INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Mon, 12 Feb 90       Volume 90 : Issue  192
 
Today's Topics:
                           bizarre problem
                         Club pirating orgies
                       disk caches  for 1040ST
                                hello
                      INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 #
                        Non-PD Music programs
                  Postings to UOGUELPH and PANARTHEA
                            RT(E) Monitors
                          Supra 20 Meg Drive
                          Tape Drive Backup
                  TeX Fonts ... How many are there?
                         The 'PHANTOM TYPIST'
                The ATARI ELITE ST ORG. of Pittsburgh.
                  User support? Re: harddisk-backup
                   Waterproofing HP DeskJet output.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 23:48:05 GMT
From: b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!gael@pt.cs.cmu.edu  (Gillette Elvgren)
Subject: bizarre problem
Message-ID: <7956@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
 
  I just recently bought a Mega2 with a monochrome monitor and wanted
to hook up the mono with my 520ST giving the Mega my color monitor.
Everything works fine except the monochrome monitor doesn't display
anything with the 520ST.  I've tried the ST with color and the mega
with both (color and mono).  Apparently my ST doesn't like the mono.
The monitor's power is on, and I can here keyclicks but no display.
 
  Does anyone have any advice?
 
 
Gillette
gael@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 19:46:29 GMT
From: @decwrl.dec.com  (Don Peters, CTC2-1, DTN 287-3153 12-Feb-1990 1222)
Subject: Club pirating orgies
Message-ID: <9002121946.AA23004@decwrl.dec.com>
 
In article <28201@brunix.UUCP>, rjd@cs.brown.edu (Rob Demillo) writes:
>
> The reason I can say this is because I have attended ST User Group
> meetings in three different communities. In all three cases, the
> scene is entirely the same: a brief meeting is held, some software
> is demoed, then what can only be described as an orgy of software
> piracy begins. Its mallicious, its organized, and its massive.
 
I helped found the Nashua Area ST User Society (NASTUS) several years ago
and have been its president for the past year. Prior to that I was the
club software librarian. So I can say with authority that our club has
NEVER condoned or engaged in this sort of activity. In fact, when we
officers heard a rumor of a local BBS offering pirated ST software, we
included a note in our newsletter saying we are strongly against
pirating.
 
I also attend the Nashoba Valley ST User Society (NAVaUS), and was their
librarian for a year. Same thing there. In fact, at one time a member
pointed out that I had inadvertantly included a commercial
telecommunications program in our library. After verifying that what he
said was true, I removed it from the library.
 
Going further, I previously attended meetings of the ST subgroup of the
Boston Computer Society, knew the librarian, and swapped public domain
disks with him. Neither he nor the members dealt with any pirate software
that I was aware of.
 
So while I can't speak for clubs I haven't attended, all three ST clubs
I've associated with in the past five years have in no way even come
close to software pirating orgies.
 
     Don Peters
     NASTUS President
     (508)-250-3153
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 13 Feb 90 00:15:17 GMT
From: tahoe!wheeler!mikew@apple.com  (Mike Whitbeck)
Subject: disk caches  for 1040ST
Message-ID: <3561@tahoe.unr.edu>
 
Can someone please recommend some disk caching programs for the
1040ST (1.0 ROMS)? Maybe a comparison of what is available?
 
I tried lcache but found noo doc files. I am not quite sure if I
used it correctly or if there is a bug in it.
 
I also tried dcache (Dijkstra). I believe it only caches read
buffers and not write. I would like to cache both read/write
operations (floppy and hard disks) and have control over
flushing the buffers (e.g. a 'sync' command).
 
PD, freeware, shareware, commercial--- all fine.
Thanks!
 
___________________________________________________________
|Mike Whitbeck             |                              |
|Desert Research Inst.     | mikew@wheeler.wrc.unr.edu    |
|POB 60220                 |                              |
|RENO, NV 89506            | 702-673-7348                 |
|__________________________|______________________________|
 
Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetance.
(because incompetance really is so much more common than
deliberate malice)- J. Martin in "To Rise Above Principle"
 
 ? ___________________________________________________________
 ? |Mike Whitbeck             | mikew@wheeler.wrc.unr.edu    |
 ? |__________________________|__RENO___NEVADA_______________|
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 90 18:47:06 CST
From: kc_yeo@sngsf1.SINet.SLB.COM (KC Yeo*Sedco Forex
 S'pore*Tel-65-345-9944*Fax-65-344-2655)
Subject: hello
Message-ID: <9002130047.AA08578@ascsu1.SLCS.SLB.COM>
 
Hi , this is a test to see if I can reach you.  I will appreciate very
much if you can acknowledge receipt of this message.  Thank you.
best regards,
Arthur
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 20:42:46 GMT
From:
 mailrus!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: INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 #
Message-ID: <9002122041.AA18144@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu>
 
In article <90021118332736@masnet.uucp>, david.schreiber@canremote.uucp (DAVID
 SCHREIBER) writes:
>
>  Most ST magazines advertise mouses for the ST. I've only seen a
>couple, so your selection is not great. There is a cordless mouse for
>the ST and the Amiga.
>---
> * Via ProDoor 3.1R
 
I have decided to replace my ST mouse with a Microsoft Mouse (have to do a
little soldering, very simple mod).  I have seen so many reports of ST mice
dying that I have given this matter thought.  However, some interesting
questions come to mind.
 
     1.  To my knowledge, there are three types of ST mice around.  The
         very first ones were marked as being from Germany.  The next
         batch is made in Taiwan (I think), and has a sliding mouse-ball
         door, and plain metal rollers which get all gummy with heavy use.
         The new ones have a rotating ball door, and have white plastic
         covers on the metal rods, and do not seem to collect nearly as
         much gunk.  Are there any more types?
 
     2.  I happen to own one of the new ones (fat plastic roller covers).  It
         has laughed at my attempts to wear it out.  It doesn't make any of
         the weird noises that I hear from the older types (after some use).
         Are my Microsoft plans unfounded?  Has Atari actually produced a
         long lasting mouse?  Mine seems to feel smoother than the older types,
         buttons feel the same.
 
Enquiring minds want to know!!
 
 
--
 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
              Mickey Boyd            |    "Nobody can be exactly like me.
         FSU Computer Science        |      Even I have trouble doing it."
      mail:  boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu   |              - Tallulah Bankhead
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 21:35:02 GMT
From: mentor.cc.purdue.edu!g4r@purdue.edu  (Drew Burnett)
Subject: Non-PD Music programs
Message-ID: <7388@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
 
  Ok, since no one can recommend a good PD-ware music program to play .sng
files, can anyone recommend any music programs that will play .sng files?
 
 
--
-------------------------------------------------------------
| Andy Burnett              |   The more things change,     |
| g4r@mentor.cc.purdue.edu  |   the more they stay insane.  |
-------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 90 15:56:33 EST
From: "Hiscocks, Peter" <FCTY7284%RYERSON.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Subject: Postings to UOGUELPH and PANARTHEA
Message-ID: <90Feb12.160239est.58482@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
 
I have just posted what in my opinion is a very useful Fast Fourier Transform
 routine, with a convenient user interface, to UOGUELPH and PANARTHEA. (written
 by someone else, alas...)
Also posted at the same time the .TOS, .SRC, and .DOC files for ABZMON.
 These should show up at Guelph very shortly, and at Panarthea some time later.
                                      Peter
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 21:29:41 GMT
From:
 pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso
 .uiuc.edu!tank!zasl@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Anne Zasloff)
Subject: RT(E) Monitors
Message-ID: <7590@tank.uchicago.edu>
 
I am new to all this so please forgive if this has been covered recently.
I am shopping for an STE and was wondering about monitor questions.  Is
the Atari SC1224 the best and only choice for a color monitor or will any
RGB do?  For example, in my J&R Music World catalogue there is a Magnavox
"8562/8762" advertised for *much* cheaper.
 
Any comments or recommendations would be greatly appreciated as well as
references to previous notes, horror stories, detc.
 
