=========================================================================
 
INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Fri,  9 Feb 90       Volume 90 : Issue  179
 
Today's Topics:
                     Bob Brode Comes To Arizona!!
                      Epson LQ800 driver for Mac
                         Notes for Europeans.
                OK, so they sell the STe in Europe...
                           Problems FTP'ing
                          SAMPLING/RECORDING
                              ST piracy
                        TAF show press release
                       TOS io redirection bugs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 18:59:19 GMT
From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!hyc@ucsd.edu  (Howard
 Chu)
Subject: Bob Brode Comes To Arizona!!
Message-ID: <10856@stag.math.lsa.umich.edu>
 
In article <4880d517.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
 writes:
>I just spoke to Bob Brodie (the Atari User Group Coordinator) about
>a visit to Phoenix. Bob has made a commitment to visit the Phoenix
>Atari ST Club on May 12, 1990. I would like to thank Bob Brodie, and
>Atari Corporation for alllowing Bob to visit Phoenix.
 
Bob's scheduled to be in town (Ann Arbor, Michigan) with a STacy and
Spectre/GCR to show off on February 17th & 18th. This is a join venture
between our Atari group (WAUG, Washtenaw Atari User Group) and MacTechnics,
the local Mac users group. Should be a fun visit. Unfortunately I don't
have any of the details on me right now. (After stepping down as VP, I
haven't really spent any time with the group anyway. Oh well, So much time,
so little to do... [W. Wonka] ?-)
--
  -- Howard Chu @ University of Michigan
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 17:01:15 GMT
From:
 pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ca
 esar.cs.montana.edu!milton!blake!ramsiri@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Enartloc
 Nhoj)
Subject: Epson LQ800 driver for Mac
Message-ID: <5680@blake.acs.washington.edu>
 
In article <5163@crdgw1.crd.ge.com> kassover@control.crd.ge.com (David Kassover)
 writes:
>I am attempting to attach an Epson LQ1500 printer to a Mac Plus.
>My particular printer has a SERIAL interface board, which means
>Grapplers are useless, since the output end of same are all
>Centronics.
>
 
True.. grappler uses roms inside the cable/box.. and it
must be hooked up to mac type ports etc...
 
besides.. grappler is $200!
 
Anyway... i ended up buying the Epson LQ Software pack
from the local store.... $60... though others have seen
it for $45....  it comes with a cable.. i left that in the
box.. kept my LQ800 hooked to the parallel port...
i flipped a few dip switches... and installed the driver...
i didn't follow the directions in the manual as they
involved about 135 swaps of the floppy.... actually, i
DID follow the instructions the first time... but because
the installer didn't recognize my drive.. it defaulted to
trying to set up the boot disk on a floppy.. with only
ONE Disk Drive... this meant lots of swaps just for the
damn System to do its job... after 135 swaps.. it
didn't create a proper disk.. so i decided to copy the
files ONTO my drive FIRST, then install the drive there...
 
The driver comes with System 6.0.2 .. it reported that
my System 6.0.3 wasn't desireable...  so i had to do the
usual..  boot off a floppy etc..  create a new system
folder in a different partition (fortunately i have several
partitions) and install the Espon driver in the new folder
with 6.0.2 (which doesn't work with sound/GCR by the way)..
(as far as i can tell). The software installed in less than
a minute this way.... I then added to this new system folder
all the stuff i had in my original system 6.0.3 folder...
I don't know exactly the differences between 6.0.2 and 6.0.3,
except that David told me sound doesn't/might-not (?) work
with 6.0.2/GCR... i had sound working with 6.0.3 ...
Anyway, i spent 3 hours trying to make contacts with Espon
in california and with 3 local epson dealers... no one
had any comments to make regarding the driver working with
6.0.3 .. as a matter of fact.. most people i talked with
didn't know the product they were selling....
 
I understand this is rather typical with Epson.. trying to
get support is pulling teeth...
 
Otherwise.. i have had an easy time printing from
WriteNow, Hypercard and from Canvas - an incredible object oriented
slash paint program...  that keeps my wife between me and my
ol' ST....
 
-kevin
 
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 05:44:07 GMT
From:
 pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!carroll1!dnewton@t
 ut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Dave Newton the Late)
Subject: Notes for Europeans.
Message-ID: <1173@carroll1.cc.edu>
 
In article <9002080808.AA11968@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> AMEIJ@vax.oxford.ac.UK (Jan
 Ameij) writes:
:This is a quick note to those European subscribers who through their ignorance
:are clogging up this newletter.
:
: [Drivel about stupid Europeans/elitist snobbism]
:
 
   You're quite rude.
 
