INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Fri,  3 Nov 89       Volume 89 : Issue 602
 
Today's Topics:
                                A3000
                       atari-bashing/vaporware
                     laser printer vs. hard drive
             Memory upgrade affects performance? (2 msgs)
                micro emacs v3.10 binary on terminator
                    Piggiback ROMs (2 TOS versions
                        Smalltalk/v on Spectre
                       TT's VME-slots (3 msgs)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Nov 89 17:01:55 GMT
From: cbmvax!daveh@rutgers.edu  (Dave Haynie)
Subject: A3000
 
in article <119.25505695@metnet.FIDONET.ORG>,
 Mark.Johnson@p0.f30.n147.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mark Johnson) says:
 
> Hmmm seems to me that the logic used by the Atari bashers makes that
> A3000 a vaporware product too.
 
In one sense, any product that hasn't been released can be called
"vaporware"; at least, that's the sense that's been used around here.
 
> Seems odd that they aren't crying about their awful - supportless -
> lying - cheating C= company like they are trying to accuse Atari of, eh?
 
Commodore-Amiga has been shipping a 68020 based machine for almost a year
and we have a A2500-based 68030 machine practically out the door (eg, in
production).  That's not the A3000 yet, but it does demonstrate that much
of what Commodore shows does actually ship.  It may not ship as soon as
you like, it never ships as soon as I'd like, but it does ship.  And there's
been quite a bit of support and on-going development on the software side.
 
I'm not here to bash anyone.  But I do recall the way things worked here,
say, about 6 years ago.  I hope things never got like that at Atari.  And
you have to look at who's doing the bashing for you can judge it.  There's
always one or two who bash anything a particular company does or doesn't
do -- you see 'em here, in the Amiga, Mac, NeXT, and probably groups I don't
read as well.  When you start to see a large variety of folks making
similar complaints, something real may be wrong.
 
> Mark Johnson - via FidoNet node 1:147/10
> UUCP: ...!att!occrsh!uokmax!metnet!30.0!Mark.Johnson
> INTERNET: Mark.Johnson@p0.f30.n147.z1.FIDONET.ORG
--
Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Systems Engineering) "The Crew That Never Rests"
   ?uunet|pyramid|rutgers?!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: hazy     BIX: hazy
                    Too much of everything is just enough
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Nov 89 00:52:54 GMT
From: portal!cup.portal.com!Xorg@uunet.uu.net  (Peter Ted Szymonik)
Subject: atari-bashing/vaporware
 
Maybe the REAL problem is people who take rumors and run with them.  Or
reporters who take sightings at research labs and trun them into the newest
and hottest items, due out 'real soon'.  Mr Covert AGAIN takes the vaporware
concept and runs with it.  To me, vaporware means items which are talked
about and promised but which do NOT exist in hardware or pre-production form.
I have *SEEN AND USED* a real honest to goodness STacy.  If STacy never sees
the light of day it will not be vaporware my friend, just like GCR was NEVER
vaporware.  Just because people whine and complain about not being able to buy
hardware just announced a few months ago does NOT mean that a company somehow
is miraculously able to ship thousands out units overnight.  Things take time,
tooling up takes time, FCC approval takes time.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 1 Nov 89 17:13:41 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!stc!root44!hrc63!mrcu!ya16@uunet.uu.net  (Ian Powell)
Subject: laser printer vs. hard drive
 
In article <4634c22d.14a1f@force.UUCP>, covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
> > I have a mega-4, atari laser printer, and external hard drive (Supra card).
> > Apparently when I boot with the laser printer attached it must be turned on;
> > otherwise I can't access the hard drive.  If I turn the printer off after I
> > boot I have trouble accessing both the hard drive and the floppy.  It's a
> > real pain to swap cables to bypass the laser printer.  I talked to a dealer
> > who said that this was "normal behavior".
>
> Dennis, I too own the SLM804 and an external hard drive. My local Atari
> delaer came up with a solution to the problem. It tunrs out that if the
> SLMC804 controller box is powered up you can turn off the SLM804 laser
> printer itself. But, as the controller box is powered by 5 volts DC from the
> laser printer you can't turn on the controller box with the printer turned
 off.
 
I have found that by opening the back cover the main printer
mechanisms is disabled just leaving the power supply on: hence
keeping power on the control box.  The power supply appears to
remain at a reasonable temperature even after lengthy periods.
However after using the printer the fan should be allowed to run
for at least five minutes.
 
As far as I can see there is no problem with this method.
However I am not certain, is there anyone out there who can
comment.
 
