INFO-ATARI16 Digest         Fri,  5 Jan 90       Volume 90 : Issue   13
 
Today's Topics:
                          1040STE, at last!
                    Aerco 4 Meg ram upgrade boards
                      Amiga Software by Atari!!
                         I won't mince words.
                     STACY features : Good or not
                             Unix Windows
                     USEnet on GEnie...a followup
                           What's for sale?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Fri, 05 Jan 1990 09:43 EST
From: Greg Csullog <01659%AECLCR.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: 1040STE, at last!
 
Well, I finally received a 1040STE; two months later than promised but it
did come in. While I have only had a few hours experience with this computer,
I have some comments and questions.
 
1. Why can't Atari develop some marketing skills? The STE with purported
   enhanced graphics does not come with a demo program that illustrates
   those features. Geez guys, supply a demo graphics/stereo sound program
   to show off the STE's capabilities. The system came with an ORIGINAL
   1040ST manual and an addendum sheet - nice touch for a new flagship for
   the new Atari Corp!
 
2. When a Save Desktop is executed in med. res. on a 1040ST and the system is
   booted, the system comes up to a med. res. desktop. Could not get this to
   happen on the STE. Why not? This system woud only boot to low res.
   No mention of this in the addendum sheet.
 
3. As far as I can see, no hardware clock. Unbelievable!
 
4. On the plus side, yes Virginia there is a Blitter!
 
The following codes worked:
 
PC Ditto (version 3)    *** this is not PC Ditto II  ***
Art_ST version 2.3 (a PD version of Degas)
LDW
HiSoft Basic
UNITERM
SuperBase Pro version 3
WordPlus 3.14
Bently Bear Magical Math I
 
The following would not even load in (note, my auto folder was bare and
not .ACC were active for these tests):
 
NeoDesk 2.05
Drafix
Word Perfect (1987 version)
Bently Bear Memory Master
Speller Bee
 
The following would not run from my auto folder (activated after the
tests on the software listed above):
 
Pinhead
UIS II
Headstart
 
Just as an aside. A local user wants to attach an Atari 64K to his
SC1224 monitor. Is there a cable available to do this?
 
 
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 15:40:00 GMT
From: van-bc!johna@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (John Altstadt)
Subject: Aerco 4 Meg ram upgrade boards
Message-ID: <144@van-bc.UUCP>
 
In article <1990Jan3.220950.470@mentor.com> dclemans@mentor.com (Dave Clemans @
 APD x1292) writes:
+>From article <131@van-bc.UUCP>, by johna@van-bc.UUCP (John Altstadt):
(that's me)
+>>
+>> Does anybody have any information on how to add 1 Meg chips to the
+>> Aerco "easieST" solderless ram upgrade for a 520?  The literature
+>> that came with the board claimed that the board would hold up to
+>> 4 Meg, but neglected to state how the extra ram should be added to
+>> the sockets provided.
+>
+>While the Aerco board can be upgraded to 4mb, it is NOT just a simple
+>matter of swapping chips (at least for the early boards that this
+>message talks about).  There are a number of traces that have to be
+>cut, jumpers that have to be added, resistors that have to be swapped,
+>etc.  The upgrade instructions were on the order of 10-20 pages.
+>
+>Note that the above doesn't apply for a 2.5 meg system; those were
+>just chip swaps.
 
Almost that simple.
 
>
+>To go to four megabytes, you have to cut traces/add jumpers to allow
+>one of the memory banks to take 1mb chips (256kb chips and 1mb chips
+>are not pin compatible; the Aerco board was shipped with one bank
+>set up for 256kb chips, and the other bank set up for 1mb chips;  to
+>goto 4mb you have to rewire the bank that was set up for 256kb chips).
>
+>dgc
 
Ooops, I should have been just a little more specific... I was having
problems upgrading to 2.5 meg.  A little local help here let me know
that upgrading to 2.5 meg requires pulling out the existing chips.  I
was under the impression that the 2.5 megs were all on the upgrade, not
split between the upgrade and the main board.
 
The package I bought contained the board (with 1/2 meg installed), a floppy
with two ram test programs, a multi-page photocopy showing how the board
was to be installed, and a 2.5 foot length of dental floss (to tie the
board in place!!!).  It did not contain any documentation on upgrading
to 2.5 meg, any documentation on upgrading to 4 meg, or a lifetime
subscription to PC Magazine.
 
Since I now have 2.5 meg running, could anybody send me info on how to
go all the way (or do I have to figure out which traces have to be cut
and which jumpers have to be soldered in myself?).
 
Last question:  does Aerco still exist as a corporate presence?
 
John
 
--
 
johna@wimsey.bc.ca || ...!ubc-cs!van-bc!johna
                   || ...!uunet!van-bc!johna
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 01:21:06 GMT
From: psuvm!ims103@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu
Subject: Amiga Software by Atari!!
Message-ID: <90004.202106IMS103@PSUVM.BITNET>
 
>If Atari, or anyother company publishes software for other systems,
>it isn't a sign that their own system is a failure, but as a way to
>make money, THAT'S BUSINESS!
 
>Yes, and in no uncertain terms, this is a flame. [...]
 
