HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: neurom@stein.u.washington.edu (Neuromancer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Question about Falcon SCSI-2 bus.
Date: 28 Jan 1993 17:45:08 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu

In article <7168@tuegate.tue.nl> wmtwen@rw8.urc.tue.nl (Erlend Nagel) writes:
>Hello,
>
>I have just finished reading a book that described some of the
>functions of the SCSI bus (not SCSI-2).
>One of the most interesting features of the SCSI bus was "bus
>arbitration". This allows drives to temporarily disconnect from the bus
>to free the bus so other drives and printers and so speed up all
>communication. It could possibly even allow more than one computer to
>share the same bus and drives.
>Can the Falcon SCSI-2 bus do this too?
>
>Erlend.


Yes, it can.  In fact, the SCSI-II interface can transfer data at up to 10Mb/sec!!!
No more waiting, hu?
From: rchan@terapin.com (Ronald Chan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: POWERDOS ???
Date: 23 Jan 93 14:52:25 PST
Organization: BBS

In article <1jjtacINNmat@rs2.hrz.th-darmstadt.de>,
cbvetter@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (Chris Vetter) writes:
>I recently stumbled upon a file, called POWERDOS.ZOO, while I was ftping...
Well
>, I unZOOed it and read about multitasking stuff, POWERDOS
>would do to my Atari ?!
>
>Before it will smash my HD and my nerves, can someone tell me please what's
this
> all about ?
>
>sincerely,
>Chris

Don't worry about it smashing your hard disc.  It simply replaces all the
slower GEM disc access routines with faster assmebly language ones.  You'll
love it since it turns your hard disc into a speed demon.  It also eliminates 
a lot of the TOS bugs like the infamous 40 folder limit.

The multi tasking is really just a potential.  It provides the pipes and speed
needed for effective multi tasking.  Software that takes advantage of this is
supposed to allow multi tasking.

The only problem I had with PowerDos is with programs that like to be at the
top of RAM (like CodeHeads RAMdisc).  PowerDOS won't let these load after it,
so you will have to put any programs that must be at top before running
PowerDOS.


**------------------------------------**------------------------------------**
|| Ronald Chan [rchan@terapin.com ]   || USDA Agricultural Research Service ||
||             [rchan@tatertot.com]   || Albany, California                 ||
||                                    ||                                    ||
|| A Pocket Knight  *--{------------- || [Internet Address Pending]         ||
**------------------------------------**------------------------------------**
From: cmh@eng.cam.ac.uk (C.M. Hicks)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Serial Ports (was ADVOCACY: Convince me to stick with Atari.)
Date: 22 Jan 93 09:14:33 GMT
Organization: cam.eng

moffatd@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Darren Moffat) writes:

>rossin@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ted Rossin) writes:

>>RS232 is not a standard! Ever wonder what RS stands for:

>>			Recommended Standard.

>I think you will find that RS stands for Radio Spares
>which is a large Components company. 

Yes it does, but in this context I'm sure it stands for:

                        Random Spaghetti

:-)


--
 ==============================================================================
 Christopher Hicks    |    If it doesn't fit...
 cmh@uk.ac.cam.eng    |                        ...you need a bigger hammer.
 ==============================================================================
From: mapmh@sunlab1.bath.ac.uk (Mark Hagger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Compatability and attitudes
Date: 22 Jan 93 11:32:00 GMT
Organization: School of Mathematics, University of Bath, UK

In the referenced article, warwick@cs.uq.oz.au writes:
>craig@yonder.equinox.gen.nz (Craig Shore) writes:
>
>for the programmer to use paths like "data/foo.pi1" rather than
>"A:/data/foo.pi1".  No hard, really.  Reason?  Who knows - I don't - who
>here posted that "attitude & compatibility" article?  They had the
>reason perhaps.
>
Actually I wrote the original article, but I was more posing a general
question than stating a reason.  From the followups and more thinking
about this it would seem that the main problems are as follows:

PD games/applications:  The programmers can only write the software to
work with what they have available, ie if they have no hard disc and
perhaps have never used one, they will have no way of knowing if their
program will work with a HD, etc for working from drive B floppys etc.
This sort of thing is perhaps excusable, but it would be nice if there
were some simple notes about these sorts of problems, ie what simple
things make the programs more compatible across a broad range of
machines.

