Info-Atari16 Digest         Tue, 22 Oct 91       Volume 91 : Issue 545
 
Today's Topics:
                CARTRIDGE PORT-AVOIDING WEAR AND TEAR
                       DC Programs of the Week
                       File conversion programs
                             GENIE email
                                Gulam
                              HD to TT ?
                          MC68010 on atari ?
                          mercury and gulam
                             Notator 3.1
                              PC DITTO I
                              ppm / pgm
                            Re~1: Mega STe
                               SST info
                        SupraDrive 30 for sale
                        TeX and LaTeX document
                       Twister (was Re: Crikey)
                 wanted : French version of WordPlus
                     Wanted: GCR (no ROMS Needed)
               what types of joysticks work with 520ST?
        Why programs don't work (was Fligth Simulator on STe)
 
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 91 17:08:07 ADT
From: Alyre CHIASSON <CHIASSA%UDEM@UNBMVS1.csd.unb.ca>
Subject: CARTRIDGE PORT-AVOIDING WEAR AND TEAR
To: N <info-atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu>
 
Between Spectre and my MIGRAPH Hand Scanner I am worried that
all the plugging and unplugging will place the cartridge port
or the devices at risk. Does anyone know of a switcher or
a way to avoid the above?
Thanks
CHIASSA@UMONCTON.CA
.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 04:30:07 GMT
From: noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!cunews!csi.uottawa.ca!news@arizona.edu
 (Christopher Browne)
Subject: DC Programs of the Week
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Those Programs-of-the-Week have been something of a hit.  My findings
are that SOME are of dubious value, at least to me, but many are
pretty handy.  There's four or five of 'em in my \AUTO folder.
 
Question:  Are they still being produced?
 
The 52 weeks are probably up, and some of  the inspiration is probably
gone, but  the  postings were   getting a  little    sparse/late  come
August/September.  It's POSSIBLE that some have been missed...
 
Question:  Is there going to be any sort of "summary" release?
 
'Twould be a  neat idea to  take all of   them, stick them  in  a (not
terribly huge) archive file, with an index.  I'd even be willing to do
a little bit of work to that end, IF I can ensure that I have the full
set to work with.
 
Kudos to the DC writers.  There are some real gems in the collection.
--
Christopher Browne
cbbrowne@csi.uottawa.ca
University of Ottawa
Master of System Science Program
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 91 08:17 N
From: <BAUMANN%CZHETH5A.BITNET@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: File conversion programs
To: info-atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Here an answer those people looking for file format conversion
programs. There is program which can handle .DFX format on the
ATARI ST. This program is capable of converting a lot of PC formats
into ST formats and vice versa. I will just list a few formats which
can be converted:
 
raster files:   img             vector files:   dfx
                tiff                            hpgl
                pcx                             iges
                degas                           gem metafiles
                calamus-rg                      eps-postscript
                doodle                          windows metafiles
                targa                           cgm
                bmp                             gdf
                .                               .
                .                               .
 
This program is quite expensive. Different levels are available from
DM 149.- to DM 398.- (German Mark) from
 
                Softwarebuero Schlenz
                Am Wiesbrunnen 29
                6730 Neustadt / Germany
 
                Tel: + 6321 6 01 50
 
I am a using a program from a German chap who wrote marvellous piece
of software to convert GEM metafiles and HPGL files to bitmap (.IMG)
files to include them in any program. This program is available from
 
                APiSoft
                Andreas Pirner Software
                Bundesallee 56
 
                1000 Berlin 31 / Germany
 
                Tel: + 30  853 43 50
                Fax: + 30  853 30 25
 
at a price of DM 50.-. Furthermore he wrote a program which converts
about 80 formats available (ST, Mac, PC, UNIX) called CONVERT and
costs DM 95.-. This software is easy to use and straightforward.
 
I hope this helps you.
 
Roland Baumann
 
Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)
Zurich, Switzerland
 
E-Mail Bitnet  : baumann@czheth5a
       Internet: baumann@vision.ethz.ch
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 14:46:32 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wupost!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake!steve@a
 rizona.edu (Steve Yelvington)
Subject: GENIE email
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
[In article <91293.214026SML108@psuvm.psu.edu>,
     SML108@psuvm.psu.edu (Scott the Great) writes ... ]
 
 > Hi, is there a way to send email to GENIE accounts from BITNET or
 > Internet and vice versa?
 
