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F0Ξ05: [ BDEHI%} VY8 B V  @  /DE `E:D8:DUP.SYSERROR-SAVING USER MEMORY ON DISKTYPE Y TO &}STILL RUN DOS B;DE J  (` 9 V⪍ ઍ  -'}LLu ÝDEHILV 9 .l 9 .l  `` s$B BH(}I|DE V BLV nB,DE JLV B V BLVDEIʩ BꭝLu } 3E:}DISK OPERATING SYSTEM II VERSION COPYRIGHT 1984 ATARI CORP.A. DISK DIRECTORY I. FORMAT DISKB. RUN CARTRIDG*}E J. DUPLICATE DISKC. COPY FILE K. BINARY SAVED. DELETE FILE(S) L. BINARY LOADE. RENAME FILE M. RUN AT ADDRES+}SF. LOCK FILE N. CREATE MEM.SAVG. UNLOCK FILE O. DUPLICATE FILEH. WRITE DOS FILES P. FORMAT SINGLEL !N',}#"&))9(&*)/h)''-&؆莟R'S  vL/ˢ L }Insert DOS 2.0s, type Y Λx -}DEfHI 1莏#q! @ y0ɛ8A0,' ȅ 1 1ild! 1L!NO SUCH ITEMSELECT.} ITEM OR FOR MENU! 0 .z:*{}.|{ 1 0 0JB 18L%|DL/}%DIRECTORY--SEARCH SPEC,LIST FILE?[# 0 0 &|D3" 1L!NOT A DISK FILEN !B 1L!E# 1 !BD0}ED:}:1BJ|DE 1DEBHI 1 h0ߢ 0.1}  0?詛 1 y0YЛ 1 ;#L" ;#L! 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G}JB|,#P#DE 1 HI BDEHHII 1 B 1 ,^ 1 70,0La- B V,#PH},^ 1 70 0L#L!-* 1P* 1 y0Yj383}mm ݭI}}`8}``|* ? ɛ,`|:-)| / 1L!`DESTINATION CANT BE DOJ}S.SYS0 0H{ 24Δ 28/L!/) 2 Π 2 0 ξK}hAΞB,0 J 1 BDEHI,HÝDE 1HIHIDELSAVE-GIVE L}FILE,START,END(,INIT,RUN)O S0 1`BDEPHI V` S0H 1 L!M}0 0 1L~0`PLEASE TYPE 1 LETTER,0`hhL! 70 1L0L<1 ,;ɛ7,"ɛ:ݦ1ݥN}A"D|ݤD|ȩ:|ȩ|ɛ,,(/+.ީ1 1,ɛ`轤{NAMEO} TOO LONG B VL!` L1I H1EΝDL1|mDiE` V0`8d/8 i:222 1 LP}!ERROR- 138ɛ+,' 20*.. өr2 1``2TOO MANY DIGITSINVALID HEXAQ}DECIMAL PARAMETER800 0 8 00`,0'D800 H,ɛh`2L1NEED D1 THRU D8uR} ECIMAL PARAMETER800 0 8 00`,0'D800 H,ɛh`2L1NEED D1 THRU D8u************************************ THE ADVERTS! ************************************---------------T}--------------------PRIVATE ADS:GREEN SCREEN MONITOR. MINT CONDITION. COMPOSITE 12". 25pounds. BUYER COLLECTS. PHONE LEEDSU} 524108.-----------------------------------For public domain software, used commercial software, software exchanges, harV}dware, books, specially written commercial software, support, and an 8-bit newsletter, contact: Dean Garraghty, 62 ThomsoW}n Ave, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 0NU. (Please allow for re-direction at certain times of the year). I also usually haX}ve lots of used tapes available from 50p each. Boot side 2 of this disk for my current complete range of used software,Y} and my full PD list.----------------------------------- THE ALL MICRO SHOW 6 SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 1992 Z} BINGLEY HALL, STAFFORD 10AM TO 4PM-----------------------------------Don't forget about Digi-Studio! A PD[} demo disk of Digi-Studio is available from me as PD118.Digi-Studio Information----------------------- Digi-Studio i\}s a new piece of software for the Atari XL/XE series. It allows you to play music using real sounds which have been dig]}itized. Digi-Studio comes with a keyboard player and tune player. The keyboard player lets you use your computer keyboa^}rd like a piano keyboard to play tunes, but using real sounds, rather than computer-generated noises as is usually the case w_}ith this type of program. You can have 3 sounds in memory and can quickly change between them while playing tunes. The keyboa`}rd player has responsive keys, so that the sound will only play for as long as you hold the key down. Just like a synthesizera}!! The Digi-Studio disk contains many sounds for use with the keyboard player, ranging from church bells, to pig grunts, to ab} baby crying, to screams, and lots of synthesizer sounds. In fact around 25 sounds in all. Why buy a synthesizer when your Atc}ari can do the same?! The tune player allows you to play pre-programmed tunes using any of the available sounds on the d}disk. A few tunes have been included on the disk for you to play. Digi-Studio comes on a DS/SD disk, and includes a prie}nted manual. It is aimed at everyone, whether musically inclined or not! You may just want to use it for fun, or compose a tuf}ne with it! The comprehensive user manual makes it a joy to use! Digi-Studio will only work on XL/XE computers with 64Kg} RAM. No extra hardware is required. The sound samples just play through your TV speaker! The full Digi-Studio package h}costs just 5pounds (in the UK), or 7pounds in other countries (paid in UK funds) including printed manual. Order your copy toi}day! Now available! Package 1.5, offering even more! A separate info sheet is enclosed. The order form for both packagej}s of Digi-Studio are at the bottom of this second sheet.Digi-Studio Package 1.5-----------------------Digi-Studio Packagk}e 1.5 is a new set of programs which form part of the Digi-Studio suite of programs and utilities. It is NOT an upgrade to pal}ckage 1. It is intended to be used in conjunction with package 1.Package 1.5 contains two new programs for Digi-Studio: Them} Sample Editor and the Tune Compiler. Also included are 26 new samples and 18 new tunes for use with Digi-Studio.The Samplen} Editor allows you to edit existing Digi-Studio samples, and also allows you to create your own by using a joystick. The Sampo}le Editor has facilities for reversing samples (playing them backwards), copying pages of sample to other pages of sample, anp}d also contains facilities to edit samples very accurately using a joystick. This edit facility also allows you to create youq}r own samples. By using all the supplied facilities, you can create some very weird sounds! You can then save your samples tor} disk and use them in the Keyboard an Tune Players in package 1.The Tune Compiler creates stand-alone Basic program moduless} for including Digi-Studio tunes in your own Basic programs. The resulting modules are output in LIST format for merging intot} your own Atari Basic or Turbo-Basic programs. The modules are self-contained and do not require any Digi-Studio program to pu}lay. Just imagine your game starting with a chorus of God Save the Queen in pig grunts, church bells, electric guitar, ..., ov}r your own sounds created using the Sample Editor!Also included on the disk are 26 new samples, including pan pipes, variouw}s guitars, dog woof, organs, synth sounds, and lots of effects! Also, 18 new tunes are supplied for playing with the Tune Plax}yer, or for compiling using the Tune Compiler. These include: Yesterday, Hey Jude, View to a Kill, God Save the Queen, Happy y}Birthday, This Old Man, and many classics.The manual is in A5 booklet format, and has been typeset using LaTeX, and printedz} using an Agfa Laser printer. The clear instructions make the software a joy to use!Package 1.5 is not much use on its own,{} so will be sold along with package 1. The two packages together will cost 8pounds including P&P. However, if you bought pack|}age 1 before package 1.5 became available, then you can buy package 1.5 separately for 4pounds inc. P&P. Just fill in the ord}}er form below and send it with a cheque/PO payable to DEAN GARRAGHTY. In other countries packages 1 and 1.5 together will cos~}t 10pounds paid in UK funds.-----CUT-----Please send me (tick revelant box):Package 1&1.5[ ] Package 1 only[ ] Package }1.5 only[ ].I enclose a cheque/PO for ______NAME:______________________________ADDRESS:_________________________________}_______________________________________________________________________P.CODE:______________Dean Garraghty, 62 Thomson Av}e, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 0NU, England.A note for non-UK customers. As mentioned above, payment must be made in UK funds. Th}e best way to do this is to obtain UK currency for the correct amount and post it using the international registered post. I }cannot be held responsible for money which goes missing if you don't use registered post. US customers may also send US$. You} must buy both packages 1 and 1.5 if you wish to do this, which will cost $25. Again, use international registered post.----}-------------------------------A NOTE ABOUT ADVERTS:---------------------Private individuals wishing to sell old hardwar}e or software (originals ONLY) or wishing to place a wanted advert, may do so free of charge. Just write out your advert and }send it to me at the usual address. Please try to keep them short, as I don't like typing!Companies or profit-making enterp}rises may also advertise for a small fee. This is as follows: 1 full screen for 10 pounds, 1/2 a screen for 5 pounds. Follow }the same procedure as given above. You may also send your advert on disk, saved as a standard ASCII file in DOS 2.x format. Y}our disk will be returned.The News-Disk now has a far greater distribution than before. Now is the time to advertise!!t. YyThis article is taken from Z*MAG online newsletter, issue 204.-----------------------------------========================= }========== * BOOT-UP MENUS FOR ATARI 8-BITs by S.G. Wallace=================================== It's apparent from readin }g through the "pages" of ZMAG that some Atari 8-bit owners have very sophisticated systems. Hard drives, large memory upgrad }es, special operating systems, and high speed modems can evidently bring surprising power to an 8-bit.Still, the 8-bit comm }unity is a diverse group with varying interests, expertise, and financial status. For those opting to use their computers "s }tock", there is no shortage of fine features and software.One of the most useful capabilities of a floppy disk based Atari }8-bit computer is "booting" a program from a cold start. One of the most user friendly programs to boot is a MENU program. }Picture this: Say you want to run an application, utility, or game from a disk that has many programs stored on it. You turn } on your monitor and disk drive, and insert the disk. Next you flip the power switch of your Atari XE, XL, 800, or 400 ON. }After a few seconds you're presented with a screen full of filenames contained on the disk, and an invitation to select one f }or loading and execution. Depending on the menu you're using, all you have to do to start the desired program is type a numb }er or letter for the file you want to run, or highlight the name by moving a cursor. As you make your selection, the menu pr }ogram in memory will have served its purpose until next time, and will sacrifice itself by running your chosen file.This sc }enario can be reality with any Atari 8-bit computer and disk drive. What makes it all possible is an AUTORUN.SYS file that e }ither CALLS or IS a menu program on the disk. Saved Basic menu programs may be invoked at power-up by an appropriate AUTORUN }.SYS file. Machine language (ML) menu programs are simply named AUTORUN.SYS on the disk. Either type will be started at boot }-up.Menu programs have been written... 1) in Basic that will load and run only Basic programs. 2) in ML that will load }and run only Ml programs. 3) in Basic with ML routines that will load and run Basic OR ML programs, AND print text files } to the screen. An opportunity to disable Basic when calling ML programs is offered. 4) Other menu programs are availab }le with additional features like deleting or adding files to the disk.Of the types described above, #3 is my favorite. Thi }s type of menu works best on XE, 800XL, or 600XL Ataris because Basic is built into the computer. Even though the menu itsel }f is a Basic program, the user has the opportunity to turn Basic off if a ML program is called from the menu. Basic files ma }y be invoked from a Basic menu on 1200XL and 400/800 models with cartridge Basic installed. ML files may be run with cartrid }ge Basic if the file doesn't load into memory used by Basic (Basic can't be disabled except by removing the cartridge on thes }e systems). Public domain (PD) software suppliers such as Software Infinity, Vulcan Software, or Phantom's 8-Bit PDS often }produce disks with menu programs and self booting AUTORUN.SYS files on them. The menu programs themselves are usually PD, so } it's ok to copy them onto other disks in your disk library or even modify them to your liking. Naturally, to make other di }sks bootable, they'll have to have DOS.SYS and the appropriate AUTORUN.SYS file on them.A number of AUTORUN.SYS boot file m }akers have been available over the years. Atari DOS 2.5 owners can create AUTORUN.SYS files that will load and run any saved } Basic program at power-up. Just use your SETUP.COM utility which came with your DOS. Another AUTORUN.SYS maker was describ }ed in two articles titled AUTORUN.SYS SECRETS and AUTORUN.SYS SECRETS IN BASIC published by the now defunct ANALOG COMPUTING }magazine (Nov. 1988-issue 66, Jul. 1989-issue 74). The AUTORUN.SYS SECRETS program files are still available for download on } Delphi's Atari 8-bit Utilities database.Whether you write your own menu program, or obtain a PD version, it'll bring a use }ful convenience to your computer system. You'll wonder how you ever got along without it.------The News-Disk has a menu w }hich will load both Basic and M/L programs. It's on every issue and is called MENU.BAS. Just use SETUP.COM on your DOS 2.5 di }sk to create an AUTORUN.SYS file and specify MENU.BAS as the filename to load. This will boot up the menu automatically.5 di yEiͩkΩ͙kCopj`j {j`Hi͝Νh`}L"SAB.ORTNI:D"NURͩkΩ͙kCopj`j {j`Hi͝Νh`23 MGETPRESTUNENUXYWIDTLOOPITCADLENGTDA @BAAVA}XAU AV A! @ @ A6 &&;@(,;@,;A,&&6.hhEhDhIhH}hhB V`Z #B _--@A#")A5%- a Ad--@@ D:HEAVYG.SP}Ln776-?:C:,<@$AV<@ $AV<@,s@x6-@6-@}--@@} D:GARDEN.DMS AU@67<,.6-%@6-%@ A5@ 6}-B:,AY-@@6.7<%@,Q6-@:7@<@,,76-@:7@<@},,Q6-@:7@<@,," AVL6-?:A6<<$AV<$AV%+$AV,<<<},V A@ F:@ , A AY@4 AI+@%@/0}@@I0@ @i-@i(@F** ** ****** ** ** ****} **** ****** **** ** **h-@@h(@E*** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** } ** ** ** **g-@@g(@D****** ***** ** * ** **** ****** ** ** ** **** ****}g-@@g(@D****** ** ******* ** ** ** ** ** ****h-@@h(}@E** *** ** *** *** ** ** ** ** ** ** **i-@@i(@F** ** **}**** ** ** **** **** ****** **** ** **$,+@%@60@ @@0@}@@J33(@" THE ATARI 8-BIT NEWS-DISKT(@ Š^/(@/(@} ******************hII(@8 MODEMS questions/answers r##(@ GERMAN SUP}PLIERS|!!(@ and lots more$$(@ ******************-@A  % D:MENU.BAS| }--------------------------|@@Digitized music created using Digi-Studio by|Dean Garraghty.| (c)1991}/92 Dean Garraghty.| --------------------------}MM104,104,104,133,0,104,141,251,6,104,104,141,252,6,104,104,104,141,25}3,6}RR104,104,141,254,6,104,104,141,0,212,169,0,133,1,173,251,6,133,2,169,0,141,14}QQ212,166,0,32,119,6,160,0,177,1,168},41,15,9,16,141,1,210,152,106,106,106,106}RR41,15,9,16,141,1,210,165,1,201,255,240,4,230,1,208,217,230,2,169,0,133,1,166}}QQ2,236,252,6,165,2,205,252,6,240,2,208,197,169,64,141,14,212,169,0,141,0,212}**169,247,141,14,210,96,202,208,253,96} D:COVER.BAS165,2,205,252,6,240,2,208,197,169,64,141,14,212,169,0,141,0,212}**169,247,141,14,210,96,202,208,253,96This article has been taken from Z*MAG online newsletter, issue 204.-----------------------------------===================}================* CSS SUPER E-BURNERby Barry Gordon===================================A First ImpressionFebruary 1992}I was overwhelmed with excitement the day the UPS man delivered the box from Computer Software Services. And I had very go}od reason to be. After all, I had recently ordered one of their most technical devices, the "Super E-Burner". This device rea}ds and programs EPROMS. That stands for (E)rasable (P)rogrammable (R)ead (O)nly (M)emory. Whoa! That's jumping in a bit too} fast. How about we take a few steps back and run over some basic concepts first? Ok, here goes...Inside your computer is }a ROM (Read Only Memory) chip which holds the instructions that tell your computer what it is and how to operate. This Operat}ing System chip (OS ROM) is a permanent component which does not need energy to maintain its data integrity. In other words,} it doesn't go blank when the power is removed like a RAM chip. The OS ROM chip is programmed with instructions when it is m}anufactured, and cannot be changed at a later time. An EPROM chip also retains its programming when the power is removed, ho}wever, its programming can be changed. An EPROM has a small window in the center of the top side of the chip. Erasing an EPR}OM is done by simply exposing this window to a high intensity UltraViolet light (Don't ask how, or we'll be here all day talk}ing about transistor gate depletion levels and photo electron velocities). But programming (commonly called "burning") an EP}ROM chip requires a special device. Enter the Super E-Burner.I had never seen a picture, nor heard a description of the ph}ysical aspects of the Super E-Burner. All I knew was it plugged into the cartridge port of the Atari 8-bit computer and was }incredibly fast. After tearing the shipping box open, I pulled out and observed a rather odd looking device. The main unit o}f the Super E-Burner is a 5" x 5" PC board which holds 1 power connection, 4 IC chips, 48 miscellaneous electronic parts, 1 3}4-pin port, and 1 ZIF socket. What's a ZIF socket? Well, it stands for (Z)ero (I)nsertion (F)orce. It's an expensive socket} that puts no pressure on the pins of chip. The socket has a small lever on its side. After placing a chip in the socket, p}ressing the lever down causes a metal plate in each hole to clamp down on the pins thus making a solid electrical contact. C}oming off the 34-pin port is a two foot ribbon cable that connects to the cartridge interface board. This board resembles th}e insides of a disassembled game cartridge, and is used in a similar manner.Despite the rather sparse and inadequate docume}ntation which accompanies the Super E-Burner, operating the device is quite simple. The cartridge interface board is plugged} into the cartridge port and the computer is booted with your favorite DOS. (For reasons unknown to myself nor Bob Puff, thi}s device does not work properly with SpartaDOS X). Upon entering the cartridge, the following menu screen appears: +------}-------------------------------+| CO:01 NU:00 File: || Prom:0 Loc:00000 Write:00 Read:00 || Type: } Retries:0000 Speed:1 | +-------------------------------------+| || The SUPE}R-E BURNER 0.7 || By: Robert Puff (C) 1991 by CSS || || [A] 2732 25}V || [B] 2732A 21V || [C] 2764 21V || [D] 2764A 12V } || [E] 27128 21V || [F] 27128A 12V || [G] 27256 12V } || [H] 27512 12V || [I] 27C101 12V || [J] 27C301 12V (or mask ROM)} || || Select PROM type > || ||} |+-------------------------------------+From this menu, the EPROM size and programmin}g voltage is entered. On this subject, the docs say nothing more than, "Select the proper EPROM type. An incorrect selectio}n of types can damage your EPROM." I recommend you find some other references to help determine the proper setting.Once th}e EPROM type is chosen, the main menu is presented: +-------------------------------------+| Select Operation: } ||[R] Read EPROM [B] Burn EPROM ||[V] Verify EPROM [E] Verify erase ||[N] # of copies [Q] quit to DOS } ||[S] Change speed [ESC] New PROM size||[1-9] Disk directories || ||}Please Select > |+-------------------------------------+Although these menu selections are basically }self explanatory, we'll run through them quickly:[R]ead copies the information from a programmed EPROM onto a disk file.[B}]urn writes information from a disk file onto a blank EPROM.[V]erify compares the information on a programmed EPROM to a dis}k file.[E]rase checks to make sure an EPROM is blank.[N]umber sets the number of EPROMS to be burned from a single disk fil}e.[Q]uit exits to DOS.[S]peed alters the programming speed for older and slower EPROMS.[ESC] goes back to the previous men}u.Four stapled pages accompany the Super E-Burner consisting of: A title page, a warranty page, a VERY oversimplified page }of instructions, and a page showing the orientation of different sized chips in the ZIF socket. I immediately called CSS and }asked Bob Puff, "Is this it!?" He assured me they would be revising the documentation soon (more on that later) and talked m}e through the necessary concepts and instructions.Now that I've had the Super E-Burner for about a month, I find myself rat}her comfortable with it. I have managed to backup every single ROM chip in the house onto my Hard Drive (that's over thirty }chips including nine different Operating Systems for my 8-bit!) But the real fun of owning an EPROM burner is firm ware modif}ications. By disassembling, modifying, and rewriting parts of ROM code, I've managed to make my 130XE run in high speed mode} with my US Doubler drives regardless of what disk/DOS I boot; I've made a stock 1050, US Doubler 1050, and an XF551 all resp}ond to drive numbers higher than D4:; and I'm working on modifying my SpartaDOS X cartridge to use the standard SIO vector so} it will work with a Multiplexer.Within the documentation, a handwritten note says that CSS is working on a built-in editor} which will support XE memory. This would make the Super E-Burner one of the most powerful firm ware devices I've seen. A R}OM chip could be read, disassembled, modified, and rewritten without loading up any other programs. Bob said the revised doc}umentation would be included with the enhanced editor.All things considered, I am very impressed with the Super E-Burner. }It is a well built, extremely fast, and (so far) reliable unit. In my opinion, it is well worth the price. (Which as of thi}s writing is $169.95 + $8 S/H). Kudos to Bob Puff and the gang at CSS!Computer Software ServicesP.O. Box 17660Rochester,} NY 14617Phone: +(716) 429-5639dos to Bob Puff and the gang at CSS!Computer Software ServicesP.O. Box 17660Rochester,#This article has been taken from Z*MAG on-line newsletter issue 205. It deals with what to do if you get an error 164.------}-----------------------------===================================* Z*MAGAZINE ARCHIVES - 1987=============================}======#: 201366 S3/Utilities 15-Dec-87 03:04:41Sb: #201344-#mess.fixFm: Bill Wilkinson [OSS] 73177, 2714To: MR GOW }73167, 3607There is NO program that can GUARANTEE to fix a disk when you get an error 164.An error 164 usually results wh}en you have two files trying to use the same spot on the disk. This usually happens because you have saved one file to disk,} done something illegal, and then saved a second file to the same disk. The second file is probably okay and is probably com }pletely accessible. But the first file is simply GONE because the second file has written over the top of it. Period.Can  }you recover part of the damaged file? Possibly. But I would suggest that unless it is a text file (e.g., a word processing  }data file or possibly a LISTed -- NOT SAVEd -- program) the effort is bound to fail. Most SAVEd files, whether binary files  }or BASIC programs, simply CAN NOT be restored if they are missing pieces. Sorry.Having said all that, what CAN you do with } a damaged disk? Well, the DISKFIX utility that is part of DOS 2.5 will at least TRY to recover as much of a disk as it can.} But if it decides a file is damaged beyond repair, it simply removes the file from the directory! So I would recommend mak}ing a sector copy of any damaged disk before attempting to use DOS 2.5's DISKFIX.COM program.You can get DISKFIX here on CI}S, in the DL's (DL 3, file DISKFI.*). But I personally recommend that you send off to Atari for a copy of not only a disk wi}th DOS 2.5 but also a really good manual. The manual alone is worth the $10 or so that Atari charges.Finally: The Atari D}OS manual suggests this program to recover as much as possible of a damaged file, so long as the file is not bigger than avai}lable RAM in your machine:10 PRINT "INSERT DAMAGED DISK THEN GIVE NAME OF FILE TO RECOVER ";20 F=FRE(0)-300 : DIM BUF$(F)}, FILE$(20)30 INPUT FILE$40 OPEN #1, 4, 0, FILE$50 TRAP 10060 FOR I=1 TO F : GET #1, B : BUF$(I)=CHR$(B)70 NEXT I80 P}RINT "FILE TOO BIG"90 END100 REM GET HERE ON ERROR...110 TRAP 120 : CLOSE #1120 PRINT "INSERT FORMATTED DISK THEN GIVE N}AME TO SAVE FILE TO ";130 INPUT FILE$140 OPEN #2, 8, 0, FILE$150 PRINT #2; BUF$ ;You could be neat and add line 160:16}0 ENDFinally, line 150 might be safer done as:150 FOR J=1 TO I-1 : PUT #2, ASC(BUF$(J)) : NEXT JOOPS...One more final}ly.In one of my articles in COMPUTE in that last year, I discussed probable causes of messed up disks. I noted that I perso}nally have virtually NEVER had a disk messed up by DOS. Reason: I never never never change disks unless the program tells m}e to do so. If I am changing disks while using BASIC, I always type "END" before doing so. In desperation, I will hit RESET} before changing.The single most common cause of disk crashes is inserting a new disk while a file (or files) is still OPEN} for output on the first one. This can happen with word processing programs, data bases, etc., etc. ALWAYS WAIT for the pro}gram to tell you it is time to swap disks. ALWAYS use the menus to get to the "disk change" point. NEVER just yank a disk a}nd plunk in a new one.ime to swap disks. ALWAYS use the menus to get to the "disk change" point. NEVER just yank a disk aAn article by Brian Walker about his experiences with the new European 8-bit suppliers.-----------------------------------! }Two foreign firms advertised in the number 56 edition of Page 6 Publishing's New Atari User magazine (June/July 1992). KE-SOF!!}T of Germany and A.N.G.Software of Holland.A.N.G.were advertising the three back issues of their 8-bit disk 'Mega Magazine'!"} and the latest edition available around 'May/June'. KE-SOFT invited you to send off for their free price list, which I immed!#}iately did. It only costs the price of a first class stamp to send a letter from the U.K. to other European Community countri!$}es.From the postmark it seems that my letter took four to five days to reach Germany and the reply eleven days in transit t!%}o reach me! Why so long I wonder?An illustrated brochure arrived which doubled as the order form. All descriptions of the s!&}oftware were in English and prices were in pounds sterling and dollars. Software on offer was a mixture original arcade and p!'}uzzle type games but also some P.D. and some older software such as S.S.I.'s War in Russia for four pounds. A bargain! I was !(}tempted and sent off an order.Since the cost of sending money abroad seems to be so expensive I took a risk and sent cash. !)}In fact a twenty pound note which exactly covered the cost of software and postage and packing. Never ever send coins by post!*}. Besides increasing the cost of postage it is a sure giveaway to any potential thief. It's better to send slightly too much !+}money in notes and maybe ask for a credit off your next order.Two and a half weeks later a jiffy bag arrived. Again from th!,}e postmark it seems that my order was dealt with promptly but the delayed delivery was due to the postal service.One of the!-} original games, Atomit II, had instructions in German but it was so easy to pick up the gameplay that it wasn't a handicap. !.}War in Russia arrived with original documentation and maps but without the bulky box. Sensible really. So no problems with KE!