Classic Computer Magazine Archive ANTIC VOL. 6, NO. 2 / JUNE 1987

I/O Board


JACS BACKUP



Thanks for mentioning the Jersey Atari Computer Society's efforts regarding our Print Shop Graphics disks in your article Atari Still Makes the Grade (Antic, October 1986). Incidentally, Volume 4 is now available.

JACS wasn't prepared for the tremendous response generated by that mention. Some readers may have waited 10 weeks to receive disks ordered from us-I apologize. We've enlisted more people to help send the disks out, but keep in mind that we're a users group, not a business. No JACS members are paid for their efforts, and we must all work full-time jobs to support our computer hobby.

Any of you who have waited more than 10 weeks for your disks, please notify us at: JACS Graphics Disks, P.O. Box 710, Clementon, NJ 08021

Forrest Blood
President, JACS


ATARI SCAPEGOAT



It's amazing that most major software houses (except, notably, Broderbund and Infocom) have concluded that there's no profit in the Atari 8-bit. Even if the Atari titles were released after the same programs on other computers, then whatever the companies made on the Atari versions would be more than they're making now-nothing. There's certainly no reduction in titles for Apple, Commodore and IBM systems. And I've seen plenty of piracy in those users communities. Are we really to believe that the publishers will cease making Apple software? Hardly. Commodore software? Not likely. IBM software? This would be financial suicide.

Here's why we Atarians are taking it on the chin for all home and personal computer users. Software houses are fed up with piracy and want to send this message to the public: If you pirate our software, we'll just stop making titles for your machine.

So which machine is singled out as an example? The Atari 8-bit, of course. Why? Because software companies will be least affected by cutting out Atari software.

Claude Mitchell
Cleveland, OH


WHITHER BASIC?



I held down [OPTION] when booting Bank Street Writer, and the screen said "NEED BASIC CARTRIDGE". When I booted it with BASIC installed, the screen said "NEED 48K." Is this possible?
Kenny Hom
San Jose, CA

When we called the publisher they said you might have an old version of the program, but they do give free updates. Just send your disk to: Broderbund Software, Replacement Department, 17 Paul Drive, San Rafael. CA 94903.-ANTIC ED
 

RADIO NEWS



I have an Atari 800 and need help in finding ham radio programs. Where can I look?
Wayne Bantz
Napa, CA

CompuServe has an Amateur Radio SIG (Type GO HAMNET) with some programs that may be useful to you. Many readers will also be interested in learning that new privileges have recently been granted to Novice class Amateur Radio operators (hams). In the past, Novices were restricted to Morse code in certain bands below 30MHz. Now they can use single sideband voice and digital communications at 28 MHz and certain VHF and UHF frequencies.
   Digital communications allows Novices to use their Atari computers for radio transmission of data, independent of public telephone systems. The Novice license examination requires much less technical knowledge than the higher grades which were previously required for digital communications privileges. See the special section about Atari radio communications in Antic, November 1985.
   To find out how to obtain a Novice license, contact the Amateur Radio Relay League. Dept. NE, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Also of interest to would-be hams will be a new free booklet, Introduction to Packet Radio-A Newcomer's Guide. Packet radio is an increasingly popular state-of-the-art digital communications technology The booklet is available from Kantronics, 1202 E. 23 Street, Lawrence, KS 66046-ANTIC ED
 

PANASONIC ROMS



For all Panasonic 1080i printer owners after struggling with Print Shop and my new 1080i, I was sure the problem was in the printer. I gave Panasonic the details, and they soon sent a new ROM chip for my 1080i. The ROM replacement was easy, even for a novice.
Mike Durmeyer


NO DISNEY



In ST New Products (Antic, January 1987) under Arrakis Advantage Series Peter Adamakos, president of Disada Productions in Montreal, was called "late of Disney Studios." The original press release provided to us was in error. Adamakos says that Disada "has gotten involved with a Disney software series" but he never claimed to have worked at Disney.
-ANTIC ED
 

SANTIAGO'S FIRST BBS



I am looking for information from BBS sysops from the United States about installing and operating the first BBS in Santiago. I would appreciate it if someone could send me a description of the ideal hardware configuration and necessary software.
Juan Carlos Rios
Roman Diaz 1114
Providencia
Santiago de Chile


MONTHLY MENU



After I make a selection from the main menu of the monthly Antic Disk, is there any way to get back to the main menu without turning the computer off and on again?
Glenn Collura
Maple Heights, Ohio

Type RUN "D:MENU- ANTIC ED
 

DRAWING ROUTINES



I am programming in assembly language and would like to access the drawing routines of my 800XL. I have been unable to find any references on this subject.
Bechbache Salah
169 Boulevard Serurier
75019 Paris, France

The Optimized Systems Software MAC/65 Toolkit (which requires the MAC/65 macro assembler) has a library of graphics macros that are about as simple to use as BASIC commands. Player! Missile graphics are also supported with a library of macros-ANTIC ED
 

MIDI PINS



The MIDI cable problem mentioned by Marcel Van Someren in the I/O Board (Antic, February 1987) does indeed affect operation with the Casio CZ-10l synthesizer. I was unable to send sound patches between my 520ST and the CZ-101 internals using software designed for that. Finally I found that pins 3 and 5 of the MIDI cables were soldered together, as were pins 1 and 4. After I separated the pins, everything worked fine.
Robert Bernick
Torrance, CA


ATARI WRITER PLUS SG-10



I have a Star Micronics SG-l0 printer hooked up to my Atari 130XE through a P:R: Connection interface. Most of my custom printer driver functions work fine, but I don't know how to turn off superscript and subscript. Can you help?
Gerald Gambino, Jr.
Emmaus, PA

Page 37 of your Atari Writer Plus manual explains how to enter special printer control codes. To turn off either superscript or subscript, type in a [CONTROL] [0] [27] followed by [CONTROL] [0] [84]. This works on our SG-15, which is the wide-carriage version of the SG-10.
 

KYAN RUNTIME



While I generally agree with the positive Antic review of Kyan Pascal (March 1987), It is simply not true that Kyan has placed a licensing fee on use of the runtime library. Kyan Software has never charged a licensing fee or demanded royalties on programs developed with Kyan Pascal, and this is clearly stated on page IV of the manual.

Also, the Toolkits for System Utilities and Advanced Graphics are $39.95 each-not "enclosed" with the main package. Finally, the complete address of Kyan Software is 1850 Union Street, Suite 183, San Francisco, CA 94123. (415) 626-2080.

Erild Warren
Kyan Software