1074 lines
27 KiB
Plaintext
1074 lines
27 KiB
Plaintext
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| ROVAC ZMAGAZINE |
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| Issue #157 |
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| May 16, 1989 |
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|Copyright 1989, RII|
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|This week in ZMagazine|
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The 512K Atari 800XL/1200XL 1.1
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Dan Schmidt
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Comprehensive MACE Show Report
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John Nagy
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CompuServe New 8-bit Files
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DataQue Software's Turbo-816
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Z*Net Newswire 8-bit Edition
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Harold Brewer
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|THE 512K ATARI 800XL/1200XL V1.1|
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|by Dan Schmidt|
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CIS: 72347,354 GEnie: D.SCHMIDT4
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An upgrade for the 800XL/1200XL
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| computers that already have a 256K |
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| RAMBO XL or Claus Buchholz upgrade |
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installed
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I've been using a RAMBO 256K XL for the
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last year. It has served me well
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without a hitch.
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Lately, I have been thinking of setting
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up a BBS. Between that and an unused
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set of 8 256K RAMS, I decided to expand
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to a half meg.
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I proceeded by downloading all the
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information I could find. Needless to
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say, I found nothing that described
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upgrading my trusty XL.
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Finally, I decided to make my own
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upgrade and here is what I came up
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with:
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>It uses 1 chip only (not including
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the 8 RAMS)
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>You can have access to the entire
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448K of RAM disk, even when you are
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in BASIC.
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>No switches are needed.
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>Diagnostic ROM is available at any
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time, even though this upgrade uses
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this line (PB7) to select the added
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256K of RAM.
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>The system remains 100% 130XE
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compatible in CPU mode.
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>Finally, I have included a patch file
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for fellow SpartaDOS users, that
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modifies RD.COM version 3.2 to
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support this upgrade.
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Unfortunately, for those without
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SpartaDOS, you are on your own.
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I'm sure that any RAMdisk handler
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which uses a bank select table
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could be modified without too much
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trouble.
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If you don't have a 256K XL yet, either
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build Claus Buchholz's upgrade or buy a
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RAMBO XL--they are identical.
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For those 576K XE users that have made
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it this far, by moving 2 wires in your
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XE and using this patched RD.COM file,
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you can also have all 512K of RAMdisk
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available from BASIC. However, you
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will have to use your little switch to
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select 256K mode before attempting a
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coldstart, or your machine will lock
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up. This switch may be then placed
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back in 512K mode as soon as the boot
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load starts and left there until
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diagnostics is required (i.e., BASIC's
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BYE command).
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For more information on RAMdisks and
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their handlers, call the CHAOS BBS at
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517-371-1106
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Parts List
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8 256K Dynamic RAMs--150ns
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8 16 pin sockets
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1 74S139--Dual 2 to 4 line multiplexer.
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I have used a 74LS139 with some
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success also, but I won't recommend
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it as it is slower, less powerful and
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may cause the system to lock-up.
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1 33 ohm, 1/4 watt resistor,
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Hookup wire
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2pc 1- heat-shrink tubing
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Hot-glue gun
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Instructions
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Open up the computer, disconnect the
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keyboard and remove the RF shield. The
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upper metal RF shield will no longer
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fit with the top bank of RAMS in place.
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It must either be cut to fit or
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discarded.
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Carefully remove the 8 old 256K RAMS
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(U9 - U16) from their sockets.
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Take the 8 new sockets and gently bend
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pin 15 out on each of them.
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Solder a socket to the top of each RAM
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leaving a small gap for cooling between
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the RAM and the socket. Solder each of
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the socket's legs to the RAM below,
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except for pin 15.
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Take the hookup wire and run it from
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pin 15 to pin 15 on all the sockets.
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-Daisy chain- the 8 sockets together
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leaving about 1 1/2- wire between each.
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Replace the RAMs with the new sockets
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soldered on top of them into their
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sockets on the PC board.
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Take the 74S139 and bend out all the
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pins except for pin 8 and 16. Then
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clip in half all the pins that you have
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bent out.
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Take the hookup wire and connect pins
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2, 13 and 8 together.
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Solder another piece of wire between
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pins 3 and 12.
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Take the 33 ohm resistor and clip it
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leaving 1/4 inch of lead on either end.
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Bend one end over sharply then solder
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that end to pin 6.
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Put the 74S139 aside for a moment.
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Take the board and locate U23
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(CO14795), the PIA. If yours is
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socketed, you can pry it up and bend
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out pin 17. If it is soldered in, you
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can either have it unsoldered, or
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simply cut the trace where it leaves
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pin 17.
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Locate R108, a 33 ohm resistor, one of
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a pair, located immediately below the
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row of RAMs on the board. Heat up the
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innermost end and gently pry it up and
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out. Straighten the resistor end.
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I am not sure where this resistor is on
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the 1200XL's, but it can be located by
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following the trace leading from pin 15
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on the existing RAMs back to it's
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origin at the 33 ohm resistor.
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Now take the 74S139 and solder pins 8
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and 16 on the IC to pins 8 and 16 on
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U28, a conveniently located chip.
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Take a wire and solder one end to pin 1
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on the 74S139. Attach the other end to
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the pad where you just removed one lead
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of R108.
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Run a wire between pin 4 and the lifted
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lead of R108, slipping a piece of the
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heat-shrink tubing over the wire before
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soldering it to the resistor.
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Run another wire between the 33 ohm
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resistor soldered to pin 6 and pin 15
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on the newly added row of RAMs. Use
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the other piece of tubing to insulate
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this resistor also. Slide the tubing
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over the resistors, making sure no wire
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remains exposed and heat gently with a
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lighter.
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Run a wire from pin 11 on the 74S139 to
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the MMU U3 (CO61618), pin 6 (U14 on the
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1200XL)
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Attach another wire between pin 15 of
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the 74S139 and pin 17 that you lifted
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on U23, the 40 pin PIA.
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Now take a look at the 256K circuitry.
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One of the chips is a 74LS153. On the
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RAMBO XLs, they are labeled as IC2.
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Solder a length of hookup wire between
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pin 14 on IC2 and pin 14 on the 74S139.
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Take the new 256K RAMs and insert them
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into their sockets on top of U9 to U16.
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If you had to remove the PC board from
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the case, replace it now.
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Leave the keyboard detached for the
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present. Instead, connect up the power
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and monitor and see if the computer
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starts up. If it doesn't start up,
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re-check your wiring job. Also make
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sure none of the RAMs have bent legs
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and that all are inserted properly.
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Tack the wires down neatly with the hot
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glue gun. They can easily be lifted
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later by running a hot soldering gun
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over them for a second.
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Replace the keyboard and the modified
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RF shield. Plug in the SIO line and
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reboot.
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Run the file PATCH_RD.BAS from BASIC.
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Insert a disk containing SpartaDOS's
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RD.COM on it into D1:. This file will
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be modified into a file called
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RDXL.COM. This is the 512K RAMdisk
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handler program. Load this program as
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you would RD.COM to give you 448K of
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globally accessible RAMdisk.
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Unfortunately RDXL.COM does not
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recognize unmodified 128K XEs. Also,
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320K XEs are treated as 192K XLs. This
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RAMdisk handler is primarily for 512K
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systems, fully supporting both the 512K
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XL and the 576K XE.
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The rest of this is for XE owners.
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Those with 576k XEs who wish to use
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RDXL.COM and retain their entire 1/2
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meg RAMdisk even from BASIC should
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remove U23 (CO14795) and bend out pin
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17. Unsolder the wire attached to pin
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11 and reattach it to pin 17.
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Straighten out pin 11 and replace the
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PIA in it's socket again.
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Then, find U3 (CO61618), the MMU.
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Remove the wire soldered to pin 18 and
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re-attach it to pin 6 on the same chip.