/}-SOFT.I also sent off ten pounds cash to Holland for the four issues of Mega Magazine. I sent it off in late May and they s!0}till haven't arrived yet two months later. I have sent off a chaser today to see if they received my order.Postscript:The d!1}ay after I wrote the above and sent off the chaser my disks arrived! It seems that the delay was due to a combination of 'May!2}/June' becoming 'June/July, a change of address and a break for holidays. So, contact has been established and I will send an!3}other order off for software from their catalogue which came with the disks. By the way A.N.G. stands for 'A New Generation'.!4}The new address of A.N.G. Software is:A.N.G.SoftwareRidderkerksestraat 603114 RK SchiedamHolland.KE-SOFT are at:KE!5}-SOFTFrankenstrasse 246457 Maintal 4Germany.SoftwareRidderkerksestraat 603114 RK SchiedamHolland.KE-SOFT are at:KE 0An article by Brian Walker on his experiences with the 8-bit Atari, and his worries for the future.-------------------------%7}----------It is my tenth anniversary. The tenth anniversary of me owning an Atari computer.For a ridiculously high price %8}I bought an Atari 800 with 16K and then had to go back to the shop to buy the optional cassette deck when I discovered most p%9}rograms were on cassette.I paid so much because I knew I was buying the best, and anyway I was going to 'learn about comput%:}ers', a requirement for the future. I also wanted to progress, so I upgraded to 32K and then 48K, then bought an 800XL, then %;}a disk drive and then two disk drives.But by this time the 8-bit Atari market was rapidly contracting and I realized that t%<}he future of computing lay somewhere else. So I packed away my 800XL and bought an Atari ST. Luckily I bought a cheap ex-demo%=} model from an electrical store and didn't spend too much money on it before I put it to one side and unpacked my 8-bit.In %>}common with many people I discovered that much of the software was very expensive, the graphics were pretty and the gameplay %?}was non-existant. Maybe things have changed.Anyway I could now get an 130XE for a ridiculously LOW price and a cheap printe%@}r, which I did. At the same time a lot of software became available which was previously unobtainable in the U.K., or was too%A} expensive.So, have I learnt a lot about computing? Well, er, no. I soon succumbed to playing games and every time I reache%B}d over to pick up my copy of 'Atari Basic:A Self-Teaching Guide' by Albrecht, Finkel and Brown, Star Raiders seemed to be in %C}the way and I've spent the last ten years playing games.Why don't I progress and buy a Nintendo home arcade machine or what%D}ever? Well, I'm using a word processor to write this and I'm enjoying the experience. I'm now ready to learn about computers %E}and computing, slowly, at my own pace and I want to learn on my Atari 130XE.I can't learn on a Nintendo, the 16-bit ST and %F}Amiga are too complicated and I don't have access to a PC at work. Anyway, even if I had the money to buy one for home use th%G}ere seems to be so many varieties I wouldn't know which one to choose.Hopefully, my Atari is good for a few more years yet %H}but what after that? There will come a time when there are no more spare parts or replacements and I will have to buy somethi%I}ng else. What will it be? Will there be anything else besides low cost games machines and high cost business machines? Whatev%J}er it is I bet it isn't an Atari. That will be quite a wrench.If you have an idea of what might be on offer in a few years %K}time please drop Dean a line. Maybe he could include it in the News-Disk. I would be very interested to read your predictions%L} and I bet a lot of other people would as well.lude it in the News-Disk. I would be very interested to read your predictions$0.-@@!K(USE