UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET.UUCP (03/29/87)
This is a bit of a test... For the past several weeks, I've been sending
my messages directly to comp.sys.atari.st. While they have been showing up in
the local comp.sys.atari.st directory, I have this feeling that they're getting
no further than my local bitnet node (NDSUVM1). Also, I've not seen any of my
messages echoed in the info-atari16 digests. What I've done is to collect all
my messages for the past several weeks from my local comp.sys.atari.st and
stuck them all together below this message (hopefully). If you've seen these
messages anyplace else (comp.sys.atari.st, the digest, elsewhere), I'd
appreciate hearing from you. If this is the first time you've seen these
messages, I'd also appreciate hearing from you--if there's any problems on my
end, I'd like to get them fixed up. Also, if I'm doing something really
stupid, forgive me--I'm kind of new at this.
Thanks for your help!
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
P.S. If you have any answers/comments to/on my questions/comments below,
they'd be appreciated too!
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: ROMs and the Megas
Date: Wed, 18-Mar-87 11:57:04 CST
I recall reading awhile ago that the ROMs in the new Mega ST machines will
be modified slightly to support the internal clock. Does this mean yet another
version of the ROMs (what--three now?)? Or will this code be put in along with
either the blitter or the blitter/bug fix ROMs.
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
***************************the ORIGINAL Oregon icecube*************************
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: The EST
Date: Wed, 18-Mar-87 17:55:28 CST
About a month ago, there was a lot of talk about a new, higher resolution ST
(called the EST) that Atari was supposedly going to show at the Hannover Fair.
Aparently, nothing of the sort was shown, and the folks there didn't even talk
about it. Question for Atari--is there such a beast, and when might you be
unveiling it (official unveiling, not rumored, or maybe). I was going to get a
Mega, but if this is coming out soon enough (say, maybe in the fall), I might
wait for it. Also, Neil Harris said a number of weeks ago that he was working
on a document that would answer many questions about the new stuff, and give
some more detailed information. Did such a beast ever get posted?
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: Harddisks
Date: Wed, 18-Mar-87 18:00:07 CST
Okay, folks--there has been a lot of discusion about harddisks for the STs
recently, and I've become a little lost. The question: what is the least
expensive 20 meg (or higher) hard disk system that anyone has been able to put
together, be it mail order Atari (I saw an Atari hard drive advertised for $499
in Compute!), Supra, Haba (yech), or hacked together SCSI-interfaced generic
drives. Any comments would be appreciated.
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: New documentation...
Date: Thu, 19-Mar-87 11:37:56 CST
Someone from Atari (I think it was Neil Harris) said that the official,
fancy-dancy developers documentation was being worked on by someone(s) (or some
firm) other than Atari. I don't suppose anyone knows who this might be, or
maybe Atari could tell us?
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: Compute!, the Megas, and the Atari PC
Date: Thu, 19-Mar-87 12:12:03 CST
Well, I just got a copy of the new Compute! (April issue) that has a nice
report on the Winter CES show. The nicest thing is that it has pictures of
both the Mega machine and the Atari PC. They look pretty nifty, and if it
weren't for the keyboards, you almost can't tell that they are computers (I've
heard them compared with "stackable stereo components," and this is what they
look like). They look almost exactly the same, except that the PC has its
built in 51/4" drive on the left, and the Mega has it's built in 31/2" drive on
the right. The keyboard on the PC looks like a standard PC keyboard, with the
function keys, then main QWERTY, then the keypad. Above the keypad is a what
looks like a row of three indicator lights, probably CAPS and NUM lock, and
whatever else. The system unit is barely higher than the half-height drive
installed, and it has two leds on the front right corner--probably power and
drive indicators. An ST-style two-button mouse is shown connected to the
machine, although it's unclear where it connects. There is very definitely no
room for internal IBM style boards, but there is supposed to be a connector
that will let you plug in boards or an expansion box externally. There's no
sign of any such slot in the picture (it's a frontal view), and the article is
kind of vague as to what the configuration of the slot is--it implies that you
can put an IBM board into the slot (an internal board mounted externally?
Yech!), or use the Atari box. I'd be really suprised if the expansion slot is
anything but non-standard (meaning you have to purchase the Atari box to use
the slot for anything). According to the article, the machine will come with
MS-DOS 3.2, GW-BASIC, the MS-DOS version of GEM, and "some applications
software for which Atari is still negotiating" (I've heard elsewhere that this
might be GEM-Write, GEM-Paint, and something else--all told, about $500
(retail) worth of software).
One thing that really worries me is that the article says that there will
be two separate models--the $499 one will come with only CGA and no monitor,
and that only the $699 one will come with the monochrome/Hercules/CGA/EGA
capabilities (and the green-screen monitor capable of handling the 16 EGA
colors in grey-scales). I thought that the only difference between the two was
that one included the monitor and one didn't. Atari people, would you please
clear this up?
Getting on to the Megas....
As mentioned above, the Mega system unit looks a lot like the PC, but with
the drive on the right. There is only one indicator light on the system unit,
placed just below the drive slot (just like on external drives)--I pressume
it's the drive light. The power light is on the keyboard, in the same position
as it is in on the 520. The keyboard looks exactly like a 520 with an inch or
two cut off the back. They key placement looks to be exactly the same, and the
function keys still have the slant to them that many people don't seem to like.
Strangely, there are no CAPS or NUM lock indicators like the PC keyboard has
(which leads me to guess that the PC keyboard is completely 3rd-party).
From the picture, it almost looks like the mouse plugs into the keyboard, which
would mean wherever you drag the keyboard, so goes the mouse (like, into your
lap). This could just be a deceptive picture, but maybe Atari could tell us
for sure where the mouse plugs in? I sure hope it's the main system unit.
Again, there's no place for another drive, nor anyroom for IBM-sized cards.
Also again, it's not obvious from the picture where the expansion bus is (and
it's not talked about in the text). The text also didn't mention the cartridge
port in it's list of ports, and didn't talk about any software coming with the
machines.
Both machines can hold a monitor on the system box, and other specifications
(RAM sizes, etc.) are the same as we've heard before. Atari, if you could
clear up some of the questions mentioned, it would be appreciated. Thanks|
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: An Experiment
Date: Fri, 20-Mar-87 11:34:31 CST
Well, last Friday over spring break I sent my 520 and $95 off to Atari for
replacement of the motherboard (or maybe even replacement of the whole thing).
I'll report on how long it takes to get it back, and what exactly I do get
back.
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
"If the state of North Dakota were to withdraw from the Union, it would become
the third largest nuclear power in the world."
--something to think about the next time you insult North Dakota....
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: Re: The EST
Date: Sun, 22-Mar-87 15:39:42 CST
In answer to my own question...
I just got a copy of the March ST Applications... Here's something from the
column "LateST News," on page 64 (by Stephen Mortimer):
"I have a few things to add to last month's column concerning the EST and
the PC clone. Look for the EST to surface as a card for the Mega ST card cage
instead of a new computer. This seems the only feasible way for it to gain
the users' and developers' support. An Atari executive also said that Atari
will bring and IBM 80286 clone out later this year...."
He also said "The [Mega] ST 1,2, and 4 will retail for $1099, $1299, and
$1499 respectively. I suspect these prices include a monochrome monitor. The
SH205 will cost $550. These prices are *unconfirmed* and may be different by
the time they hit the stores..."
I don't suppose anyone caught last month's article about the EST & PC?
This month's also has the 'Hacker's Hard Disk..." article by Tom Love, a
picture of the Mega ST4 on the cover (no real info on the inside, other than
what I mentioned), and a lot of other nifty articles. Atari, any truth to
this EST on a card rumor?
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
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From: UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET
Subject: Hello... anybody out there?
Date: Tue, 24-Mar-87 16:10:10 CST
Sorry to bother your time with this folks, but...
I've posted several messages to comp.sys.atari.st that have appeared in the
listing locally, but I'm kind of wondering if they're getting any further than
my local bitnet node... Some of my postings consisted of questions that, in my
humple opinion, were worthy of answers. Also, I've never seen any of my
postings echoed in the digests. Could someone please tell me if they get this
message off of comp.sys.atari.st (or where ever it appears), and what network
you're on? Thanks for your help...
Scott Udell
UD140469@NDSUVM1.BITNET