Commercial software:  Since these have the *copy protection* problem
and hence frequently boot from the auto folder their ability to run
from HD is strictly limited, in addition numerous programs cannot be
run from the desktop due to needing to run before GEM is activated,
although this really shouldn't be such a problem, apart from the
memory consideration (ie GEM grabs some memory for itself) why do so
many programs fall over when trying to run from the desktop?  For
example on the Acorn Archimedes all software that I am aware of (not a
great deal I'll admit) that has to be run from a floppy, can be run
from the desktop with no problem whatsoever using a sort of *run*
command.  If this could be done for the Atari computers it would be so
much nicer.  These games/applications would obviously then have to
select the screen mode etc for themselves, hopefully having a quit
option that would allow a simple return to the desktop.

Oh well, maybe this is a pipedream, but my original comment was that
too many Atari users just play 'one-time' games, then switch the
machine off and go elsewhere - so the mainstream programmers cater for
precisely these people.

Mark

The official upgrade path for the Cray computers is to buy a new
machine, terrible huh? (just a little joke)
From: csk@po.CWRU.Edu (Carl S. Kashuk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Two 1040ST systems for sale
Date: 27 Jan 1993 04:05:23 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


Two 1040St systems for sale:
        1040ST, 1 meg memory, Atari SC1224 monitor, Golden
Image mouse. $400 or best offer

        1040ST, 1 meg memory, Atari SC1224 monitor, Golden
Image mouse, external 5 1/4 disk drive, and the following
software: Falcon, Mavis Beacon typing, Hostage. $600 or best
offer. Also available free: null modem cable for playing Falcon
head-to-head combat with another ST!

We would really like to unload these systems; they have built-in
MIDI ports and are perfect for music applications.
Prices negotiable, if interested, send mail to Carl Kashuk
(csk@po.cwru.edu)

-- 
It's easier to put on slippers than to carpet the whole world
                        -Stuart Smalley (Al Franken)
From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Computer reliability
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 19:22:46 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <1993Jan25.052439.8917@erenj.com>

Marcelino Bernardo makes a good point about semiconductor reliability
versus mechanical reliability...
 
Oxidation can occur even with the best gold plated connectors,
and when you're dealing with multi-megahertz clock speeds even
the slightest added capacitance can throw things off.. the added
resistance of a bad connection can also play havoc with signal
levels, especially with older logic which doesn't have radical
voltage swings between logic levels.
 
Many times "fixing" the mainframes where I work will be as simple
as removing and reseating a circuit board.. just wiping the
oxidation from the fingers is enough to get it working again.
 
So while Warwick had it completely backwards in regard to the
reliability of the semiconductor electronics in a computer, he
was right about the mechanical reliability.
 
(The top of my 520 ST's case hasn't had the screws in it for
longer than I can remember.  Whenever there's a problem, the
first "fix" I try is opening the top and pushing all the chips
back down..  nine times out of ten, that's all it needs)
 
BobR
From: qsi@contrast.wlink.nl (Peter Kocourek)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: ADVOCACY: Re: PC VS ST
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 23:22:51

Chris Herborth wrote in a message on 17 Jan 93 to All

 CH> I guess you've never played with a Quadra then... We've got 
 CH> Q700s in the computer store at U of Waterloo; courtesy of System 
 CH> 7, it feels about as fast as my ST. Naturally, it'll crunch 
 CH> numbers faster, but it doesn't feel any faster. I can just 
 CH> imagine sys 7 on slower macs... yikes!

My experiences running System 7 are quite different: I am running it on a
Mac IIsi, and to me, it does feel a lot faster than my old ST. Your
mileage may vary.


YHS:QSI!
From: anisko@usdtsg.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (anisko)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Right!  More Picture Conversion stuff!
Date: 25 Jan 93 15:51:06 GMT
Reply-To: anisko@usdtsg.UUCP ()
Organization: NCR Corporation, Dayton

In article <1993Jan25.105256.3043@dct.ac.uk> mcsdc1ph@dct.ac.uk writes:
>
[stuff deleted]
>Now, is there a program out there to do the reverse, i.e. convert SP?, PCS
>pictures (ie. spectrum 512/4096 and photochrome 19200/32768 col pics) to
>The Amobeas IFF?

