HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Foreign suppliers
Date: 4 Oct 92 13:25:15 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth

An article by Brian Walker about his experiences with the new European 8-bit 
suppliers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two foreign firms advertised in the number 56 edition of Page 6 Publishing's 
New Atari User magazine (June/July 1992). KE-SOFT of Germany and A.N.G. 
Software of Holland.

A.N.G.were advertising the three back issues of their 8-bit disk 'Mega 
Magazine' and the latest edition available around 'May/June'. KE-SOFT invited 
you to send off for their free price list, which I immediately did. It only 
costs the price of a first class stamp to send a letter from the U.K. to other 
European Community countries.

From the postmark it seems that my letter took four to five days to reach 
Germany and the reply eleven days in transit to reach me! Why so long I wonder?

An illustrated brochure arrived which doubled as the order form. All 
descriptions of the software were in English and prices were in pounds 
sterling and dollars. Software on offer was a mixture original arcade and 
puzzle type games but also some P.D. and some older software such as S.S.I.'s 
War in Russia for four pounds. A bargain! I was tempted and sent off an order.

Since the cost of sending money abroad seems to be so expensive I took a risk 
and sent cash. In fact a twenty pound note which exactly covered the cost of 
software and postage and packing. Never ever send coins by post. Besides 
increasing the cost of postage it is a sure giveaway to any potential thief. 
It's better to send slightly too much money in notes and maybe ask for a 
credit off your next order.

Two and a half weeks later a jiffy bag arrived. Again from the postmark it 
seems that my order was dealt with promptly but the delayed delivery was due 
to the postal service.

One of the original games, Atomit II, had instructions in German but it was so 
easy to pick up the gameplay that it wasn't a handicap. War in Russia arrived 
with original documentation and maps but without the bulky box. Sensible 
really. So no problems with KE-SOFT.

I also sent off ten pounds cash to Holland for the four issues of Mega 
Magazine. I sent it off in late May and they still haven't arrived yet two 
months later. I have sent off a chaser today to see if they received my order.

Postscript:The day after I wrote the above and sent off the chaser my disks 
arrived! It seems that the delay was due to a combination of 'May/June' 
becoming 'June/July, a change of address and a break for holidays. So, contact 
has been established and I will send another order off for software from their 
catalogue which came with the disks. By the way A.N.G. stands for 'A New 
Generation'.

The new address of A.N.G. Software is:

A.N.G.Software
Ridderkerksestraat 60
3114 RK Schiedam
Holland.

KE-SOFT are at:

KE-SOFT
Frankenstrasse 24
6457 Maintal 4
Germany.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: ab588@yfn.ysu.edu (joseph sabatino)
Subject: Re: computers for sale
Organization: Youngstown State University/Youngstown Free-Net
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 18:10:23 GMT


Excuse my ignorence but what is a "pdp" computer?
-- 
Joe Sabatino-->ab588@yfn.ysu.edu
From: moon!cyberden!phbill@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: AACode
Date: Sun, 04 Oct 92 20:25:50 PDT
Organization: Indescribable Creations

Jeez..if I finish this program tonight, it will have only taken me two 
days! :)

Ok...here's the deal.  I'm working on a program called AACode (Atari to 
Atari Code.. hmmm...sounds like UUen/decode, eh?  Well that it is...)  
It's NOT a UUen/decoder... it can NOT handle (at this point) UUencoded 
files nor produce UUencoded files.  It does, however, encode files for 
ASCII transmition (in it's own warped way :) )..

When you look at a file (like a BASIC LISTING), you'll notice it looks 
almost exactly how it should, except some lines have extra characters 
floating about in them.  Here's the deal...

so far, the program can take a LISTing (binaries I'll work on once I've 
perfected the ATASCII-ASCII encoding...) or 255 char/line or less text 
file and produce a 35-39 or 75-79 char/line text file (in ASCII only) 
(but using 155's for [CR]'s..., just use a CR/LF translating terminal 
program) that, once decoded, will (if I'm lucky) be identical to the 
original.  The program handles the lines like this (for text/listings):

It reads the line (using an INPUT, hence the 255 char/line or less limit)
and checks every character of it.  If the values of the characters are
between 32 and 127, then that line is OK, and it's sent.  If the line is 
more than 35 or 75 characters, then the line is split up into however 
many smaller lines it takes (up to 8 (255/7 = 7.something).