There is a GEnie project to build an Internet gateway, but no official
gateway currently exists.
 
Anyone in North America can get a GEnie membership for a flat monthly fee
of $4.95 U.S. or $5.95 CDN. There is no additional charge for email, and
most non-computer-related roundtables are included in the basic fee. There
also is no telecommunications charge if you dial into a GE network port.
There are GE ports in most major cities.
 
 --
 Steve Yelvington, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
 steve@thelake.mn.org (In winter we walk on water)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 11:20:50 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!ukc!warwick!nott-cs!dpg@uunet.uu.net (Dave Gymer)
Subject: Gulam
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <1991Oct19.213103.29281@tripos.com> downey@tripos.com (Tom Downey)
 writes:
>What about Mint, and where can i get that?
>I only have 1/2 meg of memory in my ST.
 
Forget MiNT in half a meg. By the time you get MiNT, and a shell like gulam
in, you'll not have enough memory left to do anything serious. (Has anybody
tried MiNT on a 1/2 meg machine? How much is free?)
--
/* 'Grave' Dave Gymer --------- Internet: dpg@Cs.Nott.AC.UK *\
+* 42 St Marys Park, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 0EF, England *+
+* Olivier's Law:    "Experience is something you don't get *+
\*-------------------------- until just after you need it." */
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 10:26:11 GMT
From: mcsun!news.funet.fi!hydra!kreeta!luoto@uunet.uu.net (Markku Luoto)
Subject: HD to TT ?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
As Heard from many sources, TT is supposed to be quite ready for a
HD-disk drive
, some people claim that it only need's a dip switch change etc...
 
but:
 
-are they talkin about internal / external floppy drive and more
important:
 
 HAS ANYONE DONE IT: replaced the internal TT disk drive with a HD ?
 and what are the exact procedures to make it work ? what SW is needed ?
 
spaziba !
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>>   " I'm completely operational & all my cicuits are functioning  <<<<<<
>>>>>>      correctly...correc...corr...co...-! " : HAl9000             <<<<<<
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 10:52:18 GMT
From:
 math.fu-berlin.de!unido!fauern!faui43.informatik.uni-erlangen.de!lsmichae@uunet
 .uu.net (Lars Michael)
Subject: MC68010 on atari ?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Patrick_Dubbrow@ms.maus.de (Patrick Dubbrow) writes:
 
 
>ogj%tglobe2.tollpost-globe @ SUB, 14.10.91 15:04:
 
>o>Is it possible to put a MC68010 in a Atari originally equipped
>o>with a MC68000 ??
 
>If you got TOS 1.06 or higher it IS possible. The 68010 is pin-compatible to
>the version of 68K used in ordinary STs (not STEs). If you say that there's no
>official way of having TOS >= 1.06 in an old ST: There will be an adapter which
>allows you to run the soon coming TOS 2.06 in STs!
 
Some weeks ago I've posted some information about a small hardware hack how to
adapt TOS 2.(0)5 on EPROMs to work in a MEGA ST.
The main thing was to adapt the chip select to the start address of TOS 2.05.
I think this should work on usual STs this way canonical ...
 
I was kinda surprised, that I got no response for the article. If anybody is
interested now, just try to grab it from a news archive. Or send me email.
 
Good hack,
---
 
                                                                Larry
 
+----------------------------------------+----------------------------------+
|     lsmichae@faui43.uni-erlangen.de    |    | | |                         |
|         Lars "Mr. GIF" Michael         |    | | |   "Down with ATARI,     |
|  Graduate Student of Computer Science  |   /  |  \  Long live the ST !"   |
|    at University of Erlangen/Germany   |  /   |   \                       |
+----------------------------------------+----------------------------------|
|  Bones: "Damn it, Kirk, I'm a doctor, not a very good actor."             |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 19 Oct 91 22:11:22 GMT
From: math.fu-berlin.de!grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr!frmug!mns!madmat@uunet.uu.net
 (Mathias Herberts)
Subject: mercury and gulam
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
 I am using mercury to exchange mail and news with my host site and I am
having a slight problem with the uux utility.
 