   I believe the *registered* version of Gemview 2.13 lets you save
in IFF, GIF, BMP, and some other formats. IFF and GIF would work with
your Amiga friend, and BMP would work with Windows, I believe.
Unregistered, you still could save as GIF...

>There had better be, as a certain Amobea owning friend of mine is getting
>paranoid, thinking that STE is a greedy machine who only takes, and doesen't
>give!

   				Robert Anisko
				anisko@usdtsg.daytonoh.ncr.com

...dunno about converting PCS pics, however...
From: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov (John Hutchinson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Falcons made in Iraq?
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:09:08 GMT
Reply-To: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory

In article 134610SML108@psuvm.psu.edu, <SML108@psuvm.psu.edu> () writes:
>One question to the people who have claimed the Falcon is being produced in
>Iraq:  If this is true, then how do they get past the total trade embargo
>placed on Iraq by the United Nations?
>
>Methinks they're not being made there...
>
>Scott


The "truth" is that the Al Rashid hotel was not actually struck by an errant
cruise missile... the damage was caused by some dweeb in the lobby who powered
up an Iraq made 110v Falcon on 220v ac and the DSP blew!!!

And if you believe THIS, I've got some prime beachfront property in New
Mexico you might be interested in!  :)

---

___________________________ John "HUTCH" Hutchinson _________________________
_________________ Fair Dinkum Technologies     Member - IAAD  _______________
________________ "No worries, mate... it's from Fair Dinkum!" _______________
____________ email: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov   GEnie: FAIR-DINKUM _____________
From: wbdst+@pitt.edu (William B Dwinnell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Carter Graphics: opinions?
Date: 25 Jan 93 03:22:56 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh


   The only reason I thought I might not be alone with an unfortuneate
experience with Carter Graphics, is that my friend, who got his
SyQuest from them for his ST, said basically the same thing. I almost
cancelled, and went to Toad, but the woman I spoke with there was so
nice, that I felt bad. (Plus, I needed a CPU switch on the drive, so that
I could share it with my IBM!)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
From: borrmann@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Alexander Borrmann)
Subject: Re: KQ IV -software bug or just plain stupid??
Keywords: Kings Quest IV Software Bug
Originator: borrmann@hphalle8c.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
Organization: Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:58:20 GMT


A few weeks ago I discovered that bug, too. But KQ IV and my
Atari ST didn't crash throwing  bombs. Kings Quest IV popped
up a dialog box saying something like 'Oops! You've discovered
a bug. Please contact the Sierra customer support' and after
pressing the RETURN-key the program exited. Well, it seems this
is indeed a bug! On the other hand the bug only shows up if you
dig a hole in the cemetery at the wrong place (the program tells
you, that you dig a hole and don't find anything of interest;
after the 6th hole your shovel breaks) and look into the hole
you just dug. To avoid the bug simply (???!) find out how to
stop the baby ghost's fretful crying and/or where to dig (well,
my guess. I'm stuck at that place, too): KQ IV only lets you dig
in the graveyard if and only if you have visited the nursery
while the baby ghost was in (and crying). It seems to me that
there is still another (mother?) ghost in the room trying to
quiet the baby because the cradle is rocking.

Alexander
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Falcons made in Iraq?
From: jonc@status.gen.nz (Jon Clarke)
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 93 09:46:31 GMT
Organization: The Z*NET International News Gateway in New Zealand

hutch@bellman.lanl.gov (John Hutchinson) writes:

> In article 134610SML108@psuvm.psu.edu, <SML108@psuvm.psu.edu> () writes:
> >One question to the people who have claimed the Falcon is being produced in
> >Iraq:  If this is true, then how do they get past the total trade embargo
> >placed on Iraq by the United Nations?
> >
> >Methinks they're not being made there...
> >
> >Scott
> 
> 
> The "truth" is that the Al Rashid hotel was not actually struck by an errant
> cruise missile... the damage was caused by some dweeb in the lobby who powere
> up an Iraq made 110v Falcon on 220v ac and the DSP blew!!!
> 
> And if you believe THIS, I've got some prime beachfront property in New
> Mexico you might be interested in!  :)
> 
 
              F A I R   D I N K U M   M A T E ?


