dond@gold.gvg.tek.com (Don Davis) (02/08/91)
I am a new ATARI user who is full of questions. Hopefully some of you can help me get started. There aren't any other ATARI users in my area (that I know of) and the "good deal" I got didn't include much documentation! Thanks in advance for any replies. I need a description of the operating system. I would really like to know how the desktop works, how files are managed, how does the OS know what devices are connected, ect. Where can I find one? I have an ATARI 520ST with 500K ram (s/n# A11003969 - does that mean anything to anyone???). What are my options for upgrading? I have a printer that will not operate with the CENTRONICS cable (the same printer/cable operate fine when attached to "one of those other PC's"). How does the ST know if there is a serial or a parallel printer attached? What is the correct cable configuration to use? What are my options for a hard drive? What type of HD am I looking for? I now have two floppies - SS354's. Is there a translation capability to read/write IBM & MAC 3" discs? Are either of the monitors compatable with other PC's? I have a SM124 and a SC1224 as well. (e.g. I don't need two monitors, simultaneously - could the one I'm not using be hooked as a display for something else?) Must I dismantle the unit to read the PROM version? Is there a way to ask it? ...and what is the current version of the OS? If I don't have the current version, how can I get it? Thanks again for any help offered. I'm excited about the ST and looking forward to becoming "more functional"!! Replies can be faxed (916)478-3887, posted, or mailed: Don Davis 219 Gethsemane Nevada City, Ca 95959
carter@cat27.cs.wisc.edu (Gregory Carter) (02/08/91)
dond@gold.gvg.tek.com (Don Davis)
writes:
I am a new ATARI user who is full of questions. Hopefully some
of you can help me get started. There aren't any other ATARI users
in my area (that I know of) and the "good deal" I got didn't include
much documentation! Thanks in advance for any replies.
I need a description of the operating system. I would really like
to know how the desktop works, how files are managed, how
does the OS know what devices are connected, ect. Where can
I find one?
I have an ATARI 520ST with 500K ram (s/n# A11003969 - does that mean
anything to anyone???). What are my options for upgrading?
I have a printer that will not operate with the CENTRONICS cable (the
same printer/cable operate fine when attached to "one of those
other PC's"). How does the ST know if there is a serial or
a parallel printer attached? What is the correct cable
configuration to use?
What are my options for a hard drive? What type of HD am I looking
for? I now have two floppies - SS354's.
Is there a translation capability to read/write IBM & MAC 3" discs?
Are either of the monitors compatable with other PC's? I have a SM124
and a SC1224 as well. (e.g. I don't need two monitors,
simultaneously - could the one I'm not using be hooked as a
display for something else?)
Must I dismantle the unit to read the PROM version? Is there a way to
ask it? ...and what is the current version of the OS? If I don't
have the current version, how can I get it?
Thanks again for any help offered. I'm excited about the ST and
looking forward to becoming "more functional"!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, as for your first question about operating system information you
might want to try investing in Mark Williams C. The compiler kinda sucks,
but the documentation shows you how to do almost anything you want on your
ST with complete working programs...I learned most of my knowledge by typing
in all the examples myself...and screwing around with them in all sorts
of ways.
As for your upgrade question, icky poo. 500K? With MWC you will want at
least 2.5 megs so you can make a RAM disk to keep your CC files in OR ELSE
you will be sitting waiting all day for a compile to complete.
(I think most will agree Zubair 3D is a fine memory upgrade I loved mine)
As for the printer, the ST doesn't explicitly have to know if the printer
it self is serial or parallel, you simply plug it into the germaine port.
(You didn't sy anything whether the printer was serial or centronics)
As for the hard drive options, I would go with:
#1 Choice is ICD drives. (They look neato and are easily expandable)
(Did I mention they are fast too?)
#2 Supra is an excellent drive too.
#3 Yes, then we have Atari's MEGA file series comming in third...they look
better on the outside than on the inside. :)
(Although! My Mega STe's drive IS NO SLOUCH and is comparable if not
faster than an ICD setup (157N).
As for the floppies, EGADS, I suppose they are useful, but you really should
sell both and get a SF314. FORGET MWC if you have 500K and two floppies
as a working development/exploration system.
The monitors, Mmmmm, I am not sure about THAT. Let someone else answer that
question...it would be a pain I would guess though...
As for the ROMS, if you have version 1.0, Great HornyToads, get to your
dealer and have them order the NEW RAINBOW 1.4 TOS, otherwise half your
hard disk performance is GONE. (I mean, you wouldn't want to spend all that
money on a fast ICD drive and then hook it up to TOS 1.0 would you now?)
In my long winded conclusion, have fun! Goodluck in your TOSLand pursuits.
And remember, a hppy program is one that does what TOS tells it too.
(Except if its TOS 1.0)
--Gregorys37837k@saha.hut.fi (Jari Lehto) (02/10/91)
In article <1963@gold.gvg.tek.com> dond@gold.gvg.tek.com (Don Davis) writes: >I am a new ATARI user who is full of questions. Hopefully some >of you can help me get started. There aren't any other ATARI users >in my area (that I know of) and the "good deal" I got didn't include >much documentation! Thanks in advance for any replies. > >I need a description of the operating system. I would really like > to know how the desktop works, how files are managed, how > does the OS know what devices are connected, ect. Where can > I find one? You like to go quite deep? ST is quite a plug-and-play machine, you don't need to tell much to it to get peripherals work. But there are books that scan deep inside ST. They are a bit hard to find nowadays. In UK and Germany they are well available. >I have an ATARI 520ST with 500K ram (s/n# A11003969 - does that mean > anything to anyone???). What are my options for upgrading? That can be a base for anything. I started out with a regular 1040STF. Now I have a 16MHz 4Mb RAM 170Mb harddisk bigscreen monster living in a tower-housing. The old motherboard is still there! That is possibly with every ST. Best expansions are avilable in Germany, except RAM. To upgrade RAM, from UK you can find definitely the best expansions. I live in Finland, and still I export almost everything form my ST from Germany, UK and USA. >I have a printer that will not operate with the CENTRONICS cable (the > same printer/cable operate fine when attached to "one of those > other PC's"). How does the ST know if there is a serial or > a parallel printer attached? What is the correct cable > configuration to use? The cable I used (before I bought a laser) was a simple direct centronics. With ST the printer should be able to emulate epson. There is a desk-accessory where you can set printer's port and other stuff, but I never used it bacause all programs printed nicely without any extra settings. Centronics is a default for printer in ST. >What are my options for a hard drive? What type of HD am I looking > for? I now have two floppies - SS354's. Get yourself a SF314 or other 2S-drive fast! You will definitely need one. There are hard drives specially made for ST, the megafile-serie, but a very good alternative is a DMA-SCSI -interface (ICD, Supra, etc.) and a SCSI-harddisk (Quantum, Seagate, Conner, Maxtor). I have myself a ICD SCSI interface with two Seagate ST296N 85Mb harddisks. Works fine. With megafile there are only 2 good, the 60Mb model and the removable 44Mb. Smaller than 40Mb are likely to get filled up too quickly... >Is there a translation capability to read/write IBM & MAC 3" discs? ST reads directly IBM's 3.5" DD disks. With discovery-cartridge or Spectre GCR Mac-emulator you can access Mac-disks. By the way, Spectre is worth trying! Faster than Mac + and bigger screen. Copatibility is very high! >Are either of the monitors compatable with other PC's? I have a SM124 > and a SC1224 as well. (e.g. I don't need two monitors, > simultaneously - could the one I'm not using be hooked as a > display for something else?) Both MONITORS are, but their connectors ARE NOT! I use multisync instead of two separate monitors... !>Must I dismantle the unit to read the PROM version? Is there a way to > ask it? ...and what is the current version of the OS? If I don't > have the current version, how can I get it? No, you can't see the version directly from anywhere. But if there are more than one year mentioned in the copyright-line of the TOS-box, first drop-down on desktop, about ... , the TOS is newer that 1.0. Latest is 1.4, you can get it from almost any Atari-dealer. > Thanks again for any help offered. I'm excited about the ST and > looking forward to becoming "more functional"!! > Replies can be faxed (916)478-3887, > posted, or > mailed: Don Davis > 219 Gethsemane > Nevada City, Ca 95959 > > Always happy to help. If you have further questions, please followup or send me email. Jartsu *** Jari Lehto, jartsu@otax.hut.fi, s37837k@saha.hut.fi ***