SPACE Newsletter - October 1983

October 1983

OCTOBER 1983 th~ ~m~zi~g ~~~ & Mic~~ I11~~t~~t~~ along with other new hardware/software at the next SPACE Meeting. s~~

KDALAPAD

Mailing Address - 6807 226th Ave. N. E., Stacy, MN 55079

NOTES

FROM THE EDITOR

FROM THE PRES

What I would like to know is hy out of 80 plus members only 2 people have the time to ·submit any news for this (your> newsletter? If you feel that you could write an article or have any questions about the newsletter please call me (Steve Pauley 560-2917). The Club also needs someone to contact computer vendors each month about advertising in our newsletter. If more effort is put into getting paid ads, the drain on our treasury can be cut down. If you could help please let Chris or me know. The following is a list of advertising rates for vendors and/or individual members. FULL PAGE $18.00 7-1/2" X 10" HALF PAGE 10.00 3-5/8" X 10" HALF PAGE 10.00 7-1/2" X 4" 1/4 PAGE 5.50 3-5/8" X 4" WANT ADS - Now it is possible for members to place 'Want Ads' in this newsletter. The ads maybe for selling used hardware, used .,..software, tutoring services, or just about anything that has to do with ATARI. The rates are as follows: 6 LINES 1.20 216 Letters 1 LINE .25 36 Letters All advertisements must be paid for when they are submitted. Deadline for ad placem~nt is the last Friday of each month. To place ad or for more info, call the editor 560-2917 ::,, ',;

1•, ·j

OOPS! t 'VideoAr the program that · appeared in this newsletter last month had a mistake in the listing and to make thing worse the correction I mention at the meeting was wrong too. Well here is one more try at it. Line 1540 ASM$ string can be typed like this: [Lower case hJ[Inverse "][Cap PJ[Spacel[Cap Vl(Inverse lower case d]( CRTL Period). Also Greg's last name is ~spelled Howell - I think. The Editor Steve Pauley

This month I really should have called this column 'bites from the pres' I will try to calm down somewhat and present the facts. A week or two after our last meeting it seems there was a computer show in town. Now that· in itself is not a prob 1 em. The problem begins when, out of 80 memberships, there was not one single person in our club that knew of this show. That is what I find hard to swallow. In my last column I specifically requested that anybody having information regarding such things contact me or one of the officers so arrangements could be made to be represented. As it turns out, Twin Cities Computer User newspaper was handing out packetts of information on the user groups in the Twin Cities and we were non-e~istant. Apparently my fellow members want to be inconspicuous. If this club is to grow and if we are going to be able to help or be helped by other Atari owners we must have more visibility. Ot<, enough said. Last month we had one of our best turnouts to date. Many new faces and lots of familiar faces were there. It seems that myself and the librarian were the only ones that could make it. If I got a little windy, chalk it up to losing track of time trying to compensate. We now have 80 members and growing. We gave a months grace on the delinquent renewals, but can't continue this because of the cost involved in having such a graphic newsletter. Please send in those renewals in order to keep receiving your newsletter. We also could use some articles from the members. It was brought up last month that a special interest group get started for members subscribing to the various Atari oriented magazines. This group would share the typing of the programs in these magazines, to save wear on their fingers and keyboards. Those wishing to do so can make their

coming this at known wishes meeting. disk 1050 hundred Another this cities the in arrived drives The 600 follow. to month with more also. soon very here be should relocated. now The BBS is up. messed got S/W new Somehow the and it on working presently We are the by running it hope to have In time this newsletter is mailed. and reliable a order to have powerful BBS we need a couple of For this new pieces of hardware~ if we on voting be reason, we will password time one a should require This fee from members of $5.00. a buy to us money would allow a and doubler for the disk drives would doubler The printer. basically double the storage space on the two disks already on the system. The printer is needed to activity. system keep track of more Since our club has become of operation involved with the and if we vote to go this BBS, we with the $5.00 one time fee, In this wi 11 be renaming the BBS. a holding be will we light, Any member contest for a new name. and a prize can submit an entry, Just of some sort will be awarded. what that will be, we are not sure having members Only those yet. modems will be allowed to vote on They have a the $5.00 fee issue. The vested interest in the BBS. new BBS number will be made public be so at this coming meeting, new there to vote and get the nLtmber. didn't ANTIC month's This I'm but impress me a whole lot, much. that sports into not really I guess you can't please all the ANALOG seems people all the time. They month. this biggy the to be fine on tutorial nice had a In the reader comment scrolling. section a guy from florida says he Souped-Up has the "World's Most want there out Anybody ATARI 400'. article his Read to dispute that. on page ten. It really is quite a system. Well I guess that is about it See you at the this month. for meeting. Chris Tiggemann, President

t-=::c:,.a.1 .a.Pa.cl

Review by Steve Pauley Has the joy gone out of your joystick? Have you ever been up a creek without a paddle? Are you heavy tired of light pens with has 'Paint• prices? Or maybe your got I have •••• just dried up? Well The the answer to all your woes. Koala from KoalaPad new Technologies is in my opinion the peripheral most interesting Atari I have ever used. a I have waited iyears for good graphics tablet for my Atari tablet and now it's h-r-. ~ The converts finger or stylus position and vertical on the tablet to horizontal readings that a.re read The through 2 Paddle registers. tablet has a resolution 228 both The drawing surface area is ways. I found the 4.25 inches square. tablet very sensitive and easy to The pick any point on the screen. tablet also has slots for templet overlays that could be used for or educational selection, menu game applications. for If this is not enough you, it also comes with a drawing 'Microillustr ator• program called than better like even which I the change you If 'Paint•. paddle to readings joystick program readings in the 'VideoArt• work with the KoalaPad. it will Programs soon to be released that 'Spider Eater' use the tablet are: recognition, note kids teaches meter and composition athey zap Guide -'Programmers spiders. w/disk' and 'The Illustrator• This tablet is so easy to use that there is bound to be many the in released more programs future. Here is how simple it is to use in your own programs. 10 PRINT PADDLE<O>,PADDLE<l>, 20 PRINT STICK<O>,STRI G<O>:GOTO 10 List price for KoalaPad and See a Microillustr ator is $99.95. complete demo of this tablet at the next meeting and try it out yourself.

HARDWARE

CORNER

to was asked This month I describe the ATARI as a system. -This includes the peripherals and associated hardware add-ons. the The 400 is essentially as far as BOO the same as operating system and internals go. The only real difference is in the the of lack keyboard and the Other slot. cartridge second differences being that the 400 has memory no monitor jack and all the to made upgrades must be single board slot that the mother and keyboard The board allows. memory problems have been solved I by many third party vendors. unit that also heard mention of a that signal RF recombines the comes out of jack that plugs into the TV set. This unit is supposed to give composite video and sound to go into a monitor. The 410 recorder requires no interface and works with special basic and machine language files. also drive disk 810 The interface and ~equires no special languages and works well with all file access random supports a This makes format and a directory. it faster and easier to load and save files. All the new peripherals that out also do not require coming are thus making interface, special any you wish If the 850 unnecessary. third party printer or to use a modem, you must invest in the 850. This allows ~ RS232 ports and a The port. bit) (8 par all el ! to you allow would portparallel run a centron(cs type interface to a pr-inter. The ATR8000 would also cover everything that the 850 does plus a smart disk drive controller for This many different dumb drives. to software special some requires ., the double density mode but run works well with ATARI DOS II. pretty is this of Most general. If any specific hardwar-e _,is on your mind please speak up at and the meeting during question the at you See answer time. meeting. Chris Tiggemann

We>rd-finde-r instructions I ago months A couple of to "WORDFIND. 3 11 donated a program, I would like to the library. Now the First, better. it e:<plain far all word finder program is a started I When words. 1-4 letter to be an writing it, it was going aid for solving the cryptograms in I'm sure you but the newspaper, will find other uses for it. Now, how do you use it? When ask how it will in, you load it long the word that you are looking it Nel<t, <1-4 letters). is for you already know any will ask if you If of the letters in the word. the words don't, it will list all you If letters long. that are are listing 4 letter words you can stop the listing by pressing any the know any of key. But, if you you can cut letters in the word, very possibilities the down letter ask which quickly. It will how long of the word you know (1 it will the word is). After that, Once it the letter is. ask what it searches gets this information, and finds all the words with that fit that description. Here is an example: HOW LONG IS THE WORD ?'4' DO YOU KNOW ANY OF THE LETTER? 'YES' WHICH LETTER IS IT(l-4) ?'2' WHAT IS THE LETTER ? '>:' words that It then prints 6 fit and lets you continue when you How fast can you do would like. dictionary? that looking through a in files Sorry, the words are not so you could use them in other data in are they programs, statements, I didn't think of disk files until I was almost finished.

by Jonathan Nelson is program This Editors note: found on this months 'disk of month'.

FROM

THE DIBI<

LIBRARY

#23

.?-~ FREE

September 1983

have one •ailed out.. Here are a few sa,aples froa the list. BLUE Ml 1/C DRELBS DIC 115. PAClfAlt /R POLE POSITION /R SEA CHASE /R ZEPPELIN JIRIPIIAN IUNSftAN QU

MC 65

The library needs the following: 1. User written software: cassette or disk 2. Any other software that is not copyrighted. of the A free DISK/CASSETTE month will be given to any SPACE member who submits an acceptable program for the library.

DIC

25. 97 25.97 37.75 37.75 29.00 25. 97 28.97 25.97

31.90

/I /I

56.00

D/C t/C

Pl'! ANIIIATOR 6TIA TUTORIAL9 DC

25,97

22.97

SHAIIUS C. JI DIC FT.APOCALYPSE DIC SHADOW NORLD DIC ABC COftPILER /D NAYDUT /I CHOPLIFTER /D ASTRO,CHASE DIC DISK HEAD CLEANER kRAFT :JOYSTICk DISKBAMD SYSTEft/50 STN6LE DISKBANk/10 SS/DD DISKS

~ti5)(lJ1~ 0

~ U U~~

·9e,e

25. 97 25.97 25.97 48,97 28.97 25. 97 22.97 12.50 14.00

27.50 5.95 18,50

you at

the next.