If the line contains characters between 0 and 32 or 128 and 255, then 
they have the 128 subtracted (if there) and the 32 added (if it was below 
32).  This gets done to three consecutive lines, and the +127/-32's of 
each byte get added to a 4th byte, (which is of course kept within ASCII 
limits, itself), so when you see the line, it looks pretty normal, except 
4/3rds the size.  If the line was this: (inverse is underlined)

10 PRINT "HELLO MOM!"
                ----

the result would be:

10  PRI NT  "HE LLO  MO4M!"*

The "4" and "*" designate that one or more of the three characters 
preceding it are non-ASCII, and after breaking down the bits of the "4", 
you'd know what characters had values over 127 or below 32.


Hopefully with this program, we'll see more simple (or complex!) program 
LISTings (like that 80x24, etc. Action! program posted previously), which 
contain ALL legal characters, yet are still fairly easy to decipher 
without using software to decode them. 

Also, since not EVERY line of EVERY BASIC program will have non-ASCII, 
the program sizes are shrunk down, without the expense of loosing 
graphics or replacing them with "?CHR$()"'s...

        So how's this idea sound?  I think it might come in pretty 
useful!                           ---



PhBill: Bill Kendrick               |||  1200 Cyberden BBS (+1 415 472-5527)
Moon!Cyberden!PhBill@Well.SF.CA.US / | \ 2600 North of San Francisco California
From: djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: News-Disk
Date: 30 Sep 92 13:56:57 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Over the holidays, I produced issues 6,7, and 8 of the News-Disk. These are all
on the archive. Issue 6 is in the Djg directory, and 7-8 are in the New dir.
On issue 7 (in my editorial) I ask all non-UK readers to let me know they are
reading it, and also for their comments relating to the News-Disk. If you get
and read the News-Disk from the archive or other BBS, then please email me. This
is so I can try and get more accurate reader numbers.

Also, now that the News-Disk is available easily to many people, I would very
much like to see submissions for the News-Disk. I accept articles, programs,
reviews, tutorials, or anything which would be of interest to others. Please 
email your articles to me: djg0@aber.ac.uk. Non-ASCII items (such as programs)
should be UUencoded before mailing.

Dean Garraghty.
Editor, Atari 8-bit News-Disk.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: thester@nyx.cs.du.edu (Uncle Fester)
Subject: Re: Upgrading my 810 and ALT.Atari.8bit.Binarys
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 05:41:02 GMT

In article <Oct01.233354.68462@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> pattons@CS.ColoSt
te.EDU (samuel patton) writes:
>In article <1992Oct1.155616.8562@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> thester@nyx.cs.du.
du (Uncle Fester) writes:
>>
>>The Happy upgrade for the 810 drive does _not_ allow it to read/write
>>SS/DD disk formats.  Everything remains the same except for its ability
to
>>copy disks.  It will read and write faster also.
>>I have one installed in mine.
>
>Are there more than one chip version for the 810?  I could swear that th

>enhanced 810 I saw wrote in 180K since that was a major selling point of
>the drive...
>
>Sam
>
>
>-- 
>________________________________________________________________________
____
>|  Sam Patton -=>  pattons@beethoven.cs.colostate.edu |                 
   |
>|                  spatton@lamar.colostate.edu        |     Emotion 13  
   |
>|_____________________________________________________|_________________
___|


If there was one, it was not in wide release.  Besides, if you disassemble
the code that comes with the product (or list the file that is for you to
use in your own programs) you will see that the software is written to
handle only single density and 720 sectors.
I still think you must be thinking of the 1050 version or the
never-to-be-seen "Turbo 810" product that I mentioned before.
Another problem with the 810 being capable of any sort of Double Density
is the structure of the read/write head itself.  It couldn't produce a
'field' fine enough to discriminate properly.
Cheaper to produce and one reason that the drive was only capable of 88k.

Uncle Fester

--
:  Master,                        :       Uncle Fester       : Printed  :
:    Me and Rex took the kar      :   thester@nyx.cs.du.edu  : on 100%  :
:    to town. Stay home. Stay!    :         -or try-         :recyclable:
:       Ha ha ha ha.   The dog.   :    T.HESTER4 on GEnie    : phosphor :
From: smith@acpy01.att.com (Bob Smith (CXNIXPT1))
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: New Carts for 2600 & 7800
Date: 23 Sep 92 13:03:45 GMT
Organization: AT&T IMS - Piscataway, NJ (USA)

