X-Envelope-to: i-amiga@rutvm1.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"i-amiga@rutvm1"
X-VMS-Cc: LOOMIS
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.i-amiga
Date:         Tue, 22 Dec 1992 11:09:00 EST
From:         Jim Loomis <LOOMIS@ITHACA.BITNET>
Subject:      GEnie Weekend News - Dateline 921211

Long post:  500+ lines.  May contain product releases which include
reference pricing and other information which might be considered
promotional or commercial by some definitions.  Those who fear such
contamination should delete now.  JL


                           -*-   IMPORTANT!   -*-

         As long as individual  stories are kept intact  and credit
         is given, this  material may be  reproduced in ALL or PART
         on a  privately owned  BBS or in a  user group newsletter.
         See wording for proper credit at the end of this Newscast.


Thanks to Denny Atkin, Editor, COMPUTE's Amiga Resource, for his generous
input.


                       DateLine:  December 11, 1992
           This 5-MINUTE Newscast presents the following stories:
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 1. AmigaWorld's Top 10 Freely Distributable Picks

 2. Gail Wellington Joins OptImage Interactive Services as VP

 3. Impulse Releases Visionaire!

 4. Next Week's *StarShip* Amiga Conferences   [DELETED]

 5. The *StarShip* Arrives in Federation II Space   [DELETED - promotion]

 6. Directory OPUS 4.0: More Versatile, Infinitely Customizable

 7. TURBOprint Dot Matrix Printer Enhancement Software

 8. Conquer Dangers Lurking Beyond the Black Hole: INOVAgame's Vektor Storm

    -* BULLETIN!   Important Letter from Commodore to All Amiga Users!





                            *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                               1st of 8 Stories


               AmigaWorld's Top 10 Freely Distributable Picks
    _          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   / \           December 10, 1992 - *StarShip* News Network
  / - \
 / ___ \
(_/   \_)migaWorld's January 1993 issue features a listing of the Top 10 picks
of freely distributable software for the Amiga.

The *StarShip* would like to thank AmigaWorld for the special award and
recognition of Aladdin in this list of some of the best software in all of
Amiga-dom.

Aladdin for the Amiga is supported in its own GEnie*Basic bulletin board at
page 1055, and can be downloaded from the library at the AmiAladdin RoundTable
at that same page.

Aladdin for the Amiga automates routine GEnie functions like retrieving and
sending replies to GE Mail and bulletin board messages, and checking for new
downloads for you. Once you have selected the files you want to download and
made your replies -- all offline -- Aladdin will log back onto GEnie and
automatically do whatever you have asked it to do. You may configure it for as
many or as few RoundTables as you like.

Congratulations to Tim Purves for this fine honor, and thank you AmigaWorld!


For your convenience, here are the *StarShip* Library file numbers for the
rest of the featured picks of the year from AmigaWorld.


     LhA version 1.38 [or higher]
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       No. File Name                Uploader      Bytes
     ----- ------------------------ ------------  -------
     16893 LHA138.READ.LHA          S.LUTNES         1280
     16894 LHA_E138.RUN             S.LUTNES       109184
     17024 LHAXV142.LHA             PETER-CPM        5120
          Desc: LHARC/LHA extractor (2.x Only)


     Rend24 Version 1.04f
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     14421 REND24.LZH               M.HALL33        58496
           Desc: Converts 24-bit IFF to HAM or IFF


     View 3.2
     ~~~~~~~~
     17624 VIEW34.LHA               BOOMER.T        48896
           Desc: Latest AGA compat. Anim/Pic Viewer
     17213 VIEW_V3.2.LZH            BLUE-KNIGHT     51968
           Desc: View animation Viewer V 3.2


     EdPlayer 2.1
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~
     17600 EDPLAYER21.LHA           A.CCOOK        225664
           Desc: V 2.1 of Ed Mackey's MOD player!


     Parnet
     ~~~~~~
     Pro/Am File:  [MOVE 670;3]
       810 PARNET24.LZH             BAEDER          28980
           Desc: Parallel connection of two Amigas

     Companion file from the *StarShip*:

     12825 PNETKEYS.LZH             TOMW             5120
           Desc: Use mouse & keyboard through Parnet


     GadToolsBox
     ~~~~~~~~~~~
     Pro/Am File:  [MOVE 670;3]
      1028 GADTOOLSBOX.LHA          D.WAER         318848
           Desc: Creates source for gadgets.2.0 Only


     SysInfo
     ~~~~~~~
     16531 SYSINFO273.LHA           J.HANNA5        40448
           Desc: Version 2.73 of SysInfo
     17043 SYSINFO301.LHA           D.VAILLANCOU    39168
           Desc: System Info 3.01 -- new features

                                      -*-

[Ed. Note:  I didn't delete this listing, since all or most of these files
are available elsewhere.  JL ]



                          *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                             2nd of 8 Stories


            Gail Wellington Joins OptImage Interactive Services
                            as Vice President
    _____                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   / _   )         Des Moines, IA -- December 9, 1992
  / / ) /
 / (_/ /
(_____/ptImage Interactive Services Co. L.P. Wednesday announced that Gail
Wellington has joined the company as vice president of marketing and sales.

Wellington will be responsible for expanding the successful sales and
marketing programs for OptImage's line of Compact Disc Interactive (CD-I)
authoring tools.

"We are extremely pleased to have someone of Gail Wellington's caliber join us
at OptImage," said Tim Wahlers, president of OptImage. "Gail's experience with
multimedia product introductions and developer programs will compliment
OptImage's commitment to the CD-I developer community."

Wellington comes to OptImage from Commodore International Services Company
where she served as director of special projects and was responsible for
managing the team which brought CDTV to market.

During Wellington's twelve years at Commodore she was responsible for the
development of the AmigaVision authoring system, the Commodore Applications
and Technical Support (C.A.T.S.) program, and the launch of the Amiga computer
in Europe and North America.

Wellington holds a B.S. degree in Industrial Management and Mechanical
Engineering from Northeastern University.

"I'm looking forward to bringing OptImage's powerful and creative
multi-platform CD-I development tools to market," said Wellington. "The
advent of full screen/full motion video makes this an especially exciting
opportunity that will ensure OptImage's position as the world leader in
CD-I development solutions."

OptImage Interactive Services Co. L.P. was formed by N.V. Philips, of the
Netherlands, and Microware Systems Corp., of Des Moines, to provide leading
edge authoring solutions for developers of CD-I software titles for the
consumer and professional markets.

                                     -*-




                          *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                             3rd of 8 Stories


                       Impulse Releases Visionaire!
 _     _               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
( \   / )            December 1992 -- Minneapolis, MN
 \ \_/ /
  \   /
   \_/isionaire is available NOW from Impulse, Inc. Some of its features
include:


 - Morphing, Warping and Dissolving;

 - Range of effects is limited only by your imagination;

 - Morphing and Warping using animations as input (to create warpings
   and morphings of moving subjects, like in the "Black or White" clip);

 - Color and Shape Mixers give total visual control over the progress of
   the warping or morphing, limited only by your imagination;

 - Exclusive Local Color and Shape Mixers allow the warping or morphing
   of different parts of the images at different times (a *must* for
   professional results!);

 - Sophisticated 2 level antialiasing, the best for dramatic deformations;

 - The best and most complete alpha channel support, for transparencies
   and background compositing;

 - Support for 24-bit displays and single-frame video tape recorders.

 - Unlimited Undo/Redo capability;

 - Full support for Workbench 2.0 and beyond, including ARexx, public
   screens and special display modes;

 - Intuitive, easy-to-use user interface, including an Expert Mode;

 - Fully configurable keyboard shortcuts and macros;

 - Completely customizable with many preferences-like requesters.

