covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (10/20/88)
I have owned Atari computers since my first 800XL with 2 ds floppies. I currently own a 2 year old 520ST (upgraded to 1 meg, replaced ss floppy with ds floppy, added clock calendar chip, etc.) and a Mega ST2 with a 130 Meg hard drive and the Atari SLM804 laser printer. As you can see, I really like the Atari hardware. What I *HATE* is the Atari software. I have been griping to John Townsend, and anyone else who will listen at Atari, for a month now about bugs in the Diablo 630 Emulator (DE630 for short). DE630 misuses the TRAP 13 Vector, and as a result won't allow programs such as DC STUFFER (tm) of Double Click Software or MultiDesk (tm) of Codehead Software to work. Once either program is loaded, the DE630 is lost. DE630 also has a very small buffer which has prevented Word Perfect Corporation from using it. In fact, WP has just about dropped support for it. And the sad thing about this is that Atari just doesn't care. Atari seems to think that a buggy DE630 is simply fine. Well, I refuse to recommend the SLM804 to anyone, I bought mine because my local dealer had it on sale for $999, and at that price I was fool enough to buy it. Atari has NEVER released an Epson emulator for the SLM804. Atari doesn't feel that there is a need for one, I guess. And this is the Atari top of the line business system. And I won't even get into the buggy OS. At least it is in ROM and isn't as vulnerable to viruses as the MAC or the IBM!! richard (looking for a NeXT computer) covert
danscott@atari.UUCP (Dan Scott) (10/24/88)
in article <3f2bf768.14e07@gtephx.UUCP>, covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) says: > > What I *HATE* is the Atari software. I have been griping to John Townsend, > and anyone else who will listen at Atari, for a month now about bugs in the > Diablo 630 Emulator (DE630 for short). DE630 misuses the TRAP 13 Vector, and as > a result won't allow programs such as DC STUFFER (tm) of Double Click Software > or MultiDesk (tm) of Codehead Software to work. Once either program is loaded, the > DE630 is lost. DE630 also has a very small buffer which has prevented Word > Perfect Corporation from using it. In fact, WP has just about dropped support for > it. And the sad thing about this is that Atari just doesn't care. Well, like John and myself have been repeating over (and over, and over...) on the GEnie service is that we have copied all the messages pertaining to the Diablo Emulator and have forwarded them to Dave Staugas. Atari engineering is currently looking the matter over. That is all I can say at this time. >Atari has NEVER released an Epson emulator for the SLM804. Atari doesn't feel >that there is a need for one... You are quite correct in us never releasing an Epson emulator for the SLM804, however, I do not seem to recall us ever announcing that we were working on such a project. Also, why shopuld we spend the man-hours to develop another emulator for the SLM804 when there is already a GOOD one from Germany available in the U.S. as PD? What I am getting at is this; We are currently reviewing the entire Diablo 630 emulator project. That is all the information that I have at this time. Dan Scott Atari Technical Support
towns@atari.UUCP (John Townsend) (11/01/88)
> > I am the person on GEnie who has been pushing Atari to fix the Diablo 630 > emulator. And Atari has known about the Trap 13 Vector bug in the Diablo > emulator since it's release last year. Atari had NOT moved on this bug until > AFTER I started griping on GEnie about it. And I didn't do that until after I > found that MultiDesk wouldn't work with the diablo emulator. It seems that because > of the poor use of the Trap 13 vector in the Diablo emulator, once MultiDesk > is loaded in to memory, the emulator is lost. So, I can't even print from the > desktop with MultiDesk loaded. > Ok. Let me respond to this one. First, the way that Diablo uses the Trap #13 call is not a bug, it is just different from the way MultiDesk uses the Trap. Second, the Diablo Emulator _IS_ still there, the desk accessory just can't locate it. You can still print from the Diablo Emulator with MultiDesk installed. This will work. Try it. The only thing you can't do is access the desk accessory to do Form Feeds. > ..<Lots of Flaming Deleted..>. > > So, please, give me the straight dope and not more promise. Charles Johnson said that > he could fix the Trap 13 Vector bug in a half an hour. Maybe you should contract > with him to fix your buggy software!! > > If I sound bitter it is because the SLM804 is the BEST laser printer out, bar none, > but it is saddled with the most useless system software and lack of support from > Atari that I have ever seen!! > > richard (still looking for the Laser Brain Epson Emulator) Covert And Finally, for the hundredth time, Atari Corporation is currently looking at ways to improve the Diablo Emulator. One of the planned improvements is in the way the Desk Accessory locates the Diablo Emulator. (i.e. Use of Trap #13) At some point in the near future, we will make some changes to the Emulator. A release date for a new version has NOT been decided. The bottom line is, that we realize there is some incompatibilities with Diablo and other programs. We are working on it! Now give us some time to do that! -- John Townsend Atari Corp.
covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (11/02/88)
> > richard (still looking for the Laser Brain Epson Emulator) Covert > > At some point in the near future, we will make some changes to the > Emulator. A release date for a new version has NOT been decided. > > The bottom line is, that we realize there is some incompatibilities > with Diablo and other programs. We are working on it! Now give us > some time to do that! > > -- John Townsend > Atari Corp. OKAY, John I am convinced that Atari will work on the Diablo emulator. <<< FLAME ON HIGH !!!!!!>>> But, you have yet to answer my questions about why US Atari hasn't developed and supported an Epson emulator for their laser printer. There is not another laser printer out there (HP Laser Jet or otherwise) that doesn't include an Epson emulator. so, why doesn't Atari release one?? and what about Ultra Script?? Is it ever going to be released?? UltraScript was one big reason for me to buy the slm804. My big concern is that Atari will drag its feet with the SLM804 and not release working reliable software for it for a year or so. Atari has a very poor reputation when it comes to system software support. Look at the 40 folder bug in TOS. TOS has been out for years and still you have the 40 folder bug. So, please tell me WHEN and tell me IF the Epson emulator will be released?? If you think I gripe about this you should talk to your dealers. The SLM804 can't be sold in its present state of development. Or maybe you are planning to discontinue the SLM804?? that would explain why Atari places such LOW priority on the SLM804. So, please push for the Epson Emulator, and fix the Diablo emulator. I am willing to pay a reasonable fee for future software for the SLM804. Richard(Still FLAMING about the SLM804) Covert
covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (11/02/88)
The good news is that Wizard of ST programming Charles H. Johnson has fixed MultiDesk 1.3 to work with the SLM804 diablo emualtor and its setup630 DA. And MultiDesk is super!! One of the joys with owning a computer is coming across fine software such as MultiDesk. I highly recommend any and all of Codehead Software's products. I currently own MultiDesk, Top Down, G-PLUS, and ARC SHELL. All of them are worth buying. Richard (Not ownded or operated by Codehead) Covert