In article <1992Sep22.210446.451@news.ysu.edu> ab588@yfn.ysu.edu (joseph sabatino) writes:
>
>       2600         Serial #    Price
>       ----         --------    -----
>Secret Quest        cx26170     $3.50 *
>Jr. Pac-Man         cx26123      3.50 *
>Moon Patrol         cx2692       3.50 *
>Realsports Football cx2668       3.50 *
>Desert Falcon       cx26140      2.50 *
>Realsports Baseball cx2640       2.50 *
> 
>       7800         Serial #    Price
>       ----         --------    -----
>Donky Konk Jr.      cx7849       3.50 *
>Donky Kong          cx7848       3.50 *
>Dig Dug             cx7803       2.50 *
>Ball Blazer         cx7815       2.50 *
>Dark Chambers       cx7837       2.50 *
> 

Joe,

Sorry I had to post this way, but I am unable to reply to your article.
I've made my selections. Please contact me as to availability and cost.
Thanks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Bob Smith                              Voice   : (908) 457-6833
 AT&T                                   Internet: smith@acpy01.ATT.COM
 Room D33                               Attmail : attmail!rsmithjr
 180 Centennial Avenue                  Home    : (908) 359-4120
 Piscataway, NJ 08854
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: moon!cyberden!phbill@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Quest for Refresh
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 92 15:58:44 PDT
Organization: Indescribable Creations

bmarcum@world.std.com (Bill Marcum) writes:

> What Textpro does, essentially, is to poke characters into screen memory
> instead of "printing" them.  Of course, this is one reason why Textpro doesn'
> work on an XEP-80, but then neither does any other word processor that wasn't
> written especially for it.
> 
> Bill Marcum  bmarcum@world.std.com

Well, yeah, but how does it go about word wrap and paragraph breaks? (ie, 
actually GOING TO THE NEXT LINE, rather than putting an inverse [ESC] 
onto the screen...?!)  It's all so FRUSTRATING! :)

PhBill: Bill Kendrick               |||  1200 Cyberden BBS (+1 415 472-5527)
Moon!Cyberden!PhBill@Well.SF.CA.US / | \ 2600 North of San Francisco California
From: moon!cyberden!phbill@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Quest for Refresh
Date: 29 Sep 92 23:13:39 GMT
Organization: Indescribable Creations

Jeff McWilliams <JJMCWILL@MTUS5.BITNET> writes:

> 
> Am I the only one left on the face of this earth who's interested
> in running a 16 bit CPU in my 8 bit? Am I really all alone?
> 
> Jeff McWilliams

I'd like to speed up my 8-bit...  I have no CA$H though!! ;)  Anyways... 
have you actually got anything working lately? (no matter how miniscule 
it is, >I'd< like to hear about it!)

PhBill: Bill Kendrick               |||  1200 Cyberden BBS (+1 415 472-5527)
Moon!Cyberden!PhBill@Well.SF.CA.US / | \ 2600 North of San Francisco California
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: "Marek Tomczyk" <UJ1G@DKAUNI2.BITNET>
Subject: Re: Quest for Refresh
Organization: University of Karlsruhe, Germany
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 20:02:41 GMT



Ryan 'Gozar' Collins writes:

>      On another note, have you looked into the 65802? It is pin
> compatible with the 6502, but has 16 bit registers. It unfortunately has
> only 64k address space though. I know the Apple ][ people have been
> replacing their 6502s with this and have no problems. I've been thinking
> about doing it to my 400, but haven't got around to it yet. The XL/XE
> series would probably require some daughterboard because of the 6502C.

What exactly is different in the 6502C? I know there are some additional
circuits inside. I don't know what kind of logic, though.

Could anybody post a diagram showing the pinout of both the
original 6502 and the custom 6502C? I'd very appreciate it.

Marek Tomczyk
From: moon!cyberden!phbill@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Mailing list instead of new group??
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 17:49:27 PDT
Organization: Indescribable Creations

dunham@mpd.tandem.com (Jerry Dunham) writes:

> level is quite low.  Why not have all Ataris share one binary group?  A
> convention for prefacing subject lines would aid in sorting out whose is
> which.  What would it take to make this idea happen?

Start posting 8-bit stuff there! ;)

PhBill: Bill Kendrick               |||  1200 Cyberden BBS (+1 415 472-5527)
Moon!Cyberden!PhBill@Well.SF.CA.US / | \ 2600 North of San Francisco California
From: djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: High Scores
Date: 4 Oct 92 13:22:44 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth

***********************************
**                               **
**  H  I  -  S  C  O  R  E  S    **
** ----------------------------- **
**   Compiled by JAMES HAWORTH   **
**                               **
**  of SONIK-SOFT     1 9 9 2    **
**                               **
**     for DEAN GARRAGHTY's      **
**        NEWS  -  DISK          **
**                               **
***********************************



This advert is to everyone who can use a joystick.