 - Includes predefined ARexx macros that allows you to create special
   effects without knowing anything about ARexx.

 - Includes ready-to-use effects such as Sphere, Wave and Twirl, and
   you can easily create your own effects, too. The effects are
   naturally integrated with the rest of the package, and can be
   combined with all the other features.

 - Comprehensive 180 page user and reference manual, including
   many tutorials and examples, and also a reference for all menus,
   requesters and ARexx commands.

For more information contact Impulse, Inc., 8416 Xerxes Ave. North,
Minneapolis, MN 55444, telephone 612/425-0557, FAX 612/425-0701.

                                 -*-




                         *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                            4th of 8 Stories

                                [DELETED]

                                   -*-




                           *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                              5th of 8 Stories

                       [DELETED - GEnie inside joke]

                                  -*-




                          *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                             6th of 8 Stories


        Directory OPUS 4.0: More Versatile, Infinitely Customizable
   ____ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  (_  _)      December 4, 1992 - World of Commodore, Toronto
   / /
 _/ /
(____)NOVAtronics announces Directory OPUS 4.0, a major revision of their
best-selling Amiga disk and file management utility. Along with A4000 and
A1200 compatibility, increased audio/image file support, and many other new
features, Directory OPUS 4.0 is now more intuitive, more helpful and more
flexible than before. You can even completely re-configure the interface to
suit the way you want to use the program.

Graphics Compatibility, Improved File Support, Other New Features

Directory OPUS 4.0 now supports all Amiga graphics hardware, including the AGA
and AA chipsets used in the Amiga 4000 and Amiga 1200. Graphics and Audio
support have also been expanded. Now you can use Directory OPUS 4.0 to play
Anim and Anim Brush files, or view images saved in all ILBM formats. You can
also play sound files stories as Noisetracker, SoundTrackers, ProTracker, and
MED w/MIDI, Oktalyzer, 8SVX or Raw Data.

Together with expanded ARexx support (now over 100 commands), Directory OPUS
now has a convenient Hotkey feature for launching any Amiga application from
the keyboard, so long as OPUS is either running or iconified. (Amiga-D, for
example, could be set to launch DeluxePaint.)

Directory OPUS 4.0 now also lets you print individual frames from full screen
and brush animations. Also new: a new Font View facility that lets you print
out an entire alphabet of any font you select, including Amiga and
Compugraphic Bitmap fonts under Kickstart 2.04 and beyond.

Other new features include improved documentation, players for CanDo decks,
and a completely revised approach to using system resources. Instead of
loading the entire program at once, OPUS now runs individual functions as they
are called for. This not only reduces demands on system RAM, it gives users a
way to access individual program features directly from the CLI, without ever
having to load Directory OPUS.

Infinitely Configurable, More Easily Configurable

Directory OPUS 4.0 is now very user-configurable, meaning that you can
optionally modify the interface to suit your needs or personal preference. You
could, for example, configure as many buttons or add as many actual or virtual
devices as you'd like, modify the size of each directory window, or minimize
the program so that only one, or two or three rows of buttons are visible.
Directory OPUS 4.0 now lets you select any screen font for use in any part of
the interface. You can also filter the files you see displayed -- such as only
file names that match the DOS pattern "#?.doc."

Configuring OPUS to meet your needs is a lot easier than you might expect,
thanks to an extensive new configuration system that gives instant on-line
assistance for whatever you need to do. For instance, if you are in the middle
of attaching an AmigaDOS command to an onscreen button, you could instantly
call up a list of executable command names. Whatever you're doing in OPUS,
help is always close at hand. And (under AmigaDOS 2.0) configuring buttons to
run programs also got easier; just drag any program icon over any OPUS button,
and release!

We Didn't Kill a Good Friend

Most important, the new features added to Directory OPUS 4.0 won't put off
users of previous versions for day-to-day tasks -- like formatting floppy
disks, copying or deleting files, viewing directory lists, viewing image, text
and HEX files, or playing sound files.

