INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Tue, 21 Nov 89       Volume 89 : Issue 688
 
Today's Topics:
                 Anti-Atari Bashing Flame (long - so
                          Asst. Dribble....
                     atari ABC  yea or nay  ????
                   Atari magazines ( was Re: What'
                 Atari Support -- a different perspe
           Good news for non-German speaking Turbo C fans !
                            MAC emulators
                         MIDI record/playback
                    Purchasing Items from Europe.
                               ST Mouse
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:42:52 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc
 .edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!uxf.cso.uiuc.edu!rjk752@tut.cis.ohio-sta
 te.edu
Subject: Anti-Atari Bashing Flame (long - so
 
        Another vote for an end to this consistent Atari-bashing.  Maybe
a radical design improvement suggestion or somesuch would be in order, but
beating Atari to death with blunt words over the same issues time after
time is getting very old in a hurry.  If you want to put out specs,
please keep any non-constructive (judgement call) comments to yourself.
Some of the Bashers are just plain rude, they know they are just being
petty irritants.  Others might not realize they are being repetitive
or talking about products they know little about.  I agree with these last
few notes, lets agree to clean up our act and get a little more
constuctive.
                        Thankyou.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:43:09 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso
 .uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!glk01126@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Subject: Asst. Dribble....
 
        Only a complete dolt would see the breaking down of the
        Berlin Wall as THE oportunity to sell more ataris.
 
        PSYCHE, just kidding, I just wanted to say that my monitor
        does that too.  Let me know when you have a bug fix ()*_-::()*
 
                                                        (~~roadkill~~)
 
        -Spieu!
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:41:49 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.u
 iuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!uxf.cso.uiuc.edu!rjk752@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Subject: atari ABC  yea or nay  ????
 
/* Written 11:34 pm  Nov 12, 1989 by Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com in
 uxf.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.atari.st */
Some text deleted...
 
Atari Corp is a toy company which has established a reputation for being
poorly managed, and for its capricious treatment of its users, dealers
and suppliers.  While the "Atari ABC" may be the computer of the week now,
you may find yourself holding an obsolete system when they go off after the
next glittering gizmo and leave you with an unsupported orphan next week.
/* End of text from uxf.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.atari.st */
 
        Try to control your passion there, Bob.  Take a breath...
        I am a computer engineer at the U of Illinios
in Urbana / Champaign.  I am using an Atari with 2mb internal memory,
50 meg of hard drive, an 8Mhz 68000, and a (Robotics) courier 2400 to
write this note.  I also use it for two of my three classes and to access
the Library Computer system.  Don't you think "toy" might be an inappropriate
choice of words.  This system will out-perform the majority of the IBM hardware
out in the streets today.  In fact the IBM emulator on my Atari has a Norton
SI rating between 2.5 and 3.0 because of the power of the 68000 (RISC
architecture).  I can also read and format IBM formatted IBM DD/DS 3.5" disks,
and with some software and a couple of chips could emulate a Mac as well.
        I am a month from graduation as a computer engineer, and I consider
the Mega ST2 to be a fairly powerful machine (definitely out of the range of
toy).  I would further state that it can clearly outperform any IBM in its
price range for the majority of tasks a home user would want.  Do you beg to
differ with me ?  I got my system for slightly over $2000.  What do YOU
own.  I'll bet it's 1) more expensive or 2) less powerfull or 3) another
"toy" computer.
    On a similar note, Atari doesn't have a history of producing obsolete
equipment.  Do you consider the M68000 to be any more obsolete than the
equally new 80286 technology IBM uses?  If and when the TT is delivered, it
will use the 68030, which will still run my 68000 programs.  My ST software
library will not be wasted.  Please give a name to this "unsupported orphan
product".
        On the other hand, you are right about their tendancies to introduce
new ideas into the marketplace before they can back them up with hardware and
also about their lack of support for dealers.  Some entities like businesses
who require a full-service shop with personel knowledgeable about the products
would be ill-advised to get an Atari.  However, for my personal use, I have
*never* had to bring an Atari in for service.  The Atari has made a lot of
sense for me, and I don't regret having purchased it.  In the few cases where
there are trouble though, it will be more difficult (not impossible though,
I have a full-service dealer within 5 miles of where I live for example) to
get repairs.  Also, if you want to run protected IBM or MacIntosh software,
then an Atari is out.  Overall, though, I'll definitely take my Atari.
P.S.  I have used IBM's and Macintosh's quite a bit in school.  The IBM's are
too expensive and their software isn't nearly as user friendly.  The Mac's are
black and white on a too-small screen.  The Mac II's are very nice, but too
expensive.  There are my opinions.  I think most of us are *quite* familiar
with yours by now :)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:43:36 GMT
From:
 usc!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!ux
 f.cso.uiuc.edu!rjk752@ucsd.edu
Subject: Atari magazines ( was Re: What'
 
Somebody writes:
 
  Just wanted to let you know that Analog/stlog is not going to publish after
the december issue, they have decided to cease publication, it really is to bad
as the new dual format was done nicely
/* End of text from uxf.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.atari.st */
 
        The October issue of ST-LOG definately says differently.  It clearly
states a combined Analog Computing magazine is being formed.  I guess this
has this changed since the October 1989 (issue 36) ST-LOG?
        Where did this information come from, and when ?  If true, they
sure didn't give it much time to catch on :)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:42:05 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.u
 iuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!uxf.cso.uiuc.edu!rjk752@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Subject: Atari Support -- a different perspe
 
/* Written  1:29 am  Nov 13, 1989 by Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com in
 uxf.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.atari.st */
Those who have been so helpful here on UseNet have been so on their
own time..  and at their own peril..  information from Allen, Ken and
the others from Atari has helped to fill the "official" vaccuum from
Atari...  and yes.. they do deserve the utmost thanks from ALL Atari
users...!
 