 
--
David L. Newton                 |           uunet!marque!carroll1!dnewton
(414) 524-7343 (work)           |              dnewton@carroll1.cc.edu
(414) 524-6809 (home)           |           100 NE Ave, Waukesha WI 53186
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 17:27:56 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!caesar.cs.montana.edu!milton!
 blake!ramsiri@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Enartloc Nhoj)
Subject: OK, so they sell the STe in Europe...
Message-ID: <5681@blake.acs.washington.edu>
 
In article <25D25D4C.14957@paris.ics.uci.edu> jvance@ics.uci.edu (Joachim Vance)
 writes:
>In article <4876ef20.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
>writes:
>>  (stuff deleted..)
>>
>>The is NO REASON for Atari STs to be so poorly marketed here in the USA.
>>With a better marketing and distribution system, the USA could easily lead
>>Europe in sales of Atari products!
>> (more deleted..)
>>Without good marketing, your product is dead. And Atari Corp has
>>never had decent marketing and dsitribution here in the USA.
>
>  Sure, there is a great reason, and you hit it on the nose.
>Atari has *NEVER* been any good at marketing in the U.S.
>And they don't seem to be heading in the right direction yet either.
>Atari is able to make decent to good products
>inexpensively and they sell them where people appreciate that,
>Europe mainly, and most other countries except the U.S.  Marketing
 
I think there is a misunderstanding here.  HOw possible is
it for someone in the US to even have the chance to "appreciate"
the ST if they have never been "informed" or made aware
that the machines even exist!
 
>here takes a lot of know how that Atari just doesn't have.  Besides,
 
I think the "know-how" is there... it's just a matter of "choice"
and taking a risk. Atari obviously doesn't believe their company
and products are competitive with Apple and Commodore and so on..
otherwise they would clearly be in the ring together...  when
a company doesn't believe in their own product.. it's hard
for consumers to.
 
>the cost that it takes to meet the FCC regulations in the U.S. just
>doesn't seem to fit with Atari's "make 'em as cheap as possible"
 
Have you checked out the cost of a MacPlus lately...?
Every product goes through the FCC test...  or is there a
conspiracy against ATARI..?
 
I used to tell my students that they were far better off
buying an ST than putting cash into a Mac.  I caught myself
last night when a student was going out the door...
I couldn't HONESTLY tell them this anymore.
 
>policy.  The end result: America doesn't get many computers from Atari.
>
>--
>Joachim
 
 
And many who own ATARI's are selling them and buying into other
systems.
 
-kevin
ramsiri@blake.acs.washington.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 18:54:31 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!hyc@tut.cis.
 ohio-state.edu  (Howard Chu)
Subject: Problems FTP'ing
Message-ID: <10855@stag.math.lsa.umich.edu>
 
In article <9002070808.AA13455@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> SOFPJF@UOGUELPH.BITNET
 (Peter Jaspers-Fayer) writes:
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Below is a list of all sites that have/had some Atari ST software:
>
>035.001.001.043 ummts.cc.umich.edu          atari st (cd PC7:)
>035.001.033.008 terminator.cc.umich.edu     xscheme,msdos (& PC Mag!),Atari,
>                                            unix
>035.195.016.002 euterpe.math.lsa.umich.edu  Atari ST,
>                                            questions->dyer@math.lsa.umich.edu
 
We moved all of the stuff archived at math.lsa.umich.edu to terminator
a long time ago. There's no longer any ST stuff archived on euterpe.
 
The stuff on ummts is basically a copy of terminator's archive, but older,
and totally unorganized. So it goes. Terminator is the best bet, overall.
--
  -- Howard Chu @ University of Michigan
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 10:03:00 GMT
From:
 mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!masnet!canremote!barry.manning@t
 ut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (BARRY MANNING)
Subject: SAMPLING/RECORDING
Message-ID: <90020906104235@masnet.uucp>
 
Anyone really knowledgeable out there know if there are yet any
inexpensive samplers coming out with a spec. as follows:
  1.  16 bit A/D/A conversion.
  2.  Driven by ST midi port
  3.  Sequencer to St midi port to sampler.
  4.  8 RCA outputs
  5.  500 dollars
  6.  Supports a database of sound files on an ST drive
The 8 bit just dont do the job.
Also i have heard about uniplayer - what is it??????
Also any floppy opticals coming out??????????
Sign me still waiting for solutions!!!!!!!!!!
---
 ? QNet 2.03: The Crystal Palace * NorthAmeriNet * Toronto (416) 925-5742 *
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 04:34:00 GMT
From:
 clyde.concordia.ca!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!masnet!canremote!tell
 abs.canada@uunet.uu.net  (TELLABS CANADA)
Subject: ST piracy
Message-ID: <90020900164118@masnet.uucp>
 
       I think it would be an unfair characterization of Atari Users'
Groups if they were generally considered software piracy havens. To the
contrary, my experience has been that Users' Groups have strongly
opposed piracy. Dave Schreiber speaks the truth re. Toronto Atari
Federation meetings. Piracy is not tolerated there. Similarly, pirates
can not be found at MTST (Metro Toronto ST users group) meetings. The
said group takes pride in operating a network of strictly 'non-pirate'
BBSes in the Toronto area.
 
