=========================================================================
 
INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Tue,  6 Feb 90       Volume 90 : Issue  164
 
Today's Topics:
                           Ataris and Midi
                                Books
               drawings -< pic, laserjet, postscript??
                            FTP'ing files
                             Gemini doc's
                         Hard drive question
                   How to make newsletter available
                            Right Way?????
                          Shareware Policy.
       Spectre GCR--SoundMaster questions--Hard Drive questions
                          Supra, Spectre GCR
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 19:07:48 GMT
From: logicon.arpa!trantor.harris-atd.com!trantor!apolivka@nosc.mil  (polivka al
 60047)
Subject: Ataris and Midi
Message-ID: <APOLIVKA.90Feb6140748@x102a.harris-atd.com>
 
I tried to E-mail this, but it bounced.  So I'm posting it.
 
In article <4620@druwa.ATT.COM> dvac@druwa.ATT.COM (Daniel Vachon) writes:
 
  >Our band is wanting to get into some Midi now that we have a Yamaha PTX8
  >Electronic Drumkit, Yamaha TX16W Sampler, and a Kawai keyboard, all Midi..
 
  >My question is directed to those Midi Mongers out there who play with midi
  >all the time.... Is the Atari the best computer for Midi for the price?!
 
For the price, probably yes.  It is one of the leading computers for
running midi software because of the price (i.e. because it's the only
one that has a built in Midi port so you don't have to buy nor hassle
with that).  Many big name musicians use Atari's.
 
  >Is the midi software good?!
 
Yes.  Since it is widely used (again, because of the built in midi
interface), software developers have created a lot of midi software
for it.
 
  >I would like to get open-minded comments...So please give good and
  >bad points about Midi on the Atari-ST.
 
The only serious downside that I can think of is that Atari support is
dwindling in this country (not many dealers, etc.).  Other (non-midi)
software availablility might be a problem, depending on what you are
looking for.
 
  >Also, does most of the good
  >Midi software work on both the 1040 and the 520?!
 
No!  You would be making a serious mistake to buy a 520 (rather than a
1040) for midi use.  I originally had a 520 and ended up having to
upgrade.  For example, the newer editions of Hybird Art's Miditrack
sequencer (one of the decent Atari sequencer packages) will not run on
a 520.
 
I recently conducted a poll on user groups rec.music.makers,
rec.music.synth, and comp.music asking what computers/sequencers were
used by the readers.  The Mac was the most widely used and the Atari
ST was second most widely used.  You can see additional results of
that poll if you read the postings on one of those newsgroups (look
for "the Great Sequencer Poll").  I will also be posting an update to
it this weekend.
 
BTW, I would seriously look at getting a laptop if you're going to use
it in performances.  Ordinary PC's are a pain to set-up, tear-down,
etc. to gigs.
--
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Al Polivka                            arpa: apolivka@x102a.harris-atd.com
Mail Stop 102-4858                  usenet: uunet!x102a!apolivka
Harris Corporation                   phone: 407-729-2983
Government Aerospace Systems Div.     Bldg: 102 Room: 3433
P.O. Box 94000
Melbourne, FL 32902
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 90 13:07 EST
From: FRACHEL@umiami.Miami.EDU
Subject: Books
 
I know this has most likely been asked before, but could someone
please send me a list of books that will get me familiar with
the 'internals' of the st, such as bios, tos, gem, etc..
 
At the moment, I really cant afford the developers kit.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Rachel                       University Of Miami
Bitnet:Frachel@umiami.Miami.EDU    1st year Computer Science
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 04:59:38 GMT
From: mcdchg!chinet!saj@rutgers.edu  (Stephen Jacobs)
Subject: drawings -< pic, laserjet, postscript??
Message-ID: <1990Feb6.045938.20999@chinet.chi.il.us>
 
In article <273@fornax.UUCP> chapman@fornax.UUCP (John Chapman) writes:
>In article <249@fornax.UUCP<, chapman@fornax.UUCP (John Chapman) writes:
><
>< Does anyone have, or know of, a program which will let you
>< create (relatively) simple line drawings and which will
>< produce as output (in order of preference)
><
>< 1. PIC commands
>< 2. an HP LaserJet
>< 3. Postscript
><
>That is troff pic btw not pic format images. I haven't had a
>reply to the original posting - surely someone has wanted to
>do this before?
>
> chapman@cs.sfu.ca
> uunet!van-bc!syssol!john
>
 
For what it's worth, I tried to respond and the message bounced from someplace
nearer to you than to me.
 
