From: djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: News-Disk 8 Editorial
Date: 4 Oct 92 13:30:52 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Atari 8-bit News-Disk Issue 8
-----------------------------

Editorial by Dean Garraghty
---------------------------

Well, who'd have thought we'd make it to issue 8?! After issue 1 went out in 
March 1991, I was doubtful another issue would ever be produced. It hasn't 
been easy. People still don't want to share their work with other News-Disk 
readers. I am very grateful to those people who have, including Brian Walker 
on this issue. BUT! I would definately like to see more original material on 
the News-Disk. This issue is largely dominated by old Z*MAG articles. Writing 
an article is not as difficult as you may think. If I can do it - anyone can! 
Choose an Atari-related subject which interests you, and write a few words 
about it. Or, how about a review of some software you bought, or some PD, or a 
particular piece of hardware you enjoy using. It doesn't matter if reviews of 
the same software have been published elsewhere. Another user's perspective is 
always useful. Although I try to keep the articles on the News-Disk at a high 
standard, I don't refuse any articles. I may edit them to bring them up to 
scratch, but that's all. Have a go. Please!

For most of the UK disk subscribers, it's time to re-subscribe again! If you 
fit into this category, a subscription form will be enclosed with your disk. 
Please please re-subscribe. Re-subscription time is always a nervous time! 
Will they want to re-subscribe I always ask myself. I very much hope the 
current 8 issues will inspire you to send your 4pounds for a new subscription! 
Don't forget - the cost of a subscription has been the same for 18 months, 
despite postal increases, disk price increases, etc. Don't delay - 
re-subscribe today!

Now on to the show (AMS6). This is probably the last issue of the News-Disk 
until after the show. Please come to the show if you can! We need you there! I 
would be very grateful if you could let me know if you intend to come along. I 
need numbers you see! The incentive to do this is a 10% discount on everything 
available on the day on my stand. Please write and let me know you're coming, 
and I'll send you a 10% discount card by return. Hope to see you ALL there! 
Don't forget - Saturday 14th November 1992. Bingley Hall, Stafford. 10am to 
4pm. All disk subscribers should have received a show leaflet with their disk. 
We will have the PD library there, new and used software, maybe some hardware, 
and hopefully the new package of Digi-Studio. We will hopefully be 
demonstrating Digi-Studio with some live music! Just in case you were 
wondering, the music played while booting this disk was "In an English country 
garden" played in a heavy guitar!

Now on to a note about disk densities. I recently received a 7 1/2 page 
complaint about this subject. I have been accused of confusing people, and 
talking bullshit. I find this grossly insulting. The whole arguement is over 
my descriptions in the PD catalogue. As you know, I catagorize disks as SD and 
DD. I say SD works on any drive, but DD needs a 1050. But, DD is sometimes 
used to describe true DD disks (180K format) which is used by US doubler and 
Happy. The standard 1050 density is often reffered to as enhanced density or 
medium density. The reason I don't use this, is because I find these 
descriptions totally stupid. There is absolutely no such format as medium 
density. When I order disks, I don't ask for DS/medium density. There is no 
such thing. If I stick to two simple formats: single and double, we can avoid 
confusion. If I start introducing new formats now we are only going to get 
confused. In the whole PD library I only have 2 disks which need a Happy/US 
doubler 1050 to run, and those disks say that in the catalogue. Most PD comes 
on SD disks anyway. Very very few PD disks (or any other disks for that 
matter) need a modified 1050 to run. Introducing a new density just to take 
care of these few disks can only cause confusion. I hope you will understand! 
I know I'm going to get a lot of nasty responses to this, because it is a 
tender subject for many Atari verterans. But, please, no 7 1/2 page letters!

I think people may not have realized last issue that the new PD I mentioned is 
listed in a new file called PDLIST.P3. PDLIST.P2 was getting too big! Also, 
thanks to Johnny Chan, I've been informed that the files are too big to fit 
into Mini Office 2. Sorry about this. They were designed to fit into 
AtariWriter, or to be printed out using the program supplied. There are 11 new 
PD disks available this issue, so check PDLIST.P3 for details! I have also 
have a couple of new items of used software. As I always say, the PD library 
supports the News-Disk, so keep those orders coming! Don't forget - I exchange 
PD disks for your unwanted commercial stuff.

A quick note about Atari Classics magazine. The last I heard, they were 
working out the fine details with the publisher. It is hoped the premier issue 
will be available later this year.

I've thought of a new series for the News-Disk. How about a questions and 
answers page? If you have questions to ask, then send them to me for inclusion 
on the News-Disk. Then, hopefully, people will be able to send answers for 
inclusion on the next issue. There is a file on this issue called QUESTION.DOC 
with some questions from Brian Walker. Let's see if anyone can help.

There is a for sale ad in the ADVERTS.DOC file. Go check it out!

It will soon be time for me to head back to university again. Here is my 
university address for the coming year: 23 Ystwyth Close, Penparcau, 
Aberystwyth, SY23 3RU, WALES,UK. Yup, that's right, same as last year! And the 
dates I'll be there are as follows: 28 Sep 1992 to 11 Dec 1992, 11 Jan 1993 to 
26 Mar 1993, 27 Apr 1993 to 23 Jun 1993. This last date will probably change. 
I'll be at my home address at all other times. You can send orders, 
submissions, etc to me in Wales direct when I'm there. Or, if all that's too 
complicated then just send stuff to my home address! Expect a delay though. 
My home address is: 62 Thomson Ave, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 0NU, ENGLAND. It's 
not too vital now that you get letters to the right address at the right time. 
It just involves a delay if you get it wrong!

The articles on this issue are:

ERR164.DOC - what to do if you get an error 164.

FOREIGN.DOC - details and experiences with those new German and Dutch 
suppliers.

FUTURE.DOC - Atari past and present. What next?

MODEMS.DOC - how to solve line noise, and some common myths about modems.

PROJECT1.DOC - full details of how to build a light sensor.

QUESTION.DOC - the new questions and answers page.

EBURN.DOC - a review of CSS's Super E-burner EPROM burner.

AUTORUN.DOC - an article about using AUTORUN.SYS files.

ADVERTS.DOC - the adverts!

TRIAL.COM - Trial By Fire. We haven't had a game on the News-Disk for a while, 
so I thought I'd put one on this issue. You have to move the stretcher to 
bounce the cat-like thing into the ambulance. Most odd!

SDMP1020.BAS - a screen dump for the 1020 plotter.

Please note: I've had to remove DUP.SYS on this issue to fit everything on!

See you all at the show!!

Dean Garraghty
7 September 1992.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit