March 2003
NEWSLETTER for March, 2003 President's Corner
Treasurer's Report
by Michael Current
by Greg Leitner
March,2003
For February, 2003
I did end up obtaining that HP LaserJet 4L for "nothing." This is a sweet little printer! It's much smaller than I thought (based on the size ofour 4M at work). There's no power switch, but there's a built-in sleep mode so after a bit it's practically off I think it's 300DPI which more than fine for me. A big step up from my Epson LX-810. This is all in attaching the printer to my PC. I haven't tried it with the Atari yet. I have heard this should work, save possibly for dealing with CR/LF issues. I did pull out my P:R: interface manual where it mentions just such a dipswitch inside, so if things aren't good that'll be my first plan. At work, I just finished upgrading about 6-7 PCs from Windows 95 to Wmdows 2000. This brings a fairly stunning performance improvement (on P2/400's and P3/450's). Windows 2K is the Windows version in between NT and XP. It has very little code overlap with Wmdows 95/98/Me. -If your "PC's are crap" opinion is based on 95/98/Me PC's, you seriously need to experience a PC running 2K or XP. It's still not cool like MacOS X is cool, but it's really a pretty decent OS. I now understand a little better how the corporate world managed to end up standardizing on Microsoft OSs. Now I have the newest 25% of our PCs running XP, the middle half running 98, and the oldest 25% running 2000. I hear Microsoft's full support of98 ends this summer! Ugh! Well, getting all those people moved from 98 to XP would be very good in the end, but that's a LOT of work! SPACE home page counter update: as of2/28/03, 6:00pm, 8488 hits since 2/9/02. Thanks, keep using that Atari, and come to your next SPACE meeting. Friday, March 14, 2003.
Well the calendar didn't treat us very kindly again. I can't blame anyone who couldn't make it to the February SPACE meeting sin..ce it was Valentine's Day. My wife and I both worked a nine-hour day, and then I was off to the Club meeting. By the time I got home we saw each other about a half-hour before retiring for the evening. I am sure this is not the way my wife imagined we would spend Valentine's Day, but she didn't complain. We had another great meeting and it was good to see Rich there. I really enjoy the Atari computer knowledge he shares with me and the rest of the members. Our BBS is going great guns, and there is still a lot of 8-bit activity around. Here is the SPACE Club's financial picture for the month of February: Beginning balance for February I, 2003: Receipts for the month: Memberships Dom's Total revenue for the month Expenses for the month: BBS phone-2 months Ending balance for February 28, 2003
1,115.74 15.00 24.00 39.00
20.00 1,134.74
There you go! For the first two months in 2003 we have increased our bank balance, and with the first quarter room rental not due until sometime in April I believe we will increase our balance in March also. I am not sure about the next auction, but I do have a few leads on some items for an auction down the line. Depending on the quantity ofitems and timing of acquiring the items, I think maybe we can pull one together by the May meeting. No promises though. That's all for this month. Next month is always tough for me because the High School Hockey Tournament will be going on, and I really hate missing the Friday night game. But like every other year since I became an Officer of SPACE, I will be there and ifl can make it then you can too!! Besides ifl didn't show up the meeting would be cancelled. See how important I am; not that it matters that I have the only "key"!!!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Secretary's Report By Brian-Angel C Little For February, 2003
--From: Matthias Reichl -Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 20:54:25 +oooo (UTC) rve just uploaded AtariSIO VO. IO alpha to my homepage: http://www.horus.com/~hias/atari/
No Minutes Submitted.
