1. Not old. Vintage. :)
Timothy Kline

Z*Magazine: May 27, 1986 / #3

Z*Magazine: May 27, 1986 / #3

  1. Timothy Kline
    From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
    Subject: Z*Magazine: 27-May-86 #3
    Date: Sat Jul 3 20:21:18 1993



    ________________________^^^__________
    Zmag/a\zine HOT Atari
    Ron Kovacs-Editor News Plus
    Middlesex,NJ May 27, 1986
    Issue #3
    _____________________________________
    Welcome to another Zmag release from
    New Jersey. In this issue we welcome
    aboard Walt Drummond who will be our
    BBS Reporter, Text from the last BAT
    User group Newsletter, and more!!!!!!
    _____________________________________
    XxContents
    _____________________________________
    * Software Review, this week HACKER
    for the ST.

    * BBS Review by Walt Drummond

    * Customizing Dos sent by Marlene
    Kovacs

    * BAT Column, Text selected from the
    last Newsletter

    * Part 2 of False Advertising

    * News from Chicago Zmag
    and more.......
    _____________________________________
    XxEditor's Column
    _____________________________________
    I want to thank The BAT users group
    for their submitting their latest
    newsletter to Zmag. Each week I hope
    to include news and information from
    BAT.

    The next Brooklyn Atari Team mtg will
    be June 4th @ 7:30 at St. Thomas
    Aquianas School 4th and 9th Street
    Brooklyn, New York. Meetings are held
    every 1st and 3rd wednesday of the
    month.
    _____________________________________
    XxAtomic Network Systems

    #1 Valhalla BBS 212-598-0243
    #2 Funhouse BBS 212-828-7658
    #3 Syndicate BBS 201-968-8148
    #4 New York City 212-604-3323
    #5 "Hour of The Wolf" 99.5fm
    WBAI RADIO
    #6 Electronic Shop 212-547-4871
    _____________________________________
    XxBBS Advertisements

    Call the West Coast SYNDICATE BBS 10
    Meg Hard drive, 24 hours 300/1200
    415-582-2952
    _____________________________________
    XxYour Help is needed
    We need your help with Zmag text,
    upload articles from your favorite
    Atari magazines, interesting msgs you
    see on your favorite BBS. Make sure
    you include your name and city in
    your upload. You can also send text
    to me to... The Syndicate BBS
    Post Office Box 74
    Middlesex, NJ 08846-0074
    Attn:Zmag/a\zine
    _____________________________________
    XxWorldwide User Network Members
    ANTIC PUBLISHING INC.,COPYRIGHT
    1985. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.

    Here are 10 of the 130 most active
    user groups in the WUN. Each week I
    will list another 10 members. Here
    is this weeks list.

    BERKSHIRE USERS GROUP
    P.O.BOX 593
    GT. BARRINGTON, MA 01230
    JIM BROWN, 413/528/0744

    COMPUCLUB USER GROUP
    P.O. BOX 652
    NATICK, MA 01760
    THOM GRAZIANO, 617/879/5232

    NORTH SHORE ATARI COMP. USERS GROUP
    P.O. BOX 2052
    PEABODY, MA 01960
    MATT BIRKNER

    SEACOAST ATARI COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS
    64 SOUTH ST
    WEST NEWBURY, MA 01985
    SCOTT CASAVANT, 617/465/5884

    STONE & WEBSTER ATARI USER'S GROUP
    245-7 SUMMER ST
    BOSTON , MA 02107
    GIL BAPTISTA, 617/589/2197

    ATARI ANONYMOUS OF RHODE ISLAND
    194 RANDALL STREET
    PAWTUCKET, RI 02860
    ROBERT CROWELL, 401/724/5629

    KID X USER'S GROUP
    87 MEADOW ST
    WINSTED, CT 06098
    ANDY EDDY, 203/379/8918

    SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT ATARI
    COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS
    239 BUDDINGTON RD
    HUNTINGTON, CT 06484
    JAMES DZIEMIANZUK, 203/926/0301

    MICROS OF MONMOUTH COUNTRY
    23 WINDING LANE
    BLOOMFIELD, NJ 07003
    201/338/8014

    JERSEY ATARI COMPUTER SOCIETY
    108 WEST POINT DR.
    CHERRY HILL, NJ 08003
    NEIL E. SHERMAN, 609/424/3705
    _____________________________________
    XxBBS Review
    _____________________________________
    Department Reporter Walt Drummond

    BBS Review-The Syndicate

    First Impression->

    When a user logs on The Syndicate,
    they will find a frendly, user-
    orientated BBS. Functions such as
    CompuNotes, messages captured from
    Compu-Serve pertaining to a different
    topic each week.

    Cartoons, a Technical Help Base, a
    newly added ST Base and new Base
    Sysop-The Socialist, and Z-Magazine
    which all together make this an
    interesting BBS to be on.

    The SysOp->

    The Syndicate is run by SysOp
    Scarface and Co-SysOp Rum-Runner.
    Both SysOps are very frendly and,
    while both Sysops work, they are
    quick to answer any question put to
    them.

    System Configuration->

    The Syndicate is run on a 130XE, two
    Indus GT drives, an Atari 1050 with
    the ICD Upgrade, A CTI printer, the
    MPP 1000E Modem, a 1702 Commodore
    Monitor and the F.o.R.e.M. BBS
    program.

    The Syndicate was using BBCS by Scott
    Brause a few weeks ago, Due to System
    lock-ups, they have gone back to the
    MPP. They are going to go back to
    BBCS and their 10 meg hard drive
    soon.

    Special functions->

    Cartoons->
    The Cartoon function is self-
    explanitory, it shows a cartoon.

    CompuNotes->
    The CompuNotes are Messages captured
    from Compu-Serve on a given subject.
    Very handy if your are looking for
    a little bit of information.

    Z-Magazine->

    Zmag is what you see here, real
    simple explanation, huh?

    Network Information->

    The Syndicate is a member of the
    Atomic Network, and the founder of
    the NJCN, the New Jersey Computer
    Network.

    The Brooklyn Atari Team Users Group
    is the Official User Group of Atomic

    Personal Comments->

    Personally, I really enjoy being an
    active user on The Syndicate. It's
    one of the better BBSs I've been on.

    If you want to reach me for any
    reason, you can contact me via
    Compu-Serve, 71777,3631, or at The
    Syndicate.

    So until next week, BYE
    Walt Drummond
    BBS Review Reporter
    May 24, 1986
    -------------------------------------
    XxBAT Column
    Minutes of the meeting of 4/2/86

    The meeting was called to order at
    8:20 PM by the President, Tom Hayes,
    Sr.. Thirteen Atari enthusiasts
    were present. He stated the clubs
    purpose and policy, stressing Team
    effort and teaching and learning
    about the Atari Computer. The second
    issue of the BAT Newsletter was
    distributed. Bob Metcalf thanked
    the people who contributed items for
    it. He also mentioned that
    contributions for the next
    newsletter would be appreciated. The
    members were impressed by the size
    and contents of Issue No. 2.
    "Woden", the Sysop of the Valhalla
    BBS spoke to us regarding his BBS
    and The Atomic Network. The Atomic
    Network is starting to get into
    Community Projects. The program was
    an interesting demonstration of
    Computer Eyes given by Ray
    Sneigocki. Ray demonstrated
    Computer Eyes using a camera and
    video tape. He also showed us
    examples of the different graphic
    modes, and explained the process of
    making and storing digitized
    pictures. The meeting was adjourned
    at 10:40 PM.

    Respectfully submitted,
    Richard Kovalcik
    Recording Secretary
    _____________________________________
    XxMeeting of 4/16 Minutes

    Minutes of the meeting of 4/16/86

    President Tom Hayes called the
    meeting to order at 8:10 PM. Despite
    the bad weather, twelve members and
    visitors were present. We had two
    female visitors present. For a
    computer club that is something to
    note. Tom briefly told about the
    purpose and plans of the club for
    the visitors. Tom also told us about
    a meeting that three of our members
    had with members of the Atomic
    Network BBS Group. The Atomic
    Network will assist BAT in promoting
    the club and let us use their boards
    for leaving messages and files for
    the members of BAT. Dave Druce,
    Sysop of the New York City BBS,
    spoke about the Atomic Network. He
    stated that the Network is strictly
    Public Domain. He also said that
    they are starting to get into the
    Public Service area, and there
    should be more to BBS'ing than
    downloading. The Atomic Network is
    trying to get more communicating
    and Public Service items on their
    boards. The program for the night
    was given by Robert J. Metcalf,
    (BoB). He gave us a demonstration of
    various Public Domain programs that
    would help us with our computing.
    Questions were asked and answered.
    The words "May I have a copy of that
    program" were heard. Bob noted the
    requests and will have them for the
    members at the next meeting.
    Thanks Bob. For the members who have
    Modems, some of these programs will
    be uploaded to the Atomic BBS's for
    members to download. The meeting was
    adjourned at 10:20 PM, and out into
    the pouring rain we went.

    Respectfully submitted,
    Richard Kovalcik
    Recording Secretary
    _____________________________________
    XxEditorial

    The NEWSLETTER
    Thanks to the efforts of the members
    of B.A.T. OUR newsletter has been
    very,very well received. Do to these
    efforts WE have been offered the use
    of the several B.B.S. boards in the
    "ATOMIC NETWORK" the names and
    numbers are published in this issue.
    What does this mean to us
    RECOGNITION someone else knows we
    exist. An ONLINE HOME for our
    members where we are welcome as a
    group.NO MORE NEED TO SEARCH the
    world to find B.A.T. messages.
    This will also permit the exchange
    information & and programs,as they
    become available to either group.
    Many of the items that appear in our
    newsletter will also appear as files
    on the ATOMIC NETWORK member boards.
    It is hoped that this will be of
    mutual benefit to our members as
    well as theirs. For this association
    we must say a great BIG THANKS to:

    JIM (WODEN) RIBANDO
    VAHALLA B.B.S
    ATOMIC # 1
    _____________________________________
    XxAn Eight Bit Lament

    I'm an eight bit Atari Computer.
    Will I continue to be supported? For
    how long? Has everybody forgotten
    about me? I have a new bigger and
    faster brother called ST. Everyone
    is paying attention and talking
    about him. They are writing a lot of
    new software for him. How about me?
    Over a year ago my parents (The
    Atari Corp) jazzed me up a bit and
    gave me some more memory. The
    magazines wrote a few articles about
    the new me. They also published a
    couple of copy programs and a
    picture loader for me. The software
    manufacturers did not do much more.
    They put a couple of new routines in
    existing programs (AtariWriter Plus
    and SynFile +) to use my extra
    memory and came out with a couple of
    games. That was about it.

    Oh yes, Optimized Systems Software
    (bless them) did write a great new
    Basic Language just for me. My
    parents should have done that. This
    way everyone would have this new
    better Atari Basic Language to use.
    My parents promised to make a new 3
    1/2 inch disk drive just for me.
    They also have been talking about an
    80 column board for me. But, they
    got busy with my new brother ST and
    I have not seen them. There are ways
    to increase my memory to 320K and
    even more. What am I going to do
    with all that memory, without some
    new software? The Pirates out there
    are not helping me at all. There
    are some darn good programs out
    there, that are worth the price. If
    everyone went out and bought a piece
    of software, once in a while, the
    manufacturers would realize I'm
    still around and make some new
    software for me. Maybe, when the
    novelty with my new brother wears
    off, everyone will realize that I'm
    still around. With the proper
    support from my users and the
    manufacturers, I can do a heck of a
    lot and my price is right. Right
    now, I sure feel like I am on the
    way out.

    I purposely dated this. I hope some
    day soon, I will have to eat my
    words. Will I have to?

    Richard Kovalick April,27,1986
    _____________________________________
    XxWhere Can I find???

    In this section we will try to help
    locate where you can find software,
    hardware and whatever else you might
    be looking for.

    Where can I find AMS???

    Advanced Music System is available
    from

    LotsaBytes
    15445 Ventura Blvd.
    Suite 10H
    Sherman Oaks, CA 91413

    $14.95 plus 1.95 for handling.

    -------------------------------------
    XxFlase Advertising
    Here is Part 2 in our subject
    about the Advertising in Atari
    Explorer Magazine. If you missed
    our last Zmag issue, We showed
    you some messages from the SIG*
    Atari base on Compuserve about
    the problems being expirenced
    with the Sourceview Company and
    problems a CIS user has had. We
    did read a message from Scott
    Brause about liscensing BBCS out
    and we hope to find it for our
    next issue. Here is another
    message captured by a Syndicate
    BBS user and uploaded for Zmag.


    22-May-86 Sb: SourceView
    Fm: GREG MANUBAY To: Bob Burns

    Bob, sorry I wasn't able to get
    back to you sooner. SourceView's
    phone number is 415-680-0202.
    Address: 835 Castro Street
    Martinez, CA 94553.

    Incidentally, anybody who has had
    problems with SourceView should
    contact Eric G. Larson, Office of
    the Regional Chief Inspector,
    United Postal Service, San Bruno,
    California 94098-0100

    Regards,
    Greg

    We will keep you informed on this
    subject.
    -------------------------------------
    XxCustomize DOS
    Submitted By:Marlene Kovacs
    From May 1986 Family Computing

    THERE ARE A FEW POKE COMMANDS TO
    CUSTOMIZE DOS 2.0S OR DOS 2.5.
    NORMALLY, ATARI DOS LETS YOU OPEN
    ONLY THREE DISK FILES AT A TIME, IF
    YOU POKE 1801 WITH A NUMBER FROM 1
    TO 7, YOU CAN DECREASE OR INCREASE
    THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FILES YOU CAN
    OPEN CONCURRENTLY. HERE'S A RELATED
    TIP: 128 BYTES OF RAM IS
    AUTOMATICALLY RESERVED FOR EACH
    FILE. TO SAVE MEMORY, SET THIS
    MAXIMUM TO REFLECT ONLY THE NUMBER
    OF CONCURRENT FILES YOUR PROGRAM
    WILL ACTUALLY USE.

    DOS VERIFIES (READS BACK AND CHECKS)
    EACH BYTE OFDATA IT WRITES TO DISK.
    THIS SLOWS DOWN SAVES ENORMOUSLY.
    TO ALMOST DOUBLE THE SPEED OF SAVES,
    TURN OFF THE "WRITE-WITH-VERIFY"
    FEATURE BY POKEING 1913 WITH VALUE
    80. THOUGH THERE MAY BE A FEW
    PROBLEMS USING DOS WITHOUT VERIFY,
    NOTE THAT THIS MODIFICATION WILL
    MAKE DISK WRITES LESS RELIABLE THAN
    THEY WERE BEFORE.

    ONCE YOU'VE CHANGED DOS FEATURES, BE
    SURE TO WRITE A COPY OF YOUR
    MODIFIED DOS TO A NEW DISK BY TYPING
    DOS AND CHOOSING OPTION H (WRITE
    DOS FILES) FROM THE DOS MENU. LABEL
    THE NEW DOS DISK CAREFULLY.

    IF YOU'RE A DOS 3 USER, YOU CAN MAKE
    THE ABOVE DOS MODIFICATIONS BY
    TYPING DOS, SELECTING MENU OPTION I
    (INITIALIZE DISK), AND INITIALIZING
    A BOOTABLE DISK LIKE THIS: ENTER A Y
    AT THE MODIFY FMS PARAMETERS?
    PROMPT. THREE FURTHER PROMPTS WILL
    FOLLOW, PERMITTING YOU TO ENTER
    INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU WISH TO
    MODIFY DOS BEFORE WRITING IT TO YOUR
    DISK. DON'T CHANGE THE ADDRESS OF
    THE FMS(FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)
    BUFFERS. CHANGE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER
    OF CONCURRENTLY OPEN FILES BY ADDING
    THE NEW MAXIMUM(FROM 1 TO 7) TOTHE
    NUMBER OF DISK DRIVES AND ENTERING
    THIS SUM AT THE SECOND PROMPT. TURN
    OFF (WRITE WITH VERIFY) BY ENTERING
    N AT THE THIRD PROMPT.

    XxSoftware Review
    HACKER Reviewed by:Joe Kuffner

    LOGON PLEASE:
    After opening this software package,
    popping the disk into the drive
    and booting HACKER.PRG...voila,
    those infamous two words of the
    computerese dialect. What now?
    Your hopes of gaining access into
    the World Trade Center, or
    unleashing your wisdom onto an
    unsuspecting ATM at your local bank,
    are dashed! Alas, the grim reality
    of logging onto the terminal faces
    you.
    What's the password?

    You dash for the instruction manual
    that comes with the program.
    Within three seconds you realize
    that there are no instuctions except
    on how to load this program into
    seven different computer systems.
    Amazing, it seems, that the
    password isn't printed on those
    pages - anywhere!
    A thousand ideas dance through your
    head. All of the possibilities
    seem equally rational. Steve
    Cartwright wrote this program. Let's
    try his name as the password. No
    success... Invalid Syntax is the
    computer response. How about
    Activision... Failure. A hundred
    more ideas - Let's be clever. Who's
    the president of Activision, Inc.?
    ... Failure.
    Thoughts rush to ordering the Hints
    package from Activision, but you
    decide to try one more time.
    Invalid again! You're about to be
    logged off the system. 5-4-3... --
    Hold on a second -- a computer
    malfunction -- You're In!
    As can be seen from the
    introduction, this is no ordinary
    game program. In front of you lies
    a program like no other. For this
    alone, Activision is to be commended
    for originality. But wait, it gets
    better from here. It is your
    mission to break into the computer
    system and...
    Without getting into the program
    details [for certainly, this is
    the most enjoyable part of this
    game], this review will attempt to
    provide you with enlightenment and
    encouragement in doing whatever it
    is you're trying to do [yet another
    good idea in game programming -
    keeping your goal a mystery].
    Having devoted many nights of
    "hacking" to this program, I found
    it to have just the right
    combination of frustration and
    challenge. Enough of each of these
    elements to keep me coming back for
    more, night after night.
    The game screens use many of the
    ST's features, including the mouse
    [without drop-down menus], adequate
    sound effects, smooth animation and
    colorful graphics. I personally
    found the constant whirring of the
    disk drive somewhat irritating, but
    at 3:00 a.m. everything is!
    Hacker is what I describe as a
    linear adventure. That is, all of
    the tools that you need to solve a
    puzzle have been presented to you
    prior to encountering it. For this
    reason, this is an excellent game
    for those of you who don't
    necessarily have alot of experience
    playing adventure type games. Yet,
    because of the mystery as to the
    purpose of breaking into the
    computer system, it is no less
    difficult for avid and experienced
    adventurers.
    Through the course of adventuring,
    you will most certainly encounter
    puzzles and twists of logic that
    will stump you. Heck, that is why
    the program is called HACKER. Be
    warned ... you'll have to write down
    anything and everything that you
    think important. And, if you want
    to finish this game - keep a map.
    Equally important is how you compile
    all the information in front of you.
    I found it particularly useful to
    keep a logic chart of all the
    possibilities and impossibilities.
    A logic chart is a means of
    combining two sets of related
    unknowns [for those of you who have
    not yet played HACKER, bear with me
    for all this will be very
    appropriate when you do!].
    Example: Sally Roger Don Fred
    Blonde x Brunette x
    Gray o Bald x
    z z z
    z z
    where: x - impossible
    o - definite
    blank - possible
    z - logical
    In this example, facts were
    presented indicating that there was
    one blonde, one brunette, one gray
    and one bald person. There names
    were Sally, Roger, Don, and Fred.
    Sally was not blonde, or bald; Roger
    was not brunette; Don was gray.
    From this info we were able to
    logically conclude more facts [noted
    by "z" in the logic table].
    As this relates to HACKER, you are
    provided with details of the
    locations of several spies who are
    willing to trade pieces of a
    shredded document for valuables
    which you must attain through your
    travels.
    HACKER cautions you that "....It is
    believed that several spies may
    accept items which other spies will
    require...." This is where the
    logic chart comes in handy. Use it
    to determine which items must go to
    which spies (identified by their
    locations). For example, your chart
    may look something like this:
    FRANCE INDIA ENGLAND ... ...
    CASH o z z
    CHRONOGRAPH ? ? ?
    CHALET ? ? ?
    . . . .
    . . . .
    . . . .

    I'll leave it to you to fill in the
    table. Take your time as you play
    -- for errors in your logic chart
    can make these puzzles even more
    difficult.
    It is with this form of reasoning,
    and good hacking that you will be
    able to enjoy the complex puzzles
    that face you on your quest, instead
    of being constantly frustrated by
    them. In addition to the logic,
    however, in order to obtain the
    facts necessary to complete the
    logic chart, good old-fashioned
    trial-and-error is required. After
    all, what would adventuring be
    without it?
    The program is not without humorous
    and suspenseful moments, too.
    This is what keeps your attention.
    The addition of languages too, is
    unique. I often felt the need to
    run to the library for translation
    of certain phrases. However, it is
    not necessary to do so. The game
    has so many refreshing, new ideas
    that is truly a joy to play - and to
    keep on playing.
    When the adventure is finally
    complete, the finale is worth the
    wait. I found this game to be one
    of the most creative and inventive
    programs I've ever played and highly
    recommend it to those of you with or
    without the desire of becoming a
    real-life HACKER. I can't wait
    until a sequel to this great program
    is released. Good work Activision.

    [One cautionary note for those of
    you who have upgraded your 520ST's
    to 1 meg. Your program will load,
    but certain graphics, e.g. infrared
    scope, will not activate on the 1
    meg STs. You must convert your one
    meg machine back to a 512K version
    before you load Hacker. You can do
    this easily with "MAKE 512", a
    public domain program available on
    CompuServe. Ed.]

    [Reprinted from the May, 1986 issue
    of CURRENT NOTES: The Newsletter for
    Atari Owners.]
    _____________________________________
    Zmag/a\zine Issue #3 May 27, 1986
    (c)1987 Ron Kovacs Syndicate Services
    _____________________________________
    Re-Editted June 1987