======================================================================= ZMAG/A\ZINE - THE ORIGINAL ATARI ONLINE MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 4, 1990 ======================================================================= -Your Weekly Atari and 8-Bit News Source- Issue #184 ======================================================================= Published by Rovac Editor - Ron Kovacs Asst Editor - John Nagy ======================================================================= CONTENTS EDITORS DESK ......Ron Kovacs Z*NET NEWSWIRE............... GLENDALE ATARI SHOW INFO..... DAISY DOT III LABELS......... 8-BIT PD UPDATE.............. XF551 HARDWARE MODIFICATION.. |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| |*| THE EDITORS DESK |*| |*| by Ron Kovacs |*| |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| Well, here we go again. It has been nine months since we released an issue of ZMAG. There has been numerous requests for 8-bit coverage in Z*Net Online, but the focus there is ST, TT, and STacy, to name a few. The coverage for 8-bitters is fading fast and during this year you have seen the departure of your favorite magazines. The hard copy coverage may be gone but we are here and look forward to providing you the best possible support. This publication will start where we left off in December 1989 with issue #184. We will start with a bi-weekly format until November and attempt a weekly release soon after. Weekly release will be determined by the articles we receive from the readers and other sources. Already being selected as a source for material is the Puget Sound Atari News and the JACG newsletter. Since our sister hard copy publication is currently distributed in some twenty newsletters, I am sure we will be able to collect more articles in the months ahead. Each issue will contain the latest Z*Net Newswire especially edited for 8-bit owners. Of course there will be other news appearing from time to time that we hope you will find interesting. In a survey to be released shortly, we will poll you for coverage requests. This will help us focus attention on issues and news that interestes you. There are a few people already volunteering efforts, and I look forward to pooling the information and presenting here. If you want to donate articles, please leave email on the services and the BBS. Regular columns will be assigned in the next few weeks and a special area each week for previously released tips and information will appear. BBS systems carrying the publication are encouraged to leave a message with their number. The old Z*Magazine list has been deleted along with the system numbers previously assigned. The revised 1990 edition of the official ZMAG BBS list will be released as soon as we can get some numbers on it. Stay tuned to this page in the weeks ahead on plans and feedback on suggestions. This new attempot will be a bit more personalized and contain the latest Atari happenings. Thanks go to everyone posting the positive messages. Best of luck to us on this return and hopes for a long life online! |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| |*| Z*NET NEWSWIRE |*| |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| GLENDALE SHOW SETS UP SURPRISES September 15 & 16 will bring the largest collection of Atari exhibitors ever to Glendale, California. The vendor list is firming up, and next week in Z*Net Online, we will have a new all-confirmed compilation of those who are coming. The Southern California Atari Computer Faire, Version 4.0b, is being managed by John King Tarpinian, who can be reached for last minute bookings or other information at (818) 246-7286. Atari has let it be known that they have some very special things planned for this show, and even Elie Kenan, new General Manager at Atari, has taken part in coordinating the advertising for the show in major papers and on radio. Bob Brodie and many other Atari employees will be attending. A first for any show will be a LYNX-LINK PLAYOFF, similar in concept to the Midi-Maze competitions that have been popular at many events. Prizes for those competing in the continuous multi-player LYNX games will include, of course, Lynx game units and lots of game carts. Late word says that Portfolio developer Xetoerix will display a remarkable 20 meg hard drive for the palm size Portfolio computer. New seminars being planned include a hands-on HOTZ MIDI TRANSLATOR session and a pair of PORTFOLIO -classes-. FREE TICKETS TO GLENDALE SHOW John King Tarpinian is offering