 Jon Clarke                                                     Z*NET Pacific
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
  jonc@status.gen.nz           GEnie: J.Clarke6        Hexagon: HSBC NZM EBD
  Phone: (+649) 358-5589       IFNA : 3/772:105        GEM    : NZM CABLES
 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
     "Practise safe computing ! Wear a write protect tab!" jc 1988
From: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (Chris Herborth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Organization: InterZONE Design
Subject: Re: ADVOCACY: Re: Last time on this one
	<1993Jan21.113030.4579@email.tuwien.ac.at>
	<1993Jan21.230132.13941@bsu-ucs>
Reply-To: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.04 Rev. Sep  5 1992
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 14:45:06 EST

In <1993Jan21.230132.13941@bsu-ucs>, 01mbmccabe@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu writes:
> > Normally, you just get [DOS/Windows] 'bundled' with the PC, so I don't think
> > anyone really knows (or cares) that it's a 3rd party product, not part of
> > the OS! The dealers themselves probably don't care about that either!
> 
> I wonder if, when ordering a full blown clone-system from one ofo the
> mail-order giants, they'd alternatively bundle OS/2 instead of Microsoft
> 'junk?'

Most of the will do something like that, or at least drop the price of the
system by the price of DOS/Windoze.

Some will put unix on it for the price of the system software...
-- 
-------------------========================================-------------------
Chris Herborth
cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
From: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov (John Hutchinson)
Subject: Re: floptical advice please!
Reply-To: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:51:02 GMT

In article MFJ@gabriel.keele.ac.uk, u0h36@keele.ac.uk (Adam Turnbull) writes:
>The problem I'm having is getting one from a UK source. After trying all
>the companies advertising such drives in the ST magazines here, I was
>greeted by them all with "sorry, we don't sell anything less than 80
>meg", despite the fact the advertisments claim they do.

Ooops! Sorry, Adam.  I missed that "uk" in your address.  I would think your
best (aka, "cheapest") bet would be to try find a used drive from someone in
the UK who is upgrading to a bigger system.

Maybe some of the other UK visitors to this newsgroup could suggest a source? 

---

___________________________ John "HUTCH" Hutchinson _________________________
_________________ Fair Dinkum Technologies     Member - IAAD  _______________
________________ "No worries, mate... it's from Fair Dinkum!" _______________
____________ email: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov   GEnie: FAIR-DINKUM _____________
From: neil@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Forsyth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Incompatibility FAQ
Date: 28 Jan 93 09:20:07 GMT
Organization: Dept of Computing & Electrical Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland

In article <1993Jan25.063603.9759@erenj.com> mbernar@erenj.com
(Marcelino Bernardo) writes:
>On this subject:  Is there a FAQ or a person who could answer if Dungeon
>Master, Falcon, Pha$ar etc. would break if I upgrade my 1040STf to TOS 2.06?
>A TOS 2.06 compatibility list would be nice.

If I remember correctly, Dungeon Master used direct DMA for it's disk access
(BAD!) and so doesn't care what TOS version you have and thus will probably
work fine. Not that using TOS to load should make a difference.

Falcon is file based but may or may not work depending on whether
it loads to an absolute address since that address may be in use by TOS.

As for Pha$ar, I have no idea. Never heard of it.