 
        In this spirit, I would like to register my formal thanks to those
from Atari who have participated in this notestring.  I agree that it
does help out us poor underinformed users, and take some of the sting
out of the rumors that can fly around at times.  If Atari doesn't recognize
the importance of your presense, that is unfortunate.  I think you have
helped Atari's rep to some degree as well as collected some feedback from
the users for your own information (I know some of it is frustrating).  As
you are finding, people can jump to the wrong (bad) conclusions if they are
not supplied with enough information.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 89 12:18:03 SET
From: VBRANDT%DBNUAMA1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Good news for non-German speaking Turbo C fans !
 
Hello all,
 
   ... good news for nen-German speaking Turbo C fans!!
 
   I called Borland Germany last friday and talked to the coordinator of
Turbo C beta testing.  He said that Borland Germany still has no plans to
offer Turbo C/ST in the USA (I didn't ask why :-).  But they are currently
looking for a British or US publisher to produce an English version of the
manual, so that they can offer an English version of the Turbo C package.
 
   I had offered to organize a bulk order of Turbo C and ship it to the US,
and a few people said that they'd be interested.  My offer still stands, but
I now propose to wait until Borland Germany comes up with an English version.
 
   What do people think?  In the past, Borland Germany has kept such announce-
ments, so I guess one could trust them to deliver in this case as well.
 
   If you don't want to wait and still want a German Turbo C 1.2 *now* or
the much-improved 2.0 in January (?), feel free to email me.
 
   Note:  I'm sorry that I haven't replied to all ppl interested in TC,
I'm currently being flooded with email.  I have noted all your names and email
addresses, though (if your mail ever reached me :-)
 
   PS: Ignac Kolenko, how the #3!! do I get email to you????
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bitnet:  VBRANDT@DBNUAMA1 (will go away some day ...)  Volker A. Brandt
          UNM409@DBNRHRZ1 (alternative)                Angewandte Mathematik
UUCP:    ...!unido!DBNUAMA1.bitnet!vbrandt             (Bonn, West Germany)
ARPAnet: VBRANDT%DBNUAMA1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 07:28:57 GMT
From: fox!portal!cup.portal.com!Bob_BobR_Retelle@apple.com
Subject: MAC emulators
 
Ed June asks:
>ANYONE know of a mouse 'accelerator' utility that performs like the one on
>the Mac Control Panel?
>I believe it's called proportional control?
 
The mouse accellerator program called  MACCEL, written by Ken B. of Atari
Corp is very similar to the way the Mac mouse works..
 
The faster you move your mouse, the faster the mouse pointer moves on the
screen..  it's speed is proportional to the acceleration of the mouse.
 
BobR
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:43:53 GMT
From:
 usc!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!sf
 n20715@ucsd.edu
Subject: MIDI record/playback
 
I am looking for a public domain program for the ST that would allow
me to capture information from the midi port while I play a synth
i.e. a midi recoder.  Hopefully this would also be able to replay the
songs at a later time, no?  Actually the idea behind this is to
record a concert on a floppy so that I can send it to a friend on the
net for him to hear.  (What a concept!)
Anyway, are there any out there?  Could someone direct me to where I could
get it?  I can FTP to anywhere, or even mailing would work.
Please reply if you know.
Steve N.  sfn20715@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Thu,16 Nov 89 11:24:08 BST
From: D.Wade%sysd.salford.ac.uk@NSFnet-Relay.AC.UK
Subject: Purchasing Items from Europe.
 
 When I started 'home computing' many bits had to be purchsed from the
 U.S., and in the U.K. the simplest way has always been to us VISA or
 MasterCard (Known as ACCESS in the UK). The only problems I have had have
  been with a damaged memory card which the UK Post Office cracked. The only
 other small snag is you don't actually know the cost until the bill arrives
 as you normally get the exchange rate on the day its posted to your Visa
 account. Oh and of course you need to get the sender to put in an invoice or
 receipt so the PO know how much duty to charge. I don' know how this works
 in the US but it ought to be itemised. For example when importing Software
 into the U.K. duty is only payable on the value of the MEDIA it is stored on.
 Hope this helps.
 Sorry no signature file but replies outside the UK may be sent to:-
 D.WADE@D.SALF.AC.UK - Most Places, MS2@UKACRL - Bitnet.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 16 Nov 89 10:43:23 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso
 .uiuc.edu!uxa.cso.uiuc.edu!glk01126@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Subject: ST Mouse
 
        There is also an optical mouse out and a remote mouse (no cable)
        that were demo'd at our user group meeting.
 
        -Spieu!
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #688
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