NEWS ROUNdUp: HAPPENiNGS IN THE 8-BiT WORld
COMpilEd by BEN POEhlANd, MANAgiNG EdiTOR
GOODBYE, BELLCOM!
Software PD Distributor BellCom of Peterborough, Ontario (Canada) officially ceased supporting the Classic Atari on February 1, 1994. Orders received postmarked later than January 31 are being returned. Owner Don Bell had earlier announced he would close the doors on December 31, but apparently had a last-minute change of heart and waited one more month. AC is hopeful that some entrepreneur in the 8-bit community might buy out Don's library and again make his collection available to users.
LAST CHANCE LIBRARY ON CIS
Much to the displeasure of long-loyal Atari 8-bitters, CompuServe recently reorganized the Atari forums to reflect Atari Corporation's primary marketing interests, the Jaguar (ATARIGAMING) and the ST/Falcon computers (ATARIPRO). In the process, the ATARI8 Forum (so well-described in the October '93 AC by Telecom Editor Lawrence Estep) has ceased existence as a distinct entity and has instead been placed under the games banner at CIS. Although many 8-bitters were indignant at once again having their Classic Ataris branded with the stigma of a mere videogame, it was the only viable alternative to kicking the Atari 8-bit into the Orphan Computer Forum along with other long-forgotten names like the Coleco Adam and Timex/Sinclair. Indications are that the ATARI8 Forum has been a money-loser for the past several years.
A "Last Chance" library of soon-to-be-erased files was created for users who'd like one last shot at some of CIS's less-accessed files. Due to the weather-related disruptions in this issue of ACs production cycle, we can't say for sure the files will still be there when this issue gets mailed. Users can still access the Forum by typing GO ATARI8 as usual, then look for the Last Chance files in Library 8. Contact sysops Don LeBow or Bob Puff, or ACs Telecom Editor Lawrence Estep for latest info. There exists a possibility that "Last Chance" files accessed often enough might get restored to the regular archives.
ICD SELLS 8-BIT RIGHTS
In the October '93 issue of AC we announced that ICD, Inc. was seeking to sell all rights to its former 8-bit product line. AC is delighted to report that the former ICD and OSS hardware/software product line has indeed been transferred to a new California-based enterprise called Fine-Tooned Engineering. FTE proprietor Mike Hohman has already begun distributing warehouse stocks of cartridge-based products obtained in the transaction. The formation of FTE, and the revival of the venerable ICD/OSS product line, is seen by AC as the one bright development in an 8-bit market that is showing increasing signs of weakness in 1994.
In addition to reviving the old ICD product line, FTE appears to be vigorously pursuing development of its own products as well. The "MARS-8" product presently under development at FTE is described as some kind of "wonder board", capable of internally accomodating several ROM-based software products as well as OS enhancements and monster amounts of RAM 8-bitters have traditionally associated with products from Newell Industries. FTE has promised to send AC one of these miracle boards when it's finished; we're taking a rather conservative attitude until it has passed muster in the hands of The 8-Bit Alchemist (who is well-known as a hard sell). We at AC are impressed by the intensity of effort now underway in California and wish Mike and his new company all the best in their future endeavors.
IA8 SNAFU ON INTERNET
Readers addicted to the Info-Atari8 Digest on Internet are by now suffering serious withdrawal symptoms. Crossposting and compilation of comp-sys-atari-8bit messages on USENET to the Internet Digest broke down in November '93 and was still inoperative as of this writing (mid-February '94). There have been occasional temporary disruptions of service in the past, but none have lasted this long. A number of rumors are flying around about the cause of the problem, which (like most things on Internet) still remains a mystery. AC takes a personal concern wth the recent problems. Aside from CSA8-IA8's role as a vital link for sharing information within the worldwide 8-bit community, this publication itself traces its roots to that forum.
To complicate matters, at the begining of this year John Dunning announced his desire to vacate the position of Digest Moderator he has served for the past five years. Several people have stepped forward to offer their services as Moderator (including ACs own Mike Jewison), but the situation still appears very muddled at the moment. Aside from his services as IA8 Moderator, John Dunning is fondly remembered as the author of the best PD KERMIT terminal emulator program written for the Classic Atari. We're sorry to see him go and wish him well. Now, if somebody Out There can just fix the Digest... .
MITSUMI MECHS
Another supplier of the increasingly rare 360K Mitsumi drive mechanism for the Atari XF551 floppy drive has popped up in the pages of Computer Shopper (we only hope they still have them by the time this issue of AC gets delivered!). Check out PC Discount Center, Inc., 4341 DiPaolo Center, Glenview Illinois 60025 USA. Phone tollfree: 1-800-245-7453. Listed price for the Mitsumi mech is $55. They take VISA/MasterCard. ACs advice: "Gitt'em while the gittin's good!". The XF551 can actually use any standard IBM-type 360K drive, but only Mitsumi mechs can be conveniently used because of the position of the internal interface cable which Atari made only long enough to fit Mitsumi mechs and no others.
OHAUG CALENDAR DISK
Got three bucks? Send it to Ron Fetzer, 22 Monaco Avenue, Elmont NY 11003 USA along with your request for the OHAUG Calendar Disk. This little gem contains a Yearly Calendar that lets you mark important dates, a Pocket Calendar to use with memos, and a Personal Daily/Monthly Calendar for recording personal notes and reminders. For good measure these OHAUG guys threw in a Disk Cataloger program for helping users organize their collections of diskbased software and data. Nice printouts, all docs included. Try it, you'll like it!