Anyway, PageStream has simple drawing capabilities, and produces Postscript
output.  It may also handle HP LaserJet directly, I don't remember for sure.
 
                                           Steve J.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 06 Feb 90 10:58:17 CST
From: Robert Gambs <S54394GR%ETSUACAD.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
Subject: FTP'ing files
 
I am new to the FTP system and was wondering if someone could give me some
help.  All the files I have tried to download have gone bad.  when I try to
unARC them, they give me a 'bad header' error.  Can someone with experience
in this area help me?
 
 
                       Thanks,
 
                              Robert Gambs
                            (S54394GR at ETSUACAD)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 08:56:42 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!caesar.cs.montana.edu!icsu8053@thi
 nk.com  (Craig Pratt)
Subject: Gemini doc's
Message-ID: <3083@caesar.cs.montana.edu>
 
I just installed the Gemini desktop and I am really enjoying it.
I managed to figure out how to set it up and create the shell init
file, etc. but I need to know more.  Does anyone know of/have a
translation of the German documentation?  I also need the translation
so that I can figure out where to send the shareware payment and how
much to send in US dollars.  I would be willing to post the
distribution arc file I got off GEnie, but it would be better with
English docs, for us English speaking folks that is.  Helpful hints
welcome!
 
Craig Pratt
BitNet: Craig.Pratt@msu3.oscs.montana.edu
GEnie: C.PRATT4 (not here often)
"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."
  _The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_, Douglas Adams
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 18:27:43 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!beach.cis.ufl.edu!cr
 1@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Christopher Roth)
Subject: Hard drive question
Message-ID: <22136@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
 
I have a hard drive question.  I have this supradrive 20 meg.  The
media is dead.  Can I just buy any old drive mechanism of any old size
and drop it in there?
 
 
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
*     Christoper Roth                         *  "Machines have no
*     InterNet  :  cr1@beach.cis.ufl.edu      *   Conscience..."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Post No Bills-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 18:53:20 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!neat.cs.toronto.edu!omicron.cs.fsu.edu!fs
 ucs.cs.fsu.edu!boyd@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Mickey Boyd)
Subject: How to make newsletter available
Message-ID: <9002061853.AA12589@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu>
 
In article <15994@well.UUCP>, dsmall@well.UUCP (David Small) writes:
>
>Okay, those who know more about the 'net and UUCP and FTP than I.
>(This should narrow the field by approximately 1%).
>
>        We're putting the finishing touches on the next Gadgets
>newsletter, and I'd like to make it available online here in some
>fashion. It's way too long to just post, unless I broke it into
>32K pieces (I believe 32K is the UUCP limit; I've run into it
>elsewhere moving files Well <-> Gadgets machine), and look, by far
>not everyone here has a Spectre unit nor cares, *and*, it goes
>against my grain to more-or-less advertise this way.
>
 
I would love to be able to read the Gadgets newsletter from the net.  Possible
solution might be to upload it to comp.binaries.atari.st as a UUE'd ARC file.
Or for that matter, Panarthea or Terminator would be great too.  If you
want a real novice's view/instructions on FTP, I would be happy to type
something up, and mail it to you with a list of FTP sites.  Reply to the
address at the top.
 
--
 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
         Mickey Boyd                 |    "Nobody can be exactly like me.
                                     |      Even I have trouble doing it."
             FSU Comp Sci            |              - Tallulah Bankhead
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 18:57:19 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!neat.cs
 .toronto.edu!omicron.cs.fsu.edu!fsucs.cs.fsu.edu!boyd@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
 (Mickey Boyd)
Subject: Right Way?????
Message-ID: <9002061856.AA12632@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu>
 
In article <487b8506.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, rehrauer@apollo.HP.COM (Steve
 Rehrauer) writes:
>In article <1990Feb5.181710.17028@uokmax.uucp> gefagan@uokmax.uucp (Geoffrey
 Edward Fagan) writes:
>>Ok, grab the native.  Grab your elephant gun.  Place the business end of the
>>gun against the skull of the native.  State "I need to know if this path
>>leads to safety and I'm gonna take you with me to find out." Finally, ask,
>>"Do you suggest the left path?"
>
>......
>
>Why is this cross-posted to comp.sys.atari.st anyway??
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>--
>>>"Aaiiyeeee!  Death from above!"<< | Steve Rehrauer, rehrauer@apollo.hp.com
>   "Flee, lest we be trod upon!"    | The Apollo System Division of H.P.
 