Thank you.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 20:38:20 GMT
From: matthews@umd5.umd.edu  (Mike Matthews)
Subject: Supra 20 Meg Drive
Message-ID: <6116@umd5.umd.edu>
 
In article <90021021121171@masnet.uucp> calvin.bruner@canremote.uucp (CALVIN
 BRUNER) writes:
>I heard somewhere (mistakenly or otherwise) that it was possible to
>format a Supra 20 Meg Hard Drive to 30 Meg?  I could sure use the extra
>space if it works, and would appreciate any comments from others who
>have tried it.
>---
> * Via ProDoor 3.2aR
 
You can, sort of.  What it sounds like "they" are talking about is taking an
MFM drive and formatting it RLL (or, in layman's terms, squeezing more data into
the same space).  This would require you to get an RLL interface? to replace
the MFM one, making sure that the drive in question will work with the RLL
board.
 
Even if you get it to work, I wouldn't trust it.  The drive was only certified
for 20 megabytes of capacity; going 30 would probably give you lots of grief
when your data just started going bad.
 
Easiest way to get more space is to get more hard drive. :-)
 
Mike
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 19:11:38 GMT
From: hpda!athertn!alex@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (Alex Leavens)
Subject: Tape Drive Backup
Message-ID: <18154@laurel.athertn.Atherton.COM>
 
obryan@gumby.cc.wmich.edu (Mark O'Bryan) wonders why I like the
BMS Tape backup unit better than the ICD unit.
 
Well, first off, I don't like it better;  I've never used the
ICD unit, so I can't really say.  The BMS unit is a do-it-yourself
type box, and the ICD isn't.  There are some of us (me included, :-)
who actually like putting something together, rather than just taking
it out of a box.  (If I bought an ICD unit, the first thing I'd do
would be to take it apart and see how it works! <grin>).
 
>Unless you're planning on transporting data to/from Unix boxes via this
>medium, I'm not sure what value this "standard" would have.  Perhaps the
>intention is that the tapes are easier to find?
 
The standard cartridge tapes are very easy to find;  my basis for this
comment was one ICD owner who mentioned to me that the tapes for
that unit seemed to be hard to find and expensive.
 
>The ICD box allows both file-oriented and image backups, which comes in
>handy for Spectre (and possibly Minix?) partitions.
 
Actually, there's one person on the net (Howard Bell), who's got image
backup working for the BMS unit.
 
 
>While most places will try to charge anywhere from $30 to $40 for the
>CT-600N digital cassette tapes that the ICD box uses, I know of two places
>(at least) they can be obtained for $19 a piece.  Since I don't know the
>capacity of the BMS tapes, I'm not sure how the $15 compares to the $19
>for 155 meg capacity.
 
Typical cartridge tapes are between 60 and 300 meg capacity.
 
>Hmmm, impressive.  The ICD unit runs 6-7 megs a minute, and also runs fully
>unattended.  One disadvantage, of course, is that you only get to sleep
>1/7-th as long ;-).
 
Yes, but if you used to use floppy, then it _is_ a heck of a difference.
 
>If you really want to roll your own, the bare TEAC tape drives can be found
>for ?$400.  Add $100 for a host adapter, $100 for a box/power supply, plus
>a little extra for miscellaneous cables and mounting hardware.  You saved
>maybe $160 for your efforts.  Now sit down and start writing the backup
>software.  Doesn't seem like much of a savings to me.  (I considered that
>option and rejected it.  I might have come to a different conclusion if I
>was going to, say, stuff a whole stack of peripherals in a tower case.
 
Your prices aren't right.  BMS will sell you a very nice tower case
with power supply and fan for ?$50.  (It's big, though).  Tape drive
mechs, used, are nowhere near $400--$100 is more like it.  (And I've
seen them for even less).   So for $250, you can have drive, host
adapter, box, power supply and cables.  When you buy the BMS board, if
you tell them what you're using it for, they give you the backup software
too.  So your cost is more like $250, and it's not a savings of $160,
but more like $500-$600.  This is worth it, IMHO.  (Especially if
you like getting your hands dirty :-).
 
Again, I haven't used an ICD unit at all;  from everything I've seen,
they are very nice units.  I was just trying to give people a pointer
to another option which is worthwhile in checking out, especially if
you have more time than money.
 
 
 
 
 
 
--
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--alex | alex@Atherton.COM |  Caution!  Falling Opinions, next 6 miles   |
|  "Mmmm...Ooo, say...Yummm......Blewuechh! Tiggers _don't_ like honey."  |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 20:56:52 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!r
 omwa@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Royal Ontario Museum)
Subject: TeX Fonts ... How many are there?
Message-ID: <1990Feb12.205652.12645@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
 
I am seriously considering getting the TeX diskettes from the Current
Notes' Library, but first I have some questions which I hope netters
can answer.
 
