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                      _______________________________
 
 
  November 24, 1989                                       Vol III  No.115
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 > Issue: #115 STReport       The Online Magazine of Choice! 
   -------------------- 
     - The Editors' Podium                   - CPU REPORT
     - NEW Games for LYNX                    - QINDEX TESTING
     - Dealer Manhandled?                    - Best Mouse Review

      ---====****   LYNX ON SALE IN TIME FOR HOLIDAYS!   ****====---
           --==** LHARC051 ACCEPTABLE FOR CIS AND GENIE! **==--


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 > The Editor's Podium

     Noticing the  various reactions  to my positive impressions concerning
 Atari's performance  at  Comdex  I  respectfully  request  that  we please
 remember  the  single  most  important  item  that makes life so grand and
 interesting; that being the wonderful variety of thought and expression we
 are able  to enjoy on a daily basis.  Again, variety, that's what makes it
 all worthwhile.   As  far as  anybody calling  'em like  they see  'em.  I
 always have.   Isn't that the way it is supposed to be done?  And if it is
 supposed to be done  that  way  ...then  it  only  makes  "good  sense" to
 continue to do so....  
  
     In continuing  to call  'em as  I see 'em, the bottom line is and must
 remain an exercise in common sense.   Atari's  execs had  nothing to loose
 and  everything  to  gain  by  offering  a  cordial  welcome  and friendly
 conversation, no doubt they  did see  where, as  I would,  that they could
 come away  in better  shape by doing so than they had been before the show
 and reception.  Especially, since they now have the products and the plan.
 They acted accordingly and I for one, was overjoyed to have been there and
 been part of the proceedings.
  
     In response to those who seem to think  my editorial  opinions must be
 cut in  granite, regardless  of change  and have expressed themselves in a
 rather strange disjointed and critical manner..  I feel a twinge of sorrow
 for them.   How  horribly painful having a closed and unyielding mind must
 be.  As with all things governed by the passing  of time,  they change, as
 all things  must do.   Being positive about the future of Atari is nothing
 new, just refreshing  and  different  at  this  time.    That,  Ladies and
 Gentlemen is  the point.   Atari  gave all  of us a great glimpse into the
 future with the new hardware and plans..  The least we can do is give them
 (the new  leadership) an  opportunity to  get the job done.  If I am wrong
 for trying,  then so be it.  At least,  knowing I  tried makes  the effort
 worthwhile...


                                    Thanks for your support,
                                        Ralph.....






                             "ATARI IS BACK!"




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 > CPU REPORT 
   ==========

   Issue # 42


 by Michael Arthur


 Remember When....

       In response  to IBM's  introduction of  the OS/2 Operating System, a
 slogan started circulating which said, "OS/2:  Just Say No"?


 CPU Systems Roundup XV
 ======================= 


                Motorola's 68040 Chip:  Jack of All Trades?
                -------------------------------------------


       Motorola has recently made information available  about its upcoming
 68040 chip  which reveal  much about both its capabilities, and the future
 of the  680x0 line  of microprocessors.   But  in order  to understand its
 potential,  let  us  take  a  look  at  the information which is currently
 available....

       Using over  1  million  transistors,  the  68040  chip  is  a 32-bit
 microprocessor which  has an  Integer Processing  Unit (IPU) which is both
 compatible with the 68030's IPU,  providing  the  same  4  Gigabyte memory
 addressing  range  and  full  compatibility  with  the  680x0 line, and is
 reportedly up to 2-3 times faster than the 68030 chip.

       The 68040 also has  an on-chip  IEEE-compatible Floating  Point Math
 Unit which  has the same functions as the 68882 Math Coprocessor.  Most of
 the 68882's  instruction  set  is  implemented  in  hardware,  for greatly
 increased speed,  and the  lesser-executed instructions  are in microcode,
 for full compatibility.

       Like the 68030, the  68040 has  a Harvard  chip architecture.   This
 means that  it is designed with independent virtual addresses for data and
 instructions, enabling them to  be accessed  simultaneously, and providing
 much more  versatility than  the classical  Von Neumann  architecture.  In
 order to optimize this, the 68040's paged Memory  Management Unit  has two
 separate Address  Translation Caches,  each with  4K of  Static RAM.  This
 enables the 68040 to both access  data, and  compute integer  and floating
 point math simultaneously, at a very high speed....

       However, the  most important feature of the 68040 is its support for
 multiprocessing, or the  coordination  of  independent  microprocessors in
 such a  way that  they can  perform each  other's tasks.  This is possible
 with its "Snoop Controller".  This  is a  bus-monitoring unit  which works
 alongside the  68040's bus controller, which handles both the internal bus
 architecture, and  all external  I/O operations  for the  68040, to ensure
 data coherency.   This  is used as a form of error protection, making sure
 that all  data and  instructions in  a multiprocessing  system are handled
 properly.   This allows  powerful multiprocessing to be implemented now on
 the 68040, but what Motorola eventually  has planned  for multiprocessing,
 should  be  VERY  interesting.    The  68050  has  the potential to become
 revolutionary in this regard....




 But ponder, if you will, these questions:


 1)  Given the  Mach OS's  support for  multiprocessing, should  Atari port
     this  version  of  BSD  Unix  (which  is used by the NeXT system) to a
     68040-based version of the TT?

 2)  Given that the 68040 chip costs $1000.00, should Atari make a 68040 TT
     that is  as powerful  as possible,  with 24-bit Color supported by the
     GEM  VDI,  Megapixel  resolutions,  and  multiprocessing  support, and
     concentrate on  "Power Without  the Price" for a higher segment of the
     workstation market?


 - CPU REPORT INTERNATIONAL
   ========================

 - LONDON, UK                 


                                             ATARI UK GETS SERIOUS!
                                             ======================


     Atari UK  is  claiming  success  for  its  recent  250,000ukp national
 advertising campaign.  The company's UK division said that several million
 pounds-worth of business has been  accomplished  in  the  past  two weeks.
 "The business-is-war"  theme suggests  that a  company cannot afford to be
 nonchalant about retaining  a  competitive  fringe  in  the  ever changing
 marketplace.   The campaign  expands on past successful Atari practices of
 producing high-quality products at low prices by highlighting computers of
 value and technical innovation," said Atari UK in a statement last week. 

     Atari isn't  stopping with  a simple  250,000 ukp advertising spending
 spree.   The advertising  campaign will  continue through  this month with
 promotional advertisements in the London Times, Financial Times and Sunday
 Times, as well as the Daily Telegraph.   The advertising  strategy changes
 abruptly near Christmas, where Atari moves to National TV with a 2 million
 ukp campaign to tell  the UK  that Atari  is the  epitome in  the home and
 business computer marketplace. 





    ___________________________________________________________________





 > LYNX ARRIVES! STR Spotlight       The march of the Cats....
   ===========================



 NEWS RELEASE
 ============


                                          LYNX IN STORES FOR THANKSGIVING
                                          ===============================



 SUNNYVALE, CA.  Thanksgiving, 1989

     Lynx, the  portable color game system that took the home entertainment
 industry by storm, will be in retail and department stores in time for the
 holidays, announced Sam Tramiel, Atari Corporation president.

     The one  pound hand  held video game system, which has been called the
 most innovative consumer electronics product since the introduction of the
 Sony Walkman,  provides players  with full color graphics, fast action and
 sound effects that were previously available only in arcade games.

     According to one system reviewer, "Atari zapped Nintendo" with the new
 hand  held  color  video  game.    "Atari's compact, high performance game
 system  caught  Nintendo  totally  by  surprise,"  he  commented.     "The
 sophisticated  technology,  larger  screen,  full-color graphics and sleek
 design of the Lynx system leaves the Game Boy behind."

     According to Tramiel, industry analysts have been especially impressed
 with the  portable system's color LCD display and detailed graphics.  "The
 backlit 3.5-inch  display boasts  a resolution  of 160x102  pixels with 16
 colors from a palette of 4,096," he said.

     He added  that the  sharp resolution, color and back lighting not only
 reduced eyestrain, but also enabled video game players  to use  the system
 anywhere, under any lighting conditions.  "Whether you're in a car, at the
 office, on the beach, by a campfire or even on a boat  in the  middle of a
 lake," Tramiel  noted, "with  the Lynx, you can play the games you play at
 home or at the arcade."

     Analysts wholeheartedly agreed with Tramiel's assessment,  saying that
 the  Lynx  is  the  first  portable  game  system that is as versatile and
 powerful as a home system.  "It (the Lynx) is more like a full  sized game
 machine that's  been connected to a small monitor," commented one industry
 observer.  "There's really no comparison  between this  and other handheld
 game machines.   In  fact, the  Lynx has faster animation and quicker game
 play than most television and computer  systems.   Its truly  state of the
 art technology."

     The  Lynx  comes  with  an  eight  way controller and two sets of fire
 buttons.  Three option buttons accommodate up to five different functions.
 The system also includes volume, brightness and contrast controls, as well
 as jacks for headphones and a Lynx port.   Users  may flip  the screen 180
 degrees for right and left handed play.  With linkable game cartridges and
 the ComLynx Cable, up to eight systems can  be connected  for multi-player
 or team  challenges.   The one  pound portable  system operates on six (6)
 "AA" batteries and includes California Games (four action  packed games on
 a single cartridge), a Comlynx cable for multiuser play and an AC adapter.

     Four additional  game cartridges are currently available for the Lynx,
 including Blue Lightning, The Gates  of  Zendocon,  Electrocop  and Chip's
 Challenge.  Numerous software developers are licensing game titles for the
 Lynx and Atari expects that the new games will be available for the system
 by early next year.

     Tramiel said  that the  company is  making every  effort to supply the
 retailers with systems as rapidly as possible and that production is being
 ramped up  to meet  the holiday  demand.   "We'll be  operating 'round the
 clock to catch up with the volume of orders," he commented.

     The Atari Lynx has a suggested retail price of 179.99.  Games are sold
 separately and  have suggested  list prices ranging from $34.99 to $39.99.
 For more information, please contact:

                         Ron Stringari, president,
                   Atari Entertainment Products Division
                           1196 Borregas Avenue
                           Sunnyvale, CA.  94088
                              1-408-745-4968





       ____________________________________________________________





 > Best Mouse STR Review     Mouse Ahoy!  A comfy mouse!
   =====================


                                                  THE BEST MOUSE
                                                  ==============


 by Daniel Stidham


     One of the most important pieces of equipment on the  Atari ST  is the
 mouse, for obvious reasons.  But at times I have found it to be one of the
 cheesiest pieces  of equipment also (no pun intended here).  What you say?
 Well if you have ever used the Macintosh  mouse you'll  know what  I mean.
 The  Mac  mouse  has  better  tactile  design  --  it  clicks  sweetly and
 effortlessly.  When I played around with  one  at  a  local  Mac  dealer I
 almost felt  like I was playing music as it double clicked its way into my
 heart. So, coming back to my  Mega's  mouse  was  like  driving  an Escort
 (sorry  to  all  you  Escort  owners)  after cruising in a Caddy.  Heck, I
 thought it was normal to have  cramps  in  my  thumb,forefinger  and wrist
 after a day of clicking!

     Until  recently,  I  thought  that  this  was one of the trade-offs of
 working with the ease of the GEM desktop -- something  that I  had to live
 with.   But in  an October  issue of  STart magazine a company that I know
 many of you have dealt with  and  heard  of  --  Best  Electronics  in San
 Jose,California  --  announced  shipping  of their Best Mouse alternative.
 Hmmm...I pondered if it was color-coded  for my  system...was it  really a
 big enough  improvement to  justify the  49.95 investment...would it be an
 improvement at all.  Then I wandered over to the telephone and  called the
 people at  Best ..they  promised me that the Best mouse did indeed fulfill
 all of the above.  They testified that at the WOA show in Dallas (where it
 was introduced)  it had  developed quite  a fan  club (possibly called the
 Best Mouse Club as opposed to the Mickey Mouse Club?). "But are you _sure_
 that it  will not  look out  of place  with the  rest of my equipment?", I
 asked.  Oh no, they said it would  satisfy the  most fashion  conscious ST
 owner out there.  I said, "Sounds wonderful, dawhlink!".  Raul, my fashion
 coordinator, agreed and so I ordered one.

              So did it live up to the hype? Well read on....

     I paid a total of $55.00 for two day air shipping (5.00 for 2 day--not
 bad).  I ordered on a Monday and got it on a Wednesday.  Had to pay COD as
 the Best people don't do credit card orders -- but for my convenience they
 accepted a personal check.  The Best mouse  came in  a small  box not much
 larger than  the mouse  itself.   Fingers shaking, I fought with the clear
 tape that sealed the package.   Inside the  small box  was a  Best catalog
 folded to fit inside the box.  I threw it to the side like so much packing
 material...and...there it was, my mouse (if you think  that I over-reacted
 to receiving  the mouse  you should  have seen me when I got my hard drive
 kit from ICD--I had Katie bar the door).  Looked  nice, real  nice.   As a
 matter-of-fact  it  matched  the  colors  of  the  ST _exactly_!  Raul was
 delighted, I was satisfied.

     The Best mouse looks just like  the real  thing.   The right  and left
 clickers look  like two  little mouse  eyes in  front.   They have a rough
 textured feel and look compared to a smoother texture covering the body of
 the mouse.   Imagine a pear sliced in half down its length and blocked off
 at the stem side. This is exactly how the mouse is shaped.  The part where
 your palm  would rest  is the  bulge of  the pear  and the clickers are in
 front, stem-ward.  Ergonomically speaking  (Raul  loves  that  word!), its
 near perfect and seems to be very accommodating to the hand that uses it.

     Its tail is twice as long as the Atari mouse.  You may look at this as
 being both good and bad.  Good in that it  allows you  to be  farther away
 from the  computer(comes in handy when you are demoing and someone else is
 sitting in front of the computer).  Bad in that  you have  that extra cord
 to deal  with on  the desktop  getting in  the way of disks,etc.  But this
 isn't that big of a deal  and if  I had  my druthers  I'd keep  the longer
 cord. Raul agreed.

     Enough of  the fluff  you say  and on with the performance -- how does
 the rubber meet the road and all those other over-used metaphoric phrases.
 You probably  thought that I held this for last due to disappointment with
 its performance.  Not true!  I was only building  up to  the most exciting
 aspect of  the Best  Mouse.  Remember the Mac mouse?  Well forget it...the
 Best mouse has an  even _better_  feel and  look.   It is  very smooth and
 clicking is effortless.  Double-clicking is rapid but sure as you can feel
 a distinct click without having to work for  it.   I had  no fatigue after
 many straight  hours of  usage.   The people  at Best  told me that it was
 designed to eliminate strain on the wrist and that it  does.   I parked my
 Escort(wish I could have traded it in) and now do all my clicking with the
 Best mouse.

     A couple notes...The mouse is manufactured using teflon  rollers. This
 will eliminate  dirt build-up that would eventually cause Atari's mouse to
 function poorly (and you to get out the Q-Tips and alcohol).   Also when I
 called Best  they told  me that  I would need a higher density mat because
 their mouse has three feet/pads instead of four.  Sure  enough when  I got
 the mouse  it didn't  work properly on my Suncom mat.  I gave the mat away
 and just use the bare desktop now with  no problems.  But, if  you prefer,
 there are  higher density  mouse mats  out there.  Raul is looking for one
 but he's real particular about color....

                      Best Electronics (408)243-6950.
                 Compatible with all ST and Mega products.


 Editor Note:
 Daniel is vice-president of Cintari users group of Cincinnati,Oh and runs
 a DTP sig. He uses his system for dBase programming through dBMAN and
 has several clients in the Cincinnati area.   Presently, he  is engaged in
 creating a  system for  former Cincinnati  mayor and now councilman, David
 Mann, to track his law  references.      Dan  also  operates  a  small DTP
 business out of his home called PageSmith Publishing.





      _______________________________________________________________

   
  



 > ANGUISHED DEALER STR Spotlight     Who..  dropped the ball??
   ==============================


 ctsy GEnie Roundtable



     Just a  few weeks ago, I was touting to all of you about the great new
 dealer we had in Birmingham, Alabama.   He  has a  very professional store
 front in the affluent side of town.  His store was dressed out mainly with
 Mega business computers, Moniterm Monitors and plenty of high end software
 to make  the ST's performance potential gain a lasting positive impression
 in the eyes of the home  computer buying  public.   John Lavoy,  the owner
 even spent  money on advertising.  He is using the 30 second and 60 second
 Atari business computer commercials on our 5 local cable stations.
   
     All's great right, WRONG!  He is ready,  at this  time, to  return the
 ST's he has in stock to Sunnyvale.  WHY?   Because of Atari's contemptuous
 attitude.  Now, folks you tell me if this is a way to market  computers in
 the USA.   Here we have a dealer who has to buy his computers with cashier
 checks.  There is NO NET 30 ON ANY ORDERS.   That  is bad  enough to scare
 most if not all dealers away from carrying the Fuji symbol, game image and
 all.  But nah, John believes so much in the DTP end  that he  has invested
 quite heavily to sell the ST DTP concept.   

     This could  very well  be the  straw that  has broken the camels back.
 Computers Etc., has been running commercials for the last two  weeks.  And
 now he is faced with the dilemma of getting computers from Atari so he can
 meet the demands created by the  commercial advertising.   Simply  put, he
 has paid  cash up  front for his computers but cannot get them, PERIOD!  I
 don't want to hear this cra* from you folks that say; "Oh, we don't have a
 problem at all in getting ST's".  That is not the case here in Alabama.  I
 know for a fact that he has called Atari on  a number  of occasions (don't
 give me  BSA distributing as a solution, they're a joke) They, simply put,
 cannot help with anything more than lip service.

 Editor Note:  Wonder_ BSA_ stands for.....  hmmmm

 Meanwhile back at the ranch:  

     He negotiated a business deal with  Atari to  purchase the  ST's at an
 agreed price  relative to  certain promotions.  He asked them if he needed
 to put money upfront to get the promo deal.  He was told by  the sales rep
 (Marianne); "No  that was  not necessary, the deal would be good until the
 first of the year".  He called back a few days later and is  now told that
 he has  to send  full amount  UPFRONT to  get the ORIGINAL OFFER!  (what a
 joke!)  After running the commercials, Atari is telling him  that they are
 NOT SURE THEY ARE GOING TO HONOR THE PROMO PRICE THEY AGREED UPON.  Please
 allow me remind you this store is not part of a national chain.  This is a
 local mom  and pop  dealership.   Apparently, Atari  is not intimidated by
 them or, simply has no respect for those trying to support them.  

     He is being told that he  has  to  proffer  fantastic  and unrealistic
 funding to  still enjoy  the benefits  of the original offer.  Well, after
 the advertising costs etc., he finds it somewhat difficult to  raise large
 amounts of  upfront capital.  The dealer then made a counter offer, saying
 he will  send in  $10,000 to  get additional  machines (plus  has a $3,000
 credit he wishes to use for additional hardware).  Guess what?  He is told
 that it is now TOO LATE FOR HIM  TO GET  THE ST'S  AT THE  ORIGINAL AGREED
 UPON OFFER.
   
     Certainly,  this  is  not  the  way  to  attract and keep NEW dealers.
 Especially, in the highly communicative, US Marketplace.  I am  so angered
 that the straw has apparently broken my back also.  How can Atari possibly
 have the gall to announce new hardware when  the real  issue is attracting
 and keeping  dealers.   This type  of business  practice is  unfair to the
 dealer, the developer and the customer.

     I have had it.  I have been a loyal ST user for the  last 3  years.  I
 have carried the torch for what seems like an eternity, trying to convince
 the world that the ST is a great machine (It  is).   Having great hardware
 is only  one part  of the  entire picture.  If you can't take care of your
 dealers then Atari, you are pi**ing  in the  wind.   Atari, wake  up!  The
 computer industry  is service oriented!  If you can't service your dealers
 than please see how long you last using your tactics in Europe.  

     As for myself, I am beginning to see the light.  The US buyer  is very
 smart marketwise.  I don't think image is the problem, its the support you
 render to the customer.  WE all know how well Atari has done.  I have gone
 on long  enough.  Let me say that the Mega is, at this time, my LAST Atari
 computer.  In the future, I  will give  my $5,000  or $6,000  dollars to a
 company that is awake and in the mainstream. 

 Closing comment:
 ===============
     A person walked in with one of the Time magazine ads to show John.  It
 is a very impressive 6 page add on the Amiga.  John looks at  me and says;
 "Maybe  I  should  be  carrying  the  Amiga, at least, they advertise".  I
 honestly could not look him in the face  and say;  "No, the  Atari line of
 computers is  a better  way to  go".   Not after  all this.  I now see how
 Atari views the US market.

                                        One fed up and loyal user,

                                        Tom Moore STreamline Tech.
  


 Editor Note:
 ===========
     Coming  on  the  heels  of  Comdex...  the  above   message  is  truly
 heartbreaking.    However,  it  clearly  demonstrates how a concept at the
 executive level is a clear as glass, and yet when placing the concept into
 action, the  responsible department's personnel appear to have dropped the
 ball, muddied the waters,  stumbled, fumbled  and positively  allowed this
 dealer to  not fall, but plummet through the cracks!  Come on Atari, let's
 get this one cleared up and fast.  Its occurrences such as  this that make
 all the  promise and wonder of Comdex look like so much vaudevillian hype.
 We will present the further developments  in this  matter as  they unfold.
 We do  believe the best part of the problem here is attributable to a lack
 of communication (BSA) and the proximity of Comdex.

     In keeping with the new  Atari  attitude,  towards  the  customers and
 dealers, we  find that they are very responsive to reasonable requests and
 are making  sincere attempts  at solving  problems instead  of fighting or
 ignoring them.   In  that light we present the following reply as proof of
 Atari's new direction.


  
 Well, it's time for some encouraging news.

     I  met  with  Bill  Crouch  today,   along  with   our  Senior  Credit
 Administrator  Eric  Leet,  and  personally  gave  him a copy of the above
 message.  Bill tells me that he is in the process of  re-doing all  of the
 dealer requirements,  which are  quite frankly, confusing and perhaps even
 unfair.  Most of the changes will take place within  30 days...believe me,
 I made sure before I posted this tonight!!  

     The new  requirements will make it much easier for a dealer to be able
 to carry the Mega line, the rest of the criteria is still being worked on.
 Overall,  we  expect  to  make  life  much  easier for the dealer to order
 product, get  qualified, and  make the  order flow  more decentralized and
 faster.   As the  entire criteria  is not  made up,  I cannot go into more
 specifics.

     I do make one request.  I had to get a phone  call from  Ralph Mariano
 pointing me  into this  topic to  find out what was going on.  While I can
 appreciate the need to  vent  a  little  frustration  and  steam,  I still
 confess to being confused by some of the messages that are pointed at just
 ATARI! Come on, gang!!  We are not strangers to you, why  haven't you sent
 me, or some other Atari person E-Mail?  I suppose I could check this topic
 everyday, but frankly, I'm  starting to  feel a  little stretched already.
 Help  me  out,  and  *Yourselves*  by  sending  me e-mail with your dealer
 problems.  I will help, as I have helped in  other instances.   But,  if I
 don't know  about the  problems, I cannot do anything about it.  *Please*,
 make me more productive and send me e-mail about your problems!

     One final note: we are a  *very* small  company.   In checking  on the
 most recent  events that  T.Moore describes,  let me  point out just a few
 ignored tidbits of info.  First, his dealers  order arrived  on the Friday
 that all  of our  executives were  at Comdex.  Figure it out!  If Bill had
 scheduled the 100 appointments for one hour each for 20 appointments, over
 a  5  day  period  he  would  be  able to make ALL the appointments.  That
 doesn't allot a whole lot of  time  for  him  to  conduct  other business.
 Also, the above note that Tom posted was the day after his dealer had been
 asked to wait until the next  business day  to straighten  the matter out:
 not  a  week,  not  month,  not  a  quarter,  ONE  BUSINESS  DAY!    Who's
 unreasonable here?? Are you really sure it's ALWAYS Atari? Don't  jump the
 ship yet,  Tom.   There are  more than  a few of us that have just come on
 board in  the  last  few  months.  We're  trying  really  hard  to  make a
 difference, and  we're making progress.  Tom, I'll send you more specifics
 via e-mail.

     Thanks for listening to the other side of the coin  for a  moment, and
 thanks again to Ralph Mariano for bringing this matter to my attention.

                                                       Bob Brodie






      _______________________________________________________________





 > A SECOND LOOK  STR FOCUS      Is the hand quicker than the eye?
   ========================



                                             INDEXING THE TT & MEGA4 ST
                                             ==========================




     STReport has  found that  possibly, the facts and figures presented to
 the userbase concerning the  performance  of  the  new  Atari  TT  may not
 reflect the real potentials and power of the TT.  Although, we do feel the
 figures were presented in good faith, we, at the same time, found that the
 testing  program  was  written  well  before  the  TT was available to the
 public.  Therefore, certain  routines capable  of taking  advantage of the
 unique  and  superior  design  of  the  TT and its vastly improved CPU the
 68030, were not included as part of the testing program.

     Below, we  present  an  illustration  depicting  the  possibilities of
 debatable results  being produced while testing the TT.  We tested a MEGA4
 equipped with a T16 by Fast Technologies.   We leave  the results  and the
 judgement call  to the readers.  We feel however, that the TT will require
 additional testing with an index program capable of  interpreting the true
 performance curves  of the TT.  At this time, we understand D. Mihocka has
 volunteered to upgrade the QuickIndex  program,  he  asked  for  some "TT"
 keyboard time and it is rumored this will happen rather soon. 


         QuickIndex identified the TT as having "TOS Version 3.0".
           The Mega 4 ST was equipped with TOS 1.4 and the T-16.
           It did identify the OS as being TOS 1.4 in the Mega4
  
        QuickIndex          TT          TT         Mega 4 ST
        Resolution         Low         High          High
           TEST           CACHE       CACHE       T16 & Cache  
  
     Processor Tests:
     ---------------
     CPU Memory            360%        361%          126%
     CPU register          409%        410%          202%
     CPU divide            509%        510%          201%
     CPU shift            1734%       1737%          205%
  
     Disk Access Tests:
     -----------------
     DMA Read (Disk)       181%        181%        10730% ***
     Gem (Create File)     100%        100%         7726% ***
  
     Screen Speed Tests:
     ------------------
     Text write            190%        193%          440% ***
     string display        185%        187%         1837% ***
     scroll                290%        295%          149%
     Gemdraw (boxes)       225%        225%          317% ***

                          TT figures as appeared 
                                 in STZMAG

  
                         ---========***========---


     We present herewith the documentation for the QUICKINDEX program, thus
 the reader may now understand the  terms  and  measurements  as  they were
 intended instead of perhaps guessing at their meaning.



 Quick Index 1.5 - the ST System Performance Evaluation Program
 --------------------------------------------------------------
 by Darek Mihocka and Ignac Kolenko

 Waterloo, Ontario, Canada    June 9, 1989
                              -===========-


 The categories  are divided  into two  groups. The first group (in the top
 half of the screen) contains benchmarks  which are  relatively independent
 of TOS  version or  screen resolution. The second group is very dependent,
 since these are the screen  output  tests,  and  so  choose  the reference
 system carefully.

 Some of the categories have been recalibrated, and so the numbers may vary
 slightly from before. For example, the dialog box used in the GEM test has
 been changed to include a wider variety of objects. The BIOS text test has
 been changed to use all 80 columns if possible.

 The categories test three major areas of the ST: disk  I/O, screen output,
 and CPU speed. The CPU results should always return 100% if your ST is not
 equipped with some sort of 16MHz accelerator board or cache.

 With about half a dozen companies now claiming to have  16 MHz accelerator
 boards for  the ST,  we would  like to see some more results. We challenge
 the makers of these boards to run Quick Index on  their hardware  and show
 us some pleasing numbers before we shell out $300 to $500 for such boards.
 We'd like to see numbers in the 150%-200% range, and not less!

 The screen output benchmarks  can be  used to  see how  effective programs
 like Quick  ST, Turbo  ST, and  GDOS are, and can also be used to test the
 blitter chip performance.

 The disk benchmarks test how fast the selected disk drive can be read, how
 fast it  can create  files, and how fast the disk drive spins. The results
 will partly be affected by how the disk  is formatted  (i.e. single sided,
 double sided, twisted, etc). 

 We  hope  that  you  will  find  Quick  Index  useful. Remember to support
 shareware  by  sending  us  a  contribution  of  $30.  You  then  become a
 registered user  of all  of the  Quick programs  (Quick View, Quick Index,
 Quick Find, Quick Inf, Quick Print,  etc...) and  will be  able to receive
 updates that  will not released to the public. Click on the HELP button in
 Quick Index for more information.

 This release of Quick Index may be copied, and this documentation file may
 be reprinted,  on the condition that the program and documentation are not
 modified and are distributed at no cost. The ARCed file  may be  posted on
 any free BBS or online service.

 Editor Note:
     This article is presented not to air who may be right or wrong, but in
 the interests of fair play (for  Atari's  TT)  and  whole  information, we
 decided  to  check  a  Mega  against  the  posted figures.  We realize the
 figures will vary with each machine tested, but when we  queried the folks
 at the  Atari booth, during COMDEX, they requested that we not use a bench
 testing program written and designed for use with the earlier ST models.  

     We understood this request and when we saw the "benchmark  tests" made
 public decided  to do some of our own.  In conclusion, we at STReport feel
 the TT did not get a fair opportunity to strut its stuff, we realized this
 when we  saw the figures.  The representation presented to the readers was
 in our opinion not quite right.   In  recognition  of  the  author  of the
 original results, we are sure no harm was purposely intended.





     ________________________________________________________________




 > ST REPORT CONFIDENTIAL     Sayin' it like it is......
   ======================



 - Sunnyvale CA.            *****  ATARI BEGINS POSITIVE USA DRIVE  ***** 
   -------------

         With the Lynx in full release, and the warehouse almost emptied of
 the old style 520 machines, Atari is poised on the  threshold of  its "new
 beginning" in  the US  marketplace.   As we  see it  the next 120 days are
 going to be among the most dynamic Atari has seen in quite awhile.



 - Columbus, OH.  ***** CIS OPENS SPECIAL LYNX AREA IN 8BIT FORUM *****
   ------------


     Ron Luks, head SysOp Atari  Comp-U-Serve,  announced  today  that they
 will have  available an  area in the 8 bit forum (Type G Atari8) dedicated
 to the Lynx and its associated game cart software.   Additionally, he said
 they would  be accepting  LHARC files  as of  today and have the new LHARC
 available for D/L. In the Atari Pro area. (Type G Ataripro) To  d/l LHARC,
 type bro LHARC.ARC in the new uploads area of the Pro library. 




 - New York City, NY.            ***  150,000 PORTFOLIOS SPOKEN FOR!  ***
   -----------------


     At close to two thousand a day being sold, the Portfolio has literally
 taken the US market by storm.  The futures of  both the  Portfolio and the
 other  Atari  computer  related  products  are on a very positive upswing.
 According to industry observers, "if the current trends continue, the name
 Atari will gain respect and momentum in the cottage computer industry very
 rapidly", they said.



 - Rockville, MD.         *****  GENIE ADOPTS THE LHARC (LZH) FORMAT  *****
   --------------

     After having received  version  .051  of  LHARC,  and  after extensive
 testing  of  its  reliability,  Darlah  Pine,  Head  SysOp  of  the  Atari
 Roundtables has  announced  they,  (The  Atari  ST  Roundtables),  will be
 accepting files  compressed with  this format using the .LZH extender.  Of
 course, this does not mean they are discontinuing ARC, it  means they will
 use LHARC  in addition to ARC.  Since ARCShell 2.0 readily interfaces with
 LHARC, no problems are  foreseen.   However, "We  will be  preparing a doc
 file for new users", she said. 
                       File: LHARC.ARC file # 12916



 - San Francisco, CA.             ***** SYQUEST INTROS 2 NEW GOODIES  *****
   ------------------
  
     At COMDEX,  SyQuest was showing two new removable hard drives - a 5.25
 inch 175MB device to be  priced  about  the  SAME  as  the  current  44 MB
 version.  And a 3.5 inch 42.5 MB removable.  Both of these fine drives are
 1 inch high (1/3 height) and  the 3.5  inch could  even fit  in the STACY!
 Both drives should be available by June (probably earlier to OEMs).  Also,
 the price on the current 44 MB drive will BE REDUCED BY $100.00 - $200.00.
  An special  in-depth report  on these  fine new products will be featured
 next week.



 - London, UK.                     ****** ATARI UK LOWERS THE BOOM! *******
   -----------


     Now, here's the lowdown about the STE "late release" in the UK...
  
 The importers could only order 1040 STE computers when their current stock
 of 1040 STFM's 1040 STF:s was depleted.  Atari Scandinavia ordered a _low_
 amount of 1040 STFMs this year, so they could be _sure_ of having the 1040
 STE released  and in  time for christmas.  Atari UK has a very large stock
 of 1040 STFMs, and that's why the 1040  STE is  in the  Swedish Shops, but
 not in the English ones.

 Also, rumor  has it  that Atari UK is irked at certain magazine publishers
 for having "jumped the gun" on publicizing the STE "before its time".   As
 a result  it is  reported that  Atari is pulling back all the STE machines
 sent to magazine publishers, non-disclosure agreements or not.   Ah yes...
 for the actions of a few, many suffer.  A very unwise move.






    ___________________________________________________________________
  





 > LHARC DOCS STReport InfoFile    A quick explanation of LHARC v .051
   ============================





        _________________________________________________________________
       /                                                                /
      /   //      //  //   ////   /////    /////       /////  //////   /
     /   //      //  //  //  //  //  //  //          //        //     /
    /   //      //////  //////  /////   //      //   ////     //     /
   /   //      //  //  //  //  //  //  //              //    //     /
  /   //////  //  //  //  //  //  //   /////      /////     //     /
 /                                                                /
  v0.51
                        1989 by DeltaVision Systems
        Written in GfA 3.07 and Turbo-C/ST by J. Webb & E. van Herk

 Is it a bird? Is it a plane?  No, it's yet ANOTHER archiver. We've had SQ,
 ARC, PAK, ZIP, ZOO, and now... LZH! Well, the guys on MS-DOS seem to like 
 it, so us ST'ers will just have to adjust, as always...

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               INTRODUCTION
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc  was  developed  for MS-Dos systems  by  somebody  called  Haruyasu 
 Yoshizaki  from Japan.  It compresses typical files to about 60% of  what 
 ARC  would  do  (e.g.  if ARC compresses it  100K,  LHarc  will  probably 
 compress it to about 60K).  This is just about the best ANY archiver  can 
 do. And for transmitting files over a telephone line that makes a hell of 
 a difference...

 An ST version of LHarc is being written me,  Jon Webb, with a lot of help 
 from Bart van Herk.  This is the third release of LHarc-ST, compiled with 
 the brand new GfA 3.03 compiler and Turbo-C/ST.  

 Neither Bart nor I take any responsibility whatsoever.  If you turn  your 
 120 Meg hardisk into a C60 cassette tape, it's your own silly fault.

 LHarc-ST is not completely compatible with the MS-Dos version.  We  don't 
 guarantee that files created on an ST can be extracted on a PC,  or  vice 
 versa.  But if you follow the guidelines in this document,  you shouldn't 
 have any problems.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                ! WARNING !
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc-ST can NOT work with floppy disks when TurboDos is  installed!  See 
 the section about 'known bugs' below.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              STARTING LHARC
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc  can be started from the desktop or from a shell.  If you like  you 
 can  rename  LHARC.PRG to LHARC.TTP or LHARC.TOS,  whatever  you  prefer. 
 LHarc knows when it has been started from the desktop.  It will allow you 
 to input/edit your command line, and will wait  for a keypress when done. 
 If  you  start LHarc without a command line,  it will display a  list  of 
 commands. LHarc should work fine with a standard ARCshell.

 You  can get Gem to start LHarc automatically when you double-click on  a 
 .LZH file by going through the following steps:

      -    Highlight LHARC.PRG,
      -    Select 'Install Application' from the drop-down menu,
      -    Type 'LZH' and click on 'Okay',
      -    Select 'Save Desktop' from the drop-down menu.

 If  you  are  not  running  the new TOS 1.4  you'll  need  to  edit  your 
 DESKTOP.INF file with a text editor next.  Any editor will do as long  as 
 it can produce ASCII TEXT.  You could use 1st Word with WP mode  switched 
 OFF, the editor Tempus, or the capture buffer in Flash. Right down at the 
 bottom  of your DESKTOP.INF file you'll see a line which looks  something 
 like this:

      #P 03 04   LHARC.PRG@ *.LZH@ 

 This  tells  Gem to start up 'LHARC.PRG' whenever you double-click  on  a 
 '*.LZH' file.  But Gem only stores the name of the program,  not the path 
 leading  to it!  So it would only be able to find LHarc if it was in  the 
 same folder as your .LZH file.  You must insert the path yourself. If you 
 have LHarc in the folder C:\COMMS\, the line would look like this:

      #P 03 04   C:\COMMS\LHARC.PRG@ *.LZH@ 

 Watch out you don't change any other characters of your DESKTOP.INF file, 
 because  Gem is very choosy about what it finds in there.  Leave the  '@' 
 characters in too!

 Once you've installed LHarc as an application you can double-click on any 
 LZH file. Gem will tell LHarc which file you double-clicked on, and LHarc 
 will allow you to edit your command line (e.g.  insert -V in front of the 
 name).

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              INPUT AND OUTPUT
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc  can  be  redirected  to a  file  or  another  device,  except  for 
 extraction to the screen. Output can be paused by pressing Control-S, and 
 resumed  with any key.  Pressing ESC or Control-C will abort the  current 
 operation.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              LHARC COMMANDS
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 To use LHarc you will need to tell it what to do by giving it a  command. 
 ARC users will find LHarc commands quite (if not very) familiar.  If  you 
 do  not  know  the  purpose of archivers,  please  have  a  look  at  the 
 documentation which accompanies ARC from System Enhancement Associates.

 Optional parameters are in square brackets [..]. LHarc will automatically 
 add  .LZH  to an archive name if it can't find it.  If no  drive/path  is 
 specified,  the current drive/path is used.  If no filespec is  specified 
 with any command but add, delete and rename, *.* is assumed.

 *    Command....... A
      Description... Add files to an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC A [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC A \document.lzh c:\docs\*.doc
                     LHARC A d:\games.lzh a:\pm\pacman.*
                     LHARC A c:\download\msgs *.msg
                     LHARC A a:source d:myprog.c c:*.pas c:\gfa\*.GFA

      The  'A' command adds files to an archive.  If the archive does  not 
      yet   exist,  it will be created first.  The file specification  may 
      include  wildcards.

 *    Command....... M
      Description... Moves files to an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC M [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Example....... LHARC M thisdir.lzh *.*

      The  'M'  command moves files to an archive by adding  them  to  the 
      archive,  and  then  deleting them from disk.  The  files  are  only 
      deleted if the archive operation was successful.

 *    Command....... I
      Description... Extract files with Inquire

      Syntax........ LHARC I [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC I \document.lzh c:\docs\
                     LHARC I d:\games
                     LHARC I c:download *.msg messages\*.txt

      The  'I' command causes LHarc to display the filenames of each  file 
      matching  the filespecs (or *.* if no filespec was  passed),  asking 
      you  whether you want to extract this file.  Type [Y]es to  extract, 
      [N]o  to continue with the next file,  [A]ll to extract the rest  of 
      the files or [Q]uit to stop extracting.  If LHarc finds a file which 
      already  exists,  it will ask you whether you are sure you  want  to 
      extract it.  If the CRC doesn't match that of the original, you will 
      be warned.

 *    Command....... X
      Description... Extract files from an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC X [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs

      Examples...... LHARC X \document.lzh a:\*.*
                     LHARC X \sources\source d:myprog\calc*.h
                     LHARC X c:games.lzh d:\pac.prg e:breakout.prg
                     LHARC X b:download f:\

      The 'X' command works just like the 'I' command,  but it doesn't ask 
      you  whether  you want to extract each file,  it just  extracts  all 
      files matching filespec.  If a file already exists,  LHarc will warn 
      you and ask you whether you're sure you want to extract it.  If  you 
      don't like 'X', you can use 'E' instead (to please some ARC shells).

 *    Commands...... S and P
      Description... Extract files to screen or printer

      Syntax........ LHARC S [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs
                     LHARC P [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs

      Examples...... LHARC S \document.lzh *.doc read_me.txt
                     LHARC P \printer.lzh picture.dmp

      The  'S' command extracts files from an archive,  just like the  'X' 
      command,  but  puts them on the screen instead of on disk.  The  'P' 
      command sends them to the printer.  Both commands cause the files to 
      be sent via BIOS, so they are not redirectable.

 *    Command....... T
      Description... Test files in archive

      Syntax........ LHARC T [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC T ..\badlzh importnt.doc
                     LHARC T xfer.lzh *.*

      LHarc  stores lots of info about the original file in  the  archive. 
      One  thing it notes down is the CRC value of that file.  CRC  stands 
      for  Cyclic  Redundancy  Check,  and is a special  way  of  checking 
      whether a file has been damaged or not.  If the CRC of the  original 
      file matches that of the extracted file,  you can be pretty sure the 
      files are identical.  The 'T' command tests files in the archive and 
      reports whether the CRC value in the header matches that  calculated 
      by LHarc.

 *    Command....... V
      Description... Verbose list of an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC V [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC V \document
                     LHARC V c:\archives\sources *.C D*.PAS
                     LHARC V a:games.lzh pac*.*

      The  'V'  command will show you a list of all files in  the  archive 
      specified,  which match the filespecs (or all files,  if no filespec 
      is given). You'll see the following information...

      - Filename:    the name of the original file
      - Actual:      the length of the original file when it's unpacked
      - Packed:      the number of bytes the file takes up in the archive
      - Ratio:       how large the packed file is compared to the original
      - Date:        date of last modification
      - Time:        time of last modification
      - Attr:        file attributes of the original:

                          w = Write Protected,
                          h = Hidden,
                          s = System,
                          a = Archived.

      - CRC:         The Cyclic Redundancy Check of the file. This  is used

                     to check for damages to the archive.

      - Methd:       Compression method,  Either -lh0- for an uncompressed 
                     file, or -lh1- for a compressed file.

 *    Command....... L
      Description... Short list of an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC L [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC L \document
                     LHARC L c:\archives\sources *.C D*.PAS
                     LHARC L a:games.lzh pac*.*

      This command does nearly the same as 'Verbose'.  The difference: the 
      filename, original size and archive comments are displayed.

 *    Command....... D
      Description... Delete files in an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC D [path]archive[.LZH] filespecs...

      Examples...... LHARC D msdos pc_ditto.prg
                     LHARC D badlzh delete.*

      The  'D' command removes one or more entries from  the  archive.  No 
      defaults are allowed here.

 *    Command....... R
      Description... Rename a file in an archive

      Syntax........ LHARC R [path]archive[.LZH] oldNAME newNAME

      Example....... LHARC R upgrade.lzh version1.prg version2.prg

      This command changes the name of ONE SINGLE file in an archive.  You 
      CAN'T use wildcards here!

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 SWITCHES
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 You  can influence the behavior of LHarc by adding one or more  switches 
 after the command character. These switches are valid:

      H    Hold  after command,  will tell LHarc to pause for  a  keypress 
           after it has done whatever it was supposed to do.  Because some 
           people might be using LHarc for running a BBS,  a thirty second 
           timeout  has been added,  so LHarc will exit after  30  seconds 
           even  if you don't press a key.  When started from the  desktop 
           LHarc will always ask for a keypress.

      B    keep  Backup of archive.  If you don't trust LHarc you can  get 
           it to leave the 'old' copy of the archive on disk.  It won't be 
           deleted, the extension will just be changed to '.BAK'.

      N    No  compression,  will  cause LHarc to store the  file  in  the 
           archive without compressing it.  These files are displayed with 
           method  '-lh0-' in the verbose list.  The CRC saved is a  dummy 
           (Hex 1234).

      O    Overwrite existing files.  If you add this switch,  LHarc won't 
           ask  you  whether you want to overwrite the file  about  to  be 
           extracted if it already exists. The old file will be deleted.

      F    Disable  Floppy/TurboDos check.  This switch will override  the 
           checking  for floppy operations with  TurboDos  installed.  You 
           might have a newer version of TurboDos than I have,  so you can 
           switch the checking off here.

      C    Add  Comments.  LHarc  can  add comments to  each  file  in  an 
           archive. These will be displayed when you extract, list, update 
           the  archive  etc.  By  adding this switch  while  updating  or 
           creating an archive LHarc will prompt you for a comment.

 Example:  You want to extract TEST.LZH, and you don't care about existing 
 files... The command would be:

      LHARC XO TEST.LZH

 To  get  a verbose list of the contents of TEST.LZH,  and pausing  for  a 
 keypress after the list has been displayed, the command would be:

      LHARC VH TEST.LZH

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      ERRORLEVELS AND TEMPORARY FILES
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc passes a value back to the program it was called from.  The desktop 
 disregards this value, but other programs might find it useful. The value 
 (usually  called  an 'error level') depends on whether  the  command  was 
 executed successfully. The following error levels are used:

      0    Okay, no error,
      1    The  given command wasn't recognised,  or the user aborted  the 
           operation,
      2    The specified archive wasn't found,
      3    GemDos reported a read error. Probably a faulty disk,
      4    GemDos reported a write error. Same as above,
      5    A CRC error was found in the archive tested/extracted,
      6    The archive has a bad header in it, probably damaged,
      7    An internal error occurred in LHarc.

 Any  other error levels should be interpreted as  program  errors.  LHarc 
 creates a file called 'LHARC.$$$' when updating an archive.  This file is 
 later renamed to the actual archive name.  If an error occurs during  the 
 operation,  this file is left on disk and can be deleted.  If a file with 
 this  name already exists,  and an archive is updated,  the file will  be 
 deleted without warning!

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO THE MS-DOS VERSION
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Like  I  said,  LHarc-ST  is not completely compatible  with  the  MS-DOS 
 version. Some things to keep in mind:

      -    LHarc-ST  has  been tested with archives  created  by  LHarc-PC 
           v1.12 and vice versa,

      -    LHarc-ST can handle files with full pathnames,  but will  strip 
           the  path  off when extracting.  LHarc-ST  can't  handle  self-
           extracting archives (.COM/.EXE).

      -    For  -lh0- type files (which are normally VERY small),  no  CRC 
           check is done during decompression. All -lh1- files are checked 
           of  course.  If you specify 'N'o compression when adding to  an 
           archive, the CRC is a dummy (hex 1234).

      -    When  extracting  a file from an archive,  the  attributes  are 
           disregarded.  I  don't like the thought of  archivers  creating 
           hidden read-only system files. 

      -    The  archive  comments might not work with future  versions  of 
           LHarc on the PC or any other system. I've used a rather illegal 
           method of adding comments,  but the PC version doesn't seem  to 
           mind. Archives which don't contain comments should work fine in 
           any case.

      -    LHarc has a maximum of 100 files per archive at the moment.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                KNOWN BUGS
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 LHarc cannot work with floppy disks if TurboDos is installed.  This is  a 
 bug in all programs written in Turbo-C. Before doing anything on a floppy 
 LHarc will check to see whether TurboDos is installed and issue an  error 
 if  it  thinks it will have problems.  If you try anyway  (with  the  'f' 
 switch) your machine will probably lock up.  LHarc will work fine without 
 TurboDos, on hardisk and with any version of TOS.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
             BUG REPORTS, REGISTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION POLICY
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 If you find any bugs,  other than the one above, please let us know. We'd 
 like to know a number of things:

      - The version number of LHarc, PC or ST?
      - The command line used to call LHarc,
      - Information about WHAT was happening when the bug occurred,
      - Information about the files you were adding/extracting,
      - Information about the archive you were adding to/extracting from,
      - Was that archive created on a PC or ST? By what version of LHarc?
      - What machine you're running (520 ST, 1040 ST, Mega-2 etc),
      - The version number or default date of your TOS,
      - Where you called LHarc from (DeskTop, NeoDesk, PCommand etc.),
      - How much free memory you had when you started LHarc.

 Please fill in as much info as you can.  If possible,  tell me how I  can 
 reproduce the error. You can reach me by normal mail at:

      DeltaVision Systems,
      I.B.B.-laan 37,
      3582 VE Utrecht,
      The Netherlands.

 or leave a message to Jon Webb at...

      Computershop Utrecht BBS (FidoNet 2:282/350),
      Telephone : Holland (0)30 - 660 487,
      at 300, 1200 or 2400 bps, 24 hours per day,
      your Sysop is Eddy Emck.

 If you enjoy using LHarc-ST and would like to receive the latest  version 
 (plus utilities) on-disk,  send a cheque or postal order for HFL 20,- (or 
 more 8-]) made payable to Jon Webb to the address above.  Include a  note 
 with  your name,  address,  phone number,  which version of LHarc-ST  you 
 already  have,  and whether you'd like the newest version right  away  or 
 prefer to wait for the next update.  Registered users will receive a note 
 when each future update is released,  and can obtain a copy for just  the 
 cost of a disk + p&p.

 LHarc-ST may be used, copied and made available for download as long as 
                         you stick to these rules:

      -    You ALWAYS include the documentation,
      -    You  do  NOT modify the program or documentation  in  any  way, 
           except for translation of the documentation,
      -    You  do  NOT charge a fee other than nominal on-line  time  and 
           copying charges.

     And PLEASE show the version number of LHarc with the file name.  

                                Thank you!



 ========================================================================
 ===                    What's new in LHarc v0.51?                    ===
 ========================================================================

      v0.51  already???  Yep.  Sorry.  Just one day after  releasing 
      version 0.50 I discovered two rather serious bugs which  could 
      cause  compatibility problems with the PC version and/or  make 
      the machine lock up now and then.

      So I decided to release version 0.51. And to make it up to you 
      I've  added  some nice little features and  fixed  some  other 
      problems:

        LHarc  will  no  longer mess around with the  mouse  or  the 
        cursor.  This  was  GfA spoiling the fun  for  command  line 
        interface users,  but I've been digging in the libraries and 
        doing some patching. As a result:

        You  can  now rename LHARC.PRG to .TOS or .TTP  without  any 
        problems whatsoever.

        I  found a few strings which were being sent to  the  screen 
        even  if  output was being redirected to another  device  or 
        file. Only two things are now placed on the screen: internal 
        error messages and the 'Press Any Key' message.

        With version 0.51 you can add COMMENTS to your archives!  By 
        using  the 'c' switch when creating an archive you  will  be 
        prompted for a comment.  Type in your text and press Return. 
        This text will now be displayed when the file is  extracted, 
        updated, listed (see below) etc.

        The  new  List  command  'L' will  display  the  file  name, 
        original size and comment.

      An archive which contains comments MIGHT not be compatible  to 
      future PC versions, versions of LHARC running on other systems 
      or  utilities  which  use  LZH  files.  However,  due  to  the 
      'strategic' positioning of the comments, the PC version I have 
      (1.12)  doesn't  object at all (it just tells you the  CRC  is 
      'not  supported').  I don't know about the Amiga or any  other 
      versions, perhaps somebody could try it out?

      Electronic Greetings!                                  - Jon -





    ___________________________________________________________________




 > Hard Drive Info STReport InfoFile   Affordable Mass Storage
   ================================= 
  
  


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         32mb #SG32238   549.00              42mb #SG44710   619.00
         51mb #SGN4951   629.00              65mb #SG60101   689.00
         80mb #SGN296    729.00             100mb #SG84011D  949.00
        130mb #SG1244D  1099.00             145mb #SG3A421  1110.00
        170mb #SGT41776 1389.00             260mb #SG1244Q  2169.00
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          65mb SQG09   $1339.00           85mb SQG96    $1399.00
                       
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      _______________________________________________________________



 > A "Quotable Quote"
   =================




               " TO ERR IS HUMAN .....TO FORGIVE IS DIVINE!"

                                           ... Memorable Quotes


  


                             "ATARI IS BACK!"

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ST-REPORT Issue #115   "Your Independent News Source"   November 24, 1989
                    ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  copyright 1989
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Views, Opinions and Articles Presented herein are not necessarily those of
 the  editors,  staff,  ST  Report  or CPU Report.  Reprint permission is
 hereby granted, unless otherwise noted.    All  reprints  must  include ST
 Report or  CPU Report  and the  author's name.   All information presented
 herein is believed correct, STReport or CPU Report, it's editors and staff
 are not responsible for any use or misuse of information contained herein.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------