FREE tickets to the Glendale Atari Show. Regular admission will be $5.00 each day and only $3.00 for any Atari user group members with membership identification. In the interests of helping to support a wide mix and representation of Atari users from other states, John will also send up to 10 pairs of FREE tickets ($60.00 worth), to any requesting user group based outside of the Southern California area. Requests should come from a club officer and tickets are not for resale except to members for the benefit of the club treasury. Act soon to allow mailing time. Remember, the show is this September 15 and 16. Call John at (818) 246-7286 at reasonable times. (Pacific Time) ATARI STE FIXED Sources close to Atari have let it be known that the hard drive operation problem in the Atari STe computers has been eradicated completely in the new production machines now leaving Sunnyvale. Since no official statement has as yet been made by Atari regarding the resolution of the nastyu DMA problem, Z*NET has asked Bob Brodie to investigate and make an official response to our inquiry about it. We hope to have the last word on this and on the handling of exisiting machines very soon. ST-WORLD SENT THE FRAUDULENT FAX A joint statement is expected shortly from Atari Corp and former ST-World Magazine owner Richard Tsukiji, explaining that investigation of the -Bob Brodie FAX- incident has determined that the fax was in fact sent from the ST-World offices, but from persons unknown. The FAX in question falsely purported to be from Atari Manager of User Group Services, Bob Brodie, and urged a boycott of World of Atari shows. ST-World Magazine offices were closed and Tsukiji was allegedly out of the state on July 2, 1990, when the FAX was sent. Tsukiji is said to suspect that disgruntled former ST-World employees sent the damaging FAX. Tsukiji transferred ownership of the magazine to several employees for the sum of $1.00, bypassing other employees and editors who had expected to take over the ST publication. LYNX OWNERS UPDATE Are you tired of scanning through page after page of Nintendo stuff in video game magazines just so you can find a little Lynx news? Don't you wish there was... oh, I don't know..a newsletter that was devoted solely to Lynx news and game tips. Well now there is. APE (Atari Portable Entertainment) is a quarterly newsletter that covers the Lynx exclusively. The June Premiere issue features Summer Consumer Electronics Show news, Lynx Game Secrets, tips and hints for California Games, Blue Lightning, Chip's Challenge, Electrocop, Gates of Zendocon, and Gauntlet 3. The editor of APE is Clinton Smith. Smith is an avid Atari game player and has written several reviews for Atari Explorer and has some coming up in STart. If you're interested in subscribing now, (you'll receive the free Premiere issue automatically) send your Check or money order payable to Clinton Smith for $6.00 to: APE SUBSCRIPTION 2104 NORTH KOSTNER CHICAGO,IL 60639 INK CARTRIDGE REBATE The Haystack Company we will be offering $7.00 for your dispensed Desk Jet Ink Cartridges. Just send them the empty cartridge, being very careful not to damage it, and they'll send you a check for $7.00 immediately. The units are needed for testing. This is a limited time offer since they are only looking for a fixed amount. Depending on the response, the offer could expire at any time. However, they will guarentee the offer until September 23, 1990. Send to: The Haystack Co. 215 West 88th St. Room 8G New York, N.Y. 10024 HP TOLL-FREE HOTLINE Hewlett-Packard now has a US only toll free telephone number (1-800-233- 5153) that customers can call to determine if their HP LaserJet IIP printer is one of approx 70,000 manufactured during the early months of the printer's release that have faulty power supplies. HP will replace the power supply of affected HP LaserJet IIP printers at no charge. Customers in Canada should contact their local HP-authorized dealer or HP customer-service center. The failures do not represent a safety hazard but will result in a front control panel message -50 NEEDS SERVICE- that halts operation of the printer. Owners of this printer purchased before March 1990 are encouraged to call the toll-free number. Customers who have printers with faulty power supplies will be given the option to: - contact their local HP authorized dealer or HP customer-service center to have the power supply replaced free of charge - return the printer to HP and receive a remanufactured printer with a full one-year warranty in exchange GENIE OFFERS FLAT MONTHLY RATE The GEnie online service announced last week the introduction of a flat subscription rate of just $4.95 (US) per month including unlimited, non- prime time access to more than 100 products and services. The rate for US access to those GEnie service products/services not covered under the flat monthly rate has been set at just $6 per hour during non-prime time for all three access speeds of (300, 1200 and 2400 baud). The prime time rate will remain at $18 per hour for all three access speeds. In Canada, the monthly subscription rate is $5.95 (Canadian), with a non-prime time rate of $8 (Canadian) per hour for all three access speeds. The $29.95 sign up fee for the GEnie service also has been eliminated for all new subscribers effective immediately. If a subscriber does not like the new service, they can cancel their membership and the GEnie service will refund the $4.95 subscription fee to them. NINTENDO UPDATE Nintendo has launched 3 television commercials which showcase Nintendo's creative philosophy: having fun through game play transcends all ages. Incorporating real-life scenarios in all 3 commercials, Nintendo demonstrates how its Game Boy portable video game system can play a role in the lifestyles of two disparate age groups: kids and teens, ages 6-17; and adult males, ages 18-49. |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| |*| GLENDALE ATARIFEST |*| |*| Press Release |*| |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ATARI COMPUTER FAIRE version 4.0b * * ...also known as -THE GLENDALE SHOW- * * * * September 15 and 16, 1990, at the Glendale Civic Auditorium, * * 1401 Verdugo Road, Glendale, California. Hours are 10 AM - * * 6 PM Saturday, and 10 AM - 5 PM Sunday. Admission is $5.00, * * or only $3.00 with any Atari User Group membership I.D. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Glendale Atari Faire is a User Group sponsored tradition in Southern California, the West Coast's Premier Atari event since 1986. This will be the fourth show in five years at the same large auditorium in Glendale, California, just a few minutes from Burbank Airport and convenient to all of the metropolitan Los Angeles area. An attendance of over 4,000 is realistically anticipated, considering previous year's performances. Last year's Glendale show was cancelled due to conflicting dates with another show, which was then itself cancelled. With one month left before the show, organizer John King Tarpinian says that he is nearly sold out of the original floor space planned for use in the Glendale Civic Auditorium. He adds that if demand keeps up, convenient, quality additional space can be arranged. John says that the developers that appeared at the recent San Jose World of Atari show are booked for Glendale, plus lots more. Publicity for the Glendale show, including the vendor list, has been low key until now to avoid drawing attention away from that San Jose show. Here is the Glendale Show List of vendors, both of confirmed and unconfirmed -but likely- to attend. There are 45 of them so far, plus at least five user groups, making Glendale perhaps the biggest US Atari show of all time! ATARI Corporation American Music Best Electronics Bill Skurski Enterprises Branch Always Software BRE Beckmeyer Carter Graphics CodeHead SoftWare Computer Network C.O.P. D.A. Brumleve Datel Double Click FAST Technology Gadgets by Small Gold Leaf Gribnif Groves School of Music ICD ISD King's Domain Lexicor MegaMax Michtron MicroCreations Mid-Cities Migraph Neocept Practical Solutions Safari Fonts S.D.S. Sierra Seymour-Radix SliccWare STart ST Informer ST Journal Sprokits Supra Corp. Talon WuzTek XETOERIX Zubair Interfaces Z*Net News Service ... and more to come! Atari Corporation has promised major support including a very large display of the entire Atari Computer line of products. You can expect to see LOTS of the ST, STE, MEGA, STACY, PORTFOLIO, LYNX, and even the TT030 computers. Many of Atari's employees will be on hand to show and discuss the machines. Advertising and promotion of this user-group show is being provided through the generousity of Atari. User Groups will include HACKS, ACES, ACAOC, NOCCC, SBACE, BACE, and more. Volunteers from the groups will be providing the support for the entire show, including setup, loading and unloading, security, and staffing. They will also be available for short periods to assist vendors in their booths. All volunteers will be given a custom Canvas Tote Bag and Sun Visor (this is California!) with the Atari emblem on each. These are limited production and will be for volunteers only, NOT for sale! There will also be three $100 drawings, one each day of the effort, for volunteers only. Many seminars are already booked, including several with ATARI's BOB BRODIE, other officials, and technical support people. Other seminars that are planned at this time: * Desktop Publishing with CALAMUS - Nathan Potechin of ISD * Software Speeding up the ST/TT - Darek Mihocka of BRA-SOFT * Int. Assoc. of Atari Developers - Nathan Potechin, Chairperson * INTRODUCING NEODESK 3 - Rick Flashman of Gribnif * DAVE SMALL TALKS/MAC EMULATION - Dave Small of Gadgets by Small * NEW FROM CODEHEAD - Charles F. Johnson of CodeHead Software * Kids and Atari Computers - * PC Emulation - * ST Magazines and Online Newsletters - ...with more to be added and announced at the show. Door prizes, including a wide variety of software, accessories, and computer paraphanalia, will be awarded every hour, with some extra special drawings as well. Lodging information: The Burbank Hilton weekend rate is $59 per day. This hotel is adjacent to the Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport, and will be where the Atari Corporation employees will be staying. Contact the Burbank Hilton at 818-843-6000. The Glendale Holiday Inn is the closest hotel to the show itself, and the weekend rate is $89 per day. Contact the Holiday Inn at 818-965-0202. These rates and hotels are neither endorsed or guaranteed by the organizers. Neither hotel is within walking distance to the Auditorium. This is Los Angeles, folks.. expect to use CARS. Don't worry about traffic jams in this area, however. Directions to the show (once you have found Glendale, which is a Northern central suburb of Los Angeles): Take the Mountain exit of the -2- freeway and go West (down the hill) one block. Or, from the -134- freeway, take the Glendale Avenue exit, and go North one mile (Glendale Ave will become Verdugo Road). The Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 Verdugo Road, is on the NORTH side of Verdugo. Large parking lots are on the WEST side of the building, with metered parking for TEN CENTS AN HOUR. The final booth sales, seminar schedule, and advertising space in the program are being arranged now. More information is available from the show organizer, John King Tarpinian, 818-246-7286, or by mail at 246 North Brand #321, Glendale, California, 91203. |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| |*| PRINTNIG 3 1/2- X 15/16- |*| |*| LABELS WITH DAISY-DOT III |*| |*||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||*| by Roy Goldman (This document assumes familiarity with the Daisy-Dot III near letter quality printing system. For information about DD3 send a SASE to Roy Goldman, 2440 S Jasmine, Denver, CO 80222) COPY THIS FILE TO YOUR PRINTER (P:) INTRODUCTION ------------ One of the new features of Daisy-Dot III is variable page length support, which allows the program to keep track of pages regardless of page size, font or line spacing combination used. The DD3 Print Processor Customizer restricts the minimum page length to 288/72- (4-) to avoid possible problems caused by top/bottom margin overlap and printing of large fonts with large line spacing. Unfortunately, this restriction makes it difficult to effectively print popular continuous form 3 1/2- X 15/16- labels (with 1/16- between labels). The following suggested modifications set the page length to 1- for proper control of these labels. But as a price for this flexibility, the user must become responsible for setting both the top and bottom margins to zero and making sure that font and line spacing sizes aren't too large when creating the labels. I recommend that you apply these modifications to a copy of DD3PP to be used ONLY for labels and that you continue to use a copy of DD3PP configured by the unmodified customizer for every other printing application. MODIFICATIONS ------------- Enter BASIC in your system, and type: LOAD -Dn:PPCUSTOM.BAS- where n is the drive containing an unmodified copy of the Print Processor Customizer. You need modify only two lines, 6010 and 6020, so type: LIST 6010,6020 Change the 288 in line 6010 to 72 and press [RETURN]. Change the 287 in line 6020 to 71, change the 98 in line 6020 to 70, and press [RETURN]. To double check the changes, type: LIST 6010,6020 again. They should look like this: 6010 POSITION 2,17:? -Page Length (72-1008/72-;CHR$(34);-):-;:INPUT TEMP 6020 IF TEMP>71 AND TEMP<1009 AND TOP+BOT+70