[comp.sys.atari.8bit] New 8bit developments

njd@ihlpm.ATT.COM (DiMasi) (01/09/88)

> In article <538@udccvax1.acs.udel.EDU>, gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (DUZAN) writes:
> 
>> Since I have the MIO, I use the internal BS RAM
>> very little and I anxiously await any good new software designed to use it.
> 
> Here here!  The 1 Meg MIO is great but makes the extra 64K in the 130XE
> almost useless.
> 
> Another use for the extra memory in the 130XE, other than multiprocessing,
> would be some type of swapping of a single application.  I wish some of the
> games, etc. I have could use the extra memory.
> 
I have Super 3D Plotter  II  (from  Elfin  Magic  Co.  a/k/a  Randolph
Constan[sp?]), which is a great program for 3D graphics on the 8-bits,
but has never been updated to even use the "extra"  16K  in  the  XLs,
much  less  the banks in the 130XE.  If S3DP2 used the banks, it could
probably allow some good features that larger CAD programs  have,  but
had  to  be  left  out  of  this one.  (Mr. Constan mentions this as a
future possibility at the end of the user manual,  but  says  that  he
hasn't  decided  whether  to  expand  S3DP2 for the XL/XE machines, or
upgrade the program for the ST  machines.  In the latter arena,  there
are  already  some  powerful  contenders.) I for one plan to write Mr.
Constan and ask for this.  Anyone care to join me?

I also have the Synfile XE (or whatever the 130XE version is  called),
and  it supposedly uses the "upper" 64K in the 130XE.  My wife uses it
with our 130XE, but I don't use it much and can't tell what it may  be
using  the memory for (the "in-core" index and maybe other "buffers" I
would guess).  Now if I can just convince my wife to try using double-
density data disks...

Lastly, I have OMNIVIEW XL/XE which will use  the  64K  as  a  RAMdisk
without  special DOS support.  I haven't taken the time to try it yet,
but when I get back into programming instead  of  just  "using,"  I'll
give it a shot.

Nick DiMasi
Uni'q Digital Technologies (Fox Valley Software subsidiary;
   ^          working as a contractor at AT&T Bell Labs in Naperville, IL)
(  | this is an accent mark, supposed to replace the dot over the 'i')

gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (DUZAN) (01/10/88)

In article <1602@ihlpm.ATT.COM> njd@ihlpm.ATT.COM (DiMasi) writes:

>Lastly, I have OMNIVIEW XL/XE which will use  the  64K  as  a  RAMdisk
>without  special DOS support.  I haven't taken the time to try it yet,
>but when I get back into programming instead  of  just  "using,"  I'll
>give it a shot.
>


   Again, I may be wrong, but modifying the OS of the Atari can interfere
with the operation of the MIO. Such changes may involve the internal parallel
bus handlers. This fear may be unfounded since I don't know the technical
details of the Omniview or the MIO. Anyone know?

					   Gary Duzan
					   Time  Lord
                                       Third Regeneration
                                    Atari Enthusiast Extreme