INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Fri, 20 Oct 89       Volume 89 : Issue 540
 
Today's Topics:
                                (none)
                 (none) GDOS & Outline Fonts (2 msgs)
                            386 vs the TT
                               fortran
                            Games for Sale
                     INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 #538
                         Turboboost with GCR
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 16:02:44 GMT
From: sdcc6!sdcc13!pa1329@ucsd.edu  (pa1329)
Subject: (none)
 
Why not some ST developers work together to develop a
outline-font-based GDOS?   If the version can b e accepted by all
developers as a standard, who cares what Atari think?   It can be
used by any ST developers in their program, and Atari's attitude
will not be a problem.
Outline font technology has existed in the ST since pub. partner was
released.  Meanwhile many other companies still struggle with the Atari
GDOS.   There is no need to continue using that junk.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 17:38:16 GMT
From: pasteur!cory.Berkeley.EDU!soohoo@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (Ken "nmi" Soohoo)
Subject: (none) GDOS & Outline Fonts
 
In article <1379@sdcc13.ucsd.edu> pa1329@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (pa1329) writes:
>
>Why not some ST developers work together to develop a
>outline-font-based GDOS?   If the version can b e accepted by all
>developers as a standard, who cares what Atari think?   It can be
>used by any ST developers in their program, and Atari's attitude
>will not be a problem.
>Outline font technology has existed in the ST since pub. partner was
>released.  Meanwhile many other companies still struggle with the Atari
>GDOS.   There is no need to continue using that junk.
 
Yes, outline fonts are a really cool idea.
Yes, the are a whole HECK of a lot of work to implement.
Probably gonna be hard to convince the people who make Pub.Partner to
part with their outline fonts, as they are the only ones (that I know
of) out there... They pretty much corner the market.
 
So, who designs the fonts? Who do we get the fonts from, certainly not
Adobe... ;-?  And then, what about the algorithm for scaling, that's
worth a lot of money, people make their living off of that...
 
Ok, so if you want outline fonts, wouldn't it make a whole HECK of a lot
of sense to make the system GDOS compatible?  That way, all the existing
programs can continue to use fonts the way they always did...
BUT how do you fix programs like MicroSoft Write (and MANY others) that
inquire of the system what font sizes are available?
 
Here's the problem: Outline Fonts enable any point size to be created.
GDOS thinks only certain point sizes exist.  Thus _currently_ a program
polls to find out the sizes available, and limits the user to those
sizes.  As the Outline GDOS, what font sizes do you report on inquiry?
You've _really_ got _anything_, so why limit the system, but then how
does a program that allows the user to select from font sizes handle
the now unlimited number of sizes .  Certainly not in the current
schema of "pick a size", as they can legally pick _any_ size.
 
Anyway, just some thoughts on Outline Fonts and GDOS.
I'm really preassuming that the Outline GDOS must stay GDOS compatible
and not break existing software, otherwise, I suppose one could throw
out all the currently available GDOS software...
 
--Kenneth "kens" Soohoo                         (soohoo@cory.Berkeley.Edu)
  Atari Hacker (Atari's Hacker...)
  "It could be worse, you could get hit by a bus..."
  My opinions are my OWN, _not_ necessarily Atari's. But "hey", who knows?
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 19:23:25 GMT
From: phoenix@g.ms.uky.edu  (R'ykandar Korra'ti)
Subject: (none) GDOS & Outline Fonts
 
In article <18593@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> soohoo@cory.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Ken "nmi"
 Soohoo) writes:
>Yes, outline fonts are a really cool idea.
>So, who designs the fonts? Who do we get the fonts from, certainly not
>Adobe... ;-?  And then, what about the algorithm for scaling, that's
>worth a lot of money, people make their living off of that...
     Why _not_ Adobe? They've placed their Type I fonts in the public domain,
I understand. You'd get a recognized standard and lots of proven-ground
technology (in an area where proven-ground tech is good) right off the bat.
>BUT how do you fix programs like MicroSoft Write (and MANY others) that
>inquire of the system what font sizes are available?
     Have the system throw a standard set of point sizes back? And when
a particular size is requested, generate a pixel image. Not fast, but
functional - and not necessarily as slow as you might think, either. I've
seen other applications do it that way, and it's not too bad.
>I'm really preassuming that the Outline GDOS must stay GDOS compatible
>and not break existing software...
     If it's reasonably written, the above system might save a lot of headaches.
Then again, maybe not; I don't know GDOS.
                                                        - R'ykandar.
--
| R'ykandar Korra'ti, Editor, LOW ORBIT | phoenix@ms.uky.edu | CIS 72406,370 |
| Elfinkind, Unite! | phoenix@ukma.bitnet | PLink: Skywise | QLink: Bearclaw |
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 1989 12:06 EDT
From: Greg Csullog <01659%AECLCR.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: 386 vs the TT
 
Several users on my site have fast 386 machines. The problem is that most
codes do not support memory beyond 640K. Thus, a 4 meg 386 has over 3 megs
of useless RAM.
 
