869 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
869 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
_____________________^^^___________
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Zmag/A\zine
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HOT Atari News and Reviews
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Editor Clinton Smith July 15,1986
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Asst.Editor Jim Dobleski
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___________________________________
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Publisher:Clinton Smith
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Asst.Publishers:Jim Dobleski and
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The Wizard
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Columnists:Clinton Smith and Rune
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Master
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XxIn this Issue
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*Atari Report from Generic BBS and
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S.C.A.T.
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*BBS Etiquette(Part 1)by Gerry Feid
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*Rune Reviews-Carrier War from SSI
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*Z-Bits
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*Basically
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*Zmag Messages
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*Zmag Update
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*Zmag Notes
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XxAtari Report from Generic and SCAT
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NEW 8-BIT SOFTWARE/HARDWARE REPORT
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07/05/86
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COMPOSED BY GENERIC BBS,
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312-275-2894,
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USING THE S.C.A.T. NEWSLETTER AS
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REFERENCE FOR THIS REPORT.
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MY THANKS TO S.C.A.T. (SUBURBAN
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CHICAGO ATARIANS) FOR THEIR GREAT
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EFFORTS IN THE SUPPORT OF SUCH A
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FINE MACHINE AS THE ATARI...
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THIS REPORT WAS GENERATED BECAUSE
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OF THE ENTHUSIASM I HAVE FOR THE
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8-BIT COMPUTERS AND THE HOPE THAT
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I HAVE THAT THE 8-BITTERS WILL
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CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE
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MAJOR SOFTWARE/HARDWARE PRODUCERS.
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I CONSIDER THE ST STATE OF THE
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ART BUT I HOLD A SOFT SPOT FOR A
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MACHINE THAT HAS OPENED UP A WORLD
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OF NEW FRIENDS AND HAS ALSO BECOME
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A VERY ENJOYABLE HOBBY.....
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NOW, IN NO CERTAIN ORDER, LET ME
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GIVE YOU THE VIEWS AND COMMENTS ON
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SOFTWARE AS PRESENTED IN THE
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S.C.A.T. NEWSLETTER OF JULY 1986.
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THE MUSIC STUDIO-OUT NOW FROM
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ACTIVISION USING THE MIDI PORT..
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A BRIDGE GAME IS BEING PRODUCED
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BY ARTWORX FOR ALL YOU BRIDGE
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FANATICS..
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PEGGAMMON BY ARTWORX-A GOOD
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TAKEOFF OF THE CONVENTIONAL
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BACKGAMMON GAME WHICH ALSO ALLOWS
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ONE PLAYER AGAINST THE COMPUTER..
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PERSONAL ACOUNTANT- FROM SOFTSYNC.
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THIS SHOULD HELP TO KEEP TRACK OF
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ALL YOUR FINANCES..
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TYPING TUTOR AND WORD INVADERS-
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FROM ACADEMY SOFTWARE..
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GET RICH- FROM HABA ARRAYS. A
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FINANCIAL PLANNING PACKAGE..
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PAPERCLIP W/SPELLPACK- BY
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BATTERIES INCLUDED. AN UPGRADED
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WORD/DATA PROCESSOR..
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VOICE MASTER- FROM COVOX. NEW
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VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE..
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BIG PICTURE AND ARTIST UNLEASHED-
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FROM MTS. BOTH GRAPHICS PROGRAMS
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THAT ARE BEING DESIGNED TO BE USED
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WITH 'THE RAT' A MOUSE CONTROLLER.
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(MORE ON THIS LATER)
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THE PAWN- FROM FIREBIRD LICENSES.
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A SUCCESSFUL GRAPHICS/ADVENTURE
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GAME ON THE ST IS BEING CONVERTED
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FOR THE 8-BIT 800XL AND 130XE.THIS
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VERSION WILL INCLUDE POSTAGE SIZE
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GRAPHICS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF
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YOUR WHEREABOUTS..
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SEVERAL NEW GAMES ARE EXPECTED
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FROM DATASOFT WITHIN THE COMING
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MONTHS. AMONG THEM ARE:
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YIE AR KUNG-FU- A NEW KUNG-FU
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GAME THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AROUND
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CHRISTMAS.
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FIGHT- A BATTLE AGAINST
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INCREASINGLY SKILLFUL WARRIORS.SURE
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TO CHALLENGE YOUR ABILITIES..
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221B BAKER STREET- A SHERLOCK
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HOLMES TYPE GRAPHICS ADEVENTURE FOR
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UP TO 4 PLAYERS. THE GAME DISK
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CONTAINS 30 CASES WITH ADDITIONAL
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CASE DISKS TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE
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FUTURE..
