INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Fri, 10 Nov 89       Volume 89 : Issue 629
 
Today's Topics:
                      External 360k 5.25" floppy
                         ST help for novice?
                TOS 1.4 Incompatibility List: Populous
                            TT's VME-slots
                      Uniterm on ST disk needed
                      What does the TT Buy me??
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Date: 10 Nov 89 06:20:19 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!rpi!unix.cie.rpi.edu!vicc@tut.cis.ohi
o-state.edu
Subject: External 360k 5.25" floppy
 
I've got a 5.25" floppy w/cable to connect to the ST. How do I get the
ST to use the drive? Is it a TOS porblem (I've got an oldish system
but I don't know what version of TOS - certainly not 1.4) The drive
spins when I access B: even though it asks for a disk in A: so
something is going right.
 
 
--
Frank Filz
Center For Integrated Electronics
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
vicc@unix.cie.rpi.edu
 
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Date: 10 Nov 89 04:09:24 GMT
From: adjones@mcnc.org  (Amy D. Jones)
Subject: ST help for novice?
 
Hello,
I have a friend with an Atari ST (I think it's a 1040--plain vanilla) & I'm
seeking some info for her.  (She's had it wuite awhile, but is still very much
a novice.)  One problem is a "TOS error #35" message whenever she tries to
access one particular file.  She says the manual has no info about error
numbers, and I had no luck at the bookstores around here.  I'm sure she's
using an older version of the operating system & the software she's using
(a database--I don't recall the name) has probably been upgraded as well.
Actually, that would be handy to know (the database name)...  It had icons
with names like "useone" and "makeone" and "moveone" and the database icons
were named "whatever.one".  If this means anything to anyone, what is the
current status of this mailing list/simple DB.  Anyway, what I want to know
is...   1)  What is TOS error #35 ?
        2)  Any info about this database ?
        3)  Is there a decent book with references on this info (error #s,etc)
        4)  Favorite magazines?
        5)  How can she update her OS without a local dealer?
Thanks very much for your help.....
                                  ........<<<<<< Amy Jones >>>>>>
 
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Date: 9 Nov 89 18:09:53 GMT
From: attcan!utgpu!watmath!watcgl!electro!george@uunet.uu.net  (George Reimer)
Subject: TOS 1.4 Incompatibility List: Populous
 
In article <1772@atari.UUCP> danscott@atari.UUCP (Dan Scott) writes:
>
>I have both Falcon and Populous on a MEGA 4 w/ TOS 1.4 installed in it
>(six chip ROM set-production release) and both of those games work fine on
>my computer.  I haven't tried Dungeon Master in for a few months but I *THINK*
>I remember trying it and it ran as well.
>
>
>Anyone else have any problems with these programs?
>
 
        I have a 520STFM upgraded to 1 meg which ran FALCON just fine until
        I installed the six chip TOS 1.4. Now it takes about 20 accesses on
        disk two, numerous disk swaps ( to send the heads various places ?? )
        before it'll finish the boot. Quite frustrating.
 
        Any thoughts on installing both versions at once, hardware switch
        selectable?
 
 
George
Reimer
 
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Date: 10 Nov 89 04:23:15 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!uvaarpa!hudson!asts
un8.astro.Virginia.EDU!gl8f@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Greg Lindahl)
Subject: TT's VME-slots
 
In article <1230@atha.AthabascaU.CA> rwa@cs.AthabascaU.CA (Ross Alexander)
 writes:
>gl8f@astsun8.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) writes:
>>Right, and a HOME USER with a TT/P doesn't need the things you plug into
>>lots of slots. Why should a HOME USER then waste money on slots they won't
>>use?
>
>Well, perhaps you and I disagree about what a Home User is :-).
 
Sorry, I should have said "AVERAGE" home user. The projects you describe
seem to be something that will interest about .01% of all Atari owners,
at the most ;-)
 
>Something I would very much like to have on a VME card is a modem -
>not a modem for the phone line (how passe' :-), but a nice quick
>56kBaud HDLC radio packet modem.
 
Read the fine print. Doesn't the TT have a HDLC connector ;-) ?
 
>Anyway, I think I'm a home user.  I'll probably go with the TT/X iff I
>buy another Atari at all.
 
Yeah, if you want to build your own hardware. But I don't, and I don't
want to cough out all that extra $$$ for slots I won't use.
 
------
Greg Lindahl
gl8f@virginia.edu                                             I'm not the NRA.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Nov 89 22:13:00 GMT
From: inmet!hedger@uunet.uu.net
Subject: Uniterm on ST disk needed
 
Would anyone out there be willing to make a disk containing Uniterm for me ?
I would be willing to pay for the disk and postage. I might be able to find it
on a bbs somewhere, but I have no way to get it to my atari.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
keith
Phone: (617)661-1840 x4108 work
       (617)491-6324 home
 
I'm in Cambridge, Mass.
 
=====================================================================
|                                                                   |
| Keith Hedger :  ?...!?uunet!inmet!hedger   hedger@inmet.inmet.com |
|   " Tragedy plus time = comedy "                                  |
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Date: 10 Nov 89 03:48:50 GMT
From:
 gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!uvaarpa!hudson!asts
un8.astro.Virginia.EDU!gl8f@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Greg Lindahl)
Subject: What does the TT Buy me??
 
In article <46bcb82f.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
 
Gee, Richard, I thought people had been explaining to you in detail
exactly what the TT gives you.
 
For the present ST home user, the TT is a fast ST.
 
For the Unix user, the TT is a nice cheap workstation.
 
>And I mean the TT/Plastic as it is the most likely TT to make it
>to the USA.
 
Oh, I think it's pretty probable that the TT/X will make it here.
 
>Except for the higher color rez I don't see anything in the TT
>that would make me want to dump my investment in my current ST
>hardware.
 
So don't. People who NEED the TTs speed will buy it. People who NEED
Unix will buy it. People who don't need it won't...
 
>What would make me buy an Atari computer:
>
>1) A FAST CPU, at least a 25 Mhz 68030, with an option to go to
>   33 Mhz or even 50 Mhz as Motorola releases the faster cpus.
 
You don't understand what a 16 mhz 68030 means. The TT has burst-fill
mode memory above 2 megs. This means it's faster than the Mac IIcx by
as much as 50% for typical applications. Apple just released the Mac
IIci which is capable of running burst-fill ram... the TT is very
competetive compared to the Mac.
 
When the TT delivers it will be interesting to benchmark it against
'386-based Unix boxes. I think you'll find that it won't be that much
slower than a "33 mhz 386" because of the burst mode and other reasons.
It will not be two times slower, which you would think from the ratio
of the "megahertz". Megahertz are relatively meaningless.
 
>2) ability to change to a 68040 CPU without buying a whole new
>   computer. That is why I can Atari computers disposable. In order
>   to upgrade to a different CPU you have to "dispose" of your older
>   computer.
 
Few if any other vendors supply this sort of capability. It costs
extra money up front.
 
>3) A true multi-tasking, multi-windowing OS. I mean, heck the Amiga
>   has had multi-tasking since the first A1000 was released.
 
Unix plus X windows (or your favorite windowing system, I happen to be
partial to mgr ;-) gives you this. It's clear that GEMDOS will NOT become
a multi-tasking multi-windowing OS in the near future, not only because
it's a lot of $$ to write, but also because current GEM programs are
incompatible with multi-tasking in all sorts of little ways.
 
Asking for things which can't be delivered is a bit strange. Unix is
the future, Richard.
 
>4) An open buss so that 3rd party vendors can develop boards for the TT.
 
Every TT announcement so far has said the TT/X and TT/P have this.
 
>6) Real color graphics ala the Macintosh. 640x480 in 16 colors is a joke,
>   and Atari should be ashamed for introducing a new machine with such
>   limited grpahics?? The TT will be the Atari machine for the early 1990s
>   and should be better then that!!
 
Monitors that show resolutions greater than 640x480 in color are very
expensive.  Not very suitable for a small-business machine. You can
always buy some PC Klone with one if you want it.
 
Price high resolution monitors for the Mac. Note that they require a card.
Note that the TT/P has a card slot.
 
>7) A replacement for GDOS. Something that uses outline fonts. The Mac system
>   beats GDOS all the way to the North Pole!! GDOS is such a memory hog that
>   even 4 megs in my ST is limiting!!
 
A third party could do that... it would sell and probably make money.
 
>All in all, everything about the TT says if it had been released in Jan 1989
>instead of July 1990 it MIGHT have been an acceptable computer. But by the
>Summer of 1990, when we can reasonable expect to see the TT on USA shelves,
>it will already be outdated by the Amiga A3000, and the Mac IIcx, Mac IIci.
 
The Mac IIcx and Mac IIci hardly outdate the TT, especially since it seems
that they cost a lot more money (assuming the TT arrives, of course.)
Looks like Atari has a very interesting product, if they do bring out
Unix for it and ship both in a timely fashion.
 
And to repeat: WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LET THE MARKET DECIDE IF THE
TT IS A GOOD MACHINE INSTEAD OF FLOODING COMP.SYS.ATARI.ST WITH MESSAGES
ABOUT SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER SEEN?
 
>What has happened to Atari Corp??
 
They are making money selling computers.
 
------
Greg Lindahl
gl8f@virginia.edu                                             I'm not the NRA.
 
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V89 Issue #629
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