First of all Gulam uses the exclamation mark to recall the top command in the
history buffer , therefore I cannot ( or just don't know how to ???? ) use
this character in the command line.
 
My second problem is that I would like to use uux to order my host to
execute this command :
 
   uuto file mns!madmat
 
which would send file on my system to user madmat ( me ! )
 
Could anybody explain me how to perform this operation ?
 
Many thanks in advance.
--
Email:        madmat@frmug.fr.mugnet.org
              madmat@mns.UUCP
===============================================================================
Paper mail.:  Mathias Herberts
              20 , rue Corneille  -  92120 Montrouge , FRANCE
Voice Phone:  +33 1 4965 0399
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 17:24:37 GMT
From: mcsun!uknet!ukc!acorn!unipalm!ian@uunet.uu.net (Ian Phillipps)
Subject: Notator 3.1
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
pinelr@aix.rpi.edu (Robert Jeffrey Pinelli) writes:
 
>In article <91857@bu.edu> selick@bucsf.bu.edu (Steven Selick) writes:
 
>>I just received a mailing from Alexander Publishing about a notator 3.1
>>update from 3.0 for $45 or something. What did they update in 3.1? Is it
>>worth $45 or whatever they want?
 
>I've just received my 3.1 version, and it is very nice.
 
>3.1's additional features include the ability to export notation as DTP
>type files to be used as parts of other documents (.IMG files) plus lots of
>other hardware support and display options (page preview, etc.)  It is worth
>the money, but you have to get both 3.0 and 3.1 since 3.0 comes with the new
>manual and the fonts disk that you'll need.
 
In the UK there are two upgrade prices - #60 for 2.x->3.1 and #20 for
3.0->3.1.  Both are good value (I got 3.0) as well.
 
For my 2p-worth, the biggest improvements in 3.1 are:
 
Page preview (MUCH better - you can do things like alter the horizontal
spacing and margins directly, as well as look at the bottoms of large
pages)
 
Grace notes and "free" notes.
Ability to have n-tuplet figures up or down (and a separate font for
them).
 
Quite a few other minor goodies.
 
What C-Lab crow most about is the graphic arrange mode, which is indeed
nice.  There's also a Fostex-sync mode.
 
Doesn't seem to be much larger, though 1MB would be pretty tight
nowadays.
 
Ian
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 15:07:19 GMT
From:
 mcsun!unido!ira.uka.de!sun.rhrk.uni-kl.de!uklirb!posthorn!news@uunet.uu.net
 (Thomas Neser)
Subject: PC DITTO I
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
This article was probably generated by a buggy news reader.
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 19:08:27 GMT
From: mentor.cc.purdue.edu!sage.cc.purdue.edu!youngmw@purdue.edu (Michael)
Subject: ppm / pgm
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Does anyone know the file formats for ppm's and pgm's.
I know it is a simple one, but nonetheless, I do not know it.
 
thanks
Aaron
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 20 Oct 91 15:11:44 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!mcshh!malihh!shlink!lp@uunet.uu.net (Lutz Petersen)
Subject: Re~1: Mega STe
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Im Artikel <1991Oct18.002945.5554@demon.co.uk> schreibt
 ilaskey@cix.compulink.co.uk (Iain Laskey):
>
> I would like to buy a Mega STe when they are released in the UK. Are there
 any-
>  known compatibility problems with them?
 
 In my case 1st_Word 3.xx doesn't work. Now I have 'downgraded' to version
 2.0x to work with some old wordplus-documents.
 
 lp
 
 
--
 
\\ lutz petersen - 2200 elmshorn, germany - +49 4121-63587 v.32 \\
 \\ lp@shlink.hanse.de  lp@shlink.sh.sub.org  zer: lp@shlink.zer \\
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 00:15:21 GMT
From:
 noao!asuvax!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!gatech!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!dkuug!a
 ud.dk!soren@arizona.edu (Soeren Michelsen)
Subject: SST info
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Hi out there. Does anyone know the address of Dave Small & co. I'd like
to get some more info on the SST board. Where to order and how much etc.
 