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When you reboot, you will have to
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switch your system to 256K mode
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momentarily as the OS accesses the
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diagnostic ROM during bootup. As soon
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as the drive kicks in, throw the switch
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back again to 512K mode.
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PORT B - Memory control register
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Bit: 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
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D a b E c d B R
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D=0 enables diagnostic ROM and upper
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256K RAM
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B=0 enables BASIC ROM
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R=1 enables OS ROM
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E=0 enables extended RAM
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abcd is the 4-bit extended RAM bank#
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The new RAM is now controlled by bit 7,
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but only when extended RAM is enabled.
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Otherwise it controls diagnostic ROM.
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Here are the bank control numbers in
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hex, as used by RDXL.COM.
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60,64,68,6C
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20,24,28,2C
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40,44,48,4C
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E0,E4,E8,EC
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A0,A4,A8,AC
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C0,C4,C8,CC
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80,84,88,8C
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00,04,08,0C--This final set of banks
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are only used by XE
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systems.
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SpartaDOS and RAMBO XL are trademarks
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of ICD, Inc. 1220 Rock St. Rockford, IL
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61101-1437, USA
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Atari 130XE, 800XL and 1200XL are
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trademarks of Atari, Corp.
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Dan Schmidt
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CIS: 72347,354 GEnie: D.SCHMIDT4
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|COMPREHENSIVE MACE SHOW REPORT|
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|by John Nagy|
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Reprinted from ST-ZMagazine #20
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Southern Michigan got barrel #1 of a
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double shot of Atari shows on May 6 and
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7, when the Detroit user group MACE
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held the MICHIGAN ATARI COMPUTER EXPO.
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Barrel #2 will be the WORLD OF ATARI
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show, scheduled to be held only a few
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miles from the same site on June 24-25.
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Despite controversy and indecision on
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the part of developers as to which show
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(or both) to attend, the MACE show was
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a pleasing success. No official
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attendance count is as yet available,
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but most estimates put the Saturday
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gate near 1,000 and Sunday a slower 350
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or so. Financial reports are also not
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yet announced, to determine how much
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(or if) the club profited by the show.
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Atari did have two tables, contrary to
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statements made by Sig Hartmann only
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weeks earlier. Although no Atari USA
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officials were present, Atari was
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represented by Dave Horton of
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Columbus-based INCOMM marketing and
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distribution and Mike Groh, the midwest
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MIDI distributer of Atari products. I
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am told that some Atari Canada
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officials were present at the show but
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not in any representative capacity, as
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they were outside their territory. The
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booth featured a MEGA DTP system and a
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1040 ST running the Planetarium and
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other titles.
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Vendors were universally happy with the
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sales made during the show, which was
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largely retailers. Attending were
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SECTOR ONE, INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS, RITE
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WAY, BASIC BITS 'N BITES, HURRICANE
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SYSTEMS, all local to the Detroit area.
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CAL COMM, JOPPA, ALPHA SYSTEMS, and
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MARS MERCHANDISING rounded out the
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general product dealers.
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Software at remarkable prices was a
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huge crowd pleaser, although several
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local retailers objected to being
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plunged into price wars with CAL COMM,
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visiting from Maryland with a vengence.
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They showed a wide selection of 8-bit
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as well as ST software at below-mail
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prices (Timeworks DTP for $69, etc.).
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Other vendors joined in the price
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cutting to the delight of the
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product-starved midwest audience, in
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their first feeding frenzy in the last
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two years.
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Developers present at the MACE show
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included SOFTREK (Turbo ST), WORD
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PERFECT, GRIBNIF (NeoDesk), CODEHEAD
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(Multidesk, G+PLUS), ELECTRONICAL
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SOFTWARE (YEMACYB), DATAQUE (Turbo-816
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for the 8-bit), ICD, NICE AND SOFTWARE,
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and MICHTRON.
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Michtron did a good business, showing
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FLEET STREET PUBLISHER running through
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ULTRASCRIPT (a Postscript emulation)
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into a HP Deskjet printer (in EPSON
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emulation). This is a new bundled
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package to be offered at quite a
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discount over buying ULTRASCRIPT alone.