As you might have seen in issue 52 of N.A.U. I'm compiling a Hi-Scores list 
for all ATARI 8-Bit games, all I need are some scores from you. So write down 
a list of all your games (or just your favourites if you have a lot), and go 
through each of them playing the game a couple of times, then record your 
highest score next to the title. Once you've done that, send the list to me 
at...

            James Haworth
            86 Ashtree Rd
            Oadby
            Leicester
            LE2 5TD
            ENGLAND

Then I'll send you a fully compiled list for each of the five top scores for 
each game...

Here are some scores to work at:


    ZYBEX         -      159,450

    PACMAN        -      236,000

    NINJA         -       16,120

    H.E.R.O.      -      104,595

    DEFENDER      -   10,020,750

    PITFALL II    -      342,134

    FEUD          -100% VICTORIOS

    STAR R'DRS II -      729,200

    ENCOUNTER     -       74,000

    MIRAX FORCE   -      102,420

    RESCUE ON FRA -      373,539

    GALAXIAN      -       24,080

    I.K.          -       75,600

    ARKANIOD      -      406,630

    ALLEY CAT     -      236,386

    WARHAWK       -      222,202

    CAVERNIA      -       13,910

    STACK-UP      -       46,200

    MISSION SHARK -       37,170

    DRACONUS      -       10,700

    YOGI'S GR. ESC-      207,000

    RUFF'N'REDDY  -       16,470

    CULTIVATION   -        4,761

    HAWKQUEST     -       40,230


So if you can beat any of those scores, or have any you would like to send in, 
then don't hesitate!!

I also have more scores so get killing your joysticks !!!!!!!!!


That's all for now. Hope you can help me.

JAMES HAWORTH. (14)
From: Tim.Gearin@f47.n282.z1.tdkt.kksys.com (Tim Gearin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: crashman
Date: 28 Sep 92 07:38:03 GMT


     What language are you writing in? 
    Im in the process of writing a game up myself.  Its nearly done.  

 * Origin: FlightLine BBS {MSP}MN USRdual 612-544-5118 (1:282/47.0)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Quest for Refresh
From: Jeff McWilliams <JJMCWILL@MTUS5.BITNET>
Date: Monday, 28 Sep 1992 20:24:45 EST
Organization: Computing Technology Services, Michigan Technological Univ.

In article <1992Sep27.180324.10582@news.ysu.edu>, ab588@yfn.ysu.edu (joseph
sabatino) says:
>
>Jeff, I was interested in running the 65816 board until I heard
>it was incompatible with the MIO...Is there any truth in this?
>--
>Joe Sabatino-->ab588@yfn.ysu.edu

I think mine had problems with my MIO, using a computer that also had
a newell 256K upgrade in it.  Others say the Black Box and it aren't
compatible.  Some claim it is just becasue the timing of the ROM PBI
routines are off.. nobody really knows though do they?

Jeff McWilliams
From: aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: email to C.S.S. ?
Date: 27 Sep 1992 00:33:27 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, tgreen@iastate.edu (Todd Greenfield) says:

>does anyone know if Computer Software Services (Bob Puff)
>has an email address on the internet?  I'm pretty
>sure I've seen one on this group before, but I couldn't
>find it back.

I have Bob Puff at 76702.1076@compuserve.com.  I've never heard if he's
actually there or not, so if you do hear from him it might be useful to let
us know.

There's also Chris Fesmesser (sp) at CSS who posts here on occasion, but I
don't have his e-mail address.
-- 
 Michael Current, Cleveland Free-Net 8-bit Atari SIGOp   -->>  go atari  <<--
   The Cleveland Free-Net Atari SIG is the Central Atari Information Network
      Internet: currentm@carleton.edu / UUCP: ...!umn-cs!ccnfld!currentm
     BITNET: currentm%carleton.edu@{interbit} / Cleveland Free-Net: aa700
From: Jim_Johnson@abcd.Houghton.MI.US (Jim Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: SDX 4.19 -> 4.20
Date: 28 Sep 92 03:34:34 GMT
Organization: Amiga BitSwap Central Dispatch