"We didn't kill off an old friend," says Tim Martin, the new president of
INOVAtronics. "Many upgrades make changes that kill the usability that made
people like the program in the first place. With Directory OPUS 4.0, we solved
this problem by making everything optional, and by making it extremely easy
for OPUS owners to use any or all of the new features they want. Despite all
the changes," Tim says, "OPUS will remain the most useful tool on your Amiga
computer."

New Price and Upgrade Policy

Directory OPUS 4.0 carries a new retail price of $99.95, and will be available
after December 4, 1992. Registered owners of Directory OPUS version 3.4 or
later can upgrade for $40, plus $5 for shipping and handling. If you own a
version of Directory OPUS prior to 3.4, the upgrade is $50, plus $5 shipping
and handling. Directory OPUS 4.0 works with any Amiga with one Megabyte of RAM
or better, running any version of Kickstart.

To learn more, contact INOVAtronics, 8499 Greenville Ave. #209B, Dallas, TX
75231; telephone 214/340-4991, fax 214/340-8514.|  You can now communication
directly with INOVAtronics on the *StarShip* Bulletin Board! Type M555;1 from
any numbered GEnie page prompt. At the bulletin board prompt, type SET 28 to
reach Category 28. Then type TOPics for a list of ongoing discussions between
INOVAtronics representatives and GEnie members. READ whatever topics interest
you by number, such as READ 1. The company is also available on GEnie by
leaving GE Mail to INOVATRONICS.

                                    -*-




                           *StarShip* Amiga *Flash*
                               7th of 8 Stories


                            INOVAtronics Announces
               TURBOprint Dot Matrix Printer Enhancement Software
    ______     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   / __   )      December 4, 1992 - World of Commodore, Toronto
  / /  ) /
 / /__/ /
(______/on't blame the printer if your dot matrix output usually includes
unaesthetic horizontal banding, jaggies, unintended machine-like dot patterns
or colors different from those you saw onscreen. The problem may not be in the
hardware but in the quality of your Amiga printer driver software. To help
your dot matrix printer live up to its full output potential, INOVAtronics
announces TURBOprint 2.0, a new multi-featured Amiga printer driver package
for both color and black & white dot matrix printers.

TURBOprint lets you output monochrome or color text and graphics to the
highest possible resolution of your printer. There is a special half-line mode
that minimizes horizontal banding, while two optional levels of smoothing
algorithm eliminate the stairstep "jaggies" normally associated with printing
Amiga text.

For better image output, TURBOprint provides 14 distinct kinds of rotatable
print dithering (including halftone, TV-like rasterized, and 2 high resolution
Floyd-Steinberg types). For color printing, TURBOprint comes with tools that
provide a large degree of direct control over color correction and brightness,
thanks to a flexible "gamma-curve" tool. It also does exceptional color seps.
Other features built into TURBOprint include the ability to posterize and
print wall-size images in any proportion, and up to 64 pages (8 x 8 pages).
You can print selected sections of a screen, or save sections as IFF files.
You can even print out reversed images of graphics -- such as for printing
T-shirts with a transfer ribbon.

TURBOprint is easy to learn and use, works with all Amiga software and has
drivers for almost all current printers. Resident and reset-proof, TURBOprint
can be called up with a single keystroke and lets you interrupt printing as
necessary. Written in the more efficient 68k Assembler, TURBOprint's small
code size and intelligent algorithms allow fast parallel port transfer rates
for printing with minimal delays. Priced at $129.95 and now shipping,
TURBOprint is compatible with any Amiga running Workbench 1.3 or 2.0.
TURBOprint is published by IrseeSoft of Irsee, Germany. To learn more, contact
INOVAtronics, 8499 Greenville Ave. #209B, Dallas, TX 75231; telephone
214/340-4991, fax 214/340-8514.