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MERCENARY- MAP AND WANDER THE
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DIMENSIONAL ROOMS IN THIS 3-D GAME
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USING VECTOR GRAPHICS. WHEN ON THE
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PLANET SURFACE THIS ONE TURNS INTO
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A FLIGHT SIMULATION TYPE GAME..
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GUNSLINGER- A GRAPHICS/TEXT GAME
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WITH A WESTERN THEME..
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NEVER-ENDING STORY- ANOTHER
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TEXT/GRAPHICS ADVENTURE BASED ON
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THE MOVIE WITH THE SAME NAME..
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THE DUNGEON- AN ADDITIONAL DISK
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TO THE WELL DONE ADVENTURE,
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ALTERNATE REALITIES. THIS SHOULD
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BE AVAILABLE AROUND SEPTEMBER..
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TRINITY- FROM INFOCOM. A TEXT
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ADVENTURE THAT PUTS YOU IN
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HISTORICALLY RECREATED SIMULATIONS
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WHERE NUCLEAR BOMBS HAVE EXPLODED
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IN THE PAST..
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MOONMIST- COMPANY UNKNOWN. A
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BEGINNER LEVEL 'ROMANTIC HAUNTED
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CASTLE MYSTERY' GAME FOR THE FEMALE
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COMPUTER USER..
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HARDBALL- BY ACCOLADE. A REALLY
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GOOD BASEBALL GAME WITH GOOD
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PLAYABILITY AND SOME GREAT
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3-DIMENSIONAL GRAPHICS..
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FIGHT NIGHT- ALSO FROM ACCOLADE. A
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FIGHT GAME TO BE AVAILABLE THIS
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MONTH..
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SPITFIRE 40- FROM AVALON HILL. A
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GAME AND FLIGHT SIMULATOR TO BE
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AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER..
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MISSION ON THUNDERHEAD- ANOTHER
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FROM AVALON HILL. AN ARCADE
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ADVENTURE THAT IS AVAILABLE NOW..
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GUARDIAN- AND STILL ANOTHER FROM
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AVALON HILL. A STRATEGY GAME TO BE
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AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER..
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INFILTRATOR- BY MINDSCAPE.
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DESCRIBED AS A STRATEGY ADVENTURE
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ALTHOUGH THE OBJECT OF THE GAME IS
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TO FLY YOUR HELICOPTER (AS CAPTAIN
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JOHNNY 'JIMBO-BABY' MCGIBBITS)THRU
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HOSTILE ENEMY AIR SPACE. NO RELEASE
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DATE IS GIVEN..
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RUBBER STAMP AND PAGE DESIGNER-
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FROM XLENT SOFTWARE. AN UPGRADED
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VERSON ABLE TO BE USED ON THE NEW
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ATARI XMM801 PRINTER. ALSO COMING,
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A TRANSLATOR PROGRAM FOR THE XMM801
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TO MAKE THE ATARI 'THINK' IT IS
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TALKING TO AN EPSON PRINTER..
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NINJA, SPEED KING, ELECTRA GLIDE
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AND ACTION BIKER- FROM MASTRONIC
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INTERNATIONAL. FULL DISK GAMES
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AVAILABLE FROM A LONDON-BASED
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SOFTWARE COMPANY AT GREAT PRICES!!
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($9.99!!) SOME AVAILABLE NOW..
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CARDWARE, PARTYWARE AND HEARTWARE-
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FROM HI-TECH EXPRESSIONS. LIKE
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PRINTSHOP PROGRAMS WITH IN-COMPUTER
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ANIMATION PRESENTATIONS. CARDWARE
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FOR GREETING CARDS, PARTYWARE FOR
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PLACEMATS AND INVITATIONS AND
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HEARTWARE FOR ALL THE MUSHY STUFF..
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SPACE GAMES, ADVENTURE PAK AND
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MIND MAZES- FROM KEYPUNCH SOFTWARE.
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EACH DISK IS A COLLECTION OF 3 TO 4
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GAMES AND RETAILS OR $6.99!!..
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AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO
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MENTION SOME OF THE OTHER COMPANIES
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THAT HAVE OR WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL
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PROGRAMS FOR THE 8-BIT LINE IN THE
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COMING MONTHS..
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SPINNAKER WITH ADVENTURE AND
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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS..
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AMERICAN EDUCATONAL WITH A SERIES
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OF EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE..
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OSS WITH NEW PROGRAMMER TOOLS..
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SSI WITH AN EVERGROWING COLLECTION
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OF ADVENTURE-TYPE SIMULATIONS..