Does anyone know of any thing special one should think about before buying
such a beast. More importanly:
 
1) What exactly is included as standard components? At what price?
 
2) How much RAM can be added to the board? Access times? Does it use
   SIMM's or DIL's?
 
Thank you in advance.
 
(Does someone please try to mail me at soren@tequila.vlsi.auc.dk since
I'm not sure outside post gets to me here!)
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 21:30:19 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!olivea!a
 pple!equinox!cs.unr.edu!chan@arizona.edu (Kaho Chan)
Subject: SupraDrive 30 for sale
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I am selling a SupraDrive 30 that has no problems whatsoever.
I had sold my old ST system and opted for a MegaSTe4 with internal
50MB hard drive.  50MBs is sufficient for my needs plus I need the funds.
I paid $550 mail order for the SupraDrive 30.
It is a complete package!
 
On the previous post, I had asked for bids.  I am now asking for a
firm price of $330 + 1/2 S&H UPS COD.
 
Thanks.
 
chan@mammoth.cs.unr.edu
Kaho Chan<=============
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 15:27:34 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!tamsun!tamuts!n160ao@arizona
 .edu (Mark Lehmann)
Subject: TeX and LaTeX document
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
No more nasty TeX questions.  I have it installed and working now.
I will make a document containig:
 
    - Atari ST TeX experiences from the USENET
    - Configuring the ST TeX software for the 1st time
    - The font conventions
    - Making a "format" file
    - Creating a working "TeX" and "LaTeX" system
    - Using "dvieps" for EPSON 9-pin output
    - Using "dviatari" for screen output
    - Using "showdvi" for screen output
    - Using "dviprint" for EPSON 9-pin or 24-pin printers
    - Getting 24 pin fonts
 
I need a few volunteers to help proof read this document and to give
me additional advice on the following topics:
 
    - Getting fonts for laser printers (SLM, HP, etc)
    - Creating "pk" fonts.
    - Using TeX on a 1Mg machine witout a shell language like Gulam.
 
Please send me E-mail for requests.  The document (1st draft) should be
available around November 5th.  (Maybe much earlier).
 
Mark Lehmann
tamuts.tamu.edu!n160ao
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 22 Oct 91 05:13:28 GMT
From:
 arizona.edu!cerritos.edu!nic.csu.net!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorid
 a!mailer.cc.fsu.edu!mount!boyd@arizona.edu (Mickey Boyd)
Subject: Twister (was Re: Crikey)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
In article <3746@krafla.rhi.hi.is>, adamd@rhi.hi.is (Adam David) writes:
>There is no specified order of sectors on the disk. If you wanted to, you
>could format a disk with more than one sector of the same number on the same
>track. The FDC picks up and uses the first one it finds irrespective of where
>it is found. That's not a bug or a feature, rather the way the FDC does what it
>is supposed to do.
>
>An active imagination is necessary to find some useful way of exploiting
>multiple occurences of the same sector number, and you might get into trouble
>with some higher parts of the OS. The only obvious use for this (and it works)
>is to have the boot sector repeated all over side0 of track00 so that if the
>first one gets damaged the next one will be picked up instead, like a cat with
>nine lives. (or more if it's been upgraded :-)
 
Not a bad idea.  By the way, one use of multiple sectors on the same track
is copy protection.  This is an ancient (and not very effective) method.  The
program repeatedly reads that sector number, head slop will allow the drive to
read the second one, and the program proceeds.  File oriented disk copies
will not pick up both sectors (although any low level copy program probably
will).
 
--
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
             Mickey R. Boyd          |  "Come to your senses professor
          FSU Computer Science       |     Fernberg.  You did not transcend
        Technical Support Group      |     the time-space continuum.  You
       email:  boyd@nu.cs.fsu.edu    |     got drunk in a topless bar."
    ---------------------------------+-------------------------------------
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 17 Oct 91 16:03:59 GMT
From: mcsun!unido!pbinfo!storchi@uunet.uu.net (Martin Storch)
Subject: wanted : French version of WordPlus
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Hello,
 
I am looking for the french version of the 1ST_WORDPLUS Program
for the Atari ST or any other text processor with a french
dictionary. It is for a friend of mine; she is particularly
interested in the french dictionary for automatic spell checking.
 