+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
! DISCLAIMER:Unless otherwise stated, the above comments are entirely my own !
! Neil Forsyth                                                               !
! Department of Computing and Electrical Engineering                         !
! Heriot-Watt University                                                     !
! Edinburgh, Scotland                                                        !
! United Kingdom            Email: neil@uk.ac.hw.cs, ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!neil !
! "'Have you got any?' he asked, expecting the answer no" - Monty Python     !
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: hmallat@robin.cs.hut.fi (Hannu Mallat ~ PurpleHaze)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Leonoids (game for Dave Baggett)
Date: 21 Jan 1993 16:55:17 GMT
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, CS lab
Distribution: inet
NNTP-Posting-Host: robin.cs.hut.fi

In <1jl2ivINNer3@life.ai.mit.edu> dmb@case.ai.mit.edu (David Baggett) writes:

>>Basically the game starts off with a few largish digitised pictures of
>>Leonard's head and a little triangular space-ship... You can probably
>I don't think I want to push my luck that much with the L-meister, but

Oh, just make a game where you can load your own asteroid images, and
someone just might supply the right pictures ;-) Hmm, I wonder if I
could have the spare time some night...

--
				El{m{!
		  Et ole tehnyt minua onnelliseksi.
		       Jos en saa t{yttymyst{,
			  anna edes unohdus.
Organization: Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 1993 12:17:27 EST
From: <EENG6826@RyeVm.Ryerson.Ca>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Programs - I need ideas...!

How about doing a program that converts an FLI to SPC pictures ?
Its not that hard. The FLIs don't use any complicated compression
I was able to do the first frame in an afternoon.

Carlos Varela
From: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (Chris Herborth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Why Atari can't succeed in the United States
Date: 25 Jan 93 16:59:16 GMT
	<1993Jan23.012246.8736@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
	<1jsn8kINNd95@escargot.xx.rmit.OZ.AU>
Reply-To: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
Organization: InterZONE Design
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.04 Rev. Sep  5 1992

In <1jsn8kINNd95@escargot.xx.rmit.OZ.AU>, UT writes:
> There was a very interesting tv program on recently about Japanese trade
> practices and how they are making it very hard for Americans to break into
> their own markets. One case in point stood out - a new hand held game system
> (don't remember which) was to be carried by Toys R Us until Nintendo stepped in
> threatening supplies of its entertainment systems unless Toys R Us dropped the
> product. 
> 
> Has Atari been stepping on Nintendos toes?

Well, there was that LAW SUIT they filed (unsuccessfully) against Nintendo
a while back...

Oh, and the Lynx is competing with the GameBoy; competition seems to be
stepping-on-our-toes to Nintendo.

-- 
-------------------========================================-------------------
Chris Herborth
cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
From: 01mbmccabe@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: floptical advice please!
Date: 25 Jan 93 18:20:11 GMT
Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's

> The fact that they are slower than floppies is all that is putting me
> off - I don't have an existing hard drive, and I don't think a floptical
> would be up to the job of running gcc/mint/tcsh/latex and whatever at a
> reasonable speed. I do like the idea of keeping related bunches of
> programs all on one disk though - just pop in the disk corresponding to
> what you're going to do tht session.

I'm not sure if the above is a typo, but Flopticals are several times faster
than a regualr floppy drive.  If the above _is_ a typo, then yes, Flopticals
are slower than a hard-drive.

				-Matt
From: rossin@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ted Rossin)
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 16:03:33 GMT
Subject: Re: Serial Ports (was ADVOCACY: Convince me to stick with Atari.)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st

RS232 is not a standard! Ever wonder what RS stands for:

			Recommended Standard.
From: wmtwen@rw8.urc.tue.nl (Erlend Nagel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Speedo GDOS questions...
Date: 21 Jan 93 15:42:15 GMT
Organization: The Timewasters

Hi,

I would like to know what fonts will be included with SpeedoGDOS and if
there is going to be a font-editor and/or conversion utility to make
vector fonts from bitmapped fonts.
If anyone on this newsgroup knows more. Just post. I am sure more
people are interested in hearing about this.

Erlend.
From: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (Chris Herborth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Organization: InterZONE Design
Subject: Hermes vs MiNT
Reply-To: cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.04 Rev. Sep  5 1992
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 22:25:26 EST

After a typical amount of fooling around, I got Hermes (1.04) working on
my ST.

Then I thought, woudln't it be nice to do other things while Hermes polls
for my news/mail?

Well, it doesn't seem to work with MiNT 0.95...  :-(  Does anyone have any
suggestions for getting Hermes and MiNT to live together?
-- 
-------------------========================================-------------------
Chris Herborth
cherborth@semprini.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca