SPACE Newsletter January 1995

Newz From The Prez
by Nathan Block

Nathan has failed again to submit his article in time for this publication!

The Editor

DOM Info by Terry Streeter

Terry has failed to submit DOM info to me in time for the newsletter.

The Editor

Treasurer's Report by Greg Leitner

Well another year has gone by and I have to look back on 1994 and thank all the 8-bit diehards who keep on going. It amazes me how many members don't even use their 8-bit anymore, but are willing and wanting to support it. It just goes to show how great the 8-bit Atari really is and the feeling that we just can't let it die. What ever your reasons for your continuing support is greatly appreciated by those of us who still use it. I have other systems that I can us at home, but I always go back to the 8-bit because I feel more comfortable using it knowing that it does what I ask it to do without having to pull my hair out trying to get the job done. Enough said.

Our bank balance for the year ending December 31, 1994 stands at $378.34. This may seem alarming to some of you, but let me explain.

The Club provides a service to its members in that Glenn purchases and sells blank disks and disk boxes along with our regular DOM's. The Club makes very little profit from these sales, but we feel it is a service that the members deserve for their membership fee. To keep costs to the members at the lowest possible price we need to buy in rather large quantities which in turn eats up our cash. But keep in mind that when you purchase these items, the money goes right back into the Club's Treasury. So we will experience a low bank balance for a short time until sales from these items replenish our account.

The cost for the disk supplies came to $211.44. Also we had to pay for the fourth quarter rent of the hall which was $90.00 and also for the December Newsletter which came to only $11.73. Our deposit was $98.00 thanks in large part to the sale of our Xmas party raffle. Only one membership renewal for the month and that is what really bothers me. I know it's hard to part with the $15.00, but the Club needs your support. Don't throw in the towel, we need you for 1995, and I would like to see all of you again throughout the new year.

On that note, I hope you and your families all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy and prosperous New Year.

See you all in '95

Point to Ponder - by M. Fitzpatrick

Pursuant to President Nathan Block's suggestion concerning improvements to the SPACE club, I would like to suggest we contact the members of the former MAST computer club.

The rational behind this suggestion is: The former president of MAST has been selling his ST equipment and software at the Computer Station. He was the only one I sent a copy of the updated bylaws in addition to a written invitation for all MAST folks to come and check us out. Being a former member of MAST I did not get an invitation.

I have the name and phone number of the former membership chairman and we could request a membership list and send our own invitations in addition to the new bylaws to all on said list.

A point to ponder for the January meeting.

November 1994 Meeting Minutes

Meeting opened at: 7:35pm by President Nathan Block

A discussion of a class for using a BBS was undertaken and Terry Streeter will teach the class.

The Holiday Party Sign-up List was circulated and Nathan Block encouraged all to select a portion. note: The club will not provide a ham this year.

Terry Streeter asked about a new Atari DOS called REAL-DOS. The only member who has information on this is our Sysop Amos Jackson who is Beta testing it and cannot reveal any data at this time.

The officers and appointed Chairpeople were unanimously re-elected/appointed. Mike Fitzpatrick announced that he may have to step down due to potential employment.

Nathan asked for suggestions for improving the club.

Lance was recognized for bringing software to the meeting.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:10pm.

Minutes of the SPACE Meeting for December 1994

The was no formal meeting as this was our Annual Christmas Party.

There was a raffle drawing and your Secretary did not get the names of the winners or their prizes (he was in the kitchen cooking).

A great feast was had by all!!!!

Lance had his usual display of software and the Nelson's (Steve and Kris) were selling software and hardware.

Items to think about for the January Meeting; new business:
Membership Drive
Computer Project
Selection of a Sysop
Formulating an Agenda for Future Meetings
Hands on Demo for BBSing

Here are some posts from the SPACE BBS, which will be going down on Jan 2. Amos has to move and will no longer be able to handle the BBS.

Message: 195 (#8429) Title: Adventure!
Author: TIM GEARIN To: ADAM B WEISBROD
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 2:25:00am

Again, I have no PC, I don't have any friends that have one and I got no way of getting one nor would I care to buy one so as I could waste my life away some more playing flight sims and such. At least with the Atari I have an opportunity to make a game that's better than anything ever made due to my vast knowledge of the hardware reg. All the time spent on this old computer is going to pay off and I'm not quitting till it does.

I know I sound a bit obsessed with my plans but at this point I pretty much got nothing else going for me in life so why not.

Message: 198 (#8434) Title: ?
Author: SysOp*Amos To: ADAM B WEISBROD
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 10:16:00am

If your using an 850 interface, it is automatic. If you don't trust that, what you do is have your interface handler named RS232.COM, and Bobterm looks for that filename after it loads and starts to run.

The "B" command at the main menu of Bobterm is _NOT_ for calling up the dialing menu. "B" changes the baud rate. You hit "E" to get to the dialing menu. Once you get to the dialing menu, hit "A" to "A"dd a bbs to your phonelist. You that then place the name of the board, the phone number and three macros, being SHIFT-CONTROL-1, SHIFT-CONTROL-2, SHIFT-CONTROL-3. I use these for my user numbers and passwords, and instead of typing these in each time I call a bbs,I just use the SHIFT-CONTROL- 1,2,or 3 combinations.

Also, you must hit "S" at the dialing menu to save your entries to disk.

SysOp*Amos

Message: 199 (#8435) Title: HELP ME!
Author: SysOp*Amos To: ADAM B WEISBROD
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 10:28:01am

Adam, The _850 INTERFACE_ is 9600,not the Atari CPU's. Bobterm is capable of doing 19.2k baud. I use Bobterm with a MIO and sometime a US Robotics 14.4k baud Sportster modem. Plans are in the works to get the Atari up to 38.8k baud. I don't know if work will continue to reach this goal, but the plans are in the works.

SysOp*Amos

Message: 200 (#8436) Title: $phone#3
Author: SysOp*Amos To: ADAM B WEISBROD
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 10:31:00am

Well, I won't turn down any help. The cost of getting all of the phone lines transferred to the new address will be around $300.00 total, which is around $75.00 perline _BEFORE_ taxes and surcharges. SysOp*Amos

Message: 99 (#8418)
Title: newsletter here use the
Author: ADAM B WEISBROD To: MIKE SCHMIDT
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 12:55:00am

Use the cash from the meetings for phone bill on the BBS's and then get the Newsletter FROM the printer from the post file.txt in the public interest sig also the next post will be my news letter article called atari.txt

Message: 100 (#8419)
Title: PRINT This ARTICLE Please
Author: ADAM B WEISBROD To: MIKE SCHMIDT
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 1:04:00am

This is A news article by Adam Weisbrod for the St.Paul Atari Interest group Newsletter/mag.

This month i studied really hard for the Newsletter stuff and will be about Jaguar stuff.

!Special Jaguar Forms at Funco ! Jaguars for under $300 and also get the CD for $299.99. Get a Sound Blaster/ Jaguarcdrom/doublespin Card for the IBM for $410.?? it uses the cd rom triple or double spin and works With the Ibm for Jaguar Cd games because the cd for the Jaguar is the same as the Ibm M-PEG II (Double Spin) CD-rom_players and the games just could be made for the Ibm, The Sega and The Nintendo and the 386 and the 486 doublespin like the game Dragonslayer that works on the panasonic 3D0 and the IBM Single spin and also for the xt disk 5'1/4 disks too!

Message: 100 (#8437) Title: Bobterm
Author: SysOp*Amos To: ADAM B WEISBROD
Posted: Fri 2-Dec-94 at 10:35:00am

Adam,I just came up with an idea for this base, and feel that his base will be the best place for this idea.

If you want to learn how to use Bobterm, I can give some instructions, hints, and tips in this base to help you get going on it. Whadda ya think?? SysOp*Amos

P.S. Newsletter: Theposts that I place in this base may also serve other members of the club if placed in the newsletter.

Message: 66 (#8529) Title: 1995
Author: Michael Fitzpatrick To: All
Posted: Sat 10-Dec-94 at 12:44:00pm

Just finished uploading the December SPACE club minutes be what they were.

In them are some items to be discussed at the January 1995 meeting. These items are not just to be a stand alone but ideas on how to get the club into gear.

There is a plan to contact the members of the former MAST club to see if there is any interest in joining us.

Message: 67 (#8530) - Reply to #66
Title: 1995
Author: MICHAEL WEIST
To: Michael Fitzpatrick (Recvd)
Posted: Sat 10-Dec-94 at 5:49:00pm

I think it would be interesting for the officers to get together and say---we have 12 months in front of us, what will we have planned for each month of 1995.

For example, that mule program that the gang was playing after the party would be a great demo for Jan. '95.