Ian Powell
ya16@uk.co.gec-mrc.a
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Nov 89 18:13:31 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!aplcen!jhunix!ins_bac@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
 (Ajay Choudhri)
Subject: Memory upgrade affects performance?
 
In article <1184@cbnewsi.ATT.COM> dmk@cbnewsi.ATT.COM (daniel.m.kuster..jr,ho,)
 writes:
>I just upgraded my 1985 vintage 520ST to 2.5 Meg of
>memory and I've noted some system performance differences
>that make me wonder if I've done the upgrade correctly.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>dan
I think with the expanded memory, you have to zero out all the memory at
 startup.
I may be wrong.(net.guru's step in anytime)
I have heard that Pinhead v1.4 work very well and diminishes your problem.
Well, I have a .5meg machine :-( (anyone have a used EZ-RAM II board)
Well have a good time..
 -Ajay Choudhri
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Nov 89 19:22:25 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!usc!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!mrsvr.UUCP!gemed.uucp!krieg@tu
t.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Andrew Krieg)
Subject: Memory upgrade affects performance?
 
In article <1184@cbnewsi.ATT.COM> dmk@cbnewsi.ATT.COM (daniel.m.kuster..jr,ho,)
 writes:
>
>
>
>Hello all,
>
>I just upgraded my 1985 vintage 520ST to 2.5 Meg of
>memory and I've noted some system performance differences
>that make me wonder if I've done the upgrade correctly.
>
>The thing I don't understand is that the computer takes at least
>4 times as long to boot (possibly longer).  Is TOS running some
 
I just upgraded about a month ago and had the same problem.  I believe TOS 1.2
does do a memory check after each load.  I'm not sure exactly what it is doing
but it is a bug, and TOS 1.4 is supposed to correct the problem.  However, I
have not upgraded to TOS 1.4 and still was able to correct the problem.  How,
you may ask?  Well, there is a nifty shareware program by CodeHead software
called "Pinhead".  You place it in your AUTO folder, and **BAMM** things will
be flying again.  The latest version even fastloads itself, so there is hardly
any noticable difference.  If you would like a copy, let me know.  I can e-mail
it to you or post it here (if anyone else would like it).
 
Otherwise, how do you like being at 2.5 Meg?  I don't know how I survived
without it for so long!! :~)
 
--
=========================================================================
=       The Marvel Historian                            A. Krieg        =
=               G.E. Medical Systems - CT - New Berlin, WI              =
=                    USENET: krieg@jupiter.med.ge.com                   =
=========================================================================
=       "Landing gear, landing gear, landing gear.                      =
=               Have a beer, shut the door."  -  Howard Borden          =
=========================================================================
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 2 Nov 89 16:17:58 GMT
From: mcsun!inria!mirsa!trinidad!colas@uunet.uu.net  (Colas Nahaboo)
Subject: micro emacs v3.10 binary on terminator
 
Since nobody seems to have a me310 with a working shell-escape, I have
put my binary version on terminator (directory atari/new)
In the .zoo I have put also the docs, config files and atari sources.
(I haven't put other sources so that the whole thing fit in a disk)
(full distrib can be ftped on midas.mgmt.purdue.edu)
 
PS: for the STe Incompatibilities problems, a friend of mine is buying one,
so you will get soon FIRST-HAND reports of what's running or not!
 
Colas NAHABOO       BULL Research FRANCE -- Koala Project
                    (GWM X11 Window Manager)
    Internet:       colas@mirsa.inria.fr
Surface Mail:       Colas NAHABOO, INRIA - Sophia Antipolis,
                    2004, route des Lucioles, 06565 Valbonne Cedex -- FRANCE
 Voice phone:       (33) 93.65.77.71, Fax: (33) 93 65 77 66, Telex: 97 00 50 F
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 2 Nov 89 10:39:38 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!tub!tmpmbx!netmbx!hase@uunet.uu.net  (Hartmut Semken)
Subject: Piggiback ROMs (2 TOS versions
 
In article <23524@cup.portal.com> Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com writes:
>I was referring to the feeling of "get in there with a soldering iron and
>fix it yourself" that is endemic in the Atari world. Hack in a memory
>upgrade because Atari doesn't offer one.  Rip out your CPU to kludge in
>a faster processor, since Atari hasn't offered anything in 5 years. Tear
>out your Shifter chip to add colors to bring your system up to the level
>that other manufacturers now sell.
 
How many faster processors did IBM make since the second (8 MHz) AT?
How many accelerators for the PC are availeble from IBM, how many memory
upgrades?
 
 
Atari did not document the hardware, so few third-party hardworkers bit
the bullet and worked out, how it works themselves.
 
