RSMAGRUD@WEIZMANN.BITNET (Randy Magruder) (12/18/85)
Hi.
This is my first attempt at participating in this info service. I
Hope someone confirms receiving this.
I am a new Atari 800XL owner. Here in Israel, the 520ST hasn't been
released, so all I know about the Amiga and the 520ST is what I read
in some magazines and on this forum (???).
I once read in CREATIVE COMPUTING (I think) something about a chip
called AMY which supposedly has 10.75 octave range and 8 voices. It =
was supposed to be offered in a computer called the 600 XEM, though
I've heard no further news on this computer. Does anyone know if it
is going to be produced? IF the AMY chip is still alive and well?
If it will be released in a cartridge for use in XL machines?
Also, today I was in Tel Aviv searching computer stores for answers
to an interesting question concerning MICROSOFT BASIC II.
It supposedly comes with a book, a cartridge, and an extension diskette.
the cartridge has 16K of memory, while the diskette carries 3.5K. I have
a diskette which, I was told, has ALL Of MICROSOFT BASIC II on it.
I don't understand what is going on here. Why didn't ATARI release
the whole package on a diskette? Was this to prevent copying? Can
MICROSOFT BASIC II work totally on diskette? The only OTHER explanation
I can think of is that the 3 1/2 K extension diskette is supposed to be
copied as a set of file management programs (like DOS and AUTORUN etc.)
But again. I DO NOT KNOW, and no one here can seem to tell me. I hope
this isn't too terribly amateur for you folks.
Also, is MICROSOFTs flight simulator also called SUBLOGIC?? I've never
seen one advertised by microsoft, just by sublogic.
Now for a few comments.
I've been reading with interest the advertisements and debates about
three hot computers: Amiga, 520ST and MACintosh.
If Amiga is indeed twice the price of the 520ST, then I really don't
think that the extra money spent is WELL spent, considering the 520ST's
characteristics, which seem to rival, if not top, those of the Amiga.
As for the Mac, we are dealing with a super-Atari for 1/4th the price
of a Mac, to which the only disadvantage seems to be a lack of software,
and I'm always weary of PROMISES by software companies to develop software.
I'm still waiting for PASCAL for the Atari, promised years ago, but never
delivered (to my knowledge).
But then again, if any new computer has to have thousands of programs
ready to run upon its release, then there will never be another successful
computer breakthrough, because people want software FAST!
And in closing my LONG first entry to this thing, let me add that its
been my experience that Man is usually loyal to three things, in this
order:
1) His religion
2) His country
3) His computer
so you'll never meet an objective computer owner...
Rsmagrud@WEIZMANN.BITNETShiffman@GODZILLA.SCH.SYMBOLICS.COM (Hank Shiffman) (12/18/85)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1985 18:52 O
From: Randy Magruder
<RSMAGRUD%WEIZMANN.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
Hi.
Also, today I was in Tel Aviv searching computer stores for answers
to an interesting question concerning MICROSOFT BASIC II.
It supposedly comes with a book, a cartridge, and an extension diskette.
the cartridge has 16K of memory, while the diskette carries 3.5K. I have
a diskette which, I was told, has ALL Of MICROSOFT BASIC II on it.
The original Microsoft BASIC was on diskette. A later version was
released on cartridge, with a diskette containing a few less frequently
used functions which wouldn't fit into 16KB (the cartridge capacity).
Advantages of the cart, aside from being more difficult to copy, were
higher reliability and much faster startup.
I don't understand what is going on here. Why didn't ATARI release
the whole package on a diskette? Was this to prevent copying? Can
MICROSOFT BASIC II work totally on diskette? The only OTHER explanation
I can think of is that the 3 1/2 K extension diskette is supposed to be
copied as a set of file management programs (like DOS and AUTORUN etc.)
But again. I DO NOT KNOW, and no one here can seem to tell me. I hope
this isn't too terribly amateur for you folks.
Also, is MICROSOFTs flight simulator also called SUBLOGIC?? I've never
seen one advertised by microsoft, just by sublogic.
The Microsoft Flight Simulator is for the IBM PC. It was written by
Bruce Artwick of subLogic, who markets the other versions (Atari, Apple,
Commode) directly through subLogic.
Now for a few comments.
I've been reading with interest the advertisements and debates about
three hot computers: Amiga, 520ST and MACintosh.
If Amiga is indeed twice the price of the 520ST, then I really don't
think that the extra money spent is WELL spent, considering the 520ST's
characteristics, which seem to rival, if not top, those of the Amiga.
As for the Mac, we are dealing with a super-Atari for 1/4th the price
of a Mac, to which the only disadvantage seems to be a lack of software,
and I'm always weary of PROMISES by software companies to develop software.
I'm still waiting for PASCAL for the Atari, promised years ago, but never
delivered (to my knowledge).
To avoid excess flamage on this subject, let's just say that the extra
features may not mean much to YOU, but that other users may have very
different sets of criteria for judging the systems. Others may question
the thousands I've put into my audio/video equipment. Personally, I
think it was money well spent.
BTW, Pascal WAS shipped for the 8 bit Atari. It was sold through the
Atari Program Exchange. Atari didn't make a big deal about it because
it was so big and slow and required two disk drives to do much of
anything.wrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert) (12/22/85)
> Hi. > > This is my first attempt at participating in this info service. I > Hope someone confirms receiving this. > > I am a new Atari 800XL owner. Here in Israel, the 520ST hasn't been > released, so all I know about the Amiga and the 520ST is what I read > in some magazines and on this forum (???). > > Also, today I was in Tel Aviv searching computer stores for answers > to an interesting question concerning MICROSOFT BASIC II. > > It supposedly comes with a book, a cartridge, and an extension diskette. > the cartridge has 16K of memory, while the diskette carries 3.5K. I have > a diskette which, I was told, has ALL Of MICROSOFT BASIC II on it. > > I don't understand what is going on here. Why didn't ATARI release > the whole package on a diskette? Was this to prevent copying? Can > MICROSOFT BASIC II work totally on diskette? The only OTHER explanation > I can think of is that the 3 1/2 K extension diskette is supposed to be > copied as a set of file management programs (like DOS and AUTORUN etc.) > But again. I DO NOT KNOW, and no one here can seem to tell me. I hope > this isn't too terribly amateur for you folks. > > Rsmagrud@WEIZMANN.BITNET I cannot answers your other concerns but since I have the Microsoft II software, I can help you with it. First of all the cartridge is full, therefore Atari put some additional commands on the disk (such as TROFF and TRON, etc.) however, you can use the cartrige by itself. There was an earlier all disk version that was not as complete as the cartridge version. As far as putting the cartridge on disk, there is some hardware out to do just that, but I do not know what it is called. I suppose that you could do this, but to what advantage, I do not know. I personally prefer cartridges -- the computer is set up to use cartridges anyway, there is memory allocated for the carts. I hope this helps you, maybe some other Atarians can help you out. By the way, another good BASIC language is BASIC XL or BASIC XE (depending on whether you are using an 800XL or an 130XE. As I understand it you can use BASIC XE on an 800XL -- this is one that I have not purchased yet. ACtion! is also good, it is a cross between C and Pascal. Again I do not own it, so others could probably answer your questions better on these two language carts. Bill Dippert tektronix!tekigm2!wrd