The Space party was fun, especially all the delicious food and talking to all the Space members. Mike, Thanks you and your wife for all the hard work both of you did at the party to make it a success! Have a nice day.

Message: 68 (#8532) - Reply to #67
Title: 1995
Author: Michael Fitzpatrick
To: MICHAEL WEIST (Recvd)
Posted: Sat 10-Dec-94 at 7:39:01pm

Mike, normally I would concur with your suggestion to have a planning or steering committee to lay out issues for the club. However, we've become small enough where a town meeting would probably be best for all members to voice an opinion.

Message: 69 (#8536) - Reply to #68
Title: 1995
Author: MICHAEL WEIST To: M Fitzpatrick
Posted: Sun 11-Dec-94 at 9:37:00am

I look around when I come to the meetings, and I think about the dedication put in by several space members to keep the club going and I say this club can't go under. It is fun to come to every month. I hope some plan can be made to keep Space going.

Message: 76 (#8569) Title: Ummmmmm....
Author: Terry Streeter To: All
Posted: Sat 17-Dec-94 at 9:55:00pm I have a question for all members.

I found a EXCELLENT drawing program that will run ONLY on a 130XE. Will not run on a XL. Will Not run on a XEGS. Not on a 800. Nope, nothing but a 130XE.

I want to put this in the Jan. dom. But, I need comments. What do you think of this?

Message: 77 (#8570) Title: Ummmmmm....
Author: Larry Serflaten
To: Terry Streeter (Recvd)
Posted: Sun 18-Dec-94 at 12:09:01am

If it isn't the only file on the DOM, some restrictions may happen. A while ago, there were programs out (on the DOM) that would only run on the XL/XE machines. If its software we haven't seen before, I would say it is fair game!

Message: 79 (#8572) - Reply to #77
Title: Ummmmmm....
Author: T Streeter To: Larry Serflaten
Posted: Sun 18-Dec-94 at 8:53:00am

I'm afraid so, its the only file on the dom. Tons of docs too. both sides would be taken up by this. No, I KNOW this is one that is new to the club.

Message: 80 (#8573) - Reply to #76
Title: Ummmmmm....
Author: G KIRSCHENMANN To: T Streeter
Posted: Sun 18-Dec-94 at 1:59:00pm

As there have been numerous requests for good drawing programs, I would say yes, definitely. Maybe it will promote 130XE sales, if any are for sale.

Message: 82 (#8577) Title: Drw prog.
Author: TIM GEARIN To: All
Posted: Sun 18-Dec-94 at 10:39:00pm

If it doesn't work with newell 1M upgrade, its probably because of the funny PORTB assignments. Technically, it could be possible to rewire it where it wouldn't have the other bits fouling it up. Now that I think of it, you might only need to put a switch on at least one wire and use the switch when your running XE only programs. I aught to try that sometime.

Message: 83 (#8578) - Reply to #79
Title: Ummmmmm....
Author: L Serflaten To: Terry Streeter
Posted: Mon 19-Dec-94 at 6:14:00am

If, as you say, it is only good for the 130XE, I would suggest that it be made available as a 'special' disk in the disk library. A lot of members own the 800 XL and would be left out, with no reason to buy a DOM.

But, I'm not the DOM coordinator. If you want to put that program on the DOM, go ahead. That's why we have one person to do the job, to make all these hard decisions!

Message: 92 (#8599) Title: To Accomplish
Author: Michael Fitzpatrick To: All
Posted: Sat 24-Dec-94 at 6:22:00am

Now that our Sysop replaced the truncated bylaw(s) files and we have made contact with the former membership chairman of the MAST club; What do we wish to do for our January Meeting as an invitation will be sent to all the former MAST people to visit and join SPACE. Suggestions; Ideas?

Message: 93 (#8602) - Reply to #92
Title: To Accomplish
Author: MICHAEL WEIST To: M Fitzpatrick
Posted: Sun 25-Dec-94 at 2:51:00am

If they show up, we should welcome them with open arms and show we are happy to see them. I hope they show up.

Space Christmas Party '94

Question! What is as much fun as Christmas Day? The annual Space Computer Club Christmas Party. This year the party was held on Friday December 9, 1994.

The party started out with a welcome from the club president, Nathan Block. A short meeting , with a discussion of the events for the night, A computer demonstration by club member, Terry Streeter.

The club members, about 40 in attendance, had a 40 foot table full of party food to choose from. There was Sherm Erickson's old fashion skin on wieners, Ray Wafer's famous potato salad, and our club's president's famous McDonald orange drink ( which is better than the stuff you buy from McDonald) and a variety of other hot dishes and desserts to choose from.

Many door prize tickets were bought and many Space members won some nice door prizes.

After the meal several Space members engaged in a Atari MULE Game tournament. Among the contestants were our club president, Nathan Block, Larry Serflaten, Terry Streeter, and other club members. When I left at around 11pm., several members were still playing MULE.

Once again, thanks goes out to the party committee, The Fitzpatrick, Larry Serflaten, and the others who slaved away in the kitchen getting the food ready and serving it. And to the members who showed up at the party to make it a success. THANKS!

Don't forget! In February is the Mid Winter Madness Show in Blaine, Mn. A lot of computer stuff for sale. See you next Space meeting, Jan. 13,1994.

Mike Weist

Planning the Atari Agenda

In this column I hope to foster communication and support for 8-bit and ST computer owners... presenting a positive and directive approach. This will help to strengthen the users group base and encourage the executive element.

If you have a question you would like me to answer, or a topic you would like to see covered; send me an Email!

This seems to be the time of year to make plans. In the past year we have seen changes, improvements, disappointments, and surprises. The year in review can be a lesson to learn from.

Recently I checked with other Atari Users Groups to see what sort of planning takes place. I did this for two reasons. One was to have something important to write about, and two was to help me plan the Atari Boise Users Group planning meeting. While I have planned the meeting agenda before, I wanted to see if I was doing what other groups were doing around the country. And since I was thinking about this, maybe you were, too. So the following are excerpts from messages I received in answer to my question: Do you have planning meetings, and if so, what do you do?

//// John @AUNT:
I just got in from the AUNT "Newsletter editing meeting/dinner" -- which is as good a premise as any. One guy who is a real fanatic (22 year old Journalism Major) actually proof-reads the newsletter while the rest of us discuss what theme we want to attempt for the next few meetings/ newsletters. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. Then we get down to the IMPORTANT issues -- where do we want to eat next month? We've been to 10 restaurants in 11 months that most of us never would have found, much less tried.

//// George @HACE:
We had a Board of Directors Meeting the Wednesday after our regular monthly meeting. Generally, we got fair attendance from board members, but since they were all at the regular meeting too, two months ago we switched to having the board meeting BEFORE the regular meeting (AFTER would be better though).

We discuss the focus of upcoming meetings (what the topics will be for the next 3 to 4 months). We pay bills, and review finances. And we plan for special events (such as the annual Atari show we have in Houston). Big expenditures (new disk drive for the BBS for example), or major changes (new meeting location, etc) are typical business subjects.

//// Brian @NSACUG:
We basically have our Exec Meetings when the need is there. Our plans are both micro and macro but usually no more than a year except for equipment breakdown planning. Since I became Prez., the meetings has all been at my house.
... We use the exec section of our BBS for a lot of our decisions and emergency phone calls for most of the rest. Hence, only about four exec meetings per year.

//// Robert @TAF:
TAF: Toronto Atari Federation has a 7 member Executive. We meet every month, usually the first Monday or Tuesday of the month (depends on what pub has good food specials what day :-) ). That gives about 2 - 3 weeks lead on meetings. We certainly do advance planning. We have to, otherwise our general meetings would be more chaotic than they are.

Our monthly newsletter is normally set up, edited, laid out, etc by one person (me since Sept), but the editor is welcome to solicit opinions, plans, articles etc from other members, particularly executive members. As executive members we also have a private area on the TAF BBS and we take advantage of e-mail and regular phone conversations in order to make any decisions needed between meetings.

//// Daniel @DACE:
Well, we do have exec board meetings. They're always held two weeks after the general meeting and we meet at a local pizza house. Mostly we discuss how we might attract new members, keep the ones we have, and generally survive another year. We try to plan what will happen several meetings in advance so that we can advertise this to the membership and try to generate some interest. It's hard though.

We are supposed to have a newsletter, but since I do it, and have also been President the last three years, sometimes it doesn't get out. I suppose if we had more submissions it would be easier. When we don't do a newsletter I do put out a small brochure for the members to remind them of what is going on.

If we have been exchanging newsletters with your club and you have not received one from us lately, this is why. But fear not, we will be producing a newsletter again by January. If you do not exchange with us and would like to, send me e-mail or simply drop us a newsletter to

DACE Desktop
2834 Rockridge Dr
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

Another reason we have not done a newsletter is that the old one got corrupted and chewed up. The back-up I had turned out to be faulty as well and I simply haven't the heart to rebuild it yet. But the urge is returning so I should get to it soon.

//// Phil @ABACUS:
We have executive board meetings every once in while (about 2-4 months). Usually when there is a problem or to plan what's going to happen in the next couple of meetings.

The last executive board meeting we had was in September where we talked about several things which include:
-what's happening with the club BBS
-speakers we plan to have at the next several meetings
-what we plan to show at the meetings in the future
-our budget so far and what cost-cutting can we do
-NOT to tell people our newsletter is published on a PC(!) :^(
-whether we should network with other BBS's through FidoNet or ISIS
-amaze ourselves at how we are able to survive this long (14 years) :^)

That's about a typical ABACUS executive board meeting...

I was pleasantly surprised at the various methods the different users groups used in planning. One thing seems to be apparent in each of these groups. They have a goal: to support Atari computer owners. I am sure that most groups have a goal written down. If not, they should. This goal or purpose is the reason you meet. This is sometimes also called the 'mission statement' of a group. It states not only why you meet but also what you plan to accomplish by meeting. The ABUG's newsletter, Home Computer News (HCN), has had a sentence in the inside cover that emphasizes this statement, "To provide information and support for and foster communication between Atari Computer owners." This has been ABUG's mission statement for a long time. At our recent executive planning meeting we expanded this statement to a full paragraph:

"Supporting Atari computer owners by providing a forum for discussion and education. To provide a forum for discussion during the monthly meetings and on the Apc BBS; To provide timely information about Atari news, products, vendors, and service; and To find solitary Atari computer owners and encourage them to join the group."

This statement then provided a groundwork to build the rest of the ABUG's plans on. Ideas that promoted this purpose were used, those that didn't were thrown out (not because they weren't good ideas). The plans of the meeting included selecting topics for the next 12 meetings and assigning people to handle each one. Ideas about the Newsletter, BBS, advertising in the local paper, and others were discussed. Each one evaluated against our stated purpose. We spent 2 hours at a pancake house on a Saturday morning. Time well spent.

We generally meet for this type of planning once a year. Although this year might be different since our plans include a computer swap meet (we might have to meet to plan that). Members of ABUG have a special conference on the AcP BBS to discuss users group things, send articles to the HCN editor, and generally handle small issues (like, should we fix the groups MONO monitor or use it for a boat anchor).

If your users group is going from meeting to meeting without a plan, take a tip from some of these groups who plan. And, as you plan remember the KIS principle, "Keep it Simple."

Until next time...
Ron Whittam is a Customer Support Specialist for a small software firm in Boise, Idaho; and the President of the Atari Boise Users Group. He can be contacted on GEnie (EXPLORER.4), on the Internet at , or on ApC BBS (208-362-1790).

+----------------------------------------+
|                Larry's                 |
|            ACTION! TUTORIAL            |
|                                        |
| A monthly addition to the SPACE club   |
| Newsletter.  Permission is granted to  |
| distribute any portion or all of my    |
| monthly contribution.                  |
+----------------------------------------+

#1            The Beginning             
------------------------------------------

So, you own an ATARI computer, now what?
To more than a few slap-happy owners, the
answer is a robust;

          "Bring on the GAMES!"

Games are programs.  Without any new
programmers for the Atari, we won't be
seeing many new games. (Period!)

Without twisting any arms, perhaps you
know someone who wants to learn to program
but doesn't have the means to go out and
purchase a new Pentium machine with all
the books and software needed to begin.
You might steer him/her toward learning to
program an ATARI!

If you use a little tact, you could point
out that all computers have some things in
common,(Memory, Address/Data busses, Video
display, Keyboard, and a processor to
control it all.) also that skills learned
on the Atari can lead to a quicker
understanding of the procedures needed to
program the bigger machines.

With the permission of the Editor, I will
attempt to help the fledgling programmer
overcome some of the hurdles in learning a
Action!  This language is similar to
PASCAL and C. I like it because it is very
fast, compared to BASIC, and is easier
to work with than ASSEMBLY or MAC 65.

The Action! manual was not intended to
teach the user how to program.  It is a
reference manual of all the capabilities
of the system.  I found it difficult to
understand at first, which delayed my
getting involved with it for some time.
The first hurdle to overcome, (for me
anyway!) was to make the decision to try
to learn it.  You might say it was the
biggest hurdle because after making that
initial decision, all the other hurdles
were very manageable.

I intend to follow the Action! manual as
a guide to topic progression.  In order
to program in Action!, you have to have
the cartridge.(See below) Chances are you
have the manual as well.  I would also
like to solicit your questions.  We are
not all on the same level, so using a  
little space to answer your questions will
allow more advanced users to progress.
You can send E-mail to me (Larry S) on the
SPACE BBS containing your questions.  If
you are a registered user, I will reply
with E-mail.  If I think others would
benefit from reading your questions, I
will include them at the end of future
articles.

We have to begin somewhere, so here is a
little synopsis of what will be coming in
future issues.

First, I will lightly discuss the Editor,
Monitor, Language and Compiler to get the
real beginners familiar with loading and
running Action! source code.  Then I will
discuss the same topics in finer detail,
adding the Library of supplied routines.
After that, its up to you.  If there is
interest enough to warrant continuing
further with programming algorithms,
tricks and other such advanced concepts, I
will be happy to comply.  

That being the first installment,  I hope
I have whet your appetite for our next
issue.   

------------------------------------------
The ACTION! cartridge is currently
available from CSS for $44.95 + $5 S/H.
Order line PH# is (716) 429 5639.
------------------------------------------




+----------------------------------------+
|                Larry's                 |
|            ACTION! TUTORIAL            |
+----------------------------------------+
#2             Hello World
------------------------------------------
Occasionally, I must refer you to text in
the manual.  I must also be brief.  You
will find explanations here, when the
manual is a bit hard to understand.  I
will use the same keystroke and command
notations as the Action! manual, whenever
possible.  Because of different editions
of the Action! manual, I will use the
section headings when referring to text in
the manual.  To find where the text is, I
suggest you make book tabs that locate
each of the Table of Contents' in the
different parts of the manual.  On these
tabs, print the name of the parts of the
Action! system that the tables refer to.
You may want to make a big tab for the
Error codes appendix, that seems to be the
tab I used the most!

Also, specifying a file name is dependant
upon the DOS you are using.  A file name
has 2 parts; 1) An 8 letter file name, and
2) A 3 letter file extension.  There are a
few DOS's that allow sub-directories.  To
allow for variances in the DOS types, the
file NAME will include the both the name
and extension.  The device ID, and/or each
level of sub-directory will be named the
file PATH.  The manual uses the term
'filespec' and in some cases 'filestring'
to include both the file path and file
name.  Using a Backus_Naur type method of
declaration, the relationship between
file spec, path, and name is as follows:

OPEN(chan, <filespec>, mode, aux2)
where
filespec = <filepath> : <filename>

This means you must use a proper file
path, then a colon (:), then a proper
filename.  To help explain this type of
symbolism (as used in the manual),
filepath could be further broken down to:

  <device ID> [|: : <sub-directory>:|]

Device ID is the one letter identifier for
whichever device you are addressing (D for
disk drive).  To denote an optional
parameter, I will use the '[' and ']'.
The |: and :| indicate you can repeat
whatever they enclose, one or more times.

The declaration from above now means; you
must use a proper device ID, then you may
optionally include the colon and a sub-
directory name, and you can repeat the
colon and sub-directory name as is needed
(or desired).  The manual breaks it all
out, so that the construction of the
<filespec> would be:

<device ID> [|: :<sub-directory>:|] : <
filename>

These symbols are explained and used in
the Language section, but are included
here for those of you who may be reading
ahead, and to get them explained at the
start.

The Editor is that part of Action! that
first appears when you boot up the system.
The Editor will read and write text files,
as well as allow you to create or edit
text.  If you desire, you can split the
text editing portion into two sections,
called windows.  This feature allows you
to read in two files at one time, useful
for including portions of one file into
another!  The Monitor is the part of
Action! that gives you control over the
rest of the Action! system.  Take time to
read about the Editor and Monitor in the
first few sections of the manual.

Go ahead and 'get your feet wet' by typing
in the indoctrinating "Hello World." 
program found at the start of the manual.
(See "How To Write and Run an Action!
Program")  The manual leads you step by
step to help get your first program typed
in, compiled, and run.  In "Text File I/O"
(Editor section) you can read about saving
and loading files from the disk.
------------------------------------------
No questions yet, next month a little help
with error correction, including typos the
manual has, and typos you may yet make.

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