PC people are always proud of fast 386's. With the lack of a common interface
for applications (Word Perfect, dBASE, LOTUS, ChiWriter, etc.have no
relationship to one another) huge amounts of time are wasted trying to
pass data between applications. Who the hell cares if a number crunch
takes 7 seconds instead of 21 when it takes 1/2 hour to move the result to
a second application. Until PCs have a dominant common interface that allows
rapid passing of data between appplications PCs will remain the dogs of the
computing world.
 
A survey has shown that in business, the average number of applications
used by PC users is 1, the average by Mac users is 4. Why? Learning one
PC appl does not tell you anything about the next. Learning one Mac appl
or one GEM appl totally prepares you for the next ones. Sorry PC users,
speed of processing is not the only determinant of productivity!
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 09:22:15 GMT
From: eru!luth!sunic!mcsun!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!tadhg!chris@bloom-beacon.mit.edu
 (Chris Forker - Nav Arch-)
Subject: fortran
 
In article <3937.253ca865@uwovax.uwo.ca> 4224_5132@uwovax.uwo.ca writes:
>I need help finding a GOOD fortran for my ST.
>
>Any suggestions...?--
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>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
 
        I'v used Prospero's Fortran for several years now, and find it
        reasonable. One of the good things is the ease by which code can
        ported too and from the PC without any changes if you use
        their PC compiler as well.
 
        The compiler is not the fastest around, but produces tight
        code.  The actual workbench is v.good, and I find it very
        productive. The latest 'toolbox' from Prospero gives even
        greater flexibility to this environment. They also have
        MC68881 support as well.
 
        Hope this helps
 
        Chris.
 
        I only use the product, I don't have shares in the company.
 
 
+-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--+--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-+
|   mail: Chris.Forker@newcastle.ac.uk   |   Dept. Marine Technology        |
|  voice: +44 91 2226000 X 6750          |   Newcastle University           |
|    fax: +44 91 2611182                 |   Newcastle upon Tyne            |
|                                        |   NE1 7RU  ENGLAND               |
+-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--+--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-+
 
 
 
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 19:55:22 GMT
From:
 pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!wuarchive!
dogie.macc.wisc.edu!vms.macc.wisc.edu@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Neil Gilmore)
Subject: Games for Sale
 
In article <1989Oct16.214846.8337@agate.berkeley.edu>,
 c60c-4af@e260-4a.berkeley.edu (Teh Kao Yang) writes...
 
>Thanks for all those replies to my message. However the games have
>all been sold. Boy did they go quick!
 
>Teh Kao Yang
 
Quite so... even though your 'or best offer' clause didn't seem to make
it into your posting.
 
Sorry, folks, but this gentleman sent me email saying that I could
purchase the items in question, as I was the first respondant to his
posting. His next message told me that he would not sell me those items.
I do not object to persons wishing to sell items for their best offer,
but I would quite prefer that this information appear in the post.
 
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Kitakaze Tatsu Raito  Neil Gilmore     internet:gilmore@macc.wisc.edu |
| Jararvellir,          MACC, UW-Madison bitnet: gilmore@wiscmac3       |
| Middle Kingdom        Madison, Wi                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 89 15:43 CDT
From: CANTIN%MMDEHN.SPAN@ricevm1.rice.edu
Subject: INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 #538
 
unsubscribe info-atari16
signoff
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 89 16:46:00 GMT
From: matthews@umd5.umd.edu  (Mike Matthews)
Subject: Turboboost with GCR
 
In article <761@utacs.UTA.FI> jackin@utacs.UTA.FI (Markku M?enp??) writes:
>Has anybody succeeded in using Spectre GCR with faster
>processors (16Mhz) ? I would like to get my MEGA faster and
>especially would like to see Spectre GCR roaming in 16 Mhz.
>
>! Markku M?enp?? !
 
I used Spectre (NOT GCR) with the JRI 16Mhz board no problems.  I imagine
the GCR will work as well -- I'll let you know if otherwise when my GCR
comes [and my friend doesn't mind me borrowing his ST again].
 
Mike
 
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #540
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