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Existing owners of Fleet Street will be
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able to upgrade to Ultrascript for well
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under $100.
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Nice and Software of Ontario Canada
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showed a very complete point-of-sale
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and inventory system integrating bar
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codes for the ST. CRICIT will run a
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cash drawer through the MIDI port.
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Check it out at (519) 744-7380.
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A unique and constantly upgraded
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product for the 8-bit Atari is YEMACYB,
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a strange name but a competent full
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color print program using several
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passes in different ribbon colors on
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almost any standard printer. $29.95
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($2 handling). Electronical Software,
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Box 1106, Taylor, MI 48180.
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Codehead and Gribnif both sold their
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products at a good clip, rivaling the
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sales at the World of Atari show in
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Anaheim last month. Similarly, Softrek
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had lots of attention, doing a couple
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seminars to boot.
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Other seminars included a popular one
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by Darek Mihocka who introduced his
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latest version of the ST XFORMER 8-bit
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emulator for the ST. This one, V 2.4,
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is faster and more versatile than those
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before it, running at about 1/2 the
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full speed of a real 8-bit computer,
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and handling more software. Chuck
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Steinman of DATAQUE spoke about and
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showed the processor upgrade he offers
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for the 8-bit computers, and announced
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that while the circuit boards were
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available now, the programming and
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development info would not be ready for
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another month. ICD did a seminar on
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hard drives, Mike Groh did a talk on
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MIDI, and Bob Puff and Jeff Williams
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discussed the shareware market.
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Other exhibitors included COMPUWORLD,
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SCORPION/MICRODAFT, ACCUSTAR, DATAFREE,
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Index Legalis/ST INFORMER, and Unicorn
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Publications.
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The show floor was split into two
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rooms, with most of the action in the
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large hall (about 3,000 square feet),
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and several other booths in a small
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hall at the other end of the hotel,
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next to the seminar room.
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Unfortunately, this arrangement left
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many attendees unaware that they had
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missed part of the show after leaving
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the main hall.
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User groups present (in addition to
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MACE, of course) included CHAOS
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(Lansing, MI), GAG (Flint, MI), GLASS
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(Troy, MI), LUST (London Ontario,
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Canada), MAGIC (Warren, MI), NEOSTAG
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(Girard, OH), SAGE (Erie, PA), WAUG
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(Westland, MI), and WAUG (Windsor
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Ontario, Canada). Groups were
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accommodated in a hallway outside and
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running away from the main entrance to
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the main show floor. Although the hall
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was poorly lit, most attendees visited
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the groups either on the way in or out
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of the show. The clubs showed demos,
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sold disks and newsletters, and
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generally promoted the benefits of club
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membership. Several were selling
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discounted tickets to the upcoming
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World of Atari show.
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A comment heard any number of times at
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the MACE show was -this is the hit of
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the show- when describing the VIDI-ST,
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on display at the CHAOS user group
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table. This device allows capturing
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real life animation of video inputs,
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saving up to 125 frames at up to 4 per
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second of 16-shades of gray (or any
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Atari palette). Resolution is a good
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320 x 200, making NEO or DEGAS pictures
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suitable for use in DTP or other
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applications. CHAOS was showing the
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unit for COMPUTER GAMES PLUS of
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California, and offered a $50 discount
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coupon through their club, reducing the
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$199 unit to $149 (watch ST*ZMAG and
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Z*NET for details on a similar offer
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soon, along with a full review of this
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breakthrough in real-time digitizing!)
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Some members of the groups were
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surprised to find that their volunteers
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working at the club tables were not
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extended free admission to the show
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floor. This is a common courtesy at
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user group and even commercial shows,
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and the charge was unexpected of a
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group who had championed the group
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merits of user shows. Additionally,
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show officials didn't visit or check on
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the user area during most of the show.
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Several club reps felt slighted enough
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by it all that they did not buy a
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ticket or enter the hall.