••*********••····································· --From: Lance Ringquist --Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 12:51:58-0600 The legendary turbo basic is now available on cartridge from video 61. Turbo basic is compatible with all xl/xe computers with at least 64k of memory. Turb0-basic is compatible with dos 2.x, and rnydos. Turbo basic is not 400/800 compatible, nor is it spartados compatible. Please visit our website for more details, and also to check out our new release page at, www.atarisales.com Thanks, Lance
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• --From: Carsten Strotmann -Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 10:34:20 -+-0100 Hello, Multi Zoom Master ist released under GNU License under http://www.strotmann.de'twiki/bin/view/APG/MultiZoomMast.er
Multi Zoom Master is a Turbo Basic PGM for editing GRIS Pictures in Zoom Mode, especially for high-detail pixel by pixel work. I useci this program to create pictures for some of my games. Regards Carsten Strotmann
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• --Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 14:41:50 GMT New version of Atari800 emulator has been released and is available for download in five different binary packages for various machines and operating systems (Linux RPM, Windows, WmCE, DOS, TOS). . This new version brings new HIFI sound, cycle-exact Antic emulation and more. http://atari800.atari.org [This news item courtesy of Atari.org - http://www.atari.org]
The package contains the following stuff:
* a Linux kernel driver to handle the low-level S1O stuff * atariserver, an Atari disk emulator like SI02PC or APE * atarixfer, a small utility to transfer ATR files to/from a 1050 (or other Atari disk drive) connected by a l050-2-PC or a ProSystem cable
Since the software is still alpha, it's quite likely that it contains several bugs. Please contact me by email ifyou have any troubles. So long, Hias PS: share and enjoy, it's GPL'edl
······••****************************************** --Date: Saturday, February 22, 2003 7:47 AM -0800 --From: Kevin Savetz --To: Michael Current The team at AtariArchives.org is thrilled to announce that the full text ofthe classic book _The Computer Controller Cookbook_ by Tom & Kelda Riley is now online at http://www.atariarchives.org/ccc/ Published in 1983 by Creative Computing Press, this hard-tofind book shows how to build your own controllers for Apple // and Atari 8-bit computers. Chapters-include instructions for building an airplane wheel, sketch pad, race car steering wheei foot pedals, soundactivated controller, and joysticks. There are also chapters on rebuilding paddles and joysticks, converters for using Atari joysticks on Apple computers (and vice versa), and more. Chapter 14 is an electronics tutorial that tells how to adapt the controllers for use on VIC-20, IBM PC, Radio Shack, and other computers. This is the 11th classic computing book available at AtariArchives.org. -Kevin Savetz-Kevin Savetz <kevin@savetz.com> Curator of Classic Computer Magazine Archive http://"'"""v.atarimagazines.com & Atariarchives.org http://www.atariarchives.org Moderator ofnews:comp.sys.atari.announce -Atari computer news
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LOS ANGELES-Feb. 21, 2003--Design it. Build it. Race it. Atari shipped APEX, the ultimate racing game for racing enthusiasts, to retail stores nationwide this week exclusively for the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft. Developed by Milestone, the creators of the popular Superbike (TM) series, APEX takes racing on Xbox to an entirely new level with more than 80 cars to choose from, including models from Toyota, Lotus and Dodge; more than 50 race tracks; numerous environments, including mountain courses, city street races and traditional circuits; and the engaging Dream Mode, which allows players to design, build and race their own dream cars as they attempt to build a racing dynasty. "APEX is without question the most graphically stunning and technically sophisticated racing game available on Xbox and quite possibly on any home video game system available today," said Jean-Philippe Agati, senior vice president and head oflnfogrames, Inc.'s Los Angeles studio. "Once players dig into the amazing amount of content APEX has to offer from the various single player and multiplayer variations to the depth of the racing experience itself, I'm sure they will agree that APEX is a game no racing enthusiast should be without." APEX transports players into the role of a young racecarmanuracturing mogul. After inheriting a small auto garage, choosing a name and a stylish logo, the player launches their own sports car company by selecting from among 45 prototype car designs each built to the player's specifications, including roadsters, super cars and dream cars. As the player wins races, tournaments and special challenges, vehicle sales from the fledgling car company begin to grow, the garage facilities and staff increase in size, the test "parking lot" becomes a world class test track, and new race car development kicks into full swing. APEX features several styles of play that lead to hours of varied game play in both singleand two-player multiplayer modes. Game play modes include Quick Race, for instant racing action against computer controlled opponents; Time Attack, a challenge to see how fast a single vehicle can complete a course; Dream Mode, where the player builds their own prototype vehicle and strives to join the elite of performance automobile manufacturers; and Head-to-Head two-player multiplayer mode for racing against friends in Xbox split screen. Featuring more than 80 cars, APEX allows players to pit their own creations against a number ofthe most powerful cars from the most recognizable car manufacturers in the world, including Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Lotus, Jaguar, MG, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Renault and Toyota. The Dodge Viper SRT-10, Jaguar XJ220, Mercedes CLK GTR AMG and the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupe are just a few of the top-end machines players can expect to race against. Additionally, each vehicle is equipped with numerous performance enhancements and adjustments that allow the player to tailor the vehicle for each competition's track design and conditions. A complex damage model lends reality to each crash.
Races will take place across more than 50 varied tracks and environments based on real-world locations across three continents -- North America, Europe and Asia. Course designs range from winding mountain roads to narrow city streets to standard racetracks. Each track features unique characteristics that will keep players tuning and perfecting their creations for optimum performance before each encounter. Technically, APEX will far surpass the competition in the genre. Leveraging the power ofXbox, the developer is producing amazingly high polygon counts, long draw distances and highly detailed environments. Cars will feature up to 11,000 polygons each and real-time reflections while tracks will boast more than 500,000 polygons creating absolutdy stunning panoramic detail and beauty. Additionally, the vehicle engine sounds have been captured from real world high performance cars to further enhance authenticity. APEX is now available exclusively for Xbox at retail stores nationwide with an estimated retail price of$49.95 and an ESRB rating of "E" for Everyone. Additional information about APEX can be found online at www.apex-game.com, which features downloadable and streaming game play movies, screenshots, character bios, vehicle information and much more.
--From: Matthias Reich! --Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 22:35:34 GMT
I just uploaded MyPicoDos 3.0 to my homepage http://www.horus.com/- hias/atari/ MyPicoDos is a "game DOS" which can load COM/EXE, BIN and BAS files and it supports MyDOS subdirectories. New in this version: - support for SD and DD (hard-) disks from 720 up to 65535 sectors in DOS 2.x and MyDOS fonnat - MyPicoDos supports loading from DI : to D8: - MyPicoDos is now GPL'ed and comes with full source code so long, Hias
- Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 00:56:24 GMT An atari.org user has announced: New version (1.1) ofRaster Music Tracker, based on new RMT player routine with support for a lot of required (and much more other)features is out. http://www.infos.cz/raster/atari/nnt/rmt.htm [This news item courtesy ofAtari.org - http://www.atari.org]
************************************************** --From: Thomas Richter -Date: 25 Feb 2003 09:38:20 GMT Hi folks, The 1.19 of the atari++ emulator is now available for download at the canonical location: http://www.math.tu-berlin.de/-thor/atari-++/ Concerning the features, quite a lot changed since then. Here's the list ofwhat happened: Atari-++ 1.16 - Added support for .dcm images and for .gz compressed images ofall kinds in general. - Fixed an ANTIC timing problem for LMS instructions for text-based mode lines. - Fixed the directory requester of the GUI, again. - Fixed the cycle count for several CPU instructions that seem to have escaped earlier test. - Added more autoconf tests for working compilers, most notably for working exceptions and for ice specific compiler settings. - Added autoconf specialization for the intel ice compiler for better performance. - Made several adaptations and stronger typing that might help porting the code on other compilers. - Several other minor bugfixes. Atari-++ 1.19 - Changed the license conditions to TPL (almost identical totheMPL). - fixed a fatal bug in the SOL audio output that could have caused buffer ovemms. - Fixed audio sample counter to reduce complexity. - Modified RTS cart support. The current emulation model makes a bit more sense than the old implementation. - ANTIC modeline speedup by using a different lookup table concept. - Changed the WSYNC logic for CPU and ANTIC. - Simplified GTIA/CPU cycle coordination. • POKEY audio generation makes now use of some LUTs to speedup the polycounter usage. - Added proper error handling: Run time error conditions are now properly reported by a graphical requester. • Added a warning log: Warnings get now reported within the GUI and not on the command line. - Added a license agreement requester. - Added an interface for SDL joystick emulation. - Improved compatibility of the code by adding even more autoconftests. - Split the CPU instruction build-up into several subroutines to avoid some branch-distance problems on some platforms. - Added a requester before shutting down the program. - Made handling of missing Os ROM images more user fiiendly. - Added a flag to disable the monitor for novice users.
- Added a pretty-printer for the command-line help. - Removed an unnecessary window-pop up that sneaked into the code in l.18. - Implemented precise POT reading emulation for POKEY. - Modified and fixed boot loader for binary image files. - Fixed BASIC Rom handling on an error. - added various workarounds for popular compiler bugs. The existing code should be easier to port now. - Added abstraction layers for time and curses includes. - The OsROM layer will now check a "roms" subdirectory for missing ROM images automatically. Happy downloading! I'm also waiting for ideas how to improve the emulator further as I'm currently running a bit out of ideas. It currently performs quite nicely and is in a state near where I wanted to_have it. So long, Thomas
************************************************** -From: Lance Ringquist <video61@tcq.net> -~Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 20:49:40 -0600 Scott Adams adventure international release "STAR FLITE 3. 5" is now available on cartridge for all Atari
computers with at least 48k of ram. Thanks to Scott Adams for his kind permission to video 61 for re-release all of his games onto cartridge format. Thanks to the many talented, dedicated Atari programmers who ported this jewel to cartridge format. www.atarisales.com
************************************************** A-T-A-R-1 Answers, Tips, And Relevant Information by Paul Alhart, paulalhart@hotmail.com 1987. l In December's column I told you about discounts on ribbons at
L&H Electronics Emporium. Be aware that these ribbons are all different colors mixed up on the same shelf. Check the back
of the box for color or you may have a surprise when you get home. Those that were at the December meeting already got this tip. I hope it's not too late for others. If you own a XM301 modem you may own an electronic "Time Bomb". After a rash of hardware failures last month, which included smoking a disk drive and two printer interfaces, I found the cause of my trouble to be my XM301. The modem worked fine, but was killing offmy system piece by piece. The reason is that of the thirteen wires coming from the Serial 1/0 plug, only nine are actually used by the modem. The other four have about 1/8 inch bare wire showing and are just hanging around UNterminated waiting to touch something they shouldn't. I have