I anybody got this or any other similar program or even only the
french dictionary, please send me via email or diskette.
If you send a diskette, I will of course send the diskette back
along with german software, if you want. Just tell me what kind of
software or which program you want.
 
Thank you,
or I should better say : Merci!
 
email  : storchi@uni-paderborn.de
adress : Martin Storch
         Pohlweg 70
         4790 Paderborn
         Germany
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 14:48:54 GMT
From:
 europa.asd.contel.com!awds.imsd.contel.com!wlbr!lonex.rl.af.mil!longj@uunet.uu.
 net (Jeffrey K. Long)
Subject: Wanted: GCR (no ROMS Needed)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I would like to upgrade my Spectre 128 to a GCR.
 
Does anyone have a GCR that they are willing to sell me?
I don't need the ROMs since I already have a set.
 
Please E-mail details if you can help me!
 
Jeff Long
'longj@lonex.rl.af.mil'
 
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capt Jeff Long                         Rome Laboratories, Griffiss AFB, NY
longj@lonex.rl.af.mil (preferred)      Network Design Laboratory
jlong@cassiopeia.rl.af.mil             (315)330-7751 or (DSN)587-7751
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 22:25:00 GMT
From:
 noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!ux.acs.umn.edu!
 bru!obiwan!buchs@arizona.edu (Kevin J. Buchs)
Subject: what types of joysticks work with 520ST?
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
I am finally going to get a joystick for my 520ST.  Do I need to get a
particular type?  Anyone have brand and source recommendations.
Please Email and I summarize if there is interest.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kevin Buchs      Mayo Foundation
buchs@mayo.edu   200 1st St SW
(507) 284-0009   Rochester, MN 55905
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kevin Buchs      Mayo Foundation
buchs@mayo.edu   200 1st St SW
(507) 284-0009   Rochester, MN 55905
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
------------------------------
 
Date: 21 Oct 91 16:25:46 GMT
From: sun-barr!newstop!eastapps!eastnews!gaudreau@uunet.uu.net (Joe Gaudreau
 {Dances with PostScript})
Subject: Why programs don't work (was Fligth Simulator on STe)
To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu
 
Distribution:
 
 
Allan Pratt writes:
 
   Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the question "why doesn't program
   X work on machine Y?"
 
   Program X might have been written by real dingbats, that's why.
 
.. [stuff deleted]
 
   My point is that we just can't fix these things.  I don't like the fact
   that Starglider doesn't work under new TOS, but I can't help it.
 
That reminds me...
 
Has Atari ever considered releasing the 'classic' versions of the ROM
on floppy?  It would be quite useful for people who *love* Star
Raiders but have brand new Mega4/Ste's (I'm now reduced to playing the
2600 version of SR :-().
 
I understand that Atari might not want to release 1.6, 2.??, 3.??, or
even 1.4 on floppy because Atari also sell ROMs for those.  But how
about 1.0 and/or 1.2?  As a developer, it would be useful for making
*sure* my software is backwards compatible, not to mention running
older software for the other folks out there.
 
Now barring the possibility of people using these disks for hacking,
virus propagation, and even (*gasp*) Atari emulators, please keep in
mind, that in the "real-world" (tm) :
 
o Almost all other platforms have OS upgrades/releases on loadable media
  even if they have some OS in ROM.
 
o Viruses get spread quite nicely despite the TOS being in ROM.  This
  is the case for most computers anyway :-(  Having TOS on floppy
  wouldn't change this or even exacerbate the problem.  It would,
  however, provide a benchmark to compare versions of OS against.
 
o People have already been putting the ROMs on floppy in order to
  make sure they can always run all their software.
 
o Patched versions of the OS have legitimate uses and anyone using
  such a version should expect the unexpected.  Having the OS in ROM
  hasn't stopped anyone from making their own EPROMS with patches.
 
I'll step off my soap-box now.  Next. :-)
 
---
 
On another point, has Atari ever considered re-releasing the classic
ST games for the newer generation machines (ie Star Raiders)?
 
Grins,
 
Joe
-=-
 
------------------------------
 
End of Info-Atari16 Digest
******************************