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Other low notes among the high included
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technical problems causing the Atari
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and Michtron (and other) booths to go
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without power much of Saturday.
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Michtron was particularly disappointed,
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as they were trying to show the
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Ultrascript DTP bundle in operation.
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And GAG's president, Jerry Cross, lost
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his entire 8-bit computer system (MIO
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and all) overnight in the hall, despite
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security patrolling.
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The MACE show appeared to be a
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commercial success, and was by any
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measure a success to those attending
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and taking advantage of the sale prices
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and selection. The first show
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experience for organizers Pattie and
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Bill Rayl, they say another show may be
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possible next year. They may have also
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learned the difference between accurate
|
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reporting and eventual results. In the
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|
May issue of their magazine, the Rayls
|
|
take a potshot at ST*ZMAG's -track
|
|
record for accuracy- for reporting that
|
|
Atari would have no booth...and brag
|
|
about how Atari officials were there.
|
|
Well, there was a booth (a last minute
|
|
aggreement with Atari), but no Atari
|
|
officials attended to run it. Also,
|
|
many developers and vendors were
|
|
promised in MACE promotional
|
|
literature, even as late as a week
|
|
before the show, that did not appear.
|
|
Among them: BEST ELECTRONICS, TOTAL
|
|
CONTROL SYSTEMS (GOE for the 8-bit),
|
|
DIAMOND (8-bit), MIGRAPH, ASTRA
|
|
SYSTEMS, and more. Readers (and
|
|
would-be publishers too) must realize
|
|
that accurate news is only accurate
|
|
until it changes. Keeping up with the
|
|
changes responsibly is a full time
|
|
commitment that we take seriously, and
|
|
trust that others do as well, or at
|
|
least will in the future.
|
|
|
|
ST*ZMAG will provide online, instant
|
|
reports from the WORLD OF ATARI SHOW
|
|
coming to the Detroit area in June.
|
|
Keep up with what to expect at that
|
|
show in future articles in
|
|
ST*ZMAGAZINE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|COMPUSERVE NEW 8-BIT FILES|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courtesy of CompuServe's
|
|
Atari 8-bit Announcements
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|May 8 thru May 15|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 0 (General):
|
|
|
|
[74746,3316] Scott Meredith
|
|
CANLOT.BAS/binary 13-May-89 1408
|
|
|
|
THIS PROGRAM IS A SIMULATION OF THE
|
|
CANADIAN 5/40 GAME.
|
|
|
|
[75706,134] Grant Castillou
|
|
AIHEAV.EN 09-May-89 2332
|
|
|
|
Text file re potential of future
|
|
sentient AI.
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 1 (General):
|
|
|
|
[72327,404] Russel Babylon
|
|
SAILIN.DCM/binary 10-May-89 64768
|
|
|
|
America's Cup Sailing. See how good a
|
|
sailor you would make while racing for
|
|
the Americas Cup.
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 2 (Telecommunications):
|
|
|
|
[72377,2045] Bob Puff
|
|
BOBTRM.ARC/binary 12-May-89 43648
|
|
|
|
Here it is, Version 1.02 of BobTerm,
|
|
the new 8-bit multitasking Terminal
|
|
program!
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 3 (System Utilities):
|
|
|
|
[73537,3573] Richard Mier
|
|
MIOQUP.ARC/binary 12-May-89 7168
|
|
|
|
a 256K MIO Upgraded to 1MEG using 1Meg
|
|
RAMs.
|
|
|
|
[72347,354] Dan Schmidt
|
|
XL512K.ALF/binary 11-May-89 9533
|
|
|
|
A revised RAMdisk primarily for 800xl
|
|
computers that already have a 256k
|
|
upgrade installed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 4 (Graphics/RLE/PICs):
|
|
|
|
[73510,2527] Jimmy Holland
|
|
BLASTO.GIF/graph:gif 10-May-89 27776
|
|
|
|
Space Shuttle Challenger at lift-off
|
|
from Cape Canaveral.
|
|
|
|
[73510,2527] Jimmy Holland
|
|
PORSHE.GIF/graph:gif 10-May-89 5513
|
|
|
|
A simple GIF picture of a Porshe, not
|
|
too bad for resolution on the Atari8
|
|
GIF decoder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIB 9 (BBS Programs/Info):
|
|
|
|
[76214,456] Ralph Enderby
|
|
TRAINC.ARC/binary 11-May-89 9088
|
|
|
|
This is a new on-line game for Carina II or Carina I bbs's.
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
|DATAQUE SOFTWARE'S TURBO-816|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courtesy of GEnie's Atari 8-bit RT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|SURVEY SUMMARY REPORT|
|
|
|
|
(as of 23:35EDT 05/06/89)
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Are you at all familiar with the
|
|
Turbo-816 from DataQue?
|
|
|
|
38 21% no, never heard of it
|
|
53 29% kinda, I have read one or two
|
|
news items
|
|
48 26% I try to keep up on the
|
|
project
|
|
43 23% very, I am actively seeking
|
|
all available information
|
|
2 01% not sure
|
|
|
|
* more information will be made available now that design is finished
|
|
and units are shipping to consumers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2. Providing that the Turbo-816 is all
|
|
that it is advertised to be, what is
|
|
the likelyhood of you purchasing the
|
|
unit?
|
|
|
|
4 02% not likely, do not feel it
|
|
can benifit me
|
|
56 30% not sure, have insuffucient
|
|
information at this time
|
|
76 41% likely, I still need more
|
|
information though
|
|
36 19% very sure, I think it is a
|
|
major advancement
|
|
9 05% not sure
|
|
|
|
|
|
3. What machine would you most likely
|
|
install the Turbo-816 into?
|
|
|
|
6 03% 800 unmodified
|
|
10 05% 800 upgraded to over 48k RAM
|
|
33 18% 600XL/800XL unmodified
|
|
0 00% 65/130XE unmodified
|
|
* 54 29% XL/XE with over 64k RAM
|
|
76 41% 1200XL unmodified
|
|
1 01% 1200XL with over 64k of RAM
|
|
1 01% not sure
|
|
|
|
* a few people evidentally were
|
|
confused, as it should have just
|
|
stated 'XL/XE with RAM expanded
|
|
beyond stock amount. Wow, I just
|
|
can't beleive all of those unmodified
|
|
1200xls, just yearning for expansion!
|
|
|
|
|
|
4. Would the target system include a
|
|
hard drive system?
|
|
|
|
86 46% no
|
|
47 25% MIO as a host adapter
|
|
5 03% Supra host adapter
|
|
0 00% BTL host adapter
|
|
2 01% other host adapter
|
|
2 01% not sure
|
|
|
|
|
|
5. What would be your preference to a
|
|
video adapter?
|
|
|
|
19 10% Stay with the current
|
|
(Antic/GTIA) only
|
|
12 06% current, AND an 80 column
|
|
text only mono ttl monitor
|
|
17 09% current, AND an 80 column
|
|
txt/gra mono ttl monitor
|
|
39 21% current, AND an 80 column CGA
|
|
compatible ttl monitor
|
|
57 31% current, AND an 80 column VGA
|
|
compatible monitor
|
|
38 21% not sure
|
|
|
|
* At this time a Analog-RGB, TTL Mono,
|
|
and Composite combo video controller
|
|
is being designed. Planned
|
|
resolution maximum of 640x200 with 16
|
|
colors out of a pallette of 4096.
|
|
Planned cost under $100.
|
|
|
|
|
|
6. How much general purpose RAM would
|
|
you expect to want?
|
|
|
|
0 00% none
|
|
3 02% 64k or less
|
|
33 18% over 64K, but no more than
|
|
256k
|
|
83 45% over 256k, but less than 1
|
|
meg
|
|
41 22% over 1 meg, but less then 8
|
|
meg
|
|
4 02% over 8 meg
|
|
18 10% not sure
|
|
|
|
* looks like 1 meg is about it in
|
|
general, unless it is used for a
|
|
RAMdisk, or multi-tasking, I would
|
|
agree.
|
|
|
|
|
|
7. The Turbo-OS has an option to
|
|
support ROM applications such as
|
|
editors, applications, and
|
|
utilities, which can be called up
|
|
from other applications. How many
|
|
of these 'resident' applications
|
|
would be sufficient to support?
|
|
|
|
2 01% none, it is a dumb idea
|
|
11 06% one or two would be
|
|
sufficient
|
|
57 31% two to four would be fine
|
|
57 31% four to eight would be
|
|
'mavalous'
|
|
15 08% eight to sixteen sounds like
|
|
the ticket
|
|
5 03% must have over 16 to make be
|
|
happy
|
|
34 18% not sure
|
|
|
|
* version 1.00M of the Turbo-OS will
|
|
support up to 8 applications from its
|
|
built in menu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
8. Would battery backed support of data
|
|
be a wanted feature?
|
|
|
|
16 09% naw, no use for it
|
|
49 26% a battery backed clock would
|
|
be nice
|
|
23 12% I would like to see battery
|
|
backed RAM
|
|
86 46% both battery back clock and
|
|
RAM would be great
|
|
8 04% not sure
|
|
|
|
* no problem, will be offered as an
|
|
order option on RAM/PROM board.
|
|
|
|
|
|
9. Would you feel a resident (within
|
|
OS) debugger would be of use?
|
|
|
|
26 14% 1- nope, would never use
|
|
103 56% 2- yes, if it had features I
|
|
need
|
|
53 29% 3- not sure
|
|
|
|
* a limited amount of resident debug
|
|
features are available in the
|
|
Turbo-OS version 1.00m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
10. Would support of a DMA (direct
|
|
parallel as opposed to the current
|
|
SIO) floppy disk drive be a
|
|
consideration?
|
|
|
|
10 05% nope, already have enough
|
|
113 61% support of 360k/720k floppies
|
|
would be welcomed
|
|
46 25% might be interested
|
|
13 07% not sure
|
|
|
|
* at this time, we do not plan on
|
|
releasing any dma peripherals other
|
|
than our video controller. If the
|
|
'Black Box' is introduced at a
|
|
reasonable cost, we will pursuade
|
|
people to purchase it. If enough
|
|
people still demand dma controllers we
|
|
may introduce one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
11. Would you be interested in an
|
|
external backplane (card cage) and
|
|
if so, how large would be optimum?
|
|
(Memory, disk controllers, and
|
|
other adapters would be plugged
|
|
into, and be powered by such a
|
|
device.)
|
|
|
|
11 06% I do not see any use for it
|
|
51 28% a 4 slot backplane would be
|
|
sufficient
|
|
58 31% 6 slots would be a nice
|
|
reasonable amount
|
|
17 09% at least 8 slots would be
|
|
needed
|
|
43 23% not sure
|
|
|
|
* an 8 slot active backplane is
|
|
currently being designed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
12. Would a built-in graphical
|
|
operating system a deciding factor?
|
|
If so which do you feel would be
|
|
your choice?
|
|
|
|
29 16% no, I do not feel it is
|
|
important
|
|
24 13% yes, I feel Diamond being
|
|
resident would be benificial
|
|
27 15% yes, I feel GOE being
|
|
resident would be benificial
|
|
48 26% yes, but a new, more powerful
|
|
GOS would be needed
|
|
52 28% undecided
|
|
|
|
* Due to the obvious dicontent with the
|
|
current offerings we may be forced
|
|
into introducing our own 80 column
|
|
true graphical OS as an extension to
|
|
the #13 question below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
13. Would a multitasking operating
|
|
system be a wanted enhancement?
|
|
|
|
26 14% no, I have enough tasks
|
|
already
|
|
121 65% yes, I think it would be a
|
|
welcomed addition
|
|
34 18% unsure
|
|
|
|
* it is obvious that people want
|
|
multi-tasking windows, something that
|
|
even ST users want. The Atari line
|
|
of computers are the only ones
|
|
currently available that do not
|
|
support multi-tasking. IBM, Apple,
|
|
and Commodore were doing it years
|
|
ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
14. There are several algorithms used
|
|
for multi-tasking. Of the
|
|
following, which would be your
|
|
choice?
|
|
|
|
74 40% I do not know
|
|
32 17% real-time (event driven)
|
|
14 08% time-slice (time driven)
|
|
43 23% combination (both with some
|
|
limitations)
|
|
18 10% Don't want to multi-task.
|
|
|
|
* At this time a MT for the 8-bit would
|
|
have real-time functions for the
|
|
interrupt functions, and time-slice
|
|
for the user applications. Note:
|
|
that applications running under the
|
|
Atari OS would have restrictions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
15. Would a floating point
|
|
co-processor, with significant
|
|
speed improvements, while
|
|
maintaining compatibility with the
|
|
current Atari FP routines, be a
|
|
wanted device?
|
|
|
|
15 08% no, FP is fast enough
|
|
68 37% yes, I feel it would be worth
|
|
$30 if it worked well
|
|
56 30% yes, It would be worth $40-50
|
|
if it was a real blazer
|
|
42 23% unsure
|
|
|
|
* We are currently developing a
|
|
combination accelorator for the 8-bit
|
|
Atari which would allow up to a 300%
|
|
static improvement, and up to 1000%
|
|
dynamic improvement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
16. If you purchased a Turbo-816, would
|
|
you support a bi-monthly newsletter
|
|
which would cover programming
|
|
hints, discounts, feature programs,
|
|
and product information?
|
|
|
|
1 01% no, I know enough w/o a
|
|
newsletter
|
|
18 10% yes, if is was free (online
|
|
type)
|
|
38 21% yes, if it was relatively
|
|
inexpensive ($10 or so a
|
|
year)
|
|
29 16% yes, I feel any news is good
|
|
news, as long as not
|
|
outrageous
|
|
90 49% I think both #2, and (3 or 4)
|
|
would be nice
|
|
5 03% undecided
|
|
|
|
* We have approached several magazine
|
|
publishers and will have a feature
|
|
section in at least one of those by
|
|
the end of the summer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|Z*NET NEWSWIRE 8-BIT EDITION|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|by Harold Brewer|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WORLD OF ATARI (Press Release)
|
|
|
|
World of Atari is coming to Dearborn,
|
|
Michigan, June 24 - 25, 1989 at the
|
|
Hyatt Regency Dearborn. Make your
|
|
plans to attend this great event for
|
|
Atari users. Call (800) 842-9034 to
|
|
make Hotel and Airline Reservations and
|
|
receive FREE admission tickets when you
|
|
call this number. (Chicago residents
|
|
can receive round trip air fare as low
|
|
as $38.) Call (503) 673-2259 (ST World
|
|
magazine) for show details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Folks on GEnie, CompuServe, and
|
|
St. Louis Atari bulletin boards are
|
|
talking about the new terminal program
|
|
BobTerm. Bob Puff (author of Disk
|
|
Communicator, Super ARC! series, and
|
|
MYDOS) has issued yet another fine
|
|
piece of Shareware for the 8-bits.
|
|
Look for a review or two of BobTerm in
|
|
the near future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Rovac Industries, Incorporated |
|
|
| P.O. Box 74, Middlesex, NJ 08846 |
|
|
| (201) 968-8148 |
|
|
|Copyright 1989 All Rights Reserved|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CompuServe: 71777,2140
|
|
GEnie: ZMAGAZINE
|
|
Source: BDG793
|
|
|
|
ZMagazine Headquarters BBSes:
|
|
Centurian BBS--(314)621-5046
|
|
(618)451-0165
|
|
Chaos BBS--(517)371-1106
|
|
Shadow Haven--(916)962-2566
|
|
Stairway to Heaven--(216)784-0574
|
|
The Pub--(716)826-5733
|