>Mark Newton-John
 
IBM does not make Apple software,  Commodore does not make IBM software,
Apple does not make Atari software,  Hewlett Packard does not make
C64 software, but Atari makes Amiga software.  Atari is just wasting
time and enegry that they could use elsewhere like fixing bugs, updating
computers and bringing out software for their *own* computer systems.
 
--
Ian Smith <ims103@psuvm.bitnet>
"And a word of advice, don't sell your company to Atari."
                                                          - RJ Michal
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 07:24:15 GMT
From: pacbell!sactoh0!mfolivo@ames.arc.nasa.gov  (Mark F. Newton)
Subject: I won't mince words.
Message-ID: <2365@sactoh0.UUCP>
 
Look, I won't mince words. I don't mind constructive critisisms or
at least helpful suggestions on Atari, but when I see crap like
"since Atari is publishing for other systems, it means their own
computer flopped" ad naseum, I have to put my foot down. I have
pretty much put up with it before, but seeing it more and more, and
not seeing anyone respond, I will say something about it.
 
Atari is not perfect, but then again, Commodore is not the shining
star of the computer world. Each has it's drawbacks, and of course,
it's advantages. But to see people harp on something, while
simultaneously proclaiming their system to be able to slice bread,
well, I see it as a pile of bull, and will say something about it.
 
If you love Commodore, then that's your perogative. But this *IS*
comp.sys.ATARI.ST, not amiga, so leave your Amiga (or Pied Piper,
or Franklin, etc.) proclamations in the appropriate newsgroup.
 
Mark Newton-John
the good guys!
 
--
--
   (ames att sun)!pacbell! \            Sakura-mendo, CA
           ucdavis!csusac! - sactoh0!mfolivo
              uunet!mmsac! /
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 10:35:38 GMT
From: hp-ses!hpbbn!hpgnd!alex@hplabs.hp.com  (Alexis MERMET-GRANDFILLES)
Subject: STACY features : Good or not
Message-ID: <4280005@hpgnd.HP.COM>
 
Hi , it is me again .
 
Since STE hardware allows 'hardware scrolling' by setting some video registers,
I wonder whether the STACY with its TOS1.4 has got the same capability ?
 
Any idea ?
 
It would be nice to know a bit more about it before I buy one.
Thanks.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 16:47:31 GMT
From: samsung!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!uflorida!news@think.com  (USENET Master)
Subject: Unix Windows
Message-ID: <21617@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
 
Can anybody out there tell me if UW (unix windows) works with tos 1.4?
I've been trying to get it to work, but alas, to no avail.  Strange things
happen..sometimes it bombs, sometimes I get no lower case letters (try
THAT on unix...) and sometimes it just plain does not work.  I am , of
course, using a monochrome monitor, a 1040 ST with 1 meg.  Perhaps I
am missing something...
 
From: cr1@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Christopher Roth)
Path: beach.cis.ufl.edu!cr1
 
 
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
*     Christoper Roth                         *  "Machines have no
*     InterNet  :  cr1@beach.cis.ufl.edu      *   Conscience..."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Post No Bills-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 5 Jan 90 15:49:10 GMT
From: brunix!rjd@uunet.uu.net  (Rob Demillo)
Subject: USEnet on GEnie...a followup
Message-ID: <24374@brunix.UUCP>
 
In article <1925@atari.UUCP> towns@atari.UUCP (John Townsend) writes:
>in article <23792@brunix.UUCP>, rjd@cs.brown.edu (Rob Demillo) says:
||
|| Here's an interesting sidenote:
||
|| I was on GEnie last night, attending the Atari ST RT discussions.
|| (Every Wednesday night at 10:00 pm EST). I brought up the
|| USEnet-|GEnie transfer topic. Most people didn't know it
|| existed, and those that did were *glad* that it stopped.
|| It seems that the USEnet messages were saturating the Atari ST
|| section. (Too much info, too fast.) People found they
|| couldn't keep up, even for the few days (hours?) it was operating.
||
|
|The USEnet UPLINK wasn't in the ST Roundtable. It was located in the
|Gadgets by Small RT. Most of the ST users didn't even know about it.
|
|-- John Townsend                               ames!atari!towns
|   Atari Corp, Systems Test
 
OK, now I'm starting to get irritated. This is the third or forth
response like this that my message generated.
 
Don't some of you *read* the messages you respond to? I clearly stated that
the topic was brought up in the ST RT *DISCUSSIONS* on Wednesday
night...I wasn't talking about where the UPLINK was located!
 
Secondly, I stated that *most people didn't know about it*.
 
Thirdly, and lastly, I only mentioned this here so that USEnet
people got some sort of a feel as to what the GEnie side of this
thought about the situation.
 
 - 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: 5 Jan 90 05:12:27 GMT
From: att!chinet!saj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU  (Stephen Jacobs)
Subject: What's for sale?
Message-ID: <1990Jan5.051227.22181@chinet.chi.il.us>
 
Ok, we've seen a report of STE-s being sold retail in Canada.  Now: anyone
seen a MEGA with TOS 1.4 installed as original equipment in retail channels
in the US?  Same question about a STacy?  (My friends tell me STacy is likely
to be in MIDI-oriented stores before general computer dealers).
   For what it's worth: I just saw a LYNX bought from the Sears catalog by
someone in the suburbs of Chicago (nowhere NEAR New York), and delivered in
time for Christmas.
                                       Steve J.
 
------------------------------
 
End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #13
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