checked other XM301 modems and this condition existed in them also. Here is what you should do JMMEDIATELY. With all power OFF remove the two screws from the bottom ofthe modem and lift off the plastic case. Inspect the wires where they enter the modem. You will find four of the wires are not connected to anything. Ifthese four wires have any bare metal showing, cut it off. Be careful to keep the cut off pieces from falling into the modem. Next, tape each wire individually so they can not possibly touch any other wires or parts in the modem. Put the modem back in it's case and replace the screws and you are done. I have written to ATARI regarding this problem but have not received a reply as yet. I'll let you know ifl do. I have been asked several times, "Where can I find information about this or that for the Atari?" The 400/800 hardware manual and the 400/800 O/S manual by Atari are probably two of the best sources of information. They are not written for the beginner though. These books have been out of print for some time, but I see that B&C Electronics is selling still selling them at $10.00 each. They also are selling many other books for the Atari including the excellent Atari BASIC Reference Manual. The best source of programming help I have found are a series Atari Tutorials published in BYTE Magazine. These are available to us through the Tech. Library here on base. I will bring the mentioned manuals and articles to the January meeting along with infonnation on ordering from B&C. Another question involves "Chaining" files. When using a word processor to write a book or even a long report you may run short ofmemory before you are through. You can break your book down into chapters or even pages, save them as separate files, and use Chaining to still preview or print the entire book in one whack. To Chain Fll.,EI to Fll.,E2 the last thing in Fll.,EI should be the Chaining command. With AtariWriter or AtariWriter+ the command is (Control V)D:FILE2(RETURN). Be sure to type the file name in UPPER CASE. Fll.,EI will now automatically load Fll.,E2. You can Chain as many files as you need to. They can be in different disk drives and Chaining can occur anywhere, even in the middle of a word, and you won't miss a letter. For other word processors the procedure is the same although the command will probably be different. Check you manual to see. Ifyou have a file that is already to long to worlc with, use SPLITFil.,.ES by Bob Fetter to break it down to smaller files. Then, Chain them together. Merry Christmas. Hope Santa brings you that software you have been wanting. See you at the meeting next year.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• -Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2003 20:40:28 GMT Miroslaw Koziol has announced: New 091 version ofEMUAPC the Atari 8-bit emulator is now available. All information's and download page http://www.komires.com/ [This news item courtesy of Atari.org - http://www.atari.org]
*********************••··························· --From: "Dan Vernon" --Date: Sat, I Mar 2003 10:14:43 -0800 Just posted a new version of Atari810 (1.4d) to my website. Among other improvements, the UI now supports "skins". In addition to the 810 skin that many have grown to love ( or hate!), you can pick a 1050 skin (not too pretty yet, sorry to the 1050 fans out there), along with several more "standard-application" looking skins, several of which are resizable, have larger fonts, etc. get it at: http://retrobits.net many thanks to my vast team of beta testers! (er... well, OK. .. tnP..ybe I don't quite have a vast team yet, but it sounds kinda impressive) Aljy feedback is welcome. Thanks, -Dan
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DISCLAIMER
CLUB OFFICIALS
President: Michael Current (507)663-9029 Published by the Saint Paul Atari Computer Enthusiasts mcurrent@carleton.edu Vice President: Greg Leitner (651)455-6550 (SPACE), an independent organization with no business affiliation with ATARI Corporation. Permission is granted greglites@hounail.com Secretary: Angel C. Little (xxx)xxx-xxxx to any similar organization with which SPACE exchanges newsletters lo reprint material from this newsletter. We do angellittle@msn.com DOM Librarian: Glen Kirschenmann (763)766-4790 however ask that credit be given lo the authors and to SPACE. kirschg@netzero.net Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not BBS Operator Nolan Friedland (763)669-3711 necessarily reflect the views of SPACE, the club officers, friednw@tcfreenet.org club members or ATARI Corporation. Membership Chairman: Glen Kirschenmann (763)786-4790 kirschg@netzero.net SPACE Treasurer Greg Leitner (651)455-6550 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - greglites@hotmail.com SPACE Newsletter Editor: Michael Schmidt (763)757-4192 You can find the Club's home page at: mike.schmidt@andersencorp.com
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Supporting: U of M St. Paul Campus
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