Someone asked what was different between SpartaDOS X version 4.19 and 4.20:
The only difference is the ATARIDOS.SYS which fixes an apparently rare bug
with Atari DOS 2.x style disk support.
ICD upgraded to 4.20 very shortly after shipping 4.19.  They provided the
new ATARIDOS.SYS free of charge via their BBS.  To "upgrade" from 4.19 to
4.20, get a copy of ATARIDOS.SYS version 4.20 on your boot disk (either
find someone with it already on disk, or someone with cart version 4.20 and
TYPE ATARIDOS.SYS >>D1:ATARIDOS.SYS
Next, change your CONFIG.SYS file and include the line
DEVICE=D1:ATARIDOS.SYS


-- Via DLG Pro v0.995

Jim Johnson-
*** Remember, they're only tools - Not a way of life! ***
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: thester@nyx.cs.du.edu (Uncle Fester)
Subject: Re: Upgrading my 810 and ALT.Atari.8bit.Binarys
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 15:56:16 GMT


The Happy upgrade for the 810 drive does _not_ allow it to read/write
SS/DD disk formats.  Everything remains the same except for its ability to
copy disks.  It will read and write faster also.
I have one installed in mine.
The 1050 is a 'dog' as far as I'm concerned though.  It was a slightly
good idea that Atari came up with, but enhanced density aside, it is a
shoddily designed drive that is prone to failure in many aspects both
mechanical and electronic.  I have two that have had to be repaired many
times even though they were not used as heavily as my 810 or XF551.
If someone desires the ability to transfer files in MYDOS double-density
format between the Atari and a PC, I would seek the XF551 rather than the
1050.  Unless you want a Happy 1050 for making back-up copies of protected
software that is.
Again, this just my opinion.
Caveat emptor!

Uncle Fester

--
:  Master,                        :       Uncle Fester       : Printed  :
:    Me and Rex took the kar      :   thester@nyx.cs.du.edu  : on 100%  :
:    to town. Stay home. Stay!    :         -or try-         :recyclable:
:       Ha ha ha ha.   The dog.   :    T.HESTER4 on GEnie    : phosphor :
From: moon!cyberden!phbill@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Command line DOS
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 92 16:00:52 PDT
Organization: Indescribable Creations

djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty) writes:

> I had OPTION to quit the formatter, and START to format next disk. Also, afte
> selecting format, a small menu like this would help:
> 
> Select format density:
> 
> 1. SD (88K)
> 2. DD (MD/ED) (127K)
> 3. DD (TDD) (180K)

Well, for ease of programming, and to make this compatible with any DOS 
that may come out in the future (I always look ahead! :) ), I may simply 
have it format standard (single density, and I suppose that'd be double 
on a DD drive, I wouldn't know) and then have an extra parameter for the 
XIO call..  I forget which format commands are which in AtariDOS & 
compatibles (for the 1050), but to do the enhanced density, you'd need a 
parameter.

BTW: I'm not using menus or non-keyboard key commands (ie, Console keys, 
Help, joysticks, etc.. I do have a SHIFT+CONTROL one in there, to abort 
batch files...but that's in the TBXL version).  I dunno why I chose to, 
but I'm straying away from menus.. (perhaps because if one wanted a menu 
interface for MyDOS, one would use MyDOS's DUP!!! :)  )

> 
> Don't forget ECHO (or have you got this already). Also, I used A: and B: for
> drive 1 and 2, to remain compatible with MSDOS.

Well, I have two commands that might do what you mean by echo..no, make 
that 3.  The first is ECHO ON and ECHO OFF.  When you run a batch file, 
whatever is being read from the disk is displayed (with the "D1:" or 
whatever prompt before it) when ECHO is on.  When it's off, you're in the 
dark.  
The other command is REPORT (ON and OFF).  If you were to REName or COPY 
or do pretty much anything to a file that wouldn't by default show 
something on the screen (like DIR), you would be informed of it's success 
or failure. (ie, typing "REN FILE,NEWNAME" would do it, then report back 
with a "File renamed.")  With REPORT ON, this stuff is shown.  With it 
off, it isnt.
And finally, the other command I have is "%".  It's pretty much the same 
as PRINT in BASIC.   I suppose I'll have to eventually get it to support 
EOLing (for now it adds it all the time, so you can't do anything 
equivalent to "PRINT "HI THERE!";" yet..), but I think that's more or 
less what you wanted....

BTW: I'm going to borrow an MSDOS book (ewwww!) tomorrow (or SOON, if my 
geeky friend will remember to lend it to me!) so I can see if I'm missing 
any "must have" commands. :)

> 


PhBill: Bill Kendrick               |||  1200 Cyberden BBS (+1 415 472-5527)
Moon!Cyberden!PhBill@Well.SF.CA.US / | \ 2600 North of San Francisco California