I/O BOARD
PRESIDENTIAL UPDATE
With the recent election, readers using Antic's copyrighted Name the Presidents (October 1987) will want to update the program to include President Bush. They need to add the following lines:
115 DIM A$(20):TL=41:G=0
930 DATA 41,GEORGE,CVTI
940 DATA 0,END,END
I also invite anybody interested in finding out about the Educators' Atari Club and our large public domain library to write us at P.O. Box 1024, Laytonville, CA 45454.
Peter Loeser
President, EAC
Laytonville, CA
ANTIC MUSIC PROCESSOR
I would be willing to say that Antic Music Processor (December 1988, Super Disk Bonus) is your best program of the year, but I have a few questions. First, how do you input lyrics? Also, could you please print the file structure of a saved AMP music file? I would like to write a listing program so I could view the "sheet" of music in its entirety, not just a few lines at a time.
Jay Moore
There currently is no simple way to include lyrics in AMP. For the COMESAIL sample the author actually went into the data file to add the lyrics the hard way.
Unfortunately that information was unclear in the article. Author Steven Lashower is currently working on a lyric editor for AMP, and as soon as it's available we plan to run it in the magazine. At present, Lashower is the only person who understands the structure of the saved files, but we're passing your excellent idea on to him.
Antic must apologize to would-be contest entrants who were frustrated by their inability to enter lyrics. If you have any lyric-less songs you proud of, we'd still be glad to look at them and possibly run some on disk in the future.
ANTIC DATA-X, REVISION B
Thanks for the Revision B version of the Antic Data-X database (December 1988.) I was impressed with the original and think this is a nice improvement. I happily translated my inventory databases right away. (It did take a very long time and I thought that perhaps an error had occured.)
I do have a question about the program, however. When loading the program with BASIC on my 800XL I get an error message in German, with options for "DOS, RUN, ODER LOAD?" (the D, R, L are in inverse.) Typing "R" gets to the friendly database menu. But when I have my Revision C BASIC cartridge stuck in, I get a garbage screen and lock up.
So what is the German menu doing there? Whatever, I do like the program and greatly enjoyed the December issue of Antic, particularly the Antic Music Processor!
Richard Williams
Pullman, WA
Antic Data-X is written in Turbo BASIC, a programming language developed in Germany. This database program is a run-time version, so you don't need BASIC and should boot the disk without a language cartridge or holding the [OPTION] key down for an XL/XE. The "FEHLER--2 IN ZEILE 10011 ($6E69)" you got is simply an error message going back to its roots.--ANTIC ED
BEGINNERS HELP
I just got a used Atari 800XL with a 1050 disk drive and 1030 modem. I got a few diskettes and cartridges, too. My problem is that I don't understand how to use it. I have the Atari owner's manuals. I bought the December 1988 Antic and read the whole thing. But I still don't understand what to do with the disk. Could you please print some articles for people like me?
Mrs. Fred Towse
Hot Springs, AR
For a complete beginner like yourself, Antic's First-Time Atari Users Handbook (February 1988) can be very helpful. This article will takke you step-by-step through the process of setting up the computer, video (TV) and disk drives. Then using your disk with DOS is discussed.--ANTIC ED
FANCY GRAPHIC OS
Lately I've seen some ads for ST GEM-like operating environments for 8-bit Ataris, products like Diamond OS, GOE Desktop, Lightspeed Windows, and Screens. I've seen the ST-like environment used in the game OGRE and it's outstanding! How do these products stack up! Why doesn't Antic do an in-depth article on these products?
Capt. John Glessner
Kirtland AFB, NM
Frankly, we're waiting to see the cartridge-based versions of some of these systems before we make a final judgement. As it is, the disk-based versions we've seen take up more memory than is practical for most applications on a standard-memory Atari, a problem that could hopefully be solved using cartriages.--ANTIC ED
TOO BUSY LIGHT
Why do the 1050 disk drives keep spinning the disk for ten seconds after the drive has finished accessing the disk? (That's how long it seems I have to wait for the busy light to go out, anyway.)
Steven White
Harlingen, TX
Believe it or not, the 1050 is trying to be helpful. Physically, it takes a long time for the 1050 to get into position for disk I/O. A built-in function was added to keep the 1050 in ready position a little longer than necessary, just in case your program wants to do more with the disk. Of course, if you just want to remove the disk and go on to something else, the wait is more annoying than useful.--ANTIC ED
ERRATIC MODEM?
I am looking for a 2400 baud modem, so I was happy to see Antic review the Worldport 2400 modem in your December 1988 issue. However, the review left me confused. It seems the modem only worked properly for six days, after which it would only work when cool, or at half speed. Yet you consider such a modem to be "dependable, versatile and powerful. . .just as reliable as any standard-sized modem." Why?
I have a used 1200 baud Rixon modem that has worked hundreds of hours, with no problems whatsoever, no matter the time of day or how warm it was. Either something got edited from that review, or I will not trust any of your hardware reviews anymore!
Paul Muehlbauer
New Ulm, MN
The Worldport ran non-stop, batch-uploading huge text files ten hours a day. This is unusually rough treatment for a modem, since the constant transmission of data meant the modem was working every second. Our reviewer; Technical and Online editor Charles Jackson, felt it was the cumulative effect of working without rest that caused problems. Unless you 're running a very popular bulletin board, you're not likely to put that sort of constant pressure on a modem. Overall, our reviewer was very impressed by the Worldport, but wanted to give you all the facts.--ANTIC ED
Antic welcomes your feeaback but we regret that the large volume of mail makes it impossible for the Editors to reply to everyone. Although we do respond to as much reader correspondence as time permits, our highest priorty must be to publish I/O answers to questions that are meaningful to a substantial number of readers.
Send letters to: Antic I/O Board, 544 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107