 
Roman @ Tellabs Canada
 
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------
 
Tellabs knows not what I say.. Lets keep it that way.. (Eh?)
                                                        /
                                             Canadian Content :-)
---
 * Via ProDoor 3.1R
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 14:48:18 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!helios.phys
 ics.utoronto.ca!ists!yunexus!maccs!johns@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Conan the
 Barbarian)
Subject: TAF show press release
Message-ID: <25D2D833.22361@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca>
 
        A few people emailed me, and asked for info on the TAF show.  I
        think it is of general interest.  Hope to see you there!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 * CANADIAN ATARI USERS CONVENTION
 ---------------------------------> PRESS RELEASE
                                    -------------
 
 
 The Toronto Atari Federation, sponsor of the upcoming SECOND CANADIAN
 ATARI USERS' CONVENTION, is a non-profit users' group whose sole aim is
 to serve the Atari community in Canada.  As a user group, we understand
 fully how attendance at computer shows can amount to a major item in the
 yearly budget.  However, we feel strongly that user groups are key
 players in the world of Atari.  Therefore, we are offering a special,
 reduced rental rate for booths to all Atari user groups.  As an Atari
 user group, your fee will be 57% off the regular Exhibitor's Rate.  That
 is, you pay only $125.00 Canadian.
 
 The SECOND CANADIAN ATARI USERS' CONVENTION will certainly be the major
 Atari event of the year.  The previous Convention was a runaway success,
 and we are determined to outdo ourselves in 1990.  We hope that you will
 want to share in the excitement with us.  This special offer for user
 groups is subject to the availability of booths.  Only one booth per
 user group at this special price.  To ensure that your user group does
 not miss out, please respond as soon as possible.
 
 * Please note that booths rented at the special reduced rate for user
 groups may not, in every instance, be a standard 10' x 10' due to the
 shape of the room.
 
 
 Dear Exhibitor
 
 The Toronto Atari Federation is pleased to announce an event of special
 interest to Atari dealers and user groups.  The SECOND CANADIAN ATARI
 USERS' CONVENTION will be held on April 1, 1990 at the Airport Hilton
 Hotel, 5875 Airport Rd. Mississauga, Ontario.
 
 This special event comes as a direct result of the demand, both from
 dealers and users, which followed the highly successful "First Canadian
 Atari Users' Convention," held in November, 1988.  That show exceeded
 everybody's expectations, drawing a crowd of over 2,000 attendees in
 just 5 hours, generating a great deal of business for participating
 retailers, receiving very favourable reviews in magazines such as Antic,
 STart and Computer Shopper, and attracting a surprisingly large
 percentage of attendees from outside the Toronto area and from the
 United States.
 
 A conservative estimate of attendance for the upcoming show is 3,000
 attendees, making this event the largest gathering of Atari users ever
 in Canada.  Dealers can look forward to immediate contact with a very
 large segment of the Atari market.  For dealers this is the premium
 segment of the market - attendees are eager, enthusiastic and ready to
 make significant hardware and software purchases.  Users will be drawn
 by a very wide variety of exhibitors and other attractions.
 
 Exhibitors' costs will be kept as low as possible, since we are a non-
 profit users' group whose only aim is to serve the Atari community in
 Canada.  Admission prices will also be kept low in order to attract the
 largest crowd possible.
 
 The SECOND CANADIAN ATARI USERS' CONVENTION will feature, retailers,
 displays by software developers and hardware manufacturers, guest
 speakers conducting a day-long series of seminars in our lecture rooms,
 and a major exhibition by Atari Canada.  The Airport Hilton Hotel is an
 excellent hotel with the highest reputation and first-rate convention
 facilities, conveniently located on the Toronto Airport Strip near
 several major expressways and right on the public transit system.  Room
 rates will be specially discounted for everyone connected with the
 Convention.
 
 Our promotion of the Convention will be even more dynamic and
 professional than in 1988, supported by a much larger budget.  The
 advertising campaign will include major newspaper advertisements, press
 releases, posters, pamphlets, and a BBS campaign across North America.
 
 If you are interested in obtaining more information on how to be an
 exhibitor at Canada's Atari  event of the Year, please feel free to call
 one of the phone numbers listed below or leave mail on GEnie to
 M.SEARL1.  Booths will measure 10'x10' and will be curtained on three
 sides; one 8' table, draped.  One Hydro outlet is included in the booth
 price.  Power bars and extension cords are the responsibility of the
 exhibitor.  Extra tables are also available for a nominal charge.  We
 expect all booths to be sold well before the show date.  To confirm your
 participation in the Second Canadian Atari Users' Convention, please
 Respond as soon as possible.  For inquiries, do not hesitate to call me
 at (416) 477-2085 or Mike Searl at (416) 245-5543.  A FAX number will be
 provided from Feb 1st to April 1st for your convenience.  The number
 will be (416) 245-5089.
 
 Yours truly, Paul Collard, Convention Coordinator
 The Canadian Atari Users Convention
 
 
 Press Information For Immediate Release
 
 The Second CANADIAN ATARI USERS' CONVENTION
 ==========================================
 
 The largest gathering ever of Atari computer users in Canada is expected
 at the upcoming Second Canadian Atari Users' Convention to be held at
 the Airport Hilton Hotel On April 1, 1990 from 10am to 6pm.  Sponsored
 by the Toronto Atari Federation, one of the largest computer user groups
 in North America, the Convention will offer the public a once-a-year
 opportunity to see what is new and exciting in the world of Atari.
 There will be exhibits, seminars and demonstrations by a wide variety of
 retailers, guest speakers, user groups from Canada and the U.S.,
 software developers and hardware manufacturers.  "Show Special" prices
 offered by retailers, Public Domain software from user groups and
 reduced room rates at the Airport Hilton ensure bargains for everyone.
 A special feature will be a major exhibition by Atari Canada, where a
 full range of their product line, from 8-bit computers and game
 machines, through 1040ST's, Mega 2's, Mega 4's and PC clones will be on
 display.  One of the biggest draws is sure to be the recently released
 and widely praised Atari Portfolio, an MS-DOS compatible computer which
 fits in the inner pocket of a business suit and the latest new Atari STE
 and STacy.
 
 Other highlights include new products, several from Europe, which enable
 the ST line to emulate IBM and Macintosh machines more quickly and more
 easily than ever.  The Second Canadian Atari Users Convention is being
 held at the Airport Hilton Hotel, located on Toronto Airport Strip, 5875
 Airport Rd., Mississauga, Ontario.
 
 For more information contact our Public Info-Line at (416) 425-5357, or
 the TAF On-Line BBS at (416) 235-0318
--
"After all is said and done,                       John Schmitt
 a lot more is said than done."                    johns@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
Don't blame anybody for what I say.                SCHMITTJ@SCIvax.mcmaster.ca
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 9 Feb 90 18:58:42 GMT
From:
 clyde.concordia.ca!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watserv1!ria!uwovax!7103_2622@
 uunet.uu.net  (Eric Smith)
Subject: TOS io redirection bugs
Message-ID: <4955.25d2cc93@uwovax.uwo.ca>
 
In article <9002081436.AA09758@freya.dmswwu-ether>, ONM07@DMSWWU1A.BITNET
 (Julian Reschke) writes:
> In article <BAMMI.90Feb6182843@curie.ces.CWRU.Edu> Jwahar R. Bammi
> writes:
>> thats correct, but dales suggestion is still fine. its isatty() that
>> needs to be fixed up, so that it does'nt think that PRN: isatty().
>> (just out of curiosity, why would someone send stderr to PRN:? why not
>> to a file, and then if its really needed, print the file (saves a few
>> trees in the process)).
> I think that this is a very natural thing to do with stderr. IF we try
> to suggest a good method, it should be possible to do all things that
> you do with sterr on other OS's. If Atari makes a workings suggestion,
> it will be surely incorporated in Gemini 1.2.
 
[Dale's suggestion was for startup code to do something like
  if (isatty(2)) Fforce(2, -1).]
 
How about this suggestion: if all programmers who use the Atari extended
argument passing scheme (ARGV=, etc.) also agree that handle 2 should be
stderr, then startup code could do:
  if (*argv[0] == 0 && isatty(2)) Fforce(2, -1).
(This assumes that argv[0] is an empty string if it isn't available, as
specified by the ANSI standard). This way, ARGV compatible shells can
redirect stderr to anything at all; non-ARGV compatible shells can redirect
stderr to a file; and programs still correctly re-direct handle 2 when
run from the desktop.
--
Eric R. Smith                     email:
Dept. of Mathematics            ERSMITH@uwovax.uwo.ca
University of Western Ontario   ERSMITH@uwovax.bitnet
London, Ont. Canada N6A 5B7
ph: (519) 661-3638
 
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #179
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