[comp.sys.amiga] Swinth and other mind blasters

carpent@coltrane.SRC.Honeywell.COM (Todd Carpenter) (01/17/89)

'allo.  Does anyone out there remember "SWINTH" for the C-64?  It was kind of a
kaliedoscope, but it certainly was incredible, especially considering the
effort it took to draw lines on the C-64.

My question is, is there any PD stuff like that?  Just neat, soothing designs
on the screen?  I'm thinking something like what MindLight does (I think - I've
never seen it), but public domain.

Thanks in advance!

pnelson@antares.UUCP (Phil Nelson) (01/19/89)

In article <14928@srcsip.UUCP> carpent@coltrane.SRC.Honeywell.COM (Todd Carpenter) writes:
>
>'allo.  Does anyone out there remember "SWINTH" for the C-64?  It was kind of a
>kaliedoscope, but it certainly was incredible, especially considering the
>effort it took to draw lines on the C-64.
>
>My question is, is there any PD stuff like that?  Just neat, soothing designs
>on the screen?  I'm thinking something like what MindLight does (I think - I've
>never seen it), but public domain.
>
>Thanks in advance!

 Well, I have a disk called Kaleidoscope, it has some problems, though. It
came with my Amiga 1000, I think. It says "Free Software from Electronic
Electronic Arts" right on the disk, does that mean I can copy it? Along with
a slideshow of EA ads, there is a program called Polyscope demo, written by
Dan Silva. It generates some fairly nice looking patterns, but doesn't run
well on my 2000, I think it needs kickstart 1.1, or maybe 1.0. It also
doesn't have an icon, or an exit (the demo ran from boot, as I remember).

 The Polyscope did run from the CLI, though some of the patterns didn't look
right. It crashed when I tried to put the screen in the back, maybe it didn't
like DMouse.

So whatever happened to Polyscope?
-- 
Phil Nelson at (but not speaking for)                  OnTyme:NSC.P/Nelson
Tymnet, McDonnell Douglas Network Systems Company       Voice:408-922-7508
UUCP:{pyramid|ames}oliveb!tymix!pnelson              LRV:Component Station
"ding ding..." -Santa Clara County Transit Company trolley car (AKA "LRV")

wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) (01/21/89)

The E-A demo that came with the original relase of Amiga DOS way
back in 1985 was pretty good.  Actually one of the better I've seen
on any system.  I think the Kaleidascope is redistributable since
it was intended as an advert for E-A (there was also a slide demo
hawking future E-A programs for the Amiga since at that time no
significant amount of software existed).

We used the kaleidascope as a tool to soothe hyperactive children.
We taped the output on a VCR and showed it on a 25 inch monitor.
Some kids would sit and watch for several hours.  Kaleidascope
didn't have any sound with it, so we used one of those generic "new
age" sort of yuppie elevator music type CDs for the tape's
background music.

You might have to boot DOS 1.0 to run it, I don't remember now.
Check with a freind that has an old Amiga.

--Bill
  wtm@impulse.UUCP
  ...!lll-winken!scooter!neoucom!impulse!wtm

esalbert@s3frobozz.ARPA (Eric Salberta) (02/01/89)

In article <354@antares.UUCP> pnelson@antares.UUCP (Phil Nelson) writes:
>
> Well, I have a disk called Kaleidoscope, it has some problems, though. It
>came with my Amiga 1000, I think. It says "Free Software from Electronic
>Electronic Arts" right on the disk, does that mean I can copy it? Along with
>a slideshow of EA ads, there is a program called Polyscope demo, written by
>Dan Silva. It generates some fairly nice looking patterns, but doesn't run
>well on my 2000, I think it needs kickstart 1.1, or maybe 1.0. It also
>doesn't have an icon, or an exit (the demo ran from boot, as I remember).
>
> The Polyscope did run from the CLI, though some of the patterns didn't look
>right. It crashed when I tried to put the screen in the back, maybe it didn't
>like DMouse.
>
>So whatever happened to Polyscope?
>-- 
>Phil Nelson at (but not speaking for)                  OnTyme:NSC.P/Nelson
>Tymnet, McDonnell Douglas Network Systems Company       Voice:408-922-7508
>UUCP:{pyramid|ames}oliveb!tymix!pnelson              LRV:Component Station
>"ding ding..." -Santa Clara County Transit Company trolley car (AKA "LRV")

[This is for the line eater if it still exists]

Phil:
	I used to have that Polyscope demo too, and I liked it.  It worked
just fine until I expanded my A1000 by adding 2M of Fast RAM.  At that
point, the display became fouled up whenever I ran it.  I don't
remember it crashing the machine, but then the display was fouled up
enough that I didn't use it for very long.  So it's quite possible that
this demo was written on the assumption of only Chip RAM, and of course
the A2000 comes with Fast RAM (well, half-fast :-)) already included.

Did anyone ever get this program to run on a machine with Fast RAM?  I
really liked it, but not enough to give up the memory.  I really should
dig it up again and see if NoFastMem would work.

						 Eric R. Salberta
						(esalbert@scubed.com)

dhines@utastro.UUCP (Dean Hines) (02/03/89)

In article <922@scubed.UUCP>, esalbert@s3frobozz.ARPA (Eric Salberta) writes:
> In article <354@antares.UUCP> pnelson@antares.UUCP (Phil Nelson) writes:
> >

[much deleted]
> >
> > The Polyscope did run from the CLI, though some of the patterns didn't look
> >right. It crashed when I tried to put the screen in the back, maybe it didn't
> >like DMouse.
> 
[more deleted]

> Phil:
> 	I used to have that Polyscope demo too, and I liked it.  It worked
> just fine until I expanded my A1000 by adding 2M of Fast RAM.  At that
[more deleted]
> Did anyone ever get this program to run on a machine with Fast RAM?  I
> really liked it, but not enough to give up the memory.  I really should
> dig it up again and see if NoFastMem would work.
> 
> 						 Eric R. Salberta
> 						(esalbert@scubed.com)

Running NoFastMem allows Polyscope to run just fine. I haven't had 
any luck with fastmem active. 


---------------------------------------------------------------------
| Dean Hines                       Disclaimer: What? disclaim? Me?  |
| Astronomy                                                         |
| University of Texas               "Always store beer in a dark    | 
| dhines@astro.as.utexas.edu          place."                       | 
| dhines@utastro.UUCP                         Lazarus Long          |
---------------------------------------------------------------------

MOLNARRM@UREGINA1.BITNET (Dennis Gorrie) (02/13/89)

I too have noticed polyscope fails to work properly when I got expansion
memory for my A1000.  The circle patterns in particular turn into munged
and flakey squares.   I tried KS/WB 1.1, NoFastMem, and FixHunk 2, with no
luck.  Too bad; it was a good demo to show people; it was kindof like an
'aquarium'

|============================================================================|
| (patient)  Go ahead doc, tell me the worst.                                |
| (doctor)   I'm sorry, but you have MS-DOS...                               |
| (patient)  MS-DOS??   ...Maybe I caught it from a toilet seat or something.|
|                                                                            |
| Dennis Gorrie (molnarrm at uregina1.bitnet)                                |
|============================================================================|