=========================================================================
 
INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Wed,  3 Jan 90       Volume 90 : Issue    5
 
Today's Topics:
             Comparing Apple and Atari peripheral prices
                           HARD DRIVE WOES
                  LHARC takes over?  Sure hope not!
                   Make BIOS think screen is 80x20?
                            PRINTER DRIVER
                           ST1040 for sale.
                     USEnet on GEnie...a followup
                         wanted: ZOO program
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 90 22:00:02 EST
From: Marcelino Bernardo <MBERNAR%ERENJ.BITNET@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Comparing Apple and Atari peripheral prices
 
rochester!rit!ultb!clf3678@rutgers.edu  (C.L. Freemesser) disagrees with
my statement that Apple (specifically Mac) peripherals are not limited to
the Apple brand and that the prices are comparable to those for the ST.
 
 
 "Find a 3rd party Apple floppy drive that is totally compatible with
  the Apple drives, and I'll show you a snowball that survived a trip
  through hell.... "
 
 
I don't have personal experience with third party Apple floppy drives so I
can't argue this point.  I'm only familiar with the Mac line, and have spe-
cifically limited my comments to this.  Are you referring to Mac or Apple
II drives?  What are you basing this statement on?
 
 "Sure there are alternatives to the Imagewriter, but the I-writer
  is the most used.  Ergo, it is the most supported by software."
 
Third party Laserprinters and imagewriters do work with the Mac.  There
are software around to make these compatible.  My point is that it is there.
 
 "Tell that to my friend who bought a new 3.5 inch Apple drive.  The
  retail price is $400!  I spent about $100 building one for myself.
  As for hard disks, I built one for my father's 1040...a 20 meg Seagate,
  Adaptek, and ICD host adapter for $350.  Beat that on a Mac."
 
I didn't say peripherals from Apple are cheap.  I said 3rd party peripherals
are as cheap as those for the ST.  All the prices you mentioned are for
"hacked" units.  I'm sure if I had enough technical info on the Mac I
could build floppy drives and hard drives that cost the same as "hacked"
ST drives.  The OEM's for the mech are the same.  In fact, I know I can
easily beat $350 for a 20 meg hard drive:  A SCSI 20meg mech (ST-125N is
advertised by JDR for $299 and I can just drop it in to an SE or a II.)
I don't know for sure if this would work, but it looks reasonable.
 
BTW, did your $350 include a new drive, cables, casing and power supply
in addition to the Adaptek and ICD host adapter?  (ICD host adapter: $136.,
Adaptek controller: $90-140. = >$226 leaves $124 for 20 Meg mech,
power supply and case.)
 
I'm not going to comment on the last paragraph of you message.  The direction
it's headed makes me uncomfortable.  My purpose in posting my
original reply was to argue with kclenden@silver.bacs.indiana.edu >
kevin Clendenien's statement on the high prices of Apple peripherals and
the lack of 3rd party source compared to the ST.  I'm not making any
claims on which computer is better.  I really don't care.
I only care on whether they can do the job I bought them for.  And so far,
both of them have been very satisfactory.  If only I have more of my own
money, then I can enjoy and make more use of this 1040ST.
 
Regards,
Marcelino Bernardo
mbernar@erenj.bitnet
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 03 JAN 90 10:57:23 CST
From: Z4648252 <Z4648252%SFAUSTIN.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: HARD DRIVE WOES
Message-ID: <900103.10572140.037876@SFA.CP6>
 
Enartloc Nhoj writes of drive problems, Howard Johnson offers some
wise advise:
 
> Symptoms:  Occasionally... and sometimes frequently,
>            my Quantum drive slows down and then comes
>            back up.  When it slows i obviously can't
>            read or write to the drive.
>
>So the problem is not intermittent...  Therefore, it will be hard to
>isolate it and make if fail for a technician.  Anybody out there
>ever have similar problems?
 
      Howard Johnson responds:
 
 
>My guess is that the ability to read is failing on your servo track.
>This surface is used to control speed and bit rate.
>BACK UP YOUR DRIVE!  IT WILL SOON BE DEAD!
 