Who else could figure it out??  Probably a good call.
 
--
 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
         Mickey Boyd                 |    "Nobody can be exactly like me.
                                     |      Even I have trouble doing it."
             FSU Comp Sci            |              - Tallulah Bankhead
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Feb 90 23:07:00 GMT
From:
 cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!masnet!canremote!lyn.ibson
 @tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (LYN IBSON)
Subject: Shareware Policy.
Message-ID: <90020603025378@masnet.uucp>
 
Back to one of the initial problems, Rainer -- how do we in Canada get a
shareware registration fee to you. (I don't even know what the account
number you refer to in your ARCGSH messages is for!)
---
 ? RNet 1.03M: SoftNet London, CANADA 519/685-5306
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 18:46:36 GMT
From: crdgw1!jupiter!oplinger@uunet.uu.net  (B. S. Oplinger)
Subject: Spectre GCR--SoundMaster questions--Hard Drive questions
Message-ID: <5124@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>
 
I haven't backed up my disk in a few months (from before I had a GCR),
so this may not apply, although I cannot think of a reason why.  PC
Tools/MAC makes a reliable, fast disk backup. Good points are: I have
saved/restored a 15 Mbyte partition regularly without problems. Pad
points are: An obvious PC port (it isn't too bad but it ain't the
'real' thing), compressed files on floppies that the finder cannot
read. This means that the program is required to restore files (but it
does take less floppies than a non-compressed format.)
 
The above represent my abservations about my circumstances. You milage
may vary. The above does not represent an endorsement, just the story
of a semi-satisfied customer.
 
 
--
brian
oplinger@crd.ge.com
 
<#include standard.disclaimer>
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 6 Feb 90 14:43:42 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzsc!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (HC Johnson)
Subject: Supra, Spectre GCR
Message-ID: <1267@lzsc.ATT.COM>
 
In article <5586@blake.acs.washington.edu>, ramsiri@blake.acs.washington.edu
 (Enartloc Nhoj) writes:
> I thought i'd pass on my experience with Supra v3.37 and GCR.
>
> Upon getting GCR about 2 weeks ago, i reformatted my Quantum 80S
> with Supra 3.37.  According to many sources, including Dave Small
> and Supra themselves, Supra will allow you to create partitions
> greater than 16 MB (i have TOS 1.0) as long as the larger partition(s)
> are not used for GEMDOS.  I proceeded with the following setup
> under the Supra format utility:
>
> I watched Supra format the 164,000+ sectors totalling about 84MB.
> 0 bad sectors.. all looked fine.
>
>  When i came to the "format"
> menu .... i noticed some strange things:  Not only did Spectre
> see the above 7 partitions, but there were partitions 8 and 9
> of 12MB and 6MB respectively.  Partition 7 (I:\) still showed
 
Here are some "gotchas".
 
First, as far a SUPRA and Spectre are concerned, there are 12 partitions
on a disk.  All of the information is kept in sector 0.  It sounds as
if you have corruption in some of the areas.
Use suputl.prg to set to 0 the partitions that done exist.
I have noticed that some garbage values prevent suputl from doing this.
Then use supedit.prg to (CAREFULLY) set the partitions to 0.
 
Second. there are two kinds of disk drives.  SCSI drives take care of
defective areas automatically.  All other drives require that the formatter
handle the problem.  Most (all?) SUPRA controllers contain an Adaptec
4000 (MFM) or 4070 (RLL) controller.
Adaptec controllers EXPECT to be told the defect list for the disk.
Adaptec then makes these sectors disappear; they are not numbered or accessable.
===== What follows is My Opinion, not SUPRA's =====
Supra's formatter, hdx, does not support this mode in the Adaptec.
Instead, SUPRA (and ICD and ATARI) format all sectors, then try to map the
bad ones out logically.  In TOS, this is done by gathering them together in
an invisible file.
This does not help Spectre or MINIX at all!
Of course, If you do not have the bad block list for your drive you have
a problem.  Then you really need to buy the Adaptec manual ($5.00).
===================================================
This is why I wrote my own formatter (minihdx.prg, and partitioner (mkfs.prg).
These are available if you can send me EMAIL.
 
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
=====NEW address====
att!lzsc!hcj
hcj@lzsc.att.com
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #164
*****************************************