                   FastBoot 030 v0.6beta
                   ---------------------

History:
   Being a very poor guy, I couldn't afford an internal IDE harddrive for my
F030. After a while I discovered that everyone that had an internal IDE would
boot a lot faster than my system did, and that bugged me.
During a period when I was exploring TOS, I discovered a way to cure this,
and wrote the first version of FastBoot 030, which was very crude, it only
worked on TOS 4.04 and had no error-checking what-so-ever.
That was version 0.1beta, now I'm up to version 0.4beta, and have included
support for TOS 4.01-4.02 and error-checking.

In this version (0.5beta) I have included TOS 4.00, even though I can't
think of any reason to have it. Somehow I got hold of it, found it on a BBS
a couple of weeks ago, and thought I'd include it, just to make the perfect
FastBoot...   ;-)

In this latest installment (0.6beta), I have made a few cosmetic changes that
most of you won't notice. I've also included a patch, written by Lars H. Lhe
from Germany that makes this version work OK with Magic.

A great disappointment to me is the lack of feedback I've got, so far I've
got 3 (yes, three) letters, from users of my program. But one of the nicest
letters I've ever got in my life, was from Sven Bornemark from OXIE, sweden.
He actually benchmarked my program, and came up with the following results
in his environment:

Coldboot without fastboot   52.0 seconds
Coldboot with fastboot      39.5 seconds
Warmboot without fastboot   47.4 seconds
Warmboot with fastboot      36.8 seconds

Pretty nifty, 12.5 seconds saved every coldboot, and 10.6 seconds every
warmboot!

What it does:
   Basically, FastBoot bypasses memorytest and the internal IDE boot sequence.
Since TOS needs about 10 seconds to discover there is no IDE drive present,
the result is that you will boot a lot faster (see above).
There is no way of keeping the memorytest and still bypass the IDE-boot
sequence.

Standard Disclaimer:
   I will under no circumstances at all accept any responsibility for what
this program does, or doesn't do. If you use it, and it fries your system,
it is your problem, not mine.

This program hasn't been thoroughly tested, reason being that I only have
access to TOS 4.04 F030's, thus the beta-status of the program.
(Feedback, my fellow Atarians!)

However, I do not think there will be any problem.
But if you do run into problems, feel free to contact me, and I'll try to
help you to the best of my ability.

This program is placed in PUBLIC DOMAIN, that means that you are free to
(ab)use it anyway you want EXCEPT for the following:
1) You are not allowed to sell this program for profit.
   PD libraries are allowed to distribute it for a reasonable fee.
   (A reasonable fee would be 2 UK punds maximum above media & mailing costs)
2) I still retain my copyright of the code, that means that you cannot
   change the program or steal code from it, and distribute yourself.
   Any changes you do, is for YOUR PERSONAL USE ONLY.
3) Anybody who wishes any of the above may do so if they have my written
   consent.

Despite the fact that this program is PD, and you have no obligations at
all towards me, I would appreciate any feedback at all.
(Lack of feedback is one reason that this program still has beta-status...)
Like a postcard, letter, a disk with your latest production or softs, anything
at all will be appreciated, even donations...  :-)
(PD-libraries: It would be VERY nice if you send me a PD-disk of your choice
to me, after all, my little program seems very popular among F030-users... :)

If you want to contact me, write to:

Tommy Jonaeson
Gustavsbergsv. 31
136 67 Haninge
Sweden

e-mail: jonaeson@dataphone.se