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REEVES SOFTWARE WITH A BUSINESS
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MANAGEMENT PROGRAM USING THE NEWLY
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DEVELOPED 'MOUSE' CONTROLLER. (YES,
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THE ALAN REEVES FROM S.C.A.T.)
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THERE WAS NUMEROUS MENTION OF
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OTHER COMPANIES' SOFTWARE BUT AT
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THIS TIME I DID NOT HAVE ALL THE
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INFO NEEDED TO DETERMINE IF THIS
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SOFTWARE IS OR WILL BE AVAILABLE
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FOR THE 8-BITTERS.
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AND NOW THE NEW HARDWARE MUST BE
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MENTIONED AS SOME OF THIS NEW
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EQUIPMENT IS SURE TO BE ON YOUR
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FUTURE WISHLIST..
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XEP 80- FROM ATARI. AN 80 COLUMN
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ADAPTER THAT ALSO CONTAINS A
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STANDARD CENTRONICS PARALLEL
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PRINTER PORT, A RCA MONITOR INPUT
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AND A CORD THAT WILL ATTACH TO
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EITHER JOYSTICK PORT. THIS UNIT
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HAS SOME VERY NICE FEATURES WITH
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ITS BUILT-IN SOFTWARE THAT
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SUPPORTS CALLS TO THE E: OR P:.
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THIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AROUND
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LATE FALL FOR UNDER $80.00..
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XMM801 PRINTER- FROM ATARI. THIS
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DOT-MATRIX PRINTER IS COMPATIBLE
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WITH THE EPSON MEDIUM-GRAPHICS MODE
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AND IS ALSO FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH
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THE EARLIER ATARI 825 PRINTER. THIS
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UNIT CONTAINS A BUILT-IN INTERFACE
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AND IS SOLD FOR ONLY $219.95..
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STRAIGHT-CONNECT MODEM CABLE- FROM
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ICD. SOLD FOR UNDER $15.00..
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THE P: R: CONNECTION- ALSO FROM
|
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ICD. THIS TAKES THE PLACE OF THE
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ORIGINAL 850 INTERFACE AND CONTAINS
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ONE PRINTER PORT AND TWO MODEM
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PORTS AND IS POWERED BY THE
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COMPUTER. ASKING PRICE, $89.95..
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ICD MULTI I/O BOARD- YES, ANOTHER
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FROM ICD. THIS LITTLE GEM IS REALLY
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SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!
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THIS UNIT WORKS ON THE 130XE
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COMPUTERS THRU THE PARALLEL PORT
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AND CAN BE BOUGHT AS EITHER A 256K
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OR 1 MEG VERSION. INCLUDED WITH IT
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IS A PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE, A
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SERIAL/MODEM INTERFACE, A PRINTER
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SPOOLER AND A HARD DISK INTERFACE.
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THE UNIT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO
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BE USED WITH EITHER A SASI OR SCSI
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CONTROLLER CARD AND A STANDARD
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HARD DRIVE. SUPRA'S HARD DRIVE IS
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ALSO SUPPORTED. ICD HAD A DISPLAY
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AT THE JUNE ELECTRONICS SHOW, IN
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CHICAGO, THAT WAS CONFIGURED WITH
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TWO HARD DRIVES AND ONE FLOPPY.
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WITH BUILT-IN SOFTWARE WHICH
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ALLOWED SEGMENTING, THEIR SCREEN
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DISPLAYED FOUR HARD DISKS AT 260K,
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10MB, 9MB AND 3MB, PLUS THREE
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RAMDISKS AT 192K, 256K AND 512K;
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AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE ONE
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FLOPPY. AH YES, FORGOT TO MENTION
|
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THE 64K PRINTER SPOOLER!! TO ALL
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THIS ADD THE FACT THAT IT IS
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COMPATIBLE WITH ANY DOS..WHAT AN
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AWESOME ADDITION TO AN ALREADY
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GREAT COMPUTER!!
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THE RAT- BY ZOBIAN SOFTWARE. A
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MOUSE CONTROLLER LIKE THE MOUSE
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USED ON THE ST COMPUTER. THE
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PRODUCER HOPES TO GAIN SUPPORT
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FROM OTHER SOFTWARE MANUFACTURERS
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IN THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT.SOFTWARE
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IS ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR THIS
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PRODUCT (SEE ABOVE) AND IF ALL GOES
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AS PLANNED THIS COULD BECOME THE
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NEW TOOL OF THE FUTURE FOR THE
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8-BITTERS..
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THIS REPORT WAS CREATED USING THE
|
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P/D VERSION OF SPEEDSCRIPT COPIES
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OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ON GENERIC
|
|
BBS 312/275-2894 ALONG WITH LENGTHY
|
|
DOCS..
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AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
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PEOPLE OF S.C.A.T. FOR THE USE OF
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THEIR NEWSLETTER FOR THE CREATION
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OF THIS REPORT. ANY FURTHER INFO ON
|
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S.C.A.T. THAT YOU MAY REQUIRE CAN
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BE OBTAINED EITHER BY WRITING TO:
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SCAT
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PO BOX 72266
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ROSELLE, ILL.
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60172
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OR THRU S.C.A.T. BBS AT:
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312/462-9844
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THE KEEPER OF GENERIC......
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312/275-2894
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XxBBS Etiquette(Part 1)by Gerry Feid
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BULLETIN BOARD ETIQUETTE
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or, Some Do's and Don'ts of the
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Electronic World.
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by Gerry Feid-Sysop, Blue Moon BBS
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There is a whole different world
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out there in the electronic jungle,
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but a lot of the rules that should
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be followed are the same as they
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are in the every day world.
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Things like 'Watch what you are
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doing', and the golden rule of 'Do
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unto others as you would have them
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do unto you' are perfect examples.
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It seems, however, that when a
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person can hide behind a modem,we
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see some normal, average people
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turn into the types of people our
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parents warned us about when we
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were kids.
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I have only been running a
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bulletin board for about 15 or 16
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months, but it has never ceased to
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amaze me that a normally sane adult,
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or normally regular kid, can turn
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into an absolute jerk when they
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think you can't find them. Don't
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get me wrong - 98% of BBS users
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are really great people. This
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article is about that other 2%,and
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a couple things that we other 98%
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may occasionally slip and do by
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accident.To get along in this
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electronic world is really very
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simple, once you keep those two old
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catch-phrases in mind.Many people
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don't ever realize that when they
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call a BBS,they are literally
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calling someone elses home, and
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should act accordingly. They never
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catch on that the Sysops' are
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literally extending the hospitality
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of their abode, and don't want
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people who abuse that privilege.
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And it is surprising how many
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people do.Take, for example, the
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guy who gets mad at his girl
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friend, and calls a BBS to post a
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message. It always goes one of two
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ways - he lists her phone number as
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a BBS, or he leaves the old 'For a
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good time, call.....'. I caught two
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guys that way, by calling the
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number by voice and talking to
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the people on the other end. Both
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times, I got the very irate
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mother of a teenage girl, who (in
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one case) threatened to call the
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police on me. In neither case did
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the girl either own, or have access
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to, a computer. After I explained
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the entire situation to the mother
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- about computers, BBS's,etc.,
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they managed to pin down what was
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done, by whom, and why.
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Fortunately, that has died down,
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and I hope it stays that way.
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Then, you have the person who
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wants to sell some old equipment.
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Good - that is exactly what a BBS
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is for. Some recent problems that
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have cropped up lately, are either
|
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mis-representation of the item
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being sold, or there are so many
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messages posted on the same boards,
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that other people don't have a
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chance to read much else. What
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posters fail to realize, is that
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THEY should erase their own
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messages. If there was a charge to
|
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post a message, that would be
|
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something else, but as this is a
|
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free service to help people
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communicate to others, keep this in
|
|
mind - 'CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!!'
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If your message gets buried under
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10 or 20 others, go ahead and post
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it again - but delete your older
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message. If you forget the password,
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leave a message for the Sysop at
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logoff, give him the number of your
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old message, and ask him to delete
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it. The policy I keep is that if
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someone posts a for sale message a
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second time without trying to
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erase the first one, I delete them
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both. This seems crude and rotten,
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|
but it is even more rude and
|
|
disrespectful of you,the general
|
|
user, to expect you to put up with
|
|
being bombasted by the same ad time
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|
and time again. This seems to be a
|
|
growing policy.I know several
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|
boards that allow NO for sale
|
|
messages. After you logoff, the
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|
Sysop deletes them as soon as he
|
|
finds them. When asked why, both
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|
said they were tired of people and
|
|
companies using them for free
|
|
advertising, then having the nerve
|
|
to abuse the privilege.So, please
|
|
remember that the next time you
|
|
post a for sale message.When it
|
|
come to the items you advertise,
|
|
don't mislead people. Several
|
|
months ago, someone left a message
|
|
advertising a Gemini SG-10 as a
|
|
200 character per second,100% Epson
|
|
compatible printer with true letter
|
|
quality. He said he only had it for
|
|
a month, and was trying to sell it
|
|
for the price of a brand new one.
|
|
His excuse was that he bought it
|
|
locally, and was selling it at an
|
|
out of state mail order price. He
|
|
also didn't care that A.) An SG10
|
|
is a 120 cps printer, not 200; B)
|
|
Isn't 100% Epson compatible;and,
|
|
C) Does not have true letter
|
|
quality. His attitude was that he
|
|
was justified, as long as he sold
|
|
it. His message never got posted.
|
|
I found out later that he sold it
|
|
for $300 to some poor little maroon
|
|
who never knew that he could have
|
|
bought a new one for $240.
|
|
After that, come the people who
|
|
call every board in town, post a
|
|
message asking a question, then
|
|
call back a month(or so) later
|
|
expecting both their question, and
|
|
an answer, to still be posted. And
|
|
it is surprising how many people
|
|
call every other day for a week,
|
|
posting the same question,just
|
|
slightly reworded.Heaven forbid
|
|
that they,too, should erase their
|
|
old messages. The same policy holds
|
|
true whatever the reason you post a
|
|
message for.Clean out your old
|
|
messages yourself - or do you always
|
|
expect others to clean up after you?
|
|
If you forget the password, then
|
|
tell the Sysop.At least make the
|
|
effort, though.After all, you left
|
|
it, it is your responsibility.
|
|
Next Week:Part Two(Free program
|
|
requests and Handles)
|
|
XxRune Reviews-Carrier War from SSI
|
|
|
|
This week, Carrier War from SSI is
|
|
reviewed.The game is a WW II
|
|
simulation of aircraft and ship
|
|
combat in four major Pacific
|
|
battles. These battles are:
|
|
Coral Sea
|
|
Midway
|
|
Santa cruz
|
|
Solomons
|
|
|
|
With a scale of each hex being 50
|
|
nautical miles, the biggest part of
|
|
this game is to find the enemy
|
|
before he finds you. After finding
|
|
the enemy, you must launch an
|
|
airstrike to take out his carriers,
|
|
then the rest of his ships.While
|
|
the US is outnumbered in each
|
|
scenario, he has the advantage of
|
|
PBY scout planes, which have longer
|
|
time in air then the Japanese sea
|
|
planes.
|
|
|
|
Each side is restricted to the
|
|
number of task forces that they may
|
|
have. A task force may be an
|
|
entire carrier group with battleship
|
|
escort, or a single ship. The air
|
|
groups can be a single plane on a
|
|
scout mission, or 50 torpedo bombers
|
|
heading to destroy the enemy.
|
|
|
|
The game has little if any
|
|
graphics, and battle is done by
|
|
words and symbols showing how many
|
|
of each side were lost.
|
|
|
|
The game itself plays in the
|
|
following order:
|
|
US TF adjustment Phase
|
|
Jp TF adjustment Phase
|
|
Jp Adjust TF Heading
|
|
Jp Launch Air Missions
|
|
Jp Arm & Fuel Aircraft
|
|
Jp Land Aircraft
|
|
Jp Move Air Missions
|
|
US Radar Report
|
|
US Adjust TF Heading
|
|
US Launch Air Mission
|
|
US Arm & Fuel Aircraft
|
|
US Land Aircraft
|
|
US Move Air Mission
|
|
Combat Resolution Phase
|
|
Save Game Option
|
|
|
|
The game is two players,or against
|
|
the computer which is always the
|
|
Japanese.
|
|
The game itself is historically
|
|
accurate, from individual types of
|
|
aircraft <from the B-17 to the F2A
|
|
Buffalo> to different types of
|
|
ships and submarines.Also,
|
|
inaccurate spotting reports, and
|
|
damage reports will always have you
|
|
wondering...
|
|
|
|
This game is for the hard core War
|
|
gamer only. Novices will find the
|
|
game too time consuming, and not
|
|
exciting enough.
|
|
|
|
Playablity:7
|
|
Historical Accuracy:9
|
|
Graphics:4
|
|
Overall Rating:6
|
|
|
|
Rune Master
|
|
Runequest BBS
|
|
430-4234
|
|
XxZ-Bits
|
|
You have less than a week to get
|
|
the Radio Shack CGP 220 color
|
|
inkjet printer for it's sale price
|
|
of $199 dollars.Sale ends July 21st
|
|
so you better hurry.It's regularly
|
|
$600.
|
|
The following messages tell about
|
|
a new Atari product that should
|
|
make XL/XE and ST telecommunication
|
|
fans very happy.
|
|
Board :ATARI RUMORS
|
|
Message # :292
|
|
Date & Time :07/08/86 16:35:22
|
|
Replies :0
|
|
Subject :XM-1201
|
|
To :JOHN CZERWIEC
|
|
Sent by :JEFF WILLIAMS
|
|
|
|
John,
|
|
Right now, the XM-1201 modem (or
|
|
whatever it ends up being called) is
|
|
just as real as the 80-column device!
|
|
Until they start shipping, none of
|
|
of them exist. However, everything I
|
|
hear says that Atari has gone into
|
|
production on the modem already so
|
|
they will hopefully be shipping in
|
|
the fall.I heard the target price
|
|
would be -under $100-...$79.95 may
|
|
be the discounted price that mail
|
|
order business may charge for it.
|
|
I hope Atari delivers on this one!
|
|
|
|
Jeff
|
|
Board :ATARI RUMORS
|
|
Message # :293
|
|
Date & Time :07/10/86 10:37:23
|
|
Replies :0
|
|
Subject :XM-1201
|
|
To :CLINTON SMITH (REC)
|
|
Sent by :GERRY FEID
|
|
|
|
Yes, it is a fact, and is supposed
|
|
to be in production as we speak(?).
|
|
300/1200 baud, with both an RS232
|
|
and an SIO port on the back for ALL
|
|
Atari computers. 100% Hayes
|
|
compatible(without stepping on Hayes
|
|
copyrights) so there should be no
|
|
trouble using any and all existing
|
|
software or hardware.All for under
|
|
$100 - (suggested retail at this
|
|
time is $99.95).
|
|
|
|
XxBasically-The random subroutine
|
|
Since I've been busy working on
|
|
Zread16,I didn't get a chance to
|
|
do the RobotLoader program but it
|
|
should be in next week's column.
|
|
However,I will be discussing the
|
|
random number routine as planned.
|
|
The RobotMaker program(in Zmag
|
|
July 8)requires that 4 random
|
|
numbers be generated for the
|
|
robot's characteristics.To
|
|
accomplish this a random number
|
|
subroutine is used.
|
|
300 RAND=PEEK(53770)
|
|
305 IF RAND=0 THEN RAND=1
|
|
310 IF RAND>15 THEN GOTO 300
|
|
315 RETURN
|
|
This routine is used as follows:
|
|
1.The program gosubs to the routine
|
|
2.The variable RAND is set equal to
|
|
the number that is in memory
|
|
location 53770(the random number
|
|
generator)
|
|
3.Since a characteristic value
|
|
can't be equal to zero,Line 305
|
|
checks to see if the random number
|
|
is zero.If it is zero,then the
|
|
program set's RAND to 1.
|
|
4.Since the number in location
|
|
53770 can be from 0-255 and the
|
|
highest characteristic value allowed
|
|
is 15,line 310 checks to see if
|
|
RAND is greater than 15.If it is
|
|
greater,the program goes back to
|
|
line 300 so it can get a new
|
|
random number that is between 0-15.
|
|
5.Line 315 returns to the main
|
|
program.
|
|
6.The characteristic variable being
|
|
presently used is set equal to RAND.
|
|
STRENGTH=RAND.This process continues
|
|
until every characteristic variable
|
|
has a value.
|
|
Next Week:Disk file input
|
|
XxZmag Messages
|
|
MSG# 0082 DATE:07/08/86 TIME:12:20:14
|
|
FROM: GERRY FEID
|
|
TO: CLINTON SMITH
|
|
SUBJ: ARTICLE
|
|
|
|
CLINTON - AFTER MUCH REFLECTION ON
|
|
THE ROTTEN HABITS OF SOME OF THE
|
|
BULLETIN BOARD ABUSERS, I THOUGHT
|
|
MIGHT DO A SHORT ARTICLE ON BBS
|
|
ETIQUETTE FOR ZMAG. IF YOU ARE
|
|
INTERESTED,LEAVE ME MAIL ON MY
|
|
BOARD. I ALSO HAD THE SOFTWARE
|
|
ARTICLE UP FOR YOU FOR A COUPLE
|
|
OF WEEKS, AND YOU DIDN'T GET IT.
|
|
UNFORTUNATELY, THE DISK DIED - DO
|
|
YOU STILL WANT IT?
|
|
IT WON'T BE TOO HARD TO REDO.
|
|
THANKS, CLINTON, AND KEEP UP THE
|
|
GOOD WORK. SEE YOU ONCE IN A
|
|
*** BLUE MOON ***
|
|
Mesg Base :ZMAG
|
|
Date & Time :07/07/86 12:57:08
|
|
Replies :0
|
|
Subject :LOADED QUESTION
|
|
To :ALL,BUT ESP.CLINTON
|
|
Sent by :JOHN CZERWIEC
|
|
|
|
I don't know if anyone else feels
|
|
this way but I always wish there
|
|
was someway to read one story in
|
|
a Zmag.The quick but messy way
|
|
would to have each article a
|
|
seperate u/l file,this probably
|
|
isn't workable because it would
|
|
eat disk space.It may be possible
|
|
,though, to use some sort of
|
|
-pagination-from within
|
|
Zread or Zmarquee.If someone was
|
|
really proficent in IOCB routines
|
|
it could be done: Any Brave Souls
|
|
out there.!
|
|
|
|
John,I was only halfway done with
|
|
Zread16 when I got your message so
|
|
it wasn't too hard to come up with
|
|
a routine that does what you
|
|
suggested.Zread16 should start
|
|
popping up on Zmag boards starting
|
|
Wednesday.
|
|
|
|
Mesg Base :ZMAG
|
|
Message # :280
|
|
Date & Time :07/08/86 02:21:12
|
|
Replies :0
|
|
Subject :ZMAG AUTHORS
|
|
To :CLINTON SMITH (REC)
|
|
Sent by :DAVE MUNSIE
|
|
|
|
HI CLINTON! IM WORKING ON AN
|
|
ARTICLE FOR ZMAG.I'LL SUBMIT IT
|
|
FOR APPROVAL SOON! I'M ALSO
|
|
CONSIDERING WRITING AN ALL M/L
|
|
ZMAG VIEWER.OF COURSE IT
|
|
WOULD FEATURE SMOOTH FINE SCROLLING
|
|
UP&DOWN THE TEXT.PAGE VIEWING..ECT.
|
|
BUT!!DOES ANYBODY DOWNLOAD THIS
|
|
STUFF ANYMORE? OR DO THEY ALL READ
|
|
IT ONLINE? I WAS ALSO WONDERING
|
|
IF YOU WANTED TO DO A LITTLE CHANGE
|
|
IN TEXTFILES.SAY,SCRAMBLE THEM SO
|
|
THEY CANT BE READ ONLINE? THEN WE
|
|
COULD DESCRAMBLE THEM WITH THE
|
|
Z-READ READER!!YOU WOULD WRITE
|
|
THE FILE THEN SCRAMBLE IT!!
|
|
NUFF SAID. BYE>
|
|
|
|
MSG# 0095 DATE:07/10/86 TIME:03:57:28
|
|
FROM: ED BOON
|
|
TO: ALL
|
|
SUBJ: ZMAG!!!
|
|
|
|
WHAT IS ZMAG?????
|
|
|
|
MSG# 0096 DATE:07/11/86 TIME:12:44:33
|
|
FROM: DAVE MUNSIE
|
|
TO: ED BOON
|
|
SUBJ: ZMAG
|
|
|
|
ZMAG! A 'ONLINE MAGAZINE'DEVOTED
|
|
TO THE ATARI LINE OF PERSONAL
|
|
COMPUTERS.A 'MAGAZINE' CONSISTING
|
|
OF NEWS AND REVIEWS OF THE LATEST
|
|
SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE OUT FOR THE
|
|
ATARI COMPUTERS.IT ALSO CONTAINS
|
|
EDITORIALS OF CURRENT COMPUTER
|
|
TOPICS,C.E.S. REPORTS,USER GROUP
|
|
MEETINGS,PUBLIC DOMAIN HITS,VIDEO
|
|
GAMES!
|
|
CURRENTLY THE EDITOR IN THE CHICAGO
|
|
AREA IS CLINTON SMITH.HE CAN BE
|
|
FOUND AT WINDY CITY B.B.S(775-2970)
|
|
OR YOU CAN ADDRESS MESSAGES TO HIM
|
|
HERE IF YOU LIKE.
|
|
I RECOMMEND ZMAG TO EVERYONE.IT
|
|
FILLS A 'GAP' BETWEEN ISSUES OF
|
|
ANTIC.JUST D/L IT AND READ IT WITH
|
|
ZREAD OR READ IT ONLINE AS AN ASCII
|
|
DOWNLOAD!!
|
|
|
|
Dave,thanks for the great reply to
|
|
Ed's letter.I couldn't have said it
|
|
better myself.The online Zmag
|
|
allows people who own systems other
|
|
than the Ataris and people who
|
|
don't want to use their disk space,
|
|
to read the issues,so the scramble
|
|
idea is out of the question.I do
|
|
believe that a good Zread program
|
|
encourages more people to download
|
|
the issues and read them at their
|
|
own leisure.Features like the
|
|
ability to select which articles
|
|
you want to read,provides the
|
|
reader more flexibility in reading
|
|
the issues than the Online version
|
|
allows.Thank you for your praise
|
|
and contributions to Zmag.
|
|
XxZmag Update
|
|
Our game review columnist,Rune
|
|
Master,just got the new version
|
|
of BBS EXPRESS in and he has it
|
|
up and running.Some new features
|
|
of Runequest BBS include:Zmag
|
|
Online,a new Role Playing Game
|
|
called Universe,and information
|
|
on the BBS Express! program and
|
|
how to order it.Give the only
|
|
BBS EXPRESS! board in Chicago
|
|
(I believe)a call and see what
|
|
you think.
|
|
Along with giving support to Zmag
|
|
on the Software Plus BBS,Jeff
|
|
Williams is going to be helping
|
|
in distribution of Zmag by uploading
|
|
to the GENIE service.Read the
|
|
August 86 Antic for a review of
|
|
this service.I talked with Bob
|
|
Retelle,the Atari Sysop at Genie,
|
|
at the June 3rd Claug meeting and
|
|
he was enthusiastic about carrying
|
|
Zmag up on Genie.
|
|
Chicago Zmag Boards
|
|
Windy City Atari-(312)775-2970
|
|
Runequest-(312)430-4234
|
|
Enchanted Castle-(312)525-0688
|
|
Centari-(312)668-0984
|
|
Space Station-(312)546-1998
|
|
Blue Moon-(312)457-2219
|
|
CL.A.U.G.-(312)889-1240
|
|
Skid Row-(312)439-5873
|
|
M-Club1-(312)730-1846
|
|
M-Club2-(312)349-8686
|
|
M-Club4-(312)458-8260
|
|
Generic-(312)275-2894
|
|
Software Plus-(312)520-1780
|
|
(In New Jersey)
|
|
East Coast Syndicate-(201)968-8148
|
|
If you have a question about Zmag
|
|
Windy City-Clinton Smith
|
|
Runequest-Jim Dobleski,Rune Master
|
|
Enchanted Castle-Clinton Smith,
|
|
Wizard
|
|
Centari-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Space Station-Sysop,Wizard
|
|
Blue Moon-Clinton Smith,Gerry Feid
|
|
Claug-Clinton Smith
|
|
M-Club 1,2,or 4-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Skid Row-Jim Dobleski
|
|
Generic-Wizard
|
|
Software Plus-Jeff Williams
|
|
East Coast Syndicate-Ron Kovacs
|
|
Compuserve-Ron Kovacs,Tim Orosz
|
|
XxZmag Question of the Month
|
|
The question for the month of
|
|
July is Would you,the readers
|
|
,want there to be a condensed
|
|
weekly edition of Zmag?This
|
|
would be a more to the point
|
|
issue that would be put out
|
|
along with the standard issue.
|
|
Another possibility would be
|
|
a monthly edition that contains
|
|
the best articles and news
|
|
from the past month's weekly
|
|
editions.Let me know what you
|
|
think in the Zmag mesg bases.
|
|
XxZmag Notes
|
|
Zread 16 will be showing up on
|
|
the Zmag boards starting on
|
|
Wednesday.Check it out.It has
|
|
some great new featues.
|
|
|
|
What are your favorite P/D
|
|
programs? Let me know what your
|
|
favorite Public Domain programs
|
|
are for the Zmag Top 10 P/D Hits
|
|
article.
|
|
|
|
Come on you ST readers out there.
|
|
I know you're out there.Let's see
|
|
some ST articles or columns.Once
|
|
the ST Zread is done there will be
|
|
a larger need for ST stuff.If you
|
|
have an idea for an article,column
|
|
,or review read next item.
|
|
Do you have an idea for an
|
|
article,column,or review.
|
|
Let me or one of the people in
|
|
the UPDATE know about it.If it's
|
|
a good idea we'll work out the
|
|
easiest way for you to get the
|
|
article,review,or column to Zmag.
|
|
If you don't want to do the
|
|
column yourself,we'll try to find
|
|
someone who will.If you just have
|
|
a little interesting fact or a
|
|
suggestion just leave it in one
|
|
of the Zmag mesg.bases and I'll
|
|
put it in the Zmag mesg. section
|
|
of the next issue.
|
|
Finally,be sure to support the
|
|
boards that carry Zmag.If it
|
|
weren't for them you wouldn't
|
|
be reading Zmag right now.
|
|
----------------------------------
|
|
Zmag-a-zine July 15,1986
|
|
Please Contribute
|
|
----------------------------------
|