115/0.0-11:1115/1.0 708-469-9510 708-469-9520 CD ROMS, Over 15511 Files Online @ 2586 meg Peter Gawron, Sysop Glendale Heights, Illinois @endnode @node P9-A18 "Tierra-Miga BBS" @toc P5B-4A Tierra-Miga BBS Software: CNet Gib Gilbertson 24 hours - 7 days FidoNet: 1:202/638.0 AmigaNet: 40:406/3.0 Internet: torment.cts.com Line #1: 619.292.0754 V32.bis City: San Diego, CA. @endnode @node P9-A19 "Moonlight Sonata DLG" @toc P5B-4A M O O N L I G H T S O N A T A D L G * Amiga Report Official Distribution Site * * DAS ModPlayer Support * 2 Nodes *FREE PUBLIC* Amiga BBS MIDI-tunes, MIDI-utils, Modules, Amiga-files Messages, Door-games, MUD... Also patches for several synths! (About 100MB of ProTracker Modules!) Node #1 - +358-18-161763 - ZyXEL V32b 19200 Node #2 - +358-18-161862 - HST DS V32 14400 Fidonet: 2:221/112.0 Keyboards: Erno Tuomainen Amiga3000 25MHz - 1.3Gigs HD BBS Software: Dialog Pro BB/OS @endnode @node P9-A20 "Continental Drift" @toc P5B-4A *=====================================================================* /\ C O N T I N E N T A L D R I F T B B S / \ (+61) 2 949 4256 / \______ Murray Chaffer * Andre Lackmann * Dale Cohen / / \ / / \ Amiga * IBM * Macintosh / / \ : : : :\ \ /\ \ : : :800Mb+ Online - USENET News - Internet Mail :\ \ / \ \ : : Local Mail - FIDOnet Mail - Shareware Regos : :\ \/ \ \ : :Online Games - Aminet, FISH, Euro CD-ROMs : :\ / /: : : : :\ / /: : :Amiga Report * CD-32 View * Frontier Consoles \ / / * Computer underground Digest * \ /\ / \ / \ / **Online shareware registrations** \/ \/ Files daily from Aminet * ADS/SAN *=====================================================================* @endnode @node P9-A21 "Amiga Online Bs Heemstede" @toc P5B-4A Amiga Online Bs Heemstede * HeadQuarters of Online Products * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- The Netherlands * Running Xenolink 1.90 * Your SysOp is Michiel Willems 24 hours a day - 7 days a week Fidonet : 2:280/464.0 DAN Host HQ : 55:100/1.0 Amynet Host : 39:151/1.0 NLA : 14:102/203.0 BOSnet Hub : 99:999/2.0 e-mail SysOp : michiel@aobh.xs4all.nl Line 1 +31-23-282002 14400 v32bis Supra Line 2 +31-23-470739 14400 v32bis Supra Heemstede, The Netherlands, Europe, The Earth Very nice menu's 660 Megs HD online - ALOT of software ALOT of messages - VERY fast BBS program Point support - Lot's of doors online Just freq AR of AR.LHA for the latest issue available The system is running on an Amiga 2000 with a HARMS-Prof-3000 030 turboboard at 29Mhz and a copro at 50Mhz, 7MB RAM, 660 Meg HD space and soon 1 Gigabyte HD space. Every issue from Amiga Report Magazine online as far as the first issue. @endnode @node P9-A22 "The Kobayashi Alternative BBS" @toc P5B-4A T H E K O B A Y A S H I A L T E R N A T I V E B B S ----- ----------------- --------------------- ----- Supporting the Central Maine since 1985! 7 In-Dial lines (All 14.4 Compatable) Support for IBM/Windows, Amiga, MAC and CNet BBS Support On-Line Games (over 100) Internet Newsgroups and Usenet Mail FidoNet Echo Areas FidoNet: 1:326/404.0 (207)/784-2130 \ TKA (207)/946-5665 \ Local (207)/353-7224 / Access (207)/377-3214 / Lines @endnode @node P9-A23 "Highway to Hell BBS" @toc P5B-4A * Highway to Hell BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site Sysop: Iain Black (iblack@dit.ie) Cosysop: Damien Ryan (djryan@dit.ie) Online from 22:00 - 08:00 GMT Fidonet Node: 2:263/154 +353-1-847 5217 @endnode @node P9-A24 "CUGI BBS" @toc P5B-4A * CUGI BBS * The BBS of the Commodore Users Group of Ireland Fidonet: 2:263/155 Phone: + 353 1 837 0204 Sysop: Matt Brookes. V32bis/24 hours a day. @endnode @node P9-A25 "The Hell BBS" @toc P5B-4A -=-= T h e H e l l B B S =-=- -* Official Amiga Report Distribution Site *- Running Xenolink BBS software Line #1 : +31-(0)70-3468783 (v32bis Supra) 24 hrs - 7 days Sysop : Robin Vermaat Co-sysop : Tony Verschoor GFX-sysop : Richard Willkomm Fido-Net : 2:281/418.0 NL Amiga-Net : 14:101/101.0 e-mail : root@hell.xs4all.nl Amiga-Net : 39:153/101.0 @endnode @node P9-B2 "Freeland Mainframe" @toc P5B-4B * FREELAND MAINFRAME * Offical Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running DLG Progessional * John Freeland, SysOp 206-438-1670 Supra 2400zi 206-438-2273 Telebit WorldBlazer(v.32bis) 206-456-6013 Supra v.32bis 24hrs - 7 days Internet - freemf.eskimo.com Olympia, Washington @endnode @node P9-B3 "LAHO" @toc P5B-4B * LAHO BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Finland * Running MBBS * Lenni Uitti, SysOp Juha Mkinen, SysOp (Amiga-areas) Tero Manninen, SysOp (PC-areas) +358-64-414 1516, V.32bis/HST +358-64-414 0400, V.32bis/HST +358-64-414 6800, V.32/HST +358-64-423 1300, V.32bis Seinjoki, Finland Our host machine is a 386/33 with 20MB of memory, 1GB harddisk and a CD-ROM drive running in a Novell network. The BBS software is a Norwegian origin MBBS running in a DesqView windows. We have now (26th March 1994) over 10000 files online (mostly for the Commodore Amiga line of the personal computers.) Every user has an access to download filelist (LAHOFIL.ZIP), list of the Finnish 24-hour BBS's (BBSLIST.ZIP or BBSLIST.LHA) and every issue of the Amiga Report Magazine (AR101.LHA-AR???.LHA) even on their first call. @endnode @node P9-B4 "Falling BBS" @toc P5B-4B * FALLING BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Norway * Running ABBS * Christopher Naas, Sysop +47 69 256117 28.8k 24hrs - 7 days EMail: christon@powertech.no @endnode @node P9-B5 "Command Line BBS" @toc P5B-4B * COMMAND LINE BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Canada Canada's Amiga Graphics & Animation Source * Running AmiExpress BBS * Nick Poliwko, Sysop 416-533-8321 V.32 24hrs - 7 days Toronto, Canada @endnode @node P9-B6 "Leguans Byte Channel" @toc P5B-4B * LEGUANS BYTE CHANNEL * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Germany * Running EazyBBS V2.11 * Andreas Geist, Sysop Usenet: andreas@lbcmbx.in-berlin.de 24 hrs - 7 days Line 1: 49-30-8110060 USR DS 16.8 Line 2: 49-30-8122442 USR DS 16.8 Login as User: "amiga", Passwd: "report" @endnode @node P9-B7 "Stingray Database BBS" @toc P5B-4B * STINGRAY DATABASE * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Germany * Running FastCall * Bernd Mienert, Sysop EMail: sysop@sting-db.zer.sub.org.dbp.de +49 208 496807 HST-Dual 24hrs - 7 days Muelheim/Ruhr, Germany @endnode @node P9-B8 "T.B.P. Video Slate" @toc P5B-4B _________________________________ / / /_ /\ * T.B.P. VIDEO SLATE * / / //// / Official Amiga Report / / AR Coverdisk / / / CoverDisk Distribution Site / / / / / An Amiga dedicated BBS for All / / / / / * Running Skyline 1.3.2 * / / / / / Mark E Davidson, Sysop / /__________________________/ / / 24 hrs - 7 days / _______________________ / / 201-586-3623 USR 14.4 HST / / ___ / / / / Rockaway, New Jersey / / / / / / / / / / /__/ / / / / Full Skypix menus + normal and /______/_______________/______/__/ / ansi menu sets. \______\________________\______\_\/ Download on the first call. Hardware: Amiga 500 Tower custom at 14 MHz, 350 Meg maxtor, 125 Meg SCSI Maxtor, 345 Meg IDE Maxtor, 2 Double Speed CD rom, 9 meg RAM @endnode @node P9-B9 "Amiga Central" @toc P5B-4B * AMIGA CENTRAL! * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site CNet Amiga Support Site * Running CNet Amiga BBS * Carl Tashian, Sysop Internet mail: root@amicent.raider.net 615-383-9679 1200-14.4Kbps V.32bis 24 hours - 7 days Nashville, Tennessee Hardware: Amiga 3000 Tower 68030+882@25MHz, 105 meg Quantum, 225 meg Seagate, Zoom 14.4k modem @endnode @node P9-B10 "Guru Meditation" @toc P5B-4B * GURU MEDITATION * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Spain * Running Remote Access * Javier Frias, SysOp +34-1-383-1317 V.32bis 24 hours - 7days Spain @endnode @node P9-B11 "LINKSystem LINK-CH1" @toc P5B-4B LINKSystem LINK-CH1 Official Amiga Report Distribution Site - Switzerland in local newsgroup link-ch1.ml.amiga-report Mails and News from/to UseNet contact: rleemann@link-ch1.aworld.de +41 61 3215643 V32bis/Zyx16800 +41 61 3832007 ISDN X75/V110 +41 61 3832008 ISDN X75/V110 @endnode @node P9-B12 "Doom of Darkness" @toc P5B-4B * Doom of Darkness * * Home of AmBoS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site -- Germany Marc Doerre (Marc_Doerre), Sysop (BBS-Owner/AmBoS-Support) Bernd Petersen (TGM), Sysop (Amiga-Software-Support) Gerhard Luehning (Klaro), Co-Sysop (Aminet-Support) Kai Szymanski (Kai), Co-Sysop (AR-Support/AmBoS-Support) Usenet: user_name@doom.ping.de Line 1 +49 (0)4223 8355 19200 V.42bis/Zyx Line 2 +49 (0)4223 3256 16800 V.42bis/Zyx Line 3 +49 (0)4223 3313 16800 V.42bis/Zyx Sysop Email: marc_doerre@doom.ping.de AR-Infoservice : kai@doom.ping.de @endnode @node P9-B13 "RedEye BBS" @toc P5B-4B REDEYE BBS * Running EXCELSIOR/UUCP/AFAX * "Official Amiga Report Distribution Site Germany/Europe" Sysop: Thorsten Meyer Internet: sysop@redeye.muc.de Line 1: +49-89-5460535 (V.32b, Zyxel EG + / USR V.34) 24hrs - 7 days Munich, Germany Areas for Amiga, PCs, Amiga Report, WAU Main Coordinator for Germany, Game Byte, Graphic Stuff, 3D-Exchange, 3D-tools, 3D-objects, GUS, PAS, DOOM, Online CD, Online Games, USENET, INTERNET, FIDO ECHOS, Developer @endnode @node P9-B14 "Virtual Palace BBS" @toc P5B-4B * Virtual Palace BBS * * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * * Official Amiga Report Disk Distribution Site * 916-343-7420 300-14400 Baud V.42bis AmiExpress 2.40 700 Mbytes P.O. Box 5518 Chico, California 95927 Tibor G. Balogh (Tibor), Sysop Sysop Email: tibor@ecst.csuchico.edu Leland Whitlock (Leland), Co-Sysop @endnode @node P9-B15 "X-TReMe BBS" @toc P5B-4B -*+*/+ X-TReMe BBS +/*+*- Pygor & The Doctor +31-167064414 (24h) Internet: u055231@vm.uci.kun.nl _______ .__ _____ /_ .__//_/ //.___/ Bitnet: u055231 at HNYKUN11 ./ //.__ .//.___/ Internet: u055231@vm1.uci.kun.nl /_//_/ /_//____/. BBS: +31-1670-64414 (24h) . ___ .____ ______________ _____ . . . / .\/ . // _ /_. __/ . //.__ .\ . / / / / // /_. / /./ / // __ \ / . /___//___//___/./_/ /___//_/. \_/ @endnode @node P9-B16 "Vision Thing BBS" @toc P5B-4B Vision Thing Infect East German HQ, Keks ASCII Design World HQ Running CNET 3.xx about 800 MB HD Space The Amiga Report downloader connects with Handle: Amiga PW: Report ++49(0)345 663914 Speed up to 19200. @endnode @node P9-B17 "Amiga Professional BBS" @toc P5B-4B AMIGA PROFESSIONAL BBS +(39)-49-604488 24h - 365 days ZyXEL V42/42bis MNP5, 16.8K Hardware Amiga 3000T 1GByte SCSI-HD Software AmiExpress BBS SysOp Claudio Zanella, 35133 PADOVA - ITALY Official board of Amy Professional Club Official WAU point North East Italy Official Italian Amos Club Official Amiga Report Distribution Site AMIGA ONLY, development, gfx, musix, no piracy @endnode @node P9-B18 "The Belfry(!)" @toc P5B-4B * The Belfry(!) * Sysop: Jesse Erlbaum (stiggy@dorsai.dorsai.org An East Coast distributor of Amiga Report Amiga-run BBS since August 1989 718.793.4796 718.793.4905 @endnode @node P9-B19 "OdySSEY BBS" @toc P5B-4B <-+- OdySSEY BBS -+-> . Official AMIGA REPORT Distribution Site --- GREECE . Supporting Amiga Message/File Areas ONLY . Supporting the A-net ! (Amiga only NET!) . The 1st Amiga BBS in Greece *** SysOp : Konstantiniadis Manos *** -->email: konem@hol.ath.forthnet.gr 2:410/128.17@fidonet *** CoSysOp : Aggelos Poulakis *** -->email: poumas@hol.ath.forthnet.gr Line 1: +++ 301-412-3502 (MNP5,v42bis) (*ONLY* after 23:00 local time,due to technical problems) @endnode @node P9-B20 "Amiga Server BBS" * Amiga Server BBS * Largest Amiga BBS in Mexico. Sysop: Jose Estrada Number: 5158736 Now with 17 cd's available Soon: Link with the soon to come 3D BBS @endnode @node P6-3 "Dealer Directory" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Dealer Directory == =========================================================================== Arranged by Continent: @{" Asia ", link P6-3-1} @{" Europe ", link P6-3-2} @{" North America ", link P6-3-3} (Dealers: To have your name added, please send @{"Email", link P8-1}!) @endnode @node P6-3-1 "Dealers - Asia" @toc P6-3 =========================================================================== == Dealers - Asia == =========================================================================== Grey Matter Ltd. Amiga RuleZ! 1-22-3,Minami Magome HillTop House 2F suite 201 Ota-ku,Tokyo 143 Japan Tel:+81 (0)3 5709-5549 Fax:+81 (0)3 5709-1907 and of course the BEST Amiga BBS in Japan BBS:Grey Matter BBS +81 (0)3 5709-1907 (8N1 V32bis 24H ) Email: nighty@gmatter.japan-online.or.jp @endnode @node P6-3-2 "Dealers - Europe" @toc P6-3 =========================================================================== == Dealers - Europe == =========================================================================== Almathera Systems Ltd Southerton House Boundary Business Court 92-94 Church Road Mitcham, Surrey CR4 3TD England VOICE: (UK) 081 687 0040 FAX: (UK) 081 687 0490 Sales: almathera@cix.compulink.co.uk Tech: jralph@cix.compulink.co.uk Amiga Center Alicante Segura, 27 03004 Alicante Spain Tel: (96) 514 37 34 Amiga Center Argullós, 127 08016 Barcelona Spain Tel: (93) 276 38 06 Fax: (93) 276 30 80 Brian Fowler Computers Ltd 11 North St Exeter Devon EX4 3QS United Kingdom Voice: (0392) 499 755 Fax: (0392) 423 480 Internet: brian_fowler@cix.compulink.co.uk Centro Informático Boadilla Convento, 6 28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) Spain Tel: (91) 632 27 65 Fax: (91) 632 10 99 Centro Mail Spain Tel: (91) 380 28 92 CLICK! N.V. Boomsesteenweg 468 B-2610 Wilrijk - Antwerpen Belgium - Europe VOICE: +32 (0)3 828.18.15 FAX: +32 (0)3 828.67.36 INTERNET: vanhoutv@nbre.nfe.be FIDO: 2:292/603.9 C.R.E. San Francisco, 85 48003 Bilbao (Vizcaya) Spain Tel: (94) 444 98 84 Fax: (94) 444 98 84 CYNOSTIC Office O1, Little Heath Industrial Estate, Old Church Road, Coventry. CV6 7NB UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0)203 681687 Fax: +44 (0)203 638508 David Cassidy email: bsupa@csv.warwick.ac.uk DataKompaniet ANS Pb 3187 Munkvoll N-7002 Trondheim Norway - Europe VOICE/FAX: 72 555 149 Internet: torrunes@idt.unit.no DataService Oy P.O. Box 50 Kuurinniityntie 30 02771 ESPOO Finland, Europe Voice: +358 (9) 400 438 301 Fax: +358 (9) 0505 0037 Donosti Frame Avda. de Madrid, 15 20011 San Sebastián (Guipuzcoa) Spain Tel: (943) 42 07 45 Fax: (943) 42 45 88 GaliFrame Galerías Príncipe, 22 Vigo (Pontevedra) Spain Tel: (986) 22 89 94 Fax: (986) 22 89 94 Invision San Isidro, 12-18 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid) Spain Tel: (91) 676 20 56/59 Fax: (91) 656 10 04 Invision Salamanca, 53 46005 Valencia Spain Tel: (96) 395 02 43/44 Fax: (96) 395 02 44 Norsoft Bedoya, 4-6 32003 Orense Spain Tel: (988) 24 90 46 Fax: (988) 23 42 07 PiXeLSOFT Felipe II, 3bis 34004 Palencia Spain Tel: (979) 71 27 00 Fax: (979) 71 28 28 Tu Amiga Plaza Pedro IV, 3 08120 La LLagosta (Barcelona) Spain Tel: (93) 560 76 12 Fax: (93) 560 76 12 vb soft Provenza, 436 08025 Barcelona Spain Tel: (93) 456 15 45 Fax: (93) 456 15 45 VISAGE COMPUTERS 18 Station Road Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 8TD UNITED KINGDOM Tel/Fax: +44 (0)602 444501 Internet: floyd@demon.co.uk Suppliers of Amiga Hardware, Software and Public Domain. @endnode @node P6-3-3 "Dealers - North America" @toc P6-3 =========================================================================== == Dealers - North America == =========================================================================== AmegaByte! 5001 Garrett Ave. Beltsville, MD 20705 INTERNET: amega@globe.net VOICE: (800) 834-7153 VOICE: (301) 937-1640 FAX: (301) 937-1658 A Computer Services Company Amigability Computers P.O. Box 572 Plantsville, CT 06479 VOICE: 203-276-8175 Internet: amiga@phantm.UUCP BIX: jbasile (E-mail to sub. to our mailing list) Amiga Video Solutions 1568 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 Voice: 612-698-1175 Fax: 612-224-3823 BBS: 612-698-1918 Net: wohno001@maroon.tc.umn.edu Apogee Technologies 1851 University Parkway Sarasota, FL 34243 VOICE: 813-355-6121 Portal: Apogee Internet: Apogee@cup.portal.com Armadillo Brothers 753 East 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah VOICE: 801-484-2791 Internet: B.GRAY@genie.geis.com Atlantis Kobetek Inc. 1496 Lower Water St. Halifax, NS, Canada, B3J 1R9 Phone: (902)-422-6556 Fax: (902)-423-9339 BBS: (902)-492-1544 Internet: aperusse@fox.nstn.ns.ca Computer Link Your Amiga/PC connection. 6573 middlebelt Garden City MI 48135 Voice: 313-522-6005 Fax: 313-522-3119 clink@m-net.arbornet.org Computerology Direct Powell River, BC Canada V8A-4Z3 Authorized Commodore, AT&T/NCR Systems Dealer Call 24 hrs. orders/inquiries: 604/483-3679 Amiga users ask for HEAD SALES REP for quicker response! Computers International, Inc. 5415 Hixson Pike Chattanooga, TN 37343 VOICE: 615-843-0630 Comspec Communications Inc Serving your computing needs since 1976 74 Wingold Ave Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6B 1P5 Computer Centre: (416) 785-8348 Sales: (416) 785-3553 Fax: 416-785-3668 Internet: bryanf@comcorp.comspec.com, bryanf@accesspt.north.net Digital Arts 122 West 6th Street Bloomington, IN 47404 VOICE: (812)330-0124 FAX: (812)330-0126 BIX: msears Finetastic Computers 721 Washington Street Norwood, MA 02062 VOICE: 617-762-4166 BBS: 617-769-3172 Fido: 1:101/322 Portal: FinetasticComputers Internet: FinetasticComputers@cup.portal.com HIGHLAND GREY CONSULTING, INC. Customer Service Centre Head Office 4704E - 49 Ave. R.R. 1 Camrose, Alberta, Ohaton, Alberta Canada Canada T4V-3K9 T0B-3P0 VOICE: (403) 679-2242 FAX: (403) 672-0303 Sales and Service; Same Phone #'s! Apple, Amiga, IBM/Clone and Macintosh Systems HT Electronics 275 North Mathilda Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 VOICE: 408-737-0900 FAX: 408-245-3109 Portal: HT Electronics Internet: HT Electronics@cup.portal.com Industrial Video, Inc. 1601 North Ridge Rd. Lorain, OH 44055 VOICE: 800-362-6150, 216-233-4000 Internet: af741@cleveland.freenet.edu Contact: John Gray Keizer Tech 3881 River Rd N Keizer, OR 97303 USA Voice: 393-5472 Magic Page 3043 Luther Street Winston-Salem, NC 27127 910-785-3695 voice/fax Spiff@cup.portal.com MicroSearch 9000 US 59 South, Suite 330 Houston, Texas VOICE: 713-988-2818 FAX: 713-995-4994 Mr. Hardware Computers P.O. Box 148 59 Storey Ave. Central Islip, NY 11722 VOICE: 516-234-8110 FAX: 516-234-8110 A.M.U.G. BBS: 516-234-6046 MusicMart: Media Sound & Vision 71 Wellington Road London, Ontario, Canada VOICE: 519-434-4162 FAX: 519-663-8074 BBS: 519-645-2144 FIDO: 1:2401/200 AmigaNet: 40:550/1 MaxNet: 90:204/1 InterNet: koops@gaul.csd.uwo.ca PSI Animations 17924 SW Pilkington Road Lake Oswego, OR 97035 VOICE: 503-624-8185 Internet: PSIANIM@agora.rain.com Software Plus Chicago 2945 W Peterson Suite 209 Chicago, Illinois VOICE: 312-878-7800 Software and Service in Chicago - Will ship. Wonder Computers Inc. 1315 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 8J7 Voice: 613-596-2542 Fax: 613-596-9349 BBS: 613-829-0909 Zipperware 626 S. Washington Seattle, WA 98104 VOICE: 206-223-1107 FAX: 206-223-9395 E-Mail: Jon.Funfar@p0.f203.n138.z1.fidonet.org "Seattle's Last (great) Amiga Store!" @endnode @node P1 "Editorial and Opinion" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Editorial and Opinion == =========================================================================== @{" compt.sys.editor.desk " link P1-1} It's alive... @{" Darkseid's Padded Cell " link P1-2} We find the name appropriate. @{" Reality Check " link P1-3} The secrets of the universe for $9.95? @endnode @node P2 "News and Features" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == News and Features == =========================================================================== @{" Press Releases " link P2-1} Stuff people want you to know. @{" CEI Conference on IRC! " link P2-3} The amazingly large conference. @{" Soft-Logik Conference " link P2-4} PageStream 3.0 lowdown and more @{" Workbench Christmas List " link P2-5} What changes would YOU like? @{" The Humor Department " link P2-2} Just a couple of snicks @endnode @node P3 "Reviews" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Reviews == =========================================================================== @{" CEI A1962 14 inch Monitor " link P3-1} If you need 15khz... @{" Conundrum " link P3-2} Bathroom tile puzzler @{" Music MOD and Sound Effects CD " link P3-3} A boatload of audio @{" NewIcons " link P3-4} Hermes' Hyper-Text Review @{" GVP ioExtender " link P3-5} Port expansion... @{" Magitronic C-SV1500P Monitor " link P3-6} High resolution, no 15khz... @{" Transition V1.2 " link P3-7} Picture transmutation @endnode @node P7 "FTP and Product Announcements" @toc menu =========================================================================== == FTP and Product Announcements == =========================================================================== @{" On the Ball V1.30 demo " link P7-1} Keep yourself organized. @{" Wacom Digitizer Tablet Driver " link P7-2} Fairly self-explanatory. @{" Textfield Gadget 2.0 " link P7-3} If you're a BOOPSI fan... @{" Serial Stratego " link P7-4} The board game, long-distance. @{" DoIcon 1.2 " link P7-5} .info file manipulations @{" ShadowStart 1.0 " link P7-6} Disable startup scripts @{" PriMan 2.0 " link P7-7} Task monitoring @{" EpsLab 1.02 " link P7-8} Mess with PostScript files @{" ImageFX 2.0 Demo Pictures " link P7-9} You can peek... @{" Epson Stylus Color Driver " link P7-10} Also self-explanatory @{" Plantation 1.0 " link P7-11} Manages networked LightWave machines @{" Kill the Little Dudes " link P7-12} Apparently, a platformer... | The 10 most downloaded files from Aminet during the week until 27-Nov-94 | Updated weekly. Most popular file on top. | |File Dir Size Description |------------------ --- ---- ----------- PGPAmi26ui.lha util/crypt 624K+PGPAmiga 2.6ui rhslip38.9_030.lha comm/net 54K+Sana2 (c)slip.device, 030 version Knights242.lha game/2play 223K+Two-player violent dungeon bashing NewIcons.lha pix/icon 22K+Various 4 color icons Yahzee.lha game/2play 33K+French catalog included (still v1.3). MUIBuilderV20.lha dev/gui 528K+Interface Builder for MUI V2.2 apcd.lha gfx/conv 5K+Convert PhotoCD picture to IFF IITextures.lha gfx/3d 20K+8 Imagine 3.0 Textures. 020+FP only. AmiCDROM-1.15.lha disk/cdrom 197K+CDROM disk filesystem (ISO-9660+RR+HFS) AWS-15.lha util/boot 55K+Shows config during boot. @endnode @node P2-2 "The Humor Department" @toc P2 =========================================================================== == The Humor Department == =========================================================================== (We decided to bypass the Pentium jokes for now...) 50 WAYS TO CONFUSE, WORRY, OR JUST SCARE THE BEJEEZUS OUT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMPUTER LAB 1. Log on, wait a sec, then get a frightened look on your face and scream "Oh my God! They've found me!" and bolt. 2. Laugh uncontrollably for about 3 minutes & then suddenly stop and look suspiciously at everyone who looks at you. 3. When your computer is turned off, complain to the monitor on duty that you can't get the damn thing to work. After he/she's turned it on, wait 5 minutes,turn it off again, & repeat the process for a good half hour. 4. Type frantically, often stopping to look at the person next to you evilly. 5. Before anyone else is in the lab, connect each computer to different screen than the one it's set up with. 6. Write a program that plays the "Smurfs" theme song and play it at the highest volume possible over & over again. 7. Work normally for a while. Suddenly look amazingly startled by something on the screen and crawl underneath the desk. 8. Ask the person next to you if they know how to tap into top-secret Pentagon files. 9. Use Interactive Send to make passes at people you don't know. 10. Make a small ritual sacrifice to the computer before you turn it on. 11. Bring a chainsaw, but don't use it. If anyone asks why you have it, say "Just in case..." mysteriously. 12. Type on VAX for a while. Suddenly start cursing for 3 minutes at everything bad about your life. Then stop and continue typing. 13. Enter the lab,undress, and start staring at other people as if they're crazy while typing. 14. Light candles in a pentagram around your terminal before starting. 15. Ask around for a spare disk. Offer $2. Keep asking until someone agrees. Then, pull a disk out of your fly and say, "Oops, I forgot." 16. Every time you press Return and there is processing time required, pray "Ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease," and scream "YES!" when it finishes. 17. "DISK FIGHT!!!" 18. Start making out with the person at the terminal next to you (It helps if you know them, but this is also a great way to make new friends). 19. Put a straw in your mouth and put your hands in your pockets. Type by hitting the keys with the straw. 20. If you're sitting in a swivel chair, spin around singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" whenever there is processing time required. 21. Draw a pictue of a woman (or man) on a piece of paper, tape it to your monitor. Try to seduce it. Act like it hates you and then complain loudly that women (men) are worthless. 22. Try to stick a Ninetendo cartridge into the 3 1/2 disc drive, when it doesn't work, get the supervisor. 23. When you are on an IBM, and when you turn it on, ask loudly where the smiling Apple face is when you turn on one of those. 24. Print out the complete works of Shakespeare, then when its all done (two days later) say that all you wanted was one line. 25. Sit and stare at the screen, biting your nails noisely. After doing this for a while, spit them out at the feet of the person next to you. 26. Stare at the screen, grind your teeth, stop, look at the person next to grinding. Repeat procedure, making sure you never provoke the person enough to let them blow up, as this releases tension, and it is far more effective to let them linger. 27. If you have long hair, take a typing break, look for split ends, cut them and deposit them on your neighbor's keyboard as you leave. 28. Put a large, gold-framed portrait of the British Royal Family on your desk and loudly proclaim that it inspires you. 29. Come to the lab wearing several layers of socks. Remove shoes and place them of top of the monitor. Remove socks layer by layer and drape them around the monitor. Exclaim sudden haiku about the aesthetic beauty of cotton on plastic. 30. Take the keyboard and sit under the computer. Type up your paper like this. Then go to the lab supervisor and complain about the bad working conditions. 31. Laugh hysterically, shout "You will all perish in flames!!!" and continue working. 32. Bring som dry ice & make it look like your computer is smoking. 33. Assign a musical note to every key (ie. the Delete key is A Flat, the B key is F sharp, etc.). Whenever you hit a key, hum its note loudly. Write an entire pape this way. 34. Attempt to eat your computer's mouse. 35. Borrow someone else's keyboard by reaching over, saying "Excuse me, mind if I borrow this for a sec?", unplugging the keyboard & taking it. 36. Bring in a bunch of magnets and have fun. 37. When doing calculations, pull out an abacus and say that sometimes the old ways are best. 38. Play Pong for hours on the most powerful computer in the lab. 39. Make a loud noise of hitting the same key over and over again until you see that your neighbor is noticing (You can hit the space bar so your fill isn't affected). Then look at your neighbor's keyboard. Hit his/her delete key several times, erasing an entire word. While you do this, ask: "Does *your* delete key work?" Shake your head, and resume hitting the space bar on your keyboard. Keep doing this until you've deleted about a page of your neighbor's document. Then, suddenly exclaim: "Well, whaddya know? I've been hitting the space bar this whole time. No wonder it wasn't deleting! Ha!" Print out your document and leave. 40. Remove your disk from the drive and hide it. Go to the lab monitor and complain that your computer ate your disk. (For special effects, put some Elmer's Glue on or around the disk drive. Claim that the computer is drooling.) 41. Stare at the person's next to your's screen, look really puzzled, burst out laughing, and say "You did that?" loudly. Keep laughing, grab your stuff and leave, howling as you go. 42. Point at the screen. Chant in a made up language while making elaborate hand gestures for a minute or two. Press return or the mouse, then leap back and yell "COVEEEEERRRRRR!" peek up from under the table, walk back to the computer and say. "Oh, good. It worked this time," and calmly start to type again. 43. Keep looking at invisible bugs and trying to swat them. 44. See who's online. Send a total stranger a talk request. Talk to them like you've known them all your lives. Hangup before they geta chance to figure out you're a total stranger. 45. Bring an small tape player with a tape of really absurd sound effects. Pretend it's the computer and look really lost. 46. Pull out a pencil. Start writing on the screen. Complain that the lead doesn't work. 47. Come into the computer lab wearing several endangered species of flowers in your hair. Smile incessantly. Type a sentence, then laugh happily, exclaim "You're such a marvel!!", and kiss the screen. Repeat this after every sentence. As your ecstasy mounts, also hug the keyboard. Finally, hug your neighbor, then the computer assistant, and walk out. 48. Run into the computer lab, shout "Armageddon is here!!!!!", then calmly sit down and begin to type. 49. Quietly walk into the computer lab with a Black and Decker chainsaw, rev that baby up, and then walk up to the nearest person and say, "Give me that computer or you'll be feeding my pet crocodile for the next week". 50. Two words: Tesla Coil. @endnode @node P5 "About AMIGA REPORT" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == About AMIGA REPORT == =========================================================================== @{" AR Staff " link P5-1} The Editors and writers @{" Copyright Information " link P5-4} The legal stuff @endnode @node P5-1 "The Staff" @toc P5 =========================================================================== == The Staff == =========================================================================== Editor: @{" Jason Compton " link P8-1} Senior Editor: @{" Robert Niles " link P8-2} Assistant Editor: @{" Katherine Nelson " link P8-3} European Editor: @{" Michael Wolf " link P8-4} Contributing Editor: @{" David Tiberio " link P8-5} Contributing Writers: --------------------- _William Near_ w.near@genie.geis.com _Hermes Trismegistus_ hermes@intercom.com _Roger Boal_ ckb426@ujvax.ulst.ac.uk rbeekman@xs4all.nl @endnode @node P5B "Where to Get AR" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Where to Get AR == =========================================================================== @{" The AR Mailing List " link P5B-1} @{" Aminet " link P5B-2} @{" World Wide Web " link P5B-3} @{" Distribution Sites " link P5B-4} @{" Commercial Services " link P6-4} @endnode @node P5B-4 "Distribution Sites" @toc P5B =========================================================================== == Where to find Amiga Report == =========================================================================== @{" FidoNet Systems " link P5B-4A} @{" Non-FidoNet Systems " link P5B-4B} @endnode @node P5B-4A "FidoNet Distribution Sites" @toc P5B-4 FidoNet Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Click on the button of the BBS nearest you for information on that system. FREQ the filename "AR.LHA" for the most current issue of Amiga Report! @{" OMAHA AMIGANET " link P9-A1} .................................Omaha, Nebraska @{" NOVA " link P9-A2} ............................Cleveland, Tennessee @{" PIONEER'S BBS " link P9-A3} .............................Edmonds, Washington @{" CIUA BBS " link P9-A4} ........................................Portugal @{" AMIGA JUNCTION 9 " link P9-A5} ..................................United Kingdom @{" BITSTREAM BBS " link P9-A6} .............................Nelson, New Zealand @{" REALM OF TWILIGHT " link P9-A7} .................................Ontario, Canada @{" METNET TRIANGLE " link P9-A8} .....................Kingston Upon Hull, England @{" AMIGA-NIGHT-SYSTEM " link P9-A9} ...............................Helsinki, Finland @{" RAMSES THE AMIGA FLYING " link P9-A10} ..........................................France @{" GATEWAY BBS " link P9-A11} .............................Biloxi, Mississippi @{" EMERALD KEEP BBS " link P9-A12} ........................................Illinois @{" AMIGA BBS " link P9-A13} ........................Estado de Mexico, Mexico @{" THE STYGIAN ABYSS " link P9-A14} ...............................Chicago, Illinois @{" AMIGA DO PC BSS " link P9-A15} ................................Campinas, Brazil @{" COMM-LINK BBS " link P9-A16} ......................Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada @{" PHANTOM'S LAIR " link P9-A17} ......................Glendale Heights, Illinois @{" Tierra-Miga BBS " link P9-A18} ....................................SanDeigo, Ca @{" MOONLIGHT SONATA DLG " link P9-A19} .........................................Finland @{" CONTINENTAL DRIFT " link P9-A20} ...............................Sydney, Australia @{" Amiga Online Bs H'stede " link P9-A21} .................................The Netherlands @{"Kobayashi Alternative BBS" link P9-A22} ...........................................Maine @{" Highway to Hell BBS " link P9-A23} .................................Dublin, Ireland @{" CUGI BBS " link P9-A24} .........................................Ireland @{" The Hell BBS " link P9-A25} ..........................The Hague, Netherlands @endnode @node P5B-4B "Non-FidoNet Distribution Sites" @toc P5B-4 Non-FidoNet Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Click on the button of the BBS nearest you for information on that system. @{" FREELAND MAINFRAME " link P9-B2} .............................Olympia, Washington @{" LAHO " link P9-B3} ..............................Seinajoki, Finland @{" FALLING " link P9-B4} ..........................................Norway @{" COMMAND LINE " link P9-B5} .................................Toronto, Canada @{" LEGUANS BYTE CHANNEL " link P9-B6} .........................................Germany @{" STINGRAY DATABASE " link P9-B7} ..........................Muelheim/Ruhr, Germany @{" T.B.P. VIDEO SLATE " link P9-B8} ............................Rockaway, New Jersey @{" AMIGA CENTRAL " link P9-B9} ............................Nashville, Tennessee @{" GURU MEDITATION " link P9-B10} ...........................................Spain @{" LINKSystem LINK-CH1 " link P9-B11} ..............................Basel, Switzerland @{" DOOM OF DARKNESS " link P9-B12} .................................Bremen, Germany @{" REDEYE BBS " link P9-B13} .................................Munich, Germany @{" Virtual Palace BBS " link P9-B14} .......................................Chico, Ca @{" X-TReMe BBS " link P9-B15} .................................Holland/Belgium @{" Vision Thing BBS " link P9-B16} .........................................Germany @{" Amiga Professional BBS " link P9-B17} ...........................................Italy @{" The Belfry(!) " link P9-B18} ....................................New York, NY @{" OdySSEY BBS " link P9-B19} ..........................................Greece @{" Amiga Server BBS " link P9-B20} ..........................................Mexico @endnode @node P6 "Commercial Products" @toc "menu" =========================================================================== == Commercial Products == =========================================================================== @{" Editor's Choice " link P6-1} Jason's picks @{" Area52 Price Listing " link P6-2} Tiberio wants to sell you stuff. @{" Commercial Online Services " link P6-4} Sign-Up Information @endnode @node P6-4 "Commercial Online Services" @toc P6 =========================================================================== == Commercial Online Services == =========================================================================== @{" Delphi " link P6-4-1} Getting better all the time. @{" Portal " link P6-4-2} A great place for Amiga users. @{" GEnie " link P6-4-3} Internet access, online games, and more. @endnode