Here at the museum, we use SoftQuad's troff system on a Xenix
box coupled with a PostScript printer.  One of the nice things about this
is that we can take advantage of all of Adobe's fonts.  Some of the
one's we find useful are Goudy Old Style, Palatino, Futura.  Does TeX,
in its public distribution, have any means of supporting Adobe fonts or
similar typefaces?
 
advTHANKSance
 
Pavneet Arora
...!utgpu!rom!pavneet
 
         or
 
rom!pavneet@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca
 
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 2C6
(416) 586-5626
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 20:34:20 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!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: The 'PHANTOM TYPIST'
Message-ID: <9002122030.AA17968@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu>
 
In article <173@raider.MFEE.TN.US>, dlh@raider.MFEE.TN.US (Dana L. Holt) writes:
>
> I just want to say that i've had my ST for 1 1/2 years. (1040STf) I write alot
>of source code and i've used many different editors, but i've never come across
>the phontom typist. I also see that someone had it happen in Flash, i've used
>that also with no problems.. I'm not sure what TOS version I have, but I will
>post a followup about that. Any ideas? Why doesn't this happen to me?
>                                                    Dana Holt
>                                       dlh@radier.mfee.tn.us
>** DISCLAIMER????????????????? I DON'T WORK FOR
 ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*B
 
I have not experienced this either.  Does one have to be a really fast typist
to experience this problem?  Jam up the keyboard buffer or something?
 
--
 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
              Mickey Boyd            |    "Nobody can be exactly like me.
         FSU Computer Science        |      Even I have trouble doing it."
      mail:  boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu   |              - Tallulah Bankhead
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 10:44:03 GMT
From: dsl.pitt.edu!pitt!cuphub!kar7481@pt.cs.cmu.edu  (Dan
 Karbowsky;AtariEliteOfPghPa bbs412-384-5609)
Subject: The ATARI ELITE ST ORG. of Pittsburgh.
Message-ID: <4125@cuphub.cup.edu>
 
In article <A124R_@rpi.edu>, kudla@pawl.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) writes:
> In <3787@cuphub.cup.edu> kar7481@cuphub.cup.edu (Dan
 Karbowsky;AtariEliteOfPghPa bbs412-384-5609) writes:
> (in response to someone saying how terrible the 1084 is)
>
> Just to avoid any confusion, I'd like to say right off that you're a
> dick.
 
Gee, Rob, Why am I a "DICK" ? Do you know me? Do I know You? Hell no!!
 
> Second, advertising ELITE BBSES!!!!!! in your name is generally
> regarded as being juvenile, especially if you're posting to the net
> and said ELITE BBS!!!!! is a pirate board.
 
The Atari Elite ST Organization, Inc. is an ST-only usergroup based
in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvnia area.
 
In accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
we--being a NON-PROFIT-ORGANIZATION--are incorporated as such in
Pennsylvania. ( Yes, this is verifiable through records in Harrisburg, PA)
 
The Auto-Boss/Atari-Elite ST-BBS is *NOT* a pirate board.  Why would you
assume such anyway???
Our board waas the first ST-only bbs east of the Mississippi...and the first
BBS (waybackwhen--) to run a 1030 modem on an 8-bit (long time ago)...
 
If YOU, Rob, or anyone who reads this would take a little time to investigate
things before you go making unsubstantiated claims then MAYBE I wouldn't
have to skip my Contemp.Bio. class right now...
 
    ************ For those interested in finding out about *****************
    ************  the ATARI ELITE of Pittsburgh, then      *****************
    ************ please call our BBS at: (412)384-5609     *****************
    ************                                           *****************
    ************ BTW: We are Now at HST-38400/ARQ bps      *****************
 
 
> Finally, you should really
> take care of that Caps Lock problem. Loose wires can often cause
> strange artifacts such as those reproduced immediately below.
>
> -> I WOULD like it if you would post the "PROBLEMS" you and "OTHERS"
> -> had with it and WHY IT WAS SO "TERRIBLE"...
 
Gee Rob, I--a "dick", remember?-- wasn't able to find the <bold> or
 <underline> keys on the keyboard.....
 
> I've got a 1084, and I don't really hate it 'cause it's not a bad
> monitor for video work. However, it's got a few problems like
> occasionally screwing up interlaced pictures badly by, well,
> de-interlacing them. The result is often an unreadable flickery
> screen. You wouldn't see this because your machine only does 320x200
          ------------------------------------------------------------
 Gee, Rob... Are you the bastard offspring of avid LSD addicts or what?
 I am running a 1040-STf.....but I wouldn't expect you, an ignorant,
 rude, pompous, ass to research ANYTHING before you make a statement...
 
?fellow ST owners, ignore this paragraph?
 **THE ST DOES 640x200x4 in COLOR**
 (and yes, also 320x200x16--or w.some software 320x200x30--i.e;Spectrum-512)
 
 
> (Unless your ELITE!!! machine is
> actually an 8-bit, in which case it's marginally less.) It can be a
> pain, in any case.
 
See two paragraphs UP.
 
> Robert Jude Kudla  <kudla@pawl.rpi.edu>
>
>                  We foolish and happily hold on to sanity.
                      ~~~~~~~                        ~~~~~~
 
Well, Rob, I believe that your siganture is half correct...
 You ARE *quite FOOLISH*.
 
And come to think of it...      NOW who's the "dick"?
 
--
 +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | Dan Karbowsky      kar7481@pitt!cuphub /   S U P P O R T  T H E  S T ! ! !  |
 | 102 Lee Drive      ___________________/Call the ATARI ELITE of PITTSBURGH'S |
 | Belle Vernon, PA  / BBS (Forem-ST,fnet node 19)  at (412) 384-5609 at 300   |
 | 15012   U.S.A.   / thru 19.2k baud 24 hrs./day 7-days/week   Mention this   |
 | 412/929-4023    / message at logon. NOW AT USRobotics 38.4k/ARQ !!!!        |
 +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 18:36:04 GMT
From: zephyr.ens.tek.com!orca.wv.tek.com!pogo!bluneski@uunet.uu.net  (Bob
 Luneski)
Subject: User support? Re: harddisk-backup
Message-ID: <8533@pogo.WV.TEK.COM>
 
In <"90-02-09-11:06:10.92*UK14"@DKAUNI2.BITNET> O. Steinmeier writes:
 
>...
>So, if you know a reliable, fast, cheap (PD or shareware preferred)
>harddisk backup program, would you send me a message?
 
So you want it to be fast, reliable, and do everything but wash the kitchen
sink but you don't want to pay for it????  Typical.
 
Besides the TOTAL lack of support from Atari Corp.(products, marketing, and
distribution) the single most important factor contributing to the decline
(and eventual death unless something changes) of the ST is the unwillingness
of users to PAY for quality software.  NOBODY wants to develop software for
a machine that you can only sell 500 copies of a program before it's on half
the bulletin boards across the country.
 
Unless Atari starts selling more machines so there are a few more users to buy
software AND unless ST users start supporting the machine through the purchase
of quality software there won't be any quality software to purchase!
 
____________________________________________________________________________
  Bob Luneski
  Diamond Back Support Hotline:  bluneski@pogo.WV.TEK.COM
                                 Genie: B.LUNESKI1
 
  The opinions expressed herein are my own and in no way reflect the
  opinions of Tektronix, Inc.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 12 Feb 90 23:25:45 GMT
From:
 zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!nic.MR.NET!ns!logajan@tut.cis
 .ohio-state.edu  (John Logajan)
Subject: Waterproofing HP DeskJet output.
Message-ID: <1990Feb12.232545.19373@ns.network.com>
 
I have taken to waterproofing my HP DeskJet output (like the addresses
on envelopes) by spraying it with Krylon Matte Finish.  I picked up a
can at a local stationary store for four or five bucks.  Thus stuff
dries in a couple of minutes.
 
Actually, it is more like water-resistant than water-proof.
 
--
- John Logajan @ Network Systems; 7600 Boone Ave; Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
- logajan@ns.network.com, john@logajan.mn.org, 612-424-4888, Fax 424-2853
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #192
*****************************************