stever@wjvax.UUCP (02/06/87)
I am new to the UNIX system and am also a neophyte Atari user. My system consists of a 130XE, a 1050 DD, and a 1030 modem. I would like some information in a number of areas: 1. Where can I get a VT100 terminal emulator program which will work with my system? Will this program control the modem also? Will it compensate for the 40 column format? 2. Is there an inexpensive way to upgrade this system to 80 columns? What programs are available which use the capability? How is the resolution? 3. Are there any public domain spreadsheets for this system? Where can I get them? Documentation would be a big plus. 4. I have downloaded programs from various BBS's (Compuserve, etc.) with mixed results. About half the programs load and run, the others do not. I am using the HomeTerm modem program. Is this typical? 5. My 1050 disk drive seems too make an inordinate amount of noise when switching tracks. Is this typical? Does documentation exist for this drive which would allow me to adjust/clean/repair it myself? 6. In general, what books/publications are available which would allow me to get more out of my system? Thanks in advance for any help. Steve Reinhold
jhs@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA.UUCP (02/07/87)
>I am new to the UNIX system and am also a neophyte Atari user. My system >consists of a 130XE, a 1050 DD, and a 1030 modem. I would like some >information in a number of areas: >1. Where can I get a VT100 terminal emulator program which will work with my >system? Will this program control the modem also? Will it compensate for >the 40 column format? There are several VT100 emulators available. VT10SQ is a public-domain program which displays 80 columns using the high resolution capabilities of Graphics Mode 8 (320x192). It does only a partial emulation, e.g. not handling graphics (line drawing) at all. It also does NOT include any file transfer or data capture capabilities. Also, the keypad is accessed by prefixing each keystroke with an ESC, which I found "got old fairly fast". It is NOT what you could call convenient. Another program called Chameleon can emulate a VT100, among other things. I believe it makes you scroll around to see all 80 columns, however. (I have never used it.) The best VT100 emulator I have seen is CDY's OmniCom, which I am using to compose this message using the Rand screen editor on my VAX at work. This one DOES do the line-drawing graphics and also includes kermit and xmodem. It, however, requires CDY's OMNIVIEW O/S replacement chip to work. That is, however, well worth considering, because OMNIVIEW gives you a built-in 80-column capability -- built into the Editor (E:) device. Also, it comes with an 80-column word processor which is pretty powerful. >2. Is there an inexpensive way to upgrade this system to 80 columns? What >programs are available which use the capability? How is the resolution? I guess I already answered this one, partly. Since OMNIVIEW replaces the 40-column E: device with an 80-column one, any program that uses E: in Graphics Mode 0 (just text) will work with it. Unfortunately, this rules out a lot of programs that unnecessarily use some other modes just for jazzy effects, but still a lot of things work. Ask CDY for answers on specific programs. The resolution is good enough to use routinely for day-to-day word processing, although nobody would say it is as good as that of much more expensive computers which were designed for 80-column output in the first place. I used OMNIVIEW and OmniWriter (the 80-col word processor) on a black and white TV for quite awhile, and it was perfectly useable. I now use a Magnavox amber monitor and it is even better. In fact, DARN NEAR as good as some of the amber monitors I have seen used with the IBM-PC. It can be used with color monitors too, but only ones which provide a separate chroma input. As for "inexpensive", since OMNIVIEW comes with an 80-column word processor and costs only about what a lot of other, 40-column word processors are selling for, I would say it is fairly inexpensive, especially if you have not yet bought a word processor. (Current list price of OMNIVIEW last I heard was $39.95). Atari has been promising to bring out an alternative 80-column adaptor Real Soon Now for many months. I think it is waiting for FCC Part 15 certification or something. It is supposed to be priced around $60, but we will only know for sure when it is available. It will probably have more support from software vendors, eventually, than the CDY product, but then it will be SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive when you consider that it won't include a free word processor. Also, it will take up desk space and (yuk) yet another electrical outlet. It may have important additional capabilities, but I don't know the details. Perhaps Atari can give you more complete information. >3. Are there any public domain spreadsheets for this system? Where can I get >them? Documentation would be a big plus. There was a Type-In spreadsheet program called SpeedCalc published in March, 1986 by COMPUTE! magazine. Not exactly Public Domain, but close. The granddaddy of all spreadsheets, VisiCalc, is available for around $20 these days. Several others exist too. >4. I have downloaded programs from various BBS's (Compuserve, etc.) with >mixed results. About half the programs load and run, the others do not. I am >using the HomeTerm modem program. Is this typical? It sounds worse than average if the problem is line noise. The best way to download is with a file transfer protocol like xmodem or kermit. These should ensure correct files if the implementation you have is any good at all. I don't know how well HomeTerm works but it should be fine. The other thing you might be running into is that the programs were written for the older Atari machine, the 800. Some (many) such programs use illegal O/S calls "to improve performance" and don't run on the 130XE or for that matter the 800XL. To test this possibility, you should obtain the Atari "Translator Disk" and boot it first, then boot the questionable program. If it is an O/S compatibility problem, it will then run correctly (assuming you loaded it with BASIC enabled/disabled as appropriate, etc.). (The Translator Disk installs an 800-compatible O/S in RAM in the same address space as the ROM O/S normally sits.) Incidentally, OMNIVIEW will allow you to run a lot of the programs that otherwise would require the "Translator Disk", since OMNIVIEW looks almost exactly like an 800 O/S to the application software. >5. My 1050 disk drive seems too make an inordinate amount of noise when >switching tracks. Is this typical? Does documentation exist for this drive >which would allow me to adjust/clean/repair it myself? A "Field Service Manual" is (or was) available from Atari. It is part number FD100330, dated October 1983. Let me know if you cannot obtain it from other sources and I will see if I can help. >6. In general, what books/publications are available which would allow me to >get more out of my system? Your Atari Computer, by Lon Poole, et al, is a **MUST** even though it is aimed at the older models. There are near-equivalents from SAMS and Weber Systems, Inc., both worth having. Poole's book is an excellent source for becoming a virtuoso at Atari BASIC. For Assembly language, buy Mark Chasin's book, "Assembly Language Programming for the Atari Computers". It is wonderfully well written and will be equally good for beginners and assembly language experts who just need help with I/O, graphics, and sound features of the Atari. Mapping The Atari is a must for everybody who is serious. It is like a dictionary / roadmap of O/S variables, BASIC tables, etc. If you are REALLY serious, there is De Re Atari, the Atari hardware manual, the O/S manual, the DOS manual, and Inside Atari DOS, by COMPUTE! Magazine. Oh, yes, and The BASIC Source Book. These give details like schematic diagrams, connector pinouts, and source listings!!! Speaking of magazines, there are two main ones, ANALOG and ANTIC. ANALOG is more technically oriented and ANTIC more toward games. COMPUTE! Magazine always has a small number of articles of interest to Atarians, some of them so good it would be a shame to miss them. I try to look at every issue and buy it occasionally. >Thanks in advance for any help. That's what the Net is for! Last year at this time, I was mainly asking questions myself!!! >Steve Reinhold ------- End of Forwarded Message Good luck getting started with your 130XE. These machines are so capable that they seem to attract talented people. As a result there is an incredible amount of good software available, both Public Domain and otherwise. I am sure you will get a lot of mileage out of your 130XE as I have out of my 800XL. -John Sangster / jhs@mitre-bedford.arpa
appelbau@topaz.UUCP (02/09/87)
In article <8702070311.AA04891@mitre-bedford.ARPA>, jhs@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA writes: > Another program called Chameleon can emulate a VT100, among other things. > I believe it makes you scroll around to see all 80 columns, however. > (I have never used it.) Chameleon DOES NOT emulate a VT100, it emulates a VT-52 as well as others including:ADM-3A, IBM 3101. -- Marc L. Appelbaum "Insanity is just a state of mind" Arpa: marc@aim.rutgers.edu Uucp:rutgers!ru-blue!appelbaum
crd9852@ritcv.UUCP (02/10/87)
In article <9042@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> appelbau@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Marc L. Appelbaum) writes: > Chameleon DOES NOT emulate a VT100, it emulates a VT-52 as well as >others including:ADM-3A, IBM 3101. If you do chose to use Chameleon, I suggest you set its parity to off. I had trouble having it emulate a VT-52 until I did this. It was suggested by someone on this net. Sorry, but I forget the person's name. I use Chameleon from home. It's a lot easier on the eyes than another emulator I have that uses one of the graphic modes to squeeze 80 columns on the screen. Maybe it would look OK with a monochrome monitor. It sure is bad on a color monitor.