    One suggestion from my own "Dumb Larry Experience" is to go ahead
and FIRST try some maintenance before attempting any backups!!!  In
my own use of some brain dead equipment, or at least retarded, is that
if a drive fails when you attempt a backup, then you will, in most
and all probabilities, loose that file along with others--missing
clusters, and all of that good stuff.
    Do some hardware maintenance:  cleaning and possible connector
replacement first.
    Try this..  Remove your case top.  Get some tuner cleaner and
clean the connectors going to the hard drive mechanism from the
power supply.  Clean them exceptionally well.  I've found that
some connectors are only using aluminum material which will oxidize
in some climates.  These are particularly bad in my area where we
have problems with salty air from the Gulf of Mexico.
    I had to dress my connectors twice a year on my hard drive.  I
finally replaced them with automobile electrical connectors (these
are made of brass, I think), and have yet to have any problems.
    For a test, just snip off the connectors, connect the wires and
solder them via a pigtail fashion.  See if your drive works.  Obviously,
try the cleaning before you go to this step since this step might be
unnecessary (disadvantage of composing on-line--rambling!).  If cleaning
solves the problem, then I'd replace the connectors with the
automobile electrical connectors.  Anyway, I think you see my point.
    Note that with all of your failures, you will probably have
some corrupted files anyway.  First, though, try to address the
slowing down problem by dressing your connectors.  See if the
connector maintenance stops that.  If so, then, do as Howard says,
back up what you have.  Then do a drive check via TuneUp or any of
the other hard drive utility optimizer programs.
    Again, I think your connectors from your hard drive's power
supply are the problem.  Sorry about the rambling..
 
Larry Rymal:  |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| <Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET>
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Jan 90 07:55:48 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!laura!klute%trillian@uunet.uu.net
Subject: LHARC takes over?  Sure hope not!
Message-ID: <1860@laura.UUCP>
 
Path: trillian
!klute
 
 
And another reason to use ZOO or ARC: There is ARCGSH
available, a program that lets you work with ZOO, ARC and other
programs from a GEM environment. Check the archives at
panarthea or terminator and get version 2.1! (Older versions do
not support ZOO.)
 
  Dipl.-Inform. Rainer Klute      klute@heike.informatik.uni-dortmund.de
  Univ. Dortmund, IRB             klute@unido.uucp, klute@unido.bitnet
  Postfach 500500         |)|/    ...uunet!mcvax!unido!klute
D-4600 Dortmund 50        |\|\    Tel.: +49 231 755-4663
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 2 Jan 90 19:27:46 GMT
From: imagen!atari!apratt@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (Allan Pratt)
Subject: Make BIOS think screen is 80x20?
Message-ID: <1918@atari.UUCP>
 
nut@wet.UUCP (adam tilghman) writes:
>  Can anyone out there in NetLand tell me how to make TOS think that the
>screen is only 80x20? [...] Is is possible to just push Logbase up while
>keeping Physbase the same, creating a bottom-of-the-screen area?
 
Gee, that sounds interesting.  Don't try it unless you know more about
this stuff than it sounds like you do.
 
In SALAD (Still Another Line-A Document) the negative line-A variables
are documented, and among them you will find a "number of vertical
alpha cells" variable (better known as "number of text lines").  Set
this smaller than it already is, and you will have created a short
screen with unused lines at the bottom -- lines you can use for your
status stuff.  Of course, you can't use Bconout to write to that status
area... Unless you write in the true value for "number of lines," then
go to the bottom and write what you want, then write in your fake
"number of lines" value.
 
SALAD is available to developers in a couple of places, including
online on GEnie and possibly other services.  Or call Gail Johnson,
(408) 745-2000, to get it (or become a developer if you aren't one
already).
 
============================================
Opinions expressed above do not necessarily     -- Allan Pratt, Atari Corp.
reflect those of Atari Corp. or anyone else.      ...ames!atari!apratt
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Jan 90 02:54:08 GMT
From: dartvax!eleazar.dartmouth.edu!dav@CS.BU.EDU  (William David Haas)
Subject: PRINTER DRIVER
Message-ID: <18182@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
 
In article <89122619400121@masnet.uucp> brian.beach@canremote.uucp (BRIAN BEACH)
 writes:
>I have a problem finding a color printer driver for my Star NX
>Multicolor printer that will enable me to do color sceen dumps the one
>that is listed in the Atari control panel doesn't seem to work for me I
>have not been able to find any information on this subject and I have
>seen one working for the Amiga.  I would appreciate any suggestions as
 
 
I think you are looking for DEGASPRT.ARC from panthara or terminator archives.
It installs a new printer driver for what ever printer you have.  I have an old
version of the DEGAS printer driver accessory that is PD.  I posted here in
case anyone can point to the latest version.
 
dav
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Jan 90 04:36:00 GMT
From: acf5!mitsolid@nyu.edu  (Thanasis Mitsolides)
Subject: ST1040 for sale.
Message-ID: <370010@acf5.NYU.EDU>
 
I have an Atari 1040ST for sale.
I give it for $400.
Postage is mine if you are in the USA.
I can send it COD.
 