The second mistake is the ST pricing: it's to cheap to be taken serious.
Atari made games. My brother uses to play with an 2600 game system
dayly, just as lot's of sons of "managers" did.
 
hase
--
Hartmut Semken, Lupsteiner Weg 67, 1000 Berlin 37 hase@netmbx.UUCP
Dennis had stepped up into the top seat whet its founder had died of a
lethal overdose of brick wall, taken while under the influence of a
Ferrari and a bottle of tequila. (Douglas Adams; the long dark teatime...)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 1 Nov 89 17:25:03 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!stc!root44!hrc63!mrcu!ya16@uunet.uu.net  (Ian Powell)
Subject: Smalltalk/v on Spectre
 
Is there anyone out there that has tried to run Smalltalk/V on
the Spectre 128 or GCR Mac emulators.  If so what problems did you
experience.
 
Thanks for any information in advance.
 
Ian Powell
ya16@uk.co.gec-mrc.a
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 2 Nov 89 19:29:48 GMT
From: portal!atari!apratt@uunet.uu.net  (Allan Pratt)
Subject: TT's VME-slots
 
Somebody wrote:
 
> My main point is that having ONLY one slot guarantees that no vendor will
> design hardware for that slot.
 
Remember (as has been pointed out before) no vendor HAS to design
hardware specifically for that slot: it's already been done.  That's
why we chose a standard bus interface.
 
You are also overlooking the fact that the first TT, internally
designated the TT/P, is the low-cost base model.  It has one VME slot
(not full size, either).  The larger, more expandable model will have
more than one (I don't know the number) and they'll be full size.
 
There is also the possiblity, but don't hold me to this, that you can
connect a VME card-cage to that one slot, and get as many slots that
way as you want.  Such a cage would have to have its own power supply,
and the connecting cable would have to be short and well-shielded (or
crosstalk and Old Man FCC will get you) but I don't think there are any
impossibilities there.  I don't know for sure that it's possible,
though: I'm not a VME guy.
 
============================================
Opinions expressed above do not necessarily     -- Allan Pratt, Atari Corp.
reflect those of Atari Corp. or anyone else.      ...ames!atari!apratt
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 2 Nov 89 10:46:14 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!tub!tmpmbx!netmbx!hase@uunet.uu.net  (Hartmut Semken)
Subject: TT's VME-slots
 
In article <468ef7cd.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
>My main point is that having ONLY one slot guarantees that no vendor will
>design hardware for that slot. This is because a vendor is competing against
>others for a very limited resource. Say there were three vendors all wanting
>to sell a HW card for the ONE slot. But, since there is only one slot all
>three vendors are competing against each other for use of the one slot. And
>that is true even if the 3 vendors aren't producing the same function.
 
Well, the first card, I'll get for my TT, will be a VME bus tranceiver,
the second one beiing a 8-slot backplane.
 
That is, if the TT will ship until January. If not - and I do not
exspect it to be in one of the 5 Atari shops here in the small Berlin
till then - I'll buy one of the used Mac II, that showed up since the
IIx and IIci.
 
hase
--
Hartmut Semken, Lupsteiner Weg 67, 1000 Berlin 37 hase@netmbx.UUCP
Dennis had stepped up into the top seat whet its founder had died of a
lethal overdose of brick wall, taken while under the influence of a
Ferrari and a bottle of tequila. (Douglas Adams; the long dark teatime...)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Nov 89 14:32:03 GMT
From:
 mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watmath!ria!uwovax!4224_5132@iuvax.cs.ind
iana.edu  (Andrew Semple)
Subject: TT's VME-slots
 
In article <468ef7cd.14a1f@force.UUCP>, covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
>
> And that is why I won't buy another closed system from Atari. I would rather
> wait for the 80486 machines with AT&T Sys V Release 4.0 with X Windows.
>
> Richard Covert
 
  One of the first i486 machines has been produced by Apricot systems, here
in Ontario (Mississauga, to be exact).  It is a server with all sorts of
neat-o security devices, 6 SCSI ports ect, ect. (I'll leave a description
to the dedicated news group).  Anyways, you can also get some i486 tabletops
too, and they are pretty interesting also.  ALL come with MS-DOS 4.1. Oh Boy!
Hold me back!  I can't wait to buy one so I can go out and drop another wad
of bucks on AT&T Sys V.  Richard, haven't you heard the one that goes:
"The grass is always greener,...."
 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Semple                               ads@uwovax.uwo.ca
2nd Year Applied Math/Computer Science      Andrew.Semple@uwovax.uwo.ca
The University of Western Ontario           Semple@uwovax.BITNET
London, Ontario
Canada
 
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #602
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