~r~r!... (612} 56()..2917

10 GOSUB 150:REM TIMER PROGRAM OR JUST KILLIN6 TIME 20 IF PEEK<20><60 THEN POSITION 9,11:? #6;PEEKC20>;" ":GOTO 20 30 POKE 20,PEEK<20J-60:POKE 77,0:T=T+l:TA=TA-1 40 HA=INTCTA/3600):MA=INTC(TA-CHA*36001)/60>:SA=INT<TA-<HA*3600+MA*60)) 50 H=INTCT/3600>:M=INT<CT-CH*3600J)/60):S=INT<T-CH*3600+M*60)):SOUND 0,50,10,2 70 POSITION 6,1:IF H<lO THEN? #6;" "; 80? #6;H; :";:IF M<lO THEN? #6;"0"; 90 ? :ft:6; M; IF S< 1 0 THEN ? #6; "0" ; 100? #6;S;:POSITION 6,5:IF HA<lO THEN? #6; 11 11 ; IF MA< 10 THEN ? #6; "0"; 102 ? #6; HA; 104 ? #6;MA; 11 : " ; : IF SA<lO THEN ? #6; 0"; 106 ? #6;SA;:IF T=BUZZER THEN GOSUB 400 108 SOUND o,o,o,o:IF T)86399 THEN T=O 120 GOTO 20 150 ? 11 } 11 :? :? "ENTER STARTING TIME:":? 11 HOUR,MINUTE,SECOND & PRESS RETURN" 160 INPUT H,M,S:T=H*3600+M*60+S 200 ? :? :? "ENTER ALARM SETTING:":? HOUR,MINUTE,SECOND & PRESS RETURN" 210 INPUT HA,MA,SA:BUZZER=HA*3600+MA*60+SA:TA=BUZZER-T 211 IF TA<O THEN TA=TA+86400 212 POKE 53279,8:GRAPHICS 18 22() POSITION 5,0:?•#6;"---TIHE---":POSITION 5,2:? #6; 250 POSITION 5,4:? #6;"-7--MIHUS-'':POSITION 5,6:? *6; 270 POSITION 5,8:? #6;"-iQL,.qRM-RT-":POSITION 5,10:? #6; 282 POSITION 6,9:IF HA<lO THEN? #6;" "; 284 ? #6;HA;":";:IF MA<10 THEN? #6;"0"; 286 ? #6;MA; IF SA<lO THEN ? #6; "O"; 288 ? #6;SA;:POSITION 5,11:? #6;"press start"; 289 IF PEEK(53279><>6 THEN 289:REM STRRT TIMER 290 POSITION 5,11:? #6;'' ";:POKE 20,0:RETURN 400 SOUND 0,100,8,14:IF PEEK(20)(180 THEN 400 430 TA=86400:GOTO 20 11 11

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It. cont.Ains about. 700 Programs listed from A to z. Pick one up from ae at. t.he next. TAIG Meeting or call to

VALNTINE.BAS-Only on valintines day -.- TREDMAZE.BAS-Slick maze game ALPHA.BAS -Good memory game CONVERT -U.S. and Metric LASERGUN -Destroy the enemy ship STARMERC.BAS-An adventure game WORDFJND.3 -Great for crossword gm ALIENATT.ACK-Strickly awesome ALIENBAR.AGE-Missile command? MUNCKINS.OCT-Munch, Munch, Munch SPACDUEL -Not the O.K. coral Mail order cassette Sherm Erickson 434-5254 Mail order disk Bill Sterling 291-7710

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PR :C CE L

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ME!'tTibE!'Y-'Sh

A p p 1. i

c.at. i

Phone

Name

C317

Date

Address ___________________________ City ______________ Stat~ ____ Zip _________ _ Equipment/System Used ____________________________________ ________________ _ Areas of Interest Special Skills, Interests, Optional Information:

Info which might be shared.

Occupation ______ ....

____ Employer _______________ _

Dues: $10.00 per year - please inclose check with application. Mail Application and dues to: St. Paul ATARI Computer Enthusiasts, 6807 226th Ave. N. E., Stacy, MN 55079 For more information contact a Club officer: Chris Tiggemann President 462-4435 Steve Berglund. Vice-Pres 636-8956 John Benke • • • Librarian 459-6655

Saint Paul ATARI Computer Enthusiasts 2S47-83rd Court No. Brooklyn Park, MN 55444

Next SPACE Meeting: Friday, October 14, 8:00 P.M.

1983

Minnesota Federal Savings and Loan Lexington Ave. near Larpenteur Roseville, MN

560-2917 Steve Pauley . • Editor . • • Treasurer 483-3895 Max Feuer Sherm Erickson . Cass.Lib. 434-5254