It includes:
 
        - The 1040 console
        - 720K flopy drive
        - Mouse
        - ST124 Monochrome Monitor (one of the old ones. Very good quality)
        - Cables
        - Manuals for ST-Basic and ST-Logo
 
Also:
 
        - About 50 flopies of public domain programs (double side).
        - And Games!
        - About 20 blank flopies (double side)
        - About 15 flopies from magazines.
        - Mavis Beacon Typing Tutor.
 
And a problem:
        - Since a got the system one of the RAM chips does not work.
          I know which chip it is (U48).
          (Jim Tittsler from ATARI told me. Thanks!)
        - Unless you replace that chip the system will work only
          with 512K or RAM.
 
You can send me mail (see below) or call me at:
Home: 718-748-4635
Office: 212-998-3525
 
Thanasis
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet: mitsolid@csd2.nyu.edu          (mitsolid%csd2.nyu.edu@relay.cs.net)
UUCP    : ...!uunet!cmcl2!csd2!mitsolid
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Jan 90 15:30:41 GMT
From: brunix!rjd@uunet.uu.net  (Rob Demillo)
Subject: USEnet on GEnie...a followup
Message-ID: <24053@brunix.UUCP>
 
In article <15253@well.UUCP> dsmall@well.UUCP (David Small) writes:
>
>The basenote describes the GEnie Wednesday night conference and the mention
>of the USENET, err, discussion there.
>
>       Rob, the comp.sys.atari uplink to GEnie has barely been mentioned in
>the ST area. Remember, it's in a *completely* different area,the Gadgets RT,
>which is like a whole nuther newsgroup. It certainly wasn't flooding the ST
>area; it couldn't,it was in the Gadgets area.
 
Actually, Dave...I did know that.
 
As I was pointing out in the original posting, I have never even
*seen* the USEnet uploads on GEnie. What I had mentioned was the
fears/complaints/suttlebutt-rumors/etc of people who were on the
Wednesday night GEnie conference - nothing more.
 
>
>       GEnie has awesome disk space -- they just don't delete notes. There's
>stuff on there going back for years.
 
Actually, I've been noticing that lately. (Stuff going clear back to
1987.) What is their total disk space allocation?
 
>
>       Anyway, I'm sure you had good motives, and just wanted to clear this
>up lest someone unfamiliar with GEnie think we were wreaking havoc inthe
>Atari ST RT ... nope, just one category, of 14 or so, in the Gadgets area.
>
 
My original intent was to relay feedback on the subject
from GEnie users to USEnet posters, so they could get some sort
of a feel for what was going on there.
 
 
 - Rob DeMillo                  | Internet: rjd@brown.cs.edu
   Brown University             | BITnet: DEMILLO%BRNPSG.SPAN@STAR.STANFORD.EDU
   Planetary Science Group      | Reality: 401-273-0804 (home)
"I say you *are* the Messiah, Lord! And I ought to know, I've followed a few!"
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 3 Jan 90 15:39:44 GMT
From: brunix!rjd@uunet.uu.net  (Rob Demillo)
Subject: wanted: ZOO program
Message-ID: <24054@brunix.UUCP>
 
Could some kind soul e-mail me the binary for the ZOO archiver?
(I missed it first time around, now I have some files that
are in ZOO format.)
 
Thanks in advance.
 
 
 - Rob DeMillo                  | Internet: rjd@brown.cs.edu
   Brown University             | BITnet: DEMILLO%BRNPSG.SPAN@STAR.STANFORD.EDU
   Planetary Science Group      | Reality: 401-273-0804 (home)
"I say you *are* the Messiah, Lord! And I ought to know, I've followed a few!"
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #5
***************************************