You can now communication directly with INOVATtronics on the *StarShip*
Bulletin Board! Type M555;1 from any numbered GEnie page prompt. At the
bulletin board prompt, type SET 28 to reach Category 28. Then type TOPics for
a list of ongoing discussions between INOVAtronics representatives and GEnie
members. READ whatever topics interest you. The company is also available on
GEnie by leaving GE Mail to INOVATRONICS.

                                    -*-



                            *StarShip* NEWS *Flash*
                                8th of 8 Stories


                Conquer Dangers Lurking Beyond the Black Hole
 _    _               with INOVAgame's new Vektor Storm
( \  / )              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 \ \/ /        December 4, 1992 -- World of Commodore, Toronto
  \  /
  / /
 (_/ou can't travel through a Black Hole and survive, according to Stephen
Hawking, the Cambride University astrophysicist. But if you could "come out"
on the other side, what kind of a universe would you find? That's the premise
of Vektor Storm, the first Amiga entertainment software title from the new
INOVAgames division at INOVAtronics.

Vektor Storm makes you commander of a small space exploration fleet that
accidentally falls through a Black Hole. On the other side, reality is turned
upside down as you discover an alternate, fragmented universe where truth is
false and right is wrong. Even the very laws of physics have changed. Lurking
in the infinite darkness, an army of nasty alien life forms waits to destroy
you and your fleet.

To return to this universe, you and your ships must first meet the challenge
set before you by your alien adversaries -- beat them at their own game. Your
four ships must fight against an arsenal of intelligent weapons on a series of
battlegrids. The rules are simple; the stakes are life and death itself!

Vektor Storm is fast-paced action with dizzying perspectives, graphics,
animation and impressive stereophonic sound. Priced at $39.95, Vektor Storm is
available now and runs on any Amiga computer with at least 512K RAM, running
Kickstart version 1.3 or higher, including machines running AmigaDOS 2.0.

To learn more, contact INOVAtronics, 8499 Greenville Ave. #209B, Dallas, TX
75231; telephone 214/340-4991, fax 214/340-8514.

You can now communicate directly with INOVAtronics on the *StarShip* Bulletin
Board! Type M555;1 from any numbered GEnie page prompt. At the bulletin board
prompt, type SET 28 to reach Category 28. Then type TOPics for a list of
ongoing discussions between INOVAtronics representatives and GEnie members.
READ whatever topics interest you by number, such as READ 1. The company is
also available on GEnie by leaving GE Mail to INOVATRONICS.

                                    -*-



                           *StarShip* News BULLETIN!

              Important Letter From Commodore to All Amiga Users
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


TO:    All Amiga Users

FROM:  Commodore Business Machines, Inc., Marketing Department
       1200 Wilson Drive
       West Chester, PA 19380

Commodore Business Machines, Inc. was recently surprised that the magazine
NEW MEDIA 1993 Multimedia Tool Guide (November issue date) omitted covering
any information on Amiga product.

Perhaps NEW MEDIA is not aware just how many Multimedia users own and
respect Amiga product for their diverse uses?  And . . . perhaps it would
be beneficial for NEW MEDIA to have our users tell them about Amiga and its
Multimedia capabilities.

For comments to NEW MEDIA, you can write to:

David Bunnell,
Editor in Chief
New Media Magazine
901 Mariner's Island Blvd. Suite 365         Phone: (415) 573-5170
San Mateo, CA  94404                           FAX: (415) 573-5131




          Permission is hereby  granted to quote ALL or PART of this
          Newscast on a privately owned BBS or in a user group news-
          letter provided you include the following credit:

             Reprinted by Permission from the 5-MINUTE Weekend
           News Network, a *StarShip*(tm) Production on GEnie(R).


Disclaimer:  My only relationship to GE or its subsidiaries, including
GEIS, is as a subscriber to GEnie.

        Jim Loomis   LOOMIS@ITHACA.BITNET   GEnie: J.LOOMIS
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU